because as yet the promise is made good to you Ier. 30.2 Your Nobles are of your selves and your Governour proceeds from the midst of you so that none can be in power to hurt or hazard you but it must be by your selves and this being your glory ye may expect that the Lord will create a cloud when no visible help doth appear Isai 4 5. upon all the glory shall be a defence and the same presence of God will be offensive to all unrighteous encroachers or disturbers Eccl. 10.8 9. He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it and whoso breaketh an bedge a Serpent shall bite him whoso remoreth stones shall be hurt therewith and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby none that shall be removing your peculiar and distinguishing privileges and ancient bounds and for that end will be making parties shall prosper nay take that encouraging word more Ezra 6.11 Whosoever shall alter this word of priviledges and provision for the Temple let the Timber be pulled down from his house and being set up let him be destroyed thereon and let his house be made a Dunghil and the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all Kings and People that shall put to their hand to alter and destroy this House of God Means 3. Of your constituting and administring Magistracy according to God is to give good heed to your Election that it may proceed with clearness so that there may be no fraud nor doubt in giving your votes against which you way may seem to some not so sure as elsewhere and surely what is indirectly gotten is of and for the evil one ye should come to this solemn action with a care and not as Children to see the fashion and leave things at a venture but as there is some care to be used for the manner of your Election so much more for the Object whom you chuse or refuse Exod. 18. Thou shalt provide Chasub is to look about to be circumspect ye must weigh and consider Deut. 1.13 ye must pitch upon known men excuse not saying thou knowest not whether men are fit or unfit Prov. 24.12 If thou sayest behold we knew it not doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it and he that keepeth thy soul doth not he know it and shall not he render to every man according to his works The Lord knoweth what thou thinkest or knowest and his Deputy Conscience knoweth see therefore with thine own eye implicit faith is indeed more easie but less safe you do in your Conscience and experience make some judgement of men whether friends to civil or religious liberties to justice piety and virtue whether Enemies to Vice Oppression Extortion and biting Usury and thus you do know whom to chuse whom to refuse whom you chuse you justifie as a man qualified according to Gods counsel Prov. 24.24 He that saith unto the wicked thou art righteous him shall the people curse and the Nations shall abhor take heed therefore to your selves this day or any day of Election least ye bare false witness for or against any whom ye chuse or refuse give good heed to your choice that you may not miscarry in it Arg. 1. Because your choice will shew what respect you have to Christ It is a high charge you have from the Lord Isai 65.12 They chose the things wherein I delighted not your choice shews who is your Master and whom you would please this shews what is deepest in your soul holy Bolton in his discourse of happiness pag. 131 shews that the Hypocrite hath quite other ends in his choice even himself but a sincere Christians thoughts run and are exercised about his faithfulness If saith he by my default a false man be chosen I shall be guilty before the high Judge of all the mischiefs that follow thot unhappy choice Nothing can undo this Country but unwariness and unfaithfulness but the mis-making or mis-acting of Freemen choice of men to power and trust gives the true picture or character of them that chuse if Idols are set up in power and trust instead of men really discharging their trust Psal 115.8 they that make them are like unto them Arg. 2. If you miss in your choice ye provide not well for your selves or neighbours whom ye chuse Magistrates or Deputies you trust with your lives liberties and estates Plato saith good Magistra es are better then good Laws If on by respects you set up such as will be scourges to your selves or Brethren you deserve to be whipt Iudg. 9. the Shechamites for selfish respects chose a Bramble Abimelech and by him are they scratched and even ruined Arg. 3. Wâ—â—â— you miss in choice you do not well for the chosen nor the place Ec. 8 9. There is a time when one man ruleth over others to his hurt for so he acteth more sin and gathers more wrath Pro. 26.18 As he that bindeth a stone in a string so is he that giveth honour to a fool such a man is not in his proper place as that stone the stones proper place is the ground neither can he well continue in it and however it is better where it is safe that men should not alway continue in it but there should be a change of some where it is safe as it is said Eccl. 3.18 By Magistracy and power God doth manifest men if after tryal of men you come free according to the tryal to chuse or refuse and so make some change you will make men more modest mindful in their place howsoever by some sâ—â—â— change you will try other men and â—â—â—p possession of your liberty to chuse and none may take their place for an Inheritance to use it as they list Means 4. Of acting according to God in the making and manage of Magistracy is to attend to Gods particular Rules in the matter they are in Exod. 18.21 Thou shalt provide out of all the people able men such as fear God men of truth haâ—ing covetousness here are Rules that make out the true manage of Magistracy and so give aim to the chusers to provide those that may so manage their place 1. Able men Chasil speaks ability of estate Isai 3.7 In my house is neither bread nor clothing make me not a Ruler over the People he should of his own have necessary subsistance 2. Ability of Wisdome Psal 2.10 Be wise O ye Kings be instructed O ye Iudges of the Earth they should themselves be wise or at least guided by them that are so the want of which is noted as a cause of all publick disorders Psal 8.2 5. They know not themselves neither will they understand from others they walk on in darkness the foundations of the Earth are out of course 3. Ability of spirit or courage else they will not be a terrour to evil-works but bear the sword in vain Rom. â—â— 4 and this Ability is especially to be minâ—â—â—… when Drunkenness Gaming Unrightâ—â—â—â—…ness
despise the other If the interest of God and the publick interest in this Land call you to make one choice and some worldly interest call you to another if ye hold to the worldly ye despise God in this however in other occasions ye pretend to retain to him your choice will discover whose indeed you are your choice of a calling your choice of a companion yours especially in Marriage for your self or yours and your choice of a Magistrates and others in Authority when it is in your power will shew whether ye are resolved to serve God in your Generation or not what say ye now ye Freemen of New-England is the Lord your God or no if he be then as one man ye must say Exod. 15.2 He is my God I will prepare him an Habitation I will endeavour such a frame of things as he may delight to dwell amongst us He is my Fathers God and I will exalt him he hath wonderfully owned and exalted you and your Fathers therefore ye must own and exalt him and believe it Brethren if ye talk of God and his Covenant and walk not in the main concerns of your publick or private standing with a chief regard to him ye go about to mock him that will not be mocked Reas 2. Magistracy and Government is mercifully ordered and maintained by God and therefore as it falls into the hands of men should be ordered according to him what is of him and through him should also be to him that there should be Government among men it is an order that God hath set Rom. 13.1 The Powers that be are ordained of God Government is not onâ—y by general providence ordered and governed by him as are all Wars Pestilence and Famine but ordained God gives out a command and a confinement or bound to it All Nations by instinct of nature do desire a power and authority for Rule and commission is given as Gen. 7. God appointed a power awong men for revenge of Murder and this when all Nations were contracted into one Family but God did more expresly enjoyn his own people to set up Magistrates Deut. 16.18 Iudges and Officers shalt thou make thee in all thy Gates which the Lord giveth thee It is not arbitrary whether they will have Judges Pharaoh calls Government ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sacred thing and it is a mercy and so made over to men through Christ Prov. 8.15 By me Kings reign Mat. 28.15 All power is given to me in Heaven and Earth Christ dispenseth it for carrying on the welfare of men therefore the enjoyment of Government according to him is matter of praise Psal 122.4 Whether the Tribes go up to give thanks to the name of the Lord for there are set Thrones of Iudgement The setting up of Government is a mercy thankfully to be owned as the want is a judgement and desolation and the portion of bloody Esau Isa 34.12 They shall call the Nobles thereof to the Kingdome but none shall be there and all her Princes shall be nothing and this is sorely lamented Hab. 1.14 and makest men as the fishes of the Sea as creeping things that have not ruler over them now God being the merciful founder of Magistracy it is meet in the manage thereof we should look to him as Isai 22.11 when they used skill and diligence in fortifying of Jerusalem there was one neglect that threatens the frustrating of all that is not having the principal eye and regard to the Lord that founded Jerusalem as the seat of the Kingdome and his most solemn worship It may be as usually is objected against this reason from 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man Ans It is for the Lords sake who hath ordered there should be Government and so it is of the Lord but in this and that particular form it is of man as to the Common-wealth though in the Churches even the form we conceive is fixed by the Lord Civil Government is also called Humane because its end is the good of man in outwards nextly and the matter it is conversant about is properly and immediately humane not divine In divine the Magistrate hath not power according to his minde to put or appoint any Worship upon God which never came into his minde Jer. 9.5 Which I commanded not nor speak it neither came it into my minde and what came not into Gods minde to appoint may not come into the Magistrates minde to enjoyn It is the liberty and honour of a Magistrate to protect and promote what Christ hath appointed in his house and in this the Christian Magistrate hath not more power though more light to manage that power the help of the Magistrate is not of absolute necessity to the being of Christs true Religion for he did bring forth and maintain it when the edge of the Magistrate was sharp against it for 300 years the purer age but this support is necessary for the false Ier. 10.5 an Image which is created by man cannot subsist without his providence the Idol must needs be borne it cannot go and Babylon whether East or West the way of Arius Mahomet or the Pope must have a Beast to carry her Rev. 17.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Meade but that this is the abuse of civil power will appear in the Doctrines third Reason Reas 3. Magistratical Power makes a man Gods near and special Servant and Deputy in the World therefore it is fit that in the giving and using this power there should be a respect had to God Iob. 10.34 35. I said ye are Gods if he called them Gods to whom the Word of God came Gods saying and Commission purteth them in his stead and by his impresse upon the Magistracy and by that onely one man is able to rule so great numbers when ye chuse a Magistrate or Deputy ye put such a man upon God and therefore should consider what will please him Rom. 13.4 the Magistrate is called Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Deacon as we may say his Minister so 2 Chron. 9 8. Blessed be the Lord saith heba's Queen to Solomon whâ—ch delightâ—d in thee to set thee upon his Throne to be Kâ—ng for the Lord God It is the Lords Throne and for the Lord and so inferiour Magistrates 2 Chro. 19.6 â—e judge for the Lord Rev. 12.5 Constantinâ— is said to be caught up to Gods Throne now God useth men in Goverâ—ment not out of necessity but bounty for Ps â—l 89.18 He is the Shield of his people yet he hath the shields of his people Pâ—al 47. ult the Magistrate represents Christ the Judge of all the Eaâ—th and we may not put upon him a man that manifestly bears the Image of the Devil neither may any dare in Gods Livery to do the Devils work nay who of you dares to take in any to Gods service but to do Gods work and not to serve your own particular turn
Application Let the Authority of this Doctrine fall and fix upon your hearts this day remembring Psal 81.2 that God standeth which is a posture of greater attention and he attends in order to his judging of you therefore have your eye upon God as his is upon you Be in the fear of the Lord all this day Prov. 23.17 So acknowledge God in giving and taking Magistracy that he may approve your proceeding and let every heart lift up a cry to the Lord almost in Moses words Numb 27.16 Let the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh set a man and men over the Congregation which may go out before them and which may go in before them and which may lead them and which may bring them in that the Congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no Shepherd Motive 1. It concerns as to be owned in the proceedings of this day else the business of the day will not be for our safety Ier. 5.10 Go ye up upon her Walls and destroy and take away her battlements for they are not the Lords If our Magistrates set up for our Protection be not owned by the Lord they will not be any protection any enemy heathen or called christian hath a dormant Commission to come upon you and destroy you though not with utter destruction Motive 2. Magistraticall Power is of great weight and worth especially among Gods people therefore with great consideration to be made over and managed by them that have it Psal 113.8 That he may set him with Princes even with the Princes of his people This very much heightens their honour and so God tells David 2 Sam. 7.8 I took thee from the sheep coate to be Ruler over my people over Israel Pericles being often chosen Pretor of Athens every year when he put on his Robe would bespeak himself remember thou rulest over Freemen thou rulest over Athenians yet Christ bespeaks you that rule here have a care what you do for ye rule over my Children Ioh. 19 8. When Pilate heard that saying viz. that Christ was the Son of God he was the more afraid he was the more awed and they that are in Authority here had as much need as any where to hearken to that Psal 2.10 Serve the Lord with fear rejoyce with trembling It is spoken to Magistrates ye may willingly and chearfully serve the Lord iâ— that capacity of doing good to his people but tremble lest ye miscarry if ye do them any wrong ye are sure to hear of it Psal 105.14 15. He â—uffered no man to do them wrong yea he reproved Kings for their sake saying touch not mine anointed and do my Prophets no harm If you touch his people harmfully or put power into the hands of such as will so touch them you touch the apple of Gods eye Zâ—ch 2. he will not bear that wrong to them that he will upon another people no not although it be slâ—ly and by way of fraud and not by way of open violence for that was the cause of Midian against whom the Lord gives that charge Numb 31.3 Let them go against the Midianites and avenge the Lord of Midian Motive 3. All your Administrations must come ere long under judgement ye that are Freemen must shortly be free among the dead and that then your work and secret dâ—sign whether good or bad must come to judgement Eccl. 12. ult and ye that shall be chosen Psal 82.6.7 Though you be all of you Children of the mâ—st â—â—â—h or Angels as Chalde renders it yet ye must dye like Adam Socrates writes to Dyonisius thou art yet clothed with a mortal skin and if ye dye then follows the Judgement act ye therefore so this day as ye may answer it boldly in that It was the honour of Marcellus that he went from the Tribunal to the Bar and it is the Law of necessity upon you all if not here yet else where to give an account of your Administration now if any of you upon these Motives are willing in your giving or taking Magistratical power to do it according to Gods will offer you some means so to do Means 1. Minde the reallizing of your-profession of God and take heed of Apostacy in the two verses before the Text we have Israels boasting and breaking of their Covenant with God Israel shall cry unto me my God we know thee but this is no better then to compass God with lyes Hos 11. ult For Israel hath cast off the thing that is good the Enemy shall pursue him If we do thus lye to God in N. E. we go against the interest of N. E. as hath been faithfully declaredon such a day as this Mr. Stoughton If you cast off good you cannot so cast off evil evil will follow you if you follow not that which is good when your Religion is but a pretence a lye it will never last a lye is never long-lived howsoever you sawn upon God or his people ye can never really love either by outward fleshly circumcision alone when ye are only as the same Messenger said custome born Deut. 30.6 there 's need of the Lords own circumcizing your hearts and the hearts of your seed as he is really your God in Covenant that you may love him and his interest with all your heart If ye have this heart circumcision heart-baptisme then you will cleave to him and his people whether ye be chusing or chosen into power otherwise not Prov. 24. ult the upright is an abomination unto the wicked His natural Fore skin the enmity of his carnal minde will upon any ripening temptation break out he that hath but the form not the power of godliness will not like to have godliness in power they that are not indeed Freemen though so called are servants 2 Pet. 2.19 to corruption and must serve such purposes which was owned by some Philosophers Cic. 5. Paradox who laid down this Paradox so that many would think it all wise men are Freemen and all fools are Servants such then having a liberty to chuse will in the use of it serve corrupt men and not the holy God neither will unsound Professors serve the Lord in the manner of that Authority they get and therefore Job 17.8 The innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite and God intending mercy to a people will help such opposition Iob 34.30 That the Hypocrite reign not lest the people be ensnared such will lay secret and subtile snares for the people whom God in pitty will deliver therefrom As for you in N. E. to backslide and to fashion your selves to the flaunting mode of England in worship or walking you undertake a vain thing for you can but limp after them and you will forget as was told you the last year by that Reverend Elder your errand of Planting this Wilderness Mr Danforth and if you have a minde to turn your Churches into Parishes and your Ministers into