mercy is great unto the heavens and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds and Remember the marvellous works that he hath done his wonders and the judgments of his mouth He is the Lord our God his judgements are in all the earth and again Thy mercy O Lord is in the heavens thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds Thy righteousness is like the great mountains thy judgments are a great deep O Lord thou preservest man and beast How excellent is thy loving-kindness O God! and How precious are thy thoughts unto me O Lord O how great is the sum of them If I should count them they are more in number then the sand and again His work is honourable and glorious his righteousness endureth for ever and The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works and Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with his benefits In such manner ought we diligently to survey and judiciously to estimate the effects of Divine beneficence examining every part and descanting upon every circumstance thereof like those that contemplate some rare beauty or some excellent picture some commending the exact proportions some the gracefull features some the lively colours discernible therein There is not the least of the Divine favours which if we consider the condescensive tenderness the clear intention the undeserved frankness the chearfull debonairity expressed therein hath not dimensions larger then our comprehension colours too fair and lineaments too comely for our weak sight thoroughly to discern requiring therefore our highest esteem and our utmost thanks 'T is perhaps somewhat dangerous to affix a determinate value upon any of God's Benefits for to value them seems to undervalue them they being really inestimable what then is it to extenuate to vilifie to despise the greatest We should esteem them as we measure the Heavens with our eye as we compute the sands upon the shore as we would prize inexhaustible mines of gold and treasures of pearl that is by confessing heartily their worth surpasses the strength of our imagination to conceive and of our speech to utter that they are immense innumerable unconceivable and unexpressible But still 4. Giving thanks imports that Benefits be received with a willing mind a hearty sense a vehement affection The forementioned particulars are indeed necessary properties inseparable concomitants or prerequisite conditions to but a chearfull and cordial acceptance of Benefits is the form as it were and soul the life and spirit the principal and most essential ingredient of this Duty It was not altogether unreasonable though it went for a Paradox that dictate of the Stoicks That animus sufficit animo and That qui libenter accepit beneficium reddidit that he who with a willing and well-affected mind receives a courtesie hath fully discharged the duty of Gratitude that other endeavours of return and compensation are rather handsome accessions to it then indispensably requisite to the completion thereof For as in the Collation 't is not the gold or the silver the food or the apparel in which the Benefit consists but the will and benevolent intention of him that bestows them so reciprocally 't is the good acceptance the sensibleness of and acquiescence in the Benefactour's goodness that constitutes the Gratitude which who affords though he be never capable of yielding other satisfaction voluntate voluntati satisfecit and Regum aequavit opes animo 'T is ingenuity that constitutes respectively both a bountifull Giver and a thankfull Receiver A truly-noble Benefactour purely aimeth at not any material reward or advantage to himself it were trading this not beneficence but the good profit and content of him to whom he dispenseth his favour of which being assured he rests satisfied aud accounts himself royally recompensed Such a Benefactour is Almighty God and such a tribute he requires of us a ready embracement of and a joyfull complacency in his kindness even such as he expressed who said Because thy loving-kindness is better then life my lips shall praise thee and My soul shall be filled as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyfull lips and I will praise thee with my whole heart I will be glad and rejoyce in thee and Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name No Holocaust is so acceptable to God as a Heart enflamed with the sense of his Goodness He loves not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a merry giver but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a chearfull receiver also He would have us as to desire his favour with a greedy appetite so to tast it with a savoury relish He designs not onely to fill our mouths with food but our hearts also with gladness We must not seem to grudge or repine to murmur or disdain that we are necessitated to be beholden to him lest it happen to us as it did to them of whom 't is said While the meat was yet in their mouths the wrath of God came upon them and slew the fattest of them Yea 't is our duty not to be contented onely but to be delighted to be transported to be ravished with the emanations of his love to entertain them with such a disposition of mind as the dry and parched ground imbibes the soft dew and gentle showrs as the chill and darksome air admits the benign influences of heavenly light as the thirsty soul takes in the sweet and cooling stream He that with a sullen look a dead heart a faint sense a cold hand embraces the gifts of Heaven is really unthankfull though with deluges of wine and oil he makes the altars to o'reflow and clouds the sky with the steam of his sacrifices But yet farther 5. This Duty requires due Acknowledgment of our obligation significations of our notice declarations of our esteem and good acceptance of favours conferr'd 'T is the worst and most detestable of ingratitudes that which proceeds from pride and scorn and such is he guilty of who is either unwilling or ashamed to confess himself obliged who purposely dissembles a Benefit or disavows the Benefactour who refuses to render those most manifestly due and most easily discharged those neither toilsome nor expensive oblations of praise and acknowledgment This part of our duty requires that we offer to God not costly Hecatombs but the calves onely of our lips as the Prophet Hoseah speaks not the fruit of our hands but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely as the Apostle to the Hebrews styles it the fruit of our lips confessing to his name that we employ some few blasts of the breath he gave us on the celebration of his goodness and advancement of his repute I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnifie him with thanksgiving This shall please the Lord better then an oxe or bullock that hath horns and hoofs saith David And surely 't is
judgments O Lord. For thou Lord art high above all the Earth It is to them ground of exceeding comfort to receive so clear pledges of God's Love and Favour his Truth and Fidelity his Bounty and Munificence toward them expressed in such watchful care over them such protection in dangers such aid in needs such deliverance from mischiefs vouchsafed to them Such Benefits they cannot receive from God's hand without that chearfulness which always doth adhere to gratitude I will saith David sing unto the Lord because he hath dealt bountifully with me Because thou hast been my helper therefore in the shadow of thy wings I will rejoyce My lips shall greatly rejoyce in thee and my Soul which thou hast redeemed I will be glad and rejoyce in thy mercy for thou hast considered my trouble and hast known my Soul in adversities The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad Let all those that put their trust in thee rejoyce let them ever shout for joy because thou defendest them They are also greatly refreshed with apprehension of the happy fruits sprouting from such dispensations of Providence such as are the Benefit of mankind the Peace and prosperity of the Civil State the Preservation settlement enlargement advancement of God's Church the support of Right the succour of Innocence the maintenance of Truth the encouragement and furtherrance of Piety the restraint of Violence the discountenance of Errour the correction of Vice and Impiety In these things they as faithful servants of God and real friends of Goodness as bearing hearty good will and compassion to mankind as true lovers of their Country as living and sensible members of the Church cannot but rejoyce Seeing by these things their own best interest which is no other then the advantage of Goodness their chief honour which consists in the promotion of Divine Glory their truest content which is placed in the prosperity of Sion are highly furthered how can they look on them springing up without great delight and complacence O saith the Psalmist sing unto the Lord for he hath done marvellous things He hath remembred his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God And Sing O heavens cryeth the Prophet and be joyful O earth and break forth into singing O ye mountains for the Lord hath comforted his people and will have mercy on his afflicted And When saith he ye shall see this the comfort of God's people your heart shall rejoyce and your bones shall flourish like an herb and the hand of the Lord shall be known toward his servants and his indignation toward his enemies Even in the frustration of wicked designs attended with severe execution of vengeance on the contrivers and abettours of them they may have a pleasant satisfaction they must then yeild a chearful applause to Divine Justice The righteous saith the Psalmist shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance and Let the wicked saith he perish at the presence of God but let the righteous be glad let them rejoyce before God yea let them exceedingly rejoyce Whence at God's infliction of Judgement upon Babylon it is said in Jeremy Then the heaven and the earth and all that is therein shall sing for Babylon and at the fall of Mystical Babylon in the Apocalyps 't is likewise said Rejoye over her thou heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her Farther V. The next Duty prescribed to good men in such cases is to trust in God that is to have their affiance in God upon all such like occasions in all urgencies of need settled improved and corroborated thereby This indeed is the proper end immediately regarding us of God's special Providence disclosing it self in any miraculous or in any remarkable way to nourish in wel-disposed minds that Faith in God which is the root of all Piety and ground of Devotion Such experiments are sound arguments to perswade good men that God doth govern and order things for their best advantage they are powerful incentives driving them in all exigencies to seek God's help they are most convincing evidences that God is abundantly able very willing and ever ready to succour them They saith the Psalmist that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee And I saith he will abide in thy tabernacle for ever I will trust in the covert of thy wings For thou O God hast heard my vows thou hast been a shelter for me and a strong tower from the enemy It is indeed a great aggravation of diffidence in God that having tasted and seen that the Lord is good having felt so manifest experience of Divine goodness having received so notable pledges of God's favourable inclination to help us we yet will not rely upon him As a friend who by signal instances of kindness hath assured his good will hath great cause of offence if he be suspected of unwillingness in a needful season to afford his relief so may God most justly be displeased when we notwithstanding so palpable demonstration of his kindness by distrusting him do in effect question the sincerity of his friendship or the constancy of his goodness toward us VI. Good men upon such occasions should glory All the upright in heart shall glory Should glory that is in contemplation of such Providences feeling sprightly elevations of mind and transports of affection they should exhibit triumphant demonstrations of satisfaction and alacrity It becometh them not in such cases to be dumpish or demure but jocund and crank in their humour brisk and gay in their looks pleasantly flippant and free in their speech jolly and debonair in their behaviour every way signifying the extream complacency they take in God's doing and the full content they taste in their state They with solemn exultation should triumph in such events as in victories atchieved by the glorious Hand of God in their behalf in approbation of their cause in favour toward their persons for their great benefit and comfort They may not as proudly assuming to themselves the glory due to God but as gratefully sensible of their felicity springing from God's favour se jactare se laudibus efferre as the Hebrew word doth signifie that is in a sort boast and commend themselves as very happy in their relation to God by virtue of his protection and aid They may not with a haughty insolence or wanton arrogance but with a sober confidence and chearfulness insult upon baffled impiety by their expressions and demeanour upbraiding the folly the baseness the impotency and wretchedness thereof in competition with the wisedom in opposition to the power of God their friend and patron For such carriage in such cases we have the practice and the advice of the Psalmist to warant and direct
he may he ought to discharge all his cares and burthens It consequently doth engage all creatures in the world to be our friends or instruments of good to us according to their several capacities by the direction and disposal of God All the servants of our great Friend will in compliance to him be serviceable to us Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee So Job's friend promiseth him upon condition of Piety And God himself confirmeth that promise In that day saith he in the Prophet will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground And again When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee And The sun shall not smite thee by day nor the moon by night Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under foot They shall take up scorpions and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them so our Lord promised to his Disciples Not onely the Heavens shall dispense their kindly influences and the Earth yield her plentifull stores and all the Elements discharge their natural and ordinary good offices nor onely the tame and sociable creatures shall upon this condition faithfully serve us but even the most wild most fierce most ravenous most venomous creatures shall if there be need prove friendly and helpfull or at least harmless to us as were the Ravens to Elias the Lions to Daniel the Viper to S. Paul the Fire to the Three Children But especially Piety doth procure the friendship of the good Angels that puissant hoast of glorious and happy Spirits they all do tenderly love the pious person they are ever ready to serve and doe him good to protect him from danger to aid him in his undertakings to rescue him from mischiefs What an honour what a blessing is this to have such an innumerable company of noble Friends the Courtiers and Favourites of Heaven deeply concerned and constantly vigilant for our welfare It also engageth the blessed Saints in glory the Spirits of men perfected the Church of the first-born to bear dearest affection to us to further our prosperity with their good wishes and earnest prayers mightily prevalent with God It rendreth all sorts of men our friends To good men it uniteth us in holy communion the communion of brotherly charity and hearty good will attended with all the good offices they are able to perform to other men it reconcileth and endeareth us for that innocent and inoffensive courteous and benign charitable and beneficent demeanour such as Piety doth require and produce are apt to conciliate respect and affection from the worst men For Vincit malos pertinax bonitas men hardly can persist enemies to him whom they perceive to be their friend and such the pious man in disposition of mind and in effect when occasion serveth is toward all men being sensible of his obligation to love all men and as he hath opportunity to doe good to all men It assureth and more strictly endeareth our friends to us For as it maketh us hearty faithfull constant friends to others so it reciprocally tieth others to us in the like sincerity and fastness of good will It reconcileth enemies For when a man's ways do please the Lord he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him It hath a natural efficacy to that purpose and Divine blessing promoteth it By it all conversation becometh tolerable gratefull and usefull For a pious man is not easily disturbed with any crossness or perverseness any infirmity or impertinency of those he converseth with he can bear the weaknesses and the failings of his company he can by wholsome reflexions upon all occurrences advantage and please himself In fine Piety rendreth a man a true friend and a good companion to himself satisfied in himself able to converse freely and pleasantly with his own thoughts It is for the want of pious inclinations and dispositions that solitude a thing which sometimes cannot be avoided which often should be embraced is to most men so irksome and tedious that men do carefully shun themselves and fly from their own thoughts that they decline all converse with their own Souls and hardly dare look upon their own hearts and Consciences whence they become aliens from home wholly unacquainted with themselves most ignorant of their own nearest concernments no faithfull friends or pleasant companions to themselves so for refuge and ease they unseasonably run into idle or lewd conversation where they disorder and defile themselves But the pious man is like Scipio never less alone then when alone his solitude and retirement is not onely tolerable but commonly the most gratefull and fruitfull part of his life he can ever with much pleasure and more advantage converse with himself digesting and marshalling his thoughts his affections his purposes into good order searching and discussing his heart reflecting on his past ways enforcing his former good resolutions and framing new ones enquiring after edifying truths stretching his meditations toward the best and sublimest objects raising his hopes and warming his affections toward spiritual and heavenly things asking himself pertinent questions and resolving incident doubts concerning his practice in fine conversing with his best Friend in devotion with admiration and love contemplating the Divine perfections displayed in the works of nature of providence of grace praising God for his excellent benefits and mercies confessing his defects and offences deprecating wrath and imploring pardon with grace and ability to amend praying for the supply of all his wants All which performances yield both unconceivable benefit and unexpressible comfort So that Solitude that which is to common nature so offensive to corrupt nature so abominable is to the pious man extremely commodious and comfortable which is a great advantage peculiar to Piety and the last which I shall mention So many and many more then I can express vastly great and precious advantages do accrue from Piety so that well may we conclude with S. Paul that Godliness is profitable for all things It remaineth that if we be wise we should if we yet have it not ingraffed in us labour to acquire it if we have it that we should endeavour to improve it by constant exercise to the praise of God the good of our neighbour and our own comfort Which that we may effectually perform Almighty God in mercy vouchsafe by his grace through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom for ever be all glory and praise Amen The Fourth Sermon 1 SAM 2. 30. For them that honour me I will honour THE
Authority which enjoyns them It is an aggravation of Impiety often insisted upon in Scripture that it slurrs as it were and defames God brings reproach and obloquy upon him causes his Name to be profaned to be cursed to be blasphemed and 't is answerably a commendation of Piety that by the practice thereof we not onely procure many great advantages to our selves many blessings and comforts here all joys and felicities hereafter but do also thereby beget esteem to God himself and sanctifie his ever-blessed Name cause him to be regarded and reverenced his Name to be praised and blessed among men It is by exemplary Piety by providing things honest in the sight of all men by doing things honourable and laudable such are all things which God hath been pleased to command us that we shall be sure to fulfill that precept of S. Paul of doing all things to the glory of God which is the Body of that duty we speak of Secondly But there are deserving a particular inspection some members thereof which in a peculiar and eminent manner do constitute this Honour some acts which more signally conduce to the illustration of God's glory Such are 1. The frequent and constant performance in a serious and reverent manner of all religious Duties or Devotions immediately addressed to God or conversant about him that which the Psalmist styles Giving the Lord the honour due to his Name worshipping the Lord in the beauty of Holiness 2. Using all things peculiarly related unto God his holy Name his holy Word his holy Places the places where his honour dwelleth his holy Times religious Fasts and Festivities with especial respect 3. Yielding due observance to the Deputies and Ministers of God both Civil and Ecclesiastical as such or because of their relation to God the doing of which God declares that he interprets and accepts as done unto himself 4. Freely spending what God hath given us out of respect unto him in works of Piety Charity and Mercy that which the Wise man calls Honouring the Lord with our substance 5. All penitential Acts by which we submit unto God and humble our selves before him As Achan by confessing of his sin is said to give glory to the Lord God of Israel 6. Chearfull undergoing afflictions losses disgraces for the profession of God's truth or for obedience to God's commands As S. Peter is said by his death suffered upon such accounts to glorifie God These signal instances of this duty represented as such in Holy Scripture for brevitie's sake I pass over craving leave onely to consider one most pertinent to our present business and indeed a very comprehensive one which is this 7. We shall especially honour God by discharging faithfully those offices which God hath intrusted us with by improving diligently those talents which God hath committed to us by using carefully those means and opportunities which God hath vouchsafed us of doing him service and promoting his glory Thus he to whom God hath given Wealth if he expend it not to the nourishment of pride and luxury not onely to the gratifying his own pleasure or humour but to the furtherance of God's honour or to the succour of his indigent neighbour in any pious or charitable way he doth thereby in especiall manner honour God He also on whom God hath bestowed Wit and parts if he employ them not so much in contriving projects to advance his own petty interests or in procuring vain applause to himself as in advantageously setting forth God's praise handsomely recommending goodness dexterously engaging men in ways of vertue doing which things is true wit and excellent policy indeed he doth thereby remarkably honour God He likewise that hath Honour conferr'd upon him if he subordinate it to God's honour if he use his own credit as an instrument of bringing credit to goodness thereby adorning and illustrating Piety he by so doing doth eminently practise this duty The like may be said of any other good quality any capacity or advantage of doing good by the right use thereof we honour God for that men beholding the worth of such good gifts and feeling the benefit emergent from them will be apt to bless the donour of them as did they in the Gospel who seeing our Saviour cure the Paralytick man did presently glorifie God who had given such power unto men But especially they to whom Power and Authority is committed as they have the chief capacity so they are under an especial obligation thus to honour God they are particularly concerned to hear and observe that Royall proclamation Give unto the Lord O ye mighty give unto the Lord glory and strength Give unto the Lord the honour due unto his name When such persons like King Nebuchadnezzar returned to his right senses do seriously acknowledge their power and eminency derived from God alone when they profess subjection unto him and express it in their practice not onely driving others by their power but drawing them by their example to piety and goodness when they cause God's Name to be duly worshipped and his Laws to be strictly observed when they favour and encourage Vertue discourage and chastise wickedness when they take care that justice be impartially administred innocence protected necessity relieved all iniquity and oppression all violence and disorder yea so much as may be all affliction and wretchedness be prevented or removed when they by all means strive to promote both the service of God and the happiness of men dispensing equally and benignly to the family over which their Lord hath set them their meat in due season providing that men under them may live a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness and honesty doing which is the business allotted to them the interest as it were of God which he declares himself concernedly to tender and by their ministry to prosecute when they carefully doe such things then do they indeed approve themselves worthy honourers of their High Master and Heavenly King then do they truly act God's part and represent his person decently When the actions of these visible Gods are so divinely good and beneficial men will be easily induced yea can hardly forbear to reverence and magnifie the invisible Founder of their Authority By so doing as they will set before mens eyes the best pattern of Loyalty as they will impress upon mens hearts the strongest argument for Obedience and respect toward themselves as they shall both more plainly inform and more effectually persuade people to the performance of their duty unto them then by all the law and all the force in the world as they will thereby consequently best secure and maintain their own honour and their own welfare for men will never be heartily loyal and submissive to Authority till they become really good nor will they ever be very good till they see their Leaders such so they will together greatly advance
shall then be seated upon unmovable Thrones their heads encircled with unfading Crowns their faces shining with rays of unconceivable Glory and majesty The less of Honour they have received here in this transitory moment of life the more thereof they shall enjoy in that future eternal state where with him who through the whole course of his life sought not his own honour but the honour of him that sent him who for the suffering of death was crowned with glory and honour who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is set at the right hand of God with those who consecrated all their endeavours and who sacrificed their lives to the promoting of God's Honour they shall possess everlasting glory Which together with them God Almighty of his infinite mercy grant unto us all through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with God the Father and God the Holy Ghost be for ever all Honour and Praise Amen The Fifth Sermon PROV 10. 9. He that walketh uprightly walketh surely THE world is much addicted to the Politicks the heads of men are very busie in contrivance and their mouths are full of talk about the ways of consulting our safety and securing our interests May we not therefore presume that an infallible Maxim of Policy proposing the most expedite and certain method of security in all our transactions will be entertained with acceptance Such an one the greatest Politician and wisest man for business if we may take God's own word for it that ever was or will be doth here suggest to us For the practice couched in our Text he otherwhere voucheth for a point of Policy telling us that A man of understanding walketh uprightly and here he recommendeth it as a method of Security He that walketh uprightly walketh surely Treating upon which Aphorism I shall by God's help endeavour first in way of Explication briefly to describe the practice it self then in way of Proof by some Considerations to declare that Security doth attend it For Explication To walk as well in the style of Holy Scripture as in other Writings and even in common speech doth signifie our usual course of dealing or the constant tenour of our practice Uprightly according to the original might be rendred in perfection or with integrity And by the Greek Translatours in several places is supposed chiefly to denote Sincerity and Purity of intention In effect the Phrase He that walketh uprightly doth import One who is constantly disposed in his designs and dealings to bear a principal regard to the rules of his Duty and the dictates of his Conscience who in every case emergent is ready to perform that which upon good deliberation doth appear most just and fit in conformity to God's Law and sound Reason without being swayed by any appetite any passion any sinister respect to his own private interest of profit credit or pleasure to the commission of any unlawfull irregular unworthy or base act who generally doth act out of good principles namely reverence to God charity to men sober regard to his own true welfare who doth aim at good ends that is at God's honour publick benefit his own Salvation other good things subordinate to those or well consistent with them who doth prosecute his designs by lawfull means in fair ways such as honest providence and industry veracity and fidelity dependence upon God's help and prayer for his blessing In short One who never advisedly doth undertake any bad thing nor any good thing to ill purposes nor doth use any foul means to compass his intents For Proof That such an one doth ever proceed with much security from the following Considerations may appear I. An upright walker is secure of easily finding his way For it commonly requireth no reach of wit or depth of judgment no laborious diligence of enquiry no curious intentness of observation no solicitous care or plodding study to discern in any case what is just we need not much trouble our heads about it for we can hardly be to seek for it If we will but open our eyes it lieth in view before us being the plain straight obvious road which common Reason prompteth or which ordinary Instruction pointeth out to us so that usually that direction of Solomon is sufficient Let thine eyes look right on and let thine eye-lids look straight before thee Turn not to the right hand nor to the left The ways of iniquity and vanity if we may call them ways which indeed are but exorbitancies and seductions from the way ill designs and bad means of executing designs are very unintelligible very obscure abstruse and intricate being infinitely various and utterly uncertain so that out of them to pick and fix â—n this or that may puzzle our headâ— and perplex our hearts as to pursue any of them may involve us in great difficulty and trouble But the ways of Truth of Right of Vertue are so very simple and uniform so fixed and permanent so clear and notorious that we can hardly miss them or except wilfully swarve from them For they by Divine wisedom were chalked out not onely for ingenious and subtle persons men of great parts of refined wits of long experience but rather for the vulgar community of men the great Body of God's subjects consisting in persons of meanest capacity and smallest improvement being designed to make wise the simple to give the young man knowledge and discretion to direct all sorts of people in their duty toward their happiness according to that in the Prophet A high way shall be there and it shall be called the way of Holiness the wayfaring-man though fools shall not erre therein They are in very legible characters graven by the finger of God upon our hearts and consciences so that by any considerate reflexion inwards we may easily reade them or they are extant in God's Word there written as with a Sun-beam so perspicuously expressed so frequently inculcated that without gross negligence or strange dulness we cannot but descry them For who with half an eye may not see that the practice of pious love and reverence toward God of entire justice and charity toward our neighbour of sober temperance and purity toward our selves is approved by Reason is prescribed by God to us Hence in the Holy Scripture as bad ways are called dark crooked rough slippery ways so the good ways are said to be clear plain direct even ways The path of the just say they is as a shining light All the words of my mouth are plain to him that understandeth or that considereth them My foot standeth in an even place The Law of his God is in his heart none of his steps shall slide Hence it is affirmed that an upright man doth hardly need any conduct beside his own honesty For The integrity saith Solomon of the upright shall guide them and The righteousness of
himself bountifull and mercifull toward us when we so palpably are injust and ingratefull toward him No Surely he scorneth the scorners and Whosoever despiseth him shall be lightly esteemed so he expressely hath threatned and seeing he is both infallibly true and invincibly able we may reasonably presume that he will accomplish his word VIII Lastly Praying incessantly may import at large a frequency in Devotion This the words at least do exact or necessarily imply however expounded For doing incessantly cannot imply less then doing frequently in no tolerable sense can we be said to doe that continually which we doe seldom but it is an ordinary scheme of speech to say that a man doeth that always which he is wont to doe and performeth often As of the pious souldier Cornelius it is said that he gave much alms to the people and prayed to God always and of Anna the Prophetess that she departed not from the Temple but served God with prayers and fastings night and day that is she frequently resorted to the Temple and served God with an assiduous constancy As the words may bear and do involve this sense so doth the reason of the case inforce it for very just very fit very needfull it is to practise thus There is ever at hand abundant reason for and apposite matter of Devotion therefore no large space of time should pass without it there be perpetually depending many causes thereof whence there is not to be allowed any long vacation from it As every moment we from God's mercy and bounty partake great favours so should we often render thanks and praise for them for perpetually to receive courtesies and rarely to return acknowledgments is notorious ingratitude and iniquity We frequently and in a manner continually do fall into sins often therefore we are obliged to confess sins we are concerned to deprecate wrath and beg mercy otherwise we must long croutch under the sore burthen of guilt the sad dread of punishment the bitter pangs of remorse or the desperate hazzard of stupid obduration What-ever we design or undertake toward the good management and happy success thereof we being ignorant and impotent creatures do need the guidance the assistence and the blessing of God so often therefore it is requisite that we should be seeking and suing for them if not we do not onely transgress our duties but fondly neglect or foully betray our own concernments The Causes therefore of Devotion being so constant the Effects in some correspondence should be frequent Such frequency is indeed necessary for the breeding the nourishment the growth and improvement of all Piety Devotion is that holy and heavenly fire which darteth into our minds the light of spiritual knowledge which kindleth in our hearts the warmth of holy desires if therefore we do continue long absent from it a night of darkness will overspread our minds a deadning coldness will seise upon our affections It is the best food of our Souls which preserveth their life and health which repaireth their strength and vigour which rendreth them lusty and active if we therefore long abstain from it we shall starve or pine away we shall be faint and feeble in all religious performances we shall have none at all or a very languid and meager Piety To maintain in us a constant and steddy disposition to obedience to correct our perverse inclinations to curb our unruly passions to strengthen us against temptations to comfort us in anxieties and distresses we do need continual supplies of grace from God the which ordinarily are communicated in Devotion as the chanel which conveyeth or the instrument which helpeth to procure it or the condition upon which it is granted Faith Hope Love spiritual Comfort and Joy all Divine Graces are chiefly elicited expressed exercised therein and thereby it is therefore needfull that it should frequently be used seeing otherwise we shall be in danger to fail in discharging our chief Duties and to want the best Graces It is frequency of Devotion also which maintaineth that Friendship with God which is the soul of Piety As familiar conversation wherein men do express their minds and affections mutually breedeth acquaintance and cherisheth good will of men to one another but long forbearence thereof dissolveth or slackneth the bonds of amity breaking their intimacy and cooling their kindness so is it in respect to God it is frequent converse with him which begetteth a particular acquaintance with him a mindfull regard of him a hearty liking to him a delightfull tast of his goodness and consequently a sincere and solid good will toward him but intermission thereof produceth estrangement or enmity toward him If we seldom come at God we shall little know him not much care for him scarce remember him rest insensible of his love and regardless of his favour a coldness a shyness a distast an antipathy toward him will by degrees creep upon us Abstinence from his company and presence will cast us into conversations destructive or prejudicial to our friendship with him wherein soon we shall contract familiarity and friendship with his enemies the World and the Flesh which are inconsistent with love to him which will dispose us to forget him or to dislike and loath him It is in fine the frequency of Devotion which alone can secure any practice thereof at least any practice thereof duly qualified so hearty so easy so sweet and delightfull as it should be We have all a naturall averseness or indisposition thereto as requiring an abstraction of thoughts and affections from sensible things and a fastning them upon objects purely spiritual a rearing our heavy spirits above their common pitch a staying and settling our roving fancies a composing our vain hearts in a sober and steddy frame agreeable to Devotion to effect which things is a matter of no small difficulty and pain which therefore without much use and exercise cannot be accomplished but with it may so that by frequent practice the bent of our heart being turned the strangeness of the thing ceasing the difficulty of the work being surmounted we shall obtain a good propension to the duty and a great satisfaction therein This will render the way into God's presence smooth and passable removing as all other obstacles so particularly those of fear and doubt in respect to God which may deterr or discourage us from approaching to him God being most holy and pure most great and glorious we sensible of our corruption and vileness may be fearfull and shy of coming near unto him But when coming into his presence we do find that such as his Majesty is such is his Mercy when we do tast and see that the Lord is good when by experience we feel that in his presence there is fulness of joy being abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house having our Souls there satisfied as with marrow and fatness finding that a day in his courts is better then a
the least homage we in gratitude owe and can pay to Almighty God to avow our dependence upon and obligation to him for the good things we enjoy to acknowledge that his favours do deserve thanks to publish to the world our experience of his goodness to proclaim solemnly with the voice of thanksgiving his most deserved praise resembling him who abounds in such expressions as these I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever with my mouth will I make known his faithfulness to all generations I will publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all his wondrous works I will speak of the glorious honour of thy Majesty and of thy wondrous works I have not hid thy righteousness in my heart I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation I have not concealed thy loving-kindness and thy truth from the great congregation Thus if a gratefull affection live in our hearts it will respire through our mouths and discover it self in the motion of our lips There will be a conspiracy and faithfull correspondence between our mind and our tongue if the one be sensible the other will not be silent as if the spring works the wheels will turn about and the bell not fail to speak Neither shall we content our selves in lonesome tunes and private soliloquies to whisper out the Divine praises but shall loudly excite and provoke others to a melodious consonance with us We shall with the sweet Singer of Israel cite and invoke Heaven and Earth the celestial quire of Angels the several estates and generations of Men the numberless company of all the Creatures to assist and joyn in consort with us in celebrating the worthy deeds and magnifying the glorious name of our most mighty Creatour of our most bountifull Benefactour Gratitude is of a fruitfull and diffusive nature of a free and communicative disposition of an open and sociable temper it will be imparting discovering and propagating it self it affects light company and liberty it cannor endure to be smothered in privacy and obscurity It s best instrument therefore is Speech that most natural proper and easie mean of conversation of signifying our conceptions of conveying and as it were ttansfunding our thoughts and our passions into each other This therefore glory of ours and best organ that we have as the Psalmist seems to call it our Tongue we should in all reason devote to the honour and consecrate to the praise of him who made it and who conserves it still in tune And the farther to provoke us we may consider that it hath been the manner prompted by Nature and authorized by general practice for men of all nations and all times and all ways by composed Hymns and panegyrical Elogies to express their gratitude for the gifts of Nature and for the Benefits indulged by Providence in their publick Sacrifices and solemn Festivities extolling the excellent qualities of their imaginary Deities and reciting the famous atchievements of their Heroes and supposed Benefactours to whose favourable help and blessing in their conceit they owed the fruits of the earth the comforts of life the defence and patronage of their countries being indeed mistaken in the object but not transgressing in the substance of the Duty paying a due debt though to false creditours And I wish we were as ready to imitate them in the one as we are perhaps prone to blame them for the other For certainly acknowledgments of the Divine Goodness and solemn testifications of our thankfull sense thereof what-ever the abused world may now imagine was always is now and ever will be the principal and most noble part of all Religion immediately addressed to God But moreover 6. This Duty requires endeavours of real Compensation and a satisfactory Requital of Benefits according to the ability and opportunity of the receiver that we do not onely verbally dicere and agnoscere but really agere and referre gratias that to him who hath by his beneficence obliged us we minister reciprocal assistence comfort and relief if he need them and be capable to receive them however by evident testimonies to discover our ready disposition to make such real returns and withall to sute our actions to his good liking and in our carriage to comply with his reasonable desires For as the earth which drinketh the rain often coming upon it and having been by great labour tilled and manured with expence yieldeth yet no meet herbage or fruit agreeable to the expectation of him that dresseth it but is either wholly barren or produceth onely thorns and briars is as the Apostle to the Hebrews tells us to be reprobated and nigh unto cursing that is deserves no farther care or culture to be employed on it and is to be reputed desperately worthless so is he that we may apply an Apodosis to the Apostle's comparison who daily partaking the influences of Divine Providence and Bounty affords no answerable return to be accounted execrably unthankfull and unworthy of any farther favour to be shewed toward him 'T is true our righteousness or beneficence so the word there signifies doth not extend unto God His Benefits exceed all possibility of any proportionable requitall He doth not need nor can ever immediately receive any advantage from us we cannot enrich him with our gifts who by unquestionable right and in unalterable possession is Lord and Master of all things that do actually or can possibly exist nor advance him by our weak commendations who already enjoyeth the supreme pitch of glory nor any way contribute to his in it self compleat and indefectible Beatitude Yet we may by apposite significations declare our willingness to serve and exalt him we may by our obsequious demeanour highly please and content him we may by our charity and benignity to those whose good he tenders yield though not an adequate yet an acceptable return to his Benefits What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits saith David in way of counsell and deliberation and thereupon resolves I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord I will pay my vows unto the Lord. Seasonable benedictions officious addresses and faithfull performances of vows he intimates to bear some shadow at least some resemblance of compensation And so did his wise Son likewise when he thus advised Honour the Lord with thy substance and with the first-fruits of thy encrease Almighty God though he really doth and cannot otherwise doe yet will not seem to bestow his favours altogether gratis but to expect some competent return some small use and income from them He will assert his rightfull title and be acknowledged the chief proprietary by signal expressions of our fealty and the payment of some though inconsiderable quit-rent for our possessions derived from him he will rather himself be seemingly indigent then permit us to be really ingratefull For knowing well that our performance of
Benefits the Jewish more then half in Eucharistical oblations and in solemn commemorations of providential favours and that of the ancient Christians so far forth that by-standers could hardly discern any other thing in their religious practice then that they sang Hymns to Christ and by mutual Sacraments obliged themselves to abstain from all Villany But I will rather wholly omit the prosecution of these pregnant Arguments then be farther offensive to your patience Now the Blessed Fountain of all Goodness and Mercy inspire our hearts with his heavenly Grace and thereby enable us rightly to apprehend diligently to consider faithfully to remember worthily to esteem to be heartily affected with to render all due acknowledgment praise love and thankful obedience for all his infinitelygreat and innumerably-many Favours Mercies and Benefits freely conferr'd upon us and let us say with David Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who only doeth wondrous things and blessed be his glorious Name for ever and let the whole Earth be filled with his Glory Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting And let all the People say Amen The Tenth Sermon 1 TIM 2. 1 2. 1. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men 2. For Kings and for all that are in authority SAint Paul in his preceding discourse having insinuated directions to his Scholar and Spiritual Son Timothy concerning the discharge of his Office of instructing men in their Duty according to the Evangelical Doctrine the main design whereof he teacheth to consist not as some men conceited in fond stories or vain speculations but in practice of substantial Duties holding a sincere Faith maintaining a good Conscience performing Offices of pure and hearty Charity in pursuance of such general Duty and as a principal instance thereof he doth here first of all exhort or doth exhort that first of all all kinds of Devotion should be offered to God as for all men generally so particularly for Kings and Magistrates From whence we may collect two particulars 1. That the making of Prayers for Kings is a Christian Duty of great importance S. Paul judging fit to exhort thereto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before all other things or to exhort that before all things it should be performed 2. That it is incumbent on the Pastours of the Church such as S. Timothy was to take special care that this Duty should be performed in the Church both publickly in the Congregations and privately in the Retirements of each Christian according to what the Apostle after the proposing divers enforcements of this Duty subsumeth in the 8th ver I will therefore that men pray every-where lifting up holy hands without wrath or doubting The first of these particulars That it is a Duty of great importance to pray for Kings I shall insist upon it being indeed now very fit and seasonable to urge the practice of it when it is perhaps commonly not much considered or not well observed and when there is most need of it in regard to the effects and consequences which may proceed from the conscionable discharge of it My endeavour therefore shall be to press it by divers Considerations discovering our obligation thereto and serving to induce us to its observance some whereof shall be general or common to all times some particular or sutable to the present circumstances of things I. The Apostle exhorteth Christians to pray for Kings with all sorts of Prayer with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or deprecations for averting evils from them with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or petitions for obtaining good things to them with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or occasional intercessions for needful gifts and graces to be collated on them as after S. Austin Interpreters in expounding S. Paul's words commonly distinguish how accurately I shall not discuss it sufficing that assuredly the Apostle meaneth under this variety of expression to comprehend all kinds of Prayer And to this I say we are obliged upon divers accounts 1. Common Charity should dispose us to pray for Kings This Christian disposition inclineth to universal benevolence and beneficence according to that Apostolical precept As we have opportunity let us do good unto all men it consequently will excite us to pray for all men seeing this is a way of exerting good will and exercising beneficence which any man at any time if he hath the will and heart may have opportunity and ability to pursue No man indeed otherwise can benefit all few men otherwise can benefit many some men otherwise can benefit none but in this way any man is able to benefit all or unconfinedly to oblige mankind deriving on any somewhat of God's immense beneficence By performing this good Office at the expence of a few good wishes addressed to the Sovereign Goodness the poorest may prove benefactours to the richest the meanest to the highest the weakest to the mightiest of men so we may benefit even those who are most remote from us most strangers and quite unknown to us Our Prayers can reach the utmost ends of the Earth and by them our Charity may embrace all the world And from them surely Kings must not be excluded For if because all men are our Fellow-creatures and brethren by the same Heavenly Father because all men are allied to us by cognation and similitude of Nature because all men are the objects of God's particular favour and care if because all men are partakers of the common Redemption by the undertakings of him who is the common Mediatour and Saviour of all men and because all men according to the gracious intent and desire of God are designed for a consortship in the same blessed Inheritance which enforcements S. Paul in the Context doth intimate if in fine because all men do need Prayers and are capable of benefit from them we should be charitably disposed to pray for them then must we also pray for Kings who even in their personal capacity as men do share in all those conditions Thus may we conceive S. Paul here to argue For all men saith he for Kings that is consequently for Kings or particularly for Kings to pray for whom at least no less then for other men universal Charity should dispose us Indeed even on this account we may say especially for Kings the law of general Charity with peculiar advantage being applicable to them for that Law commonly is expressed with reference to our Neighbour that is to persons with whom we have to do who come under our particular notice who by any intercourse are approximated to us and such are Kings especially For whereas the greatest part of men by reason of their distance from us from the obscurity of their condition or for want of opportunity to converse with them must needs slip beside us so that we cannot employ any distinct thought or affection toward them it is not
dissent from him but it is as the fairest and justest so the surest and likeliest way of reducing things to a firm composure without more a-do letting the world alone to move on its own hindges and not impertinently troubling our selves or others with the conduct of it simply to request of Almighty God the Sovereign Governour and sole Disposer of things that he would lead his own Vicegerents in the management of the charge by himself committed to them Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God is a rule very applicable to this case As God's Providence is the only sure ground of our confidence or hope for the preservation of Church and State or for the restitution of things into a stable quiet so it is only our hearty Prayers joyned with a consciencious observance of God's Laws whereby we can incline Providence to favour us By them alone we may hope to save things from sinking into disorder we may asswage the factions we may defeat the machinations against the publick welfare 12. Seeing then we have so many good arguments and motives inducing to pray for Kings it is no wonder that to back them we may also allege the practice of the Church continually in all times performing this duty in its most Sacred Offices especially in the celebration of the Holy Communion S. Paul indeed when he saith I exhort first of all that prayers be made doth chiefly impose this Duty on Timothy or supposeth it incumbent on the Pastours of the Church to take special care that Prayers be made for this purpose and offered up in the Church joyntly by all Christians and accordingly the ancient Christians as Tertullian doth assure us did always pray for all the Emperours that God would grant them a long life a secure Reign a safe family valiant Armies a faithful Senate a loyal people a quiet world and whatever they as Men or as Emperours could wish Thus addeth he even for their Persecutours and in the very pangs of their sufferings they did not fail to practise Likewise of the Church in his time S. Chrysostome telleth us that all Communicants did know how every day both at even and morning they did make supplication for all the world and for the Emperour and for all that are in authority And in the Greek Liturgies the composure whereof is fathered on S. Chrysostome there are divers Prayers interspersed for the Emperours couched in terms very pregnant and respectful If the Offices of the Roman Church and of the Churches truckling under it in latter times shall seem more defective or sparing in this point of service the reason may be for that a superlative regard to the Solar or Pontifical Authority as Pope Innocent III distinguished did obscure their devotion for the Lunar or Regal Majesty But our Church hath been abundantly careful that we should in most ample manner discharge this Duty having in each of her Holy Offices directed us to pray for our King in expressions most full hearty and lively She hath indeed been charged as somewhat lavish or over-liberal of her Devotions in this case But it is a good fault and we little nead fear over-doing in observance of a Precept so very reasonable and so important supposing that we have a due care to joyn our heart with the Churche's words and to the frequency of Prayers for our Prince do confer a sutable fervency If we be not dead or meerly formal we can hardly be too copious in this kind of Devotion reiteration of words can do no harm being accompanied with renovation of our desires Our Text it self will bear us out in such a practice the Apostle therein by variety of expression appearing solicitous that abundance of Prayers for Kings should be offered in the Church and no sort of them omitted There are so many General Inducements to this Duty at all times and there are beside divers Particular Reasons enforcing it now in the present state and posture of things Times of trouble of danger of fear of darkness and perplexity of distraction and distress of guilt and deserved wrath are most seasonable for recourse to the Divine help and mercy in Prayer And are not Ours such are they not much like to those of which the Psalmist saith They know not neither will they understand they walk on in darkness all the foundations of the earth are out of course or like those of which our Lord spake when there was upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which were coming on the earth Are not the days gloomy so that no humane providence can see far no wisdom can descry the issue of things Is it not a very unsettled world wherein all the publick frames are shaken almost off the hindges and the minds of men extremely discomposed with various passions with fear suspicion anger discontent and impatience How from dissentions in Opinion do violent factions and feuds rage the hearts of men boiling with fierce animosities and being exasperated against one another beyond any hopes or visible means of reconcilement Are not the fences of Discipline cast down is there any conscience made of violating Laws is not the dread of Authority exceedingly abated and all Government overborn by unbridled licenciousness How many Adversaries are there bearing ill will to our Sion how many turbulent malicious crafty spirits eagerly bent and watching for occasion to subvert the Church to disturb the State to introduce confusion in all things how many Edomites who say of Jerusalem both Ecclesiastical and Civil Down with it down with it even to the ground Have we not great reason to be fearful of God's just displeasure and that heavy judgments will be poured on us for our manifold hainous provocations and crying Sins for the prodigious growth of Atheism Infidelity and Profaneness for the rife practice of all Impieties Iniquities and Impurities with most impudent boldness or rather with outragious insolence for the extream Dissoluteness in manners the gross Neglect or contempt of all Duties the great Stupidity and coldness of People generally as to all concerns of Religion for the want of Religious Awe toward God of Charity toward our Neighbour of Respect to our Superiours of Sobriety in our conversation for our Ingratitude for many great Mercies and Incorrigibleness under many sore Chastisements our Insensibleness of many plain Warnings loudly calling us to repentance Is not all the world about us in combustion cruel Wars raging every-where and Christendom weltering in blood and although at present by God's mercy we are free who knows but that soon by God's justice the neighbouring flames may catch our houses In fine is not our case palpably such that for any good composure or re-instatement of things in good order for upholding Truth and sound
Doctrine for reducing Charity and Peace for reviving the spirit of Piety and bringing Vertue again into request for preserving State and Church from ruine we can have no confidence or reasonable hope but in the good Providence and merciful succour of Almighty God beside whom there is no Saviour who alone is the hope of Israel and Saviour thereof in time of trouble we now having great cause to pray with our Lord's Disciples in the storm Lord save us we perish Upon such Considerations and others whereof I suppose you are sufficiently apprehensive we now especially are obliged earnestly to pray for our King that God in mercy would preserve his Royal Person and inspire his Mind with Light and endue his Heart with Grace and in all things bless him to us to be a repairer of our breaches and a restorer of paths to dwell in so that under him we may lead a quiet life in all godliness and honesty I have done with the First Duty Prayer for Kings upon which I have the rather so largely insisted because it is very seasonable to our present condition II. The Other Thanksgiving I shall but touch and need not perhaps to do more For 1. As to general Inducements they are the same or very like to those which are for Prayer it being plain that what-ever we are concerned to pray for when we want it that we are bound to thank God for when he vouchsafeth to bestow it And if common Charity should dispose us to resent the Good of Princes with complacence if their Welfare be a publick benefit if our selves are interested in it and partake great advantages thereby if in equity and ingenuity we are bound to seek it then surely we are much engaged to thank God the bountiful Donour of it for his goodness in conferring it 2. As for particular Motives suting the present Occasion I need not by information or impression of them farther to stretch your patience seeing you cannot be ignorant or insensible of the grand Benefits by the Divine Goodness bestowed on our King and on our selves which this day we are bound with all grateful acknowledgment to commemorate Wherefore in stead of reciting trite stories and urging obvious reasons which a small recollection will suggest to you I shall only request you to joyn with me in the practice of the Duty and in acclamation of praise to God Even so Blessed be God who hath given to us so Gracious and Benign a Prince the experiments of whose Clemency and Goodness no History can parallel to sit on the throne of his Blessed Father and renowned Ancestours Blessed be God who hath protected him in so many encounters hath saved him from so many dangers and snares hath delivered him from so great troubles Blessed be God who in so wonderful a manner by such miraculous trains of Providence did reduce him to his Country and re-instate him in the possession of his Rights thereby vindicating his own just Providence declaring his salvation and openly shewing his righteousness in the sight of all people Blessed be God who in Him and with Him did restore to us our antient good constitution of Government our Laws and Liberties our Peace and Quiet rescuing us from lawless Usurpations and tyrannical Yoaks from the insultings of Errour and Iniquity from horrible Distractions and Confusions Ever blessed be God who hath turned the captivity of Sion hath raised our Church from the dust and re-established the sound Doctrine the decent Order the wholsome Discipline thereof hath restored true Religion with its supports advantages and encouragements Blessed be the Lord who hath granted us to continue these sixteen years in the peaceable fruition of those Blessings Praised be God who hath not cast out our prayer nor turned his mercy from us Praised be God who hath turned our heaviness into joy hath put off our sackcloath and girded us with gladness Let our mouth speak the praise of the Lord and let all flesh bless his holy Name for ever and ever The Lord liveth and blessed be our Rock and let the God of our salvation be exalted Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who onely doeth wondrous things and blessed be his glorious Name for ever and let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen and Amen Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting and let all the people say Amen Praise ye the Lord. The Eleventh Sermon PSAL. 64. 9 10. And all men shall fear and shall declare the work of God for they shall wisely consider of his doing The righteous shall be glad in the Lord and shall trust in him and all the upright in heart shall glory IF we should search about for a Case parallel to that which we do now commemorate we should perhaps hardly find one more patly such then is that which is implied in this Psalm and if we would know the Duties incumbent on us in reference to such an Occasion we could scarce better learn them other-where then in our Text. With attention perusing the Psalm we may therein observe That its great Authour was apprehensive of a desperate Plot by a confederacy of wicked and spitefull enemies with great craft and secrecy contrived against his safety They saith he encourage themselves in an evil matter they commune of laying snares privily they say who shall see them That for preventing the blow threatned by this design whereof he had some glimpse or some presumption grounded upon the knowledge of their implacable and active malice he doth implore Divine protection Hide me saith he from the secret counsel of the wicked from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity That he did conside in God's Mercy and Justice for the seasonable defeating for the fit avenging their machination God saith he shall shoot at them with an arrow suddenly shall they be wounded That they should themselves become the detectours of their crime and the instruments of the exemplary punishment due thereunto They added he shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves all that see them shall flee away Such was the Case the which unto what passage in the history it doth relate or whether it belongeth to any we have recorded it may not be easie to determine Expositours commonly do refer it to the designs of Saul upon David's life But this seeming purely conjecture not founded upon any express words or pregnant intimations in the text I shall leave that inquiry in its own uncertainty It sufficeth to make good its pertinency that there was such a mischievous Conspiracy deeply projected against David a very great personage in whose safety the publick state of God's people was principally concerned he being then King of Israel at least in designation and therefore in the precedent Psalm endited in Saul's time is so styled from the peril whereof he by the special Providence of
same time and upon the same occasion with this Psalm and in the 89. Psalm the benefits of this same covenant are called the mercies of David O Lord God turn not away the face of thine Anointed remember the mercies of David thy servant saith Solomon And My mercy saith God will I keep with him for evermore and my covenant shall stand fast with him and My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him that is my faithful or sure mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the LXX and S. Paul with them in the Acts render this place of Isaiah And in the Song of Zachary we have one passage of this Promise cited and applied to the times of the Gospel Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up a horn of Salvation in the house of his servant David as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets viz. by the mouth of this Prophetical Psalmist here where 't is said There will I make the horn of David to bud and in the parallel Psal. 89. In my Name shall his horn be exalted To omit those many places where our Saviour in correspondence to this Promise is affirmed to possess the throne of his father David and to rule over the house of Jacob for ever Moreover 3. That by the Sion here mentioned is not chiefly meant that material Mountain in Judaea but rather that mystical Rock of Divine Grace and Evangelical Truth upon which the Christian Church the only everlasting Temple of God is unmovably seated is very probable or rather manifestly certain by the Prophets constant acception thereof in this sense when they assign the character of perpetual durability thereto As in Isa. 60. where he thus prophesies of the Christian Church The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet and they shall call thee The City of the Lord The Sion of the Holy One of Israel Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated so that no man went through thee I will make thee an eternal excellency a joy of many generations Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles and shalt suck the breasts of Kings c. And the Prophet Micah speaking of the last days that is of the Evangelical Times when the mountain of the House of the Lord should be established in the top of the mountains saith thus And I will make her that halted a remnant and her that was cast far off a strong Nation and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Sion from henceforth even for ever And the Prophet Joel speaking of the same times when God would pour out his Spirit upon all flesh hath these words So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Sion my holy mountain then shall Jerusalem be holy and there shall no strangers pass through her any more All which places no man can reasonably doubt and all Christians do firmly consent to respect the Christian Church To which we may add that passage of the Authour to the Hebrews ch 12. v. 22. But ye are come unto mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem that is to the Christian Church 4. The manner of this Covenant's delivery and confirmation by the Divine Oath argues the inconditionate irreversible and perpetual constitution thereof for to God's most absolute and immutable Decrees this most august and solemn confimation doth peculiarly agree So the Apostle to the Hebrews seems to intimate Wherein saith he God willing more abundantly to demonstrate the immutability of his counsel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interposed an oath We may therefore I suppose upon these grounds solidly and safely conclude that this Promise doth principally belong and shall therefore infallibly be made good to the Christian Priesthood to those who in the Christian Church by offering Spiritual Sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving by directing and instructing the people in the knowledge of the Evangelical Law by imploring for and pronouncing upon them the Divine benedictions do bear analogy with and supply the room of the Jewish Priesthood From which discourse we may by the way deduce this Corollary That the title of Priest although it did as most certainly it doth not properly and primarily signifie a Jewish Sacrificer or Slaughterer of Beasts doth yet no-wise deserve that reproach which is by some inconsiderately not to say profanely upon that mistaken ground commonly cast upon it since the Holy Scripture it self we see doth here even in that sense most obnoxious to exception ascribe it to the Christian Pastours And so likewise doth the Prophet Isaiah And I will also take of them for Priests and for Levites saith the Lord speaking as the context plainly declares of the Gentiles which should be converted and aggregated to God's Church And the Prophet Jeremiah Neither shall the Priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt-offerings and to do sacrifice continually Which Prophecy also evidently concerns the same time and state of things of which the Prophet Malachi thus foretels For from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offered to my Name and a pure offering It were desirable therefore that men would better consider before they entertain such groundless offences or pass so uncharitable censures upon either words or persons or things But I proceed to the III. Particular which is the Matter of the Promise Cloathing with salvation Where we may observe First That the usual metaphor of being cloathed doth in the Sacred dialect denote a compleat endowment with a plentiful enjoyment of or an entire application to that thing or quality with which a person is said to be cloathed So is God himself said to be cloathed with majesty and strength And David prays that they might be cloathed with shame and dishonour that did magnifie themselves against him And in Ezekiel The Princes of the Isles being amazed by the ruine of Tyre are said to cloath themselves with trembling And that bitter adversary of David in Psal. 109. did cloath himself with cursing as with a garment And Job avoucheth of himself I put on righteousness and it cloathed me my judgment was as a robe and a diadem And S. Peter advises us to put on or to be cloathed with humility Finally Isaiah introduces our Saviour speaking thus I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath cloathed me with the garments of salvation he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her self with her jewels So that as by these instances we may