The Christian Governor in the Commonwealth and Private Families, Exposition 1 · Part 2
I will sing merciemercy,Vers. 1. and Iudgement to thee, &c.
VVE hauehave heard of the maker of the Psalme, which was Dauid; the matter of it consisteth of sundrie protestations (as it were bills of couenant) concerning his owne person, in the two first verses, and concerning both it and his Subiects, in the rest of the Psalme. That which concerneth his owne person, in this verse, is his bill of promise, by which He entreth into bond to the Lord, to execute holily and indifferently merciemercy and iudgement in his kingly place. And, this containeth the ditt…e, and person to whom he will sing it. The dittie may be considered in the manner of expressing it, or in the parts whereof it consisteth. The manner is by singing. The parts are: first, mercy or gentlenesse to those that doe well, opposed to tyrannie and crueltie; then iustice or seueritie, due to incorrigible offenders, till they be rooted out, opposed to dastardie and carnall feare. The person to whom this holy Psalme is holily ascribed, is the Lord. Where He that is the Author of this solemne v…we, promiseth to shew merciemercy, and to practise iudgement to his glory. For the manner, and in as much as the Prophet (here) taketh vponupon him to sing the matter which hee hath in hand, not coldly to deliuer it; he doth in effect say, that he will doe it with ioy and cheerefulnesse, with a lo…d voyce, and with all his might. For, they that sing, are (commonly) merrie: and the Apostle Iames saith; Is any merry? let him sing. Iam. 5.13. Also, they extend their voice, and put strength vntounto it that sing, as the Prophet here vnderstandeth singing.
From vvhence this Doctrine may be gathered:Doct. 1. what wee doe to God, or our Brethren for God, to doe it with ioy, heartily and willingly. The Prophet here doth so, seeing the manner by which he voweth praise to God, is by a Psalme, which he spreadeth before Him in his sanctuarie, as his pawne and witnesse to testifie for him, that what …e solemnely confesseth as debt, he meaneth iustly to pay. He that distributeth, must doe it with simplicitie; he that ruleth with diligence: he that sheweth merciemercy with cheerefulnesse. Rom. 12.8. The words are plaine, and they speake thus much, in effect, vntounto vsus: that in Gods matters, all things must be done in good forme and vprightly. The matter must be good, and the manner must please him. Wee must doe good, and doe that good well: and come to God, when he calleth vsus, and come willingly to him. Psal. 110.3… For, the commers to him, that is, they that come acceptably, are (all of them) voluntaries, and not prest-men: And, wee must not onelyonly doe seruice, but doe it diligently. Rom. 12.11. For, he that loueth a cheerefull giuer, 2 Cor. 9.7. holdeth him accursed by his word, that doth his worke negligently, or with deceipt. Ier. 48.10. And therefore, God, by Moses, chargeth vsus to louelove him with all our heart; not with some of our heart, or something in our heart, but p…rfectly, with the whole heart. For, he will not hauehave a little, but all: and, hee further …aith, with all your soule; not with a part, but with eueryevery part; nor by halfes, but wholy, and, with all your strength. As if hee should say; all, or none. And therefore st…ong in anger against his enemies, and strong in zeale for his glory: strong to doe good, weake to doe euill: strong in forgiuing a wrong, weake in reuenging it: strong to serue him, weake to serue sin. Deut. 6.…. The reasons of the Doctrine are. First, men cannot endure a grudging giuer: and will God respect him? Secondly, Dauid was the Lords type, when he reioyced with great ioy, that the people off…red willingly to the Lord, 1 Chr. 29.9. Which is to teach vsus; when wee bring to God, for the building, not of an earthly but heauenly …ouse in which wee dwell by faith, not talents of gold, or the shekell of siluer, but a pure and willing minde, as it were, a golden inhabitant in a meane and perishable tenement of clay; that wee cannot but greatly please the Lord, offering the same, as wee hauehave receiued of him the measure and gift of faith, and desiring to doe well from a free heart. Thirdly, it is no gift, that is no free-gift; nor good seruice, that is done with eye-seruice. Colos. 3.22. and, we please God, when wee offer not much but willingly. The childe that doth his goodwill, doth as much content his Father, as if he had done the thing, which he would gladly hauehave done, but could not. And, where there is a willing minde, it is accepted according …o that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 2 Cor. 8.12.
Vses.
Vse. 1.A reproofe to those who come to our Church-meetings by constraint, and grudgingly, rather to saue their credit, then their soules. Dauid daunced before the Arke, with all hi… might. 2 Sam. 6.14. but these (so soone as they come into the assembly) squat downe before the Arke of publique Prayer and Preachings, neither hauing affection, nor doing reuerence. Or, if they heare vvhat is spoken… and ioyne in prayer, they doe the seruice but coldly, and with a desire to be gone. Now, if a woman should be wearie, and take no pleasure in her owne husbands company and presence, where (yet) shee is neuer wearie, and taketh great delight to be in companie and to hauehave fellowship with other men, howsoeuer shee may giuegive her selfe to her husband in certaine bodily duties, because the law and condition of their marriage compels her so to doe, her husband may well take her to be a wanton and euill affected wife. So, if being married to Christ, by our vow in Baptisme, and promise a… his Table, so often and solemnely made, we shall offer … in his presence, and to him, in place, vnpleasing prayer and hearing, hauing small ioy while we hauehave him with vsus in the assembly, howsoeuer (because the law commandeth our bodily presence, and certaine bodily duties of the eare, and tongue, and knee) wee offer these for fashion, not with any good will (for our hearts in the meane while are in secret conference with the world, the profits of it, or pleasures in it, which we desire to serue and to hauehave fellowship with, euen when we seeme to …erue God, and to hauehave fellowship with … Saints;) how can the Bridegrome steem… vsus as friends and Lo…ers, and …ot ioyne vsus vvith women of fornica…on, that …aue departed from the faith … their Lor… and followed other Louers? …ich may be …ken (also) of such as … God, not of sin…tie but for wage… : w…ose good deedes … not from a lo… of righteousnesse, but…om feare, and wh… giuegive a pennie, but not almes to a poo…e man. For, it is no … that is giuen for merit, or the praise men. The Papists almes is all such: and … fore neuer did a right Papist giuegive true almes in all his giuings, and a poore Cottage buil… by a Christian, in faith, is better (I …eane better respected of God, and better to the doer) then all the Cels and Monestaries that euer Papist builded for his owne glory and merit. Good works follow faith, and must proceede from a louelove of Christ, on whose members wee bestow our gifts for his sake. Therefore, though a man giuegive neuer so much, yet if that which is giuer be not giuen in faith (which maketh gift to be an almes-gift) it is not so muc… as a pennie giuen, by a sound Christia… in merciemercy, to a Disciple, because he i… Disciple. But let no man here say, t…t we (of the R…ligion) cond…nne alm, because wee doe not iusti… (as neit…er doth Christ our …ster) Ph…risa…ll almes. Matth. 6. For, the poore are he Lords Altar… …ong vsus, and we mus… sacrifice our …nes vponupon it. They … his ground, on which wee must so… the seede reliefe, when they fall into mi… God requireth a l…ane of vsus, and … must send it to him in their hands. The Apostle Iohn saith; Whosoeuer hath this worlds good, and seeth his Brother hauehave neede, and shutteth vp his compassion from him, how dwelleth the louelove of God in him? 1 Ioh. 3.17. As if he should say, it dwelleth not in him. And if the louelove of God be not in him, I am sure the life of God is not in him, neither (except the Lord giuegive him repentance) shall he liue with God, but with Deuils. For, though wee shall… not be saued by our giuing to the poore, yet …e that will be saued, must giuegive to the poore cheerefully, and as God hath blessed him. Our good deedes cannot saue vsus, yet if wee will be saued, we must doe good deedes. And, though our good deedes cannot saue vsus, our bad deedes, and want of good, can damne vsus. We (then) preach good workes as much as Papists, but not in Papisticall manner, to merit by them. And for the Law, wee teach that it is good and holy, and bindeth our obedience to it in all things. Gal. 3.10. Indeede we cannot continue in all things that are written in th… booke of the Law, to doe them: yet if wee doe what we can, and be grieued for th… we cannot; that which we doe is accepted, that which we cannot doe, is pardoned. And so the law hath a necessarie vse, as we teach: and that is to prescribe what in dutie we should doe, not to giuegive vsus the wages of life for that wee hauehave done, except we could (which we neuer shall) continue in all things, which are written, to doe them. So we exhort men to doe good willingly, as the Lords free men, and not as seruants for praise, or wages.
Vse. 2.An instruction (further) to labour for the spirit of Dauid, which is his cheerefull and singing spirit in matters pertaining to God and Religion. Now, that wee may get this spirit, where the wicked delight in sinne, we must delight in the law, to meditate in it day and night. Psal. 1.1. For, delight in a thing maketh the burthen of it light, and the y…ake ea…ie. And heere wee see how farre they are from hauing this spirit, who take so little pleasure in the seruice of God, and so much pleasure in vanitie. Which maketh them to heare coldly, to pray without feeling, to finde no taste in the Sacraments, to beare the Sabbath as a burthen, and so; as they could wish (and that from their heart) that there were no Sabbath, or that the Sabbath were gone. Amos. 8.5. The Sabbath should be our delight, Esa. 58.13. that is, we should keepe it with ioy, and take delight to keepe it. And, for prayer, we should doe seruice in it with gladnesse; that is, pray with comfort, and giuegive thankes with reioycing. Psal. 101.1. And for the Sacraments; as we come willingly to a feast, so wee should come gladly to them. And for the word, we should desirously heare it, as they that gladly receiued the word, and were baptized. Act. 2.41. And for doing good, wee should make it our comfort to doe good alwaies from a pure heart. And thus, taking delight in good things, we shall more willingly, and with greater pleasure doe them.
Further, in these words Dauid propoundeth himselfe for an example, say…ng; I will sing. He saith not, I will see merciemercy shewed, and iudgement executed by such as hauehave places vnderunder me, (and …et this will he doe too;) but I in person, will sing, that is, ioyfully stirre and be a dealer (my selfe) in these matters: yea, Dauid a great King saith, I will sing. He saith not, I will call my Musitians, and they shall sing, laying the burthen from himselfe, vponupon others; but promiseth to doe (himselfe) what he would hauehave to be well done by others.Doct. 2. And here the doctrine is; that there is great hope the people will be good, where their leaders are good; and where they doe well, the people will doe the better. Which made the same Prophet when he called others to the praise of God, to leade the way, and (first) to praise him. Psal. 95.1. So Iosua seruing God (as we heard;) his house serued him. Ios. 24.15. And Cornelius, being a religious Captaine, had a religious house. Act. 10.2. Also, Abrahams family, was a godly family, because Abraham (the Master) was a godly man. Iob had not a swearer in his house; for Iob (himselfe) was none, but an vpright man, one that feared God, and esch…wed euill. Iob. 1.1. or, if his sonnes might (perhaps) blaspheme God in their hearts, that is, secretly, Vers. 5. yet openly, and with their lips they durst not; I perswade my selfe they did not.
The reasons.
Great men are the windes that moue the people; and where they that rule, feare God, the people that are gouerned, will (at least) seeme to feare him. They are the white that all looke at. As (therefore) in a piece of a very faire and white paper, a little blot is sooner seene then sundrie blurres in that which is course and browne: so in great leaders, one little fault is sooner espied and followed, then many in the meaner and lesse marked ranke of people. Caiaphas was against Christ, and were not his men against him? and did not the Maides helpe the matter? Matth. … 6.69.71.73. So certaine it is, and (for the most part true) that they that gouerne are the partie coloured rods, at which they looke that are gouerned, and their example, the colour, by which they conceiue, following their Gouernours. Gen. 30.39. Secondly, as when the head is well, all the bodie is the better for it; and (on the other side) when it is sicke, the heart is heauie, Esa. 1. 5: so a good head in the politicke bodie or family, is a good meane to make a good and sound Citie or house; as (contrarily) a sicke or bad head in the same, is able to draw them to transgression and sinne. Peter dissembled not alone; Gal. 2.13. and when Herod was moued, Ierusalem was troubled with him. Matth. 2.3. Thirdly, good leaders will teach their followers, and pray for them. Iob. 1.5. Now of what force good teaching and good prayers are to a godly life, wee know.
Vses.
VsUs…. 1.An instruction to great men, and all Gouernours to learne for themselues the feare of the Lord, that they may teach it to others. Psal. 34.11. For, they that will hauehave good followers, must be good leaders, and they that call others to the praise of God, must (themselues) come vntounto it. They must not speak… to others, and be deafe themselues; bid others to goe, and (themselues) stand still; pipe and sing to others, and not be (themselues) delighted with the song: for, then they mocke others, and shame themselues; and loose their grace with GOD, and diminish their …uthoritie vvith men. Magistrates in the common-wealth, and Ministers of the congregation, are called lights that must giuegive light; Matth. 5.16: and when the people shine in vertue, their ex…mple (vnderunder God) must be the Sunne of it. If they be zealous, it is their words and example that enflames them: if they draw backe, it is their cold affection and bad leading that stayes them. Besides, true godlinesse doth (naturally) communicate it selfe. It cannot shut vp it selfe within it selfe, but breaketh out, to the glorie of him that gaue it, and good of those that are made truly better by it. Where (therefore) they in authoritie are truly good, that true goodnesse (as a tree that still flourisheth in the Church and Common-wealth) will shoote forth in diuers boughes and armes of encrease, till many (that partake of the sap and roote of the same) be turned to righteousnesse. Dan. 12.3. And as the dewe and raine falling vponupon the mountaines, resteth not there, but passeth downe into the lower grounds, making them to flourish, and to be fruitfull as the field that God hath blessed: so where the Rulers, as the high hilles) hauehave receiued the dewe of goodnesse & raine of grace, there the people that are gouerned by them, cannot but (as the lower grounds) that lie at their feete, in their subiection, receiue of their fulnesse somewhat to the benefit of a well ordered life. And, as the waters descend easily that come from the mountaines; so there will be a present following where such begin.
Vse. 2.A terrour to wicked Rulers. For, as good R…lers may gaine much people to God by leading well: so corrupt Gouernour… may draw troupes to hell by going (themselues) before in their bad liues. Ieroboam, an ill leader, had as bad followers: Ieroboam that made Israell to sinne. 2 King. 3.3: and when the Emperours fauoured Arius, the world became an Arian. These great red Dragons fall not alone, but with their tailes draw downe others. Apoc. 12.3.4. And therefore, are they well compared to great trees, and the people vnderunder them to lowe boughe… and shrubs, which must needes fall when they fall.
Vse. 3.An admonition to all vnderunder authoritie to pray for all in authoritie, that they vnderunder them may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines and honestie. 1 Tim. 2.2. For, their good commeth with the good of their ouer-seers. A good President will helpe to make a good Prouince; and where are such Masters in the house as Abraham was, there will be such people in it, as Abraham had. Parents that be religious will traine vp children in religion; and Iudges that feare God, will commaund the Countrie to feare him. Then; how much are we bound to God, that had a vertuous Mother, and hauehave a religious King. Queene ELIZABETH we had… King IAMES we hauehave (and long may hauehave) who begunne in this whole Realme this sacred song of pietie, which Dauid tuned to his Harpe, and (now) King IAMES (our Dauid) preferreth …o his chief… ioy. Pray we (therfore) as we are bound to pray, that hee may sing it long and merrily to God his strength, in despite of all enemies within the land, …nd in other lands, who would hauehave him to change his not…, and, in stead of the sweet song of Si…, to sing the lewd song of the whore of Rome in a strange tongue. Hee that gaue him this grace to be a King, must giuegive him grace also to raigne aright. For, as no man is borne an Artificer; so none is borne a good King: and as it is one thing to be borne a man, and another thing to be a good man; so is it to be borne a King, and to be a good King. Therefore, and since it commeth from God onelyonly, that Kings continue to rule well; wee had neede to pray to him heartily for our good King, and for all our Rulers vnderunder him, that they may do… wisely in the truth, and be truly zealous for that God and truth which giueth them their honour heere, and will (hence) as good and faithfull seruants glorifie them in heauen for euer. So shall we doe well, better (at least) because they hauehave ruled well. So much for the manner of expressing the d…tie; the part… of it follow.