that our Ministers are the true Ministers of God Christ is God as well as man the reasons why which are foure and the vses thereof which are three There is a fourefold difference betweene the manner of Christs generation and that which is carnall with man All the miracles that Christ did and chiefly his resurrection from the dead do shew that he was the Sonne of God How we may know whether God hath begotten vs and whom we are to take for Gods children Christs Kingdome is catholike and vniuersall ouer all the world with the vse thereof Men must pray to God for benefites and by prayer they shall receiue them the reasons why and the vses thereof which are three God doth giue to vs more oftentimes then we do aske Christ doth bruise his enimies and the manner how Malefactors must be punished the reasons why which are 4. the vses thereof which are 3. with an answere to such obiections as are made against the same The Contents of the sixth Sermon GReat persons and men of authority should be formost in repentance and in the whole worship of God the reasons why which are three and the vses thereof Perils and dangers must moue men to repentance and amendment of life the reasons why and the vses thereof which are three Men must defer no time but repent out of hand the reasons why which are foure and the vses thereof which are three with an answere to such obiections as are made against it It is proued that all wicked persons are fooles and vnlearned in God sight with the vse thereof Euery one must labour to get wisedome and to vnderstand the will of God the reasons why which are 3. and the vses thereof which are also 3 with an answere to such obiections as are made against it The course that men must take to attaine vnto it standeth in sixe things The euils that do hinder men from it are many but chiefly three The Contents of the seuenth Sermon MEn must worship God the Father the reasons why and the vses thereof In euery worke of Gods worship we must looke as well to the manner of it as to the matter with the reason and vse thereof Men must feare God the reasons why which are 6. and the vses thereof which are 2. with a distinction of feare and an answere to such obiections as are contrary vnto it together with the meanes to attaine vnto it which standeth chiefly in three things Men must reioyce in God and his seruice the reasons why which are 2. and the vses thereof which are three with the profits which come by it which are foure and the meanes how to get it which are two Men must tremble before the Lord and be lowly and humble before him the reasons why which are two and the vses thereof with the meanes to attaine vnto it which are foure Men must honour and worship the Son as well as the Father the reasons why which are two and the vses therof which are also two The great and manifold inconueniences or euils that happen vnto men who obey not Christ with the vse thereof Those are blessed that trust in Christ the reasons why and the vses therof which are 3. together with a declaration of those 6. things which are in Christ that are sufficient to moue our hearts to trust in him SEVEN SERMONS VPON the second Psalme Prolegomena or the Generall view of it THERE is a time saith Salomon for all things vnder the Sunne in Eccle. 3.1 And againe he saith in Prou. 25.11 that a word spoken in his place is like apples of gold with pictures of siluer In consideration whereof I haue elected this portion of sacred Writ to handle here amongst you on these holy daies as most fitting the time and person for whose sake they are obserued and so I hope will be most acceptable vnto you For the time you know is a time that is celebrated for the honour of Christ our Sauiour who was borne as vpon this day And as for this portion of holy Scripture it is a Psalme that doth intreate of Christ and of his heauenly kingdome who though he hath many enimies to withstand him yet he shall remaine King and Lord for euer The Author principall of this Psalme was God as he is of all the rest of the Scripture according to Paules testimony in 2. Tim. 3.16 But the Author ministeriall or instrumentall penman thereof was the sweete singer of Israel blessed Dauid the king as we may see by the prayer of the faithfull in Acts 4.25 For there in plaine termes Dauid is named when they say vnto God Which by the mouth of thy seruant Dauid hast said Why did the Gentles rage and the people imagine vaine things c. The chiefe matter herein handled is the gracious king dome of our best beloued bridegroome the sweete Sauiour of the world In letter and type it speakes of Dauid and his kingdome but in spirit and truth of Christ and his kingdome For that which was figuratiue in Dauid who represented the person of Christ was all of it most liuely accomplished in Christ who was represented by him And therefore you shall finde that those things which are here deliuered by the Prophet Dauid are applied by the Spirit of God the best interpreter of all vnto Christ in particular and that in three places of the new Testament The first is in that 4. chapter of the Acts which was quoted before The second is in the thirteenth chapter of the same Booke and the thirtieth three verse And the third and last is in Heb. 1.5 So that by the warrant of these places of diuine Oracle this Psalme and the things therein contained are truely and properly to be referred vnto Christ our King Wherefore in the handling of it we wil stand chiefly vpon him and his kingdome and speake but a little of Dauid and his kingdome onely shewing the verity of it in him pressing it as it were by the way of an allusion and in the matter of amplification The parts of this Psalme are two Doctrine which some haply would call a Narratiue proposition and Exhortation which they would peraduenture stile an Admonitorie Conclusion Of these two Doctrine goes foremost and Exhortation comes afterward according to all good Methodicall instruction For as in the architecture of an house the foundation must first be well laid and then afterward the whole building must be framed vpon it and fastened to it with strong bands and ioints So in euery orderly and sound Instruction the Doctrine must be first like the foundation plainely setting downe the truth of matters touching faith or manners and the Exhortation must follow vpon it like the frame of the house fitting euery thing to the best edification of the hearer and pressing it closely vpon his soule with pitthy perswasions to worke vpon it that so it may be framed according to the image of his creator in that respect The
murmure against any of these is to murmure against God himselfe because all of them haue their calling from God and do supplie his roome and place nor against any worke or word of the Almightie whether you be in aduersity or in prosperity but be quiet waite vpon the Lord praying alwayes for the redresse of things that are amisse but neuer murmuring for any thing And so I passe from the acts of the people and come to the Prophets wondring at the same He doth demand and aske the question saying Why do the heathen rage and the people murmure in vaine And this he doth by way of admiration as wondring at them for this their so doing Sometimes we aske a question when we doubt of a matter or know it not So the Apostles asked of Christ why he did speake to the multitude in parables Matth. 13.10 Sometimes we aske a question when we know a thing our selues and would gladly teach it to another So one of the Elders whom Iohn saw standing about the throne of God asked of Iohn what they were and wherehence they came which stood before the throne and before the Lambe clothed with long white robes and palmes in their hands Reuel 7.13 Sometimes we aske the question for neither of these ends but to tempt or to entrap So the Herodians asked Christ whether it were lawfull to giue tribute to Caesar or no. Math. 22.17 Sometimes we aske a question when we would checke or reproue one for some thing which is either spoken or done amisse So God asked of Caine where his brother Abel was Gen. 4.9 Sometimes we aske a question when we would expresse a thing with the greater force and vehemency So Paul asked of the Romanes how they that were dead to sinne should yet liue therein Rom. 6.2 Sometimes we aske a question when we would stop his mouth that doth propose vnnecessary or vnpleasing matters vnto vs. So Christ asked the chiefe Priests and Elders of the people whether the baptisme of Iohn were from heauen or from men Math. 21.25 Sometimes lastly we aske a question when we maruell or wonder at a matter So Dauid asked what man was that God did so regard him and extoll him aboue the rest of his creatures Psal 8.4 Thus you see that questions are proposed vpon sundrie considerations and for diuerse ends But the end why the Prophet here doth propose this question is for wondrings sake for he saw such madnesse and foolishnesse in the heathen and people for their raging and murmuring against the Lord that he could not but maruell and wonder at the same If a man should attempt a thing that is either vnpossible to be done as to cary a Church vpon his backe or else which being done will be altogether hurtfull vnto him as to kicke his heeles against sharpe needles we should wonder and maruell at him much for it thinke that he were mad and out of his wits So was it with the Prophet in this case he saw first that they went about a thing impossble that which could neuer be brought to passe for who can remoue the Lord out of his throne or displace him out of his kingdome none no not all the inhabitants of the world Againe he saw in the second place that as this was impossible so it was a thing altogether vnprofitable for them and most hurtfull in euery respect For whether we respect Dauid or Christ they could not haue the like king againe in all the world For as it is recorded of Dauid that he was a man according to Gods owne heart and that he executed iudgement and iustice vnto all his people as it is in 2. Sam. 8.15 so it is chronicled of Christ that he was the very ingraued forme of his Fathers person and that the scepter of his kingdome was ascepter of righteousnesse he louing righteousnesse and hating iniquitie Heb. 1.2.8.9 And as though this were not a commendations great enough of him that he should reigne as a king and prophet execute iudgement and iustice in the earth marke what the Lord doth adde further to this in Ier 23.6 when he saith In his dayes Iudah shall be saued and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name whereby they shall call him The Lord our righteousnesse that so thereby we might know that all those are in a most happie estate who are vnder him and his dominion In regard of both which things you may see that the Prophet might well wonder and maruell as here he doth at their rebelliō Whereout shortly obserue this doctrine Doct. That the acts of the world and the people thereof are such oftentimes that a wise and godly man such as the Prophet was may well wonder and maruell at them It is noted in Esay cap. 59. v. 16. that God himselfe did wonder at the dealing of the world that there was no man found in it that would offer himselfe to helpe the Church in these words And when he saw that there was no man he wondred that none would offer himselfe But what may the reason of this be Reason that we may draw quickly to an end In few words it is this because they haue no good groūd nor reason for that which they do but either haue or might haue many good reasons to the contrary The which thing we may see as in other things so in the conspiracy of our traytors whether against our former Queene of blessed memory or against our present King of holy reputation For I dare protest that none of them had euer any iust cause giuen vnto them whereby they might be moued to their treason or rebellion but they had many excellent reasons still to stay them from it as their peace their wealth their honor and the like which they did alwaies in great abundance enioy but chiefly the word of God which did charge them not to touch the Lords annointed no not though the had bin persecuted to the death as Dauid in a manner was by Saul daily experiences by the which they did see that all their plots frō time to time were euermore in vain did still turne to their own ruine destructiō Wherefore seeing the acts of the people are acts so farre voide of reason vnderstanding Vse that a good holy man may wonder at them do you neither approue of them your selues neither yet ioyne with them in any of their wayes that are of such a nature or qualitie but follow you that which is wel pleasing vnto the Lord remēbring alwayes what God said to the Prophet Esay in the like case when he tooke him by the hand taught him that he should not walke in the way of the people saying Say ye not a confederacy to al them to whom this people saith a confederacy neither feare you their feare nor be afraid of them but sanctifie the Lord of hosts let him be your feare and let him be your dread Esay 8.11.12.13
CHRISTS Kingdome 〈…〉 Sermons 〈…〉 RICHARD WEB Preacher of Gods word The Contents whereof follows after the Epistles MATH 6.33 Seeke first the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnesse and all these things shall be ministred vnto you LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes for Henry Rockit and are to be sold at his shop in the Poultry vnder S. Mildreds Diall 1611. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL AND HIS VERY GOOD FRIENDS MAISTER DOCTOR SINGLETON PRINCIPALL of Brasen-nose Colledge in Oxford together with all the worthy and learned Fellowes of that House Mr. WILLIAM DVTTON and Mr. RICHARD DASTON Iustices of Peaces Mr. Doctor SEMAN Chancelor of Glocester and Mr. HENRY AISGILL Preacher of Gods Word R. W. wisheth all happinesse in this world and eternall glory in the world to come THERE are three sorts of Kingdoms right Worshipfull much spoken of in the sacred volumes of the Almighty The first is the kingdome of God as it is ruled by Christ the Mediator of the new Testament whom the Father hath constituted the head of his Church The second is the Kingdome of Man as he is set vp in authority aboue others by the ordinance of the most High to command his people at his will and according to his lawes of whom he hath receiued his place of Regency The third is the Kingdome of Sathan as he is the Prince of darkenesse and the 〈…〉 world ruling in the children of darkenesse and raging against the children of light Of these three Kingdomes the first and the last are opposite like the fire and the water so contrary one vnto the other that there can neuer be any good agreemēt betwixt them but deadly hatred and enmity for euer For this is the immutable voyce of the Almighty I will saith the Lord to the diuell put enmity betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed He shall breake thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele But as for the midst of them it is subordinate vnto them both and of such a flexible nature that it is content to participate with either side For it is neither wholly for Christ nor wholly for Satan but it selfe comprehending vnder it the whole race of mankinde whereof some are good and others bad doth yeeld foorth subiects both for Christ and for Satan the children of light being the subiects of Christ the children of darkenesse the subiects of Satan Thus do Christ and Satan hold their Kingdoms in the Kingdome of man So that though there be three distinct Kingdoms yet there are not three distinct places for the administration of these Kingdomes but the place is but one and the selfe same for them all In regard whereof euery person must carefully looke to himselfe whether liuing in the kingdome of Man he doth belong to Christ or to the diuell For of necessity he must be a subiect to the one of them or to the other considering that no man can serue two maisters If we belong to Christ we are happy shall haue this comfortable saying deliuered vnto vs at the last Come ye blessed children of my Father receiue the Kingdome of God which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world But if we appertaine to the diuell we are in a pittifull case and shall haue this dolefull sentence pronounced against vs at the day of iudgement Depart ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his Angels Now how men do cary themselues in regard of these Kingdomes what they should also do in respect thereof Dauid who was himselfe a King and a singular Prophet of the most High hath notably described vnto vs in his second Psalme which spendeth it selfe wholly vpon that subiect The which Psalme of his I haue handled preached ouer amongst my people but the Lord that is the searcher of the heart doth know that whosoeuer I be now content to let my Sermons vpon the same go in common for the common good of all and to commit them to the ballance of Gods Sanctuary for the profit of his Saints yet when I preached them at the first it was neuer once intended by me that they should come to the presse And therefore the whole discourse was so framed both for matter and manner as might best fit the necessity and capacity of the present Auditory whose benefite I did chiefly respect and vnto whom I did accommodate my selfe as in other matters and as at other times I was wont for to do Howsoeuer being thus penned out in simplicity of spirit plainenesse of phrase without all eloquence of speech and gloriousnesse of style and being now ready to come to the view of the world I make bold to present them vnto you right Worshipfull to whom if they be worthy of any respect they do belong in many respects For as your loue to Christ wherein you passe many others of your ranke and order your office vnder Christ by which you are as it were Kings in his Kingdome reigning ouer other Kings your hatred to them which are out of Christ whereby you are carried with some indignation against the Man of sin and those which are in a confederacy with the arch-enimy of our soules and lastly as your kind affection to them which are in Christ and for Christ which hath moued your tongues to commend them and your hands to helpe them do seeme to challenge this worke which doth intreate of Christ and his kingdom and to claime it for their owne not much vnlike to that of Titus Pomponius Atticus who had that Treatise which Tully made of old age committed to him because he was a man well stricken in age or that of Theophilus to whom Luke the Euangelist did consecrate the History of Christ for that he was a friend of Christ and one that loued him well So your vndeserued fauours towards me in particular do of right vendicate the same considering that these are the first fruites of all my labours which I haue taken in this sort and after this manner since my comming to that place where now I am and which I receiued by your meanes some of you being Commissioners appointing that annuall stipend for the continuall maintenance of a Preacher amongst vs which our recouered lands will affoord and others being Patrones presenting me to the same In lieu whereof as they are in that regard most due vnto you so I do here present them vnto you as a testimony of my minde which is well affected towards you and as a token of my thankefull heart which would recompence you better if I could If you iudge them worthy vouchsafe them I pray you your patronage if not your pardon at least your gracious and fauourable acceptance according to the kindnes of your nature wonted courtesie in other matters The which thing if I shall vnderstand you do it shall not onely greatly reioyce mine heart but make me much indebted vnto you for the same The Lord for his Sonnes sake
to haue aduersaries of all sorts wheresoeuer you shall liue or dwell Either Ismael with his flowting tongue or Esau with his bloudy hand shall wound and persecute you for he that is borne after the flesh will alwaies persecute him that is borne after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 And surely as the life of Christ was a warfare vpon earth so must your liues that are Christians be a warfare vpon earth Here we liue in a sea of troubles the sea is the world the waues are calamities the Church is the ship the anker is hope the sailes are loue the Saints are passengers the hauen is heauen and Christ is our Pilot. Now when the sea can continue without waues the ship without tossings and passengers not be sicke vpon the water then shall the Church of God be without trials but not before And as for this voyage we begin it or at the least should begin it so soone as we are borne and we must saile on till our dying day Therefore I beseech you brethren promise vnto your selues no security in this world but looke still for enimies and when you haue slaine a Beare looke for a Lyon when you haue killed the Lyon looke for a Goliah and when you haue ouercome Goliah looke for a Saul when Saul is wounded to death looke for the Philistines c. that is when you haue ouercome one trouble or vanquished one enimie looke still for an other trouble and for an other enimie and that vntill you die and the spirit doth returne to God that gaue it Thus farre of the first point now followes the second In the fourth verse and so forward vnto the end of the ninth verse is shewed how this opposition which was made against the Lord and his Annoynted came to none effect but was withstood and brought to nothing through the powerfull working of the Almighty the enimies that made the opposition being brought to shame and confusion How true this was in respect of Dauid the figure the 2. booke of Samuel doth declare with the beginning of the first booke of the Kings For in these two bookes we finde these three things First that he did enioy his kingdome vnto his dying day and that he did end his lise quietly and in peace in his bed 1. Kings 2.10 Secondly that the Lord his God who dwelleth in heauen did helpe him from time to time in all his troubles against his enemies 2. Samuel 22.1 c. Thirdly that his enemies who did thus resist him were vanquished and slaine Abner he was slaine by Ioab 2. Sam. 3.27 and Ish-bosheth his maisters Sauls sonne for whom he did sight was murdered by two of his seruants in his own house as he lay vpon his bed in his bed-chamber 2. Sam 4.7 The Iebusites they were punished and smitten by Ioab 2. Sam. 5.8 and 1. Chro. 11.8 The Philistines and other out-landish nations they were many of them put to the sword and the residue were made tributaries to Dauid 2. Sam. 5. 8. Chap. Absalom he was hanged by the haire of the head on an Oake in the wood as he was pursuing after his father and there he was slaine 2. Sam. 18.9.14 And Sheba the sonne of Bichri he was beheaded in Abel by the perswasion of a woman and his head cast ouer the wall vnto Ioab 2. Sam. 20.22 Thus all Dauids enimies ended their daies in deserued punishments But now for Christ there may be some doubt whether all things fell out aright according to the text here concerning him considering that his aduersaries seemed to haue the vpper hand of him in that they put him to death and brought him to a shameful end and that he himselfe did cry out and say My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Math. 27.46 Notwithstanding both these things euery matter is true which is reported here of him For first and foremost it is euident howsoeuer he vttered these words in his agony and bitter passion through the consternation of his minde which was now much disturbed through the intollerable burden which God his Father did lay vpon him for the sinnes of mankind that God had not forsaken him but was alwaies present with him for his good first by the sending of an Angel vnto him in his great heauinesse for his comfort Luk. 22.43 secondly by his hearing of him at all times yea euen in those things which he feared Heb. 5.7 And lastly by his aduancing of him from the graue vnto the highest heauens the vniuersall regiment of all the world Ephes 1.20 c. Secondly it is apparant that howsoeuer they did murder him yet they had not the victory ouer him but he rather the victory ouer them First by his rising againe from the dead Secondly by his sitting at the right hand of his Father Thirdly by his dwelling with his Church vpon the face of the earth vnto the end of the world And lastly by his triumphing ouer his enimies euē while he did hang vpon the crosse as it is well obserued by the Apostle in Col. 2.15 when he saith And hath spoyled the Principallities and Powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed oner them in the same crosse But if you will not giue credit to these things and so be perswaded by these reasons marke what he himselfe who is truth it selfe Ioh. 14.6 hath said touching this matter in Ioh. 16.33 Where you shall finde him vttering these words vnto his disciples saying In the world yee shall haue affliction but be of a goodcomfort I haue ouercome the world Then as we are conquerours yea more then conquerours when we do suffer for the name of Christ and do leese our liues for the defence of his truth as it is in Rom. 8.36.37 so was Christ a conquerour yea more then a conquerour when he died for vs and by his death did destroy him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 and so through his sufferings entred into his glory Luke 24.26 he being for that cause exalted aboue all the creatures and receiuing a name aboue euery name that at his name euery knee should bow both of things in heauen and things inearth and things vnder the earth Phil. 2.9 c. Thirdly and lastly it is manifest that his aduersaries were ouerthrowne and that most of them came to fearefull ends First by the ciuill warre that arose vp amongst themselues which continued a long time and brought many thousands to most desperate ends Secondly by the grieuous famine that was in the midst of them that consumed many of them and caused the parents to eate their owne children and one friend to deuoure another Thirdly by the totall destruction of their glorious Temple famous citty of Ierusalem with all the inhabitants thereof by Vespasian and Titus the Emperours of Rome Fourthly by the lasting infamy of a cursed name vpon their whole nation in that they are reproched throughout all the world and counted the worst
to account for such For our selues if we flie the corruption which is in the world through lust and giue all diligence thereunto ioyning moreouer vertue with our faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue we may assure our owne soules that we are the children of God and that he hath begotten vs vnto life eternall as Peter doth well declare in the first chapter of his second Epistle the 10. and 11. verses thereof For others we are to take them onely for the children of God who walke not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit and do become new creatures performing the same holy duties with vs whereof mention was made out of Peter last of all But if either we our selues or others faile herein leading wicked or loose liues we may tremble and feare but we must not challenge this prerogatiue vnto our selues to be called the sonnes of God nor giue it vnto others that are vnworthy of the same For as God is holy so are all those holy who are borne of him but as for the rest who are wicked and naught they belong to the Diuell who was a sinner from the beginning as Iohn doth teach vs in the place before alleaged Wherefore looke to your selues that you may be boly and righteous rising from the death of sinne vnto the life of righteousnesse that thereby you may be assured that God is your father and that he hath begotten you and beware also what title and appellation you giue vnto others that none may be wronged but euery one may haue that which doth of right belong vnto him Hauing thus spoken of the person of Christ or his sonne-ship now we are to speake of his office or princely kingdome wherein is set downe first the largenesse of it in the 8. verse then secondly the inuincible power of it in the 9. verse In handling these things I will be as briefe as I can In describing the largenesse of it there is included a duty which he must performe namely prayer then the fruit of it which is a great and large gift I will ioyne both these together for breuities sake Aske of me saith the text these are the words of God the Father inuiting Dauid or Christ to aske somewhat of him and enioyning them a certaine duty to performe if they would haue their kingdomes enlarged The words following containe the gift it selfe which God would bestow vpon them vpon their prayer and petition which they should make vnto him And I will giue thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession A worthy reward of such a small duty as prayer is and a gift as we say most worthy of a king Surely as God is such is his gift For as he is great and mighty so is his gift here great and mighty It is obserued of Alexander the Great that he gaue to one Perillus for the marriage of his daughter fiftie talents and when Perillus told him that it was too much by halfe he answered him and sayd If halfe be enough for thee to take yet it is not enough for me to giue And in like manner when he had giuen vnto a poore Aegyptian a rich and populous citie and the Aegyptian stood all astonished at it supposing that he had mocked him Take quoth he to him that which I giue thee for if thou art Bias that demandest I am Alexander that giueth Thus he would giue gifts according to his owne ability and power So euen so doth the Lord our God deale here he doth bestow his gifts according to his owne ability and power Though halfe a kingdome be a great gift yet a whole kingdome is but a small gift with him Dauid and Christ must haue more of him then that For Dauid who was but the figure and type of Christ had of him not onely the whole kingdome of Israel and Iudah but all the heathen also that were round about him as the Ammonites Moabites Aramites Philistims Amalekites and diuerse others all which were in subiection and became tributaries to him as may be seene by the second booke of Samuel and namely by the 8. chapter thereof But as for Christ who was the body and truth he had spacious and large dominions of him indeed For he bestowed vpon him not onely one kingdome or two alone but all the kingdomes of the world from one end thereof vnto the other as the Apostle doth at large declare in his 1. chap. to the Ephe. in his 2. chap. to the Phil. Wherupon Christ himselfe spake vnto his Disciples saying All power is giuen vnto me in heauen earth Go therfore and teach all nations baptizing thē in the name of the Father the Son the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you as it is in Math 28.18.19.20 Here I might stand vpon the largenesse of Christs kingdome and gather some good obseruations out of the vniuersality thereof as to shew that wheresoeuer we liue or be yet we are vnder his dominion and are there to worship him and that if we do once offend him and play a treacherous part with him there is no place of safetie for vs to flie vnto to escape his power and hand as who doth reigne throughout all the world and not in some places alone as kings here vpon the earth do amongst whom malefactors yea most vile and notorious traytors do escape oftentimes death and other punishments according to their just deserts because they shift out of one mans kingdome into another But I will passe them ouer to your owne considerations come to more neceslary points for our learning A duty you see here is enioyned vpon Christ that he must pray to his Father for his kingdome and aske the same of him Againe a large promise is made vnto him that if he shall so do he shall haue an ample one indeed euen such an one as shall reach from one end of the world vnto the other Vpon both these brances a man might seuerally insist and stand but as I promised before I will conioyne them both together that of two works I may for shortnesse sake make but one Wherefore the doctrine which is to be collected out of them both together is this Doct. that men must pray to God for benefits and that by praying vnto him they shall obtaine them Aske saith our Sauiour Iesus Christ and it shall be giuen you seeke and ye shall find knocke and it shall be opened vnto you For whosoeuer asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened as it is in Math. 7.7.8 Likewise Iames doth say making instance in one particular which is wisedome If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God which giueth vnto all men liberally and reproacheth no man
Doctrine begins at the first verse and reacheth vnto the end of the nineth verse at which place begins the Exhortation and continues to the end of the Psalme In the Doctrine two principall things as the seuerall members thereof are laid downe The one is an Opposition that is made against the kingdome of Christ in the three first verses The other is the vanity of that Opposition and the woefull estate wherein they stand that make the same in the six verses next following If you would know the persons that doe oppose themselues against Christ and his kingdome they are of all sorts some that are base and meane ones that do rage and murmure against him spoken of in the first verse others that are noble and great ones that do ioine hand head together to ouerthrow him mentioned in the second and third verses If you would know againe how all these doe speede they haue ill successe and misse of their purpose and runne by this meanes into most woefull and ineuitable dangers For as they shall neuer preuaile but all their endeauours shall come to nought so they themselues like rebels and traitours shall be executed and come to most fearfull and shamefull ends And this is set out two waies The one is in regard of God the Father and his Maiesty against whom they haue lifted vp thēselues and who doth take his Sons part and will defend him in his kingdome in the fourth fift and sixt verses For as they can doe him no hurt not onely in regard of his place he being in heauen far out of their reach who are vpon the earth but also of his power he being strong and mighty whereas they are but weake feeble one that makes no more account of their conspiracies thē a man doth of his aduersaries forces whom he hath in meere contempt and derision so he is exceeding angry and wrathfull with them for their rebellion and treason and in this anger and wrath of his he will take reuenge vpon them for it and make them know and vnderstand to their shame and griefe that he himselfe and none other had placed Christ in his kingdome and established him in the throne of Israel that he did not vsurpe this authority to himselfe The other way is in respect of Christ himselfe who is able to right his owne cause not onely to defend himselfe in his kingdome but also to ouerthrow al his aduersaries to bring a perpetual vnrecouerable destruction vpon thē in the seuenth eight and ninth verses Where you haue two things set downe before your eyes to contemplate vpon The one is a promise which hee doth make to publish his Fathers decree touching himselfe and his kingdome that so his enimies might be daunted the more and by the due consideration thereof might be brought if it were possible to leaue off their rebellion against him The other is an opening of this decree by the parts thereof which are in number two the one respecting his person the other his office or gouernment For his person he is not onely man but also God euen the naturall Sonne of the almighty Ichouah which was is and which is to come and this was proued to be so as by his miracles so chiefly by his resurrection from the dead the Lord shewing by that that he had begotten him from all eternity For his office or gouernment he is our king and the head of the Church And touching it two things are recorded First the largenesse of it in the eight verse wherein you may see how it doth reach from one end of the world vnto the other Then secondly the power and strength of it in the ninth verse which is innincible and bruysing downe all his aduersaries before him And this his power he must vse and exercise as for the defence of his owne faithfull and loyall subiects so also for the destruction of the forenamed rebels and of all such as shall at any time conspire against him And this he is to doe by the vertue of his commission from his Father the Almighty who did set him vpon his throne and bestowed this vniuersall and catholicke kingdome vpon him For he doth in plaine termes enioyne him to this dutie saying Thou shalt crush them with a scepter of yron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell Vpon this stablenesse of Christs kingdome wherein the aduersaries cannot preuaile and vpon the inuincible and reuenging power wherewith he is armed able to crush all his enemies in peeces as the potter doth his earthen vessels a sweete exhortation is raised vp wherein all the offenders are aduised to submit themselues to the Lord and his Annointed whom before they did resist and withstand and that betimes without any further delay that so they may not perish but be saued in the three last verses Wherein remember you what is required of them In summe it is nothing else but a present repentance or amendment of life but the parts of it are two as the chiefe points wherein this repentance or amendment of life must stand The first is an heauenly wisedome and holy learning in verse 10. For whereas heretofore they had bene foolish and ignorant of their duties now he would haue them to be wise and learned knowing all such matters as doe belong vnto them and keeping themselues within the compasse of heauenly direction The second is a loyall subiection and a seruiceable obedience both towardes the Father and also towards the Sonne Towards the Father in verse 11. whom they must serue in feare and before whom they must reioyce in trembling And towards the Sonne in verse 12. whom they must kisse in token of their loue and homage to him and that for two causes one that they may not offend him any more and so bring fearefull and suddaine destruction vpon themselues another that they may please him and so through his fauour and kindnesse towards them receiue daily and plentifull blessings from his hands both for this world and the world to come Thus you may see in a generall view as in a christall glasse what this whole Psalme is and how correspondently one thing doth depend vpon the other therein But if your memories bee fraile and not stable enough to retaine the stampe of all these aboue recited points within them yet at the least remember three of them which are Instar omnium in the place or stead of all The first is the resistance that is made against the Lord and his Annointed wherein you shall finde all forts of persons rebelling against the gracious and sweete gouernment of our blessed Sauiour Christ Iesus The second is the ouerthrow of that resistance and the fearefull estate wherein those that made the resistance doe stand through the powerfull and reuenging Maiesty of God the Father and of God the Sonne against whom this treason is committed both which are armed with intollerable and vnresistable plagues to consume them
did eate he should not perish but haue life euerlasting Ioh. 6.41.60.61 As thus you haue heard what they did so now heare what was the euent of their doing All was in vaine but in vaine saith the Prophet by which word he doth signifie that all their indeauour was to no purpose For a thing is said to be in vaine which cannot be brought to passe but shall lacke his effect In Hebrew the word is in the singular number called Rijk and it doth import a vacuitie or emptinesse and such a vanity of things as haue no substance in them no more then a dry pit hath water or an empty house hath stuffe But in Greeke the word is of the plurall number termed Kena and in signification is all one with the former sauing onely that this doth shew more fully as it were by the plurality of it that all the things which they did meditate vpon in their hearts murmuringly mutter forth with their tongues were frustrated and brought to nothing being in this respect like vnto sicke mens dreames which haue no truth or verity in them Here might many things be obserued As first that raging in a tumultuous manner and murmuring though in a secret sort are diseases and sores euermore to be found among the common people and the meaner of the world Secondly that by raging and murmuring resistance is made against the Lord and his Annointed Thirdly that all attempts which are made against the Almighty those whom he doth set vp whether by the one of these meanes or by the other shall be broken and come to nought Fourthly that the multitude and vulgar sort are alwaies enimies to the wise and gracious gouernement of our God And lastly that raging and murmuring themselues are two notorious euils which are alwaies to be abandoned by the holy and blessed Saints of the most High who doe purpose truely to serue the Lord and to go to heauen But as a man entring into a shop where is great variety of wares will buy onely that which is necessary for himselfe and his vses let the rest alone Or as a man sitting at a table where are sundry dishes will in wisedome feede onely on them which will agree with his body best and doe him most good and not meddle of the rest So let vs stand vpon those points alone which are most commodious for vs and may turne to our greatest good and let passe the rest And they are in number the two last which also are intended most if not onely by the Spirit of God in the text it selfe vnlesse it be the third respecting the vanitie of all such attempts as shall be made against the Lord whereof wee haue spoken already in the generall view of the whole Psalme and so are not now againe to speake thereof at this time First then in that the heathen do thus rage the people do thus murmure against Christ and his kingdome as we haue heard we gather this doctrine Doct. that the multitude and the whole body of the Commons will euermore be enimies vnto the Lord and his truth If we peruse the writings of the Prophets or runne ouer the Acts of the Apostles or cast our eies vpon the conuersation of the whole race of mankind we shall easily finde this to be most true and certaine Noah found it so when for all his preaching in sixscore yeares together he could not conuert any vnto the Lord but they would notwithstanding his preaching continue in their sinnes till the floud came and drowned them all 1 Pet. 3.20 Lot found it so when he vexed his righteous soule from day to day with the vnlawfull deedes and vncleane conuersation of the Sodomities 2. Pet. 2.7.8 chiefly then when they compassed his house about from all the quarters of the citty both yong and old with murthering hearts to kill those men or rather Angels that came to lodge with him Gen. 19.4 c. Aaron found it so when all the Israelites fell to idolatry and compelled him to make them a golden calfe to worship it or as they termed it Gods to goe before them Exod. 32.1 Isay found it so when he said of the whole people of Israel that they were a sinfull nation a people laden with iniquity a seed of the wicked corrupt children that they had forsaken the Lord and provoked the Holy one of Israel against them yea they were gone backeward and that there was nothing found in them from the sole of the foote vnto the top of the head but wounds swelling sores full of corruption Isay 1.4 c. Ieremy found it so when he said of the same people that they were a wicked people and that they did refuse to heare the word of God but would walke after the stubbornnesse of their owne heart and walke after other gods to serue them and to worship them Ier. 13.10 Dauid found it so when he said of all mankind that they were all of them gone out of the way that they were all corrupt and that there was wone that did good no not one Psalme 14.3 Finally to omit almost infinite examples Paul and Silas found it so when they were at Philippy a chiefe citty in Macedonia where all were set against them both people and gouernours and did not onely beate them sore with rods but they cast them also into prison and commanded the gaoler to keepe them surely there from all escaping away Acts 16.22.23 Hitherto you haue heard what the people do Reason euen rebell still against the Lord and his blessed word Now heare what are the reasons of this their so doing and marke what moues them thereunto There are many reasons of it but these foure are the chiefe and principall The first is there foolishnesse or ignorance For they not knowing the Lord nor vnderstanding his waies aright but being in this respect worser then the Oxe that knoweth his owner and the Asse that knoweth his maisters crib as the Lord doth complaine of them in Isay 1.3 they cannot but doe as Paul did in the time of his ignorance euen oppose themselues against the Almighty or those of whom Christ doth say that they shall thinke they do God good seruice in putting his Saints to death Ioh. 16.2 For this cause the Lord doth make his moane for the foolishnesse and ignorance of his people as of the wel-spring of all their rebellions against him in Ier. 4.22 in these words For my people is foolish they haue not knowne me they are foolish children and haue none vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to do well they haue no knowledge The second is their impatiency or angry waywardnesse who cannot waite vpon the Lord with any patience or beare any crosse quietly For this doth cary them away to horrible rebellions as we may see by daily experience and by the example of the children of Israel in the wildernesse who being angry for their crosses and impatient of thirst of
hunger and other calamities which fell vpon them they broke out into murmuring and blasphemous speeches against God and into open rebellion and insurrection against Moses and Aaron their gouernours insomuch as they had stoned them to death had not God by an out-stretched arme preserued thē Numb 14.10 The third is their wilfulnesse or obstinacie For they being with Narcissus in loue with themselues and doting vpon their owne waies will not hearken vnto the charmer charme he neuer so sweetly as appeareth by Christs speech in Math. 11.17.18.19 But as Ieremy doth well obserue of them in Chap. 5.3 They make their faces harder then a stone and do refuse to returne In regard whereof the Lord sending foorth his seruant Ezechiel to preach vnto his people he tels him that they will not heare him and that because they are impudent children and stiffe-hearted Ezech. 2.4 The fourth and last is their vnbeliefe or vnfaithfulnesse For as Christ doth well obserue of his owne Disciples that they were dull of heart and slow to beleeue Luke 24.25 So they distrusting God and not relying vpon him with a stedfast faith do depart away from him and commit grieuous abominations against him according to that in Ier. 5.23 But this people hath an vnfaithfull and rebellious heart they are departed and gone So then these foure vices reigning amongst them do like a violent streame carry them to all kind of rebellions The causes of their rebellion being thus touched Vse now let vs come to the vses of the doctrine They are in number foure For first here we may learne in that all do thus rebell that the greatest number in the world is not the best but the worst The flocke of Christ is a little flocke according to his owne words in Luke 12.32 when he saith Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome But the flocke of the diuell is a great flocke according to that in Reuel 20.8 Where his armie that he gathered together against the Saints of God out of the foure quarters of the earth euen Gog and Magog is compared to the sands of the sea for number Oh weigh this well and with a religious heart and let neither Popery tell you of multitude which they make to be a marke of Gods Church nor the carnall Gospeller of the generality of the world which they make to be the rule of their liues but euer looke for truth and goodnesse in the smallest number For many according to Christs words do go in at the wide gate and broad way that leadeth to destruction and but few at the straight gate and narrow way that leadeth vnto life Math. 7.13.14 Secondly here we may learne that we must not care for the loue liking of the world nor hang vpon the multitude for their applause fauour for they are against the Lord not for him Surely as they are most vnconstant in their waies turning vpon euery small occasion like the weather-cocke at the blast of the wind this day one being a man with them to morrow a beast this day none better with them to morrow none worse this day a god with them to morrow a diuell as we may see by their dealing towards Christ Paul So their loue and fauour must needes be bent towards the worst seeing they themselues are bad and do oppose thēselues against the Almighty Remember alwaies what Christ said vnto his Disciples about this matter If ye were of the world saith he in Ioh. 15.19 the world would loue his owne but because ye are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Wherefore as they that runne at tilt looke to the iudges what they say and not what the vulgar people say so I beseech you looke you euer what your iudge in heauen doth allow or approue and care not what the world and the people thereof do thinke or say Thirdly here we may learne that the multitude and the common people will be enimies vnto you and labour to resist you whensoeuer you shall go about to serue the Lord aright If you shall once begin to seeke Christ and to come vnto him they shall stand in your way to hinder you as they did stand in Zacheus way when he went foorth to see Christ Luke 19.3 If you be once in his presence do begin to call vpon him for mercy helpe they wil rebuke you as they did the poore blind man who cryed vnto him saying Iesus the Son of Dauid haue mercy on me Luke 18.39 If you be sicke or dead in your sins trespasses and Christ doth begin to come home to the houses of your soules to heale you and to raise you vp from the death of your sins they will stop his passage and entrance in if they can as they did when Christ came to the Rulers house to heale his daughter that was sicke yea dead when he came Math. 9.23 But as Christ turned them there out of dores saying Get you hence so must you shake them all off and not communicate with flesh bloud in the matters of your God But do as Abraham did when he sacrificed to God the fowles of the heauen fell on the carkeises which he had prepared for the sacrifice but he droue them away Gen. 15.11 So if any do begin to molest you whē you are going about any spirituall sacrifice resist them and driue them away saying with Christ vnto Peter Auoid satan Math. 16.23 Lastly here we may learne to take heede of the people and in any case not to do as they do For seeing that they do rebell against the Lord and the whole world as Iohn doth say 1. Ioh. 5.19 doth lye in wickednesse we must not follow them nor go after their waies to prouoke the holy one of Israel against vs as they do Fashion not your selues saith Paul like vnto this world but bee yee changed by the renewing of your minds that you may proue what is the good will of God and acceptable and perfect Rom. 12.2 The number and multitude must not mooue vs. For what saith the Lord Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill neither agree in a controuersie to decline after many and ouerthrow the truth Exod. 23.2 Wherfore do I beseech you as Wisedome doth counsell vs for to do If sinners do entice vs to go with them let vs not walke in the way with them but refraine our feete from their paths Prou. 1.15 And as Paul doth require of vs let vs not be companions with them nor haue any fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse but let vs rather reprooue them Ephes 5.7.11 Hitherto of the first point Now followes the second In that this their rebellion was wrought by raging and murmuring and these were the chiefe heads thereof Doctr. we are taught this doctrine that raging and murmuring are two great and notorious 〈◊〉 alwaies to bee
and many more they are much bound vnto the Almightie and in regard of them it is their part and duty to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of their liues they being euermore seruent in the spirit and most zealous of all good workes For the more kind and bountifull that any is vnto vs the more louing and obedient should we be againe vnto him But through their corruptions it is farre otherwise with them For these things make them the worse and not the better and like a violent floud they carrie them to all kind of abhominations First because they make them proud and arrogant in their hearts for pride is the roote of all euill as it cast the Angels out of heauen Adam out of paradise Nabuchadnezzar out of his kingdome so it doth still deceiue men and make them rebell against the Almightie The wicked man saith Dauid is so proud that he seeketh not for God he thinketh alwayes there is no God Psal 10.4 And the Lord saith to Edom who was a bitter enimie to him and his people The pride of thine heart hath deceiued thee thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rockes whose habitation is high that saith in his heart Who shall bring me downe to the ground Obadiah verse 3. Secondly because they make them riotous and licentious in their liues For intemperancy of body and abundance of fleshly pleasures do cause them to forget the Lord and to spurne against him that made them But he saith God that should haue bene vpright when he waxed fat spurned with his heele thou art fat speaking to Israel thou art grosse thou art laden with fatnesse therefore he forsooke God that made him and regarded not the strong God of his saluation Deut. 32.15 Againe you know it is said of the voluptuous man in the parable that though others made their excuses for not coming vnto the feast whereunto they were bidden yet he made none but said peremptorily I haue maried a wife and therefore I cannot come Luk. 14.20 declaring there by that the pleasures of this life are most forcible meanes to withdraw vs from the Lord and from all such duries as do belong vnto him as also from our owne eternall happinesse which is in the heauens aboue Thirdly because they make them most stiffe and obstinate against the most holy and powerfull ministery of the word For the contempt of the word is the very leprosie of the soule and the killing plague of the body Wherewith saith Dauid shall a young man redresse his way In taking heed thereto according to thy word Psal 119.9 And the wise men as Ieremy saith are ashamed they are afraid and taken Loe they haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them Ier. 8.9 So that without the word there is no goodnesse in men Yet they say when faithfull messengers come to them as Moses came vnto Pharaoh Who is the Lord that I should heare his voyce and let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go Exod. 5.2 What say they shall these command vs and shall we do according to their sayings No no but downe with them downe with them let them not liue but die or as it is in Ieremy chap. 18.18 Come and let vs imagine some deuice against them for the law shall not perish from the Priest nor counsell from the wise nor the word from the Prophet come and let vs smite them with the tongue and let vs not giue heed to any of their words Fourthly because they make them to prosper and to carry out all matters for this world according to their owne hearts desire For prosperitie and good successe in our wayes doth harden mans heart exceedingly against the Lord and all holy proceedings His wayes saith Dauid speaking of the wicked vnto God alway prosper thy iudgements are high ouer his sight therefore defieth he all his enimies Psal 10.5 And we find in Mal. 3.14.15 that many did refuse to serue the Lord and to keepe his commandements and chose rather to be lewd and wicked because as they said the proud were blessed and they which wrought wickednesse were set vp and such as tempted God were deliuered Fiftly because they make them to haue a false opinion of themselues as if they were in good case and were in the high fauour of God when it is nothing so For this false perswasion of theirs doth rocke them fast asleepe in their sinnes so bind the cords of their iniquity that they can hardly euer be brokē againe Surely as they say in their harts they shal neuer be moued nor be in danger as it is in Ps 10.6 or as it is in Ps 49.11 They thinke their houses and their habitations shall continue for euer euen from generation to generation and call their lands by their names So this doth cause them not to returne vnto the Lord but to go on stil in their sinnes against him as we may see in Ieremy chap. 5.12 in these words They haue denied the Lord and said It is not he neither shall the plague come vpon vs neither shall we see sword or famine and as it may also be collected out of Chapter 7. ver 4. where the Lord saith vnto Israel who thought themselues deare vnto the Almightie and free from all plagues in that respect Trust not in lying words saying The temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord this is the temple of the Lord. Lastly because they make them to be attended vpon by many flatterers who will smooth them on in their sinnes and to be accompanied by such as will giue vnto them wicked counsell as the young men did vnto Rehoboam when he caused ten tribes to reuolt from him For flattery and euill counsell are the bane of all good manners and forcible spurres to driue men forward to all wickednesse For as Paul doth say Euill words corrupt good manners 1. Cor. 15.33 so the Lord doth testifie that flattering teachers and euill counsellors do strengthen the hands of the wicked that they cannot returne from their wickednesse in ser 23.14 Thus you haue sixe reasons in particular of their rebellion and conspiracie The first is the pride of their hearts who are puft vp with their estate and swolne like a blowne bladder with the vaine wind of their outward pompe The second is the intemperancie of their liues who liue in all kind of excesse for diet apparell and other worldly pleasures most sweete and delightfull vnto the flesh The third is the contempt of the word who meditate but seldome vpon the law of God and come but now and then to the place where it is soundly and vnpartially diuided The fourth is the prosperity of their wayes who flourish like the Bay tree and are not in trouble as other men or plagued as they be but do liue at ease are strong and lustie and haue more then heart can wish The fift is the false
be so as plainly as euidently as if they heard the Lord speaking from heauen vnto thē by word of mouth His destroying confoūding of them shal cry like a shril voice in their eares that it was he himselfe no created wight euen he himselfe that is the God of Gods the Lord of hoasts that did set vp Dauid to be King of Israel Christ his Son to be King of his Church whom they had so rebelliously resisted laboured to haue displaced out of their thrones Here is a great Emphasis it is as much as if he had said What shal I set vp a King will you ô ye rebels go about to put him downe How dare you do this What shall I place one ouer my people make him to be their Lord and chiefe gouernor will you ye traytors refuse to yeeld obedience vnto him ioine hand and head together to ouerthrow him and to remoue him out of his kingdome O impietie neuer heard of O wickednesse most intollerable Know you know you that for this cause I cannot beare with you but I must needes speake to you in my wrath and vexe you in my sore displeasure as now I do By Zion here his holy mountaine the kingdome of Israel is vnderstood if we referre it vnto Dauid but if we referre it vnto Christ the Church is meant thereby Zion was the citie of Dauid and the place where his Court was vsually held and kept as it is in 2. Sam. 7.7 But here it is put figuratiuely for the whole kingdome of Israel whereof that was a chiefe and principall part And it is tearmed withall the holy mountaine of God because it stood on high vpon a mountaine or hill where the Lord did manifest his holinesse vnto his people as by the presence of his arke which was there so also by the exercises of pure religion which were held in the Tabernacle and Temple that were built in that place and feared vpon that mountaine or hill Thus literally this place is to be referred vnto Dauid and it is true of him that God did set him vp as King ouer this kingdome of Israel as we may see in 1. Sam. 16.12 13. But sacramentally and after a spirituall maner these thing are to be referred vnto Christ and his Church For Zion also was a type thereof as we may see in Esay 2.3 and in Heb. 12.22 And Christ we know was chosen of his Father to bee the head and King thereof as anone by Gods grace shall more fully appeare And as the earthly Zion was tearmed the mountaine of Gods holinesse so may this heauenly Zion well beare that appellation or name For I. it is most like vnto a mountaine then 2. the Lord doth manifest his holinesse more there then in any other place It is most like a mountaine in 3. respects First for the exaltation and supereminencie of it for as a mountaine is an high place aboue other places so the Church of God is exalted aboue other congregations and that for Gods delight in it and most excellent blessings vpon it which are either present or to come Secondly for the manifestation and aptnesse of it for as a mountaine is in open sight view of all men so the Church of God stands in the eie-sight of all persōs euery mans eye is bent to mark diligently what they do as his eare is open to listen to that which they speake Thirdly for the strength and stablenesse of it for as a mountaine is a strong thing and vnmoueable so the Church of God is so strong and inuincible that all the powers of the world and of hell below cannot ouerthrow it but it shall remaine firme and stable notwithstanding the same for euermore I beseech you by the way make vse of all these things By the first looke vpon your honour and great aduancements wherunto you are exalted aboue all others As Salomon saith in the Prouerbs 31 29 Many daughters haue done vertuously but thou surmountest them all so you may say Many congregations in the world are exalted on high but we the true Church are lifted vp aboue them all By the second be moued to haue an holy care of your liues that you may walk circūspectly at all times in the waies of godlines that your light may so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen And by the third and last be secretly comforted and grow to a full resolution that nothing shall be able to separate you from the loue of your God but that you shall remaine firme and stable in his fauour for euermore Now for the other poynt as the Church is like to a mountaine so it is holy as the mountaine Zion was First for the Lords being in it who is holinesse it selfe for though he be in all the world yet hee is more especially in his Church then in any other place besides according to that in Psal 68.16 and 48.1.2 Secondly for the holy exercises of religion and the goodly works of Gods worship which are found therein for there is prayer singing of Psalmes reading and preaching of the word receiuing of the Sacraments and the like all which are workes of holinesse and purity Lastly for the sanctification of men and women which are therein for they are not prophane and licentious as in other places but they are sanctified made holy by the bloud of Christ the working of the Spirit Our of these things also gather some short notes as we go along Let the first of thē make you reioice be glad that you haue so good a God that though he be full of maiesty glory yet he is content to come home to your houses and to dwell in the chambers of your soules and there to quiet himselfe in your loue and to reioyce ouer you with ioy as Zephany doth speake in Zeph. 3.17 As Elizabeth said when the virgin Mary came to her Whence commeth this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me Luke 1.43 so may we say at the Lords comming to vs What a fauour and dignitie is this that the Lord of heauen and earth should thus come to vs Let the second of them stirre you vp to frequēt holy exercises and to throng to the house of praier and to such places where the Lord is rightly worshipped As the nations say in Mich. 4.2 Come and let vs go vp to the moūtain of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob so let vs say Come let vs go to the Church congregatiō of God to praier to the preaching of the word to other holy exercises of pure holy religion Let the third and last of them admonish you of that purity holinesse which ought to be in you that so you may neuer giue rest vnto your eies vntil you see your selues washed frō your sins by the bloud
impouerish his subiects by exacting of them grieuous subsidies and taxes but he doth greatly enrich them by bestowing large giftes and benefites vpon them Ephe. 4.7.8 c. The last is loue or mercy for he doth beare that kind affection towards his people that all their miseries doe touch him Heb. 4.15 and for to do thē good he was content to die for them Ephe. 5.2.25 Where all these things do concurre meet together there is a party well qualified for gouernement A man may be couragious yet not fearing God if fearing God yet not dealing truely if dealing truely yet not hating couetousnesse if hating couetousnesse yet not wise if wise yet not diligent if diligent yet not bountifull if bountifull yet not louing if louing yet not couragious But where shall all these be found together Surely in none but in Christ Iesus for in him they are in the highest degree of perfection and therefore did the Lord make choice of him before all others to goe in and out before his people and to be the Head or gouernour of his Church Here we must take heed of some abuses Vse we must not collect from hence either that Christ is inferiour to his Father or that he was made King as he was God for he is equall with his Father in glory Maiesty touching his diuine nature or God-head as the Apostle doth shew in the beginning of his 2. chap. to the Philippians True it is that he is inferiour to his Father in respect of his humane nature and as he is man but not otherwise as he is God of the same substance or being which he hath together with the Father frō all eternity Againe whereas he is made King this is done in respect of both his natures together as he is God-man and Man-God and not simply in respect of one of them alone for so to affirme of either of them were absurd if not blasphemous But leauing the abuses the true vses are these First hereby we may learne to reuerence Christ the more because he is established in his throne by his Father For if Dauid were pricked in heart onely for cutting of Sauls garment who was a wicked man and his deadly enimy too because he was the Lords annoynted with what reuerence and care should we carry our selues towards Christ Iesus our Sauiour who is holinesse and righteousnesse it selfe and one that loues vs well seeing the Lord hath annoynted him and made him to be our King But alas our carriage is such towards him as if he had vsurped this place vnto himselfe by tyranny or were set vp in his throne by some created authority but let vs looke to ourselues and amend this our fault In the second place here we may learne that seeing God hath set vp his Sonne in his kingdome he will still defend him and aide him in the same as also bring fearefull iudgments vpon all such as shal go about to resist him And this is the chiefest end wherefore this sentence is here alleadged and therefore let all men take heed what they do and let all those know also who are in lawfull authority that so long as they carry themselues worthy of their places the Lord will alwaies stand about them for their defence and protection as here he did about his Sonne Christ and blessed Dauid the King Lastly here we may learne by the example of Christ that it is not good to run into a calling but to stay vntill the Lord doth place vs in the same A great complaint is made in Ieremy by the Lord against men in this respect that they did run before that he did send them as we may see at large in the 23. chapter of Ieremy But beware we that we doe not the like For shall Christ that had the Spirit of God without all measure stay and waite his Fathers leasure and shall we mortall and sinnefull creatures who haue not the Spirit almost in any measure yet runne and goe before our commission is drawne out and sealed by the Almighty More things might be spoken vpon these matters but let these short obseruations minister an occasion vnto you to contemplate more at large vpon these points The end of the fourth Sermon THE FIFTH SERMON vpon the second Psalme PSAL. 2. VER 7.8 9. I will declare the decree that is the Lord hath said vnto me Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee Aske of me and I shall giue thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt crush them with a scepter of yron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell IN the former verses mention was made of God the Father whose maiestie and power was excellently set out for the confounding of such wicked aduersaries as did rise vp against him But now these verses do intreate of God the Sonne who is also most liuely described in the same by a certaine inuincible power and maiestie as being one sufficient to ouerthrow all such resistance as is made against him And that his enimies might be daunted the more as his friends receiue the greater ioy and consolation he comes in himselfe speaking and vttering his voyce vnto them declaring plainely amongst them all what is the very decree and ordinance of God his Father concerning him and his kingdome the summe and substance whereof he tels them is this The Lord the great God of heauen who hath created all things and who doth continually preserue the same he euen he sayd to me Thou art my sonne yea my naturall and onely sonne most deare and precious vnto me Thy workes which thou doest continually in working strange and admirable miracles do shew that I haue begotten thee but chiefly that day is an argument thereof vnto all the world wherein thou didst arise from the graue and returne againe from death vnto life And because thou art so neare vnto me and one on whom I haue set my whole delight and pleasure aske of me what thou wilt and thou shalt haue it I will not say to the halfe of my kingdome but to all my kingdome if thou shalt aske the whole I will bestow it vpon thee yea I will giue thee all power both in heauen and in earth and thou shalt reigne not in a small compasse alone but in a most spacious and large circuite euen throughout all the world from the one end thereof vnto the other And whereas there are many rebels and traytors that do daily rise vp against thee thou shalt not take pity and compassion vpon them to forgiue them but thou shalt punish them throughly according to their deserts with thy scepter or mace of iron wherewith thou art armed thou shalt destroy them And herein deale thou with them as the potter doth with his vessell as he doth dash that all to peeces when it is once broken and seruiceable for no vse so do thou so confound them that they may
is in our prouerbe now let them bestirre them and with all hast let them runne vnto the Lord for mercie and grace before his wrath breake out and consume them Lastly by this we may learne what counsell and aduice to giue to others when they are in some danger and know not well what course to take to rid themselues there-from If any of them shall come vnto vs as the Iewes did to the Apostles saying Men and brethren what shall we do Acts 2.37 we may easily answer them euen as it is here Be wise and learned c. that is repent you of your sinnes and submit your selues vnto the Lord your God in all dutifull obedience as it doth become you This this is the onely course that you must take Doubtlesse no other course in the world can do you any sound and perfect good but if you shall once performe this all shall be well with you quickly as it was with Nebuchadnezzar who vpon his submission vnto the Lord was restored againe to his kingdome or as it was with Manasses who vpon his prayer vnto the Lord and hearty sorrow for his sinne was deliuered out of his prison at Babylon and reëstablished againe in the throne of his kingdome at Ierusalem or lastly as it was with the Israelites who vpon their crie vnto the Lord and the confession of their sinne were from time to time deliuered from their enimies and blessed with peace and abundance of good things Hitherto for the persons to whom the exhortation is directed now let vs come to the matter whereof it doth consist And that in a word is repentance and amendment of life as I touched before Wherein is conteined first the time when it must be had then secondly the points wherein it doth stand The time is present set downe in this word Now. Because they were in a present danger and were likely euery houre to be destroyed therefore the Prophet would haue them to repent presently and out of hand euen before those iudgements of the Lord did fall vpon them which were mentioned before in the 5. and 9. verses of this Psalme Wherehence we are taught this doctrine that men must out of hand repent and turne to the Lord and not deferre their conuersion from time to time but presently goe about the same Seeke the Lord saith the Prophet Esay in Chap. 55.6.7 while he may be found call ye vpon him while he is neare Let the wicked forsake his wayes and the vurighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and he will haue mercy vpon him and to our God for he is very ready to forgiue While we haue time saith Paule in Gal. 6.10 let vs do good vnto all men but specially vnto them that are of the houshold of faith And to day saith the holy Ghost in Heb. 3.7 if ye shall heare his voyce harden not your hearts as in the prouocation according to the day of the temptation in the wildernesse but exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Thus you see shortly the verity of the doctrine and the confirmation thereof Now the reasons of it are many but chiefly these foure First Reasons because it is vncertaine whether we shall liue any longer or no. For the yong do die as well as the aged and men are oftentimes taken away on the sudden Thou foole saith God to the rich man in Luke 12.20 this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouided And when men shall say saith Paul in 1. Thes 5.3 peace and safety then shall come vpon them sudden destruction as the trauaile of a woman with child and they shall not escape Many examples we haue hereof in the Scriptures The world thought themselues sure when they were eating and drinking but then came the floud Luke 17.27 The morning was faire when Lot went out of Sodom and yet before night were the Sodomites destroyed Gen. 19.23 Nebuchadnezzar thought himselfe neuer more sure then when he had builded great Babell but yet while the word was in his mouth God humbled him downe vpon his knees Dan. 4.12 And well was Herod when he began his Oration to the people but before the end thereof his departure from them the Angell of the Lord smote him so that he was eaten of wormes and gaue vp the ghost Acts 12.23 So that if we do deferre our repentance but one day yea but one houre death may preuent vs before that we can repent and so we shall be damned Secondly because the longer that a man doth post off his repentance and amendment of life the harder it will be for him to repent and amend at the last Can the blacke Moore saith Ieremy in Chap. 13.23 change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do euill As though it were a thing vnpossible for a sinner who hath continued long in his sinne to leaue his sinne and to forsake it and so to become a good man at the last And surely with man it is vnpossible though it be otherwise with God vnto whom all things are possible For if we cannot ouercome a Lyon when it is yong and but a whelpe how shall we be able to ouercome him when he is old and growne to his full power and strength And if we be not able to bow a tree of sixe yeares growth it is in vaine for vs to go about to bow it when it is twentie yeares old or more So euen so it is also with sinne the longer that we shall nourish it in our bosomes the harder it will be for vs to ouer-maister it in the end yea it will be vnpossible for vs to do it For that will grow still stronger and stronger and we our selues shall be weaker and weaker And therefore it is good to go about the cure of it betimes as we do about the cure of such wounds as are made in our bodies knowing that the lōger that they be deferred the harder is their recouery at the last Thirdly because God is to be serued before all things whether the world the flesh or the diuell as Elijah the Prophet would be serued before the widow that fed him 1. Kin. 17.13 Seeke first the kingdome of God saith our Sauiour in Math. 6.33 and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be ministred vnto you So soone as man was created a law was giuen him to shew that he should liue vnder obedience from the day that he was borne in So soone as he is borne he is baptized in the name of God to shew that when we cannot runne to God we should creepe as it were to him So soone as he beginneth to pray he saith Hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come c. before he aske his daily bread to shew that we should seeke the sanctification of
greatest honour and profit that might be But for the soule and life to come they were vnwise and vnlearned they had no good experience in the word of God nor any sound knowledge to do their soules good but herein I say they were vnlearned and no better then fooles before the Almighty This the Apostle doth make most cleare and euident in his first Epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter thereof the sixth verse and so forward when he saith And we speake wisedome among them that are perfect not the wisedome of this world neither of the Princes of this world which come to nought but we speake the wisedome of God in a mysterie euen the hid wisedome which God had determined before the world vnto our glory which none of the Princes of this world hath knowne For had they knowne it they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory Loe here you see that the Apostle doth not onely say that the Princes of this world who are here in our text spoken vnto by the name of Kings and Iudges are without the true and heauenly wisedome of God but also doth proue it to be so euen because that they did oppose themselues against the Lord Iesus Christ and did put him to death Wherefore here by the way we may obserue that in truth and before the Lord all are fooles and vnlearned who do withstand Iesus Christ and his kingdome and do liue wretchedly and not according to the Lords commandements Howsoeuer they be for this world men of great reach and policie and be well schooled in all kind of literature for the gouernment of humane life and the procuring of much honour and wealth vnto themselues yet being ignorant in the word of God and not seasoned with an heauenly wisdom which may sanctifie them in their waies but do liue vngodly and vnholy liues they euen they whatsoeuer they be be vnwise and vnlearned and no better then fooles idiots before the Almighty For so also it doth please his Maiesty for to style them in his holy word as you may see in many places of the Prouerbes and namely in the first chapter thereof as also in the fourteenth Psalme and sundry other places besides Hereof is it that that comparison is made by our Sauiour himselfe in the beginning of the 25. chapter of the Gospell according to Saint Matthew wherein all wicked persons are compared to foolish virgins as the godly on the other side are compared vnto the wise virgins And hereof also is that saying of Paul that the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God and that the Lord knoweth that the thoughts of the wise are vanity 1. Cor. 3.19.20 Obiect Yea but this shall neuer sinke into mine head may some man say that thus the chiefe men of the country those that do beare the greatest stroke and sway amongst men and do know how to rule and gouerne themselues and others well should after this sort be reputed and taken for fooles and vnlearned persons as you speake I thinke rather that the godly and those that do resort vnto Sermons are such for they are simple persons in my iudgement and very idiotes indeed Answ It may be so indeed for the naturall man perceiueth not the things of Gods Spirit for they are foolishnesse to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned as it is in 1. Cor. 2.14 But consider of things well thou that art of that minde and opinion tell me what is the property of a wise man and of one well learned Is it not to walke circumspectly and to prouide best for himselfe as well for the time to come as for the time that is present Yes for so we are taught in Ephes 5.15 in Luk. 16. the beginning thereof where the steward is commended for a wise man for that he did prouide how to liue when his maister should take away from him his stewardship Well then go on tell me in the second place do those walke circumspectly prouide best for thēselues who do war against the Lord his Annoynted not fore cast what shal become of them after this life but do run on still in their sinnes to be damned for euer Answer me this point if thou canst Suppose thou didst see a man who is but weake and feeble taking vp weapons against his soueraigne Lord and King who is most warlike and potent and challenging him into the field wouldst not thou take him for a foole and one destitute of good sense and vnderstanding But so deale all wicked persons how politick or rich soeuer they be for this world For they are but weake and feeble persons yet they warre against their dread soueraigne the Lord and King euen the mightie God of heauen who is able in the twinckling of an eye to destroy them all And yet shall they bee wise and prudent with thee Suppose againe that thou didst behold one in a place where is both gold and brasse in great abundance and goodly garments together with much base attire so that it should be lawfull for him to take of either of them most freely which he would himselfe yet he would not meddle of the gold goodly garments but would be exceeding busie still in gathering vp the brasse and base attire reaching after one peece here and another peece there what wouldst thou iudge of that partie wouldst not thou take him for a simple fellow and a meere idiote Yes I must needs do that thou wilt say So euen so is the case here with men of this world For whereas they might gather vp gold and goodly garments that is prouide for themselues heauenly graces and euerlasting happinesse in new Ierusalem aboue where are more precious things then euer the eye of man hath seene or his eare hath heard of or can enter into his heart yet they leaue them and occupy themselues wholely in gathering vp the brasse and base attire that is they leaue the cate of heauen and hunt after the world altogether being very busie about the pleasures and commodities thereof which are nothing in comparison of heauen And shall not they then bee vnwise and vnlearned with thee But if thou wilt not count them so yet the Lord doth as thou hast beard and let this suffice vs. And by it let vs bee admonished to take heed of all rebellion wickednesse whatsoeuer lest we our selues be styled after this manner and be registred in the booke of God for fooles vnlearned persons And so much shortly of this point bythe way In that the Kings and Iudges are called vpon to be wise and learned we obserue this doctrine that euery person must labour to get vnto themselues an heauenly wisedome and vnderstanding of the Lords will and word Get wisedome saith Salomon in Prou. 4.5 get vnderstanding forget not neither decline from the words of my mouth forsake her not and she shall keepe thee loue her and she