might be strengthened and haue a good heart in Gods defence and so hee might not faint in his troubles First then he sheweth that he beleeued that all his confidence in trouble and courage in danger should come from the meanes of Gods worship and without theÌ„ he should be as faint-hearted as might be but by them hee might bee made confident and bold to behaue himselfe in the midst of trouble Commeth all strength of faith as he should doe And this is most true and that which all of vs must beleeue and shall finde to be true by experience that into what trouble or danger so euer we shall come we shal haue no more heart to beare any thing than as we haue profited by the word and Sacraments and prayer to beleeue the promises that God hath made vnto vs in his word For as Dauid confesseth of himselfe I had perished in my trouble if my hope had not bin in thy word Psal 119.92 so thereby we see what did vphold him and this must vphold all men As from the word of God the hope that they haue of Gods protection deliuerance as it is promised in the word So that take away the word and there can be no hope without hope we haue no strength to beare any thing and so we must needes perish in any trouble And hereunto agreeth the Prophet when he saith Psal 130.5 My soule hath waited on the Lord and I haue trusted in his word he was in great trouble and prayed vnto God confessing his sinne beleeuing the mercie of God and so waiting vpon him for it but how trusting in the word so al his hope was from that And indeede what hope can we haue but from it For if God had promised vs nothing or we knew it not how could we haue any hope and without hope there is nothing but impatiencie and so no strength to beare any thing So that al our strength is from the word and in that respect from Sion that is the place where it is publikely taught vs that we might beleeue it and so be strengthened by it Few beleeue that all their strength to beare things is from Gods word Thus though it be most true yet few beleeue it that when trouble comes all their strength to beare it must come from the knowledge and faith which they haue gotten from the word But without this they imagine that they shall beare things well enough for they haue good hearts and stout and are not fearfull as they say they will not be daunted for a little they haue such and such meanes to trust vnto and they will be merrie and haue good companie and passe away things lightly and they shal not come neere their hearts greatly to trouble them and so they will beare them out well enough And therfore wee see that when trouble comes few giue themselues to thinke of that which God hath promised in his word or doe determine to come more diligently vnto the word than before as though they beleeued that all their strength must come from thence But whatsoeuer men imagine of their owne strength this will be found true at the last that all our courage is from the meanes of our saluation and that all other confidence that men haue from any thing els sauing from them wil deceiue them For though they may stoutly beare out things for a time yet in the end they will fall into great impatiencie and despaire or els into hardnes of heart and blockishnes but as they shal be strengthened by the free promises of God made in his word Ephes 6.16 For it is onely faith that will quench all the firie darts of the diuell as the Apostle saith whether he tempteth vs for our sinne in the time of our trouble as the tempter will do for he is not so called without a cause or he tempteth vs vnto sinne in all these temptations only by faith we stand and that shall be as a shield wholy to defend vs 2. Cor. 1.24 and to quench the firie darts of the wicked that is euen those grieuous temptations which otherwise are able to set soule and bodie on fire But what faith can we haue but from the word and the free promises therein contained therfore all our strength is from thence and from the rest of Gods worship in Sion The want of this faith hath pulled downe the hearts of the stoutest as al the Canaanites seuen great and mightie nations The want of saith in Gods word hath pulled downe the hearts of the sâ—outest their hearts fainted them for feare of Ioshua they had no means from Gods word to strengthen them in his defence And Saul the King of Israel though he was a goodly man of stature and of great courage yet when by the meanes of a witch he heard what should become of him he died away for feare 1. Sam. 28 20. and there was no strength in him This made Achitophel and Iudas 2 Sam. 17.23 Matth. 27.5 both of them traytors to their masters to destroy themselues when in their wicked proceedings the feare of Gods wrath was vpon them they could haue no strength from God by meanes of his word Gen. 4.14 This also made Cain to become a vagabond and a runnagate so that his conscience would not let him be quiet in any place because he had committed a most horrible sinne and did not repent him and so could looke for no fauour or protection from God in that case And this causeth many of the wicked to tremble and shake as a leafe Dan. 5.6 as the King of Babylon did when he was in the middest of his prophane cups drinking and swilling Act. 24.26 and Felix also in all his great pompe and brauerie because they were void of faith wheÌ„ the one saw the iudgmeÌ„ts of God against him and the other heard of them and so they could haue no strength from his word which they did neither beleeue And is the cause of all weaknes and feare in Gods children nor know And this want of the knowledge and faith in the word of God is the cause of all the weaknesses and impatiencie that hath appeared in Gods children and of all their feares euen that they haue not been sufficiently perswaded of the forgiuenes of their sinnes and of Gods fauour and that hee hath a care of them and will diminish their griefe and paine in his good time and giue them patience and lay no more vpon them than they shall be able to beare and that he will turne all vnto their good in the end and so they haue not bin sufficiently strengthened by the word For when they haue come to this by hearing and reading and meditating vpon Gods word and by praier then haue they felt themselues strengthened to beare all things and not before and then onely in that measure that they haue attained vnto this perswasion and
haue been thus strengthened by the meanes of Gods worship in Sion As appeareth in Iob. We may see both these in the example of Iob who is a patterne both of great weaknes of great strength in the weaknes of his faith and before that he was sufficiently strengthened by the word he fell into great impatiencie and cursed the time that euer he was borne saying Let the day perish wherein I was borne Job 3.2 and the night wherein it was said there is a manchilde borne and so goeth on and saith much to that effect See whether a mans weaknes will carrie him if he haue no strength frō the word yea though hee be a very good man as Iob was But when hee was sufficiently strengthened by the word of God and had the feeling of it in his heart hee was able to beare all things as not only when he said The Lord hath giuen Chap. 2.21 and the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord but when in greater affliction hee said If the Lord kill me Chapt. 13.25 Chapt. 19.25 yet I will put my trus in him And also I am sure that my redeemer liueth and I shall see him and mine eyes behold him and none other for me See againe what we shall be able to beare when wee haue gotten sufficient strength of faith and patience from the word though wee were neuer so weake before Seeing it is so wee may well know in this visitation of the plague if it should come among vs from whence wee must haue strength to beare it yea and any other triall also that now or hereafter God shall lay vpon vs euen from his word and from that faith and hope that wee haue gotten from thence and so much strength assuredly shall we haue as we haue true faith and without that wee can haue none the weaknes of our faith is the cause of little strength This should make all of vs diligent to come to the Church Therefore in this time of the plague all should labour to get strēgth from the word and to see that we haue cause to doe as wee now doe not onely to come and pray that God would turne away his heauie hand but to heare his word carefully that by it wee might grow in faith and hope and so receiue strength to beare whatsoeuer God shall lay vpon vs. In so much that if a man had no care before now he had neede to begin and hee that was diligent before must be more diligent now for he hath need of greater strength and to prouoke all his family to come that they also might be strengthened with him against the day of trouble els if affliction doe come among them their weaknes and impatiencie may trouble him whereas if he haue gottē any strength of faith he shall haue it not for himselfe alone but his strength shall doe them much good and all of them being strong in faith one shall comfort and vphold another For in all companies the more strength that euery one of them hath the better shall it be for them all And let not men deferre vntil Gods hand be vpon them and thinke that they will get strength then And doe not deferre it vntil Gods hand be vpon them Ephes 6.12 for when they haue done all that they can they shall finde that they haue strength little enough to wrastle with the paines of their bodie and temptations of their minde euen with the prince of the darknes of the world with spiritual wickednesses and that in the matter of our saluation so that when wee haue the whole and complet armour of Christians vpon vs euen our loynes girt about with the girdle of truth and the breastplate of righteousnes and our feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace and the shield of faith and the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirit yet we shall haue much adoe to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things to stand fast Besides it is not wisedom for a man to defer to seek for any thing then when he should need it in worldly matters we would be glad to haue them before-hand let vs bee as carefull for our soules and so I pray you for the loue of Christ and of your owne soules not only to come still but to profit by your comming as much as you can to get strength against trouble from Sion euen from this place of Gods seruice where it is to bee had Otherwise it will come to passe that besides many great weaknesses that you must needes fall into this shall be a grieuous accusation to your consciences to think to complaine somewhat too late Oh how might I haue strengthened my self against these euill daies if I had made more account of the word if I had come to it more diligently profited by it more effectually but alas now what great weaknes of faith is in me how full of distrust and of impatiencie am I how am I out of all hope because I haue neglected the meanes of my strength Let euery one therefore examine his owne strength and according to the great weaknes that he findeth in himself so let him make more account of comming to the word and let them now whilest they haue time giue themselues plentifully to the reading and meditating of the sweet and comfortable promises of the same at home in their houses that they and theirs may get as much strength therby as they may against the time of neede And as this is our strength so it must be the strength of all our brethren and therfore as Dauid willeth them here to pray for him In this respect what we shuld pray for those that are vnder the plague both for the preachers and for the hearers that God would strengthen him out of Sion that is by the word which he had heard there that now God would call it into his remembrance and confirme his faith by it So wee must pray for them that with this visitaion of the plague they may still haue his word among them and that it may be diligently preached and to that end that the Lord would watch ouer and preserue his faithfull Ministers the preachers of his word as the chiefe captaines that should incourage strengthen the rest and that the people may reuerently esteeme of the word and of them for the words sake so be careful of thē and of their liues And that all would willingly come to the word that may and they that are sicke or shut vp and cannot that God would forgive them their negligent hearing of his word in time past whereby they might haue gotten more strength and that hee would blesse that that they heard heretofore that by it they may be strengthened and by it be assured of the forgiuenes of their sinnes and may haue hope of eternal life and so patiently abide whatsoeuer God
our gouernours that for certaine causes best knowne vnto themselues which it is not meete for vs to inquire into it was not lawfull for any of the common sort to haue discourses of the heire apparant and so few of them thought of him that we haue now or of any other But this is most of all to be wondred at And for his peaceable entrance that he came to the kingdome so peaceably and with so great approbation of all sorts of men and trauelled through the length of the whole land almost euen at the first for meaner men haue not come to their inheritances and taken vp the possession of them so quietly For truly by the grace of God to his praise bee it spoken there is no more alteration in the land in any estate or in priuate mens condition for the most part than if the Queene were still aliue And this benefit is the greater because we feared the contrarie and none could haue looked for after her death such times as we haue now And if there be any change at all And that in this short time since his comming things are bettered it is from worse to better so that since his comming many things are better in the Church commonwealth For by the gracious proclamations of his Maiestie many abuses of Playes and Interludes with Bearebaitings and Bulbaitings vpon the Sabbath day are put downe with Monopolies and ingrossings of wares into the hands of a few men many worthy men are aduanced to greater honour and worship the Papists in lesse hope of any toleration for their Popish idolatrie than before And vnto all these benefits this is none of the least And all things very cheape that God hath added this plentie of all things euen at this time whereby victuals and other things are resonable cheape least by scarcitie there might be occasion of dislike Therefore in respect of them all let vs be thankfull vnto God and yet againe let vs consider that all these come not without some punishment as this plague which is so scattered in many parts of this land especially the chief cities wherein wee must also acknowledge the great mercie of God But we are fallen into Gods hand by reason of the plague that wee haue escaped that which wee had deserued and had most cause to feare euen to fall into the hands of our enemies that they might make a pray of vs and of al that wee haue which Dauid accounted a great mercie and chose it when both of them were offered vnto him saying Let vs fall now into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great and let me not fall into the hands of men 2. Sam. 24 14. therfore let vs be thankfull vnto God for this mercie also and so ioyning thanksgiuing vnto prayer for these causes that wee haue heard let vs pray vnto God for the preseruation and honour of our Lord and King Iames whom the Lord at this time with so many great benefits hath sent vnto vs and let vs take these words of the Psalme into our mouthes from which I haue a little vpon this occasion that you haue heard of digressed and say The Lord heare thee in the day of trouble c. The Lord heare thee These are the words of the prayer of the people for Dauid their King but as Ioab taught the woman of Tekoah what she should say to the King Chap. 14.19 and did put those words into her mouth which she spake before him so Dauid made this prayer for them and taught them what they should say vnto God in his owne behalfe and did as it were put these words into their mouthes when they should come before him And so hee not onely as a King taught his subiects what dutie they did owe vnto him but as a Prophet also speaking by the inspiration of the spirit of God 2. Pet. 1.21 as other holy men that wrote the Scriptures informeth the Church of God what duties they owe to him and to their superiours Dauid teacheth the people their dutie to himselfe So that he doth not in teaching them this duty of prayer for him ambitiously seeke himselfe and stand vpon his own prerogatiue to say Oh I am your King you ought to pray for me and to doe so and so but he knew it to bee his owne dutie to informe them that were committed vnto his charge in all duties to God and men euen to himselfe and therefore doth thus discharge it knowing also that in his owne safetie did consist their welfare and therefore in praying for him which hee taught them to doe they should benefit themselues So may and ought all superiours do to their inferiours So that by his example it is lawfull for all publike persons in the Church and commonwealth to teach those that are vnder them what duties they should doe to them and to require them at their hands without all suspition of ambition vainglorie or any waies seeking themselues Yea they ought to doe it and no man to finde fault with them for it not only because all superiours must teach their inferiours but also and especially because the inferiours in doing such duties vnto them shall greatly profit themselues Thus may and ought all the Ministers of Gods word in wisedome teach the people and flocke that is committed vnto them As the Minister to their people and flocke what duties they owe not onely to God and other men but euen to themselues and in so doing not to be thought of any ambitious proud c or their doctrine any waies disliked or suspected and to shew vnto them whether for reuerence of their persons to haue thē in singular estimation for their workes sake or for obedience of their doctrine 1. Thess 5.13 Heb. 13.17 to obey it that they may goe on with cheerefulnes or for maintenance or recompence of their labours in worldly things 1. Tim. 5.17 to giue them double honour or in any thing els what they should do vnto them Not only because they be faithfull in Gods house as Moses was Heb. 3.2 and so deliuer vnto them the whole counsell of God Act. 20.27 as Paul did and so teach them all-things and therefore of necessitie there must bee a time for them but also because the people in doing these duties to them they benefit themselues For in preseruing the authoritie of the ministery of the word inuiolable in their consciences and in the consciences of others consisteth the peoples welfare So that as this people was not to except against this prayer when it came to them from Dauid for it came not by the way of intreatie as an indifferent thing but by a princely iniunction or propheticall instruction and so as a necessarie dutie of theirs and therefore they were to thinke that they were bound vnto it and that hee did necessarily require it at their hands and not to make
The Lord heare thee in the day of trouble the name of the God of Iacob defend thee The meaning of the words THe thing that he wils them to pray for in his behalfe is that God would heare his prayers that he should make in the time of his trouble and accordingly defend him by sending helpe to him from heauen and giuing him strength and courage against his enemies from the place and meanes of his worship and seruice as it is in the second verse The Lord heare thee c. These words import thus much that Dauid was already in or likely to fal into some great trouble that he did pray beforehand or would pray in the time of his trouble and that he desired the people of God to pray to God for him that he would heare those prayers that he should make in the time of his trouble First then though he was a good King Dauid in his lawfull calling was not free from trouble and had a good cause in hand yet he did not promise to himselfe to bee altogether free from trouble he was to goe to warre against the Ammonites in the defence of his people and kingdome hee was not ignorant of the manifold dangers and troubles of warre for he had been a long experienced Souldier and Captaine and so thought that some of them might befall him and that he might be driuen to some great straites Therefore as he was determined to pray to God for succour in such cases so he desired them to further his praiers that God might defend him in his troubles and deliuer him out of them By outward things wee must not iudge of the lawfulnes of Kings titles We are not then rashly to iudge of the lawfulnesse of Princes titles and of the goodnes of their gouernment and of any thing that they attempt by the outward peace and quietnesse that they haue at home and abroad or on the cōtrary by the troubles dangers that they fall into of the vnlawfulnesse of the same to say this is a good King in deede and taketh none but good causes in hand for hee hath no troubles at all or otherwise to say this is a cruell Tyrant in deede and taketh ill matters in hand for see how many enemies doe rise vp against him and seeke his life for we see it otherwise here in the first words of the Psalme And besides Dauid after that he was annoynted to be King by Samuel the Prophet at the expresse commandement of God how many troubles did he fall into both before he came to the kingdome by Saul and after he came to it by Adonijah Absolom the rest Neither must good and godly Kings in their lawfull proceedings against malefactors or otherwise preiudice themselues and their owne causes through some weakenes by occasion of any trouble that shall befall them to thinke thus with themselues surely I haue not taken a good course because such euill hath befallen me This is true indeed We ought as any crosses do befall vs to examine our waies that vpon such accidents of trouble euery man should examine his owne heart and his waies whether hee bee in the waies of God or no and this is a great fault in many that they doe not as in Balaam the sorcerer who when he was sent for by Balak the King of Moab to curse the people of Israel out of his land and in hope of great reward went though in that vnhappy voyage of his vndertaken with an ill mind he was often crossed by the Angell of God with a drawne sworde Numb 22.23 so that his Asse that he rode on turned out of the way and afterwards in a straite shee thrust her selfe so neere the wall that she dasht his foote against it and at the last the Asse fell down vnder him yet he did not by all these troubles that befell him in the way examine himselfe and say Good Lord what doe I heere Whether am I going and where about But when men haue good ground and warrant for their doings then they are confidently to goe on whatsoeuer may betide them with prayer vnto God commending themselues and all their waies vnto him The blessed Lady Queene Elizabeth how iust was her title and how godly and lawfull were all her proceedings Not only with her owne subiects at home but with her forraine enemies abroad yet she fell into many troubles both of professed enemies and secret traytors So this our Lord and King Iames who is in a right line descended from her progenitors as heyre apparant to the crowne and since his first entring into this land hath sought to reforme many abuses and to doe much good euen to continue the Gospell and to keepe out Popery see how many troubles in this short time he is fallen into besides all those which in his former kingdome of Scotland hee suffered All good men must looke for trouble in the best actions And this is not onely the portion of good Princes Kings and Queenes but of all good men in their best actions they must looke to finde many dayes of trouble in them For as the Kingdome of Christ was most subiect to all kinde of wrongs in the head as Dauid prophetically complaineth Psalm 2.1 2. Why doe the heathen rage and the people murmur in vaine the kings of the earth band themselues and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and against his Christ so euery member of the same as hee most seeketh to aduance his kingdome by doing good and opposing himselfe to euill so many more troubles shall he sustaine of the enemies of the same then others For besides that the men of this world are against good men and their godly actions and therefore this way the more that they shew thēselues forward the more trouble shall they haue the Lord also by sparing them somtimes in the deserued punishment of their sinnes and causing them to finde troubles and to suffer for righteousnesse sake and for well doing Therefore we must not iudg of things by the euent doth this way like a mercifull father trie their faith and their obedience Therefore let no man be discouraged in any good action for any trouble that shall befall him in it neither let vs iudge of things by the euent but be sure that our cause bee good and agreeable vnto Gods word and then if trouble come let vs beare it patiently nay let vs looke for it that wee may beare it and for want of this meditation many break off and giue ouer in their best actions And this is that that wee haue to obserue from hence that speaking of the things that belonged to his calling he maketh mention of the troubles that were like to befall him The second thing ariseth from these words The Lord heare thee In which as hee confessed before Dauid prayed to God in his trouble that he looked for troubles so in these he
cause of his people Israel alway as the matter requireth or as the words are the things of a day in the day meaning that as euery mans neede was at all times and God knew it to bee so so hee would heare his praier and giue him accordingly So that he prayeth vnto God here for all those that should pray in or towards that Temple that whatsoeuer they should pray to God for according to his will in their seuerall needes hee that was the searcher of the hearts and knew them he would from time to time heare them continually And this prayer of his God did heare for all such For he did not onely in the sight of al the people giue an euident demonstration of it as it is said that when Salomon had made an end of praying fire came downe from heauen 2. Chron. 7.1 and consumed the burnt offring and the sacrifices and the glorie of the Lord filled the house but afterwards he did signifie the same priuately vnto Salomon in expresse words for it is written in the same place that the Lord appeared to Salomon by night and said to him I haue heard thy prayer Vers 12. and haue chosen this place for my selfe to be an house of sacrifice If I shut the heauen that there be no raine or if I command the grashopper to deuoure the land or if I send pestilence among my people if my people among whom my name is called vpon doe humble themselues and pray and seeke my presence and turne from their wicked waies then will I heare in heauen and be mercifull to their sinne and will heale their land Thus may wee pray continually for them that be absent for though new troubles of soule and body may befall them dayly which wee know not Thus may we pray continually for them that are absent or will not make their estate known and so wee cannot alwaies haue a fit prayer for euery change in them yet if they pray for themselues as charitie bindeth vs to hope that they doe this generall prayer of ours shall doe them good that we desire God to heare their prayers and say as Salomon doth what prayer and supplication soeuer shall be made of them heare them in heauen and defend their cause alwaies as the matter requireth So that whether some mens case be such that it is not meete that it should be knowne vnto many yet many may be desired to pray for them thus farre forth that God would heare their prayers or whether they bee loath themselues to make it knowne though it bee for their good yet may they thus farre desire the prayers of others that God would heare them And we againe our selues if for want of knowledge we cannot tell how to pray so particularly for men as wee would yet wee must not wholy neglect prayer for them for it shall be sufficient when we can do no more to pray thus that God would heare their prayers For when as many times wee knowe not our owne wants euery one of them Rom. 8.26 and yet generally commending them all vnto God knowne and vnknowne he supplieth them in particular aboue al that we named or could think of for he knoweth the meaning of his owne spirit in vs and giueth according to the same So then also though wee knowe not the particular necessities of our brethren and friends or of the whole Church yet praying for them God will giue according to the meaning of his spirit in our selues and them As for those that are v sited with the Plague There are many now that are in great sicknesse in diuers places vnder this heauy hand of Gods visitation and some in great feare of it because of the infection and some in great sorrowe for the losse of their friends we knowe not neither can we their speciall troubles or what paines they haue in their bodies what want of outward comfort what inward temptations of their minde yet let vs pray for them and desire God to heare their prayers so shall wee doe them good And thus may we pray to day and alwaies for the Church of God and for the seueral parts of it especially vpon the Lords day that he would heare the prayers of the Church in all places and that wee our selues might haue our part in them and they shall be auailable for them and for our selues It followeth in this verse The meaning of these words The name of the God of Iacob defend thee In these words the people continue their prayers for the King and therein come to this particular that God would defend him For by the name of God they meane God himselfe who hath by his name made himself knowne vnto vs and by Iacob they meane either that particular person and holy Patriarke to whom God had said that he would be his God and so had renued the couenant with him that was first made with Abraham and Isaac his father and grandfather and vpon whom he had bestowed many great benefits and deliuerances or by Iacob he meaneth the posteritie of Iacob that is the Israelites with whom also as with their seede hee had couenanted to be their God and that they should be his people and to whom he had made himselfe knowne to be so by his word Sacraments and works and vpon whom also he had bestowed many great deliuerances in Egypt in the red sea in the wildernesse and in their owne land or by it hee meaneth them both And so they pray that hee that was the God of Iacob and so their God and had giuen himselfe that name and by it had shewed how good and gracious he was and would still be vnto them would defend him from his enemies by his mightie power and great goodnesse So then as they had before generally prayed God to heare his prayers whatsoeuer they should be so here particularly because he was in trouble The doctrine of the same or like to come vnto it they pray for Gods defence in it that hee might not miscarrie but happily come out of the same and haue a blessed issue therein Therefore as we may and ought to pray generally for others when wee no otherwise know their estaâ—â— We must name in our prayers such things a◠〈…〉 neede so when we doe know it wee must accordingly direct our prayers and those not onely for ourselues but for others For though God need not to be put in minde of any thing that wee neede who knoweth all our necessities better than we doe our selues and therfore when we are ignorant of the estate of any Church we neede not feare that for want of naming things in our prayers God should forget them yet he would haue vs name hat wee desire and so make our requests knowne vnto him in â—â—pplication and prayer Phil. â— 6. as the Apostle speaketh and to powre out our whole desire before him Psa◠〈…〉 as the Psalmist saith that
ioyous and with glad hearts 2. Chron. 7.10 because of the goodnesse that the Lord had done for Dauid and for Salomon and for Israel his people Thus they reioyced againe in this great blessing that God had set vp the place to his worship among them so that all knew whether to resort vnto it In regard whereof we haue as great cause to reioyce at this time as they had then for God hath giuen vs his holy word and Gospell and we haue publike places appointed euery where And that the Gospell is planted euery where whether we all the people may resort with the freedome of our consciences to serue God and we are not by the grace of God vnprouided for this way let vs doe as this people did here consider of it as a matter of great ioy And truly so it is if we doe rightly weigh and esteeme of it for what I pray you would our forefathers haue giuen to inioy these great benefits that we doe and how comfortable would they haue thought their times to haue bene in respect of that they were then if they might haue had them as wee haue I meane this libertie and freedome from persecution this good gouernment and peaceable inioying of all that we haue especially the puritie of the Gospell and the peace of the Church And if any one of them seuerally be sufficient cause of ioy then all of them together a great deale more let vs then seeing we haue them not loose the comfort of them but so esteeme of them and so consider of them as causes of great ioy as in their owne nature they are And as we ought to doe thus at all times so especially and most of all we had need to doe it in the time of any sorrow or griefe that thereby we might beare the same so much the more easely when in so many great benefits we shall see what great ioy we haue In the time of sorrow most of al we ought to reioice in Gods benefits And truly if we could come to this as we ought we should find that though many times for this and that and such things as doe befall vs we haue cause to sorrow yet for these and such like we haue againe cause of ioy and so it might happily come to passe that we setting the one against the other we might easily ouercome at the least the extremity of griefe and find fault with our selues for being grieued too much Psal 42.11 and say as Dauid did to himselfe Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within me wait on God for I will yet giue him thankes he is my present helpe and my God So we might say to our selues why am I thus grieued haue I not these and these causes of ioy And so though all griefe be not taken cleane away from vs yet at the least it should by this be so moderated and mitigated as the furious spirit of Saul was with the pleasant musicke of Dauid that it might be tollerably and in some good sort borne So shall our sorrow be the more easily borne VVhen as it should be with vs as it was with them that built the second Temple at Ierusalem where some wept and some reioyced and so among the people there was ioy and sorrow mingled together Many of the Priests and of the Leuites Esra 3.12 and of the chiefe fathers auncient men which had seene the first house when the foundation of this house was layd before their eyes wept with a loud voice and many shouted aloud for ioy So that the people could not discerne the sound of the shout for ioy from the noise of the weeping of the people for the people shouted with a loud cry and the noyse was heard far off Some here wept because they had no more and some reioyced because they had so much and they could not tell which of them was the greatest the noyse of them that mourned or the noyse of them that reioyced So it might come to passe that in the middest of our sorrow there might be some ioy and our ioy might be as great as our griefe and so much the greater by how much the cause of the one is greater than the other and thus when we began to be sorowfull we might also begin to reioyce For it is said in a song of one of the confessors of the Church who desired to haue bene a Martyr Some men for sudden ioy doe weepe and some in sorrow sing c. Betwixt them both saith he will I begin c. meaning that he would so sorrow for his sinnes that he would reioyce in Christ in whom he saw more cause to reioyce than he could see of sorrow in himselfe and so he would begin betweene both and that did make a very good meane So must wee doe think as well what cause we haue of ioy as we do of our sorrow so neither reioyce without sorrow when there is cause nor sorrow without ioy when there is cause of both but as he said begin betweene both And let vs be willing to do thus the rather because few haue any care at all to doe it as they ought whereby it commeth to passe that they loose the fruits and comfort of these benefits Few do truly reioyce in Gods benefits and though they haue them yet they are not so comfortable vnto them as they might be For these things that we haue spoken of namely the common benefit of peace and good gouernment and the Gospell are common to all in our time as well as to our selues but how few doe truely reioyce before the Lord in them or in the causes of their ioy doe at any time thinke or consider of them or when they would make themselues merry do enter into the serious consideration of these causes of ioy but what is the cause of it Surely they neither haue prayed vnto God for them as this people did here for this that they speake of neither haue they esteemed of them as of great befits as they did of this that they prayed for and so they cannot reioyce in them as they should and by that meanes also it commeth to passe that they cannot be so thankfull to God for them as they ought and as others are For these two goe together and cannot be seuered To reioyce in Gods benefits and to be thankefull for them so that the more we reioyce the more thankefull should we be and the want of ioy in Gods benefits is the cause of vnthankefulnesse for them As wee see here also that in this verse they are ioyned together when they say That we might reioyce in thy saluation and set vp our banners in the name of our God as we shall hereafter see by the grace of God out of these words VVhat should be the fruit of all true ioy in Gods benefits wherby this ioy of the holy Ghost differeth from all
wherewith they are kept from cold when others goe halfe naked quake for cold their food in aboundance and of the best both for necessitie and delight when others are pinched with hunger haue but bread and drinke and not ynough of that who themselues and their children do eat by measure and by weight to draw out their food at length their soft and warme lodging when others lie hard and cold and scarcely can be warme all night These and many things els can put them in mind from day to night and from night to day what great cause they haue to reioyce aboue many others Let them then in the name of God so consider of them that they may reioyce for God hath giuen them to them to that end as Salomon saith in the booke of the Preacher Eccle. 2.24 That this is the fruit of all that a man can haue of all that he hath to eat and to drinke and to reioyce in the blessings of God and yet that also is the gift of God as he confesseth there Therefore they aboue all others must confesse that God hath giuen them great cause of ioy and nothing can so befall them vnlesse God take all away from them as hee did from Iob but they must needs acknowledge that still they haue cause to reioice So that it is not onely lawfull for them in and for these to reioice but it is necessarie that they should doe so and it is required at their hands insomuch that if they were so blind that they would not confesse that they had great cause of ioy all men would by the benefits which they enioy in great number witnesse against them and if they were so froward that they would not reioice all men would condemne them for it And thus we see that all sorts in respect of Gods benefits which he hath bestowed vpon them haue cause to reioice The prayse of God must be the fruit of our ioy But what is to be done in this ioy and for all these causes of ioy it followeth in the next words of the text on this wise And set vp our banners in the name of our God that is praise God for them for we see here how they are ioyned together That we may reioice in thy saluation and set vp our banners in the name of the Lord our God So they say that this should be the fruit of their ioy they would praise God in it for the cause of it And this ought to be the fruit of true ioy in all men and for all things For as all good and godly sorrow should driue vs vnto prayer that God might turne that away from vs or remooue it for which we doe sorrow so on the contrarie all true and godly ioy should driue vs to thankesgiuing for that which is the cause of our ioy And as herein godly and wordly sorrow differ that the one many times driueth to despaire or causeth sicknesse and so death in the end 2. Cor. 7.10 the other causeth repentance neuer to bee repented of and so prayer to God for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes which haue iustly brought vpon vs that cause of sorrow So on the other side herein godly ioy differeth from worldly ioy the one maketh a man secure and to forget God and to rest in himselfe and sometimes to be prophane and to keep no measure in things but to abuse that that he hath but the other inlargeth the heart to praise God and maketh him to goe out of the things themselues the causes of his ioy vnto God the author of them And thus doth the Apostle very excellently by these fruits note out vnto vs true sorrow Iam. 5.13 and true ioy when he saith Is any among you afflicted let him pray Is any merrie let him sing where hee maketh prayer the fruit of sorrow in affliction and thankesgiuing the fruit of ioy in Gods benefits And S. Paule doth shew vs at large the difference betweene the worldly ioy of the wicked and the godly ioy of the righteous when he sayth to the Ephesians Ephe. 5.18 Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be fulfilled with the spirit speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie to the Lord in your hearts And therein true ioy differeth from all worldly ioy giuing thankes alwaies for all things vnto God euen the father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ wherein one kind as in feasting which is lawfull and common to the good and bad and which is an honest means to make men merry and glad hee sheweth the diuersitie of the mirth of the one and of the other The men of this world they exceed and fall into the abuse of Gods creatures sometimes till they be drunken or haue surfeited and so also giue themselues vnto that mirth which is excessiue and immoderat and sometimes yea commonly ioyned with prophane scoffing or some wickednesse The children of God vsing his creatures soberly and in his presence euen at their feasts doe thereby prouoke one another to prayse God and make themselues merry in God and as in his sight VVee see then what should be the fruit of our ioy in Gods benefits namely the prayse of God and to what end also hee giueth to vs so many things wherein we may reioyce euen that he might haue the whole glorie and prayse of them So that whether we be poore or we be rich haue we more or haue we lesse to reioyce in this must be the fruit of all that we praise God for such things as make vs to reioyce And so as there is none in the world but hee hath some cause of ioy so the Lord looketh for continuall prayse at the hands of vs all but as many haue more cause to reioyce than others Thus all haue cause to praise God by reason of the manifold blessings which they enioy aboue them so he looketh for more prayse and thankes at their hands than of others as there is good cause For to whom much is giuen of them much shall be required VVhich if they doe not labour to performe and profit by Gods benefits and by their ioy in them to that end it may come to passe that the wicked may haue as much ioy in the things that they possesse as themselues yea the very vnreasonable creatures and the brute beasts in their kind for if our ioy end not in the prayse of God what are we better for it than they Therefore it is not ynough for a man to say I liue merrily and at my hearts ease I haue many causes of ioy I am void of sorrow and griefe I haue nothing that doth trouble me but am in continuall mirth it is not ynough I say to be in this estate and thus to boast and say but we must labour to be thankefull vnto God for it who is the cause of it let our ioy in these
vnlesse we then call vpon him Now at this day there are many troubles in our land as not onely secret practises of traytors against the Kings excellent Maiestie but also great sicknesse and mortalitie in many chiefe places and the same dialy spreading it selfe further and further by reason of the great and dangerous contagion of the pestilence As at this time especially therefore it is high time for euery one of vs in all places to pray earnestly vnto God and as euery day bringeth vnto our eares the reports of new troubles so must we continue in our prayers that God may heare vs at the last as he hath also promised that he will The third thing to bee obserued out of these words is the forme and tenour of their prayer which is this that they pray to God that he would heare the prayers of Dauid which hee should make in the time of his troubles Therfore as it is our duty to seek to others in our troubles for their prayers and the greater that they be to seek vnto them for it the more that they striuing with vs in prayer wee might obtaine So when any shall thus desire vs to pray for them it is our dutie to doe it and so also to desire the prayers of others that in no case we neglect them our selues of which points seuerally wee haue intreated at large before So more particularly wee see from hence how wee may pray for any We may alwaies thus pray for men that God would heare their prayers whether wee are desired or not desired thereunto whether we know their estate perfectly or we be altogether ignorant of it euen that God would heare them and giue them according to their owne prayers For as if one man should haue a suite to another and should desire vs to speake for them or wee know of it otherwise though not in particular what the speciall thing is that hee desireth wee might say I pray you bee good to such a man graunt him his request wee might that wayes doe him some good So this way wee may benefit men alo Though we know not their estate when wee pray to God to giue them their requests though wee know not euery thing that they desire And thus did Hely the Priest pray for Hannah the wife of Elkanah 1. Sam. 1.13 that God would heare her prayer that she made though hee knew them not for she spake in her heart onely her lips did mooue onely but her voyce was not heard and when hee did mistake her as though shee had been drunken As Hely did for Hannah shee said nay but shee was troubled in spirit and did powre out her soule before the Lord but did not tell him for what Then he said Goe in peace and the God of Israel grant thy petition that thou hast asked of him And she desireth him still that hee would pray for her And at the last when she had obtained her request she returned to giue thanks and told him the whole matter and said Oh my Lord Vers 26. as thy soule liueth my Lord I am the woman that stood with thee here praying vnto the Lord I prayed for this child which she had brought with her and the Lord hath giuen me my desire which I asked of him therefore also I haue giuen him vnto the Lord as long as he liueth he shall be giuen vnto the Lord and he worshipped the Lord there Where we see how he praied to God for her that he would heare her praiers and graunt her the petition that she had asked of him though he knew not what it was and so requested him to continue his prayer still for her though she doth not tell him the speciall thing that she prayed for Indeede if wee knew the particular estate of men wee might pray for them more directly and more effectually But if wee know it we may pray for them more particularly Jam. 5.16 according to that counsell which S. Iames giueth vnto all Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed for the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent Where he willeth vs not only to make knowne the diseases of our bodies to others by sending for them in the time of our sicknes but euen our speciall sinnes that haue been the cause of them that so in great compassion towards vs both of soule and bodie they might pray feruently for vs when they shall see what great neede euery way we haue of their prayers But if we doe not thus confesse vnto them or cannot yet generally and effectually also wee may pray God to heare their owne prayers which they do and should make principally themselues according to the commandement of the same Apostle Vers 13. Is any among you afflicted let him pray that God I say would heare them in that trouble that they bee in what and whensoeuer Therefore no man in neglecting of this dutie of prayer for others is to say I would gladly pray for such an one if I knew his estate and what to pray for for it is sufficient that the Lord knoweth it Ye are we not to neglect this dutie of praier for any though wee know not their estate that he knoweth it himselfe and doth pray for himselfe accordingly then may wee safely pray that God would heare those prayers of his And thus did Salomon in the dedication of the Temple which hee built to be an house of prayer for all nations and doth himself pray vnto God for all those that should hereafter come vnto that place there to pray whose prayers therefore in particular what they should be he could not possibly tell and doth not onely desire the Lord to heare them in such and such particular things as hee there nameth as when they should bee ouerthrowne before their enemies and when there should no raine and when there should be famine 1. King 8.33 and such like saying If they then come and confesse thy name and pray and make supplication vnto thee in this house then heare thou in heauen and be mercifull vnto the sinne of thy people Israel but more generally saith That what prayer and supplication so euer shall be made of any man Vers 38. Salomon prayed God to heare them whose prayers he could not know or of all thy people Israel when euery one shall know the plague in his owne heart and stretch foorth his hands in this house heare thou then in heauen thy dwelling place and be mercifull and doe and giue euery man according to all his waies as thou knowest his heart for thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men And in the end hee concludeth thus These my words which I haue prayed before the Lord Vers 59. let them be neere vnto the Lord our God day and night that hee defend the cause of his seruant and the