doth conuerse and liue here in this pilgrimage before him But yet he is sayd rather to be in heauen then in the earth or in any other place many times in the word and that for two causes The one is because he is most glorious there and fullest of all honour and dignitie that being the throne of his Maiestie whereas the earth is but his footstoole Esay 66.1 The other is because there he doth manifest himselfe as most of all and in the greatest splendencie that may be so immediatly and not by meanes whether ordinary or extraordinary as hee doth here in this world as may be seene at large in the 21. Chapter of the Reuelations and other places of the Scripture besides But the chiefe end wherefore he is here sayd in our text which is in hand to be in heauen is to note the vnablenesse of his enimies to do him hurt or to preuaile against him Other ends there are of this saying elsewhere but this is the onely and principall end of it here and it is excellent for that purpose as was obserued before But to come to the other member as God is sayd to sit or dwell in heauen so he is sayd withall to laugh and to make a mocke or derision of them But he that dwelleth in heauen shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision Some reade this in the present tense saying But he that dwelleth in heauen doth laugh the Lord hath thē in derision or doth deride thē But we may take it as it is translated in the future tense for so it is in the Hebrew text A man may laugh at the first but weepe after a man may make a derision of his enimie at the beginning but come to ruine and destruction himselfe at the ending But it shall not be so with God he shall laugh both at the first and at the last and make a mocke of his aduersaries as well at the ending as at the beginning And therefore I thinke the holy Ghost did of purpose rather expresse his mind in the future tense then in the present tense not to deny a present act but to include the continuance of it as though God did not onely do it now but should do it still His meaning is that the Lord doth not feare the conspiracies and rebellion of his enimies which were mentioned in the three first verses of this Psalme that he makes no account or reckning of them but doth so lightly respect them as matters that he both will and can dash all to peeces when it pleaseth him For here in this verse and the next verse following is a figure called Anthropopatheia which is when things are spoken of God according to man and as his capacity is able to comprehend For we must not take the words literally but figuratiuely for to speake properly God doth not laugh nor make a derision of any onely man doth this but he doth it not And therefore I say the words are to be taken figuratiuely as they also are which are ascribed vnto wisedome in the latter end of the first Chapter of the Prouerbes when Salomon tels vs that she will laugh at the destruction of the wicked and mocke when their feare commeth If some foolish hare-braind youth of no strength or skill should send a challenge vnto some wise discreet captaine of great valour and experience in warfare the captaine would but laugh at him and make a game-stocke of him as knowing that he can do him no harme but will easily without any ado be ouerthrown by him So after the same maner that we might know that the Lord feares none of his enimies as such as can do him no hurt but that hee can easily at his pleasure bring all their deuices to nought ouercome them when he wil he is said here after the maner of men to laugh at them to haue them in derision God then laughes at his enemies not because he doth like of them or of their attempts against him as we doe oftentimes laugh at such things as please vs well but because hee cares not for them and doth see that all their plots are in vaine which are intended against him But why is this doubled may you say for what cause doth the Prophet tell vs of one thing thing twise First he saith that God shall laugh at them then after that he saith againe that he shall haue them in derision For seeing to laugh at one and to haue him in derision is all one and the one of them doth not differ from the other in sense and meaning the question may bee well moued why the Prophet should vse them both and not content himselfe with one of them alone The answere is this that he did it the better to note out the certainty and assurednesse of the thing whereof he doth speake For as Pharaohs dreames were doubled the one of the kine the other of the corne because the thing which he saw in his dreames was established by God and God did hasten to performe it as it is in Gen. 41.32 So the Prophet here doth double his words because the matter whereof he maketh mention is most certaine and sure and such as he would haue no man to doubt thereof And for this purpose you know doe we our selues oftentimes double our sayings and therefore it is as much in effect as if he had said But hee that dwelleth in the heauen shall laugh yea I say againe the Lord shall laugh and haue them in derision doubt not of it but beleeue it for it is a thing most certaine and true as heauen it selfe The consideration whereof should make vs bee afraid to doe any thing against the Lord. For of all things we do abhorre this most to be made a laughing stocke and a may-game to our aduersaries The Saints do complaine of it in the 44. psalme The Prophet Esay in the 8. chapter of his prophesie Dauid in the 22. psalme And Paul in the 4 chapter of his 1. epistle to the Corinthians And surely if this bee tart and irkesome vnto Gods owne children how shall the wicked bee able to beare it Yet here we see that God doth make a sport at all his aduersaries and doth laugh and deride at them Oh let the due regard of this phrase or manner of speech stay vs alwayes from all rebellion against him and cause vs to bee vpright in our wayes For shall we be a laughter and derision vnto the Almightie No no beware we of that But to leaue the seuerall members wheron many things might be obserued if need did so require to conioyne them together as they ought to be out of them we gather this doctrine Doct. That no power or deuice of man shall bee able to stand against the Lord but shal be ouerthrowne and be brought to nought For this is the end as you haue heard why these two things are reported of God the one of his
fast in the defense thereof whereof two of them do concerne others and the other two themselues By this we are taught Vse first to examine our selues what giftes and callings we haue of God that so we may be able to stand vpon them when any iust occasion is offered vnto vs thereunto for all men haue not their callings from God The Lord speaking of the Ministers of the word doth complaine in the 23. chapter of the Prophecy of Ieremy that many did runne whom he did neuer send and making mention of Kings in some other place he doth say that they did reigne but not by him And surely daily experience doth teach vs that many of them do vsurpe that authority to themselues as Athalia the Queene did of whom you may reade in 2. Chron. 22. and 23. chapters thereof whom the Lord did neuer establish in their throne by his kind louing approbation But here it may be demanded how a man may know whether his office or calling be from God or no that so he may stand stoutly vpon the same and labour with all care conscience to discharge it in the feare of the Lord The answere is that ye may know it by foure things The first is by his minde with the which he did enter into it The second is by his ability whereby he is enabled to discharge it The third is by the liking of the people by whom he is approued for it And the fourth and last is by his successe whereby he doth prosper and do good in it For if he shall finde these foure things in himselfe first that he entred into his calling not with a corrupt minde as for honour praise gaine or the like but with a single heart desire to glorifie God and to doe good to his people Secondly that he hath graces and giftes sufficient for to discharge those duties which are required at his hands Thirdly that he be approued of the Church or common wealth wherein he doth liue they outwardly bestowing this calling vpon him And lastly be assisted from time to time by the gracious hand of the Almighty to haue good successe in his calling and to prosper therein doubtlesse then he hath his calling office from God himselfe and not from man alone Secondly by this we are taught to iudge charitably of all such as do speake largely now and then of their owne gifts and those places wherein the Lord hath set them For here we may see a man may doe it with a good soule and discharge but an honest godly dutie in so doing it True it is as Salomon doth say in Prou. 27.2 Let another man praise thee and not thine owne mouth a stranger and not thine owne lippes For is not seemely for a man to praise himselfe but yet a man may stand vpon his calling and publish abroad such gifts as the Lord hath bestowed vpon him For this is not to praise himselfe but rather to praise the Lord and to bring honour vnto his name Yea the case may so stand as we may see by Pauls words in the 11. Chap. of his 2 Epistle to the Corinthians as in other places also that a man may praise himselfe with his owne mouth and set out his giftes and graces to the vttermost and yet be no transgressor of Salomons precept therein For Salamon there doth meane such a praising of our selues wherein we aime chiefly at our owne glory but there is another praising of our selues wherein we haue not so much an eye to our selues as vnto the Lord and his honour and the good of all such as do belong vnto him Now if any shall praise himselfe after this sort we are to thinke reuerently of him and not to censure him as a proud and vaine glorious person for it no more then we do humble and blessed Paul who did the like Lastly by this we are taught what we our selues should do in these wicked and vnbridled daies of ours wherein many vngodly persons do take vpon them to condemne vs much and to lay slanderous things to our charge whereof we are cleare and innocent The Brownists or Separatists as they call themselues to make instance in one point alone do accuse vs as if we were no true Church of God here in England and as if our Ministers were no Ministers of God but rather the Ministers of Antichrist the arch and chiefe enimy of God But we must not let them goe on thus still with their vile and slandering speeches against vs but display vnto them their abhominations who do so vnchristianly beyond all the bounds of holy charity condemne vs proue that we are the Lords owne inheritance and the people whom he hath chosen vnto himselfe to haue his holy name called vpon amongst vs and that our Ministers are his true and faithfull seruants and such whom he hath sent forth and doth take his delight pleasure in Easily might these matters be confirmed if we were to enter into any congresse with them about the same but now at this time we haue other matters in hand yet I will presse one argument and so leaue them It standeth thus Wheresoeuer the word of God is so preached and the Sacraments so celebrated that by their meanes a true and sound conuersion is wrought in the hearts of men towards the Lord Almighty that they do beleeue in him aright and walke with carefull soules in the paths of his commandements to bring honour vnto his name to attaine blessednesse for themselues there there I say is the true Church of God and there also are his faithfull and trusty Ministers But here in England with vs the word of God is so preached and the Sacraments so celebrated that by their meanes a true and sound conuersion is wrought in the hearts of men towards the Lord Almighty that they do beleeue in him aright and walke with carefull soules in the paths of his commandements to bring honour vnto his name and to attaine blessednesse for themselues Therefore here in England is the true Church of God and here also are his faithfull and his trusty Ministers When they shall answer this argument I will frame some more for them to worke vpon but I thinke that will neuer be for they cannot answere it is so strong inuincible and a knot so hard twisted that they cannot by any meanes vnloose it Thus farre the publishing of Gods decree hath stretched it selfe Now let vs come to the parts whereof it doth consist and they are in number two the one doth respect the person of Christ the other his office or kingly power His person in the seuenth verse and his office or kingly power in the eighth and ninth For his person remember two things the first is whose Son he is the second how it is proued that he is his Sonne He is the Sonne of God this is set downe in these words That is the Lord hath said vnto me Thou
and causeth him often to attribute that vnto himselfe which doth belong onely vnto the Lord and his grace Herein the diuell hath a great stroake and skill First he laboureth to keepe vs from good workes by making vs secure and carelesse Then secondly if he cannot preuaile therein he endeuoureth to make vs proud of our good workes by lifting vp our soules with an high conceipt therein Against both these doth the Apostle here go about to arme the Philippians First setting feare against carnall securitie then trembling against the pride of minde And as there the Apostle dealeth so doth the Prophet here in our text He would not haue vs onely to feare the Lord but also to tremble before him The like in effect we haue in Hebrewes 12.38 Where the Apostle sheweth that seeing we doe receiue a kingdome which cannot be shaken it is our part to haue grace whereby we may so serue God that we may please him with reuerence and feare So that nothing must bee done in the seruice of God lightly or arrogantly but all with great reuerence and humblenesse of minde whereby we tremble before him and feare his iudgements The reasons hereof are two The one is Reasons because the Lord doth delight in such and regard them much as we may see by his words in Esay 66.2 when he saith And to him will I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words For we must alwaies do that which will be well pleasing vnto God cause him to take a delight and pleasure in vs considering that his loue is better then life it selfe Psal 63.3 The other is because the Lord doth resist the proud and such as be arrogant and cannot in any case endure them as may be seene by our Sauiours words when he made mention of the bragging Pharisie poore Publican in Luk. 18.9 c. For after he had shewed what both of them had done and how the latter of them was more iustified in the sight of God then the former he gaue this reason of it saying For euery man that exalteth himselfe shal be brought low he that hūbleth himselfe shall be exalted For we must euermore auoyde that which will cast vs out of the fauour of God and bring his iudgements vpon vs. This then may serue to pull them downe who are proud and hautie Vse Behold saith Habakuk in chap. 2.4 he that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not vpright in him There is no goodnesse in such They can neuer serue the Lord aright but they will alwaies marre euery good thing which they take in hand Looke vpon thē euen in holy assemblies if they tremble not before the Lord nor quake at his iudgements you shall finde them enermore vnreuerent therein They will neither be attentiue neither yet will they bow and becke as they ought to do either they will talke or sleepe or gaze about or reade of some other matter in a booke then of that which is in hand or thinke on things at home or abrode or go out before all is ended or laugh and grin when they should rather mourne and weepe or do the like yea when they should kneele lowly vpon their knees they either fit or stand or bow their bodies but a little Such vnreuerence and stoutnesse is found amongst them from time to time But here for our selues we must learne to be humble and lowly as Christ our Sauiour was And as we looke to be respected by God and not to be plagued by him we must labour to draw our hearts vnto a trembling and a quaking before him that so we may carry our selues reuerently in his worship at all times and when we haue done all that we can doe not trust in any thing but think our selues to be vnprofitable seruants and to come too short of our duties by many degrees But what shall we do will you say to attaine to this We must performe these things First we must pray to God that hee would humble vs and bestow vpon vs meeke and lowly hearts For by nature all of vs are proud and arrogant like to Euah our first mother who would not be subiect to God but be as God herselfe and of our selues we cannot be humble and lowly when we would be but God must humble vs and make vs lowly who said in Zophonio 3.12 Then will I leaue in the mids of thee an humble and poore people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. Secondly we must consider often with our selues how base and vile we our selues are and how glorious and full of Maiestie the Lord is For by this consideration it may come to passe that we shall cast our selues downe before him in most humble submissiue maner as Abraham did when he acknowledged that he was not worthy to speake vnto the Lord because he was but dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 And as Esay did when he cried out and said Woe is me for I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lips and I dwell in the mids of a people of polluted lips For mine eyes haue seene the King and Lord of hosts Esay 6.5 Thirdly we must alwayes remember that all the seruice which we can do vnto the Lord is due vnto him that our best righteousnes is as a polluted garment that if the Lord should enter into iudgement with vs to reward vs according to our wayes we could not answer him one for a thousand or be able to stand before him or appeare iust in his sight Lastly we must set before our eyes all the iudgements of the Lord which he hath executed vpon men for their transgressions and which he hath in great store for all such as shall stand stoutly out against him and breake his commandements For they may quaile vs and breake the stony rocke of our soules to peeces and make vs cry out with Habakuk saying When I heard my belly trembled my lips shooke at the voyce rottennesse entred into my bones and I trembled in myselfe that I might rest in the day of trouble For when he commeth vp vnto the people he shall destroy them Hab. 3.16 Remember these things and performe them Thus farre for the duty belonging vnto God the Father now followeth the duty which belongeth vnto God the Sonne Wherin consider first what must be done vnto him then the Reasons to moue vnto the same The duty to be performed is this they must Kisse the Sonne The vse of a leisse in the holy Scripture is twosold one of subiection as in 1. Sam. 10.1 where it is sayd that Samuel did kisse Saul when he annointed him to be king of Israel for this was in token of his subiection vnto him And in this sence also is it taken in 1. Kings 19.18 where the Lord told the Prophet Elijah that he had left 7000 in Israel whose knees had not bowed vnto Baal and whose mouth had not kissed him
Doctrine begins at the first verse and reacheth vnto the end of the nineth verse at which place begins the Exhortation and continues to the end of the Psalme In the Doctrine two principall things as the seuerall members thereof are laid downe The one is an Opposition that is made against the kingdome of Christ in the three first verses The other is the vanity of that Opposition and the woefull estate wherein they stand that make the same in the six verses next following If you would know the persons that doe oppose themselues against Christ and his kingdome they are of all sorts some that are base and meane ones that do rage and murmure against him spoken of in the first verse others that are noble and great ones that do ioine hand head together to ouerthrow him mentioned in the second and third verses If you would know againe how all these doe speede they haue ill successe and misse of their purpose and runne by this meanes into most woefull and ineuitable dangers For as they shall neuer preuaile but all their endeauours shall come to nought so they themselues like rebels and traitours shall be executed and come to most fearfull and shamefull ends And this is set out two waies The one is in regard of God the Father and his Maiesty against whom they haue lifted vp thēselues and who doth take his Sons part and will defend him in his kingdome in the fourth fift and sixt verses For as they can doe him no hurt not onely in regard of his place he being in heauen far out of their reach who are vpon the earth but also of his power he being strong and mighty whereas they are but weake feeble one that makes no more account of their conspiracies thē a man doth of his aduersaries forces whom he hath in meere contempt and derision so he is exceeding angry and wrathfull with them for their rebellion and treason and in this anger and wrath of his he will take reuenge vpon them for it and make them know and vnderstand to their shame and griefe that he himselfe and none other had placed Christ in his kingdome and established him in the throne of Israel that he did not vsurpe this authority to himselfe The other way is in respect of Christ himselfe who is able to right his owne cause not onely to defend himselfe in his kingdome but also to ouerthrow al his aduersaries to bring a perpetual vnrecouerable destruction vpon thē in the seuenth eight and ninth verses Where you haue two things set downe before your eyes to contemplate vpon The one is a promise which hee doth make to publish his Fathers decree touching himselfe and his kingdome that so his enimies might be daunted the more and by the due consideration thereof might be brought if it were possible to leaue off their rebellion against him The other is an opening of this decree by the parts thereof which are in number two the one respecting his person the other his office or gouernment For his person he is not onely man but also God euen the naturall Sonne of the almighty Ichouah which was is and which is to come and this was proued to be so as by his miracles so chiefly by his resurrection from the dead the Lord shewing by that that he had begotten him from all eternity For his office or gouernment he is our king and the head of the Church And touching it two things are recorded First the largenesse of it in the eight verse wherein you may see how it doth reach from one end of the world vnto the other Then secondly the power and strength of it in the ninth verse which is innincible and bruysing downe all his aduersaries before him And this his power he must vse and exercise as for the defence of his owne faithfull and loyall subiects so also for the destruction of the forenamed rebels and of all such as shall at any time conspire against him And this he is to doe by the vertue of his commission from his Father the Almighty who did set him vpon his throne and bestowed this vniuersall and catholicke kingdome vpon him For he doth in plaine termes enioyne him to this dutie saying Thou shalt crush them with a scepter of yron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell Vpon this stablenesse of Christs kingdome wherein the aduersaries cannot preuaile and vpon the inuincible and reuenging power wherewith he is armed able to crush all his enemies in peeces as the potter doth his earthen vessels a sweete exhortation is raised vp wherein all the offenders are aduised to submit themselues to the Lord and his Annointed whom before they did resist and withstand and that betimes without any further delay that so they may not perish but be saued in the three last verses Wherein remember you what is required of them In summe it is nothing else but a present repentance or amendment of life but the parts of it are two as the chiefe points wherein this repentance or amendment of life must stand The first is an heauenly wisedome and holy learning in verse 10. For whereas heretofore they had bene foolish and ignorant of their duties now he would haue them to be wise and learned knowing all such matters as doe belong vnto them and keeping themselues within the compasse of heauenly direction The second is a loyall subiection and a seruiceable obedience both towardes the Father and also towards the Sonne Towards the Father in verse 11. whom they must serue in feare and before whom they must reioyce in trembling And towards the Sonne in verse 12. whom they must kisse in token of their loue and homage to him and that for two causes one that they may not offend him any more and so bring fearefull and suddaine destruction vpon themselues another that they may please him and so through his fauour and kindnesse towards them receiue daily and plentifull blessings from his hands both for this world and the world to come Thus you may see in a generall view as in a christall glasse what this whole Psalme is and how correspondently one thing doth depend vpon the other therein But if your memories bee fraile and not stable enough to retaine the stampe of all these aboue recited points within them yet at the least remember three of them which are Instar omnium in the place or stead of all The first is the resistance that is made against the Lord and his Annointed wherein you shall finde all forts of persons rebelling against the gracious and sweete gouernment of our blessed Sauiour Christ Iesus The second is the ouerthrow of that resistance and the fearefull estate wherein those that made the resistance doe stand through the powerfull and reuenging Maiesty of God the Father and of God the Sonne against whom this treason is committed both which are armed with intollerable and vnresistable plagues to consume them
people that are according to our prouerbe He is as bad as a Iew. Finally by the woeful plagues not to speake here any thing of the torments of hell which is the worst of all which God hath sent downe immediatly from heauen vpon some of them in particular as vpon Herod Pontius Pilate and others For Herod to passe ouer all the rest and to make him an instance for all was thus plagued First he had a most scorching burning feuer by which he was inflamed exceedingly as well in the inward parts as in the outward Secondly there was in him an insatiable desire of food which could not be abated or be remoned away by all the meate and drinke which he did ranonously deuoure in great abundance Thirdly he had the bloody flixe Fourthly he had the colicke Fiftly he had the goute in his seete Sixtly his priuy members did so swell and rot that wormes did breed in the same And lastly he was from the top of the head vnto the sole of the foote so corrupt rotten that there came such a stinke from him that no person could well endure it and so in this woefull manner he ended his life and gaue vp the ghost Hauing thus seene the truth of all matters and found euery thing agreeable to the words of the text let vs now descend vnto the doctrine Doct. which may be gathered out of the same In few words it is nothing else but this that though we haue many enimies and sore aduersaries as Dauid and Christ had yet they shall not preuaile against vs but we shall prenaile against them doe they what they can as Dauid and Christ did Israel in Aegypt was cruelly handled but yet the more the Aegyptians did vexe them the more they multiplied and grew as it is in Exod. 3.12 And when they had done all the spite that they could doe against them yet at the last they were deliuered out of their hands they themselues being oftentimes plagued by the Almighty for their sakes and in the end most fearefully drowned in the red sea as it is apparant in the 14. Chap. of the same booke Mention is made of a great battell that was fought betweene Christ and the diuell and their armies in the Reuelation Chap. 12.7 c. But if you marke the sequele thereof you shall finde that Christ and his side had the victory For as it is witnessed of the Dragon who is the diuell and his Angels who are his souldiers that they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen in the 8. verse of that Chapter so it is recorded to the glory comfort of all those who take Christs part that they ouercame the diuell the accuser of Gods children by the bloud of the Lambe and the word of their testimony in the 11. vers thereof But to omit other testimonies examples whereof the holy Scripture is full and frequent in this case let the words of our Sauiour Christ suffice vs at this time He tels vs in Math. 16.18 that the gates of hell whereby is meant all the power and force thereof shall not ouercome his Church or be able to ouerthrow such as do depend vpon him by a true and iustifying faith And in the 7. Chapter of the same booke towards the latter end thereof he doth shew the stablenesse of those that doe belong to the Lord haue a care both to heare the word of God and also to do it by a notable comparison wherein he doth resemble them to an house that is built vpon a rocke which cannot be cast downe by any tempest of weather whatsoeuer but doth stand alwaies still and cannot fall A thing neuer to bee thought of enough it is so full of comfort and consolation vnto euery godly soule chiefly vnto him that is afflicted here in this world But what might the reason thereof be may a man say that thus the godly should alwaies preuaile and be neuer ouerthrowne by their enimies but ouercome them rather Experience doth teach vs that they are fewer in number then the wicked are that they are weaker for strength and power that they are more simple for wit and policy and that they are more carelesse for diligence and watchfulnes then their aduersaries be How comes it then to passe that they haue the vpper hand The Prophet Isay doth declare it vnto vs in the 8. Chapter of his Prophecy and the 10. verse thereof Reason It is in few words because the Lord is with for thē For first he is stronger then all beeing able to resist all power that is made against his to do whatsoeuer he will both in heauen earth Secondly he is wiser then all seeing how to preuent them in all their waies and how also to bring matters to passe for the good of his Thirdly he is diligenter then all to stand as it were vpon his watch and to take his aduantage when it is offered him For he that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe Psalme 121.4 Lastly he is happier then all to haue good successe in all his enterprises For he doth prosper still in all things which he doth take in hand and none can resist a thought of his yea the very word that goeth out of his mouth doth accomplish that which he will and prosper in the thing whereunto he doth send it Isay 55.11 In warre all these foure things are respected in a captaine that will still ouercome First that he be strong Secondly that he be wise Thirdly that he be diligent And lastly that he be fortunate For the victory goes not alwaies with the strong nor alwaies with the wise nor alwaies with the diligent nor alwaies with the fortunate but sometimes with the one of them and sometimes with the other But looke where all foure doe concurre together there is alwaies the victory And therefore seeing all of them are in God it is no maruell though those whose battels hee doth fight doe alwaies ouercome and get the victory Here I would gladly come to the vse of the doctrine Obiect but me thinks I heare a man obiecting against that which hath bene said saying that it is not true that Gods children do alwaies preuaile against their enimies but that their enimies oftentimes do preuaile against them For we see that they are murdered and put to death Mention is made thereof in the booke of the Reuelation and in other places of the holy Scripture besides And thousand examples euery where do demonstrate the same daily vnto vs. For we do behold stil with our owne eyes and heare with our owne eares that the godly haue the worst end of the staffe as it is in our adage and that the wicked do beare sway and dominion ouer them How then is it true which hath bene spoken that doe the vngodly what they can yet the righteous shall still preuaile against them as here Dauid and Christ did The answere hereunto may easily
be collected out of Paules words Ans in the 8. Chap. of his Epistle to the Romanes and the latter end thereof which were touched before where he doth declare that though we be killed all day long and bee counted as sheepe for the slaughter yet we be notwithstanding that euen then therein conquerours yea more then conquerours through him that loueth vs. Howsoeuer this may seeme a parodoxe to flesh and bloud and be as a riddle vnto some of Gods owne children themselues yet it is an aphorisme in true Diuinity and a cleare point to them whose eyes are opened to behold the mysteries of the Almighty and to see the deepe things of the Lord. For I pray tell me is not he a conquerour yea more then a conquerour that doth so subdue his enimie that he can no more rise vp against him A man may vanquish his enimie and beate him cleane out of the field yet afterward he may gather a power against him againe and put him to the worst But here Satan the world and all our enimies are so beaten downe and troden vnder foote by all such as suffer and die for the truth that they can neuer assault them any more or stirre as it were either tongue or hand againe to do them any hurt For they goe immediately vpon that their death and passion to heauen and vnto all that happinesse which is prouided there for them as Iohn doth shew in Reuel 14.13 saying Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord euen so saith the Spirit for they rest from their labours and their workes do follow them It is good for vs to know this Vse as also to thinke oftentimes vpon it For first by it we may learne to take heed that we goe not about any thing which may be hurtfull or pernicious vnto Gods children For if we do we see here our labour shal be in vaine we shall not preuaile against them but they shall preuaile against vs. He is a very foole that will attempt a thing which he knowes for certainty he cannot bring to passe and which he is sure will bee his bane and destruction But wee know that we cannot preuaile against the faithfull and wee are sure that our plots against them will turne to our ouerthrow And therefore beware we that we lift not vp our selues against them at any time Againe from hence we learne euen so many of vs as do truely serue the Lord feare him from our hearts that there is no cause why we should feare man or what he can doe against vs because the victory shall alwaies goe on our side and not against vs. Oh we may reioyce and be glad as it is required of vs in Zeph. 3.14 c. and in 1. Pet. 3.14 which places you may reade at your leasure Feare not beloued but be of a good comfort though you haue enimies in euery corner yet be not discouraged you shall haue the conquest the Lord your God shall deliuer you out of all your troubles according to Dauids saying in Psal 34.19 when he saith Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of them all He is wise he doth know how to do it and he is omnipotent he is able for to do it and as for his willingnesse he is ready at all times to accomplish it as iust occasion shall require it Wherfore be I say of a good comfort and feare not but trust in the Lord and commit your waies vnto him he shall bring all things to passe according to your owne hearts desire in the end He that deliuered Noah from the floud Lot from Sodom Iacob from Esau Ioseph from Potiphar Moses from Pharaoh Israel from Aegypt Elijah from Ahab Elisha from the Syrians Daniel from the Lyons the three children from the fire Peter from Herod Mordecay from Haman and here Christ and Dauid from all sorts of enimies he euen he will deliuer you from all troubles If you say that your enimies are many and that the whole world is against you I will say againe to you with Elisha the Prophet and Hezekiah the king that there are more with vs then are against vs. 2. Kings 6.16 2. Chron. 32.7 For God and all the hoast of heauen is for vs. If you say againe that your enimies are wise and politicke and that they are able to ouer-reach you by their craft cunning considering you are but simple and innocent like doues I will answere you with the Apostle that the foolishnesse of our God who is on our side is wiser then their best wisedome 1. Cor. 1.25 and that he will destroy their wisedome and bring their vnderstanding to nought 1. Cor. 1.19 to doe vs good If you say in the third place that your enimies haue so hemmed you in and compassed you about that it is vnpossible for you to escape them I will answere you with the Angel Gabriel that with God shall nothing be vnpossible Luke 1.37 And with the three children Shadrach Meshach and Abednego that God both can and will deliuer you Dan. 3.17 When they say Behold our God whom we serue is able to deliuer vs from the hot fiery furnace and he will deliuer vs out of thine hand ô King If you say lastly that your enimies haue already taken you and do put you daily vnto death I will answere you with Paul in Rom. 8.37 which place was touched before and with Iohn in Reuel 12.11 That by this meanes you doe ouercome your enimies most of all For when you resist thus vnto bloud and die for the truth you giue your enimies such an ouerthrow that they neuer rise vp against you any more as for your selues you enter presently into heauen the onely place which you striue for Euen as he hath the victory most in this world who doth enter into the citty and take all the spoyle thereof and doth so confound his aduersaries that they can neuer stirre any more against him In consideration of all which things cleaue fast I beseech you vnto the Lord feare no danger or perill but reioyce in the Lord and be glad alwaies fighting for the crowne of righteousnesse which shall be giuen vnto euery one who doth with patience waite for the appearing of our Lord Iesus and loue the same Now to the third point As wisedome cals vpon men for repentance and amendment of life in Prou. 1.22.23 saying O yee foolish how long will yee loue foolishnesse and the scornefull take their pleasure in scorning and the fooles hate knowledge Turne you at my correction Lo I will powre out my minde vnto you and make you vnderstand my words So doth the Lord here in the three last verses of this Psalme call vpon men for the like repentance and amendment of life saying Be wise now therefore ye Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth c. to the end of the Psalme Wherehence shortly we gather this doctrine Doct.
4.1 And thus the Beroeans did for when Paul Silas came preached amongst them they receiued the word with all readinesse and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so or no as they taught them Acts 17.11 So also did the Ephesians For when some came vnto them and sayd that they were Apostles who indeed were not they examined them and found them liers Reuel 2.2 And so lastly must we our selues do for we must not build our faith vpon men who may deceiue vs but vpon the word of God which cannot deceiue vs. Any thing that is agreeable to the same we must receiue and whatsoeuer is contrary vnto it we must reiect and cast away saying with the Apostles We ought rather to obey God then man Acts 5.29 In the third and last place from this that Councels and Assemblies are as well against the Lord as for the Lord we may learne that we must not be too rash either in iudgement or in speech against the gouernors of our land for that they do condemne conuenticles and all other vnlawfull assemblies It is a thing to be wished that all meetings were for God and the aduancement of his glorie and it would be a thing very profitable if Christians did come together chiefly the Ministers of the word for holy conference in good matters that they might helpe one the other by their mutuall saith and other blessed gifts wherewith they do abound in great abundance But yet seeing many inconueruences oftentimes do come by Assemblies and that there are meetings as well against the Lord as for the Lord by traytors by Papists by Anabaptists by theeues by other malefactors who are enimtes both to God and the good estate of our land let vs not be discontented ouer-much though our meetings be somewhat restrained by law neither let vs repine in our hearts against our gouernours for the same but let vs know that they had some good reason for that which they haue done and that we our selues who are faithfull to God and loyall to our King may take libertie enough in the feare of God to prouoke to loue and to good workes and to be mutuall helpes one vnto the other in all duties of true Christianity if we will our selues Their words do now follow to be handled wherein consider first how they do stirre vp and prouoke one the other to their naughtinesse then the thing it selfe which they would do and gladly bring to passe as being the very issue of their whole counsell and consultation and the maine point wherein their rebellion and treason stood In the handling of these I will be succinct and short but chiefly in the first For that I will but onely touch and away It is expressed in this word Come come say they let vs breake their bands and cast their cords behind vs. In which we see the guise and propertie of the world the wicked haue a Come as well as the godly but farre differing from theirs For the godly haue their Come as a word of encouragement to religion and the exercises thereof as when they say O come and let vs sing vnto the Lord let vs heartily reioyce in the strength of his saluation or as it is in Esay 2.3 Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his pathes For the law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem But the wickeds Come is to conspiracie and treason as here we may see in which they are more diligent then the children of light are in their good for their bodies meete their heads meete their hearts meete and both outward and inward they are earnest in euill the encourage one the other therein as much as may be and they haue their come alwayes for all their plots Such a come we reade of against blessed Ieremie Come said the wicked and let vs. imagine a deuice against Ieremy let vs smite him with the tongue and not giue credit to any of his words Ier. 18.18 Such another haue ruffians and theeues and swaggering fellowes in the booke of the Prouerbs Come and cast in thy lot with ours for we will haue all but one purse c. Prou. 1.11 c. Such another hath the harlot to the young man Come let vs take our fill of loue vntill the morning let vs take our pleasure in dalliance for mine husband is not at home he is gone aiourney farre off c. Prou. 7.18 c. But to such cursed comes let vs neuer hearken according to the good counsell which Wisedome doth giue vs in the Prouerbes and namely in the first chapter 15 verse thereof saying My sonne walke not thou in the way with them refraine thy foote from their path and let vs euer remember what the Psalme saith Blessed is the man that doth not walke in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night Psal 1.1.2 And so I passe from this point of their wicked and diuellish exhortation and come to the thing it selfe whereunto it is bent onely intreating you by the way that you would learne by their example to be more zealous and earnest in your holy religion then now you are For shall they exhort one the other and whet on each man his brother to wicked abhominations and to dreadfull rebellion and treason and shall not we much more prouoke one the other to loue and to all good works that we may be faithfull seruants vnto God and loyall subiects vnto our King Yes yes beloued it is our duty so to do otherwise these persons may rise vp in iudgement hereafter against vs. Wherefore let vs stirre vp one the other to goodnesse and to all holy duties whatsoeuer saying Come let vs honour all men loue brotherly fellowship feare God honour the King and doe in all points as it doth become vs c. The substance and matter of their exhortation if you marke the text is to cast off all obedience to the iust and holy lawes of the Lord and his Annointed For their words are these Let vs breake their bands and cast their cords behind vs. A diuellish conclusion and a wicked resolution you see it is What! could they in all their consultations find no better matter then this to agree vpon was this the only issue of all their labours Alas alas wee see what man is he is a very beast by his owne knowledge as it is in Ieremy 10.14 and as Paul doth shew he is an enimy vnto God his maker Rom. 5.10 But let vs examine this point a little As all good rulers haue their lawes and statutes for the better gouernment of their people so God hath his lawes and his statutes which he
like a boy of a sprack wit that wants but a good maister to instruct him or a faire white paper that needs nothing but a writing to be set in it But here we see it is otherwise for as man is ignorant of the law of God so he is a starke enimie vnto it he will not be subiect to the commandements of God nor be obedient vnto them Surely euery man by nature is dead in his sinnes and trespasses as Paul did obserue of the Ephesians in Ephes 2.1 and no man vnlesse he be borne againe can thinke well of the law of the Lord and yeeld vp chearfull obedience thereunto Secondly here we may behold the great difference that is betweene the wicked and the godly For as the wicked do abhorre the lawes of God saying Come let vs breake their bands and cast their cords behind vs so the godly do loue the lawes of God saying Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his paths Mica 4.2 And the reasons thereof are these First because they see they come from God their sweet Sauiour and do tend to their eternall good for we cannot but loue that which doth come from him whom we loue best and of whom we are loued most especially when we know that he will send vs nothing which is hurtfull but good as we iudge of God and that according to his owne word in Rom. 8.29 Secondly because they know that the curse thereof shall neuer take hold of them in as much as Christ was made a curse for them Thirdly because they are made easie and pleasant vnto them as by vse and custome they exercising themselues therein day and night so chiefly by the regeneration of the holy spirit of God who doth assist them and make them powerfull vnto good workes Lastly because they bring with them great rewards and honours at the last euen ioyes that are vnspeakable and riches without all end for number and continuance For as this made Iacob to serue seuen yeares for Rahel and Moses to leaue Pharaohs court and to endure much trouble in the wildernesse euen the reward that they did looke for so doth this excellent reward which doth attend vpon the obseruers of Gods commandements make vs euermore to regard them and to haue a care to obserue and to keepe them More might be spoken of this difference that is betwixt the godly and the wicked but this is enough The other doctrine collected out of the text is this Doct. that when men do resist the law of God and oppose themselues against the same then do they rebell against God himselfe and become traytors vnto him As he is a traytor to his Prince who doth altogether set himselfe against the lawes of his Prince and will be subiect to none of them but breake them all to disgrace him and to bring an ouerthrow vnto his estate or kingdome The reason is this for I will but touch this point and end Reason because his lawes are but the significations of his will and the testimonies of his mind and pleasure vnto vs. And you know that none can resist his will mind or pleasure but he must needs resist him himselfe The vse hereof standeth chiefly in two things Vse For first it serueth to detect the great sinnes and enormities that are amongst vs. There is a generation saith Agur in Prou. 30.12 that are pure in their owne conceipts and yet are not washed from their filthinesse We are of that number for we thinke too well of our selues Who is there almost that doth count himselfe a rebell and a tray tor against his God yet all of vs are such for we breake his commandements still and will not be ruled by his statutes and ordinances but we follow the imaginations of our owne hearts and do what seeme good in our owne eyes For these things we must strike vppon the thighs and repent and learne to do so no more Secondly it should awaken vs vp and be a sharpe spurre in our sides to keepe vs alwayes running in the commandements of our God Oh beloued brethren how carefull should we be both to know the lawes of our God and also to keepe them considering that otherwise we do but rebell and commit treason against our sweet and louing God Shall we rise vp against him that hath made vs against him that hath redeemed vs against him that hath sanctified vs against him that doth daily prescrue vs and against him in one word that will glorifie vs hereafter in the heauens No no farre be this from our soules yet this we must needs do vnlesse we endeuor carefully to keepe his commandements And therfore I beseech you looke to them Let them be a lanterne to your feete and a light to your paths Let them be your counsellors and the men of your law and whatsoeuer you thinke desire speake or do thinke all desire all speake all and do all according to the rule and direction thereof that so you may not be rebels and traytors vnto the Lord but be his saithfull seruants and true subiects vnto your liues ende Amen The end of the third Sermon THE FOVRTH SERMON vpon the second Psalme PSAL. 2. VER 4.5 6. But he that dwelleth in the heauens shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision Then shall he speake vnto them in his wrath and vexe them in his sore displeasure saying Euen I haue set my king vpon Zion mine holy Mountaine HItherto the Prophet hath shewed who did rebell against the Lord and his Annointed Now he doth begin to declare what the Lord and his Annointed are against whom they do so rebell The Lord is set out in these three verses and his Annointed in the three next The scope drift in the description of them both is one and the selfe same and it stands in two points The one is to shew that all the opposition or resistance that is made against them is in vaine and to no purpose The other is to declare that those that do make the opposition or resistance are in most wofull and wretched case and such as cannot escape most fearefull and vnrecouerable iudgements vnlesse they do in time preuent the same by true and hearty repentance or amendment of life in turning vnto them and in becoming faithfull and loyall subiects vnto them as they ought to be This is the summe of all these verses but at this time we are to stand vpon the three former alone The Prophet going about to describe the Lord euen the Father in the godhead or the first Person in the Trinitie notes him out first of all by his place or abode which is not vpon the earth where his enimies may come at him but in the heauens where they cannot come neare vnto him so that all their power 〈◊〉 malice intended against him can do him no
being in heauen the other of his laughing at his aduersaries euen to shew that that conspiracy which was made against him his annoynted should not prosper or preuaile but vanish come to nothing So that the doctrine is rightly collected out of the text and it may be proued vnto vs out of sundry places of sacred Writ but I wil touch some two or three onely at this time and so passe it ouer The first is out of the Prophet Isay in the 8 chapter of his prophesie and the 9. and 10 verses thereof when he saith Gather together on heaps ô yee people and yee shall bee broken to peeces and hearken ye of farre countries Gird your selues you shall bee broken in peeces gird your selues and you shall bee broken in peeces Take counsell together and it shall be brought to nought pronounce a decree yet shall it not stand for God is with vs. The second is in the 33. Psalme the 10. 11. verses thereof where the Prophet Dauid saith The Lord breaketh the counsell of the heathen and bringeth to nought the deuices of the people The counsell of the Lord shall stand for euer and the thoughts of his heart throughout all ages The third and last is the 12. chapter of the Reuelations and the 7. and 8 verses thereof where Iohn saith And there was a battell in heauen Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels But they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen Thus you see that nothing can stand against the Lord but all doth come to nought that is raised vp against him And the reason thereof is this partly because he is wiser then all seeing which way to preuent his enemies and to bring his owne purpose to passe and partly because hee is stronger then all being able to doe whatsoeuer hee will both in heauen and earth according to Pauls words in 1. Cor. 1.25 when hee saith For the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men and the weaknesse of God is stronger then men The vse of this doctrine is manifold Vse but yet it standeth chiefly in three things The first is to teach vs what shall bee the end of all the plots which the wicked haue in their soules against the Lord and such as do cleaue vnto him They shal vanish and come to nothing being like in this respect as the child in the mothers wombe that there doth perish and neuer come aline into this world or like vnto his dreame who is busie all the night in his sleepe about gold and rich preferments and yet in the morning is as poore as when he went to bed In a word they do but lose their labour as he doth who goeth about by washing to make a Black-moore-white or by teaching to make an asse play vpon an harpe Let this be a continuall meditation with vs euery day and night The second is to pull vs backe from all such matters as doe tend any manner of way against the Lord. For let vs assure our owne soules that if we attempt any such thing wee shall haue no good successe therein but our endeuours shall bee brought to nought I beseech you remember what Gamaliel said and follow his counsell which he gaue vnto the Iewes when they stroue against the Apostles and went about to hinder all preaching in the name of Christ Men of Israel saith he take heede to your selues what you intend to do touching these men refraine your selues from them and let them alone For if this counsell or this worke be of men it will come to nought but if it be of God ye cannot destroy it lest ye bee found euen sighters against God as it is in Acts 5 35 c. But some may say Obiect None of vs are so beastly as to fight against the Lord himselfe Ans Ans Let no man be deceiued For we doe all of vs warre against him many wayes and as in generall when wee doe violate and breake his statutes refusing to doe that which he hath commanded vs for to do so in particular we doe it foure manner of waies The one is when we oppose our selues against the Magistrates of the common wealth whom hee hath set ouer vs for to rule gouerne vs For to resist them is to resist God himselfe as Paul doth shew in Rom. 13.1.2 Another is when we doe oppose our selues against the Ministers of the Church whom he hath raised vp to teach and instruct vs. For to resist them is to resist God himselfe as Christ hath taught vs in Luke 10.16 The third is whē we do oppose our selues against the word of God and such heauenly ordinances of his as he hath bestowed vpon men for his owne worship and the saluation of mans soule For to resist them is to resist God himselfe as Gamaliel doth insinuate in the place of the Acts. before quoted The fourth and last is when wee doe oppose our selues against the children of God and the members of lesus Christ For to resist them is to resist God himselfe as Zecharie doth declare in Zech. 2.8 All these wayes do men in euery place almost lift vp themselues against the Lord but beware we that we ioyne not with them therein but let vs cary our selues holy and reuerently in all these respects as we ought to do otherwise we shall be crost in our purposes and pay most dearely for it at the last The third and last is to comfort vs who haue such a strong and wise God on our side that nothing can preuaile against him It is a great comfort vnto a man to serue such a maister as will alwaies take his part see him wronged by no man but then especially is his heart exhilerated with much ioy alacritie when he doth vnderstand that none is able to make his part good with his maister but he doth alwaies preuaile against all What a consolation then and ioy of spirit ought it to be vnto vs seeing our maister Lord whom we serue is not only omnipotēt in himselfe being stronger then all but also so louing to vs that hee doth alwaies take our part and so assist vs from time to time that we shall still ouercome our foes and not bee vanquished by them Oh let vs ponder often on this poynt For it will be a good cordial medicine vnto vs in all diseases whatsoeuer and it will reuiue vs like Aqua vitae or rosa Solis when we are ready to faint or sinke Hitherto you haue heard a description of the Lord in regard of that which his enimies do to him Now you must marke how he is described in respect of that which he will do to them And that is also two manner of waies the one is by his workes the other is by his words by his works in the first verse and by his words in the fixth verse His workes containe his anger against them and
miseries vexing our soules whiles we are here and tormenting both body and soule when we are gone from hence And therefore I beseech you brethren in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ who hath loued vs and giuen his life for our sakes let there be none amongst vs which do wish euill vnto Zion but let vs loue all those which do feare the Lord if no other thing can moue vs to it yet let Gods iudgements which otherwise will fall vpon vs bring vs vnto it O remember it is no sporting matter to make a iest and sport of Gods child neither is it a small matter to offer wrongs and iniuries vnto him but thus to do is an hainous offence a very dāgerous matter to al those that do it If Meroz must be cursed all the inhabitants thereof because they came not foorth to helpe Gods people against their enimies as indeed they must be cursed according to the words of the Angell in Iudges Chap. 5. vers 23 And if they must depart frō Christ be cast into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his Angels who do not feed the hungry cloath the naked visit the sicke do good to those that are his Disciples and do beleeue in him as they must indeed depart from him and goe to that fearefull place as we may see by Mathew Chapter 25. verse 41 c. How much more shall they be cursed that do resist the people of God and how much more shall they depart from Christ and be cast into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuill and his Angels who do rob the faithfull Disciples of Christ and offer violence and wrong vnto them Oh thinke on this ye that forget God lest he come and teare you in peeces before you be aware and there be none to helpe you But to proceede on here in the second place we may learne to be quiet and patient when we are molested and troubled by the wicked wee need not then to fret and chafe as many are wont to do but to be mild as Christ was and to commit all vnto God as he did according to Peters words in his first Epistle the 2 chapter and 23. verse thereof with some others following where he doth labour to draw men to the imitation of our Sauiour in his suffering that as he when hee was reuiled reuiled not againe and when hee suffered hee threatned not but committed all to him that iudgeth righteously so should they do bearing euery thing patiently and referring it vnto him that iudgeth iustly without any acceptation of persons For seeing that God will reuenge our quarrels and plague our enemies to the vttermost we our selues may be silent and dumbe and neither mooue hand or tongue against them Wherefore let vs do as Paul doth aduise vs for to do in Rom. 12.19 Dearely beloued saith he auenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath for it is written vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. If any do abuse vs deride vs or offer any wrong iniurie vnto vs let vs not storme and fret therat but let vs possesse our soules with patience remembring with our selues alwaies that we haue a sweet and gratious God in heauen who doth behold what is done vnto vs and who will also in due time be auenged vpon our aduersaries for it when they shall mourne and lamēt we on the cōtrary side shall laugh reioyce That is a most comfortable saying which is in the 7 Chapter of the Prophecie of Micha in the eigth ninth and tenth verses when he saith Reioyce not against me ô mine enimy though I fall I shall arise c. I pray read the place at your leasure and peruse it well And so I come vnto the last vse which we are to make of this place and that is a dutie which is to be performed of vs. For it doth become vs vpon this to reioyce and to breake out into praises to extoll the Lord who doth so fight our battels and discomfite the enimie before vs in such a fearefull manner that he is wholly ouerthrowne and can haue no rest but lies in continuall griefe and vexation of minde O Iudah saith the Prophet Nahum Chapter 1.15 keepe thy solemne feastes performe thy vowes for the wicked shall no more passe through thee he is vtterly cut off And Zephany saith Reioyce ô daughter Zion be ye ioyfull ô Israel be glad reioyce with all thy heart ô daughter Ierusalem The Lord hath taken away thy iudgements he hath cast out thine enimie the King of Israel euen the Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt see no more euill Both which places you see do declare that we must reioyce and triumph in our songs of praise vnto the Lord when he doth ouercome our enimies and beate them downe before vs And hereof we haue many worthy examples in the holy Scriptures I will touch onely a few of them Moses and those which came out of Aegypt with him did the same when the Lord had destroyed their enimies the Aegyptians had drowned thē all in the red sea as we may see at large in Exod. 15.1 c. Deborah and those which were with her on her side did the same whē the Lord had ouerthrowne their aduersaries the Canaanites had destroyed Sisera their chiefe captaine and all his chariots and all his hoast with the edge of the sword as it is in Iudges 5.1 c. The good and holy women who liued in the daies of Saul and Dauid did the same when the Lord had confounded the Philistines their foes and had brought an horrible slaughter vpon them and vpon their chiefe champion that great blasphemous Goliah that defied the hoast of Israel and railed vpon the God thereof as it is euident in 1. Sam. 18.6.7 Finally Hester Mordecay with their people such of the Iewes as liued in their times did the same when the Lord had strengthened them against their opposites and had brought an vtter ruine vnto their chiefe aduersarie Haman the cursed Amalekite as appeareth in Ester 9.17 c. So euen so beloued let vs deale from time to time whensoeuer the Lord doth giue vs a victory ouer our aduersaries and bring iust and deserued plagues vpon them let vs blesse his holy name for the same and reioyce greatly before him in that behalfe And so farre of Gods workes Now let vs come to his words I haue set my King vpon Zion mine holy mountaine These are not the words of the Prophet but of God himselfe sitting in iudgement and taking reuenge vpon his aduersaries that rebel against him his anoynted Not that God shall whē he doth strike them vtter these words in plaine termes and sound of voyce vnto thē as we do vtter words when we beate such as haue offended vs but the meaning is that they shal by their plagues sore iudgements executed vpon them feele and perceiue this to
be so as plainly as euidently as if they heard the Lord speaking from heauen vnto thē by word of mouth His destroying confoūding of them shal cry like a shril voice in their eares that it was he himselfe no created wight euen he himselfe that is the God of Gods the Lord of hoasts that did set vp Dauid to be King of Israel Christ his Son to be King of his Church whom they had so rebelliously resisted laboured to haue displaced out of their thrones Here is a great Emphasis it is as much as if he had said What shal I set vp a King will you ô ye rebels go about to put him downe How dare you do this What shall I place one ouer my people make him to be their Lord and chiefe gouernor will you ye traytors refuse to yeeld obedience vnto him ioine hand and head together to ouerthrow him and to remoue him out of his kingdome O impietie neuer heard of O wickednesse most intollerable Know you know you that for this cause I cannot beare with you but I must needes speake to you in my wrath and vexe you in my sore displeasure as now I do By Zion here his holy mountaine the kingdome of Israel is vnderstood if we referre it vnto Dauid but if we referre it vnto Christ the Church is meant thereby Zion was the citie of Dauid and the place where his Court was vsually held and kept as it is in 2. Sam. 7.7 But here it is put figuratiuely for the whole kingdome of Israel whereof that was a chiefe and principall part And it is tearmed withall the holy mountaine of God because it stood on high vpon a mountaine or hill where the Lord did manifest his holinesse vnto his people as by the presence of his arke which was there so also by the exercises of pure religion which were held in the Tabernacle and Temple that were built in that place and feared vpon that mountaine or hill Thus literally this place is to be referred vnto Dauid and it is true of him that God did set him vp as King ouer this kingdome of Israel as we may see in 1. Sam. 16.12 13. But sacramentally and after a spirituall maner these thing are to be referred vnto Christ and his Church For Zion also was a type thereof as we may see in Esay 2.3 and in Heb. 12.22 And Christ we know was chosen of his Father to bee the head and King thereof as anone by Gods grace shall more fully appeare And as the earthly Zion was tearmed the mountaine of Gods holinesse so may this heauenly Zion well beare that appellation or name For I. it is most like vnto a mountaine then 2. the Lord doth manifest his holinesse more there then in any other place It is most like a mountaine in 3. respects First for the exaltation and supereminencie of it for as a mountaine is an high place aboue other places so the Church of God is exalted aboue other congregations and that for Gods delight in it and most excellent blessings vpon it which are either present or to come Secondly for the manifestation and aptnesse of it for as a mountaine is in open sight view of all men so the Church of God stands in the eie-sight of all persōs euery mans eye is bent to mark diligently what they do as his eare is open to listen to that which they speake Thirdly for the strength and stablenesse of it for as a mountaine is a strong thing and vnmoueable so the Church of God is so strong and inuincible that all the powers of the world and of hell below cannot ouerthrow it but it shall remaine firme and stable notwithstanding the same for euermore I beseech you by the way make vse of all these things By the first looke vpon your honour and great aduancements wherunto you are exalted aboue all others As Salomon saith in the Prouerbs 31 29 Many daughters haue done vertuously but thou surmountest them all so you may say Many congregations in the world are exalted on high but we the true Church are lifted vp aboue them all By the second be moued to haue an holy care of your liues that you may walk circūspectly at all times in the waies of godlines that your light may so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen And by the third and last be secretly comforted and grow to a full resolution that nothing shall be able to separate you from the loue of your God but that you shall remaine firme and stable in his fauour for euermore Now for the other poynt as the Church is like to a mountaine so it is holy as the mountaine Zion was First for the Lords being in it who is holinesse it selfe for though he be in all the world yet hee is more especially in his Church then in any other place besides according to that in Psal 68.16 and 48.1.2 Secondly for the holy exercises of religion and the goodly works of Gods worship which are found therein for there is prayer singing of Psalmes reading and preaching of the word receiuing of the Sacraments and the like all which are workes of holinesse and purity Lastly for the sanctification of men and women which are therein for they are not prophane and licentious as in other places but they are sanctified made holy by the bloud of Christ the working of the Spirit Our of these things also gather some short notes as we go along Let the first of thē make you reioice be glad that you haue so good a God that though he be full of maiesty glory yet he is content to come home to your houses and to dwell in the chambers of your soules and there to quiet himselfe in your loue and to reioyce ouer you with ioy as Zephany doth speake in Zeph. 3.17 As Elizabeth said when the virgin Mary came to her Whence commeth this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me Luke 1.43 so may we say at the Lords comming to vs What a fauour and dignitie is this that the Lord of heauen and earth should thus come to vs Let the second of them stirre you vp to frequēt holy exercises and to throng to the house of praier and to such places where the Lord is rightly worshipped As the nations say in Mich. 4.2 Come and let vs go vp to the moūtain of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob so let vs say Come let vs go to the Church congregatiō of God to praier to the preaching of the word to other holy exercises of pure holy religion Let the third and last of them admonish you of that purity holinesse which ought to be in you that so you may neuer giue rest vnto your eies vntil you see your selues washed frō your sins by the bloud
and vnlesse it be pardoned by the sacrifice of his Sonne which was figured out by those sacrifices which were offered vnder the Law for the sinnes of ignorance it will damne them in hell for euermore and keepe them there in flames of fire that cannot be quenched as thou heardst in effect before Indeed in some cases ignorance doth excuse men in part from the greatnesse of the fault but not in whole from all the fault Secondly that though he shall be beaten with more stripes that knoweth the Lords will and doth it not yet the other which is ignorant of it shall be beaten with stripes and he also shall be cast into hell as well as the former howbeit his iudgement there shall not be altogether so seuere as his And wilt thou willingly be beaten with any stripes and go to that fearefull and euer-tormenting place Lastly that some ignorance doth increase a mans fault and make his iudgement to be the more cruell at the last to wit that ignorance which is wilfull and affected as when a man hath meanes to know the Lords will and yet doth refuse it of wilfulnesse or stubburnnesse euen because he will be ignorant still and not haue knowledge to controll him in his sinnes or to stand vp as a Iudge against him in the end of the world when the bookes of mens consciences shall be opened and euery one iudged according to the things which are written therein for this doth make him to be the more abhominable before the Lord and doth procure vnto him the heauier plagues to be executed vpon him I will shew this vnto thee by a familiar example taken euen from thy selfe Thou hast two seruants the one of them doth reuerently hearken vnto thee to vnderstand thy will and pleasure and he is content to learne it to the vttermost but yet he will do nothing accordingly the other doth so far scorne thee and thy worke that as he will do nothing for thee nor according to thy mind so he will not come into thy presence to heare what thou wilt say vnto him or standing before thee will giue no heede to thy words Which of these two I pray thee is the worse and the viler in thine eyes and which of them wilt thou beate most Is not the latter Yes I must needs confesse that wilt thou say for he doth commit a double fault he will neither heare nor do but the other doth commit but a single fault though he will do nothing yet he is content to heare So euen so must thou iudge of most ignorant persons who do liue now in our dayes For they cōmit a double sin in that they will neither learne the will of God nor do it wheras others cōmit but a single sin in that they only neglect it not do it And therefore I say they are most abhominable before the Lord and shall at the last be beaten of him with more stripes then others shall be Wherfore let this be no impedimēt to thee but rather a spur in thy side to prick thee forward to get knowledge and vnderstanding But what course shall I take maist thou say to attaine vnto it Thou must performe these things First thou must pray earnestly vnto the Lord to intreate him to disclose his minde vnto thee and so to circumcise thine eares and heart that thou maist vnderstand his will and see the wonders of his law For wisedome comes by prayer as Iames doth shew in chapter 1.5 saying If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him Secondly thou must regard the Ministery of the word most reuerently and frequent alwaies the holy exercises thereof watching daily as Salomon doth speake in Prouerbes 8.33 at the gates of Wisedome and giuing attendance at the postes of her doores For this is an excellent meanes to beget and to increase knowledge within vs as Paul doth well obserue in many places of his Epistles and namely in the fourth chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians as we our selues do find to be most true by our daily experience both in our selues and others Thirdly thou must meditate carefully with thy selfe both day and night in the law and word of thy God For as the infant doth grow from strength to strength to be able to go by it selfe by sucking and plucking his mothers breasts so doth the child of God grow from knowledge to knowledge by hanging continually vpon the two breasts of the Lords booke the old and new Testament Fourthly thou must conferre and talke considerately with men of GOd and with such as cary knowledge in their lippes and are able to discouer vnto thee the secrets of the Almighty For they shall make thee to vnderstand that which thou couldst neuer attaine vnto by thy selfe and cause thee to see those points after some cleare and euident manner which were before vnto thee as dark as a riddle it selfe as thou maist see by the example of Philip and the Eunuch spoken of in the eight chapter of the Acts of the Apostles Fiftly thou must teach others circumspectly that which thou thy selfe dost know already and rehearse the waies of the Lord euermore vnto them For by teaching another a man doth teach himselfe and ripen his owne knowledge and iudgement exceeding much as many by their owne practise haue found it to be most true to the great ioy and comfort of their soules Finally thou must abstaine most prouidently from all such things as will hinder thy knowledge and bring a spirituall darknesse vpon thee For as he that would haue a perfect sight to behold all things clearely must beware of euery thing which will blemish his eye so all those that would haue a good vnderstanding in the coūsels of the most High must take heed of all such matters as are a stop and impediment therevnto Now these are in number chiefly three The first is a lodging of the affections of the heart and the cogitations of the minde vpon this world for as outward darknesse groweth sometimes by two much gazing vpon bright and glistering things as in experience we finde by white snow white paper and the like so doth inward darkenesse grow also by fixing the minde too much vpon the glistering glory of this world the pompes and pleasures that shine in it Proofe hereof is that rich glutton that wealthy Barne-builder in the Gospell and that turne-coate Demas of whom Paul speaketh who all were blind you plainly see with gazing too much vpon this tempting world The second is a cōtinuing in euil a doing of things which are wicked naught For as outward darknesse groweth by long being in darkenesse as in a prison or elsewhere for by experience it is found so often so by long custome of walking liuing in the outward works of darkenes groweth a strong thicke inward darkenes in the heart of man or woman
large be shewed if it were needfull But let the Example of Abraham suffise who thinking that the feare of God was not in Gerar vtterly despaired of any other vertue and therefore moued his wife to say that she was his sister Gen. 20.11 In this respect the feare of God is both by Dauid in Psal 111.10 and also by Salomon in Pro. 1.7 called the beginning of wisedome that is the roote and fountaine of all goodnesse and therefore of the whole worship and seruice of God spoken of here in this place So that there is good cause why the Prophet should require of vs to serue the Lord with feare Where-hence let vs collect this doctrine Doct. that as we must serue the Lord so we must feare the Lord and stand in great awe and reuerence of him Thou shalt feare saith Moses to Israel in Deut. 6.13 the Lord thy God and serue him and shalt sweare by his name Esay doth require the same duty of his people in chapter 8.13 when he saith vnto them Sanctifie the Lord of hoasts and let him be your feare and let him be your dread But to passe other places marke what Salomon doth say of this in Eccles 12.13 Let vs heare saith he the end of all feare God and keepe his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man There are diuerse reasons to moue vs hereunto Reasons As first the greatnesse of his power and might aboue vs. Secondly his authority and iurisdiction which he hath ouer vs. Thirdly his goodnesse and mercy which he doth shew vnto vs. Fourthly his Maiestie and glory which doth shine and glister round about vs. Fifthly his puritie and holinesse that is in his eyes beholding vs. And lastly the great blessings which the feare it selfe being had will bring vnto vs. For all these things may iustly worke a feare in men Meane men we find by experience do feare great men those that are too mighty for them and they dare not in any case displease them Children feare their parents and such as haue a ruling tuition ouer them Workemen feare their maisters by whom they liue and are maintained and looke who are most bountifull and prodigall vnto them to them againe do they become most obseruant and obsequious as being afraid to offend them in any thing Simple persons feare great states such as excel in glory maiestie aboue thēfelues though other wise they owe no homage or subiection vnto them Loose liuers and wantons feare graue religious persons and such as are zealous for Gods glory earnest for the saluation of mans soule as being ashamed to powre out their euil words or to cōmit their wicked facts before them in their presence Lastly euery one by nature is forward to apply himselfe to those things which he doth know will bring great profit and benefit vnto himselfe as being desirous to be out of misery and to liue in happinesse and prosperity all the dayes of his life Now to apply this to God to our selues first he is of power and might we are no body vnto him in that respect he is able to pay vs home if we do displease him This reason our Sauiour doth vrge in Math. 10.28 when he wils his Apostles not to feare men who can kil but the body but to feare the Lord who is able to destroy both body and soule in hell Secondly he hath authority iurisdiction ouer vs we are his he hath made vs and he may do with vs what he will as the potter doth with his vessell or as the master doth with his seruant This reason the Lord himselfe doth presse in Malach. 1.6 saying A son honoreth his father and aseruant his maister If then I be a father where is mine honor if I be a master where is my feare saith the Lord of hosts vnto you ô Priests that despise my name Thirdly he is good and kind to vs his benefites which we do enioy from him are infinite we haue all that we haue from him euen our liues and all the rest This reason Dauid doth touch in Psal 130.4 when he saith vnto the Lord But mercy is with thee that thou mayest be feared Fourthly he is a God of infinite Maiesty and we are but poore simple creatures made of the dust and clay of the ground the heauen of heauens cannot containe him neither can the Angels themselues stand before him for his brightnesse vnlesse they couer their faces with two of their wings This reason doth Moses glance at in Exodus 20.20 when he shewes the end wherefore the Lord did publish his law in that glorious and maiesticall maner as he did in thunders lightnings and the like saying For God is come to proue you and that his feare may be before you that ye sinne not Fifthly he is holy and righteous his eyes are pure eyes and cannot abide to behold sinne and iniquity This reason is laid downe before the eyes of the Israelites oftentimes in the old Testament by the Spirit of God when he would draw them to the true feare and seruice of the Almighty from all such manners as were found among the Gentiles For then still his holinesse and puritie was enforced vpon them Finally the cōmodities which the feare of the Lord being once had wil bring vnto vs are exceeding large and great For first it will make vs holy and frameable vnto Gods will in auoiding those things which he hath condemned and in performing those things which he hath commanded The feare of the Lord saith Salomon in Prou. 8.13 is to hate euill as pride and arrogancie and the euill way Where he sheweth that in what measure any one feareth God in the same measure he doth loath and detest all euill yea not onely the open abhominable sinnes which the world doth condemne but the most secret and hidden For he saith not to hate euill as murther and adultery but pride arrogancy which lie in the heart and do not shew themselues to the world yet he that feareth God will hate them Secondly it wil make vs blessed and happy in all our wayes Blessed saith Dauid in Psal 128.1 is euery one that feareth the Lord and walketh in his wayes This reason the sweet Singer of Israel hath alleaged in Psal 34.9 when he saith Feare the Lord ye his Saints for nothing wanteth in them that feare him nothing he meanes which is good and wholesome for them as he speakes elsewhere saying The Lord will giue grace and glorie and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walke vprightly Psal 84.17 So that the feare of the Lord brings with it alwayes a plentie of all good things comes laden with the blessings of God whersoeuer it comes For all these causes now rehearsed should we feare the Lord and in reuerence endeuor to please him The vse that we must make of this Vse is first to condemne those that haue not the true feare of the Lord