THis verse containes an Oracle or heauenly answer giuen from the great King IEHOVA,Summe of this Verse. to Dauid his Deputie-King in Canaan, and it commeth this Day to another King, the Suc­cessor of Dauid, and Deputie al­so of IEHOVA in Brittaine, bringing with it a heartie welcome, and a most sure promise of a safe-conduct to our Soueraigne in His comming in, and going out.

Euthymius said of the one,Dauid was the heart, the tongue, and penne of the great King. to wit, of Dauid, that he was Primi Regis, & cor, & lingua, calamus, the heart, the tongue, and the pen of the first King. And who can deny this in the owne sort competent to [Page 2] our Soueraigne. A King whose heart hath proued indiuertible from God,How this is al­so competent to our Soue­reigne. qui [...]ec minis, nec muneribus à vera fide flectiposset: a King, whose tongue doth pleade the cause of God, that they who stand about him to minister vnto him, may dayly heare, and see Regem Philosophantem, & Philosephum regnantem: a King, whose pen, though it hath not penned Cano­nicall Scripture, & (that Canon was cōpleted by S. Iohn) yet hath it explained Canonical Scripture, and propagated to many Kings and Nations the know­ledge of God his Eternal Truth, vnknown to thē be­fore. The present Ageadmires it, the subsequent shal be forced to acknowledge it, there reigneth this day in Brittain, & long may he raign in it, a King, who in his own degree is also primi Regis & cor, & lingua, & calamus, 1. Tim. 1.17. and vnto whom that supreme Maiestie, who is [...], commeth this comfortable promise of protection, The Lord shall preserue thy going out, and thy comming in, &.

This verse is to be resolued in a promise.This verse, by some of the Diuines, is resolued in a Prayer, by others in a Promise, both agreeable to the analogie of Faith, but the second most conso­nant to the course of this Psalme: for in the first two verses, Dauid sendeth vp his Prayer to the Lord, in the remanent sixe, the Lord sends downe his an­swere to Dauid, full of comfortable promises, where­of this is the last, and hath in it these circumstances to be considered.

Foure circum­stances to bee con [...]dered in this verse.First, who is it that makes the promise, the Lord. Next, to whom is the promise made, it lurkes in this word, thy. He who in the beginning of the Psalme [Page 3] lifted vp his eyes to the Lord, protesting that his helpe came from him, who made the heauen, and the earth, receiues this answere, The Lord shall pre­serue thy comming, and thy going. Thirdly, the bene­fit promised, is preseruation. Last, the qualities of this preseruation; these are two-fold; First, it is to­tall, He shall preserue thee in all thy waies both comming and going. Next, it is perpetuall, From henceforth, and for euer shall the Lord preserue thee. Thus haue we the little body of this Text shortly anatomized, both the method and matter thereof explained.

The first circumstance then is carried in the first word,First circum­stance is, who makes the promise, to wit, the Lord. 1. Sam. 2.9. Mat. 10.30. The Lord. This praise belongeth to the Lord, that He, and none but He preserueth such as are his: The Lord keepeth the feete of his Saints, said Anna the Mother of Samuel. Hee numbreth the haires of our head, said our Sauiour. O what a care! O what a vigilance is this! from the sole of our foote, to the haire of our head, doth the protection of the Lord ouershaddow vs.Aug. Et si sic custodiuntur superflua tua, in quant à securitate est anima tua? And seeing the Lord hath such care of thy superfluities, that a haire of thy head fals not to the ground, but by his proui­dence; what great care hath he of thy soule?

And as this is the Lords praise,All the godly reserue to the Lord the praise of their preseruation. Psal. 91.11. that he preser­ueth his Saints, so they reserue it vnto him, and will not giue it to any other, they know hee hath giuen his Angels charge ouer them, to keepe them in all their waies, not for any neede he hath of them, but for our comfort.Cyrill. Alexand. Con [...]. Iulian. Deus Angel [...]s vtitur, non quòd ipse ad saluan­dum sit infirmus; hee vses them, not as if hee were [Page 4] weake himselfe without them, but to help our weak­nesse, that we may know howsoeuer our enemies be many 2. King 6. Though they haue all secon­darie helpes, yet doe they not trust in them. Adrichom. descrip. Hierus.(yet as Elisha said to his seruant) Feare not, for they that be with vs, are moe, then they that bee with them. Dauid had the strong Citie of Ierusalem, the glory of the earth, as the Psalmist cals it, Inter vrbes totius orbis miraculum, ideo (que) silentio magis, quàm in­firmo sermone honoranda, a Citie among all the Ci­ties of the world a wonder, and therefore to bee praised rather with silence then infirme eloquence. There Dauid had his residence. In the highest part of it he had the strong sort of Sion, but the Towre wherein he trusted, was higher then it. Hee had a guard of Cherethites, and Pelethites, 2. Sam. 23.39. with seuen and thirtie valiant Worthies to attend his Royall per­son; these he vsed to serue him, but abused them not to trust in them.Psal. 44.6. I trusted not in my bow, nor my sword. Thou, Lord, sauest me from my aduersaries. Ma­ny a time all secondary helpes failed him: his sonne Absalom rose against him; his Counsellour Achito­phel betrayed him; his Subiects forsooke him; the Ziphims discouered him; in his neede Nabal refused him; yea, his owne heart fainted in him: Psal. 73. Psal. 27.10. but (saies he) God, the portion of my soule, failes me neuer: though my Father and my Mother should forsake mee, the Lord will gather me vp. Nothing can secure that soule, Prou. 18. Ambros. They can ne­uer be secured, to whom the Lord is not a [...]uretie. which runnes not to the Name of the Lord, as vnto a strong Towre. Omnia timet, qui Vnum non timet: he feareth al things, who feares not One. Amōg many, let the Romane Monarch Tiberius, stand for an ex­ample: he wanted no worldly pillar that might vn­derprop [Page 5] him; yet because hee made not the Lord his refuge, he was neuer in surety, timeo incustoditos aditus, timco ipsos custodes: I feare, said he, the passa­ges, which are not kept, yea, I feare them who are set to be keepers of me. But the soule which trusteth in the Lord, findes rest in him, and reioyces with Dauid, Psal. 27.1. The Lord is the strength of my soule, of whom shall l be afraid?

But let vs stand a little here,What a great Maiestie the Lord, Ichoua is. and for our greater comfort consider what a Lord this is, who makes the promise: he is called in the Text, IEHOVA. This name the Iewes called nomen ineffabile. No maruell, the word it selfe is easily pronounced, the Maiestie named by it, is more than can be manifest­ed, or perceiued, it imports Him to bee that onely true subsisting Lord, who hath his Being of himself, and giues Being to all things which are.Mysterie of the Trinitie to be reuerenced. Some pre­sumptuous Spirits, out of their idle speculations, are bold to talke of the Trinitie, as they doe of their A.B.C. As if nothing were in the Diuine Maiestie, which their narrow braine could not comprehend, or the Lord were no more, then they conceiue him to be,Pisul [...] [...]. but the Lord [...] he hath a supereminence invtterable; they who will search his glory,Dangerous to search in the diuine Maiestly more then is reuealed. shalbe oppressed with it: if the eye con­tent not with the light which the Sunne sends downe, but will needs looke vp to the Sunne it selfe, it is dazeled incontinent, and loseth the sight which it had before; and the minde which mounts vp to search the secret of the Diuine Ma­iestie, many a time in Gods righteous iudgements [Page 6] becomes witlesse [...] he sendeth great darknesse on such as curi­ously dare enquire of his Essence.Pisida in [...] We should be in such sort thankefull for that which God hath reuea­led to vs of himselfe, that wee bee also fearefull to search out, that which is secret.

The name of Ieho [...]a somtime shortly set downe in Scripture. 1. Cor. 4.This name IEHOVA wee finde it in holy Scripture sometime contracted, sometime enlar­ged: the Lord himselfe giues this to Moses for his name, I AM hath sent thee. Neither man nor An­gell can in truth speake so; for man is a mutable creature, his life is but momentanie, and he liueth, so long as hee liueth, in a passing moment onely, one goes away to giue place vnto another, the moments which are past since his first mouing, returne not a­gaine vnto him, & those which are to come, he can­not be said to liue in them. In this name I AM there are but two syllables; before a man can pro­nounce the second, hee is changed from that which he was, when he pronounced the first: how then can hee say B [...]rn in Cant. Ser. 31. (I am?) Quomodo enim est, quod in eodem statu nunquam permanet? for how can that be said to be, which neuer abides in one estate? And as to An­gels, albeit they be now [...],Noz [...]an. Orat. 2. de Theol [...]g. immutable, propter gratiam [...], quae iam illis ab Iesu tributa est, for that grace of vnchangeablenesse, which by Iesus is now giuen vnto them, yet are they of their owne na­ture [...], changeable by will, or of their owne accord, and as is to be seene by them, who fell: for if the nature of Angels had been vnchangeable of it selfe, then none of them had falne from their first estate.

[Page 7]Sometime againe this name IEHOVA:The same name some­time enlarged by circum­loquution. Zaac [...], de diuinis attribu [...] l. [...] [...]3 wee finde it in holy Scripture enlarged by this Periphra­sis frequently vsed in the Reuelation, [...]. The learned Doctor Zanchius hath ob­serued, that this name IEHOVA noteth the Be­ing of this true subsisting Lord, in respect of all times, Camets being a note of the time past, Holem of the time present, and Iod of the time to come; but wee haue this same Doctrine better warranted by this circumloquution of the holy Ghost; IE­HOVA is the Lord, who was, who is, and who wilbe:Bern. in Cantica Ser. 31. Solus verè est qui non praeciditur à (fuit) nec ex­pungitur ab (erit) fuit non tollit illi esse in aeternum, nec (crit) esse ab aeterno; None can be said to be, but hee of whom, when I say that he was, it takes not away that he is, and wilbe; and when I say that he wilbe, it takes not away that he was, and he is. No Angell, no man, no creature can claime this; it is a glory proper to the Lord.Ec [...]l [...]s. 1.4. One generation passeth, and an­other generation succeedeth, but the earth remaines for euer. Much more doth he remaine, Heb. 1.11 12. who hath laid the foundation, and established the pillers thereof: The hea­vens shall waxe old, as doeth a garment, but thou, O Lord, art the same, and thy yeres shal not faile. What a great comfort we haue in this, that our God, was, is, and wilbe. Math. 22.32. O what a great Lord is our God, and what a comfort haue wee in this, that he was, and he is, and he will be! Can that people be destroyed by death, whose God is the Lord? Hee is not the God of the dead, but of the liuing. In the mysticall body all the life is in the head: so long as the head keepes life, the body, yea, no mem­ber of the body can perish. Therefore said our Sauiour, [Page 8] Iob. 14. Because I liue, ye shall liue also. Only let our care be to be found in Him: so shall we be sure of a hap­py being for euer and euer.

The second circumstance: to whom is this promise made.The second circumstance points at the person to whom the promise is made, and it lurkes, as I said, in this word (thy.) In the beginning of the Psalme Da­uid prayed vnto the Lord; and here the Lord an­sweres him with a promise of preseruation. The Prayer of Saints is not powred out in vaine:Iam. 5.16. it auai­leth much, if it be feruent. It is a sweet gradation which our Sauiour vses to that woman of Samaria, Iohn. 4.10. If thou knewst, thou wouldst aske, if thou askedst, I would giue. Aug. de temp. Ser. 226. Therefore said Augustine, Oratio clauis est [...]oeli, That Prayer was the key of heauen: ascendit oratio, & discendit Dei miseratio. Prayer of Saints is ne­uer powred out in vaine. Prayer goes vp, and mercy comes downe. Neither can it be otherwise, for hee to whom we pray as to our King prayes in vs, as our Prophet, teaching vs to pray, and prayes for vs, as our Priest: Orat in nobis, vt Propheta, orat pro nobis, vt sacerdos, oratur à nobis, vt Rex. And hereof comes this efficacie of Prayer, that it is Deo sacrificium, Dae­monibus flagellum, oranti subsidium: a sacrifice to God, a scourge to the Diuell, a subsidie and help to him that vses it.

Prayer com­pared to the Elephants snowt, and why? Pier. H [...]erogl. de Eleph.The Elephants snowt serues him for all offices, and all armour: Elephantus, cùm aquas ingreditur, at­tollit promuscidem in altum, ac ea respirat: when the huge beast the Elephant enters the water, and the body thereof is depressed by the weight of it selfe, he lifts vp his snowt on high, and thereby drawes in breath to conserue his life. It fareth euen so with a [Page 9] Christian, when he is ouerwhelmed with the waters of many tribulations, then hee stretches out his Prayer on high, and drawes downe grace; which vp­holds him that he lye not down vnder temptation, quod corpori est respiratio, id animae est oratio; C [...]rysest. in Mat. [...]om. 23. what breathing is to the body, that same is Prayer to the soule. No life in the body without breath: no life to the soule without Prayer: no time vnmeete for breathing, and no time vnmeete for praying.

Prayer is a maruellous kinde of husbandry,Prayer a maruellous kinde of husbandry. it soweth seede in the heauen, and reapeth fruit in the earth and heauen also. It is a common thing to see the earth watred by the heauens, but a rare thing to see heauen watred by the earth.1. Sam. 7.6. When lsrael fasted at Mizpeh, they drew water, to wit, out of the ci­sterne of their heart, and powred it out before the Lord. There is a showre that ascends and goeth vpward. When thou from a contrite, and melting heart, sendst vp teares to the Lord, as witnesses of they vnfained repentance, they fal not to the ground, Psal. 56.8. for the Lord gathers them in his bottell, then doth the earth water the heauen.A notable en­couragement to Prayer. If thou wert (said Chryso­stome) to labour a fruitfull land, wouldst thou spare seede vpon it? what then should wee doe [...] who are called to be Labourers of the heauen, a fruitfull Canaan, not flowing with milke and honey, but ouerflowing with peace, ioy, and glory? Seeing the earth rendreth to vs with manifold encrease such as we giue vnto it, will the heauens faile?Psal. 126.5. No: be sure, they that sow in teares, shall reape in ioy: and otherwise, Qui parcè s [...]minat, [Page 10] parcè metet: 2. Cor. 9.6. hee that soweth sparingly, shall reape sparingly. And in this we haue all neede to rebuke our owne hearts, that wee spare seede vpon so fruit­full a husbandry, and defraud our selues of so great and glorious things promised, onely because wee doe not more frequently and feruently aske them.

Dauid his Prayer is in two verses. God his an­swere is in six.Againe, Dauid his Prayer is absolued in the two first verses: the Lords Answere is in the subsequent sixe. There is no equalitie betweene that which we seeke, and that which the Lord will giue: for his praise is,Ephes. 3.20. that he is able to doe aboundantly aboue all that we can aske or thinke. Aug. de Temp. Semper maiora tribuit, quàm promittit? Seeing hee giueth alway more then him­selfe promises, what maruell he giues more, then we can aske?Born. in Cant. Serm. 83. Non pari vbertate, fluunt amans & amor, Creator & creatura: the loue of the Creator, who is loue it selfe, and the loue of the creature flowe not a­like plentifully, no more than the strand and the great Ocean.The Lord al­waies giues more then we can craue. Out of our loue toward him, wee may seeke him, but it is nothing in respect of his loue to­ward vs, wherewith hee will comfort, and replenish vs. Our Prayer to him is like the flowing of a little strand, but his answere to vs is like the flowing of the Ocean.1. King. 3.11. Salomon prayed, and the Lord gaue him more then he sought.Gen. 18.23, 24. &c. At sixe Petitions Abraham brought downe the Lord from fiftie to ten. Euery Petition returned with a vantage: at last hee ceased to pray, or the Lord ceased to answere, and, which is the point, gaue him more, then hee craued, at least, expressed in his Prayer, to wit, deliuerance to Lot.

[Page 11]The third circumstance presents vnto vs the bene­fit promised,The third Cir­cumstance is of the benefite promised, to wit, Preser­uation. to wit, preseruation: The Lord shall pre­serue. The word Shamar imports a most tender pre­seruation: from it comes Shemuroth, signifying the eye-lids,Psal. 77.4. because they are the keepers of the eye, as the Lord is called in the verse preceding, Shomer Itshrael, Psal. 121.4. the keeper of Israel. If the lids of the eye o­pen, it is to let the eye see: if they close, it is to let it rest, at least to defend it, all their motion is for the good of the eye. O what a comfort is here! The Lord calleth his Church, The apple of his eye. Qui vos tan­git, tangit pupillam oculi mei:Zach. 2.8. The word im­ports, that as the lid of the eye couers the eye, so the Lord preserues his owne. he that touches you, touches the apple of mine eye: so deare and tender is his church vnto him, that he feeleth the least offence done vnto it. The Church is the apple of the Lords eye, and the Lord is the couering of it. O how well are they kept, whom the Keeper of Israel keepeth! The Lord was a buckler to Abraham, Gen. 15.1. none of his e­nemies could harme him; for his buckler couered him throughly.Iob. 1.10. The Lord was a hedge vnto Iob, Sa­tan himselfe confessed hee could not get thorow it, howsoeuer many a time he assayed it, to haue done euil vnto Iob. I need not multiply forrain examples.The power of diuine preser­uation most e­uident in our King. What the power of diuine preseruation is, neuer King, since the daies of Dauid, can witnes better thē our Soueraigne; the Lord hath made his Maiestie glorious by deliuerances,Psal. 144.10. he hath rescued his Seruant from the hurtfull sword, yea, these wretched Instru­ments of Satan, who by Sorcerie laid snares for his Sacred life, being confounded in themselues, that nothing could succeede with them, got this answer [Page 12] from their most miserable master, that He was The man of God. Yet being loth to discouer his owne weakenesse, spake it in such a language as for the present they vnderstood not. Let therefore Romish Rabsache raile,Romish Rabsa­che, and his Tulipantic Frogs not to be feared. as he hath done, against the Lords A­nointed, whom he hath set ouer vs; let his Emissa­ries spue out their venemous and blasphemous boa­stings, Leo [...]aruis non terretur, the Lyon is not terri­fied with Bugs.Psal. 21.7. Because the King trusteth in the mer­cie of the most High, therefore he shall not fall. His ene­mies are forced to lament in secret, that none of their attempts haue prospered. The Tulipantic Frogs haue plotted in powder, and laid subtill subterrane­an snares to accomplish the malice of their heart, but all in vaine, blessed be the Lord for it; for he hath preserued, and will preserue the comming, and the going of his owne Anointed.

The promise of preseruati­on is of [...]n re­p [...]at [...]d.But seeing this same promise of preseruation was made before (for from the third verse to the end of the Psalme, six sundry times is this word of keeping or preseruing repeated;) why is it now made ouer a­gaine? not without cause: for this doubling and 1 redoubling serues first for a remedy of our igno­rance. Men,For remedy of our igno­rance. if they be in any good estate, are ready to sacrifice to their owne net, or to cause their mouth to kisse their owne hand, A [...]a [...].16. as if their owne hand had hel­ped them, [...] 3 [...].27. this is to impute their deliuerance to their Calfe, and therefore often is this resounded, The Lord, the Lord. Is thy estate aduanced? [...]he Lord hath done it. Hast thou beene preserued from des­perate dangers? Looke vp to the Lord, thy helpe is [Page 13] from on high, and to him let the praise bee retur­ned.

Secondly,For a remedy of our diffi­dence. it is for a remedy of our naturall diffi­dence:2 the Word of the Lord in it selfe is as sure when it is spoken, as when it is sworne; as sure spo­ken once, as when it is oftner repeated, yet is not the Lord content to speake onely, but to sweare also, nor to speake once, but often, one and the selfesame thing: The reason is shewed vs by the Apostle, that hereby he may declare to the heires of promise this sta­bility of his counsell. Heb. 6. Gen. 21.32. As Ioseph spake of Pharao his visi­on, It was doubled, because the thing is established by God, and God hasteth to performe it; so is it with eue­ry Word of the Lord, when it is repeated, it is be­cause it is established, and GOD hastens to per­forme it.

The fourth and last circumstance sheweth to vs the qualities of this preseruation,The fourth cir­cumstance is, of the qualities of this preser­uation: first, it is to­tall, secondly, it is perpetuall. Psal. 121. [...].7. Arnobius in Psal. and they are two: first, it is totall, not in one, but in all thy wayes shall the Lord preserue thee, in thy comming in, and thy going out, from all euill shall the Lord preserue thee. Next, it is perpetuall, from henceforth and for euer. Hilarius, and Arnobius expound this too strictly: Arnobius takes it this way: Custodit introitum tuum ad poeniten­tiam, & exitum tuum de corpore: Hee preserues thy comming into repentance, and thy going out of the body:Hilarius ex­pound [...] this place too strictly. Hilarius, againe, Non est huins saeculi custodia haec, this preseruation (saies he) pertaines not to this life, but is to be vnderstood of our going out of this life, and of our entrie to the life to come; he seemes to haue forgotten that place of the Apostle, Godli­nesse [Page 14] hath the promise both of this life, 1. Tim. 4.5. Basile. Chr [...]s [...]st. Euthim. expound it more iudici­ously. Man his l [...]fe is a comming and going. and of the life to come. Basile, Chrysostome, and Euthymius, take it bet­ter vp: by comming and going out they vnderstand the whole course of the life of man.

And so in holy Scripture our life is called in two respects; first, in respect of the naturall and vniuersall course thereof; so patient Iob makes a short abridge­ment 1 of his life: Naked came I, and naked shall I re­turne. The like after him hath Saint Paul, In respect of the naturall course of it. Iob. 1 21. 1. Tim. 6.7. Act. 1.21. Eccles. 6.4. Heb. 13.14. We brought nothing into the World, and it is certaine nothing we can carry out. The whole life of our Lord is comprised by Saint Luke, in these two [...], The like short description hath Salomon of our life; Man commeth into vanity, and goeth into darkenesse. In them all yee see, there is a comming and a going, no standing nor abiding. There is no continuing City, yea, which is not obser­ued to make vs wise as we should; euen in our com­ming we begin to goe away.Nazian. de [...]omi­nis vililale. Ex quo nascimur, incipi­mus mori: so soone as we are borne, we begin to die: for our life is rapidissimus cursus à tumulo ad tumulum: a most speedy course from one graue to another; from the belly of our mother, to the bosome of our great Mother.Gregor. moral. lib. 25. Vita haec crescendo decr [...]scit: this life in growing weareth away: as the turning of a wheele drawes a thred from the wooll, till all be gone: so e­uery reuolution of the Sunne in the Firmament,Seneca. twi­neth from vs a day, till at length all bee consumed: quotidie pars aliqua vitae demitur, euery day some part 2 of our life is taken from vs.

Next,In respect of the personal actions of men in their life. our life is called a comming in, and a going [Page 15] out, in respect of the personall actions of men in their life: so is it comprised in the Law; Blessed sh [...]lt thou be when thou commest in, and blessed when thou goest out;De [...]t. 28.6. that is, in all thy actions, and in all thy wayes thou shalt be blessed. Our life is [...], a tur­ning about from one thing to another, and from that, backe againe to the former: What now wee craue for a recreation, incontinent becomes a wea­rinesse▪ for the most desired pleasures in the world, if they were perpetuall, should become painfull; and what now we reiect for wearinesse, in a short time we returne to it for recreation; from resting,For our life is a turning in a circular motion. we rise to walke; from walking, againe wee sit downe to rest; and so forth of all the actions of our life. Sola vicissitudine releuamur: we are onely eased by an interchange of them.

So Herodot brings in Croesus speaking to Cyrus:Herodot. l [...]b. 1. Humanarum rerum circulus semper eodem rotatus, for­tunatos esse homines non sinit: The circle of humane things tumbled, and turned about continually vn­to the same, lets not men be happy in this life.

The like hath Nazianzen, Nazian. Inmorem rotae volubili vertigine voluuntur sur sum, deor sum omnia: After the forme of a Wheele, by a most speedie motion are all things turned vpside downe, [...]; now these flourishing, now these fading and falling away, vt auris potiùs sit fi­dere, aut scriptis in aqua l [...]teris, quàm hominum foelici­tati: So that it is better to trust vnto the windes, which change continually, or to letters drawne in the water whereof no mark, or similitude remaines, [Page 16] then to trust vnto the felicitie of man vpon earth. Let all men learn to be sober, in that estate where­in they stand, perswading themselues, or it be long, they must be changed into another.

Beside that which is com­mon to all men, the office of a King is called A going in and out before the people. But to come neerer, beside both these, which are common vnto all men, here is a promise of pro­tection to godly Kings in the doing of their office: for this comming in, and going out, is a Periphrasis fa­miliarly vsed by the Spirit of God, to expresse the Royall function. I am now (said Moses) an hundreth and twenty yeere old, and can no more goe out and in before you: Deut. 31.2. that is, I can no more doe the Office of a Gouernour vnto you. And againe, when he prayed for Ioshua, Numb. 27.17. The Lord God of the Spirits of all flesh appoint a man to go in and out before the Congregation, that they be not as sheepe without a Shepheard. This same is more cleere out of that Prayer of Salomon:1. King. 3.7. I am but young, and know not how to goe in and out. Now what he meanes by this, he expounds himselfe: Giue to thy seruant an vnderstanding heart, that I may discerne be­tweene good and bad, and may iudge thy people. So that to goe out and in before the people, is to iudge the people rightly, and to discerne betweene the good and the euill.

A godly and religious Ru­ler is a great blessing to a people.Of this first may appeare, what a great blessing of God a religious Ruler is, walking himselfe in the way of righteousnesse, and leading his people both by Law, and example to follow him: when hee so rules his Subiects, as onely caring how to make them subiects vnto God.Ex. Aenca Sil [...]o. Such was the Princely and most Christian disposition of Frederic the Empe­ror, [Page 17] who being demanded, whom of his subiects hee loued best, answered, Them who so please me, that in no case they will displease God. As the King lea­deth, so commonly the people follow. [...] de [...]ad. 1. [...] 1. Ipsi se homines in Regis velut vnici exempli mores formant: men fa­shion themselues to the manners of the King, as their onely paterne, and example. Fulg [...]m [...]d T [...]e [...]do [...]. S [...]n [...] ­torem E [...]. 6. Q [...] in saeculi cubn [...] ­ne constituti sunt, aut plurimos secum perdunt, aut ad sa­lutem ducunt: they who are placed into the top of honour, either they saue, or destroy many with themselues; if they be euill, they are euill to others, and to themselues, if they be good, they can not but doe good vnto others.2. Kin. 13.6. Also a wicked Ieroboam will cause Israel to sinne; 2. C [...]ro [...]. 30 9. but a good Ezekiah will turne them againe vnto the Lord.Eccl. 10 17. Blessed art thou, O Land, when thy King is the sonne of Nobles, that is, noble for vertue, wisedome and godlinesse. When the Ruler of the Land dare cast the first stone at Adulterers,Iob. 8.7. being innocent himselfe:Nehom. 5.13. When he dare with Nehe­miah shake his lap against Oppressors, being free of Oppression himselfe: Such a one with a good con­science may pray as he did,Nehom. 5.19. O my God, remember me in goodnesse, according to all that I haue done for this people.

Againe,The office of a King is full of labour, and care. we see here, that the Office of a King is full of labour, it is a comming in, and a going out; the end of one businesse, is the beginning of an­other. The Egyptians were wont to figure vigilancy, by the Lyons head.Pier. [...]og. lib. 1. cap. 4. Manethon the Egyptian, in his writs to Herodotus, giues out, that the Lyon sleepes not at all, though Aristotle with better reason affirme, [Page 18] Nullum animal perpetua vti vigilia: that no creature can watch continually: yet two things moued them to that opinion, the one was, that when the Lyon resteth, he stirreth his taile continually: the other is, quòd Leo magnos habeat oculos, & palp [...]bras as adeoparu [...]s, vt non possint oculum penitùs obtegere:He is like the Lyon, who sleeping looks vp, and is al­way mouing, euen when he rests. that the Lyon hath great eyes, and so little eye-lids, as are not able to couer the eye fully, therefore is it that euen in sleeping, the Lyon lookes as if hee were waking. Howeuer it be, hereby properly is figured the rest­lesse care of conscientious Kings. They may lye (as one sayes) in beds of Iuory, trimmed with carpets of E­gypt, but ouer-hanged with curtaines of care: their mindes are in a continuall motion day and night, how to go in, and out before their people. Neither is it possible that any man could be sufficient for so la­borious and hard a charge:The Royall Office can not be borne out, without the Royal vnction. for it is ars artium rege­re hominem, were not as the calling is singular, so it hath a singular vnction accompanying it. Presump­tuous men, out of their ignorant mindes, may thinke themselues fit enough for the highest places. But let men beware to vsurpe; for a Royall office with­out the Royall vnction, is a burden that will beare downe and oppresse the stoutest, the strongest, and the wisest.A warning to vsurpers of the Royall calling. Damocles may stand for an example, who being set in the Chaire of King Dionysius, when hee looked vp to the sword hanging aboue his head, loathed all the honour and pleasure offered to him by such as were appointed to serue him, and was well content quickly to quit his place; and no mar­uell: for it was not his calling, and therefore had he [Page 19] not that vnction, that only maketh men strong, able and meet for the calling.

But to returne,Sardanapalus & Dom [...]n, loite­ring and idle Empero [...]s. a conscientious King (for so are they who haue the calling, and the vnction) is full of cares, hee is not like that womanly Emperour of Assyria, Sardanapalus, of whose base behauiour it is shame to speake among men, nor yet like that Ro­mane Emperour Domitian, Plat. quitantae fuit desidiae vt in cubiculo solus acuto stilo muscas configeret: who was so giuen to idle loytering, that hee would sit alone all day in his chamber, pricking at Flyes with a sharpe bodkin.Good Ichosaphat a conscienti­ous and labori­ous King. But a good King is like that good Iehosa­phat, of whom it is written, that he went and returned through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, setting Iudges in the Land, City by City, and bringing home againe to the Lord God of their Fathers, such as had falne from him, 2. Chron. 19.4. from one Prouince, one City, one house to another, he trauaileth continually, exer­cising his Royall function.

Blessed bee the Lord,Such a King hath God in mercy set ouer vs, trauailing from one end of the King­dome to the o­ther, for dis­charge of his Office. who hath set such a Iehosa­phat ouer vs, who taketh the paines, and counteth it his pleasure to trauell from one end of the Ile to the other, for the good of his people. In respect of them from whom he commeth, his Maiesty his iourney is a going out, they looke after him, not without sorrow, as vnto the Sunne descending, comforted only with assured hope, that it will shortly rise againe vnto them. In respect of vs it is a comming in, yea, a com­ming home, and his Maiesties subiects here of all estates looke vnto him with ioy, as a Sunne rising, which long had been absent from them. We wish, [Page 20] that as in the dayes of Iosua the Sunne stayed in Gi­b [...]ah, I [...]sh. 10.12. and the Moone in the valley of Aialen: A wish, that his Maiesty might bide with vs, but limited. so this Land might for euer enioy the presence of our So­ueraine; but in this the will of our God, and the will of our Soueraine must be the limits of our desires.

At least the tokens of his presence, in reformati­on of our euils, may bee left behinde him.Yet as the Sunne rolling in his Sphere, benefites euery place, wherevpon he shineth, and leaueth to­kens of remembrance till hee come againe: so is it expected, that his Maiesties comming into this Land, shall be like the raine vpon grasse new mowne, where the sythes of the Sonnes of A [...]ak haue cut downe the medowes to the very roote [...]: we are in hope that his comming shall bee like the showres that water the earth, Psal. 72.6, 7. to make it grow and reuert againe, th [...]t in his dayes the righteous may flourish, and aboundance of peace may be. Praised bee the Lord, wee doe already enioy the fruits of his Highnesse happy gouern­ment: for now the mountaines and the hils bring peace to his people by iustice, P [...]l. 72.3. and the voice of wonted Op­pressors is not heard in our borders.

Yet remaines there one euill in the heart of the Land,Sa [...]r [...]ledge, an euill in the h [...]a [...]t of this K [...]ngdome, hurtfull to all the es [...]ates thereof. which I may call the Kings euill, not that the King is either author or allower of it, but because the euill so desperate as cannot be cured, but by a touch of the Kings hand; this is Sacriledge, a Pesti­lence that dissolueth the Pillers of the earth, a Can­ker that corrupteth the whole body, and hurteth all, Great men, Church men, and Commons. Ma­ny 1 Great men embrace the curse of Zeba and Zal­munna for a blessing,To Nobles & Great men. Psal. 83.11▪ 12. they will inherite Gods mansions as their own: they so appropriate al to thēselues, that [Page 21] nothing is spared to the Lord for the maintenance of his Gospell: they will not see that it is abominati­on to deuoure that which is sanctified, No word here of deiection of e [...]ection [...]. Ge [...]. 41▪ 21. till it haue de­uoured thē, and their whole estate: they are like Pha­raos leane kine that deuoured the fat, and were neuer a whit the fatter themselues: for this sin among o­ther, many houses in the Land spew out their 2 old Inhabitants.To the Gentry & Common [...]. The Gentrie and Commons are heauily endamaged by it. A common thing to see the Tithes eate vp the stock, and abused Law being made the forcible meane of lawlesse oppression. But which is worst of all, a most famous, and anci­ent 3 Church oppressed with pouerty in many of her members,Most of all to an ancient Church, like to perish through po­uerty. is like to languish and decay, the Chil­dren cry for bread, and in many parts of the Land there is none to giue it, nothing being left in sundry Parishes, not so much as the small teinds of the Vi­carage for maintenance of a Pastor.

I doe preiudice to none,Antiquity of the Church of Scotland shortly touched, and by the way. when I call this Church both famous and ancient. It is now about three thousand and sixe hundred yeeres, since the Lord promised to giue the ends of the earth in a possession to his Christ, Psal. 2.8. and it is now sixteen hundred yeeres since the Lord began to performe it: for in the sixscore & foure yeere of our Lord, Donald King of Scots, and Lucius King of South Brittaine embraced the Chri­stian faith;The Churches of Scotland and England receiued not the Christian faith from Rome. None of the Churches of this Ile, nei­ther that in the South, nor that in the North, recei­ued the Faith from the Church of Rome. It is true indeede, at the desire of King Lucius, there was sent to him from the Bishop of Rome, Damianus and Fu­gatianus [Page 22] to confirme him in the faith; but Baronius the Romish Cardinall is forced to confesse,Baron. a [...]ales. quòd diu ante Euangeliam Christi illuc perlatum erat: that long before their comming,For the mea­ning o [...] this place, See Baron. a [...]al [...]s, a [...]no Ch [...]i [...]. 183. T [...]r [...]ll. aduersus Iud. [...]os. ca. 78. the Gospell of Christ was brought thither, that is, to this Ile. And for vs, that place of Tertullian, without all exception, proueth the antiquity of this Church: Brittannorum loca Ro­manis inaccessa, Euangelio Christi subdita sunt: that two hundred yeeres after Christ, this Church was famous through the world for her Christianity: and shall shee now in her old age perish and decay through pouerty? shall Iulians persequution vndoe her? shall the rents of her Schooles, Colledges and Churches be rest from her, and nothing or little left to maintaine Learning and Religion? O! what an in­gratitude is here? The Lord commeth to vs with the aboundance of the blessing of his Gospell, offering to vs the riches of his mercy, and grace, and wee thinke him not worthy entertainment.1. C [...]r. 9.11. If wee haue (said the Apostle) sowne vnto you spirituall things, is it a great matter that we reape your carnall things?

The conclusi­on, wherein the remedy of [...]c [...]ledge, be­fore, called the Kings E [...]l, is refer­red to a touch of the Kings hand. G. il 2 [...].12.But contenting me to haue pointed at this euill, I leaue the remedy thereof to that rare wisedome, wherewith God hath endued your Sacred Maie­stie, and conclude as I began. Iacob in his iourney to Padan Aram, was comforted with a vision; hee saw a ladder reaching from earth to heauen, and the Angels of God ascending and descending vpon it, assuring him that the Lord would be with him both in his going and his comming: the like this day com­meth from the Lord to our Iacob, in his iourney. [Page 23] The Lord shall preserue thy goingout, and thy comming in, from henceforth and for euer.

We lift our hearts,And the King committed to the blessing of God. and our hands to the God of heauen, and beseech him graciously to performe it, for Iesus Christs sake, to whome with the Father, and holy Ghost, be all praise, and ho­nor. Amen.

AS your Maiesties Comming in­to this Kingdome to visite the one of your Twinnes,His Maiesties comming in, was welcom­med with a promise. The two King­doms, his Ma­iesty called his two Twinnes, in his Parlia­ment speech at Edenberough. Now his go­ing out is ac­companied with a Prayer. was wel­commed with a promise of di­uine protection, The Lord shall preserue thy comming in, and thy going out, which (praysed be the Lord) he hath hitherto graciously performed: So now your Returning to visite the other, is accompa­nied with a Prayer, which all the Estates of this your Highnesse Kingdome, Nobles, Churchmen, and Commons [...], with one [Page 26] heart and voyce send vp to the Lord, to goe with your Sacred Maiesty, wheresoeuer ye goe: Let thy hand, O Lord, be with the Man of thy right hand. See­ing our hands cannot alwayes bee with your Maie­stie to attend, and serue your Highnesse as our bounden duty requires, our hearts shall not cease to cry vnto heauen, that the hand of the Lord may be with you.

This Psalme hath two Prayers.In this Psalme are two Prayers; one for the Church, that the Shepheard of Israel, who sits be­tweene 1 the Cherubins, would mercifully looke on her misery,For the Church. and bring againe her captiuity. The other 2 is a Prayer for such as the Lord had appointed to be the instruments of her deliuerance,For the instru­ments of her diliuerance, and these are of two sorts. either spiritu­all, or temporall. Principally it is a Prayer for the comming of the MESSIAH, the true, and 1 great Redeemer of his people; and so Saint Iero [...]e expounds this place,The true and Spirituall Re­deemer of the Church. Hieron. in hunc Psal. Fiat manus tua super filium ho­minis, quem confirmasti tibi, id est, ipsum Mediatorem, & Saluatorem nostrum. Secondarily, it is a Prayer for all Typicall and Temporall redeemers, whome 2 this people expected, for perfiting their promised deliuerance,The typicall and temporall Redeemers thereof, Cyrus, Zerubb [...]el, &c. as Cyrus. Nehemiah, Zerubbabel, and such like: we will then first see how this is a Prayer for the comming of Christ, and next, for his Depu­tie-Powers here vpon earth, raised vp for the com­fort of his Church.

These two a­gree well toge­ther.The one of these is not repugnant to the other, nay, they agree very wel together, as the Type, and the Truth. Such as were spirituall and truely religi­ous among that people, rested not in the temporall [Page 27] promises, which were made vnto them, but by them ascended vp, and layd hold on the spirituall. Abraham contented not with earthly Canaan, Heb. 11 9.10. hee dwelt in it, as in a strange countrey: for hee looked for a better. And heere (no doubt) the godly Iewes do in such sort pray for their deliuerance from Babel, that their desire looketh vp with an higher eye, for their redemption from sinne and Sathan by Iesus Christ.

In all ages the Saints haue greatly longed for their Sauiour.First then here we h [...]u [...] a pr [...]i­er [...]or the M [...] ­s [...]h. In the Reuelation the Church is figu­red by a Woman, trauelling of childe: for, Ecclesia semper & [...]lier est, & virgo: the Church is alway a Virgin, [...]nt a [...] Pro­bam. and alway a trauelling Woman. It is true, one member of the Church, to wit, the blessed Vir­gin Marie brought him out a very man, like vs in all things, except sinne; yet all his Saints, both before and after the Incarnation,The Church in all ages lon­ged for him. haue their owne concep­tion, and trauelling, whereby they bring him out, for still Saints are in trauelling, till Christ be formed in them: yea,Galat. 4 19. they shall not rest, nor be deliuered, till by his second appearance he perfit them; and as to them who were before the Incarnation, sure it is, so soone as the Messia was promised, the Church by faith conceiued him, she trauelled, crying for him by praier, as earnestly desirous to see him, as a woman desires in due time to see the birth of her wombe, & at length by patiēce in the fulnes of time she broght him out Abraham saw his day a far off, & reioyced that a childe was to be borne vnto him, in whom all Nations of the earth should be blessed. And (which is [Page 28] the point) the godly in this verse long for him,But the neerer the time of his exhibition came, the more his Saints looked for him. and pray for his Comming, and the neerer the time drew, wherein he was promised to be exhibited, the more desirous were they to see him. All the faithfull of that age looked for Redemption in Israel. Of that number was Ioseph of Arimathea, hee waited for the Kingdome of God, Luke 2.38. also Anna and Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel, then was Simcon content to die, when he got in his armes the promised seede of the woman, and saw with his eyes the saluation of the Lord. And thus haue we the first and principall meaning of this praier, which the Church maketh for the Messia.

The Messiah is heere three wayes descri­bed.He is heere shortly three wayes described, first hee is called the Sonne of Gods right hand. Secondly, he is called the sonne of man. And these two especi­ally 1 respect his person.He is called the Sonne of God his right hand, and that in three respects. Thirdly, hee is called, One whom God hath made strong for himselfe. And this touches his office. As to the first hee is called the Sonne of God his right hand for three causes: first, in 1 respect of his maruellous generation in both his na­tures, In respect of his maru [...]ous generat [...]on in hoth his na­tu [...]es. Na [...]an. [...]r [...]t. 4. de silio His vnspeaka­ble gen [...]ra­tion, as God. Heb. 1. Illin [...] patris expers, hinc matris: in the one, without a father, in the other without a mother, Natus quidem est, he was borne indeed of a woman, but in respect of his mother, he was [...] without a father. Idem etiam genitus est: hee was also begot­ten of his father, but in respect of his father, he was [...], without a mother, thus euery way was hee The sonne of Gods right hand. As God, he is [...], the brightnesse of his fathers glory, and the engrauen Image of his person. As hee is man, hee [Page 29] was conceiued, and formed by the right hand of God,Luke 1.34. so the Angell told Marie, the power of the most high shall ouer shadow thee, His maru [...]llous generation as man noted in these three names giuen him. 1 C [...]r. 15. Cant 4. Dan. 2. therefore in respect of his maruellous humane generation, Irenaeus obserues these three stiles to be giuen him. First, he is called, The second Adam, a very man as the first Adam was, yet not begotten by a man, as the first Adam was not begotten by a man. Secondly, he is called Flos cam­pi: a flowre of the field, not a flowre of the garden, not set or planted by a Gardner,Iren. lib. 3. co [...]t. Val [...]nt. but springing vp of the owne accord, without the labour or industrie of man. Thirdly, he is called, A Stone cut out of the mountaine without hands, he came of the same masse, whereof all mankinde is, but no man helped his generation.

[...], he is called The Sonne of God his right 2 hand, [...] singular loue and fauour,The Messiah is called the Son of Gods right hand, in respect of God his spe­ciall loue to­ward him. Exod. 15. which the father carrie [...] toward him: for the right hand of God in holy scripture [...]he [...] signifies his power, as in the song of [...]jes and M [...]iam at the red sea, thy right hand is [...] [...]ower, thy right hand hath bruized thine enemies. Or then it signifies his fauour and his loue.Psal. At thy right hand are pleasures for euermore: both these are taken vp by Nazianzen, Nazian, orat. 7. de compos. disse­rend. ratione. Manus symbo­lum est affectionis & actionis, the hand is a signe of his working and will, the right hand put for his good will and pleasure, the left hand by the contrary, for his displeasure. So shall the wicked stand at his left hand vnder the reach of his power,Euery Christi­an is a sonne of Gods right hand, but not as Iesus is. but not within the compasse of his fauour. It is true, euerie Chri­stian man is also the sonne of Gods right hand: by [Page 30] nature his name is Ben-oni, the sonne of sorrow: but his father hath changed his name with his estate, called him [...] the sonne of the right hand. But in a more speciall sense doth this stile belong to the Lord Iesus, for with a note extolling him aboue all his brethren,Matth. 3.17. he is called [...]: that son of mine, that beloued, [...], in whom I am well pleased, through whom I accept others to bee my sonnes, and for whom I loue all these whom I loue.

3 The Mess [...]h is a Son of Gods right hand, in respect of his willingnesse to obey his father. Psal. 40.8.Thirdly, he is the Sonne of the fathers right hand in respect of his most perfit obedience, and ready willingnesse to do in all things the will of his father, I desired to doe thy good will, ó my God: when he told his Disciples that hee had meat to eat, which they knew not, they vnderstood not what he meaned; but he expounds himselfe,Iob. 4.3 [...]. My meat is to doe the will of him that sent me, and to finish his worke.

2 In the second part of the description they call him The sonne of man, The second point of the Messiah his de­scription is, The Sonne of man. Zach. 13. I [...]b 19. hee is in such sort the sonne of God, that he is also the Sonne of man, not begotten by man, as wee haue said before, yet formed, and conceiued of the seede of man, he is Gnamith Iehoua, the companion of Iehoua, hee is also, as Iob calleth him, our Goel or our kinsman. Iacob called him Shiloh because he was sent into the world wrapped in the like tunicle, which others of the sons of men bring with them when they are borne. He is that incom­parable Vnio or Margarita, Nazian, [...] 23 ad I [...]lia [...]. a precious pearle as Na­zianzen calleth him, and why? Nicetas and Elias do tel vs,Nicetas S [...]l. in Nazian. quippe qui non nisi summo cum labore, at que à perpaucis inueniatur, because he is not found but with [Page 31] great labour,Elias in Nazian. [...]ra:. 8. de pace. and few are they who finde him Tum etiam (vt ait ille) quia vt margarita ex concha, & aqua conflatur ita Christus diuinitate & humanitate constat. O what a matter of vnspeakable ioy is heere, but I must contract my selfe.What great comfort haue we in this, that the Sonne of God is become the Sonne of man. Man for his transgres­sion receiued this checke from the Lord, Ecce A­dam factus est quasi vnus ex nobis, but now since the reconciliation by Iesus, God manifested in the flesh, man may reioice and say, Ecce Deus factus est, quasi vnus ex nobis. Doubtlesse this is a strong bul­warke of our faith, for since we see that the sonne of God is become the sonne of man, clothed with all the infirmities of our nature, except sinne, since wee see the God of glorie humbled to the ignominie of the crosse, why shall we doubt that the sonnes of men, shall also be made the sonnes of God, and that these vile bodies of ours shall bee changed and fashioned like vnto the glorious body of Christ, Philip. 3.21. especially since for no other end became he the sonne of man, but to make vs the sonnes of God.

The last part of the description is heere,The third point of the de­scription of the Messi [...]s, that God hath made him strong for him­selfe, to doe the office of a Re­deemer. Esay 61.1. whom 3 thou has [...] made strong for thy selfe, this (as I haue said) respecteth his threefold office, and his vnction to them all. A commentarie for this place is that of Esay, I will put my Spirit in him, that hee may bring foorth iudgement to the Genti [...]es. And againe, The spi­rit of the Lord is vpon me, and he hath annoynted mee, hee hath sent mee to preach good tydings vnto the poore, and to binde vp the broken-hearted, &c. what the Psalmist heere calls strengthning, the Prophet heere calls it annoynting, Io [...]. 6.27. aud S^t. Iohn calls it sealing, for him [Page 32] hath God the father sealed, and what is meant by all these, he expounds himselfe yet more cleerely, Iob. 1.14. The word was made flesh, and dwelt among vs full of grace and truth, Iob. 3.34. and a little after, God gaue him not the spirit by measure, that of his fulnesse wee might all receiue grace for grace.

Christ made strong for his office by an­noynting, sea­ling & pow­ring of the Spi­rit vpon him.Of all these it is plaine how the father is sayd to haue made his sonne strong for himselfe, that is, hee annoynted him, he sealed him, he put his spirit into him, not in a measure, but communicate the fulnes of grace to him, that he might be [...]rengthened to do vnto vs the office of a King, to deliuer vs from our enemies, of a Prophet to teach vs the whole coun­sell of God, and of a Preist, to offer himselfe in a propitiatory sacrifice for vs. In all these appeared his wonderfull strength,Aug. de Temp. Ser. 107. passius est vt infirmus, opera­tus vt fortis, when hee suffered like a weake man, then he wrought like a valiant man,The strength of Christ ap­peared in his greatest weak­nesse. then he darkned the sunne, then he rent the vaile, then hee raised the dead, in his death vide infirmitatem filij hominis, see the infirmity of the so [...]e of man; in his victorie vide fortitudinem [...] Dei, see the mighty strength and power of the [...]o [...]ne of God,Aug. Ser. de Sanctus. granum sinapis dum patitur, in his [...]uff [...]ring he is like a graine of mustard seede;Luke 13.19. dum resurgit [...]bor est, sub qua aues coeli nidifi­cant, in his resurrection he is like a tree vnder which the birds of heauen doe build their neasts. Euerie way the mighty strength of our strong Redeemer is to be admired, but specially his conquest by suffering, there did appeare the weaknesse of God stron­ger then man; yea, then all these Principalities, powers, [Page 33] and spirituall wickednesse, There was ne­uer such a work committed to Angel or man, as that which was laid on Iesus. that were opposite to him.

It was indeed an exceeding great worke, which committed to our Mediatour, The man lesus, and therefore required a speciall vnction to make him strong vnto it. All the Angels of heauen, all the men on earth were not able to haue wrought that worke. Such a Law was neuer imponed to man nor Angell, as was imponed to lesus, by his his Fa­thers ordination; & willingly accepted by himselfe.

This was the Law of a Redeemer,The Law of a Redeemer was enioyned to him, which re­quires more, then the Law morall. wherewith Christ was charged, and none but hee, more many manner of wayes, then the Law morall whereunto all are subiect. The morall Law had two tables, the first commanding the perfit loue of God; the next commanding to loue our neighbour as our selues. The Redeemers Law hath also two parts,As the Law moral had two tables, so hath the Law of the Redeemer two parts. both of them commanding much more, then is comman­ded by the morall, the first part of the Redeemers law lookes vp to his Father, the second lookes downe to his brethren. In the first this commande­ment was giuen him,The first looks vp to his father and binds him to vindicate the glory of his fa­thers iustice & mercy. Thou must vindicate the 1 glory of thy fathers mercy and iustice. If man bee not punished, what shall become of the glorie of my iustice, and if all men perish vnder that wrath, which is due to their transgression, what shall be­come of the glory of my mercie. The Lord Iesus hath in wonderfull manner preserued them both, for in him the inuiolable strictnesse of his Fathers iu­stice hath beene manifested, in that he spared not his own sonne, bearing the burden of our transgression, many fearefull examples of diuine iustice hath been [Page 34] seene since the beginning of the world, but neuer one like vnto this. And many great mercies in all ages hath hee shewed to his seruants, Noah in the arke, Lot in Zoar, Israel beyond the red sea, may stand for examples, but neuer a mercy like this was manifested in the world, that the Lord gaue his onely begotten to the death, that such as beleeue in him might haue eternall life. There was the riches of the glory of his mercy wonderfully declared. Thus did the Lord fulfill the commandement of the law of a Redeemer, and preserue the glory both of his fathers iustice and mercy.

2 The second lookes' downe to hisbrethren, & bindes him to vindicate them from all their enemies.The other part of the law respected his brethren, concerning whom, this commandement was giuen him, thou must loue thy brethren, not as thy selfe onely, but more then thy selfe, thou shalt purchase them life by thine owne death, thou shalt saue them who haue lost themselues, thou shalt redeeme their inheritance which they haue solde without a price, and as their neerest kinsman, and first-borne of thy fathers familie (according as thou art bound) thou shalt pursue the murtherer that slue him, to wit, the Diuell, he is without all citie of refuge, reuenge thou their bloud vpō him; & like another Abraham, thou must bring home againe Lot out of the hands of that Tyrant Chedarlaomer, all this the Lord Iesus power­fully performed, for the father fortified him, and made him strong to this worke for himselfe▪ And thus haue wee seene how these words containe a prayer for the comming of Iesus Christ, the great and true Redeemer of his Church.

[Page 35]Now this same description is also competent in the second roome,We haue seene how this pra [...]er is competent to Ch [...]ist the true and princip [...]ll Redeemer of his Church. to secondarie instruments, ap­pointed by God to serue vnder him, for the com­fort, deliuerance, and gouernment of his Church. For a King called of God to rule his people, and set ouer them, not in wrath as the Kings of Israel, Iero­boam and his successours were, of whom spake the Lord by Hosea, Now it is competent also to secon­dary instru­ments raised by God for the good of his Church. dedi illis regem in surore meo, but a King set ouer a people in mercie, as Dauid and Salo­mon, because the Lord hath loued his people. Such a King no doubt is a sonne of the Lords right hand, and for three causes so called; first, blessed art thou ô land, when thy King is the sonne of Nobles, and what greater Nobility then to be the sonne of Gods right hand,For good Kings are sons of Gods right hand, other­wise then common Christians are. not onely in regard of his personall regenera­tion and adoption, which way all Christians are the sonnes of God; but also in regard of that speciall vnction proper to the royall calling, whereby God separates him, and sets him vp as his Deputy, to rule others. Secondly, a good King is so called for that speciall and maruellous care the Lord hath of him, to preserue and keepe him in most desperate dan­gers, Many deliuerances giues the Lord to his annoyn­ted, and rescueth his seruant Dauid from the hurtfull sword. As the Lord hath set him vp for himselfe, so in speciall manner hee preserues him by himselfe. And thirdly, a good King is called a sonne of Gods right hand,And it agrees also to them that God ha [...]h made them strong for him­selfe. because his heart is rightly set to doe good in his calling, like Dauid, Ezechia, and Iosia.

The other part of the description agrees also very well vnto him, for the speciall and royall vnction of [Page 36] such a King as I haue spoken of, makes him strong for the Lord, and heere are two things; first, thou hast made him strong, next thou hast made him strong for thy selfe. All strength & dignity is from the Lord. 1 Sam. 2. Psal. 144. All superexcellencie of strength and dig­nity is from the Lord, the Lord brings low and exalts (said Anna the mother of Samuel) To come to prefer­ment is neither from the East, nor from the West, but from the Lord. Yet sure it is, all whom the Lord ma­keth strong are not made strong for himselfe.But not alway vsed for the Lord. There are many who abuse (against the Lord) the strength, authority, and honour, which they haue receiued from the Lord. The Princes of Zoan are fooles, and the Princes of Noph are deceiued, such was Pharaoh, of whom sayd the Lord, I haue raised thee vp, that I may shew my power vpon thee; such were the Apo­state Israelites,Ierem. of whom the Lord complaines, My people say they are Lords, they will not come neere mee. And againe,Hosea 13.6. as they were filled, their heart was exal­ted. A vile ingratitude, that man should become most rebellious against the Lord, when the Lord hath beene most beneficiall to him.

Men aduanced to honour by God, haue need to take heed that they be for God. Nazian. oral. 12. de s [...]ipso.Let men take heed how they vse the place, where­unto God hath exalted them, either by natiue or datiue nobility; these Nazianzen calls, Nobiles ex mandatis, aut rescriptis principum; for cursed are they who vse against the Lord, that which they haue re­ceiued from the Lord. Let them be assured, if they will not doe his will out of louing and humble obe­dience, God shall doe his will vpon them out of his iustice and power,Otherwise God will doe for himselfe, but against them. hee shall roll them from their station, and turne their glory into shame, Sic fiet ex [Page 37] comaedia, Hosea 4.19. tragedia. The winde shall binde them vp in her wings.Hosea 5.7.A moneth shall deuoure them with their portions. Hosea 9.11. Their glory shall flie away like a bird. They shall be as the morning cloud, or morning dew that passes away, Hosea 13.3. as chaffe driuen with the whirle-winde out of the floore, and as smoake that goes out of the chimney. But there is the lamentable blindnesse of men, though they see that this hath held true vpon others before them, yet they fansie to themselues euery man a sin­gular priuiledge, that the like iudgement shall not come neere them.

But happy are they,Happy are they who returne to the Lord that which they haue receiued from him. who cast downe their crownes at the feet of the Lord, and returne vnto him all that they haue receiued from him, vsing for the Lord, that strength, honour, and authoritie, which they haue gotten from the Lord, these are the sonnes of his right hand, labouring to honour him who hath honoured them,Ezech. 34.26. and these the Lord kee­peth as a signet on his hand, vpon these shall be raine of blessings. The eye of the Lord shall watch ouer them for good, to protect and defend them in all their necessi­ties. As they are for the Lord, so is the Lord for them, to performe to them that which he promised to DAVID,Psal. 89 21.22.23. Mine hand shall bee established with him, and mine arme shall strengthen him, the enemie shall not oppresse him, neither shall the wicked hurt him, but I will destroy his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. What heere is plainely promised, hath beene particularly performed to your Maiesty, compare the oracle with your owne experience, and then the Lord his constant and lo­uing [Page 38] kindnes felt in by-gone times, shal animate & in­courage your Highnes still to walk before the Lord in the vprightnes of your heart,Psal. 18.25. for with the vpright man, the Lord wil shew himself vpright. I need to speak no more of this point to a Prince of such vnderstan­ding, I am sure out of these places, God hath spoken to your hart, & your royall hart hath answered him.

The Church of old, w [...]en they prayed for themselues, prayed for their Kings. 1 Tim. 2.1.Of all this we see, that the Church of olde when they prayed for themselues, they prayed also for their Kings and Gouernours; yea, in praying for such as are ouer vs, wee pray for our selues, the be­nefit redounds to vs, I will that prayers bee made for all men, for Kings and all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life, and for this same cause the Israelites of olde were commanded to pray for the King of Babel who captiued them.For the King his good estate brings good to his people. It is true which Augustine saith, that albeit euill Kings be more hurtfull to themselues then to their subiects, yet bonorum regnum non tam ipsis, Aug. de Ciuitate De [...]. lib. 4 cap. 3. quam illis vtile est quibus pr [...]positi sunt, yet good Kings are more profi­table to their subiects, then to themselues. The vni­ty and felicity of a people stands in the good dispo­sition of him,Elias in Nazian. o [...]at. 7 de compos. disser. r [...]t. who rules ouer them, Caput est imago Principis in Republica, the head in the body, is an image of a Prince in the Common-wealth. As an head without a body is inglorious, for the glorie of a King stands in the multitude of his subiects, sayd Salo­mon: so a body without a head is much more igno­minious, for either else it hath no life at all, or if it haue any, euery member beateth and dasheth vpon another, none of them can rightly doe their office. [Page 39] In these daies there was no King in Israel, and euery man did what was good in his owne eyes; yea how deere a good King should be to his people, and how heauy a losse it is to want him, that one place may teach vs, [...]am [...]nt. 4.20. The breath of our nosthrills, the anoin­ted of the Lord was taken in their nets, of whom we said, vnder his shadow we shall be preserued aliue among the heathen.

A happy thing therefore is it,Such swe [...]t harmonie should be be­tweene P [...]nce and people, as w [...]s betweene Dauid and his subiects. when Prince and people goe together, as Dauid, and his subiects did, their loue was mutuall, their care mutuall, their prayer one for the other, mutuall; when the people were strucken with pestilence, Dauid their King praied for them, and wished that the punishment might be turned on him, and his house, and the peo­ple spared:1 Chron. 21.17. O Lord I beseech thee, let thy hand be on me, and my fathers house, and not on thy people for their destruction. And againe, when Absalom rebelled against his father King Dauid, the people interpo­ned their liues for their King,2 Sam. 18.3. they would not let him goe out to the battell, they accounted him the light of Israel, more worthy to be preserued, then many thousands of them.

But now must I contract my selfe;The conclusi­on, wherein this prayer is applied to [...]ur Soueraigne. Since all other things requisite for your Maiesties iourney, are in readinesse, attending your Highnesse forth comming, it is also time that our prayer should be­take her to her wings, and let goe to her flight, to ac­companie your Maiestie, wheresoeuer yee goe. As I said in the beginning, so now say I in the end, in the name of all your Highnesse subiects of this [Page 40] Kingdome: Since our hands cannot be with your Highnesse, to waite on, and serue your Maiestie, as our hearts would, The hand of the Lord be with you. That hand which preserued you in the wombe of your Mother, and brought your Highnesse safely into this world. That hand of the Lord which made your armes strong, to wrestle with the Gow­rian traitor, before the hands of your seruants came neere you. That hand of the Lord, which deliuered your Maiestie from that abominable powder trea­son, and first reuealed to your selfe the counsell of your enemies. In a word, That hand of the Lord, which hath made your Maiestie glorious by many deliuerances, that same hand of the Lord be with your Maiestie, in this iourney and for euer.

Ancient Israe­lites vsed it for their Rulers, and we should vse it for our King.The ancient Israelites vsed this prayer, for Cyrus, Nehemiah, Zerubabel, & such others, that were to be the instruments of their comfort, before euer they receiued any comfort from them; how much more should we vse it for your Highnesse, since we doe so abundantly enioy the fruits of your Highnesse most happy gouernment. For your Maiestie hath bin vnto vs an other Cyrus: when he came to the Kingdome, then came deliuerance to Israel from their seauentie yeeres bondage in ancient Babel; and with your Maiesties comming into the world to en­ioy these Scepters, wherevnto your Highnesse was borne a lineall and lawfull heire, then came our de­liuerance from mysticall Babell.

Since both his word & worksAnd your Maiesties most christian care to esta­blish our Church by prouiding portions for the Le­uites, [Page 41] who serue the Lord in his Sanctuary, [...]nesses th [...]t he is giuen vs, a sonne of God his right hand. and to free the common people from oppression in their tithes, hath shewed that your Maiestie is to vs a Nehemiah, and Zerubabel. Yea your Highnesse words and workes are witnesses, that yee are vnto vs a King giuen of God in his mercy, A sonne of his right hand; Patriae parens, & populi pastor, a publike father of the countrey, and pastor of the people.

Among innumerable words,A notable speach vttered by his Maiestie in the Castle of Edenbrugh witnes him to be such a one. and discourses roy­all, philosophicall, and theologicall, deliuered al­most euery meale, and most worthy to be remem­bred, I doe onely make mention of one vttered by your Maiestie, on your birth-day after supper in the Castle of Edenbrugh: when your seruant had said the Grace, and a litle more then customably I vsed, had praied for the continuance of many such daies, wherein we might with ioy celebrate the remem­brance of your Highnesse most happy natiuitie, your Maiestie arose from the chaire with this speach in publike audience of the whole house; You haue said the Grace for mee, and now will I pray for my selfe, which your Maiestie with all re­uerence and zealous affection deliuered in these words.

[Page 42] All that heard it were affected, yea rauished with great ioy, and seconded it with their prayers vnto God,Psal. 20.4. The Lord grant thee according to thine heart. For in this did your Highnesse open the integritie, and sinceritie of your soule, that your Highnesse desired to liue, Non vt praeesses, sed prodesses, not for your selfe, but for the glory of GOD, and benefit of his Church.

Workes wit­nesses also throughout the Kingdome.And as to your Maiesties worke, all places of this Kingdome, Highland, Inland, and the borders are stored with seuerall testimonies of your High­nesse wise, and happy gouernment; but leauing them all,But most eui­d [...]nt in Drum­freis and the whole South borde [...]. this Countrey, and Towne wherein your Maiestie now is, reioyceth aboue others in the sweet fruits, first of religion, and pietie, next of sin­gular and vnaccustomed peace, which now by your Highnesse prudencie and fatherly care they eni [...]y. As to the first, the time hath beene, as your Maiestie doth well remember, wherein this Towne and 1 Countrey about it,For restitution of true Reli­gion. was like to a field all ouergrowne with the popple of Papistrie, the litle handfull that then was of the Religion, were but like to the glea­nings, and after-gatherings of the haruest. But now SIR the case is altered, there is here a flourishing Church, God hath so blessed the labour of the Preacher, Ouerseer of this people, that there is not to be found three P [...]ecusants in all this Towne, as I am informed, and the countrey about it is filled with good wheat in steede of popple, so that they who are of the Popish sort, are like vnto the grapes, which remaine after the vintage, here one, and there [Page 43] one, easie to be discerned. And for this cause I haue heard sundry of their ancient men blesse the Lord, for that he had sent the light of his Gospell among them to illuminate them, protesting that without it, they had died in most pitifull igno­rance.

The other fruit of singular peace is so apparant 2 to you all,For singular peace they en­ioy now being deliuered from their oppres­sors. that I neede not to point at it. Yee who stand here in great multitudes, beare witnes your selues before the Lord his Anointed. Tell as the truth is: Are yee troubled now with any forayes in the night? Are yee wakened from your rest by the Alarum, or sound of the drumme? Is there cry­ing now for armour to represse the incursion of robbers? Doe yee not sit peaceably euery one of you in your owne houses without molestation of the oppressor? May ye not now, as the prouerbe is, porrectis dormire pedibus, in respect of securitie sleepe soundly? Is not that promise made by the Lord, accomplished now,Psal. 147.4. Plin. lib. 10. cap. 32. He setteth peace in thy borders? Now are [...], wherein euery good subiect may peaceably labour in his calling,These benefits were acknow­ledged with such publike acclamations, as forced the Preacher to stay, till the people had ended. and that, which beastly men called Mans world is away. What cause haue yee then for this to blesse the Lord your God, and this happy King, whom he hath set ouer vs, and who this day sitteth before you, by whole fatherly care we enioy this quiet, and peaceable life.

Now must I in end turne me a litle toward you,A speach to the Nobles of England. most worthy Nobles of England, not for any doubt we haue of your loyall affection,With an ex­hortation. or any neede your 1 [Page 44] Honors haue to be exhorted to your dutie by our weaknesse;Plaut, in Pseud. farre be it from me, vt officy sui satis memores, immemores facere videar, yet remembring that of the Poet,

I hope, what I am to say, will not be vngratious, but rather very welcome to you. Haue a care we beseech of that incomparable iewell, yee haue re­ceiued from Scotland; both yee and wee haue our mutuall interest in him, when the sunne rises to you, it shineth to vs also; it it decline, and fall downe vpon any of vs (which I pray God wee neuer see) it bringeth a darke night vpon vs both: yea all Christendome in respect of the good they enioy by his Maiestie, doth cry for a carefull conseruation of this Iewell.

2 It is true, your willing and hearty accepta­tion of your natiue King hath inlarged his Dia­deme without dinne,An admoni­tion. and as true, his royall Dia­deme hath increased the glory and fame of your Kingdome through the world; but all these and many more, your Honors, out of wise, and vn­derstanding hearts haue pondered better, then I can point them out: I will therefore content mee with this one, which, when I haue said, I know will be lesse, then I should haue said, or your Honors haue iustly deserued.

[Page 45]The noble and comely behauiour yee haue 3 vsed in attending our Soueraigne in all this iour­ney,A commen­dation. did present to him, who could obserue it, that which Plato calls putcherrimum spectaculu [...], Plat. lib. 3. de [...]ep. when mannerly mindes appeare in beautifull bo­dies. Your kindnes, and intire loue among your selues, liuing together, ac si omnes eiusdem mus ae essetis aemuli, & voto viueritis vno, Pers. Sai [...]r. 5. which the Poet said was rare to be found, for velle suum cuique est. Your conuersation in all things answerable to your place, and station, in ipsa regia, non sine regula incedentes. Your courtesie, and great hu­manitie towards vs. In a word, all sort of gra­ces pertaining either to learning, or pietie most eminent in you, shall binde our hearts to a louing, and honorable remembrance of you, by our men­tall Pyramides and Pi [...]ars, so long, as we can re­member our selues. Now our bodies in respect of place must be diuided, but I hope our hearts, and affections shall neuer diuide any more, God hauing so many manner of waies conioyned vs, that in one Ile, with one language, and one reli­gion, we are now the coniunct subiects of one na­tiue King, and Soueraigne to vs both.

And as to you,A warning to his Maiesties Cubiculars and Dome­stiques. who haue that hap and honour beyond others, to bee his Maiesties Cubiculars and Domestickes, consider with your selues, what is the weight of your charge, and how the place, where­vnto, aboue others, otherwise not your inferiors, yee are promoted, bindes you to a daily tribute of daily vigilance, and attention. Remember that [Page 46] word, which Dauid cried to Abner, for a rebuke to him and the rest of Sauls seruants, because they were sleeping when their master was in danger of his life by Abishai, if Dauid had not stayed him, ye are all (said he) worthy to die, because yee haue not kept your Master the Lords annoynted. If they were thus threatned, and most iustly, because they were remisse and care­lesse in conseruation, euen of an euill King; what a sinne is it to be negligent in attending such a King as God hath giuen vs, it cannot but procure heauy iudgements, both from God and man. But we per­swade our selues the best things of you, that consci­ence more then commodity, will stirre you vp to be faithfull in that calling,Coloss. 3.22. not with eye-seruice, as men pleasers,; but in singlenesse of heart, fearing God.

Alwayes since the surest safty of Kings, is the protection of Iehoua, for his name is a strong tower, and the righteous runne vnto it; Sir, let him euer be, as you haue found him your rock and refuge. Con­tinue still in that resolution of King Dauid, Psal. 101.3.I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes, I hate the worke of them that fall away, it shall not cleane vnto me, so shall the word which Amasa (from the Spirit of the Lord) spake vnto Dauid, be established to your Maiestie; 1 Chro. 12.18. Peace, peace be vnto thee, and peace be vnto thy helpers, for thy God helpeth thee. To this effect, that we may end, wee will now againe turne vs to our prayers, from which we shall neuer turne so long as we liue, and yet I am still stayed, or rather forced to stay, I would make an end, but am pearced with the sor­rowfull looks of this people, who desire no ending, [Page 47] not so much for delight of any thing they heare from me, as for that which they see in your Maiesty, they cannot bee satiate in looking to your face, the shorter time they haue to behold it, the stronger is their affection. O how hardly comport they to part with their Soueraigne. But deere Soueraigne, let it not be offensiue to your Maiesty, that you are com­passed heere with an assembly of mourners, whose faces are watred with ouerflowing teares of their heart. Can they part with their Prince without sor­row? Can they want the light of their eyes, and breath of their nostrils, and not lament for it?

Yet what speake I of wanting? bee of comfort, good peole, wee shall not want him, wee cannot want him, God hauing now so enlarged his royall armes, that they can reach from one end of the Isle to the other, to be at vs, to succour and helpe vs, as we neede them. Let vs therefore moderate our mourning, let our passions giue place to his royall pleasure, let our hearts with joy and cheerefulnesse send vp these our prayers. The hand of the Lord be with our most Gracious Soueraigne, the name of the God of Iacob defend him. Psal. 20.1. The Lord bee to your Maiesty, as he was to Abraham, a buckler in this life, and your exceeding great reward in the life to come.Genes. 15. God grant it for Iesus Christs sake. Amen.