The Christian gouernour, in the common-wealth, and priuate families described by Dauid, in his 101. Psalme. Guiding all men in a right course to heauen. Herewith also a part of the parable of the lost sonne. Luke 15. Both expounded and opened by Robert Horn. With the doctrines and vses thence arising. The more particular contents see on the page following.

Vses.

A comfort to all that truly serue God:* 1.1 for they shall haue good wages for that they do, who faithfully serue him: they shall want nothing that is good: that is, that is good indeed; or good for them, Ps. 34.10. When meanes faile, God can, and will, without meanes, and against them, prouide for his. The Sea shal run back, and serue the Lords prouidence, for the glorie of his name, and safetie of his people, vvhen Pharao, with his fierce armie pursueth them to the sea, Exo. 14.21. When men can not make tillage, God can, and hath giuen bread vvithout til∣lage, as in the dayes of Hezekiah, and Esa. Esa. 37.30. This Sommer, the Lord laid his rod in Water: the continuall raine, that fell,

did much weaken the force and plentie of our common bread. Yet if all our Graine had beene washed away with the waters that so preuailed: God could haue set, euen in those waters, an Arke of reliefe for his No∣ahs, that obey his word and sayings, to enter into. As the vvaters rose, so rose the Arke, Gen. 7.17 and so as the markets rise (which are floods to the poore, that lift vp their waues, Psal. 93.3.) God vvill arise to the helpe of his people.

* 1.2An admonition to liue in Gods seruice, and not out of our fathers house, in the ser∣uice of sin, if we would be prouided for, and not perish vvith vvant in the day of famine. For, as they, who serue God in his House, and by his Word, are sure to be fed: so (contra∣rily) they cannot expect with comfort, any such assurance who serue their lusts, and sinne in their mortall bodies. In our seruice of God, the creatures are ready to serue vs, the Hea∣uens with their blessing, the Earth vvith her increase: in our seruice of sinne, all is con∣trarie. For, God vvill shut vp the Heauens as a Purse, and turne a fruitfull Land into bar∣rennesse. Much raine shall destroy our fruits or lacke of raine much hinder them. The Earth shall yeeld nothing, or, but

store of vveedes, good for nothing.

Obedience, (I meane to God in his Seruice and Word) is the Chaine that bindeth all the creatures from hurting vs; vvhere disobe∣dience breaketh that Chaine, and turneth them loose vpon vs, for euill, and not for good, in the day of our necessitie. In it, there is perfect freedome; and vvith it, assured riches, and blessed contentment. To be called the seruant of God, is an honorable title, a title, giuen to Angels, Hebr. 1.14. and taken by Kings, Psal. 116 16. but to be, and not to be called onely his seruant, or to adorne the name vvith obedience, as Abraham, Dauid, Hezekiah, Iehosanha••, the Apostles, Peter, Paul, and other Saints haue done, is an honorable thing. Not to be signes with∣out the thing signified, is the true grace and perfection of true Christians: vvhich I speake, because many would be called ser∣uants, and seruants of God, that are Master∣lesse, and be Christs seruants in sinnes ser∣uice. But, if vvee vvould bee the seruants whom God will protect in danger, and pro∣uide for in vvant, vve must serue our hea∣uenly Master, not by bearing the name, but by doing the worke of his seruants. In true sorrow for our sinnes past, and vvith

an earnest purpose neuer to returne vnto them, but vnfainedly to hate them, and vt∣terly to forsake them: our care must bee to spend that small time, that remaineth, in the feare of God, and in the obedience of that truth, vvhich is according to godlines. And if wee know these things, blessed are we if we doe them. Iohn 13.17. This true and sound blessedness••, to know to obedi∣ence, he grant to vs, for IESVS CHRIST his sake, who is GOD, blessed for euer. AMEN.

ECCLESIASTES 11.9.

Reioyce, O young man in thy youth, and let thine heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth: and walke in the wayes of thine hart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know that for all these things, God will bring thee to iudgement.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vse 1.
• * 1.2

  Vse 2.