The Dressing up OF THE CROWN. IN A SERMON Preached at St. Edmunds Bury in Suffolk, May 17. 1660. WHEN His MAJESTY was there solemnly proclaimed KING of ENGLAND, etc. By LAURENCE WOMOCK. Psal. 45. 1. I speak of the things, which I have made touching the King. London, Printed by W. H. for Will. Sheares at the blue Bible in Bedford street in Covent Garden. THE Dressing up of the CROWN Psal. 132. vers. 18. the later part of the verse. But upon himself shall his Crown flourish. THe end of this Convention is, to proclaim the Authority of his Sacred Majesty over us, and to profess our dutiful subjection to it. But, will our fanatics say, why should we trouble ourselves about a Magistrate? The Apostle doth advise us not to be the servants of men * 1 Cor. 7. 2 3. : and he saith, the Law is not made for the righteous * 1 Tim. 1. 9 ; and if the Prince makes any civil Sanction, it must not be adopted into the Law of Faith, and therefore it is ipso facto, void and of none effect; for whatsoever is not of faith is sin * Rom. 14 23. . Besides, compulsion cannot bring the conscience to conformity, and capital punishments are severe, cruel and unchristian; for they do not only deprive the Malefactor of his life, but of his time too, and so haply prevent him of some miracle of providence, which otherwise might have led him to repentance. And for these considerations, say these men, why should we give ourselves the temptation of setting up a King over us. But these Objections carry their confutation upon their forehead; & were there nothing else to be said, it is sufficient to evacuate their force, that these very Objectors, when ever they gain their opportunity, do not only practise the same things themselves, which they now condemn in their Superiors, but also act beyond them. When it becomes their own concern, they can plead necessity, and find reasons, and interpret these very Scriptures in favour of themselves, and allege others in justification of their proceed; which will evince, to any discerning judgement, that the design of these men, in pulling the Crown from off the head, and wresting the Sword and Sceptre out of the hands of others, is but to gain an advantage to take them into their own possession. What I represent in this discourse, is but an imperfect Copy of that which we have seen drawn out to the life before our eyes. For the carrying on of which achievement, Good God what adulation and flattery, what dissimulation and hypocrisy hath been used! what horrid perjuries, abusive invocations, profane mockeries, execrable blasphemies have been put upon Almighty God what juggling collusion, villainous cheats, devilish treacheries have been practised upon the Lords Anointed! At last they laid his sacred Body in the dust (though they could never lay his Honour there) to be as a stepping stone to advance ambitious Treason to the Throne. But blessed be our good God, who is as well a God of Justice as of Patience; who hath not suffered the glorious light of our eyes to be always eclipsed, nor the designs of that bloody Insolent to take root for ever, but hath blasted them when they seemed to be almost full bloomed, not permitting them to bring forth any fruit to maturity; and hath cast confusion upon the Tyranny and Triumphs of those Usurpations, and by a wonderful hand of providence, hath vouchsafed to restore the most excellent Majesty of the Son, to the Sceptre of that power, and the splendour of that glory, that had been ravished from the hand of that blessed Father. So that what was calculated for the Family and Successors of that David mentioned in the two last verses of this Psalm, may serve the ends of our discourse, as if they had been a prediction of the Family and Successors of Ours, in their Dominion over us. There will I make the Horn of David to bud, I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed. His enemies will I with shame: but upon himself shall his Crown flourish. These words are a representment of the Power and Majesty Royal, in its continuance and amplification. And, blessed be God how wonderfully doth the horn of that power sprout and grow up amongst us! what gladsome rays of light, of joy and glory doth the lamp of that Majesty display upon us, at a distance, even to the envy and amazement of the enemies. But for them since the fatherly affection of our most gracious Sovereign is pleased, upon their submission, to vouchsafe them a better Livery, a Livery of his own Royal favour and grace, I shall not exasperate any passion to cut out and make up the garment of shame for them; and yet I must add this, That I have no protection for them from the severity of a Divine vengeance, except they repent. If they repent not, God will take the office into his own hands; for he saith, His enemies will I with shame. The next words are my Theme this day, [Upon Himself shall his Crown flourish.] Wherein I must first handle the Crown, and make some reflections upon the Owner, the Sacred Person whose Crown it is; and then proceed to show you how you are engaged to support, and adorn, and dress it up to make it flourish; and lastly, I shall acquaint you with those great blessings and advantages that will accrue to you by the influences thereof; for this [Himself] is of a very diffusive nature, and is virtually extended over all the body of the people; And this Crown set upon the Sovereign's head, the more it flourisheth there, the greater refreshment, the more blessings will you all receive from the shadow of it. I. Of the Crown first. And this we must handle under a threefold notion. 1. As a representation of the Divine Ordinance or institution of Government in general. 2. As the highest Ensign of Authority, the peculiar ornament of Monarchy; and so we must consider it as having the Supremacy or Sovereignty, which is the greatest excellency of Power and Dominion lodged in it. 3. As a peculiar instrument of a Monarch, distinct from the Sword; for 'tis not the Sword that shall flourish; that would bring but little ease, little contentment to a Nation under the triumphs of it. 'Tis the Crown shall flourish. 1. Of which as it represents the Divine Institution or Ordinance of Government in general; For God hath set up a kind of Authority, that is, an Order of Rule in universal nature, even in the purest constitution of it. We may observe this in all the several parts of the world. Amongst Inanimates there is a first mover that carries about all the other Orbs of Heaven; and in the Heaven there is a Sun to rule the day, a Moon and the Stars to govern the night; and the influences of those Superior bodies have a great sway over all sublunary Creatures, and their operations. If we look into the world of Animals, we shall find a certain kind of subordination amongst them. A King amongst the Beasts; a Queen amongst the Birds; some excellency is stamped upon them by the Royal Sovereign of the world, to which the rest of each kind do stoop and yield obeisance. In the world of Rational Creatures we may observe the same method of superiority & subordination. There are several Orders of Angels, and the Schoolmen tell us, that those of an higher Order do communicate light and knowledge to such as are inferior; and we find they have their several Provinces over which they do preside, in the 10. and 12. Chapters of Daniel. There is order and subordination even in Hell itself; and perhaps it would be a worse Hell than it is, if there were not a Prince of Devils to rule over it. If we look into our own Bodies, we see the head derives the sense and motion into all the parts and organs; and in the Soul, we have the Will, that rational appetite to direct and command all the Members and Affections. And thus it should be in the Church and State; wherein the Commands and Orders should issue from the Head, where the excellency of power is chief lodged, and from thence they should be regularly transmitted to the rest of the Body. God gives a blessing to such a Constitution, and to the people that lives under it, Psal. 99 6. Moses and Aaron amongst his Saints, and Samuel among such as call upon his name. These called upon the Lord and he heard them. Without this all the bands of Society are dissolved; the people without it are like a flock of scattered 1 King. 22 17. Zac. 13. 7. sheep (which indeed are not a flock) without a shep herd. And when this Order is perverted, when the power and authority runs not in the proper channel: when commands are not issued forth from the Head and Fountain, but usurped and enforced by inferiors without and against, Them; this the Holy Ghost delivers for a sore infliction, a heavy judgement upon a people. This was a great exorbitancy and eye-soar to the wisest Solomon, To see folly set in great dignity, servants upon Eccles. 10. 6, 7. Horses, and Princes walking as servants upon the earth. It is a huge undecency, not seemly for a servant to rule over Princes, Prov. 19 10. 'Tis Molestum too, an exorbitancy, that will disquiet the whole land, 'tis so intolerable. For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four, which it cannot bear. For a servant when he reigneth; That's the first, Prov. 30. 21, 22. This is not the ordinance of God, but his judgement upon a people; and so 'tis threatened (therefore not a blessing, but a judgement) Isay 3. When God takes away the judge and the Prophet, and the Prudent, and the Honourable man, and suffers Children to be their Princes, Children in knowledge and experience (though otherwise old enough) and Babes to rule over them; The people shall be oppressed every one by another, and every one by his Neighbour; the child shall behave himself proudly against the Ancient, and the base against the Honourable: and Women See the original. vers. 12. shall rule over them, and they that can best flatter them and call them blessed, shall lead them first into error, and then into destruction, verse 2, 3, 4, 5. with the 12. And if you will not for all this believe it to be a judgement, though swallowed up by such as call you blessed (as if there were a happiness in being ruined by such Instruments) hear the complaints of those that groaned under such a judgement, and observe the effects of it in their example; The Crown is fallen from our head, woe unto us that we have sinned, Lam. 5. 16. If the Crown falls from the head, wherever it lights 'tis woeful; and therefore the Church proceeds in her complaint, Servants have ruled over us: there is none that doth deliver us out of their hand. Princes vers. 8. vers. 12. are hanged up by their hand: the faces of the Elders were not honoured. When men shall Canonize themselves, or pass an Act for their own Saintship, and then presume (notwithstanding their oaths, & bounden duty to the contrary) to bind their Kings in chains, and their Nobles with fetters of iron, and cut off their heads, and say, such honour have all the Saints; and to palliate the crime, abuse and profane the sacred Text, which is rest reigned to one peculiar process of affairs under Gods own immediate conduct and direction; For Moses was but God's Lieutenant in the management of that expedition, and received his particular orders from his own hand; and upon this account, the Psalmist tells us, This was to execute the judgement that was written, Psal. 149. last. If men will make use of such actions for precedents, as were never set or intended for their imitation, casting behind their backs Gods express commands, which were given to be the standing measures of their obedience; This is a very sad strain for the Church of God to dance after. When the fire out of the Bramble shall devour the lofty Cedars, as in Jothams' parable, judg. 9 when the lusts that war in the Members shall overtop the head, and prescribe to reason, and rebel against the law of the mind; All good souls, in this case are concerned to take up that complaint, Lam. 5. 17. For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim. We ought then to mourn, forasmuch as it is evident, that sin hath provoked God to anger, and that sin, and that anger together, have disturbed the regular method, order, and constitution of the world, which consisted of subjection and superiority; and this is that which the Crown betokeneth and is the sum of our first Reflection upon it. 2. But we must reflect upon it as the highest ensign of Authority, the peculiar ornament of Monarchy, having the Supremacy and Sovereignty, that is, the greatest excellency of Power and Dominion lodged in it. And so we may consider that it comes from a word, which signifies to separate and consecrate; and consequently 'tis a thing sacred, and renders the person such that wears it. This form of Government commenced with the world in Adam, who was the firstborn (as it were) of all mankind, and so it commenced upon the account of primageniture. Neither was this prerogative lost by Adam's fall, either to himself or his first begotten; For we see it descended upon Cain, and is asserted to him by God himself, Gen. 4. 7. And long after we find it acknowledged by jacob in his firstborn Reuben, Gen. 49. 3, 4. Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power. And it was this prerogative with other advantages that made jacob so ambitious of the birthright. And though upon the division and dispersion of families for peopling the world, there was a kind of necessity to alter this Constitution in this circumstance of Person; yet the Form itself (of Monarchy) continued, and as far as my observation reacheth, it was the only Government that was exercised in the first ages all the world over; which argues it was generally taken up, upon the authority of some Universal, unquestionable principle. And although this were interrupted amongst the people and Church of God, while they sojourned in Egypt, and after their Redemption too, for a season, when God took them by a special providence, and carried them under the wings of his own immediate jurisdiction; yet even in his own Law, he was pleased to make an early provision for the restitution of this Government, when they came to a settlement in Canaan, Deut. 27. 14. And though there were some miscarriage in the management, some inordination in their desires of a King, yet was God pleased to sign the Grant, and own the constitution, and appoint a special Rite of Unction for the consecration of saul's person to that office, 1 Sam. 8. And therefore what is said by the Lord, [I gave them a King in mine anger,] Hes. 13. 11. is not to be understood of Saul; for 'tis evident to me, that God gave him to that people out of Compassion, and at their cry, and designed him the instrument, to save them from the Philistines, 1 Sam. 9 16. And to this end God poured out his Spirit upon him, and gave him another heart, a heart fit for Government, 1 Sam. 10. 9, 10. And had he had the patience to wait upon God, some few hours longer, till Samuel's coming to Gilgal to offer the sacrifice, the Lord had established his Kingdom upon Israel for ever, 1 Sam. 13. 13. And if we consider how Samuel aggravates his ingratitude upon this account, we cannot conclude that God made him King out of anger; 1 Sam. 15. 17. no anger I am confident, against Saul at that time in respect of his Person, or his settlement in that Royal office. To put the matter out of all question, David was a King too, yet certainly he was not given to that people out of anger; for the Lord saith, I have chosen David Psal. 89. 20 my servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him, etc. Psal. 89. 20. And the advancement of that people unto a Monarchy, was such an exaltation of State and Dignity to the whole Nation, that God upbraids their ingratitude, as being heightened upon this very score, that God had set a beautiful Crown upon their head, and prospered them into a Kingdom, Ezek. 16. 12, 13. And the truth is, the wisest Statesmen do conclude Monarchical Government; A threefold advantage we may observe it hath, above States more popular; 'Tis more easy, more potent, more honourable. 1. More easy; This is evident in short; for where there are more men, there are more lusts and passions to command, more appetites and interests to be gratified; and this must needs evince their Government, in the general to be more difficult. 2. As Monarchy is more easy, so 'tis more strong and potent; because (besides the advantages of secrecy, which can never be so firmly sealed, when designs are communicated to a multitude.) A Monarchy is less subject to divisions; and less subject to divisions it must needs be, because 'tis more reduced to unity in one single person of the Prince. Hereupon we see all bodies Military, that they may be the more united and potent, are governed after this Form, under the command of one chief General. 3. As more Potent so more Honourable; because the splend or and glory is all contracted, as it were, into one centre, and so carries the figure of Gods own Supreme Majesty. For when the Almighty is pleased to set forth his own State and Creatness, he does not assume the Title of MAGISTRATE, nor call himself by the name of Senator or Protector; These are creatures of too low a stature to be his Representatius: But he cloaths himself in the Royal apparel, and makes choice of the sign of the Crown, as the fittest for his Majesty to appear in. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and this name and title is that which we find engraven, not only upon 1 Tim. 6. 15. the Vesture, but also upon the very Thigh of Christ, as if these were a production that issued from his very loins, Rev. 19 16. And if you please to take the observation the holy Ghost in Scripture hath remarked it, as the greatest honour the Father could do to Christ, and the greatest blessing he could confer upon his Church, that he would raise up Kings to serve him and secure her. All Kings shall fall down before thee, as is promised unto Christ, Psal. 72. 10, 11. And Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers, as is promised to the Church, Isa. 49. 23. And indeed we may observe, that God reposeth a very great trust in Princes, for the support and advancement of his worship. When he was about to build the Tabernacle for his own service and glory, the model of it was not given to the heady multitude, nor yet to Aaron the Priest, but to the Prince, to Moses, his own immediate Minister, Exod. 25. 9 And when he was pleased to have his worship fixed, the pattern of the Temple that he will be honoured in, is given to David, to the King, 1 Chron. 28. 17, 19 The Prince is Custos utriusque tabulae, God hath committed the care of his worship and service to his inspection, the Holy Bible to his custody, not finding a safer place than the Crown to lodge it in. The Tables of the Law are deposited in the hands of Moses, Exod. 34. 31, etc. And the Book of the Testimony was wont to be delivered into the hands of the King at his Coronation; and this was according to Gods own prescription, Deut. 17. 18, 19, 20. where 2 Chron. 23. 11. the King is directed to transcribe a Copy of the Law, and to peruse and study it for his instruction; and ever since Defensor Fidei, Defender of the Faith, hath been a Title due to all religious Princes. The office of a King then is no way inconsistent with the privilege of a child of God: He may very faithfully serve God in that high calling; For I do not find that God doth depose Princes, or prescribe them to renounce their Function, when he invites them to adore and worship Christ: Be wise now therefore, O ye Kings, serve the Lord with fear, and kiss the Son left he be angry. That is all we find them exhorted to, Psal. 2. 10, 11, 12. Nay even to such, as are (mentioned in that Psalm, to be) in a confederacy against Christ, to such, I say, doth the Holy Ghost reserve the reverence of their Titles. Saint Paul enjoins us to pray for them: Saint Peter, to submit ourselves unto them, under this consideration, that 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2. 1 Pet. 2. 13. they are invested with such an Authority. But some of Saint Peter's pretended Successors are so far from following his example, that they take liberty (at their pleasure) to transform Princes in to Tyrants, and that they may spoil them of their Kingdoms, they alienate the hearts and affections of their Subjects and absolve them from their Allegiance. But observe the cunning of their practices: They allow not Subjects to withdraw their obedience or duty from their Prince, by no means; that were against a divine Right, an execrable injustice; but to free the Subject from such a guilt, the Pope unkings the person of the Prince, and then the people, no longer owes him duty; Thus the Cardinal instructs the people, as the Pope's Curate, Non permitto, ut Regi non pareas, quod esset contra jus Bellar. Cont. Bar. cap. 31. Divinum; sed facio, ut qui tibi Rex erat, non sit deinceps tibi Rex. Regi rejecto Vicarius Christi obedientiam exhiberi prohibet. But Christ hath surrogated no Officer in his Church to practise such black Arts, or exercise such a Vicarious power for the advancement of his Kingdom; nor will he acknowledge such Instruments to be his, but rather the Devils Vicars, whose usurpation and arrogance they imitate. And I wish some of those that do pretend to Reformation, did not justify the Church of Rome in this particular: for I must do them that justice, I find the more ingenuous amongst them, at least if we may believe them, do disclaim such Doctrines, and abominate the practice. There is such a vicinity, such a relation betwixt God and the King, that commonly they are served and disobeyed together. If you read of an Insurrection, 'tis Psal. 2. 3. against the Lord, as well as against his Anointed. In David's time, those who did blaspheme God, did slander the Psal. 89. 50 Edit. Leiturg. footsteps of his Anointed also. And in Isaiahs' time, those who bade defiance to their Prince, did at last fly as high as there was any Majesty to be affronted, they spit their poison in the face of Heaven itself, Isa. 8. 21. And how is it possible, but the dishonour put upon the King, should reflect upon God himself? For the King is a Coin of Gods own impression and stamping: He saith, By me Kings reign: and I have said, ye are gods. The Pro. 8. 15. Psal. 82. 6. Prince hath God's image and superscription engraven upon him. Indeed his Majesty is the only visible image that God hath set up of himself to be worshipped: and yet I would not have you turn your Prince into an Idol, but to perform what you find enjoined by Christ and the Holy Ghost, and the Apostles in Holy Scripture: Render unto Cesar the things that are Caesar's, saith Mat. 22. 21 Prov. 24. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 17 our Saviour: Fear thou the Lord and the King, saith Solomon, Fear God and honour the King, saith St. Peter. But suppose the King will not comply in the reformation and settlement of Religion. Why, if we speak of Reformation, the question will be, who is fittest to judge, as having the best assistance and advantages to discern what is fit to be reform. In the great Council of Ephesus, the Bishops address themselves thus unto the Emperor for settlement of Religion, Supplicamus vestrae Majestati, ut fidem immotam custodire sanciatis: They supplicate, but have no Commission from their great Master Christ to levy war, and put a force upon their Sovereign. In this case the Church of God is allowed no other weapons, but Preces & lacrymae, prayers and tears. Defendenda Religio est à privatis omnibus, non occidendo sed mortendo, non saevitia sed patientia, non scelere sed Lib. 5. c. 20. fide, saith Lactantius; Religion is to be defended by all private persons, by laying down their own lives, not by attempting the lives of others, not by cruelty, but by patience; not by treachery, but by a constant and innocent profession of the Faith. Thus did the blessed servants of God, this was their faith and practise in all the purest ages of the Church; They loved Revel. 12. 11. chap. 6. 9 not their lives unto the death; but were slain for the word of God, and for the Testimony which they held. And in this case, is it not enough, that the Apostle saith, If we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign with him: adding withal, That if we deny him, he will also deny us. And truly Rom. 8. it is a very great degree of our denial of him, to refuse to bear this part of his Cross, when his wisdom and providence shall think fit to impose it upon us; when to shift it off ourselves, we lay it upon the shoulders of our Sovereign, whose Crown entitles him to a Supremacy of command, but does not enthral him in a subjection to the people. And thus you have my reflection upon the Crown, in the second notion of it, as it is the Ensign and Ornament of Monarchy. 3. I must make a third reflection upon it (though it be a very brief one) as it is distinguished from other Instruments, that have relation to the Royal Office, the Sceptre and the Sword; for all these three, the Crown, the Sword, the Sceptre, are the Instruments of a King, to which we own respective duties. The Sceptre (always supposed to be a just and * For the King can do no wrong. right Sceptre) must measure our actions; to that therefore we own obedience. And because the King bears not the Sword in vain; therefore to the Sword we own fear. And because the Crown entitles the person that wears it unto Majesty, it requires of veneration, we must therefore pay honour to it. If this had been such a prediction, as we find that touching Hazael (which put the great Prophet into a bitter passion of weeping to utter it) 2 King. 8. 12. That his Sword should flourish in his hand, and be bathed in your heartblood, that it should triumph in the slaughter of your innocent Babes, and in ripping up your women great with child, and other bloody outrages: This had been very dreadful (how just soever in the eyes of Heaven) to you. But we have a God of mercy, and his Vicegerent resembles him in this virtue. The King of our Israel is a very merciful King; if by any gracious concessions, his Majesty can possibly ptevent it, he desires not to have his Sword (amongst his own Subjects) but his Crown to flourish. II. The second General Part. But how is this to be accomplished? That shall be our next enquiry. Without question 'tis our duty to do something to this effect: 'Tis not to be expected, that all should come immediately from Heaven, and the hand of God. Here is a blessing from Heaven insinuated in the Text, [It shall flourish,] and Divine providence doth offer fair to make it good: But we are concerned, 'tis our bounden duty to contribute our endeavours, and use all the best means we can to accomplish it. That the Crown then may flourish, we are obliged to do two things; 1. To water it. 2. To dress it up. 1. To water it, with our Prayers, with our Tears, with our Estates and Fortunes, with our Lives and dearest Blood. 1. With our prayers. This is a prime duty charged upon us by Apostolical Authority, 1 Tim ●. 1, 2. I exhort first of all, that supplication, prayers, intercessions be made for all men: For Kings, and for all that be in Authority. And the twentieth Psalm is an excellent prayer penned to this purpose. But therein we find none of those perverse insinuations, which some men insert into their supplications for their Princes; they have their seditious Is'es', and scandalous Proviso'es; If God hath reserved any mercy in store for him and his Family. These are dangerous insertions, and leave very ill impressions upon men's minds, as if their Prince's Title were still questionable in Heaven, when 'tis most clearly asserted on earth, and vindicated by all the Laws of God and man. And I am jealous, though other things have been pretended, that one main reason why the Liturgy of the Church was laid aside, was, because the Prayers therein, for the prosperity of the King's Majesty, were so clear a contradiction to some men's intendments, and so too apt to give a check to their after-horrid practices against him. Which practices have invited and engaged all Loyal Subjects to water his Crown with their Tears, in order to its reflourishing. And, 2. This is the next way of watering it. And thus was that Crown watered by the tears both of Prince and people, when it was invaded by that seditious flatterer Absolom, 2 Sam. 15. 30. And David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot, and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. And to my knowledge our English Crown hath many a time, under our late sad Revolutions, been thus watered. But it was thrown down so low in the dust, and trampled so deep in the mire, and the earth of seditious people grown so stiff and hardened over it, that had it not been wonderfully watered with showers of blessings from Heaven, fomented and cherished by sacred influences from above, it could not have visited the world with such a glorious and comfortable Resurrection; for which we have as just cause to water it now with tears of joy, as before with tears of sorrow and lamentation. 3. But prayers and tears cost us little, (though some men will not afford their Sovereign's Crown such a Subsidy.) You must water it with your Estates too, Rom. 13. 5, 6, 7. For this cause pay ye Tribute, and render unto every one his due, tribute to whom tribute is due; 'Tis debitum, a due debt, and that for conscience sake. If the Laws of the Land have set bounds to the Subject's Contributions of this kind; 'tis not my concern to cancel them; but the needs of the Crown must be supplied, the charges defrayed, the State and Grandeur of it supported. We must share in the burden, if we would share in the honour and benefit; and unless we do support it, it cannot protect us. Neither 4. Can it in every juncture of time flourish to this effect of protection, unless we water it, as occasion serve, with our blood also. And this is a duty incumbent upon us, and that in regard of the Oath of God. We are obliged Eccles. 8. 2. to maintain His Majesty's Crown and Dignity with our lives as well as with our Fortunes. And those loyal Subjects of David did not think their blood too dear to water his Crown, when they thought him worth ten thousand, and yet would not consent, that he should hazard his sacred Person in the battle, for fear he should 2 Sam. 18. 3. etc. 21. 17. miscarry in the adventure, and so quench the light of Israel. All the loyal blood, that is shed in the just quarrel of the Crown, will be congealed and turned into Jewels to dress it up; and if it should not prove successful (in all essays) to this effect, yet mixed with other virtues, it would contribute to the dressing up of a more glorious Crown for Majesty and Loyalty in Heaven. And thus you hear how the Crown is to be watered. 2. But this is not the All of a loyal Subjects duty. The Crown is as well to be dressed up, as to be watered, to make it flourish. Dressed up with lauds and acclamations to the person of the Prince; dressed up with praises and thanksgivings to Almighty God for him; dressed up with an honourable Militia to adorn and guard it; dressed up with a prompt and cheerful obedience to serve its interests. 1. Dressed up with laud's and Acclamations to the person of the Prince, we must sing a joyful Hosanna to our Son of David. At his Coronation the Trumpets sounded, and the people shouted, God save King Solomon, 1 King. 1. 39 How did Samuel dress up Saul with commendations, when he set him before the people! 1 Sam. 10. 24. And Samuel said to all the people, see ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people. And all the people shouted and said, God save the King. The Holy Ghost hath been pleased to inspire the Psalmist to indite a sacred Poem to this purpose. The 45. Psalm contains nothing but matter of Encomium, and commendations to dress up the Crown, and the person of the Prince that wears it. If you understand the Fifth Commandment, it enjoins you to honour this your Civil Father, and he that uncovers his nakedness to his reproach, the curse of God, first or last, will light upon him. If Princes are not to be flattered, they are much less to be reviled. Commendations, which may seem flattery, may be handsome insinuations and admonitions unto duty: but they are stigmatised for wicked men by two of the Apostles, who despise Dominion, and speak evil of Dignities. Saint Peter wonders at 2 Pet. 2. 10 Judas v. 8. such men's impudence, that they are not afraid to do so, 2 Pet. 2. 10. And well might they be afraid, had they not hearts of Adamant, as well as foreheads of Brass; for Abishai thought the crime so heinous, that he should do but a piece of justice, in striking off the head of that dead dog, that barked in a railing language against his 2 Sam. 16. 9 Sovereign; and the very pretence that he had blasphemed God and the King, cost the precious life of Naboth. Our Laws are strict enough in this point, if men had but the Conscience to execute and observe them. And the Law of God is very severe too. Thou shalt not speak Exod. 22. 27. Act. 23. 5. Eccl. 10. 20 evil of the Ruler of the people, saith the Lord; And, is it fit to say to a King thou art wicked, and to Princes you are ungodly, saith Elihu, Job 34. 18. Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, saith Solomon. But we have railing Shimei's, whose tongues are spears and arrows, swords and razors, full of deadly poisons, and set on fire of Hell; They durst do that against their dread Sovereign, which the Archangel durst not do against the Prince of Devils. They durst bring against him many Judas v. 9 railing accusations. These are your godly men, of the late Edition; though Saint James saith, if any man seemeth to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, this man's Religion is vain, James 1. 26. But it hath been the practice of these men, to go a gleaning in the holy Scriptures, and shutting their eyes against the light of clear and express commands, they retire into the shades of obscure Prophecies, and serve their base and unworthy ends out of such dark passages as they understand not (for did they understand them, they would know, they signify nothing to their purpose. Out of this Quarry, they pick up stones to throw at the Crown, and dazzle the Authority of their Sovereign. I insist the longer upon this, because Rebellion, which is as the sin of Witchcraft, use to begin as Witchcraft doth in mutterings and murmering of the lips, and the Prince is wounded first in Pulpits, and Pamphlets, and Corners, ever murdered by the tongue in his Reputation, before he is murdered by the Axe or Dagger in his Person. And let no man think to excuse this insolence, by alleging, that some of the Prophets did make bold with the Majesty of some Princes; For were those Princes never so notoriously wicked, those Prophets did, sin if they had not a special and immediate commission, to reprove them in such rude language; And therefore Saint Paul convented before a person clothed with Authority, because he had called him whited Wall, and threatened that God should smite him; upon admonition, he recants his rashness, and condemns himself by a sentence of holy Scripture, and is sorry for his error, Act. 23. 5. For the Crown of Authority is not to be aspersed with foul language: but to be dressed up with lauds and acclamations to the person of the Prince. 2. It is to be dressed up also by praises and thanksgivings rendered to Almighty God on the King's behalf. For this we have an Apostolical exhortation, in the place foremention, I exhort that supplication and thanksgivings too be made for Kings, 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2. And the holy Ghost hath prompted another Divine Poem to be penned for such occasions. The King shall rejoice in thy strength, O Lord, so that 21. Psalm gins, and the conclusion is this, Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power. And doubtless such as understand and value so great a blessing, will hearty bless God for it. 3. You must dress it up with an honourable Militia. Solomon's Throne was supported by Lions; and he saith, the Throne is upheld by Judgement, taking the word in the severest sense, when occasion doth require it. Without a Militia (the Sword and a fair train of Artillery to attend and dress it up) the Crown will stand but for a golden cipher; it may serve other men's ends, to swell the accounts of their ambition and avarice: but it can neither protect the best Loyalty from oppression, nor defend its own just Rights from usurpation and violence. The holy Ghost therefore, in that Celebration of the King's Majesty and Glory, calls upon him to secure his Title and Interest in this particular, Psal. 45. 3. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou most mighty: with thy Glory and thy Majesty. And in thy Majesty ride prosperously, and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the King's enemies, whereby the people fall under thee. Thus you see the Militia serves to dress up the Crown. And if it did not of right belong unto it, why should St. Paul make the Prince the most immediate Sword-bearer of the Almighty, Rom. 13. 4. He therefore that is invested with the Crown, must have the Militia to adorn and guard it. Lastly, if you would have the Crown to flourish kindly, you must dress it up by a prompt and cheerful obedience. But for the most part, the Commands of our Prince goes against the hair with us; they beget doubts and scruples; nay, 'tis well if they be not entertained with murmur and dispute; as if we had never learned our duty to our Superiors by the rule of the Apostle, nor been taught by his spirit. For his injunction is this servants be obedient to them that are your Masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness Ephes. 6. 5, 6, 7, 8. Colos. 3. 22 23, 24. of your heart, as unto Christ: not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God (even in point of obedience to your Sovereign) from the heart: with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for (even in this your civil obedien) ye serve the Lord Christ. And upon this account, how doth Saint Peter conjure us to a dutiful subjection and obedience; Submit yourselves, even for the Lords sake, to the King as Supreme, and to them that are commissioned under him to rule over you, 1 Pet. 2. 13. And perhaps (as the Psalmist hath it) the people will be willing in the Psal. 110. 3. day of the King's power. If not the Crown is obliged to secure its own glory, as well as Gods, with the welfare of Church and State. And to this end, it was a just sanction, that Artaxerxes inserted into the Commission of Ezra, in these words, And whosoever will not do the Law of thy God and the Law of the King, let judgement be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of Goods, or to imprisonment, Ezra 7. 26. But I must tell you, were there not a necessity of such proceed to secure the public peace and order, it would be a tarnishing of the Crown to have it thus garnished; I do rather therefore beseech you to honour it by a free obedience. And yet I am afraid there are some, that (were it in their power) would be ready to dress up the Crown with more thorns and crosses, instead of yielding their dutiful assistance to make it flourish; some that would yet clip and wash it, and use other of the late artifices to extract more gold out of it to varnish and gild over their own crimes and fortunes. And yet I am loath to entertain so uncharitable a thought of such men, as are under a solemn Vow and Covenant, whereby they have engaged themselves with hands lifted up to heaven, to preserve the Honour and Dignity of the Crown, and profess to approve themselves His Majesty's best Subjects. I am unwilling to believe, that any of these men will invade the Rights of the Crown for their own advantage. Sure, they will never retain those Lands in their own possession that were designed and appropriated to bring forth fruits to dress up the Crown and make it flourish. Godly and well affected persons, I grant, might make Purchases of such Lands, to secure the Crowns interest, against God should vouchsafe an opportunity for its Restitution: but who can think so hardly of any tender Conscience, that it will defile itself with such an execrable sacrilege and perjury as will attend the alienation of those Lands. No, no, persons of integrity to their King and Country, if they keep any of those Lands, 'tis to turn them all into Mines of Gold and Silver, into Ore or Bullion, that rescuing the Crown from so mean a thing as common earth, they may render it more glorious by a more refined and opulent Revenue. And indeed what loyal heart will not be ready to do as much to adorn the Crown, as Megpibosheth offered to gratify the avarice of a Sycophant upon the like occasion, and say, Let the Crown take all (at least all its deuce) forasmuch as my Lord the King is come again in peace 2 Sam. 19 30. unto his own house. III. The third general Part. And my Lord the King is the person to whom of right the Crown belongeth; 'tis His Crown. And we must needs make some Reflections upon this most excellent Person; A person not trained up in a trade of brewing— mischief, against an opportunity should offer itself, to set the vessel abroach, and vent it abroad to intoxicate the Kingdom with rage, fury, and confusion, not a person studied in the Arts of Adulation and Hypocrisy, to seduce the hearts of the simple, to withdraw them from their allegiance, and tempt them into a conspiracy to murder their lawful Sovereign, that he Himself may seize upon his inheritance. No, this is a Prince, the right and lawful Heir and Successor himself, extracted out of the Loins of such a Father of blessed memory, as was the glory of his Church & Kingdom, though the shame and confusion of his enemies. And blessed art thou O Land, when thy King is the son of Nobles, Eccles. 10. 17. The Prince that owes this Crown, hath running in his veins the blood of that Royal Martyr, who sealed to the truth of that Maxim by his sufferings, whereof other Kings made but a compliment; Salus populi Suprema Lex. He verified it by his death on that account, that the welfare of Church and State were his supreme Law. And that pious sacrifice did hollow the consecration of this Prince to his Throne. A Prince preserved by a special providence, and I should not miscall it if I said a miracle, from the malignant Sword, as that sword is styled by the Psalmist, which is drawn against the Lords Anointed. This is a Prince inspired by the most incomparable discourses of his Renowned Father, Psal. 144. 10. Edit. Vulg. with all the methods of prudence fit to instruct and furnish the wisest and best of Governors; and trained up by a better Tutor too, in the School of Adversity, where he hath learned to govern with prudence and moderation, even by the things which he hath suffered. There is a Character written of this Prince, a very short and full one, which I desire you all to buy and study, and as far as you are capable to imitate. If that does not give you satisfaction, touching the Heroic Virtues of this Prince; for my part, I shall not pretend to it: But if you seriously peruse that, I think you must needs conclude with me, that were all the Crowns of Europe embroidered upon one Scarff, or melted down into one Diadem, with this motto, Detur Digniori, the merits of this Prince would entitle His Majesty to stand in competition for it against all Princes under heaven. This Prince, as if he had been sent amongst us for some signal blessing, was ushered into the world at his birth, by a star from heaven, and without all question it was some special light from heaven that directed the wisest men of those Nations to address themselves to him, as the only Instrument of God's designation, to redeem us from our long intolerable bondage. This was that stone (and there needs no more to be said in his Commendations, than that this was He) which the bvilders of Babel amongst us had refused, but is now become the head stone of the Corner to support and unite us. This is the Lords (only) doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. So that we may, in his Majesty's Name, shut up this with the Psalmist, Psal. 21. 1, 2, 3. The King shall rejoice in thy strength O Lord: exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation. Thou hast given him his heart's desire: and hast not denied him the request of his lips. For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: and shall set a Crown of pure Gold upon his Head. And if God sets the Crown there, we need not doubt our Text will have a full and happy accomplishment, upon Himself shall his Crown flourish. iv The fourth General part. Upon Himself] But will Himself or His Crown, like that dead Sea, our late insatiable gulf of Usurpation, swallow up all our treasure that is cast into it to water it, and return us nothing in lieu of it, but oppression and tyranny, wars, blood, and confusion? There is no fear of that: the Crown hath vents enough to let out all you cast in to water it, or apply to dress it up, and will return it back again upon you; and return it not such as it was when you cast it in, but it will take a sacred tincture from the Crown, and flow back upon you with sufficient interest, with blessings and glorious advantages. Upon Himself: that is, upon you; for in a politic capacity the Prince and people make but one Body; he is the Head, they are the Members; So that while the Crown flourish upon Himself, the rays of its splendour and beauty do reflect upon us, and adorn us all. This observation represents the union and endearments that should be betwixt Prince and People, as Head and Members. But let no seditious miscreant abuse it to divide them, and set the law of the Members in opposition to the law of the Mind, in the Supreme Governor. For in this sense 'tis a distinction forged in Hell, to teach men to reconcile Rebellion with obedience, and to persuade them they may destroy the natural person of their Prince, and yet be saved harmless from the Treason, by the charms of a politic capacity; and so 'tis designed to defeat the severity of the Apostles intermination, Rom. 13. They that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation. To return from this digression. If the Crown flourish upon Himself, the influences thereof will make all things flourish under it. The Gentry will flourish, and the Priesthood will flourish, and the Commons will flourish; See Psal. 72. & 132. vers. 15. 16 Merchants and Tradesmen, Artificers and Husbandmen, and all will flourish; for there will be no breaking in of sorraign forces, no leading into captivity by civil insurrections, no more cause of complaining in our streets. And which is best of all, in his time the righteous shall flourish, and Religion shall flourish; for the Cross of Christ never Triumphs so gloriously, as when it is advanced upon the Crowns of pious Princes. Truth shall flourish out of the earth, and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven: Mercy and Truth will meet together, Righteousness and Peace will kiss each other. The Sun of righteousness will smile upon us, and spread his soft wings over us to heal and shelter us. And by the flourishing of the King's Crown upon Himself, the whole Kingdom will be Crowned. The Church will be crowned with Order and Devotion, the Country with plenty and contentment, the Cities with Wealth, the Universities with Learning; all Professions will be crowned with privileges, and the whole Nation with happiness, peace, and glory. These are the blessings we are to proclaim to you this day under the Authority of our most Gracious Sovereign. And yet I am unwilling to precipitate any backward inclinations to transact an affair of so great importance. Are you not hereby invited to oblige yourselves to a huge piece of modern injustice, of rendering unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are Gods. Shall you not commit yourselves prisoners to golden setters, by owning and submitting to this Authority? Will you not lose the happiness of Confusion, and that great privilege, for every man to do what is right in his own eyes? Will not this be a return to your bounden duty and service, and so cancel those several late Oaths and Engagements, which have so long stood at Push-a-Pike one against another? Will you not return into the Sacred Canon, those many Monarchical Texts of Scripture, which have so long been laid aside as Apocryphal? shall you not run the hazard of being put under the influences of such an ignorant, scandalous, or disaffected Ministry as will grate your tender ears with the harsh Doctrines of loyalty and obedience; such as will not have consciences wide enough to permit you to swallow those sweet morsels of Sacrilege without a check; but will inveigh against it as a crime to enrich your selus with the spoils of God's House, and a crime of so great a magnitude, that it is not to be expiated without repentance and restitution? And will not such a Ministry be ready to press upon you the observation of those obsolete rules of the Apostle, to have all things that appertain to God's worship and service, done decently and in 1 Cor. 14. 40. order? Will you not betray tender consciences by this means, and deprive them of their sweet liberty (which they have so long taken) to despise Dominion, and speak evil of Dignities, and to revile all persons in Sacred Orders under the Title of Baal's Priests? Will you not hereby give encouragement to have that intolerable yoke of bondage put upon them, of worshipping God in the beauty of holiness? And though a due toleration be Psal. 96. 9 allowed to tender Consciences, will they not be apt to be alured and drawn in by the Loadstone and the Charms of a Royal example, To serve the Lord with fear, and to rejoice before him with reverence. These, I know, are some of your great fears and jealousies; Psal. 2. 11. nay, your main objections; though perhaps you'll think fit to them with more dismal and odious Epithets; and truly, if any of you be not able to satisfy yourselves in these particulars, for my part, I shall never advise you, to wound such Consciences by presenting yourselves to assist in the accomplishment of this undertaking. And for such whose hearts the Lord hath touched with a sense of loyalty, and their duty to his Anointed, I have but three words to add by way of request to them, not to eclipse or sully the Glory of this happy Day, with any debauchery or intemperance; for in stead of dressing up the Crown, such unworthy practices will slain the fair flowers of it. And now give the King thy Judgements, O God, etc. Amen. FINIS. Errata. PAg. 12. lin. 2. read, Monarchical Government to be the more excellent, p. 15. l. 31, custodire for custodiri.