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kingdom_n	head_n	king_n	lord_n	3,023	5	3.6782	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54714	God and the King. Gods strength the Kings salvation A sermon preached at Aylesham in the county of Norfolk, upon the 29 day of May 1661, being the anniversary day of thanksgiving, for the thrice happy and glorious restauration of our most Gracious Soveraign King Charles the second, to the royal government of all his Majesties kingdoms and dominions. By John Philips, B.D. sometime fellow of Magdalen College in Cambridge, and vicar of Aylesham in Norfolk.	Philips, John, vicar of Aylesham, Norfolk.	1661 (1661)	Wing P2031B; ESTC R218926	24,258	38

King to which Petitions they had not Loyaltie enough to say Amen as his Majesty of ever blessed Memory among the Righteous hath observed in his sacred Portracture never to be parallel'd and God grant it never may Now the Church in the words of the Text begins her praises for the Kings Salvation In which you have these two parts The Division First God's Mercy for his Strength in the Kings Salvation Secondly The Kings or the Church's for that Salvation In the former you have these three particulars First The Blessings for which the King or the Church for him praiseth God and they are two 1. Strength 2. Salvation Secondly The Author from whom these blessings are acknowledged to be received and that is the Lord therefore here called his Strength and his Salvation Thirdly The Person for whom this Strength is put forth and this Salvation wrought and that is the King He shall rejoyce he shall be glad In the latter you have these two particulars First The manner or quality of the Church her Thanksgiving and that is 1. Inward He shall rejoyce 2. Outward He shall be glad For so Expositors interpret the words laetabitur exultabit the one of inward the other of outward joy Secondly The measure of this Joy in the word Exceeding or how greatly as the other Translation reads it that is so greatly the King shall rejoyce as it cannot well in words be exprest Let the first part of the Text be the Doctrine the second the Application The Doctrine then is this The Lord is the Strength and Salvation of Kings of all Kings for there is no power but is ordained of God Rom. 13. 1. But of good Kings such as David was and such as blessed be God ours is after his own heart as well as by his own designment he is not only the Author of their Strength and Salvation but their Preserver and Blesser They are both the saved of the Lord and to the Lord of his Mercy and to his Glory Hear David himself speak this Truth Ps. 18. 2. Ps. 62. 1. 2. vers Ps. 27. 1. and to name no more Ps. 140. vers 7. O God the Lord the Strength of my Salvation And if we consider these Blessings severally it will more clearly appear they are from the Lord. First The King's Strength is from the Lord and this David acknowledges as in the former places so 2. Sam. 22. 1. That in the day of his deliverance from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul The Lord was his strength and his power and Moses who was also King in Jesurun Deut. 33. 5. sings to the same tune Exod. 15. 2. The Lord is my Strength and is become my Salvation Now Strength is either 1 Inward 2 Outward Inward Strength that also is double first the strength of Grace and secondly as I may have leave to expresse my self the Grace of Strength and these are both from the Lord. First strength of Grace and in this sense it is taken 1. Pet. 5. 10. The God of all grace strengthen you and we are exhorted to be strong in the Lord Eph. 6. 10. So David in his sufferings is said to Encourage himself in the Lord his God And certainly our David under all his trials was upheld by this Strength of the Lord. He was never without Gods Armour on though it may be sometime without his own The Lord alwayes girded him with Truth breasted him with Righteousness shod his feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace shielded him with Faith covered his anointed before it was anointed head with the Helmet of Salvation and his Royal hand and heart was never without the Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God witnesse those fiery darts he resisted those menaces and threats he set at nought those promises and profers he refused those sollicitations and allurements he withstood those disputes and conferences he managed alwayes with the advantage to truth of which the World may take notice So that through the strength of the Grace of God his Majesty may be justly numbred among those worthies Hebr. 11. 33 34. Who by faith subdued Kingdoms wrought righteousnesse obtained promises stopped the mouths of Lions quenched the violence of fire out of weaknesse were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the armies of the Aliens Appearing herein heir apparent of his Royal Fathers graces as well as Kingdoms of whom for piety wisdom mercy justice constancy in the truth and all other Princely grace when he was barbarously murdered we might sadly pronounce Ichabod Who was delicium humani generis as it was said of Titus the best of Kings as Augustus was stiled of Emperors the meekest of men as Moses after Gods own heart as David yet he that did good to all was hated to death he that never denied just liberty to any could not have liberty to live But I have no warrant to search into the inscrutable dispensation of the Almighty I say my hand therefore upon my mouth with that of the Apostle Hebr. 11. 38. Of whom the World was not worthy And also manifesting himself to be of his Royal Grand-Father King James his spirit who said That the best title of a King was to be the servant of God and that all the Crowns and Kingdoms in the World should not induce him to change on jot of his profession And this his strength is from above for the Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord. Prov. 21. 1. Secondly the Grace of Strength in Kings is from the Lord by which I do not mean power and ability of body and mind only that may be in another but a supernatural and celestial spirit of rule and government proper to Kings It is said of Saul though a bad King that God gave him another heart 1. Sam. 10. 9. And as soon as Samuel had anointed David the spirit of the Lord came upon him from that day forward 1. Sam. 16. 13. Which was not the spirit of sanctification for that he had before and therefore must be the spirit of wisdom resolution justice mercy and other Princely graces which God had induced him withall as a King for the right management of so great a trust For this his majesties Strength it is a subject for a History not a Sermon for others tongues and pens not mine Yet I account it my duty to speak what I believe he was never so low as to be less than a King The Lion abates nothing of his Majestick deportment whatsoever his condition be the King of fears never affrighted the hight of his spirit nor did any desponding thoughts ever break thorow his Sacred lips The Lord so tempered his Royal heart with a supernatural magnanimous resolution that both feriendo and ferendo in adventuring and bearing he cut thorow all difficulties with an edge of undaunted courage and with a back of invincible patience for God was the Strength of his heart

Ps. 73. 26. His Inward Strength 2 And also which was the second kind of Strength the Lord is the Outward Strength of Kings and so the word is taken in Scripture two wayes first for Right and Authority secondly for Power and Ability to act according to that Right and Authority and both these Strengths Kings have from the Lord. 1 Strength that is the Right and Authority of Kings is from the Lord and though the word be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potentia not potestas and most commonly is taken for ability yet sometimes I conceive it may be taken in that sense we now speak of as in Ps. 99. 4. The Kings Strength loveth Judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kings honour and dignity so the Septuagint Imperium regis so St. Jerome the Kings Empire and government But not to litigate about words this truth is most clear that the Strength of the right of Kings is from the Lord by me Kings reign Prov. 8. 15. By me immediately not mediately at the first not second hand not by nor of man but by the will and ordinance of God and Tostatus I think it is that gives this to be the reason why they are anointed on the head because they hold of none but God and we are commanded to submit unto the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to the supreme 1 Pet. 2. 13. For though the Apostle calls Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ordinance of man which some interpret a humane creature whether for better translation or worse intention let others judge yet that is only to be understood in respect of the forms modes and qualifications of power which may be various according to the several laws of Kingdoms For though Kings be humane creatures and therefore must dy like other men Ps. 82. 7. Yet no Scripture warrants they may die by men Their power is of God alone they are only accountable to him for the administration of it which if it should be male yet it is an unheard of way of curing the body by cutting off the head I will judg none but my fears are that the frequent rendring of those words of the Apostle in the sense I have spoken of in the ears of the people though otherwise it may be proper enough hath been only to lessen the power of Kings in the estimation of their Subjects and so by degrees to steal away their hearts like Absolon from their obedience to their lawfull Soveraign Luther said Every man had a Pope in his belly he might have said a King too for how many through Traiterous ambition vain-glory covetous desires and other filthy lusts have had Kings Crowns and Dignities both in their bellies their greedy appetites and in their heads their hellish designs and intentions The uncomlinesse and prodigious deformity whereof would easily have been discovered had they looked in Solomons glasse Prov. 30. 31. And a King against whom there is no rising up What this Strength of Kings is is a depth my shallow vessel dares not launch into which while some have too venturously done they have easily made Shipwrack both of Faith and a good Conscience of Religion and Allegiance together Gods word is the rule of our Prayers and had we Prayed more or with more understanding and spiritual affections and Disputed lesse we had been better Subjects and never the worse Scholars Now in our prayers we acknowledge the King to be over all persons and in all causes as well Ecclesiastical as Civil supreme head and Governour and so he is by Divine institution and immediate power from God 1 First over all Persons Let every Soul Soul is taken there for the whole person be subject to the higher power Rom. 13. 1. And that for conscience sake v. 5. Which subjection whosoever denies they may possibly prove the immortality of their Souls to their own damnation but will never evince the integrity and regularity of their consciences for so doing Samuel tells Saul God had made him head over all the tribes of Israel 1 Sam. 15. 17. and Levi was one and Solomon devests Abiathar the Priest of his office for his demerits 1 Kings 2. 27. Neither was this power of Kings a rite and ceremony of the old law to be abolished for when Christ nayled those to the Cross yet he fastned obedience to supreme authority both by his precept Matth. 22. 21. Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars And also by his practice First before he was born paying taxes in the loins of his parents Luke 2. 5. Secondly in his life working a miracle that he might be obedient Matth. 17. 27. Thirdly at his death acknowledging Pilates power and submitting unto it Joh. 19. 11. though he had 12 legions and those of Angels to have rescued him and Fourthly after his denth for his body must not be buried till it was begged of Pilate Matth. 27. 58. And St. Paul following his Masters steps stands at Caesars tribunal confessing that there he ought to be judged Acts 25. 10. And acknowledged Neroes supremacy when he was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion which is the King of beasts 2 Tim. 4. 17. Secondly he is head as over all persons so in all causes for that must fo●low from that rational maxim of the Schools Qui habet potestatem super personam habet potestatem super omnia ad personam spectantia Now these causes are either Civil or Ecclesiastical for the former they being particularly unknown to me and not a subject so suitable to my Profession and litle or rather not at all questioned before these late unhappy times by any that would pretend to Loyalty for any thing that I know I will therefore leav them to the vindication of those that are more able lest the cause should suffer through my weakness in maintaining it For Ecclesiastical causes in which I should be more versed the Scripture places the supreme authority in the King for 1 First did not the Priests and Levites Clense the house of the Lord according to the command of the King 2 Chro. 29. 15. And the text saith it was by the word of the Lord for that good King Hezekiah would do nothing without it and the successe his endeavour had shewed as much for the house of the Lord was sanctified in eight dayes v. 17. Our pretended purifiers were above eight years about the work of reformation as it was called but the long time they were about it and the little good they did in it or rather the great hurt is to me an argument that God never imployed them for those Foxes did instead of sweeping the house only raise a dust with their tayls that so blinding the eyes of the people they might the more cunningly steal away the goods that belong to it 2 Secondly did not good King Josiah impose an oath or covenant on all his people great and small and caused them to stand to

it 2 Chro 34. 31. But that any such should be imposed upon the subject without the sanction of the King however for the matter of it something may be both lawfull and necessary is a work on which so much hay and stuble is built that it cannot endure the trial of the great day but it must be burnt and the workers must suffer losse But O let them be saved but as by fire 3 Thirdly did not King David 1 Chro. 13. 3. King Jehosophat 2 Chro. 19. and others assemble the Priests and Levites to consult and order the affairs that concern the house of God But that any of never so eminent parts and piety should convene without the authority of the supreme Magistrate being Christian and disanul the settled liturgy and Canons of the Church and compose and impose forms or directions for worship and government It gives but too just an occasion to our adversaries to reproach our Church as they unjustly did that celebrious convention of the Synod of Dort Calling it in derision a conventicle and somewhat that is worse 4 Fourthly did not King Jehosophat send out I do not say ordain Priests and Levites to teach the book of the law 2 Chro. 17. 9. The power indeed I mean of Ordination belongs to the Right Reverend the Bishops of the Church and to them alone or at least to none without them except in case of necessity But the outward commission warrant command and authority for the execution of that their spiritual function is I humbly conceive from the King who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Constantine said of himself And because I have named Bishops let me have leave to say thus much without offence Smectymnuus was foretold plain enough to my understanding by our late pious and learned Diocaesan their Antagonist That if those skilfull pilots did not remain in the ship of the Church it could not be saved and the Euroclidon that hath since tossed her hath shewed that That R. R. Father in God was not less than a Prophet And that Paul and his successors counsel should have been hearkened unto that they might not so unadvisedly have loosened from Crete to allude to the Apostle Acts 27. 11. That so the Church might have gained that harm and loss which since she hath sustained 5 Fiftly and lastly to instance in no more did not Kings punish false Prophets Blasphemers Idolaters break down Idols groves high places and take order to reform all things amisse in the Church he may exercise his ingenuity in Tortura Torti or open his Eares to Ephata take a larger walk in the field of our Church and I suppose he will receive satisfaction who desires more And indeed for this cause the King is stiled custos utriusque tabuli keeper of the whole Law Deut. 17. 18. Not only out of Zeal and Duty but Right and Authority he is as Charles the great was called Rector Religionis the Governour of Religion the Nursing Father of the Church Is 49. and Pastor also Numb 27. 17. yea and head also of the Church which is not a Title given to Kings in King Henry the 8. daies as some have imagined but in the statute Law of God as antient as the first King ordinarily so called that ever was in the Church of God for God made Saul head over all the Tribes 1 Sam. 15. 17. Neither let any object that he is a member of the Church and so cannot be the head for Theodosius was both Caput Imperii membrum Ecclesiae for he may be a member of the Catholick Church and head also of the National Church in his own Dominions As then he is King over all his Subjects of what profession soever so he is an Absolute head as he is a King over a people professing Christianity so is a Christian head and as he is a pious King over all that are godly in the Kingdom I know no incongruity I shall be willing to be better informed he is Sano sensu Spiritual head I do not say nor mean as Christ is head of his Church by inward direction of his Spirit and powerfull influence of his Grace let such blasphemous mouths be for ever stop'd nor yet an Universal visible head let them defend it whom it concerns nor a Ministerial head or tongue or hand to Preach the word administer the seals and censures of the Church Yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are names given to Christian Kings and Emperors in antiquity and do speek them Spiritual And they that are so neer God in names as to be called Gods and in Office as to be his immediate Deputies and Vicegerents upon Earth and are annointed by his special appointment Cannot but be so denominated and experience proves that many times the Salvation of Souls is more helped forward by the execution of the wholsome Laws of godly Princes than by the tongue of the Minister in his powerfull Exhortations the heart of man being more apt to be moved for fear of Punishment than allured for the love of Virtue However the Church of England hath many strong Obligations upon her besides the tye of Conscience in obedience to the immediate command of God in gratitude to acknowledge and so to obey his Majesty as head over all spiritual persons and in all spiritual causes from whom she hath already received so many unhoped for and unexpected spiritual as well as temporal blessings And so much for that particular that the Kings Strength as it is taken for Right and Authority is from the Lord. Lastly take Strength for Power Abilities Force Honour Dignities Glory Treasure or what ever else lyes in the genuine sense of the word Strength or is annexed with it in Scripture for the neerness and sim litude if not identity unto it as all or most of those expressions are And also whatsoever is comprehended under the name and notion of Prerogative Royal belongs unto the King from the same Original his right to the Crown doth for it will sound strange to any mans understanding that is not darkened with prejudice that a King should have his Commission to govern immediately from God and should not have right by the same Tenure to whatsoever is necessary for the putting of that power into action and exercise for the obtaining of its Ends. Therefore Customs Tributes Fear Reverence Revenues Militia by Sea and Land Forts Holds Castles Magazins Ammunitions Power to pardon or punish offenders against his Laws to make War or Peace to confer Honours raise Forces appoint Commanders to settle Counsellors Judges and all other Officers of State or what ever Diamonds and Jewels besides for as it is beyond my model to know so it is beyond my modesty and subjection curiously to inquire into do adorn his Regal Dignity they are fixed originally upon divine Institution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle because he is the

Minister of God for our good And so he is indeed the Preserver of our sacred Truth our Defence in War our Security in Peace and therefore hath right to whatsoever is necessary to the safety of his sacred person the support of his Regal Dignity the preservation and enlargement of his Kingdoms and Dominions the subduing of his people under him in case of disloyalty to the rendring of him feared and respected abroad honoured loved and obeyed at home And whosoever shall deny their Soveraign these or any thing else quoad potestatem utendi pro bono Communi or demand any of them out of his hand I must send them for answer to the 1 Kings 2. 22. Let them ask the Kingdom also And if his Majesty shall see cause to imploy any of the Parts Gifts and Abilities of any of his Subjects though Ecclesiastical person in the Administration of Civil affairs consistent with the Honour and Dignity of their spiritual Function I know not why he should be deprived of that just Prerogative Moses made Judges out of all the Tribes and the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. both intimates and argues that those that are most esteemed in the Church should not therefore be in the less capacity to judge of things pertaining to this life Upon which ground holy St. Augustine spent part of the day sometimes the whole as Possidonius relates in his life in the decision of civil Causes and received Letters and returned Resolution about them For though no man that warreth this spiritual warfare ought to entangle himself with the things of this life 2 Tim. 2. 4. and Christs Kingdom be not of this World Joh. 18. 36. and Christ rejects with indignation the covetous wretch his motion Luke 12. 49. with man who made me a Judge over you which places among others are alleged by those that leave no stone unmoved nor Scripture unwrested to wring that power out of their hand that are far better able to manage it themselves and I am sure to a better end for this is one way whereby the spiritual Fathers of the Church may better find out the temper and disposition of the people and so judge whether they grow in Faith and Obedience or not For it is one good sign given by our Practical Divines and Possidonius hints as much to know a true Christian from a Counterfeit by his behaviour about the things of this World when Christ touched the young mans free-hold he soon appeared dross Though therefore the spiritual Souldier must not intangle himself yet he must submit himself to his Princes Command and though Christs Kingdom be nor of yet it is in this World And it seems to me to be supposed that Christ might have been a Judge but he must not make himself one which Rule had it been followed we had not had so many nor such Judges as we have had Let not us therefore deny the Kings power in temporals as the Papists do in spirituals but put we in practice our Saviours Precept Mat. 22. Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars or rather render unto him what is his for though it may be called giving for the willingness and readiness that should be in the Giver and it may be for some other reasons yet it is a gift not of Courtesie but Duty for the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Render and the next words which are Caesars shews Caesar hath a Right before the giving for I cannot be said to give that which is anothers but that which is my own I conclude this with the improvement of the Apostles Arg●ment who goeth to warfare at any time at his own charges who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof who feedeth a Flock and eateth not of the milk thereof who ruleth a Kingdom and indeed who can without the Strength thereof And thus much for the first blessing of Kings the Lord is Author of their Strength The second blessing of the King of which the Lord is the Author is his Salvation of which now but a few words Salvation is taken three waies in Scripture especially First for spiritual deliverance from sin and the direfull effects of it Death Hell and Damnation Christ tells Zacheus Luke 19. 9. that Salvation was come into his house Secondly for eternal Glory of which he is the Author to all those that believe and obey him Heb. 5. 9. Thirdly for temporal deliverance from our Enemies and all outward evils so Exod. 14. 13. stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord and in this sense though I exclude not the other David calls God frequently the God of his Salvation Ps. 18. 46. Ps. 24 5. Ps. 85. 7 9. Now though God was and is and will be we believe hope and pray to the King the Author of all those Salvations Yet his temporal Salvation seems more especially intended in the Text and is the peculiar Subject of our present discourse Salvation supposes danger and were I able to give you a just Catalogue of his Majesties manifold and great dangers I fear I should cast a black cloud over the solemnity of this day was he not with St. Paul 2. Cor. 11. 26. in perils of waters that were even like to have run over his Soul in perils of Robers that lay in wait for him by troops in perils amongst his own Country-men who use to deal more kindly one with another in perils by the Heathens or those that were worse than Heathens in perils in the Wilderness whither he was driven as a Pellican in perils in the Sea and sure that faithfull Pilot that wafted his Royal person over it in his small Vessel could not but fear but it may be his Majesty encouraged him as Julius Caesar did his Pilot when he was afraid of a Storm Caesarem vehis thou carriest Caesar O how can we forget to make us more cordially thankfull his tribulations distresses persecutions being for Christs sake and his Kingdoms killed all the day and year yea many years long O remember how our Shepheard was counted as a sheep for the Slaughter What mutinies were raised continually against this our Moses what preparations for destruction against this our Hezekiah what Combinations Plots and Conspiracies against this our Jehoshaphat what Stratagems against this our Joshua Yet in all these he was more than Conquerour through him that loved him The Lord delivered him and was his Salvation from the Bear and Lion and from that uncircumcised Philistine It was not the Oake though it be the Strongest of Trees Amos 2. 9. that could have secured him nor the thick leaves thereof that could have hid him till the Calamities were over-past nor was it the eye of any faithfull Centinel to give notice of approaching danger that could have preserved him though they were all happy means thereof But it was the Arm of the Lord that was his Strength and his Fortress The shadow of his wings that was his Refuge and the

King and therefore let us be exceeding glad A King constant in the Profession of the Truth in which he is the deeper rooted the more he hath been shaken Coelum non animum he often changed his air the greater is their sin that would neither give him nor sell him a liberty to breath in their Climate but never his heart he was not e salice as that Politician said he was being ask'd why he changed his Religion so oft but quercu ortus not made of willowes that will bend every way but of heart of Oak that will not bow to the boysterous winds And his Majesties Love and Pains for the settling of the true Religion shews him to be Defender of the Faith as well by Truth as Title and as much by desert as by descent And when he lost all he lost nothing of the Truth nor wheresover he went did he leave his God behind him but brought them with him into his Kingdom who had well nigh lost both 3 The Lord hath restored unto us our Peace-making King so meek as if with Moses he had known only the name of Passion not the thing beati pacifici is not only his Motto but Blessing while other Kings make or should make Peace he is made of Peace How wonderfully under God hath he preserved the Ark of this Church ready to sink What Rages hath he appeased What stormes hath he calmed among the spirits of men What gracious and sweet Concessions flow from his native Goodnesse How doth he burn in love towards those whose affections it is to be feared are but cold towards him He first passed an act of pious and fervent Devotion in Heaven for his enemies with Father forgive them before he passed and confirmed his Act of Pardon on earth and remembred the awful Counsel if not Charge of his Royal Father which was much like that of Phocion to his Sonn mando ut hujus pot us obliviscaris I charge you never to revenge my death And O let all his Subjects make a better use of all his gracious Favours than which formerly have been done to be more unreasonable in their demands and spend all their lives in thankfulnesse to God for the salvation of so merciful pious and peaceable a Prince Direct And for our Direction especially these two ways 1 First by a true fear of God that so we may better honour our King God hath often joyned them together in his Word let us never put them asunder It hath been the policy of Satan and his instruments to scandalize Religion to be the occasion of Rebellion but the Fathers well discovered that fallacy by retorting and demanding what was the cause of sedition in Rome before Christianity was in it But the Disciple is not above his Master Christ himself was accused for a pestilent fellow and a denyer of Tribute to Caesar though indeed none was so forward in it as he profering it when he might have been free without enquiring whether Caesar stood need of it or no being then at peace with all the world not yet expecting the assembling of Judea together It cannot be denyed and the story is too sad to remember but that Religion hath been made a Cloke and that a long one for Rebellion but this hath been through the pride ambition covetousnesse envy malice and other lusts of men for otherwise Religion and Loyalty not only may consist together but do best establish one another Let Philosophers and Statists dispute as long as they will whether a bad man may not be a good subject to be sure a good man cannot be a bad one upon which ground King James told the King of France that the Protestants were as good Subjects as any he had Spiritual liberty agrees best with Civil subjection for though we cannot serve God and Mammon yet we may very well serve God and man together nay how can we serve or Love God whom we have not seen if we do not serve and obey our King whom we have seen John 1. 4 20. who is a Brother and more It is better indeed to obey God than man but best to obey both which we may do either by Active or Passive obedience Hearken then ye prophane scoffers at Religion You foul-mouth swearers you beastly drunkards you debauched miscreants and all the black-guard of ungodlinesse and impiety can you that are evil speak well of Dignities Do men gather grapes of Thornes or figs of Thistles How can you fight cordially for your King that carry Traytors in your bosomes Whatsoever you are I am sure your sins are enemies to his Crown and Dignity Let us then in a holy rejoycing raise up our Bells but not with the cords of iniquity lest we pull down the Judgements of God upon us Kindle we our Bone-fires but take we heed we incense not the Wrath of God against us who is a consuming fire Be we merry in the Lord but feast we not the Devil Daemonum cibus ebrietas Let our Cups be the Cups of salvation And let it be our prayers to God That as his Majesty hath zealously declamed and proclamed against all vitiousness debauchedness and prophaueness so the High and Honourable Houses of Parliament would vote against them that the R. Reverend and awful Convocation would let their sacred Decrees Canons and Censures fly out against them that it may appear Christs Keys are not lost though they have layn rusty too long a time That the pious and resolute Magistrates of the Land would remember that they are sent of the King for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well 1 Pet. 2. 14. That all the Orthodoxal painful and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel may be Sons of Thunder and rattle out the Judgements of God against all ungodliness that they would out-pray out-live out-preach out-countenance all impiety And you of this Congregation whose faces have cause to discover your congratulation of the happinesse of this Day whose credit it is yet boast not of it it was no more than your duty that you were the first in your County I mean some of you and I believe the only Town not incorporate that ever appeared in Armes for your King and stood too against an Army and were so resolute that it was evident you valued not your Lives for the service of your Soveraign and have suffered in your Liberties and Estates O be you as forward for Piety and Religion as ever you were to Loyalty and Obedience And though you have lyen and yet do among the pots in obscurity and darkness yet in due time ye shall be as the wings of a Dove covered with silver and her Feathers with yellow Gold Ps. 68. 14. post tenebras spero lucem as Jobs comfort let it be yours after darkness look for light Secondly Shew your joy and gladness as in walking in the fear of God so in honouring the King and that 1 In a high and supereminent