these three Kingdoms SCOTLAND ENGLAND IRELAND in the wreathing whereof some of this Nation cannot justly plead innocency Wee may look upon this day as the beginning of a blessed Peace after a time of much innocent bloud as upon a day of a civill Resurrection after a long civill or rather incivill Death as a day long wished and prayed for by all the truly godly in the three Kingdoms who have not learned that fanatique and overturning PRINCIPLE to divorce between Religion and Loyalty which GOD hath so nearly and strictly united And therefore the Lord hath called the Land to Rejoycing and to songs of Praise Jubilation Division These words of the Text May be taken up in five poynts I. Wee have the Condition of the Jews before the time of their release and delivery came They were in BONDAGE When the Lord brought back the Captivity of Zion They were under the power and slavery of their Conquerours the Babylonians II. Wee have their Deliverance the loosing of their Captivity with their Reduction to their native Countrey Brought back the Captivity of Zion III. Wee have the Authour of their Delyverance it was not Themselves not their own wisdome nor Power nor Policie not the arme of Flesh but GOD GOD alone When the Lord c. IV. How the loosing of them from Captivity and their Reduction from Bondage did affect them at first they wer so surprised with it that they could not beleeve that it was a true reall Thing they looked on it as a Dream We were lyke them that dream V. The Effects which the sense of their Delyverie did work upon them after that the Amazement was a little allayed these were Rejoycing and Mirth Then was our mouth filled with laughter our tongue with singing The first Thing considerable in the words is the JEWS condition before the Lord visited them with this mighty and gracious Deliverance They were in bondage and slavery When the LORD brought back the captivity of ZION by ZION wee ar to understand the two Tribes or the KINGDOM of Judah comprehending both their Church State They were carried Captives from their own Land by Nebuchadnezar to Babylon The STORY wherof we have at length II. Chronicl 36. and in the tenth book of Josephus de BELLO IUDAICO as also in the Ps 137. there is a hint of it By the rivers of Babylon there wee sate downe yea we weept when wee remembred Zion Wee hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song they that wasted us required of us mirth saying Sing us one of the songs of Zion How shall wee sing the LORDS song in a strange land If I forget thee O IERVSALEM let my right hand forget her cunning If I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roofe of my mouth if I preferre not IERVSALEM above my chiefe joy vers 1.2.3.4.5.6 That even that people whom GOD loves and respects Observ 1 may be brought under sad bondage that in reference both to their Ecclesiastick and Civill ESTATE This was the lot of the LORDS own peculiar People the Iews were bondmen in Egypt they laboured there in brick and mortar they wer Captives in ASSYRIA Captives in BABYLON they ar now scattered up and down the World for their Blasphemy Infidelity and Crucifying the LORD of GLORY and for not accepting their MESSIAH to reigne over them And what hath our Condition been these severall by gone yeares Even a Dark gloomy black Day wherein wee had light neither of the Sun nor Moon nor Starres in our civill Relations I do not say That we ar a people beloved of God in such a signall way as the Iews wer They wer a Royall Priesthood but I may say That the Lord hath had a singular respect to Britaine beyond many Nations for many ages And yet because we were not thankfull to God for His rich signall Mercies for such a faire day of the Gospell for so long continued Plenty and Peace under such a just equall ancient and wel-ballanced GOVERNMENT as any Nation in Europe injoyed but like JESHURUN wee waxed fatt in our sins and like a wild untamed Colt did cast our Ryder took the reins upon our own lawles necks Therfore the LORD brought us under a base Slavery and Bondage by which our sins might visibly be read in our judgement The Lord did justly bring us under by a Factious rebellious Hypocriticall Treacherous and usurping Party who have trode on the necks of three Ancient KINGDOMS as upon the Myre in the streets and rendered us Captives in reference both to our State and Churches Interests As for our State IT was clearly and totally overturned and razed to the very foundations our ancient Iudicatories changed Strangers imposed on us for our Iudges men unacquainted with our Lawes and Customes our Parliaments with their power totally taken away OVR GRACIOVS and DEAREST KING of Sacred and Eternall Memory CHARLES the FIRST the PEARLE of earthly Kings most cruelly inhumanely and barbarcusly martyred and murdered by a faction of Godlesse Cruell Bloudy Perfidious and Hypocriticall TRAYTORS and yet under a pretence of Zeale for GOD and justice O unparalleled hellish Villany Traytors who plotted it Traytors who acted it traytors who rejoyced in it Traytors who allowed it for by that one fatall O fatall blow these Canniballs cutted the throats of three KINGDOMS left them bleeding they did put out the most GLORIOVS and SHYNING LIGHT that ever sway'd Scepter in Britaine But the Cruelty and bloudy Designe of that Murthering Faction was not satiaâ—ed with that Royall and innocent Bloud after that sweet SOVLE was posted into GLORY to receive the immarcessible Crowne whether no Traytor can reach a bloudy hand then they voted down MONARCHICALL GOVERNMENT by a faction having secluded and forced from the Parliament the godly honest and loyall Party thereof they proscribed and by an ungodly Act they disinherited our most GRACIOVS KING now reigning by the mercy and goodnesse of GOD over their bellies and laid aside that ROYALL FAMILY from having any right to the CROWNE and declared Him the Capitall Enemy of their new-moulded COMMON-WEALTH they did raze the HOVSE of LORDS that Ancient and wel-ordered Pillar of the STATE And when this Nation of SCOTLAND had brought home our Native and Righteous KING and set the CROWNE on His Head Did not that bloudy faction headed by that Cerberus Oliver Cromwell force Him from all His DOMINIONS to live as an Exile in forreign Nations Were not our Nobles and ancient Gentry despised and abused Were not these three KINGDOMS impoverish'd with heavy Assesses and sad impositions the bloud of the poore sucked out and all to maintayne the ambition and tyrannie of an usurping Faction Were not the Lives of the most godly and most faithfull Subjects of the three Nations made bitter unto them their hearts sadded by
being nick-named Malignants And were not the heads of unnaturall factious Incendiaries lifted up Thus was our State in perfect Captivity And as for our Church it also was in Captivity The just Power Priviledges and Authority of it was trode upon our Church Iudicatories threatned and not suffered to proceed in their own proper affaires our Assemblies yea the GENERALL ASSEMBLY raised by force and for want of our Native KING and lawfull Magistrats under Him to give life and vigour to Church-sanctions Was not the Authority and just sentences of the Church despised yea counteracted to by any who pleased by meanes whereof and of that vast and laxe Toleration the great engyne which made these men keep the sadle so long hath not Poperie increased in the Land have not all manner of Herisies schismes wild and abominable opinions abounded in Britain A whirle-winde of fancies delusions a swarme of Locusts Antiscripturists Antitrinitarians Arrians Sabellians Macedonians Photinians Pelagians Socinians Arminians Enthusiasts Beheminists Antinomians Levellers Seekers Quakers Ranters Fift Monarchy men a company of proud greedy Saints And beside all these sad and sinfull Captivities in reference to Church and State were not mens Consciences in Captivity Bondage being forced with Oaths yea with Contrary-oaths and Tenders contrary to former solemne Engagements contrary to Allegeance and Loyalty and was not this a perfect Bondage Observ 2 That it is no good Argument to prove that God hath rejected and fully casten off a People or Nation because in his just and wise Providence they are brought into sad Bondage and Captivity yee know how often God dealt so with these Jewes who yet for all that still remained his People The externall Passages of Providence are a very unsure Rule whereby to judge of Gods speciall Love Favour to a Nation As it is an evill Argument to prove that God carries no respect to a people but hath utterly rejected them and casten them off because their Enemies prevaile over them and they are brought under so it is as bad an Argument to prove that God carries a singular Respect and Favour to a people or alloweth their Vndertakings because they prosper and are victorious over others No man yea no Nation nor people knowes whether they be hated or loved of God by these externall passages of Providence All things fall alyke to all But I must confesse that this Turkish Argument built meerly upon externall Providence and Successe hath beene most sinfully factiously made vse of in these late Troubles and Revolutions How many false and unjust Conclusions have been drawn from the Lords most wise and providentiall Actings in Britaine of late as if God had allowed all these horrible Villanies these treacherous Attempts Conspiracies all the bloud-shed Murders Tyranny Vsurpations and oppressions which have been acted in the three KINGDOMS by a factious treacherous Party because they were like ANTIOCHUS who practised and prospered and so did these in their mischiefe but God will not take with their bastards although they laid them to the doore of his all wise and just Providence which stands cleare and orient when shame now is covering their faces The second Point in the Text is the JEWS Deliverance from their BONDAGE and CAPTIVITY When the LORD brought back the Captivity of Zion Which expression implyeth two things 1. The loosing of their Captivity or the taking away the yoke of BONDAGE from off their necks 2. Their Returning back to their own LAND in freedome and safety That although the Lord suffer Nations and Kingdoms to Observ 1 be under bondage and captivity for a long time yet Hee can put an end to their Captivity when he pleases and he doth so when his appointed time comes for all times and seasons are in his hands The JEWS were above 400 yeares Strangers and Bondmen in Egypt but the Lord redeemed them They were 70 years captive in Babylon but the Lord loosed their Captivity that Bondage came to an end and they returned safely to their own land thus hath the Lord in his unspeakable Mercy been pleased to deale with Britain Ireland the Lord hath reduced our Captivity And as in many things this Mercy is great and wonderfull so specially is it in this that the Lord hath been pleased to reduce our Bondage and Captivity so soone IT is a wonder of the Lords Goodnesse that he hath not wreathed the Yoke of our Bondage about our necks for many generations His own peculiar people were in bondage 70 yeares in a strange Land but God hath been pleased to shorten the years of our bondage and to break the teeth of the old and young lions so wee may say now as Nahum cap. 2. vers xj Where is the dwelling of the Lions and the feeding place of the young Lions Where the Lion even the old Lion walked and the Lions whelp and none made them affrayed vers 12. The Lion did teare in pieces enough for his whelps and strangled for his Lionesses and filled his holes with prey and his dens with ravine vers 13. Behold I am against thee sayeth the LORD of Hosts and I will burn her Chariots in the smoake and the sword shall devoure thy young Lions and I will cut off thy Prey from the earth and the voyce of thy Messengers shall no more bee hard Where now is the dwelling of these men who of late did teare these Nations in pieces and devoured them like a Prey Are they not gone going to their own place Observ 2 That as the Lord can restore a banished captive People when he pleases so he can restore an exiled afflicted KING after long and many sad Sufferings I know not who can sufficiently enumerat our GRACIOVS KINGS Sufferings Hath he not been a Sufferer since his Child-hood What did he suffer before his DEAREST FATHER'S unparalleled Murther Consider how his tender SOVLE was affected when these sad Newes câ—me to his eares of that dismall blow given to his most ILLVSTRIOVS and LOVING FATHER by some incarnat Devils whereof one or two were Masked-Devils What hath he suffered since What a miraculous Escape did the Lord make for him at Worcester fight when an Hollow Oake was his ROYALL PALACE What hazards hath he been exposed to by sea and Land What temptations did hee meete with abroad What Leagues and Confederacies have been drawn up against him and his just interests by forreigne Princes States How unkindly used by these who should have been friends How deserted and forsaken How tossed with so many billowes of Adversities Was he not of late looked upon but as a broken vessell in whom the Enemies thought there was no pleasure and but as water spilt upon the ground And yet GOD in his wise just and gracious Providence hath been pleased to reduce him to his ancient KINGDOMS safe in Body and sound in the Faith and hath made his GLORY and HONOVR more resplendent and orient lyke a bright Sun after a dark
tempestuous Night Surely this is a matter of exceeding great Praise to GOD and of wonderfull Rejoycing to all the truely Godly and Loyall in the three KINGDOMS But as for Mal-contents let them gnaw their Tongues for sorrow feed on their own Bowels lyke young Vipers The third point in the Text is the JEWS Deliverer Who brought back their captivity IT was not Themselves it was not their own Wisdom Policy nor Strength nor Power but the LORD JEHOVAH When the Lord The LORD had a very immediate and visible hand in their deliverance as may be read at length in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah And may not SCOTLAND ENGLAND and IRELAND say That the LORD JEHOVAH hath brought back our Captivity Hath not the LORD made His Arme bare and His steps manifest and His Hand visible in our DELIVERANCE Who is so blinde but sees the very FINGER of GOD and a wonderfull PROVIDENCE in this Worke to be delivered at such a nick of time when few or none were expecting any deliverance but all things looking worse and worse when that Fanatique Party had forced that pretended Parliament of ENGLAND and had brought all to a meere Anarchy and intended to rule not by the SPIRIT but by the sword and that none should have RVLE or POWER but these Fift Monarchy men Quakers such like deluded giddy spirits Yet at that very point of time GOD divided the Army and did spirit animat the honest and Loyall Party of it under the Command of that Noble and Valorous GENERALL MONCK to stand up for lawfull Authority and to call for a free and well-constituted PARLIAMENT which could not be in ENGLAND without a KING and house of LORDS And although there were many Plottings and Contrivings Stirrings and Risings to hinder the electing and sitting of a free PARLIAMENT and many illegall Qualifications intended to be put upon Elections and persons elected yet then did the LORD aryse and befoole these Firebrands of Sedition and Confusion and took them in their own Snares when as they had not so much confidence as to draw a Sword in their own defence Guiltines within often makes feeble hands and did not the LORD send the Ring-leaders of that Fanatique party prisoners to LONDON the very day before that the PARLIAMENT sat down a very Presage from HEAVEN of better dayes and was it not GOD who did put it so unanimously into the hearts of both houses of PARLIAMENT of the ARMY and body of the people of the three KINGDOMES of all Ranks to erect MONARCHIE the only Ancient and Lawfull government of these NATIONS and to send for the KING and to bring him home with great HONOUR and STATE with the universall acclamations of his People Yea and all that so great a Worke to be brought to passe without one drop of bloud Who ever dreamed of such a peaceable sweet and unanimous REDUCTION of our native KING and is not this the very immediat hand of GOD Yes indeed it is The LORD hath brought back our captivity and to his NAME be the Glory of that MERCY The Fourth Point is in these words Then wee were lyke them that dreame Now in this Expression take notice of two Things 1. That these who ar under Captivity Bondage are lyke to men in a Dream 2. When these who have been in Bondage Captivity are delivered they ar not at first sufficiently awakened out of their Dream that is they cannot get their Deliverance fully beleeved These who are under Bondage and Captivity are lyke these in a Dream or Captivity is a Dream or it is as a dreaming Time and that in these Considerations These that Dreame dreame in the Night the night is a time of Dreaming even so is Captivity a dreaming Time it is a Night a civill Night it is a time of Darknesse Clouds upon a Land And what have these late yeares of our Bondage been but a Night a night of Confusion of Usurpation of Tyranny a night of Blacknesse of Darknesse upon the three NATIONS a night which did overcloud all these Ancient lights which sometimes shined cleare in Britaine and Ireland a black night which overshaddowed KING PARLIAMENT STATE CHURCH NOBILITY GENTRY BURROUGHES MINISTRY and body of the People Captivity Bondage is like a dreame in this respect These that dreame are sleeping so a Land under Captivity and Bondage is sleeping ordinarly it is so I meane not sleeping in respect of externall peace and rest ease and plenty but they are sleeping in a sense Morall and Spirituall thus did the IEWS I beleeve dreame in their Captivity they were sleeping in sin and security under the LORDS Wrath and Anger and in this sense our bondage was like a dream for although GOD hath been persuing these Lands these severall years bygone for many abominations and particularly for the cry of bloud and above all for that Royall and innocent Bloud of our Late SOVERAIGN yet we have sleeped on in our sinnes and security Wee have keeped fast deceit and have hid our sins like Adam wee have been as one that sleepes on the top-mast These that sleepe have their senses bound up Their Eyes are shute they see not their Eares are shut they heare not so it fareth ordinatly with a People that are in Bondage and Captivity a people lying under sin and wrath Their Eyes are shut their Vnderstanding and mindes are darkned they do not take to heart their own sinfull and slavish Condition they do not see nor consider these things which may conduce for their reliefe and deliverance This was the Iewish people their Condition under the Romanes as yee may reade Matth. 22. O if thou hadst knowen in this thy day these things which belong to thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes How so They were sleeping and dreaming in their sins I am sure that was our Condition during our late Captivity and bondage our eyes were shute wee were dreaming we did neither see nor consider rightly how to win out of our Thraldome and slavery Wisdome Counsell Resolution Courage all our politique Senses for the most part at least were gone We were become lyke EPHRAIM A silly doue without an heart Captivity and Bondage is lyke a Dreame because as they who dreame know not when they shall awake So a land in Captivity knowes not when their Captivity shall be loosed and the Yoke broken In this consideration also Britain and Ireland were dreaming Captivity is lyke a Dreame because as they who dreame know not that they are Dreaming till they awake so a people under Slavery are oftentimes so stupified benummed and do sit down lyke Issachar under the burden that for the time scarce are they sensible of their Condition they do not take to heart that they are in Bondage like Galley-slaves who can be merry under their Guardians lash but when a Captive people are restored to their wounted freedome and Liberty and Lawes and King
it is Marvelous in Our eyes Let all the GLORY of it be His. The Last words are Then was Our mouth filled with laughter c. in these words wee have the Effects which the JEWS Deliverance wrought on their Spirits it made them to rejoyce exceedingly Observ That it is not onely lawfull but it is also the duty of a People or Nation whom the LORD hath brought out of Thraldome and Bondage and restored them to their Ancient and fundamentall GOVERNMENT and Lawes and Liberties and brought home their long wished for Native KING to manifest the sense of their Deliverance not only in their hearts to GOD but by outward signs and publique solemnities of rejoycing before men When DAVID brought up the ARK from Kiriath Jearim II. Sam. 6. Hee did it with great state and solemnity and with great outward publick expressions of joy DAVID and all the house of Israel played before the Ark on all manner of instruments on harps cornets cymbals psalteries and timbrels And in the 16 vers of that same Chapter DAVID daunced before the Arke and none censured him for so doing but a vayne precise hypocriticall scold Michal II. Kings 11. When Jehoash was crownd it was done with great Solemnity and State So also was SOLOMONS Coronation and such was DAVIDS returne from beyond Jordan and from the land of the Hermonits All these signall Mercies were acknowledged by publick Expressions and solemnities of Rejoycings This hath been the Custome of all Nations Ages and Generations upon such eminent occasions and wonderfull revolutions of Mercies And who can forbid such Solemne publick Expressions of Joy But let it be much locked to that there be no Excesse nor Ryot and no Offence be given to GOD in our publique Rejoycings If I had said two things I have done If I may compare Spirituall things with Temporalls as I trust there is no sin in it and the rather because that Christian KINGS are CHRIST'S Vice-gerents on Earth I offer to you a passage of Scripture from Zech. 9.9 J Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem behold thy KING cometh unto thee Hee is just meeke This is indeed a Prophesie anent CHRIST the MESSIAS as it is applyed Math. 21 Yet I beleeve it to be no offence to make some Allusion to it And therefore I say Rejoyce greatly O thou BRITAIN shout for joy for thy KING cometh to thee A KING cometh not a Protector not a Rump-parliament not a Fanatique Counsell of State not a Tyrant but a KING THY KING not the King of France nor of Spaine not the Turke not a Stranger King but THY KING THY OWN KING THY NATIVE KING THY KING by a CIX lineall Descents from Royall Blood THY KING by Birth THY KING by Education THY KING by Profession THY PROTESTANT KING THY KING cometh to Thee not Against Thee THE KING cometh to us not Against us with forraigne Forces which might justly have been feared venit non irruit HEE comes Softly not Jehu-lyke marching Furiously HEE cometh Smoothly Calmly lyke the Waters of Siloah not Rashly but Deliberatly by the unanimous Call of HIS PARLIAMENT ARMY NAVY NOBILITY GENTRY city of LONDON and all the NOBILITY of the THREE NATIONS by the Ministry and Body of the people HEE comes not to Oppresse nor to Tyrannise over His Subjects but HEE comes JVST to restore JVSTICE which was fallen in Our Streets and where Equity durst not enter and wher Mischiefe was established by a Law HEE comes IVST to erect our Ancient Iudicatories Lawes Iust Iudges to lift up His afflicted and faithfull Subjects Heads which were trode under by a faction of Rebells Usurpers to bring Oppressors Tyrants and Bloudy men low HEE comes MEEK Iust Meek This His Meeknesse is abundantly manifested in His MAIESTY'S gracious Letters Declarations Proclamations and Emissions to HIS PARLIAMENT ARMY NAVY City of LONDON to the Houses of LORDS and COMMONS and to the whole NOBILITY GENTRY MINISTRY BURROUGHS people of these LANDS I trust that GOD hath so taught His MAIESTY and so principled HIM for ROYALL GOVERNMENT that HE can mixe Iustice with Meeknesse Meeknesse with Iustice and hath given to HIM a spirit of Wisdome to discern between the clamorous pretending Whoore and the true Mother of the Chyld Now before I close let mee offer to you some things by way of advice Let GOD have the Praise of this great WORK of this wonderfull and gracious Revolution for the WORK is His There hath not a Revolution fallen out in our time not in many generations before wherein the LORDS Power Mercy Wisdome and Goodnesse hath been more conspicuously eminently seen then in this our KINGS Restauration Hath not the Wisdome of GOD in a sudden befooled all these Bloudy-minded Treacherous Perfidious Disloyall Achitophels and Macchiavells in the three KINGDOMS And therefore let the Praise and Glory of this WORK bee to the Holy Name of the LORD our GOD Who is Excellent in working Wonderfull in Counsell doing Wonders Next under GOD Let that Noble Wise and Religious PARLIAMENT of ENGLAND That Noble Wise and Valorous GENERALL MONK now Duke of Albemarlie Knight of the most Noble order of the Gartar c. Let the honest and loyall Party of the Army who adhered to Him Let the Navy and all these in the three KINGDOMS both of the NOBILITY GENTRY BARONS MINISTERS BURROUGHS all who had an hand in this great WORK which some have been studying like Foxes in their den's and Conyes in their holes to underminde I say Let all these who have been instrumentall to carry on this great WORK and REVOLUTION have their own deserved Estimation and Praise and let them be looked on with Love Respect Honour as Lovers of Religion of their Native KING and their Countreyes Honour Freedome and Happinesse as polished shafts in the LORDS right Hand I beseech you let the KING have the benefit of your Prayers that is one of the best Offices that yee can do to HIM Pray for HIM often not for a Forme but in good Earnest and from a pious Loyall Affection hold up HIS Condition to GOD when ye remember your own Pray the LORD to establish HIS THRONE in Righteousnes to make the CROWNE to flowrish on HIS HEAD the HEADS of HIS POSTERITY while Sun and Moon indure Pray that no Treason nor Traytor at any tyme may reach the CROWNE that GOD would blesse His MAIESTY with a wise Godly faithfull and Loyall Counsell with an holy obedient and peaceable Clergy with a submissive contented Loyall People that HEE may be a Bulwarke for Truth Godlinesse Religion Iustice and Equity that HEE may be a Nursing Father to the Church an Advancer of the Protestant Religion and that HEE may Scatter the wicked of the land with his eyes and that HEE may be a Diademe in the hand of the LORD of HOSTS and a Paterne for all the Kings of the world to imitate For there was