THe afflictions of the Righteous, al­though they be lasting, yet are they not everlasting: for a moment he may cloud himself, but he will break forth with the glorious rayes of his everlasting love, having a compensa­tion for every affliction, and enough in Jesus Christ to make amends for all. He that runneth may read the expressions of Gods love to this City in great [Page 2]Characters: It is apparantly known to your experi­ence, That the Scaene is changed, and we see beauty for ashes, flames of fire turned into rivers of joy: Isa. 51.14. The Captive exile hastning home; The City forsaken inhabited; such as were strangers to their own houses returned; Armies with faces about, and you as you were:

• 1. A City rejoycing:
• 2. A City exalting if not exalted.

In the Text you have a plain discovery, 1. Of the Cities Prosperity; in these words, The going well with the Righteous, and suppression of the wicked. 2. Of the Cities misery; or overthrow by the mouth of the wicked. The Cities flourishing, is the wickeds perish­ing; the Cities Honour is procured (through Christ) by the righteous mens Prayer: as righteous men and righteousnesse increaseth, so a City rejoyceth.

Explication.

For Explication, observe the Solution to these Quaeres:

First, What we understand by Prosperity.

Secondly, What by righteous; and who they are that may be truly so called; and what by rejoy­cing of the City.

Thirdly, What by wicked men perishing; and how this can be a cause of joy.

Fourthly, What by the blessing of the righteous.

Fifthly, When a City may truly be said to be exalted.

Sixthly, What is meant by the mouth of the wicked.

Seventhly, When a City may truly be said to be subverted.

1. First, What is to be understood by prosperity?

Sol. Tria bonorum genera requiruntur ad faelicitatem: when righteous men have freedom of goods, of minde, body and providence; truly, the essence of prosperity is the manifestation of the love of God in Christ to a believers Spirit.

That which makes Prosperity, properly, is Grace; yet the other two must grace it, as stones and timber make the house; yet for grace sake it is walled, and hung, and furnished before inhabited: and although a man can foot it well, yet he may make use of a coach for his ease: The goods of the minde to com­pleat this Prosperity, are Wisdom to judge, Will to chuse what we have judged, Power to prosecute what we have chosen, Ability to order.

Goods of the body, are health, strength, grace of person.

Goods of Providence, wealth, worth of Birth, reputation and credit, friends: The Pythagoreans would have a man wealthy, but not in abundance. Goods of Posterity, as money, goods, lands: now in all these we are to look for no more share in them then what may fit us for action to serve Jesus Christ, and for Jesus Christ. The evils of excesse in Prospe­rity, are greater then they of adversity; superfluities in the body, are (as Physitians observe) more dange­rous then defects: In their effects,

Reputation is a member of Prosperity, eminency of place, good opinion of our fellow-Citizens.

Secondly, What by righteous? or, What this righteous man is in this Text: I will give you his Character in these three particulars.

Sol. First, A righteous man is such a one as God out of his free and rich love presented before the world to Jesus Christ, to abase himself for in the fulnesse of time, and take on him our humane Nature, that he might act righteousnesse for, here on earth, by doing and suffering; and is by faith possessed of that gar­ment, and by Christ tendred to his Father, as fit in him to partake of all other branches of his love.

Secondly, A righteous man is such a one as doth in his whole life act in some proportionable manner to this first patern, by faith (i. e.) That doth from the Fountain of his new principle of Love in the Divine Nature, deny his old self, and act holinesse in doing and suffering, as most sutable to this love for Jesus Christ his sake.

Thirdly, A righteous man is a just man in all pub­like and private deportments, that lives honestly, wrongs none, yields every one his right; Suum cui{que} tribuere: It comprehends a man indued with all ver­tues fitted for services, either of State, or Persons, according to the Laws; and those are either written or unwritten.

The written are either the Positive Law of Na­ture, or the Nations customs of places, publike or private, Endicted by the whole State or Statutes.

Or private, as all Compacts, Covenants that men make sutable to Law; there is 1. Distributive; 2. Com­mutative righteousnesse. The first, when men act [Page 5]justly in Office, rewarding good, punishing bad; the breach of this is in point of favour, acceptation of persons: Four things prevent a mans being a righte­ous man; Favour to any person: Fear to displease great ones: Rancour or malice: Love of mony.

Now you are to know, That there is the counter­feit to this Jewel or Precious Stone: Whited Tombs; Painted Sepulchres; Self righteousnesse; Painted Pictures without life, snowy men, whose righteousnesse is as like the morning dew as may be, walking Spectrums in Religion, having forms with­out power; I must therefore rank these righteous men in two forms.

First, There is Ezekiels righteous man, that may forsake his righteousnesse.

Secondly, Righteous men, by education, or their own principling: I pray consult, 1 Pet. 3.4. That the hid man of the heart be uncorrupt, renewed in the Spirit of your minde, decked inwardly; take heed of your almost Christians.

Third Quaere.

When may a City be truly said to rejoyce? 1. Ne­gatively; then Affirmatively.

First, Not in the injoying of outward mirth, mu­sick, singing, feasting, drinking, healthing, dancing, whoring, (I had almost said Hawling) No, no, such a City is in a mad condition, not a merry condition, Eccles. 7.6. See his experience in Eccles. the 2, that tryed all these; I said in my heart, go to, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore injoy pleasure; but I found laughter to be madnesse; and mirth, What doth it? [its [Page 6]nothing.] Verse 3. I sought in my heart to give my self unto wine, and to lay hold on folly. Vid. Verse 8. I obtained men singers and women-singers, and all the delights of the sons of men; musical instruments, and that of all sorts. See the 11 Verse, Behold all this was va­nity, [or a lye, deceitful, empty, foolish] sorrow is better then this laughter; this is but as laughing in a dream, and then usually the heart aketh; this is but as Davids harp to quiet Sauls ill Spirit for a time: Or as the noyse of Bells upon the report of ill News; the News is the same though they hear it not: Or as Drums and Trumpets in War when bullets flye: Eccles. 7.3. Or as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of wicked men.

Affirmatively.

When the fountain of true solid peace is present with a City, i. e. Jesus Christ and his holy Spirit in Spiritual actings: for joy is not firm nor compleat, but in sight of its object; its not heartily merry, but when goods are in presence: Jesus Christ is the souls chiefest goods, riches. A Merchant rejoyceth at the return of his goods and ships morage. A Souldier in his quarters after Victory dividing the spoil. If the Stars & Moon shine, its night for all that if the Sun be absent. Tell not me of any thing, saith Mary, Where is Jesus Christ, where have ye laid him? Sir, Stop not me, saith the Spouse in the Canticles, Tell me, Did you see him whom my soul loveth? Wheres my Benjamin? saith old Jacob, Tell not me of Sacks full, &c. Is Joseph alive? then he is heightned in joy, weeps for joy; such a City must needs be a merry City in­deed: [Page 7] Ioh. 3.29. He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom; and the friend that heareth him rejoyceth. When Christ was to depart, the Disciples were very sad, Joh. 14.1. Let not your hearts be troubled, I go to prepare a place; and then we shall never part, then mirth and rejoycing for ever, saith Christ: if it had not been so I would have told you. Verse 16. Nay, I will pray the Father, and he will give you another comforter, that may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, that dwelleth in you, and is in you: Nay, I will come to you: So that when we see Jesus Christ present, and acting in righteous men, and they advancing Jesus, and they advanced for his service, here is cause of joy: And this joy hath a twofold operation; 1. Of inlarging the heart; hence properly call'd, Laetitia quasi Latitia; and this forceth outward expressions, and therefore call'd, Exultatio, this dilates the heart. Now I pray observe, the more rejoycing, the more content; a rejoycing City on this ground, will be a contented City; a peaceable City, especially in conscience, for else there can be no established peace without Jesus Christ; there may be security, but not peace. The truest rejoycing of the minde without reluctation, is when God and Jesus Christ are the object of the place or persons in sight. Eudoxus found so much comfort in the Sun, that he wished to be burned with Phaeton, so he might stand neerer the Sun to contem­plate the nature of it. O! so should a soul do in relati­on to Jesus Christ. Alas! all other pleasures necessary and becoming us, shall be present; they cannot be long absent, where Jesus Christ is; at his right hand [Page 8]are pleasures for evermore: and all pleasures with­out him, are

1. Inconstant and fleeting, as the appearance of the Moon, they glide away like a swift stream, thou seest not the same water twice; or as the clouds in a windy day.

2. Consider their saciety, they are cloying like ranck meat, or lushious sweet meats, pleasant to taste, but clog the stomack; we cannot live with them for daily dyet.

3. To be undone again, thou must unmerry all thy mirth, all such joy goes out in sadnesse.

4. They satisfie not the soul; they are like Salt­water, that wets the pallat, but inflameth the sto­mack.

5. Consider, they are presented by three grand Enemies, no trust to them, The World, Flesh, Satan: they may affect the sences, but starve the heart: I have seen many most sad upon the actings of musick; the soul cannot be satisfied with such Kickshaws: the strongest delight comes from the sence of touch­ing, and the sollidst rejoycing from touching Jesus Christ by Faith.

Sum up all this Explication in a few words of this first Branch, and it amounts to thus much, That when the beloved friends of God, whom Jesus Christ hath compleated in himself, bear up their heads, and are preferred to eminent places, and have the good opinion of their fellow-Citizens, and countenance and power; that City must needs be in a real and true rejoycing condition, as a manifest [Page 9]signe of Iesus Christ, Residence with them. From this Explication there are these two observations present themselves unto us.

First, that the cities prelation in point of Election, must have respect to Gods relation in pre-election.

2. That where the righteous live in prosperity, the inhabitants of that City shall enjoy the presence of Christ, either to prevent, or to sweeten to them a season of adversity. Or thus;

The first observation.

That the Cities choyce must be Gods choyce; their love oversway'd by His, it must be confined to the number of his friends: Righteous men, such must be preferr'd by us; such exalted; whom he hath vo­ted in Christ, we must vote up for Christ: Our ends and relations often miscarry, 1 Sam. 8. when Samuel was old, he made his sons Iudges over Israel, but they walked not in his waies, but turned after Lucre, took Bribes & perverted judgment: so Gen. 48.12, 13 In the case of Ephraim and Manasses observe the managing the blessing, 17, 18. verses. Their naturall affection swaid to a negative voyce, ver. 19. not so saith old Iacob; but refused to blesse the elder, ha­ving an eye to Gods choyce: Exod. 18.21. Thou shalt provide out of all the people such as feare God; men of Truth &c. See the ground of Ioshua's choyce, Deut. 34 Moses laying hands on him, he was full of the Spirit of wisdom Sam. 16: 3.7.12, 13. Acts 1.23, 24, 26.

The second, Observation.

A righteous exalting and preferring City, shal be a reall rejoycing, and Christs presence enjoying [Page 10]City; and to say this, is more than to say you shall be a world enjoying City, or a King enjoying City; or Honour, or health, or peace, or plenty, or mirth, or Heaven enjoying City if without him. There is more in Christ than in all these, Pro. 28.2. these are but darke shadows to this beauty, these are un­thought of drops or sprinklings from his pensill; The fountaine of any of the reall good is in Iesus Christ, Pro. 28.12.15.28. ver. when righteous men rejoyce there is great glory, when wicked men rise men hide themselves; when the Righteous are in autho­rity the people rejoyce, but when the wicked are chiefe the people mourne. Pro. 21. ver. 21. the righteous man fin­deth life, righteousnesse and honour for the City.

The arguments prove the first.

Doct. That our choyce must relate eminently to Gods choyce, our approbation to his Election.

1. Arg. Because such men are most worthy our love and honour, whom God loves and honours; it was granted upon a low principle; Ester 6.6. what shall be done to the man the King will honour? ver. 8. Let the Royall apparell be brought which the King useth to weare, and the horse the King used to ride upon, and the crowne royall on his head, ver 9, and bring him on horse­backe through the streets, &c. Shall so much regard be had to whom a King honours, and not whom God honours? no honour is too much for a friend of Iesus Christ. So much regard to the favorites of Princes, friends of great men, and no respect in choyce to the friends of the King of Kings. If rela­tions may sway, here is the strongest engagement in [Page 11]the world; what tell you me of such or such noble­mens letters or friends speaking, doth Iesus Christ speak for him; is he a friend to Iesus Christ, will he plead and vote for Iesus Christ.

2. Arg. Because in his choyce he qualifieth his chosen ones to be serviceable to his glory, and for his peoples good, and to act for his own ends, in ma­naging all those affaires that in providence he puts them upon in this life. God made choyce of Moses to deliver his people from the heavy burthens and taxes that lay upon captivated Israel: Truely there were huge mountaines in the way, Exod. 3.7. And Moses seeth them, he had a cruell Tyrant to deale with: and an undeserving people, they were such for the most part as were contented with their garlick and onions, and taxes, through customarinesse of base u­sage, Exo. 3.10. Moses (saith God) come, I will send thee to Pharaoh; that thou maist bring the children of Israel out of Egypt, in the 11. ver. (saith he) who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, &c. why (saith God) ver. 12. certainly I will be with thee. He is ever with his to do all the worke for them he sets them about. God ne­ver undertakes any thing but he perfects it, Exod. 4.1. he qualifieth him against their unbeliefe, he workes miracles. He sends him with I am that I am, signing his Commission. I but Moses complaineth he wants Eloquence, ver. 10. why, who made mans mouth saith the Lord) vid. ver. 12 Go (saith he) I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say. God qualified David to governe from the sheep coats, and to fight: So Amos from his heard, the Disciples from their [Page 12]boats, &c. The Lord powers on his, the spirit of wis­dome, counsell, and the feare of the Lord.

3. Arg. Because in so doing there can be no de­ceit in the men, nor shall we ever repent our choyce, Acts 10. ver. 1. For God knoweth all the particulars of man and about man, their names, natures, their dwellings, calings, their actions in private, publike, their ends, their abilities, their sincerity, their inside, their outside: The Lord searcheath the heart, trieth the reines, there is not the secretest contrivance of the heart, but it is open to Gods eye, he knows what men were, what they are, what they will be.

4. Arg. Because to have an eye to his choyce, in relation to him, is to oblige and engage God to be assistant (to such men) to act all your designes, and to compleat all your desires and designes that you ex­pect by them as Instruments to be accomplished ei­ther for Soules or Bodies, Church or State. To choose men upon Gods recommendation, is also an incouragement for thee, and strong argument to im­plead and improve for his aide, to act by them for thee in any thing thou designest for his glory.

5. Arg. Because if otherwise thou art guilty of dis-beutifying the rest of the body. To joyne mem­bers of your own choosing without respect to the qualification of righteousnesse; will be dishonorable to so glorious a body: It is to send dead men to do living mens work, nay to send weak men to help uphold a tottering roof, when all the foundations of the earth are out of course, and ready to fall, to undo three kingdoms, thy self and posterity to come.

[Page 13] 6. Arg. That we may make an end of the worke, its that all professe to long after, and would contri­bute any thing to that end, truly this is the only way: we professe we are weary of warre, taxes, changes, plagues: Heres the way to setle all, choose in relation to Iesus Christ. A workman cannot work with every toole, dead men are not fit Instruments for God to worke by; living men have no delight in dull blunt Instruments whose edge is taken off. If the building must go forward, he must change his Instruments: An excellent Scribe cannot write with every Pen, there will be blurs and blots unbecoming his hand: A curious Limner cannot draw to the life with every Pensill: nor will God now about the most cutious peece that ever came off his frame since Christ; he will not act by every man, they are not fit for God to worke by, what communion hath light with darkenesse: Christ to act by children of Belial. what delight can God take to set up Jesus Christs throne by polluted hands, filthy hearts: God will worke by his own Instruments; men qualified and principled by his Spirit, separate and set apart for the masters use.

Quere. I pray Sir, if this be so: I know which way I will vote; but how shall I know how to relate to Gods choyce whom he hath chosen to this work.

Would you know, you cannot do it on a sudden if you come as custome hath carried it hand over head: Or resolved to advance your own ends; or to do as your neighbours do; or Land-Lords, &c. why what must I do?

Sol. 1. Sequester thy selfe from all other busi­nesse, and either in private by thy selfe, or with o­thers: or publikely, if call'd to it. seeke God impor­tunately, to manifest to thee the man, or men of his love, his friends, these righteous men in the Text: The lot is cast into the Lap, but the whole ordering is of God: The preparations of the heart are in man, but God ordereth the matter, Acts 1.24. And they prayed and said, O Lord, thou knowest the hearts of all men, shew which of these two thou hast chosen.

Secondly, Look with a single and cleare eye up­on the markes and qualifications of those that God hath formerly manifested to be his chosen ones, In­struments for his glory, and his peoples good, and hath delighted to worke by; to the perfecting of great and difficult atchievements.

I shall acquaint you with Gods foure privy marks of his choyce Instruments.

First Marke is selfe deniall and meeknesse; this was Moses marke of choyce: Nay this was Iesus Christs marke, chosen to the great work of our spiri­tuall deliverance: He did not his own will but his Fathers; God can make no progresse in his worke for a Kingdoms or Cities good, by selfe owning or aiming men: Our ends ever obstruct Gods ends, God ever resisteth the Proud: How much forwarder had the great worke been, if there had not been so many selfish men chosen at first, squint eyed men, that when you think they look point blanke on Iesus Christ, and his Kingdome, yet then are fixed on their own ends. Two motions for Selfe or Friends, [Page 15]to one for Christ. Truly we have just occasion to complaine: Phil. 2.21. All seek their own; can you think such men can mind your good, or Cities good, or Kingdoms good, that do not mind their soules good or honour: Take heed of such as follow Iesus Christ for loaves; and not for love, Take heed of such as care not to throw down Apostles, to advance themselves, that care not who fall, so they may rise, that bemire all others to beautifie them­selves. I never knew a self-seeker in Church or State but in the end gained great hatred. Selfe-seeking is selfe and Kingdome ruining; see Absolous example: Rehoboham's your councellours, &c. Self is to a man as Iosephs mantle to his wanton Mistris, cast it off, if Sa­tan, or world, or flesh entice thee in the great affaires. A man that loves selfe cannot love God, nor Christ, nor Nation, nor Neighbours: It is a selfe de­denying man is for Iesus Christ and his people. Antonius Pius when he undertooke the title of Em­peror, said he did let go the property of a private per­son; Christ in his undertaking let go his own glo­ry for us, and was acted wholly by the Father, choose such a man as is acted by Iesus Christ. Oh that we were but dark to our selvs, that we might more clearly see and act Iesus for Christ. It is remarkable in Ioshua as a marke in our choyce, He was the divider of the Land to Israel, and left none to himselfe, and the por­tion that was given him he was content with it, even in the barren mountains.

Second marke, Is zeale and courage, thus God marked out Moses and Elias: Moses brake the Tables, [Page 16] Elias, 1 Kings 18.30. he was zealous to repaire the Altar of the Lord that was broken downe, verse 40. he let not one of the false Prophets escape. This was Christs own marke, Iohn 2.17. Psal. 69.9. though the priests in authority, & the multitude of their assotiats; yet finding out the abominations of those times, his zeal feared not their power, nor started at any opposi­tion, though meanly borne, meekly otherwise dis­posed. This zeale is the childe of love, and they that love Iesus Christ cannot but be fruitful in this zeale. This zeale eates up all carnall feares, reasonings, relations; Knows none in the oppositions to the ad­vancing of Iesus Christ, his Kingdom respects no persons dignities, tramples all under foot; makes men compleatly active and of heroick spirits: This made one man (Moses) contend with a whole Nation, in the great worke of reformation, Phyneas with the Prince of the people, Num. 25. and all those that joyned themselvs to Baal Peor, took off their heads & hanged them up before the Lord. Paul indued with this grace, will contend with Ananias to his face: Zealous men in the cause of God, and the good for this Kingdome, are to be chosen that you may sample the patern, who in zeale for you and yours, have hazarded lives, estates, been strangers to their own houses, many of them longer then you. Take heed of dead men, cold men, lukewarme men, that you must be fain to send letters as coales every post to thaw them that have no more heat then a monthly fast Sermon shall put in them.

Third marke. That God sets on a man of his [Page 17]choyce, is wisdom. I do not say wit or Learning, although that is much becoming, but wisdom, so Solomon is marked out, 1 King. 3.9. he prayes for it, ver. 12. it is granted, and it is of absolute necessity. Our Saviour commends it to his Disciples, Be wise as Serpents, &c. Psal. 2. Be wise ye Kings and Iudges of the Earth: Humane policy is not the marke to aime at. O Sapientia, said the old woman, laughing at Thales, whom she saw so active with his Engine to take the height of a Star, that he fell into a ditch: A Iacobs staffe of humane policy will never take the height of Iesus Christ, but it may lay us all in a ditch of stinking water, plunge us into sad and miserable affli­ctions. Aliud plectrum, aliud sceptrum, it is one thing to handle well the fiddlesticke of wit: Another thing to manage affaires for Iesus Christ, and the King­doms peace: You had need look after wise men, I am sure it much concerneth you, for soules and bodies, and posterity: They are to Iudge betwixt Christ and Christ, Truth and Truth, betwixt Cause and Cause, betwixt mother and mother: Their conversation is a life of dayly mysteries: wise also to see the severall poysoned hookes under glorious and sweet baits, every day laid to take them and ruine us.

4. Marke, Holy men as David, faithful as Abraham; men after Gods own heart, with whom God may delight to converse, and communicate his secrets unto concerning the kingdom and place he serves for; shall I keep from Abraham the thing I intend to do? this is of admirable concernment to a City, Gen. 18.17. It is good to be forewarned, Premonitus, premunitus: [Page 18]It is the pathway to prevention, Amos 3.7. Surely the Lord doth nothing but he revealeth it to his servants the prophets: O chuse Nathaniels, men without guile, whom God may testify that he hath seene, and knew them under the figtree: That is, he hath seene them often before this time in the sincerity of their hearts, seeking God in privat, for the advancing of the government of Jesus Christ, and the peace of the Kingdom. First Vse for Information.

How warrantable is this daies duty, of seeking God to discover and manifest to us his own choyce ones: Truly the wells of water were very neare Hagar, yet she saw them not: There were more for Elias then against him, yet he saw them not, till his eyes were opened. The Lord open all our eyes to this great discovery. Naturally and customarily we look at wealth, selves, priviledges, outward peace, but to discover the men of Gods choyce, is far out of sight: Truly it is with many of us as with Saul, at such a time as this we are looking after our Asses, and men that may tell us a way to finde them: Give me leave since I have met with you, with the seer, 1 Sam. 9.20. to tell you for your Asses that were lost three daies ago, set not your minde on them; but look after those that shall be Instruments to tell you of Jesus Christ, and for other things, they will be all found in Iesus Christ. My deare friends, what will it profit you to finde your City full of riches, and hearts empty of Iesus Christ, full of peace with men, and without peace with God. Oh what ever you do, endeavour to have the bird in the brest kept singing.

Second branch, That God hath now put an op­portunity into your hands; to manifest your love to him, even in your choyce, he will trie whether you will deny your selves, and choose men of his marking out: you do not know when you shall enjoy the like againe. God tried Abrahams love, before he call'd him his friend; God hath many of you professe to be his friend, I pray know then you will love the bre­thren; look to God from all, and through all.

Third branch, Informeth us certainly God hath a designe to do good to that place, where he perswa­deth a people to choose whom he hath chosen: It is one thing to enjoy mercies, and another thing to en­joy them as from God. The difference of Jacobs bles­sings, from Esaus Injoyments, is observable: Gen. 27.28. There is God give thee the dew of Heaven, and the fatnesse of tho earth; Esaus in the 29 ver. is given him, but the reference it hath to God is left out: It is not, God give thee; most men look at things themselves as men; husbands, wives, children, ministers, ma­gistrates, Kings, &c. but never look from whence they come: It is a sweet thing when it can be said as of Hanna, she obtained a childe of the Lord; so of any of the rest: Outward things are not the mark of Gods love, or honour, or choyce: God gives the same thing in speciall favour to Iesus Christ; and out of common bounty to another; when God joynes with you, it argues he hath excellent work to frame out for such a people; to injoy the contrary, is to assure you it is in displeasure.

Vse of Exhortation: Is it so, that our election must [Page 20]relate to Gods pre-election; I am now come to be your petitioner, that it may be so; whoever the men be, let them be righteous men, such as you have ob­tained of God; and have his foure privy marks stampt on them; agree I beseech you with God in point of choyce, and you cannot miscarry: I have seriously thought it, that God hath yet thoughts of love towards this City; and is on his way to reveale himselfe, although you have with Josephs brethren, formerly used your elder brother harshly; to say no more, you have had the cup in your sacks mouth to, and you thought your lives must have paid for it; but I am confident it is all in love to many of you: God can hold no longer from manifesting, and dis­covering himself in his sonne Iesus Christ unto you, and I am the rather induced to think so, because you have such choyce of righteous men; and for ought I can heare, none but such are proposed to make choyce of. Now if God, when so highly provoked, would have spared Sodom for ten righteous mens sake, from so great misery; what good will he deny to a City agreeing for righteousnesse sake, to choose men that may act for his glory?

1. Motive. It will setle God with you, if you re­late to his choyce; God will returne with the Arke of his strength to such a people, Psa. 132.14. God see­meth to say thus, well. I have proved this City, they are my friends, they love whom I love, honour whom I honour, choose whom I choose, this shall be my resting place, I will winter and summer with them, I will set up my hearth, I will be with them, in [Page 21]prosperity to blesse them, in adversity to support them: Here I will dwell, for I have a delight therein, I will blesse her victuals with encrease, and her poore with bread. I pray observe when he setles, Christ setles, and Spirit set les, and mercies setle, &c.

2. Motive. It will setle your hearts in relation to feare of dangers: Truly it much quiets the unskilfull passenger in a storme, that there is a skilfull Pilot in the Ship, or a good man at helme: It much quieteth the unexperienced Souldier, if his Commander be active and vigilant; so it will much quiet your Spi­rits in the great storme we are in, that you have God your Pilot, and righteous men at the helme. You need not feare who are or can be against you, or your City, if God be with you: This is a Triumphant motive, Rom. 8.31. If you eye righteous men, God will eye you for defence: Maximillian the Emperour was so taken upon this ground, that he caused it to be written in gold, as a proci bus truth for his trune in troublesom tirues;times, you shal not need fear who heares or knows your City word; It shall be Emanuel every night, God with us; you may lie down and rest secure­ly, Psal. 4. ver. 8 for he nover slumbreth nor sleepeth; If an enemy approach, keep him with us, they shall be driven back and fall. Our God is above all Gods, his power above all; now if this power be for us, what, or whom need we feare? where he is, he is as well defensive as offensive; I, and against the enemies of our soules, as well as of our bodies, and estates, and Liberties. God will blesse them that blesse thee; curse then that curse thee: The Lord will be a wall [Page 22]of fire round about Jerusalem, and the glory in the midst of her; he will make you as a cup of poyson to all your enemies. And if the waters yet rise higher, they shall receive his order to mount you higher, e­ven to his presence: If they abate, you shall not rest on mount Arrarat, but on mount Zion, as a firme foundation on Iesus Christ, that can never be mo­ved. There is no such project to secure you as this, Tranquillus Deus, tranquillat omnia.

3. Motive. It will setle your selves, amongst your selves, and to your selves: It is my observation, that your water runs very muddy about the City; it is an unsetled water: I would I could not say I have ob­served, your spirits are thick and muddy within, which speaks to me the unsetlednesse in your minds; many of you do not run clearly Iesus Christ ward, nor can the Parliament see their face in your hearts; many of your tongues lispe at it. Truly my good friends (I hope you will give me leave to deale cor­dially with you: I professe my self in this Cause a Souldier, and complements are unbecoming) you have been a long time upon your Lees, and have been by the divine hand of providence, twise or thrise rummaged and disturbed, and upon the relish you appeare thick; you are not cleare for any but your selves, the Lord setle you, and enter you on Christ, you are not cleare to one another, many jealousies, much darknesse, cloudinesse, men speak not out for God and his cause: Well, I beseech you agree, and be of one minde, to eye Gods choyce, give one another a cleare meeting in them, it will much setle you to one [Page 23]another; for if you choose so, although some must be disappointed, yet if the man be righteous, and they right, they cannot long be displeased, you quiet even the most malignant spirits, stop their mouths, for they dare not contend with the Almighty, or question his choyce.

4. Motive. You in joynture and interest your choyce, and your selves in them, in all the sincere importu­nate supplications of the righteous men in the three Kingdoms, nay the world in all their tears, sighs, nay more, you interest thē in the high priviledge of Iesus Christ his mediation: all that he can do for them shall be, all that he can furnish them with for your good, they shall not want. Father, I pray not for the world, but those thou hast given me out of the world.

5. Motive. You interest your selves and your po­sterity in point of propriety, in all those admirable ri­ches of priviledge, that by Gods supreame acting, and the unexpressable Labours of that representative body of righteous Worthies, shall be accomplished for the kingdom: It will not be the least of thy com­forts, that thou canst leave it to thy childe to be dif­fused to thy succeeding seed, that thou hadst a heart and a voyce, to bring in so glorious a reformation: It will be a sweet mercy, when you enjoy not the kingdoms Priviledges, and supream mercies by usur­pation, but of right; and thy posterity may say, I taste the sweet fruit of my Fathers lost, or adventured life, blood, estate, &c.

On the contrary, with what poore, flat and worth­lesse spirits, will they or their posterity injoy such [Page 24]mercies: whose consciences informe them, that their fore-fathers, or themselves, either were malignantly affected to this righteous Cause, or were possessed with a base spirit of Neutrality, to save something obvious to sence, and undervalue the good things for posterity for ever, and must be enforced to acknow­ledge, that though the mercies are sweet, yet that they have been opposers, and obstructers of their present injoyments.

I am now come from the Cities choyce, to the Cities priviledge: From their Election, to their compensation, and assured condition: Truly, God never yet let the least expression of love to his, for his sake go unrequited, 1 King. 17.9. the widdows cake was richly paid for, ver. 16. ver. 22. she hath plenty in scarcity, or enough, which is as good as a seast. The Prophets chamber on the wall, 2 King. 4.10. his Stool, Candlestick, God remembred them all upon account: ver. 16, 17. ver. 34, 35, 36. the mite was all accepted, the cup of cold water had a blessing promised: If Obed-Edom entertain the Arke, all things shall thrive with him: If Pharaoh honour Joseph, he is fully requited; And in starving daies, hath his Garners full. If Bristoll preferre and make choyce of righteous men, they shall have cause (I will not say to be mad, but truly merry;) it may be you may not see it in a damning, swearing, drinking, Mu­sicking, dancing condition; but I am confident you shall in a little time, in a setled peaceable condition, your streames will run cleere, your darke winters day will be over, and the influences of Christ his [Page 25]presence, denote his neerer approach; and where he is, there can be no sorrow.

1. Arg. I take from their new injoyments, and that for souls and bodies; truly, I may say your old things begin to vanish, all things begin to be new, your winter is past, the spring appeareth and hopes of a Summers-day of prosperity.

For first, such a City shall enjoy Jesus Christ; and give me leave to affirm this, it is impossible a soul can be sad, or a City not be heartily merry, that keeps sight of him, Zach. 2.10. I pray see, Cant. 1.2. What is it makes men merry and of a cheerful countenance, but wine and oyle, Let him kisse me with his lips, his love is better then wine: His savour as oyl powred out: See the fourth verse, When in his Chamber we will be glad and rejoyce in thee; His face is the fountain of all true sollace; it will make a City smile upon callamity, it will carry you through the valley of tears, make you frollick it with the Martyrs in flames, with an O ye Idolatrous Pa­pists, I am in a bed of Roses, at a banquent of de­licates.

Christ his presence makes a prison a pallace; A stake a throne, Psalm 4. David is bold to affirm the light that comes off his countenance, is better then oyl or wine. And again, cause thy face to shine on me, and I shall be safe; he brings all true peace: If Jesus Christ pacifie God for a City, all will be quiet indeed: For when he comes he takes off the mourning garment, and puts on us the Brides-robes.

Secondly, you shall enjoy new Ordinances, Manna [Page 26]for husks, spiritual truths for dead letters, spiritual services in the room of superstitious offices, power instead of forms, gold tryed in the fire instead of silver mixt with drosse, pure Religion and undefi­led instead of no Religion, but by Innovations cor­rupted.

Thirdly, new Principles which will be differen­ced in a short space, as apparantly as Naamans mira­culous recovery of his leprosie, 2 Kings 5. Thy old Principles of custome, education, fore-fathers, &c. will vanish, this leaprous skin will come off, and thy spirit (as his flesh) will be changed, and come unto thee as the spirit of the children of God, and becoming a member of Iesus Christ: Thy old Principles may carry thee with Paul towards Hea­ven, but these into the bosome of the Father by the way of Jesus Christ, they will lodge thee there: Thy old Principles will carry thee (to Churches you call it) but these will close thee with Jesus Christ and his members: Thy old Principles will make thee almost, these altogether become a joy­ful Christian.

Fourthly, you shall enjoy new priviledges, and there will be as great and palpable a difference, as the prodigal his being abroad in a Pigstie, and at a Feast of melody in his Fathers house; you may make all your necessities known, with boldnesse and confidence of enjoying all your want, so far as your Fathers house can supply: At the throne of Grace they may be bold with all Jesus Christ (Steward of his Fathers House) can communicate: [Page 27]God saith by the Prophet, Command me concerning the works of my hand, and I will do it, Isa. 45.11. This is a sweet heart-rejoycing Priviledge; they have a new Charter compleated, with nothing but immunities from all evil, and inlarged conveyances of all good.

Fifthly, They have new Society; and with their Society new Language, new walking, new Trading, new Blessings, new Providences, new Experiences, even such Blessings of God as make rich: The So­ciety of tame Beasts is better then wilde; of civil men, then mad men, sober then drunken, of mad men, better then Devils; but if in stead of any or all these, a man can enjoy fellowship with Princes, its a sweet change: The righteous are Saints of the high places, Children of the great God, King of Kings, and they have fellowship one with another.

Now sum up all the Branches of this Argument, and see what you can oppose to the rejoycing condi­tion of such a City that hath obtained the residence of such a friend as will defend it; supply all its wants that hath got new substantial foods, new Ap­petite; a new Charter so compleated with Priviled­ges, new Habitation, new company, all friends, what should hinder joy?

2. Arg. Such a City (when the righteous are in prosperity) must needs rejoyce, because they live under new Incouragements. Prov. 29.7, 8. The righ­teous consider the cause of the poor; but the wicked re­gardeth not to know it. Scornful men bring a City into a snare; but righteous men turn away wrath. Prov. [Page 28]28.12, 20. Verse 20. A righteous man shall abound with blessings. Vide Verse 10. The upright shall have good things in possession. Verse 12. When righteous men re­joyce, there is great glory. The righteous are bold as a Lyon. Prov. 29.2, 10. Verse 10. The blood thirsty hate the righteous; but they seek his life. Verse 2. When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoyce; when the wicked bear sway, then they mourn. Righteous men reform wickednesse, incourage goodnesse: now where sin and sinners are opposed, goodnesse and good men incouraged; where sin is cryed down, and holinesse up, there riches will abound. A gra­cious City will quickly be a glorious City: Re­form but your City, you will quickly rejoyce your City; Empty your hearts and houses of sin, and you shall finde God will quickly fill and replenish your purses and shops; do you but break with your ingagements to sin, and God will turn to you with strange-incouragements, such as you never dreamt on.

3. Arg. The more righteous, the more blessings; the more glory, peace; and the more glory and peace, the more joy: Now where Righteous men are in Authority, they in a sense may be said to be as Fathers to beget Righteous Seed: good is as diffusive as evil: They propagate Righteousnesse; they are the Looking-Glasse of the place, every one looks on them in their actings, as Jacobs sheep on the pill'd wands, to assimulate them; the most dresse themselves by their Glasse. Quo grandius no­men eo grandius scandalum: The vices of Rulers are [Page 29]Rules of vices: And the Righteousnesse of Righ­teous men is a rule of Righteousnesse. If the head be giddy, the members reel: O when your Eminent men are good men, it is a joy indeed, they do very much good.

4. Arg. Because, as they diffuse Righteousnesse, so they diffuse Prosperity; they cannot be satisfied to be happy alone, they study the prosperity of the King­dom and place they live in; they are not like Laban, that envie Jacobs prosperity; no, they have the spirit of Moses, that could wish to have his name to be blotted out of the Book of Life, so the people might obtain favour: They are acted with Davids princi­ples, to plead it with God for your prosperity, Lord, what have these poor sheep done? They are men of rest­lesse spirits, till they have brought others to drink of the fulnesse of those waters they have tasted, to see the glory they have seen, and possesse the riches they enjoy, the Prize they have taken to share in: For your sake they will not rest, till they have made you the praise of the whole Land.

5. Arg. Is taken from my Observation, and what you by experience may finde and taste as the fruit of this root, in other Cities, where Righteous men, the friends of God, have been in prosperity and prefer­red. Truly, they have been miraculously preserved, daily occasions of joy administred: Light indeed is sown for the Righteous, and joy for the upright in heart; I might through a Prospective instance and shew you this in Jerusalem in one season, and in ma­ny other Cities and Armies at a distance, but have [Page 30]one or two within sight; and truly, what I speak is not in relation to it, as the place of my Nativity, Education, Friends, or as an unworthy member, but I speak the truth, as is to all apparant.

I beseech you, consult with your selves, where hath Holinesse and Holy ones been more advanced, honored, protected; indeed of late times where durst they shew themselves but there? where act? well, look upon their condition, when almost all the Cities of England have been in a storm ready to sink, they have been at their morage in a calm Haven; when it hath rained blood in most places of the Kingdom, they have had a clear day over their heads; when al­most all the Fleeces of the Land have been wet with tears of the plundred, exiled, taxed, scoffed, wounded ones, their Fleece is dry; when your City and others hath been the Stage of Acting bloody Tragedies, and new Comedies of all filthinesse and Abomina­tions, they have been rejoycing in the Lord, and in the glory of his presence: Nay, when most parts of the Kingdom have their lights put out, they see the Sun of Righteousnesse every day shining cleerer and cleerer, to the joy of the whole City.

And now, as from this rise, see the same ef­fects of joy, in an Army wherein holy men have been Honoured, and holinesse countenanced and defend­ed against all disbeautifyings of it in the least speck. I confesse there was much fear and heavinesse about its birth; many a sigh and groan, it cost many a prayer and tear too; yea, wanted not some that would have been tampering with the Midwives to [Page 31]have strangled it in the birth, to prevent its multi­plying: And when it was born, what a Dragon and Lyon stood before it to devour it; so soon as born, what floods of curses, scoffs, jeers followed us; such as these, What News of the new Nodellers? What have those holy Officers done? There's not ten Gentlemen in the whole New Nodel, &c. What drinking to mad­nesse to the Confusion of it.

2. In respect of our own actings, there were sad thoughts of heart, that so shallow a Stream must be inforced to be cut into so many Channels; that so little Strength must be put out to several great works. As,

1. To attend the Kings Motion.

2. To Relieve Taunton, and to attend the Recruit­ing and compleating the whole Body, at that time void of necessaries. Not to fill your heads with daily passages, but for my purpose, this poor con­temned Army, yet Righteous men Honouring and preferring Army: I have been an Eye-witnesse of reaping a plentiful Crop of joy, and in this great fa­mine have fed many a sad heart, and diffused glad­nesse throughout this Kingdom. God hath been Glory in the midst of us, and spred forth his beams of light as a curtain, from the first starting of them at Daintry, the clear Routing them at Nazeby, the dispossessing them at Leicester, unsanctuarying them at Hyworth Church, unquartering them at or before Taunton, disquieting them at Ilchester and Load-bridge, quartering or slaying of their Horse and Riders in [Page 32]the Moor, and Four hundred Prisoners in the Church, Routing and pursuing of them from White-Hill and Lamport to Bridgewater, the firing them out of Bridgewater, the Battering them out of Sherborn, the clensing of the Bath, to their Storming, and their quitting and the quieting of this City, for which many of you are filled with rejoycings, and I wish there were not some at all this; and for all these things, with many more, sound murmuring and mourning, but however, let the Righteous rejoyce and be glad in heart.