TWO SERMONS PREACHED IN Scotland before the King's MAJESTY: The one, in his Chapel Royal of Holy-Roode-house at his Highness coming in: The other, in the Church of Drumfreis at his Highness going out: By W. COWPER, Bishop of Galloway, and Deane of his majesties Chapel Royal. NOLI ALTUM SAPERE printer's or publisher's device LONDON, Printed by G. P. for john Budge, and are to be sold at his shop in Paul's Churchyard, at the green Dragon. 1618. TO THE RIGHT Reverend Father in God, james, Lord Bishop of Winton, Deane of his majesties Chappell-Royall, and one of his majesties most Honourable Privy Counsel. MY LORD: SHortly after his majesties departure from Drumfreis, to Carleel, I posted away these two little Sermons, under hope they might serve for witnesses of my willing affection to have attended his Majesty in the rest of the journey, if the condition, either of my person, which is infirm, or of the place, which was no longer pertinent to me, could so have permitted. How they were miscarried, I know not, belike they have taken in the Western way, wherein their father and fellows had not been accustomed to walk before them: always, after long wandering, they returned back again unto me, but not without good tidings; for the one of them told me, he was certainly informed, to find favour with my Lord Duke of Lennox his Grace, who still kept in mind that Welcome, given to his Majesty in the Royal Chapel of the Palace of Holy-roode-house, at his majesties coming in. The other seemed to me no less confident that he would be countenanced by my Lord Marquis of Buckingham, who did likewise remember the admonition given to the worthy Nobles of England; as also, that hearty Acclamation of the people, who seemed to power out their hearts with their voices, and cries, for his majesties preservation in the Church of Drumfreis, at his majesties going out. Both these I easily believed, when I called to mind the continual, and constant kindness, which through long experience I had found of the one, and that rare humanity of the other, evident toward all, and whereof it pleased his Lordship when he was here, to give me a special proof. Yet could I not presume to present such base, and unapparelled Pilgrims to so Noble, and high Personages. Sure I am, if they could have overtaken that Reverend, Grave, & most Learned Prelate, my Lord Bishop of Ely, they had not wanted a Patron; for I knew from himself, that nothing coming from the B. of Candida Casa, would be unwelcome to his Lordship for Amphibalus sake, harboured in Mona, by Crathlint King of Scots, and protected there, with the Christians that fled with him from the bloody persecution of Dioclesian. But when I had considered all, I thought it most kindly, since they come from the Dean of his majesties Chapel here, they should take their course directly to your Lordship, Deane of his highness Royal Chapel there. My Lord, they are Strangers; I trust your Lordship will use them kindly; all the favour I crave, is, that your Lordship would once bring them under his majesties eye, there to receive their sentence, whether they shall be committed to the Press, that they wander no more; or then returned home again, until they gather further strength, to do for themselves. So rests, Your Lordships own in jesus Christ, W. B. of Galloway. HIS majesties COMING IN. PSAL. 121. VERS. 8. The Lord shall preserve they going out, and thy coming in, from henceforth, and for ever. My help is in the Name of the Lord. THis verse contains an Oracle or heavenly answer given from the great King jehovah, sum of this Verse. to David his Deputie-King in Canaan, and it cometh this Day to another King, the Successor of David, and Deputy also of jehovah in Britain, bringing with it a hearty welcome, and a most sure promise of a safe-conduct to our Sovereign in His coming in, and going out. Euthymius said of the one, David was the heart, the tongue, and pen of the great King. to wit, of David, 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 own sort competent to our Sovereign. A King whose heart hath proved indivertible from God, How this is also competent to our Sovereign. qui ●ec minis, nec muneribus à vera fide flectiposset: a King, whose tongue doth plead the cause of God, that they who stand about him to minister unto him, may daily hear, and see Regem Philosophantem, & Philosephum regnantem: a King, whose pen, though it hath not penned Canonical Scripture, & (that Canon was completed by S. john) yet hath it explained Canonical Scripture, and propagated to many Kings and Nations the knowledge of God his Eternal Truth, unknown to them before. The present Age admires it, the subsequent shall be forced to acknowledge it, there reigneth this day in Britain, & long may he reign in it, a King, who in his own degree is also primi Regis & cor, & lingua, & calamus, 1. Tim. 1.17. and unto whom that supreme Majesty, who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, cometh this comfortable promise of protection, The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, &. This verse is to be resolved in a promise. This verse, by some of the Divines, is resolved in a Prayer, by others in a Promise, both agreeable to the analogy of Faith, but the second most consonant to the course of this Psalm: for in the first two verses, David sendeth up his Prayer to the Lord, in the remanent six, the Lord sends down his answer to David, full of comfortable promises, whereof this is the last, and hath in it these circumstances to be considered. Four circumstances to be considered in this verse. First, who is it that makes the promise, the Lord. Next, to whom is the promise made, it lurks in this word, thy. He who in the beginning of the Psalm lifted up his eyes to the Lord, protesting that his help came from him, who made the heaven, and the earth, receives this answer, The Lord shall preserve thy coming, and thy going. Thirdly, the benefit promised, is preservation. Last, the qualities of this preservation; these are twofold; First, it is total, He shall preserve thee in all thy ways both coming and going. Next, it is perpetual, From henceforth, and for ever shall the Lord preserve thee. Thus have we the little body of this Text shortly anatomised, both the method and matter thereof explained. The first circumstance than 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 preserveth such as are his: The Lord keepeth the feet of his Saints, said Anna the Mother of Samuel. He numbereth the hairs of our head, said our Saviour. O what a care! O what a vigilance is this! from the sole of our foot, to the hair of our head, doth the protection of the Lord overshaddow us. 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 hair of thy head falls not to the ground, but by his providence; what great care hath he of thy soul? And as this is the Lords praise, All the godly reserve to the Lord the praise of their preservation. Psal. 91.11. that he preserveth his Saints, so they reserve it unto him, and will not give it to any other, they know he hath given his Angels charge over them, to keep them in all their ways, not for any need he hath of them, but for our comfort. Cyrill. Alexand. Con●. julian. Deus Angel●s utitur, non quòd ipse ad saluandum sit infirmus; he uses them, not as if he were weak himself without them, but to help our weakness, that we may know howsoever our enemies be many 2. King 6. Though they have all secondary helps, yet do they not trust in them. Adrichom. descrip. Hierus. (yet as Elisha said to his servant) Fear not, for they that be with us, are more, than they that be with them. David had the strong City of jerusalem, the glory of the earth, as the Psalmist calls it, Inter urbes totius orbis miraculum, ideoque silentio magis, quam infirmo sermone honoranda, a City among all the Cities of the world a wonder, and therefore to be praised rather with silence then infirm eloquence. There David had his residence. In the highest part of it he had the strong sort of Zion, but the Tower wherein he trusted, was higher than it. He had a guard of Cherethites, and Pelethites, 2. Sam. 23.39. with seven and thirty valiant Worthies to attend his Royal person; these he used to serve him, but abused them not to trust in them. Psal. 44.6. I trusted not in my bow, nor my sword. Thou, Lord, savest me from my adversaries. Many a time all secondary helps failed him: his son Absalon rose against him; his Counsellor Achitophel betrayed him; his Subjects forsook him; the Ziphims discovered him; in his need Nabal refused him; yea, his own heart fainted in him: Psal. 73. Psal. 27.10. but (says he) God, the portion of my soul, fails me never: though my Father and my Mother should forsake me, the Lord will gather me up. Nothing can secure that soul, Prou. 18. Ambros. They can never be secured, to whom the Lord is not a surety. which runs not to the Name of the Lord, as unto a strong Tower. Omnia timet, qui unum non timet: he feareth all things, who fears not One. Among many, let the Roman Monarch Tiberius, stand for an example: he wanted no worldly pillar that might underprop him; yet because he made not the Lord his refuge, he was never in surety, timeo incustoditos aditus, timco ipsos custodes: I fear, said he, the passages, which are not kept, yea, I fear them who are set to be keepers of me. But the soul which trusteth in the Lord, finds rest in him, and rejoices with David, Psal. 27.1. The Lord is the strength of my soul, of whom shall l be afraid? But let us stand a little here, What a great Majesty the Lord, Ichova is. and for our greater comfort consider what a Lord this is, who makes the promise: he is called in the Text, jehovah. This name the jews called nomen ineffabile. No marvel, the word itself is easily pronounced, the Majesty named by it, is more than can be manifested, or perceived, it imports Him to be that only true subsisting Lord, who hath his Being of himself, and gives Being to all things which are. Mystery of the Trinity to be reverenced. Some presumptuous Spirits, out of their idle speculations, are bold to talk of the Trinity, as they do of their A.B.C. As if nothing were in the Divine Majesty, which their narrow brain could not comprehend, or the Lord were no more, than they conceive him to be, Pisul● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. but the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath a supereminence inutterable; they who will search his glory, Dangerous to search in the divine Maiestly more than is revealed. shallbe oppressed with it: if the eye content not with the light which the Sun sends down, but will needs look up to the Sun itself, it is dazzled incontinent, and loseth the sight which it had before; and the mind which mounts up to search the secret of the Divine Majesty, many a time in Gods righteous judgements becomes witless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sendeth great darkness on such as curiously dare inquire of his Essence. Pisida in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We should be in such sort thankful for that which God hath revealed to us of himself, that we be also fearful to search out, that which is secret. The name of Ieho●a sometime shortly set down in Scripture. 1. Cor. 4. This name jehovah we find it in holy Scripture sometime contracted, sometime enlarged: the Lord himself gives this to Moses for his name, I AM hath sent thee. Neither man nor Angel can in truth speak so; for man is a mutable creature, his life is but momentany, and he liveth, so long as he liveth, in a passing moment only, one goes away to give place unto another, the moments which are passed since his first moving, return not again unto him, & those which are to come, he cannot be said to live in them. In this name I AM there are but two syllables; before a man can pronounce the second, he is changed from that which he was, when he pronounced the first: how then can he 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 never abides in one estate? And as to Angels, albeit they be now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Noz●an. Orat. 2. the Theolog. immutable, propter gratiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quae iam illis ab jesu tributa est, for that grace of unchangeableness, which by jesus is now given unto them, yet are they of their own nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, changeable by will, or of their own accord, and as is to be seen by them, who fell: for if the nature of Angels had been unchangeable of itself, than none of them had fallen from their first estate. Sometime again this name jehovah: The same name sometime enlarged by circumlocution. Zaac●, de divinis attribu●●● l. ●●3 we find it in holy Scripture enlarged by this Periphrasis frequently used in the Revelation, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The learned Doctor Zanchius hath observed, that this name jehovah 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 we have this same Doctrine better warranted by this circumlocution of the holy Ghost; jehovah is the Lord, who was, who is, and who willbe: 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 he of whom, when I say that he was, it takes not away that he is, and willbe; and when I say that he willbe, it takes not away that he was, and he is. No Angel, no man, no creature can claim this; it is a glory proper to the lord Ec●l●s. 1.4. One generation passeth, and another generation succeed, but the earth remains for ever. Much more doth he remain, Heb. 1.11 12. who hath laid the foundation, and established the pillars thereof: The heavens shall wax old, as doth a garment, but thou, O Lord, art the same, and thy years shall not fail. What a great comfort we have in this, that our God, was, is, and willbe. Math. 22.32. O what a great Lord is our God, and what a comfort have we in this, that he was, and he is, and he will be! Can that people be destroyed by death, whose God is the Lord? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. In the mystical body all the life is in the head: so long as the head keeps life, the body, yea, no member of the body can perish. Therefore said our Saviour, job. 14. Because I live, ye shall live also. Only let our care be to be found in Him: so shall we be sure of a happy being for ever and ever. The second circumstance: to whom is this promise made. The second circumstance points at the person to whom the promise is made, and it lurks, as I said, in this word (thy.) In the beginning of the Psalm David prayed unto the Lord; and here the Lord answers him with a promise of preservation. The Prayer of Saints is not powered out in vain: jam. 5.16. it availeth much, if it be fervent. It is a sweet gradation which our Saviour uses to that woman of Samaria, john. 4.10. If thou knewst, thou wouldst ask, if thou askedst, I would give. Aug. de temp. Ser. 226. Therefore said Augustine, Oratio clavis est ●oeli, That Prayer was the key of heaven: ascendit oratio, & discendit Dei miseratio. Prayer of Saints is never powered out in vain. Prayer goes up, and mercy comes down. Neither can it be otherwise, for he to whom we pray as to our King prays in us, as our Prophet, teaching us to pray, and prays for us, as our Priest: Orat in nobis, ut Propheta, orat pro nobis, ut sacerdos, oratur à nobis, ut Rex. And hereof comes this efficacy of Prayer, that it is Deo sacrificium, Daemonibus flagellum, oranti subsidium: a sacrifice to God, a scourge to the Devil, a subsidy and help to him that uses it. Prayer compared to the Elephant's snout, and why? Pier. H●erogl. de Eleph. The Elephant's snout serves him for all offices, and all armour: Elephantus, cum 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 itself, he lifts up his snout on high, and thereby draws in breath to conserve his life. It fareth even so with a Christian, when he is overwhelmed with the waters of many tribulations, than he stretches out his Prayer on high, and draws down grace; which upholds him that he lie not down under 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 soul. No life in the body without breath: no life to the soul without Prayer: no time unmeet for breathing, and no time unmeet for praying. Prayer is a marvelous kind of husbandry, Prayer a marvelous kind of husbandry. it soweth seed in the heaven, and reapeth fruit in the earth and heaven also. It is a common thing to see the earth watered by the heavens, but a rare thing to see heaven watered by the earth. 1. Sam. 7.6. When lsrael fasted at Mizpeh, they drew water, to wit, out of the cistern of their heart, and powered it out before the Lord. There is a shower that ascends and goeth upward. When thou from a contrite, and melting heart, send'st up tears to the Lord, as witnesses of they unfeigned repentance, they fall not to the ground, Psal. 56.8. for the Lord gathers them in his bottle, then doth the earth water the heaven. A notable encouragement to Prayer. If thou wert (said chrysostom) to labour a fruitful land, wouldst thou spare seed upon it? what then should we do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are called to be Labourers of the heaven, a fruitful Canaan, not flowing with milk and honey, but overflowing with peace, joy, and glory? Seeing the earth rendereth to us with manifold increase such as we give unto it, will the heavens fail? Psal. 126.5. No: be sure, they that sow in tears, shall reap in joy: and otherwise, Qui parcè s●minat, parcè metet: 2. Cor. 9.6. he that soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly. And in this we have all need to rebuke our own hearts, that we spare seed upon so fruitful a husbandry, and defraud ourselves of so great and glorious things promised, only because we do not more frequently and fervently ask them. David his Prayer is in two verses. God his answer is in six. Again, David his Prayer is absolved in the two first verses: the Lords Answer is in the subsequent six. There is no equality between that which we seek, and that which the Lord will give: for his praise is, Ephes. 3.20. that he is able to do abundantly above all that we can ask or think. Aug. de Temp. Semper maiora tribuit, quam promittit? Seeing he giveth always more than himself promises, what marvel he gives more, than we can ask? Born. in Cant. Serm. 83. Non pari ubertate, fluunt amans & amor, Creator & creatura: the love of the Creator, who is love itself, and the love of the creature flow not alike plentifully, no more than the strand and the great Ocean. The Lord always gives more than we can crave. Out of our love toward him, we may seek him, but it is nothing in respect of his love toward us, wherewith he will comfort, and replenish us. Our Prayer to him is like the flowing of a little strand, but his answer to us is like the flowing of the Ocean. 1. King. 3.11. Solomon prayed, and the Lord gave him more than he sought. Gen. 18.23, 24. etc. At six Petitions Abraham brought down the Lord from fifty to ten. Every Petition returned with a vantage: at last he ceased to pray, or the Lord ceased to answer, and, which is the point, gave him more, than he craved, at least, expressed in his Prayer, to wit, deliverance to Lot. The third circumstance presents unto us the benefit promised, The third Circumstance is of the benefit promised, to wit, Preservation. to wit, preservation: The Lord shall preserve. The word Shamar imports a most tender preservation: from it comes Shemuroth, signifying the eyelids, 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 covers the eye, so the Lord preserves his own. he that touches you, touches the apple of mine eye: so dear and tender is his church unto him, that he feeleth the least offence done unto it. The Church is the apple of the Lords eye, and the Lord is the covering 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 harm him; for his buckler covered him thoroughly. job. 1.10. The Lord was a hedge unto job, Satan himself confessed he could not get thorough it, howsoever many a time he assayed it, to have done evil unto job. I need not multiply foreign examples. The power of divine preservation most evident in our King. What the power of divine preservation is, never King, since the days of David, can witness better than our Sovereign; the Lord hath made his Majesty glorious by deliverances, Psal. 144.10. he hath rescued his Servant from the hurtful sword, yea, these wretched Instruments of Satan, who by Sorcery laid snares for his Sacred life, being confounded in themselves, that nothing could succeed with them, got this answer from their most miserable master, that He was The man of God. Yet being loath to discover his own weakness, spoke it in such a language as for the present they understood not. Let therefore Romish Rabsache rail, Romish Rabsache, and his Tulipantic Frogs not to be feared. as he hath done, against the Lords Anointed, whom he hath set over us; let his Emissaries spew out their venomous and blasphemous boastings, Leo ●aruis non terretur, the Lion is not terrified with Bugs. Psal. 21.7. Because the King trusteth in the mercy of the most High, therefore he shall not fall. His enemies are forced to lament in secret, that none of their attempts have prospered. The Tulipantic Frogs have plotted in powder, and laid subtle subterranean snares to accomplish the malice of their heart, but all in vain, blessed be the Lord for it; for he hath preserved, and will preserve the coming, and the going of his own Anointed. The promise of preservation is of●●n repeated. But seeing this same promise of preservation was made before (for from the third verse to the end of the Psalm, six sundry times is this word of keeping or preserving repeated;) why is it now made over again? not without cause: for this doubling and redoubling serves 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 own net, or to cause their mouth to kiss their own hand, A●a●. 16. as if their own hand had helped them, 〈◊〉 3●. 27. this is to impute their deliverance to their Calf, and therefore often is this resounded, The Lord, the Lord. Is thy estate advanced? ●he Lord hath done it. Hast thou been preserved from desperate dangers? Look up to the Lord, thy help is from on high, and to him let the praise be returned. Secondly, For a remedy of our diffidence. it is for a remedy of our natural diffidence: the Word of the Lord in itself is as sure when it is spoken, as when it is sworn; as sure spoken once, as when it is oftener repeated, yet is not the Lord content to speak only, but to swear also, nor to speak once, but often, one and the self-same thing: The reason is showed us by the Apostle, that hereby he may declare to the heirs of promise this stability of his counsel. Heb. 6. Gen. 21.32. As joseph spoke of Pharaoh his vision, It was doubled, because the thing is established by God, and God hasteth to perform it; so is it with every Word of the Lord, when it is repeated, it is because it is established, and GOD hastens to perform it. The fourth and last circumstance showeth to us the qualities of this preservation, The fourth circumstance is, of the qualities of this preservation: first, it is total, secondly, it is perpetual. Psal. 121. ●. 7. Arnobius in Psal. and they are two: first, it is total, not in one, but in all thy ways shall the Lord preserve thee, in thy coming in, and thy going out, from all evil shall the Lord preserve thee. Next, it is perpetual, from henceforth and for ever. Hilarius, and Arnobius expound this too strictly: Arnobius takes it this way: Custodit introitum tuum ad poenitentiam, & exitum tuum de corpore: He preserves thy coming into repentance, and thy going out of the body: Hilarius expound this place too strictly. Hilarius, again, Non est huins saeculi custodia haec, this preservation (says he) pertains not to this life, but is to be understood of our going out of this life, and of our entry to the life to come; he seems to have forgotten that place of the Apostle, Godliness hath the promise both of this life, 1. Tim. 4.5. Basile. Chr●s●st. Euthim. expound it more judiciously. Man his l●fe is a coming and going. and of the life to come. Basile, chrysostom, and Euthymius, take it better up: by coming and going out they understand 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 natural and universal course thereof; so patient job makes a short abridgement of his life: Naked came I, and naked shall I return. The like after him hath Saint Paul, In respect of the natural course of it. job. 1 21. 1. Tim. 6.7. Act. 1.21. Eccles. 6.4. Heb. 13.14. We brought nothing into the World, and it is certain nothing we can carry out. The whole life of our Lord is comprised by Saint Luke, in these two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The like short description hath Solomon of our life; Man cometh into vanity, and goeth into darkness. In them all ye see, there is a coming and a going, no standing nor abiding. There is no continuing City, yea, which is not observed to make us wise as we should; even in our coming we begin to go away. Nazian. de ●ominis vililale. Ex quo nascimur, incipimus mori: so soon as we are borne, we begin to die: for our life is rapidissimus cursus à tumulo ad tumulum: a most speedy course from one grave to another; from the belly of our mother, to the bosom of our great Mother. Gregor. moral. lib. 25. Vita haec crescendo decr●scit: this life in growing weareth away: as the turning of a wheel draws a thread from the wool, till all be gone: so every revolution of the Sun in the Firmament, Seneca. twineth from us a day, till at length all be consumed: quotidie pars aliqua vitae demitur, every day some part of our life is taken from us. Next, In respect of the personal actions of men in their life. our life is called a coming in, and a going out, in respect of the personal actions of men in their life: so is it comprised in the Law; Blessed sh●lt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed when thou goest out; De●t. 28.6. that is, in all thy actions, and in all thy ways thou shalt be blessed. Our life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a turning about from one thing to another, and from that, back again to the former: What now we crave for a recreation, incontinent becomes a weariness▪ for the most desired pleasures in the world, if they were perpetual, should become painful; and what now we reject for weariness, in a short time we return to it for recreation; from resting, For our life is a turning in a circular motion. we rise to walk; from walking, again we sit down to rest; and so forth of all the actions of our life. Sola vicissitudine relevamur: we are only 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 human things tumbled, and turned about continually unto the same, le's not men be happy in this life. The like hath Nazianzen, Nazian. Inmorem rotae volubili vertigine voluuntur sur sum, dear sum omnia: After the form of a Wheel, by a most speedy motion are all things turned upside down, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; now these flourishing, now these fading and falling away, ut auris potius sit fidere, aut scriptis in aqua l●teris, quam hominum foelicitati: So that it is better to trust unto the winds, which change continually, or to letters drawn in the water whereof no mark, or similitude remains, then to trust unto the felicity of man upon earth. Let all men learn to be sober, in that estate wherein they stand, persuading themselves, 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 nearer, beside both these, which are common unto all men, here is a promise of protection to godly Kings in the doing of their office: for this coming in, and going out, is a Periphrasis familiarly used by the Spirit of God, to express the Royal function. I am now (said Moses) an hundredth and twenty year old, and can no more go out and in before you: Deut. 31.2. that is, I can no more do the Office of a Governor unto you. And again, when he prayed for joshua, 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 sheep without a Shepherd. This same is more clear out of that Prayer of Solomon: 1. King. 3.7. I am but young, and know not how to go in and out. Now what he means by this, he expounds himself: Give to thy servant an understanding heart, that I may discern between good and bad, and may judge thy people. So that to go out and in before the people, is to judge the people rightly, and to discern between the good and the evil. A godly and religious Ruler is a great blessing to a people. Of this first may appear, what a great blessing of God a religious Ruler is, walking himself in the way of righteousness, and leading his people both by Law, and example to follow him: when he so rules his Subjects, as only caring how to make them subjects unto God. Ex. Aenca Sil●●o. Such was the Princely and most Christian disposition of Frederic the Emperor, who being demanded, whom of his subjects he loved best, answered, Them who so please me, that in no case they will displease God. As the King leadeth, so commonly the people follow. 〈◊〉 decad. 1. 〈◊〉 1. Ipsi se homines in Regis velut unici exempli mores formant: men fashion themselves to the manners of the King, as their only pattern, and example. Fulg●m●●d Tie-dog. 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 save, or destroy many with themselves; if they be evil, they are evil to others, and to themselves, if they be good, they can not but do good unto others. 2. Kin. 13.6. Also a wicked jeroboam will cause Israel to sin; 2. C●ro●. 30 9 but a good Ezekiah will turn them again unto the lord Eccl. 10 17. Blessed art thou, O Land, when thy King is the son of Nobles, that is, noble for virtue, wisdom and godliness. When the Ruler of the Land dare cast the first stone at Adulterers, job. 8.7. being innocent himself: Nehom. 5.13. When he dare with Nehemiah shake his lap against Oppressors, being free of Oppression himself: Such a one with a good conscience may pray as he did, Nehom. 5.19. O my God, remember me in goodness, according to all that I have done for this people. Again, 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 coming in, and a going out; the end of one business, is the beginning of another. The Egyptians were wont to figure vigilancy, by the lions head. Pier. ●●●og. lib. 1. cap. 4. Manethon the Egyptian, in his writs to Herodotus, gives out, that the Lion sleeps not at all, though Aristotle with better reason affirm, Nullum animal perpetua uti vigilia: that no creature can watch continually: yet two things moved them to that opinion, the one was, that when the Lion resteth, he stirreth his tail continually: the other is, quòd Leo magnos habeat oculos, & palp●bras as adeoparu●s, ut non possint oculum penitùs obtegere: He is like the Lion, who sleeping looks up, and is always moving, even when he rests. that the Lion hath great eyes, and so little eyelids, as are not able to cover the eye fully, therefore is it that even in sleeping, the Lion looks as if he were waking. However it be, hereby properly is figured the restless care of conscientious Kings. They may lie (as one says) in beds of ivory, trimmed with carpets of Egypt, but over-hanged with curtains of care: their minds are in a continual 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 Royal Office can not be borne out, without the Royal unction. for it is ars artium regere hominem, were not as the calling is singular, so it hath a singular unction accompanying it. Presumptuous men, out of their ignorant minds, may think themselves fit enough for the highest places. But let men beware to usurp; for a Royal office without the Royal unction, is a burden that will bear down and oppress the stoutest, the strongest, and the wisest. A warning to usurpers of the Royal calling. Damocles may stand for an example, who being set in the Chair of King Dionysius, when he looked up to the sword hanging above his head, loathed all the honour and pleasure offered to him by such as were appointed to serve him, and was well content quickly to quit his place; and no marvel: for it was not his calling, and therefore had he not that unction, that only maketh men strong, able and meet for the calling. But to return, Sardanapalus & Dom●●●●n, loitering and idle Emperor's. a conscientious King (for so are they who have the calling, and the unction) is full of cares, he is not like that womanly Emperor of Assyria, Sardanapalus, of whose base behaviour it is shame to speak among men, nor yet like that Roman Emperor Domitian, Plat. quitantae fuit desidiae ut in cubiculo solus acuto stilo muscas configeret: who was so given to idle loitering, that he would sit alone all day in his chamber, pricking at Flies with a sharp bodkin. Good Ichosaphat a conscientious and laborious King. But a good King is like that good jehosaphat, of whom it is written, that he went and returned through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, setting judges in the Land, City by City, and bringing home again to the Lord God of their Fathers, such as had fallen from him, 2. Chron. 19.4. from one Province, one City, one house to another, he travaileth continually, exercising his Royal function. Blessed be the Lord, Such a King hath God in mercy set over us, travailing from one end of the Kingdom to the other, for discharge of his Office. who hath set such a jehosaphat over us, who taketh the pains, and counteth it his pleasure to travel from one end of the I'll to the other, for the good of his people. In respect of them from whom he cometh, his Majesty his journey is a going out, they look after him, not without sorrow, as unto the Sun descending, comforted only with assured hope, that it will shortly rise again unto them. In respect of us it is a coming in, yea, a coming home, and his majesties subjects here of all estates look unto him with joy, as a Sun rising, which long had been absent from them. We wish, that as in the days of josua the Sun stayed in Gib●ah, I●sh. 10.12. and the Moon in the valley of Aialen: A wish, that his Majesty might bide with us, but limited. so this Land might for ever enjoy the presence of our Sovereign; but in this the will of our God, and the will of our Sovereign must be the limits of our desires. At least the tokens of his presence, in reformation of our evils, may be left behind him. Yet as the Sun rolling in his Sphere, benefits every place, whereupon he shineth, and leaveth tokens of remembrance till he come again: so is it expected, that his majesties coming into this Land, shall be like the rain upon grass new mown, where the scythes of the Sons of A●ak have cut down the meadows to the very roote●: we are in hope that his coming shall be like the showers that water the earth, Psal. 72.6, 7. to make it grow and revert again, th●t in his days the righteous may flourish, and abundance of peace may be. Praised be the Lord, we do already enjoy the fruits of his highness happy government: for now the mountains and the hills bring peace to his people by justice, P●●l. 72.3. and the voice of wont Oppressors is not heard in our borders. Yet remains there one evil in the heart of the Land, Sacrilege, an evil in the h●a●t of this K●ngdome, hurtful to all the estates thereof. which I may call the King's evil, not that the King is either author or allower of it, but because the evil so desperate as cannot be cured, but by a touch of the King's hand; this is Sacrilege, a Pestilence that dissolveth the Pillars of the earth, a Canker that corrupteth the whole body, and hurteth all, Great men, Church men, and Commons. Many Great men embrace the curse of Zeba and Zalmunna for a blessing, To Nobles & Great men. Psal. 83.11▪ 12. they will inherit God's mansions as their own: they so appropriate all to themselves, that nothing is spared to the Lord for the maintenance of his Gospel: they will not see that it is abomination to devour that which is sanctified, No word here of dejection of e●ection●. Ge●. 41▪ 21. till it have devoured them, and their whole estate: they are like pharao's lean kine that devoured the fat, and were never a whit the fatter themselves: for this sin among other, many houses in the Land spew out their old Inhabitants. To the Gentry & Common●. The Gentry and Commons are heavily endamaged by it. A common thing to see the Tithes eat up the stock, and abused Law being made the forcible mean of lawless oppression. But which is worst of all, a most famous, and ancient Church oppressed with poverty in many of her members, Most of all to an ancient Church, like to perish through poverty. is like to languish and decay, the Children cry for bread, and in many parts of the Land there is none to give it, nothing being left in sundry Parishes, not so much as the small teinds of the Vicarage for maintenance of a Pastor. I do prejudice 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 six hundred years, since the Lord promised to give the ends of the earth in a possession to his Christ, Psal. 2.8. and it is now sixteen hundred years since the Lord began to perform it: for in the sixscore & four year of our Lord, Donald King of Scots, and Lucius King of South Britain embraced the Christian faith; The Churches of Scotland and England received not the Christian faith from Rome. None of the Churches of this I'll, neither that in the South, nor that in the North, received the Faith from the Church of Rome. It is true indeed, at the desire of King Lucius, there was sent to him from the Bishop of Rome, Damianus and Fugatianus to confirm him in the faith; but Baronius the Romish Cardinal is forced to confess, Baron. a●ales. quòd diu ante Euangeliam Christi illuc perlatum erat: that long before their coming, For the meaning o● this place, See Baron. a●al●s, a●no Ch●i●●. 183. T●r●●ll. adversus jud. ●os. ca 78. the Gospel of Christ was brought thither, that is, to this I'll. And for us, that place of Tertullian, without all exception, proveth the antiquity of this Church: Brittannorum loca Romanis inaccessa, evangelio Christi subdita sunt: that two hundred years after Christ, this Church was famous through the world for her Christianity: and shall she now in her old age perish and decay through poverty? shall julian's persecution undo her? shall the rents of her Schools, Colleges and Churches be rest from her, and nothing or little left to maintain Learning and Religion? O! what an ingratitude is here? The Lord cometh to us with the abundance of the blessing of his Gospel, offering to us the riches of his mercy, and grace, and we think him not worthy entertainment. 1. C●r. 9.11. If we have (said the Apostle) sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter that we reap your carnal things? The conclusion, wherein the remedy of ●●c●ledge, before, called the King's E●●l, is referred to a touch of the King's hand. G. il 2●. 12. But contenting me to have pointed at this evil, I leave the remedy thereof to that rare wisdom, wherewith God hath endued your Sacred Majesty, and conclude as I began. jacob in his journey to Padan Aram, was comforted with a vision; he saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon it, assuring him that the Lord would be with him both in his going and his coming: the like this day cometh from the Lord to our jacob, in his journey. The Lord shall preserve thy goingout, and thy coming in, from henceforth and for ever. We lift our hearts, And the King committed to the blessing of God. and our hands to the God of heaven, and beseech him graciously to perform it, for jesus Christ's sake, to whom with the Father, and holy Ghost, be all praise, and honour. Amen. A form of Grace, used ordinarily at his majesties Table, after meat, in Scotland, by the Dean of his Chapel. PRaised be the Lord, who daily ladeth us with his benefits. The Lòrd is our Sun and Shield, he giveth grace, and will give glory, and no good thing shallbe withholden from them, who love him. Lord, Save thy Church universal. O God, Preserve thy Servant our gracious Sovereign: Grant him long to reign over us a happy King of many blessings to thy people. Bless his Noble Queen, with the hopeful Prince Charles, the Prince, and Princess Palatine, and their children. Lord, let us never want one of his highness Royal Race to sit upon his Throne. God give us all mercy for our sins, with grace, and peace in lesus Christ. Amen. HIS majesties GOING OUT. Psal. 80. verse 17. Let thy hand be with the Man of thy right hand and the Son of man, whom thou hast made strong for thyself. My help is in the Name of the LORD. AS your majesties Coming into this Kingdom to visit the one of your Twins, His majesties coming in, was welcomed with a promise. The two Kingdoms, his Majesty called his two Twins, in his Parliament speech at Edenberough. Now his going out is accompanied with a Prayer. was welcomed with a promise of divine protection, The Lord shall preserve thy coming in, and thy going out, which (praised be the Lord) he hath hitherto graciously performed: So now your Returning to visit the other, is accompanied with a Prayer, which all the Estates of this your highness Kingdom, Nobles, Churchmen, and Commons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, with one heart and voice send up to the Lord, to go with your Sacred Majesty, wheresoever ye go: Let thy hand, O Lord, be with the Man of thy right hand. Seeing our hands cannot always be with your Majesty to attend, and serve your Highness as our bounden duty requires, our hearts shall not cease to cry unto heaven, that the hand of the Lord may be with you. This Psalm hath two Prayers. In this Psalm are two Prayers; one for the Church, that the Shepherd of Israel, who sits between the Cherubins, would mercifully look on her misery, For the Church. and bring again her captivity. The other is a Prayer for such as the Lord had appointed to be the instruments of her deliverance, For the instruments of her diliverance, and these are of two sorts. either spiritual, or temporal. Principally it is a Prayer for the coming of the MESSIAH, the true, and great Redeemer of his people; and so Saint Iero●e expounds this place, The true and Spiritual Redeemer of the Church. Hieron. in hunc Psal. Fiat manus tua super filium hominis, quem confirmasti tibi, id est, ipsum Mediatorem, & salvatorem nostrum. Secondarily, it is a Prayer for all Typical and Temporal redeemers, whom this people expected, for perfiting their promised deliverance, The typical and temporal Redeemers thereof, Cyrus, Zerubb●●el, etc. as Cyrus. Nehemiah, Zerubbabel, and such like: we will then first see how this is a Prayer for the coming of Christ, and next, for his Deputie-Powers here upon earth, raised up 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 well together, as the Type, and the Truth. Such as were spiritual and truly religious among that people, rested not in the temporal promises, which were made unto them, but by them ascended up, and laid hold on the spiritual. Abraham contented not with earthly Canaan, Heb. 11 9.10. he dwelled in it, as in a strange country: for he looked for a better. And here (no doubt) the godly jews do in such sort pray for their deliverance from Babel, that their desire looketh up with an higher eye, for their redemption from sin and Satan by jesus Christ. In all ages the Saints have greatly longed for their Saviour. First then here we h●u● a preier ●or the M●●s●●h. In the Revelation the Church is figured by a Woman, traveling of child: for, Ecclesia semper & ●●lier est, & virgo: the Church is always a Virgin, ●●●●●nt a● Probam. and always a traveling Woman. It is true, one member of the Church, to wit, the blessed Virgin Marie brought him out a very man, like us in all things, except sin; yet all his Saints, both before and after the Incarnation, The Church in all ages longed for him. have their own conception, and traveling, whereby they bring him out, for still Saints are in traveling, till Christ be form in them: yea, Galat. 4 19 they shall not rest, nor be delivered, till by his second appearance he perfect them; and as to them who were before the Incarnation, sure it is, so soon as the Messia was promised, the Church by faith conceived him, she traveled, crying for him by prayer, as earnestly desirous to see him, as a woman desires in due time to see the birth of her womb, & at length by patience in the fullness of time she brought him out Abraham saw his day a far off, & rejoiced that a child was to be borne unto him, in whom all Nations of the earth should be blessed. And (which is the point) the godly in this verse long for him, But the nearer the time of his exhibition came, the more his Saints looked for him. and pray for his Coming, and the nearer the time drew, wherein he was promised to be exhibited, the more desirous were they to see him. All the faithful of that age looked for Redemption in Israel. Of that number was joseph of Arimathea, he waited for the Kingdom 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 arms the promised seed of the woman, and saw with his eyes the salvation of the Lord. And thus have we the first and principal meaning of this prayer, which the Church maketh for the Messia. The Messiah is here three ways described. He is here shortly three ways described, first he is called the Son of God's right hand. Secondly, he is called the son of man. And these two especially respect his person. He is called the Son of God his right hand, and that in three respects. Thirdly, he is called, One whom God hath made strong for himself. And this touches his office. As to the first he is called the Son of God his right hand for three causes: first, in respect of his marvelous generation in both his natures, In respect of his maru●●●ous generation in both his nature's. Na●●an. ●r●t. 4. de silio His unspeakable generation, 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: he was also begotten of his father, but in respect of his father, he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, without a mother, thus every way was he The son of God's right hand. As God, he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the brightness of his father's glory, and the engraven Image of his person. As he is man, he was conceived, and form by the right hand of God, Luke 1.34. so the Angel told Marie, the power of the most high shall over shadow thee, His marvellous generation as man noted in these three names given him. 1 C●r. 15. Cant 4. Dan. 2. therefore in respect of his marvelous human generation, Irenaeus observes these three styles to be given 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 flower of the field, not a flower of the garden, not set or planted by a Gardener, Iren. lib. 3. co●t. Val●nt. but springing up of the own accord, without the labour or industry of man. Thirdly, he is called, A Stone cut out of the mountain without hands, he came of the same mass, whereof all mankind is, but no man helped his generation. 〈◊〉, he is called The Son of God his right hand, 〈…〉 singular love and favour, The Messiah is called the Son of God's right hand, in respect of God his special love 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 bruised thine enemies. Or than it signifies his favour and his love. Psal. At thy right hand are pleasures for evermore: both these are taken up by Nazianzen, Nazian, orat. 7. de compos. disserend. ratione. Manus symbolum est affectionis & actionis, the hand is a sign 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 under the reach of his power, Every Christian is a son of God's right hand, but not as jesus is. but not within the compass of his favour. It is true, every Christian man is also the son of God's right hand: by nature his name is Ben-oni, the son of sorrow: but his father hath changed his name with his estate, called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the son of the right hand. But in a more special sense doth this style belong to the Lord jesus, for with a note extolling him above all his brethren, Matth. 3.17. he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: that son of mine, that beloved, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in whom I am well pleased, through whom I accept others to be my sons, and for whom I love all these whom I love. The Mess●●h is a Son of God's right hand, in respect of his willingness to obey his father. Psal. 40.8. Thirdly, he is the Son of the father's right hand in respect of his most perfect obedience, and ready willingness to do in all things the will of his father, I desired to do thy good will, o my God: when he told his Disciples that he had meat to eat, which they knew not, they understood not what he meaned; but he expounds himself, job. 4. 3●. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. In the second part of the description they call him The son of man, The second point of the Messiah his description is, The Son of man. Zach. 13. Ilb 19 he is in such sort the son of God, that he is also the Son of man, not begotten by man, as we have said before, yet form, and conceived of the seed of man, he is Gnamith jehova, the companion of jehova, he is also, as job calleth him, our Goel or our kinsman. jacob 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 add I●lia●. a precious pearl as Nazianzen calleth him, and why? Nicetas and Elias do tell us, Nicetas S●●l. in Nazian. quip qui non nisi summo cum labour, at que à perpaucis inveniatur, because he is not found but with great labour, Elias in Nazian. ●ra:. 8. the pace. and few are they who find him Tum etiam (ut ait ille) quia ut margarita ex concha, & aqua conflatur ita Christus divinitate & humanitate constat. O what a matter of unspeakable joy is here, but I must contract myself. What great comfort have we in this, that the Son of God is become the Son of man. Man for his transgression received this check from the Lord, Ecce Adam factus est quasi unus ex nobis, but now since the reconciliation by jesus, God manifested in the flesh, man may rejoice and say, Ecce Deus factus est, quasi unus ex nobis. Doubtless this is a strong bulwark of our faith, for since we see that the son of God is become the son of man, clothed with all the infirmities of our nature, except sin, since we see the God of glory humbled to the ignominy of the cross, why shall we doubt that the sons of men, shall also be made the sons of God, and that these vile bodies of ours shall be changed and fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ, Philip. 3.21. especially since for no other end became he the son of man, but to make us the sons of God. The last part of the description is here, The third point of the description of the Messi●s, that God hath made him strong for himself, to do the office of a Redeemer. Esay 61.1. whom thou has● made strong for thyself, this (as I have said) respecteth his threefold office, and his unction to them all. A commentary for this place is that of Esay, I will put my Spirit in him, that he may bring forth judgement to the Gentiles. And again, The spirit of the Lord is upon me, and he hath anointed me, he hath sent me to preach good tidings unto the poor, and to bind up the brokenhearted, etc. what the Psalmist here calls strengthening, the Prophet here calls it anointing, Io●. 6.27. and St. john calls it sealing, for him hath God the father sealed, and what is meant by all these, he expounds himself yet more clearly, job. 1.14. The word was made flesh, and dwelled among us full of grace and truth, job. 3.34. and a little after, God gave him not the spirit by measure, that of his fullness we might all receive grace for grace. Christ made strong for his office by anointing, sealing & pouring of the Spirit upon him. Of all these it is plain how the father is said to have made his son strong for himself, that is, he anointed him, he sealed him, he put his spirit into him, not in a measure, but communicate the fullness of grace to him, that he might be ●rengthened to do unto us the office of a King, to deliver us from our enemies, of a Prophet to teach us the whole counsel of God, and of a Priest, to offer himself in a propitiatory sacrifice for us. In all these appeared his wonderful strength, Aug. de Temp. Ser. 107. passius est ut infirmus, operatus ut fortis, when he suffered like a weak man, than he wrought like a valiant man, The strength of Christ appeared in his greatest weakness. than he darkened the sun, than he rend the vail, than he raised the dead, in his death vide infirmitatem filii hominis, see the infirmity of the so●●e of man; in his victory 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 grain of mustard seed; Luke 13.19. dum resurgit ●●bor est, sub qua aves coeli nidificant, in his resurrection he is like a tree under which the birds of heaven do build their nests. Every way the mighty strength of our strong Redeemer is to be admired, but specially his conquest by suffering, there did appear the weakness of God stronger than man; yea, than all these Principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness, There was never such a work committed to Angel or man, as that which was laid on jesus. that were opposite to him. It was indeed an exceeding great work, which committed to our Mediator, The man lesus, and therefore required a special unction to make him strong unto it. All the Angels of heaven, all the men on earth were not able to have wrought that work. Such a Law was never imponed to man nor Angel, as was imponed to lesus, by his his Father's ordination; & willingly accepted by himself. This was the Law of a Redeemer, The Law of a Redeemer was enjoined to him, which requires more, than the Law moral. wherewith Christ was charged, and none but he, more many manner of ways, than the Law moral whereunto all are subject. The moral Law had two tables, the first commanding the perfect love of God; the next commanding to love our neighbour as ourselves. 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 moral, the first part of the Redeemers law looks up to his Father, the second looks down to his brethren. In the first this commandment was given him, The first looks up to his father and binds him to vindicate the glory of his father's justice & mercy. Thou must vindicate the glory of thy father's mercy and justice. If man be not punished, what shall become of the glory of my justice, and if all men perish under that wrath, which is due to their transgression, what shall become of the glory of my mercy. The Lord jesus hath in wonderful manner preserved them both, for in him the inviolable strictness of his Father's justice hath been manifested, in that he spared not his own son, bearing the burden of our transgression, many fearful examples of divine justice hath been seen since the beginning of the world, but never one like unto this. And many great mercies in all ages hath he showed to his servants, Noah in the ark, Lot in Zoar, Israel beyond the red sea, may stand for examples, but never a mercy like this was manifested in the world, that the Lord gave his only begotten to the death, that such as believe in him might have eternal life. There was the riches of the glory of his mercy wonderfully declared. Thus did the Lord fulfil the commandment of the law of a Redeemer, and preserve the glory both of his father's justice and mercy. The second looks ' down to hisbrethrens, & binds him to vindicate them from all their enemies. The other part of the law respected his brethren, concerning whom, this commandment was given him, thou must love thy brethren, not as thyself only, but more than thyself, thou shalt purchase them life by thine own death, thou shalt save them who have lost themselves, thou shalt redeem their inheritance which they have sold without a price, and as their nearest kinsman, and first-born of thy father's family (according as thou art bound) thou shalt pursue the murderer that slew him, to wit, the Devil, he is without all city of refuge, revenge thou their blood upon him; & like another Abraham, thou must bring home again Lot out of the hands of that Tyrant Chedarlaomer, all this the Lord jesus powerfully performed, for the father fortified him, and made him strong to this work for himself▪ And thus have we seen how these words contain a prayer for the coming of jesus Christ, the great and true Redeemer of his Church. Now this same description is also competent in the second room, We have seen how this pra●er is competent to Ch●ist the true and principal Redeemer of his Church. to secondary instruments, appointed by God to serve under him, for the comfort, deliverance, and government of his Church. For a King called of God to rule his people, and set over them, not in wrath as the Kings of Israel, jeroboam and his successors were, of whom spoke 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 over a people in mercy, as David and Solomon, because the Lord hath loved his people. Such a King no doubt is a son of the Lords right hand, and for three causes so called; first, blessed art thou o land, when thy King is the son of Nobles, and what greater Nobility then to be the son of God's right hand, For good Kings are sons of God's right hand, otherwise then common Christians are. not only in regard of his personal regeneration and adoption, which way all Christians are the sons of God; but also in regard of that special unction proper to the royal calling, whereby God separates him, and sets him up as his Deputy, to rule others. Secondly, a good King is so called for that special and marvelous care the Lord hath of him, to preserve and keep him in most desperate dangers, Many deliverances gives the Lord to his anointed, and rescueth his servant David from the hurtful sword. As the Lord hath set him up for himself, so in special manner he preserves him by himself. And thirdly, a good King is called a son of God's right hand, And it agrees also to them that God ha●h made them strong for himself. because his heart is rightly set to do good in his calling, like David, Ezechia, and josia. The other part of the description agrees also very well unto him, for the special and royal unction of such a King as I have spoken of, makes him strong for the Lord, and here are two things; first, thou hast made him strong, next thou hast made him strong for thyself. All strength & dignity is from the Lord. 1 Sam. 2. Psal. 144. All superexcellency 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 himself. But not always used for the Lord. There are many who abuse (against the Lord) the strength, authority, and honour, which they have received from the Lord. The Princes of Zoan are fools, and the Princes of Noph are deceived, such was Pharaoh, of whom said the Lord, I have raised thee up, that I may show my power upon thee; such were the Apostate Israelites, jerem. of whom the Lord complains, My people say they are Lords, they will not come near me. And again, 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 been most beneficial to him. Men advanced to honour by God, have need to take heed that they be for God. Nazian. oral. 12. de s●ipso. Let men take heed how they use the place, whereunto God hath exalted them, either by native or dative nobility; these Nazianzen calls, Nobiles ex mandatis, aut rescriptis principum; for cursed are they who use against the Lord, that which they have received from the Lord. Let them be assured, if they will not do his will out of loving and humble obedience, God shall do his will upon them out of his justice and power, Otherwise God will do for himself, but against them. he shall roll them from their station, and turn their glory into shame, Sic fiet ex comaedia, Hosea 4.19. tragedia. The wind shall bind them up in her wings. Hosea 5.7. A month shall devour them with their portions. Hosea 9.11. Their glory shall fly away like a bird. They shall be as the morning cloud, or morning dew that passes away, Hosea 13.3. as chaff driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as smoke that goes out of the chimney. But there is the lamentable blindness of men, though they see that this hath held true upon others before them, yet they fancy to themselves every man a singular privilege, that the like judgement shall not come near them. But happy are they, Happy are they who return to the Lord that which they have received from him. who cast down their crowns at the feet of the Lord, and return unto him all that they have received from him, using for the Lord, that strength, honour, and authority, which they have gotten from the Lord, these are the sons 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, upon these shall be rain of blessings. The eye of the Lord shall watch over 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 perform to them that which he promised to DAVID, Psal. 89 21.22.23. Mine hand shall be established with him, and mine arm shall strengthen him, the enemy shall not oppress him, neither shall the wicked hurt him, but I will destroy his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. What here is plainly promised, hath been particularly performed to your Majesty, compare the oracle with your own experience, and then the Lord his constant and loving kindness felt in by-gone times, shall animate & encourage your Highness still to walk before the Lord in the uprightness of your heart, Psal. 18.25. for with the upright man, the Lord will show himself upright. I need to speak no more of this point to a Prince of such understanding, I am sure out of these places, God hath spoken to your heart, & your royal heart hath answered him. The Church of old, w●en they prayed for themselves, prayed for their Kings. 1 Tim. 2.1. Of all this we see, that the Church of old when they prayed for themselves, they prayed also for their Kings and Governors; yea, in praying for such as are over us, we pray for ourselves, the benefit redounds to us, I will that prayers be 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 old were commanded to pray for the King of Babel who captived them. For the King his good estate brings good to his people. It is true which Augustine saith, that albeit evil Kings be more hurtful to themselves then to their subjects, yet bonorum regnum non tam ipsis, Aug. de Civitate De●. lib. 4 cap. 3. quam illis utile est quibus pr●positi sunt, yet good Kings are more profitable to their subjects, then to themselves. The unity 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 over them, Caput est imago Principis in Republica, the head in the body, is an image of a Prince in the Commonwealth. As an head without a body is inglorious, for the glory of a King stands in the multitude of his subjects, said Solomon: so a body without a head is much more ignominious, for either else it hath no life at all, or if it have any, every member beateth and dasheth upon another, none of them can rightly do their office. In these days there was no King in Israel, and every man did what was good in his own eyes; yea how dear a good King should be to his people, and how heavy a loss it is to want him, that one place may teach us, ●am●nt. 4.20. The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord was taken in their nets, of whom we said, under his shadow we shall be preserved alive among the heathen. A happy thing therefore is it, Such swe●t harmony should be between P●●nce and people, as w●s between David and his subjects. when Prince and people go together, as David, and his subjects did, their love was mutual, their care mutual, their prayer one for the other, mutual; when the people were strucken with pestilence, David their King prayed 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 father's house, and not on thy people for their destruction. And again, when Absalon rebelled against his father King David, the people interponed their lives for their King, 2 Sam. 18.3. they would not let him go out to the battle, they accounted him the light of Israel, more worthy to be preserved, than many thousands of them. But now must I contract myself; The conclusion, wherein this prayer is applied to ●ur Sovereign. Since all other things requisite for your majesties journey, are in readiness, attending your Highness forth coming, it is also time that our prayer should betake her to her wings, and let go to her flight, to accompany your Majesty, wheresoever ye go. As I said in the beginning, so now say I in the end, in the name of all your highness subjects of this Kingdom: Since our hands cannot be with your Highness, to wait on, and serve your Majesty, as our hearts would, The hand of the Lord be with you. That hand which preserved you in the womb of your Mother, and brought your Highness safely into this world. That hand of the Lord which made your arms strong, to wrestle with the Gowrian traitor, before the hands of your servants came near you. That hand of the Lord, which delivered your Majesty from that abominable powder treason, and first revealed to yourself the counsel of your enemies. In a word, That hand of the Lord, which hath made your Majesty glorious by many deliverances, that same hand of the Lord be with your Majesty, in this journey and for ever. Ancient Israelites used it for their Rulers, and we should use it for our King. The ancient Israelites used this prayer, for Cyrus, Nehemiah, Zerubabel, & such others, that were to be the instruments of their comfort, before ever they received any comfort from them; how much more should we use it for your Highness, since we do so abundantly enjoy the fruits of your highness most happy government. For your Majesty hath been unto us an other Cyrus: when he came to the Kingdom, than came deliverance to Israel from their seventy years bondage in ancient Babel; and with your majesties coming into the world to enjoy these Sceptres, whereunto your Highness was borne a lineal and lawful heir, than came our deliverance from mystical Babel. Since both his word & works And your majesties most christian care to establish our Church by providing portions for the Levites, who serve the Lord in his Sanctuary, ●●●nesses th●t he is given us, a son of God his right hand. and to free the common people from oppression in their tithes, hath showed that your Majesty is to us a Nehemiah, and Zerubabel. Yea your highness words and works are witnesses, that ye are unto us a King given of God in his mercy, A son of his right hand; Patriae parens, & populi pastor, a public father of the country, and pastor of the people. Among innumerable words, A notable speech uttered by his Majesty in the Castle of Edenbrugh witness him to be such a one. and discourses royal, philosophical, and theological, delivered almost every meal, and most worthy to be remembered, I do only make mention of one uttered by your Majesty, on your birthday after supper in the Castle of Edenbrugh: when your servant had said the Grace, and a little more than customably I used, had prayed for the continuance of many such days, wherein we might with joy celebrate the remembrance of your highness most happy nativity, your Majesty arose from the chair with this speech in public audience of the whole house; You have said the Grace for me, and now will I pray for myself, which your Majesty with all reverence and zealous affection delivered in these words. THE LORD GRANT ME NO LONGER TO LIVE, NOR MY HEART BE SET TO ADVANCE THE GLORY OF GOD, AND TO PROCURE THE GOOD OF HIS CHURCH. All that heard it were affected, yea ravished with great joy, and seconded it with their prayers unto God, Psal. 20.4. The Lord grant thee according to thine heart. For in this did your Highness open the integrity, and sincerity of your soul, that your Highness desired to live, Non ut praeesses, sed prodesses, not for yourself, but for the glory of GOD, and benefit of his Church. Works witnesses also throughout the Kingdom. And as to your majesties work, all places of this Kingdom, Highland, Inland, and the borders are stored with several testimonies of your highness wise, and happy government; but leaving them all, But most evident in Drumfreis and the whole South borde●. this Country, and Town wherein your Majesty now is, rejoiceth above others in the sweet fruits, first of religion, and piety, next of singular and unaccustomed peace, which now by your highness prudency and fatherly care they eni●y. As to the first, the time hath been, as your Majesty doth well remember, wherein this Town and Country about it, For restitution of true Religion. was like to a field all overgrown with the popple of Papistry, the little handful that then was of the Religion, were but like to the glean, and after-gatherings of the harvest. But now SIR the case is altered, there is here a flourishing Church, God hath so blessed the labour of the Preacher, Overseer of this people, that there is not to be found three P●ecusants in all this Town, as I am informed, and the country about it is filled with good wheat in steed of popple, so that they who are of the Popish sort, are like unto the grapes, which remain after the vintage, here one, and there one, easy to be discerned. And for this cause I have heard sundry of their ancient men bless the Lord, for that he had sent the light of his Gospel among them to illuminate them, protesting that without it, they had died in most pitiful ignorance. The other fruit of singular peace is so apparent to you all, For singular peace they enjoy now being delivered from their oppressors. that I need not to point at it. Ye who stand here in great multitudes, bear witness yourselves before the Lord his Anointed. Tell as the truth is: Are ye troubled now with any forayes in the night? Are ye wakened from your rest by the Alarm, or sound of the drum? Is there crying now for armour to repress the incursion of robbers? Do ye not sit peaceably every one of you in your own houses without molestation of the oppressor? May ye not now, as the proverb is, porrectis dormire pedibus, in respect of security sleep sound? 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 every good subject may peaceably labour in his calling, These benefits were acknowledged with such public acclamations, as forced the Preacher to stay, till the people had ended. and that, which beastly men called Man's world is away. What cause have ye then for this to bless the Lord your God, and this happy King, whom he hath set over us, and who this day sitteth before you, by whole fatherly care we enjoy this quiet, and peaceable life. Now must I in end turn me a little toward you, A speech to the Nobles of England. most worthy Nobles of England, not for any doubt we have of your loyal affection, With an exhortation. or any need your Honours have to be exhorted to your duty by our weakness; Plaut, in Pseud. far be it from me, ut officy sui satis memores, immemores facere videar, yet remembering that of the Poet, ovid. 5. trist. Qui monet ut facias, quod iam facis, ille monendo Laudat & hortatu comprobat acta suo. I hope, what I am to say, will not be ungracious, but rather very welcome to you. Have a care we beseech of that incomparable jewel, ye have received from Scotland; both ye and we have our mutual interest in him, when the sun rises to you, it shineth to us also; it it decline, and fall down upon any of us (which I pray God we never see) it bringeth a dark night upon us both: yea all Christendom in respect of the good they enjoy by his Majesty, doth cry for a careful conservation of this jewel. It is true, your willing and hearty acceptation of your native King hath enlarged his Diadem without din, An admonition. and as true, his royal Diadem hath increased the glory and fame of your Kingdom through the world; but all these and many more, your Honours, out of wise, and understanding hearts have pondered better, than I can point them out: I will therefore content me with this one, which, when I have said, I know will be less, than I should have said, or your Honours have justly deserved. The noble and comely behaviour ye have used in attending our Sovereign in all this journey, A commendation. did present to him, who could observe it, that which Plato calls putcherrimum spectaculu●, Plat. lib. 3. the ●ep. when mannerly minds appear in beautiful bodies. Your kindness, and entire love among yourselves, living together, ac si omnes eiusdem mus ae essetis aemuli, & voto viveritis uno, Pers. Sai●r. 5. which the Poet said was rare to be found, for velle suum cuique est. Your conversation in all things answerable to your place, and station, in ipsa regia, non sine regula incedentes. Your courtesy, and great humanity towards us. In a word, all sort of graces pertaining either to learning, or piety most eminent in you, shall bind our hearts to a loving, and honourable remembrance of you, by our mental Pyramids and Pi●ars, so long, as we can remember ourselves. Now our bodies in respect of place must be divided, but I hope our hearts, and affections shall never divide any more, God having so many manner of ways conjoined us, that in one Isle, with one language, and one religion, we are now the conjunct subjects of one native King, and Sovereign to us both. And as to you, A warning to his majesties Cubiculars and Domestiques. who have that hap and honour beyond others, to be his majesties Cubiculars and domestics, consider with yourselves, what is the weight of your charge, and how the place, whereunto, above others, otherwise not your inferiors, ye are promoted, binds you to a daily tribute of daily vigilance, and attention. Remember that word, which David cried to Abner, for a rebuke to him and the rest of Saul's servants, because they were sleeping when their master was in danger of his life by Abishai, if David had not stayed him, ye are all (said he) worthy to die, because ye have not kept your Master the Lords anointed. If they were thus threatened, and most justly, because they were remiss and careless in conservation, even of an evil King; what a sin is it to be negligent in attending such a King as God hath given us, it cannot but procure heavy judgements, both from God and man. But we persuade ourselves the best things of you, that conscience more than commodity, will stir you up to be faithful in that calling, Coloss. 3.22. not with eye-service, as men pleasers,; but in singleness of heart, fearing God. Always since the surest safety of Kings, is the protection of jehova, for his name is a strong tower, and the righteous run unto it; Sir, let him ever be, as you have found him your rock and refuge. Continue still in that resolution of King David, Psal. 101.3. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes, I hate the work of them that fall away, it shall not clean unto me, so shall the word which Amasa (from the Spirit of the Lord) spoke unto David, be established to your Majesty; 1 Chro. 12.18. Peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be unto thy helpers, for thy God helpeth thee. To this effect, that we may end, we will now again turn us to our prayers, from which we shall never turn so long as we live, and yet I am still stayed, or rather forced to stay, I would make an end, but am pierced with the sorrowful looks of this people, who desire no ending, not so much for delight of any thing they hear from me, as for that which they see in your Majesty, they cannot be satiate in looking to your face, the shorter time they have to behold it, the stronger is their affection. O how hardly comport they to part with their Sovereign. But dear Sovereign, let it not be offensive to your Majesty, that you are compassed here with an assembly of mourners, whose faces are watered with overflowing tears 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 speak I of wanting? be of comfort, good peole, we shall not want him, we cannot want him, God having now so enlarged his royal arms, that they can reach from one end of the Isle to the other, to be at us, to succour and help us, as we need them. Let us therefore moderate our mourning, let our passions give place to his royal pleasure, let our hearts with joy and cheerfulness send up these our prayers. The hand of the Lord be with our most Gracious Sovereign, the name of the God of jacob defend him. Psal. 20.1. The Lord be to your Majesty, 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 jesus Christ's sake. Amen. FINIS.