A SERMON PREACHED Before the late KING JAMES His Majesty at Greenwich the 19. of Iuly 1604. TOGETHER With two Letters in way of Apology for his Sermon The one to the late King IAMES his Majesty the other to the Lords of his Majesties then Privie Councell BY JOHN BVRGES Minister of Gods Word since Doctor of Divinity and Parson of Sutton Cofield in Warwickshire LONDON Printed by Thomas Brudenell 1642. A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE KING JAMES his Majesty at Greenwich the 19. of Iune 1604. The Text PSAL. 122.8 9. For my brethren and my neighbours sake I will now speake peace unto thee because of the house of the Lord our God I will procure thy wealth THE title of this Psalme shewes the excellency and Author of it a Song of degrees a Psalme of David The Psalme it selfe is gratulatory Davids gratulation to and for the good estate of Ierusalem the Metropolitan City of his Kingdome In which he first professeth his joy for the present good estate thereof and demonstrates his care for the future That which he rejoyceth at in the present condition of it is first the forwardnesse of the people to Gods service secondly the good estate of the City which was built as a City united made Ierusalem of Iebus and Salem the Fort of the Iebusites being subdued by David and by building united into one City now at peace in which also Religion was set up yea the staple of Religion for thither the Tribes went to worship and Justice also yea the royall seats of Justice The demonstration of care for the good of that City hereafter hath in it two branches The Kings incitation to all his Subjects to pray for the peace of it and he sets them downe a forme of prayeâ— the holy Ghost knowes well enough how to pray in a set forme The second thing is his owne promise as it were his Magna Charta the Kings great Charter for the good of Ierusalem in the words now read A great Charter but in few words which yet are massie and weighty containing the Kings grant in the word of a Prince to gratifie Ierusalem in two things First to use her kindely and secondly to procure her wealth To both which he addeth his reasons as we shall see in their places The promise of kinde and gracious usage is not so plaine in the words of our translation as in the originall for where the translation saith I will wish thee prosperity the originall saith I will speake peace A speech that every where as well as here signifies all kinde usage under one speciall kinde of it that is good words So Psal. 28.3 where David speakes of some that speake peace to their neighbours but malice is in their hearts they speake friendly Psal. 85.8 God will speake peace unto his people that is will use them graciously And in Hester 10.3 it is said of Mordecay he spake peaceably saith the translation peace saith the originall to all his seed Whereby it may appeare that the first parcell of the Kings grant is to use his people graciously to speake peace unto them In which parcell if we marke it be foure points First what he will doe I will speake peace Secondly to whom to thee to Ierusalem Thirdly for what respect for my brethren and companions sake Fourthly when now but that when is indeed why as we shall after heare 1. Touching the thing what we learne in Davids example First that it is the office and care of good Princes to speak peace unto their people They are Fathers a title as of power so of love to teach them to use their Subjects as children They are Masters but saith Paul to Masters Ephes. 6. Know that even your Master also is in heaven The greatest Kings are servants to the great King of Kings let them use their servants as they would be used of their Master graciously To this end because the disease of Princes oftentimes is the swelling of heart and to dye upon such swellings it pleased God in the 17. of Deutrinomy both to restraine them from windy and swelling meats forbidding such multitude of Chariots and horses as might lift up their hearts above their brethren so as to make them forget that they are men and rule over men and also to give them a dyet the Booke of God to meditate upon which is able to moderate and temper the heart of any Prince without which no Kings heart no mans heart can be good as it ought Secondly now as it is a duty of Princes to speake peace so it is an ornament unto them Curtesie is a Christian vertue commended to all men in the Epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians That which is curtesie in a Subject is graciousnesse in a Prince a vertue of the same kinde onely advanced to an higher place by the dignity of the person And it is an ornament that becomes none so well as Princes the images of the gracious God whose Deputies they are whose titles they beare It was truly said of Pythagoras that in two things specially we imitate the nature of God truth and goodnesse A Prince faithfull of his word and gracious to his people is a goodly image of God We see that in greater Maps things are expressed more plainly then can be in the smaller though they be drawne by one skill so in the greatest personages this ornament is fairest when they that of all others have the best warrant to speake roughly shall speake peace Thirdly and as it is a duty and an ornament so is it a bond and one of the best that Princes have to obliedge the hearts of their subjects unto them It is therefore noted of Mordecay as the ground of his acceptance among the multitude of his brethren that he did these two things which the King here promiseth in his Charter he procured the wealth of his people and spake peace unto all his seed The strength of this course to melt the heart of the Subjects appeares in David in 2 Sam. 19. who understanding the minde of the ten Tribes to fetch him home againe takes the watch-word and sends to the men of Iudah this message Why are you behinde to bring the King againe to his house ye are my brethren my bones and my flesh are ye wherefore then are ye the last that bring the King againe And to Amasa this protestation God doe so to me and more also if thou be not Captaine of the hoste to me for ever to lead the Army for him that had led it against him what was the effect He bowed the hearts of the men of Iudah as one man saith the text Such strength hath the gracious usage of a Soveraigne in the hearts of good Subjects Againe Ioab knew well what strength was in the Kings good speeches who finding the King so wounded for Absolon that he retired himselfe as if he had lost a Kingdome that very day in which the Kingdome was recovered so as the people
the Subjects is the charge of Princes For to this end hath God ordained them witnesse the Apostle Rom. 13. He is the Minister of God for thy wealth for thy good if then doe well for thy comfort if thou doe ill for thy terrour and yet therein for thy good for it is as good for some to be terrified as for others to be comforted and indeed this is the proper greatnesse of Kings and Princes that God hath made them the great instruments of common good As if no blessing could be passed to his people but under the great seale of their office A wonderfull honour unto them For even as Ioseph in Aegypt was set over the corn so as he might have relieved or starved not the Egyptians onely but the Countries of the World neere unto it in the time of famine and this Ioseph was there for the second man in the Kingdome So Princes are the second to God himselfe in that God hath put into their hands to doe universall good unto their people A goodly honour which as it doth require great residence upon so great a charge so may it much encourage Christian Princes to doe their office the benefit whereof is so universall And if it might please Princes sometimes to looke about them and when they shall see a poore man labouring and toyling all day as a servant in base worke and all for the backe and belly or perhaps for a few poore children at home that cry for bread and then to think good Lord how this man toyles and all his worke is but for himselfe where I labour not as a servant but as a Lord in workes not base but honourable and not onely have the good of it to my selfe but am an universall good as a blessing sent of God to the whole Land Such a meditation shall greatly encourage them to seeke the good of their people I will seeke saith he that is use all diligence and endeavour If Princes seeke not the good of their Subjects it will not be found Great things will not be done without great labour if they seeke not things will be other wayes done then they would and which is the mischiefe other mens faults will be scored upon their accounts It is said of Galba that many things passed under his name of which he was innocent yet because he permitted them whom he ought to have brideled or was ignorant of that which he ought to have knowne he lost reputation and opened the way to his owne overthrow The fault was other mens the blame his If they seeke not they may be abused by such as I spake of before Flatterers and Misinformers such as will alwayes be about Princes to cast shadowes and stand in the light of their best Subjects as Ziba did to Mephibosheth unlesse Princes be wise as an Angell of God to finde out the hand of Ioab in the disguisings of the woman of Tekoah We have heard now what he will doe He will seeke their good but let us also consider Why For the house of the Lord What is that The Tabernacle the Temple being not built as yet But how was that Gods house doth the Lord dwell in houses made of hands or could he be contained in a Tent that filleth heaven and earth Surely no but because he did there reveale himselfe by Sacramentall representations as Princes sometimes marry by their pictures he is said to dwell there and that to be his house The thing is because of Gods true worship and service he will seeke their good Where I beseech you that it may be marked that this should be the speciall end of procuring the wealth of the people for the house of the Lord for the religion sake and the true worship of God Indeed this is the speciall thing to know God and feare God aright And if Princes provide not this for their Subjects peace and traffique and such like makes no better provision for them then is made for oxen in good pasture nay not so good for an oxe therein hath all he needs but a man without this is left unprovided in the farre greater part even in his soule And as Princes without this care provide not well for their people so they provide but ill for themselves for they can have no certaine assurance of their Subjects without it The great bond of Allegiance is an oath of the Lord What if a professed Atheist take an oath is hee bound He is not sui iuris What if he that is an Atheist in effect take an oath one I meane that denies the power of godlinesse that hath a dispensatory conscience and will make licences to his conscience as Roagues doe to themselves under hedges What if a man be a Papist that beleeves as he is bound by their rules to doe that the Pope hath power at his pleasure to dispence with an oath and to dissolve any bonds hath the Prince any assurance of such a Subject which hath his dependency upon the pleasure of a foraigne power It is true then that nothing can cast a sure knot upon the conscience of the Subject but the true knowledge and feare of God So as when Princes doe advance the good of Gods house they establish the good of their owne all in one I adde further in this point that which is to be observed in all the Kings of Israel and Iudah that their Stories begin with this observation as with a thing first worthy to be Chronicled how they dealt in matters of Religion Such a King and such a King and what did he He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord And such a King he walked in the wayes of Ieroboam the Sonne of Nebat which made Israel to sinne I spare to cite places but it is the generall observation of those Bookes of Kings and Chronicles as they that read them know yea farther it may be marked that as generally when Princes have forgotten to seeke the good of their Subjects to which they were ordained of God God hath surely plagued them himselfe perhaps so much the more severely because none may doe it but he and he will doe it throughly when he takes it in hand So yet specially hath God humbled Princes and even povred contempt upon them when they have contemned or forsaken the house of the Lord Of this the Scripture gives us examples as well in such as never advanced the house of God as in those that fell off in part or in whole As we may see in the stories of Iehoram Iehoas and even of Salomon whose fal I cannot name without trembling to thinke that such a man so wise that had spoken with God twice as it were familiarly I meane by vision should in his old dayes be seduced and fall to set up grose idolatry As for Iehoram he refused the house of the Lord God raised him up adversaries and after smote him with a disease in his bowels of which he died
miserably and when he was dead his people made no mourning for him as for other Kings so he was neither happy living nor honoured dead because he sought not the good of his people for the house of the Lord Iehoas also did well as long as Jehoida his good Councellour lived but when Jehoida dyed the Kings goodnesse dyed with him Then the Princes came to the King and spake reverently to him and compasse him with good words as with a net for as Salomon saith He that flattereth a man spreads a net for his steps he yeelds and forsakes the house of the Lord But what became of it First the Aramires came and with a small band they overthrew a great Army and slew the Princes that had misled the King and left the King himselfe in great diseases so that he was spared to live longer to be as it were but longer in dying and yet at last his owne servants slew him and when he was dead they buried him not in the sepulcher of the Kings as not thinking him worthy of a Kings sepulcher that had not done a Kings office for the house of the Lord I might speake of others and all to shew that God hath specially humbled Princes when they have forsaken or impugned his true worship doing executions upon them on as high a stage as they played their parts on that their punishment as their faults might be of speciall height and note I will adde one observation more that through neglect of this care of Religion the power of Christian Princes was lost and while they put off to the Prelates all the care of the house of God God also cast from them their authority and made them vassals So they lost their greatnesse and the Clergy found it and it hurt them both It is as I remember a note of Platina in the life of Adrian the third that after they had fully ingrossed the Emperiall power there was never since Emperour of strength or Pope of vertue so they lost both by it And indeed as the blood if it fall any way out of the veines too much there is some danger but if it fall into the body extra vasa there is more danger for there it will corrupt and putrifie so was it with the supreame authority of Princes when they suffered it to fall unto the Clergy as it were extra vasa And here I desire to informe a mistery a mistery of iniquity to shew how from the authority usurped in Ecclesiasticall causes claime is made to the whole power of Princes Bellarmine saith in his fift Booke of the Roman Bishop a fourth and sixt Chapters that the Pope hath nothing to doe with temporalties of Kings properly nay his word is directly but he hath it indirect indirectly as true as may be indirectly indeed As how He may not saith he depose Princes simply as a Lord but for the safety of soules for the good of the Church so from the care of the Church they challenge power over Princes Good cause have Princes then to maintaine their supremacy in causes Ecclesiasticall and to be jealous of that title as also to use that power for the good of the house of the Lord lest if they cast away one moity God cast away the other And here may come in that last branch of the first part which through haste I forgot which I desire might be of use though it come somewhat out of the proper place I meane that time that Now of which he said I will speake peace Why now ment he that he would doe it out of hand and keepe the word of a Prince which is to them as great a band as an oath of the subjects Nay but by this note of time Now as Illericus well observes in his Clavis Scriptura not so much the time as the circumstance of the time is often noted And so it carrieth a reason why he would now speake peace unto them yea and as I thinke why he would now procure their good for the house of God sake For I see not but that it may be referred to the whole Grant I will now speake peace unto thee I will now procure thy wealth But why Now Because the people were so forward and came thus to the house of God and said Our feet shall stand in thy gates O Jerusalem Therefore in this float of good affections in the Subjects the Kings heart is inlarged and he promiseth now to speak peace and now to seeke their good Wherein it is good to consider that when God disposeth the hearts of the people to goodnesse to Religion Princes should specially cherish them and incourage them It is noted of David in 1 Chron. 29. that when the people offered willingly the King rejoyced Of Hezekiah also in 2 Chron. 20. when he drew the people to Jerusalem to worship and they came and offered that the King rejoyced that God had made the people so ready for the thing was done sodainly And indeed then to use them graciously and then to seeke their good for the house of Gods sake when God hath best disposed their hearts is a speciall meanes to cherish goodnesse it selfe and is the crowne of the benefit We read of Ethelbert that Christian King of Kent that he would compell none to Religion but he drew religious men about him and countenanced them and by that meanes increased them innumerably And surely this is a worthy course to advance godlinesse and vertue as strong as any compulsary meanes Because every man saith Salomon seekes the face of the Ruler which if no man could finde but in the way of godlinesse and honesty none would seeke to finde in the way of vice and flattery To this circumstance I adde that as by the course of the Moone there be spring-tides at the change and at the full so at the change if any man will change a false religion for the truth and at the full if any man be growne to a full measure such as we attaine in this poore life I meane if any man be well thriven in goodnesse it is sit that spring-tides of favour should slow unto such But now to returne to the consideration of the house of God for which he will seeke their good The very words carry their weight and shew why he should specially seeke their good for the house of Gods sake and the good of the house of God It is the house of the Lord of Jehovah Should not that be cared for there is care of provision for the Kings house and good cause there should be so and he is not worthy to be the subject of a good Prince that should grudge it Now should there not be care for the provision of Gods house He addes our God that is his God and their God He must needs seek their good for the house sake of that God which was their God One God to both one house of God to both chara pignora one God
one faith one baptisme one religion the sweetest bands And assuredly whosoever should goe about to set up severall Religions should also goe about to sever the Prince and the people Thus have I bin bold this day but it is before the Lord and before his anointed Now for the Vse which belongeth unto my deare Soveraigne I humbly beseech your Majesty and speake it with a kneeling heart as becometh me and in the feare of God to stirre up your owne most noble spirit and to set your heart to seeke the good of your people for the house of God God gave you as this day to be borne for the good I am perswaded of all Christendome God hath brought you to this goodly Kingdome and established you in it with wonderfull peace and acceptance God hath given you goodly knowledge and it appeares in publique how able you are to teach all the duties of all Kings Now I beseech your Majesty remember what great things God hath done for you and answer him in goodnesse and set your heart as I know you doe to seeke the good of his people and specially of the house of God and be assured that so long as you shall maintaine and advance the house of God God will establish your house and your posterity so long as they shall uphold the Lords true service or else assuredly this Word of God hath no truth in it Now for the house of God that which is to be done is first to repaire it well and then to keepe it so The repaire requireth two things first that the people be built up in knowledge I thinke the Kings Majesty knoweth it not would God he did know it that there be very many of his poore subjects wonderfull ignorant the people in many places are naked and Aaron hath made them naked I meane the Ministry a naked Ministry hath made a naked people the Lord helpe them and incline the Kings gracious heart to pity them The other thing for the repair of the house of God is that the inside of the Lords house the gold of the Temple be looked to I meane that with knowledge there be joyned the power and practice of religion in a good conversation And herein beseech the Kings Majesty to give leave unto his poore servant to informe him that which perhaps he knoweth not that from the occasion which some foolish turbulent and proud spirits spirits of separation have given there is a name of common scorne cast upon every man that setteth his face towards the practice of true godlinesse Wherein I beseech your Majesty to consider if the life and soule of Religion be let out what will become of the body of it will it not fall and grow ugly and rot and become a shame unto it selfe Now as the things are to be looked to for the repaire of the house of God so to keepe it in a good repaire two other things are to be cared for First that the common enemy may be suppressed It was a noble speech and blessed be God that put it into the Kings royall heart to say He would shed the last drop of his blood rather then tolerate another Religion But the Lord will not suffer one drop of that precious blood to be shed that is prepared to be shed for him The other thing is to establish peace in the Church it selfe A worthy worke and fit for a King It is true and all men know it that while we have striven which way to entertaine Christ best as the Tribes of Judah and the ten Tribes did about the receiving home of David their King Shebah the Sonne of Brâ—hri hath wickedly blowne the trumpet of seperation and much hurt hath come in the Church of God by our unbrotherly and unfruitfull contentions for which godly men have beene much grieved the division of Ruben were great thoughts of heart But now thanked be God the hearts of men are more moderate and disposed to peace that a very little thing a small matter as I am perswaded would establish this Church of God in so good tearmes of peace as it never saw In which respect I am bold to speake unto your Majesty but I speake unto a most gracious King and to a wise King that can tell how to pardon things somewhat foolishly spoken when they are spoken from a well meaning heart I could speake it upon my knees if the place would beare it but my soule shall kneele before my Soveraine I beseech your Majesty take unto your selfe that Princely worke to strike through a peace in this Church of God I will not direct but pray leave to tell a story It is reported of Augustus the Emperour that supping with one Pollio he was informed that a servant of Pollios had broken a christall glasse of his Masters a foule fault if he had done it willingly if negligently a fault but for this the poore servant was adjudged to be cut in peeces and cast to the fishes a marvailous sore sentence for such a fault The Emperour reversed the sentence and thought it punishment enough to the servant to have bin in feare of such a punishment and after breakes all the glasses that they might not be occasion of like rigorous sentence afterwards I will not apply it but do humbly beseech your Majesty to use your owne most godly wisdome now to make peace in the Church when so small a thing will doe it that so the Bishops may love the poore Ministers as brethren and Ministers reverence the Bishops as fathers in the Lord as Hierom adviseth and every honest man wisheth they should doe The second Vse is to his Majesties servants and attendants to whom I may speake more freely but yet with reverence and as becometh me to beseech them that seeing it is the office and desire of the King to seeke the good of his people and specially of the house of the Lord they doe their faithfull service herein to the King and take heed that they hinder not any of his godly purposes towards his people or the house of God Curse ye Meroâ—h said the Angell of the Lord curse ye the inhabitants thereof because they came not out to helpe the Lord to helpe the Lord against the mighty If they were subject to a curse that came not out to helpe what shall such be as come out to resist to hinder The last Vse is to us all the Kings loyall subjects to stirre us up to be thankfull to God that hath given us a King that seekes our good and the good of Gods house and that we strive to walke worthy of such a blessing in all loyalty and reverence And if any man be otherwise minded let the Lords hand finde him out yea surely it will finde him out and make him an example And secondly this should admonish us to serve God and please him that so we lose not the benefit of a good King which the people sometimes doe for their owne wickednesse