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A91279 The signal loyalty and devotion of God's true saints and pious Christians, especially in this our island towards their kings: (as also of some idolatrous pagans) Both before, and under the law and gospel; expressed by their private and publick prayers, supplications, intercessions, thanksgivings, well-wishes for the health, safety, long life, prosperity, temporal, spiritual, eternal felicity of the kings and emperours under whom they lived, whether pagan or Christian, bad or good, heterodox or orthodox, Papists or Protestants, persecutors or protectors of them: and likewise for their royal issue, posterity realms; and by their dutiful conscientious obedience and subjection to them; with the true reasons thereof from scripture and policy. Evidenced by presidents and testimonies in all ages, worthy the knowledg, imitation, and serious consideration of our present degenerated disloyal, antimonarchical generation. In two parts. By William Prynne Esq; late bencher, and reader of Lincolns-In; Signal loyalty and devotion of Gods true saints and pious Christians, towards their kings. Parts 1 and 2. Prynne, William, 1600-1669. 1680 (1680) Wing P4082A; ESTC R229902 277,267 460

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placed under their Hands and Seal or by one of the two Universities under their Seal likewise and except he shall first subscribe to these three Articles following in such manner and sort as we have here appointed 1. That the Kings Majesty under GOD is the only supreme Governour of this Realm and of all other his Highnesse Dominions and Countries aswell in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as Temporal and that no forein Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate have or ought to have Jurisdiction Power Superiority Preeminence or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within his Majesties said Realms Dominions and Countreys c. And Can. 55. They prescribed this form of prayer to be used by them in their prayers before all their Ser-Lectures and Homilies And herein I require you most especially to pray for the Kings most excellent Majesty our Soveraign Lord CHARLES King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defendor of the Faith and Supreme Governour in these his Realms and all other his Dominions and Countries over all persons in all causes aswell Ecclesiastical as Temporal Ye shall also pray for the Kings most honourable Councel and for all the Nobility and Magistrates of this Realm that all and every of these in their several callings may serve truly and painfully to the glory of GOD and the edifying and well governing of his people remembring the account that they must make Also ye shall pray for the whole Commons of this Realm that they may live in true Faith and Fear of God in humble obedience to the King and brotherly charity one to another Which all Ministers and Preachers duly observed usually adding this clause thereunto That God out of his infinite mercy would grant so to blesse the Kings Majestie and his Royal issue with a perpetual Posterity that there might never want a Man of that Royal race to sway the Scepter of these Realms so long as the Sun and Moon should endure and till all Scepters and Kingdoms should be resigned at the last day into the hands of Jesus Christ the King of Kings The Lords Spiritual Temporal and Commons of the Realm of England assembled in Parliament in the first year of King James do thus expresse and declare their own and the whole Kingdoms unspeakeable joys acclamations and thanksgivings unto God and their own and their posterities Signal Loyalty affection and Devotion to King James his Heirs and Royal progeny for ever in the Statute of 1 Jacobi ch 1. intituled A most joyfull and just Recognition of the immediate lawfull and undoubted succession descent and Right of the Crown Great and manifold were the benefits most dread and most gracious Soveraign wherewith almighty God blessed this Kingdom and Nation by the happy union and conjunction of the two Nobles houses of York and Lancaster thereby preserving this noble Realm formerly torn and almost wasted with long and miserable dissention and bloodie Civil War But more inestimable and unspeakable blessings are thereby powred upon us because there is derived and grown from and out of that union of those two Princely families a more famous and greater union or rather a re-uniting of two Mighty Famous and antient Kingdoms yet antiently but one of England and Scotland under one Imperial Crown in your most Royal Person who is lineally rightfully and lawfully descended of the body of the most excellent Lady Margaret eldest daughter of the most renowned King Henry the 7th and the high and noble Princesse Queen Elizabeth his wife eldest daughter of King Edward the 4th The said Lady Margaret being eldest sister of King Henry the 8th father of the high and mightie Princesse of famous memorie Elizabeth late Queen of England In consideration whereof albeit we your Majesties loyal and faithfull Subjects of all Estates and Degrees with all possible publike Joy and Acclamation by open Proclamations within few houres after the decease of our late Soveraign Queen acknowledging thereby with one full voice of tongue and heart that your Majesty was our only lawfull and rightfull Leige Lord and Soveraign and by our unspeakable and general rejoycing and applause at your Majesties most happy inauguration and Coronation by the affectionate desire of infinite numbers of us of all degrees to see your Royal Person and by all possible outward means have indeavoured to make demonstration of our inward love zeal and devotion to your most excellent Majestie our undoubted rightfull Leige Soveraign Lord and King yet as we cannot do it too often or enough so can there be no means or way so fit both to sacrifice our unfeined and heartie thanks to Almighty God for blessing us with a Soveraign adorued with the rarest gifts of mind and body in such admirable peace and quietnesse and upon the knees of our hearts to agnize our most constant faith obedience and loyalty to your Majestie and your Royal Progenie as in this high Court of Parliament where all the whole body of the Realm and every particular Member thereof either in Person or Represeatation upon their own free Elections are by the Laws of this Realm deemed to be personally present To the present acknowledgment whereof to your Majestie we are the more deeply bounden and obliged as well in regard of the extraordinarie care and pains which with so great wisdom knowledge experience and dexteritie your Majestie since the Imperial Crown of this Realm descended to you have taken for the continuance and establishment of the blessed peace both of the Church of England in the true and sincere Religion and of the Common-wealth by due and speedy administration of justice as in respect of the gracious care and inward affection which it pleased you on the first day of this Parliament so lively to expresse by your own words so full of high wisdom learning and virtue and so repleate with Royal and thankfull acceptation of all our faithfull and constant endeavours which is and ever will be to our inestimable consolation and comfort We therefore your most humble and loyal Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled do from the bottom of our hearts yield to the divine Majestie all humble thanks and prayses not only for the said unspeakable and inestimable benefits and blessings above mentioned but also that he hath further enriched your Highnesse with a most Royal Progenie of Most rare and excellent gifts and forwardnesse and in his goodnesse is like to increase the happy number of them And in most humble and lowly manner do beseech your most Excellent Majestie that as a memorial to all posterities amongst the Records of your high Court of Parliament for ever to endure of our Loyalty Obedience and harty and humble Affection it may be published and declared in this high Court of Parliament and enacted by authority of the same That we being bounden thereunto both by the Laws of God and Man do recognize and acknowledge and thereby
miracles wrought in them And they have daily upbraided your sacred Majesty your followers yea pierced your souls during your Exile among them with this soul-piercing Quaere Where is now the God of the Protestants He can neither preserve nor restore You to your Crowns and Kingdoms Unless you renounce your Protestant God Church Heresie embrace our Roman Catholike God Church Religion there is no hope nor possibility of your restitution and that only by the Arms of your Catholike Allyes and Subjects But blessed and for ever magnified be the glorious Name of our great God who hath now vindicated his own Glorie and Omnipotencie against their reproaches wrought so many Miracles in your Maties restitution to justifie both the Truth of the Protestant Religion Churches your Subjects that all their spurious Miracles and Impostures wherewith they abuse their over-credulous Proselytes and fraught their Legends even to nauseousnesse are no more to be compared with them than a Glo-worm to the Noon-day Sun And their God and rock is not as our God and rock our Enemies themselves being now Judges Verily your Majesty with all your Protestant Subjects after such a stupendious glorious deliverance from their late usurping Pharaohs worse than Aegyptian Tax-masters Burdens and servitude have just cause to sing aloud to the God of their Salvation this triumphant song of Moses and the Children of Israel and King David after them Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like unto thee glorious in holynesse fearfull in prayses doing wonders Thou stretchest out thy right hand the earth swallowed them Thou in thy mercy hast led forth thy people which thou hast redeemed Sing ye unto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously The King shall joy in thy strength O Lord and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoyce for thou hast now given him his hearts desire thou hast not with-holden the request of his lips For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodnesse thou settest a Crown of pure gold on his head His glory is great in thy salvation Honor and Majesty hast thou laid upon him Thou hast made him most Blessed for ever thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy Countenance For the King trusteth in the Lord and through the mercy of the most High he shall not miscarry Blessed be the Lord God of England from everlasting to everlasting for this unexpressible mercy and let all the people say Amen Praise ye the Lord. Yea they all now joyntly and severally apply to your Majestie the blessing and words of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon after she beheld his transcendent Wisdom Virtues and Magnificence which far exceeded the report thereof as your Majesties royal wisdom and graces of all kinds much transcend their fame Blessed be the Lord thy God who delighted in thee to set thee upon his Throne to be King for the Lord thy God Because the Lord thy God loved Israel England Scotland and Ireland TO ESTABLISH THEM FOR EVER THEREFORE MADE HE THEE KING OVER THEM TO DO JUSTICE AND JUDGEMENT yea to restore them to their pristine Liberty Peace Plenty Traffick Renown Prosperity and make them the happiest of all Subjects in the world In the contemplation of which inchoated common Felicity I humbly presume to dedicate to your Majesty this now compleated Treatise of The Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods true Saints and pious Christians in all ages and likewise of Pagans to their KINGS both before and under the Law and Gospel more especially within this your first Christian Realm of Britain wherein I have most expatiated expressed both by their publike and private Prayers Supplications and Intercessions unto God for their long life health safety victory prosperity temporal spiritual and eternal felicity and all sorts of blessings both on their Royal Persons Queens Progenies Families Government Kingdoms Armies Couns●ls by their Thanksgivings to God for their advancement to their Royal Thrones Victories Successes Deliverances Piety Justice and Gratious reigns over them by their loyal Acclamations Salutations Addresses Panegyricks Epistles to them and their dutiful Subjection and Obedience under them which I have evidenc'd by presidents and Testimonies in all ages never formerly collected into one Manual To which I have super-added the antient and modern Forms of the Coronations of Christian Emperors Kings and Queens and of some Pagans with the Ceremonies Solemnities Prayers Collects and Benedictions used at them especially those relating to England and Scotland not hitherto published as a President in and Prologue to your Majesties much desired and expected Coronation The first Part of this Treatise I lately Printed for Your Majesties service in January last to inthrone You in the Hearts cordial Prayers and Supplications of all Your loyal Subjects and to prepare the way for Your Majestyes speedy Restauration to Your Hereditary Crowns and Kingdoms which blessed be God you now actually enjoy to their unspeakable comfort of the accomplishment whereof without Armes or Blood I had such full assurance then and since in my own apprehensions from the Observation of Gods admirable Providences of Your Majesties Opposites intollerable Extravagances and Infatuations of late Your Subjects dutiful Inclinations tending thereunto through the loyal Endeavour of some Faithfull Friends to your Majestie and your People that I committed the Second Part of this Treatise and all that concerns Your Coronation to the Presse in the beginning of April last before any visible appearances thereof to the eyes or thoughts of others And I repute it an extraordinary Blessing and Honour from God and your Majesty that any of my Paper Arms and Publications in your Majesties and others apprehensions have been instrumental to promote this your happy Unbloody most joyfull Restitution to your Throne and Kingship maugre all Ire Ingagements Oaths of Abjurations to debar your Majestie and all your Royal line for ever from them I humbly beseech your Royal Majestie graciously to accept this Unpolish'd work compiled in the midst of many publike distracting Imployments bring your Highnesses peculiar by all Rights and Circumstances as a Publick Testimony of my Loyalty to your Majestie and a lasting Monument of my Thankfullnesse to Almighty God for hearing my many years constant Prayers and blessing my impotent Paper Artillery and endeavors for your Majesties long-desired and now happily accomplished Investitute not only in your Royal Throne but like a 〈◊〉 in the Hearts Consciences publike private Devotions and Supplications of all your People Whom this Treatise seconded with my Healths Sicknesse dedicated to your Royal Father many years past and your Majesties most Pious fresh Proclamation will instruct and excite most devoutly to pray for your Majesties Health and Happiness in their Churches Chapels Families Closets rather than heathenishly to prophane abuse your Sacred Name in drinking your Majesties Health to the Hazard of their own and their fools to boot through Drunkennesse and Intemperance in Taverns
gratia adesto ut in hac vita grata sint tibi opera ejus in futuro tecum regnet in omnem aeternitatem per Christum Dominum et Servatorem nostrum Amen Salvam fac Domine Reginam nec unquam avertas faciem tuam ab ea Vitam longaevam tribus illi et sub umbra tuarum alarum protege eam Amen After these follow this Prayer Pro Christianis Magistratibus Misericors Deus ac Coelestis pater in cujus manu est omnis terrena potestas Magistratus per te constitutos ad supplicium malorum defensionem bonorum in cujus potenti dextera sita sunt omnia jura leges imperatorum Te supplices oramus pro Principe nostro proque eis qui sunt ei à consiliis qui rempublicam administrant ut gladium ipsis per te commissum in fide vera timore Dei rectegerant eoque pro tua voluntate jussu utantur Obumbret eos virtus sapientia Altissinii Illuminet conservet eos in amore Dei divina tua● gratia Da illis ô Domine sapientiam intellectum Concede quietam gubernationem ut omnes subditos in veritate sidei dilectione justitia quae tibi cordi sit regant dicto audientes conservent Proroga ipsis Dies vitae suae et annos multos largire ut prospera laudata ipsorum functione nomen tuum sanctificetur laudetur in omne aevum Amen Towards the end of the Book follow certain Latin Prayers and Graces to be used before and after meals to which there is this Conclusion added Gratiarum actiones à Cibo semper concludantur hac precatiuncula Deus servet Ecclesiam Regem vel Reginam custodiat Consiliarios ejus regat populum universum tueatur pacem Nobis donet perpetuam Amen In imitation whereof this Prayer was commonly used in all Colleges Schools Hospitals Families throughout the Realm in their Graces after every Meal GOD SAVE his Church our King Queen Prince the rest of the Royal Issue when there were such living and Realms God send us Peace in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The like Prayers in English for the Queen to be used in in Christian Families were published by John Field in his Prayers and Meditations for the use of private Families 1581. The Kings Psalms and Queens Prayers 1590. in Christian private prayers by Edw. Deering 1590. in the Manuel of Prayers set out by Iohn Rogers Anno 1591. in Christian Prayers set out by Henry Bull Anno 1592. in Tho. Sampsons Prayers 1592. with sundry others But I shall close up all with Bishop Iewels Prayer for the Queens Majesty in his Epistle to her prefixed to his Apology of the Church of England printed 1570. and after re-printed God evermore enflame and direct your Majesty with his holy Spirit that the zeal of his House may sincerely devour your Gracious heart that you may safely walk in the wayes of your Father David that you may utterly abandon all Groves and Hill-Altars That you may live an old Mother in Israel that you may see an end of all Distractions and stablisht Peace and Unity in the Church of God Amen And with the Prayer of Doctor Thomas Bilson in the close of his Epistle to her Majesty before his Books of The true difference between Christian Subjection and Unchristian Rebellion A very learned and seasonable Treatise wherein he produceth some Testimonies of Fathers praying for Heretical and persecuting Emperors The King of Kings and Lord of Lords bless and preserve your Majesty and as he hath begun a good and glorious work in you and in the Realm by you so continue the same by lightening you with his holy Spirit and defending you with his mighty Arm as he hath done from the day that he chose you to be the Leader and Guider of his People that you may long keep them in truth and peace by the assistance of his Grace to the prayse of his glory increase of the Godly and grief of his and your Subjects Even so Lord Iesus The Clergy of England assembled in Convocation Anno 1603. the first year of King Iames his Reign in their Constitations and Canons Ecclesiastical then agreed upon by them ratified and published by the Kings Authority under his Great Seal did thus evidence to the world their loyalty to the King and his Royal posterity Can. 1. As our Duty to the Kings Most excellent Majesty requireth we first decree and ordain That the Archbishop of Canterbury from time to time all Bishops of this Province or Deans Archdeacons Vicars and all other Ecclesiastical persons shall faithfully keep and observe and as much as in them lyeth shall cause to be observed and kept of others all and singular Laws and Statutes made for the restoring to the Crown of this Kingdom the antient Jurisdiction over the State Ecclesiastical and abolishing of all forein power repugant to the same Furthermore all Ecclesiastical persons having cure of Souls and all other Preachers and Readers of Divinity Lectures shall to the uttermost of their wit knowledge and learning purely and sincerely without any colour or dissimulation teach manifest open and declare four times every year at the least in their Sermons and other Collations and Lectures That all usurped and forein power forasmuch as the same hath no establishment nor ground by the Law of God is for most just causes taken away and abolished and that therefore no manner of obedience and subjection within his Majesties Realms and Dominions is due unto any such forein power but that the Kings power within his Realms of England Scotland and Ireland and other his Dominions and Countries IS THE HIGHEST POWER VNDER GOD to whom all men as well Inhabitants as born within the same do by Gods Laws owe most loyalty and obedience afore and above all other Powers and Potentates in the earth Canon II. Impugners of the Kings Supremacy censured Whosoever shall hereafter affirm that the Kings Majesty hath not the same authority in cause Ecclesiastical that the godly Kings had among the Jews and Christian Emperours in the primitive Church or impeach in any part his Regal Supremacy in the said causes restored to the Crown and by the Laws of this Realm therein established let him be excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but only by the Archbishop after his repentance and publick revocation of those his wicked errors Canon XXXVI Subscription required of all such who are to be made Ministers No person shall hereafter be received into the Ministry nor either by Institution or Collation admitted to any Ecclesiastical living nor suffered to preach to Chatechize or to be a Lecturer or Reader of Divinity in either Universities or in any Cathedral or Collegiate Church City or Market-Town Parish-Church Chapel or in any other place within this Realm except he be licenced by the Archbishop or by the Bishop of the Diocesse where he is to be
Religion and Members of the true visible Church of Christ let them enjoy thy daily fervent prayers intercessions supplications and thanksgivings to God for them especially when they need them most during their exiled afflicted and distressed condition amidst Papists and seducers and let me have a share in thy devotions for a blessing on this Treatise and me William Prynne Lincolns Inne Jan. 30. 1659. The Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods true Saints and Pious Christians towards their KINGS in all ages c. WHat was once the false malicious Calumny cast by Pagan Idolaters upon the Primitive Professors of Christianity living under persecuting Heathen Emperors to exasperate their fury against them as the worst of Traytors and publike Enemies unworthy to live within their Dominions That they did neither pray nor offer sacrifices publikely to the Gods for their health and safety nor celebrate their solemnities with that outward pomp and oftentation as others did is of late years become the just Accusation and Treasonable Impeachment of many degenerate Saints and Apostate Christians within our Realms who have not only totally discontinued but finally abandoned prohibited under pain of High Treason all publike if not private Solemn Prayers Supplications Intercessions and Thanksgivings not for persecuting Pagan or Popish Emperors Princes but even for their own undoubted Hereditarie Protestant Kings and their Royal Posterity in direct contradiction to Gods own Evangelical precepts 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. Rom. 13. 1 to 9. Mat. 22. 21. Mar. 12. 17. And not only falsified that excellent large Apology which Tertullian made for the transcendent Loyalty of the Christians in his age towards their persecuting Pagan Emperors by their publike and private Zealous Prayers and Petitions to God on their behalfs and freedom from the least Conspiracies rebellions attempts against their Persons Crowns or Dignities of which none but those who were not Christians gave Christians the name of publike Enemies were then guilty but quite inverted this elegant passage of his and translated it both from the Pagan and antichristian Romans on those who pretend themselves the most transcendent Christians Unde Cascii Nigri Albini Unde qui inter duos lauros obsident Caesarem Unde qui faucibus ejus exprimendis palestricam exercent Unde qui armati palatium irrumpunt omnibus Stephanis atque Partheniis audaciores de Romanis ni fallor id est de non Christianis Atque adeo omnes illi sub ipsa usque impietatis eruptione et sacra faciebant pro salute Imperatoris et genium ejus dejerabant alii foris alii intus Et utique publicorum hostium nomen Christianis dabant Sed et qui nunc scelestarum partium socii aut plausores quotidie revelantur post vindemiam parricidarum racematio superstes quam recentissimis et ramosissimis laureis postes praestruebant Quam elatissimis clarissimis lucernis vestibula enubilabant quam cultissimis et superbissimis thoris forum sibi dividebant non ut gaudia publica celebrarent sed ut vota propria fam ediscerent et in aliena solennitate exemplum atque imaginem spei suae inaugurarent nomen Principis in corde imitantes c. And that which is most detestable the generality both of our people and Ministers under our Republican Tyrants have not only wholly laid aside all publike and private Prayers for their own and other Christian Protestant Kings against Gods positive precepts and the practice of Christians Saints in all former ages Churches but some Ministers in their very Sermons themselves have out of base carnal fear of men and unchristian compliance with our late Usurpers not dared to read or mention the word King or Kings in the very Texts of Scripture which they have quoted but skipped over it as dangerous or superfluous for fear of incurring the guilt of high treason or displeasure of some formidable new Grandees Whereof I shall relate one memorable instance in perpetuam rei infamiam the principal occasion of these Collections When I was removed by John Bradshaw's and his Whitehall Associates Order from my close imprisonment at Taunton to Pendennis Castle in Cornwal without any cause examination hearing and conducted thitherwards by several Troops on the first Lords day in July 1651. resting at Lanceston in Cornwall I repaired to the Church there with 6. Troopers of Major Blackmores troop who conducted me in the morning where the Minister of the Town Mr. Hull an antient man formerly in New England preaching upon the 1 Pet. 2. 8. A stone of stumbling and a rock of offence handled the Common place of Scandals raising this Proposition from the words That it is the duty of all Christians to be very carefull to avoyd scandals In the prosecution whereof he prescribed certain rules how Christians might avoyd and prevent scandals the first whereof was chearfully to submit to all Lawful Powers and Governours under whom they lived Particularly prescribed by the Apostle Peter in the 12 13 14 verses which he read thus Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation Submit your selves therefore to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well for so is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men c. Omitting the very first and principal clause in the Text which he durst or would not read Whether it be to the king as Supreme and the disjunctive Or unto Governours which not only mangled but marred the words and sence of the place After which he immediately added that the self-same rule was prescribed by the Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. which he thus read maimed as he did the former text I will therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all men skipping over the principal words For kings and reading only the next words All that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for that is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour Which double omission and preterition of these two chief clauses in both these quotations one after another in this very Doctrine to avoyd scandals did so much scandalize me that I presently said to the Soldiers sitting in the same seat with me This old temporizing unworthy Minister in mangling and perverting both these Texts one after another in this strange manner by omitting and not reading the principal clauses in them in the very Pulpit and presence of God himself and directions to his Auditors hath given me greater scandal and juster offence than any Minister I ever yet heard preach in all my life not only by
the Throne and Government over them as is evident by the 1 Kings 1. 27. 43. compared with the 2 Sam. 10. 16. and other subsequent texts 5ly I shall adde to the premises this passage in Huram king of Tyre his letter to Solomon 2 Chron. 2. 12. Huram said moreover Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that hath made heaven and earth who hath given to David a wise Son endued with prudence and understanding that might build an house for the Lord and an house for his kingdom And these words of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon 2 Chron. 9. 7 8. 1 Kings 10. 7 8. Happy are thy men and happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee and hear thy wisdom Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighted in thée to set thée on his throne to be King for the Lord thy God because thy God loved Israel to establish them for ever therefore made hee thee King over them to do judgement and justice Now if King Huram and the Queen of Sheba meer foreiners Princes not subjects thus blessed God for Solomons kingdom justice reign and advancement to his fathers throne for the establishment and welfare of his subjects then much more were the Israelites themselves his own subjects and servants obliged to blesse him and blesse God for his reign wisdom and good government over them which no doubt they did constantly perform in their publike and private Devotions and all their addresses to him as also to their other Kings succeeding him though not particularly recorded in the books of Kings and Chronicles which are but short Epitomes of his and their reigns 3ly When King Solomon had finished the Temple he assembled all the Elders heads of the Tribes and chief of the fathers of the children of Israel with the Priests and Levites to Jerusalem to bring up the Ark and dedicate the Temple where Solomon having first blessed all the Congregation he with the whole Congregation of Israel standing before and joyning with him Blessed the Lord God of Israel who had with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to his father David That his Son which should come out of his loyns should build an House to the name of the Lord God of Israel The Lord therefore hath performed his word that he hath spoken for I am risen up in the room of David my Father and am set on the Throne of Israel as the Lord promised and have built the House for the Lord God of Israel c. After which he stood before the Altar of the Lord upon a brazen scaffold and kneeled upon his knees before all the Congregation of Israel and spred forth his hands towards heaven and said O Lord God of Israel there is none like thee in the heaven nor in the earth which keepest Covenant and shewest mercy unto thy servants that walk before thee with all their hearts Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him and spakest with thy mouth and hast fulfilled it with thy hand as it is this day Now therefore O Lord God of Israel kéep with thy servant David my Father that which thou hast promised him saying There shall not fail thée a Man in my sight to sit upon the Throne of Israel yet so that thy children take heed to their way to walk in my Law as thou hast walked before me Now then O Lord God of Israel let thy word I pray thée be verified which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David c. O Lord God turn not away the face of thine anointed Remember the Mercies of David thy servant When Solomon had ended all his prayer and supplication to the Lord he arose from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven and he stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice saying Blessed be the Lord God that hath given rest unto his people Israel according to all that he hath promised there hath not failed one word of all his good promise which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant The Lord our God be with us as he was with our Fathers Let him not leave us nor forsake us that he may incline our hearts unto him to walk in all his wayes and to keep his Commandements and his Statutes and his Judgements which he commanded our Fathers And let these my words wherewith I have made supplication before the Lord be nigh unto the Lord day night that he may maintain the cause of his servant the cause of his people Israel the thing of a day in his day or at all times as the matter shall require that all the People of the Earth may know that the Lord is God and there is none else c. After all the Dedications sacrifices offerings and feasts were fully ended Solomon sent the people away and they blessed the King and went unto their tents Joyfull and glad of heart for all the goodnesse that the Lord had shewed unto David his servant to Solomon and to Israel his people In these remarkable passages we have King Solomon blessing all his Princes Elders people and they blessing him again and both of them joyning together in blessings thanksgivings and prayers to God for his blessings mercies and fulfilling of Promises Covenants to each other and their ancestors especially to King David and his royal posterity in relation to their spiritual and temporal welfare and exceedingly rejoycing for Gods goodness mutually bestowed on each other but more especially for Gods promise made and fulfilled to David Solomon and their royal posterity That they should not want a man of their seed to sit upon the throne of Israel for ever for the real performance whereof they all most earnestly prayed as well as for David and Solomon as the only means under God of their perpetual unity safety felicity Now these Prayers Blessings and Thanksgivings of Solomon thus made at the dedication of the Temple registred by the Dictate of Gods Spirit inserted into the History and Canon of the Scriptures as patterns of imitation for the Israelites and all Gods people in succeeding generations we cannot but conceive and acknowledge they were frequently recited and imitated at least by the godly Israelites upon all occasions both publikely and privatly 4ly When idolatrous King Jeroboam put forth his hand to lay hold on the Prophet and man of God who prophecied against his Altar at Bethel and God thereupon immediately dryed up his hand he stretched out so that he could not pull it in again to him Thereupon the King said to the man of God Intreat now the face of the Lord thy God and pray for me that my hand may be restored me again And the man of God besought the face of the Lord and the Kings hand was restored again and became as it was before Here we have a Prophet and man of God
their Cures writ two Epistles to him from thence to dismisse them to their Bishoppricks before the cold winter approached In the first they write thus We beseech you that you cause us not to be banished nor stayd from our Churches but that the Bishops together with the people may live in peace and tranquillity and may humbly pray for your Health Kingdom and safety in which the Divine Maiesty long preserve you Pro tua salute Imperio pace orantes quam tibi Divinum numen largiri dignètur prolixam so Nicephorus renders it but others thus Supplicantes Deo pro pace tui Imperii pariter salutis quam tibi Dominus in perpetuum largiatur They conclude their second Letter to him in these words For this cause we beseech your clemency the second time most religious Lord and Emperor that you command us to depart to our Churches if it so please your Godlinesse before the sharpnesse of Winter come That we may make our accustomed Prayers together with the People to the Almighty God and our Lord and Saviour Christ for your Empire or Reign as we have alwaies accustomed in times past and yet cease not to do and now wish to continue Here we have a most pregnant double Testimony of all these Godly Bishops assembled in full Council of their own and the Peoples constant and continual Custom both for time past present and to come to powre forth fervent publick Prayers Supplications and Thanksgivings to God for the Health Reign Safety and Prosperity of their Christian Emperors though Arrians and Persecutors of them much more then was it their constant usage when Orthodox and Protectors of them thus to do St. Cyril Bishop of Hierusalem thus recites the practise of the Christians in his Age in this particular We pray to God for the common peace of the Church throughout the world For our Kings their Forces and Adherents St. Ambrose Bishop of Millain flourishing in the year of Christ 370. in his Book De Vocatione Gentium l. 1. c. 4. reciting the 1 Tim. 2 1 2 3. thus descants upon it De hac ergo doctrinae Apostolicae regula qua Ecclesia universalis imbuitur ne in diversum intellectum nostro evagemur arbitrio quid in ipsa universalis Ecclesia sentiat requiramus quia nihil dubium esse poterit in praecepto si obedientia concordat in studio Praecepit itaque Apostolus imò per Apostolum Dominus qui loquebatur in Apostolo Fieri obsecrationes postulationes gratiarum actiones pro omnibus hominibus pro Regibus ac pro iis qui in sublimitate sunt Quem legem supplicationis ita omnium Sacerdotum et omnium Fidelium devotio concorditer tenet ut nulla pars mundi sit in qua hujusmodi Orationes non celebrantur a populis Christianis Supplicat ergo ubique Ecclesia Deo non solum pro sanctis in Christo jam regeneratis sed etiam pro omnibus infidelibus inimicis crucis Christi pro omnibus Idolorum cultoribus pro omnibus qui Christum in membris suis persequuntur pro Judaeis quorum caetati lumen Evangelii non refulget pro haereticis Schismaticis qui ab unitate fidei charitatis alieni sunt Quid autem pro istis petat nisi ut relictis erroribus suis convertentur ad Deum accipiant fidem accipiant charitatem de ignorantiae tenebris liberati in agnitionem veniant veritatis c. Which he thus prosecutes in his Commentary on 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. Haec regula Ecclesiastica est tradita a Magistro Gentium qua utuntur Sacerdotes nostri ut pro omnibus supplicent Deprecantes pro Regibus huius seculi ut subjectas habeant Gentes ut in pace positi in tranquillitate mentis quietè Deo Domino servire possumus Orantes etiam pro iis quibus sublimis potestas est credita ut in justitia veritate gubernent Rempublicam suppeditante rerum abundantia amota perturbatione seditionis succedat laetitia c. ut sepositis omnibus quae huic Imperio infesta inimica sunt in affectu pietatis castitatis Deo servire possumus Perturbatio enim captivitas nec pietatem servat nec castitatem Unde enim pius qui invidus est unde castitas ubi potestatis suae non est In his Epistolarum l. 5. Epist 26. ad Gratianum Augustum he thus expresseth his servent Prayers for him Et nocte die in tuis castris cura censu locatus Orationum excubias praetendebam si invalidus merito sed affectu sedulus Et haec quidem pro tua salute deferebamus pro nobis faciebamus Nihil hic adulationis est siscit ipse arbiter quem fateris in quem piè credis me non solum officio publico debitas pendere preces sed etiam amore privato Which Epistle he concludes with this Prayer for this Emperor Beatissimum te florentissimum Deus Omnipotens Pater Domini nostri Jesu Christi tueri aetate prolixa et Regnum tuum in summa gloria et pace perpetua confirmare dignetur Domine Imperator Auguste Divino electe judicio Principum gloriosissime In his Epist l. 4. Epistola 28. Ad Theodosium Imperatorem he concludes with this Prayer Beatissimus florentissimus cum sanctis pignoribus fruaris tranquillitate perpetua Imperator Auguste To pretermit all other passages of this kind in his Funeral Oration De obitu Valentiniani Imperatoris he hath this passionat expression Nulla inhonoratos vos mea transibit Oratio Nulla nox non donatus aliqua precum mearum contexione transcurret Omnibus Oblationibus frequentabo c. Quam nostrae vitae temporibus fulcire curaremus ut de nostris Annis viveret qui fungi non potuit suis Which he thus concludes Te quaeso summe Deus ut clarissimos juvenes matura resurrectione suscites resuscites ut immaturum hunc vitae istius cursum matura resurrectione compenses to which this other passage in his Oration De obitu Theodosii Imperatoris might be added Da requiem perfectam servo tuo Theodosio Requiem quam praeparasti sanctis tuis This Godly Emperor Theodosius as Eutychius Patriarch of Alexandria records was by the joynt and fervent Prayers of the Christians in Constantinople who spent the whole night in Supplications and beseeched God and our Lord Jesus Christ ut nobis Regem eligat quemcunque ipse elegerit nobis Regem praeficiamus miraculously elected and chosen Emperor beyond all human expectation being of a very poor and mean condition as he there relates Gregory Bishop of Nyssa in his excellent Book De Oratione p. 6. hath this memorable passage Oratio corporum robur est abundantia domus recta Juris ac Legum in Civitate constitutio Regni vir●s belli Trophaeum pacis securitas dissidentium conciliatio conjunctorum conservatio