The Great Blessing of Primitive Counsellors

p. 9PRIMITIVE COUNSELLOURS, A Great BLESSING.

I will Restore thy Counsellours as at the Beginning.

WHEN Austin sent to Ambrose, craving his Advice what part of the Scripture he should especially Read, He Commended the Prophet Isaiah to him. He continued Prophesying a very long time; to be sure above Sixty (some think above Fourscore) years.

In his Publick Ministry, he never spared any unto whom he was sent to Deliver Messages in the Name of the Lord. His Style is not only Heroick and Majestical, becoming a Magnanimous Spirit, but very Evangelical. Whence some of the Ancients have called him the Fifth Evangelist, and the Apostle of the Old Testament. His Divine sayings (some or other of them) are Quoted no less than Sixty Times in the New-Testament. The usual Method observed by him in his Sermons, is with Awful Severity to threaten Judgments on the Impenitent, and to Predict and Promise mercy to the truly Penitent. And so He does in this Text and Context.

In the preceding Verse the Lord by the Prophet declares that the Judgments inflicted on his People should be Sanctified to their Reformation. He would Turn his Hand upon them, not in Wrath but in Mercy, so as purely to Purge away their Dross. This Verse is a farther Confirmation of p. 10that Prediction, wherein there are Two Great Blessings promised to Jerusalem.

1. That Judges, i.e. Chief Magistrates should be Restored to them as at the first.

This was necessary in Order to their being a Reformed People. For it was by means of the profaness of their Princes, that the City and Nation was Corrupted. Nor could a National Reformation be expected until such time as the great ones therein should have their hearts sett for Religion, and Righteousness.

2. The Lord does here promise His People that they shall have Counsellours as at the beginning. For altho' the Chief Magistrate should be for Reformation and Holiness, if his Counsellours be not so too, little good can be expected, therefore both are promised as a Singular Favour of God unto Jerusalem. The Doctrine before us to be insisted on, as suitable to the present Occasion. Is, p. 10That Primitive Counsellours are a singular Mercy and Blessing of God to His People.

The Doctrine may be Confirmed in Three Propositions.

Proposition. I. Good Counsellours are the Gift of God. The Lord saith here I will Restore thy Judges and thy Counsellours. It is not in the Power of all the men in the World to make a good Counsellour, except God first make him to be such an one. There are but few men in the World comparatively who are fit to give Counsel, especially in the difficult affairs of State. And they that are, it is God that has furnished them with gifts and Qualifications for such a station. Who maketh thee to differ (saith the Apostle) and what hast thou that thou didst not Receive. 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who is it that makes one man to be greater or better then another? To be Richer or Wiser then another. It is the Lord that makes it to be so. When John Baptists Disciples were troubled that another, (tho' infinitely his Superiour) was preferred before him, He said to them A man can Receive nothing except it be given him from Heaven. Joh. 3. 27. If a man has Reputation above another, he has Received it from Heaven, and if he has great accomplishments in more respect then one, he is beholden to Heaven for them all. It is said of Solomon, That God gave him Wisdome and Understanding exceeding Much, and Largeness of Heart even as the Sand that is on the Sea shore, because of the infinite number of Wise Conceptions that his Large soul was able to Comprehend. 1 King 4. 29. Royal Endowments were conferred on him, and it was God that did make him sit to be a King▪ so if any man has the undeerstanding which is requisite in a Counsellour, it is God that p. 11has given him that Understanding. And it is His Proivdence that does order who shall be such. There are some in the World who are well accomplished to be in such a Capacity that are not made use of. There are that have this Preeminence belonging to them as their Birth-Right. Noble Men are Consiliarij Nati. Others are Chosen and Constituted by the Supream Power. In some Places the People have a Concurrence in the Election of Counsellours. This notwithstanding, the God of Heaven determines and over-rules all. Whoever may have an hand in the Choice, their Spirits and all their Actions are disposed of by an Invisible Power. The Lot is cast into the Lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Pro. 16. 33.

p. 11Moreover when any persons are qualified for, and chosen unto a Service of this Nature, it is God that does incline their hearts, to accept of that Trouble. Indeed the Generality of men (and especially such as are unfit) need no great perswasion to comply with such Offers. But there are some who are as averse to Publick Employments as was Moses; when he said Send I pray thee by the Hand of whom thou wilt send, only let me be excused. I have had the happiness to be acquainted with a Great and Noble Personage, who was desired by Two Kings Successively to be of Their Council, but declined it. The affairs of a People may be so Perplexed, as that a wise Man may be afraid to meddle, or to be any way interested in their Publick concerns. This we see in what the Prophet Speaks, Isai. 3. 6, 7. Be thou our Ruler, and Let this Ruine be under thy Hand,—I will not be an Healer, Make me not a Ruler of the People. I see (saith He) you are a Ruined People, and I have no mind that your Ruin should be under my Hand, therefore I will not accept of your offer. Counsellours (such as are so by their place and office) do Assist in Government. Now the Work of Government is no easy Labour. That Celebrated saying of Melancthons has a great deal of Truth in it, that there are there hard Labours Parturientis the Labour of Child birth, Docentis, the Labour of one that is a Teacher, Regentis, the Labour of one that is a Ruler. They that never did, & were never fit to make trial of it, may think it easy, but others do not find it so. One of the Kings of England had in all the Windows of his House a Crown in a Bush of Thorns, to signify what Cares do attend Government. If then Wise men shall be willing to deny themselves as to their own repose, and to encounter with many difficulties in serving the Publick Interest, it is God that has made them so.