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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54714	God and the King. Gods strength the Kings salvation A sermon preached at Aylesham in the county of Norfolk, upon the 29 day of May 1661, being the anniversary day of thanksgiving, for the thrice happy and glorious restauration of our most Gracious Soveraign King Charles the second, to the royal government of all his Majesties kingdoms and dominions. By John Philips, B.D. sometime fellow of Magdalen College in Cambridge, and vicar of Aylesham in Norfolk.	Philips, John, vicar of Aylesham, Norfolk.	1661 (1661)	Wing P2031B; ESTC R218926	24,258	38

Ps. 73. 26. His Inward Strength 2 And also which was the second kind of Strength the Lord is the Outward Strength of Kings and so the word is taken in Scripture two wayes first for Right and Authority secondly for Power and Ability to act according to that Right and Authority and both these Strengths Kings have from the Lord. 1 Strength that is the Right and Authority of Kings is from the Lord and though the word be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potentia not potestas and most commonly is taken for ability yet sometimes I conceive it may be taken in that sense we now speak of as in Ps. 99. 4. The Kings Strength loveth Judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kings honour and dignity so the Septuagint Imperium regis so St. Jerome the Kings Empire and government But not to litigate about words this truth is most clear that the Strength of the right of Kings is from the Lord by me Kings reign Prov. 8. 15. By me immediately not mediately at the first not second hand not by nor of man but by the will and ordinance of God and Tostatus I think it is that gives this to be the reason why they are anointed on the head because they hold of none but God and we are commanded to submit unto the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to the supreme 1 Pet. 2. 13. For though the Apostle calls Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ordinance of man which some interpret a humane creature whether for better translation or worse intention let others judge yet that is only to be understood in respect of the forms modes and qualifications of power which may be various according to the several laws of Kingdoms For though Kings be humane creatures and therefore must dy like other men Ps. 82. 7. Yet no Scripture warrants they may die by men Their power is of God alone they are only accountable to him for the administration of it which if it should be male yet it is an unheard of way of curing the body by cutting off the head I will judg none but my fears are that the frequent rendring of those words of the Apostle in the sense I have spoken of in the ears of the people though otherwise it may be proper enough hath been only to lessen the power of Kings in the estimation of their Subjects and so by degrees to steal away their hearts like Absolon from their obedience to their lawfull Soveraign Luther said Every man had a Pope in his belly he might have said a King too for how many through Traiterous ambition vain-glory covetous desires and other filthy lusts have had Kings Crowns and Dignities both in their bellies their greedy appetites and in their heads their hellish designs and intentions The uncomlinesse and prodigious deformity whereof would easily have been discovered had they looked in Solomons glasse Prov. 30. 31. And a King against whom there is no rising up What this Strength of Kings is is a depth my shallow vessel dares not launch into which while some have too venturously done they have easily made Shipwrack both of Faith and a good Conscience of Religion and Allegiance together Gods word is the rule of our Prayers and had we Prayed more or with more understanding and spiritual affections and Disputed lesse we had been better Subjects and never the worse Scholars Now in our prayers we acknowledge the King to be over all persons and in all causes as well Ecclesiastical as Civil supreme head and Governour and so he is by Divine institution and immediate power from God 1 First over all Persons Let every Soul Soul is taken there for the whole person be subject to the higher power Rom. 13. 1. And that for conscience sake v. 5. Which subjection whosoever denies they may possibly prove the immortality of their Souls to their own damnation but will never evince the integrity and regularity of their consciences for so doing Samuel tells Saul God had made him head over all the tribes of Israel 1 Sam. 15. 17. and Levi was one and Solomon devests Abiathar the Priest of his office for his demerits 1 Kings 2. 27. Neither was this power of Kings a rite and ceremony of the old law to be abolished for when Christ nayled those to the Cross yet he fastned obedience to supreme authority both by his precept Matth. 22. 21. Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars And also by his practice First before he was born paying taxes in the loins of his parents Luke 2. 5. Secondly in his life working a miracle that he might be obedient Matth. 17. 27. Thirdly at his death acknowledging Pilates power and submitting unto it Joh. 19. 11. though he had 12 legions and those of Angels to have rescued him and Fourthly after his denth for his body must not be buried till it was begged of Pilate Matth. 27. 58. And St. Paul following his Masters steps stands at Caesars tribunal confessing that there he ought to be judged Acts 25. 10. And acknowledged Neroes supremacy when he was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion which is the King of beasts 2 Tim. 4. 17. Secondly he is head as over all persons so in all causes for that must fo●low from that rational maxim of the Schools Qui habet potestatem super personam habet potestatem super omnia ad personam spectantia Now these causes are either Civil or Ecclesiastical for the former they being particularly unknown to me and not a subject so suitable to my Profession and litle or rather not at all questioned before these late unhappy times by any that would pretend to Loyalty for any thing that I know I will therefore leav them to the vindication of those that are more able lest the cause should suffer through my weakness in maintaining it For Ecclesiastical causes in which I should be more versed the Scripture places the supreme authority in the King for 1 First did not the Priests and Levites Clense the house of the Lord according to the command of the King 2 Chro. 29. 15. And the text saith it was by the word of the Lord for that good King Hezekiah would do nothing without it and the successe his endeavour had shewed as much for the house of the Lord was sanctified in eight dayes v. 17. Our pretended purifiers were above eight years about the work of reformation as it was called but the long time they were about it and the little good they did in it or rather the great hurt is to me an argument that God never imployed them for those Foxes did instead of sweeping the house only raise a dust with their tayls that so blinding the eyes of the people they might the more cunningly steal away the goods that belong to it 2 Secondly did not good King Josiah impose an oath or covenant on all his people great and small and caused them to stand to

Salvation as the dayes of the Martyrs sufferings were called of old for how truely might the King take up the complaint of the Prophet Psal. 31. 12 13. I was forgotten as a dead man out of mind I was become as a broken Vessel I have heard the blasphemy of the multitude and fear was on every side whilest they conspired together against me to take away my life For the name of a King was no lesse than treason so did men call Loyalty after their own names as it was sometimes if I remember right in the Kingdom of France And though his Majesty had three Kingdoms yet he had not whereon like Noah's Dove to rest the soles of his tender feet nor whereon to lay his precious head and the head of us all but might well bemoan his condition to his Heavenly Father in the words of our blessed Saviour Math. 8. 20. The Foxes indeed those Herods and usurping Tyrants have holes and the birds of the air those kites and vultures have nests but the Son of a King and a King had not whereon to rest his head And therefore he leaves the earth and being desirous to get as neer Heaven as he could with Zacheus he climbs up into a tree and from thence God shewes him a way of escape and speaks unto him in a language of miraculous providence This day Salvation is come into thy house only he must passe thorow a Wildernesse to his Canaan and a Sea of troubles to the Haven where he would be And blessed be God that the Oak of Royal preservation was not to the rebellious Sons of Adam the tree of knowledge for then it had not been to the breath of our Nostrils the tree of life his Sacred Majesty had often heard of it no doubt at Ephrata but now he found it in the field of the Wood that God was his Strength and his Salvation 3. Thirdly the manner of his Restauration may further fasten the memory of this day in our hearts as a nail in a sure place for he came not to his Land of promise and the lot of his inheritance thorow the red Sea of the blood of his Subjects Yet if it had been so such a field with the Pearl in it had not been too dear though it had been the price of blood for whatsoever Judas or others have done we must confesse and that with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the people of David 1 Sam. 18. 3. Our King was worth ten thousand of us But yet he came to us with a mighty indeed but a merry noise with ringing of Bells not with roaring of Cannons unless it were for lowder Musick There were no Widdows to make lamentation though many had cause enough no complaining in the Streets as he passed thorow in triumph no outcries but Hosannah and Allelujah Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. He came not with fire and sword he brake no bruised reed in his shaken and tottering Kingdoms he quenched no smoaking Flax in the Church the light whereof was wel nigh extinguished there was no striving but whether his Majesty should be more gracious or his people more gratefull 4. There is one more argument from the day It is observed that this very day the Common-Prayer book purged from the drosse wherewith it was mixed was settled as the publick Liturgy of our Church which was after sealed with the blood of many of the Compilers of it which observation if it be true then methinks there should not be such divisions nor such sad thoughts of heart amongst us as there is concerning it So as to black and cloud our joy in this day of our peace What have been done in this place about it first and last is too well known Yet I can positively affirm that in this numerous and populous Congregation there are but few that absent themselves from the publick service of God upon offence taken at the reading of it though too many upon other sinfull and unwarrantable accounts I do therefore earnestly beseech as all my Reverend brethren the Ministers of the Gospel so all other Godly and peaceably disposed Christians that whilst it is our duty to pray for the peace of Jerusalem we do not suffer our prayers to be an occasion of the bteach of that her peace And I do adjure all in the words of the Apostle Phil. 2. 1 2 3. If there be any consolation in Christ if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowels and mercy fullfil you the Kings Kingdoms and one anothers joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord and of one minde O let nothing be done in this matter through strife or vain-glory But let in lowlinesse of mind each esteem others better than themselves And O let us all in our several stations according to the Apostles precept Ephes. 4. 3. Endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace And the rather ought we to take heed hereunto because we have formerly received mercies somewhat like unto these of this day but soon forfeited them by our sins for example King Charles the first that blessed Martyr was born the 19. day of November and on the same day if my intelligence fail me not began his return to us from his Northern Kingdom after that gracious Pacification made in his Royal Camp near Barwick And made without the shedding of one drop of blood for even when his two Kingdoms with their puissant armies were daring one another in a warlike posture he came as Neptune with his Trident and calmed those raging billows and rebuked those winds that were risen so high and said unto the Sea that was become so boysterous and threatning Be stil. Of which pacification I will not say it had been better for England if it had not been made for Blessed are the peace makers Matth. 5. 9. But sure it had been happy for both Kingdoms it had never been broken for then we had not sat wept so many years by these Waters of Babylon nor hung up our harps with little hopes and lesse joy to use them but long since taken them down and putting them in their right place and tune sung this song of joy and gladnesse The King shall rejoice in thy Strength O Lord and in thy Salvation he shall be exceeding glad For the Coherence and scope of which words it is this The Church in the last verse of the former Psalm prayes for the Kings Salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the septuagint renders the words and so St. Jerom Domine salvum fac regem and so our Church word for word in her daily petition for him morning and evening O Lord save the King And I hope none will be offended at that Scripture Prayer unless there should be found yet some of those who could find no great fault with the Common Prayer Book but that it taught them so often to pray for the

Minister of God for our good And so he is indeed the Preserver of our sacred Truth our Defence in War our Security in Peace and therefore hath right to whatsoever is necessary to the safety of his sacred person the support of his Regal Dignity the preservation and enlargement of his Kingdoms and Dominions the subduing of his people under him in case of disloyalty to the rendring of him feared and respected abroad honoured loved and obeyed at home And whosoever shall deny their Soveraign these or any thing else quoad potestatem utendi pro bono Communi or demand any of them out of his hand I must send them for answer to the 1 Kings 2. 22. Let them ask the Kingdom also And if his Majesty shall see cause to imploy any of the Parts Gifts and Abilities of any of his Subjects though Ecclesiastical person in the Administration of Civil affairs consistent with the Honour and Dignity of their spiritual Function I know not why he should be deprived of that just Prerogative Moses made Judges out of all the Tribes and the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. both intimates and argues that those that are most esteemed in the Church should not therefore be in the less capacity to judge of things pertaining to this life Upon which ground holy St. Augustine spent part of the day sometimes the whole as Possidonius relates in his life in the decision of civil Causes and received Letters and returned Resolution about them For though no man that warreth this spiritual warfare ought to entangle himself with the things of this life 2 Tim. 2. 4. and Christs Kingdom be not of this World Joh. 18. 36. and Christ rejects with indignation the covetous wretch his motion Luke 12. 49. with man who made me a Judge over you which places among others are alleged by those that leave no stone unmoved nor Scripture unwrested to wring that power out of their hand that are far better able to manage it themselves and I am sure to a better end for this is one way whereby the spiritual Fathers of the Church may better find out the temper and disposition of the people and so judge whether they grow in Faith and Obedience or not For it is one good sign given by our Practical Divines and Possidonius hints as much to know a true Christian from a Counterfeit by his behaviour about the things of this World when Christ touched the young mans free-hold he soon appeared dross Though therefore the spiritual Souldier must not intangle himself yet he must submit himself to his Princes Command and though Christs Kingdom be nor of yet it is in this World And it seems to me to be supposed that Christ might have been a Judge but he must not make himself one which Rule had it been followed we had not had so many nor such Judges as we have had Let not us therefore deny the Kings power in temporals as the Papists do in spirituals but put we in practice our Saviours Precept Mat. 22. Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars or rather render unto him what is his for though it may be called giving for the willingness and readiness that should be in the Giver and it may be for some other reasons yet it is a gift not of Courtesie but Duty for the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Render and the next words which are Caesars shews Caesar hath a Right before the giving for I cannot be said to give that which is anothers but that which is my own I conclude this with the improvement of the Apostles Arg●ment who goeth to warfare at any time at his own charges who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof who feedeth a Flock and eateth not of the milk thereof who ruleth a Kingdom and indeed who can without the Strength thereof And thus much for the first blessing of Kings the Lord is Author of their Strength The second blessing of the King of which the Lord is the Author is his Salvation of which now but a few words Salvation is taken three waies in Scripture especially First for spiritual deliverance from sin and the direfull effects of it Death Hell and Damnation Christ tells Zacheus Luke 19. 9. that Salvation was come into his house Secondly for eternal Glory of which he is the Author to all those that believe and obey him Heb. 5. 9. Thirdly for temporal deliverance from our Enemies and all outward evils so Exod. 14. 13. stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord and in this sense though I exclude not the other David calls God frequently the God of his Salvation Ps. 18. 46. Ps. 24 5. Ps. 85. 7 9. Now though God was and is and will be we believe hope and pray to the King the Author of all those Salvations Yet his temporal Salvation seems more especially intended in the Text and is the peculiar Subject of our present discourse Salvation supposes danger and were I able to give you a just Catalogue of his Majesties manifold and great dangers I fear I should cast a black cloud over the solemnity of this day was he not with St. Paul 2. Cor. 11. 26. in perils of waters that were even like to have run over his Soul in perils of Robers that lay in wait for him by troops in perils amongst his own Country-men who use to deal more kindly one with another in perils by the Heathens or those that were worse than Heathens in perils in the Wilderness whither he was driven as a Pellican in perils in the Sea and sure that faithfull Pilot that wafted his Royal person over it in his small Vessel could not but fear but it may be his Majesty encouraged him as Julius Caesar did his Pilot when he was afraid of a Storm Caesarem vehis thou carriest Caesar O how can we forget to make us more cordially thankfull his tribulations distresses persecutions being for Christs sake and his Kingdoms killed all the day and year yea many years long O remember how our Shepheard was counted as a sheep for the Slaughter What mutinies were raised continually against this our Moses what preparations for destruction against this our Hezekiah what Combinations Plots and Conspiracies against this our Jehoshaphat what Stratagems against this our Joshua Yet in all these he was more than Conquerour through him that loved him The Lord delivered him and was his Salvation from the Bear and Lion and from that uncircumcised Philistine It was not the Oake though it be the Strongest of Trees Amos 2. 9. that could have secured him nor the thick leaves thereof that could have hid him till the Calamities were over-past nor was it the eye of any faithfull Centinel to give notice of approaching danger that could have preserved him though they were all happy means thereof But it was the Arm of the Lord that was his Strength and his Fortress The shadow of his wings that was his Refuge and the

wonderfull eye of Providence that neither slumbers nor sleeps that watched over him that eye that saw Nathanael under the Fig-tree that Angel supposed to be Christ the Angel of the Covenant that appeared to Abraham under the Oak of Mamre that was his Angelus Custos his Keeper and Preserver And though I know the idolatry of worshiping Green Trees and that the French wisards the Dryades worshiped the Oak called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence they had their names Yet in a holy and religious Commemoration of our S●veraigns miraculous preservation I cannot but call to the Woods to rejoyce as the Bishop of Bitento did in his Sermon at the opening of the long expected Council as they will call it of Trent And to the Mountains and all Hills Fruitfull Trees and all Cedars to praise the name of the Lord Ps. 148. 9. And as Christian Churches were built in Rome in Monte Querculano in the Mountain of Oaks so called for the abundance of those Trees there growing So let some pious Oratory be built to the service of God in the place of that Royal Oak of Preservation if it be cut down and let him that laid his axe to the root of that tree be condemned for ever to be a hewer of wood Let the Oak for the pretious fruit it once bore be reckoned among the fruitfullest trees of the Forrest like the tree of life that bore 12 manner of fruits Rev. 22. 6. and let the leaves thereof be hence forward good for the healing of the Nations let no ominous bird ever build her neast in the branches thereof And he that hath not this day brought a bough of the Oak in his hand to strew in the way and to testifie his thankfulness let that punishment at least be inflicted on him which the Jews they say did on every one that brought not a bough of the Palm in his hand when Christ rid in triumph to Jerusalem let him fast all that day Whilst we giving instruments their due acknowledgment magnifie the name of Jehovah only his Majesties mighty ready seasonable wise holy faithfull and everlasting Strength the sole Author of his so great Salvation and so I am fallen upon the second part of the Text the Kings and Churches praise for Gods Strength and his Salvation which I told you should be our Application First then let the King rejoyce and that both with inward joy and outward gladness and that exceedingly too as having the greatest cause the beams of divine favour shining most strongly upon him God having set him again in his own Throne for solium Regis est solium Dei invested him with his own robes of Power and Majesty given him his own name set him often in his own book as neer himself as one sentence can joyn them made him his immediate Deputy and Viceger●nt upon Earth foster'd him in his bosome made him a Chosen Vessel to bear his name and to do his great work and what greater work can there be than that he is doing to take care of Gods Church to settle his Kingdoms in Truth Peace and Holyness and to cement and glue a broken and heart-divided people to unite both the Roses and the Kingdoms again together And O let his sacred Majesty offer unto the God of his Salvation out of this his Garden of Paradise as England hath been called the red Rose of the praises of his lips and the white Rose of Innocency and Purity of life a sweet smelling Sacrifice acceptable to the Lord his Strength and his Redeemer Indeed his gracious Majesty hath prevented this our desire having already as Noah builded an Altar Jacob a House Solomon a Temple Constantine a Church erected an everlasting Monument of praise and thanksgiving by setting apart this day by a perpetual decree for the service and honour of God the God of his Salvation Secondly let us therefore following his pious Example for otherwise to speak of the duty of Kings in the ears of their Subjects is secretly to raise jealousies of his Government in their minds and no better than Pulpit-treason of which some have been too full bless God for restoring to us our King our Hereditary King and such a King at such a time in such a manner and to such end When all stood amazed as at their wits end when there was none to deliver us to settle our Confusions in Church and State none to glue our divided hearts none to heal our desperate breaches none to cure our deadly wound if his sacred hand had not touched them O let our souls praise the Lord and all that is within us bless his holy Name and let us express our joy outwardly and that exceedingly let the voice of joy and gladness be heard in our dwellings let us not refrain our lips let it appear we have our portion in this our David and our inheritance in the Son of Jesse Motives And let me give you a few motives to stir us up to this duty of joy and gladness and some directions how to perform it and I conclude God hath this day restored to us our mercifull King invested indeed he is with all other Princely Graces but his Mercy is in him as in God over all his other works his gracious pardon reaches not only to thousands but millions even to those that are yet unborn For had he been extreme how few could have indured when all must have confessed except some few despised Royallists whose knees did never bow to Baal that they were in the same though not equal condemnation yea he offered pardon to those that asked it not and their own consciences can tell them whether they thank him for it or no now they have it So gracious a Prince he is that he would not enter his Kingdoms in the blood of any of his Subjects except those immediate Regicides who committed that barbarous murder upon the perion of his Royal Father a fact never to be named without the depth of detestation And alas how is it possible but the wrath of God must lye upon their heads who would crucifie the Lamb Jesus to chuse a Fox Herod So mercifull he is that with Mauritius the Emperor he would scarce have a Traytor dye and with Theodosius he seems to wish he could call them again to life might it be with the justice of his Throne And O let the stupendious Act of his gracious Pardon never hurt himself nor his Posterity incourage his Enemies to commit the same sins again for which they have found easier forgiveness on Earth than ever they shall find in Heaven without repentance and restitution nor discourage or dishearten his Faithfull and Loyal Subjects but that they may be willing again to venture their Lives and Estates for the service of their Soveraigns if they be called unto it as some in this place have done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Lords sake only 2. God hath restored unto us our Religious

King and therefore let us be exceeding glad A King constant in the Profession of the Truth in which he is the deeper rooted the more he hath been shaken Coelum non animum he often changed his air the greater is their sin that would neither give him nor sell him a liberty to breath in their Climate but never his heart he was not e salice as that Politician said he was being ask'd why he changed his Religion so oft but quercu ortus not made of willowes that will bend every way but of heart of Oak that will not bow to the boysterous winds And his Majesties Love and Pains for the settling of the true Religion shews him to be Defender of the Faith as well by Truth as Title and as much by desert as by descent And when he lost all he lost nothing of the Truth nor wheresover he went did he leave his God behind him but brought them with him into his Kingdom who had well nigh lost both 3 The Lord hath restored unto us our Peace-making King so meek as if with Moses he had known only the name of Passion not the thing beati pacifici is not only his Motto but Blessing while other Kings make or should make Peace he is made of Peace How wonderfully under God hath he preserved the Ark of this Church ready to sink What Rages hath he appeased What stormes hath he calmed among the spirits of men What gracious and sweet Concessions flow from his native Goodnesse How doth he burn in love towards those whose affections it is to be feared are but cold towards him He first passed an act of pious and fervent Devotion in Heaven for his enemies with Father forgive them before he passed and confirmed his Act of Pardon on earth and remembred the awful Counsel if not Charge of his Royal Father which was much like that of Phocion to his Sonn mando ut hujus pot us obliviscaris I charge you never to revenge my death And O let all his Subjects make a better use of all his gracious Favours than which formerly have been done to be more unreasonable in their demands and spend all their lives in thankfulnesse to God for the salvation of so merciful pious and peaceable a Prince Direct And for our Direction especially these two ways 1 First by a true fear of God that so we may better honour our King God hath often joyned them together in his Word let us never put them asunder It hath been the policy of Satan and his instruments to scandalize Religion to be the occasion of Rebellion but the Fathers well discovered that fallacy by retorting and demanding what was the cause of sedition in Rome before Christianity was in it But the Disciple is not above his Master Christ himself was accused for a pestilent fellow and a denyer of Tribute to Caesar though indeed none was so forward in it as he profering it when he might have been free without enquiring whether Caesar stood need of it or no being then at peace with all the world not yet expecting the assembling of Judea together It cannot be denyed and the story is too sad to remember but that Religion hath been made a Cloke and that a long one for Rebellion but this hath been through the pride ambition covetousnesse envy malice and other lusts of men for otherwise Religion and Loyalty not only may consist together but do best establish one another Let Philosophers and Statists dispute as long as they will whether a bad man may not be a good subject to be sure a good man cannot be a bad one upon which ground King James told the King of France that the Protestants were as good Subjects as any he had Spiritual liberty agrees best with Civil subjection for though we cannot serve God and Mammon yet we may very well serve God and man together nay how can we serve or Love God whom we have not seen if we do not serve and obey our King whom we have seen John 1. 4 20. who is a Brother and more It is better indeed to obey God than man but best to obey both which we may do either by Active or Passive obedience Hearken then ye prophane scoffers at Religion You foul-mouth swearers you beastly drunkards you debauched miscreants and all the black-guard of ungodlinesse and impiety can you that are evil speak well of Dignities Do men gather grapes of Thornes or figs of Thistles How can you fight cordially for your King that carry Traytors in your bosomes Whatsoever you are I am sure your sins are enemies to his Crown and Dignity Let us then in a holy rejoycing raise up our Bells but not with the cords of iniquity lest we pull down the Judgements of God upon us Kindle we our Bone-fires but take we heed we incense not the Wrath of God against us who is a consuming fire Be we merry in the Lord but feast we not the Devil Daemonum cibus ebrietas Let our Cups be the Cups of salvation And let it be our prayers to God That as his Majesty hath zealously declamed and proclamed against all vitiousness debauchedness and prophaueness so the High and Honourable Houses of Parliament would vote against them that the R. Reverend and awful Convocation would let their sacred Decrees Canons and Censures fly out against them that it may appear Christs Keys are not lost though they have layn rusty too long a time That the pious and resolute Magistrates of the Land would remember that they are sent of the King for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well 1 Pet. 2. 14. That all the Orthodoxal painful and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel may be Sons of Thunder and rattle out the Judgements of God against all ungodliness that they would out-pray out-live out-preach out-countenance all impiety And you of this Congregation whose faces have cause to discover your congratulation of the happinesse of this Day whose credit it is yet boast not of it it was no more than your duty that you were the first in your County I mean some of you and I believe the only Town not incorporate that ever appeared in Armes for your King and stood too against an Army and were so resolute that it was evident you valued not your Lives for the service of your Soveraign and have suffered in your Liberties and Estates O be you as forward for Piety and Religion as ever you were to Loyalty and Obedience And though you have lyen and yet do among the pots in obscurity and darkness yet in due time ye shall be as the wings of a Dove covered with silver and her Feathers with yellow Gold Ps. 68. 14. post tenebras spero lucem as Jobs comfort let it be yours after darkness look for light Secondly Shew your joy and gladness as in walking in the fear of God so in honouring the King and that 1 In a high and supereminent