The Joy of the English Church for the Coronation of Pious Prince James, Meditations on psalm · Part · Meditation 20
The 20. meditation.
v. 9. Because of the house of the Lord our God, I will procure thy wealth.] This beeing the greatest motiue that drew from Dauid this great affection, is reserued for the last place: his naturall louelove vntounto Israel, as his countrey and kinred was very great, but his desire vntounto it, as Gods Church, and because of the Lords presence amongst thē, was much more: spirituall louelove then is to be preferred before naturall, but where there is a concurrence and connexion of both, the flame is encreased. There can be then no greater bond then religion, no greater louelove, then for Christs cause.
1. Therefore the prophet Dauid saith els where:Ioy for the welf…re of Christs Church. He hath exalted the borne of his people, which is a praise for all his Saints, euen for the children of Israel, a people neare vntounto him, Psal. 148. 14. The righteous doe reioyce and praise God, when the Lord exalteth his Church, and prospereth it, and strengtheneth the horne thereof against their enemies. And this is set downe as a sure marke to know a faithfull man by: He honoureth them, that feare the Lord, Psa. 15. 4. According to this rule the Apostle saith, While we hauehave time let vsus doe good to all men, but specially to them which are of the houshold of faith, Gal. 6. 10. That like as God is the Sauiour of all mē, specially of those which beleeue, 1. Tim. 4. 10. so we should make the same difference preferring those in our louelove, which are most beloued of god.
2. Thus the prophet Dauid professeth his louelove to the people of God: Mine eyes shall be to the faithfull of the land, Psal. 101. 6. yea he saith, that all his delight is in the Saints of the earth, Psal. 16. 3. Such was his zeale to the house of God, that he would choose rather to be a doore-keeper there, then to dwell (or to raigne as king) among the wicked. Psal. 84. 10. Thus also the people of God doe testifie their affection to the Church; they well preferre Ierusalem before their chiefe ioy. Psal. 137. 6.
3. For he that loueth God, must needs also louelove Gods house the place where he dwelleth: he cannot but louelove Gods image, which most of all appeareth in the faithful and righteous. For Christs cause therefore his Church is beloued. Whatsoeuer is done vntounto the members therof, he doth acknowledge it as done to himselfe, Mat. …5. 45. A man cānot be the bridegroomes friend, and hate the bride, which is new Ierusalem,Revel. 21. 2. the holy city and Church of god.
4. The louelove of Christ and his Church should be remembred more then wine, Cant. 1. 3. that is, to be preferred before all other pleasures of louelove. The faithfull say, I am sicke of this louelove, Cant. 2. 5. This louelove hath no measure, it exceedeth all bounds: this louelove is as strong as death, Cant. 8. 6. nay it is stronger then death: for it remaineth after death; louelove neuer falleth away: much water cannot quench this louelove: affliction… cannot ouercome it: thy seruants delight in the stones thereof, and hauehave pitie on the dust thereof, namely of Sion. Psal. 102. 14. Euen Gods Church when it is in the greatest affliction is louely: though shee be blacke, because the funne of affliction hath looked vponupon her, yet is shee comely: though for the one like the tents of Kedar, which are mooueable and flitting, as the Church is tossed too and fro with affliction; yet for the other, shee is beautifull and pretious as the curtaines of Salomon. Cant. 1. 4.
5. First then vntounto the naturall louelove of our countrey, this must be added as a more worthie affection, that our hearts be towarde it, because it is the Church of God: that eueryevery man should procure, as much as in him lieth, not onelyonly the temporall welfare therof, as it is the commonwealth, but to wish the spirituall health and growth, as it is Gods house. As he is an enemie to his countrey, which hindreth the externall state and condition, so he is no friend to the Church, that furthereth not the internall perfection. Ministers are to informe, and Magistrates to reforme the Church. The one negligent to instruct, the other remisse to correct, are not well-wishers to Gods house. This then may be an admonition to all slouthfull and idle pastours, that are slacke in the Lords busines,Ministers who carelesse of Christs church. and as euill and vnfaithfull stewards giuegive not meate in due season to their Lords seruants. Such are they, which want abilitie and cannot teach, or want will and are idle and doe it not, or are couetous and heape many Churches and dignities, and are carelesse to teach: feeding themselues rather then the people of God: how can these say, because of the house of God I will procure thy wealth? nay they esteeme not Gods house, neither duly regard the price of soules: taking vponupon them some that, which they cannot at all discharge, some more then they can compasse,Who be the dumbe, g…e… s…eepie dogg some that whereunto they hauehave no desire. The first are dumb… dogges, that can not barke, the second greedie dogges, that can neuer hauehave enough, the third sleepie dogges, that he and delight in sleeping, as the prophet compareth the watchmen and shepheards of Israel. The first then should be supplied, the second moderated, the third awaked. All of them are conuinced to beare small louelove to the Church of Christ. Our Sauiour saith to Peter, If thou louest me, feede my sheepe: he therefore that carefully feedeth not the flocke of Christ, is found to be cold in his louelove to Christ. The Pharisies refused no paines, but compassed sea and land to make one Proselyte of their religion, Math. 23. 15. in like manner the Pharisaicall brood of popish Iudasites and Seminaries in these daies, doe trauell by sea and land to seduce simple soules, and peruert them to their superstition. Then what a shame is it, that the Ministers of the Gospel should giuegive themselues to a drousie sleepe, as though the spirit of slumber had ouertaken them, and not to be as carefull to defend Christs sheepe, as they are to offend them, to reduce them vntounto God, whome they hauehave seduced, and to keepe them in the way, whome the other seeke to driue out of the way?
Further, what a great treasure had Israel of Dauid, that was thus affected to Gods house, for whose sake he thus heartily praieth for peace, and promiseth to procure it. I trust that God hath raised vp another Dauid to his Israel of England, whose princely heart nothing can more surely knit vntounto his kingdom, then because Gods house is amongst vsus. He commeth not to a nation of a diuerse religion in substance, though differing in some ceremonies: (with or without the which religion neither standeth nor falleth.) Which diuersitie of religion betweene Prince and people, hath at other times and otherwhere, caused great trouble sometime to the Prince, where the kingdome could not be receiued, vnlesse the religion professed were admitted, as of late in France; sometime to the people, when a religion is by force imposed, which is of fewe desired, as well appeared in the change of religion in England at Queene Maries entrāce. Now both these occasions of trouble and tumult are remooued: neither the king required to chaunge his profession, nor the people enforced to leaue their religion: but as we wish vntounto the one (which we doubt not of) princely constancie and perseuerance, so to the other Christian loyaltie and obedience. God hath sent vsus a Prince,…0. Benefit, care of the Church of Christ. that loueth Gods Church; that wisheth no longer to liue, then he may be a protectour of the faith; who counteth it one of his fairest stiles to be called a louing nourish father to his Church, foreign. 43. one that frequenteth the exercises of religion, fostereth the faithfull Ministers thereof, affecteth all the true professours of it: who misliketh and condemneth enmitie in nobles, prophanenes in Courtiers, papall pride in Church gouernours, negligence in Pastours, loosenesse of life in Christians, coldnes of religion in Protestants. How much are we bound vntounto the Lord, that hath raised vp such a prince, vnderunder whome religion is like to prosper, and Christs Church to flourish: who will heare the complaints of the poore, and not despise the groanes of the heauie hearted, nor deferre the desire of the godly: according to the petition of the Church vnderunder Dauid, Let the king heare vsus, when we call: of whose princely louelove and fauour eueryevery honest and sincere heart may say, as one saith:August. Hier…. in cuius charitatem facise me totum proijcio, fatigatum scandalis saculi, deū quippe illie esse sentio, in quem me s…curus proijcio, & in quo securus requiesco. VponUpon whose louelove I doe repose my selfe, beeing wearied with the off…nces of the world, for God is there present, vponupon whome I wholly relie, and in him securely rest. God giuegive vsus grace, that as Samuel saith, We may so feare the Lord and serue him, and not disobey the word of the Lord, that both we and the king that raigneth ouer vsus, may follow the Lord our God: that is, he may remaine with vsus for euer, that God may conduct vsus in this life in all happines and prosperitie, and we and our king may follow him to euerlasting felicitie. Amen▪
FINIS.
Errata.
Pag. 3. l. 9. for law, read louelove.
p. 5. l. 5. for people, read prophet.
p. 6. l. 29. for Retraveling, read Estraveling
p. 10. l. 4. read foreign.
p. 10. l. 18. for found, read find.
p. 12. l. 4. next this, read neither.
p. 12. l. 16. for Atamoth, read Alamoth.
p. 16. l. 11. for whole, read while.
p. 20. l. 16. for Gaxe, read Gaye.
p. 29. l. 2. for that there, read there.
p. 31. l. 26. read foreign.
p. 37. l. 27. for Revatane, read E…vatane.
p. 61. l. 2. for offring, read offence.
p. 64. l. 4. for imitated, read initiated.
p. 72. l. 18. for with the, read of the.
p. 78. l. 26. for reports, read reporters.
p. 88. l. 1. read, to remember, once.
p. 92. read, in the preface to the answer of the Apologicall epistle: these wordes must be placed in the margin, as it was not in the copie, which by great ouersight were set in the booke.
p. 109. for, to the, read the.
End of the text · Andrew Willet, The Joy of the English Church for the Coronation of Pious Prince James (1603)