Exposition on the Seven Psalms of Repentance, Exposition 51 · Verse 18
Verſe. 18. Be fauourable vntounto Zion for thy good pleaſure: build the walles of Ieruſalem.
HE hath prayed for merciemercy to himſelfe, now he praieth for the Church, which he hath offended by his ſinne, and vponupon which he had brought ſuch euills, that it would pleaſe God to be mercifull to her, build vp her walles, and repaire her ruines.
No man can truely pray for himſelfe vnles he pray for the church.No man can truely pray for himſelfe, vnleſſe he pray for the Church alſo; as Dauid doth in many Pſalmes. If a man be a ſenſible member of the body, it is not poſſible but the euills which befall to any one member (let be all) touch not him to the heart, as it were done to himſelfe.
In this verſe are three things contained, firſt, for whom he prayeth, for Sion and Ieruſalem, ſecondly, what he ſuiteth, Gods fauour, thirdly, out of what ground, for thy good pleaſure. But before we enter to any of theſe particulars, we hauehave ſome generalls neceſſarely to be marked.
The chiefe care of princes ſhould be for the Church.Firſt, that the chiefe care of Princes ſhould be the weale of the Church.
The Church is as the heart in the body▪ which being troubled, of neceſſitie the body muſt be in danger: if ye louelove your head keepe your hear.The Church is as the heart. The Church nuriſheth the heart bloud of Chriſt in her boſome, the reſ… of the members hauehave alſo their owne of fices, but ſhe hath the chiefeſt office, being the moſt noble part; and who ſhould maintaine her more, then the head, wh… hath all the ſences infixed therein, an… from which all the members, ſinewes an… veines take their life. And what greater honour can they hauehave, then to be nurſin… fathers of the Church. If a king concredi… his child and his firſt borne to be nouriſhe… by any of his ſubiects, may not that ſubie… thinke he hath gotten great honour, Simil. an… may expect for his trauell great commod… tie: and when a king hath receiued Gods firſt borne (for Iſrael is his firſt borne) in his cuſtodie, may he not thinke he hath gotten great glorie; and if he neglect his firſt borne, ſhall he not receiue great infamie. Thoſe who are greateſt officers in a kingdome, as Chancelour, Chamberlane, Preſident, Secretarie, and men of eſtate, are in greateſt eſtimation and credite; and ſhall not great men thinke they are greatlie obliged to God, who hath made them adminiſtrators of his kingdome, whoſe ſtanding is the weale of the Church, the principall eſtate of their Common-weale; if it ſtand, then they ſtand; if it fall, they fall, for their ſubiects obey them more for conſcience, then for any terrour or feare of their lawes.
Then it is beſt for them to be religious, and to propagate holie religion, for their owne ſtanding.
The Romans wrought more by religion then the ſword.The auncient Romans, Lacedemonians & Athenians were moſt carefull of religion, becauſe they affirmed that they wrought more by deuotion, then they were able to doe by the ſword. This was their good po…icie, as Plutarch amplie reciteth in his Hiſtorie.
Then when Princes innade religion, and draw the people to atheiſme, ſee if they be not grateſt enemies to themſelues, to their eſtate and poſteritie. The Turke and other polititions may giuegive Chriſtian princes ſufficient proofes of this my aſſertion, as alſo if examples of Dauid, Solomon, Ioſias, Ezechia, Conſtantine, Let princes follow Dauids example.Theodoſius, may moue them, whoſe poſteritie hath brought eternall renowne vntounto them, and if not, let Iulian affray them, and wicked princes like vntounto him.
The care of religion a princes chiefeſt ſafeguard.The care of religion, and to be a religious prince, is the greateſt ſafeguard to a prince. For religion hath Gods maintainnance; and God hath ſhewen his mightie hand for Ezechia againſt Senacherib, and for Dauid againſt all his enemies; for Queen Elizabeth who died in peace notwithſtanding all the maginations of her enemies; and for our dread Soueraigne Lord King Iames, againſt all the horrible and monſtrous deſignes of his enemies.Princes religious bring wealth to their ſubiects. 1. King. 10.21.
Princes maintaining religion, bring great wealth to themſelues and to their ſubiects, as Solomon did, when gold was as duſt, and ſiluer as the ſtones.
Next, the Church being vnderunder continual danger ſhould be helped by princes.The Church being troubled ſhould be helped by princes. Since the Church is the princes depoſitum, which God gaue to their cuſtodie, they ought to hauehave a chiefe regard of her. The fatherleſſe widow and orphans are concredited to them, much more they ſhould defend the Church, becauſe the deuill and his inſtruments and her fight againſt her, and who ſhould maintaine her but princes, who are ſet in authoritie onelyonly for her cauſe, to debate and take her part againſt all the world. Her enemies are more then notorious, ſhe was neuer at reſt, her enemies are aſſaulting her continually; hell hath broken looſe againſt her in theſe latter daies; princes hauehave put their diadems on the hornes of the beaſt; people are rageing. And ſeeing that eternall ſpouſe of God is ſo hated of the world, ſhould not princes with Dauid procure her welfare euen to their vttermoſt.
Princes muſt by prayer and power ſupport the Church.Princes who would fight well muſt pray well. Exo. 17.11 Gen. 31.28. Prayer hath more power then armour. Therefore princes who would fight well, muſt pray well. Moſes did more with his hands lifted vp to God, then Ioſua did with his ſword. Iſrael wreſtled with God, & gat his name by prayer: for otherwaies he could not hauehave preuailed with ſuch a maieſtie. Therefore princes who be athieſts, can neuet be good to the Church: and no maruell, becauſe they know not what prayer is. Wicked princes cannot abaſe themſelues ſo low as to pray to a ſuperiour; but Dauid who will be renowned for euer, not onelyonly prayeth, but biddeth the people pray for the peace of Ieruſalem. In a word, the chiefe armour of the Church, and all Church wardens, and Church defenders are ſpirituall. Arma militia non ſunt carnalia: The weapons of our warrefare are not carnall, but ſpirituall.
Be fauorable vntounto Zion. He prayeth for Sion and Ieruſalem, this is a noueltie, ſhould the king pray for the Church, I thinke the Church ſhould pray for the king. Yea, but this king thinketh that all his proſperitie ſtandeth in the weale of the Church, and therefore he, as the moſt principall member thereof, prayeth for her.
The Church is repreſented by the names of Sion and Ieruſalem. What Sion and Ieruſalem were, and what they ſignifie….Sion was the mountaine vponupon which the fort and Temple were builded; Ieruſalem was the cittie. But theſe two hauehave ſpirituall interpretations, being ſhaddowes of things to come, as all the Fathers confeſſe. Sion was a mountain in the holy land, which the Lord loued more then all mountaines. He might hauehave choſen Olimpus for height, Baſan for fatneſſe. And what was Sion, it is to be ſeene yet, there are many bigger, ſtronger, and fairer mountaines in Scotland, then was Sion. (I will compare it to Authur -ſeate, at Edinburrough) how commeth it to paſſe that the Lord chooſeth it before all mountaines? What, but becauſe he loued it, and made it a place of his habitation; there he built a Church, out of it he will let the law, yea the Goſpell came to all nations, mount Sion is a place ſo firmely fixed by Gods prouidence, that it ſhall neuer be moued. So is the Church a number indeed obſcure and baſe in compariſon of other people; but ſo ſure by his power, that the gates of hell ſhall not preuaile againſt her, for Sion is a watch tower, ſpecula, and the watchman of Iſraell ſtandeth on the top thereof, & who can take it or do it wrong, ſhe ſeemeth weake in compariſon of mighty mountaines who leaped and ſcorned her, yet ſhe ſtandeth and they are all fallen: for they exalted themſelues by their pride and power, but ſhe abideth ſtrong, by the ſtrength of God, and the arme of the Almightie.
We hauehave now left mount Sinai which is in Arabia where was earth quake and thunder, and are come to mount Sion, the Church in the Goſpell, where is peace and grace. So our eſtate is better then theirs was, firmer then theirs, for God hath choſen it to be euerlaſting. What doe ye then thinke of thoſe perſecutions and nouations in the world; nothing for the Church but extremitie; her enemies are ſeeking to roote her out: but let theſe murthers of Caines ſeede, beware of themſelues, let God roote out their ſeede. Our mountaine is fixed by God, which cannot be mooued, and that little ſtone which came out of the mountaine without hands, ſhall bruiſe that golden image in peeces. Therefore let vsus build our ſelues vponupon mount Sion, and not on the ſand of mans inuentions, that we ſtand in the euill day, and be approued of God, reioyce therefore daughter Sion, for thy foundation is in heauen; they ſhall inuade heauen, and pull Chriſt from the right hand of his Father, before they ouerthrow thee. Let them build vp their towre Babel, but God will confound their languages, when the gates of hell cannot ouercome her, the ſword of princes, ſhall deſtroy her.
Ieruſalem. The name Ieruſalem importeth a viſion of peace, a viſion or a ſight,Ieruſalem a viſion of peace. for there is neither ſight nor light in all the world but blindneſſe and ignoran… ▪ as there was no light in Aegipt fo… three daies, but a palpable darkeneſſe, except among the Iſraelits in the land of Goſhen:Exo. 10.23 ſo there is no knowledge of God, or Chriſt the light of the world to be found in all the earth, but in the true Church of Chriſt. Then as there is a great difference betwixt a blind man who ſeeth nothing and a ſeeing man, as great difference is there betwixt one who knoweth Chriſt, and an ignorant.
Theſe ignorants, blinde leaders of the blinde, doe not ſee this peace of Ieruſalem; This peace is onelyonly in the true Church, it groweth where grace groweth, which two are inſeperable,Gal. 1.3. grace and peace was the ſalutation of Saint Paul, which he wiſhed to all the Churches, this peace is firſt with God, by the peacemaker Ieſus Chriſt: next, in a tranquillitie of the conſcience after reconciliation: and laſt, with all men. There is no peace to the wicked, ſaith my God. Eſa. 48.22.Therefore dwell in Ieruſalem, and ye ſhall ſee peace.
Be fauourable. 2. What he craueth to the Church; euen that God would be fauorable to her, and that he would build vp her walls, as he ſaith in the 132. Pſalme, Peace be within her walls, and proſperitie within her palaces. The Church can neither proſper in peace or warre without God bleſſe her.The Church hauehave palaces, for peace, and walls for warre, he prayeth the Lord to bleſſe her in both, for neither can the Church of God flouriſh in peace, neither be victorious in warre, vnleſſe God bleſſe her in both eſtates.
To be fauorable to Sion, is to giuegive her tokens of his good will and of his comfortable aſſiſtance. This is a token of his fauour when he giueth her good gouernours and heads,A ſpeciall token of Gods fauor when the Church hath good gouernours. both in Church and policie. And againe, a ſigne of his wrath when he giueth her ſuch as Saul and Achab, wicked and euill gouernours.
The next token of his fauour is proſperitie, when the Goſpell hath free paſſage,When the Goſpell hath a free paſſage. the worſhip of God is inlarged, heretiques are put away, true teachers are diligent and vigilent.
Thirdly, when vnitie is in the Church, and all are in one mind,When then God is among them; but when God hath caſten them off,vnitie is in the church. all are rent and ſpoiled, religion decayeth, heritiques increaſe, Sathan hath gotten the vpper hand, Gods Church is miſerablely ſpoiled by wolues and foxes, troublers of the Lords vine.
Build the walles. The ſecond part of his prayer is for the walles, that they may be builded, for Ieruſalem is not onelyonly a citie for peace, but to be prepared for warre; ſhe hath not onelyonly pallaces, but caſtles, towers, fortreſſes, and walles; and therefore Dauid craueth that theſe might be built vp againe.
Firſt ſee, what are theſe walles. Secondly, whereof they are builded: Laſtly, who is the builder.
What are the walles. The Church of God is a fortefied towne, which muſt hauehave defences to reſiſt the enemie, for the deuill and all euill men, princes, wiſe-men, gentiles, Iewes are conſpired againſt the citie of God: therefore God fortifieth his citie with al neceſſary defences which may hold out the enemie.The Church hath walls inuiſible & viſible.
The walles are too fold: inuiſible, the protection of God, which the world ſeeth not, for the Lord is a wall of braſſe about his Church to repell her enemies, and a wall of fire to burne them, alſo he hath his Angels who pitch their tents about his holy and choſen ones,2. Kin. 6.7. there was horſes of fire compaſſing Elizeus.
The outward and viſible walles are made of a number of liuely ſtones, compacted together by the morter of louelove, ſtrongly reſiſting all the enemies of the Church, for that vnitie of the Saints ſtrengthen them by the power of their God. Boni enim ciues mania cinitatis, good citizens are the walles of the citie. And vponupon theſe walles compaſſing them on all ſides be bulwarks, whereupon are ſet the canons of the word of God, mighty in operation, deſtroying the enemies; & the cenſures of the Church, namely excomunication, which being lawfully led, is of greater power to ſubdue the enemie and reſiſt him, then all the power of ciuil authoritie.
The ſinnes of princes and people make great gaps in the walles, at which the deuil and enemies of the Church and wolfes enter and deſtroy the Lords vines. They with Tobias and Sanballat ſtay the building of theſe walles,Neh. 4.2. and are ſtriuing to build the walles of Iericho, which were forbidden by Ioſuah to be redefied vnderunder a great curſe,1. Ki. 16.34 which lighted on Hiel the Bethelite in the daies of Achab; pitie is it to ſee the princes of this world ſo much enfeebling Ieruſalem to ſtrengthen Iericho.
Dauid crieth to God that he would build them, whoſe power is greater then all the worlds, who as he hath inuiſible walles of his protection, ſo he hath outward defences to maintaine his Church, he is maſter of it, yea maſter builder, and ſendeth forth ſeruants whom he ſtrengtheneth for the building of his worke. I ſee many pulling downe the walles, yea with Edom in the deſtroying of Ieruſalem, crying ſacke, ſacke, Pſal. 137.… ▪raze, raze vp the foundation. Few with Nehemiah mourning for the ruines of Gods houſe in all parts, and helping to reſtore them. Let vsus therefore goe to the God of Dauid; who albeit he was king of the towne, and began to build the citie and walles, and laid materials to the Temple, yet he knew that the labourers wrought in vaine, vnleſſe the Lord of heauen builded the citie, Lord repaire the decaies of thy Church, for thy Chriſts take.
For thy good pleaſure. He findeth the ground of all that perfection to be in God himſelfe and his good fauour, and not in men or their merits: for as the whole building of the Church is the onelyonly worke of God; ſo is the reparation of her ruines onelyonly belonging to himſelfe. Men might hauehave builded with ſtone and bricke the exterior walles,It belongeth to God to build the Church. but it is proper to God to build his ſpirituall Church. And this is a token that God hath pleaſure in his Church, when he is building it, ſending good builders; materialls of ſpirituall graces, fortifiers, as Cyrus and Darius good Princes, Nehemiah, good gouernours, Eſdra and good Prieſts. And our obedient and carefull people; who do take the ſword in one hand, and the inſtrument of building in the other, that the Lords Ieruſalem may be edified. But when his fauour is departed, then in his wrath, he giueth Princes, Gouernours, Nobles, Preachers, and people who ſtriue either to hinder the building, or to pull downe the building, to build vp Iericho, and caſt downe Ieruſalem. Dauid he craueth that God may be fauorable according to his good pleaſure, for the building of the Church dependeth vponupon Gods good will and pleaſure; who when he liketh his Church, can aduance her, and when he is diſpleaſed with her caſt her downe. It appeareth euidently now that God is angrie with his Church in all parts of Chriſtendome, when he is pulling downe, and not raiſing vp his Church, we hauehave prouoked his wrath againſt vsus; and his ſoule abhorreth our hipocriticall profeſſion, and our wicked conuerſation.