A SERMON Preach'd before THE RIGHT HONOURABLE The LORD MAYOR and Aldermer AND Citizens of LONDON
AT St. LAWRENCE JEWRY, on Saturday September the 28th, 1700.
At the Election of the Lord Mayor, for the Year Ensuing.
By SAMUEL BRADFORD, Rector of St. Mary le Bow and Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty. LONDON.
Printed for Matt. Wotton at the Three Daggers near the Inner-Temple-Gate in Fleetstreet. 1700.
ISAIAH I. 26. I will restore, thy Judges as at the first, and thy Counselors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called The City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.
THESE Words contain in them a Promise of God's special Favour to the City of Jerusalem, the Metropolis of Judea, and were spoken by the Prophet Isaiah, for the comfort and support of the Pious and Good Men therein, whilst they heard of the Judgments which were at that time denounced against the Impious and Wicked.
It was, as appears by the preceding part of this Chapter, a time of very great Corruption and Degeneracy among that Peoples for which they had already suffer'd many and great Calamities, as a just Punishment for their Transgressions; but were hitherto far from being reclaim'd. They did indeed keep up a pretence and show of Religion; but were at the same time very faulty in their Morals. Sacrifices and Burnt-offerings they did not spare; the New Moons and the anointed Festivals they constantly observed; but they were notoriously guilty of Falsehood, Injustice, Unmercifulness and Oppression. A little before the Text, their Character is given in very Emphatical Terms. How is the Faithful City become an Harlot? It was full of Judgment, Righteousness lodged in it; but now Murderers. Thy Silver is become dross, thy Wine mixt with Water. That is, They were become false to God, and unjust one towards another, and were Corrupted to that degree, that there was hardly any thing sincere and genuine, any thing true and honest among them.
Nor was this Corruption only among the Common People; but it had tainted Men of higher Rank also, even their Governors and Magistrates, as we find in the next Words.
Ver.23. Thy Princes are Rebellious, and Companions of Thieves; every one loveth Gifts, and followeth after Rewards. They judge not the Fatherless, neither doth the cause of the Widow come unto them.
Now this being their Case, it pleas'd God once again severely to Rebuke and Threaten them, letting them know, that he would yet make one Trial more of them, using greater Severity than hitherto he had done, but not wholly abandoning them, designing by his Judgments to cut off the Incorrigible, but to preserve to himself a Remnant, who should be prevail'd upon by what they should see and feel, to amend what was amiss. So it follows; Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, the mighty one of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine Adversaries, and avenge me of mine Enemies. And I will turn my Hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy Dross, and take away all thy Tin. And in order to the bringing about this thorough Reformation, God promiseth to bless them with good Governors, who should be his Instruments in accomplishing what he intended. So we read in the Words of our Text; And I will restore thy Judges as at the first.
It is indeed observable by Experience, that Governors do commonly partake of the Virtues or Vices of the People over whom they are placed. If a general Corruption have overspread any Community or Body of Men, their Rulers also are usually tainted; and God in his Providence justly punisheth the Transgressions of the People, by permitting them to fall into bad Hands; and 'tis part of their Punishment, and a terrible Effect of the Divine Displeasure toward them, that these Governors still increase and propagate the Corruption of which they partake. As on the other hand, both by the Inclination of a Virtuous People, and the Blessing of God upon them, the management of their Affairs is usually committed to Wise and Just Rulers; and when God out of his Infinite Goodness and Mercy, designs either to reward a Virtuous Body of Men, or to amend a Vicious, He doth by his over-ruling Providence raise up such to Govern them, as shall be careful to promote his Honour, and their Welfare. But to come to the Words themselves.
By Judges, may be understood properly, those who have the Authority and Power to make, or to execute Laws; and by Counselors, those whom they call in to their advice and assistance: Or, without nicely distinguishing, we may comprehend under these two Words, all that are in Authority, or have the Management of Public Affairs, whether Supreme Governors, or Subordinate Magistrates. By restoring to them such as were at the first, or at the beginnings is meant, the raising up for them such as that People were blest with, when they were brought out of Egypt, and conducted into the Land of Canaan, who were acknowledged to have been Worthy Men, every way qualified for their Trust, and to have discharged it faithfully to the Honour of God, and the Public Good, encouraging and promoting Piety and Virtue, and keeping the Community in Peace and good Order. And after this should come to pass, Jerusalem should then be called, that is, should be fitly or properly called, forasmuch as it should really be, The City of Righteousness, the Faithful City; that is, it should become thence-forward, eminent for its Virtue and Piety, it should be Remarkably, and by way of Emphasis, so as to be taken notice of, and esteem'd as such, The City Faithful to God, and Righteous toward Men.
If it be asked, When this Prophecy, was to be fulfill'd; Some make answer; At their return from Babylon. And those who are of this Opinion, suppose the Threatening denounced in the preceding Words, to relate to the Babylonish Captivity, and consequently, that the Promise in the Text was to be made good, when they should be restor'd to their own Country, and the City of Jerusalem should be new Built. And if so; it was actually fulfill'd, when Joshua and Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah had the Direction of their Public Affairs, concerning whom, we have in the Sacred Story a very good Character, as of Wise and Good Men, and Excellent Governors. But others, (and I think, with greater probability) carry the matter farther, referring this Prophecy to the Times of the Gospel. These reckon, That the Judgment here threatn'd, was the great desolation of Judea and Jerusalem by the Romans; and that the Promise of purging away their Dross, and taking away all their Tin, was to be fulfill'd under the Reign of the Messiah, and that, as Jerusalem which then was, was a Type and Figure of the Christian Church; so the Promise which was made to that City, and in some measure fulfill'd at the end of the Babylonish Captivity, was yet to have a more complete accomplishment in the Anti-type. And if so, then by restoring Judges as at the first, and Counselors as at the beginning, must be understood, That as the Christian Church should abound with Men of reformed Tempers and Practices, so there should be Christian Governors and Magistrates, who should prove eminent Instruments in this Reformation. And such, no doubt, there have been in most Ages of Christianity. Tho', I think, whosoever takes a view of the Christian World, and well considers, what the state of Things has been, and still is therein, will judge it reasonable to hope, that this Promise is yet to have a more eminent Accomplishment, than it has had hitherto. But to let that pass; I proceed to consider the Words so as may be most proper, with respect to the present Occasion, and this I shall do in the following Method.
First, I shall inquire into the Character of those Governors with which the People of Israel were blest at the beginning, who are here made the Patterns of those which should be restored to them.
Secondly, I shall shew, how such Governors are a Public Blessing to the People over whom they are placed, insomuch that a City in which they Rule, may from them be called, The City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.
Thirdly, I shall briefly apply what shall be delivered on this Argument, to our own Use.
First, To inquire into the Character of those Governors, with which the People of Israel were blest at the beginning, who are here made the Patterns of those which should be restored to them.
By those which they had at the beginning, I have already observed, is to be understood, those who rul'd over them, in the beginning of their Common-wealth, when they were brought out of Egypt and conducted into Canaan. Such were a great part of the Judges whom God gave them, as St. Paul speaks, from the time of their being settled in Canaan, unto the days of Samuel, for about the space of four hundred and fifty years; these being Men rais'd up by Providence from time to time, as there was occasion, for delivering them from their Enemies, and preserving Peace and good Order amongst them at Home. But more especially, Moses himself, who was their Conductor from Egypt thro' the Wilderness; and after him Joshua, who led them into the Land of Rest; and at the conclusion of their Common-wealth, Samuel the Prophet; may be suppos'd to be referr'd to in this passage of our Text. These were Persons, who, by all the account which we have of them, appear to have had a sincere and awful regard to God and to his Laws, with a fervent desire to promote his Honor, and do his Will. They were Men likewise of a Public Spirit, possess'd with an hearty Love to their Country, and a great Zeal for asserting its Liberties, and promoting its Welfare. They made it the business of their Lives, that to which they devoted themselves, and which they preferr'd muchbefore any of their Private Concernments or Interests, to guard and defend their People from their Enemies, and to propagate Piety and Virtue, Truth and Righteousness and Peace amongst them.
And as this was the just Character of those who were under God, their Chief Governors, (for such all those whom I have now mention'd were) so their inferior Magistrates also were, at the first Persons of the same Stamp, as we may be assur'd by reflecting upon two Passages, in the Books of Exodus and Deuteronomy,very full and plain to our present purpose, where we have an account how those Persons were qualified, who were by Moses first appointed to rule the People under him. The former Passage is that which contains the Advice of Jethro, Moses's Father-in-law, when he observ'd, how much too heavy a burden it was for one Man to Judge all that People by himself. Upon this he Counsels Moses to appoint others,who would be subordinate to him, and assist him in that great Work; and what sort of Persons they should be, he tells him in those remarkable Words, Thou shalt provide, says he, out of all the People, able Men, such as fear God, Men of Truth, hating Covetousness, and place such over them. And we find, that Moses did accordingly, in the other Passage which I am to produce, viz. where he thus declares to the People, I spake unto you, says he, at that time, (namely, when he put Jethro's Advice in execution) saying, Take ye wise Men and understanding, and known among your Tribes, and I wilt make them Rulers over you, And ye answered me and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do. So I took, the chief of your Tribes, wise Men and known, and made them Heads over you. Now by reflecting upon these two Passages, we may clearly discern the Character of those Magistrates, with which that People were blest at the beginning.
They were able men. The word in the Original, like that in our English Tongue, is of a large signification, denoting the several kinds of Abilities, which are proper in this case. So that by able men may be understood, either men endued with a competency of bodily Health and Strength; or men of Substance, Wealthy men; or Men of Natural Courage and Fortitude; or lastly, Men of Judgment and Prudence. There is no question, but that each of these may be esteem'd able men, in some degree qualified for the discharge of Public Offices. A competent measure of Health and Strength enables Men to undergo the fatigue of Public Business, and to dispatch it with ease and pleasure to themselves and others. A plentiful Estate qualifies the Owner of it to bear the Charges which usually attend Honor and Public Employments, and to maintain the Post, which is highly expedient, if not necessary for such Persons. Besides that where an Estate is either descended from Ancestors, or acquir'd by honest Ingenuity and Industry, it usually procures regard; and which is yet more, puts the Possessor of it into a capacity of laying more Obligations upon others, and consequently of procuring greater Respect from them. And above all, it does, or should, raise Men above the temptation of doing an ill, an unjust, an unfair, or so much as a mean Action. Riches are the Materials and Instruments of Virtue, where those who have them know how to use them aright. So again, Natural Courage or Fortitude of Mind qualifies him that is endued with it, to encounter Difficulties, to bear up against Contradiction, to do that which is fit, in spite of all Discouragement, and to maintain a just Authority against all Opposition; all which are excellent Dispositions in a Magistrate. And for Judgment and Prudence, it will, I take it for granted, be readily allow'd, that these are at least as necessary and useful Qualifications, as any of the former, and therefore these seem more particularly to be meant by the word able, according to the exposition of Moses himself, where instead of able men, he orders the People to present to him wise men and understanding. And this is the first part of the Character of those Magistrates, which they had at the beginning: but this is not all; there is a more considerable part or their Character yet behind.
They fill up the Character which St. Paul gives of a good Ruler, that he is not a terror to good works, but to the evil, so that those who do that which is good shall have praise (not only verbal, but real praise, that is reward) of the same. For he is the Minister of God for good, and he beareth not the sword in vain, but is a revenger, to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. And this is his constant business; he is God's minister, attending continually upon this very thing.
Thus the Magistrate who fears God, remembers that he is deputed by Him, that he derives his Authority from Him, and that he must be accountable to Him for the exercise of that Power wherewith he is entrusted, and therefore will from a principle of Conscience, which is the only sure tie and bond of a reasonable Creature, discharge his whole Duty, to the best of his skill and power. And forasmuch as he is sensible, that the Happiness of the Public depends upon the Blessing of the Almighty, and that the way so secure his favour, is to have his Precepts observ'd, he will not suffer any of those Laws to be openly violated, which relate immediately to his Service and Honor, any more then those which relate to Justice among men. He cannot indeed change the Hearts of men; but he can in a great measure- restrain and regulate their Words and Actions:, and therefore will think himself obliged to see, that no public affront be offer'd to the Divine Majesty, in word or deed, without executing the Sentence which the Law passes upon the Offender.
In like manner a Magistrate who is a Man of Truth, will make it his constant care to maintain Truth and Justice,those great Bands of Human Society; he will according to the Precept of Moses, hear the cause between his brethren, and judgeth righteously between every man and his brother, he will not respect persons in judgment: but hear the small as well as the great, and not be afraid of the face of man, as considering that the judgment is God's. He will not be bias'd by Flattery or Fear, by Interest or Favor, by Party or Faction, but will ever, be on that side, on which Truth and Justice are to be found.
And lastly a Magistrate who hates Covetousness, will not be drawn into any unworthy Action, by the hope of Gain; nor decline the doing a just or an handsome thing, for fear of the Charge of it. He will need no Gift to encourage him to do right; much less will he accept of any, to prevail with him to do wrong. He will upon all occasions testify his detestation of Corruption and Bribery, that bane of Human Society, that source of all manner of Unrighteousness, so that no man of sense will dare to attempt him that way, for fear of being not only disappointed, but expos'd. He will not for his own private advantage dispense his Favours, or dispose of any Places of public Trust, to unfit & unworthy men. He will not think it fair, to increase his own Estate by injuring the Public: so far from that, that looking upon himself as design'd for a Public Benefactor, he will lay out his Time, his Strength, and his Estate, if occasion be, to the Public Benefit; he will be always ready to every good work, whetherof Piety,Charity,or true Generosity,whereby God may be honour'd, and the Society to which he is related may receive advantage. He will rejoice in an opportunity of being useful to his Country or City, as much as the covetous man can do in increasing his private Estate. In fine, he will think himself abundantly recompens'd for all his pains and trouble and charge, in the Execution of his Offices having serv'd his Generation faithfully in his place, and kept a good Conscience in the discharge of his Duty, he may leave a good Name behind him, and die with the expectation of a future Reward.
And certainly where any number of such Men as these bear rule, their City may well be call'd the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.
All that now remains is in the third and last place, to apply what has been said to our own Use, with respect to the occasion of our present assembling, and this I shall do in a few words.
I have with all sincerity and plainness laid before you in short the Character of good Magistrates, and such as God in our Text promis'd, as a Blessing to the City of Jerusalem, probably meaning thereby, as I before observ'd, that there should be such Magistrates in the time of the Gospel. I am sure the Precepts of the Gospel would make all Christian Magistrates such, if duly attended to; nay we have the concurrence of Reason as well as Revelation in this case. For, as you have heard, it was the advice of Jethro, a Prince and Priest of Midian, not an Israelite, that such should then be chosen; which advice as he gave by the light of Natural Reason, so it was approv'd and confirm'd by God, and lest upon Record by Moses in Holy Writ, as a standing Character of a good Magistrate, and consequently it always was and will be so to the end of the World. All therefore that we have to infer is in these two Particulars.
First, That those who have the right of Electing Magistrates, or Investing them with their Authority, should as near as may be choose Persons to whom this Character agrees. So Moses and the People of Israel did, the latter by electing and presenting such Men, and the former by accepting them, and conferring Authority upon them; and these Magistrates are by our Text made Precedents for future Times.
I hope I need not urge this with many words. It is the happiness of this City to be always furnish'd with a considerable number of Men, to whom all the parts of this Character may be justly ascribed; and 'tis to be charitably presum'd, that since it is your Custom, upon such Occasions as these, first to come to the House of God, and make your Acknowledgments of him, you also come with Minds dispos'd to follow the Directions of his Word.
Nor would I have what I have said applied merely to the Business of this Day; but more especially to those Elections, by which you fill up the Vacancies of the Magistracy in this City. Your particular Business on this Day is only to take One out of that Honorable Court, to every Member of which you have already given a reasonable expectation of the Chief Magistracy, by your first Electing them into that Body. And I believe you will allow me to say without offence, That nothing but a very great, and weighty, and plain Reason should at any time move you to break through that Order, which is most regular and natural in such Cases. And I cannot forbear wishing, that for Order and Peace sake, and the restoring of Love and Union among the Inhabitants of this City, we might in this respect, as well as in others, have Judges again as at the first, and Counselors as at the beginning; I mean Men chosen for their Abilities and their Virtues, without any regard to those Parties which have been form'd, and those Names of Distinction which have been invented of late years.
Suffer me therefore, I beseech you, seriously to admonish you, that you would lay aside all Prejudice and Passion, all Animosities and unreasonable Jealousies; that you would exercise your Charity, by forgetting all former Provocations and Resentments; and that you would shew your Wisdom, both by rectifying whatever has been amiss on any side for the time past, and by resolving to join henceforward unanimously in promoting the Common Good.
I make no doubt to affirm, what is certainly true, both in Reason and by Experience, That in Times of Division and Contention in any Society, they are usually the best Men, who are least engaged in any Party; and as the Zealots of all Parties are seldom good Friends to the whole Body, so they very often fail that very Party which most of all confides in them: whereas an able and an honest Man, one who fears God, is a Man of Truth, and, a hater of Covetousness, can never be really injurious to any side, and will always prove a true and a sure Friend to the whole.
In a word; In this and all other your Elections, you may safely trust a Man of Virtue, a Lover of God and his Country, and a hearty Friend to the Establishment of this Kingdom both in Church and State, whatever other Denomination may be given him by the contending Parties.
Secondly, That which I would close with is, an earnest Exhortation to all those who are or shall be honour'd with any Public Trust, to approve themselves such as I have described, that so they may be a Public Blessing to their Country.
It is undoubtedly the Duty of every private Man, to fear God, to be a Man of Truth, and to hate Covetousness: but when you are called from a private to a public Station, your Obligation is still greater. You are set in open view; and as your demeanor will be more observ'd, so it will have its influence much farther, than before. Your Reputation is highly concern'd in the matter; but what is more considerable, your Interest, I mean your Spiritual and Eternal interest is concern'd likewise. What might pass for a Virtue in a private Man, may not always be worthy of that name in a Magistrate and what was a Fault in the former, may be a Crime in the latter. Your Country, and those who have thought you worthy of advancement among them, have a right in you, and a just and reasonable expectation From you; and Almighty God, who expects an account of all the Talents which he hath given to Men, will reckon with you very strictly for the use of your Authority and Power. He expects, that those who represent him, should do it becomingly, and he will either reward them more liberally, or punish them more severely in proportion to their behaviour, at the great Day of Account.
You who are Magistrates Of this City have an opportunity put into your hands of bringing great Glory to Almighty God, by doing much good to the Whole Nation, which is apt to take Example, and to receive Influence from hence. You 'may at the same time establish to yourselves a just and lasting fame in this World, and lay Up a very glorious Reward in the World to come.
To conclude all; You may according to the declaration of the Text, to be both a Blessing and a Glory to the City to which you are patrons, rendering it truly honourable by your good management. For if you are Judges as at the first, and Counselors as at the beginning, after that your City also shall be call'd the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.
FINIS
