engage any to a perseverance in guilt for the future by opposing the happiness and quiet of their Country in the restauration of King Peers and People to their just ancient and fundamental right He granted free and generall Pardon to all of what quality condition or degree whatsoever that within forty dayes after publication thereof should take hold of that his grace and favour except such as the Parliament should except Such who having washed their hands in the Sacred blood of his Royal Father were not capable of Pardon Nor could those Nobles and worthy Patriots finde out a readyer vvay to expiate that horrid Crime and avert those heavy judgements which then threatned the Nation than by an exemplarly execution of those unparalell'd Regicides These Letters and Declaration sent to both Houses being publiquely read produced the like effect vvhich that message of King David's did on the Tribe of Iudah they bowed they inclined the hearts of the People unto the King and were indeed the first appearance of our long expected happiness and the very foundation of all this our ensueing peace For upon the reading of these Letters Declaration both Houses of Parliament the great representative of the Kingdome passed this Vote or to this effect as near as I can remember that his Majesty CHARLES the Second immediately upon the death of his Royall Father of blessed memory as true and lawfull Heir was the undoubted King of these Kingdomes See how God who turnes the heart can change the condition 'T is not many yeares since vvhen each new Parliament produced a new Vote against the King their chief work being by all the Lawes they could contrive to disable him from claiming and frighten the people from promoteing him unto the Crown to this purpose the Usurper begot Parliaments and upon them Ordinances with which they quickned so fast sometimes to a superfetation that a second was hastily begotten before the first was born But novv they freely and vvithout danger Vote and publiquely ovvn him their lavvfull and undoubted King whom even novv had been Treason but to have named vvith honour The day wherein these gracious Letters and Declaration were read in Parliament vvas the first of this Moneth of May in the year 1660. And truly this Moneth ought to be unto us as Abib unto the Israelites Exod. 12. the beginning of Moneths Their deliverance from Egypt's bondage being not more signall than this of our's from the bondage of those cruell bloody and usurping Tyrants Persons of whom I may most truly say as Gregory Nazianzen said of Iulian the Apostate they had the defection of Ieroboam the cruelty of Ahab the hardness of Pharaoh and the sacriledge of Nebuchadnezzar Oratâ—… adv Julian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay a complication of all impieties in one The first day then of this Moneth was the birthday of our happiness and each succeeding day was the happy Parent of new joyes Dies diei eructat verbum Psal 19.2 Day unto day uttered speech and night unto night shewed knowledge For not long after this publique owning of the King the Houses sent Commissioners to invite him home being much more impatient of his stay than others had been formerly fearfull of his arrivall they sent and they sent again this word unto the King return thou c. And here again you may behold a change indeed Not many yeares since you might have seen your King forced to disguise himself in the poor habit of a mean Servant to escape the fury and rage of his bloody and rebellious Subjects and in that disguise to seek relief and shelter in forreign Countries where their kindeness was seldom longer lived than their advantage and when he was not aptly serviceable to their ends they vvere no more charitable to his vvants They who were his own allyes bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh unkindely deserted him and to comply with the Vsurper denyed him the benefit of their ayr to breath in so that like Noah's Dove Isai 61.3 he scarce found rest for the sole of his foot Yet in the Crovvd of all these temptations nothing could stagger his faith or make him svverve from the true Protestant Religion and therefore God hath now given him beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness Yea * Psal 21.2 God hath given him his hearts desire and hath not denyed him the request of his lips and * Psal 21.7 why because the King trusted in the Lord and through the mercy of the most highest he did not miscarry but upon the 25. or 26. day of this Moneth his Majestie landed at Dover and the 29. this day which vve novv celebrate he made his entrance into his renovvned City of London to the unexpressible joy and satisfaction of all his good People And surely never vvas there a people so overwhelmed with joy neither ever vvas there a people more expressive of their joy and loyall affections conducting his Majestie into that his Royall City in far greater splendour and triumph than any one of his most victorious Predecessours Kings of England return'd from their greatest Conquests So that they that bragg'd of their signal Conquests might have here beheld a Conquest indeed a victory Royal one like that of David's fit for a King so many thousand hearts taken captive in one day Exod. 7.12 This victory like Aaron's * rod has swallowed up all their victories and like Pharaoh's Magicians they must novv confess digitus Dei est hic * Exod. 8.19 this is the finger of God And truly I esteem it the greatest temporall happiness I ever yet enjoyed that I vvas an eye-witness of that joy though sometimes I could not vvell distinguish whether the teares trickled faster from the eyes or the acclamations ecchoed lowder from the mouthes of the People Num. 23.21 The Lord their God was with them and the shout of a King was among them All former Crucifige's vvere now turned into the loudest Hosanna's and though teares trickled down yet were they not lachrymae doloris but lachrymae amoris not teares of sorrow but teares of love so that I could not but take up that observation which the Jevves did of Jesus when he vvept over Lazarus Ecce quomodo amabant eum Iohn 11.36 behold how they loved him Sure I am the spirit of God moved upon these waters This day then of us never to be forgotten his Majesty enter'd upon the actuall possession of his Royall Crown and dignity this day he * 2 Sam. 19.30 came again in peace unto his own house and and vvith him as vvith David all his Servants many worthy Gentlemen and Nobles Duke of ORMOND and among them one vvho having some yeares under his Majesty governed this Kingdome lost his estate and often hazarded his life for the preservation of those whose falleness to say no vvorse made him an exile and
themselves but justly slaves to an usurping povver Persons vvho could signe Letters of renevving obedience to day when as by excommunications denounced against him all that should adhere to him they had councermanded it the day before as if they intended to antedate their own apostacy and let the vvorld see vvhich is strange that their relapse was more ancient than their repentance of these things my eyes have been but too sad vvitnesses As for those that have constantly adhered to his Majesty and his interest as they have allready tasted of his Princely bounty and clemency so I hope they shall of your just care Consumetur nequitia peccatorum let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end but establish the just Psal 7.9 I remember it vvas the saying of that Noble person upon a publick occasion to vvhich some here I believe can bear vviâ—ness vvith me that it was more honourable to suffer with the best of Princes than to live gloriously with the worst of men He verified this in his practice and constant adherence to his Master and that vvithout any sinister or by-ends but meerly conscience to God and duty to his Prince And I bless God he is novv return'd again return'd an example of Loyalty and constancy to posterity And I hope I may speak as vvithout suspicion of flattery so likevvise of offence this vvhole Nation may bless God too I am sure this Church may I am sure it does and as vve all bless God for and joy in his Majesties return so is our praise heightned and our joyes enlarged by his return vvith such Servants return thou and all thy Servants There remains one thing more and that is a pious cordial and thankfull remembrance of the most signal mercies of this day A day not to be passed over in silence but a day to be celebrated with the greatest expressions of gratitude and joy we can imagine Herodotus tells us Herodotus Lib. 9. that the Persian Kings had allwayes a standing officer with a memento for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And indeed our own gratitude should be that standing officer to put us frequently in minde of the great matters of this day for the more ready performance whereof let me exhort every one of you in those words of the Lord unto the Prophet Ezek. 24.2 Son of man write thee the name of the day even of this same day Our Sovereign Lord King CHARLES the Second after twelve yeares expulsion from his Kingdomes returned to the possession of his Crown and Royall dignity this same day A day fit to be written not onely with a pen of Iron or point of a Diamond but with a Quill borrowed from the wing of some glorious Cherubim God himself has writ it with a beam of the Sun in such glorious and resplendent mercies that he that runs may read it Oh let us write it too write it upon our hearts in the indeleble Characters of pious and religious thankfullness The Children that are yet unborn and the generations which are yet to come shall bless God for this day this day which was the restauration of our King of our Church of our Religion of our Laws of our Liberties of all that we can call venerable good honourable or sacred This day has in it a double festivall 't is the day of his Majesties most happy Birth and Nativity and 't is the day of his Majesties most happy restauration very well expressed by the Act of Parliament for the perpetual Anniversary Thanksgiving on the 19. of May the most memorable Birth-day not onely of his Majesty both as a Man and Prince but also as an actual King and of this and other his Majesties Kingdomes I may say then with David Psal 116.12 this is the day which the Lord hath made Assuredly it was his doeing and it is marvellous in all men's eves Let every one then in a grateful acknowledgement of the blessings and mercies of this day say with David quid retribuam Domino what shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me Let us take the cup of Salvation and call upon the name of the Lord let us pay our vovves unto the Lord novv in the presence of all his people and let us all humbly implore the riches of God's mercy vvho is the fountain of all our joyes that he vvould graciously continue the joyes of this day unto us that neither vvenor our Posterity may ever behold the like sad confusions To this end let us pray that God would continue his Majesty upon his Throne the Church in her possessions Religion in it's purity the People in obedience and these three Kingdomes in a firme and durable peace For the better effecting of all this let us pray pray not from the lip onely but from the heart and spirit Vivat Rex let the King live let him live long let him live happy and lastly that the Soul of our Lord the King may be bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord his God let us pray fervently pray ardently pray constantly yea pray as David danced before the * 1. Sam. 6.14 Arke even with all our might Domine salvum fac Regem GOD SAVE THE KING Amen FINIS
A SERMON Preached at Christ-Church DUBLIN Before both Houses of PARLIAMENT May the 29 th 1661. Being the Anniversary of his Majesty King CHARLES the Second his most memorable and happy Restauration By the right Reverend Father in God John Lord Bishop of ELPNIN DVBLIN Printed by William Bladen Anno Domini 1661. Thursday May 30. 1661 By the House of Lords ORdered that the Bishop of Elphin shall have the thanks of this House for his Sermon yesterday and that the Speaker doe give him the thanks of this House and that the Bishop of Elphin be desired to Print his Sermon Copia vera John Keating Deput Cler. Parl. 30. May 1661. By the House of Commons ORdered that Cap. Trevor Lloyd and Cap. Henry Nicholls doe from this House return thanks unto the right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of Elphin for his Sermon Preached at Christ-Church the 29. instant being the day of his Majesties birth and return unto his Kingdome of England and to desire his Lordship that the same may be Printed and Published Copia vera Exam. pâ—r Philip Fernely Cler. Parl. Errat Pag. 28. l. 14. pro operation l. apparition 2. Sam. CHAP. 19. v. 14. And he bowed the heart of all the men of Iudah even as the heart of one man so that they sent this word unto the King Return thou and all thy servants THe People of Israel even in the infancy of their Monarchy and before the Tribes had unhappily stoop't to a divided Scepter had yet the hard fate like these later Kingdoms to be withdrawn from their due obedience to their natural Prince into a most horrid and unnatural Rebellion and under the splendid notion of Reformation to serve the basest ends of lust and ambition Absolom whose aspiring thoughts had swel'd his hopes to the expectation of a Kingdom begins to quarrel Davids justice and flatteringly bemoanes the people in the want of the executive part of it that although their matters were never so importunate of justice yet there was none deputed by the King to hear them 2. Sam. 15.3 The way to mount himself upon the svveling wave of popular affection he thought was not directly and at first to tax the King of want of justice in himself but his Ministers the want of able Ministers to distribute that justice which the King could not but necessarily bestow of which haveing once possessed the people they think none fitter to remedy the evil then he that first found out the malady and therefore are ready to joyn with Absolom in his ambitious option O that He were made judge in the Land that every man that hath any Suit or Cause might come unto him and he would do him justice 2. Sam. 15.4 'Tas been the sly practice of aspiring spirits secretly to bespatter his integrity whose office they cover and to wound the Prince through the sides of his Ministers and 't is the jealous madness of the people many times to believe that justice vvill be done rather by any than by him vvhom God has next unto himself principally intrusted vvith the distribution of it David indeed vvas a Prince vvho had so large an interest in the affections of his people that had Absolom struck point blanck either at the office actions or person of the King the people vvould have been startled as having their eares unaccustomed to any obloquies against the Lords Anointed he finds fault therefore first vvith vvant onely of persons deputed to hear them and vvhen once their eares are bored open though but to collatteral aspersions they vvill at length be made tame and obedient to more virulent invectives Absolom having thus planted a jealousie in the people of the vvant of Ministers under the King to execute justice doth at length falling from his first pretences though not first aim labour to six them in this persvvasion that the King himself vvas no friend unto justice and so consequently unfit to rule them To such a prodigious height of vvickedness do the small beginings of Rebellious evils grovv The people could not vvant justice as long as they had Darvid to judge them * Sal. de Guber Dei Lib. 7. qui regit hocipso quod regit judicat says Salvian he that reigneth even in that he reigneth judgeth and indeed vvhile David reigued in Hierusalem vve hear of no clamours of the people ecchoed forth for vvant of justice till Absoloms flattery avvakens their jealousies and then like peccant persons pursued onely by their own guilt they startle at each shadovv and false appearance But as soon as David is driven from Hierusalem the Metropolis of the Kingdom and dispovverd as to the execution of his Regal authority there they soon find the vvant of that justice vvhich before vvas but absent in a dream The actions and concerns of Princes should be tenderly dealt vvith and 't is dangerous to afford an open ear to any lessenings either of their Persons Actions or Office for by such vvayes disloyalty insensibly steals into the heart which does but too frequently break forth into open Rebellion in the hand For those vvhich at the first follovved Absolom vvent out in their simplicity saith the text 2. Sam. 15.11 simplicicorde vvith a simple heart they vvere men of a good meaning little dreaming then of ingaging against the person and life of their King they marched forth at most as 't is probable but as intentional Petitioners for a publick distributive justice I but vvhen once the svvord is unsheathed and that the people have in a personal though perhaps not cordial compliance bidden open defyance to that sacred power which they should have religiously obeyed they will rather by iterated acts of Rebellion seem to justify their first defection than by a timely repentance acknowledge their guilt so procreative is sin of sin that to justily the first they necessarily involve themselves in more Absolom having thus by slie insinuations and specious pretences stolen the hearts of the People and under the covert of Religion 2. Sam. 15.7.8 the pious payment of a vovv in Hebron gained an opportunity to assemble his confederates as the fovvlest actions are many times mask'd vvith the fairest pretences and 'tas been the hard fate of Religion to be but too common a cloak for Rebellion he then begins to take off the vizzard and plainly discover that 't is not so much David's vvant of Justice as Absolom's vvant of the Kingship is the religious cause novv to be contended for and therefore Achitophel vvho vvas his Mouth as vvell as Oracle delivers Absolom's old sense but in a nevv and plainer dialect I will smite the King onely and bring back all the people unto thee 2. Sam. 17.2.3 Had the ground of the quarrell been onely vvant of Justice in Darvid's Ministers as vvas pretended the designe me thinks should not have been laid so close to the person of the King But this vvas but pretended the other it seems vvas originally intended by the
message both for King and People by his return both were freed from those dangers and hardships which were and allwayes are the most certain attendants of warr And indeed his long absence made his return more wellcom both to himself and his Subjects it made his Crown sit less weighty on his own head and his Government less burdensome on the shoulders of his People Some are taught to prize blessings best in the want oft hem Would you understand the sweets of a soft bed and gentle repose Prov. 7.16.17 of a morsell of bread and a draught of wine ask not the effeminate person or rich glutton such as deck their beds with coverings of tapestry with perfumes of Myrrhe Aloes and Cinamon which * Amos 6.4 stretch themselves upon their Couches and eat the Lambs out of the Flock and Calves out of the midst of the stall that * Luke 16.9 fare sumptuously every day but ask the labouring man and weary travailer the hungry and the thirsty soul and they 'l tell you for our joyes are often heightned by our sorrows and we had not been many times so happy had we not been so miserable The very afflictions of this life make Heaven it self more Heavenly and in this sense too 2. Cor. 4.17 work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory God is therefore pleased many times to let us taste the sweetness of one condition in the bitterness of an other and to change either vvhen he thinks fit for he who can turn the heart can at his pleasure likewise alter the condition Look upon King David but four Chapters before this of my Text and you shall see him fleeing from Hierusalem for fear of the Conspirators 2. Sam. 15.14.30 weeping as he goes up the ascent of Mount Olivet bare foot and his head uncover'd At Bahurim Shimei curses 2. Sam. 16.5.6 and casts stones at him and the heart of the men of Israel are generally after the Usurper as you may read 2. Sam. 15.13 Look upon him again in this and the preceding Chapter and you shall see his enemies defeated the pursuers pursued the Usurper hang'd Shimei begging pardon and the hearts of the people after their King inviteing him to that place and exercise of that authority from both which they had so lately driven him They sent this word unto the King return thou and as they manifested their Loyalty in this to the Ring so their kindness in the next to their fellow-Subjects And all thy Servants return thou and all thy Servants Which is the last thing in the Text of which very briefly And truly this kindness is well measured out by the line of Justice that they that shar'd with him in the sorrows of his exile should likewise taste of the sweets of his return This was according to S. Paul's pattern for better things a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aconglorification for a copassion if we suffer with him that we may be glorifyed together Rom. 8.17 And the same Apostle tells the Philippians Chap. 1.29 Vnto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not onely to believe but allso to suffer for his sake And surely to believe in Christ is not onely an honour but allso an advantage but to suffer for Christ is a transcendent mark of favour And truly next to our sufferings for Christ and for Religion no suffering can be more honourable than for Subjects to suffer for and with their King Heaven it self looks upon such with an auspicious eye an eye of favour and regard What wounds they receive in such a cause are not brands but marks of honour a lim thus lost is not a want but an addition and to be look'd upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl in Gal. 6.17 as Theophylact in an other case as some Trophe or Regal Ensigne Well then may they be invited to return with the King who had thus hazarded their lives and left all to follow the King who had made good in their practice what that Gittite profess'd unto David 2. Sam. 15.21 In what place my Lord the King shall be whether in death or life even there also will thy servant be who had a love to his Person as well as a duty to his Office 't is fit that these all these should return return thou and all thy Servants And 't is much you 'l say that they did not except some some as evil Counsellours or unjust in the late management of their respective offices that so they might have put a better colour upon the face of their Rebellion No they are more ingenious in their repentance than so they doe not by any meanes labour to extenuate their sin or to make loyalty a crime in others when Rebellion is pardoned in themselves but without any exceptions return all return thou and all thy Servants And thus I have done with my Text I shall begge your patience for a word or two of application and so dismiss you Origen being to preach on that of the Psalmist's unto the wicked saith God what hast thou to doe to declare my Statutes Psal 50.16 wept over his Text instead of preaching and truly I may well weep over this Text instead of applying for that 's many times a passionate expression of joy as well as of sorrow and we may justly call up the most signal expressions to evidence the greatness of our joyes since this day my Lord the King came again in peace unto his own house I shall not lead your attention into the paralell and application as I did into the story of the Text through the many contrivances and managements of the Rebellion and shevv you hovv our Sovereign became an exile from these Kingdomes as David from Hierusalem this were to rake in the dunghill or to open Pandoras's box and so infection might flie abroad His sacred Majesty hath graciously buryed all these in the Act of Pardon and Oblivion and I shall not presume to unseal the Sepulchre but shall begin my application of the storie with the Text. His Majesty having early notice of the summoning of a Parliament to convene in VVestminster Aprill 25. 1660. and that the Lords were to be owned in that jurisdiction and authority which did alwayes belong unto them by birth-right and the fundamentall Lawes of the Land he sent two letters by a person of honour and integrity together with a generall Declaration to all his Subjects of what degree or quality soever to be first seasonably communicated to both Houses and afterwards to the whole Kingdom in which Letters and Declaration you may see such meekness such mercy and forgiveness as might easily convince the world that he had a spirit suitable to that of David's he svveetly mindes them of his own and the Kingdomes sufferings and then call's for their duty and assistance In his Declaration least fear of punishment to use his Majesties own words might