grant that this labour of mine may be accepted of the Saints and tend to Gods glorie And I heartily beseech the Lord the God of all grace and giuer of all blessings that he would so multiply his heauenly graces vpon you that you may alwaies walke worthy of the Lord and please him in all things battering downe continually the kingdome of Sathan and setting vp the kingdome of Christ to the vttermost of your powers that so many soules may be saued by your meanes and you your selues haue the greater weight of glory bestowed vppon you at the day of iudgement when all persons shall be rewarded according to their workes And so crauing pardon for my boldnesse I ende and humbly take my leaue Rodborough the twentieth of August 1610. Your Worships to be commanded in the Lord Richard Web. To the Christian Reader all grace and peace CHristian Reader the whole care and burthen of the Ministery of the Lords word is or at the least ought to be how to bring men to the liuing God to pull them out of the kingdome of Satan that they might be planted in the Kingdome of Christ Euery one should helpe forward this worke which is the greatest and the most honorablest worke in all the world The miserable estate wherein they are who do remaine vnder Satan and his dominion as all men do by nature and the most blessed condition that they are in who are vnder Christ and his gouernment as none are but by grace should moue men sufficiently thereunto For mine owne part what I haue done this way these Sermons of mine in part will shew thee Reade thē at thy leasure marke them well begin not alone but make an end For haply as it is in S. Iohns Gospell the best wine is reserued till the last VVhen thou hast ended if thou receiuest any profite thereby blesse thou the name of thy God for it vnto whom all honour and praise do belong and pray also vnto the same God for me the instrument therein of thy good that so I may alwaies stand fast in the truth and increase daily in all heauenly graces to the honour of his name and the good of his Church Our daies thou knowest are corrupt and full of sinne and we our selues are very fraile and weake looke therefore to thy selfe and keepe thine heart with all diligence Run not with the world neither decline after vanity but cleaue fast vnto thy God come life or come death and be thou sure euermore to worke out thy saluation with feare and trembling and so fare thee well most heartily in the Lord. Thine for thy good euer in the Lord R. W. The principall matters which are handled in euery Sermon The Contents of the first Sermon THe Author Summe and Diuision of the whole Psalme It is proued that Dauid and Christ had many enimies according to the letter of the text The causes why Christ in the daies of his flesh was reiected by men albeit he was most worthy of loue and fauour which are in number 7. whereof 3. are intrinsecall or inward being inherent in men and 4. extrinsecall or outward being wickedly pickt from Christ himselfe It is shewed how the enimies of Dauid and Christ were oucrcome and came to fearefull ends The godly are vnlikely for foure causes to ouercome their enimies yet do they preuaile against them the reasons why and the vses thereof There are foure things in God for the which the victory doth alwaies go on his side and theirs whose part he doth take It is declared how the godly do ouercome euen then when they be put to death for the truths sake God is a patient God not willing the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and liue the reasons why and the vses thereof The Contents of the second Sermon IT is proued that Christs enimies did rage and murmure against him in the daies of his flesh according to the letter of the text The multitude and common people of the world are enimies to the Lord and his truth the reasons why which are foure and the vses thereof which are also foure Murmuring is a sin and to be auoided of Gods children the reasons why which are two and the vses thereof which are also two Eight preseruatiues or remedies against murmuring The diuers ends wherefore Questions are proposed The acts deeds of the vulgar sort are so foolish mad that wise discreet persons fearing the Lord may well wōder at thē with the vse therof The Contents of the third Sermon IT is proued that the States of the land did oppose themselues against Christ in the daies of his flesh according to the letter of the text Rich men and great persons haue foure chiefe reasons aboue others to serue the Lord yet they contemne him most the reasons why which are sixe and the vses thereof which are foure Councels and assemblies are as well against the Lord and his truth as for him the reasons why which are 2. and the vses thereof which are 3. The wicked haue their Comes and Exhortations vnto vngodlinesse with the vse thereof There are three causes why the lawes of God should be regarded by men yet the wicked do reiect them the reasons why which are foure and the vses thereof which are two There are foure causes why the godly do delight in the law of God and desire to keepe the same By resisting Gods lawes men do resist God himselfe the reason why and the vses thereof which are two The Contents of the fourth Sermon GOd is in all places at all times three waies Two reasons why God is said to be in heauen rather then in any other place Gods laughing what it is at whom he doth laugh and the vse thereof No power or counsell can stand against the Lord but downe it must go the reasons why which are two and the vses thereof which are three Men like Giants fight against the Lord many waies but chiefly foure waies Gods anger what it is and the double way by the which he doth speake vnto man The enimies of Gods Church shall be ouerthrowne the reasons why and the vses thereof which are three The Church of God is like to an hill or mountaine in three respects with the vses thereof The Church of God is said to be holy for three causes with the vses thereof God the Father made Christ the King of his Church the reasons why respecting his Godhead and those eight notable-vertues which were in him most worthy of a King and the vses thereof which are three The Contents of the fifth Sermon Christs faithfulnes in opening his Fathers decree with the vse therof Three causes wherefore Christ published his Fathers decree touching himselfe and his calling Euery person must stand vpon his office and calling the reasons why which are foure and the vses thereof which are three An argument to proue that our Church in England is the true Church of God and
lie still in their miseries and neuer haue any hope to recouer themselues againe or to repaire such ruinous breaches as thou dost bring vpon them Thus runneth the paraphrase of this place Wherein you haue nothing else to remember in summe Summe but a description of Iesus Christ the second person in the Godhead who is our sweet Sauiour and blessed King In which description obserue two things The first is the person that doth publish the description The other is the parts wherein this description doth stand The person that doth publish the description is Christ himselfe expressed in these words I will declare the decree or rather as it is in the Hebrew text I will speake or declure according to the decree and ordinance El hhok There are certaine decrees and ordinances established by God touching the person of Christ and his gouernment Now according to these will Christ speake and not otherwise You must not here conceiue that some other person is brought in speaking but that it is Christ himselfe and none else but he True it is that Dauid did vtter them as he was a type and figure of Christ but Christ himselfe as he was the body and truth and so the words are properly and in truth it selfe to be referred vnto him Behold he takes vpon him as it were the part of a faithfull Prophet to make knowne his Fathers will vnto mankinde in respect of himselfe and his waies I beseech you marke diligently how he doth it It is not according to his owne fansie as we often speake but it is according to his Fathers owne decree and appointment without all deceipt or fraudulent dealing whatsoeuer there is no adding nor detracting no chopping or changing found in him but all things are faithfully deliuered according to the truth it selfe A worthy thing to be thought often on and euermore to be had in good remembrance by all sorts of persons but chiefly by the Ministers of the Word who ought to be faithfull in their offices as Christ was in his and not to make merchandise of the word of God but as of sinceritie as of God in the sight of God to speake in Christ Iesus as the Apostle Saint Paul doth speake in his second Epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter and the last verse thereof At all times should men looke most carefully to this but much more now in these corrupt and rotten dayes of ours wherein the Lords ordinances are beazelled and his most sacred Oracles turned vp and downe like a nose made of waxe as pleaseth the wicked humor of many a sinfull man but beware we beware we of such cursed and satanicall dealing If we speake at any time let vs speake with all reuerence as doth become them who vtter the words of a mightie God and according to the truth it selfe and not otherwise So shall health be vnto our nauell and marrow vnto our bones when others are perplexed with intollerable woe and paine I might haue made a long discourse of this matter as being a very fit subiect to be stood vpon in our licentious times but thus shortly I passe it ouer as intending onely to stand most vpon those points which are most intended by the Spirit of God himselfe and not to do as many are wont to do vpon euery small occasion to wander abroad from my text in hand Two questions here may be moued the one is whether Christ did thus publish the decree and appointment of his Father touching himselfe and his kingdome as here he doth say he would do The other is for what causes he would do the same and for what end and purpose Touching the former of these two we find in the story of the Euangelists that he did do it according to the tenor of the text here in hand For they do shew how he did consesse and declare abroad that he was the Sonne of God that all iudgement was committed vnto him by his Father that he was a king that all power was giuen vnto him in heauen and earth that he was the Messiah or Annointed whereof Esay did speake in the 61. chapter of his Prophesie and the beginning thereof that he was the bread that came downe from heauen and the partie whom his Father had sealed for the bringing of euerlasting life vnto mankind These and the like things do they report of him as you may see by Iohn the 5.6 and 18. chapters thereof By Luke the 4. the 22. and 23. chapters and by Math 16.21.26 and 27. chapters thereof Reade these places I pray at your ley sure and acknowledge the truth of this point Now for the other Christ might do it for many causes First that he might bring men into the greater and more willing subiection vnto him according to the speech of the housholder in Math. 21.37 But last of all he sent vnto them his owne Sonne saying They will reuerence my Sonne Secondly that he might leaue men without all excuse and make them vnable to answer for themselues at the day of iudgement if they did not obey him and do according to his commandements according to his owne saying in Iohn chapter 15. and verse 22. If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sinne Lastly that he might comfort and strengthen them that did relie vpon him against the rage and surie of the world as also against the malice and power of Sathan himselfe according to that which is in Iohn chapter 16. verse 33. These things haue I spoken vnto you that in me ye might haue peace in the world ye shall haue affliction but be of a good comfort I haue ouercome the world Hauing thus in few words answered these questions which tend to the clearing of the text and the confirmation of that truth which is included therein let vs now come to the maine doctrine of the place And that in few words standeth thus namely that it is the part and duty of men in authority to stand vpon such gifts and callings as God hath bestowed vpon them according vnto the example of Christ here For as he did the same so must we do it by vertue of his commandement in Math. 11.29 Take my yoke on you and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest vnto your soules So did Moses when he came vnto the children of Israel to deliuer them out of their bondage and stood before Pharaoh the King of Aegypt to craue leaue for a free passage for them For he did not onely make it knowne vnto them all how God had called him to this worke and businesse by word of mouth alone declaring what matters had passed betwixt him and God but also by workes and deeds doing strange and admirable miracles daily in their sight as we may see at large in Exodus from the latter end of the fourth chapter thereof and so forward
and it shall be giuen him as you may see in Iames 1.5 And whereas man will not regard vs in the time of need but then begin to forsake vs when once we come into trouble and miserie though in the time of our prosperitie he made much of vs and was readie to do vs what good he could it is not so with God For if we shall pray vnto him in the midst of all our calamities he will harken vnto vs and become most gracious and fauourable vnto vs to deliuer vs out of them all as he himselfe doth teach vs in Psalme 50.15 saying Call vpon me in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me By all which places you see it is a most cleare and euident doctrine that we must both pray to God and that by our prayers vnto him we shall receiue fauors at his hands And the reason hereof is this we must pray to him Reason because by prayers we do honour him most and bring great glory to his name in that we do acknowledge him to be the giuer of all things and one on whom our whole life and all that we haue do depend By prayers we shall receiue benefites of him because he hath appointed prayers as an ordinarie meanes and second cause to conuey his benefites oner vnto vs. For as he hath appointed the end of all things so he hath appointed also in the same decree of his the meanes which are fit to bring them to the same end And therefore seeing prayer is one of the chiefe and principall meanes which he hath ordained for the powring downe of his gifts and graces vpon mankind it is no maruell though by praying vnto him men do receiue from time to time most rare and excellent blessings from him Learne we then from hence these points Vse First that they are worthy of blame who do neglect prayer and do not powre out their soules from time to time vnto the Almightie as they ought to do It is our part to pray continually as the Apostle doth teach vs in 1. Thes 5.17 and to watch thereunto with all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints as it is in Ephes 6.18 But yet alas we do it too seldome and some almost neuer in all their liues But let vs amend this our fault and grow better in this respect Secondly that the reason why many do receiue few or no benefits at the hands of God is this not because his hand is shortned it and vnable to do them good but because they do not pray vnto him and aske for benefites of him Ye lust saith Iames and haue not ye enuie and haue indignation and cannot obtaine ye fight and warre and get nothing because ye aske not Iames 4.2 If you say that you aske and receiue not I will answer you with the same Apostle and in the same place that the cause thereof is because ye aske amisse as doth follow there in the next verse Either the thing which you craue is not lawfull and expedient or your mind in crauing is not earnest or Christ is not made the Mediator or the end is not good or the prayer is not continuall or faith lastly is not there to present it If these or any of these faile or be wanting it is no maruell though our prayer receiue the repulse But let them all concurre and meete together as they ought to do then shall we obtaine of God whatsoeuer we will ourselues Thirdly that prayer is a most fruitfull thing and such a meanes as it brings with it vnto vs the great and wonderfull gifts of the Almightie As it will stay the Lord from smiting euen then when his hand is vpto lay on as we may see at large in the beginning of the 32. chapter of Exodus where Moses prayer pacified the Lord and turned his wrath away from the Israelites so that they were not consumed according to their desers so it doth pull downe his mercies and benefits in great abundance vpon vs. For looke what we do desire the Lord is ready to graunt vnto vs yea he doth grant more vnto vs oftentimes then we do desire As for example Zaccheus desired onely to see Christ but befides that Christ called him by his name and offered his owne selfe vnto him for his saluation as it is in the beginning of the 19 chapter according to Saint Lukes Gospell The sicke of the palsie desired onely the health of his body but he obtained also the forgiuenesse of his sinnes as appeareth in the beginning of the ninth chapter according to S. Mathew Salomon desired only wisedome that he might know how to rule his people and to go in and out before them but as God did bestow that vpon him so he did giue him also riches and honor so that among the kings there was none like him all his daies as it is euident in 1. Kin. 3 6. c. Lastly Iacob desired onely food and apparell when he went from his parents to Padan Aram to fetch him a wife amongst his owne kindred but the Lord made him a great rich man and caused him to returne home againe with abundance of wealth and goods as it is storied of him in the booke of Genesis in chapter 28.30 and 33. Well therefore might Paul say that he that is Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call on him Rom. 10.12 And well also might Dauid say that the Lord is neare vnto all that call vpon him yea that call vpon him in truth Psal 145.18 And as for the Lords dealing towards himselfe he doth vtter it in these words Thou hast giuen him his hearts desire and hast not denied him the request of his lippes For thou didst preuent him with liberall blessings and didst set a crowne of pure gold vpon his head he asked life of thee and thou gauest him a long life for euer and euer Psal 21.20 c. I pray thinke deeply on these things and let them encourage our hearts to pray still If we were sure that the kings Maiestie would admit vs alwayes into his presence and grant vnto vs whatsoeuer we should desire of him I doubt not but that we should be forward yea too forward to go vnto him often with our suites to haue benefits and high promotions from him But such a king we haue here who is the king of kings and shall not we then commence our suites continually vnto him and waite at the gates of his grace with our supplications a ready drawne in our hands to deliuer them vnto him at his coming forth Kingdomes we say go not a begging yet the Catholicke and vninersall kingdome of Christ which is the greatest of all was obtained by begging For he had it onely for the asking If beggers speed so well we say againe we our selues will begge To conclude therefore this point let vs do it then and runne still to God begging for benefits and doubt we not but we
sought to be worshipped of him he said vnto him Auoide Sathan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue The Scripture is full of this matter but one place more as containing all the rest vnder it shall suffice vs at this time And that is in Reuel 14.7 For there you shall find that this is the very summe and principall matter whereof the whole Scripture doth intreate and which all the Preachers in the world from time to time do deliuer vnto their people when the Angell flying in the midst of heauen and hauing an euerlasting Gospell to preach vnto them that dwell on the earth doth cry out and say Feare God and giue glory to him for the houre of his iudgement is come and worship him that made heauen and earth and the sea and the fountaines of waters So that this is a point as cleare and manifest as the Sunne at noone dayes when it shineth most brightly ouer all the word And the reasons hereof are many Reasones but at this time I will onely touch two The one is in regard of his making and creating of all things For seeing we are his workmanship and haue our whole liues and being from him he hauing created vs and made vs of nothing it is good reason that we apply our selues and all that we haue to his worship and seruice alone according to the iudgement of the Church triumphing in heauen whereof mention is made in the Reuelations Chapter 4. verses 10.11 For the 24. Elders noting out the Saints in heauen are there reported to fall downe before him that sate on the throne and to worship him that liueth for euermore and to cast their Crownes before his throne vpon this ground and consideration that he had made them and all things else saying Thou ort worthy O Lord to receiue glory and honour and power For thou hast created all things and for thy wils sake they are and haue bene created The other is in regard of his preseruing and keeping of all things For considering that we haue our whole maintenance and stay from him and he doth daily keepe vs vpon his owne cost and charges as we speake it is our part and duty to honour him and to do whatsoeuer we can for him in fulfilling any of his Commandements according to Iosuah his exhortation vnto the children of Israel in the 23. 24. chapters of Iosuah For in these places you may see that he doth perswade them to feare the Lord and to serue him in vprightnesse and in truth and to put away all false gods from amongst them onely vpon this reason and foundation that God was good and beneficiall vnto them destroying all their enimies before them and placing them in a fruitfull country where they had goodly cities which they did neuer build excellent vineyards and Oliue trees which they did neuer plant and other notable commodities which they did daily enioy without any labour and toile of theirs And surely when these things were thus lay de downe before their eyes they also vpon the due consideration thereof resolued with themselues to serue the Lord and to worship him and to do as Iosuah had exhorted them for to do as is apparant about the midst of the 24. chapter before quoted And you know that equitie and conscience doth require that if a man hire a seruant and giue him meate and drinke and wages that he should do his businesse and be obedient vnto him and his commandements And so should it be betwixt God and vs seeing we are his seruants and haue all that we haue from him euen euery morsell of meate that we do eate and euery peece of cloth that we do put about vs as all other things besides we should be tractaable to his voyce and be alwayes ready prest to do his commandements Wherefore as this may controll them Vse who are stubburne and obstinate and do withdraw the shoulder from yeelding obedience vnto the Almightie whereof there are too many in our sinfull dayes So it may teach vs what we our selues ought to do and be as a spurre in our sides to pricke vs forward to all such matters as may bring honor and glory vnto him that is aboue all Beware you beware you of sinfull wayes and be you sure to do nothing but what you know will be well pleasing vnto your God Though others lie and sweare and steale and kill and commit adulterie and do other things that are most vile and abhominable yet be you holy righteous in your wayes auoiding these sinnes and all others whatsoeuer and performing such duties only as the Lord will be serued and worshipped by For you must alwayes remember with your selues that it is not enough to know the will of your God and to vnderstand what he doth require at your hands but you must withall serue him and worship him aright do according to his commandements The hearers of the law saith Paul in Rom. 2.13 are not righteous before God but the doers of the law shall be iustified And our Sauiour doth teach vs in Luk. 12.47 that the seruant who knoweth his maisters will and prepareth not himselfe neither doth according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Yea you your selues do know that as the ignorant who know not the Lord must be cast into hell and there lie boyling in torments for euermore so must the disobedient also and all such who obey not vnto the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ according to Pauls words in 2. Thes 1.8 And therfore you see the Prophet here doth not onely call for wisedome and learning but also for worship seruice Content not then your selues with your knowledge and vnderstanding but go on forward and become faithfull seruants vnto the Lord in doing his will And looke what you do require of your seruants that are vnder you do you your selues performe vnto your God that is aboue you and whose seruants you are heare his voyce and obey it For what shall he make you and place you here in this world and that in a fruitfull soile in the dayes of much peace and plentie and yet will you not serue him What Shall he nourish you daily giue you light to see aire to breathe in food to eate liquor to drinke garments to weare houses to dwell in and lade you with other infinite blessings both for this life and the life to come and yet will you not honour him and walke according to his commandements Doubtlesse if your seruants should refuse to do your businesse and worke you would turne them out of doores and not feed them vpon your owne cost and charges and in the end pay them their wages and will God then take it well at your hands if you shall refuse to do his businesse and worke will he alwayes then nourish you and giue you a good recompence at the last No no but he will turne you
to haue aduersaries of all sorts wheresoeuer you shall liue or dwell Either Ismael with his flowting tongue or Esau with his bloudy hand shall wound and persecute you for he that is borne after the flesh will alwaies persecute him that is borne after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 And surely as the life of Christ was a warfare vpon earth so must your liues that are Christians be a warfare vpon earth Here we liue in a sea of troubles the sea is the world the waues are calamities the Church is the ship the anker is hope the sailes are loue the Saints are passengers the hauen is heauen and Christ is our Pilot. Now when the sea can continue without waues the ship without tossings and passengers not be sicke vpon the water then shall the Church of God be without trials but not before And as for this voyage we begin it or at the least should begin it so soone as we are borne and we must saile on till our dying day Therefore I beseech you brethren promise vnto your selues no security in this world but looke still for enimies and when you haue slaine a Beare looke for a Lyon when you haue killed the Lyon looke for a Goliah and when you haue ouercome Goliah looke for a Saul when Saul is wounded to death looke for the Philistines c. that is when you haue ouercome one trouble or vanquished one enimie looke still for an other trouble and for an other enimie and that vntill you die and the spirit doth returne to God that gaue it Thus farre of the first point now followes the second In the fourth verse and so forward vnto the end of the ninth verse is shewed how this opposition which was made against the Lord and his Annoynted came to none effect but was withstood and brought to nothing through the powerfull working of the Almighty the enimies that made the opposition being brought to shame and confusion How true this was in respect of Dauid the figure the 2. booke of Samuel doth declare with the beginning of the first booke of the Kings For in these two bookes we finde these three things First that he did enioy his kingdome vnto his dying day and that he did end his lise quietly and in peace in his bed 1. Kings 2.10 Secondly that the Lord his God who dwelleth in heauen did helpe him from time to time in all his troubles against his enemies 2. Samuel 22.1 c. Thirdly that his enemies who did thus resist him were vanquished and slaine Abner he was slaine by Ioab 2. Sam. 3.27 and Ish-bosheth his maisters Sauls sonne for whom he did sight was murdered by two of his seruants in his own house as he lay vpon his bed in his bed-chamber 2. Sam 4.7 The Iebusites they were punished and smitten by Ioab 2. Sam. 5.8 and 1. Chro. 11.8 The Philistines and other out-landish nations they were many of them put to the sword and the residue were made tributaries to Dauid 2. Sam. 5. 8. Chap. Absalom he was hanged by the haire of the head on an Oake in the wood as he was pursuing after his father and there he was slaine 2. Sam. 18.9.14 And Sheba the sonne of Bichri he was beheaded in Abel by the perswasion of a woman and his head cast ouer the wall vnto Ioab 2. Sam. 20.22 Thus all Dauids enimies ended their daies in deserued punishments But now for Christ there may be some doubt whether all things fell out aright according to the text here concerning him considering that his aduersaries seemed to haue the vpper hand of him in that they put him to death and brought him to a shameful end and that he himselfe did cry out and say My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Math. 27.46 Notwithstanding both these things euery matter is true which is reported here of him For first and foremost it is euident howsoeuer he vttered these words in his agony and bitter passion through the consternation of his minde which was now much disturbed through the intollerable burden which God his Father did lay vpon him for the sinnes of mankind that God had not forsaken him but was alwaies present with him for his good first by the sending of an Angel vnto him in his great heauinesse for his comfort Luk. 22.43 secondly by his hearing of him at all times yea euen in those things which he feared Heb. 5.7 And lastly by his aduancing of him from the graue vnto the highest heauens the vniuersall regiment of all the world Ephes 1.20 c. Secondly it is apparant that howsoeuer they did murder him yet they had not the victory ouer him but he rather the victory ouer them First by his rising againe from the dead Secondly by his sitting at the right hand of his Father Thirdly by his dwelling with his Church vpon the face of the earth vnto the end of the world And lastly by his triumphing ouer his enimies euē while he did hang vpon the crosse as it is well obserued by the Apostle in Col. 2.15 when he saith And hath spoyled the Principallities and Powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed oner them in the same crosse But if you will not giue credit to these things and so be perswaded by these reasons marke what he himselfe who is truth it selfe Ioh. 14.6 hath said touching this matter in Ioh. 16.33 Where you shall finde him vttering these words vnto his disciples saying In the world yee shall haue affliction but be of a goodcomfort I haue ouercome the world Then as we are conquerours yea more then conquerours when we do suffer for the name of Christ and do leese our liues for the defence of his truth as it is in Rom. 8.36.37 so was Christ a conquerour yea more then a conquerour when he died for vs and by his death did destroy him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 and so through his sufferings entred into his glory Luke 24.26 he being for that cause exalted aboue all the creatures and receiuing a name aboue euery name that at his name euery knee should bow both of things in heauen and things inearth and things vnder the earth Phil. 2.9 c. Thirdly and lastly it is manifest that his aduersaries were ouerthrowne and that most of them came to fearefull ends First by the ciuill warre that arose vp amongst themselues which continued a long time and brought many thousands to most desperate ends Secondly by the grieuous famine that was in the midst of them that consumed many of them and caused the parents to eate their owne children and one friend to deuoure another Thirdly by the totall destruction of their glorious Temple famous citty of Ierusalem with all the inhabitants thereof by Vespasian and Titus the Emperours of Rome Fourthly by the lasting infamy of a cursed name vpon their whole nation in that they are reproched throughout all the world and counted the worst
people that are according to our prouerbe He is as bad as a Iew. Finally by the woeful plagues not to speake here any thing of the torments of hell which is the worst of all which God hath sent downe immediatly from heauen vpon some of them in particular as vpon Herod Pontius Pilate and others For Herod to passe ouer all the rest and to make him an instance for all was thus plagued First he had a most scorching burning feuer by which he was inflamed exceedingly as well in the inward parts as in the outward Secondly there was in him an insatiable desire of food which could not be abated or be remoned away by all the meate and drinke which he did ranonously deuoure in great abundance Thirdly he had the bloody flixe Fourthly he had the colicke Fiftly he had the goute in his seete Sixtly his priuy members did so swell and rot that wormes did breed in the same And lastly he was from the top of the head vnto the sole of the foote so corrupt rotten that there came such a stinke from him that no person could well endure it and so in this woefull manner he ended his life and gaue vp the ghost Hauing thus seene the truth of all matters and found euery thing agreeable to the words of the text let vs now descend vnto the doctrine Doct. which may be gathered out of the same In few words it is nothing else but this that though we haue many enimies and sore aduersaries as Dauid and Christ had yet they shall not preuaile against vs but we shall prenaile against them doe they what they can as Dauid and Christ did Israel in Aegypt was cruelly handled but yet the more the Aegyptians did vexe them the more they multiplied and grew as it is in Exod. 3.12 And when they had done all the spite that they could doe against them yet at the last they were deliuered out of their hands they themselues being oftentimes plagued by the Almighty for their sakes and in the end most fearefully drowned in the red sea as it is apparant in the 14. Chap. of the same booke Mention is made of a great battell that was fought betweene Christ and the diuell and their armies in the Reuelation Chap. 12.7 c. But if you marke the sequele thereof you shall finde that Christ and his side had the victory For as it is witnessed of the Dragon who is the diuell and his Angels who are his souldiers that they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen in the 8. verse of that Chapter so it is recorded to the glory comfort of all those who take Christs part that they ouercame the diuell the accuser of Gods children by the bloud of the Lambe and the word of their testimony in the 11. vers thereof But to omit other testimonies examples whereof the holy Scripture is full and frequent in this case let the words of our Sauiour Christ suffice vs at this time He tels vs in Math. 16.18 that the gates of hell whereby is meant all the power and force thereof shall not ouercome his Church or be able to ouerthrow such as do depend vpon him by a true and iustifying faith And in the 7. Chapter of the same booke towards the latter end thereof he doth shew the stablenesse of those that doe belong to the Lord haue a care both to heare the word of God and also to do it by a notable comparison wherein he doth resemble them to an house that is built vpon a rocke which cannot be cast downe by any tempest of weather whatsoeuer but doth stand alwaies still and cannot fall A thing neuer to bee thought of enough it is so full of comfort and consolation vnto euery godly soule chiefly vnto him that is afflicted here in this world But what might the reason thereof be may a man say that thus the godly should alwaies preuaile and be neuer ouerthrowne by their enimies but ouercome them rather Experience doth teach vs that they are fewer in number then the wicked are that they are weaker for strength and power that they are more simple for wit and policy and that they are more carelesse for diligence and watchfulnes then their aduersaries be How comes it then to passe that they haue the vpper hand The Prophet Isay doth declare it vnto vs in the 8. Chapter of his Prophecy and the 10. verse thereof Reason It is in few words because the Lord is with for thē For first he is stronger then all beeing able to resist all power that is made against his to do whatsoeuer he will both in heauen earth Secondly he is wiser then all seeing how to preuent them in all their waies and how also to bring matters to passe for the good of his Thirdly he is diligenter then all to stand as it were vpon his watch and to take his aduantage when it is offered him For he that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe Psalme 121.4 Lastly he is happier then all to haue good successe in all his enterprises For he doth prosper still in all things which he doth take in hand and none can resist a thought of his yea the very word that goeth out of his mouth doth accomplish that which he will and prosper in the thing whereunto he doth send it Isay 55.11 In warre all these foure things are respected in a captaine that will still ouercome First that he be strong Secondly that he be wise Thirdly that he be diligent And lastly that he be fortunate For the victory goes not alwaies with the strong nor alwaies with the wise nor alwaies with the diligent nor alwaies with the fortunate but sometimes with the one of them and sometimes with the other But looke where all foure doe concurre together there is alwaies the victory And therefore seeing all of them are in God it is no maruell though those whose battels hee doth fight doe alwaies ouercome and get the victory Here I would gladly come to the vse of the doctrine Obiect but me thinks I heare a man obiecting against that which hath bene said saying that it is not true that Gods children do alwaies preuaile against their enimies but that their enimies oftentimes do preuaile against them For we see that they are murdered and put to death Mention is made thereof in the booke of the Reuelation and in other places of the holy Scripture besides And thousand examples euery where do demonstrate the same daily vnto vs. For we do behold stil with our owne eyes and heare with our owne eares that the godly haue the worst end of the staffe as it is in our adage and that the wicked do beare sway and dominion ouer them How then is it true which hath bene spoken that doe the vngodly what they can yet the righteous shall still preuaile against them as here Dauid and Christ did The answere hereunto may easily
hunger and other calamities which fell vpon them they broke out into murmuring and blasphemous speeches against God and into open rebellion and insurrection against Moses and Aaron their gouernours insomuch as they had stoned them to death had not God by an out-stretched arme preserued thē Numb 14.10 The third is their wilfulnesse or obstinacie For they being with Narcissus in loue with themselues and doting vpon their owne waies will not hearken vnto the charmer charme he neuer so sweetly as appeareth by Christs speech in Math. 11.17.18.19 But as Ieremy doth well obserue of them in Chap. 5.3 They make their faces harder then a stone and do refuse to returne In regard whereof the Lord sending foorth his seruant Ezechiel to preach vnto his people he tels him that they will not heare him and that because they are impudent children and stiffe-hearted Ezech. 2.4 The fourth and last is their vnbeliefe or vnfaithfulnesse For as Christ doth well obserue of his owne Disciples that they were dull of heart and slow to beleeue Luke 24.25 So they distrusting God and not relying vpon him with a stedfast faith do depart away from him and commit grieuous abominations against him according to that in Ier. 5.23 But this people hath an vnfaithfull and rebellious heart they are departed and gone So then these foure vices reigning amongst them do like a violent streame carry them to all kind of rebellions The causes of their rebellion being thus touched Vse now let vs come to the vses of the doctrine They are in number foure For first here we may learne in that all do thus rebell that the greatest number in the world is not the best but the worst The flocke of Christ is a little flocke according to his owne words in Luke 12.32 when he saith Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome But the flocke of the diuell is a great flocke according to that in Reuel 20.8 Where his armie that he gathered together against the Saints of God out of the foure quarters of the earth euen Gog and Magog is compared to the sands of the sea for number Oh weigh this well and with a religious heart and let neither Popery tell you of multitude which they make to be a marke of Gods Church nor the carnall Gospeller of the generality of the world which they make to be the rule of their liues but euer looke for truth and goodnesse in the smallest number For many according to Christs words do go in at the wide gate and broad way that leadeth to destruction and but few at the straight gate and narrow way that leadeth vnto life Math. 7.13.14 Secondly here we may learne that we must not care for the loue liking of the world nor hang vpon the multitude for their applause fauour for they are against the Lord not for him Surely as they are most vnconstant in their waies turning vpon euery small occasion like the weather-cocke at the blast of the wind this day one being a man with them to morrow a beast this day none better with them to morrow none worse this day a god with them to morrow a diuell as we may see by their dealing towards Christ Paul So their loue and fauour must needes be bent towards the worst seeing they themselues are bad and do oppose thēselues against the Almighty Remember alwaies what Christ said vnto his Disciples about this matter If ye were of the world saith he in Ioh. 15.19 the world would loue his owne but because ye are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Wherefore as they that runne at tilt looke to the iudges what they say and not what the vulgar people say so I beseech you looke you euer what your iudge in heauen doth allow or approue and care not what the world and the people thereof do thinke or say Thirdly here we may learne that the multitude and the common people will be enimies vnto you and labour to resist you whensoeuer you shall go about to serue the Lord aright If you shall once begin to seeke Christ and to come vnto him they shall stand in your way to hinder you as they did stand in Zacheus way when he went foorth to see Christ Luke 19.3 If you be once in his presence do begin to call vpon him for mercy helpe they wil rebuke you as they did the poore blind man who cryed vnto him saying Iesus the Son of Dauid haue mercy on me Luke 18.39 If you be sicke or dead in your sins trespasses and Christ doth begin to come home to the houses of your soules to heale you and to raise you vp from the death of your sins they will stop his passage and entrance in if they can as they did when Christ came to the Rulers house to heale his daughter that was sicke yea dead when he came Math. 9.23 But as Christ turned them there out of dores saying Get you hence so must you shake them all off and not communicate with flesh bloud in the matters of your God But do as Abraham did when he sacrificed to God the fowles of the heauen fell on the carkeises which he had prepared for the sacrifice but he droue them away Gen. 15.11 So if any do begin to molest you whē you are going about any spirituall sacrifice resist them and driue them away saying with Christ vnto Peter Auoid satan Math. 16.23 Lastly here we may learne to take heede of the people and in any case not to do as they do For seeing that they do rebell against the Lord and the whole world as Iohn doth say 1. Ioh. 5.19 doth lye in wickednesse we must not follow them nor go after their waies to prouoke the holy one of Israel against vs as they do Fashion not your selues saith Paul like vnto this world but bee yee changed by the renewing of your minds that you may proue what is the good will of God and acceptable and perfect Rom. 12.2 The number and multitude must not mooue vs. For what saith the Lord Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill neither agree in a controuersie to decline after many and ouerthrow the truth Exod. 23.2 Wherfore do I beseech you as Wisedome doth counsell vs for to do If sinners do entice vs to go with them let vs not walke in the way with them but refraine our feete from their paths Prou. 1.15 And as Paul doth require of vs let vs not be companions with them nor haue any fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse but let vs rather reprooue them Ephes 5.7.11 Hitherto of the first point Now followes the second In that this their rebellion was wrought by raging and murmuring and these were the chiefe heads thereof Doctr. we are taught this doctrine that raging and murmuring are two great and notorious 〈◊〉 alwaies to bee
And so I shut vp this point in a few words and make an end THE THIRD SERMON vpon the second Psalme PSAL. 2. VER 2. 3. The Kings of the earth band themselues and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and against his Christ Let vs breake their bands and cast their cords from vs. HAuing spoken in the first verse of the Commons and the meaner people of the world he comes now in these two verses to speake of the Nobles and the great States of the world Though the former did rebell against Christ and his kingdome yet haply these as a man might thinke will not For these are wise and religious and see what is good for themselues But out alas they do it as well as the former they haue the like treacherous and rebellious hearts within them For they band themselues together with all their power and strength But yet there is some difference betwixt them For these go as it were warily to worke and are very circumspect in their wayes they take deliberation and time they haue their meetings and consultations they lay their heads together and take aduice what is best to be done But in the end they conclude vpon this That they will be subiect no longer to Christ and his kingdome nor suffer themselues to be bridled any more by his lawes which they accounted to be an intollerable burthen and such bands and cords as were not in any case to be endured but to be broken asunder and to be cast behind their backes like dung and filthinesse which they could not abide to looke on And whereas good subiects should prouoke one the other vnto all dutifull obedience and loyall subiection vnto their dread Soueraigne they as apert and open enimies do encourage one the other vnto plaine and manifest treason and rebellion saying Come let vs breake their bands and cast their cords behind vs. In summe then you haue nothing else to remember Summe here in these two verses but the rebellion or conspiracie which the great men of the world do make against Christ Iesus our Lord King Wherein note first what they do then secondly what they say Their deedes are set out in the second verse and that two wayes first by the thing it selfe which they-do then by the persons against whom they do the same Their words in the third verse containing an exhortation in them and the matter whereunto they do exhort Of these we will speake in order and say somewhat of each of them by Gods good grace Touching the first of them which doth concerne their deeds we will obserue this methode in handling the same that first we will see the meaning of the words then the truth of the storie and lastly the vse and benefit that we may make thereof The meaning of the words standeth thus By Kings are vnderstood such as were in highest place and authoritie amongst men and by Princes such as were next them for rule and gouernment ouer the people but by them both are vnderstood all persons whatsoeuer of chiefe place and state for this world by the figure called Synecdoche when some sorts or kinds are put for all Howsoeuer these are here sayd to band themselues and to be assembled together but in Acts chap. 4. vers 26. they are sayd to assemble and to come together the reading is somewhat diuerse but yet it is all one in sence For the meaning is nothing else but this that they ioyned hand and head together in power and counsell against the Lord and his Christ Where by the name of the Lord you must vnderstand the Almightie euen the first person in the Trinitie God the Father and by the name of his Christ first Dauid whom God did annoint king of Israel Then secondly Iesus the sonne of the Virgin Mary whom the same God did annoint king ouer his Church For against both of them was this conspiracie made The word in the Hebrew tongue called Meshihho coming of Mashahh to annoint and the word in the Greeke tongue called tou Christou autou coming of chriô to annoint do signifie his Annointed And seeing that both Dauid and Iesus were annointed by God the Father either of them may be noted out by this word and be called His Annointed or his Christ which is all one For annointed or Christ is all one in sence though not in sound of words in our English tongue Thus you see in few words the meaning of the place how that the great states or chiefe men of the world bid band themselues wholy against Dauid whom the Lord had chosen to be the King of Israel and against our Sauiour Iesus Christ whom he had chosen to be the gouernour of his Church and the only ruler thereof But yet before we come to see the veritie of this matter which is to be touched in the next place a question here may be moued and a man may aske how these men did ioyne hand and head together against the Lord himselfe For can any like the Giants make warre against the Almightie Yes Many haue done it and do daily still do it For all those are sayd to warre against the Lord himselfe who do oppose themselues against his will and pleasure and withstand such matters as do tend to his glorie and the good of his Saints but chiefly those that do resist the higher powers and rebell against such as the Almightie hath set ouer them to be their rulers and gouernors either in the Church or Common-wealth As we may se by the words of the Lord to Samuel when Israel would haue a king in 1. Sam. 8.7 where the Lord doth say vnto him Heare the voyce of the people in all that they shall say vnto thee for they haue not cast thee away but they haue cast me away that I should not reigne ouer them As we may see by the words of our Sauiour to his Apostles in Luke 10.16 when he saith vnto them He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that hath sent me As lastly we may see by Pauls words to the Romanes in Rom. 13.2 when he saith Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to themselues iudgement Wherefore in that they did resist Dauid and Christ whom the Lord had set vp it is apparant that they did resist the Lord himselfe Oh that all traytors and rebels did well consider of this point and lay it neare vnto their soules For our owne parts let vs looke vnto it alwayes remembring what the Lord doth say Touch not mine annointed and do my Prophets no harme But to passe this matter and to come to the truth of the story that we may see how true euery thing is which is here reported and not to stand vpon Dauid the figure whose storie you may reade at large in the first booke of Samuel where you
art my Sonne For by the name Lord here God the Father the first Person in the Trinity is vnderstood he said vnto Christ Thou art my Sonne He said it also vnto Dauid as vnto the type and figure for he was also Gods Sonne by creation as also more chiefly by adoption But yet this was chiefly spoken by God the Father vnto Christ as vnto the body truth it selfe But how is Christ his Son may you say The answer is not by creation as all are nor by adoption as many are but by nature as none is whereupon he is called his onely begotten Son oftentimes in the word namely in Ioh. 3.16 where our Sauiour doth tell vs that God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Son that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life So that thē out of this place we may learne this doctrine Doct. that Iesus Christ our Sauiour and redeemer is not a bare meere man as we are but he is also God as being the true and naturall Sonne of the Almighty This the Lord himselfe did confesse of him oftentimes saying This is my wel-beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased as it is in Math. 3.17 and Math. 17.5 And Paul speaking of him doth say That he is a God ouer all to be blessed for euer in Rom. 9.5 Iohn also writing his story doth ascribe as much vnto him in the entrance thereof saying In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and that Word was God The Scripture is full of many testimonies in this behalfe but I wil passe them all ouer as knowing that this is an article of your faith and a matter nothing doubted of amongst you For I do perswade my selfe that all of vs doe hold and beleeue that Christ is God and the naturall and onely begotten Sonne of the Almighty But yet peraduenture you see not clearely the reasons why he is such an one therfore I will shortly touch them and lay them downe before your view and consideration In number they are these First Reasons that he might be able to vndergoe the wrath of the eternall God who was offended with man for his sin to beare that intollerable burthē which he should lay vpō him for mans transgression which would crush all the creatures in the world to peeces it being infinite like vnto him from whom it did proceede who was infinitely offended with vs for our offences For there must be alwaies a proportion betweene the sinne of man and the punishment of his sinne else iustice hath not her full stroake and working Secondly that he might be able in mans nature and name to fulfill the whole law of God and euery iot and point thereof and not to faile in any that so we thereby might liue and haue a free passage into heauen to reigne with God there in happinesse for euer according to the tenor of the law Do this and thou shalt liue For no mortall man is able to doe this Surely saith Salomon in Eccles 7.22 there is no iust man in the earth that doeth good and sinneth not And as Iohn doth say If we say that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. 1. Ioh. 1.8 So Iames doth say that in many things we sinne all Iam. 3.2 including himselfe and all the faithfull whatsoeuer within the compasse of this his speech Thirdly that he might be able to bestow vertue worthinesse enough vpon his short sufferings and obedience that they might be auaileable for the saluation of all the elect and be as much in the acceptation of God as if the elect themselues had suffered in their owne persons eternally and had bene obedient vnto the Almighty in all points of his law for euermore Lastly that he might be able to ouermatch the diuell and all other aduersaries that are against vs to deliuer vs out of their hands being deliuered to preserue vs from them while we are here in this world and being preserued to bestow vpon vs eternall life in the world to come when we shall reigne with him in happinesse for euermore For no creature can doe these things but God himselfe alone And therfore it was necessary that the Sauiour of the world should be God as well as man The consideration whereof may teach vs Vse first and foremost to condemne all such heretiques as doe deny his God-head and say that he is not the eternall Sonne of the Lord whether they be Samosatenians affirming him to be a bare man alone or Arrians and Seruetians gainesaying his coessentiall and coeternall deity or Lucians Porphyrians Atheists or whatsoeuer else that doe withstand his diuine nature and will not haue him in any case to be a God Secondly out of it we may learne to haue Christ in great regard and veneration adoring and worshipping him as well as the Father and the holy Spirit considering that he is God as well as they Though we must not worship him in regard of his humane nature yet we must do it in regard of his godhead or diuine nature For in that respect all reuerence and honour must be yeelded vnto him and euery knee must bow vnto him in heauen and in earth The very Angels themselues are not to be exempted from this seruice but they must performe it vnto him as well as others according to that which is quoted by the Author to the Hebrewes in Chap. 1. ver 6. when he saith Let all the Angels of God worship him Children of Noblemen and Princes heires here in this world are had in great account and reputation with all men they are the very speech and wonder of the world and euery man must bow and becke to them But yet alas Christ Iesus our Sauiour who is the Sonne of God and the heire of all the world yea God himselfe is little regarded by most for there are few that do talke of him and fewer that do bow and becke to him as they ought to do The Lord be mercifull vnto vs in this respect and make vs better that so hereafter we may honour him as it doth become vs and serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our liues Lastly out of it we may obserue that seeing he is God he is able to reuenge his quarrell vpon all those that do resist him and not onely to defend those that do depend vpon him but also to reward them with liberall gifts for their seruice and to do them good for euermore so that they need not to feare any thing for this world or the world to come A thing alwayes to be remembred by vs lest either we lift vp our selues against him or taking his part should faint through the manifold afflictions that do happen vnto vs for his sake As thus we haue heard whose sonne Christ is namely Gods so now we must marke how it is proued that he is Gods sonne