ASHURST, MAYOR. Jovis primo die Februarii 1693. Annoque Regni Regis & Reginae Gulielmi & Mariae, Angl. etc. Quinto.  
THIS Court doth Desire Mr. Stephens to Print his Sermon Preached before the Lord Mayor, aldermans, and Citizens of this City, at the Parish Church of St. Mary-Le-Bow, on Tuesday the 30 th'. of January last,  
GOODFELLOW.   

A SERMON Preached before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, AND aldermans OF THE City of London, AT St. Mary-Le-Bow, Jan 30 th'. 1693/4  
By WILLIAM STEPHENS, B. D. Rector of Sutton in Surrey.  
LONDON: Printed for John Laurence, at the Angel in the Poultry; And Brab. Aylmer, at the Three Pigeons in Cornhill. 1694   

Mr. STEPHEN's SERMON Preached before the Lord Mayor, AT St. Mary-Le-Bow, Jan. 30. 1693/ 4.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE Sir WILLIAM ASHURST, Lord Mayor OF THE City of London: AND THE Worshipful the Court of ALDERMEN.  
My LORD,  
ALthough the Sins of this Nation, which call for frequent Fasting, and sincere Humiliation, might give us but a very Melancholy Prospect of Affairs, yet when we call to mind the many Deliverances which God hath heretofore, and of late wrought for us, it will point out a Door of Hope to us, and may serve for a promising presage that he will go on to do us good, will perfect our Deliverance, and secure our Righteous Establishment.  
But St. Austin teaches us, That he who made us without any help of ours, will not save us without our own Concurrence; and this is true as well in respect to our Happiness in this Life as in another. Men who are well-affected to the common Interest of their Country must be Zealously Active to promote it, watch the seasonable Appearances of God in their behalf, and cheerfully cooperate with those Means which his Providence has recommended to 'em for their common Preservation  
Your Lordship is one of those who cannot satisfy yourself with an unactive Virtue. You sludy the Welfare of your Country Diligently, and pursue it Affectionately. And it ought to be no little matter of Joy to us all to see the Chief City of the Kingdom acting by so Noble a Principle in the Choice of Magistrates to Rule over them, as to pitch upon one who could never stoop so low as to serve a narrow Interest, or a base, or private End; who prays for the Peace of Jerusalem, and without regard to any Party wishes all may Prosper that love it; may this good Example of the Metropolis have a happy Influence upon all other Corporations, and engage them to an Imitation of such a Choice.  
If the Sovereign Prince be taught from all the Characters by which his Supereminent Office is described in God's Word, that he can Espouse no Interest separate from that of his People (as is shown in the ensuing Sermon, which was at first Preached, and is now Published by Your Lordship's Order) surely no Man is qualified for any Inferior Magistracy, who can be so far misguided as to act the Business of a Party, or will suffer any private Interest to misled his Affection from the common Good.  
Plato had once a Project to preserve the Community by destroying Property; he supposed that a common Fund set up for the whole Body Politic would necessarily engage a public Spirit in every Individual; but a greater Lawgiver than he has taught us, that Property and public Weal are to be preserved by loving our Neighbour as ourselves. And when this Spirit prevails among the Rulers of a people, what may not be hoped for in Favour of such a Nation?  
That Almighty God may still continue a Succession of such Magistrates in the Chair which Your Lordship so Honourably fills, is the Hearty Prayer of  
My LORD, Your Lordship's most Obliged and Humble Servant, WILLIAM STEPHENS   
LAM. V 16. 
The Crown is fallen from our Head: woe unto us, that we have sinned.  

HOW the Death of good King Josiah was lamented, is thus Recorded in the Chronicles. And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah, 
2 Chron. 35.25.  and all the Singing Men and the Singing Women spoke of Josiah in their Lamentations to this day; and made them an Ordinance in Israel, and behold they are written in the Lamentations. It was no small loss to Judah, that such a Prince fell by the Sword, whose Heart was so tenderly affected towards his Country: Who removed all the Abominations out of the Land, making a Covenant before the Lord, 
2 Chron. 34.27.  and causing all Jerusalem and Benjamen to stand to it. He had a right Sense of that true Politic Maxim, which Solomon his Predecessor lest behind him, viz. 
Prov. 14.34.  Righteousness exalteth a Nation, but Sin is a reproach to any People. This good Disposition towards his Subjects, was rewarded with that gracious Answer God sent him from the Mouth of Huldah the Prophetess, when he enquired of her what should become of his Kingdom. The Effect of which was, That he should honourably end his days, and not see the Captivity of his People. And as for the King of Judah, 
2 Chron. 34.26.  who sent you to inquire of the Lord; so shall ye say unto him: Because thy Heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God when thou heardst his Words against this place, and against the Inhabitants thereof, I have even heard thee also, saith the Lord, Behold, I will gather thee to thy Grave in peace, neither shall thy Eyes see all the evil I will bring upon this place, and upon the Inhabitants thereof.  
If it be asked, How was this Prophecy fulfilled? when Josiah died of a Wound received in Battle against Necho King of Egypt. Let the Enquirer put on those Bowels of Compassion to his Country, which Josiah took with him then to the Battle of Megiddo, 
2 Chron. 25.22.  that he might stop the Passage of Pharo Necho, and prevent the swarming of the Egyptian Locusts over Judah; and he will think his honourable Death in Defence of his People to be the last, and greatest distinguishing Mark, which God could in this World bestow upon so good a Prince.  
St. Paul has indeed told us, 
1 Cor. 13.3.  that a Man may give his Body to be burnt, and not deserve the Name of a Martyr, because he may yet want Charity. And we see, 'tis possible for a Sovereign Prince to hazard his Crown, not out of Charity to relieve his Country, but from a Desire to oppress it; and so may die the Martyr, or live the Confessor of his own Folly. When good Josiah put his Life into his hand, to keep out that Egyptian Slavery which an ill Prince would willingly introduce.  
And thus I have set forth the occasion of Judah's Tears, and Jeremy's Lamentation, viz. The Loss of a good King, and what not long after followed, the Captivity of the People. To this the Prophet relates in these Words of the Text, The Crown is fallen from our Head. But whilst the Reflection upon his country's Ruin fills him with a just Grief, the Consideration of the Cause of it, the Sin of Judah, begets in him a just Indignation: So that whilst he bewails the Wound, he justifies the Hand that strikes, and laments the Sins of the People with deeper Groans than their Punishment. woe unto us that we have sinned.  
These Words, together with the occasion upon which they were spoke, suggest to us these two Considerations. 

I. The Loss of a Good King gives just Cause of Lamentation to a People. The Crown is fallen from our Head.  
II. In the Day of our Lamentation we should lay to Heart those Sins which brought this Judgement upon us, in order to prevent the like for the future. woe unto us that we have sinned.     

The first of these Propositions appropriates our Lamentation to the Loss of a good King, such as was Josiah; of whom the Prophet so pathetically speaks, The breath of our nostrils, the Anointed of the Lord, 
Lam. 4.20  was taken in their Pits; of whom we said, under his shadow we shall live among the Heathen. Or as Grotius renders the last words, In spite of the Heathen.  
The Fresh Air through the Nostrils makes its way to the Lungs, and with them fans the Heart, by its nitrous Spirit advancing, and by its Coolness adjusting the Circulation of the Blood; and thereby imparts new Vigour to each Member of the Body. Thus good Josiah, 
2 Chron 34. 3●.  by reading the Book of the Law to the People, and renewing the Covenant with the Lord, restrained those Feuds and Quarrels, which the variety of their Idolatries produced, and united the different Sects into the Worship of one God. By this he gave new Strength to Judah and Benjamin for their Support against their Enemies. What Streams of Tear did the Loss of such a Prince call for?  
But had they lived under a King, who by ans open Example and Encouragement of Debauchery, should have drawn the People from their Covenant with the Lord, and by secret Favours bestowed on Idolaters, should have tempted Judah from worshipping the God of Jacob. If he should have prepared the way for Pharo Necho, by crumbling his People into Factions; and by turns wheting the Anger of Judah against Benjamin, and Benjamin against Judah; it would be hard to persuade Men to call such a King the Breath of their Nostrils. And when they were in so much Danger of Ruin by his Life, they would be apt not to be very passionately concerned for his Death.  
From what has been said, the Reason of the first Proposition will appear, viz. Why the loss of a good King gives such cause of Lamentation. 'Tis because he has no Interest separate from that of his People. This is plainly implied in the Words of the Text, The Crown is fallen from our Head. That is, as the People have no Head but their King, so the King has no Body but his People; and that there can be no more separate Interest of a Sovereign from his People, than of the Head from the Body. And that this is the true Notion of that relation which is between Prince and People, appears from all those Characters, by which Supreme Magistrates are described to us in the Book of Go; which are these Five, viz. 

Fathers,  
Captains,  
Judges,  
Shepherds,  
Gods.    
1. Fathers; so God promiseth to a good People suitable Governors. King's shall be thy Nursing fathers, 
Isa. 49.23.  and Queens thy Nursing-mothers'. Now what interest can a Father have separate from that of his Family? Or can a Mother divide her Assection from her Children; the pretended Mother who appeared before Solomon would have divided a Living Child that she might have had part of it to herself, 
1 Kings 3.26.  while the true Mother could not separate her Bowels of Compassion from the Fruit of her Womb. This Title of Father expresses justly the nature of that Love which is owing by the Prince to his People. It has indeed been made use of by some to a very different purpose; to prove that Regal Authority is founded in Paternal, although whoever considers the Relation between Father and Son will see how absurd this Notion is. For, (1.) Nature gives to all Parents equal power over their Families, so as to exclude the Uncle's power over his Nephew's Family; and the Grandfathers, nay Fathers, over the respective Families of Son, and Grandson. (2.) The Mother has to Filial Obedience equal Right with the Father. (3.) Execution of Vindictive Power, whereby a Father shall pass Sentence of Death upon his Son seems unnatural. Nor do we find it came into the Thoughts of Adam to avenge the Murder of Abel by adjudging Cain to death; nor can I perceive that the imaginary Patriarchal Authority has any Foundation in Nature, so as to render the younger Brother upon the Father's death subject to the Elder. For, (1.) Brotherhood bespeaks equality, as appears by what God saith to the Elder Brother of all Mankind, when he had conceived Wrath against his younger. 
Gen. 4.6,7.  And the Lord said unto Cain, why art thou wrath? And why is thy countenance fallen? If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted? If thou dost not well sin lieth at the door; (that is, the punishment of thy sin draws near) the following words of the Verse want only a point of Interrogation to make 'em understood; for instead of, Unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. The Learned P. Fagius thus renders it; Num Abelis desiderium ad te erit? num tu eris ejus dominus? Shall his desire be to thee? Shalt thou rule over him? Such an Interrogation is a strong denial of any Authority the Elder Brother can by nature claim over the Younger.  
But 2dly, How can we conceive that Nature gives the Nephew Authority over his Uncle, and Great Uncle? Which the Notion of Patriarchal Power does necessarily infer.  
And 3dly, To found Kingly Power in Patriarchal Primogeniture, seems as Impolitic as 'tis Unnatural; because it shakes the Thrones of all Kings, there being no Throne at this time filled with the true Patriarch Lineally descended from the Eldest Son of Noah: Or at lest who is able to derive and prove such a Pedigree.  
But to return from this digression. We are sure that we can justly say of a good King, He is a Father of his Country. 'Tis Fatherly Care he expresses in the Administration of his High Office; he provides for the Education of his People in good Living; he restrains the publishing of Bad Principles; he checks ill Tempers, and chastiseth those wicked Servants who by their ill Examples would endanger the corrupting of his Family; he bears an equal Affection to all his Dutiful Subjects, not suffering himself through any unaccountable fondness to distinguish some of his Children from others, so long as all join in an equal respect to him. But if there be any such in his Family who have the impudence to own another Father, either Spiritual or Civil, 'tis a just provocation for him to disown them; and look upon them as the Children of a strange Woman, a Babylonish Breed, and Sons of Belial.  
What Lamentation is too much for the loss of such a Father of his Country? Who would not say with Jeremiah? Oh that my Head were Waters, 
Jer. 9.1.  and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears! Or if a People professing God's Holy Truths should lose such a Nursing-mother, should we not behold the sorrowful Children weeping for Rachel, and refusing Comfort because she is not?  
2. Another Title the Holy Spirit gives to the Higher Powers is that of Captains; in this style the Prophet Isaiah delivers a Message from God to good Hezekiah, Turn again and tell Hezekiah the Captain of my People, thus saith the Lord, 
2 King; 20.5.  etc. And is it not the Interest as well as Duty of the General to preserve the Host under his Command? With relation to this Conduct it was, that when the Lord appointed Samuel to anoint Saul King, he describes the Kingly Office by that of a General. To morrow about this time I will send thee a Man out of the Land of Benjamin, 
2 Sam. 9.16.  and thou shalt anoint him to be Captain over my People Israel, that he may save my People out of the Hand of the Philistines.  
The General of God's Host could not be sase but by preserving the Armies of Israel. The good Captain by strict Discipline retains his Soldiers in their Duty, and makes them pay an exact Obedience to his Orders. His Vigilance secures them in their Marches, his Judgement and Experience directs them in their Encampments, his Providence and Foresight prevents Want and Surprise, and his Justice deters them from Treachery or Mutiny; on the other side, the good General never fails to preser those whom he has sound to be Meritorious, and does at least make it equally his Care to Reward the good Soldier, as to punish him who deserves ill. There is a Steddiness as well as a Presence of Mind which does always accompany him; and gives that Assurance to his Army which is the Pledge of Victory. And is not this the Character of an Excellent Prince? One who is both the Head and Heart of his People.  
3. There was a time when the Supreme Magistrates in Israel were called Judges, as appears by their History compiled in a Book bearing that Name: The true Business of those who preside in Courts of Judicature will appear from the Charge Moses gave to the Judges of Israel, 
Deut 1.16.  Hear the causes betwixt your Brethren, and judge righteously between every Man and his Brother, and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect Persons in Judgement; but ye shall hear the Small as well as the Great; you shall not be afraid of the Face of Man, for the Judgement is God's. 'Twas the good of the People which was given in Charge to the Judges, who were set as Guardian Angels for defence of Israel against the Sons of Violence. They are therefore forbidden to cast an Eye upon their own particular Interest; but an impartial Administration of Justice without Prejudice or Passion; hope or fear is recommended to 'em, thereby to put an end to all Controversies, to allay all Heats, Feuds, and Passions, and to take from every Man all pretence of a Right to revenge himself; for as Revenge casts Judgement out of Doors, so Judgement makes Revenge needless; it puts a stop to the first Springs of all Desires, showing how vain a thing it will be for an Ahab to covet Naboth's Vineyard. 'Tis the right Administration of Justice which is the Bond of Humane Society; it secures to every Individual his Life, and his Property, and thereby Industry is encouraged, and the Wealth and Strength of a Nation advanced.  
Such a due course of Justice was maintained during the Reign of good Josiah; and as that rendered his People happy, so it made his Memory precious, and his Loss so greatly lamented; whereas the contrary practice of his Son Jehoiakim brought Ruin upon his own House, Misery upon his Kingdom, and Infamy upon his Name, insomuch that God himself forbade any Lamentation to be made for his Death, or decent Burial to be bestowed on his Body. The Burden of this unhappy Prince is denounced by Jeremiah thus; 
Jer. 22.13, etc.  Woe to him that buildeth his House by unrighteousness, and his Chambers by Wrong. It seems this Prince was pleased with an appearance of Magnificence, and Glory, though at the rate of oppressing, and spoiling his Subjects; and to this the Prophet alludes in the following Verses, in which he proceeds with the Woe to him that saith, I will build me a wide House, and large Chambers, and cutteth him out Windows, and it is ceiled with Cedar, and painted with Vermilion. Shalt thou Reign because thou 〈◊〉 thyself in Cedar? Did not thy Father Eat, and Drink, and do Judgement, and Justice, and then it was well with him. Was not this to know me? saith the Lord: But thy Eyes, and thy Heart are not but for thy Covetousness, and to shed Innocent Blood: And for Oppression, and for Violence to do it. Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning Jehoiakim the Son of Josiah King of Judah, they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my Brother, or Ah Sister. They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah Lord, or Ah his Glory. He shall be buried with the Burial of an Ass, and cast forth beyond the Gates of Jerusalem. This woe makes a full description of the unhappy state of a Kingdom when the Fountain of Justice is corrupted, when Courts of Judicature become Snares to the People, when men's Causes are not Tried, but their Persons, when no Man shall have Right done him, unless he himself is content to be an Instrument in oppressing his Country, or in wronging his Neighbour. When the Laws are interpreted to serve turns. When those Laws which were intended for a steady, and equal Rule to all are extended or streighten'd as the occasion requires; as an Innocent Man is to suffer, or a profligate Offender to escape. When Murders are committed in Forms of Justice. When a Judge of this kind, when such a Prince falls, the People are forbid to lament, (though one might think such a prohibition needless) and the Prophet tells 'em expressly he is to be Buried with the Burial of an Ass; Infamy is to follow, and to stick upon his Memory.  
4. Sometimes the Sovereign Prince in Sacred Style is called a Shepherd. 
Isa. 44.28.  God saith of Cyrus he is my Shepherd; and in Ezekiel the words Shepherd and Prince signify the same thing I will set up one Shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, 
Ezek. 34.23,24.  even my Servant David. He shall be their Shepherd, and I the Lord will be their God, and my Servant David a Prince among them. And as it is the Business and Interest of the Shepherd, so it is the Business and Interest of the Prince to cherish, preserve, and increase the Flock. The watchful Eye, the tender Heart, and the gentle Hand become the one no less than the other. And when God found out a Man atter his own Heart to preside over his peculiar People: He chose David his Servant, 
Psal. 78.70,71.  and took him from the Sheepfolds following the Ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his Inheritance. That watchful Care which he exercised in the Shepherd's Tent prepared him for the Business of the Throne. That concern which he showed for a Lamb taken from him improved itself into a Zeal to rescue Israel from the Philistin Army. The Courage which he showed against the Lion and the Bear, who were about devouring his Flock, recommended him to be Saul's Champion against Goliath; and the Blessing of God upon his first Enterprise gave him hopes of success in the second. 
1 Sam. 17.36.  Thy Servant slew both the Lion and the Bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them. Nor did he forget the Crook, when he was possessed of the Sceptre; but had the same regard to his People, which before he showed towards his Flock, as appears by that Address which in a Shepherd's Style he made to God when he saw the Angel smiting Israel with Pestilence. 
2 Sam. 24.17.  Lo I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these Sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my Father's House. If a People be bereft of such a Shepherd, such a Prince as this, we may conclude with Zachary, they had reason to be troubled, because they had no Shepherd. 
Zach 102.   
5. The last, and greatest Title which the Holy Scriptures give to Sovereign Princes is that of Gods. Thou shalt not revile the Gods, 
Exod. 22.28.  nor curse the Ruler of thy People. So high, so superlative a Title may perhaps have given occasion to Flatterers, and ill Men to suggest to Princes such Notions of their Glory as might be distinct, and separate from their People's good. But I cannot find that the Glory of God himself, as Sovereign of all, is separate from the good of Mankind, either in his Creation, Preservation, Redemption, Sanctification, or Salvation, all which are the Works of his Sovereign Power, and said to be wrought for his Glory.  
The two first of these may be considered together, because the preservation of Being's is but the continuance of the power exerted in their Creation. 'Tis only the permanency of that Word or Will by which all things were made. And if The Heavens declare the Glory of God, 
Psal. 19.1,2.  and the Firmament shows his Handiwork, if one day tells another, and one night certifies another. Do not all these Works of God as clearly demonstrate to us our own Advantage, as much as their Maker's Glory? Was not the Earth, Water, and Air, commanded to bring forth Plants, Fish, Fowl and Beasts, for the use of Man, as for the Glory of God  
Or did God make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy, 
Rom. 9.23 24.  which he had afore prepared unto Glory? viz. Accomplishing the Redemption of Lost Man by the Mediation of Christ Jesus, 
Heb. 1.3.  Who was the brightness of his Glory, and express Image of his Person. And did he not in this glorify himself by the greatest Gift the Heavenly Father could bestow upon his Children? Or the Son of God purchase for his Brethren?  
And how is God glorified by our Sanctification? but as he enriches our Hearts with the Gifts of his Holy Spirit, and Treasures of his Divine Graces; the only true Comforts and Support we are capable of in this Life, and the Earnest of that immarcessible Crown of Glory, i.e. The full Completion of Happiness we expect hereafter. In all these respects St. Paul joins God's Glory and our Good together. 
Eph. 3.14. etc.  For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his Glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit, that ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the length, and breadth, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.  
In Sum. God who is self-subsisting Perfection, who in the language of Nature is styled Optimus Maximus, the best and greatest of Being's, cannot serve himself any way by us, so as to add any thing to his Power, Wisdom, Goodness, Justice, Veracity, Immutability or Eternity; but on the contrary, God serves us by himself, 
Luk. 22.27  (so Christ was amongst us as he that serveth) and we are every moment sensible of the Benefits we receive from the Power, Wisdom, Goodness, and all the Attributes of God. Nay, every Precept of his Law contains a Favour bestowed on us, as well as a Duty enjoined.  
And in this Kings are as Gods to their People; their Power is employed for their Protection, their Wisdom for their Direction, their Goodness for their Support, and their Veracity is a full Security to them for relying upon their Promises. 'Tis true, the Justice of God executes Vengeance upon Evil-doers, and hereby he preserves the Souls of his Saints, 
Psal. 97.10.  and delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. Without this Justice, how could his Kingdom stand in this World? And had he not so ordered it, 
Psal. 55.23.  that the bloody and deceitful man should not live out half his days; and that the lapsed Angels should be reserved in everlasting Chains; 
Judas 6.  how could he be called the Preserver of Men?  
In like manner 'tis the Glory of a King by Judgement to establish a Land; 
Prov. 29.4.  by giving the Law its due course, upon all the Enemies to his Government, all Oppressors of his Subjects: And if a mighty Hunter after Blood shall arise, as Nimrod was of old, who shall look upon the Prosperity of his Neighbours to be a Diminution to his Glory: In such a case, 'twill be the true Glory of God's Vicegerents to execute St. Paul's Anathema against such an Enemy of the Cross of Christ; and make such an Oppressor feel, that his end is Destruction, because his Glory is in his Shame. 
Phil. 3.19.   
The Na●… of Gods given to Sovereign Princes may import, th●… they are unaccountable to their People. And yet w●…nd the Supreme Majesty of Heaven and Earth, w●… receives not his Crown from another, does render 〈◊〉 Account of himself to us: 
〈◊〉 18 25  Hear, O House of Israel, Is not my way equal? Are not your ways unequal? He does in a manner set his People on the Seat of Judicature, and place himself at the Bar, entreating them to give their Judgement upon his Administration. 
Isa. 5.3,4.  And now, O Inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my Vineyard: what could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it? In such a manner as this Princes may be said to be accountable to their People. But it would be very false reasoning from hence to conclude, That because God is pleased in such a manner to submit his Sovereign Administrations to the Judgement of Men, (and Men will in the like manner judge of the Actions of Princes) that therefore a People may assume to themselves a Judicial Power over their Sovereign Lord. Against an Unrighteous and Illegal Proceeding of this kind the whole Nation enters its solemn, anniversary Protest this day, acknowledging with Shame and Detestation, that the Sentence then executed upon our lawful and rightful Sovereign Lord King Charles the First, to have been a notorious and crying piece of Injustice. Indeed, the Nature of the thing demonstrates at the first View, the Absurdity of such a Proceeding; nothing being more ridiculous, than that a Prince, in whom 'tis confessed by all, the whole Executive Power of the Law is lodged, should become legally accountable to his Subjects, and answerable to that Justice, which he alone has the right of administering.  
But yet it is not necessary to carry this Notion so far, as to take all right of Self-preservation from Subjects, and to put their Lives and their Estates, their Wives and their Children, under the lawless Power of every Prince, who thinks fit to degenerate into a Tyrant, and to oblige Men to sit quietly, and to see the Laws, the Religion, and the Liberties of their Country overturned, and themselves and their Posterity brought into Slavery. But even in such a case as this there can be no Legal Jurisdiction pretended to: No Judicature remains to judge of the Prince's Actions. Indeed, the Pretence of the High Court of Justice to judge of their King, was never owned by the Body of the People. 'Twas an upstart monstrous Opinion, hatched by the heat of War: And as it was very absurd and monstrous, so it was but an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an Insect of a Days Duration; and is now disowned by all sorts of People amongst us; the whole Body of the Nation being affectionately disposed to Monarchy, and convinced of the utter Impossibility of setting up any other Form of Government amongst us. And if there be a Man left that has other Thoughts (as such a Visionary there may be) 'tis well for us that he stands alone, that we are sure he can have no sensible Man of his side; because no sensible Man can join in a Design against the Genius of the People, against the Laws and Customs, against the Liberty and Property of the Nation, all which are founded upon, and united to the true ancient legal Monarchy of this Kingdom.  
And it ought to be a Comfort to us all, when we see that Body of Men, who in some Church matters unhappily descent from us, yet hearty joining with us to pay a just Deference, and dutiful respect to that Man, whom God hath raised up to be the nursing Father of his Church amongst us; who by his especial Providence, and by the universal Consent of the Nation, is Rightfully possessed of the Throne of these Realms, who, as a great Captain, defends us from the Destroyer abroad; and as a Judge, secures us against the Sons of Violence at home; who like the good Shepherd our Saviour mentions, 
Joh. 10.11  is always ready to lay down his Life for his Flock; and thereby also shows himself as a God amongst us. May Almighty God preserve him long to be a Blessing to us, and secure his Person in the midst of those Dangers, to which he is contented to expose himself for our sakes, and for the common Liberty of Europe. And since the best and bravest of Princes must at last die, may it be many, very many Years hence, before this Nation may have cause to take up the Lamentation of the Prophet, and bewail, that the Crown is fallen from our Head.   

II. The Second Consideration which arose from the Text, was this: viz. In the day of our Lamentation we should lay to Heart those Sins which brought God's Judgement upon us, in order to prevent the like for the future. woe to us, that we have sinned.  
Although there be no Evil of any sort in a Land, which is not a Moral Cause of bringing it under God's Visitation; yet there are some Sins, which are the Natural and Specific Causes of their respective Punishments. Thus Excess brings Diseases, Pride begets Contempt, Idleness Poverty. And the proper Enquiry of this Day is after those sins, which by their own particular Energy occasion the loss of a good Prince, and thereby bring Affliction upon a People; which I take chief to be these two: 

I. Flattery. And,  
II. Faction.    
1. Flattery was the Engine Satan first contrived to seduce and ruin the Parents of Mankind. He told them, that some Prerogatives were then wanting to fill up that great Character God had impressed upon them; which must be attained, though against Law, that they might do themselves Right: For though the Law forbade them to eat of the Tree of Knowledge, yet it must be done; and then your Eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as Gods, 
Gen. 3.5.  said the Flatterer. And how the Crown is hereby fallen from our Head, what Woes and Lamentations have arisen from hence, their whole Posterity both feel and see.  
And has not the same detestable Sin of Flattery drawn Princes to aspire at such an Absolute and Arbitrary Power, as was not only beyond, but inconsistent with that just Prerogative which God's Providence had invested them with? God knows how great a Share in the Calamity which we lament this day, this Sin had. An entire Subjection of all we had to Despotic Power, was called Apostolical Obedience; and that specious Name was made use of as a Bait to draw the Prince into a Separate Interest from his People, which was indeed to divide him from himself. And we in our days have seen the same Engine at work, and are sadly sensible of the unhappy Consequences; the Notion of Passive Obedience having proved in a manner as fatal to those who have harkened to it, as that of Apostolical Obedience formerly did.  
Liberty gives the true Relish to all the Comfotrs of Life: without it, though a Man may possess much, he can enjoy nothing; to preserve it is the true Prerogative of a Prince. To defend the Liberty of a Nation when it is invaded, is the most Glorious thing upon Earth. And he that is such a Deliverer, has a Name above all other Titles: And who would change this Style for that of Conqueror? Which is the new Disguise Flattery has put on.  
All Flattery carries with it a Tacit Affront to the weakness of that Person to whom it is addressed. But this is so gross, that it Affronts the common Sense of Mankind, and therefore if directed to a particular Person, presumes the last degree of weakness. You may as well be persuaded that Bread is Flesh, as that the Deliverance of a Nation is a Conquest of it.  
For, (1.) Does not a Deliverance come from the Mercy, a Conquest from the Judgement of God? (2.) A Deliverance is wrought out with the Concurrence of a People; a Conquest is gotten against a resisting Nation. (3.) The end of a Deliverance is Liberty, of a Conquest Slavery. (4.) To deliver an Oppressed People is Heroical, to Conquer without provocation is Brutal.  
2. The second Evil Instrument which is apt to draw down God's Visitation upon a People is Faction; by which I mean a narrow, self-interested Spirit in those who would engross to themselves all the Favours of the Prince, and Advantages of the Government, in bart to all others, though as Faithful to their Sovereign, as Serviceable to his Government, and as Useful to the whole Community as themselves. Such a Faction as this first discourages, then provokes, and at last enrages the rest of the Society. Where such a Spirit as this is suffered, Manasseh will be against Ephraim, 
Isa. 9.21.  and Ephraim against Manasseh, and both together shall be against Judah.  
I grant it absolutely necessary that every Government should distinguish the Persons to whose Hands they commit the Administration of Power; the Israelites had no reason to entrust themselves to the Philistines, because they owned the Right of their old dispossessed King; and in this Confidence, as well as that of his great strength Goliath might defy Saul and his Host. 
2 Sam 19.43.  But when the Men of Israel said, We have more right in David than Judah; no wonder that soon after we read, that The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel. Nor was it strange what followed, 
2 Sam. 20.1,2.  when Sheba the Son of Bichri blew a Trumpet, saying, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the Son of Jesse, every man to his Tents, O Israel. Here began that Fatal Faction which rent Israel from Judah; and for many Years after occasioned Unnatural Wars between 'em, till at last it brought on the Captivity of both.  
Besides this there is another kind of Faction which manifests itself (to use St. Paul's words) in Envy, strife, 
1. Tim. 6.4.  rail, evil surmisings, and perverse dispute; whereby it falls out that an ill Construction shall be put upon those Actions which in their natural tendency are Innocent; an ill turn shall be given to a well-meant design; and if there shall be any slip, any real failure in the Administration, that shall be magnified by unjust Aggravations. No allowance is made for the Difficulties under which Princes labour, in Uniting Men of different Parties, different Principles, and different Interests, to contribute to the common Preservation: But Men sit down, and form Ideas to themselves, which their Imaginations represent to them as perfect; and such as which all the World must concur in at the first proposing; whereas when any one part of these Notions comes to be put in Execution, if it be not utterly impracticable, yet the difficulties are next to being insuperable, and then the Prince is said to be weak, and knows not how to Govern; or he is Negligent, and delivers himself over to Pleasure; or he is Arbitrary in his Notions, and Affects Absolute Power, and all this without a due regard to the Circumstances of the Times, and to the Necessity of Affairs; which perhaps if duly and equally weighed would not only Excuse the Prince, but would Merit the Thanks and Praise of those Men who are most forward to condemn, without considering how much the Government is weakened by these Murmur, and the Honour and Reputation of it broken.  
Such Murmur as these bewildered the Israelites for Forty Years together, and delayed their access to the Land of Canaan. 'Twas this made the Government lie so heavy upon Moses. The Burden which their frequent, and unnecessary Complaints laid upon their Prince was as heavy as what they had before born in Egypt; and had been insupportable by any other than the Meekest Man upon Earth. He was but Forty days absent from them upon the Mount, and there too his Business was theirs, and was concerned only in their behalf; but behold the Impatience of the People who Gathered themselves together unto Aaron, 
Exod. 32.1.  and said unto him, Up make us Gods which shall go before us, for as for this Moses who brought us up out of the Land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. Upon this Moses 's anger waxed hot, 
ver. 9  so that he cast the Tables of the Law out of his Hand, and broke them beneath the Mount; and at last called out the Children of Levi, giving them Orders to fall upon the Murmurers; which were executed by the Slaughter of Three Thousand Men. 
ver. 27, 28.   
No doubt but the unhappy Israelites of that Generation saw their Error, but 'twas then too late; the Fact was already committed which their Posterity to this day lament.  
How far the Misfortunes of the Kingdom which we lament this day were owing to this Discontented Temper may be matter for your Reflection. Some unhappy Occasions were given to complain, nay, even to grow importunate: But little did the Persons who began those Complaints think what would be the end of those things, how far Disputes, and Heats, and Tumults, and War, would carry them. Little did they foresee the Cruel and Inexcusable Sentence and Execution, which is the Occasion of this Assembly. If they had once thought of such a thing, if they could have had a prospect of what has followed, how would they have detested even what was most innocently, and most excuseably done. And this may be sufficient Caution for the future how we give way to any unreasonable Murmur, because we know not (as St. James speaks) how great a matter a little fire kindleth. 
James 3.5.   
Having now endeavoured to find out those Distempers which have occasioned the Ruin of Princes, and Woes of People, I crave leave by way of Application to recommend one Remedy which St. Paul has in these Cases prescribed; not doubting but that it will prove a certain Cure; 
1 Cor. 10.24.  'tis this, Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth. That is, Let no Man pursue his own, in bar to another's Interest; or, let no Party of Men appropriate a Common Interest to themselves; the reason is, because we are all Members of the same Body, useful to the whole, and needful to each other; 
1 Cor. 12.21.  so that if the Eye cannot say to the Hand I have no need of thee, nor again, the Head to the Feet, I have no need of you; 
ver. 26.  'tis but just that there should be no Schism in the Body, but that the Members should have the same care one for another.  
Charity which envieth not, which seeketh not her own, 
1 Cor. 13.4,5.  as it is the Bond of Peace which joins all the Members of Christ's Mystical Body together, so is it the only cement, and strength of all Civil Societies; when Isaiah foretold the Triumphant state of Israel, he lays the Foundation of their future Grandeur in their Mutual Charity. The envy also of Ephraim shall departed, 
Isa. 3.13.  and the Adversaries of Judah shall be cut off. Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.  
Where this Spirit of Charity rules, as there could be no Faction in the State, so would there be no Flattery in the Court. Of old the highest Compliments of Loyalty were formed from the deepest Malice, witness the Address of the Precedents, Governors, Princes, Counsellors, and Captains of Persia, to Darius their King, importing, 
Dan. 6.6, etc.  That whosoever shall ask a Petition of any God or Man for thirty days, save of thee, O King, shall be cast into the Den of Lions: And whence arose all this Flattery, but from the prepense Malice they bore to Daniel, Against whom they could find no occasion or fault concerning the Kingdom. 
ver. 4.   
And as Charity obliges the Members in particular to seek each other's good, so it constrains them all together to preserve their Head. From which all the Body by Joints and Bands has nourishment ministered, 
Col. 2.19.  and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. A good King is such a Head to his People; so that they will also find their Interest inseparable from his. Such a one is the Life and Soul of the State be Governs. To Rebel against him is to Sin against our own Soul; to take from him any of his Rights and Prerogatives is for Children to Rob their Father of that Fund by which he maintains his Family; for an Army to Mutiny against those Orders by which their General secures them against the Enemy; or to corrupt that Judge who maintains us in our Rights; to withdraw Allegiance from such a Sovereign, is for Sheep to stray from their Shepherd, for a Man to stop the Breath of his own Nostrils, or to forsake his God, whose greatest Glory is to do him the most important Good.   
To the King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, the only Wise God, be Honour and Glory for ever and ever. Amen.  
FINIS.