A King takes vpon him his Subiects person, to sing an [...], a victoriall song, a gratulatorie song, a song of thankesgiving for the manifold bles­sings derived from heaven by the King vpon the Subiect. This King was David: his Subiects the people of Israell: his Song this Psalme: the Blessings perpetuall.

Iob, for his seaven sonnes, when their feasting daies were, did early Iob. 1.5. every day offer seaven Holocaustes, so many burnt offerings; for he thought, It may be, that my sonnes haue sinned, and blasphemed God in their hearts: and might not David for his subiects offer vp his sacrifices, Hos. 14.3. vitulos labiorum, the sacrifices of praise & thankesgiving vpon the like thought? It may be that my people haue sinned through their vnthankfulnesse against God. God through my governement hath plentifully powred vpon my peo­ple his blessings: it may be, that now waxen fat, they re­gard him not to giue him thankes; therefore will I for them offer vnto him the sacrifice of praise.

That Sacrifice was this Psalme. A psalme to bee vnder­stood not only of the civill Magistrate, as some affirme; nor only of Christ, as others; but of the civill Magistrate, with reference to Christ. David was a type of Christ, and [Page 2] his kingdome of Christs kingdome; his victories were but Praeludia, as preambles or fore-runners of Christs victo­ries. Therefore speaking of David, wee must ever haue an eie to Christ. And, as this people here acknowledgeth for their temporall estate, that the safetie of their king, was their safetie, and common ioy; so must it be acknowledged by vs, that vpon the victories of our head Christ, and his exal­tation, dependeth our spirituall wellfare. Christs victories over sinne, death, and hell, are our victories, and haue freed vs from the curse of the Law; his resurrection is a cause of ours; his exaltation is our ioy.

This Psalme thus vnderstood (of David with reference to Christ, yet primarilie of David) hath 2. general partes. One is [...], an Enumeration of those many blessings, wherewith God had blessed David; and this part is con­tinued for the first seaven verses.

The other is [...]; a confession, or acknowledgement of the power of God, whereby he dissipateth, and bringeth to naught the counsells of the wicked. Let the wicked assisted with all the powers of hell, band themselues toge­ther to doe harme to the Lordes annointed; they shall find that there is a God, Psal. 144.10. Qui dat salutem regibus, That gi­veth deliverance vnto kings, and rescueth David his servant from the hurtfull and cruell sword. The right hand of the Lord shall find them out, and make them like a fierie oven in the time of his anger. This confession of Davids peo­ple beginning at the eighth verse, is concluded with an E­piphoneme in the 13. Be thou exalted, O Lord in thy strength, so will we sing and praise thy power.

Returne we to the Enumeration of the blessings where­with God had blessed David; and wee shall behold the king Deut. 33.23 filled with blessings from the Lord. He was filled with [Page 3] ioy of heart for the strength and salvation of God, vers. 1. Whatsoever his heart could wish, or lippes request, that was graunted him, v. 2. Hee was prevented with liberall blessings, v. 3. A crowne of pure Gold was set vpon his head, v. eod. Life was given him, a long life, v. 4. Glory, dignitie, & honour in despite of his foes, were heaped on him, v. 5. Hee was appointed for blessings vnto his people, v. 6. and was made glad with the ioy of the coūtenance of the Lord, eod. And why was David thus filled with blessings from the Lord? Was it for any merit of his own? No. The 7 verse will tell vs why it was. It was for the sure trust & cōfidence he had in God and his mercies. Because the king trusteth in the Lord, and in the mercie of the most high, he shall not slide.

Out of this abundance of blessings, first setled vpon K. Davids head, & thence like Aarons Psal. 133.2. ointment descending, and sending forth sweet odoures of peace and prosperitie to the lowest of his people, much might be brought to fit this daies Solemnitie. This day hath God given vs oppor­tunitie of meeting now the eighth time to celebrate it, to the glory of his holy name, to the honour of our religi­ous Soveraigne, and to the comfort of his loiall subiects. To which purpose out of Davids store of blessings, I haue made choise of that which is in the former part of the sixt verse, Thou hast set him as blessings for ever.

The words you may call Davids exaltation. I obserue in them 4. Circumstances. The 1. is the authour of this exal­tation; God. The 2. the exaltation it selfe; David appointed king over Israell. The 3. the ende of the exaltation; Bles­sings to his people. The 4. the continuance of the blessings; For ever.

Thou hast set him as blessings for ever.] Thou; there is the authour. Hast set him; there is the exaltation. As blessings; [Page 4] there is the ende. For ever; there is the continuance.

I will with all the speede I may, passe through these circumstances, that I may speake somewhat to the gene­rall doctrine issuing hence; namely, that kings hold their kingdomes immediately from God. Whereof when I shall haue made some vse, it wilbe time to conclude. Till then I commend my selfe to God his gracious assistance, and your Christian patience.

Thou hast set him as blessings for ever. The first circum­stance is the autor of Davids exaltation. The autor is God called in the first verse of this Psalme by his honourablest title, Iehovah, God! Excedit supereminentia divinitatis vsi­tati eloquij facultatem, saith S. Austin de Trinitate, lib. 7. ca. 4. The supereminency of the Deity passeth mans vtterance; and therfore it is immediatly added, Meliùs cogitatur quàm dicitur; we can better thinke then speake of God. Yet whē we consult with our deepest thoughts, we come short of apprehending that incomprehensible Maiestie. That of S. Lib. de pa­tris & filij u­nitate, if that booke be S. Hi­laries. Hilarie is as true as vulgar, Certè hoc est Deus, quod & cum dicitur, non potest dici; cum aestimatur, non potest aestimari; cum comparatur, non potest comparari; cum definitur, ipse suâ defi­nitione crescit. Out of doubt, whosoever shall goe about to search into the secrets and essence of the will of God, Prov. 25.28. opprimetur à gloriâ, and feare and shame shalbe his co­vering.

To such curious searchers, who to get themselues a name aboue their neighbours, wil seeme to be Gods coū ­sellours, I commend the wise advise of Sirachs sonne, c. 3. ver. 22. Seeke not out the things that are too hard for thee, nei­ther search the things rashly, which are too mighty for thee; but what God hath commanded thee, thinke vpon that with reve­rence, and be not curious in many of his workes; for it is not [Page 5] needfull for thee to see with thine eies the things that are secret. Such curiosity may further be suppressed by that of Elihu, Iob. 36.26. Behold, God is excellent, and we know him not: and by that of Ieremy, cap. 32.19. as the vulgar Latine makes him speake, Incomprehensibilis cogitatu, our thoughts compre­hend him not: and by that of S. Paul, Rom. 11.33. [...]; his waies are past finding out.

Wherefore that we be not illicitè curiosi, more curious then meete is, absteine we from searching into such secrets as God hath reserved vnto himselfe; yet that we be not damnabiliter ingrati, as S. De vocati­on. Gentium lib. 1. c. 7. Amhrose speaketh, condemned for ingratitude, let vs vse our best diligence to vnderstand what God hath revealed of himselfe. For howsoever the secret things belong to the Lord our God, yet the things re­vealed belong vnto vs and our children for ever. Witnesse the word of Truth, Deut. 29.29.

It is revealed of God, the Father, Sonne, & holy Ghost, who is Chemnit. Loc. Theol. part. 1. cap. 3. pag 62. unus at (que) trinus, as S. Austin styles him, unus natu­râ, trinus in personis, a Trinitie in Unitie, and a Unitie in Trinitie; that he is a Deut. 10.17 God of Gods, and Lord of Lords; a God most Ecclus. 43.29 wonderfull, very Deut 10.17 great, mighty, & terrible; a God that Ecclus. 43.31. cannot be expressed by word, nor concea­ved by thought; August. Soli loq. cap. 24. of whom all the Angells in heaven do stand in feare, whom all Dominations and Thrones doe adore, at whose presence all powers doe shake. A God in greatnesse infinite, in goodnesse Soveraigne, in wisdome wonderfull, in power almightie, in counsels terrible, in iudge­ments righteous, in cogitations secret, in workes holy, in mer­cie rich, in promise true, alway the same; eternall, everla­sting, immortall, vnchangeable. Thus haue yee the author of Davids exaltation. The exaltation it selfe followeth.

Thou hast set him blessings for euer. The Greeke bookes [Page 6] haue, [...], or, [...], Thou wilt giue him a blessing. So hath S. Hierome, so hath S. Austin. Such supereminēt lights of the Church cannot want their followers. But I may not forsake the fountaine. The Hebrew words doe thus sound, Thou wilt put him, or, thou hast put him (for the Enal­lage or interchange of those tenses is very familiar to that holy tongue) Thou hast put him blessings. Posuisti eum bene­dictiones. Supply the Ellipsis of the Preposition, and it will be, Posuisti eum in benedictiones. And whats that?

Some doe expound it by the contrary, Poni, Dari, Esse in maledictionem, may be said of one who is become so o­dious, Moller. in Ps. 21. and execrable, ut nomen eius serviat imprecationibus, & diris, as if when you wish the extremitie of evill to ano­ther, you should say, God doe to him as hee hath done to such a one. I need not alleage Homers [...], nor a­ny imprecations of the Poet against his Ibis, for instance. In volumine libri, in the sacred volumes we haue an exam­ple. The phrase we haue Ierem. 24.9. where concerning Zedechiah, king of Iudah, and his Princes, thus saith the Lord, Dabo eos, I will giue them for a terrible plague to all the kingdomes of the earth, and for a reproch, and for a proverbe, and for a common talke, & in maledictionem, for a curse. I will giue them for a curse. This is explicated, cap. 29.22. where thus saith the Lord of hoasts, the God of Israel; They of the captivitie of Iudah that are in Babel, shall take vp this curse, and say; The Lord make thee like Zedechiah, and like A­hab, whom the king of Babel burnt in the fire.

If this be the meaning of Poni, Dari, or, Esse in maledic­tionem, by the law of Contraries we may determine what it is Poni, Dari, or, Esse in benedictionem. Poni, Dari, Esse in benedictionem, may be said of one who is so happy, so pros­perous, Moller. ut sub nomine eius vota concipiantur, as if when you [Page 7] would wish all good to your friend, you should say, so God doe to thee as he hath done to such a one. So did Isaac say to Ia­cob, Gen. 28.4. God all sufficiēt blesse thee, make thee to encrease, multiplie thee, and giue thee the blessing of Abraham. God giue thee the blessing of Abraham; as hee blessed Abraham, so blesse he thee. According to this exposition, these words, Posuisti eum in benedictiones, doe carrie this sense, that such was the happy and prosperous estate of king David, ut sub nomine eius vota concipiantur, as if praying for our King, we should say, God giue vnto him the blessings of David.

A second exposition followeth; Poni, Dari, Esse in bene­dictionem, may be said of one, who is full and aboundeth with so greate plentie of all good things, that God may seeme to haue beene willing to poure out at once all his beneficence vpon him. Turne your eies which way you will, and behold that man, you shall see nothing but as it were a mirrour of Gods bountie very liberally powred out. To this sense it is said of Christ his flocke, Ezech. 34.26. I will set them as a blessing evē round about my mountaine. Ponā eas benedictionem: the abstract is put for the cōcrete. I will set them as a blessing, that is, I will make thē blessed. Esai 39.24. it is said of Israel, that it shall be a blessing; In paraph. in Psal. 20. and there the Abstract is for the Concrete. It is Iansenius his observa­tion, Israel erit benedictio, id est, erit benedictus, vel benedicti­one plenus: which construction of his well sorteth with the verse following, v. 25. where it is further added of the same Israel, The Lord of hoasts shall blesse it, saying, Blessed be my people. According to this exposition, these words, Po­suisti eum benedictiones, doe carrie this sense; God hath so appointed David, that he may be perpetually blessed, both in respect of God who endoweth him with immortalitie, and also in respect of men, of whom hee shall for ever bee praised.

There is a third exposition; Poni, Dari, or, Esse in benedi­cti [...]nem, may be said of one, who is blessed not only in him selfe, but is made also a blessing vnto others, by whome o­thers also are blessed, and so account themselues. To this sense God saith vnto Abraham Gen. 12.2. Thou shalt bee a blessing; that is, thou shalt be not only blessed thy selfe, but by thee shall others also be blessed: for so it followeth, v. 3 I will blesse them that blesse thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. According to this exposition, those words, Posuisti eum benedictiones, doe carrie this sense; God tooke David from a poore and meane estate, from a sheepheards life, from following ewes great with young, Psal. 78.70.71. and exalted him to be king over Israel, and pla­ced him in that throne for this ende, that he might be for blessings to Israel his people. The ende then of Davids ex­altation, is blessings to his people, and it was my third cir­cumstance.

Thou hast put him blessings] Blessings, not [...], as the 70 haue it, nor Benedictionem as the vulgar, a Blessing, but [...] blessings, in the plurall number, to note the won­derfull abundance of Gods graces bestowed vpon the people through the king. The blessings bestowed vpon Israell through David, may bee reduced to three heads; one is the worship of God reinstituted in its puritie. 2. Deliverance from forraine enimies. 3. The restituti­on of iudgement and iustice. The worship of God was reinstituted in its puritie when David brought the arke of the Lord from the house of Obed-edom the Gittite, into the citie of David, 2. Sam. 6.12.

The deliverance from forreine enimies was wrought when David smote Aram, 2. Sam. 8.12. and Moab, and the childrē of Am­mon, and Edom, and the Philistines, and Amalec, and Hadade­zer [Page 9] the sonne of Rehob king of Zobah, and tooke from out their hand the bridle of bondage, 2, Sam. 8.1.

That iudgement and iustice were restored by him, its not obscurely delivered, 2. Sam. 8.15. where it is said that David reigned ouer all Israell, and executed iudgment and iu­stice to all his people. In these three heads consisteth the of­fice of a good and godly King. Giue such a King, a King that shall promote the worship of God according to the word of truth; that shall bee victorious over all his e­nimies, that shall maintaine his subiects through iudge­ment and iustice, in peace and tranquilitie: Giue such a king (such a king you enioy) and he shal be a parallel for our David here, and may as well bee said Poni à Deo in benedi­ctiones, to be placed by God in his throne for this ende, that he may be for blessings to vs his people; and that [...] for ever, which is the continuance of the ende, and my last circumstance.

Thou hast set him blessings for ever. [...]. In the Arke of Noe it is rendred aeternitati, or, in aeternum; in the 70 [...]; in the vulgar Latine, in seculum seculi, for ever. Some take it to signifie for a long season, as Psal. 18.50. Great de­liverances god giveth vnto his king, Wilcox in Ps. 21.6. and sheweth mercy to his annointed, even to David, and to his seed for ever. For euer, that is, faith an expositour, for a long time, if you refer the words to David and his posteritie; but if you referre them to Christ, and those that appertaine to him, then it is put for all eternity. So here, Thou hast set him blessings for euer: vnderstand these words to be spoken of Christ, and, For e­ver, is, For all eternitie: vnderstand them to bee spoken of David, and, For euer, is, For a long season. I haue hitherto expounded these words as they are appliable to David; and accordingly doe take this last word [...], For ever.

David was à Deo positus in benedictiones: he was set for blessings vnto his people. Blessings temporall and spirituall: temporall, as deliverance from forreine enimies, and the execution of iudgement and iustice for the peace, & quiet of his people: and spirituall, as the reestablishing of the true worship of God, whereby his people might become Citizens of the Saints and of the houshold of God. Ephes. 1.19. In respect of the former, For ever, is for a long season, for Davids life time, which was Dauids Ever; ever, whilest he swaied the scepter of Israel. In respect of the latter, For euer, is for all eternitie; for spirituall blessings continue after this life; [...] even for ever.

Thus haue I past over my foure circumstances; the Au­thor of Davids exaltation, which was God; the exaltation it selfe, David placed in the throne of Israel; the ende of his exaltation, that he might be for blessings to his peo­ple; and the continuance of this end, For ever.

Was God the author of Davids exaltation? Did he ap­point him to be king over Israel? Hence then ariseth this doctrine which before I promised to speake vnto, Kings doe hold their kingdomes immediatly from God.

A truth so vnmoueably grounded vpon the word of truth, that it is strange it should bee controverted. The proofes of scripture that do concerne it, are either generall or particular.

A generall proofe we haue Rom. 13. In the first verse it is said, [...], The powers that be, are ordained of God. Therefore the power of a king; of whom it is twise saide, ver. 5. that he is [...], Gods minister; gods lieuetenant, for thy wealth if thou do well; for vengeance, if ill. The like proofe may be taken from Daniel 2.21. where not only the taking away of kings, but also the setting of them [Page 11] vp, is avowed to be gods owne worke. The voice of wise­dome crieth alowd, Prov. 8.15, 16. By me kings raigne, and Princes decree iustice; by me Princes rule and the nobles, and all the iudges of the earth. These proofes were gene­rall.

The particular do consist in God his immediate designe­ment of diverse vnto kingdomes. Of Saul, 1. Sam. 10.1. Sa­muel tooke a viale of oile, and powred it vpon Sauls head, and kissed him, and said; Hath not the Lord annointed thee to be go­vernour over his inheritance? Of Hazael, and Iehu, 1. Kings, 19.15, 16. The Lord said vnto Elias; Go annoint Hazael king over Aram, and Iehu the sonne of Nimshi shalt thou an­noint king over Israel. Of Nabuchodonosor, Dan. 2.37. O king, saith Daniel, thou art a king of kings; for the God of hea­ven hath given thee a kingdome. Of Salomon, 2. Chron. 8.9. The Queene of Sheba saith vnto him, Blessed be the Lord thy God which loved thee to set thee on his throne as king. And to omit others, of David in my text, of whom it is also speci­ally said, 1. Chron. 28.4. That God did choose him, and deligh­ted in him to make him king over Israel: and ver. 3. Psal. 21. that the Lorde did set a crowne of pure gold vpon his head. These proofes generall or particular, standing vpon so so­veraigne autoritie, as Gods word is of, doe make good my propounded doctrine, namely, that kings do hold their king­domes immediatly from God. Whereto I doubt not but I haue your full assent.

What neede then is there of any further insisting vp­on this point? Surely none; were there not a generation of men, bearing in their foreheads the stampe of Christi­ans, that cannot brooke any proofe taken out of Scrip­ture for the maintenance of any doctrine that may distast the bishop of Rome, or want his allowance. Tel such that [Page 12] by scripture it is plaine that kings hold their kingdomes im­mediately frō God; their reply wilbe; what tel you vs of scrip­ture? Set aside the autority of the Church, the autoritie of the Pope, & we take scripture to be no better thē a Colloqium Wormat. apud Lubbert. de princip. lib. 1. cap 5. doubt­full, vncertaine, and leaden rule; then a Colloq. Ra­tisbon. Rung­qu 2. matter of debate; then a Colloq. Wormat. vbi supra. booke of discord; then a poore Hosius de expresso Dei verbo. kind of element; then a Pighius cō ­trov. 3. de Ec­clesia. dūb iudge; then Ludov. Ca­non. Lateran. dead inke; then Eckius. inken diuinity; then a Pighius Hi­erar. l. 3. c. 3. nose of wax; then Hosius, Gretser. &c. Aesops fables. Impious wretches: had they not wiped all shame from their faces, they would never haue laid such load of disgraces vpon Gods holy worde. Their Cardinall Hosius staies not here; he proceedes a de­gree farther. He coines a distinction of scripture, as it is v­sed by themselues, whom they call Catholikes, and as by vs, whom they call Heretikes. His words are in the end of his third booke against Brentius his Prolegomena. The scrip­ture, quomodo profertur à Catholicis, verbum est Dei; quomo­do profertur ab haereticis, verbum est diaboli: as it is alleadged by vs, so must it bee forsooth the word of the Devill; but as by them, so only shall it be the word of God.

Upon this ground and distinction of theirs, I doubt not but that blasphemous Apodix. 1. Thes. 8. p. 131 Dorhoff, hath made an altera­tion in the beginning of our Creede, and in steede of, Credo in Deum, patrem omnipotentem, creatorem coeli & terrae, hath substituted, Credo in Diabolum, carnificem, orcipotentem, cor­ruptorem coeli & terrae. For if scripture alleaged by vs, be verbum Diaboli, what is our beliefe? What our religion?

You see of what validitie proofes drawne by vs from holy Scriptures for the confutation of any popish point, are in the estimation of some Papists. They hold vs for Heretikes; and consequently the sense of scripture which we bring, to be no sense of scripture.

Hence is it that the Author of the short Narration, [Page 13] how Henrie the IV. (late) king of France and Navarre, sent his Embassadours to Pope Clement the VIII. for absolution from his heresie, tels vs, that though some doe mainetaine the king to hold his kingdome immediately from God, yet that at Rome this is accounted a very ridiculous matter. It is e­vident to be so by Cardinall Bellarmin, who in his first book de Romano Pontifice, cap. 7. parag. Postremo, distinguishing be­tweene secular and ecclesiasticall soveraignty, affirmeth that the Ecclesiasticall is à solo Deo, & de iure divino, from God a­lone, and by the law of God; but the secular is from mans institution, and de iure gentium, by the law of nations. If we marke the antithesis, and opposition betweene the lawe of God & the law of nations, as also between the soveraigne­ties Ecclesiasticall, and secular, we must needs acknowledge it for Bellarmines opinion, that kings holde not their king­domes immediatly from God. This his opiniō is more cleare­ly set downe in his booke de Clericis, cap. 28. parag. Ad confir­mationem. His expresse words there are; Regna non sunt de iure divino, sed de iure gentium, & proinde mutabilia sunt. Kingdomes are not by Gods law, but by the law of nati­ons, and therefore are changeable; wherevpon depen­deth his treasonable doctrine delivered in his fift booke de Rom. Pontif. cap. 8. where among other things, Parag. Praete­rea, he affirmeth, that not only Princeps Episcoporum, the Pope, but Episcopus quilibet, every Bishop, though but the Popes vassall, may vse temporall power over kings; and in­force them to make lawes, yea and for some causes depose them too, as appeareth by the precedents of that chapter. But this and other like proditorious assertions there, and elsewhere broached, and defended by Bellarmine, & others of that faction vpon this ground, That kings do not holde their kingdomes immediately from God, I now let passe.

The immediate dependencie of kings, and their king­domes vpon God (howsoever at Rome it be ridiculously entertained) hath already bin prooved, and warranted suf­ficiently to such as do beleeue the scriptures. Unbeleevers I much heede not. Yet if any will that the autority of the ancient fathers be produced, let such know that Ad utilitatē gentiliū ter­renum regnū positum est à Deo, sed non à diabolo, &c. Irenaeus in his 5. booke aduersus haereses, & Christianus nulliꝰ est ho­stis, nedū Im­peratoris; quem scien à Deo suo cō ­stitui, necesse est ut & ipsū diligat & re­vercatur, & honoret, & salvum velit cum toto Ro­mano Imperio quousque seculum sta­bit.— Colimꝰ ergo & Impe­ratorem sic, quomodo & nobis licet & ipsi expedit, ut hominem à Deo secundum, & quicquid est, à Deo consecutum, & solo Deo minorem. Hoc & ipse volet. Sic enim omnibus major est, dum solo vero deo minor est. Et Apologet. cont. gent. cap. 30. Sciunt [Imperatores] quis illia dederit imperium, sciunt quà homines, quis & animam. Sentiunt enim Deum esse solum, in cujus solius potestate sunt, à quo sunt secundi, post quem primi, ante omnes & super omnes deos. Quid-ni? Cum super omnes homines qui ubi (que) vivunt, & mortuis antistant. Tertullian in the 2. cap. of his booke to Scapula, & Super Imperatorem non [est] nisi so­lus Deus qui fecit Imperatorem. Optatus in his 3. booke against Parmenian, and S. Laesus est [Imperator] qui non habet parem ullum super terram, summitas & caput omnium super terram hominum. Chrysostome in 2. Hom. ad Pop. Antioch. and S. Ambrose in his Cap. 4. Qui tenen­tur legibus, audent suum negare peccatum, dedignantur rogare indulgentiam, quam pe­rebat [Rex David] qui nullis legibus tenebatur humanis. & ibid. cap. 10. Rex utique erat, nullis ipse legibus tenebatur, quia liberi sunt reges à vinculis delictorum. Ne (que) enim ul­lis ad poenam vocantur legibus tuti imperij potestate. Homini ergo non peccavit cui non tenebatur obnoxius. Apolo. of David, and S. Deus igitur ille faelicitatis autor & dator, quia solus est verus Deus; ipse dat regna terrena & bonis & malis, &c. Austin in his 4. booke de Civ. D. cap. 33. and Pope Lib. 2. cap. 100. indict. 11. Mauritio Augusto; Ego verò haec Dominis meis loquens, quid sum nisi pulvis & vermis. Sed tamē quia contra autorem omnium Deum hanc intendere constitutionem sentio, Dominis ta­cere non possum. Ad hoc enim potestas super omnes homines Dominorum meorum pie­tati coelitus data est, ut qui bona appetunt adjuventur, &c. Gregorie the first in an epistle of his to Mauritius the Emperour, do all stand very effectually for the imperiall authority of kings immediate­ly derived from God.

How this point hath beene mainetained for these last 500 yeares by Venericus Vercellensis in his booke de unitate Ecclesiae conservanda; by the Leodienses in their epistle a­gainst Paschalis the second; by Parrhisius in his treatise de [Page 15] potestate regiâ & papali; by Babenbergius, by Dantes, by Cusa­nus, by Theodoricus de Niem, by Franciscus de Zabarellis, and others, they, who haue pervsed that profitable volume set out by Simon Schardius concerning Imperiall Iurisdiction, authority, and praeeminence, cannot but see. And how it is in this our age vpholden against all gainesayers, not on­ly here a line and there a line, but booke vpon booke pub­lished by the now-Mirrour of kings, by our Bishops, & by others (eminent for their learning) as well within this land, as without, shall make it well knowne to the childrē that are yet vnborne: who in their day (moved by the same evidence of Gods word, whereby wee are moved) shall ioine their assent to ours, & teach their children also, that Kings doe hold their kingdomes immediately from God. You haue my doctrine.

It may serue to check that man of sinne who intrudes himselfe into Gods right, and takes vpon him the Sove­reigntie over all kings and people; and claimes absolute and vncontroleable autoritie, to giue & to take away (im­peria, regna, principatus, & quicquid habere mortales possunt) to giue and to take away empires, kingdomes, principali­ties, and whatsoever mortall men can possesse or haue. This was the expresse challenge of Pope Gregory the 7. in his execration against the Emperour Henry the 4. as it is set downe by Platina in that Popes life. Were his succes­sours lesse arrogant? I suppose not. See but the Bull of Pope Alexander the Sixt, containing his donation of the west Indies to Ferdinandus king of Castell and Leon, and to Isabella his Queene: we de nostra mera liberalitate, of our meere liberalitie, and of the fulnesse of our Apostoli­call power, doe giue vnto you, your heires, & successours, kings of Castell, and Leon for ever, all Ilands and firme lands [Page 16] detected or to be detected from one hundred leagues be­yond the Acores towards the west and south, togither with all their dominions, citties, castles, places, farmes, rightes, iurisdictions, appurtenances whatsoever. This was a largesse so transcendent for the vanitie thereof, that (as Hist. Nov. orb. l. 3. c. 3. p. 281. Benzo writeth) an infidell king Attabaliba, king of Peru could by the eie of reason discover it, and giue it this censure, Pon­tificem insigniter fatuum, & impudentem esse, eo facilè prodi, quòd aliena tam liberalit [...]r largiatur: that the Pope was passing foolish & impudent, so liberally to giue that which was none of his owne. A like vanitie did Sanctius brother to the king of Spaine, and elect Generall for the warre a­gainst the Saracens of Aegypt, taxe in another Bishop of Rome, as De rob. Me­morand. lib. 2 tract. 3. c. 22. Petrarch affirmeth. The bishop of Rome cau­sed it to be proclaimed in his consistory; that hee bestow­ed the kingdome of Aegypt vpon Sanctius. Sanctius vnder­standing by his interpreter this favour, for requitall com­maunded that the Pope should by and by bee proclaimed Great Caliph of Baldach. So perfumed he the sonne of pride with his owne smoke; for he knew full well that the Pope could no more make him a King, then he could the Pope a Caliph. But Popes, and Popish Divines, and Canonists, and all Clawbackes of that See, maintaining that the Pope hath e­ven iure divino, by the law of God, so large and faire a pa­trimonie, as is the Monarchie, and Soveraigntie over the whole world, in all causes, both Civill & Ecclesiasticall, they all stand convicted of falshood through the truth of this sa­cred doctrine; Kings doe hold their kingdomes immediately from God.

Immediately from God? Let then the honour be Gods; and let our hearts be powred out to giue due thankes to him for placing over vs our Gratious King, King IAMES: [Page 17] of whom we may as truely say as the Israelites did of their David, [...]. Thou hast set him blessings for ever. Aged Leontius Bishop of Antioch (as it is recorded by Sozomen Eccles. hist. lib. 3. c. In versione Christophor­soni, & Gry­naei, cap. 19. 20.) pointing to his gray and white haires, said vnto some that were present with him, [...] when this snow is melted, much mire will follow: he meant sedition and trouble. But God hath done better by vs. The white snowie haires of our late aged Soveraigne were in her full time dissolved. But God his wonderfull providence, contrarie to the desires and expectation of many, so ordered matters then, that no trouble followed. The Lord left vs not as sheep with­out a sheepheard. Numantius ad Scipionē apud Plutarc. Apophtheg. Rom. [...]; we are the same sheep still to be lead forth to the waters of com­fort, though there be another sheepheard. The Lord did set King IAMES to be vnto vs blessings for ever: blessings temporall and spirituall. Temporall; for through him wee are delivered from all feare of forraine enimies, & iudge­ment, and iustice are executed to vs for the quiet of vs all. And spirituall; for the worship of God is every where within his dominions promoted according to the word of truth. And this blessing is [...], for ever: for hereby are we fitted to that eternall inheritance in the highest hea­vens. I will not now make a panegyricke to extoll his Ma­iestie for his Clemencie, Equitie, Bountie, Pietie, Learning, Theory, and other kingly parts: the time forbids me, and bids me to conclude. My conclusion shall be no other, thē a prayer for his Maiestie, that God would be pleased to giue him vitam longam, regnum prosperum, prolem foelicem, vitam aeternam, a long life, a prosperous raigne, a happy progeny in this world, and in the world to come life eternall.

Holy Lord, stablish the good worke, that thou hast wrought in him: visite him as thou diddest Moses in the bush, Ioshua in the battell, Gedeon in the field, Samuel in the temple. Be thou vnto him in his counsell wisdome, and in all his waies his rocke, his fortresse, his deliverer, his God, his strength, that the hand of violence, of rebellion, of treason touch him not. So shall we vnder his governement lead a quiet, and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie: wherein whē we shal haue finished our race with cōfidēce we looke to be delivered from this bondage of corruptiō into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God; at what time our vile bodies shall be changed, & shalbe fashioned like vnto the glorious body of our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ. Even so bee it blessed Father, for the same Iesus Christ his sake, to whom with thee in the vnitie of the holy Spirit be ascribed all praise and power, might & ma­iestie, dignitie, and dominion for evermore. Amen.