Sermon 29 September 1659, Title page – Dedication
A SERMON Preached to the Honorable Citizens of London, September 29. 1659. being the day of the Election of their Lord Major.
Wherein is diſtinctly ſhewed,
I. The Uſefulneſs of a powerful Miniſtry to the Civil Governor.
II. Integrity when in Conflict is moſt Amiable and in its higheſt Glory.
III What Virtues are deſireable in a Good Magiſtrate.
By PHILIP NYE A Servant of Jeſus Chriſt in his Goſpel.
London Printed by Peter Cole and Edward Cole Printers and Book-ſellers, at the Printing-preſs in Cornhil, neer the Royal Exchange 1661.
Ireton Major
A ſpecial Court holden the 25. day of October, 1659, in the Afternoon.
IT is ordered that Mr. Nye be from this Court deſired to Print his Sermon at the Election of the Lord Major of this City.
Sadler.
To the Right Honorable Sr. THOMAS ALEIN Lord Major of the City of LONDON.
My Lord
Theſe few pages thus preſented to your hand at your Command, contain the meſſage of the great God, ſpoken from him to this Honorable City, and more eſpecially to your Lordſhip, being then elected the Nehemiah or Governor thereof, The publiſhing of this Sermon though thus late, yet I cannot but deem it ſeaſonable, not only for that the word of God hath a ſeaſon even out of ſeaſon 2 Tim. 4.2. but this being the time that you give up your truſt, it doth ſeaſonably ſerve to provoke you as from the Lord, to a ſerious and ſtrict account within your ſelf how you have diſcharged it, In the Parable of the ſteward our Lord Chriſt calleth upon all any way intruſted to give an account of their ſtewardſhip, Then when they may be no longer ſtewards, Luke 15.2. My confidence thus far is, that the ſubſtance of this Sermon is ſuch, as by comparing your own heart and waies with the contents thereof. It wil prove helpful to you in the caſting up your preſent great account of this years Government betwixt God and your own ſoul, which is required by him of you now to be done, you will here ſee upon what terms you took this Office of the Lord, and what he inſtructed and directed as your Lordſhips duty How much you have prized the aſsiſtance of a Godly miniſtry in carrying on your Government this year, what Eminency of ſincerity hath appeared in any difficulty or Conflicts, with what a publick ſpirit, with what Wiſdom, Piety, and Courage, the Government of this City hath been carried on in your Lordſhips hand, the time is now come, and God cals upon your Conſcience moſt ſeriouſly to conſider, there wil be a final and great account which you as we all muſt give of our ſeveral ſtewardſhips, but that wil not excuſe the omiſsion of this.
I am bold to conclude with the Apoſtles words, I now write the things unto you that you formerly heard And did then acknowledg, 2 Cor. 1.13.And I truſt you will acknowledg now at the end and to the end as he there ſpeaks, And acknowledging make that uſe thereof I have been now inſiſting on. My earneſt Prayer unto God is that as this Sermon was by divine appointment the Early Rain at the firſt Spring of your Government, ſo that now it may obtain the Bleſsing of the latter Rain at the Inning of the Harveſt.
September, 1660. Your Lordſhips moſt humble Servant PHILIP NYE,