1But now for instance of those happy fruits and excellencies, springing by GODs blessing out of Government, sanctified by the effectual and powerful Majesty of true Religion. I will go no further then our own State, since that peerless Princess Queen Elizabeth, of sweetest and dearest memory, the happiest instrument of GODs glory of her sex, since the most blessed Virgin: I say since she rose into the Imperial throne, what ⟨p. 13⟩a deal of glory and light, admiration and honour, what miracles of unparalleled deliverances and preservations, have crowned this famous Island. To say nothing of temporal felicities, for which purpose instance might be given in some of all professions and stations: as for depth, and variety of learning, gravity and unswendnesse upon Seats of Justice; height of military valour, largest comprehensions of State-wisdom, excellency in all other kinds of worth, as admirable and renowned, as ever trod upon English mould. Only take an estimate, and scantling of spiritual happiness, more properly incident to religious governments, by that speech of a great man in our State,2 If the choice and best, saith he, of those observations upon Texts of Scripture, which have been made dispersedly in Sermons within this your Majesties Island of great Britain, by the space of these forty years and more, had been set down in a continuance, it had been the best work in Divinity, which had been written since the Apostles time. And thence conclude that happy consequent, the crown and excellency of all truly worthy States. How many blessed souls have been sent to heaven, and what a number of crowned Saints have been created by such a conscionable ministry in all that time, and of both temporal and spiritual felicity, from King James his noble pen: Greater blessings of GOD, saith he, greater outward peace and plenty, greater inward peace with spiritual and celestial treasures, were never heaped upon my great Britain, then have been since my great Britain beam, ⟨p. 14⟩great in the greatest and chiefest respect of all; to wit since my great Britain hath shaken off the Popes yoke, 3&c. You see in short what a goodly thing Government is. Now let us come to the Uses of this Doctrine; and in the first place it serves for confuration.
1But now for instance of those happy fruits and excellencies, springing by GODs blessing out of Government, sanctified by the effectuall and powerfull Majesty of true Religion. I will goe no further then our owne State, since that peerelesse Princesse Queene Elizabeth, of sweetest and dearest memory, the happiest instrument of GODs glory of her sexe, since the most blessed Virgine: I say since she rose into the Imperiall throne, what ⟨p. 13⟩a deale of glory and light, admiration and honour, what miracles of unparalled deliverances and preservations, have crowned this famous Iland. To say nothing of temporall felicities, for which purpose instance might be given in some of all professions and stations: as for depth, and variety of learning, gravity and unswendnesse upon Seates of Iustice; height of military valour, largest comprehensions of State-wisedome, excellency in all other kindes of worth, as admirable and renowned, as ever trod upon English mould. Onely take an estimate, and scantling of spirituall happinesse, more properly incident to religious governments, by that speech of a great man in our State,2 If the choise and best, saith he, of those observations upon Texts of Scripture, which have beene made dispersedly in Sermons within this your Majesties Iland of great Britaine, by the space of these forty yeares and more, had beene set downe in a continuance, it had beene the best worke in Divinity, which had beene written since the Apostles time. And thence conclude that happy consequent, the crowne and excellency of all trully worthy States. How many blessed soules have beene sent to heaven, and what a number of crowned Saints have beene created by such a conscionable ministry in all that time, and of both temporall and spirituall felicity, from King Iames his noble pen: Greater blessings of GOD, saith he, greater outward peace and plenty, greater inward peace with spirituall and celestiall treasures, were never heaped upon my grea Britaine, then have beene since my greate Britaine beame, ⟨p. 14⟩great in the greatest and chiefest respect of all; to wit since my great Britaine hath shaken off the Popes yoke, 3&c. You see in short what a goodly thing Government is. Now let us come to the Vses of this Doctrine; and in the first place it serves for confuration.
- 1See Bacons advancement. pag. 3•.See Bacons aduancement. pag. 3•.
- 22. lib. pag. 116. of advancement of learning to the King.
- 3Against Person. pag. 282.
