an opportunity before to cast in my Mite into this Treasury Whiles therefore his real vertues transcend my Panegyrick and my conscience bears witness that I speak the truth in Christ Rom. 9.1 I lie not If I should be silent I should prevaricate against the truth and for you not to desire to hear it were to declare your selves most unthankfull to God who hath blest you with so religious so just and yet so mercifull a King I have observed it usual for our divine Orators in the most eminent pulpits to affect their hearers with the most eminent vertues of their present Prince and in speaking of those three his Predecessors lately mentioned I never observ'd much flattery but usually they fall short as I must needs this day The truth is I am not personally so much acquainted with his merit having never had the happiness to see the face of this glorious Sun since he shone among us I am I say neither Courtier nor Orator enough to speak his just character That his dayly endearing actions imprint on the hearts of all even his very enemies if any such be left and their conversion be not perfectly wrought by his unparallel'd conversation Me thinks I have said enough already to heighten our due esteem of so superlative a blessing and for this dayes felicities to cause an April shower of tears of joy Let us therefore briefly yet seriously consider whose Head is crown'd this day A person of most High birth most Religious education like David a man I verily believe after Gods own heart train'd up in the advantageous school of afflictions patient in Adversity for like David though the Crown was his by succession yet he waits twelve years till Gods time is come to set it on and surely miraculously preserv'd for this purpose A person naturally of a most majestique countenaunce yet mixt with so much sweetness and humility that his presence awes and invites at the same time Of an unmovable constancy in religion of a fixed confidence and trust in God demonstrating his innocency by his freedom of converse without distrust of any A strennous defender of the true faith a Pious Promoter of primitive discipline a zealous Reformer of corrupt manners and that by his own example as well as Precept being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a living Law a walking statute Regis ad exemplum knowing that to be the more taking rule of the twain And surely dear Christians when we have commented in our thoughts upon these and the rest of his several perfections which I am not able sufficiently to express we cannot sure but believe that God hath set him as blessings for ever blessings in the abstract and in the plural and for ever not only his ever but the ever of our posterity How then can we chuse but cry out in the stile of the Councels to their Emperors Carolo secundo a Deo custodito coronato vitam longam Regnum prosperum prolem foelicem vitam aeteraam A long life a glorious raign a happy off-spring and everlasting felicities And therefore to conclude let us never hereafter hearken to the raâ—ling Rabshakâ—hs of Rome nor the popular insinuations of Geneva nor the Phanatique enter prizes for a fifth Monarchy but gladly acquiecse in this dayes manifest decision of the long controversy and shout with heart and voice Vive le Roy Vivat Rex God save the King Now to God the Father who hath mercifully restored the father of our Countrey To God the Son our Lord Jesus Christ who hath so wonderfully saved His anointed and to God the Holy Ghost the ever blessed Spirit who hath to this day preserved the breath of our Nostrils be given and ascribed by us and all the faithfull servants of the King of Heaven and al the loyal Subjects of his Deputy on earth The largest kindome the greatest power the highest glory this thrice happy day and for evermore Amen Amen FINIS
Crowns This day is the marriage of the King to his people and matches you know are made in heaven The Contract is long since past this is the solemnity of the Royal Espousals The Crown is the gold ring and let the Motto be still since it is of Gods devising * Mat. 19 6. Quae Deus conjunxit nemo separet What God hath joyned let no man put asunder He is to set it on Kings are not to catch at Crowns He alone disposes them Subjects are not to snatch off Crowns 2. The second thing more remarkable is this that as He receives his power from God so one of his first cares is to provide for Gods honour A Kings first care is for Religion in the Reinstitution of true Religion God miraculously restores the King and He as the tribute of thankfulness endeavours to restore the worship of God in its purity and by this indeed He is chiefly set as blessings for ever by forwarding his peoples eternal blessedness You shall find this in the fixth of the second of Samuel as soon as the Kingdome was confirmed to him the house of Saul growing weaker and the house of David stronger for Saul the father was dead 2 Sam. 4.5 and Ishbosheth Sauls son that was set up by Abner his Uncle was cut off by Baanah and Rechab two of the chief Commanders in the Army His first care I say after the setling of his Kingdome was with solemn joy and triumph to bring back the ark of God to his own City and its proper resting place 2 Sam. 6.17 This remarkable passage in the story applies it self and therefore since our Soveraign is confessedly on all hands so religious and zealous for the restauration and advancement of the reformed Religion established by Law I heartily wish and believe you 'l joyn with me in the prayer 2 Sam. 6.12 that all the honest Obed-Edoms that give the Ark house-room in their hearts and families may feel the manifest blessings of pure Religion and that those rash and inconsiderate Uzzah's that will needs be medling with the Ark under pretence of upholding it supposing every stumble of the Oxen may prove an overthrow of the Ark it self which God hath more care of then they consider I wish they may remember how he was there in the place 2 Sam. 6.7 immediately smitten for his errour that they may not by their rashness cause a breach among Gods people 3 The third remarkable passage in King Davids story is most applicable to our dear Soveraign that now is and 't is the glorious Return of David to his Jerusalem in peace after the mishaief and confusion of a strong conspiracy managed by one that was both Absalom and Achitophel too The Kings return and like Herod stiled by Caussinus the unfortunate Politick was a man sprung out of nothing O. C. and yet built his fortunes as high as a Throne Our sins were great and alas are so still and the sad thoughts that we were not ripe for Mercy prevented me else in the Tropique of our condition at the turning of our captivity I had burst forth to this purpose last year and on * Which was my turn in the Lecture at Gloucester the day that Lambert was brought to London Prisoner Verse 43. Easter day preach'd unto you the Resurrection of a dying Nation represented out of Davids Chronicle in the Exemplary contention between Judah and Israel about bringing back the King as you have it at large in 2 Sam. 19. where the Holy Ghost takes notice in the last verse That the words of the men of Judah the royal Tribe were fiercer then the words of the men of Israel But blessed be God the King and His Houshold were safely brought over the water 1 Sam. 19.41 and the moderate men of Israel that followed many of them after Absalom did heartily joyn with the Talkative men of Judah that were all along true to the King and like loyal Subjects hand in hand brought the good King with great pomp and triumph into Jerusalem When success which had blinded had opened their eyes and Absalom the Rebel and Usurper was taken away then the divided Nation is united in their desire of Davids return with honour quarrelling for preheminence in duty nay 2 Sam. 19.20 cursing Shimei comes out the first of all the house of Joseph to meet him Indeed the patient bearing of Gods frowns as David did when he fled from his royal Chamber of Jerusalem is the best preparative to his smiles And the restoring of a pious Prince to his just rights and happy Government is worthy of the strife of Gods people and doubtless God hath a blessing in store for them that were so zealous in that good work For besides their share in the blessing they receive from the father of their countrey their memory will be blessed in future generations And give me leave to annex a good wish too to this third notable particular so eminently made good in the return of our gracious King That Since as that blessed Saint his * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 27. To the P. of Wales p. 2. Father foresaw and prophecyed the mountains of congealed factions are by the Sun-shine of Gods mercy and the splendor of his vertues thawed and dissipated and the forked arrow of factious emulations is drawn out and he makes it his constant business with all Princely arts and clemency to heal the wounds That now we would believe that our Religion and our Loyalty cannot be parted without our sin and our infelicity and from henceforth strive who shall be the best Christian 1 Pet. 2.17 and the best Subject for Fear God Honour the King in St. Peters style have not so much as a conjunction copulative to part them And if any discontented Sheba 2 Sam. 20.1 upon a pretended interest in the King shall blow the trumpet of sedition and bring the people from bragging of their ten parts in David to cry out they have no part at all in the son of Jesse If ever again ye go to your Tents O Israel surely the Lord of Hosts will make ready his arrows upon the string against the very faces of you and make a wise woman able to throw the son of Bichri's head over the wall 2 Sam. 20.22 Thus I have pressed upon your thoughts and thanks these three special and choice observations in a practical way 1. That God is the right desposer of Kingdomes 2. That a good Kings chief care is for Religion 3. That such a King trusting in God shall be restored with greater honour to his throne Thus much of the Original David by way of Parable Now as duty binds me of Davids Copy in plain English And now I am at a loss where to begin and must contract my meditations that I may not hinder the enlargement of your joy We are scarce yet awak't out of our National
amazement at the wonderfull acts of divine providence in this year of Jubilee wherein the Riddle of Josephs preferment hath been resolv'd Psalm 130.7 and the plentifull redemption of Israel from their Egyptian bondage G. Monk reacted and out-done To him that raised up a Moses to conduct us and made him a second Joshua too to give possession of our Canaan to the redeemed ones let us Now first and alwayes give the praise Holy and reverend is his Name Psalm 111.9 Well might the Pope tell an English Gentleman in the midst of our greatest confusions that our Nation was the land of wonders because we chang'd our Religion once a moneth and our Government once a week He little thought of the great wonder which since our eyes have seen that all those changes did work together through the overruling providence of him that changeth not to bring about the Royal Exchange the happy restoring of that Government which we hope will never change Time was when we could scarce hope for this day nay some would not hope for it though they did desire it it could not be they thought without blood therefore they rather begun to lie down under the burden as Issachar rather hugging their wounds then looking out for a cure for fear of torture and truly our case was so desparate that had not God like the good Samaritan poured oyl into our wounds by saving and restoring his anointed with the wholesome help of his right hand we had been as Sodome and like unto Gomorrah Rom. 9.29 Ezek. 18.29 But his wayes were equal though ours were unequal To look back on our many miseries Judg. 21.25 Virgil. when there was no King in our Israel were but Infandum renovare dolorem and that would be improper on a day of triumph No Beloved since we are even to miracle prevented with the blessings of goodness and God is this day setting a Crown of pure gold on our Soveraigns head let the perpetual Amnesty be confirm'd and all the dire effects of war and violence be buried in Oblivion Ephes 4.20 I 'm sure we have so learned Christ But that we may not loose our selves in this Labyrinth of joy I shall follow the clew of my Text and briefly shew you our happiness in the Kings honour which will excite us to pay our duty and homage to his Crown let us therefore cheerfully put in our claims at the Court of Heaven and having our Petitions granted perform the best office at his Coronation i. Proclaim his vertues and pray for his felicities What the Prophet saith of the Lord Christ that God will shake the heavens and the earth Hag. 2.7 and the desire of all Nations shall come we may apply in a qualified sense to our dear King the Lord Christ. After a terrible conclusion of the European world the temple of Janus was suddenly shut an unexpected peace ensued among all the dissenting kingdoms round about and the desire of these three Nations did come home and indeed so highly hath it pleased God to honour our Augustus for so we are told Charles signifies that the Miracle of a general peace attends the beginning of his actual raign who is not only the desire of his own people but the admiration of forreign Nations And we trust and pray that the glory of this latter house raised by Gods special instrument the valiant Zerubbabel shall be greater then that of the former In honour of whose prudent and matchless archievements Hag. 2.9 His Majesty sure is crowned upon St. Georges day 'T is wonderfull to consider how God prevented us with his liberal blessings which the Fathers call benedictionem dulcedinis the blessing of sweetness it self the very cream and quintessence of blessing lay in the prevention of the mercy Our hearts God knows panted for the Kings return and we thought it seven years first seven years shall I say An age an age shall Isay nay every day as much and yet he returned before we could in any reason or conjecture expect him God had wonderfully preserved him Psalm 91.3 Delivering him from the snares of the hunter and mighty Nimrods of the Earth and to shew still the prevention of goodness when we would willingly have been at the expence of blood to purchase his presence and protection He brought Him to us crown'd with the Olive of peace and the Laurel of victory wreath'd into one garland bringing him back into the Loyal City between a matchless pair of Royal brothers with thousands of drawn swords and yet no blood spilt Did not the * Duke of Gloucester dead since the Kings return Fatal Title of the place wherein we meet compress my thoughts 't were easie to expatiate here but Surely the divine Providence so ordered it on purpose that we should eye the Person as extraordinary for whom he hath done such great things That his entrance into the World May 29. 1930 1660. and his entrance into His Palace both on the same day of the moneth should be attended with Wonders * Charles the second born May 29. 1630. being Saturday On Sunday his father King Charles the first came to St. Pauls to render thanks where these verses were presented to hims An Ecclypse on Munday following His Birth with a miracle in nature a bright star at midday His bringing back with a Miracle of Providence a Constellation of once divided affections Rex ubi Paulinas accessit gratus ad Aras Immicuit medio Lucida stella polo. Dic Divina mihi tranctans aenigmata coeli Haec Oriens nobis quid sibi stella velit Magnus in Occiduo Princeps modo nascitur orbe Moxque sub Ecclypsi Regna Orientis erunt After Caesars death we are told that such a star appeared which was commonly talkt of as if it were Caesars soul What was the Romane Caesars Epilogue was our English Caesars Prologue I will not launch out into the unridling of dark Prophesies I need not construe Grebner's praedictions but certainly some great thing was presag'd by such an unusual Herald But that observable Motto on the coyn stampt on purpose in honour of his Royal birth as it was true in the sense then meant so I hope and believe it will be verified with advantage in his future glorious Reign Hactenus Anglorum nulli Never yet was any English man born Prince of great Britain France and Ireland before him My meaning is that since He may truly say that the Moto's of his three glorious Predecessors in their coynes are still â—â—â—rant with him Posui 〈◊〉 â—torem meum Qu. Eliz. K. James Charles 1. 〈…〉 dissipentur inimici and 〈…〉 Regno I say that as there was none like before him so he may prove thrice blessed in his Government and the None-such of the Princes of the Earth I believe you come prepared to excuse me if my piety to my renowned Soveraign break forth more solemnly this day I never had such