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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80730	Two sermons preached at Christ-Church in the city of Dublin, before the honourable the General Convenion of Ireland. The first on Prov.11.14 at the first meeting of the said convention, March 2. 1659. The second on Jude v.19. at a publique fast appointed by the said convention, March 9. 1659. By Sem Coxe, Minister of the gospel and pastor at St. Katherines in Dublin.	Coxe, Sem.; Ireland. Parliament.	1660 (1660)	Wing C6726; Thomason E1026_21; ESTC R208752	50,638	72

wise mans sayings deserve the heeding 2. But there is more than this to be considered touching Solomon for he wrote this Proverb as he did many others by inspiration of the Holy Ghost He was but the Pen-man of that which the Spirit of God dictated to him And therefore this as all other Scripture is written for our learning Rom. 15. 4. His judgment herein is unerring and infallible so as we may rest upon it as an undoubted truth of God The Wise man by direction from God acquainteth us in this Text with two things 1 With that unavoidable hurt and damage which befalleth a people destitute of counsel Where no counsel is the people fall 2 With that great prosperity and advantage that ariseth to a Nation by good Counsellors and their counsels But in the multitude of Counsellors there is safety The ruine and misery that overtaketh a people for want of counsel is called a falling The word Naphal in the Original beareth a double signification For there is a twofold falling 1 There is a falling into sin against God and so by sin from God Hence it is that the giants spoken of Gen. 6. 4. are called Nephilim as being Apostates fallen from God by their impiety Of this kind of fall it is that the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 10. 12. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall 2 There is a falling under judgment for sin committed against God As is clear Hos 14. 1. O Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity that is thy sin hath plunged thee into misery So the word is taken Gen. 14. 10. The Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled and fell there that is to say they were slain there This Text will bear both these acceptations Where there is no counsel the people fall both into sin and misery but I take it in the later sense especially they fall into utter ruine into unspeakable misery The benefit or advantage that cometh to a Nation or People by much counsel is called Safety which word originally compriseth all manner of safety both corporal and spiritual both from sin and misery There are two intire Propositions in the Text. 1 Where no counsel is the people fall 2 In the multitude of Counsellors there is safety The one of these Propositions illustrateth the other No counsel and a multitude of Counsellors are opposed so likewise are falling and safety But I shall comprehend both these under this one general Doctrinal Proposition Doct. That the prosperity or adversity of a people dependeth very much upon their counsellors and counsels I know you will expect before I proceed to the handling of this truth that I caution it to prevent mistake Caution It must always be acknowledged and thankfully confessed That the Lord our God who is wonderfull in working hath the chiefhand in the prosperity or downfall of Nations There is nothing that cometh to pass without the Providence of God that is it which disposeth even in the least matters in the fall of a sparrow to the ground Matth. 10 29. in the growth and beauty of the flowers of the field Matth. 6. 28-30 and so in all other things that seem to be of the least concernment Christians must not believe the maxim of the Heathens Non vacat exiguis rebus adesse Jovi Much more is the Lords hand visibly seen in the adversity or prosperity of Kingdoms and Commonwealths Whence it is that the Lord appropriateth this unto himself as the chief agent in it Isa 47. 5. I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil I the Lord do all these things As if he should have said I am the cause of all goodness and prosperity through my benignity as likewise by my justice I am author of afflictions punishments and calamities for so we are to understand evil here the evil of punishment and not the evil of sin for of that God cannot be the author So likewise the Lord speaketh again Jer. 18. 7. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom to pluck up and pull down and to destroy it And Verse 9. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom to build and to plant it The Lord you see ascribeth both these to himself So that the Providence of God is determined by no cause but determineth all causes being the universal and particular cause of all things Yet God doth oft times work mediately or by the use of means And this he doth not for want of power for he is El-shaddai the Almighty God Gen. 17. 1. But that through the abundance of his goodness and bounty he may communicate a certain dignity of working with him to his creatures also and may thereby make his efficacy more perspicuous We are saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 9. labourers together with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men and other creatures work with God but under God and by his direction for the accomplishment of his designs even as God wrought by Jonathan and his Armor-bearer to the discomfiture and total rout of the Philistines 1 Sam. 14. 6-16 Thus God worketh the safety or ruine of Kingdoms and great Nations by Counsels Armyes and such like means Of this mediate working of God this Text and Doctrine is to be understood Counsellors and their counsels are Instruments and Tools in Gods hand which he sometimes useth and sometimes he breaketh as seemeth good unto him He sometimes maketh the most fit means as to the judgment and apprehension of man to prove in effectual to accomplish the end intended And sometimes he produceth the most noble effects by those ways and means which of themselves have no aptitude to bring forth those effects And God worketh thus to the end that our Faith may not properly respect those means which God useth nor depend onely or chiefly upon them but upon God alone who can relieve all our wants and necessityes with means or without means as it seemeth good unto him And indeed this is the excellency of Faith when a Christian taketh up that noble resolution of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Dan. 3. 17. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery Fornace and he will deliver us from thine hand O King What therefore I shall say of the prosperity or adversity of Nations and People or of Kingdoms and Commonwealths in regard of their dependance upon Counsellors and Counsels must be understood as they are subordinate unto and co-operating with the mind decree and providence of God For there is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord The horse is prepared against the day of battel but safety is of the Lord as our wise Solomon observeth Prov. 21. 30 31. Much time needeth not be spent in the proof of this point which of it self is so perspicuous Observe it onely in three particulars 1 This Master of Politicks Solomon

Of this the wise man admonisheth Eccl. 3. 1. That to every thing there is a season und a time to every purpose under the sun And verse 11. Every thing is beautiful in its time To time a business aright is the excellencie of wisdom Upon the wisdom or the mistakes in counsels there doth usually follow answerable events Wherefore when the Lord intendeth to destroy a People he doth usually in the first place infatuate their counsels according to that of the Prophet Isa 44. 25. He frustrateth the tokens of the lyers and maketh diviners mad he turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledg foolish And hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 20. You see then what an extraordinary measure of knowledg you had need to have to capacitate you for this great buisiness Daniel was judged meet to be called unto the Kings Council because the spirit of the holy God was in him even an excellent spirit in knowledg and understanding and wisdom Dan. 5. 11 12. III. Ye ought to be men of publique spirits and must be such if ever ye intend to be a protection and safety to the people Private self-seeking men are not fit to be employed in publique counsels When God called Solomon to bear the Kingly Office in Israel it is said 1 King 4. 29. That he gave him largeness of heart even as the sand that is on the sea shore he was not of a straitned self interested temper I crave leave to enlarge my self in a few particulars 1 Ye must resolve to serve your Country though ye cannot profit your selves at all thereby but should rather waste your own outward estates Nehemiah for twelve years together did not eat the bread of the Governor when the people were in distress as the former Governors had done Neh. 5. 14 15. An excellent pattern Covetousness pursuing after a private profit in publique matters may well be called pestis Reipublicae this is a special thing to be avoided by them that are to judg others Deut. 18. 21. they must hate covetousness 2 A publique spirit will not suffer injuries of any sort to be put upon the people he beareth with and putteth up private in juries with patience but that wrong that is offered to the publique goeth to his heart he cannot brook it It was a noble virtue and a publique spirit in Saul that when a private despite was done unto himself yet he did hold his peace and was silent 1 Sam. 10. 27. But when he heard of the wrong done to his Subjects the men of Jabesh-Gilead by Nahash the Ammonite the Text saith that the spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard these tidings and his anger was kindled greatly 1 Sam. 11. 6. and he rested not till he had relieved them 3 A publique spirit is more sensible of the peoples sufferings and afflictions then of any private mercies that concern himself onely See this in good Nehemiah although he was in high honour cup-bearer to a great King yet he minded not that but his countenance was sad and his heart full of sorrow when he heard of the great affliction and reproach that was befallen his country-men Why should not my countenance be sad saith he Neh. 2. 2 3. when the city the place of my fathers sepulchres lyeth waste and the gates thereof are consumed with fire So also Uriah denieth his own private content upon a publique account 2 Sam. 11. 11. The Ark and Israel and Judah abide in Tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are encamped in the open fields shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink and to ly with my wife as the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth I will not do this thing 4 A publique spirit will not stick at his own private danger though it be apparant but will venture his own person to the greatest hazzard so that he may further the publique interest He will use his sword aswell as his tongue if necessity require it David did fight the Lords battels 1 Sam. 10 17. When religion is in danger he will not spare himself but venture life and limb to uphold it Excellent was the resolution of Queen Esther in this case Chap. 4. 16. I will go in unto the King which is not according to the Law and if I perish I perish He knoweth that he is not born for himself but for his country also and can willingly dye in the service thereof He can say as that reverend Bishop did Moriar ego modo me moriente vigeat Ecclesiae 5 He that hath a publique spirit desireth rather to be useful in his generation then to be great When the Lord puts Solomon to his choise what he would have 1 King 3. 5. He beggeth nothing but a publique spirit Verse 9. Give thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern between good and bad for who is able to judge this thy so great a people He asketh not honour and grandure in the world but that he might be useful to the people of God over whom he was placed 6 I will adde but one thing more A man that hath the publique upon his heart will lay aside all private animosities put up all private wrongs and differences rather then endanger the publique peace and settlement of the people When there was some private difference between Abraham and Lot occasioned by their herdmen whence the Canaanite and Perizzite who dwelt in the land might have taken an opportunity to have done hurt to both of them we find that Abraham passeth over that difference and would take no notice of it to the publique disadvantage Gen. 13. 7. 8. 9. Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee and between my herdmen and thy herdmen for we be brethren Is not the whole land before thee seperate I pray thee thy self from me if thou wilt take the left hand then I will go to she right or if thou depart to the right hand then I will go to the left If the mariners fall out the ship must needs be in jeopardy If private grudges be in the heart the publique concernments are like to suffer I have the rather pressed this duty of publique spiritedness upon you worthy Patriots because you know as well as I that private interest and self seeking in publique affairs have for a long time by past destroyed all our national counsells and consultations IIII Ye ought to be of settled and well resolved spirits and full of courage for God and your country To this end ye have your swords girt How shall ye be able to persevere in seeking the good of Gods house or of the Nation if ye be not resolved and grounded in your Religion and in the Laws of the Land And especially is it requisite at this time that ye be full of immoveable resolution because there is such a

are defective Secondly If ye would have true Religion to thrive and flourish then ye must also set upon the doing of those things which may promote and advance Religion I will instance onely in five things which if done would magnify our Religion wherein I become your most humble Petitioner in Christs stead 1 There is nothing can exalt Religion so much as a godly learned orthodox and painful Ministry It is said of good King Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 17. 6. that his heart was lift up in the ways of God As if the Holy Ghost had said thus of him He did most zealously seek to promote and advance the true religion of God But what course took he to advance it That you shall see in the three next verses He provided carefully that all his people might be taught and instructed in Religion he sent teaching Levites and able Ministers into all parts of the land and Magistrates also with them to protect and encourage them in their Ministry And it is said of King Josiah that he encouraged the Priests and Levites to the service of the house of the Lord 2 Chron. 35. 2 3. That was the way he made use of for the settling of Religion Therefore I intreat That persons unordained to that great work and who despise that great Ordinance of Christ may not be admitted into any Ministerial employment in this Church and Nation That such Ministers ordained as are ignorant scandalous or unsound in judgment in the fundamentals of Religion may not be admitted to any pastoral charge in the Land That those who are already crept in may upon due proof be suspended from their places and in case they reform not ejected That all good endeavours be used to store every congregation with such a soul-saving Preacher as may seed them with knowledg and understanding And That timous care may be taken to encourage such Ministers least themselves and their families starve for want of outward necessaries whilst they deal forth their spirituals to others 2 The settlement and due administration of that Discipline or Cburch-Government which Christ hath appointed to be in his Church is of singular use to pluck up the weeds that the wheat may flourish This is that fence of Gods vineyard spoken of Isa 5. 2. that serveth both to keep in the godly and to keep out the ungodly The want of this holy discipline is a great ground of lamentation Herein I intreat That forasmuch as the matters of Church Government are of so great weight and importance ye would please therein to walk hand in hand with our Brethren in the other parts of these Dominions and That all such matters may be concluded of by a Synodical Assembly of the three Nations 3 The due administration of all Christs holy Ordinances and Institutions makes much to the flourishing condition of Religion in the Land especially of those that are the sealing Ordinances and the misusage or non-usage of those Ordinances is our great reproach in all the reformed Churches These are the food of our souls I therefore pray That all such Ministers as have the care of Congregations may be required to administer all Christs Ordinances even the sealing Ordinances to duly qualified persons within their precincts though as yet the Government of the Church be not setled Methinks it is sad that any of the Lords people should be deprived of their spiritual food and so famish whilst we are contending which is the best way of carving it out unto them And That none be permitted to administer any of the sealing Ordinances save in the parishes whereof they are Pastors unless it be by the consent of the Minister in whose Parish they desire to administer them 4 Catechising in the principles of Religion is also an excellent way and mean to propagate Religion and cause it to flourish This is milk for babes in Christ And it is for want of the due performance of this by Ministers Parents and Masters of Families that there is so little found knowledge and understanding in the Land My request therefore is That ye will by all due ways and means shew your approbation of the way of Catechising and That ye will as ye have opportunity stir up all sorts of persons in their several places to a consciencious performance of their duty therein 5 Lastly Schools of Learning do also contribute much to the flourishing state of Religion Those are the nurseries wherein grow up many plants for the use both of Church and Commonwealth May you therefore please to take this also into your serious thoughts and to provide That the University near this City and all such Schools as are already erected and founded may be nourished and maintained That fit Schoolmasters may be provided and well encouraged and That other Schools may also be erected as occasion shall require These things amongst many others that might have been mentioned I have been bold to mind you of from the Lord that so by your counsells ye may prove to be the blessed Physicians of this languishing Church and Nation I shall conclude with that speech of David to his sonne Solomon when he was to build the house of the Lord 1 Chron. 22. 16. Arise therefore and be doing and the Lord be with you The Second Sermon Jude verse 19. These be they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit THat it is a duty appertaining to the Ministers of the Gospel to preach the Word of God soundly and sincerely in doctrine shewing incorruptness is a thing that none will deny It is commanded that they use sound speech that cannot be condemned Tit. 2. 8 9. But that is not all that Ministers have to do they stand bound also to preach seasonable Truths otherwise they shall be found wanting in their duty toward the people of God We are informed that the right timing of a thing is that which setteth a lustre upon it Eccl. 3. 11. Every thing is beautiful in its time fruit is the best when it is ripe words though they may be truths yet lose their beauty if unseasonably spoken And therefore Solomon hath an excellent Proverb for this Prov. 25. 11. A word fitly spoken or upon its wheels as it is in the margine with a due concurrence and observation of all its circumstances Is like apples of gold in pictures of silver pleasant as apples profitable as gold and silver When the Apostle Peter observed the giddy humours of Sectaries Apostates from the faith which once they had professed he makes this the work of that time by all good means to confirm the Saints in the truth against those phantasies and to that end writeth an Epistle to them 1 Pet. 5. 12. Exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein they stand So when Paul observed that the City of Athens was wholly given to idolatry he bendeth himself to this seasonable doctrine even to declare to them that God whom they did ignorantly worship