THE KING of KINGS HIS privy Marks FOR The Kingdoms choice of new Members: OR A Project for the Kingdoms or Cities speedy prosperity; and the benefit and blessing attending A NEW MODEL. DELIVERED In a Sermon by Samuel Kem B.D. upon the choice of the new Burgesses of Bristol in in that City, Feb. 28. 1645. LONDON: Printed for John Field, May 4. 1646. TO THE RIGHT honourable, mayor General Philip Skippon, AND The rest of the honourable Committee of Parliament for the Safety of the County and City of BRISTOL. Right Honourable, IT was Heavens first blessing to man in the Creation, to be fruitful; and this imposed by command: barrenness is a Curse as well as idleness is a sin: That I might quit myself of both, and of a third, no less monstrous, Ingratitude: I have presumed to appeal to you, and appear to the World, that although in winter quarters, yet I have not been so chill, but to be active upon your least Summons, in the service of Iesus Christ, or promotion of that service to perfection, which almost these four yeares I have( as a poor unworthy Instrument been active in:) And now, not to contribute my labours( who in so many eminent services, have come off with my life) were to proclaim myself ingratefull to God, and his precious ones; for whose service I only desire a being below the third Heavens. It were monstrously ingratefull to slinke away, and die and do nothing, and not to reflect a glory to the lively actings of Jesus Christ. How useless is that three to Posterity, that lives, spreads, and cumbers the ground, without yielding one seed, not one good counsel to generate another after him? The soldier that takes his leave of the world, with an unrevealed piece of Policy, may prejudice his Country to a ruin, and contradicts the nature of Explicative Love: Truly, this hath moved me rather to pleasure many with a self injury, then entomb those notions that might profit a City, if not a multitude, in the way of choice. enlightened souls cannot but disperse their rays; this hath encouraged me to do this, not to merit by it, but to be thankful, which is the impulsive privacy of my soul in the publishing of this Sermon; which you protecting, will be honoured and defended from the violences of the times, and have its free pass in the kingdom, to direct others, as well as those to whom it was preached, to make choice of such members as may complete that majestic Body, and make most for GOD, and advantage the public: which is the endeavour, and daily Prayer of him, that is devoted with all he hath, to serve the public and you cordially till death. Your faithful Servant. THE KING of KINGS Privy marks for the KINGDOMS choice of New MEMBERS. PROV. 11.10, 11. In the prosperity of the Righteous, the City rejoiceth [ or, when it goeth well:] and when the wicked perish, there is joy, or shouting. 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 rays of his everlasting love, having a compensation for every affliction, and enough in Jesus Christ to make amends for all. He that runneth may red the expressions of Gods love to this City in great Characters: It is apparently known to your experience, That the scene is changed, and we see beauty for ashes, flames of fire turned into rivers of joy: Isa. 51.14. The Captive exile hastening 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 rejoicing: 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 righteousness increaseth, so a City rejoiceth. 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 rejoicing 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 mind, 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 mind to complete this Prosperity, are Wisdom to judge, Will to choose 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 excess 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 fullness of time, and take on him our human Nature, that he might act righteousness for, here on earth, by doing and suffering; and is by faith possessed of that garment, and by Christ tendered 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 pattern, 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 suitable to this love for Jesus Christ his sake. Thirdly, A righteous man is a just man in all public and private deportments, that lives honestly, wrongs none, yields every one his right; Suum cuique tribuere: It comprehends a man endued with all virtues 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, public or private, indicted by the whole State or Statutes. Or private, as all Compacts, Covenants that men make suitable to Law; there is 1. Distributive; 2. Commutative righteousness. The first, when men act 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 money. Now you are to know, That there is the counterfeit to this Jewel or Precious ston: Whited Tombs; Painted sepulchers; Self righteousness; Painted Pictures without life, snowy men, whose righteousness is as like the morning due 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 righteousness. Secondly, Righteous men, by education, or their own principling: I pray consult, 1 Pet. 3.4. That the hide man of the heart be uncorrupt, renewed in the Spirit of your mind, decked inwardly; take heed of your almost Christians. Third Quaere. When may a City be truly said to rejoice? 1. Negatively; then Affirmatively. First, Not in the enjoying of outward mirth, music, 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 tried all these; I said in my heart, go to, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure; but I found laughter to be madness; and mirth, What doth it?[ itis nothing.] Verse 3. I sought in my heart to give myself 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 lie, deceitful, empty, foolish] sorrow is better then this laughter; this is but as laughing in a dream, and then usually the heart acheth; this is but as Davids harp to quiet Sauls ill Spirit for a time: Or as the noise 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 fly: 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. e. Jesus Christ and his holy Spirit in Spiritual actings: for joy is not firm nor complete, but in sight of its object; itis not hearty merry, but when goods are in presence: Jesus Christ is the souls chiefest goods, riches. A Merchant rejoiceth at the return of his goods and ships morage. A soldier 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 heightened in joy, weeps for joy; such a City must needs be a merry City indeed: joh. 3.29. He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom; and the friend that heareth him rejoiceth. 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 rejoicing 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 enlarging the heart; hence properly called, Laetitia quasi Latitia; and this forceth outward expressions, and therefore called, Exultatio, this dilates the heart. Now I pray observe, the more rejoicing, the more content; a rejoicing 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 rejoicing of the mind 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 nearer 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 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 satiety, they are cloying like rank meat, or luscious sweet meats, pleasant to taste, but clog the stomach; we cannot live with them for daily diet. 3. To be undone again, thou must unmerry all thy mirth, all such joy goes out in sadness. 4. They satisfy not the soul; they are like Saltwater, that wets the palate, but inflameth the stomach. 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 music; the soul cannot be satisfied with such Kickshaws: the strongest delight comes from the sense of touching, and the sollidst rejoicing 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 completed 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 rejoicing condition, as a manifest sign 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 choice must be Gods choice; their love oversway'd by His, it must be confined to the number of his friends: Righteous men, such must be preferred 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 ways, but turned after Lucre, took Bribes & perverted judgement: so Gen. 48.12, 13 In the case of Ephraim and Manasses observe the managing the blessing, 17, 18. verses. Their natural affection swayed to a negative voice, ver. 19. not so saith old jacob; but refused to bless the elder, having an eye to Gods choice: Exod. 18.21. Thou shalt provide out of all the people such as fear God; men of Truth &c. See the ground of enemy's choice, 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 real rejoicing, and Christs presence enjoying 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 dark shadows to this beauty, these are unthought of drops or sprinklings from his pencil; The fountain of any of the real good is in Iesus Christ, Pro. 28.12.15.28. ver. when righteous men rejoice there is great glory, when wicked men rise men hid themselves; when the Righteous are in authority the people rejoice, but when the wicked are chief the people mourn. Pro. 21. ver. 21. the righteous man findeth life, righteousness and honour for the City. The arguments prove the first. Doct. That our choice must relate eminently to Gods choice, 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; easter 6.6. what shall be done to the man the King will honour? ver. 8. Let the royal apparel be brought which the King useth to wear, and the horse the King used to ride upon, and the crown royal on his head, ver 9, and bring him on horseback 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 favourites of Princes, friends of great men, and no respect in choice to the friends of the King of Kings. If relations may sway, here is the strongest engagement in 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 pled and vote for Iesus Christ. 2. Arg. Because in his choice 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 affairs that in providence he puts them upon in this life. God made choice of Moses to deliver his people from the heavy burdens and taxes that lay upon captivated Israel: truly there were huge mountaines in the way, Exod. 3.7. And Moses seeth them, he had a cruel Tyrant to deal with: and an undeserving people, they were such for the most part as were contented with their garlic and onions, and taxes, through customarinesse of base usage, Exo. 3.10. Moses( saith God) come, I will sand thee to Pharaoh; that thou mayst 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 work for them he sets them about. God never undertakes any thing but he perfects it, Exod. 4.1. he qualifieth him against their unbelief, he works 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 govern from the sheep coats, and to fight: So Amos from his heard, the Disciples from their boats, &c. The Lord powers on his, the spirit of wisdom, counsel, and the fear of the Lord. 3. Arg. Because in so doing there can be no deceit in the men, nor shall we ever repent our choice, 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, public, their ends, their abilities, their sincerity, their inside, their outside: The Lord searcheath the heart, trieth the reins, 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 choice, in relation to him, is to oblige and engage God to be assistant( to such men) to act all your designs, and to complete all your desires and designs that you expect by them as Instruments to be accomplished either for souls or Bodies, Church or State. To choose men upon Gods recommendation, is also an encouragement for thee, and strong argument to implead and improve for his aid, 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 join members of your own choosing without respect to the qualification of righteousness; will be dishonourable to so glorious a body: It is to sand dead men to do living mens work, nay to sand 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, thyself and posterity to come. 6. Arg. That we may make an end of the work, itis that all profess to long after, and would contribute any thing to that end, truly this is the only way: we profess we are weary of war, taxes, changes, plagues: Heres the way to settle all, choose in relation to Iesus Christ. A workman cannot work with every tool, dead men are not fit Instruments for God to work 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 writ with every Pen, there will be blurs and blots unbecoming his hand: A curious Limner cannot draw to the life with every pencil: nor will God now about the most cutious piece that ever came off his frame since Christ; he will not act by every man, they are not fit for God to work by, what communion hath light with darkness: 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 work 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 choice whom he hath chosen to this work. Would you know, you cannot do it on a sudden if you come as custom 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 thyself from all other business, and either in private by thyself, or with others: or publicly, if called to it. seek 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, show which of these two thou hast chosen. Secondly, Look with a single and clear eye upon the marks 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 work by; to the perfecting of great and difficult achievements. I shall acquaint you with Gods four privy marks of his choice Instruments. First mark is self denial and meekness; this was Moses mark of choice: Nay this was Iesus Christs mark, chosen to the great work of our spiritual deliverance: He did not his own will but his Fathers; God can make no progress in his work for a Kingdoms or Cities good, by self owning or aiming men: Our ends ever obstruct Gods ends, God ever resisteth the Proud: How much forwarder had the great work been, if there had not been so many selfish men chosen at first, squint eyed men, that when you think they look point blank on Iesus Christ, and his kingdom, yet then are fixed on their own ends. Two motions for self or Friends, to one for Christ. Truly we have just occasion to complain: 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 souls 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 beautify themselves. I never knew a self-seeker in Church or State but in the end gained great hatred. self-seeking is self and kingdom ruining; see Absolous example: Rehoboham's your councillors, &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 affairs. A man that loves self cannot love God, nor Christ, nor Nation, nor Neighbours: It is a self dedenying man is for Iesus Christ and his people. Antonius pus when he undertook 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 mark in our choice, He was the divider of the Land to Israel, and left none to himself, and the portion that was given him he was content with it, even in the barren mountains. Second mark, Is zeal and courage, thus God marked out Moses and Elias: Moses broke the Tables, Elias, 1 Kings 18.30. he was zealous to repair the Altar of the Lord that was broken down, verse 40. he let not one of the false Prophets escape. This was Christs own mark, John 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 born, meekly otherwise disposed. This zeal is the child of love, and they that love Iesus Christ cannot but be fruitful in this zeal. This zeal eats up all carnal fears, 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 completely active and of heroic spirits: This made one man ( Moses) contend with a whole Nation, in the great work of reformation, Phyneas with the Prince of the people, Num. 25. and all those that joined themselves to Baal Peor, took off their heads & hanged them up before the Lord. Paul endued with this grace, will contend with Ananias to his face: Zealous men in the cause of God, and the good for this kingdom, are to be chosen that you may sample the pattern, who in zeal 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, could men, lukewarm men, that you must be fain to sand letters as coals every post to thaw them that have no more heat then a monthly fast Sermon shall put in them. Third mark. That God sets on a man of his choice, 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 prays 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: human policy is not the mark to aim 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 staff of human 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 affairs for Iesus Christ, and the Kingdoms peace: You had need look after wise men, I am sure it much concerneth you, for souls and bodies, and posterity: They are to judge betwixt Christ and Christ, Truth and Truth, betwixt Cause and Cause, betwixt mother and mother: Their conversation is a life of daily mysteries: wise also to see the several poisoned hooks under glorious and sweet baits, every day laid to take them and ruin us. 4. mark, 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: It is the pathway to prevention, Amos 3.7. Surely the Lord doth nothing but he revealeth it to his servants the prophets: O choose Nathaniels, men without guile, whom God may testify that he hath seen, and knew them under the figtree: That is, he hath seen them often before this time in the sincerity of their hearts, seeking God in private, for the advancing of the government of Jesus Christ, and the peace of the Kingdom. First use for Information. How warrantable is this daies duty, of seeking God to discover and manifest to us his own choice ones: Truly the wells of water were very near 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, privileges, outward peace, but to discover the men of Gods choice, 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 find 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 mind 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 dear friends, what will it profit you to find 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 bide in the breast kept singing. Second branch, That God hath now put an opportunity into your hands; to manifest your love to him, even in your choice, he will try whether you will deny yourselves, and choose men of his marking out: you do not know when you shall enjoy the like again. God tried Abrahams love, before he called him his friend; God hath many of you profess 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 design to do good to that place, where he persuadeth 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 enjoyments, is observable: Gen. 27.28. There is God give thee the due of Heaven, and the fatness 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 child of the Lord; so of any of the rest: Outward things are not the mark of Gods love, or honour, or choice: God gives the same thing in special favour to Iesus Christ; and out of common bounty to another; when God joins with you, it argues he hath excellent work to frame out for such a people; to enjoy the contrary, is to assure you it is in displeasure. use of Exhortation: Is it so, that our election must 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 four privy marks stamped on them; agree I beseech you with God in point of choice, 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 reveal himself, 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 son Iesus Christ unto you, and I am the rather induced to think so, because you have such choice of righteous men; and for ought I can hear, none but such are proposed to make choice 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 righteousness sake, to choose men that may act for his glory? 1. Motive. It will settle God with you, if you relate to his choice; God will return with the ark 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 prosperity to bless them, in adversity to support them: Here I will dwell, for I have a delight therein, I will bless her victuals with increase, and her poor with bread. I pray observe when he settles, Christ settles, and Spirit set less, and mercies settle, &c. 2. Motive. It will settle your hearts in relation to fear of dangers: Truly it much quiets the unskilful passenger in a storm, that there is a skilful Pilot in the Ship, or a good man at helm: It much quieteth the unexperienced soldier, if his Commander be active and vigilant; so it will much quiet your Spirits in the great storm we are in, that you have God your Pilot, and righteous men at the helm. You need not fear 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: highway-man 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 troublesome tirues; times, you shal not need fear who hears or knows your City word; It shall be Emanuel every night, God with us; you may lye down and rest securely, Psal. 4. ver. 8 for he nover slumbereth 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 fear? where he is, he is as well defensive as offensive; I, and against the enemies of our souls, as well as of our bodies, and estates, and Liberties. God will bless them that bless thee; curse then that curse thee: The Lord will be a wall of fire round about Jerusalem, and the glory in the midst of her; he will make you as a cup of poison 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 firm 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 settle yourselves, amongst yourselves, and to yourselves: It is my observation, that your water runs very muddy about the City; it is an unsettled water: I would I could not say I have observed, your spirits are thick and muddy within, which speaks to me the unsettledness 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 lisp at it. Truly my good friends( I hope you will give me leave to deal cordially with you: I profess myself in this Cause a soldier, and compliments are unbecoming) you have been a long time upon your Lees, and have been by the divine hand of providence, twice or thrice rummaged and disturbed, and upon the relish you appear thick; you are not clear for any but yourselves, the Lord settle you, and enter you on Christ, you are not clear to one another, many jealousies, much darkness, cloudinesse, men speak not out for God and his cause: Well, I beseech you agree, and be of one mind, to eye Gods choice, give one another a clear meeting in them, it will much settle you to one 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 choice. 4. Motive. You in jointure and interest your choice, and yourselves 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 thè„ in the high privilege 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 yourselves and your posterity in point of propriety, in all those admirable riches of privilege, that by Gods supreme acting, and the unexpressible 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 child to be diffused to thy succeeding seed, that thou hadst a heart and a voice, to bring in so glorious a reformation: It will be a sweet mercy, when you enjoy not the kingdoms privileges, and supreme 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 poor, flat and worthless spirits, will they or their posterity enjoy such mercies: whose consciences inform them, that their fore-fathers, or themselves, either were malignantly affencted to this righteous Cause, or were possessed with a base spirit of Neutrality, to save something obvious to sense, and undervalue the good things for posterity for ever, and must be enforced to aclowledge, that though the mercies are sweet, yet that they have been opposers, and obstructers of their present enjoyments. I am now come from the Cities choice, to the Cities privilege: 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 remembered them all upon account: ver. 16, 17. ver. 34, 35, 36. the mite was all accepted, the cup of could water had a blessing promised: If Obed-Edom entertain the ark, all things shall thrive with him: If Pharaoh honour Joseph, he is fully requited; And in starving daies, hath his Garners full. If bristol prefer and make choice 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 settled peaceable condition, your streams will run clear, your dark winters day will be over, and the influences of Christ his presence, denote his nearer approach; and where he is, there can be no sorrow. 1. Arg. I take from their new enjoyments, 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 hearty 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 oil, Let him kiss me with his lips, his love is better then wine: His savour as oil powred out: See the fourth verse, When in his Chamber we will be glad and rejoice in thee; His face is the fountain of all true solace; it will make a City smile upon callamity, it will carry you through the valley of tears, make you frolic 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 palace; A stake a throne, Psalm 4. David is bold to affirm the light that comes off his countenance, is better then oil or wine. And again, cause thy face to shine on me, and I shall be safe; he brings all true peace: If Jesus Christ pacify 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 for husks, spiritual truths for dead letters, spiritual services in the room of superstitious offices, power instead of forms, gold tried in the fire instead of silver mixed with dross, pure Religion and undefiled instead of no Religion, but by Innovations corrupted. Thirdly, new Principles which will be differenced in a short space, as apparently as Naamans miraculous recovery of his leprosy, 2 Kings 5. Thy old Principles of custom, education, fore-fathers, &c. will vanish, this leprous 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 bosom 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 privileges, 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 boldness 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: 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 privilege; they have a new Charter completed, with nothing but immunities from all evil, and enlarged 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 wild; 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, itis 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 rejoicing 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 completed with privileges, new Habitation, new company, all friends, what should hinder joy? 2. Arg. Such a City( when the righteous are in prosperity) must needs rejoice, because they live under new encouragements. 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. 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 rejoice, there is great glory. The righteous are bold as a lion. 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 rejoice; when the wicked bear sway, then they mourn. Righteous men reform wickedness, encourage goodness: now where sin and sinners are opposed, goodness and good men encouraged; where sin is cried down, and holinesse up, there riches will abound. A gracious City will quickly be a glorious City: Reform but your City, you will quickly rejoice your City; Empty your hearts and houses of sin, and you shall find God will quickly fill and replenish your purses and shops; do you but break with your engagements to sin, and God will turn to you with strange-incouragements, such as you never dreamed 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 righteousness; they are the Looking-Glasse of the place, every one looks on them in their actings, as Jacobs sheep on the peeled wands, to assimilate them; the most dress themselves by their glass. Quo grandius nomen eo grandius scandalum: The vices of Rulers are Rules of vices: And the righteousness of Righteous men is a rule of righteousness. 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 righteousness, 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 envy 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 pled it with God for your prosperity, Lord, what have these poor sheep done? They are men of restless spirits, till they have brought others to drink of the fullness of those waters they have tasted, to see the glory they have seen, and possess the riches they enjoy, the prise 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 find 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 administered: Light indeed is sown for the Righteous, and joy for the upright in heart; I might through a Prospective instance and show you this in Jerusalem in one season, and in many other Cities and Armies at a distance, but have 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 apparent. I beseech you, consult with yourselves, where hath Holinesse and Holy ones been more advanced, honoured, protected; indeed of late times where durst they show 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 plundered, 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 filthiness and Abominations, they have been rejoicing 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 righteousness every day shining clearer and clearer, 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 spick. I confess there was much fear and heaviness 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 have strangled it in the birth, to prevent its multiplying: And when it was born, what a Dragon and lion 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 madness 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 enforced 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 completing the whole Body, at that time voided 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 gladness throughout this Kingdom. God hath been Glory in the midst of us, and spread 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 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 cleansing of the Bath, to their Storming, and their quitting and the quieting of this City, for which many of you are filled with rejoicings, 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 rejoice and be glad in heart. Use of Exhortation: First, To the ill affencted, Both, to the Righteous in the City for righteousness sake, and to the Righteous Cause of the Kingdom, managed by the undaunted, and indefatigable labours of those( ever to be admired, and God praised for) Councellors of Honour in both Houses of Parliament: To you thus ill-affected I call, Prov. 8.4, 5. O ye simplo, I beseech you understand wisdom: O ye fools, be of an understanding heart, the opening of my mouth shall be of right things: Receive my Exhortation, now in your choice, to renounce in this place your old thoughts and present resolutions, or Malignant engagements, not to be present at it: I beseech you, let me beg your Votes, and I pray the Lord to persuade your hearts to choose, two, friends of Jesus Christ; truly, as I have and will undervalue my life for privileges of a free Parliament, so is my judgement clear for a free choice; nor shall my naming two to you hinder it, I shall onely give you their Christian names( as you term it) Give your Votes for a Moses and a Nathaniel, for a self-denying man, and a man without guil, and you shall do acceptable service to Jesus Christ; to the City did I say? nay, to the Kingdom, yea three Kingdoms; nay more, to thy own soul. Poor hearts, my bowels earn after you in pity, to see you incalescere in re frigida, so like pieces of Lime, never hot but in could water, never zealous but in opposition to a Righteous Cause, or preferring and exalting Righteous men: will you give me leave to put this quaere to you, Did you ever know a Righteous Cause opposing man prosper, or City? Truly, in all my reading either of Scriptures, of Histories, or observation that I have made, I could never find out one: shall I tell you of some amongst many thousands that have been ruined? I pray peruse the Story in the 19 of Genesis, and consider what got those Cities of Sodom and Gomorah by their trampling on righteous Lot, v. 9, 10, 11, 25. What was the end of Pharoahs plots and actings against the people of God? What was the issue of Nabals churlish usage of holy David? What got those children, that City of Bethel, that mocked the righteous Prophet, 2 Kin. 2.23, 24? What got the Gadarens by desiring Jesus Christ to depart their coasts? or Ananias, by commanding Paul to be smitten? Well, I beseech you be not so self-willed, as to ruin yourselves, when you may rejoice your souls: Leave off pecking at the eyes of the righteous, that you might bring them on the stage, to be your sport, and Tabletalk: Let me tell you, the Saints are as tender to God, as the Apple of his Eye; and he will as well as samson, be avenged at last for his eyes: He will have eyes for eye, teeth for tooth, blood in streams, for drops of blood of his: Truly, if you stop not speedily, it is the onely way to bring the very roof off, and all on your heads: The foundations are out of course, the whole frame totters, in the tradewind of Gods displeasure, the main beam is windshaken, worm eaten( as I may say) is it not full time, every man to vote for sound and Oak hearted supporters, lest we all sink to utter ruin? What mean ye, O ye Citizens of Bristol, to be so flat spirited, such indifferent men? are broken reeds fit supporters to bear up your decayed houses in which you dwell? you would hardly rest in your beds till you had provided better: And is not the business in hand of far greater consequence, and all of you( what ever you think) equally engaged to give your best assistance, to support a declining Kingdom, to save a sinking rich laden ship, in which you are or should be all sharers: Away then with all private interests, and till that storm be over, that work finished, design yourselves for the public and the righteous Cause. 1 Motive, That you may clear yourselves, in point of disaffection to this righteous Cause: There is no such way in the world to come off with credit as this, To give your hearty votes for two friends of Jesus Christ, to go up and represent you to the Parliament; you speak yourselves clearly to them, by the Members you sand up to them: If you sand right men, it will change many of their thoughts concerning you; nay, they will, upon this Remonstrance, take more care of you, as of such as they begin to believe are friends to righteous men; and the regaining your repute with them will be some comfort, if you are what you would seem to be, friends to the public. 2 Motive, That after your formal denials( as you would have the Saints believed) you may show forth by such a choice, your real actings for Iesus Christ and his cordial friends; for where there hath been such carriages, there had need be great manifestations of love upon every opportunity: A threefold profession, for a threefold negation. She that sinned much, loved much; This is Gods trying day, look to it; he expects not thy vote, to cry him up only, but that it extend to the Saints that excel in virtue. Last use for Exhortation, To the well affencted, I beg of you, that as the object of your thoughts are righteous men, so that you would act righteousness: take heed any of you, of designing any thing to advance yourselves, or your own ends; I beseech you eye Gods glory, and the bleeding public: What will it profit any of you, to win your ends, and prejudice, if not lose a Kingdom? I entreat you follow after peace, with holinesse; and importune God for his Spirit of meekness to possess your souls, to carry on this great business in love; abhor sidings, and underhand workings, all underminings, by blowing up, or blasting any mans reputation, that you may enter your own men: No, no, act above-board; and let this daies choice be free and faire, for righteous men; so shall God be glorified, The honourable House refreshed, and no further molested, This City in Gods due time rejoiced, and yourselves Blessed; which the Lord in his rich mercy grant you in Iesus Christ, Amen. FINIS. I Have perused this Sermon, entitled, The King of kings, &c. And approving it to be pious, profitable and seasonable, I do licence it to be printed and published: April 27. 1646. Imprimatur JOHN DOWNAMI.