I Hold it no small fauor of God (right Honourable & be­loued) that he hath called me [Page 2] to the seruice of this day; both in the name of such a people, to praise him for his Anoin­ted, and in his name to praise his Anointed to his people. The same hand that giues the oportunite, vouchsafe to giue successe to this businesse. That which the lewes sinned in but desiring, it is our happinesse to inioy. I need not call any other witnesse then this day, wherin we celebrate the bles­sing of a King, and (which is more) of a King higher then other Princes by the head and shoulders. And if other yeeres had forgotten this tribute of their loyaltie and thankful­nesse, [Page 3] yet the example of those ancient Roman Christians (as Eusebius and Sozomen reporr) Decimum quem que an­num Imperato­res Romani magna festiui­tate celebrant. Sozom. l 1. 24. Idem Euseb. de vita Const. would haue taught vs, that the tenth complete yeere of our Constantine, deserues to be so­lemne & Iubilar. And if our ill nature could bee content to smother this mercie in silence, the very Lepers: of Samaria shold rise vp against vs & say, Wee doe not well; this is a day of good tidings, & we hold our peace. My discourse yet shall not bee altogether laudatory, but as Samuels, led in with exhortati­on, and caried out with threat­ning. For this Text is a com­position of duties, fauors, dan­gers: [Page 4] of duties which we o [...]e, of fauours receiued, of dan­gers threatned. The duties that God Idokes for of vs, come before the mention of the fauors wee haue receiued from him, (though after their receit) to teach vs, that as his mercy, so our obediēce should be absolute: and the danger followes both, to make vs more carefull to hold the fa­uors, and performe the du­ties; And me thinks there can­not be a more excellent mix­ture. If we should heare only of the fauors of God, nothing of our duties, wee should fall into conceitednesse: if only of [Page 5] our duties without recogni­tion of his sauours, we should proue vncheerfull; and if both of these, without mention of any danger, wee should pre­sume on our fauours, and bee slacke in our duties. prepare therfore your Christian eares and hearts for this threefold cord of God, that (through his blessing) these duties may draw you to obedience, the dangers to a greater awe, and the fauours to further thanke­fulnesse.

The goodnesse of these out­ward things is not such as that it can priuiledge euery desire of them from sinne Monarchy [Page 6] is the best of gouernments, & likest to his rule, that sits in the assembly of Gods. One God, Juxta Homer. [...] &c. one King, was the acclamati­on of those ancient Christi­ans: and yet it was mis-desired of the Israelites: We may not euer desire that which is bet­ter in it selfe, but that which is better for vs; Neither must we follow our conceit in this iudgement, but the appoint­ment of God: Now, though God had appointed in time, both a Scepter and a Law gi­uer to Iuda, yet they sinned in mending the pace of God, and spurring on his decree. And if they had staid his lea­sure; [Page 7] so that they had desired that which was best in it selfe, best for them, appointed by God, and now appointed, yet the manner and ground offen­ded: For out of an humour of innouation, out of discon­tent, out of distrust, out of an itch of conformitie to other Nations, to aske a King, it was not onely a sinne as they con­fesse: vers. 29. but (ragnah rab­bah) a great wickednesse as Samuel tels them. vers. 17. and (as oftentimes we may reade Gods displeasure in the face of the heauen) he showes it in the weather. God thunders and raynes in the middest of [Page 8] wheat haruest. The thunder was fearefull, the raine in that hote climate and season strangely vnseasonable: both to be in the instant vpon Samu­els speech, was iustly miracu­lous. The heathen Poets bring in their fained God thundering in applause; I ne­uer finde the true God did so. This voice of God brake Psal. 29. these Cedars of Lebanon, and made these Hindes to calue: and now they cry Peccauimus, ver. 19 If euer we will stoope, the iudgements of God will bring vs on our knees. Samuel takes vantage of their humili­ation, and according to the [Page 9] golden sentence of that Sami­an Jnter [...] Pythagorae Oneratis super­ponendum o­nus; id est, ad virtutem in­cedentibus augmentanda praecepta; Tra­dentes se otio relinquendos. Hier. aduers. Ruffin. wise-man, that bids vs lay waight vpon the loden, (how euer Hierom take it in another sense) he lades them with these three duties; Feare, seruice, consideration.

Feare and seruice goe still together. Serue the Lord in Psal. 2. feare, saith Dauid. Feare the Lord and serue him, saith Ioshua; Iosh. 24. 14. And, feare euer before ser­uice, for that vnlesse our ser­uice proceede from feare, it is hollow and worthlesse. One saies well, that these inward dispositions are as the kernell; outward acts are as the shell; he is but a deafe nut therfore, [Page 10] that hath outward seruice, without inward feare; Feare God (saith Salomon) first, and Eccl. vlt. then, keepe his commandements. Behold, the same tongue that bad them not feare, vers. 20. now bids them feare; and the same spirit that tels vs they feared exceedingly (vers. 18.) now enioynes them to feare more. What shall we make of this? Their other feare was at the best Initiall; for now they began to repent; and as one saies of this kinde of feare, that Iob. de Combis Compend. Theol. it hath two eyes fixed on two diuers obiects, so had this of theirs. One eye looked vpon the raine and thunder; the [Page 11] other looked vp to the God that sent it; The one of these it borrowed of the slauish or hostile feare (as Basil calls it,) the other of the filiall; for the slauish feare casts both eyes vpon the punishment; the fi­liall lookes with both eyes on the partie offended. Now then Samuel would rectifie and per­fect this affection, and would bring them from the feare of slaues, through the feare of penitents, to the feare of sons: and indeed one of these makes way for another. It is true that perfect loue thrusts out feare: but it is as true, that feare brings in that perfect [Page 12] loue, which is ioined with the reuerence of sonnes. Like as the needle or bristle (so one compares it) drawes in the thred after it, or as the potion brings health. The compun­ction of feare (saith Gregorie) Greg. 3. Dial. c. 34. Compunctio formidinis tra­dit animum compunctioni dilectionis. fits the minde for the com­punction of loue. Wee shall neuer reioyce truely in God, except it bee with trembling: Except we haue quaked at his thunder, we shall neuer ioy in his sunne shine. How seaso­nably therefore doth Samuel, when hee saw them smitten with that guiltie and seruile feare, call them to the: reue­rentiall feare of God; There­fore [Page 13] feare yee the Lord? It is good striking, when God hath striken; there is no fishing so good as in troubled waters. The conscience of man is a nice and sullen thing, and if it be not taken at fit times, there is no medling with it. Tell one of our gallants in the midst of all his iollity and reuells, of deuotion, of piety, of iudge­ments; he hath the Athenian question ready, What will his babler say? Let that man a­lone till God haue touch't his soule with some terrour, till hee haue cast his body on the bed of sicknesse, when his fether is turned to a kerchiefe, [Page 14] when his face is pale, his eyes sunke, his hands shaking, his breath short, his flesh consu­med, now hee may bee talk't with, now he hath learned of Eli to say, speake Lord for thy seruant heareth. The conuexe or out-bowed side of a vessell will hold nothing; it must be the hollow and depressed part that is capable of any liquor. Oh, if wee were so humbled with the varieties of Gods iudgements as wee might, how sauoury should his coun­sels be, how precious & wel­come would his feare bee to our trembling hearts? where­as now, our stubborne sence­lesnesse [Page 15] frustrates (in respect of our successe, though not of his decree) all the threatnings and executions of God.

There are two maine affe­ctions, Loue, and Feare, which as they take vp the soule where they are, and as they neuer go a sunder, (for euery loue hath in it a feare of offending and forgoing; and euery feare im­plyes a loue of that, which we suspect may mis-carry) so ech of them fulfils the whole law of God. That loue is the a­bridgement of the Decalogue both our Sauiour, and his blessed Apostle haue taught vs: It is as plaine of Feare; The [Page 16] title of Iob is, A iust man, and one that feared God; iustice is ex­pressed by Feare. For what is iustice, but a freedome from sinne? And the feare of the Lord hates euil, saith Salomon. Pro. 8. 13. Hence Moses his [...] Thou shalt Deut. 6. 13. feare, is turned by our Saui­our ( [...]) Thou shalt wor­ship, Mat. 4. 11 [...] or adore. And that which Esay saith, In vaine they feare me, Isay 29. 13. [...] Mat. 15. 9. our Sauiour renders, In vaine they worship mee; as if all wor­ship consisted in Feare. Hence it is probable that God hath his name in two languages from ( [...],) Feare, and the same [...] Plut. Caesare. Act. 23. 10. Heb. 5. 9. word in the Greeke signifies both Feare & Religion. And [Page 17] Salomon when he saies The feare of the Lord is [...] the beginning (as we turne it,) of wisedome, saies more then we are a ware of; for the word signifies as well Caput or Principatum; the head or top of wisedome; yea (saith Siracides) it is the crown vpon the head; it is the roote of the same wisedome, where­of [...] Eccles. 1. 23. [...] Eccl. 1. 6. [...]. v. 20. it is the top-branch, saith the same Author. And surely this is the most proper dispo­sition of men towards God; for though God stoope down so low as to vouchsafe to bee loued of men, yet that infinite inequalitie, which there is be­tweene him and vs, may seeme [Page 18] not to allow so perfect a fit­nesse of that affection, as of this other, which suites so well betwixt our vilenesse, and his glory, that the more dispro­portion there is betwixt vs, the more due & proper is our feare. Neither is it lesse ne­cessarie then proper, for wee can be no Christians without it; whether it be (as Hemingius distinguishes it well) timor cul­tus, Hem. in Ps. 25. or culpae, either our feare in worshipping, or our feare of offending; the one is a de­uout feare, the other a care­full feare. The latter was the Corinthians feare, whose god­ly 2. Cor. 7. 11. sorrow when the Apostle [Page 19] had mentioned, he addes, Yea what indignation, yea what feare, yea what desire? The for­mer is that of the Angels, who hide their faces with their wings; yea of the Son of God, as man, who fell on his face to his father. And this is due to God, as a father, as a maister, as a benefactor, as a God in­finite in all that he is. Let me be bold to speake to you, with the Psalmist, Come ye children, hearken to mee, and I will teach Psal. 34. 11. you the feare of the Lord. What is it therefore to feare God; but to acknowledge the glo­rious (the inuisible) presence of God in all our wayes, with [Page 20] Moses his eyes [...]: to bee Heb. 11. Sic semper De­um praesentem intelligit ac si ipsum qui prae­sens est in sua essentia vide. rit. Bern. form. bon. vitae. awefully affected at his pre­sence with Jacob (quàm tremen­dus?) to make an humble re­signation of our selues to the holy will of God with Eli, It is the Lord; and to attend reue­rently vpon his disposing with Dauid, Here I am, let him doe to me, as seemeth good in his eyes. 2. Sam. 15. 26. This is the feare of the Lord. There is nothing more talk't of, nothing lesse felt. I appeale from the tongues of men to their hands; the wise heathen taught me to doe so, Uerbare­bus proba. The voice of wick­ednesse Senec. Epist. Psal. 36. 1. is actuall, saith the Psalmist, wickednesse saith [Page 21] there is no feare of God be­fore his eyes. Behold where­soeuer is wickednesse, there can be no feare of God; these two cannot lodge vnder one roofe, for the feare of God driues out euill (saith Ecclesia­sticus.) As therefore Abraham Ecclus. 1. 26. argues well from the cause to the effect; Because the feare of God is not in this place, ther­fore they will kill me: So Da­uid argues back from the ef­fect to the cause, They ima­gine wickednesse on their bed, &c. therefore the feare of God is not before them. I would to God this argument were not too demonstratiue. Brethren, our [Page 22] liues shame vs. If wee fear'd the Lord, durst we dally with his name, durst wee teare it in pieces? Surely we contemn his person, whose name we con­temne. The Iewes haue a con­ceit, that the sinne of that Is­raelite which was stoned for blasphemie, was onely this, that hee named that ineffable name of foure letters Iehouah. Shall their feare keepe them from once mentioning the dreadfull name of God, and shall not our feare keepe vs from abusing it? Durst we so boldly sinne God in the face, if wee feared him? Durst wee mocke God with a formall [Page 23] flourish of that, which our heart tels vs wee are not, if wee feared him? Durst wee be Christians at Church, Mam­monists at home, if we feared him? Pardon mee, if in a day of gratulation, I hardly tem­per my tongue from reproof; for as the Iewes had euer some malefactour brought forth to them in their great feast; so it shall bee the happi­est peece of our triumph and solemnitie, if wee can bring forth that wicked profane­nesse, wherewith wee haue dishonor'd God, & blemisht his Gospell, to bee scourged, and dismissed with all holy in­dignitie. [Page 24] From this feare, let vs passe as briefly, through that which we must dwel in all our liues, the seruice of God. This is the subiect of all ser­mons, mine shall but touch at it. You shall see how I hasten to that discourse, which this day & your expectation calls me to.

Diuine Philosophy teaches vs to referre, not onely our speculations, but our affecti­ons to action. As therefore our seruice must be grounded vpon feare, so our feare must be reduced to seruice. What strength can these Masculine dispositions of the soule yeild [Page 25] vs, if with the Israelites brood they bee smoothered in the birth? Indeed the worst kinde of feare is that we call seruile; but the best feare, is the feare of seruants. For there is no seruant of God, but feares fi­lially. And againe God hath no sonne but he serues. Euen the natural sonne of God, was so in the forme of a seruant, that hee serued indeed; and so did hee serue that he indu­red all sorrow, and fulfilled all righteousnesse. So euery Chri­stian is a sonne and heyre to the King of heauen, and his word must be, I serue. Wee all know what seruice meanes. [Page 26] For wee all are, or were (I i­magine) either seruants of maisters, or seruants of the publique, or maisters of ser­uants, or all these. Wee can­not therefore be ignorant ei­ther what we require of ours, or what our superiors require of vs. If seruice consisted one­ly in wearing of liueries, in taking of wages, in making of curtesies, and kissing of hands, there were nothing more easie, or more common. Al of vs weare the cognizance of our christianity in our bap­tisme, all liue vpon Gods trencher in our maintenance, all giue him the comple­ments [Page 27] of a fashionable profes­sion. But, be not deceiued, the life of seruice is worke; the worke of a Christian is obe­dience to the Law of God. The Centurion when hee would describe his good ser­uant in the Gospell, needed say no more but this; I bid him doe this, and he doth it. Ser­uice then briefely is, nothing but a readinesse to doe as wee are bidden; and therefore both Salomon, and he that was greater then Salomon, de­scribes it by keeping the com­mandements; and the chosen vessell giues an euerlasting rule: His seruants ye are to whom Rom. 6. 16. [Page 28] yee obey. Now I might distin­guish this seruice into habitu­all, and actuall. Habituall; for as the seruant, while hee eates or sleepes, is in seruice still; so are wee to God: Actuall, whether vniuersal in the whole carriage of our liues (which Zacharie tels vs is in holinesse, and righteousnesse, holinesse Luke 1. 75. to God, righteousnesse to men) or particular, either in the duties which are pro­per to GOD, Inuocation and Attendance on his or­dinance (which by an excel­lence is termed his seruice) or in those which are pro­per to vs, as wee are peeces [Page 29] of a Family, Church, com­mon-wealth; the stations whereof GOD hath so dis­posed, that wee may serue him in seruing one another. And thus you see I might make way for an endlesse discourse; but it shal content me (passing ouer this world of matter) to glance onely at the generali­tie of this infinite theme.

As euery obedience serues God, so euery sin makes God serue vs. One said wittily, that the angry man made himselfe the iudge, and God the exe­cutioner. There is no sin that doth not the like. The glut­ton makes God his cator, and [Page 30] himselfe the guest, and his belly his god, especially in the new-found feasts of this age, wherin profusenesse and pro­fanenesse striue for the tables end. The lasciuious man makes himselfe the louer, and (as Viues saies of Mahumet) God the Pandar. The coue­tous Lud. viues de verit. Relig. l. 4 man makes himselfe the Vsurer, and God the broker. The ambitious makes God his state, and Honor his God. Of euery sinner doth God say iustly, seruire me fecisti. Thou hast made mee to serue with thy Esay 43. 24. sinnes. There cannot be a grea­ter honor for vs then to serue such a maister, as commands [Page 31] heauen, earth, & hell: Whom Non reputes magnum quod Deo seruis, sed maximum re­puta, quod ipse dignatur te in seruum assu­mere sibi. Ber­nard. it is both dishonour and base­nesse not to serue. The hyest stile that King Dauid could deuise to giue himselfe (not in the phrase of a friuolous French complement, but in the plaine speech of a true Is­raelite) was, Behold I am thy seruant; Psal. 116. and he that is Lord of many seruants of the Diuell, delights to call himselfe the seruant of the seruants of God. The Angels of heauen Reuel. vlt. reioyce to be our fellowes in this seruice. But there cannot be a greater shame then to see Eccles. 10. 7. seruants ride on horsebacke, and Princes walking as ser­uants [Page 32] on the ground. I meane to see the GOD of heauen made a lacquey to our vile affections, and in the liues of men, to see God attend vpon the world, Brethren, there is seruice enough in the world, but it is to a wrong maister. In mea patria Deus venter, (as In mea n. pa­tria Deus ven­ter est, & in di­em viuitur & sanctior est ille qui ditior est. Hierome said;) Euery world­ling is a Papist in this, that he giues [...] seruice, to the creature, which is the lowest Hier. ad Chre­matium. respect that can bee; Yea so much more humble then (la­tria) as it is more absolute, and without respect of recom­pence. Yea, I would it were vncharitable to say, that ma­ny [Page 33] besides the sauages of Ca­lecut, place Satan in the throne, and God on the footestoole. For as Witches and Sorce­rers conuerse with euill spi­rits in plausible and familiar formes, which in vgly shapes they would abhorre; so ma­ny a man serues Satan vnder the formes of gold and siluer, vnder the images of Saints and lightsome Angels; vnder glittering cotes, or glorious titles, or beauteous faces, whom they would defie as himselfe. And as the freeborn Israelite might become a ser­uant, either by forfaiture vpon trespasse, or by sale, or by [Page 34] spoile in warre; so this accur­sed seruitude is incurred the same waies, by them which should be Christians. By for­faiture: for though the debt and trespasse bee to God, yet (tradet lictori) he shall deliuer Mat. 18. 34. the debtor to the Iaylor. By sale, as Ahab sold himselfe to 1. Kin. 21. 20. worke wickednesse: sold vn­der sinne, saith the Apostle. By spoile. Beware least any man make a spoile of you [...] saith Paul to his Colossians. Col. 2. 8. Alas what a miserable change doe these men make, to leaue the liuing God, which is so bountifull, that hee rewards a cup of cold water with eter­nall [Page 35] glorie, to serue him that hath nothing to giue but his bare wages; and what wa­ges? The wages of sinne is death; And what death? not the death of the body, in the se­uering of the soule, but the death of the soule, in the se­paration from God; there is not so much difference be­twixt life and death, as there is betwixt the first death and the second. Oh wofull wa­ges of a desperate worke. Well were these men, if they might goe vnpaide, and serue for nothing; but as the mercie of God will not let any of our poore seruices to him goe vn­rewarded; [Page 36] so will not his iu­stice suffer the contrarie ser­uice goe vnpaid; in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them 1. Thes. 1. 8. that know not God, and those that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus. Beloued, as that worthy Bishop said on his Ambrose. death-bed, we are happie in this, that wee serue a good Maister; how happie shall it bee for vs if wee shall doe him good seruice, that in the day of our account we may heare, Euge serue bone, well done good seruant, enter in­to thy maisters ioy.

Now hee that prescribes the act (seruice,) must also [Page 37] prescribe the manner; (True­ly, totally.) God cannot abide wee should serue him with a double heart (an heart & an heart) that is hypocritically. Neither that we should serue him with a false heart, that is, niggardly and vnwilling­ly: but against doubling, he will be seru'd in truth, and a­gainst haluing, hee will bee seru'd with all the heart. To serue God and not in truth is mockerie. To serue him true­ly and not with the whole heart is a base dodging with God. This [...] eye-ser­uice is a fault with men: but let vs serue God, but while [Page 38] he sees vs, it is enough. Behold he sees vs euery where. If hee did not see our heart, it were enough to serue him in the face; and if the heart were not his, it were too much to giue him a part of it; but now that he made this whole heart of outs, it is reason he should bee seru'd with it; and now that hee sees the inside of the heart, it is madnesse not to serue him In truth. Those serue God, not in truth, which Ep. 108. Quidam veni­unt vt audi­ant non vt dis­cant, Aliqui cum pugillari­bus veniunt non vt res ex­cipiant sed verba. as Seneca saies of some audi­tors, come to heare, not to learne: which bring their ta­blets to write words, not their hearts for the finger of [Page 39] God to write in. Whose eies are on their Bible, whiles their heart is on their Count­booke; which can play the Saints in the Church, Ruf­fians in the Tauerne, Tyrants in their houses, Cheators in their shops; those Dames which vnder a cloke of mo­destie and deuotion hide no­thing but pride, and fiendish­nesse. Those serue God, not with all their heart; whose bosome is like Rachels tent, that hath (Teraphim) Idols hid in the straw; or rather like a Philistims Temple, that hath the Arke and Dagon vnder one roofe; That come in euer [Page 40] with Naamans exceptiues, Onely in this: Those that haue let downe the world like the spies into the bottome of the well of their heart, and couer the mouth of it with wheare: I meane, that hide great oppressions, with the show of small beneficences: Those which like Salomons false Curtizan, cry (Diutda­tur) and are willing to share themselues betwixt God and the world. And certainely, this is a noble policie of the Diuell, because he knowes he hath no right to the heart, he can bee glad of any corner; but with all he knowes, that [Page 41] if hee haue any, hee hath all; for where hee hath any part, God will haue none. This base-mindednesse is fit for that euill one. God will haue all, or nothing. It was an he­roicall answere, that Theodo­ret Theod. l. 4. c. 4. reports of Valentinian, whom when the souldiers had chosen to be Emperour, they were consulting to haue an­other ioyned with him. No (my souldiours) said hee, it was in your power to giue mee the Empire, while I had it not: but now when I haue it, it is not in your power to giue me a partner. Wee our selues say, the bed and the [Page 42] throne can abide no riualls. May wee not well say of the heart, as Lot of Zoar, Is it not a little one? Alas it is euen too little for God; what doe wee thinke of taking an Inmate into this cottage? It is a fa­uour and happinesse, that the God of glorie will vouchsafe to dwell in it alone. Euen so (O God) take thou vp these roomes for thy selfe; and in­large them for the entertain­ment of thy spirit: Haue thou vs wholly, and let vs haue thee. Let the world serue it selfe. O let vs serue thee, with all our hearts.

God hath set the heart on [Page 43] worke to feare, the hands on worke to serue him, now (that nothing may be wanting) he sets the head on worke to con­sider; and that, not so much the Iudgements of God, (yet those are of singular vse, and may not bee forgotten) as his mercies, What great things hee hath done for you, not against you. He that loo­ked vpon his owne workes, and saw they were good, and delighted in them, delights that wee should looke vp­on them too, and applaud his wisedome, power, and mercy, that shines in them. Euen the least of Gods works [Page 44] are worthy of the obseruati­on of the greatest Angell in heauen, but (the magnalia dei) the great things he hath done, are more worthy of our won­der, of our astonishmēt. Great things indeed that he did for Israel; hee meant to make that Nation a precedent of mercie; that all the world might see what he could doe for a people. Heauen and earth conspir'd to blesse them. What should I speake of the wonders of Egypt? Sure­ly I know not whether their preseruation in it, or deli­uerance out of it, were more miraculous. Did they want [Page 45] a guide? himselfe goes be­fore them in fire. Did they want a shelter? his cloud is spread ouer them for a couering. Did they want way? The sea it selfe shall make it; and bee at once a street, and a wall to them. Did they want bread? Hea­uen it selfe shall powre downe foode of Angels. Did they want meate to their bread? The winde shall bring them whole driftes of quailes in­to their tents. Doe they want drinke to both? The verie Rocke shall yeeld it them. Doe they want suites of ap­parell? Their very clothes [Page 46] shall not waxe old on their backes. Doe they want ad­uise? God himselfe shall giue his vocall Oracle between the Cherubins. Doe they want a law? God shall come downe vpon Sinai, and deliuer it in fire, thundring, smoke, earth­quakes, and write it with his own finger, in tables of stone. Doe they want habitations? God shall prouide them a land that flowes with milke and hony. Are they persecu­ted? God stands in fire be­tweene them & their harmes. Are they stung to death? The brazen serpent shal cure them. Are they resisted? The walles [Page 47] of Iericho shall fall downe a­lone; hailestones braine their enemies. The Sunne shal stand still in heauen, to see Ioshuahs reuenge and victory. Oh great and mighty things that God did for Israel!

And if any Nation vnder heauen could either parallel or second Israel in the fauours of God, this poore little Iland of ours is it. The cloud of his protection hath couer'd vs. The bloud-red sea of per­secution hath giuen way to vs, and wee are passed it dry­shod. The true Manna from heauen is rained downe a­bundantly about our tents. [Page 48] The water of Life gusheth forth plenteously to vs: The better law of the Gospell is giuen vs from heauen by the hands of his Sonne: The walles of the spirituall Iero­cho are fallen downe before vs, at the blast of the trum­pets of God; and cursed be hee that goes about to build them vp againe. Now there­fore, that we may come more close to the taske of this day; Let mee say to you, as Sa­muel to his Israelites, Consider with mee what great things the Lord hath done for vs: and as one wish't that the enuious had eyes in euery place, so [Page 49] could I seriously wish, that all which haue ill will at our Sion, had their eares with mee but one houre, that if they belong not to God, they might burst with Iudas, which repine with Iudas at this sea­sonable cost of the precious ointment of our praises.

If I should looke back to the ancient mercies of God, and shew you that this kingdome (though diuided from the world) was one of the first that receiued the Gospel: That it yeelded the first Christian Emperour that gaue peace and honour to the Church: The first and greatest lights [Page 50] that shone forth in the dark­est of Popery, to all the world; and that it was the first king­dome that shooke Antichrist fully out of the saddle. I might finde iust matter of praise and exultation, but I will turne o­uer no other Chronicles but your memory. This day a­lone hath matter enough of an eternall gratulation. For this is the communis terminus, wherein Gods fauours meete vpon our heads; which there­fore represents to vs, both what wee had, and what wee haue. The one to our sense, the other to our remembrance. This day was both Queene [Page 51] Elizabeths Initium gloriae, and King James his Initium regni. To her Natalitium salutis, as the passion-dayes of the Mar­tyrs were called of old; and Natalis Imperij to him. These two names shew vs happi­nesse enough to take vp our hearts and tongues for euer. And first, why should it not be our perpetuall glorie and re­ioicing, that we were her sub­iects? Oh blessed Queene, the mother of this Nation, the nurse of this Church, the glorie of womanhood, the enuie and example of for­raine Nations, the wonder of times, how sweet and sacred [Page 52] shall thy memory bee to all posterities? how is thy name not Parables of the dust as Iob 13. 4. [...] the Iewes speake; not writ­ten in the earth as Jeremie speaks, but in the liuing earth of all loyal hearts, neuer to be razed. And though the foule mouthes of our Aduersaries stick not to call her miseram foeminam, as Pope Clement did; nor to say of her, as Euagrius saies vncharitably of Iustinian Euagr. l. 5. c. 1. the great law-giuer (ad sup­plicia iusto dei iudicio apud in­feros luenda profecta est;) and those that durst bring her on the stage liuing, bring her now dead (as I haue heard by [Page 53] those that haue seene it) into their processions, like a tor­mented Ghost, attended with fiends and firebrands, to the terrour of their ignorant be­holders: Yet, as wee saw she neuer prospered so well, as when she was most cursed by their Pius. 5. so now wee hope shee is rather so much more glorious in heauen, by how much they are more malici­ous on earth. These arrogant wretches, that can at their pleasure fetch Salomon from heauen to hell, and Traian and Falconella from hell to hea­uen; Campian and Garnet from earth to heauen, Queene Eli­zabeth [Page 54] from earth to hell, shall finde one day that they haue mistaken the keyes, and shall know, what it is to iudge, by being iudged. In the meane time, in spight of the gates of Rome, Memoria iustae in bene­dictionibus. To omit those ver­tues which were proper to her sexe, by which she deserued to be the Queene of women, how excellent were her Mas­culine graces of learning, va­lour, wisedome, by which she might iustly challenge to bee the Queene of men. So learned was shee, that shee could giue present answeres, to Embassadours in their own [Page 55] tongues, or if they listed to borrow of their neighbours, shee paid them in that they borrowed. So valiant, that her name like Ziscaes drum, made the proudest Romanists to quake. So wise that what­soeuer fell out happily against the common Aduersarie in France, Netherlands, Ireland, Didymus veri­dicus. it was by themselues ascri­bed to her policy. What should I speake of her long and successefull gouernment, of her miraculous preserua­tions, of her famous victo­ries, Onimiùm dile­cta Deo cui mi­litat aether: & coniurati veni­unt ad classica venti. Claud. wherein the waters, windes, fire and earth fought for vs, as if they had beene in [Page 56] pay vnder her, of her excel­lent lawes, of her carefull exe­cutions. Many daughters haue done worthily, but thou Pro. 31. 29. surmountest them all. Such was the sweetnesse of her go­uernement, and such the feare of miserie in her losse, that many worthy Christians de­sired their eyes might be clo­sed before hers; and how many thousands therefore welcomed their owne death, because it preuented hers. E­uery one pointed to her white haires, & said with that peace­able Leontius, When this snow melts there wil be a floud. Ne­uer Soz l. 3. c. 19. [...]; &c. day except alwaies the fift [Page 57] of Nouember, was like to be so bloudy as this; not for any doubt of Title (which neuer any loyall heart could que­stion, nor any disloyall euer did, besides Dolman) but for that our Esauites comforted Dolm. p. 1. p. 216 p. 2. p. 117. themselues against vs, and said, The day of mourning for our mother will come shortly, then will we slay our brethren. What should I say more? lots were cast vpon our land; and that honest Polititian (which wan­ted nothing but a gibbet to haue made him a Saint) Fa­ther Parsons, tooke paines to set downe an order, how all English affayres should bee [Page 58] marshalled, when they should come to bee theirs. Consider now the great things that the Lord hath done for vs. Behold this day, which should haue beene most dismall to the whole Christian world, hee turned to the most happie day, that euer shone forth to this Iland. That now we may iustly insult with those Chri­stians of Antioch ( [...] Theod. 3. 15. [...]) Where are your pro­phesies, O yee fond Papists? Our snow lyes here melted, where are those flouds of bloud that you threatned? Yea, as that blessed soule of hers gained by this change of [Page 59] an immortall crowne, for a corruptible; so (blessed bee the name of our God) this land of ours hath not lost by that losse. Many thinke that this euening the world had his beginning. Surely a new and golden world began this day to vs, and (which it could not haue done by her loynes) pro­mises continuance (if our sins interrupt it not) to our poste­rities. I would the flatterie of a Prince were treason; in ef­fect it is so: (for the flatterer is ( [...]) a kinde murtherer.) I would it were so in punish­ment. If I were to speake be­fore my soueraigne King and [Page 60] maister, I would praise God for him, not praise him to him­self. A preacher in Constantines Euseb. de vitae Const. l. 4. c. 4. time saith Eusebius (ausus est im­peratorem in os beatum dicere) presumed to call Constantine an happy Emperor to his face; but hee went away with a checke; such speed may any parasite haue, which shall speake, as if hee would make Princes proud, & not thanke­full. A small praise to the face may be adulation, (though it be within the bounds:) a great praise in absence, may be but iustice. If we see not the worth of our King, how shall we be thankefull to God that gaue [Page 61] him? Giue me leaue therefore freely to bring forth the Lords Annointed before you, and to say with Samuel, See you 1. Sam. 10. 24. him whom the Lord hath chosen.

As it was a great presage of happinesse to Mauritius Euagr. l. 5. 6. 21 the Emperor, that an ( [...]) a familiar Diuell remouing him from place to place in his swathing bands, yet had no power to hurt him; So, that those early conspiracies, wher­with Satan assaulted the very cradle of our dear Soueraine, preuailed not, it was a iust bodement of his future great­nesse and beneficiall vse to the world. And hee that gaue [Page 62] him life and crowne together, and miraculously preserued them both: gaue him graces fit for his Deputy on earth, to weild that crowne, and im­prooue that life to the be­hoofe of Christendome. Let me begin with that (which the heathen man required to the happinesse of any state) his learning & knowledge, where­in I may safely say hee excee­deth all his 105. predeces­sors. Our Conquerour King Malmesbur. William (as our Chronicler reports) by a blunt prouerbe that hee was wont to vse a­gainst vnlearned Princes made his sonne Henry a Beau-clerc [Page 63] to those times. But a candle in the darke will make more show, then a bonefire by day. In these dayes so light­some for knowledge to excell (euen for a professed student) is hard, and rare. Neuer had England more learned Bi­shops, and Doctors; which of them euer returned from his Maiesties discourse without admiration? What King christned hath written so lear­ned volumes? To omit the rest, his last (of this kinde) wherein hee hath so held vp Cardinall Bellarmine, and his maister Pope Paulus, is such, that Plessis and Mouline (the [Page 64] two great lights of France) professe to receiue their light in this discourse, from his beames; and the learned Ie­suite Salkeild, could not but bee conuerted with the neces­sitie of those demonstrations; and I may boldly say, Pope­rie (since it was) neuer recei­ued so deepe a wound from any worke, as from that of His. What King euer mode­rated the solemne acts of an Vniuersitie in all professions, and had so many hands clapt in the applause of his acute, and learned determinations? Briefely, such is his intire ac­quaintance with all sciences, [Page 65] and with the Queene of all, Diuinitie, that hee might well dispute with the infallible Pope Paulus 5 ^us. for his tri­ple crowne; and I would all Christian quarrels lay vpon this duell. His iustice in go­uerning matcheth his know­ledge how to gouerne; for as one that knowes the com­mon-wealth cannot bee vn­happie, wherein (according to the wise heathens rule) law is Plato. a Queene, and will a subiect, he hath euer indeauoured to frame the proceedings of his gouernement to the lawes, not the lawes to them. Wit­nesse that memorable exam­ple, [Page 66] whereof your eyes were witnesses. I meane the vnpar­tiall execution of one of the ancientest Barons of those parts, for the murder of a meane Subiect. Wherein not the fauour of the block might bee yeelded, that the di­shonour of the death might bee no lesse then the paine of the death. Yet who will not grant his Mercy to bee eminent amongst his ver­tues, when Parsons himselfe yeelds it? And if a vertue so continuing, could bee ca­pable of excesse, this might seeme so in him. For, that which was said of Anastasius [Page 67] the Emperour, that he would Euagr. l. 3. c. 34 attempt no exploit (though neuer so famous) if it might cost the price of Christian blood, and that which was said of Mauricius, that by his Euagr. l 6. c. 1 good-will hee would not haue so much as a Trai­tour dye; and that of Ves­pasian, Sueton. Vesp. that hee wept euen for iust executions; and lastly that of Theodosius, Socr. l. 7. c. 22 that hee wish't hee could recall those to life againe that had wronged him; may in some sence, bee iust­ly verified of our mercifull Soueraigne. I pray GOD the measure of this vertue [Page 68] may neuer hurt himselfe, I am sure the want of it shall neuer giue cause of complaint to his aduersaries. But among all his Heroicall Graces, which commend him as a man, as a Christian, as a King; Pietie and firmenesse in Religion cals mee to it, and will not suffer me to defer the mention of it any longer. A priuate man vnsetled in opi­nion, is like a loose tooth in the head, troublesome and vse-lesse, but a publique per­son vnstayed, is dangerous. Resolution for the truth is so much better then knowledge, by how much the possessing [Page 69] of a treasure, is better then knowing where it is. With what zeale did his Maiestie fly vpon the blasphemous no­uelties of Vorstius? How ma­ny sollicitations, threats, pro­mises, profers hath he tramp­led vnder his feete in former times, for but a promise of an indifferent conniuencie at the Romish religion? Was it not an answere worthy of a King, worthy of marble and brasse, that he made vnto their agent for this purpose, in the times of the greatest perill of resistance. That all the Watson. B. Barl. answer to Parsons. p 115. E. Com. Northamp. lib. crownes and kingdomes in this world should not indure him [Page 70] to change any iot of his pro­fession? Hath hee not so in­gaged himselfe in this holie quarrell, that the world con­fesses Rome had neuer such an Aduersarie? and all Chri­stian Princes reioice to fol­low him as their worthy lea­der, in all the battels of God; and all Christian churches in their prayers and acclamati­ons, stile him, in a double right, Defender of the faith, more by desert, then inheri­tance.

But because as the Sunne­beames, so praises are more kindly, when they are cast ob­lique vpon their obiects then [Page 71] when they fall directly; let mee shew you him rather in the blessings we receiue from him, then in the graces which are in him. And not to insist vpon his extinguishing of those hellish feudes in Scot­land, & the reducing of those barbarous borderers to ci­uilitie and order, (two acts worthy of eternitie, and which no hand but his could doe) Consider how great things the Lord hath done for vs, by him, in our Peace, in our freedome of the Gospell, in our Deliue­rance.

Continuance detracts from 1 the value of any fauour. Little [Page 72] doe wee know the price of peace. If wee had beene in the cotes of our forefathers, or our neighbours, we should haue knowne how to esteeme this deare blessing of GOD. Oh, my deare brethren, we neuer knew what it was to heare the murdering pee­ces about our eares; to see our churches and houses fla­ming ouer our heads; to heare the fearefull cracks of their fals mixed with the con­fused out-cries of men, kil­ling, encouraging to kill, or resist, dying; and the shrie­kings of women and chil­dren; wee neuer saw tender [Page 73] babes snach't from the breasts of their mothers, now blee­ding vpon the stones, or sprauling vpon the pikes; and the distracted mother raui­shed, ere she may haue leaue to dye. Wee neuer saw men and horses lye wallowing in Tum vero & genitus mori­entum & san­guine in alto. Armaque cor­poraque & permisti caede virorli Semia­nimes voluun­tur equi. Virg. Aen. 11. their mingled bloud, and the gastly visages of death deformed with wounds. The impotent wife hanging with teares on her armed hus­band, as desirous to dye with him, with whom shee may not liue. The amazed runnings to and fro of those that would faine escape, if they knew how, and the fu­rious [Page 74] pace of a bloudy vi­ctor; The rifling of houses for spoile, and euery soul­diour running with his load, and readie to fight with o­ther for our bootie; Themi­serable captiue driuen mani­cled before the usulting ene­mie. Neuer did wee know how cruell an Aduersarie is, and how burdensome an hel­per is in warre. Looke round about you. All your neigh­bours haue seene and tasted these calamities. All the rest of the world haue been whir­led about in these wofull tu­mults: onely this Iland, hath like the center stood vnmoue­able. [Page 75] Onely this Isle hath Nam cum tri­siis hyems alias produxerit vn­das, Tum Ni­lum retinent ripae. Claud. Epigr. beene like Nilus, which when all other waters ouer-flow, keepes within the banks. That we are free frō these & a thou­sand other miseries of warre, Whether should wee ascribe it, but next vnder God, to his Anointed, as a King, as a King of Peace? For both Anarchy is the mother of di­uision, as wee see in the state of Italy, wherein, when they wanted their King, all ranne into ciuill broiles; The Ve­netians with them of Ra­uenna, Otho. Fris. l. 7. c. 29. Verona and Vincen­tia, with the Paduans and Taruisians; The Pisans and [Page 76] Florentines, with them of Luca and Sienna; and be­sides; euery King is not a Peace-maker: Ours is made of Peace. There haue been Princes, which, as the Antio­chians Socr. l. 7. c. 22 said of Iulian, (taking occasion by the Bull which he stamp't in his coine) haue gored the world to death. The breasts of some Prin­ces haue beene like a Thun­der-cloud, whose vapours would neuer leaue working till they haue vented them­selues with terrour to the world; Ours, hath nothing in it, but a gracious rayne to water the inheritance of [Page 77] God. Behold Hee, euen He alone, like to Noahs Doue, brought an Oliue of peace to the tossed Arke of Chri­stendome; Hee like another Augustus, before the second comming of CHRIST hath becalmed the world, and shut the iron gates of warre; and is the bond of that peace hee hath made. And if the Peace-maker both doth blesse and is blessed; how should we blesse him, and blesse God for him, and hold our selues blessed in him?

Now what were peace 2 without religion, but like a Nabals sheepe-shearing; like [Page 78] the fatting of an Epicurian hogge; the very festiuall re­uels of the Diuell. But for vs; wee haue Gloria in excel­sis Deo, sung before our Pax in terris; in a word, wee haue Peace with the Gospell. Machiauell himselfe could Discors. l. 1. c. 20 Due continu­oue successions di principi virtuosi fanno grandi effetti. say in his Discourses, that two continued successions of vertuous Princes (fanno grandi effetti) cannot but doe great matters. We proue it so this day; wherein reli­gion is not onely warmed but locked in her seat so fast, that the gates of hell shall ne­uer preuaile against it. There haue beene Princes, and that Plato 8. de Repub. [Page 79] in this land, which (as the heathen Politician compared his Tyrant) haue beene like to ill Physitians, that haue purged away the good hu­mours, and left the bad be­hinde them; with whom any thing hath beene lawfull, but to be religious. Some of your gray hayres can bee my wit­nesses. Behold, the euils wee haue escaped, show vs our blessings. Here hath been no dragging out of houses, no hiding of Bibles, no cree­ping into woods, no Bonner­ing or Butchering of Gods Saints, no rotting in dunge­ons, no casting of infants [Page 80] out of the mothers belly in­to the mothers flames; no­thing but Gods truth aboun­dantly preached, cheereful­ly professed, incouraged, re­warded. What Nation vn­der heauen yeeldes so many learned Diuines? What times euer yeelded so many prea­ching Bishops? When was this Citie (the Citie of our ioy) euer so happy this way, as in these late successions? Whither can wee ascribe this health of the Church, and life of the Gospell, but, next to GOD, to His example, His countenance, His indeuours. Wherein I may not omit how [Page 81] right he hath trod in the steps of that blessed Constantine, in all his religious proceedings. Let vs in one word parral­lel them. Constantine caused fiftie Volumes of the Scrip­tures Euseb. de vitae Const. l. 4. c. 36. to be fayre written out in parchment, for the vse of the Church. King Iames hath caused the bookes of Scrip­tures to bee accurately tran­slated, and published by thou­sands. Constantine made a zea­lous edict against Nouatians, Lib 3. 61. 62. Valentinians, Marcionites. King Iames, besides his powerfull proclamations and soueraine lawes hath effectually writ­ten against Popery, and [Page 82] Vorstianisme. Constantine tooke Lib. 3. 63. away the liberty of the mee­tings of heretickes: King Iames hath by wholesome laws inhi­bited the assemblies of Papists and seismatickes. Constantine Lib. 1. c. 37. In media istorū frequentia accongressu a­desse & vna considere non dedignatus. sate in the midst of his Bi­shops, as if hee had been one of them. King Iames besides his solemne conferences, vouchsaues (not seldome) to spend his meales in discourse with his Bishops, and other worthy Diuines. Constantine charged his sonnes (vt planè & sine fuco Christiani essent) that they should be Christi­ans in earnest. King Iames Basil. dor. hath done the same in learned [Page 83] and Diuine precepts which shall liue till time be no more. Yea, in their very coines is a resemblance. Constantine had his picture stampt vpon his Lib. 4. 15. mettals, praying. King Iames hath his picture with a prayer about it. O Lord protect the Kingdomes which thou hast v­nited. Lastly, Constantine built Churches; one in Hierusa­lem, Lib. 3. 43. & 24 another in Nicomedia. King James hath founded one Colledge, which shall help to build and confirme the whole Church of God, vpon earth. Yee wealthy Citizens that loue Ierusalem, cast in your store after this royall [Page 84] example, into the sanctuary of God, and whiles you make the Church of God happie, make your selues so. Brethren, if we haue any rellish of Christ, any sense of heauen, let vs blesse God for the life of our soule, the Gospel, and for the spirit of this life, his Anointed.

But where had beene our peace, or this freedome of the 3 Gospell, without our Deliue­rance? & where had our deli­uerance bin without him? As it was reported of the Oke of Mamre, that al religions rend­red their yearly worship there. Socr. l. 2. c. 3. The Iewes, because of Abra­ham their Patriarch, the Gen­tiles [Page 85] because of the Angels that appeared there to Abra­ham. The christians because of Christ that was there seene of Abraham, with the Angels; So was there to King Iames in his first beginnings, a con­fluence of all sects, with pa­pers in their hands, and (as it was best for them) with a Rogamus domine, non pugna­mus, like the subiects of Theo­dosius. Ribera in pro­phet. min. ex Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 9 vlt. Samaritani Iudaeos cogna­tos appellare soliti quamdiuillis bene erat. At vbi contra, &c. But our cozens of Sa­maria, when they saw that Salomons yoke would not bee lightened, soone flew off in a rage. What portion haue we in Dauid? And now those, 1. King. 12. which had so soft look't vp [Page 86] to heauen in vaine, resolue to Flectere si ne­queo, &c. digge downe to hell for aide. Satan himselfe met them, and offred (for sauing of their la­bour) to bring hell vp to them. What a world of Sul­phur had hee prouided a­gainst that day? What a brew­ing of death was tun'd vp in those vessels? The murde­rous Pioners laugh't at the close felicitie of their proiect; and now before-hand seemed in conceit to haue heard the cracke of this hellish thun­der, and to see the mangled carkasses of the heretickes flying vp so suddenly, that their soules must needes goe [Page 87] vpward towards their per­dition; the streetes strawed with legges and armes; and the stones braining as many in their fall, as they blew vp in their rise. Remember the children of Edom, O Lord, in Psal 137. 7. the day of Ierusalem, which said, Downe with it, downe with it, euen to the ground. O daughter of Babel, worthy to be destroyed, blessed shall hee bee that serueth thee, as thou wouldest haue ser­ued vs. But hee that sits in heauen laugh't as fast at them; to see their presumption that would be sending vp bodies to heauen before the resurre­ction, and preferring compa­nions [Page 88] to Elias in a fiery Cha­riot; and said (vt quid fremue­runt?) Consider now how great things the Lord hath done for vs; The snare is broken, and wee are deliuered. But how? As that learned Bishop well applyed Salomon to this pur­pose, Diuinatio in labijs re­gis. Pro. 16 10. B. Barlow pag. 350. If there had not been a a diuination in the lips of the King, wee had beene all in iawes of death. Vnder his shadow wee are preserued a­liue, as Ieremie speaketh. It is true, God could haue done it by other meanes, but hee would doe it by this, that wee might owe the being of [Page 89] our liues to him, of whom wee held our well-being be­fore. Oh praised be the God of heauen for our deliue­rance! Praised bee God for his Anointed, by whom we were deliuered. Yea how should wee call to our fellow creatures; The Angels, Saints, heauens, elements, meteors, mountaines, beasts, trees, to help vs praise the Lord for this mercie. And (as the [...]. Suet. addit ne­que me liberos­que meos cario­res habebo quam Caium & eius sorores. Oath of the Roman souldi­ours ranne) how deare and precious should the life of our Caesar bee to vs, aboue al earthly things? How should wee haue the base vnthanke­fulnesse [Page 90] of those men, which can say of him, as one said of his Saint Martin, Martinus Clodoueus O­tho Firs. l. 4. c. 32. bonus in auxilio, charus in ne­gotio; who whiles they owe him all grudge him any thing. Away with the mention of outward things: all the bloud in our body is due to him, all the prayers & well-wishes of our soules are due to him, How solemnely Festiuall should this day bee to vs, and to our posterities for e­uer? How cheerefully, for our peace, our religion, our Deliuerance, should wee take vp that acclamation which the people of Rome vsed in [Page 91] the Coronation of Charles the great, Carolo Iacobo a Deo Fris. l. 5. c. 31. coronato, magno & pacifico Bri­tannorum Imperatori, vita & vi­ctoria. To Charles Iames crow­ned of God, the great and peaceable Emperour of Bri­tanie, Life and Victorie. And let GOD, and his people say Amen.

These were great things indeed, that God did for Is­rael; great that hee hath done for vs; Great for the present, not certaine for the future. They had not, no more haue wee, the blessings of God by entayle, or by lease. Onely at the good will of the [Page 92] Lord; and that is, during our good behauiour. Sinne is a forfaiture of all fauours. Jf you doe wickedly, you shall pe­rish. It was not for nothing, that the same word in the o­riginall signifies both sinne and punishment; These two are inseparable. There is no­thing but a little prioritie in time betweene them. The Angels did wickedly, they pe­rish't by their fall from hea­uen. The old world did wick­edly, they perish't by waters from heauen. The Sodomites did wickedly, they perish't by fire from heauen. Corah and his company did wickedly, [Page 93] they perish't by the earth. The Egyptians did wickedly, they perish't by the Sea. The Canaanites did wickedly, they perish't by the sword of Israel. The Israelites did wickedly, they perish't by pe­stilence, serpents, Philistims. What should I runne my selfe out of breath, in this endlesse course of examples? There was neuer sinne but it had a punishment, either in the Actor, or in the Redeemer. There was neuer punishment, but was for sinne. Heauen should haue no quarrell a­gainst vs; Hell could haue no power ouer vs, but for our [Page 90] [...] [Page 91] [...] [Page 92] [...] [Page 93] [...] [Page 94] sinnes. Those aie they that haue plagued vs, those are they that threaten vs.

But what shall bee the iudgement? Perishing. To whom? To you and your King. He doth not say, If your King doe wickedly you shall perish, as sometimes he hath done. Nor if your King doe wickedly hee shall pe­rish, although Kings are nei­ther priuiledged from sinnes, nor from iudgements. Nor if you doe wickedly, you one­ly shall perish; but if yee doe wickedly, yee and your King shall perish. So neare a rela­tion is there betwixt the King [Page 95] and Subiect, that the sinne of the one reaches to the iudge­ment of the other, and the iudgement of the one, is the smart of both. The King is the head; the Commons the stomach; if the head be sicke, the stomach is affected. Da­uid sins, the people dye. If the stomach bee sick, the head complaines. For the trans­gression of the people are ma­ny Princes. What could haue snatch't from our Head that sweet Prince, of fresh and bleeding memorie, (that might iustly haue challeng'd Othoes name, Mirabilia mun­di) Otho. 3. Fris. 6. 26. now in the prime of all [Page 96] the worlds expectation, but our trayterous wickednesses? His Christian modestie vpon his death-bed could charge himselfe. (No, no, I haue sins enow of mine owne to doe this:) But this very accusati­on did cleare him, and bur­den vs. O glorious Prince, they are our sinnes that are guilty of thy death, and our losse. We haue done wicked­ly, thou perishedst. An harsh word for thy glorifyed con­dition. But such a perish­ing, as is incident to Saints; (for there is a Perire de me­dio, as well as a Perire a fa­cie,) a perishing from the [Page 97] earth, as well as a perishing from God. It was a ioyfull perishing to thee. Our sinnes haue aduantaged thy soule, which is partly therefore hap­pie, because wee were vn­worthy of thee; but they haue robbed vs of our happi­nesse in thee. Oh our trea­cherous sinnes, that haue of­fred this violence to that sweet hopefull sacred per­son! And doe they not yet still conspire against him that is yet dearer to vs, the roote of these goodly branches, the breath of our nosthrils, the Anointed of God? Bre­thren, let mee speake it con­fidently. [Page 98] As euery sinne is a Traytor to a mans own soule, so euery wicked man is a Trai­tor to his King. Yea euerie one of his crying sinnes is a false hearted rebell that hides ponder and pocket-dags for the precious life of his Soue­raine. Any states man may learne this euen of Machia­uell himselfe, which I confesse when I red, I thought of the Diuell confessing Christ. That Ossernanza del culto diuiao e­cagione della grandezza delle. Cosi il dispregio diqua, &c. Discorsd. 1. c. 11 the giuing of God his due is the cause of the greatnesse of any state; and contrarily, the neglect of his seruice the cause of ruine; and if any profane Zosimus shall doubt of this [Page 99] point, I would but turne him to Euagrius his Discourse to Euagr. l. 3. c. 41. this purpose, where hee shall finde instances of enow par­ticulars. What euer politick Philosophers haue distin­guish't, betwixt bonus vir, and ciuis, I say, that as a good man cannot be an ill Subiect, so a lewd man can no more be a good Subiect, then euill can be good. Let him sooth, and sweare what he will, his sinnes are so many treasons against the Prince and State, for Ruine is from iniquitie, saith Ezechiel. Alas, what Ezec. 7. 19. safety can wee be in, when such miscreants lurke in our [Page 100] houses, iet in our streetes; when the Country, Citie, Court, is so full of these spiri­tuall conspiracies? Ye that are Magistrates; not for Gods sake onely, but for your Kings sake, whose deputies ye are, as hee is Gods; not for religion onely, but for ve­ry policie, as you tender the deare life of our gracious so­ueraine; as you regard the sweet peace of this State, and Kingdome; the welfare of this Church; Yea, as ye loue your owne life, peace, welfare, Rouze vp your spirits, awa­ken your Christian courage, and set your selues heartily [Page 101] against the traitorly sinnes of these times, which threaten the bane of all these. Cleanse ye these Augean stables of our drunken Tauernes, of our profane stages, and of those blind Vaults of professed fil­thinesse, whose steppes goe downe to the Chambers of Death; yea, to the deepe of Pro. 7. 27. 9. 18 Hell. And yee, my holy bre­thren, the messengers of God, if there be any sonnes of thun­der amongst you, if euer yee ratled from heauen the terri­ble iudgements of God a­gainst sinners, now doe it; for (contrarie to the naturall) the deepe winter of iniquitie is [Page 102] most seasonable for this spi­rituall thunder. Bee heard a­boue, be seene beneath. Out­face sinne, out-preach it, out­liue it. We are starres in the right hand of God, let vs bee like any starres saue the Moone, that hath blots in her face; or the starre worme­wood, Reu. 8. 11. whose fall made bit­ter waters; or Saint Iudes pla­nets, that wander in irregula­rities. Iud. 13. Let the light of our liues shine in the faces of the world; and dazle them whom it shall not guide. Then shall wee with authoritie speake Cum imperio doceiur quod prius agitur quam dicatur. Greg. 23. in Iob. what wee doe, when we doe that which we speake. Wee [Page 103] can neuer better testifie our thankefull and loyall respects to so good a King, in whose fauour is our life, and by whose grace wee are vpheld against the vnworthy af­fronts of this sacrilegious age, then by crying downe, by liuing downe those sinnes which threaten our happi­nesse in him. And ye, belo­ued Christians, whose faces seeme worthily to congratu­late the ioy of this day, if ye would approue your selues good subiects to our King, labour to bee good subiects to His King, the King of heauen. Away with those re­bellious [Page 104] wickednesses which may bee preiudiciall to our peace. In vaine shall wee te­stifie our loyaltie by these out­ward ceremonies of reioy­cing, if wee bee faulty in the substance. To what purpose shall wee ring our bels, if in the meane time we hold fast Salomons (funes peccatorum) cords of sinne; yea the Pro­phets Pro. 5. 22. cart-ropes of iniquitie; and thereby pull down iudge­ment vpon our heads? To what purpose shall we kindle Bonfiérs in our streets, if wee kindle the flames of Gods displeasure against vs by our sinnes? To what purpose shal [Page 105] ye feast one another in your houses, if you shall feast the fiends of hell with your wil­full sinnes? Daemonum cibus ebrietas, Hierome saith well, Drunkennesse, luxurie, forni­cation, Hier. de filio prodigo. Daemonum ci­bus ebrietas, luxuria, forni­catio & vni­uersa vitia. and euery sinne is the very diet and dainties of the Diuell. For Gods sake there­fore, for your Kings sake, for your owne soules sake, Be good, that you may bee loy­all. Oh my brethren, let vs not with old Toby suffer our eyes to bee blinded with the Swallowes dung of this world. Let vs not dare to make a willing shipwracke of conscience, for the venture [Page 106] of a little ballast of gaine. A­way with our pride, vsurie, oppression, false weights, false oathes, false faces; Doe no more wickedly, that wee perish not.

They are our sins which as they threaten to lose vs our best friend aboue, (the God of our saluation) so they harten our aduersaries against vs on earth. Their hopes, their de­signes, their wickednesse to vs, hath beene profest to be built vpon ours to God. If they did not see we did euill, they durst not hope we could perish. Authoritie hath wise­ly and seasonably taken order [Page 107] for disarming of wilfull Re­cusants. What should wea­pons doe in the hands of di­sloyaltie? Oh that it could take order to strip vs of our sinnes, which will else arme God and his creatures against vs! The gates of Rome, the gates of hell, could not hurt vs, if wee did not hurt our selues. Oh that wee could so loue our selues, as to part with all our plausible and gainefull euils, that we would this day renue our holy co­uenants with God, and keepe them for euer! How would he still feede vs with the finest of the wheate? How would [Page 108] he that (as this day) when we feared a tempest, gaue vs an happie calme, preuent a tem­pest Dum nontiniet in sereno pati­tur tempesta­tem. Hier. dial. aduers. Pelag. in our calme when wee feare not? How safely should our children play, & wee feast in our streets? How memo­rable a patterne of mercie should this Hand be to all po­sterities? What famous Tro­phees of victory would hee e­rect ouer all Antichristianisme amongst vs? How freely and loud should the Gospell of God ring euery where in the eares of the generations yet vnborne? How sure should we be, long and long to enioy so gracious, and deare a Soue­raine, [Page 109] so comfortable a peace, so happy a gouernment? euen till this Eue of the Annuncia­tion of the first comming of Christ, ouertake the Day of the Annunciation of his se­cond comming, for our re­demption. Which God for his mercies sake, for his Christs sake vouch­safe to grant to vs▪

Amen.