IF we will consider Man with regard to his Inclinations and Necessities, his Reason and Speech, and his other Conversable Quality's; such as, the Mansuetude of his Nature, his Love to Justice, Equity, Probity, and the like Ver­tues; we must Acknowledge him a Being naturally Fram'd and Design'd for Society; and shall have a Proof not only from the Veracity of God,^† but the Evidence of the Thing, That it is not good for man to be alone. It was Wisely Observed by the great Philoso­pher ^‖ That a Being that can Live alone must be either a Beast or a God: Either a Being of the Lowest Sensation, Sordid and Stupid, Un­manageable [Page 2] and Fierce, without Reason and Foresight, Governed only by Instinct, with­out any Sense of it's own Wants, but what is, Suggested by Hunger and Thirst, Bodily Pain or Immediate Fear; Insensible of the Wants of others, and as little Inclin'd to Help them; Uncapable of the Noble Im­pressions of Generosity, Gratitude, Compas­sion, Equity, Justice, Faithfulness, Self-denial, and all those Social Vertues the No­tion whereof is Connatural to our Minds: Or a Being Endued with those Supereminent Perfections as will make it Compleatly & Se­curely Happy; and can Entertain it self with Infinite and Everlasting Pleasure in the Re­flection on them. But Man is a Being be­tween these; below the Divine Nature, and above the Bestial: and so his Nature, is Necessitated, Adapted, & Disposed to Society. We have an Early Instance of this after the Flood, in the Endeavours of men to Cherish and Continue an Universal Society and Co­habitation, in the Mighty Building of a City and Tower they Attempted, That they should not be Scattered abroad on the Face of the whole Earth, Gen. II. 4.

It Pleased GOD in a Miraculous Manner, and for Wise Reasons to Ruin that Project, and to Disperse them by the Confusion of their Language▪ But however, as He is well [Page 3] Acquainted with the Nature, and Tenderly Affected towards the Necessity's and Com­forts of Mankind, he hath not rendred Soci­ety an Impossible Thing; but hath Placed us in lesser Body's, wherein all the Advan­tages of the biggest may be had and enjoyed: although that City could not be Built, yet (Blessed be GOD,) City's and Corporations, and Kingdoms now there are; wherein we may enjoy the Comforts of Life, do Good to others and be Advantag'd by them; and Best Answer the End of our Beings.

Now these Happy things must not be expected Barely by a Local Ʋnion. A Num­ber of men nothing but Placed together, is but a loose Body, and the Various Dispositi­on of the Parts may Spoil any Harmony and Good Agreement, make them J [...]stle and Interfere one with another, and Intercept all the Comforts of a Social Life. There are sundry things requisite to make a Nercius, a Band, and Ligament that must not be want­ing, and then a Place attains the good Cha­racter which Jerusalem had, That it was Build­ed as a City, Compact together.

This Psalm is Expressive in General, of the Affectionate Regard King David had to Jerusalem, the Metropolis of the Kingdom of Israel: Which had sundry Advantages Ap­propriated to it; the Glory's whereof En­flame [Page 4] his Heart, and Exalt his Stile; as we may see in his lofty Description of that Place, and the warm Addresses he makes to the minds of Men to excite the same Cordial Affection towards it. The Text in Particu­lar Represents to us the Glory's of this Place; and there are no other Parts of the Psalm, that I design to Consider and Descant on, but only as they may fall in, in the Sub­sequent Discourse. The Words read are an absolute Sentence and distinct Proposition: Jerusalem is Builded as a City, that is Compact together.

The Thing here Described is Jerusalem. And it may be considered in several Re­spects: either barely as a particular Place and Portion of Land in the Kingdom of Israel; or as a Place Comprehending the Inhabitants in a Civil Society; or since the Kingdom of Israel was the only Kingdom where the True GOD was Worshipped, and Jerusalem was the Place for the Publick and Solemn Con­vention of his Worshippers three times An­nually, so the Word may be a Term used to Signify the Church of GOD by: Thus Gal. IV. 25. And it may also from thence be Typical of the Church of GOD now, as in Ver. 26. and in other Places.

The Description whereby Jerusalem is set out to us in our Text is, That it is Builed as [Page 5] a City, that is Compact together; or Joined to it self, as rendred by one,^† And it is the same Word that is used to signify the Fastening & joining the Parts of the Tabernacle. It denotes the Unity of the Whole, and the Firm Co­herence of the Parts. And the Description may agree to Jerusalem considered in either of the Senses forementioned.

Thus consider it in the first Sense, It was Builded as a City, that was Compact toge­ther: It was Enclosed as Villages are not; and whereas it was two Villages before, King David had United them and made them one, 1 Chron. II. 7, 8. Or consider it as a Civil Society in that Place, it was United and Compacted then in it's main Interests, Religion and Government; which it was not so while the Jebusites Held the Fort of Zion: Or Lastly, Consider it as the Church of GOD, It was as the Forecited Authour^‖ says, Com­pacted, fitly Framed, and Builded together for an Habitation of God through the Spirit; Apply­ing the Expression, Eph. II. 21, 22. And it is Desireable to see the Church Catho­lick, National, Provincial, or even a Particu­lar Congregation Adorned with these, U­nited to Christ by a Lively and Sound Faith, and to one another by a Fervent Love and Cha­rity, [Page 6] without Intestine Divisions and Jarrs, keeping the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace. But the Occasions of the Day Lead me to Consider it in the Sense mentioned before; and I Hope the Text will Bear me out in it. And in Considering Jerusalem thus, Namely, as a Civil Society Compre­hended in that Place, I shall take no notice of the Particulars of it's Compactness here Referr'd to, any further than as they may fall in with other things in the Discourse on the Words: In General I Observe, the State of that Place, It was Compact together; And the Sense the Psalmist had of it's Excellency on this Account: for this is one thing he set­teth it off by, and therefore was Glad of the Resort made to it, and thinks himself and others Bound to Seek and Pray it's Wel­fare.

My Business then will be, to set this Truth in a Clear Light: Namely,

That it is highly Conducive to the Happiness of a Civil Government and Society to be Firmly United and Compacted.

And the Discourse may be Applyed to Kingdoms in General, or Particular Govern­ments Comprehended within them.

[Page 7] What I design for the Clearing of this Truth, is by shewing

• I. Wherein the Firmness and Compactness of a Place doth consist: Or what those things are that Conduce to it.
• II. The Happiness that doth Result from it.

I. I am to shew wherein the Firmness and Compactness of a Place doth Consist; or what those things are that Conduce to it. And here do I intend to keep within the Compass of my own Profession; and to point out only to those that may be Improved as Directions for the Obtaining of it. Now Omitting the mention of what is necessary to the Primary and Fundamental Establishment of a Socie­ty, and the Formal Distinction of Society's from one another; I may say,

1. That it is necessary to the Compactness of a Place, That the Government be under a suitable Administration: whereby I Compre­hend the Quality's of those who are in Power, and the Regular Improvement of it. And how well soever a Society is Compacted together, what Prudent Laws and Constitu­tions soever are appointed, yet if the Over­sight, Direction, and Execution of all things, [Page 8] is Vested in such as are Uncapable, or Unfaith­ful, there is no Prospect of the Firm Conti­nuance of such a Place: The Place is Deplo­rable where there are no strong Rods for a Scepter to Rule. If the Head be Sick, the Heart will be Faint, and the Body Disor­dered.

There needs a continual Inspection into the State, and a Wise Ordering of things for the Honour and Prosperity of Govern­ment; there should be a continual Looking out against Evils Approaching; there are many Contingency's that a Society is Ex­posed to, and give a new Face to things and Require a Wise Accomodation to them; there are Various Ferments in the Body which it concerns them to Appease, Allay and Cool.

Therefore Places of Eminence should be filled with Persons of Eminent Accomplish­ments. Among which we may Reckon, a Thorough Penetration, a Deep Sense of things, a Practical and Political Wisdom and Prudence. This is Better than Strength, Prov. IX. 10. For it is by a man of Understanding and Knowledge that the State of a Land is Preserved, Prov. XXVIII. 2. He spake this, that well knew the Weight of Government, and Re­quested it as a Necessary Accomplishment for his Regal Station, 2. Chron. I. 10. What­soever [Page 9] other Qualifications a man hath, yet if there be a Remarkable Defect in Wisdom, he will not have a due Sense of his Place, or have True Rules to go by, or Spy Dan­gers Present or Approaching, or know what to Choose for, or Apply as Preventives or Cures.

Wisdom will Teach men the Ends of Go­vernment; the Glory of GOD, the Beauty, Order and Good of the World: It will shew them wherein the Happiness of a Place doth consist, Offer them the best Maxims and Rules, set before them the best Examples, help them to the most likely Methods wherein to Prosecute the Ends of Govern­ment; and the People shall be Led by the Skilfulness of their Hands: It will give them a due Knowledge of the Nature of Man [...]n general, of the Community to which they belong, of particular Persons, of Cases, and Times of Action: It will give them a due Knowledge of Him who is the Fountain of Power and Authority, whose Honour it is a Peoples Duty and Interest to consult, whose Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom, and whose Dominion is from Generation to Generation: It will give them a due Knowledge of them­selves that they may not be too much Ele­vated in their own Conceits and Giddy by their Eminence; that they may know that [Page 10] they are but men Vested with Power by God to be Improved according to his Will; and that they are Accountable to him.

And this leadeth me to add Religion, the most Elevated Wisdom of all, and without which all other is but Insipid and Fruitless; as God saith by the Prophet, Jer. VIII 9. They have rejected the Counsel of the Lord, and what Wisdom is in them? If Rulers are govern'd by the Love of GOD, they will in their Publick as well as in their Private Actions, express Him, who is Holy in all his Ways, and Righteous in all his Works; who Judgeth the World in Righteousness and the Peo­ple with Equity; who though he is a Sove­reign Being, is Sovereignly Wise, Good, Just, and Merciful. If they have Truely Subjected themselves to CHRIST, they will Learn of him, who Judgeth not after the Sight of the Eyes, nor Reproves after the Hearing of the Ears; who Judgeth the Poor with Righ­teousness, and Reproves with Equity for the Meek of the Earth; who hath Righteousness for the Girdle of his Loyns, and Faithfulness for the Girdle of his Reins.

With Wisdom may be joyn'd a Cool and Calm Mind, whereby things may be duely Debated and Considered, and a People may be Preserved from Hot and Precipitate Actions.

[Page 11] And when I have mentioned Religion as a suitable Qualification, need I add a Sober and Vertuous Life, and well Order'd Con­versation? for this the Grace of God [...]eathern: He that is not Regular in his own Life and Conduct, may be as little Careful of the Re­gular Lives of others; He that is Free from Pride and Haughtiness will Treat others as Men, and not as Beasts; He that is Free from Expensive Vices will be kept much from the Temptation to a Crue Exacting on a People; a Freedom from Covetous­ness, Sordid Thirst of Lucre and Pan [...]ing after Rewards is Necessary to keep men Inflexible in their Duty; else they will Sell the Righteous for Silver, and the Poor for a Pair of Shoes: Judgment shall be turned away Backward, and Justice Stand afar off: Truth shall fall from the Streets, and Equity shall not Enter. Or need I add Clemency and Tenderness, that they may be suitably Affected to [...]ards the Good of a People, and Disposed to Mode­ration under the rough Tempers of those with whom they have to do?

I may add further, a Generous and En­larged Spirit, to Devise Liberal Things for the Good of a People. A Contracted Mind will Contract the Sight, and Suffer it to see no Good but what is Present and Immediate.

[Page 12] To say no more, Active and Passive For [...]itude is a Desireable Qualification; when Men can do the Duty's of their Place, Prosecute the Common Good of a People, though they are to Contend with the Mightiest, and have a Prospect of no­thing but their Anger and Unkindness; when they can Look the Loftiest Trans­gressour in the Face, and make him Feel the Keenness of the Law, as well as Shelter the Poor by it: when they can Patiently Hear Evil in doing of Good, and are not moved thereby to Slacken in their Duty or Medi­tate a Retaliation.

To Conclude, Jethro's Character is Desire­able in all, That they be Able men, Fear GOD, Deal Truly, and Hate Covetousness: And these are the Glory and Strength of a Place.

And the Improvement of their Power will be Answerable to their Quality's, and there­by the Soundness and Health of a State will be Secured.

For Instance: As to the Directive and Legislative Powers, this is likely to be at­tain'd when Rulers are sensible, not only of the Honour, but the Duty of their Places, when they give up themselves to their Work, make the Common Good their main Concern, when they have it always upon their Hearts, how they may Advance the [Page 13] Honour of Religion, and Tranquility of Men, when there is an Unanimous Concurrence in all that are concerned in the Publick Admi­nistrations in this, (which there is a like­lihood of when all Prejudices, Private Piques & Grudges, Selfish Ends, Pride and Contra­dicting Humours are laid aside) and they are wholly Concerned for the Rectifying what is Amiss, the Supplying what is Wanting, the Retaining what is Good, & the Removal of what is Evil. These things are apparent­ly for the Good of a Common Wealth, And a great Heathen Writer^† hath told us, That after his much Reading & Intelligence he hath found it true, That all Kingdoms, Cities, and Nations have so far Prospered as true Counsels have been regarded by them.

And thus, As to the Executive Powers, when there is an Equal, Impartial, Vigorous & Steady Execution of Justice and Judgment, and neither Entreaty, nor Flattery, nor Bri­bery, nor Friendship, nor Terror, shall stop the Course of Justice, divert, or slacken it; when the Merits of the Cause outweigh the Greatness of the Person; when nothing is cherished or frown'd on but what should be, and when that never wants it; when Rulers answer their Character, Terrours to evil doers, [Page 14] a Praise to them that do well; then you will see a Place to be Strong and Mighty, Firm and Compact: On the Contrary, the Philosopher ^‖ tells us, That Arm'd Injustice is intolerable; and the Wisest of Men gives it as a very Me­lancholy Consideration, That he saw in the Place▪ of [...]udgment, that Wickedness was there; [...] the Place of Righteousness, that Iniquity was there, Eccl. III. 16. Society would soon Drop to Pieces, and men would Fly one from ano­ther and Live Separate as the Wild Beasts of the Field, if there was nothing to Guard them from the Insolence and Ravenousness of the Wicked and Unjust. For the Throne, and the whole Dominion is Established by Righteousness, Prov. XVI. 12.

2. Good Laws and Constitutions are Re­quisite to the Compactness of a Place. That the Actions of men may be Governed by a certain Rule, and in a certain Method. Without it a Society of men would be no better than an Herd of Beasts. What Mad and Desperate Sallys, what Unreasonable and Pernicious Actions would Men be Guilty of! Fire and Sword, and Brutish Force must Govern where no Laws do: The Weakest must Suffer and not the Worst. According­ly GOD having made Man a Rational Crea­ture, [Page 15] hath (as it were) Twisted Law into the very Frame and Constitution of his Soul, that if he should be at any time without an External Law, he should be a Law unto him­self; his Conscience is appointed Judge, and the Thoughts and Reflections of his own Mind Diversifyed according to his Demeanour, are the Sanctions.

But though this is Fundamental to all the Duty's of our Lives, Private or Publick, yet it seemeth Uncapable alone, to Place every man in his Proper Station, Assign him his proper Work in a due Subserviency to the Common Good, & to direct to all the Particu­lar Commodity's of it: For the External Circumstances of things, which are much di­versify'd in particular Places and Times, and by the Different Tempers of a People, must be also considered.

Besides, as to it's Proper and more Imme­diate Acts, so Weak and Irresolute are our Minds, so Dark is our Sight, so Strong are our Prejudices, so much doth Interest and Self-Love Bias us, and our Passions Over-Power us, as there need External Laws to Direct us in the Particulars of our Duty, with suitable Rewards and Pen [...]lties to En­force the keeping them. [...] goeth but a little way with many▪ [...] knoweth no Shame, [...] III. 9. The Favour [Page 16] of GOD, the Serenity of Conscience, the Mighty Rewards we Expect from our Maker, are too Spiritual Things for a Carnal Mind to See and Relish, Death, and the Final Judgement, and the Miserys of Hell are things too far off (though God knows, near enough,) to Impress Fear on our Minds. And thus by keeping the Outward Actions of Men in due Bounds and Channels, the Good of Humane Society is Secured; besides what Advantage the Practise of what is Good, and Avoiding of what is Evil may be to the Mortifying of Corrupt Principles within us.

Therefore Laws should be Made and E­nacted; but such as Cross not the Superiour and Antecedent obligations we lie under, to the Laws of Nature, and the Laws of God; They should be such as it might be no Sin to Obey them: They should Subserve to the Honour and Flourishing of the Common-Wealth, that Countenance Worth & Merit, to make Vertue Lov'd and Practised, and Vice Abhorr'd and Fear'd: And when Sin and Iniquity Prevails over the Laws already made, the Nature of such Times call for the Addition of further, to Force it to Hide it's Head. Thus there should be Laws made, as Sepimenta Legis Moralis, for the Guard and Defence of those Laws that are of [Page 17] Moral and Eternal Obligation; in all which Wisdom is Profitable to Direct.

These things Link a Society together, and Strengthen it. And Happy was Jerusalem and the People of Israel in the Times of Old in this Respect: For GOD Shewed his Word unto Jacob, his Statutes and his Judgements unto Israel; Psal. CXLVII. 19. He gave them Laws Moral, Religious, Political; He was their Civil Ruler. From Mount Sinai▪ and the Tabernacle of Old, did he Dispense his Laws, and made Additions according to the Exigency's of the People. The Religious Laws of that People, as in Contradistinction to the Laws of Christianity, are Ceased; we having a more Perfect Institution now. The Moral stand in full Force and Obligation on us to Observe them. The Political Deserve the greatest Reverence, as the Result of Perfect Wisdom and Rectitude; and are most Reasonable to be observed by us where our Circumstances Run Parallel with theirs.

3. A Humble Deference to Authority is very Subservient here. That those who are un­der Rule consider the Original and Dignity of Power, and therefore, Love, Honour and Obey those who are Vested with it; That they Pay Reverence to those who are in Pub­lick Power, not only for their Personal Merits, [Page 18] but their Character and Divine Deputation; Th [...] they look on them as the Common Fathers of their Land, Submit to their Di­rections of them, and Concerns about them, and Encourage others to do so; That they Rejoyce in their Welfare, and Thank God for the Blessings they are means of Convey­ing to us, Pray for them, and Support them; That the Bias of a People be to put a kind Construction on their Actions and Orders, and not to think Ill of them, and Blaze Evil Reports about them; That in Doubtful Cases we think it best to yield to them, be willing to Cover their Imperfections, and if their Commands be contrary to our Antece­dent Obligations to GOD, though we must Deny them our Obedience, yet that we Honour them as our Fathers at the same Time. And if we could not see the natural Tendency of this to our Good, we have a Promise from God Annexed to the Fifth Commandment, thus Paraphrased by the Apostle, Eph. VI. 3. That it may be well with thee, & thou mayest Live long on the Earth. By Paying such a Regard to our Rulers, we Force their Love to us, and they Advance the Pub­lick Good by a Pleasing Violence. We En­courage their Hearts, we Strengthen their Hands, and they go on Easily, and with great Dispatch in minding the Common Welfare.

[Page 19] Whereas on the other Hand a Querulous, Perverse and Disobedient People Endeavour to Break the Bands of Society in Sunder, and to Cast those Happy Cords away from them. Thus, when a Government, is Aspersed; when we look on things with an Evil Eye, and the cast of our Minds is only towards the Ble­mishes of our Rulers in their Persons and Administrations; when an Ear is Open to all the Slanders that Malice, Faction and Iniquity can Invent; when we cannot Cover any Imperfections in them, who are Men of like Passions with us; when our Defamations are Heartier than our Prayers by far; and we give an Ill Gloss to the Laws and Consti­tutions that are made, and find Fault with every thing not Just Quadrating with our particular Humours and Interests: Then we try to bring Confusion and Anarchy into the State, and then a Society will Dissolve. And by such an Unsuitable Demeanour to­wards them, we not only Provoke the Dis­pleasure of God, who can Confound parti­cular Men and Society's in a Moment; but we make them Weary of Serving a Stubborn and Unthankful People, or we Weaken them in the way of their Admini­strations, Tempt their Paternal Affections to the Publick to Cease, and Them to Act from Resentments of the Unkindnesses we Offer: [Page 20] And it is too often so that nothing but a Sense of their Duty to the HIGHEST BEING, and of Honour, and Greatness & Generosity of Mind can hinder them; and if we are Jealous of our Rulers, we are con­cerned to add other Principles and Motives to these, to Engage their Love to us.

And surely Reverence and Obedience to Authority hath a great Influence on our Good, or it would not have been so Strongly Urged upon us in the Word of God. I mention but two Places; 1 Pet. II. 13.Ultr. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's Sake: whether it be to the King, as Supreme; Or unto Governours, as unto them that are Sent by him for the Punishment of Evil-Doers, and for the Praise of them that do Well, &c. Rom. XIII. 1. Let every Soul be Subject unto the Higher Powers. For there is no Power but of God: the Powers that be are Ordain'd of God. Whosoever therefore Resisteth the Power, Resisteth the Ordinance of God: and they that Resist, shall Receive to themselves Dam­nation, &c.

4. Another thing whereby a Place is Com­pacted is by a Due Regard to Religion and Vertue. An Article that ought never to be Forgotten, when we are Considering the Good of a person or People. Which calls to Mind an Excellent Remark of a Judicious [Page 21] and great Divine,^† Discoursing on Deut. V. 29. Oh that there were such an Heart in them, that they would Fear me, and keep all my Com­mandments always, that it might be Well with them, and with their Children for ever. Where Observing that this Relates, not so much to the Children of Israel, considered Singly, as Collectively, under the Notion of a People or Nation; he giveth us this Weighty Truth: That the Happiness and Prosperity of Nations, is to be Obtained the same way that any particular Man's Happiness is: That is to say, by Fearing God, and Keeping his Commandments. And it seems Necessary, That that which is the Perfection of Humane Nature, should be the Happiness of Humane Life, whether Single or Social. Indeed sometimes Irreli­gion or Wickedness may Serve a Turn, and Advance an Interest that Religion or Vertue might Obstruct, or not Forward; but then the Advantage will be but Small and Present, and there will be a Dreadful Train of Ill Consequences to follow, which will Abun­dantly Punish any man, for the Present Plea­sure or Profit of Sin. True Religion and Ver­tue is the most Solid Happpiness of a Man or People, and that alone which is to be De­pended on. This was the River the Streams [Page 22] whereof made Glad the City of Jerusalem of Old. And the Subserviency of Religion to this great End will appear, by Considering the Natural Frame and Texture of Religion; and the Countenance GOD gives to a Truly Religious and Vertuous People.

(1) Let us Observe the Natural Frame and Texture of Religion; in the Rules, Patterns and Motives it gives us. If the Precepts of the True Religion, that is, the Religion of Jesus, were duely Observed, the State would be in the Best Order, and under the most Healthful Constitution. They that come up to them are the most Excellent and Use­ful Persons in the World. There is not Half the need of Outward Restraints and Laws for them as for others. For the Law is not made for a Righteous man, but for the Lawless and Disobedient, for the Ʋngodly and for Sinners, for Unholy and Prophane, for Murderers of Fa­thers & Murderers of Mothers, for Man Slayers, for Whoremongers, for them that Defile them­selves with Mankind, for Men-Stealers, for Liars, for Perjured Persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to Sound Doctrine, 1 Tim. 1. 9, 10.

When the Precepts of the Gospel take Place in us, the Heart is Pure and Undefiled, the Evil Thoughts, Desires and Propensities of the Mind are Cured, whence proceed [Page 23] Adulteries, Fornications, Murders, Thefts, Co­vetousness, Wickedness, Deceit, Lasciviousness, an Evil Eye, Blasphemy; Pride, Foolishness. &c. Mar. VII. 21. Those Lusts are Subdued [...]at War in our Members, from which come Wars; Fightings, Discords, and Divisions among us; Jam. IV. 1. The Tongue which is a World of Iniquity; Jam▪ III. 16. is Bridled and Re­strain'd from Reproach, Slander, Backbiting; is Possessed by the Law of Kindness, & Utters it self in nothing but what is Innocent, or Subserves to the Glory of God, the Good of Men, and our own Edification. The Senses which do too much Impose on us are Stripp'd of their Exorbitant Power, and all our Execu­tive Powers are govern'd by Laws Advantage­ous to Persons & People. Whatsoever is Pre­judicial is Hindred in the Conception, or afterwards made Abortive, or soon Killed when Born, by Repentance and Reforma­tion.

For Instance, Religion Commands us to Shew our selves Men, to do nothing Unworthy of Humane Nature; which will Preserve us from the Little, Base, and Pernicious Practises that our Degenerate Natures are Prone to.

On the other Hand, It Forbids Pride, the Mother of an Haughty and Insolent De­meanour, of Untractableness, of Disobedi­ence [Page 24] and Incorrigibleness, of Resentment, Rage and all the Turbulent Passions of the Mind: It Commands Humility, the Pa­rent of a Good Understanding and Rectifyed Notion of things; makes us of Yielding and Complying Spirits; ready to give the best Interpretation to things, and in Lowliness of Mind to esteem each other better than our selves.

It Restrains our Immoderate Desires and Endeavours after these Worldly things, and Permits us not to go beyond what is Just and Right to Accomplish our Ends. Our Lives must be without Covetousness, and we must be content with such things as we have; and a Firm Dependance on God, which is our Duty, will keep us from Indirect means.

And yet at the same time it Commands us Diligence and Frugality, to do our own Bu­siness, and to Work with our own Hands; and not to be Sloth [...]ul in Business, but to put forth all our might in the things which our Hands find to do; That we be not Prodigal of the good things, GOD giveth us, nor Wast our LORD's Goods, but have for the Supply of our Selves and Houshold, to Help the Poor, to Support the Church & Common-Wealth. To that End it keeps us from Expensive Vices, such as Drunkenness, Gluttony, Un­chastity, Riotings, Wantoness, &c.

[Page 25] The time would not Admit me to carry but such a Brief Descant, on all the other Beneficial Duty's of Religion, the Duty's of Love and Pity, Sincerity, Forgiveness, Hu­manity, Mildness, Justice, Truth, Fidelity, Patience, &c.

In short, It Obliges us to all those things that are Accepted of God, and Approved of men; to whatsoever things are True, whatsoever things are Honest, whatsoever things are Just, whatsoever things are Pure, whatsoever things are Lovely, whatsoever things are of a Good Report; that if there be any Vertue, and if there be any Praise we should think on these things.

Religion setteth before us the Brightest & most Excellent Examples of these things, to Stir up our Emulation; Non Divitiis Cum Divite, Neque Factione Cum Factioso; Sed Cum Strenuo Virtute, Cum Modesto Pudore, Cum Innocente Abstinentia, ^‖ That we should Strive to Imitate Men, not in their Accidental Advan­tages or their Vices, but in their Real Excellencies and Virtues. Religion particularly setteth Christ before us, as our Great Pattern and Examplar, who did the greatest Good and Abstain'd from all Evil, and Practised all those Duty's, in the most Perfect Manner, [Page 26] that tend to the Good of Men's Souls, & the Peace of the World.

The Motives to these things are the Greatest and Strongest. What more Per­swasive than the Arguments on which Reli­gion is Built? What more Awakening than a Judgment-Day? What more Inviting than the Rewards of Religion? What more Terrible than the Miseries it Threatens the Disobedient with? So that if Humane Re­wards do not Teach us in our Serviceableness to the Publick, we may be Assured of others far greater; and if we should Dare to Offend from the hopes of Impunity by Humane Laws, the Eternal Displeasure of an Omni­scient and Almighty GOD, might be a Terrour to us.

And thus Religion considered in the whole Extent of it, hath an Aspect on Rulers, and those that are under Rule, as might be par­ticularly shewed. But what hath been said sheweth it to be for the Firmness of Societies, as well as the Good of Particular Men; and those that are Principled and Influenced by it are Cae [...]eris Paribus, the best Common-Wealths▪ Men; and even others, it Qualifieth and Moderateth them. We know that Felix, when the Apostle reasoned with him of Righte­ousness and Temperance, Subjects that no ways Suited with his Guilty Mind; and added to [Page 27] it a Discourse on a Judgment to Come; he Trembled: and had such a Powerful Minister of Religion been Advantaged with a near, and Constant Access to him, it might have much Repressed his Rapacious, Voluptuous and Intemperate Disposition.

(2) We may Observe the Countenance and peculiar Respect, that God giveth to a Truly Religious and Vertuous People. And this is a Support to the preceeding Head: For though the natural Tendency of Religion and Vertue is to the Firmness & Flourishing of a People; yet the Vices and Imperfecti­ons of others, and the External Circum­stances of things, may Intercept the Natural Fruits and Benefits of it. However if God's Word be Passed we may Depend on him to Verify the thing. He can make the Wicked­ness of the Wicked to come to an End, Suppress the Malignity of Second Causes, or turn them into Blessings; and all this besides the Ex­traordinary, Distinguishing Blessings his Royal Bounty may Afford. God Almighty is the Governour of the World, and hath a near Inspection into particular Persons and Com­munities. He Stamped Religion into the very Nature of Man at the first, and doubt­less will not Forsake the Mark and Signature of his own Hands. The great Duty's that our Religion Teacheth, are but the Image [Page 28] and Resplendence of his own Perfections, and therefore what the Psalmist saith, hath a Demonstrative Evidence; That the Righte­ous Lord Loveth Righteousness, and his Counte­nance doth Behold the Upright; Psal. XI. 7. By a Regard to Religion in the Positive Institutions of God, and in it's Duty's of Eternal and Immutable Obligation, we Pay all the Honour to GOD that our Natures can yield, and he Requires; and his Word is Passed; 1 Sam. II 30. That them that Honour him, he will Honour, and those that Despise him, shall be Lightly Esteemed.

It must be Granted, That a Good Man hath not Outward Prosperity Promised to him, as a certain Reward of the greatest Piety and Vertue; and there is no need of it: for as he is an Immortal Being he may Receive his Happiness in another World. But these Society's are not Immortal; they are fitted to this World, and Dissolve with it; and particular Men that make them up, shall at last Appear only in single Capacities, and so be Rewarded: Therefore the Notice God takes of Societies, as such, must be pre­sently, before they End.

We have a particular Account of his Treatment of his People in the Times of Old. GOD Promised them all Sorts of outward Blessings, in the greatest Degree [Page 29] that the World could bear, on Condition of their Obedience, and Threaten'd their Dis­obedience with as Great and Astonishing Misery's; and he made it Good in the whole Series of his Dispensations to them▪ N [...] Nation in the World was so Happy as they, whilest they Answered the Character of GOD's Peculiar People, in a Distinguish­ing Love to Him, his Ordinances, and Com­mands; none more Miserable when I­dolatry and Wickedness Reign'd among them.

And there are no Instances, of any Na­tions under Heaven, but have Flourished when Vertue and Goodness have been Che­rished, and been made Miserable by their Vices and Immoralities. And there may be a great deal in the Judgement of the Forecited, Worthy Authour,^† That there is no o [...]her Difference between the History of God's Dealings with his own People the Jews, and that of other Nations, but this: That in no other Nations the Publick Events that Happened, whe­ther Good or Bad, though they were taken Notice of, yet they Passed without any Reflection on the True Causes from whence they Proceeded. The Historians did indeed Lay their Fingers Rightly upon the Immediate, Visible, Outward Occasions, [Page 30] or Means, or Instruments, from whence their Good or Bad Fortune was Derived to them, but they Searched no further. They considered only Second Causes, and took no Notice of the First and Principal Cause of all things, God Almighty, and his Influencing Humane Affairs. However an Heathen^‖ hath Told us, That it was no Wonder the God's were so Steadily Regardful of the Increase and Safety of the Roman Empire, when that was so Scrupulously Observant of, and Exact in, even the least Punctilio's of Religion. Though it was not a Religion that had God for it [...] Authour; it might be Influential to Good Laws and Practises, and so the People might be Countenanced and Prospered. However we see this is no Singular Opinion, That God Countenanceth the Religion and Vertue of a People. And what In­fluence this hath on their Happiness, I leave to your Consideration.

5. I add here, a Spirit of Unity, Love and Peace. This indeed is Imply'd in the former Article, and was Just Hinted there. It is certainly a Part of Religion and a Vi­tal Part too. But of such Importance is this Duty; and so great are the Benefits of it, even where the True Religion doth little Appear, and so Necessary is it to be thought [Page 31] of at this Day; as it may Well Deserve a Separate Consideration and Enforcement on us. Jerusalem Signifies the Vision of Peace, and the Reality of the thing was it's great Compactness. Among some Notes on an English Translation of the Bible Preceeding this, there is this upon the Text, That by the Artificial Joyning and Beauty of the Houses, the Psalmist Means the Concord and Love that was between the Citizens. And of such a mighty Efficacy and Value is this, that we may easily Observe that by the Word Peace, the Scrip­ture is Wont to Comprehend all that is Desireable and Happy among a People. Love and Peace is an Uniting thin [...], we Claim a Right in what we Love, and give it a Right to us▪ and our Interests are Un­divided and Inseparable; We are set toge­ther not only in Place, but in Heart and Affection too, and while this is so▪ nothing can hinder a Pleasant carrying on of all Offices, and a Joint, Undisturbed, Ind [...]so­luble Concert in a Common Cause. Have Salt, saith our Saviour, Mar. IX▪ 50. Among your Selves, and have Peace with one another▪ Salt Applied to Body's which we Preserve maketh them more Firm and Solid and so they Resist putrefaction: of his Nature is [...], which our Saviour would Press on them by such an Allusion. By a Spirit of [Page 32] Peace and Unity, the Loadstone and Steel are brought together, this giveth a Common Center and Inclination to all the Elements of this Sublunary World. This is one of the great Blessings of Christ's Kingdom, That the Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb, and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid, and the Calf, and the Young Lion, and the Fatling toge­ther, &c. and that they should not Hurt, nor Destroy in all God's Holy Mountain.

We shall see how Love will Compact us, when we are told what it will do: It doth all Good Offices to all, and Inviteth men to dwell the nearest to us for the Good Effects of it; it Forgives Injuries, is Tame under Provocations and Affronts; giveth a good Interpretation to what is Doubtful, and Ex­tenuates the Malignity of our Ill Treatment. Love to our Rulers will be a strong In­centive to Paying the Honour we owe to them, it will make us very Decently Resent the good things we receive from them, and not forward to be Jealous and Censori­ous of their Administrations; we shall Obey their Commands, and be loth to Displease them: Hereby they go on Cheer­fully in their Work, and are willing to Spend, and be Spent for us; and our Love and Thankfulness is Esteemed by them as a Glo­rious and Happy Reward: This Begetteth, [Page 33] Cherisheth, and Increaseth in them a Love to us, and Procureth a Reciprocation of good Offices between us.

On the other Hand, where there is a Re­markable Defect in this what Firmness can there be expected? Is not Order, the Beau­ty and Strength of things, Disturbed? And is not a People Threaten'd to be broken in Pieces? Where there are Envyings and Strifes, Animosities and Divisions, there is Confusion and every Evil Work. Where these Govern, if men can but Obtain their particular Ends and Desires, Advance their Party, Confound their Opposers, they are Content, what Pre­judices soever the Publick Suffers: Then all the good Offices that make Society Valua­ble are Intercepted, and Fierceness, and Pro­vocations, and Injuries Succeed. When Fa­milies, or Towns, or Counties are thus at Variance, Tongues and Pens are little enough to Manage the Controversy: And the Tongue is a World of Iniquity, and when Inflamed it set­teth on Fire the Course of Nature. When Heat and Contention is great, the Dust Raised thereby Hinders us from the Sight of Truth, or our Passions are so Roil'd as we cannot Consider and Regard it. Where we have no likeing to Persons, what they do is Misrepresented, the Goodness and Propriety of the best Actions shall be Question'd, the [Page 34] Principles, Motives, and Ends shall be Groundlesly Suspected. Errour shall be Villany, and the Imperfections of Hu­mane Nature shall be the Perfection of Wickedness.

And hereby we create great, and some­times, insuperable Difficulties to our Rulers, and they find it all one to Extinguish a Migh­ty and Prevailing Fire, to Appease the Raging of the Sea, and the Tumults of the People. A People will have a Jealous Eye on all their Pacifick Endeavours, and sometimes their Turbulent Humours will not Suffer them to do what is best; they can only Chuse the best Means that they will Allow of, and Mourn because they can go no fur­ther.

There is no Difficulty to tell the Con­clusion of these things. Our Saviour hath given us this Wise Aphorism, A Kingdom Divided against it self cannot Stand; Mar. III. 24. The Psalmist when he Pray'd for the Destruction of his Enemies, Desired their Dissension as a means to it, Destroy, Oh Lord, and Divide their Tongues; Psal. LV. 9. We see a high Ferment in a Vessel sometimes Bursteth it in Sunder, after all Outward Means Used to keep it together. We are Told, That the Confusion of Languages hin­dred Building of Babel; and, That Jerusalem [Page 35] had stood out longer against Titus, had it not been for the Divisions God Suffered among the Besieged, as Penal Judgment on them. And we have the Judgment of Sallust, ^† when Rome shall be Destroyed, It is my Opi­nion, (says he) That as all things that have a Beginning will have an End; so when this Fatal Day draweth near the City of Rome, Citi­zens shall Quarrel & Fight with Citizens. We may know when Divisions begin, but GOD alone knoweth when, and where they will End: For the Beginning of Strife is as when one letteth out Water, whose Course is Rapid and Irresistable; therefore leave off Contention before it be Medled with.

All that we can do then is not too much to Remedy this Evil, to Sweeten the Tem­pers, Rectify the Misunderstandings, Abate the Heat of Parties. And if we can do no more we should Pray for the Peace of Jerusa­lem, that God would Heal us, and Inspire us with that Wisdom that is from Above, and is Pure and Peaceable.

6. A Publick Spirit is Highly Conducive to this End. More Especially necessary in those that have any thing to do in the Ma­nagement of the Publick Affairs; but the more Extensive it is, the more is it for the [Page 36] Happiness and Safety of a People. It is this which Upholds the World, and all Societies and Communities of Men. This made King David Seek the Good of Jerusalem, and Stirred up such a Mighty Concern in Nehe­miah for the Rebuilding it. Our Saviour hath Astonishingly Shown this in Care for the Building of the Heavenly & Spiritual Jerusa­lem, And God Shows it in his Disinterested, Universal Providence over the World, and his Liberal Supplies of the Desires of every Living thing. That maketh us Endeavour the Publick Welfare, be Thankful for Pub­lick Blessings; when called to it, to Serve the Publick with a Generous and Faithful Concern, and when in a Private Station, to Pray for, Submit to, and Encourage those who are Over us. The Voice of such an one's Soul is, If I Forget thee, Oh Jerusalem, let my Right Hand Forget her Cunning, if I do not Remember thee, let my Tongue Cleave to the Roof of my Mouth: if I prefer not Jerusalem above my Chief Joy. That maketh not any Part of our Estates and Services too much, nor our Lives too Dear, when necessary to Advance a Publick Good. A Private, Nar­row Spirit Weakens the Sight, and some­times will not see those things that Conduce to the Publick Good, especially if at a Dis­tance, for Fear of the Expences it might [Page 37] Demand. Our Saviour hath told us; Mat. VI. 22, 23. The Light of the Body is the Eye: If therefore thine Eye be Liberal (according to a great Critick^‖) Thy whole Body shall be full of Light: but if thine Eye be Evil, Envious, Covetous, or Nigardly, thy whole Body shall be full of Darkness. A Selfish Spirit will Con­tribute but little to a Publick Design, but a Liberal Eye, and Heart, and Publick Spirit, will Direct to Liberal and Beneficial Things.

Particularly

It will appear in a Chearful Contributing what may Avail to the Support of Govern­ment, that it may not be Despised at Home or Insulted Abroad. We shall consider them that are Ministers to us for Good, and Assist and Strengthen them in their Work, and Reward them according to the Dignity and Expensiveness of their Places, and the Na­ture and Largeness of those Blessings God maketh them Means of Conveying to us. Though they are God's by Deputation, they are Men by Nature, and in their Necessities, and need Supports, such as are not Scanty, to carry them through their Work: And as GOD layeth them under the Ties of Conscience, we shall lay them under the Ties of Gratitude and Love to Pursue our Good.

[Page 38] A Publick Spirit will be concerned for the Propagation of the Gospel, and give due Countenance to the Dispensers of it. That is a Work that requireth all our Thoughts, Pains, and Diligence; here we must Spend, and be Spent; here is our Study by Night and by Day; the Materials are Costly; we must Meditate on these things, give our selves wholly to them, that our Profiting may appear to all Men: The Time that we Spend necessarily in any of the Business of this Life, hinders us in our Work, and in our Proficiency too; and though we may Aspire after it, yet alas! We Fall Vastly Short of that Character, Workmen that need not to be Ashamed. Hereby our Publick Performances are Raw and Poor, we have no time to Wield and Manage the W [...]apons of our Spiritual Warfare in a Dextrous Application to the Souls of Men; our Pri­vate Concerns Hinder us in Watching over our Flocks, and Observing the Errours and Corruptions that Grow among them; nor have we time for more Particular, and Perso­nal Addresses, that we might otherwise make. Sin and Iniquity Grows Bold and Rampant, Countenanced not only by the Set, but the Witty and Cunning too: A Solemn and Grave Check should be given to these things; but we need also a Wisdom that our Adversaries cannot Resist; which must [Page 39] be had now from our Prayers and Study in our Closets, and not from the Field. And if Religion be so Influential (as we have said) on the Publick Good, and God Ad­vanceth it by Humane Means, a Publick Spirit will herein Appear.

Again, Schools of Learning and Know­ledge will be Cherished and put into Good Circumstances. Such there were in Jerusa­lem. This is a Matter of great Importance, for the Furnishing Men for all Weighty Ser­vices Civil or Sacred, for the Bettering of those who have it, and the Advantage of those about them. This Civilizeth Men, and Cultivateth Good Manners, and the want of it bringeth in Bestiality and Rudeness, Barbarity and Fierceness, and all these Ill and Crooked Dispositions that make Society less Pleasant and Delightful.

Lastly here, Merit should be Rewarded wheresoever it Appears. King David ga [...]e a Reward to Military Vertue in Joab^‖ And a Publick Spiri [...] will be thus Thankful for all the Publick Kindness and Services it Receiveth.

7. The Last Thing I shall mention as necessary to the Compactness of a Place, is, That Every Man keep within the Limits o [...] [Page 40] his Sphere and Station. And this comes Well after the Proceeding Head, to Qualify our Understanding and Improvement of it. For the Publick greatly Suffers many times, by the Pretence of a Publick Spirit. A Publick Spirit is too often Pleaded to Grati­fy a Factious one: when men go beyond their Line, and are Busy-Bodies in other Men's Matters. Under this Cloak there Walk about Talebearers, Slanderers, Backbiters, like the Pestilence that Walketh in Darkness; and such as are Presumptuous, Self-willed, and not Afraid to Speak Evil of Dignities. This is sometimes Pleaded when Authority is A­bused, Wholesome Laws and Constitutions are Quarrelled with, and all Peace and Tranquillity Subverted. A Publick Spirit alone, is not a Call to Intermeddle in Publick Affairs. If we are Concerned for the Pub­lick, then Order which is the Beauty and Strength of it will be Promoted by us, and that is best Secured by the Practice of that Rule, 2 Thes. IV. 11. That ye Study to be Quiet, & to do your own Business, and to Work with your own hands. It is a particular Call besides out Qua­lifications that letteth us into the Manage­ment of Publick Affairs, & when without this, we Concern our selves about the same, as our particular Work, we do but Justle with those whose Work it is, & make it more difficult.

[Page 41] It is a great Instance of the Goodness of GOD's Providence over the World, That he hath Distinguished men in their Particu­lar Genius's, Inclinations and Business. A Common-Wealth is aptly Connected toge­ther by them, as the Tabernacle of Old was Coupled together by the Boards of it Fastned one to another. Then the various Necessities of a Common-Wealth are Supplied, and men are Preserved from those Querulous & Discon­tented Behaviours, that Roile and Disturb all things. And thus in the Body Natural, though every Part should do it's Duty to the whole, yet there are particular Offices of Eating, Digesting, Walking, Handling, &c. Assigned to every Part, and it is the Head only that giveth Life and Motion to the Whole. I come now to

The Second Head, To shew the Happi­ness of that Place that is in such a Firm and Compact Condition. And I might shew, That it is to the Comfort of every Indivi­dual; That it is the Glory of a Place when it is so; That this Strengthens and Secures it, as a Well Disciplin'd Army is less in Danger than a Confused Rabble; and that it is a near Resemblance to the Heaven­ly Jerusalem, where these Blessed Things, of an Intire Subjection to GOD, the Ruler of [Page 42] that Place, of an Hearty Conspiracy in all to Peace and Love, and the Strongest Con­cern for the Good of every one, and the Heartiest Thankfulness for the Vouchsafe­ment of it, are Apparent and Visible. You see, there need not Arguments to Recom­mend this to you; but the Prosecution of the former Head hath taken up almost all our Time, & besides, the Representation of it is enough to Recommend it to us.

It is Time now to Apply the Truth before us. And

I. This may Point out to us those that are fittest to be Improved in the Government and Service of a Common-Wealth; Name­ly, Such as are most likely in this Manner to Promote the Good and Welfare of it, That can best Preserve the Honour and bear the Weight of Government, who have Ability for it, and Fidelity to Discharge it, and Courage and [...]ience to go through and Endure the Difficulties of it: The Fear of God (you see) will make them Blessings to Men, and a Publick, Generous Spirit will make Men Mindful of the Publick Good. And to this should a People have Respect who th [...]ough the Good Pleasure of GOD and the Indulgence of their Soveraign, have [Page 43] the Priviledge of Chusing their own Rulers. Where it lieth not in a People's Power to Vest whom they Please with the Rule over them, they are to be Pitied when the Un­worthy, the Lame and Sloathful and Cow­ardly; Or the Tyrannical, the Profane and Ungodly, the Vicious and Debauched, the Covetous and Rapacious, have the Rule over them. But such a People are much to be Blamed who under a Distinguishing Privi­ledge, Distinguish not those whose known Ability, Integrity and Merits Render them Worthy of Respect and Honour: If Private Respects Blind their Eyes, if Piques, Preju­dices, and Resentments Hide from them the Best of Men, if they Choose Men only to Advance a particular Interest, to Abet a Party, and Maintain a Faction; if a Vile Person is not Contemned in their Eyes, and they Honour not those that Fear the Lord, or if they Choose those whose Spirits will never Prompt them to any thing that is Great and Worthy. Men can never Expect that GOD will Justify those Actions, that are Calculated to the Advancing Unjustifiable Ends, and which they are Ashamed to own. Our Duty is not only to Pray for our Rulers, but to Use Prudence in the Choice of them: Else a Voluntary Ill Choice may be Interpreted as a Refusing the Benefits [Page 44] of a Good Government, and GOD may say of us, as they Delighted not in Blessing so let it be far from them.

And let this be thought on by those who are to Compleat the Work of Election this Day: And it is the Duty of all to Remem­ber it who may be called to Occasions of the like Nature hereafter. You have been Told those things that are for the Glory and Strength of a People: Look out then for such as have Wisdom and Fidelity to Pro­mote it, and do Exemplify a Regard to this in their Personal Private Conduct. Under God, the Good or Misery of this Govern­ment lieth in your Power, and will Issue ac­cording to the Nature of the Choice you make. And he that Conscientiously Pitch­eth upon those that are most likely to Act Worthy of their Places, may find his Ac­counts in it now, to be sure he will at Last: But he that Knowingly Pitcheth upon those that are Unsuitable and Unworthy for any Posts of Government, when better are before him, may Hurt his own Comfort; which will Decline with the Publick Good; and to be sure, is Answerable to God for all the Inconveniences a Government Sustains by that Choice. Do your Work then in the Fear of God; Act Conscience, and Prudence: Honour those that Love the Publick Good, [Page 45] and can, and will Promote it. It may be there never needed among us more Wisdom, Dexterity, Tenderness and Care to Compose our Differences, and keep us from Bursting Asunder than now. The LORD Direct you; and the LORD Direct, Assist and Bless those on whom this Work may be Devolved.

And here under this Head I would Hum­bly Offer, That an Eye might be had to those in all the Inferiour and Subordinate Stations of the Government, who are Well Qualified by their Wisdom, Piety, Probity and Courage; who know what to do, and will not be Imposed on, nor are likely to Sleep in their Stations, to be Flattered or Bribed or Affrighted from their Duty. It would be Well to Advance those whose Minds are well Affected towards the Felicity of those Places where they are, & thorough­ly Seasoned with an Esteem and Love to those things that will make a People Happy. When such are Preferred to Office, they are only Commanded, and put into a better Way to Follow the Bias of their own Minds. A Man of Honesty, Sobriety, Temperance, Chastity, Religion, can with a greater Grace and Courage Advance these things and Dis­courage the Contrary Enormities, and hath a Stronger Principle to it than another, and [Page 46] is more Reverenced in his Work; besides the Peculiar Presence of God he may Expect to make him a Blessing in it. But on the Contrary what may we Expect from Wicked and Immoral Persons, when GOD and their own Minds are against them? When they are put upon such Work, they Fight against the Darling of their own Souls. They car­ry within constant Reproofs in all their Ad­ministrations, Wherein thou Judgest another, thou Condemnest thy self; for thou that Judgest, doest the same things. They Answer not the End of their Beings, will they Answer the Ends of Society? They are Unfaithful to God, and to whom will they be Faithful? They are Plagues & Torments to their own Minds, and not likely to be Blessings to a Common-Wealth.

II. I would now turn my self to our Pre­sent Rulers, or such as may be for the Pre­sent Year, Namely, the Honourable the GOVERNOUR, the DEPUTY-GO­VERNOUR, and the Worshipful ASSISTANTS of this Colony; with the whole GENERAL ASSEMBLY. And the Address I shall make to you, Honourable, Worshipful and Highly Esteem'd, is only by Presenting before you the Ends of Society & your Exaltation, the Expectations [Page 47] of GOD, and the Desires and Hopes of all that Fear him; Namely, That you Con­tribute all your Wisdom, Dexterity, Zeal and Diligence to Compact us together. Take Jerusalem for your Model; Nay, take Jeru­salem that is Above, as it is Delineated to us in the Word of God. When Multitudes of us can do but little more than Pray for the Peace and Welfare of Jerusalem, You can Ap­ply those Means also that Tend to Advance it. It is much with you under GOD, to Appease our Intestine Divisions and Dis­orders, and Apply those Bands & Ligaments that shall Hold us together, and Prevent our Breaking and Dissolution. Your Wisdom and Knowledge Faithfully Improved, may be the Stability of our Times. The Darkness of our Present Day, the Number and Weight of our Sins, and the greatness of our Disorders make your Work more Difficult: Deal Courage­ously, and the Lord be with you, And though the Earth and the Inhabitants there­of should be Dissolved, Hold you up the Pillars of it.

I am Confident of the Real Advantage of those things I have Lay'd before you, as Con­ducive to the Happiness and Strength of us, and that in Mentioning them I have kept within my own Limits; and can therefore with an Humble Freedom Commend them [Page 48] to your Care. Give me Leave to say then, That we look for your Watch over us, and your Faithful Discharge of the Duties of your Places; We Look for your Paternal Tenderness towards us, and your Correction of us when we need it. And though a Suita­ble Deference to Authority is more nearly to be Pressed on a People as their Part in Advan­cing the Publick Welfare, yet it is a Certain Truth, That the Wisdom, Gravity, Integri­ty, Fidelity and Shining Examples of Rulers do much Tend to Command this from a People; and that the Doing Good to a Peo­ple is the most Solid and Sure Means to a Reputation with them, You know Job found it so, Chap. XXXIX. Tho' indeed an Ill Disposition sometimes may Hinder you of Due Respect till you are Dead, but then you have Comfort Enough at present from ano­ther World.

And Suffer me here Particularly to Press Religion and Vertue on your Practise and Care; for this is a Principle and a Leading Thing. God that Investeth you with Power and Honour, Expecteth to be Served by it. Jerusalem was of Old Distinguished by Reli­gion; how can this Name by any Analogy be given to us if here it be Neglected? We Hope your Ambition will herein Appear, that we may be called the City of Righteousness, [Page 49] the Faithful City. Would to God, there were no Reason to Complain of Defects in this Necessary Article. We that are Ministers of the Gospel delight not in Declaiming a­gainst the Corruptions of the Age, and Time, and Places we Live in, but when they do Appear, we must not only in Faithfulness to our own Souls, and the Souls of our Peo­ple, but also in Faithfulness to our Land, Cry Aloud, and not Spare, Lift up our Voice like a Trumpet, and Shew God's People their Trans­gressions, and the House of Jacob their Sins. Particularly, are we not to be Charged with great Indifferency to Religion; Unthank­fulness for the Gospel, Insensibility of the Benefits of it? Is not the House of GOD, by many Unfrequented, his Ordinances Neg­lected, his Sabbaths Profaned? Is not a Carnal, Worldly & Hypocritical Spirit too Visible? Have we not with us Murmurers, Complainers, those who speak Evil of Dignities, & are of Level­ling Spirits? Have we not Complain'd of Injustice, and Fraud, and Oppression, and is there not Reason Still to do so? Doth not Drunkenness continue, yea Increase by Year­ly Accessions, and like a Mighty Torrent Bear down the Force of all the Laws that have been Enacted against it and all the Pains that are Used? Can any Man Shut his Eyes, or Stop his Ears, from Observing it among [Page 50] the Indians in our Towns, when it is so Ap­parent in their Staggerings to and fro, their Apish Gestures, and their Hideous Yellings in our Streets? And is this all they get by Dwelling among us CHRISTIANS, that they are now made a more Stupid, and Pol­luted People than they were before! And do not too many among us Stain their Pro­fession by this Sin? Can't we see Persons and Families, Estates, Healths, Bodies, and Souls Undone by this Evil? And it is well Worthy of your Notice whether there are Sufficient Provisions for the Prevention of it. I have been the more Earnest and Full upon this Head, for it looks like the Approaches of a GENERAL DELUGE, and is as Dreadful. Have we not Disorderly Fami­lies? Which we look to you to Govern. Have we not Rioting and Revellings and many Provisions for the Flesh to Fulfil it in the Lusts thereof? For these and the like things, may I not call upon you to Arise and Shew your selves Mer, Nay, to Arise and Shew your selves God's, as the Title of Rulers is? And as the GREAT GOD hath Revealed his Wrath from Heaven against all the Unrighteousness and Ungodliness of Men, so do you yours upon the Earth▪ What Provision is Wanting in our Laws to this End, let it be Supplied, and put the Execution of them into Faithful Hands, [Page 51] and let them be Duely Inspected, Assisted, and Encouraged in their Work.

And let Government be Supported for the Interest of Religion, Vertue and Ho­nesty.

And we that are the Ministers of Religion look to you that are our Rulers, and the Di­recters and Managers of our Publick Affairs, That you would Speak Comfortably to us, and Assist us, when we are by our Utmost En­deavours Promoting the Good of the Com­mon Wealth, as Well as the Good of Mens Souls, in Encouraging Men to all those Du­ties that make them Blessings in the World, and Procure the Blessings of God. The Complaints of the Lord's Ministers from this Place have been, on this Occasion, Frequent­ly, and very Pressingly Urged before you: And Necessity is ready to Furnish Men with Eloquence even when Natural Parts can Help but a very little. I intend to pass it by, leav­ing with it this Reflection: That it looks Dark, and hath an Ill Omen on a Land, and so is Worthy of your Notice and Considera­tion. Let the Complaints of Ministers be Just, or not: In the first Case, a great Guilt [...]ieth on a Land, which hath never Fail'd to bring down Judgments on a People; in the Second Case, when there is an Unjust Com­plaint among the Ministers of the Gospel it [Page 52] is an Argument of their Greedy and Co­vetous Disposition and the Unhappiness of a People they have the Care of. But the Authority appears to have the same Senti­ments with us in their Publick Orders for Printing the Sermons of these Days, which are seldom wanting on this Head.

I would only before I leave this Head, Submissively Offer, whether the Collecting the Ministers Rate might not be in a way that might Expose them less to the Odium of many of their People? It is well known, That Compulsion of Men to their Duty in this Point is a very Tender thing, and some­times Disaffects Men to their Ministers so, as they never afterward Profit by them. Our Business is with the Hearts of Men; and if they are once Prejudiced against us our Success may be all over.

The Spreading of the Gospel is a Glori­ous Work, Worthy of your Care. And when New Towns and Societies are set out, if they are not Able, ought they not to be E­nabled to Support the Gospel? Religion must Suffer, where Places through their Incapaci­ty or Neglect have not the Dispensation of the Word; Nay, where though they have it, if they want the Sacraments and Seals, and the Authoritative, Pastoral Watch and Government of one Ordained over them in [Page 53] the Lord. And Places have too often and too long Suffered here.

Let me add here, The Charitable Com­passion which the Natives of the Land need. We Bless GOD for this Pious Thought, he put into your HONOUR's Heart, which you Expressed in your Commands to us, by the Advice of the COUNCIL, on the late Fast,^† That we should Pray to God to Fa­vour all Endeavours for the Conversion of the HEATHEN. May such a Truely Excel­lent Thing be Enliven'd and brought to some Desireable, Perfection in this AS­SEMBLY. This will Discover a Publick Spirit, to make them Better Men, and so Better Neighbours and Friends; as well as a Generous Compassion to Save Souls [...] Death, and to Hide a Multitude of Sins.

And may we see the Excellency of Peace and Unity in the Management of all Affairs before you, in all, Particularly in the present Sessions.

And in all things, we Desire and Trust you will Rule us in the Fear of GOD, and we can't Desire a greater Blessing. I would Modestly mind you, That though by Office you are Gods, yet Death will Destroy your Character: You shall Dye like Men, and [Page 54] this your Glory shall not Descend after you▪ You must Stand a Trial for your Betrust­ments as well as the Meanest of us; and you will have nothing else to Distinguish you at that Time, but a Distinguishing Account you have to give, and Distinguishing Rewards if you have been Faithful, and Distinguishing Miseries if you have not. And I Conclude with my Wishes, That you may not only have a Share in our Prayers, but in our Praises and Thanksgivings to GOD too.

III. And now I would continue the Ex­hortation by Addressing those of the SA­CRED ORDER, and my Self the Least in it. That we would Heartily Pursue this Business. Notwithstanding the Contempt and Difficulties that our Work brings with it, we have a great deal of Consolation from the Nature, Tendency and Design of it. We turn not the World upside down, nor are the Movers of Sedition, as they were Unjustly Accused, Act. XVII. 6. & XXIV. 5. In the Faithful Discharge of our Work we Promote the Happiness of both Worlds. We Use the most Solid Methods for this; for we Lay a Foundation in the Hearts of Men.

Our Fidelity tends not only to the Salvation of the Soul, but also to make [Page 55] Men Better Members of the Common-Wealth, and hath an Aspect on all Ranks and Degrees of Men, and is to Secure all Interests. And besides the Natural tenden­cy of the Vertues we Exhort to, we bring a People into the Favour of that God, who was the Keeper of the City of Jerusalem, and Hold's the World together. So that not only in Faithfulness to our own Souls, but also from a Love to our People, and the City of our GOD, we are Obliged to Bestir our selves in our Work, and be Faithful in every Part of it, and Conduct our selves Wisely to the Promoting it. May I here Hint those things, which it were Proper for me to Learn of you.

What Care and Prudence becometh us in our Common Conduct and Deportment of our selves in the World? For that hath an Influence on our Serviceableness in our Station. Though where the Gifts of a Minister are Extensive, I know not why his Improvement may not be so too; yet at the same time it becometh us to be Wise as Serpents and Harmless as Doves▪ We know the Vile Words that are cast about, of Priest-Cra [...]t, and Priest-Ridden, and an Ambitious and Designing Clergy, and the like Effusions of Men's Corrupt Minds▪ and the Jealousies the World hath of us. It [Page 56] therefore here standeth us in stead to Labour after a Spotless Innocency; and to see that all our Designs be Wor­thy of our Station, and Truly Christi­an.

And when we are going to Promote Religion in the World, how doth it become us to give it Life and Power in our own Souls? Our People Expect we should Walk in the same Path we Direct them to, and the most Obsequious Language to a Mi­nister is, I Prae, Sequar. If we would Press Religion on our People's Hearts, our Lives are the best Seal; and they will make our Services more Excellent. Can we so well Declare the Excellency of Religion, unless our own Hearts Feel it? Can we make such Warm Addresses to the Souls of Men as we should, if our own Hearts are Frozen and Dead? Can we have the Courage to Reprove Iniquity, if our own Consciences at the same time Reprove us? Can we Comfort Men with the Hopes of Heaven if we are Indifferent to all the Joys of it? We are Obliged not only to have the Reality of Religion in our Souls, but the Highest Dgrees and the Greatest Exactness of it. Might not this be a Reason that the Apostle Exhorted Timothy to Exercise himself unto Godliness, I Tim. IV. 7. Are [Page 57] we not Separated to the Work of Religion for this End with others, That we should have a Daily Inspection into our own Souls, and Watch against all the Indecencies that Cleave to our Hearts and Lives, that our Lives may be as Clearly Expressive as our Language.

And having Observed this Rule, and Liv­ing in the Practise of it, let us set our selves to our Work, and make it our Daily Care and Study. Indeed such are the Avo­cations and Difficulties of many of us that we are to our Sorrow much Hindred; but let them hinder us only where they are Real and Unavoidable, and only as far as they are so. But such as are Bless't with Easy Cir­cumstances in the World, they are Inexcu­sable if they do not give themselves wholly to these things, and make their Profiting under such Circumstances, Appear. And let them be Exemplary in Acts of Charity and Hos­pitality, and not in the Eager and Vehe­ment Desires of the Worldling. If their Places have not so Enabled them, God hath: And how can they better Bestow themselves and what they have, than in his Service, and for the Good of his Peo­ple?

Those who have been Necessarily En­gaged in Worldly Affairs, would [...]o Well [Page 58] to consider whether they have not Engaged in them too much, and too long? And having been taken off from their Proper Work and Business, it is to be Feared, That some have not Returned to it, that is, to their Studies, when God hath Bless't them in their Endeavours, and Enabled them to it.

And those of us who may be by Out­ward Low Circumstances kept off much from our Work, let it not carry us too far. We may Possibly Redeem more time than we do in this Affair. Pliny's ^‖ ac­count of himself should be Emulated by us, Praecario Studeo, Studeo Tamen. By such a Faithful Application according to our Power we best Express our Trust in God. We shew our Confidence in his Care, and Goodness towards our selves, our Families and Children, when we can attend his Service and leave all wholly to Him. And as God made the Ravens to Feed Elijah, So Doubtless he will one way or other, Feed us with Food Convenient for us. If God maketh us Blessings in our Work, this may Comfort us in all our Sorrows, that through our Sufferings we Promote the Good of the World, and Prepare Men [Page 59] for that Place, where all Narrowness and Selfishness of Mind shall be Removed, and they shall Everlastingly Prize us as Instru­ments of the Highest Good to them.

We have greater things to mind, than our own Particular, Temporal Interests, even the Saving Men's Souls and the Good of the World. To that End let us Bestir our selves in the following Manner,

Let us put Men in Mind to be Subject to Principalities and Powers, to Obey Magistrates, to be Ready to every Good Work, to Speak Evil of no man, to be no Brawlers, but Gentle, Shewing all Meekness to all Men. This is a Necessary Work, and thereby we directly Level at the Good of the State, and if ever the thing is Proper to be Enforced, doth not the Present Time Peculiarly call us to it?

And let us Represent the Whole of Religion in it's Reasonableness and Beau­ty, and Press it on the Affections of our People. The Good Success of such En­deavours could not be too much Prized. What can Exhilarate us more than the Pro­motion of that, whose Work is Peace, and the Effect whereof is, Quietness and Assurance for ever? And to see our People (as a Conse­quent of it) to dwell in a Peaceable Habitation, & in sure Dwellings, & in Quiet Resting-Places?

[Page 60] Finally, As we are the Lord's Remem­brancers let us Pray for the Peace of Jerusa­lem, and keep no Silence, nor give him Rest, till he Establish, and till he make it a Praise in the Earth.

To Conclude, Let Wisdom and Prudence, Fidelity and Conscience, Zeal and an Un­flacken'd Industry, Appear in our Work. God knoweth how few Moments we have to continue in it. The Treasure we have to Dispence out is put into Earthen Vessels which may Suddenly Break. The Mighty Hand of God hath given us, of late in the Neigh­bouring Province, very Humbling Instances of this Truth,^* Oh, That our Zeal for God, and our Fidelity in His Service might give us the like Comfortable Reflections with them, when we come to Dy! Nay that our Fidelity might be in some Measure like our MASTER's, and we might truly say in our Exit like Him, I have Glorified thee on the Earth: I have Finished the Work which thou gavest me to do.

IV. Let me Exhort the WHOLE BODY of the PEOPLE, to be suitably [Page 61] Affected toward the Firm and Flourishing State of our Land. It is a General Good and it becometh no man to Obstruct it, but every Man to Pray for and Endeavour after it. If the Inhabitants of Jerusalem of Old were to Consider it's Welfare and Seek for it, (if any thing) we are under Stronger Obligations now, May I not say to you, ye are come to the Heavenly Jerusalem? We have Priviledges Superiour to what that had; we have the Gospel Dispensation, they the Legal. We have Easier and more Exellent Services, Clearer and Fuller Directions to our Duty and what is Good and Reasonable, Stronger Incentives, more Encouraging Hopes, and Brighter Examples. And the greater our Advantages are, the more should we be Concerned for those Societies that Se­cure them to us. And let us Express our Concern in this Manner▪ Briefly

1. Let us be Thankful for all the Good Things we Enjoy, wherein the Security and Lasting Welfare of a People doth Consist. Let us be Thankful for all Publick Blessings, for the Wisdom and Fidelity of our Rulers, and for all the Rich Blessings God hath by them Handed down, and Continued [...]o us. Thankfulness is the way to Continue and In­crease those Blessings, and Unthankfulness to Cut them Short.

[Page 62] 2. Let us Contribute what we can to the Ease, and Encouragement, and Help of our Civil Rulers on whom this great Concern more Peculiarly, and Immediately Lies. For we shall find our Accounts in their Good Success. The Weight of Government is as Great as the Honour, and we may make it far Greater, and may so Conduct our selves as to Miss of the Happy Fruits and Effects of it. Let us then Pursue a Due Love to our selves, by the Exercise of a Due Wisdom and Care in this Matter. Let their Honour Dignity, and Expence be Chearfully Supported by us, Let them have a Proportio­nable Share in the Common Good, and a Re­ward Answerable to the Merits of their Sta­tion and Services. Let us Love, Prize, and Honour them, Rejoyce in their Happiness, & be Grieved in all Censures & Reproaches, and be Thankful to them for all the Good they do to us.

We may Discourage their Hearts, & Slack­en their Hands by a Peevish & Discontented Spirit, by Reflections on their Persons and Conduct, Denying all the Good they do, Op­posing them in all their Designs and Endea­vours for our Welfare, Finding Fault with the Laws and setting our selves to Find some ways or other, to Enervate the Force of the Best of them.

[Page 63] We find them Work by our Tough & Un­governable Spirits. And we sometimes give them Insuperable Difficulties, by our Dissen­sions & Divisions; when we so Divide into Particular Aims & Interests as at the same time Neglect the Common Good, which much Consists in Unity, Love, & Peace.

To Avoid these things, therefore, is al­ways our Duty, and to call upon us is never Improper; but this Day and Time more Particularly Bespeaks such Counsel, under the Present Heats, Discontents and Divi­sions among us. Every Good Man Layeth such things to Heart, and in the Exercise of his Goodness will Endeavour to Allay and Quench them. Wo be to those that Sow the Seeds of these things; the Fruit may be as Thorny to them as others. And it is the Duty of us not to be Easy in Crediting Ill Reports, nor to be soon Enflam'd by every Incendiary, nor to think that wrong that doth not Please us.

A Better Improvement of our Selves is to Lift our Hearts and our Hands [...] whose Kingdom Ruleth over all, Th [...] [...] Bless our Land, our Rulers, & [...], & Concerns. We then [...] [...] selves to the Saviour of Israel, [...] Strength: and Blessed is that [...] the Lord. And now to [...]

[Page 64] 3. Let us Fear God & keep his Commandments; that it may be Well with us and our Children for ever: For surely his Salvation is Nigh them that Fear him; that Glory may Dwell in our Land. It should be the Rejoycing of every one of us, That we can b [...] the Help of GOD, do tha [...] which is for the Security and Strength, Peace & Happiness of this Place. And this that I Exhort you [...]o is a Work Excellent in it self, & will make Particular Persons Happy, Yea it will make our Jerusalem a Quiet Habita­tion, a Praise & a Joy in the Earth; and fit us for the Jerusalem that is Above. It is a Work Equal to all our Capacity's, not Below the Greatest, & Level with the Meanest. It may be Perform'd by Young & Old, High & Low, Rich & Poor together. The same time that we Save our own Souls, we may Promote the Welfare of the Places where we are, and shall Expend nothing for it that is Worth a Keeping. If we do not Secure Religion to our own Souls, we are but Common Plagues and Nusances, And if there were none but such as we, the Judg­ments of God would soon break us to Pieces. God may indeed make a Wicked Man an Instrument of much Good to others, but he hath little reason to hope he shall [...] Advan­tage [...] by it himself; and with the Profane [...] in the Time of Famine¹⁷ he may See it [Page 65] with his Eyes, but not Enjoy it. No Man shall Strengthen himself in the Wickedness of his Life: For there is Destruction to the Wicked & a Strange Punishment to all the Workers of Iniquity: he shall Lean upon his House, but it shall not Stand; he shall Hold it Fast, but it shall not Endure. Let then Serious Religion, Practical Godliness, Universal Justice and Sobriety, be the Cha­racter of us a Professing People. And let every one that now Heareth me, do his Part to it, and let us all Grow Wiser and Better every Day, and do all that we can to Strengthen and Secure us here in this Shaking and Tottering World, till we come to a City that hath Foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God. Blessed is every one that Feareth the Lord, and Walketh in his Ways: The Lord shall Bless thee out of Zion, and thou shalt see the Good of Jerusalem, all the Days of thy Life.

I have done when I have left with you the Commands of the Apostle, 1 Pet. II. 17. Honour all Men. Love the Brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the King; and (as Compre­hended in the Sense of it) all that are in Au­thority. And my Desires Concurrent with those of all Good Men, That under them we may Lead Quiet and Peaceable Lives, in all God­liness and Honesty.