present all other thing necessary for man doe accompany it and follow Our Lord and God therefore who is the onely giuer of wise and perfect counsell doth briefely and shortly knit all these things together in the Gospell and his holy word First Seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all other things shall be administred vnto you Mat. 6. Therefore our Lord Iesus said thus to his Disciples Luk. 10. Blessed are your eyes which see the things that you see for I say vnto you that many Kings and Prophets haue desired to see the things which you see and haue not seene them and to heare the things which you heare and haue not heard them Againe Luk. 11. Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it And this one thing aboue all other things is most necessary Mary hath chosen the better part which shall not be taken from her I dare therefore confidently affirme out of the word of God that those Kings shall flourish and inioy a happy estate which doe wholy giue and submit themselues and their kingdomes vnto Iesus Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords acknowledging him to be the most mighty Prince and greatest Monarch of all and themselues to be his seruants and subiects in all their affaires and businesses not following their owne minde and iudgements nor the traditions and lawes of men contrary to the statutes of God nor good intentions hauing no good warrant out of the word of God but in all things submitting themselues vnto Christ the king of the Church and endeuouring to subdue all their people to the lawes of this king and so doing they their people and their kingdomes shall flourish For so the Lord himselfe hath spoken Deut. 17.18 When the King shall sit in the throne of his kingdome and shall set before him the example of this Law in this booke let it be with him and let him reade in it all the dayes of his life Vers 20. And let him not depart from this commandement either to the right hand or to the left that he may prolong his dayes in his kingdome he and his sonnes in the middest of Israel So likewise Deut. 28. from vers 1. vnto the sixt Againe Let not this booke of the Law depart out of thy mouth but meditate in it day and night that thou mayst carefully doe as it is written therein then shalt thou prosper in thy waies and all shall goe well with thee Iosu 1.8 Whereby it appeareth that the felicitie and prosperitie of Kings Princes People and kingdomes doe depend vpon the word of God and haue promises of blessings both in this life and in the life to come And now we will proue it by examples Saul the first King of Israel was so long happy and a conquerour of his enemies as he obeyed the word of God but when he yeelded to his good intentions contrary to Gods word and commandement Samuel said vnto him Thou hast plaid the foole thou hast forsaken the word of the Lord and the Lord hath forsaken thee that thou shouldest not be King of Israel 1 Sam. 15.26 Now how great the misery of Saul was afterward the storie doth euidently declare Dauid succeeded him next in the Kingdome who was most happy in his kingdome But how greatly he esteemed the word of God it may appeare in the booke of the Psalmes especially in the 119. Psalme for from his priuate euils from his euill actions committed against the word of God and from the vnnaturall insurrection of his Son Absolon against him he had learned how great a sinne and how pernicious an euill it was to decline from the word of God Salomon the Sonne of Dauid the most wise and most excellent King of all the world did so long inioy prosperitie and was commended of the Lord as he did reuerently obey the word of God but when he once began to reiect the word of God the Lord by and by said vnto him Because this was in thy heart that thou hast not kept my couenant and my statutes which I haue commanded thee I will rent thy Kingdome from thee and giue it to thy Seruant 1 King 11.11 And this presently came to passe after the death of Salomon The kingdome was rent into two parts ten Tribes followed Ieroboam the Seruant of Salomon and two Tribes onely cleaued to Roboam the Sonne of Salomon who for the contempt of Gods word and following strangers was ouerwhelmed with many euils 2 Chron. 12.5 Therefore Shemaiaeh the Prophet said vnto Roboam and to the Princes of Iudah Thus saith the Lord You haue forsaken me therefore I doe also forsake you leauing you to the hands of Shishacke Likewise Abia the Sonne of Roboam ouercame the armie of Israel though more in number and greater in strength because he trusted in the word of the Lord. 2 Chro. 13.15 So Asa prospered in peace and tranquility forty yeares because he suppressed Idolatry and superstition and restored the sincere religion of God 2 Chro. 14. So Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 17. This is also diligently noted in the liues of the rest of the Kings as in Ioram in Ochosia 4 King 9. In Ioas 2 Chro. 23.24 In Amasia 2 Chro. 25. In Osia 2 Chro. 26. In Iothan 2 Chro. 27. In Achaz ibidem In Ezechiah In Manasses and the rest vntill the carying away into captiuitie both of the house of Israel and of Iuda for so long did they flourish and prosper as they did cleaue to the word of the Lord but when they contemned and forsooke the word of the Lord they fell into great misery and ruine Therefore hence we may collect that the ground foundation and continuance of all happinesse peace and prosperitie of Kings and Kingdomes doth consist in the word of God and the obedience thereunto and on the other side the ruine and confusion of Kings and Kingdomes is in the contempt and forsaking of the word of God And why so because the Lord saith They that honour me I will honour but they that despise me I will despise 1 Sam. 2.30 But leauing these examples which doe abundantly confirme this truth Let vs consider of some moderne and late examples whereof we haue beene eye-witnesses How did God blesse our late noble Queene Elizabeth that againe he might seale the truth of this doctrine to all the world Blessed is that Prince whose God is the Lord. Psal 144.15 How plentifully did God blesse her and her people aboue all Kings and Nations with peace and plenty according to the Prayer in the Psalme for Ierusalem Psal 122. For she and we her people did inioy such peace and such plenty as our forefathers neuer knew nor Chronicles doe record to haue beene in the time of our auncestours in times past Our Land did yeelde abundance of all things which grew at home and forraigne Nations did minister plenty of other commodities growing abroad So that
vs take heede that our Halcion-dayes doe not deceiue vs neither let vs thinke that we are priuiledged aboue others Rom. 11.21 For if God spared not the naturall branches when they did not repent will he spare vs that were wilde Oliues The Iewes in the time of Ieremiah who dwelled in Ierusalem liued in great securitie as we doe neither regarding Gods mercies nor fearing his iudgements therefore the Lord sent Ieremiah with this message vnto them Behold I begin to plague the Citie where my name is called vpon Ier. 25.29 and should you goe free yee shall not goe quite for I will call for a sword vpon all the inhabitants of the earth Euen so this example of Ierusalem yea and all the examples before mentioned doe preach vnto vs to turne vnto God not flattering our selues that we are better then they nay I feare that our sinnes are growne so great that we haue iustified Ierusalem yea Sodome and Gomorrha in their sinnes and therefore I say from the mouth of Christ vnto you except ye repent ye shall likewise perish Luke 13. Now out of this generall let vs obserue these particulars First that it is Gods great mercy without mans desert to admonish and warne sinners of their future punishments if they refuse his grace offered he hath mercie on whom he will When God then doth warne a Nation a Countrie a People or Citie he declareth his great mercie That he would not the death of a Sinner but rather that he should turne and liue This mercie of God should leade vs to repentance it should breake our stonie hearts and soften the hardnesse of them when God spreadeth out his hands vnto vs and offereth to gather vs together as a Henne doth her Chickens that wee perish not with the wicked Secondly all the Admonitions in the Scriptures are written for vs to warne vs to preuent the wrath of God and to escape the punishments of the wicked Therefore when either we reade or heare how God destroyed a Nation a People a Country yea or some particular person â—o despising his grace and reiecting his admonition let vs presently apply it vnto our selues in this manner I reade or I heare how Ierusalem and other Cities were destroyed for refusing the grace of God offered vnto them I heare how such men were seuerely punished when they would not be warned If I doe not make vse of this the same punishment will fall vpon me therefore I will pray vnto God to grant me his grace that I may take these warnings and speedily turne to God that the fall of others may be my rising Thirdly these Admonitions will leaue vs without excuse For what can we plead for our selues when so many examples and admonitions haue beene remembred vnto vs He that is once warned is halfe armed therefore there remaineth no excuse for vs if we despise these admonitions but a fearefull expectation of the iust iudgement of God Lastly these Examples and Admonitions in the Scriptures will be so many witnesses against vs and will rise vp in iudgement to condemne vs It shall be easier for Ierusalem Tire and Sidon and for Sodome and Gamorha in the day of Iudgement then for vs. God Almightie giue vs grace to make a good vse of these things Now I come to the words in particuler as they lie in order And when he was come neere vnto the Citie OVr Lord Iesus accompanied with his Disciples and much people reioycing with great triumph approacheth to Ierusalem And when he was come neere vnto the Citie he beheld it and wept for it He commeth to Ierusalem to an ingratefull and a rebellious Citie from which he had iust cause to depart for she neither would receiue his Doctrine nor beleeue his miracles His Doctrine she challenged not to be of God his miracles she ascribed to Sathan Math. 12. to Belzabub the chiefe of the Diuels his person she contemned is not this the Carpenters Sonne art thou not a Samaritan Math. 13. Yet our Lord Iesus passing by all these indignities commeth vnto her and leaueth nothing vnattempted to saue her as he himselfe by his owne words testified O Ierusalem Math. 23.37 Ierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent vnto thee how often would I haue gathered thee together as a Henne doth hir Chickens and thou wouldest not Behold here the loue of our Lord Iesus to an vnfaithfull and a rebellious people This example of Christ doth teach all his Ministers yea and all Christians to open their bowels of mercie euen towards the obstinate not rashly to forsake them and depart from them and to giue them ouer but rather to labour to winne them vnto Christ and to omit no time to spare no labour to effect it and to bring it to passe So did Noah labour with the old world Lot with the Sodomites Moses with Pharaoh and the Aegyptians Samuel with Saul the Prophets with the Israelites Paul with the Iewes But it may be obiected that it is in vaine and but labour lost to cast pearles before Swine Math. 6. and to giue that which is holy vnto Dogges I answer we ought not so to thinke by and by of such as are obstinate and ingratefull of such as are froward and stubborne for God can suddenly change them Paul was a Persecutor a Blasphemer 1 Tim. 1.13 and an oppressour but God tooke mercie vpon him Mathew and Zacheus were Publicans and Sinners when our Lord Iesus called them Therefore let vs doe our diligence and commit the successe vnto God If they continue in their disobedience they are without excuse and their condemnation is the more iust He that refuseth light is worthy to continue in darkenesse he that reiecteth grace deserueth to abide the sensure of Iustice If we with our admonitions and exhortations reclaime and winne them we saue so many soules from death Iames 5.19.20 and couer a multitude of sinnes and wee our selues shall in the day of the resurrection shine as the Starres in the firmament Dan. 12.3 He beheld the Citie AS our Sauiour Christ approached neere vnto Ierusalem so he beheld it he looked vpon it and reuoluing in his minde her blockishnesse and ingratitude neither seeing nor acknowledging Gods mercies nor yet fearing his iudgements he burst forth into weeping Now we may consider his kindnesse and loue towards Ierusalem that he looketh on her that he beheld her from whom he had iust cause to turne away his eyes yet he beholdeth her he doth not auert his face from her as men turne their eyes from their enemies Luk. 10.33 But he is that good Samaritan who seeing the wounded man is moued with great commiseration and compassion towards him pittying his distressed case and indeauouring to relieue it The vse This example is our instruction teaching vs to behold obstinate sinners to looke vpon them pittying their miserable estate which they themselues see not When therefore
whatsoeuer from the East to the West whatsoeuer was vnder heauen was brought home vnto vs whereby our Land hath beene greatly inriched The peace of our Country is meruailous in so long and continuall troubles of our neighbour Countries round about vs and in so many consultations and deuises of the Church of Rome for the disturbance of our peace and the ruine of our Countrie Moreouer God did giue vnto her Maiestie such honour and renowne that she sat as a Iudge and an honourable Arbitratour in the causes and controuersies of the mightiest Monarches and Potentates of Europe and of all her Neighbours Now what was the cause of so great peace of so great treasure and of so great honour Verily the Word of God which her highnesse receiued embraced and promoted to the vttermost of her power Now after all these though the Papists deuised and plotted her death and many were suborned and hired by the Pope a man of sinne a maintainer of rebellion and murther wherein he sheweth of what spirit he is yet God brought her to the graue in peace by naturall death full of dayes And after her God hath giuen vnto vs a wise gracious and Religious King our King Iames whom God brought into the Land so peaceably to the astonishment of forraigne Nations and to the great admiration of vs all and he to the great comfort of all Christians loueth the Gospell and word of GOD maintaineth it to his vttermost power and commendeth the true worship of God to all his people And how hath God protected him both in Scotland and here in England against the wicked Papists who with bloudy and murthering hearts deuised such a diuellish and inhumane stratagem to ouerthrow him and his issue and to destroy the flourishing state of England so that if God had not beene on our side both his Maiestie his royall and hopefull progeny and all we that loue the Gospell had beene swallowed vp and made a prey to their teeth Happy therefore we if we know our happinesse blessed are we if we know the things that concerne our peace But now they are hid from thy eyes OVr Lord Iesus first sent his Prophets to Ierusalem at length he came in his owne person for Ierusalem killed and stoned his Prophets therefore he commeth and in the middest of Ierusalem Math. 23. among all the people he doth many miracles which the Prophets foretold should be wrought by the Messias when he came he preacheth the Gospell to them wherewith hee laboured to gather them together as a Henne doth her Chickens and wherein her happinesse consisted Math. 23. as we haue heard yet all these things were hidden from the eyes of Ierusalem as our Sauiour Iesus Christ here saith This is not spoken to extenuate or lessen the fault of Ierusalem but rather in reproach her wonderfull blockishnesse is noted that she did not see God present For how could Ierusalem be ignorant of Gods will which daily had the promises of saluation in her mouth and to whom the Law was often repeated Could the Iewes be ignorant of Christ who was many yeeres conuersant among them shewing forth his sauing power not onely in teaching but in working many wonderfull workes and miracles among them Therefore our Lord Iesus in these words doth note their blockishnes and wilfull blindnesse wherewith being hindred they could not see God offering himselfe vnto them nor yet obserue his mercy nor manifest arguments of his wrath Christ therefore here doth teach that the Citizens of Ierusalem were authors of their owne destruction as also healeth a scandall which rose from their voluntary and wilfull ignorance For without doubt many were detained and kept backe by the example of Ierusalem from embracing Christ and receiuing his Gospell which they saw were reiected of them who bare the chiefe estimation of doctrine and wisedome He therefore doth admonish that their incredulity and contumacy should not offend any who being wilfully blinded with their owne pride and blockishnesse did draw vpon themselues Gods wrath and their owne destruction Let vs now apply this vnto our selues and diligently consider whether it be not our case Our Lord Iesus by the preaching of his Gospell hath manifested vnto vs his loue hath reuealed vnto vs his kindnesse hath with his Gospell giuen vnto vs a long peace and innumerable blessings but men are so besotted with the vanities of the world and so blinded with the pleasures of this life that they winke with their eyes that they cannot see and stop their eares like the deafe Adder that they cannot heare the sweet voyce of Christ calling and alluring them For it cannot be but men maliciously blinde themselues seeing the grace of God that bringeth saluation to all men hath appeared teaching men to deny vngodlinesse and worldy lusts 〈◊〉 to liue soberly iustly and godly in this present world Tit. 2.11 Tit. 2.11 Therefore if men now are blinde Deu. 30.11 Rom. 10.6.7.8 if they be ignorant of so great fauours of God whereof we haue beene eye-witnesses and haue tasted of the good word of God there is no excuse to be pretended But we may say to them as Paul said to the Corinthians If 〈◊〉 Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the Image of God should not shine vnto them 2 Cor. 4.3.4 This is a great iudgement wherewith God doth punish the wicked contemners of his word when the eyes of their minde are blinded that they see not God present not taste his mercies nor feare the punishments that are imminent and neere at hand The Scriptures teacheth vs that no ignorance is excusable for he that knoweth not his Maisters will Luk. 12.48 shall be beaten though with few stripes because ignorance is not of creation but of deprauation and corruption of nature But he that knoweth his Maisters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes because he cannot excuse himselfe therefore wilfull ignorance voluntary blindnesse is inexcusable and shall be the more seuerely punished Here then that grose errour of the Papists is conuinced who affirme without wit or blushing that ignorance is the mother of deuotion Math. 22.29 but it may better be called the mother of errour and destruction because it leadeth men to perdition and eternall punishments for if eternall life consist in the knowledge of God and of Iesus Christ Ioh. 17.3 then eternall death abideth them which know not God nor his sonne Iesus Christ If the wise man ought not to glory in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches but should glory that he knoweth and vnderstandeth the Lord to exercise mercy righteousnesse and iudgement Ier. 9.23.24 Then whosoeuer is ignorant of God and his will and knowes not Christ the Sonne of God should lament and be sorry that these things are hid from his eyes