the stronger that a Prince driven out of his strong hâ—lds by a more potent Army then his own should also be driven out of his Kingdome hath nothing of wonder in it but now that a Prince thus driven away should be thus restored is next to a miracle the restitution of our King as it is a great mercy in it selfe so it is a mercy wonderfull in its Circumstances Consider it in 3 particulars 1. The restitution of our King was a mercy long desired and often attempted but still all in vain Surely the longing desires the frequent attempts of the Nation to bring back the King seeme to argue that his returne is looked upon as a choice mercy indeed but the constant frustration as well of our attempts as our desires seemes to argue that the returne of the King was a mercy not easily to be obteined 2. The restitution of our King was a mercy at this time little expected our desires for our King were great yet our hopes but little the nation had more reason to wish then to expect a King When we looked upon the greatnesse of the mercy we could not but beg it when we looked upon the difficulty of the mercy we could not but despaire it Had some Prophet a few months since foretold us that by this day our King should be upon his Throne Cassandra like he had spoke truth indeed but such a truth as few in England would have believed To have given Credit to such a Prediction would have been judged a rash and foolish Presumption rather then a Rationall Act of faith For 3. The restitution of our King was a mercy at this time more opposed then ever You know the King was formerly opposed by the sword yea but now he must be opposed by an Oath men that formerly had engaged but their lifes must nâ—w engage their soules against him t is not now enough for men to act with an armed hand but they must act with an armed Conscience too that men may forget that it is Treason to exclude the King it must be made a sin a breach of Oath so much as to own him Thus thus did men fortifie against the King their Interest with strâ—ngth their Treason with Religion But alas what strange transactions are these that men who desired to look like Saints should act like Devils that men who once sware to defend the King should now abiure him well is this a time to expect our King the door seems not only lockt but barred and walled up against him and how then shall our King come in why now behold here is the wonderfull Providence of God! God opens a back door to let in our Soveraigne an inconsiderable number of men from Scotland must defeat Englands victorious Army and that without one Blow Sure admirable is the mercy and wisdome of God in this Providence of his to prevent the invasion of a forreine Army God brings home our King by his own subiects to prevent the effusion of bloud amongst our selves God brings home our King in peace May we not say O Lord how wonderfull are thy works in England this day that God should bring in his anointed one when they that opposed it had least cause to fâ—ar it when they that desired it had least cause to hope it that God should bring him in without the suspicion of his enemies without the expectation of his friends O surely it is the Lord 's own doing it is marvellous in our eyes Sure I am if the Guilt of high offendours if the interest of rich Purchasers if the power of a puissant army if the fear malice and policy of a pretâ—nded Parliament could have kept him out England had never enioyed him But God seeth not as man seeth God turnes the army out of London the Grandees themselves out of the Parliament House and so not a man openly opposing to his own Glory and our comfort brings home our King we can say in the words of the Text blessed be God Our Lord the King is come againe in peace to his own house And here I should have put a Period to the tediousnesse of this Discourse and the trouble of the Reader only I thought fit yet to adde a few words 1. to his Maiestie's friends and 2. to his Maiesty himselfe 1. To you who are or at least pretend to be His Majesties best Friends and most Loyall Subjects a word of advice in two Particulars 1. Be advised that you do not Idolize Instruments God hath now wrought a signall deliverance for this Nation of England in the restitution of his King and ours God hath given in this Mercy by miraculous wayes and means Surely the worke is Gods and if so let the glory be his too Not but that there is a great respect and honour due to our renowned Generall who is indeed a Glorious Instrument but still in the hand of God God hath highly honoured him in that work and we should be very unthankfull if in his place we doe not honour him for it but still though we may look upon the instrùment yet we must look above it let us be thankfull to instruments but withall let us be sober too let us give man what is man's but God what is God's pay the one rob not the other 2. Be advised that you doe not abuse this signall Mercy of God to us and ours it is sad to consider that many Gentlemen and others who pretend to be the most Loyall Subjects of England do upon that account grow most prophane Some men's Allegiance is litle evidenced but only in drinking his Majesty's health men never valiant but when halfe drunk never more for the King then when they are not for themselves Sure I am such persons are like to doe the King more injury in the Taverne then service in the field instead of drinking the Kings health I feare they have drunk one Kings death already they mingled the Kings Bloud with their owne wine Certaine it is that many of our late Gracious Kings Friends proved the worst of his Enemies they were the men that shamed the Cause which they owned and destroy-the King pretending to dâ—fend him Gentlemen if you looke upon our present Soveraigne as a Prince likely to encourage prophanes I must tell you that you do the King more wrong then they which lately looked upon him as the Common Enemy It is not easie to say whether the King suffers more by the pretendly pious Rebell or by the prophane pretended Loyalist the sins of a prophane Loyalist draw that sword which the hands of Rebels fight with the rebell kils with a Threatning the prophane Loyalist wounds with a Complement But how ever if by the restitution of our King men expect a restitution either of prophanes on the one hand or superstition on the other I do not doubt but as God hath disappointed the sad feares of his Saints so also our King himselfe will disappoint the wicked hopes
of God followed him close at heels nay it was made an observation in Print that the King of Spain never prospered after he had once been civill to the King of England But consider are not poor wormes somewhat bold that dare adventure thus dogmatically to interpret the mysterious providences of God Surely the particular dispensations of Providence are Texts so hard that scarce one of a thousand can certainly tell what comment to put upon them Particular Providences are not plain rules but obscure riddles 'T is more safe to adore the wisdome then interpret the will of the great God in his various acts of Providence Yet notwithstanding it hath been strongly asserted by some believed by others that God had utterly cast off the King of England and the Royall Family and that upon this account God suffered them to be still overthrowne and at length banisht and driven away I answer 1. In Generall the defeats of Armies overthrows banishment are all but outward crosses and so no argument that God disowneth any person whatsoever No man knowes love or hatred by all that is before him Outward mercies do not alwayes argue love nor do afflictions Ecc. 9. 1. alway argue wrath God may severely punish when yet he hath no intent to destroy God may thunder aloud over that mans head whom yet he doth not mean to strike dead in the place God's Iudgements are not alway swords to kill but rods to correct and that in mercy too Ipsa Dei indignatio non aliunde est quà m de misericordiâ Saith Bernard God would not sometimes look as if he were angry did not his very mercy move him There is sometimes as much love in a frown as in a smile from Heaven there may be as much friendship in God's harder blowes as there is in his gentler strokes Surely the viper upon Pauls hand did not argue him to be a Murderer No more doth God's lash upon any man's back argue that man to be a cast away And as it is with persons so it is with causes too want of present successe is no convincing argument that God disowneth a cause Israel flieth before Ai and yet the cause was Gods The Turks have prevailed often against poor Christians and yet their cause is the Devils No man can truly judge of causes barely by their successe or miscarriage There are severall reasons why God may suffer the better cause for sometime to be worsted as 1. God it may be doth not like the instruments the work is good but the tools are naught the work shall lie 'till God provide some better instruments to effect it Or 2. God's time possibly is not yet come The cause indeed at present is Gods yea but the present time is not his It was God's purpose that Iericho should be taken yet not till the seventh day be come It is Gods purpose that such and such a cause shall prosper yea but it shall not prosper yet The Iewes have a proverb Vvas nâ— comede ante tempus eat not Grapes before their season Indeed Grapes will appear to be sweet and â—uscious yet not before the time of Grapes is come It shall appear that God owneth such and such a cause as holy and righteous but not till the appointed time be come It 's true Israel must come out of bondage but Israel must not come out yet now shall we say that Israel was ever the lesse the Israel of God because so long in Egypt 2. In particular the banishment of a King from his Throne is no sure argument that God disowneth him Indeed it may argue some present displeasure but not an implacable anger to be in God If God banish a Prince it is a likely signe that God intends to scourge him at present but t is no sure signe that God intends to cast him off I read of persons dear to God and yet for a while banisht too Get thee out of thy country Abraham the friend of God Gen. 12. 1. and yet commanded from his country Flee into Aegypt Christ Jesus the son of God and yet scarce sooner born then banisht Mat. 2. 13. David was not only a man but a King after Gods own heart and yet this David is forced to fly you 'll say why so surely when God turn'd David out of his Kingdome he did not turne him out of his favour too when David had lost the hearts of his Subiects he had not lost the heart of his God too O no there are other reasons why God is pleased sometimes to suffer his Davids the choicest of Kings and Princes to be banisht from their Courts and Kingdomes see why in 3 particulars 1. God doth this to correct them for sin This was David's case David had highly sinned upon that account David is thus severely punished David enters upon Vriahs bed there 's his sin well Absalom must enter upon David's throne there 's his punishment At David's command Vriah must lose his bloud at God's command David must lose his crown yet still God doth this in mercy he corrects indeed but doth not reiect David is banished but yet restored 2. God doth this to punish the sins of subiects Indeed 't is said I gave them a King in my wrath but surely God doth not Hos 13. 11. alway give but sometimes takes away Kings in his wrath Kings if evill are sore judgments Princes if good are signall mercies T is an argument of wrath when God is pleased either to sâ—nd the one or remove the othen T is as great a judgment to have a David banisht as to have a Saul sitting upon the throne 3. God doth this in mercy to his banisht ones the banishment of a Prince may look like a losse and yet may prove his signall advantage see why in 2 particulars 1. The banishment of a Prince doth sometimes tend to secure his person David is banisht into the wildernesse and why so alas there was no fafety for him at Ierusalem when David could not be safe among men God secures him even among beasts t is more then probable that David had lost his life had he not left his Throne And hath it not been thus with our David too Had not our Gracious Soveraigne been â—ut of England doubtlesse he had long since been our of the world had not he left his crown surely he had lost his head when God was pleased to banish his person he did then but secure his life the place of his exile was the place of his safety too God indeed commanded him into Egypt yea but he kept him there only till Herod was dead 2. The banishment of Princes makes them more fit to govern You 'l say it is good for men to be fit for their own employment things though good yet if not fit do scarce content us robes of scarlet if not rightly proportioned do rather trouble then adorne a straight shoe though made of Gold doth rather pinch the foot then
compleat not only man but Princâ— of sorrowes he must not lose his head till he once more view his crown that adorned it 3. T was an act of scandall to the Church of God amongst us That blow that struck off our Princes head did even strikâ—â—ut our religiâ—n's breath when our King lost his life our religion lost her Glory too The deposing assassinatiâ—n murder of Kings is a doctrine which we condemne but practise 't is a doctrine that Protestants father upon Rome but now have found in England The Primitive Christians never owned it Rogamus Auguste non pugnamus that is their language O Augustus we do not fight with swords but beg with teares and why so surely not for want of powâ—r but for want of will so Tertullian Vis nobis non deest vel numerorum vel nummorum we want neither money nor men we might rebell but out of conscience dare not Had our Gracious Soveraiâ—n been a reall Tyrant indeed yet he was a Protestant still we should have spared him if not upon his own yet upon Gods account for doubtlesse it had been more honourable to our Religion for us to have suffered under him then for him to suffer under us 4. 'T was an act that brought a further Guilt of Blâ—ud upon the Nation alas there had been too much bloud spilt on English ground already Subjects had lost their bloud the Kings might well have been spared wee had opened veines enough That Vâ—na Basilica might have been let alone surely the guilt of bloud is guilt in Graine 't is no easie thing to wash it off Deliver mee from bloudguiltinâ—sse O God saith David David was guilty of Adultâ—ry as Psal 51. 14. well as Murder yea but 't is this Murder this Bloud which hee had shed that dogs him and sticks upon his conscience well and whose bloud was it why the bloud of Vriah the bloud of a Subject now if the bloud of Vriah did so torment King David O how would the bloud of David have tormented some poor Vriah if commâ—n bloud be pretious how pretious is bloud Royall surely England can give but a sad account for the bloud of Martyrs in former ages for the bloud of Saints in latter times and how then shall we account for the bloud of the Lord 's Anointed but O that every eye that saw this horrid act could bleed that every eare that heareth it could tingle that every heart that doth but thinke of it could mourne before the Lord But 2. Be exhorted to give respect reverence and honour to our Soveraigne Lord the King and that upon a threefold account 1. Consider 't is that wee owe Him Suum cuique tribuere To give every man his owne is but common justice Render to Caesar Mar. 12. 17. the things that be Caesars You will say what are Caesars things Surely if the Apostle be a competent Judge Honour is one Render Honour to whom Honour is due well and whose due is it Rom. 13 7. Pet. 2. 17. Honour the King Honour is the Kings due and the Subjects debt We can make some conscience of other debts why then not of this Money wee pay where Money is due Rent wee pay where Rent is due why then should wee not pay Honour where Honour is due Sure I am if wee owe any debt in the world this is one 't is a debt which wee have promised to pay nay more wee have entred into bond to pay it tell mee are sacred Covenants bonds or no are sacred Oaths obligations or no if these things be obliging is not England bound to pay this debt of Honour Wee stood bound to pay this debt to our former Prince and doubtlesse what wee left unpaid to the Father wee are concerned in justice to pay to the Son and Heir if wee formerly missed our day and for want of payment forfeited our bonds we are now concerned to pay both Principall and interest 2. Consider our Soveraigne Lord the King is a fit object of Honour I mean not onely as a Prince but as a Saint not onely as a King but as a Christian not only as a Christian but as a Protestant 't is said of all hands and believed that a person he is of Choyce endowments that God who now hath made him Great wee trust long since hath made him Good God hath given him as a Crown so an Head fit to wear it as a Scepter so an Hand fit to manage it Heaven crownes His Head with Gold but his Heart with Grace His Honour His Life His Soule seems dear to God 't is little lesse then a miracle that in England I mean at Worcester God preserved His Life 't is little lesse then a miracle that in France and Spain God preserved his Religion you will say our Prince in England could not want for dangers who aimed at so much as Hee again our Prince in France and Spain could not want for temptations to Popery O no Hee had enough and strong ones too now may we not say in truth the preservation of his life in the midst of so great dangers argueth a strange providence of God about Him but the preservation of his Faith in the midst of such temptations argueth the speciall Grace of God within Him Tell mee doth Hee not seem settled in the Protestant religion that could not bee shaken either by the temptations of Papists abroad or the discouragements of Protestants at home Had our King turned Papist 't is probable that the Pope had brought him in through a Sâ—a of Bloud but through mercy our Prince continueth a Protestant still and as a reward of his Faith and Constancy God brings him in in peace Now can wee doubt our Princes Religion still Surely if the regaining of three Kingdomes could not remove him there is nothing else that can nay more if the strongest temptations could not shak his faith doubtlesse they have confirmed it if storms and tempests cannot blow dâ—wn nor break the tree they are wont to root it faster Consider our Prince as a King as a Christian as the great Confessour of the Prot stant Faith you will find him every way an Object fit for Honour 3. God himselfe seemeth in an high degree to advance our Gracious Princes Honour Surely where God honours there man must honour too it is our Soveraignâ—s present case that God who requires an honour for him in his Precepts doth now seem to cast much honour upon him in his Providence Do you aske mee how I answer 1. God hath now wonderfully wiped off that reproach which some unadvised persons had cast upon His Royall Name and Family It was said by some doubtlesse God disowned His Majâ—stie's Person Surely God had laid aside his Majâ—sties Family and why so Why his Armies were still beaten his designes prevented his Friends worsted and undone his cause overthrowne himselfe banished from Nation to Nation nay some observed that whâ—re â—re he went the judgments