King Solomons Infallible Expedient for Three Kingdoms Settlement, Title page – Dedication
King SOLOMON's Infallible EXPEDIENT FOR Three Kingdoms SETTLEMENT: OR, Better Men make Better Times.
Delivered In A SERMON Preached in the Renowned and Famous City of Glouceſter, the Lord's Day before their Election of Burgeſſes for PARLIAMENT.
By Samuel Keme S. S. T. B. Rector of Allbery, near Oxon.
Pſal. 112.4. Unto the Righteous ariſeth Light in Darkneſſe.
And the Righteous ſhall be had in everlaſting remembrance.
His horne ſhall be exalted with Glory: The Wicked ſhall ſee it and be Angry.
I will cloath her Prieſts with Salvation, and her Saints ſhall ſhout for joy.
There will I make the Horne of David to bud; for I have Ordained a Light for mine Anointed.
His Enemies will I cloath with ſhame, but on Him his Crown ſhall flouriſh, Pſal. 132.16, 17, 18.
London, Printed by J. S. for G. Sawbridge, and are to be ſold at the Signe of the Bible on Lud-Gate Hill, 1660.
To the Honourable Tobie Jordan, Colonel, AND Now Mayor of the Ancient City OF GLOUCESTER. TO The Honourable the Burgeſſes Elected; Aldermen, and Common-Council of the ſaid CITY.
Honourable,
I Have ever eſteemed Honeſt Authority the moſt noble, potent, and approved Patron, to pitch on; The three Kingdom's Glory, and every particular Perſon's beſt Security.
Now, That I might match my Principle with my Practiſe; The Compulſion of your many Civilities, & the prevailing Voice of moſt of your Importunities, hath not onelyonly conquered me to a conceſſion to print theſe Muſhroom-meditations; but made me, being conſcious of the worthleſsneſſe of any thing that can be called Mine, (as liable to cenſure,) to fly to you for Protection; it being a Sermon formed at as great a diſtance from my Line and Level, and ordinary Inſtruments I make uſe of, as I am from my own Habitation, & therefore not framed to that degree of Perfection I could wiſh for your ſakes, or any who may peruſe it: Which I pray may be charitable in their Judgment. For the heavieſt Cenſures come from men that ſpeak their Intereſt, and without Judgment: And to them but a word. Why ſhould you be violent for that, which, but by Violence and Oppreſſion, you cannot hold, and whilſt enjoyed is apt to torment your Souls with jealouſies and fears, and hangs on the twine-thred of the wandring Judgments of the hurrying Vulgar, more multivarious than Nature's dalliances, which are every minute fluctuous and returning in their new Varieties? And why ſhould they not rather acquieſce in the Reaſon and Determination of Righteous men in Authority, whoſe Guide is God's Will revealed in his Word? Take heed whilſt you follow the guidance of your own Intereſt, though you ſhould enjoy Mydas's ſpecious Wiſh, yet, it pay you not with ruine at the laſt. Truly God will work alone, & Man muſt not be of his Counſel: If we can be but patient, God will be profitable; but for Time and Means we muſt leave to him, not interpoſe our ſelves. Be tutored by the unexpected Actings of the Times, not to preſume on any Intereſts, nor deſpaire of God, for he can help thee or croſs thee:
Nemo confidat nimium Secundis:
Nemo deſperet meliora lapſus.
Policy and Vowes have deceived us; let Righteouſneſs and Religion undeceive us, and let us take out this Leſſon, that, Thoſe Kingdoms flouriſh moſt, not where Vice-Royes govern, but the a Lawful Righteous King is perſonally preſent; And, till you arrive here, you will be but vapours tranſported by unconſtant blaſts. And if this word of ſincere and loving Counſel ſhall raiſe any ſtorm upon me, it ſhall but cauſe me to put the Helma Lee, and pray for them: And pray, for next under God, protection from you: who are not onelyonly Martially impowred, but Civilly inveſted, with the Sword of Juſtice, and divinely furniſhed with the whole Armour of God, both to defend his friends; and offend his, your, and his Church's Enemies. And ever know, that ſanctified Wiſdom, and true Grace, is a Sanctuary ſo ſafe and ſacred, that even Princes dare not touch the man that is thus protected. Yours, Honourable, hath been, in varieties of difficulties, proved and approved; And, without the leſt thought of Flattery I hint it, You ſeem to me to be formed and educated of God, in the way and love of Righteouſneſs, Truth, and Peace, attended on by Moderation, and yet a Chriſtian Courage and Counſel, to act your parts in ſuch a ſeaſon as this is: I muſt till death crave leave to honour you, and divulge to the World your Courage, and yet Chriſtian-like Moderation, in the uſe of your Power very lately: Violent, raſh, bloody Deſigns and Minds will never bleſs the owners with a ſetled Peace. Tyranny borders near an inevitable ruine: Moderation is a Spoke in the Wheel of Envy, nor is it ſafe to Tenter Authority, for that diſplayes men: And what bloody miſchief was prevented, and what high-formed ſtormy Reſolutions calmed, and what Peace was in a ſhort ſpace, to admiration, ſetled, will never be forgot (to your perpetuall honour) whilſt Glouceſter is a City, Enemies being Judges. By which means, though many of you being active in Counſel, enjoyed not a Liberty to hear a part of this Sermon, yet (I bleſs God) I enjoyed a peaceable opportunity to preach ſome of theſe Notions in the Publick Aſſembly, the latter part of the Day. Thus have your Actings added one Argument more to what I in Publick delivered, That when Righteous men are in Authority, the People rejoyce; Diligence and Moderation are the beſt ſteps whereby to climb to any Excellency: Go on and proſper; They that by righteous Actings acquire Honour, will hold it longer than they that have acquired it by Power or unjuſt Ʋſurpation. This will make you ſucceedingly glorious, that you ſhall need the Applauſe of none to add to your felicity. This, this Righteouſneſs will, in the Exerciſe of your Authority, Martial & Civil, attract the hearts of all that hear of you, to you, for Love, Service, Admiration. I ſhall dreſs up no more words in theſe Paper robes, leaſt I ſhould ſeem to ſtand in need of your Pardon, as well as Protection, for my Impertinencies. I, knowing reall Deſert deſires more to deſerue than to hear of it, ſhall, with Prayer to the Lord to make You and Magiſtracy at unity amongſt your ſelves, zealous for God's Glory, and his Church's repairing and reforming, and the Kingdoms Settlement upon the Foundations of Righteouſneſs, Peace, and Truth, preſume ever to ſubſcribe my ſelf,
Yours and the City's moſt affectionate Servant, in the Labour of Prayer for all Bleſſings. SAMƲEL KEME.