and the burden and the difference of the burden at seuerall times therefore while they compare they are sensible of the difference betweene supporting of earth and Terrae liquefactae dissolued or dissoluing earth For this latter is heauier a great deale therefore in the difference they can tell where they are likeliest to shrinke vnder the burden if God come not in to beare them vp And in all these cases and many more the Pillars of the earth must goe to God as fast as the Inhabitants of the earth come to them They must pray for themselues And the Church and the people must pray for them too And the cloze of the prayers must still bee that God would beare vp the Pillars that they may be able to beare vp the earth And for the honour of Kings and their great Assistants marke it God doth not say here I beare vp the Earth and the inhabitants of it though he doth that too and they cannot subsist without him but as if he had quite put them ouer to the King and the great Gouernours vnder him he saith I beare vp the pillars and then I looke and will require of them that they beare vp the State and the people Let mee speake a little boldly saith G. Nazianz. Shew your selues gods to your subiects gods and no lesse Gods why then you must doe Gods worke And Gods worke euer since the Creation is to preserue and beare vp the world Therefore as God beares vp you so you must beare vp the Earth and the people God reteines his owne power ouer you but hee hath giuen you his owne power ouer them Rom. 13. His owne power and that is to beare vp the people at home and in all iust quarrels to force enemies abroad And in all this t' is Gods power still but yet he will exercise it by the Pillars Therefore in the first great leading of his people himselfe went before them in the forme of a pillar Exod. 13. And when he smote the armie of Egypt he looked out of the pillar while he strooke it Exod. 14. And because this was an extraordinary pillar and therefore can be no principle for ordinary conclusions He makes Moses which was the ordinary pillar not beare onely but strike too He must stretch out his band vpon the Sea Exod. 14. Now this great worke of God in supporting the pillars kings and mighty Potentates of the Earth is so manifest that no reason can bee brought to deny it First in that the wisest and mightiest kings that euer were haue beene in their seuerall times most religious Secondly in that euen those kings and great men vnderthem which haue not accounted God their strength haue yet thought it necessary to beare the world in hand that they did rely vpon God to beare them vp And this is a full proofe that this principle is naturally printed in the heart of man that God is Basis Columnarum the foundation of the pillars Thirdly in that very many times weaker Gouernours both for wisedome and courage doe prosper and performe greater workes then some which in themselues had farre greater abilities and a more prouident Councell about them A famous instance of this is Pope Iulius 2. To ascribe this to Fortune onely worldly wisedome it selfe would condemne for folly To giue it to Destinie is to binde vp God in chaines vnworthy for men For worldly wisedome knowes this that God in his workes ad extra must be most free or no God To worldly wisedome it selfe it cannot be ascribed For she hath openly disclaymed many of their Actions which haue prospered best Therefore of necessitie so much be ascribed to Gods blessing and protecting them And certainly there 's no true reason can be giuen of it but this First Ego confirme I establish and beare vp the pillars For so long the world cannot shake them And secondly Ego apto I make fitte the Pillars as Tremel reades it for so long they beare euen aboue their strength And out of doubt there is very much in the fitting of the Pillars T' is not the great massinesse of a Pillar but the cleane and true working of him that makes him beare the fitting of him in time and to his place And here as for many other so especially for two things wee haue great cause to blesse and magnifie God First that since he would remoue our Royall Pillar which had stood now vnder the weight of this Gouernment full 22. yeeres yet he would not doe it till he had prepared another and brought him to full strength to beare vp this kingdome to Gods great honour and his owne Secondly that by Gods great blessing and his Royall Fathers prudent education hee is and was from the first houre confirmata columna an established and a settled Pillar And I make no question but aptata Columna too A Pillar euery way fitted to the State he beares fitted to the difficulties of the time fitted to the State and fitted to the Church Now the Church no question for the externall support of it hath need great need of Temporall Pillars too At this time a great Pillar of this Church is falne and doubtlesse a great part of the edifice had falne with it if God had not made supply of another and a very able Pillar I finde Gen. 28. that there was an Anoynted Pillar that it was anoynted by Iacob The place was Bethel the house of God In it the Ladder of heauen by which the Angels goe and come But out of doubt this Pillar is here This Pillar not yet anoynted by the hand of the Priest but anoynted already to the inheritance and by the blessing of Iacob The place where Iacob left him behind is the Church of God and he left him a Pillar for so hee rested on him and well hee might Old Iacob is gone by the Angels way to heauen but he left the Pillar here behind at Bethel for the house of God And al the blessings of Heauen Earth bee vpon him all the dayes of his life The Church in all times of her dissensions when schisme and faction haue made great Rents in her buildings hath still had recourse to her Pillars to her Ciuill and his Ecclesiasticall Pillars and shee goes right For her Pillars must support her or shee cannot be borne vp This very time is a time of Church diuision What followes vpon it what why the Church is become Terra liquefacta there 's melting almost in euery part of it Christendome through melting in all places but not at the same Fire For in one place Truth melts away from the doctrine of the Church In another deuotion and good life melt away from the practise of the Church In a third all externall meanes and necessary supply melts away from the maintenance of the Church And but that I know Hell gates cannot preuaile against it it melts so fast sometimes that I should
is not Iuda onely but all Kingdomes of the Earth are subiect to melting The many changes of the world haue Preach'd this ouer and ouer That whatsoeuer hath Earth to the foundation is subiect to dissolution And the Sermon is still made vpon this Text Terra liquefacta est The Earth is dissolued Now vsually before melting there goes a Heate And so it was Hos. 8. A fire first and then the melting of Israel There neither is nor can bee any Kingdome but it hath many Heates These are most felt by them that are at the working of the State But these are all quite aboue me saue to pray for their temper and I will not further meddle with them Heates then there are but all Heates are not by and by a Furnace nor are all Furnaces able to melt and dissolue States No God forbid Not all but yet some there are that can melt any kingdome especially two The one of these Heates is Sinne great and multiplied sinne For saith S. Augustine delinquere est de liquido fluere To sinne is to melt and drop away from all steddinesse in vertue from all foundation of Iustice. And here a State melts inward there 's little seene yet The other is Gods punishment for these sinnes For that makes emptie cities and a desolate Land And there a State melts outwardly and in view And by this we haue found what and who it is that melts great and glorious Kingdomes In the Text there 's no more then liquefacta est the earth is dissolued not a word by whom or for what But it is expressed Vers. 7. that it is by God And it is too well knowen that it is for sinne and for great sinne too For as there goes sinne before God heates so there goe great and multiplied sinnes before God makes his fire so hote as to melt or dissolue a Kingdome The sinnes of the Amorite not yet full therefore not yet cast into the melting pot But so soone as their sinnes were full their State melted The fruit of it from aboue and the root of it from beneath all destroyed And this was not the Amorites case onely for all Stories are ful of it That when States haue melted into wanton and lustfull sinnes they haue not long after dissolued into desolation For as S. Ierome obserues that course God holds with impious and impenitent Kingdomes aswell as men absque discretione personarum without any difference of persons or places Well when t' is Terra liquefacta when a Kingdome dissolues and melts what then What why then no man is in safety till it settle againe not a man For the Text goes on The earth is dissolued and all that dwell therein All men then to seeke what to doe the wisest to seeke and the strongest to seeke All. And it must needes be so For so long as a State is Terra like solide ground men know where to set their footing and it is not euery Earth-quake that swallowes the place But when it is once Terra liquefacta molten and dissolued there is no footing no foundation then I sticke fast in the myre where no ground is Psal. 69. and myre is but terraliquefacta molten and dissolued earth All foule then and no foundation And when a Kingdome melts indeed that is both wayes In sinne and vnder punishment there 's great reason the inhabitants should melt with it into feare into danger into ruine For God neuer puts his fire to the melting of a State but for sinne and sinne that is neuer committed by the dead State but by the liuing For when a fruitfull land is made barren it is for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein And therefore there is great reason when the earth dissolues that the inhabitants should all sweat and melt too When Dauid came to the Crowne t' was thus How is it now Why if you take the earth at large for the Kingdomes about you out of question there hath beene liquefactio a melting in the earth and many Kingdomes haue swet blood But if you take the earth for the State at home then t' is high time to magnifie God First for the Renowmed Religious and peaceable Reigne of our late dread Soueraigne of blessed Memorie who for so many yeeres together kept this Kingdome in peace and from melting And secondly that now in the change of Princes which is not the least occasion for a State to melt wee liue to see a miracle Change without Alteration Another King but the same life-expression of all the Royall and Religious Vertues of his Father and no sinewes shrinking or dissoluing in the State If you aske me the cause of this happinesse I can direct you to no other but God and God in mercie For as for the Kingdome that is made of the same Earth with others and is consequently subiect to the same dissolution And as for vs that dwell therein I doubt our sinnes haue been as clamorous vpon God to heate his fire and make it fall on melting as the sinnes of them that inhabit other Countreys And though I doubt not but God hath the sure mercies of Dauid in store for the King and will neuer faile him yet if Habitatores in ed they that dwell in this good and happy soile will burden it and themselues with sinne great sinne multiplied sinne vnrepented sinne it will not be in the power or wisdome or courage or piety of a King to keepe the State from melting For Dauid was all these and yet liquefacta est terra the Earth was as good as dissolued for all that And therefore that this Kingdome is not a melting too I can giue no firme reason but God and his Mercy For hee is content to giue longer day for repentance and repentance is able to doe all things with God And the time calles apace for repentance The Heauens they melt into vnseasonable weather and the Earth melts and dissolues her Inhabitants into infectious humours and there 's no way to stay these meltings but by melting our selues in and by true repentance Would you then haue a settled and a flourishing State Would you haue no melting no dissolution in the Church I know you would it is the honourable and religious designe of you all Why but if you would indeed The King must trust and indeere his people The people must honour obey and support their King Both King and Peeres and People must religiously serue and honour God shut out all Superstition on Gods Name the farther the better but let in no prophanenesse therewhile If this bee not done take what care you can God is aboue all humane wisedome and in some degree or other there will bee Liquefactio terrae a melting or a waste both in Church and State And this falls in vpon the second generall part of the Text which is The Remedy as it was then with the Iewes The Preuention as it is now
A SERMON PREACHED before His MAIESTIE On Sunday the XIX of Iune At WHITE-HALL Appointed to be preached at the opening of the PARLIAMENT By the Bishop of S. DAVIDS LONDON Printed by BONHAM NORTON and IOHN BILL Printers to the Kings most Excellent Maiesty M. DC XXV PSALM 75. 2 3. When I shall receiue the Congregation or when I shall take a conuenient time I will iudge according vnto right The earth is dissolued or melted and all the inhabitants thereof I beare up the pillars of it THIS Psalme is accounted a kinde of Dialogue betweene God and the Prophet For David somtimes speaks in his owne person and sometimes in Gods Some thinke the time when hee sung this Psalme was when he was now ready to be crowned king ouer Israel aswell as Iuda The occasion of this his solemne deuotion was not onely the care which hee had of the world in generall the earth but much more and much neerer the care which hee tooke of the Kingdome of Israel now committed by God vnto his Gouernement That Kingdome was then filled with ciuill combustions and the Church as it vses to be in a troubled State was out of order too The Learned both the Fathers and the later Diuines differ much about my Text. For some will read it Time and some The Congregation And the best is there 's warrantable authoritie for both Againe some will haue it that this speech I will iudge acoording vnto right is Dauids promise to God of his iust administration of the Kingdome and some that it is Gods promise to Dauid of his Grace and Assistance to inable him so to gouerne If it be Gods speech they are not all agreed neither whether it be meant of his temporary execution of Iudgement in this life or of his great and finall iudgement Nor do they all agree whether by the Earth bee meant the whole world and the Church spread ouer it or the kingdome of the Iewes and the Church as then conteined in it But the matter is not great For the Scripture is not onely true but full in all these senses and all of them come in close vpon the letter of the Text. And therefore for ought I know it is the safest way which shuts out nothing that the Text includes And my Text will easily take in all if you consider the wordes as Dauids speech yet so as that one way Dauid be vnderstood to speake in his owne person and another way in Gods And this is no newes For vsually in the Psalmes one and the same speech is meant of Dauid and Christ and one and the same action applyed to God and the King And the reason of this is plaine For the King is Gods immediate Lieutenant vpon earth and therefore one and the same action is Gods by ordinance and the Kings by execution And the power which resides in the King is not any assuming to himselfe nor any gift from the people but Gods power aswellin as ouer him So God and the King stand very neere together And it is an infinite blessing both vpon the King and the people when the Kings heart keepes as neere vnto God as Gods power is to the King For then t' is but reading of my Text and you both see and enioy the blessing presently For then the Congregation that comes vp the great Congregation great in number great in place and great in power it shall not loose it's labour For I will receiue it saith God and I saith the King The Congregation whether it bee to serue God or the State or both comes vp at an appointed time and I will make a conuenient time for it saith God and I wil take a conuenient time for it saith the King When I haue receiued it and in this time I will iudge in it and by it according vnto right saith God and I saith the King If Iustice and Iudgement bee not executed the Earth will dissolue the Kingdomes will melt away all things will sinke and fall but I will beare vp the pillars of it saith God and I saith the King If the Earth dissolue the Militant Church which dwells vpon it shakes presently It must needs beare part with the State in which it is but I will beare vp the pillars of that too saith God and I saith the King So blessed a thing it is where God and the King keepe neere and worke together The Text hath Two parts The one is the state of the Earth of the Kingdomes and the Inhabitors thereof and they when the Prophet wrote this were in weake estate melted and dissolued The other is the Remedie which God and the King will take to settle it And concerning this Remedie heere are Three things expressed First the Execution of Iustice I will iudge according vnto right Secondly the Establishment or settling of the Pillars I beare top the pillars of it Thirdly the Time for both these and that is a conuenient Time euen when Hee shall receiue the Congregation I begin at the state in which Dauid when hee came to the Crowne found the Earth the world in generall the Kingdome of Iuda in particular and the Church of God And surely my Text giues mee no hope but Liquefacta est weakenesse dissolution and melting in them all For the world first that so farre as the Assyrian Monarchie preuailed in those dayes of Dauid melted betweene riot and crueltie And the rest of the world which was not vnder them was broken and dissolued into petty Dynasties and Gouernements which did nothing almost but prey one vpon another And for the Kingdome of Iuda the speciall ayme of my Text that melted first in the great disobedience of Saul and after that in ciuill dissentions betweene Dauid and Ishbosheth the sonne of Saul for diuers yeeres together And as for the Church that had no publicke roome then giuen it but in Iudea and there it could not stand fast when the Earth melted vnder it And we finde toward the end of Saul 85. Priests were put to the sword at once and vniustly all And the Church cannot choose but melt when her Priests are slaine for the speediest melting that is is to melt in blood Now this melting whether it bee in State or Church is no small thing For the Scripture when it would expresse a great Calamitie vpon men or Kingdomes vses the word melting or dissoluing And that shewes that their honour and strength drops away and decayes till they become as nothing or quite another thing In trouble the heart of Dauid melted like waxe Psal 22. When their enemies preuailed The heart of the people melted like water Ios. 7. In the time of vengeance The vngodly of the Earth shall melt and consume away like a snaile Psal. 58. And that 's melting indeed Put but a little falt vpon a snaile and he will drop out of his house presently Melting then is a great Calamity vpon a Kingdome And 't
with vs which God and the King will vse to keepe the State and the Church from melting This Remedy and the Preuention is iust the same is expressed first in the Execution of Iustice. And this God promises for the King and the King promises vnder God I will iudge according vnto right saith God and I saith the King Now Iustice and Iudgement is the greatest binder vp of a State The great bounder of Peace and Warre And it is not possible to finde dissoluing sinews in a Kingdome that is gouerned by Iustice. For if the King flourish the Kingdome cannot melt And the Kings Throne that is established by Iustice. Nay farther Nothing but Iustice can establish the Throne and make it firme indeed But when God blesses the King with a heart full of Iustice when God strengthens the King in the Execution of Iustice when the King followes God as close as hee can with Ego iudicabo I my selfe will looke to the administration of Iustice with which God hath trusted me there can bee no melting about the Throne of the King none in the State none in the Church But then this Iustice which preserues the King and blesses the people must be habituall To doe Iustice casually though the thing done be iust yet the doing of it is not Iustice. The State may melt for all that because the Remedy is but casuall Againe since the whole State hath interest in the Iustice of the King his Iustice must be spreading ouer all persons and in all causes And so 't is plurall in the Text I will iudge Iusticias for euery mans cause so farre as it is iust Why but then must the King doe all this himselfe No God forbid that burden should lye vpon him Moses was not able alone for that It was and it is too heauy What then why then Iethro's counsell must bee followed There must bee inferiour Iudges and Magistrates deputed by the King for this Men of courage fearing God and hating Couetousness These must quit Moses from the inferiour trouble that he may be actiue and able for the great affaires of State For if they be suffered to melt and drop downeward there can be no standing dry or safe vnder them And hence it followes that Ego iudicabo I will iudge according vnto right is not onely the Kings engagement betweene God and the People but it is the engagement of euery Iudge Magistrate and Officer betweene God the King and the State The Kings power that 's from God The Iudges and the subordinate Magistrates power that 's from the King Both are for the good of the people That they may lead a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie All Iudges and Courts of Iustice euen this great Congregation this great Councell now ready to sit receiue influence and power from the King and are dispensers of his Iustice aswell as their owne both in the Lawes they make and in the Lawes they execute in the Causes which they heare and in the Sentences which they giue The King Gods High Steward and they Stewards vnder him And so long as Iustice and Iudgement sits vpon all the Benches of a Kingdome either it is not possible for Fluxes and Meltings to begin in the State or if they doe begin their Drip will be cured presently Now while the King keepes close to Ego judicabo I will iudge that which comes to me according vnto right if inferiour Iudges which God forbid iudge other then right they sin against three at once and against God in all For first they sinne against the people by doing them wrong in stead of Iustice. Secondly they sinne against their owne conscience not only by calling but by sentencing Good Exill and Euill Good Thirdly they sin against the King the fountaine of Iustice vnder God in slandering of his Iustice to the people with the administration whereof they are trusted vnder him And once againe for Inferiour Gouernours of all sorts The King is the Sunne Hee drawes vp some vapours some support some supply from vs. T' is true hee must doe so For if the Sun draw vp no vapours it can powre downe no raine and the Earth may bee too hard as well as too soft and too melting Now this Raine which descends and is first caused by the Sunne is prepared in the Clouds before it falleth on the Earth And all Great Men that are raised higher then the rest especially Iudges and Magistrates of all sorts they are the Clouds They receiue the more immediate influence from the King and if they bee Gods Clouds and retaine what hee gaue them thev drop fatnesse vpon the people But if they bee clouds without water they transmit no influence If they bee light clouds in the wind then no certaine influence If they be cloud driuen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a whirlewind then it is passionate and violent influence And the Clouds I hope are not I am sure should not bee thus betweene the King and his people There is then Ego judicabo I will iudge according vnto right both for the King and all subordinate Magistrates vnder him But here 's Ego judicabo and I will iudge according to right for God too For many of the Fathers will haue this to be Gods speech or Dauids in the person of God And then whatsoeuer men doe with Iustice and Iudgement God comes two wayes in vpon the iudgements of men to reuiew them For first God comes in when the Earth is melting by violence and iniustice And then Gods Ego judicabo I will iudge is either in Mercy to repayre the breaches to stay the melting of the State or else in Iudgement to punish the debasers of Iustice. And this God sometimes doth in this life But if hee doe it not here yet hee neuer failes to doe it at the last and finall Iudgement to which diuers of the Fathers referre this passage of my Text. Secondly God comes in when the Seats of Iustice supreme and inferiour are all entire And then Gods Ego judicabo I will iudge is alwayes to confirme and countenance the proceedings of Iustice and to blesse the Instruments And my Text hath it full For it is not here said I will iudge the causeonely or the men onely whose cause it is or the Iudges onely that sentence the cause but Ego iustitias I will iudge the very Iudgements themselues how right or otherwise they passe And then this must needs be to confirme and honour them if they bee iust or to condemne and dissolue them if they bee vniust rather then they shall melt or dissolue the State or sometimes to send a melting into that State in which Iustice is peruerted Now howsoeuer men sometimes breake from their dutie in iudging according to right yet there can bee no question of Gods proceedings Hee will bee sure to iudge all things and all men according to right who euer doe not
Shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right Yes no question And therefore euen Kings themselues and all mightie men of the Earth and Iudges of all sorts haue need to looke to then waies For God is ouer them with Ego iudicabo I will one day call for an accompt I will iudge all the Executions of Iustice with which I haue trusted them And this is the first Preuention of the melting of a kingdome the first Remedy when it begins to melt The maintenance and Execution of Iustice. The second followes and it is the establishing of the Pillars of the Earth I beare vp the Pillars of it I saith God and I saith the king Where first it is not amisse to consider what these great Pillars of the earth are The Earth it selfe that hath but one Pillar and that is the poize and aequilibre of the Center And that is borne vp by the Word and Ordinance of God Thou commandedst and it stood fast And saith S. Ambrose it needes no other thing to stay it The kingdomes of the Earth they haue more Pillars then one This one which is Gods ordinance for gouernment they haue but they haue diuers Administratours of this ordinance And these Pillars are Kings and Peeres and Iudges and Magistrates Not one of these vnder the nature of a Pillar not one but yet with a great deale of difference For though there be many Pillars yet there is but Vnus Rex one King one great and Center-pillar and all the rest in a kingdome doe but beare vp vnder and about him The Church that is not without Pillars neither No God forbid And it resembles in this the kingdomes among which it soiournes The great Master pillar Christ hee is the Foundation of all the rest and other foundation can no man lay of the Church Next to Christ the Apostles and the Disciples are Pillars too and so called Gal. 2. After these their Successours Bishops and Priests the Fathers of the Church in their seuerall ages they came to bee Pillars And shall so successiuely continue to the end of the world And so soone as Emperours and Kings were conuerted to the Faith they presently came into the nature of Pillars to the Church too If any man doubt this truth I 'le call in the Pope himselfe to witnesse it There are too great Props or Pillars of the Church saith Leo The Kings authoritie and the Priests both these And the Pope was content then to put the Kings first And Kings saith S. Augustine are indeed great Pillars of the Church especially if they vse their power ad cultum Dei dilat andum to enlarge and support the true religious worship of God You haue seene what these Pillars are Will you consider next what they haue to doe both in Church and Common-wealth The office of a Pillar is knowne well enough what it is T' is Justinere to prop and beare vp the Earth Quantum est columnarum nihil sustinentium sed in ornamentum tantum I know in luxurient buildings many Pillars stand only for ornament but beare no weight It is not so with Pillars that are crown'd Honour and ornament they haue and they deserue it but they are loaded too Kingdomes and States the greatest the strongest in the world are as mouldring Earth as men Iuda at this time was Terra liquefacta like a dissoluing Body They cannot stand sine Columnis without their pillars to beare them And therefore the king hath euer beene accounted and truely columna stare faciens terram the maine pillar and stay of the State And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the king is the pillar the foundation of the people So S. Gregory for hee beares subiectorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely his subiects but their burdens too The office then of the Pillars is to beare but when is there vse of them When Why continually they can bee spared at no time if they leaue bearing the State meks presently Wee reade it foure times repeated in Scripture but vpon two great occasions onely Idolatry and Abominable lust that there was no King in Israel Iudg. 17. and 19. no King And still there followed a melting and a dissoluing of the State Euery man did what seem'd good in his owne eyes and the punishment was great At this time Dauid was King of Iuda and Ishbosheth would bee King of Israel Ioab was for the one and Abnor with the other The Pillars heere in stead of bearing fell a iustling What followed Why you see Liquefacta est terra that kingdome melted The Pillars then can neuer be spared from their worke continuall vse of them but yet at one time more need then another And the time of the greatest necessitie of these Pillars is when there is any Liquefaction or weakening of the Earth And that is in the Text the Earth dissoluing and then by and by recourse to the Pillars To the Pillars and therefore they which weaken the gouernement nay which doe but offer to impaire the honour and reputation of the Gouernours are dangerous and vnworthie members of any Common-wealth For to murmure and make the people beleeue there are I know not what cracks and flawes in the Pillars to disesteeme their strength to vnderualue their bearing is to trouble the earth and the Inhabitants of it To make the people feare a melting where there 's none And what office that is you all know Continuall vse there is then of the Pillars But what then Can the Pillars beare vp the earth in a melting time by their owne strength No sure that they cannot not at any time and therefore least at a melting time But what then Why then heere 's Ego Ego I beare vp the Pillars that are about me saith Dauid and I saith God beare vp both these and Dauid too And indeed all Pillars are too weake if they bee left to themselues There must bee one to beare them or else they can neuer beare the Earth One and it can be none vnder God Ego confirmani 't is I that in all times haue borne vp the Pillars of it And it is per me by me saith God Prou. 8. that Kings reigne And per me by me is not onely by Gods ordination once set and then no more but by his preseruation his supportation too And as S. Augustine obserues Quid essent ipsae columnae What could the Pillars themselues doe if they were not borne vp by God But when it once comes to Ego confirmaui I beare vp the Pillars there 's nothing then to be feared Now these of which we speake are not stonie or insensible but liuing and vnderstanding Pillars vnderstanding therefore they feele Onus terrae the burden of the Earth which lies vpon them when the dull earth feeles not it selfe therefore as they feele so are they able to compare their strength
and safety of a kingdome And beginning that seruice with Gods For God forbid this Honourable Councell of State should sit downe and begin any where els then at God Now the great Congregation among the Iewes was the Sanedrim And the going vp of the Tribes to Ierusalem was first to giue thanks vnto the Lord and then to sit downe on the seate of iudgement Psal. 122. And Ierusalem at that time was the seat both of Religion and the State Differences I know there are many between vs and them our gouernment theirs but not in this That the Tribes are assembled and come vp to one place Nor in this That they come vp first to giue thankes to God before they possesse the seate of iudgement Nor in this much that there is a Session a Conuocation for Religion aswell as Parliament for State But to leaue them and come to our owne This great Councell of the Kingdome this Congregation is neuer receiued to meeting but about the Pillars of the State the Lawes and the Gouernement That by the Lawes there might be Iudgement according to right and by the Gouernement the Pillars may both beare and bee borne I say beare and be borne For though in the text it be I beare vp the Pillars That is I at al times and I in some cases where none can but I and I when all forsake saue I yet that is not so to be taken as if the people were not bound to beare vp the Pillars aswell as the Pillars them No for there 's no question but they are bound and strictly bound too Rom. 13. And certaine it is no State can flourish if there be not mutuall support betweene the Earth and the Pillars if it faile of either side there 's some melting or other presently For the strength of a King is in the multitude of his people Prou. 14. His supply and his defence is there And the stregth of a People is in the honour and renowne of their King His very name is their shield among the Nations and they must make accompt to beare if they will be borne And this is read in the very Dictates of Nature for gouernement For no man cuer saw a building of State but the Pillars which beare vp it are borne by the Earth Now God and the King doe both receiue this Congregation and in fitnesse of time and yet with a difference too For the King receiues the Congregation to consult and a duise with it but God receiues it to direct and to blesse it And God with his blessing is neuer wanting to vs at these and the like times if we bee not wanting to Him and our selues And thus you haue seene in what state the kingdome of Israel was in Dauids time and how easie it is for any kingdome to be in the like in a melting and a dissoluing estate You haue likewise seene what Remedy was then and what Preuention is now to bee thought of against this melting This both Remedy and Preuention consists especially in impartial distribution of Iustice to the people and in Gods gracious and powerfull supporting of the pillars of the State The time for this neuer so fit as when the Congregation is receiued by the King to consultation and by God to blessing It is not much which I haue more to say The Congregation is now ready to be receiued The very Receiuing it ioynes it with the fitnesse of opportunity For it is the Kings opportunity to blesse his people with Iustice and Iudgement and it is Gods opportunity to beare vp both King and Peeres both greater and lesser pillars of the State My text deliuers a promise of both For'tis Dauids speech for himselfe and for God I 'le doe both saith God and I saith the King Now you may not distrust this promise on either side neither on Gods nor Dauids Not on Gods side For that is Infidelity Nor on the Kings For what hath he done that can cause misbeliefe or what hath hee not done and that aboue his yeeres that may not merit and challenge beliefe of all And for the comfort of this Kingdome and all that dwell therein the seruice of the day which was first designed for this businesse seemes to mee to prophecie that another Hezekiah a wise and a religious King hath begun his Reigne For the first Lesson appointed in the Church for Euening Prayer that day is 4. Reg. 18. which begins the story of Hezekiah Hezekiah was twenty fiue yeeres old when hee began to reigne There 's his age What did he when hee came first into the Throne Why one of his first workes was Hee gathered the Princes of the Citie there was the receiuing of the Congregation and so went vp to the house of the Lord. After this what was the course of his life It followes He claue to the Lord and departed not from him And I hope I may make a prophecie of that which followes So that there was none like him among the kings of Iudah neither were there any such before him And thus is our Hezekiah come this day to receiue this great Congregation in the Name of the Lord. Let vs therefore end with Prayer vnto God That he would blesse both the King and the State That this Kingdome may neuer be Terra liquefacta like molten and dissolued Earth That if at any time for our sins it begin to melt and wash away the remedy may be forth with applied That Iustice and Iudgment may be giuen according to right That the pillars of the Earth may bee borne vp the inferiour and subordinate pillars by the King and both the King as the Master-pillar and they by God That all this may be done in fit and conuenient time That God would make fit the time and then giue the King and the State and this great Councell all wisedome to lay hold of it That this great Congregation may bee in the fitnesse of time That God would be pleased to receiue and blesse it That the King will be pleased to receiue and grace it That it will be pleased to receiue the King according to his desert and their dutie with loue honour and necessary supplies That so he may beare vp this Kingdome and the honour of it with comfort and bee a strong and a lasting pillar to support both it and vs in the true worship of God and all inferiour blessings That he may dwell before God for euer and that God would prepare his louing mercy and faithfulnesse that they may preserue him That all the blessings of Grace may attend him and this Congregation in this life and all the blessings of Glory crowne both Him and vs in the life to come And this Christ for his infinite mercy grant vnto vs To whom c. FINIS 2. Reg 5. Rom. 13. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Reg. 15. 23. 1. Reg. 22. Psal. 22. 18. Iosua 7. 5. Psal. 58. 7. Hos. 8. 14. In Text. Ezech. 12. 20. Verse 7. Gen. 15. 16. Amos 2. 9. In Amos 9. Psal. 69. 2. Psal 107. 34. Prou. 28. 2. Tene magis salnum populus velit an populum Tu. Seruat in ambiguo qui consulit Tibi vrti Iupiter Horat li. 1. ep 16. Prou. 19. 12. Septnag S. Hier. Ar. Mont. Erod 18. 18. V. 21. 1. Tim. 2. c. Esay 5. 20. Psal. 65. 12. Iudev 12. 1. Pet. 2. 17. * S. Basil Hier. Russin Aug. Theod. Euthym. Ibid. S. Bern. serm 15. in Cant. * S. Basil. Hier. Aug. Euthym. Theod. Ibid. Greg. 10. moral 21. Bere cp 1. Gen. 15. 25. Psal. 33. 9. Hexam l. 1. c. 6. 1. Cor. 3. 10. Gal. 2. 9. Russ. Aug Exib m. ibid. S. Bern. cp 77. Ephes. 4. 11. Ep. 31. 5. De Cimit Des. 24. Seuec. Ep. 86. Ar. Mont. Pro. 29. 4. Lib. 9. Mor. 13. Iudg. 17. 6. 13. 1. 19. 1. 21. 25. 2. Reg. 2. Pro. 8. 15. In Psalm 74. A Deo 〈◊〉 rebus sessis languentibusque 〈◊〉 Arnob lib. 1. contrà Gent. 1. Tim. 2. 2. Ocat 27. n. 13. Rom. 13. 1. Exod 13. 21. Exod. 14. 24. Exod. 14. 26. Sitatum man 〈◊〉 Deus qui 〈◊〉 gubernat quo in loco vel sui creaturae Casus 〈◊〉 Fortunae dominabitur Paulin. Ep 38. Tremel ibid. Gea 28. 18. S. Matt. 16. 18. In Text. Lib. 1. 〈◊〉 Gert. Psal. 9. 9. Per desolationem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad solidam consolationem Gers n. Lib 1. de consol Theol. pros 4. S. Bas. 〈◊〉 vers Angl. 〈◊〉 Psal. 122. 4 5. Ians ibid. Rom. 13. 6 7. Prou. 14. 28. 4. Reg 18. 2. 2. Chro. 29. 20. 4. Reg. 18. 5. Psal. 61. 7.