The Happiness of a People in the Wisdom of their Rulers, Title page – Errata
The Happiness of a People In the Wisdome of their Rulers DIRECTING And in the Obedience of their Brethren ATTENDING Unto what Israel ought to do: RECOMMENDED IN A SERMON Before the Honourable GOVERNOUR and COUNCIL, and the Respected DEPUTIES of the Mattachusets Colony in New-England.
Preached at Boston, May. 3d. 1676. being the day of ELECTION there.
By WILLIAM HUBBARD Minister of Ipswich.
Exod. 18. 21. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of Truth.
Rom. 13. 1. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers, for there is no Power but of God.
Psal. 44. 1…. Happy is the people that is in such a case, yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord.
Ubi Ordinis defectus ibi exoriuntur In acre fulmina, in terra commotiones, in Mari inundationes, in corporibus Aegritudines, in urbibus, Seditiones, in animabus peccata, O do continet Coelestia, terrestria, Ordo est in intelligibilibus, Ordo in sensibilibus, Ordo in astris, Ordo in omnibus. Naz.
BOSTON, Printed by John Foster. 1676.
TO THE HONOURABLE John Leveret Esq Governour of the Mattachusets Colony, Together with the rest of the Honourable Council of Magistrates of the said Colony.
WHereas it hath been customary and commendable in former and less curious times, it seems in this critical age, not only expedient, but necessary to send such discourses as the ensuing abroad into the world under the shadow & protection of some Worthyes, whose countenance & authority may defend them from any malevolence they may be incident unto: wherefore the following Sermon being by providence now called forth into publick view, I am necessarily emboldned to dedicate it unto your Names, not knowing to whom the patronage of it doth more properly belong. As it is a favour from you, … may the better expect it in that you gave the first occasion to any Elucubrations of mind about it: As it is any testimony of Observance from me, none may better then you deserve it. I never intended any further publication then the preaching, lest such Crambe bis cocta might not relish well in the Palates of this curious Age, so plentifully furnished with all varietyes of Wisdome & Knowledge; but for their sakes who by the exigence of the Times, and present distress of the Warre, were denied the opportunity to be of the Auditory, I have condescended to make it Legible. I shall not insist upon any Apology about the Subject chosen to treat of, it giving so fair an occasion to speak of all the most important dutyes that either Rulers or People can be concerned in whatever juncture of affairs should come upon them. It cannot be denied but in the latter end of the former year, the wisest amongst us were under sad-apprehensions concerning the issue of the present troubles that were thon come, and dayly coming upon us, in regard of the Rage of the Heathen so far let loose against us, and those that were concerned in the Election of Magistrates for this present year, were ready to fear they might be speak the persons on whom the next Election should fall with the words of the prophet, Thou hast Cloathing, be thou our Ruler, and let this ruine be under thine hand. But Thanks be to Almighty God that hath verified that ancient Proverb of the Hebrews, to our late experience, Cum duplicantur lateres, hinc venit Moses: And as Israel was never brought into greater Streights then a little before Pharaoh and his Host were to be drowned in the red Sea, so hath it in a sence been with our selves. There could not but be a very sad face of things in Israel, when their first King had by his ill Steerage and bad Conduct of affairs, after a long Tempest of Warre shipwrack… himself, his Family, all his Kingdome in that fatal Battle on the mountains of Gilboa, But he whose sole Prerogative it is to bring good out of evill, ordered that disasterous Calamity to become an occasion to usher in the greatest prosperity that ever that Nation enjoyed either be fore or since that time. For as God when he had a purpose to exalt his people to be the Head of the Nations amongst whom they lived, and not the tayle; he infused a spirit of Counsel and Wisdome into the minds of their Leaders, Instructing them to find out the right and ready way of their future peace and tranquility; together with a spirit of Love and Obedience in the People to attend thereunto. It is a good Omen unto Israel when the Goverment of the Tribes falls into such hands as have Understanding in the times to know what Israel ought to doe; it will then be no hard matter to perswade their Brethren to comply with their Commands. As every season of a mans life carryes its particular dutyes along with it, so doth every age of the World bring with it particular dutyes as the work of that Generation; As it concerns every judicious Christian to know the one, so it doth every Head or Leader of the Tribes to be acquainted with the other; as also prudently to observe the fit season and peculiar manner of acting for the performing such duties upon which narrow point depends the success of al humane affairs & undertakings. Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore is the misery of man great upon him, saith Solomon, i. e. Because time and Chance hapneth to them all, the sons of men that know not their times, are taken as Fishes in an evill net. If any thing be found hinted in the following Discourse, that hath any tendency that way, or may become an help thereunto, as it is all I aimed at, so shall I rest abundantly satisfied, if what it humbly offered in that kind, find favourable acceptance with your selves or others. As for the times in which, and the place where our Lot is cast: although in many respects we may say with the Psalmist, The Lines are fallen to us in pleasant places, and that we have a goodly Heritage, yet must we owne, that what with the imperfections of our minds & Wills, & what with many other temptations that ly before us in the work of our Generation concurring therewith, we have met with a sufficient degree of affliction and trouble, enough to ballance our hearts, and keep us from being exalted above measure: yet need not this be any Remora, or hindrance unto us, in the present duty and Service we are called unto, there being no reason to be rendred why we should not walk together in Unity, Love and Peace in those things whereunto we have attained, because in some others, and possibly those of less moment, some may be otherwise minded. Concerning which minute and lesser Differences, I shall not presume here to offer any thing, tending to make the least alteration in any of your judgments, being fully perswaded that in all the main and essential matters of Religion, both of Faith and Order, as well as righteousness, you are all of one mind & judgment & will all both …, and severally exert your most str…nous endeavours, for the promoting the honour and Glory of God, and the good of those under your charge; In which endeovours if you shall persist, it may be hoped that as hitherto God hath owned your selves, as well as your Predecessors, to become as a wall and defence to his vineyard here planted, so there may be still found of you that shall help to build the waste places, and raise up the foundations of many Generations; and that you (notwithstanding the present Combustions) shall be called the Repairers of the Breach, and the restorers of pathes to dwell in. It is possible you may be importunately molested with the clamours of these or those, to make this or that change in your course, to gratifie particular mens humours, of which you need take no more notice then the skilfull Pilot at the helme uses to doe of the cryes of the unskilfull, fearfull Passengers that think that course will ruine the vessel, which is the only way to preserve it. There is an old Fable, that when there hapned a great contention about the weather, those of the high Countryes complained that they were almost burnt up with drought for want of rain, and those of the valleys said they were almost drowned for want of Sun-shining dayes: Jupiter sent them word by Mercury the weather should be as it had been. Possibly some under your Goverment are as ready to complain of too much restraint, as others are of too much liberty. I humbly conceive you cannot doe better, then to let things be as they have been heretofore, so to countenance and encourage those that fear God and work rightiousness, but sharply to rebu…e and timely to repress whatever is contrary to sound doctrine, or apparentl, tends to hinder the power of Godliness, and progress of true Religion, with all other profaness or unrighteousness, that under the shadow of your Government we may lead quiet lives in all godliness and honesty, yet keeping in mind the wise caveate of our Saviour, that in gathering up the tares you root not up the wheat also. It is one great part of the unhappiness of this life, that neither wise nor good men are all of one mind, but yet all due care had need be taken, that differences be made neither more nor greater then they are, or carried on with such Animosity or bitterness, as should prejudice the interest of Religion, or welfare of the Commonwealth. Yea possibly the differences in our minds that occasion most disturbance arise only from that which they call foreign so as if things were not strained at both ends further then the equity of the Rule will allow, all might well hold together, when the over straining of things is oft times ready to break all to pieces. If God in whose hand our times are, and who sets the bounds of our habitations, shall as he hath begun, goe on to perform his while work upon his people, and send such rest unto his Churches here, that the Answer to be returned to the Messengers of the Nations shall be, The Lord hath founded our Sion, and that the poor of the people shall trust in it. How can it better be improved, them by taking care that the Churches under your care in this Jurisdiction may be edified, walking in the fear of God, that the Lord our God may be with us as he was with our Fathers, that he may not leave us nor forsake us, nor our Posterity after us. Which to effect, I humbly conceive, there is no way more probable, then by interesting them as much and as soon as may be, in all the priviledges that Christian Religion allows, & as they grow up, to engage them throughly and seriously in all the dutyes it requires; to take care that it be done by those whom it more immediately concerns, is certainly a duty in special incumbent on your selves. To this end I may commend to your Consideration, the Political Fathers of the Country, the … of Abraham, whom we find both approved & rewarded of God for commanding his children and his houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord and to doe Justice and Judgment, that the Lord might bring upon him that which he had spoken of him. If he were not much mistaken who said it was morally impossible to rivet Christian Religion into the body of a nation without Infant Baptisme, by proportion it will as necessarily follow that the neglect or disuse thereof, will as directly tend to root it out. How far the Command given to Joshuah by God himself to circumcise the Children of Israel, i. e. to take order that Circumcision should be used again among the people (by that means to rowl the reproach of Egypt from off the Children of Israel) may be looked upon as obliging to your selves I shall not now say, ye doubtless if what was written or hapned to them was intended as matter of example and admonition to us, upon whom the ends of the world are come, some use may and ought to be made of such Declarations of Gods will. Whatever Indulgence may be judged needfull to be used to some that may be of different apprehensions. I have adventured to say something in the following Discourse, for cleering the duty of Rulers in matters of Religion from mistakes, and stating the bounds of moderate Toleration (so far as the time allotted for such an exercise would allow) not so much for direction to your selves, as for the information of others who by their too much rigidness on the one hand, or laxness on the other, may be ready to obstruct the Churches peace, but not promote the purity of Gospel Worship, plàcidè contra sentientem ferre is no small piece of Christian prudence, the want of which I fear hath done much hurt in this poor Country, as well as in other reformed Churches. Dissenters in Religion being not much unlike the Seditious in the State, who by fair meanes may be gained, but by too much severity are apt to run into uncurable opposition and obstinacy. It must be owned for your future Honour that much hath been done by you to carry on the work of God in this Generation, yet may it be feared that his words will be found too true, (a man much employed and approved by your selves, while he was conversant in this world) that unless many things were done for the further setling of the matters of Religion amongst us before this Generation went off the Stage, they that came after would have cause to say, that their Predecessors had left much of their work undone.
Thus craving your acceptance of this my small mite, which I am willing to cast into the Churches Treasury, under the countenance of your Authority, I shall no further trouble you this way. I have made no materiall alteration in any expression, nor addition of any … but what was intended to have been spoken, if time would then have given leave.
The Lord fill you all with the Spirit of Wisdome and Counsell, and make you as the men of his right hand, whome he hath made strong for himself, and grant you may be found like David, who being chosen to be the Shepard of Gods Israel fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skilfulness of his hand, which is the Prayer of,
Your humble Servant W. H.
SOme Faults have escaped in the Press which the Reader is desired to correct by reading, In p. 4. l. 28. head for Decades. l. 29. Decades for heads. p. 5. l. 19. best for bear. p. 7. l. 30. several for general. p. 9. l. 6. read residence p, 17 l. 23. immersed for emersed. p. 18. l. 16. badges for bodyes. p. 19. l. 9. & 20. l. 36. Apologue for Apologus. p 27. l. 25. leave out, here. p. 22. l. 23. our worst for or worse. l. 21. vigor for rigor. l. 23. peccatur for peccat. p. 33. l. 13 Isacks for Israels. p. 37. l. 26. fifth for first. p. 39. l. 14. for hast hate. p. 40. l. 13 tardus for territus. p. 43. l. 27. booty for body. p. 45. l. 18. rights for rites. l. 32 wars for way. The like errors in spelling or pointing, may be helped by them that read, as where each is printed for such. p. 56. l. 36.