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 only 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 POOR : 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 Psalm he begins below , and ends upwards : so in this , having begun 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 , 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 utramquesplendoris paginam , the two great excellencies of blessednesse by the double situation of it . Happinesse is both the bonum Primum , and the bonum Vltimum , 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 Donour 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 to 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 of the Gradation , the generall part of the argument handled : It is De FELICITATE .

The second is more speciall : it is defelicitate 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 well-wishes 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 : And Salvian , in his first Deprovidentia , doth recon 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of Thucydides the Historian in his , Vnusquisque rem suam urget : and of Tacitus in his , Privatacuique 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 shall 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 insincerity ; 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 , foris 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 , Vs , 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 't is 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 duty : 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 whole 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 virtue , to stile 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 authoritie : 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 . 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 ●avour 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 tran●cending 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 felicity 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 qui 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 WHAT 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an affection more spacious 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 Angell , when he saw it hanging over him by a lesse thrid , 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 safety so farre aboue 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 royalty , 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 his reign 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 virtue 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 , persuade them , convince them ; still they keep to this principle ( and 't is none of the best ) O●tein all , Yield nothing . It is a nobler spirit that resides in the breast of our Sovereign , as appears 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 reign : 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 , 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 tranquillity of both kingdomes . Whereby he made all men understand , how much more pleasing it was to his Princely disposition , with Cyrus in Xenophon , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to conquer , not by might , but by clemency . By clemency , I say , the word which I named before , and I cannot name it too often . It is the virtue God most delights in , to exercise himself ; and 't is the copie also which he sets us to write after : It is the virtue which draws both eyes and hearts unto it ; in that it maketh Royalty it self , which is so farre above , to become beneficiall and sovereign : 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 , yet 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 year , are lasting and speaking monuments of thefe 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 perfect pourtraiture 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 read 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 . In that of January the 20 , you have these golden words : That he will rather lay by any particular respect of his Own dignity , 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 calls 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 , according 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 excellency of Princes , in the care of their peoples happinesse , is radiant in our Gracious Sovereign . Yet you may remember also that I told you , The point needs not so much proofs , as retributions . It cals aloud upon us for all dutifull returns , of honour , love , obedience , loyalty , 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 as Fathers : but the Prophet Isaiah , when he speaks of the Church , goes further , and calls them Nursing Fathers : Isa● . 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 clemency , 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 . Render , 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 reign still prosperous by your prayers & blessings , his life lenghthened by years 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 .