GentÃsque Togatae Gloria grande decus Magni Ciceronis Alumne Quantus in exiguo luces GODMANNE Libellus Audiat hicce DEO summo CAROLÓ que Secundo Votivae tabulae subjungas Viva Parentis Effigies nam te pingis qui jure voceris Et Civis Probus suavi Chrysostomus ore Ne metuas Navem pelago committe pusillam Navigat incolumis CAROLUS tibi Caesare major Omina laeta dabit Tanto Duce Numine tanto Auspice ridebis fremitus murmura volgi JO. FELTON Col. Gon. -Caii S. In elegantissimam pientissimámque concionem viri optimi mihi suprà quam dici potest charissimi G. GODMAN QUO tandem igne calescis insolente Quo demum raperis furore linguam Quaenam suada tibi diserta labra Melle nectare dulciore reptet Quis vires melior Deus ministrat Quò nos attonitos trahis rapÃsque O quà m dulcè canis quid hoc negotî Non inter reliquos magìs solebas Elucere priùs stupende Rhetor Quà m laetus celebrans diem beatum Id quod nemo alius potest vel ipsum Te longè superas antecedis Sed quorsum tamen ista miror annon Dudum novi animum pium fideles Sensus tempora namque iniquiora Infaustósque dies dies pudendos Questi saepe sumus miserrimámque Sortem flevimus graves ruinas Collapsae patriae quot execrati Diris consilia impia atque iniqua Arma immania foedera rebellûm Vesanam rabiem nefas triumphans Et felix scelus nefanda vilis CROMWELLI putridissimaeque Caudae Ausa quot lachrymis dolore quanto Quo luctu attonito stupore fata Indignissima Martyris beati Aerumnásque malas necémque iniquam Moesti planximus diem nefastum Irati odimus atque abominati Infensè quoties sumus tenebrae Foedae perpetuaeque noctis umbrae Ut Solem occulerent ei imprecati Votis ominibus prece frequente Et desiderio admodum fideli Te nunquam sumus exulem vocare Obliti CAROLE ô diu cupite Ast olim tamen ista mussitare Aut saltem ambiguè loqui licebat Solúm Non etenim palà m dolere Nec lugere forìs minúsque apertè Quicquid mens pia suggerebat aut quae Effari libuit frequente coraem Confusáque referre concione Nobis fas erat hoc enim negabant Infames malè conscii latrones Tandem liberiùs piae recessus Mentis pandere pectorÃsque fidi Claustra effringere cùm potes sinúsque Integros aperire fusiúsque Quae jamcunque placent tuo arbitratu Enarrare palámque praedicare Spe quantâ erigimur repenté quid non De te polliciti sumus stupendum Celsum grande aliquid rogamus omnes Nec frustrà fuimus speÃve falsi Quin tu vota licèt superbiora Magnis passibus antecelluisti Nedum encomia nostra conticescam J. BOULT C.G.C.S. A SERMON PREACHED at S. Mary's in Cambridge before the University on Thursday the 24th of May 1660. being the day of solemn Thanksgiving for the Deliverance and Settlement of our Nation ECCLES 10.17 Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the son of Nobles THat it may appear there is no prerogative of excellency but what may be joyned with Kingly power we have heard of some that have been both Kings and Priests David was both King and Prophet and here we have Solomon his son that was both King and Preacher Again that it may be evident what a neer connexion there is between Loyalty and Religion I have chosen this part of his Royall Sermon to be the subject of mine For 't is easily observable that most of this Chapter relates to the duty of Subjects and authority of Sovereigns and it could not be that Solomon's interest should oblige him to express so much both here and elswhere concerning the power and advantages of Princes for certainly he as well as other Pen-men of holy Scripture spake as he was moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 Now since those noble and worthy Patriots whose authority we have reason to bless as well as to obey have commanded us to render publick and solemn thanks this day to Almighty God for the settlement and deliverance of our Countrey I thought I could not finde a Text more suitable to this joyfull occasion for all our deliverance and establishment is comprehended in this and all our joy and happiness is herein compleated That we have a King and not onely so but likewise one who is the son of Nobles For 't is possible that an inferiour person may usurp a Crown which if he doth 't is both his infamy and the Kingdomes misery And that verse in the Greek Epigram may very well be applied to such a one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the coming down from his usurped height is his rise but the climbing up is his fall This was it which Q. Elizabeth in her great prudence was carefull to prevent for being importun'd on her death-bed by her Councell to declare her Successour she thus express'd her self I have said My throne is the throne of Kings I will not that a vile person succeed me And when the Secretary asked her what she meant by those words she answered I will that a King be my successour and who but my nearest kinsman the King of Scotland Now therefore thanks be to God for this unspeakable benefit that this Scripture is fulfilled in our ears and in relation to our selves that we can now again securely and solemnly apply this beatitude to our own Nation and Country Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the son of Nobles In which words there are these three particulars contained First a King Secondly his Character The son of Nobles and Thirdly the blessedness that results from both This last I shall involve in the Application intending in the mean time to speak something in general to the two former And to begin with the first I shall not think it necessary to entertain your thoughts with any large discourse concerning KINGLY power I shall only put you in mind that the greatest part of mankind hath been in all times governed by Monarchs and that Monarchy is the best and noblest form of Civil Government as most resembling the Empire of the Divine Majesty the most firm and durable as being most at unity within it self the most serviceable to the ends of Government as containing the greatest and most effectual Authority And I can but mention the admirable frame and temper of the English Monarchy which is so beautified with all the ornaments and splendour of a Kingdome that it withall includes all the advantages and conveniences that can be imagined in a free State Wherein the Law hath exactly joyned and united the King's Prerogative the Priviledge of Parliament and the Liberty of the people Where the Soveraign hath enough to maintain his Authority and Majesty and the Subject hath sufficient for his encouragement comfort support and dignity but not wherewithall
whiteness was the ornament of Kings and Princes in the East and that 't is used in Scripture as an embleme of candour and innocence of honour and dignity I could easily demonstrate but that I hasten to what is more material We know that the Kingdomes of Israel and Judah were hereditary but when God provoked by their sins interrupted the succession And it was a part of that sad calamity that befell the Jews in the Babylonish Captivity and which the Prophet Jeremy bitterly lamented That Servants ruled over them and there was none that delivered them out of their hand Lam. 5.8 As also 't was a part of that judgment which Esay had before denounced against them That the child should behave himself proudly against the ancient and the base against the Honourable Isa 3.5 This is a calamity so much the greater because it includes reproach and dishonour 'T is an unnatural subordination that the Honourable should be subject to the base and the servant command the Master 'T is an evil which our Royal Preacher takes special notice of in the former part of this Chapter Folly is set in great dignity Eccl. 10.6 7. and the rich sit in low place I have seen servants upon horses and Princes walking as servants upon the Earth Which is a sad symptome of a disordered State more resembling a confused chaos than the well-built frame of a regular and orderly Government For the Justice of State being of an higher nature must not stoop to a conformity with the Vulgar rule and method of the balance that the lighter should be lifted up and those of more weight should be unworthily deprest I confess there is a difference between the Nobility of Descent and that of Vertue but I am not willing to separate those things which in nature and reason should be always joyned together And I could wish that no degeneracy had ever made a divorce between them But this I 'le say when they are both united then results that Nescio quid praclarum a most exquisite and accomplish'd perfection or to use Solomon's expression 'T is like apples of gold in pictures of silver Prov. 25.11 For to say truth Nobility of race hath but little beauty and lustre of its own but what it borrows from the other and then 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pindar it puts on the brightness of a Star and clothes them with honour that possess it when 't is adorned with the resplendency of vertue And again as it receives from it lustre and beauty so it reflects back upon it constancy and perpetuity which begets a kind of veneration We usually admire a stately fabrick for its order beauty and concinnity but we account it in a manner venerable if it hath lasted many ages and hath strength enough to withstand the injuries of time Thus we preferre an ancient and perpetual River both for delight and usefulness before the more swelling and impetuous torrent of a Land-floud which cannot long endure as having no Spring-head from whence to receive supplies Thus we account a Star that is perpetually and eternally placed in heaven more glorious than a blazing Comet that is onely the object of present wonder and as 't is vulgarly supposed a presage of future Calamities Now that Nobility is an excellent qualification of a supreme Governour beside what hath been said may appear by these three particulars 1. Because it addes honour and veneration both to their persons and authority and sets them farre above the contempt of those that are subject to their government For although government subsists by justice as its chief support and its main design yet as to the more effectual improvement of authority it depends much on fame and reputation And it holds as well in Political obedience as in domestick servitude Dignitate domini minùs turpis est conditio servi Men commonly think that those who are noble are born to command and they will readily submit to such when they will rise up in indignation against the imperiousness of their equals 2. Nobility is a spurre to vertue a great incitement to worthy and noble actions For as we all derive our first inclinations to good or evil from the imitation of others so domestick examples being sweetned by all the endearments of a tender love and care and a natural propinquity have the most quick and lively impressions Beside that publick expectation addes incouragement and enforces the duty with a stronger obligation and the fear of a greater blot and a fouler stain of dishonour deterres them from being degenerate For there can be no greater incitement to worthy and noble performances than to consider as Pliny hath it Quibus imaginibus oneretur quae quanta nomina sustineat That they are bound to make good what their ancestors have done and to keep alive those sparks of honour which their vertue hath kindled That 't is as much their duty to claim their vertuous inclinations by right of inheritance as 't is their happiness to derive honour and reputation from them And then the benefit of nature will be turned into their own due praise whereas otherwise they cut off the intail from themselves and have no right to that which they will not transcribe and imitate Again Nature hath placed them on a rising ground and given them those advantages whereby they may easily attain to the highest improvements of vertue and goodness They have a stock wherewith to begin and Facile est inventis addere 't is more easie to perfect what is already begun than to lay a foundation of great attainments Hence it is that Aristotle says Noblemen are more desirous of honour then others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because all men are wont to adde to what they already possess 'T is most natural for men to look unto the rock whence they are hewen and to the pit whence they are digged And therefore they who are of a lower original cannot so easily exalt their thoughts unless excited by some extraordinary power above that station wherein nature hath placed them As water can ascend no higher than from whence it descends They may look upon higher and nobler atchievements as objects of wonder but not as incouragements of their imitation They may gaze upon those Starres but they have no contrivance whereby to approach their station Their condition and capacity is as the son of Sirach describes it Ecclesiasticus 38.33 They shall not be sought for in publick counsel nor sit high in the congregation they shall not sit in the Judges seat nor understand the sentence of judgement they cannot declare justice and judgment and they shall not be found where Parables are spoken 3. Nobility as it includes hereditary right puts the government out of dispute t is the most probable way and means to prevent all that unhappy strife ambition and envy all the dangerous consequences of contentions and emulations that are most likely to befall elective Kingdomes
so hard nor their heads so dry but that they have some few tears to drop upon the Herse of injur'd and abus'd Majesty If you tell me 't was too long ago since 't was done I can give you an example out of Scripture that will silence that objection 'T is in the 2d of Chron. 35.25 And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah and all the singing men and singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day and made it an Ordinance in Israel and behold they are written in the Lamentations That good King did indeed come to an untimely death but there is this alleviating circumstance in it that he fell not by the malice of his subjects but by the power of his forein enemies But how did our good Josiah fall I cannot express it but with his own prophetick words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 28. He dyed a KING by the hands of his own subjects a violent and barbarous death in the strength of his years in the midst of his Kingdomes nay in that very place where he was wont to appear in the greatest splendour of Majesty and Honour his friends and loving subjects being helpless spectatours his enemies insolent revilers and triumphers over him living dying and dead who that they might be more solemnly cruel added as those did who crucifi'd Christ the mockery of Justice to the cruelty of Malice Mark how every word carries an Emphasis of grief and every syllable is accented with unexpressible sorrow I believe there are none here who are guilty of that Sacred bloud but give me leave to speak to them as if they were present Do ye deal thus ye most ungrateful wretches do ye deal thus with your most gracious and merciful Soveraign who had been able to have trodden you down to the grave and to have hid you in the dust together before you could have laid that load of afflictions upon him Are these your returns of obedience and gratitude to him for all his care and protection over you whom you were bound by all the Laws both of God and man to preserve to the uttermost of your power Is this the way to make him a great and glorious KING 'T is true you that took away his precious life have made him such but no thanks to your malice but to his own divine and incomparable vertues Do ye know do ye consider do ye understand what you have done Whom have you reproached and reviled Against whom have you exalted your voice and lifted up your hands on high Against whom have you exercised your rage and fury Even against the Lord 's Anointed How The Lord 's Anointed There 's thunder and lightning storm and tempest hailstones and coals of fire There 's the revengeful indignation of the Almighty and everlasting God and the unsupportable horrours of death eternal For who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord 's Anointed and be guiltless 1 Sam. 26.9 And they that resist Rom. 13.2 but much more they that destroy shall receive to themselves damnation Such and so great was their Sin which I beseech God they may consider and repent but yet 't was farre less than the glory that attended his sufferings T' has been often seen and 't is easie to imagine how illustrious a KING is when his power and greatness is intire when he flourishes in the height of his authority when he is courted with pomp and honour But 't is much more rare and wonderful to see Majesty shining in its full lustre even when 't is overspread with a cloud of misery Ecce par Deo dignum saith Seneca vir fortis cum malâ fortunâ compositus But this is nothing to that instance that is now before us Here was a great and mighty Prince that in the lowest ebb of his adversity was more than conquerour â—om 8.37 Here you might have seen the rage of men and Devils in vain assaulting undaunted and invincible Constancy Here was one that in the midst of his undeserved sufferings by an admirable temper so exprest the meekness of a Christian that he forgot not the Majesty of a KING In short he liv'd a Saint and he dy'd a Martyr and his death especially was conformable to the Captain of our Salvation the KING of sufferings And to make this evident some have made an exact comparison between them in many circumstances But I shall instance only in his Charity which was in him eminent and remarkable and whereby he most resembled our Blessed Saviour Observe how devoutly how fervently he prays for his bloudy persecutours Thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— 28. O Lord mad'st thy Son a Saviour to many that crucifi'd him while at once he suffer'd violently by them and yet willingly for them O let the voice of his bloud be heard for my murderers louder than the cry of mine against them O deal not with them as bloud-thirsty men but overcome their cruelty with thy compassion and my charity Though they think my Kingdoms on earth too little to entertain at once both them and me yet let the capacious Kingdome of thy infinite mercy at last receive both me and my enemies This is truly a Divine perfection and a God-like excellency 'T is a near approach to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who took upon him the form of a servant who hath sanctifi'd all afflictions and calamities by his blessed example and his glorious victory Who was led as a Lamb to the slaughter Isa 53.7 and as a Sheep before her shearers is dumb so he open'd not his mouth Who endur'd the cross Heb. 12.2 despising the shame and is now sate down at the right hand of God He that well considers this example may easily resolve which is the more happy condition a persecuted innocence or an insulting cruelty But now Divine providence hath made it manifest that no true and durable greatness can ever lay its foundation in sin And we can now certainly and experimentally conclude That there is a reward for the righteous Psal 58.11 and a punishment for the wicked doubtless there is a God that judgeth the earth And so we leave our ROYAL MARTYR whose Name shall ever live and flourish on earth while his peaceful Soul long since deliver'd from a troublesome world rests in the blessed mansions of everlasting peace Let this be sufficient to shew that our KING is the son of NOBLES since from that great glorious Monarch he immediately descends who is our Joy and our Crown our Happiness and our Glory For whatsoever we lov'd reverenc'd or admir'd in his most ROYAL FATHER doth not only remain as he says In aternitate temporum famâ rerum but also in the reall possession of our present SOVERAIGN This is he into whose Princely and Heroick Soul all those excellent graces are transfus'd which no doubt but we shall see hereafter improv'd into more
noble accomplishments O what a pitiful dull thing is this rebellious malice how base and weak is it in its attempts how happily is it defeated and disappointed what have they done but to raise us higher by our fall and to lift themselves up on high that they might fall with a greater more dreadful ruine What do you think now you that us'd to talk so much of Providence where was your consideration of God's eternity I speak this not to reproach you but to undeceive you Did you think that God would never come and appear again because he hid his face from us for a time 2 Pet. 3.9 The Lord is not slack as some men count slackness for a thousand years in his sight are but as one day He hath now appeared again sooner than we could expect and much sooner than we deserv'd The stone which the builders Psal 118.22 23. not of Jerusalem but of Babel refused is now become the head of the corner This is the Lord 's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes The other was the Lord's doing too in exercising his just judgment upon a sinful Nation But this is his work of mercy the benefit whereof we hope will endure to all succeeding ages 'T is our comfort that we have remaining an illustrious branch of that ROYAL STEMME from which we hope to enjoy the fruits of Justice Goodness and Clemency Uno avulso non deficit alter Aureus simili frondescit virga metallo God and Nature his undoubted right and his Princely vertues have made him our King long since though we have wanted the comfort of his presence If any of his enemies should impertinently ask where his Kingdom hath been all this time 'T is easily answer'd where their 's never was He hath reign'd in the hearts and affections of his loving and faithful subjects which is a Kingdom farre more great and glorious than the proudest and most insolent Usurpers can ever hope to obtain Our Bodies only the worser part of us were under their power but our Minds which are most truly and properly our selves were at his dispose They bound our Hands but our Hearts were knit and oblig'd to him They possess'd the Cabinet but they could never come at the Jewel In the worst of times duty and allegiance were farre from suffering a totall defection and I dare confidently affirm that there are more than seven times seven thousand in England that never bow'd their knees to Baal If you could have then discover'd the hearts of many that were faithful in the Land there might you have discern'd a constant and immoveable Allegiance there might you have beheld the brightest flames of unextinguish'd love and Loyalty And now since the danger of owning him is taken away and the obstruction is removed behold how those hidden flames break out and make a glorious appearance Your eyes have seen and your ears have heard with how great a chearfulness with what expressions of unexpressible joy he is every where acknowledged I know no rejoycing that can so well be compared with ours as that of the Israelites at the proclaiming and crowning of Solomon 1 Kings 1. 39 40. They blew the trumpet and all the people said God save King Solomon And all the people came up after him and the people piped with pipes and rejoyced with great joy so that the earth rent with the sound of them And yet they had not so great reason to rejoyce as we Their change was but from a David to a Solomon immediately from a righteous KING and a great warriour to a wise and peaceful Prince But we I need not tell you the difference What shall we say now to those impostours that endeavour'd to put out our eyes by their frequent boasting of the consent of the people by pretending that their advancement was the Nation 's interest 'T is a sign they were farre from true Nobility that could so impudently practise that base and slavish vice of lying to maintain their ill-gotten authority I confess the late Tyrant in one or two instances seem'd to be somewhat modest but I attribute that rather to the over-ruling hand of Providence than to any goodness of his He styled himself Protectour of England Scotland and Ireland This was a notorious untruth for he was the ruiner and destroyer of these flourishing Kingdoms But here his impudence fail'd him that he durst not adventure to write himself By the Grace of God Again you know time was when he would and would not be King when he refus'd and yet hop'd that his refusal would have gain'd him that honour But in conclusion he miss'd of that which he had sought with so much ambition This again I ascribe to Divine Providence whose admirable contrivance it was that the Crown the sacred Embleme of Divine Power and Majesty should never touch that villanous and polluted head I need not tell you your own experience may abundantly inform you how dangerous it is to be under the dominion of ignoble and unworthy persons Whereas he that is of Royal birth and is a King by the appointment of God and Nature can maintain his dignity without those base and ignoble arts without those ambitious shifts and contrivances which are the only support of those that have no right and as little merit Again he that is a King by birth must needs look upon his people as his own natural possession and is thereby engag'd to provide more affectionately for their good and welfare and to regard them with a more tender and paternal care Lastly He that is such will be more sensible of honour and is likely to propound more noble ends in all his designs and counsels Therefore whether we look back upon what we have suffer'd or forward upon what we hope to enjoy in both respects we have reason to acknowledge this blessing of the Text Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the son of Nobles And we may well take up those words of the Queen of Sheba Blessed he the Lord our God which delighted in him to set him on the throne of this our Israel 1 Kings 10.9 Because the Lord our God loved Israel for ever therefore he hath made him King to doe justice and judgement 'T has been our very great unhappiness to know him yet but little by experience But all the fame and the report of those that know him speaks him to be a rare and most accomplish'd Prince And yet I hope that his wisdome and goodness will hereafter so much exceed our present expectations that we shall say 1 King 10.6 7. as the fore-mentioned Queen did to Solomon It was a true report which we heard but the half was not told us In the mean time I shall give you two ample and honourable testimonies of him when he was nine or ten years younger than now he is from two dying Lords who being persons of honour and at the point of death are