he purged the Temple and beganne to cast out them that sold and bought in the Temple and ouerthrew the tables of the mony changers and the seates of them that sold Doues and would not suffer that any man should carry a vessell through the Temple saying vnto them It is written Mine house is the house of prayer but yee haue made it a donne of theeues the high Priests and the Scribes and the chiefe of the people sought to destroy him Luke 19.47 When he had wrought another good worke and had raised from the dead Lazarus Maries and Marthaes brother who had now bene dead foure daies and began to stinke in the graue as his sister Martha said yet came foorth of the graue bound hand and foote with bands and his face was bound with a napkin then gathered the high Priests the Pharises a Councell consulted againe which way to bring him to his death Ioh. 11.47 c. Finally to passe ouer other particulars which happened in the whole course of his life when he had done them what good he could from time to time as appeareth by these his words Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent to thee how often would I haue gathered thy children together as the hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings ye would not Math. 23.37 yet they notwithstanding the same tooke him apprehended him as their deadly enimie and as a malefactor that was not worthy to liue vpon the face of the earth amongst them any longer Iudas one of the twelue came vnto him and with him a great multitude with swords and staues from the high Priests and the Elders of the people and they tooke him and led him to Caiaphas the high Priest where the Scribes and Elders were assembled There he was examined by them accused and condemned to death likewise some of them there beganne to spit at him and to couer his face and to beate him with fists and to say vnto him Prophecy vnto vs ô Christ who is he that smote thee And the Sergeants smote him with their rods Math. 26.47 c. and Mar. 14.43 c. After this in the dawning of the day when the morning was come they led him away bound vnto Pilate and laid most grieuous things vnto his charge but when Pilate heard of Galile he asked whether the man were a Galilean and when he knew that he was of Herods iurisdiction he sent him to Herod but Herod with his men of warre despised him and mocked him and arrayed him as if he were a foole in white and sent him againe to Pilate Luke 23.11 Then Pilate ouercome by his aduersaries did at the last giue sentence against him caused him to be scourged and to be sent away to the place of execution Mar. 15.15 But before he came thither see what the souldiers did They led him into the hall which is the common hall and called together the whole band and clad him with purple and platted a crowne of thornes and put it about his head and beganne to salute him saying Haile King of the Iewes and they smote him on the head with a reed and spat vpon him and bowed their knees and did reuerence And when they had mocked him they tooke the purple off him and put his owne clothes on him and led him out to crucifie him Mar. 15.16 c. Being come to the place of execution which was without the citty they crucified him and hanged him vpon a tree betweene two theeues And as he hanged there in that shamefull and opprobious manner The people stood by him and beheld him and they together with the rulers mocked him saying he saued others let him saue himselfe if he be the Christ the chosen of God The souldiers also mocked him and came and offered him vinegar and said If thou be the king of the Iewes saue thy selfe Likewise they that went by railed on him wagging their heads saying Hey thou that destroyest the Temple buildest it in three daies saue thy selfe and come downe from the crosse Lastly one of the euill doers which were hanged with him railed one him saying If thou be the Christ saue thy selfe and vs. Luke 23.35 c. and Mark 15.29 c. In regard of all which things we see that our Sauiour might iustly make his cōplaint here say Why do the heathen rage and the people murmure in vaine The kings of the earth band themselues the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and his Annointed Come let vs breake their bands and cast their cords behind vs. Here before we goe any further a question may be asked to wit why Christ was thus reiected by all sorts of persons For a man may iudge that euery one should haue loued him and haue reioyced greatly for him he was so gentle so meeke so humble so patient so wise so learned so holy so mercifull so louing and in one word so willing and so able to do euery man good as none in the whole world besides him either was or could be We know that the virgin Mary did sing and reioyce when she knew that she should beare him Luk. 1.46 c. And that the Angels did sing and reioyce when he was borne Luk. 2.13 c. And that Simeon did sing and reioyce when he was brought into the Temple Luke 2.27 c. And that Abrahams sonne which he had by old Sarah that was a type and figure of Christ was called Isaac which name signifieth laughter to shew what ioy and laughter there should be about Christ Gen. 21.3 In consideration whereof the question may rightly be moued why the world should thus oppose themselues against Christ But the answere to it is this They hated him without a cause as our Sauiour himselfe doth testifie of them in Ioh. 15.25 Some of them did persecute him through ignorance not knowing what he was as we may see by his prayer to his Father for them in Luk. 23.34 when he saith Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they doe Also by the Apostles words in 1. Cor. 2.8 For had they knowne it saith he they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory Others of them did resist him of malice and of a cankered stomach they knowing well enough what he was as is apparant by the words of our Sauiour who doth accuse them for that cause of the sinne against the holy Ghost which can neuer be forgiuen in Mark 3.28 Some lastly did neglect him through feare and dread they knowing that if they did beleeue in him or confesse him they should be excommunicated out of their Synagogues according to the law of the Iewes as is apparant by Ioh. 9.22 where we find that the blind mans parents for that cause would not confesse that Christ had cured their son And as they did thus feare trouble at home yea some of the great ones as well as the small ones as we
did eate he should not perish but haue life euerlasting Ioh. 6.41.60.61 As thus you haue heard what they did so now heare what was the euent of their doing All was in vaine but in vaine saith the Prophet by which word he doth signifie that all their indeauour was to no purpose For a thing is said to be in vaine which cannot be brought to passe but shall lacke his effect In Hebrew the word is in the singular number called Rijk and it doth import a vacuitie or emptinesse and such a vanity of things as haue no substance in them no more then a dry pit hath water or an empty house hath stuffe But in Greeke the word is of the plurall number termed Kena and in signification is all one with the former sauing onely that this doth shew more fully as it were by the plurality of it that all the things which they did meditate vpon in their hearts murmuringly mutter forth with their tongues were frustrated and brought to nothing being in this respect like vnto sicke mens dreames which haue no truth or verity in them Here might many things be obserued As first that raging in a tumultuous manner and murmuring though in a secret sort are diseases and sores euermore to be found among the common people and the meaner of the world Secondly that by raging and murmuring resistance is made against the Lord and his Annointed Thirdly that all attempts which are made against the Almighty those whom he doth set vp whether by the one of these meanes or by the other shall be broken and come to nought Fourthly that the multitude and vulgar sort are alwaies enimies to the wise and gracious gouernement of our God And lastly that raging and murmuring themselues are two notorious euils which are alwaies to be abandoned by the holy and blessed Saints of the most High who doe purpose truely to serue the Lord and to go to heauen But as a man entring into a shop where is great variety of wares will buy onely that which is necessary for himselfe and his vses let the rest alone Or as a man sitting at a table where are sundry dishes will in wisedome feede onely on them which will agree with his body best and doe him most good and not meddle of the rest So let vs stand vpon those points alone which are most commodious for vs and may turne to our greatest good and let passe the rest And they are in number the two last which also are intended most if not onely by the Spirit of God in the text it selfe vnlesse it be the third respecting the vanitie of all such attempts as shall be made against the Lord whereof wee haue spoken already in the generall view of the whole Psalme and so are not now againe to speake thereof at this time First then in that the heathen do thus rage the people do thus murmure against Christ and his kingdome as we haue heard we gather this doctrine Doct. that the multitude and the whole body of the Commons will euermore be enimies vnto the Lord and his truth If we peruse the writings of the Prophets or runne ouer the Acts of the Apostles or cast our eies vpon the conuersation of the whole race of mankind we shall easily finde this to be most true and certaine Noah found it so when for all his preaching in sixscore yeares together he could not conuert any vnto the Lord but they would notwithstanding his preaching continue in their sinnes till the floud came and drowned them all 1 Pet. 3.20 Lot found it so when he vexed his righteous soule from day to day with the vnlawfull deedes and vncleane conuersation of the Sodomities 2. Pet. 2.7.8 chiefly then when they compassed his house about from all the quarters of the citty both yong and old with murthering hearts to kill those men or rather Angels that came to lodge with him Gen. 19.4 c. Aaron found it so when all the Israelites fell to idolatry and compelled him to make them a golden calfe to worship it or as they termed it Gods to goe before them Exod. 32.1 Isay found it so when he said of the whole people of Israel that they were a sinfull nation a people laden with iniquity a seed of the wicked corrupt children that they had forsaken the Lord and provoked the Holy one of Israel against them yea they were gone backeward and that there was nothing found in them from the sole of the foote vnto the top of the head but wounds swelling sores full of corruption Isay 1.4 c. Ieremy found it so when he said of the same people that they were a wicked people and that they did refuse to heare the word of God but would walke after the stubbornnesse of their owne heart and walke after other gods to serue them and to worship them Ier. 13.10 Dauid found it so when he said of all mankind that they were all of them gone out of the way that they were all corrupt and that there was wone that did good no not one Psalme 14.3 Finally to omit almost infinite examples Paul and Silas found it so when they were at Philippy a chiefe citty in Macedonia where all were set against them both people and gouernours and did not onely beate them sore with rods but they cast them also into prison and commanded the gaoler to keepe them surely there from all escaping away Acts 16.22.23 Hitherto you haue heard what the people do Reason euen rebell still against the Lord and his blessed word Now heare what are the reasons of this their so doing and marke what moues them thereunto There are many reasons of it but these foure are the chiefe and principall The first is there foolishnesse or ignorance For they not knowing the Lord nor vnderstanding his waies aright but being in this respect worser then the Oxe that knoweth his owner and the Asse that knoweth his maisters crib as the Lord doth complaine of them in Isay 1.3 they cannot but doe as Paul did in the time of his ignorance euen oppose themselues against the Almighty or those of whom Christ doth say that they shall thinke they do God good seruice in putting his Saints to death Ioh. 16.2 For this cause the Lord doth make his moane for the foolishnesse and ignorance of his people as of the wel-spring of all their rebellions against him in Ier. 4.22 in these words For my people is foolish they haue not knowne me they are foolish children and haue none vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to do well they haue no knowledge The second is their impatiency or angry waywardnesse who cannot waite vpon the Lord with any patience or beare any crosse quietly For this doth cary them away to horrible rebellions as we may see by daily experience and by the example of the children of Israel in the wildernesse who being angry for their crosses and impatient of thirst of
be so as plainly as euidently as if they heard the Lord speaking from heauen vnto thē by word of mouth His destroying confoūding of them shal cry like a shril voice in their eares that it was he himselfe no created wight euen he himselfe that is the God of Gods the Lord of hoasts that did set vp Dauid to be King of Israel Christ his Son to be King of his Church whom they had so rebelliously resisted laboured to haue displaced out of their thrones Here is a great Emphasis it is as much as if he had said What shal I set vp a King will you ô ye rebels go about to put him downe How dare you do this What shall I place one ouer my people make him to be their Lord and chiefe gouernor will you ye traytors refuse to yeeld obedience vnto him ioine hand and head together to ouerthrow him and to remoue him out of his kingdome O impietie neuer heard of O wickednesse most intollerable Know you know you that for this cause I cannot beare with you but I must needes speake to you in my wrath and vexe you in my sore displeasure as now I do By Zion here his holy mountaine the kingdome of Israel is vnderstood if we referre it vnto Dauid but if we referre it vnto Christ the Church is meant thereby Zion was the citie of Dauid and the place where his Court was vsually held and kept as it is in 2. Sam. 7.7 But here it is put figuratiuely for the whole kingdome of Israel whereof that was a chiefe and principall part And it is tearmed withall the holy mountaine of God because it stood on high vpon a mountaine or hill where the Lord did manifest his holinesse vnto his people as by the presence of his arke which was there so also by the exercises of pure religion which were held in the Tabernacle and Temple that were built in that place and feared vpon that mountaine or hill Thus literally this place is to be referred vnto Dauid and it is true of him that God did set him vp as King ouer this kingdome of Israel as we may see in 1. Sam. 16.12 13. But sacramentally and after a spirituall maner these thing are to be referred vnto Christ and his Church For Zion also was a type thereof as we may see in Esay 2.3 and in Heb. 12.22 And Christ we know was chosen of his Father to bee the head and King thereof as anone by Gods grace shall more fully appeare And as the earthly Zion was tearmed the mountaine of Gods holinesse so may this heauenly Zion well beare that appellation or name For I. it is most like vnto a mountaine then 2. the Lord doth manifest his holinesse more there then in any other place It is most like a mountaine in 3. respects First for the exaltation and supereminencie of it for as a mountaine is an high place aboue other places so the Church of God is exalted aboue other congregations and that for Gods delight in it and most excellent blessings vpon it which are either present or to come Secondly for the manifestation and aptnesse of it for as a mountaine is in open sight view of all men so the Church of God stands in the eie-sight of all persōs euery mans eye is bent to mark diligently what they do as his eare is open to listen to that which they speake Thirdly for the strength and stablenesse of it for as a mountaine is a strong thing and vnmoueable so the Church of God is so strong and inuincible that all the powers of the world and of hell below cannot ouerthrow it but it shall remaine firme and stable notwithstanding the same for euermore I beseech you by the way make vse of all these things By the first looke vpon your honour and great aduancements wherunto you are exalted aboue all others As Salomon saith in the Prouerbs 31 29 Many daughters haue done vertuously but thou surmountest them all so you may say Many congregations in the world are exalted on high but we the true Church are lifted vp aboue them all By the second be moued to haue an holy care of your liues that you may walk circūspectly at all times in the waies of godlines that your light may so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen And by the third and last be secretly comforted and grow to a full resolution that nothing shall be able to separate you from the loue of your God but that you shall remaine firme and stable in his fauour for euermore Now for the other poynt as the Church is like to a mountaine so it is holy as the mountaine Zion was First for the Lords being in it who is holinesse it selfe for though he be in all the world yet hee is more especially in his Church then in any other place besides according to that in Psal 68.16 and 48.1.2 Secondly for the holy exercises of religion and the goodly works of Gods worship which are found therein for there is prayer singing of Psalmes reading and preaching of the word receiuing of the Sacraments and the like all which are workes of holinesse and purity Lastly for the sanctification of men and women which are therein for they are not prophane and licentious as in other places but they are sanctified made holy by the bloud of Christ the working of the Spirit Our of these things also gather some short notes as we go along Let the first of thē make you reioice be glad that you haue so good a God that though he be full of maiesty glory yet he is content to come home to your houses and to dwell in the chambers of your soules and there to quiet himselfe in your loue and to reioyce ouer you with ioy as Zephany doth speake in Zeph. 3.17 As Elizabeth said when the virgin Mary came to her Whence commeth this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me Luke 1.43 so may we say at the Lords comming to vs What a fauour and dignitie is this that the Lord of heauen and earth should thus come to vs Let the second of them stirre you vp to frequēt holy exercises and to throng to the house of praier and to such places where the Lord is rightly worshipped As the nations say in Mich. 4.2 Come and let vs go vp to the moūtain of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob so let vs say Come let vs go to the Church congregatiō of God to praier to the preaching of the word to other holy exercises of pure holy religion Let the third and last of them admonish you of that purity holinesse which ought to be in you that so you may neuer giue rest vnto your eies vntil you see your selues washed frō your sins by the bloud
shall preserue thee Wisdome is the beginning get wisdome therfore and aboue all thy possessiōs get vnderstanding He is very frequent with the like exhortations in many places also of the same booke Reade them I pray at your leasure and marke them well Paul in like manner writing vnto the Ephesians doth stir them vp to the same duty saying Wherefor be yee not vnwise but vnderstand what the will of the Lord is Eph. 5.17 Dauid also inioined the same duty vpon his son Salomon towards the end of his dayes saying vnto him as followeth My sonne know thou the God of thy fathers and serue him with an vpright heart and willing minde as it is in 1. Cron. 28.9 Finally the Lord himselfe doth oftentimes make his moane and complaint for the want of this wisdome and knowledge in his people which is here required of vs all teaching vs thereby how necessary it is for euery one and how well pleasing to himselfe But at this time two places alone to shew the same shall content vs. The one is in Esay 1.3 when he saith The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his maisters cribbe but Israel hath not knowne my people haue not vnderstood The other is in Ieremy 4.22 where you haue these words For my people is foolish they haue not knowne me they are foolish children and haue no vnderstanding they are wise to do euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge By all which places we may clearely see what doth belong to vs euen a sauing knowledge of Gods will and an holy vnderstanding of his waies Wee must not be like to the horse or mule that haue no vnderstanding as Dauid saith in Psa 32.9 but we must be changed by the renewing of our minds that we may know what is the good perfect and acceptable will of God as Paul doth teach vs in Rom. 12.2 And the reasons hereof are many Reasons First because euery man by his owne knowledge is a very beast before the Lord as Ieremy doth witnesse of vs in Ieremy 10.14 and as Dauid doth confesse of himselfe in Psalme 73.22 saying So foolish was I and ignorant I was a beast before thee Secondly because we shall neuer obey the Lord aright vntill we know him and vnderstand his will nor yeeld any faithfull seruice vnto him as it doth become vs. For the ground-worke of all religion the foundation of all true pietie is the knowledge of the Lord and his wayes As on the contrary side the cause and fountaine of all disobedience against God is the ignorance of his will and the vnlearnednesse of the same as we haue heard in this Psalme already and as we may see by Hosea his complaint in the beginning of the fourth chapter of his Prophesie where hee doth make his moane that men did lie and steale and commit adultery and that bloud did touch bloud and assigneth this reason of it euen because there was no knowledge of God in the land And surely where men know not God what can bee looked for else but all impietie against God and all vnrighteous dealing against men Lastly because all such as are ignorant of the Lords will doe not onely erre while they are here committing grieuous sinnes against him but shall be damned also hereafter for euer My people saith the Lord in Hosea 4.6 are destroyed for lacke of knowledge And Paul doth shew in 2. Thess 1.8 that when Christ shal come to iudgement and shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire he shall render vengeance vnto them that doe not know God which shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power So that if we ponder of all these reasons well we shal easily grant that there is cause sufficient why euery man should labour and striue to plant some heauenly knowledge within his soule and to become wise and learned in the statutes of the Almightie In regard whereof we see first in what great fault the world is in For there is ignorance in euery place Alas alas most men know not aright either that God who hath made them or themselues who are made by him And as for the grounds of true religion and the rules of the Lords worship they are as a sealed and clasped booke vnto them We dwell in a nation and country wherin the word of God hath bene freely read preached many yeares together yet it is pittifull to heare vnderstand what ignorance is still amongst men and how vnwise vnlearned they be in the statutes of the Lord. God amend vs. But here some may say that there was neuer more knowledge in this land then now is at this present To this I answer first that our knowledge is nothing to our long and continued teaching For in regard thereof we ought to be teachers our selues who yet are taught of others and haue need also to be instructed in the very first principles of the word of God and are become many of vs at the least such as haue neede of milke and not of strong meate as the Author to the Hebrews doth speake in the latter end of his fifth chapter Secondly that our knowledge for the most part is not a sauing or sanctifying knowledge but talkatiue and discoursing It hangs vpon our tongue and swimmes about in the circumference of our braine but it sinkes not downe into the bottome of the heart as it ought to do to bring forth a reformed life For we haue many talkers but few true walkers and sundry there are who can discourse at large in matters of religion but few there are who feele the power and force thereof being deaded by the meanes thereof vnto their sinnes and quickened vp vnto all fruitfull workes of righteousnesse whereby God may be honoured and man edified Secondly by this we may see that that doctrine which is most currant at Rome those places where Popery doth beare sway to wit that Ignorance is the mother of Deuotion is most false and erroneous and to be abandoned by vs that are true and holy Christians As Christ doth say to the Sadduces Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God in Mat. 22.29 making there ignorance the cause of error which is cleane cōtrary to their doctrine so he saith to the Iewes Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me in Iohn 5.39 imposing there this dutie vpō all that do intend to be saued at the last to be conuersant in the Scriptures which is dissonant altogether to their practize and teaching If I would stand vpon such a common place as this is I could alledge both places and reasons enough to ouerthrow them in this respect who are herein most like vnto those cursed and hypocriticall Scribes and Pharisies who did shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men neither going in thēselues nor suffering
grant that this labour of mine may be accepted of the Saints and tend to Gods glorie And I heartily beseech the Lord the God of all grace and giuer of all blessings that he would so multiply his heauenly graces vpon you that you may alwaies walke worthy of the Lord and please him in all things battering downe continually the kingdome of Sathan and setting vp the kingdome of Christ to the vttermost of your powers that so many soules may be saued by your meanes and you your selues haue the greater weight of glory bestowed vppon you at the day of iudgement when all persons shall be rewarded according to their workes And so crauing pardon for my boldnesse I ende and humbly take my leaue Rodborough the twentieth of August 1610. Your Worships to be commanded in the Lord Richard Web. To the Christian Reader all grace and peace CHristian Reader the whole care and burthen of the Ministery of the Lords word is or at the least ought to be how to bring men to the liuing God to pull them out of the kingdome of Satan that they might be planted in the Kingdome of Christ Euery one should helpe forward this worke which is the greatest and the most honorablest worke in all the world The miserable estate wherein they are who do remaine vnder Satan and his dominion as all men do by nature and the most blessed condition that they are in who are vnder Christ and his gouernment as none are but by grace should moue men sufficiently thereunto For mine owne part what I haue done this way these Sermons of mine in part will shew thee Reade thē at thy leasure marke them well begin not alone but make an end For haply as it is in S. Iohns Gospell the best wine is reserued till the last VVhen thou hast ended if thou receiuest any profite thereby blesse thou the name of thy God for it vnto whom all honour and praise do belong and pray also vnto the same God for me the instrument therein of thy good that so I may alwaies stand fast in the truth and increase daily in all heauenly graces to the honour of his name and the good of his Church Our daies thou knowest are corrupt and full of sinne and we our selues are very fraile and weake looke therefore to thy selfe and keepe thine heart with all diligence Run not with the world neither decline after vanity but cleaue fast vnto thy God come life or come death and be thou sure euermore to worke out thy saluation with feare and trembling and so fare thee well most heartily in the Lord. Thine for thy good euer in the Lord R. W. The principall matters which are handled in euery Sermon The Contents of the first Sermon THe Author Summe and Diuision of the whole Psalme It is proued that Dauid and Christ had many enimies according to the letter of the text The causes why Christ in the daies of his flesh was reiected by men albeit he was most worthy of loue and fauour which are in number 7. whereof 3. are intrinsecall or inward being inherent in men and 4. extrinsecall or outward being wickedly pickt from Christ himselfe It is shewed how the enimies of Dauid and Christ were oucrcome and came to fearefull ends The godly are vnlikely for foure causes to ouercome their enimies yet do they preuaile against them the reasons why and the vses thereof There are foure things in God for the which the victory doth alwaies go on his side and theirs whose part he doth take It is declared how the godly do ouercome euen then when they be put to death for the truths sake God is a patient God not willing the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and liue the reasons why and the vses thereof The Contents of the second Sermon IT is proued that Christs enimies did rage and murmure against him in the daies of his flesh according to the letter of the text The multitude and common people of the world are enimies to the Lord and his truth the reasons why which are foure and the vses thereof which are also foure Murmuring is a sin and to be auoided of Gods children the reasons why which are two and the vses thereof which are also two Eight preseruatiues or remedies against murmuring The diuers ends wherefore Questions are proposed The acts deeds of the vulgar sort are so foolish mad that wise discreet persons fearing the Lord may well wōder at thē with the vse therof The Contents of the third Sermon IT is proued that the States of the land did oppose themselues against Christ in the daies of his flesh according to the letter of the text Rich men and great persons haue foure chiefe reasons aboue others to serue the Lord yet they contemne him most the reasons why which are sixe and the vses thereof which are foure Councels and assemblies are as well against the Lord and his truth as for him the reasons why which are 2. and the vses thereof which are 3. The wicked haue their Comes and Exhortations vnto vngodlinesse with the vse thereof There are three causes why the lawes of God should be regarded by men yet the wicked do reiect them the reasons why which are foure and the vses thereof which are two There are foure causes why the godly do delight in the law of God and desire to keepe the same By resisting Gods lawes men do resist God himselfe the reason why and the vses thereof which are two The Contents of the fourth Sermon GOd is in all places at all times three waies Two reasons why God is said to be in heauen rather then in any other place Gods laughing what it is at whom he doth laugh and the vse thereof No power or counsell can stand against the Lord but downe it must go the reasons why which are two and the vses thereof which are three Men like Giants fight against the Lord many waies but chiefly foure waies Gods anger what it is and the double way by the which he doth speake vnto man The enimies of Gods Church shall be ouerthrowne the reasons why and the vses thereof which are three The Church of God is like to an hill or mountaine in three respects with the vses thereof The Church of God is said to be holy for three causes with the vses thereof God the Father made Christ the King of his Church the reasons why respecting his Godhead and those eight notable-vertues which were in him most worthy of a King and the vses thereof which are three The Contents of the fifth Sermon Christs faithfulnes in opening his Fathers decree with the vse therof Three causes wherefore Christ published his Fathers decree touching himselfe and his calling Euery person must stand vpon his office and calling the reasons why which are foure and the vses thereof which are three An argument to proue that our Church in England is the true Church of God and
shall finde both Kings and Princes as well domesticall as forreine banding and assembling themselues against him it is apparant by the record of all the Euangelists that as the whole body and Commons of Israel were set against our Sauiour Iesus Christ so were the States of the land and the chiefe men of place therein most deadly foes and enimies vnto him As they banded themselues together to make their faction and side strong against him so they had their often assemblies and meetings for counsell and aduice which way to bring him vnto his death Herod and Pontius Pilate two kings as it were amongst them though they did iarre and disagree betwixt themselues yet now they could ioyne together against Christ and become friends as we may see in Luk. 23.12 in these words And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together for before they were enimies one vnto the other Here is the banding of the Kings of the earth together when these two agree in one like good friends who were before at ods and do assemble together at Ierusalem against our sweet Sauiour the Lords Annointed For now at this time both of them were at Ierusalem and so as well together in place as in heart as it is in the 7 verse of the same chapter of Luke But for their consulting together and the meeting of their Princes in assemblies for counsell and aduice against him there are many places in the Euangelists declaring the same but I will touch onely two at this time The one of them is in Iohn the 11 chapter and 47 verse with some others following For there we find that after Christ had raised vp Lazarus from the dead the high Priests and Pharisees who were the chiefe rulers of the people and as Princes among them gathered a Councell and assembled as it were in a Parliament against him plodding and deuising what were best to do vnto him and as it is in verse 53 of the same chapter from that day forth consulting together to put him to death The other of them is in Math. 26.30 where we reade that the chiefe Priests and the Scribes and the Elders of the people assembled together into the hall of the high Priest called Caiaphas and consulted how they might take him by subtiltie and kill him In regard of all which things now shortly touched you see that this is most true which is here recorded namely that the Kings of the earth banded themselues and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and his Annointed The which thing the faithfull that liued after Christ was ascended into heauen and were eye-witnesses of those things which were done vnto him do in their prayer to God acknowledge and confesse saying For doubtlesse against thine holy Sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod Pontius Pilate with the Gentles and the people of Israel gathered themselues together to do whatsoeuer thine hand and thy counsell had determined before to be done Acts 4.27.28 Hauing thus shewed the meaning of the text and confirmed the truth thereof let vs now come to the vse and benefit which we may make of the same Out of it we may gather two principall doctrines One from the persons rebelling the other from the manner of their rebellion Out of the persons rebelling we collect this doctrine Doctr. That great States mighty men of this world are oftentimes enimies vnto the truth and deadly foes vnto holy and vpright courses This the Prophet Esay doth shew when he doth call the Princes of Iudah and of Ierusalem the Princes of Sodome Esay 1.10 for Sodome was a city so wicked and the Princes thereof so leude and filthie that God could not spare them but for their abhominations he brought downe fire and brimstone from heauen and consumed them all as we find in the 19 chapter of Genesis This Ieremie doth shew when he saith I will get me to the great men and will speake vnto them for they haue knowne the way of the Lord and the iudgement of their God but these haue altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds Ier. 5.5 This Hosea doth shew when he saith They are all hot as an ouen and haue deuoured their Iudges all their kings are fallen there is none among them that calleth vnto me saith the Lord. Hos 7.7 This Amaziah though a wicked man doth shew when he said to Amos the Lords Prophet O thou Seer go flye thou away into the land of Iudah and there eate thy bread and prophesie there but prophesie no more at Bethel for it is the kings Chappell and it is the kings Court Amos 7.11.12 This the story of the Acts of the Apostles doth shew when they were apprehended cast into prison beaten and put to death by Herod by the high Priests and other officers and states men for gouernment as we may see in the 4.5.12 and other chapters of the same booke This the complaint of the Church doth shew when she doth say The watchmen that went about the citie found me they smote me and wounded me the watchmen of the wals tooke away my veile from me Cant. 5.7 for by watchmen here are meant the chiefe rulers of the Church who should watch ouer her for her good and not thus persecute her and wound her as they did This the storie of the ten persecutions doth shew when Nero Domitian Traian Antonie Seuerus Maximinus Decius Valerian Aurelian and Dioclesian most bloudy Emperours of Rome did make hauocke of the Church of God and persecute to the death such as did call vpon his holy name This lastly the example of all ages doth shew and daily experience with men of our time when we with our owne eyes do see and with our owne eares do heare what bloudy things are decreed in the Church of Rome in Spaine and in other places against true Protestants and the sincere seruants of the Lord euen by them that are in the highest roomes and do beare the chiefest sway amongst men in those dominions But how may this come to passe Reason may some man say that the highest persons and the chiefest for wealth and authoritie do thus oppose themselues against the Lord and his most holy and blessed wayes For of all men in the word they are most beholding vnto God and haue greater causes as one should iudge to loue him and to worship him then the meaner and poorer people haue For first they are daintily educated and with great charges brought vp in all good literature and learning Secondly they haue abundance of riches and worldly wealth to supply their wants at all times Thirdly they haue great honor and reputation amongst the sonnes of men in all places for gouernment and the matters of this world Lastly they excell all others for the most part in their persons both for wit and other naturall qualities of the mind and also for pulchritude and other goodly properties of the body Surely for all these causes
of speech after the manner of a story but now commeth an exhortation to hand wherein all the former rebels standing in most woefull case and dreadfull perill of their liues are graciously called vpon to returne and to submit themselues vnto the Lord and his Annoynted against whom they made their former rebellion and insurrection Great was the sin which they had committed yet the Lord whose mercy hath neither bottome nor measure not willing the death of any sinner much lesse of so many thousands together but rather that by repentance pardon may be procured in this place fauourably vseth the meanes that their hearts may smite them with true feeling of their faults and so they turne be spared He cals vpon them all for true repentance and amendment of life shewing vnto them both wherein it doth stand and also when it must be yeelded vnto him It standeth in two things the one is an heauenly wisedome and an holy knowledge of the Lords waies The other is a loyall subiection and a faithfull obedience vnto his commandements Both these he doth require of them First that they be wise and learned in his word or statutes then secondly that they be subiect and obedient vnto him and his Sonne in performing such duties as do belong vnto them And as for the time when these things are to be done it is straight and out of hand they must not deferre them no not so much as one day but presently they must goe about them whithout any delay or procrastination whatsoeuer This is the summe of this verse with the two next following But to leaue them at this time and to stand onely vpon this marke the paraphrase thereof it runneth after this manner Now therefore saith the Prophet while there is time before the iudgement before spoken of do ouertake you and consume you to nothing labour you to get true wisdome and vnderding plant you the word of the Lord in your soules and be well seene and learned in his statutes that you may know your selues and vnderstand aright what the Lord your God doth require at your hands for all matters which do respect his worship and your owne peace And here I speake not alone to the small ones and the baser sort of the people but I speake to you all and chiefly to you that are the great ones and the states of the land euen to you that are Princes and haue the chiefe stroke in matters of gouernment and to you that are Iudges and haue authority to sit vpon life and death and to censure all matters and persons that are brought before you to you I say do I chiefly speake and therefore looke to your selues deferre not your repentance any longer but presently while you haue time be wise and learned So that the summe of this verse is nothing else Summe but an exhortation vnto the first part of repentance which standeth in the true knowledge of the Lord and his wayes wherein remember two points Part. First the persons to whom the exhortatiō is directed then secondly the matter to the which they are exhorted containing first the time when the duty is to be done which he doth require of them then the thing it selfe wherein it doth stand or consist The persons to whom the exhortation is directed are the kings and iudges of the land The Spirit of the Lord doth single them out by name from all the rest not meaning thereby that they alone were to do the things that here and after he doth require of them but his meaning is by them to vnderstand all of what degree soeuer they were by the figure Synecdoche when some are put for all For he would haue all to repent and to submit themselues vnto the Lord who before did rebell against him But yet he nameth them onely who were thus the Kings and Iudges of the land for sundry causes As first because they were deepest in rebellion and had trespassed most therein as being the ringleaders of all the rest Secondly because they bad more things to stay thē backe then others had and a greater meanes to pull them from the performance of the exacted duties And lastly because they being conuerted would easily draw all others after them and cause them to do as they had done For the multitude commonly doth depend vpon the higher powers and looke what they do the same doth content them well according to that in 2. Sam. 3.36 And all the people knew it speaking of Dauids mourning and fasting for Abner and it pleased them as whatsoeuer the king did pleaseth all the people For these causes and the like the holy Ghost might well direct his speech by name vnto the Kings and Iudges and not speake in generall vnto all though he did meane all and his purpose were to haue euery one to do the things here exacted of them and not that the Kings and Iudges should doe them alone Here by the way we may obserue a notable good instruction which is this namely that Magistrates and men in chiefe authority should first of all turne vnto the Lord and be as the captaines of all the rest in performing loyall and faithfull obedience vnto him in all dutifull manner as it doth become them For first and foremost they are more bound as we say vnto God then others are as hauing larger benefites and greater giftes bestowed vpon them then any besides them haue for the more bountifull that any is to vs the more dutifull should we be to him a gaine Secondly because they for the most part go beyond all others in sins and trespasses for number and greatnesse for the more and greater our sinnes and trespasses be the more speed and hast should we make to leaue them and to turne vnto the Lord from them lest they bring destruction vpon vs before we are aware Finally because all others do hang vpon them as the dore doth on the hinges and turne as they doe turne for whom also they must answere at the dreadfull day of iudgement when all secrets of mens hearts shall be disclosed and euery one shall receiue according to his waies For the more that we may bring to God and the heauier charge we haue to answere the more forward should we be to do those holy duties which do belong to vs that we might saue many and not be damned our selues Oh that gouernours would lay this neare vnto their hearts and make a good vse thereof vnto themselues Blessed yea twise blessed then should both they and we be Abraham Iosuah Samuel Dauid Asa Iehosaphat Hezechia Iosiah and others that were men of great place and authority haue done this long before our daies The Lord grant for his mercies sake that our rulers and chiefe men for gouernment may do it alwaies do it in our daies in the daies of our posterity after vs. But if they should faile herein which God forbid yet let vs who haue some authority ouer others looke