under his mercy What now then nothing but proclaiming of Rebels searching abroad for Taytours committing to Dungeons holding up hands at the barrs of justice Rackings and Gibbetings in the Reign of such a Prince no some wiser then other some An hasty precipitate Prince might do this but a man of understanding and knowlege hath no such spight or rancour in him There is not an hasty word heard not a disturbing Messenger sent abroad not a vindictive action appearing but all in another accent They which were his own Enemies are not so much as called Enemies much less prosecuted as Enemies except therefore they would have the Crown from his head what would they have more from the head and heart of such a Milde Mercifull Prince that weares the Crowne After intestine warres and bloody encounters what is the issue There is a reconciliation all Friends a generall Amnesty is past the King and his Enemies are at peace There is not a man which will hurt the King there is not a man whom the King will harme his Enemies will rather fall at his feet then strike at his head and the King is readier to shed teares then blood The King may rest in his Throne and his Enemies may rest in their beds Let them both rest and let not all the Machiavilians in the land all the Jesuites at Rome all the Devils in Hell be able to set them at variance We have had a chargeable insurrection a dismall warre a lasting and wastng rent but praised be the great over-ruling God that he by an Heavenly providence hath brought in the right Heir and by an Heavenly inspiration hath knit the hearts of three Kingdoms to acknowledge this Heir that not only the King and his faithfull Subjects are met but the King and his fiercest Enemies are reconciled Oh vexation to the turbulent Polititians Oh torment to the State-troubling Jesuites Oh the mysteries of Gods secret actings Oh the miracles of his unsearchable wisdome Consider and confess ponder and publish recount and record weigh and wonder sing for joy and weep for joy Ask now of the dayes that are past since the day that God Created man upon earth enquire from the one end of heaven to the other if there came to passe such a great thing as this or whether any such like thing hath been heard Deut. 4.32 A King without the Land and a single person voted never again to reign in the Land and the whole Nation filled with Swordmen Pikemen and Spearmen to fight it out to the last drop of blood rather then the designe should fall to the ground and yet in the exiled condition of the King and against the desperate Decrees of such an Illegal Irregal Depriving Depraving Deposing Decrowning Party coming through the midst of many which had been ancient Enemies not one lifting tongue or weapon that was generally known either to oppose his entrance or resist his right God to astonishment hath brought the King into the Land and brought him to his Throne setled him and setled his Enemies and all things so miraculously ordered in Heaven and so sweetly composed upon earth that all differences are ended in accord and all jarres in embracements that there are nothing but mutual and reciprocall desires and vowes for one anothers welfare Oh mercy mever to be forgotten Oh miracle never enough to be admired they require a Trophee they deserve an Hosannah yea a volley of Hymns to celebrate them Thus can the providence of God settle a distracted Nation thus can the prudence of a King pacifie a displeased distempered people and turn Capital enmity by degrees into cordial unity But to draw to a close a King that can be thus good to his Enemies to whom will he not be benigne I have shewn you how many shall have a sense of his happy Government and who may not have a share of it Yes expect it one expect it every one I say no more but that a Prudent Prince is extensive in felicity He is a blessing to a whole STATE But by a man of understanding and Knowledge the STATE theref shall be prolonged Now let us come to the lastingness of the Cure shall be prolonged From hence observe that a prudent Prince doth set up a Stable Kingdom not for a life but for generations His ego nec metus rerum nec tempora pono Virgil. 1. Aeneid There are neither measures nor stints to be put to such things wise men do not bury all their happiness with them as if when they were dead their children must go seek for estates no the Fathers shall enjoy it Virgil ibâ—d Et nati natorum qui nascentur ab illis their Sonnes shall inherit it and their Sonnes Sonnes after them so that they are happy in themselyes and happy in their posterity therefore is it said that the root of the righteous shall not be moved Prov 12.3 Such leave a deep rooting which long continuance of time can hardly pluck up Might may gain riches for a season but prudence doth bring in durable riches Pro 8.18 This is not greatness for a glance or glimpse but for perpetual generations Gen. 9.12 or to the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills Gen. 49.26 that as a wise mans name and blood shall remain in his posterity so shall his felicity Whatsoever doth carry no fastening with it but is like unto a pinne half driven home yet this is a nayle in a sure place yea such a nayle as a man may hang upon it all the glory of the Fathers house and of the Nephewes and of the posterity Es 22,23 24. Quaeris Alcide parem Seneca dost look for any Champion like to Hercules and dost thou look for any Founder like to the prudent man no he doth build for ages The King that judgeth according to truth and he is the wisest Prince his Throne shall be established for ever Pro. 29.14 Was it not verified in David Yes God promised to make him a house and when his daies should be fulfilled and he should sleep with his Fathers God would set up his seed which should come out of his loynes and the Kingdom should be established 2 Sam. 7.12 VVas not this promise found true in the event yes though Judah had some Kings that were none of the best yet for the first Founders sake the Kingdom was a long time preserved as it is manifest in the reign of Abiam who was bad enough yet for Davids sake did the Lord his God give him a light in Jerusalem 1 Kings 15 4. and the like is seen in Jehorams reign who was desperately evil for he not only walked in the sinnes of Israel but took the Daughter of Ahab to wife yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for his servant Davids sake as he had promised to give him a light and to his seed for ever 2 Kings 8.19 yea no enemy for a long time could scale that City which a wise
you to your Kingdome and humbly imploring that the State thereof may be prolonged submissively I take leave and rest Your Majesties sincere suppliant and sacrificing subject Tho. Reeve Waltham Abbey ERRATA Ministers for Monsters p. 11. l. 1. dread such an army for dread such an Enimy p. 15. l. 30. ENGLAND'S RESTITUTION Proverbs xxviij 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 SOlomon sheweth here the high misery of a Nation many Princes and he sheweth what it is that brings in this plague the transgression of the Land For the transgression of a Land many are the Princes thereof But let Solomon demonstrate yet there are those which will remonstrate for what is the cause of the alteration of States and the change of governments that good Rulers are taken away and bad come in their stead is it transgression No we are too great Advocates to our own corruptions to confesse the original of sorrows to flow from our own prevarications they are not our many sinnes that are the occasion of the many Princes but there are many other accidents some look to the malignancy of Planets some to the improvidence of Statesmen some to the turbulency of mens natures but Transgression is not the procatarctical cause No the Land doth suffer but the Land is innocent it is the judgement of the Land but not the trespass of the Land the tribulation of the Land but not the transgression of the land Thus all the judgements from heaven cannot awaken the sinner out of the spirit of slumber Ionas doth sleep in the midst of the Tempest and he must be taken by lot before he will acknowledge that the ship was ready to be cast away for his sake Pindarus Pychon formosus this venemous serpent shall be cryed up to be amiable But when we have used all our subterfuges our own guilts will be found to be the State-Troublers if there be changes of Governours it is the iniquity of the times which hath buried the good Governours if there be many Princes it is the transgression of the Land that hath shewn to the Land these many strange faces For the transgression of a Land many are the Princes thereof well a breach is made how shall it be closed up mourn ye for your sinnes and the Land shall no longer mourn take away the transgression of the Land and the tryal of the Land is taken away the many Princes are gone and a good Prince come in their stead a Prince indeed that shall cause the wasted Land to flourish a decayed State to be prolonged But by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged For the transgression of the Land many are the Princes thereof but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged So that here we have Solomon's proverb and his prophesie His proverb For the transgression of the Land many are the Princes thereof his prophesie that after the many unfortunate Princes a glorious Prince should arise who should blesse the Land and prolong the State But by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged Many Princes made the Land unhappy but had it never been happy before yes he that talks of many Princes doth intimate that there was once a choice Prince for as the transgression of the Land brought in many Princes so the obedience of the Land was blessed with one eminent Prince a Prince of bloud a Prince of virtues the honour of the Throne the Mirrour of Princes a Prince that was the Crystal drop of innocencie the bright flame of devotion the Gem of Justice Chastity clemency constancy affability wisdome bounty and in a word the Treasury of all Royal perfections the traunce of all his loyal Subjects and the admiration of strangers who whilest he was in power preserved their Religion Lawes Liberties and endeavoured what in him lay to make the Church a Sanctuary and the Kingdome a Chauntry But this Prince was too happy for the times too good for the Land the people having lost their obedience they lost their Prince the innocency of the Land being turned into the transgression of the Land this Prince proved but short-lived he was taken away by disaster the sinnes of the Land had filled this Nation full of troubles his person full of hazards and took away his precious peace and at last took away his precious life turned a Prince into a prisoner and a Monarch into a Martyr so that there remained nothing but to cry out after him oh beate Sesti Horace oh happy Sestius well he being gone what was the fate of this transgressing Land judgement from heaven brought in many Princes many Princes what Princes 1. One Prince seemed like a Giant I have read of many Giants but this was a Giant indeed as big well-nigh as five hundred men above the stature or dimensions of any of the Anakims or Zanzummims How did this Giant reign and how long oh the reign was fierce there was nothing but exactions and impositions depredations upon Estates and pressures of Conscience How long was the reign too long and yet not very long for the government was so intolerable that this Giant was plucked away by force thrust by with scorn and removed without a groan well after that Prince was gone who was the next Lu. ad Cal. Pi. One which insigni praestinguit imagine visus daunâ—ted the age with his Looks a man of ire fire tumour tumult terrour torment a Gorgon a Centaure an enraged Ajax an Hercules furens which would warre against right reason lawes leagues motions modesty promises precedents orders oathes decrees destinies which would set all in commotion and combustion call for aid above but if that would not come readily force it from beneath consult with cunning men not refuse Astrologers Magicians to give advice Flectere si nequeo superos Acheronta movebo Yea mingle heaven and earth together to accomplish designes Oh the base arts of ambitious men oh the damned attempts of aspiring Politicians next the red Dragon can any thing be more venemous next Belzebub can any thing be blacker or give a worse sent of brimstone Urit miserum gloria pectus this same desire of worldly glory doth scorch a wretched breast Bern. serm Quadrages Ambitio subtile malum doli artifex tinea sanctitatis ex remediis morbos creans Ambition is a subtil evil the prime artisant of deceit the moth of holinesse creating diseases of remedies Bonsin l. 8. Dec. 2. with Zingis it will kill all that will not obey and stick at nothing which will advance Plutarch yea with Pyrrhus out of a thirst to get more it doth not regard what already it doth possesse but aim at greater things and never care by what means it doth obtain them just like this haughty Prince before
forth to bid to the Banquet Prov. 9.3 Christ chose his own Apostles the Apostles their own Fellow-Labourers and shall we have Gospel-Work done now by them which have not an Apostolical Institution to Authorise them no let the Church-Guardian look to that seeing then that the External Regiment of the Church is annexed to the Crown it being one of the greatest Honours of a King to be High-Chamberlain to the Spouse of Christ how highly doth it concern Him that none wait upon Her above Stairs but they which have their Patents Sealed to keep out those which come in at the Window and wear a Linnen Ephod not being of the Priests true Race this is his Church-Skill and in this Heavenly thing a part of His Vnderstanding is seen Fourthly In preserving in the Land a pure Conversation A King that sitteth in the Throne of Judgement chaseth away all evil with His eyes Prov. 20.8 A King next to His Personal Graces doth look to His Peoples Virtue 's and therefore it is that Aristotle saith Arist 1. Polit. Melius est civitatem regi a viro optimo quam a lege optima It is better for a City to be Governed by the best Man then by the best Law because a King doth more Reform a Nation then by all the Statutes of the Land A true Prince doth think with Zeno that a Kingdom is more beautified Virtutibus inhabitantium quam pretiosis ornamentis with the Virtues of the Inhabitants then with all pretious Ornaments Aug. l. 1. de Trin. Potestas non datur nisi contra vitium Power is not given but against Vice a good Prince doth exercise his Authority against the sins of the Times He is as ready to fight as Alphonsus said Panorm l. 4. De rebus gestis Alph. against a wicked liver as against a Publick Enemy Yea He is more awakened with the Reigning Corruptions of His Nation then if an Herald at Arms should denounce War at His Court-Gate for He knoweth that if He had never such compleat Armies to defend His Kingdom yet these secret Conspiratours would expose it to danger Sins will shake in pieces States and make Thrones to totter therefore He will make wicked men to fear Him if they will not obey him if they will not imitate His Virtues yet they shall dread His Justice He thinketh Himself never to be Secure so long as these are prevalent nor free from Vengeance so long as these are unpunished He accounteth them His Grief and Shame and feareth that they may be His Curse Had He no Errours of His own yet their Impiety and Incorrigibleness may make Him Weep and Bleed How many a Righteous King hath been ruined by the iniquity of His People Their perverse and presumptuous sins have undermined States and kindled consuming Flames to destroy both King and Kingdom If ye do wickedly ye shall perish both ye and your King How necessary therefore is it for a King to cast all the filth of His Nation into the sink with the Nitre of His Justice to scowre out these spots and to crush these Cockatrice's Eggs in the nest The Wicked are the King 's evil Spirits which haunt His Nation but the Godly are the good Angels which protect and defend it Holy men are His best Courtiers yea the Life-Guard to His Royal Person A pious King doth take delight in none but Religious Persons He seek for them He embraceth them He blesseth Himself in them these He doth esteem the Lustres of His Palace and the Mirrours of His Kingdom these He doth call His true Subjects and the Keepers of His Crown Their Knees shall make all His enemies to bend their Vows shall free Him from those which have entered into a League against Him their Teares shall appease Divine Indignation their Innocent Lives shall draw God to look upon Him and His People with a propitious and a preserving Eye How can God shoot an Arrow against that Land where there is so much Innocency or not bend his Shield and Target to that Nation where an Army of Saints doth Camp where there is not onely the Pure Faith but the Power of Godliness not onely a Reformed Church but a Reformed Life No saith God here dwell my Sanctified Ones the People of my Holiness the seed of the Blessed those which Excell upon Earth the partakers of the Divine Nature such as have fled from the corruptions that are in the World which have not defiled their garments therefore these shall dwell between my Shoulders I will be a little Sanctuary to them upon all the Glory shall be a defence A King doth choose out these for His true Favourites and solace Himself with these till He can converse with Angels To prize these He doth account it the discretion of His Religion yea His purified Vnderstanding A King then is not to Reign onely by Title but by Prudence not onely by Power but by Vnderstanding But by a man of Vnderstanding Thus much for His Vnderstanding in Heavenly things Now let us come to His Knowledg in Temporal things A King is not onely to Govern a Church but a State therefore as His Understanding must be busied in Celestial things so His Knowledg must have experience in Civil things He must be bonus vir bonus Civis a good man and a good Citizen a good Church-man as it were and a good States-man now a Kings Political Knowledg is to be shewn in these things First In preserving of His own Rights What is a King if His Regalia be infringed if the Cap of Maintenance be every where defended how tender ought a King to be of His Crown Lipsius Principis Majestatem ubique servandam esse The Majesty of a Prince is every where to be kept Chrys in Ps 144. Aliud est arrogantia aliud magnitudo animi Arrogance is one thing but Greatness of mind is another thing It is not Pride in a King but Magnanimity of spirit which is a true Vertue to defend His just Honours If a King be not Supreme he hath nothing lofty in Him but solium excelsum an high Throne if He doth lose his Prerogative He is but a kind of Commoner Why then should not a King defend His Majesty as well as His Title yes Moses the meekest man upon Earth was not very meek but resolute when he came to be affronted by the seditious Nehemiah the humble was not very humble but Heroical when Sanballat threatned him and Shemaiah disheartned him Valentinian when the people came to encroach upon his Royalty he was Royal Rigid Repressing Repulsing enough What! saith he do you seek to Command your Emperour no Res administrare non vestrum sed nostrum est vos imperata facere me quod facta opus est curare decet Niceph. lib. 11. cap. 1. To Govern is not yours but mine it becometh you to perform Commands and me to enjoyn them The great heart of a Prince should not suffer
man had built for when Sennacherib came against it with force and fury and thought to have rifled it and razed it yet God bad Hezekiah be of good Comfort saying that the King of Assyria should not enter that City nor shoot an arrow against it nor come before it with sheild nor cast a mount against it but he should returne the same way that he came and should not enter the City for I saith the Lord will defend this City to save it for mine own sake and for my servant Davids sake 2 Kings 19 32,33,34 So that here is a City set upon a true basis what a prudent Prince hath built it remaineth as it were to perpetuity that whereas other States have their hurles and are shaken down as if they were built upon a quicksand for Kingdoms shall cease Isai 17.3 and shall be broken and divided to the four winds of heaven and shall not be for posterity Dan. 11.4 and the Throne of Kingdoms shall be overthrown Nah. 3.23 insomuch that there shall be neither royal Prince nor royal City to be seen For how is Sheshach taken and the glory of the whole earth taken Jer. 31.41 I will make Rabbah a dwelling place for Camels and the Ammonites a Sheepcoat Ezech. 25.5 Go ye over to Tharshish howle ye that dwell in the Iles is not this that your glorious City her antiquity is of ancient daies but her own feet shall lead her far off to be a sojourner Who hath decreed this against Tyrus that Crowneth men whose Merchants are as Princes and her Chapmen are the Nobles of the world I the Lord of hosts have decreed it to stain the pride of all glory and to bring to contempt all them that be glorious in the earth Es 23.6,7,8,9 When Ephraim spake there was trembling but Ephraim afterwards trembled for he hath sinned in Baal and is dead Hos 13.1 Hear this ye fat kine of Bashan which are in the mountain of Samaria which oppress the poore and destroy the needy and they say to their Masters bring ye and let us drink The Lord of hosts hath sworn by his holiness that lo the daies shall come upon you that he will take you away with thorns and your posterity with Fishhoks and ye shall go out of the breaches every Cow forward and ye shall cast your selves out of the palace Amos 4.1,2.3 Niniveh was counted an invincible place but the gates of her rivers shall be opened and her palaces shall melt Huzzah the Queen shall be led away Captive and her Maids shall lead her like Doves tabring upon their brests Though Niniveh be of old like a poole of water yet they shall flee away stand stand shall they cry but none shall look back spoyle ye the silver spoyle ye the gold for there is no end of store glory of all the pleasant vessels but she is empty and void and waste and the heart melteth and the knees knook together and sorrow is in all loynes and all faces gather blackness together Nah. 2 6,7,8,9,10 Of Babylon it is said that a cry of battel is as in a land of great destruction how is the haâ—…mer of the whole earth destroyed and broken how is Babel become dâ—…te and waste Ier. 50.22,23 Yea thou shalt take up this Proverb against the King of Babel and say how hath the Oppressour ceased and the golden City rested The Lord hath broken the rod of the wicked and the scepters of the Rulers Esai 14.4,5 notwithstanding these be the strange mutations of Cities States Kingdoms that nothing is firm and fixed which power and polâ—cy only hath reer'd up and these ominous and stupendious fates and disasters are met with where earthly glory hath been seen in her brightest fulgour yet Prudence builds no such perishing collapsing structures where Kings reign by heirs there is lasting riches Prov. 8.18 those Governors which prudence authoriseth shall be planted in the mountain of Gods inheritance and his hands shall establish them Exod 15.17 marke these have an establishment go along with them and shall have to them and their successors a demise of their government as long as God sits Prince upon his mountain be proprietary in his own inheritance and hold his Crown-land these are not only placed but planted there not only estated but established Of such a King God saith as he doth in Ps 89.28,29 His mercy will I keep for him for evermore and my Covenant shall stand fast with him his seed also will I make to endure for ever and his Throne as the days of heaven Vespasian had two conspirators which sought his life he hearing of their pernicious intention caused them to be apprehended and not long after brought them upon an open stage and putting two swords into their hands bad them dispatch him they being astonished at the extraordinary motion refused it what saith Vespatian have ye thus long plotted my death and will ye not now kill me Oh give over such designes for ye will never be Masters of your desires do ye not manifestly discern how such wretched attempts will be frustrated yes videtis principatum fato dari frustraque tentaturum facinus esse potiundispe Ye see Principality is given by destiny and it is but lost labour to undertake any horrid action with the hope to enjoy it or to wrest the Principality to your selves Where God doth bless the government of a prudent Prince it is in vaine for all the Conspirators upon earth to seek to destroy it It is in vain for any to fight against the Destinies I mean to oppose Gods decrees Men may murmure mutiny plot and project but at last end with shame in all their undertakings Wisdome doth raise impregnable forts A Prudent Prince doth cause a State to be prolonged But by a man of understanding and knowledge the State thereof shall be prolonged Application 1. FIrst this doth shew that present greatness is not the true greatness but the happiness that doth continue as here the decaying State is not the right State but the State that is prolonged Who care for Actours which have gay clothes upon their backs for a few houres so who care for the said Momentany Mimicks of Government Pâ—ut in Solone Croesus asked Solon whether he did not hold him being in the achme the vertical of worldly greatness and glory the happiest man in the world I cannot tell saith Solon yet what to think of thee till I can see whether this grandure will continue and hold out â—urip for Ne Priamus hac aetate infaelix fuit Priamus that was at last the miserable King of Troy was not unhappy at thy age Aspicite me qui fui censpicuus mortalibus praeclara peragens at nunc una die me dejecit fortuna sicut plumam Look upon me who was once cons icuous amongst mortal men performing famous mous things but now fortune hath blown me down like a Feather said Amphytrion Val. M. l. 6. c. 1. Siphax
you who had honour and greatnesse in his eye and to ascend this Mount he did not care what craggy places he did climb He would get the best of men as esteem made them to countenance his drifts but he never troubled himself to have the worst of men known so to be to be Actors in them Saints or Miscreants it was all one to him if they would serre pedem Virgil. lend a foot to stir about his projects Oh from what a mean beginning did he raise himself to that sublime celsitude He once purposed to have drained in the Fennes but the Flag of defiance being hung out he sought for booty in the Up-lands from the wasting himself into a Spend-thrift he fought himself into a Prince after the decocting of three Mannors he cast three Kingdomes into the Cauldron to boil toothsome diet for his greedy and insatiable appetite And to attain to this what loftinesse did he express how did he set up his crests was there ever a poor Abject more turgid and supercilious Claud. in â—rat Levantibus altè Intumuit rebus Who was his companion who was his compeer No he was not onely disdainfull but defying not onely proud but prodigious Quas gerit ore minas quanto premit omnia fastu Stat. 1. Theb. He had a blazing beacon in his forehead his face flamed like Mount Aetna he had lightning in his eyes and thunderbolts in his lips And what rare Artificers had he Virgil. 2. Aeneid Ille dolis instructus arte Pelasga he could weep when he intended to devour pray when he meant to sacrifice men's lives seek God as he called it when he resolved to engage with the Devil And by these policies and hypocritical impostures what a woefull government was there under him there was nothing to be seen but Taxes sessments confinements confiscations depopulations decimations chains dungeons halters bloud-axes Ye may know him by his kindred Consorts Confidents Counsellors Collegues Chapmen Chaplains Secretaries Emissaries Judges Guards and Life guards except it be in the bottomlesse pit where can there be found such a swarm of Locusts And for his manners setting aside a few inchantments of pretended holinesse can ye imagine a man almost more stupendiously evil Tarquin the proud was not more arrogant Nero the cruel not more mercilesse Caligula the shamelesse not more impudent a greater enemy to Orthodox men then to the Blasphemers of the faith and a greater friend to the Iewes then Christians a man very tender of an oath and yet maligned them that would not be perjured an hater of Popery and yet a bosome-Friend to the most Jesuited person in the world One wholly composed of ambition and insolence fraud and fury subtilty and savagenesse so bent upon his own will and inflexible in what he had resolved upon that at last he became violent in his designes and desperate in his attempts vexatious at home quarrelsome abroad a Firebrand to his Countreymen a Fiend to his neighbours the great Boutefeau and incendiary of the whole earth how did he rage in the Baltick sea in the Streights upon the coasts of Barbary and in the Atlantick Ocean No honours or Titles were sufficient for him he would have been Emperour of the British Isles and had a Navy floating to go fish for new Isles as far as the Bay of Mexico A man that at last was so severe to his enemies and bitter to his friends and jealous and suspicious of all that he become a general odium for he was flattered but by a few hated of most dreaded of all The onely comfort of the Nation was this that the Land in a short time was rid of him and after all his vauntings and rantings violences violations vexations and victories inexorabile fatum Virg. 2. Georg. Subjecit Manibus Irae Thyeston exitio gravi stravere Hor. 1. Car. Ode 16. He breathed out his turbulent spirit and proved mortal How he dyed is a doubt what became of him after death is a great secret I confesse I heard that he was Canonized at his Funeral and seen very nigh to the elbow of Christ but I question whether that Preacher were a true Seer I cannot tell whether every Peter hath the Keys of heaven to let in Saints I believe the whirlwind was a truer Prophet to foretell whither he was carried Gone he is and his name is not worth the recording nor his Skin the owning Exiit Tremebundus who doth follow next After him follow another Prince who had in him no great bane nor no great benefit who had not time enough to do evil nor wit enough to do good which did only talk and make offers and drink healths and promise a golden age with leaden feet but alas he was bliteus infrunitus saplesse and senselesse uselesse and giftlesse he had in him more pretence then prudence or courtesie then courage Quicunque aspiciunt mente carete putant Ovid. 1. Fast He knew not how to rule nor how to bring in another to rule perhaps well-minded but his drifts ill-managed he could neither shake off his fetters suppresse mutinies order his Councel discipline his Army confirm his interests countenance his adherents apprehend overtures lay hold on opportunities hear them which gave him faithfull advice be true to them to whom he had plighted his faith stand by them which had promised to live and die with him A man not master of his own word nor commander of his own sword but fickle and mutable timorous and pusillanimous false and faultring And so like a man shaken in the brain and brest he sealed away his own authority leaving as little power to himself to preserve his person as money to pay his debts and went out as the fable of the Age and in stead of a Prince turned Petitioner 4. After him came a stern Prince indeed a limme of the old Giant not the Giant but the Giant 's Elf Minume Durgen There wanted something of the magnitude but nothing of the mischief of the old Sire Had this Prince continued long what rents and ruines would there have been the age found him grimme enough for the time the old dragge-net was cast to catch leveys the old forge was at work for new State-rules and the old Gibbet was setting up to dispatch persons ill-affected yea there would have been not onely laying men in chains of iron but hanging them up in chains of gold a most black and bloudy raign there would have been if hirtus hispidus this rough-skin'd Prince had been long-liv'd but this high-metalld Ruler because he would command Commanders in modelling a new Army brought the old Army to draw upon him and to drive him far enough Farewell for a time another Prince must take the chair of State 5. And who was that One all clad in steel armed cap-a-pe who being in bright harnesse kept a fearfull ratling and clattering for a while Mars was then the predominant Planet
and our rights other mens birth-rights we have no claim but the military conveighance or the free-deed of a liberal State can a statute of pacification or an Act of Indempnity secure us in a just enjoyment of these things no these are Acts of Grace or condescensions of politike prudence we many possesse these things without molestation from the world but is there no other Court where titles must be decided Are the ten Commandments abrogated have we by this a Writ of priviledge against Doomesday no the moral law doth still continue in force conscience doth tell us that we would not have our estates thus wrested away There will be another inquisition made after these Tenures our rights must be tried at another Bar there is a just Iudge which will passe sentence upon all just evidences to the legality of that Court we must stand Oh then we which believe the last and strict reckoning that we should own any thing which we do not hold by inheritance or just industry can these be comfortable livelihoods at last no we eat sumptuously and cloth our selves gorgeously and stock up for posterity aboundantly for the present but our wretched souls must scorch for these damnifying gaines in conclusion oh then that our feet should stand any longer within such thresholds that our hands should carry about with them such keyes that we should write our selves owners of such Mansions and Messuages where the true Heires are yet living Wo unto us that we have ever fingered such unjust means we hold but a curse in our hands so long as we graspe it to own use we will resigne up therefore our interest and call home the true Heires For. better is a little with righteousnesse then great revenues without equity We got it with violence and we keep it with vexation therefore away with it vve vvill rather vvork for maintenance nay beg for relief then vve vvill feed our selves vvith other mens bread A free soul and a quiet conscience is above all the rich revenues of the vvorld Thus if evil Princes could be brought to a sense of their Tyrannical Government vve should hear them expostulating about their extortions and send them out of their houses vvith haste yea vvith speed and earnestnesse make restitution of their ill-gotten goods 3. Thirdly We might expect some reparation for their former disobedience For Princes they have been but hovv came they by it vvas it not by disobedience and disloyalty by resisting and rebelling by opposing and deposing did they not pull dovvn the lavvful Prince and set up their selves as aspiring Princes novv is usurpation a just title may private men take upon them to be Princes is not this to nevv act the parts of Corah Dathan and Abiram Sheba Absalon Zimri Pekah the son of Remaliah are not these vvorthy guides to follovv noble precedents to imitate finde we not Traytours out amongst the worst men of the perillous times 2 Tim. 3.5 Iob 34.37 Is it not the height of disobedience to add rebellion to sinn If God would stigmatize people can he fix worse epithets upon them then to stile them treacherous and rebellious Hear now ye Rebels Num. 20.10 backsliding Israel and treacherous Iudah Ier. 3.6.7 Are not these apostates in common-weales nay very state wizards yes rebellion is as the sin of whitchcraft 1 Sam. 15.23 the impes of hell and the devils Zanies his clawes whereby he doth scratch states or his stings whereby he doth poyson kingdomes who would not abhor that name were it not for Iudas sirnamed the traytour Luke 6.16 or especially because God cast Adam out of paradise and Lucifer out of Heaven for rebellion and treason are not subjects rather to ly down upon their bended knees then to stand up with their armed-hands before their lawfull Soveraignes yes Iudah shall have the Scepter and his fathers Sons shall bow down unto him Gen. 49.8 If against a King there be no rising up Pro. 30.31 then should any by cunning glosses and subtile distinctions raise up tumults distractions commotions conspiracies in Nations is not hell threatned to all such wild furies Seditio à secedendo vel seorsum eundo Cicero de repub yes Whosoever resisteth the power resisteth tâ—… Ordinance of God and they which resist shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13.2 Sedition is a violent separation from a true Governour now those which are united by allegiance how can they set themselves apart for their own turbulent designes is not this to turn the union of a Commowealth into a combination Inter bonos amicitiam inter malos factioneÌ„ Sal. In bel Iud. Yes as amongst good men there is friendship so amongst bad men there is faction Petrus Gregorius counts these insurrections diseases in Common-wealths others wildfire to inflame peoples affections others Vermin to consume the goods of a Nation and not one learned Author gives them a good term for the very reproach therefore persons might abstain from them How odious to this day are the names of them which have been practisers in them as of Sejanus under Tiberius Philip the Arabian under Gordianus Plantianus under Antoninus Cleander under Commodus Bessus under Darius Phocas under Mauricius Mans laws have no greater judgment nor Gods laws have no greater vengeance then for Rebels and Traitours Oh then how might these many Princes say that we would not content our selves with our own estates nor quiet our selves in those degrees wherein God had set us but against the scandal and curse of the sin out of haughtiness and arrogancy we must attempt execrable and hideous things in stead of obedience and duty which we did owe to our just and lawful Prince we have expressed nothing but obstinacy and contumacy pervicacy and pertinacy and in stead of subjection we have aimed at soveraignty and in stead of loyalty we have affected royalty Princes we would be and Princes we have been but now ejected by justice from heaven and rejected with the shame of the whole world O that our own fierce humors and the Devils violent suggestions should so far prevail with us and seduce us as with Bibles in our hands Sermons in our ears Prayers in our lips the name of Christ in our foreheads and oathes of allegiance in our consciences we have perpetrated such things as all divine precepts do forbid all justifiable Religion doth defie We blush we tremble at the thought of all the commotions we have raised the wasts we have made the blood we have shed the peaceable land we have distracted the innocent King we have murthered his dead head doth ly bleeding before our eyes his Ghost doth day and night torture us Oh that we could redeem our errour that we could expiate our guilts If there be any mercy left for us we will deplore our faults implore favour ly at the feet of the Nation and begge forgivenesse yea weep our selves half blind to be pardoned and our future resolutions and expressions
contrarias abrogando A King doth serve God in enjoyning good Lawes and abrogating bad Aug. ep 32. yea Menander could say that a King was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the enlivened Image of God Almighty That when we do not and indeed cannot see God personally reigning upon earth for no man can see God and live yet we may see him in this Image We may discern God shining in this bright pillar going before us or behold him representing himself in these glorious back parts A King is as the Sun-glasse wherein the splendor of the Sun is clearly manifested God doth heal the bitter waters of a Nations distempered manners by this sweet tree cast into it or doth feed an whole Camp with this celestial Manna God doth not act all by himself but much by his inferiour Substitute we ought for an happy Government to depend upon God as the spring but upon Man as the Channel he doth not honour God which doth not respect his Providore general They have not cast thee away but they have cast me away we may contemn God in his Ruler Thou wilt respect the Messenger that brings thee thy Patent and not a King which from God doth present thee with a Charter of so many rich Priviledges yes blesse God and reverence his Steadsman his Vicegerent God doth reign in such though the blessing doth come from God yet the administration of it doth come from Man The Nation is often sick and often cured but God doth appoint a Party in his stead to work the recovery Man is the Physitian But by a Man c. 2. Secondly this doth serve to shew the wonder of Government Naz. in apol Government is ars artium the art of arts Chrys in 2. ma◠certantibus ventis mare concutitur The Sea is shaken with contrary winds but not more then a Commonwealth with the whirlwinds of mens opposite dispositions It was a singular thing to see Heliogabalus to have tamed Tygers so that he could drive them in his Chariot but more admirable is it to see a King so to moderate the fiery natures of men that they are pliant to his Soveraign authority and he can mak them draw the Chariot of his legal commands Is not this marvellous what is a King to rule a whole Nation He is but a Man to a multitude Who knows how the bones grow in the womb so who knows how the various humours of a Land are by the wisdome and power of one man kept in good order The regular motions of the heavens are beyond apprehension so are the ordinate motions in a Kingdome doubtlesse God must highly inspire the heart of the Prince and encline the hearts of the people to keep them in this sweet composure He must be a rare Prince to keep such an Instrument in tune and a choice Physitian that could preserve such a Body in a due crasis Have I conceived all this people or begotten them that thou shouldest say unto me carry them in thy bosome as a Nurse beareth her sucking child Numb 11.12 It is much that a Nurse should have breasts enough for such a numerous company A Prince might say with Moses I am not able to bear all this people it is a burthen too heavy for mee Numb 11.14 He had need have shoulders as strong as those of Atlas which should bear such a weight Oh therefore pray for thy Prince and obey thy Prince dishonour not his person disturbe not his Government for as Solomon said Who is able to Iudge this mighty people 1 Kings 3.9 A mighty people a mighty charge he had need be a person of high perfections and ye of due subjection where such a trust should be discharged Fie then upon the Male-content shame to the Mutineer the King hath enough to doe to keep the obedient constant in duty what then should he be molested to quel the stubborn and obstinate he hath forraign dangers enough to prevent he had not need have domestick jarres to pacify That heart is arrogant and that head pragmatical that doth consult and contrive variances and grievances against his Prince wearied with State-cares Away therefore ye turbulent and seditious spirits ye deserve not the eyes in your heads to look upon a King nor feet upon your bodies to walk through his Territories nor your necks upon your shoulders to carry them unshaken under his Government which are carping traducing and perhaps ready for challenging and fighting to disturbe the reign of a just Prince How shall he Govern the quarrelling when it is an hard thing to rule or to keep in rule the peaceable Remember that Government is a wonder A King is but one to all a particular Man But by a man 3. Thirdly This doth serve to exhort persons to bear with the infirmities of a Prince he is but a Man wouldst thou have him without Mans frailties Art thou so is any man here so since the fall was there ever man so no Who can say my heart is clean I am clean from sin Who can bring a clean thing out of filthinesse In many things we offend all surely there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccles 7.22 Guilts are general and Horat. Optimus ille qui minimis urgetur He is the best man which hath the fewest to account for quantum noxae sit ubique repertum Ovid. How much disobedience is there to be found every where To hold thy self pure and thy Prince impure this is to be just overmuch to condemne that in thy Prince which thou canst not excuse in thy self this is to be wicked overmuch It is a shame Cum tua pervideas oculis mala lippus inunctis Horat. When thou art purblind in discerning thine own faults and Eagle-eyed in prying into thy Soveraignes errours Take thine own indictment out of the Court before thou dost arraigne him cleanse away thine own Leprosy before thou dost exclaime or declaime against his biles Thou canst not passe sentence upon him till thou hast said to thine own conscience with that worthy Iudge Annon ego talis Am not I such an one Nay art thou not worse and superiour in wickednesse yet how common a thing is it to see people inquisitive into Princes faylings and to riddle their lives and to dissect their conversations when they their selves are by many degrees more culpable how light soever they be in the balance the Prince must have down weight and want nothing of his graines If a Prince miscarry in any thing it is the Bruit of the Kingdome the discourse of every Lackey and Fripperyman Councel-chambers will cry out of it as if every States-man-were an Aristides and Pulpits will not be silent as if every Preacher were an Enoch Yea some there are so rancorous and venemous that if they can discover no Crime they will create some Sincerum vas incrustare crack the sound vessel raise a false report slander the footsteps
people blesse them when they were dead their memories were more enbalmed then their bodies and they were shrined more in the hearts of their people then in their Sepulchres their names were honoured and their ashes were pretious their wisdome left so many Charters of infranchisements and liberties that such Princely Donours could not be forgotten After-ages still cry to them and weep at the thought of them saying these were the Princes which set up Monuments before their departure and wrote out their own Epitaphs in the brests of their people with a pen of never-dying fame Oh how were their Kingdomes then Triumphal Arches and Theaters of wonder their people smiled in one anothers faces their whole land was a Banqueting-house they had the table of Alcinous and the talents of Pelops amongst them their own Nation vvas in a trance for their felicity and all Nations admired their flourishing State Oh honour to such prudent Governours ecchoes of praise and veneration to such wise Princes So then the darling of people the glee of Nations is an expert and judicious Ruler the man of understanding and knowledge But by a man of understanding and knowledge But how should a Prince be a Man of understanding how a Man of knowledge He must be a Man of understanding in heavenly things and he must be a Man of knowledge in temporal things First he must be a Man of Vnderstanding in Heavenly things For what hath a Prince more to look after then Religion Is not the Scripture the Volume which he must be continually perusing yes When the King shall sit upon the Throne of his Kingdom then this Law shall be written out for him by the Priests and he shall read therein and it shall be with him that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and to keep all the Words of this Law and the Ordinances for to do them Deut. xvii 18,19 A miserable thing it is when a King doth become neglective of his God and makes Religion but a meer formality and superfluiâ—y Prophane to this Day is Hâ—stilius for saying he could not indure to be much addicted to ceremonies and sacrifices and Chaeâ—ps King of Aegypt who locked up all Temples that there might be no Prayers nor Oblations Is there any King in Scripture mentioned with Honour who was not religious no there the Glorious Prince is the Pious Prince As a King is next unto God so he should maintain most familiarity with him as he doth take his Crown out of God's Hand so he should wear it for his Glory as he is the Lord 's Anointed so his conscience should be most sâ—ppled with his fear and service If Religion were lost in the whole Nation the King's breast should be the Treasury where it should be preserved Princes I confess may have their Royalty Superiority must have some pomp attending upon it a Prince was never ordained to be an Anchâ—rite but their chiefest Majesty should be to Glorify their Maker A Prince is never more mighty then when he is Bowing in a Temple nor more Glorious then when he is sacrificing at the Altar nor more Triumphant then when he is highest in his Spiritual solemnities the hearing all his Judges and Honourable Counsellours is not like to the lending his ears to his Prophets and Messengers which speak out of the mouth of God Let the Throne then be Burnished with Piety let thaâ— carry a sulgâ—ur through the whole Kingdom let the Sun shine and let all the Stars participate of his Brightness Oh! it is a rare thing to see the Baslick Vein run with the best Blood and the sweetest Fruit to hang upon the top-Brarch A King which is true to his God is the man of understanding But how should a Prince declare himselfe to be a man of Understanding concerning Heavenly things First in preserving a pure Faith For if Kings ought to be Nursing Fathers to the Church Es xlvii 22. then what ought they to cherish more in their Nation then the sâ—ncere Faith How memorable was that of Asah he that commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their Fathers and to do according to the Law and the Commandment 2 Chron. xiiii 4. And of Jehosaphat that he walked in the first ways of his Father David and sought not Baalim but sought the Lord God of his Fathers and walked in his Commandments and not according to the trade of Israel 2 Chron. xvii 3,4 And of Josiah that he stood by the Pillar and made a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord to keep his Commandments Testimonies and Statutes and that he caused all that were in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it 2 Chron xxiiii 31,32 Constantine the great Justinian the great Theodosius the first Justin the first Marcian Valentinian how have they for this eternised their names How ought every good Prince to be as carefull of Religion as his Crown-land and of the purity of the Faith as his Royal Prerogative for with what joy can he Reign if Sathan doth set up his Throne in his Kingdom how can he look up to Heaven with comfort if his God be blasphemed Shall God promote him and shall not he promote the Gospel Shall God preserve him and shall not he preserve the Truth Yes it is the Obligation of his high Office the homage that he oweth to his Lord in chief God for this hath made him his Deputy God for this hath given him a Crown If he be a Shepheard he must take heed that the Wolf doth not break into his Flock if he be a Physician he must beware that this Gangren doth not Spread He is never surer of God's target then when he doth protect sound Doctrin nor hath a greater confidence in his people then when they are knit to him in Religion To what end is his Scepter if Seducers and False-Teachers may have liberty to vent their wares and have a free Mart in his Nation No the pure God and the pure Angels the holy Scriptures and the holy Church the Blood of Christ and the Blood of Martyrs his own Peace and Honour Oath and account do require otherwise at his hands Religion then is high and Flourisheth in the Nation when a King beholdeth the Cross sâ—anding above his Crown and doth make Religion his main charge Secondly in preserving pure Worship For God is as strict about his service as about his belief Worship is oftentimes the trial of Faith noâ— onely the true God must be acknowledged but the Golden Calves or Groves must be avoyded yea God is angry not onely with gross Idolatry as in pleading for Baal offering the seed to Mâ—lech weeping for Tamâ—z or in having the Star of Râ—mpham seâ—… but with a little leven in worship a little strange Fire For whereas adoration is Recognitio dominii Aquin. the recognition or acknowledgment of God's Deity and Dominion God will not be doubled with in a thing that is so high so nigh so
himself to be braved out of his Rights nor bought out of them for are such costly things to be exposed to sale or chaffered for as in a Tradesman's Mart no the Prince's Blood Royal should not be more precious unto him then his Royal Preheminences his Scepter and his Authority should be vendible alike For it it is a sad bargain for a King to get aid of his Subjects with the loss of the Gemms of his Crown and to gain Subsidies with the parting with something of his Prerogative this is a dearer price given then to buy Land at threescore years purchase It behoveth a King therefore to consider what Rights his Ancestours left him and to preserve them as his right-hand or right-eye this is a part of his Knowledg Secondly In preserving the Rights of his People for though the King ought to have a royal subsistance out of the Nation insomuch that all Callings ought to be Contributary to his Maintenance for the very Plowshare is not exempted The King consisteth by the field that is tilled Eccles 5.8 Yet I find that the King hath but his set portion Ezech. 48.21,22 A Princely Revenew he is to have but not to take up the whole Nation as Crown-Land no as his Royal Grants ought not to be too large and liberal so his Royal Demands ought not to be too heavy and pressing If all were the Kings how then could Ahab sin in taking away Naboth's Vine-yard This may be Jezabel's Title or the Projectours Tenure but a Princes Royal heart doth abhor such a claim for indeed God ever established it A good King doth love his Subjects too well to tell them that he would be a King of Bondmen he is a base Subject that will suffer his King to remain poor and a King is too Noble to think that his chiefe Sovereignty is to make his Subjects poor Pesants may be so used but Subjects every where are not to be brought down so low as to have no other vest but a Canvas-suit They are no good Courtiers which hold this Paradox they rather seek their own lucre then their Princes lustre they are fitter to wait upon Dionysius the Tyrant then a Gracious Prince if they loved their Princes Honour as well as they do their own Intradoes they would disdain to expose their Prince to obloquy to satisfie their own greedy gripple desires but these are but the dregs garbage Lumbard excrements sweepings vervin of a Court a worthy Courtier doth scorn to salute such or to call them fellows for he finds that they are meer Horse-leeches Ferrets Caterpillers which thrust themselves into a Princes Service to serve their own Interests whose Faith is Fortune and their Grace Greatness they have little in them of a right Christian and nothing at all of a true Courtier they would sell the Kings Honour for their own advantage and bring him into a general hatred for their particular Accrument they will stir him up to pluck the whole Kingdom that they may get the Feathers to flay his Subjects like Beasts that they may have the profit of their skins A knowing King doth detest such and an intelligent Courtier doth defy such for both these see that they are but born for themselves that they tread inward that they look not right forward but are Goggle-eyed looking onely to their own Coffers famelici tri-parci meer Flesh-flies and Earth-worms Scandals to the King and Stains to the splendid Courtier What need have I of Mad men so what need hath a King of such Selfish men No a Prudent King doth prize them onely which advise him to maintain his People's Liberties as well as his own Royalties For a Prince is never more Glorious then when he shines before the eyes of his People in the bright beams of gentle Usage and moderate Taxes He that Ruleth over men must be just 2 Sam. 23.3 Sueton. Tiberius the First would have the sheep to be shorn but not skinned Euagr. Tiberius the Second liked not Tribute which was gathered with the Sobs of the people Lamprid. Alexander Severus would not have his Subject's Estates Merchandised And indeed every good Prince's Gold mines should chiefly ly in the hearts of his People That is the best Treasure which is sent into him by the Messengers of his Subjects affections The Fence of the People's Liberties is to be kept up for He that breaketh an Hedg a serpent shall bite him Stock up a Tree and it will bear no more but let it grow and there will be yearly fruit Imbargo Ships and there is no Voyage to be expected but let them go out freely and there will be Sea-fare abundant they will come sayling home into the Ports with Tunnage and Poundage beyond expression Let the People have a moderate freedom and the Prince hath an infinite Bank A King is not to be streightned in Means for that is the disgrace of the Nation Means must not be wrested in for that is the Groan of the Nation He is the richest Prince which doth desire no more Riches then a thankfull People is bound to part with Therefore for a Prince to preserve his People's Rights as it is his admired equity so it is a branch of his Governing Knowledg Thirdly In causing a free Administration of Justice for what is a Throne but a Judgement-Seat Yes the nether Judicatory to the Tribunal of Christ Jesus A King beareth not the Sword for nought but he is to have vengeance on them that do evil Rom. 13.4 A King's Sword is as necessary as his Crown Judgement is to be executed in the Morning and he that is spoiled is to be delivered out of the hands of the oppressour Jer. 12.12 Judgement is to run down like water and Righteousness like a mighty stream Amos 5.24 It is better that wicked men should hear ill in their Reputation then that the King should hear ill for connivence Plut. as Philip told Harpalus The Judg and the Altar should be both alike Aristot 3. Rhet. as Archytas said Fulgos. lib. c. 8. He is no good Praetor which doth prefer a bad cause before he Laws Wherefore is the Pruning-hook but to cut of withered branches wherefore is the Launcer but to take away dead flesh wherefore are not the Kites taken and the Beasts of Prey hunted to death why are common Barretours suffered to vex the Nation why are impudent Concubines kept openly why do just Heirs walk up and down the Streets in their filthy garments why do Damnable Blades swear as if there were neither Justice in the Land nor God in Heaven why do Cheaters Magicians Witches false-Coyners false-Witnesses Hereticks Blasphemers and all manner of execrable sinners pollute the Land defile the Church reproach the very Name of a Saviour and yet walk up and down the Streets and are not questioned are these no Guilts or is there no Punishment Is there nothing which doth blinde the eyes of the wise have the Judges
shaken their hands well from that which hinders them from inflicting condign punishment What uproars and Gallio care not for them Should these Foxes rest every night in their Burroughs and not be digged out Oh! seeing Judges are the King's Eyes whereby he should spy out Offences and his Lips whereby he should speak to the Land and his Hands whereby he should chastise Transgressours A King had need to arise in a Princely indignation and dash these Eyes buffet these Lips and cramp these Hands I read Alexand. ab Alex lib. 3. c. 5. that Darius crucified Sandaces for not executing Judgement and Valerius Max. lib. 6. cap. 4. that Cambyses flayed Sisannes for pronouncing false Judgement and that a Saxon King hung up Judges by the scores for neglecting Judgment If some Judges had been so served what a fatal Doom would there have been Oh! how many corrupt Humours do there abound because this good Physick is not administred Because sentence against an evil-doer is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are fully set to do evil Ecc. 8.11 Are Judges in the King's stead then why do they not measure out Justice the Kings without Partiality or Corruption A wise King scattereth the wicked causeth the Wheel to turn over them Prov. 20.26 If the Judges will not be so honest as to turn the Wheel the King should be so wise as to make them wheel out of their places or to cause them to suffer that wheel that others should have endured Pity it is that a Vertuous Prince and his whole Kingdom should be put upon the hazard of ruine because of wicked men's Impunity Is he freed of sin himself and will his Judges make him a partaker of other men's sins Are not these faithful trusty Judges The King therefore to free his Person Conscience and Nation had need to take strict care that the edge of his Justice may be felt in Malefactour's sides and this is a a part of his Knowledg Fourthly In advancing the Welfare of the Nation For the Kingdom is his Mansion and will not every one beautifie his own Mansion It is his Spouse and will not every one deck his own Spouse When the Righteous are in Authority the People rejoyce Prov. 29.2 A Righteous King makes a joyous People his love maketh every Heart-string leap and his Knowledg doth send Mirth into the farthest part of the Nation he is so exact in Government that far and nigh they finde the blessing of his prudent managing of Affairs for he doth not study so much his own Greatness as the Greatness of his People not to make himself high as his Land happy That as in Asah's days it is said they built and prospered 2 Chron. 14.7 and in Hezekiah's dayes it is said that God blessed the people and there was abundance 2 Chron. 31.10 so in a good Princes days there is nothing but plenty and prosperity to be seen for he doth not as Isocrates saith Isoc in Helena impose labours upon the people and enjoy delights himself but he would have his people have reciprocal Pleasures with him he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Homer saith of Atreus Homer Il. 2. a a man that hath a divided Mind to take care of every particular man's welfare he doth account Government to be rem populi non suaÌ„ The People's business not his own Platina as good Adrian was wont to say Whatsoever a rent-Scate he doth come to he doth desire to be stiled with Justinian Sigon lib. 20. Imper. Occident Veteris gloriae Instaurator eximius The famous Restorer of the antient Glory He would have all Arts to flourish and Callings to prosper the Waggons to trace the Land and the Ships to furrow the Seas he Granaries to be filled the Ware-houses to be furnished the Magazines to be stored that people might talk of nothing but Free-Trade and vast Gains heaping up Silver as Dust and Gold as the Stones of the street As a roaring Lion and an hungry Bear so is a wicked Ruler over the People Prov. 28. â—5 â—ut as Fostering Father and a Nursing Mother so is a good Ruler over the People for since this Prince came into the Land what Felicity hath entred with him Since he mounted the Throne how have we mounted to admiration We had nothing but Wants and Wasts Penury and Scarcity but now our Prosperity is risen like the Flood we build our Nests in the Stars for see our Plenty behold our abundance Who ever thought to have seen such Happy days Who could have expected such a Return of Blessings Our Phoenix is arisen out of her Ashes our wasted Countrey is become again like Eden The Garden of God Oh praised be God! Oh honoured be the Prince So that a Land might be in-lai'd with Riches and enamelled with Wealth a good King makes it the Achme of his Ruling Art and Governing Knowledg to advance the welfare of the Nation Thus then at last ye have seen a compleat King who it is that wears the right Crown of Honour and sways the true Scepter of Majesty in a Nation even He which hath these two Imperial Perfections in Him Vnderstanding for Heavenly Things and Knowledg for Temporal Things But by a Man of Vnderstanding and Knowledg The State thereof Now let us come to the Patient that is to have the benefit of this Physick The State The State thereof that is the whole Common-Wealth From hence observe that a Prudent Prince is a General Blessing For the Root of the Righteous giveth Fruit Prov. 12.12 It hath not onely Sap to flourish it self but Fruit to feed others that is many shall taste of the benefit of such an one's Government for is the Royal Family onely raised by a Wise and just Prince's coming to His Throne No Justice â—…dteth the Nation Prov. 14.34 A whole Nation is exalted when such an one is exalted for such a Governour being set in Authority He is as the Sun which doth give Light and Splendour to all within His Dominions Vnder His Shadow were we preserved Lam. 4.20 Preservation and Prosperity do reach to all that are under the Shadow of His Sovereignty For as when the Wicked are in Authority the People do sigh so when the Righteous are in Authority the People do rejoyce Prov. 29.2 a general Joy is spread through the whole Nation for not onely the King himself shall be happy but the Kingdom shall share with Him in Felicity Jacob shall take Root and Israel shall Blossom and Bud and fill the Face of the Earth with Fruit Es 27.6 The Reign of Solomon the Wise made all the People joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness which the Lord had done 1 King 8. â—6 Yea not onely He himself was in safety and welfare but Judah and Israel dwelt without fear every man under his Vine and Figg-Tree from Dan to Beer-shebah 1 King 4.25 So that a Prudent Prince is to
Heraclius and having his hands feet shoulders and privities cut off was at last deservedly beheaded What should I speak more of Belisarius Bomilcar Calippus Cleander Orgefforix Procopius Gildo Stilico Felicianus Zaacius Murziphilus Massaeus Bujamundus Theupolus Marinus Falerius and a thousand others which got great estates by tyranny and lost them with terrour How do ill gotten goods melt out of the hands of the Possessors How many are torne in pieces by their own Blood-hounds Oh that they would hear this observe this lay this to heart which care not how they pile up means and beget a breed of riches out of the womb of a Concubine cheats being as good to them as lawful gaines and slippery devices as the just Fruits of their Callings How few can look upon their means with a comfortable eye or bless Divine Providence as the Root of their florishing Estates VVhat think you of them which have advanced themselves by the short Yard-VVand and the scant measure by varnishing and glozing mingling and sophisticating by blowing and stretching by the narrow Slay and the deep Toll-dish by decoying and trappanning by pimping and pandoring by broken Titles and False Witnesses by suborning and sycophantizing by insinuating lies and insnaring oathes by breach of Promises and breach of Covenants by Usury Forgery Perjury Bribery biting Prices griping Fees Simony and Sacriledge oh the sordid spirits that many men have to raise Fortunes men of high parts and lofty preferments insatiable and imprudent in wresting in advantage not only we cannot eat drink or wear any thing but there is cheating and cousenage in it but not an Office can be procured nor a Sentence at Law obtained but men know the prices of them to purpose both Court and Courts of Justice have a sad complaint concerning them I blush and bleed at what I hear and men feel Oh that men of admired wisdom should be so blinde about cursed gain That men that can talk in the highest accent about Religion should be so anomolous in matters of Equity I particularise none and it doth trouble me that so many should know their names yea it doth grieve me that under a gracious Saviour there should be so little Conscience and under a pure Prince so much corruption The Brokers-shops and the very Stews are scarse more infamous yea God grant that Publicans and Harlots do not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before them Do Heathens and Infidels onely commit such things no Et Roma habet suum Hannibalem as Hannibal said of Fabius Rome hath her Hannibal so the Reformed Church hath her rapacious crew the whole World is full of little else as Saint Anthony dreamt but snares and gins Yet these men are under my Prayers and my soul doth weep for them in secret for they cannot but be convinced of the erroneousness of their actions and so I trust there is some hope of their conversions But there are a generation of men which seem to be twofold more the children of Hell and I am not certain whether Prayers or Tears will do them any good a man would almost think they were past conviction and shame they have gotten estates injuriously and justifie the possession of them insolently they hold them as good as birth-rights and no gains of a lawful Trade seem to be more comfortable As Naboths Vineyard was as good Freehold to Ahab as his Crown-land and Achans Babylonish Garment and Golden Wedge was as good purchase as his Fathers Carmies Tapestry or the best Jewel in his keeping so what these men have gotten by the lurch booty is as lawful Revenue as a Patrimony It is no matter how they came by it so long as they have fingered it What say you to them which have risen from being but Handicrafts men to be now râ—ght good Gentlemen and from Mechanâ—cks to shoulder it with Peers and Potentates and how by Wastes and Spoyles Rents and Ruines Depradations and Depopulations Free-plunder and Free quarter Tears and Blood which have broken up Houses and rifled Families adorned their rooms with other mens hangings and decked their new Ladies with the old Ladies Jewels which felled down Woods after they had felled down Men and sold Beasts out of the Pastures after they had imprisoned the Owners in Dungeons like Beasts which entered inheritances by the beat of the Drum and fetched home revenewes by the swords point Soldiers of forcune indeed which fought for halfe Crownes and whole Crownes too which lived upon Sequestred Meanes Delinquents Estates Kings-land and Church-land men that studied a new Art as famous as Baltazars Academy very liberal Sciences they proved to them or if ye will set up a new Merchandise created a new Corporation Freemen of the politicks which trade in Goldsmiths Hall Haberdashers Hall Camden House Darby House Worcester House Somerset House the pirilous Court of Indempnity the pernicious high Court of Justice which have been Messengers Informers Flies Spies Committeemen Excisemen Keepers of Jayles Keepers of Liberties any vocation to thrive and get commodity by And yet these men tell the world that they are neither Jewes nor Mores for they have Bibles in their hands and cry aloud to have the Lord Jesus set upon his Throne Well what shall I say that these are inspired stilts for Religion to walk upon or hallowed nets to catch erring soules no neat inventions to crutch up broken fortunes or holy frauds to baite angles with to hook up silly fish But can these men perswade themselves that goods so gotten have in them any good cement to uphold a building Truly I should have thought that if I hâ—d been Officer or Commander Chafferer or Chaplain under such a State that I should have exposed my good name to infamy my conscience to the Furies and my Estate to be torne in peeces by the Bandogs Is there no lightning in the sky to blast such unjust gaines are there no Thunderbolts in Heaven to strike down such loftly Turrets built up with Rapine a man would think thâ—t the cries and curses of the poor were enough to demolish and dismantle such structures Howsoever if God be the God of recompenses he will render to them in time all their wickedness and take vengeance of them sevenfold Though the good Prince or the great Council may pardon them yet I doubt whether the just God will cover their iniquity and wash away their blood They know who was their Protectour in all their violences and who it was which gave them Commission to prey upon an innocent people but where is now the rage of the Oppressour Es 51.13 Where is the Lyons dwelling and the pasture of the Lyons whelpes where the Lyon and the Lyoness walked and the Lyons whelpe and none made him afraid The Lyon did teare in peeces for his whelpes and worried for his Lyoness and filled his holes with prey and his dennes with spoyle Nahum 2.11.12 Is your Protector yet living and with his Vulcans face and Hercules club able
of the dungeon hath freedome no trances no extasies yes Let us praise the Lord who hath remembered us in our base estate for his mercy endureth fâ—r ever And hath rescued us from our Oppressours for his mercy endureth for ever Psal 136.23,24 What people once more miserable what people now more happy magnifie your God and kisse his present extol his mercy and be ravished with his Man We have had enough of the Many men here is the one and the Onely Man we have had enough of the intruding men here is the interessed man we have had enough of the self ended man here is the genraell-ended man the right republike man the true and great Statesman a Man that doth mind nothing but the common good that doth preferre the welfare of the Nation before the splendor of his owne palace a Man that is naturally ours a man that is cordially ours a Man that is wholy ours the Man of the Kingdom the Man for the Kingdome a Brittish man the Brittish glory what would ye expect in man that is not to be found in this Man what would ye desire in man that is not eminently in this Man I am unwilling to call him Man doubtlesse he is celestiall or let him be Man but withall call him Mirrour A Prince of constellations a Prince of the Sunne a Prince that hath in him the influence of the third heavens yea I might say the inspiration of Gods own brest the Prince of Gods right eye and Gods right hand Blessed Prince that enjoys such a God happie Land that enjoys such a Prince Since the Foundations of the earth all things considered when were there so many mercies and miracles shewn in one Prince I admire them and almost adore them sure I am I may God for them This Age hath the fruit of them after ages will have the bruit of them that we had judgement enough to prize them or thankfulnesse enough to honour them Oh that this should be the Prince that God in the sight of the whole world would Crown with his own right Hand That this should be the Land where such a Darling of Heaven should raign To speak much of him is but his desert to speak all of him is beyond my All. It had need be some Appelles that should draw this Picture or some Thamiris the sonne of Philammon whose songs were said to be composed by all the Muses which should be the Precentor in this Dittie Yet thus much I can and will say of him and that not only for to shew my Princes honour but the peoples happinesse that his birth is Royal and blessed art thou Oh Land when thy King is the sonne of Nobles Now where is there a Prince in Christendom which can derive such an ancient Linage Secondly That his puissance is proved and approved his valour being the fame of all Nations Thirdly That his patience is renowned he having shewn himself the suffering Anvile both of necessities and indignities What should I speak of more his Temperance is an Example and his clemencie is beyond Example Should I set out his other perfections and break a string in the expressing of them some Grashopper or other would be so kind as to leap upon my Instrument and sing out that which I might be defective in Strabo l. 6. as it happened to Eunomus when he contended with Ariston For his Eminencies are so well known that they are the daily speech of the vulgar To abridge therefore much that might be spoken I shall only give him the just praise of my Text and say that whatsoever a rare Man he be in other things he is a proper Man I mean a proper man to cure a Diseased and perishing State for he is a Man of Understanding and Knowledge Briefly to descant upon both these First He is a Man of Understanding in heavenly things he will own no Faith but that which is inspired nor no Worship but that which is Primitive nor no Ministry but that which is Apostolical nor no conversation but that which is unblemished He doth desire a bright Church more then a glorious Court Secondly He is a Man of Knowledge in temporal things He that in his greatest extremities beyond-Sea hath wronged none but hath preserved the honour of his justice will not come come home to his own to feed upon his peoples Birthrights there is nothing in him that doth seem like a claw For matters of Judicature the Administration of Justice is like to be as free under him as the light of Heaven for as he hath the ablest Judges so he will make them the faithfullest he that caâ—…ies such an eye over his Bishops will likewise watch over his Judges that there may be no remissnesse partiality nor corruption in them He doth set up his Royal Standard to the whole Nation and if those which were entrusted by him do not weigh out justice to his people he will as soon punish a Judge as a Judge should a Malefactour or an Oppressour howsoever if any thing should escape that way for want of his priviâ—y it shall be the sinne of the Judges and not of the Prince For the advancement of the welfare of the Nation ye need not doubt it for as he is a King so his Kingdom doth lye close under his Eyelâ—…â—…ea it is deeply engraven into the bottom or â—his 〈◊〉 the benefit of his people being as dear to him 〈◊〉 the Râ—… of his Crown-land His Presence hath â—…ken aâ—…ly 〈◊〉 hindrances to obstruct Trade and His Princely care shall be to add all furtherances that all Callings both by Sea and Land may prosper for he is very sensible that his Subjects stock is his Bank it being impossible if there be not the height of tenaciousnesse and ingratitude that there can be a wanting Prince where there is a flourishing people In point of knowledge I do fear him but in one thing and that it the first the preserving of his own Rites but that he will not fail in for want of Knowledge but through abundance of good nature for I hear that he hath a heart so great and an hand so liberal that he will give Royalties to expresse Bounty but this perhaps may be but a particular mans fear my wise Prince in time may prove as great an Husband of his Rights as others would have him a boundlesse Distributer But if this should be his errour it were but his own injurie and an exuberancy of an heroical and magnificent Spirit Thus then I have now shewn you what your Prince is and it is fit for every one to know the worth of his own Jewel to honour a Prince is a part of loyaltie Give honour to whom honour belongeth Fear God and honour the King Honour me before the people said Saul and Samuel did not refuse it To ascribe more to a King then is due is flattery to substract from a King what he doth deserve is Felony And as there may be many Parasites so I doubt there are a great company of Crown-plunderers What I have uttered I intend rather for an Alarum-bel then a Trumpet for an Incentive then a Panegyrick to quicken your thankfulnesse then to decipher my Princes perfections and this I think is both duty and conscience If he be such a Prince then affect him admire him value him reverence him Think whit a miserie ye had what a blessing ye have oh strange alteration Oh blessed change Have ye a King and such a King then do nothing to diminish his Worth to disturbe his Government to prejudice his Rights to injurie his person Malicious is that eye which coth look upon him with spight Venomous is that heart which doth envie his Government and cursed is that hand that would assault his person Would any one throw down that dish by which he should be fed Pluck out that eye by which he should see Bruise that foot by which be should walk Clip out that Tongue by which he should speak Stamp under foot that evidence by which he should inherit Rend in pieces that Garment wherewith he should be cloathed Burn that house wherein he should dwell abase scorn scandall maligne mischieve murther that King that should make him happie both for bodie and soule Is this the subjection to a King Is this the obedience to a Man of Understandidg and Knowledge God deliver us from such loyal Subjects here is horrid Allegiance I beseech you therefore by the remembrance of the Many Princes ye have had and of the one Prince ye have by the men of violent spirits and politick heads and by the Man of Understanding and Knowledge by your former slaverie and your present libertie by your Kings Right and your Kings Graces by your Countrymens welfare and your Enemies watchfulnesse by the honour of obedience and the shame of Rebellion by the names of Subjects and the Noblenesse of Saints by the obligation of Oathes and the commination of Gods Lawes by the impartial Judges which ye feel in your own bosomes and the incorrupt Judge which ye will meet with at the Throne by the fruit ye desire under the Ministery and by the comforts you expect upon your death-beds that laying aside all jealousies irefull passages exasperated passions humours and tumours motions and commotions ye do bow before such a King and blesse God for such a Man Know his just Claim and acknowledge his Perfections pray for his prosperous Raign and do what ye can to preserve his precious and sacred Person so may the King have safety thy Kingdom prosperity Religion Honour the Church Unity the Gospel propagation Faith Purity the Nation may be preserved the State may be prolonged and Upon all the Glory there may be a Defence All which God grant for his mercies sake Amen Amen FINIS
readier passage for them to break in amongst us then by your old corruptions If we would preserve the Man of understanding and knowledge can there be a surer means of prevention of misery then by taking the right Antidote against Transgression For can Transgression be prolonged and the State prolonged no Contraries do expel each other If the distemper be continued the disease may renew Our incorrigible sins may endanger your Majesties Royal person and shed your Royal bloud I do not fear so much the Malecontents at home or the Machivilians abroad as these Miscreants of impiety and impenitency Some call their selves your Majesties good Subjects some your best Subjects I would they would try their degrees of comparison by a superiority of repentance Repentance what should we repent of Some think onely of carnal sins but carnal sins are onely greater for turpitude and infamy Tho. Aq. 12 q. 72â— art but spiritual sins are the most hainous for deordination and irregularity and that in respect of subject object and motive Well both the black and the white Devil had need to be dispossessed Your Majesty therefore did wisely to publish your pious Proclamation to call home all to a religious life I call it a pious Proclamation because if men had listened to it they might have been made not onely happy but holy under you A divine sentence was in the lips of the King when that was sent through the whole Nation it is a rare thing to hear a King upon the Throne to teach all the Kingdome virtue such a King may be sirnamed Ecclesiastes such a motion is able to sanctifie a Land especially when it is not onely mandatory but exemplary edged with as much piety as authority whereby all your people might ascribe to you your attributes of Gratious Soveraign and Sacred Majesty Your Majesty have done your part freed your own soul and endeavoured to cleanse ours But I beseech you my dear and dread Soveraign what operation have you found by that Masterpiece of your government how many Royal Converts have you to rejoyce in If you have I will say that Majesty doth carry some Soveraignty with it and that your Crown is not more glorious then your Scepter awfull you are then a potent King and have true loyal Subjects then all Nations will flock hither more to see your virtue your efficacious virtue then ever they did to hear the wisdome of Solomon and say that here do dwell the people of holinesse and that you do reign in a Kindome of Saints which is not onely your proper Territory but your proper Sanctuary a Temple which you have consecrated by your own graces yea then as Cyprus was once called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the happy Island Knolles Turk hist so we shall be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the religious Island Doth your Majesty find by experience that your physick hath wrought and that your Patient hath voided his ill humours is your Court purged is your Land cleansed hath the Goddammee-Blade filed his blaspheming tongue hath the riotous Carowser left drowning himself upon dry land hath Felix given over his groping for bribes hath Shebah laid down his trumpet have the Monichangers pulled down their Tables what are all rough places made plain and crooked things made streight Who hath heard such a thing who hath seen such things shall the earth be brought forth in one day or a Nation be born at once Es 66.8 Oh regenerating King then Oh converting Proclamation If men be thus really renewed it is pity that they should be reproached with any of their former errours for none but a sordid spirit will gather up that filth which repentance hath washed away When the bond is cancelled the former debts are no more to be required the reformed man is no more to be called a scandalous person for then what comfort should any man have in his change or in striking the mortifying nail into his brest it is as great a sin to censure a Penitent as to flatter a Libertine Repentance doth give the exequies to all former crimes mortified crimes are to be buried aswell as dead corpses There are none but Necromancers which will call up the spirits of the deceased to work their Magicall ends withall there are none but ravenous dogs which will satisfie their greedy appetites with such Carrion for what can God or man require more of the greatest Sinner then reformation Were it unpriestly unchristian unmanly in me to call any man Rebel who is become a Loyal Subject or him an Heretick or Schismatick who is turned Orthodox in doctrine and discipline then how ungodly and inhumane is it in any to call them profane who have declared themselves Converts Mary Magdalen Peter and Paul would never have been called Saints by these spiritual Murtherers of reformation but repentance hath so rinsed a Penitent that he is never after to be called filthy Pâ—nitentia revocat omnes defectus restituendo hominem in pristinam gratiam Dignitas amissa per peccatum restauratur per poenitentiam Aquin. 3. q. 9. art 3. for it is an expulsion of all former defects and a restitution into a state of grace The dignity that was lost by sin is restored by repentance If your Majesty therefore doth meet with such esteem them and embrace them prize them and prefer them they are the lustres of your Nation and the Supporters of your Throne But I doubt that your Majesty upon due search can find few of these Proclamation-men they may read and magnifie but not loath and cleanse That Witch of Religion I am afraid did more good with his redhot iron then you can do with your Imperial Edict They which make a foul shew in the flesh and they which make a fair shew in the flesh they whose course is wholly sinne and they whose cause is wholly sinne antiquum obtinent Now are these likely to fortifie your Title or to establish your greatnesse no God send you better Champions three righteous Saints were better then Myriads of such Heroes they may have the brawny arms of Giants but they have no good sinews their sins will never suffer them to fight with a conquering hand If they will not expresse their selves truely vertuous how do they reverence your person or cordially desire your preservation no they do but live under you to confirm their interests and in effect care not whether you live or die prosper or perish if they did they would shun those transgressions which they know will cause the bloud-draught of Princes If they will not wash I will go to the Laver my self and endeavour to cleanse my self and as many as I can that there may be a race of your Proclamation-births to guard your Royal Person in all exigents Thus beseeching your Sacred Majesty to cast your benign Princely eye upon these unpolished Sermons which are principally intended to second your Proclamation blessing God Almighty that he hath restored