Lord said vnto Elias Go annoint Hazael king over Aram and Iehu the sonne of Nimshi shalt thou annoint king over Israel Of Nabuchodonosor Dan. 2.37 O king saith Daniel thou art a king of kings for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdome Of Salomon 2. Chron. 8.9 The Queene of Sheba saith vnto him Blessed be the Lord thy God which loved thee to set thee on his throne as king And to omit others of David in my text of whom it is also specially said 1. Chron. 28.4 That God did choose him and delighted in him to make him king over Israel and ver 3. Psal 21. that the Lorde did set a crowne of pure gold vpon his head These proofes generall or particular standing vpon so soveraigne autoritie as Gods word is of doe make good my propounded doctrine namely that kings do hold their kingdomes immediatly from God Whereto I doubt not but I haue your full assent What neede then is there of any further insisting vpon this point Surely none were there not a generation of men bearing in their foreheads the stampe of Christians that cannot brooke any proofe taken out of Scripture for the maintenance of any doctrine that may distast the bishop of Rome or want his allowance Tel such that by scripture it is plaine that kings hold their kingdomes immediately froÌ„ God their reply wil be what tel you vs of scripture Set aside the autority of the Church the autoritie of the Pope we take scripture to be no better theÌ„ a q Colloqium Wormat. apud Lubbert de princip lib. 1. cap 5. doubtfull vncertaine and leaden rule then a r Colloq Ratisbon Rungqu 2. matter of debate then a Å¿ Colloq Wormat. vbi supra booke of discord then a poore t Hosius de expresso Dei verbo kind of element then a u Pighius coÌ„trov 3. de Ecclesia duÌ„b iudge then x Ludov. Canon Lateran dead inke then y Eckius inken diuinity then a z Pighius Hierar l. 3. c. 3. nose of wax then a Hosius Gretser c. Aesops fables Impious wretches had they not wiped all shame from their faces they would never haue laid such load of disgraces vpon Gods holy worde Their Cardinall Hosius staies not here he proceedes a degree farther He coines a distinction of scripture as it is vsed by themselues whom they call Catholikes and as by vs whom they call Heretikes His words are in the end of his third booke against Brentius his Prolegomena The scripture quomodo profertur à Catholicis verbum est Dei quomodo profertur ab haereticis verbum est diaboli as it is alleadged by vs so must it bee forsooth the word of the Devill but as by them so only shall it be the word of God Upon this ground and distinction of theirs I doubt not but that blasphemous b Apodix 1. Thes 8. p. 131 Dorhoff hath made an alteration in the beginning of our Creede and in steede of Credo in Deum patrem omnipotentem creatorem coeli terrae hath substituted Credo in Diabolum carnificem orcipotentem corruptorem coeli terrae For if scripture alleaged by vs be verbum Diaboli what is our beliefe What our religion You see of what validitie proofes drawne by vs from holy Scriptures for the confutation of any popish point are in the estimation of some Papists They hold vs for Heretikes and consequently the sense of scripture which we bring to be no sense of scripture Hence is it that the Author of the short Narration how Henrie the IV. late king of France and Navarre sent his Embassadours to Pope Clement the VIII for absolution from his heresie tels vs that though some doe mainetaine the king to hold his kingdome immediately from God yet that at Rome this is accounted a very ridiculous matter It is evident to be so by Cardinall Bellarmin who in his first book de Romano Pontifice cap. 7. parag Postremo distinguishing betweene secular and ecclesiasticall soveraignty affirmeth that the Ecclesiasticall is à solo Deo de iure divino from God alone and by the law of God but the secular is from mans institution and de iure gentium by the law of nations If we marke the antithesis and opposition betweene the lawe of God the law of nations as also between the soveraigneties Ecclesiasticall and secular we must needs acknowledge it for Bellarmines opinion that kings holde not their kingdomes immediatly from God This his opinioÌ„ is more clearely set downe in his booke de Clericis cap. 28. parag Ad confirmationem His expresse words there are Regna non sunt de iure divino sed de iure gentium proinde mutabilia sunt Kingdomes are not by Gods law but by the law of nations and therefore are changeable wherevpon dependeth his treasonable doctrine delivered in his fift booke de Rom. Pontif. cap. 8. where among other things Parag. Praeterea he affirmeth that not only Princeps Episcoporum the Pope but Episcopus quilibet every Bishop though but the Popes vassall may vse temporall power over kings and inforce them to make lawes yea and for some causes depose them too as appeareth by the precedents of that chapter But this and other like proditorious assertions there and elsewhere broached and defended by Bellarmine others of that faction vpon this ground That kings do not holde their kingdomes immediately from God I now let passe The immediate dependencie of kings and their kingdomes vpon God howsoever at Rome it be ridiculously entertained hath already bin prooved and warranted sufficiently to such as do beleeue the scriptures Unbeleevers I much heede not Yet if any will that the autority of the ancient fathers be produced let such know that a Ad utilitateÌ„ gentiliuÌ„ terrenum regnuÌ„ positum est à Deo sed non à diabolo c. Irenaeus in his 5. booke aduersus haereses b Christianus nulliê° est hostis neduÌ„ Imperatoris quem scien à Deo suo coÌ„stitui necesse est ut ipsuÌ„ diligat revercatur honoret salvum velit cum toto Romano Imperio quousque seculum stabit Colimê° ergo Imperatorem sic quomodo nobis licet ipsi expedit ut hominem à Deo secundum quicquid est à Deo consecutum solo Deo minorem Hoc ipse volet Sic enim omnibus major est dum solo vero deo minor est Et Apologet. cont gent. cap. 30. Sciunt Imperatores quis illia dederit imperium sciunt quà homines quis animam Sentiunt enim Deum esse solum in cujus solius potestate sunt à quo sunt secundi post quem primi ante omnes super omnes deos Quid-ni Cum super omnes homines qui ubique vivunt mortuis antistant Tertullian in the 2. cap. of his booke to Scapula c Super
of Davids exaltation The autor is God called in the first verse of this Psalme by his honourablest title Iehovah God! Excedit supereminentia divinitatis vsitati eloquij facultatem saith S. Austin de Trinitate lib. 7. ca. 4. The supereminency of the Deity passeth mans vtterance and therfore it is immediatly added Meliùs cogitatur quà m dicitur we can better thinke then speake of God Yet whē we consult with our deepest thoughts we come short of apprehending that incomprehensible Maiestie That of S. f Lib. de patris filij unitate if that booke be S. Hilaries Hilarie is as true as vulgar Certè hoc est Deus quod cum dicitur non potest dici cum aestimatur non potest aestimari cum comparatur non potest comparari cum definitur ipse suâ definitione crescit Out of doubt whosoever shall goe about to search into the secrets and essence of the will of God g Prov. 25.28 opprimetur à gloriâ and feare and shame shal be his covering To such curious searchers who to get themselues a name aboue their neighbours wil seeme to be Gods coūsellours I commend the wise advise of Sirachs sonne c. 3. ver 22. Seeke not out the things that are too hard for thee neither search the things rashly which are too mighty for thee but what God hath commanded thee thinke vpon that with reverence and be not curious in many of his workes for it is not needfull for thee to see with thine eies the things that are secret Such curiosity may further be suppressed by that of Elihu Iob. 36.26 Behold God is excellent and we know him not and by that of Ieremy cap. 32.19 as the vulgar Latine makes him speake Incomprehensibilis cogitatu our thoughts comprehend him not and by that of S. Paul Rom. 11.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his waies are past finding out Wherefore that we be not illicitè curiosi more curious then meete is absteine we from searching into such secrets as God hath reserved vnto himselfe yet that we be not damnabiliter ingrati as S. h De vocation Gentium lib. 1. c. 7. Amhrose speaketh condemned for ingratitude let vs vse our best diligence to vnderstand what God hath revealed of himselfe For howsoever the secret things belong to the Lord our God yet the things revealed belong vnto vs and our children for ever Witnesse the word of Truth Deut. 29.29 It is revealed of God the Father Sonne holy Ghost who is i Chemnit Loc. Theol. part 1. cap. 3. pag 62. unus atque trinus as S. Austin styles him unus naturâ trinus in personis a Trinitie in Unitie and a Unitie in Trinitie that he is a k Deut. 10.17 God of Gods and Lord of Lords a God most l Ecclus. 43.29 wonderfull very m Deut 10.17 great mighty terrible a God that n Ecclus. 43.31 cannot be expressed by word nor conceaved by thought o August Soli loq cap. 24. of whom all the Angells in heaven do stand in feare whom all Dominations and Thrones doe adore at whose presence all powers doe shake A God in greatnesse infinite in goodnesse Soveraigne in wisdome wonderfull in power almightie in counsels terrible in iudgements righteous in cogitations secret in workes holy in mercie rich in promise true alway the same eternall everlasting immortall vnchangeable Thus haue yee the author of Davids exaltation The exaltation it selfe followeth Thou hast set him blessings for euer The Greeke bookes haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou wilt giue him a blessing So hath S. Hierome so hath S. Austin Such supereminēt lights of the Church cannot want their followers But I may not forsake the fountaine The Hebrew words doe thus sound Thou wilt put him or thou hast put him for the Enallage or interchange of those tenses is very familiar to that holy tongue Thou hast put him blessings Posuisti eum benedictiones Supply the Ellipsis of the Preposition and it will be Posuisti eum in benedictiones And what 's that Some doe expound it by the contrary Poni Dari Esse in maledictionem may be said of one who is become so odious Moller in Ps 21. and execrable ut nomen eius serviat imprecationibus diris as if when you wish the extremitie of evill to another you should say God doe to him as hee hath done to such a one I need not alleage Homers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor any imprecations of the Poet against his Ibis for instance In volumine libri in the sacred volumes we haue an example The phrase we haue Ierem. 24.9 where concerning Zedechiah king of Iudah and his Princes thus saith the Lord Dabo eos I will giue them for a terrible plague to all the kingdomes of the earth and for a reproch and for a proverbe and for a common talke in maledictionem for a curse I will giue them for a curse This is explicated cap. 29.22 where thus saith the Lord of hoasts the God of Israel They of the captivitie of Iudah that are in Babel shall take vp this curse and say The Lord make thee like Zedechiah and like Ahab whom the king of Babel burnt in the fire If this be the meaning of Poni Dari or Esse in maledictionem by the law of Contraries we may determine what it is Poni Dari or Esse in benedictionem Poni Dari Esse in benedictionem may be said of one who is so happy so prosperous Moller ut sub nomine eius vota concipiantur as if when you would wish all good to your friend you should say so God doe to thee as he hath done to such a one So did Isaac say to Iacob Gen. 28.4 God all sufficiēt blesse thee make thee to encrease multiplie thee and giue thee the blessing of Abraham God giue thee the blessing of Abraham as hee blessed Abraham so blesse he thee According to this exposition these words Posuisti eum in benedictiones doe carrie this sense that such was the happy and prosperous estate of king David ut sub nomine eius vota concipiantur as if praying for our King we should say God giue vnto him the blessings of David A second exposition followeth Poni Dari Esse in benedictionem may be said of one who is full and aboundeth with so greate plentie of all good things that God may seeme to haue beene willing to poure out at once all his beneficence vpon him Turne your eies which way you will and behold that man you shall see nothing but as it were a mirrour of Gods bountie very liberally powred out To this sense it is said of Christ his flocke Ezech. 34.26 I will set them as a blessing evē round about my mountaine Ponā eas benedictionem the abstract is put for the cōcrete I will set them as a blessing that is I will make thē blessed Esai 39.24 it is said of Israel that it
shall be a blessing In paraph. in Psal 20. and there the Abstract is for the Concrete It is Iansenius his observation Israel erit benedictio id est erit benedictus vel benedictione plenus which construction of his well sorteth with the verse following v. 25. where it is further added of the same Israel The Lord of hoasts shall blesse it saying Blessed be my people According to this exposition these words Posuisti eum benedictiones doe carrie this sense God hath so appointed David that he may be perpetually blessed both in respect of God who endoweth him with immortalitie and also in respect of men of whom hee shall for ever bee praised There is a third exposition Poni Dari or Esse in benedictiâ—nem may be said of one who is blessed not only in him selfe but is made also a blessing vnto others by whome others also are blessed and so account themselues To this sense God saith vnto Abraham Gen. 12.2 Thou shalt bee a blessing that is thou shalt be not only blessed thy selfe but by thee shall others also be blessed for so it followeth v. 3 I will blesse them that blesse thee and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed According to this exposition those words Posuisti eum benedictiones doe carrie this sense God tooke David from a poore and meane estate from a sheepheards life from following ewes great with young Psal 78.70.71 and exalted him to be king over Israel and placed him in that throne for this ende that he might be for blessings to Israel his people The ende then of Davids exaltation is blessings to his people and it was my third circumstance Thou hast put him blessings Blessings not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the 70 haue it nor Benedictionem as the vulgar a Blessing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blessings in the plurall number to note the wonderfull abundance of Gods graces bestowed vpon the people through the king The blessings bestowed vpon Israell through David may bee reduced to three heads one is the worship of God reinstituted in its puritie 2. Deliverance from forraine enimies 3. The restitution of iudgement and iustice The worship of God was reinstituted in its puritie when David brought the arke of the Lord from the house of Obed-edom the Gittite into the citie of David 2. Sam. 6.12 The deliverance from forreine enimies was wrought when David smote Aram 2. Sam. 8.12 and Moab and the childreÌ„ of Ammon and Edom and the Philistines and Amalec and Hadadezer the sonne of Rehob king of Zobah and tooke from out their hand the bridle of bondage 2 Sam. 8.1 That iudgement and iustice were restored by him it s not obscurely delivered 2. Sam. 8.15 where it is said that David reigned ouer all Israell and executed iudgment and iustice to all his people In these three heads consisteth the office of a good and godly King Giue such a King a King that shall promote the worship of God according to the word of truth that shall bee victorious over all his enimies that shall maintaine his subiects through iudgement and iustice in peace and tranquilitie Giue such a king such a king you enioy and he shal be a parallel for our David here and may as well bee said Poni à Deo in benedictiones to be placed by God in his throne for this ende that he may be for blessings to vs his people and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever which is the continuance of the ende and my last circumstance Thou hast set him blessings for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Arke of Noe it is rendred aeternitati or in aeternum in the 70 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the vulgar Latine in seculum seculi for ever Some take it to signifie for a long season as Psal 18.50 Great deliverances god giveth vnto his king Wilcox in Ps 21.6 and sheweth mercy to his annointed even to David and to his seed for ever For euer that is faith an expositour for a long time if you refer the words to David and his posteritie but if you referre them to Christ and those that appertaine to him then it is put for all eternity So here Thou hast set him blessings for euer vnderstand these words to be spoken of Christ and For ever is For all eternitie vnderstand them to bee spoken of David and For euer is For a long season I haue hitherto expounded these words as they are appliable to David and accordingly doe take this last word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For ever David was à Deo positus in benedictiones he was set for blessings vnto his people Blessings temporall and spirituall temporall as deliverance from forreine enimies and the execution of iudgement and iustice for the peace quiet of his people and spirituall as the reestablishing of the true worship of God whereby his people might become Citizens of the Saints and of the houshold of God Ephes 1.19 In respect of the former For ever is for a long season for Davids life time which was Dauids Ever ever whilest he swaied the scepter of Israel In respect of the latter For euer is for all eternitie for spirituall blessings continue after this life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even for ever Thus haue I past over my foure circumstances the Author of Davids exaltation which was God the exaltation it selfe David placed in the throne of Israel the ende of his exaltation that he might be for blessings to his people and the continuance of this end For ever Was God the author of Davids exaltation Did he appoint him to be king over Israel Hence then ariseth this doctrine which before I promised to speake vnto Kings doe hold their kingdomes immediatly from God A truth so vnmoueably grounded vpon the word of truth that it is strange it should bee controverted The proofes of scripture that do concerne it are either generall or particular A generall proofe we haue Rom. 13. In the first verse it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The powers that be are ordained of God Therefore the power of a king of whom it is twise saide ver 5. that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods minister gods lieuetenant for thy wealth if thou do well for vengeance if ill The like proofe may be taken from Daniel 2.21 where not only the taking away of kings but also the setting of them vp is avowed to be gods owne worke The voice of wisedome crieth alowd Prov. 8.15 16. By me kings raigne and Princes decree iustice by me Princes rule and the nobles and all the iudges of the earth These proofes were generall The particular do consist in God his immediate designement of diverse vnto kingdomes Of Saul 1. Sam. 10.1 Samuel tooke a viale of oile and powred it vpon Sauls head and kissed him and said Hath not the Lord annointed thee to be governour over his inheritance Of Hazael and Iehu 1. Kings 19.15 16. The