many others Surely these Lands have as much matter to blesse the Lord as ever a people if we had hearts to be about the duty aright After that Athaliah 2. King 11. had cut off the Royall seed and usurped the Crowne of Judah for the space of seven years one onely young child upon the breasts of the Nurse having thorow the mercy of God escaped the fury of that Bloodie Usurper When at length by the means of Jehojada the High Priest Joas is Crowned and the usurpng Queen received the deserved stroak of justice it s said v. 14. The whole Land rejoyced and Blew with Trumpets How much more have these Lands cause to rejoyce in the Lord who after such a barbarous and unparalleled Regicide after such a labyrinth and maze of confusions which within these few dayes to humane reason appeared inextricable who I say after all this is settling the government of the Nations upon the ancient foundations and hath reduced our Native and Gracious SOVERAIGN to sit upon the Throne of his ANCESTORS IT is promised as a great mercy Jer. 30. 21. Their Nobles shall be of theÌ„selves their Governours shall proceed from the midst of them IT S a mercy to have a native Prince to rule over a people and not strangers They have not naturall affiction who do not with it and rejoyce in it Were not the fundamentals of Christianity strucken at in time of these late Confusions and a standing Ministry together with Gospel Ordinances like to be overturned And is it not a mercy so to have the Civill Government settled as all interests both sacred and civill may be secured Who then can deny but there is matter of rejoycing in the Lord if we had hearts to do it Christianly But we have cause to be jealous of our owne hearts lest the Lord be provoked by our carnall deportment on such a day It s my earnest exhortation to you in the name of the LORD I have also warrant to speak it in Our SOVERAIGNS name from his MAJESTIES Late Declaration that ye neither offend GOD nor dishonour your SOVERAIGN by debauching your selves to day Dear People be afraid to draw on wrath to day on the Lands or on your SOVERAIGN there is such a near relation betwixt Prince and People that the one smarts often for the others sin As the Apostle sayes Eph. 4. 26. Be angry but sin not So I today Rejoyce but sin not Let forth your hearts as much in rejoycing as you can providing yee guard against sin As there is no small difficultie so to be angry as not to go beyond bounds so I beleeve it hath its owne difficultie to get the heart rightly ordered in such dayes of rejoycing that we be not carnâ—ll but holy spirituall in the performance of the duty Wherefore That your hearts may be the better ballasted in Praising Rejoycing I desire you to joyne with it that other necessary duty of Praying ReasoÌ„s why earnest pray er should be joyned with our praises There be many Considerations to move us to be much in holding up the condition of our Gracious SOVERAIGN before the Lord by prayer This is 1. A duty laid upon all subjects by the Apostle I. Tim. 2. 1. 2. I exhort that Supplications Prayers Intercessions and Giving of Thanks be made for all men and particularly for Kings for all that are in authority Ancient Christians were much in this duty even under Heathen Princes as wiâ—nesseth Tertull. Apol cap. 39 Oramus pro Imperatoribus pro Ministris corum potestatibus pro statu saeculi pro rerum quietâ— pro mora finis On this lait clause pro mora finis Tertull. himself coÌ„menteth cap 32. as is well observed by Pameliuâ— Dum saieth TERTULL clausulam saeculs precamâ—r differri Romanae diuturnitati favemus Were they so eatnest for the continuance of the Roman Empyre how much more ought we to plead with God for the perpetuity of the Brittish Empyre in his MAJESTIES Royall line 2. A spirit of Government is a speciall blessing from God Therefore we ought to be much in praying for it SOLOMON was a very hopfull Prince to whom many Promises wâ—re entailed Yet O so earnest as DAVID is in prayer for a spirit of Government to him Psal 72. 1. Give the King thy judgements O God and thy righteousnesse to the Kings son 3. No men are compassed with greater temptations then Princes and Great Ones And therefore They have the more neede of Remembrancers before the Thron of God 4. Who can be such Instruments of publick good as zealous godly Princes And therefore wee ought to be much in prayer for them And the rather 5. Seing the Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water Hee turneth it whethersoever hee will prov 21. 1. A beleeving Supplicant can have more influence on the heart of a Prince though many hundreth myles from Courâ— then Courtiers who are daylie admitted to his Presence When that wicked Haman was suggesting bad counsell to that great King Asuerus against the people of God Mordeeai's prayers defeated all Haman's contrivments they influenced Ahasuerus more then Haman's Court-sollicitations Beleeving supplicants have power with God Isai 45. 11. Ask of me of things concerning my sons concerning the works of my hands command ye me Blessed be God he who heares Prayer hath hearts of Princes in his hand 6. O what an unvaluable mercy is it when Prince and People concurre harmoniously each in there own sphere to maintaine and promove the publick interests of Iesus Christ in the Nations O how sweet is it when a Prince rules not only over the bodies but also in the hearts of subjects Divines observe Rob. Abboâ— lib. de suprema potestate Regia Praelect 3. §. 2. Animae vocabulo requirere videtur Aposâ—olus ut non corporie tantuns obsequium sed animae queque voluntatem et affectum Principibus accommodemus upon that word Rom. 13. 1. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers that subjects obedience to their Prince should be affectionat and cordiall from the Heart and Soule Ought we not then be much at the Throne of grace That the Lord would blesse Britaine Ireland with these rich mercies that thoughts of disloyaltie may be had in everlasting abhorrency by all his Majesties subjects Lastlie Hath not the Lord been pleading a very bitter and long Controversie with these Lands that in the view of the Nations round about have we not then cause to plead with MOSES Psal 90. 〈◊〉 15. 16. 17. That the LORD would make us glad according to the dayes wherein he hath afflicted us and the years wherein wee have seen evill That the Lord would make his WORK appeare unto his Servants his GLORY unto their children that the BEAUTIE OF THE LORD OUR GOD may be upon us that as Isaiah Prophecieth cap. 60. 18. Violence may no more be heard in our Land nor wasting or destruction within our borders but our walls may be called SALVATION our gates PRAISE For these things the Lord will bee enquired by us to do them for us Ezekiel 36. 37. O that a spirit of Prayer Praise wer poured out on hearts to day Onely let me againe obtest you in the Name of the Lord Jesus to beware of ranting debauching and of what ever may indispose you to these two great duties of the day Prayer Praise I close all with that word of Benajah concerning King SOLOMON A Gratulatory Conclusion I. King 1. 36. 37. After that Adoâ—ijah had taken the Throne by usurpation Bathsheba and Nathan came unto David who lay a dying regrating the matter Whereupon David commanded Nathan Zadok to anoint King SOLOMON for said he SolomoÌ„ shall sit on my throne him have I appointed to be Râ—ler over Israel and Iudah Then said Benajah the son of Iehojada Amen The Lord God of My Lord the King say sâ— too As the Lord hath been with my Lord the King so be he with SOLOMON make his Throne greater then the Throne of my Lord King David So say I. As the Lord was with King David so bee hee with our Gracious SOVERAIGN The Lord make the Throne of KING CHARLES THE SECOND greater then the Throne of either David or Solomon greater then ever was the Throne of King CHARLES the I. or King JAMES the VI. then ever was the Throne of any Scotish English or British king Let him be CAROLO MAGNO major greater theÌ„ CHARLES the great Now to Him who is able to do aboundantly above all that we can think To the King Eternall Immortall Invisible the onely Wise GOD be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen Grata DEO ac REGI nullique libentius unquam Responsura sono Britonum Gens accinat Amen Et Reboaturis geminetur vocibus AMEN T. G. V. S.
pleasure to rake this dunghill could easily fill a volume with such stuffe from their writtings which Cardinall Bellarm. delyvers lib 5. de Romano Pontifice cap. 7. Rat. 3. Non licere Christianis tolerare Regem haereticum si is conetur subditos in suam haeresin pertrahere That it s not lawfull for subjects to tolerat an Hereticall King if he labour to draw his subjects to his heresie It not this to blew a Trumpet for rebellion because of these and such like Popish principles our gravest Divines among the rest learned Davenant in his book intituled Determinationes quarundam Quaestionum Theologicarum quaest 17â— have most deservedly concluded â—esuiticos Pontificios non posse esse bonos subditos That Iesuited Papists can never be good subjects and worthy Master Baxter in his Key for Catholicks part 1. cap. 48. spares not to say That Kings are not Kings where the Pope is folly Pope What neede we more It not Our Most Seren PRINCE of glorious memory K. Iames the VI. a Witnesse beyond exception Who in his Royall Apologiâ— for the oath of Allegeance pagg. 279. and 280. inter opera Regia after a recitall of twelve of Bellarmin's positions destructive to Royaltie such as That O impudeÌ„t and prodigious tenets Kings are rather servants then Lords that they are subject not onely to Popes but also to Bishops Presbyters yea to Deacons That Emperours must not take it ill to drink not only after the Bishop but also after the Presbyter That Ecclesiastick persoâ—s are as far above Princes as the soul in dignity is beyond the body That the function and authority of Kings is not immediatly of God or of Divine right That Kings may be deposed by their subjects That Popes have deposed Emperours but never did an Emperour depose a Pope c. Who I say after a large recitall of these and other of the Iesuits pernicious tenets most judiciously concludeth Non magis opponi Christum Beliali aut lucem tenebris aut Coelum Inferno quam Roberti Bellarmini de Regibus opinio Divinis Oraculis adversatur That is That the Devill is no more opposite to Christ nor light to darknesse nor hell to Heaven then the Iesuite Bellarmine's opinion of Kings is repugnant to the divine Oracles of holy Scripture But Alas What shall I say Is it not to be lamented if it were possible with tears of bloud That so much advantage should have been given to the Iesuited party for recrimination to retort a charge of disloyalâ—â—â—â— A GRATULATORY SERMON for His Majesties safe ARRIVALL and happy restitution to the Exercise of His Royall Governmentâ— PSAL. LXXI Vers 20. Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles shalt quicken me again and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth Vers 21. Thou shalt increase my greatnesse and comfort me â—n every side Vers 22. I will also praise thee with the psaltery even thy truth O my GOD unto thee will I sing with the harp O thâ—â— Holy One of Israel IN the words read leaving to preface upon the The text divided Psalme in generall we have these three things First A Great and a gracious King David the Royall Psalmist and sweet finger of Israel expressing his sense of the deep troubles under which heâ— had groaned Thou hast shewed me great and sâ—re troubles II. The same David from a well grounded perswasion of faith promiâ—ing to himself from the Lord as signall mercies for the future as his former afflictions had been bitter Thou shalt quicken me again and bring me up again from the depths of the earth Thou shalt increase my greatnes and comfort me on every side Wee have him III. as one who well knew how to improve both rods and deliverances solemnly engaging to be forthcoming for the Lords praise I will The first branch subdivided also praise thee with the Psalteriâ— even thy truth O my GOD. c. I returne intending by a few short hints to passe through the words In the first branch David holds out 1. The principall Author of all his sad exercises not Saul not Doeg not Absolom in time of whose unnaturall conspiracy this psalme is thought to have been penned But Thou O Lord sayes he Thou O holie Angustias multas et malas Tremell Magnas malas Pagnin et Mont. One of Israel 2. He gives a touch of the bitternesse of his exercises he cals them great and sore troubles that is depth distresses But 3. wâ—e have faiâ—hs undervaluing prospect of all these evils Sense had called them great sore troubles but faith in a manner correcting sense sayes Thou hast suèâ—â—ed me great sore troubles fecisti ut experirer Iun. et Tremell But they acknowledge according to the hebrew its Fecisti ut viderem hence Pagnin Ostendisti Thou hast made me to see or shewed me as if David had said albeit sense do aggravate my afflictions as great sore troubles yet faith gives me another estimat of them It s but a transient view shew of trouble which I have had Thou who hast shewed me great sore trouble The words of this branch are so plain that they need not further explication then what hath been insinuated in the division Therefore I proceed to some doctrines Doct. 1 Doct. 1. Great ones and good ones may be exercised with great and sore troubles David was both a great Prince and a good man yet was he exercised with great and sore troubles Ye will finde the truth of this if ye reade the History of Saâ—ls persecution and of Absolems usurpation iâ— the books of Samuell Was not Joseph an eminent Worthy yet was he also exercised with great and sore troubles The archers sorely grieved him shot at him and wounded him GEN. 49. 23. He was thrown into a pit sold to Ishmaelits after cast into a dungeon and laid in the irons in a strange Land But what speak I of David or of Joseph Was there ever so great an One as our LORD CHRIST the Son of the Highest or so good an One The holy and just One. Yet behold and seeâ— if ever there was any sorrow like to His sorrow The 1. reason of the Doctrine A first reason of the point may be this Great and haynous â—ins bring on great and sore afflictions I never knew any rationall creature afflicted but were sinners either formally or by imputation I add this caution because of Our Lord Jesus who never knew sin II. Cor. 5. 21. as to His own Person He was conscious to himself of no wickednesse nor ever was guile found in his mouth I. Pet. 2. 22. yet one spared not to say I pray mistake not the word that He was the greatest of sinners namely by imputation because all the sins of the Elect were imputed to Him and charged on Him Isai 53. 6. He laid on him the iniquities of us all Dominus fecit occurrere in â—um ARR. MONT. he
House said he hath eaten me up O what zeale witnessed he in dancing before the Ark when he brought it up to mount Zion II. Sam. 6. 14. 15. and II. Sam. 7. What said he shall I dwell in Cedar and the Ark of God abide in Courtains And thereupon resolveth to build a Temple to the Lord. Rich preparations made he for the Work as may be seen I. Chron. chapters 28. 29. Yea would also have accomplished it if the Lord had not stopt him and told him by the mouth of Nathan That he would have the Hieron in Titum c. 1. Episcopinoverint se coÌ„suetudine magis quam dispositionis dominica veritate Presbiteris esse majores Temple built by a Solomon The Lord was so well pleased with Davids purpose That II. Sam. 7. 11. and 16. he promises to build David an house and to establish his Throne for ever The Lord honours those who honour him I. Sam. 2. 30. The surest way Princes can take for establishment of their Throns is to be zealous for and tender of the Interests of JESUS CHRIST his Truth his Ordinances his Servants and People Wee have therefore to day earnestly to pray That OUR GRACIOUS SOVERAIGN may be a zealous Defender of the Protestant CAUSE and Ordinances of Christ in their purity That Prelacy superstition Ordinances which at not of Divine institution may not creep in into the Worship of GOD within our Church Whittak ad rationeâ—â— 10. Campiani Si preces pro mortuis damnare Episcopo presbiterum aequare sit hareticum nihil Catholicum esse potest Cum AERIO Hieronymê° de presbiteris omnino senfit illos cuim jure divine Episcopis aquales esse statuit Yet am I not of the judgement That Princes rights to their Crownes depends upon their erthodoxie in judgement I cordially subscrive to the pure Primitive Loyalitie of ancient Christians See Confess of Faith c. 23 art 4. who retained their allegiance under Heathen Arrian Emperours under Infidell Heretick Princes aswell as under these who wer sound orthodox in their judgements for as AUGUST said Qui regnare dedit CONSTANTINO Christians ipse dedit Apostatae IVLIANO Hee who gave the Imperiall Crowne to CONSTANTINE a Christian gave it also to IVLIAN the Apostate But blessed be the Lord we have not an Heathen Prince wee have not an Arrian Prince we have not a Popish Prince but a PRINCE Who hath constantly adhered to the Protestant Religion in the furnace of affliction notwithstanding Defensor almae qui fidei clues Vnius idem tu fidei Dei Vnius uniusque Christi Semper erâ—â— es eriâ— professor O perge pergens tu perages manu Forti secundis usque laboribus Rem Christianam promovere Romuleo gravis Antichristo Decachordon concinens liberationem Britannicam Autore T. G. he was compassed with as many temptations as ever any Prince was assaulted with We have a PRINCE Who by his Royall Authority hath confirmed to us the Protestant Religion in its purity without the mixture of these humane inventions This is a Mercy for which we ar to magnifie the Lord to day that we have such a PRINCE under whom wee may enjoy the Ordinances of Christ in their Purity And though it were otherwise which God forbid yet Loyalty is still our duty as subjects But let us be earnest with the Lord by prayer That our GRACIOVS SOVERAIGN may be kept in the way of truth that he may be a zealous Defender thereof and of the Ordinances of IESUS CHRIST in their purity according to their first Institution This will make Him an Eminent BLESSING to his people and his people truely blest in him and will give strong ground of confidence of fulfilling the Promise in my Text That God will increase his greatnesse and comfort him on every side I come to the third and last branch of the Text in vers 22. Wherein David solemnly engages to bee forthcoming to the The third branch of the Text. Lords praise I also will praise thee c. Yee have heard David expressing his sense of his afflictions yee heard how his Faith hope did prophecie of an Out-gatâ— Now yee have Davids heart enflamed with love to God upon the confidence of this hoped for deliverance engaging to tune up a Song of praise yea antidating a song of Thanks-giving The words are exceeding sweet but time will not permit me to insist on them I intend onely after I have runne thorow them by a few explicatory hints to propose one doctrine from them There are five observable words in the vers Which we would Five observable words in it notice THE FIRST I will also praise thee as if he had said I have prayed and poured out my soul by supplication before thee And Faith hath brought me in a gracious returne of Prayer That there shall be a comfortable Out-gat therfore I ALSO will praise thee Prayer is a very fruitfufull duty It s the womb if I may so speak wherein the Praises of God are conceived Would yee have your Praises accepted to day let them not be disjoyned from Prayer It s sweet when these two Prayer and Praise go together I ALSO will praise thee The second word is Even thy truth that is Thy true and faithfull Promise O so precious as Promises are to them who improve them and especially to those who by a beleeving improvement find them made good Such will magnifie promises indeed even thy truth But then thirdly O my GOD It s sweet when faith in a dark houre can plead its interest in God David was under great and sore trouble yet Faith pleads its interest Hee is my God I will not say but faith in an houre of temptation may be sore shaken Saves not David himself Psal 31. 22. I said in my haste I am cutt off and I. Sam. 27. 1. I shall now perish one day by the hand of SAUL But these wer onely swooning fits of faith his faith recovered strength again The fourth word is I will praise thee with the Psaltery I will sing praise to thee with the harp IT was the custome of old in the Jewish Church to make use of these and other Musicall Instruments in the Worship of God as appears almost everie-where in this book of the Psalmes Of the forme of these Instruments see Ioseph lib. 7. Antiq. IUD cap. 10. POLYD VERGIL de inventoribus rerum lib. 1. cap. 15. HOSPIN de Temlis lib. 2. cap. 23. English annot on I. Chron. 13. 8. Also the epist to Dardanus de Musicis instrumentis among Hieroms works and from I. Chron. 13. 8. Though Procopius Gazaeus cited by HOSPINIAN de templis lib. 2. cap. 23. spares not to say Cultum hunc non a Deo traditum sed a Davide excogitatum fuisse That this Worship was an humane invention of Davids not a Divine Institution Too bold an affertion and very reflexive upon so holy a Prophet as wâ—a
let him sing songs But no where doeth Christ or his Apostles in the Gospell commend Organicall Musick Ancient Christians abounded in vocall praises as witnesseth Tertull Apologet. cap. 2. 39. Hierom. in his epist 4. to Rusticus In epist 17. to Hierom. in Epist 17. under the names of Paula and Eustochium to Marcella In Christi villula tota rusticitas et extra Psalmos silentium est quocunque te verteris arator stivam teneus Allelujah decantâ—â— Sudaâ—s messor psalmis so avocat et curva attendens vitem faloe vinitor aliquid Davidicum canit Heo sunt in hac Provincia carmina he ut vulgo dicitur amatoriâ— cantiones hic pastorum sibilus Much singing here but no word of Organ Harp or Psaltery Marcella August in his Confessions lib. 9. cap. 6. et 7. lib. 10. cap. 33. When Plinse the Second was giving an account to the Emperour Trajan of the exercises of Christians he tells they had Ante-lucanos coetus ad canendum Christo et Dee They did meet betymes in the morning preventing the rising of the Sun to sing praises to the Lord and to his Christ But no where find we them making use of Organicall Musick in the Church and Worship of God See Hospinian U. S. Para ' in I. Cor. 14. 7. Gualier I. cor 14. 7. 8. From all this it appears That our soundest Divines have traced the footsteps of Christ his Apostles and of pure Antiquity in disallowing Organicall Musick in the publick Worship of God as appertaining to the old Leviticall pedagogie But to close the point The best Instrument wherewith any 8. Zepper de polit Eccles lib. 1. cap. 13. Mollerus praefat ad comment .. in psalmos Musculê° epist dedicat ante comment in psalmos Rivet in Exod c. 15. v. 21. Bodiâ—â— in Eph cap. 5. vers 18. 19. c. 6. 18. Douglasius tract de Psalmodia part 1. cap. 10. Beside many more both British forreign Divines can praise the Lord is a beleeving and spiritâ—ally inlarged heart Making Melodie in your heart Eph. 5. 18. Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord Col. 3. 16. * Non vox sed votuÌ„ non chordula musica sedcor Non clamans sed amans cantat in aure Dei Hade this been wanting all the Musick which David made with Harp and Psalterie had not found acceptance I remember Augustine in his Confessions makes mention of very lively impressions which he found on his spirit in this precious Ordinance of praising in the Church Quantum fleui sayes he lib. 9. Confess cap. 6 in hymnis et cantâ—cis tuis suavè sonantis Ecclesiae tuae vocibus commotus acrâ—ter voces illae influebant auribus meis et eliquabatur veritas tua in cor meum et ex ea astuabat affectus * AUGUST lib. 10. Confess cap. 33. Quum mihi accidit ut me amplius cantê° quaÌ„ res quae canitur moveat poenaliter me peâ—â—are confiteor pietatis currebant lachrymae et bene mihi erat cum iis Which I English thus how did I weepe at the hymns and songs at the sweet melodious voyces of thy Church These voyces did influence my ears and thy truth was melted and dissolved into my heart thereupon holy affections did boyle within me tears did run downe O how well was it with me then The experience of this melting of heart which he had found in this divine Ordinance at his first Conversion kept him afterwards upon his feet when he was under a temptation to have altogether dissallowed vocall praises hence lib. 10. Confess cap. 33. Cum saies he reminiscor lachrimas meas quas fudi ad cantus Ecclesiae tuâ— in primerdus recuperationis meae magnam instituts hujus vtilitatem agnosco That is When I call to minde the tears which I shed at the Praises of thy Church about the time of my first recovery to the faith I am made to acknowledge the exceeding advantage of this Ordinance May not this reprove our spiritlesse liflesse and formall way in setting about this heavenly dutie of praising Ah have we not oftentimes vocem in Choro mentem in foro Our voice in the duty when our hearts are abroad after a thousand vanities But I must restrain my self I am affrayed I have been to large on this fourth word I will praise thee with the Psalterie unte thee will I sing with the harp I come therefore to the fifth and last word namely the Compellation which the Psalmist giveth to God O Thou HOLY ONE of Israell c. Where what ever had been his afflictions either by Saull before his settlment in the kingdom or afterwards by Abselom yet he vindicats the Lord and his holinesse O Thou HOLY ONE of Israell As if he had said What ever have been my sufferings how wickedly soever men have carryed yet Thou O Lord art HOLY in all thy wayes and righteous in all thy judgements IT S the Lords peculiar Title to bee called either absolutly The HOLY ONE or with addition as in my text Israels HOLY ONE He is holy 1. essentially Holinesse is but a supervenient quality in Men and Angels but holinesse is the Essence of God every divine attribute is his Essence He is 2. holy causally All holinesse in the creature springs from him as the Fountain He is 3. holy exemplarlie He is the Paterne and Rule of all true holinesse Be ye holy as I am holy I. Pet. 1. 16. He is 4. holy objectively Hee ought to bee served in holinesse He is 5. holy emimentlie Exod. 15. 11. He is glorious in holines Hee is so holy that he cannot look on sin except with an vindictive eye Hab. 1. 13. Sin never got a good look from God nor ever shall fitly therfore is he called The HOLY ONE Israels HOLY ONE because he sanctified all Israell even the whol Nation federally to be a Church to himself therfore Exod. 19. 6. they are called an Holy Nation and among them he had many Jewels Choise Ones internally inherently and savingly saâ—ctified Among whom David was an eminent one well therefore was he styled by David The HOLY ONE of Israell Doct. from 3. branch I have runne through the words of this verse in an explicatory way Time will not permit me to insist on the particulars take therefore this generall doctrine from the wholl It is not only lawfull but also dutie whou the Lord bestows signall mercies on a person or nation to abound in praises to him T he Holy ONE of Israel should inhabite Israels praises If David upon the foresight of a hoped for Deliverance engaged so solemnly to blesse the Name of the Lord how much more is it duty to praise him when the Deliverance is already wrought Wee have many precedents of the people of God in this of Moses and Miriam Exod. 15. of Praysing the duty of the day Deborah and Barak Iudg. 5. of Anna I. Sam. 2. and
made all our iniquities to meete on Him as so many violent streames of water meeting in one channell and this imputed guiltinesse of the Elect was the ground of His unspeakable sufferings But alas All the â—est of Mankinde beside our LORD are inherently sinfull even this holy Prince David so much renowned for his holines had his owne spots and these very foule Indeed if I should say that the greatest sufferers are alwayes the greatest sinners I should sin against the generation of the righteous for the Lord somtimes afflicts his owne more for the tryall of their graces then for the punishment of their transgressions as is clear in the case of Job Yet it is sin which renders us subjects capable of affliction So that Eliphaz word holds true IOB 5. 6. Affliction springs not out of the dust Sin is the bitter root on which affliction grows Reason se ∣ cond of the Doctrine A second reason The Lord exercises some of the sons of men with great and sore troubles to fiâ— and prepare them for eminent trust and services This was the designe of God in exercising Joseph with these many and bitter afflictions even to prepare him for the great trust he was to put upon him for He had appointed him to be a Prince and Governour next to Pharaoch in that mighty kingdom of Egypt Wherfore GEN. 50. 20. As for you said he to his brethren yee thought evill against me but God meant it unto good Before the LORD set David upon the Throne He would have him schooled by the crosse hunted like a Partridge and chased from Nation to Nation Thus the LORD fitted him for the trust to which hee was designed Hence yeâ— finde him resolving in Psal 101. when he comes to his Government to cloath himself with the zâ—ale of God for cleansing both Court and Nation of evill doers A sweet fruit of a sanctified affliction I desire confidently to beleeve that this hath been the designs of God in these great and sore troubles wherewith Hee hath been pleased to exercise our GRACIOUS SOVERAIGN to fit him for the Government and to prepare him to be an eminent instrument of His Glory in advancing the Reformed and Protestant Religion both at home and abroad And surlie a sanctified affliction is a speciall meane of God to fit men either for Civill or Ecclesiastick capacities Schola crucis schâ—la lucis The schoole of the crosse is a school of light instruction Yea is it not said of our LORD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 5. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He learned by what he suffered ReasoÌ„ third of the Doct. Take onely a hint of a third reason If great ones good ones were exempted froÌ„ crosses alas would they not be ready to say It s good being here But our Lord lookes upon an Imperiall Crown on earth as too low a Portion for a Saint Therefore the Lord is pleased to mixe water among their wyne that they may look pant after that Crown of righteousnes and Glory that fadeth not away The Lord had provided a better portioÌ„ for David then the Crown of Israel I trust also for our LATE SOVERAIGN of ever blessed Memory though bloudy hands did rob him of his life of an earthly Crown yet could they not rob him of that incorruptible Crown of Glory Nay by that horrid inhumane parricide they did hasten him to the possessioÌ„ therof I verily beleeve It was the lively expectation of and earnest breathings of his most precious soul after that Crown of Righteousnesse which did so strengthen him to possesse his soul with such admirable heroick and invincible patience under so long 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supra moâ—â— in sublimitate vulg lat SecunduÌ„ excellentiam in excellentiam ARR. MONT. mire supra modum Eras In incredibilem modum Aug. in Psalm 93. per supergressuÌ„ insuper Tertull. in Scorp cap. 13. Gloriâ— excellenter excellentis Beza a tract of such barbarous and unheard of cruelties According to that II. Cor. 4. 17. 18. Our light affliction so faith cals sharpest afflictions when it eyes that hoped for Glory which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory While wee looke not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporall but the things which are not seen are eternall Whom would not the lively hope of this glory animat to undergoe any trials with patience Use first of Doct. I onely point at two words of vse and the first is Dear People take heed yee provoke not the Lord. If He spare neither the greatest nor the best of men when they sin against him how shall we escape If He smite Cedars like David with great and sore troubles shall shrubs like us expect impunitie The Lord by the rodes wherwith he exercises great Ones and good ones demonstrates how hatfull sin is to him in all persons Yea let Christ the Son of his love charge himself but with the trespasses of other men He shall not escape the Crosse Rom 8. 32. He spared not his owne Son Were this considered and seriously beleeved would wee daâ—e to offend this sin-revenging Majesty of God Surely when the Iudgements of God are on the land especially when he smyts great Ones good ones The inhabitants ought to learne righteousnes Is 26. 8. Use second of doctrin But my second word of use is judge not hardly I intreate you of afflicted ones The Lord may exercise a David who was a darling with great and sore troubles yet the Lord had a designe of love in all Davids afflictions and made it out so convincingly to Davids spirit that he professes to the praise of the Lords goodnesse Psalm 119. 71. It was good for him he was afflicted and v. 57. That the Lord in faithfulnes had afflicted him Luther was wont to say Ecclesia est haeres crucis and again Omnis Christianus est crucianus and againe I have not said he a greater argument against the Popes kingdom Quam quod sine cruce regnat then that he reigns without a crosse The holy man was so far from looking upon outward prosperitie as a Marke of the Church that he rather looked on it as a badge of Antichrist It hath pleased the Lord so to order that our SOVERAIGN is come to his Crown by the crosse This should be so far from stumbling us that it ought rather to raise both our prayers to God for him and our expectations of him the higher Our earnest desire to the Lord ought to be that it may more and more appeare that the Lord had a speciall designe of love to him in all his sufferings to make him the more instrumentall for his own glory for the good of these Nations What an hard beginning had illustrious QUEEN ELIZABETH clapt up in the tower of London carried froÌ„ prison to prison how oft was
she in fears either to be brought forth to publick execution or to be secretly cut off One day in her prison at Wood-stock hearing a poor milk-maid singing chearfully O said she that my lot were exchanged with the condition of that poor milk-maid Yea her sufferings were such that as one sayes she well deserved the tittle of Elizabeth the confessor yet afterwards what a glorious Princesse did the Lord make her What an eminent instrument was she for the establishment propagation of the Gospel both at home and abroad with what a long and prosperous reigne did the Lord blesse her so that the event did answere to that word where with oft she propheticallie solaced her self in time of her afflictions Flebile Principium melior fortuna sequetur Reverend Mr. Clark in her life sayes of her Her very afflictions through Gods goodnes did her so much good that it is hard to say whether she wer more happy in having a Crown so soon or in having it no sooner till affliction had first laid in her a low and therfore sure foundation of humilitie for highnes to be afterwards built upon by which means she was ripned for the future rule soveraignty Let our prayers to the Lord to day be that the late sufferings of his MAJESTY who now reigns may have the like blessed issue And for a door of hope we have his constant adherence to the Protestant Religion in midst of so many temptations and that most Christian Proclamation against profannes and debauchrie emitted shortly after his solemn reception in the city which deserves to be printed in letters of gold Such gracious beginnings are very promising Doctrine second But I proceed to this second doctrine from the first branch of the text It s a good signe of a sanctified affliction when the hand of God is principallie and religiouslie eyed in the rod. David had instruments and these most wicked to have looked after as furious Saul bloody Dâ—eg unnaturall ambitious and treacherous Absolom that fox Achitophel that barking dog Shimei c. But he looks above all these THOV saies he who hast shewed me great sore troubles What a THOU is this look to v. 22. the last of my text THOV O my God THOV O holy One of Israel he eyes God principally in all Jobs carriage is very remarkable as to this Iob. 1. 21. Job does not charge Caldeans nor Sabeans nor the Devill with his calamities though they wer most wickedly instrumentall in them He does not say the Lord gave but the Devil his instrumeÌ„ts have taken away Nay as he acknowledges the Lord to be the giver so also he eyes the hand of his Soveraign providence in taking away The Lord saies he gave the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. As remarkable is that of Joseph Gen. 45. 3. 4. 5. When he had revealed himself to his brethren saying I am Joseph whom ye sold into Egypt They wer so troubled and as the margine varies it terrified at his presence through the conscience of their trespasse against him that they could not speak nor I beleeve well look to him But behold holy and precious Joseph his carriage Come neare said he my brethren be not grieved for God did send me before you to preserve life He looks more to the overuling hand of providence then to them in that wonderfull dispensation Ye know also Davids mortified heroick carriage in the matter of Shimei II. Sam. 16. 10. When Abishai would have executed justice on him the King would not suffer him For said he God hath said to Shimei curse David The religious eying of the hand of providence in the dispensation made David so moderate in executing just vengeance on such a Traitour Vse Let the use of the poynt be for tryall There have been very sad rods these late years upon this land upon our Kings upon our Nobles upon our Cities who have not had a share in the stroak Would ye know if the sanctified use be obtained either of these common national rods as each of us have been concerned in them or of particular and personall exercises look if yee have learned purely to eye the hand of divine providence in afflicting dispensations THOV hast shewed â—e great sore troubles said this Royal Psalmist When the afflicting hand of God is purelie eyed the soul will first humble it self genuinly submissivelie under his mighty hand I. Pet. 5. 6. It will secondly be very studious of a saving discovery of the sin which hath provoked him Job 34. 31. 32. The ear thirdly will be opened to disciplin Job 36. 8. 9 10. There will be a listning to the voyce of the rod the duties will be observed to which the Lord calls O that this may be BRITAINES mercie O but that is a dreadfull scripture Isai 42. 24. 25. Who gavâ— Jacob for a spoyle and Israel to the robbers did not the Lord against whâ—â—â— we have sinned for they would not walk in his wayes neither were they obedient unto his law Therefore he hath poured upon him the furie of his anger and the strength of battel and it â—ath set him on fire round about yet he knew it not and it burned him yet he laid is not to heart The Lord keep these lands from such a spirituall lethargie I close the poynt with this word A sanctified remembrance of the afflictions â—nder which we have lately been eying principally in them the hand of divine Providence and and our own trespasses which have provoked the Lord against â—s were a notable ballast to our spirits in such a day of rejoicing for so fignall a delyverance The day wherin the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt was sure a joyfull day to the people of God yet the Lord in the anniversarie commemoration of it would have them to eat the passeover which as it did câ—memorat their deliverance so also their bondage affliction in Egypt Hence the Jewish rituals tell us that at the distribution of the paschall bread they used these words This is the bread of affliction which our fathers suffered in Egypt A sanctified remembrance of Gods afflicting Hand is very usefull for tempering spirits in a day of delyverance Doctrine Third A Third doctrine shall be this It is but a transient view of affliction which the Lord gives to his own The word of the text is very remarkable as to this Thâ—â— hast Sâ—EWED me great sore troubles David had been under very sharp troubles if sense may be judge but faith corrects sense It s but a shew but a view of trouble which I have had sayes beleeving David I shall cleare the poynt by a few reasons Reason 1 As first The sting is taken out of the afflictions of beleevers hence they speak in scripture of their evils rather as seeming evils then reall II. Cor. 6. 9. 10. 11. As dying yet behold we live as chastned and not killed as sorrowfull yet
v. 3. at last be had 14000 cap. 43. v. 12. at first he had 3000 camels cap. 1. v. 3. at list he had 6000 cap. 42. v. 12. and so the spirit of God goes on cap. 42. doubling his estate in his latter dayes beyond what it was before For reasons take these few hints The Lords does so Reason first First to shew his Almighty power that he can help at a dead lift even when creatures are laid in the depths of the earth ReasoÌ„ secoÌ„d Secondly to manifest his faithfulnes that he is a God who keepeth promise Providence may seem to crosse promises for a season yet the Lord is ever myndfull of his promise and therefore in end will suffer nothing to fall to the ground of all the good word which he hath spoken ReasoÌ„ third Thirdly To engage those whom he thus signally exalteth to tune up a song of praise to him Psalm 40 2. The Lord brought me up out of an horrible pit and out of the myrie clay and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings Now what was the result of his deliverance is subjoined v. 3. He put a new song in my mouth even praise to our God Reason 4 And Fourthly to engage them to be zealous for him and his interests Sure it becomes them â—â—â— whom the Lord hath done great things to say Quid retribuam Demino What shall I render to the Lord Psalm 116. 12. Vse The poynt might afford many uses specially for the consolaâ—tion and strengthening of the hands of afflicted ones but these I forebeare to day Only this one We have to remember to day to the Lords praise as signall a providence in exalting Our SOVERAIâ—N Lord the KINGS MAIESTY to the throne of his ROYALL FATHER of eternall memory as either David or any Prince mentioned in sacred or prophane history did ever meet with If ye consider first the low and lamentable condition to which his Sacred MAJESTY was brought these diverse years â—bygone Secondly The manifold attempts with great and potent Armies for his deliverance all which were blasted Thirdly The unexpectednes of this revolution surely When the Lord turned our captivity we were as those who dreamed Psalm 126. 1. Fourthly the poynt of tyme when the Lord appeared namely when our confusions wer like to be greater our yoke heavier then ever So that at evening tyme as Zâ—ch speaketh c. 14. 7. when all were fearing mid-night darknes The Lord hath made light to arise And Fifthly which is no lesse admirable then any of the former that so great a change should be carried on without blood There have been many strange changes in Britaine within these twenty years but surely none like to this wherin the gracious hand of divine providence hath so signally appeared Verily we may sing and say with our Royall Psalmist Psal 118. 22. 23. 24. The stone which the builders refused is become the head of the corner This is the Lords doing it is marvellous in our eyes This is the day which the Lord hath made we will be glad and rejoyce in it Now that I may close this doctrine and withall the second Three hopefull desires branch of the text there are three things which from my heart I both wish and hope from the Lord to his MAJESTIE they ought to be all our desires and hope in his behalfe The first is that the promise of my text may be fulfilled in him viz. That the Lord would increase his greatnes and confort him on every side that he may be the most glorious renowned trulie blessed KING that ever Britaine injoyed I wish that Patriarchall Blessing to him which Jacoh Propheticallie pronounced upon Ioseph Gen. 49. 25. 26. The Blessings of heaven above The Blessings of the depth that lyes under The Blessings of the breasts and of the womb Blessings beyond all the blessings of his progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hils be upon the head of our Ioseph upon the Sacred head of our Gracious SOVERAIGN whom the Lord hath separated to rule ever TERTUL Apolog c. 30. Denique sine monitore quia de pectore oramus Note here that from this phrase sine Monitore quia de pectore some learned men have observed that CHRISTIAN'S in Tertullians time did not wholly tye themselves to stinted liturgicall formes in prayer precantes suâ—us semper pro omnibus Imperatoribus vitam illis prolixam Imperium securum domum tutam exercitus fortes Senatum fidelem populum probum orbem quietum quecunque hominis et CAESARIS vota sunt his people in these Nations Blessed be he in his Royall Person In his Counsels and Government in his Allyes abroad in his Subjects of all ranks at home in his Parliaments Armies Navies Nobilitie Gentrie Borroughs Ministers of the Gospell c. Let him be blest Bonis Throni et Scabelli Poliet Soli both with Blessings of the throne and of the footstool with an eminent measure both of Saving graces and Kingly graces with length of dayes a flourishing Crown with Loyal subjects with a thriving Gospell Church with pure spirituall ordinances throughout his Dominions Thus shall the promise of the text be accomplished His greatnesse shall be increased he comforted on every side My second wish which also I hope is that with David in my Text He may look on the Lord as the God of all his mercies and first Fountain of them DAVID doth not attribute these great things which here he expects either to Joabs gallantry or Hushai's policy though both wer greatly instrumentall in this deliveraÌ„ce of David in overturning this coÌ„spiracy of Absolom But he looks above all unto God as the first Spring the first wheel the first Mover THOU O Lord said he shalt quicken me againe THOU shalt raise me up THOU shalt inerease my greatnes THOU shalt coÌ„fort me on every side GOD was all in all to him IT is far froÌ„ my purpose to undervalue the atchievments of Instruments or to derogate in the least from the high respect that is due to them Succeeding Generations will blesse that truely Noble Valorous and Loyall GENERALL MONCK Whom God hath chiefly honoured as an Instrument in the work Neither should Hushas's be forgotten who by counsel have been assisting I hope these who have been most instrumentall have learned Christ better then to offend that I say The Lord should be looked to as the first Authour of all Nay themselves must will acknowledge all their instrumentality to be of Him O so signally as the Lords hand hath appeared therefore let Him above all be looked to and this will help through his blessing to the sanctified improvment of these late mercies But my third desire which I likwise waite and hope for is That OUR SOVERAIGN like another DAVID may be Zealous for God and the precious interests of the Gospell O how zealous was David for the Lord psal 69. 9. The zeale of thy