our gouernours that for certaine causes best knowne vnto themselues which it is not meete for vs to inquire into it was not lawfull for any of the common sort to haue discourses of the heire apparant and so few of them thought of him that we haue now or of any other But this is most of all to be wondred at And for his peaceable entrance that he came to the kingdome so peaceably and with so great approbation of all sorts of men and trauelled through the length of the whole land almost euen at the first for meaner men haue not come to their inheritances and taken vp the possession of them so quietly For truly by the grace of God to his praise bee it spoken there is no more alteration in the land in any estate or in priuate mens condition for the most part than if the Queene were still aliue And this benefit is the greater because we feared the contrarie and none could haue looked for after her death such times as we haue now And if there be any change at all And that in this short time since his comming things are bettered it is from worse to better so that since his comming many things are better in the Church commonwealth For by the gracious proclamations of his Maiestie many abuses of Playes and Interludes with Bearebaitings and Bulbaitings vpon the Sabbath day are put downe with Monopolies and ingrossings of wares into the hands of a few men many worthy men are aduanced to greater honour and worship the Papists in lesse hope of any toleration for their Popish idolatrie than before And vnto all these benefits this is none of the least And all things very cheape that God hath added this plentie of all things euen at this time whereby victuals and other things are resonable cheape least by scarcitie there might be occasion of dislike Therefore in respect of them all let vs be thankfull vnto God and yet againe let vs consider that all these come not without some punishment as this plague which is so scattered in many parts of this land especially the chief cities wherein wee must also acknowledge the great mercie of God But we are fallen into Gods hand by reason of the plague that wee haue escaped that which wee had deserued and had most cause to feare euen to fall into the hands of our enemies that they might make a pray of vs and of al that wee haue which Dauid accounted a great mercie and chose it when both of them were offered vnto him saying Let vs fall now into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great and let me not fall into the hands of men 2. Sam. 24 14. therfore let vs be thankfull vnto God for this mercie also and so ioyning thanksgiuing vnto prayer for these causes that wee haue heard let vs pray vnto God for the preseruation and honour of our Lord and King Iames whom the Lord at this time with so many great benefits hath sent vnto vs and let vs take these words of the Psalme into our mouthes from which I haue a little vpon this occasion that you haue heard of digressed and say The Lord heare thee in the day of trouble c. The Lord heare thee These are the words of the prayer of the people for Dauid their King but as Ioab taught the woman of Tekoah what she should say to the King Chap. 14.19 and did put those words into her mouth which she spake before him so Dauid made this prayer for them and taught them what they should say vnto God in his owne behalfe and did as it were put these words into their mouthes when they should come before him And so hee not onely as a King taught his subiects what dutie they did owe vnto him but as a Prophet also speaking by the inspiration of the spirit of God 2. Pet. 1.21 as other holy men that wrote the Scriptures informeth the Church of God what duties they owe to him and to their superiours Dauid teacheth the people their dutie to himselfe So that he doth not in teaching them this duty of prayer for him ambitiously seeke himselfe and stand vpon his own prerogatiue to say Oh I am your King you ought to pray for me and to doe so and so but he knew it to bee his owne dutie to informe them that were committed vnto his charge in all duties to God and men euen to himselfe and therefore doth thus discharge it knowing also that in his owne safetie did consist their welfare and therefore in praying for him which hee taught them to doe they should benefit themselues So may and ought all superiours do to their inferiours So that by his example it is lawfull for all publike persons in the Church and commonwealth to teach those that are vnder them what duties they should doe to them and to require them at their hands without all suspition of ambition vainglorie or any waies seeking themselues Yea they ought to doe it and no man to finde fault with them for it not only because all superiours must teach their inferiours but also and especially because the inferiours in doing such duties vnto them shall greatly profit themselues Thus may and ought all the Ministers of Gods word in wisedome teach the people and flocke that is committed vnto them As the Minister to their people and flocke what duties they owe not onely to God and other men but euen to themselues and in so doing not to be thought of any ambitious proud c or their doctrine any waies disliked or suspected and to shew vnto them whether for reuerence of their persons to haue thē in singular estimation for their workes sake or for obedience of their doctrine 1. Thess 5.13 Heb. 13.17 to obey it that they may goe on with cheerefulnes or for maintenance or recompence of their labours in worldly things 1. Tim. 5.17 to giue them double honour or in any thing els what they should do vnto them Not only because they be faithfull in Gods house as Moses was Heb. 3.2 and so deliuer vnto them the whole counsell of God Act. 20.27 as Paul did and so teach them all-things and therefore of necessitie there must bee a time for them but also because the people in doing these duties to them they benefit themselues For in preseruing the authoritie of the ministery of the word inuiolable in their consciences and in the consciences of others consisteth the peoples welfare So that as this people was not to except against this prayer when it came to them from Dauid for it came not by the way of intreatie as an indifferent thing but by a princely iniunction or propheticall instruction and so as a necessarie dutie of theirs and therefore they were to thinke that they were bound vnto it and that hee did necessarily require it at their hands and not to make
exception against it and to say Behold how hee seeketh himselfe hee hath giuen vs a forme of prayer but it is all or most for himselfe So when the Ministers of Gods word shall shew what duties the people owe to them as they are Gods Ministers they must not scornfully reiect it saying he hath taught vs indeede a good lesson to day but the greatest part of it did concerne himselfe see how wel he can plead for himselfe For doe we not see how the Apostle Paul who was so humble and lowly that hee did figuratiuely applie the faults of others to himselfe and to Apollos 1. Cor. 4.6 that the Corinthians might learne by them not to swell one against another for any cause teacheth the Churches and people of God to pray for him Eph. 6.19 and to reuerence his person as the Minister of Christ and the disposer of the secrets of God also to bestow their worldly goods vpon him for his maintenance 1. Cor. 6.1 yea the maintenance of his wife and children and whole familie if hee had any and doth hee not iustly finde fault with them when they had failed in these things Phil. 4.10 Therefore though many that I say not my selfe doe often wittingly and of purpose passe by such doctrine arising necessarily from the words of their text or doe teach it seldome and very sparingly least any should stumble at this without a cause yet when any such thing is deliuered wee see how it must be receiued and practised The like is to be said of all gouernours in a family And gouernours of families to those that are committed to thē the parents father and mother or the master and mistris or dame may and ought without any imputation from any teach their sonnes and daughters their maide seruants and man seruants what is their dutie not onely and principally to God but to others euen to themselues and these inferiors must paciently heare them and not be offended at it but willing to learne and doe them For besides that they should thus thinke of themselues that they are in place to teach them and so they must receiue instruction at their mouthes the gouernours also do know that in the performance of such duties to them consisteth their good and for the neglect of such God will punish them When as then they shall heare them say you ought to behaue your selues thus and thus to me you ought so to speake euen reuerently your behauiour to mee and your obedience ought to bee so and so they must not proudly and disdainfully cast it behinde their backes but willingly imbrace it and conscionably practise it Yea one man in godlinesse wisdome and christian modesty And one neighbour may thus teach another may tell others what duties they owe to them in respect of their callings yeeres and such like and say you ought to behaue your selfe towards mee thus and thus do you not knowe that I am your elder your better your neighbour your kinseman c without any suspition of foolish ambition For as if wee had an euill debter wee might without suspition of couetousnesse tell him that hee is in our debt and that hee oweth vs so much and require him to pay it so other duties that any owe to vs we may without surmise of selfe-loue require at their hands Therefore in what calling soeuer we be though indeede we should alwaies and in all things be more forwards to doe duties then to require them of others yet we should not impose vpon our selues such a maydenlinesse or Stoical modestie that we should neuer challenge our right of men and shew what duties they owe vnto vs especially seeing wee should teach and admonish one another whilest we haue time and whilest it is called to day and we also doe know Heb. 3.13 that for them to performe such duties vnto vs shall make for their good How hardly men will admit this kind of teaching And this that we haue spoken is the rather to be marked of vs because we shall find naturally that we do more easily admit that kind of teaching wherein we are shewed our dutie to others rather than to those that doe teach vs. As if the Minister of the Gospell should publikely or any other priuatly tell vs what we should doe to God or to our King or to our gouernors or to our parents or to our neighbours we may happely with quietnes heare it yet it were to be wished that all would do so but if he come to shew what God requireth to be done to himselfe and to his ministery then they are ready to take exception against it and they thinke that they may lawfully gainesay it at least wise pause vpon it and say see what a faire taile he hath told for himselfe and so though it be a dutie and God requires it of them and they heare it and the conscience doth sufficiently conuict them of it yet forsooth because it concerneth them that speake they little regard it and though in some cases they will giue a man leaue to speake for his owne profit yet not for duties to be performed vnto them though it be for the profit of others Therefore seeing that wee shall finde this corruption so strong in vs and so deepely as it were to be rooted in the bones that it will not out of the flesh euen that our stomackes will sooner rise against a man when he speaketh to vs of himselfe and of our duty to him then of another and wee can more hardly brooke and digest such kinde of teaching we had need to be put in minde of it and to be made acquainted with it so much the more And thus we conclude by the example of Dauid in giuing this forme of prayer in his behalfe The conclusion and of the people in vsing it for him and so doe willingly performe this dutie of prayer for their King though he taught it them that it is lawfull for the Ministers of God to teach publikely in their Sermons such duties as belong to themselues yea and for all sorts of men priuatly to admonish their neighbours and brethren of the like without any iust suspition of ill meaning and that all inferiours must with meekenes and reuerence receiue such instructions willingly at their mouthes and be swift to heare them and slowe to replie or speake against them and be carefull to follow them in the feare of God and not to thinke much of it that they should come thus neere them as to presse vpon them such duties as they owe not any to other but to themselues seeing God hath ordained one of vs to helpe another as the members of the body doe and the superiours therein seeke their good and not themselues so much and the inferiors also shall finde by experience that it is profitable for themselues to doe such things as are required at their hands THE FIFTH SERMON vpon the first verse
but reposeth his whole confidence in Gods defence therefore hee prayeth to him before he beginneth any thing and determineth further in the whole course of his proceeding stil to pray vnto God for direction and aide And not onely to doe it a little at the first as may appeare out of the verse Dauid did desire the people to pray for him 1.3.4 but because it concerned not himselfe alone but all the people and finding his owne insufficiencie in prayer and beleeuing the promises of God made vnto the prayer of other especially of the Church he desireth them to pray for him and namely to pray that God would heare his prayers which what they were or should be in particular they knew not but generally they might presume that they were good and such as did concerne that action and so whatsoeuer they were he would haue them pray to God that he would heare them as appeareth vers 4. The people doe according to this direction and commaundement of his The Prophet did vse this forme of prayer for him for they vsed this forme of prayer which hee had prescribed and so did pray earnestly for him that God would both heare his prayer and defend his person and to that end send him helpe from heauen and declare by the euent that hee had heard his and their prayers in giuing them victorie ouer their enemies and God heareth them all and saueth the king confoundeth their enemies causeth them to returne home with victorie and great triumph as appeareth by the next Psalme wherein he and they together giue thanks vnto God for the victorie attributing it onely to God and not to their owne strength or any power of man as in this Psalme they had professed that they did not trust in chariots and horses and such warlike defence as men vse to doe and namely their enemies did but only in the protection and defence of God which by calling vpon his name they sought for And so this is the generall argument and summe of this Psalme both in respect of Dauid who made this prayer and of the people who did vse it for him By the inscription then it appeareth that Dauid making this prayer for the people to vse in his behalfe was desirous that they should pray for him and did as it were seek it at their hands If he in so good a cause did not rest in the confidence of his own prayers but desired others to pray for him and if he did it then when he had so many means to accomplish his desire because he knew God to be aboue them and so as without him they could doe nothing and hee was able to hinder and to frustrate all and if hee that was so well able to pray for himselfe and others yet did desire the prayer of others of those that were inferiour vnto him Kings ought to take order that the people should publikly pray for them Then no King Prince or Potentate is exempted from this to stand in neede of the prayer of others and therefore they ought to take order in their seuerall realmes and dominions that the people may vsually pray for them in their publike places and assemblies and more seriouslie and particularly to doe it as there shall bee any speciall occasion as here was in the time of Dauid Therefore this order that is among vs established by lawe that in all Churches the Minister and people are willed to pray continually for the Kings most excellent Maiestie both in common prayer and in preaching and that as warre or other thing shall fall out so some speciall formes of prayer are set out by publike authoritie to bee vsed in such cases is according to Gods word and to the example of godly Princes I speake not now of our duties to pray for them but of theirs that they should thinke that they neede it and so require it of the people Al men ought to desire others to pray for them according to their seuerall neede And if Kings are bound thus to doe then Noblemen and other inferiour persons much more who haue not so many meanes to accomplish their owne desires or it may be are not so well able to pray for themselues at leastwise as Dauid was And so generally all men for this as well as the rest of the Scripture is written for our learning are bound as at all other times to desire others to pray for them so also as they shall haue any speciall cause to desire them to doe it a great deale more and not only to pray themselues for themselues continually because prayer in all things is our speciall refuge and succour but to desire others to pray God that he would from time to time heare their prayers And as Dauid doth it here in this speciall neede of his as being in danger and feare of his enemies so if we be in sicknes and feare of death we should in the feeling of our own weaknes and in the faith of the prayers of others desire thē to pray for vs and not only to pray our selues And this is the aduice and commandement of the Apostle Is any among you afflicted Jam. 5.13.14 let him pray is any sicke among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him Now seeing sicknes is but one kind of crosse and the Lord hath many waies else to afflict vs in any of them we ought to do the like yea and not only when affliction is vpon vs that it might be remoued and taken away but when wee haue iust cause to feare it that it might be preuented and so we escape it And not onely in outward affliction but all inward much more by how much they are more dangerous and grieuous as if wee shall be distressed in minde being tempted by Sathan either vnto sinne or for sinne for if they be auailable in other cases then in these And so to conclude this one point in a word in euery matter that is of any importance either for our selues or for any of ours wee ought so to commend the same and the whole successe of them vnto God in prayer who must onely bring them to passe as that we rest not therein but desire also the prayers of others to helpe vs in the same This ordinance of his By this God would haue vs vnited in loue one to another the Lord in much wisedome and mercie hath left to vnite vs in brotherly loue one to another that when we shall see by experience how much we are or may be beholding one to another in that by their prayers wee haue been holpen in so great distresses wee might from the bottome of our harts vnfainedly loue one another Thus the greatest Monarch may be beholding to all his subiects as Dauid was here to his people and the rich this way may thinke that they faire the better for the poore and the Minister for the meanest
rebellions attempted at home Therefore wee haue great cause to pray for the life of our King and the rather for that wee see how his life hath been desperatly sought by diuers as appeareth by the confession of some who are in prison at the least for suspition of treason Now if they begin thus malitiously and impudently so soone what will they not dare to doe hereafter if God and good lawes doe not suppresse them And truly by this experience that we haue that euill things thus determined in secret are wonderfully disclosed and brought to light before hand and the malefactors apprehended and taken we may see the fruit of our former prayers for his Maiestie and that should incourage vs with good hope to pray for him still Nay we haue longer experience of the fruite of our prayers for our Princes in the time of good Queen Elizabeth whose life was so often sought and so desperatly that she might truly say with the Psalmist They haue often times afflicted mee from my youth Psal 129.2 but they could not preuaile against me for she went to her graue with peace full of daies threescore and nine which is a great age for a Prince when she had happily and peaceably raigned fiue and fortie yeeres Let vs labour then as much as in vs lieth to draw out by our prayers the life of our most gracious Soueraigne as an euen thred to the full for as the Lord God hath ordained the thing so also the meanes which we for our part must not neglect And let vs pray not onely for his royall person but also for his gouernment that vnder him wee may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in al godlinesse and honestie 1. Tim. 2.2 as the Apostle speaketh vnto Timothy and namely that at the next Parliament good lawes may be made for the reformation of all things that are amisse in the Church common-wealth This sermon fell out vpon that day which caused this digression And seeing that we are commanded to keepe the memory of this day with publike thanksgiuing for a famous and memorable deliuerance bestowed vpon his Maiestie in his Realme of Scotland from the treasonable conspiracie of the Earle of Gowry and his complices of whom in that respect we may say as it is in the Psalme If the Lord had not been on his side Psal 124.2 3 4 c. when men rose vp against him they had then swallowed him vp quick when their wrath was kindled against him then the water had drowned him and the streames had gone ouer his soule But praised be the Lord which hath not giuen him as a pray vnto their teeth his soule is escaped out of the snare of the fowlers the snare is broken and he is deliuered it falleth out not vnfitly with the argument that out of this text we haue in hand For as Dauid in this Psalme teacheth the people to pray for him and in the next to giue thankes so it is our bound dutie not onely to pray to God for him but to giue thankes for him as the Apostle also speaking of the duties of the people to their kings which he exhorteth Timothy to teach and to practise ioyneth these two together saying I exhort that supplications prayers intercessions 1. Tim. 2.1 and giuing of thankes be made for Kings and for all that are in authoritie And there is great reason that wee should thus doe What cause we haue to giue thankes to God for our King for if wee ought to bee thankfull vnto God for other common benefits as peace libertie the Gospell and such like then also for him by whom wee hold them Therefore among other benefits let vs continually remember this and see how wee faile therein and in our thanksgiuing remember other priuate benefits and not this great one or not so much as we should And though we must needes confesse that we haue great cause to be sorie for the death of our late Queene Elizabeth by whose wise gouernment we inioyed so many great benefits that we might much more truly say of her than Dauid did of Saul in his lamentation 2. Sam. 1.24 that she cloathed vs in skarlet with pleasures and hanged ornaments of gold vpon our apparel yet we must see and confesse to the praise of God as the truth is that we haue great cause to reioice that the Lord hath prouided one to succeed in her roome when her time was expired that it might not bee said of vs as it was of the Iewes in the daies of the Iudges Iudg. 18.1 that there was then no King in Israel and so we should haue bin as sheepe without a shepheard scattered here and there as it is said of the Israelites when King Ahab was slaine in the battell These haue no master let them returne euery man to his house in peace 2. Chron. 18.16 Then haue we much more cause to be thankfull that God hath raised vp him for vs In respect that he is right heire to the Crowne euen the right heire to the Crowne both by father and mother they two being the lawfull grand-children of the Ladie Margarite sometimes Queene of Scots by mariage and eldest daughter to King Henry the seuenth where if the Nobilitie had set vp some other of the bloud royall further off there must needes haue been great ciuill warres to the spilling of many thousand English mens blood and some of them should haue died in an ill cause ignorantly or against their wils as when the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster were a long time diuided in this land And then also some forrainer might easily by their owne power and by the helpe of the Papists and other mutinous and malecontented persons haue soon set footing into this Isle which would not so easily haue been driuen out againe And besides all this wee haue great cause to bee thankfull And so rarely qualited for the kingdome that he being the right heire is so wonderfully qualited for the kingdome that as the Queene lately deceased was a rare woman fit for the Crowne by election if not by inheritance so he a very rare man for all parts of soule and bodie and that the Lord did so fit him for this place and then sent him vnto vs that he came not as Saul in Gods wrath who was a cruell tyrant but as Dauid in Gods mercie to feede his people in Iacob Psal 78.71 and his inheritance in Israel And for his royall posteritie Act. 13.36 And this is no small benefit that he hath a royall posteritie to succeed in the throne of the kingdom least when he should haue serued his time by the counsel of God and so fall asleepe and be laid with his fathers we should be in a new feare And what should we say of this that he came to the Crowne so vnlooked for For though it was his inheritance yet such was the wisedome of
oppressions So was it in the time of the Iewes captiuitie when Haman for malice that he bore vnto Mordecay sought his destruction and because his malice was vnsatiable he thought it too litle to lay hands vpon him onely Hest 3.6 but because they had shewed him the people of Mordicay he sought to destroy all the Iewes at once that were throughout the whole kingdome of Ahashuerosh to that end vnder the colour of the kings profit he gat a decree to be sealed with his signet That vpon such a day all of thē should be rooted out destroied both young old women children This seemed vnto him very good pollicie to bring his purpose to passe and when the posts with the kings letters were sent out into all places he might haue thought himselfe sure of it but God did not prosper it and so it came to naught and his purpose was disappointed because God did not fulfill it Chap. 5.14 And afterwards when Zeresh his wife all his friends gaue him this counsel That seeing he was in so great fauor with the king the queen as to be inuited with the king vnto a banquet which the queene had prepared and none but he was inuited that he would make a gibbet of fiftie cubites hie and in the morning when hee went vnto the king that he would speake vnto him that Mordecay might be hanged thereon and then he should goe ioyfully with the king vnto the banquet And that also pleased Haman well and he purposed to doe so But this tooke no place neither because God did not prosper it but contrariwise himselfe was hanged on it by the commaundement of the king and thus he could not bring his purposes to passe because God did not fulfill them But on the other side when Hester and Mordecay did heare of this wicked decree and did aduise with themselues what was best to be done for the safegard of the life of the Iewes and at the last did resolue vpon this Chap. 4.8 That the queene should goe into the king and make supplication for her people and she did so This good counsell and the successe thereof they commended vnto God in prayer yea in fasting and prayer three daies and three nights together and this God blessed and brought it to passe so that they had libertie from the king Chap. 8.11 both to stand for their owne liues and to destroy all the power of the people that vexed them both children and women and to spoyle their goods and they did so And truly if all men in all controuersies which they haue with their aduersaries would first take good counsell according to Gods word and then acknowledge that the successe of it is in Gods hand and pray earnestly vnto him for it they might prosper more in their suites at the law than they doe But because they neglect this and for the most part seeke for craftie counsell such as hath no promise of Gods blessing because it is contrarie to the law of charitie and then in such cases they neither doe nor can pray to God for his blessing vpon it that he would fulfill all their counsell therefore it is not so And thus we see why some are ouerthrowne in their good causes namely they seeke not to God that he would fulfill all their counsels but thinke themselues sufficient without his blessing and so God leaueth them to themselues that by experience they might see it to bee otherwise Therefore let vs profit vnto our dutie by other mens harmes Furthermore whereas Dauid was a king and now gone out to warre and willeth the people at home to pray to God for him That hee would fulfill all his purpose and counsell wee must vnderstand thus much that as he was wise himselfe so he had his counsell both for warre and for peace as all kings haue and they were to aduise him in euery action what was best to be done yet he rested not in that We ought to pray that God would blesse the consultations of the king and his counsellors but desireth the people that they would pray That God would fulfill all which by his grace they should determine and they did so So must we doe for the kings highnesse And though he be godly and wise himselfe and hath many worthie noblemen of his most Honourable priuie Counsell who are of great wisedome and long experience as they must not rest in their owne deuices but commend them vnto God in prayer and desire others also that are about them that they would doe so and by this meanes might they greatly prosper so is it our bound dutie to pray vnto God for them that he would blesse their consultations and bring them to passe for the good of his Church and profit of this realme And as they doe weekely meet at the Counsell table and sometime oftner for matters of State so we should continually commend them to God in all our prayers so shall we haue the benefit of our owne prayers when God shall fulfill the good things that they purpose And as we ought to doe thus alwais so especially against the Parliament we should pray that God would fulfill all the good purposes of that great assembly for the rooting out of Poperie and all remnants of superstition Especially all consultations in the Parliament house and all other abuses and for the establishing and enlarging of the preaching of the Gospel and all other good orders in all places Otherwise we see that good counsell may be giuen but not followed and if it be yet not brought to passe and so there shall not that good be done that might and which many good men in the Parliament house intend Therefore as we desire to enioy the common benefit of our time so let vs pray not onely for the King but for all our gouernors in the Church and Commonwealth That God would fulfill all their purposes Then ought we much more thus to pray for our selues if we were a great deale wiser than we are for when we haue taken the best aduice and thereupon do things to one end they may fall out to another And all our own counsels and purposes yea cleane contrarie to that which we purposed and so we shall be disappointed As for example in matters of mariage which is an ordinarie thing some think to ioyne themselues or their children in alliance with such and such hoping thereby to aduance their houses As in matter of mariage but it falleth out otherwise and by that meanes they come to ruine and so God doth not fulfill their purpose And this was the very case of king Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 18.1 Chap. 21.6 who ioyned himselfe in affinitie with Ahab king of Israel by ioyning his eldest sonne Iehoram in marriage with his daughter and though Iehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance yet the king of Israel was greater than he as hauing more tribes
God when they are so qualited for them as he hath required in his word and when they came to them by such lawfull choise as he hath appointed That so euery one doing that which God requireth of them in the same they might as any trouble shall come vpon them or any difficultie shall befall them they might I say with comfort and in faith pray that God would heare and helpe them they being his anointed that is come to those places by his appointment Euen vnto the meanest calling as of being a seruant And this as it is requisit in euery calling or state of life that one is in euen vnto the meanest to be persuaded That they are placed in them by God so there is great comfort therein whatsoeuer shall befall them in the same As the Apostle speaketh of the calling of a seruant 1. Cor. 7.17 and of being called vnto the estate of marriage and saith of them and of all others generally That as God hath distributed to euery man and as the Lord hath called euery one so let him walke and so ordaine I in all Churches VVhere he warneth euery man generally to liue with a contented mind in the Lord what state or condition of life so euer he be in and therfore he telleth him that it is that trade of life which God hath distributed vnto them which he hath called them vnto So that a seruant must be persuaded Ephe. 6.6 that God hath called him to that place and therefore as he must make conscience of doing faithfull seruice not to the eye as men pleasers but as the seruants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart with good will seruing the Lord and not men as he writeth to the Ephesians So also from this persuasion of his calling hee may pray vnto God to defend him against all wrongs Vers 8. and to assist him in all things euen as Saint Paule in the same place biddeth to that end know That whatsoeuer good thing any man doth the same shall he receiue of the Lord whether he be bond or free So that seruants being persuaded of the lawfulnesse of their calling and of their owne fidelitie in the same may pray to God to reward them for their good seruice and to defend them in a good cause against any abuses that their master shall offer vnto them And so for the other estate of life And of being called to the state of marriage that he speaketh of there if any be called vnto mariage they must not onely be persuaded of the lawfulnesse of it and that God hath called them vnto it but also that he hath ioyned them together this man to this woman as Eue in paradise was ioyned to Adam by the immediat hand of God and so that they came not together by fortune or chance or by the will and consent of their friends or by their own choice only but by God that their marriage was first made in heauen before it was solemnised vpon earth and therfore that they are in that place that God hath called them vnto Then may they with comfort pray for all such gifts as are needfull for those places as in doing of their duties that the Lord would preserue them from all crosses that might befall them and assist them in them and generally that he would heare their prayers and send them helpe from heauen as the people doe here And to conclude this point In all actions of our life we ought to be persuaded that God hath called vs vnto them we must all of vs be persuaded in the whole course of our liues that whatso-we doe we haue a calling to it from God and so therein we are his anointed that is appointed of God for it VVhich we shall ordinarily know by this that the thing it selfe is good in it owne nature and agreeable to the word of God and commanded there and then that by vertue of our places that we be in God requireth them of vs and that that time and place doth also require them for all things are not required of all men alike nor at all times and in all places Then hauing this persuasion from the word of God though they be dangerous and full of trouble and such as might discourage vs we may confidently pray vnto God to assist vs and defend vs therein and to helpe vs in all affliction that shall befall vs for the same And thus Dauid here being a king was to defend his subiects and therefore their enemies comming against them to battell he goeth forth and aduentureth himselfe to the warre and thus prayeth vnto God and willeth the people to pray for him in this good action whereunto he was lawfully called and God did heare their prayers and gaue them good successe In like manner that famous and worthy Queene Hester after that Mordecai had sent vnto her the copie of the kings letter that was sent abroad by postes for the rooting out of the Iewes in one day and willed her to goe in to the king and make request for the life of her people at the first she like a fearefull woman drew backe and excused her selfe saying All the kings seruants and all the people of the prouinces know Hester 4.11 that whosoeuer man or woman Then may we haue bouldnesse in them though they be neuer so dangerous that commeth to the king into the inner court which is not called there is a law of his that he shall die except to him whom the king holdeth out the golden rod that he may liue now I haue not beene called to come to the king these thirtie dayes Then Mordecai sent her word againe that she must not thinke to escape in the kings house more than all the Iewes but if she did hould her peace at this time deliuerance should appeare to the Iewes out of another place but she and her fathers house should perish and who knew whether she was come to the kingdome for such a time Thus when he had persuaded her by good reason that God did require it at her hands and that she was raysed vp out of a meane place to such an high dignitie by the Lord for such a purpose and that God would require it at her hands if she failed in it shee aduentureth her selfe though it was very dangerous with this resolution that seeing God had called her vnto it he would defend her in it but howsoeuer it should fall out shee would commit her selfe in this cause to his blessed prouidence contented to be ordered by his will I will goe in to the king which is not according to the law and if I perish I perish But in the meane season hauing this faith in this action she prayeth to God to assist her to guide her to direct her and to blesse her and willeth all the people to doe so likewise saying Goe Verse 16. and assemble all the Iewes that