Ismaelites but the Lord preuented them they were glad to bowe and crowch before him Gen. Gen. 42. 43 42. 43. And what néede more examples herein The Lord had annointed Dauid king ouer Israel by the Ministry of Samuel 1. Sam. 16. the Princes withstand 1. Sam. 16. it yea Saule him selfe withstandeth it but all in vaine Dauid is aduanced to the kingdome of Iudah and at the length also to the kingdome of Israel as 2. Sam. 5. Thus is this stone 2. Sam. 5. which the builders refused become the head of the Corner I am not come at this time into this place worshipfull and beloued historically to shew vnto you what hath of old come to passe vnto Dauid of Israel but chiefly in consideration of the daie by way of application to put you in minde what hath béen in your own daies done vnto Elizabeth of England The stone which the Builders refused is the head of the Corner Elizabeth that pretious stone of the house of England refused by whom by the builders therof but what is the euent the same is the head of the corner Elizabeth refused by what meanes Elizabeth a stone of the house of England not of any straunge countrey or forraine nation and therefore not vnfit yet had they refused her yea Elizabeth a stone not of the baser but of the most pretious sorte a stone of the head corner stone proceeding from the loines of the kings of this land yet had they refused her yea Elizabeth a stone not ragged but euerie way squared not by the hand of man but by the finger of God fit for the place and purpose and yet had they refused her And by whome was she refused euen by those which were chosen to be the builders of the house of this commō wealth these were the Councellers Nobilitie of this Realme in the dayes of Queene Mary her sister who albeit they were the sworne assisters of the rightfull heire apparant to the Crown of this land yea and albeit they knews by succession to be heires and that not by extraordinarie annoynting as the kingdome of Israel came to Dauid but by naturall discent from her Father and confirmed by the last will and testament of her Father of famous memorie king Henrie the eight yet contrarie to law contrarie to their oth and contrarie vnto conscience they refused her and what waies and meanes they deuised and put in practise not onely to depriue her of the Crown but also of her head whereon the Crown should stand as the historie therof in the booke of the acts monuments of the Church recorded expresseth it many of you yet sufficiently remēber it so it should be néedlesse for me now to spend any time in the deliuering of it Onely therefore this I say which boldly I may say that neuer did Saule his coherents séeke more waies to destroy Dauid then they sought to destroy her neither was Dauid at any time in greater daunger of death being persecuted by Saul nor Peter in greater perril of beheading being fast bound in the prison by Herod Act. 12 Act. 12. nor the thrèe children in greater danger of burning when they were in the hotte burning fornace Dan. 3. nor Daniel in Dan. 3. greater danger of deuouring when hée was in the Lions denne Dan. 6. nor Dan. 6. Ionas in greater danger of death being alreadie deuoured into the Whales belly swimming in the midst of the sea Ionah 1. then shée was being in the hands Ionas 1. of her enemies But what was the euent The same is the head of the Corner notwithstanding all this her enemies had no power ouer her they preuailed not in their purposes but were confounded in their deuises as for Elizabeth she is aduanced to the kingdome she sitteth in the throne she weareth the Crowne shée beareth the Scepter The stone which the builders refused is the head of the Corner and thus much concerning the aduancement of Dauid 2. How it came to passe Now the people expresse how it came to passe that Dauid was aduanced to the kingdome how this stone being refused by the builders became notwithstanding the head of the Corner verse 23. This was the Lords dooing and it is merueilous in our eies Where they first attribute their working thereof onely to the Lord. Secondly they confirme it by the merueilousnes thereof in their eies First they attribute the aduancement of Dauid to the onely working of the Lord. It is the first doing and right dutifully for it is the Lord which hath all things vnder his gouernment and direction neither is there any thing done which the Lord hath not done the least things of this world which we sée done are the Lords doing the holding foorth of our armes the opening of our lippes the lifting vp of our eies nay the fall of the Sparrow nay the fall of the leafe or if there be any thing lesse then the least of these it is the Lords dooing and therfore how much more the things which are greatest Againe in the placing and disposing of the members of the bodie of man that one member is lower or higher then another that the head is highest and the foote lowest it is the Lords dooing Againe amongst those Celestiall bodies that the Sunne is placed aboue Moone and Stars or to vse the words of the Apostle 1. Cor 15. that there is 1. Cor. 15. one glory of the Sunne and another of the Moone another of the Stars and that one Starre differeth from another in glory this is also the Lords doing and so likewise in the politike body of the common-wealth that one is aduanced aboue or below another before or behind another that one is the chiefest another the basest this is also the Lords doing it is the Lord that casteth downe and exalteth it is he that raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth vp the begger from the dunghil to set him amongst the princes that he may inhabite the seate of glorie as Anna confesseth in her song 1. Sam. 2. and as Dauid speaketh Psal 1. Sam. 2. 75. Preferment commeth neither from Psal 75. the East nor from the West nor from the South but God is iudge he maketh low maketh high and therefore saith the Lord by the wisedom of Salomon Prou. 8. By me kings doe raigne and Prou. 8. Rom. 13. the Apostle Rom. 13. There is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God if therefore we sée any aduanced vnto the seat of worship honor or maiestie yea whether it be by birth friends conquest or by any other meanes of man yet this we must acknowledge that it is the Lords doing For albeit that man was the instrumēt yet the Lord is the only author and ordainer thereof But yet when this people here acknowledge the aduancemēt of Dauid to be the Lords doing it is after a more speciall maner as it is
opposed against the doing of man thereby shewing that it was brought to passe only by the power of the Lord without the helpe and beyond the expectation of man for albeit that euen those things which are brought to passe by the ministery of man are said to be done of God who vsed man as the instrument yet most properly are those things said to be the Lords doing which by his absolute power are brought to passe without the helpe beyond the expectation of man thus was the destruction of Pharao his host of Senacheribs host of Herod and thus wss the preseruation deliuerance of the Israelits of the thrée children of Daniel of Peter the Lords doing and thus doe this people affirme the aduancement of Dauid to be the Lords doing Secondly that it was the Lords dooing they proue by the marueilousnes therof And it is meruelous in our eies As if they had said Dauid is aduanced to the kingdome but without the helpe yea beyond the expectation yea aboue the reason and vnderstanding of man yea in so strange a maner as that in our eies it is a thing most merueilous and therefore surely it is the Lordes dooing And was it not a straunge thing woorthie to be merueiled at that Dauid a man of a meane parentage in the common wealth of Israell the youngest of all his brethren and one fetched from the shéepefold should be annointed to be king yea notwithstanding hee found so many enemies and so few friends so many perils and so small safetie being a man reiected and persecuted by Saul and his princes yea being a man despised and scorned of the people as he himselfe speaketh Psal 22. Should Saul Psal 22. being dead raigne ouer Iudah and at the length also Ishbosheth being slaine ouer Israel yet this came to passe Dauid that litle one was annointed that persecuted and despised one was aduanced first to be king ouer Iudah and then also ouer Israell This therefore was the Lords doing and it is merueilous in our eies And no lesse merueilous if we consider it was the aduancement of Quéen Elizabeth to the Crowne of this Realme for what though the kingdome successiuely by right appertained vnto her yet if we consider the multitude and mightinesse of her enemies that withstood her the infinite number of their subtile and deuilish deuises and practises to destroy her again if we consider the smal number of her able friends to defend her and her lesse abilitie to defend her selfe being a mayden virgine and therefore vnmeete vnarmed and therefore vnfit to resist againe being fast shut within the stone walles of strong holdes and therefore not able to fly but enforced to aduenture the extremitie of those dangers which by her bloudie enemies were daily threatned against her and prepared for her againe on the other side if wée consider how sodenly and wonderfully the chiefest of her enemies when shée was in chiefest danger of death and in the iudgement of man in desperate estate of life were brought to destruction wherby Quéene Mary being dead she was aduanced to the Crowne I say if we throughly cōsider these things and accordingly waigh them in the true ballances of an vpright mind we shall find the aduancement of Quéene Elizabeth a thing most marueilous in our eyes yea and the more we consider it the more marueilous we shall find it yea I assure my selfe you dearely beloued that of all those marueilous works which through the mighty hand outstretched arme of the Lord we haue either with our eyes séene in our daies or els with our eares heard in the daies of our fathers to haue come to passe this one is the greatest the most merueilous in the eyes of all those which throughly and vprightly consider it euen this the aduancement of Quéene Elizabeth to the Crowne of this land It was maruailous in the eyes of her verie enimies who were amased at the sight of it and whose hearts are yet astonished at the remembrance of it if therefore it séeme not marueilous in the eyes of any it is in the eyes of those which consider it not Wherefore if we are not too sottish we can not but sée and too malicious we can not but acknowledge that it is the Lords doing and not mans that it is the Lord which hath pleaded her cause and reuenged her wrong and that he onely which is mightie and almightie hath magnified her saying It is the Lords doing and it is marueilous in our eyes 3 The benefit thereof After that the people haue expressed the wonderfulnes of Dauids aduancement they likewise expresse the benefit thereof Vers 24. This is the day which the Lord hath made euen to the singuler benefit of the whole Common-wealth For here they speake of a speciall day made by God vnto a speciall vse for otherwise there is no day which the Lord hath not made and that euen for the vse of man as appeareth Genes Gen. 1. 1. The Lorde made the light and deuiding it from the darkenesse called the light Day and the darkenesse Night and so hee made the first second third fourth fift and sixt in which hee made the world and all the creatures therein and the seuenth wherein he rested from all his Gen. 2. worke which hee had made and so hee likewise maketh euerie day vnto the end of the worlde for as now and alwaies in his prouidence hee appointeth what thinges in euerie day from day to day shall be done so hee also in the same his prouidence maketh euerie day wherein all things shal be done Here therefore as I said before they speake of a special day made of God vnto a speciall vse for the same people and that not of a speciall day made for the sending of a speciall plague for thus also is the day of tribulation and of affliction for the punishment of the sinnes of the vngodly a speciall day which the Lord hath made to a speciall vse and therefore the day appointed for the captiuitie and destruction of the Iewes Ierem. 30. Ioel. 1. Amos. 5. Zophon 1. is called the day of the Ierem. 30. Ioel. 1. Amos. 5. Zophon 1. Lord but of a speciall day made by him to their speciall benefit and commoditie this day was the day of the aduancemēt of Dauid vnto the kingdome whereby the whole common wealth after the vnhappie raign and happie death of Saul was wonderfully blessed and therefore say they this day the Lord hath made not to the benefit of one or a fewe but to the benefite of the whole common wealth The Lord had made many daies for the benefite of that people before the time of Dauid both in the time of Moses and of Iosua and of the Iudges and of Samuel as appeareth in the perusing of those bookes but yet amongst those there was not one wherein they had receiued greater blessings then in this day of the aduancement of Dauid and
it is most troublesome and perillous And therfore they knew that Dauid beeing now aduaūced to the throne of the kingdome of Iudah and that in such maner as before is declared could not but finde many enemies by whom he should bée subiect to no few troubles nor small daungers yea many were the troubles and perils which were laid before him and stirred vp against him of his desperate enemies both within without both for his aduauncement to Iudah and Israell within beyng aduaunced to the kingdome of Iudah he had those that striued for the aduauncement of Ishbosheth Sauls Sonne and these were they of the house of Saule of whom you heard before betweene whom there was a long warre as appeareth 2. Sam. 3. beyng aduaunced to 2 Sam. 3. the kingdome of Israell both within and without viewing him within first his owne sonne Absalon the Sheba the sonne of Bechin a man of Iemini both which raysed vp Israel against Dauid without he had the Philistines and other nations oft times making war vpon him of both which you may read plētifully 2. Sam. 5. wherfore 2. Sam. 5. they séeing Dauid subiect to so many perils they pray for saluatiō at the hands of God saying O Lord I pray thee saue now For what was Dauid against his aduersaries either in multitude or mightines wherefore they flye vnto the Lord for refuge and defence saue now O Lord euē thyne annoynted whom thou hast aduaunced from the handes of his enemies which purpose and practise his destruction Secondly they pray for the prosperity of their king O Lord I pray thee now geue prosperity as Dauid could not saue himselfe from the hands of his enemies except the Lord saued him so neither could hee gouerne the common wealth except the Lord prospered him therin It is no easy thing to gouerne a kingdome to order a common wealth for the welfare happines of the people if the Lord teach not the king what to doo by whom shal he be directed If the Lord direct him not how cā he prosper in any thing which he taketh in hand how shal he prosper in his counsails how shal he prosper in his enterprises If the Lord build not the house in vaine do they labour that build it Psal 127. They euen Psal 127. Gen. 11. with the sons of men Gen. 11. thinke they to build neuer so lofty a building yet they build vnto themselues nothing else but a Tower of confusion The common wealth can not prosper but come to ruine and destruction wherefore O Lord I pray thee geue now prosperity vnto Dauid our King that thou prospering him the Common wealth may bee in prosperity by him The example of this people dearly beleued teacheth vs that in the middest of this our reioycing this day for the happy aduauncement of our most gratious Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth we must not forget to ioyne prayer therunto for her euen for the safety and prosperity of Elizabeth saying O Lord I pray thee c. First for her safety and that from the handes of her enemies for albeit that she is aduaunced to the throne of the kingdome yet hath shée not bene neither is shee frée from her manifold perils first by her rebellious subiectes within who for the aduauncemēt of an Ishbosheth nay of a Iezabell to the Crowne both by open insurrections leuying of armies displaying of Banners and pitching of fieldes and also by secret conspiracies with dagges and daggers c. haue practised her destruction then by forraine enemies of other nations for we are not ignorant of the often thretned inuasiōs in times past neither can we be ignorant of the purposed prepared mischiefe at this present to depose her from the Crown Wherefore O Lord I pray thee saue now euen thyne annoynted thou which hast lifted her vp hold her vp that thine and her enemies plucke not her downe whō thou hast exalted continue thy wonted goodnes towardes her as thou hast hetherto saued her so saue her now make perfect that same good woorke which thou hast begunne in her yea Now O Lord saue her for now is the wrathful indignation of thine and her enemies as a consuming fire enflamed against her wherefore O Lord saue now yea and saue her for euer Hereunto wee must ioyne prayer for her prosperity O Lord I pray thee now geue prosperity vnto Elizabeth béeing safely couched vnder the shadow of thy winges prosper thou her O Lord prosper thou the counsailes of her hart prosper thou the woorks of her hands yea O Lord whatsoeuer shee taketh in hand let it prosper in thy sight yea and so prosper her O Lord in the gouernment of vs thy people committed vnto her charge as that we also may prosper vnder her and that as in all worldly prosperity so principally in all godlines and honesty yea Now O Lord geue prosperity vnto her as thou hast hetherto prospered her gouernment aboue al other Kinges and Princes of the earth to the terror of thy enemies to the comfort of thy chosen to the admiration of all men so O Lord geue now yea and euer prosperity vnto Elizabeth Thus ought we dearly beloued in the middest of our reioycing to mixe prayer vnto God for the safety and prosperity of Queen Elizabeth great is the force of prayer before God it pearceth the clowds and assendeth into the eares of the Almighty and although the Lord heareth not sinners Iohn 9. But their Iohn 9. prayer is turned into sin yet the prayer of the righteous is euen as the sweet incense and as the euening sacrifice most pleasant and delectable in his sight hauing this promise that whatsoeuer they shal aske they shal obtaine it yea great is the force of the prayer of one righteous man if it be feruent as Iames speaketh cap. 5. And then how much more Iames. 5. forceable is the prayer of the whole congregatiō of the righteous being assembled together before him in his house which is the house of prayer Wherefore now being assembled together at this time vpon this occasion into this place yea at what time soeuer vpō any other occasiō we assemble our selues together into the Church of God that I speake nothing of priuate prayer in all places lifting vp cleane handes and purifyed hartes let vs pray O Lord I pray thee saue now O Lord I pray thee now geue prosperity vnto Elizabeth For as this is the duty of all men one towards another but principally of subiects towards their Kinges and Princes to commend thē in their prayers vnto God 1. Tim. 2 1 Tim. 2. so yet chiefly it standeth vs vpon which are the subiectes of this Common-wealth to pray for the safety prosperity of our Queene Elizabeth for in the safety of Elizabeth consisteth ours in her peace ours in her prosperity ours in her life ours in her death ours in her destruction ours If the Lord either by timely or vntimely either by
naturall or vnnaturall death should take away Elizabeth from Englād it would indeed be a ioyful and happy Elizabeth but a most woefull and miserable England God graunt mine eies neuer see nor mine eares neuer heare of the death of Elizabeth Wherefore O Lord I pray thee saue now O Lord I pray thee geue now prosperity vnto Elizabeth and let all those which entirely loue Elizabeth say So be it 3 A blessing verse 26. Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord we haue blessed you out of the house of the Lord. Which words the most vsuall translations do set downe after the forme and maner of wishing or desiring Blessed be hee c. As if the people had prayed vnto the Lord to blesse Dauid their King But the most approued translatiō according to the Hebrew set them downe by way of affirmation Blessed is hee c. Wherin the people do affirme Dauid their King to bee the blessed of the Lord. Blessed is Dauid the which they confirme by two notable arguments First Dauid commeth in the name of the Lord that is Dauid commeth to rule and gouerne the common-wealth Hee obtaineth the Kingdome not in his owne name but in the name of the Lord not thrusting himself thereunto but hauing the same thrust vpon him by the Lord not vsurpingly aduauncing himselfe but beeing miraculously thereunto aduaunced by the Lord and therefore Dauid is blessed for as they which come in their owne names are cursed so they which come in the name of the Lord are blessed but Dauid commeth in the name of the Lord therfore Dauid is blessed Secōdly Dauid is blessed of them that are of the house of the Lord that is either of the priests of the Lordes house of his Sanctuary whose office it was to blesse as appeareth Num. 6. and also Deut. 10. or else Num. 6. Deut. 10. more generally euē of all those that belong to the house of the Lord that is which purely woorshippe him in his Sanctuary in Sion And therefore Dauid is blessed of the Lord for the Lord mercifully ratifyeth and confirmeth the blessinges of his Church hee blesseth those whom his Church blesseth and hee curseth those whom his Church curseth But his Church euen the Congregation of his chosen Children beeyng blessed by Dauid haue blessed Dauid and therefore Dauid is blessed of the Lord Lo how inuincibly they haue prooued that Dauid is blessed The consideration whereof could not but much confirme the hope of the safety and prosperity of Dauid for which they prayed before for not onely safety and prosperity but euen all good thinges follow the blessing of God The Lords blessing is no vaine nor naked blessing as is oftentimes the blessing of man But al good things are heapēd vpon those which are blessed of the Lord Let Shemei therefore curse Dauid 2. Sam. 16. yet Dauid is blessed yea let the enemies of 2. Sam. 16. Dauid conspire together against him yet shall the Lord geue safety and prosperity vnto Dauid because hee is the blessed of the Lord. In like sorte dearely beloued this can not but bee vnto a singuler comfort and consolation continuing our hope of the safetie and prosperitie of our gracious Quéene Elizabeth because she is the blessed of the Lord. Elizabeth is the blessed of the Lord and therefore let her enimies curse her with booke bell and candle the curse shall not fal vpon her but she is blessed yea shall be blessed for euer for there is no repentance in the Lord God is not as man that hee should lye nor as the sonne of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not doe it and hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it hath he blessed and shall he not continue his blessing yes surely with him there is no variablenesse neither shadow of chaunging Iames. 1. If Isaac Iam. 1. was constant in his blessing vnwittingly bestowed vpon Iacob and notwithstanding all the teares of Esau would not call backe the same but confirmed it saying I haue blessed him and therefore he shall be blessed Gen. 27. Then how much more constant Gen. 27. shall the Lorde bee in continuing his blessing vpon those his children whom he hath once not vnwittingly but willingly blessed notwithstanding all the teares outcries cursings and bannings of the vngodly saying I haue blessed them therefore they shall bee blessed And if the Lord blesse who shall curse How shal I curse where the Lord hath not cursed saith Balaam to Balaac or how shall I detest where the Lorde hath not detested or if they curse or detest those whom the Lorde blesseth and reioyceth in their cursing shall fall vpon them selues as the Prophet Dauid saith Psal 109. As they loued cursing so shal it come vnto thē as they loued Psal 109. not blessing so it shal be far off from them as they clothed themselues with cursing as with a garment so it shall come into their bowels like water and like oyle into their bones But the blessed of the Lord shal be blessed for euer That Elizabeth is the blessed of the Lord I proue euē by the selfe same arguments wherby the blessednes of Dauid is confirmed in this place First Bessed is he that cōmeth in the name of the Lord but Elizabeth commeth in the name of the Lord she came not to gouerne this land in her own name but in the name of the Lord she obtained not the crown by her own power but by the power of the Lord who miraculously aduanced her thereunto no lesse miraculousily hath hetherto vpheld her therin therefore this is an euident testimonie the she is the blessed beloued of the Lord. Secondly She is blessed out of the house of the Lord as it hath béene blessed by her so it blesseth her amongst all the mightie kings and princes of the earth there is none by whom the house of the Lord the Church of Christ hath béene so wonderfully blessed as it hath béene by Quéene Elizabeth at this day by her principally it is that the kingdom of Antechrist decayeth dayly by her principally it is that the Church of Christ within these few yeares in so many nations is augmented and aduanced by her it is that the banished children of Christ not hauing a place where to rest their heades are louingly receaued and carefully fed and nourished by her it is that the oppressed ones are defended they which war for it are strēgthned and therfore woorthely hath she deserued the euerlasting blessing of the house of the Lord yea and no doubt the whole house of the Lord doth blesse her And therefore wee may also assure our selues that the Lord ratifying and confirming the blessing of his Church blesseth her The consideration whereof dearly beloued as I said before can not but greatly comfort and confirme the certainty of our hope concerning the safety and prosperity of our most gracious Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth that notwithstanding shee is cursed by the Pope the maister of misrule and author of all mischiefe and be hated of all his fauourers who with all their powers bend themselues against her to subdue her and bring her to confusion yet that they shall not bee able to preuaile ouer her but that the Lord for his names sake who hath miraculously aduaunced her and hetherto preserued her yea and for his Church sake which béeing blessed by her hath blessed her he will geue safety and prosperity vnto Elizabeth to the continuance of the glory of his name and the encreasing of the blessednes of his Church by her The which the Lord vouchsafe to graunt for his Sonne Christ his sake the head of his Church To whom with the holy Ghost three distinct persons and one onely God bee rendred all honour and praise both now and for euer Amen FINIS
blessed by her so haue wee euery yeare renuing of this day the greater cause to reioyce for her and therefore euen in this day let vs reioyce and bee glad thereof yea euery way let vs testify vnto the whole world this our reioycing let the cherefulnes of our coūtenances the decency of our garmentes the songs of our lippes the clapping of our hands our melody on instruments of musicke the making of bonefires the ringing of belles the sounding of trum pettes the displaying of banners the shooting of gunnes yea and whatsoeuer meanes haue bene vsed or may bee deuised as testimonies of reioycing let them be vsed of vs as an euident testimony of our vnfayned and harty reioycing this day for the aduauncemēt of Queene Elizabeth Thirdly concerning the maner of this our reioycing it must also bee obserued for there is areioycing which is euil as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 5. The end of which is weeping as Christ testifieth 1 Cor. 5. Luc. 6. Luc. 6. woe be vnto you which now laugh and reioyce for yee shall wayle and weepe This our reioycing therefore must be onely in the Lord in the same wee must not forget God which fault man for the most part falleth into in the middest of his reioycing in his reioycing he is so ouerioyed as that he clean forgetteth to reioice in him in whom hee ought to reioyce the reioycing in the gift maketh him forgetfull to reioyce in the geuer if God geue wealth health of body after pouerty and sicknes strength after weaknes peace after war plenty after scarcity c. euery man is glad thereof and reioyceth thereat But who is hee that reioyceth in him who hath bestowed those thinges on him the people of Israell beyng brought out of Egypt from the slauery of Pharao and of the Egiptians they were no doubt glad thereof and reioyced therat but as Dauid speaketh Psal 106. They forgat Psal 106. God their Sauiour which had done great things in the land of Egipt wonderous woorks in the land of Ham and fearefull thinges in the red sea for them so those ten Leapors spoken of in the Gospell Luc. 17. beying healed of their leprosie Luc. 17. by Christ were all no doubt full glad thereof and reioiced but yet all forgate to reioyce in him who had shewed this mercy vnto thē for onely one of them who was a Samaritane returned backe falling downs on his face gaue him thankes and with a lowde voice gaue praise vnto God Of al those blessinges which wee the people of this nation at this present enioy or euer in times past haue enioyed this one euen the aduauncemēt of Queene Elizabeth ouer this land is not the least but rather the greatest and therefore not the least but the most woorthy to bee reioyced at of al of vs which reape the benefite therof but yet in this our reioicing we must bee mindfull to reioice in him who hath geuen Elizabeth vnto vs and aduaunced her ouer vs For this was the Lordes doing and not mans but euen without the helpe of man yea euen beyonde the expectation of all men nay further contrary to the wil of the chiefest men of this world as you heard before the Lord brought it to passe in whō therefore should we reioyce but in him for in whom should wee reioyce but in him who hath bene the woorker thereof hee onely is woorthy of the praise who alone hath done the worke yea and to this end it is that hee hath so miraculously brought the same to passe that no flesh should reioyce in his presence but that hee which reioyceth should reioice in him saying Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name geue the praise for thy louing mercy and for thy truthes sake Psal 126. Let this our reioycing Psal 126. testify our thankefulnes vnto him for the same Wee are not woorthy of the least of all his mercies Gen. 32. Gen. 33. much lesse of this and all which wee haue or can geue vnto the Lord our God is not woorthy the name of a recompence for the least much lesse for this yet such is the mercy of our God vnto our weaknes as that this onely hee requireth at our handes for al his vnspeakable benefits in so ouerflowing a measure powred vpon vs euen this that we should geue thankes vnto him and reioice in his holy name therefore Dauid vpon the consideration of the woonderfull mercies of God towardes him falling into this godly meditatiō what shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefites bestowed vpon mee Psal 116 Psal 116. thereby acknowledging that hee was both altogether vnwoorthy of them all which hee could geue was no proportionall recompence for them and at the length resoluing himselfe what recompence to geue breaketh foorth into these woords I wil take the cup of saluation and will call on the name of the Lord Loe then this one payment doth fully satisfy the Lord for all his graces benefites and blessings powred vpon vs And therefore also for this O therefore that we could truly reioyce in him and hartely be thankfull vnto him this day and euen for Elizabeth that the Lord may this day and euer blesse vs with Elizabeth God forbid that our vnthankfulnes vnto him should bereaue and depriue vs of Elizabeth of this so great happines which we haue so long time enioyed and now at this present do and long time hereafter may which God grant enioy by Elizabeth as therfore this day the Lord hath made for our singular benefite and vnspeakable happines so let vs reioyce and bee gladde in it and bestow the same in thanksgeuing vnto him for the aduauncement of Elizabeth 2 A Prayier from reioycing they come vnto prayer Non minor est virtus quam quarere parta tueri as Dauid could not without the helpe of the Lord obtaine the kingdome so nether could he without the helpe of the Lord defend himselfe and gouerne it and therefore as they saw iust occasion to reioyce in him for the one so they saw as iust occasion to pray vnto him for the other saying verse 25. O Lord I pray thee saue now O Lord I pray thee now geue prosperitie Where wee say they pray for two thinges in the behalfe of Dauid the King first Saluation secondly Prosperity First they pray for Saluation O Lord I pray thee saue now that is from the hand of the enemy which laboureth to supplant him In the time of mirth they remembred eminent daungers they thought of perils at hand which the Preacher Cap. 11. exhorteth Eccl. 11. vs vnto though a mā liue many years and in them all reioyce yet let him remember the dayes of darknes that is of affliction and trouble There is no mans estate in this world so quiet but that it is mixed with many troubles nor so safe but that it is subiect to many dangers but yet principally the estate of a King