THE Subject's joy, For the Parliament.  

JACOBUS REX.   

Such and so great, all man's Corruption is  
In shunning Good, and running to Amiss:  
That the Almighty, did long since ordain  
Laws, that should our rebellious wills restrain.  
And from that Parliament, of highest Heaven  
A Statute, and an Ordinance was given,  
That from those Laws of the Eternal King,  
All other Laws (that govern men) should spring.  
And as the Sea in Rivers, Creeks and Bays,  
Flows, and disperses many several ways:  
So doth God's Acts in many Branches run,  
To show us what should be undone, or done.  
For this cause did the power of Heaven ordain,  
That Kings (like Gods) on Earth should Rule and Reign:  
To judge, to be a Refuge, and Defence  
With Right, of too much wronged Innocence.  
And for this cause, God doth a King command,  
That he his Laws should Read 
* Deu. 17. 15  and understand.  
And sure, of All the Kingdoms that there are  
Beneath the Heavens, none may with us compare:  
To us th' Almighty, graciously did grant  
Freely his Sacred Gospel here to plant,  
Making Great Britain an Admired mirror,  
(When other Nations blindly live in Error.)  
For us a matchless King, he out did pick,  
defender of the Faith Apostolic,  
Who all his Laws and Statutes doth incline,  
Conformable unto the Laws Divine.  
God's Law in every faithful heart 
* Heb. 8. 10.  is writ,  
And our King's Government doth witness it.  
And now these Eighteen years a blessed Peace,  
Hath made our sins (more than our thanks) increase,  
That breach of Laws, hath sown neglected seeds,  
Being almost grown unprofitable weeds:  
Our Gracious King, these evils to prevent,  
Assembled hath a Royal Parliament.  
The high Creator, made this Kingly Creature  
His Steward, by his Office, Name, and Nature,  
And he doth guide and Rule this happy Land,  
As he is guided by th' Almighty's hand.  
And though a King hath Honour and Renown,  
Yet many Cares attend upon a Crown:  
And though a King a Royal port doth keep,  
Yet doth he wake, when Subject; often sleep.  
And had not our dread Sovereign, been protected  
By the Almighty, who hath him directed,  
We could not have enjoyed such Peace and Rest,  
Wherewith so many years we have been blest.  
And as he now hath caused a Parliament,  
God still be present there, and Precedent:  
Let the King's heart as it hath done persever,  
That God may have the Glory, now and ever.  
(Like David) let him not from goodness start,  
But be a man according to God's heart.  
Let Salomon's great Wisdom ever be  
In him, that Good from Ill he may foresee:  
Let him with Iosua's courage (Constantly)  
The Devil, the world, and eke the Flesh defy.  
And let him (like to Moses) ever write,  
And ordain Laws that may be Just and Right.  
Like faithful Hushaies 
* 2 Sam. 15.  be his Counsel still,  
To give Advice according to thy will.  
Guide thou the Reverend Bishops, and the Peers,  
The judges, and elected Knights, of Shires,  
And Burgesses of Towns within this Land,  
Do thou (O God) amidst their Counsel stand.  
Let all their Consultations, still depend  
To beat down Vice, and Virtue to defend:  
Thy Gospel to increase and propagate,  
And for the Good of Commonwealth and State.  
The Pride of Haman, far from them expel,  
Confound the Counsel of Ahitophell:  
Pluck Heresies up by the very Root,  
And tread proud Antichrist quite under foot.  
Banish 〈◊〉, leprous with base Bribes,  
Papisticke pharisees, Sophistic Scribes:  
And those that wholesome Laws can wrest and wring,  
For gain against Conscience, Country, and their King.  
Thus being guided by thy blessed Spirit,  
They will accomplish Statutes worthy merit:  
That after Ages gladly may Receive  
The Acts, and Orders, which our times must leave.  
Let Prince, and Peers, and people thus Combine,  
The profit will be ours, the Glory thine:  
And as thy Blessings hath been multiplied  
Upon our Kingdom, let them still abide:  
Let not our Sins as a partition be,  
Or make us be as castawayes to thee.  
Let not our Crimes thy Indignation move,  
Whereby they may us separate from thy Love:  
But as thy favours to Us have been such,  
As never any Kingdom had so much,  
So let our thankfulness to thee therefore,  
Be every day expressed more and more.  
Protect the King with thy Almighty Arms,  
Save him from Foreign and Domestic harms:  
At all times with thy heavenly Grace relieve him,  
And after Death a Crown of Glory give him.  
Preserve for evermore, our gracious Prince,  
And strength him, his and thy Foes to convince,  
The Prince and Princess Palatines high Grace,  
With all the Royal and the hopeful Race:  
Defend them Against all that them oppose,  
And fight their Battles still against their Foes.  
Grant that of this Seed we may ne'er want one,  
To magnify thy Name in Britain's Throne:  
Until our Saviour, and thy only Son,  
Shall come in judgement, and the world be done.  
To whom with thee and with the Holy Ghost,  
Be rendered (every where from Coast to Coast)  
All Honour, Glory, Power, Might, Praise, Thanksgiving,  
To thee three Persons, one GOD, everliving.   
FINIS.  
john Taylor   

Printed by E Allde for H. G. and are to be sold by Edw: Wright.