THAT David was the pen­man of this Psalm, appeares by Act. 4. 25. who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, why doe the Hea­then rage? &c. But if you shall aske me as the Eunuch did Phillip, of another scripture Act. 8. 34. of whom speakes the Prophet this? of himself or of some other? I must doe as Phillip did, and from this [Page 2] Scripture preach unto you Jesus. Indeed I find three different opinions of whom David here speakes.

1. The Jewes (those professed enemies1 Thes. 2 15. 16. of Jesus Christ) understand it of David, and his kingdom without any relation to Christ; But this is so clearly confuted out of the whole Psalm, that (as Junius parell. 91. ob­serves) many of the Jewes themselves non ausa sunt pernegare: for many passages can­not without blasphemy be litterally affirm­ed of any meer man: as where the Lord calls him his begotten Sonne, gives him as his King the whole world for his inheritance, commands all to yeeld him divine worship, and to put their trust in him.

2. Others (and those some modern Di­vines of good note) understand it both of David and Christ, David and his kingdome, as a type; of Christ and his kingdome, as the Antitype. Ille typus, his typi veritas. Calvin.

3. But almost all the Fathers (as Ames observes) and many modernes doe conceive that the whole psalm is a prophetical nar­ration, of Christ and his Kingdome, and that David hath in it no reference to him­selfe; and to this I should rather encline (yet leaving every one to his own judg­ment) because though many things may [Page 3] aptly enough be applyed to David as he was a type of Christ, yet some things can by no meanes agree to him. But we need not contend about this, seeing those that are of the second opinion acknowledge that it's meant cheifly and principally of Christ, so Calv. Haec omnia non allegoricè sed verè Christo sunt applicanda. This verse which I have chosen for the subject of my present discourse, stands in the Psalm as the center in the circumference, al the other verses are but as lines drawn to and through it: it is the very pith, heart, and marrow of the whole psalm: In the handling whereof I shall doe as Boaz advised Ruth, chap. 2. 8. not goe to glean in anothers field, but make as good use as I can of the fruitfull Sheafes that lye scartered in the field of the psalm, both by way of Explication, Confirmation, and Application of the main proposition that I shall raise from the Text.

In the words we have these parts.The Text Divided.

1. The designment of Jesus Christ to be King. where

1. The designer, I: who is this I? Ans. God the Father, the same that is here called Jehova and Adonai, the Lord, this one I, this [...] one God is here opposed against all the po­wer and pollicy of the whole world, so Psal. [Page 4] 110. 1. The Lord said unto my Lord.

2 The designed. Malchi, my King [...] Cujus jussu ho­mines nascun­tur, bujus jus­su & reges con­stituuntur. Iren. l 5. c 24 Qui dat regnū coel rum solis piis regnum terrenum & piis & impiis, sicut ei placet, cui nihil inju­stè placet. Aug. de civ. l. 5. c. 21. with an [...] and Emphasis. All Kings reign by Gods providence. (By me Kings reign) not all by his special allowance, ap­pointment, and approbation. Hos. 8. 4. They have set up Kings, but not by me, they have made Princes, and I knew it not. (i. e.) I did not approve of it; and even those lawfull powers, that are ordained by God, are for the particular manner and kind of gover­ment, but [...] the creation, or ordinance of man, 1 Pet. 2. 13. but this King is immediately set up by God, autho­rized and approved by him, and of more dignity and absolute power then all otherHe hath both [...] and [...] Is [...]. 33. 22. our Judge, our Lawgiver, and our King. 1. Tim. 1. 17. [...]. Jud. v. 25) c. 6. 15. [...]. Jud. v. 4. [...]. Kings, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

3. The manner of designment, nasacti, [...] I have annointed him, with mine own hand have I powred my holy Oyle up­on his head, this intimates God the fathers calling his Sonne Jesus to, and fitting him with gifts suitable to his office, anointing him with the Oyle of gladness above his fel­lowes, [Page 5] Joh. 6. 27. sealing him with his Sig­net, and setting him on his Throne &c.

2. The place or throne where he is de­signed [...] to sit and reign, Zion, har Kodshi, my holy hill of Zion; take it literally and it is that city of David, the Metropolis of the kingdome, the place of Gods Sanctuary and speciall residence: Glorious things are spoken of thee, thou city of God. Psal. 87. 3.

Some look here to the letter, and expect Christ to come personally, and reign in Zi­on as a Monarch, when the Jewes shall be called, Rom. 11. 15. and v. 23. What shall receiving of them ( [...]) be but life from the dead? v. Bright. on Dan. 12. 2. and on Rev. 19. 20, 21. Ezek. 34. 23, 24. I will save my flock, and, I will set up one Shepeard over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David he shall feed them &c. and I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a Prince among them. v. 26. 28, 29, 30. and chap. 37. 20, 22, 24. I will make them one nation, and one King shall be King to them all, and David my servant shall be a King over them. Hos. 3. 5. Amos 9. 11. I will raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fall­en, and I will build it up as in the dayes of old. Zech. 14. 4. 5. 9. For the Lord shall be King over all the earth. &c. chap. 2. v. 4. and that he shall indeed sit upon the throne of his Father David, as Isa. 9. 6, 7. upon the throne of David, and upon his king­dome: and chap. 60. tot. and Luke 1. 32, 33. The Lord God shall give unto him the And Davids Throne is not the hearts of the Saints. Jer. 3. 16, 17, 18. Non enim domus Jacob ad Gentes, sed Gentes ad domum Ja­cob accedere debent, si volunt sub hoc rege esse, Chem. ad l c. Isa. 44. Mic. 4. 2. throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his king­dome [Page 6] there shall be no end: And indeed ma­ny scriptures look with a fair aspect this way, though some have corrupted them, with their false glosses, and humane Jerom in Jer. 23. saith thus. Licet non sequamur, tamen damna­re non possu­mus, quia mul­ti Ecclesiasti­corum virorum & Martyres ista dixerunt. vid. Mr. Mede on the Revel. ex Just. Mart. Dial. cum Tryphone. Aug. de Civ. l. 20. c. 7. professeth, that if it were held more spiritually & not so carnal­ly, he saw it tollerable & once held it. Gerhard loc. com. de consum: seculi lib. 7. pag. 319 &c. Negari nequit quosdam ex antiquissimis ecclesiae doctoribus opinionem hanc esse amplexos. &c. and he names many. addi­tions; but I have no mind now to meddle with controversies, especially of this nature; I shall therefore say no more of this and the Thousand yeares, but what I have heard a Reverend Doctor, Dr. Sibbs, once said to some Divines disputing of this subject, when (he seeming to be in a slumber) they jogged him and asked his judgment about it: If (said he) it be a dream, it is a sweet dreame. But there will be no great question if we take Zion mystically for the Church, which is Gods holy Hill, an Hill for it's e­minency, and Holy, because of his holy or­dinances, and people there. Vpon this hill is Christs Throne set, and herein espe­cially he exerciseth his regall power, till all his enemies are made his footstoole, and till all the Kingdomes of the world shall become the Kingdomes of the Lord, and of his Christ. Rev. 11. 15. and till that of Daniel shall be fullfilled, chap. 2. 34, 35. which he speaks [Page 7] of the stone cut out of the Mountain, without hands, which brake the great Image in peices (sc. the four Monarchies) and the stone that smote the Image became a great Moun­taine, and filled the whole earth; and till God shall give him the Heathen for his In­heritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession, according to his promise made to him, ver. 8. of this Psalme.

3. Here's the maintenance of Christ in his Throne (by the same Authority and Power that set him up) against all opposi­tion, intimated in this particle, Yet. The Lord is brought in speaking abruptly, and pathetically, manifesting his indignation and high displeasure against the world of the wicked that are enemies to Christ his King, and his resolution to stand by him; as if he should say, Though the world rages, and would un-King, and de-Throne my King whom I have Annointed, and set upon his Throne, yet he shall Reign and Conquer in despite of them.

Having thus divided, and opened the termes of my Text, I shall pitch upon this one Proposition.

In the handling this Proposition I shallMethod pro­pounded proceed in a plain Method.

1. By Explication. 2. By Demonstration. 3. By Application; and in all I will keep my self within the bounds of the Psalm.

1. For Explication; and herein we must1. Explicati­on. consider, what manner of King, God hath designed his Sonne to be, and what he hath appointed to be the limits of his King­dome.

The Kingdome of Christ is to be consi­dered under a twofold notion.

1. There's his Regnum naturale: this be­longs to Jesus Christ as he is God, and thus he hath equal power and authority with the Father over all the world; and in this sense wee must say to him, as David to God, 1 Chron. 29. 11, 12. Thine, O Lord, is the greatnesse, and the power, and the glory; thine is the Kingdome, and thou art exalted as head above all.

2. There's his Regnum donativum (and [Page 9] herein may Christ say, My Father is greater than I) his dispensatory, oeconomicall Kingdome, which is not by nature, but by donation and gift, as v. 8. as [...], Mediator.

This distinction our Divines generally maintain against the Socinians, and others, who hold that Christ hath but one King­dome, which he exerciseth as Mediator o­ver his Church, and in some respect over all things; but they will not yeeld that Christ as God ruleth over all, because they deny Christs Divinity.

This Mediatory Kingdome of Christ is considered in a twofold state.

1. The first is Providentiall; Christ be­ing as Mediator delegated by his Father, as Viceroy, and chiefe Ruler over all persons and things with relation to his Church (as Joseph by Pharoah was set over all the Land of Egypt.) So Mat. 28. 18. saith Christ, All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. Joh. 17. 2. Thou hast given him power over all flesh. and Ephes. 1. 20. Hee raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places, far above all principalitie, and power, and might, and do­minion, and every name that is named, not on­ly in this world, but in that which is to come, [Page 10] and hath put all things under his feet (quoad judiciariam potestatem, though non quoad exercitium potestatis) to which place is pa­rallel that in Phil. 2. 9, 10. Wherefore also God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in hea­ven, in earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord, &c. And therefore the Apostle stiles him the blessed and onely Potentate, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, 1 Tim. 6. 15. And in this sense the Apostle tels us, that he must reign till he hath put down all rule, all authority and power; according to that Dan. 2. 34, 35. and brought al in subjection to his Regall Scepter.

2. The second state of the Kingdome of Christ as Mediatour, is spiritual; and this is that Soveraignty of Christ whereby as absolute Head and Monarch, he rules and governes in his Churches over the hearts and consciences of men. This the Apostle speaks of, Ephes. 1. 21. Hee gave him to be head over all things to his Church which is his body.

The power of Christ as King in this spi­ritual sense is exercised.

1. Upon particular persons, by his Word and Spirit, effectually calling and convert­ing them to himself, Turning them from Acts 26. 18. Col. 1. 13. Luc 11. 22. darknesse to light, and from the power of Satan to God, delivering them from the power of darknesse, and translating them into his owne Kingdom. He is the [...] that casts the strong man out of his palace, and takes the Throne himself, makes them a people of wil­lingnesse in the day of his power, willing to open to this King of glory, and stoope to hisPsal. 110. 3. golden Scepter, and to be regulated by his holy Laws, and then guides and leads themPsal. 73. 24. by his counsell in the waies of holynesse till he brings them to glory.

2. In his Churches rightly constituted and governed according to the rule of his word; here Christ is Lord and King, the chief Shepheard and Bishop of souls, 1 Pet. 2. 25. and the great shepheard of the sheep, Heb. 13. 20. He walks as chief in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks: And here wee may more truly say of him, than the JewsRev. 2. 1. of Caesar, We have no King but Christ: the Church is Christs family, governed by his own Laws; aliae sunt Leges Caesarum, aliae Christi (saith Hierome.) Christian Go­vernours rule in the Church, not over it; or if in some sense over the Church, yet not [Page 12] quatenus a Church, but quatenus a Common­wealth (as learned Salmasius distinguish­eth) vid. Gillesp. Aar. rod. p. 210.

No power on earth may impose, or con­tinue any way of Worship upon the consci­ences of Gods people, which Christ hath not prescribed. Moses, though the great­est Prophet, and wisest Governour in Isra­el, yet must keep himself close to the pat­tern shewed him on the Mount, For the building and ordering the Tabernacle, and the religious Rites of it: and Solomon, though wiser than all men, is not left to his1 King. 4. 31. own wisdome in building the Temple, and regulating the Worship of God there, but he must have a pattern also, 1 Chron. 28. 11, 12, 13. David, the Man of God gave him a perfect pattern of all that he had by the Spirit. And so hath Christ given in his Go­spel to his Substitutes and under-Rulers (at least in respect of Substantials and Es­sentials of Worship and Government) a perfect pattern likewise, which they must hold fast till he come, Rev. 2. 24, 25. Hee will lay upon his Church no other burthen than what they have already.

This Kingdome of Christ, as spirituall, is as yet shut up in a very narrow compasse: Oh what a little part of the world doth [Page 13] Christ as a spirituall King reigne ovet, ac­cording to his own Laws and Prescripti­ons!

1. The Prince of the power of the air, that rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience, he as God of the world, Lords and Kings it over Jews, Turks, and Heathens, they are his vassals.

2. The man of sinne hath exalted him­selfe, and he as God sitteth in the Temple of God, and keeps Christ out of his regall Throne, and how many followers hath he?

3. And in that little spot of the world, where this our King sits on his Throne and rules, how few real Saints and subjects hath he? and of them how few that can agree in one way of serving him? But the time draws near, when the Angel that hath the Key of the bottomlesse pit shall lay hold on the Dragon that old serpent, which is the devill and sathan, and bind him up, that he shall deceive the nations no more, &c. Rev. 20. 2. that the ten horns shall hate the whore, and burn her with fire, Rev. 16. 16. that the water of the great River Euphrates shall be dried up, that the way of the Kings of the East may be prepared, Rev. 16. 12. that the Mar­riage of the Lamb shall come, and his Wife [Page 14] shall make her self ready, Rev. 19. 7. that the Gentiles shall slow in abundantly to Zion, the city of the Lord, the holy one of Israel, and the nation and kingdome that will not serve her (and her king) shall perish, yea those nations shall be utterly wasted, Is. 60. 12, 14. That there shall bee a glorious re­surrection of Churches from their dead condition in Idolatry, Superstition, and A­postacie, and put into a right and holy frame, when the temple of God shall be o­pened in heaven, and there shall be seen in his temple the Ark of his Testament, Rev. 11. 19. And the Lord shall shew his people the form of his house, and all the Laws and Ordinances thereof, and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole forme thereof, and all the Ordinances thereof, and doe them, Ezek. 43. 11. Then shall the Church enlarge the place of her tent, and stretch forth the Curtains of her habitations, lengthen her coards, strengthen her stakes, and break forth on the right hand and on the left, Isa. 54. 2, 3.Ezek. 48. 35. And then shall the Lord be King over all the earth. In that day there shall be one Lord, and his Name one, Zech. 14. 9. And the Name of his Metropolis shall be, Jehovah-Shammah, the Lord is there.

These things in respect of the substance [Page 15] of them I beleeve and expect, if I fail in any particular circumstance, I submit to the censure of the Prophets. If any ask when shall these things be? I answer as Christ did his Disciples in the like case, Mat. 24. 36. Of the day and hour knoweth no man: Brightman on Dan. & Rev. Mede on Rev. Dr. Wilkinson his Sermon coram Parl. on Zech. 1. 19, 20, 21. Mede. Apost­acy of the latter times. p. 69. 78. 80. Yet many learned Divines have given their several guesses, which I will not undertake to mention in such an auditory, only give me leave to tell you what I have long since observed in Gerhards Epist. Dedicatory pre­fixed to the second part of his Gospel-Har­mony: where he makes a collation between Christ and his Church, and undertakes to demonstrate these five suppositions.

1, That there may, and will be made a comparison between the years of Christs life and the Jubilees of the Church.

2. That Christ lived on the earth 33 yeares and a half.

3. That to every year of Christs life there is answerable a year of Jubile of the Church.

4 That a Jubile containes 7 weeks of yeares. (i. e.) 49 yeares.

5. That the Jubilees are to take their beginning from the preaching and Baptism of John; and so makes the Jubilees to end in the year 1670. in quem annum (saith he) [Page 16] fines temporum in Scripturis revelatorum de­sinunt. But I would not be wise above what is written, and I remember what our Savi­our said to his Disciples, when they pro­pounded that curious question to him, Act. 1. 7. It is not for you to know the times and seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. I shall conclude this with what the Anglel said to Daniel chap. 12. 12, 13. Blessed is he that waiteth, and commeth to the 1335 dayes. but goe thy way till the end, for thou shàlt rest and stand in the lot at the end of the dayes. Thus much for the Explication. Now secondly, I am to demonstrate.

1. Why the Lord hath set up Christ to be King. 2. Demon­stration.

2. That Christ Jesus this King, hath ma­ny and great Opposers, and why.

3. That he shall reign and prevaile a­gainst all oppositions, till his Kingdome be perfected.

1. Why God the Father hath set up Jesus Christ as Mediator to be King? 1. Reason.

1. God hath put this honour upon him as a reward of his obedience to his father, in taking upon him the great work of Re­demption, and abaseing and humbling him­selfe so low. Phil. 2. 7, 8, 9, 10. He made himselfe of no reputation, and took upon him [Page 17] the form of a servant, and humbled himself to the death; wherefore God hath highly ex­alted him &c. Reas. 2

2. Indeed it is due to him by the rule of Equity: Judg. 8. 22. what the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule thou over us &c. for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian; And what Jepthah said to the Elders of Gilead. Judg. 11. 9. If I fight for you against the chil­dren of Ammon, and the Lord deliver them Aug. in Psal. 145. 3. Magnus, mag­nus, magnus nimis volebat dicere quantū magnus, & si tota die mag­nus, magnus diceret, tota die dicens magnus siniret aliquando, quia siniretur dies, magnitudo illi­us ante dies, ultra dies, sine die &c, into my hand, shall I be your head? Tis but reason that our Saviour should be our King.

3. Because none so fit as he to have the government upon his shoulders; none but the Lyon of the tribe of Judah fit to be in­trusted with such power and imployed in this office; none so well qualified as he Isa. 6. 9. See four excellent qualifications, qua­tuor [...], or combinations.

1. He is the wounderful Counsellour; there's his eminent wisdom. Solomon to qualifie him for his kingdom begs wisdom of God, a wise and understanding heart, that he might govern his people: behold a greater then Solomon is here; all the treasures of wisdom and know­ledgeAdmirabilis est in nativita­te, consiliarius in praedicatione, Dens in operatione, fortis in Passione, pater futuri seculi in resurrectione, princeps pacis in perfecta beatitu­dine. Bernard. ad Isa. 9. 6. Rev. 4. 8. are in him; he only can say, I am [Page 18] understanding Prov. 8. 14. The deepest polititian in the world is but a fool to him.

2. The Mighty God; there's unparal­leld power and strength; he can say both I am Vnderstanding, and I am Strength: He is both [...] and [...], where­as all the power of Men & Angels is bound­ed to the Sea, Hitherto shalt thou goe, and no farther.

3. The everlasting Father. When Jo­seph. was advanced by Pharoah he caused it to be cryed before him Ab-rech tender Fa­ther. Gen. 41. 43. This our King is our Fa­ther, full of most tender bowells, & an eter­nal father that will never leave his people Orphans, I will not leave you [...] vid. Joh. 14. 18.

4. The Prince of Peace, the true King of Salem indeed, he can create peace, and bring peace out of trouble, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. Joh. 14 27. and an other manner of peace then the world can give &c. Lay all these together, and what can be wanting to make him a compleat King? Of whom it may be more. truely said, then it was of Mordecai Esth. 10. 3. He was seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.

2. That Christ as King hath many and great opposers, and why?

This we have at hand in the three first verses of this Psalm fully set down. All sorts of men by all kinds of wayes fighting against Christ and his Scepter. Totius mundi est conspiratio.

1. The people rage, ragesshu [...] [...] those that are without.

2. The people imagine, jehgu, [...] [...] these within the pale, with continuall unwearied care they study to find out wayes to hinder the setting up Christs rule and government over them.

3. Not only the rude multitude, but the Kings of the earth, and Princes, the great men and wise Polititians, the Ahi­tophels, ijthiatzbu, & nosdu [...]. [...] They combine all their strength, they beat their braines, and joyn their hearts, heads, and hands against the Lord, and against his anointed, and all this to stop the riseing and spreading of Christs kingdome. The history of the Scriptures and of the Church in all ages doe bear wit­nesse to this, nec mirum aut insolitum est si tumultuetur mundus simulac erigitur Chri­sto solium. Calv. And whats the reason of all this, hot opposition? v. 3. Let's break [Page 20] their bonds, and cast away their cords. They look upon Christs easie yoke and sight bur­den, as bonds and cords, they will not be so tyed up and shackled; men had rather undergoe any burthen, then have Christ rule over their soules. Christs lawes are spirituall and oppose their sinfull lusts and appetites, and they cannot endure them. If any man will be my disciple (saith Christ) let Mat. 16. 24. Mat. 5. 30. him deny himself, and take up his crosse and follow me, Mat. 16. 24. Mat. 5. 30. cut off his right hand, pluck out his right eye, yee are not your own. &c. Oh! durus hic Sermo, this crosseth the haire and will not be swal­lowed; and therefore they cry out, as Luk. Malunt servi­re Diabole quam regnare cum Christo. cui servire regnare est. Bernard. de temp. 9. 14. We will not have this man to rule over us. Not this man but Barabbas; they will rather chuse to be slaves, and drudges to the Devill and lusts, to Tyrants, to any Lord rather then to the best Lord: so mi­serably is the blind world deluded.

3. The Third thing to be demonstrated is, that Jesus Christ shall rule and reign, and his kingdome shall prevaile, till it comes to it's utmost extent and latitude in despight of all opposition. And this we have abundantly made good in this Psalm also.

1. More generally, all the imaginati­ons, plottings, contrivements, enterprizes [Page 21] of all these Opposers are but rick, a vaine [...] thing, v. 1. they had better sit still and doe nothing; they shall never bring about what they aime at, they doe but swim against the stream, kick against the pricks, and dash themselves against the rock that will break them in peices, shoot up arrowes a­gainst heaven, that will fall upon their own heads. Isa. 8. 9, 10. Associate your selves all ye people, and ye shall be broken in peices, gird your selves and ye shall be broken in peices, take counsel together, and it shall come to nought, speak the word, and it shall not stand, for God is with us. This is Gods word against their word.

2. More particularly, look into the Psalm, and you shall see variety of Argu­ments to confirm it.

1. Taken from God that hath set upArg. 1. this King, this opposition is against the Lord and his anointed, they that resist Christs government are [...], fighters against God. 1. Cor. 10. 22. Doe we pro­voke the Lord to jealousy, are we stronger then he? Job. 9. 4. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength, who hath hardned himselfe against him and prospered? It was good advice that Gamaliel gave the Councill, Act. 5. 28, 39. Refrain from these men (faith he) and let [Page 22] them alone, for if this counsell or this work be of men it will come to nought, but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it &c. It will be worth the while a little to consider what's added verses 4. 5.

1. He against whom the world fights sits in heaven, not that he is circumscribed there, for he fills heaven and earth. butJer. 23. 24.

1. To shew the unparalled inequality between the Opposers, and the Opposed; the one is an heavenly God, the other poor earth-wormes: if wormes did fight against wormes, the stronger worme might over­top the weaker, but alas, what can a few poor clods of earth doe against the Heaven­ly all-powerfull God, in comparison of whom the whole world is but as the dropJsa. 40. 25. of a bucket, and as a small dust of a ballance? Isa. 45. 9. Woe to him that striveth with his maker, let the potsheard strive with the pot­sheards of the earth; but shall the pot fly in the face of the Potter? but no comparison can reach this insolency.

2. God sits in heaven as the Pilot at the helm, and as the King in his throne; he can turn about the great ship of the world at his pleasure, and he can command all hearts, heads, Angells, Men, Divells, yea all creatures are at his disposure.

3. In Heaven, where he can be infinite­ly glorious and happy, though he should hurl all the earth and the inhabitants there­of into their first nothing.

4. In Heaven, and therefore he is above them all and hath advantage enough againstNon magnus est Pumilio li­cet in monte constiterit; Co­lossus magni­tudinem suam servabit, etiam. si steterit in puteo. Sen. Ep. 76. them, they cannot reach him though they could heap Mountaine upon mountaine to clime up to him, but he can easily reach them; a weak woman once brake the skull of a King and valiant souldier with a peice of a Milstone cast down upon him from an high towre, and so can God crush his proud­est enemies with the least instrument of his wrath.

2. He laughes.

1. To shew the ridiculous folly of the wicked world that they should be so mi­serably foolish and mad as to think they should be able to prevaile against him or to hinder his determinations and purpo­ses, we see with what indignation great Goliah doth scoffe at little David when he dared to encounter with such a Giant, and a man of Warre; how much more ridicu­lous were it for a company of silly Pismires to arme themselves and goe out against a great army of Souldiers or should undertake to storm some strong castle, or well fortified garrison; [Page 24] would not the Commanders sit still and laugh at this simple attempt and not be troubled? q. m. &c. Deus quietus è sublimi spectat vesanos hominum motus. Calv.

2. God laughes, to quiet the spirits and chear the hearts of his people; whenPsal. 118. 12. the enemies compasse them about like Bees and threaten their ruin; what comfort is this to think that even then God sits and laughes at them when he suffers us to weep by them, yea when they laugh among themselves and say, aha! so would we have it.

3. Vers. 5. God doth not only laugh and deride them, but in due time he will speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

2. The Second Argument is taken fromArg. 2. Christ himself, he comes in and declares; vers. 7, 8, 9.

1. The Fathers decree concerning him, that when he had fully perfected the work of Redemption, and had mani­fested his victory over the enemies of our Salvation, by his Resurrection he should actually reign as King; for of that day and of that begetting doth he here speak, sc. the day of his Resurrection, and the [...] as the Apostle expounds it Act. 13. [Page 25] 33. In that he raised up Jesus again, as it is also written in the 2d. Psalm, Thou art my sonne &c. and Rom. 1. 4. Declared to be the sonne of God with power, by the Re­surrection from the dead.

2. His promise to him.Orat Christia­nus & exandi­tur, orat Chri­stus & non ex­auditur. Aug. in Psal.

1. That upon his asking he would give him the Heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth, for his po­ssession, the spreading and enlargment of his kingdome over the world; and as God is immutable in his decree, so he is faithfull in all his promises. Therefore seeing Christ hath been asking the fullfilling of this pro­mise for above 1600 yeares, certainly it will not be long ere it be accomplish­ed.

2. His Promise to Christ was that he should have power in his hand, utterly to crush and spoile all those that shall refuse to stoope to his Scepter.

1. That he should doe it, as easily as a man can break a Potters vessell with aniron rod.

2. Irrecoverably: a vessell of Gold and Silver if brooken in peices may be repair­ed; but a Potters vessel if broken cannot be made up again. Isa. 30. 14. He shall break it as the breaking of a Potters vessel, that's broken in peeces, and Jer.. 19. 11. I will [Page 26] this people and this city as one breaketh a Pot­ters vessell that cannot be made whole again.

Thus much for Demonstration. Now.

3. For Application, and in this I shall keep within the same field of the Psalm also, so farre as I may.

1. For Information. Applicat. Use 1. For Infor­mation.

1. Wonder not to see such hurlibur­lies, and stirres, such shakings and earth­quakes, such combustions and tumults every where in these our dayes; we must expect farre more and greater before our King Jesus shall perfect his king­dom and make his enemies his foot-stoole. The Divell and his instruments have in all times raged, and with utmost strength opposed, when Jesus Christ comes to dispossesse Satan, and set up his own throne, q. m. shall all nations be shaken, When the desire of all nations shall come. Hag. 2. 7. and he that sits upon the white horseRev. 6. shall goe forth conquering and to conquer, both the Jewes and the Gentiles as at once; If that in the 12 of Daniel vers. 1. be meant of this time, when Christ shall take to him his great power and reign, as Rev. 11. 17. see what the Angel tells him, it shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time [Page 27] and no marvell for the Divill shall now be­stirre himself, having great wrath, because he knowes he hath but a short time. There­foreRev. 12 12. prepare for trouble.

2. But let me not leave you comfort­less, for Christ is such a King which will never want Subjects, neither shall they want a King, that will take care of them; Durante Sole sobolescit nomen ejus. Psal. 72. 17. (as you hove lately heard learnedly o­pened and applyed in this place in anotherBy Dr. Burt Warden of Winchester. tongue) let the world rage, let the Divell roar; this King whom God hath set up up­on his holy hill of Zion, shall reign and pro­sper, and prevaile, till his kingdome at­taine its [...]). As for persons and places indeed we cannot determine, when and where he will make his removes, and what cause we have to fear his withdrawing from us, and the removing of his Candlestick, I need not say to you, (I hope you are very sensible of it, and will be carefull to prevent it) yet let the hearts of all faithfull subjects of this King be supported with this, he will have a care of them at all times, and in all places, but of this more by and by. Let not your hearts be troubled.

But the great Use I shall a little more insist upon is that I find in the Psalm, vers. 10, 11, 12.

An Exhortation to all to come in; and stoop to this King whom God hath set up in Zion, to kiss the Sonne, and not to stand out in opposition to him any longer.

Quest. But why is this advice given on­ly to great ones of the world; hath this King none others to be his enemies, but Kings and great ones.

Ans. Yes multitudes, but these are e­specially called upon to be wise & instruct­ed.

1. Because the great, wise, and learn­ed ones of the world, are (if graceless and unsanctified) as the grand enemies of Christ [...]. Melior est e­jus status qui famula­tur homini, quam qui sua servit cupiditati. August. Jesus, so, hardliest perswaded and drawn in to put their necks into Christs yoke, and to submit to his spirituall government. Neh. 3. 5. The Nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord, Jer. 5. 5. I will get me to the great men, and will speak unto them, for they have known the way of the Lord &c. but these have altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds. Joh. 7. 48, 49. Have any of the Rulers (say they) and of the Pharisees beleived in him? take one place more 1 Cor. 1. 26. 27. Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many no­ble are called &c. And if we consult with experience, it will also bear witness to [Page 29] this, who are (for the most part) more de­sperate enemies to Jesus Christ, to Religi­on in its power, to the holy wayes, truths, and strict discipline of Jesus Christ, then such men of great wit, learning, parts, and power? what dephs and stratagems, and methods of opposition have they; which o­thers* Ideo de­teriores su­mus quia me­liores esse debemus. Salv. de Prov. l. 4. Monstrosa res est, gradus summus & animus infimus, sedes prima & vita ima, Bernard de Consid. lib. 2. Vt divitijs sic vitijs primi. Salv. de Prov. lib. 7. [...] Rev. 2. 24 of a lower form are not capable of?

1. The Devill is most industrious to get such on his side, these are the Male of the flock, that will easily draw others af­ter them, thou art worth ten thousand of us 2 Sam. 18. 3. say they to David.

2. The abundance of outward prospe­rity,Ipsis bestijs bestialior est homo ratione vigens & ra­tione non vi­vens. August. Mallet vitam sibi quam vinum eripi. as Judg. 9. 19. Esse malum inter bonos culmen est pravitatis, esse bonum inter malos culmen pietatis. makes them often licentious, whore­dome, Wine and new wine take away the heart. Hos. 4. 11.

3. Flatterers attend them, that will sooth them up in their vices.

4. These great places and parts, swellNon est carbo ita ignitus quin aqua ad­fusa extin­guatur: sicut contra non est carbo ita ma­didus quin prunarum acervo accendatur. Peccandi libidine potentiae suae magnitudinem metiuntur. Impune quidlibet facere id esse regem putant. [...]. Vermis divitiarum superbia est. August. de Temp. them with pride, and when Jesurum Deut. 32. 15. is waxen fat he kicketh, and saies as Pharoah, Psalm. 49. 20. who is the Lord?

2. Because if great ones are not ex­empted,Reas. 2. how much lesse those of a lower ranck.

3. Because if such as these come in and submit to Christ, they may easily prevaileReas. 3. with others. The greatest difficultie is in Printing the first sheets of bookes.

Well then having thus made way for it, now suffer the word of Exhortation, which is not mine but the Lords, Kisse the Sonne? The Sonne, who is that? Jesus Christ, the Sonne of God, the Saviour of the world, the King of Zion. And what is it to Kiss him?

Ans: 1. Kissing is an expression of ho­mage and subjection, So Gen. 41. 40. Saith Pharoah to Joseph, All my people shall Kisse thee, (i. e.) shall be ruled by the, and when Samuel had anointed Saul he Kissed him, 1 Sam. 10. 1.

2. 'Tis an expression of Affection and [Page 31] Love, Ʋnionem quandam spirituum & ani­marum Ames. prae se fert. It was a custome among Christians in the primitive times, to kisse one another at their Church meetings, it was Symbolum pacis & amoris. In a wordJust. Mart. Joh. 1. 21. Heb. 5. 9. Psal. 24 7, 8, 9 1 Cor. 16. 22. this, to Kisse the Sonne, is to receive, em­brace and submit to the Lord Jesus Christ, to take him as our only Saviour, and sover­aigne Lord; to love him and set him up in our hearts above all lusts and creatures, and to be subject in all things to his holy lawes and spirituall government, This is the great duty God requires of us all; and there be two strong arguments to inforce it,

1 The misery of all Rebells that being invited, and commanded, to partake of Christs benefits, and to stoop to his Scepter, persist in an obstinate refusall, and stiffe opposition against him and his government. Least be be angry, and ye perish in the way of Opposition. If his wrath be kindled but a little, what then? Oh, that! that! no tongue can speak, no pen can write, no heart can conceive fully, and to the life, tis vailed because it cannot be exprest: how much more, if his wrath be broken forth into a flame? Give me leave to set before you a few Scriptures, which being well weigh­ed may shake the hearts of Rebells, and [Page 32] cause them to cast down their weapons, and to kisse the Sonne: Heb. 2. 1, 2. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? 1 Pet. 4. 17. What will the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? two Questions, not Answeres; But positively set down. 2 Thes. 1. 7, 8. Oh! read and tremble, so Luk. 19. 27. Bring those mine enemies that would not have me to rule over them, and slay them before my face. Its farre more tollerable for Sodom &c. The furnace shall be heat seven times hotter &c. Therefore if any of us hitherto have carried it to Christ Gods anointed as those men of Belial, how shall this man save us? 1 Sam. 10. 27. and they despised him, and brought him no presents and he hath yet held his peace. Oh! let us bethink our selves in time, and goe forth to meet him as Shimei did David, 2. Sam. 19. 18, 19. and Videte mag­num miracu­lum altus est Deus erigis te & fugit a te, inclinas te, & descendit ad te; humilia de proximo re­spicit, ut at­tollat, superba de longe cog­noscit ut de­primat. Aug. in Psalm. 138. 6. fall down before him, and say as he. Oh! let not my Lord the King impute iniquity unto me, neither doe thou re­member that which thy servant hath done per­versly against thee; for thy servant doth know that I have sinned: and as Benhadads servants to Ahab 2 King 20. 23. with ropes about our heads, for the King of Zion is a mercy­full King to those that will not too much too long abuse his mercy, and love. If now [Page 33] at last you will open your everlasting gates,Mirum est quod homines in ferni Sup­plicia non con­siderant, aut si considerent non formidant, cum tamen damones cre­dant & con­tremiscant. the King of glory will come in, and pardon and love you, and take you into his family &c. But tremble to think what will be the issue if ye still will be resisting God: Oh! let the sinners of Zion be afraid, and let fearful­nesse surprize the hypocrites that comple­ment with Christ and give him fair words, but their hearts are not with him, but a­gainst him: however such may brave it out for a while, yet the time will shortly come when the proudest opposers shall hide themselves in the dens and in the rocks of of the mountaines, and shall say to the rocks and mountaines, fall on us, and hide Non ille omisit providentiā aut amisit potentiā, sed patientiam exercet suam dum poeniten­tiam expectat tuam. Aug. Currat poeni­tentia, ne prae­currat sententia, Chrysolog. Serm. 167. Mora tarditatem poenae gra­vitate compensat, qui quo tardius venit severius percutit. Greg. mor. us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe. Rev. 6. 15, 16. When this Lambe shall be turn­ed into a Lyon, Woe, Woe, everlastingly to all such as shall be found Rebells against him. But in the next place,

2. Blessed, inexpressibly blessed are all they that trust in him, who first kisse and then trust in him (that's Gods method) elss our trust will be as the hypocrites trust, a Spiders weeb, Job. 8. 14, 15 He shall [Page 34] lean upon his house, but it shall not stand, ho shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure) and this is the second Motive to perswade all to come in and to kisse the Sonne: Blessed are all they that trust in him.

2. Blessedness shall be their portion, they shall inherit a blessing. 1 Pet. 3. they are blessed, and they shall be blessed, as Isaac said to Iacob, Thy blessing is upon thy people, Ps. 3. 8. vid. Ezek. 34. 26. I will makethem, and the places round about my hill a blessing, there shall be showers of blessings, That blessing which Moses from God gave Joseph, Deut. 33. 13, &c. shall be the blessing of every faithfull subject of this King of Zion who hath heartily devoted himself to his service. The pretious things of Heaven, and he preti­ous things of the Qui dabit regnum, nonne dabit viati­cum? August. Quantumli­bet sis avarus sufficit tibi Deus; ete­nim vult ava­ritia terram possidere totā, adile & coelū, plus est qui fecit coelum & terram. August. in Psal. 55. earth, and the fullnesse of both, and the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: This blessing shall come upon the head of every one of his Josephs, and upon the top of the head of him that is separated from his bre­thren, and loved with an everlasting love. Even here your King Jesus will make you [...]. Naz. de Pace. Quid tibi vi­debitur divina, lux cum illam suo locorideris? tum in tenebris vixisse dices, cū totam lucem totus aspexeris, quam nunc per angustissimas oculorum vias obscur e intue­ris, & tamen admiraris tam procul. Sen. Ep. 102. Aliud est se­cundum opera reddere, aliud propter ipsa opera reddere. Greg. Neque enim ea rimus otiosi spectatores, sed participes glo­riae. Bern. Gaudium in re, gaudiū in spe, gaudium de pos­sessione, gaudi­um depromissi­one, gaudium de praesenti ex­pectatione, gaudium de futura exhibi­tione. Bern. de temp. 15. Kings and Priests to God; Rev. 1. 6. he lookes upon you as a chosen generation, a royal priest­hood, [Page 35] an holy nation, a peculiar people: You have a potent King and carefull Protector, who will take your part, and revenge your wrongs, whilest you keep close to him and walk in his wayes, and when you have done and suffered for him a while, and overcome by his strength, you shall sit down with him in his Throne, even as he overcame, and is sate down with his Father in his throne; this is the portion of their cup, who are the followers of the Lambe: this is the blessedness of those who kiss the sonne, and trust him: they shall not sit under the sha­dow of a Bramble, but every one under the shadow of his own Vine, Figtree, and O­live. In a word you that kiss him, shall be kissed of him; you that embrace him, shall be embraced by him, you that love him, shall be loved of him, and his Father; you that cordially obey him, shall be ever­lastingly saved by him, and rewarded with all that good he hath purchased for, and pro­mised to his people: And what will draw you in, if neither the danger of ruin, nor the certainty of a blessed reward? I'le trouble you but with one thing more, and then conclude; and this also, at least by conse­quence, ariseth from the Psalm. See you not here what combinations, and unions of e­nemies, [Page 36] there are against this King that God hath set up? to hinder the settlement and enlargment of his kingdome, and is it not then fit, nay equall and just, that the subjects of this King should joyn and unite hearts, heads, and hands, for their King a­gainst their common enemy? Shall Herod and Pilate be made friends to oppose Christ, and shall not Paul and Barnabas unite to advance Christ? doth not our Saviour tell us, that a kingdome divided against it self cannot stand? would then Christs own sub­jects so delight in divisions, and maintain animosities among themselves, if they did seriously consider how much they did here­by strengthen Sathans and weaken their So­veraignes Kingdome? what an honour was it for the primitive Christians, when the heathens could look upon them, and say, Be­hold, [...] Chryst. in Heb. Non potest con­cōrdiam habere cum Christo. qui discors esse voluerit cum Christiano Aug. Charitas tolerat quos a­mat, amat quos tolerat. Greg. in Ezech. how the Christians love one another? and then how was Religion in credit, and did flourish? but alas! what a shame is it that enemies should see and say: Behold how these Christians hate one another (and that often for petty differences) and how is Re­ligion scorned and decayed?

Fathers and Brethren, ought not this to be a lamentation? and what hope have we to find a remedy for this ruining malady? when those very many Irenicums that both Presse and Pulpit have lately sent forth have proved Polemicums? Oh! that our re­flections in this particular might be seri­ous and our amendment visible. But perhaps some may say to me, as one once said to Luther in an other case Abi in cellam & dic miserere nostri, truly I shall willingly obey, and say as the Psalmist, I will give my self unto prayer, only first give me leave toPsal. 109. 4. mind you of a few Sriptures, and then I have done. 1. Cor. 1. 10. I beseech you bre­thren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that yee all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind, and in the same judgment. And that of the same Apostle to the Philipians. chap. 2. 1, 2, 3. If there be any consolation in Christ, if any com­fort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any bowells and mercies, fullfill ye my joy that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind, let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, &c. I shall shut up all with that high praise of peace and u­nion Psalm. 133. Behold how good, and how [Page 38] pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell to­gether in unitie, it is like the precious ointment on the head, that ran down on the beara, even Aarons beard, and went down on the skirts of his garments; as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountaines of Zion, for there the Lord commanded the bles­sing, even life for evermore.