The Joy of the English Church for the Coronation of Pious Prince James, Preface
The Preface to the Reader.
THe Iewes returning from captiuitie, did so wonder at their strange deliuerance, that they seemed to be as men, that dreame: Psal. 126 1. As strange a worke hath God wrought for the Church of Englād: for though we are not come from thraldome to libertie, or from captiuitie to our owne countrie, hauing many yeares vnderunder our late Soueraigne enioyed both true religion, and therewith, as the handmaid waiting vponupon her mistresse, all flourishing peace: yet in respect of our deliuerance from that danger to the state, which many feared, the change of religiō in the church, which some doubted, others desired, we can no lesse wonder at the Lords strange worke, and say with the Church of God: The Lord hath done great things for vsus, whereof we reioyce, Psal. 126. 3.
In this common ioy who shall forbidde any to reioyce? and where Gods mercies are so manifest and euident to all the world, who can hold his peace? But as benefits are not acknowledged, where first they are not well considered, nor due thankes performed, where the grace receiued is not worthely esteemed: for this cause hauehave I addressed this short treatise, that Gods goodnesse to Israel might be proclaimed, and that no man be ignorant what God hath done for vsus, that we again be not negligent to doe to him, that which becommeth vsus, to giuegive vntounto him thankes and praise.
Samuel, to disswade the people from al their wanton desires to hauehave a king, wheras God was yet their king, telleth them, what the properties of their king shall be, and how hardly he should vse them, and how little pleasing vntounto them his gouernment was like to be. 1. Sam. 8. As he would disswade from their vnthankefulnesse to God in that headstrong request, by propounding vntounto them the hard conditions of their king: so mine intent is to perswade to thankefulnesse to God, by setting forth the princely and Christian endowements of our gratious Soueraigne, and the manifold benefits, which both Church and cō mon wealth are sure by Gods grace to enioy vnderunder his Maiesties godly & vpright regiment.
For this cause hauehave I sorted out this 122. Psalme, as seruing most fitly for this present occasion; which I hauehave deuided into 20. seuerall meditations, shewing so many blessings vponupon this Church and commonwealth, answerable to those which Israel enioyed vnderunder Dauid.
1. As Dauid appeased the strife betweene him and the house of Saul,The particular blessings in Israel vnderunder Dauid, & in England like to be vnderunder his Maiestie. and brought all Israel to one gouernment, which was before deuided: so these two kingdomes of England and Scotland hauing beene long at variance, and exercised in time past with long and bloodie battels,The vniting of two kingdomes. are now vnited in one: His Maiestie is the corner stone, that hath conioyned these two walles togither.
2. VnderUnder Dauid true religion was cō tinued:Continuance o… religion. and by our Soueraigne the faith of the gospell by his Maiestie truely professed, and in his princely bookes protested, shall still be maintained.
3. Dauid was a learned prince,A iudicial and learned prince. an inditer of heauenly songs and sonnets: And God hath giuen vntounto vsus a wise and iudiciall king, whose princely writings do giuegive him the preheminence before all his predecessors: another Salomon, a king and yet an Ecclesiastes, a learned writer; such an one, as Gratian the Emperour was: of whome Ambrose saith,Epist. 25. ad Gratian. Scripsisti tua totam epistolam manu, vt ipsi apices fidem tuam pi… …atem que loquerentur: You hauehave written (not an epistle onelyonly) but whole bookes with your hand, that the very points and letters doe vtter your faith and pietie.
4. In Dauids time there was free accesse to Gods house,Free accesse to Gods house. I reioyced when they said, let vsus goe vp, &c And nowe the doores of Protestants Churches shall be as wide set open as euer.
5. Then the faithfull one exhorted an other saying,Mutuall confe…e. Let vsus goe vp to the house of the Lord: And now may Christians goe hand in hand, conferring freely and edifying one another.
6. Dauid in bringing home the Arke,The example of the Prince. went before himselfe, and was an example of godly zeale to his people: So it is our Dauids godly precept to his princely sonne, Teach your people by your example, p. 24. And such is the practise in his owne royall person giuing light by his Christian life to all his subiects.
7. Before Dauids time religion was vnsetled,Religion s…led. the Arke was flitting from place to place, but he brought it to Hierusalem, where it staied; and therefore he saith, Our feete shall stand in thy gates, O Jerusalem: and nowe whereas many feared an alteration of religion at the next change, we verely hope, that the Gospell hath set sure footing in the Church of England, which both by his Maiestie while he liueth, (whose happie raigne God in his merciemercy many yeares prolong) and by his roiall posteritie walking in his steppes, we trust shall be continued to the end of the world: wherein his highnesse also hath deliuered his sound iudgement, and constant resolutiō: That in the last estate (when the church is deliuered from the thraldome of Antichrist) without any more generall mutations, Meditat. vponupon the 20. of the Reuelat.the world shall remaine to the consummation and end of the same.p. 3. art. 8.
8. VnderUnder Dauid the cittie flourished, beeing enlarged with goodly and beautifull buildings:Encrease of wealth. Ierusalem was a cittie well compact and built togither. And nowe also we hope by Gods merciemercy, that men shall plant vineyards and eate the fruit thereof, build houses, and dwell in them.
9. Dauid was brought vp to Ierusalem, with the ioynt consent of all Israel, who said,The generall cō sent and desire of all. we are thy bones and thy flesh, 2. Sam. 5. 1. And it is admirable to consider the generall resolution of all English people, and the coniunction of their hearts & affections, both of high and lowe, in receiuing their Soueraigne.
10. Then, the tribes of Israel were not onelyonly vnited in one kingdome, but were reconciled among themselues vnited also in one religion: thither the tribes went vp, &c. So not onelyonly externall warres are like for euer to cease betweene these two nations,Vniformitie in religion. but one vniforme religion shall hereafter containe them in perfect louelove and vnitie: that neither the Church of Scotland shall be iealous of the English Church, as inclining in some things to poperie; nor the English suspect the other, as affecting a popular paritie: but as louing sisters & fellow tribes shall hold one worshippe of God, and go vp to Ierusalem togither.
11. Dauid expelled the Iebusites, not admitting contrarie religion in Hierusalem: Religion sincere without mixture.And it is no doubt, but that God will so direct our Dauids heart, that religion shall be sincerely professed among vsus, without any mixture or toleration: as his Maiestie most godly professeth thus; Is there not nowe a sincere profession of the truth among vsus in this Isle,Meditat vponupon …5. of the 1. of Chron in the applica…. oppugned by the nations about, haters of the holy word? and doe we not also as Israel professe one onelyonly God ruled by his pure word onel? yon the other part, are they not as Philistims,Meditat vponupon 20. of the reuelat. 3. p. art. 1. adorers of legions of gods, and ruled by the foolish traditions of men? And again in another place, We must feare to fall from the trueth reuealed and professed by vsus, that we may be free from the like punishment, &c.
12. Dauid reformed many things that were amisse in Israel, he appointed the Leuites their courses and seruices, that were farre out of order. Our zealous Dauid hath giuen vsus great hope of the like, who in his princely treatise,Reformation of things amisse. Preface to the Reader. foreign. Queene Elizabeth then liuing, thus writeth: I doubt nothing, yea in her name I dare promise, by the bypast experience of her happie gouernment, that no good subiect shall be more carefull to enforme her of any corruptions stollen into her state, then shee shall be zealous, for the discharge of her conscience and honour, to see the same purged and restored to the auntient integritie: and further during her time, becomes me least of any to meddle in it, &c That which his Maiestie promised in behalfe of our late Soueraigne, God shall direct his wisdome to performe by himselfe: the dealing wherin before, as it pleased his princely modestie to call medling, so nowe the whole managing thereof of right appertaineth vntounto him.
13. In Dauids time there was both publikely and priuately a free entercourse of religion,Praising of God. the praises of God were in eueryevery mans mouth: The tribes went vp to praise the name of the Lord. Their seruice was not mute and dumbe, but the temple did ring and sound againe of Gods praises. And thankes be to God, that the Church of England is not forced to hang their instruments of praise vponupon the willowes with the Israelites in Babylon, and to intermit the comfortable exercise of thankesgiuing, as it hath happened in some changes, but that we hauehave as great cause, & as much libertie as euer, to sound out Gods praises: that we may say with the prophet,Psal. 12…. v. 2. thē was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with ioy.
14. Then were the thrones set for iudgment; and it is Gods merciemercy, that hath not giuen vsus ouer to the cruell desire of our enemies,Seates of iustice, …4. benefit. that the course of iustice is not interrupted, but the lawe and seates of iudgment open for eueryevery man; whose heart do not his Maiesties princely speeches reuiue, thus writing to his noble sonne, Preasse to drawe all your lawes and processes to be as short, p. 9…. 92.and as plaine as you can, &c. wearie not to heare the complaints of the oppressed, aut ne rex sis.
15. Euen the thrones of Dauid: A prince no strā ger, 15. Benefit.God gaue Israel no stranger to raigne ouer them, but one of their owne kinred: And the Lord hath raised vntounto vsus a Soueraigne descended of Dauids stocke, of the royall blood of the kings of this land; a prince of the same language, of the Island, of the English royall blood; yea of the same religion: who, as he is no forrainer, so giueth counsell to his princely heire,pag. 55. To hauehave ordinarie councels and iustice seates in eueryevery kingdome, of their owne countrimen.
16. Dauid would hauehave eueryevery one pray for the peace of Ierusalem, and not to disturb it: So, whereas the peace of our Church hath beene hindred by the opposition of strange and newe doctrines,Consent in doctrine. our hope is, that our Dauid will restore the peace of the Church, and bring vsus to one vniforme doctrine; whose princely aduice is,Pag. 10. l. 1. That if any doe vrge to imbrace their owne fantasies in the place of Gods word, &c. acknowledge them for vaine men, &c, & grauely and with authoritie redact them into order againe.
17. Peace be within thy walls: The people vnderunder Dauid were freed from the feare of the enemie:Externall peace. they needed not to set watchmen vponupon their towers, and garrisons vponupon their walls. So we trust to hauehave peace abroad with other nations: who if they will be wonne with kindnesse: we hauehave a prince that will vse all other princes as brethren, p. 56. foreign.honestly and kindly, and will striue with eueryevery one of them in curtesie and thankefulnesse. But if they be readie to offend our nation,p. 55. foreign. we hauehave a couragious defender, that will reuenge and free his subiects from al forraine iniuries done vntounto them.
18. In Dauids time, plentie and peace was within their pallaces and houses: and now we trust,18. benefit, domesticall peace and plentie. that euen our children shall hauehave cause to blesse this day, wherby they may obtaine godly education, not distracted from their parents by iniquitie of the times, which was feared, and might hauehave iustly befallen vsus: that we may say as it is in the Psalme: Our sonnes shall grow vp as plāts, and our daughters as the polished corners of the temple, Psal. 144. 12.
19. Dauid wisheth all good to Israel because they were his brethren and neigbours: A louing prince.God hath sent vsus a louing prince: Who as our naturall father and kinde master,p. 25. foreign. thinketh his greatest contentment standeth in his subiects prosperitie, and his greatest suretie in hauing their hearts.
20. Dauid cheifly because of Gods house procureth the peace of Hierusalem: Such is the zeale and affection of our Dauid to Gods house: LoueLove of Gods Church.who holdeth that the cheife vertue which should be in a Christian prince,Meditat. in 15. 1. Chro. part. 2. namely feruencie and constant zeale to promoote the glorie of God that hath honoured him. And concerning the Ministers of the Church, p. 43.his Maiestie saith, p. 20.LoueLove no mā more then a good pastor, reuerence and obey them as the heralds of the most high God.
These singular mercies extented to the Church of England, I hauehave dispersedly handled in this treatise, that the consideration thereof may prouoke vsus to thankefulnesse. And in trueth not only these, but many other blessings, with a full horne the Lord at this present some in possession, some in expectation, some in acte, some in hope hath powred vponupon vsus, so that the Church may say with Dauid:Psal. 40. 5. O Lord my God thou hast made thy wonderfull workes so many, that none can count in order thy thoughts towards vsus: I would declare and speake of them, but they are moe, then I am able to expresse.
Our princely Ecclesiastes declareth,foreign p 89. that a king should be custos vt rius que tabulae: the Gardian of both the tables of the lawe: full well hath his Maiestie testified the same in eueryevery particular, in his Christian and iudiciall treatises.foreign For the 1. lawe, he professeth himselfe an enemie to all atheisme. p. 25. for the 2. he condemneth the adorers of legions of Gods, and such as are ruled by the foolish traditions of men: for the 3. he saith, beware to offend your conscience with swearing, Medita in Chro. applicat.or lying. p. 17. For the 4. alwaies let the Sabboth be kept holy, and no vnlawfull pastime vsed. p. 53. For the 5. Honour your parents for the lengthening of your owne daies, The prince keeper of both tables.as God in his lawe promiseth. p. 96. For the 6. There are some horrible crimes (saith his Maiestie to his princely heire) that ye are bound in conscience neuer to forgiue: Such as witchcraft, wilfull murther. p. 31. For the 7. God commanding by the mouth of Paul to abstaine from fornication, 1. Cor. 6. 20.declareth that fornicatours shall not inherit the kingdome of God. p. 74. For the S. His Maiestie hath shewed his worthie resolution for the reformation of robberies, and oppressions of the Borderours. p. 36. For the 9. Our royall Ecclesias…es saith: Beware to offend your conscience with vse of swearing, or lying, &c. Lying commeth much of a vile vse which banisheth shame. pag. 17. 18. For the 10. His princely counsell is, Abstaine from haunting before your marriage, the idle companie of dames, which are nothing else, but irritamenta libidinis. p. 127.
Thus our Iosua well remembreth the wordes of the Lord vntounto that valiant captaine: let not this booke of the lawe depart out of thy mouth, but meditate therein day and night, that thou maiest obserue and doe according to all, that is written therein: of whome I trust, we may truely say, as Ambrose of Theodosius, Licet in aliis laudabilis, Ambrose epist. 2… ▪tamen apex tuorum operum pieta… semper fuit: though in other things you are praise-worthie, yet the cheifest of all your workes is humilitie.
Further our noble teacher prescribeth eueryevery man his dutie:EueryEvery mans duty prescribed in the kings booke. from this lampe there is no calling but may fetch light, and deriue water from this fountaine. Euen here may the nobilitie learne, not to thrall by oppression the meaner sort, that doe dwell by them, foreign.nor to maintaine their seruants and dependants in wrong. p. 45. Merchants are taught not to buy the worst wares, and sell them at the dearest prices. p. 50. Iudges are admonished to take heed of briberie, aduocates to decline the long. somnesse of suites for the inriching of themselues, with the spoile of the whole countrey. p. 90. Church gouernours to preserue doctrine and discipline in puritie, according to Gods word, p. 43. Yea ministers & preachers may receiue instruction for their calling, how to handle the word. 1. not to varie from their text. 2. not to meddle with matters of state▪ p. 89. 3. that their speech be not fairded with artifice, &c. but to eschewe all affected formes. p. 115. 4. We are taught to vse onelyonly Scripture, (saith our Ecclesiasticall Salomon) for interpretation of scripture, Meditat. in 20. Reuelat 3. par. …rt. 7.if we would be sure, & neuer swarue from the analogie of faith in expounding. May we not now truely without flatterie pronounce that saying, which the kingly preacher vttered of himselfe? The more wise the preacher was, Eccles. 12. 9.the more he taught the people knowledge, and caused them to heare. And in this sense we find that saying true, foreign. EueryEvery good prince is of a priestly order, instructing his subiects both by wholesome lawes and precepts, and a vertuous example.
Neither hauehave we onelyonly from our christian Salomon the light of direction, but the sweete influence also of comfort and consolation:The comfort & contentment of all sorts in his Maiesties godly resolution. that there is no sort or degree, that is not interessed in this common benefit. The nobilitie shall be duly respected: eschew the other extremitie in lightlying & cōtemning your nobilitie. p. 47. schooles and schollers maintained. p. 43. Ministers reuerenced and sufficiently prouided for. p. 44: souldiours and martiall men liberally rewarded. p. 59. faithfull and diligent seruants recompenced. p. 71. the worthiest still preferred: let the measure of your louelove to eueryevery one be according to the measure of his vertue. p. 152. all subiects relieued, and their oppressions helped: be diligent to trie, and carefull to beate downe the hornes of proud oppressours: embrace the quarrell of the poore and distressed, as your owne particular. &c. p. 34. What degree then or calling is there in the land, which hath not great cause to reioyce in the aduancement of so worthie a prince? I speake not this (God is my record) to please by glozing speach, for I should so rather displease; his Maiesties mind herein is well knowne: louelove them best, that are plainest with you. p. 71. but I trust I may speake the truth without flatterie, and all the world, I thinke will witnesse with me, that I hauehave not fabled. It is fit that Gods graces vponupon his Maiestie, and mercies therein toward vsus should be proclaimed and published, that his highnesse may thereby be stirred vp to proceed and goe forward, and the people prouoked to be thankefull. As herein no nation hath greater cause to ioy then England, to whome God hath giuen a prince respectiue to all sorts and degrees in their places, and according to their necessities: who herein may be compared with Eliakim, to a sure naile, wherevpon all vessels both small and great doe hang, euen from the cuppes to the instruments of musicke, Isay. 22. 13. 24. And as Ambrose applieth that saying in the Canticles:Lib. 1. de Virgini. Species eius sunt cedrus Lebani, quae ramum nubib., radicem in terris inserit; in altis habitat, humilia respicit: His countenāce is like the Cedar of Lebanus, which stretcheth the branches to heauen, and the roote to the earth: so beeing in high estate he respecteth the lowly. I trust of such a prince England may more truly pronounce, then Rome of Scipio▪ foreign: that Rome could not fall as long as Scipio stood. But we assure our selues that this Church and commonwealth through Gods gratious fauour shall not miscarrie, as long as his Maiestie liueth.
But because perseuerance is Gods gift, and there is no mortall nature, but is subiect to chaunge, it is our part to pray vntounto God, to giuegive strength and grace to our Christian prince, to hold out in this godly course, and that his Maiestie be not snared or intangled with this great honour, wealth, and prosperitie, to the which the Lord hath aduanced him, but may take heed by the example of the fall of Dauid, the backsliding of Salomon, the declining of Asa, that he forget not the lord his god, that hath exalted him: which by Gods grace we doubt not, as his highnesse hath herein a firme trust (thus professing of himselfe) that it shall please God, Prefation. ad foreign.who with my being and crowne gaue me this minde, to maintaine and augment the same in me and my posteritie. And God giuegive vsus the people of England the like grace, that we may continue obedient to God, loyall and dutifull to our prince, that he may hauehave comfort of vsus, and we ioy of him, that he may many yeares raigne ouer vsus in godlinesse and peace, and his posteritie after him: that God may aboundantly blesse both prince and people in this life, and afterward grant vsus both a ioyfull entrance into his euerlasting kingdome through Iesus Christ, to whome be praise for euer. Amen.