A SERMON Preached before THEIR MAJESTY'S K. JAMES II. and Q. MARY. AT Their CORONATION IN Westminster-abby, April 23. 1685.  
By Francis Lo●d Bishop of ELY, and Lord Alm●ner to His Majesty.  
Published by His Majesty's special Command.  
DUBLIN, reprinted by Andrew Crook and Samuel Helsham; And are to be Sold by Samuel Helsham at the Colledge-Arms in Castle-street.   

A Sermon Preached before their Majesty's King James II. and Queen Mary, at their Coronation, etc.  1 CHRON. XXIX. 23. Then Solomon sat on the Throne of the Lord as King, instead of David his Father, and prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. 
THen Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord. Then, that is to say, on the day of his Coronation, which is mentioned in the foregoing Verse : Then, when they anointed him. This may suffice to show, my Text is suitable enough to the present royal Solemnity. But if I had any mind to parallel all the greatness and solemn glories of this day from the story of that King, I should be forced, as great as King Solomon was, to borrow some Illustrious Remarks from several other of his best days, besides that of his Coronation. For when Solomon was Enthronised, no Temple was then built, or so much as begun: but to day we have seen a spectacle full of all decent splendour in God's House, and filling our hearts with joy. We have seen a King standing, as Solomon (on the day when he dedicated the Temple) stood before the Altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands. Nay, we have seen his Majesty in an humbler, that is, a devouter posture. To day we have seen another spectacle of magnificent Piety, a Queen, for whom it were too low a comparison, should I compare her to her that was raised immediately to a Throne near to that of K. Solomon, then, when 'tis said, his mother crowned him again in the day of his espousals; But a Queen, the most faithful companion of her royal Husband's sufferings and hard travels; the fit to be now the Consort of all his Triumphs. We have seen her also like herself; that is, like Humility itself, which is the Queen of Virtues.  
The Story of K. Solomon, could I bring skill to set it forth, would furnish an entertainment for the devotions both of a Royal Audience, and a mixed Assembly. For the King in my Text made himself his Text; He made his own life the subject of an excellent Sermon. He was pleased to style himself the Preacher, as well as the King in Jerusalem. He once had been instructed by the King, his Father, the man after God's own heart; but afterward he was taught of God, on purpose to be set up for an everlasting Guide, by the rules and directions he should leave to all other Princes and people.  
To begin then where they began with him in the Text: 'Tis said, they made Solomon, the son of David, King the second time. The first time was then when Adonijah exalted himself, and said, I will be King; when he prepared himself Chariots, and Horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. But the race is not always to the swiftest, nor to him that sets out soon for Popularity; yet than it was high time for David to declare the Succession; for than he was told, The eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them (on supposition, as I shall show anon, that God had told him already) who should sit upon the Throne of my Lord the King after him. Thereupon Solomon was declared, and presently anointed to succeed. But because the Ceremony than was performed in a kind of tumultuary haste, 'tis now repeated at more leisure with greater state.  
To keep myself within some compass, and from wand'ring in such a world of matter as the Story of K. Solomon would offer me, I shall be willingly confined to these four Points, through which we may see K. Solomon in all his glory:  
1st. That his Title was firm and good: 'Tis said here, He sat on the Throne of the Lord, and he sat there, as King, instead of David his Father. And,  
2dly, For his Government; that was as good as his Title: His management was such as became so wise a King as Solomon. And,  
3dly, His people were an obedient people; and all Israel obeyed him.  
4thly, The Blessing of God was upon him and his Government. 'Tis said, He prospered.  
In the First place for his Title, to make that good, if this be not Argument enough, that 'tis said here, He sat on the throne of the Lord; and that he sat there as King, instead of David his Father; let me farther observe to you, That he was a King of God's own Nomination, to prevent dispute among the Sons of David, 1. Chron. 22. 9 Behold, a Son shall be born to thee his name shall be Solomon, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom. His Brother Adonijah, after his vain Attempt to seize the Crown, makes this express acknowledgement of King Solomon's Right to the Kingdom, Tho' it were mine from the People, yet it was his from the Lord: For God's Choice and the People's are not always the same.  
But if this were the Case, that he was raised to the Throne, not properly by the King his Father, much less by the People, but by God himself, how comes it to be said here, They made him King? They, that is, all the Congregation. Were they the King-makers then? Were they the Original of Regal Power? Had they it first in themselves? Else how could they impart it? Towards the clearing of this, be pleased to compare the story of another King's Coronation in the Book of Kings, with that self same story in the Book of Chronicles: And whereas in one place we read, the People anointed Joash we find in the other Place, that Jehojadah, the High Priest, and his Sons, anointed him; so not the people's Anointed, but the Lord's Anointed. Only the People stood by, as they do here and express their unanimous good Will with such loud Acclamations as you heard e'en now: not that we imagine our united voices contribute any thing of Right to our Hereditary Prince; but to show that if the Kingdom were Elective, we think him most worthy to be King. But 'tis most plain, and most evident, that God by his special appointment set over his People, the first three succeeding Kings, Saul, David, and Solomon; and where ever 'tis said the People made them (or any other) Kings; no more is meant, but that the People owned them as Kings of God's making But that immediate Designation of their Kings from Heaven was to cease one day, and the Kingdom was to be Hereditary. This appears from the Conclusion of those Provisional statutes Deut▪ 17. those precepts for the King that should be set over them that he may prolong his days in the Kingdom, he and his Children in the midst of Israel.  
But as Solomon's Right to Empire was thus visible, so  
Secondly, His other Royal Qualifications were most conspicuous; whether his natural Endowments be considered, or his supernatural Gifts to fit him yet more for Government. When God bid him ask what he would, he ask of God nothing but Wisdom, and he had that he asked, with an overplus, not only of all other excellent things: but also of more Wisdom than he knew how to ask of God, before he received it. He is reckoned about eighteen years of Age, when he began to Reign, so that he styles himself a Child; though, his dying Father gave him that great Character, as no more than his due, Thou art a wise Man, and do therefore according to thy Wisdom. How wisely did he foresee any coming danger? How perfectly well skilled was he in the times and seasons? When and upon whom, or what sort of men, it was fit to show Justice or Mercy? presently he made it appear how true it is, that being in a place of Government, shows what a man is. For instantly he penetrated the ambitious Intrigueing design of Adonijah, that was playing an aftergame for the Kingdom, labouring to set up himself again upon a new Alliance, that had a powerful interest in the Court. But, though, Solomon had Pardoned his Rebellion (yet so as to keep him still on his good Behaviour) and had promised him a favourable Pretection, if he would show himself a worthy man; yet his Justice would spare him no longer, when once he made himself unworthy of that Mercy. Then his early severity upon Joab, whom K. David going out of the world, had delivered over not as a Traitor, but as a Murderer, to the righteous Judgement of K. Solomon: That was a most effectual Declaration to all his Subjects, that they must expect no more pardons in the case of Murder, since neither the greatness of his past services, nor his nearness of Blood to the Royal Family, could secure Joab from falling under that Law, He that sheddeth man's Blood, by man shall his Blood be shed. But at the same time, behold the Clemency of K. Solomon to Abiather, because he had been a faithful old Servant to K. David, and a Sufferer with him; though, he had been a great Offender with Adonijah; nevertheless K. Solomon remitted him both his Life and Estate. He gave a noble Instance, how proper objects of Royal Goodness and Compassion, are old Royalists, though, some of them may have been misled to make false Steps, and have fallen into fatal Errors: On the other side for Shimei, that had cursed K. David, and fling stones at his Head in the day of his distress; they do wrong to the dying King, who think he retracted his Act of pardoning Shimei's Life, when he bid his Son, Hold him not guiltless, that is, Treat him not like an Innocent person: And when he spoke what follows there, not as a King commanding, but foretelling (as even his natural Divination might serve him to do) his hoar head thou shalt, or thou wilt bring down to the Grave with Blood (for so it may well be translated) on Supposition that such a one as Shimei would offend again: Therefore Solomon did like himself, to set such a restless implacable Spirit his bounds, which he should not Pass, and when he transgressed afresh, then to call his old Sins to remembrance, and to take that Life, which such an execrable Wretch had forfeited the second time,  
III But as Solomon was a famous good Governor, so thirdly, his People were eminently Loyal. All Israel obeyed him. Of which there follows upon my Text a farther Explication; all the princes, that is, the Sanhedrim, or the Senate acknowledged his just Sovereignty over them. And the mighty men, that is, the Military men made their Addresses to him, as confessing the power of the Militia was solely his. And all the sons likewise of K. David submitted themselves to Solomon the King; for Adonijah had called them all, except Solomon, to Countenance his taking upon him to be King; but now that cabal was dissolved, & their leader was taken off; their faction grew weary of itself and the King no doubt received their Submission with a Goodness well becoming his own Greatness. But tho, ●ll his Subjects yielded him such entire Obedience, yet still they served him as Freemen, not as Slaves. It was his greatest Honour, as well as the happiness of his People, that as God's Service is perfect Freedom, so in Imitation of it, was that of God's Vicegerent; for we are told in the Book of Kings; that of the Children of Israel did Solomon make no Bondmen. but as it follows there They were men of War, and his Servants, and his Princes and his Captains, and Rulers of his Chariots, and his Horsemen. And thus all Israel obeyed him,  
IV: But all this had never been so happily Administered, had there not been a fourth Concurrent of more Consequence than all the three foregoing; Had there not been an extraordinary Blessing of God, not only upon that Great Prince, but upon all his good Subjects; had not he been Religious, as well as Politic; and had not they been a People capable of that blessing. But He and They were duly qualified for it: They joined with him, to derive it upon His Sacred Head, and from thence upon their own, like the Ointment upon Aaron's head, which ran down and diffused its self over the whole Body. He Built the Temple; they all Contributed. He brought up the Ark of God; they attended it. Sacrificed whole Hecatombs; they at the same time kept a solemn Feast to the Lord. He made that fervent prayer to God; they all said Amen to it. He blest, the People, He blessed God: God ratified the King's Blessing upon the People, God returned the Divine Blessing upon the King.  
In the midst of all this 'tis said, He prospered. How could it be otherwise than so? Great peace and plenty at home, with as much honour and interest abroad. The Native Wealth of his own Country was improved, and Commerce increased mightily; all foreign good things were imported▪ and made his, by the particular care he took of what concerned Navigation. His City the Seat of Empire was then more than ever the joy of the whole Earth. What could be added to all this Prosperity except Victory over his Enemies? Yes, it was a vast addition to his almost unparallelled felicity, that he had no enemies He was able to send this Message to his friend K. Hiram, now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither Adversary nor evil Occurrent.  
Thus it was with him till he left off Serving God. Then indeed God was angry with him. Yet from the fall and rising again of K : Solomon may be fetched the last (perhaps the highest) Instance of his Blessedness: for as he stands a formidable Example of Human Frailty: so we may allow him to be not only a comfortable, but also a most admirable Instance of the Divine Omnipotent Mercy: As he lost himself after so many wise contemplations by trying those costly experiments in sinful pleasures, As he forgot God & himself, and his own godly dictates in the Book of Proverbs; so 'tis generally agreed that he wrote his Ecclesiastes, as his Penitential; that he remembered himself, & turned to the Lord his God, that he is numbered among the Children of God, and his lot is among the Saints.  
And now, to dwell no longer on the particular Story of that great King, I may set it down in general as certainly true, that wherever in any Prince and People all the same causes of prosperity meet together; there (and no where else) The like wonderful blessed effect will assuredly result and follow.  
1. And first for a King and People to be happy, the King must have a right to his Kingdom. For how can an Usurper expect to Reign prosperously? when many under his Government must needs think themselves his equals, if not his betters; and none can reasonably think themselves obliged to be his Subjects? And how miserable is a King and Kingdom, when every private man, that is but audacious enough, has a fair pretence, if he can but gather force, to overturn any Settlemen that can be in such a case: Such a Pyrat-Prince must be always exposed to tempests; and if, like the great Leviathan, he can take any pastime in them, he may thank his sick fancy for the pleasing dream. I will mention only two that were both of them royally descended, yet unjustly possessed of this Crown: King Stephen was none of our worst Princes, and one of the most valiant; but an Intruder he was, and he sped accordingly: his Reign was the most turbulent of any, except that of K: John another Usurper, and this latter was reduced to that extremity, that he very meanly surrendered his Imperial Crown to the Pope, who had Interdicted all public Divine Offices in this miserable kingdom for above six years; and who never afterwards mentioned that Prince but with the Title of John our Vassal.  
But then again, to provide well for the peace and quietness a Prince and People, 'tis necessary not only that the Title to the Crown look fair, but that it be such as is not easily liable to be contested: else there will be Competitors, and that of itself is a heavy Judgement. Nay, I add farther, the worthier those Competitors, the more capable they are of confounding all before them. As in the fatal Dispute between Tork and Lancaster, there were two Princes, Henry the sixth, and Edward the Fourth, each of them extraordinary in their different characters: one of them accounted a Saint, the other a most active generous Prince: Both of them had fast hold of the people's affections in their several Parties, and they rend the Kingdom in pieces between them: They made our poor Country an Aceldama, a Field of Blood; killed up whole Families, and the greatest number of both those Royal Families, till the woeful controversy was happily ended by that auspicious Marriage, from which a Race of Kings with undoubted right, and our present Gracious Sovereign is Lineally descended.  
2. But as the Title to the Crown must be clear and right; so secondly the management of the Sceptre should be as wise as the Tenure is just and Royal. Our two unfortunate Kings, the Second Edward and Richard, had an indisputable Right, which they could never lose: The more was the wrong done them, though they lost themselves by their Maladministration of the Government. But on the other side, what vast hopes may be justly conceived? what blessed wonders may be wrought for the public good, where the Sovereign Prince has all the dexterity, together with all the Activity that is necessary to make his motions as regular as they are vigorous, in so bright and so high a Sphere? Then will the saying of Solomon prove itself, That the King by Judgement establisheth the Land. Nay, than it will extend to other kingdoms; for Kings have long hands, especially such a King as may hold the Balance, and give Peace and War where he pleases, and consequently may give Law to other Nations; He may reach out, as Solomon did, the fruits of his wise Conduct to all the World.  
3. But in the third place I must needs add, be the Title of a King as good as a Warrant from Heaven can make it; Be it so undoubted as Hell itself can find no pretence to question it; be the King like an Angel of God for his knowledge and Conduct in the Government; yet if his Subjects will be Sons of Belial, Sons of the Devil (so Rebels are called in Scripture) Belial, that is, absque Jugo, men that will bear no yoke; 'tis still in their power to be as miserable as they please; Since the Wills of men are free; 'tis confessed their leaves must be asked, whether they will be happy or no: Whether they will obey, and enjoy the blessing of Peace; or, Whether they will resist, and pull down ruin upon themselves and their posterity. For want of a people obedient, and willing to be ruled by a gentle hand, the best of Kings was most vilely cast away, as if he had not been Anointed with Oil, How dear these Kingdoms have paid for the Murder of that Blessed King, is too grievous a Reflection at this time. But one consideration I would offer, though the maintenance of Religion is commonly made the most plausible pretence for Rebellion (as it was for the last among us, and has been made use of since towards the encouraging of another,) yet Rebellion almost constantly proves (as that last proved) the means to destroy Religion. My meaning is not only this, that as soon as ever men begin to be Rebels, they cease to be inwardly religious, and truly good men; but I drive it farther, That to Rebel is the ready way to ruin the Constitution of the outward, professed, and established Religion in a Nation. What need I look any farther for an example of this, when I have a most remarkable proof in the History of that King in my Text? King Solomon in his declining age fell, so as no Christ●an Prince can ever fall, unless he renounce his Baptism: from making Beauty his Idol, he fell even to worship the Pagan Deities, that is, Devils; for as the Apostle says, The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to Devils, and n●t to G●d Yet all that while all Israel obeyed him, and cont●●●ed in the worship of God, as they might do without an inconsistence whatsoever.  
But when Solomon was dead and gone, Jeroboam came in by Rebellion: for though he was promised the Kingdom, 'tis said the Mat●er was from the Lord, yet it was promised him only upon cond●tions, which he never performed, If thou wilt hearken to all that I command thee as David my Servant did: But he would hearken to nothing that God commanded him, nor would he wait God's time as David had done. He drew Ten of the Tribes into Rebellion: But then the Prevailing Rebel for a Politic interest calls and compels (as much as in him lies) all the Families in Israel, every man of the ten Tribes, to Worship the Golden Calves: He forthwith Interdicts their going up to the Public Worship at Jerusalem. Thus Idolatry was Established by a Law of a Rebels making, not only Introduced but Established by Jeroboam that made Israel to Sin, out of this one Rebellion came all that Sin: out of that one Sin of theirs came all their Calamity, and at length their Captivity: After this one Rebellion, their Church and State never had one good Day. It brought that Dispersion upon those Tribes, under which they are most Miserable to this Day.  
4 But now to dispatch my Fourth and last Consideration, 'Tis impossible to Honour and obey the King for Conscience sake, without a fixed principle within us of that Fear of God which cannot fail to produce uniform Obedience to all God's Holy Commandments. Unless that Uniform Universal Obedience to God be a National Virtue, How can a National blessing be expected from God? and without God's blessing how can we ook to prosper. 'Tis only the Dew of heaven can make a Kingdom flourish. If the Sweet Influences from above be restrained, the most hopeful Plant will by the next East-wind be blasted in one night: all Second Causes are but visible means in the Unseen hand of the first, who if he be displeased, m●kes them move quite contrary even to their own Natural Tendency: God is not obliged to stand by the best Title, he may seize or dispose of the Goodliest Inheritance as he Laces Be a prince as powerful as Solomon; be a people as Obedient as Israel then was; God could raise up a little Fugitive Child Hadad that escaped a Massacre in Edom, to be the Adversary of K. Solomon in his Old Age, and Rezin a Fugitive Syrian to Reign in Damascus in defiance of him & all Israel, & to be the Father of those Benhadad's the scourges of Solomon's posterity  
What Obligations then are upon us all of this happy Island as it has been dined of old) not to interrupt the blessings which this day seems to prepare for us, if we do our parts to make ourselves fi● to receive them? We have been the care of Heaven in all those three great instances of my Text; The Title to the Crown being unquestionable; the King born for Empire, by nature and education fitted for Government, the people having now showed themselves obedient, and willing to be Governed.  
1. For the first, No Title by God's immediate Designation (as it was in Solomon's Case) is now to be expected: No Prophet or Vision to be looked for: Nothing but ordinary Providence. But by this Providence we that are Subjects believe ourselves entitled to whatever we call Ours in this World. The best Title to any Inheritance of Ours is from our Ancestors, and the best of that kind is from Times beyond Memory. But who can pretend such a Successive Title to his Estate, as his Majesty can show to his Crown? How many Ages of our Ancestors have wanted such a Title as this? How are some other Nations like to be embroiled with their Neighbours about their Succession to the Crown, for want of this Blessing of a clear Title? A Blessing signally Bequeathed to us by our late Sovereign Lord of blessed Memory For I must needs put you in mind, you that had the Honour to attend him on his Deathbed, How did we see him like David bowing upon the Bed to his Successor, Embracing his Royal Brother as his beloved undoubted Heir, Resigning all to him (that was the kind word) to him that was more ready to Die with Grief, than to take that affectionate Resignation.  
And as his Majesty's Title is most firm, so Secondly we have very promising hopes, from his gracious and glorious Begining, of a Steady Government. We have a King that has not been bred up at Ease in the Court of his Father, but in the School of Hardship and Affliction; (as the Apostle tell us) worketh patience, and patience experience. Sure I may say without Imputation of Flattery, No Prince within the Memory of man has come to a Crown with so vast a Stock of Experience. We have a King who understands and considers, that in an Hereditary Monarchy, 'tis the great peculiar advantage of the Prince as well as people, that their Interest is one and the same, their Happiness so closely united, that (if I may apply the Apostle's expression to this Case) Whether the body suffer, the Head suffers with it; or the Head be honoured, all the Members rejoice with it. We have a King whom greatness of Mind has seated as much above Fear, as all the Hardhearted impotent Passions which commonly Fear produces, are beneath him; and is himself so incapable of Dissimulation, that he would naturally Despise those strange Children (as David calls them) that should Dissemble with him: As Constantius the Father of Constantine the Great, generously disdained and disgraced some Servants of his for being too good Courtiers, who (as Eusebius relates) upon a certain Trial which the Emperor put upon them, on purpose to find who were honest, quitted their Christian Profession for fear of losing their Places; but He retained and exalted those who scorned to prevaricate with their God; for he Judged aright, That such only would be faithful to their King. Lasty, We have a King, who though I will not say he was the Partner of the Empire while he was but a Subject (and yet I am not afraid of Envy if I own how much he Governed, since at the same time he knew so well how to obey, and set us all that perfect Example of Submssion) yet I may say he was particeps Curarum; the Sharer of his Royal Brother's Cares; That he felt the Thorns in his Crown; that he was all that while habitually practising Justice with Equity, governing according to Law, yet with tender Mercy, as the Royal Chief Minister of Charles the Merciful. And I presume to Style him the very Similitude and Picture of Charles the Martyr. With such Love as casts out Fear we see in the Serene Aspect of our Sovereign, every Line of his Blessed Fathers gracious Visage, As Trajan the Emperor triumphed in effigy after his Death; so does that Glorified Prince in his Living Sacred Image on this Day.  
3. And Thirdly, God has blest the King with an Obedient People. After he might say with David in the most literal sense, That the Waves and Storms had gone over him; after That also is overpast which David joins with the raging of the Sea, and the noise of its waves, that is, the madness of the People; In plain terms, after his Majesty's Deliverance, as well as Ours, from that abominable Excluding Bill; as great a Deliverance as that from the Sinking Gloucester Frigate (for both which Preservations we must always bless God) after all this; his Majesty's peaceful Entrance upon His Government, is a Sufficient, real, happy proof of an Obedient People. And as I must vehemently exhort you to perserverance in that which is not only your Duty but your Practice; so I do in Effect commend your strict adherence to your former Protestations, and to your Oaths of Allegiance.  
Be thankful to God then for those Blessings you have, and to the King under whom they will be continued to you. Be satisfied with your condition; take heed of overturning or undermining the whole fabric, because you cannot have the room that you would choose in it, Take heed of de●●roving your Country to build your own house, take heed of ruining all, because you cannot mend yourselves in this or that Particular. Destruction and Death is not all you are like to get by it: Take heed of that which follows: There's another Death to come after: God has warned you of it, They that Resist shall receive to themselves Damnation. As you would avoid this, take heed of that which leads to it. Do that which is best for you here, and hereafter, best for the Public and for your Private Interests; best for yourselves and for you● Children; as ever you desire to leave them all these Blessings.  
And for a powerful motive to his Sacred Majesty to act well his Sovereign part for the good of this great people; the place itself where he will be presented anon with all the Regalia set in the seat of Empire, and made the Anointed of God; the place which is the Royal Golgotha, the burying place of Kings; where we have lately deposited the venerable Remains of Majesty; will put him in mind, from the Royal Prophet; Though Kings are made as Gods, they shall die like men. And then I must put you all in mind, from the Apostle, That as it is appointed to men once to die, so after death the Judgement. Mortality! Behold, consider, and stand in awe; there's an acre of ground sown with the richest seed that ever the earth received since the first Adam's transgression occasioned the second Adam, like a corn of wheat to fall into the ground and die. Think how much Royal dust and ashes is laid up in yonder Chapel; there the Houses of York and Lancaster rest quietly under one roof, there does Queen Mary & her Sister Q. Elizabeth lie close together, their ashes do not part. In the story of Polynices and Eteocles, two Brothers rivals for a Crown; we are told their smoke divided into two Pyramids as it ascended from one Funeral Pile: But here these dusts do as kindly mingle, as all the old Piques and Aversions are sound asleep with them. And so shall we be ere long: most of us in a meaner lodging, but all of us in the dust of death. A great King, upon sight of a vast concourse of his Subjects, wept at the very thought, that in a few years there would not be left alive so much as one of them. And well may we as seriously, though not so sadly reflect, that when this numerous glorious assembly shall break up hence, we may e'en adjourn our meeting to the general resurrection. But if we put into the Scale that last most weighty consideration, that God shall bring every work into Judgement, with every secret thing, whether it 〈◊〉 good, or whether it be evil; Then from these Premises that inference will be forcible indeed which Solomon makes at the end of his Ecclesiastes, Let us hear (says he) the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God and keep his Commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. This is all that God expects from the greatest King, yet less God will not accept from the meanest Subject.  
Let but this one thing necessary be thoroughly done, than we may be able to use in our own behalf those words of a King, Happy are the people that are in such a case, yea, blessed are the people who have the Lord for their God. Then may we hope from the Divine Goodness to see with joyful eyes such a miracle of happiness in this World, as here we cannot read of but with admiration. that God will magnify the King (as he did Solomon) exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestow upon him such Royal Majesty as has not been on any King before him in Israel. And may both their Majesties after the longest possession of all earthly Greatness, with as little uneasiness as ever any Crowns brought along with them, at last see God, and Reign with Christ in heavenly Serene Glory for ever and ever: And let all the people say, Amen.  
FINIS.