The Good Man a Public Good, Sermon

The Good Man a Public Good · Sermon

p. 1A SERMON Preached before The honourable Houſe of COMMONS, at the publike Faſt, Ian. 31. 1643.

Proverbs, 29.8.

Scornefull men bring a City into a ſnare, but wiſe men turne away wrath.

THis Booke of the Proverbs, The priviledges of the Proverbs in three things.as it hath the common Honour, with other ſacred Scriptures, to be called Canonicall; ſo it hath ſome ſpeciall Prerogatives above the reſt, and that in a threefold reſpect.

1. In the Excellence 1. The Excellencies.and preheminence of the Sentences therein contained; being, for the moſt part, received principles or Canons of wiſedome, acknowledged generally by all, eſpecially by the wiſe. And for this cauſe they are called Proverbs. Look what Maximes are in Law, Axioms in Logick, Aphoriſmes in Phyſick, Apothegmes in hiſtorie or morality, ſuch are theſe Proverbs in Divinity: the word foreign in the original, carries their Dignity in the very forehead. It comes from a roote that ſignifies to Rule, as a Lord or Prince. They are principes, or prinpales ſententiae, princely or principall ſentences, not onelyonly p. 2from their Authour King Salomon, chap. 1. 1. but alſo from their worth & authority, being, as I may ſo ſay, Lords and Commanders of our Aſſent and Judgement, for their Authenticall and acknowledged veritie: that's the firſt.

2. In their Independance 2. Their Indepe…d…nce.uſually one upon another; every verſe almoſt, yea every Homiſtichium, or halfe verſe, being a compleat Doctrine of it ſelfe, as Proverbs commonly are ſhort, and full. In other Scriptures, a man muſt read many verſes, ſometimes at leaſt, before he can make up the ſenſe, or profitable inſtructions therein contained: but here he hath in two or three words, a full propoſition, or Doctrine expoſed to his view. In which reſpect, they may be compared, not ſo fitly to a Chaine of Gold, where each piece is linked to, and drawes on its fellow; as to a Chaine of precious Pearles, all put upon one ſtring, having indeed, a kind of Contaction, (as I may ſay) but no neceſſary Connexion, or Cohaerence, one upon another. And that's the ſecond.

3. In the mutuall Illumination, 3. Their Mutuall Illumination.or Illuſtration one of another: Somtimes by way of ſhort Compariſon, by way of Similitude, or Diſſimilitude, in which reſpect every thing is (as they ſay) twiſe underſtood, though but once ſpoken, ſomtimes by way of Oppoſition, and contraries, we ſay, ſet one againſt another, do illuſtrate, and enlighten one another; As light and darkeneſſe in nature, white and blacke in colours, do make each other more notable or notorious: The verſes, or halfe verſes ſometimes, being like unto two Candles, or torches, lighted and ſet up, which are ſeene, both by their owne, and by each others light. And that's the third.

All theſe are obſervable, and applyable to this preſent verſe, and text of ours:2. Applyable to the text. Firſt, it containes two Ancient and Authoriſed principles of wiſedome, ſo full and cleere, that Naturall men, have been able to ſee them; The one is this, That an ill man is an ill neighbour, acknowledged by a Heathen Poet, who ſaid long agoe, The whole City, fares the worſe, foreign. Heſiod.for one wicked man: He may ſeeme to have borrowed it from our Salomon, in our text. Scornefull men, bring a City into a ſnare, or ſet a whole City on fire: The other is p. 3this, That a good man is a common good: foreign.ſo ſaid one of the Heathens wiſe men; whoſe candle Solomon ſeems to have lighted in our Text when he ſaid in oppoſition to the former, wiſe men turn away wrath. Secondly, they are two propoſitions, but independents, ſhining with their own native light: And yet thirdly, though they doe not need to borrow, yet they doe eaſily and willingly lend and affoord their aſſiſtance to illuſtrate one another, as we ſhall the better ſee, if we take them, and conſider them aſunder by way of explication.3. The explication of the words.

Firſt, what is here meant by ſcornefull men. 1. Scornfull men, what.The words in the originall are foreign viri irriſionis, men of ſcorne; not paſſively, as ſcorned, but actively as ſcorners, or ſcorning. The words are very emphaticall, and with the Hebrewes (who know no degrees of compariſon) carry the force of the ſuperlative degree. The like phraſe is uſed four times in this very Chapter; as a man of reproofes, ver. 1. that is, a man very often reproved: a man of oblations or gifts, ver. 4. that is, a notorious briber; men of blouds, verſ. 10. that is, as we read it, bloud-thirſty men, men ſoakt in bloud, cruell bloudy men. And once more, a man of anger, verſ. 22. that is, a moſt haſty and cholericke man. So here, men of ſcorne, is more then ſcorners, Pſal. 1.1. (who yet, are there made the worſt and higheſt degree of ſinners, ungodly, ſinners, ſcorners) for it implies the worſt of ſcorners, and the higheſt degree of wickedneſſe. Not ſecret ſcorners as Mical was at firſt, who deſpiſed David in her heart; but open ſcorners, profeſſed and proud ſcorners, that deride not only good men, and goodneſſe, but the Meſſengers and Miniſters of God (and in them, God himſelf) in their admonitions, reproofes or threatnings (as thoſe did, 2 Chron. 36.16.) being neare of kin to that man ſpoken of, verſ. 1. A man of reproofes, or often reproved, yet ſcorning all, and hardening his heart.

Secondly, what is meant by thoſe words, Bring into a ſnare: 2. Bring into a ſnare.The word in the originall is foreign, which is diverſly rendered by Interpreters, as they ſuppoſe the root of it to be different. Some derive it from foreign, which ſignifies a ſnare: Now a ſnare in Scripture ſignifies ſometimes perplexities, or p. 4perplexing troubles. The ungodly is ſnared in the workes of his owne hands, Pſal. 9.16. Sometimes ſome fearfull judgement of God. Ʋpon the ungodly he ſhall raine ſnares, fire and brimſtone, ſtorme and tempeſt, this ſhall be the portion of their cup, Pſal. 11.6. According to this ſenſe of the word, the meaning is, that ſcornfull men do bring perplexities and troubles upon a place, and provoke God (by ſcorning reproofes &c.) to bring moſt fearfull judgements upon it. Some againe derive it from foreign, which ſignifies to blow or puffe at: as Pſal. 12.5. I will ſet him at reſt from him that puffes at him: for ſo ſcornfull men uſe to expreſſe their ſcorne; or rather to blow at a coale, and ſo to ſet all on fire:Or ſet on fire. Scornfull men are flabella Diaboli the Divells bellows to blow the coals of ſedition, ſtrife and contention till they ſet the City on fire, and ſo our margine expreſſes it; or to blow the coales of Gods wrath and fury, till he by his judgements (compared alſo to fire in Scripture, Pſal. 11. Pſal. 42. laſt) ſet all on a flame. The ſumme is, Scornfull men are miſchievous inſtruments, both ſtirring up ſeditions and contentions amongſt the people, and ſo enſnaring them with perplexities (as Demetrius the Silver-ſmith did at Epheſus Acts 19.) and alſo incenſing the wrath of God againſt them, and ſo enfiring them with moſt fearfull judgements.

Thirdly, what is here meant by the City, 3. City what.the word is taken either Metonymically, the ſubject for the adjunct, the City, for the Inhabitants of the City; or Synechdochically, the ſpeciall for the generall; the City, that is, any place where thoſe ſcornefull men live, the Houſe, the Towne, the City, the Countrey, the Kingdome. Their miſchiefe extends not to themſelves alone, but to all about them; they are the common peſtilences, and publicke enemies in the places where they live.

Fourthly, what is here to be underſtood by wiſe men: 4. Wiſe men, who.the word is good, and of great eſteem. But perhaps ſome may queſtion Solomons wiſdome in the choice thereof, for making an oppoſition to the former part (as the particle, But, implies) it may be demanded, how are wiſe men oppoſed to p. 5ſcornfull men. It ſeems more congruous, he ſhould have ſaid, Meeke or humble men turne away wrath; ſo the oppoſition had been fairer and clearer; or elſe, in the former part hee ſhould have ſaid, Fooliſh men bring a City into a ſnare, as directly oppoſed to Wiſe men. True, but there is the more ſecret wiſdome in this oppoſition, that the Spirit of God intended we ſhould take notice of: For it intimates unto us two things:

Firſt, That ſcornfull and proud men, how ever they may thinke themſelves wiſe, are indeed but fooles in Wiſdomes account; and in our common ſpeech we ſo ſtile them, when we ſay of a man of a ſcornfull carriage, he is a proud foole: Yea, in the language of the Scripture, all wicked men, (of which, ſcornfull men are chiefeſt, as we ſaid afore) are fools and ſimple: Therefore as ſometimes a ſcorner and a wicked man are Synonymas in Scripture, as Prov. 9.7. [He that reproveth a ſcorner, getteth to himſelfe ſhame, and he that rebuketh a wicked man, getteth himſelfe a blot.] He that in the firſt part is called a ſcorner, in the ſecond part is called a wicked man, implying them to be convertible, every ſcorner is a wicked man; and every wicked man is a ſcorner: ſo a wicked man and a foole, are alſo one with the Spirit of God. Solomons fool (ſo often mentioned in this Booke, and elſewhere) is no better, no other then a wicked man: And that is the firſt.

Secondly, That wiſe men are meeke and humble men, and only meeke and humble men are wiſe: This the Spirit of God would have us to take notice of, by oppoſing wiſe men to proud and ſcornfull men. Therefore, it is worth obſerving alſo, that as proud men, and ſcornfull men, are parallels in Scripture, Prov. 21.24. Proud and haughty ſcorner is his name who dealeth in proud wrath: and ſometimes we heare, The proud have laid a ſnare for me, as here the ſcornfull; ſo wiſe men, and meeke men, are very neare a kin, or rather one and the ſame. So Saint James would have us underſtand, when he ſayes, [Who is a wiſe man and endued with knowledge amongſt you? let him ſhew out of a good converſation his workes with meekneſſe of wiſdome, Jam. 3.13.] And againe, p. 6verſ. 17. [The wiſdome which is from above, is firſt pure, then peaceable, gentle, &c.] By wiſe men therefore here, Solomon meanes meek and humble men, in ſpeciall and generally all Good men, who are only wiſe; his wiſe man is the ſame with a good man, as his foole with a wicked man.

Fifthly, what is here meant by wrath; 5. Wrath, what, and what to turn it away.by wrath ſome underſtand the anger of men, as of a King, Whoſe wrath is as the roaring of a Lion, and he is a wiſe man that knowes how to allay it; or of a tumultuous and enraged multitude ſet on fire by ſcornfull men. Others underſtand it of the wrath of God, which wicked ſcorners have incenſed, but onelyonly wiſe men and good men know how to quench it. So that here is the cauſe put for the effects; the wrath of God for thoſe ſnares and perplexities, thoſe fires and judgements inflicted on a people by the wrath of God. And there is a great deale of wiſdome in the choiſe of this word, for it implies three things very conſiderable.

Firſt, The prevention of judgements1. Prevention of judgements ready to fall upon a people (by the wickedneſſe of ſcornefull men) by taking away, or turning away wrath, the cauſe thereof. So Prov. 15.1. A ſoft anſwer pacifies wrath; the wrath of God or men.

2. The removall 2. Removall.of thoſe judgements which are inflicted, when a City is enſnared or enfired, wiſe men, good men, are ſo prevalent with God, that they help to break thoſe ſnares, and quench thoſe fires, by turning away the wrath of God.

Thirdly, the procuring 3. Procuring bleſſings.of mercies and bleſſings upon the place, for here is a foreign; as they call it, leſſe is ſaid, but more is underſtood as the oppoſition doth fairly ſuggeſt: Scornfull men bring a City into a ſnare, or ſet a City on fire: That is, they deprive a Land of mercies and bleſſings firſt, and then helpe to bring on judgements: So wiſe men doe not only prevent and remove judgements, but procure bleſſings on the places where they live, the Houſe, the Towne, the City, the Countrey, the Kingdome; which muſt the rather be obſerved becauſe in this latter part, the City is not mentioned but underſtood, foreign, by the rule of interpretation: p. 7So the ſumme of all will be this, That wiſe men are common and publick Goods to the places where they live.

The words thus explained, will yeeld us many good obſervations,4. The obſervations ſome. we ſhall name ſome, but inſiſt chiefly upon one.

Firſt, That all ſcornfull men (as all wicked men, whereof theſe are the worſt) how ever they thinke of themſelves, or others of them, are no wiſer then they ſhould be: that is, are no better, no other then fooles in wiſdomes account. It ariſes from the oppoſition of ſcornfull men and wiſe men.

Secondly, That only meek and humble men (as all good men) how ever the world accounts them ſimple, are truly wiſe. It ariſes alſo from the oppoſition of wiſe men, and ſcornfull men, who are ever proud men, for ſcorne ariſes from pride, as humility from wiſdome.

Thirdly, That ſcornfull men (the worſt of men) are publicke evills and miſchiefes to the places where they live: And that two wayes:

1. Paſſively, as meriting and procuring the wrath and judgements of God upon theſe places.

2. Actively, as ſtudying, plotting and endeavouring miſchiefes to the places: They bring a City into a ſnare, and ſet a City on fire. In the firſt ſenſe they are flagella Dei: In the ſecond, flabella Diaboli.

Fourthly, That on the contrary, wiſe men (that is good men, for they are Synonyma's in Scripture) are publick Goods to the places where they live: And that alſo two wayes.

1. Paſſively, the places being bleſſed for their ſakes.

2. Actively, as ſeeking, ſtudying, endeavouring the publick Good, being men of publick ſpirits, preferring the publick Good, before their owne private intereſts.

But to handle all theſe particulars, as it is a little impertinent (ſome of them being only hinted, and not directly here intended) ſo it is as much impoſſible, conſidering that portion of time which is allowed me. I ſhall therefore draw out only the laſt generall concluſion, conſiſting of two particular branches, taking ſometimes notice of the oppoſite part, and the other conſiderations, for illuſtration, confirmation, p. 8or application, as ſhall be moſt expedient.

The generall Obſervation is this; Good men are publick Goods 5. The generall Obſervation, Good men publicke goods.to the places where they live. That this is rightly collected, is evident to an obſerving eye by the former explication: This we ſhall endeavour to make good in both the branches before propounded, both paſſively as God bleſſes the places for their ſakes; and alſo actively, as they are men of publicke ſpirits, ſeeking principally the good of the Community.

Firſt, Good men are publicke goods paſſively; God for their ſakes bleſſing the Places,1. P…ſſively, as bleſſings to the places. Family, Towne, City, Country, Kingdome where they live. This is thus made good.

1. There are promiſes made unto them for this very purpoſe,1. This is promiſ…d. as to Abraham, Gen. 12.2.3. I will bleſſe thee, and make thy name great, and thou ſhalt be a bleſſing. And I will bleſſe them that bleſſe thee, and curſe them that curſe thee, and in thee ſhall all families of the earth bee bleſſed. To this may bee added that other conditionall promiſe to the ſame Abraham, Gen. 18.26. If I finde in Sodome fifty righteous within the City, then I will ſpare all the place for their ſakes. Nay a lower condiſcenſion we finde there: I will not deſtroy it for tennes ſake. The ſame promiſe is made to Iob upon ſuppoſition of his repentance and turning to God. The innocent ſhall deliver the Iſland, and it is delivered by the pureneſſe of thine hands, Iob 22.30. The like or a yet lower condiſcenſion we finde, Jer. 5.1. Runne ye too and fro through the ſtreets of Ieruſalem, and ſee, and know, and ſeek in the broad places thereof, if ye can finde a man, (one man) if there be any that executeth iudgement and ſeeketh the truth, and I will pardon it. Adde but one more, and that is, Ezek 22.30. I ſought for a man (but one man) among them that ſhould make up the hedge, and ſtand in the gap before me for the land, that I ſhould not deſtroy it, but I found none, therefore have I powred out mine indignation upon them, &c.

2.2. This is performed. We finde the performances of this promiſe in many inſtances. This was made good to Abraham in the preſervation of his Nephew Lot and his family, Gen. 19.29. God remembred Abraham (that is, his prayer and pleading with God that he would not deſtroy the righteous with the wicked, p. 9Chap. 18.) and ſent Lot out of the midſt of the overthrow. Nay Lot himſelfe had experience of this grace and favour, that as he preſerved Zoar, ſo the City of Sodome, and the reſt could not be deſtroyed ſo long as he was in it: See but the power he had with God: For the firſt, Lot did not directly petition for the ſparing of that little City Zoar, but for his owne ſafety, yet God is pleaſed to ſpare it for his ſake: Thus he ſayes, See I have accepted thee concerning this, that I will not overthrow this City, for which thou haſt ſpoken. For the ſecond,Gen. 19.21.22.Gen 19:21Gen 19:22 thus more ſtrangely, Haſte thee, eſcape thither, for I cannot doe any thing till thou come thither. Not only while Lot was in Sodome was it ſpared for his ſake, but all the while he was going to Zoar, it was not deſtroyed. The Iſraelites had manifold experiences in this kind, in the wilderneſſe, wherein they provoked God forty yeares: Therefore he ſaid that he would deſtroy them, had not Moſes his choſen ſtood before him in the breach, to turne away his wrath (the words of our Text) leſt he ſhould deſtroy them, Pſal. 106.23. And ſo verſe 29.30. Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions, and the plague brake in upon them: Then ſtood up Phineas and executed judgement, and ſo the plague was ſtayed. Theſe were examples of favour for prevention, or removall of judgements: Take ſome for procuring of Good: God bleſſed the Egyptians houſe for Joſephs ſake, Gen. 39.5. And the bleſſing of the Lord was upon all that he had, in the houſe and in the field. And what a bleſſing he was to the whole land of Egypt, for a bleſſing of plenty for ſeven yeares together, is to be ſeen, Gen. 41.47. Saint Paul alſo was thus highly honoured, that he ſaved the lives of all that ſailed with him in the ſhip, two hundred threeſcore and fifteen ſoules beſide himſelfe, Acts 27.24 Lo, ſayes the Angell, God hath given thee all them that ſaile with thee. Inſomuch, that he confidently tells them. There ſhall be no l…ſſe of any mans life among you, but of the Shippe, verſe 22.

3. This was ever a knowne and confeſſed truth;3. This is confeſſed by all. both good and bad men have taken it for granted, That they ſhall fare the better for Good peoples ſake. Hence it was p. 10that Bara… (a good, but a weake man) deſired Deborah an holy Propheteſſe, to goe with him to the warre, yea profeſſed he would not goe without her, Judg. 4.8. as placing both his ſafety and victory in her preſence. And wicked Ahab ſolicites Jehoſhaphat to goe to warre with him, as hoping to proſper the better for his ſake. In a word, for this reaſon wicked men have ſo often deſired the prayers of righteous men, as diſtruſting themſelves, and truſting more to finde mercy for their ſakes, then their owne.

4. The ſame is further confirmed by grounds of reaſon:4. This is grounded on Reaſons. Firſt, Good men, or Righteous men, are Gods Favourites, 1. Good men are Gods Favourites.ſo they are called in the Hebrew foreign his Saints we render it, the word ſignifies, his Favourites, from the root foreign which ſignifies Mercy, and Favour; ſo his Saints are ſuch as actually are mercifull, The Good man is mercifull and lendeth; but eſpecially paſſively as received to the mercy or favour of God, (as the word foreign is uſed in Greeke, ſpoken of the bleſſed Virgin, Lu. 1.28. that is, graced with God, or highly favoured of God) They are Gods Favourites, I ſay, and therefore for their ſakes much Good is done to others that have any relation to them. Conſider but what Eliphaz ſaies to Iob, perſwading him to humble himſelfe, and be acquainted with God, Iob 22.21. &c. and to turne unto him; he uſes amongſt others, this argument, verſ. 27. Thou ſhalt make thy prayer unto him, & he ſhal hear thee, and thou ſhalt pay thy vows. Thou ſhalt alſo decree a thing and it ſhall be eſtabliſhed unto thee, ver. 28. And laſt of all, (as before) The Iſland ſhall be delivered by the pureneſſe of thy hands, verſ. 30. Such grace and favour ſhalt thou finde with God. It is very obſervable that the Pſalmiſt hath delivered, Pſal. 146.7.8. The Lord executeth judgement for the oppreſſed, he giveth food to the hungry, the Lord looſeth the priſoners, the Lord openeth the eyes of the blinde, the Lord raiſeth them that are bowed downe. Theſe are all common mercies to wicked men: but what will he doe for righteous men? Sure much more for them; yet marke what he addes inſtead of all: The Lord loveth the righteous: as if his love were better then all thoſe before named, or p. 11rather becauſe his love is the ground of all other favours, and becauſe he loves them, he can deny them nothing for themſelves or others. So Pſal. 5.12. The Lord bleſſeth the righteous; the Lord heareth the prayers of the righteous, &c. Inſomuch, that when God is reſolved to puniſh a People or Nation, he is faine to bid his Favourites not to pray for them, Ier. 14. and 15. Chap. Pray not for this people: Nay to intreat them, not to intreat him, but to let him alone, that hee may deſtroy them, as he did to Moſes. It is a very extraordinary caſe when ſuch Favourites as Noah, Iob and Daniel, cannot deliver a Nation, but only their owne ſoules, Eze. 14.14. any ordinary favour they may procure for others, as well as for themſelves.

Secondly, all Good things, as they are promiſed to,2. All good things are intended for them. ſo they are primarily, if not only intended for the Good; nothing for wicked men, but as by reaſon of their vicinity, and neare neighbourhood they fall upon them, becauſe they cannot well be ſeparated. All is yours, ſaies the Apoſtle to his Corinthian Saints, the world it ſelfe is yours, 1 Cor. 3. laſt. Our Saviour hath made a diſtribution of the whole world, Matth. 5. Heaven is given to the poore in ſpirit. Earth is bequeathed to the meeke: what then remaines for the proud and ſcornfull wicked men, but Hell, their proper inheritance? as it is ſaid of Judas, that ſonne or heire of perdition, that he was gone to his owne place, Act. 1.25. Now then, if wicked men have any thing, they have it for the godly mens ſakes, becauſe they are mixt together. As the Sunne ſhines upon the ſtony rocks, as well as upon the low valleyes; and the raine falls upon the barren mountaines, as well as upon the fruitfull medowes, but were intended only for the latter. The tares in the field receive and pertake of the dewes and ſhoures of heaven, but not for their owne, but for the corns ſake. The Heathen man ſaw this truth by the twilight of nature; God, (ſaith he) provided all Good things for the Good, but they befall the evill men, becauſe they cannot be ſeparated. And it is better to profit or doe good to evill men for the Goods ſake, then to bee wanting to the Good for evill mens ſake. The world it p. 12ſelfe ſtands for the Elects ſake; if their number were once made up, as the old world periſhed by water ſo ſoone as Noah and his family were houſed in the Arke, ſo this preſent world ſhould be deſtroyed with fire, 2 Pet. 3.

3. All judgements are provided for wicked men.Thirdly, as all Good things are intended for the Good: ſo all judgements and puniſhments, are provided and prepared for the wicked, none for Good men, further then they communicate more or leſſe, in the wickedneſſe of the places and times where they live. The whip is for the Aſſe, and the rod for the fooles backe, Prov. 26.3. Great plagues remaine for the ungodly, Pſal. 32.10. Ʋpon the ungodly he ſhall raine ſnares, ſtorme, and tempeſt, fire and brimſtone, Pſal, 11. Now then, becauſe it is againſt juſtice to puniſh the Righteous with the wicked, or for wicked mens ſake, Abraham pleads it ſo with God, Wilt thou deſtroy the righteous with the wicked? farre be that from thee; Shall not the Judge of all the earth doe right, Gen. 18 25. And God admits the plea as juſt and reaſonable, as you may ſee, If I finde fifty righteous, I will ſpare all the place for their ſakes. Either therefore God muſt ſeparate the righteous from the wicked (as ſometimes indeed hee does) or elſe he muſt deſtroy the righteous with the wicked, or for the wickeds ſake, which is unjuſt; or elſe hee muſt ſpare the wicked for the righteous ſake. And we have a kinde of a Proverbe common amongſt us, It is better to ſave two Nocents, then to deſtroy one Innocent. The very tares (as was ſaid) are ſpared for the wheats ſake.

Fourthly, Good men are ſtudious and active for the publicke Good,4. They are active for the publick Good (as we ſhall heare anon) as well as for their owne, yea above, and with neglect of their owne Good. They imploy all their parts, wiſdome, ſtrength, riches, intereſts, for the Publicke Good; all their prayers and power with God to the Good of others. Now it is a wonderfull wel-pleaſing thing to God to ſee men of his owne diſpoſition, to neglect themſelves for Gods glory and his peoples Good, that he will, even for their ſakes, ſtay or remove a judgement, and drop downe bleſſings upon others, and they perhaps wicked. As when Moſes deſired to be blotted p. 13out of Gods Booke, rather then Gods glory ſhould ſuffer, or his people be deſtroyed; God takes it ſo well, that he ſpares a rebellious people for his ſake. Theſe reaſons may ſerve for the confirmation:5. The Applition, then. We now come to the application of it, before we proceed to the next.

1. Then on the contrary; wicked evill men,1. Wicked men are publick evills. are publicke evills; they are not hurtfull onelyonly to themſelves, that is the leaſt part of their Illneſſe, but to the Places, Families, Townes, Cities, Countries, the whole Iſland or Kingdome where they live. One ſinner deſtroyeth much good. Eccleſ. 9. laſt. and hinders much good, and brings much evill; brings an houſe, or City into a Snare, or ſets them all on fire. One ſpark hath been the cauſe of the burning of a whole town: One Achan troubled and had like to have ruined a whole Armie. One and every wicked man is a curſe, a peſt, a viper to the place where he lives. A fruitfull land, he maketh barren for the wickedneſſe of them that dwell therein. Pſal. 107.34. Theſe, theſe are the men that violate the peace and happineſſe of a Nation, that with-hold Good things from it: The Prophet Zach. 5. ſaw in a viſion a flying rowle, written full of curſes, without and within: And it ſhall enter (ſayes the Lord) into the houſe of the theefe, and of him that ſweareth falſely, &c. It is a wonder to me, that many families and townes, are not ruin'd and deſtroyed, for the wickedneſſe of them that dwell therein, ſo full of curſes, and oathes, and blaſphemies. No wonder there is ſo much trouble and perplexity in our Cities and Countries, and whole Kingdome, ſeeing wickedneſſe ſo much abounds n every place: But eſpecially conſidering, that our land is ſo full of ſcornefull men, Eſpecially ſcornefull men.both ſecret and open. Secret ſcorners, that in their hearts, deride and deſpiſe, not onelyonly Goodmen, but Goodneſſe it ſelfe, and the power and practiſe of Godlineſſe. Many perhaps, that make a faire ſhew of Religion, frequent the Aſſemblies, obſerve Faſts and daies of Humiliation, and yet in their hearts deſpiſe and deride all ſuch Devotions, as either needleſſe, or uſeleſſe. Many open ſcorners, that are profeſſed mockers and flouters of Religion, and them that deſire to profeſſe it, in the ſtricteſt and p. 14exacteſt way. Hypocriticall Mockers at Feaſts, as Dauid calls them, the drunkards that made ſongs of him, and all that profeſſe Godlineſſe. Amongſt theſe you may reckon your Stage-players, who had skoffed Religion, out of countenance with many. You have done well, to put them downe, and ſhall do better if you keepe them downe. Adde to theſe, your profane ſouldiers, who undertaking to fight for Religion, do as much ſcorne it and the profeſſors of it, with names of reproach, as any of the Cavaliers. Can we wonder to ſee our Cities and Countries ſo enſnared, and enfired; when all places are full of ſuch skorners, as our text mentions? When one bleſſes and another curſes, which will God heare? ſayd a Wiſeman. This mixture of ſo many ſcorners with ſome few wiſe men, in our Cities, in our Armies, makes things thus to hang in aequilibrio: Now we have a victory, then by and by a loſſe and defeat: God himſelfe ſeemes to be doubtfull whether he ſhould ſave us for ſome Good mens ſake, or deſtroy us for theſe many ſcorners ſake. Salvian complained of his times, and it is our caſe at this time. Si quis ex Nobilibus, &c. If any of the Nobility or Gentry begin to be Religious, he preſently looſes the Honour of his Nobility: Oh (ſayes hee) what honour is there among Chriſtian people, when Religion makes men vile? Oh ſhamefull and unſufferable wickedneſſe! It is not ſo with any Religion as it is with ours. In any Religion of Jews, Turkes, Papiſts, the more ſtrict and exact, the more Honoured and eſteemed: Only in the Proteſtant Religion, the ſtricter and preciſer, the more ſcorned and deſpiſed. It was a very noble act, that of Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 3.29. I make a decree, that every people, nation and language which ſpeake any thing amiſſe againſt the God of Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, ſhall be cut in pieces, and their houſes ſhall be made a dunghill, &c. I could wiſh, that our Law-makers, would provide a Statute, that it might be lawful for no man, with impunity, to deride and ſcorne Religion, or the ſtrict profeſſion of it: And there is good reaſon for it; For 1. Scornefull men bring a City into a ſnare, or ſet a City on fire. 2. Their puniſhment would be exemplary to others: Smite a Scorner and the p. 15ſimple will beware. Prov. 19.25. When the ſcorner is puniſhed, the ſimple is made wiſe. Prov. 21.11. And once more (as if it were a matter of great obſervance, and greater conſequence:) Caſt out the ſcorner, and contention ſhall goe out; yea ſtrife and reproach ſhall ceaſe. Prov. 22.10. Thirdly, and laſtly, Though every Good man be a publicke Good and bleſſing to the place, yet eſpecially the heires of reſtraint, (as a Magiſtrate is deſcribed, Iudg. 18.27.) That is, publick perſons if they be Good, are double bleſſings, as Good men, as Good Magiſtrates; ſuch wiſe men eſpecially turne away wrath: Review but thoſe places before alleadged, Jer. 5.10. Runne too and fro through the ſtreets of Jeruſalem, — and ſee if you can finde a man, if there be any (one) that executeth judgement, and I will pardon it. And ſo of another, it is ſaid, Then ſtood up Phineas and executed judgement, and ſo the plague was ſtayed, Pſal. 106.30. I ſpeake unto wiſe men, judge ye what I ſay. A word to the wiſe is enough.

2. It ſhewes the bleſſedneſſe of that Family, Towne, City,2. The bleſſedneſſe of places where any Good men. &c. that hath theſe Good and Righteous men amongſt them, if they knew their happineſſe. Many a judgement is prevented, many a bleſſing is procured, or continued for their ſakes, when wicked men know not to whom they are beholding. Theſe are the Towres and Caſtles: Theſe are Walls and Bulwarkes: Theſe are the Forts and Amunition: Theſe are the Horſe-men and Chariots of a Kingdome; and for their ſakes, Townes and Cities are preſerved. The Sodomites were beholding to Lot for the welfare of their City, ſo long as he was in it, though they acknowledged it not. You know what was ſaid of thoſe two great and holy Prophets, Elija and Eliſha; when Elijah was taken away in a fiery chariot, his ſervant and ſucceſſour Eliſha ſaw his ſtrength and ſafety, and therefore cried out, My Father, my Father, the horſemen of Iſrael, and the chariots thereof. And a King wicked enough, ſaid as much of Eliſha, My Father, my Father, the horſemen of Iſrael and the chariots thereof, when he lay a dying. But Eliſha's ſervant ſaw the reaſon of it, when an army of Souldiers beſet the Towne of D…than, and p. 16thought to have taken Eliſha, and plundered the towne; the ſervant cryes out, alas Maſter, we are undone: Eliſha prayes, Lord open his eyes; and preſently he ſaw the Mountaine full of horſes and Chariots of fire, round about Eliſha. 2. Kings 6.17. One Eliſha was a better guard then all the hoſts of Iſrael. But I let that paſſe.

3. The folly and madneſſe of the world, in 1. Imputing all evills to them.3. It ſhewes the fooliſh unthankfulneſſe, and indeed the folly and madneſſe of the wicked men of the world.

1. In imputing all their evills and miſeries to Good men, as if they were the cauſes of all the troubles and calamities, that befall them. So they ſaid of Paul and his companions, Act. 16.20. Theſe men which are Jewes, trouble our City. So Tertullus the Oratour, elegantly and learnedly charges Paul, Act. 24.5. Certainely we have found this man, a peſtilent fellow, (a peſtilence, in the Originall) a mover of ſedition, among all the Jewes, throughout the world, &c. So Ahab, not onelyonly accounts Elijah his owne enemy; but alſo charges him, with the miſeries of the times; Art thou he that troubles Iſrael? No ſayes he, It is thou and thy fathers houſe, in that you have forſaken the commandements of the Lord, and thou haſt followed Baalim. 1. King. 18.18. So it was in the primitive times, the Chriſtians were charged with all the calamities that fell upon them: So it is now; All theſe troubles and warres are cauſed by the Puritanes, &c. No, no, it is you that trouble England; your drunkennes and whoredomes, and blaſphemies, &c. theſe are the troublers of England; you that are ſcornefull men, that ſcoffe and deride Godlineſſe, and God himſelf; That deſpiſe his Miniſters and mock at his Meſſengers, till there be no remedy. 2. Chr. 36.16. It was an hard caſe that Salomon tells of; Eccleſ. 9.14 15.16. A little City and few men in it, and a great King came againſt it, and compaſſed it about, and builded forts againſt it; And there was found therein a poore and wiſe man, and he delivered the City by his wiſedome; but none remembred this poore man: Then ſaid I, better is wiſedome then ſtrength; yet the wiſedome of the poor is deſpiſed, and his words are not heard. That Good men ſhould deliver the Iland, and be forgotten or deſpiſed, is a ſad condition; but that they ſhould p. 17be charged with the troubles and deſolations of a Kingdome, who are the preſervers of it; this is moſt unreaſonable.

2. But the madneſſe and unthankfulneſſe of the world appears more yet in perſecuting & baniſhing Good men out of their houſes, Towns, Countries, even out of the world,2. Perſecuting the Good if they could. Fooliſh men and unthankfull: They are beholding to them for all the Good they have; and doe they requite them thus? Is this your kindeneſſe to your friends? As was ſaid to one, many good workes have they done for you, for which of them doe you perſecute and baniſh them? Yea, but what madneſſe is this to ſtop up the fountaines, at leaſt the pipes, through which all the ſtreames of bleſſings come? To pull away the props that uphold a Nation, the pillars that uphold the houſe from falling upon the heads of the owners: To drive the City of all the guards, and pull downe the Forts and Bulwarkes of defence, when an Enemy comes to beſiege it, this is little leſſe then frenzie. The Sodomites did what they could to drive Lot out of their City, who alone kept off that ſhowre of fire and brimſtone from them. As Sampſon pulling downe the pillars, pulled the houſe upon his owne head: ſo doe theſe haſten their owne deſtruction. If all the Elect were once but gathered out of the world, it would ſoone be all on a flaming fire about their eares. Baniſh but all godly men out of a City, Country, &c. and deſolation will ſoone follow. And therefore it is noted as a prognoſticke and forerunner of ruine, to a place of Kingdome, when righteous men are taken away from the evill to come, Eſay 57.1.

4. This is a ground of ſtrong encouragement,4. Encouragement and comfort. and conſolation, both in ſpeciall to Good men, and generally to this Nation.

Firſt, To Good and Godly men in ſpeciall,1. To Good men themſelves. that they are thus highly favoured and graced by God, as to make them publick Goods, & Bleſſings to the places where they live. Joab tooke it as a great favour, that King David would condeſcend to gratifie him in a requeſt for his owne ſon Abſalom, p. 182 Sam. 14.22. By this I know that thy ſervant hath found favour in thy ſight, in that the King hath fulfilled the requeſt of his ſervant. What an honour then is it for a poore ſinfull man to have this favour with the King of Heaven, not only to grant the requeſts of his ſervants for themſelves, but when they ſay nothing, even for their ſakes to ſhew mercy unto others? What a ſtrange piece of complement, or rather reall honour was it for God to ſay to Moſes, as a man to his friend, Let me alone that I may deſtroy them, when Moſes ſaid nothing that we heare of? What an honour was it to Saint Paul, that without asking, God ſhould give him the life of all the ſoules that ſailed with him? If a man had but ſo much favour with a King, it would make him proud, and ſcarce to know the ground he goes on: Why, ſuch honour have all Gods Saints, even to the leaſt of all Saints (as Paul of himſelfe) is this honour given that God can deny them nothing. Marke how Eliphaz applies it to Job in particular, Job 22.30. The innocent ſhall deliver the Iſland. True, might he ſay, but whats that to me? Therefore he addes, And it is delivered by the pureneſſe of thy hands. As if he ſhould ſay, thou being innocent and pure, ſhalt have the ſame Favour, thou ſhalt deliver not thy ſelfe only, but the Iſland. This is the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.

Secondly, To this Land and Nation 2. To this Land and Nation.of ours in generall, it is no leſſe encouragement; That it ſhall not yet be totally deſtroyed, though the ſinnes and ſinners be many, though there be many ſcornfull men, that bring the Land and City into many ſnares, and have enkindled many fires; yet there are many wiſe men (bleſſed be the Grace of our God) that is many Good men, that doe helpe to turne away wrath: many faithfull Abrahams, many righteous Lots, many meeke Moſes's, many holy Pauls, that intercede with God for the Land: If there were any ſweet of comfort to be ſucked out of the gall of bitterneſſe. I meane the wickedneſſe of an Enemy, that their deſtruction haſtens a pace, our Enemies are as deſperately wicked, as we could deſire them: But our comfort lies not in their wickedneſſe ſo much as in the p. 19Goodneſſe of ſome of our owne, or rather in the Goodneſſe and Grace of our God; who for their ſakes uſes to ſhew favour to the places where they live. It is knowne well enough, what God would have done to a deſperately wicked City, as any was at that time, yet if there had beene but fifty, nay but tenne righteous men in Sodome, for their ſakes all had been ſpared. We truſt we may ſafely ſay, and without any arrogance, there are many fifties, many ten thouſands in this our Land, that never bowed the knee to Baal, that crie night and day to God that the Iſland may be delivered. Suffer us, O Father of mercies, to plead an argument of thine owne framing, as Abraham did for Sodome, wee are bad enough, perhaps as bad or worſe then Sodome, yet ſuffer us holy God, to ſpeake but this once; Wilt thou deſtroy the righteous with the wicked? Be it farre from thee from doing this thing, to ſlay the righteous with the wicked, and that the righteous ſhould be even as the wicked, be it farre from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the world doe right? Gen. 18.23.25. Upon this ground we beleeve, though we may have a ſharp ſtorm, yet it will blow over againe. God never yet (and will he beginne now?) deſtroyed an humbling, faſting, praying, reforming Nation. Thoſe Innocents, righteous men, we hope, ſhall deliver the Iſland: Even ſo, Amen.

5. This may ſerve for a ground of Exhortation,5. Exhortation. and that branches it ſelfe two wayes, to the wicked, and to the Good:

1. To the wicked world, and that in a double reſpect:1. To wicked men. 1. To the Good. Firſt, to ceaſe from evill, and to learn to do well, to labour to become Good & righteous men, even for this reaſon, that as now they are curſes and miſchiefes to the places where they live, as well as to themſelves, and are branded with this ignominious title of Incendiaries of the Kingdome; ſo being Good, they may be honoured as bleſſings and publicke Goods. This argument Eliphaz preſſes Job withall, Job 22.30. after many other encouragements; Acquaint thy ſelfe now with the Lord, &c. why? becauſe then, thou ſhalt pray unto him and he ſhall heare thee, verſ. 27. And laſt of all, thou ſhalt p. 20be honoured as the Deliverer of the Iſland: The innocent ſhall deliver the Iſland, and it is delivered by the pureneſſe of (thy) hands. The like argument the Lord himſelfe urges upon a formall faſter, Eſay 58. that he would faſt to purpoſe, by faſting from ſinne and wickedneſſe, and beginne to be righteous and mercifull, Is not this the Faſt that I have choſen to looſe the bands of wickedneſſe, to undoe the heavy burdens, to let the oppreſſed goe free, and that ye breake every yoke? Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungry, &c. Then ſhall thy light breake forth as the morning, and thine health ſhall ſpring forth ſpeedily, and thy righteouſneſſe ſhall goe before thee, and the glory of the Lord ſhall be thy reward. Then ſhalt thou call, and the Lord ſhall anſwer, &c. And after all, thus he concludes to our preſent purpoſe, verſ. 12. And they that ſhall be of thee, ſhall build the old waſte places; thou ſhalt raiſe up the foundations of many generations, and thou ſhalt be called the repairer of the breach, the reſtorer of paths to dwell in. That is, thou ſhalt be honoured and renowned in preſent and future times, as a man that hath been a publicke Good and a bleſſing to the places where thou livedſt: Thats the firſt.

2 To love and make much of thoſe that are Good.2. If we cannot perſwade ſcornfull men to be Good themſelves, yet let them be perſwaded for their owne ſakes, to make much of thoſe that are Good and righteous: love them and honour them, if not for Goodneſſe ſake, yet for your own Goods ſake; you are beholding to them for all the Good you have and doe enjoy next under God. The Prophet adviſes the people going into Captivity, that they would ſeeke the peace of that wicked City (Babylon) and pray unto the Lord for it, for (ſaies he) in the peace thereof ſhall ye have peace, Jer. 29.7. And you make much of a bad ſervant, becauſe he is profitable and beneficiall to you; how much more of thoſe that never did you hurt, that conſtantly doe you Good; preventing judgements and procuring mercies, your very life and livelihood, and all your welfare depends upon it. I leave it to your conſideration; and come,

2. To Good men.Secondly, to ſpeake a word of exhortation to Good men that they would be Good ſtill, and improve all their intereſt in p. 21God in theſe troubleſome and calamitous times for the publicke Good: Firſt, to be Good ſtill,1 To b…e Good, and better ſtill. and more Good as there is more need and uſe for the publicke Good: He that is holy, let him be holy ſtill, and he that is righteous, let him be righteous ſtill. The better man the greater Good. As we ſee it is the policie of children, when they have any ſute or requeſt to promote, they are commonly double diligent to inſinuate themſelves into our affections and favour. It was Eſthers wiſdom to ingratiate herſelf with King Abaſhueroſh, when ſhe had a very great requeſt to make unto him; ſhe firſt invites him to a banquet to ſweeten his affections to her, inſomuch that he askes her that intended to aske him, What wilt thou Queen Eſther, what is thy requeſt, and it ſhall be granted thee to the halfe of the Kingdome, Eſth. 5.3. But ſhe hath not yet enough hold of his affections, therefore ſhe deſires only that the King would come to the banquet which ſhe had prepared for him; at which time the King makes the ſame demand, What is thy petition, &c. but yet ſhe forbeares, as intending to ingratiate herſelfe more with him; thereupon ſhe renewes her former requeſt, that he would come next day to another banquet, and then ſuppoſing herſelfe endeered to him, out comes her great requeſt, Chap. 7.3. If I have found favour in thy ſight, O King, and if it pleaſe thee King, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my requeſt. It is worth our imitation in ſuch times of diſtreſſe, when our lives and lands lye at ſtake, to make our way with God, by more exact obſervance of him, to indeere our ſelves unto him, that ſo for our ſakes, not only our owne lives, but our Iſland may be granted at our requeſts. Secondly, to improve all the intereſts they have in God,2. To improve their intereſt in God. and all their grace and favour with him (which we have heard is much) for the publicke Good: The King of Heaven can deny you nothing: To what purpoſe is this Grace and Priviledge with God, if we make not uſe of it as Abraham did? The whole Kingdome and Church of God cries to you as to our Saviour, If thou canſt do any thing, come & help us? Ply God with prayers and tears, and be importunate, yea in a holy manner impudent, till he make this our Land the praiſe and p. 22glory of all the earth. In a word, imploy your parts and abilities for the publicke Good, which is done by getting publick Spirits: But that leads me to the ſecond branch of my generall Obſervation, to that I now come: And that is this, Good men are publicke Goods actively: That is, they are men of publicke Spirits,2. Branch: Good men are publick Goods actively. This is preferring the Publicke before their own private Good. That this is rightly collected, I referre to the explication of the words, and proceed to the confirmation.

1. Commanded.1. This is Commanded in the Scriptures, as the duty of every Chriſtian: Let us do good to all, eſpecially to the houſhold of faith. Gal. 6.10. By love ſerve one another, Gal. 5.13. Let no man ſeeke his owne things, but every man anothers wealth, or welfare. 1. Cor. 10.24.

2. This is Commended 2. Commended by inſtances.by the Spirit of God in Scripture, to have been the practiſe of all Good men: we obſerve ſome memorable inſtances. And we beginne with Moſes, 1. Of Moſes.who ſpent himſelf in the publick affaires of the people, in judgeing all cauſes brought before him, till Jethro his Father in lawe gave him wiſe counſell. Exod. 18.17.18. The things which thou doeſt is not well, thou wilt ſurely weare away, (thou wilt faint and fall) and all this people with thee, for the thing is too heavy for thee, thou art not able to doe it thy ſelfe alone. And when God offered him one of the greateſt offers that ever was made to a mortall man, to bribe him (that I may ſo ſay) and to take him off from ſeeking and entreating for the Good of his people, he utterly refuſed it, Exod. 32.9, 10, 11, &c. The Lord ſaid unto Moſes, I have ſeen this people, and behold it is a ſtiffenecked people. Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may waxe hot againſt them, and conſume them, and I will make of thee a mighty people. But Moſes prayed unto the Lord his God, &c. And another time, when the Lord ſeemed reſolved to deſtroy that people, he ventures not only his life but his ſoule between them and the wrath of God: If thou wilt pardon this people, well; if not, blot me out of thy Book, &c. The like we may obſerve in David, 2. Of David.He fed the people with a true heart, and ruled them prudently with all his power, Pſal. 7, 72. p. 23And as if the ſpirit of Moſes had been upon him, he expoſes himſelfe to the ſword of the deſtroying Angel to ſtay it from the people, 2 Sam. 24.17, Behold I have ſinned, yea I have done wickedly, (takes all the fault upon himſelfe, and all the puniſhment too) but theſe ſheep what have they done? Let thine hand I pray thee be againſt me and my fathers houſe. This is the commendation of that Good man Jehojada 3. Of Jehojada. 2 Chron. 24.16.2 Chr 24:16the high Prieſt, and the Epitaph upon his grave, made by the Spirit of God, They buried him in the City of David amongſt the Kings, becauſe he had done good in Iſraell both towards God, and towards his houſe. Mordecai alſo was a man of the like ſpirit, whoſe life and ſtory is concluded with this Elegie, He was next unto the King, and great among the Jewes, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren. There is his Greatneſſe, his Goodneſſe followes, Seeking the wealth of the people, and ſpeaking peace to all his people, Eſth. 10.3. But moſt memorable is the inſtance of that Good and Great man Nehemiah, 4 Of Nehemiah.who living in the favour of a King, and in all pleaſures of a Court, yet enjoyed not himſelfe, whileſt he underſtood the miſeries of his people, and the Deſolations of the houſe of God, and of his City, as in Nehem. 1. and 2. Chapters, may eaſily appeare. But the diſcovery of his publick ſpirit, with neglect of all private intereſts, is moſt remarkeable, Nehem. 5.14. Twelve yeares together; from the twentieth yeare, even unto the two and thirtieth of King Artaxerxes, that is, twelve yeares. I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the Governour. For the former Governours that were before me, had been chargeable to the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beſides forty ſhekels of ſilver, yea, and their ſervants bare rule over the people, (as great mens ſervants uſe to doe) but ſo did not I, becauſe of the feare of God. But then, it may be, as he had nothing, ſo hee did nothing, but only overſee the people: For that, ſee what follows, verſe 16. Yet alſo I continued in the worke of this wall, —and all my ſervants were gathered thither unto the worke. That is, though neither I nor my ſervants had any allowance, yet we were as active and diligent in the maine worke, as they that tooke wages for their worke. But perhaps hee p. 24had a great eſtate or revenue of his owne, and improved that to his owne beſt advantage: There were many poor Jews that were glad for neceſſity, to ſell their inheritances, and ſo he made good bargaines for himſelfe by buying land at the cheapeſt rate: No, ſayes he, We bought no land, as ſome others did: And leſt any man ſhould thinke, though he did not get by the publicke calamities, yet he might ſave his owne eſtate, by living privately, and below his eſtate, and the dignity of a Governour; he addes, Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the (poore) Jewes and Rulers, beſides thoſe that came unto us from among the Heathen that are about us, verſe 17. His charge and expences is ſet downe in the 18. verſe to be very great; Yet for all this required not I the bread of the Governour, becauſe the bondage was great upon this people. All theſe conſidered, you will hardly finde a man of ſo publicke a ſpirit in all the Scripture. Only one we finde in the new Teſtament, that comes ſomething neare him in ſpirituall reſpects, and that is Saint Paul, 5. Of Paul.firſt he ſayes, he had upon him the care of all the Churches. Secondly, he laboured more then all the Apoſtles, ſpared no paines, feared no dangers, ran through many perplexities and hazards, by ſea and land, by brethren and ſtrangers, &c. Thirdly, though he might have beene chargeable as an Apoſtle of Chriſt, and had power to eat and drinke, and to carry about a ſiſter, a wife, as other Apoſtles did; yet he uſed not this power, but preached the Goſpell freely; and leſt he might be chargeable, he wrought with his own hands to ſupply his neceſſities; and as he ſought not his owne profit, but the profit of many, that they might be ſaved, 1 Cor. 10. laſt; ſo ſpent himſelfe in the publicke ſervice, venturing his owne life for the Good of the Church: I count not my life deare to me, ſo that I may finiſh my courſe with joy, Act. 20.24. Yea (ſaies he) and if I be offered (powred forth as a drinke offering foreign) upon the ſacrifice and ſervice of your faith, I joy and rejoyce with you all, Phil. 2.17. And (to omit many things of like kinde) that there might be an example and inſtance of one under the New Teſtament, not p. 25inferiour to the higheſt in the Old, heare what he ſaies like another Moſes, if not beyond him) I have great heavineſſe and continuall ſorrow in my heart; For I could wiſh that my ſelfe were accurſed from Chriſt, for my brethren, my kinſmen according to the fleſh, Rom. 9.2, 3. We need ſay no more, we have given inſtances of all ſorts, Kings, Prieſts, Magiſtrates, Miniſters, of eminently publicke ſpirits, to make good our aſſertion, That Good men are publicke Goods Actively, as well as Paſſively: That is, men of publicke ſpirits, active for the publick Good, though paſſive in neglect of themſelves. Doe but take the Reaſons3. Grounded on Good Reaſons. of it, and we ſhall haſten to the Application.

1. Good men are made partakers of the divine Nature,1. They partake of the divine Nature. 2 Pet. 1.4. and ſo made conformable to God, their heavenly Father, and to Chriſt their Head. The Proverb is, A Good the more common it is, the better it is: we may invert it, The better any thing is, the more communicative it is of it ſelfe; God himſelfe, the beſt and greateſt Good, communicates himſelfe to all his creatures, with no reſpect of any profit to himſelfe. The eyes of all things wait upon thee, O Lord, and thou giveſt them their meat in due ſeaſon, Pſal. 145.15. Thou openeſt thy hand, and filleſt with thy bleſſing every living thing. Thou art Good, and doeſt Good, Pſal. 119.68. The Lord is Good to all, and his mercy is over all his workes, Pſal. 145.9. He makes his Sunne to ſhine upon the Good and the bad, and his raine to fall upon the juſt and unjuſt. The Lord Jeſus alſo is called the common Salvation, Jude verſe 3. He went about doing Good, and healing every diſeaſe. He gave himſelfe for all his ſheep and wholly for every one: Who loved me and gave himſelfe for me, ſaies Paul, as if he had loved and dyed for none but him: O bone Jeſu, &c. as that Father in a ſweet meditation, and Soliloquie of his, O ſweet Saviour Jeſus, who takeſt care for all of us, as if we were but one man, and ſo for every one, as for all? Chriſt pleaſed not himſelfe, ſought not his owne profit, his owne glory, but the ſalvation of his people. Let the ſame minde be in you, that was in Chriſt Jeſus, Phil. 2.5. And ſo it is in ſome proportion; the ſame nature, the ſame mind, and ſo followers of God as deare children, and of Chriſt their p. 26Head, and ſo communicative of their Goodneſſe to others: The ground of this in God, is his Al-ſufficiency partly, hee needs not the Good of any creature, and partly his Great Goodneſſe, whereof he is ſo full, that as the Sea empties it ſelfe into the ſprings and rivers, ſo doth he communicate his Goodnes to the creatures. Good men then being made partakers of the Al-ſufficient and Good God, are like him in this, to ſeeke the publicke Good, with neglect of themſelves: and thats the firſt.

2. Grace enlarges the heart.2. Grace and Goodneſſe enlarges the heart, and hand, and all: So the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 6.11, 12, 13. O ye Corinthians, our mouth is opened to you, our heart is enlarged; ye are not ſtraitned in us, but ye are ſtraitned in your owne bowels: Bee ye alſo enlarged. As if he ſhould ſay, it is your fault that you have no more benefit by us; you are not capable of what we are able and willing to give: And ſo to his Theſſalonians, 1. Theſ. 2.8. Being affectionately deſirous of you, we were willing to have imparted to you, not the Goſpel of God only, but alſo our owne ſoules, becauſe ye were deare unto us. It is obſervable, that is noted of thoſe firſt converts, who were before ſtrait-hearted and ſtrait-handed, but when once made partakers of the Grace of God, how much they were enlarged, Neither was there any among them that lacked; for as many as were poſſeſſours of lands or houſes, ſold them, and brought the prices of the things that were ſold: And laid them downe at the Apoſtles feet, and diſtribution was made to every man, according as he had need, Act. 4.34, 35. And before that, Act. 2.44. All that beleeved were together, and had all things common. Omnia indiſcreta apud nos praeter uxores, ſaid Tertullian of his times, All things with us, are common, except wives.

3. Grace ſets up another end.3. Grace alters and ſets up another End in a man, that is Gods Glory in the publicke Good, for therein is Gods Glory moſt conſpicuous. Our ends are private in Nature, we are our owne Alpha and Omega; our ſelves are beginning and ending to our owne ſelves, our owne god, ſelfiſh in all, as they ſay; Self-ends, Self-profit, Self-honour, &c. Now the firſt Leſſon in the Schoole of Chriſt is, Self-deniall, let him p. 27deny himſelfe, his owne reaſon, his owne will, his owne affections, his owne ends. Marke what a new End the Apoſtle ſets up, 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatſoever you doe, doe all to the glory of God: And then, that you may ſee he meanes the Glory of God in the publicke Good; he addes in the laſt verſe, Even as I pleaſe all men in all things, not ſeeking mine owne profit, but the profit of many that they may be ſaved. A naturall man called out to publicke ſervices, is ready to plead his owne private intereſts: as the trees did in Jothams parable, Judg. 9.9. Should I leave my fatneſſe ſaies the Olive tree: Should I leave my ſweetneſſe, ſaies the Fig tree, or I leave my wine ſaies the Vine, to be promoted over the trees. The words rendered to be promoted over the trees, are ſignificant in the Hebrew, to goe up and downe for (other) trees? That is, Shall I neglect my ſelfe, my owne profit, my owne honour, my owne pleaſure, to runne up and downe (as a Magiſtrate or a publicke perſon muſt) to doe others ſervice? It is a common and received Proverbe in nature, proximus egomet mihi, I am my owne next neighbour: and that is another much alike, Charity begins at home. And a third is as common, Every man for himſelfe, and God (only) for all. Thus indeed ſpeaks nature, but Grace clean otherwiſe, as you have heard; we are Selfe-ends, and Selfe-gods, in nature; In Grace, Homo homini Deus, every man is a God to another: that's a third.

4. A Good man is made a member of the body myſticall:4. They are members of the body myſticall. Now as it is in nature, every member of the body naturall, ſerves not it ſelfe alone, but is a ſervant to the whole body; The eye ſees, not for it ſelfe (ſees not it ſelfe) but for the whole body, the hand workes not, the foot moves not for it ſelfe, but for the whole body: So it ſhould be in the body politicall, ſo it is in the body myſticall, every member is ſerviceable to the community: More might be added, but theſe ſhall ſuffice for the preſent, and ſo we come to Application.4. Applied.

1. The firſt Uſe ſhall be for Diſcovery (and this is a time of great Diſcoveries) of bad and naughty hearts.1. For diſcovery of bad hearts. Before wee p. 28come to particulars, we may juſtly take up the complaint of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 12.1. Helpe Lord, for there is not a Godly man left, the faithfull are miniſhed from among the ſonnes of men. That is, if we look upon the generality of men, there will be but a few Good men be found: we may make the Diſcovery by theſe two things: 1. That many have publicke ſpirits indeed but for publicke miſchiefes: 2. That many have private ſpirits in publick cauſes: we will note ſome particu…ars briefly.

1. Publick miſchiefes, as1. There are many, that have Publick Spirits, not for the publick Good, but for publick evill, to the places where they live, juſt like the bramble in Jothams parable, Judg. 9.14.15. choſen to raigne over the trees, who did ſcratch and catch all for it ſelfe. Publico malo nati: as if they were borne for publick miſchiefe; like Paris, whoſe mother Hecuba dream'd, when ſhe was with child of him, that ſhe was delivered of a burning firebrand; and ſo he proved to his Country, if ſtories ſay true; For through his meanes, the City Troy, was ſet on fire, and the Country ruined. Such firebrands, there are many now to be found, who have ſet this (as well as other) Kingdomes on fire, or brought Townes, Cities, Countries, into a ſnare, as our text ſpeakes: we note ſome.

1. Papiſts and Jeſuites.1. As firſt, Papiſts, home-borne Papiſts, who are the vipers that moſt unnaturally have endeavoured to eate through their mothers bowels. Not their nature onelyonly, but their Religion alſo, teaches and allowes them for the Good of the Catholike cauſe, falſely ſo called, not to ſpare their owne native Country, their owne kindred, Brothers, Fathers, no not of their own Religion, if it be for the publick Good, of their falſe Religion. To blow up Parliaments, to ruine Cities, Countries, Kingdomes, is their ordinary worke. Eſpecially of thoſe, whom they call Jeſuites, the Bellowes of Hell, the Incendiaries of Chriſtendome, at this day. The Curſe of God is upon them fearefully for arrogating their Name from Jeſus, which ſignifies a Saviour, and is impropriated to the Sonne of God: Thou ſhalt call his name Jeſus. Theſe men, that call themſelves Jeſuites, are, by the juſt judgement of God upon them, the Deſtroyers of Cities, Countries, p. 29Kingdomes, and might farre better take their name from him, who is called in Hebrew Abaddon, and in Greeke Apolluon, but ſignifying a Deſtroyer. Revel. 9.11.

2. Next to theſe, are thoſe, (propheſied to fall into theſe laſt and worſt times: 2. Tim. 3.) whom the Apoſtle calls Traitours.2. Traitours to their Country. In the laſt dayes ſhall come perillous times, for men ſhall be lovers of themſelves, Proud, boaſters, Traytors: Not only betraying the publike truſt, but even their owne Countries and Kingdomes. Wofull experience have theſe our ſad times, of theſe publick miſchiefes: who have forſaken their faith, betrai…d the charges wherwith they were entruſted, and with them, as much as in them laye, betrayed their Religion, Laws, Liberties, and which is moſt unnaturall, themſelves, and their Poſterities to perpetuall miſerie.

3. Adde to theſe, thoſe of our text, proud, ſcornfull men,3. Seditious …piri s. who by ſtirring up Seditions, and ſtrife, in Townes and Cities, have ſet all places almoſt on fire: OnelyOnly by pride men make contention: Prov. 13.10. Caſt out the ſcorner, and contention ſhall goe out: Prov. 22.10. Yea ſtrife and reproach ſhall ceaſe. Such an one was that Silver-ſmith Demetrius, Acts 19. who under a pretence of defence of religion, (but indeed for his own gaine) ſet all the City of Epheſus on an uproare. Such another was Achitophel, who adoring the riſing Sunne, fomented that Sedition and Rebellion of Abſalom, out of his owne Ambition, to ingratiate, and advance himſelfe, with that yong Prince. All times, & eſpecially theſe of ours, have exemplified theſe Incendiaries; the pride and ſcorn of ſome, have ſtirred up ſo much contention, and kindled ſo great a flame, that all the Wiſe men; of the Kingdome know not well how to quench it.

4. Amongſt theſe may be reckoned, a multitude of men who are Publick enemies to the State and Kingdome: As firſt, Oppreſſours, and Depopulators, 4. Oppreſſours, Depopulators, &c.who do not, as they of old, in the Prophet, adde houſe to houſe, or town to town, but pull down houſe after houſe, and towne after towne, till there be no place, for a poore man to dwell neere them, till at laſt they pull downe their owne houſes, and deſtroy their owne families, that their place cannot be found. So that the propheticall p. 30curſe is now made good upon many of them; Therefore thus ſaith the Lord, many houſes great and faire ſhall be left deſolate without an inhabitant, Iſay. 5.9. Such are the Projectors, the Monopoliſts of later times, who under pretence of Publick Good, have enriched themſelves, with the ſpoiles of the Commonwealth: Theſe and ſuch like, are the Catterpillers and locuſts of the places and Countries where they live; and as the Father ſaid of Ingroſſers of corne that made a famine in plentie, mercatores humanarum calamitatum, the Merchants of humane miſeries and calamities. In a word, all Polititians that drive their owne deſignes, at the publick charges in publick places of imployment; Men, like that unjuſt Steward in the Goſpell, who being entruſted with the publick Treaſure, for an hundred write down foureſcore, perhaps but fifty; diverting the publick ſtocke into their owne purſes, to make themſelves rich, in the publick poverty of the State. This is, as if a man in a ſhip, in a ſtorme, when all is like to be caſt away, ſhould gather all the wealth of the ſhip into his owne cabine; or as if the ſtomack a publick officer in the body natural, ſhould keep all the meat to it ſelfe, and ſtarve the whole body. Well fare yet that Noble ſpirited Nehemiah, we ſpake of before, that was ſo farre from eating the bread of the people, That he did not eate the bread of the Governour; becauſe the bondage was great upon the people. Nehem. 5.17.18. Well fare alſo thoſe juſt Stewards, thoſe faithfull and honeſt Treaſurers, entruſted with the publick ſtock; 2. King. 12.15. and 22.7. They reckoned not with the men, into whoſe hands they delivered the mony, to bee beſtowed on workemen, for they dealt faithfully.

2. Private▪ Spirits.2. As there are many evill publick ſpirits; ſo alſo many private evill ſpirits, in the publick cauſes of God and the State: (Not to ſpeake of Idle perſons, our lazie Gallants, in times of peace, that conferre nothing to the publick Good, by any publick uſefull imployment, as all creatures in the world doe, beſides themſelves,) We may take up the complaint of the Apoſtle, Phil. 2.21. All ſeeke their owne, and not the things of Jeſus Chriſt: And we may ſee his propheſie p. 31fulfilled. 2 Tim. 3.1.2. In the laſt dayes ſhall come perilous times, For men ſhall be lovers of their owne ſelves: why were not men ever Lovers of themſelves? Is it any ſuch great fault or dangerous for men to love themſelves? Is it not naturall for charity to begin at home? True, but the Apoſtle means, that in the laſt times, men ſhal be Lovers of themſelves, ſo that they ſhal Love no body elſe, not their owne poſterity, not their owne Country; and therefore it followes in a few words after, men ſhall be Lovers of themſelves—foreign, without naturall affection: So they may but ſave themſelves and ſleepe in a whole skin, let poſterity take care for it ſelfe, let the community ſinke or ſwimme, they care not. Of this ſort are all Newters, and at beſt unwilling contributers, to the publicke cauſes of God and his people, either with their eſtates or perſons. Firſt, for eſtates, men of a covetous churliſh diſpoſition like Nabal, who when David ſent meſſengers to him for ſome reliefe and refreſhment of himſelfe and his ſouldiers, who were a protection to his cattell and ſervants, returned this dogged anſwer, Shall I take my bread and my water and my fleſh, provided for the ſhearers of my ſheep, and give it to men I know not from whence they are? There be many ſervants now adaies, that break away from their maſters, &c. 1 Sam. 25. Shall I leave my fatneſſe ſayes the Olive? my ſweetneſſe, ſayes the Figtree, &c. to go to be promoted over the trees? Shall I leave my profit, my honour, my pleaſure, for other mens ſakes? Marke (I pray) what a ſcornfull anſwer the men of Succoth and Penuel gave to Gideon that fought for them, when he ſpake to them for ſome reliefe for his fainting followers,Judg. 8.5, 6.Judg 8:5Judg 8:6 Give I pray you loves of bread unto the people that are faint. They anſwer him with a flout & a jeer, Are the hands of Zeba and Zalmunna, now in thine hands, that thou ſayeſt, Give bread, &c. How many are there that in this great and publick Cauſe now in agitation, have never yet contributed any thing, (willingly) but ill words, mocks and jeers, though they have enjoyed the benefit of publicke ſafety, they and theirs? To whom it may be ſaid, as David of Nabal, In vaine have I kept all that this fellow had in the wilderneſſe, &c. p. 321 Sam. 25.21. Theſe men perhaps, ſome of them, wiſh all were well, but lend not the leaſt aſſiſtance that all may bee well: Sit ſtill, and live to themſelves, and enjoy their owne eſtates; even this diſcovers men to be Naught, becauſe they have ſuch narrow, ſuch private ſpirits in publicke Cauſes. Let Laws and Liberties and Religion ſtand or fall, ſo they may but have peace upon any conditions, ſo it coſt them nothing. And ſo for their perſons to be engaged in the publick ſervice, how few are there that offer themſelves willingly to the worke? Men ſtrive not who ſhall goe, but who ſhall not goe to the warres; what ſhuffling to avoid it when called forth? what ſtarting backe, what running away, when any danger appears? what Apologies and excuſes for themſelves. It hath it ſeems been the faſhion of former times as well as this? See but an Inſtance in Judg. 5 14, 15, 16. where Deborah firſt diſcovers the Voluntiers, Out of Ephraim was there a root of them againſt Amalek; after thee Benjamin among thy people out of Machir came down Governours, out of Zebulon they that handle the pen of the writer. And the Princes of Iſſachar were with Deborah: even Iſſachar and alſo Barak, he was ſent on foot into the valley: But then there were many Newters of other Tribes, For the diviſions of Ruben were great ſearchings of heart. Great ſearchings of heart? for what? to finde excuſes and pretences for their Newtrality and Cowardlyneſſe: So it followes, verſe 16. Why abodeſt thou (Ruben) amongſt the ſheepfolds, to heare the bleatings of the flocks? for the diviſions of Ruben, there were great ſearchings of heart. Gilead abode beyond Iordan, and why did Dan abide in ſhips? Aſher continued on the ſea ſhore, and abode in his breaches. The meaning (as I conceive) may be this, when theſe tribes ſhould have gone freely to the warres, after Deborah and Barac, they tarried all at home, and had great ſearchings of heart how to anſwer it, if objected againſt them: Some, they had flocks of ſheep to look to; ſome could not get over Jordan; ſome were in their ſhips of merchandiſe; ſome repairing their breaches, &c. thus they framed their excuſes, ſome had one impediment, ſome another. Juſt the caſe of theſe times, in the publicke p. 33cauſe of Religion, &c. ſome have land to plow; ſome have harveſt to get home; ſome have a wife to pleaſe; ſome have houſes and flocks to guard or ſecure, which will be plunde…ed if they appeare in the quarrell; ſome are poore, and have wife and children to maintaine: For the diviſions of England, there are great ſearchings of heart. Theſe all diſcover their private ſpirits, and little Good hearts. But mark what followes, Zebulon and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field, verſe 18. and ſo ſhewed themſelves, both Good men and Good patriots. And this may ſerve for the firſt Uſe of Diſcovery.

2. The ſecond is for direction, in our choice of fit Inſtruments for publicke places and imployments.2. Uſe: For direction in choice of publick Inſtruments. Chuſe a man of a Publicke ſpirit; that is to ſay, chuſe a Good man, and one that is truly Religious, for ſuch onelyonly are men of publicke ſpirits, for the publicke Good. For example, Firſt, in choice of a Miniſter, a publicke perſon; (a buſineſſe of great and common concernment in theſe times) If you would chuſe one that ſhal be faithfull & conſtant to you, chuſe not a man of a narrow or private ſpirit: one that is either covetous, or ambitious, or voluptuous, that ſeekes himſelfe and his own ends, and not the things of Jeſus Chriſt: ſuch an one will ſeeke yours, not you; and when he hath found what he ſeeks, will but a little care for the flock. Amongſt other qualifications of a Miniſter, the Apoſtle requires, that he be not Covetous given to filthy lucre, not given to wine, not voluptuous: A Good man onelyonly will make a Good Miniſter: as it is ſaid of Barnabas, He was a Good man, and full of the holy Ghoſt and of faith, and much people was added to the Lord, Act. 11.24. A Good Miniſter is a good light, a lampe, a candle that ſpends himſelfe in giving light to others, whereas a ſnuffe burnes and lights only within its owne ſocket, but is darke and ſtinking to others round about him. In a word, a Good Miniſter is like that Good Shepheard that layes downe his life for his ſheep. Secondly, it may give us direction alſo in choice of publicke Officers, Magiſtrates, Commanders, Knights of the Shire, and Burgeſſes of Parliament, if ever we p. 34live to another election, to ſeeke out and chuſe men of publicke ſpirits; who are they? you will ſay: why (ſay the world what they pleaſe) they are Good men, truly Godly men; they will be conſtant and faithfull in their entruſtments, they will live and dye for you, and with you: All other men will warpe and ſtart aſide like a deceitfull bow, will be corrupted or wrought like wax to take any impreſſion of his owne or others deſignes. Experience hath taught us ſomething in this particular: In theſe great diviſions of this ſtate, what diſcoveries have been made of falſe & faithleſſe hearts? In our great Senate, in our Armies, in all publick ſervices: what ſtrange diſcoveries have beene made of thoſe perhaps, whom wee little ſuſpected. They ſay in politicks, A man may be an ill man, yet a Good Citizen. I am ſure it is falſe in Divinity. He that is an ill man, can no more be a Good patriot, a Good Commonwealths man, then evill can be Good. He may perhaps be ſeemingly Good in times of peace, when no diviſions, no temptations: but no man will be conſtantly faithfull, but he that is a man of a publicke ſpirit, and no man but a Good man hath a publicke ſpirit. Let it be a warning to us for the preſent, and for the future, in choice of any publick Inſtruments; if we be againe deceived, we may thanke our ſelves. All, or a great part of theſe preſent diſtractions of our ſtate ariſe from hence, that men in publicke places have private ſpirits, private ends and aimes with neglect of the publicke.

3. Uſet double honour due to men of publick ſpirits.3. This may informe us, what Honour and eſtimation is due to Good men, men of publicke ſpirits, that neglect themſelves for the publicke Good, their owne profit, pleaſure, Honour. Truly, what the Apoſtle ſpeakes of laborious and painfull Miniſters, That the Elders that rule well, are worthy or to be accounted worthy of double Honour, eſpecially they that labour in the word and doctrine, is fairly by proportion, to be applyed to all publicke Inſtruments of publicke ſpirits. Men of private places, with publick ſpirits, are worthy of double honour, eſpecially thoſe who being imployed in publick ſervices, doe labour, and even ſpend themſelves, and what they p. 35have for the Good and welfare of the Community. And what is that double honour? Countenance and maintenance, ſay ſome: A lampe or candle that conſumes it ſelf to give others light (as every faithfull Miniſter doth) deſerves to be ſet, not under a bed or a buſhell, but upon a Table, as our Saviour ſpeakes; there's his Honour of Countenance, and to be plentifully ſupplyed with oyle, to preſerve it ſelfe for the common Good, there's the Honour of Maintenance. The like is due to the Magiſtrate, that is imployed in the publicke ſervices of the State; and to the Souldier that jeopards his life in the high places of the field, to preſerve the lives of thouſands. It is an odious and ignominious ſhame, that we ſhould chuſe men to imploy in our publicke and common Concernments, ſpirituall or temporall, (who muſt leave their fatneſſe and their ſweetnes, and their wine, (as the trees ſpeak in the parable) which they might privately, & with eaſe enjoy as well as we) and then when we have ſo done, deſert them, both in regard of Countenance and Maintenance, or aſſiſtance: This hath been the caſe of many Miniſters in times paſt, and at the preſent, the condition of our Honourable Patriots in Parliament: How ſhamefully have they been deſerted (I wiſh that were all, yea maligned, ſcoffed at by Scornfull men, hated, oppoſed) even by them that choſe, and imployed them. If men go on thus to forſake them, and let them fall, for want of Aſſiſtance, it is juſt with God, they ſhould never chuſe more, or never live to partake of that common Good, which they deſire and endeavour to do for them. As therefore the Apoſtle ſpake in a caſe of a faithfull Miniſter, ſo I of all of a publicke ſpirit, Receive them therefore in the Lord, with all gladneſſe, and hold ſuch in reputation, becauſe for the worke of Chriſt, they were neare unto death, not regarding their owne life, to ſupply your lacke of ſervice, Phil. 2.29.30. And as Deborah gave her Voluntiers their due and double Honour, ſo let us doe alſo; Heare what ſhe ſayes, My heart is towards the Governours of Iſrael, that offered themſelves willingly among the people; Bleſſe ye the Lord, Judg. 5.9. and ſo ſhe goes on to name the tribes and perſons, caſting a p. 36ſecret reproach upon the Newters; and at laſt come to it againe: Zebulon and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field, verſe 18. So ſay I, my heart is towards the Governours of England, our Parliament Patriots, that offered themſelves willingly among the people: Bleſſe ye the Lord. Bleſſe ye the Lord that raiſed up their perſons, and their ſpirits, to ſtand for the publick Good of Religion, Lawes and Liberties; and to ſpend their time, their ſtrength, their eſtates, their credits and honour, and lives for the ſame: And bleſſed be they of the Lord, and their poſterities after them for ever. My heart is alſo towards thoſe Noble Commanders and common Souldiers, that have offered themſelves willingly among the people, and have jeoparded their lives in the high places of the field, bleſſe ye the Lord that raiſed up their ſpirits to ſuch a pitch of Magnanimity and Reſolution, and bleſſed be they of the Lord; let their lives and names be precious with the Lord, and with the generations to come. Laſtly, my heart is towards the Honourable City and Citizens, that offered themſelves and their eſtates willingly among and above all the Cities of the Kingdome, to the almoſt exhauſting of their wealth and treaſure, to the publick Good of the whole Land: Bleſſe ye the Lord, that ſtirred them up; and bleſſed be they of the Lord for ever: the Lord recompence it upon them and theirs ſevenfold. This is the leaſt we can doe for them, that have bn Inſtruments of the publick Good: Render to every one their due Honour to whom Honour belongeth, &c.

4. It may be a ground of Exhortation to all, eſpecially to thoſe who are publicke perſons,4 Uſe: Exh…rt…tion to get pu…licke ſp…rits. to ſtudy and endeavour the publicke Good, above their owne, with neglect of their owne ſometimes; and to this end, to labour for publicke ſpirits: every man to contribute his abilities of what kinde ſoever, to be ſerviceable to the Community. As above in the heavens, every Starre, even the leaſt contributes its light and influence to the world, eſpecially thoſe of greater magnitude: So let it be on earth, in a Church, in a State, every one caſt in ſomething to the publicke Treaſury: Some their p. 37wiſdome and parts: Some their eſtates: Some their ſtrength: Some their perſons and lives; all their prayers.1. Perſwaded. For the perſwading of this, conſider theſe things:

1. We cannot (as hath been ſaid) otherwiſe approve our ſelves to God, to men, or to our owne conſciences,1. This an evidence of Goodneſſe. that we are Good men, have any true Goodneſſe, true Grace, true Religion. A Good man is a publicke Good, both Paſſively and Actively; is Good, and doth Good: A private ſpirit is an evidence of a naturall heart. It was not a good ſpeech of the trees in the parable; Shall I leave my fatneſſe or my ſweetneſſe, &c. to be promoted over the trees, to goe up and downe for other trees? we muſt, if we be trees of Gods Paradiſe, of Gods planting. He ſhall be like a tree planted by the waters ſide, that brings forth his fruit in his ſeaſon, Pſal. 1. All times a reſeaſonable for a Chriſtians fruit, and ſo are all places: He hath his fruit in private, but moſt in publick.

2. This is the end of all our Abilities; 2. It is the end of all abilities.Non nobis ſolum nati, &c. is a Proverbiall ſpeech amongſt the very Heathens: we were not borne for our ſelves, nor live for our ſelves; our parents challenge a part, our kindred and friends a part, our Country, our Religion, all: We are but Stewards entruſted with our Maſters Treaſure, to be diſtributed and layd out for the Good of the familie: We are but Servants or Apprentices, that have nothing properly our owne; we come into the world to ſerve our generation: It is the Scripture phraſe, ſpoken of a King, King David, foreign. Acts 13.36. When he had ſerved his generation, he fell aſleepe. In the great world, all creatures contribute their ſhare to the maintenance of the Communitie: No creature is made for it ſelfe, none acts for it ſelfe, none lives to it ſelfe but an idle perſon, and a Newter. The ſheepe, and bees, and the reſt, pay their tribute to Man, Sic vos non vobis, &c. and the bees in the hives do not fill their cells with hony for their owne private uſe, but every owne brings in, and layes up, as in a common treaſurie; and drones are either killed, or baniſhed from that little Commonwealth: In the body naturall, every member is a publick ſervant, to the whole Corporation. And ſhall p. 38Chriſtians in the body myſticall, or Citizens in the body politicall, vary from all the reſt, and live only to themſelves.

3. This is very reaſonable: 3. It is very Reaſonable.There's none but lives upon the common ſtocke, none but deſires to partake, and ſhare, in the Publick Good, of peace, plenty, liberty, lawes, religion: what reaſon or equitie, they ſhould expect it, if they contribute nothing to it. Shall all other men, all other creaturs be made ſerviceable to them, and they to no body? How can men deſire of God with the Pſalmiſt? That they may ſee the Good of his choſen, that they may rejoice in the gladneſſe of his nation, that they may glory with his inheritance, Pſal. 106.5. if they have not ſome way or other lent their aſſiſtance to the procuring of it. If they will not ſuffer with Gods people, is it reaſon they ſhould raigne, or rejoice with them? Such men may juſtly feare, that they ſhall bee blaſted by death, or otherwiſe, that they ſhall never ſee the Good of Gods choſen, or not have any comfort in it, though they ſee it. As the Prophet ſayd to that unbeleeving Prince, that doubted the plenty propheſied, as a thing impoſſible, though God ſhould open the windowes of heaven; Behold (ſayes he) thou ſhalt ſee it with thine eies, but thou ſhalt not eate therof: 2. Ki. 7.2. And it was made good upon him, verſe 20. For the people trode upon him in the gate and he died. Let that be conſidered.

4. It is very dangerous to have private Spirits,4. A private Spirit is very danger…us. In reſpect in the publick cauſes of God, and his people, both, in reſpect of men, and God: Newters commonly fare worſt. Firſt in regard of men,1. Of men. they at leaſt fall fowle upon ſuch, both ſides ſometimes. Experience tells us of ſome, that for their Neutralitie have been plundered by both ſides. See but an inſtance of this in Scripture, Iudg. 8.15.16.17. How ſharply did Gideon revenge himſelfe upon the men of Succoth and Penuel: for what? for complying with his enemies? no, but for their Neutralitie, and not affoording him a ſmall aſſiſtance. He tooke the Princes of Succoth, and the Elders thereof, even threeſcore and ſeventeene men, and thornes of the wilderneſſe, and bryers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth: And he beat downe the towre of Penuel, and ſlew the men of the City. p. 39And I have heard a French ſtorie, of a certaine Prince that in a warre betweene the Emperour, and the French King, complyed ſecretly with both ſides, which being diſcovered to both, by letters intercepted, they both agreed to fall upon and breake him, before they fell upon one another.

But Secondly, if they eſcape with men, God2. Of God. will be ſure to meete with them worſe. That bitter execration of Meroz, is well …nough knowne, Iudg. 5.23. Curſe ye Meroz, ſaies the Angel of the Lord, curſe ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, becauſe they came not up to helpe the Lord, to helpe the Lord againſt the mightie. And Mordecais meſſage is alſo well knowne: If thou altogether hold thy peace at this time, deliverance ſhall come, but thou and thy Fathers houſe ſhall periſh.

5. This is very profitable5. This is very profitable. for a mans ſelfe; For what ever any man ventures in the publick cauſes of God and Religion, &c. this is the beſt way, 1. to Secure it, 2. to Repaire it, 3. to Improve it. Firſt, to ſecure it,1. To Secure. be it credit, eſtate, life, any thing: we have a promiſe for this, He that will ſave his life ſhall loſe it, but he that will loſe his life for my ſake and the Goſpels, ſhall ſave it. Say the ſame of eſtate, of credit, &c. The way to ſave it, is to loſe it, and the way to loſe it, is to ſave it. Men think, now in theſe troubleſome times, to ſave their own ſtake, by ſparing from the publick cauſe: if things fall out ill, they will have ſomething to live on. No, this is the way to loſe all, in the loſſe of the publick. For in reaſon we ſee, the ſafety of every mans cabin in a ſhip, conſiſts in the ſafety of the ſhip, not the ſafety of the ſhip in the ſafety of the cabine; if the ſhip ſinke, what will become of his cabine? Secondly, Suppoſe a man ſhould loſe what he ventures for the publicke Good, yet God can eaſily repaire 2. To Repare.it. Be it eſtate, or credit, or life it ſelfe: Our Saviour in the former ſpeech ſuppoſes a man may loſe his life, for his ſake and the Goſpels; how then can he ſave it? He meanes he ſhall not finally loſe it, but have it againe repaired and reſtored. Sometimes a man does but reſolve to venture it, or loſe it, and God will not let him loſe it, but ſaves it for him. As when Abraham had brought of his heart to offer up his ſonne, God would p. 40not let him: So here many times, when a man is reſolved to venture all he hath, God is pleaſed to accept of the will for the deed, and to continue it to him; and this is a kind of Reparation: But if he doe actually loſe any thing. God is able to make it good to him againe, which men cannot alwaies doe, eſpecially not in matter of life. Thirdly, this is very good policie to improve 3. To Improve.our eſtates, &c. & the readieſt way to advance them: We have a promiſe alſo for this, if we durſt beleeve it; He that ſhall forſake heuſe, or land, or life, &c. ſhall receive an hundred fold in this life, and in the world to come, life everlaſting. Men trade for a great deale leſſe profit; eight or ten, or twenty in the hundred, is thought good gaine: but here is a hundred for one; who would not, who ſhould not venture here, if he did beleeve this promiſe to be true?

6. It is moſt Comfortable. Dulce & decorum eſt pro patria mori.6. Laſtly, as it is very Honourable, as we ſay, in thoſe Inſtances before mentioned, of Moſes, David, Jehojada, Mordecai, Nehemiah, Paul, who ſtand Renowned upon Record; ſo it is moſt Comfortable, in life, in death, when a man can looke back upon that practick Good which he hath done, and hence collect an evidence of his true Grace and reall Goodneſſe, he may ſay with that holy Apoſtle; This is our rejoycing, even the teſtimony of our conſcience, that in all godly ſincerity we have had our converſation in the world. 2. Cor. 1.12. And as this is the comfort of his life; ſo when a man ſhall come to lye upon his ſick bed, or death bed, he may comfortably plead it with God, as Hezekiah (one of the great Reformers of Religion) did in a like caſe, Lord remember how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy ſight, Jſai. 38.3. Or as Nehemiah, after all his great undertakings for the publicke Good, Thinke upon mee, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people: Nehe. 5.19. and 13.22.

2. Directed.More might be added, but theſe may ſuffice, in way of Motive: I ſhall only adde a few directions, as meanes to procure a publick Spirit, and then conclude. Take theſe,

1. The prime and principall is, to be Good men, 1. Be Good m…n.Religious, p. 41not only in ſhew, but in truth. Get from God a new heart and a new ſpirit; the old is a narrow, private, ſelfiſh ſpirit: They that are men of publick ſpirits, muſt be ſpiritually wiſe men (as the text cals them:) The wiſdome of the world is to be wiſe to a mans ſelfe, Nemo ſapit, qui ſibi non ſapit, is a proverb of Nature, he is not wiſe, that is not wiſe to himſelfe: But only the wiſdome which is from above, is firſt pure, then gentle, &c. full of mercy and good fruits, as it is deſcribed, Jam. 3.17. Wiſe men turne away wrath.

2. The next is to be meek and humble men:2. Be me…ke men. Wiſe men in the text are oppoſed to Scornfull men, who are ever proud men; and we heare of the meekneſſe of wiſdome, Jam. 3.13. as we noted at the beginning. Now Meekneſſe fits a man for doing of publicke Good, and that two wayes: Firſt, it hath a winning and inſinuating Nature, to allay wrath and fury, and conſequently tumults, contentions, ſeditions, and the like, which bring a City into a ſnare, or ſet it on fire, according as it is in the Text. For this, Salomon tells us, Prov. 15.1. A ſoft anſwer turneth away wrath, but grievous words (of proud and ſcornfull men) ſtir up anger. And Prov. 29.15. By long forbearing is a Prince perſwaded, and a ſoft tongue breaketh the bone. We have an Inſtance in Gideon, Judg. 8.2, 3. and in the Town-clarke of Epheſus, Act. 19.35. in laying that ſtorme and tumult raiſed by Demetrius. Secondly, meekneſſe makes a man ſtoop and condiſcend from his owne Greatneſſe, to the meaneſt ſervice and imployment for the publick Good. A proud heart as it ever envyes thoſe that are honoured for their publick ſervice, ſo he ſcorns to work for the publick Good, unleſſe in ſome high and honourable way: ſhall ſuch a man as I, ſo parted, ſo gifted, ſo advanced, ſo enriched, ſtoop to ſuch and ſuch meane and low imployments? ſhall I, that am a learned Rabbi of the times, condiſcend to teach the ignorant, ſimple, poore people? leave that to the poore Curate. Shall I that am by birth a merit, ennobled, ſhall I leave my fatneſſe, my ſweetneſſe to go up and down for other trees? Now a meek ſpirit, will be content to be any thing,Judg. 9.9.Judg 9:9 to do any thing, ſo he may but advance the common Good.

p. 423. Another direction is, to learne well the firſt Leſſon in Chriſts Schoole, Selfe-deniall: 3. Learn ſelf-deniall.This Self is it that hinders all publick Good. Men are naturally lovers of themſelves, foreign; but in theſe laſt and worſt times more then before, as it is propheſied 1 Tim. 3.2. Lovers of their owne ſelves, as it is well rendered by our Tranſlators, that is, ſo lovers of themſelves, that they ſcarce love any body elſe, not their owne fleſh and bloud, their poſterity (which yet in ſome caſes they love too well:) As the parents of the blinde man, when there was hazard to acknowledge Chriſt, fairly gave him leave to anſwer for himſelfe, He is of age, aske him, he ſhall ſpeake for himſelfe. Theſe words ſpake his parents, becauſe they feared the Jewes; for the Jewes had agreed already, that if any man did confeſſe that he was Chriſt, he ſhould be put out of the Synagogue, John 9.21, 22, 23. Therefore ſaid his parents, he is of age, aske him. Never was there more of this Selfe-love ſeen, then in theſe times; when we ſee, not only brothers unnaturally to fight againſt brothers, but even children againſt parents, and which is moſt of all unnaturall, even parents againſt children: The Apoſtle joynes thoſe two together, foreign; Lovers of themſelves without naturall affection, in the place afore mentioned. Till this Selfe, this Selfe-love be denyed, men cannot goe, or looke beyond themſelves.

4. Laſtly, to adde no more, get your hearts filled with the love of God, and of his people:4. L…ve God and his people Love is liberall and bountifull, Charity ſuffereth long, and is kinde; charity envyeth not; charity vaunteth not it ſelfe, is not puft up, doth not behave it ſelfe unſeemly, ſeeketh not her owne (marke that) is not eaſily provoked, endureth all things, 1 Cor. 13.4, 5, 6. Yea Love will make a man not to thinke his life deare for the publicke Good: Greater love than this hath no man, than to lay downe his life for his friend, John 15.13. And therefore the Apoſtle having ſaid, If God ſo loved us, we ought alſo to love one another, 1 John. 4.11. he ſhewes how far this love will carry us, cap. 3.16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, becauſe he laid downe his life for us, and we ought to lay downe our lives for the brethren. We are p. 43now at the higheſt degree of Love, and the greateſt act of a publicke ſpirit, to venture his life for the publick Good; Greater love then this hath no man, no man can ſhew greater Goodneſſe then this: Here therefore I ſtay. Conſider what I have ſaid, and the Lord give you underſtanding and practiſe in all things. Amen.

FINIS.

Vltimo Ianuar. 1643.

IT is this day Ordered by the Commons aſſembled in Parliament; That Sir Chriſtopher Yelverton, ſhall from this Houſe give thanks unto Mr. Daniel Cawdrey for the great paines he tooke in the Sermon he this day preached (at the intreaty of this Houſe) at St. Margarets in the City of Weſtminſter, it being the day of publicke Humiliation, and to deſire him to Print his Sermon. It is alſo Ordered, that no body ſhall Print his ſaid Sermon, but he whom ſhall be authoriſed by the ſaid Mr. Cawdrey, under his hand writing.

H. Elſynge Cler. Parl. D. Con….

I Doe appoint Charles Greene and P. W. to Print my Sermon.

DANIEL CAVVDREY.

End of the text · Daniel Cawdry, The Good Man a Public Good (1643)