1Good and great ground of comfort have Saints by reason of this prerogative, that they are the favourites of the great King. What needful thing do they want that they may not confidently expect from this their Liege? What hurtful thing need they fear? Is not the King who favours them able to supply all their necessities? Is he not able to protect them from all enmities? If he be, what doubt can be made of the one, or of the other? Consider what mortal Monarchs do for their favourites. lThey invent, they consult how to do them honour. Though it oft fall out that they have unworthy favourites, instance Haman, yet a King can deny his favourite nothing. Let a favourite ask Honours, Manors, Offices, Immunities, for himself, or for his friends, he soon obtaineth what he asketh. kIn the light of the kings countenance is life: and his favour is as a cloud of the later rain: and as lthe dew upon the grass. He is therefore counted an happy man that may come to be a Kings favourite. Such an one scorneth the envy, the disdain, the backbiting, and all that the vulgar can do against him. As for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. If it be thought an happiness to be a mortal Kings favourite, what is it then to be a favourite of the King of Kings? Kings on earth are not always able to do what they will. Their favourites may desire, and they may be willing to grant, more then they can. They have not always understanding to know what is best for their favourites. Their favourites may beg, and they give that which is pernicious. They do not always retain the same mind. Their favour may be clean alienated from their old favourites, and cast upon new. They do not always live. They may die before their favourites, and their favourites then be the worse dealt withal even for that favour sake which by the deceased King was showed unto them. Most of these may be exemplified in Ahashucrosh and his favourite Haman. But the Lord our God is subject to none of these. He is able to do what he will: and what his favourites can justly ask. He knoweth what is good, what not good to be granted to his ⟨p. 206⟩favourites. He is always of the same mind. His favour is stable, and perpetual. He ever liveth. It never did, it never shall, it cannot repent any, to have been this Kings favourite.
1Good and great ground of comfort have Saints by reason of this prerogative, that they are the favourites of the great King. What needfull thing doe they want that they may not confidently expect from this their Liege? What hurtfull thing need they feare? Is not the King who favours them able to supply all their necessities? Is he not able to protect them from all enmities? If he be, what doubt can be made of the one, or of the other? Consider what mortall Monarchs do for their favourites. lThey invent, they consult how to doe them honour. Though it oft fall out that they have unworthy favourites, instance Haman, yet a King can deny his favourite nothing. Let a favourite aske Honours, Mannours, Offices, Immunities, for himselfe, or for his friends, he soone obtaineth what he asketh. kIn the light of the kings countenance is life: and his favour is as a cloud of the later raine: and as lthe dew upon the grasse. He is therefore counted an happy man that may come to be a Kings favourite. Such an one scorneth the envy, the disdaine, the backbiting, and all that the vulgar can doe against him. As for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. If it be thought an happinesse to be a mortall Kings favourite, what is it then to be a favourite of the King of Kings? Kings on earth are not alwayes able to do what they will. Their favourites may desire, and they may be willing to grant, more then they can. They have not alwayes understanding to know what is best for their favourites. Their favourites may beg, and they give that which is pernicious. They doe not alwaies retaine the same mind. Their favour may be cleane alienated from their old favourites, and cast upon new. They do not alwayes live. They may die before their favourites, and their favourites then be the worse dealt withall even for that favour sake which by the deceased King was shewed unto them. Most of these may be exemplified in Ahashucrosh and his favourite Haman. But the Lord our God is subject to none of these. He is able to doe what he will: and what his favourites can justly aske. He knoweth what is good, what not good to be granted to his ⟨p. 206⟩favourites. He is alwais of the same mind. His favor is stable, and perpetuall. He ever liveth. It never did, it never shall, it cannot repent any, to have beene this Kings favourite.
