of Christ be fedde and guided by skilfull Godly men which teach doctrine and giue good ensample in life and conuersation And now touching the care of the flocke not by constraint nor for gaine but willingly and of a ready minde not as Lords ouer Gods heritage but as ensamples to the flocke I doo againe instantly beséeche the Pastors and gouerners euen for Christes sake to abound and to increase in all fatherly loue towards the Lords people without which this care can not rightly bée performed Followe herein the example of S. Paul who setting foorth his labour and trauaile not of ambition or desire of gaine nor with roughnes but as he saith we were gentle among you euen as a Nurse cherisheth her children 1. Thess 2. ver 7. where this fatherly loue is broken of there followeth to the exceeding decay and desolation of the Church that which the Lord complained of by the Prophet Ezechiel against the Pastors of Israell Woe be vnto the Shepheardes of Israel that féede them selues should not the shepheards féede the flocks Ye eate the fat and ye cloth ye with the wooll ye kill them that are fed but yée féede not the sheep the weak haue ye not strengthened the sick haue ye not healed neither haue yee bound vp the broken nor brought againe that which was driuen away neither haue yee sought that which was lost but with violence and with cruelty haue ye ruled them Eze. 34. ver 2.3.4 This was the state of the flocke then and shal be euen to the worldes ende that among Christes shéepe as some bee strong so some bee weake some sicke some going astraie Yea such are the frailties of all the faithfull so many are the errors and the sinnes which doo breake foorth but yet they are still the sheepe of Christ the Israell of God the Shepheardes of Israell are to looke to them Now I say if there bee not a fatherly loue in the Shepheards to couer the multitude of sinnes If there be not a tender compassion as in the Nurse towards the little babe in steede of care to heale the broken and sicke and to supporte the weake to bring into the way that which strayeth they shall despise and loath them as not worthy to bee regarded yea they shall with violence and rigor beate and bruse them certaine it is that the greater the frailties are the greater care and compassion is to bee shewed So that violence and rigor are not fitte to be in the Sheepheardes For shall the nurse throw the little infante against the stones or push it forwarde when it can hardlie stande alone Shall the Sheepheard take his staffe and strike the young and tender Lambes Or shall hee beate and bruse the weake féeble shéepe What shall we say are the shéepe of Christ of lesse valew Many of them are weake and feeble in knowledge many of them are but as young babes as touching the spirituall power of sanctification A number of sinnes do breake from them Many are wounded in conscience troubled in spirit here is place for the loue the care the compassion and labour of Sheepheards O ye sheepheards of Israell put on this loue and compassion loath not the sheepe of Christ for these frailties rule them not with violence cruelty but féede and support and heale them with all méeknes and long suffering Let no peruersnes or iniuries of any of the shéepe towardes the sheepeheards breake of the course of this loue and care For if they looke vnto this how the sheepe despise them howe they walke stubbornely against them they shall neuer bee able with patience and méekenes to go through with the worke If we thinke it an vnworthy thing or such as dooth discharge the sheepeheard from his tender loue and care or that may warrant him to be rigorous that many of the sheepe do not reuerence him Looke vpon Moses Paul two great notable seruants of God two speciall sheepeheards of the Lords flocke who is worthy to be compared with them They haue lefte an example to bee followed How great thinges did Moses for the people And yet how often did they murmur against him were ready to stone him How many were their rebellions and iniuries don vnto him And yet his loue is not quenched his care dooth not faile but his praier is most earnest vnto God to pardō them He still estéemeth them though not al as the Lords chosen people What can they do more vnto vs then goe about to stone vs Behold also the excéeding aboundant loue of Paul who wished him selfe accursed from Christ that his kinsemen the Iewes which were obstinate might be saued How much greater was his loue to the faithful of his kindred And yet could they euen the Church of Ierusalem scarce thinke any thing wel of him all the time that he liued but thought hardly of him though he did neuer so much for them This is gathered by that which he writeth Ro. 15 where he first sheweth that it had pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to giue somewhat to the poore Saints in Ierusalem and that he went with this their beneuolēce to see it deliuered and then he intreated thē to be very earnest in praier to God for him that he might be deliuered from the disobedience of Iudea and that his ministry towards Ierusalem might be accepted of the saints It is a merueilous thing to consider that there being so great néede in the Church at Ierusalem and that money being so welcome to those which are in penury and he carying so plentifull store yet there needeth earnest praiers that this his seruice might be accepted He had mooued the Curches of the Gentiles as appeareth in his second Epistle to the Corinthians to make this liberal contribution He wrought this matter he goeth vp with it so great was his care Yet when he sheweth all this loue and diligence towards thē how great was their misliking of him that hee feareth his ministry would not bee acceptable to them The cause of the misliking Iames dooth shew vnto him when hee was come vp Act. 21. ver 21. Namely that it was reported he had taught the Iewes among the Gentiles to departe from Moses not to circumcise their children We sée he loueth them deerely for all this and calleth them saints Notwithstanding their great frailtie in this matter and the harde opinion they conceiued and held of him so great so worthy a seruant of the Lorde Iesus Christ What a patterne of méekenes fatherly loue is here for al the shepheardes of the Lords flocke to followe among the poore feeble and wandring sheepe which doo not so reuerence and regard them as they ought to doo The sheepheardes as S. Peter requireth must be examples to the flockes therfore of all other are to shew meekenes long suffering and that loue which couereth the multitude of sins where the pastors abound in this fathely loue do not fall vpon the fraile sheepe tender lambes with rigour and violence the blessed vnitie of brethren here praised is cheefely furthered for the building vp of Christes body in sanctification is greatly aduanced by the example of the pastors teachers The multitude are drawen thereby to imbrace to follow the truth I do therfore again humbly beseech all the pastors and guides of the Lords people to consider of this holy rule and worthy examples and to practise it that the people of the Lord may be brought into true concord and brotherly amity Then lastly it appertaineth also vnto rulers in ciuill matters to maintaine this vnity according to the truth They are to minister iustice true iudgement vnto all to punish the euill doers and to cherish and maintaine that good Mercy and loue is also necessarily required in them that they may deale euen as fathers when they correct and chastise If this be not there will great mischeefes ensue euen to the disturbance of all godly peace and concorde for let a ruler a iudge or a mighty man be voide of religion and withall giuen to anger dealing among the Lords weake and feeble sheepe he will be ready to beate them downe and to crushe them in peeces The frailties and sinnes are many that breake foorth euen from some of Christs sheepe and lambes as we see there be the weake the sicke the brused and such as erre that thing is odious in them because they professe holinesse and therefore cannot in them be borne therfore lift vp your harts in earnest prayer vnto God that he will powre downe the spirite of fatherly loue and mercy vpon rulers and iudges that they may deale in the Lordes flocke and towardes his poore weake sheepe with such regard as that they may answer before Christ Thus if we honour and imbrace the trueth if we practise the rules thereof euery one performing those duties which the Lord inioyneth the rulers and iudges pastors and gouerners in the Church as also the priuate persons we shall growe into this holy vnity which the holy Ghost here praiseth we shall receiue all heauenly gifts and blessings yea euen that great blessing of all blessinges the life for euermore Graunt this vnto vs O Lord for thy deare sonnes sake our redeemer Sauiour to whom with thee the holy ghost three persons and one euerlasting God whom we worship be all honor glorie dominion and power for euermore Amen FINIS
A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the thirtie day of May. 1591. By M. George Giffard Preacher of the worde of God at Maldon in Essex AT LONDON Printed by I. Windet for Tobie Cooke at the Tigers head in Paules Churchyard 1591. To the worshipfull Maister William Rider Alderman and elect Sheriefe of London SIr this Sermon was preached at Paules Crosse the 30. of Maye laste at the which ther were some that gathered the same in writing so neere as they could their coppies being conferred and laid together were neuerthelesse found very imperfect so that the Preacher was requested to perfecte the same so neere as his memorie would suffer him the which hauing doone and the coppie comminge to my handes J haue by publicke authoritie printed it I hope to the good of manie And findinge my selfe greatlie indebted to your worshippe and yours for many curtesies J was bolde to present it vnto you as a testimonie of my thankeful minde hoping that you will accept the same in as good part as I meant it And so beseechinge God to blesse your worshippe to the fulfillinge of that hope which many conceiue of you in time to come I humblye take my leaue this 7. of August 1591. Your worships humbly affectionate to commaund T. C. Psalme 133. Beholde how good and how c. THe holy Prophet King Dauid was the composer and writer of this Psalme as the Title thereof dooth expresly mention It is called a songe of degrées as there bee 14. other besides this here set together of the same title but in what sence the learned interpreters are of diuers iudgementes I will followe that which is most probable by the holy Scriptures The word Magnaloth which the Prophet heere vseth dooth properlie signifie steps or staires by which we assend into higher places But by Metaphor as I take it to be here vsed it signifieth high estate high degrée excellencie or dignitie For proofe heereof wee reade 1. Chro. 17. vers 17. where Dauid speaking vnto God sayth thou hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degrée vsing the same worde that is here So then if wee consider the phrase of the Hebrewe tongue which to expresse the superlatiue degrée vseth the plurall number a song of degrées that is a song of excellencies or a song of dignities is as much as to say a most excellent or a most worthy song The holy ghost in giuing this title dooth as it were set a marke in the forehead of the Psalme to giue notice vnto vs that there is a treasure of most excellent doctrine most fitte for our instruction contained in it that we may with the greater diligence attentiō giue eare vnto it The Argument or the matter here handled is all but one For the holy ghost with a very high and singuler praise through the whole Psalme dooth seth foorth and commend the vnitie and concord of brethren The brethren which he speaketh of and which are to kéepe this holie agréement are all the faithfull children of the Church fellow members of Christes misticall body and true worshippers of God among whom is the spirituall brother-hoode The vertue it selfe which is here commended is that same which S. Paul dooth so earnestlye exhorte and perswade all Christian men vnto to kéepe the vnity of the spirite in the bonde of peace Ephes 4. ver 3. The Primitiue Church is commended for the practise thereof in which wee haue a liuely example set before vs for it is written that the multitude of them that beléeued were of one hart and of one soule Act. 4. ver 32. For as one body consisting of many members hath but one hart and one soule by which all the members are vnited and loue each other so the multitude were vnited in iudgement and affection as if there were but one hart and one soule in them all The commendation and praise by which the holy ghost setteth foorth the excellent worthines of this vertue is vnder two Epithites which are these good and comelie For he saith beholde howe good and howe comely a thing it is for brethren also to dwell in vnitie These two Epithites hee afterward openeth and amplifieth by two similitudes the one is taken from the annointing of Aaron with the precious ointment to declare chéefelye the swéete and pleasant comelines of this vnitie the other is taken from the dewe of Hermon which commeth downe vpon the mountaines of Sion to expresse the fruit and good that cōmeth thereof And finallie hee concludeth from the highest cause euen the Lord God who hath commaunded the blessing of life eternall to bee vpon this vnitie This is bréefelie the summe of the Psalme or of this praise which is giuen Now come to to the exposition By the first word behold the Prophete dooth stirre vp the minds of the Israelites euen of all the Tribes to take viewe how blessed a thing vnity and concorde is euen by their owne experience which they had partlie by the former times and partlie by the time then present For in former daies they had felt with much sorrow the great calamities harmes and annoyaunces of discorde at this time now present when this Psalme was giuen they saw the blessings and benefites of vnity and peace For their former experience in the dayes of King Saule when hee persecuted Dauid which had done none euill the worship of God was neglected good men were oppressed euill men florished with much gréefe of minde vnto many then was there discord so far as men durst speake When Saule was taken away and Dauid was annointed King in Hebron Abner the sonne of Ner Captaine of Saules armie tooke Ishbosheth Saules sonne and sette him vp for King the discorde then grewe much greater for then one part of the Tribes claue vnto Dauid the other vnto the house of Saule They were indéede all the sonnes of Iaacob and professed the God of Abraham whome they should with one mouth haue worshipped and glorified as S. Paul saith Rom. 15. ver 6. but they were deuided and rent a sunder for there was bloudy warre and long time continued among the Tribes 2. Sa. 2. 3. brethren with deadly hatred and enmitie pursuing their brethren séeking the bloud eache of other It could not bee but that great calamities in this time of discord did ouerspred the whole land they might by experience then and did beholde how euill and how mischéeuous a thing it is for brethren to be at variance The cutting down of so great an euill and taking away all occasion is a verye great good Therefore when Abner Ishebosheth were slaine all Israell came togeather and set vp Dauid Then there grewe a reconciliation of Tribe vnto Tribe and they which were before rente a sunder became againe one body brethren imbraced eache other with loue the bitter hatred before among them was cutte downe and extinguished The worship of God was now set vp the blessinges of God were
vnto eternall life how dull are we vnto spirituall heauenly thinges or what can mooue vs Shall we not care to haue that cutte downe which bringeth mischiefe and destructiō and to set vp that which carieth all blessednes with it Shall we neither care to auoide the curse of God plagues and punishments on the one side nor yet couet to haue his blessing that it may mooue vs the rather I wil come now to the application of this Psalme to our estate Wee haue as yee all knowe receiued great blessinges from the Lorde our God by the meanes of our gracious Quéene For by her happie raigne we haue inioyed long peace euen such as the like hath not almost béene séene or heard of in this land Wee haue also great plentie of all thinges our countrie ouer flowinge with milke and honey euery man sitting vnder his Vine and vnder his figge trée And moreour the Lord hath protected vs by her Scepter and power from the inuasion of forraine enemies and from the wicked practises and treasons of domestical aduersaries these are great benefites receiued But the greatest blessing of all is that by her gouernement hee hath deliuered vs from the bondage of Pharoah from the heauy yoake of Antichrist out of Idolatrie and blindnesse and hath restored vnto vs his holie word and his true worship Yet notwithstanding there hath béene among vs many yeeres as ye all know great discorde and variaunce and that not onely against Papistes and other enemies of the holie religion but euen among brethren which professe the same holy doctrine and faith of our Lord Iesus Christ An all this time wee haue tasted the bitter fruites of enmitie and discorde we haue felt and sustained the mischéefes harmes and dammages that growe from it so that we haue had experience with the Isralites in the worser part and can say of our own knowledge behold how euill and howe vncomelie a thing it is for brethren to be at variaunce To make this more apparant if I should stande to rippe vp and to laye open all the euilles which haue alreadie come vpon vs by the discord of brethren it would bee a long and a tedious labour I will therefore onely note some of the cheefe and most generall that beholding as it were our most gréeuous woundes we may séeke to haue them salued and cured if it may please God First therefore I may note as a principall euill fruite of enmity that it is a ioy and on ancouragement vnto the enemies of the Gospell the Papists for to sée brethren set against brethren for as it is in an armie of men if they be at deadly variance among thēselues Captaine against Captaine band against band pursuing ech other That the aduerse part against which they should wholy together bend their forces will say wee shall not néede to doo much we shall easilie preuaile for they will pull down and destroy themselues with their own hands and hereof will much reioyce So is it in Gods Church Christes armie which is set vpon by deadly enemies on euery side when there is discorde growing vnto sharpe enmitie and the leaders themselues bent one part against an other the wicked enemie dooth laugh and receiueth boldnes and strength for hee saith in his hart this sharpe contention amonge them will procéede in the ende euen vnto blood and to the desolation of both partes O howe much ought we to be pricked and gréeued at the reioycing and boldning of Gods enemies And how dolefull a calamitie were this if it should among brethren come vnto blood We see that amōg the children of Israell the discorde and enmitie brake foorth euen vnto bloud and so doubtles excepte the Lord in great mercie turne it away such is the nature of contention when it groweth sharpe that the end among vs also wil be most gréeuous This one euill ought to mooue vs to loue and imbrace the holy vnitye heere commended in this Psalme I would the consideration of it might bee deepely printed in our mindes The wounding of the weake is an other great euil that ariseth from discord doubtles many are cast down or turned out of the way or at the least much hindred hereby in our Church Stumbling blockes being thus laide before the blinde and lame What pittie this ought to mooue and how much the sight of it should vexe and gréeue vs the doctrine of our Sauiour Christ vttered by him selfe and by his Apostles dooth euerie where shew threateninges also and woes are pronounced against them that shall cast downe the weake And shall not we regarde this thing at all shall neither the compassion and loue to our brethren for whome Christ died nor the threatninges and woes denounced take any place Thirdlie the discord of brethren dooth bring both parts into contempt and disgrace among many And so by this meanes the ministers of the Gospell the messengers of Christ which should be had in precious account and estimation for their workes sake euen as the vessels of Gold and siluer in the Lords temple and as the Angels of the Lord of hosts are baselie estéemed euen as if they were vesselles of earth or wood If this did reach onely vnto the men themselues or vnto their disgrace it were the lesse and might with lesse greefe bee borne but the contempt and disgrace reach indéede euē to the glorious Gospel of Iesus Christ because in the disgrace of the men the power of their ministrye is weakened For where the teacher is euill thought of and dispised the multitude dooth not regarde his doctrine This euill goeth deepe and if we consider well of it together with the former which I haue mentioned ye shall sée that vpon our owne experience we may say indéede beholde how euill and how vncomlie a thing it is for brethrē to be at enmitie discorde These euils doo highly displease almighty God and if they bee continued in without redresse who is able to shew the punishmentes and calamities which in time will ensue and come vppon vs in this Land The contempt of the Gospell and growing into Atheisme thereby will drawe downe infinite plagues and miseries For the righteous God will not alwaies suffer such abuse vnreuenged Then séeing vnity is so good bringing so manie blessinges and discorde so euill drawing such an heape of mischeefes with it the one as a nourisher of true life is to bee sought for and maintained by all Godlye Christians and the other is to bee eschewed as a deadly pestilence and this is to be don of vs spéedely because dissention is like the breaking out of waters the longer it continueth the wider is the breache made and so becommeth the more difficulte to bee recouered This béeing confessed of all for there is no man I thinke that will denie but that it is a most necessarie thing in Gods Church and amonge brethren to eschewe discorde and to séeke vnitie therefore let vs in the next place consider and