put out and the Spark of his Fire shall not shine The Light shall be dark in his Tabernacle and his Candle shall be put out with him Job 18.5 6. i. e. his Honour and Glory shall be put out his Prosperity shall fade away and die 2. A good King is a good sign that God will not destroy the Kingdom 2 Kings 8.19 Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for David his Servant's sake as he promised him to give him always a Light and to his Children therefore God would not destroy Judah because he had promised David to give him a Light that is a Successor in his Throne to give Light to his People therefore the giving of that Light was a Preservation to Judah from Destruction When God was provoked by Solomon who threatned him for his Idolatry and Breach of Covenant to rend the Kingdom from him and give it unto his Servant he was pleased to add Howbeit I will not do it in thy Days for David thy Father's sake but I will rend it out of the Hand of thy Son He would not for David's sake to whom God promised a Lampalways 1 Kings 15.4 Nevertheless for David 's sake did the Lord his God give him a Lamp in Jerusalem to set up his Son and to establish Jerusalem 3. A good King is Light to a Kingdom as he is a cause of Joy and Gladness to a Kingdom A bad King may cause carnal and profane Joy to the Wicked but then he is the Cause and Grief and Trouble to them that fear God We are not to call that Light which makes the Wicked to rejoice in their Wickedness and to glory in their Shame but then we have a Light when the Righteous rejoice Whon the Righteous are in Authority the People rejoice but when the Wicked beareth Rule the People mourn Prov. 29.2 Light is borrowed to express Joy and Gladness Light is sown for the Righteous and Gladness for the upright in Heart Psal 97.11 Then had the Jews Light and Gladness and Joy and Honour Esther 8.16 What a Constellation of Blessings what Clusters of Mercies and all in the Flower arise and spring up in a Land when such a Light is set up in the Firmament of a Kingdom in the Orb of Soveraignty 4. A good King is the Light and Glory of a Kingdom the Light of a People when he doth restore set up resorm and maintain Religion in his Kingdom such a King was David such a Blessing was he to Israel When the Ark of God was taken the miserable sorrowful Wife of Phineas called her Child's Name Ichabod because the Glory was departed from Israel and she said The Glory is departed from Israel for the Ark of God is taken 1 Sam. 4.21 22. Surely Salvation is nigh them that fear him that Glory may dwell in our Land Psal 85.9 Christ is called A Light to the Gentiles and the Glory of his People Israel Luke 2.32 Therefore then it is that Glory dwells in the Land when the Glory of Christ shines in his Worship Ordinances and People The Glory and Liberty of the Gospel in its Ministry Ordinances and Profession of its Truth and Beauty of Holiness doth exalt a Nation advanceth it in great Honour and then Glory doth not come as a Traveller to see a Country or a wayfaring Man that tarrieth for a Night but dwelleth in a Land when Religion pure and undesiled is entertained with Reverence and Honour in the King's Court in the Houses of Nobles and hath a free Passage throughout a Nation and is delivered from unreasonable Men A religious King is then the Light of Israel when the Lights of the World are set up kept burning brought from under Bushels and set upon the Table when good Men may be as good as they will and the wicked may not be as vile and bad as they would be 5. A good King is a Light to a Kingdom when he reigns in Righteousness David's Prayer for Solomon was Psal 72.2 Give the King thy Judgments and thy Righteousness to the King's Son This was his Prayer for him who was a Lamp which God promised to raise up in his place and when a King doth reign in Righteousness then he imitates and represents the Sun of Righteousnes Christ Jesus the King the Scepter of whose Kingdom is a Scepter of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 2 Sam. 23.3 4. who ariseth with healing in his Wings The God of Israel said the Rock of Israel spake to me He that ruleth over Men must be just ruling in the fear of God Now mark what a just King a religious King that ruleth in the Fear of the Lord shall be And he shall be as the Light of the Morning when the Sun riseth even a Morning without Clouds as the tender Grass springeth out of the Earth by clear shining after Rain i. e. he shall be a great Blessing a great Comfort and Cause of rejoicing to the People of God A King that reigns in Righteousness may yet further be compared to the Light as he doth by himself by his righteous Laws declare and enact what is just and right that by the Light of his Laws People may see the Light of the Rule and the Path of Righteousness that by his wise learned and upright Judges not to serve the Designs Will and sinful Pleasure of the King with a Commission during Pleasure to take away the Lives of innocent Men to countenance false Witnesses perplex or threaten the True disannul Charters and the like Righteousness may run down like a mighty stream When these do distribute Justice between the King and his People and Subject and Subject when the Righteous will not be sold for a pair of Shoes when Righteousness is administred without Partiality then the King will find the Benefit and Comfort of his own Light for Righteousness and Judgment will be the Stability or Establishment of his Throne For by Righteousness the Throne is established Prov. 16.12 6. The King is a Light to Israel as David was for the Security and Protection received from him The Sun and Shield are well joined for the Comfort and Protection of God's People Psal 84.11 The Shields of the Earth belong unto the Lord Psal 47.7 Kings and Magistrates are those Shields and they are Nursing-Fathers and Nursing-Mothers they are like a Pillar of Fire for the Direction and Protection of Israel Hezekiah in the Type of Jesus Christ was foretold that he should be a King to reign in Righteousness and the Princes under him should rule in Judgment when it was so it followeth that he should be a hiding-place from the Wind and a Covert from the Tempest a hiding-place and Covert from the Wind and Tempest raised by the Devil and his Angels to trouble and unsettle the Nation 's Peace and Order and to keep off the Wind and Tempest Persecution and Tribulation which blow and beat upon the Church of God such a Light was David to Israel A Man
to Israel than the God of Israel goes before him and bears him up in his Hand 5. Trust God in all Dangers to preserve him and succour him in case of fainting God has succoured him by one of his Nobles in a former Battel against France Let us pray and trust that Help shall not be far from him when Dangers are nigh O let all that fear the Lord trust in the Lord Now let our Eyes be towards the Lord and trust him over all trust him I say again with our Light and Lamp And O that we could trust God not with a humane Trust as far as we see great Armies and early Successes but trust God with the Trust of humble penitent believing sincere praying Hearts The 2d Duty is Prayer and this is one part of the whole Armour of God without which who can expect to be saved Great and many were David's Extremities and therefore we find so many of his Prayers and Thanksgivings for their Success They who pray most and best are God's best Servants and the King 's truest Subjects O let us pray by Faith with Hope with Contrition Humiliation Sincerity Fervency Continuance and Perseverance by the Spirit in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ to the Lord of Hosts to God mighty in Battel When David spake of the peaceable and prosperous Reign of Solomon he saith Psal 72.15 and for him shall Prayer be made continually O all you that can pray pray heartily pray daily pray abundantly Prayer has been most prophanely derided in this Age But if we would have God do what we will let us believe and pray according to the Will of God Let not a day pass over you without effectual Prayers for God's Glory in the prosperity of the Gospel and redeeming Israel out of all his Troubles And that God would guide assist preserve and prosper our King and Queen and strengthen them by his Spirit in the inner Man take these following Considerations to satisfy and encourage your Hearts 1. The King must go to these Wars It is not Vanity to see the young Men play before him as Abner said to Joab 2 Sam. 2.14 Hest 4.14 no but necessity A necessity in respect of Duty and Obedience to God who hath prepared and called him to it He is obliged to assist in a Common Cause against a Common Destroyer of Countries and Cities And who knoweth but he is come to the Kingdom for such a Time for such a Service as this He doth not only add Strength by his Armies but puts Life into the Armies of other Princes as well as his own There is the same Necessity for our King to go forth to Battel as it was for David's going when he went it may be so that there may not be hereafter a like Necessity as there was not when the Men of David obliged him not to go for then he was much disabled and there were many others fit for the Service that were forward to go Men fit to be trusted Wendeline Doctrin Politicae lib. 2. c. 42. Ayala l. 2. c. 2. Sect. 19. Men that were true to the Happiness of Israel And as Cesar was wont to say Not go but Come along So many other great Captains have not only been present but performed the parts of Souldiers as well as Generals But the greatest Valour must do this with great Caution and remember he is a General and not a Commander posted to maintain his assigned Ground lest he become a Mark for an Ishbi-benob or give cause to an Enemy to say as he did who killed the most renowned King of Sweden That is the true Bird and so shot him dead Let us not forget to ask of God always to govern the King 's great Mind and guide him with his Eye 2. Here is sufficient Encouragement for us all not to be faint-hearted and dismayed but to pray with an awful humble Confidence and Expectation that God will favour this Righteous Cause For 1. this War is a lawful War and that gives us encouragement to seek God for the Success of it and our good King's Prosperity and Preservation The Lawfulness of this War will appear in all the Causes of a lawful War if you 1. Consider our Selves 2. Our Enemies 3. Our Allies 1. If you consider our Selves It is lawful because undertaken by Supream Authority by the King and Consent of the Parliament The King hath just cause to maintain his own just Title to the Crown and Government of these Kingdoms And it is the Peoples Duty to serve him in the Wars according to their utmost Ability as Judah did adhere to David 2 Sam. 2.4 whom they received and anointed him to be their King You know that I have not made State-Matters the Subject of my Preaching but now it is necessary to say something to inform you in what I believe is true and then engage and perswade you to your Duties The King's Title and Right to the Crown is scrupled by some who own him as King de facto in Possession these do seem rather to temporize than to obey upon a full Principle of Obedience and speak not fully to the Point and the Case of the King and Queen And others refuse to swear Allegiance to them though settled upon the Throne by a free Convention of Peers and People and their Title ratified by a Parliament and acknowledged by all Princes and States abroad except One who would have the Kingdom for himself if he could Which of all the Heads of the several Families and Lines of our English Kings could shew a better Title or near so good than our King and Queen antecedent to their Coronation But since it should be held undoubted and therefore this War is lawful if it were for nothing but to maintain his just Title against his Enemies The Reasons which Abner and the Men of Israel gave for their submission were good to prove David's Title and every one of them might be applied to prove our Soveraign's Title see 2 Sam. 3.12 17 18. Chap. 5.2 3. And though God hath not spoken by audible Words to them You shall feed my People Israel and thou shalt be Captain over Israel he hath spoken aloud by convincing Providences 2. It is lawful if you respect our Enemies The French have declared War against us attempted an Invasion Do not we know him too well to let him in If we resist him who shall be our King He that hath saved us and doth still endeavour it or he who when he had declined and refused to satisfy the just Petitions of his Subjects and contrary to Law and his Duty went about to change our Government and not daring to meet a Free Parliament ventured his Cause to the determination of God by the Sword and lost it in that Court of Judgment and deserted the Government and Kingdom and withdrew to an open Enemy's Country and hath made use of that Enemy's Power against us and
better to keep at home and receive Enemies from abroad and repel them or carry the War abroad into the Enemies Countries But certainly the Reasons and Circumstances of this War well known to our wise King perswade it is best where it is God hath provided for us a wise watchful couragious Queen in full Authority to govern and watch over us at home who is worthy to be trusted under God There are more Princes engaged in this War beside the King and other Dominions concerned and if God do but break that Devourer at home and deal with him as God rewarded Adonibezek it will keep him from ravaging abroad as he hath done Hunt him down he will be glad to hide in his own Den. Nothing is more to be fear'd than a Composition with him for being faithless he will no longer keep Conditions of Peace than he can gather Strength to break them 3. You say you would not have him venture his Person I say let us express all the loyal and truly-Christian Care we can and all the true Zeal we can for his Preservation but let us consider that it hath been the manner and use of the greatest Kings and the best of Commanders to go to the Wars and command in Battels Not to speak of the famous Conquerors of the World was there such a Man in the World as Abraham was Gen. 14.13 14 15 16. And this holy Abraham goes in the Head of his armed Men in Person and leaves not the charge of them to his Confederates How like a Souldier did he command and marshal his Men and he was not a Spectator but an Actor in the Fight What a Man was Joshua who had the Name and Spirit of a Saviour he went and did not take care to send to the Battels of the Mighty The same might be enlarged in David even to a declining Age and of other Kings 4. A King may be as safe in a Camp as in his Court read Psal 3.5 I laid me down and slept I awaked for the Lord sustained me Ver. 6. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of People that have set themselves against me round about Arise O Lord save me O my God c. Psal 27.3 4 5. But then remember these Men were strong in Faith and much in Prayer Not to exceed in length Let us who are sensible of the great Favour of God towards us in our King and Queen be upon our Duties which are two 1. Trust 2. Prayer 1. Trust God with all our Heart Look upon our Lamps as subject to Mortality to fainting to be quenched but let us look to the God of Israel above the sading Light of Israel Isa 45.22 Look unto me and be ye saved all the Ends of the Earth for I am God and none else Kings cannot save themselves but it is God who giveth Salvation to Kings Psal 144.10 Salvation belongeth to the Lord Psal 3.8 Psal 44.6 Psal 33.16 2 Chron. 14 11. And a King that trusteth in the Lord will not trust to his Bow c. to the greatest Numbers of Men nor Preparations for War He was a King and a Prophet that dehorteth us from trusting in Princes Psal 146.3 4 5. 2. Trust the Lord of Hosts with our King and Queen As we are to cast all our private Burdens upon the Lord and to commit our private Ways Affairs and Concernments to the Lord so let us cast the great Concernment of the Kingdom and all the People of God in the Kingdom The King trusteth in the Lord Psal 21.7 O let us trust also in the Lord and trust our Light to his gracious watchful and mighty Providence O that we could trust the mighty God of Jacob with his Church and People when as low and weak as Jacob when he is called Jacob Jacob is low and weak Now is the time for right trusting in God And the more Trust and Confidence we place in the King and Queen and the more we exceed in love to them the more cause have we to have a right Trust in God 1. Trust the King as far as a King is to be trusted with our Armies with our Purses with our national Interests abroad and at home and the more our disaffected Back-friends have contemned him let us honour and trust him the more But when we have trusted much to his Wisdom Integrity Valour Conduct and Experience let us not make an Idol of him let us not forget God nor forget that he it is that teacheth his Hands to war and his Fingers to fight 2. Trust God in this Cause and War as if we had no King to trust to for we must trust God alone Only the Lord be with thee as he was with Moses Jos 1.17 He only is my Rock and my Salvation he is my Defence I shall not be greatly moved My Soul wait thou only upon God for my Expectation is from him He only is my Rock and my Salvation I shall not be moved In God is my Salvation and my Glory the Rock of my Strength and my Refuge is in God Trust in him at all times ye People Surely Men of low degree are Vanity and Men of high degree are a Lye Psal 62.2 5 c. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in Princes Psal 118.9 All Nations compassed me about but in the Name of the Lord I will destroy them vers 10. 3. Trust not in Means with the least neglect of God yet use God's Means in trusting God Trust God in the use of Means above Means trust not God without Means when Means may be had of God's appointment Set your selves in array but then stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord 2 Chron. 20.17 David would not trust in his Bow but he would make use of his Bow Though the Means be but as Rams-horns and the tumbling of Barley-loaves yet do as God would have us Presumption is no Trust 4. Trust God with giving supplying renewing disposing and prospering Means but do not limit God to any one Way or Time or Person Mordecai was a Wonder he was confident that God would deliver the Jews he made use of Hester as a proper as a very proper Instrument to work upon the King but his Trust was not limited to her but if she fail'd Deliverance shall come from another place Hester 4.14 No King in England without dishonour to any was so like to carry on the Work of God and to do the Service of his Church as our present King is he hath done much already Was ever King so trusted by so many Princes Who was so engaged being so provoked by the Enemy so prepared with depth of Thoughts and Privacy with Industry beyond Strength or encouraged by Deliverances as He Yet still let us not limit the most High God and the more we trust God the more we love our King O long may this Lamp burn and shine but he can no longer give Light
secret Policy and sound Reason on both Sides David had still a tender Affection if not a secret Fondness for Absalom O how did his Affections open towards him He gave Charge to his three Generals in the hearing of all the People Deal gently for my sake with the young Man even with Absalom Every Word hath an Argument to oblige them to deal gently with Absalom O how bitterly did he take on for his Death O Absalom my Son my Son would God I had died for thee He loved him better than his Life but in being ruled by his Peoples plain Advice he shewed he loved Israel better than Absalom And the Reason which lay concealed was that he might take care to save Absalom alive He said he would go but gave no Reason for his Resolution it was sufficient for him to declare his Resolution I will surely go forth with you my self also as he was wont to do On the Peoples part there was great Reason and Policy not pleasing to the King for they had an Eye upon Absalom and to put an End to the Rebellion by putting an End to his Life if he fell into their Hands The apparent Reasons were built upon good Principles And if David did smell their secret Reasons against Absalom his self-denial for the Peoples Content was exceeding exemplary If any say that it was weakly done of David to grant so much to the People against his own Will take notice that this did not proceed from David's weakness and oversight it was not from Error in Government for David was under no eclipse of Understanding for he was able to dispose and order his Affairs he took a Muster of his Army and set Captains of Thousands C. 18.1 2. and Captains of Hundreds over them and David sent forth a third part of his Army under Joab and a third part of his Army under the hand of Abishai the Son of Zeruiah Joab 's Brother and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite As he could Marshal an Army so it seems he could hearken to Reason and according to Reason comply with the Desires of his People in the fullest terms of Respect to their Counsel What seemeth you best I will do The Will of both Parties was pleasing to God Tam enim David quà m populus istâ in re non sua quaerebat c. Vnde apparet non esse indecorum ut Reges aliquando bonestis subditorum Consiliis pareant In 1 Sam. 18. saith the Judicious Peter Martyr for it proceeded from Love the King and the People sought not their own private Things or factious Designs the Souldiers did not resist their King out of Impudence but Reverence and Love Happy is the Kingdom when King and People aim at the same Publick Good and jointly move upon Principles of mutual Affection and Safety And when both are sincerely One in their Designs and Aims and have a mutual Confidence in one another When Kings can do all themselves in War and Peace then let them be absolute but till then the Reasons of a People for the King's Honour and Safety and Peace of the Kingdom by putting an End to Wars and quietting Insurrections are not to be despised but approved of by the wisest and the greatest Kings and People should be so wise and dutiful as to offer nothing but what should carry Weight and Conviction that they do really wish well to their King and it becomes the Wisdom and Goodness of a King to be overcome by the Reasons of their People Publick Reason should prevail against private Affection in publick Persons As David was over-ruled without usurpation of the People upon his Soveraignty at that time so now though the People swore to him that he should not go forth to Battel for fear of being kill'd to the Nation 's loss so he did not reject them nor shew himself displeased with them He did not misunderstand them nor check and threaten them he did not send forth his Proclamation or Declaration against them or confine and imprison the Heads of them They spake their Love and he saw it though they swear he should not go out and endanger Himself and the State he did not make them an Example by Punishment or Revenge for medling with his Prerogative His Inclinations were towards the Wars and his Valour was not extinct though his Strength abated and yet he would not insist upon his own Soveraign Power nor take a high Action to restrain it to be an encroachment upon it Sincere Loyalty will make a People bold for their Prince's safety Wise Kings love to see the Love and Loyalty of their People and will rather unhend their own Inclinations than break with their honest well-meaning Subjects I will conclude with this one Observation He was a wise and holy King worthy the Imitation of the greatest who was for the Kingdom 's Good ruled against his own Inclination It was then when Salus publica the publick Safety was the supream Law It was when People thought the King to be themselves and when the King thought the People to be himself The People thought save the King and we save our selves and when he thought I will save my self to save the People It was when a People understood their own Good and sought it with one Consent and when the King consented to it when one Light was the Light of both I have gone over the Words and made too many Observations to be discoursed on I desire now further that you would more particularly observe two Points I. A good King is the Light of a Kingdom II. A People should be sensible of the great Blessing of a good King and should be much concerned and very zealous for his and their own Preservation I. A good King is the Light of a Kingdom 1. A Light that is the Glory and Cause of Prosperity to a Kingdom so is the Light of Heaven to the World Light is the Glory of the Creation and the first-born the Excellency and Dignity of the Creatures How do the benign Influences of the Light make the Earth to flourish How prosperous was Israel under the Light of David The Dread and Horror of the Night is driven away at the Appearance of the Light the Beasts of Prey run to their Dens the Terror and Devourers of the People of God are forced to hide their Heads Persecutors are afraid to devour or molest the little Flock the Works of Darkness and of the Night dare not with an impudent Faoe be published Chambring and Wantonness Rom. 13.13 1 Thess 5.4 6. Rioting and Drunkenness nor Strife and Envy The Light of a holy Magistrate gives no Countenance to shameful Practices The Majesty and Glory of God shines in the Light of a blessed King and as God is Light so he who is the Image of that Light shines for the Glory of God and God shines for the Glory of his People The Light of the Wicked shall be