The Joy of the English Church for the Coronation of Pious Prince James, Meditations on psalm · Part · Meditation 2
The 2. meditation.
A song of Dauid:] That Church and common-wealth is happie to whome god giueth a Prince, such as Dauid was, whose heart is set aright to seeke God. In that Dauid was occupied in godly meditations, and did exercise himselfe to endite holy songs and sonnets, to the praise of God and comfort of his church; Princes are taught to be deuoted to the worship of God, and subiects doe learne to pray to God to send them▪ Kings and gouernours such as Dauid was, after Gods owne heart.
1. Thus the prophet Esay, speaking of the last times, saith, that kings shall be nourcing fathers, and Queenes nourcing mothers of his Church, Isay, 49. 23.
2. Such was Salomon, that praied himselfe in the audience of the people, with his hands stretched out vntounto God at the dedication of the temple, 1. King, 8. The same wise and vertuous Prince did write those heauenly bookes of the Prouerbes, Ecclesiastes, the Canticles; & giueth himselfe the name of a preacher, Eccles. 1. 1. Such an one was Iosias, that himselfe read in the eares of the people the bookes of gods couenant. 2. King. 23. 2.
3. For praiers should be as the he goates before the flocke. Ierem. 5. 8. to goe before the rest by their good example; whose godly lawes and wholesome precepts are as the raine that commeth vponupon the mowen grasse, Psal. 72. 6. So they make religion and vertue to increase and flourish.
4. Hereunto Princes should be mooued, considering whose place and office they beare in earth: that as they are called Gods, Psal. 82. 1. so they should seeke to set forth gods glorie: for they are called gods, as our Sauiour expoundeth it, because to them the word of God is giuen: Iohn 10. 35. The cheife charge and care of preseruing the worde of God is committed to them. Philip an heathen king could say, that a Prince must remember,foreign. that he had obtained a diuine power, that he should command diuine things.
Beside great is the reward of godly and vertuous Princes, who by their good example drawe others vntounto God: They that turne many to righteousnesse, shall shine as the starres for euer and euer, Dan. 12. 3.
5. Wherefore, as this consideration should stirre vsus vp to giuegive great thankes vntounto God,3. Benefit, when God sendeth a learned and ver…uous prince. that hath in his merciemercy sent vsus a Prince, not onelyonly wise and learned, but sound in religion, and deuout in affection, as appeareth by his Maiesties books, such as we found not the like written by any king of this nation before. So let vsus not be slacke to commend his Maiestie in our continuall praiers vntounto God, that the lord would direct him by his spirit, and guide him in his feare, and strengthen him to holde out to the end, that godly course which he is entred into.
And further the people of God are taught, that where the Lord hath vouchsafed so great a blessing, then the which in this world there can be no greater, to send his Church a Nursing father, and the Cō monwealth a prudent and vertuous gouernour, they should endeauour for their parts, in pietie to God, and obedience to their prince, and in all Christian duties to be answerable. It is a monstrous thing, that there should be a good prince, and a bad people, a sound head, and a diseased bodie. The subiect should not by his vntowardnes grieue the heart of a good prince; but shew himselfe so conformable to all acts of pietie, that the vertuous gouernour may reioyce in the obedience and deuotion of his people; that in the ende he may yeeld vp himselfe and his people with comfort vntounto God, and say with the prophet, Behold here am I, and the children which thou hast giuen me. Isa. 8. 18. For as Ambrose saith of good children, so it is true of good subiects: Stipendia militiae suae sunt, vernet in dei laudem terra quia colitur, mundus, quia agnoscitur, ecclesia, quia devotae plebis numerus a…getur. They are as the hire or reward of the princes warfare: let the earth sprout forth to Gods praise, because it is tilled, the world, because it is inhabited, the Church because it is with deuout children filled and replenished.