Christs Kingdom, Sermon 4
THE FOVRTH SERMON vponupon the ſecond Pſalme.
PSAL. 2. VER. 4.5. & 6.
But he that dwelleth in the heauens ſhall laugh: the Lord ſhall hauehave them in deriſion.
Then ſhall he ſpeake vntounto them in his wrath, and vexe them in his ſore diſpleaſure, ſaying:
Euen I hauehave ſet my king vponupon Zion mine holy Mountaine.
HItherto the Prophet hath ſhewed, who did rebell againſt the Lord, and his Annointed. Now he doth begin to declare, what the Lord, and his Annointed are, againſt whom they do ſo rebell. The Lord is ſet out in theſe three verſes, and his Annointed in the three next. The ſcope & drift in the deſcription of them both, is one and the ſelfe ſame, and it ſtands in two points. The one is to ſhew, that all the oppoſition or reſiſtance that is made againſt them is in vaine, and to no purpoſe. The other is to declare, that thoſe that do make the oppoſition, or reſiſtance, are in moſt wofull and wretched caſe, and ſuch as cannot eſcape moſt fearefull and vnrecouerable iudgements; vnleſſe they do in time preuent the ſame, by true and hearty repentance or amendment of life, in turning vntounto them, and in becoming faithfull and loyall ſubiects vntounto them, as they ought to be. This is the ſumme of all theſe verſes, but at this time we are to ſtand vponupon the three former alone.
The Prophet going about to deſcribe the Lord, euen the Father in the godhead, or the firſt Perſon in the Trinitie, notes him out firſt of all by his place or abode; which is not vponupon the earth, where his enimies may come at him, but in the heauens, where they cannot come neare vntounto him, ſo that all their power, … malice intended againſt him can do him no harme. The which thing the Almighty doth ſee full well; for he is not afraid of them, but as a man that is careleſſe of his enimie, whom he knowes cannot hurt him, doth nothing but laugh and deride at him, ſo doth he laugh and deride at them: he hath them in deriſion, and ſo ſhall hauehave them ſtill in deriſion. This were enough to diſmay them, if there were any grace in them. But yet this is not all. For as man is offended with thoſe that riſe vp againſt him, and doth withall puniſh them according to their deſerts, if it lie in his power to do it; ſo is the Lord offended with them, and in his appointed time, he will plague them. His wrath is greatly kindled againſt them, and his hand ſhall be ſtretched out in a moſt wofull manner to torment them. Then at that time ſhall they know with a ſeeling and tormenting ſoule, what he is, againſt whom they are riſen vp; for God ſhall then diſcloſe it vntounto them, ſaying: I hauehave ſet my king vponupon Zion mine holy mountaine. He tooke not this honour vntounto himſelfe, to be the head and ruler of my people, neither was he aduanced to this throne of gouernment by any humane authority, or created wight; but I, euen I that am the Lord, whom the heauen of heauens cannot containe, placed him in his roome, & made him to be the ſupreme gouernor of my people: how then durſt you rebel againſt him? or lift vp either tongue or hand, to ſpeak or do any thing which might be cōtrary vntounto him?
The ſumme of theſe three verſes is nothing elſe but a deſcription of the Lord (or the firſt perſon in the godhead) againſt whom the former treaſon or rebellion was wrought. Summe. Wherein (before we come to the parts of it) obſerue (in a word or two) the elegant Antitheſis that is made betwixt him and his aduerſaries: Firſt, they are many, but he is but one: Secondly, they are on the earth, but he is in heauen: Thirdly, they rage, murmure, band and conſult; but he laughs and ſmiles. Fourthly, they intend an ouerthrow to him, but he prepares plagues for them. Laſtly, they ſay, Come, let vsus breake their bands, and caſt their cords behind vsus: but he ſaith, I hauehave ſet my king vponupon Zion mine holy mountaine. So here is God againſt man, and heauen againſt earth. Iudge you now, who ſhall hauehave the victorie. But to the parts, the Lord here is deſcribed out two manner of wayes. The one is in regard of that which his enimies do to him. The other is of that which he will do to them. In the former of theſe, conſider the place where he is, then his deriding or laughing at his enimies: both which doe ſhew, that all their forces can do him no harme, but ſhall be fruſtrated and be brought to nought. Firſt, becauſe he is out of their reach, hee being in heauen, and they vponupon the earth. Then ſecondly, becauſe he doth not feare, as men do, who are in ſome perilous danger, and too weake for their aduerſaries, but doth laugh and deride at them, as we are wont to do, when we are merrie and ſure of ſafetie, and do ſee how to fruſtrate all ſuch deuices as are intended againſt vsus. This is ſet downe in the fourth verſe, as the other part is in the two next verſes following.
But he that is in heauen (ſaith the Prophet) doth laugh. Here I will ſtand a little vponupon the ſeuerall members, and afterward conioyne them both together, in preſſing the doctrine and vſe of the place. God here (you ſee) is not plainely named, but he is ſee out by a certaine periphraſis, or circumlocution, euen by one that dwelleth, or as others reade it, by one that ſitteth in heauen; the Hebrew word Ioſheb affoordeth either of them; for it comes of Iaſhab, which ſignifieth indifferently to dwell, or to ſit, as alſo to ſtay and to abide in a place. Howſoeuer, it is a notable deſcription of God, whereby the Prophet meaneth to ſhew, that his enimies are not able to do him any hurt, or mightie enough to ſtand againſt him that is ſo farre aboue them. For as it is euermore a great aduantage in warre, to hauehave the vpper and higher place in fighting againſt the aduerſarie (as to be on a hil, whē he is below on a valley) ſo is it vnpoſſible for thoſe who are vponupon the earth, to reach them with any blows or ſtrokes, that are in heauen. For betwixt theſe 2 places (heauen & earth) as the Aſtronomers do cōiecture, there are ſeuen ſcore & eighteene thouſand, foure hundreth, and ſixtie three miles. And what arrow or ſhot of gun can flie ſo farre?
But here it may be demanded, Obiect. whether God be onelyonly in heauen, and not vponupon the earth alſo? The anſwer is, Anſ. that he is as well vponupon the earth, as in the heauens, according to his owne words in Ieremy 23.24. where hee tells vsus, that hee doth fill both the heauen and the earth. And this you muſt hold, as a ground infallible, that he is in all places; for as Salomon doth confeſſe of him in 1. King. 8.27. that the heauens, and the heauens of heauens are not able to conteine him: ſo Dauid doth teach vsus in Pſal. 139.7. &c. that he is eueryevery where, as well in the ſea and earth and other places, as in the heauens themſelues. And the manner how he is thus in all places, is well expreſſed in an old verſe, which is this, Eſt Deus eſſenter, praeſenter, vbique potenter, That is: God is eueryevery where by his eſſence, by his preſēce, & by his power. By his eſſence or diuine being, becauſe it is he that immediatly worketh al things, both in heauen & earth. For we liue & moue & hauehave our being in him, as it is in Acts. 17.28. By his preſence, becauſe he ſeeth & beholdeth all things, & eueryevery matter is naked & opē to his eies, as thoſe are to ours, that ſtand in our preſēce before vsus, as it is in Heb. 4.13. By his power, becauſe he doth ſuſtaine and hold vp al the creatures in the whole world, their ſtrēgth & vertue being nothing elſe but as a ſmall portion, flowing from that welſpring of all fulneſſe, which is in him, as it is in Hebr. 1.3. and Math. 4.4. So that by this it is apparant, that God is not tied vp in the heauens, as hauing nothing to do here vponupon the earth or ſea, as Atheiſts and Epicures iudge, who thinke that all things do fall out by the courſe of nature, chance, fortune (as they call it) and the policy of man. You ſee that he is in all places; he is preſent with vsus whereſoeuer we be: he doth conſider of all our workes: he doth know our ſitting downe, and our riſing vp: he doth vnderſtand our thoughts a farre off: he doth compaſſe our paths, and he is accuſtomed to all our wayes, as we may ſee moſt excellently in the beginning of that 139. Pſalme, which was quoted before. And therefore eueryevery man ſhould take heed, how he doth conuerſe and liue here in this pilgrimage before him. But yet he is ſayd rather to be in heauen, then in the earth or in any other place many times in the word, and that for two cauſes. The one is, becauſe he is moſt glorious there, and fulleſt of all honour and dignitie; that being the throne of his Maieſtie, whereas the earth is but his footſtoole, Eſay 66.1. The other is, becauſe there he doth manifeſt himſelfe, as moſt of all, and in the greateſt ſplendencie that may be, ſo immediatly, and not by meanes (whether ordinary, or extraordinary) as hee doth here in this world, as may be ſeene at large in the 21. Chapter of the Reuelations, and other places of the Scripture beſides. But the chiefe end wherefore he is here ſayd in our text which is in hand, to be in heauen, is to note the vnableneſſe of his enimies to do him hurt, or to preuaile againſt him. Other ends there are of this ſaying elſewhere, but this is the onelyonly and principall end of it here, and it is excellent for that purpoſe, as was obſerued before.
But to come to the other member, as God is ſayd to ſit or dwell in heauen, ſo he is ſayd withall, to laugh and to make a mocke or deriſion of them. But he that dwelleth in heauen ſhall laugh, the Lord ſhall hauehave them in deriſion. Some reade this in the preſent tenſe, ſaying, But he that dwelleth in heauen doth laugh, the Lord hath thē in deriſion; or doth deride thē. But we may take it as it is tranſlated in the future tenſe; for ſo it is in the Hebrew text. A man may laugh at the firſt; but weepe after; & a man may make a deriſion of his enimie at the beginning, but come to ruine and deſtruction himſelfe at the ending. But it ſhall not be ſo with God: he ſhall laugh both at the firſt, and at the laſt, and make a mocke of his aduerſaries as well at the ending as at the beginning. And therefore I thinke, the holy Ghoſt did of purpoſe rather expreſſe his mind in the future tenſe, then in the preſent tenſe: not to deny a preſent act, but to include the continuance of it, as though God did not onelyonly do it now, but ſhould do it ſtill. His meaning is, that the Lord doth not feare the conſpiracies and rebellion of his enimies, which were mentioned in the three firſt verſes of this Pſalme, & that he makes no account or reckning of them, but doth ſo lightly reſpect them, as matters that he both will and can daſh all to peeces, when it pleaſeth him. For here in this verſe and the next verſe following is a figure, called Anthropopatheia, which is, when things are ſpoken of God according to man, and as his capacity is able to comprehend. For we muſt not take the words literally, but figuratiuely; for to ſpeake properly, God doth not laugh, nor make a deriſion of any; onelyonly man doth this, but he doth it not. And therefore I ſay, the words are to be taken figuratiuely, as they alſo are which are aſcribed vntounto wiſedome in the latter end of the firſt Chapter of the Prouerbes, when Salomon tels vsus, that ſhe will laugh at the deſtruction of the wicked, and mocke when their feare commeth. If ſome fooliſh hare-braind youth of no ſtrength or skill, ſhould ſend a challenge vntounto ſome wiſe diſcreet captaine of great valour and experience in warfare; the captaine would but laugh at him, and make a game-ſtocke of him, as knowing that he can do him no harme, but will eaſily without any ado be ouerthrown by him. So after the ſame maner, that we might know that the Lord feares none of his enimies, as ſuch as can do him no hurt, but that hee can eaſily at his pleaſure bring all their deuices to nought, & ouercome them when he wil, he is ſaid here (after the maner of men) to laugh at them, & to hauehave them in deriſion. God then laughes at his enemies, not becauſe he doth like of them, or of their attempts againſt him, as we doe oftentimes laugh at ſuch things as pleaſe vsus well; but becauſe hee cares not for them, and doth ſee that all their plots are in vaine which are intended againſt him.
But why is this doubled, may you ſay? for what cauſe doth the Prophet tell vsus of one thing thing twiſe? Firſt, he ſaith, that God ſhall laugh at them: then after that he ſaith againe, that he ſhall hauehave them in deriſion: For ſeeing to laugh at one, and to hauehave him in deriſion is all one, and the one of them doth not differ from the other in ſenſe and meaning, the queſtion may bee well moued, why the Prophet ſhould vſe them both, and not content himſelfe with one of them alone? The anſwere is this, that he did it, the better to note out the certainty and aſſuredneſſe of the thing whereof he doth ſpeake. For as Pharaohs dreames were doubled, the one of the kine, the other of the corne, becauſe the thing which he ſaw in his dreames, was eſtabliſhed by God, and God did haſten to performe it; as it is in Gen. 41.32. So the Prophet here doth double his words, becauſe the matter whereof he maketh mention, is moſt certaine and ſure, and ſuch as he would hauehave no man to doubt thereof. And for this purpoſe (you know) doe we our ſelues oftentimes double our ſayings, and therefore it is as much in effect, as if he had ſaid: But hee that dwelleth in the heauen ſhall laugh, yea I ſay againe, the Lord ſhall laugh, and hauehave them in deriſion; doubt not of it, but beleeue it, for it is a thing moſt certaine and true, as heauen it ſelfe. The conſideration whereof ſhould make vsus bee afraid to doe any thing againſt the Lord. For of all things we do abhorre this moſt, to be made a laughing ſtocke and a may-game to our aduerſaries. The Saints do complaine of it in the 44. pſalme. The Prophet Eſay in the 8. chapter of his propheſie. Dauid in the 22. pſalme. And Paul in the 4 chapter of his 1. epiſtle to the Corinthians. And ſurely if this bee tart and irkeſome vntounto Gods owne children, how ſhall the wicked bee able to beare it? Yet here we ſee, that God doth make a ſport at all his aduerſaries, and doth laugh and deride at them. Oh let the due regard of this phraſe or manner of ſpeech, ſtay vsus alwayes from all rebellion againſt him, and cauſe vsus to bee vpright in our wayes. For ſhall we be a laughter and deriſion vntounto the Almightie? No, no, beware we of that.
But to leaue the ſeuerall members (wheron many things might be obſerued, if need did ſo require) & to conioyne them together as they ought to be, out of them we gather this doctrine: Doct. That no power or deuice of man ſhall bee able to ſtand againſt the Lord, but ſhal be ouerthrowne and be brought to nought. For this is the end (as you hauehave heard) why theſe two things are reported of God, the one of his being in heauen, the other of his laughing at his aduerſaries, euen to ſhew that that conſpiracy which was made againſt him & his annoynted, ſhould not proſper or preuaile, but vaniſh & come to nothing. So that the doctrine is rightly collected out of the text; and it may be proued vntounto vsus out of ſundry places of ſacred Writ, but I wil touch ſome two or three onelyonly at this time, and ſo paſſe it ouer. The firſt is out of the Prophet Iſay in the 8 chapter of his propheſie, and the 9. and 10 verſes thereof, when he ſaith; Gather together on heaps ô yee people, and yee ſhall bee broken to peeces, and hearken ye of farre countries: Gird your ſelues, & you ſhall bee broken in peeces: gird your ſelues, and you ſhall bee broken in peeces. Take counſell together, and it ſhall be brought to nought: pronounce a decree, yet ſhall it not ſtand: for God is with vsus. The ſecond is in the 33. Pſalme, & the 10. & 11. verſes thereof, where the Prophet Dauid ſaith: The Lord breaketh the counſell of the heathen, and bringeth to nought the deuices of the people. The counſell of the Lord ſhall ſtand for euer, and the thoughts of his heart throughout all ages. The third and laſt is the 12. chapter of the Reuelations, and the 7. and 8 verſes thereof, where Iohn ſaith: And there was a battell in heauen, Michael and his Angels fought againſt the Dragon, and the Dragon fought and his Angels. But they preuailed not, neither was their place found any more in heauen. Thus you ſee that nothing can ſtand againſt the Lord, but all doth come to nought that is raiſed vp againſt him.
And the reaſon thereof is this, partly becauſe he is wiſer then all, ſeeing which way to preuent his enemies, and to bring his owne purpoſe to paſſe; and partly becauſe hee is ſtronger then all, being able to doe whatſoeuer hee will, both in heauen and earth, according to Pauls words in 1. Cor. 1.25. when hee ſaith: For the fooliſhneſſe of God is wiſer then men, and the weakneſſe of God is ſtronger then men.
The vſe of this doctrine is manifold, Vſe. but yet it ſtandeth chiefly in three things. The firſt is, to teach vsus what ſhall bee the end of all the plots which the wicked hauehave in their ſoules againſt the Lord, and ſuch as do cleaue vntounto him. They ſhal vaniſh and come to nothing, being like in this reſpect as the child in the mothers wombe, that there doth periſh, and neuer come aline into this world: or like vntounto his dreame who is buſie all the night in his ſleepe about gold and rich preferments, and yet in the morning is as poore as when he went to bed. In a word, they do but loſe their labour, as he doth who goeth about by waſhing to make a Black-moore-white: or by teaching to make an aſſe play vponupon an harpe. Let this be a continuall meditation with vsus eueryevery day and night.
The ſecond is, to pull vsus backe from all ſuch matters as doe tend any manner of way againſt the Lord. For let vsus aſſure our owne ſoules, that if we attempt any ſuch thing, wee ſhall hauehave no good ſucceſſe therein, but our endeuours ſhall bee brought to nought. I beſeech you remember what Gamaliel ſaid, and follow his counſell which he gaue vntounto the Iewes when they ſtroue againſt the Apoſtles, and went about to hinder all preaching in the name of Chriſt. Men of Iſrael (ſaith he) take heede to your ſelues, what you intend to do, touching theſe men: refraine your ſelues from them, and let them alone. For if this counſell, or this worke, be of men, it will come to nought; but if it be of God, ye cannot deſtroy it, leſt ye bee found euen ſighters againſt God, as it is in Acts 5, 35, &c.
But ſome may ſay: Obiect. None of vsus are ſo beaſtly as to fight againſt the Lord himſelfe. Anſ. Anſ. Let no man be deceiued. For we doe all of vsus warre againſt him many wayes, and as in generall, when wee doe violate and breake his ſtatutes, refuſing to doe that which he hath commanded vsus for to do: ſo in particular we doe it foure manner of waies, The one is when we oppoſe our ſelues againſt the Magiſtrates of the common wealth, whom hee hath ſet ouer vsus for to rule & gouerne vsus For to reſiſt them is to reſiſt God himſelfe, as Paul doth ſhew in Rom. 13.1.2. Another is when we doe oppoſe our ſelues againſt the Miniſters of the Church, whom he hath raiſed vp to teach and inſtruct vsus. For to reſiſt them is to reſiſt God himſelfe, as Chriſt hath taught vsus in Luke 10.16. The third is whē we do oppoſe our ſelues againſt the word of God, and ſuch heauenly ordinances of his as he hath beſtowed vponupon men for his owne worſhip, and the ſaluation of mans ſoule. For to reſiſt them is to reſiſt God himſelfe, as Gamaliel doth inſinuate in the place of the Acts. before quoted. The fourth and laſt is, when wee doe oppoſe our ſelues againſt the children of God, and the members of leſus Chriſt. For to reſiſt them is to reſiſt God himſelfe, as Zecharie doth declare, in Zech. 2.8. All theſe wayes do men in eueryevery place almoſt lift vp themſelues againſt the Lord: but beware we that we ioyne not with them therein; but let vsus cary our ſelues holy and reuerently in all theſe reſpects, as we ought to do: otherwiſe we ſhall be croſt in our purpoſes, and pay moſt dearely for it at the laſt.
The third and laſt is to comfort vsus, who hauehave ſuch a ſtrong and wiſe God on our ſide, that nothing can preuaile againſt him. It is a great comfort vntounto a man to ſerue ſuch a maiſter as will alwaies take his part, & ſee him wronged by no man: but then eſpecially is his heart exhilerated with much ioy & alacritie, when he doth vnderſtand that none is able to make his part good with his maiſter, but he doth alwaies preuaile againſt all. What a conſolation then and ioy of ſpirit ought it to be vntounto vsus, ſeeing our maiſter & Lord whom we ſerue, is not only omnipotēt in himſelfe, being ſtronger then all, but alſo ſo louing to vsus, that hee doth alwaies take our part, and ſo aſſiſt vsus from time to time, that we ſhall ſtill ouercome our foes, and not bee vanquiſhed by them? Oh let vsus ponder often on this poynt. For it will be a good cordial medicine vntounto vsus in all diſeaſes whatſoeuer, and it will reuiue vsus like Aqua vitae or roſa Solis when we are ready to faint or ſinke.
Hitherto you hauehave heard a deſcription of the Lord in regard of that which his enimies do to him. Now you muſt marke how he is deſcribed in reſpect of that which he will do to them. And that is alſo two manner of waies, the one is by his workes, the other is by his words: by his works in the firſt verſe, and by his words in the fixth verſe. His workes containe his anger againſt them, and the effects thereof, which are fearefull plagues tormenting them. The ſpeech is allegoricall and drawne from man, as was touched before: for the Prophet doth ſpeake of God according to man, and as hee is well able to conceiue of him: not that there is any paſſion of choler or anger in God, as there is in man (for he is free from all paſſions whatſoeuer;) but the meaning is, that God was much offended with them for their rebellion, and ſo are diſpleaſed with them for it. And whereas man is angry and wrathfull, he wil ſtrike and lay on, and take reuenge vponupon ſuch as do offend him: ſo the Lord would be reuenged vponupon them, and plague them according to their deſerts, as being highly offended with them for their euill wayes and rebellion againſt him. Then ſhall hee ſpeake vntounto them in his wrath (ſaith the Prophet) and vexe them in his ſoare diſpleaſure. That is, ouer & beſides his former deriding of them, or laughing at them, he ſhal be exceeding much offended with them, & in his ſoare diſpleaſure againſt them he ſhal confound them, & and bring ſuch iudgements vponupon them, that they ſhall bee vexed with the cruell paine and remedileſſe griefe thereof. So then here is ſet downe how the Lord takes the matter at his enimies hands, and how they ſhall ſpeede for the ſame; though he doth laugh, yet he is angry, and much offended with them for it; and though they be many & great ones, yet they ſhall not eſcape vnpuniſhed, but be plagued according to their wretched waies. For Gods ſpeaking here vntounto them is not by word of mouth, but by ſtroake of hand. Sometimes he ſpeakes by word of mouth vntounto men, as he did heretofore by his Prophets and Apoſtles, and as hee doth ſtill vntounto vsus by the holy Scriptures, and the faithfull expoſitors thereof. Otherwhiles againe he ſpeakes to men by the ſtroakes of his hand, as euer he hath done, and daily doth, when he doth puniſh them for their ſinnes, and lay ſome iudgements vponupon them for their iniquities. Of this manner of ſpeaking doth Elihu make mention in Iob, cap. 33. verſ. 14. and ſo forward, where hee doth ſhew, that God doth not onelyonly ſpeake to men by dreames and viſions of the night, pulling them as it were by the eares, and leauing euen in their minds an impreſſion of thoſe great puniſhments which hang ouer their heads, to this end, that he might warne and teach them, to lay aſide thoſe things which they were intended to do, and that he might for bid them to continue in their wicked enterpriſes: but alſo when man will not take heed by theſe warnings, he goeth on the ſecond time to ſpeake vntounto him by his ſtroakes and iudgements, in laying ſome grieuous ſickeneſſe vponupon his body, whereby he is brought as it were to deaths dore, being daily tormented with grieuous paine, euen as he lyeth on his bed, and being ſo changed through leanneſſe, and the rage of his diſeaſe, that he is rather like to them that lye in the graue, then to any of the liuing.
Now after this manner is the word here to be taken, as the circumſtance of the place doth ſhew, and as the words following doe declare. And the word alſo here vſed in the Hebrew tongue, called Iedabber, comming of the root Dabar, doth ſignifie as well to deſtroy (as ſome iudge) as to ſpeak. So that a man may tranſlate it (if he will) after this ſort: Then ſhall he destroy them in his wrath, and vexe them in his ſore diſpleaſure. But howſoeuer, you ſee the ſenſe and meaning is all one, and that the Prophet doth intend no other thing hereby, but to ſhew, that they ſhall be ouerthrowne, and come to ſome fearefull ends, that did ſo riſe vp againſt the Lord and his Annoynted, as you heard in the beginning of this Pſalme. And that this alſo did fall out accordingly, and in the ſame manner, as the text doth here ſpeake, was at large deliuered vntounto you in my firſt lecture vponupon this Pſalme, when I did runne ouer the whole body thereof at once together: and therefore I will not now ſtand vponupon it againe, but referre you onelyonly vntounto that which was then ſpoken, hoping that you hauehave it in good remembrance ſtill to your ſweet comfort and holy inſtruction.
The doctrine of the place at this time to be conſidered, is this, Doct. That the enimies of Gods Church ſhall be ouerthrowne, and be confounded by the breath of the Almighty for their rebellion againſt him, euen as the enimies of Dauid and Chriſt here were for their reſiſting of him. Surely as they came to fearefull ends; ſo ſhall thoſe that riſe vp from time to time againſt Gods children, they, euen they alſo, ſhall come to fearefull ends. The Lord that is at their right hand, ſhall wound Kings in the day of his wrath, he ſhall be iudge among the heathen, he ſhall fill and with dead bodies, and ſmite the head ouer great countries, as it is in Pſal. 110.5.6. You know what God doth ſaith to Edom. For thy cruelty (ſaith he) againſt thy brother Iacob, ſhame ſhall couer thee, and thou ſhalt be cut off for euer. Obadiah verſ. 10. You know what God doth ſay of Moah, and of the children of Ammon. I hauehave heard (ſaith he) the reproach of Moab, and therebukes of the children of Ammon, whereby they vpbraided my people, and magnified themſelues againſt their borders. Therefore as I liue, ſaith the Lord God of hoaſts, the God of Iſrael, Surely Moab ſhall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorah: euen the breding of nettles, and ſalt-pits, and a perpetuall deſolation; the reſidue of my folke ſhall spoile them, & the remnant of my people ſhall poſſeſſe them. This ſhall they hauehave for their pride, becauſe they hauehave reproached, and magnified themſelues againſt the Lord of hoaſts people, in Zeph. 2.8.9.10. You know what God doth ſay to Abraham. I will alſo (ſaith he) bleſſe them that bleſſe thee, and curſe them that curſe thee, in Gen. 12.3. And what he ſaith to his whole people of Iſrael. Behold (ſaith he) I will bruiſe all that afflict thee, ſo that none ſhall be ſpared, in Zeph. 3.19. Laſtly you know (to pretermit other places) what God doth to that huge army of Gog and Magog, that compaſſeth the Saints and holy citty about, ſpoken of in Reuel. 20.9. But fire (ſaith the text there) came downe from God out of heauen, and deuoured them. To this we might adde many examples, if neede did ſo require: as that of Aegypt, who were plagued with ten ſeuerall plagues from heauen, one comming after another, and in the end were drowned (the moſt of them) in the redde ſea, for ſetting themſelues againſt the Lords people the children of Iſrael. As that of Haman, who loſt all his dignity, and the great honour which he had, & in the end was hanged vponupon a gallowes, for ſeeking the ouerthrow of Mordecay, and thoſe of the Iewes as did belong to the Lord. As laſtly that (with diuers others) of the whole nation of the Iewes themſelues, who were ſundry times plagued by God from heauen, and by men from the earth, and in the end came to the woefulleſt calamitie, as euer pen did put to paper, for killing the Prophets from time to time, and for murdering Chriſt, and ſuch as did appertaine vntounto him. So that whereas they cryed out and ſaid: His bloud be vponupon vsus and our children, as it is in Math. 27.25. his bloud indeed fell vponupon them; for they were ſo puniſhed for it, that they were murdered moſt of them at the deſtruction of Ieruſalem, their bloud running about the ſtreets like a riuer of water; and they are now to this day in great contempt amongſt all nations; as many thouſands of them alſo do lye boyling in hell, and there ſhall remaine in their torments for it, for euermore. O miſery of all miſeries! Great was their calamitie, when their citty was beſieged, at what time they were driuen to eate the leather of their ſhooes, the leather of their girdles, the leather of their bucklers, and targets, the dung of their ſtables, and in the end their very children. Woefull was their caſe, when they began to iſſue out, compelled with famine, when they were ſtill taken and crucified vponupon croſſes, and gibbets ſet vp before the wals, that they which were within might ſee them, and giuegive ouer, but yet they would not: fiue hundred a day were thus hanged vp, till there were neither trees to be gotten, nor any more ſpace left to ſet them in. Fearefull was their eſtate, when certaine of them, getting meate for compaſſion ſake in the campe of the enimes, were yet ſo perſecuted with the anger of God, that when they hoped their liues were in ſome ſafety, ſuddēly in the night by the bloody ſouldiers (imagining that ſure they had Gold and Iewels within them, which they had ſwallowed to conuey them for their vſe) were miſerably flaine, and ſlit vp, their bowels taked in for that which haply was not there, to the number of two thouſand in one night. Pittifull was their condition, when there was a deſire to know the number of dead carkaſſes carried out of the citty, for want of buriall, to be throwne into the ditches, as dung vponupon the earth; but the number was numberleſſe, and no way to know it certainely, but out of one gate the keeper had noted to be carried out an hundred and fifty thouſand dead bodies. Who can ſpeake or heare of theſe matters, almoſt with dry eyes? But yet this is not the worſt, for the damnation of their ſoules and bodies in hell doth go far beyond it, where is weeping and gnaſhing of teeth for euermore. Alas, alas, our hearts may breake out into drops of bloud, to thinke vponupon that their miſery. For firſt, their paine there is intollerable, farre worſe then the burning of any fire with vsus, let it be a thouſand times hotter then it is. Secondly it is eternall, and euerlaſting, neuer to hauehave any end, like that fire which doth alwaies burne, and can neuer be quenched. And thirdly it is continuall without any intermiſſion or eaſe comming betwixt it, they lying in torments eueryevery day, and eueryevery night, and not hauing ſo much as one minute of an houre in a million of yeares to reſt in. Thus doth God ſpeake to them in his wrath, and vexe them in his ſore diſpleaſure.
The reaſon hereof is this, Reaſon. becauſe he is offended with them for their ſinne which they doe commit herein againſt him, and hath the ſame in great hatred and deteſtation. For as Dauid doth tell vsus in the 5. and 11. Pſalmes, that the fooliſh ſhall not ſtand in the Lords ſight, nor him that ſpeaketh lies, but ſhall be deſtroyed; and that vponupon the wicked he ſhall raine ſnares, fire, and brimſtone, and ſtormy tempeſt, this is the portion of their cup: ſo he doth teach vsus withall, what is the cauſe thereof, in the ſame places, namely this, becauſe he is not a God that loueth wickedneſſe nor iniquitie, neither ſhall euill dwell with him; but he is one that loueth righteouſneſſe, and hateth iniquity, and ſuch as worke the ſame. The places aboue quoted doe touch this matter, and ſhew the particular ſinne, for which theſe iudgements come. But yet a man may aſke & ſay: Why is God ſo much moued for the wrongs that are offered to his children: Wherefore doth the ſinne committed againſt them, ſo ſtirre him to wrath, and indignation againſt the offenders therein? Cannot he be quiet whilſt he himſelfe is not touched? and ſo lightly paſſe ouer the matter? No, no, he cannot in any ſort. For if you touch them once, you touch him. He that toucheth you (ſaith Zechariah to Gods children, in Zech. 2.8. toucheth the apple of his eye. I trow, if a man take in your eyes, you will ſet him further, if you can, and teach him what it is to medle with that tender member, that is ſo deare vntounto you. So doth the Lord deale with theſe: becauſe his children are deare and precious vntounto him, he cannot ſee them wronged, but muſt needes take their parts, and be reuenged vponupon their aduerſaries for ſuch abuſes as they do offer vntounto them. Becauſe thou waſt precious in my ſight (ſaith the Lord to Iſrael) and thou waſt honorable, and I loued theee, therefore will I giuegive man for thee, and people for thy ſake, as it is in Eſay 43.4. And as though this were not enough, the Prophet Nahum doth tell vsus, That he is iealous ouer his people, that he reſerueth wrath for his enimies, that he will take vengeance on his aduerſaries, and make an vtter destruction of them, comming like a fire vntounto them, as vntounto thornes folden one in another, and as vntounto drunkards in their drunkenneſſe: ſo that they ſhall be deuoured as stubble fully dried. Nahum 1.2.9.10. This is the cauſe and reaſon, wherefore the Lord doth ſo take on; in regard whereof Chriſt ſaid vntounto Paul, when he did moleſt and trouble ſuch as did beleeue in him, Saul, Saul, Why dost thou perſecute me? as it is in Acts 9.4. taking that to be done to himſelfe, which was done to them.
Wherefore out of this place we may learne, Vſe. firſt to abſtaine from all ſuch things as are iniurious vntounto Gods Saints, and hurtfull vntounto ſuch as do belong to him. What do you imagine (ſaith Nahum the Prophet) against the Lord? he will make an vtter deſtruction, affliction ſhall not riſe vp the ſecond time. Chap. 1.9. Becauſe the Lord will deſtroy thoſe that imagine euill againſt his people, therefore the Prophet doth thinke it to be meere fooliſhneſſe and madneſſe to attempt any thing againſt them, and good wiſedome to be quiet, and to let them alone. One reaſon we had before for this, which is, our not preuailing againſt thē; but this is more ſtrong & forcible then that. For all men by nature do deſire moſt their eaſe and ſafety, but here is a thing which will bring woe and deſtruction vntounto vsus: it will take away our eaſe and ſafety cleane, & plunge vsus into a ſea of miſeries, vexing our ſoules whiles we are here, and tormenting both body, and ſoule, when we are gone from hence. And therefore, I beſeech you (brethren) in the name of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who hath loued vsus, and giuen his life for our ſakes, let there be none amongſt vsus which do wiſh euill vntounto Zion, but let vsus louelove all thoſe which do feare the Lord: if no other thing can moue vsus to it, yet let Gods iudgements which otherwiſe will fall vponupon vsus, bring vsus vntounto it. O remember, it is no ſporting matter, to make a ieſt and ſport of Gods child: neither is it a ſmall matter to offer wrongs and iniuries vntounto him, but thus to do is an hainous offence, & a very dāgerous matter to al thoſe that do it. If Meroz muſt be curſed, & all the inhabitants thereof, becauſe they came not foorth to helpe Gods people againſt their enimies (as indeed they muſt be curſed, according to the words of the Angell in Iudges, Chap. 5. verſ. 23:) And if they muſt depart frō Chriſt, & be caſt into euerlaſting fire, prepared for the diuell and his Angels, who do not feed the hungry, cloath the naked, viſit the ſicke, & do good to thoſe that are his Diſciples and do beleeue in him, (as they muſt indeed depart from him, and goe to that fearefull place, as we may ſee by Mathew, Chapter 25. verſe 41, &c.) How much more ſhall they be curſed, that do reſiſt the people of God? and how much more ſhall they depart from Chriſt, and be caſt into euerlaſting fire prepared for the deuill and his Angels, who do rob the faithfull Diſciples of Chriſt, and offer violence and wrong vntounto them? Oh thinke on this, ye that forget God, leſt he come and teare you in peeces, before you be aware, and there be none to helpe you.
But to proceede on, here in the ſecond place we may learne to be quiet and patient, when we are moleſted and troubled by the wicked; wee need not then to fret and chafe as many are wont to do, but to be mild, as Chriſt was, and to commit all vntounto God, as he did; according to Peters words in his firſt Epiſtle, the 2, chapter and 23. verſe thereof, with ſome others following; where he doth labour to draw men to the imitation of our Sauiour in his ſuffering, that as he, when hee was reuiled, reuiled not againe, and when hee ſuffered, hee threatned not, but committed all to him, that iudgeth righteouſly: ſo ſhould they do, bearing eueryevery thing patiently, and referring it vntounto him that iudgeth iuſtly without any acceptation of perſons. For ſeeing that God will reuenge our quarrels, and plague our enemies to the vttermoſt, we our ſelues may be ſilent and dumbe, and neither mooue hand or tongue againſt them. Wherefore let vsus do as Paul doth aduiſe vsus for to do, in Rom. 12.19. Dearely beloued (ſaith he) auenge not your ſelues, but giuegive place vntounto wrath, for it is written, vengeance is mine: & I will repay, ſaith the Lord. If any do abuſe vsus, deride vsus, or offer any wrong & iniurie vntounto vsus, let vsus not ſtorme and fret therat, but let vsus poſſeſſe our ſoules with patience, remembring with our ſelues alwaies, that we hauehave a ſweet and gratious God in heauen, who doth behold what is done vntounto vsus, and who will alſo in due time be auenged vponupon our aduerſaries for it, when they ſhall mourne and lamēt, & we on the cōtrary ſide ſhall laugh & reioyce. That is a moſt comfortable ſaying which is in the 7 Chapter of the Prophecie of Micha, in the eigth, ninth, and tenth verſes, when he ſaith, Reioyce not againſt me, ô mine enimy; though I fall, I ſhall ariſe, &c. I pray, read the place at your leaſure, and peruſe it well.
And ſo I come vntounto the laſt vſe, which we are to make of this place, and that is, a dutie which is to be performed of vsus. For it doth become vsus vponupon this to reioyce and to breake out into praiſes to extoll the Lord, who doth ſo fight our battels, and diſcomfite the enimie before vsus, in ſuch a fearefull manner, that he is wholly ouerthrowne, and can hauehave no reſt, but lies in continuall griefe, and vexation of minde. O Iudah (ſaith the Prophet Nahum, Chapter 1.15.) keepe thy ſolemne feaſtes, performe thy vowes, for the wicked ſhall no more paſſe through thee, he is vtterly cut off. And Zephany ſaith: Reioyce ô daughter Zion, be ye ioyfull ô Iſrael, be glad & reioyce with all thy heart, ô daughter Ieruſalem. The Lord hath taken away thy iudgements, he hath cast out thine enimie, the King of Iſrael, euen the Lord is in the midſt of thee, thou ſhalt ſee no more euill. Both which places (you ſee) do declare, that we muſt reioyce, and triumph in our ſongs of praiſe vntounto the Lord, when he doth ouercome our enimies, and beate them downe before vsus: And hereof we hauehave many worthy examples in the holy Scriptures, I will touch onelyonly a few of them. Moſes and thoſe which came out of Aegypt with him did the ſame, when the Lord had deſtroyed their enimies the Aegyptians, & had drowned thē all in the red ſea, as we may ſee at large in Exod. 15.1. &c. Deborah and thoſe which were with her & on her ſide, did the ſame, whē the Lord had ouerthrowne their aduerſaries the Canaanites, & had deſtroyed Siſera their chiefe captaine, and all his chariots, and all his hoaſt with the edge of the ſword, as it is in Iudges 5.1. &c. The good and holy women who liued in the daies of Saul and Dauid, did the ſame, when the Lord had confounded the Philiſtines their foes, and had brought an horrible ſlaughter vponupon them, and vponupon their chiefe champion, that great & blaſphemous Goliah, that defied the hoaſt of Iſrael, and railed vponupon the God thereof, as it is euident in 1. Sam. 18.6.7. Finally, Heſter & Mordecay with their people, & ſuch of the Iewes as liued in their times, did the ſame, when the Lord had ſtrengthened them againſt their oppoſites, and had brought an vtter ruine vntounto their chiefe aduerſarie Haman the curſed Amalekite, as appeareth in Eſter 9.17. &c. So, euen ſo, beloued, let vsus deale from time to time, whenſoeuer the Lord doth giuegive vsus a victory ouer our aduerſaries, and bring iuſt and deſerued plagues vponupon them, let vsus bleſſe his holy name for the ſame, and reioyce greatly before him in that behalfe. And ſo farre of Gods workes. Now let vsus come to his words.
I hauehave ſet my King vponupon Zion mine holy mountaine.
Theſe are not the words of the Prophet, but of God himſelfe ſitting in iudgement, and taking reuenge vponupon his aduerſaries, that rebel againſt him & his anoynted. Not that God ſhall whē he doth ſtrike them, vtter theſe words in plaine termes, and ſound of voyce vntounto thē, as we do vtter words, when we beate ſuch as hauehave offended vsus; but the meaning is, that they ſhal by their plagues & ſore iudgements executed vponupon them, feele and perceiue this to be ſo, as plainly & as euidently, as if they heard the Lord ſpeaking from heauen vntounto thē by word of mouth. His deſtroying & confoūding of them ſhal cry like a ſhril voice in their eares, that it was he himſelfe & no created wight, euen he himſelfe that is the God of Gods, & the Lord of hoaſts, that did ſet vp Dauid to be King of Iſrael, & Chriſt his Son to be King of his Church, whom they had ſo rebelliouſly reſiſted, & laboured to hauehave diſplaced out of their thrones. Here is a great Emphaſis, & it is as much as if he had ſaid: What? ſhal I ſet vp a King? & will you, ô ye rebels go about to put him downe? How dare you do this? What? ſhall I place one ouer my people, & make him to be their Lord and chiefe gouernor, & will you, ye traytors, refuſe to yeeld obedience vntounto him, & ioine hand and head together to ouerthrow him, and to remoue him out of his kingdome? O impietie neuer heard of! O wickedneſſe moſt intollerable! Know you, know you, that for this cauſe I cannot beare with you, but I muſt needes ſpeake to you in my wrath, and vexe you in my ſore diſpleaſure, as now I do.
By Zion here, his holy mountaine, the kingdome of Iſrael is vnderſtood, if we referre it vntounto Dauid; but if we referre it vntounto Chriſt, the Church is meant thereby. Zion was the citie of Dauid, and the place where his Court was vſually held and kept, as it is in 2. Sam. 7.7. But here it is put figuratiuely for the whole kingdome of Iſrael, whereof that was a chiefe and principall part. And it is tearmed withall, the holy mountaine of God, becauſe it ſtood on high vponupon a mountaine or hill, where the Lord did manifeſt his holineſſe vntounto his people, as by the preſence of his arke which was there, ſo alſo by the exerciſes of pure religion which were held in the Tabernacle and Temple, that were built in that place, and feared vponupon that mountaine or hill. Thus literally this place is to be referred vntounto Dauid, and it is true of him, that God did ſet him vp as King ouer this kingdome of Iſrael, as we may ſee in 1. Sam. 16.12, 13. But ſacramentally, and after a ſpirituall maner theſe thing are to be referred vntounto Chriſt and his Church. For Zion alſo was a type thereof, as we may ſee in Eſay 2.3. and in Heb. 12.22. And Chriſt we know, was choſen of his Father to bee the head and King thereof, as anone, by Gods grace, ſhall more fully appeare. And as the earthly Zion was tearmed the mountaine of Gods holineſſe, ſo may this heauenly. Zion well beare that appellation or name. For I. it is moſt like vntounto a mountaine: then 2. the Lord doth manifeſt his holineſſe more there then in any other place. It is moſt like a mountaine in 3. reſpects. Firſt, for the exaltation and ſupereminencie of it: for as a mountaine is an high place aboue other places, ſo the Church of God is exalted aboue other congregations; and that for Gods delight in it, and moſt excellent bleſſings vponupon it, which are either preſent, or to come. Secondly, for the manifeſtation and aptneſſe of it: for as a mountaine is in open ſight & view of all men: ſo the Church of God ſtands in the eie-ſight of all perſōs, & eueryevery mans eye is bent to mark diligently what they do, as his eare is open to liſten to that which they ſpeake. Thirdly, for the ſtrength and ſtableneſſe of it: for as a mountaine is a ſtrong thing and vnmoueable: ſo the Church of God is ſo ſtrong and inuincible, that all the powers of the world, and of hell below cannot ouerthrow it, but it ſhall remaine firme and ſtable (notwithſtanding the ſame) for euermore. I beſeech you by the way, make vſe of all theſe things. By the firſt, looke vponupon your honour and great aduancements, wherunto you are exalted aboue all others. As Salomon ſaith in the Prouerbs 31, 29: Many daughters hauehave done vertuouſly: but thou ſurmountest them all: ſo you may ſay, Many congregations in the world are exalted on high; but we (the true Church) are lifted vp aboue them all. By the ſecond, be moued to hauehave an holy care of your liues, that you may walk circūſpectly at all times in the waies of godlines, & that your light may ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good workes, and glorifie your Father which is in heauen. And by the third and laſt, be ſecretly comforted, and grow to a full reſolution, that nothing ſhall be able to ſeparate you from the louelove of your God, but that you ſhall remaine firme and ſtable in his fauour for euermore.
Now for the other poynt, as the Church is like to a mountaine, ſo it is holy, as the mountaine Zion was. Firſt, for the Lords being in it, who is holineſſe it ſelfe: for though he be in all the world, yet hee is more eſpecially in his Church then in any other place beſides, according to that in Pſal. 68.16. and 48.1.2. Secondly, for the holy exerciſes of religion, and the goodly works of Gods worſhip which are found therein: for there is prayer, ſinging of Pſalmes, reading and preaching of the word, receiuing of the Sacraments, and the like; all which are workes of holineſſe and purity. Laſtly, for the ſanctification of men and women, which are therein: for they are not prophane and licentious, as in other places, but they are ſanctified & made holy by the bloud of Chriſt, & the working of the Spirit. Our of theſe things alſo, gather ſome ſhort notes as we go along. Let the firſt of thē make you reioice & be glad, that you hauehave ſo good a God, that though he be full of maieſty & glory, yet he is content to come home to your houſes, and to dwell in the chambers of your ſoules, and there to quiet himſelfe in your louelove and to reioyce ouer you with ioy, as Zephany doth ſpeake in Zeph. 3.17. As Elizabeth ſaid, when the virgin Mary came to her: Whence commeth this to me, that the mother of my Lord ſhould come to me? Luke. 1.43. ſo may we ſay at the Lords comming to vsus: What a fauour and dignitie is this, that the Lord of heauen and earth ſhould thus come to vsus? Let the ſecond of them ſtirre you vp to frequēt holy exerciſes, and to throng to the houſe of praier, and to ſuch places where the Lord is rightly worſhipped. As the nations ſay in Mich. 4.2. Come, and let vsus go vp to the moūtain of the Lord, & to the houſe of the God of Iacob: ſo let vsus ſay, Come, & let vsus go to the Church & congregatiō of God, to praier, to the preaching of the word, & to other holy exerciſes of pure & holy religion. Let the third and laſt of them admoniſh you of that purity & holineſſe which ought to be in you, that ſo you may neuer giuegive reſt vntounto your eies vntil you ſee your ſelues waſhed frō your ſins by the bloud of Chriſt, & made holy in ſome part by the ſanctificatiō of Gods ſpirit, wherby you may be able to go boldly vntounto the throne of grace to receiue mercy, & to find grace to helpe in time of need. That as Paul did ſay of the Corinthians when they were changed frō bad to good: And ſuch were ſome of you; but ye are waſhed, but yee are ſanctified, but ye are iuſtified in the name of the Lord Ieſus, and by the ſpirit of God, as it is in 1. Cor. 6.11. ſo may you ſay of your ſelues: And ſuch were we our ſelues once, euen bad and moſt wicked perſons; but bleſſed be God we are now changed, and made better: our ſinnes are waſhed away by the bloud of Chriſt, and the ſpirit of God hath begun to renew vsus in ſome good part.
Leauing theſe things for the meaning of the words, and ſome ſhort annotations vponupon the ſame, let vsus now come to the maine doctrine of the place, and in few words it is nothing elſe but this, Doct. that Chriſt our Sauiour did not take this office vponupon him to be the King of the Church, but was lawfully called thereunto by God his Father, and not by any created power whatſoeuer. This he confeſſeth of himſelfe in Iohn, Chapter 6. verſe 27. Where he doth endeauour to draw men from a greedy hunting after the foode of the body, vntounto a carefull ſeeking for the foode of their ſoules: ſaying, Labour not for the meate which periſheth, but for the meate that endureth vntounto euerlaſting life, which the Sonne of man ſhall giuegive you, for him hath God the Father ſealed. He hath choſen him for this purpoſe, and ſet his marke and ſeale vponupon him, as deſigning him ouer this worke and buſineſſe, which is to be performed alone by him, and none elſe. And this alſo he doth proue in the fourth chapter of the Goſpell according to Saint Luke, by a teſtimony out of Eſay, chap. 61.1. &c. where the calling of the Meſſias is excellently and at large ſet out vntounto vsus. But the Apoſtle Saint Paul (not to ſtand vponupon other places) doth make this point moſt cleare and euident vntounto all perſons, in the firſt chapter of his Epiſtle to the Epheſians, beginning at the twentieth verſe therof and ſo forward, & in the ſecond chapter of his Epiſtle to the Philippians in the ninth verſe thereof, with others following. For in both theſe places you ſhall finde, that as Chriſt is exalted aboue all the creatures in the world, and made the ſupreme head of the Church, both warring in earth, & triumphing in heauen; ſo he was raiſed vp hereunto by God his Father, he making him thus the vniuerſall gouernour of all the world. So that looke what the Author to the Hebrewes ſaid of Chriſt in regard of his Prieſt-hood, that he tooke not to himſelfe that honour to be made the high Prieſt, but he that ſaid vntounto him, Thou art my Son, this day begat I thee, gaue it him. Heb. 5.5. So may we ſay here of him in regard of his kingdome, that he tooke not this honour to himſelfe, to be made the ſupreme King of the Church, but God that ſitteth in the heauens, and hath his enimies in deriſion, gaue it vntounto him: but ſomewhat more of this hereafter when we come vntounto the 8. verſe of this Pſalme.
Reaſon. But why did God (may you ſay) ſet vp Chriſt and make him thus the King of his Church? Wherefore did he not make choiſe rather of ſome Angell or Arch-angell, or of ſome Emperour, or great ſtate of this world? Becauſe none of them were fit for this office. As no man was worthy to open the booke, and to looſe the ſeales thereof, which Iohn ſaw in the right hand of him that ſate vponupon the throne, but onelyonly the Lyon which is of the tribe of Iudah, the roote of Dauid, as it is in Reu. 5.1. &c. So no creature was found fit for this office, whether in the heauen aboue, or in the earth beneath, ſaue Ieſus Chriſt our ſweete Sauiour, and the bleſſed Sonne of God; and therefore God his Father did make choiſe of him before all others. But why was he fitteſt for this office, may you further ſay? For two cauſes, the one is in regard of his Perſon; the other of his qualities belonging vntounto his Perſon. For his Perſon, becauſe he is not onelyonly man, as many others are, but alſo God, as none elſe beſides him is, and thereby is made able to weald ſuch a great & mighty kingdome as he hath. Otherwiſe it is impoſſible that he ſhould rule his people according to his will, and ſubdue his enimies, to make them his footſtoole, conſidering that they are Principallities and powers, and the greateſt Potentates of this world. For what man or Angell is able to ouercome all the diuels in hell ruſhing vponupon him at once together? and to withſtand the whole army of mankind, aſſaulting him together with them, with their whole power and force? Surely none: he muſt be a God that muſt doe it. And therefore was Chriſt choſen for this purpoſe, who is a God, as well as man, for his qualities belonging vntounto his Perſon, becauſe he is indued with moſt ſingular giftes and graces fit for gouernement. Iethro in his counſell to Moſes, required but foure things in a Gouernour, namely, courage, the feare of God, true dealing, and the hating of couetouſneſſe, as we may ſee in Exod. 1 S 21. But here in Chriſt (the chiefe gouernour of all) we ſhall finde as many more; for beſides theſe foure, you ſhall hauehave in him foure more, namely, wiſedome, diligence, bounty, and louelove. So that in number there are eight. The firſt is courage, for he feares no man, as being the Lord of Lords, & the God of Gods, according to his name, which is written on his garment and thighs, in Reu. 19.16. The ſecond is the feare of God, for he reuerenced his Father, and was obedient vntounto him, euen vntounto the very death of the croſſe, Phil. 2.8. The third is iuſtice or true dealing, for the Scepter of his kingdome, is a Scepter of righteouſneſſe, and he himſelfe is one louing righteouſneſſe, and hating iniquity, Heb. 8.1.9. The fourth is, hating couetouſneſſe, for he neuer receiued any bribes or recompence for all the cures he did, but he became poore, that he might make vsus rich. 2. Cor. 8.9. The fift is wiſdome, for in him are hid all the treaſures of wiſedome and knowledge. Col. 2.3. The ſixt is diligence, for he was ſo painefull, that he trauelled from place to place to doe good, and left his owne foode to go about his Fathers buſineſſe, Ioh. 4.34 And he is brought in by Iohn in the Reuelations, Chapter 1.13 ſtanding in the midſt of the ſeuen Candleſtickes (which are the ſeuen Churches) & there buſily occupied in gouerning them, as a man is, when his garment is about him, and truſt vp with ſome girdle, that it may not trouble or hinder him in the execution of his buſineſſe. The ſeuenth is, bountifulneſſe or liberality, for he doth not impoueriſh his ſubiects, by exacting of them grieuous ſubſidies and taxes, but he doth greatly enrich them, by beſtowing large giftes and benefites vponupon them. Ephe. 4.7.8. &c. The laſt is, louelove or mercy, for he doth beare that kind affection towards his people, that all their miſeries doe touch him, Heb. 4.15. and for to do thē good he was content to die for them, Ephe. 5.2.25. Where all theſe things do concurre & meet together, there is a party well qualified for gouernement. A man may be couragious, yet not fearing God; if fearing God, yet not dealing truely; if dealing truely, yet not hating couetouſneſſe; if hating couetouſneſſe, yet not wiſe; if wiſe, yet not diligent; if diligent, yet not bountifull; if bountifull, yet not louing; if louing, yet not couragious. But where ſhall all theſe be found together? Surely in none, but in Chriſt Ieſus: for in him they are in the higheſt degree of perfection, and therefore did the Lord make choice of him before all others to goe in and out before his people, and to be the Head or gouernour of his Church.
Here we muſt take heed of ſome abuſes, Vſe. we muſt not collect from hence, either that Chriſt is inferiour to his Father, or that he was made King as he was God; for he is equall with his Father in glory & Maieſty touching his diuine nature or God-head, as the Apoſtle doth ſhew in the beginning of his 2. chap. to the Philippians. True it is, that he is inferiour to his Father in reſpect of his humane nature, and as he is man; but not otherwiſe as he is God, & of the ſame ſubſtance or being, which he hath together with the Father frō all eternity. Againe, whereas he is made King, this is done in reſpect of both his natures together, as he is God-man, and Man-God; and not ſimply in reſpect of one of them alone; for ſo to affirme of either of them, were abſurd, if not blaſphemous.
But leauing the abuſes, the true vſes are theſe. Firſt, hereby we may learne to reuerence Chriſt the more, becauſe he is eſtabliſhed in his throne by his Father, For if Dauid were pricked in heart onelyonly for cutting of Sauls garment, who was a wicked man, and his deadly enimy too, becauſe he was the Lords annoynted; with what reuerence and care ſhould we carry our ſelues towards Chriſt Ieſus our Sauiour, who is holineſſe and righteouſneſſe it ſelfe, and one that loues vsus well? ſeeing the Lord hath annoynted him, and made him to be our King. But alas, our carriage is ſuch towards him, as if he had vſurped this place vntounto himſelfe by tyranny, or were ſet vp in his throne by ſome created authority: but let vsus looke to ourſelues, and amend this our fault.
In the ſecond place here we may learne, that ſeeing God hath ſet vp his Sonne in his kingdome, he will ſtill defend him and aide him in the ſame, as alſo bring fearefull iudgments vponupon all ſuch as ſhal go about to reſiſt him. And this is the chiefeſt end wherefore this ſentence is here alleadged, and therefore let all men take heed what they do; and let all thoſe know alſo who are in lawfull authority, that ſo long as they carry themſelues worthy of their places, the Lord will alwaies ſtand about them for their defence and protection, as here he did about his Sonne Chriſt, and bleſſed Dauid, the King.
Laſtly, here we may learne by the example of Chriſt, that it is not good to run into a calling, but to ſtay vntill the Lord doth place vsus in the ſame, A great complaint is made in Ieremy by the Lord againſt men in this reſpect, that they did run before that he did ſend them, as we may ſee at large in the 23. chapter of Ieremy. But beware we that we doe not the like. For ſhall Chriſt that had the Spirit of God without all meaſure, ſtay and waite his Fathers leaſure? and ſhall we mortall and ſinnefull creatures, who hauehave not the Spirit almoſt in any meaſure, yet runne and goe before our commiſſion is drawne out and ſealed by the Almighty? More things might be ſpoken vponupon theſe matters, but let theſe ſhort obſeruations miniſter an occaſion vntounto you, to contemplate more at large vponupon theſe points.
The end of the fourth Sermon.