The Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods True Saints Part 1 and 2, Dedication
To his most Illustrious over-long Exterminated, but now happily Restored Soveraign, CHARLS the SECOND, By the Miraculous Grace of God, and indubitab…e Hereditary Birthright and Succession, of ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, FRANCE and IRELAND KING, the … c…stant Pro…ssor and DEFENDOR of the truly A…nt, Catholick and Apostolick FAITH in the midst of manifold Persecutions, …rovocations, Sol…ations, T…ions, and Fiery T…yals; the Magazin of all Christian and Royal Virtues, and Miracle of Gods preserving and restoring Mercies.
M…st gracious Soveraign,
THe a1 Tim. 6. 15. Rev 19. 16.on…y potentate, and KING OF KINGS, who bD… 2, 21. c. 4. 25. Job 12. 19, 20, 21. 1 …m 2. 8. Psa. 113. 7, 8.removeth Kings, and SETTETH UP KINGS, and ru…eth in the KINGDOM OF MEN TO GIVE IT TO WHOMSOEVER HE PLEASETH; having by his own Omnipotent cPsal. 98. 1. Exod. 15. 16. Deut. 4. 34.out-stretched arm, and successive Miraculous Providences, unexpectedly cut off, cast down, subverted, d…ipated, dDan. 2 34. 4….without hands or bloodshed, the most Execrable, Perfidious, Trayterous Murderers of your Royal Father KING CHARLS the first, of Glorious Memory, and Unjust disinheriters and proscribers of your Sacred Majestie out of all your own Hereditary Kingdoms, and some forein States by Violence, War, and inhumane Tyranny, (enforcing your Majesty oft to cry out with the Exiled Kingly Prophet;ePsal. 120. 4, 5, 6. Wo is me that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech, and to have my habitation among the tents of Kedar &c.) who by rigorous Edicts debarred your Majestie not only of the Charitable Relief of your own Protestant Subjects, but likewise of the Christian Aid, andf1 Tim. 2. 1, 2, 3. Evangelical Tribute, (due to all Pagan as well as Christian KINGS, by divine and common natural Right) of their daily Supplications, Prayers, and Intercessions to God, for your Personal Preservation, and Restitution, under severest Penalties; imposed many insupportable new Yoaks of Bondage on all your Subjects necks, and worse than Aegyptian Burdens upon their galled backs, for sundry yeares, almost to their Irrecoverable ruine, it pleased thisgPs 46. 7. Soveraign King over all the earth, hNum. 16. 22. …. 27. 16.and God of the Spirits of all flesh, by strange Miracles of mercy, through the preparatory loyal Endeavours of some of your Majesties most inconsiderable faithfull Subjects, upon the very first Reception and reading of your Majesties most gracious Letters and Declarations to the Lords, Commons, City of London, Army, and Navy, immediately to bow the hearts and spirits of both your Houses of Parliament, and all your Subjects, (yea of the very Military Officers, Forces by Land and Sea, formerly raised & engaged against your Majesties Cause and Kingship,) as the heart of one man, (as hei2 Sam. 16. 9. to 16. bowed the hearts of the men of Judah after rebellious usurping Absoloms death, in the case of exterminated King David) so that they immediately and unanimously voted your Majesties speedy return, dispatched their several Letters, Votes, Messengers, Fleet and Monies to your Majesty, without one dissenting voice; to h…sten your Majesties return, and transport you with honour and sa…ety, to enjoy your KINGLY AUTHORITY and PATRIMONY, contending with a most cordial aemulation, who should be first and forwardest, to bring back and conduct your Majesty (together with your Princely Brothers and Followers) from your long most deplorable exile, to your Royal City and Palace, with all possible demonstrations of their publike joy, and dutifull Allegeance to your Majesty, and farr greater Magnificence, Solemnity, Triumph, and multitudes o… Conductors, than any of your most Victorious Royal Progenitors enjoyed when they returned into England from their greatest Forein Conquests. And that which crowned this Miracle of Mercies, was its celerity and se…son, it having both its inception and perfection within the limits of one Month, and its completion on Your Majesties Birth-day (May 29.) whereon, as You were first born a Prince, You were now re-born A MOST GLORIOUS KING, and most magnificen…ly invested in the poss…ssion of Your Royal Throne at Wh…tehall, in the presence of all your Majesties Lords, Commons, and thousands of your People there assembled, who with their united Shouts, Prayers, P…aises, Acclamations, Benedictions, and Panegyricks congratulated your Maties Natural and Political Nativity thereon, both as a Man and Monarch; together with the new Birth and Resurrection of Your three Uni… Kingdoms and Churches of ENGLAND, SCOTLAND and IRELAND, and their respective Dominions, being all …ised from the… Graves of D…th and Misery (wherein they had for some years sp…ce b…re been in…red) and were new …rn AS KINGDOMS and Churches too on that joy… d…y, … to …e celebrated by them in all succeeding Generations; and to have this Divine motto engra…n thereon. a…sal. … 18. 22, 23, 2….The stone which the bu…lders refused is (this day) become t…e Head of the corner; This is the Lords doing, and it is marvello… in our eyes, THI… IS THE DAY WHICH THE LORD HATH MAD…, WEE WILL REJOYCE AND BE GLAD THEREIN.
What the …gant Prophet bIsa 66. 7, 8, 9.Is…h records of God… mira… M…cies towards his Church and people: B…e she …, she broug…t forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? WHO HATH SEEN SUCH THINGS? Shall the Earth be made to bring forth in ONE DAY? OR SHALL A NATION BE BORN AT ONCE? For as soon as ZION …, she brought … her childre…; Was now verified b…th of your M…jesty, and you… three whole Kingdoms & Churches. all brought forth and born together in this one DAY. Wherefore, R…yce ye with …, (with… … …. … … … … …. England) and he glad with her all ye that love her; rejoyce fo… joy with h…r, all ye that mourned for her.… Jewe's …. … the Apol…gy of the Ch… ….
I… hath been the antient … O… our… Rom…sh Adversaries, against our Reformed Protestant Churches & Religi…n, that they are false and spurious, because they …h 16. Divi…. 1 D. John White his Way to the true Ch…ch, Sect. 42. …. 44.have no mi…cles wr…ght in them: And they have daily upbraided your s…cred Majesty & your followers, yea pierced your souls during your Exile among them, w…th this soul-piercing Quaere, * Where is now the …God of the Prot stants? He can neither p…rve nor … store You to …our Crowns and King…ms; … … … nounce your Protestant God, Ch…ch, …, … … our Rom…n Catholike God, Church, R…ligion, … … hope nor … of your rest…on and th…t … …y th… Arms of your Catholike …yes and subjec…. But blessed and for ever … … the … … of ou… great God, who hath now vindicated his own Glorie and O…ncie against their …, & wrought so many Miracles in your Maties restitution, to justifie b…th the Truth of the Prote…ant Religion, Churches, & your Subj…s, that all their spurious ‖… ….Miracles and Impostures wherewi…h they abuse their… … …, … their lives … the Saints. over-c…edulous Proselytes, and fraught their Legends even to n…sse, are no more to be compared with them, than a Glo-worm …o the Noon day Sun: And their God and *…. … ….rock is not as our God and ro…k, our Enemies themselves being (now) Judges.
Verily, your Majesty with all your Protestant Subjects, after such a stupendious, glorious deliverance from their la…e usurping Pharaohs, w…rse t…n Aegyptian Tax masters, Burdens and servitude, have just cause to sing aloud to the God of their Salvation, this triump…ant song of Moses, and the Children ofa Exod. …, …, 12, 13, … Israel, and King David after them; a Who is l…ke unto thee, O Lord, amongst the Gods? who is like unto thee, glorious in holynesse, fearfull in prayses doing wonders? Thou str…tchest out thyright hand, the earth swallowed them; Thou in thymercy hast led forth thy p…ople, which thou hast redeemed. Sing ye unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously. bPsal …1. 1, 2, 3 &c.The King shall joy … thy str… O Lord and in thy salvation how greatly shall he …joyce? for thou hast (now) given him his hearts desire, thou hast not with-holden the request of his lips: For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodnesse, thou settest a Crown of pure gold on his head: His glory is great in thy salvation, Honor and Majesty hast thou laid upon him. Thou hast made him most Blessed for ever, thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy Countenance, For the King trusteth in the Lord, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not miscarry. *Psal 106. 48.Blessed be the Lord God of England from everlasting to everlasting (for th…s unexpressible mercy) and let all the people say, Amen; Praise ye the Lord. Yea they all now joyntly and severally apply to your Majestie, the blessing and words of the Q…een of Sheba to King Solomon, after she beheld his transcendent Wisdom, Virtues, and Magnificence: (which far exceeded the report thereof, as your Majesties royal wisdom and graces of all kinds much transcend their fame)*2 Chron 9. 5, 6, 7. Bl…ssed be the Lord thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee upon his Throne, to be King for the Lord thy God. Because the Lord thy God lov…d Israel (England, Scotland and Ireland) TO ESTABLISH THEM FOR EVER, THEREFORE MADE HE THEE KING OVER THEM TO DO JUSTICE AND JUDGEMENT, yea, to restore them to their pristine Liberty, Peace, Plenty, Traffick, Renown, Prosperity, and make them the happiest of all Subjects in the world.
In the contempl…tion of which inchoated common Felicity, I humbly presume to dedicate to your Majesty, this now compleated Treatise of, The Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods true Saints and pious Christians in all ages (and lik…wise of Pagans) to their KINGS, both before and under the Law and Gospel; more especially within this your first Christian Realm of Britain, (wherein I have most expa…ted) expressed both by their publike and private Prayers, Supplications, and Intercessions unto God for their long life, health, sa…ety, victory, prosperity, temporal, spiritual and eternal felicity; and all sorts of blessings both on their Royal Persons, Queens, P…ogenies, Families, Government, Kingdoms, Armies, Counsels; by their Thanksgivings to God for their advancement to their Royal Thrones, Victories, Successes, Deliverances, Piety, Justice and Gratious reigns over them; by their loyal Acclamations, Salutations, Addresses, Panegyricks, Epistles to them, and their dutiful Subjection and Obedience under them, which I have evidenc'd by presidents and Testimonies in all ages, (never formerly collected into one Manual) To which I have super added the antient and modern Forms of the Coronations of Christian Emperors, Kings, Queens, (and of some Pagans) with the Ceremonies, Solemnities, Prayers, Collects and Benedictions used at them, especially those relating to England and Scotland, (not hitherto published) as a President for, and Prologue to your Majesties much desired and shortly-expected Coronation.
The first Part of this Treatise, I lately Printed, in January last, for Your Majesties service, to inthrone You in the Hearts, publike Prayers and Supplications of all Your loyal Subjects, to prepare the way for Your Majestyes speedy Restauration to Your Hereditary Crowns and Kingdoms, which (blessed be God) you now actually enjoy, to their unspeakable comfort: of the accomplishment whereof without Armes or Blood, I had such full assurance then and since in my own apprehensions, from the Observation of Gods admirable Providences, of Your Majesties Opposites intollerable Extravagances and Infatuations, & of Your Subjects late dutiful Inclinations tending thereunto, through the loyal Endeavour of some Faithfull Friends to your Majestie and your People, that I committed the Second Part of this Treatise, and all that concerns Your Coronation, to the Presse, in the beginning of April last; before any visible appearances thereof to the eyes or thoughts of others: And I repute it an extraordinary Blessing and Honour from God and your Majesty, that any of my Paper Arms and Publications (in your Majesties and others apprehensions) have been instrumental to promote this your happy, Unbloody, most joyfull Restitution to your Throne and Kingship, maugre all late Ingagements, & Oaths of Abjuration, to debar your Majestie and all the Royal line for ever from them.
I humbly beseech your Royal Majestie graciously to accept this Unpolish'd work (compiled in the midst of many publike distracting Imployments) being your Highnesses peculiar by all Rights and Circumstances, as a Publick Testimony of my Loyalty to your Majestie, and a lasting Monument of my Thankfullnesse to Almighty God, for hearing my many years constant Prayers, and blessing my impotent Paper Artillery and endeavors for your Majesties longdesired, and now happily accomplished Investiture, not only in your Royal Throne, but likewise in the Hearts, Consciences, private and publike Devotions and Supplications of all your People. Whom this Treatise, seconded with my Healths Sicknesse, (dedicated to your Royal Father many years past) and your Majesties most Pious fr…sh Proclamation, will instruct and excite most devoutly to pray for your Majesties Health and Happiness in their Churches, Chapels, Families, Closets, rather than heathenishly to prophane, or abuse your Sacred Name, in drinking your Majesties Health (to the Hazard of their own and their souls to boot, through Drunkennesse and Intemperance) in Taverns, Alehouses, or at their own or others Tables, as well to Gods dishonor as your Majesties.
In fine, I shall be a daily Orator to the God of your Majesties and your Kingdoms Salvation, that all the temporal, spiritual, and eternal blessings, comprised in the several Prayers, Collects, Benedictions, Salutations, Acclamations, and Passages, collected in this Treatise, for any Christian Emperors, Kings, and Princes, may concenter in, and be abundantly powred forth on your Majesties Royal Person, Family, Kingdoms, Councils, Court, Armies, Government, People; that so your Majestie may be Chronicled to all Posterity (as in truth you really demerit) for the best, devoutest, holiest, justest, and most gratious of all Christian Kings that ever reigned, and your formerly disloyal, degenerated Subjects, by your most righteous Reign, and pious*Regis ad exemplum to…us componitur orbis… Claudian. Royal Example, henceforth become the most Loyal, Religious, Free, and Happiest of all Subjects in the Universe: Which is and shall be the daily Prayer of
From my Study in Lincolns Inne June 5. 1660. Your Majesties most humble, yet Faithfull and Loyal Subject William Prynne.