The Kings Heart, &c.

These are the words of Solomon, to whom God imparted the greatest share of Wis­dom that any meer man was possessor of; and as Proverbs are short sentences, where­in there is much Wisdom lap'd up in few words; so of all that ever were writ, those of Solomon, that was inlightned by the Spirit of God, are most excellent; and, as if when he wrote this, he had had a Prophetick view of future times, this seems design'd for such an Age as ours, and like a well-drawn Picture, seems to look upon all in the room, and hath a peculiar prospect to our days. [Page 8] This Text seems to have reference both to the Prince and the Subject, and the scope of it is on one hand, to re-mind the Prince of that Moderation, Justice, Clemency, and o­ther Kingly Vertues whereby he should enoble his Reign; since his Actions must n [...]eds be peculiarly known to God, in whose hand, even his Heart, his Thoughts, De­signs, and Intentions are. On the other hand, it teaches the Subject that Quietness and Peace, that Obedience and Trust they ought to have in their Princes, since not onely by God Princes Reign, but by him they are guided and govern'd, and their heart turn'd whithersoever he pleases.

The Text seems divided into three parts. First, a Proposition laid down, that the Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, (in his pow­er). Secondly, an Illustration of it by a simile, ( as the Rivers of water.) Thirdly, the Exertion of this Power— ( he turneth it withersoever, &c.) Every word hath its Em­phasis— the Kings heart— not onely his Words which are heard, his Actions which are seen, but this Heart, an Abyss that no one can search, a depth no one can fathom; his very thoughts which no ear hears, no eye [Page 9] sees, nor can any reason or understanding follow the unaccountable wandrings of them; all these are in the hand of God. Prudence or Modesty, or other considerations can set bounds to our words; fear, honour, or in­terest to our deeds; but who ever yet could set bounds to the thoughts of another, or what invisible and inexplicable setters must they be, that can bind up the imagination. But such care doth God take of his Vice­roys here on earth, that, not onely their words and thoughts, of which cognizance may be took; but even their heart, their thoughts, (the shop where all actions are for­ged) even this is in the hand of God, and he models it and turns it which way ever he will. Among the many ways wherein it may be said to be in the hand of God, I shall mention two.

1. By way of direction. God vouch­safeth to Kings a more immediate influx of his Spirit; this was seen in Saul, whom when Samuel had Anointed King, he told him, the Spirit of God would come upon him, 1 Sam. 10. 6. and it was made good, 1 Sam. 11.6. for when Saul heard the tidings of the men of Jabeth Gilead, it is said, the Spirit of God [Page 10] came upon him. So when God had cast off Saul from being King, and David was A­nointed in his stead, 1 Sam. 16. 13. the Spirit of God came upon David from that day forward, and an evil Spirit from God upon Saul. God stamps something great and ex­cellent on the Souls of Princes, above those of common men; he sets his own Seal up­on them, allays them nearly to himself, and calls them Gods, Psal. 82.6. And since An­gels are supposed to exceed men in know­ledge, not so much from the purity of their essence, as from their nearness to God, and being continually in his presence: with what submission ought we to obey the commands and directions of our Princes, who are thus directed by God; and how ought we to forbear censuring their Actions, since our Souls are not elevated enough to know their ends and designs, nor to see upon what cen­ter they turn round. They have lofty con­ceptions that we are not capable of, and the scene of things looks with one face to us that are below, and with another to those above. God gives them singular and extra­ordinary endowments, that they may go in and out before his people. What common [Page 11] mind is able to comprehend the goodness, clemency and tenderness of a good King toward his people. What Tongue is able to express that mercy, so inherent to our Kings, till it hath been almost fatal to them; who can express that pity and compassion a King (a true Father of his Country) hath for an afflicted Nation. David, when he saw the Angel that smote the people, cryed out, Lo I have sinn'd, I have done wickedly, but these sheep what have they done? let thy hand be, I pray thee, against me and against my Fathers house, 2 Sam. 24.17. When Iphigenia was to be Sacrificed, the Painter drew the Spe­ctators grief with all possible Art; but when he came to her Father, he drew a vaile over his head, it being a grief not to be de­lineated; in such a manner may the tender­ness of a King to an afflicted people be a little shadowed out. God who is all mer­cy fills them with mercy, who is all wisdom, gives them a liberal portion, and directs them with his own right hand.

2. By way of protection and defence, the Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, and who shall tear it thence? in that hand that hath done so many wonders, that mighty [Page 12] hand and out-stretched Arm; he that touches him touches the apple of his eye, he hides him under the shadow of his wing. And though providence is interest in all things in earth as well as heaven, in the concerns of a Peasant as well as of a Prince, yet if in any thing it is more careful than other, it is in the preservation of Princes. And surely the miraculous protection both of our late Soveraign of blessed memory, and this our present King, from open force and private Conspiracy, hath sufficiently shewed the fin­ger of God was there. So that the happi­ness of the King, and the safety of the peo­ple is in the same hand, the same arm pro­tects them both.

I know there are too many men, that seem to repine, that the Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord; they would have it in their own; they would prescribe rules and me­thods of Government, and all should move according to the model laid in their own brains. They that were but of yesterday would give Laws to the world, and correct the ancient of days, and they that know not what a day will bring forth, would have the guidance of Providence for future ages, and [Page 13] prescribe the limits in which it should move.

We have seen the times, when men, whe­ther out of a belief that Providence wanted their helping hand, and the wheels of it could not stir without their assistance; or whether out of a distrust of the wisdom, power, justice, or goodness of God, is hard to determine, had a design to alter the course of Nature and Succession against the Laws of God and Man; and as if God did not know what was best for us, so well as them­selves; as if Gods will was not the rule of Justice, but they would call him to the Hu­mane Bar, as once his Vicegerent was ser­ved; contrary to Gods revealed will, they attempted such a piece of Injustice, that the fairest Apology that can ever be made for it, is, that they would have done evil that good might come of it. But it is no unu­sual thing, when men are denyed their re­quests at the hands of God, because they ask amiss, to seek it by evil means; as Saul in his despair went to the Witch of Endor, 1 Sam. 28. that therefore we may not de­pend so much upon our selves, and our own wisdom, as that of God, let us consider two things.

[Page 14]1. The wisdom of God, in whose hand the Kings heart is. That there is an infinite wisdom, that runs through the smallest cau­ses, effects, and circumstances, and that as the Spirit did upon the waters in the Creation. Gen. 1. it doth brood upon the mighty frame, and produces all those various occurrences that happen in the world; will appear to any one, that with a serious judgment doth consider the order of things, either in Hea­ven Gods Throne, or in Earth his Footstool. 'Tis writ in Heaven in glorious Characters, the Sun, Moon and Stars, and 'tis no less visible in this lower world; every chive of grass sets it forth. What branch of it is there that we can comprehend, and what small stream of it is there that will not swal­low us. Heaven is not so much higher than the earth, as Gods wisdom is above ours, ours is not so much as a dust of the ballance, or a drop to the ocean. That small weak knowledge we have, is conveyed to us by the sences, by species and objects, which be­ing received, are laid up in the brain like im­presses of a Seal in wax: from these we dis­course, argue, conclude, and after all our la­bour spent, the deceitfulness both of the [Page 15] objects and of our sences considered, and that neither any thing here below is capable of giving as true wisdom; nor if it was, were we capable of receiving it.

It appears that after all, our wisdom is but elaborate folly, and all our knowledge but an acquired madness; and there is not one of the lowest rank of Angels, but is as much superiour to us in knowledge, as we are a­bove the vilest Infect. When on the con­trary, God knows all things by, and in him­self, all things that were, are, or shall be, without deceit, imperfection, confusion, or mixture: nor had this his knowledge any be­ginning or increase as ours, but was from e­ternity to eternity, is the cause of all things, and contains all things in it self, compre­hends all things by one eternal immutable act of understanding, and that in a moment: what is our weak knowledge if compared to this, got with labour and toyl, by dis­course, reading, and other helps; blind and uncertain, transitory and fading, and at best of little use, of lesser extent, and least per­fection.

But that which comes nearer to our pre­sent purpose, will be the consideration of [Page 16] the wisdom of God, in respect of the dis­pensations of Providence, which produces great and glorious designs, beyond the reach, thought, & imaginations of men, and contra­ry many times to their designs; not unlike a skilful Architect, when the Scheme of the building being contrived and modelled in his careful thoughts, allots to the workmen their several tasks, without making them ac­quainted with the grounds and reasons of it. Those men whom God ordains to bring his sacred purposes to pass, at the same time perhaps have designs of their own, and yet unknown to themselves, are the instruments of his holy will. This was visibly seen all along in the life of Joseph, each Agent had his design apart: no one trouble that fell upon the neck of the other, but might have been to a natural eye looked on as a signal judgment; yet all of them workt together the most unparellel'd instance of heavenly wisdom; the advancement of Joseph, the safety of his Fathers Family, and the bring­ing them into Aegypt, in order to the promi­sed Canaan. The Caldeans besiege Jerusa­lem and take it, and carry away that misera­ble Nation captive: the increasing their [Page 17] Dominion, and filling themselves with spoil was that which stimulated them on, but God's secret design was to punish that Idola­trous Nation, and to fulfil his purpose so long foretold by his holy Prophets. Let Vespacian besiege Jerusalem, and reduce to ruinous heaps that City of God, let him triumph in the Conquest of millions of that presuming, stubborn, and senceless people: He, carried on by rage and ambition, under­takes it; but God had a farther design, and made him his Scourge, to punish that exe­crable people, to fulfill the Prophesie of our blessed Saviour, Mat. 24.2. and to revenge the innocent Bloud of his well-beloved Son on that cursed Nation; nay, as the highest piece of Wisdom, God can bring even good out of evil, and what is looked upon as the most dreadful judgment, becomes in the end the greatest mercy. Attila from the farthest North, brings an inundation of Goths into Italy, and over runs all Christian Nations; the holy men, even of those times look'd upon this as an unparellel'd Judg­ment, but God designed and brought other things to pass; and whereas they thought all Religion and Learning was buried under [Page 18] the ruines of the Roman Empire. God made those Barbarians a Scourge to Luxuri­ous Rome, then buried in Vice, Sensuality, and Effeminacy, and what was the greatest, his Wisdom ordered those Conquerours to be over come by those they had conquer'd, and to be converted to Christianity.

Men design one thing and God another; they contrive, but God brings to pass; at what time, in what manner, and to what end he himself best pleases. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out; For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his councellor, or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompenced to him again, for of him, and to him and through him are all things to whom be honour and glory for ever and ever. Rom. 11.33. I am apt to be­lieve, the not understanding and weighing this wisdom of Providence, or the impati­ence of mens spirits, that will not stand still and see the Salvation of God; will not wait the leisure of Providence, but judge and censure it before-hand; hath been the cause of so many errours in judgment, and [Page 19] so many worse in practice. For we would have things move as fast as our thoughts, and in that method that best pleaseth us. He that looks carelesly and superficially up­on Providence, is like the blind man our Sa­viour cured, Mark 8.24. that saw men as Trees walking. But the deeper he searches, the more satisfaction he finds, till he sees every thing clearly. And he that with im­patience looks upon it, finds things abortive, and his mind is lost in the number of possi­ble events. For take the actions of Pro­vidence separately, and they seem irregular, disorderly, and confused; like Tapestry in broken pieces; but put the parts together, and they will shew their beauty, and disco­ver their genuine and surprizing symmetry. We know not now what blessings lye in the womb of Providence for us; why should we anticipate our misery by our fears, and torment our selves before the time, for those things that may never come. For we are as oft deceived in our fears, as we are in our hopes. 'Tis sure, our Prudence as well as our duty to settle our minds upon God, to leave all to his infinite wisdom, who will or­der all things for our good, much better than we could our selves.

[Page 20]The next thing which more peculiarly belongs to the Text, is the power of God, [...] signifying his power, which we render his hand. This is sure, what ever the infinite wisdom of God orders, the infinite power of God brings to pass; which is so great, that it cannot be restrained to, or censured by our weak imaginations: nor must we think that that is impossible with God, which to our weak capacities seem so. For if there be many actions of men, of which beasts are supposed to have no knowledge, nor can comprehend the manner how, or the reason why they were acted; why should we ex­pect to know the extent of Gods power, since there is an infinitely greater distance between the God of Heaven, and the wisest of the sons of men, than there is between the best of men and the vilest Creature. So that were we in greater slavery than the Jews under the Brick-kills of Aegypt, in greater straights than they at the Red-Sea, when the Mountains hemmed them in on both sides, the Sea was before, and their enemies behind: did all humane helps fail, and we were left a secure bait for destruction. Yet the same God that parted the Red-Sea, could make a [Page 21] passage for our escape, and bring us out by wondrous means beyond our hopes. For his arm is not shortned, but his hand is stretch­ed out still. And we have reason to be­lieve so, when we consider that nothing is done but by this infinite power, and nothing can be acted against it. The highest An­gels stand upon the brink of nothing; and did God leave them to themselves but one moment, they would fall into that gulph from whence of themselves they could ne­ver get out: for, as their passage from No­thing to Being was by an infinite power cre­ating, so their Fall from Being to Nothing▪ again, would necessarily follow, without an infinite power preserving. Nay, not all the power of Angels, wit of Men, and industry of all Creatures joyned together, could pre­serve a worm one moment without an influx of Being from God: they would be as un­able to preserve it, as to create one anew. The Nodus perpetuitatis, as it is called by Plato, is in the hands of God. But as this power of God is the cause of all things, and acts in all things, so nothing can act a­gainst it, all our endeavours are as vain, as that mans would be that strove to stop a [Page 22] ship under sail, by setting his shoulders to the side. Pharaoh may harden his heart and not let the people of Israel go; but they shall at last be brought out by an high hand. Josephs Brethren may think, by their selling him to the Ishmaelites, they had eluded the succession of his Prophetical Dreams, but that way they took for his ruine, shall be turned to his advancement. So that as this power of God administers matter of com­fort, since all things are acted by it, and no­thing but by its permission; so it shows the desperation of those men that will fight a­gainst God, and strike at him through his King on earth, as Witches kill by Effigie.

We have thus seen, that the heart of our King is in the hand of God, and there let us leave it, as in a sacred Treasure-house, and come to the next particular, the simile by which it is illustrated.

As the rivers of water, some take it thus, that God rules the heart of Kings as he doth the Rivers of waters; and we are assured, that God hath set them their bounds, which they shall not pass, nor turn again to cover the earth, Psal. 104.9

And that merciless and restless Element the [Page 23] Sea, hath its limits, hitherto shalt thou come and no farther, and here shall thy proud waves be stoped, Job 38.11. Nothing is more ra­pid and furious than water, and nothing more head-strong than the thoughts of men; both of them are deaf to reason and intrea­ty, and both of them scorn a curb or bridle. What will not water overflow? and what will not our thoughts bear down? so that since the Element of water is supposed by Philosophers to be higher than the Earth, the finger of God is seen in setting its bounds that it doth not overflow it: and the same wonder is shown in our thoughts, which though they continually tower above, yet God hath bridled them so, that they do not drown the little world of Man. Both wa­ter and thoughts are things extreamly fluid, and require a solid body to contain them, and God hath took care of them both. So that in this sence, the Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, he hath set it bounds and limits, he fills it with the dew of heaven, and with water of life from himself, who is the fountain; and orders that he should re­fresh the thirsty parts of the earth, and chear and make glad the weary, as the Psalmist in [Page 24] the 104.10. expresses, he sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills, they give drink to every beast of the field, and the wild asses quench their thirst, by them shall the fowles of the air have their habita­tion which sing among the branches. Our King under God is the dispenser of happi­ness, our happiness is bound up in him. God only hath made this difference, God is the fountain, and the King the stream.

Others, with more reason, suppose this simile to be took from skilful Husbandmen, which in those dry Southern Countries where water was precious, used to draw Rivers and Streams from their wonted passages, by ar­tificial Channels & Cuts into thirsty grounds, refreshing, cherishing, and making them fruit­ful. The experience that not onely small, but mighty Rivers can thus be drawn to leave their former Bed, to seek a new one; Babylon, once the glory of the world, dear­ly bought; which being by its scituation up­on the Euphrates, one of the chief Rivers of the world, impregnable, yet saw by several Cuts and new Rivers made by the Medes and Persians, her streams drawn away, and the enemy enter her by the Rivers dry and [Page 25] forsaken Channel. So that God can draw away the heart of a King from its natural Channel to do good, turn the stream of his thoughts, against even his will, design, and intent, to nourish and cherish that which of its own bent, and naturally, it would never have done.

And since water, which is a fluid body, and naturally by its own weight tends to the center, yet by the help of Art, can contrary to its own Nature, be made to ascend, and be carried to high and far distant places: so can mans heart, which naturally tends to evil, crawles on the ground, and like the Serpent licks the dust, be made by God to fly up to heaven and take it by force. So that could we suppose, that the heart of a King was naturally cruel, unjust, and tyran­nical, (which God be praised we of all Na­tions have no reason to do) yet we are assu­red, it is in the hand of God, he can turn it contrary to its nature, make it ascend, fill it with all heavenly vertues, and in one mo­ment make as great a change, as there was between Saul the Persecutor, and Paul the Preacher. So that were all our fears just, which wicked and unreasonable men [Page 26] suggest, which those private and hidden Traytors intimate; yet what reason have we to despond, while we have a God of in­finite wisdom, power, and mercy to depend upon.

But blessed be God, we have all the assu­rances that an indulgent Prince can give his Subjects, that neither our Religion, nor our Liberties shall be violated; never so un­deserving a Nation had such a prospect of unmerited blessings. We have another Phenix sprung out of the ashes of the for­mer; a Prince that hath lived by continued and successive wonders of Providence, by Land and by Sea, at home and abroad: his life and heart was in the hand of God, and neither the rage of the waves, nor the mad­ness of the people could tear him thence. A Prince that hath been thus the care of Provi­dence, is sure in infinite wisdom reserved for great Actions and glorious times. What may not we hope for from the Son of a Mar­tyr?

This brings me to the last particular, God turns it, &c. This is the wheel of Provi­dence, upon which all our thoughts turn round; we would fain look into futurity, [Page 27] but it is a book that no one can open, and it is lock'd up among the Secrets of the Al­mighty. We would know the events of time to come, but it is a boundless Ocean, an unfathomable Abysse, where all our Reason is ship-wrack'd and sunk. To satisfie there­fore our thoughts, that they may not run up­on needless curiosities, I shall undertake to shew how God will deal with us. And to that end, lay down two Propositions, from which any one may gather the consequence. And since the stress seems to lye upon the word (will) he turneth it whether soover he will. The first shall be; That God always wills us good. Secondly, nothing hinders him from doing good but sin.

God is eternally, essentially good, the au­thor of all good, and all the streams of good­ness that water the world owe their origi­nal to him. And as he is good, and fills all things living with plenteousness, so he always wills good to us; not the death of a sinner, but that he should turn and live. He uses all Methods and Topicks of perswasion to invite us to, and for our good, and when we refuse, his holy Spirit goes sad away. We see it in every object, feel it in every bles­sing, [Page 28] and speak it in every breath we draw:

Nor is there any thing that stops the cur­rent of his goodness but our sins, they are the clouds that hinder this Sun from arising upon us with healing in his wings. Sin is that which is enmity toward God, and which he cannot see with allowance. The dread­ful effects of sin were early seen in the Crea­tion; no sooner was sin acted, but a curse followed, as naturally as the effect doth the cause; a dreadful and contagious curse fell not only upon the actors, but on the whole creation; which hath continued in an in-unter­rupted line to our days, which no changes could alter, nor no time devour. And that misery is now our portion, that in sorrow we must eat our bread, we owe it still to that fatal cause. That one breach of the Law was such a sea breach, that it let in an ocean of miseries, which not all our labour ever since could get out.

So that God never punishes till we have sin'd, and then unwillingly too, and not till he hath used all ways to reduce us. Judg­ments are wrested out of his hand by our importunate and loud crying sins. So that as men cheerfully and readily go about that [Page 29] to which their nature inclines them; but with reluctancy and ill will to that which is against their temper; so God who is goodness, and whose mercy is over all his works, showrs down blessings with a liberal hand, but dispenses Judg­ments sparingly, with grief and sorrow, & wash­es even the wounds he makes, as Christ did at Jerusalem with his tears.

So that would he know how God will deal with us, there is no need of having recourse to the hidden book of the Stars with Astrologers, or to deceitful prophesies, with the inquisitive and credulous, or to Endor with Saul; the way is short, and the labour small; let us search our own Consciences, that is an unerring book, and all the lines are written in truth; 'tis the only book of fate we need, 'tis without deceit or fraud, and will plainly tell us what we merit; 'tis like the righteous man bold as a Lion, it knows not bribes, and it fears not threatnings, it will speak, and it will be heard in the grea­test hurry of business or delights. Would we know how God will deal with the Nation? 'tis not hard to determine. View the crying sins and iniquities, the scarlet and crimson sins that have overspread the face of it; and what do these merit at the hand of a just God with­out [Page 31] repentance; a sinful Nation never wanted misery: no sooner did the Jews run after other Gods, but they were sold into the hand of the heathen, and they that hated them were Lords over them; and no sooner doth a Nation re­pent and turn to God, but he prevents them with blessings.

These things being so, surely those men that are so inquisitive into future times, and fill their own, and others heads with fears, discontents and murmurings; that revile the Government, and like flies stick upon sore places and pass by the sound: it would be well, if these men would but examine their own breasts, and know whe­ther their own sins have not given an helping hand to those miseries they bear; and since no evil is alleviated, but rather doubled by fearful and feeble expectations of it; and the true way is to use those means which are conducive either to overcome or bear it; and since re­pentance is the only way to prevent Judgments, it would sure better become them to begin the Reformation at home; & if they must be inqui­sitive, let it be in their own breasts: if they must be censorious, let it be on their own actions; and if custom or nature leads them to revile, let it be their own sinful lives. They would find [Page 30] matter enough in themselves, no doubt, for their busie restless thoughts, their mischievous surmi­zes, and their fester'd spleenes to work upon.

And since this is an age, wherein every one pretends to be a Politician, and meddles with the Secrets of Government; and thinks it his birth-right to censure those at the Helm, it would be well, if these men would learn to govern them­selves; and yet that most beautiful and glorious victory; if they must be Politicians, let them study the insinuations, deceits, treacheries, sedi­tions, and rebellions of their own lusts; the arts they make use of, the specious pretences they carry, and the secret ambushes they conti­nually lay for them. Let them search out the weapons, policy, machinations, and engines of their great enemy the devil, and study how to countermine him. And if their ambitious spi­rits must be great, let their Kingdom be with­in; every one hath an Empire in his own mind, let them be absolute there. There they may lay their Kingdom as wide as they will, with­out incroaching upon anothers right; make Laws without infringing others liberty, and command and dictate without intruding into anothers office. But why should he who is a coward at home, think to be valiant abroad, he [Page 32] that hath lost his own liberty, think it his right to enslave others, and he that is submissive and cringing at home to a sordid vice, think it is his Province to be Lordly and Imperious over o­thers. 'Tis sure a piece of extravagant kindness to have business wait him at home, and to be busie abroad. 'Tis sure a sign of incorrigible folly to leave his own house on fire, that calls for his help, and run about to instruct others how they may regulate their Families.

Let us therefore all of us keep our thoughts at home, turn our eyes into our own bosomes, and spend all the rancor and malice of our hearts upon sin, which is Gods and our Enemy. And since our sins took away from us our Martyred Soveraign Charles the First, and God in Judgment to this Land punished sin with sin, in that un­natural and horrid Murther. since it hath took from us the Mirrour of Princes, a King of Mercy and Clemen­cy, CHARLES the Second, let us by our Repen­tance stop future Judgments, and beg of God that he would so turn the heart of our present Soveraign, that it may not be turned from us; but that Kings may be nur­sing Fathers, and Queens nursing Mothers to the Church. And that neither our neglect, coldness, or hypocrisie in Religion, nor any other cause may provoke God to take away our Candlestick from us; but that we may be hap­py in our Prince, and our Prince in us; and that we may be a Nation whom God may take delight to do good to.