Veneris 27. die Nov. 1691.

Ordered,

TH

Hat the Thanks of this Houfe be given to Dr. Jane (Dean of Gloucefter) for his Sermon Preached Tefterday before this Houfe, at St. Margarets Weftminster, and that he be defired to Print the fame: And that Sir Jofeph Tredenham, and Mr. Travers do acquaint bim therewith.

Paul Jodrell,

Cler. Dom. Com.

PSAL XCVI. 10.

Say among the Heathen, that the Lord reigneth: the world alfo fhall be eftablifhed, that it shall not be moved; and that he fhall Judge the people righteously.

I

in loc.

T will not be very material in this place to enquire into the title of the Pfalm, or whether this, which with fome little variation makes a part of that triumphant fong compofed by David 1 Chr. 16. at the bringing Ferandus up of the ark from the houfe of Obed Edom to Jerufalem, were afterwards confecrated by the Jews to another use, to be fung at the rebuilding of the Temple after their return from the Babylonish Captivity; or whether it might not be accommodated (as alfo the following Pfalm, which feems to be much to the fame purpose) to celebrate thofe conquests which David won over the heathen nations 1 Chr. 18. not long after the fetling of the ark, the fymbol of Gods prefence in the midst of them.

J

Dr.Ham.

This is certain and confeft on all hands, that Theod. in the literal and moft obvious fenfe, it is a

A 2

general

general form of thanksgiving, and praifing God for all his works of grace, and goodness, as the maker and governour of the world: and in the prophetick or myftical, it contains a description of the Kingdom of the Messiah, and the bleffed effects of it in the bringing salvation to all people, and the converfion of the Gentiles to the faith.

I shall treat of it at present only in the former notion; and in the words that I have read shall briefly confider, with respect to the defign of our present meeting,

I. A general affertion of Gods government of the world, fay among the heathen, that the Lord reigneth. The government of God is not restrained to the Jewish nation, but all the people, and nations of the earth are the objects of his providence, and his fovereignty reaches over all the world.

II. The stability of Gods government, the world alfo fhall be establish't, that it shall not be moved.

III. The Juftice and equity of the adminiftration of it, he ball Judge the people righteously.

And first of the general affertion of Gods government of the world.

That

That God has an abfolute dominion over all things, a fovereign and uncontestable right to be the fole Lord,and Emperour of the universe; both reason, and fcripture have abundantly evinced,not only from the confideration of the supereminent excellency of the divine nature, but also of his mighty works in the creation, and continuance of the world. Thus the Elders in the Revelations Ch. 4. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord,to receive glory, and honour, and power, for thou haft created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created. Thus Hezekiah Efai. 37.16. O Lord of hofts, thou art the God; even thou alone of all the Kingdoms of the earth. For thou haft made heaven, and earth. Thus the Levites in Nehemiah Ch. 9. 6. Thou even thou art Lord alone: thou haft made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the feas, and all that is therein, and thou prefervest them all, and the whole host of heaven worShipeth thee.

It seems to be a leffening, and limiting of the Divine Dominion, what God fays by the Prophet Jer. 18, 6. Cannot I doe with you as the potter, fays the Lord? behold as the clay is in the potters hand, fo are ye in my hand, O houfe of Ifrael. For the potter neither makes the clay, nor gives activity to the fire, when

he applyes the one to the other: 'tis the Divine influence that enables him, and after this, when he has done all he can, he at laft produces nothing, but the Shape and Figure of the Veffel. But now with refpect to God, there is nothing in the whole world, but has an abfolute dependence upon him for its whole being, and every particle thereof. Whatever we are, whatever we poffefs, whatever we can do, all the parts, and members of the body, all the powers, and faculties of the Soul, the heads that contrive, and the hands that execute, the whole ufe and exercise of them all: the times and op portunities of acting, together with the feveral objects, about which they may, or ought to be employed, are folely, and entirely derived from him, by a fupreme, arbitrary, independent, and uncommunicated power. He is the abfolute, and perfect proprietour of them all. For as they are all the works of his hands, they muft needs be fubject to his difpofal. He may consequently appoint them their feveral ends, according to their feveral capacities; prefcribe Laws and Rules for the attainment of those ends; and oblige them to obferve his orders upon fuch terms as his infinite wifdom fhall think good. And this power belongs to God purely for his own fake, without any regard had to any right or intereft of his Creatures, which as

they