THE
Subjects Joy,
For the Parliament.
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SUch and so great, all mans Corruption is
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In shunning Good, and running to Amisse:
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That the Almighty, did long since ordaine
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Lawes, that should our rebellious wils restraine.
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And from that Parlament, of highest Heaven
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A Statute, and an Ordinance was given,
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That from those Lawes of the Eternall King,
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All other Lawes (that governe men) should spring.
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And as the Sea in Rivers, Creekes and Bayes,
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Flowes, and disperses many severall wayes:
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So doth Gods Acts in many Branches run,
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To shew us what should be undone, or done.
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For this cause did the power of Heaven ordaine,
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That Kings (like Gods) on Earth should Rule and Raigne:
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To Judge, to be a Refuge, and Defence
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With Right, of too much wronged Innocence.
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And for this cause, God doth a King command,
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That he his Lawes should Read* and understand.
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And sure, of All the Kingdomes that there are
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Beneath the Heavens, none may with us compare:
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To us th'Almighty, graciously did grant
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Freely his Sacred Gospell heere to plant,
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Making Great Brittaine an Admired mirror,
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(When other Nations blindly live in Error.)
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For us a matchles King, he out did picke,
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Defendor of the Faith Apostolicke,
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Who all his Lawes and Statutes doth encline,
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Conformable unto the Lawes Divine.
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Gods Law in every faithfull heart* is writ,
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And our Kings Government doth witnes it.
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And now these Eighteene yeares a blessed Peace,
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Hath made our sinnes (more then our thankes) increase,
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That breach of Lawes, hath sowen neglected seedes,
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Being almost growne unprofitable weedes:
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Our Gracious King, these evils to prevent,
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Assembled hath a Royall Parlament.
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The high Creator, made this Kingly Creature
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His Steward, by his Office, Name, and Nature,
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And he doth guide and Rule this happy Land,
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As he is guided by th'Almighties hand.
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And though a King hath Honour and Renowne,
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Yet many Cares attend upon a Crowne:
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And though a King a Royall port doth keepe,
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Yet doth he wake, when Subjects often sleepe.
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And had not our dread Soveraigne, bin protected
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By the Almighty, who hath him directed,
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Wee could not have enjoyed such Peace and Rest,
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Wherewith so many yeares wee have bin blest.
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And as hee now hath caus'd a Parlament,
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God still be present there, and President:
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Let the Kings heart as it hath done persever,
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That God may have the Glory, now and ever.
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(Like David) let him not from goodnes start,
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But bee a man according to Gods heart.
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Let Solomons great Wisdome ever bee
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In him, that Good from Ill he may fore-see:
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Let him with Josua's courage (Constantly)
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The Devill, the world, and eke the Flesh defie.
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And let him (like to Moses) ever write,
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And ordaine Lawes that may be Just and Right.
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Like faithfull Hushaies* be his Counsell still,
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To give Advice according to thy will.
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Guide thou the Reverend Bishops, and the Peeres,
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The Judges, and elected Knights, of Shires,
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And Burgesses of Townes within this Land,
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Doe thou (O God) amidst their Counsell stand.
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Let all their Consultations, still depend
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To beate downe Vice, and Vertue to defend:
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Thy Gospell to increase and propagate,
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And for the Good of Common-wealth and State.
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The Pride of Haman, farre from them expell,
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Confound the Counsell of Achitophell:
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Plucke Heresies up by the very Roote,
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And tread proude Antichrist quite underfoote.
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Banish Ghehezy, leaprous with base Bribes,
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Papisticke Pharises, Sophisticke Scribes:
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And those that wholsome Lawes can wrest and wring,
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For gaine 'gainst Conscience, Country, and their King.
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Thus being guided by thy blessed Spirit,
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They will accomplish Statutes worthy merit:
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That after Ages gladly may Receive
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The Acts, and Orders, which our times must leave.
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Let Prince, and Peeres, and people thus Combine,
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The profit will bee ours, the Glory thine:
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And as thy Blessings hath bin multiplyde
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Upon our Kingdome, let them still abide:
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Let not our Sinnes as a partition bee,
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Or make us be as castawayes to thee.
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Let no tour Crimes thy Indignation move,
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Whereby they may us seperate from thy Love:
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But as thy favours to Us have bin such,
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As never any Kingdome had so much,
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So let our thankfulnes to thee therefore,
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Bee every day expressed more and more.
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Protect the King with thy Almighty Armes,
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Save him from Forraine and Domesticke harmes:
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At all times with thy heavenly Grace relieve him,
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And after Death a Crowne of Glory give him.
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Preserve for evermore, our gracious Prince,
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And strength him, his and thy Foes to convince,
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The Prince and Princesse Palatines high Grace,
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With all the Royall and the hopefull Race:
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Defend them Against all that them oppose,
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And fight their Battels still against their Foes.
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Grant that of this Seed we may ne're want one,
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To magnifie thy Name in Britaines Throne:
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Untill our Saviour, and thy onely Sonne,
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Shall come in Judgement, and the world be done.
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To whom with thee and with the Holy Ghost,
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Bee rendred (everywhere from Coast to Coast)
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All Honour, Glory, Power, Might, Praise, Thanks-giving,
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To thee three Persons, one GOD, ever-living.
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