The Christian Governor in the Commonwealth and Private Families, Exposition 1 · Part 1
A Psalme of DAVID. I will sing MercieMercy and Iudgement:Vers. 1. vntounto thee, O Lord, will I sing.
THis Psalme is Dauids: For, in the title which it hath, it is called Dauids Psalme, and beareth Dauids name. In which, He declareth how he will behaue himselfe in the Kingdome, after he is inuested in it, both for the affaires of his Crowne, and for the more priuate matters of his Court. For the time, when he wrote this most excellent Psalme, as it is not named, so the certaine houre, day, or yeere of it is not materiall: and it is probable that it was made some short time after the report of Sauls death, or not long before he came to the Kingdome by the common voice of all the Tribes, who came to Hebron to make him King. 2 Sam. 5.3.1. The Psalme itselfe consisteth of the title and bodie of the Psalme: the title is in these words: A Psalme of Dauid. Where the Kingly Prophet writeth his name in the beginning of the Psalme, as Princes doe in their Letters and Commandements, to giuegive further matter vntounto it, and saith; A Psalme of Dauid, as if he should say; if any shall doubt who made so large a promise to God of bringing himselfe vnderunder him in obedience and faithfulnesse, yea, and bound himselfe by a religious Psalme, as by his bond and pawne, so solemnely to performe the same, let that person know that it was Dauid (Gods King) that entred thus into couenants with the Lord for the good gouernment of his owne house, and the whole Kingdome. This is the meaning.
Where we learne that none can be soDoct. great as to be ouer great and good for the good ordring and holy instruction of the charge that God hath put him in trust with: therefore this Princely Prophet; as he placed his greatest delight in the Arke of the Couenant, because it was the presence of God, to Gods people; so to bring it into Ierusalem was the ioy of his heart. 2 Sam. 6.12.14.15. This made Solomon his Sonne (the mightiest and wisest King that euer raigned in Israell, Christ excepted, (of whose eternall wisedome and greatnes his wisdome and greatnes mortal, were types & shadowes) to cal himselfe a Preacher. Eccl. 1.12. Iosua ruled his house as a Bishop. Ios. 24.15. & Abraham, who had a great family, catechised it. Gen. 14.14. After, God himselfe is Abrahams witnesse that he would keepe none in his house, Sonne or Seruant, whom he would not traine vp in Religion, & therfore saith; I know Abraham. Gen. 18.19, or, I dare giuegive my word for Abraham, that he will command his sonne and houshold after him: that is, as he feareth God, so hee will make them to feare him, and to keepe the way of the Lord as he keepeth it, doing righteousnesse, as he is righteous. So C…rnelius was a denout man, and deuout Cornelius had a good house. For, of him it is written, that he feared God with all his house. Act. 10.2. These all were great men, and in their times, famous; yet did they looke straightly to the waies of their people, and diligently teach them in the wayes of the Lord.
The Reasons.
First. In doing this, we are Gods seruants, and, is any too good or great to doe him seruice? Secondly, we may saue a soule from Hell: and, who can doe too much, or be too good to deliuer his brother from perdition? Againe, Christ died for the poorest soule: did Christ die for him; and doest thou despise thy brother, for whom Christ died? Thirdly, none can bee too good to keepe hi… house from infection, and those whom he hath in house from the plague of ill counsell. Not to reforme a wicked person, or not to remoue him if he will not be reformed, is to cast an infection and plague of euill example vponupon those that be good, and promiseth no better successe then they can looke for who bring a leprous person among the whole, and a contagious person among the sound; and, can any be so proud and mercilesse as not to preuent a spoile and losse of Christian soules, so certaine and neare? Lastly, He that will not see the persons vnderunder him well ordered, doth giuegive way to them to runne into disorder, and to breake out into wickednesse: and, what is this but to communicate with their euill? and to be (if not authors, yet) abettors to them of all the vngodlinesse that is committed by them in that vndisciplined estate? Nay, he that shutteth not his doores against such, if he know them, openeth them to the curse of God which (vndoubtedly) will know him, and follow him. And, can any man be too good to preuent so great a danger toward… himselfe, though he will not doe good, by preuenting it in merciemercy toward others?
Vses.
Hence (then) they are reproued who disdaine to set the Teachers chaire, Vse. 1.with Dauid, in the mids of their house. Vers. 2. and with him to doe wisely in it, till the people that be vnderunder them doe (all) know the Lord. Some put from them with great contempt, this charitable worke, to others: and, some that looke for seruice from the persons they keepe, hate to giuegive them instruction. But the best day that euer Dauid saw, was that day when he danced before the Arke, in a linnen Eph…d, and with all his might. 2 Sam. 6.22. for, that was a good day indeed, when his zeale made him so vile before the Lord, and so humble before the Arke of his seruice. Solomon (as we heard) a great King, became a Preacher: the Scripture calleth him, & he called himself, Solomon, the Preacher. Iosua protested for him and his house, that he would serue the Lord: and Hester the Queene did as much for her and her maids. Hest. 4.16. Abraham and Cornelius are praised in their storie, because they had religious families. And who art thou? and what is thy fathers house that thou shouldest fancie to thy selfe greater honour then (thus) to worship at the Lords feet, in the sight of his Saints, with so great a Cloud of famous Leaders, all of them excellent persons, and well reported of in their times? I confesse that Princes and the Nobles of the Earth may and ought to hauehave, in their Courts and great houses, their speciall Ministers, and eyes of assistance (the Scripture calleth them Seers, as Gad, Dauids Seer, and wee Chaplens) in this great worke; yet so as they forget not to be good Nehemiahs and ouerseers of the worke themselues. For, if they doe, that that perisheth, perisheth by their default, and is lost vponupon their account, and they shall answere for it.
An instruction,Vse. 2… to Fathers of Families, and of Children, to doe this high office of a Teacher or Catechist vntounto them, for godly knowledge and nurture. If wee would hauehave the Church of God to continue among vsus, we must bring it into our houses, and beginne it in our Families. For, as of particular persons come Families, so from Families well ordered, proceed florishing Churches. Many complaine that there is no discipline in the Church: but thou that so complainest for Gods house, looke into thine owne house, and be sure that good discipline be there. Many crie out vponupon euill seruants, and stubborne Sonnes: But thou, that makest this outcrie, take heed the fault be not thine, and cause in thee that thy Seruants are so bad, and thy Sonnes and Daughters no better. For, hast thou endeauoured to make thy Seruants, the Seruants of God, and thy Sonnes and Daughters, the Sonnes and Daughters of the Lord, by good education and teaching? Then thou mayest well complaine that they are no better, but if not, then it is thy iust plague that they are so euill. But must great men doe this dutie? Surely great Dauid did it: and they must eyther doe it themselues, or see it done by others. But, as when Ahimaaz would hauehave runne to hauehave told Dauid of the death of Absolom his wicked Sonne, Ioab said; thou shalt not be the Messenger to day: to day, or in this thing) thou shalt not beare the tidings, seeing the Kings Sonne is dead: 2. Sam. 18.20. So when any of our worthies shall, hauing the Absolom of rebellion slaine in themselues, offer to bring the good newes of it to others, not to Dauid, but to the house of Dauid and Church of Christ, by endeauouring (shall I say to runne?) nay, but to creepe in this race of priuate discipline for the making of a religious and well catechised Familie, they shall meete with many Ioabs and pull-backes. But Noble Ahimaaz be not kept backe: the more Noble your birth is, the better it doth become you to runne the race or way of Gods commandements. For, as Apples of gold vponupon pictures of siluer, Prou. 25.11. so is true zeale when it is found in the heart of a Noble-man or Gentleman of great parentage. Yea, as pearle set in gold, so is it to finde sanctified vertue in the steppes of Honourable Lords. So much for the title of the Psalme, the matter followeth.