of Moses and abrogated also sed non ex vi legis Mosaicae sed ex ratione legis but not by the vertue or force of Moses his law but only in regard of the reason therof and many feasts not in remembrance of the blessings done to the Iewes but by Christ vnto Christians The textes they alleadge are these Coloss 2.16 Col. 2.16 Let no man iudge you in meate or in drinke or in the part of an holyday you obserue daies and moneths and yeares I feare you least I haue laboured in vaine amongst you Gal. 4.10 Gal. 4.10 Alius iudicat inter diem diem alius iudicat omneÌ„ diem Rom 14.5 Rom. 14.5 Some iudge betwixte day and day and some call into iudgement every day But the first and the last are referred to the feasts of the Iewes the second to the solemnities of the Gentiles as appeareth by the natural course of those texts and the exposition of the fathers vpon those places But we haue for the warrant of our holydaies first exemplum legis Mosaicae the example of Moses his law which is alleadged by them that are learned for one reason why our Saviour Christ did institute none then Rationem legis Mosaicae the reason of Moses his lawe to wit a remembrance of Gods blessings And thirdly the practise and authoritie of Christ his Church since his comming fourthly the promise of Christ Mat. 18.4 If two or three hee gathered togither in my name I will be in the midst of them how much more if the whole congregation were assembled which with an army of praiers shoulde enforce his mercy And lastly the counsel of the Apostle 1. Cor. 4. 1. Cor 4. Omnia decenter ordine fiant Everything must be done decently and in order But what order or â—ecencie would be found if everie man should serue God at his owne pleasure at his owne time after his owne manner They who are superstitious in observing of holydaies are of two sorts for either they obserue superstitious feasts or obserue the true feasts superstitiously Papistes Of the former sort are the Papists who obserue the memory of so many fabulous and ridiculous Saints whose Legends are the scoffe and scorne of the world Ebionites And also the old Ebionites heretickes who taught that Christians should obserue the feasts both of the olde and new testament Euseb hist eccle lib 3. cap. 27. Greg. 11. epist 3. both the Sabboth and the Lords daie also as appeareth Euseb hist eccles lib. 3. cap. 27. Which error many would haue reviued in Saint Gregorie his time as appeareth lib. 11. epist 3. and they saie that the Christians which now liue in Ethiopia obserue them both Epiphan haer 30. Iraen l. 1. ca. 26. Now Saint Paule doth so manifestly crosse this opinion of the Ebionites that they therfore refused his writings termed him an Apostata as Eusebius testifieth in the same place Epiphan haer 30. Iraen li. 1. ca. 26. Centuriatores And yet the Centuriatores Magdeburgenses doe not lie as the Iesuits falslie charge them when they saie Apostolum Paulum indifferenter observasse Sabbatha dominicum that the Apostle Paule did indifferentlie obserue both the Sabboth and the Lords day for so he did a long time for the Apostles are noted in the first times after Christ Iudaizare Sabbatizare to be a Iew to a Iew and a Christian to a Gentile to winne both Saint Paul observed the Sabboth Act. 13. That Saint Paule observed the Sabboth appeareth in the 13. of the Acts where Paule and Barnabas are said to enter into the Sinagogue vpon the Sabboth day In the same place they entreate the Gentiles that the next Sabboth they might preach to them Act. 16. and Saint Paule disputed three Sabboths at Thessalonica Act. 16. Act. 20. That hee likewise obserued the Lordes daie appeareth Act. 20. where it is saide that the brethren came togither vno Sabbathorum idest die Dominica ad frangendum paneÌ„ vpoÌ„ the first day of the Sabboth that is the Lords day to breake bread for in a fewe of the first yeares the Apostles observed certaine ceremonial lawes of Moses because of the weake brethren among the Iewes as thinges indifferent and became Iewes to the Iewes to gaine the Iewes but when the obstinate Iewes and false brethren required the obseruation of the lawe as necessary to salvation they resisted them earnestly and stoutly defended the doctrine of the abrogation of the law and liberty of the Gospel yea St. Paule reprooved St. Peter at Antioche when hee did Iudaizare in favour or feare of the false brethren Gal. 2. Gal. 2. taught that the law was so farre abrogated that if any maÌ„ were circumcised or observed other ceremonies of the law as necessary to saluation he could not be saued Gal. 5. Gal. 5. And this was the cause why the Ebionites called St. Paule an Apostata because at the first he observed the ceremonies of the law and afterward refused them vtterly and preached against them They that obserue the true feasts superstitiously are such as doe Iudaizare which wil see their neighbour perish before they wil relieue him on the Sabboth day such was he even of this shire who lately when his fathers ribbes were broken would not ride for a bone-setter on the Sabboth day such a one was he who in my memory went out from among vs and preached in a market towne in this shire that it was a greater sin to doe servile opus in Sabbathe so to violate it then to do murther or commit adultery because the commandement of keeping the Sabboth belonges to the first table and murther and adultery but to the second But to speake briefely to the point for I haue far to goe and little time to spend The reason is of no force but the positioÌ„s be pestelent for the abstaining from labour which is but a ceremonie is de iure humano not de iure divino and therefore the violating of this commaundement in that point is not so grievous a sinne though it pertaine to the first table as murther and adultery which is against Gods expresse law in the second table For may it please you in a worde to vnderstand that in the coÌ„mandement of keeping the Sabboth there is somewhat moral and somewhat ceremonial It is ceremonial that the Sabboth should be on this or that day and therfore it is changed to the Sunday The quantity of observing it is ceremonial as to abstaine from al labour from dressing our meate and kindling our fire Exod. 35. Exod. 35. this also is ceased we being not so streightned in our feasts as the Iewes were 3. It is ceremonial that for one whole day or 24. howers wee should abstain froÌ„ labor 4. It is ceremonial that this should once be done in every seaven daies These two last ceremonies are not changed in Christianity because they had
parted them a sunder he hath disposed by them the times the solemne feasts some of them he hath put among the daies to number some of them hath he chosen sanctified exalted vnto feastes that is some are festival as the Passeouer Pentecost feast of Tabernacles c. and some are numerall the first or second of this or that moneth For God hath dealt with daies as with men for mē are al of the ground and Adam was created out of the earth but the Lord hath distinguished thē by great knowledge made their waies reputations diverse some of them hath he blessed and exalted as kinges and princes some of them he hath sanctified and appropriated to himselfe as Prophets and Priestes but some hee hath cursed and brought lowe and put them in meane estate and place of base calling Now the meanes which God vseth in advancing some daies before their fellowes which are made of the same mettal and substance with them is some excellent worke some admirable blessing performed in them sometimes generally to al mankind sometimes specially to these or these nations And according to the generality or speciality is the quantity of them and according to the nature conditiō of the blessing or benefite is the quality of them For some are such Quae tota per vniver sum orbē frequentas ecclesia which the whole church throughout the whole world doth frequent some are vsed in this country in that kingdome Some are festiuitates magnae high festival daies and some are called the lower feastes That general admirable benefit which was done to al mākind by the creatiō of man the whole world for mās sake is offered perpetually to the memory of al mankind by the institutiō of the Sabboth which although the heathen in truth scorned Iuvenal Sa. 14. as appeareth Iuuenal Sat. 14. Quidam sortiti metuentem Sabbata patrem c. yet the whole world ought now and no doubt in the beginning even before Moses law did obserue it being a part of the decalog and consequenly in some sort of the law of nature it selfe And therefore that of Iob 3.4 Iob. 3.4 Chrysost Dies ille vertatur intenebras non requirat eam Deus de super St. Chrysostome interpreteth Let not God make an holy-day of it Non diem illam tanquam suam vendicet dominus let not the Lord account it as his day learned interpreters vpon that place observe Antiquos patres in lege naturae forte etiam Iobum Sabbatizasse That the auncient fathers vnder the Law of nature and peradventure Iob himselfe observed the Sabboth That general and admirable benefite of our redemption which was sufficient for the whole world but efficient to al the elect of God as it ought so it hath beene time out of mind celebrated in the feasts of the Conception Nativity Circūcision Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Christ by the whole Church of God dispersed farre and neere over the face of the earth to the honor of God with praiers and thankesgiving for the special benefits particularly called to minde and acknowledged vppon those solemne daies Wherefore Erasmus did not onely absurdly Erasmus when he vilified those feasts and falsely when he said Nullus veterum facit vllam festi mentionem No ancient writer maketh mention of any feast though cunningly he season it with Quantum memini As far as I remember but he did amisse also in assigning the reason of the Institution of our Sunday or Dominical day saying Diem dominicū probabili causa maiores nostros festum esse voluisse vt populus conveniret ad audiendum sermonem Evangelij That our forefathers were willing to haue the Lords day a feast for a probable or reasonable cause that the people might assemble togither to heare the word of the gospel preached For that is not the onely end or chiefe end of the Institution of the Lords day much lesse of other feastes seeing God is not onely or chiefely worshipped Evangelici sermonis auditu by hearing the word preached sed latria cultu in praising and magnifying lauding God in the memory of his manifold blessings Seeing latria or the worshippe of God consisteth especially in praying and thanksgiving and is a vertue morall not intellectual Therfore to despise as manie do or neglect as most do cultum latria and gad vp downe to heare the word preached as they cal it is not onely against the lawes of this land the statutes of our colledges but against the chiefe Institutiō of the Lords day Yet wel-fare the wisedome and discretion of our great grandfathers of blessed memory the saints of the primitiue Church who provided that vpon the festival daies the course of the Litargie the Gospell and Epistle the Homile or Sermon shoulde so bee ordered that all shoulde rende to the memorie of that blessing wherevnto that day was sanctified that so God might bee blessed and magnified for them Iuvenal Beloued Christians were any one of those excellēt fathers aliue what thinke you would he saie Quid diceret aut quid non faceret nay what would he not do if he should see the Synagogues of the Iews where Moses was read more frequented vpō the three solemne feasts of Easter Pentecost the Tabernacles then the temple of Ierusalem whither by the law al ought at those times to resorte to offer vp sacrifice vnto God If he should see Oratoria turned into Auditoria Churches into Schooles our people desiring rather to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowers then Seraphim hot zealous crying with the Angels holy holy holy Lord God of hoasts our Sabbothes and Festivities not spent nor anie part of them in cultu latriae in the divine seruice of God but in hearing an exercise as some call it where sometimes the houre is consumed Nihil dicendo in speaking neuer a wise word sometimes aliud dicendo in speaking from the daie from the season from the text and sometimes Male dicendo in speaking ill and slaundring their private governours or publike magistrates But I proceed Not only the forenamed feasts such like which are called by the Divines Solennes Solennes are instituted to the service of God and occasioned by some extraordinary blessing but other feasts there are which are called by Macrobius Satur. 1. ca 16. Imperativae by Vlpian and other Civilians Extraordinariae by certaine Canonists Repentinae which are particular to divers nations Vlpian celebrated to the memoriall of Gods particular blessings bestowed on them Such are they wherein great Kings Monarches haue either Lucis auspicia as the Civilians cal them the daie of their birth or Ortus imperij the beginning of their Raigne The one is the solemnization of their Nativity the other the inauguration into their kingdom such a one is this here mentioned in my text instituted to the honor of God for the great blessing that befel the
A SERMON PREACHED AT St. MARIES IN OXFORD THE 17. DAY OF NOvember 1602. in defence of the Festivities of the Church of England and namely that of her Maiesties Coronation By IOHN HOVVSON DOCTOR OF Divinitie one of her Highnes Chaplaines and Vicechancellour of the Vniversitie of Oxforde AT OXFORD Printed by Joseph Barnes and are to be sold in Fleet-streete at the signe of the Turkes head by Iohn Barnes 1602. TO THE RIGHT HONORAble my very especial good Lord THOMAS Baron of Buckhurst Lorde high Treasurer of England one of the LL. of her Maiesties most honorable Privie Councell Knight of the honorable Order of the Garter and Chauncellour of the Vniversitie Of Oxford RIght Honorable the day now vsually solemnized to the honour of God and memory of those blessings wherewith hee hath enriched this land in particular and his Church in generall by the godly and religious government of her excellent Maiestie was with the first celebrated as we take it in this her most loyall and Christian Vniversitie of Oxford notwithout the example of former times wherein the like hath beene practised to some of her Maiesties predecessors though with different ceremonie in a different religion Since which time it having taken progresse togither with Gods manifold blessings enlargement both in place and ceremonies testifying the loyall harts and duetifull loving affection of her subiects both to her royall person sincere religion and most blessed government as also their harty thankefulnes vnto God for them it hath beene oppugned by the Preistes Iesuites the enemies of her gracious peace and happie prosperitie whether with greater malice or ignorance I cannot well determine VVherefore being called to the celebration of this most happy festiuity by the nature of my office which by your Lordships appointment though vnworthily I susteine I thought it a part both of my duety to God and loyalty to my soveraigne Mistres to vndergoe the defence of the festivities of our Church which haue their adversaries at home among vs as of the celebration of the day of her most blessed inauguration into this kingdome which hath found some maligners both at home and abroad to dedicate the same to your Honor as my chiefest Patrone vnder her Highnes not presuming to present her sacred Maiestie with so meane and simple a service so in al humility I take my leave From Christ-church Novem. 29. An. Dom. 1602. Your Honors in all service IOHN HOVVSON Vicecan Oxon. This is the day which the Lord hath made we will reioice and be glad in it PSAL. 118.24 THis Psalme is a Psalme of thanksgiving which David song vnto God when hee was first invested into his kingdome 2. King 6. and translated the Arke of the Lord from the house of Obed Edom 2. King 6. with melody and musicke and greate festivitie in which he not only exhorteth all mē in a generalitie to praise God in specialitie both Iewes and Gentiles such as were after the spirit borne of the seed of Abraham and detested Idolatrie as Abraham did but actually bringeth in himselfe ver 17. ver 17. ver 24. ver 26. the people in this verse and the Priests in the 26. verse glorifying God for these great blessings The king both privately alone and publikely in the cōgregation prepareth himselfe to this thanksgiving acknowledging Gods iustice in humbling him his mercy in preserving him in the daies of Saule who sought his life and his bounty in investing him into his kingdom saying ver 22. ver 22. The stone which the builders refused is now become the head stone in the corner I who was reiected by Saule and his princes am now inaugurated into the kingdome Which though it be here an historical confession Mat. 5. Act. 2.1 Pet. 2. is notwithstanding a prophetical revelation of the kingdome of Christ Matth. 5. Act. 2.1 Pet. 2. The people provoked by their kings example answere him ver 23. This is the Lords doing and it is wonderfull in our eies And exhort one another to the celebration of that day in which God had wroughte that wonder in investing and crowning him against whom so many so great men so long time had conspired saying This is the day which the Lord hath made wee will reioice and be glad in it and then doe pray for the continuance and long life of their prince and his prosperity O domine da salutem ô domine da prosperitatem O Lord giue health giue salvation O Lord giue prosperitie vnto our king Finally the Priests seeing this harmonie and consent in the people ver 26. blesse them for it wish them good lucke acknowledge that great light and blessing to be given of God and exhorte them to that publike ceremoniall service of God which was vsed in those times ver 27. Binde your sacrifices with cordes even to the hornes of the altar These words which I haue read vnto you for my text haue bin heretofore applied by the fathers of the church sometimes to the celebration of the Nativity sometimes to the celebration of the resurrectiō of Christ as wel they may be this Psalme being figuratiuely and spiritually applied to him as appeareth by manie places of scripture but I am to take it this day litterally of the inthronising of David being the day consecrated to the glory of God for the inauguration of our blessed Soveraigne into this kingdome In which words I obserue the institution of a festival day and therein First the occasion of the Institution which are Gods blessings extraordinary cowched vnder these words This is the day which the Lord hath made Secondly the author of the Institution king David Thirdly the End or vse of it wherin I note an external ioy Exaltemus Let vs reioice and an internal Laetemur in ea let vs be glad in it First for the Institution and occasion of it 1. Part. Institution It is certaine that al daies were first made and created by God hee made the first day and the second and the third the seaventh and placed in the firmament a great light namelie the sunne which by his presence or absence without al respect distinguisheth daies from nights and one day from another Neverthelesse though God be the auctor of thē al yet hee hath put a difference and distinction betweene them and is said more especially to haue made one then another more especially the Sabboth and holy-day then the ordinary day appointed for labour Propter opera privilegiat a quae fecit in eis for certaine excellent and priviledged workes which he hath done in it And this is noted by the wise sonne of Sirach Cap. 33. Who graunting a distinction of daies but demaunding a reason of it putteth this question Eccles 33. VVhy doth one day excell another seeing the light of the daies of the yeare that is the life of them comes of the sunne he maketh this answer The knowledge of the Lord hath
Iews when David first tooke possession of the kingdome and such a one is this wee celebrate this day throughout our land to giue thankes to God for the happy raigne of our Soveraigne Princesse Finally we may coÌ„clude of al Christian feasts whether general to the whole Church or particular to any nation as Abulensis doth of the feastes of the Iewes Omnia festa quae Deus instituit observanda à Iudaeis fiebant ad recordationem beneficiorum eius All feasts which God appointed the Iewes to obserue were kept for a remembrance of his benefits except only the feast of Propitiation Quod fiebat ad remissionem peccatorum which was helde for remission of sinnes But heere ariseth a doubt whether Kings and Princes now or David himselfe heretofore did wel and religiously to honor and glorifie God for this blessing of his inauguration or anie temporal happines seeing we must loue honor God Propter seipsum quia summè bonus est for himselfe and because he is chiefly good and not especially for those benefits he giveth vnto vs. For every temporall benefite is lesse then infinite but his goodnesse is infinite therefore his goodnes should rather cause vs to loue and honour him then his benefites therefore though poore simple people may honour God for his benefites receiued and in hope to receiue more yet David being a Saint and a Prophet a maÌ„ of great perfections should haue honored God propter Deum because he was God and not because hee possest him of the kingdome The aunswere in this scarsitie of time must bee briefe wherfore I say that a man is bouÌ„d to loue honor God in that degree in which he honoreth him that is cultu latriae with divine worship because he is his God not because he is his benefactour wherfore if it were possible as it is not that any man or other creature could bestow all these benefits that God hath vouchsafed vs yet wee ought not to honor him with divine worship with which we honor God nay so to do were impious Idolatrie Againe if it were possible as it is not that God neuer had nor euer could benefite or blesse vs yet we were bound to honor him cultu latria with divine worship and there is no doubt David other princes honoured God cultu latria with divine worshippe solum quia Deus est noÌ„ propter beneficia accepta only because he is God not for the benefites they haue from him But because this latria divine worshippe is not totalitèr determinata namely to these or those ceremonies to these or those times and men in this worlde cannot bestowe al times vpon it therefore cultus latria the divine worship or honor is done vnto God Quia Deus est because he is God but vpon this day or that day in this or that maÌ„ner Quia benefactor because he is our benefactour And thus much of the Occasion of the Institution of this feast namely some extraordinary blessing noted in these words This is the day which the Lord hath made The second thing I obserue in the InstitutioÌ„ is the Author of this feast or holydaie 2. part This is the day which the Lord hath made which we are not to vnderstand as though God himselfe had instituted this festivitie for these words note not the Author but the occasion of the Institution Hugo Card. the Lorde who makes al daies is saide to make this specialiter propter privilegiata opera qua fecit in ea Huge Card. specially for the priviledged workes which he did in that day Glossa interlin Lyra. Propter salutem quam dedit populo principi Glossa interlin for the safetie he gaue to prince and people Propter bonum quod in illa contigit Lyra. For the good which befel that daie but the Author of this institution was David himselfe God gaue the occasion David the institution But because there is a question made eueÌ„ in these daies coÌ„cerning the authority of instituting holydaies both vnder the olde and newe Testament both among Iewes and Christians some affirming that in the old law all were instituted by God himselfe or by his commaundement by Moses and that to the Mosaical law nothing might be added no not in ceremonies and forasmuch as the old feasts were abrogated by Christ and no other instituted by him or his Apostles except peradventure the Lords day therfore al are vnlawful for want of authoritie in the institution or institutors of them may it please you to giue mee leaue to deliver vnto you of necessitie verie briefly who haue beene the Authors of feasts and holydaies in both those times to both those people First by the commaundement of God himselfe by the mouth of Moses were instituted in the old law the Sabboth in remembrance of the creation of the world The Passeover in remembrance of the deliveraunce of the first borne The Pentecost in remembrance of the lawe which was giuen the feast of the sound of trumpets as some saie for the deliverance of Isaac but more probably propter liberationem à servitute quae inter Israelitas fiebat for the deliverance from that servitude which was vsuall among the Israelites every seveÌ„th yeare the feast of Tabernacles in remembrance that they lived in Tabernacles in the desert The feast of Propitiation for remission of sinnes The feast of vnleavened bread Quod exierant de Aegypto in magno timore celeritate for that they came out of Aegypt in great feare hast not hauing leisure to leauen the lumpe These are al called festivitates regulares regular ordinaria ordinatie consuetae vsual and were instituted and ordained by the commandement of God himselfe Others there were which were called voluntariae instituted by the will and commaundement of the Magistrates vpon some iust and reasonable cause which though they had their institution from the wil pleasure of the governor are no part of wil worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word much mistaken among many being not coÌ„tra legem Dei against the law of God but secundum anologiam legis according to the analogy of the law nor brought in at the pleasure of private fancies without al authoritie Festum dedicationis Such a one was the feast of the dedication of the Temple called Festum Encoeniorum which was constituted in remembrance of the reedifying of the Temple vnder Zorobabel this is mentioned Ioan. 10. Facta sunt Encoenia hyems erat It was the feast of the Dedication it was winter for it was in December and was celebrated by our Saviour Such a one was the feast which was called Festum sortium the feast of lots or Festum Mardochai FestuÌ„ Maâ—dochaei Hester c. 9. Mardochaeus his feast when by the meanes of Hester and Mardochaeus the Iewes were delivered from the slaughter of Haman it is mentioned in the booke of Hester Such a one was the feast of Purification
practise no disloialtie speake no disloialty thinke no disloialty no not in thy least thought in thy secret chamber for besides that the fowles of the aire will bewraie it and the clowdes of thy discontented countenance discover it as I told you of late there is ever a progresse in sinne it neuer stands stil it stands not at one stay but passeth secretly from evill thoughts to ill wordes and from ill words to fowle actions and then it is ripe and calleth for his punishment And surelie God is verie iealous of the honour of Princes and least we should in anie sorte despise them and bee disobedient vnto them because wee be all made of one mould of the earth as the daies of the yeare of one sunne in the firmament and therefore are all pares in esse naturae equall one to another in nature that there might be a difference in esse merali in civile being God honoreth Princes with his owne name so that they are called Gods and Gods annointed and the sonnes of the most high he calleth them by his owne name and furnisheth them with divine and supernatural qualities 1 Prov 16 For there is divinatio in labijs regis divination in the lips of the king Prov. 16. so that they do often foresee forespeake 1 Sam. 10 and foretell things to come and it is noted in the first kings that ever God instituted for as soone as Samuell powred the viol of oile vpon Saule he was changed into another man and the spirit of God falling vpon him hee did prophecie among the Prophets and as soone as David was annointed by Samuell the scripture saith Directus est spiritus domini in David à die illa deinceps 1. Sam 16 1. Sam. 16. The spirite of the Lorde came vpon David from that daie forwardes and when Caiphas who was the high Priest sitting in the Consistorie saide Expedit quod vnus moriatur pro populo It is expedient that one should die for the people he said not that of himselfe saith the text sed cum erat pōtifex ill us anni prophetavit but in that he was the high Priest that yeare he did prophecie Secondly there is a certaine depth in the hart of a king 2 Prov. 25. VVhich none can seeke out even higher then the heaven deeper then the earth Prov. 25. Thirdly they haue gifts of healing incureable diseases 3 which are miraculous and aboue nature so that when Vespasian was seene to performe such a cure the people cōcluded he should be Emperour as Tacitus notes Tacitus Fourthly 4 they haue power absolute without limitation accountable only to God for their actions Fifthly they haue authoritie to blesse their dutifull and loyall subiects and they are blessed 5 authoritie to curse their subiects disobedient they are cursed with temporal curse as I could prooue both by reason and examples out of the scriptures if the time would permit And as God is iealous of their honour so much more of their safeties and therefore he sets a guarde of Angels about them He keepeth them as the apple of his eie Psal 17. He hides them vnder the shaddow of his wings he will not haue them touched Touch not my annointed Psalm 105. Everie touch with hart with hand with tongue is treason laesa maiestas the maiestie of the Prince is wounded by it and therfore David was sorrie at the hart when he cut but the lap of Saules garment 1. Sam. 24.6 Finally he revengeth their wrongs before his own treasons against thē before blasphemies against himselfe propter bonum vniversi for the good of mankind and more severely then his owne with temporal punishment If I should instaunce in these giftes and graces wherewithal God hath plentifully endowed her excellent maiestie and stand to amplifie the wonderful depth of the wisdome of her hart evidēt to her Coūsel in her most weightie affaires to her subiects generally in her divine speaches at every parliament to vs in particular in her excellent orations beyond admiration and imitation or this gifte of prophecie as I may call it whereby shee hath foreseene foretold and if I may so saie forespoken that which an ordinarie wisdome could not imagine or her manifold blessings on well deserving subiectes confirmed as it may seeme by God to them and their posterity if they walke in loialtie and true obedience or the supernatural cures of weake diseased people amounting to the number of three or foure hundred a yeare or the divine providēce of God in defending her as the apple of his eie from so many treasons conspiracies rebellions at home abroade it might be thought by some of the maligners of this festivity that I stand more vpon the praises of my earthly mistres then vpon the honor and glory of my heavenly Lorde and Master Wherfore leaving these things to your particular cōsideratiōs let vs conclude with that other part of St. Paules coūsel with honoring praising magnifying God the auctor and preserver of this great blessing because no ceremony was ever more acceptable to him then oblation and sacrifice and sacrificia legalia sacrifices of the Lawe be abrogated let vs offer to him our spiritual sacrifice First our almes the workes of mercie charity which is the oblation of our temporal substāce St. Paule calles it Hostiam acceptam placentem Deo a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing vnto God Phil. 4. Phil. 4. Secondly the humbling and mortifying of our bodies which is the oblation of our corporal substance Rom. 12. St. Paul calles it Rom. 12. Hostiam vinentem sāctam Deo placentem a living sacrifice holy and pleasing vnto God Thirdly our devotions in praising and magnifying God for this admirable blessing which is the oblation of our spiritual substance Heb. 13. and St. Paule calles it Heb. 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sacrifice of praise and interpretes it the fruit of their lippes which confesse his name and Ose Ose the calues of our lippes and our Prophet Psal 26 Hostiam vociferationis and Lyra hostiam iubilationis that is the sacrifice of thankesgiving and ioy To conclude as her excellent Maiestie with the Prophet David in this Psal cries out in remembrāce of Gods benefites in his miraculous preserving her so many yeares from so many dangers Non moriar sed viuam I shal not die but liue vt narrē opera domini that I may declare the workes of the Lord. As we with the Priestes in this Psalme doe benedicere populo ex domo dei blesse the people of the house of God celebrating his benignity saying Deus dominus illuxit nobis God is our Lord and hath as this day illightened vs with the light of the Gospel and as it is in the olde translation doe constituere diem solennem in condensis so that the people of God come togither in densitate plebis as Lyra cals it in great abundance and vsque ad cernua altaris so that the Church is filled even to the doores So let al good subiects ioyne with this people in celebrating this day and sing Haec est dies quam fecit dominus exultemus latemur in ea This is the day which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and be glad therein O domine da salutem O domine da prosperitatem O Lord send her salvation O Lord send her prosperity Non moriatur sed vivat let her not die but liue that shee may declare thy wonderous workes to many generations that wee solemnizing many of these daies to the glory of thy name and comfort and ioy of our owne harts may after this triumphing trivmph and reioyce with thee in body and soule in thy everlasting kingdome through Iesus Christ our Lord to whō with the Father and the holy Ghost be all power honour and glory both now and ever Amen FINIS