put out and the Spark of his Fire shall not shine The Light shall be dark in his Tabernacle and his Candle shall be put out with him Job 18.5 6. i. e. his Honour and Glory shall be put out his Prosperity shall fade away and die 2. A good King is a good sign that God will not destroy the Kingdom 2 Kings 8.19 Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for David his Servant's sake as he promised him to give him always a Light and to his Children therefore God would not destroy Judah because he had promised David to give him a Light that is a Successor in his Throne to give Light to his People therefore the giving of that Light was a Preservation to Judah from Destruction When God was provoked by Solomon who threatned him for his Idolatry and Breach of Covenant to rend the Kingdom from him and give it unto his Servant he was pleased to add Howbeit I will not do it in thy Days for David thy Father's sake but I will rend it out of the Hand of thy Son He would not for David's sake to whom God promised a Lampalways 1 Kings 15.4 Nevertheless for David 's sake did the Lord his God give him a Lamp in Jerusalem to set up his Son and to establish Jerusalem 3. A good King is Light to a Kingdom as he is a cause of Joy and Gladness to a Kingdom A bad King may cause carnal and profane Joy to the Wicked but then he is the Cause and Grief and Trouble to them that fear God We are not to call that Light which makes the Wicked to rejoice in their Wickedness and to glory in their Shame but then we have a Light when the Righteous rejoice Whon the Righteous are in Authority the People rejoice but when the Wicked beareth Rule the People mourn Prov. 29.2 Light is borrowed to express Joy and Gladness Light is sown for the Righteous and Gladness for the upright in Heart Psal 97.11 Then had the Jews Light and Gladness and Joy and Honour Esther 8.16 What a Constellation of Blessings what Clusters of Mercies and all in the Flower arise and spring up in a Land when such a Light is set up in the Firmament of a Kingdom in the Orb of Soveraignty 4. A good King is the Light and Glory of a Kingdom the Light of a People when he doth restore set up resorm and maintain Religion in his Kingdom such a King was David such a Blessing was he to Israel When the Ark of God was taken the miserable sorrowful Wife of Phineas called her Child's Name Ichabod because the Glory was departed from Israel and she said The Glory is departed from Israel for the Ark of God is taken 1 Sam. 4.21 22. Surely Salvation is nigh them that fear him that Glory may dwell in our Land Psal 85.9 Christ is called A Light to the Gentiles and the Glory of his People Israel Luke 2.32 Therefore then it is that Glory dwells in the Land when the Glory of Christ shines in his Worship Ordinances and People The Glory and Liberty of the Gospel in its Ministry Ordinances and Profession of its Truth and Beauty of Holiness doth exalt a Nation advanceth it in great Honour and then Glory doth not come as a Traveller to see a Country or a wayfaring Man that tarrieth for a Night but dwelleth in a Land when Religion pure and undesiled is entertained with Reverence and Honour in the King's Court in the Houses of Nobles and hath a free Passage throughout a Nation and is delivered from unreasonable Men A religious King is then the Light of Israel when the Lights of the World are set up kept burning brought from under Bushels and set upon the Table when good Men may be as good as they will and the wicked may not be as vile and bad as they would be 5. A good King is a Light to a Kingdom when he reigns in Righteousness David's Prayer for Solomon was Psal 72.2 Give the King thy Judgments and thy Righteousness to the King's Son This was his Prayer for him who was a Lamp which God promised to raise up in his place and when a King doth reign in Righteousness then he imitates and represents the Sun of Righteousnes Christ Jesus the King the Scepter of whose Kingdom is a Scepter of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 2 Sam. 23.3 4. who ariseth with healing in his Wings The God of Israel said the Rock of Israel spake to me He that ruleth over Men must be just ruling in the fear of God Now mark what a just King a religious King that ruleth in the Fear of the Lord shall be And he shall be as the Light of the Morning when the Sun riseth even a Morning without Clouds as the tender Grass springeth out of the Earth by clear shining after Rain i. e. he shall be a great Blessing a great Comfort and Cause of rejoicing to the People of God A King that reigns in Righteousness may yet further be compared to the Light as he doth by himself by his righteous Laws declare and enact what is just and right that by the Light of his Laws People may see the Light of the Rule and the Path of Righteousness that by his wise learned and upright Judges not to serve the Designs Will and sinful Pleasure of the King with a Commission during Pleasure to take away the Lives of innocent Men to countenance false Witnesses perplex or threaten the True disannul Charters and the like Righteousness may run down like a mighty stream When these do distribute Justice between the King and his People and Subject and Subject when the Righteous will not be sold for a pair of Shoes when Righteousness is administred without Partiality then the King will find the Benefit and Comfort of his own Light for Righteousness and Judgment will be the Stability or Establishment of his Throne For by Righteousness the Throne is established Prov. 16.12 6. The King is a Light to Israel as David was for the Security and Protection received from him The Sun and Shield are well joined for the Comfort and Protection of God's People Psal 84.11 The Shields of the Earth belong unto the Lord Psal 47.7 Kings and Magistrates are those Shields and they are Nursing-Fathers and Nursing-Mothers they are like a Pillar of Fire for the Direction and Protection of Israel Hezekiah in the Type of Jesus Christ was foretold that he should be a King to reign in Righteousness and the Princes under him should rule in Judgment when it was so it followeth that he should be a hiding-place from the Wind and a Covert from the Tempest a hiding-place and Covert from the Wind and Tempest raised by the Devil and his Angels to trouble and unsettle the Nation 's Peace and Order and to keep off the Wind and Tempest Persecution and Tribulation which blow and beat upon the Church of God such a Light was David to Israel A Man
have always opposed the great and only Redeemer Christ and his Interest in the Nation that care no more for the real Prosperity of the Kingdom than for the turning up of a Dye high or low when they throw for nothing so that they may have but enough to maintain their ungodly fleshly and worldly Lusts These are not for the Pope but yet they are for Antichrist and the Devil for the Kingdom of Darkness and Irreligion These are they whose God is their Belly whose Glory is in their Shame Enemies to the Cross of Christ And to these we must add another Party though in other things far different from them and better Men who plead an Obligation of Conscience for Disloyalty and these do animate and propagate the other though perhaps not directly who are disaffected to Godliness and the Government Nay the worst of Men do not only harden themselves in their Disloyalty and proceed on to trouble Israel or hinder our Settlement by having the Consciences of some upon their side but they have set up a new Title against our Government and that is the Church of England The Church of England against England the Church of England against the Kingdom of England Is Christ divided Is the Church divided The Church of England we know but who are ye And yet let me shew you one other cause of the Slowness of our Motions towards Settlement and Peace and raising up of the Tabernacle of God and the shining forth of the Beauty of Holiness There are loyal Persons to the Government who are not refined from the Impurities of the former Reigns Thousands in the Land that run into Profaneness and Licentiousness out of Cowardice and to avoid some Nick-names given out to disgrace real Godliness and being accustomed to Licentiousness out of Fear And in compliance with most ungodly Rulers have brought such a Custom upon themselves that either they are Temporizers with the worst of Men or sin out of choice and love Some of these would if they could overthrow the Chariot others lay Impediments in its way and these last are like Scotches in our Wheels But our Hope is in God he ruleth in Jacob and hath given out such Manifestations of his Goodness that be it known to us he doth not do what he doth for our sakes but what is more effectual for his own Name sake O then not unto us not unto us but to thy Name give Glory for thy Mercy and thy Truth 's sake Psal 115.1 When God sets his Wheel a going it shall go against all Oppositions sometimes it goes visibly at a great rate sometimes more insensibly and when we see not the Motions of it it goes whither the Spirit was to go Ezek. 2.12 Man may lose Time and Opportunities but the Spirit of God never lost and never will lose time 6. The Work of this Generation is God's in an eminent manner and he will carry it on till all be finished but he tieth not himself to Means and Instruments therefore so should not we The Work of God hath been and is a Work for Generations and no one Man is ordained to do all but many Instruments have their several parts None is immortal none invulnerable or impenetrable Let us therefore believe with confidence that this War is God's and it is the Hand of God and our King is one of the greatest Instruments that God hath used he came up like Queen Elizabeth when the Kingdom was weak like a Gustavus Adolphus Let us see God in him follow God and wait upon him and be careful of him and by strong Faith humble Confidence fervent Prayers trust him under the Shadow of the Almighty Object But how can we rejoice and take comfort in Him as the Light of Israel seeing he adventures his Royal Person in very dangerous Voyages and Battels As it would be the greatest Grief of our Souls to be deprived of him so our Hearts are in daily fear of Evil befalling to him What would become of us in our divided and discontented State if our Light should be quenched Answ 1. You should consider that this bright illustrious Lamp is not given to us alone I cannot but adore the safe and hasty dispatch which God Alwise and Almighty made of the mighty Affair of these Kingdoms How soon did the King of Heaven and Earth pull down one and set up another How soon did God make an end of one King's Reign and begin another's The King that then was in Arms a powerful well-prepared and trained Army almost if not above double the number to those our King brought in and yet not as much as the stop of one Day 's march or diversion given by fighting one Battel He had time enough for leisurely and orderly Marches without any cause of Precipitation or losing time by committing Errors What a good Providence was this Things shall be easy when God doth save it shall be as easy as to bid an Army in array to stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord and as soon as to say 2 Chron. 20.17 Neh. 9.27 To morrow ye shall go out against them for the Lord will be with you So when the Lord doth raise a Saviour to his People he will be with him and when he is with him he makes way for him Had our King conquered by winning many Battels and after he had beaten a great Army been constrained to spend much time in long Debates how miserable had this Kingdom been by Fears and Factions And to what Necessities had foreign Nations been pressed Ireland certainly lost Scotland confounded if not ruined But he who ruleth over all was pleased to save us and settle us with great expedition that his Servant David might go forth against the Philistines What Treacheries with Obstructions were used to hinder him from saving Ireland in time may be with trouble remembred that some People who appeared forward to embrace Deliverance withdrew their Help as if they had repented of doing any thing to make themselves happy and save others from utter Ruin How many wished the King might not go to Ireland in Person that the Loss of Ireland might be imputed to him And others were for his going that he might never return again or in his Absence our Enemies might make work in England Some honest Hearts wished he would not go being afraid of Commotions in his Absence and Danger to his Person Others prayed for his going and when gone for his Prosperity and safe Return and we have rejoiced for both out with some trembling for God rebuked us 2. Beside the Interests of many Nations united in him he is led into the best way and method of securing and saving us at home by going to meet the great Enemy abroad and if God be with him there we shall reap the Benefit of it here Balthazaris Ayala De jure Off. bell l. 4. c. 2. It hath been variously adjudged by great Commanders whether it is
better to keep at home and receive Enemies from abroad and repel them or carry the War abroad into the Enemies Countries But certainly the Reasons and Circumstances of this War well known to our wise King perswade it is best where it is God hath provided for us a wise watchful couragious Queen in full Authority to govern and watch over us at home who is worthy to be trusted under God There are more Princes engaged in this War beside the King and other Dominions concerned and if God do but break that Devourer at home and deal with him as God rewarded Adonibezek it will keep him from ravaging abroad as he hath done Hunt him down he will be glad to hide in his own Den. Nothing is more to be fear'd than a Composition with him for being faithless he will no longer keep Conditions of Peace than he can gather Strength to break them 3. You say you would not have him venture his Person I say let us express all the loyal and truly-Christian Care we can and all the true Zeal we can for his Preservation but let us consider that it hath been the manner and use of the greatest Kings and the best of Commanders to go to the Wars and command in Battels Not to speak of the famous Conquerors of the World was there such a Man in the World as Abraham was Gen. 14.13 14 15 16. And this holy Abraham goes in the Head of his armed Men in Person and leaves not the charge of them to his Confederates How like a Souldier did he command and marshal his Men and he was not a Spectator but an Actor in the Fight What a Man was Joshua who had the Name and Spirit of a Saviour he went and did not take care to send to the Battels of the Mighty The same might be enlarged in David even to a declining Age and of other Kings 4. A King may be as safe in a Camp as in his Court read Psal 3.5 I laid me down and slept I awaked for the Lord sustained me Ver. 6. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of People that have set themselves against me round about Arise O Lord save me O my God c. Psal 27.3 4 5. But then remember these Men were strong in Faith and much in Prayer Not to exceed in length Let us who are sensible of the great Favour of God towards us in our King and Queen be upon our Duties which are two 1. Trust 2. Prayer 1. Trust God with all our Heart Look upon our Lamps as subject to Mortality to fainting to be quenched but let us look to the God of Israel above the sading Light of Israel Isa 45.22 Look unto me and be ye saved all the Ends of the Earth for I am God and none else Kings cannot save themselves but it is God who giveth Salvation to Kings Psal 144.10 Salvation belongeth to the Lord Psal 3.8 Psal 44.6 Psal 33.16 2 Chron. 14 11. And a King that trusteth in the Lord will not trust to his Bow c. to the greatest Numbers of Men nor Preparations for War He was a King and a Prophet that dehorteth us from trusting in Princes Psal 146.3 4 5. 2. Trust the Lord of Hosts with our King and Queen As we are to cast all our private Burdens upon the Lord and to commit our private Ways Affairs and Concernments to the Lord so let us cast the great Concernment of the Kingdom and all the People of God in the Kingdom The King trusteth in the Lord Psal 21.7 O let us trust also in the Lord and trust our Light to his gracious watchful and mighty Providence O that we could trust the mighty God of Jacob with his Church and People when as low and weak as Jacob when he is called Jacob Jacob is low and weak Now is the time for right trusting in God And the more Trust and Confidence we place in the King and Queen and the more we exceed in love to them the more cause have we to have a right Trust in God 1. Trust the King as far as a King is to be trusted with our Armies with our Purses with our national Interests abroad and at home and the more our disaffected Back-friends have contemned him let us honour and trust him the more But when we have trusted much to his Wisdom Integrity Valour Conduct and Experience let us not make an Idol of him let us not forget God nor forget that he it is that teacheth his Hands to war and his Fingers to fight 2. Trust God in this Cause and War as if we had no King to trust to for we must trust God alone Only the Lord be with thee as he was with Moses Jos 1.17 He only is my Rock and my Salvation he is my Defence I shall not be greatly moved My Soul wait thou only upon God for my Expectation is from him He only is my Rock and my Salvation I shall not be moved In God is my Salvation and my Glory the Rock of my Strength and my Refuge is in God Trust in him at all times ye People Surely Men of low degree are Vanity and Men of high degree are a Lye Psal 62.2 5 c. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in Princes Psal 118.9 All Nations compassed me about but in the Name of the Lord I will destroy them vers 10. 3. Trust not in Means with the least neglect of God yet use God's Means in trusting God Trust God in the use of Means above Means trust not God without Means when Means may be had of God's appointment Set your selves in array but then stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord 2 Chron. 20.17 David would not trust in his Bow but he would make use of his Bow Though the Means be but as Rams-horns and the tumbling of Barley-loaves yet do as God would have us Presumption is no Trust 4. Trust God with giving supplying renewing disposing and prospering Means but do not limit God to any one Way or Time or Person Mordecai was a Wonder he was confident that God would deliver the Jews he made use of Hester as a proper as a very proper Instrument to work upon the King but his Trust was not limited to her but if she fail'd Deliverance shall come from another place Hester 4.14 No King in England without dishonour to any was so like to carry on the Work of God and to do the Service of his Church as our present King is he hath done much already Was ever King so trusted by so many Princes Who was so engaged being so provoked by the Enemy so prepared with depth of Thoughts and Privacy with Industry beyond Strength or encouraged by Deliverances as He Yet still let us not limit the most High God and the more we trust God the more we love our King O long may this Lamp burn and shine but he can no longer give Light
Bottles How many of those who seem well affected to the Government are grosly ignorant sensual and profane unreformed unrefined from their Lees What can these do What ill-favoured irreverent what cold and dead what broken Work do many make so that we have cause to fear the Divine abhorrence of our Fasting How far may a Man ride before he can see one Sinner whose Heart and Life is reformed according to the Word of God after our many monthly Days of Fasting If a Poll could be taken of them that are for or against or are wary Neuters whether ever God and Christ or their Enemies should be found in the best side All must be excluded from voting right who do not lift up holy Hands to God in Prayer so that from the Land's End even to the Town of Berwick we can make no more than a Gideon's Army But yet I hope there are enow to make an Army too strong for all the Enemies of our Faith Religion Peace and Government Be therefore of good Courage wait on the Lord and he shall strengthen your Heart all ye that hope in the Lord. Encourage our selves in the Lord our God were our Extremities greater and more than they are And consider 1. Is not God on our Side O let us humbly wrestle with his Majesty to rise for his own Glory for David's sake for Jerusalem's sake what will our Enemies the Heathen say 2. Hath not God prevented us with his loving-Kindness Did we by our Prayers call in our Deliverer Did not God put it into his Heart before we knew of it Have we not seen when we fasted and prayed it went well with us for the Honour of God for the Honour of his Ordinance for Prayer's-sake despised blasphemed Prayers-sake I was glad to hear it was the poor praying People of Ireland that saved London-derry that made the Men of Inniskillin more than Men and not our Gallant Dammees and Hectors Pray on to the last Breath pray to the last drop of Tears Give not up so great and so good a Cause for lost it is all in the Hand of God our God trust him 3. Pray on there are more for us than there be against us Is not God for us Are not Angels for us Do not the Souls under the Altar solicite God and cry How long Lord Holy and True Rev. 6.10 dost thou not avenge our Blood on them that dwell on the Earth I beseech you observe this that they who are our Enemies now are they who have shed the Blood of the Saints We are sure that God will avenge the Blood of his Servants and hear the Prayers of his Saints in Heaven and on Earth The Lord never denied to hear their Prayers he hath only delayed Andit was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season until their fellow-Servants also and their Brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled Some have written and others believe this late is the last Persecution of the Churches in France at least and if so that the Number of them that should be Killed is fulfilled then we shall shortly sing as Jehosaphat and the People did For his Mercy endureth for ever 2 Chron. 20.21 4. Pray believing in him to whom you pray and knowing against whom you pray Is he not a bloody merciless Persecutor who can set him out in his Garments dy'd in Blood and hath not God said He hath ordained his Arrows against the Persecutors plead that with God Psal 7.13 5. Who do we pray for Are they not God's own People the Apple of his Eye or hath God not one small Râ—â—nant left Remember the Prayer of Nehemiah Now these are thy Servants and thy People whom thou hast redeemed with thy great Power and by thy strong Hand Nehem. 1.4 to 10. 6. Argue from the very Strength and Greatness of our Enemy O say our Men of Reason and Thoughts Men like the cowardly Spies of the Land of Canaan who discouraged the People How powerful is France How Great that King How wise his Counsel How mighty are his Armies How strong at Sea How well disciplined what an Advantage hath he who is one in united Councils before-hand with his Enemies in the time of Year whereas the Confederates are slow in Resolutions and Preparations He 'll hold them in play he 'll tire them out And what will not this Great Man do Yea Are these things true is this the sense of Men wise Men most Men Be it so Yet for all this hâ—â—l he the Army of Zera the Ethiopian Let us cry to the Lord as Asa did 2 Chron. 14.9 Lord it is nothing with thee to help whether with many or with them that have no Power Help us O Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy Name we go against this multitude thou art the Lord our God let not Men prevail against Thee Let us wait upon God and take an Argument from the strength of our Enemies Psal 59.9 Because of his Strength let us wait on thee for God is my Defence We have a God hearing Prayer to pray unto we have a good Cause all is in Danger we have great Encouragements O let us say He hath delivered and we trust be will not only deliver but prosper O then let us pray for a praying Heart And pray every Day without ceasing And that first for our King and Queen that they may have the whole Armour of God to put on the Testimony of a good Conscience that in the Vprightness of their Hearts they do all they do that they may never fall into the slippery and pernitious Steps of evil Kings Let us pray for them that they may inherit an Everlasting Kingdom that endeavour to make ours so happy Many do labour to fright us more with the King's Successes than with the return of their idolized Image as if he would be as absolute as high for Prerogatives as any of his Predecessors What Confusions he will make say others in the best Church in the World and much more Whereas the great fear is that he will do more for God than most of his Predecessors Men are mightily afraid of losing their Pluralities their Ceremonies their Sins Let us pray for the preservation of our Lamps the free Progress of the Gospel the Advancement of Religion and Godliness into High Places for a painful Preaching exemplary Ministry for the saving and sanctifying Protestant Churches for healing of Breaches in a word for Grace Mercy Peace And when we have pray'd to the pouring out of our Hearts let us not trust to our Prayers beyond God's Promises but stay our selves upon the Rock of our Salvation To whom be Might and Dominion for ever Salvation to our God Hallelujah The Great Concern and Zeal of a Loyal People for a Good Warlike KING c. 2 Sam. 21.15 16 17. Moreover the Philistines had yet War again with Israel and David went down and his Servants
with him and fought against the Philistines and David waxed faint And Ishbi-benob which was of the Sons of the Giant the weight of whose Spear weighed three hundred Shekels of Brass in weight he being girded with a new Sword thought to have slain David But Abishai the Son of Zeruiah succoured him and smote the Philistine and killed him Then the Men of David sware unto him saying Thou shalt go no more out with us to battel that thou quench not the Light of Israel THese words are a very remarkable plece of Story which is compleat in it self and therefore I need not look upon what goes before it in this Chapter I crave your earnest attention to the Matter I intend to handle for your Instruction this part of the Day and have but patience till I come to the Application then I hope you will see that what I shall deliver to you will be very suitable to the Work and Duty of this Day and not only so but will direct you what to do every Day till God shall turn our Fasts into Thanksgivings The true Reason of my chusing this Text and that upon this Solemn Day which requires an extraordinary seriousness with the Application of the whole strength of our Hearts and exercise of every Grace is not at all to flatter much less to idolize our King and Queen which would be the worst of Services to them and to our selves by provoking God to quench the Light of Israel but really to shew you as plainly and as convincingly as I can how deeply our Hearts should be affected with our own Condition how earnest we should be with God to preserve our Supreme Governours and especially our King in the Labours and Dangers of this War and how we should behave our selves under all those Circumstances under which the Sovereign and over-ruling Providence of the infinitely Wife and Almighty God hath subjected us And I was moved to these Considerations which I shall commend to you by the great Thoughts of Heart which possess many honest religious and tender Persons Why say they will our King hazard his Person in this War who is in danger not only from the Craft and Malice of the open Enemy in the Field but Treachery even in his Camp Why will the Parliament and the Kingdom let him What will become of us if we should be so unhappy as to lose Him in this unsettled and distracted State when there are so many secret Discontents and such open Talk Beloved we cannot be too much concerned for the Safety of their Sacred Persons the Peace of these Kingdoms and the Preservation of our Religion both at Home and Abroad The Glory of God the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus and the Salvation of our Souls by the Means of Grace are as much concerned in the Success of this War as ever at any time to any People This War is not a War for outward Peace and Liberty nor for Glory and Renown for Riches and Trade or any other temporal End or Interest only but for the true Interest of the Kingdom of God among us and of the Protestant People of God in all Nations where they are or soon will be in danger if God doth not shew himself to be on our Side There are many Interests of many Princes and People in this one Bottom and all united in one King and submitted to his Conduct under God If these should be divided we should be weakned and fail but if he should miscarry we must needs sink for a time and many Countries suffer Shipwrack and then not only the Estates Liberties Properties Bodies and Lives but precious Souls and the Ark of God would fall into the Power of the Cruel The Philistines would soon over-run our Land and they who seem to wish for their coming would feel the Miseries of their coming as soon as they who fast and pray with all sincerity to keep them out and be less able to endure them If the Light of our Israel should be quenched O how tempestuous would it be round about What a Day would it be of Gloominess and thick Darkness O far be it from those who desire that Evil Day ever to see it come may they all go to their Graves in peace before that Inundation of Woes and Miseries break down our Banks 'T is true we have more to lose now at once than ever our Forefathers had and therefore when we consider our Sins we have more cause to fear than ever But let this comfort and encourage us to offer up strong Prayers and Cries to the God of Heaven to God our Saviour that the Glory of God's Truth Mercy and Grace being so specially and imminently concerned in this War that his Wisdom and Power will the more sincerely appear for the preservation of Israel and the Light of Israel Call up Faith and Hope to put forth all their strength into those Prayers which go not out of feigned Lips O for a strong Faith at the head of our Godly Sorrows and Humiliation for Sin this Day O for the Assistance of the mighty Spirit of Prayer and Supplication to send up yea to carry our fervent Prayers to Heaven Is the Spirit of God departed from his praying wrestling Jacobs in England and gone to our Enemies Hearts Is God is the Ark of God in their Camp Hath not God prepared his Arrows against the Persecutors What inhumane Persecutions are the greatest of them guilty of But as my Thoughts run on this String of Hope I am checked by the sight of the great and many Sins of these Kingdoms for which God might bring us under the Sword of our Enemies and even deliver up the Ark the Church into their hands O that every Congregation were weeping and mourning before the Lord this Day and casting away our Iniquities O that this Day were a Day of confessing and forsaking those Sins for which God might justly hide his Face from us O that we were exercising of Revenge upon our selves for all our Abominations O that we were sighing and crying for all the Abominations done in the midst of our Jerusalem and that all in their Places would become zealous for the Glory of God resolving every one to mortify his own Sins disarming the Traitors against God Church and State in his own Heart and setting themselves against Sin in others that God may be reconciled to us and intreated for the Kingdom But yet as bad as we are are we not God's People Are there not some Fifties among us for whose sake God will spare us But not to insist upon such Arguments for Hope let us build upon one it is a strong and a standing Argument by inverting the Word of God and humbly turning it upon him Thus saith the Lord God I do not this for your sakes O House of Israel but for my holy Name 's sake Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you be ashamed and confounded
for your own ways O House of Israel Ezek. 36.22 32. When we have least to say and have no Reasons to plead taken from our selves we have most to say and the most prevailing Argument to urge by Faith taken from the free Mercy of God and the Glory of his great Name O let us take Courage and come boldly to the Throne of Grace and say Psal 6.4 Jer. 14.7 Save us for thy Mercies sake O Lord though our Iniquities testify against us do thou it for thy Name 's sake for our back-slidings are many we have sinned against thee O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and do defer not Dan. 9.19 for thine own sake O my God for the City and People that are called by thy Name Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give Glory for thy Mercy Psal 115.1 2. and for thy Truth 's sake Wherefore should the Heathen say the French and Irish the Philistines the Enemies of the Lord that have so reproached him that have destroyed all his Tabernacles in the Land say Where is now their God Such an Encouragement as this may quicken us to a lively Attention to the Word of God and put Life into our Prayers when most dejected under the sense of our Sins And so now I come to the Words 1. In this part of sacred Story we read of another War between a proud Zech. 9.6 unquiet idolatrous superstitious People and David ver 5. The Philistines had been often destroyed and conquered by the Sword of David and yet they begin another War with David as the Phrase doth intimate And the Philistines had yet War again with Israel as if they began it and provoked Israel unto it We read not what the particular Cause of the War was it might be from inveterate Hatred from Contrariety of Religion for the Philistines like our Papists had their Images in the Battel of Baal Perazim and as their Images could not help them so neither could they save their Images 2 Sam. 5.21 or it might be Impatience of Revenge that might stir them up and they thought themselves strong enough to overcome and over-run Israel or they might promise to themselves the Life of David having a self-confident vain-glorious Giant Ishbi-benob who might brag as well as think of killing David It is a righteous Judgment of God upon the inveterate Enemies of his People which they see not that they will not be quiet in their Possessions but after many Overthrows they will be making Wars against them 2. And David went down and his Servants with him and fought against the Philistines it seems to be a defensive as well as a lawful War to go down against the Philistines and not to stay for their coming into the Land of Israel they were the beginners of the War and David doth wisely choose the Seat of the War which might be most convenient the further off from home and the nearer the Enemies Country the better An experienced valiant King will neither refuse nor delay to fight against the Enemies of God's People and his Kingdom when there is just Cause and Provocation given 3. And David waxed faint he grow in Years and was much decayed in Strength or tired and weakned with the Wars This Circumstance affords us many Observations 1. The Wars and Troubles in a King's Reign are no Sign or Indication of and should create no Suspitions in any Men of the Weakness or Badness of his Title to the Kingdom Never had King a better or a clearer Title to a Kingdom than David had appointed and designed of God elected and made by the People and anointed Nay the Malice of the Philistines boil'd and swell'd and broke out into an open Attempt and War against David when they heard he was anointed 2 Sam. 5.17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David King over Israel all the Philistines came to seek David And spread themselves in the Valley of Rephaim v. 18. Is David anointed has he taken the Kingdom upon him then before he is settled in his Throne we will seek him This Policy was equal to the Malice while the Government was young and tender as some here said of ours and the Factions of the Kingdom not inwardly healed but the Providence of God turned this to David's Glory by giving him the Victory they and their Images fell into his Hands ver 20 21. When God designs a King and gives him a Throne they who rise against him rise and war against God himself and let that King acknowledg God and seek him as David did and all his Enemies shall not prevail against him but fall and perish David had a good Title but a troublesome Reign 2. A good King when he takes a Kingdom takes it not for the Glory and Ease of it but for the Glory of God and Good of his Kingdom with all the Labours and Dangers of a War 3. The true Interest Peace and Happiness of a Kingdom is the Concernment of a good King The Philistines had a great spight against David's Person in the former Design and War but now they hated Israel which were the People of God and professed the true Religion and now David is as much engaged to go out in Person against the Philistines 4. A faithful and a valiant King will endure the great Toil and Weariness of a War even to Faintness 5. That even a David a Servant of God will find it a hard and hazardous Work to fight his Enemies 6. A good and valiant King will expose his own Person and tire himself in Battel and yet not fly nor leave the Field David waxed faint but yet stands his ground 7. The best and stoutest King must feel his own Infirmities that he may know that he conquereth not by his own Strength 8. That though a good King shall prevail yet first he may be brought very low and faint The greatest Champion will faint in time and often-times a Cause and People may be brought very low before a Conquest The Power of God will be seen in humane Weakness and give him hot and fainting work that his glorious Power may bring forth Victory and Peace 4. Ver. 16. And Ishbi-benob c. How exact an account have we here given us of this great Enemy of David By his Name a very notorious and noted Man his Descent and Family which was of the Sons of the Giant his great Strength his dangerous Weapon The Weight of whose Spear weighed three hundred Shekels of Brass in Weight About nine Pound six Ounces Haver depoise Clark's Annot About half as big as Goliah's 1 Sam. 17.7 but according to others a great deal more and by his particular Preparation for Mischief to David's Person being girded with a new â—word Sword is not in the Original Text but supplied for Explication as contained in the word girded Girded with a new somewhat extraordinary and fitted for his
Sister 's Son Whence observe It is under God and next to a Guard of Angels 1 Chron 2.16 a great Security for a King to have a Confident and approved valiant trusty Friend at hand in time and place of Danger such a Man was Abishai How Abishai come now to be so near David's Person we do not know whether he was there by Command as in his Place or whether brought thither by the Providence of the Lord of Battel there he was at hand for this eminent Service Whence we will observe 1. It is the Providence of God over David to place a valiant loyal Friend to succour him in great Weakness and great Danger So let us in all our David's Danger pray that God Exod. 15.3 who is called a Man of War and the Lord of Hosts would place an Abishai near his Person to succour him in time of need 2. It is a great Duty and Praise of a valiant loyal Captain as Abishai was to take care of the Person of a good and valiant King and interpose between him and Death or Harm 3. Abishai's care and business was not to carry David out of the Field and to leave it with him the great Siâ—n of Affection and Loyalty in many a Coward but he stood by fainting David to succour him in the Encounter and to win the Day This is true Fidelity both to the King and Israel also 4. Whoever the Person be who defends David in a time of Danger deserves to be remembred and honoured for it and it is an Honour to his Person and to his House Here David's Second is named Abishai and his Family noted Abishai the Son of Zeruiah both remembred and honoured by this sacred Penman and the Service is not only done to a King's Person but to the King's Kingdom 5. Nay further not only Men but God himself takes notice of and rewards with Honour that Person or more that succour David when he is faint in fighting the Lord's Battels And this should be a great Encouragement to all that are in chief Place or near the Person of our King to expose themselves to sight for the King's Preservation It is an Honour to their Name an obliging Service to the King and Israel also and they may do it with Success upon the Enemy and Safety to themselves and what can be more to embolden and inspirit a Person to engage an Enemy 6. The most valiant and stoutest King may stand in need of Succour and it 's no dishonour to the greatest King to accept the Service for he must know and acknowledg he cannot always hold out nor conquer all with his own Hands 7. That such as come in to succour a King in time of Danger should not hinder nor be slack nor make as though he did but do his work effectually Abishai did not make a shew but effectually succour'd him this is a sign of Courage Skill and Fidelity The Lord that provided one to succour David at a hard push deliver our King from treacherous Standers by and Cowards This must be one of our Petitions for him that either God would bind up the Hands of every villanous Ishbi-benob or send him some one or more to succour him as he did David 2. Abishai smote the Philistine and killed him The Son of the Giant was over-tall and too big for any ordinary Man to deal with yet as big as he was here is one that fears him not but strikes and strikes home too he smote and killed him The Action is roundly expressed he smote the Philistine and killed him He was not long about him but made short work with him he smote him and kill'd him The Courage of Abishai and his Skill and Vigor appear in the Stroak But could Abishai come within his reach Could not the Giant fence and keep him off at Sword 's point and Arm 's length No he could not it seems he had bulk enough a great mass of Flesh might hang upon his great Bones he might have neither true Courage nor Skill but lay at catch to take David at an advantage of Weakness and act the Coward 's part But now David is not deserted but succoured Abishai strikes once for all and kills him Look upon both these in their contrary Sides The Son of the Giant is for the Philistines against Israel really against God and against his Church Abishai is David's Officer and Servant a Commander under him as he was under God From Particulars we must not conclude Universals But God permits his Enemies now what he permitted then yea they have not only many Men of great bulk and stature in one Kingdom but like the Horses of Egypt they are Flesh and not Spirit and in another not raw and fleshy Bodies without Courage but disciplin'd Armies and Veteranes And they want not for new Swords not for any Inventions and Furniture for all Occasions suppose some excel in Bulk in Flesh and Bones and yet want Skill and Courage for a noble and honourable Attempt suppose others be Men expert in War who excel in Skill but want true Courage suppose they exceed in Number and are more than we are but are such as will not stand shall we then only venture and reckon according to Sense and Reason This is unworthy of the People of the mighty and living God who should look by Faith upon him and upon David though weak yet in the Hand of God and thus we ought to do Then let us make such Observations as these to encourage our Faith and Hopes waiting upon God by Prayer 1. There are none so great so strong so big in the Enemies Army but God can find out Men to fetch them down The Philistines had an Ishbi-benob and David had an Abishai on his side who proved too hard for him 2. When the Enemies of David exceed in Stature Strength and Arms it makes them but the more bold to venture and design what will prove to their own Destruction The Philistines were appointed for destruction and when they thought themselves fit for War they were fit for Destruction They made many Wars against David and before David appeared but never had success but when the Sins of Israel were ripe for Punishment Our Enemies are as like them as if they were descended from them how Philistine-like did they use Sampson The Inhumanities of our Enemies are a reproach to Nature of which they have as little as they have of Grace and true Religion Our Enemies are given to burn and make desolate they cannot rest from troubling David raising War after War and what but Bitterness in the latter end is and will be the Fruit of their Wars and Commotions Their very Giants are for the Slaughter because every Battel against them is the Lord's therefore they cannot stand 3. A great a bold a daring Enemy of David is as soon killed as the weakest what could be sooner done And Abishai smote the Philistine and kill'd him and
what became of his strong and his mighty Arm or his new Sword then 4. The Enemies of God and his David may imagine and design greatest mischief to him but are so far from being able to execute and perform their Counsels and Designs that they perish in the attempt to execute them 5. The Servants of God and the King should not fear a Philistine tho he were an armed Giant in the defence of the King and Israel let him smite and kill at once 6. It is a Duty and a necessary part of Wisdom to know when and whom the Servants of God must smite and spare or smite and kill Abishai was ready at it and David was not so faint but he might have bad him forbear to kill if it had not been his Duty There is a great difference to be made between some Enemies and others 7. The Instruments of God's Judgments upon his Enemies do quickly and effectually execute his Pleasure upon them Abishai smote and killed him 8. How dreadful is it for any Man to be an Enemy to God and his People Israel It must needs be a torment to be disappointed of his Aim had David only escaped his and been preserved and he escaped and fled To lose the pleasure of his Enmity against him to lose the honour of such a Fact and the prey and reward of his Service but not only to fail but to perish and go down to Hell in a moment what Horror attends his Breath going out of his Nostrils What a tormenting Disappointment was it to miss of David and die in a doing Enterprize 2dly Another thing in the Words is the zealous Action and Behaviour of the People and the use they made of the King's Deliverance Then the Men of David sware unto him saying Thou shalt go no more with us to Battel They had in another case withstood the King's Declaration to them of going in person with his Army into the Field against Absalom 2 Sam. 18.3 There they did more than humbly disswade the King from going they did resolutely gainsay the King's Declaration but the People answered Thou shalt not go forth and gave their reason for it But here they carry their Resolution higher they swore unto the King thou shalt go no more to Battel c. What would some of our late Asserters and Promoters of the Absolute Power of Kings have said of this Case The Persons were all David's Subjects and yet they sware unto the King they sware unto the King without asking his leave or license they sware unto the King not to bind themselves to their Duty to him but to bind him and to bind him absolutely without limitation or restriction Thou shalt go no more out with us to Battel Tho their Concernment for the King and Kingdom 's Preservation and Welfare was good yet thus it would have been interpreted 1. To restrain the King from going out to Battel any more 2. And for them to swear that he should not go was to exercise an Act of Superiority and Usurpation over the King's Power and Liberty 3. And tho the End and Intention was good to preserve the King's Life and the Light of Israel yet was it not doing ill that good might come of it 4. Was it not ill done of David the King to suffer such an Oath to be made and an emboldning of Subjects to combine and to swear obtaining this to have what they list at any time Was it not a defect in David's Government to suffer this and to be imposed upon I shall not enter into Enquiries on this Subject but it is necessary to say something to the matter The Judgment of Peter Martyr a Reformer of great Learning Judgment and Sincerity is much to be valued Saith be Comment in 2 Sam. 21.17 The Men of Israel did piously think that the King should not be exposed to danger As the Members are willing to be endangered for the Head so it is the duty of good Subjects to take care of the Safety of their Princes And saith he it is not unbecoming Kings In chap. 18 sometimes to yield to the honest Counsels of their Subjects That which is obvious will keep us from falling into Briars in the dark 1. It is certain that David was a Sovereign King in his Kingdom 2. His Government was by God's Institution and Appointment 3. King and People were so united for the most part that they agreed in one common Design and End the Publick Good here called the Light of Israel The People did highly and justly honour and esteem the King 2 Sam. 18.3 and the King did sincerely regard their Prosperity and Happiness 4. The People were not a Generation of brutish Animals nor so despised they know wherein the Happiness of their Kingdom did consist and made bold to do more than petition they gainsaid the King's Will in conscience of his and the common Safety 5. The King did not oppose his Will against their Safety and free Resolutions neither but understanding their Will he condescended to it and without disputing Prerogative did acquiesce and yield 6. The People did highly value the King's Life above their own they would continue in their Loyalty to the King and Kingdom and undergo the Hazards of War in their Persons and go to War but provided for his Safety and the Safety of the Kingdom in his 7. The Peoples Sense of publick Dangers and publick Safety and their expressing and declaring that Sense is not inconsistent with their strictest Duty nor highest Honour towards a Sovereign King of God's own Designation And Self-denial for publick Benefit is no derogation from soveraign Power 8. The nature of their Oath was high and strict as if they had power so far to dispose of the King's Person as to bind him for his and the Kingdom 's undoubted Good and Welfare they sware unto the King that he should go no more out with them to Battel but they add their Reason That thou quench not the Light of Israel So much of the Peoples Act. 3dly The reason of their Oath to the King contains very excellent matter which being duly applied will be a means to continue to us the Light of our Israel 1. A good holy righteous King and Governour is given of God in Mercy to a People to be to them a great publick Blessing As the Sun is a Light to the World so is a good King to a Kingdom And this is the difference between a King of God's Donation and Appointment and a King by a judicial Permission to a dissatisfied discontented People The desire of all Israel was after a King 1 Sam. â— 20 8.5 19. and they had one granted them but what he proved need not here be repeated but as bad as he was he was true to the common Interest of the Kingdom against the Enemies thereof and went not about to subject it to foreign Powers When he was rejected God provided him a
King 1 Sam. 16.1 as he told Samuel and he whom God provided in Mercy was a Light to Israel God's Favour did shine upon Israel through David their King God hath as full a right to reject a King in our days as ever he had and to provide a King and that King whom God provides a wise People will highly esteem and God may justly be displeased at those who are not pleased with what God provides Do not they forget God's unlimited Soveraignty over all the Kingdoms of the World who assert the absolute Power of Kings in their own Dominions to set up and cast down without respect to Justice or Mercy But the God of the whole Earth hath in Justice driven away one and brought in another Greatest Mercy and shall we murmur at our Mercy 2. That as a good King is an eminent shining publick Blessing like the Light of the Sun so it is the duty and wisdom of a People to esteem and honour him as the great Gift of God So the Men of Israel did behold David as the Light of Israel they knew what a publick Benefit they received from him they remembred the evil Days of Saul 2 Sam. 1.19 c. out of which David in his Lamentation for him pick'd the best in comparison of which the Days of David were like Light compared to Darkness and Tempest But when a People shall be weary of Light or murmur against it or be dissatisfied with it and shall wish for Darkness Hail and Thunder Blasting and Mildew they sin against their Temporal State as they do against their Spiritual by loving Darkness rather than Light and without any fanciful Allusion but in real Truth they hate the Light because their Deeds are evil and lest they should be reproved and be obliged to be reformed 3. The Happiness of a Kingdom doth much depend upon the Life and Preservation of a good King Lest thou quench the Light of Israel not only the Light and Glory of his own Family and the House of David but the Light of Israel that the Light of Israel and not of Judah or Bethlehem only or any part of Israel but all Israel Their Light of Prosperity Peace and Glory was bound up in the Bundle of his Life 4. A People that are sensible of their Happiness and the Benefit of the Preservation of a good King will do all they can to preserve it The Men of Israel were sensible of the Advantage and Blessing of a good King and foresaw the loss that would befal them by his Death They valued him highly and yet really below his worth when they said 2 Sam. 18.3 4. He was worth ten thousand of them it had been a greater loss to have lost David than ten thousand of the People They value him according to his Worth when they admire and honour him as the very Light of Israel and therefore they do with all humility and earnestness oblige him to keep out of the reach of the Enemies Sword they will fight if he will keep himself safe at Home we will go out to Battel but thou shalt not go with us 5. Yet observe the reach of the Argument and Reason That thou quench not the Light of Israel A good King being a great and publick Blessing to his Kingdom should not expose himself to unnecessary Dangers but take care to preserve himself for the Kingdom 's sake and Benefit A clear Evidence that good Kings are not their own but their Kingdom 's The Argument is drawn from his own Safety and Danger and from their loyal Affection to him but the Argument reacheth further to the common and publick Danger if he hazard himself and the common and publick Benefit of Israel of the whole Kingdom that thou quench not thine own Light but ours also The Light of a King is for the Kingdom 's Good 6. A King is and a good King will reckon himself to be as much for his People the Publick and Universal Good as the People can be for him Here they intimate that they will go to Battel when there is cause and more they cannot venture more they cannot do than serve the King with their Estates and Lives but then if he be as the Light of Israel he should take care of himself with respect to them and their Benefit His Light is their Light and he should be as careful of theirs as of his own When it is well with the one it is well with the other 7. Yet again mark the words they do not say That the Light of Israel be not quenched but That thou quench not the Light of Israel This Reason grows out of the Sides of the former that a King receiving his Authority and Gifts from God under God for his Peoples Profit and Welfare should imploy all his Abilities for their Prosperity he should communicate and send forth all his Abilities and Powers as the Sun diffuseth his Influences upon inferior Bodies to make his People happy in him So on the contrary he should be exceeding tender of doing any thing that should be to their detriment and especially that he by going to Battel should die that he quench not their Light it would be his own Act that would be fatal to himself and them 4thly The last Particular in the Verse is the King's Acquiescence and tacit Concession and Permission of their Oath taken out of sincere Loyalty and Affection to the King's Preservation and their own in him In God's Kingdom and in a godly King's Reign the People might lawfully and without rebuke loyally admonish the King of the common Danger and more than petition even swear that he should not go forth to Battel that the Light of Israel be not quenched David was a Wise Holy Religious and Heroick Prince a King of long Experience and great Valour it was hard for him to refrain from a Battel altho he fainted But doth the Publick Happiness Glory and Prosperity depend upon it Doth it so much concern the Publick Do the Men of Israel remonstrate intreat and swear also then he takes himself to be obliged to condescend and acquiesce I am perswaded this Doctrine was true in those ancient and purest Times This was not a Surprize upon David or a Thing inconsiderately condescended to but what he yielded to once before in Absalom's Rebellion After that David had commanded and ordered his Army into three Bodies under three Generals and given them Orders he declared he would go forth with them 2 Sam. 18.3 4. And the King said unto the People I will surely go forth with you my self also But the People answered Thou shalt not go forth for if we flee away they will not care for us neither if half of us die will they care for us but thou art worth ten thousand of us therefore it is better that thou succour us out of the City And the King said unto them What seemeth you best I will do Here was
secret Policy and sound Reason on both Sides David had still a tender Affection if not a secret Fondness for Absalom O how did his Affections open towards him He gave Charge to his three Generals in the hearing of all the People Deal gently for my sake with the young Man even with Absalom Every Word hath an Argument to oblige them to deal gently with Absalom O how bitterly did he take on for his Death O Absalom my Son my Son would God I had died for thee He loved him better than his Life but in being ruled by his Peoples plain Advice he shewed he loved Israel better than Absalom And the Reason which lay concealed was that he might take care to save Absalom alive He said he would go but gave no Reason for his Resolution it was sufficient for him to declare his Resolution I will surely go forth with you my self also as he was wont to do On the Peoples part there was great Reason and Policy not pleasing to the King for they had an Eye upon Absalom and to put an End to the Rebellion by putting an End to his Life if he fell into their Hands The apparent Reasons were built upon good Principles And if David did smell their secret Reasons against Absalom his self-denial for the Peoples Content was exceeding exemplary If any say that it was weakly done of David to grant so much to the People against his own Will take notice that this did not proceed from David's weakness and oversight it was not from Error in Government for David was under no eclipse of Understanding for he was able to dispose and order his Affairs he took a Muster of his Army and set Captains of Thousands C. 18.1 2. and Captains of Hundreds over them and David sent forth a third part of his Army under Joab and a third part of his Army under the hand of Abishai the Son of Zeruiah Joab 's Brother and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite As he could Marshal an Army so it seems he could hearken to Reason and according to Reason comply with the Desires of his People in the fullest terms of Respect to their Counsel What seemeth you best I will do The Will of both Parties was pleasing to God Tam enim David quà m populus istâ in re non sua quaerebat c. Vnde apparet non esse indecorum ut Reges aliquando bonestis subditorum Consiliis pareant In 1 Sam. 18. saith the Judicious Peter Martyr for it proceeded from Love the King and the People sought not their own private Things or factious Designs the Souldiers did not resist their King out of Impudence but Reverence and Love Happy is the Kingdom when King and People aim at the same Publick Good and jointly move upon Principles of mutual Affection and Safety And when both are sincerely One in their Designs and Aims and have a mutual Confidence in one another When Kings can do all themselves in War and Peace then let them be absolute but till then the Reasons of a People for the King's Honour and Safety and Peace of the Kingdom by putting an End to Wars and quietting Insurrections are not to be despised but approved of by the wisest and the greatest Kings and People should be so wise and dutiful as to offer nothing but what should carry Weight and Conviction that they do really wish well to their King and it becomes the Wisdom and Goodness of a King to be overcome by the Reasons of their People Publick Reason should prevail against private Affection in publick Persons As David was over-ruled without usurpation of the People upon his Soveraignty at that time so now though the People swore to him that he should not go forth to Battel for fear of being kill'd to the Nation 's loss so he did not reject them nor shew himself displeased with them He did not misunderstand them nor check and threaten them he did not send forth his Proclamation or Declaration against them or confine and imprison the Heads of them They spake their Love and he saw it though they swear he should not go out and endanger Himself and the State he did not make them an Example by Punishment or Revenge for medling with his Prerogative His Inclinations were towards the Wars and his Valour was not extinct though his Strength abated and yet he would not insist upon his own Soveraign Power nor take a high Action to restrain it to be an encroachment upon it Sincere Loyalty will make a People bold for their Prince's safety Wise Kings love to see the Love and Loyalty of their People and will rather unhend their own Inclinations than break with their honest well-meaning Subjects I will conclude with this one Observation He was a wise and holy King worthy the Imitation of the greatest who was for the Kingdom 's Good ruled against his own Inclination It was then when Salus publica the publick Safety was the supream Law It was when People thought the King to be themselves and when the King thought the People to be himself The People thought save the King and we save our selves and when he thought I will save my self to save the People It was when a People understood their own Good and sought it with one Consent and when the King consented to it when one Light was the Light of both I have gone over the Words and made too many Observations to be discoursed on I desire now further that you would more particularly observe two Points I. A good King is the Light of a Kingdom II. A People should be sensible of the great Blessing of a good King and should be much concerned and very zealous for his and their own Preservation I. A good King is the Light of a Kingdom 1. A Light that is the Glory and Cause of Prosperity to a Kingdom so is the Light of Heaven to the World Light is the Glory of the Creation and the first-born the Excellency and Dignity of the Creatures How do the benign Influences of the Light make the Earth to flourish How prosperous was Israel under the Light of David The Dread and Horror of the Night is driven away at the Appearance of the Light the Beasts of Prey run to their Dens the Terror and Devourers of the People of God are forced to hide their Heads Persecutors are afraid to devour or molest the little Flock the Works of Darkness and of the Night dare not with an impudent Faoe be published Chambring and Wantonness Rom. 13.13 1 Thess 5.4 6. Rioting and Drunkenness nor Strife and Envy The Light of a holy Magistrate gives no Countenance to shameful Practices The Majesty and Glory of God shines in the Light of a blessed King and as God is Light so he who is the Image of that Light shines for the Glory of God and God shines for the Glory of his People The Light of the Wicked shall be
may follow his Trade travel and be commonly very safe if he walk by Day for Day-light is a Defence unto him In these Instances you have heard the Benefit of a good King as he is the Light of a Kingdom Now hearken a little further and you shall see what cause a People have to honour and study the Happiness of such a King and their own in him 1. As the Light is immediately from God so is a holy religious wise and valiant King as David was a peculiar Creature of that glorious Maker and not a meer humane Creature as all that are constituted by Men and a peculiar Blessing and Treasure to a People that Fitness for Government which is in him the placing of him in his Throne the removing of him from one part of his Sphere to another is a Remove made by the special Providence of God God alone doth make the Light prepares and qualifies a King for Government and the more of Providence appears the greater is the Mercy to a People 2. As the Light is above the Earth for the benefit of things below him so is a King placed in a Degree of Sublimity above his Israel but altogether for Israel's Good A King is above but for his Subjects And as the Light of Heaven is placed in Heaven for the good of Creatures underneath so are Kings placed by God in high Places that their Vertues may descend upon their Inferiors 3. As the Light shines from above and sends and spreads forth its Powers and Influences afar off to all the Corners of the Earth so a good King doth not restrain but takes Pleasure in communicating his Goodness to all the parts of his Dominions He hath his Vehicles Means and Instruments to convey the Stores of Gifts and Abilities for Good which God hath enriched him with All People that do not forfeit should be the better for him and so all his Subjects should know how much the better they are for him the Riches of a King's Abilities are beyond all the Riches we entrust him with for our Peace and Safety 4. But notwithstanding these great Advantages the King had of doing Good and the People received from his diffusive Goodness yet he is liable to Mortality the Light of Israel may be quench'd he is a Light but such a Light as may be put out and quenched As Israel was so all People should be sensible of the publick Blessing and Good received from a King who is as the Light of Israel and should be much concerned and zealous for his Preservation as their own 1. You cannot but feel by reading the Words the true sense which the Men of Israel had of their Happiness in David he was a great Light to them communicating and streaming down the Effects of his Light upon them They remembred the Night out of which they came the Trouble and Confusion the Dangers and Injuries the Dishonours and Confusions which kept them in fears so long they considered the happy change in Affairs what a new Face the Light had given and not a Face of Affairs only but a strong Constitution of the Body of Israel and they foresaw what a Night would follow upon his Fall 2. They were much concerned and zealous for his Preservation he had escaped the Dangers of many Battels and so might do again his Strength failed but he was able for Conduct he was near to be slain by a resolute masty desperate Giant who thought to kill him but he was succoured seasonably and with Success and if ever hâ— should come out to Battel again they would all be ready to defend his Person Why might not he as long as he was able to endure the Fatigue with any Spirit go out to Battel Would not his Conduct and his Presence direct and animate them and so further the War towards a prosperous Issue None of these Suggestions nor many more could abate their Care nothing but this to keep himself safe in Jerusalem the City of the Lord of Hosts 3. They were so much concerned and so zealous for his Preservation as if all Israel should fall with him if he should fall in Battel That thou quench not the Light of Israel as if all the Light of Israel did shine from him and were all of it comprehended in him as the Lamp that gave Light to all the Branches As if the Sun should be put out the Moon and Stars would be extinguished If the Pillars of a State or Kingdom fall the Kingdom must needs come down and fall to Ruin and Confusion but if the Supporter of these Pillars fall the Pillars must fall and all that stand upon them and are supported by them Now said David The Earth and all the Inhabitants thereof are dissolved I bear up the Pillars of it Psal 75.3 The Earth that is Judea and all the Inhabitants thereof are dissolved are unlinked the Land lieth waste and like a Wilderness and the Inhabitants thereof are unbound and untied they are jealous and afraid of one another being dissolved into Factions and Parties some Pillars there are Psal 11.3 and I bear them up If the Foundations be destroyed if Towns Magistrates and Government and Order be destroyed what shall the Righteous do they shall be made a Prey What can we that are but few in Number and weak in Power do What can we do if the Foundations be destroyed till the Foundations of Religion Righteousness and Peace are laid Blessed David was like the Light in Heaven on high and like the Foundation beneath that bears up the Pillars which bear the House If the Light be quenched there follows Darkness and all the Confusions and Miseries of Darkness if the Foundations be dissolved what but Ruine Wo then to the Land if its Light and Glory pass away as of Necessity it will if thou put out the Light of Israel All stands and all falls together for if David be the Foundation and Israel the House if the Foundation fall the House will tumble and of a well-ordered Fabrick it will tumble into Heaps David and Israel the Glory of all Lands are but one united Light and he is the Sun in the Firmament if he be quenched our Glory will depart Thus were they concerned for themselves in David their King And how could any People in the World express more care and zeal towards him than they did in so few words 1. They unanimously consent to prevail with him to keep himself as choicely as might be as you would keep in a Lamp or Light growing low in the Socket of expiring Age. 2. They swear to him that he shall not go out to Battel 3. They tell him there will be no need of his going for they will go to Battel as willingly as if he were with them 4. Surely David who had been their Light would not be accessary to or guilty of so great a Mischief as to put out their Light they presume upon it that he would
to Israel than the God of Israel goes before him and bears him up in his Hand 5. Trust God in all Dangers to preserve him and succour him in case of fainting God has succoured him by one of his Nobles in a former Battel against France Let us pray and trust that Help shall not be far from him when Dangers are nigh O let all that fear the Lord trust in the Lord Now let our Eyes be towards the Lord and trust him over all trust him I say again with our Light and Lamp And O that we could trust God not with a humane Trust as far as we see great Armies and early Successes but trust God with the Trust of humble penitent believing sincere praying Hearts The 2d Duty is Prayer and this is one part of the whole Armour of God without which who can expect to be saved Great and many were David's Extremities and therefore we find so many of his Prayers and Thanksgivings for their Success They who pray most and best are God's best Servants and the King 's truest Subjects O let us pray by Faith with Hope with Contrition Humiliation Sincerity Fervency Continuance and Perseverance by the Spirit in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ to the Lord of Hosts to God mighty in Battel When David spake of the peaceable and prosperous Reign of Solomon he saith Psal 72.15 and for him shall Prayer be made continually O all you that can pray pray heartily pray daily pray abundantly Prayer has been most prophanely derided in this Age But if we would have God do what we will let us believe and pray according to the Will of God Let not a day pass over you without effectual Prayers for God's Glory in the prosperity of the Gospel and redeeming Israel out of all his Troubles And that God would guide assist preserve and prosper our King and Queen and strengthen them by his Spirit in the inner Man take these following Considerations to satisfy and encourage your Hearts 1. The King must go to these Wars It is not Vanity to see the young Men play before him as Abner said to Joab 2 Sam. 2.14 Hest 4.14 no but necessity A necessity in respect of Duty and Obedience to God who hath prepared and called him to it He is obliged to assist in a Common Cause against a Common Destroyer of Countries and Cities And who knoweth but he is come to the Kingdom for such a Time for such a Service as this He doth not only add Strength by his Armies but puts Life into the Armies of other Princes as well as his own There is the same Necessity for our King to go forth to Battel as it was for David's going when he went it may be so that there may not be hereafter a like Necessity as there was not when the Men of David obliged him not to go for then he was much disabled and there were many others fit for the Service that were forward to go Men fit to be trusted Wendeline Doctrin Politicae lib. 2. c. 42. Ayala l. 2. c. 2. Sect. 19. Men that were true to the Happiness of Israel And as Cesar was wont to say Not go but Come along So many other great Captains have not only been present but performed the parts of Souldiers as well as Generals But the greatest Valour must do this with great Caution and remember he is a General and not a Commander posted to maintain his assigned Ground lest he become a Mark for an Ishbi-benob or give cause to an Enemy to say as he did who killed the most renowned King of Sweden That is the true Bird and so shot him dead Let us not forget to ask of God always to govern the King 's great Mind and guide him with his Eye 2. Here is sufficient Encouragement for us all not to be faint-hearted and dismayed but to pray with an awful humble Confidence and Expectation that God will favour this Righteous Cause For 1. this War is a lawful War and that gives us encouragement to seek God for the Success of it and our good King's Prosperity and Preservation The Lawfulness of this War will appear in all the Causes of a lawful War if you 1. Consider our Selves 2. Our Enemies 3. Our Allies 1. If you consider our Selves It is lawful because undertaken by Supream Authority by the King and Consent of the Parliament The King hath just cause to maintain his own just Title to the Crown and Government of these Kingdoms And it is the Peoples Duty to serve him in the Wars according to their utmost Ability as Judah did adhere to David 2 Sam. 2.4 whom they received and anointed him to be their King You know that I have not made State-Matters the Subject of my Preaching but now it is necessary to say something to inform you in what I believe is true and then engage and perswade you to your Duties The King's Title and Right to the Crown is scrupled by some who own him as King de facto in Possession these do seem rather to temporize than to obey upon a full Principle of Obedience and speak not fully to the Point and the Case of the King and Queen And others refuse to swear Allegiance to them though settled upon the Throne by a free Convention of Peers and People and their Title ratified by a Parliament and acknowledged by all Princes and States abroad except One who would have the Kingdom for himself if he could Which of all the Heads of the several Families and Lines of our English Kings could shew a better Title or near so good than our King and Queen antecedent to their Coronation But since it should be held undoubted and therefore this War is lawful if it were for nothing but to maintain his just Title against his Enemies The Reasons which Abner and the Men of Israel gave for their submission were good to prove David's Title and every one of them might be applied to prove our Soveraign's Title see 2 Sam. 3.12 17 18. Chap. 5.2 3. And though God hath not spoken by audible Words to them You shall feed my People Israel and thou shalt be Captain over Israel he hath spoken aloud by convincing Providences 2. It is lawful if you respect our Enemies The French have declared War against us attempted an Invasion Do not we know him too well to let him in If we resist him who shall be our King He that hath saved us and doth still endeavour it or he who when he had declined and refused to satisfy the just Petitions of his Subjects and contrary to Law and his Duty went about to change our Government and not daring to meet a Free Parliament ventured his Cause to the determination of God by the Sword and lost it in that Court of Judgment and deserted the Government and Kingdom and withdrew to an open Enemy's Country and hath made use of that Enemy's Power against us and
fled another Kingdom since to that same Enemy's Country again The Israelites yea Abner himself 2 Sam. 3.18 Chap. 5.2 thought David was the rightful King who had gone in and out before the People and had saved them from all their Enemies It is a lawful War for us to defend our selves against an open Enemy 3. The War of France against us is an unlawful War suppose it were as we clearly see it is not with a pure respect to the late King but if it were it would be our Duty to resist him 1. He was no lawful King of England according to the Law of England The lawful King of England is Supream in his Dominions in opposition to all Foreign Jurisdictions or Power out he subjected himself to a Foreign Jurisdiction and therefore lost it and ceased to be the King of England 2. There is no Allegiance due to any other according to Law but to a Protestant King whom we swear to defend in opposition to the Usurpation of the Bishop of Rome But the King was a professed Papist and own'd that Jurisdiction against which we swore Therefore c. 3. He is no King according to our Laws and therefore an Usurper and Tyrant that doth not swear to maintain our Laws He that shall endeavour to bring in Popery forbidden by Law and to root out the Religion established by Law doth not rule by Law Therefore c. That he did enâ—eavour to do so let us cousult his Letter written and sent to the Pope from Dublin now printed at the end of the Lord Preston's Trial Nov. 26. 1689. Most Holy Father c. The only Source of all these Rebellions against us is that we embraced the Catholick Faith and do nor disown but to spread the same not only in our three Kingdoms but over all the dispersed Colonies of our Subjects in America was our determination What greater Evidence of his Designs and Endeavours to bring in Popery contrary to our Laws than this He was King only in Possession He had been their Expectant and did actually succeed and had quiet Possession by God's Permission and the Kingdom 's Peaceableness till he went about to dissolve the very Foundations of the Government And our present lawful King then a Free Prince and no Subject of England See Grot. de jure Belli l. 2. c. 24. And the R. R. Bp. of St. Asaph 's Discourse came to deliver us and preserve our Laws and Liberties which was a lawful Act. His Invasion was a lawful Act and had it produced a War it had been a lawful War against a King that had fallen from his legal Kingly Supremacy by his own Fault and Act. 4. This War is a lawful War in respect of our Confederates though some of them are of a differing Religion from us Many of them as well as our King have received great Injuries from him and been oppressed by him and all have cause more than to suspect him of destructive Designs by his growing Power to make a Prey of Neighbouring Nations This might easily be proved lawful by the Example of Abraham Gen. 14. of David rescuing Keilah 1 Sam. 23. and made a prosperous War upon Hadarezar 1 Chron. 18.3 5. The miserably oppressed Subjects of France cry for Assistance to save them perishing and restore their just legal Liberties and Protestant Princes may be moved to engage on the behalf of the Persecuted Protestants whose Liberties and Religion were established by Edicts and Compacts 6. Our gracious Soveraign is engaged in this War by the most honourable Engagement that could induce and oblige a King to undertake a War the Conduct of the Confederates Armies entrusted with him Now what remaineth but that we all engage our Hearts to God and heartily concern our selves for the Preservation of his Majesty's Person under the safe Conduct of God and his Angels An Army of praying servent Souls may do great Service in this Publick Cause Pray and cry daily and mightily with God Wrestle with God in his own Power and when God is with us no Man can prevail against us Two Words more must be added to quicken us 1. The Apprehensions of the dreadful Consequences of the Extinction of the Lamp of Israel at Home which visibly appears to every considering Mind Our Enemies the Murmurers at Home are now weak but would soon lift up their Horns on high and a Spirit of Persecution enter into them and this quickly enraged by the Power of a King who hath made himself odious to humane Nature for it But we hope his Day is coming 2. Consider the now languishing expiring Weakness of Protestant Churches and Countries Abroad And both put together did ever so many Interests meet in one Person of Nations and of so many Kinds both Civil and Religious as depend under God upon our King's Preservation O then let us trust and pray without ceasing for him And so God save the King