so to agree Yea that we be not sodered together by our own blood Secondly God hath a time to gather Judah and Israel both together that is to bring peace to his Church God hath a time to gather all his Churches together in a way of peace that there shall be an universall peace amongst his Churches For thought it is true it be meant here of Judah and Israel literally yet Israel and Judah is to set out to us all the Churches of God that shall bee afterwards among the Gentiles and as God will fulfill this Scripture literally so he will fulfill it in the spirituall sense to bring Judah and Israel that is all the Churches of God to be under one head Isa 11. 13. Ephraim shall not envy Iudah and Iudah shall not envy Ephraim Ephraim envyed Judah because Judah challenged to himselfe the true worship of God and Judah on the other side envyed Ephraim because hee was the greatest there was vexing spirits one against another this shall not alvvays be saith God but the envy of Ephraim shall depart I will take away this envious this vexatious spirit Those two staves the holy Ghost speaks of in Zach. 11. 10 11. 14. the staffe of beauty and the staffe of bands they were both broken but God hath a time to unite together again and for that mark that excellent prophecie in Ezek. 37. 16 17. 22. 24. There you shall find fully set out Gods bringing Judah and Israel together and joyning those sticks together again Son of man saith the Text there take thee one sticke and write upon it for Iudah and for the children of Israel his companions then take another sticke write upon it for Ioseph the sticke of Ephraim for all the house of Israel his companions and joyne them one to another into one sticke they shall become one in thy hand And then ver 19. this is interpreted of the union of them Behold I will take the stick of Ioseph which is in the hand of Ephraim will put them with the stick of Iudah make them one sticke they shal be one in mine hand And vers 22. I will make them one Nation in the land upon he mountains of Israel one King shall be King to them all And in the 24. ver that King is said to be David which we shall afterward shew more fully when we shall come to shew this head that they shall be under Now this God hath never yet fulfilled that the ten Tribes and Judah and Benjamine should come together and be set in one stick he hath never set together the staffe of bonds that was broken and yet this must be done and it is the great blessing of God upon his Churches the bringing about of this union one with another Mark that Text for this purpose Ier. 33. God having promised having promised there in the 10. ver that in the latter dayes he would bring Judah Israel together and build them up at first then in the 14. vers Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will perform the good thing which I have promised unto the children of Israel to the house of Judah What is that good thing that God had promised to the houses of Israel and Iudah That good thing my brethren is the building them up together as they were at first that is the good thing Behold how good pleasant a thing it is for brethren to live together in unity It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran downe upon the beard even Aarons beard that went down to the skirts of his garments as the dew of Hermon as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion for there the Lord commanded the blessing even 〈…〉 the Churches of God where there is this 〈…〉 here is God commanding blessing that 〈…〉 powerfully commeth efficaciously and blessing of life and life for evermore O who would not then love union and peace in the Churches Zach. 14. 9. The Lord shal be King over all the earth in that day shall there be one Lord his name one The Churches now they have one Lord they all acknowledg God Christ to be their Lord yea but this Lord hath not one name though they all pretend to Christ that they will honour Christ and set up Christ yet this one Lord hath many names But here it is prophefied that there shall be but one Lord and his name shall be but one neither And Zeph. 3. 9. Then will I turne to a people of a pure languag that they may all cal upon the name of the Lord serve him with one consent The word in the Originall is one shoulder all the people of God shall have but one shoulder that they shall set to the service of God O blessed time when they shall come so to be united as to have but one shoulder And the greater will this blessing be of Iudahs and Israels gathering together if you consider these two things I beseech you observe them and I goe no further then this very Scripture I am now opening to you First that they shall have this perfect union together even then when Israel shall be as the sand of the sea when there shall be such multitudes comming in and flocking to the Church yet then they shall be united into one and then there shall be peace in the Churches It is not a hard matter when there are but very few of a Church perhaps halfe a dozen or halfe a score for them then to be of one mind and to agree in one lovingly together and to have no divisions nor dissentions among themselves but when a Church grows to be a multitude and a great many then there lies the difficulty When did ever any Church though never so well constituted at first but increase in divisions and dissentions as they increased in number and multitude You see you find it very hard when you have any meeting in any society when any business concerns a great many you finde it I say a very hard thing so to agree together as to be of one and the same mind An instrument as a watch or any thing that hath many wheels is sooner out of frame then that which hath but a wheele or two So when a great many come together about any businesse it is mighty hard to bring them to be united in one There are few families that have many persons in it but quickly dissentions and brablings grow among them perhaps where there are two or three in a family they keep well enough together but where there are many where there are but seven in a family they cannot so well agree nor so long a time together as the seven Devills did in Mary Magdalen they agreed better and longer then many a seven in a family But God hath made this promise to the Church that though it shall increase as
heard him quietly till he came to that word Depart for I wil send thee far hence unto the Gentiles the Text saith they gave him audience unto this word and then they lift up their voices said Away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not fit that he should live What to disgrace us thus and to think that the Gentiles should come to have more mercie then we Away with such a fellow from the earth We have such an expression likewise in Luke 4. 26. Our Saviour Christ told the Jews of the Widow of Sarepta that Elias the Prophet was sent onely to her and that Naaman the Syrian of all the Lepers in Israel was cleansed They of the Synagogue when they heard these things the Text saith They were filled with wrath and rose up and thrust him out of the Citie and led him to the edge of the hill whereon their Citie was built that they might cast him down head-long They were so vexed at Christs Sermon there that they could have broke his neck as soon as hee had done preaching It was at this word There were many Widows in Israel in the time of Elias but unto none of them was Elias sent save unto the Widow of Sarepta many lepens were in Israel in the daies of Elisha and none of them were clensed saving Naaman the Syrian The meaning is this Christ intimated thus much that though there were many of the people of Israel yet the Lord would have mercy but upon a few of them yea that God would choose rather other people to shew mercy to then themselves at this they were inraged And certainly this wil be the aggravation of the misery of the damned in hell When a damned soul in hell shall there come to know the mercy of God to others It may be wicked parents shal see their children that came out of their loyns or out of their wombes at the right hand of Iesus Christ in glory and themselves cast down into eternal torment this will be a stinging aggravation of misery no mercy unto thee but mercy unto thy gracious child the child that thou snibbedst and rebukedst for being forward he is now at the right hand of Christ thou cast into everlasting misery So it may be a poor servant a poor boy in a family may stand at the right hand of Iesus Christ hereafter and ascend with him in glory and his rich Master that was that murmured at him would not suffer him to have the least time for to do God service in but checked him in every thing and cast it upon his conscience oh this is your preciseness perhaps he sees himself cast down into eternal misery when that poor servant of his that poor apprentise shall go up to eternal glory But yet further God saith I will have mercy upon the house of Judah Here is another note very observable much concerning our present condition too God promiseth to Judah mercy after Israels rejection yet if we search the Scriptures we shal find that after this promise both before the rejection of Israel was executed and after the execution thereof I say we shal finde that even Judah was under very sore afflictions and a sad condition she was put into after this promise was made As if you will turn but to that Scripture for we must look to one Scripture and compare it with another 2 Chron 28. 6. you shall see there the Text saith that Pekah the Son of Remaliah slew in Iudah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day We never heard of such a battel such a slaughter wee wonder when we hear of five or ten thousand slain in the field here we have 120000. slaine and this was after this promise that this slaughter was made yea further ver 8. There were besides carried captives 200000. women sons and daughters yea further ver 17 The Edomites came and had smitten some of Iudah and carried away captives And ver 18. The Philistims had invaded the Citties of the Low-country and of the south of Iudah and they dwelt there And ver 19. it is said the Lord brought Iudah low And ver 20. it is said that Tilgath-Pilneser King of Assyria whom Ahas had sent to help him he came distressed them but strengthened them not Here was Pekah the son of Remaliah slayes 120000 and carries away captive 200000. then there comes the Philistims and they invaded the countrey and then the Edomites they carried away Captives and God bringeth them low and then comes Tilgath-Pilneser and he instead of helping distressed them What a case were they in now yet this was after this promise for this promise was made to Judah in the beginning of Hosea's Prophesie for it is ver 2. The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea and it was before the rejection of Israel for it was in the reigne of Ahas that Judah was brought into this low condition which was about 22. yeers before the execution of the sentence against Israel for that was fulfilled in the sixth yeere of the reigne of Hezekiah which if you take it from the beginning of the reigne of Ahaz who reigned 16. yeers make 22. yeers Now this promise to Iudah as I told you in the beginning was made in the dayes of Vzziah King of Iudah and of Jeroboham King of Israel which was at least 76. yeeres before the rejection of Israel and yet after the making of this promise Judah you see cometh to be in this so sad a condition Yea and wee shall finde besides that presently after Israels rejection though God had said he would reject Israel and be mercifull to Judah so that a man would think now that Iudah should come into a better condition than ever yet see how Iudah was dealt with And for that marke the 2. king 18. 13. the Text saith that in the thirteenth yeer of Hezekiah Senacherib king Assyria came up against Judah and this was after the casting off of the ten Tribes for that was in the sixth yeer of Hezekiah as ver 10. and seven yeers after came Senacherib against Iudah thinking to prevaile against them as they had done before against Israel and then Hezekiah was faine to give him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord and in the treasures of the Kings house Yea the Text saith ver 16. that Hezekiah was faine to cut off all the gold from the doores of the Temple of the Lord from the pillars and to give it to the King of Assyria Now the Lord keepe our Kingdom our Parliament from giving the gold of the Temple doores in any way of compliance with any malignant party that have any evil eye at the beauty of our Sion Yea after Senacherib had gotten this not content with it he sendeth Rabshekah from Lachish with a great host against Ierusalem You may see the adversaries of the Church are never
〈◊〉 behold Jerusalem a quiet habitation then we should be will 〈…〉 hold Simeon to say Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Marke then what followes a quiet habitation a tabernacle that shall not be taken down nor one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken but there the glory of God will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streames wherein shal no galley with oare neither shal gallant Ship passe thereby The kingdoms of the world though they seem to be built upon mountaines yet God will tosse them up and down and they shall come to nothing but the Church when it is made a quiet habitation observe it though it be but a tabernacle set upon stakes yet this tabernacle shall not be taken downe nor one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed though it be tyed by lines yet not a cord thereof shal be broken Yea in this the glory of the Church doth consist for so saith the Text there when it is a quiet habitation the glory of God shall be there God shall dwell among them as a glorious God No Church more honourable then the Church of Philadelphia for that is the Church the Adversaries must come and bow before Rev. 3. 9. and that Church carryeth Brotherly love in the very name of it for so it signifies Cant. 6. 9. My dove my undefiled is but one the onely one of her mother What followeth The daughters saw her and blessed her yea the Queens and the Concubines and they praised her When Christs dove and undefiled comes once to be but one the daughters shall see her and blesse her Esay 11. 7. 8. c. There you have a promise of Judah and of Ephraims joyning together Mark what followes Chap. 12. 1. In that day thou shalt say O Lord I will praise thee Observe In that day And again ver 4. In that day shall you say Praise the Lord proclaime his Name declare his doings among the people make mention that his name is exalted Sing unto the Lord for he hath done excellent things cry out and shout thou inhabitant of Zion Then indeed God doth excellent things when he makes Ephraim and Judah come to be but one Therefore saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 31. Yet shew I unto you a more excellent way What is that way In the Chapter following he falls upon the commendation of Love where you have the highest commendation of it that is in all the book of God that is the more excellent way Cant. 3. 9. There the Church is compared to the Charet of Solomon The pillars of it saith the Text were all of silver the bortome thereof gold the covering of it of purple and the middest thereof being paved with love Then indeed doth the Church ride in triumph in her Charet when there is much love and peace in the midst of it It is true my brethren considering the weakenesse and peevishnesse of mens spirits yea of good men as well as evil we may wonder how ever this shall come to passe Is it possible that this shall ever be so Indeed it must be a mighty work of God to do it We must not think to effect it by strugling one with another and to say 〈◊〉 will make them be at peace and unity or they shall smaâ—◠〈…〉 pull them together by Law This will not do it 〈…〉 for the accomplishing of this great thing Ier. 33. 3. Thus 〈…〉 Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not What are those great and mighty things that we must call to God for Amongst others this is one principal one ver 7. I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to returne and will build them as at the first and so make them bochone And then ver 9. It shall be to me a name of joy a praise an honour before all the Nations of the earth when they shall heare of all the good that I doe unto them Marke joy praise honour yea a name of joy praise honour followes upon this blessed union and that before all the Nations of the earth For the accomplishment of this Come Lord Jesus come quickely Yet let us further observe the difference between the scattering of the wicked and the scattering of the Saints Judah Israel they were scattered but now they shall be gathered together There is a great deale of difference between the scattering of the Saints and the scattering of the wicked When God scatters the Saints he scatters them that they may be gathered when he scatters the wicked hee scatters them that he may destroy them Psal 68. 1. Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered How scattered As smoake is driven away so drive them away Smoake you know is driven away and scattered so as it comes to nothing Psal 144. 6. Cast forth lightning and scatter them shoote out thine Arrowes and destroy them This is the scattering of the wicked but as for the Saints they may be scattered but it is to spread abroad the gospell by them in the world Acts 8. 4. The Text saith They that were scattered abroad by reason of the persecution of Saul went every where preaching the word but within a while our God shall come and all his Saints with him and hee will gather together the out-casts of Israel with abundance of mercy so Micah 46. In that day saith the Lord I will gather her that is driven out her that I have afflicted and Esay 54. 7. For a time for a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies I will gather thee God will gather his people with great mercyes God hath my brethren fulfilled this in a great part in our eyes even this day Many of those that were driven out of their places and Countryes those that were afflicted and those the land could not beare God hath gathered together these out-casts of Israel Let every one take heed how he hinders this worke of the Lord and how he addeth affliction to those that have been afflicted Again further They shall be gathered together in that day That is in the time of the Gospel when that shall prevail then Judah and Israel shall be gathered together Then The more the Gospel prevailes the more peace there shall be The Gospel is not the cause of divisions then of seditions of factions No It is a gospell of peace the Prince of it is a Prince of peace the Ambassage of it is an Ambassage of peace It is next unto blasphemy if not blasphemy it selfe to say that since the preaching and profession of the Gospel we had no peace but it causes act 〈…〉 and divisions among the people It is true people that are in the darke 〈…〉 and quiet together as it is said of the Egyptians
should see the thicker skin bubble he might thinke t is harder to be broke then the thinner skin but if a Cannon should be shot off nay if it be but a Fillip it makes no difference Now the afflictions of Gods people they are to this right hand of Gods power and the arme of his strength but as a bubble of water before a mighty Cannon Yea if there be not help at all to deliver Gods people in time of affliction yet God can create helpe He will create Jerusalem a rejoycing and their people a joy Yea suppose their condition be such as yet never was the like since the beginning of the world yet Isa 64. 4. Since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the care â—either hath the eye seene what God hath prepared for them that waite for him And as the greatnesse of the Churches deliverance is no hinderance of Gods power in delivering them so it should be no hinderance to the work of our faith Common prudence and reason will go a great way to uphold us under some affliction but when the affliction comes to be sore and grievous and long prudence reason then sinketh under the burthen but then should faith lift up it selfe and cast an eye upon this right hand of Gods power this arme of his strength that he hath sworne by and exercise it self in the glorious acts of it For certainly faith is appointed for such a time as this when the Church is under grievous extremities The ordinary afflictions of the Church do not call for such a work of faith but when they come to extraordinary that requires such a power of God for their deliverance then there is called for a worke of faith proportionable as Alexander when he was in great danger Now saith he there is a danger fit for the spirit of Alexander to incounter withall So when the Church comes to be in any great danger all the members of it should say here is a danger here is a trouble fit for the spirit of Christians fit for the spirits of those that are able to exercise the most noble and glorious acts of faith This glorious exercise of faith I may even say we are scarce yet for the present put to it for reason and sense sees much help they see that the cause of God at this day hath the better of the adversary reason I say and prudence may see far this way Let us not look upon every difficulty as a thing that calleth for such a mighty glorious worke of faith whereas men by reason and prudence and may carry themselves under such difficulties much better then most of us doe But we do not know but the Lord may call us unto such difficulties and dangers as requires such a faith as hath such a kinde of work as I have spoken of Let us therefore lay up this Instruction for the time to come Again for great shall be the day of Jezreel If the words be read thus as they are in your Bibles and yet have reference to the calamitous time and grievous extremities of the day of Jezreel then there will be these two excellent meditations from thence The first is That Gods bowels of compassion do work toward his Church because of the greatnesse of their affliction When their afflictions shall be very great and the greater they are the more do Gods bowels of compassion work toward them We know the misery of Gods people in Exo. 3. was a marvailous quickning argument to the compassion of God as I may so speake I have seene I have seene saith he the affliction of my people and their sorrowes and therefore am come down to deliver them If the greatness of the affliction of the Church move the bowels of Gods compassion then let not the greatnesse of affliction hinder our faith Let not the greatnesse of trouble reason down our faith but rather let it reason up our faith for so indeed it should and so the Saints of God heretofore have done by the greatness of the trouble we must reason up our faith as thus It is â—â—me for thee O Lord to work for men have almost destroyed thy law yea the high time is come for thee to have mercy upon Zion for thy people begin to favour the dust thereof What was this a good argument Have mercy upon me and pardon my sin for it is very great to move God withall Surely then this is a good argument Deliver us in our afflictions for they are very great for sin makes a great deale more distance betweene God and us then afflictions yet if the greatness of sin shall come to be put as an argument for Gods mercy and compassion to work much more the greatness of afflictions Yet this is the grace of God in the second Covenant that even the sins that before made the creature the object of hatred those sins come now to make it an object of compassion So afflictions that before were part of the curse they come now to be arguments for the moving of the bowels of Gods tender compassion toward his people Another note if you read it so for great is their affliction is this the promise is the only support of the soul and that which carrieth it thorow the greatest affliction Afflictions are as leade to the net the promise is as the corke the promise keepes above water when the lead pulls down But I leave these meditations though I finde many interpreters run this way And I rather take it as a further expression of Gods wonderfull mercy unto his Church For great shall be the day of Jezreel That is God hath a great day of mercy for Jezreel That is the meaning they shall appoint themselves one head they shall be gathered together and be made one they shall come up out of the land why for God hath yet to come a great day of mercy to his pepole A grâ—â—â— day of Jezreel And herein therefore God makes use of the name of Jezreel in a good sense They that carry it the other way would carry the signification of the name thus for great is the day of scattering of the scattered people so Iezreel signifieth as you heard in the beginning of the Chapter But Jezreel signifieth likewise the seed of God Before God made use of their name in the worse sense that he would scatter them according to their name now he makes use of their name in the best sense they are the seed of God and there is great mercy from God for them When God is reconciled unto a people he takes all in the best sense and makes the best acception of every thing as he doth here of the name Jezreel We have onely these two things to consider of in this expression 1. That the Saints of God and the Church they are Gods Jezreel That is they are the seed of God 2. That there is for this
seed of God a great day 1. They are the seed of God The seed of the blessed and there is a blessing in them They are the precious seed that God preserves in the world hath done ever since the beginning of the world They are that seed that preserveth the glory of God in the world Were it not for a few gracious holy people in the world where would the glory of God be What would become of it Those that are godly however contemptible in the world they are the precious seed that God reserves in the world for great and glorious ends They are the seed to preserve the continuation of the Doctrine of the Gospell and the blessed truths of God as Isa 6. 13. The holy seed shall be the substance thereof Though they shall be under great afflictions yet there shall be a holy seed that shall be the substance thereof and there shall be his blessing Psal 72. 17. His name shall endure from generation to generation the words are read by Montanus His name shall be childed that is so continued as families are continued one generation after another one begetteth another and so shall the name of Christ continue in the world and so it hath done And though seed be but a handfull in comparison of the harvest so the Saints of God then were and yet are but as a handfull in comparison of the glorious harvest that shall be yet they are very precious before God and God will make the world hereafter know that they are the precious ones of God Isa 61. 9. All that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed Seed you know a man will be carefull of that what ever becomes of his other corne In the time of dearth the husbandman wil rather pinch his own belly then have his seed-corne to be spent So in times of common calamity of common dearth yet Gods care is over his seed the Saints are as I may say Gods seed-corne to preserve his name in the world to other generations that are to come he will not therefore have them destroyed Seed is the most precious of the corne which is most winnowed and made cleane and so are the Saints the cleane ones and the most precious ones God perhaps doth winnow them and fanne them more than he doth others by the fannes and winnows of afflictions why because they are his seed Perhaps other corne that hath drosse in it the husband-man will give the fowles and the cattell that he bestoweth not much winnowing upon it but the corne that is for seed he winnows that he would not willingly have a dernell amongst it It may be thou complainest thou art more winnowed more fanned then other men perhaps thou art more precious in Gods eyes thou art to be reserved as seed as the seed of the blessed The wicked indeed they are seed too but a corrupt seed a seede of evill deers Esay 1. the grand-father was an enemy unto God yea the great grand-father and the father and the children after him continue enemies to God And God in mercy unto his Church doth many times cut downe the wicked before they do seed too much As you that have gardens if they have weeds in them and you see the weeds come up and grow to seed you think then that it is time to pull them up you will not suffer them to seed God lookes upon many families and sees wretched and sinfull men as a seed of evil doers and sees they are ready to seed and if they be not cut down suddenly there will be a wretched brood of wicked ones in such a family This is the reason of Gods suddain cutting down of many wicked families But to come to the point that is chiefly intended that is That this seed of the Lord shall have a great day Great shall be the day of Jezreel The men of the world they have their day in which they ruffle it out and they have all the doings Saint Paul seemes to speake of this in 1 Cor. 4. 3. he saith there that he did not passe for mans judgement the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for mans day Now men have the day they have all the bravery in the world well saith Saint Paul I doe not passe formans day I expect another day besides mans day I know not how it commeth to passe to be otherwise translated you translate it judgement in your books but in the Originall it is day Man hath a day As men have a day so shall Gods Saints have a day too Wee use to say many times when we see the Malignant party jocund and merry surely they hope to have a day My brethren be joyfull in the Lord God hath a day for you and a great day too Great shall be the day of Jezreel The beginning of Gods mercy to his people is called a day of small things Zach. 4. 10. and that must not be despised Let no man despise the day of small things It was the beginning of the reformation and deliverance of the people of Judah from their captivity But God hath a day of great things and certainly that day shall be honorable A day first in which the glory of God shall exceedingly appear wherein God shal be as I may so speak with holy reverence as it were in his robes As we know Princes upon great dayes put on their robes so the King of glory shall have a day for his people wherein even he himself will put on his robes Ps 102. 16. When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in his glory It seemeth while the Church is in affliction while the witnesses prophesie in sack-cloath God is as it were cloathed in sack-cloath In all their afflictions he is afflicted but because God hath a day a great day to his Churches he will reserve his robes till then and when that day commeth he will put on his robes for when he shall build up Zion saith the Text then the Lord shall appeare in his glory A great day it shall be for Jezreel for the seed of the Lord. Secondly It shall be a great day for this day shall be the riches of the world Marke that place in Rom. 11. 12 speaking of the Jews If their fall saith he be the riches of the world and their diminishing the riches of the Gentiles how much more their fulness It was a rich mercy to the Gentiles when they were brought out of darknesse and called into the knowledge of Jesus Christ here was riches to the world of the Gentiles But God hath a greater day then that for it is spoken here of a day that is to come that is their fall was the riches of the Gentiles much more their calling in again So then there is such a day of calling home the people of God as shall be the riches of the Gentiles the riches of all the world
time a new world and when we speak of the other world we call it the old world so the Scripture calls it 2 Pet. 2. 5. God spared not the old world And Chap. 3. 6. The world that then was being overflowed with water perished So this world that we live in is as the old world and there is this day of Jezreel in which there shall be such a glorious change all things being put in subjection under Christ that it shall be as it were a new world God hath made an excellent world in which there is much beauty and glory and yet his enemies have the rule here what then will that world be that God intends for his Saints 8. Great shall be the day of Jezreel It shall be such a great day that all former things shall be even forgotten because of the lustre and glory of that great day As Isa 65. 17. The former heavens and the former earth shall not be remembred nor come into mind And so Jer. 3. 16. In those dayes saith the Lord they shall say no more the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord neither shall it come to minde neither shal they remember it at that time they shal call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord and all the nations shal be gathered unto it to the name of the Lord to Jerusalem neither shal they walk any more after the imagination of their evil hearts mark my brethren In those dayes the house of Judah shall walke together ver 18. It is apparent that it is spoken of this great day of Iezreel for now God saith he will gather Iudah and Israel together and here he saith that they shall walke together and that then former things shall be forgotten they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord heretofore even the Temple it self the glory of Jerusalem was but as the place of Gods feet and the Arke of God was but Gods footstool 1 Chron. 28. 2. It was in mine heart saith David to build a house of rest for the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord and for the footstoole of our God and Isa 60. 13. I will make Zion the place of my feet glorious But now in this great day Jerusalem that was but Gods foot stool the place of his feet shall be Gods Throue a great day certainly this shall be when all things shall be thus forgotten In the last place a great day because it shall be a day after which there shal be no night And that you will say will be a great day indeed after which the Saints shall be raised to such a state of prosperity and happiness that shall never fall again that shall never come to be darkened any more The Churches here many times have had some little release they have had their dayes of peace for a while but it hath soone grown to be night and a dismall night of darkness But when this great day shall come it shall be a day that shall never have night for so God promiseth here to his Jezreel to make it to be an eternal excellency and to make Jerusalem an everlasting joy and Dan. 2. 44. God shall in the dayes of those Kings set up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed that is the great day of Jezreel The first thing that shall be done in this great day of Iezreel shall be the deliverance of the Churches from wofull affliction which they shal be found to be in a little before For so the Scripture tells us Dan. 12. 1. that before this day there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time and at that time thy people shall be delivered I might tell you much how some of the Ancients have spoken of this that though it be a point that seemes to be somewhat strange to us yet it was one of the most ordinariest things that was known in the primitive times It was then so generally acknowledged that I remember Just in Martyr who was but 30. years after Saint John hath such an expression as this There is no man saith he that is of the Orthodox faith in all things but he doth acknowledge it And Lactantius in his 7. book cap. 15. 24. 28. and divers other chapters he spends in shewing the glory of this great day of Iezreel but withall he shewes that a little before there shall be most grievous times that shal fall out such times saith he as that all right shall be confounded the law shall perish no body shall know what is his own the wicked they shal have the preheminence the Saints they shall be persecuted so that saith he though in this our time wickednesse is grown to such a height that a man would think it could increase no higher yet in comparison of the time a little before that great day these times may be called Golden ages These expressions he hath So that great times of affliction will be before that great day and it is therefore called a great day because God appearing so gloriously in the deliverance of his Church at that day The Scripture speakes of wonderfull thing that God will do and shew himself marvaylous as he did in the people of Israels comming out of Egâ—â—t Who knowes but that God now sendeth abroad so much of the light of his Gospel and is so working in the hearts of men and giveth us such a time of reviving and calleth home so many young ones as he doth purposely because this great day is at hand and because before this day wee may have a day of dismall darkenesse and by this he will prepare people for those times God will have a great seed that he intends to be in the world therefore so many young people are converted and are so forward because I say God meanes to prepare them by this light that we now have for this seed for this great day And you that are young may expect to go thorow some difficulties hardship before this great day comes but be of good comfort you may hope to live to see all the glory of this great day and God gives you now time that you may lay up and be fit seed for such a glorious day as this that you may not when sufferings come be found among the number of the fearfull ones spoken of in Rev. 21. 8. that shal have their part in the lake which burneth with fire brimstone Those that through base cowardliness and complyance shall yeeld to base vile superstitious vanities shall be cast out amongst dogs when that great day comes God now gives you a day that you may see the evil of superstitious vanities that you may have truths revealed to you with more freedom then formerly I say who knowes but this may be to prepare you for that darknesse that may come a little before this great day of Jezreel Secondly a great day in subduing the adversaries
shall be much more glorious The last time this prophesie aymeth at is the great calling of the Jewes then the Scripture saith Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads they shall obtain gladnesse and joy and all sorrow and mourning shall flee away They shall so sing as never mourn more in this world in regard of any malice and rage of their adversaries This was not fulfilled at their return out of the Babylonish captivity therefore there is yet a time for the fulfilling of it and the Scripture is clear about the fulfilling it even in this world that place Rev. 21. 4. is a repetition of that prophecy he saith there God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more sorrow nor crying When Jews and Gentiles shall joyne together then they shall siug indeed to purpose as they did in the dayes of their youth when they came up out of the land of Egypt First it is a great mercy for people to be delivered from outward bondage It will be found a great mercy when the world shall be delivered from their outward bondage when men shall see they were born free-men and not slaves though Subjects yet not slaves when men shall see that the world was not made for twenty or thirty to doe what they list and they to account all the rest as beasts yea dogs as if it were not so much for the lives of thousands of them to goe as for their humours and lusts not to be satisfied but when men shall know that they are men and not beasts and so shall live like men and not like beasts to be at the will of others this will be a great mercy But to be delivered from Antichristian bondage is a greater mercy then it was for the children of Israel to be delivered from their Egyptian bondage For First when they were in the Egyptian bondage we reade not that their consciences were forced that they were forced at all to any false worship Pharaoh did not this but Antichrist forced to Idolatry Secondly Though Pharaoh layed heavy taskes and burthens upon them yet he did not kill them indeed at length they killed their first borne but the people of Israel themselves might have their lives still though with hardship But Antichrist thirsts for blood Papists are bloody men Thirdly It was the affliction of Gods people to be in bondage in Egypt but it was not their sin But to be in bondage under Antichrist is not onely an affliction but it is sin and that of a high nature too 4. Though they were under Egyptian bondage yet they were delivered from Egyptian plagues but those that are under Antichristian bondage shall come under Antichristian plagues Come out of her my people lest you be partaker of her plagues You must not think to escape so as they escaped out of Egypt if you stay in that bondage you will be involved in their plagues With what an eye therefore should we look upon those who would bring us into this bondage againe when God hath begun to give us a little reviving Jer. 37. 20. O my Lord the King saith Jeremy let my supplication I pray thee be accepted before thee that thou cause me not to returne to the house of Ionathan the Scribe lest I die there So let us ery to the King of heaven and earth O Lord our King let our supplication be accepted before thee since wee are begun to be delivered from that bondage doe not cause us to returne to that house againe The second is A reconciled condition is a singing condition When there is a harmony between heaven and the soul between God and a sinner there is a sweet melody indeed there may well be singing Esay 35. 10. The raâ—somed of the Lord shall returne and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads And Esay 44. 23. Sing Oye heavens for the Lord hath dâ—ne it sâ—out yee lower parts of the earth break forth into singing ye mountains We being justified by faith having peace with God saith the Apostle we not only rejoyce in hope of glory but we even rejoyce and boast in tribulation Having peace with God though war withall the world we rejoyce Thirdly It is a great mercy when Magistrates and people shall generally joyne together in praising God when they shall sing as they did in the dayes of their youth for that is the promise How is that Moses beginneth and Miriam followeth the leaders of Israel and then all the people joyne together and answer one another in their singing When that day shall come that God shall stirr up the hearts of Magistrates and great ones that there shall be singing Hallelujahs to him that sitteth upon the throne and the Lamb for evermore and when God shall generally move the hearts of the people that they shall answer one another in their singing and so joyne in a sweet melody this will be a blessed time indeed Now perhaps in one place there is singing and blessing God for what is done in another place there is cursing and cursing those that do sing Some mens hearts are rejoycing in the great things God doth other mens hearts fret and rage when they heare of the great works of the Lord this makes no melody in heaven Perhaps now in the family the Husband singeth and the wife frets perhaps the wife singeth and the malignant husband is inraged the servant rejoyceth and the master chafeth the children sing and the parents vex this is harsh musique This is our condition at this day there are better times coming when Moses Aaron and Miriam and all the people shall joyn in singing praise to our God 4. Thankfulnesse to God for mercy cannot be without joyfulnesse A grumbling pensive sadde dumpish disposition cannot be a true thankfull heart as it ought God will not accept in this sense of the bread of mourners It is grievous to the Spirit of God that we should be pensive and sad in the midst of abundance of mercies 5. They shall sing there There where at the door of hope in the valley of Achor You may remember in the opening of that valley of Achor I gave you what might be understood by it according to the most that is that God would make the greatest trouble and affliction of his Church to be a door of hope to bring mercy to them And if you take it in that sense here rises an excellent observation When God brings into straits yet if he shall sanctifie our straits making them means of good to us we have cause to rejoyce You have an excellent Text Isa 35. 6 7. For in the wildernesse shall waters breake out and streams in the desart and the paâ—ched ground shall become a poole and the thirsty land springs of water Those things that seem to goe most contrary to you I will work good unto you out of them saith God VVell what
condition that God hath brought us to to have these liberties and ordinances according to his own way but within a while we may say as the Apostle to the Galatians Where is the blessednesse you spake of They would have pulled out their eyes for Paul What is become of all now All their beauty glory is quite damped let us take heed that when our hearts seem to be raised and mightily affected with mercies we do not soon loose our vigour heat It hath been so with England when they have had fresh mercies at first they rejoyced in them exceedingly I have read of the City of Berne when they were first delivered from Antichrist they wrote the day of their deliverance upon pillars with letters of gold Was it not so with us here in England I will only instance in that deliverance upon the fifth of November how mightily was both King and Parliament affected with it their hearts were exceedingly up then there was blessing God for their deliverance from Papists then there were prayers and thanksgivings set forth and in them this expression against Popery Whose faith is faction whose Religion is rebellion whose practice is murthering of soules and bodyes When the mercy was fresh how did their spirits worke then they profest against all kinde of Popery Reade but the Proclamation about the solemnity of that time and the expressions of the prayers then set forth and one would have thought verily then that Popery should never have prevailed in England again who would ever have thought it possible that a Popish Army should ever have had any countenance in England more Certainly if a Popish Army had been raised at that time when mens hearts were so up all the people of the land if it had been but with clubs would have risen and beaten them to pieces It is so with many young people when God first beginneth to worke upon their hearts O how are they for God! then their spirts are mightily up for Christ Psal 90. 14. O satisfie us early with thy mercies and then we shall be glad and rejoyce all the dayes of our lives It is a sweet thing when the latter part of that prayer followeth when God satisfieth young people with his mercy and that satisfaction abideth so as they rejoyce all the dayes of their lives afterward The Lord doth many times satisfie young ones with his mercy but they quickly grow dead and cold and their hearts are soone hardned and polluted and they doe not rejoyce all the dayes of their lives Another Observation that restored and recovered mercies are very sweet and precious mercies They shall sing as in the dayes of their youth They were once in a blessed sweet singing condition they had lost it but now God promiseth to recover them Iob 29. 2. O that I were as in months past as in the dayes when God preserved me when his candle shined upon my head and when by his light I warlked thorough darknesse as I was in the dayes of my youth when the secret of God was upon my Tabernacle Iob desireth this earnestly that he might have restored recovered mercies What a happy condition should I be in then saith he if it were now with me as in the dayes of my youth May not many in this place say so God hath been gracious to them in former dayes he hath given many sweet manifestations of his love many soule-ravishing communications of himself unto them but how have they lost them They may well say O that it were with us as in the dayes of our youth Oh that God would restore to us what mercy we once had what a blessed condition should we be in then But God here giveth a gracious promise that he will restore them that he will give them that which is the petition of David Psa 51. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation Lord I have lost it O that I might have it againe How happy should I be So Ps 132. 1. By the Rivers of Babylon there we sat down yea we wept there when we remembred Zion we hanged our harps upon the willowes They were in this sad condition but if one should have come to them and have said what will you say if you shall be restored againe and goe to Zion to Jerusalem againe and have songs there as much and as delightfull as before their hearts could not have held in them This mercy would be like that wine mentioned Cant. 7. 9. that is so sweet that it causeth the lips of those that are asleepe to speake If there be any life left such a mercy will raise and actuate it Psal 126. 1. 2. When the Lord turned againe the captivity of Zion our mouthes were filled with laughter and our tongues with singing when God granted them a recovered mercy As a poore prodigal that hath left his fathers house and afterward is come to beggery and misery and is under bondage is almost starved he sitteth down under a hedg wringing his hands falleth a lamenting the losse of his Fathers house and considering what comfort he had in his Fathers presence cryeth out of his folly and madnesse but if one should come and say to him what will you say if your Father should be reconciled to you and send for you home and promise to put you in as comfortable a condition as ever O how would this cause singing in his heart Thus God promiseth to his people that he would restore them to that singing condition they had lost They shall sing as in the dayes of their youth That which made this mercy so sweet was because it was a promised mercy Hence this Note Promised mercies are sweet mercies Luke 16. 61. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up a home of salvation to us in the house of his servant David as he spake by the mouth of all his Prophets And ver 77. To performe the mercy promised there is the cause of singing Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that hath performed the mercy promised Giving out of a promise is sweet to a gracious heart it can sing then much more sweet is the promise when it cometh to be fulfilled 2 Chron. 20. 17. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord there is the promise Mark now how Jehosaphat and the people were affected with the promise And Jehosaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground and all Iudah and the Inhabitants of Ierusalem fell before the Lord worshipped the Lord. And the Levites and the child en of the Koathites the children of the Korhites shall stand up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voyce on high And ver 21. He appointed singers unto the Lord that should praise the beauty of holinesse and to say Praise the Lord for his mercy endureth for ever Jehosâ—phat had not got the promise fulfilled it was only
that is I look to God why because the place where the Temple was to be built it was not onely upon one hill but upon hils and so this expression hath reference to those two hills it was built upon the hill of Moriah and the hill of Zion which were rather but two ridges of the same as 2 Chron. 3. 1. Solomon began to build the house of the Lord upon mount Moriah and Psal 2. 6. I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion I look saith David unto God my Faith hath reference to that place that God hath chosen for himself that this is the meaning will appeare if we compare this with Psal 87. 1. His foundation is in the holy hils not hill but hils The respect Idolaters had to their Idols being manifested by lifting up their eyes to them therefore God commanded them that they must not so much as lift up their eyes to their idols And indeed we had need take heed in what we doe in this so much as to lift up our eyes to look upon the inticements of the flesh many will not commit their former sins but they love to be looking that way I have read of a Lady a loving wife who being at the maryage of Cyrus she was askt how she liked the Bridgeroom how saith she I know not I saw no body but my Husband Love and respect drawes the eye either to God or to the creature According as our hearts are so our eyes will be And love flaggons of wine The word comes from a word that signifies fundavit The old Latin turns it vivacia uvarum the leaves skinnes and stones of the grape that remaines after pressing that sinke down into the bottome of the vessell Noting thereby how saplesse and savourlesse and unworthy Idolatrous worship is in comparison of the true worship of God True worship of God is sweet and savoury lovely and excellent but mans institutions how saplesse are they The spirits of such men as pleade for and delight in superstitious vanities the devises of men how saplesse and unsavoury do they quickly grow though heretofore they have had some quicknesse and livelinesse in their wayes yet if once they delight themselves in the inventions of men in Gods worship their spirits grow very unsavory to those with whom they converse But take the traslation as it is in your books flaggons of wine called by this name in the Hebrew because that vessell the flaggon is broad in the bottome That is as some carry it thus They are as drunkards that call for one flaggon after another Superstitious and idolatrous people when they have one way of superstition they call for another and when they have got that they will have another and are still greedy of more they are never satisfied as drunkards are greedy of their flaggons Or rather to note the sensuality of the wayes of their Idolatrous worship their flaggons of wine are joyned to their gods The Seventy translate the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bellaria fine Cates and junkets delicate things made with wine and grapes together by all the art they can devise for the pleasing the appetite From thence the note is cleare Spirituall adultery and carnall sensuality goe together They used flaggons of wine in their idolatrous solemnities that made them love their Idols so much the rather In the true worship of God there is abundance of sweetness to satisfie the hearts of the Saints they need not have sensual pleasures to make up their delight but in superstitious worship there is no such sweetness to satisfie the spirits therefore they are saine to call for flaggons of wine and other sensuall things to make up a full delight to themselves Superstitious and idolatrous Rites bring with them pleasure to the flesh hence how are they loved and followed by people they can hardly ever be taken off from them In their Idolatrous solemnities they were wont to have Feasts to pamper the flesh Judg. 9. 27. They went out into the field and gathered their vineyards and trod the grapes and were merry went into the house of their God and did eate and drinke and cursed Abimelech So Amos. 2. 8. They drinke the wine of the condemned in the house of their God What is that By oppression and violence they would rend the estates of men from them and when they had gotten them then they made merry yea they would come into the house of their gods and drinke bowles of wine that they had gotten from the estates of such men whom they had wrongfully condemned Let Idolaters have their lusts satisfied and they care not what God they serve 2 Cor. 8. 10. If any see them sit at meate in the Idols temple at meate they had their flesh satisfied in the Idols temple Thus God complaines of his people here As if he had said Let all bemoane my condition for though I have loved Israel dearly she hath gone a whoring from me and she loveth flaggons of wine because she hath more pleasure to the flesh in serving Idols she will serve them What an abominable thing it is to forsake the blessed God meerly for the love of wine How many are there in the world who forsake all that good that is in God in Christ in heaven in eternity meerely for flaggons of wine Calvin hath a note from the word that carries some-what more with it flaggons of grapes so the words are in the Hebrew not flagons of wine and of grapes rather then wine saith he because there were artificiall wayes used by them to make their superstitious ways to be more pleasant to them As when drunkards have drunk even ad nauseam that they begin to loath what they delighted in then they will use some artificiall way or other of mixture of grapes or some other thing with the wine to make it have a new tast that they may have still delight in drinking So saith he because their old superstitions have nothing in them to satisfie the heart therefore they are fain to invent new kinds of artificiall wayes to please themselves withall although saith he they brag of their antiquity yet the truth is they are fain to invent new things every day to give a new lustre and pomp to their worship they are alwayes devising some new ceremony or other or else it would grow loathsome to themselves This wee have seene in our owne experience the wantonnesse of mens hearts in superstitious ways is very great they invent new ways to uphold their old moth-eaten vanities So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver The Prophet obeyeth God in this other hard command God many times sends his Prophets upon very hard businesses yet they must be willing to serve the Lord in the hardest work and bought her to himselfe for fifteen pieces of silver The word that is here translated bought signifies to digg it is taken as some think from the
frame it is laborious and industrious to know the mind of God Whereas the heart of a sinner heretofore lay dead dull never stirred after God now it is in a stirting in an inquiring in a seeking way this is a signe of much good though thou hast not what thou seekest for yet be comforted in this that thou art in a seeking way Their hearts shal reâ—oyce that seeke the Lord. If thou beest seeking God in his ways though thou complainest I have beene seeking a long time but I know not the minde of God I cannot apprehend the love of God the pardon of my sins yea but the hearts of those shall rejoyce that seek the Lord if thou beest in a seeking way thou art in a saving way there is cause thou shouldst rejoyce in this that God hath brought thee into such a way They shall seeke the Lord and that not saintly but to purpose auxiously Jer. 50. 4. 5. They the children of Israel and the children of Judah when they shall be both together shall goe weeping and seeke the Lord their God and they shall aske the way to Zion with their faces thitherward Many of you come to aske questions but your hearts are not right your faces the strength of your spirits are not set to yeeld to the will of God when it is revealed to you And mark how it appeares that their faces are thitherward Come say they let us joyne our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten This is to seeke God it is not meerly to goe to a Minister and aske him a question but it is to goe with our faces with the strength of our spirits set to know the minde of God above any thing in the world and so to resolve to obey what shall be revealed to be Gods mind as to be willing to enter into a perpetual Covenant to binde our selves to yeeld to whatsoever God shal reveale When you come to a Sermon you must not come to get a little notional knowledge but come with your faces towards Christ and his truth before you come you should get alone if you be a true seeker and enter into Covenant with God that whatsoever God revealeth to be his minde you will yeeld to it obey it though you have heretofore gone against many truths revealed to be the minde of God but Lord no more now here I am ready and willing to enter into an everlasting covenant to be under the command of every truth Here is the right seeking of God They shall seeke the Lord their God their God this hath two references either to what is past or to what is to come To what is past their God that is the God who was once the God of the Jews the God of their forefathers the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Jacob. And secondly their God that is that God that is yet ready and willing to be reconciled to them not withstanding all their sinnes Thus they shal seek the Lord their God These two references afford two excellent Observations First This prevailes much with the heart of an Apostate when he can but think what God was once unto him before he did Apostatize and what he was unto his godly parents and predecessors There was a time that I enjoyed God sweetly when I went to prayer I had blessed communion with him it is otherwise with me now I have apostatized Let this consideration catch hâ—ld upon thy heart and turn it this day Oh turne turn thou apostate soul God who was once thy God in a gracious manner is that God that thou hast vilely forsaken yea thy fathers God also Thou hast a godly father a godly grand-father remember what a blessed God he was unto them and return Secondly Their God that God that yet they may have hope to enjoy notvvithstanding all their departings from him Hence the note is this The apprehension oâ— a possibilty to obtaine mercie from the Lord is a strong means to draw the heart to returne to him when they look upon God as a God in covenant with them yet and there is nothing to the contrary but he may be their God Let this be an argument to catch hold upon the spirits of all sinners who are departed from God thou hast departed from God in a soule and vile manner but Men and Angels know nothing to the contrary but that he may be thy God for all this Let me speake to the vilest sinner that is in this place before the Lord this day thou hast indeed most desperately and wickedly sinned against God the Jews have done so Hast thou crucified Christ they have done so hast thou denied the truth and followed false waies they have done so Notwithstanding all thy wicked and evil waies seeing thou art yet alive I doe this day yet once more pronounce thee in the name of the great God that there is nothing to the contrary that either Angels or Men can possibly know but that God may be thy God and that this day God may enter into covenant with thee thou with him this night he may come in and sup with thee and thou with him there may be a blessed reconciliation between God and thee return return thou sinful soul The Third Lecture HOSEA 3. 5. And David their King and shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter dayes THat the Jews shall returne and believe in Christ is most ordinary and famous both in the words and hearts of those that are faithfull saies Augustine In this their returne and seeking God they shall seek David their King For the opening this there are these five things to be inquired into 1. Who this David was 2. Why David is rather named then any other 3. Why he is mentioned in this place 4. Why joyned with seeking Jehovah 5. Why this Epithet is added to David here David their King For the first David clearly is meant JESUS CHRIST Nothing is more manifest then that Christ is meant by the name of David sayes Augustine The Scripture is cleare in this it is usuall in the Gospel to call Christ by the name of David Compare Esay 55. 3. with Acts 13. 34. Esay 55. I will give you the sure mercies of David what are those Act. 13. that place in Isaiah is quoted and there the word is Sancta Davidis the holy things of David the holy Ghost there going according to the Translation of the Septuagint as it is usuall in the New Testament And that Psalm 16. 9. 10. where David seemes to speake in his owne person Thou wilt not leave my soul in grave nor suffer thy holy One to see corruption this is interpreted of Christ Act. 13. 36. 37. Act. 15. 16. In the Assembly the Church of Jerusalem together with messengers of the Church of Antioch James makes a speech to the Assembly tels them of a prophesie that God would raise the
people but the powers of Kings and Emperours the highest powers in the world whatsoever is lofty in the world shall be shaken when Christ comes to take the kingdom to himself the Father will set him King upon his holy hill Though the Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsell together against the Lord against his Anoynted saying Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision then shall he speake to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion yet have I done it though the kings of the earth and great ones of the world fret vex and rage and gather power together though they blaspheme and say he shall not raigne the Lord sitteth in heaven and laugheth at them let them do what they can and gather what strength they can oppose to the uttermost they can Yet will I set my King upon my holy hill This is acceptable news it is the joyfull voyce of the Gospel to tell you of Christs comming to raigne in the world Esay 52. 7. How beautifull upon the mountaines are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings What are those good tidings this tidings that saith unto Zion Thy Godraigneth This is the triumph of the Church Esay 33. 22. The Lord is our judge the Lord is our law-giver the Lord is our King for then shall the Churches be delivered from the oppression of all Tyrants in the world And this Kingdom of Christs shall indeed be like Davids kingdome Christ shal be David the King I might shew you the parallels in many things but I will only parallel the kingdome of Christ and of David in these two particulars First David of all the Princes that ever were was one of the most gentle he was exceeding loving and sweet unto his subjects that you shal finde 1 Chron. 28. 2. Then David the King stood up upon his feet said he are me my brethren and my people Marke how a King speaks speaking to his people he stood upon his feet and said heare me my brethren and my people Thus the kingdome of Christ is set out to us Psal 45. 4. In thy Majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meeknesse Christ shall be a most meeke King hee shall not be a bloody King to his people he shall not be a King â—â—â—ing in viòlence and harshness so as not to care for the love of his people his singer shall not be heavier then the loynes of others but he shall rule his people with all gentleness Therefore the government of Christ is set out 〈◊〉 a sheâ—he 〈…〉 leading those that are with young 〈◊〉 â—his David David and CHRIST are parallel Psal 78. 70. 71. He chose David his servant tooke him from the sheep-folds from following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance So the Kingdome of Christ Esay 40. having spoken ver 9. of the glad tidings of the Kingdome it followeth He shall feed his flocke like a shepheard he shall gather the lambs with his arme and carry them in his bosome and shall gently leade those that are with young When Christ shal raigne he shal have great respect to the good and comfort of his people over whom heraigneth he shall not raigne over them without regard to their liberties and what may be for the comfort of their lives the good of his people and his own glory shall be put both in one Secondly David their King in regard of faithfulnesse David was exceeding faithfull to his people and therefore the mercies of God in Christ are called the sure mercies of David because David was found faithfull before the Lord. Psal 45. 4. is the Prophesie of Christs Kingdom the Text saith In thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousnesse there shall be righteousness in the Kingdome of Christ This is a blessed thing when we may confide and fully venture our estates liberties and our lives upon the promises of those who are above us VVe know how many there are about great personages to take them off from those things that they have promised though never so seriously and with never such solemne protestations to performe them I will give you a story or two remarkable for this to shew what danger people have been in when they have confided upon the promises of Princes when there have beene those about them that endeavoured to take of their hearts from performing what they had ingaged themselves to You shall finde in the life of Edward the sixth this story The King sends his Letters to London in the behalfe of the Duke of Somerset the then Protector there were divers of the Lords rose up against him thinking he did oppresse the people and they sent the same time their Letters to London for their aide and assistance hereupon there was a Common Counsell called in the City and amongst them there was one that the story saith was a wise and an honest man one George Stadlowe and he speakes thus to the Counsell I remember saith he a story written in Fabians Chronicle of the wars between Henry the third and his Barons at which time the Baronsdemanded aide of the City of London as our Lords do now and that in a rightfull cause for the good of the Common-wealth for the execution of divers good lawes against the King who would not suffer those lawes to be put in execution and the City did aide them and it came unto an open bartell and the Lords prevailed against the King and tooke the King and his sonne prisoners and upon certaine conditions the Lords restored the King his son again to their liberties amongst other conditions this was one that the King should not only grant his pardon to the Lords but also to the Citizens of London which was granted and the condition of their accommodation of peace were ratifâ—ed by act of Parliament but saith the story what followed of it was it forgotten no surely nor forgiven neither during the Kingslife the libeties of the Cities were taken away strangers were appointed to be our head governours the Citizens their bodies and goods were given away and so from one persecution to another they were most miserably afflicted Again in the history of Queen Maries time we find that Qeene Mary because there was some dispute about her comming to the Crowne at that time she went down into Suffolke to the place where the Duke that then rose up for another was most hated and she being at Framingham Castle the Suffolke men came to her and promised their â—ide upon condition that she would not attemp the alteration of Religion which her brother King Edward before had established she promised them there should be no innovation of