COncerning this Psalm there are Three things which may be consider'd; First, The Inscription or Title, which it bears. Secondly, The Occasion upon which it was written; and, Thirdly, The sub­ject Matter which it contains. As for the Title of his Psalm, tis double; for,

First, 'Tis stiled in the Hebrew Language, Schir Hammaaloth; in the Greek, [...]; in the Latin, Canticum Graduum, i. a Song of Degrees. And, besides this Psalm, there are Fourteen more set down in order, which bear the same Inscription.

And why these Fifteen Psalms are called Songs of Degrees, there are several Reasons offered by several Interpreters, all which are but Conje­ctural. The Rabbins or Doctors of the Jewish Church tell us, That there were Fifteen Steps or [Page 2] Stairs, by which, as by so many Degrees, they went up to the Temple, and that upon their Solemn Festivals, the Levites were wont upon each of these Steps or Degrees to stand still, and sing one of those Psalms; and that from this Custom these Fifteen Psalms received this denomination.

There are others, who think that there was in the Temple a certain place raised high above the Ground, like the Galleries in our Churches, to which the Levites ascended by several Steps or Degrees, and there did sing these Psalms; and that from thence these Psalms took this Name.

There is a third Opinion, that these Psalms are so called, because when the Levites did sing them, they did by degrees raise their Notes, ad­vance their Voices, and tune them in an higher Strain than ordinary. But the consideration of this being a thing rather of Curiosity than of Edi­fication, I will say no more about it.

2 dly. The second Inscription or Title which this Psalm bears in the Hebrew Tongue, is this, Mizmor le Dabid, a Psalm of David; the Greek Translation reads it, [...], a Psalm to David: But that's an Hebraism, where the Article le doth govern sometimes a Genitive, and sometimes a Dative Case.

[Page 3]This Title sheweth us who was the undoubt­ed Penman of this Psalm; namely, the Royal Prophet, a King inspired of God, whose Name stands prefixed before most of the Psalms, to distinguish those which were written by him, and those which were Penned by some other in­spired Persons; as, Asaph, Heman, Aethan, and Moses. But to pass by this.

Secondly, The second thing considerable, in reference to this whose Psalm, is the Occasion whereupon it was composed and written, and that is thought to be this:

We read that David had been forced to fly from Jerusalem from his own House, and God's, by the Rebellion and Treason of his own Son Absolom, who endeavour'd to dispossess him of his Kingdom, and probably of his Life too; but, within a short space, Absalom being slain, and his Army dispersed, and David returned in safe­ty to Jerusalem, 'tis believed that he might, upon that happy occasion, Pen this Psalm.

But, Thirdly, the third thing here conside­rable, is, the Subject Matter which this Psalm contains in it; and the most remarkable Pas­sages therein are these two:

1 st. David's exceeding Joy for his Restora­tion [Page 4] to the Place of God's Publick Worship, from which, to his unspeakable Grief, he had been so lately Banished.

During the whole time of David's Exile, there was nothing that did so much disquiet Da­vid's Soul, as the consideration of his forced Absence from the Sanctuary of God; none of his Troubles, none of his Misfortunes did he ever lament so long, and so oft as that.

But when once David had recovered his for­mer Liberty, when the Doors of the Sanctuary did again stand open to him, like a Man tran­sported with Joy, he abruptly broke out into this Expression; I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the House of the Lord; and so it is with all Religious Souls: To them the House of God is a place of the greatest Joy and Pleasure.

2 dly, The second of those things, which are most considerable in this Psalm, is David's earnest Request, both to God and Men, for the Happiness of Jerusalem, and for the continuance of those Spiritual Privileges which they did now enjoy.

His Address to Men was this, Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem; and what he requested other Men to do, he did himself, backing his Exhor­tation with his own Example; for, upon the [Page 5] account of Jerusalem, being then the Royal City, the chief Place of God's most solemn Wor­ship, and a Type of the Universal Church, Da­vid put up this Petition to Heaven, Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity, or, as our old Translation reads it, Plenteousness, within thy Palaces.

Now, from the Matter and Method of this Pe­tition, which David here presented to his God, there do very naturally arise these two plain Con­clusions; First, That Peace is a Blessing that is very desirable, why else did David perswade his Neigh­bours to beg it? And why else did he himself so earnestly Petition God to grant it?

Secondly, That Prosperity, or Plenteousness, is commonly the Fruit and Consequence of Peace. This I observe from the Method and Order of David's Petition, Peace be within thy walls; that's the first part of his Request: and then the second follows, Prosperity or Plenteousness be within thy Palaces. And, the truth is, without Peace first obtained, Prosperity or Plenteousness can hardly be expected.

First, the first Conclusion which doth natu­rally arise from the Text, is this, namely, That Peace is a Blessing that is very desirable indeed; and [Page 6] so it is; 1 st, In the Private Families of Parti­cular Men. 2 dly, In the Publick Societies, Com­monwealths, and Kingdoms of the World. 3 dly; In the Catholick Church, which is God's more special Kingdom, and the only Family of Christ here below.

I. Peace is a Blessing, that is very desirable in the private Families of particular Persons.

There are three chief Relations, which are commonly found in the Families of Men; that of Husbands and Wives, Parents and Children, Masters and Servants; and how pleasant, how joyful a thing must it needs be for all the Rela­tions, who constitute the whole Family, to live together in Peace and Unity! Husbands and Wives are called One Flesh; and certainly it can never do well if they be not of One Spirit too; for, can they who are but One Flesh be divided without sore Rents and Wounds? Again, Chil­dren are but the Parts of their own Parents, and can any part, that is quick and living, be sepa­rated from the whole, without sense of much pain and anguish? And as for Servants, they are their Masters Trustees; and if they bear a grudge to their Masters Person, 'tis ten to one but they will falsify their Trust too.

[Page 7]But where Husbands and Wives are of the same mind, and draw the same yoke, and in the same way; where Parents love their Children, and Children love their Parents; where Masters are kind to their Servants, and Servants chear­fully obey their Masters; where the inferior Re­lation doth readily do what the Superior doth prudently require: In short, when the Hand doth willingly execute what the Head doth wisely con­trive and dictate. Where the case stands thus, such Families are in the ready way, and take the right course to thrive.

But on the other hand, if Strifes and Con­tentions arise and grow in a Family; if, as our Lord speaks, The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; Luke 12.53. the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; where Relations, who are so near in Blood, are at such distance in point of Affection, such Fami­lies can never expect God's Blessing to make them Prosper; nor indeed can they heartily unite any joint Petitions to beg it.

Such Families are so far from having any hopes to flourish, that our Lord hath plainly told us, Every house, Matth. 12.25. Or 34. every family divided against it self, shall not stand. No, Strife and Conten­tion [Page 8] are, as Gregory Nazianzene well observes, [...], the beginnings of Dissolution; That which best Cements and Supports a Family, is mutual Concord and Unity; and if so, how de­sirable a Blessing is Peace even in the private Fa­milies of Men?

II. Peace is a Blessing very desirable in the Catholick Church, which is the great and only Fa­mily which God hath in this lower World.

Eph. 2.19.St. Paul tells his Christian Converts thus, Ye are fellow Citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of God; not as Servants only, but as Children too. All the sincere Converts of the World, all true Believers have the same God for their Father, the same Christ for their Brother, the same Church for their Mother, and if so, them­selves must needs be Brethren.

And is not this Fraternity such a near Rela­tion, as should incline us to Peace and Unity? See that Expression of Abraham to Lot, Gen. 13.8. Let there be no strife, I pray thee, betwixt me and thee, for we are Brethren. We all pretend to be Tra­vellers towards the heavenly Canaan; and if we be such indeed, that Counsel which Joseph gave his Brethren doth much concern us; Gen. 45.24. See that ye fall not out by the way; O remember, that God, [Page 9] who is the Father of us all, is stiled, The God of Peace; our Blessed Saviour, who is our Elder Brother too, is stiled, The Prince of Peace; and he hath given us a fair Intimation, that every good Man is, and ought to be, a Son of peace, Luke 10.6. one inclinable and well disposed to mutual Con­cord, Amity and Agreement; to this end did our Lord give his Apostles this Charge, Have peace one with another. Nay, saith St. Paul, Mark 9.5 [...] Rom. 12.18. if it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men; but especially with all Men of the same Religion.

See how very earnest St. Paul was for this, I the prisoner of the Lord beseech you; What to do? to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace: And truly, where this Unity of the Spirit is not kept, where this Bond of Peace in matters of Religion is once dissolved, 'tis a clear Evidence, that Men are not such Christians as they should be; St. Paul plainly told the Men of Corinth so, I hear that there are divisions amongst you, 1 Cor. 11.18. 1 Cor. 3.4. 1 Cor. 1.12. division about their Teachers; One saith, I am of Paul, another saith, I am of Apollo, and a third saith, I am of Cephas; and what doth St. Paul infer from this variety of their Opinions? That he tells them, Whereas there is amongst you envyings, 1 Cor. 3.3. [Page 10] strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? Not as becomes good Christians, but like sinful Men.

Now, much like to this Case of the Church of Corinth is the present Case of the Church of England too; for, as they were divided about their Preachers, so are we; as, among them, one was for Paul, another for Apollo, and a third for Cephas; so, among us, one is for an Epis­copal Preacher, another for a Presbyterian, a third for an Independent: One Man is for those set Forms of Prayer which our very Excellent Liturgy prescribes, and I cannot blame him; another Man is for extempore Effusions; and sure I am, that even these also are set and stinted Forms, though not to the Speaker himself, yet to every other Man that hears them: Again, one Man is for performing the Duties of our Publick Worship in a Church, a place Built and Dedi­cated to the Service of God alone; but another Man is for Worshipping the Great Majesty of Heaven in an homely Barn, a place built and designed only for the Civil and Common Uses of men. Once more; One Man is for our Publick Assemblies, which are Established by our Laws; another Man is for Conventicles in [Page 11] Private Houses; and since these Conventicles have been so very numerous, and since so many sorts of Dissenters have resorted to them, 'tis from the Good Providence of God that these Conven­ticles have not yet emptied our Churches, that these back Ditches have not yet drawn the main Stream quite dry.

But can the Wisest of men amongst us fore­see what the end of our Divisions may prove? Sure I am, its present Effects are but sad ones; for, by these Divisions we do prejudice the best Religion in the World; we do thereby very much discourage Jews, Papists, Turks, Men of all other Religions, from embracing ours. For, may they not justly say, the true way of Wor­shipping God being but one, since there is a­mongst us Protestants such a diversity of Opini­ons about it, who can assure us, which may be the only right one?

Besides, this Difference in Judgment doth naturally produce Difference in Practice too; and difference in Practice doth commonly create difference in Affection; and when these Diffe­rences meet together, they are wont to pro­duce Schisms in the Church, Seditions in the State, and Confusions in both. Nay, when Dif­ferences [Page 12] in matters of Religion ferment and grow high; when divided Parties are zealous every one for his own Opinion, how oft do they break out into Civil Wars, some of them defending their Errors by the Sword, which they could never have defended by any other Ar­guments?

Now then, if these be the usual Conse­quences of Divisions in matters of Religion, how desirable a Blessing must Unity and Peace be in the Church of God?

III. Peace is a Blessing very desirable in the Civil Societies of Men, in Towns and Cities, in the Commonwealths and Kingdoms of the World; at Home amongst our selves, and Abroad with all other Nations too.

I need not tell you, that in Halcyon days, when things are quiet at Home, the Trades­man may safely mind his Shop, and the Husband­man his Plow; In times of Peace, our Flocks and Herds are wont to Multiply, our Corn comes safe into the Barn, our Markets are full, our Courts are open, our Laws retain their Force, and Justice betwixt Man and Man may freely be ad­ministred; In times of Peace every Man may sit under his own Fig-tree, under his own [Page 13] Vine, and quietly eat the Fruit of his own La­bour.

And when we are at Peace abroad with o­ther Nations; how cheerfully may our Merch­ants Transport their Goods beyond the Seas, and bring back their Ships richly laden with Silks, Silver, Gold and Diamonds? In short, when we have Peace both at Home and Abroad, we of this Nation can want for nothing that tends to make a Kingdom happy.

But the best way to understand and value the Benefits of Peace, is to consider the Calamities of War; methinks Drums and Trumpets, Carbines and Pistols, Muskets and Canons are Names which sound like to dreadful Claps of Thunder, and Ten thousand glittering Swords seem as terrible as so many flashes of Lightning; for where War is raised, Trade decayeth, Merchants break, Taxes grow High, Mony grows Scarce, Trea­sures are Exhausted, Laws are Interrupted, Houses are Plundered, Towns and Cities are burnt to Ashes, Corn-fields are Devoured, a­bundance of Blood is shed, and whole Coun­tries are often laid Wast and Desolate.

Now then, if the Benefits of Peace, and the Miseries of War be indeed so exceeding great, we [Page 14] may well conclude, that Peace is a Blessing ve­ry desirable by all Mankind, unless perhaps it be by some proud Tyrannical and Ambitious Princes, or such Soldiers of Fortune as know not how to live without Rapine, Plunder and Wages to destroy the Lives and Fortunes of o­ther Men. Now, to apply this

1. Consider we the great Reason we have to keep a solemn Day of Thanksgiving with all ex­pressions of Gratitude for that welcome Peace, which after a tedious War, is now setled be­twixt us and our Neighbour Nations.

For by this happy Peace we are, for time to come secured from those Calamities, which we have suffered by the late War for so many Years together: I need not here again enumerate the Miseries of War, nor mind you that it hath drained our Purses, that it hath cost a World of Treasure, and which is a great deal worse, that the Sword hath drunk whole Barrels of English Blood.

And if the Miseries of War be so exceeding dreadful, our Deliverance from them must needs deserve our Thanks, and those Thanks are due both to our God, and to our King.

[Page 15] First, Our Thanks for Peace are due to our God; for he who is our God, is the God of Peace, the great Author of it; so doth the Psal­mist tell us, Psal. 46.9. He maketh Wars to cease to the end of the Earth; he breaketh the Bow, and cutteth the Spear in sunder; he burneth the Chariot in the Fire. When it is his good Pleasure so to do, he can, and doth incline the Hearts of Men to Peace, and in order to that, they shall lay aside the usual Engines of War; so the Prophet tells us, they shall beat their Swords into Plowshares, Isa. 2.4. and their Spears into pruning Hooks; Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation, neither shall they learn War any more. The doing of this is a peculiar Prerogative, which the Glorious Majesty of Heaven doth most justly claim to himself. Isa. 45.7. I make Peace, and create Evil; I the Lord do all these things. 'Tis he that raiseth War in his Wrath; and 'tis he who puts an end to War; and creates Peace in his Mercy; and if so, since by him we now enjoy the Blessing of Peace, can we do less than bless him for it?

Secondly, Our Thanks for Peace are also due to our King, as being the great Instrument in God's hand to procure it for us.

[Page 16]We have now a King well qualified with Prudence and Policy to manage our civil Affairs in times of Peace, and we have a Prince of wise Conduct and most excellent Courage to lead our Armies in a time of War; a King who for his Conduct and Courage, doth deserve a greater Renown, than Hannibal, Scipio, Julius Cesar, Alexander the Great, or any other General men­tioned in the Greek and Roman Stories.

To this King of ours, not only England, Scotland and Ireland, but the States of Holland, the King of Spain, the Princes of Germany, and the Emperour himself does under God, owe their Preservation; for had not our King interposed, the French King, who is so Ambitious and so Strong, easily might, and certainly would have overcome them all: And in that case the only Favour which England could have expected, would have been this, namely, to have been devoured last.

But thanks be to God and to our King, that Danger is now quite over; for, the French King found his Kingdom reduced to such Ex­tremities, that he was forced to desire a Cessa­tion of Arms; but that being deny'd him, he saw himself constrained to conclude a Peace; that [Page 17] Peace, which no man could have hoped for, had not our King disabled France to continue the War.

And what Returns shall we make to our King for this? Let our Hearts be with him, and our Prayers for him; and if any just Occasion shall once more so require, let him have our Hands and our Purses too.

Secondly, Since we have now a setled Peace betwixt us and other Nations beyond the Seas, let us endeavour to restore and settle a lasting Peace amongst our selves here at Home; I do not mean Civil Peace only, but a Peace Ecclesi­astical and Sacred.

'Tis said of the Primitive Christians; Acts 4.32. the Multitude of them that believed, were all of one Heart and one Soul; 'tis said again, Acts 2.44, 46. all that be­lieved, were together, and continued daily with one accord in the Temple. Were it thus in England, we might hope to see golden Days yet once a­gain.

But alas, as it was said of Old, for the Divi­sions of Reuben there were great Thoughts of Heart; Judg. 5.15. so may I now justly say, for the Divisions of England there are sad Thoughts of Hearts, Fears and Jealousies, lest, whilst we contend about [Page 18] the Circumstances of our Religion, we lose it's very Substance; but would our Dissenters act like Men, and hearken to right Reason; would they act like Christians, and laying aside all Pre­judice, consult their Bibles, and make that their Rule; I am well Satisfied, that they could find no just Ground to withdraw themselves from the Church of England; that Church, in whose way of Divine Worship there is nothing Pre­scribed, nothing Practised, but what the Scrip­tures do either Command, or at least Allow.

The Substantial parts of God's Worship are all Commanded by himself; but it's neces­sary Circumstances are not so; the Minister, who is to Read, Preach and Administer the Sacraments, must wear some Garment or other, but whether it shall be of Linnen or Woollen, of Stuff or Silk, a Cloak or a Gown, of this Colour, or that, the Scriptures do not tell us. Again, in what particular Place, and at what particular Hour, we must meet to Worship God, whether the Preacher must sit or stand, whether the Lord's Supper should be Admini­stred in the Church, or in the Chancel, the Scrip­tures do no where teach us; no, these and the like indifferent Circumstances must, to prevent [Page 19] Disorders, be determined by the Piety and Pru­dence of our Church Governours; and when once they in order to Decency, Uniformity, and the more solemn Administration of our Divine Wor­ship, have upon mature Advice and Delibera­tion, prescribed us such Rules, as are no way contrary to the Word of God, by the same Word do we all stand obliged in Conscience to obey them; and were this generally done, our Disputes and Quarrel about our Ceremonies, which are but few and innocent, would be at an end.

But so long as we think our selves either more Knowing, or more Conscientious than our Rulers; while we refuse to submit to their De­terminations about things indifferent, and there­upon break and crumble out selves into many Fa­ctions and Parties, we do by these Divisions exceedingly Gratify our Adversaries of Rome: And whilst we pretend to abhor their Religion, we do indeed give very great Advantages to it: for when once Men separate from our Publick Assemblies, and meet in Private Conventicles, 'tis well known that Priests and Jesuits, under a Disguise, creep in amongst them, and by de­grees instill their Poisonous Doctrines into [Page 20] the Minds of Unwary and Credulous Men.

Let me therefore Exhort and Prevail with you to do what St. Paul, Heb. 13.17. or rather God, by St. Paul, requires, Obey them that have the Rule over you, 2 Cor. 13.11. Eph. 4.4. and Submit your selves: And again, Be of one mind, live in Peace: And yet again, Endea­vour to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace; 'tis that which our Religion and Duty requires: Yea, and so doth our very Interest too.

Thirdly, Since it hath been die good Plea­sure of God to Bless us at present with a Civil Peace both at Home and Abroad, let us so be­have our selves both to our God and our King; to our God, as the Author, and to our King, as the Instrument of our Peace; that this Peace may be still continued to us and our Posterity without any Interruption.

The Interests of a King, as the Head; and of the Subjects, as the Body Politick, are so in­terwoven and twisted together, that a Breach between them may prove Fatal to both; but still, when Kings and Subjects break with Hea­ven, that's Infinitely worse: For, as there is no Friend, so there is no Enemy so considerable as God. And what is it that makes this God [Page 21] an Enemy to any Nation, but those Epidemical Sins that overspread it? And verily, if we of this Kingdom shall still persist in our Vicious Courses, our present Peace cannot long secure us; for, if we break our repeated Covenants with God, he can easily incline our Enemies to break their Covenants with us.

That which Moses told the Wicked Jews, doth as much concern sinful Christians too: Deut. 28.49. The Lord shall bring a Nation against thee, whose Tongue thou shalt not understand; a Nation of fierce Coun­tenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young; and he shall eat the fruit of thy Cattle, and the fruit of thy Land, until thou be destroyed. An Invading and Conquering Enemy doth God here threaten to raise against a Wicked Nation.

But on the other hand, if a Nation prove Religious and Holy, what the Event is like to be, we may learn from Solomon, who saith, When a Man's ways please the Lord, Prov. 16.7. he maketh even his Enemies to be at peace with him. What is here said of a Particular Person, is as true of a whole Nation; to please our God by a Pious and Ver­tuous Conversation, is the only sure way to obtain and continue Peace with Men.

[Page]And that a firm Peace may be for ever Esta­blished in all Christian Churches throughout the whole World, let us all heartily join in that Charitable Petition, which our Excellent Li­turgy hath put into our Mouths, namely this, Grant, O Lord, that all they who do confess thy Holy Name, may agree in the Truth of thy holy Word, and live in Unity and Godly Love. Let us also pray more particularly for our own Jerusa­lem, our own Church and Kingdom, as our Royal Psalmist did for his in the Words of my Text; Peace be within thy Walls: and Prosperity, or Plen­teousness, within thy Palaces.