The Christian Governor in the Commonwealth and Private Families, Title page 1 – Exposition 1
THE Christian Gouernour, IN the Common-wealth, AND priuate Families: Described by DAVID, in his 101. Psalme.
Guiding all men in a right course to HEAVEN.
Herewith also a part of the Parable of the lost SONNE. Luke 15.
Both expounded and opened by ROBERT HORN.
With the Doctrines and Vses thence arising.
The more particular Contents see on the Page following.
LONDON: Printed by T. S. for Francis Burton, and are to be solde at the greene Dragon, in Paules Church-yard. 1614.
THE Christian Gouernour.
From whom
KINGS on their Thrones,
Nobles in their Houses,
Pastors in their Charges,
Magistrates on Seats of Iustice,
Priuate men in their Families,
May draw good Instructions:
How to
Rule their Subiects.
Order their Seruants.
Feede their Flockes.
Punish Offendors.
Gouerne their Households …
THE Lost Sonne.
In whom is (chiefly) obserueable
SINNE: the true cause of Miserie.
REPENTANCE: the right meane to obtaine Mercy.
TO THE RIGHT NOBLE, MY much Honoured Lord, RAFE, Lord EVRE, Lord President in these parts: all true Honour, with increase.
Christian Lord:
HAuing a great desire, in my great want of meanes, to expresse my selfe by some Office and Testimonie for your Honors good thoughts of mee, in words of vndeserued commendation: the rather because one Countrie …, in which you were borne Noble, and one Countrey now containes vsus, in which you gouerne with honour and louelove: I light vponupon certaine briefes of Lectures deliuered by me, vponupon a very worthy Psalme, and before a worthy Audience, your Honours immediate honourable Predecessour, and others, his reuerend and graue associates then in place. A Psalme made by a King, and for Kings, which (also) may indifferently, serue as a Table of direction for all States and Policies, vnderunder that which is Kingly.
Therefore in the mirrour of this Psalme, and example of him who made it, as in a true Glasse, your Honour may behold clearely the right and liuely image and face of a Christian Gouernour and gouernement. And, though no Psalme, as it were pearle, in this Booke of Psalmes, or boxe of pearles can iustly displease: yet, as in the estimation of precious things That may please vsus for one vse, for which another (being to no such vse) will not please so well, albeit precious for the vse it hath; so it is in all these excellent Psalmes, the Iewels of Gods Church. For, for some purposes, one Psalme may be fitter, that is, more excellent then another, though all be excellent and do edifie greatly in their seuerall kindes. And indeed, as when the Prophet gaue his mind to the preparing of those things that might serue for the building of the materiall temple, He disposed in his minde to what vse this or that Iewell or waight of gold and siluer, and a number of other things should be applied: so for these Psalmes (most of which were penned by this sweet singer of Israel) the Prophet hauing stored and layd them vp, as the ornaments of Gods Church, in his Sanctuary, for publike vse, and as precious stuffe for the building of a spirituall Temple to God; He had great consideration whereto each Psalm should serue. Wherefore some he made for the Sabbath and Temple chiefly, some (indifferently) for all dayes and places: some for a remembrance of the generall, some for a more speciall remembrance of the particular workes of God to his Church: some for meditation and practise, some for Doctrine and Prayer: some for comforts, some for threatnings: some for confession of sinnes, some of conuersion from sinne; all which hee consecrated as Tables of perpetuall thankefulnesse to GOD in his House, better then the three hundred shields and two hundreth targets that Salomon put in his house at Ierusalem, though they were all of beaten gold, 1 King. 10.16.17.
Now, as Gods wisedome by Dauid thus sorted and disposed these holy Songs, that they might be sutable to all the occasions and necessities of the Church for euer: so in more speciall manner, the same wisedome of GOD by him, did indite this Psalme for instruction, that it might teach euen Kings, and all vnderunder Kings in authoritie, how to please and serue God in those high places, and that they might vnderstand, and not forget that religious seruices belong to the Noblest as well as to the meanest, and in reason, rather to great persons then to common men. For, who should doe most worke, but hee that receiueth most wages? and who should pay the greatest rent, but hee that hath the largest demise?
This Psalme therefore (my Honoured Lord) deserueth right well your best intentions, both for the contemplatiue vse of it, and your practicall in your Familie, and the Prouince. It is Gods Psalme, or charge to you, and such as you are, by Dauid. But because the Text of it (short as it is) is like to Tapestrie, which (being foulded vp) sheweth but a part of that which is wrought, and (being laid open) sheweth plainely to the eye all the worke that is in it: therefore I, though most vnworthy) hauehave presumed thus to vnfolde this Tapestrie of the holy Ghost, in so excellent a Psalme, and to hang vp the chamber of it in a very meane Exposition, giuen vntounto it by my weake iudgement and gifts, which in humblest good-will, out of louelove and dutie, I humbly tender into your Lordships owne hands, knowing the same to be willing, and ready, graciously to pardon, and beare with things somewhat meanely done, but with a well-meaning heart; and to respect, not so much the gift, as the good-will of the giuer, in matters of this nature.
Howsoeuer I hauehave dealt, the Psalme is the same that euer it was: which if I hauehave so opened, that is, so to the life of the Prophets words, and so vnfolded, that your Honour may discerne of all the pieces and sundry workes and matters contained in it, as in a piece of Tapestrie opened you may: I humbly thanke God, and wish the fruit of it in your Lordships heart; and, from so good a treasurie in the places of your Honours publike and priuate emploiments to fructisie there: that is, turne it into a Prayer; that you may follow in the steppes of Dauids obedience to it; doing as hee did.
Often pray this Psalme to God (my good Lord:) let it bee your meditation, and counsellour in all your high affaires, and when you would stirre the wheeles of all good graces in you for some holy and profitable dispensation of Iustice in the same, vse it. Lastly, and for my selfe, I hum…ly beseech your Honour, fauourably to remit this trespasse of my presumption, respecting rather, what I would doe then what is done, and in how homely manner. So, not further to trouble your Honour: I pray God heartily, that, as hee hath honoured you with a double honour of Birth and Office, so hee would accompanie your earthly honour with such abundance of heauenly graces to goe with the same, that here you may abound in eueryevery good worke, to the praise of God, and, in Heauen, may receiue the pure crowne of Righteousnes and glory, which is laid vp for you, and for all who louelove and looke for the comming of Iesus Christ, to whose grace most humbly I commend your Honour now and euer.
At your Honours commandements, most humbly in the Lord. ROBERT HORN.
To the Christian READER.
GOod READER, I confesse, ingeniously, that in some part of my way through this Psalme, I hauehave walked by the light, and in the steppes of *Du Pl…ss. Bishop of St. Dauids: and M. Pigg. on this 101. Psalme. Mr. Dod, on the fift Commandement. Mr. Cleauer, on Prouerb. 11. & 20. Chap. Mr. Downham, on Hozea 4.some before …e, whose names are of account and pray…e in the Church. And this I hauehave done for thy sake, that fauourest good intents, to helpe thee, and thy Family, by helping thee (if thou hauehave a charge) in the point of their direction to godlinesse. For by these gatherings, thou m…ist read in one little Booke what is (otherwayes) done in many, and (I trust) to thy commoditie.
My drift herein may (the better) be borne with, when it shall be considered, that for this labour, thus offered to thy Christian acceptance, no returne is expected but what shall be made to GOD by thankefulnesse for those good helpes wherewith I my selfe was (first) benefited, and desire, in Christ, to b…nefit thee. And let no man say that I might hauehave filled my hands, in this my Masters great Haruest, rather then followed others: for; I am priuy to my weake estate in such matters; and the gleanings are for the poore, Leuit. 19.9.10.
All that I craue and hope to receiue, is thy good for thy selfe, and thy good Prayers for mee, that in our seuerall charges wee may so well behaue our selues, that the Master of the House may bee glorified by our seruice, and may glorifie vsus in his Kingdome, when hee shall say: It is well done good seruant and faithfull, thou hast beene faithfull in little, I will make thee Ruler ouer much… enter into thy Masters ioy, Matth. 25.23. That wee may be partakers of this hope with the Saints in light, let vsus endeauour to nurture our charges with the knowledge of that truth which is according to godlinesse, Tit. 1.1. And where worldly Masters of Families, and carnall Ministers of Congregations doe little respect and fauour this dutie, or the doers thereof: let vsus (as the Word hath taught vsus) both doe, and continue to doe according to this rule: So shall wee reape in due season if wee faint not, Gal. 6.9.
The neglect hereof in you (Masters,) and vsus (Ministers,) is cause that this large House of the Common-wealth, so aboundeth with persons so (highly) disobedient to God, and so (shamefully) disloyall to their Soueraigne Lord King IAMES, whose happy and long life, the God of our liues sanctifie and blesse euer, to his great ioy here, and euerlasting saluation in the Heauens. AMEN.
Thine vnfainedly, in the Lord Iesus: ROBERT HORN.