A SERMON PREACHED On Munday the sixt of February At WESTMINSTER At the opening of the PARLIAMENT By the Bishop of S DAVIDS LONDON Printed by BONHAM NORTON and IOHN BILL Printers to the Kings most Excellent Maiestie M. DC XXV PSAL. 122. V. 3,4,5 Ierusalem is builded as a Citie that is at vnitie in it selfe or compacted together For thither the Tribes goe vp euen the Tribes of the Lord to the Testimony of Israel to giue thankes vnto the Name of the Lord. For there are the Seats or the Thrones of Iudgement euen the Thrones of the house of Dauid SOme are of opinion this Psalme was made by Dauid and deliuered to the Church to be sung when the Arke of God was caried vp to Ierusalem when Ierusalem was setled by Dauid to bee the special Seate both of Religion and the Kingdome The people were bound thrice a yeere at Easter Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles to come vp and worship at Ierusalem Deut. 16. And some thinke this Psalme was prophetically made to sing by the way to sing when they went vp by the steps to the Temple And t' was fit For they came vp with ioy And ioy is apt to set men a singing And at ioy the Psalme begins I was glad when they said vnto mee We will goe into the house of the Lord. But whatsoeuer the vse of this Psalme was in any speciall Seruice certaine it is that Ierusalem stands here in the letter for the Citie and in type and figure for the State and the Church of Christ. My Text lookes vpon both and vpon the duetie which the Iewes did then and which wee now doe owe to both The Temple the Type of the Church that 's for God's seruice No Temple but for that The Citie the Type of the State that 's for the peoples peace No happy State but in that Both the Temple and the State God's house and the Kings both are built vpon Pillars And it is not long since I told you out of Psalm 75. that there are many times of exigence in which if God doe not beare vp the Pillars no strength which the Pillars haue in and of themselues can support the weight that lies vpon them Be they Pillars of the Temple or Pillars of the State Therefore here to ease the Pillars God hath built vp Buttresses if men doe not pull them downe to stay the maine walles of both buildings The Buttresse and support of the Temple is Religion God will not blesse the house if men doe not honour and serue him in it The Buttresse and stay of the Kingdome is Iustice. God will not blesse the State if Kings and Magistrates doe not execute iudgement If the widdow and the fatherlesse haue cause to crie out against the Thrones of Iustice. So the Church and the Commonwealth Gods house the Temple and the Kings house the house of Dauid are met in my Text. And they would euer meet and in loue no question did not some distempered spirits breathe sower vpon them For the Church cannot dwell but in the State Ye neuer read that she fled out of the State into the wildernesse but when some Dragon persecuted her Reuel 12. And the Common-wealth cannot flourish without the Church For where the Church is not to teach true Religion States are enforced out of necessitie of some to imbrace a false And a false is not a helpe to make a Kingdome flourish But when they dwell together when the Church the House of Grace is a welcome inmate to the State which is a wise fabricke of Nature then in the Temple there 's meeting The people goe vp to blesse and praise the Name of the Lord. And then in the State ther 's meeting To settle the Thrones of Iudgement to make firme the house of Dauid And then and neuer but then Ierusalem that is both State and Church is as a Citie that is at vnitie in it selfe My Text is nothing but a most deserued praise of Ierusalem And not of the particular materiall Ierusalem alone but of any State of any Church that is as Ierusalem then was and that doth as Ierusalem then did This praise of Ierusalem both formall in it selfe and exemplary to vs is set downe in three things And they seuer the Text into three partes For first here 's the vnity of Ierusalem 't is builded as a Citie at vnitie in it selfe Secondly the Religion of it For thither the Tribes goe vp euen the Tribes of the Lord to the Testimony of Israel to giue thankes vnto the name of the Lord. Thirdly the Gouernment of it both spirituall and temporall For there are the seates of Iudgement euen the seates of the house of Dauid The first commendation of Ierusalem is from the vnitie and concord that is in it 'T is like a Citie that is compacted together That 's for the buildings no desolation in the midst of it saith S. Basil. 'T is like a Citie at vnitie in it selfe That 's for the Inhabitants For the beautie and artificiall ioyning of the houses is expressed but as a type of this vnitie When men dwell as neere in affection as their houses stand in place 'T is a great ornament of a Citie that the buildings bee faire that they stand not scattering as if they were affraid each of other But wheresoeuer 't is so the Citie is beholding to vnitie for it Let the Citizens breake their vnitie once they 'l spend so much in quarrels that they cannot build the Citie No other times but when the Inhabitants are at peace can build nor no other time can keep them from waste But what Hath God care of houses out of question not but for the Inhabitants that dwell therein Hee that taketh the simple out of the dust and lifts the poore out of the mire Psalm 113. loues not man for his house nor no Citie for the buildings Ierusalem will not let mee wander for an instance For here so long as the Inhabitants serued God and were at vnitie what Citie like Ierusalem The Citie of the great King S. Mat. 5. The glorie of the whole earth Thren 2. But when they fell from God to Idols from vnitie to heart-burnings among themselues what then became of Ierusalem what why iust that which our Sauiour foretold S. Mat. 24. That one stone should not be left vpon another that should not bee throwne downe not one neither of Temple nor Citie And so it came to passe before Adrian left it If any man therefore will haue his house stand he hath no way but this to labour that Ierusalem the Citie may serue God in vnitie Now Ierusalem is by way of singular eminence called here a Citie compacted together And Dauid himselfe might best call it so For before Dauids time Salem and Sion were two Cities The Iewes dwelt in Salem but the Fort of Sion was yet held by the Iebusites 1. Chron. 11. Two
Cities the vpper and the lower Two people the Iewes and the Iebusites Two most different Religions the worship of God and Idols till Dauids time But then a Citie most compacted together The Buildings and the Cities ioyne Beniamin and Iuda dwell there together Nothing then but vnitie Wee are yet within the walles of the Citie that 's too narrow Wee must enlarge the Type to the State and to the Church Saint Hilary puts me in minde that my Text reades not Ierusalem is a City as if that were all it meant to speake of but Sicut ciuitas as a City iust as you see that so the State so the Church The Citie the Modell if you will but the Building these And for the State first That 's sicut Ciuitas as the City iust so Walles and Towres and Forts are things of second consideration ordo politicus the wise ordering of the people in concord and vnity is simply the strongest wall of a State But breake vnity once and farewell strength And therefore disioynted factions in a State when they worke vpon diuision are publica irae diuinae incendia the publike kindlings of Gods anger and they burne downe all before them And God seldome suffers these to fire a State till himselfe be heated first with the sinnes of the State But then he will diuide them in Iacob and scatter them in Israel Gen. 49. Nay scatter Iacob and Israel it selfe for them And my Text hath it not simply like a Citie at vnity but at vnity together or in it selfe And this the better to resist forraine malice It were happy if all States Christian especially were at vnitie in themselues with their neighbours And the Church prayes that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered But when the Ambition of neighbouring States will admit nor safe nor honourable peace then there 's most need Ierusalem should bee at peace and vnitie in it selfe Need yes need with a witnesse For all diuision if it bee voluntary 't is an opening if it bee violent 't is a breach Both make way for forraine force Thus it was with Ierusalem of old when she lost her vnitie For faction within the walles was a helpe to Titus and his siege without And long after when the Christians had wonne it from the Saracens their owne diuisions among themselues to their losse and shame let in Saladin the Soldan of Egypt And this hath beene often fatall vpon our Ierusalem For scarce euer did a great enemie enter this kingdome but when it was not sicut Ciuitas like a Citie at vnitie in it selfe Not at vnitie opened the doore to the enemie stil. For Toustain's diuision and inrode made way for the Norman And there were more diuisions then one to helpe in the Dane And Guorthigernus first and Mordredus after brought in the Saxon. And I. Caesar himselfe the mirror of men for military Discipline he which for ought I haue read and remember scarce euer turn'd his backe to any enemie els fled from the ancient Inhabitants of this Kingdome Territa quaesitis ostendit terga Britannis till Auaroius called by Caesar Mandubratius out of hatred and in faction against Cassibellanus brought him backe againe and made him entrance So it seemes Tacitus his obseruation was too true vpon vs That nothing gaue the Romanes powerfull enemies though they were more aduantage against the ancient Brittans then this Quod factionibus studijs trahebantur that they were brokē into fractions would not so much as take counsell and aduise together And they smarted for it But I pray what 's the difference for men not to meete in counsell and to fall in pieces when they meete If the first were our Forefathers errour God of his mercie grant this second be not ours Now there is Coagmentatio duplex a double buckling and knitting of the State together And if either faile the vnity is broken The one is of the Members of the State with their Head especially the most honourable which are neerest The other is of the members one with another And this is grounded vpon that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 12. where we finde some necessitie of euery member not a like necessity of any but honour and respect done to all And why so why why the Apostle tells you vers 25. It is that there may bee no diuision in the bodie that still it may bee at vnity in it selfe And it is very obserueable that in all that large discourse of S. Paul concerning the vnitie of the Body and the Members hee conceiues at full how Corruption can vnnaturalize Nature it selfe Therefore he supposes the Eye may quarrell with the Hand vers 21. and 't is a dangerous quarrel that when the Eye and the Hand Direction and Execution are at ods in any State Well he can conceiue that But he doth not so much as suppose that any members would bee at oddes with the Head No God forbid The Head can compose other members and settle their peace in the Body but if any quarrell the Head all vnitie is gone And yet though the Apostle cannot suppose so much vnnaturalnesse that any member should quarrell the Head not the Tongue as vnruly as it is yet he is very direct that there is an office which the Head owes the Body all the members to the very meanest for the preseruation of this vnitie For the head cannot say to the very feete as low as they are I haue no need of you vers 21. And for the Church that 's as the City too iust so Doctrine and Discipline are the walles and the towers of it But be the one neuer so true and be the other neuer so perfect they come short of preseruation if that body be not at vnity in it selfe The Church take it Catholike cannot stand well if it bee not compacted together into a holy vnity in faith and charitie It was miserable when S. Basil laboured the cure of it For distracted it was then as S. Gr. Nazianzen witnesseth into 600. diuers opinions and errours And 't is miserable at this day the Lord in his time shew it mercie And as the whole Church is in regard of the affaires of Christendome so is each particular Church in the Nation and Kingdome in which it soiournes If it bee not at vnitie in it selfe it doth but inuite malice which is ready to doe hurt without any inuitation and it euer lies with an open side to the Diuell and all his Batteries So both State and Church then happy and neuer till then when they are both at vnitie in themselues and one with another The vulgar reads it Ierusalem is a Citie cuius participatio in id ipsum whose participation is vpon the same thing And that reading is warranted by the 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose participation or communion is in and of the same So this reading followes the effect
the other the cause For vnity in it selfe is the cause of all participation For vnitie is in charitie and charitie communicates all good things 'T is bountifull 1. Cor. 13. and if any suffer it suffers with it participation still Now in Heauen and the Church triumphant there will bee ful participation because there is perfect vnion But on earth whether it bee in the State or the Church militant looke how much there wants of perfect vnitie and so much there will euer want of ioyfull participation Well both State and Church owe much to vnitie and therefore very little to them that breake the peace of either Father forgiue them they know not what they doe But if vnitie bee so necessarie how may it bee preserued in both How I will tell you how Would you keepe the State in vnitie In any case take heed of breaking the peace of the Church The peace of the State depends much vpon it For diuide Christ in the minds of men or diuide the mindes of men about their hope of Saluation in Christ and tell me what vnity there will be This so farre as the Church is an ingredient into the vnitie of the State But what other things are concurring to the vnitie of it the State it selfe knowes better then I can teach And would you keepe the Church in peace that it may helpe on the vnitie of the State If I mistake not that can neuer bee done but by Christian patience And that I finde in the letter of my Text. For it is not here simply said Ierusalem is as a Citie no but built as a Citie Built and vpon a Hill Esay 2. Many a cold a bitter storme it must endure God knowes And if Christ had not been a Rocke in the foundation I make no question it had beene downe long ere this Built then but vpwards in the Building from this foundation marke all along the walls of it Lapis lapidem portat portatur there is such vnitie in the Building that euery stone beares another and is borne by another And the Apostle cals for the same dutie in the spirituall Building Gal. 6. Beare yee one anothers burthen So no patience no bearing and no bearing no vnitie The Building cracks presently And continue it cannot long if the great Master-Builders take not care of the Morter If it bee laid with vntempered or distempered morter all will bee naught Ezech. 13. This Psalme was vsed for many yeeres together in the Church at Euensong vpon New yeeres day the day of the Circumcision Why the Church appointed it for that day is not my question now This I am sure of This Psalme calls vpon vs for the peace of Ierusalem vers 6. And that peace can neither be had nor held long vnlesse there bee a Circumcision and a paring off round about of heated and vnruly affections in the handling of differences And there must bee a Circumcision and a paring off of foolish and vnlearned Questions yea and of many Modal too such as are fitter to engender strife then godlines 2. Tim. 2. or no peace This is the way and no other that I know to see Ierusalem flourish as a Citie at vnitie within it selfe both for State and Church The second praise of Ierusalem is from the Religion of it For thither the tribes goe vp euen the Tribes of the Lord to the testimonie of Israel to giue thanks to the name of the Lord. Ierusalem is very right now At vnitie and Religious Oh that it had knowne the day of its visitation and continued so Luk. 19. For at this time the Tribes went vp to the Temple It begins well for to the Temple to the Church to the consecrated place of Gods seruice is one of the best iourneyes men of all sorts can make And you may giue a shrewd guesse at the deuotion of the time by the frequenting of the Church And this their publike comming to worship at the Temple was Gods expresse commandement Exod. 23. Therfore assembling and meeting at publike seruice in the Church is no humane Institution but frō God himselfe Nor is this Ceremonie Iewish or Ambulatory to cease with the Law and that Temple but omnino perpetuum altogether permanent in the Church of Christ Christians must to the Church and place of seruice too Why but what are they to doe when they come there What Why Ierusalem was right here too They did giue thanks to the name of the Lord and there 'T is no good signe when men are to seeke what they should do when they come to Church Yet if any man bee ignorant my Text will informe him men are there now to doe as they did then to giue thanks to the name of the Lord. The 70. and the vulgar haue it To confesse to the name of the Lord. It comes all to one For bee the word Thanke or Confesse it stands here expressiue of the whole Liturgie of all the publike externall Seruice of God All which if it bee not accompanied with the inward seruice of the heart is worth nothing So they went to the Temple as we must goe to the Church To confesse To pray To worship To praise To giue thanks to God which euen vnder the Law was preferred before Sacrifice it selfe Psalm 50. Nor may the wisedome of the world thinke that to pray and to giue thankes to God are void actions For what euer worldlings thinke the Church doth great seruice to the State while it prayes And it is no hard thing to proue this out of those Polititians themselues which haue giuen the world iust cause to thinke they wrapped vp God in their pocket when they went to counsell For their great Master confesseth that not a few but many things happen to States ex fato vrgente out of such a pressing destiny that they cannot bee preuented though the remedies bee obuious and at hand And is it so Why then where is the wisedome of the wise 1. Cor. 1. Is it not confounded out of question ' t is For yee see the remedy is acknowledged to bee at hand and yet not found This purblind wisedome cannot see it But to come home to him This Fatum vrgens what ere it bee if there bee a remedy and at hand it may bee preuented 'T is true it cannot by worldly wisedome onely For nisi Dominus except the Lord keepe the City all other watchfulnesse is in vaine Psalm 127. But then allow God that which is fit for him due to him The highest roome at the Councell-Table hee 'l quickly diuert this Fatum vrgens this pressing necessity The time was whē Ruine was trauelling so fast toward Nineue that it came within 40. daies of the Citie Ion. 3. And it was fatum vrgens it came on apace Did any wiseman of that State discouer that danger secure a remedy Not a man The Prophet preached the danger Deuotion as
appointed not one but many Seates of iudgement And therefore euen the inferiour Seates howsoeuer as they are setled by the King and the State seuerally to fit the nature of the people in seuerall Kingdomes are of positiue and humane Institution yet as they are Seates of Iudgement they haue their foundation vpon Diuine Institution too since there is no power but of God Rom. 13. By these Seates of Iustice and Iudgement the Learned in all ages vnderstand all Iudiciary power and administration both Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill And they are right For the Sanhedrim of the Iewes their greatest Seate of Iudgement vnder the King after they had that gouernment was a mixed Court of Priests and Iudges Deut. 17. though other Kingdomes since and vpon reason enough haue separated and distinguished the Seates of Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill Iudicature Since this diuision of the Seates of Iudgement there was a time when the Ecclesiasticall tooke too much vpon them Too much indeed and lay heauy not onely vpon ordinary Ciuill Courts but euen vpon the House of Dauid and Throne of the King himselfe But God euer from the dayes of Lucifer gaue pride a fall and pride of all sinnes least beseemes the Church May wee not thinke that for that shee fell But I pray remember 't was Fastus Romanus 't was Roman Pride that then infected this Church with many others The time is now come in this kingdome that the Ciuill Courts are asmuch too strong for the Ecclesiasticall and may ouerlay them as hard if they will be so vnchristian as to reuenge But we hope they which sit in them will remember or at the least that the House of Dauid will not forget That when God himselfe and Hee best knowes what hee doth for the vnitie of Ierusalem erected Seates of iudgement Hee was so farre from Ecclesiasticall Anarchie that Hee set the High Priest very high in the Sanhedrim And Ecclesiasticall and Church Causes must haue their triall and ending aswell as others I know there are some that thinke the Church is not yet farre enough beside the Cushin that their Seats are too easie yet and too high to A Paritie they would haue No Bishop No Gouernour but a Parochial Consistory and that should be Lay enough too Well first this Paritie was neuer left to the Church by Christ. He left Apostles and Disciples vnder them No Paritie It was neuer in vse with the Church since Christ No Church euer any where till this last age without a Bishop If it were in vse it might perhaps gouerne some pettie City but make it common once and it can neuer keepe vnitie in the Church of Christ. And for their Seates being too high God knowes they are brought lowe euen to contempt They were high in Ierusalem For all Diuines agree that this in prime reference is spoken of Ecclesiasticall Censures and Seates And the word is Thrones no lesse So the originall So the Septuagint and so many of the later Diuines forgetting their own inuention of the Presbytery And one thing more I 'le be bold to speake out of a like duetie to the Church of England and the House of Dauid They whoeuer they bee that would ouerthrow Sedes Ecclesiae the Seates of Ecclesiasticall Gouernment will not spare if euer they get power to haue a plucke at the Throne of Dauid And there is not a man that is for Paritie all Fellowes in the Church but hee is not for Monarchie in the State And certainely either he is but Halfe-headed to his owne Principles or hee can bee but Halfe-hearted to the House of Dauid And so wee are come to the last the great Circumstance of the Text the House of Dauid the Guide and the Ground too vnder God of that vnitie which blesses Ierusalem The house that is not the house onely but the Gouernment All Regall and Iudiciary power was seated by God himselfe in Dauid and his Posterity 2. Sam. 7. That Hee as King ouer his people might take care both that Ierusalem might be at vnitie in it selfe and that the Tribes of the Lord might goe thither to giue thankes to the Name of the Lord that all the seruants of God among that people might knowe that God had committed them to the trust of Dauid that they might not promise themselues succour from God otherwise then as they liued in obedience to Dauid that they might not thinke to alter the gouernement or the succession but rest dutifully where God had placed them And therfore when Ieroboam rent ten Tribes from the house of Dauid almost nothing but distraction and misery fel vpon that people euer after as appeares in the story This to the letter strictly Now to the sense at large as both Church and State haue subordination to the house of Dauid For Ierusalem that 's at vnitie vnder Dauid And the Tribes they go vp to the Testimony vnder Dauid And the Seats of iudgement they haue their seueral ministrations but all with reference all in obedience to the house of Dauid Now in a State the King obtinet locum fundamenti is alwayes fundamentall All inferiour powers of Nobles Iudges and Magistrates rest on him And yet the holy Ghost doth not say in my Text that the Seates of Iudgement are vpon the foundation of Dauid but vpon the House of Dauid And the reason is plaine because there is one and the same foundation of the King and his people that is God and Christ. But when the house of the King is built vpon God as Dauid's was then 't is to the people domus fundamentum both an house and a foundation of all their houses And that you may see the trueth of this looke into the Story of all States and you shall neuer finde a thunder-clap vpon the house of Dauid to make it shake but the houses of all the Subiects in the Kingdome shooke with it And this is an euident Argument that the house of Dauid is a Foundation when such a mighty building as a State is shaken with it And therefore there 's no man that loues his owne house but hee must loue the Kings and labour and studie to keepe it from shaking And if you marke the Text here 's Sedes super Sedem one Throne or Seat vpon another And all well-ordered States are built so by Sub Super by Gouernement and obedience The intermediate Magistrates haue their subordinations either to other and all to Dauid But the House of Dauid that 's both Sub Super vnder the rest in the foundation for so the Septuagint and the Fathers reade it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpon the house of Dauid so the house of Dauid vnder as Foundation But ouer the rest in the administration and the gouernment For they which are vpon him must not bee aboue him A primacie or superintendencie or what you will aboue the house of Dauid in his owne Kingdome is a dangerous and an ill construction of Super
the Law and the Testimonie Iudgement went out from God lately and it was fierce How many thousands strong men which might haue bin a wall about Ierusalem hath the Pestilence swept away But his mercy soon ouertooke his Iudgement For when did the eye of man behold so strange and sodain abatement of so great Mortalitie A great argument that hee will now appeare in Mercie And I cannot tell which hath got the better in the vie Your Honour or Your Religion that you haue made such hast to bring the Tribes to the Temple to giue thanks to the name of the Lord for this The first Lesson of this dayes Euening prayer is Exod. 18. There 's the Story of Iethro's counsell to Moses for assistance of inferiour Officers This was not the beginning of that great and parliamentary Councell which after continued successefull in the State of the Iewes For that was set after by GOD himselfe Numb 11. yet I make no great doubt but that the ease which Moses found by that Councell made him apt to see what more hee needed and so farre at least occasioned the setling of the Sanhedrim I take the omen of the day and the Seruice of the Church to blesse it That our Dauid may be as happy in this and all other Sessions of Parliament as their Moses was in his Councell of the Elders That the King and his people may now and at all like times meete in loue consult in wisedome manage their Counsell with temper entertaine no priuate businesse to make the publike suffer And when their consultation is ended part in the same loue that should euer bring King and People together And let vs all pray That our Ierusalem both Church and State which did neuer but flourish when it was at vnitie in it selfe may now and euer continue in that vnitie and so bee euer successefull both at home and abroad That in this vnitie the Tribes of the Lord euen all the Families and Kinreds of his people may come vp to the Church to pray and prayse and giue thanks vnto him That no Tribe or Person for any pretences for they are no better may absent themselues from the Church and Testimony of the Lord That the Seates of Iudgement Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill of all sorts may not onely be set but set firmely to administer the iustice of God and the King vnto his people That all men may reuerence and obey the House of Dauid who it selfe vpon God is the foundation of all these blessings That God would mutually blesse Dauid and this People That so the People may haue cause to giue thankes to God for Dauid And that Dauid may haue cause to take ioy in the loue and loyalty of of his people and blesse God for both Till from this Ierusalem and this Temple and these Thrones Hee and wee all may ascend into that glorious State which is in Heauen And this Christ for his infinite mercie sake grant vnto vs To whom c. FINIS ¶ Imprinted at London by BONHAM NORTON and IOHN BILL Printers to the Kings Most Excellent Maiesty 1625. Deut. 16.16 Vers. 1. Psalm 75 4â— Apoc. 12.6 S. Basil. Ibid. Psal. 113.6 S. Matth. 5.35 Thren 2.15 S. Matth. 24.2 Adrichom in descrip Ierus Iud. 19.10 2. Sam. 5.7 1. Chron. 11.4 S. Hil. ibid. Gen. 49.7 Coll. Dom. 5. post Trin. Plat. in vit Vrban 3. Lucan a Lib. 5. de Bel. Gal. In vita I. Agrip â—Cor 12. Vers. 25. Vers. 21. Vers. 21. Orat. 20. 1. Cor. 13.4 S. Luk. 23.34 Esai 2. 2. S. Math. 16.18 Gal. 6.2 Ezech. 13.10 2. Tim. 2.23 S. Luk. 19.12 Exod. 23.17 Psal. 50.13,14 1. Cor. 1.17 Psal. 127. 1. Ion. 3. Act 13.27 S. Basil. ibid. Deut. 17.11 Deut. 16.16 Vers. 22. Vers. 8,9 S. Luk. 10.30 S. Aug. Ibid. Exod. 23.15 a Apolina Ibid. Deut. 16.16 2. Chron. 7.12 S. Basil. Ibid. 3. Reg. 12.28 Ibid. S. Ioh. 21.16 Deut. 17.10 S. Basil. Theodoret Euthyâ— Caluin Mâ—scâ— Inn. Ibid. S. Luk. 1.75 Non eadem videntur Iudicibus iratis quietis Arist. lib. 2. Rhet. c. 1. 1. Cor. 6.6 * Tostat. in Exod 21. q. 16. P. Cuneus de Rep. Hebr. lib. 1. c. 12. Rom. 13. 1. Both for Causes Persons Pet Cun. de Rep. Hebr. lib. 1. pag. 101. 106. Caluin Muscul. Iun. versio Geneu Nay the Anabaptists themselues Ainsw Ibid. 2. Sam. 7.10 Psal. 89.36 Psal. 65.7 Calu. Ibid. 1. Sam. 8. Psal. 111.10 1. S. Pet. 2.17 Exod. 25.22 Exod. 18. Numb 11.16
long as Ierusalem was at vnitie in it selfe But when that brake all misery began For no sooner had Ieroboam made a Rent in this vnity and torne away ten Tribes from the house of Dauid but by and by Samaria is as good as Ierusalem and the Calues in Dan and Bethel as good as that God that brought them out of the land of Egypt 3. Reg. 12. So dangerous a thing it is when vnitie and God's command are broke together The Iesuite Lorinus tels vs There are better causes to perswade vs now to goe on pilgrimage ad Limina Petri and the Iubilees at Rome then the Tribes had here to goe to Ierusalem What better causes The Iewes had Gods expresse commandement to goe to Ierusalem and the forme of worship that was there And what better warrant can any man or any people haue then Gods command Let him or any other shew me such a command That all the whole Church of Christ all the Tribes which now serue the Lord must come in person or consent and doe it at Rome wee will neuer stay for Lorinus his better reasons Wee will take Gods command for a good one and obey it But they must not thinke to choak vs with the wool that growes vpon Pasce oues S. Iohn 21. which as the Fathers haue diuersly spunne out so no one of them comes home to the cloathing of Rome with such a large Robe of State as she challengeth And this in the meane time will bee found true That while they seeke to tye all Christians to Rome by a diuine precept their Ambition of Soueraignty is one and a maine cause that Ierusalem euen the whole Church of Christ is not at vnitie in it selfe this day Now beside the honour seruice done to God the people had many other benefits by comming vp and meeting at Ierusalem Many but one more especially And that comes in to the third commendation of Ierusalem the Gouernment both Spirituall and Temporall For there also are the seates of Iudgement euen the seates of the house of Dauid So they might serue themselues at the seats of Iustice while they went to the Temple of serue God In the ascending 't was illuc thither And here at the sitting 't is illic there One the same City honoured with God his Church and the King And it must needs bee so For these three God the King and the Church that is God his Spouse his Lieutenant vpon earth are so neere allyed God and the Church in loue God the King in power The King and the Church in mutuall dependance vpon God and subordination to him That no man can serue any one of them truely but he serues all three And surely 't was in a blessed figure that Gods house and the Kings stood together at Ierusalem The Temple if I mistake not vpon the East and the Palace of Salomon vpon the South-side of the same Mountaine to shew that their seruants and seruice must goe together too that no man might thinke himselfe the farther from God by seruing the King nor the farther from the King by seruing God The Kings power is Gods ordinance and the Kings command must bee Gods glory and the honour of the Subiect is obedience to both And therefore in the Lawe the same command that lay vpon the people to come vp illuc thither to Ierusalem the very same lay vpon them to obey the Iudges and the house of Dauid illic when they came there To obey the Sanhedrim the Iudges Deut. 17. and both them and the King after the house of Dauid was setled as in this place For then there was seated as diuers of the Fathers and later diuines obserue both Authorities both of the Priests and of the King and his Iudges So the first lesson which the people doe or should learne by going vp to the Temple is obedience to both spirituall and temporall Authority but especially to the house of Dauid Well then illic there were the Seates or Thrones of iudgement Of all things that are necessary for a State none runs so generally through it as Iustice and Iudgement Euery part and member of a Kingdome needs it And 't is not possible Ierusalem should bee long at vnitie in it selfe if Iustice and Iudgement doe not vphold it And 't is in vaine for any man whether hee bee in authority or vnder it to talke of Religion Gods seruice to frequent the Temple if he doe not in the course of his life exercise and obey Iustice and Iudgement And this Lesson Religion euer teacheth For it was the very end of Christs comming to redeeme vs That wee might serue him in holinesse and in righteousnes S. Luk. 1. In holines toward God that 's first and then in righteousnes and iustice towards men that 's next And they stand so that the one is made the proofe of the other Righteousnes of Holines For he that doth but talke of Holinesse and doth vniustly therewhile is but an Hypocrite This for Iustice the preseruatiue of vnitie Now for the Seates of it They which are appointed to administer Iustice and Iudgement to the people haue Thrones or Chayres or Seates call them what you will the thing is the same out of which they giue sentence vpon Persons or Causes brought before them And they are signes of authority and power which the Iudges haue And 't is not for nothing that they are called Seates For Iudgement was euer giuen in publike sitting And there 's good reason for it For the soule and minde of man is not so settled when the Body is in motion For the Body moued moues the humours and the humours moued moue the affections and Affections moued are not the fittest to doe Iustice and iudgement No Reason in a calme vnmoued is fittest for that Now the Seates stand here both for the Seats themselues And so sederunt Sedes is Actiue for Passiue The Seates sate for The Seates are placed or for the Iudges that sit in them or sederunt id est permanserunt for the perpetuity and fixing of the Seates of Iustice. The Seates must bee in some reuerence for the persons that sit in them The persons must haue their Honour for the Office they performe in them And the Seates must bee fixed and permanent that the people which are fallen into Controuersie may know the Illiâ— and the Vbi whither to come and finde Iustice. The words in my Text are plurall Seates of Iudgement And 't is obseruable For the exorbitances of men that quarrell others are such and so many that one Seat of Iudgement only was scarce euer sufficient for any State Seates they must be they seldome want worke In the prime times of the Church Christians could not hold from going to Law one with another and that vnder vnbelieuers 1. â— Cor. 6. To meet with this frailtie of man God in this Common-wealth which himselfe ordered