that we may so reioyce in all Gods benefits and ordinances so vse them with ioy that he may be praised for them VVhich he also graunt vnto vs for Iesus Christ his sake Amen The seuenteenth Sermon vpon the fifth verse That we may reioyce in thy saluation c. WE must consider who they be that speake thus and of whom they speake it they are the subiects that thus speake of their king and they say that they will reioyce when God shall saue him so they speake not of themselues but of him Such then is and ought to be the vnity of the prince and the people as of the members of the bodie and of the head that they acknowledge the safegard of the king to be sufficient cause of their ioy VVe must then thus pray for the life and honour of our liege lord and Soueraine king The welfare of the king is the peoples â—â—y not as one a loofe off from vs with whom we haue nothing to doe nor he with vs and whose estate doth nothing concerne vs at all but as one in whose life is our preseruation and whose honour is our aduancement in whose decay is our losse and in whose ouerthrow is our vtter ruine Therefore as wee must thinke that we should haue great cause to be sorrie if any thing did befall his royall person otherwise than well so that in his preseruation and prosperitie we haue alwayes cause to reioyce Rom. 13.4 For we know as the Apostle saith that kings and princes are ministers of God for our wealth that is they are called of God vnto those high places not for themselues but for the good of the people therfore in their saluation we must reioyce for it is ioyned with our owne wealth And Saint Paule vnto Timothie sheweth this point more fully 1. Tim. 2.3 when he saith That vnder them we lead a peaceable and quiet life with all honesty and godlinesse This benefit then we get by them when they be good we liue by their good gouernment peaceably honestly and godlily which are three great benefits and without the which our life were no life therefore we must pray for them In this respect they ought to pray for his life that by them we might inioy these great benefits and so reioyce in his preseruation by whose meanes we doe inioy them For if the prince miscarie any waies we are in danger to leese all our wealth yea peace and all honest and godly liuing For if there were no king at all we may easily see in what lamentable estate we should be when as it is sayd in the time of the Iudges Judg. 21.25 In those dayes there was no king in Israel but euery man did that which was good in his eyes Thus would it be with vs and with all people euery man would do that that seemed good in his owne eyes and then what confusion and disorder would there be in the world what peace what godlinesse or what honestie could there be among men And this is not once but three times at the least set downe in that booke in the beginning middest and endding of two notable and famous stories which shew what kind of life was then amongst them euen such as was neither peaceable and quiet nor honest nor godly The one is of the Leuits concubine abused and oppessed euen vnto death the other is of that idolatrie which began in the house of Micah and so did spread it selfe ouer the whole tribe of Dan and of the rest besides that the Leuites and ministers of God were neglected then and not sufficiently prouided for in the narration of which this is often interlaced as a graue sentence shewing the cause of all that disorder In those dayes there was no king or supreame gouernour in Israel and so euery man did that which was good in his owne eyes as if it had beene sayd Surely if they had had any good gouernour among them and namely one chiefe to ouersee and rule the rest these abuses had neuer broken out or if they had they should neuer haue growen to such an head Besides this where there is a continuall succession of kings yet euen in the change of them to death without a speciall grace and blessing of God there is great daunger of chaunge in the state of the people Therefore all people had need to pray for the life health preseruation of their kings that so themselues might reioyce as they doe here And for proofe of this we may easily conceiue how the people of Israel did flourish and abound in all things in the dayes of king Solomon by that which is written of them he was a peaceable prince and so the people had peace and wealth 1. King 4.25 10.27 For euery man did sit quietly vnder his vine and vnder his figge tree and none did raise them vp and in his dayes siluer was as plentifull as the stones in the street and Cedar in as great abundance as the wild figge trees which grow abundantly in the plaine and such almost was our case all the dayes of our renowned and worthie Queene Elizabeth for wee had peace and wealth with the Gospell also in great abundance But when Salomon died For in the death of the prince there is great feare of alteration to the state what great alteration was there in the kingdome of Israel when his sonne Rehoboham refused the auntient counsellors of his father and chose new in their roome like to himselfe whereupon there grew a faction and diuision first among the nobles and then among the rest of the people so that ten parts of his people fell cleane away from him from God too euen to idolatrie and to the golden calues in Dan and Bethel so that there was much warre betweene them and bloodshed among them Now when all this fell out how did they see by experience that they had cause before to pray for the life of Salomon their king as the chiefe and onely cause of their welfare and ioy So we in like manner had great cause in this respect to pray for the life of our Queene as we did to preserue her both against forraine inuasions intended and also secret treasons and practises at home for in her life we had great cause of ioy And in all deliuerances of her from danger which were many and great wee had cause still to reioyce and so in her long life we did enioy the fruit of our prayers for we did so much the more and longer reioyce in her and in all benefits which wee enioyed by her and we had iust cause to feare that in her death we should haue had more cause of sorrow than by the grace and mercie of God we had But now we would be loath to haue any more changes on the sudden and therefore we are to pray earnestly vnto God for this our Soueraigne King Iames by the grace of
God had deliuered him from great dangers and would doe so still 2. Cor. 1.8 so that they would pray earnestly for him Brethren saith he we would not haue you ignorant of our affliction which came vnto vs in Asia how we were pressed out of measure passing strength so that we altogether doubted euen of life Yea we receiued the sentence of death in our selues because wee should not trust in our selues but in God who raiseth the dead Who deliuered vs from so great a death and doth deliuer vs in whom we trust that yet hereafter he will deliuer vs so that yee labour together in prayer for vs. Thus he beleeued that hee might get great good by the earnest prayers of others and therefore doth desire them Great things may be obtained when many pray together euen to bee deliuered by the power of them from many great dangers And it may bee if wee haue marked the experience of our selues and others that we may well remember what great deliuerances haue been graunted when others haue laboured in prayers for vs or wee for them if not wee may see it by the grace of God in time to come But very few account prayer such a labour or striuing as it is and so go to it coldly and trust to their own strength and so obtaine nothing Pauls hope was in this that others should striue with him in prayer so we might haue greater hope if wee sought for helpe at the prayers of others and did not trust to our owne too much If thus in all matters of moment we desire the prayers of others according to our neede it will come to passe What comfort we may haue when we haue desired the prayers of others that wee should not want the fruite of them seeing the Lord hath promised to heare them but howsoeuer things fall out with vs we shal haue this comfort of a good conscience that we haue neglected no means that God hath appointed for our good But if wee bee carelesse of the prayers of others and so doe not seeke for them besides that it may come to passe that wee shall faile of our purpose through our owne default as when one striueth alone he cannot ouercome because he hath none to ioyne with him or at least hee shall not obtaine it so soone as otherwise hee might as when one is about a thing alone hee is the longer a doing it we shall haue the lesse comfort or more griefe because we neglected some meanes that might haue done vs good We must then be perswaded that the prayers of others may doe vs good and that wee neede them and so accordingly desire them In the daies of ignorance and superstition men gaue much to haue a continuall Masse for them that is In Poperie they maintained others to pray for them to pray for their soules and there were Beadmen also as they called them appointed for that purpose to pray for the liuing and for the dead and were maintained by the goods of the Church to that end which prayers of theirs because they were in an vnknowne tongue and so without vnderstanding and also not according to the word of God and so without faith could doe them no good yet this truth they aimed at though in darknes and as blind men that the prayers of others were so auaileable for them that euen in that respect onely they gaue much yeerely vnto those that should pray for them And truly if they had prayed aright they might by their prayers haue giuen more than they receiued for they might haue obtained great things of the Lord for them But here was another great abuse of that time in these prayers also that they hauing others thus to pray for them they rested in that and so neglected their owne prayers the more and thought that they might doe it with the lesse danger for they had others that prayed for them continually and so that that was wanting in themselues was supplied by others Dauid was of another minde for heere by his practise we haue an example of one that so desireth the prayers of others as that hee purposeth not to neglect prayer himselfe or to vse it any whit the lesse for that but to vse it rather the more willing them to pray God to heare his prayers so that if he did not pray himselfe their prayers should do him no good but it should be al one with him as if one should desire a man to set his hand to a blank and so he should preferre that as a supplication for him to the Prince So we are to desire others to pray for vs but in the meane season we must not neglect to pray for our selues Obiection But it may seeme superfluous and more then needed that Dauid should thus desire the prayers of the people for they were his subiects and therefore as in that respect they did owe other duties vnto him so this of praier most of all according to the exhortation of the Apostle who willeth 1. Tim. 2.1.2 that supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men and namely for Kings and for all that are in authoritie therfore it is like that they would not neglect it though he had not admonished them of it Besides it was a publike cause that hee dealt in euen against the open enemies of the whole realme against whom he went to warre and so it concerned them as well as himselfe for the enemies came not against his person onely but against them all and so they could not forget him their King vnlesse they forgat themselues Answere Yet because he knew that men naturally are forgetfull and so if they were not put in minde of it they might either wholy neglect it or not doe it so throughly as they should hee put them in minde to pray for himselfe and giueth them a forme of it and so telleth them what they should say This should moue vs to put our dearest friends in minde of vs and call vpon them to pray for vs Our dearest friends had neede to be put in mind to pray for vs. yea when they know our estate best and what great neede wee haue of the prayers of others for they may forget vs sometimes though they wish vs well And as through forgetfulnes they may neglect other duties which yet they are willing generally to performe as not to visite vs to send to vs to write to vs as often as they should and wee looke for at their hands so much more not to pray for vs for many times they that doe the former in great measure neglect this wholy or in a great part Wee finde by experience that many times yea when wee are spoken to of our friends wee remember not all but forget many things why should we not think then that others may forget vs if they be not put in minde Parents are bound to pray for their children and they should
denie but that this dutie of prayer for him is greatly neglected of many for how few doe vse to pray for him at home in their houses And bind themselues to it as a matter of dutie and at Church also they pray not for him as for themselues But the Apostle Paul chargeth Timothy a Minister of the Gospell to practise and to teach this I exhort saith he that supplications 1. Tim. 2.1 prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authoritie that we may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie First of all pray for all sorts rich and poore bond and free next for those of whom there might bee some question then as for Kings and gouernours because they were enemies to the Church and people of God So then if we had the most wicked King and cruel tyrant set ouer vs as some haue in these daies and our forefathers haue had in the daies of superstition and Poperie yet wee ought all to pray for them for though they were nought themselues yet the gouernment is good and of the Lord much more then should we doe for those that are good What great reason there is of it as for our King he being a professor of the Gospel which is rare among Princes in these daies and after the purest manner and truly called the Defender of the true ancient Catholike and Apostolike faith A great learned man also able to iudge of things himselfe and more learned than any Prince that we know of being brought vp of a childe in learning vnder most excellent schoolemasters and tutors his learned bookes also doe sufficiently testifie of his great learning both in the tongues the Artes and in the word of God He is one of great gouernment in himselfe both for apparell and for diet lowly minded and not ambitiously puft vp with the accesse of so great kingdomes and for his wisedome he hath been long exercised in gouernment and in gouerning of a troublesome kingdome A man of great courage for the warres and of policie for peace and in a word the mirrour of the world What cause then haue we to pray for him And that we might doe it What great benefits we enioy vnder the gouernment of our King let vs remember how the Apostle telleth vs of the benefits that wee receiue by our Kings and to what end their gouernment is appointed namely not for themselues but for their subiects that they by their meanes might liue peaceably honestly and godlily which are three great cōmodities and comforts of this life and without which our life were not life And first for peace nothing is more to bee desired than that for if we had all that we haue and a great deale more and yet were subiect to warres abroad or forren inuasions or to robbers and theeues at home it would doe vs little good And yet this peace without godlinesse is nothing worth as if wee had not the meanes of our saluation and might not thus come to the Church to serue God according to his word and to leade our liues thereafter And if we had these yet if there should bee no honestie among men nor any true dealing one with another so that one man might not trust another but there were lying deceiuing oppression and such like without controulment Now all these benefits of peace honestie and godlinesse we haue by the meanes of our King especially wee may looke for them vnder his gouernment 1. As to liue peaceably For as for forren enemies and inuasions which in former times wee haue been in feare of he is in league with all Christian Princes round about him so that we shall not need to feare them and as for tumultuous and disordred persons at home the lawes are still in force to suppresse them and it is like that new shal be made if there be any cause and though some doe breake out in hope of the Kings pardon yet for the time present the lawes will take hold of them and how farre his gracious pardon will extend they know not we may be sure that all such shall be exempted who doe euill before hand in hope of it 2. Godlily And we hope to liue godlily vnder him for we doubt not but that the Gospel shall be continued and wee hope that the estate of it shall be bettered and though the Papists seeke for a toleration of their superstition and comfort themselues with false promises that way yet we hope that their eyes shall fall out with looking for it in vaine for seeing that hee hath kept it out of Scotland all this while when he was of lesser power there is no likelihood that he should now yeeld vnto them when he is of greater power and more able to keepe vnder the whole route of them But the more obstinately that they seeke for it the more earnestly had we need to pray to God for the King to bee zealous against them 3. Honestly Lastly we hope to liue honestly vnder him for he seeketh alreadie the good of all his subiects as appeareth by his proclamations wherein he hath giuen all men that are any way oppressed to complaine of their griefes yea though it bee against them that are in authoritie with good hope of finding reliefe he hath also put downe the Monopolies and such like kinde of abuses because they stood not with the common profit of his people and this he hath done though his Maiestie was interressed in some of them and some vnder the colour and pretence of that hoped stil to retaine them Therefore when we haue and looke still to enioy such great benefits by his most gracious gouernment what great cause haue wee to pray for him What cause we haue to pray for the life of our King And the greater that these benefits be the more cause haue we to pray for his life by whom next vnder God we looke to haue them continued For if he should miscarrie which God of his great mercie keepe from vs then all these great blessings might goe away with him at once For though by the grace of God he hath issue of his owne bodie lawfully begotten in holy Matrimony who shal sit in the throne of the kingdome after him yet they are all yong and it is no great blessing but rather a punishment to haue children raigne ouer vs Jsai 3.4 as the Prophet saith For besides many great wants that would be found in them the Nobles and Peeres of the land and such great men could not so well bee kept in order some of them when there were none to complaine of them if they should offend a Lord Protector or Viceroy carieth not the maiestie of a King in the hearts of men The forraine enemies would be more bold against a childe than against a man both of wisedom and courage yea there would be more
rebellions attempted at home Therefore wee haue great cause to pray for the life of our King and the rather for that wee see how his life hath been desperatly sought by diuers as appeareth by the confession of some who are in prison at the least for suspition of treason Now if they begin thus malitiously and impudently so soone what will they not dare to doe hereafter if God and good lawes doe not suppresse them And truly by this experience that we haue that euill things thus determined in secret are wonderfully disclosed and brought to light before hand and the malefactors apprehended and taken we may see the fruit of our former prayers for his Maiestie and that should incourage vs with good hope to pray for him still Nay we haue longer experience of the fruite of our prayers for our Princes in the time of good Queen Elizabeth whose life was so often sought and so desperatly that she might truly say with the Psalmist They haue often times afflicted mee from my youth Psal 129.2 but they could not preuaile against me for she went to her graue with peace full of daies threescore and nine which is a great age for a Prince when she had happily and peaceably raigned fiue and fortie yeeres Let vs labour then as much as in vs lieth to draw out by our prayers the life of our most gracious Soueraigne as an euen thred to the full for as the Lord God hath ordained the thing so also the meanes which we for our part must not neglect And let vs pray not onely for his royall person but also for his gouernment that vnder him wee may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in al godlinesse and honestie 1. Tim. 2.2 as the Apostle speaketh vnto Timothy and namely that at the next Parliament good lawes may be made for the reformation of all things that are amisse in the Church common-wealth This sermon fell out vpon that day which caused this digression And seeing that we are commanded to keepe the memory of this day with publike thanksgiuing for a famous and memorable deliuerance bestowed vpon his Maiestie in his Realme of Scotland from the treasonable conspiracie of the Earle of Gowry and his complices of whom in that respect we may say as it is in the Psalme If the Lord had not been on his side Psal 124.2 3 4 c. when men rose vp against him they had then swallowed him vp quick when their wrath was kindled against him then the water had drowned him and the streames had gone ouer his soule But praised be the Lord which hath not giuen him as a pray vnto their teeth his soule is escaped out of the snare of the fowlers the snare is broken and he is deliuered it falleth out not vnfitly with the argument that out of this text we haue in hand For as Dauid in this Psalme teacheth the people to pray for him and in the next to giue thankes so it is our bound dutie not onely to pray to God for him but to giue thankes for him as the Apostle also speaking of the duties of the people to their kings which he exhorteth Timothy to teach and to practise ioyneth these two together saying I exhort that supplications prayers intercessions 1. Tim. 2.1 and giuing of thankes be made for Kings and for all that are in authoritie And there is great reason that wee should thus doe What cause we haue to giue thankes to God for our King for if wee ought to bee thankfull vnto God for other common benefits as peace libertie the Gospell and such like then also for him by whom wee hold them Therefore among other benefits let vs continually remember this and see how wee faile therein and in our thanksgiuing remember other priuate benefits and not this great one or not so much as we should And though we must needes confesse that we haue great cause to be sorie for the death of our late Queene Elizabeth by whose wise gouernment we inioyed so many great benefits that we might much more truly say of her than Dauid did of Saul in his lamentation 2. Sam. 1.24 that she cloathed vs in skarlet with pleasures and hanged ornaments of gold vpon our apparel yet we must see and confesse to the praise of God as the truth is that we haue great cause to reioice that the Lord hath prouided one to succeed in her roome when her time was expired that it might not bee said of vs as it was of the Iewes in the daies of the Iudges Iudg. 18.1 that there was then no King in Israel and so we should haue bin as sheepe without a shepheard scattered here and there as it is said of the Israelites when King Ahab was slaine in the battell These haue no master let them returne euery man to his house in peace 2. Chron. 18.16 Then haue we much more cause to be thankfull that God hath raised vp him for vs In respect that he is right heire to the Crowne euen the right heire to the Crowne both by father and mother they two being the lawfull grand-children of the Ladie Margarite sometimes Queene of Scots by mariage and eldest daughter to King Henry the seuenth where if the Nobilitie had set vp some other of the bloud royall further off there must needes haue been great ciuill warres to the spilling of many thousand English mens blood and some of them should haue died in an ill cause ignorantly or against their wils as when the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster were a long time diuided in this land And then also some forrainer might easily by their owne power and by the helpe of the Papists and other mutinous and malecontented persons haue soon set footing into this Isle which would not so easily haue been driuen out againe And besides all this wee haue great cause to bee thankfull And so rarely qualited for the kingdome that he being the right heire is so wonderfully qualited for the kingdome that as the Queene lately deceased was a rare woman fit for the Crowne by election if not by inheritance so he a very rare man for all parts of soule and bodie and that the Lord did so fit him for this place and then sent him vnto vs that he came not as Saul in Gods wrath who was a cruell tyrant but as Dauid in Gods mercie to feede his people in Iacob Psal 78.71 and his inheritance in Israel And for his royall posteritie Act. 13.36 And this is no small benefit that he hath a royall posteritie to succeed in the throne of the kingdom least when he should haue serued his time by the counsel of God and so fall asleepe and be laid with his fathers we should be in a new feare And what should we say of this that he came to the Crowne so vnlooked for For though it was his inheritance yet such was the wisedome of
and prayed vnto the Lord and then the Prophet was sent again vnto him with this message 2. King 20.7 Thus saith the Lord God of Dauid thy father I haue heard thy prayer and seene thy teares beholde I will adde vnto thy dayes fifteene yeeres and then hee had them take a lumpe of drie figs and they tooke it and laid it on the boyle and he recouered Thus though there were meanes vsed yet God did cure him who had promised life and health vnto him before 2. Chron. 16.12 King Asa was diseased in his feete and his disease grew to some extremitie yet he sought not to the Lord in his disease Asa died of his disease though he had all help of phisick but to the Phisitions and he died of that disease so though he had all meanes of phisicke in his sicknesse yet he dyed of it because the Lord did not heale him And this is the only cause that some fall into sicknesse and some do not and of them some recouer and some doe not euen that the Lord defendeth the one and not the other So that as when God sent his destroying Angell and at his commandement it went through the whole land of Egypt and all the first borne from the first borne of Pharaoh that sate on his throne Exod. 12.29 to the first borne of the captiue that was in prison and all the first borne of beasts so that there was no house where there was not one dead yet the houses of the Israelites were marked with the blood of the Lambe and so none dyed there and that was because that was a token that when the Angell should see the blood he might passe ouer them and so the Lord did not suffer the destroyer to enter into their houses nor the plague to come vpon them to destruction for if God had not kept him out according to his promise they might haue dyed also So then concerning all them that we wish well vnto as wee should doe to all our brethren and for our selues Whether we haue meanes or haue them not all defence from the pestilence is only from God wee see who must be ours and their onely defence and who hath defended vs and them hitherto euen the Lord from whom all things doe come both good and euill therefore to him be thankfull in him trust and to him still pray For what is the cause that this pestilence is so greatly in one part of the land and not in another and in the same citie and towne why is it in one part or in one house and not in another and in the same house why is it vpon one and not vpon all the rest when they all liue together and draw in the same breath and eate and drinke together and lodge in the same chamber yea sometimes in the same bed what is the cause of this but that it pleaseth the Lord in wisdom for some cause to defend some for a time and not the rest Therfore let vs beleeue that in these dangerous times God must bee our onely defence and the defence of all others There are ordinary means I grant to bring the plague into a place and meanes to keep it out by the blessing of God but who giueth those meanes but God and who blesseth them and maketh them effectuall but he or who worketh without them or aboue them but onely he Therefore let vs beleeue this that all defence both in this sicknesse and all other dangers for our selues and for others is only from God and so in that faith let vs pray as these doe here not only for our selues but for others that are in danger of the plague The name of the God of Iacob defend you Therefore when in any sicknes or otherwise we haue neuer so good meanes let vs not trust to them 1. Sam. 2.6 but to the Lord who onely killeth and reuiueth bringeth downe to hell and raiseth vp againe King Asa as wee haue heard trusted to the Phisitions Therefore we must not trust to the means for God can frustrate thē and sought vnto thē in his sicknes and so though he being a King had many about him the most skilfull that could bee gotten and all helpes that Art could affoord yet he died Wee ought then to vse all good means in this time of the pestilence but not trust to thē but in the liuing God for without him all Phisitions al Phisick shall doe vs no good For God can for a time infatuate the wisest Physitions that they shall not discerne of the nature of the diseases and to bee able to doe it alwaies is the speciall gift of God and when they haue found it out yet at that time they shall not wisely and according to art prescribe but commit some great error if they do al this well it may come too late when we are past helpe if it come in time we may dislike it and our heart goe against it if wee be desirous to take it the things cannot be had or not had in time conuenient and when all is readie wee shall be so weake that we are not able to take them if we do doe they brooke not with vs and we cannot beare them if we doe yet they haue lost their force and are not well compounded and if they be yet they shall not worke at all or to any purpose if they doe yet not as they should and so they shall doe vs no good though wisely prescribed and carefully taken Therefore as in the great famine that was in Samaria when a woman cried vnto him saying Helpe my Lord 2. King 6.27 O King he answered Seeing the Lord doth not succour thee how should I helpe thee with the barne or with the wine-presse He said that hee could not helpe her in this famine vnlesse the Lord did helpe by sending and blessing the meanes as afterwards he did So when wee seeke vnto the Physitions and crie to them for helpe they may answere or we for them that they cannot help vs vnlesse God help God can help vs and heale vs when all meanes doe faile vs. Deut. 9.9 1. King 19.8 But on the contrarie when all meanes faile vs God can defend vs if it please him from all danger for he made all of nothing therefore he can doe any thing without them He that preserued Moses and Helias fortie daies without meate and drinke can preserue vs when all meanes faile vs. Iesus Christ who in the daies of his flesh healed all diseases with his word and did but say to the dumme and deafe Be open and they could presently heare and speake Mar. 7.34 and that said to the leapers whose disease was deadly and infectiue as the plague is I will be thou cleane and they were immediatly healed euen somtimes many together Matth. 8.3 Luk. 17.14 is able by the same word of his now when all power is giuen vnto him in heauen
God king of England Scotland Fraunce and Ireland defendor of the true auntient Catholicke and Apostolicke faith and in all causes as well Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill and ouer all persons within these his realmes and dominions next and immediatly vnder Christ Iesus supreme gouernour and iugde we are to pray for his life and for the life of the Queene the Prince and all their noble and worthy ofspring and for his maiesties person that God would saue him from his enemies as we see that he hath not wanted some in this short time of his raigne that we might still reioyce And we must be thus persuaded that his saluation shall be still our ioy as this people doth thus here thinke of Dauid their king Therefore as we desire the continuance of our ioy and comfort so let vs still pray for the preseruation of his most excellent maiestie the meanes and cause of it For that which is sayd of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon is true of all good kings and namely of our soueraigne Lord King Iames most of all Dan. 4.9 What benefits we inioy vnder his Maiesties gouernment He was like a goodly great tree whose bowes were faire and the fruit thereof much and it was meat for all it made a shadow vnder it for the beasts of the field and the foules of the heauen dwelt in the branches thereof and all flesh fed of it So doe we vnder his gratious gouernment inioy defence and protection from all enemies iniuries and wrongs and it is as a shadow to vs against the scorching heat of the sunne and by his meanes we peaceably inioy the vse of all that we haue both for meat and drinke and all things needfull for the preseruation of this life and so we as it were feed of his fruit Therefore we had need still to pray for his preseruation not onely that all these great benefits might be continued but that we might still reioyce in them as now we doe and let vs be persuaded that as long as God shall preserue him out of the handes of his enemies and prolong his life so long shall we haue cause to reioyce VVhat shall we thinke then of them that haue sought not the preseruation but the vtter ruine and finall ouerthrow of their naturall princes kings and Queenes as wee haue had too great experience of it in this land both in the dayes of our late good Queene Elizabeth especially and also in this short time of our now worthy king Iames we must needs iudge of them not onely as traitours to their persons but as common enemies to all the people of this land in that they haue sought to bereaue vs and them of the chiefest cause of our ioy Traytors are enemies to the common ioy and so to cast vs into vntimely sorrow For as there was great lamentation among the Iewes and not without cause 2 Chron. 35.24 25. at the death of that good and godly king Iosiah so that Ieremie the Prophet trembled also and seemed to be the chiefe mourner so had we no lesse cause to lament at the death of our noble vertuous Queene and the ministers of the Gospell most of all and all the vnfained professors of the same and should haue had a great deale more if she had beene traitorously taken away before the full number of her dayes were expired to the great disturbance of the whole Realme according to the desperat and continual attempts of her enemies And so should we now still haue if any such thing should be offered vnto his maiesties person Therefore we must iudge of them as of our greatest enemies who seeke to bring vpon vs a common sorrow before the time But let vs lift vp though not our hands yet our voice against them pray vnto God still to disappoint them of their treasonable deuises and diuellish practises and to preserue our king and all his that so we may still reioyce in their saluation euen for Christ Iesus his sake In thy saluation c. As all subiects principally should by this example learne to pray for their kings and all chiefe gouernours vnder them That God would preserue and blesse them that they might thēselues reioyce because they be worthy instruments of Gods goodnesse vnto them which is the thing that hath bin handled alreadie so all inferiours may here see as in a glasse what minds they should carry to all their superiours those that God hath placed in any roume of what kind so euer they be that they should bee persuaded that in their preseruation and welfare consisteth their owne ioy and comfort All inferiors should count the welfare of their superiors their own ioy and that they cannot miscarrie or any ill befall them but themselues must needs be sorrowfull and in that respect pray for them continually be they neuer so meane As with this mind persuasion the people should pray for their minister's and teachers who watch for their soules Heb. 13.17 and for the saluation of them as the holy Apostle saith For it is true that Christ saith of them and was found most true in his owne person That when the shepheard is smitten Matth. 26.31 the sheepe will be scattered that is when God taketh them away who are their guiders the people are in daunger to fall into all kind of error heresie and sinne and to be distracted scattered among themselues not onely in iudgement but in affection besides they may want the comfort of Gods word and of their praiers So should all children be affected to their naturall parents fathers mothers and also seruants to their masters and gouernours That seeing God hath placed them ouer them for their good and they inioy so many great benefis in their houses and by their meanes and so haue so many causes of reioycing from them by them they should pray for their liues health and welfare that they may reioyce there still for they shall haue their part in it and it shall bee the better for them And they must thinke before hand that whē God takes them away they shall haue great cause of sorrow And their death or hurt their sorrow as we see how greatly Ioseph lamented for his fathers death who when he gaue vp the ghost Gen. 50.1 Vers 11. His sonne fell vpon his fathers face wept so he cōtinued mourning for him a long time at his buriall there was such great mourning for him that the place had the name of it And Esau the sonne of Izack though he was a wicked disobedient child as appeareth in his storie Heb 12.16 yea a prophane person as the holy Ghost calleth him yet he had so much grace in him as we say that hee thinketh of his fathers death before hand as of a time of sorrow and mourning and so speaketh of it Gene. 27.41 saying The dayes of mourning for my father will come shortly
exception against it and to say Behold how hee seeketh himselfe hee hath giuen vs a forme of prayer but it is all or most for himselfe So when the Ministers of Gods word shall shew what duties the people owe to them as they are Gods Ministers they must not scornfully reiect it saying he hath taught vs indeede a good lesson to day but the greatest part of it did concerne himselfe see how wel he can plead for himselfe For doe we not see how the Apostle Paul who was so humble and lowly that hee did figuratiuely applie the faults of others to himselfe and to Apollos 1. Cor. 4.6 that the Corinthians might learne by them not to swell one against another for any cause teacheth the Churches and people of God to pray for him Eph. 6.19 and to reuerence his person as the Minister of Christ and the disposer of the secrets of God also to bestow their worldly goods vpon him for his maintenance 1. Cor. 6.1 yea the maintenance of his wife and children and whole familie if hee had any and doth hee not iustly finde fault with them when they had failed in these things Phil. 4.10 Therefore though many that I say not my selfe doe often wittingly and of purpose passe by such doctrine arising necessarily from the words of their text or doe teach it seldome and very sparingly least any should stumble at this without a cause yet when any such thing is deliuered wee see how it must be receiued and practised The like is to be said of all gouernours in a family And gouernours of families to those that are committed to thē the parents father and mother or the master and mistris or dame may and ought without any imputation from any teach their sonnes and daughters their maide seruants and man seruants what is their dutie not onely and principally to God but to others euen to themselues and these inferiors must paciently heare them and not be offended at it but willing to learne and doe them For besides that they should thus thinke of themselues that they are in place to teach them and so they must receiue instruction at their mouthes the gouernours also do know that in the performance of such duties to them consisteth their good and for the neglect of such God will punish them When as then they shall heare them say you ought to behaue your selues thus and thus to me you ought so to speake euen reuerently your behauiour to mee and your obedience ought to bee so and so they must not proudly and disdainfully cast it behinde their backes but willingly imbrace it and conscionably practise it Yea one man in godlinesse wisdome and christian modesty And one neighbour may thus teach another may tell others what duties they owe to them in respect of their callings yeeres and such like and say you ought to behaue your selfe towards mee thus and thus do you not knowe that I am your elder your better your neighbour your kinseman c without any suspition of foolish ambition For as if wee had an euill debter wee might without suspition of couetousnesse tell him that hee is in our debt and that hee oweth vs so much and require him to pay it so other duties that any owe to vs we may without surmise of selfe-loue require at their hands Therefore in what calling soeuer we be though indeede we should alwaies and in all things be more forwards to doe duties then to require them of others yet we should not impose vpon our selues such a maydenlinesse or Stoical modestie that we should neuer challenge our right of men and shew what duties they owe vnto vs especially seeing wee should teach and admonish one another whilest we haue time and whilest it is called to day and we also doe know Heb. 3.13 that for them to performe such duties vnto vs shall make for their good How hardly men will admit this kind of teaching And this that we haue spoken is the rather to be marked of vs because we shall find naturally that we do more easily admit that kind of teaching wherein we are shewed our dutie to others rather than to those that doe teach vs. As if the Minister of the Gospell should publikely or any other priuatly tell vs what we should doe to God or to our King or to our gouernors or to our parents or to our neighbours we may happely with quietnes heare it yet it were to be wished that all would do so but if he come to shew what God requireth to be done to himselfe and to his ministery then they are ready to take exception against it and they thinke that they may lawfully gainesay it at least wise pause vpon it and say see what a faire taile he hath told for himselfe and so though it be a dutie and God requires it of them and they heare it and the conscience doth sufficiently conuict them of it yet forsooth because it concerneth them that speake they little regard it and though in some cases they will giue a man leaue to speake for his owne profit yet not for duties to be performed vnto them though it be for the profit of others Therefore seeing that wee shall finde this corruption so strong in vs and so deepely as it were to be rooted in the bones that it will not out of the flesh euen that our stomackes will sooner rise against a man when he speaketh to vs of himselfe and of our duty to him then of another and wee can more hardly brooke and digest such kinde of teaching we had need to be put in minde of it and to be made acquainted with it so much the more And thus we conclude by the example of Dauid in giuing this forme of prayer in his behalfe The conclusion and of the people in vsing it for him and so doe willingly performe this dutie of prayer for their King though he taught it them that it is lawfull for the Ministers of God to teach publikely in their Sermons such duties as belong to themselues yea and for all sorts of men priuatly to admonish their neighbours and brethren of the like without any iust suspition of ill meaning and that all inferiours must with meekenes and reuerence receiue such instructions willingly at their mouthes and be swift to heare them and slowe to replie or speake against them and be carefull to follow them in the feare of God and not to thinke much of it that they should come thus neere them as to presse vpon them such duties as they owe not any to other but to themselues seeing God hath ordained one of vs to helpe another as the members of the body doe and the superiours therein seeke their good and not themselues so much and the inferiors also shall finde by experience that it is profitable for themselues to doe such things as are required at their hands THE FIFTH SERMON vpon the first verse
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
the name of God that is his iustice mercie power and truth Now seeing Gods name is manifest not onely in his word but in his workes of mercie and iustice for the inuisible things of God are seene in the creation and gouernment of the world as his eternall power infinit wisedome Rom. 1.20 mercie c. to leaue all men without excuse let vs pray to God for them that hee would sanctifie vnto them the one and the other euen this fatherly visitation of his vnto vs all that thereby wee and they may more and more know and feare his name euen that he is iust and hateth sin and will not make the wicked innocent Exod. 34.7 but visiteth the iniquitie of the father vpon the children and vpon childrens children vnto the third and fourth generation and that he is mercifull to all those that repent at what time so euer as wee see in the example of the theefe vpon the crosse who when at the last gaspe he confessed his sins saying to his fellow We are indeed righteously punished for we receiue things worthie of that wee haue done and cried vnto God for mercie Luc. 23.41 saying vnto Christ Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome he receiued this most comfortable answere from him Verily I say vnto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise That so wee might all iudge our selues thorowly now at the last that the Lord in his good time might cease iudging of vs whilest that we shall exhort one another as the Prophet willeth vs and say Come and let vs returne vnto the Lord Hos 6.1 for he hath spoyled and hee will heale vs hee hath wounded vs and he will binde vs vp And so many of vs as do know the name of God aright let vs make that good vse of it that we should namely that we seek vnto him in prayer both for our selues and for others and say as it is in the Psalme Psal 115.1 Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glorie for thy louing mercie and for thy truths sake that is that hee would helpe vs euen for the glorie of his name The God of Iacob The God of Iacob Whereas he speaketh not onely of the name of God but of the God of Iacob If by Iacob we mean that particular person the holy Patriarke so called because when he was borne Gen. 25.26 he held his brother by the heele in token that though hee was the yonger yet in time he should supplant his brother and preuaile against him as also hee did when he got the birthright first and then the blessing of God from him who was also afterwards called Israel that is Chap. 32.28 a mightie prince of the strong God when hee had wrastled with the Angell and preuailed with him in his returne frō Laban to shew that seeing he had preuailed with God he should much more preuaile with mē euen against all his enemies as he did against Laban Esau and others If I say it be thus taken then they in their prayers haue respect vnto that great deliuerance that God gaue vnto him against all his enemies according to his name Iacob and so by it they confirme themselues by this great experience in him They confirme their faith by the example of Iacob and so must we by his others that God would do so now to them in the like case that as he defended Iacob from his enemies so hee would defend Dauid from his and as hee heard Iacob praying in his trouble when he fled from Esau and from Laban so he would doe Dauid now And truly this was a very good meanes to confirme their hope at this time to consider the former dealing of God with others in the like case Therefore by their example we must so read and search the scriptures that we may marke and apply the examples of Gods mercie and deliuerances vpon others to our selues That we may say that that God hath done so and so to others let him deale so mercifully with me now For there is no change in God or respect of persons with him but as hee hath punished the wicked in former times and holpen the godly so will hee doe still And therefore as S. Paul doth rightly applie the examples of Gods iustice in the Scriptures to the Corinthians to keepe them from sinne saying Let not vs commit fornication as some of them committed fornication and fell in one day three and twentie thousand 1. Cor. 10. ◠neither let vs tempt Christ as some of them tempted him and were destroyed with serpents neither murmure yee as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer So doth Dauid here allude vnto the mercie of God in Iacob and applie the example of it vnto them to incourage them vnto prayer Rom. 15.4 For indeede whatsoeuer things are written afore time are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope And truly if we would thus do Then might we haue great comfort in our prayers for euery estate then might we haue great confidence in our prayers for there should be no estate of our owne or of others but we might in the Scripture finde some example of Gods mercy shewed to them in the like case that haue sought to him for it As if we cōsider the dangers and enemies of our King which hee hath had since hee came into this realme that we might pray for him with good hope we must set before our eyes the estate of King Dauid not only before he came to the right of the crowne by the continuall and cruell practises of Saul but after that he was lawfully possessed of it by treason at home euen by the rebellion of his own children and others their confederates but yet God defended him from them all that wee might say The name of the God of Dauid defend thee that is thou God that thus diddest maintaine Dauid in his right of the kingdome against al his enemies defend thy seruant our King in his iust inheritance against all his enemies But if we consider as wee haue great cause to doe this dangerous time of the pestilence As in this pestilence from the example of Dauid that wee might bee incouraged vnto prayer let vs bethinke our selues how it was in the daies of Dauid when hee and the people had prouoked the Lord. Hee sent such a grieuous plague among them that in the space of three daies there died of it threescore and ten thousand But when Dauids heart smote him for that that he had done and he repented and confessed his sinne vnto God and did iudge himselfe for it being willing to beare the punishment himselfe that the people might be spared hauing pitie vpon them as it is written of him It is euen I that haue sinned 1. Chron. 21.17 and haue committed
prayer euen that it is an inward desire of the heart vnto God for some thing which he that is the onely searcher of the heart knoweth and so is able to satisfie VVhich is so to be vnderstood not that we should vse no words at all in prayer for they are sometimes necessarie as not only when many pray together that one should speake out aloud that the rest might heare and say Amen but euen many times when we pray alone by our selues that by our speech our minds might be stirred vp and also kept vpon that that wee speake But euen then the substance of our prayer is in the desire of the heart and our words are but signes to testifie and declare the same Though words be vsed yet the desire of the hart is the chiefest so that there can be no true prayer at all without the desire of the heart but there may be very effectuall prayer without words and when in prayer both doth concurre words and desires God respecteth this later more than the former and the desires of our hearts doe crie lowder in the eares of the Lord of hoasts than all the words that we can vse be they neuer so many and so vehement And though desires without words are effectuall yet words without the desire of the heart is nothing worth and therefore Dauid though he vsed both yet here nameth this onely and after when he giueth thankes to God for hearing of his prayers though hee nameth both yet hee placeth this first Psal 21.2 as the chiefe saying Thou hast giuen him his hearts desire and hast not denied him the request of his lips Therefore when we pray let vs prepare our hearts that they may be full of holy desires and in prayer let vs hold out in them and not suffer them to fall for when they decay and die then doe we cease praying though our lips mooue still neuer so fast And so all they that pray in a strange tongue and know not what they say as is the manner of the Papists and so cannot possibly haue any desire in their heart of that that they speake doe not pray at all And therefore though they boast greatly of prayer and say that they did continually pray because they had their beads about them Without which words are not regarded and their lips were going yet in truth there was not neither could there be any prayer at all among them And besides all they in our daies who in the time of prayer haue their minds otherwise occupied than about that that is prayed for though they kneele downe lift vp their eyes and hands and say Amen with the rest do not pray one whit but are as farre from praying as can be though they seeme vnto others to pray very deuoutly Therefore when we come hether to the house of prayer to pray together and one of vs for another they and they only haue the benefit of common prayer who haue their minds attent vpon that that is said and desire from their heart the same thing with the rest For here we pray to God that he would giue to euery one according to his desire if then either they be asleepe or talking or gazing about or otherwise busie then we pray that God would giue them nothing for they desire nothing And hereunto agreeth that which the virgine Marie saith in her song He hath filled the hungry with good things Luk. 1.53 and sent away the rich emptie VVhere she confesseth that those who desire good things of God earnestly as the hungry and thirstie desire meat and drinke those he filleth and bestoweth plentifully vpon them vnto their contentment but they that are rich and full as it were in their owne opinion and so desire nothing of God as they should they receiue nothing but are sent away as emptie as they come And this is so certaine that in prayer God looketh into the heart wholly that it that be mooued to desire earnestly though we speake not a word it is sufficient he knoweth well ynough what we pray for and will graunt it as soone as though we had vsed all the words that might be to persuade For thus it is said of Hannah when she prayed in the temple because she was barren She spake in her heart her lips did mooue only 1. Sam. 1.13 but her voice was not heard and when Hely thought that she had beene drunken because he saw her lips mooue but heard no voice God heareth the desire of the heart whē there are no wordes and told her of it saying How long wilt thou be drunken she answered and said Nay my lord but I am a woman troubled in spirit and haue poured out my soule before the Lord. Then he praied vnto God for her that he would graunt her this petition that she had made in her heart without words and the Lord did so and gaue her a manchild which she prayed for as her selfe doth afterwards confesse Thus we see that God heareth the desire of the heart when there are no words as on the contrarie he careth not for all the words that can be vsed without this desire After this manner also did Nehemiah pray and was heard for when he was waiting at the Kings table for he was his butler by reason of the ill newes which he heard of the Church of God a little before it was perceiued that his countenance was more sad than it was wont to be in former times and the king asked him the cause of it seeing that he was not sicke and said certainely it was nothing else but sorrow of heart Nehem. 2.1 Then Nehemiah told him the cause of it and the king most gratiously bad him require what he would and so he desired of him as it is set downe there But first of all it is said Verse 4. That he prayed to the God of heauen which must needs be thus vnderstood that he did stoutly lift vp his mind vnto God according as the time and place did then require and desired him to blesse him and to mooue the heart of the king to be fauourable towards him for it was not fit for him then to haue kneeled downe and to haue spoken aloud and so haue made a long prayer when the king was at meat and so he offered vp the desire of his heart vnto God though he spake nothing and God graunted it And this is so vndoubtedly true that God in prayer looketh to the desire of the heart Rom. 8.26 that it is said That when we know not what to pray as we ought the spirit of God it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit for hee maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God So that when we for paine of bodie or griefe of mind cannot speake one word aright then the very sighes and
the example of Balaam the sorcerer who would needs goe at the request of Baalack king of Moab Else he can crosse and punish vs in them in hope of great gaine and preferment that was promised vnto him to curse the Israelits and so to root them out by his inchantments The Lord did sufficiently shew him by the course of his prouidence and ill successe that he had in the way that it was not his will that he should goe Num. 23.7 8. yet he would needs goe on But when he came there he was driuen to doe cleane contrarie to his purpose euen to blesse them though he sought diuers times and set his diuinations to curse them wherupon the king of Moab was greatly angry with him and it is most like that he lost his reward and so he was disappointed of his purpose in this iourney where he was not contented to be ordered by the Lord but would go as it were against his will And in his returne home he was slaine in battell by the Israelites Num. 31.8 Thus when he thought that he had had his purpose then did he most of all misse of it because God did not fulfill it Therefore when we purpose any thing and haue taken counsell for it and haue also very good meanes to bring it to passe let vs pray vnto God that if it be his holy will he would fulfill it And in matters of great moment let vs not content our selues with our owne prayers but desire others to pray to God for vs as Dauid did here desire the people thus to pray to God for him The Lord graunt thee according to thine heart and fulfill all thy purpose so may we speed well of our purposes as he did And when we haue purposed so and so and it hath fallen out otherwise not according to our purpose as in many things often it doth and they that are wise to obserue things shall soone perceiue it it is to teach vs to depend vpon Gods prouidence who onely bringeth all things to passe according to his owne decree and let vs make that good vse of it That when we see how in disappointing vs of our purposes the Lord hath sometimes prouided better for vs than we had purposed our selues How we shold profit when we are disappointed of our purposes we might be thankefull vnto him and learne thereby in all things to depend vpon him who hath so greatly shewed his care ouer vs and not to trust too much to our selues As we must needs confesse that in many things the Lord hath thus dealt with vs. But if things fall out worse with vs than we had purposed as sometimes also it doth we see how God can hinder vs of our best purposes that so we may alwaies in them pray vnto him that he would blesse them And let vs for all our life past and for all things that haue befallen vs in the same acknowledge and confesse as the truth is to the glorie of God our own cōfort That whatsoeuer good we haue purposed for our owne benefit or the welfare of others and it hath so come to passe that it was God only that did fulfill them And whē they be fulfilled whatsoeuer the meanes were for both they and the successe of them were of him and so let vs be thankefull vnto him for the same And let vs not ascribe them either to our good fortune and chance as though things fell out vncertainely we know not how neither to our owne wit and policie to our own strength and power as though we were sufficient in our selues as many are too ready to say I may thanke my good fortune for such a thing or I may thanke my selfe for it or my wit or my hands for this that I haue but let vs thanke God who onely bringeth to passe the purposes of all men So shall we for the time to come learne to depend vpon him for our selues and for all ours beyond that that we can see when as we remember how for the time past he hath prouided better for vs than we had purposed or could haue done for our selues VVhereas when it is otherwise God looseth his praise and we the fruit of his fatherly dealing and mercifull prouidence towards vs. And this is that that we haue to obserue out of the fourth verse The fifteenth Sermon vpon the fifth verse That we may reioyce in thy saluation and set vp our banners in the name of our God when the Lord shall performe all thy petitions HEre the first part of the praier is continued and ended The meaning of the fifth verse I meane the petitions which the people make for the king where they shew why and wherefore they are so desirous that God would thus heare and defend him namely that so not only he but all they euen the whole Church of God might reioyce in that saluation that God should bestow vpon him For they spake before of the king and for him they did pray and so this word thy is to be referred vnto him and they meane that defence and safegard that God should bestow vpon him and his armie VVherein they were taught to acknowledge themselues to haue a part in the affaires of the king were they prosperous or vnprosperous as all subiects must thus thinke of their kings and princes This word reioyce others doe translate sing of thy saluation which is all one in sence sauing that the one is the cause and the other is the effect For ioy often causeth singing and singing commonly argueth ioy as the Apostle saith Is any among you merrie Iam 5.13 let him sing VVhat then would they sing of the saluation and defence of their king and so they meane that they would praise God for it And thus the end of their prayer is the glory of God that they reciuing so great a benefit from him in the person of their king might be so affected with ioy that they might sing forth publikely the prayse of God for it as afterwards they did And this they expresse more fully in the next words when as they say And set vp our banners in the name of our God c. that is That we thus hauing the victory and triumphing ouer our enemies might as conquerors not onely inwardly reioyce but outwardly declare it not to our owne prayse or the prayse of our king so much but to the glory of the name of our God VVhen he shall fulfill all thy petitions as it followeth in the text namely of the king for whom they pray So that here still they pray God to graunt all his petitions but they bring this as a reason to moue him thereunto or to confirrme their owne faith that he will so doe That they might haue cause to praise the name of God And so they shew before hand what they mind to doe when God shall thus blesse the king and his people namely they will
bestow this benefit vpon me then I will praise him for it As we should doe thus for all Gods benefits We should more specially praise God for those benefits which we haue asked of him so most of all for those which we haue asked of him as they say here When he shall fulfill all thy petitions they had prayed before that God would heare them and now they promise this That they will set vp their banners in his name And there is great reason of this for besides the benefits that we receiue which deserue prayse we haue thereby experience of the goodnesse of God in hearing our praiers Thus we read in the Gospell that when ten leapers were cleansed all of them hauing begged it of Christ before saying Iesus master haue mercie vpon vs Luke 17.17 but one returned to giue thankes and Christ asketh for the other nine and so sheweth what was their dutie also namely that as they had asked this benefit with him so they should haue returned with him to giue thankes And to this end is it sayd so often in the Psalme where he sheweth how in sundry afflictions men crie vnto God and he heareth them and deliuereth them Psal 107.8.15.21.31 Let them therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull works before the sonnes of men where he exhorteth all to praise God for those benefits which hee hath bestowed vpon them at their prayers But indeed this doctrine is so well knowne that it needeth no great proofe there is none so ignorant or so vnthankefull that will denie it onely we had need to examine our selues how we doe practise it whether we haue endeuoured to praise God for all his benefits and especially for those that we haue most desired when we haue had thē whether we haue ben any whit the more carefull to set forth the prayse of God for them than before Now if we find by this triall that the more that God hath giuē vs the more we haue glorified him then may we haue comfort and hope of the continuance of them but if in the abundance of all Gods benefits Let vs examin whether as Gods benefits encrease so we set foorth his glory the more we take our ease and set out our selues to the world and grow more proud and be lesse carefull to glorifie God as most commonly it falleth out then we prouoke God to take them away or to punish vs in them Therefore let euery one consider what good he doth with all that he hath and how by Gods blessings as wealth and such like not his owne name is aduaunced but what good he hath done since for the seruice and glory of God If he see they goe together the increase of Gods benefits vpon him and the increase of Gods glory in him it is well and he hath cause to reioyce but if the one increase greatly and the other decay or stand at a stay then it is the next way to loose all As we are taught in the parable of the Talents Matth. 25.24 he that hid that one that he had in a napkin and did no good with it nor vse it to his masters aduantage it was taken from him and he is called an euill and vnprofitable seruant So all are vnprofitable that in their seuerall callings vse not that which God giueth them to his glory and this shal be the end of them That all that they haue shall be taken from them and they shall haue their portion with the wicked That we may reioyce c. As they haue desired helpe of God for the glory of his name and promised to prayse him for it so more particularly they say that they shall reioyce in the saluation of the king They pray for this benefit that they might reioice namely if God would helpe him out of the hands of his enemies and giue him victorie ouer them For in the preseruation of the king was the good of the whole Church and common wealth therefore if he did well they should reioice and in his hurt and losse was the losse of them all and so they should haue cause to sorrow Therfore they vse this also as a reason to persuade the Lord to hear them That wheras now they were doubtfull or rather in great feare he by the victorie would giue them cause to reioice And though they shew whereunto their ioy should tend namely to the prayse of God singing vnto him of his saluation and setting vp their banners in his name yet they exclude not this but rather include it namely the common ioy of all the people and of the whole Church of God So that we may lawfully desire of God such things as we want to this end euen that we might reioyce and this one thing is sufficient to moue the Lord to giue them euen that thereby we might haue cause to reioyce as we must confesse that then we shal haue cause so to doe For besides the comfort of the thing that he giueth which may cleere vp the outward and inward man the inuisible things also of God are to be seene in his creatures and benefites as his wisedome power Rom. 1.20 goodnesse and mercie c. and so in the sight and feeling of the same we may reioyce much more especially when we haue prayed to God for them we may reioyce that God hath heard our prayers And so we may desire God to heare vs that so not onely for his benefits but for his goodnesse towards vs in them and especially in hearing our prayers for them we may reioyce God is willing to blesse his people that they might reioice Behold then I pray you the wonderfull goodnesse of our God who desireth our ioy and comfort and giueth vs things to that end that we might reioyce and would haue vs aske them of him to that end as this people doth here For as among men this often moueth them to heare vs that we professe to them and they see it also that if they shall doe so and so for vs we shall haue great case to reioyce and be glad and whereas now wee for the want of it are in heauinesse and sorrow this will cheere vp our hearts And this is sufficient to moue them that are of any good disposition that in doing for them that are in need we see that we shall make them and theirs right glad and the poore when they sue to them they vse this as a reason and it is accepted Then may we vrge this vnto the Lord much more and we may be assured that it will moue him As parents are willing to doe good to their children to that end For so good is the Lord to all that are his that he delighteth not in their sorow and griefe no more than parents doe in the griefe of their children nay a great deale lesse by how much his loue infinitely without all degree of comparison
there was great sorrow among the Iewes and fasting and weeping and mourning and many lay in sackcloth and ashes but they all prayed vnto God and he deliuered them and saued them from their enemies Chap. 9.17 and turned the dayes of famine into the daies of feasting and ioy So let vs giue our selues vnto continuall prayer that the Lord may be entreated of vs at the last and so in his appointed time it may come to passe that whereas many of the chiefe cities and townes amongst vs haue beene a long time in great perplexitie by reason of this grieuous pestilence and contagious mortalititie and in all places of this realme besides whither tidings of their estate hath and doth weekely come they haue been in sorrow and great heauinesse and in weeping and mourning and fasting now there may be cause of reioysing and praysing God and these dayes of sorrow and fasting may bee turned into the dayes of great ioy and feasting That so we may as this people wish for themselues here reioyce when he shall fulfill all our petitions VVhich the Lord of his infinit mercie graunt for Iesus Christs sake Amen The sixteenth Sermon vpon the fifth verse That we may reioyce in thy saluation c. AS they bring this for a reason in their prayer to mooue the Lord to bestow vpon them this benefit so here they professe that if hee will vouchsafe so to doe they would reioyce indeed and bee glad and as they should haue cause From whence wee may learne how we ought to be affected with the common benefits of our time We ought to reioyce in the common benefits of our time as here they speake of publicke blessing namely victorie ouer their enemies and so of common peace and tranquilitie that should follow namely that we should take them from God as matter of great ioy And as when there is any common affliction and plague in the land of what kind soeuer wee should be affected with it and be sorrowfull for it and not haue that stoninesse and hardnesse of heart that is in too many whereby it should come to passe that wee should make light of such things and not be mooued with them as we ought So we should be touched with the consideration of the common benefits to reioice in them because we haue our part in them and the greater that those benefits be the more should we reioyce in them and the more should be our ioy for them or else we cannot be so thankefull vnto God for them as we ought VVee should not then be so carelesse that we should not marke the common benefits of our time nor so blockish and hard hearted that in marking of them we should not reioyce in them For we see that the seruants of God in their seuerall ages and times haue not onely greatly reioyced in the common benefits of the Church and Commonwealth wherein they haue had their part with the rest of their brethren but they haue openly professed it to the glorie of God and the good example of others As when they returned from the captiuitie of Babylon where they had beene long not onely in a strange countrey but vnder idolaters now when they come home and haue the freedome of their conscience in Gods seruice and that in their own countrey they were not onely filled with ioy but they speak of it among themselues to their mutuall comfort and as when they went out they wept and were touched with the common miserie of that time and put away all tokens of ioy from them Psal 137.2 For by the waters of Babylon they hanged their harpes vpon the willowes and said that they would not sing the Lords song in a strange land so in their returne they speake otherwise of themselues for as the benefit was so great and so vnlooked for of many Psal 126.1 That when the Lord brought againe the captiuitie of Sion they were like them that dreame so their ioy was so great that they say Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with ioy and they say The Lord hath done great things for vs whereof we reioyce The Lord hath vouchsafed vs and our forefathers the like mercie in deliuering vs long ago from the tyrannie of the Pope As that we are deliuered frō poperie and of his idolatrie and giuen vs this freedome of the gospell in our owne countrey we must so consider of it That as those holy men that wanted it so prayed for it that they might reioyce as this people doth here for another benefit so now we that haue it might reioyce in it indeed and not to be so sencelesse and void of feeling as many are not at all or very little to be mooued with so great cause of ioy The like may be said of all other common benefits whatsoeuer as when Salomon was appointed to be king in his father Dauids roome and this was done with the common consent of all the nobles and chiefe men of the realme it is said they gaue thankes vnto God and were exceedingly glad 1. Chron. 29.20 For Dauid said vnto them Now blesse the Lord your God and all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers and bowed down their heads and worshipped the Lord and the king And they did eat and drinke before the Lord the same day with great ioy and they made Salomon the sonne of Dauid king the second time So this great benefit to haue one good prince to succeed another peaceably And then wee haue one good prince to succeed another was vnto them matters of great ioy In which respect we haue no lesse cause to reioyce than they that after the death of our late Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie by whom we did enioy many great benefits who did restore religion and tooke order for the seruice seruants of the Lord as Dauid did we haue one in Gods great mercie to succeed that maintaineth the Gospell and that he is peaceably come to the Crowne as Salomon was then so that neither we are fallen into the hands of our enemies nor giuen vp vnto Popish idolatrie as both of them were greatly feared But as this benefit was greatly desired of many before and they thought that then they would reioice and otherwise they could not so we that enioy it must reioyce in it and so consider of the greatnesse of it that our hearts may be made glad with it and that wee may eat and drinke before the Lord and vse other of his benefits as in his presence with great ioy So is it said afterwards in the dayes of this Salomon when he had builded and made an end of the temple of the Lord and had with solemne prayers and sacrifices dedicated it vnto his seruice all the people of the land that came vp to Ierusalem to the dedication of that house when all things were finished The king sent away into their tents
oppressions So was it in the time of the Iewes captiuitie when Haman for malice that he bore vnto Mordecay sought his destruction and because his malice was vnsatiable he thought it too litle to lay hands vpon him onely Hest 3.6 but because they had shewed him the people of Mordicay he sought to destroy all the Iewes at once that were throughout the whole kingdome of Ahashuerosh to that end vnder the colour of the kings profit he gat a decree to be sealed with his signet That vpon such a day all of thē should be rooted out destroied both young old women children This seemed vnto him very good pollicie to bring his purpose to passe and when the posts with the kings letters were sent out into all places he might haue thought himselfe sure of it but God did not prosper it and so it came to naught and his purpose was disappointed because God did not fulfill it Chap. 5.14 And afterwards when Zeresh his wife all his friends gaue him this counsel That seeing he was in so great fauor with the king the queen as to be inuited with the king vnto a banquet which the queene had prepared and none but he was inuited that he would make a gibbet of fiftie cubites hie and in the morning when hee went vnto the king that he would speake vnto him that Mordecay might be hanged thereon and then he should goe ioyfully with the king vnto the banquet And that also pleased Haman well and he purposed to doe so But this tooke no place neither because God did not prosper it but contrariwise himselfe was hanged on it by the commaundement of the king and thus he could not bring his purposes to passe because God did not fulfill them But on the other side when Hester and Mordecay did heare of this wicked decree and did aduise with themselues what was best to be done for the safegard of the life of the Iewes and at the last did resolue vpon this Chap. 4.8 That the queene should goe into the king and make supplication for her people and she did so This good counsell and the successe thereof they commended vnto God in prayer yea in fasting and prayer three daies and three nights together and this God blessed and brought it to passe so that they had libertie from the king Chap. 8.11 both to stand for their owne liues and to destroy all the power of the people that vexed them both children and women and to spoyle their goods and they did so And truly if all men in all controuersies which they haue with their aduersaries would first take good counsell according to Gods word and then acknowledge that the successe of it is in Gods hand and pray earnestly vnto him for it they might prosper more in their suites at the law than they doe But because they neglect this and for the most part seeke for craftie counsell such as hath no promise of Gods blessing because it is contrarie to the law of charitie and then in such cases they neither doe nor can pray to God for his blessing vpon it that he would fulfill all their counsell therefore it is not so And thus we see why some are ouerthrowne in their good causes namely they seeke not to God that he would fulfill all their counsels but thinke themselues sufficient without his blessing and so God leaueth them to themselues that by experience they might see it to bee otherwise Therefore let vs profit vnto our dutie by other mens harmes Furthermore whereas Dauid was a king and now gone out to warre and willeth the people at home to pray to God for him That hee would fulfill all his purpose and counsell wee must vnderstand thus much that as he was wise himselfe so he had his counsell both for warre and for peace as all kings haue and they were to aduise him in euery action what was best to be done yet he rested not in that We ought to pray that God would blesse the consultations of the king and his counsellors but desireth the people that they would pray That God would fulfill all which by his grace they should determine and they did so So must we doe for the kings highnesse And though he be godly and wise himselfe and hath many worthie noblemen of his most Honourable priuie Counsell who are of great wisedome and long experience as they must not rest in their owne deuices but commend them vnto God in prayer and desire others also that are about them that they would doe so and by this meanes might they greatly prosper so is it our bound dutie to pray vnto God for them that he would blesse their consultations and bring them to passe for the good of his Church and profit of this realme And as they doe weekely meet at the Counsell table and sometime oftner for matters of State so we should continually commend them to God in all our prayers so shall we haue the benefit of our owne prayers when God shall fulfill the good things that they purpose And as we ought to doe thus alwais so especially against the Parliament we should pray that God would fulfill all the good purposes of that great assembly for the rooting out of Poperie and all remnants of superstition Especially all consultations in the Parliament house and all other abuses and for the establishing and enlarging of the preaching of the Gospel and all other good orders in all places Otherwise we see that good counsell may be giuen but not followed and if it be yet not brought to passe and so there shall not that good be done that might and which many good men in the Parliament house intend Therefore as we desire to enioy the common benefit of our time so let vs pray not onely for the King but for all our gouernors in the Church and Commonwealth That God would fulfill all their purposes Then ought we much more thus to pray for our selues if we were a great deale wiser than we are for when we haue taken the best aduice and thereupon do things to one end they may fall out to another And all our own counsels and purposes yea cleane contrarie to that which we purposed and so we shall be disappointed As for example in matters of mariage which is an ordinarie thing some think to ioyne themselues or their children in alliance with such and such hoping thereby to aduance their houses As in matter of mariage but it falleth out otherwise and by that meanes they come to ruine and so God doth not fulfill their purpose And this was the very case of king Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 18.1 Chap. 21.6 who ioyned himselfe in affinitie with Ahab king of Israel by ioyning his eldest sonne Iehoram in marriage with his daughter and though Iehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance yet the king of Israel was greater than he as hauing more tribes
and people to rule than he and so his kingdome much bigger yet that was the cause of the ouerthrow and vtter ruine almost of his house For to say nothing of this how Edom presently rebelled and fell away from him and made a king ouer them Vers 8. nor how Iehoram fell into idolatrie after the manner of the kings of Israel and compelled the people thereunto Otherwise they may fall out to a clean contrary end for which he came to a miserable end being sicke of sore diseases so that his guts fell out at the end of two yeares all his children afterwards were slaine by the Aramites sauing the youngest whom they made king in his fathers roome and this man Ahaziah was slaine by Iehu Chap. 22.7 and it is said that his destruction came of God in that he went to Ioram his fathers brother by mariage being the sonne of Ahab for when he was come to him he went foorth with Iehoram against Iehu the sonne of Nimshi whom the Lord had annointed to destroy the house of Ahab And so doth it fall out with many in this kind euen in our daies when they doe not commend their purposes to God in prayer to direct them and blesse them as Iehoshaphat though a good man yet in this action had not his direction from God neither is it set downe in the text that he sought it of him But it fell out well in the marriage of Izaak But it succeeded more happily with Abraham who when he sent his seruant to prouide a wife for his sonne Izaack as he did direct him in the right way and assured him of good successe by the promise of God Gen. 24 7. saying That he would send his Angell before him so this man his seruant prayed vnto God that he would prosper him Verse 42. O Lord God of my master Abraham if thou now prosper my iourney which I goe c. And Izaack also for whom this marriage was sought did not neglect to pray vnto God for good successe and to fulfill his fathers good purpose towards him Verse 63. for it is said that whiles his fathers seruant was in his iourney he went out to pray in the field toward the euening and so God did heare all their prayers and gaue good successe to this purpose of mariage So is it in all matters for the world So is it for matters of the world a man thinketh to enrich himselfe and therefore he mindeth to buy sell or to take a farme or to deale in marchandise c. and euen the same things turne to his vtter decay and by that meanes they find it to be true Psal 127.2 That it is in vaine to rise vp early and to goe to bed late and to fare hardly for either in them they shall not prosper or els there shall come some great losse that shall hinder them that they might learne by experience to commend all their purposes to God in prayer Therefore whatsoeuer good we purpose either for our selues or for our children or for our friends let vs pray heartely vnto God to fulfill them els we may purpose one thing and God by the same meanes that we vse shall bring to passe another And how God can alter mens purposes we see it in the example of Iacob God can alter all mens purposes Gen. 37.14 and of his children He sent his sonne Ioseph into the fields to his brethren who were there keeping of his sheepe with this errand Goe see whether it be well with thy brethren and how the flockes prosper and bring me word againe Thus we see what he purposed in sending him forth But when he came among them they sold him into another countrey and sent his coat home to his father dipped in blood as though he had been slaine with some wild beast so Iacob was disappointed of his purpose And so were the brethren of Ioseph also for first of all they sought to kill him and after they sold him for a seruant that he might neuer be aboue them according to that which God had shewed him in dreames but by this meanes he came into Aegypt and there in processe of time he was made ruler of the whole land and in the time of famine his brethren came thither to buy corne bowed before him did him great reuerence when they knew it not and so Gods purpose was established and not theirs who had sent him thither beforehand for their preseruation Chap. 48.5 as himselfe afterwards doth confesse vnto them The like may be said of our owne iournies As when they purpose any iournie A man shall purpose such a thing to goe to such a place at such a time and either things shall so fall out from day to day that he shall not compasse it and so it shall still be deferred against his will or els when he doth go things shall fall out otherwise with him than he thought and so he shall goe to another end than he purposed at the first And this the Apostle Paule by good obseruation confesseth of himselfe Rom. 1.10 That he had a long time purposed to come to Rome that he might preach the Gospell there to them as he had done vnto others yet he was put off from the execution of this purpose many yeares and at the last he commeth thither but after another manner and not as he looked for for he was sent thither as a prisoner and was caried by force he being compelled beforehand by the malice of the Iewes who sought to kill him secretly Act. 23.12 and fortie men had bound themselues with an oath to doe it to appeale vnto Caesar the Emperour of Rome Let vs therefore submit all our purposes to the will of God Thus he had not his purpose in his iourney when and as he would Therefore let vs submit all our purposes vnto the will of God and desire him to haue them fulfilled so farre forth as it pleaseth him as Paule did praying that at one time or other he might haue a prosperous iourny by the will of God to come vnto them and when we see that it is not his will as Paule sayth Rom. 1.13 he was hetherto letted let vs be contented to stay at home and to be crossed in our purposes And yet if our desires be good let vs continue in them and pray as he did that at one time or other we might haue a prosperous iourney by the will of God And let vs not be so obstinatly set vpon any thing as the manner of some is that we should be restlesse when we haue not our mind and purpose in euery thing for then if we be headstrong as the Lord can hinder vs whether we will or no so if we will needs doe according to our owne purpose we shall find that all things shall not fall out as we looked for And this we see plainely in