to say Am I for the Plaintiff or Defendant no matter which and when you see the cause naught body more distempers still do appear Hos 7. 1. Thus in Christs Time Scribes Pharisees Herodians in Apostles days in Primitive Times Ebion Cerinthus * Arrius his Heresie was condemned by the Councel of Nice Anno D. 330. Macedonius by the Councel of Constantinople Anno D. 383 Athanasius rose up mightily against Arrius in Constantines days and Basil against Maced in Theodosius days Nestorius was condemned by the Councel of Ephesus an 490 and Eutiches by the Councel of Calcedoâ— Anno 456 When Austin mightily spred the Gospel Pelagius alias Morgan spred His Errors both of them were born on one day Austin in Africk and Pelagius in Wales In our flight from Rome saith Mr Bayly some heretofore stopt too soon as the Lutherans and after them Cranmer Ridley c. who lest too much Popery And others ran too far saith he as Anabaptists and after them Bolton Brown Barrow c. and the Brownists Sure I am if the late Bishops stopt too soon many now adays run as much too far Mos iste in Ecclesia semper viguit ut quo quisque fo et religiosior co promptius novellis adinventionibus contrairet saith Vincent Lirinens Arrius Macedonius Nestorius Eutyches Pelagius in Luthers days many Sects Anabaptism Antinomianism in Calvins Servetus but this is sad that what was owned by all to be profainness twelve years ago as to swear commonly not to pray nor confess sin nor sanctifie Sabbath nor frequent Gods Ordinances to deny the Scriptures c. if a man now do the same things and say he holds an Opinion or it is his Opinion that he may do thus then it should be accounted no profaneness but Religion Cursed Errors draw the best spirits saith holy and learned Mr Hooker of New-England from the heart to the head turn Religion into a Dispute and make it onely a matter of questions and words and eat out in very many the very heart of godliness It was the great grief of holy Mr Burroughs not long before his death that he could not see that practical power of godliness in the professors of these days which he saw in those that dyed immediately before these Times began but that we seem said he to have more light but less life Oh this doth not beseem spiritual Princes of Jesus Christ A forraign Writer three years ago to our shame published Anglia his quatuor annis facta est colluvies lerna omnium Errorum ac Sectarum nulla à condito orbe Provincia tam parvo spatio tot monstrosas Haereses protulit atque haec c. 5. Let this be a Caveat to all persons to take heed they offer Vse 5 no injuries to godly men for they are spiritual Princes You know how dangerous Scandalum magnatum and Crimen laesae Majestatis were accounted to be Take heed how you rail against or affront a godly man for godliness sake truly you kick against the pricks Christ will own it Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act. 9. These are Gods anointed touch them not at your peril Psal 105. 14. They are the dearly beloved of Gods Soul Jerem. 12. 7. Gods Hephzibah Isai 62. 4. Gods delight is in them These are the Spouse of Christ and Christ will say Will you force the Queen before me as Ahashuerus said of Haman Esth 7. 8. These are the Lords portion take heed what you do to these men c. The sixth Use is for Comfort to all the Saints because they Vse 6 are spiritual Princes 1. Kings and Princes are not usually tryed at an ordinary Court but some special Court for them Truly godly men shall not be tryed 1. At mans Bar not stand to mans day * 1 Cor. 4. 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When Woodroof the sheriff called Mr Rogers our Protomartyr Heretique that shal be known said Rogers at the day of Judgment who usually rail against them and mock them 3. Nor at the Bar of strict Justice but at the Chancery of free mercy their debts being payd persons covered in Christ and their Husband their Judg. Secondly These Princes have two of the best Kingdoms that we ever heard of the one of Grace the other of Glory that whiles others glory of Corn Wine Oyl Psal 4. 7. and petty Mannors the Saints may say as the King of France commanded his Herauld to cry still King of France King of France so they Heirs of Grace and Glory Thirdly Princes are an honour to the place where they are born and bred So Psal 87. 5 6. Of Sion it shall be said this and that man was born in her So many godly men in a Town so many Princes in a Town It is an honor to Boston in Lincolnshire that learned and holy Mr Fox that wrote the Book of Martyrs was born there to Manchester that heavenly Mr Bradford the Martyr was born there to Dean and Leigh in Lancashire that George Marsh the godly Martyr was born in the first and Jeffrey Hurst in the latter and Mr Robert Bolton at Blackborn in the same County Mr William Perkins at Marston in Warwick-shire Holy Mr Latimer at Thirkesson in Leicestershire Martyr Cranmer at Arselacton in Nottinghamshire Doctor Willet at Ely in Cambridg-shire Mr Whateley at Bambury in Oxfordshire a Many worthy men born in Lancashire Dr Whitaker Mr Nouel Mr Bentley Mr R. Balton Mr Bradford George Maâ—sh Jesfrey Hurst c. In Devonsh re Bishop Juel Dr Reynolds In Northumberland Bishop Ridley Martyr Cumberland Archbishop Grindal Westmoreland Mr Gilpin Buckinghamshire Dr Humphred Shropshire Dr Holland Hampshire Mr Philpot. Kent Mr Ed. Deering Nottinghamshire Archbishop Cranmer both Mr Chappels c. c. 7. In all these hurryings and clatterings of the Times while Vse 7 every one is contending about Kings and Princes at home and abroad such stirs plottings and actings about them and about Government in Church and State let us cry to God that we may be and content our selves to be spiritual Princes to Christ to raign over our lusts and to have the Government of Christ in our hearts Let this be our greatest contention and strife and beg direction from God for them in whose hands is the power of setling external Governors and Government Take heed we be not of those that say in our hearts We will not have Christ to raign over us Luk. 19. 37. Content not our selves that we are related to godly men heavenly Princes John of Valoys was Son Uncle Brother Father to a King yet himself was never King so here 8. Labor what we can the advance and propagation of the Vse 8 Gospels Ministry It 's the means through Gods Mercy to beget Princes to God in every town and place where it comes Follow it to Ireland Wales the Northern Counties c. with your prayers yea into the dark corners of the world that Christ may have Princes
the praises of Solomon and his wife the daughter of Pharaoh King of Egypt for though Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred Concubines 1 King 11. 3. yet did he especially affect Pharaohs daughter 1 King 3. 1. The Jewish Rabbies say that one of the Articles in the agreement of marriage 'twixt Solomon and Pharaohs daughter was that she should forsake her Idolatry and blinde Superstition of Egypt and embrace the Worship and Service of the true God which Article seems to be alluded to here Vers 10. 11. but under the similitude of Solomons marriage with Pharaohs daughter is ultimately principally and mystically set out the Lord Christ his marriage with the Church as it is also in the Book of Canticles and even some of the learneder Jews are forced to confess that many things in this Psalm cannot be meant of Solomon and his Spouse but of the Messiah and his Church as vers 1. he speaks of the things touching the King but that King is God whose throne endures for ever Vers 6. So Vers 11. 18. and for the Spouse she is such a one whose chief glory lies within Vers 13. And for their Children though Solomon had a thousand Wives and Concubines yet we read but of one son whereas others who had but one wife had many sons and though Solomon was the wisest of all meer mortals since the Fall yet his son Rehoboam very foolish so that my Text cannot in the letter be meant of Solomon who had not children whom he might make Princes in all Lands nay the Kingdom ever went less after Solomons time But to put all out of question the Holy Ghost applies this Psalm to Christ and the Church Heb. 1. 8 9 c. So that this Psalm is a continued Allegory if not Type setting out under the similitude of Solomons marriage the neer and happy union and dear affection 'twixt Christs and all Beleevers and those precious children and choyce posterity that Christ begets in his Church by his Spirit and Word And here is First the commendation of the Bridegroom from Vers 1. to 10. for his beauty eloquence and art in soul-winning justice and meekness the glory of his garments and palace c. And then the commendation of the Bride Vers 10. to 15. and of the children converted and born again to Christ in the Church Vers 16. Who shall be Princes in all Lands Here then we have 1. implied A spiritual marriage 'twixt Christ and the Church 2. Their spiritual children and posterity 3. The royal dignity of these children that are converted and born to Christ in the Church they are Princes 4. The extent in all Countries places of the Earth where ever they dwell though in poor Cottages wandering in sheep skins and goat skins siting down with poor fare yet are they Princes in all the Earth 5. See the great honor that redounds to the Church hereby Domus mea a me incipiet tua vero in te desinet said Tully to the braging and prodâ—gal Roman whereas usually men brag and glory of their ancient pedigree moth-eaten antiquity though the Heathen Poet could say where that goes alone it 's a poor commendation Et quae non fecimus ipsi vix ea nostra voco yet men glory of their Ancestors and Families that they are sprung ab atavis regibus The Holy Ghost saith that this is a far greater honor to have precious Converts dayly born to God then all temporal pedigrees In stead of thy Fathers shall be thy children c. The first Point which is couched in the Text and runs through the whole Psalm I shall onely point at in transitu and so pass to the next is this That there is a spiritual glorious and happy marriage 'twixt Christ and his Church This is clear in all the Book of Canticles Ephes 5. Isai 54. 5. Rev. 19. 7. 21. 9. Qu. Wherein doth this spiritual mystical marriage consist Ans 1. Ex parte Sponsi on the Bridegrooms part who 1. makes his choyce and sets his heart on whom he will Amongst men we say that before marriage a man should suit his choyce to his minde viz. rightly regulated but after his mind to his choyce if ever he meant to have content or comfort in it And madness and life tedious without Christ Nihil mihi sapit in quo non sapit Jesus Christ A poor Soul loves to speak to him to hear him and hear from him loves his Word ways people all that savors of Christ loves nothing further then as it comes from or tends to or suits with Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 2. 2. 4. She desires never to part No the Soul doth not marry Christ till death them depart or till God shall separate them by death but takes him for life death ever The Soul never repenteth of this match save onely that he was married no sooner and counts all his time lost till then as one born out of due time 1 Cor. 15. 8. 5. The Spouse goeth to Christ the Husband for every thing she depends upon him upon 1. His Judgment for counsel and direction what to do in all cases 2. Upon His Eye and not mens eyes for approbation of all we do to God or men 3. Upon his Purse for maintenance and dayly supply in every grace and duty c. The Wife loseth her own name and is called after her Husband So it 's no more I saith Paul but Christ in me Gal. 2. 20. But I promised brevity herein and therefore I shall onely give a short touch by way of Application And first here is a Vse 1 ground of marvelous Comfort and Encouragement to all Beleevers and that in divers cases As 1. Against sin the worst of evils Christ the Husband must pay the debt Vxori lis non intenditur saith the Civil Law If a poor woman marry a Prince to whom she owed 10000 l. he may pay himself 2. Fear not final falling away Christ repents not of the match he fore-knew ere he married us what we were and would be If any fall would now break it it would have prevented it A true Beleever may fail and fall but 1. It 's but a particular guilt he is guilty as to that fact That thing that David did diâ—pleased the Lord but not a general guilt his estate is good and approved of God his general course and frame of heart is holy 2. It 's but the guilt of a Childe not an Enemy we may provoke a Fathers displeasure Exod. 4. 14. Psal 106. 32. but it 's not the wrath of a Judg to a Malefactor Rom. 8. 1. so as to cast him out for ever Joh. 8. 35. 3. We may go boldly to Christ our Husband at all times both in Life for counsel direction supply and in Death a Death in it self is the King of terrors Iob 18. 14 Sigismund the Emperor and Lewis the 11. king of France charged all their servants about them that all the time of
their Kingdom is not of this world 1 Cor. 2. 6 8. True it is that godly men as David c. may be temporall Princes but not Quatenus godly men and Christs seed And we had need to clear this for great temporall Monarchs are very fearfull of any claime to their Kingdomes or medling with their Titles Our Chronicles mention one Burdet a Merchant of London dwelling at the sign of the Crown in Cheapside in the dayes of our King Edward the fourth Anno 1483. who jestingly said to his Son that he would leave him heire to the Crown meaning the sign of the Crowne where he lived for which he was apprehended and within four hours hanged drawne and quartered for so saying Kings love not that men should Pulcheria the vertuous and discreet sister of Theodosius the second seeing her brother the Emperor to signe many writings without reading them caused a writing drawn and tendered wherein he consigned into her hands his wife Eudoxia formerly before Baptisme call'd Athenais a poor woman daughter of Leontig who seeking at the Court for Justice in a private cause took the Emperors affections was baptized and married him Eudoxia said it was too great a game to jest and play upon Diadems though the good Emperor much reformed by it jest with their Crowns how fearfully startled was Herod when he heard tell of some Wisemen asking for one that was borne King of the Jewes Mat. 2. 1 2 3 indeed worse afraid then hurt the Saints are not by vertue of their birth from Christ temporall but spirituall Kings though carnall men mens slander is very common that Gods people rebell and aime only to be temporall Kings Nehem. 6. 6 7. But know that it 's far better to be a spirituall Prince with God then meerly a temporall Prince over men Which will appear 1. Because the greatest Kings on earth have usually more crosses on earth then externall comforts there is a great vanity in the chiefest person and places on earth Psal 62. 9. The world hath now stood above 5000. years and the greater half of this time was spent ere the Jewes had any setled King at last about the year of the world 3761 God gave them a King Saul by name and there were but three Kings that governed and ruled over all the twelve Tribes viz. Saul David and Solomon and one of these viz. Saul came to a violent death slew himselfe though perhaps the Amalekite helped to dispatch him * If so then Saul who had been cruell to David 〈…〉 cruell to him self and he that spared the Amalekites and never prospered after is at last slain by an Amalckite 1 Sam. 15. 14 23. See Lightfâ—â—â— on that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is onely used it 2 Sam. 1. 9. and signifies both 〈…〉 tremor vel argustre when his coat of male somewhat hidered his own spear from making that speedy end which he desired as the words in the Hebrew may be read 2 Sam. 1. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After these three Kings deaths the twelve Tribes were divided into two Kingdoms two Tribes clave to Rehoboam Solomons Son and Hâ—â—â— and made up the Kingdom of Judah and ten Tribes to Jâ—â—oboam Solomons Servant and made up the Kingdom of Israel Now after this division which began about the year of the world 2969. untill the captivity of Babylon and destruction of Jerusalem by Neâ—uchaâ—â—â—zzar there were but twenty Kings of Judah and of there eight suffered a violent death and of Israel before their lasting captivity 2 King 17. 6. there were but nineteen Kings whereof not one feared God among them all and of these nine died a violent death besides others imprisoned cruelly used c. In England since the coming in of the Norman William which is usually stiled the Conquest there hath been five and twenty Princes of whom nine came to a violent death and many more of those 109. Kings of Scotland I say it for this â—ad to shew what crosses and calamities do oft times attend great persons and places which cause their troubles to exceed their comforts which made Solomon complain of the vanity of vanities in all conditions Eccl. 1. before him his Father David say that he had seen an end of all perfection Psalm 19. 96. Nay see how somtimes Gods heavy hand goes out against a whole great Family or â—ine thus we find Ahab and Jezabel guilty of blood of godly Nabathe blood see what became of all that race â—nd line Ahab was shot to death by a man that shot at â—venture and timed not at him more then any other 1 King 22. 34. as he went up against Ramoth-Gilcad but it was purposely levelled fore-told and directed by God against Ahab 1 King 21. 19. as Elijah had told the King ere he went up thither so also Micaiah 1 King 22. 28. and Jezabel who was wife mother and daughter to a King even she was slain 2 King 29. 33. King Ahaziah son to Ahab never recovered of hâ—s fall through the Lettice 2 King 1. 2 16 17. then Ahabs other son Jehoram was King of Israel 2 King 3. 1. he goes against Ramoth-Gilead and takes it which his father Ahab could not do and having received some wounds in that service he leaves Jehu one of his Captains Commander in chief over his Army â—t Ramoth-Gilead and goes himself to be cured at Jezreel presently Jehu by Gods appointment 2 King 9. 1 2 3 7 8. c. drawes all the Army against King Jehoram his King his Master and his Master Ahabs son and slew him 2 King 9. 24 25. and that the blood of Naboth which Ahab had a hand in was a maine cause of all this appears because it 's expressed that in the same place where Naboths blood was shed both Ahabs and Iehorams blood was spilt 1 King 21. 19. and 2 King 9. 25 26. and so of Iezabel 2 King 9. 36 37. Athaliab the daughter of Ahab was married to Jehoram King of Judah 2 King 8. 16. 17 18. she was slaine 2 King 11. 16. her husbands bowells fell out 2 Chron. 21 18 19. none prospered that medled with that Line their elder sons were slain or carried captive by the Philistins and Arabians 2 Chron. 21. 17. and 22. 1. Ahaziah King Ahabs grandchild and some think he married againe into that stock 2 Kings 8. 27. he joyned with Jehoram in that war and after to visit him 2 King 8. 28 29. he was slaine 2 King 9. 27. and 42. of Ahaziahs brethren or kindred of Ahabs stock were slaine 2 King 10. 14. and seventy more of Ahabs sons and grand-children by severall wives were slaine 2 King 10. 1 7. so as none remained of that line and family 1 King 21. 21. see the like of Baasha another King of Israel his line 1 King 16. 11. Who hath not read the continued succession of calamities that attended Mary Queen of Scotland mother to the late King James 〈◊〉 her cradle to
imprisoned and after banished them Luther fore-told above one hundred years ago that the Familistical Errors which he then in their bud opposed would hereafter rise up with more subtilty and danger in the days of more light of the Gospel and sure now Satan is busie in sowing Tares 3. I beseech you encourage and further as blessed be God you have begun a glorious work that way a godly orthodox painful Ministry in England Ireland Wales c. that God that hath always payd so well for nursing his children and counted that done to him which is done to them will not forget Matth. 25. Acts 9. Mat. 10. 40 41 42. Zech. 2. 8 any pains and care for his faithful Ministers and propagating his Gospel advancing piety and learning with all due and needful encouragements thereto Satan every way opposeth them and Gods work by them Elijah was called the Troubler of Israel 1 King 18. 17. Amos charged for conspiracy Amos 7. 10. Paul counted a f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pestilent fellow a very post a mover of Sedition and Ring-leader of a Sect Acts 24. 5. and Christ himself a Teacher of New Doctrines Mark 1. 27. as well as Paul Acts 17. 9. g Jeremy was layd by the heels for a Traytor to the State Luther called a trumpet of rebellion and Beza a seedsman of sedition Unicum crimen eorum qui crimine vacabant as Lipsius out of Tacitus Therefore they stand in more need of your further encouragement so shall you be not titulary but real defenders of the Faith The Pope sent over to James the fourth King of Scotland a Sword with this Title Protector of the Faith and presently after another Sword to our King Henry the eighth with this Title Defender of the Faith but the meaning was to protect the Popish Faith and not Christs pure Gospel and accordingly both those Kings afterwards caused several godly men to be burned for the Truth in their Dominions and great ignorance followed men wholly studying Popish fancies and neglecting Gods Word so as George Creichton Bishop of Dunkel confessed that he had lived Bishop many years yet never knew any thing of the Old and New Testament 4. I beseech you while you sit in that Honorable Senate forget not poor Prisoners in the Gaol but let there be in every County some provision made for their Souls so that they may not be made in their Prisons ten times more the children of Hell then before and most unfit to dye when most unable to live How much good did that learned and holy Mr Perkins that way in his time One Malefactor amongst others crying out upon the Ladder to Mr Perkins that he feared Non metuo mori sed damnari not Death but a worse thing was even melted into tears at Mr Perkins his Prayer and dyed joyfully What a blessed work would this be to provide some able man and means for him to preach to and catechise these poor Souls that so they may not be in bondage to Satan but Christs free men that when the Justice of the Law will not suffer them to live the Mercy in the Gospel may fit them for death A reuerend Minister of this Nation now with God said that one shilling a quarter of every parish one with another in the County of Somerset which is no burthen to any man would encourage some godly man to this work so might we perhaps through Gods mercy see more penitent theeves 5. Contribute I beseech you your best skill and help for the joynting of godly and faithful men who agree in the same Fundamentals of Doctrine and truth of practice towards God and the State and shall agree in the same Heaven at night Tragediae Lutheranae mihi ipsi etiam calculo sunt molestiores said Erasmus The Differences among godly men more troubled Erasmus then the stone It 's a thousand pities to see what strangeness in Opinion Affection and Conversation a few years of peace have bred in too many who agreed mourned and wept together in times of Trouble like sheep run of a heap in a storm but spread up and down the mountain in a Sun-shine How do the Philistins hereupon triumph publish it in Gath and raise up their hopes And I fear there are some cursed spirits that do purposely heighten our Divisions to ruine us both I have often sadly thought of that passage of Oecolampadius to the Lutherans when the fire of contention grew hot 'twixt the Zuinglians and them as they were called and the subtil Jesuites and Papists joyned themselves with the Lutherans in the Sacramentary quarrel and stroked them on the head eos laudabant in pretio habebant c. purposely to make the breach wider and irreconcileable to ruine both Error condonari potest saith Oecolamp discordiam neque si sanguinem fundamus expiabimus and as our Divisions bring scandal so danger as Machiavils rule was by being divided in minutula frustula Cambden observes that the low Countries suspecting the friendship of the English anno 1587. stamped money with two Earthen Pitchers swimming on the Sea with this Motto Si collidimur frangimur If we dash one against another we are both broken I wish that England and Holland England and Scotland England and England would timely consider this whom to cement and glue firmly was worth the study and labour of another Constantine the great nay of an English Parliament but lieth onely in the Power of the Almighty In the Raign of Henry the eight anno 1536. fourty thousand Yorkshire men rose up in Arms to uphold the Popes authority their old Traditions Latine Service though alass whether it was cursing or praying they knew not their Beads Crosses and other Church-ornaments as they called them which they thought Cromwel would then have pulled down This Rising they called the Holy Pilgrimage on their Colours they had the five wounds of Christ with the letters JESUS in the midst The King sent down a great Army against them both Armies drew neer to one another the place day and hour of battel was set but that night before the battel should be fell a small rain which so raised a little brook that was betwixt the Armies that neither Army could come at the other all the next day the neighboring Inhabitants having never seen that brook swell neer that height which the day before a man might have gone over dry-shod though they had often seen far greater rain both Armies looked at it as Gods miraculous hand forbidding their fighting and so treated agreed and departed quietly How happily was the effusion of blood prevented Alass how do we see sincere godly men ready through different apprehensions and remnant of corruption like Abraham and Lot Paul and Barnabas to fall out In Queen Maries days of persecution some godly men after Martyrs thought that they might not with a safe conscience fly away though they had fair warning and opportunity as Latimer Taylor Bâ—adford