The first part.

A declaration of the woonderfull and happy aduauncement of Dauid to the king­dome. Wherein yet more particularly y ^e people expresse first y ^e aduauncement of Dauid verse 22. Secondy how it came to passe. verse. 23. Thirdly the benefite therof vers. 24. vntil the middest therof.

1 The aduauncement of Dauid, verse. 22. The stone which the Buil­ders refused, is the head of the Cor­ner: For the more liuely describing, and full expressing whereof, we see, they vse a metaphor comparing the commune wealth vnto a building: the subiectes vnto stones therein: the Princes and rulers vnto the builders thereof: the King vnto the head Corner stone of the same: For albeit that these woordes be referred vnto Christ: of whom Dauid was a Type and figure, and therefore are so vsed by Christ. Math. 21. And by Matt. 21. Act. 4. the Apostle S. Peeter. Act. 4. and else where: yet as they were spoken by this people in this place, they were applyed vnto Dauid: therby shewing that Da­uid [Page] a subiect of that Common wealth, although refused and persecuted by the Princes and Rulers thereof, yet was aduaūced to be King of the same, where, First, let vs obserue the fit vse of this metaphor by the examination of the partes thereof. Secondly, the applicati­on thereof to the purpose of the people.

First concerning the fit vse of this Metaphor, it is apparant by the parti­tuler examination of the seuerall parts thereof. For euerie Common-wealth is as a building consisting of many parts, which being coupled together in one according vnto art, make one house: of this house first euery subiect is a stone seruing in one place or other, and to one vse or other in the building, whereby as wee learne how perillous in each com­mon wealth contention is betweene the subiects of the same: that it is euen such as if the stones of one building should forsake their places & refuse their offices in keeping in and supporting of one another, & should deuide themselues the one against the other, to the beating out and breaking of each other: wherby it must needes come to passe, that the [Page] house, yea bee it neuer so goodly and stately, neuer so firme and strong, must haue a downfall, and come to destructi­on: for a house deuided against it selfe can not stand, as it is written Mat. 12. Matth. 12.

So hereout wee are taught, with what carefulnes euery one of vs, of what estate and condition, of what vocation and calling soeuer wee are, ought to procure according to the same, the benefite of the Common wealth, whereof we are subiects, in that we are borne to be stones in this building for the benefite of the same: Which Tully an heathen oratour lib. 1, de offic. could Cïc. de of­fic. lib. 1. sée and say. Non nobis solum nati su­mus &c. which notable saying hee had out of Plato: although therefore we are borne partly for y ^e benefite of our selues, partly of our parentes, partly of our friends (yea & of our enemies also) yet principally for the benefite of the com­mon wealth: and surely as that stone is vnwoorthy to lye on the Earth which will serue to no vse in the building: so is that man as vnwoorthy to liue on the earth, which in nothing either can not, or wil not benefite the common wealth. [Page] Againe in this house y ^e counsailers, no­bility, rulers, & al men in authority are builders: whose office is, if they see this house downe, to build it vp, if decaied to repair it: if weakned to strengthen it: if falling to hold it vp: if assaulted, to de­fend it: if strong, for to maintaine it: and this is, first, by ordaining of good & hol­some lawes according to y ^e present times & occasions. 2. by the diligent & faithfull execution of them being established: 3. if néed require, by spending their goods & aduenturing their lyues in y ^e defence of it. Thus ought they to be builders of y ^e house of y ^e Common wealth: otherwise well they may beare the name of buil­ders, but they are indeed pluckers down of the same. Hee that is not with mee is against mee: and hee that gathereth not with mee, hee scattereth. Luc. 11. there is no middle nor third thing Luc. 11. betweene the one and the other. A­gaine of this house, the King is the head of the Corner, whereby the whole buil­ding is strengthened and held vp. For as the sides & quarters of the house are strengthened by ioyning vnto the cor­ners thereof: and as the corners of the [Page] house being taken away, the house can not stand, Iob. cap. 1. So are all the Iob. 1. partes and members of the Common wealth sustayned and strengthened by the power of the King, and where there is no King, that Common wealth is like vnto an house rent from the cor­ners thereof, which can not stand, but come to confusion. One notable exam­ple, whereof is to bee seene euen in this Common wealth of Israel, in the book of the Iudges: which albeit, it was directed and gouerned with all good and necessary lawes not inuented by man, but ordained by God himselfe: yet Sampson beyng dead, there being no Iudge in Israell, all thinges came to a miserable confusion, as appeareth. Iudic. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. Thus Iudi. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. wee see how fitly this Metaphor is here vsed in all the partes thereof.

And now secondly followeth the application of the same vnto the pur­pose and meaning of the people, which was thereby to expresse the more ful­ly and manifestly the aduauncement of Dauid to the kingdome: For this is the profitable vse of Metaphors, & Alle­gories, [Page] parables or similitudes, liuely to describe those thinges, which otherwise could not so fully be expressed. Wherein First, they begin with his reiection, by the builders: Secondly, come to his ex­altation afterwardes.

First they begin with his reiection, that his exaltation might appeare the more glorious: for the lower the abba­sing is, the more notable is the lifting vp: the greater the daunger is, the more woorthy is the victory. The stone which the builders refused. Lo this is the reiection of Dauid. Dauid was a stone of the house of Israell, a sub­iect of that Common wealth: and al­beit, by byrth hee was not great, the sonne of Ishai, a meane Israelite: yet in respect of his noble actes, hee was a most pretious stone, and a principall vpholder of the glory of the same, as a­mongst other thinges most euidently appeareth 1. Samuel 17. in his encoun­tring 1 Sam. 17. with, and ouer comming of Go­liah the Philistine: for when this Go­liah a man of mighty stature, and of like strength defied the host of Israell, and no man durst go downe vnto him: this [Page] Dauid being yet but of young yeares, and of tender age, yea being also vnar­med, valiantly encountred with him, and victoriously ouercame him, wherby the honor of Israel was preserued, yea and aduaunced: and the enemies van­quished & destroyed. But what was his reward? This stone the builders refu­sed: They which should haue aduaūced him, reiected him: yea so reiected him, as that they did not onely esteeme him vn­woorthy to bee the chiefe stone of the Corner, but also to bee euen an inferi­our stone in the building, for they would cleane haue taken him away from the house of Israell: whereun­to tended all those tyrannous perse­cutions practised against him, where­of wee read aboundantly in the first booke of Samuel. Wel, thus wee sée the reiection of this Stone by the buil­ders.

Now followeth his exaltation. The same is the head of the Corner: al­though the builders refused this stone, yet y ^e Lord had chosen it, yea & although they had reiected it, yet y ^e Lord had takē it vp, and exalted it: and that not onely [Page] to bee a meane stone in the building, but euen to bee the head in the Cor­ner of the same: that is, not onely to be a fellow subiect amongst them in the common wealth, but euen to be king o­uer them in the gouernment of y ^e same. Wherby first we learn y ^t as those things which are highly esteemed before men, are many tymes abomination in the sight of God, Luc. 16. so that on y ^e other Luc. 16. side oftentimes those thinges which are reiected of the world, are most accepted of God, & that the things which are most vile and contemptible before men, are most pretious and glorious before God. Dauid, a stone refused by y ^e builders, but allowed & chosen of God. 2. Hereout wee learne how impossible a thing it is for a man to preuent y ^e purpose of God: God preuenteth mā in his purposes: mā purposeth, but God disposeth al things: but no mā is able to preuent God in his purposes: who shal resist his wil? There Rom. 9. is neither wisedeme, vnderstanding, nor counsaile against y ^e Lord. Pro. 21. For y ^e Prou. 21. Lord our God is in heauē, & doth what­soeuer Psal. 115. he wil: yea euen notwithstāding all the practises of man to preuent him. [Page] The Lord had preferred Iacob before Esau, the younger before y ^e elder: Isaac wold haue preuented it, but the Lord preuented him. Gen. 27. The Lord had Gen. 27. appointed that Ioseph should be Lord o­uer his brethren, and that his brethren should bowe vnto him and doo him reue­rence: they would haue preuented it by selling him to the Ismaelites; but the Lord preuented them: they were glad to bowe and crowch before him. Gen. Gen. 42. 43 42. 43. And what néede more examples herein? The Lord had annointed Da­uid king ouer Israel, by the Ministry of Samuel. 1. Sam. 16. the Princes with­stand 1. Sam. 16. it, yea Saule him selfe withstan­deth it: but all in vaine. Dauid is ad­uanced to the kingdome of Iudah, and at the length also to the kingdome of Is­rael, as 2. Sam. 5. Thus is this stone 2. Sam. 5. which the builders refused, become the head of the Corner.

I am not come at this time into this place, worshipfull and beloued, histori­cally to shew vnto you what hath of old come to passe vnto Dauid of Israel: but chiefly, in consideration of the daie, by way of application to put you in minde, [Page] what hath béen in your own daies done vnto Elizabeth of England. The stone which the Builders refused, is the head of the Corner. Elizabeth that pretious stone of the house of England refused: by whom? by the builders ther­of: but what is the euent? the same is the head of the corner. Elizabeth refu­sed, by what meanes? Elizabeth a stone of the house of England, not of any straunge countrey or forraine nation, and therefore not vnfit: yet had they re­fused her: yea Elizabeth a stone not of the baser, but of the most pretious sorte a stone of the head corner stone, procee­ding from the loines of the kings of this land: yet had they refused her: yea Eli­zabeth a stone not ragged but euerie way squared, not by the hand of man but by the finger of God, fit for the place and purpose, and yet had they refused her. And by whome was she refused? euen by those which were chosen to be the builders of the house of this commō wealth: these were the Councellers & Nobilitie of this Realme, in the dayes of Queene Mary her sister, who albeit they were the sworne assisters of the [Page] rightfull heire apparant to the Crown of this land: yea, and albeit they knews by succession to be heires, and that not by extraordinarie annoynting as the kingdome of Israel came to Dauid, but by naturall discent from her Father, and confirmed by the last will and te­stament of her Father of famous me­morie king Henrie the eight, yet con­trarie to law, contrarie to their oth, and contrarie vnto conscience they refused her: and what waies and meanes they deuised and put in practise not onely to depriue her of y ^e Crown, but also of her head whereon the Crown should stand, as the historie therof in the booke of the acts & monuments of the Church recor­ded expresseth it, & many of you yet suf­ficiently remēber it: so it should be néed­lesse for me now to spend any time in y ^e deliuering of it. Onely therefore this I say (which boldly I may say) that neuer did Saule & his coherents séeke more waies to destroy Dauid, then they sought to destroy her: neither was Da­uid at any time in greater daunger of death being persecuted by Saul, nor Peter in greater perril of beheading being [Page] fast bound in y ^e prison by Herod, Act. 12 Act. 12. nor the thrèe children in greater danger of burning when they were in the hotte burning fornace. Dan. 3. nor Daniel in Dan. 3. greater danger of deuouring when hée was in the Lions denne. Dan. 6. nor Dan. 6. Ionas in greater danger of death being alreadie deuoured into the Whales bel­ly swimming in the midst of the sea. Io­nah. 1. then shée was being in the hands Ionas. 1. of her enemies. But what was the e­uent? The same is the head of the Cor­ner: notwithstanding all this, her ene­mies had no power ouer her, they pre­uailed not in their purposes, but were confounded in their deuises: as for Eli­zabeth, she is aduanced to the kingdome, she sitteth in the throne, she weareth the Crowne, shée beareth the Scepter. The stone which the builders refused, is the head of the Corner: and thus much con­cerning the aduancement of Dauid.

2. How it came to passe. Now the people expresse how it came to passe that Dauid was aduanced to the kingdome: how this stone being refused by the buil­ders, became notwithstanding the head of the Corner. verse. 23. This was the [Page] Lords dooing, and it is merueilous in our eies. Where they first attribute their working thereof onely to the Lord. Secondly, they confirme it by the mer­ueilousnes thereof in their eies.

First they attribute the aduancement of Dauid to the onely working of the Lord. It is the first doing and right du­tifully: for it is the Lord which hath all things vnder his gouernment and dire­ction: neither is there any thing done which the Lord hath not done: the least things of this world which we sée done, are the Lords doing: the holding foorth of our armes, the opening of our lippes, the lifting vp of our eies, nay the fall of the Sparrow, nay the fall of the leafe: or if there be any thing lesse then the least of these, it is the Lords dooing, and ther­fore how much more the things which are greatest? Againe in the placing and disposing of the members of the bodie of man, that one member is lower or high­er then another, that the head is highest and the foote lowest, it is the Lords doo­ing. Againe amongst those Celestiall bodies, that the Sunne is placed aboue Moone and Stars; or (to vse the words [Page] of the Apostle. 1. Cor: 15.) that there is 1. Cor. 15. one glory of the Sunne, and another of the Moone, & another of the Stars, and that one Starre differeth from another in glory: this is also the Lords doing: and so likewise in the politike body of the common-wealth, that one is aduan­ced aboue or below another, before or behind another: that one is the chiefest, another the basest, this is also the Lords doing: it is the Lord that casteth downe and exalteth: it is he that raiseth y ^e poore out of the dust, and lifteth vp the begger from the dunghil to set him amongst the princes, that he may inhabite the seate of glorie, as Anna confesseth in her song 1. Sam. 2. and as Dauid speaketh, Psal. 1. Sam. 2. 75. Preferment commeth neither from Psal. 75. the East nor from the West, nor from the South, but God is iudge: he maketh low & maketh high: and therefore saith the Lord, by the wisedom of Salomon, Prou. 8. By me kings doe raigne: and Prou. 8. Rom. 13. the Apostle, Rom. 13. There is no po­wer but of God, and the powers that be, are ordained of God: if therefore we sée any aduanced vnto the seat of wor­ship, honor, or maiestie, yea whether it [Page] be by birth, friends, conquest, or by any other meanes of man, yet this we must acknowledge, that it is y ^e Lords doing: For albeit that man was y ^e instrumēt, yet the Lord is the only author and or­dainer thereof. But yet when this peo­ple here acknowledge the aduancemēt of Dauid to be the Lords doing, it is af­ter a more speciall maner, as it is oppo­sed against the doing of man, thereby shewing that it was brought to passe, only by the power of the Lord, without the helpe, and beyond the expectation of man: for albeit that euen those things which are brought to passe by the mini­stery of man, are said to be done of God, who vsed man as the instrument, yet most properly are those things said to be the Lords doing which by his absolute power are brought to passe without the helpe & beyond the expectation of man: thus was the destruction of Pharao his host, of Senacheribs host, of Herod: and thus wss y ^e preseruation & deliuerance of the Israelits, of the thrée children, of Daniel, of Peter, the Lords doing: and thus doe this people affirme y ^e aduance­ment of Dauid to be the Lords doing.

Secondly that it was the Lords doo­ing, they proue by the marueilousnes therof. And it is meruelous in our eies. As if they had said: Dauid is aduanced to the kingdome, but without the helpe, yea beyond the expectation, yea aboue the reason and vnderstanding of man, yea in so strange a maner, as that in our eies it is a thing most merueilous: and therefore surely it is the Lordes dooing. And was it not a straunge thing & woor­thie to be merueiled at, that Dauid a man of a meane parentage in the com­mon wealth of Israell, the youngest of all his brethren, and one fetched from the shéepefold, should be annointed to be king? yea & notwithstanding hee found so many enemies, and so few friends; so many perils, and so small safetie; being a man reiected and persecuted by Saul and his princes, yea being a man despi­sed and scorned of the people, as he him­selfe speaketh: Psal. 22. Should (Saul Psal. 22. being dead, raigne ouer Iudah, and at the length also (Ishbosheth being slaine) ouer Israel? yet this came to passe: Da­uid that litle one was annointed: that persecuted and despised one was aduan­ced [Page] first to be king ouer Iudah: and then also ouer Israell. This therefore was the Lords doing, and it is merueilous in our eies.

And no lesse merueilous, (if we con­sider it) was the aduancement of Quéen Elizabeth to y ^e Crowne of this Realme: for what though the kingdome succes­siuely by right appertained vnto her? yet if we consider the multitude and mighti­nesse of her enemies that withstood her: the infinite number of their subtile and deuilish deuises and practises to destroy her: again if we consider the smal num­ber of her able friends to defend her, and her lesse abilitie to defend her selfe: be­ing a mayden virgine, and therefore vn­meete: vnarmed, and therefore vnfit to resist: againe being fast shut within the stone walles of strong holdes, and there­fore not able to fly, but enforced to ad­uenture the extremitie of those dangers which by her bloudie enemies were dai­ly threatned against her, and prepared for her: againe on the other side, if wée consider how sodenly and wonderfully the chiefest of her enemies, when shée was in chiefest danger of death, and in [Page] the iudgement of man in desperate e­state of life, were brought to destructi­on: wherby (Quéene Mary being dead) she was aduanced to the Crowne: I say if we throughly cōsider these things, and accordingly waigh them in the true ballances of an vpright mind, we shall find the aduancement of Quéene Eliza­beth, a thing most marueilous in our eyes: yea and the more we consider it, the more marueilous we shall find it: yea & I assure my selfe, & you (dearely beloued) that of all those marueilous works which through the mighty hand & outstretched arme of y ^e Lord, we haue either with our eyes séene in our daies, or els with our eares heard in the daies of our fathers to haue come to passe, this one is the greatest & the most meruei­lous in the eyes of all those which throughly and vprightly consider it, e­uen this, the aduancement of Quéene Elizabeth to the Crowne of this land: It was maruailous in the eyes of her verie enimies, who were amased at the sight of it, and whose hearts are yet a­stonished at the remembrance of it: if therefore it séeme not marueilous in the [Page] eyes of any, it is in the eyes of those which consider it not. Wherefore if we are not too sottish, we can not but sée, and too malicious, we can not but ac­knowledge that it is the Lords doing, and not mans: that it is the Lord which hath pleaded her cause, and reuenged her wrong, and that he onely which is mightie and almightie hath magnified her, saying: It is the Lords doing, and it is marueilous in our eyes.

3 The benefit thereof. After that the people haue expressed the wonder­fulnes of Dauids aduancement, they likewise expresse the benefit thereof, Vers. 24. This is the day which the Lord hath made, euen to the singuler benefit of the whole Common-wealth. For here they speake of a speciall day made by God vnto a speciall vse: for otherwise there is no day which the Lord hath not made, and that euen for the vse of man: as appeareth Genes. Gen. 1. 1. The Lorde made the light, and deuiding it from the darkenesse, cal­led the light, Day, and the darke­nesse, Night, and so hee made the first, second, third, fourth, fift, [Page] and sixt, in which hee made the world and all the creatures therein: and the seuenth, wherein he rested from all his Gen. 2. worke which hee had made, and so hee likewise maketh euerie day vnto the end of the worlde: for as now and alwaies in his prouidence hee appointeth what thinges in euerie day from day to day shall be done; so hee also in the same his prouidence, maketh euerie day wherein all things shalbe done. Here therefore, as I said before, they speake of a special day made of God vnto a speciall vse for the same people: and that not of a spe­ciall day made for the sending of a speci­all plague (for thus also is the day of tri­bulation and of affliction for the punish­ment of the sinnes of the vngodly, a spe­ciall day which the Lord hath made to a speciall vse: and therefore the day ap­pointed for the captiuitie and destruction of the Iewes, Ierem. 30. Ioel. 1. Amos. 5. Zophon. 1. is called the day of the Ierem. 30. Ioel. 1. Amos. 5. Zophon. 1. Lord,) but of a speciall day made by him to their speciall benefit and commoditie: this day was the day of the aduancemēt of Dauid vnto the kingdome, whereby the whole common wealth after the vn­happie [Page] raign, and happie death of Saul, was wonderfully blessed: and therefore say they, this day the Lord hath made, not to the benefit of one, or a fewe, but to the benefite of the whole common wealth. The Lord had made many daies for the benefite of that people before the time of Dauid both in the time of Mo­ses, and of Iosua, and of the Iudges, and of Samuel, as appeareth in the perusing of those bookes: but yet amongst those there was not one, wherein they had re­ceiued greater blessings, then in this day of the aduancement of Dauid: and how greatly they were blessed thereby, hée that peruseth lib. 2. of Sam. and lib. 1. of the Chronicles, shall finde the same most truely recorded, and fully discour­sed: and whereas infinitely they were blessed thereby, yet the blessednes consi­sted principally in two things: first in his happie victories to the subduing of his enemies, whereby his subiects were preserued in peace, and mainteined in prosperitie. Secondly, in his feruent zeale to religion, whereby his people vnder him were trained vp in the true seruice of God, and therefore worthely [Page] doe they acknowledge This daye the Lord hath made. Now as this peo­ple speaking of the day of the aduance­mēt of Dauid to y ^e kingdom of Iudah, acknowledge the same to bee a speciall day wherin the Lord had shewed mercy vnto them, in pouring out his blessings vpon them: so likewise haue we (dearely beloued) the people of this lande as great cause vpon the consideratiō of the aduancement of Quéene Elizabeth to y ^e Throne therof, to acknowledge the day thereof, a special day ordained of y ^e Lord our God for the singuler benefit of the same: saying with this people, This is the day which the Lord hath made. I might expresse the blessed estate of this land, by conferring the same vnder her maiesties gouernment, with the estate of Iudah & Israel, vnder y ^e gouernment of Dauid, of olde: or I might expresse it by conferring the estate therof with the estate of other nations round about vs, & bordering vpon vs at this day, either of which might easily proue it vnto vs: but that I might not séeme nimis curio­sus in aliena Republica, I will make it manifest by conferring it with it selfe. [Page] The estate of it now with the estate of it in times past: neither do I meane to this end, to call backe the consideration of the estate thereof in the dayes of her Progenitors whom we knew not: but onely to examine it, by conferring the e­state thereof now with the estate of the same in the dayes of Quéene Mary her sister, whom as you, for the most part know, so what the estate of the Cōmon wealth was vnder her, you for the most part can not but remember: that hauing conferred things together which you haue known, and had full experience of, you might the better iudge betwéen the one and the other: here therefore if we consider how it was gouerned & left by the on̄e, and how it hath béene maintai­ned & gouerned by the other, the benefit of this day of the aduancemēt of Quéen Elizabeth to the Crowne of this land, shall most clearely shine, & fully be con­firmed vnto vs. Quéene Mary left it vexed with the insolency of the Spa­nish nation whom she brought in. Quéene Elizabeth hath eased it, Ma­ry left it in warre, Elizabeth hath gouerned it in peace: Mary left it [Page] in debt, Elizabeth hath discharged it: Mary left it in pouertie, Elizabeth hath enriched it: Mary left it weake, Eliza­beth hath strengthned it: nay further, (wherein the perfection of our present happines consisteth) Mary banished true religion, Elizabeth hath restored it: Mary persecuted it, Elizabeth hath defended it: Mary cast it downe, Elizabeth hath aduanced it. Mary with the intollerable superstitions of Antechrist, defiled it, Elizabeth by casting them out, hath purged it: so that now with liberty of body we enioy frée­dome of conscience, in stead of being strangers in other lands, our land is be­come a safe receptance for the godly per­secuted of other natiōs: as in worldly, so in all spirituall blessings we are won­derfully enriched: briefely, we all of vs more fully féele the blessednes of our e­state, then any tongue, much lesse mine, is able to expresse. If therefore the Lord euer made any day for the benefit of Is­rael, yea or any day for the benefit of a­ny nation vnder the heauens, then euen this day of the aduancement of Quéene Elizabeth to the kingdom of England [Page] hath the Lord made for the vnspeakable happines of the same. Happy did En­gland thinke it selfe in the dayes of King Henry hir noble father: happy did it think it selfe in the dayes of king Ed­ward her godly brother: but yet neuer could it repute it selfe so happy, as it hath bene during the raigne of victori­ous Queene Elyzabeth: so vnspeakable an happy day was this, of the aduaunce­ment of Queene Elizabeth: and there­fore how shal we but acknowledge this day made & appointed of the Lord our God for the happines of England? sure­ly neuer did the Lord make any such day before it, neither will he euer make any such day after for the happines of England. The Lord therefore vouch­safe to lengthen this day, not onely as the day of Iosuah, but euen as the daies of Heauen and Earth. And thus much concerning the first part, containing the declaration of the woonderfull and hap­py aduauncement of Dauid to the king­dome.

The second part.

The louing and dutifull behauiour of the [Page] people vpon the consideration thereof.

Which consisteth in 3. things: first, in a reioycing, vers. 24. secondly, in a prayer, verse 25. thirdly, in a blessing, verse 26.

1 A reioycing, which is vttered by way of mutuall exhortation, stirring vp one another vnto the same, verse. 24. Let vs reioice, & be glad in it. Which is the louing nature of Gods children towards their brethren: if they see and know themselues to bee such as they should bee, they enuy not those that bee like vnto them, but rather wish and de­sire that they all were such as they thē ­selues are: so Paul. Act. 26. assuring him­selfe Act. 26. vnfainedly to serue the Lord, wi­sheth that not onely Agrippa, but also all they which heard him speak that day were altogether such as hee himselfe was, onely his bandes excepted: & ther­fore in al godly actions which they duti­fully exercise, not satisfying themselues with their owne diligence, they also stir vp one another by exhortation to ioine with them in them according to y ^e pre­sent occasion offered: as if occasion bee offered to heare the word preached, they stirre them vp vnto hearing with them: [Page] if to exercise themselues in prayer, to pray with them: if in fasting, to fast with them: if in lamentation, to lamēt with them: briefly, if in reioycing, to reioyce with them: as the people in this place, hauing occasion of ioy and reioy­cing geuen vnto them by the aduaunce­mēt of Dauid, exhort each others there­unto, saying: Let vs reioyce and bee glad. In which their reioycing, yet more particularly we are to obserue 3. things: first y ^e persons who are exhorted of one another to reioice. Let vs: second­ly the tyme when. In it: y ^t is, in this day which the Lord hath made: thirdly, what maner of reioycing it should bee.

First concerning the persons who are exhorted by each other to reioyce, they are, wee. Let vs reioyce and bee glad. Albeit, that so great happines came to that common wealth, by the aduaunce­ment of Dauid to the kingdome: yet notwithstanding all reioyced, not there­at, neither were glad thereof: but many no doubt, of the foolish people which knew not what was good for them­selues inwardly, greeued thereat, yea and many wee know stormed at the [Page] same, and laboured what in them lay to depose Dauid from his Throne, and to depriue him of his Crowne: of these was Abner y ^e chiefe Captaine of Sauls host the chiefe, who seeing Dauid now raigne in Hebron ouer Iudah, tooke Ishbosheth Sauls sonne, and made him king ouer Israel. 2 Sam. 2. This, know 2. Sam. 2. this people, the thing was notorious amongst them: & yet comfortably they say one to another, Let vs reioice and be glad: as if they had said to each other what though many of the foolish people greeue at the aduauncemēt of our king Dauid: yea and what though rebelli­ous Abner & his confederats of y ^e house of Saule storme thereat, and by the ad­uauncement of Ishbosheth to y ^t crowne of Israel, do not onely labour to keepe him backe from the Crowne of Israell, which yet hee hath not, but also to de­pose him from the Crowne of Iudah, which hee now enioyeth, yet as for vs Let vs reioice and be glad of it. In like sort, notwithstanding the great and vn­speakable happines of this Common wealth by the aduauncenent of Queene Elizabeth to the crowne thereof, yet all [Page] reioyced not thereat, neither haue they bene glad thereof: but many no doubt of the foolish & superstitious people haue greeued at it: yea and many rebellious ones, we know by insurrections open­ly, and by conspiracies secretly, haue la­boured what in them lay, & baue aduen­tured there liues to depriue her of it, but yet notwithstanding (dearly beloued) as for vs, let not their foolishnes besotte vs, but let vs reioice, and bee glad thereof: yea euen so many of vs (which I hope is all of vs) as haue a loue to the pre­sent prosperity of the Church of Christ amongst vs, or a loue to y ^e present peace and happines of this common wealth: yea or a loue to the present welfare of our selues, let vs reioice and bee glad: for euen all these thinges, next vnder God, spring herefrom: euē from the ad­uauncement of Queene Elizabeth.

Secondly, concerning the time of this reioicing, let vs (say they) reioyce and bee glad In it: that is in this day which the Lord hath made for the aduaunce­ment of Dauid. Whereby we see that this people solemnly obserued and kept the day of the aduauncement of Dauid [Page] to the kingdome of Iudah: which not­withstanding is not that obseruation of dayes dissliked and reiected by the Apo­stle Saint Paule Gal. 4. & Coloss. 2. Gal. 4. Col. 2. where only the superstitious obseruati­on of daies and times are condemned: but religiously to obserue those dayes wherein the Lord hath done principall thinges either for the benefitte of his Church whether generall or particular amongest vs: or for the benefite of the common wealth wherein wée liue, as I finde neither cōmaundement, nor coun­saile, nor example to condemne it, so finde I manifold examples not amon­gest the Heathen people recorded by prophane writers (which I willingly omit): but amongest the people of God themselues, set downe in the holy scrip­tures (which I can not ouerslip.) What dayes the people of Israell were com­maunded to keepe holy vnto the Lorde you may reade, Deut. 16. and els where Deut. 16. euen the dayes of the Passeouer of Pē ­tecost, Tabernacles and some others, in remembrance of those great blessinges, which they had receiued at the hands of the Lord. Againe, when by the meanes [Page] of Quéene Hester, the Iewes vnder A­hashuerosh were preserued from the de­struction practised against them by Ha­man, and hauing ouerthrowen their e­nemies had gotten rest, and were in saf­ty: shée by the aduise of hir godly vncle Mardocheus gaue cōmaundement vn­to the whole people of y ^e Iewes through out all the prouinces of the king Aha­shuerosh, that they should euery yeare keepe the xiiii. and xv. daies of the mo­neth Adar holy, in remēbrance of their woonderfull deliuerance. Ester. 9. A­gaine Ester. 9. when the same people by y ^e means of Simon the high priest, had bene deli­uered from the tyranny of Tryphon. Simon ordained that the same day: e­uen the 23. day of the second moneth should bee kept euery yeare with glad­nes: 1. Mac. 13. and what neede more 1 Mac. 13. examples? This people here seeing Da­uid aduaunced to the kingdome of Iu­dah, as a day wherein they had recei­ued so great a blessing at the handes of the Lord, they solemnely obserue the same, and that with reioycing, saying: this is y ^e day which the Lord hath made: let vs reioyce and be glad In it. If euer [Page] the people of Israell had any iust cause to obserue with reioycing any day in re­membrance ether of any euill auoided, or of any benefite receiued at the handes of the Lord: yea, or if any people vnder the heauens hath had at any time iust occasion to do the same: surely thē haue wee euen the people of this Common wealth, as great cause as they that haue had the greatest, whether in respect of the one, or in respect of the other, so­lemnely with reioycing to obserue this day, wherein wee now breath, the 17. of Nouember: which is the day of the memorial of the beginning of the happy raigne of our most gracious soueraigne Queene Elizabeth ouer this land: for on this day, now 29. yeares it was, that the Lord in mercy remembring vs whē we litle hoped, and lesse deserued, by ta­king away of Queene Mary, aduaun­ced Queene Elizabeth ouer vs: where­by what plagues wee were deliuered from, and what blessednes wee reaped, you heard before in part, but can not fully bee expressed: wherefore now in this day let vs reioyce and be glad, yea, and although euery day ought to be vn­to [Page] vs a day of reioicing therat: yet prin­cipally we ought to reioyce in this day. How can wee but euery day reioyce thereat, when as euery day wee reape the benefite thereof? There doth not one day throughout the yeare, nay throughout y ^e whole course of our liues, passe ouer our heads, but that therein euery one of vs, high and low, rich and poore, young and old, do many wayes both see in others, and feele in our selues the vnspeakable benefits of y ^e aduaunce­ment of Queene Elizabeth: and there­fore euery day ought to be vnto vs a day of reioycing: euery day haue wee iust cause to fall downe on our knees, and geue God thankes for Elizabeth: but yet principally wee ought to reioyce in this day, which now wee solemnly ob­serue in memoriall thereof, for that this is the end wherfore all such solemne ob­seruation of special dayes for special be­nefites haue bene ordayned and vsed: e­uen that they should be bestowed in re­ioycing: not in fasting: but in feasting, not in weeping, but in reioycing: wher­fore principally in this day we ought to reioyce for y ^t aduauncement of Queene [Page] Elizabeth. Therefore, Let vs reioice and be glad in it. Let not our so long enioying of her, slacke our ioy, or quaile our reioucing for her: but rather as the longer wee enioy her, the more wee are blessed by her: so haue wee euery yeare renuing of this day, the greater cause to reioyce for her, and therefore euen in this day let vs reioyce and bee glad thereof: yea euery way let vs testify vn­to the whole world this our reioycing: let the cherefulnes of our coūtenances, the decency of our garmentes, the songs of our lippes, the clapping of our hands, our melody on instruments of musicke, the making of bonefires, the ringing of belles, the sounding of trum pettes, the displaying of banners, the shooting of gunnes: yea, and whatsoeuer meanes haue bene vsed, or may bee deuised as testimonies of reioycing, let them be v­sed of vs as an euident testimony of our vnfayned and harty reioycing this day, for the aduauncemēt of Queene Eliza­beth.

Thirdly concerning the maner of this our reioycing, it must also bee obserued: for there is areioycing which is euil, as [Page] the Apostle speaketh. 1 Cor. 5. The end of which is, weeping: as Christ testifi­eth 1 Cor. 5. Luc. 6. Luc. 6. woe be vnto you which now laugh and reioyce: for yee shall wayle and weepe. This our reioycing there­fore must be onely in the Lord: in the same wee must not forget God: which fault man for y ^e most part falleth into in y ^e middest of his reioycing: in his reioycing he is so ouerioyed, as y ^t he clean for­getteth to reioice in him in whom hee ought to reioyce: the reioycing in y ^e gift, maketh him forgetfull to reioyce in the geuer: if God geue wealth, health of bo­dy after pouerty and sicknes: strength after weaknes, peace after war, plen­ty after scarcity, &c. euery man is glad thereof and reioyceth thereat. But who is hee that reioyceth in him, who hath bestowed those thinges on him? the peo­ple of Israell beyng brought out of E­gypt from the slauery of Pharao, and of the Egiptians, they were, no doubt glad thereof and reioyced therat, but as Da­uid speaketh, Psal. 106. They forgat Psal. 106. God their Sauiour which had done great things in the land of Egipt, won­derous woorks in the land of Ham, and [Page] fearefull thinges in the red sea for them: so those ten Leapors spoken of in y ^e Gos­pell, Luc. 17. beying healed of their le­prosie Luc. 17. by Christ, were all, no doubt, full glad thereof, and reioiced: but yet all forgate to reioyce in him who had she­wed this mercy vnto thē: for onely one of them (who was a Samaritane) re­turned backe, falling downs on his face gaue him thankes, and with a lowde voice gaue praise vnto God. Of al those blessinges, which wee the people of this nation at this present enioy, or euer in times past haue enioyed: this one, euen the aduauncemēt of Queene Elizabeth ouer this land is not the least but rather the greatest, and therefore not the least, but the most woorthy to bee reioyced at of al of vs which reape the benefite ther­of: but yet in this our reioicing we must bee mindfull to reioice in him who hath geuen Elizabeth vnto vs, and aduaun­ced her ouer vs: For this was the Lordes doing and not mans, but euen without the helpe of man, yea euen be­yonde the expectation of all men: nay further, contrary to the wil of the chie­fest men of this world, as you heard be­fore, [Page] the Lord brought it to passe: in whō therefore should we reioyce but in him? for in whom should wee reioyce but in him who hath bene the woorker thereof? hee onely is woorthy of the praise, who alone hath done the worke: yea and to this end it is, that hee hath so miracu­lously brought the same to passe, that no flesh should reioyce in his presence: but that hee which reioyceth, should reioice in him: saying: Not vnto vs, O Lord, not vnto vs, but vnto thy name geue y ^e praise, for thy louing mercy and for thy truthes sake, Psal. 126. Let this our re­ioycing Psal. 126. testify our thankefulnes vnto him for the same: Wee are not woorthy of the least of all his mercies, Gen. 32. Gen. 33. much lesse of this: and all which wee haue, or can geue vnto the Lord our God is not woorthy the name of a re­compence for y ^e least, much lesse for this: & yet such is the mercy of our God vnto our weaknes, as that this onely hee re­quireth at our handes for al his vnspea­kable benefits in so ouerflowing a mea­sure powred vpon vs, euen this, that we should geue thankes vnto him: and re­ioice in his holy name: therefore Da­uid [Page] vpon the consideration of the woon­derfull mercies of God towardes him, falling into this godly meditatiō: what shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefites bestowed vpon mee? Psal. 116 Psal. 116. thereby acknowledging that hee was both altogether vnwoorthy of them: & all which hee could geue was no pro­portionall recompence for them, and at the length resoluing himselfe what re­compence to geue, breaketh foorth into these woords. I wil take the cup of sal­uation, and will call on the name of the Lord: Loe then, this one payment doth fully satisfy the Lord for all his graces, benefites, and blessings powred vpon vs: And therefore also for this. O therefore that we could truly reioyce in him, and hartely be thankfull vnto him this day, and euen for Elizabeth: that the Lord may this day and euer blesse vs with Elizabeth: God forbid y ^t our vnthankfulnes vnto him should bereaue and depriue vs of Elizabeth, & of this so great happines which we haue so long time enioyed, and now at this present do, and long time hereafter may (which God grant) enioy by Elizabeth: [Page] as therfore this day the Lord hath made for our singular benefite and vnspeaka­ble happines: so let vs reioyce and bee gladde in it, and bestow the same in thanksgeuing vnto him for the ad­uauncement of Elizabeth.

2 A Prayier, from reioycing they come vnto prayer. Non minor est vir­tus quam quarere, parta tueri: as Dauid could not without the helpe of the Lord obtaine the kingdome: so nether could he without the helpe of the Lord defend himselfe and gouerne it: and therefore as they saw iust occasion to reioyce in him for the one, so they saw as iust occa­sion to pray vnto him for the other, say­ing verse. 25. O Lord I pray thee saue now: O Lord I pray thee now geue prosperitie. Where wee say they pray for two thinges in the behalfe of Da­uid the King: first Saluation, secondly Prosperity.

First they pray for Saluation. O Lord I pray thee saue now, that is, from the hand of the enemy which la­boureth to supplant him: In the time of mirth they remembred eminent daun­gers, they thought of perils at hand: [Page] which the Preacher Cap. 11. exhorteth Eccl. 11. vs vnto: though a mā liue many years, and in them all reioyce, yet let him re­member the dayes of darknes, that is, of affliction and trouble. There is no mans estate in this world so quiet, but y ^t it is mixed with many troubles, nor so safe, but y ^t it is subiect to many dan­gers: but yet principally the estate of a King, it is most troublesome and peril­lous. And therfore they knew that Da­uid beeing now aduaūced to the throne of the kingdome of Iudah, and that in such maner as before is declared, could not but finde many enemies, by whom he should bée subiect to no few troubles, nor small daungers, yea & many were the troubles and perils which were laid before him, and stirred vp against him, of his desperate enemies both within & without, both for his aduauncement to Iudah and Israell: within beyng ad­uaunced to the kingdome of Iudah: he had those that striued for the aduaunce­ment of Ishbosheth Sauls Sonne: and these were they of the house of Saule, of whom you heard before: betweene whom there was a long warre, as ap­peareth, [Page] 2. Sam. 3. beyng aduaunced to 2 Sam. 3. the kingdome of Israell: both within and without viewing him, within: first his owne sonne Absalon: the She­ba the sonne of Bechin, a man of Iemini: both which raysed vp Israel against Dauid: without, he had the Phi­listines and other nations oft times ma­king war vpon him of both which you may read plētifully. 2. Sam. 5. wherfore 2. Sam. 5. they séeing Dauid subiect to so many pe­rils, they pray for saluatiō at the hands of God, saying, O Lord I pray thee saue now: For what was Dauid a­gainst his aduersaries? either in multi­tude or mightines? wherefore they flye vnto the Lord for refuge and defence: saue now, O Lord, euē thyne annoyn­ted whom thou hast aduaunced from the handes of his enemies, which purpose and practise his destruction.

Secondly, they pray for the prospe­rity of their king: O Lord I pray thee now geue prosperity: as Dauid could not saue himselfe from the hands of his enemies, except the Lord saued him: so neither could hee gouerne the common wealth, except the Lord prospered him [Page] therin: It is no easy thing to gouerne a kingdome: & to order a common wealth, for the welfare & happines of the people: if the Lord teach not y ^e king what to doo, by whom shal he be directed? If y ^e Lord direct him not, how cā he prosper in any thing which he taketh in hand? how shal he prosper in his counsails? how shal he prosper in his enterprises? If the Lord build not the house, in vaine do they la­bour that build it. Psal. 127. They euen Psal. 127. Gen. 11. with y ^e sons of men, Gen. 11. thinke they to build neuer so lofty a building, yet they build vnto themselues nothing else but a Tower of confusion: The com­mon wealth can not prosper, but come to ruine and destruction: wherefore O Lord I pray thee geue now prosperity vnto Dauid our King: that thou pros­pering him, the Common wealth may bee in prosperity by him. The exam­ple of this people (dearly beleued) tea­cheth vs that in the middest of this our reioycing this day for the happy ad­uauncement of our most gratious So­ueraigne, Queene Elizabeth, we must not forget to ioyne prayer therunto for her, euen for the safety and prosperity [Page] of Elizabeth: saying, O Lord I pray thee, &c. First for her safety, and that from the handes of her enemies: for al­beit that she is aduaunced to the throne of the kingdome, yet hath shée not bene neither is shee frée from her mani­fold perils: first by her rebellious sub­iectes within, who for the aduauncemēt of an Ishbosheth, nay of a Iezabell to the Crowne, both by open insurrecti­ons, leuying of armies, displaying of Banners, and pitching of fieldes: and also by secret conspiracies, with dagges and daggers, &c. haue practised her de­struction: then by forraine enemies of o­ther nations: for we are not ignorant of y ^e often thretned inuasiōs in times past: neither can we be ignorant of y ^e purpo­sed & prepared mischiefe at this present to depose her from the Crown. Where­fore, O Lord I pray thee saue now, e­uen thyne annoynted: thou which hast lifted her vp, hold her vp, that thine and her enemies plucke not her downe whō thou hast exalted: continue thy wonted goodnes towardes her, as thou hast he­therto saued her, so saue her now: make perfect that same good woorke which [Page] thou hast begunne in her: yea, Now, O Lord saue her: for now is the wrathful indignation of thine and her enemies, as a consuming fire enflamed against her: wherefore, O Lord, saue now, yea and saue her for euer. Hereunto wee must ioyne prayer for her prosperity. O Lord I pray thee now geue prosperi­ty vnto Elizabeth, béeing safely couched vnder the shadow of thy winges, pros­per thou her, O Lord, prosper thou the counsailes of her hart, prosper thou the woorks of her hands: yea O Lord, what­soeuer shee taketh in hand, let it prosper in thy sight: yea and so prosper her, O Lord, in the gouernment of vs thy peo­ple committed vnto her charge, as that we also may prosper vnder her: and that as in all worldly prosperity, so princi­pally in all godlines and honesty: yea Now, O Lord, geue prosperity vnto her, as thou hast hetherto prospered her gouernment aboue al other Kinges and Princes of the earth, to the terror of thy enemies, to the comfort of thy chosen, to the admiration of all men: so, O Lord, geue now, yea and euer prosperity vnto Elizabeth. Thus ought we (dearly belo­ued) [Page] in the middest of our reioycing to mixe prayer vnto God for the safety and prosperity of Queen Elizabeth: great is y ^e force of prayer before God: it pearceth the clowds, and assendeth into the eares of the Almighty: and although the Lord heareth not sinners, Iohn. 9. But their Iohn. 9. prayer is turned into sin: yet the prayer of the righteous, is euen as the sweet incense and as the euening sacrifice most pleasant and delectable in his sight: ha­uing this promise, y ^t whatsoeuer they shal aske, they shal obtaine it, yea great is the force of the prayer of one righte­ous man, if it be feruent, as Iames spea­keth cap. 5. And then how much more Iames. 5. forceable is the prayer of the whole con­gregatiō of y ^e righteous being assembled together before him in his house, which is the house of prayer. Wherefore now being assembled together at this time, vpon this occasion into this place: yea & at what time soeuer, vpō any other occa­siō we assemble our selues together into y ^e Church of God (that I speake nothing of priuate prayer in all places) lifting vp cleane handes and purifyed hartes, let vs pray. O Lord, I pray thee, saue [Page] now. O Lord I pray thee now geue prosperity vnto Elizabeth: For as this is the duty of all men one towards ano­ther, but principally of subiects towards their Kinges and Princes, to commend thē in their prayers vnto God. 1. Tim. 2 1 Tim. 2. so yet chiefly it standeth vs vpon, which are y ^e subiectes of this Common-wealth to pray for the safety & prosperity of our Queene Elizabeth: for in the safety of Elizabeth consisteth ours: in her peace, ours: in her prosperity, ours: in her life, ours: in her death, ours: in her destru­ction, ours: If the Lord either by timely or vntimely, either by naturall or vn­naturall death should take away Eliza­beth from Englād, it would indeed be a ioyful and happy Elizabeth, but a most woefull and miserable England. God graunt mine eies neuer see, nor mine eares neuer heare of the death of Eliza­beth: Wherefore, O Lord, I pray thee saue now: O Lord, I pray thee geue now prosperity vnto Elizabeth: and let all those which entirely loue Eliza­beth, say, So be it.

3 A blessing, verse. 26. Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the [Page] Lord: we haue blessed you out of the house of y ^e Lord. Which words, y ^e most vsuall translations do set downe after the forme and maner of wishing or de­siring. Blessed be hee, &c. As if the peo­ple had prayed vnto the Lord to blesse Dauid their King. But the most appro­ued translatiō according to the Hebrew set them downe by way of affirmation, Blessed is hee, &c. Wherin the people do affirme Dauid their King to bee the blessed of the Lord. Blessed is Dauid. the which they confirme by two notable arguments. First Dauid commeth in the name of the Lord, that is, Dauid commeth to rule and gouerne the com­mon-wealth. Hee obtaineth the King­dome, not in his owne name, but in the name of the Lord: not thrusting himself thereunto, but hauing the same thrust vpon him by the Lord: not vsurpingly aduauncing himselfe, but beeing mira­culously thereunto aduaunced by the Lord: and therefore Dauid is blessed: for as they which come in their owne names are cursed: so they which come in the name of the Lord are blessed: but Dauid commeth in y ^e name of the Lord, [Page] therfore Dauid is blessed. Secōdly Da­uid is blessed of them that are of y ^e house of the Lord: that is, either of the priests of the Lordes house, of his Sanctuary, whose office it was to blesse, as appea­reth Num. 6. and also Deut. 10. or else Num. 6. Deut. 10. more generally euē of all those that be­long to the house of the Lord, that is, which purely woorshippe him in his Sanctuary, in Sion: And therefore Dauid is blessed of the Lord: for the Lord mercifully ratifyeth, and confir­meth the blessinges of his Church: hee blesseth those whom his Church bles­seth: and hee curseth those whom his Church curseth. But his Church e­uen the Congregation of his chosen Children, beeyng blessed by Dauid: haue blessed Dauid: and therefore Da­uid is blessed of the Lord: Lo how in­uincibly they haue prooued that Dauid is blessed. The consideration whereof could not but much confirme the hope of the safety and prosperity of Dauid, for which they prayed before: for not onely safety, and prosperity, but euen all good thinges follow the blessing of God. The Lords blessing is no vaine [Page] nor naked blessing, as is oftentimes the blessing of man: But al good things are heapēd vpon those which are bles­sed of the Lord: Let Shemei there­fore curse Dauid. 2. Sam. 16. yet Da­uid is blessed: yea let the enemies of 2. Sam. 16. Dauid conspire together against him: yet shall the Lord geue safety and pro­sperity vnto Dauid, because hee is the blessed of the Lord.

In like sorte, (dearely beloued) this can not but bee vnto a singuler comfort and consolation continuing our hope of the safetie and prosperitie of our gracious Quéene Elizabeth, be­cause she is the blessed of the Lord. E­lizabeth is the blessed of the Lord, and therefore let her enimies curse her with booke, bell and candle, the curse shall not fal vpon her, but she is blessed, yea & shall be blessed for euer: for there is no repentance in the Lord: God is not as man, that hee should lye, nor as the sonne of man that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not doe it? and hath he spoken, and shall he not accomplish it? hath he blessed, and shall he not con­tinue his blessing? yes surely, with him [Page] there is no variablenesse, neither sha­dow of chaunging, Iames. 1. If Isaac Iam. 1. was constant in his blessing vnwit­tingly bestowed vpon Iacob, and not­withstanding all the teares of Esau, would not call backe the same, but con­firmed it, saying: I haue blessed him, and therefore he shall be blessed: Gen. 27. Then how much more constant Gen. 27. shall the Lorde bee in continuing his blessing vpon those his children whom he hath once not vnwittingly but wil­lingly blessed, notwithstanding all the teares, outcries, cursings, and bannings of the vngodly? saying, I haue blessed them, therefore they shall bee blessed. And if the Lord blesse, who shall curse? How shal I curse, where the Lord hath not cursed (saith Balaam to Balaac) or how shall I detest where the Lorde hath not detested? or if they curse, or detest those whom the Lorde blesseth, and reioyceth in: their cursing shall fall vpon them selues: as the Prophet Da­uid saith, Psal. 109. As they loued cur­sing, so shal it come vnto thē: as they lo­ued Psal. 109. not blessing, so it shal be far off from them: as they clothed themselues with [Page] cursing: as with a garment, so it shall come into their bowels like water, and like oyle into their bones. But y ^e blessed of y ^e Lord, shal be blessed for euer. That Elizabeth is the blessed of the Lord, I proue euē by the selfe same arguments wherby the blessednes of Dauid is con­firmed in this place. First, Bessed is he that cōmeth in the name of the Lord, but Elizabeth commeth in the name of the Lord: she came not to gouerne this land in her own name, but in the name of the Lord: she obtained not the crown by her own power, but by the power of the Lord, who miraculously aduanced her thereunto, & no lesse miraculousily hath hetherto vpheld her therin: & there­fore this is an euident testimonie y ^e she is the blessed & beloued of the Lord. Se­condly, She is blessed out of the house of the Lord, as it hath béene blessed by her, so it blesseth her amongst all the mightie kings and princes of the earth, there is none by whom the house of the Lord, the Church of Christ hath béene so wonderfully blessed, as it hath béene by Quéene Elizabeth at this day: by her principally it is that the kingdom of [Page] Antechrist decayeth dayly: by her prin­cipally it is, that the Church of Christ within these few yeares in so many na­tions is augmented and aduanced: by her it is that the banished children of Christ, not hauing a place where to rest their heades, are louingly receaued, and carefully fed and nourished: by her it is that y ^e oppressed ones are defended: & they which war for it, are strēgthned, and therfore woorthely hath she deser­ued the euerlasting blessing of the house of the Lord: yea and no doubt, the whole house of the Lord doth blesse her. And therefore wee may also assure our selues, that the Lord ratifying and con­firming the blessing of his Church, bles­seth her. The consideration whereof, (dearly beloued) as I said before can not but greatly comfort and confirme the certainty of our hope, concerning the safety and prosperity of our most graci­ous Soueraigne, Queene Elizabeth, that notwithstanding, shee is cursed by the Pope, the maister of misrule, and author of all mischiefe: and be hated of all his fauourers who with all their powers bend themselues against her to [Page] subdue her, and bring her to confusion: yet that they shall not bee able to pre­uaile ouer her: but that the Lord for his names sake: who hath miraculously ad­uaunced her, and hetherto preserued her: yea and for his Church sake, which béeing blessed by her, hath blessed her, he will geue safety and prosperity vnto E­lizabeth, to the continuance of the glory of his name, and the encreasing of the blessednes of his Church by her. The which the Lord vouchsafe to graunt for his Sonne Christ his sake, the head of his Church. To whom with the holy Ghost, three distinct persons, and one onely God, bee rendred all honour and praise, both now and for e­uer.

Amen.