The Royal Robe, Title page – Dedication 1
THE ROYAL ROBE: OR, A TREATISE OF Meekneſſe. Upon COL. 3. 12. Wholly tending to PEACEABLENESSE. By James Barker, Miniſter of Redbourn in Hartfordſhire.
BEATI PACIFICI. Matth. 5. 9.
The Meek ſhall inherit the earth, and ſhall delight themſelves in the abundance of peace. Pſal. 37. 11.
Tranquillus Deus, tranquillat omnia. S. Bern. ſuper Cant. Serm. 23. p. 631. Col. 1.
LONDON, Printed by E. M. for Robert Gibbs, at the golden-Ball in Chancery-lane. 1660
To the Honorable Sr HARBOTLE GRIMSTON BARONET, SPEAKER of the Houſe of COMMONS.
SIR,
WEre mine abilities as large as my Will, or could I perform what might challenge the Applauſe of all good men; All this from me is a debt to your Merit. What obligations of duty and thankfulneſſe you have laid upon me, I every where find: what Acknow ledgemenrs I ſhall mak, I am ſtill to ſeek: but in the want of better, I humbly offer this Treatiſe of Meekneſſe: unworthy (I confeſſe) your judgment or acceptance: yet doubt not you will give it entertainment for the ſubjects ſake: for in my hearing (from his mouth by whom the Commons of England ſpeak unto the King) Meeknes hath receiv'd the commendation of an excellent ſubject, Meekneſs is another thing than it is commonly taken to be, well known to you, which makes you ſo eminent in the practice of it.
And your diſcreet zeal doth ſpeak your courage, no leſſe, than your Chriſtian … your Wiſdome (ſpecial qualifications in a Magiſtrate): which ſeconded with your great experience, and Piety; who more likely (conſidering the place you ſuſtain) to do God, the King, the Church, and his Countrey better ſervice.
Sir, I ſend forth this Book to you, with the ſame bleſſing that Iſrael ſent forth his ſons unto Joſeph (God Almighty give thee mercy in the ſight of the man) the Author and the Work do need the Patronage of a perſon of note and eminencie, both for Goodneſs & Power; ſuch an one as your ſelf is: from whom they may receive countenance & protection. In this what I have perform'd, I humbly ſubmit to your Grave Cenſure, being confident you will not deny it a favourable peruſal; in it I complain not of Wrongs, for complaints are not pleaſing where they are neceſſary, my project only is to commend Meekneſs.
This Treatiſe of Meekneſs I have entituled (THE ROYAL ROBE) not only becauſe the Apoſtle propoſes it as a Garment to be put on; and Syneſius tells ſhe; Clemency or Meekneſs is (foreign) a vertue meet for a Prince: but alſo becauſe his ſacred Majesty our Soveraigne Lord the King (amongſt other Princely and Heroick vertues that beautifie his Royal perſon) hath fulfill'd the Apoſtles rule, in Putting on Meekneſs, which as a ROYAL ROBE he wears, and appears conſpicuous, illuſtrious and exemplary in it in the eys of al his people Clemency or Meekneſs hath in it a majeſty aſwel as ſweetneſs: a Clement Prince is an object for love and wonder to ſtand amazed at; unto whom all men (tanquam ad clarum ac beneficum ſidus certatim advolant.) The Orator praiſing Caeſar above all commends him for his Clemencie, that his fortune had nothing greater than that he had power, his nature nothing better than that he had will to ſave many; and what greater honor can there be, than to be, what Titus Veſpaſian is ſaid to be (Deliciae humani Generis) the Darling of the World. And now if the World be compos'd to follow their Rulers (Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis) and the diſpoſition of our Nation do incline them to Imitation (apt to follow the faſhion) there is great hopes that Meekneſs will come into faſhion (being thus commended, by the Apoſtles Rule; the Kings Example; the practice of ſuch Worthies as your ſelf; with the wholſome leſsons of pious Paſtors) and that ſuch (who were as ravening Wolves ſcattering the flock, and devouring one another: frighting the Shepherds (the Magiſtrates aſwel as Miniſters) from their Charge, wrought upon, and won by theſe means,) will be converted, and become new men: will follow after Meekneſs, and approve themſelves the Lambs of Chriſts flock, harmleſſe, gentle, meek, quiet and peaceable, then ſhall we live to ſee good dayes; Jeruſalem in proſperity all our life long, and peace upon Iſrael.
And the God of heaven who hath made you honourable, and placed you in the eye of the Land, a Patron of learning, a ſin. cere friend of Religion, an encourager of vertue, encreaſe in you his graces, direct you in your courſes, proſper you in your honorable undertakings, fill you full of dayes and bleſſings, and at laſt bring you to his everlaſting Kingdom, which is, and ſhall be the prayer of
Your Honours in all faithful and humble obſervance James Barker. Auguſt 7. 1660.