Sermon Comparing Solomon and Queen Elizabeth, Sermon – Prayer
1. KINGS 10.9. Bleſſed be the Lord thy God, which loued thee, to ſet thee on the throne of Iſrael, becauſe he loued Iſrael for euer, and made thee King to doe equitie and righteouſneſſe.
THeſe words, ſome yeares*1574. ſince (as ſome of you may remember) vppon this yearelie and happie occaſion were moſt learnedly, largely, and effectuallie debated with you. In reſuming the ſame againe, my purpoſe is not to venture flight with the Eagle, or to run with the Gyant, or any way to compare with that excellent man. Onelie, for good reaſons mouing me there-unto, I hauehave rather choſen to ſowe in a ground readie plowed vp to my hand, than to breake vppe a newe at mine owne choice.
Without more adoe, or farther impertinent prefacing, theſe woordes and the whole ſtorie of the Queene of Saba is not only recorded*1. King. 10 here, but alſo word for woorde repeated againe in the latter booke of Chronicles, as a matter woorthy all memorie and admiration.2. Chron. 9. For, that a woman and ſhee a Queene, and (as our Sauiour noteth) from the fartheſt partes of the earth,Mat. 12.45 onelie mooued with the fame of a wiſe man, ſhould come ſo readilie to learne wiſedome, is more than ſtraunge, & deſerueth euerlaſting praiſe with all poſteritie in ages ſucceeding, and ſhee ſhall riſe at the laſt day of doome and iudgement to the condemnation of the maruelous ſloth of ſome whole generations. Some other,Luc. 11.31. her like, would hauehave dealt after a diuerſe and a diſlike ſort, as for example, reaſoning thus: I am a woman, by nature weake and can not; a Queene, and neede not; of ſoueraigne eſtate and it were vnſeemelie to leaue my people at random and to uenture at auentures & to trauell abroad. The way is long and tedious: the iourney daungerous, full of cruell beaſtes, and of men woorſe than beaſtes: the fame is but a report, and reportes are not alwaies true. But ſhee fore-caſteth none of all theſe doubts and inconueniences, neither the vncertainty of the euent, nor perill of the way, nor tediouſneſſe of the iourney, nor dignity of her perſon, nor infirmitie of her ſexe. She, as a faire type, and a timely firſt-fruite of the gentils, preſenteth herſelf among the people of GOD, preferring the aduenture for wiſedome, more,Prou. 3.15. than for ſiluer, gold, or what euer thing elſe of richeſt price. And beeing nowe come to Ieruſalem, conferreth at large with Salomon himſelfe, and receiueth ſpeciall aunſwere in eueryevery thing aboue expectation. After a while, ſhe ſurueieth his buildinges, and taketh particular viewe of his whole houſe and gouernment, and when ſhee had conſidered all; the order of his realme, the array of his ſeruiters, the manner of his waiters, their attire, their diet, their bleſſed roume and place whereby they enioyed the happy preſence of ſo woonderfullie wiſe a Prince, that could aunſwere to eueryevery her queſtion, demaund, and motiue that ſhee could make, ſhe was all amazed, and her ſpirite was taken from her. And comming to herſelfe againe, ſhe breaketh forth no doubt, by the ſpirite of God into the woordes of my text: Bleſſed be the Lord, thy God which loued thee &c.
A bleſſed God and a louing, a bleſſed Prince, and a bleſſed people beloued of God.
A bleſſed God, to be praiſed and bleſſed for euer (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh) Amen. Rom. 1.25. & 9.5.But wherewith this Queene beginneth, namely, with the praiſe and bleſſing of God, God willing, we meane to interlace all, and end the whole. In the meane while, conſider wee apart Gods bleſſings,
1 vponupon Salomom, and
2 vponupon Salomons ſubiects.
1 Salomons bleſſing, and louely eſtate is therefore termed ſo and ſo pronounced here becauſe god placed him in the throne of regiment amongſt his people. And in truth, to be a plant in the Lordes orchard, to bee the woorkmanſhippe of his owne hands, toward the toppe, or in the midle, or neere the foundation, or where-about ſo-euer in the frame of his building, euen to bee the pooreſt doore-keeper in all his houſe,Pſal. 84.10. is no ſmall benefit, or common bleſſing: yet is this more properly his doing, and hee alone chiefly planteth and placeth all that are allotted to chiefeſt roumes. The Sunne placeth not it ſelfe aboue the Moone and ſtarres: The head ſetteth not it ſelfe vponupon the ſhoulders: By*Prou. 8.15 me (ſaith the wiſedome of God) Kings raigne: as if it were ſaide, if by others, as it is complained in the Prophet Oſce, Oſe. 8.4.then not by me, and therefore by me alone (ſaith the wiſedom of God) Kings raigne: that is, they beare their ſcepters and weare their ſwordes and ſit in their thrones, BY ME they raigne.
And, great reaſon wee thus iudge of Soueraigne authoritie. All thinges in the world: the leaſt, the vileſt, the leaſt of account; the leafe of a flower, the fall of a ſparowe, the feather of a bird, the foode of rauens, the fodder of oxen, the briſſell of a hogge (as Auguſtine ſpeaketh,) the teares of our eies, and colour of our haire come all within the ſpan and compaſſe of God almighties power-full doing, and particular direction. Nowe, he that careth for litle thinges, is he careleſſe of the greateſt? He that careth for the haire, he can not but care for the body: and hee that careth for the bodie, careth for the head; and he that reſpecteth the bodie, the head, the haire, the whole, the parts, great and leſſe, principall and excrementall of priuate men, without all queſtion regardeth much more the bodie politike and the heade of the common-wealth.Rom. 13.1. 1. Pet. 2.13. All autoritie is of God, and therefore kinglie moſt of all, euen as all the waters iſhue from the Ocean, but more immediatlie the great riuers.
This ſpeach were vtterly needleſſe, were wee not fallen into the waining of the world,Iude 8. wherein S. Iudes reprehenſion may iuſtly take place: when men are not onelyonly deſpiſers of gouernours, as Shimei was of Dauid, 2. Sam. 16.5but euill ſpeakers and miſconſterers of authoitrie it ſelfe and ſoueraigne gouernment in the higheſt degree. Treaſon againſt the Prince is no ſinne againſt God, ſaith Euerard Hance, as you may reade in the wiſe and True report of the Arrainment and execution of the Popiſh Traitor.Euerard Hance, alias Ducket
Our preſent ſtorie, of the enthronizing of Salomon informeth vsus better, & teacheth vsus a contrary leſſon, and ſheweth plainly, whence princely gouernment is deriues and doth depend. I know, Berzabe Salomons mother, Dauid his Father, Nathan the Prophet, Zadock the Prieſt, were all for Salomon. But Adoniah was the elder brother, and Salomon the yonger; Abiathar the high prieſt annointed Adoniah, and not Salomon; Salomons mother was a blemiſhed woman, and Adoniah was in a kinde of real poſſeſſion of the kingdom, and what humane meanes can we imagine then could hinder him and them, and helpe Salomon to remedie all? Ioab a great man and a mightie for valour, cunning and courage, would venter limme & life, and had ſet his reſt vppon the cauſe.
Wherfore Bennaiah when he ſaw how the world went,1. Reg. 1.36. yet on the contrary ſide perceiuing how Dauid was reſolued that Salomon for al this ſhold ſucceed, wiſhed from his heart it might be ſo: So bee it, ſaid he, & not contented therewith addeth after in few but effectual words, praying: The Lord God of the Lord my king ratifie it. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaide, Berzabe, Zadocke, Nathan, and I, yea Dauid himſelfe would hauehave it ſo: but God ſay ſo to. For if God ſay no it can not be, but if he ſay ſo notwithſtanding all vnlikelihoods, if God ratified it, it ſhall ſtande, and muſt be ſo.
A worthy and a wiſe and a true ſaying (and to conclude this matter) moſt agreeable to the Pſalme: Promotion commeth neither from the Eaſt, nor the Weſt. No,Pſal. 75.6. my brethren nor from the north, nor ſouth. The Lord of Lordes and king of kinges and gouernour of all thinges, ruleth, ouerruleth al in al ſpecially al theſe caſes of regiment euen by his plenary power and at his owne and abſolute pleaſure: as hath beene vouched in generall and in particular is declared that his meere louelove to Prince and people it was that placed Salomon, & diſappointed Adoniah.
But in ſooth, is it ſuch a bleſſing ſo great a benefit proceeding all of louelove to bee a king? Howe ſaith one, that the Princely cloke is lined all within with pinnes and pricking needles? An other that a crown is not worth the ſtouping for? A thirde, that, if profer were made neceſſarily to accept either preſent death, or the Princely Diademe, he would make willing choice rather to go ſtraitway to his graue, than any way to the chaire of eſtate. And becauſe domeſtical examples touch neereſt, & affect moſt, our ſoueraine & careful queene the Lordes annointed ouer vsus, in an exhortation to her councell and iudges, for a due conſideration ouer her people, amōg other words euer to be remēbred of their honors, hath theſe of her ſelfe: I care not for my ſelfe, my life is not deere vntounto me: My care is for my people. In. B. Iewels view of the Bull.I pray god who euer ſucceedeth me, he as care full as I am. They, who might know what cares I beare, would not thinke it ſo great a ioy to weare the crowne.
In the booke of Iudges the ninth chapter there is a parable and a ſtorie to this purpoſe; read you the ſtory,Iudges. 9. I will touch onelyonly the parable: In deede the ſweete figge tree, the pleaſant vine, the fatte oliue refuſed preferment, when it was offered. But (beloued) figtrees, vines and Oliues are geiſen and rare, & grow not in eueryevery ground. The ſcratching brā ble, that is rife & common in eueryevery hedge, redily accepteth the offer, & willed al the trees to come vnderunder his ſhadow without ſtraining curſie at the matter. Generally, Adams children, ſome more, ſome leſſe, & almoſt al, hauehave ſome deſire to ride the horſe they cānot manage.2. Sam. 15. Abſalō in this affectiō embezelleth the harts of the ſubiects from his own moſt louing father.Heſter. 6.6. Aman blown vp with this winde would needes ride the kingly horſe, and weare the Princely robe and ring, with ſound of trumpet & proclamation made in open ſight. Thus ſhall the man be honoured whom the king will honor. Cyprian. de Ten. & Ierunio.Yea ambition (ſaith Cyprian) ſleepeth (and lodgeth) in the boſom of Prieſtes. No, no, Cyprian, lodge it may, but where it lodgeth it can not ſleepne maketh men wake when other mē ſleepe. Neither will I wander abroade for proafe hereof: It cauſed Yorke to ſtriue with Canterburie, Cardinal Woolſey.and Canterburie often to ſtruggle with the king, and Yorke againe of later yeares it made to bee againſt and for the Pope: and laſtly to the end to be Pope himſelfe he would venter all England, as the Pope doth alwaies al Chriſtendome to maintaine his triple crowne. Philarchie luſt for honour, and louelove of imperie troubled not onelyonly ſome ſingle men,Nazian. ad Procop. but (as in Nazianzens time) whole councels were ſo ſea-ſick with this paſſiō, that Nazianzenes quiet nature was fully reſolued neuer to reſort to ſuch diſtem pered aſſemblies. But if it be thus in ye prieſt hood, much worſe it can not chooſe but be in their minds, whoſe life is a worldly glory & whoſe only deſire is to be aloft, to be the monarks, if it bee but of a mole-hill: and yet ſome whole dominions are to litle for ſome, & ſometimes meaner men of lower lot can dreame euen Ioſephs dreame,Geneſ. 37. but not with Ioſephes ſpirite: that al the ſheaues of the field muſt ſtoupe to their ſheaue, that the ſun moon and ſtarres, the Queene, Nobles and realme muſt bowe & bend before a ſtinking ſnuf, a Stukeley, Thomas Stukeley.a faithleſſe perſon & periured beaſt, & yet the beſt inſtrument of holy fathers pride. But pride hath had hir deſerued ruine. As Abſolons fancifal heade was hanged in his own lockes, and Haman on his own gallowes, ſo Stukeley & Stukeleis like hauehave had their iuſt deſerts, & drank the wine of their own vintage.
Notwithſtanding all this, to vſe Hamans words to a truer ſenſe, moſt true it is: So & ſo and in greater, truer, & incomparably better ſort ſhal he be honored, whō God will honor, wt this moſt honorable calling of being a lawful prince to the end he be his own lieutenāt,2. Chro. 9.8. to ſit in ye throne in his own ſtead, to be & bear the image of his maieſty, to hauehave the credit of kingdoms, & care of his people, to feed Iſrael, to guide Iacob, to gouern Iudah, to be a foſter-father & a nurſing mother vntounto his Church; to bee the inſtrument & angel of God, as the woman of Thecuah ſaid to Dauid, to be the horſe & chariot, the bones and ſtrength; to be the head, & the eie of direction, for iuſtice, equity & good order in a commonwealth. This is no ſmall prerogatiue or common priuilege. And in one word, this was Salomons caſe: & was this no bleſſing?
2 In the ſecond place conſider we the bleſſing & louelove of God towarde Salomons ſubiects. As the wickedneſſe of the king bringeth the wrath of God vponupon the whole realm Gen. 20.9. ſo when wiſe & very wiſe men gouern, the gouermnent is ſtable, and they ſo gouerned are moſt happy. As when Salomon ſhould build the temple, he cared litle for hey, for ſtraw, for vntēpered morter, for vnſkilful workmen, he ſent for Hyerā, & prouided (as Dauid his father had done before him) for the gold of Ophir, & cedars of Libanus: Euen ſo God in the edifice of his choſen peculiar people, for the greater benefite and beuty of the whole work, he chuſeth no Nabal, no foole as Nabal was to be their ruſer, but Salomon the wiſeſt man that euer was. If the prince bee wiſe, the people be the wiſer; if he be bleſſed of God, they be moſt happy. Si caecus caeco praeierit: If the head be il, the members cannot proſper: if the blinde lead the blind, they both fal into the pit & the pit is bottomleſſe: but if the eſe be ſound, the fiſh is ſweet. A good neighbour (as we ſay) is a great cōmodity, a grations prince hath no cōpariſon to ſpeake of. A candle lighteth a houſe, the ſun the world: a wel is competēt for a few, it is the ſtream that caſeth the coū trie: one beame beareth an other, one peece of a bough feedeth another; it is the foundation, it is the roote that vpholdeth the building & cheriſheth the whole tree. Somway ſemblably in this caſe, Iſrael reaped mutual helpe ech of other, but the ſun, the generall light, the ſtreame, the foundation, the root of their bliſſe & whole repoſe next & immediatly vnderunder God depended altogether and reſted moſt in hauing Salomon to be their prince. VnderUnder him, their peace and plenty was more than woonderfull, ſiluer was as common as ruble in the ſtreetes, and eueryevery mā ſate without any feare at ful eaſe vnderunder his vine. Were theſe no bleſſings? No dout the Lords bleſſings & rare effects of his ſingular louelove, wherein he bleſſed Salomon and by him them, powring the ointment on his head that it might deſcend & be deriued to the reſt parts of the whole body of the common-wealth. Not the pooreſt woman, but had acceſſe,1. Kin. 3.17. and inioyed her right, as appeareth in the ſtrife for the liue child, and whoſe the deade ſhould be. So wiſe, ſo willing a prince was he, ſo happy a people were they, and (which was all in all) ſo louing a God was God vntounto them both.
And heere I pray you hauehave reſort your ſelues vntounto, and view the ſtory as it lieth in the Bible, and you ſhal perceaue I hauehave but tripped ouer things. And nowe, becauſe I am deſired to bee ſhort, who neuer loued length, right worſhipful and deere countrimen, looke wee homeward a litle, and as it were out of the looking glaſſe of this ſcripture by way of reflexion I beſeech you conſider what bleſſings alſo on vsus God hath beſtowed, by what meanes they hauehave been receiued, & what dutifulnes is due therefore. Flattery becommeth no place, but leſt of al the pulpit. Be it ſpoken to the praiſe of God for it is a truth, and you, who knowe anie thing and hauehave a true taſt of things, knowe I lie not; God hath bleſſed her maieſty with a wiſe, a wealthy, a peaceable, and a godlie raigne.
THE time was, when Steuen Gardiner Biſhop of Wincheſter and canceller of England, a wilier ſerpent than all his brethren, worſe than Abiathar, and as bad as Achitophel laied his complot to preuent her preferment, and in deede vponupon vaine ſurmiſes without all proofe or legall caling to queſtion moſt wrongfully brought her Grace to that heauy and doleful plight, that for griefe of minde, and ſorow of heart ſhe heartily wiſhed rather to hauehave beene a poore milkmaid in Woodſtocke park than a Kinges daughter, and a Queenes ſiſter, and heire apparent to ſundrie Bealmes.
The Lorde William Howard & the Lord Williams, & ſome others could do no more than they could.In al the world ſhe found no friend, no able friend, no firme hope or preſent help but in God alone, the ſure rock of her foundation. Only he that is mighty magnified her and tooke her from the priſon, as Ioſeph from the ſtocks, and made her our Queene, and as it were a Martha to prouide for Chriſt in his members, and as a Marie to heare him in his miniſters, and as a verie Debora, to execute iuſtice, equitie and trueth in this Engliſh Nation. And hee, that preferred her at the firſt, preſerueth her ſtill, (and preſerue her euer.) But all this was, becauſe he had a tender, a fauourable, and fatherly reſpect to her and our former troubles for euer more.
Since her happy raign, ſome unhappy perſons (as what field hath not ſome blaſted eares?) hauehave ſought (& if they will needes be traitors, long may they ſeek but all in vain) the ruine of the realme, and deſtruction of her perſon, but they hauehave not preuailed at al. The maſter of all miſrule Pius the fifth, & his Bull which Harding and his felow procured, & Felton affixed in her principal city, Moortons conſpiracy with Weſtmerland and his complices in the North, Daluies promiſed aide; the great and popular man with all his potent endeuours, rumors and vauntings of the Duke of Florence and Don of Auſtria, what hauehave they effected? hauehave they preuailed? In late times and very lately of greene memory, Mendoza his trauels and treacherous embaſſay: his and his caſting lots for our garments, Throgmortons beadroll of recuſants, and kalender of Ingliſh helpe for the inuading of England, Ardens villanous deſire, Somerfieldes dagge, and Ap-harries dagger, as Stories axe in former times, hauehave miſſed their wicked purpoſes all, and hauehave not preuailed. Forren enimies, home libellers and rebels mighty or weake, many or fewe, ſubtile or raſh, ſecret or open, they hauehave vndone themſelues, againſt vsus, our Queene and contrary they hauehave not preuailed.
Herein it is not to be denied, her ſacred Maieſty & her moſt honorable councell hauehave Argus eies (or rather to ſpeake in this place more religiouſly, & leſſe profanely) In great meaſure, wiſe hearts hauehave they, as Salomō had; her friends are many & ſure, her nobles truſty, her ſeruants true, & her ſubiects loyall, her people willing & her realme no begger. Siluer is not as plenty, as ſtones in the ſtreetes, yet moſt men hauehave more plate now than their great grandfathers had peuter in elder age, & for general munitions, the like ſtore of weapons, armour, ſhot, pouder, & people were neuer comparable in her anceſtors dates, her nauy incomparably ſtrong & the ſea about vsus a maine defence. But, but (deere countrimen, & chriſtians) as I tolde you the other day, except God had watched & warded & kept our citie, except he had held his holy hand ouer vsus, except he had riſen vp like a Giant, & plesaded his, her & our cauſe againſt our, her, & his mortall foes, except he had bard our gates, & bared his arme and ſtretched it foorth for our defence (Sanders warring; Alen libelling; the Ieſuits finely lying, ſophiſtically iugling, & doubtfully anſwering; the Pope curſing; the Guiſe practiſing; the Spaniard vndermining, Ireland & the North rebelling, & pioners ſtill working) what had bin come of this litle realm?
Notwithſtanding, brethren, bee of good cheere, lift vp your heades, your hands and hearts; lift vp your heades and bee of comfort, your handes to heauen & your hearts to God, the God and horne of our ſaluation, the Lord of hoſts. The horſe of Egypt is fleſh & not ſpirit, their men but men & not God. The blaſt of a horne,Ioſua. 6. Iudges. 7. the blaze & flaſh of a broken lamp, litle things in the eies of the world and leſſe in their own conceit hauehave ouerturned cities, conquered countries, and vanquiſhed giants when God ſo would. And one woman by the helpe of him, in whom ſhe truſteth, euen ELIZABETH by the grace of God our gracious Queene is and ſhalbe, and ſhalbe reputed for euer, the terror of her foes, the comfort of her friends, the glorie of England, the Iewel of the world, and diamond of chriſtendom. Euen ſo (O Lord) becauſe of perfit louelove thou haſt loued her ſo.
In the meane time vnnaturally minded men, traitors to Ieruſalem & enimies to Siō, hauing euill will to both commonwealth & church of ours, & thinking it beſt fiſhing whē the water is trobled moſt, ban & curſe, raue & take on like mad men, or loſing mates & loſt companions, not ſeeing ſo much as Balaam that ſawe leſſe than his Aſſe, and yet ſaw thus much and ſayd accordingly, that for a houſe ful of gold he could not curſe where God did bleſſe.Numb. 23.
But is there no remedy? can no muſicke aſſuage theſe paſſions? Will Ephraim bee wilfull? Wil Iſraell truſt to a reed? can Papiſts imagine that ſtrangers will doe them good? and deeme they that God wil proſper a curſing generatiō? And what if their treacheries (which god auert) might take effect? * he,Oſe. 8.7 that ſoweth a wind, ſhall he not reape a whirle-wind? do they remember, or hauehave they forgotten, or hauehave they not reade coū ty Melunes moſt memorable counſel to our Engliſh nobles?Mat. Pariſ. Radolph Niger. cap. 47. who, (after that the barons of this realme, miſſed by fancy of their own, and faction of the Clergy and prouocation of the Pope at firſt had brought in Lodouik the French kings ſonne, to be king of England, in king Iohns ſteede) moued with conſcience, falling deadly ſicke at London, calleth certain of the barons vntounto him & ſaid: I lament your ſorowful caſe, & pitie with my hart the deſtruction that is cōming towards you and your country, the dangerous ſnares which are prepared for your vtter confuſiō are hidden vntounto you: you ſee them not yet, but take heede of them in time. Prince Lodouike hath ſworn no ſmaloth and ſixeteen of his Earles and Nobles with him, that if he get once the crowne, he will baniſh & depriue them all of lands and goods, at leaſt, if not of life, euen as many as hee proueth to hauehave gone againſt their liege king and his noble perſon. And (ſaith the worthy Melune) becauſe ye ſhall not take this tale for a tale, I aſſure you on my ſoule (lying now at the mercy of God, when it is no fitte time to lie) that I was one of them which was priuy & ſworne to the ſame. I hauehave remorſe thereof, and therefore I giuegive you this caueat. I pitty poore England, which hath bin ſo worthy a nation that now it is come to ſo miſerable extremity. And when with teares hee had blubbred a ſpace he beginneth a litle while a freſh againe: my maſters, I aduiſe you earneſtly to prouide for future extremities in ſeaſon, I forewarn you of good will and for my conſcience ſake, and ſo after a fewe words to like ſenſe, hauing diſcharged & vnburdened his heauy ſoule for the matter, he gaue vp the Ghoſt.
Let Engliſh harts apply this ſtory, I wil not amplifie. In the booke of Ioſua the Gabionites for all their crouchings,Ioſu. 9. old bottles finoed bread, and proffered friendſhip were made no better then wood-cleauers & water bearers, drudges and ſlaues to the vileſt function. A fooliſhe & a deſperate ſheaf it is that when it hath brought in fier & ſette the barne all in a flame can poſſibly ſuppoſe it ſelfe can eſcape. Experience doth tell the contrary; reaſon, religion and ſcripture doe teach vsus better: To wit: to forethinke our ſelues, to thinke reuerently of the Lordes annointed, & to thanke God for all his bleſſings. They who were weary of Salomon were wearied out with Roboam who ſucceded Salomon. But what ſpeak I to deaf ears, which is, but to powder the flint, to plow the rocke and ſow the ſand, and ſo to looſe both ſalt, ſeed, and labour?
My brethren in chriſt, my natural and naturally affected Countrimen, I ſpeake to you: we hauehave gods bleſſings, we finde and feele thoſe bodily and ghoſtly commodities which our poore neighbors want, God help them. Neither are our deſertes, better than theirs, for ought I ſee. Do we thinke we are priuileged without couenant of duty or prouiſo of forfeiting our eſtate more than are others? Security maketh fooles, and folly bringeth confuſion, and perfite wanton or waiward vnthankfullnes maketh a perfite ſeparation and diuorſe betwixt vsus and our God. The noble men of Iſrael, 2. Sam. 1.where they braued it moſt, and nothing remembred God, & leſt thought of danger, in the hils of Gelboe loſt their liues. God forbid that the mildnes of our Queene, the fatte of our Country, the plentie of the realm, the wiſedome of our rulers, and the bleſſings of god ſhould be our bane. Nay rather God bleſſe vsus with the gift of his grace in thankfulnes to bleſſe him euer that he may bleſſe vsus alwaies more & more, & as Bennaiah wiſhed, ſo wiſh we al, euen god ſay ſo for euermore. The happy reſolutiō of this time, the courſe of this great aſſembly, the cōueniency of my text & al holy writ beſides, iointly with this good example of the Queene of Saba & the Sacrament and Euchariſt which now wee ſhal partake being ye pledge of his good wil & paune of his fauor, and ſeal of his mercies to vsus-ward, and likewiſe alſo on our partes to him being the prouocation and promiſe of our thankfullnes, and Sacrifice of praiſe, ſhould moue al to laude and praiſe his holy name for euer more world without end.
Amen.
1. Cor. 10.15.
I ſpeake as vntounto them which hauehave vnderſtanding, Iudge ye what I ſay.
A PRAIER IN CONſideration of the former reſpects.
AL humble and hartie thanks be rendred vntounto thee O Lord God almightie, Father of mercies and compaſſion, that in this later age & euil dayes, haſt placed, directed and preſerued, by thy ſinguler goodnes and ſpeciall prouidence thine handmaid ELIZABETH, our dread Soueraigne in the Seat of her father, alwaies maintaining her cauſe againſt all her enimies, who in great rage hauehave riſen againſt her, but thou O Lord was on her right hand, that ſhe ſhould not be moued. Continue the courſe of this thy goodnes towards vsus, we beſeech thee for thy holy names ſake. Neither be prouoked in thy diſpleaſure for our vnthankefulnes toward her and thee. Aſwage the malice, conuert the harts or confound the deuiſes of al them that hauehave euil will to thine annointed, & repine at her good proceedings, & ſtirre vp her hart more & more to louelove thee, that haſt ſo perfectly loued her, and to bleſſe thee, that ſo haſt bleſſed her, to ſerue thee her only Sauiour euermore, by publiſhing peace & trueth, peace, iuſtice and equitie in this church and Common wealth, that we & our poſterity after vsus may many yeares meet in this place and the like as at this time & vponupon this occaſion and to this purpoſe, that thy bleſſings O Lord may be acknowledged, our ioy increaſed, her old age comforted, this Realme eſtabliſhed in the true worſhip & ſeruice of thy holy name through Ieſus Chriſt. Amen.
End of the text · John Prime, Sermon Comparing Solomon and Queen Elizabeth (1585)