have always opposed the great and only Redeemer Christ and his Interest in the Nation that care no more for the real Prosperity of the Kingdom than for the turning up of a Dye high or low when they throw for nothing so that they may have but enough to maintain their ungodly fleshly and worldly Lusts These are not for the Pope but yet they are for Antichrist and the Devil for the Kingdom of Darkness and Irreligion These are they whose God is their Belly whose Glory is in their Shame Enemies to the Cross of Christ And to these we must add another Party though in other things far different from them and better Men who plead an Obligation of Conscience for Disloyalty and these do animate and propagate the other though perhaps not directly who are disaffected to Godliness and the Government Nay the worst of Men do not only harden themselves in their Disloyalty and proceed on to trouble Israel or hinder our Settlement by having the Consciences of some upon their side but they have set up a new Title against our Government and that is the Church of England The Church of England against England the Church of England against the Kingdom of England Is Christ divided Is the Church divided The Church of England we know but who are ye And yet let me shew you one other cause of the Slowness of our Motions towards Settlement and Peace and raising up of the Tabernacle of God and the shining forth of the Beauty of Holiness There are loyal Persons to the Government who are not refined from the Impurities of the former Reigns Thousands in the Land that run into Profaneness and Licentiousness out of Cowardice and to avoid some Nick-names given out to disgrace real Godliness and being accustomed to Licentiousness out of Fear And in compliance with most ungodly Rulers have brought such a Custom upon themselves that either they are Temporizers with the worst of Men or sin out of choice and love Some of these would if they could overthrow the Chariot others lay Impediments in its way and these last are like Scotches in our Wheels But our Hope is in God he ruleth in Jacob and hath given out such Manifestations of his Goodness that be it known to us he doth not do what he doth for our sakes but what is more effectual for his own Name sake O then not unto us not unto us but to thy Name give Glory for thy Mercy and thy Truth 's sake Psal 115.1 When God sets his Wheel a going it shall go against all Oppositions sometimes it goes visibly at a great rate sometimes more insensibly and when we see not the Motions of it it goes whither the Spirit was to go Ezek. 2.12 Man may lose Time and Opportunities but the Spirit of God never lost and never will lose time 6. The Work of this Generation is God's in an eminent manner and he will carry it on till all be finished but he tieth not himself to Means and Instruments therefore so should not we The Work of God hath been and is a Work for Generations and no one Man is ordained to do all but many Instruments have their several parts None is immortal none invulnerable or impenetrable Let us therefore believe with confidence that this War is God's and it is the Hand of God and our King is one of the greatest Instruments that God hath used he came up like Queen Elizabeth when the Kingdom was weak like a Gustavus Adolphus Let us see God in him follow God and wait upon him and be careful of him and by strong Faith humble Confidence fervent Prayers trust him under the Shadow of the Almighty Object But how can we rejoice and take comfort in Him as the Light of Israel seeing he adventures his Royal Person in very dangerous Voyages and Battels As it would be the greatest Grief of our Souls to be deprived of him so our Hearts are in daily fear of Evil befalling to him What would become of us in our divided and discontented State if our Light should be quenched Answ 1. You should consider that this bright illustrious Lamp is not given to us alone I cannot but adore the safe and hasty dispatch which God Alwise and Almighty made of the mighty Affair of these Kingdoms How soon did the King of Heaven and Earth pull down one and set up another How soon did God make an end of one King's Reign and begin another's The King that then was in Arms a powerful well-prepared and trained Army almost if not above double the number to those our King brought in and yet not as much as the stop of one Day 's march or diversion given by fighting one Battel He had time enough for leisurely and orderly Marches without any cause of Precipitation or losing time by committing Errors What a good Providence was this Things shall be easy when God doth save it shall be as easy as to bid an Army in array to stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord and as soon as to say 2 Chron. 20.17 Neh. 9.27 To morrow ye shall go out against them for the Lord will be with you So when the Lord doth raise a Saviour to his People he will be with him and when he is with him he makes way for him Had our King conquered by winning many Battels and after he had beaten a great Army been constrained to spend much time in long Debates how miserable had this Kingdom been by Fears and Factions And to what Necessities had foreign Nations been pressed Ireland certainly lost Scotland confounded if not ruined But he who ruleth over all was pleased to save us and settle us with great expedition that his Servant David might go forth against the Philistines What Treacheries with Obstructions were used to hinder him from saving Ireland in time may be with trouble remembred that some People who appeared forward to embrace Deliverance withdrew their Help as if they had repented of doing any thing to make themselves happy and save others from utter Ruin How many wished the King might not go to Ireland in Person that the Loss of Ireland might be imputed to him And others were for his going that he might never return again or in his Absence our Enemies might make work in England Some honest Hearts wished he would not go being afraid of Commotions in his Absence and Danger to his Person Others prayed for his going and when gone for his Prosperity and safe Return and we have rejoiced for both out with some trembling for God rebuked us 2. Beside the Interests of many Nations united in him he is led into the best way and method of securing and saving us at home by going to meet the great Enemy abroad and if God be with him there we shall reap the Benefit of it here Balthazaris Ayala De jure Off. bell l. 4. c. 2. It hath been variously adjudged by great Commanders whether it is
Bottles How many of those who seem well affected to the Government are grosly ignorant sensual and profane unreformed unrefined from their Lees What can these do What ill-favoured irreverent what cold and dead what broken Work do many make so that we have cause to fear the Divine abhorrence of our Fasting How far may a Man ride before he can see one Sinner whose Heart and Life is reformed according to the Word of God after our many monthly Days of Fasting If a Poll could be taken of them that are for or against or are wary Neuters whether ever God and Christ or their Enemies should be found in the best side All must be excluded from voting right who do not lift up holy Hands to God in Prayer so that from the Land's End even to the Town of Berwick we can make no more than a Gideon's Army But yet I hope there are enow to make an Army too strong for all the Enemies of our Faith Religion Peace and Government Be therefore of good Courage wait on the Lord and he shall strengthen your Heart all ye that hope in the Lord. Encourage our selves in the Lord our God were our Extremities greater and more than they are And consider 1. Is not God on our Side O let us humbly wrestle with his Majesty to rise for his own Glory for David's sake for Jerusalem's sake what will our Enemies the Heathen say 2. Hath not God prevented us with his loving-Kindness Did we by our Prayers call in our Deliverer Did not God put it into his Heart before we knew of it Have we not seen when we fasted and prayed it went well with us for the Honour of God for the Honour of his Ordinance for Prayer's-sake despised blasphemed Prayers-sake I was glad to hear it was the poor praying People of Ireland that saved London-derry that made the Men of Inniskillin more than Men and not our Gallant Dammees and Hectors Pray on to the last Breath pray to the last drop of Tears Give not up so great and so good a Cause for lost it is all in the Hand of God our God trust him 3. Pray on there are more for us than there be against us Is not God for us Are not Angels for us Do not the Souls under the Altar solicite God and cry How long Lord Holy and True Rev. 6.10 dost thou not avenge our Blood on them that dwell on the Earth I beseech you observe this that they who are our Enemies now are they who have shed the Blood of the Saints We are sure that God will avenge the Blood of his Servants and hear the Prayers of his Saints in Heaven and on Earth The Lord never denied to hear their Prayers he hath only delayed Andit was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season until their fellow-Servants also and their Brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled Some have written and others believe this late is the last Persecution of the Churches in France at least and if so that the Number of them that should be Killed is fulfilled then we shall shortly sing as Jehosaphat and the People did For his Mercy endureth for ever 2 Chron. 20.21 4. Pray believing in him to whom you pray and knowing against whom you pray Is he not a bloody merciless Persecutor who can set him out in his Garments dy'd in Blood and hath not God said He hath ordained his Arrows against the Persecutors plead that with God Psal 7.13 5. Who do we pray for Are they not God's own People the Apple of his Eye or hath God not one small Râ—â—nant left Remember the Prayer of Nehemiah Now these are thy Servants and thy People whom thou hast redeemed with thy great Power and by thy strong Hand Nehem. 1.4 to 10. 6. Argue from the very Strength and Greatness of our Enemy O say our Men of Reason and Thoughts Men like the cowardly Spies of the Land of Canaan who discouraged the People How powerful is France How Great that King How wise his Counsel How mighty are his Armies How strong at Sea How well disciplined what an Advantage hath he who is one in united Councils before-hand with his Enemies in the time of Year whereas the Confederates are slow in Resolutions and Preparations He 'll hold them in play he 'll tire them out And what will not this Great Man do Yea Are these things true is this the sense of Men wise Men most Men Be it so Yet for all this hâ—â—l he the Army of Zera the Ethiopian Let us cry to the Lord as Asa did 2 Chron. 14.9 Lord it is nothing with thee to help whether with many or with them that have no Power Help us O Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy Name we go against this multitude thou art the Lord our God let not Men prevail against Thee Let us wait upon God and take an Argument from the strength of our Enemies Psal 59.9 Because of his Strength let us wait on thee for God is my Defence We have a God hearing Prayer to pray unto we have a good Cause all is in Danger we have great Encouragements O let us say He hath delivered and we trust be will not only deliver but prosper O then let us pray for a praying Heart And pray every Day without ceasing And that first for our King and Queen that they may have the whole Armour of God to put on the Testimony of a good Conscience that in the Vprightness of their Hearts they do all they do that they may never fall into the slippery and pernitious Steps of evil Kings Let us pray for them that they may inherit an Everlasting Kingdom that endeavour to make ours so happy Many do labour to fright us more with the King's Successes than with the return of their idolized Image as if he would be as absolute as high for Prerogatives as any of his Predecessors What Confusions he will make say others in the best Church in the World and much more Whereas the great fear is that he will do more for God than most of his Predecessors Men are mightily afraid of losing their Pluralities their Ceremonies their Sins Let us pray for the preservation of our Lamps the free Progress of the Gospel the Advancement of Religion and Godliness into High Places for a painful Preaching exemplary Ministry for the saving and sanctifying Protestant Churches for healing of Breaches in a word for Grace Mercy Peace And when we have pray'd to the pouring out of our Hearts let us not trust to our Prayers beyond God's Promises but stay our selves upon the Rock of our Salvation To whom be Might and Dominion for ever Salvation to our God Hallelujah The Great Concern and Zeal of a Loyal People for a Good Warlike KING c. 2 Sam. 21.15 16 17. Moreover the Philistines had yet War again with Israel and David went down and his Servants
with him and fought against the Philistines and David waxed faint And Ishbi-benob which was of the Sons of the Giant the weight of whose Spear weighed three hundred Shekels of Brass in weight he being girded with a new Sword thought to have slain David But Abishai the Son of Zeruiah succoured him and smote the Philistine and killed him Then the Men of David sware unto him saying Thou shalt go no more out with us to battel that thou quench not the Light of Israel THese words are a very remarkable plece of Story which is compleat in it self and therefore I need not look upon what goes before it in this Chapter I crave your earnest attention to the Matter I intend to handle for your Instruction this part of the Day and have but patience till I come to the Application then I hope you will see that what I shall deliver to you will be very suitable to the Work and Duty of this Day and not only so but will direct you what to do every Day till God shall turn our Fasts into Thanksgivings The true Reason of my chusing this Text and that upon this Solemn Day which requires an extraordinary seriousness with the Application of the whole strength of our Hearts and exercise of every Grace is not at all to flatter much less to idolize our King and Queen which would be the worst of Services to them and to our selves by provoking God to quench the Light of Israel but really to shew you as plainly and as convincingly as I can how deeply our Hearts should be affected with our own Condition how earnest we should be with God to preserve our Supreme Governours and especially our King in the Labours and Dangers of this War and how we should behave our selves under all those Circumstances under which the Sovereign and over-ruling Providence of the infinitely Wife and Almighty God hath subjected us And I was moved to these Considerations which I shall commend to you by the great Thoughts of Heart which possess many honest religious and tender Persons Why say they will our King hazard his Person in this War who is in danger not only from the Craft and Malice of the open Enemy in the Field but Treachery even in his Camp Why will the Parliament and the Kingdom let him What will become of us if we should be so unhappy as to lose Him in this unsettled and distracted State when there are so many secret Discontents and such open Talk Beloved we cannot be too much concerned for the Safety of their Sacred Persons the Peace of these Kingdoms and the Preservation of our Religion both at Home and Abroad The Glory of God the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus and the Salvation of our Souls by the Means of Grace are as much concerned in the Success of this War as ever at any time to any People This War is not a War for outward Peace and Liberty nor for Glory and Renown for Riches and Trade or any other temporal End or Interest only but for the true Interest of the Kingdom of God among us and of the Protestant People of God in all Nations where they are or soon will be in danger if God doth not shew himself to be on our Side There are many Interests of many Princes and People in this one Bottom and all united in one King and submitted to his Conduct under God If these should be divided we should be weakned and fail but if he should miscarry we must needs sink for a time and many Countries suffer Shipwrack and then not only the Estates Liberties Properties Bodies and Lives but precious Souls and the Ark of God would fall into the Power of the Cruel The Philistines would soon over-run our Land and they who seem to wish for their coming would feel the Miseries of their coming as soon as they who fast and pray with all sincerity to keep them out and be less able to endure them If the Light of our Israel should be quenched O how tempestuous would it be round about What a Day would it be of Gloominess and thick Darkness O far be it from those who desire that Evil Day ever to see it come may they all go to their Graves in peace before that Inundation of Woes and Miseries break down our Banks 'T is true we have more to lose now at once than ever our Forefathers had and therefore when we consider our Sins we have more cause to fear than ever But let this comfort and encourage us to offer up strong Prayers and Cries to the God of Heaven to God our Saviour that the Glory of God's Truth Mercy and Grace being so specially and imminently concerned in this War that his Wisdom and Power will the more sincerely appear for the preservation of Israel and the Light of Israel Call up Faith and Hope to put forth all their strength into those Prayers which go not out of feigned Lips O for a strong Faith at the head of our Godly Sorrows and Humiliation for Sin this Day O for the Assistance of the mighty Spirit of Prayer and Supplication to send up yea to carry our fervent Prayers to Heaven Is the Spirit of God departed from his praying wrestling Jacobs in England and gone to our Enemies Hearts Is God is the Ark of God in their Camp Hath not God prepared his Arrows against the Persecutors What inhumane Persecutions are the greatest of them guilty of But as my Thoughts run on this String of Hope I am checked by the sight of the great and many Sins of these Kingdoms for which God might bring us under the Sword of our Enemies and even deliver up the Ark the Church into their hands O that every Congregation were weeping and mourning before the Lord this Day and casting away our Iniquities O that this Day were a Day of confessing and forsaking those Sins for which God might justly hide his Face from us O that we were exercising of Revenge upon our selves for all our Abominations O that we were sighing and crying for all the Abominations done in the midst of our Jerusalem and that all in their Places would become zealous for the Glory of God resolving every one to mortify his own Sins disarming the Traitors against God Church and State in his own Heart and setting themselves against Sin in others that God may be reconciled to us and intreated for the Kingdom But yet as bad as we are are we not God's People Are there not some Fifties among us for whose sake God will spare us But not to insist upon such Arguments for Hope let us build upon one it is a strong and a standing Argument by inverting the Word of God and humbly turning it upon him Thus saith the Lord God I do not this for your sakes O House of Israel but for my holy Name 's sake Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you be ashamed and confounded
for your own ways O House of Israel Ezek. 36.22 32. When we have least to say and have no Reasons to plead taken from our selves we have most to say and the most prevailing Argument to urge by Faith taken from the free Mercy of God and the Glory of his great Name O let us take Courage and come boldly to the Throne of Grace and say Psal 6.4 Jer. 14.7 Save us for thy Mercies sake O Lord though our Iniquities testify against us do thou it for thy Name 's sake for our back-slidings are many we have sinned against thee O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and do defer not Dan. 9.19 for thine own sake O my God for the City and People that are called by thy Name Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give Glory for thy Mercy Psal 115.1 2. and for thy Truth 's sake Wherefore should the Heathen say the French and Irish the Philistines the Enemies of the Lord that have so reproached him that have destroyed all his Tabernacles in the Land say Where is now their God Such an Encouragement as this may quicken us to a lively Attention to the Word of God and put Life into our Prayers when most dejected under the sense of our Sins And so now I come to the Words 1. In this part of sacred Story we read of another War between a proud Zech. 9.6 unquiet idolatrous superstitious People and David ver 5. The Philistines had been often destroyed and conquered by the Sword of David and yet they begin another War with David as the Phrase doth intimate And the Philistines had yet War again with Israel as if they began it and provoked Israel unto it We read not what the particular Cause of the War was it might be from inveterate Hatred from Contrariety of Religion for the Philistines like our Papists had their Images in the Battel of Baal Perazim and as their Images could not help them so neither could they save their Images 2 Sam. 5.21 or it might be Impatience of Revenge that might stir them up and they thought themselves strong enough to overcome and over-run Israel or they might promise to themselves the Life of David having a self-confident vain-glorious Giant Ishbi-benob who might brag as well as think of killing David It is a righteous Judgment of God upon the inveterate Enemies of his People which they see not that they will not be quiet in their Possessions but after many Overthrows they will be making Wars against them 2. And David went down and his Servants with him and fought against the Philistines it seems to be a defensive as well as a lawful War to go down against the Philistines and not to stay for their coming into the Land of Israel they were the beginners of the War and David doth wisely choose the Seat of the War which might be most convenient the further off from home and the nearer the Enemies Country the better An experienced valiant King will neither refuse nor delay to fight against the Enemies of God's People and his Kingdom when there is just Cause and Provocation given 3. And David waxed faint he grow in Years and was much decayed in Strength or tired and weakned with the Wars This Circumstance affords us many Observations 1. The Wars and Troubles in a King's Reign are no Sign or Indication of and should create no Suspitions in any Men of the Weakness or Badness of his Title to the Kingdom Never had King a better or a clearer Title to a Kingdom than David had appointed and designed of God elected and made by the People and anointed Nay the Malice of the Philistines boil'd and swell'd and broke out into an open Attempt and War against David when they heard he was anointed 2 Sam. 5.17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David King over Israel all the Philistines came to seek David And spread themselves in the Valley of Rephaim v. 18. Is David anointed has he taken the Kingdom upon him then before he is settled in his Throne we will seek him This Policy was equal to the Malice while the Government was young and tender as some here said of ours and the Factions of the Kingdom not inwardly healed but the Providence of God turned this to David's Glory by giving him the Victory they and their Images fell into his Hands ver 20 21. When God designs a King and gives him a Throne they who rise against him rise and war against God himself and let that King acknowledg God and seek him as David did and all his Enemies shall not prevail against him but fall and perish David had a good Title but a troublesome Reign 2. A good King when he takes a Kingdom takes it not for the Glory and Ease of it but for the Glory of God and Good of his Kingdom with all the Labours and Dangers of a War 3. The true Interest Peace and Happiness of a Kingdom is the Concernment of a good King The Philistines had a great spight against David's Person in the former Design and War but now they hated Israel which were the People of God and professed the true Religion and now David is as much engaged to go out in Person against the Philistines 4. A faithful and a valiant King will endure the great Toil and Weariness of a War even to Faintness 5. That even a David a Servant of God will find it a hard and hazardous Work to fight his Enemies 6. A good and valiant King will expose his own Person and tire himself in Battel and yet not fly nor leave the Field David waxed faint but yet stands his ground 7. The best and stoutest King must feel his own Infirmities that he may know that he conquereth not by his own Strength 8. That though a good King shall prevail yet first he may be brought very low and faint The greatest Champion will faint in time and often-times a Cause and People may be brought very low before a Conquest The Power of God will be seen in humane Weakness and give him hot and fainting work that his glorious Power may bring forth Victory and Peace 4. Ver. 16. And Ishbi-benob c. How exact an account have we here given us of this great Enemy of David By his Name a very notorious and noted Man his Descent and Family which was of the Sons of the Giant his great Strength his dangerous Weapon The Weight of whose Spear weighed three hundred Shekels of Brass in Weight About nine Pound six Ounces Haver depoise Clark's Annot About half as big as Goliah's 1 Sam. 17.7 but according to others a great deal more and by his particular Preparation for Mischief to David's Person being girded with a new â—word Sword is not in the Original Text but supplied for Explication as contained in the word girded Girded with a new somewhat extraordinary and fitted for his
put out and the Spark of his Fire shall not shine The Light shall be dark in his Tabernacle and his Candle shall be put out with him Job 18.5 6. i. e. his Honour and Glory shall be put out his Prosperity shall fade away and die 2. A good King is a good sign that God will not destroy the Kingdom 2 Kings 8.19 Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for David his Servant's sake as he promised him to give him always a Light and to his Children therefore God would not destroy Judah because he had promised David to give him a Light that is a Successor in his Throne to give Light to his People therefore the giving of that Light was a Preservation to Judah from Destruction When God was provoked by Solomon who threatned him for his Idolatry and Breach of Covenant to rend the Kingdom from him and give it unto his Servant he was pleased to add Howbeit I will not do it in thy Days for David thy Father's sake but I will rend it out of the Hand of thy Son He would not for David's sake to whom God promised a Lampalways 1 Kings 15.4 Nevertheless for David 's sake did the Lord his God give him a Lamp in Jerusalem to set up his Son and to establish Jerusalem 3. A good King is Light to a Kingdom as he is a cause of Joy and Gladness to a Kingdom A bad King may cause carnal and profane Joy to the Wicked but then he is the Cause and Grief and Trouble to them that fear God We are not to call that Light which makes the Wicked to rejoice in their Wickedness and to glory in their Shame but then we have a Light when the Righteous rejoice Whon the Righteous are in Authority the People rejoice but when the Wicked beareth Rule the People mourn Prov. 29.2 Light is borrowed to express Joy and Gladness Light is sown for the Righteous and Gladness for the upright in Heart Psal 97.11 Then had the Jews Light and Gladness and Joy and Honour Esther 8.16 What a Constellation of Blessings what Clusters of Mercies and all in the Flower arise and spring up in a Land when such a Light is set up in the Firmament of a Kingdom in the Orb of Soveraignty 4. A good King is the Light and Glory of a Kingdom the Light of a People when he doth restore set up resorm and maintain Religion in his Kingdom such a King was David such a Blessing was he to Israel When the Ark of God was taken the miserable sorrowful Wife of Phineas called her Child's Name Ichabod because the Glory was departed from Israel and she said The Glory is departed from Israel for the Ark of God is taken 1 Sam. 4.21 22. Surely Salvation is nigh them that fear him that Glory may dwell in our Land Psal 85.9 Christ is called A Light to the Gentiles and the Glory of his People Israel Luke 2.32 Therefore then it is that Glory dwells in the Land when the Glory of Christ shines in his Worship Ordinances and People The Glory and Liberty of the Gospel in its Ministry Ordinances and Profession of its Truth and Beauty of Holiness doth exalt a Nation advanceth it in great Honour and then Glory doth not come as a Traveller to see a Country or a wayfaring Man that tarrieth for a Night but dwelleth in a Land when Religion pure and undesiled is entertained with Reverence and Honour in the King's Court in the Houses of Nobles and hath a free Passage throughout a Nation and is delivered from unreasonable Men A religious King is then the Light of Israel when the Lights of the World are set up kept burning brought from under Bushels and set upon the Table when good Men may be as good as they will and the wicked may not be as vile and bad as they would be 5. A good King is a Light to a Kingdom when he reigns in Righteousness David's Prayer for Solomon was Psal 72.2 Give the King thy Judgments and thy Righteousness to the King's Son This was his Prayer for him who was a Lamp which God promised to raise up in his place and when a King doth reign in Righteousness then he imitates and represents the Sun of Righteousnes Christ Jesus the King the Scepter of whose Kingdom is a Scepter of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 2 Sam. 23.3 4. who ariseth with healing in his Wings The God of Israel said the Rock of Israel spake to me He that ruleth over Men must be just ruling in the fear of God Now mark what a just King a religious King that ruleth in the Fear of the Lord shall be And he shall be as the Light of the Morning when the Sun riseth even a Morning without Clouds as the tender Grass springeth out of the Earth by clear shining after Rain i. e. he shall be a great Blessing a great Comfort and Cause of rejoicing to the People of God A King that reigns in Righteousness may yet further be compared to the Light as he doth by himself by his righteous Laws declare and enact what is just and right that by the Light of his Laws People may see the Light of the Rule and the Path of Righteousness that by his wise learned and upright Judges not to serve the Designs Will and sinful Pleasure of the King with a Commission during Pleasure to take away the Lives of innocent Men to countenance false Witnesses perplex or threaten the True disannul Charters and the like Righteousness may run down like a mighty stream When these do distribute Justice between the King and his People and Subject and Subject when the Righteous will not be sold for a pair of Shoes when Righteousness is administred without Partiality then the King will find the Benefit and Comfort of his own Light for Righteousness and Judgment will be the Stability or Establishment of his Throne For by Righteousness the Throne is established Prov. 16.12 6. The King is a Light to Israel as David was for the Security and Protection received from him The Sun and Shield are well joined for the Comfort and Protection of God's People Psal 84.11 The Shields of the Earth belong unto the Lord Psal 47.7 Kings and Magistrates are those Shields and they are Nursing-Fathers and Nursing-Mothers they are like a Pillar of Fire for the Direction and Protection of Israel Hezekiah in the Type of Jesus Christ was foretold that he should be a King to reign in Righteousness and the Princes under him should rule in Judgment when it was so it followeth that he should be a hiding-place from the Wind and a Covert from the Tempest a hiding-place and Covert from the Wind and Tempest raised by the Devil and his Angels to trouble and unsettle the Nation 's Peace and Order and to keep off the Wind and Tempest Persecution and Tribulation which blow and beat upon the Church of God such a Light was David to Israel A Man
may follow his Trade travel and be commonly very safe if he walk by Day for Day-light is a Defence unto him In these Instances you have heard the Benefit of a good King as he is the Light of a Kingdom Now hearken a little further and you shall see what cause a People have to honour and study the Happiness of such a King and their own in him 1. As the Light is immediately from God so is a holy religious wise and valiant King as David was a peculiar Creature of that glorious Maker and not a meer humane Creature as all that are constituted by Men and a peculiar Blessing and Treasure to a People that Fitness for Government which is in him the placing of him in his Throne the removing of him from one part of his Sphere to another is a Remove made by the special Providence of God God alone doth make the Light prepares and qualifies a King for Government and the more of Providence appears the greater is the Mercy to a People 2. As the Light is above the Earth for the benefit of things below him so is a King placed in a Degree of Sublimity above his Israel but altogether for Israel's Good A King is above but for his Subjects And as the Light of Heaven is placed in Heaven for the good of Creatures underneath so are Kings placed by God in high Places that their Vertues may descend upon their Inferiors 3. As the Light shines from above and sends and spreads forth its Powers and Influences afar off to all the Corners of the Earth so a good King doth not restrain but takes Pleasure in communicating his Goodness to all the parts of his Dominions He hath his Vehicles Means and Instruments to convey the Stores of Gifts and Abilities for Good which God hath enriched him with All People that do not forfeit should be the better for him and so all his Subjects should know how much the better they are for him the Riches of a King's Abilities are beyond all the Riches we entrust him with for our Peace and Safety 4. But notwithstanding these great Advantages the King had of doing Good and the People received from his diffusive Goodness yet he is liable to Mortality the Light of Israel may be quench'd he is a Light but such a Light as may be put out and quenched As Israel was so all People should be sensible of the publick Blessing and Good received from a King who is as the Light of Israel and should be much concerned and zealous for his Preservation as their own 1. You cannot but feel by reading the Words the true sense which the Men of Israel had of their Happiness in David he was a great Light to them communicating and streaming down the Effects of his Light upon them They remembred the Night out of which they came the Trouble and Confusion the Dangers and Injuries the Dishonours and Confusions which kept them in fears so long they considered the happy change in Affairs what a new Face the Light had given and not a Face of Affairs only but a strong Constitution of the Body of Israel and they foresaw what a Night would follow upon his Fall 2. They were much concerned and zealous for his Preservation he had escaped the Dangers of many Battels and so might do again his Strength failed but he was able for Conduct he was near to be slain by a resolute masty desperate Giant who thought to kill him but he was succoured seasonably and with Success and if ever hâ— should come out to Battel again they would all be ready to defend his Person Why might not he as long as he was able to endure the Fatigue with any Spirit go out to Battel Would not his Conduct and his Presence direct and animate them and so further the War towards a prosperous Issue None of these Suggestions nor many more could abate their Care nothing but this to keep himself safe in Jerusalem the City of the Lord of Hosts 3. They were so much concerned and so zealous for his Preservation as if all Israel should fall with him if he should fall in Battel That thou quench not the Light of Israel as if all the Light of Israel did shine from him and were all of it comprehended in him as the Lamp that gave Light to all the Branches As if the Sun should be put out the Moon and Stars would be extinguished If the Pillars of a State or Kingdom fall the Kingdom must needs come down and fall to Ruin and Confusion but if the Supporter of these Pillars fall the Pillars must fall and all that stand upon them and are supported by them Now said David The Earth and all the Inhabitants thereof are dissolved I bear up the Pillars of it Psal 75.3 The Earth that is Judea and all the Inhabitants thereof are dissolved are unlinked the Land lieth waste and like a Wilderness and the Inhabitants thereof are unbound and untied they are jealous and afraid of one another being dissolved into Factions and Parties some Pillars there are Psal 11.3 and I bear them up If the Foundations be destroyed if Towns Magistrates and Government and Order be destroyed what shall the Righteous do they shall be made a Prey What can we that are but few in Number and weak in Power do What can we do if the Foundations be destroyed till the Foundations of Religion Righteousness and Peace are laid Blessed David was like the Light in Heaven on high and like the Foundation beneath that bears up the Pillars which bear the House If the Light be quenched there follows Darkness and all the Confusions and Miseries of Darkness if the Foundations be dissolved what but Ruine Wo then to the Land if its Light and Glory pass away as of Necessity it will if thou put out the Light of Israel All stands and all falls together for if David be the Foundation and Israel the House if the Foundation fall the House will tumble and of a well-ordered Fabrick it will tumble into Heaps David and Israel the Glory of all Lands are but one united Light and he is the Sun in the Firmament if he be quenched our Glory will depart Thus were they concerned for themselves in David their King And how could any People in the World express more care and zeal towards him than they did in so few words 1. They unanimously consent to prevail with him to keep himself as choicely as might be as you would keep in a Lamp or Light growing low in the Socket of expiring Age. 2. They swear to him that he shall not go out to Battel 3. They tell him there will be no need of his going for they will go to Battel as willingly as if he were with them 4. Surely David who had been their Light would not be accessary to or guilty of so great a Mischief as to put out their Light they presume upon it that he would
Office She is made for the Rule of a Palace for the Retirement of a Closet for exemplary Reverence in the Worship and House of God She is a glorious Beam of Majesty in her Person she shines as she moves she is made for a Throne and long may she sit upon it She is a diffusive Light as she is a joint Cause of the true Light of the Gospel and the Laws of Holiness and Righteousness All People may be as holy and as righteous as they can desire and if they are not it is their own fault they have no Discouragement but Encouragement from above She is a great Light See her gracious Answ to the Address of the Dissenting Ministers even to a Zeal in her own Way and is to be an Example of Moderation towards others Her Light shines before Men that others seeing her good Works may glorify God Thus each one is a singular Light But yet further what is the greater Mercy 2. They both make one Light Through God's infinite Mercy to themselves and us that they are so much one they are one Blood one Flesh and what is more of one Heart and one Soul What a Light are both in one to their whole Dominion to all their Subjects It is a vulgar but a great Observation When had we a King and Queen of one Religion and both of ours We have known the lamentable effects and issues of contrary Religions and of one and the same Religion in our former Kings and Queens The Light of the one never did convince or convert the other of Darkness The Articles of Marriage between Pr. Charles the Infanta and the Queen the Daughter of France nay the Light was so bound sometimes as not to endeavour to work upon the Darkness but the Night had power to tempt the Light and then was one Hour and Power of Darkness and from that time to this most blessed Conjunction of both our Lights in one the Darkness overcame the true Light O the Calamities and Confusions Convulsions and Breaches which followed after the prevailing Power of Darkness The Darkness brought forth Thunder and Lightning and rained Blood it brought forth Wars and Fires it cooled the zeal of many and made the Nation too hot for others O what Matter is this for a Fast to make Prayers and Supplications to deprecate those great Evils And the noisom Vapours of that Darkness make us a sickly diseased People to this time O that the diseased distempered People of these Nations would come to our Light O that God would prosper our Light to bring us to a better Constitution and State of a Body united and compacted together Do not we see the excellency of our Light in respect of Union Do not both walk in the same Spirit O what a Mercy is that to us and to other Nations confederate with us By this we have a Concord in Counsels we are delivered from the Plague of Jesuitical Agitators and Satanical Dividers Court-Faction have no countenance nor Whisperers secret Audience and innumerable other Mischiefs are prevented for now the Devil hath less to do in Court and hath fewer Pupils to instruct in mischievous Arts and Practices between King and Queen Court and Court The dividing of the King and Queen in Interests in Affection according to that Interest the dividing of Counsels to promote those different Interests and these to be managed by contrary Factions and Parties and for these to love the one and hate the other should be as dreadful as if the Stars divided the Heavens into two Fields and sought one against another This is one of the Mercies of this great Revolution that our Lights are so intirely one and that the Constitution of the Government is made so strong that our Dividers cannot divide but they must break and dissolve many would have it otherwise but God wrought such a Temper in the Spirit of the Queen as to submit the Precedence given her by Nature for the publick Benefit And that the Memories of both be blessed for ever and whatever Breaches remain unhealed among a sinful People many of whom know not the things of their own Peace O Lord shine into the Hearts of these two great Lights that they may reign as one 3. And yet the Matter grows higher still These two illustrious Lamps made one Light are both the Light of Israel The Light of David's Life as I noted before was the Light of Israel David was to Israel as Israel was to himself and Israel was to David as David was to himself The Light of David was their Light That thou quench not the Light of Israel So is our David ours And without flattery which I abhor especially on a solemn Day of Confession and Humiliation but to convince you of your Mercy and Duty I speak to you these Words of Truth and Soberness What clearer Evidence can any People have whose Reasons are not perverted against Sense to be in the untoward Party of Murmurers and Complainers than our David hath given us of his appearance coming forth and goings on but for Israel for our Israel and for the scattered Tribes of Israel scattered by Persecutors into many Nations What hath he done in all he hath done for himself What hath he not done that could be done for us Obj. O but Murmurers and Papists and their old dear Friends say He sought the Throne and is come unto it by Vsurpation Ans This is such an Imagination as could never enter into the Heart of Man that believes a Providence and that all the Actions of Princes as well as other Men are subject to it and that Kings and Princes cannot do and have what they will How many apparent Hazards by Sea and Land did he necessarily foresee and every step might present him with Death which was enough to quench the Spark of Ambition and deter him from an Usurpation It would have been the most irrational Project that could ever come into a wise Man's Head and visibly improbable if not impossible as I would undertake to demonstrate if time would give leave God sent him in as a Deliverer of Israel in England Scotland Ireland and so he was acknowledged even by them who will not swear Fidelity to him now their only King by Law and Right But if I might ask those Men these few Questions what could they say 1. What hath he asked for himself what hath he employed for or spent upon himself since his happy Arrival Hath he got half what one half Year's Revenue by Hearths would have brought him in Was there ever a Free-holder in the Kingdom before he restored them Nay to silence some of these Male-contents Do not they some of them to discourage the Nation and encourage Enemies give out that he will not be able to manage the War for want of Money and for the vast Debt that is upon the Nation So then this was a hopeful Project to invade the Throne to want
THE Great Concern and Zeal OF A LOYAL PEOPLE FOR A GOOD KING'S PRESERVATION In the HAZARDS of WAR And the Duty of such a People opened and enforced In one of our MONTHLY-FASTS in a Country Parish By the Minister thereof LONDON Printed for Ionathan Robinson at the Golden-Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1691. To all that sincerely fear God and honour King WILLIAM and Queen MARY THE Word of Authority to us is To your Prayers as the Word of a Commander to his Souldiers To your Arms. The Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal but Spiritual Mighty through God to the pulling down of the strong Holds of Satan not only in the Hearts of Vnbelievers and Enemies of the Gospel battering yea casting down Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the Knowledg of God and bringing into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. but the same spiritual Weapons are mighty against all the visible Armies and strong-Holds of the Devil under the Command of his Vice-Royes the declared Enemies of the true Church of Christ yea and of Mankind also according to the extent of their Power What mighty things are recorded to be done by One of those Weapons of our Warfare mighty through God in sensible Weakness and Self-distrust And what shall I more say For the Time will fail me to tell of Gideon and of Barak and of Sampson and of Jephtha of David also and Samuel and of the Prophets who through Faith subdued Kingdoms c. Heb. 11.32 33. Take notice how the Prophets Men of Peace are enroll'd among the Men of War And no wonder that when Victories and Conquests even over Kingdoms are attributed to Faith that then the Prophets should have an eminent place among the greatest Men of greatest Name And this Power of Faith is not lost but wants Exercise for this is the Victory which overcometh the World even your Faith 1 John 5.4 5. And that which overcometh the World and that mighty evil Spirit in it can subdue a Kingdom at any time when God pleaseth and the time of its destruction is come This Faith is exercised in Prayer and by Prayer winning and engaging the mighty God of Jacob the Lord of Hosts to be on our side Our Enemies cannot stand before us they shall fall and perish the strong shall be as Tow. One Man shall chase a thousand and two ten thousand Deut. 32.30 Jos 23.10 The Church of God is both beautiful and formidable Cant. 6.4 Terrible as an Army with Banners Her Majesty and Stateliness is set forth as an Army with Banners and her exceeding great Power in her Faith and Prayers Believers in regard of the Power of their Faith are more terrible than Armies saith Excellent Mr. Durham If one Jacob as a Prince prevailed and by his Strength had Power with God Hos 12.3 4. What cannot many do that weep and make Supplications What cannot an Army of Believers do What cannot an Army do that by an united Faith with Sighs and Weeping take Heaven by violence Faithless spiritless faint formal Prayers put into rank and file and displayed in the finest Eloquence do no Service at all such Prayers do but beat the Air. That same Language in which God speaks to us is the most proper for us to pray to God that Word by which God worketh Faith in us is that which best suiteth the Prayer of plain-hearted Faith It is an Observation of Eminent Mr. Charnock which deserves to be engraven on our Hearts When God would do any mighty Work in the World he stirs up his People to pray for it and their Prayers by his own appointment have a mighty influence upon the Government of the World for when they come before him in behalf of his Church in general he doth indulge them a greater Liberty and Boldness and as it were a kind of Authority over him than upon other occasions of their own Isa 45.11 Thus saith the Lord The Holy One of Israel and his Maker Ask of me things to come concerning my Sons and the Work of my Hands command ye me God would be more positively Treat of Provid p. 71. Fol. confidently and familiarly dealt with about the Concerns of his Sons though they were things to come to pass in after-Ages Rev. 8.3 4. The great Changes in the World are an Answer to those Prayers which are offered unto God Holy Brethren The Work of God hath been very great in some eminent part of the World in some Countries and Kingdoms and the Prayers of the Faithful have prevailed much But was there ever at any one time so great a Work as is now a doing in our Days Are not the great Affairs of the Sons of God in all Protestant Churches I say in all Protestant Churches drawing near to a Determination The Issue of this War is like to be the Rise or Fall not only of many in Israel but of all the Israel of God confederate in the true Religion of Jesus Christ O then is not this the time for us to be of one Heart and Soul deeply humbled sincerely mourning crying and sighing for the Abominations that are yet in our Jerusalem Cities and Countries weeping and making Supplication and with the most reverent and awful Adoration make us bold with the Highest Majesty of the Holy One the Saviour in a time of trouble as he alloweth us Monsieur Jurieu fulfilling of Prophecies and others Even to command him concerning his Sons and the time to come which many of his Servants wait for and say as Luther Fiat voluntas mea Let my Will be done Holy Brethren partakers of the Heavenly Calling Give me leave to engage you to be more abundant in the fervent Prayers of Faith and of true Penitent reformed in Heart and Life Consider how much of this great Work lies upon you at this time Who can tell what your Prayers may do under God by his appointment The Proclamation for these Fasts reacheth to the Realm of England the Dominion of Wales Town of Berwick upon Tweed O that all from sixteen to sixty in these Bounds were fit for Prayer to bear Arms these spiritual Arms O then how might we hope that even she that tarrieth at Home and is fervent in her Closet may divide the Spoils of the greater Spoiler of all he can lay hands on But O how weak are we how divided how unprepared What Help can we look for from them that are disaffected to the King and Queen and troubled at this glorious Revolution How do they murmur that God should do what seemeth him good for his Peoples Good How many are there that do not as much as appear to Fast How many are for the Liturgy of James not the Apostle's which hath been reputed spurious by many of our most Learned Divines and Bishops but the Apostate's How many half yea half-quarter observers of those Holy and solemn Days How like are these to old