his State with purging the head-city of his Kingdome where by reason of the confluence of forren nations all sorts of people vice must needs abound but specially because head-cities for the most part by Monopolies and Companies and Corporations and I knowe noâ—â—hat devices labour to drawe to themselves the whole treasure of the Land and if the blood should all bee drawn from the other members to the head it would both disteÌ„per the head and starve the members The head-head-city then is so to bee respected that inferiour cities and towns bee not neglected but an indifferent hand to bee extended to them al lest one in time swallow the other as the greater fishes devour the lesser The last thing wee are to observe is that hee would begin his reformation in the City of the Lord. Of the Lord. His meaning is with matter of religion it beeing therefore called the City of the Lord because as hee had chosen the Land of Canaan out of all the world to bee the portion of his people so out of all Canaan hee chose Ierusalem to place his Name and Tabernacle there the Temple beeing not yet built and in the Tabernacle the Arke of the Covenant a speciall sacrament of his presence This our Prophet expresseth yet more cleerely in another Psalm 122. 9 Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seeke to dâ—o thee good Among other main and waighty matters then pertaining to the Princes charge the care of GOD's truth and Church must bee the chiefest For should the bodies goods and credits of men bee preserved and the honour and glory of GOD bee neglected Should earthly ease bee so much in request and heavenly bliss so little in desire Feare wee the ruine of all things where injuries and violences by men are not repressed by the princes sword and doubt wee no danger where idolatry heresie at h eâ—sm and blasphemie against God goe unpunished Is Gods hand shortned that hee cannot strike or his will altered that hee will honour those that dishonour him and blesse them that hate him It is a Romish errour repugnant to the word of God and to the examples of the best Kings and Monarchs before and since Christ to restraine Princes from protecting and promoting the true worship of GOD within their Realms Neither hath the man of sin more grosly betraid his pride and rage in any thing than in abasing the honor and abusing the power and impugning this right of Princes by making them his Bailiffs and Sergeants to attend and accomplish his will and not meddle with supporting the truth or reforming the Church farther than hee listeth that whiles they command their subjects bodies hee might command their soules the better half which commanding the body wil quickly upon occasion draw that after it as reason shewes and experience teacheth It is rightly observed that after the Bishop of Rome had once fully engrossed the Imperiall power there was never since Emperour of strength or Pope of vertue so they lost both by it And indeed as the blood if it fall any way out of the veins too much there is some danger but if it fall into the body extra vasa there is more danger for it will corrupt and putresie so was it with the supreme authority of Princes when they suffâ—red it to fall into the Clergy as it were extra vasa but their Scepters and Thrones allowed them by God are sufficient proofs that they may and must make lawes and execute judgement as well for godliness and honesty which by the Apostles rule are within the compass and charge of their Commission as for peace and tranquillity God hath given them two hands to be Custodes utriusque tabulae Vpholders of both the tables from observing this no man may drawe them since for neglecting this no man shall excuse them They must not be careful in humane things and carelâ—sse in divine God ought to be served and honoured by them that is by their Princely power and care as much afore men as his truth and glory excelleth the peace and wâ—lfare of men It wanteth many degrees of a Christian government to look to the keeping of things that must perish and to leave the soules of men as an open prey to impiety and irreligion And if Princes provide not this for their Subjects peace and traffique and such like makes no better provision for them then is made for Oxen in good pasture nay not so good For an Oxe hath therein all hee needeth but a man without this left altogether unprovided in his farre nobler and better part And as Princes without this Care provide not well for their people so they provide but ill for themselves in as much as they can have no certaine assurance of the loyalty and allegeance of their subjects without it since nothing can cast a sure knot on the coÌ„science for the firme binding of it but the true knowledge and feare of God So that where Princes advance the good of Gods house they establish the good of their owne all in one Lastly it is to be observed that in all the Kings of Israel and Iudah their stories beginne with this observation as with a thing worthy to be chronicled in the first place how they dealt in matter of religion Such a King and such a King and what did he Hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and such a King hee walked in the wayes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat I spare to cite places but it is the generall observation of those books of Kings and Chronicles as they that reade them knowe yea farther it may bee marked that God hath alwaies humbled Princes even powred conteÌ„pt upon them when they have contemned the messengers and forsaken or forgotten the house of the Lord. For the preventing whereof it shall not be amisse for them to consult with Church-men specially in Church affairâ—s as the wise the good King David in all his weighty businesses but specially in matters touching religion and the service of God still used the counsell and direction either of Gad or Nathan Prophets or of Abiathar and Hiram chiefe Priests It went wel with Ioash as long as Iehoiada his trusty Counseller lived but when Iehoiadah died the Kings goodnesse dyed with him Then came the Princes of Iudah and made obeisance to the King and the King hearkened unto them and they left the house of the Lord God of their Fathers and served Groves and Idols and wrath came upon Iudah and Ierusalem because of this their trespasse 2. Chron. 24. 17. 18. Give the King thy iudgements O God and thy righteousness unto the Kings Son FINIS * Heb. thing of Belial * Or perfect in the way * Heb. shall noâ— beâ—stablâ—shed 1. Sermon vpon the first vers fol. 1. 2. Vpon the former part of the 2. vers fol. 38 3. Vpon the later part of the 2. vers fol. 72. 4. Vpon the former part of the 3. vers f. 101. 5. Vpon the later part of the 3. vers fol. 120. 6. Vpon the 4. vers fol. 139. 7. Vpon the former part of the 5. vers f. 162. 8. Vpon the later part of the 5. vers fol. 188. 9. Vpon the 6. vers fol. 220. 10. Vpon the 7. vers fol. 250. 11. Vpon the former part of the 8. vers fol. 279. 12. Vpon the later part of the 8. vers fol. 308. Gen. 4. 21. Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3 16. Iames 5. 13. Salust 1 Kings 7. pro. 16. 12. pro. 20. 28. â— psal 85. pro. 21. 21. Cap. 32. 11. * Or doe wisely 156â— Borbonius Hâ—b 6. 1 Phil. 3. 13. Pro. 4. 18. Ezek. 40. 31 Luke 2. 52 Psa. 119. â— Rom. 1. 30 1 King 1 Herodotus Psal. 18. 26 Sueton us of Titus Pro. 25. 4. 5 â—spansâ— Mat. 24â— 45 Compare Mat. 8 with Luke 7.
not spare her but deposed her from her Regency 1. King 15. And indeed it is truly said Iustitia non novit patrem non novit matrem veritatem novit Iustice neither knoweth father nor mother but onely the truth It is reported by a late Traveller that in Zant over the place of judgement where all causes both Criminall and Civill are decided there are these two Latine verses written on the wall in letters of gold Hic locus odit amat punit conservat hâ—norat Nequitiam pacem crimina iâ—ra bonos This place hateth wickedness loveth peace punisheth offences preserveth the lawes honoureth the good implying that there should be no partiality used but every man should be proceeded withall according to his deserts To which purpose was that memorable speech of our King Henry the fourth of that name who when his eldest son the Prince was by the L. chief Iustice for some great misdemeanors commanded and committed to prison hee thanked God that hee had both a sonne of that obedience and a judge of such unpartiall and undanted courage But Agesilaus was as much to blame who when hee commended a friend of his to the Iudge hee mooved him that if his cause were good hee would absolve him for justice sake if not at his motion but howsoever the world went absolved hee must be bee an ill example of dangerous consequence in him who was to be a paterne of indifferent justice to his inferiour Iudges among whom wee finde that too often true which the heathen Orator complained of in his times Omnium Sermone percrebuit It is rife in every mans mouth In his iudiciis quae nunc sunt pecuniosum hominem quamvis sit nocens neminem posse damnari That in these judgements which are now-adayes a monied man though hee bee guilty cannot be condemned Nihil tam sanctum quod non violari nihil tam munitum quod non expugnari pecuniâ possit There is nothing so holy that may not be violated nothing so well fenced that may not bee overthrowne with money the lawes being made like unto cobwebs which catch and holde little â—lyes but the great ones breake through them Blasphemy and perjury sacriledge and symonie and extortion and oppression and vsury and exeessive bribery passe currant when petty theeverie in case of extreame necessity is most severely punished The fifâ— and last point I proposed is the End our Prophet proposeth to him selfe of this great work heer vowed It is the purging of the Citie of the Lord whereby is meant Ierusalem First for example to the whole Realme it being the Metropolis and head Citie of the Kingdome as also and principally by reason the service of God and the exercise of religion was in a speciall mannâ—r by divine ordinance tied unto it in which regard he cals it the Citie of the Lord as the Evangelist doth the holy Citie Mat. 4. This Citie was so large that it conâ—â—â—â—ed of foure quarters every one of them by walles divided from another The first and highest was mount Sion in it was the Citie of David called by â—osephus the superiour Citie exceeding strong in regard of the naturall situation thereof The second was called the Daughter of Sion because it seemed to come out as it were of the bosome of the other and in this was mount Moriah whereupon the Temple stood This Citie was compassed with a stronge walâ— wherein stood threescore Towres The third was beautified with many ample streets faire buildings compassed with a wall wherein were fourteen Towers The fourth was inhabited by all sorts of Artificers compassed with the third wall which was twenty five cubits high and had in it fourescore and tenne strong Towers So populous withall it was that during the siege of the Romans in the space of five monthes there were slaine and died as Iosephus there present reports it to the number of eleven hundred thousand Now albeit in our Prophets dayes this Citie was not yet brought to this perfection yet was it then very spacious and populous notwithstanding which greatness of the place and disordred multitude of the inhabitants yet by Gods helpe he undertakes the reformation It is a thing which we ought to bear away for it meeteth with the idleâ—ess and litherness of many who imagine that it is impossible to reforme a great City yea if it bee but a little market-town it is impossible say they that all should bee well there Yea this excuse is pretended by such as have but small families in comparison and so under a colour of this impossibility to reform all they doo almost just nothing no not so much as the lawes put into their hands and command them to do Yet these men have but as it were a posterne gate in Ierusalem to keep what thinke you would they doo if they had the charge of so great and large a City True it is let Officers doo their best there will be much disorder what wil it bee then when they doo little or nothing in respect of any care to weed out sinne but rather bolster it out take part with leud companions give them countenance speak and write for them yea keep them company men fitte rather to bee overseen and guided continually by others than to bee in authority to see or guide any But let such as bee in office doo their duty executing the good lawes put into their hands by higher authority and then not doubt of the impossibility of reforming abuses in their lesser charges seeing David trusting upon the help of God is so confident touching this great populous City Let them but put-to their endeavours and they shall finde such success in the advancement of godlines and suppressing of impiety many times even beyond hope and expectation as they wil see cause to rejoice in the performance of their dutie and to praise God for his blessing upon it Again David vowing to reforme this City meaneth not to stay there but to proceed to the cleansing purging of the whole Land This no doubt hee might think that if Ierusalem were reformed it would be a great light and direction to the whole Kingdome as wee see how it falleth out lesser places look to those that beâ— greater and the meaner sort look to those that beâ— higher froÌ„ whom also there is 〈◊〉 force to draw inferiours either to good or evill Above maiori discit ar are minor A great towne or a great house well ordered may fitly bee compared to a great garden ful of sweet flowrs which yeeldeth much good â—avour and prospect to the neighbours if they bee ill ordered they bee like great dunghills noysome and contagious to such as dwell about A great towne or a great Personages house if they bee good do much good to the Countrey but if they bee naught and sinfull the poison of them is strong and the infection daÌ„gerous It is then a work worthy a King to beginne the reformation of
Promise was made him that his sonne Salomon should succeed him and that his seed should bee established in the throne Were not these strong motives to puffe up flesh and blood to make himselfe conceited and proud of his owne worth Yet heare what himselfe professeth of his humility the ground-worke of all his other vertues and abilities Psalme 131 I am not high minded I have no proud lookes I doo not exercise my selfe in great matters which are too high for mee but I refraine my soule and keepe it lowe like as a childe that is weaned from his mother yea my soule is euen as a weaned childe But what was it that kept him so lowe notwithstanding his greatnesse and so many rare excellencies and perfections wherewith he was endowed The first no doubt was the grace of God for as he gives his grace to the humble so it is his grace which makes them humble The second was those Crosses and aâ—â—lictions both outward inward wherewith GodÌ„ fro time to time had exercised him From my youth upward thy terrors have I suffered with a troubled minde The third was the consideration both of his naturall corruption I was borne in iniquity and in sinne hath my mother conctived mee as also of his actuall transgressions They are moe than the haires of my head and mine heart hath failed mee The fourth was the acknowledgement of his owne frailty Hee knoweth whereof we are made hee remembreth that we are but dust The fift was the contemplation of Gods greatnesse the greatest among the sonnes of men being lesse in comparison of him than the silliest worme that crawles on the face of the earth in comparison of them The sixt was the often exercising of himselfe with fasting with prayer with divine meditations and holy soliloquies with sackcloth and ashes with making his teares his drinke and minling his bread with weeping The seaventh was his studying day and night in Gods lawe according to the commandement given to the king Deut. 17. 20 that his heart might not bee lifted vp above his brethren and esteeming it above the hony and the hony comb above gold an silver yea much fined gold and precious stone The eightth and last was a full assurance free confession that God was privie to all his thoughts that hee would reward him according to his works that hee was both the Author Maintainer and Finisher of whatsoever good either in his bodie or in his soule or in his estate according to that memorable speech of Saint Paul l. Cor. 4. 7. What hast thou which thou didst not receiue and if thou didst receive it why doost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it Let our conclusion then still be in regard of all the good we either haue or doe Non nobis Domine non nobis sed nomini tâ—o da gloriam Not unto us O Lord not vnto us but unto thy Name give the praise Verse 6. Mine eyes shall bee upon the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with mee hee that walketh in a perfect vvay hee shall serve me OVr Prophet having in the verse going before made knowne in part what they were whom he would not receive into his family and seruice Hee comes in this verse to tell us of what condition they should be whom hee purposeth to admit Mine eyes shall â—e to the faithfull of the Land c. It is not good that man should bee alone sayes God himselfe Gen. 2. 18. And Woe be to him that is alone saith the wise Salomon Eccles. 4. 10. And Solus vel Deus vel Daemon saith Aristotle He that desires to be alone is either of a more base or divine metall than men commonly are made of Vpon this foundation of mans sociable nature Kingdomes and CoÌ„mon-wealths are built consisting of cities and townes and parishes and they againe of housholds and families and they againe of husband and wife parents and children Masters and Servants of which last relation I am chiefly to speake at this time Though the name and nature of a Servant were first brought into the world by the ungratiousnesse of Cham Gen. 9. 25 Yet is the impression of superiority and subjection so universally stampt upon the face of Nature that it reacheth up to heaven there being a greater light to rule the day and a lesser light borrowed from and subordinate to the greater to rule the night If wee ascend higher to the Angels there are among them principality domination nay more than so it pearceth downe to hell where wee reade of Beelzebub a Prince of Divels And experience hath farther observed that even among unreasonable creatures this forme is kept The birds being by a naturall instinct subject to the Eagle the beasts to the Lion and the Bees marvailously obeying and reverencing their Master But this truth shines yet more clearely in man him himselfe a little map or module as it were of the great world his members being subject to the head his body to the soule his appetite to reason And this principle is so deeply ingraven upon the conscience of all that the very barbarous nations who retaine any sparke of civility willingly subscribe vnto it Whether then wee looke upward to heaven or downeward to hell or outward to the creatures or inward to our selves we shall every where finde characters imprinted of superiority and subjection command and obedience domination and service To take it then as granted to bee a thing not lawfull onely but commendable nor commendable onely but as the case now stands in a manner necessary I will proceed to the unfolding of the words themselves And first of the former part of the verse Mine eyes shall be to the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with mee Faithfulnesse in holy Scripture is taken in diverse senses Sometimes for steadfastnes and assurance of beleefe Put forth thine hand and put it into my side and bee not faithless but faithfull Iohn 20. 27 Somtimes for truth of speech Fidelis est hic sermo This is a true faithfull saying 1. Tim. 4. 9 Sometimes for the profession of Christian religion If any faithfull man or faithfull woman have widowes let them minister unto them 1. Tim. 5. 16 Sometimes for certainty constancy in performing what a man promiseth Let us keep the profession of our hope without wavering for hee is faithfull that hath promised Heb. 10. 23 Sometimes for perseverance in the truth Bee thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee the crown of life Rev. 2. 10. And lastly sometimes for a carefull and conscionable discharge of ones duty in that place whereto he is called thus Christ is said to have been a mercifull and faithfull high Priest in things concerning God Heb. 2. 17. And Paul testifies of Tychicus that he was a faithful minister in the Lord Ephes. 6. 21. And in this sense I take this word specially to bee understood heer in my Text Mine eyes shall