People You have strengthned our hands here and the hands of others elsewhere who had been engaged in this cause with you you have in your forward and prudent zeal stirred up Emulation I will not say envy in others to the quickning and hasting this work to that perfection in which we see it at this day And from you and by your appointment have we the day it self and therein this present opportunity for blessing the Lord and rejoycing before him in the great things by him thus done for his People Where therefore hereafter mention shall be made of this general convention of Ireland let this also be remembred concerning you to your lasting praise in after Generations And let all of us together as we have common cause joyn in one in the praises of the Lord from whom alone is all this good this day derived to us it is a day which the Lord himself hath made for us let us Rejoyce and be glad in it 3. But more especially and above all this day of the Lord Jesus our Lord and our King the day of his Glory is withall joy to be of his people remembred for evermore The glory of Jesus Christ is the foundation of all our comforts in his humble condition and sufferings he merited Redemption and happinesse for us he purchased it for us in his blood but the Application of all and our reall possession of that our happinesse is from him exalted he is in his Kingly office the Saviour as in his Priesthood and from him as our King and not otherwise have we what as a Priest he had prepared for us The God of our Fathers said the Apostles raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of Sins Acts 5. 30 31. The first coming in of a Prince into his power is with grace and an act of oblivion So in Christ our Prince thus exalted is now generall pardon held out and given and from him as so is repentance of forgivnesse of Sins to be expected In this is the foundation as was said of our joy and rejoycing for ever We declare unto you saith the Apostle Glad tidings how that the promise which was made unto the Fathers God hath fulfilled the same unto us their Children in that he hath raised up Jesus again Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgivness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses Acts 13. 32. 33. 38. Thus of Christs day and of our duty of praise in it And thus of the second part of our work in this day that duty of praise expected from us 3. The last is prayer prayer as praise is part of the work of this day Thanksgiving makes way for Petition and prayer Improveth praise as here Save now I beseech thee O Lord O Lord I beseech thee send now prosperity Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord v. 25 26. Where we find 1. The Kings prayer for the People as Solomon prayed for the People 1 Kings 8. 12. c. So doth David here Save now I beseech thee O Lord O Lord I beseech thee send now prosperity Kings ought to pray for their People 2. Here also ye People pray for the King and bless him in the name of the Lord Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord v. 26. It is our duty to pray for the King I exhort saith the Apostle That first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. It is you see an Exhortation earnestly pressed and that first of all and as good and acceptable in the sight of God and what he expects from us in dnty and what will be well pleasing him and what he will return to us to our good he thereby giving us to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty I am perswaded that the contrary the not praying for the King but against him and the not blessing him but cursing rather hath been in a great measure the ground of our unquiet and troublesome dayes hitherto wherein also hath been so little of Godlinesse although nothing more pretended and so little even of very common honesty amongst professors as in these our dayes Let therefore the exhortation of the Apostle prevail withus for the practice of this duty in our dayly prayers for his Majesty That the Lord would blesse him and make him a blessing unto his People as here Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord Thus was Jesus Christ received by his People when he entred Jerusalem Hosanna to the Son of David blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord Math. 21. 8 9 15. Then did Christ enter Jerusalem as a King which is implied in his being called the Son of David It being also expresly said that this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Propbet saying Tell ye the Daughter of Sion Behold thy King cometh to thee meek and sitting upon an Ass and a Colt the foal of an ass as it is on that occasion observed by the Evangelist Mat. 21. 4. 5. And where it is in St. Mathew blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord it is thus in S. Luke blessed is the King that cometh in hte name of the Lord Luke 19. 38. And here is to be noted that where it is said in the text Save now O Lord c. That the word Save is in the Original the same with that Hosanna that Acclamations of the People concerning Christ as if said God save the King It is also to be observed that as Jesus Christ was in his first coming received with the Acclamations of the people in those words Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord So shall he be again received even with t he same words his second coming Then he shall withall joy be welcomed and that saidof him blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord You find this in our Lords own words speaking of his then leaving the World and of his second coming Ye shall not saith he see me henceforth till ye shall say blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord That till ye shall say blessed c. as in St. Mathew is thus rendered by St. Luke untill the time come when ye shall say blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord Luke 13. 35. 3. Here are also prayers for the Church and its prosperity v. 25. Save now I beseech thee O Lord O Lord I beseech thee send now prosâ—eâ—ity Jesus Christ our King needs not our prayers He is in his glory above our prayers although Princes in their greatest glory have need of them Concerning them we may and ought to say save now I beseech thee O Lord But although Christ needs not as I said our prayers yet doth his Church his Kingdom want them and he himself commands our prayers for it Thy Kingdom come is one of those petitions which he hath put into our Mouths for his Church Math. 6. 10. This is required of us for his Church in generall and particularly for Jerusalem That the Lord would build up his Church and enlarge his Kingdom in the calling of that his people Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee Peace within thy walls prosperity within thy Pallaces for my Brethren and companions sake I will now say peace be within thee because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thygood Psal. 122. 6. 7. 8. 9. And such a praying frame of Spirit hath the Lord promised to give unto his concerning that his People I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence and give him no rest till he establish and make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth Is 62. 6 7. I much fear we are wanting in this duty let it not be so say concerning Jerusalem as here Save now I beseecb thee O Lord O Lord I beseech the send now prosperity Let our prayers also be for the suffering Churches in other Countreys God hath made this day to be to us a day of praise and rejoycing Blessed be his name but it may be a day of sadnesse with others elswhere Let us be sensible of their condition as of our own and in our rejoycing be mindfull of their sorrow Say of them Save now I beseech thee O Lord O Lord I beseech the send now prosperity As for the Church at home and among our selves in these Kingdoms Let our prayers be for them also We see already in the work of the day the happiness of the State and we have hope of the happinesse of our Church also under his Majesty whose piety hath been so eminently evidenced to the comfort and satisfaction of his people We well know that much of the evil in the State hath broaken in upon and proceeded from sad divisions and factions in the Church Our happinesse in the State will be in union in the Church and in the Lords making up the breaches there in That will be our peace and not otherwise And now even now is the very time even the very time for our prayers herein Therefore for our common happiness in Church and State in King and People let it be part of our work in this our day of rejoycing to be instant also in this duty of prayer and again and again to say Save now I beseech thee O Lord O Lord I beseech thee send now prosperity Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord FINIS Doct. 2. Doct. Doct.
had formerly so opposed him But particularly see his clemency to Shimei who so unworthily behaved himself to David in his low condition He cursed David he cast stones at him and his followers he reviled him very falsely and scandalously calling him a man of blood and charging him with all the blood spilt in his Government 2. Sam. 16. 5 6 7 8. and have not the footsteps of the Lords anointed his late Majesty and even all his royall family been so reproached unto such there is a Scripture curse where they may expect from the Lord Psa. 89. 50 51. but as to David he passeth all that over For when in his return over Jordan Shimei had met him with the first and begg'd pardon for his faults It was easily and readily granted and that by an Oath confirmed to him 2 Sam. 19. 16 18 19 20. Of such Shimei's There have been many who may well repose on his Majesties gracious Declaration notwithstanding that there be Sons of Zerviah who may repine and interpose as did Abishai the Son of Zerviah who said shall not Shimei be put to death for this because he cursed the Lords anointed 2 Sam. 19. 21. Such may pick us and object words and actions so and then said and done against his Majesty but they may expect his Majesties return thereunto as was Davids in that case 〈◊〉 have I to do with you ye Sons of Serviah that you should this day be Adversaries unto me shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel for do not I know that I am this day a King over Israel v. 22. Clemency became him a King and then best when first entring on his Kingdom Yet must not mercy shut out Justice Justice without Clemency is but butchery and clemency without Justice is very cruelty Joab another of the Sons of Serviah had foully murthered Abner and Amasa this blood required Justice and what David could not do in this while the Sons of Serviah were too hard for him 2 Sam. 3. 39. He after recommends to his Son Solomon to see executed 1 Kings 2. 5. I know that David is hardly censured in this And some have objected to his Majesty that inquisition now made in the entrance into the Kingdom of the blood of his royall Father I find it therefore nccessary by what I hear of this that something be spoken of it It was no brand but a commendation of Amaziah King of Judah That as soon as the Kingdom was confirmed in his hands he slew his Servants which had slain the King his Father It is added but the Children of the murderers he slew not according unto that which was written in the book of the Law of Moses wherein the Lord commanded saying the Fathers shall not be put to death for the Children nor the Children be put to death for the Fathers but every one shall be put to death for his own sin 2 Kings 14. 5 6. He did according to the Law of Moses in sparing the children of the Murderers and he did according to the Law of Moses in not sparing the Murderers themselves Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a Murderer which is guilty of death but he shall be surely put to death so you shall not pollute the Land wherein you are for blood it defileth the Land and the Land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein but by the blood of him that shed it defile not therefore the Land which ye shall inhabit wherein I dwell for I the Lord dwell among the Children of Israel Numb. 31. 31 33 34. And in this case of blood it was provided that though the murderer should flee for refuge to the very altar yet should he not find protection there Exod. 21. 14. So fared it with Joab he being slain even at the very altar 1 Kings 2. 28 29 34. Solomon concluding in that act of justice the washing away the guilt of blood from his Throne and the settlement of his house and of his People in peace which had not been otherwise v. 31. 32 33. therefore this his Majesties inquisition of blood and of the murderers of his royal Father is his Justice and what God will require of him and of his People if in that Justice be not satisfied and for which the People hath so long so much suffered yet see his Majesties Moderation even in this not as Amaziah seeking the blood of all who were in that Guilt but some of them onely and referring himself in that also to his Parliament to do therein as to them shall be judged fitting That as by a pretended Parliament that royall blood was shed so by a just Parliament the blood should be expiated and the People in that justice cleared by their full representative Hitherto hath been spoken of David in his suffrings and of the great things by the Lord done for him in bringing him out of all his troubles also of the comfort which his people had in him their King thus brought home to them and of his being by them received with Acclamations Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord 5. Now follows the conclusion on the whole that all being duely considered it must needs be said that This is the Lords doing and that it is marvellous in our eyes 1. It is the Lords doing it is intended Davids Vindication and therein is his innocency cleared it now appearing how little he deserved those his injurious suffrings seeing God himself now and thus appears for him This is the Lords doing 2. It shews that the work was carried on by the Lord himself alone without Davids interposing and without outward probable means and beyond Mans expectation David might indeed have made use of force he wanted it not having then with him a very considerable force 1 Chr. 12. 20 21 22. But he waves all that and waits Gods way and time and casts himself altogether upon hls People I need not in this make application But that this was the Lords doing I speak it now as to our selves is very apparent 1. In the Lords timeing our work for us each step in our proceedings here towards it was as if it had been by a common and joynt correspondence of the three Kingdoms A concurrence indeed there was but which was the strangeness of it without any correspondence which must conclude it to have been from God 2. That all this was carried on and that throughout without blood This cannot to any who shall duely consider it but appear little less then a very Miracle 3. Above all it is an evident demonstration of Gods hand in this work both as to David and as unto us that the hearts generally of all were prepared every where and as it were at once in this great work surely this must be from the Lord and the doing of it his alone in whose hand only are the hearts of the Sons of Men It is said That the
Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of waters he turneth it withersoever he will Pro. 21. 1. No man can command or change the course of tides but God can do it and who but he can order the hearts of men as he hath done it in the King so is it from him that it is done in the People the hearts of both being by him thus turned to each other That Reformation by Hezechiah was done in 16. dayes It was soon done for all hearts were made willing to it which is therefore said to be from the Lord And that God had prepared the People For the thing was done suddainly 1 Chr. 29. 17. 35 36. This is our very case this day being in this day of the Lord made a willing People Psal. 110. So that we may conclude concerning it as here that this is the Lords doing his and his only 2. Therefore it is marvellous in our eyes which now followeth v 23. Who would have believed that one cast out so as was David should in the condition he then was be on a suddain so raised and that to the highest pitch of all Imaginable glory for but a little before he had been in very great distresse at Zicklag 1 Sam. 30. 6. at that time also were the People of Israel in great confusions by reason of the Philistins then prevailing over them so was it then with David and such was the condition and State of affairs at home when David was brought in therefore all things considered it could not but have been marvellous in the eyes of all that beheld it And if the confusions of England and of the three Kingdoms be considered in this our day I dare be bold to say it the like cannot in any time or history be ever paralell'd For to speak nothing of the strange confusions in the foregoing years since the year 1648. we find in this very year in which we now are even but in the compass of these past twelve months taking in this in which we now are one of them we shall find I say within these twelve months ten Fundamentall changes 1. That violent dissolving of the Parliament in Aprill 1659. Called the Protectors Parliament 2. An Army-Government thereupon 3. The Armies recalling in May after that now called the Rump-Parliament 4. That Parliaments laying aside the Protector in June next after 5. The breaking up in October of that Parliament so lately recalled 6. The bringing them back again in December 7. The again excluding them soon after by the coming in of the secluded Members 8. The secluded Members dissolving themselves in Aprill 1660. 9. The meeting of the present Parliament which may be Justly called the happy Parliament 10. The resettlement of the three Kingdoms on the basis of their ancient Government in his sacred Majesty by whom is all happiness and peace promised to his People Who could expect so much good from so much evil who could look for order from confusions and from overturnings of Foundations one after and upon another to find such a settlement as at this day it cannot but be acknowledged with astonishment to be The Lords doing and it is surely marvellous in our eyes Let therefore the day of such great things and of so many and publick mercies be precious and valued of us as was that day of Davids with his People This is the day which the Lord hath made Let us rejoyce and be glad in it Thus of these words as to David of whom the words have been in the Letter considered I shall now look on the words as they pass from David the Tipe unto Christ the Antitipe Christ is indeed he who is herein principally concerned to him are those words particularly applied that He is that stone which the builders refused and now made the head stone of the corner c. 22. 23. He himself speaks so of himself pointing to this very Scripture in that parable of the husband mens not receiving but refusing and slaying him the Son sent by the Lord of the Vineyard to them Math. 21. 42. Of him also is that spoken by the Apostle Peter Acts 4. 10. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 6 7 8. and Paul Eph. 2. 20. the following words also v. 26. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord are applied to him and yet more particularly 1. That Jesus Ghrist was that stone refused by builders is evident That he is now made the chief stone of the corner who knoweth not and who could but stand amazed at that great work to see one so dispised of men cast off and cast out and to be dead and three dayes buried and yet after all this raised again and exalted above all Angels and Men and all being made subject unto him the Emphasis of all is laid here that he having been so low is now raised and exalted above all Him saith Aplc. being delivered by the determinate Counsel and foreknowledg of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain Whom God hath raised up Acts. 2. 23 24. This Jesus hath God raised up v. 32. That same Jesus whom ye have crucified hath God made both Lord and Christ v. 36. We see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffrings of death crowned with glory and honour Heb. 2. 9 He made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of Men and being found in fashion as a Man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Wherefore God also hath highly axalted him and given him a name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2. 7 8 9 10 11. In all which you see him who was the stone so refused by the builders to become now the head stone of the corner and that this is the Lords doing and marvellous in our eyes This of Christs glory is the day here pointed at this is the day c. Which his day strictly taken is the day of his resurrection his first step into glory from his humbled condition that having been before dispised he was then exalted above all Or this his day may be taken in a greater Latitude for all the degrees of his exaltation together then is this the day or of his glory begun in his resurrection and carried on to the fulness of glory of which he is now possessed for evermore in which is the ground of this joy here expressed by his People This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it You have hitherto heard of the Lords making or the Lords work in making this day for his People You have seen it as