Sermon Preached 24 March 1610

A King takes upon him his Subjects person, to sing an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a victoriall song, a gratulatorie song, a song of thanksgiving for the manifold blessings derived from heaven by the King upon the Subject. This King was David: his Subjects the people of Israel: his Song this Psalm: the Blessings perpetual.

Job, for his seven sons, when their feasting days were, did early every day offer seven Holocaustes, so many burnt offerings; for he thought, It may be, that my sons have sinned, and blasphemed God in their hearts: and might not David for his subjects offer up his sacrifices, vitulos labiorum, the sacrifices of praise & thanksgiving upon the like thought? It may be that my people have sinned through their unthankfulness against God. God through my government hath plentifully poured upon my people his blessings: it may be, that now waxen fat, they regard him not to give him thanks; therefore will I for them offer unto him the sacrifice of praise.

That Sacrifice was this Psalm. A psalm to be understood not only of the civil Magistrate, as some affirm; nor only of Christ, as others; but of the civil Magistrate, with reference to Christ. David was a type of Christ, and his kingdom of Christ's kingdom; his victories were but Praeludia, as preambles or fore-runners of Christ's victories. Therefore speaking of David, we must ever have an eye to Christ. And, as this people here acknowledgeth for their temporal estate, that the safety of their king, was their safety, and common joy; so must it be acknowledged by us, that upon the victories of our head Christ, and his exaltation, dependeth our spiritual welfare. Christ's victories over sin, death, and hell, are our victories, and have freed us from the curse of the Law; his resurrection is a cause of ours; his exaltation is our joy.

This Psalm thus understood (of David with reference to Christ, yet primarilie of David ) hath 2. general partes. One is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an Enumeration of those many blessings, wherewith God had blessed David; and this part is continued for the first seven verses.

The other is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; a confession, or acknowledgement of the power of God, whereby he dissipateth, and bringeth to naught the counsels of the wicked. Let the wicked assisted with all the powers of hell, band themselves together to do harm to the Lord's anointed; they shall find that there is a God, Qui dat salutem regibus, That giveth deliverance unto kings, and rescueth David his servant from the hurtful and cruel sword. The right hand of the Lord shall find them out, and make them like a fiery oven in the time of his anger. This confession of David's people beginning at the eighth verse, is concluded with an Epiphoneme in the 13. Be thou exalted, O Lord in thy strength, so will we sing and praise thy power.

Return we to the Enumeration of the blessings wherewith God had blessed David; and we shall behold the king filled with blessings from the Lord. He was filled with joy of heart for the strength and salvation of God, verse. 1. Whatsoever his heart could wish, or lips request, that was granted him, v. 2. He was prevented with liberal blessings, v. 3. A crown of pure Gold was set upon his head, v. eod. Life was given him, a long life, v. 4. Glory, dignity, & honor in despite of his foes, were heaped on him, v. 5. He was appointed for blessings unto his people, v. 6. and was made glad with the joy of the countenance of the Lord, eod. And why was David thus filled with blessings from the Lord? Was it for any merit of his own? No. The 7 verse will tell us why it was. It was for the sure trust & confidence he had in God and his mercies. Because the king trusteth in the Lord, and in the mercy of the most high, he shall not slide.

Out of this abundance of blessings, first settled upon K. David's head, & thence like Aaron's ointment descending, and sending forth sweet odoures of peace and prosperity to the lowest of his people, much might be brought to fit this days Solemnity. This day hath God given us opportunity of meeting now the eighth time to celebrate it, to the glory of his holy name, to the honor of our religious Sovereign, and to the comfort of his loiall subjects. To which purpose out of David's store of blessings, I have made choice of that which is in the former part of the sixth verse, Thou hast set him as blessings forever.

The words you may call David's exaltation. I observe in them 4. Circumstances. The 1. is the author of this exaltation; God. The 2. the exaltation it self; David appointed king over Israel. The 3. the ende of the exaltation; Blessings to his people. The 4. the continuance of the blessings; For ever.

Thou hast set him as blessings forever.] Thou; there is the author. Hast set him; there is the exaltation. As blessings; there is the ende. For ever; there is the continuance.

I will with all the speed I may, pass through these circumstances, that I may speak somewhat to the general doctrine issuing hence; namely, that kings hold their kingdoms immediately from God. Whereof when I shall have made some use, it will be time to conclude. Till then I commend myself to God his gracious assistance, and your Christian patience.

Thou hast set him as blessings forever. The first circumstance is the autor of David's exaltation. The autor is God called in the first verse of this Psalm by his honorablest title, Jehovah, God! Excedit supereminentia divinitatis vsitati eloquij facultatem, saith S. Austin de Trinitate, lib. 7. ca. 4. The supereminency of the Deity passeth man's utterance; and therefore it is immediately added, Meliùs cogitatur quàm dicitur; we can better think then speak of God. Yet whē we consult with our deepest thoughts, we come short of apprehending that incomprehensible Majesty. That of S. Hilary is as true as vulgar, Certe hoc est Deus, quod & cum dicitur, non potest dici; cum aestimatur, non potest aestimari; cum comparatur, non potest comparari; cum definitur, ipse suâ definitione crescit. Out of doubt, whosoever shall go about to search into the secrets and essence of the will of God, opprimetur à gloriâ, and fear and shame shall be his covering.

To such curious searchers, who to get themselves a name above their neighbors, will seem to be God's coūsellours, I commend the wise advise of Sirachs son, c. 3. ver. 22. Seek not out the things that are too hard for thee, neither search the things rashly, which are too mighty for thee; but what God hath commanded thee, think upon that with reverence, and be not curious in many of his works; for it is not needful for thee to see with thine eyes the things that are secret. Such curiosity may further be suppressed by that of Elihu, Job. 36.26. Behold, God is excellent, and we know him not: and by that of Jeremiah, cap. 32.19. as the vulgar Latin makes him speak, Incomprehensibilis cogitatu, our thoughts comprehend him not: and by that of S. Paul, Rom. 11.33. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; his ways are past finding out.

Wherefore that we be not illicite curiosi, more curious then meet is, abstain we from searching into such secrets as God hath reserved unto himself; yet that we be not damnabiliter ingrati, as S. Amhrose speaketh, condemned for ingratitude, let us use our best diligence to understand what God hath revealed of himself. For howsoever the secret things belong to the Lord our God, yet the things revealed belong unto us and our children forever. Witness the word of Truth, Deut. 29.29.

It is revealed of God, the Father, Son, & holy Ghost, who is unus at{que} trinus, as S. Austin styles him, unus naturâ, trinus in personis, a Trinity in Unity, and a Unity in Trinity; that he is a God of God's, and Lord of Lord's; a God most wonderful, very great, mighty, & terrible; a God that cannot be expressed by word, nor conceived by thought; of whom all the Angels in heaven do stand in fear, whom all Dominations and Thrones do adore, at whose presence all powers do shake. A God in greatness infinite, in goodness Sovereign, in wisdom wonderful, in power almighty, in counsels terrible, in judgments righteous, in cogitations secret, in works holy, in mercy rich, in promise true, always the same; eternal, everlasting, immortal, unchangeable. Thus have ye the author of David's exaltation. The exaltation it self followeth.

Thou hast set him blessings forever. The Greek books have, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Thou wilt give him a blessing. So hath S. Jerome, so hath S. Austin. Such supereminēt lights of the Church cannot want their followers. But I may not forsake the fountain. The Hebrew words do thus sound, Thou wilt put him, or, thou hast put him (for the Enallage or interchange of those tenses is very familiar to that holy tongue) Thou hast put him blessings. Posuisti eum benedictiones. Supply the Ellipsis of the Preposition, and it will be, Posuisti eum in benedictiones. And whats that?

Some do expound it by the contrary, Poni, Dari, Esse in maledictionem, may be said of one who is become so odious, and execrable, ut nomen eius serviat imprecationibus, & diris, as if when you wish the extremity of evil to another, you should say, God do to him as he hath done to such a one. I need not allege Homers 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , nor any imprecations of the Poet against his Ibis, for instance. In volumine libri, in the sacred volumes we have an example. The phrase we have Ierem. 24.9. where concerning Zedekiah, king of Judah, and his Princes, thus saith the Lord, Dabo eos, I will give them for a terrible plague to all the kingdoms of the earth, and for a reproach, and for a proverb, and for a common talk, & in maledictionem, for a curse. I will give them for a curse. This is explicated, cap. 29.22. where thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; They of the captivity of Judah that are in Babel, shall take up this curse, and say; The Lord make thee like Zedekiah, and like Ahab, whom the king of Babel burnt in the fire.

If this be the meaning of Poni, Dari, or, Esse in maledictionem, by the law of Contraries we may determine what it is Poni, Dari, or, Esse in benedictionem. Poni, Dari, Esse in benedictionem, may be said of one who is so happy, so prosperous, ut sub nomine eius vota concipiantur, as if when you would wish all good to your friend, you should say, so God do to thee as he hath done to such a one. So did Isaac say to Jacob, Gen. 28.4. God all sufficient bless thee, make thee to increase, multiply thee, and give thee the blessing of Abraham. God give thee the blessing of Abraham; as he blessed Abraham, so bless he thee. According to this exposition, these words, Posuisti eum in benedictiones, do carry this sense, that such was the happy and prosperous estate of king David, ut sub nomine eius vota concipiantur, as if praying for our King, we should say, God give unto him the blessings of David.

A second exposition followeth; Poni, Dari, Esse in benedictionem, may be said of one, who is full and aboundeth with so great plenty of all good things, that God may seem to have been willing to pour out at once all his beneficence upon him. Turn your eyes which way you will, and behold that man, you shall see nothing but as it were a mirror of God's bounty very liberally poured out. To this sense it is said of Christ his flock, Ezech. 34.26. I will set them as a blessing evē round about my mountain. Ponā ease benedictionem: the abstract is put for the cōcrete. I will set them as a blessing, that is, I will make thē blessed. Isaiah 39.24. it is said of Israel, that it shall be a blessing; and there the Abstract is for the Concrete. It is Jansen his observation, Israel erit benedictio, id est, erit benedictus, vel benedictione plenus: which construction of his well sorteth with the verse following, v. 25. where it is further added of the same Israel, The Lord of hosts shall bless it, saying, Blessed be my people. According to this exposition, these words, Posuisti eum benedictiones, do carry this sense; God hath so appointed David, that he may be perpetually blessed, both in respect of God who endoweth him with immortality, and also in respect of men, of whom he shall forever be praised.

There is a third exposition; Poni, Dari, or, Esse in benedicti • nem, may be said of one, who is blessed not only in him self, but is made also a blessing unto others, by whom others also are blessed, and so account themselves. To this sense God saith unto Abraham Gen. 12.2. Thou shalt be a blessing; that is, thou shalt be not only blessed thyself, but by thee shall others also be blessed: for so it followeth, v. 3 I will bless them that bless thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. According to this exposition, those words, Posuisti eum benedictiones, do carry this sense; God took David from a poor and mean estate, from a shepherds life, from following ewes great with young, Psal. 78.70.71. and exalted him to be king over Israel, and placed him in that throne for this ende, that he might be for blessings to Israel his people. The ende then of David's exaltation, is blessings to his people, and it was my third circumstance.

Thou hast put him blessings] Blessings, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as the 70 have it, nor Benedictionem as the vulgar, a Blessing, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 blessings, in the plural number, to note the wonderful abundance of God's graces bestowed upon the people through the king. The blessings bestowed upon Israel through David, may be reduced to three heads; one is the worship of God reinstituted in its purity. 2. Deliverance from foreign enemies. 3. The restitution of judgment and justice. The worship of God was reinstituted in its purity when David brought the ark of the Lord from the house of Obed-edom the Gittite, into the city of David, 2. Sam. 6.12.

The deliverance from foreign enemies was wrought when David smote Aram, and Moab, and the childrē of Ammon, and Edom, and the Philistines, and Amalec, and Hadadezer the son of Rehob king of Zobah, and took from out their hand the bridle of bondage, 2, Sam. 8.1.

That judgment and justice were restored by him, its not obscurely delivered, 2. Sam. 8.15. where it is said that David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and justice to all his people. In these three heads consisteth the office of a good and godly King. Give such a King, a King that shall promote the worship of God according to the word of truth; that shall be victorious over all his enemies, that shall maintain his subjects through judgment and justice, in peace and tranquility: Give such a king (such a king you enjoy) and he shall be a parallel for our David here, and may as well be said Poni à Deo in benedictiones, to be placed by God in his throne for this ende, that he may be for blessings to us his people; and that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 forever, which is the continuance of the ende, and my last circumstance.

Thou hast set him blessings forever. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . In the Ark of Noah it is rendered aeternitati, or, in aeternum; in the 70 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; in the vulgar Latin, in seculum seculi, forever. Some take it to signify for a long season, as Psal. 18.50. Great deliverances god giveth unto his king, and showeth mercy to his anointed, even to David, and to his seed forever. For ever, that is, faith an expositour, for a long time, if you refer the words to David and his posterity; but if you refer them to Christ, and those that appertain to him, then it is put for all eternity. So here, Thou hast set him blessings forever: understand these words to be spoken of Christ, and, For ever, is, For all eternity: understand them to be spoken of David, and, For ever, is, For a long season. I have hitherto expounded these words as they are appliable to David; and accordingly do take this last word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , For ever.

David was à Deo positus in benedictiones: he was set for blessings unto his people. Blessings temporal and spiritual: temporal, as deliverance from foreign enemies, and the execution of judgment and justice for the peace, & quiet of his people: and spiritual, as the reestablishing of the true worship of God, whereby his people might become Citizens of the Saints and of the household of God. In respect of the former, For ever, is for a long season, for David's life time, which was David's Ever; ever, whilst he swaied the scepter of Israel. In respect of the latter, For ever, is for all eternity; for spiritual blessings continue after this life; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 even forever.

Thus have I past over my four circumstances; the Author of David's exaltation, which was God; the exaltation it self, David placed in the throne of Israel; the ende of his exaltation, that he might be for blessings to his people; and the continuance of this end, For ever.

Was God the author of David's exaltation? Did he appoint him to be king over Israel? Hence then ariseth this doctrine which before I promised to speak unto, Kings do hold their kingdoms immediately from God.

A truth so immovably grounded upon the word of truth, that it is strange it should be controverted. The proofs of scripture that do concern it, are either general or particular.

A general proof we have Rom. 13. In the first verse it is said, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The powers that be, are ordained of God. Therefore the power of a king; of whom it is twice said, ver. 5. that he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , God's minister; gods lieuetenant, for thy wealth if thou do well; for vengeance, if ill. The like proof may be taken from Daniel 2.21. where not only the taking away of kings, but also the setting of them up, is avowed to be gods own work. The voice of wisdom crieth allowed, Prov. 8.15, 16. By me kings reign, and Princes decree justice; by me Princes rule and the nobles, and all the judges of the earth. These proofs were general.

The particular do consist in God his immediate designment of diverse unto kingdoms. Of Saul, 1. Sam. 10. 1. Samuel took a viale of oil, and poured it upon Saul's head, and kissed him, and said; Hath not the Lord anointed thee to be governor over his inheritance? Of Hazael, and Jehu, 1. Kings, 19.15, 16. The Lord said unto Elias; Go anoint Hazael king over Aram, and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint king over Israel. Of Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 2.37. O king, saith Daniel, thou art a king of kings; for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom. Of Solomon, 2. Chron. 8.9. The Queen of Sheba saith unto him, Blessed be the Lord thy God which loved thee to set thee on his throne as king. And to omit others, of David in my text, of whom it is also specially said, 1. Chron. 28.4. That God did choose him, and delighted in him to make him king over Israel: and ver. 3. Psal. 21. that the Lord did set a crown of pure gold upon his head. These proofs general or particular, standing upon so sovereign authority, as God's word is of, do make good my propounded doctrine, namely, that kings do hold their kingdoms immediately from God. Whereto I doubt not but I have your full assent.

What need then is there of any further insisting upon this point? Surely none; were there not a generation of men, bearing in their foreheads the stamp of Christians, that cannot brook any proof taken out of Scripture for the maintenance of any doctrine that may distaste the bishop of Rome, or want his allowance. Tel such that by scripture it is plain that kings hold their kingdoms immediately frō God; their reply will be; what tell you us of scripture? Set aside the authority of the Church, the authority of the Pope, & we take scripture to be no better thē a doubtful, uncertain, and leaden rule; then a matter of debate; then a book of discord; then a poor kind of element; then a dūb judge; then dead ink; then inken divinity; then a nose of wax; then Aesop's fables. Impious wretches: had they not wiped all shame from their faces, they would never have laid such load of disgraces upon God's holy word. Their Cardinal Hosius stays not here; he proceeds a degree farther. He coins a distinction of scripture, as it is used by themselves, whom they call Catholics, and as by us, whom they call Heretics. His words are in the end of his third book against Brenz his Prolegomena. The scripture, quomodo profertur à Catholicis, verbum est Dei; quomodo profertur ab haereticis, verbum est diaboli: as it is alleged by us, so must it be forsooth the word of the Devil; but as by them, so only shall it be the word of God.

Upon this ground and distinction of theirs, I doubt not but that blasphemous Dorhoff, hath made an alteration in the beginning of our Creed, and in steed of, Credo in Deum, patrem omnipotentem, creatorem coeli & terrae, hath substituted, Credo in Diabolum, carnificem, orcipotentem, corruptorem coeli & terrae. For if scripture alleged by us, be verbum Diaboli, what is our belief? What our religion?

You see of what validity proofs drawn by us from holy Scriptures for the confutation of any popish point, are in the estimation of some Papists. They hold us for Heretics; and consequently the sense of scripture which we bring, to be no sense of scripture.

Hence is it that the Author of the short Narration, how Henry the IV. (late) king of France and Navarre, sent his Ambassadors to Pope Clement the VIII. for absolution from his heresy, tells us, that though some do maintain the king to hold his kingdom immediately from God, yet that at Rome this is accounted a very ridiculous matter. It is evident to be so by Cardinal Bellarmine, who in his first book de Romano Pontifice, cap. 7. parag. Postremo, distinguishing between secular and ecclesiastical sovereignty, affirmeth that the Ecclesiastical is à solo Deo, & de iure divino, from God alone, and by the law of God; but the secular is from man's institution, and de iure gentium, by the law of nations. If we mark the antithesis, and opposition between the law of God & the law of nations, as also between the soveraigneties Ecclesiastical, and secular, we must needs acknowledge it for Bellarmine's opinion, that kings hold not their kingdoms immediately from God. This his opiniō is more clearly set down in his book de Clericis, cap. 28. parag. Ad confirmationem. His express words there are; Regna non sunt de iure divino, sed de iure gentium, & proinde mutabilia sunt. Kingdoms are not by God's law, but by the law of nations, and therefore are changeable; whereupon dependeth his treasonable doctrine delivered in his fifth book de Rom. Pontif. cap. 8. where among other things, Parag. Praeterea, he affirmeth, that not only Princeps Episcoporum, the Pope, but Episcopus quilibet, every Bishop, though but the Popes vassal, may use temporal power over kings; and enforce them to make laws, yea and for some causes depose them too, as appeareth by the precedents of that chapter. But this and other like proditorious assertions there, and elsewhere broached, and defended by Bellarmine, & others of that faction upon this ground, That kings do not hold their kingdoms immediately from God, I now let pass.

The immediate dependency of kings, and their kingdoms upon God (howsoever at Rome it be ridiculously entertained) hath already been proved, and warranted sufficiently to such as do believe the scriptures. Unbeleevers I much heed not. Yet if any will that the authority of the ancient fathers be produced, let such know that Irenaeus in his 5. book aduersus heresies, & Tertullian in the 2. cap. of his book to Scapula, & Optatus in his 3. book against Parmenian, and S. Chrysostom in 2. Hom. ad Pop. Antioch. and S. Ambrose in his Apolo. of David, and S. Austin in his 4. book de Civ. D. cap. 33. and Pope Gregory the first in an epistle of his to Maurice the Emperor, do all stand very effectually for the imperial authority of kings immediately derived from God.

How this point hath been maintained for these last 500 years by Venericus Vercellensis in his book de unitate Ecclesiae conservanda; by the Leodienses in their epistle against Paschalis the second; by Parrhisius in his treatise de potestate regiâ & papali; by Babenbergius, by Dantes, by Cusanus, by Theodoricus de Niem, by Franciscus de Zabarellis, and others, they, who have pervsed that profitable volume set out by Simon Schardius concerning Imperial Jurisdiction, authority, and praeeminence, cannot but see. And how it is in this our age upholden against all gainsayers, not only here a line and there a line, but book upon book published by the now-Mirrour of kings, by our Bishops, & by others (eminent for their learning) as well within this land, as without, shall make it well known to the childrē that are yet unborn: who in their day (moved by the same evidence of God's word, whereby we are moved) shall join their assent to ours, & teach their children also, that Kings do hold their kingdoms immediately from God. You have my doctrine.

It may serve to check that man of sin who intrudes himself into God's right, and takes upon him the Sovereigntie over all kings and people; and claims absolute and vncontroleable authority, to give & to take away (imperia, regna, principatus, & quicquid habere mortals possunt) to give and to take away empires, kingdoms, principalities, and whatsoever mortal men can possess or have. This was the express challenge of Pope Gregory the 7. in his execration against the Emperor Henry the 4. as it is set down by Platina in that Popes life. Were his successors less arrogant? I suppose not. See but the Bull of Pope Alexander the Sixt, containing his donation of the west Indies to Ferdinandus king of Castell and Leon, and to Isabella his Queen: we de nostra mera liberalitate, of our mere liberality, and of the fullness of our Apostolical power, do give unto you, your heirs, & successors, kings of Castell, and Leon forever, all Islands and firm lands detected or to be detected from one hundred leagues beyond the Acores towards the west and south, together with all their dominions, cities, castles, places, farms, rightes, jurisdictions, appurtenances whatsoever. This was a largesse so transcendent for the vanity thereof, that (as Benzo writeth) an infidel king Attabaliba, king of Peru could by the eye of reason discover it, and give it this censure, Pontificem insigniter fatuum, & impudentem esse, eo facile prodi, quod aliena tam liberalit • r largiatur: that the Pope was passing foolish & impudent, so liberally to give that which was none of his own. A like vanity did Sanctius brother to the king of Spain, and elect General for the war against the Saracens of Egypt, tax in another Bishop of Rome, as Petrarch affirmeth. The bishop of Rome caused it to be proclaimed in his consistory; that he bestowed the kingdom of Egypt upon Sanctius. Sanctius understanding by his interpreter this favor, for requital commanded that the Pope should by and by be proclaimed Great Caliph of Baldach. So perfumed he the son of pride with his own smoke; for he knew full well that the Pope could no more make him a King, then he could the Pope a Caliph. But Popes, and Popish Divines, and Canonists, and all Clawbackes of that See, maintaining that the Pope hath even iure divino, by the law of God, so large and fair a patrimony, as is the Monarchy, and Soveraigntie over the whole world, in all causes, both Civil & Ecclesiastical, they all stand convicted of falsehood through the truth of this sacred doctrine; Kings do hold their kingdoms immediately from God.

Immediately from God? Let then the honor be God's; and let our hearts be poured out to give due thanks to him for placing over us our Gratious King, King JAMES: of whom we may as truly say as the Israelites did of their David, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Thou hast set him blessings forever. Aged Leontius Bishop of Antioch (as it is recorded by Sozomen Eccles. hist. lib. 3. c. 20. ) pointing to his gray and white hairs, said unto some that were present with him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 when this snow is melted, much mire will follow: he meant sedition and trouble. But God hath done better by us. The white snowie hairs of our late aged Sovereign were in her full time dissolved. But God his wonderful providence, contrary to the desires and expectation of many, so ordered matters then, that no trouble followed. The Lord left us not as sheep without a shepherd. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; we are the same sheep still to be lead forth to the waters of comfort, though there be another shepherd. The Lord did set King JAMES to be unto us blessings forever: blessings temporal and spiritual. Temporal; for through him we are delivered from all fear of foreign enemies, & judgment, and justice are executed to us for the quiet of us all. And spiritual; for the worship of God is everywhere within his dominions promoted according to the word of truth. And this blessing is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , forever: for hereby are we fitted to that eternal inheritance in the highest heavens. I will not now make a panegyricke to extol his Majesty for his Clemency, Equity, Bounty, Piety, Learning, Theory, and other kingly parts: the time forbids me, and bids me to conclude. My conclusion shall be no other, thē a prayer for his Majesty, that God would be pleased to give him vitam longam, regnum prosperum, prolem foelicem, vitam aeternam, a long life, a prosperous reign, a happy progeny in this world, and in the world to come life eternal.

Holy Lord, stablish the good work, that thou hast wrought in him: visit him as thou diddest Moses in the bush, Joshua in the battle, Gideon in the field, Samuel in the temple. Be thou unto him in his counsel wisdom, and in all his ways his rock, his fortress, his deliverer, his God, his strength, that the hand of violence, of rebellion, of treason touch him not. So shall we under his government lead a quiet, and a peaceable life in all godliness and honesty: wherein whē we shall have finished our race with cōfidēce we look to be delivered from this bondage of corruptiō into the glorious liberty of the sons of God; at what time our vile bodies shall be changed, & shall be fashioned like unto the glorious body of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. Even so be it blessed Father, for the same Jesus Christ his sake, to whom with thee in the unity of the holy Spirit be ascribed all praise and power, might & majesty, dignity, and dominion for evermore. Amen.