FAsts and Feasts ab­stractedly consider­ed, they are but cy­phers upon Gods ac­count, not are they ever more then what their real end and design can make them. For to Fast for strife and de­bate; To Fast to smite with the fist of Isay [...]8. wickedness, that is to carry on an usurped Interest, this God disclaims, ye shall not so fast!

Those who have no Law but their [Page 2] fists, nor no evidence but their swords! Those whose hands are full of Blood! such, they cannot lift up pure hands, such are in no tune to finde, though they pretend to seek the Lord, their unjust fulness spoyls and pollutes all Fastings.

But the same God who disclaims such a Fast, professeth a Fast there may be, which he will own; He will own that Fast, which is, To loose the Isay 58. 6. Bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burthens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke. Now truely our Day of Humiliation seemeth clearly to aim at these ends For to disband an Army that eats up and oppress a Country, comes very nigh to loosing of the Bands of wicked­ness! To take off Decimations, Se­questrations, all illegal Impositions, this comes very nigh, to undoing of th [...] heavy burthens! to release those, who without hearing, have endured many years imprisonment; to release those who have been secured, onely for Conscience; and a good Cause, what is this, but to let the oppressed go free and to reconcile dissenting Partie [...] [Page 3] to make up Breaches, and to unite us Brethren, What is this but to break eve­ry yoak?

So that Fasting and Prayer aiming at these ends, are such, as we need not fear the All-seeing Eye! To Fast and Pray for such purposes, it is (God himself the witness) a Fast which he hath chosen! to Fast and Pray for the settlement (not of crackt and usurp­ed Titles, but) of a Nation! to Fast and Pray that Glory may dwell in our Land, that Mercy and Truth may Psal. 65. 9, 10. meet, and Righteousness and Peace may kiss! this is the Fast which God hath chosen.

Now, though Fasting and Prayer are excellent motives, and Disposes for Gods blessing, and for Gods assi­stance; yet unless we also Act, as well as Fast, and do as well as pray, the ends we fast and pray for, will ne­ver come unto us.

Whereas then the great end, that all good Men aim at, is the settle­ment of Peace and Government, not upon the sandy Bottoms of Faction and Selfishness, but the Rocky Base of Truth and Righteousness; I know [Page 4] no better expedient, then to set before you a people in a like Condition, A people, whose good King was fain to fly, and fly out of the land too; And that for fear of an usurper, for fear of one who had a potent Army on foot against him! For the Text saith, The King is fled out of the land for Absolon!

Now whilst it was thus in Israel, though Absalons party had the Royal City in theit possession, had Amaza and an Army on foot, yet they con­ceived a Scepter was blunter then a Sword, and a King (though out of the Land) more to be embraced then a General in the City, and therefore upon debate, consultation, and send­ing throughout all the Tribes, the result was, And all the people were at strife, through all the Tribes of Israel, saying, the King saved us out of the hands of our enemies, and out of the hands of the Philistins, and now is fled out of the land for Absolon. And Absolon whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle; and therefore, why speak ye not a word of bringing back the King?

[Page 5] Now these words, with the Con­sequents upon them, cannot well be understood, without we briefly relate the story, what it was occasi­oned, and what it was that brought David into all these troubles: Now to that end know we must, David walking upon the roof of the Kings house, had the unhappy sight of a beautiful 2 Sam. 11. Woman, lying too naked to his view, Bathsheba with bathing her bo­dy, enflamed his, and indeed so lust­fully and wretchedly sired his soul, that as if the eyes of him, who made the eye, had been blinded in the clouds, He sends messengers, and takes to his bed, even the Darling of anothers bosom, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.

Upon this she conceives with childe, and upon this conception, his soul soul, travelleth with fresh mischief, conceiveth sorrow, and brings forth a more sad ungodliness, Verse 6. for he sends for the Husband to con­ceal the shame, sends for Uriah, that lying with his wife, the adultry might be smothered. But his better soul (to the shame of thousands of Chri­stians [Page 6] at this day) was so affected with the publick calamity, both of Church and State, that he would by no means be solicited to private con­tentments, and personal joys; for he said unto David, The Ark, and Israel and Judah abide in Tents; And my Lord Joab, a [...]d the servants of my Verse 11. Lord are encamped in the open fields shall I then go into my own house to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife As thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, will not do this thing.

In these days of ours, few (I doubt very few such Uriahs are to be found few who prefer a publick to a private interest! Most men now adays s [...] studying, and minding their own, tha [...] so that be safe, let the Ark be where it will; let Israel and Judah sink o [...] swim, if they can eat and drink, an enjoy their Bathshebas, all is we with them; so that all that most me care, or seek after, it is their ow [...] selves!

Now well had it been with David had Ʋriah been of such a tempe [...] for then he had had a Father to h [...] Bastard, and a cloak for his Adultery [Page 7] but this Religious soul, could not sport himself, in time of a publick calamity, could not indure to solace himself at home, whilst Church and State were languishing, and oppressed in the fields: And therefore David (now forgetting that God had eyes) he pro­ceeds from adultery to murther, and being Uriah would not go and lye with his Wife, he writes to Joab to cause him to lye by the cold walls of Rabbah.

But the just God, whose eyes are in 2 Sam. 12. every place, beholding both the evil and the good; He so severely beheld, and lookt upon this evil, that by his Pro­phet Nathan he sends him word, he should smart for it even to a circum­stance! For,

Being he had dared to take to his [...]ed the wife of another man, the Prophet plainly tells him, another [...]hould go to bed to his wives; Being [...]e, a publick person, had secretly done [...]o foul an act, the prophet tells him Verse 11. [...]is wives should be adulterated open­ [...], 12. before all Israel, and even in the [...]ght of the Sun! yea, whereas he had [...]ared by an unjust sword to slay a Sub­ject, [Page 8] God sends him word, The sword shall never depart from thy house! And Verfe 10. indeed all this was verified in his re­bellious Darling, in his lovely son, his son Absolon. For first, having made the Royal City too hot for him, when himself came thither (as if In­cest had been an high piece of Gal­lantry) a tent was spread on the top of 2 Sam. 16. 22. the house, there went he in to his Fa­thers Concubines, and that in the sight of the Sun and Israel.

An Observation that seems to me to give a great check, and restraint to all Rebellion; for what need the Sub­ject to wrest the Sword out of a Kings hand, when you see both the eye, and hand of God is severely upon an oppressing King! Why should there be in the soul any rebellious machina­tions against a Soveraign, when God is so great a Patron of the Subjects in­terest, that he spareth not a King after his own heart, if his heart shall dare to do thus?

Ahab, He by the instigation of a lewd Queen, did once invade the In­terrest of a Subject, poor Naboths vine­yard! But he and his whole line was 1 Kin. 21. 11. [Page 9] accursed for it! Be hold I will bring e­vill upon thee, and will take away thy 1 Kin. 21. 21. posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall. David, a better King, for daring to adulterate one wife, had no less then ten of his 2 Sam. 11. 16. own prostituted! and for daring to murther a subject by the sword of the children of Amnon; he had a Son murthered, and that by a Son too! Amnon was slain by Absolon! Yea be­ing 2 Sam. 13. 18. he dealt treacherously with Ʋri­ah, God permits his own Son, the Son of his Love, his Fondling, his Abso­lon to deal so traiterously, that as the Text speaks, David was glad to fly out of the land for Absolon! Thus ex­act is God in beholding, and in aveng­ing what Kings un kingly, or unjustly do unto their Subjects! David, who whilst yet a stripling slew the Formi­dable Goliah! David, who most suc­cessfully fought the Lords Battles! David, whom the men of Israel, in the Text, professe, saved them out of the hands of their enemies, and out of the hands of the Philistines! even he, when God would avenge the injury of a subject, durst not hold out his [Page 10] Royal City against a Rebel, durst not hold up his hand against a puny! for Now he is fled out of the land for Ab­solon. And so we are brought to the very Text it self, to consider, how the Israelites wanted, and how they va­lued a King in exile; even so much, that All the people were at strife, throughout all the tribes of Israel, say­ing, The king saved us, &c.

In these words there are of distinct Con­sideration,

• 1. People.
• 2. David.
• 3. Absolon.

The People must have a double Consideration:

1. As a misinformed people. And that implied in these words, Absolon whom we anointed.

2. As transformed, and become new men, And so all the people were at strife, through all the tribes of Israel.

3. What they strove for: the re­stitution of their injur'd and banisht Soveraign; for that's clear in these words, Therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the King back!

4. The Motives and Inducements, and that's insinuated in the compari­son of David with Absolon, his Vi­ctories [Page 11] with the others Rebellion, The King saved us out of the hand of the Philistines. And shall we suffer him to be exiled for Absolon, to be fled out of the land, or kept out of the land for Absolon?

First, Let us look upon the People as misinformed, which they indeed most foully were, or they would ne­ver have said what here they confess, Absolon whom we anointed.

God, who is the God of Order, and who indeed by the power of order keeps all together, in order to the preservation of the great Bodies of Church and State, he hath placed every Man, as he hath every Mem­ber in the Body Natural, that is, not all to the same, but every one to its proper office. For, as he hath not made the Foot to be the Head, nor the Ear to be the Eye, nor the Eye to be the Hand; even so in the my­stical, or the politick Body, God hath not made every man for eve­ry imployment; for he hath made some high, and some low, some to obey, and some to rule, some to be publick, and some to be private per­sons! [Page 12] some to be Magistrates, some to be Ministers.

Yea, of publick persons he hath so ordered it, that a man may be pub­lick to one, and yet but a private person to another Function. As for instance; under the Law Aaron the Priest of God, as to sacrifice, atone­ments and holy Duties, he was a pub­lick person; but in point of Govern­ment, and secular affairs, there no such, nor more then a private per­son.

Uzziah, because a King, in order to politick, and secular affairs, he was a publick person, but in order to Sacri­fice and temple-Duties, there no such man; even so at this day, a Ma­gistrate, as to things of secular and le­gal consequence, he is a publick per­son, but to Ministerial and holy Duties, he is nothing so; for, he who may make a mittimus, cannot give an [...] obsolution, and he who may admini­ster Justice, hath no power to admini­ster a Sacrament.

Now if it be so that the God of Order, hath not confusedly given un­to all men, the power of all Actions, [Page 13] consider then we mast, to whom God gave the power of anointing princes: If to the people, then they might well say, Absolon whom we anointed. But if never so! if the people had no more power to anoint, then the Priest had in kingly offices, or the Magistrate in the Ministry, then these words Ab­solon whom we anointed, it must needs be the voice of a deluded, usurping, and misinformed people.

Psal. 82. 6. I have said ye are gods. If the power of anointing Kings were in the people, then it should have been said, Not I, But we have said, ye are gods. And if Kings were the ex­tracts of the people, then it could not be, as in that verse it followeth, And all of you are children of the most high. But all of you are of our creation, all of you are Filii terrae, children of the earth, of the vulgar and most low. But God who but knoweth, he is so declarative upon this account, that he saith, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. Kings (saith Psal. 105. 15. God) they are mine anointed; If now Kings be Gods anointed, certainly then the power of anointing Kings, is [Page 14] onely in their hands to whom God committed it; and that you shall finde it hath ever been to Priests and Prophets.

The first King that ever God owned, it was Saul, and we finde Samuel the priest of the Lord took a vial of oyl, and 1 Sa. 10. 1. poured it upon his head, and kissed him: whence it appears Samuel, and not the people, anointed Saul.

The second King, he was the per­son in my Text, and of him we finde it thus written, I have found David my servant, with my holy oyle have I Psalm 85. 20. anointed him. Now God (we know) did not pour out oyle upon him, God did not come down from heaven, and personally appear for to anoint him, but God commanded Samuel, and Samuel took the horn of oyl, and anoint­ed him in the midst of his brethren. 1 Sam. 16. 13.

Now what Samuel did to Saul, and David, the like did other Prophets and Priests to succeeding Kings.

1 Kings 1. 39. Zadock the priest took an horn of oyle out of the taberna­cle and anointed Solomon, and they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, God save the king.

[Page 15] 2 Kings 9. Elisha sends a yong Prophet with Commission to take a box of oyle, and pour it on the head of Jehu, and say, Thus saith the Lord, Verse 3. I have anointed thee king over Israel.

And 2 Chron. 33. when Jehoiada the high Priest had set things in order to it, He and his sons anointed Josiah, and said, God save the king. And in­deed in ordinary phrase, and account of Scripture, Kings are called the Lords anointed; but never the anoint­ed of the people. Whereas then the people in the text say, Absolon whom we anointed over us is dead! That the people should presume to anoint a So­veraign; it was (you see) an invasion upon Gods Ordinance, an entrench­ment upon the divine Prerogative! For onely Priests and Prophets were deputed to that honour, onely Priests and Prophets might pour oyl out upon the Lords anointed!

Whereas then the great desire of our Nation is, Peace and Settlement; certainly there can be no one greater endeavour to ward it, then a resolute confining all Men to their Proper Callings. 1 Thess. 4. v. 11. Study to [Page 16] be quiet, and to do your own business. Nothing makes more unquietness, then medling where men have no­thing to do! The people hath nothing to do with the Scepter! The Miter hath no dispose of the Crown! The Priest hath nothing to do with the sword! The Souldier hath nothing to do with Law-making! Nor may any that will, as in Jeroboams days, take upon him a Priestly office! Kings are to be reverenced and obeyed, not to be made, or anointed by the People! For, Absolon to the worlds end will stand upon Record, a Rebel, for all the people in my text say, Absolon whom we anointed over us.

2 Sam. 15. If we look upon the beginning of Absolons Rebellion, we shall finde, Absolon made such a re­ligious pretence of going unto He­bron, that those who attended on him, they thought they had gone to have done God service!

For, Absolon thus tells his Father, Thy servant vowed a vow whilst I a­boad Verse 8. at Geshur in Syriah, saying, I the Lord shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then will I serve the Lord Verse 7. [Page 17] and pay my vowes in Hebron.

In Hebron (as old Lyra observes) A­dam In loc. and Eve, Abraham and Sara, Isaac and Rebecca; Jacob and Leah; all lye inter'd. And therefore in an honorable remembrance of those precious Re­liques, Hebron in the days of David, it was accounted an holy, a religious place; and therefore Absolon pre­tending to be full of Holy thankful­ness, for being recalled from his exile, restored to Jerusalem, and reconci­led to his Father, he must needs to Hebron, that there, where his Father was first declared King, he might make publick manifestation of his ho­ly rejoycing: And so, with this speci­ous pretence and shew of piety, he drew out of Jerusalem two hundred followers, of whom it is thus written, They went in their simplicity, and knew Verse 11. not any thing: So that I might very well say, those who said, Absolon whom we anointed over us, they were a misin­formed people.

They went not out with any rebel­lious intent, or purpose, they went not out to head an Army, but out they went upon the score of Religion; out [Page 18] they went in their simplicity, and to do they knew not what: But, when engaged and drawn in by the crafty, then they were fain to do as they did, and to say as they said, when Abso­lon and Achitophel had wound them into their guilt, then there was no way but to strengthen his hands, and (now his was their interest) to anoint Absolon.

It is traditionally delivered, that 2 Chr. 33. 6. whilst in the wicked reign of Manasseh, the children passed through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom there was a delicate harmony made of Sackbuts, Cornets, Dulcimers and all loud musick; And the reason was, that this melody might drown and conceal the sad, and dismal shriecks, that the frying children [...] made in that cursed fire: Even so [...] here, that the people which wen [...] out with Absolon, might not drea [...] of raising a war, or sending for a general to head them, whilst the messenger was dispatcht away to fetc [...] Achitophel, whilst yet the leaven o [...] conspiracy was but newly working 1 Sam. 15. 12. Absolon falls to his pretended business, [Page 19] pays his vows, and offers sacrifi­ces, whilst Achitophel, and the de­sign was not yet ready, Absolon talks of nothing, but Reformation, Religi­on, Vows and Sacrifices, seeking God: But when Achitophel was come, when the close Committee had got toge­ther, and (as the Text saith) the con­spiracy grew strong; when the Vows, and Covenants had done, what they were intended for, then they were like an Almanack out of date, laid a­side, and a march commanded toward the Royal City; for though Absolon pretended Hebron, it was Jerusalem that he aimed; the first of the rebel­lion, was to drive the King from the City.

Whereas then the great desire of all good people is, to have a settle­ment upon the foundations of Truth and Righteousness. Pray we must, that we have not such as was Absolon to be our leaders; such as shall pre­tend piety and reformation, when they no more intend it, then did he in Hebron: The Crown and Dignity, the Palace and the kingly Revenue: this was all that Absolon thought to [Page 20] compass; when in simplicity of heart, and under pious pretences, he drew a many, even of the Kings loyal sub­jects into Hebron.

Acts 3. Saint Paul exhorting the Jews, who had persecuted and cru­cified their King, to become Con­verts and Loyal for the future, useth this argument, And now brethren I Verse 17. wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. Those who through ignorance, misinformation, and sim­plicity of heart, have conspired either against David, or the son of David; such the Apostle infers they have a very pardonable plea, and indeed so pardonable, that we read not that David put any mothers son to death upon that great rebellion; yea, albeit he returned upon his own terms, re­turned in conquest, returned with the sword in his hand; yet so merciful is a good King, that he gives an Act of Indemnity unto all, and spares even that rebel, who insulted upon a weep­ing King, The King said, and sware unto Shimei, thou shalt not dye. And Verse 23. truly there was a great deal of Rea­son for abundant mercy; for they [Page 21] who had been a misinformed, became now a reformed people; they who in simplicity of heart went out against him, they, and thousands more with integrity of heart flocked, and came in unto him, for even All the people were at strife, through all the tribes of Israel, saying, The King saved us out of the hands of our enemies, and he deli­vered us out of the hands of the Phi­listines.

All the people they now seemed to strive who should commend the King most, who should be forwardest in bringing him back to his royal City. And that's our next considerable.

II. Israel, or all the people under this notion, a transformed people, transformed, I dare not say reformed; for so ill an use even in our memories hath been made of Reformation, that till reformation it self shall be reformed, it will be Mali nominis, of an ill re­port.

For in the days of Hen. 8. when a Reformation onely was pretended, what did the Reformation of a Mona­stery signifie, but pull it down, and alienate the Revenue, convert that [Page 22] to common, which was given for holy use, convert that to the service of men, which was given for the service of God: so that to reform a Religi­ous House, signified in those days a taking from them, whose designed life was Fasting and Prayer; and a gi­ving it unto those, who would spend it in chambering and wantonness; a ta­king the maintenance from Devotion and Piety, to give it unto such, who would spend it in Gallantry, Rioting, Drunkenness, and to put to any, ra­ther then that use which the Revenue was given for, V. 2. Holy, Charita­ble, Religious.

In these days of ours, what hath Reformation signified, but either Ex­tirpation, or Deformation? For, to re­form Episcopacy, what was it, but de­cry the function, and sell their land? to reform Liturgy, and the worship of God? what was it but a suppression of that Form, which was confirmd by the blood of martyrs, and to set up, what will never get into form, extem­porary rapsodies, and abominable ef­fusions? To reform Innovations, what hath it signified but the introduction [Page 23] of a new Doctrine, a new Discipline, a new every thing? To reform Taxes, Burthens, and Impositions, what hath it signified but the multiplication, and and the most heavy aggravation of them? And as for the reformation of Religion, what hath that signified, but an open toleration of all but the true reformed Religion? and there­fore where reformation is grown scan­dalous, and ambiguous, I choose ra­ther to say, a transformed, then a reformed people, proportionable to that of Saint Paul, Be ye not conform­ed Rom 12. 2. to the world, but transformed in the renewing of the mindes: And thus were this people; for it was the re­newing and the change of minde that begat this Loyal strife, which in these words we are to speak on, All the people were at strife, through all the tribes of Israel.

It hath been said of old, Vox populi, vox Dei, the voice of the people is the voice of God, and indeed when God is the ultimate design in it, it is so. Now to make a voice to be the voice of the people, and that voice of the people to be the voice of God, [Page 24] there must be a concurrence of these three:

1. Generality, 2. Unanimity, 3. Gods glory.

First, where there is not a general vogue, it may be the voice of a party, but cannot be the voice of the peo­ple.

When our late King of blessed Me­mory was brought to the Bar, The Charge was laid in the name of the peo­ple: But a wise and resolute Christi­an Lady plainly told them, it was no­thing so, saying at those words, Not half the people: A packt party might, but the voice of the people never brought him thither; for (God knows) thousands of his people were upon their knees to God for him, when these unrighteous Judges did dare to lift up their hands against him; so that what they deludingly called Vox po­puli, the voice of the people, it was at most but Vox partium, the voice of a party.

But here in my Text we seem to have a better account; for 'tis not onely said, all the people, but all the people, throughout all their tribes were [Page 25] at strife: As if we should say, all the people in all the Shires of England, and Wales; that is the greatest part in all these places, say so, or so: And this is generally enough to make it vox populi, the voice of the people.

Secondly, As there must be Gene­rality, even so there must be Unanimi­ty, that is, they must speak one and the same thing.

Acts 19. VVe read of a great mul­titude, and a numerous assembly at Ephesus, but some cried one thing, and some another: So that though there 32. was Generality, there wanted Una­nimity: and therefore (as before) this could not be Vox populi sed parti­um, not the voice of people, but of parties.

Here in my Text we finde no va­riety, all the people in all the tribes, all strove for one and the same thing, all sang the same tune, all issued out this harmony, Why speak ye not a word of bringing the King back?

But, though Generality and Una­nimity may make a voice to be Vox populi, the voice of the people; yet there must go more then so to make [Page 26] that Vox Dei, the voice of God; for the unanimous voice of some people, hath rather been Vox Diaboli, then Vox Dei, rather the voice of the De­vil, then the voice of God: For,

Exod. 32. 1. VVhen the people saw that Moses delayed his coming down out of the Mount, The people gathered themselves together unto Aa­ron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods.

Here is Vox populi, the voice of the people; but that voice which calleth for artificial gods, Up, make us gods, that cannot be Vox Dei, the voice of God.

Matth. 27. At the arraignment of the best of Kings, even our bles­sed Lord and Saviour, it is written, Then answered all the people, and said, his blood be upon us, and upon us, and 25. upon our children.

Here was Generality, and here was Unanimity, all the people said, his blood be upon us, and upon our children; And yet this was not Vox Dei, this was not the voice of God; for the curse of that blood sticks to this day, to them and their children.

[Page 27] Thirdly, therefore to make that voice, which undoubtedly is Vox po­puli, the voice of the people; the voice of God, it must have a sincere intention, and a direct aim at Gods glory. For, the death and passion of our Saviour, it was without doubt the will of God; he became incar­nate, and came into the world for that very end: And yet their voice who cryed out, Crucifige, crucifige; their voice who said, Let his blood be upon us, and upon our children, it was not (though agreeable to his will) Ʋox Dei, the voice of God.

For, they did not intend Gods glo­ry, but their own ends; they did not intend the salvation of mankinde, but the destruction of a man; they voted what was Gods will, but it was more then they knew, and more then they regarded.

Whereas then it is said in the text, All the people were at strife through all the tribes of Israel, and that not for a private, but for a publick interest, for the reducing and bringing back their most injuriously exiled King: I see no reason why I may not here say, [Page 28] this Vox populi, it was Vox Dei, this voice of the people, it was the voice of God: For it was generally all, throughout all the tribes; Unanimous­ly all, all called for the same thing: And to Gods glory all, for all were for the restitution of his anointed; all said, Why speak ye not a word of bring­ing back the King?

The Use I shall make of this point, is, That we may all grow unanimous, Applic. vote and pray for one and the same thing, and that not a private, but a publick interest; an interest in which (God the searcher of hearts may see) we more prefer his glory, then personal accommodations.

The day of Humiliation lately kept throughout this Nation, what was it for, but onely to make Vox populi, vox Dei? to make the voice of the people to become the voice of God; for an united devotion, and an unani­mous prayer, in a publick and a pious interest, draws nighest to the voice of God of any we can imagine.

In my text it is said, All the people were at strife: and indeed to such a loyal, and conscionable strife as this, [Page 29] I could exhort all people, I wish there were an holy striving in every breast, which should get fastest to God for the obtaining of so great a blessing, as is the settlement of peace and government, upon the foundations of truth and righteousness.

1 Cor. 11. Saint Paul there repre­hendeth the Corinthians, that when they should have met together upon a publick interest, Every one betaketh to himself his own supper. At such a 21. time as this (when the very foundati­ons are out of course) to pray for a set­tlement no otherwise, then may stand with a peculiar interest; this is as at a publick communion, To take before us our own suppers; not to care for the publick, so we may save our selves, nor no otherwise to desire the bring­ing back the King, then as may con­duce to personal advantages; this is neither Vox populi, nor Vox Dei, nei­ther the voice of the people, nor the voice of God: thus onely to speak of bringing back the King, is onely to throw the Crown upon our own ends, and indeed in a court phrase to speak our selves.

[Page 30] The men of Israel (whose example I am now considering) in a publick calamity, they talk of nothing but a publick remedy, and that we shall consider on in these words:

III. Why speak ye not a word of bring­ing the King? which is our third par­ticular; the thing they strove for.

In three English Translations, we have these three readings:

1. Why are ye so still, that ye bring not the King back?

2. Why are ye so slow to bring the King again?

3. Why speak ye not a word of bringing back the King?

From which variety I shall press this onely lesson, That good resoluti­ons ought not to be delaid, for the not pursuing whom God calleth, do many times move God to make choice of other instruments.

Hester 4. When Mordecai writ to Hester, about rescuing the Jews out of the hands of Haman, he sent her this admonition, If thou altoge­ther 14. holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place.

[Page 31] We have seen in these days of ours, those who sometime were as Hester, those who having power and opportu­nity, to have setled our Nations upon the bottom of truth and righte­ousness, neglected and despised the time God gave them; For as much as in that their day, they saw not what belonged to their peace, prefer­ring a private to a publick interest; we have lived to see such laid aside, and may live to see deliverance arise to the oppressed from another way.

Yea, these very people in my text, The Israelites, though they were ear­ly in their intentions, and the very first discoursers of the business; yet for as much as they did not pursue their timely resolutions, they lost the glory and the blessing of this so great a work; for not the Rebellious but the Royal, not Israel but Judah had the honour of doing indeed, what all Israel onely talked on; for, The men [...]f Judah not onely talked on it, but, they sent this word unto the King, re­turn thou and all thy servants: so the King returned, and came to Jordan, and Judah came to Gilgal to goe mte [...] [Page 32] the King, and to conduct the King over J dan.

All the men of Israel strove, but it seems no man stir'd, they were in this so excellent a purpose, so still and slow, that nothing was indeed done, till Judah went to the water side, and brought the King back. And so I will passe from their delay, to their de­bate.

4. The Motives and Inducements that moved them to think on David, and to solicite his return, and those we shall finde insinuated in this com­parison between David and Absolon, The King saved us out of the hands of our enemies, and out of the hands of the Philistines, and now is fled out of the land for Absolon, and Absolon (also) is dead in battle therefore, [...], Why are ye so hard of hear­ing? why so deaf? why so slow in bringing back the King?

In which words there are clearly two Reasons:

1. The usurper is taken away, Ab­solon is dead.

2. The advantages of their old Kings reign; He saved us, he de­livered [Page 33] us, and shall we not recal him again?

First of the first, the usurper, Abso­lon is dead; therefore all Israel, as convinced, seem to say, Better call home the undoubted owner, then set up another rebel.

A King it seems is one of those good things, whose want doth best commend them; for, whilst David was at home, and in the City, the Citizens would not strengthen his hands, would not stand to him, for he was fain to fly: But now when out of the land, then they begin to consider, the feeling and sensible di­stance, between an Usurper, and a Father, between an Absolon and a David: And then they finde there was as much difference between the King, and his Usurper, as is between an Husband, and an Adulterer: for, as the one takes a woman for his love, and the other for his lust; even so do they take Crowns, the King to pro­mote, the Usurper to make a prey on it; the King he loves, the Usurper he lusts; the King studieth the advance, peace, and improvement of his peo­ple, [Page 34] David saved us from all our ene­mies, David delivered us out of the hands of the Philistines: But the Usur­per, he studieth how to advance him­self, how to build up his house, and to make all enemies that are not his friends; so that indeed as a yong man, who weddeth an old rich widow, marrieth her estate, and not her; e­ven so Ʋsurpers they take the power of Dominion, and Government over Nations, not out of any affection, or indulgence to the people, but onely that they may command what they have, and riot in the expence of their sweat and blood: and therefore all the people having now their eyes o­pen, they cry for a King, they will have their old David, rather then any fresh Absolon.

Prov. 28. 2. For the transgression of a land, many are the princes thereof. Many Princes, they too too oft prove to the body politick (as the fresh horse-leeches in the Fable) extream suckers: and therefore Solomon the wise, as to the happiness of a people, he opposeth one to many, even as a blessing to a curse: For thus he writes, [Page 35] For the transgression, or punishment, of a land, many are the princes, but by a man (a single person) of under­standing and knowledge, the state thereof shall be prolonged. One may establish what many cannot! And therefore the men of Sichem; they Judg. 9. 5, 6. choose rather to have one Abimelech (and he naught too!) then three­score and ten to rule over them.

And indeed Absolon being now dead, they lay at the mercy of the General; they lay at Amasa's dis­pose to have what Government he pleased; and therefore if they con­sulted no further then their own wel­fare, they could not say less, when Absolon was now dead, then strive to bring David home again; for, they know his, they feared what a new Form might bring, Absolon whom we anointed over us is dead in battle, there­fore usquequo si letis, as the vulgar Latine, Why so silent, why so backward in bringing back the King?

Secondly, The other Reason is drawn from the excellent times they had under Davids government, The King saved us from out of the hands of [Page 36] our enemies; but Absolon he hath made us enemies to the King, the King delivered us from the Phili­stines, but Absolon he hath made us as Philistines, Rebels against the Lords anointed! David, he smote the Mo­abites, he smote the Syrians, he smote the Ammonites, he brought all Edom under his subjection! In the days of David he so smote the Philistines, that the men of Israel feared them not; in the days of David, Israel and Judah were a renowned people, feared abroad, in security at home: but in the days of Absolon, Israel was as odious as the uncircumcised: In the days of Da­vid, The Lord had given them rest 2 Sam. 7. 1. round about, from all their enemies: In the days of Absolon, all were ene­mies that were round about them; yea, in the days of David, the Ark was 2 Sam. 6. 12. brought into the City of David. The glory of Israel, the Ark of God, the holy Testimony of his presence, it was by David brought into the City of David.

And yet for all this, so ungrateful had they been to David, that to pro­mote a Rebel, they exiled a King; [Page 37] against David undoubtedly the Lords anointed, they anoint Absolon his un­gracious son to rule over them: Ab­solon was brought to the royal City, and David for Absolon fled out of the land.

But Israel now (now Absolon was dead) bethinking what they had done, and what they had to do; How they must either live in a perpetual war, or call back their King: How if they set up another instead of Absolon, they must keep an Army on foot, to maintain the usurpation.

Josephus relating the story, telleth us they thus concluded, ‘That it be­hoved them, since he was dead, whom they had chosen, to make their sup­plication and submission unto David, that dismissing his wrath, he would re­ceive the people into his favour; and ac­cording as before time, so now also he would vouchsafe them his pardon and protection.’

And indeed (as before I intimated) the King was so gracious, that not so much as Shimei (who reviled, cursed, and threw stones at him) suffered up­on that account.

[Page 38] Now if the desires of Israel was as the desires of England, To settle Peace and Government, upon foundations of Truth and Righteousness; they could then pitcht upon no better course then indeed was done, which was the bringing back of David to Jerusalem; the King to the City: For, a righte­ous Foundation builds upon this score, That every man may have his right; and that made David himself to say unto his God, Thou hast main­tained my Right, and my Cause; Thou Psal. 9. 4. satest in the throne judging right.

Now the men, both of Judah and Israel, they were all convinced; they all very well knew, that the seat of the Kingdom was Davids; knew Ab­solon to have no Title, but what the sword made him; knew the right of the Throne belonged to him who was fled, to him who was out of the land: And therefore, if they would have peace and government built upon the foundation of Righteousness, they could not but conclude, the King himself must have his right; He who was unjustly banisht, must in Righte­ousness be called home; He who [Page 39] was unjustly driven from his Royal Ci­ty, must in all right and reason be re­duced and brought back again.

For, if there were all the right and reason in the world, that Ahab who unjustly got possession, should restore Naboths vineyard, certainly then there is no less righteousness, that all the people of Israel should restore David to his own, when themselves very well knew, there was nothing but Rebellion and Treason, that drove him out; so that either righteousness and right dealings must be confined to the subject, or else David the King must have his right; and of this doubt­less all the people of Israel were then convinced, when they thus said, Why speak ye not a word of bringing the King back?

Again, as Righteousness, even so Truth requires it: For if you will run through the whole book of Kings, you shall finde that true Religion, it al­ways adhered to the Kings party: du­ring the rebellion of Absolon, Za­dock, and Abiathar, and all the Le­vites 2 Sam. 15. 29. they were of Davids side; they went out with him, they carried the [Page 40] Ark with him, they returned it to Jerusalem upon command from him; yea, when after Solomons days there was a division made between the house of Judah, and the house of Is­rael; when there was Kings of Israel, and Kings of Judah: In Judah still was the Lord known; in the City of David was the Temple, the Sacrifice, and the undoubted Priests of God.

1 Kings 12. 28. When Jeroboam had exalted himself to be King of Is­rael, you shall finde one of the first things he fate in Council on, it was Religion: And, because he knew the true Religion, and his false Title could not do together, he made two Calves of Gold, and said to the people, It is too much for you to go up to Jeru­salem, Behold thy gods oh Israel, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt.

They who will live under an usur­ped Title, they must never hope to live under a true Religion; for Usur­pers, they will have such Worship, such Priests, and such Confessions, as may serve their turns: And therefore had the men of Israel, onely upon the ac­count [Page 41] of Truth and Religion consider­ed, and consulted, they could not have found a better expedient for the enjoying of it, then by moving as they did, to bring back their King a­gain. For to David, and his line, ad­hered the profession of the true Reli­gion.

In a word, to settle Peace and Go­vernment upon those two immove­able Pillars, Truth and Righteousness, cannot possibly be effected, unless we be true to this common princi­ple, Suum cuique, To give every one his own. Now,

Matth. 22. 21. Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, and unto God the things that are Gods, saith the Saviour of the world, the Prince of Peace. Whence it appears, that both God and King have their inter­ests, and their properties; Caesar hath, and God hath his Rights.

Now if God and Caesar have a right, how can we expect that God should bless us with the blessing of peace, unless we give both to him and his anointed what is their rights.

[Page 42] Suppose Absolon, Achitophel, Ama­sa, or all Israel (whilst the power was in their hands) had sold the Ta­bernacle, which David pitched to 2 Sam. 6. 17. put the Ark in, or had they made sale, or given away the Kings Cedar 2 Sam. 7. house, that was in Jerusalem [...] Could the Government of Israel have been settled upon Truth and Righteousness, till God had had his Tabernacle, and the King his palace? certainly Resti­tution is as great a part of Righteous­ness, as Preservation; and God and Caesar, as considerable to their dues, as any persons in the world.

Truly among us Christians it is a great defect, that we are quick and highly sensible of every trespass, of every wrong, of every encroach­ment that is personal, and done to us; but what is done to others, the s [...]questrations, deprivations, wrongs, and ejectments of any but our own relations, those, as nothing at all to us, we scarce lend an ear to, so we scape, all's well. And hence it comes to pass, what is done to God, or what is done to Caesar, we make no ac­count, no reckoning on.

[Page 43] Now sure I am, God Almighty was very ill pleased with them, who in their fulness did not think of them that wanted; who drank wine in Bowls, anointed themselves with the chief oint­ments, but grieved not for the affliction of Joseph.

Now certainly if the afflictions of Joseph, the troubles of David should be remembred; and indeed with what face can we desire our God to settle us in peace, if we have no Bowels for our Brethren? nor melting hearts for the Father of our Countrey? cer­tainly, we are not worthy to sit in peace under our own Vines, if we will not endeavour to bring the Lord of our Vineyards to his own posses­sions.

To the people of Israel (whilst they understood themselves) no­thing was so dear, as the Ark and the King: But neither the Ark with­out the King, nor the King with­out the Ark, could make a settle­ment.

A time there was, when Jerusa­lem had their King, but the Ark was 2 Sam. 6. 1 at Kiriath-jearim, and whilst so, Da­vid. [Page 44] Serm. 7. himself could be contented; and therefore that the Ark of God might be brought home, like the Ark of God, with Honour and Solemnity, David gathered together all the cho­sen men of Israel, thirty thousand men Verse 1..

A time there also was, that Je­rusalem had the Ark, but they want­ed their King, for the ark was at Jerusalem, even all the while that the King was fled out of the land for Absolon: But the ark without the King, the worship of God, without the great Patron and Observer of it; this could not make Jerusalem at uni­ty within it self: And so Iudah went Verse 15. out to Gilgal to meet the King, as then it was the Kings zeal to fetch home the ark; even so it was Israels loyalty to bring back their King: both had been taken away, that both might be better valued.

And so Lord grant it may be in this Land of ours; restore thy worship, restore thine anointed, and so unite Israel and Iudah; that now Absolon is dead, all animosities may be buri­ed in his grave.

[Page 45] Now Absolon is dead, O let our David live, and let the ark and him rest in a lasting peace, which we beg of thee, the God of peace, even for his sake who is the Prince of peace, Jesus Christ the Righteous, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all Honour and Glory, now and for ever. Amen.

IN the Eighty second Psalm, at the fifth Verse, there is a sad complaint, that All the foundations of the earth are out of course: Yea, there is not a complaint onely, as to matter of fact that it was so, but there is an asserti­on of the cause, and reason that of necessity it must so be; for the Verse thus begins, They know not, neither will they understand, they walk on in darkness.

When the present Power, and chief Rulers of the Commonwealth of Israel, were so blinded with in­terest, that They walked in darkness: When they were so bent upon cruel­ties, oppression, and injustice, that [Page 50] they would not understand; when those who had the high and honourable ap­pellative of gods, acted rather as Mi­nisters Verse 1. of Sathan, accepting the per­sons of the ungodly, and afflicting the poor and fatherless: whilst it thus went in Israel, all the founda­tions must needs be out of course.

Now have not we of this Nation been a very late parallel to this sad condition? Have not all our founda­tions been out of course? Have not such who were called, The house of gods, Such, who themselves pretend­ed as saints to judge the earth, have not even they bound our Kings in chains, and our Nobles in fetters? have not our Fundamental Laws, and our deepest bottoms been dig­ged up? The square Stone of our Law it hath been removed, and a round Arbitrary pebble placed in the room of it: The Marble Charte [...] of our Nation, and the glorious Pillars of three Kingdoms they have been ground to powder; and that pow­der laid as the Sandy Base of a Rebel­lious, Sacrilegious, and Fanatick-Commonwealth: Yea, whereas it is [Page 51] observed of Rome, that beside the material foundation of seven Hills, she was bottomed upon seven Go­vernments: First, Kings, secondly, Consuls, thirdly, Decemviri, fourth­ly, Tribunes, fifthly, Dictators, sixth­ly, Emperours, and lastly, Popes.

Since our Foundations have been out of course, attempt hath been made of as many, if not more Foun­dations: But, as Boys oft by expe­rience finde, when the Right shell is wanting, among ten thousand more, one poor Cockle cannot be matched, compleated, or made up again; e­ven so, though we have had ten thou­sand Builders, some Hewing, some Canting, some Levelling, some try­ing this stone, and some that; No stone could do the the work, till the providence of the chief Builder so ordered it, that The stone which the buil­ders refused, became the head stone of the corner.

These words upon their very read­ing, appear to be an Allegory, a Figurative expression, in which of necessity there must be some hidden, or latent meaning: For, the stone [Page 52] which the Builders refused, doth not imply the act of a Mason, or the rejection of a stone, but the contempt of a person; so that the person couch­ed under this stone, and the builders intended by this Metaphor, must be our first enquiry.

Now by Stone in the Text there is generally meant, either David, or the Son of David, the King, or the Kings Son; a person exalted above ordinary men, a person exalted above all his brethren.

Whence my first Observation shall be, The great distance between man as man, and man as King, upon the ac­count of this present Metaphor.

When the Scripture speaks of man as man, the Spirit puts a very low va­lue and esteem upon him, calling him, Dust, Grasse, Esay 46. yea, Va­nity. Eccles. 3. 20.

But, when he speaketh of Man as a King; when he speaks of a Man, made the Lords anointed, and exal­ted Psal. 39. 11. to regall Dignity, then you shall finde the style riseth: For, old Ia­cob drawing to his Dust, when in blessing his children, he came to [Page 53] speak of a royal Emanation out of Ioseph, the Spirit of God taught him thus, From thence is the Shepheard, Gen. 49. 24. the stone of Israel: Under the noti­on Shepheard, Expositors doubt not, is meant the Kingly office; now, he who was to bear that, he is not as a mortall, or a man called Dust, or Grass, or Vanity, But the stone of Is­rael.

Nor is a King decyphered at large by any sort of Stone: for if, Ex quo­vis ligno non fit Mercurius, If every block is not fit to make a Statue, eve­ry Stone is not fit to represent a King; and therefore the spirit of God is choice even upon this account: For the Kingly person decyphered, he is set forth, not simply by a stone, but by a tryed stone, a precious stone, a Esay 28. 16. corner stone; yea, in my Text, there is yet a gradation higher, for, not onely a stone, and a corner stone, but Caput Anguli, the Headstone in the corner.

Look then how far a stone trans­cendeth Dust, a pretious stone ex­celleth grass; The Head stone in the choysest structure surpasseth va­nity, [Page 54] such is the proportion, such the distance between man as man, and man as King: As men we are but dust, and grass, and vanity; but he who is our King, he is [...], the stone of our Israel, the corner stone, yea, the Head stone of the corner.

Now truly this I had not observed but to check such (if such yet there be) who think themselves as good as a King, and a King to be no more then one of us.

1 Sam. 10. We read that men (as I may phrase it) upon the Corona­tion day, even upon that day when it is written, All people shouted and said, Verse 25. God save the King; even then some contemptibly said, How shall this man save us? even very then some despi­sed him: And,

2 Sam. 20. When God beyond all expectation had removed the usur­pation, and brought that King, who was fled out of the land, to his royall City, even then Sheba, the son of Bi­chri, Verse 1. blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we in­heritance in the son of Iesse: every [Page 55] man to his tents O Israel.

The Son of Bichri, in behalf of himself and his party, professed, un­less they might have inheritances out of the son of Iesse, unless they might have the Crown land, they were ra­ther for a war, then a settlement, ra­ther for confusion, then a King: they valued a King at no more then what was their own interest, and their own advantage.

Now truly thus to do, is not with the Spirit of God, to deem a King a stone, a Corner stone, a Head stone: but a stepping stone, a stirrup stone, a stone laid onely for advance to private in­terests, and to raise and get up to per­sonal advantages; But, they who so did, the Spirit of God puts an eternal brand upon them, calling them, Children of Belial: A man of Belial; yea, between the Loyal and the Sedi­tious, 1 Sam. 10. 27: the Spirit of God most re­markably 2 Sam. 10. 1. distinguisheth: for, they who adhered and went with the King, they are said to be such, Whose hearts God had touched; but those 1 Sam. 10. 26. who despised, and brought him no presents; they who looked upon him, [Page 56] but as one of them, they are such, Whose hearts Sathan governed, men of Belial.

Those whose hearts God had touched, they owned, and joyed, and triumphed in their King; they shouted and said, not God save Saul, as a man, But God save the King; God grant he may live, not as a man, but a King, in Glory and Majesty, in Power and Greatness.

But the children of Belial, they hung down their heads like a Bulrush, and had rather see a Kings head on a block, then to be, as God would have it, the head stone of the corner; But in despight of all, who devised how to put him by whom God would ex­alt, the Lord would, and hath com­passed his own design: For,

The stone which the Builders refu­sed, is become the head stone of the cor­ner: This is the Lords doing, and mar­velous in our eyes, &c.

In the words we may for methods sake observe these two Generals.

First, Matter of fact: Secondly, The manner of doing.

In the matter of fact two Consi­derabl [...] ▪

[Page 57]

The stone which the Builders refu­sed, is become the Head, &c.

In the second General, in the man­ner of doing, two Particulars;

1. Gods extraordinary efficiency, The Lords doing.

2. Mans duty, and regard in these words, Marvelous in our eyes.

First, of the matter of fact; The stone which the Builders refused, is be­come the Head stone of the corner.

Now for as much as Expositors of great note, attribute the prime sense to David, and the principal to the Son of David, I shall follow their steps, and indeed shall consider this matter of fact upon three accounts:

1. Davids Reprobation and Re­paration; how he was the stone, both refused and exalted.

2. The Son of David, Christ our Lord, his Reprobation and Repara­tion, how the Builders refused him, who became the Head.

3. Lastly, how far by way of [Page 58] Analogy, or resemblance our David, and our Davids Son, our late King, and the Son of this King may be here concerned, whether he who is be­come the Head of the corner, hath not been a stone reprobated, and re­fused.

First, That David was a rejected stone, the History of his life will ea­sily evince; For, if we look upon him upon the account of Na­ture, we finde him the youngest (not the seventh, but) the eighth Son; yea, we finde seven at home, or about home; but he, as a neglected Peb­ble in the Fields keeping sheep, when Samuel came to look him up, 1 Sam. 15. 11.

Yea, afeter this, when Samuel by anointing, had made him a precious stone, Eliab his eldest brother (e­ven then, when he came by Gods ap­pointment, to work a mighty deli­verance) accused him of pride, and naughtiness of heart, 1 Sam. 17. 28.

Saul, he adopts him for a Son, gives him a daughter, but hurls him off as a stone, and persecutes him as a Partridge upon the Mountains. Yea,

[Page 59] 1 Sam. 26. 19. David himself com­plaineth, saying, They have driven me out this day, from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go serve strange gods. So that he was now become a very rowling stone; a stone (one would think) neither fit to Bed nor Head.

Yea, when he was in the land of strangers, even there (and that by those who pretended of loyalty to follow him) when a cross accident befell them, They began to speak of stoning of him, 1 Sam. 30. 6. So that a poor King had need be a stone, a well weathered stone; for storms and cross winds will soon crack, break, and crumble him to dust else.

Now who would think, that a poor shepheard Boy, persecuted by a King, driven out of the Land of his Nati­vity, despised by his brethren, ready to be stoned by his followers, oppo­sed by a General; who would think that that stone, which such Master-Builders did set at naught; should become the Head of the corner, and the Glory of his people? And yet such was his Reparation; for, 2 Sam. [Page 60] 2. 4. The men of Judah anointed him King in Hebron. And the tribes of Israel, seven years and six moneths af­ter, 2 Sam. 5. came and made him King over all Israel. So that albeit Judah and Is­rael were not two Nations, nor two Kingdoms, yet they were two high parties, malignant, and well-affe­cted, loyal, and rebellious, for the King, and against the King: But, when the rejected stone was put in, where it ought to be, when the Buil­ders wearied with war, and perverse­ness, put him in his right place, and made him the Head of the corner: This union made up the breach, and that Head so closed the joynts, that Israel and Judah, the rebellious, and the loyal, all Davids days lived as brethren: So that to this change and reparation of King David, we may well say, This is the Lords doing, and marvelous in our eyes.

Secondly, let us consider this stone as relating to the son of David, and Christ. truly we shall finde him a stone refu­sed, and set at naught indeed.

In every Erection, there are divers sorts of Builders; some plot, some [Page 61] work, some serve! The Master-Buil­ders are for plotting, the Masons for raising, the labourers for serving; Now by every of these, was the stone in the Text refused.

Psalm 2. 2. The Kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers took counsel together against the Lord, and against his anointed. Against the Kings son, against the son of David, there was a combination of Princes, the very Master-Builders took coun­sel, and plotted against him, they would not have this stone to head them!

The Pharisees, Scribes and Elders, those whom I may call the Masons, in this spiritual edifice, they would none of this stone, for their voice is, No King but Cesar: They who put him to death, for fear the Romans should come; yet when design led them to it, they cry up even the Ro­man party, We have no King but Cae­sar; Joh. 8. 15. None but a General, none but an Usurper should head them, Nolu­mus hunc, come what will of it, we will not have this stone, We will not Luk. 19. 14. have this man to reign over us.

[Page 62] And hence it came, that the ve­ry laboureres, or under-builders of all, they are taught to cry out a­gainst this stone, as the very rub­bish of the work, preferring a piece of course clay, to a royal Marble: Non hunc sed Barabbam, not him but Joh. 18. 40. Barabbas! Any Usurper; any Vil­lain; any Form, rather than the right King! any Blood-stone, rather then Christ the Living-stone, any petra scandali, any Rock of offence, rather then caput Anguli, the corner stone.

Matth. 27. 22. When Pilate saw there was such an hellish despight against this stone, Pilate said unto them, what shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ? As if he had said, if ye will not have him for your King, nor allow him to be an Head stone, what place shall I assign him? what shall I do with him? They all said, Let him be crucified, that is, let him be destroyed: And indeed in this they were right; for a King can be safe in none, but in his own place; lessen him, and like a loose stone he drops out; the corner stone will fit no where, but at the Head onely.

[Page 63] And this Rebell, and Usurpers too well know; for when the Husband­men in the Gospel had a will to be Lords, and to take the Sons Inheri­tance Luke 10. 15. into their own Hands, to make sure work, They cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him; not onely cast him out, but killed the Heir.

Rebels are the greatest cowards in the world; if the Corner stone be but above ground, they fear it will heave, and heave, and do what they can, become the Head of the corner: And therefore when Pilate said, What shall I do with Jesus, which is called Christ, they cryed make him away, make him away, let him be crucified, torn to pieces, beat to powder, make him incapable and uselesse, and all is well enough: And what did they omit to do it? look upon his passion, and you shall finde, that if he had been a stone indeed; they stampt, and trampled on him, head, hands, feet, and side, found not so much pitty from these Builders, as the very stones afforded; for whereas the Builders tear and rend the stones themselves, they rent; for no soo­ner [Page 64] was (the most Holy Priest of his living Temple) his Soul seperate from the Body, but the vail of the Matth. 27. temple rent in twain, even from top to bottom. When the King, the Corner stone, was thrown down, the Tem­ple by a kinde of sympathy rends al­so, but the Builders they were as merry, as if his sighs had been plea­sant tunes, and his exquisite sorrow the joy of their hearts; for even in the anguish and bitterness of death They mocked and derided him: so Matth. 17. that indeed never was any stone more contemptuously disallowed, and re­jected, then was the son of David, so that never could any so rightly ap­ply that of this Psalm, as he did, for he, even he was that stone which the Builders refused! He that stone, who after the most sad refusall that could be made, Became for all that Caput Anguli, The head of the corner.

Lament. 1. 12. Behold and see if there be any sorrow, like to my sorrow! As there was no sorrow like to our Saviours sorrow, even so no rejection, no reprobation like to his! no stone brought to a more unlikeliness of a [Page 65] raising, then he was! for, who could think that that stone, which was hid, and buried in infimas partes terrae, in Eph. 4. 9. the lower parts of the earth; who could think that stone which was closed within a Rock, and the mouth Matth. 27. 60. of that secured with a mighty stone; yea, who could have thought, that that Body which was as dead as a stone, that person whom shame, and sorrows, weight, and pain had bruised to pieces; who could have thought, that such a stone should be so cemen­ted, and again so perfected, as to be­come the beauty of the Building, and to be made even the Head stone of the corner! Yet this was done, and this was the Lords doing.

Ephes. 4. 10. He that descended, is the same also that ascended: Yea, and if we make due observation of it, we shall finde that his reparation, it was proporionable to his reprobati­on! For he who descended low, he ascended high, he who was hum­bled to the lower parts of the earth, He was exalted far above all heavens; He who was thrown off as a stone, onely meet to advance the rubbidge, [Page 66] he was advanced to the heighth that a stone is capable, even the Head of the building! for, He is the Head of the Body, the Church! and (2 Coll. 10.) The Head of all Principality and Col. 1. 18. Power! yea higher yet, for he is the Head of the corner! Corner it implies more then Building, for corner is a place where at least two walls meet, so that to be the Head of the corner, implies Union, as well as Dignity: and in this respect there was never such an Head stone, as the Kings stone, never such a corner stone, as was this Head stone of the cor­ner! For,

Eph. 2. 14. He is our peace who hath made both one: Whether we re­spect Jew or Gentile, Male or Fe­male, quick or dead, Heaven and Earth, this stone is the Head to every corner; for to him was given, All power both in heaven and earth. Matth. 28. 18. And therefore was the rejected stone repaired, and the disallowed stone advanced, That he might be Lord both of the dead and the living; so Rom. 14. 9. that to this we may very meetly adde the words following, and say, This [Page 67] is the Lords doing, and it is marve­lous in our eyes.

Thirdly, or lastly, by way of Ana­logy, and to enforce the better sense of our present Blessing, let us see how far our Davids Son, or the Son Charl. II. of our late King may be here con­cerned.

I shall now shew unto you, that in divers choice Particulars he very meetly resembles both David, and the Son of David: For,

• 1. Infamy.
• 2. Breeding in the same
  1. alike for infamy:
  School.
• 3 Exile both from the
  • Land of his Nati­vity.
  • Religion of his God.
• 4. Time.
• 5. For
  • The persons persecuting.
  • His Restitution.

First, that He hath been a stone re­jected, and refused: This is as clear as the noon day, yea this very day of the Thanksgiving had never been else.

Now in the time of his Reprobati­on, the good King David thus com­plains, The very abjects gathered them­selves Psalm 35: 15. [Page 68] against me! yea, The very drunkards made songs of me! Those who had not a stone in their houses, could finde a stone to throw at a di­stressed King.

And hath not even this been the case of the Kings Son? The abjects of our times, State-lecturers, News­mongers, Mercenary pens, and Tongues, they have made it their work to tumble down, and degrade this stone: for as some out of super­stitious fear rob Gods Saints of their honour, calling Saint Paul, Paul, and Saint Peter, Peter; even so, those who to the rebellious cry, your Excellency, your Honour, your Lord­ship, call the corner stone, even below Common enemy. a Gentleman, Charles Stuart, Tar­quin, one of the cursed Family! A stone fitter for a threshold, then a Throne!

But what these did, may seem no more then the fabulous Cocks, pre­ferring a Barly-corn, to a Jewel! For they were no Builders, and there­fore knew not when they saw a stone for building: But when professed Builders, when those who would be­hold [Page 69] the Council of a Nation, and the Master-builders of a Kingdom; when they shall disallow, or refuse a stone, when they shall vote the Head to the feet, and the chief stone to be incapable; this is a considerable re­probation, and such, as might seem to put a stone out, either of heart, or hope of getting any higher: And hath not the Kings Son been thus dealt withall? Have not Builders, and prime Builders too, even by a so­lemne act disallowed this stone? Did not the successors to such who killed the Heir, enacted a Disinherison of all the Royal Family? As the Jews by a stone and a seal, thought to have kept the Son of David from ever ri­sing, to sit upon the Throne of his Father; even so, so for ever did ma­ny Master-builders repudiate, and disallow this quarry, that they thought never any stone of it, should become, Caput, or Caput Anguli, the Head, or Head of the corner. And yet blessed be God, I may now, in relation to our Kings Son say, The stone which the Builders refused, is be­come the Head stone of the corner.

[Page 70] Secondly, We read not of any King but onely one, who is graced 2. For breeding in the same School. 1 Sam. 13. 14. with this high Eulogy, or Character, A man after Gods own Heart. Now this King, this King whom God de­clared should act, according to his own Heart! God so provided, that he should be humbled before he was exalted, that he should be a Reje­cted, before he was an Elected stone! First, a vilified and refused, and then the Head stone of the corner!

Now as was David, even so the son of our David, he hath been bred up in the Schools of affliction, he hath had the experience of many, many various troubles! He hath been row­led like a stone, from City to Coun­try, and from one Kingdom to ano­ther! Being then God hath so bred our King, as he did the King after his own heart, in trouble, persecu­tion, exile! Being, as was David, he hath been a stone refused, we have very great hopes, that now becom­ing as was David, The Head of the corner, we shall finde that God hath prepared him, as he did David, for a flourishing Kingdom.

[Page 71] Thirdly, David, whilst yet he was a refused stone, complains, 1 Sam. 26. 19. They have 3. For ex­ile both from the land of his Nati­vity, and the Reli­gion of his God. driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go serve strange gods.

The Builders so furiously rejected this anointed stone, that they would not suffer it lye, or abide in the Land of his Nativity: they have driven me out, saith David, From abiding in the inheritance of the Lord: Where the best Religion and worship of God was, they would not suffer this stone to be! they drive him out saying, Go serve strange gods: They hoped in an Idolatrous Country, necessity, assi­stance, or something might turn this stone into an unholy altar; so that if once they could bring him under the just infamy of serving strange gods, they might then as well before God, as good men, make him a refused stone for ever.

But, the stone whom wicked men refused, he would never refuse his maker, he was resolved to be a stone for Gods Altar, in what posture so ever providence should cast him.

Now hath not the stone of our David, [Page 72] our Kings Person even been just thus served? we all know he hath; we all know, driven he hath been from abi­ding within the inheritance of his Fa­thers, yea, they who drove him, seemed to say, Go and serve strange gods: Glad would some of our late Builders have been, to have had him the stone of a Popish Altar.

But as David, when God from a refused stone, called him to take his place, and to be Head of the corner, came like gold out of the fire, pure and undefiled; Even so the Kings Son, or Son of our David, he comes with the same impress of Reli­gion, that he carried forth; no more corrupred by the King of Spain, then was David by the King of Gath: E­ducation like a tool in Marble, it hath made a durable impression, as it was with David, even so we believe it is with him; whether a refused stone, or a corner stone, whether at home, or abroad, he serves the same God, and the same way.

Fourthly, As David was a refused, 4. For du­ration of time. before he was an approved stone; even so it is very considerable, how [Page 73] long God did exercise the patience of his servant, how long he suffered him to be a rejected, before he came to be the corner stone: Now 2 Sam. 5. 4. it is written, David was thirty years old when he began to reign.

The King by whom God resolved to do great things, he wonted him to troubles, he experienced him with tentations, till he was Thirty years of age, he began not to reign, he was Thirty years old, before he sate upon the throne, Thirty years old, before he became the Head stone in the corner.

Now if we look upon our Kings Son, and if we compute his age, we shall finde just Davids year, the first year of his actual reign, the first year of his being in his own place, the first day of his entrance into his Roy­al City, it was the day of his Nati­vity, and the Head of the corner, just as was David the thirtieth year.

Lastly, Being our King, is not one­ly a King, but a Kings son; let us take 5. For those who persecu­ted. one parallel, between him and the Son of David;

[Page 74] In the

• Rejection.
• Reparation.

Psalm 69. 8. I am become a stran­ger to my brethren, and an alien to my mothers children. The son of David complaineth he was a stone rejected by his own brethren; I became a stranger to them! yea, his very mo­thers children looked strangely on him, I was an alien to my mothers children.

And was not this the very case of the son of our David? Hath not he been, even from his Childhood up, a stranger to his brethren, and an ali­en to his mother-City? yea, when he was fain to fly out of the Land, as the son of David (a Babe did) from him that sought his life? The Lilly had no pitty, the Lilly was not candid to the Rose, his kindred stood a far off, and he was an alien to his mothers children! yea, he was upon this ac­count; a stone more refused, then the son of David: For,

Cant. 1. 6. He onely thus com­plains, My mothers children were an­gry with me: But for all that, they make me the keeper of the vineyards; [Page 75] when the case was so with him, that as it is in that verse, Mine own vine­yard have I not kept, yet even then they made him the keeper of their vineyards.

But when it so was, that our Heir could not keep his vineyard, his mo­thers children were so angry, that as a stone they threw him out of their vineyards, they would neither let him keep their vineyards, nor shel­ter him under their vines: As the Judges 9. men of Shechem preferred a shurb, a bramble, a base fellow, before the Olive, the Fig-tree, or the better fa­mily of Jerubbaal! Even so, his mo­thers children, not in an heat, passi­on, or upon anger, but which is a sad­der rejection, upon counsel, delibe­ration, treaty! When this stone was in balance with the very dross of a Nation, when their flesh and blood, the undoubted Head of the corner, was in competition with a Rebel, a Traytor, a man of blood! yea, one who had washt his hands in Royal blood! even then they preferred this son of Belial, as the Jews did Barab­bas, before their own flesh, before [Page 76] their own blood: The son of Nobles, yea, the son of their own Nobility was made a stranger to his brethren, an alien, yea, an exile to his mothers children.

And yet for all this, in his state of Reparation, behold he comes, as rose the Son of Righteousness, with healing on his wings, merciful, and gracious as the son of David,

Our blessed Lord and Master, though he was a refused and a reje­cted stone, and that by his own too; yet we finde after his resurrection, he was exalted, and became such a stone, that it is written, On whomsoever it should fall, it would grind him to pow­der: Luke 10. 18. Yet even then, so full was he of grace and mercy, that he was con­tent his Rebels, and his refusers, should become stones in his building; yea, living stones under the protecti­on of him their Head, onely the con­dition 1 Pet. 2. 5. Acts 1. 38. is, Repent and be baptized eve­ry one of you in the name of Jesus Christ.

All that the stone so refused, after his exaltation, requireth of his rebels is, that they list themselves anew, [Page 77] that they fight under his Banner, that they repent and be obedient.

Now the Son of our late King, our long refused and despised stone, he sent his Heralds, and prepared his way, by messengers of peace; pro­claims a generall pardon, upon the same terms that did the son of David, repentance, loyalty, and obedience for the future; and indeed the God of peace himself will not give pardon upon other terms: For,

Psalm 68. 21. God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one, as goeth on still in his wickedness. He that hath rebelled, he may be pardoned, but he that go­eth on, he that after declaration of pardon, upon gracious terms will not come in, see what the Saviour of the world, and the once rejected stone professeth, These mine enemies Luke 14. 27. that would not I should reign over them, bring them hither, and stay them be­fore me. He who hath abundant mer­cy for a returning, hath none for an obstinate and persisting rebel.

1 Pet. 2. 7. We thus read, Unto them which be disobedient, the stone [Page 78] which the Builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner. Unto them that be disobedient, unto them that would not, the rejected stone is become their King! unto them which be disobedient, the same is made the head of the corner; so that one of these two are inevitable, either they must become obedient, and lay hold of his pardon, or this stone must fall upon them, and then remember it is written, On whomsoever it shall fall, Luke 20. 18. it shall grind to powder. And therefore kisse the son, lest he be angry; let us revere and reverence him whom God hath exalted, for every King propor­tionably is, what the King of the Jews was, Caput Anguli, the head of the corner.

Yea, that this Metaphor, the Head of the corner, hath a meet proportion even to all Kings; Saint Peter seems to me in this Chapter to insinuate; for, from his discourse of the chief precious, living, and elect corner stone, Verse 6. he presently falls to treat of Christi­ans duty to their Kings, saying, Sub­mit Verse 13. your selves to every ordinance of man, for the Lord sake; whether it [Page 79] be to the King as supream: and Fear God, honour the King; and indeed if Verse 17. we observe it, we shall finde their persons, and their obedience are very nigh together: For,

The son of David, he who sitteth at the right hand of God, and is im­mediately next to God, he is a King! the highest exaltation of humanity, it is in the person of a King: And as in Heaven, even so in Scripture, God and the King are next neighbours: Honour the King stands so nigh to fear God, that he cannot be a good Chri­stian, who will not be a good subject, specially to such a King whose Throne is sensibly of Gods erection, and whose restitution is so signal a testimony, that the very enemy cannot but say, This is the Lords doing, and it is mar­velous in our eyes. And so from the matter of fact to,

II. The manner of doing. This is the Lords doing.

Psalm 78. 19. They speak against God, and said, can God furnish a Table in the wilderness? The Jews did ne­ver think it more impossible for God to send them Quails, to fill them [Page 80] with flesh, and to furnish them with a table in the wilderness, then thou­sands in this our Nation thought it was for God (to do as he hath done) to bring back the banisht, and to set him, who was fled out of the Land, up­on the Throne of his Fathers: But as Quails came to them, even so came a King to us, upon the wings of the wind, yea and an East wind too; onely with this great difference, Quails were the fruit of their murmur, but a King the return of our prayers; Quails were given upon displeasure, but a King in loving kindness; Quails were brought in with blood, but the coming Verse 31. in of the King was much like the Is­raelites going out, of which it is writ­ten, Not a dog moved his tongue against it; yea, what is written of God, the Exod. 11. 7. great King of the earth, the same is applicable to the King we joy under, God is gone up with a merry noise, and Psalm 47. 2. the Lord with the sound of the trumpet. So came in our King, and that he who so lately was petra scandali, the rock of offence, should now on a sudden become desideratus genuium, the de­sire of Nations, that he should so come [Page 81] in, Hoc factum Domini, This is the Lords doings, and that it is so,

Behold in this doing the

• Goodness,
• Wisdom,
  II.
• Power of God.

First then, This is the Lords doing, for it was of his great Grace and Good­ness, that this was done: For,

The whole Land, that is all the Honourable, all the Loyal, and (upon the account of Religion in 1641. pro­tested to) all the Religious, lay as the chidren of Israel in Egypt, under se­vere Task-masters: For, as the Israe­lites for crying, Let us go and sacrifice Exod. 5 8, 9. to our God, had the heavier load, and imposition laid upon them: Even so, to worship God after the way of our Fathers, to worship the known God by a known way; this was enough to take our straw, nay more then so, our very bricks, and our very lively­hood away; so that to Fear God, and Honour the King, it was malignancy enough to undo any man.

Now as it was the meer goodness of God, that moved him to have com­passion on his rebellious people; even so, so ill under the rod had most of [Page 82] us carried, and demeaned our selves, that we were unworthy of a favour, unworthy to know any but oppressors, and Usurpers to be Lords over us: For so loud were the Oaths, so abomina­ble the debauchery, so unclean the lives, and so fierce the uncharitable­ness of too too many of us; that all the taxes and Task-masters, all the vexations and sufferings groaned un­der, they were but our just deservings: And therefore that God should be so good, as to send redemption to such a people, so gracious as to raise up a mighty salvation to the house of our David, so merciful as to vouchsafe us a King, whose very approach seems to put a period to the calamities of three Kingdoms: This can have no such motive as his own goodness, nor could this have been any, but onely his own doings, so that we may here very well take up that of the Psalmist, Thou, O God, of thy goodness hast pre­pared Psalm 68. 50. for the poor. It is of thy good­ness, O Lord, that the stone which was refused, is become the Head of the corner; and therefore not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto [Page 83] thy Name we give the glory, it was thy goodness, it was thy doing.

Secondly, As it was thy goodness, even so it was thy wisdom: To keep the rejected Stone from being Head of the corner, there hath been as great plottings, as the wit of man quickned by coveteousness, malice, and ambition could invent: To re­pair this stone, and to raise it to be Head of the corner, there hath been as great contrivances, as prudence, highthned by love and loyalty could imagine; but neither could effect their purposes, it was the wisdom of God that did the work.

Psal. 2. 6. Yet have I set my King, upon my holy hill of Sion: Though the Kings of the earth set themselves a­gainst it, though the Rulers took counsel together, and cried, Let us break their Bands in sunder, yet (saith the Lord for all this) I have set up my King upon my hill.

As then Balaam told Balak, There Numb. 23. 23: was no divination against Jacob, nor no inchantment against Israel; even so there is no counsel against the one­ly wise, nor no instruments of govern­ment, [Page 84] no humble advice that can check his providence: For when his time is, as holy Job speaks, To set up on high those that be low, that those which Job 5. 11, mourn may be exalted to safety: (The very condition of the royal Family) see his method, He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their 12. hands cannot perform their enterprise: As Dagon fell before the Ark, even so must and shall all parles and counsels before Gods wisdom: And for instance, we shall no further then the duty of the day; for, against our gracious Soveraign, against this stone which the Builders refused, there was as great provision made as hu­mane wisdom could imagine; Oaths, engagements, establishments were made against it: and that by such who were cried up for the Saints of the earth, men full of holy pretences, pretended re­velations, Sabbatarian zeal, and ex­traordinary impulses of the spirit; yea, enacted it was that none should be a Builder, that did not disavow this stone; none should bear office, han­dle the sword, or have benefit of Law, that did not engage against King and [Page 85] Lords; yea, it was defined treason, and made death by pretence of Law, so much as to pray for the Head of the corner; and yet for all this, he who sitteth in heaven hath laughed them to scorn; he whose wisdom will admit no defeat, he hath broke their bands in sunder, and maugre all Conspira­cies and devices of Usurpers, Traitors and Tyrants; The stone which was thus refused, is become the Head of the corner, and it is the Lords doing, his counsel, his wisdom did it.

Lastly, it is the Lords doing, for not onely his goodness, and his wisdom, but his power is eminently seen in it.

It is well known, to keep our Sove­raign from being what he is, to keep the refused stone from being Head, there was as great a power, as flesh and blood could well raise: there was formidable, and whole armies, armies that feared not to fight, men victo­rious enough, and expert in war; so that indeed the Kings friends, and such as would have raised up this de­spised stone, they were like Israel un­der the Philistin tyranny, They had nor sword nor spear, they had not so much 1 Sam. 13. 19. [Page 86] as a leaver left them, all the power was in the enemies hand; and when so, then it appears was Gods hour (to use an abused phrase) to bare his arm, and to shew his power: For,

Hosea 1. 7. It is is thus written, I will have mercy upon the house of Ju­dah, and will save them; but observe how, not by bow, nor by sword, nor by bat­tle, by horses, or horse-men, but I will save them by the Lord their God.

The mercy which we this day bless God for, it is a mercy done to the house of Judah, and done (blessed be his name for it) neither by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, or horse-men, but even by the Lord their God.

The Lord our God he hath shewed his power, not by breaking the bow, or snapping the spear in sunder; but which is a much more admirable effi­cacy, by turning the hearts of his peo­ple, by bowing the hearts of thousands, and ten thousands, as the heart of one man; to call for that stone which they had refused, and to place it, where in all right and justice it ought to be, Ca­put Anguli, the Head of the corner.

[Page 87] Amongst us men, such is our power that we can fetter the feet, bind the hands, and bridle all outward violence, (for when a stronger cometh, the ar­med man is conquered) but a power over the heart, that we have not, the power of hearts it is in his hands only, who made the heart; and therefore I conceive, that that is much more the Lords doing, which is done by hearts, then that which is done by hands.

The Prophet Daniel mystically pre­senting Dan. 2. 34. the stone in my Text, he calls it, A stone cut out without hands.

Albeit the blessed Virgin was instru­mental to the conception, breeding, and bearing the King of the Jews; yet being the Holy ghost was the onely active and prime principle, he is cal­led to Gods glory, a stone cut out without hands.

Even so albeit toward the restituti­on of our Soveraign, there have been glorious and honourable instruments; yet there hath been so much more of heart, o're there hath been of hands, so much more of God, o're there hath been of men, that we may well to the glory of Gods power say, Our rejected [Page 88] stone was set in his place, our refused stone he was made Head of the cor­ner, even as the stone which was cut out of the mountain, sine manibus, without hands; and therefore it must needs be the Lords doing!

Psalm 74. The prophet sadly com­plains, that at the destruction of the Temple, The enemies roared in the midst of it, they cast fire into the san­ctuary, Verse 4, yea, they broke down the car­ved works thereof with axes and ham­mers: 7. But at the erection and build­ing 6. of it, There was neither hammer nor axe, nor any tool of iron heard in the 1 King. 6. 7. house, while it was in building.

Now this is just the emblem of our sad, and our glad condition; for when our Caput Anguli, when our Corner stone was rejected, despised, and ta­ken down, then the enemies roared, fire and sword, axes and hammers, e­ven went through the land.

But the Kings son (though glad to fly out of the land, not having in three Kingdoms where with safety to lay his Head) when he was exalted, and made Head of the corner, his rai­sing it was just like Solomons Temple; [Page 89] no hammer, no ax, nor any tool of iron; no bow, no sword, no noise, but as Balaam told Balak, The joyful Numb. 23, 21. shout of a King is amongst them: And who could do this but the over-ruling power of heaven? who could compass this, but God onely, It is the Lords doings; and which is the last Consi­derable, It is marvelous in eyes.

And this comprehends mans duty, for this his thus doing, Mirabile in o­culis III. nostris, marvelous in our eyes: a marvelous work, a marvelous blessing in our eyes.

A marvelous work: For that, that stone which the Master-builders had voted rather dirt, then stone; that that stone voted by them no more like to the Head of the corner, then is a Traitor to a King, or a Rebel to a So­veraign; that that stone, to the which every helping hand was voted trea­sonable, and every friendly Builder a Rebel, and a Traytor; that that stone, which Ministers were forbid, either directly or indirectly for to pray for; that that stone, to which it was trea­son to make an approach, or an ad­dress, should finde Builders to ad­vance, [Page 90] and raise it up, Hoc factum mi­rabile, this is a work marvelous in our eyes.

A marvelous blessing too: For, Bles­sed Eccles. 10. 17. art thou, O land, when thy King is the son of Nobles, and thy princes eat in due season for strength, and not for drunkenness.

Now if it be so, that descent and temperance in a King, makes a Land blessed, we have then in our King a marvelous blessing; for, He is the son of Nobles.

That daring and unimitable presi­dent! that Son of blood, who feared not to unhead our corner, and throw down the most precious stone, that ever did Head our Buildings; even he (to the eternal aggravation of his in­solence) professed, even that King was the off-spring of many Kings, the 109th of his Nation; so that the son of such a King, he must needs be the son of Nobles.

We finde in the History of Kings it never went well, either with Church or State, when the lowest of the people were made Priests, or when God permitted a Jeroboam, a [Page 91] servant, to sit upon the Throne of his Soveraign: And we have experimen­ted this sad truth, we have tasted, yea, we were almost at the dregs of that bitter cup: But, which is a mar­velous blessing in our eyes, the pro­posterous Letters are set right, and we have a King which is the son of No­bles. R. C. C. R.

And as we have a King the son of Nobles, even so we have a King, Who eats in due season for strength, and not for drunkenness: A King, whose first publick act of regality his King­dom was acquainted with, it was a Proclamation against the debaucht and swearing, professing with what parts so ever, they may be otherwise qualified and endowed, they shall for them be as reprobate stones in his ac­count; so that the heading of our corner with such a stone, is, not one­ly a marvelous work, but a marvelous blessing in our eyes.

Now without doubt a marvelous work, and a marvelous blessing, is not laid before our eyes, that we should shut our eyes upon them, or that we should make no reflection, no use of [Page 92] them; for there is nothing marve­lous, but it carrieth the power of an Ecce in it, and calleth upon us for to behold it.

Certainly then this work which is the Lords doing, and marvelous in our eyes, it calls upon us:

1. To rejoyce, 2. To be thankful, 3. To be obedient.

First, To rejoyce; For if these words relate either to Davids exaltation to his Throne (as some) or to the son of David, our Saviours resurrection from the grave; or as we at this time ap­ply them, to our present Soveraigns most happy restitution; upon all ac­counts, the eye may see, what did, and what may joy the heart.

In relation to the two former Sen­ses it is most clear, that this marve­lous work, and this Lords doing, it is a matter of high rejoycing; for the very next verse to my Text is, This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoyce and be glad in it.

David, and all that loved him, re­joyced to see his day, for it is writ­ten, All Israel gathered themselves unto David in Hebron; they came as [Page 93] one man to anoint David, and to re­joyce with him, I Chron. II. v. I, 3.

The son of David (the most cer­tain designed by this stone) he was depressed and exalted; a stone reje­cted, and a stone advanced even for our sakes: he died, and was despised Rom. 4. 25. for our sins, he was raised and made Head of the corner for our justifica­tion: And therefore the memorial of this marveil; the marvelous things done by God for our redemption, may very well create a Festival, and give Christians (at least at the Feast of Easter, for) to say, This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will re­loyce and be glad in it.

And as for David, and the son of David; even so, for the son of our David, for the marvelous things done by God for our King, and in him for us, even for these we ought for to re­joyce.

It is an old tradition among the Jews, that there was at the building of the second Temple, a peculiar stone which in the building was oft handed, and as oft thrown out of hand again: But at length when they came either [Page 94] to compleat the work, or to leave it a rude and imperfect lump; there was no stone that could do the work, no stone that could fit the corner, and close up the joynts, but that onely.

Now woful experience hath taught our Builders, that such a stone was our Royal Soveraign, Charles the Second; like this Emphatical stone of the second Temple, was the onely Caput Anguli, the onely Head stone that could close our breaches: And therefore that God of his most graci­ous providence, would be pleased so to fit us, that through Gods blessing in him we may become an united peo­ple: This is matter of rejoycing, and rejoycing in the Lord too; for though it is our comfort, it was the Lords doings, and Mirabile in ocu­lis nostris, marvelous in our eyes.

Secondly, Whereas worldly in­terest, II. and present content is a natu­ral motive to stir us up to joy, and rejoycing: This marvelous work re­quires more than so; not onely joy in our hearts, but thankfulness to God; for as all along we must con­fess it was his doings! it is the Lord [Page 95] who hath done great things for us! it is the Lord who hath turned our captivity! yea, so hath the Lord ex­alted our rejected stone, that we who see it done, may for ever sit amazed, and be even like to them that dream: And therefore not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thee we give the praise, to thee the thanks, to thee the glory.

1 Sam. 12. When Samuel had pre­sented their desired King unto his people, Samuel tells, them the con­sideration of the great things which God hath done, it should work in them such a thankfulness, as should evidence it self in godly fear, and ho­ly services: For,

Samuel having said, I will teach you the good, and the right way; immedi­ately 23. adds, Onely fear the Lord, and 24. serve him in truth with all your heart, for consider how great things the Lord hath done for you.

The things that are marvelous in our eyes; this marvelous blessing of enjoying without blood, an exiled King; this marvelous work, of so set­ting up the Head of the corner, it [Page 96] should teach us to be thankful to our God, and to expresse that thank­fulnesse, not onely as Samuel, but so also as our Soveraign hath requi­red, By cordially renouncing all licen­tiousness, and profaneness, and by be­coming examples of sobriety, and ver­tue: and indeed unless we all so do, we shall all be found reprobate stones, and very cast-aways in the last day.

Lastly, Is the restitution of our So­veraign, and the making him, who was so sadly rejected the, Head of the corner, the Lords doing, and marve­lous in our eyes?

Truly, this should teach every of us our bounden duty to our King, and that is to love, honour, and obey him for the Lords sake, not daring by thought, word, or deed to lessen, or degrade him, whom the Lord hath made Caput Anguli, the onely Supream, the Highest, the Head of the corner.

Col. 3. If you observe there the commands of obedience, which St. Paul gives, to wives, children, and servants, you shall finde the Lord is [Page 97] made a motive to them all, for speaking to wives he saith, As it is Verse, 8, fit in the Lord; speaking to children he saith, This is well pleasing to the 20, Lord; and speaking to servents, Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to 23. the Lord.

Whence there appears to me a ve­ry signal difference between Chri­stian, and between Moral obedi­ence: For, the Wives of Jews, the Children of Turks, the Servants of Pagans; these all respectively may give as great obedience, as we can; and yet because it is not done upon a Christian motive, because it is not done for the Lords sake; all this obe­dience as to Gods acceptance, and as to Heaven, is of no value: But the same obedience done upon the Lords account, the same obedience done by us Christians upon the account of Faith, it may bring unto us an ever­lasting recompence.

Whereas then that our despised is become the Head of the corner, is the Lords doings, and marvelous in our eyes; our bounden duty is, not as do Pagons, or Turks, to honour [Page 98] our King for fear, to love him for his bounty, or to obey him upon con­straint: But being it was the Lords doing, so marvelously (almost mira­culously) to invest him in the Throne of his Father! Being it was the Lords doing to quell the mighty, and the Lords doing to set him in his own place; let our obedience be for the Lords sake, let our obedience have more of the Gospel, then the Law in it, let our allegeance have more of the Christian, then the Subject in it;

Yea, that there may be a perfect period to the Grand Conspiracy, both against the Lord anointed, and the Lords anointed, let our conversation be such as become Christians, and our loyalty such as become Christian sub­jects: Let us kisse the Son lest he be angry, and let us honour the King, because God harh honoured him: for to Gods glory, and our comfort, we cannot confesse in any better Form, then the words of my Text, ever blessed be the name of God for it;

The stone which the Builders refu­sed, [Page 99] is become the Head stone of the corner: This is the Lords do­ing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.