people that are according to our prouerbe He is as bad as a Iew. Finally by the woeful plagues not to speake here any thing of the torments of hell which is the worst of all which God hath sent downe immediatly from heauen vpon some of them in particular as vpon Herod Pontius Pilate and others For Herod to passe ouer all the rest and to make him an instance for all was thus plagued First he had a most scorching burning feuer by which he was inflamed exceedingly as well in the inward parts as in the outward Secondly there was in him an insatiable desire of food which could not be abated or be remoned away by all the meate and drinke which he did ranonously deuoure in great abundance Thirdly he had the bloody flixe Fourthly he had the colicke Fiftly he had the goute in his seete Sixtly his priuy members did so swell and rot that wormes did breed in the same And lastly he was from the top of the head vnto the sole of the foote so corrupt rotten that there came such a stinke from him that no person could well endure it and so in this woefull manner he ended his life and gaue vp the ghost Hauing thus seene the truth of all matters and found euery thing agreeable to the words of the text let vs now descend vnto the doctrine Doct. which may be gathered out of the same In few words it is nothing else but this that though we haue many enimies and sore aduersaries as Dauid and Christ had yet they shall not preuaile against vs but we shall prenaile against them doe they what they can as Dauid and Christ did Israel in Aegypt was cruelly handled but yet the more the Aegyptians did vexe them the more they multiplied and grew as it is in Exod. 3.12 And when they had done all the spite that they could doe against them yet at the last they were deliuered out of their hands they themselues being oftentimes plagued by the Almighty for their sakes and in the end most fearefully drowned in the red sea as it is apparant in the 14. Chap. of the same booke Mention is made of a great battell that was fought betweene Christ and the diuell and their armies in the Reuelation Chap. 12.7 c. But if you marke the sequele thereof you shall finde that Christ and his side had the victory For as it is witnessed of the Dragon who is the diuell and his Angels who are his souldiers that they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen in the 8. verse of that Chapter so it is recorded to the glory comfort of all those who take Christs part that they ouercame the diuell the accuser of Gods children by the bloud of the Lambe and the word of their testimony in the 11. vers thereof But to omit other testimonies examples whereof the holy Scripture is full and frequent in this case let the words of our Sauiour Christ suffice vs at this time He tels vs in Math. 16.18 that the gates of hell whereby is meant all the power and force thereof shall not ouercome his Church or be able to ouerthrow such as do depend vpon him by a true and iustifying faith And in the 7. Chapter of the same booke towards the latter end thereof he doth shew the stablenesse of those that doe belong to the Lord haue a care both to heare the word of God and also to do it by a notable comparison wherein he doth resemble them to an house that is built vpon a rocke which cannot be cast downe by any tempest of weather whatsoeuer but doth stand alwaies still and cannot fall A thing neuer to bee thought of enough it is so full of comfort and consolation vnto euery godly soule chiefly vnto him that is afflicted here in this world But what might the reason thereof be may a man say that thus the godly should alwaies preuaile and be neuer ouerthrowne by their enimies but ouercome them rather Experience doth teach vs that they are fewer in number then the wicked are that they are weaker for strength and power that they are more simple for wit and policy and that they are more carelesse for diligence and watchfulnes then their aduersaries be How comes it then to passe that they haue the vpper hand The Prophet Isay doth declare it vnto vs in the 8. Chapter of his Prophecy and the 10. verse thereof Reason It is in few words because the Lord is with for thē For first he is stronger then all beeing able to resist all power that is made against his to do whatsoeuer he will both in heauen earth Secondly he is wiser then all seeing how to preuent them in all their waies and how also to bring matters to passe for the good of his Thirdly he is diligenter then all to stand as it were vpon his watch and to take his aduantage when it is offered him For he that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe Psalme 121.4 Lastly he is happier then all to haue good successe in all his enterprises For he doth prosper still in all things which he doth take in hand and none can resist a thought of his yea the very word that goeth out of his mouth doth accomplish that which he will and prosper in the thing whereunto he doth send it Isay 55.11 In warre all these foure things are respected in a captaine that will still ouercome First that he be strong Secondly that he be wise Thirdly that he be diligent And lastly that he be fortunate For the victory goes not alwaies with the strong nor alwaies with the wise nor alwaies with the diligent nor alwaies with the fortunate but sometimes with the one of them and sometimes with the other But looke where all foure doe concurre together there is alwaies the victory And therefore seeing all of them are in God it is no maruell though those whose battels hee doth fight doe alwaies ouercome and get the victory Here I would gladly come to the vse of the doctrine Obiect but me thinks I heare a man obiecting against that which hath bene said saying that it is not true that Gods children do alwaies preuaile against their enimies but that their enimies oftentimes do preuaile against them For we see that they are murdered and put to death Mention is made thereof in the booke of the Reuelation and in other places of the holy Scripture besides And thousand examples euery where do demonstrate the same daily vnto vs. For we do behold stil with our owne eyes and heare with our owne eares that the godly haue the worst end of the staffe as it is in our adage and that the wicked do beare sway and dominion ouer them How then is it true which hath bene spoken that doe the vngodly what they can yet the righteous shall still preuaile against them as here Dauid and Christ did The answere hereunto may easily
of Christ made holy in some part by the sanctificatiō of Gods spirit wherby you may be able to go boldly vnto the throne of grace to receiue mercy to find grace to helpe in time of need That as Paul did say of the Corinthians when they were changed frō bad to good And such were some of you but ye are washed but yee are sanctified but ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of God as it is in 1. Cor. 6.11 so may you say of your selues And such were we our selues once euen bad and most wicked persons but blessed be God we are now changed and made better our sinnes are washed away by the bloud of Christ and the spirit of God hath begun to renew vs in some good part Leauing these things for the meaning of the words and some short annotations vpon the same let vs now come to the maine doctrine of the place and in few words it is nothing else but this Doct. that Christ our Sauiour did not take this office vpon him to be the King of the Church but was lawfully called thereunto by God his Father and not by any created power whatsoeuer This he confesseth of himselfe in Iohn Chapter 6. verse 27. Where he doth endeauour to draw men from a greedy hunting after the foode of the body vnto a carefull seeking for the foode of their soules saying Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for the meate that endureth vnto euerlasting life which the Sonne of man shall giue you for him hath God the Father sealed He hath chosen him for this purpose and set his marke and seale vpon him as designing him ouer this worke and businesse which is to be performed alone by him and none else And this also he doth proue in the fourth chapter of the Gospell according to Saint Luke by a testimony out of Esay chap. 61.1 c. where the calling of the Messias is excellently and at large set out vnto vs. But the Apostle Saint Paul not to stand vpon other places doth make this point most cleare and euident vnto all persons in the first chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians beginning at the twentieth verse therof and so forward in the second chapter of his Epistle to the Philippians in the ninth verse thereof with others following For in both these places you shall finde that as Christ is exalted aboue all the creatures in the world and made the supreme head of the Church both warring in earth triumphing in heauen so he was raised vp hereunto by God his Father he making him thus the vniuersall gouernour of all the world So that looke what the Author to the Hebrewes said of Christ in regard of his Priest-hood that he tooke not to himselfe that honour to be made the high Priest but he that said vnto him Thou art my Son this day begat I thee gaue it him Heb. 5.5 So may we say here of him in regard of his kingdome that he tooke not this honour to himselfe to be made the supreme King of the Church but God that sitteth in the heauens and hath his enimies in derision gaue it vnto him but somewhat more of this hereafter when we come vnto the 8. verse of this Psalme Reason But why did God may you say set vp Christ and make him thus the King of his Church Wherefore did he not make choise rather of some Angell or Arch-angell or of some Emperour or great state of this world Because none of them were fit for this office As no man was worthy to open the booke and to loose the seales thereof which Iohn saw in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne but onely the Lyon which is of the tribe of Iudah the roote of Dauid as it is in Reu. 5.1 c. So no creature was found fit for this office whether in the heauen aboue or in the earth beneath saue Iesus Christ our sweete Sauiour and the blessed Sonne of God and therefore God his Father did make choise of him before all others But why was he fittest for this office may you further say For two causes the one is in regard of his Person the other of his qualities belonging vnto his Person For his Person because he is not onely man as many others are but also God as none else besides him is and thereby is made able to weald such a great mighty kingdome as he hath Otherwise it is impossible that he should rule his people according to his will and subdue his enimies to make them his footstoole considering that they are Principallities and powers and the greatest Potentates of this world For what man or Angell is able to ouercome all the diuels in hell rushing vpon him at once together and to withstand the whole army of mankind assaulting him together with them with their whole power and force Surely none he must be a God that must doe it And therefore was Christ chosen for this purpose who is a God as well as man for his qualities belonging vnto his Person because he is indued with most singular giftes and graces fit for gouernement Iethro in his counsell to Moses required but foure things in a Gouernour namely courage the feare of God true dealing and the hating of couetousnesse as we may see in Exod. 1 S 21. But here in Christ the chiefe gouernour of all we shall finde as many more for besides these foure you shall haue in him foure more namely wisedome diligence bounty and loue So that in number there are eight The first is courage for he feares no man as being the Lord of Lords the God of Gods according to his name which is written on his garment and thighs in Reu. 19.16 The second is the feare of God for he reuerenced his Father and was obedient vnto him euen vnto the very death of the crosse Phil. 2.8 The third is iustice or true dealing for the Scepter of his kingdome is a Scepter of righteousnesse and he himselfe is one louing righteousnesse and hating iniquity Heb. 8.1.9 The fourth is hating couetousnesse for he neuer receiued any bribes or recompence for all the cures he did but he became poore that he might make vs rich 2. Cor. 8.9 The fift is wisdome for in him are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Col. 2.3 The sixt is diligence for he was so painefull that he trauelled from place to place to doe good and left his owne foode to go about his Fathers businesse Ioh. 4.34 And he is brought in by Iohn in the Reuelations Chapter 1.13 standing in the midst of the seuen Candlestickes which are the seuen Churches there busily occupied in gouerning them as a man is when his garment is about him and trust vp with some girdle that it may not trouble or hinder him in the execution of his businesse The seuenth is bountifulnesse or liberality for he doth not
to time that sinne should not go vncontrolled but be iustly punished according to the nature of it either more or lesse as it did deserue In consideration whereof you perceiue malefactors must not be spared but be duly punished for their faults and offences And the reasons hereof are foure First Reasons that the malefactors themselues who do offend may be brought to the sight of their sinnes and to the leauing of them if it be possble for as Salomon doth say in Prou. 20.30 The blewnesse of the woundserueth to purge the euill and the stripes within the bowels of the belly or else if they will not amend that they may be taken away by death to sinne to more against their owne soules or to pollute the land any longer wherein they dwell And this was the cause wherefore God would haue idolaters to be stoned to death as we may gather from his words in Deut. 17.7 when he saith So thou shalt take the wicked away from among you Secondly that others may learne by their examples to take heed of the like offences lest they be made partakers of the same punishments with them For punishments executed vpon some are oftentimes great terrors vnto others and do bridle them from their licentious wayes as daily experience and all Chronicles of the world do shew But at this time remember one example alone and that is of the third Captaine with his fiftie men spoken of in the first Chapter of the second booke of the Kings for he so profited by the iudgements that came vpon the two former Captaines with their fiftie men apeece when fire came downe from heauen and consumed them all that he submitted himselfe to the Prophet Elijah and fell to intreate him for the safetie of his life as it is in the 14. verse of the same Chapter And this was the cause wherefore God would haue the Iudge to do vnto euery man as euery man thought to do vnto his brother as we may see by his words in Deut. 19.20 when he saith And the rest shall heare this and feare and shall henceforth commit no more any such wickednesse among you Thirdly that the good and innocent may not be corrupted by their company and bad example For as euill words do corrupt good manners so much more do euill deeds and bad conuersation The life and example of one incestuous man was sufficient to corrupt all Corinth And this was the cause wherefore Paul would haue the Corinthians to excommunicate that incestuous person out of their holy fellowship as we may well collect out of his words in 1. Corinth 5.9 when he saith Purge out therefore the old leauen that ye may be a new lumpe as ye are vnleauened For Christ our passeouer is sacrificed for vs. Lastly that the Lords anger who is offended with their sinnes and transgressions may be appeased and not breake out against all for the same For as the sinne of man doth pollute the whole land as the story of the Cananites do shew Leui. 18.24 c. and set all things out of order as we may see by the sinne of Ahab that troubled Israel 1. Kings 18.18 and by the sinne of false apostles that troubled the Galathians Gal. 5.10 as also by the sinne of the prodigall sonne which put him besides himselfe for he repenting of his sinne is sayd to haue come to himselfe Luke 15.17 So it doth driue the Lord away from him and from others for his sake vntill he be duly punished for his sinne as he ought to be as we may see most excellently in the seuenth chapter of Iosuah For there we find that God did leaue Israel for a time for Achans sinne but after he was put to death for the same he did helpe them againe and gaue them a notable victory ouer their enimies And this is the cause wherefore the Lord would haue Moses to put the adulterers to death as we may perceiue by his words in Numb 25.4 when he sayd vnto him Take all the heads of the people and hang them vp before the Lord against the Sunne that the indignation of the Lords wrath may be turned from Israel Out of these things thus layd downe Vse we may obserue many profitable things for our instruction For first thereby we may see that seeing malefactors must be punished that we must not storme nor chafe if the Magistrate and superiour powers inflict vpon vs punishment after that we haue sinned against the lawes of the Lord our God and haue transgressed the good and lawfull statutes of the land Then then I say we must take all things patiently and acknowledge that we haue but our due and that our gouernours therein do but discharge an holy duty which the Almightie doth require at their hands Let children and seruants amongst others marke this well that so when they are corrected and chastised by their parents and maisters for their faults they may possesse their soules with patience and learne thereby to amend and not to fall to murmurings and discontentments as many vngracious children and seruants are wont to do What praise saith Peter to seruants in 1. Pet. 2.20 is it if when ye be buffeted for your faults ye take it patiently but and if when ye do well ye suffer wrong and take it patiently this is acceptable to God Whereby he shewes vs that this is a necessary duty belonging to all that haue offended quietly and with patient soules to beare such punishments as are layd vpon them for their offences Secondly by it we may see what Magistrates and men of authority ought to do who beare the sword not in vaine as Paul doth speake in Rom. 13.4 but to take vengeance on him that doth euill They must not see offences committed in the land but they must draw out their swords for the punishment thereof A wise king saith Salomon in Prou 20.26 scattereth the wicked and causeth the wheele to turne ouer them His meaning is that good Princes and godly Magistrates cannot away in any hand with wicked persons but they must needs roote them out For vnder the word wheele he alludeth to the manner of threshing vsed among the Iewes in those times The saying is old and true Non minor est virtus quà m quaerere parta tueri It is as great a vertue to keepe what is gotten as first to get it And euen so it is as good a duty in a Magistrate to see lawes executed and kept as at the first to make them And since they will not be kept of all without punishments therefore punishments are most necessary Ill then and wickedly deale they that haue authority in their hands to cut downe sinne and yet will let it grow and flourish still and neuer punish the offenders thereof The grieuousnesse of which sinne you may see notably in the examples of Ely the Prophet and Saul the King For the Lord had brought most terrible iudgmēts vpon thē both and vpon their posterity
sought to be worshipped of him he said vnto him Auoide Sathan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue The Scripture is full of this matter but one place more as containing all the rest vnder it shall suffice vs at this time And that is in Reuel 14.7 For there you shall find that this is the very summe and principall matter whereof the whole Scripture doth intreate and which all the Preachers in the world from time to time do deliuer vnto their people when the Angell flying in the midst of heauen and hauing an euerlasting Gospell to preach vnto them that dwell on the earth doth cry out and say Feare God and giue glory to him for the houre of his iudgement is come and worship him that made heauen and earth and the sea and the fountaines of waters So that this is a point as cleare and manifest as the Sunne at noone dayes when it shineth most brightly ouer all the word And the reasons hereof are many Reasones but at this time I will onely touch two The one is in regard of his making and creating of all things For seeing we are his workmanship and haue our whole liues and being from him he hauing created vs and made vs of nothing it is good reason that we apply our selues and all that we haue to his worship and seruice alone according to the iudgement of the Church triumphing in heauen whereof mention is made in the Reuelations Chapter 4. verses 10.11 For the 24. Elders noting out the Saints in heauen are there reported to fall downe before him that sate on the throne and to worship him that liueth for euermore and to cast their Crownes before his throne vpon this ground and consideration that he had made them and all things else saying Thou ort worthy O Lord to receiue glory and honour and power For thou hast created all things and for thy wils sake they are and haue bene created The other is in regard of his preseruing and keeping of all things For considering that we haue our whole maintenance and stay from him and he doth daily keepe vs vpon his owne cost and charges as we speake it is our part and duty to honour him and to do whatsoeuer we can for him in fulfilling any of his Commandements according to Iosuah his exhortation vnto the children of Israel in the 23. 24. chapters of Iosuah For in these places you may see that he doth perswade them to feare the Lord and to serue him in vprightnesse and in truth and to put away all false gods from amongst them onely vpon this reason and foundation that God was good and beneficiall vnto them destroying all their enimies before them and placing them in a fruitfull country where they had goodly cities which they did neuer build excellent vineyards and Oliue trees which they did neuer plant and other notable commodities which they did daily enioy without any labour and toile of theirs And surely when these things were thus lay de downe before their eyes they also vpon the due consideration thereof resolued with themselues to serue the Lord and to worship him and to do as Iosuah had exhorted them for to do as is apparant about the midst of the 24. chapter before quoted And you know that equitie and conscience doth require that if a man hire a seruant and giue him meate and drinke and wages that he should do his businesse and be obedient vnto him and his commandements And so should it be betwixt God and vs seeing we are his seruants and haue all that we haue from him euen euery morsell of meate that we do eate and euery peece of cloth that we do put about vs as all other things besides we should be tractaable to his voyce and be alwayes ready prest to do his commandements Wherefore as this may controll them Vse who are stubburne and obstinate and do withdraw the shoulder from yeelding obedience vnto the Almightie whereof there are too many in our sinfull dayes So it may teach vs what we our selues ought to do and be as a spurre in our sides to pricke vs forward to all such matters as may bring honor and glory vnto him that is aboue all Beware you beware you of sinfull wayes and be you sure to do nothing but what you know will be well pleasing vnto your God Though others lie and sweare and steale and kill and commit adulterie and do other things that are most vile and abhominable yet be you holy righteous in your wayes auoiding these sinnes and all others whatsoeuer and performing such duties only as the Lord will be serued and worshipped by For you must alwayes remember with your selues that it is not enough to know the will of your God and to vnderstand what he doth require at your hands but you must withall serue him and worship him aright do according to his commandements The hearers of the law saith Paul in Rom. 2.13 are not righteous before God but the doers of the law shall be iustified And our Sauiour doth teach vs in Luk. 12.47 that the seruant who knoweth his maisters will and prepareth not himselfe neither doth according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Yea you your selues do know that as the ignorant who know not the Lord must be cast into hell and there lie boyling in torments for euermore so must the disobedient also and all such who obey not vnto the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ according to Pauls words in 2. Thes 1.8 And therfore you see the Prophet here doth not onely call for wisedome and learning but also for worship seruice Content not then your selues with your knowledge and vnderstanding but go on forward and become faithfull seruants vnto the Lord in doing his will And looke what you do require of your seruants that are vnder you do you your selues performe vnto your God that is aboue you and whose seruants you are heare his voyce and obey it For what shall he make you and place you here in this world and that in a fruitfull soile in the dayes of much peace and plentie and yet will you not serue him What Shall he nourish you daily giue you light to see aire to breathe in food to eate liquor to drinke garments to weare houses to dwell in and lade you with other infinite blessings both for this life and the life to come and yet will you not honour him and walke according to his commandements Doubtlesse if your seruants should refuse to do your businesse and worke you would turne them out of doores and not feed them vpon your owne cost and charges and in the end pay them their wages and will God then take it well at your hands if you shall refuse to do his businesse and worke will he alwayes then nourish you and giue you a good recompence at the last No no but he will turne you
harme The which thing the Almighty doth see full well for he is not afraid of them but as a man that is carelesse of his enimie whom he knowes cannot hurt him doth nothing but laugh and deride at him so doth he laugh and deride at them he hath them in derision and so shall haue them still in derision This were enough to dismay them if there were any grace in them But yet this is not all For as man is offended with those that rise vp against him and doth withall punish them according to their deserts if it lie in his power to do it so is the Lord offended with them and in his appointed time he will plague them His wrath is greatly kindled against them and his hand shall be stretched out in a most wofull manner to torment them Then at that time shall they know with a seeling and tormenting soule what he is against whom they are risen vp for God shall then disclose it vnto them saying I haue set my king vpon Zion mine holy mountaine He tooke not this honour vnto himselfe to be the head and ruler of my people neither was he aduanced to this throne of gouernment by any humane authority or created wight but I euen I that am the Lord whom the heauen of heauens cannot containe placed him in his roome made him to be the supreme gouernor of my people how then durst you rebel against him or lift vp either tongue or hand to speak or do any thing which might be cōtrary vnto him The summe of these three verses is nothing else but a description of the Lord or the first person in the godhead against whom the former treason or rebellion was wrought Summe Wherein before we come to the parts of it obserue in a word or two the elegant Antithesis that is made betwixt him and his aduersaries First they are many but he is but one Secondly they are on the earth but he is in heauen Thirdly they rage murmure band and consult but he laughs and smiles Fourthly they intend an ouerthrow to him but he prepares plagues for them Lastly they say Come let vs breake their bands and cast their cords behind vs but he saith I haue set my king vpon Zion mine holy mountaine So here is God against man and heauen against earth Iudge you now who shall haue the victorie But to the parts the Lord here is described out two manner of wayes The one is in regard of that which his enimies do to him The other is of that which he will do to them In the former of these consider the place where he is then his deriding or laughing at his enimies both which doe shew that all their forces can do him no harme but shall be frustrated and be brought to nought First because he is out of their reach hee being in heauen and they vpon the earth Then secondly because he doth not feare as men do who are in some perilous danger and too weake for their aduersaries but doth laugh and deride at them as we are wont to do when we are merrie and sure of safetie and do see how to frustrate all such deuices as are intended against vs. This is set downe in the fourth verse as the other part is in the two next verses following But he that is in heauen saith the Prophet doth laugh Here I will stand a little vpon the seuerall members and afterward conioyne them both together in pressing the doctrine and vse of the place God here you see is not plainely named but he is see out by a certaine periphrasis or circumlocution euen by one that dwelleth or as others reade it by one that sitteth in heauen the Hebrew word Iosheb affoordeth either of them for it comes of Iashab which signifieth indifferently to dwell or to sit as also to stay and to abide in a place Howsoeuer it is a notable description of God whereby the Prophet meaneth to shew that his enimies are not able to do him any hurt or mightie enough to stand against him that is so farre aboue them For as it is euermore a great aduantage in warre to haue the vpper and higher place in fighting against the aduersarie as to be on a hil whē he is below on a valley so is it vnpossible for those who are vpon the earth to reach them with any blows or strokes that are in heauen For betwixt these 2 places heauen earth as the Astronomers do cōiecture there are seuen score eighteene thousand foure hundreth and sixtie three miles And what arrow or shot of gun can flie so farre But here it may be demanded Obiect whether God be onely in heauen and not vpon the earth also The answer is Ans that he is as well vpon the earth as in the heauens according to his owne words in Ieremy 23.24 where hee tells vs that hee doth fill both the heauen and the earth And this you must hold as a ground infallible that he is in all places for as Salomon doth confesse of him in 1. King 8.27 that the heauens and the heauens of heauens are not able to conteine him so Dauid doth teach vs in Psal 139.7 c. that he is euery where as well in the sea and earth and other places as in the heauens themselues And the manner how he is thus in all places is well expressed in an old verse which is this Est Deus essenter praesenter vbique potenter That is God is euery where by his essence by his presēce by his power By his essence or diuine being because it is he that immediatly worketh al things both in heauen earth For we liue moue haue our being in him as it is in Acts. 17.28 By his presence because he seeth beholdeth all things euery matter is naked opē to his eies as those are to ours that stand in our presēce before vs as it is in Heb. 4.13 By his power because he doth sustaine and hold vp al the creatures in the whole world their strēgth vertue being nothing else but as a small portion flowing from that welspring of all fulnesse which is in him as it is in Hebr. 1.3 and Math. 4.4 So that by this it is apparant that God is not tied vp in the heauens as hauing nothing to do here vpon the earth or sea as Atheists and Epicures iudge who thinke that all things do fall out by the course of nature chance fortune as they call it and the policy of man You see that he is in all places he is present with vs wheresoeuer we be he doth consider of all our workes he doth know our sitting downe and our rising vp he doth vnderstand our thoughts a farre off he doth compasse our paths and he is accustomed to all our wayes as we may see most excellently in the beginning of that 139. Psalme which was quoted before And therefore euery man should take heed how he
doth conuerse and liue here in this pilgrimage before him But yet he is sayd rather to be in heauen then in the earth or in any other place many times in the word and that for two causes The one is because he is most glorious there and fullest of all honour and dignitie that being the throne of his Maiestie whereas the earth is but his footstoole Esay 66.1 The other is because there he doth manifest himselfe as most of all and in the greatest splendencie that may be so immediatly and not by meanes whether ordinary or extraordinary as hee doth here in this world as may be seene at large in the 21. Chapter of the Reuelations and other places of the Scripture besides But the chiefe end wherefore he is here sayd in our text which is in hand to be in heauen is to note the vnablenesse of his enimies to do him hurt or to preuaile against him Other ends there are of this saying elsewhere but this is the onely and principall end of it here and it is excellent for that purpose as was obserued before But to come to the other member as God is sayd to sit or dwell in heauen so he is sayd withall to laugh and to make a mocke or derision of them But he that dwelleth in heauen shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision Some reade this in the present tense saying But he that dwelleth in heauen doth laugh the Lord hath thē in derision or doth deride thē But we may take it as it is translated in the future tense for so it is in the Hebrew text A man may laugh at the first but weepe after a man may make a derision of his enimie at the beginning but come to ruine and destruction himselfe at the ending But it shall not be so with God he shall laugh both at the first and at the last and make a mocke of his aduersaries as well at the ending as at the beginning And therefore I thinke the holy Ghost did of purpose rather expresse his mind in the future tense then in the present tense not to deny a present act but to include the continuance of it as though God did not onely do it now but should do it still His meaning is that the Lord doth not feare the conspiracies and rebellion of his enimies which were mentioned in the three first verses of this Psalme that he makes no account or reckning of them but doth so lightly respect them as matters that he both will and can dash all to peeces when it pleaseth him For here in this verse and the next verse following is a figure called Anthropopatheia which is when things are spoken of God according to man and as his capacity is able to comprehend For we must not take the words literally but figuratiuely for to speake properly God doth not laugh nor make a derision of any onely man doth this but he doth it not And therefore I say the words are to be taken figuratiuely as they also are which are ascribed vnto wisedome in the latter end of the first Chapter of the Prouerbes when Salomon tels vs that she will laugh at the destruction of the wicked and mocke when their feare commeth If some foolish hare-braind youth of no strength or skill should send a challenge vnto some wise discreet captaine of great valour and experience in warfare the captaine would but laugh at him and make a game-stocke of him as knowing that he can do him no harme but will easily without any ado be ouerthrown by him So after the same maner that we might know that the Lord feares none of his enimies as such as can do him no hurt but that hee can easily at his pleasure bring all their deuices to nought ouercome them when he wil he is said here after the maner of men to laugh at them to haue them in derision God then laughes at his enemies not because he doth like of them or of their attempts against him as we doe oftentimes laugh at such things as please vs well but because hee cares not for them and doth see that all their plots are in vaine which are intended against him But why is this doubled may you say for what cause doth the Prophet tell vs of one thing thing twise First he saith that God shall laugh at them then after that he saith againe that he shall haue them in derision For seeing to laugh at one and to haue him in derision is all one and the one of them doth not differ from the other in sense and meaning the question may bee well moued why the Prophet should vse them both and not content himselfe with one of them alone The answere is this that he did it the better to note out the certainty and assurednesse of the thing whereof he doth speake For as Pharaohs dreames were doubled the one of the kine the other of the corne because the thing which he saw in his dreames was established by God and God did hasten to performe it as it is in Gen. 41.32 So the Prophet here doth double his words because the matter whereof he maketh mention is most certaine and sure and such as he would haue no man to doubt thereof And for this purpose you know doe we our selues oftentimes double our sayings and therefore it is as much in effect as if he had said But hee that dwelleth in the heauen shall laugh yea I say againe the Lord shall laugh and haue them in derision doubt not of it but beleeue it for it is a thing most certaine and true as heauen it selfe The consideration whereof should make vs bee afraid to doe any thing against the Lord. For of all things we do abhorre this most to be made a laughing stocke and a may-game to our aduersaries The Saints do complaine of it in the 44. psalme The Prophet Esay in the 8. chapter of his prophesie Dauid in the 22. psalme And Paul in the 4 chapter of his 1. epistle to the Corinthians And surely if this bee tart and irkesome vnto Gods owne children how shall the wicked bee able to beare it Yet here we see that God doth make a sport at all his aduersaries and doth laugh and deride at them Oh let the due regard of this phrase or manner of speech stay vs alwayes from all rebellion against him and cause vs to bee vpright in our wayes For shall we be a laughter and derision vnto the Almightie No no beware we of that But to leaue the seuerall members wheron many things might be obserued if need did so require to conioyne them together as they ought to be out of them we gather this doctrine Doct. That no power or deuice of man shall bee able to stand against the Lord but shal be ouerthrowne and be brought to nought For this is the end as you haue heard why these two things are reported of God the one of his
being in heauen the other of his laughing at his aduersaries euen to shew that that conspiracy which was made against him his annoynted should not prosper or preuaile but vanish come to nothing So that the doctrine is rightly collected out of the text and it may be proued vnto vs out of sundry places of sacred Writ but I wil touch some two or three onely at this time and so passe it ouer The first is out of the Prophet Isay in the 8 chapter of his prophesie and the 9. and 10 verses thereof when he saith Gather together on heaps ô yee people and yee shall bee broken to peeces and hearken ye of farre countries Gird your selues you shall bee broken in peeces gird your selues and you shall bee broken in peeces Take counsell together and it shall be brought to nought pronounce a decree yet shall it not stand for God is with vs. The second is in the 33. Psalme the 10. 11. verses thereof where the Prophet Dauid saith The Lord breaketh the counsell of the heathen and bringeth to nought the deuices of the people The counsell of the Lord shall stand for euer and the thoughts of his heart throughout all ages The third and last is the 12. chapter of the Reuelations and the 7. and 8 verses thereof where Iohn saith And there was a battell in heauen Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels But they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen Thus you see that nothing can stand against the Lord but all doth come to nought that is raised vp against him And the reason thereof is this partly because he is wiser then all seeing which way to preuent his enemies and to bring his owne purpose to passe and partly because hee is stronger then all being able to doe whatsoeuer hee will both in heauen and earth according to Pauls words in 1. Cor. 1.25 when hee saith For the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men and the weaknesse of God is stronger then men The vse of this doctrine is manifold Vse but yet it standeth chiefly in three things The first is to teach vs what shall bee the end of all the plots which the wicked haue in their soules against the Lord and such as do cleaue vnto him They shal vanish and come to nothing being like in this respect as the child in the mothers wombe that there doth perish and neuer come aline into this world or like vnto his dreame who is busie all the night in his sleepe about gold and rich preferments and yet in the morning is as poore as when he went to bed In a word they do but lose their labour as he doth who goeth about by washing to make a Black-moore-white or by teaching to make an asse play vpon an harpe Let this be a continuall meditation with vs euery day and night The second is to pull vs backe from all such matters as doe tend any manner of way against the Lord. For let vs assure our owne soules that if we attempt any such thing wee shall haue no good successe therein but our endeuours shall bee brought to nought I beseech you remember what Gamaliel said and follow his counsell which he gaue vnto the Iewes when they stroue against the Apostles and went about to hinder all preaching in the name of Christ Men of Israel saith he take heede to your selues what you intend to do touching these men refraine your selues from them and let them alone For if this counsell or this worke be of men it will come to nought but if it be of God ye cannot destroy it lest ye bee found euen sighters against God as it is in Acts 5 35 c. But some may say Obiect None of vs are so beastly as to fight against the Lord himselfe Ans Ans Let no man be deceiued For we doe all of vs warre against him many wayes and as in generall when wee doe violate and breake his statutes refusing to doe that which he hath commanded vs for to do so in particular we doe it foure manner of waies The one is when we oppose our selues against the Magistrates of the common wealth whom hee hath set ouer vs for to rule gouerne vs For to resist them is to resist God himselfe as Paul doth shew in Rom. 13.1.2 Another is when we doe oppose our selues against the Ministers of the Church whom he hath raised vp to teach and instruct vs. For to resist them is to resist God himselfe as Christ hath taught vs in Luke 10.16 The third is whē we do oppose our selues against the word of God and such heauenly ordinances of his as he hath bestowed vpon men for his owne worship and the saluation of mans soule For to resist them is to resist God himselfe as Gamaliel doth insinuate in the place of the Acts. before quoted The fourth and last is when wee doe oppose our selues against the children of God and the members of lesus Christ For to resist them is to resist God himselfe as Zecharie doth declare in Zech. 2.8 All these wayes do men in euery place almost lift vp themselues against the Lord but beware we that we ioyne not with them therein but let vs cary our selues holy and reuerently in all these respects as we ought to do otherwise we shall be crost in our purposes and pay most dearely for it at the last The third and last is to comfort vs who haue such a strong and wise God on our side that nothing can preuaile against him It is a great comfort vnto a man to serue such a maister as will alwaies take his part see him wronged by no man but then especially is his heart exhilerated with much ioy alacritie when he doth vnderstand that none is able to make his part good with his maister but he doth alwaies preuaile against all What a consolation then and ioy of spirit ought it to be vnto vs seeing our maister Lord whom we serue is not only omnipotēt in himselfe being stronger then all but also so louing to vs that hee doth alwaies take our part and so assist vs from time to time that we shall still ouercome our foes and not bee vanquished by them Oh let vs ponder often on this poynt For it will be a good cordial medicine vnto vs in all diseases whatsoeuer and it will reuiue vs like Aqua vitae or rosa Solis when we are ready to faint or sinke Hitherto you haue heard a description of the Lord in regard of that which his enimies do to him Now you must marke how he is described in respect of that which he will do to them And that is also two manner of waies the one is by his workes the other is by his words by his works in the first verse and by his words in the fixth verse His workes containe his anger against them and
lie still in their miseries and neuer haue any hope to recouer themselues againe or to repaire such ruinous breaches as thou dost bring vpon them Thus runneth the paraphrase of this place Wherein you haue nothing else to remember in summe Summe but a description of Iesus Christ the second person in the Godhead who is our sweet Sauiour and blessed King In which description obserue two things The first is the person that doth publish the description The other is the parts wherein this description doth stand The person that doth publish the description is Christ himselfe expressed in these words I will declare the decree or rather as it is in the Hebrew text I will speake or declure according to the decree and ordinance El hhok There are certaine decrees and ordinances established by God touching the person of Christ and his gouernment Now according to these will Christ speake and not otherwise You must not here conceiue that some other person is brought in speaking but that it is Christ himselfe and none else but he True it is that Dauid did vtter them as he was a type and figure of Christ but Christ himselfe as he was the body and truth and so the words are properly and in truth it selfe to be referred vnto him Behold he takes vpon him as it were the part of a faithfull Prophet to make knowne his Fathers will vnto mankinde in respect of himselfe and his waies I beseech you marke diligently how he doth it It is not according to his owne fansie as we often speake but it is according to his Fathers owne decree and appointment without all deceipt or fraudulent dealing whatsoeuer there is no adding nor detracting no chopping or changing found in him but all things are faithfully deliuered according to the truth it selfe A worthy thing to be thought often on and euermore to be had in good remembrance by all sorts of persons but chiefly by the Ministers of the Word who ought to be faithfull in their offices as Christ was in his and not to make merchandise of the word of God but as of sinceritie as of God in the sight of God to speake in Christ Iesus as the Apostle Saint Paul doth speake in his second Epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter and the last verse thereof At all times should men looke most carefully to this but much more now in these corrupt and rotten dayes of ours wherein the Lords ordinances are beazelled and his most sacred Oracles turned vp and downe like a nose made of waxe as pleaseth the wicked humor of many a sinfull man but beware we beware we of such cursed and satanicall dealing If we speake at any time let vs speake with all reuerence as doth become them who vtter the words of a mightie God and according to the truth it selfe and not otherwise So shall health be vnto our nauell and marrow vnto our bones when others are perplexed with intollerable woe and paine I might haue made a long discourse of this matter as being a very fit subiect to be stood vpon in our licentious times but thus shortly I passe it ouer as intending onely to stand most vpon those points which are most intended by the Spirit of God himselfe and not to do as many are wont to do vpon euery small occasion to wander abroad from my text in hand Two questions here may be moued the one is whether Christ did thus publish the decree and appointment of his Father touching himselfe and his kingdome as here he doth say he would do The other is for what causes he would do the same and for what end and purpose Touching the former of these two we find in the story of the Euangelists that he did do it according to the tenor of the text here in hand For they do shew how he did consesse and declare abroad that he was the Sonne of God that all iudgement was committed vnto him by his Father that he was a king that all power was giuen vnto him in heauen and earth that he was the Messiah or Annointed whereof Esay did speake in the 61. chapter of his Prophesie and the beginning thereof that he was the bread that came downe from heauen and the partie whom his Father had sealed for the bringing of euerlasting life vnto mankind These and the like things do they report of him as you may see by Iohn the 5.6 and 18. chapters thereof By Luke the 4. the 22. and 23. chapters and by Math 16.21.26 and 27. chapters thereof Reade these places I pray at your ley sure and acknowledge the truth of this point Now for the other Christ might do it for many causes First that he might bring men into the greater and more willing subiection vnto him according to the speech of the housholder in Math. 21.37 But last of all he sent vnto them his owne Sonne saying They will reuerence my Sonne Secondly that he might leaue men without all excuse and make them vnable to answer for themselues at the day of iudgement if they did not obey him and do according to his commandements according to his owne saying in Iohn chapter 15. and verse 22. If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sinne Lastly that he might comfort and strengthen them that did relie vpon him against the rage and surie of the world as also against the malice and power of Sathan himselfe according to that which is in Iohn chapter 16. verse 33. These things haue I spoken vnto you that in me ye might haue peace in the world ye shall haue affliction but be of a good comfort I haue ouercome the world Hauing thus in few words answered these questions which tend to the clearing of the text and the confirmation of that truth which is included therein let vs now come to the maine doctrine of the place And that in few words standeth thus namely that it is the part and duty of men in authority to stand vpon such gifts and callings as God hath bestowed vpon them according vnto the example of Christ here For as he did the same so must we do it by vertue of his commandement in Math. 11.29 Take my yoke on you and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest vnto your soules So did Moses when he came vnto the children of Israel to deliuer them out of their bondage and stood before Pharaoh the King of Aegypt to craue leaue for a free passage for them For he did not onely make it knowne vnto them all how God had called him to this worke and businesse by word of mouth alone declaring what matters had passed betwixt him and God but also by workes and deeds doing strange and admirable miracles daily in their sight as we may see at large in Exodus from the latter end of the fourth chapter thereof and so forward
Another of loue and kindnesse as in Genes 45.15 where you find Ioseph kissing all his brethren and weeping vpon them for this was in token of his loue and good will which he did beare towards them And so also is it taken in Rom. 16.16 where the Apostle doth will the Saints to salute one the other with an holy kisse Here in this place it may be taken in both the significations for it was their part both to loue Christ and also to be subiect and obedient vnto him And therefore they must kisse him not onely in signe of homage and subiection but also as a sure pledge of their loue and faithful trust which they will performe towards him Yet chiefly the former of these is meant and not the latter Howsoeuer from hence we gather this doctrine Doct. that as we must honour and serue the Father as we were taught in the former verse so we must honor and serue the Sonne as you see here plainely in this verse The same doctrine doth our Sauiour himselfe beate into mens heads in the first chapter according to S. Iohns Gospel and the 23. verse thereof where he doth set downe a reason why the Father iudgeth no man but hath cōmitted all iudgement vnto the Sonne Because saith he that all men should honor the Sonne as they honor the Father and thereupon doth conclude that he that honoreth not the Sonne the same honoreth not the Father which hath sent him Now the reasons for this doctrine are two Reasons One because he hath redeemed vs and set vs free by a deare ransome from all our enimies As the men of Israel said to Gideon Reigne thou ouer vs both thou and thy sonne and thy sonnes sonne for thou hast deliuered vs out of the hands of Midian Iudges 8.22 So wee may say to him in this respect Reigne thou ouer vs both thou and thy Spirit and thy Spirits holy word for thou hast deliuered vs out of the hand of the diuell And this is the reason that is pressed in the fift chapter of the Reuelations by all the Saints and Angels that are in heauen why Christ is worthy of honour and glory euen because he was killed and by his bloud hath redeemed vs to God and made vs Kings and Priests vnto him Likewise Paul doth shew that this was the end wherefore he died for vs and rose againe namely that he might be Lord both of the dead and quicke as it is in Rom. 14.9 The other reason is this because he will hereafter glorifie vs and take vs to himselfe vp into the heauens where he is according to his promise in the be-beginning of the 14 chapter of Saint Iohns Gospell For this is the reason which he vsed vnto his Apostles to encourage them on vnto all dutifull seruice vnto himselfe in the latter end of the 19. chapter of Mathew For when they did aske him what they should haue which had forsaken all to follow him he answered them and said Verily I say vnto you that when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his Maiestie yee which followed me in the regeneration shal also sit vpon twelue thrones iudge the twelue tribes of Israel And whosoeuer shall forsake houses or brethren or fisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake he shall receiue an hundred fold more and shall inherite euerlasting life The vse hereof is first Vse to teach vs the woefull estate of all Iewes Turkes and others who know not Christaright nor yeeld any reuerence or worship vnto him as vnto God the Father For as after it doth follow they must needs perish and be destroyed for euer There is no saluation or life eternall to be had of them but they shall be sure to be damned in hell for euermore For as it is in Iohn 3.18 Euery one that doth not beleeue in him is condemned already And as it is in 1. Ioh. 5.12 he that hath not the Sonne of God hath not life he meanes eternall life for of that did he speake in the former verse Secondly this must awaken vs vp all and stirre vs to the execution of all such duties as we do owe vnto the Son we must not onely know what he is aright either in regard of his person or of his office but we must withall performe all loyall and faithfull seruice vnto him We must kisse him that is soundly loue him and carefully obey him in all his commandements Learne we then his statutes and let vs euermore obserue and keepe them Whereas he hath a yoke hath commanded vs to take the same vpon vs Math. 11.29 let vs not fling it away or withdraw our neckes therefrom but with patient soules let vs submit our selues vnto it knowing that we must obserue and keepe whatsoeuer he hath commanded vs as it is in Math. 28.20 Happy were we if we could once say to Christ as the children of Israel did to Iosuah saying All that thou hast commanded vs we will do and whithersoeuer thou sendest vs we will go whosoeuer shall rebell against thy commandement and will not obey thy words in all that thou commandest him let him be put to death Iosuah 1.16 17.18 Cause there is great wherefore we should do this For what Shall he die a cursed and shamefull death for vs to deliuer vs from hell and damnation and yet shall not we obey him and through loue do his commandements Againe doth he daily bestow vpon vs great benefites and do we looke to be glorified by him at the last and to haue glory and honour and immortality through his meanes And yet shall not we loue him and be well content to take vp his yoake and to do whatsoeuer he shall command vs But yet alas we do dishonour him continually we can blaspheme his name and sweare by his wounds and blood and vse his titles of Christ and Iesus vnreuerently but where is a man almost that doth worship him aright and loue him as he ought to doe What Could Nebuchadnezzar and all the States men of his Prouinces make a law that whosoeuer would not fall downe before the golden image which they had made and worship the same should be cast into an hot fiery furnace and there be consumed to death And shall not we so much as dislike with our selues and inflict some punishmēt vpon our owne persons when we cannot bring our soules to fall downe before Iesus Christ the most glorious image of God the Father and worship him For as for that image it was nothing else but a dead peece of gold and a matter of detestable idolatry to be abhorred of euery one But as for this image it is a liuing and a mighty God and a thing of great ioy to all the world to be embraced of all persons as bringing life blessednesse vnto all To conclude this point I beseech you deare brethren euen as you regard your owne saluation and happinesse