The Joy of the English Church for the Coronation of Pious Prince James, Meditations on psalm · Part · Meditation 17
The 17. meditation.
They shall prosper that louelove thee.] They, which doe but beare good will vntounto Sion, shall prosper: their louing affection to Gods house, shall not be forgotten.
1. So the Lord by Isaak saith to Iacob; They shall be cursed, that curse thee, and blessed are they, that blesse thee, Gen. 27. 29. Likewise the Prophet Dauid saith, The Lord is with them, that vphold my soule, Psal. 54. 4. Our Sauiour promiseth, that he which giueth but a cuppe of cold water to any of his little ones in the name of a disciple should not loose his reward, Math. 10. 42.
2. Thus Laban was prospered for Iacobs sake, Gen. 30. 27. because he succoured and entertained him in his house. The Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his house because of the arke, 2. Sam. 6. 11. he receiued it into his house, and had a louelove and respect vntounto it, therefore the Lord shewed him fauour againe. Thus god deliuered Ebedmelech the Moore, because he releeued and fauoured the prophet Ieremie, cap. 39. 18. Ierem. And contrariwse they are accursed, that doe hate the church of God. What gained Ismael by mocking of Isaack? he was cast out of his fathers house, Gen. 21. 9. 10. Or what did it profit Abimelech to slaie his brethren, the sonnes of noble Ierubball? was he not himselfe slaine, his braine pan broken with a peece of a milstone, and after thrust thorough by his page? Iudg. 9. 52. 53. And Saul had good experience, what it is to persecute the innocents, and to hate Gods seruants: he put the priests to death, and caused Doeg in one day to kill of them 85. persons, he chased Dauid from place to place: what was the issue hereof? he himselfe was ouercome in battell, and desperately died vponupon his owne sword, 1. Sam. 31. 4.
3. Like as then the Prophet saith, in thy light shall we see light, Psal. 36. 9. as a man by beholding the light, is himselfe lightened; so they which louelove the light of Gods trueth shining in his Church, shall themselues find light and comfort by it. The Lord is said to turne the bed of the mercifull man in his sickenesse, Psal. 41. 3. that as the turning and beating of the ficke mans couch doeth yeild more ease and pleasant rest to the sicke and weary bones: so the Lord doth minister spirituall comfort and refreshing to the soule of that man, that hath beene a comfort vntounto others. In this respect it is said in the Canticles, Thy name is as an ointment poured out, therefore the virgins louelove thee, Cant. 1. 2. that like as they which are neere vntounto a precious ointment powred out, though they were not annointed with it, yet they are filled with the fauour of it. So they which louelove Christs Church, where this oyntment is powred out, shall hauehave the pleasant sauour and smell thereof in their welfare and prosperitie: they shall prosper that louelove thee.
4. For the louelove that is shewed to any of Christs members Christ accepteth, as bestowed vponupon himselfe: In as much as he did it to one of the least of these, ye did it vntounto me, Math. 25. 45. And therefore Christ wil recompence the louelove of such, they shall prosper themselues and be blessed in it.
5. First according to this rule, They shall prosper that louelove thee, The vnhappie ende of the haters of Christs Church.it were good for vsus to measure the current of many accidents in the world: there shall we see the miserable ende and vnprosperous successe of such, as were enemies to Gods Church, and the happie estate and blessed progresse of such, as were friends and louers of it. What hath beene the ende of those treacherous practisers against the Lords annointed our late Soueraigne, and of those haters of religion? I meane Babington, Ballard, Arden, Sommeruile, Sherwin, Parrie, Lopez, Squire, with the rest: they brought themselues to a shamefull, but well deserued death, and hauehave left behind them a perpetuall note of infamie, howsoeuer the Pope hath canonized thē for martyrs of his Church. Fit saints for such a chappell, and worthie inhabitants of the Popes heauen. But God shall prosper the faithfull endeauours of his seruants: the teares, which they shed in their praiers for Gods Church, shall be put into the Lords bottles, Psal. 56. 8. They shall eate the bread in the sweate of their browes: they shall be partakers of the comfort and prosperitie of CHRISTS Church, for the which they hauehave trauailed. And now I trust is the time, that it shall be saide to all that louelove the Gospel; They shall prosper that louelove thee. The 17. benefit, prosperitie.The Gospel hath by Gods goodnes prospered and flourished aboue these 40. yeares, and now, by Gods goodnes, is like to prosper still: God shall blesse both Prince and people, as he hath done alreadie in great measure: God hath brought a prosperous king to a prosperous nation. His Maiestie the Lord hath aboundantly honoured: in one day aduancing him to the princely regiment of an honourable nation, to the louelove & heartie desire of his subiects, to a countrey professing religion, to the treasures of a rich prince. God hath giuen him Salomons portion: honour, wealth, wisdome: God we trust, shall giuegive his Maiestie grace and strength with al his power to honour him againe: that we may say with the prophet, Because the king trusted in the Lord, and in the merciemercy of the most high, he shall not slide: thine hand shall find out all thine enemies, and thy right hand them that hate thee, Psal. 21. 7, 8. But they that louelove him, shall be as the Sunne that riseth in his might. Iud. 5. 31.
Secondly, seeing they prosper, that louelove and beare affection to Ierusalem; let men learne to shewe good will vntounto Christs Church, though as yet they be no ripe schollers themselues in Christs schoole: though they be not growne to perfection, let them expresse a good affectiō. A good will and inclination, where strength yet faileth, is accepted, and a readie disposition is not reiected: though thou be not yet of the Saints, yet louelove the Saints. If thou likest and louest that, thou wouldest be, thou maist be that hereafter, which yet thou art not. The little birde before shee flieth, flittereth with her wings in the nest: the child creepeth before he goeth: So religion beginneth with affection, and deuotion proceedeth from desire. A man must first louelove, that he would be, before he cā be that which he loueth. It is a good signe,The desire and louelove of vertue a good steppe to obtaine it. when a man affecteth that, which he expecteth: and doth fauour that, which he would more fully sauour. He that loueth Sion, shall prosper: he that loueth vertue, shall encrease and prosper in it. The day of small things shall not be despised, Zachar. 4. 10. neither shall the smoking flaxe be quenched, Math. 12. 20. but the smoake shall bring forth fire, and fire shall breake forth into a flame. The good desire of the heart shall be recompenced with the encrease of the thing desired: and as it is saide of the mariners, God bringeth them to the hauen, where they would be, Psal. 107. 30. so the Lord conducteth them to the hauen of spirituall comfort, that long after it. And so as Augustine well saith, Habet proximus aliquam gratiam, Homil. 15.ama illum & tua est, tu habes aliam, amet te, & sua est. Thy neighbour hath a certaine grace louelove him, and it is thine, thou hast an other grace let him louelove thee, and it is his also. Thus shall we finde that saying of Wisdome in the Prouerbs to be most true: I louelove them that louelove me, and they that seeke me earely shall finde me, Prou. 8. 17. Like as he that earnestly seeketh that which he misseth, shall finde it, so whosoeuer desireth the grace of God, shall not be deceiued. And like as amongst men, he that is friendly shall find friends, Prou. 18. 24. which agreeth to that vsuall saying, Vt ameris, amabilis esto, shew thy selfe louely, if thou wilt be loued againe: So is it betweene vsus and God, he loueth those that louelove him, and yet it is most true, that he first loued vsus, that we should louelove him againe.