THE RIGHTEOUS RULER A Sermon preached at St Maries IN CAMBRIDGE June 28. 1660. Being appointed a day of publick Thanksgiving to God for the happy restauration of His Majesty to his Kingdomes By IOHN SPENCER B. D. Fellow of Corpus Christi Colledge in CAMBRIDGE 1 Chron. 29. 22 23. And all Israel did eat drink before the Lord on that day with great gladness and they made Solomon the son of David King the second time and anointed Him 〈…〉 Lord to be chief Governour and Zadok to be priest Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as King in stead of David his Father and prospered and all Israel obeyed Him Printed by JOHN FIELD Printer to the Universitie of CAMBRIDGE 1660. To the READER THe three first works we read of after the floud were A work of Piety the building of an Altar Gen. 8. 20. A work of pleasure Noah his planting of a Vineyard and drinking of the wine thereof to excess Gen. 9. 20 21. A work of policie the building of Babel Gen. 11. 4. National calamities are frequently in sacred Writ compared to a floud and such were the evils civil and spiritual England long laboured under a floud which covered the tops of our highest Mountains Princes and Nobles and threatned destruction as that did to Seths to the two pillars of our Land Magistracie and Ministrie Now upon the asswaging of such flouds there are three sorts of works which men according to their different principles entertain themselves withall Religious persons with works of piety and grateful acknowledgements to the God of their salvation Sensual persons about works of pleasure excessive drinking and sports like Swine wallowing the more in the mire the more the Sun shines on them Subtile persons about works of Policie the repairing and cieling of their own ruined houses stepping in first after the good Angels coming down to get cure for their civil evils in short there are ten that complain of a leprosie to one who is thankeful for the cure To the sacred memory therefore of our deliverance and to invite men to offer the sacrifices of praise to God I here build this altar and that after the law thereof Exod. 20. 25. of rude and unpollisht stones Heretofore we were ready to dance about every image of power made of the peoples Ear-rings and Jewels broken to pieces their laws and liberties violated while our Moses was in the cloud and we thought our selves justified with saying As for this Moses we wot not what is become of him but God hath been pleased to restore him to us again and by him to conduct us in a happy degree out of that wilderness condition the Nation was in Now to inkindle in our breasts a joyful and pious sense of this divine favour is the end of this ensuing Sermon to which the slightness of the materials may possibly render it not altogether disproportioned bonfires designed for the encreasing and expressing a publick joy art not made of solid timber the slightest materials are then most serviceable God hath not onely furnished us with an occasion but an ability to rejoice the joy of His Majesties entrance to his Kingdoms being assisted by the three National blessings Plenty Peace Health rarely in conjunction observed to grace the Inauguration of our English Kings I had not here been challengeable for so bold an attempt as the giving any character of His Sacred Majestie every pencil especially at so great a distance is not permitted to draw a Kings picture but I considered that honour and praise are reckoned not among the free-will-offerings but the necessary sacrifices to these gods upon earth good and righteous Princes It is prophesied of good King Solomon Psal. 72. 15. that prayer should be made for him continually and daily should he be praised a double honour which those that ruled ill before never had besides the Text in the latitude of its sense did invite me hereunto the Lxx reading it thus {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} when the righteous are commended the people rejoice I easily foresee that some passages herein will be indited of bitterness which therefore an ordinary policie would have prompted me to expunge but that I was well aware it is slight healing which commenceth not from a search of the wound the Apostle warrants a cutting reproof when a sin eats like a Gangrene into the credit or safety of a Church It is the Chirurgeons wisdom to accommodate his practice not to the humour but necessity of his Patient This Sermon is not presented to the eye with the same brevity it was to the ear Truth in some places requiring greater assistance then those few minutes allotted for such services in the Pulpit would allow Cambridge Iuly 23. 1660. J. S. The Righteous Ruler A Sermon preached at St. Maries in Cambridge Iune 28. 1660. being appointed a day of Publick Thanksgiving for His MAJESTIES restauration to His Kingdoms PROV. 29. 2. When the Righteous are in authority the people rejoice but when the Wicked bear rule the people mourn GOds government of the World is full of Riddles and Mysteries the Temple out of which the Angels the Ministers of Divine Providence proceed is said to be full of smoak Rev. 15. 8. and we never find the eyes of our Understandings to ake smart so much as when long detained in this smoakie Temple we are never more confounded and humbled into a sense of our own shortness then when long entertaining our thoughts about the mysteries of Divine Providence Now Providence is thus mysterious especially as the Wise man notes because of the strange checquer-work therein the wonderful vicissitudes and mixtures of happy and adverse occurrences A thing frequently noted in Scripture Dan. 2. 21. He changeth times and seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings 1 Sam. 2. 7. The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich he bringeth low and lifteth up Eccl. 7. 14. In the day of prosperitie rejoice in the day of adversitie consider God hath set the one over against the other Job 12. 23. He increaseth the Nations and destroyeth them He enlargeth the Nations and straitneth them again and in the Text we find him sometimes setting up a righteous and anon a wicked Ruler the people sometimes rejoicing sometimes mourning That method which God observed in making of the World he sometimes observeth in governing of it he permits things to run first into a kind of Chaos and confusion that so his Saints like the Morning-starrs may sing praises to God when they see his Wisdom and Power issuing all things at last into excellent order beauty and composure Moreover the holy God doth by this variety of Providence adverse and prosperous most wisely keep alive a quick and vigorous sense of himself in the minds of men for we shall always find that a constant tenour of felicity an undisturbed enjoyment
heaven Ephes. 4. 13. the doors of the Temple alone are of olive tree nothing but peace there pray therefore that the Church may be able to lay a more just claim to the title of the Kingdome of heaven because of a greater measure of holiness and unity obtaining therein Secondly In prayers for his Majesty as we are enjoyned 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. Psal. 72. 15. that God would vouchsafe him wisdome and understanding which is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a virtue peculiarly due to a Ruler 1 King 3. 11. a prosperous reign God owns it as his prerogative to fasten a Ruler as a nail in a sure place Isa. 22. 23. let such a nail be never so well headed with policy and pointed with power God must be the Master of the assemblies to fasten it or else it will take but little hold 3. In praises to God for all that joy which he hath been the authour of we should own God as the fountain whence all the waters of consolationâ—low unto us Isa. 65. 18. I create Hierusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy But in such a work as this the restoring of a King to his throne God challengeth the being owned as the sole authour and contriver of it Psal. 144. 10. It is he that sheweth salvation unto Kings Dan. 2. 19. He setteth up Kings and pulleth them down Dan. 4. 25. Job 12. 18. It is especially noted as an eminent instance of divine power that God looseth the bonds of Kings and girdeth their loins with a girdle the Chaldee paraphrast and the LXX seem to understand it of Gods bringing Kings brought low and captivated again to their royal throne and his girding them again regali baltheo a thing often noted in Scripture as Gods peculiar work And to assure us it is so He sometimes sets up the meanest persons and brings down the most mighty and powerfull Monarchs from their throne 1 Sam. 2. 4 5. Job 12. 15 19. Luke 1. 52. Let us therefore thankfully own God in this great work and pay him the tribute of praise and honour let our zeal vent it self in hearty praises to the God of our salvation and not so much in speaking Satyrs against the authours of our late misery it being hard to throw dirt at them but some of it must light upon our Church and nation in whose bosome they were so long nourished We may with Deborah Judges 5. 9. say our hearts are towards the wise leaders and captains and counsellours who were forward in the work but we must bless the Lord But I am sensible how far this loquacious passion of joy hath transported me I shall end all with the words of the Psalmist Psal. 72. 18 19. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who onely doth wondrous things and blessed be his glorious name for ever and let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen and Amen FINIS Dan. 9. 26. Isa 28 2. Hag. 1. 4. Exod. 32. 1. 2 Sam. 24. 13. Psal. 82. 6. Jer. 8. 11. Nulla remedia tam faeciunt dolorem quam quae sunt salutaria 2 Tim. 2. 17. Tit. 1. 13. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Qui misericordiaÌ„ peccato impertit peccanti denegat Job 23. 9. Psal. 77. 19. Eccl. 8. 17. Subtexta malis bona sunt lachrimaeque sequuntur vota Job 38. 7. Vid. D. Iackson Atheism sect. 1. c. 4. Ovid Percussorum Caeâ—â—â—â— fere neâ—â—riennioquisquam super vixit neque suaÌ„ morte defunctus est damnati omnes alius alio casu periit pars naâ—fragio praelio nonnulli semet eodem illo pugione quo Caesarem violarunt interemerunt Sueton. in vitâ Jul. Caesar Vid. notas Casaubon in locum Prov. 17. 11. Acts 5. 36 37. Rom. 13. 4. Prov. 20. 8. Prov. 21. 1. Psal. 31. 15. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Theocr. 1 King 3. 11. v. 17. Luke 22. 25. Boeclerus diss politi in Caes. Aug. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Aristot. Polit. c. 10. Judg. 9. 9. Isa. 22. 21. Psal. 51. 12. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} LXX Iansen in locum De Imper. summ. potest c. 5. sect. 9. Jam. 4. 25. Rom. 2. 15. Jude v. 8. 2 Pet. 3. 17. Salmas Def. Reg. c. 7. Vid. Grot. de imper sum pot c. 3. sect. 14. Ultiones publicae maxima ex parte prospere cedunt at in vindictis privatis hoc minimè tenet Verul. Serm. fidel c. 4. Jer. 22. 15 16. Ep. ad Fratr. inferior Germ. Daven. in Coloss. c. 3. v. 22. Luke 11. 51. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Pet. 2. 10. Buchanan in Praefat. libr. de jure regni {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Arist. Polit 5. c. 10. 2 King 9. 31. 1 King 1. 7. 1 Sam. 26. 9. Reipsâ profecto cernitur multos in principem conjurasse quibus vero feliciter cesserit perpauci admodum fuerunt Machiav Princ. c. 19. In locum 2 King 14. 19. Rom. 13. 1 2. Gen. 18. 25. Optimus Magistratus praestat optimae legi Joh. 29. 14 15. Judg. 9 5. 2 King 22. 20 Ezek. 22. 30. Josh. 24. 31. Hag 2. Isa. 49. 23. Prov. 14. 8. Sceptrorum vis tota perit si pendere justa incipit evertitque arces respectus honesti Libertas scelerum est quae regna invisa tuetur Lucan lib. 8. Jerem. 6. 14. Psal 9. 16. Job 12. 20. Job 10. 3. Isa. 19. 11. Discimus experimento fidissimam Custodiam Principis esse ipsius innocentiam Plin. ad Trajan not as we read pertakers of the benefit Nulla omnibus seculis reperta est vel philosophia vel secta vel religio vel lex vel disciplina quae in tantum bonum communionis exultarit bonum vero individuale depressit quantum fides Christiana Verulam de augm scient. l. 7 c 1. Rom 12. 4 5. Isa. 60. 10. 2 Chron. 34. 33. 2 Chron. 31. 4. Sacra Scriptura religionis in melius mutaâ—ae laudem in pejus culpam Regibus assignat De lmp. Sum. Potest c. 8. sect. 2. Act. 27. 31. Job 22. 30. Non calliditate aut robore sed pietate ac religione omnes gentes nationésque Romani superaÌ„runt Tul. Orat. de Aâ—isp 2 Chron. 9. 8. Psal. 109. 6. Isa. 32. 1. Use Quemadmodum pessimis Principibus sine fine dominatio iâ—à quamvis egregiis modus libertatis placet Tac. hist. l. 4. Omnia in bellis civilibus misera sed nihil miserius quam ipsa victoria Tul. Ps 5 28. Sub Te spiritum patriaÌ„ receperum studia quae priorum temporum immanitas exiliis punichat cum sibi vitiorum omnium Conscius Princeps inimicas vitiis artes non odio magis quam reverentiâ relegaret Plin. ad Trajan orat Res dura regni novitas me talia cogunt moliri Dido in Virg. Sckickard de jure Reg c. 1. Theor. 2. Jud. 8. 22 23. De Bell. Gal. lib. 4. sect. 6. Paucae Respub. aevum tulerunt excipio parvas quasdam validiorum tuitione aut amicitiâ firmas Sola Veneta est quae aevum millenarium jactet Lips Monit Polit. l. 2. c. 1. 〈…〉 erit en servili opiâ—icio inidoneus est regno lex Judaic Schick de jur Reg. c. 1. Theor 3. Prov 19. 10. Against vitious persons Spartian in Sever. Sleidan lib. 9. 1597. Psal. 83 11 12. Job 27. 6. Matt. 27. 24. Firmissimum id Imperium quo obedientes gaudent Liv. Prov. 14. 28. Psal. 86. 17. Levit. 14. 41 45. Eccles. 9. 18. Vid. Suet in Vit. Aug. Caes. 1 Sam. 26. 16. Psal. 76. 5. See Isa. 60. 22. Zach 4. 6. Isa. 41. 18 19 20. Hos. 1. 7. Hag. 2. 7. Dan 12. 1. Ezek. 37. 11. Dan. 9. 25. Psal. 104. 3. Sen de Clem. Job 29. 25. Nehem. 9. Job 41. 8. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Vid. D. Casaub. Orig. of temporal evils p. 37 c. Isa. 23. 9. Prov. 15. 25. 16. 5. Dan. 4. 25. Isa. 26. 5. Isa. 16. 5. 1 King 12. 7. Temperatus timor cohibet populum assiduus in vindictam excitat Sen. de Clem. Lucan lib. 8. Prov. 17. 7. Num. 14. 17. Novum imperium inchoantibus utilis est clementiae fama Tacit. Hist. 4. Joh. 8. 18. Hist. Montr. De Gub. Dei l. 7. 1 King 1. 5. Deut. 12. 13 14. Isa. 28. 29. Verulam de Aug. scien lib. 2. c. 13. Non opus est Concilio non syllogismis ad sâ—dandas Lutheranorum turbas Carnal Contaren cited by Bs. H. N. D. Lib. 9. 5 3. 1 King 6. 33. Arist. Polit. 3. Eccles. 12. 11. Gen. 8. 20. Exod 15. 26. Psal. 21. 3. Psal. 84. 39. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} c.
noise and lumber as should have frighted her away We have seen the Dove and the olive-branch of mercy peace and settlement after so many tossings and tempests nearly approaching us oh let us not fright them away by our revellings and debauches He that is hardened in his wickedness after ten mercies for so give me leave to account this unum magnum is little better then he that was hardened in it after ten judgements Let our joy be seasoned with trembling this should be the handmaid of all our joy Psal. 2. 11. trembling not out of distrust of God but our selves not for fear God will not continue but that we shall not deserve our happiness God forbid that the Tree of fortune as it is called should be so fairly blown that we might onely see how great hopes sin is able to blast God hath threatened an unreformed people that they should go out of one fire and another should devour them Ezek. 15. 7. and hath counselled England in Israel long ago 1 Sam. 12. 24 25. A bell sounds no longer then the tremor partium is continued our ears now hear the joyfull sound of the restoring of King Parliament liberty Church State but this is likely to be continued no longer then there be a holy trembling about us and a holy fear of forfeiting our mercies by our sins A good memento Joshua gave the Israelites Josh. 24. 20. If you forsake the Lord then he will turn and do you hurt after he hath done you good Let our joy be seasoned with devotion expressing it self in these duties 1. In a holy and devout admiration of the wisdome and counsel of God in this happy issue of his Providences He that should take but a superficial view of England for these last years past would be ready to conclude a divine Providence little concerned therein that it was a land contrary to what is said of Canaan Deut. 11. 12 which God cared not for and which the eyes of the Lord were never upon froÌ„ the beginning of each year to the end thereof But then whoso deliberately observes victory favouring now this party and anon the other to encourage the prosecution of the war till God had punished both the strange ballancings of parties for the safety of the whole the removal of so many persons of power and interest without power and might like great Oaks pulled up by a hair the strange state of the nation being like a ship on fire perishing and sinking in it self and even then a fear and a terrour to the nations round about his Majesty restored to his throne when his enemies feaâ—â— and friends hopes were almost at an end finally the great ship of the State turned about with a very small helm by means much disproportioned whoso is wise and will observe these things will be invited to believe a God wonderfull in counsel and excellent in working to have interested himself in all the counter motions and seeming casualties we have stood spectatours of Our duty now is to admire the handy work of God to come and behold the works of the Lord and what desolations he hath made in the earth Psal. 46. 8. We should not be a nation seeing many things but observing them not Isa. 42. 20. What one saith of parables that they tend tum ad involucrum tum illustrationem veritatis for the concealment of truth before and for the illustration thereof after they are unfolded is true of the many contrary occurrences in the worid they seem to obscure a divine Providence while in contest and motion they occasion short spirited men to cry out Te facimus Fortuna Deam to conceit the world but a kinde of lottery that are no eyes in the wheels of Providence but in the happy issue and result of all they greatly evidence and advance a divine superintendency reason being warranted to conclude it excellent wisdome which could set so many crooked pieces into so comely a fabrick issue so many discords in so sweet a close and happy composure in the Church of God God gets himself glory when he hath accomplished his whole work upon mount Sion Isai. 10. 12. Secondly Let our devotion express it self in fervent prayers for the Nation and for his Majesty 1. For the Nation that seeing God hath now vouchsafed 〈◊〉 one head so we may have one heart Pray we here especially for union amongst Ministers It is a standing law of musick The leading notes must alway be concord Ministers are stiled {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Heb. 13. 7. our leaders if there be discord and variance amongst them it will sadly influence the nation Now this blessing of peace and union God onely in whose hand mens hearts are is impowred to bestow Jer. 32. 38. I will give them one heart and one minde Philosophy tells us that compositio is opus hominis but mistio is opus naturae Men may compound things of different nature clay and iron and silver and gold as in Nebuchadnezzars image but to make a reall mistion and incorporation between things is the sole prerogative of nature His Majesty under God hath compounded the people of the nation and put us into better form and order but God alone can miscere animas give us one minde and spirit books enough have been written for unity Scripture calls aloud to us in every Epistle almost to avoid contentions every one sees the evil of dividing our adversaries have confest our differences but circumstantial and such as call onely for a little mutual forbearance and yet we stand at distance and our hearts like stones ready to fly further off one from each other after our lying in the fire This assures us that the publick fires are not likely to be quencht but by buckets taken out of the Church the fervent prayers thereof This expedient the Apostle after his holy counsels useth as his reserve Rom. 15. 5. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one toward another To engage us to follow his example let us consider they are our divisions which strengthen the hands of enemies and sadden the hearts of Friends Antoninus an ingenuous heathen Emperour amongst other consolations proposed to himself to animate him against the fears of death useth this as the chief remember O my soul that thou art then to go {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} from men not of a minde with thy self For if any thing would invite one saith he to honour this life with a wish it would be this {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} if it were possible to live amongst men of the same opinion with ones self Certainly this makes Christians so weary of the world to see the sons of one common mother fall out about circumstances it is this which makes them so earnestly long to go to that place where alone unity in the faith is to be attained