same God is mercifull power belongeth unto God and to thee ô Lord mercy The blessed combination of which Attributes in God is easily perceaved if we consider his government of the world for he rewardeth every man according to his works Lo then in a word what is the substance of this text it is true it is cleare God can he will reckon with us all and deale partially with none The paraphrase of the Text to judge what is in God by that which proceeds from him We have warrant from Gods owne mouth under the Test of K. David witnessing that the Indifferency of Gods judgments is the evidence of his nature The points to be considered are two the persons from whom we take this resolution and the resolution that we take from the persons the persons two the author and the witnes and the resolution consists of two parts first what God is secondly how he deales with man First Of the persons the first whereof is the Author the Author is undeniable for it is God God spake Between God and man the Apostle puts this difference Let God be true and every man a lyar for man is but a meere man man may deceave or be deceaved but neither of these are incident unto God nec actu nec potentiâ God doth not he cannot lie God is not he cannot bee deceaved And no wonder seeing he is not only the originall of all truth but also truth it selfe by nature So that it is no more possible for falsehood to be at one with God then for darknesse to consort with light both import a reall contradiction Whereas the greatest commendation of the best man is but this They speake in veritate mentis without simulation without equivocation or mentall reservation The praise due to God is that hee speakes in certitudine veritatis no mist or fraud or errour can overcast his wisdome or his holinesse his word is tryed to the uttermost like silver as the Psalmist speaketh seven times tryed in the fire What then is our lesson Surely this we must not be ashamed of Iulians scoffe he derided the Christian beliefe because it had no other proofe then Thus saith the Lord. But Nazianzen replies well they which allowed and captivated their judgment to a man have no reason to accept against that which relyeth upon the authority of God especially seeing they received principles of Philosophy which were examinable by reason But we credit only mysteries of Religion wherto no approches can be made by the naturall wit of man Finally they build on a professed scholar of the father of lies and we on him whose style is The Lord God of Truth The Conclusion that ariseth here-hence is God spake or the Lord hath said must goe currant with us as an indemonstrable Principle of our faith and an incontrollable precept for our life it must goe currant if God speake it if he speake but once how much more if as it followeth in my Text he speake once or twice I will not trouble you with divers readings of these words I take them as our Church doth read them and read them as may be borne well by the originall But touching the meaning of these words there are diverse observations For some take the words definitely as if David meant precisely twise some indefinitely as if by twise he meant often And they that take them definitely have not all the same conceipt Referre them to the Creation and Redemption of man in both which God really spake that he was powerfull and mercifull to reckon with and to reward man Psal 49.8 15. And indeed as much may be gathered out of the forty ninth Psalme and Saine Peter and Saint Iude argue from Gods proceeding with the world upon the Creation to that which we must respect in the state of Redemption Othersome apprehend this voyce in Gods workes and in his wordes Ps 19.2 3 In the nineteenth Psalme King David observeth this twofold voyce and not amisse for what are Gods workes but visible words and his words but audible workes the Hebrew word Dabar comprehends both God preacheth the same power and mercy in both wee may know that they are in him by that which proceeds from him A third sort understand only the words of Moses and of the Prophets Abraham remembreth these two voyces to Dives in hell they have Moses and the Prophets let them heare them There are two voyces of God the voyce of his Precepts and the voyce of examples for what is contained in the Law is applyed in the Prophets and both say nothing but that of his power and mercy we have as many monuments as there be lawes of God and lives of men Some are satisfied with none of these but report an outward and inward voyce that sounds the one in the eare the other in the Conscience Saint Paul hath specified this double voyce the Conscience shall beare witnesse accusing or excusing it that day when God shall judge the Consciences of men by Iesu◠Christ according to my Gospell Rom. 2. There shall be then as there should be now a concent betweene Gods voyce speaking within us and without us the effect whereof is The judgement of men according to the Gosspel and what is the Gospell but a blessed mixture of the power and mercy of God There remaines yet an exposition more and that is not an idle one God speakes ordinarily and extraordinarily ordinarily in the Canon of the Scripture by the Pastors of his Church extraordinarily when in the distresses of his children hee vouchsafeth to be an immediate remembrancer unto them of those comforts which are notwithstanding in generall contained in the Covenant betweene them and him not speaking any new matter unknowne to them but by speaking immediately himselfe making the greater impression in them And this was usuall untill the death of the Apostles We have instances in the old and new Testament of the extraordinary voice it is needlesse to speake of the ordinary my selfe am now an instance unto you Gen. 15.1 Gen. 16 3 24. Gen. 28.4 but of the extraordinary is that Genesis 15. Feare not Abraham I am thy buckler and thy exceeding great reward The like hath had Isaac Gen. 26. and Iacob 28. In the new Testament how many times did God appeare to Saint Paul in the Acts and memorable to this purpose is the answere My grace is sufficient for thee my strength is made perfect in weakenes King David deare unto God and exercised under the crosse might nay it is plaine in the bookes of Samuel that he sundry times did heare this extraordinary voice And though all other expositions in themselves are true yet unto this place I take this last to be most apt But howsoever in understanding these words you have heard great variety and yet no contrariety onely by laying them together this wee learne that they which understand them definitely by differing each from the other and yet not
windowes to let in lust but also against GODS judgment day are the Registers of Lust In this sence Saint Paul speakes of throats which are open Sepulchers and tongues that are tipt with poyson of Aspes In a word no part of our body or soule which records not the sin that is committed either by our body or our soule Secondly the staine of sinne cleaveth to the creature abused in sinne for Ier. 17. Ier. 17.1 Ier. 2.2 7 18. the Idolatry of Israel is layd on the hornes of the Altars and Ier. 2. God teacheth the peoples sinne by the places where they committed sinne Moses speakes of graves of lust and waters of strife Iames of witnessing Rust of gold and silver and moths fretting our garments which speeches meane noâ—hing else but the staine of sinne abiding on the creature abused by sin And in this sense sin is said to have a voyce the voyce of sinne being the measure of sinne small sins oft have soft voyces the greater the sinne the louder it cries Murther is a great sinne therefore a loud sinne luxury a great sinne and therefore a loud sinne oppression a great sinne and therefore a loud sin not but that the eare of jealouâ—e heareth all things but he is not alike moved with all things neither will he take vengeance upon all sins therefore sin is not only said to have a voyce but also a testifying voyce for so the word here signifieth and that sin is said to give evidence on which God is purposed to take vengeance and such is the sin of perversenesse And thus much of the first part wherein you have heard the nature the community and the property of the Jewes sin all which are contained in Ieremies confession The supplication followeth O Lord yet deale with 〈◊〉 according to thy Name Names serve to expresse natures if the nature may not be conceaved the name can not be truly fitted God is infinite we cannot comprehend him therefore have we no name whereby fully to expresse him Notwithstanding that we may not be altogether ignorant of God the Scripture gives divers names to God I will touch only three which respect the Church anâ— are usually remembred in the prayers of the Church When Moses was sent to Pharaoh he asked God whâ— was his Name God answered I am that I am in the next verse he addes J am the God of your fathers the Gâ— of Abraham Isaac and Iacob this is my Name and this 〈◊〉 memoriall for ever When Moses would see the glory 〈◊〉 God he had poclaimed this Name of God the Lord To Lord strong and mercifull and gracious slow to anger 〈◊〉 abundant in goodnesse and truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne not makâ—â— the wicked innocent visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upâ— the Children and the Childrens children unto the fourth â—â—neration The Coherence of the three names is this Tâ—â— first doth shew the Truth of God by which he performe his promises the second Covenant of God from whenâ— doe flow his blessings a third the excesse of his Meâ—â— above his judgment when he is to powre forth curses 〈◊〉 blessings the practise of the first name we have I appeared unto Abraham Isaac and Iacob by the name 〈◊〉 Almighty by my Name Iehovah I was not knowne unâ— them the practise of the second name Because the Loâ—â— would keep the Oath which he had sworne to your Fâ—thers the Lord hath brought you out with a mighty haâ—â— and delivered you out of the house of bondage and frâ—â— the hand of Pharaoh King of Egypt on this Name Daâ—Daniel Esay and Moses ground many prayers The prectise of the three Names we have When God would plague the Iewes for murmuring when they should have entred the holy land I beseech â—hee saith Moses let the power of the Lord be great acâ—ording as thou hast spoken when thou shewedst me thy â—ame saying The Lord is slow to anger and of great mercy â—â—rgiving iniquities and in this place Jeremy appealing 〈◊〉 the name of God doth meane either the first which in this verse is expressed in these words O Lord or else the other two joyntly with the first because they have the â—ne a dependance of the other So that the effect of his prayer is this Although our owne consciences doe acâ—use us and our sinnes witnesse against us cleaving both to us and the creatures that have beene abused by us calling for vengeance against us and inevitably convicting us that we have contemned thy word abused thy gifts and not relented at thy plagues yet performing those â—romises which are contained in thy owne Covenant the â—lory whereof must be given to thy Name which conâ—ines more mercy then judgment otherwise we must â—eeds perish in our sins if thy mercy did not rejoyce aâ—ainst thy Iudgment Last of all marke how he prefixeth an humble confession before his earnest supplication to teach us that we must cast downe our selves and confesse our owne deserts unto God if we mean to taste of the sweet mercies of God which mercies are most sweet A SERMON PREACHED IN TRINITIE CHVRCH IN WINCHESTER PSALM 62. ver 11.12 God spake once or twise have I heard it that power belongeth unto God And that to thee O Lord is mercy for thou rewardest every man according to his workes THe argument of this Psalme is King Davids exemplary experience for the worlds malice and Gods deliverance The world doth envy them whom God doth honour it persecuteth them that rely upon him but this is the comfort that the event doth not answer nay crosseth their designes their designe is deadly but the event happie Or if deadly it is so to the wicked not to the godly In the godly it encreaseth their confidence dependancy upon God which is never destitute of a seaosnable deliverance from him This King David affirmes upon his owne experience in the first part of this Psalme and in the second desires that it might be drawn into an example by others He would have us in the like case to take the like course to repaire to God to trust in him not in any worldly person or thing for all persons even the chiefe of all yeeld lesse then no help and great wealth especially if it be ill gotten wealth is but a treasure of nought both persons and things will faile will hurt us If any man notwithstanding K. Davids example and counsell doubt whom to trust God or the world how to live righteously or unrighteously he may be if he be not wilfull resolved throughly by the close of this Psalm by those words of my Text he may be resolved from an Author undeceaveable by a witnesse unchangeable from God by King David God spake once or twise and King David heard him from and by these he may be resolved what God is and none but God how he deales and deales with all God and only God is powerfull and which is strange the
thwarting one the other teach us that the wordes are to be understood indefinitely and once or twice is often very often many wayes and many times if hee might worke us any wayes or at any time the doubling of a speech representing us the same lesson as it doth testifie Gods constancy so it doth intimate our infirmity GOD doth not alter and hee can hardly alter us Wee have watery memories and stony hearts Gods word leaves little impression in us in the one and makes as little in the other Esay compares us unto weanelings whom hee makes to understand the thinges that hee speaketh to them that are weaned and drawne from the breastes Secondly Saint Paul compares us unto babes in capacity when wee should be men in time So that wee must be fed with milke when wee should be fit for stronger meates And thirdly hee tels the Galathians that they will goe backe againe into the wombe of the Church that which Nicodemus wondred at Can a man enter into his mothers belly and be borne againe Little children saith hee of whom I am in travaile againe till Christ Iesus be formed in you What wonder then if Precept must be upon Precept and line upon line here a little and there a little And Saint Peter wrote a second Epistle to stirre us up to call to remembrance the words which were told us before even twice before by the prophets and also by the Apostles Neither doth it grieve Saint Paul to write the same things to the Philippians and hee assures them that for them it is a safe thing for during this life God cannot speak unto us as altogether spirituall We will be very much corporall men our wits will not be exercised sufficiently to discerne good and evill much lesse our heartes established so with grace as we shall not be seduced by the will The people therefore are too dainty when they conceipt of spirituall food as they doe of corporall Occidit miserâ—s crambe repetita magistros and are weary of the same dish the second time The loathing of Manna cost the Israelites deere God satisfied the lusts of their bodies and sent leanenesse withall into their soules and many starved themselves ghostly while they much longed after variety How often in the same Epistle doth Saint Paul urge righteousnes by faith and Saint Iohn in his the love of God and of our brother Saint Chrysostome reiterated his sermon against swearing Nazianzene his Oration of Peace others of other matters the minister must not spare speaking because wee are not quicke of hearing and it is well of we can say truly as King David here doth The Lord spake once or twice and I heard And so I come from the undeniable Author to the unchalengeable witnesse It is a grounded truth the report caryeth weight according to the Worthinesse of the Reporter This report then must be of greater weight because the reporter is of so great worthinesse A man of God yea a man after Gods own heart A man of God it is more than like that God would speake with him a man after Gods own heart it is very unlikely that he would report what he heard not from God the sacrednesse and sanctity of his person makes his witnesse without exception and worthy our imitation Adde hereunto that he was now a King at least annointed to be a King a renowned Warriour yea a Conquerour of great possibilities if not possessions yet doth such a person so noble so mighty learn to deny to the world what is due to God he rests upon no power or mercy but his he esteemes himselfe an accomptant to God and so he might expect his doome and who of us may stop his eares when King David openeth his for rather doth not the same duty taught so many wayes so many times require that duty of us whereof King David here is a paterne unto us And I heard it God speakes that we may heare heare my people and I will speake And the Lord challengeth the Iowes wherfore came I and there was no man I called and no man answered Quid juvat ad surdas si cantet Phemius aures We have grace and Apostle-ship that obedience might be given to the faith Yea the Word of God is called in the Hebrew Shemina But our Saviour Christ hath a caution Videte quomodo audiatis so that we are farther to enquire how King David did heare surely himselfe was not ignorant how to heare for he delivered that admonition to day if yee will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Saint Paul by way of exposition of that Text saith that hearing must be tempered with faith The case of the eare is fitly by Elihu in Iob paralysed to the tast 34. 〈◊〉 3â— 3 The eare tryeth the words as the palate tasteth meat Now the tast doth relish to swallow that which is wholsome and to refuse the contrary that should be the practise of the eare for we eate spirituall food by the eare as we do corporall by the mouth man liveth not by breâ—â— only but by every word that goeth out of the mouth of God We heare then as David did when like Saint Paul we are obedient to the heavenly Vision when we consult not against our instruction with flesh and bloud and the proverb is Sapiens audiens sapientior fit And this kinde of hearing is commended in both Testaments Thou must diligently hearken ô Jsrael unto the voyce of the Lord thy God and doe that which is right in his sight give eare untâ— his Commandements and keepe all his Ordinances And so in the new You have not learned to live like the Gentiles saith Saint Paul if so be you have heard him and have beene taught by him as the truth is in Iesus that you must cast off the old man Finally this is the eare which the Spouse the Church doth lend unto the bridegroome to Christ and it is described by King David Hearkenâ— daughter and consider incline thine eares He which hath aâ— eare to heare let him heare for every one hath not such aâ— eare it is not an eare of nature but of grace God muâ—â— prepare this eare of which Esay thus speaketh The Lord in the morning will waken mine eare to heare as the learned the Lord hath opened mine eare and I was not rebellious neither turned I backe And agreeable hereunto is that oâ— Nazianzene Can Gods word be conceaved of the Pastoâ— expounded to the people and heard to our comfort buâ— by the gift of the Holy Ghost This is the cause why Elihu saith God speaketh once or twise and one seeth it not And Moses to Israel You have seene all that the Lorâ— did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and 〈◊〉 all his servants and yet hath not the Lord given you aâ— heart to perceive nor eyes to see and eares to heare unto thâ— day Christ To you is given to know the secrets of the â—ingdome of
Councell of Trent in the Tract De benediction◠〈◊〉 coronatione Regis to the Bishop that performes that Ceremony the Presentee speakes thus Reverendissime â—â—ter postulat sancta mater Ecclesia ut praesentem egregiâ— militem ad dignitatem regiam sublevetis And after 〈◊〉 King begins his Oath thus Ego Deo annuente futâ—â— Rex And what is this but a devise whereby the Pâ—â— usurped upon the Emperour and encroacheth by Metropolitans upon other Kings feigning an interregâ—â— which in an he editary kingdome is questionlesse reâ—ugnant to the fundamentall lawes of all Nations Therâ—â—re against them and all others Psa 89.18 wee hold that of the 〈◊〉 line Our shield belongeth unto the Lord Our King 〈◊〉 the holy one of Israel hee holds of him and none â—ther the King doth sit but God doth set him And sets him for ever The succession is perpetuall â—ome restraine this untill Christs comming according to â—hat speech of Iacob The Scepter shall not depart from Iuâ—ah nor the Lawgiver from between his feete untill Shiâ—ah come Some continue it unto the end of the World â—ccording to these words of the Psalme so long as the Sunne and Moone endureth They are easily reconâ—iled Distinguish the Prophesie from the Promise the Promise speakes of that which might be the prophesie â—f that which would be If IERVSALEM had â—nowne those things that belonged to her Peace the enemies â—ad not cast a banke about her the Romans had not destroyâ—d her that Throne should have continued as the dayes of â—eaven But Iacobs prophesie meaneth that for want of perâ—rmance of the Covenant Ierusalem should faile when Philoh came yea and before that the tabernacle of Daâ—id should be ruinous The ground of that prophesie is â—t downe Psal 49. Psa 40.11 Many thinke that their houses shall conâ—â—nue for ever from generation to generation and call their â—ands after their names But when man is in honour he â—oth not understand and so becomes as the beasts that perish â—nnes interrupt their continuance for ever Wherefore â—ccording to that in Deuteronomy Deut. c. 29. v. 19. If any when he heareth â—he wordes of this curse blesse himselfe in his heart saying 〈◊〉 shall have peace although J walke according to the stubâ—ornnesse of mine heart thus adding drunkennesse unto thirst â—e Lord will not bee mercifull unto that man but the wrath 〈◊〉 the Lord and his Jealousie shall smoake against him and every curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him â—â—d the Lord shall put out his name from under heaven The succession then is perpetuall but the promise the of is conditionall the Condition is the keeping of Gods Covenant And so wee come from the absolute part of the promise to the qualified which must not be several It was the error of the Kings and Priests of Iudah and Israel excepting against the prophesies and persecuting the prophets which foretold the ruine of those kingdomes for the sinnes thereof they dreamt that the promise was onely absolute and so howsoever they liveâ— their state should endure for ever not remembring thâ— God exacted their duty as well as hee promised his mercy yea and limitted the performance of his mercy according to the continuance of their duty Although then Kings be Lords over their people 〈◊〉 are they subjects unto God They can bee no greatâ— then Adam of whom Saint Augustine Quamvis in mâ—â— do dominus positus est Adam c. though Adam were created Lord of the visible world yet by subjection unto a 〈◊〉 he was to recognize that hee held of a more soveraigne 〈◊〉 It is a fundamentall rule of reason that from whom 〈◊〉 have our being from him wee must receave a Law preportionable to our dependance on him be hee Godâ— man Kings from God and other men from Kings They that have beene of Phaeraohs mind and have saiâ—â— who is the Lord that I should heare him have tryed Saiâ—â— Bernards rule to be true Posse eos summovere se felicitâ—â— but not subducere se Potestati they may deprive themselâ—â— of the glory of God their throne in heaven but they canâ—â—â— exempt themselves from the soveraignty of God hee will 〈◊〉 his pleasure dispose their thrones here on earth There is a covenant then betweene God and the Kinâ— and it is two-fold I will be his Father and hee shall be 〈◊〉 sonne 2. Sam. 7.14 15 16. he shall build an house for my name and J will staâ—â— the throne of his kingdome So it is set downe 2. Sam. 〈◊〉 The Covenant respects David as a private person and as King as a private person hee is to be the sonne of God for Davids Covenant doth presuppose Abrahams bâ— addeth a regality unto it As a King hee is to build an house for God Hee must be custodious et Custos utriusque tabulae it was so in the Old Testament Psal 2.6 it must bee so in the New It is prophesied in the second psalme we are taught to petitionate by Saint Paul 1. Tim. 2.2 and Saint Augustine doth excellently expresse it Aliter servit Rex Deo quia homo aliter quia Rex As a man hee must conforme himselfe to the lawes of God as a King hee makes lawes for the service of God It is not enough for the King to obey it as the child of God as a King annoynted of God he must commaund it like to primum mobile which moveth it selfe and all inferior orbes with it So did the religious Kings of the Iewes and so did the religious Emperours of the Christians But where shall the King find whereunto hee is tyed by Covenant hee hath an authenticall Record the Record is Gods Testimonies they are tabulae foederis God testifieth his will in his word This appeareth by Moses in Deuteronomy where the King is enjoyned to describe the law Deu. 17.18 when he sitteth vpon his throne and the same charge is reiterated unto Ioshua Samuel giveth the like to Saul Josh 17. and David to Solomon Whereupon the booke of the Law was to be delivered the King at his Coronation You may see it in the Story of Ioash Psa 45. â— The Chaldee paraphase expounding those words of the Psalme the Qucene stood at the Kings right hand gives it this sense Stabit liber legis in latere dextrae tuae et exaraebitur in exemplare splendor tuus velut obrizo ophiritico It is memorable that is reported of Alphonsus King of Arragon that hee read over the Bible with the glosse foureteene times But this I moreover marke in the word Testimony that God speaketh like a King signifieth his pleasure without Rhetoricall perswasions or philosophicall demonstrations There are lumina Orationis in the sermons of the prophets which surpasse the Eloquence of all heathen men but the style of the Law runnes onely with a Teste Yea and simply Gods word requireth faith which is the Correlative of a Testimony Quare et
heaven but to them it is not given But I deâ—and have we not heard Yes verily for the sound of GODS Word is gone throughout all the earth and their words to the end of the world All the day long saith God have I stretched out mine hand unto a disobedient and â—ainsaying Nation We have two eares an outward and â—n inward We must bring the first with reverence to God and by that eare God will open the other The apâ—arent reason why we heare so little inwardly is because we heare so little outwardly Yea men are like deafe Adders that stop their eares charme the Charmer never so â—isely Hereby the peoples hearts waxe fatt and their â—ares are dull of hearing and with their eyes they wink east they should see with their eyes and heare with their â—ares and understand with their hearts and should reâ—urne that God might heale them Finally They become â—ike Idols that have eares and heare not eyes and see not as â—eremy speaketh And to conclude with our selves I night exclame with the ancient Prophets and Apostles Quis credidit Who hath beleeved our report or as the â—onne of Syrach The Pastors of our land are like as men â—hat speak to them that are in a sound sleep when he hath â—ld his tale they say what is the matter Read Zach. 7.11 Zach. 7. â—any Epicures what would this babler many proud Pharaohs who is the Lord that we should obey him but I will not complaine of them I will rather admonish with Saint Paul Wee ought diligently to take heed to the â—hings which we have heard lest at any time we run out for â—f the word spoken c. That we may then be in the number of those of whom Christ saith Blessed are your eyes â—r they see and your eares for they heare let us now and â—ver imitate Samuel and say Speake Lord for thy servant â—eareth But what shall he heare that which Moses â—id Exod. 33. Gods glory goodnesse and face Exo. 33.11 14 18 19. for that â—lace is a Commentary upon this And so from the perâ—ns let us come to the lesson The Lesson consists of two parts 1. What God is Secondly How hee dealeth with us GOD is both powerfull and also mercifull To thee ô LORD power and mercy The words are to be understood exclusively for what King David denyed to all creatures he ascribes to the Creator and so are the attributes often limitted to God only as none good but God Noah will easily acknowledge this truth If we distinctly consider of these attributes first the power and then the mercy all that I will observe concerning the power may be reduced to these two branches God is mighty of himselfe and Almighty Mighty of himselfe for power is essentiall unto God it is but by gift in the creatures therefore Gods power is absolute and independant the power of all creatures is limitted and dependant I will make it plaine by resemblances The sunne is the fountaine of light the Moone hath light but it is borrowed of the Sunne there is water in the spring and in the streame but the spring hath it of himselfe the streame borrowes it of the spring so is the juice in the branches and in the root but for this juice the branches are beholden to the root not the root to the branches Hereupon it commeth to passe that the Moone doth wexe and wane as it hath more or lesse influence from the Sunne so is the streame greater or lesser as it draweth more or lesse water from the spring and the branches fade or bud as they are moistened from the root But this difference we must take that these resemblances fit our purpose but in part for God is Agens liberrimum God can at his pleasure increase or diminish and withhold all power from his creatures but so cannot the Sunne his light the spring his water the root his juice therefore that power the creature hath yet is not the creatures but it is Gods in him all things live and move and have their being Gen. 3.6 and they are but his army Our soules are not masters of our own power when God will our eyes faile us as they did the Syrian Army 1 Kin. 13.4 our eares will faile us as they did the Aramites our hands will faile us as they did Ieroboam 1 King 13. Our feet will faile us as they did those bands that came to Christ Our tongue will faile us as Balaam blessed when he should have cursed our hearts will faile us * Deu. 28.28 Our wisdom will faile us for God taketh the wise in their own craftinesse even the Devill himselfe as in the death of Christ. Finally our consciences through feare will betray all the powers of our soule every thing militat Deo that is the ground of the speech of Ioshua The Canaanites though Giants and Inhabitants of high walled Cities they are but bread for we shall conquer them as easily as wee digest our meats hee addes the reason their shield is departed from them the Lord is with us You see then how true it is that God is mighty of himselfe and every creature of it selfe hath no might but a Tenant at will unto God for so much and so long as it pleaseth him But God as he is mighty he is of himselfe and he is Almighty nothing is impossible to God hee doth whatsoever he will both in heaven and earth who hath resisted his will But here we must note that power noteth perfection and imperfection no power but want of power and therefore wee must exclude imperfections otherwise there be many things impossible for God Imperfections are of two sorts onely miserable or blameable and blameable are the ignorance and sinfulnesse of men God cannot be deceaved nor can God sinne both are imperfect Miserable are all the punishments of sinne as sicknesse and death these are as farre from God as sin But whatsoever things are of perfection those can be done of God only in the perfections that are common to God with us we must observe a great difference between God and us for besides that hee is Almighty hee hath all his perfections of himselfe and we ours from him he hath them immutably he hath them eminently he that planted our eare can heare and he that made our eye can see But he seeth and heareth without an eye and eare of flesh he is all eye all eare he sees all heares all Enter praesenter Deus est ubique potenter His Majesty fils Heaven and Earth All things are naked before him yea there is nothing that is not sustained by him Though all imperfections be far from God yet are they not without the compasse of the providence of God he permitteth them hee ordereth them yea hee draweth his glory and his Churches good out of them The same God that could command light to shine out of darknesse can out of evill bring forth good Yea
will not shrink from it of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy Throne If thy sons keepe my Covenant and my Testimonies that I shall teach them their sennes also shall sit upon thy throne for ever THis Psalme is one of those fifteene which are called Psalmes of degrees of which title whatsoever reason can bee given sitting the rest surely if we consider the argument of this it may well import the excellency thereof and why It is nothing else but a sacred emulation wherein God and a King contend the King in piety God in bounty The King declares himselfe to be a most eminent paterne of zeale and God himselfe to be a most magnificent rewarder of his servants The King debarreth himselfe of all worldly contents while he is busily providing to entertaine God and GOD who filleth heaven and earth vouchsafeth to lodge in that place which was provided by the King The King presents his supplication not only for himselfe but also for his charge the Priests the people and God restraineth not his blessing to the King but also at his suit enlargeth it to Church and Common weale finally the King bindeth himselfe to make good his duty with a Votive Oath and God restipulateth with an Oath that which he promiseth both to King and kingdome to the kingdome in the words that follow but to the King in those that now I have read unto you This speech then is directed unto the King unto David but it containeth a blessing which redounds unto his issue The fruit of his body This blessing is no lesse then a royall succession in the Throne of David Davids sonnes shall inherit it but it is God that states them in it They shall sit but I will set them yea so set them that they shall never fall they shall sit for ever the succession shall be perpetuall And hitherto the promâ—se runnes absolute it is qualified in that which followeth Least Davids sonnes if they be left without Law should live without care they must know that the succession shall be perpetuall but the promise is conditionall if Davids sons conforme themselves to God if they keepe my covenant whereof they cannot pretend ignorance And they have an authenticall record the record My testimonies authenticall I my selfe will teach them You see the Kings blessing it is very great but least the promise thereof bee thought too good to be true God secures the King with a most unchangeable warrant the warrant is his Oath The Lord sware and this warrant is unchangeable because sincere he swore in truth 2. Stable he will not shrinke from it And what could King David desire more for his owne house then a promise of such a blessing of such a warrant of that promise Yes he might and no doubt he did desire and God also intend to him more than the letter of this promise doth expresse even the accomplishment of the truth whereof this was but a type And what is that The establishment of the kingdome of Iesus Christ So then this Scripture conteineth Gods promissory Oath for continuing the crowne of Jsrael in the lineage of King David The points therein to bee considered are two the promise and the warrant thereof the warrant is Gods oath a sufficient Oath neither false nor fickle In the promise we have first the Person to whom King David and they for whom it is made Davids sons Secondly the matter whereof it doth consist a succession in King Davids throne and that perpetuall yet conditionall But whereas the Consideration of the warrant is single in the promise all things are double to be considered in the tipe and in the truth I begin with the Warrant and therin with the Oath The Lord sware That God made this Oath Psa 89.3 we are taught also Psalm 89. but when it is not agreed Some thinke that Gods Word signed with any of his Titles Thus saith the Lord The Lord of Hosts c. is equipollent to an oath and thereupon conclude that this Text referres to that messagesent by Nathan 2 Sam. 7.8 although the correspondency betweene the two places savoureth their conjecture yet it is more likely that as the last words of David registred 2 Sam. c. 23 intimate 2 Sam. 23.2 3. God reitera ted the promise immediately to the King and then bound it expresly with this Oath questionlesse in Abrahams case Saint Paul saying that by two immutable things Heb. 6.18 his word and Oath wherein it was impossible for him to lye God shewed the stablenesse of his counsell manifests a difference betweene By my selfe have I sworne which is an Oath and thus saith the Lord which is only a signification that the word spoken is Gods A difference certainely there is betweene these two speeches but this difference must not be mistaken it is quoad nos not quoad Deum the one doth oblige God no more then the other Perfection can as little be added to his bare word as to his nature But God condescends lower to our infirmitie when hee maketh an oath then when hee onely speakes the word Therefore the Apostle saith that if wee lift up our eyes to God in swearing hee did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 use a superfluous confirmation But if wee cast downe our eyes upon our selves it was necessary hee should sweare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to settle our distrustfull heartes A timorous man that passeth over a broad streame upon a narrow plank if hee see the same thorough a Cristall glasse will bee more hardy in venturing not for that his bridge is bigger but because it seemes to bee so fareth it with us that passe the troublesome sea of this world by that narrow way that leadeth unto life wee feare drowning every steppe wee dare not bee bold If God onely say I will not faile thee I will not forsake thee wee will have better hold on God See then the mercy of our graciouâ— Fatheâ— strengthning the feeble knees of men by a multiplied heavenly light he is content as if his bare promise were questionable in the word of God to make oath as a man that so man may not doubt to trust God But what is Gods oath Saint Paul tells us in generall that God having no greater swore by himselfe but elsewhere the prophets set downe divers formes in particular By my holines by my right hand by my life Ioyne Saint Paul to the prophets and you may see that these divers formes have but one substance for God is but one yea onenesse yet selfe seeing all in God is God onely because the riches of the nature of God cannot bee conceaved by men at once what one forme cannot expresse to our capacity in full that many doe but every one in part and yet so that the mentioning of one forme of God excludeth not the rest but teacheth us raâ—her that God will manifest â—hat attribute specially which then hee names Even â—s in a consort though
stickes not to say Regis admirabilem gloriam effecit splendidiorem he was a King admirable for his vertues but more admirable for his repentance as it was a stranger sight to see a King of Ninive come downe from his Throne clothed in sackcloth and sit in ashes then King Solomon sitting upon his Throne and speaking parables unto the Queene of Saba Behold then whom God chose to be a Patriarch to whom he gave a name like one of the great ones like that of Abraham he entered into a Covenant with Abraham and he entred into a covenant with David he sware to Abraham and he sware to David and he sware unto David as unto Abraham concerning his issue The fruit of his body Children are called fruit of their Parents body to note that they are only fathers of their flesh they have another namely God which is father of their spirits Saint Paul teacheth it and the use of it Heb. 12. Heb. 12.9 And this checkes their opinion that will have soules propagated no lesse than bodies I will not trouble you with such an unnecessary dispute Rather this I note that whereas every mans first desire is immortality because hee cannot in this world attaine it hee offereth supply thereof by his posterity This phrase then promiseth solatium immortalitatis a kind of immortality Our mortall part the Sonne of Syrach doth excellently set forth Chr. 30.4 A man that hath issue though he die yet he is as though hee were not dead for hee hath left one behind him that is like him Jn his life he saw him and had joy in him and hee was not sorry in his death neither was hee ashamed before his enemies And why he left behind him an avenger against his enemies and one that should shew favour to his friends Good cause therefore why another Psalme of degrees tels us that Children are an inheritance of the Lord and the fruit of the wombe is his reward As are the arrowes in the hand of the strong man so are the children of the youth Blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them Surely for a King to have his quiver empty is no small curse God himselfe hath spoken it Ier. 22.30 O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord write this man and that man was Iechonias the King write him I say destitute of Children a man that shall not prosper in his dayes and what is that but that he shall be cursed he addes the reason for there shall be no man of his seed that shall sit upon the Throne of David or beare rule any more in Judah Esa 38.14 King Ezekiah when he was but threatned it confesseth thus he chattered like a swallow mourned like a Dove And what said Abraham O Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I goe childlesse and loe the servant of mine house shall bee mine heire Happie then was David and so every one of Davids ranke is happy that hath a fruitfull Vine and Olive branches round about his Table Of whom we may truly say Vno avulso non deficit alter Aureus et simili frondescit virga metallo But marke the King was busie to build Gods house and see how God answers him promising the building of â—â—e Kings house God requites a building with a builâ—ing There is a very apt allusion in the word upon which the sonne of Syrach also playes when he saith that â—hildren and the building of a City make a perpetuall â—â—me how much more if they be a royall off-spring that â—e destined to sit upon a Throne And God promiseth â—avid sons for this honourable end To sit upon his Throne It appeares among the buildings of Solomon and in the Chronicles of other Monarchs that the King had a seciall publike seat wherein he was placed when he possessed himselfe of his kingdome and afterwards sate as in his proper seate the Scripture cals it solium Regni as if a kingdome and the Throne were inseparable So that this phrase doth signifie insigne Regni an essentiall an incommunicable rite of a Kingdome This seate is incommunicable the Altar and the Throne saith one are â—â—th proper the Altar to God the Throne to the King The pride of usurping the Throne will as hardly be brooâ—ed by a Soveraigne on earth as the usurping of the Altar will be borne by the Lord of heaven Therefore Pharaoh though he did highly advance Ioseph added Only in the Kings Throne will I bee above thee As it is incommunicable to others so is it essentiall to a King In regard whereof Saint Peter calls Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supereminent supereminent in the Throne But wherein stands this supereminency surely in state and power In regard of the state it is called solium gloriae 1 Sam. 2.8 Pro. 20.8 and in regard of the power solum judicij These two must not be severed A King must in state ascend above all that hee may be the more respected when he doth command God himselfe that did often shew himselfe as a King did shew himselfe in that Majestie that hee alloweth unto Kings The places be knowne in Ezechiel Daniel Revelation I need not quote them But solium is therefore gloriae because judicij The state is to countenance the power it must not be only a Throne of glory but of judgment too Nazianzene hath an apt description of Kings they are persons saith hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are not be without a paire of scales in their hands in imitation of God of whom the Psalmist saith Thou sittest iâ— the Throne that judgest righteously And such a Throne indeed was King Davids At Ierusalem are Thrones for Judgment even the Throne of the house of David In such a Throne should the sons of David sit they were to 〈◊〉 but God would set them there It is superfluous for me to remember you that Promotion commeth neither from the East nor from the West 〈◊〉 from the North nor from the South It is God that take downe one and setteth up another Which is evident by the Prophesies of alterations in the most eminent Monarchiâ— of the world As for the Anabaptists that admit no Soveraigne title in a Christian Common-weale upon a falâ— ground that it is a fruit of Adams fall which ceased us on the Redemption by Christ it is enough to touâ— their ignorance not distinguishing between Directâ—â—â— and Coercive power The later is made necessary by sin the former is as naturall as sociablenesse is to man Tâ—â— Romanists detest Anabaptisme but they cherish a mâ—sterie of iniquity that may not be indured by this peculiar of God I will set them For in their Pontificale Remanum they insert such clauses as have within late yeere given occasion of Rebellion in this land Rebellion justified at the Barre upon this ground that the King is 〈◊〉 King till he be anointed In that booke as it is reformâ— by the