and Spanish saw Make England happy by no Salick Law This Monarch's rising first restores to health The Kingdom deadly sick o' th' Commonwealth Obstructions thus remov'd each lively vein Conveighs its active spirits once again Hark how the Bels Guns Drums and Trumpets ring And loyal Pulpits cry God save the King See how the blazing earth by Bon-fires tries To translate Heaven and outshine the skies Lyme's glorious Triumphs do bespeak it glad To gain the Title Regis once it had My joys are mixt with pray'rs that Charles his wain By Traytors hands be ne'r o'return'd again That Crown and Church may flourish and the State Be fix'd in spite of strange or home-bred hate That CHARLES be wise as Solomon to give The Childe to those would hav 't united live Theophilus Philanax A SERMON PREACH'D AT LYME-REGIS May the 18. 1660. at the Solemn Proclamation of His most Excellent Majesty Charles II. c. THe Proclamation and Inauguration of Kings hath been observed with great solemnity in all ages The Preamble by all Nations In the observation of which Solemnities none have been more forward than God's most faithfull Prophets and Priests and Ministers of the Gospel And therefore that I may give a further testimony of that loyal and sincere affection I have ever born to His most excellent Majesty our Sovereign Lord Charles by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith I shall at present apply my self to speak something suitable to the solemnity of this day that by so doing I may quicken you to the observation of it both with an inward and outward rejoycing suitable unto it not that I think you need a spur being fully assured of the sincerity of your affection both to his Majesty's Person and Authority Now the words I shall insist upon to this end you shall finde written 1 KINGS 1.39 40. The Text And Zadock the Priest took an horn of Oyl out of the Tabernacle and annointed Solomon and 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 The words are Historicall and in them you have a Relation of the Proclamation and Inauguration of Solomon to be King over Israel For methods sake and your better understanding of them you may take notice 1. Of the Agents or Persons who were imployed in the observation of these solemnities 2. Of their Actions or the things done and performed by these Agents 3. Of the Person about whose concernments these Agents were imployed The Agents were Zadok the Preist who began the solemnity and the rest of the people who were then present among whom for the honour of the solemnity was Nathan the Prophet and many others men of great account and esteem both in the Church and State of Israel as evidently appears by the verse immediately foregoing So Zadock the Priest and Nathan the Prophet and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went downe and caused Solomon to ride upon King David's Mule c. And from hence I conclude That it is a thing no way unbecoming a Priest Note a Prophet a Minister of God to act his part in the Procla mation and Inauguration of his just and lawful Sovereign 2. The Actions of these Agents and they are divers every man in this Solemnity was imployed in some thing suitable to his place and station 1. Zadok the Priest begins the work 't is said he took a Horne of oyle out of the Tabernacle and anointed Solomon A Ceremony frequently used by God's command and appointment in the designation and Inauguration of Persons to be Kings as you may see by comparing these Scriptures 1 Sam. 9.16 I will send thee a man out of the land of benjamin and thou shalt anoint him to be Captaine over my People Israel that he may save my People out of the hand of the Philistines So cap. 10. v. 1. Then Samuel took a viall of oyle and poured it upon his head and kissed him and said Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be Captain over his Inheritance So cap. 16. vers 1. And the Lord said to Samuel c. Fill thy horn with oyle and goe I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlemite for I have provided me a King among his sons Item v. 13. Then Samuel took the horne of oyle and anointed him in the midst of his Brethren and the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward Againe 2. Sam. 2 4. And the men of Judah came and there they anointed David King over the house of Judah so 1. Cron. 29.22 and they made Solomon King the second time and anointed him to the Lord to be chief Governor And this ceremony was upon these considerations used 1. To declare that God had called and appointed the Person thus anointed to the exercise of the office of a King 2. To give assurance to others and to the persons thus anointed that God would furnish them with gifts graces and abilities for the discharge of the Kingly office to which he had designed and called them And from the use of this ceremonie it is that Kings in Scripture are often called the Lord's anointed as you may see 1. Sam. 24.6 God forbid that I should do this thing unto my Master the Lord 's anointed c. Seing he is the anointed of the Lord. So Isa 45.1 thus saith the Lord to his anointed to Cyrus c. and in many other places 2. The Priest having done his part the Trumpeters performed their parts they blew the trumpet and by the sound of trumpet proclaimed him King 3. All the people which were present cryed God save King Solomon and then followed after him and piped with pipes and rejoyced with exceeding great joy so that the earth rent with the sound of their shouts and acclamations of joy an Hyperbolicall speech to expresse the exceeding greatness of their joy 3. Solomon the son of David by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Vriah was the person about whose concernments these Agents were thus imployed The person about whose c. I say was Solomon who was 1. Not only a Prince but a lawfull Prince being appointed of God and nominated by David his Royall father to succeed him in his government as you may see by comparing the 1. Chr. 28. and 5. with this 1 King 1.28 c. 2. A hopefull Prince a Prince from whom they might expect much good both to the Church and Sate of Israel and that because he was 1. A very pious Prince 2. A very wise and prudent Prince 3. A beloved Prince beloved even of God himselfe with a speciall love and therefore called Jedediah 2 Sam. 12.24 25. And she bare a son and he called his name Solomon and the Lord loved him
his wrath and justice 4. Let us express our joy in His Majesty's Restitution c. By stopping our eares for ever against the bewitching temptations of such as are given to change Let the smart of our sufferings under past changes cause us to dread the least thought of making our selves happy by tearing to pieces our antient and best forme of Government and attempting to erect a new Let us no more lend an eare to those Monsters of Treason and Tyranny who had lately cheated us into slavery under a pretence of liberty and who had brought us into bondage unto their owne wills and lusts by promising to set us at liberty and make us free Let the monstrous opinions and horible confusions we have lately suffered under them cause us to tremble at the mention of a Common-wealth Government that hath begotten them And now that we have recovered our Pilot let us resolve never to cast or suffer him to be cast overboard againe lest we suffer shipshwrack for want of him Let us resolve according to the command of God Pro. 24.21 22. To feare God and the King and not to meddle with those that are given to change 5. Let us express our joy c. By blessing and praising that God who by his power and providence hath so wonderfully brought it about for us Certainely it hath not been brought about by humane policy might or power but by the spirit and finger of God Zech. 4.6 'T is true Inments have been used and as Instruments 't is fit they should be honored and we should blesse God for them But who was it that raised up those instruments was it not God who as the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 1.27 28 29. hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the weake things of the world to confound the things that are mighty c. that no flesh should glory in his presence Againe tell me who gave them that wisdom and conrage wherby they have been enabled to effect what they have attempted was it not God doubtlesse it was So that from first to last the whole work is his and the whole glory and praise of it is due to him Let us then this day and all our days express our joy in it by giving God the glory of it And in our rejoycings let us blesse and praise the God of Heaven for this his unspeakable mercy to us and unto these almost ruined Kingdomes 1. With our souls and all that is within us And let us awaken and stir up our souls so to do as David did his upon another account Psal 103.1 Let us bless him with our souls by loving fearing and admiring of him and all his incomprehensible attributes discovered in bringing about His Majesty's restitution Let us also blesse him by our delighting our selvs in him Let us not express our joy by taking our fill of delight in the creatures but by delighting our selves in God our Creator And indeed this is the best way wherein we can expresse our joy upon any account in the world And such a way of expressing our joy at the Proclamation of His Majesty would at once evidence us to be the King 's best Subjects and God's best friends and servants 2. Let us express our joy upon this account in blessing and praising God with our tongues Let us open our mouths and let our lips shew forth the glory of God this day and all our dayes God hath given us our tongues to this end that with them we might shew forth his praise Letus then in our rejoycing this day be speaking of God and of those glorious attributes of God which he hath discovered in bringing about this work This way David resolved to blesse God Psal 26.7 145.5 and prophecyed that other men should do so too Psal 145.6 7. yea that one generation should tell the works of God to another that he might not lose the honour of them Psal 145.4 So the present generation should bless God for his mercy in the restitution of his Majesty by transmitting it to posterity that the generations to come may praise him for it 3. Let us express our joy upon this account by blessing God with our lives Let our lives praise God every day that we have to live for his mercy to us in the restitution of His Majesty this day to his just Rights And let us thus bless God 1. by endeavouring dayly after a more thorough Reformation of our selves and others as much as in us lies Now that God hath restored His Majesty let us sit down and consider with our selves what our personal sins are whereby we did provoke God to suffer the worst of Tyrants to murther his Royal Father and for so many years to banish his Majesty having discovered them let us turn from them Let us do it heartily and unfeignedly so as never to turn to the commission of them more O let us resolve never to provoke this God more who notwithstanding our sinful provocations hath delivered us from usurping Tyrants and hath restored to us our most dread and rightfull Sovereign 2. By dedicating our selves heartily intirely and sincerely to the fear and service of God Let the consideration fo the great things God hath done for us cause us to fear the Lord and serve him with our whole heart all our days according to that of Samuel 1 Sam. 12.24 though we have hitherto served Satan and our own lusts let us from henceforth resolve to serve no Master but God As you have yielded your members servants to uncleanness to iniquity unto iniquity ev en so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness according to that of the Apostle Rom. 6.19 and both these things I earnestly beg of you 1. For your owne sakes 2. For His Majesty's sake Lest if you still do wickedly you provoke the Lord to destroy both your King and your selves According to that of Samuel 1 Sam. 12.25 But if ye shall still do wickedly ye shall be consumed both you and your King 3. By doing what in us lies in our several stations to improve his Majesty's Authority for the right and proper ends of Authority Let us not any of us endeavour to improve it for by and base ends of our own to scramble for Honors Offices and Preferments for our selves as others have done under the late Usurpers But let us improve it 1. For the suppressing of Superstition Heresie and Profainnesse These are the things that have been the meritorious cause of all our sufferings let us therefore improve his Majesty's Authority to suppress them 2. For the effecting of a thorough Reformation both in Church and State according to the Word of God and the Laws of the land And let us beg of God to put it into his Majesty's heart so to do 3. For the propagation of the truth and power of Godliness that all within his Majesty's Dominions may know the truth and express the power of Godliness in their lives and conversations 4. Let us blesse God with our lives for this his mercy to us in restoring his Majesty by opening the doors of our hearts unto the Lord Jesus Christ the King of glory that he may erect his throne there so as to reigne over us all our dayes according to that of David Psal 24.7 8 9 10. Christ as Mediator guideth all the Affaires of the world And it is he that hath restored his Majesty to his authority now in a way of thankfullnesse unto him let us admit him into our hearts that he may reign and rule over us by his word and spirit Let us serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords with fear and rejoice with trembling Let us kisse the son lest he be angry and we perish from the way as we are exhorted to do Psal 2.10 11. 6. Let us in the last place expresse our joy in his Majesty's restitution by giving portions to such for whom nothing is provided Ther 's provision made for you Gentlemen of the Country somthing suitable to your worth and quality Let me desire you to expresse your rejoicing in this days solemnity by giving something to the poor for whom nothing is provided Let us do this day as the Jewes of old did upon their Festival days of joy and rejoicing what they did and were enjoyned to do you may see Nehemiah 8.10 11 12. Esther 9.22 Now to conclude all if you thus expresse your joy in the solemnity of this day you shall not only be truly blessed in his Majesty but his sacred Majesty shall be as truly happy in you You shall not onely live happily under his Government here but you shall for ever live and reign with him in an Eternity of glory hereafter Now to the onely wise God who liveth and reigneth for ever and doth what pleaseth him both in Heaven above and in the Earth beneath be Glory Honour and Immortality for ever and ever AMEN FINIS
proudly against the ancient and the base against the honorable But the accession of a lawfull and hopefull Prince c. will undoubtedly prevent or put to an end these mischievous evils that else would happen to that people over which he is to rule 4. The accession of a hopefull and lawfull Prince to Rule and Government will certainely prevent or put to an end those mischeivous disputes and divisions which otherwise will arise amongst a people about the particular forme of Government the person or persons by which they will be ruled When the seat of Authority is vacant or possessed by usurpation every man as he is affected will be contending to be ruled under this or that particular form of government or by this or that particular person The truth of this we have seen made good by sad experience even in our dayes How have disputes about these things broken and crumbled us into a thousand pieces since the horrid murther of his late Majesty of glorious memory and the treacherous exile c. of his present most Royal and most excellent Majesty Now this mischief also the accession of c. will assuredly either prevent or put to an end 5. The accession of a lawfull hopeful Prince to Rule and Government will also prevent or put to an end those frequent and mischievous changes in government to which a State and Kingdom is Subject through the want of such a Prince to Rule and govern it Frequent changes in government either in respect of the persons ruling or the form of government by which it is ruled are very destructive and mischievous to it And therefore when God is displeased with a people he usually brings this Judgement upon them Prov. 28.2 For the transgression of a Land many are the Princes thereof c. And of all Kingdoms those are most subject to this destroying Judgment where their lawful Sovereign is rejected and the Throne is possessed by Usurpation How often did the ten Tribes change their Rulers after their Revolt from the House of David and what frequent changes both of Governors and Government have we seen in this Nation since the murther of our late and Exilement of our present Sovereign but by the accession of a lawful hopeful Prince to Rule these changes are either prevented or put to an end Prov. 28.2 For the transgression of a land many are the Princes thereof but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged i. e. by a lawful Prince who is wise and prudent the state thereof shall be preserved viz. from such frequent and mischievous changes of its Governors and Rulers These are some of those great mischiefs which by this means will be prevented or put to an end and therefore the accession of a lawful hopeful Prince to actual Rule and Government is a thing greatly to be rejoyced in by those over whom he is to rule But secondly The Accession of such a Prince to actual Rule and Government 2 Reas s a thing greatly to be rejoyced in because it gives the people over whom he is to rule great hope of much approaching and continued good to them by his rule and government over them A lawful hopeful Ruler is a great blessing to a Nation and therefore God promiseth to bestow such upon his people as a great blessing to them Isa 1.26 And I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning i. e. I will give thee Rulers like unto those which I set over thee when thou wert first constituted a State and Kingdom such as were Moses Joshua Samuel David c. such as shall be Instruments of much good unto thee as all good and lawful Princes are to all such as they rule over Now the good a people have grounds to hope for upon the accession of a lawful hopeful Prince to Rule and Government is 1. The injoyment of outward peace plenty and prosperity By Solomon's accession to the throne the state of Israel injoyed the good of all these The whole time of the Reign of Solomon they did not onely injoy peace acording as God had promised they should 1 Chron. 22.9 For his name shall be Solomon and I will give Peace and quietnesse unto Israel in his dayes But also great plenty and prosperity as you may see 1 King 10.27 And the King made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones and Cedars made he to be as the Sycamore trees which are in the vale for abundance And 2 Chron. 1.15 in the same words And thus it often comes to passe by the accession of a lawfull hopefull Prince to Rule and Government and therefore there is ground to hope upon the accession of such a Prince to Rule and Government 2. The right administration and execution of law and justice This good and benefit Israel injoyed by the accession of Solomon to Rule and Government as a peares by many instances especially by his decision of the difference betwixt the two Harlots about the living child 1 king 3 from the 16 to the end 3. Safety and protection from all wrong and injury or at least justice against such as wrong and injure them as 't is the duty so 't is for the most part the disposition of lawfull Princes to protect their Subjects yea the meanest of them from wrong and injury and to do such of them right as are wronged and injured This good also Israel injoyed by Solomon's accession to the throne as appears by the foregoing instance 4. Suitable rewards and preferments to their deserts and merits Vsurpers bestow their rewards and preferments upon such as are rightest for their turne but lawfull Princes if they are wise and prudent upon them who are most deserving but especially upon such as are most faithfull to God within their dominions such David resolved to prefer to the honor of being next yea nearest to his person in attendance upon him Psal 101. throughout but especially ver 6. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithfull of the land that they may dwell with me He that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me By the faithful there he means the truly godly in the land as appears from the latter part of the verse And such were they whom Solomon advanced upon his accession to the throne as appears by 1 King 4. begining 5. The preservation and if need be the Reformation of Religion with due countenance and encouragement in the practice and profession of it Vsurpers for the most part are Corrupters and Suppressers of the truth and power of Religion Such a one was Jeroboam and those Kings that succeeded him in his Vsurpation as you may see 1 Kings 12.26 27. c. to the end And Jeroboam said in his heart now shall the Kingdome return to the house of David If this people go up to do sacrifice in the House of the Lord at Jerusalem then shall the heart of this people turn
c. and he called his name Jedidiah because of the Lord. 4. A Prince of peace or a peaceable Prince So much is signifyed by his name Solomon 1. Chr. 22.9 Behold a son shall be borne to thee who shall be a man of rest and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about for his name shall be Solomon and I will give peace and quietnesse to Israel in his dayes He was called so to shew that the people of Israel should enjoy much peace under his government Now the consideration of these and such like things was the cause why the people present at his proclamation and inauguration were thus transported with exceeding great joy and rejoycing From all which put together you may observe this point of Doctrine That the accession of a lawfull hopefull Prince to the actuall excercise of Rule and Government Doctr. is a thing greatly to be rejoyced in by all those over whom he is to rule and govern 1. That this is a thing greatly to be rejoyced in c. is evident by the universall practice of all good and loyall subjects in all Ages Countryes and Nations whose constant use it hath been to solemnize the accession of their lawfull hopefull Princes to actuall rule and Government with all outward Domonstrations of joy and rejoycing How excessively did this people here reioyce at Solomon's accession to the Throne this was matter of rejoycing not onely to the common rabble and rude multitude but to Zadok the Priest Nathan the Prophet also these as well as others who were present rejoyced at it with exceeding great joy Which being wise and pious men they would not have done had it not been a thing greatly to be rejoyced in 2 The truth of this is further evident by these two following reasons Because the accession of such a Prince to actuall Rule and Government will assuredly prevent 1 Reas or put to an end many otherwise unavoidable mischeifs and inconveniencies to which the people of a State and Kingdome are incident and obnoxious for want of such a Prince to rule and govern them Many are the mischiefes and inconveniencies to which the people of a State and Kingdome are liable for want of a lawfull Prince to rule and govern them all which mischiefs and inconveniencies are either prevented or put to an end by the accession of such a Prince to actual Rule and Government I shall name some of them 1. The accession of such a Prince to actual Rule and Government will either prevent or put to an end the aspiring attempts of proud and ambitious men to exalt themselves to the highest place of power and authority together with those many inconveniencies mischiefs that accompany or follow their attempts When a People are without a lawful Prince to rule them every ambitious person that can but head a Faction will be ready to take the opportunity of setling himself upon the Throne In an Interregnum every man who can make a party to assist him will be climbing up unto the Throne Now the mischiefs and inconveniencies that befall a State or Kingdome by the aspiring attempts of ambitious men to possesse themselvs of power and authority are innumerable Such were the mischiefs that befel the people of the ten Tribes upon this account after their revolt from the House of David After they had rejected their lawful Sovereign those that were ambitious were still scrambling for Authority amongst them by reason whereof innumerable mischiefs befel them But now I say the accession of a lawfull Prince c. will either prevent or put to an end these sad mischiefs and inconveniencies This was the effect of Solomon's accession to the Throne it put to an end the aspiring attempts of Adonijah to make himself King together with the many inconveniencies that were like to follow upon it as you may see 1 Kings 1.5 49 and 50. verses compared Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself saying I will be King and he prepared him Charriots and horsmen and fifty men to run before him And all the Guests that were with Adonijah were afraid and rose up and went every man his way And Adonijah feared because of Solomon and arose and went and caught hold on the horns of the Altar 2. The accession of such a Prince to rule and government will either prevent or put to an end the Tyrannies and Cruelties which are usually exercised by such as exalt themselves and usurp Authority It is almost impossible for a Prince to be a Tyrant in Title and not be a Tyrant in Exercise Such as get power wickedly do for the most part use it unjustly Though Absalom-like they may make fair promises to make a party to lift them to the Throne yet they seldom or never observe and keep them The truth of this evidently appears almost in the whole series of the Kings of Israel after their revolt from the House of David The most of them were not only Tyrants in Title but in Exercise also But now the accession of a lawful hopeful Prince to the actual exercise of Rule and Government will prevent or put to a period these Tyrannies and cruelties which Usurpers usually exercise over an enslaved Nation 3. The accession of such a Prince to Rule and Government will assuredly prevent or put to an end those Rapines and Oppressions whereby the people are subject to be oppressed every one by another and every one by his Neighbour When the seat of Authority is vacant or possessed by such as have no right or ability to Rule the people are in danger tobe oppressed every one by another When there was no King in Israel every man did what seemed good in his own eyes though it were to the hurt and prejudice of others as you may see Judg. 18.1 and 18. compar'd In those days there was no King in Israel c. and cap. 19.1 25. compar'd And the like evils are men in danger of when the Seat of Authority is possessed by such as have no right or skill to Rule hence a wo is denounc'd against that land whose King is a Child Eccl. 10.16 i.e. who is as unfit and unskilful to Rule and as much wedded to his own will as a childe is And therefore when God is angry with a people he threatens to give Children to be their Kings and that Babes should rule over them Isa 3.4 i. e. men of a childish disposition in respect of wit skill carriage courage no better than Children or in some sort worse because more wilfull and lesse advisable And now that land where such rule must needs be in a woe case because where such rule every man is subject to be oppressed by his neigbour as appears by 3. Isa 4,5 And I will give children to be their Princes and babes shall rule over them and the people shall be oppressed every one by another and every one by his Neighbour the child shall behave himself
we may recover our honour againe 6. That we may now enjoy the liberty of our persons We need not now to feare of being imprisoned for meer pretended crimes and imaginary plots and designs against the State There 's hopes now that no mans person shall be attached or imprisoned but in a legall way 7. Lastly Which is more then all There is now hopes that we may see a through reformation of things amisse in our religion and from henceforth enjoy the Gospel Gospel-worship and ordinances in their full power and purity and so in due time through the blessing of God see an end of all our seperations and Church divisions And all this we may hope for upon the accession of the Kings Majesty to actuall Rule and Government if we consider 1. The various even miraculous providences of God towards him 2. If we consider his Majesty in respect of his personall qualifications for rule and Government I begin with the first 1. The providence of God in afflicting of him in suffering him to be Exiled out of his native Countrey and Dominions to be persecuted and enforced to fly from one Countrey to another by the Tyranny of his Enemies at home by the falshood and treachery of pretended friends abroad The providence of God in this kind I know hath been made use of as an Argument that God had no delight or pleasure in him But Brethren for my part I cannot but look upon it as an Argument that God hath designed him to be an Instrument of much good to us And I cannot but think that Gods design in afflicting of him was to humble and to fit him for Rule and Government And indeed God usually takes this course with such as he hath designed to be Instruments of much good to his Church and People This very course he took with Joseph Gen. 37.27 c. with Moses Exod. 2.15 with David He suffered him by the Tyranny of Saul to be driven out from the Inheritance of the Lord 1 Sam. 26.19 Thus God dealt with them to fit them for Rule and Government and we have reason to think that God took this course with His Majesty to the same end And no doubt he is the better fitted for Rule and Government by his Sufferings It is not imaginable that one who hath so long groaned under tyranny should become a Tyrant that one who hath so long felt the smart of injustice should be unjust to others 2. Again there is hopes of all this good by his accession to Rule and Government if you consider the wonderfull providence of God over him in the preservation of his person and in delivering him out of the hands of all his Enemies His dangers have been great and his deliverances have been eminent both at Worcester and elsewhere In this respect God hath wrought well-nigh as wonderfully for him as he did for Moses Joseph or David And this to me is another Argument that God hath designed him to be an Instrument of much good to these Nations and to his Church and people in them And that there is hope will further appear if you consider 3. The wonderful providence of God in making way for his Restitution to Rule and Government And in this respect the providence of God hath been wonderful even to astonishment 1. In plucking down Richard by his nearest Relations and the same hands that set him up by which means they opened an effeectual door for their own ruine and for His Majesties peaceable Restitution 2. In blasting and infatuating the Counsels of his implacable enemies of every kinde so as to cause them to dash one against another and to throw themselves down by their own hands 3. In stirring up the Spirit of the deservedly Renowned General MONCK with his faithfull Army to disown and declare against the Councel of Turkish-Christian-Janisaries and their Committee of Safety Both which by the special providence of God he quickly scattered as dust before the wind First by sitting still and afterwards by a peaceable and prudent march to London 4. In raising a spirit of courage in the generality of the people throughout this Nation to declare for the admission of the secluded Members and the calling of a free Parliament both which with the blessing of God upon the General 's prudent management of affairs we have seen effected 5. In putting it into the hearts of this present Parliament acording to their duty and allegiance to restore his sacred Majesty in turning about the hearts of all the Commanders both by sea and land to receive his most Royal Majesty againe into his Dominions In all which the wonderfull power and providence of God hath signally apeared So that we may say of our Sovereigne's Restitution what David said of our Saviors Exaltation Psal 118.22 23. The stone which the Builders refused is become the head stone of the corner This is the Lord 's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes And upon this ground we have reason to hope for much approaching good to these Nations by the accession of his most excellent Majesty to the exercise of Rule and Government 2. If you consider him in himself I mean his most excellent Majesty without the least respect to these signall and in a manner miraculous providences of God towards him you shall find him in all respects a very hopeful Prince every way as hopefull as any that hath hitherto swayed the imperiall Scepter of these Dominions And this you shall finde evidently to appeare if you please to lay aside all prejudice and look upon him with a judicious and impartial eye indeed if you look upon him under that shape and representation wherein our late Vsurpers have from time to time exposed him to publick view you cannot but thinke him the unfittest person in the world to wear the Imperial Crowne of these Realmes But I hope you have attained to more grace and wisdom than to believe what his persecuting enemies by Jesuitical example and inspiration have reported of him who have done by him as the Papists of old did by John Husse They have as it were cloathed him in a coat of painted Devils nay have represented him in the shape of an incarnate Devil thereby to make him odious to his subjects if it could have been to have rendred his restitution to his just rights impossible But blessed be the Lord who hath cursed this devilish policy and hath restored him to his Right And now that you may know him to be a hopefull Prince I shall at present give you a true but short representation of him And this I shall doe not to curry favour but to satisfie your doubts and quiet your feares concerning his Majesty whose excellent endowments I am fully perswaded doe far transcend what my tongue or pen can express of him So that when I have said all I would have you to conceive him to be far more eminent than I can represent him unto you However
stile themselves The Royal party Doubtless he wanted not some who like Rehoboams young and heady Councellors gave him advice to take this course And it must be confess'd that some attempts have been made to this end but having found by constant experience that all endeavors this way have proved abortive and unsuccessfull by reason of the indiscretion of some and the treachery of others he hath at last rejected all Councels tending to force and violence and wisely resolved upon a contrary course And this in a juncture of time when he had the greatest hopes of assistance not only from Allies and Friends abroad but also from his most loyal and dutiful Subjects at home wherein he hath exactly troden in the steps of his truly Heroick and prudent Grandfather Henry the 4. King of France and Navarre who after he had fought many Battels and obtained as many signal Victories chose to obtain the possession of his Crown of France by treaty and capitulation rather than to endeavour the recovery of it by making use of further force and violence And in this respect also he hath shewed himself to be every way as wise as Rehoboam by his contrary practice discovered himself to be weak and foolish 3. By casting himself upon his Parliament in order to his own and the settlement of his Dominions By which Act he hath in a manner told them that he is willing to be or doe what his best and wisest Subjects shall thinke best and most honorable for him in order to the settlement of his Dominions in safety peace honor and by this also he hath shewed himselfe a truely wise and prudent Prince for by this means he hath and will engage the hearts of his conscientious Subjects to become his servants for ever As Rehoboam would certainely have done had he put in execution the Counsell of the old experienced men 1 Kings 12.7 Constant experience sheweth us that Princes gaine more by complying than they do by contesting with their Subjects That by gratifying them in smaller they win upon them in greater matters this Solomons old experienced Counsellors did very well understand and therefore advised Rehoboam to comply with his Subjects and to abate something of the rigour of his fathers Government And this also was well understood by Queen Elizabeth the wonder both of her age and sex for masculine wisdome and valour who by gratifying her Subjects just demands in Parliament became in a manner the sole and absolute Mistris both of her Subjects hearts hands and purses And this was it which made her so formidable to her Enemies and so great a comfort and support to her Allies and freinds Let no man therefore thinke our Prince imprudent in casting himselfe upon his Parliament for termes of settlement it being the most prudential course in the world to make him both a great and happy Prince 4. He hath shewed himselfe a wise and prudent Prince in resolving upon the reformation and settlement of the Church by consent of Parliament according to the advice of a select Assembly of pious and learned Divines Which indeed is the most proper and most prudentiall meanes in the world to discover and reforme those damnable Heresies and to make up those Church-destroying divisions that are crept in amongst us Who are more likely to discover the minde of God and to finde out wayes and meanes of reconciling differences and divisions amongst Brethren than godly and learned Divines whose whole work and business it is to study the minde and will of God Besides this is that means that God himself hath appointed for the curing of these evils as Acts 15. doth appear where we finde the Apostles and Elders did assemble themselves in a Synod to this very end Now by all this it appears that our Prince is a wise and prudent and so by consequence a hopeful Prince 5. If your view him well with an impartial eye you shal finde him to be an exceeding Patient and long-fuffering Prince a vertue so necessary that without it a Prince cannot mannage the affairs of his Kingdome And in this Princely vertue also he far outshines if not all yet the most of his Predecessors his most Royal Father only excepted And no wonder seeing he hath been from his Youth accustomed to the yoke and inured to affliction Now his eminency in this Princely vertue doth evidently appear 1. In bearing his great and extraordinary afflictions and the persecutions of his enemies and unkindnesses of his pretended friends in foreign parts 1. Without murmurring 2. Without fainting In respect of murmuring for any thing I have heard he was like David dumh and opened not his mouth because he knew his suffering was the Lords doing Psal 39.9 And he was so far from fainting under them that he rather gathered strength and courage by being accustomed to the bearing of them 2. This princely vertue appears eminently in him by his waiting upon God in his greatest straits with hope and confidence of his goodness and mercy to bring about his Restitution to Rule and Government in his own way and time In which respect it seems he had taken up the Churches resolution Mic. 7.9 10. I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause and execute judgement for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousness 3. This princely vertue shines forth apparently in him by his declining the use of unlawful means and by his resolution in a way of dependence upon God to persist in the use of all lawfull meanes to recover his right Had he been impatient he would have cast off the use of all meanes like that impious and impatient King we read of 2 King 6.33 Behold this evil is of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer Or else he would have turn'd aside to the use of sinful unlawful means had he not been a patient Prince he would have been in danger of changing his religion in hopes to gain his earthly Crowns though by so doing he had lost an Eternal Crown 4. That he is a long suffering Prince appeareth also 1. In that he hath not been provoked and moved to Acts of revenge by all those wrongs and injuries that have been done him If reports be true when some of those English Souldiers that were in direct opposition against him were taken by the Spaniard and put into his hand to be disposed of as he thought good instead of revenging himselfe upon them he fed and cloathed them 2. In that he still retaines his princely and paternall affections to his Subjects notwithstanding all the provocations wherewith he hath been provoked 4. If againe you look upon him with an unprejudiced eye you shall finde him to be a very sober and moderate Prince And that 1. In his passions 2. In his affections The moderation of his passions appears by his endeavors to allay and