loose and dissoluâ—â— carelesnes of those licentious libertines I cannot call them men but rather 〈◊〉 of men who hauing Christ preached vnto them at theyr doores within the walls of theyr Citties and townes vvill not 〈◊〉 to it dishonoring in a gracelesse im 〈◊〉 the Spâ—â—it of grace and despising as much as in them lyeth both Christ and the Ministers of his Gospell Such are worse then the vnbeleeuing Iewes for they hearde Christ euery Sabbath nay they are worse then Herod for he desired to see Christ and to heare him But leaue we them to theyr dissolute resolutions let them remaine while they list in the darknes of Egypt But let vs holde Goshen the comfortable light whereof will direct vs in our passage as the clowdy piller did the Israelites through the wildernes or as the starre did these Wise men When this stifnecked generation shall stumble at the truth and erre from it like the Sodomites groping for the doore of Lots house Gene 19. when they were striken with blindnes Where the Spirit of GOD is there is a longing and a thirsting and a burning desire of the word But sure there can be no grace where there is no liking of godlines I exhort you then and beseech you beloued in the Lord euen in the bowels of Iesus Christ who will one day call you to a reckoning for your single-soale seruice of him labour to heare the word trauell to it desire it in a burning affection If you haue any grace of Gods Spirit any measure of santiâ—ycation proceede and grow more and more in the liuely fayth of Christ Iesus Cast away all your cares of this world and labour onely to haue that sauing knowledge which God hath reuealed in his wâ—â—d This one thing is necessarie and it will supply all your wants You are not yet the seruâ—unts of Christ till this desire of the VVord be planted in you They that carry not an hungry appetite to the Wordâ— let them be for honour and dignitie how excellent so euer for vvealth and riches how potent soeuer for friendes and followers howe mighty soeuer yet are they but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 that are full of 〈◊〉 and puâ—rifyed â—ones Because the comfort of the word is sequestred from theyr soules which alone can magnifie them Without the Word nothing can make vs happy and hauing it nothing can make vs miserable It is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that â—eedes vs to 〈◊〉 life â—â— is the pearle for which the wiâ—e Merchant would giue all that euer â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the 〈◊〉 of Dauid which openeth and no man 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 no man openeth it is the onely eye-salue where-with our eyes being annoynted can not chuse but cleerely behold Christ Name the Word and thou hast named all things it is all â—â— all and contayneth all the blessings of Gods â—â—ore-house which are for number so many and for value so great that no man can know them but hee that hath them like the stone in the Reuelation that white stone with a newe Name grauen in it which no man knoweth sauing he that receaueth it These wise men câ—me 〈◊〉 from the East to Ierusalem Thinges of high prise and of necessary vse if they be not neer vs must be sought farre of where they are to be had And we must spare no paynes nor cost in procuring them Coâ—elius sent to loppa for Peter to informe him in the way of righteousnes Dauid longing for the returne of the Arke went brought it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 longing to see his prodâ—gall sonne ranne to meete him a great way of and kissed him 〈◊〉 sent to 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and heere these Wise-men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 East to Beth-leem to seeke out Christ Dauids Lord. Another note woorthy the obseruation comes to be considered in these Wise men These wise men did not cast the perrill and lets that might happen in theyr iourney The Gentiles might not conuerse vvith the Iewes â—or they were enemies one to the other Yet these enemies through vvhose country they were to passe did not assâ—ight them the dangers subiect to their iourney did not disquiet them the tediousnes of the way did not terrifie them nothing coulde stay them from theyr intended enterprise Their ioâ—fulnesse to see Christ tooke away all worldly carefulnes Our practise should be like theyrs No busines of thys liâ—e should withdraw vs from Christ VVhen they came to Ierusalem they found Herod snaring them all the Citty in an vproaâ—e King and people and all were mooued So when we come to Christ â—e shâ—l â—ind an Herod without vs and an Idolâ—â—â—â—call Ierusalem within vs Tyrants with ouâ— and 〈◊〉 within many lets nets and â—â—ny snates to â—â—â—â—p vs. Put we must respect neither Herod nor Ierâ—salem but still holde on our viage to Bethleem the place where Christ lodgeth In all ages there wil be satans instruments like so many Lyons in the passages to stop the children of God in their good courses And now with vs there are many Herods many like Herod and Archelaus to cut the throate of Religion as hee sought the lyfe of Christ in the blood of the innocents But yet must we goe forwards like these Wise men we must not feare them that kill the body rather â—eare him that can cast both body and soule into hell fiâ—e Stronger is he that is with vs than whole legions of enemies that band themselues with them against God Let them â—aile and perâ—ecute neuer so much like Zeâ—â— cheâ—â—b and Rab-shakeh yet GOD will put an hooke in theyr nostrils and they shall not preuayle No more than the stoode preuaâ—led which was cast out of the mouth of the Dragon in the Reuelation against the woman tâ—â—t sled to the wildernes We haue seene his starre Heere comes to be considered how they knew he was borne The staâ—â—e gaue them knowledge and was theyr guide in 〈◊〉 iourney neuer leauing them till they came to Beth-leem S. Austin saith that at the birth of Christ a new starre appeared A blazing Comet that neuer shewed it selfe before and at his death the Sunne greater then the greatest starre was obscured At this bvrth infants were murdered and at his death they were crowned At his byrth hell was more conquered and his enemies more troubled Eusebius saith that at the bâ—â—th of Christ there happened to breake vp on a sudden a goodly Spring that ranne with oyle the space of one day And at the same time in Romea circle was seene about the Sunne no lesse cleere then the Sunne And that vvhen the imperiall Crowne was brought by the Senate to Octâ—uius Augustus he refused it saving that a greater Prince then himselfe was nowe borne to whom all the crownes and kingdoms in the world did belong A famous Temple at the same time rent in sâ—nder in the dedication whereof when the Oracle was demaunded howe long the same should continue answer was giuen it should remaine till a Virgine should bring foorth a
into the world for then was the world redeemed from her olde silence Then began the true sonne of righteousnes to appeare who alone was able to expell all the clowdy mists of ignorance What greater ioy can be then for the prisoner to heare of liberty the sicke of his health the sinner of his saluation In the comming of Christ it is to be obserued that God sent his Angel he did not vse the ministerie of man to publish thys mesâ—age which shewes the dignity thereof This Angell was accompanied with heauenly souldiours who so soone as these tydings were published began to sing Glory to God on high Peace on earth Good will towards men Three notable wonders wrought in one day The first part of this heauenly song noteth that the benefite of Christes Incarnation was not in earth onely but in heauen also and therefore as there was peace on earth so there was glory in heauen among the Angels 2. Peace on earth This sheweth that â—e came as a Medratour to make peace betweene God and vs. 3. Good will towards men To shew that as hee was Fons Charitatis the fountaine of charitie so he would worke loue and charitie among men What day coulde bring foorth greater matters and therefore wee haue reâ—son to sing with Dauid This is the â—ay The day of our Creation is in no sort to be coÌ„pared to this day of our Redemption Gods mercy appeared in making vs but his greater mercy in sauing vs. Before thys day wee were in a state most miserable vnder the curse wherein Adam left vs vnder wretchednes vnder sinne the curse of the lawe and dominion of the deuill But nowe that Christ hath appeared hell is conquered sathan confounded sin put to flight and heauen set open to all beleeuers So is it verified Heauines may indure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning our comming in hath been with teares but our returne to Sion is with euerlasting ioy vppon our heads The first Adam brought into the worlde darknes fearefulnes and sorrowe but the last Adam brought comfort light 〈◊〉 fulnes All is changed in our seconde Adam mortalitie to immortalitie mourning to mirth misery to felicitie sadnes to solace now is the sinner iustified the law discharged the dead reuiued and the deuill vanquished according to his mighty power who hath subdued all things vnto himselfe The Iubilee yeere to the Israelites vvas not halfe so welcome as this day ought to be to vs when that yeere came it brought with it freedome and releasing of debts thys day and time this acceptable yeere of Christ hath brought vnto vs a greater freedome euen our soules freedome a greater releasing of debts our sinnes for vvee owe vnto God more than the cruel debter not ten thousand talents but ten thousand times tenne thousand talents Neyther was the day of theyr deliuerance from Pharao halfe so acceptable vnto them as this day of our deliuerance is to vs. For wee are set free from our spyrituall Pharao the deuill As Moses sayd to the Israelites Remember this day so I say Remember this day for it is the day of our deliuerance the day of our redemption the acceptable day of the Lord. This is a day wherein light first appeared to the Gentiles euen to vs that were aliants from God yet to vs hath the light appeared according to Symeons saying A light to lighten the gentiles We that once were not a people are now become a people wee are made through Christ to bee the sonnes of the liuing God For to the Israelites pertained the adoption and the glory and the couenaunt giuing of the law and the seruice of God and the promises of whom are the Fathers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came Rom. 9. 4. A whole Sea of matter is heere laid open to mee if I woulde at large discourse of the inestimable good deriued vnto vs by Christes birth but the time will not permit this little that hath beene spoken may carry you to the consideration of all the rest As a certaine Geometrician finding Hercules foote vppon Olympus by that one foote drewe the proportion of the whole body so by this little beeing but as it were a foote in respect of the body of the matter included you may conceiue vvhat might further be amplified in this poynt the absolute fulnesse whereof wee cannot possibly be able to comprehend Onely let vs consider that as at this tyme God sent his sonne to be our Sauiour Hee hath giuen vs him and all things with him so that we may nowe say with the Apostle Saint Paule All is ours the world and the Creatures thinges present and things to come all is ours and wee are Christes and Christ is GOD. It followeth Let vs reioyce Abraham seeing Christes daies a farre of reioyced and yet hee was before Christ thrice foure-teene generations How may wee reioyce that liue to those daies alreadie determined Neyther Abraham nor the Patriarchs nor all the Prophets coulde say as we can They coulde say no more but Christ shall come vvee can say he is come Blessed are the eyes that see the thinges that you see and the eares that heare the thinges that you heare VVhere it appeareth vvee are rather blessed than all that vvere before Christ The Kinges of the earth haue desired to see that which you see c. All that vvere before Christ sawe but a glymse of that lyght the fulnesse whereof wee nowe behold like the Sunne in his strength Wee haue seene the righteousnes of Sion breake out like the light and the saluation thereof as a burning lampe Thus haue we a greater priuiledge than the Keysars and mighty Monarchs might be suffered to enioy For vs were these better things reserued euen we that now lyue in the time of the glorious Kingdome of Christ haue obtayned this so rich prerogatiue all to shew foorth the greatnes of our felicitie Great cause haue we then to reioyce As the babe sprang in Elizabeths wombe so shoulde our harts spring within our bodies for ioy of the presence of Christ If Annah reioyced for that GOD gaue her a sonne and so tooke away the rebuke of her barrennes much more cause haue wee to reioyce that God hath giuen vs his sonne to be borne for vs whereby our barrennes of fayth is taken away and vvee are made fruitefull in the workes of righteousnesse If Iephtah his daughter went out vvith Tymbrels to welcome home her Father how may we prepare to welcome a greater then Iephtah nay a greater then Salomon How should we prepare our minslrelsie to welcome home thys victorious Lyon of the Trybe of Iuda since by him we do returne in victorie and may tryumph as Iephtha did not ouer a sew faint-harted Gybeonits but ouer many millions of spirituall aduersaries Sin death and hell this worlde and the lusts thereof Wee haue then cause to reioyce and to prepare our musicall instruments VVee should say with
is theyr continuall dwelling So if wee will finde God wee must seeke him at his house as Ioseph and Mary did his house is the Temple So then both in regard of the place whether we come and of the person to whom we come wee are to bee armed with reuerence Iacob found the Angell in Bethell and wee must come to Bethell before wee can finde the Angell that is Christ Wee must free our selues from corruption before we enter in hether the means to effect that is by aduising our selues of the place and person In the fift of Exodus when God appeared to Moses hee called the place Terram sanctam a holy place and hee might not tread vppon it till first hee had put off his shooes and so we must put off our shooes of carnalitie before we enter into this holie place In the 28. of Genesis when God appeared to Iacob he called the place Terram terribilem a fearefull place so the Temple of God is also a fearefull place it is both fearefull and holy It is a terrible place to them that make no conscience howe they enter in vvith vncircumcized hearts and hands For to such God is a coÌ„suming fire as he consumed Nadab and Abihu euen in the Temple making of a place of refuge a place of terror for that they regarded not with what fire theyr sacrifice was kindled But it is a holy place to them that come in holines and deuotion to them that before hand prepare theÌ„selues as Moses prepared himselfe before hee aduentured to come neere the flaming bush In the 40. of Exodus Aaron his sons might not enter into the Sanctuary vvith vnwashen hands nevther might they minister in the Priestes office but in theyr holy garments Why then we must knowe that somewhat is to be doone before wee enter into Gods Sanctuary before wee presume to presse into the presence of GOD wee must prepare our selues we must cleuse our soules from all corruption wee must purifie first our owne temples our bodies and soules for it is sayd Estis vos templum Dei your bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost therfore glorifie God in your bodies in your soules for they are Gods Otherwise if this reuerent preparation be not made well wee may thrust in our selues among others into Gods Temple like as these buyers and sellers intruded theÌ„selues but we haue no comfort in so comming and wee must looke to be throwne out as they were and as the vnworthy commer to the mariage of the Kings sonne was cast out because hee brought not with him vestem nuptialem a wedding-garment This is to come vnreuerently vnworthily and such shall not bee accepted because they offer vp the sacrifice of fooles as Salomon noteth In the 22. of the Reuel no vncleane thing might enter into the new IerusaleÌ„ so no vncleane thing should enter our bodies our earthly Ierusalem It is written of Abraham that when hee went to sacrifice his sonne he left his Asses at the foote of the hill So when wee haue a purpose to sacrifice our selues vnto God wee must leaue our sinnes and corruptions behind vs as he did his asses Our cares and our corruptions may not enter in with vs but wee must leaue them without as a man leaues his shadowe at the doore when he enters into the house Consider when wee are going out from our houses we are going out froÌ„ our selues and from our vanities and when vvee are come to the Temple we are com to God God our soules are heere met together like Abraham Lazarus in the heauens As the Israelites durst not come to the Mount where God spake till they had washed their clothes sanctified themselues so may not we presume to enter into Gods Temple till wee haue washed our clothes our menstruous raggs of sinfulnes like the Spousesse in the Cantiâ—les who had vvashed her feete and changed her rayments when she went to meet her Spouse And to this purpose it is saide Keepe my Sabbath reuerence my Sanctuary And to this purpose wee haue our preparations before the Sabbath which we call the Sabbath Eeue and on the Sabbath our morning sacrifice and our euening incense Yea and the bells that sounde in our eares doe giue vs summons for this reuerence as Aaron gaue notice of his entrance into the Sanctuarie by the sounde of those golden belles which were fastned to the skyrts of his robe In a worde not to make a long amplification in so cleere a matter by this enterance of Christ wee learne two things first his godly care secondly the effect of his carefulnes In this chapter t is especially noted that as soone as he came into the Citty he made hast to goe visit the Temple Wee doe not reade that he first entred into any house to refresh himselfe or to ease his body beeing by all likelihoode ouer-wearied with long trauell for he had come from Iericho to Beth-phage and to Bethany and so to Ierusalem But all this notwithstanding to the Temple hee goes to teach vs principally to be carefull in the seruice of God before vvee minister to our selues or other in the businesses of this world Wee must first serue God and then our selues as Eliah sayde to the woman of Sarepsah Bake mee a Cake first and then after prepare for thee thy familie So vnto vs God saith First offer me a sacrifice of holines and than minister to thy selfe and thine First seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof but we seeke our owne things first First wee serue the worlde and our lusts and our vanities and God is serued eyther not at all or after all After sin and after the word and after the deuill He entered into the Temple In the Temple giue to GOD all holie worshippe there is the place where our Lampes ought to be continually burning kindled with the fire of zeale deuotion There ought wee to hold vp pure hands harts vnto God praysing him continuallie without ceasing and in pouring out infinite Halle-lu-iahs like those Saints in the Reuelation vnto him that was and is and is to come This is called by our Sauiour Vnum necessarium that one necessary thing and the Better part which cannot be taken from vs. Christ was carefull and hee was willing to visit the Temple for it was the first thing hee did after hee had seâ—te foote within the streetes of Ierusalem He that will serue God must serue him willingly we must come to the Church in a voluntarie affection not by constraint as doe the Church-papists in our age For they enter in by compulsion for feare of Lawe and the Princes displeasure not for conscience Or if it bee loue that drawes theÌ„ thither it is the loue they beare to theyr houses and lands not for the loue they haue to Christ or his Gospell whom they haue denyed in denying his truth Such mens roome is better then theyr
waâ—ed in a carefull consideration mâ—â—â— needes work mightily in the chyldren of God and driue them to acknowledge with S. Iohn in this place That â—eereâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 indeede These first words in the Text how bare and naked so euer they may seeme at the first front or blush do carry in them matter of moment they must run in our mouthes if we sound them rightly and significantlie with a kinde of Emphasis Thus if you require to know the loue of God why heere you may learne it Saint Iohn tels you that heeâ—e-in was the loue of God made manifest in that he sent his sonne c. You are bought with a price saith the Apostle the words make but a bare shewe but they are very significant as if hee shoulde haue sayd A price with a witnes So heerein is loue that is a loue vvith a witnes For God so loued vs that he spared not his onely Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death Him that knewe no sinne God made to be sinne for vs that we should be made the righteousnes of God by him It is not possible for vs to expresse the greatnes of this loue of God in this behalfe for it is infinite it is as great as God is great whose glory filleth the world the heauens the earth and the creatures No man can vnderstand this loue but they that haue the beneâ—â—â—e of it I meane the redeemed of the lord as no man could learne the Elders newe song â—uâ— the 〈◊〉 forty foure thousand which were brought from the earth Reuel 14. This loue of God we all doe behold like the brightnes of the Sunne whose fierie beames and christall rayes proceeding as from the Father of all lights passe forth to the ends of the world But where be they that in beholding this loue of God this sunne-bright cleerenesse of Gods rich grace will bee ready with the Wise-men to present vnto God all holie vvorshyp Where is the rich thankfulnes aunswerable to this rich grace VVee read of â—enne Lepers that vvere clensed and of the tenne but one returned to giue thanks So we are all clensed by the bloode of Christ but scarce one of ten returnes to giue thankes to him that clensed him thereby to testifie our dutifull affection to Christ as Christ testified his to vs in laying downe his life for the many sealing vp remission of sinnes by his blood The sicke is cured but he hath forgotten the Physition that cured him The diseased is deliuered and the mortall wounde is salued but the Patient now become a whole man remembers neyther his sore nor yet the Physition Heerein is loue not that we loued God Saint Iohn in speaking of this loue doth not presently acquaint vs with the particularitie of this loue but hee first suspendeth the matter the rather to drawe from vs attention and carefulnes Before I proceede to tell you what thys loue is I will first tell you what it is not A thing that is sought for being presently found is no longer thought on and so if the Apostle should vppon the sudden discouer to vs this so great a mistery of Gods loue it would be but lightly regarded Therefore hee offers it and yet drawes it backe againe and then presents it againe stil offering and yet with-holding to make vs the rather long after it with a more eager and feruent affection Like children in this respect vvho the more they be denyed of that they woulde haue the more they cry do neuer leaue crying till it be giuen them Not that we loued God The loue I meane sayth Saint Iohn is not the loue that you meane It is not vaine loue nor selfe-loue nor carnall loue nor the loue of the worlde nor the loue of honours nor the loue of pleasures nor the loue of riches it is none of all these for this is our loue but I am to tell you of Gods loue It was not loue in vs but in God was this loue that caused Christ to come vnto the world Nay there was in vs no loue at all the contrary was in vs euen hatred and enmitie therfore it is sayd cum hostes essemus And therefore well might the Apostle make this conclusion against vs not that we loued God And wee our selues doe iustifie the truth therof in our selues for we know that we loue our lusts and our vanities and the world more then God Adams corruption hath trans-fused it selfe into Adams children euen all his posteritie God had giuen him all the kingdoms of the earth and placed him in Paradice this worlds heauen heere God exhibited plentifull testimony of his loue but Adam could shewe forth no loue to God for this so prooued by his wilful disobedience The taste of one Apple made hym forget both himselfe and God his Maker And haue not our pleasures the same soueraigntie ouer vs. Iudas solde his Maister for thirtie pence he loued his mony better then his Maister and many Mammonites now whose cares are vppon theyr coffers and whose mindes are vppon the bagge as Iudas was if they would not be corrupted with mony to betray Christ yet they could be contented to betray the members of Christ theyr brethren and neighbours for fewer shekels of filuer then Delilah tooke from the Princes of the Philistims No man would willingly be leprous yet many worldlings that are carried away with the loue of riches could be coÌ„tented to buy a leprofie with lesse then two bags of siluer 2. Reg. 5. as Gehazie did Esau as hee had an earthly name so vvas he earthly minded his prophanenes is laid open to all eyes where it is registred of him that hee solde his birth-right for a messe of pottage And he is no lesse infamous for so dooing then hee that burnt Dianas Temple at Ephesus or that Tyrant who harped Nâ—â—o at Romes flames That Esau is long agoe dissolued into earth and dust but out of his ashes others like him are risen vp like Cadmus brood and the same prophannes that was in Esau is growne vp with them Many Edomites liue now that can be content to sell a better patrimonie then he did euen their spirituall inhearitance which they should haue in Christ and all for the transitory pleasures of this life To be short we should loue God onelie principally before all things We should loue God more theÌ„ our parents our countrey our friends our selues c. Hee that loueth Father or mother or sister or brother or wife or â—hyldren or kinsfolkes more then mee saith our Sauiour Christ is not woorthy to be my disciple This ought to be but wee cannot yet apply our selues to this loue which Christ doth here so necessarily require We are all like Demas loth to part with the world like the young rich man in the gospel who was vnwilling to leaue his possessions he loued his vvealth better than Christ And therefore vvhen Christ bad him folow him he chose rather to folow the
louing vs more then that howe carefull to manifest his loue in sending vs his onely sonne to reconcile vs and lastly what he requireth of vs in liew of this his carefulnes which is that he louing vs we should also loue one another God is the first that inuiteth and the last that forsaketh neuer leauing but first left and euer offering till he be refused Hee still spreadeth his armes like as the Cherubins doe their wings O let vs yeelde to his embracings least when wee would he will not and so wee seeke the blessing with Esau too late and cannot preuaile though we shedde many teares And so I end this Loue-song as I began to the end that if you be so dull of hearing as that you haue forgotten the sum of all that hath beene deliuered yet at least you may remember the burthen of the song Heerein is loue not that we loued God but that God loued vs and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes Beloued if God so loued vs we ought also to loue one another Soli Deo gloria The Propheticall Kings tryumph PSALME 118. 24. This is the day that the Lord hath made Let vs reioyce and be glad in it The whole Argument of the Psalme is in substance thus much DAuid being the last and least of all his Father house being despised of his owne brethren persecuted by Saule and vtterly reiected of the Iewes dooth notwithstanding obtaine the Kingdome to iustifie the trueth of that Scripture There is no regard of persons with Acts. 10. 35. God but in all places and among all Nations who so feareth him and worketh righteousnes shall be accepted And agayne God hath chosen the vile things of the world to confound the honourable And the virgins song was this God hath Luk. 1 52. put downe the mighty from their seates and hath exalted the humble and meeke Dauid being the yongest sonne of Ishay and of smallest reckoning is taken from the sheepe-fold and crowned a King from guiding sheepe in Bethleem to gouerne a 1. Sam. 16. mighty Nation in Israel So God alone numbreth wayeth deuideth Hee measureth seasons times and yeares hee setteth vp Kings and putteth downe Kings at his pleasure as wee reade in the 2. of Dan. 21. The very coÌ„sideration of which kindnes and exceeding fauour of the Lord caused Dauid to pen this Psalme to testifie thereby his thankfulnes And this is briefely the substance of this Psalme And yet is this but a litterall construction you must knowe that another misticall matter and of greater import is heere deliuered In the person of Dauid Christ our Lord is most liuely set forth Who being the king of glory the very sonne of God heire and Lord of all things was notwithstanding reiected of the Iewes among whom hee was borne he came among his owne and his owne receaued him not But maugre the malice of the deuill and his instruments flesh and blood could not preuaile Herod and all the wayting for of the people of the Iewes could not ouerthrow Christ and his Kingdome Nay they rather ouerthrow themselues Hee is neuerthelesse exalted his enemies quite confounded yea hee hath crushed them with a Scepter of iron and broken them in peeces like a potters vessell To make the Tyrantes of the vvorlde to knovve how vayne a thing it is to band themselues against the Lord and agaynst his annoynted The carefull consideration heere of gladded the hart of Dauid more then the stablishment of his owne throane Yea it filled him vvith such vnspeakeable ioy when once the Spyrite of GOD had taught him that Christ shoulde come from hys loynes to be a Prince to his people and to gouerne them vvith righteous iudgements for euer and howe hee alone must make his enemies his foote-stoole I say it so reioyced him that hee could not choose but sing tryumphantly to the Lord. The right hand of the Lorde is exalted The right hand of the Lorde bringeth mightie thinges to passe The stone which the builders refused is become the head-stone in the corner And so in a heauenly kinde of meditation he contiâ—â—eth the same note to the words of my text proclayming as it were a new holy-day to the Lord which should religiously be obserued throughout aâ—l ensuing posterities euen to a thousand generations This is the day which the Lord hath made Let vs reioyce and be glad in it This Text needes no curious diuision for the words deuide themselues This is the day There is the Prophets proclamation Which the Lord hath made There is the Author from whom it is sent Let vs reioyce c. There is the celebration of it This is the day Dauid beeing endued with the spirit of prophecie could tell that Christ shoulde come in the flesh as could the Patriarchs and all the holy men before him And least a matter of so great tydinges should by the malice of sathan or by the practise of bloody tyrants be lapt vp in obscurity both our Prophet heere and all the rest did in all ages record the same in sundry places of Scripture as well to chalenge it from forgetfulnes and obliuion as also to take away all excuse from the vnbeleeuing Iewes who if they had not beene altogether giuen ouer to a reprobate sence they must of necessity haue acknowledged Christ since he was so liuely poynted at by so many prophecies throughout the whole Scripture Moses in the 3. of Genesis told it plainly or rather God himselfe by Moses speaketh that the seede of the woman shoulde breake the serpents head Zachary telleth Sion and Ierusalem that her King was comming He commeth poore Zach 9. 9. ryding vpon an asse c. Christ himselfe speaking of Abrahams testimony sayth Abraham sawe my dayes and reioyced As a lambe before the shearer so opened he not his mouth And diuers other testimonies whereof the Scriptures are plentifull Dauid as if hee had seene all prophecies sealed vp speaketh in this place of Christes day as it were as if he had beene already in the world This is the day Blessed is hee that commeth in the Name of the Lord. For Sions sake I will not hold my tongue Esiy 62. for Ierusalems sake I will not rest till the righteousnes thereof breake forth as the light What was that lampe light but Christ all the law and the Prophets did presignify to the world that Christ should come euen to the time that the Angell appeared to the Shepheards and bad them goe see him whom all the world desired to behold So that we may preach to our selues as Christ did to the Iewes In our eares this day are all these Scriptures fulfilled This is the day This proclamation is very sutable to that in the second of Luke Beholde I bring you tyâ—ings of great ioy which shall bee to all flesh that vnto you this day is borne a Sauiour It was indeed tydings of the greatest ioy that might come