THe Genius of this Scripture, as it is very gracefull and pleaſing in it ſelf, ſo it is alſo very ſuitable to the re­ſpects of this day, on which we are met together. It preſents unto us what we all partake of, if we be ſo well diſpoſed as to ſee it, Felicitie or Happineſſe. And if a ſingle hap­pineſſe be too little, behold it is conveyed in two ſtreams; the ſilver ſtream, and the golden. It is reached forth, as it were, in both the hands of Pro­vidence. There is the happineſſe of the left hand, which is Civill, in the firſt clauſe of the words; and the happineſſe of the right, which is Divine and Religious, in the ſecond. Anſwerable to theſe are the two welcome aſpects of this day: the Civill aſpect or reference, which ariſeth from the an­nuall revolution, as it is Dies Principis, a day of ſo­lemnitie for the honour of the King: and the Reli­gious aſpect from the weekly revolution, as it is Dies Dominica, a day of devotion for the worſhip of God. In theſe there is ſo evident a correſpon­dence, that I cannot but congratulate, both the day to the text, and the text to the day, in regard2 of their mutuall complications. For we have, on the one ſide, both clauſes of the text in the day: and on the other, both references of the day in the text. Happineſſe is the language of all ▪ and, that which addes to the contentment, it is Happi­neſſe with an Echo, or ingemination; Happy and Happy. From this ingemination ariſe the parts of the text; the ſame which are the parts both of the greater world and the leſſe. As the heaven and earth in the one, and the body and the ſoul in the other: ſo are the paſſages of this Scripture in the two veins of Happineſſe. We may range them as Iſaac doth the two parts of his bleſſing, Gen. 27. The vein of civill happineſſe,Gen. 27.28. in the fatneſſe of the earth: and the vein of Divine happineſſe, in the dew of heaven. Or (if you will have it out of the Go­ſpel) here's Marthaes portion in the many things of the body:Luke 10.41, 42 and Maries better part in the Ʋnum neceſſarium of the ſoul. To give it yet more con­ciſely, here's the path of Proſperity in Outward comforts, Happy is the people that is in ſuch a caſe: and the path of Piety in comforts Spirituall; Yea, happy is that people which have the LORD for their God.

In the handling of the firſt, without any further ſubdiviſion, I will onely ſhew what it is the Pſal­miſt treats of: and that ſhall be, by way of Grada­tion, in theſe three particulars. It is De FELI­CITATE; De Felicitate POPULI; De HAC felicitate populi: Of happineſſe; Of the peoples happineſſe; Of the peoples happineſſe, as in ſuch a caſe.

Happineſſe is the generall, and the firſt: a noble argument, and worthy of an inſpired pen, eſpeci­ally the Pſalmiſts. Of all other there can be none better to ſpeak of popular happineſſe, then ſuch a King: nor of celeſtiall, then ſuch a Prophet. Yet I mean not to diſcourſe of it in the full latitude, but onely as it hath a peculiar poſiture in this Pſalme, very various and different from the order of other Pſalmes. In this Pſalme it is reſerved to the end, as the cloſe of the foregoing meditations: In other Pſalmes it is ſet in the front, or firſt place of all; as in the 32, in the 112, in the 119, and in the 128. Again, in this the Pſalmiſt ends with our bleſſedneſſe, and begins with God's; BLESSED BE THE LORD MY STRENGTH. In the 41 Pſalme, contrary, he makes his exordium from mans; BLESSED IS HE THAT CONSIDERETH THE POORE: his concluſion with God's; BLES­SED BE THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL. I there­fore obſerve theſe variations, becauſe they are helpfull to the underſtanding both of the eſſence, and ſplendour of true happineſſe. To the know­ledge of the eſſence they help, becauſe they de­monſtrate how our own happineſſe is enfolded in the glory of God, and ſubordinate unto it. As we cannot begin with Beatus, unleſſe we end with Benedictus: ſo we muſt begin with Benedictus, that we may end with Beatus. The reaſon is this, Becauſe the glory of God it is as well the conſummation, as the introduction to a Chriſtians happineſſe. Therefore as in the other Pſalme he begins below, and ends upwards: ſo in this, having2〈1 page duplicate〉3〈1 page duplicate〉4begun from above with that which is principall, Bleſſed be the Lord; he fixeth his ſecond thoughts upon the ſubordinate, Bleſſed, or happy are the people. He could not proceed in a better order: he firſt looks up to Gods kingdome, then reflects upon his own; as not meaning to take bleſſedneſſe be­fore he had given it. There is no man can think, but this is the beſt method. It is the method of Saints, as we ſee 1. Sam. 25.32, 33. and 2. Chron. 31.8. Firſt, Bleſſed be the God of Iſrael; then, Bleſſed be the people of Iſrael. Nay, it is the method of Angels:Luke 2.14. they firſt ſing, Glorie to God; then, Good will towards men. It muſt alſo be the method of every Chriſtian, whenſoever we are about the wiſhing of bleſſedneſſe, either to our-ſelves or others, to begin from heaven, and aſcribe it firſt to the LORD. That we may re­ceive, we muſt give: give what we have, and give what we mean to have. To give is the way to get: both to get the thing, and to get the greater degree. It is an undeniable conſequence, If beatitude be the ultimate end of man, and the glorie of God the ul­timate end of our very beatification; then it fol­lowes neceſſarily, That by giving more glorie to God we gain more of beatitude to our ſelves, be­cauſe more of the ſupreme and beatificall end. So that he who will attain to the Pſalmiſt's comfort, muſt obſerve alſo the Pſalmiſt's order: that he may end aſſuredly with BEATUS, he muſt learn to begin with BENEDICTUS. That's the firſt conſiderable thing in the order as touching the eſſence of true happineſſe. The other is concerning the ſplendour,5 which flowes from the other part of the variation: in that the Pſalmiſt doth end this pſalme, as he be­gins divers of the reſt, with Happy or Bleſſed; to repreſent, as it were, unto us utramque ſplendor is pa­ginam, the two great excellencies of bleſſedneſſe by the double ſituation of it. Happineſſe is both the bonum Primum, and the bonum Ʋltimum, of a Chri­ſtian: the ſpring of all good things, and the crown: the ſpire, and the baſis: the first and the laſt of things to be deſired; the firſt for eminence, the laſt for fruition. In the deſcents of Chriſtianitie the firſt, becauſe we move from it to inferiour ends: happi­neſſe giveth law to all our actions; we move from it, that we may in time come to the poſſeſſion of it. In the order of aſcent it is the laſt: for having climb­ed once thither, we go no further, but ſet up our reſt. It hath this reſemblance with God himſelf, who is the Doner of it, That it is both the begin­ning and the end, before which nothing ſhould be loved, and after which nothing can be deſired. An­ſwerable to theſe two reſpects are the poſitures of happineſſe in the Pſalmes. As in military affairs, it is the cuſtome of Emperours to promiſe the Donative to their ſouldiers when they go forth to warre, that they may encourage them; but not to give it till the warre be ended, that they may re­ward them for their ſervice: In like manner (ſaith S. Ambroſe) doth the Pſalmiſt: velut praeco magni Imperatoris, he diſpoſeth of beatitude both wayes: he prefixeth it to the beginning of ſome Pſalmes, that thereby we might be invited to pietie; he annexeth it to the end of others, to teach us not to6 look for it before our work be done. So even by this we may learn how to order and diſpoſe of our ſelves to happineſſe. Since it hath the double refe­rence, it muſt have alſo the double honour, and the double esteem, yea and our double endeavours for the attaining of it. Then we give it the double, when we ſet it in both places, make it both our firſt and our last, the prime of our life, and the perſeverance. We muſt look through all things upon happineſſe, and through happineſſe upon all: through all upon it, as not reſting in any thing elſe; and through it upon all, as ſeaſoning every act of our life with the thought of happineſſe. Otherwiſe, if we think to give it our laſt reſpects without our firſt, pretend what we will, there is no hope to overtake it. Thus farre even worldly men will go: they are willing enough to heare that they muſt make it their laſt work, and they fulfill it in a ſort to the let­ter, but not to the meaning. The love, the hope, the care of their own happineſſe, they put them off all to the laſt: A very prepoſterous courſe for a man to begin where and when he ſhould have end­ed, and to defer his firſt of motion to his laſt of reſt. It is too late for the fooliſh Virgins to cry,Matth. 25.10, 11. Lord open when the doore is ſhut: and a vain thing to ex­pect happineſſe as our end, unleſſe we make it our beginning, and give it the ſame place in our hearts and actions, which holy David affords it in his meditations: the firſt place in other Pſalmes, as the beſt introduction to all other diſcourſes; the laſt in this, as a delightfull farwell to be alwayes freſh in remembrance. That ſhall ſerve for the firſt ſtep of7 the Gradation, the generall part of the argument handled: It is De FELICITATE.

The ſecond is more ſpeciall: it is de felicitate Popu­li; HAPPY, or, BLESSED ARE THE PEOPLE. In the former part of the Pſalme he ſpeaks of ſuch things as concern his own happineſſe; Bleſſed be the Lord MY ſtrength, verſ. 1. Send down from above, and ſave ME out of the great waters, verſ. 7. Rid ME and deliver ME from the hand of ſtrange children, verſ. 11. And he might as eaſily have continued the ſame ſtrain in the clauſes following, That MY ſonnes may grow up as the young plants, MY daughters may be as the poliſhed corners of the temple, MY ſheep fruitfull, MY oxen ſtrong, MY garners full and plente­ous: and accordingly he might have concluded it al­ſo, Happy ſhall I be, if I be in ſuch a caſe. This, I ſay, he might have done, nay, this he would have done, if his deſires had reflected onely upon him­ſelf. But being of a diffuſive heart, and know­ing what belonged to the neighbourhoods of pie­tie, as loth to enjoy this happineſſe alone, he al­ters his ſtyle, and (being in the height of well­wiſhes to himſelf) he turns the ſingular into a plu­rall, Our ſheep, Our oxen, Our garners, Our ſonnes and daughters; that he might compendiate all in this, Happy are the people. Here's a true teſtimonie both of a religious and generous mind, who knew in his moſt retired thoughts to look out of himſelf, and to be mindfull of the publick welfare in his privateſt meditations. S. Ambroſe obſerves it as a clear cha­racter of a noble ſpirit, to do what tends to the publick good, though to his own diſadvantage:8 And Salvian, in his firſt De providentia, doth rec­kon this as the principall thing which made the Fa­bii and the Fabricii, and other Romane Worthies ſo renowned in their times, That they were content to expoſe themſelves to want and danger for the proſperitie and ſafetie of the publick. But (alas!) there are few ſuch ſpirits in our time: It is a rare thing to find a private man, who cordially devo­teth himſelf to the good of the Communitie. It was the complaint of Plato in his time, That every man was impetuouſly carried〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉and of Thucydides the Hiſtorian in his, Ʋnuſquiſque rem ſuam urget: and of Tacitus in his, Privata cuique ſtimulatio, & vile decus publicum. S. Paul himſelf was driven to this complaint, Phil. 2.21. All ſeek their own. Where he left we may take it up: Our own ſettling, our own ſecuritie, our own wealth, our own advancement, is all we generally look after. There is hardly any man to be found, whoſe bent is not towards himſelf: Whereas the publick is the private infinitely multiplied; and ſo much the more of nearer concernment, as it is of larger ex­tenſion: whereas again man is onely a world in a fi­gurative ſenſe of ſpeaking, and that but a micro­coſme or little world, that is in effect, a ſmall part of the great; yet, as in ſome other things, ſo in this alſo it falls out, The Allegorie devoures the letter, the private eats up the publick, the part the whole, the overweaning reſpect to the little world doth every where almoſt overturn the greater. I know there are many which make fair ſhews, goodly pre­tences, great oſtentation of the contrary: You ſhall9 have them often crying out, The Publick, the Pub­lick; and as faſt as the Jews did, The Temple, the Temple: but it is with the like inſyncetitie; for their aim is wholly for themſelves. So we ſhew our ſelves hypocrites even in things civill, as well as in religion. Each godly man is of another tem­per. His word is that of S. Ambroſe, Mihi parci­or, for is totus: or that of the Oratour in Saluſt, Ad­ſum en Caius Cotta, voveo, dedóque me pro Republica. It was a brave reſolution in a Heathen: but it con­cerns us Chriſtians more. For he was onely a part of one Communitie: we, each of us have a ſhare in two; being members of the Church, as well as the State. So there is a double tie upon us: and that we ſhould daily remember it, it is inſinuated in the Lord's prayer: in which as there is one ex­preſſe petition for the publick; ſo there is a reſpect had to it in all. There is nothing ſingular, not an I, nor a Me, nor a Mine; but all plurall, We, Ʋs, Our: noting that it is every mans duty, even in his pray­ers, to be zealous for the Communitie. But the text will not allow me that ſcope, to ſpeak of this zeal to the publick as 'tis the dutie of private men, but as it is an excellencie of Kings and Princes. It's true, I might call it a duty even in them alſo; God requires it of them as a dutie: but it becomes us to repute it an excellencie, both becauſe the be­nefit is ours which redounds from thence, and like­wiſe becauſe it is more eminent and illuſtrious in them, then in other men. In others it's limited and miniſteriall, in a Prince ſupreme and univerſall. He is the influxive head, who both governs the whole10 bodie, and every member which is any way ſer­viceable to the bodie: The glorious Sunne that gives light both to the world, and to the ſtarres themſelves, which in their ſeverall ſtations are uſe­full to the world. Here's enough to define it an ex­cellencie, to have the care and truſt of the whole in himſelf. Yea but further, to tender it as himſelf, and to ſet the weal of the publick in equipage with his own happineſſe, and to fold them up together, his own in the publick and the publick in his own; is ſo high an aſcent of goodneſſe, that it were a great wrong to ſuch vertue, to ſtyle it by any leſſe name then an excellencie. In this particular I might eaſily be large: but it requires not ſo much proofs, as acknowledgements and retributions. Therefore I will briefly proceed both wayes: and firſt give you a few examples for proofs; and then, I am ſure, there is no man ſo unworthy, but will think him­ſelf obliged to retributions. The firſt example ſhall be taken from Moſes: whom Philo reckons among Kings; and ſo doth the Scripture, Deut. 33.5. For howſoever he had not the name, he had the power and authority: yet even in that power he was not more Regal, then in his tenderneſſe over the people. At one time his tenderneſſe was ſo great toward them, that becauſe he could not do them ſo much good as he deſired, he beſought the Lord to take away his life; Numb. 11.15. At another time he was ſo perplexed with the fear of their deſtruction, that he requeſted of God, ei­ther to keep them ſtill in the land of the living, or to blot him out of the book of life; Exod. 32.32.11 hereby ſhewing himſelf not onely the miracle of Nature, as Philo calls him, but of Grace too, in pledging for them that which was more worth then his life, his very ſalvation. It was a rare ex­ample of Caſtor and Pollux, ſo highly magnified by Authours, That being twinnes, and (as the Po­ets feigned) one born mortall, the other immortall, Pollux (to ſhew his love to his brother) yielded ſo farre, as to take to himſelf a part of his brothers mortalitie, and to lend him as much of his own im­mortalitie: being better pleaſed to enjoy a half im­mortalitie with the good of his brother, then a whole one alone by himſelf. It is known by all to be a fiction: yet if it were true, it is farre ſhort of this proffer of Moſes. He knew full well what be­longed to immortalitie, and to the favour of God: yet in effect he beſeecheth God, either to take them into his favour, or to put him out of it; as content to hazard not half his immortalitie, but all, out of his love to the Iſraelites, notwithſtand­ing they were a people ungratefull both towards him and towards God. After this of Moſes I know no example ſo tranſcending as that of the Pro­phet David: who (beſides that he urgeth it al­moſt in every Pſalme, The peace of Jeruſalem, The ſalvation of Iſrael, The felicitie of Gods choſen, The bleſsing of the people) in one place he argues for it even to his own deſtruction: You have it 1. Chron. 21.16, 17. It is there recorded, that ſeeing the angel of the Lord with his ſword drawn over Je­ruſalem to deſtroy it, he thus reaſons with God for the ſafeguard of the publick: Me, me; adſum qui12 feci; IT IS I, EVEN I IT IS THAT HAVE SINNED: In me convertito ferrum; LET THY HAND BE AGAINST ME, AND AGAINST MY FATHERS HOUSE, NOT ON THY PEOPLE: FOR THESE SHEEP VVHAT HAVE THEY DONE? He that conſiders theſe words will hardly be able to tell what moſt to wonder at; the condeſcend­ing of his love, or the overflowing. He declared here, ſaith S. Chryſoſtome, a depth of love〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an affection more ſpatious for love, then the ſea for water; and, for tenderneſſe, ſofter not onely then water, but then oyl. To lay down, as it were, his own royall neck under the ſword of the Angel, when he ſaw it hanging over him by a leſſe threed, then that of Damocles: To open his own religious breaſt, to receive the blow, that he might ward it from the people: To value the peo­ples ſafetie ſo farre above his own, as to interpoſe himſelf betwixt the ſword and the ſlaughter: O how farre doth he here renounce himſelf, and re­cede, not onely from royaltie, but from life it ſelf! It is much which is mentioned in the text, that he ſhould name the people firſt to the happineſſe: more that he ſhould offer himſelf firſt to the puniſhment: very much, that he ſhould put the people betwixt himſelf and the bleſſing: farre more, that he ſhould place himſelf betwixt the people and the curſe. He made himſelf in this SPECULUM PRINCIPUM, the mirrour of Princes: a mirrour, into which (as we may well preſume) our Gracious Sovereigne King CHARLES hath made frequent and uſefull inſpecti­ons: for it is manifeſt by many paſſages of his13 reigne and happy government, that the tenderneſſe of his love towards his people, if it doth not fully reach, yet it comes cloſe up to the receſſions of Da­vid. It is the more remarkable, for that he hath this vertue as it were in proper and by himſelf, he is almoſt the ſole poſſeſſour of it. The moſt of or­dinary men, as living more by will then reaſon, are all for holding: ſo ſtiffe and inflexible, ſo tenaci­ous and unyielding, even in matters of ſmall mo­ment; that they will not ſtirre a hair-breadth. En­treat them, perſwade them, convince them; ſtill they keep to this principle (and 'tis none of the beſt) Obtain all, Yield nothing. It is a Nobler ſpi­rit that reſides in the breaſt of our Sovereigne, as appeares by his manifold yieldings and receſſions. Of ſuch receſſions we have many inſtances in the courſe of his Majeſties government. I might go as farre back as his firſt coming to the Crown: when he receded from his own profit, in taking upon him the payment of his Fathers debts, which were great, and but ſmall ſupplies to be expected from an empty Exchequer: yet the love of juſtice and his peoples emolument overſwayed him, and armed him with Epaminondas his reſolution, Totius Orbis divitias deſpicere, prae patriae charitate. Having but glanced at that, I might draw a little nearer, to the third of his reigne: when, in that Parliament of Tertio, he was pleaſed to ſigne the, ſo much deſired, Petition of Right a Title which, I confeſſe, takes me much: both becauſe it ſpeaks the dutifulneſſe of the ſubject, in petitioning, although for right; and the great goodneſſe of a Gracious Prince,14 who knows how to recede from power, and in ſome caſe even from prerogative, when beſought by prayers; and rejoyceth, not to ſell his favours, but to give them. For I have heard ſome wiſe men ſay, That that ſingle grant was equivalent to twen­ty ſubſidies. But the time will not give me leave to dwell, as I ſhould, upon particulars: therefore I will call you nearer to the tranſient remembrance (and but the tranſient, for it is no pleaſure to revive it) of the commotions in the North. The eyes of the whole world were upon that action, and they all are witneſſes what pains and travell were taken, what clemencie and indulgence was uſed, what yieldings and condeſcentions, both in point of honour and power, to purchaſe, as it were, by a price paid out of himſelf, the peace and tranquilli­tie of both kingdomes. Whereby he made all men underſtand, how much more pleaſing it was to his Princely diſpoſition, with Cyrus in Xenophon,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉and to conquer, not by might, but by clemencie. By clemencie, I ſay, the word which I named before, and I cannot name it too often. It is the vertue God moſt de­lights in, to exerciſe himſelf; and 'tis the copie alſo which he ſets us to write after: It is the vertue which draws both eyes and hearts unto it; in that it maketh Royaltie it ſelf, which is ſo farre above, to become beneficiall and ſovereigne: It corrects the brightneſſe of Majeſtie, calmes the ſtrictneſſe of Juſtice, lightens the weight of Power, attempe­rates whatſoever might cauſe terrour to our mind and liking. If we never had known it before, yet15 the onely time of this Parliament would teach us ſufficiently how much we ow to the King's cle­mencie. The laws and ſtatutes which have been made this laſt yeare, are laſting and ſpeaking mo­numents of theſe Royall receſſions, as well to po­ſteritie, as to our ſelves. Surely if the true picture and reſemblance of a Prince be in his laws; it can­not be denied, that in the Acts, for trienniall Parli­aments, for the continuation of the Parliament now being, for the regulating of impoſitions, preſſing of ſouldiers, courts of Judicature, and others not a few of the like nature, are the lineaments, and ex­preſſions to the life, of the prefect portraiture of a Benigne and Gracious Prince, who ſeems reſolved of a new way, and hitherto unheard of, by whole­ſome laws to enlarge his ſubjects, and to confine him­ſelf. Yet it may be ſaid, It is not his onely hand which is in theſe laws: the propoſall of them is from others, although the ratification be in him. Be it ſo: But the ratification is ten fold to the pro­poſall; nay, it is the life and eſſence of a law. So we ow the laws themſelves to his goodneſſe. Nay, and if it be granted, that the propoſall of ſuch laws comes from others, let us then look to the many gra­cious meſſages, which occaſionally have been ſent, at ſeverall times, to that great Aſſemblie. In theſe he ſpeaks onely by himſelf; and in ſo gracious a manner, that to reade ſome paſſages, would raviſh a loyall heart, as well as endear it. In ſome of them we may ſee, how he puts the happineſſe of his peo­ple into the ſame proximitie with his own: in o­thers, how he neglects his own for our accommo­dation. 16In that of January the 20, you have theſe golden words: That he will rather lay by any par­ticular reſpect of his Own dignitie, then loſe time for the Publick good: That, out of his Fatherly care of his people, he will be ready, both to equall, and to exceed the greateſt examples of the moſt In­dulgent Princes, in their Acts of Grace and Favour to their people. Again, in that of the 28 of Janua­ry there is yet more tenderneſſe. He calles God to witneſſe (and with him the atteſtation of that ſa­cred Name is very religious) that the preſervation of the publick peace, the law and the libertie of the ſubject, is and ſhall alwayes be as much his care and induſtrie, as the ſafety of his own life, or the lives of his deareſt children. Laſtly, in the other of the 15 of March there is more then yieldings and con­ceſſions; a gracious prevention of our deſires: for he is pleaſed to excite and call upon that Great Councell, even the ſecond time, to prepare with all ſpeed ſuch Acts, as ſhall be for the eſtabliſhment of their priviledges, the free and quiet enjoying their eſtates and fortunes, the liberties of their per­ſons, the ſecuritie of the true Religion now profeſ­ſed in the Church of England. What now ſhall we ſay to theſe things? Is not that of Solomon made good unto us (Prov. 16.10.) A Divine ſentence is in the lips of the King? Have we not good cauſe to take up Ezra's benediction (Ezr. 7.27.) Bleſſed be the Lord which hath put ſuch things as theſe into the Kings heart? Such things as theſe we were not ſo ambitious as to hope for: I truſt we ſhall not be ſo unworthy as to forget. For my ſelf, I could wiſh that, accor­ding17 to the dutie of this day, I could ſet them forth as they deſerve. But they need no varniſh of Ora­torie: neither was it my intendment to uſe them fur­ther, then for the proof of the propoſition in hand; to ſhew you how this higheſt excellencie of Prin­ces, in the care of their peoples happineſſe, is radi­ant in our Gracious Sovereigne. Yet you may re­member alſo that I told you, The point needs not ſo much proofs, as retributions. It calls aloud upon us for all dutifull returns, of honour, love, obedience, loyaltie, and thankfull acknowledgements, into that Royall boſome, the firſt mover and originall under God of our happineſſe. In the ſphere of Nature there is none of us ignorant, how willing the mem­bers are to make return to the head, for the go­vernment and influence they receive from thence: they will undergo hardſhip, expoſe themſelves to danger, recede from things convenient, nay neceſ­ſary; they will not grudge at any plentie or honour which is beſtowed upon the head; knowing by inſtinct that from the head the benefit of all re­dounds to them. It is likewiſe obvious in the regi­ment of families, which are as States epitomized, that both honour and dutie belong to the Paterfa­miliâs, not onely for the right he hath in the houſe, but for the proviſion and ſupport and comfort which all receive from him. Now Kings, by way of excellencie, are Fathers, who look upon all their ſubjects as ſo many children, and (with that Noble Emperour) account equally as daughters Rempubli­cam & Juliam. The very Heathen, which ſaw onely the outſide or Civill part, reputed them as18 Fathers: but the Prophet Iſaiah, when he ſpeaks of the Church, goes further, and calls them Nurſing Fathers:Iſai. 49.23. a word which in propriety of ſpeech might ſeem incongruous; becauſe they have no more of the nurſe, then the boſome; nothing at all of the breaſts, if what is wanting in the ſex were not ſupplied by their tenderneſſe. Benignitie, and clemencie, and ſweetneſſe of diſpoſition, and faci­litie of acceſſe, and compaſſion toward the diſtreſ­ſed, theſe are their breaſts, more breaſts then two; the ſame both their breasts and their bowels, which day by day they open to thouſands ſeverally, and to all at once, for the ſuckling and foſtering of the pub­lick. Therefore it behoves us to think of returns. By this word Chriſt read us the leſſon, Matth. 22.21. Bender, or Return unto Ceſar the things which are Ceſars, or the things which are from Ceſar. The pro­tection of lives, and fortunes, and worldly com­forts; let him have theſe back again in the honour, love, fear, obedience, ſupplies which belong to the Sovereigne Head and Parent of a beloved people: that his throne may be eſtabliſhed by your loyalty, his reigne ſtill proſperous by your prayers & bleſ­ſings, his life lengthened by yeares taken forth of your own: that ſo he may long rejoyce to ſay with David, Happy are the people. So I have done with the ſecond ſtep of the Gradation, the ſpeciall part of the argument here handled; It is De felicitate Populi.

The third is yet more ſpeciall: It is not onely De felicitate Populi, but De felicitate Populari, that is, De Hac felicitate populi, or De hoc Genere felicitatis:19 Beatus cui SIC, Happy they who are in SUCH A CASE, or CONDITION. What that condition is, you may ſee in the former words; in which there are ſeverall bleſſings mentioned, and all of them temporall. Plenty is one, in thoſe words, That our garners may be filled with all manner of ſtore; our oxen ſtrong to labour; our ſheep bring forth thouſands. Peace is another, in theſe words, That there be no leading in­to captivitie, no complaining in our ſtreets. Multi­tude of people, eſpecially ſuch as are vertuous, a third, in thoſe, That our ſonnes may grow up as the young plants, our daughters may be as the poliſhed cor­ners of the temple. The ſafetie and proſperitie of David their King, a fourth (or rather a firſt, for it is firſt mentioned) He giveth ſalvation, or victorie to Kings, and delivereth David his ſervant from the peril of the ſword. Of all theſe civill threeds the Pſalmiſt twiſts this wreath of Happineſſe; Happy they who are in ſuch a caſe. Now hence ariſeth the ſcruple: Why David, a man of ſo heavenly a temper, and of ſo good a judgment in things which concern ſalvation; that he is ſaid to be A man after Gods own heart,1. Sam. 13.14. ſhould place felicitie in theſe temporalls. Devout S. Paul, who of all o­thers came neareſt to Davids ſpirit, had theſe out­ward things in no better eſteem, then as droſſe,Phil. 3.8. or dung: and our bleſſed Saviour, in his firſt Sermon, thought good to begin the chain of happineſſe from povertie, and to ſecond it from hunger,Matt. 5. and to con­tinue it from ſuffering perſecution. Non dixit, BEATI DIVITES, ſed, BEATI PAUPERES, as S. Ambroſe obſerveth. In this, I ſay, is the20 ſcruple, That Chriſt ſhould begin bleſſedneſſe from povertie, and David place it in abundance: that things earthly ſhould be as droſſe to Paul, and as happineſſe to David. This ſcruple wrought ſo farre with ſome Interpreters, that they conceived it to be a defective or imperfect ſentence, and that the Pſalmiſt uttered it in the perſon of a worldly man: like that of Solomon, Eccl. 2.24. There is nothing better for a man, then to cat and drink, &c. Therefore, to take off the ſuſpicion of a paradox, they inter­poſe Dixerunt: BEATUM [dixerunt] POPU­LUM CUI HAEC SUNT, Men uſually ſay, HAPPY ARE THE PEOPLE IN SUCH A CASE. But we need not flee to this refuge: It is neither a defective nor a paradox; but a full and true pro­poſition, agreeable both to the tenour of other Scriptures, and alſo to the analogie of faith. For firſt, the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks not here, as in other pla­ces, of the happineſſe of a man, but of the happi­neſſe of a people: it is not Beatus homo, but; Beatus populus. In ſome other places, where he treats of the happineſſe of a man, he circumſcribes it al­wayes with things ſpirituall:a Pſal. 32.2. Bleſſed is the man un­to whom the LORD imputeth no ſinne, and in whoſe ſpirit there is no guile:b Pſal. 112.1. Bleſsed is the man that fear­eth the LORD:c Pſal. 40.4. Bleſſed is that man that maketh the Lord his truſt: and thed Pſal 65.4. & 84.5. & 128.1. like. Here otherwiſe, ſee­ing he ſpeaks of the happineſſe of a people, he might uſe more libertie to take in theſe outward ac­compliſhments, as having a nearer relation to the happineſſe of a Nation or Kingdome, then abſtra­ctively of a Chriſtian. Howſoever Ariſtotle af­firms,21 in the 7^th of his Politicks, that there is the ſame happineſſe〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉of a ſingle man and of a whole citie: Yet there is a great deal of difference, which he, being not inſtructed in Chriſtianity, could not obſerve. Look as on the one ſide, the being of a State or Nation, as a collective bodie, is not ſo ordered to immortalitie, nor by conſe­quence to happineſſe, as the being of a man: ſo on the other, the concurrence of temporall good things is in no wiſe ſo eſſentiall or requiſite to the happineſſe of a man, as to the being and well-be­ing, and ſo to the happineſſe of a State or people. Experience tells us that a man may be happy with­out children; a State cannot be ſo without people: a private man may keep his hold of happineſſe, though poore and afflicted in the world; a State is onely then happy, when 'tis flouriſhing and proſpe­rous, abounding with peace, plentie, people, and other civill acceſſions. Men are the walls for ſtrength, women the nurſeries for encreaſe, chil­dren the pledges of perpetuity, money as the vitall breath, peace as the naturall heat, plentie as the ra­dicall moiſture, religious and juſt government as the form or ſoul of a bodie politick. Upon this ground the Pſalmiſt well knowing how conducing theſe outward things are to popular happineſſe, he caſts them all into the definition; his preſent ar­gument being the happineſſe of a people. In the ſecond place, admit he had ſpake here of the hap­pineſſe of a man, or a Chriſtian: yet he mentions not theſe temporalls, either as the all, or the onely, or the chief of happineſſe; but as the concomitants22 and acceſſories. They have not an eſſentiall influx or ingredience into it: but a ſecondarie and accidentall reſpect they have in theſe two conſiderations. Firſt they are ornamenta, as garniſhings, which give a gloſſe and luſtre to vertue, and make it more ſplen­did. The Moraliſts ſay well, that they are as ſha­dows to a picture, or garments to a comely perſo­nage. Now as in theſe, the ſhadowing makes not the colour of a picture truly better, but onely ſeem better, and appear more freſh and orient; and as garments do indeed adorn the bodie now in the ſtate of corruption; whereas, if man had ſtood in his integritie, they had been uſeleſſe for ornament, as well as for neceſſitie: So likewiſe theſe outward things, although in themſelves they have nothing of true happineſſe, yet becauſe they render it more beauteous and gracefull, as the ſtate of vertue now ſtands in reſpect of our converſe with men, we may well reckon them without prejudice to vertue inter or namenta. Then ſecondly, they are adminicula alſo, helps and adjuments, as hand-maids to pietie, without which vertue is impotent. Were a man all ſoul, vertue alone were ſufficient; it is enough by it ſelf for the happineſſe of the mind: but being partly bodie, and enjoying corporall ſocietie with others, he ſtands in need of things corporall, to keep vertue in exerciſe. Want clippes the wings of vertue, that a man cannot feed the hungry, or cloth the naked, or enlarge himſelf to the good of others: on the other ſide, this〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as the Philo­ſophers term it, ſets vertue at libertie, and gives it ſcope to be operative. As fire, the more aire & few­fell23 you give it, the more it diffuſeth it ſelf: ſo the more health, peace, plentie, friends, or authoritie we have; the more power, freedome and advantage we have to do vertuouſly. Put now all theſe toge­ther, & the reaſon is evident, why the Prophet Da­vid here placeth this happineſſe in the things which are worſe; becauſe they are ſerviceable to the things which are better. Howſoever he reſerves the men­tion of the better till afterward; Yet he would give us to underſtand, that even theſe inferiour things are the good bleſſings of God, and ſuch bleſſings, as being put together, make up one part of the happi­neſſe of a people. It is true of popular happineſſe, as well as perſonall, It is not one ſingle good, but the aggregation or affluence of many. In the twenty eighth of Deuteronomie, where Moſes deſcribes the bleſſedneſſe promiſed to the Iſraelites, he reckons up all ſorts of outward bleſſings: and a­greeable to thoſe is the conflux of theſe in this Pſalme: The bleſſing of the houſe, and of the citie; That there be no leading into captivitie, and no com­plaining in the ſtreets: The bleſſings of the basket, and of the ſtore; That the garners may be filled with plentie: The bleſſings of the fruit of the bodie; That the children may be as young plants: The bleſſings of the field, That the ſheep may bring forth thouſands, and the oxen be ſtrong to labour: The bleſſings of going out and coming in; That they may be delivered from the hand of ſtrange children, and ſaved out of great waters. Here is briefly the compound of the many ſimples which make up this caſe or condition of a peoples happineſſe. And ſurely if by theſe particulars it be24 defined, we may boldly ſay, The condition is our own, and men may pronounce of us, as truly as of any Nation, that we have been for a long time a happy people. Our deliverances from ſtrange chil­dren have been great and miraculous, and our land it hath been a Goſhen, a light-ſome land; whereas the darkneſſe of diſcomfort hath reſted upon other Nations. The bleſſings of the citie and field, of the basket and of the ſtore have grown upon us in ſuch abundance, that many men have ſurfetted of plen­tie: Our land hath been as an Eden and garden of the Lord for fruitfulneſſe, as a Salem for peace; whereas other kingdomes do yet grone under the preſſures of ſword and famine. Beſides theſe, if there be any bleſſing which the Scripture mentions in other places, Peace in the walls, Plentie in the palaces, Traffick in the ports, or Salvation in the gates; if any part of happineſſe which it ſpeaks of in this Pſalme, for plantings, or buildings, or reapings, or ſtorings, or peoplings; we have had them all in as much fulneſſe as any part of the world, and in more then moſt: onely there is one particular may be queſtioned, or rather cannot be denied, That amidſt the very throng of all theſe bleſſings there are ſome murmurings and complainings in our ſtreets. But it need not ſeem ſtrange to us, becauſe it is not new in the world. In the ſtories of all ages we meet with it, That men uſed to complain of their times to be evil, when indeed themſelves made them ſo. I may be bold to ſay, There was cauſe in reſpect of ſinne then, as well as now, eſpecially with godly men, who are ſo good themſelves, that it is no mar­vell,25 if they thought times a little evil to be ex­tremely bad: as alwayes ſinne ſwells to the eye of grace. But if we ſpeak of outward preſſures and calamities, I am certain there is not cauſe now as then: for the riches of the Kingdome were never ſo great, the peace of the Kingdome never ſo con­ſtant, the ſtate of it for all things never ſo proſpe­rous. Onely we muſt give leave to the world to be like it ſelf: As long as ambition or covetouſ­neſſe are in the world, men of ſuch ſpirits will cry out, The times are bad, even when they are beſt; becauſe they (in their own bad ſenſe) ſtill deſire to be better. As nothing is enough, ſo nothing is plea­ſing to a reſtleſſe mind. An inſatiable appetite is alwayes impatient; and, becauſe impatient, queru­lous. Yet this is not the ſole reaſon: for beſides this humour of appetite, the very corruption of our nature leads us hereunto, To be weary of the preſent. It is the joynt obſervation both of Divines and Moraliſts (as of Salvian, Quintilian, Tacitus, and others, who agree as near almoſt in words as in opinion) Quòduſitatum eſt ment is humanae vitium, illa magìs ſemper velle quae deſunt; &, veter a quidem in laude, praeſentia in faſtidio ponere. Our own ex­perience will tell us as much, if we will take pains to obſerve it, How, through the pravity of our own diſpoſitions, whatſoever is preſent proves burdenſome, whether it be good or bad. Salvian, in his third De Gubernatione, ſets forth this humour to the life: That men of all times were diſpleaſed with all times: Si astus eſt, (ſaith he) de ariditate cauſamur; ſi fluvia, de inundatione conquerimur: ſi26 infoecundior annus eſt, accuſamus ſterilitatem; ſi foe­cundior, vilitatem. So winter and ſummer are both alike diſtaſtfull to impatient men: In ſcarcity things are too dear, in plentie too cheap: povertie pinch­eth, and abundance nauſeats. If there be a little too much drought, they cry out of a famine; if a ſhowre or two extraordinary, they are afraid of a deluge. You ſhall heare in good times, Quid no­bis cum Davide? and in bad, Antigonum effodie: as we reade of the Iſraelites, That even when God himſelf was pleaſed to order their civill affairs, they were not contented; but ſtill repined, as well when they had manna, as when they wanted it. The reaſon is (as the Greek Hiſtorian notes) 〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. But I hope we Chriſtians are of a better temper. It beſeems not us of all others to be ſo injurious to God, who hath ſingled us out to be a happy people: It beſeems us not to be ſo unthankfull to our Sovereigne, under whom we enjoy theſe bleſſings. Howſoever it ought to be in the firſt place acknowledged, that the originall of all our happineſſe is from heaven: yet it muſt be confeſt withall, that the cryſtall pipe through which bleſſings are conveyed unto us, is his government: Our peace is from his wiſdome, our plentie from our peace; our proſperitie from our plenty; our ſafetie, our very life, our whatſoe­ver good of this nature, it is by Gods providence wrapt up in his welfare, whoſe precious life (as the Oratour ſpeaks) is Vita quaedam publica, the very breath of our nostrils perfumed with multitude of comforts. Lam. 4.20.What then remains, but that our thank­fulneſſe27 ſhould reſult from all, to make our happi­neſſe complete? that ſo both receiving what we deſire, and retributing what we ow, we may give cauſe unto all Kingdomes to lengthen this acclama­tion, and to ſay, Happy both Prince and people which are in ſuch a caſe. So I have done with the firſt ge­nerall part of the text, the path of proſperity, an­ſwerable to the civill reſpect of the day.