Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A87630
|
A sermon preach't at Christs-Church Dublin before the generall convention of Ireland. May 24. 1660. By Henry Jones D.D. Vicechancellour of the University of Dublin and Bishop of Clogher.
|
Jones, Henry, 1605-1682.
|
1660
(1660)
|
Wing J952; Thomason E1041_3; ESTC R207927
|
18,448
|
32
|
had formerly so opposed him But particularly see his clemency to Shimei who so unworthily behaved himself to David in his low condition He cursed David he cast stones at him and his followers he reviled him very falsely and scandalously calling him a man of blood and charging him with all the blood spilt in his Government 2. Sam. 16. 5 6 7 8. and have not the footsteps of the Lords anointed his late Majesty and even all his royall family been so reproached unto such there is a Scripture curse where they may expect from the Lord Psa. 89. 50 51. but as to David he passeth all that over For when in his return over Jordan Shimei had met him with the first and begg'd pardon for his faults It was easily and readily granted and that by an Oath confirmed to him 2 Sam. 19. 16 18 19 20. Of such Shimei's There have been many who may well repose on his Majesties gracious Declaration notwithstanding that there be Sons of Zerviah who may repine and interpose as did Abishai the Son of Zerviah who said shall not Shimei be put to death for this because he cursed the Lords anointed 2 Sam. 19. 21. Such may pick us and object words and actions so and then said and done against his Majesty but they may expect his Majesties return thereunto as was Davids in that case 〈◊〉 have I to do with you ye Sons of Serviah that you should this day be Adversaries unto me shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel for do not I know that I am this day a King over Israel v. 22. Clemency became him a King and then best when first entring on his Kingdom Yet must not mercy shut out Justice Justice without Clemency is but butchery and clemency without Justice is very cruelty Joab another of the Sons of Serviah had foully murthered Abner and Amasa this blood required Justice and what David could not do in this while the Sons of Serviah were too hard for him 2 Sam. 3. 39. He after recommends to his Son Solomon to see executed 1 Kings 2. 5. I know that David is hardly censured in this And some have objected to his Majesty that inquisition now made in the entrance into the Kingdom of the blood of his royall Father I find it therefore nccessary by what I hear of this that something be spoken of it It was no brand but a commendation of Amaziah King of Judah That as soon as the Kingdom was confirmed in his hands he slew his Servants which had slain the King his Father It is added but the Children of the murderers he slew not according unto that which was written in the book of the Law of Moses wherein the Lord commanded saying the Fathers shall not be put to death for the Children nor the Children be put to death for the Fathers but every one shall be put to death for his own sin 2 Kings 14. 5 6. He did according to the Law of Moses in sparing the children of the Murderers and he did according to the Law of Moses in not sparing the Murderers themselves Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a Murderer which is guilty of death but he shall be surely put to death so you shall not pollute the Land wherein you are for blood it defileth the Land and the Land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein but by the blood of him that shed it defile not therefore the Land which ye shall inhabit wherein I dwell for I the Lord dwell among the Children of Israel Numb. 31. 31 33 34. And in this case of blood it was provided that though the murderer should flee for refuge to the very altar yet should he not find protection there Exod. 21. 14. So fared it with Joab he being slain even at the very altar 1 Kings 2. 28 29 34. Solomon concluding in that act of justice the washing away the guilt of blood from his Throne and the settlement of his house and of his People in peace which had not been otherwise v. 31. 32 33. therefore this his Majesties inquisition of blood and of the murderers of his royal Father is his Justice and what God will require of him and of his People if in that Justice be not satisfied and for which the People hath so long so much suffered yet see his Majesties Moderation even in this not as Amaziah seeking the blood of all who were in that Guilt but some of them onely and referring himself in that also to his Parliament to do therein as to them shall be judged fitting That as by a pretended Parliament that royall blood was shed so by a just Parliament the blood should be expiated and the People in that justice cleared by their full representative Hitherto hath been spoken of David in his suffrings and of the great things by the Lord done for him in bringing him out of all his troubles also of the comfort which his people had in him their King thus brought home to them and of his being by them received with Acclamations Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord 5. Now follows the conclusion on the whole that all being duely considered it must needs be said that This is the Lords doing and that it is marvellous in our eyes 1. It is the Lords doing it is intended Davids Vindication and therein is his innocency cleared it now appearing how little he deserved those his injurious suffrings seeing God himself now and thus appears for him This is the Lords doing 2. It shews that the work was carried on by the Lord himself alone without Davids interposing and without outward probable means and beyond Mans expectation David might indeed have made use of force he wanted it not having then with him a very considerable force 1 Chr. 12. 20 21 22. But he waves all that and waits Gods way and time and casts himself altogether upon hls People I need not in this make application But that this was the Lords doing I speak it now as to our selves is very apparent 1. In the Lords timeing our work for us each step in our proceedings here towards it was as if it had been by a common and joynt correspondence of the three Kingdoms A concurrence indeed there was but which was the strangeness of it without any correspondence which must conclude it to have been from God 2. That all this was carried on and that throughout without blood This cannot to any who shall duely consider it but appear little less then a very Miracle 3. Above all it is an evident demonstration of Gods hand in this work both as to David and as unto us that the hearts generally of all were prepared every where and as it were at once in this great work surely this must be from the Lord and the doing of it his alone in whose hand only are the hearts of the Sons of Men It is said That the
to David and as to Christ and as to our selves in the application that the Lord doth make a day wherein he will do and give good unto his People 2. I now proceed to the next point herein observable Our work in this day We will rejoyce and be glad in it The point being this That those dayes by the Lord made and Given to his People are to be observed and improved by them I will not spend time in proving it it needs it not nor will the time permit it I shall rather speak to the manner and practice of our duty herein and herein I shall confine my self to the Text and to what therein we are directed Where we find three things proposed to us in way of duty in this particular 1. That we take notice of the Lords work what it is that he doth for us So here v. 24. This is the day 2. That we take notice of Gods work so done for us with thankfulness We will rejoyce and be glad in it 3. That we farther improve such the Lords mercies to us by Prayer Save now I beseech thee O Lord c. v. 25. 1. That we are to take notice of Gods work for his People here is a day for it and that day particularly pointed at This is the day c. as to the manner of it 1. This is by taking notice of Gods work in particulars not in the gross or bulk of them only A particular Enumeration and confession of Sins becomes a day of Humiliation so are mercies to be particularly remembred in a day of praise Psal. 111. 2. Ps. 103 1 to 6. 2. We are not in this not to pass over the works of God lightly but to insist on them in serious meditation and in speaking of them again and again as here v. 15. 16. but this I shall not dwell upon longer at present 2. The next part of our duty is our observing Gods works of good to us and that with thankfulness This is the day c. We will rejoyce and be glad in it Our rejoycing must be in the Lord and that cannot be but in a thankfull acknowledgment of his mercies to the praise of his name where therefore it is said we will rejoyce in it v. 24. it is after with praises unto God v. 27. 28 29. Let us see the practice and ground of this duty by what may be observed of it in Davids day 2. By what we find of the Lords goodness to us in this our day And 3. the ground of our joy and rejoycing in this day also of our Lord Jesus Christ 1. As this day referrs to David his day required such thankfull acknowledgment from him and from his People You have heard what the Lord has done for David and in him for his People such mercies required sutable acknowledgments See himself in the duty I will praise thee for thou hast heard me and become my Salvation v. 21. Thou art my God and I will praise thee thou art my God and I will exalt thee v. 28. He stirreth up others also in it O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever v. 1. 29. and thereunto he calls all the People Let Israel now say that his mercy endureth for ever v. 2. And the Priests Let the House of Aaron now say that his mercy endureth for ever v. 3. God is the Lord who hath shewed us light bind the Sacrifice with cords even unto the Horns of the Altar v. 27. And all this is done in a publick manner even in the Church the publick place for Gods worship Open to me the Gates of righteousness I will go into them and I will praise the Lord this is the gate of the Lord into which the righteous shall enter v. 19. 20. publick mercies must have publick acknowledgments as you have seen in Davids day 2. Our day also this which now we celebrate commands the like performances from us our duty of praises to our God I am sure no people under the Sun have more cause for it then have we in these three Kingdoms after so many and so great and such continued confusions to be thus as at present setled in peace under his sacred Majesty This surely is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes it is a day which the Lord hath made let us rejoyce and be glad in it Nor is the Lord to be praised in his works alone but in those also whom he makes his Instruments in those his works the Lord alloweth them their praise in this yet so as in reference to him in whose hands they are instruments and that those praises be not lodg'd with them but that they passe from and through them unto him who employed and fitted them for the work and carried them on in it 1. Let me therefore to the glory of God and to the praise of his great name this Day speak unto those in the first place who have been chief in this work I confine my self herein at present to what is within our selves in this Kingdom only unto you the heads and leaders of the People I shall say only as in Deborahs tryumphant song of praise My heart is toward the Governors of Israel that offred themselves willingly among the People bless ye the Lord Judg. 5. 9. You have herein your praise and we have cause to bless you for what have been by you done for us but bless ye the Lord Let your praises be returned from you to him by whom you have been so stirred up and owned in this great work 2. To you of the Army Officers and Souldiers is your praise also I may say of you as was said of Zebulun and Naphtali in the before mentioned song of Deborah Zebulun and Naphtali were a People that Jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field Jud. 5. 18. Blessed be God that it did not come among you unto that of death or to the least drop of blood of any of you It is a Miracle that it was so yet did you put your lives in your hands in this great cause and they were by you Jeoparded nor would you have drawn back from the utmost of dangers had it been necessary 3. As to you of this City both you in the chief Government and others you have your praise also and that very eminently as you have been even above others eminent in the work of this day in which also you continue even unto this very day 4. Nor ought you of the general Convention of Ireland to be forgotten but to be remembered with the first for you have in a time of trouble and great distractions risen from your severall places and set your selves here for the quiet and settlement of this Kingdom The happy fruits whereof we this day gather by you have our publick wants been supplied in a time of pressing necessities to the great refreshment of the