blisse he requires but this one thing and while he obtains it he looks and holds vp his hands towards it Psal 28. And as the woman by touching Christ got vertue out of him so doth he as after the Prophet Daniel Dan. 6. by setting his face to that quarter where the Temple stood fetch force of affection and zeale in his prayers to God and in a holy dotage I speake it with reuerence ouer the Temple as ouer some chast Virgin whom he had chosen for his Spowse he longeth and fainteth for her and that so impotently as if all that were neare her though vnreasonable creatures exceeded him in the truth of all reall perfect contentment Might he then haue the liberty that Sparrowes and Swallowes haue how would he vse it surely euen as the Birds doe The Sparrowes-house should be his and hee would build him a neast with the Swallow For he would not call in but dwell there God saith my habitation is in Zion and Dauid prayes that his habitation may be there too So that vnlesse God depart from his Sanctuary Ezek. 8. Dauid will dwell in it It was said of the Centurion Christus non intravit tectum sed cor So may we say of Dauid Christus intrauit cor Davidis and that made him so desirous Habitare in tecto Dei Foxes to their holes Lions to their dennes Birds to their nests Fishes to the Sea Beasts to the fields Children to their mothers Schollars to their studies Tradsmen to their shops Merchants to their ships Wantons to their chambers Rich men to their chests where their treasures and their heartes are all men to their delights Dauid would bee at the Temple This is the obiect of his thoughts the Theater of his delight the ioy of his heart the Center about which all his desires were turned for he would not dwell there but as if it were the body and the soule hee would neuer part for there hee would be all the dayes of his life He had sought it with importunity and if hee may speed he and the Temple will neuer be seuer'd He that so importunately desir'd it had experience how pleasing a thing it would bee to enioy it how grieuous to want it Carnall men cannot relish spirituall contentments they are foolishnesse vnto them till they be throughly acquainted with them For this is the difference betwixt heauenly earthly pleasures In earthly pleasures you shall euer find it true that Vilescit adeptum quod accendit desideratum Those things we hotly pursue before wee get them sped once we contemne and Qui satietati occurrit satietatem incurrit we are satiated with that which we tooke as a medicine against satietie But it 's not so with spirituall pleasures Before we haue them wee neglect them Get them once and we loue them a-life so that temporall pleasures are slightly regarded after spirituall before we enioy them Before we enioy temporall pleasures wee are madded not after after we haue tasted spirituall pleasures wee more pursue them not before This of the Prophet was a spirituall contentment and a contentment it must needs be to behold beauty and a spirituall contentment to behold the beauty of the Lord therefore would he keepe it all the dayes of his life And well was this added to behold the beauty of the Lord for there are many that dwell there and yet neuer behold his beauty whilst they are there As forward they seeme as Dauid to come to the Temple but that 's the end of their Petij they desire to be seene there they care not to see God when they are seene there for many come for many respects and for the most part they finde that they come for He that comes not to see the beauty of the Lord shall neuer be cheer'd with the sight of it Some come to gaze some to walke some to meet their acquaintance some for fashions sake some for feare of law the gospell cannot draw them some to spy a fault some to pick a quarrell and some perhaps for worse I haue heard trauellers say that in Italy many loose matches are made there But Dauid farre otherwise comes to behold the beauty of of the Lord. And this is the last part but the first spheare by vertue whereof all the rest moue and as the Iewes spoil'd themselues of their garments to entertaine Christ Matth. 21. so doth King Dauid here spoyle himselfe of all the desires of his heart of all the contentments of his life for this one boone that he may behold the beauty of the Lord. Some translate it Voluntatem so the old translation and it may beare it well enough but then it must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good will of God the beames of which beauty we may behold by that light in the first to the Ephesians at the fift verse Who hath predestinated vs to be the adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will and well might this be his meaning for it followes in the ninth verse of this Psalme O God of my saluation for therein is the good pleasure of his will manifested vnto vs to this are we adopted to this predestinated that we may be saued in which forme whosoeuer beholds God will not long for another beauty Others translate it Voluptatem delectationem amoenitatem pulchritudinem all things much set by and yet to be set by as of no estimation not once to be lookt vpon in respect of that which Dauid beheld for he that made the eye shall not he see and he that made beauty shall not he be beautifull I but smoake goes out at his nostrils and a consuming fire out of his mouth Ps 18.8 The Mountaines tremble for him and the Hils melt and the earth is burnt vp at his sight Nah. 1. how then saw Dauid beauty in his face True But as wee read in the ninty Psalme as a man feareth saith Dauid so is Gods displeasure so may I say as a man beleeues loueth so is Gods good pleasure Voluntas Domini hence our Sauiour according to your faith be it vnto you Matth. 9.29 and according to your loue so is Gods beauty for iust as we stand affected to God doe we behold God reflecting vpon vs Ille placet Deo cui Deus placet he pleaseth God that 's pleas'd with God This beauty and this pleasure and delight which the Apostle Saint Paul tooke in God was it that made him esteeme all things dung in respect of him so was he taken with this beauty This was it that made our Prophet breake out in the 42. Psalme As the Hart brayeth after the riuers of water when he is pursued by the hunters and is ready to fall downe as a prey before the dogs by reason of his thirst so my soule panteth for thee O Lord to appeare in thy presence yea this beauty was it that moou'd him to make that challenge and protestation Whom haue I in
THE KING'S REQVEST OR DAVID'S DESIRE A Sermon preached at the last generall Fast holden at Yorke the 21. of Aprill last By PHINEES HODSON Doctour of Diuinity and Chancellour of the Metropoliticall Church of St. Peter-Yorke LONDON Printed by THO. HARPER for Edward Blount and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard 1628. PSAL. 27.4 One thing haue J desired of the Lord which I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his Temple IN this Psalme you haue the Prophet keeping an Audit and taking a reckoning of the treasures of his heart the receipts were many and great Mat. 12.35 which like so many Riuers from that great Ocean of Gods mercy made glad his heart that was a man after Gods heart 1. Sam. 13.14 For the receipts you shall finde them acknowledged in all his accounts To seeke no further an infinite treasure greater then Solomons is mentioned in the first verse of this Psalme the Lord is his light his strength his saluation My text disburseth that treasure in thankfull deuotion One thing c. And we haue reason to take our rise hence to begin at thankes for we haue receiued much And to receiue much and restore nothing is a shame It 's a shame not to giue where there 's cause a double shame not to restore and shame seldome goes alone but is accompanied either with sorrow or paine or both at least attended There being no burthen that loades more then a benefit and burthens if they bee heauy are both sorrowfull and painfull Indeed aske a naturall man what is the greatest burthen and he will tell you sorrow Aske a spirituall man and he will say Sinne. Sorrow loades man But Sinne loades man and God himselfe yea and tyers him too Thou hast made me to serue with thy sinnes a meane office to put God to and wearied me with thy transgressions Is 43.24 But aske the morall man what is the greatest burthen and he will tell you a benefit The Prophet David had experience of all these He complaines of his sonne and great was his sorrow that he that came out of his owne bowels sought his life But he roares for his sinne And when these tempests were ouerblowne he was not quiet in the calme but was after a serious meditation put to his Quid retribuam What shall I giue vnto the Lord for all the benefits that hee hath done vnto me And this in effect is his labour now there he consulted Quid retribuam here hee resolued One thing haue I desired c. For in the three first verses before my Text hee made a discouery of Gods mercy and bounty In my Text hee vowes his seruice as the tribute of his dutie For though it be Vnum petij he went not onely to pray but to offer sacrifices of ioy and to sing and praise the Lord verse 6. For thankfulnesse is Debitum morale and the Ciuilians say Naturaliter obligamur à dante So that as it is a heauy thing to beare either in body or conscience so are not they released that are released The very act of deliuery drawing on a third burthen how to be thankfull which vnlesse we take vp a worse than either of the other will happen vnto vs. Therefore in the nine leapers that returned not to giue thanks to take vp this burthen Luc. 17. Vlcus ingratitudinis was said one more loathsome then they leprosie the had for they were Mundi cute but not Corde Christ had giuen them faire skins but they had made themselues foule hearts But a good man is euer thankfull If Elisha haue house-roome with the Shunamite before hee take his leaue What shall we do for thee 2 K. 4.13 And if Ionathan be dead David will enquire for some of Sauls kindred to gratifie them for his friend Ionathans sake 2 Sam. 9.3 yea vnthankfull Absalom will condemne ingrate Hushai though himselfe gaine by it is this thy kindnesse to thy friend 2 Sam. 16.17 yea the Deuill himselfe damnes it Iob. 1.9 and cons him not thank that leanes to one that supports him Doth Iob serue God for nothing And as the thing is odious for In hac contumelia omnis contumelia so is the name he is a Nabal a foole 1 Sam. 25.25 a title in these times more contemptible than a knaue when the world is more ashamed of infirmities then crimes and it is greater reproach to be esteemed shallow then wicked And as both the thing and the name is odious so it is vnprofitable For as it 's true He that smoothers one iniury drawes on a second So he that vnthankfully smoothers a benefit loseth a second And againe as he that quits one wrong preuents many So he that quits a benefit inuites many For Nunquam cessabit decursus gratiarum à Deo nisi prius cesset recursus gratiarum ab homine The showres of Gods graces will neuer leaue falling vpon vs so long as wee send back but the fruit of thankfullnesse to him Then before we aske new blessings let vs bee thankfull for the old Eighty eight and powder treason we haue within many of our memories beene deliuered both from destruction by water and fire Some of vs euen of late from famine and many of vs from the pestilence Wee of this Citie so preserued from it as it hath not beene suffered in that common calamity to come neare our dwellings And now Lord make vs thankfull and in mercy not in wrath preserue vs from the sword It were a secret worth our discouery what 's the motiue to Gods patience towards vs that all our neighbour countryes should bee in blood and worse and the sword of the deuourer should not be able to touch vs. I say in blood and worse For God hath a plague both on this side and beyond death worse than death On this side captiuitie and idolatry Beyond it That fearfull and eternall separation of our bodies and soule from God From both which good Lord deliuer vs. And that he may deliuer vs let vs pray that hee would send such a gratious raine vpon his inheritance as may refresh it and open it so in thankfulnesse towards him as it may expect the later raine and not be deceiued These showres they were that made the Prophet Davids heart so fruitfull In the three first verses of this Psalme they fall vpon him In my Text the fruit of those showres returne to God In the first God is gratious vnto David In my Text David is thankfull vnto God The parts are three and those three are in a manner one For God David and the Temple make vp euery part And these three make vp the three parts For first you haue David praying for one thing There 's God David and the Temple For that one thing in the second place is the Temple of the Lord where he desires of God
out to the whole Land is in iealousie and combustion what can the fruit or effect be but confusion And thus it hath beene but blessed be God that of late hath giuen vs cause to hope for better things and that God that put it into his Maiesties heart to call a Parliament so blesse it and continue peace and vnity in it as with one heart and one hand they may ioyne against the enemies of Religion and the State to the glory of God the honour of his sacred Maiestie and the safety of his Kingdomes What if hitherto the cloudes and stormes of contention haue intercepted those rayes of comfort which otherwise might haue cheared vs and made vs strong against all forreine assaults feares and haue enabled vs to haue supported the weake hands of our confederates and allies that haue fainted vnder the burthen of the common enemy Yet let vs not be discouraged It 's Gods method many times in matters of moment to proceed by contraries Thus he began So was Eue cursed before she had the promise of blessing Thus he went on So was Sarahs wombe dried vp before he made it fruitfull Gen. 18. Yea thus hee continued So hee made Ioseph a bondslaue before he brought him to honour And hee must himselfe in a Basket a leaking Boat God knowes be cast into a Riuer Ex. 2. that must carry Gods people thorow the red Sea Could any thing be more crosse then to thinke that that childe that in a basket was ready to sinke should carry so great a people through a Sea and yet dry-shood You see in my Text Dauid longs and faints and prayes and importunes and sets his rest vpon it as his only blisse before he can be admitted to dwell in Gods house to behold his beauty And this is our hope and I am persuaded my trust is not in vaine that God in this course hath beene pleased to make strife and distraction the ground and foundation of that beauty of vniformity and vnanimity which shall henceforth commend and grace this Church and State Thus did our blessed Sauiour out of the infidelity of Thomas worke faith thus did God cause Iohn Baptist to spring out of the barren wombe of Elizabeth And surely then shall we begin to haue assurance that God hath not forgotten to be gracious when out of the former seeds of faction and diuision hee shall cause the beautifull fruits of loue and vnitie o grow O how good and comely a thing is it for brethren to dwell together in vnitie this is it makes vs beautifull and comely and commends vs to Gods affection Therefore if Saint Paul will vouchsafe to entreat those he may command this shall be it That they speake all one thing that there be no dissention that they be knit together in one minde and in one iudgement 1 Cor. 1.10 And if Saint Peter will haue one thing remembred aboue all the rest hee will bring it in as a parting blow whereof they must take speciall knowledge Friends bee yee all of one minde 1 Pet. 3.8 and in the second to the Philippians after he had contested with them and coniured them by whatsoeuer was deare vnto them If any consolation in Christ if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the spirit if any compassion and mercy what of all this fulfill my ioy This was the vtmost of his ambition the period of his desires wherein would he haue his ioy fulfilled what would doe it That yee be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accord and of one iudgement And what was the end of this his serious importunity that nothing be done through contention or vaine glory which are like the breaking in of waters that cannot be staied If God haue beene long angry with his people and once begin to be reconcil'd why then They shall be my people and I will be their God and I will giue them one heart and one way Ier. 32. yea this was our Sauiours prayer last before his passion as Saint Iohn records it that they may bee all one Ioh. 17. Euen so Lord Iesus let vs be all one in our affections and deuotions that with one mouth we may praise God Rom. 15. all one in iudgement that wee may proceed by one rule both in things pertaining to Religion and gouernment Ecclesiasticall and by one rule in ciuill matters and things pertaining to the common good and the maiestie and honour of the King and State That this whole Kingdome being as a Citie that is at vnitie in it selfe nay as one family nay if it were possible as one heart wherein reason season'd with religion gouernes and commands like a iust and a potent King and the affections yeeld obedience like so many humble faithfull dutifull subiects the whole Nation may be a Nation after Gods owne heart and with confidence say with the Spouse in the Cant. My well-beloued is mine and I am his So shall we enioy Gods beauty and he take pleasure in ours So may the temporall fruit by the mariage of King and people in a happy bond of loue and vnitie be anew brood of Kingdomes for men and women being married begat men and women like themselues But Prince and people happily ioyn'd if they beget it must be kingdomes like themselues by a new propagation and enlargement So shall the spirituall fruit be such by this beauteous coniunction that so many of vs as are thus ioyned shal be his children and adopted for heires euery heire a King to reigne with our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ in the Kingdome of his Father which the Lord grant for the same his deare Sonnes sake to whom with the holy Ghost bee all glory and praise for euer and euer FJNJS