But now I come to apply my self to great men, and noble men in particular. Let me speak unto you in Davids words, Psal. 29. 1, 2. Give unto the Lord O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength, give unto the Lord the glory due to his Name. And let me use Davids reason, Psa. 29. 5. The voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars, yea the Lord breaketh the Cedars of Lebanon. As the higher the Tree is, the more it is exposed to the thunder of Heaven. So the greater any man is, the sooner God will punish him if he be a Giant in iniquity. For he bindeth Kings in chains, 1and Nobles in links of Iron. He toucheth the Mountains and they smoke. 2If thou beest as a Mountain in greatness, and thy sins as Mountains in greatness, God will make thee smoke, &c. Great men must labour to be like the great God, who is as great in goodness, as in greatnesse. Deus optimus maximus, like unto Job, who was the greatest man in the East, and the best man in the East. O that I could engage great men this day in sense of Gods goodness, expressed in this wonderful Deliverance (for which weare come to bless God) to serve God with all the Ingredients for the time to come, better then ever they have done for the time past. Oh that you would enter into a solemn Covenant to swear no more, to commit adultery no more, to be irreverent, negligent, cold, hypocritical in Gods service no more, to mock and scoff at Gods servants no more. Greatness without goodness is like the greatness of a dropsy man, it is thy disease, not thy ornament. Riches without righteousness is like a golden ring in a Swines snout, like a Sword in a mad mans hand, like an Unicorns horn, which while it is upon the head of the Unicorn ⟨p. 42⟩is hurtful and deadly, but when it is taken off, it is very useful and medicinal. Honours and riches when in a wicked mans custody, they do much hurt, but when bestowed upon good men, they do much good. It is a most blessed conjunction, when Religion and Righteousness meet together. It is like a precious Diamond in a gold-ring. Indeed Religion is good wheresoever it is. As a pearl is good though it be in the dirt, it is a pearl, but it is obscured by the dirt in which it is. When goodness is seated in a poor man, it is like a jewel in a leaden ring, like a candle under a bushel.
But now I come to apply my self to great men, and noble men in particular. Let me speak unto you in Davids words, Psal. 29. 1, 2. Give unto the Lord O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength, give unto the Lord the glory due to his Name. And let me use Davids reason, Psa. 29. 5. The voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars, yea the Lord breaketh the Codars of Lebanon. As the higher the Tree is, the more it is exposed to the thunder of Heaven. So the greater any man is, the sooner God will punish him if he be a Giant in iniquity. For he bindeth Kings in chaines, 1and Nobles in linkes of Iron. He toucheth the Mountaines and they smoake. 2If thou beest as a Mountaine in greatnesse, and thy sinnes as Mountaines in greatnesse, God will make thee smoake, &c. Great men must labour to be like the great God, who is as great in goodnesse, as in greatnesse. Deus optimus maximus, like unto Iob, who was the greatest man in the East, and the best man in the East. O that I could engage great men this day in sense of Gods goodnesse, expressed in this wonderfull Deliverance (for which weare come to blesse God) to serve God with all the Ingredients for the time to come, better then ever they have done for the time past. Oh that you would enter into a solemne Covenant to sweare no more, to commit adultery no more, to be irreverent, negligent, cold, hypocriticall in Gods service no more, to mock and scoffe at Gods servants no more. Greatnes without goodnesse is like the greatnesse of a dropsie man, it is thy disease, not thy ornament. Riches without righteousnesse is like a golden ring in a Swines snout, like a Sword in a mad mans hand, like an Vnicorns horne, which while it is upon the head of the Unicorne ⟨p. 42⟩is hurtfull and deadly, but when it is taken off, it is very usefull and medicinall. Honours and riches when in a wicked mans custody, they do much hurt, but when bestowed upon good men, they doe much good. It is a most blessed conjunction, when Religion and Righteousnesse meet together. It is like a precious Diamond in a gold-ring. Indeed Religion is good wheresoever it is. As a pearle is good though it be in the dirt, it is a pearle, but it is obscured by the dirt in which it is. When goodnesse is seated in a poore man, it is like a jewell in a leaden ring, like a candle under a bushell.
- 1Ps. 149 8.
- 2Ps. 104. 32
