and Wife exults at the return of the Parent and Husband after a long absence and the poor captive being set at freedom rejoyceth with joy unspeakable and should not a Nation rejoyce and exult when after many and sore pangs and troubles under misery when after a long and dark night of calamity when after long pantings often desired but withholden comforts the Lord comes with both his arms full of blessings and cleares up a fair Sun-shining day of prosperity and knocks off the Fetters and delivereth a fainting people from all their miseries and smiles upon them and satisfieth their longing desires and sits down in the midst of them and biddeth them live in his sight Sure these must quicken the heart and fill it with joy glorious and abundant Promises of good things rejoyceth the heart and cheareth the spirit how much more suppose ye when they are turned to deeds and fulfilled If the promise have such an Influence then how much more when perfected and enjoyed Vse 1. Let us resolve the Doctrine into practice to day and with glad hearts and joyfull lips sing This is the day which the Lord hath made let us rejoyce and be glad in it and say Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy Name blesse the Lord my soul and forget not all his benefits c. Psal 103. 1 2. And say O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Who remembered us in our low estate and hath redeem'd us from our enemies for his mercy endureth for ever Psal 136. 1. 23 24. We will sing and praise thy power O Lord Psal 21. 13. But let us take heed that our joy fall not short of the Jews joy let us endeavour to resemble them in it 1. Let it be great like theirs and like the joy of the people when Solomon was anointed after whom they piped with pipes and rejoyced with great joy so that the earth rented with the sound of them 1 King 1. 4. Secondly Let our joy be full Let our heart be glad and our glory rejoyce Psal 16. 9. Thirdly Let it be sincere and cordial saying My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Psal 57. 7. Fourthly Universall like the joy of Israel upon their deliverance from Egypt and of the people at Solomons Coronation when All rejoyced 1 King 2. 4. Fifthly Manifest the Jews were not ashamed to publish their joy God was not ashamed to have done these great things for us but did them with delight in the open view of men and Angels and shall we be ashamed to publish our joy with loud acclamations Sixthly Constant not for a flash The Jews desires to perpetuate their joy And ye may observe in the Psam joy upon joy and joy after joy and such should our joy be rejoyce continually let not the memorial of it become wearisome to us like Israél whose praises and prayers ended almost assoon as they passed the Red-sea within three dayes turning their melody unto murmuring Exod. 15. 24. They song his praise but they soon forgot his works Psal 106. 12 13. Be ever ready to embrace all fresh occasions whereby our slumbering affections may be awakned and pray That the Lord wilt not only make us glad according to the dayes wherein he hath afflicted us but that we may râ—joyce and be glade all our dayes Psal 90. 14 15. Seventhly Let our joy be chiefly spiritual singing Psalms Jam. 5. 13. Speaking in â—salms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord Eph. 5. 19. singing praises to the name of the most high Psal 92. 1. and 98. 5. Let no drunken caâ—â—all or ranting joy be once heard or seen which will but provock the Lord Remember the Statute among the Jews upon their deliverance from Haman to keep dayes of feasting and to remember the poor by sending them gifts Esth 9. 22. Eightly Let our joy be practicall and strongly influentiall upon our lives follow after holinesse of Conversation which is a reall Thanksgiving Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord saith the Psalmist Psal 106. 2 Who can shew forth all his praise and he sheweth in the 3. verse the best way to do it is to keep Gods Judgements and do righteousnesse at all times seeing the Lord hath done so great things for us break not his Commandements any more least he be angry with us and consume us Ezra 9. 14. Vse 2. What shall we think and say then of these in whom these great doings of the Lord produceth no real joy but through the corruption of their hearts occasions these following evils First Sorrow and indignation like Haman grieving at the safety and advancement of Mordecai or like Athalia renting their hearts with indignation because of Joash his advancement to his own and his Fathers Throne 2 King 11. 14. The wicked see it and be grieved he gnasheth his teeth and melts away Psal 112. 10. Secondly Envie like Sheba fretting against the Instruments of Davids reduction and against David himself and turning away Israel from owning him because he had not the chief hand in calling him home 2 Sam. 20. 1 2. Thirdly Confusion Miâ—â—â— 7. 16. being confounded to see their power and glory to vanish into smoak Fourthly Fained submission bowing down with their faces towards the earth Isa 49. 23. and licking the 〈◊〉 a serpent Micah 7. 17. Fifthly Counterfeit joy like Shimei 2 Sam. 19. 18 19 20. or Rufus of whom Tacitus 〈◊〉 lib. 2 who came to Vitellius after his Victory Laetitiam 〈◊〉 vultu 〈◊〉 at animo anxius Counterfeiting joy yet with repâ—ning hearts â—rinding and grieving these 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—ming to themselves the faâ—â—â—on 〈…〉 tongues to speak the language of Canaan in thanksgiving but it is of no price with God who weigheth the heart As dale of death so do I hate that kind Whose heart from mouth whose tongue dissents from mind Quest If any ask how shall I know such And secondly What be the reasons of it Answ To the first it is answered they may be known First by their countenance Ex tristitia cordis sequitur tristitia oris saith Gregory on the place a sad countenance discovereth the want of joy Secondly If men have learned the arte of dissimulation and not so ingenious as the former they may be discouered by a quavering voice a tremblying note or some such thing while they are speaking of these great transactions Or Thirdly some word falls through inadvertancy from their lips that bespeaketh their sorrow and anguish of heart Or Fourthly Qualifications and reserves in their speaking and praying or preaching crying up and crying down with the same breath now Hosanna then Crucifie in the neck of it as for example God save the King if he be for this or that else c. Secondly The reasons why men are not really glad are 1. Misapprehensions and Jealousies some being void of charity that thinks no evil but of disposition suspecting the worst and interpreting all to the worst and therefor fear possessing their hearts choaks their joy 2. Deep rooted malice having contracted a habite of hating Kingly Government the King and the Royal Family and inured their tongues to revile it and Him therefore are tormented to see that Government re-established and the King restored 3. Old guiltiness being guilty of so execrable wrongs that although Shimei like they anticipate others and professe subjection yet their guilty consciences doth so affright them still fearing Shimei's reward that still echoes in their ears had Zimri peace that slew his Master 4. Envie choaks the joy of some others being chief in the Imployment in bringing home the King and turning away our captivity and therâ—â—â—â—â— like to be chief in Thanks Honour and Reward This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so ready to revolt when Sheba blew the trayterous Trumpet 2 Sam. 20. because they thought the men of Judah would have the greatest thanks for bringing King David back 2 Sam. 19. 5. Covetousnesse men haâ—e gained on the Kings Revenues and Church Patrimony by the câ—â—ft of pulling down Kings they have their wealth and places of Trust and by the Kings restitution they see their gain in danger and therefore Demetrius-like Acts 19. 24. they are full of wrath 6. Love to their opinions lusts and fancies like little Children who desire not their Father may recover that without controle they may run up and down They fear the Kings bands and cords will ty them too straitly Conclusion But I hope there is none such here ye have been better instructed in the principles of obedience and loyalty by my Reverend Father now with the Lord once your Pastor whose Doctrine and loyall Conversation notwithstanding of his removall from you ye have lively expressed in all these Revolutions And therefore let us all rejoyce in our Kings salvation Psal 20. 5 and pray Save Lord the King and let him hear us when we call Psal 20. 9. Let the Vniversity say O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Psal 118. 1. Let Old Aberdeen and the Parish say The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad And blesse thou the Lord O my soul Let us all say This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it Psal 118. 24. God save the King The Name of the God of Jacob defend Him and grant Him according to his own heart and fulfill all his Counsel Psal 20. 1 4. Amen and Amen FINIS
and by his great doing hath made us live and stand up in his fight both our King and us his People and delivered Him and us from the hand of our enemies and blessed us as in the dayes of old Secondly Consider the manner it was without blood or sore labour Judâ—h was not so delivered but God hath magnified his doing toward us for our enemies melted away as a snail which melteth Psal 58. 8. As smoak is driven away so were they as wax melteth before the fire so did they perish at the presence of God Psal 68. 2. Thirdly Consider by whom and in this also God hath magnified his great doing it was not the Babylonians but Cyrus that set the Jews at liberty but here many of these who were instrumentall against the King are now under God the means of His restitution The great God who changed Labans heart to enter in Covenant with Jacob Gen. 31. 34. and made these who joyned with Absolon in his rebellion against David their King prove afterwards most forward to call him home 2 Sam. 19. 9. he bowed also their hearts to show all forwardnesse for our Kings reduction and kisse Him with the kisses of subjection and reverence and will we hope ere long secure them to Him by the Oath of Allegiance As the hearts of Kings are in the hand of the Lord and he turneth them whether soever he will Prov. 21. 1. so are the hearts of Armies and Subjects in his hands and he hath turned them by his mighty influence to run in the ancient and right channell as we see this day Vse 1. Let us improve the Doctrine And first let no proud oppressing Tyrant glory in his might and boast like Pharaoh Exod. 5. 2. Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go or as Senacherib Can God deliver out of my hand 2 Chron 32. 14 15. presumptuous fools the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men and the weaknesse of God is stronger then men 1 Cor. 1. 25. He bindeth the arms of the strongest and taketh the prey from the mighty he catcheth the wisest in their own wiles He breaketh the bow and cutteth the spear in sunder Psal 46. 9. He bringeth out those which are bound with chains Psal 68. 6. He woundeth the head of his enemies verse 21. and brings his people from the depths of the sea verse 22. No might nor policie can withstand Him Mountains melt at his presence When he writes Mene Tekel on the wall the spirit of the mighty fails their thoughts are troubled their countenance changed their joynts loosed their knees smite one against another and the Tyrant is forced to cry out Do victas in tua vincla manus and with Julian Vicisti tandem Galilaee Vse 2. Secondly Fear the great Lord greatly who can do great things both for us and against us this use the Psalmist maketh of it Psal 89. 6. Who in heaven saith he can be compared to the Lord Who among the sons of the mighty can be likned unto to Lord and then from this he inâ—erreth verse 7. God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints and Exod. 14. 31. Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians and the people feared the Lord. Vse 3. Thirdly Expect great things from him who can do them we dishonour him when we expect only little and but small things as he requireth our greatest services because he is a great Father and a great Master even the Lord of hosts Mal. 1. 6. so it becomes us to expect from him great things because he is a great King that worketh wonders how unbeseeming is a pettie fidian and a great God a little saith and a great Lord doing great things Vse 4 Fourthly Let none in the deepest distresse dispaire of his own or of the deliverance of Gods people although it seem incredible and above the reach of mans reason and power although thy condition seem desperate in the eyes of the enemie that he say God hath forsaken thee there is none to deliver thee Psal 71. 11. although it seem so unto thy neighbours and acquaintance that they look upon thee as a dead man out of mind and like a broken vessel Psal 31. 12. and although it seem so in thine own eyes that thou say as it is in Ezek. 37. 12. Our bones are dried and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts yet remember The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgement to be punished 2 Pet. 2. 9. Fear ye not as Moses said to the people Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which he will shew you Exod. 14. 13. Believe in God who quickneth the dead and calleth these things which be not as though they were Rom. 4. 17. Consider that unto God belongeth the issues from death Psal 68. 20. and that to him all things are possible Matth. 19. 26. and improve the former experiments of Gods great doings in behalf of his people or of thy self to the strengthning of thy faith in after times Conclude from former experience to future so did David 1 Sam. 17. 31. and so did Paul 2 Cor. 1. 10. as former Victories encourage Conquerors to a new Conquest so old deliverances and favours should help us still to trust in God and stand nudaunted in all our troubles Let us therefore register Gods former favours and the great things he hath done for us and make them as many Arguments to build upon God for time to come for God is alwayes where he was the same without any shaddow of change Vse 5. Fifthty Give God great praise for his great doings he will accept no lean or starved sacrifices Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised Psal 48. 1. and Psal 145. 3. When the Lord did a great work for Paul in delivering him from the Lions mouth he breaketh forth into great praise to him be glory for ever and ever amen 2 Tim. 4. 18. when the Lord turned again the captivity of his people their tongue was filled with singing the songs of praise as it is verse 2. God hath turned again our Kings and our captivity for ours was bound up in His Let us for this great work render unto God great and ample praise this is the end of all Gods doings for he doth all for his own glory and let this be our end to give the praise of all to him even praise in some measure answerable to his doing Obs 2. Secondly we observe Gods prerogative what ever great things are done for his people he is the doer of them he is the sole Author of his peoples good whether of their deliverance or their enjoyment of good things or the overthrow of their enemies He is the Author also of their misery Amos 3. 6. and Isa 45. 7.
God fits not as an idle spectator and leaves fortune to tumble things up and down but he is otherwayes the Author of good then of evil he is provocked by man to afflict For he doth it not willingly Lam. 3. 33. He is in a manner inforced to it by mans sins and therefore Isa 28. it is called his Work but his strange work his Act but his strange Act but of his peoples good He is causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is the Author and occasion it comes of himself he moved only by his goodnesse doth great things for them this same work of the peoples deliverance is thrise ascribed to God in this Psal verse 1 2 3. and God himself told his people that he would be the doer of it Jer. 30. 8 9 10. Though he made use of Cyrus yet God was the principle and Cyrus but his Instrument He stirred up his spirit and held his right hand to subdue nations before him Isa 45. 1. and therefore he subjoyns there verse 5. I am the Lord and there is none else I girded thee though thou hast not known me He is the Lord and beside him there is no Saviour Isa 43. 11. He alone doth great wonders Psal 136. 4. Salvation is of the Lord alone Jonah 2. 9. Applic. To make Application Though the Army was Instrumentall in His Majesties restauration and though the Lord Generall did his utmost to perswade them to that great undertaking yet if the Lord had not moved their hearts they had not moved their hearts they had not moved nor promoved the Work There went with King Saul a band of men but God first touched their hearts 1 Sam. 10. 26. else they had proved as ill as others children of Belial and despised him as it is there verse 27. King Saul sent a severe Edict requiring the Subjects to give their assistance for the relief of Jabes-gilead but it was not the â—everity of the Proclamation that brought them to obedience but when the fear of the Lord fell on them Then they came with one consent 1 Sam. 11. 7. There is no Saviour beside him Josh 13. 4. It was the Lord who did begin and carried on this work which we commemorate this day Its beginning progresse and accomplishment is all of him Vse 1. Then first Let no Instrument mistake himself for the authour nor advance himself above his sphear nor appropriate to himself the Lords prerogative It was the folly of the proud Babylonians to do so Hab. 1. 16. They sacrificed to their own net and burned incense unto their drag The Assyrians also was deeply guilty of this as you have it Isa 10. 13. What God had done by him as an Instrument he arrogates to himself and ascribes to his own power and policie Instruments are sometimes ready with Israel to glory in their strength and successe which is but a thing of nought and say That they have taken horns to themself by their own strength Amos 6. 13. but Instruments should not â—acrilegiously robe God of his honour nor Dèifie themselves Let them beware lest their hearts be lifted up and forget the Lord who hath done great things by them and say in their heart their power and might of their hand their policie and industry hath done these things see Deut. 8. 14. 17. Vse 2. Secondly Let Instruments then be exhorted in a self-denying way to say Not unto us not unto us O Lord but unto thy Name give glory Psal 115. 1. and with Paul in an other case 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain I laboured abundantly yet not I but the grace of God which was with me for they prevailed not by their sword nor did their right arm save them but the right hand of the Lord and his arm and the light of his countenance because he favoured them Psal 44. 3. Vse 3. Thirdly My exhortation from this is to others First that they Idolize no Instrument When the people upon the hearing of Herods Oration gave a shout And cried it is the voice of a God and not of a man this puft him so up with pride that he gave not glory to God and therefore it turned to his ruine Act. 12. 21. 22 23. Two extreams there would be shunned The first is not to Deiefie Instruments although never so great set them not up in Gods room for God will not give his glory to another Isa 42. 8. and as salvation is in vain expected from them truly saith the Prophet In vain is salvation hoped for from the hills and from the multitude of mountains truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel Jer. 3. 23. so it is impiously ascribed to them for what could they have done without God without whom they can do nothing Joh. 15. 6. God it is who worketh by them what he pleaseth God said of Cyrus his Instrument Thou art my shepherd and shall perform all my pleasure Isa 44. 28. The other extream to be avoided is the neglect of Instruments Idolize them we may not forget them we should not remember them with civill honour and praise we ought are not Moses Joshua the several Judges Deborah David Cyrus and other Instruments of the Lord for his peoples good recorded in Scripture with honour in the 5 of Judges Deborah remembereth with honourable respect these who helped against the enemy others are branded with a note of Infamy for withholding their assistance and Meroz is cursed with a grievous curse because being neer and called to give their assistance they refused to do it and 23. let us then remember the Instruments before named with civil respect and praise Should we not honour them whom the Lord hath honoured let them be Chronicled to succeeding Generations my heart is towards them To use Deborah her worâ—â— Judg. 5. 9. That offered themselves willingly blesse the Lord. Vse 4. Fourthly Give all the Divine praise to God praise him in and for himself he is the principall and author of these great works For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11. 36. When Jehoshaphat was delivered from his enemies he gave the praise of all to the Lord 2 Chron. 27 28. so did Theodosius being certified of the overthrow of John the Usurper Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 23. so did the people of Israel when David their King was advanced to his Throne see Psal 118. It is true we cannot sufficiently utter the mighty acts of the Lord nor shew forth all his praise Psal 106. 2. yet according to our capacity let us sing with Moses The Lord is my strength and song he is become my salvation The Lord is a man of war Thy right hand O Lord is become glorious in power who is like unto thee O Lord among the gods Who is like thee glorious in
holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders Exod. 15. 2 3. 11. Let the King say with David It is God that avaingeth me and subdueth the people under me he delivereth me from mine enemies yea thou liftest me up above these that rise up against me thou hast delivered me from the violent man therefore will I give thanks unto thee O Lord and sing praises unto thy name Great deliverance giveth he unto his King and sheweth mercy to his Anointed c. Psal 18. 47 48 49 50. Let all of us say O Give thanks unto the Lord for his mercy endureth for ever to him who alone doth great wonders for his mercy endureth for ever Psal 136. 3 4. Vse 5. Fifthly Rely upon God alone in time of trouble for he alone doth great things for his people It is better to trust in the Lord then to put confidence in man then to put confidence in Princes Psal 118. 8 9. Put not your trust in Princes nor in the son of man in whom there is no help Psal 146. 3. Yea the Lord curseth him that trusteth in man that maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord. Make not wealth our strong City as the rich do Prov. 18. 11. for neither silver nor gold shall be able to deliver in the day of the Lords wrath Prov. 11. 4. Ezek. 7. 19. Zeph. 1. 18. But let the Lord be our City of â—â—fuge and strong Tower run unto him for he sees our affliction and hears our cry Exod. 3. 7. 1 Pet. 3. 12. and He will save us Psal 18. 3. Prov. 18. 10. for salvation is of him Jonah 2. 9. Obs 3. Thirdly Gods great doing should be well noticed the Heathen did it vers 2. and his people in the Text. Moses and Aaron with the men and Miriam with the women of Israel took notice of their deliverance from the Egyptians Exod. 15. 1. 20. David was very carefull to remark Gods dispensations and pens many a Psalm on that account Debora and Barak so noticed the deliverance of Gods people from Jabin and Sisera that they commemorate it with songs of praise Judg. 5. When the men of Judah got their young King Joash restored to the Crown beyond expectation they observed it with clapping their hands and prayer for him 2 Kings 11. 12. And when Athalia the Tyrant was slain all the people of the Land rejoyced verse 20. the Lord commands his people to notice his doings Psal 46 8. Come and see saith the Psalmist the works of God Psal 66. 4. the nature of his works call for it being great honourable and glorious and wonderfull Psal 111. 2 3 4. The godly takes pleasure to seek them out Ibid. verse 2. God sheweth his people the power of his works verse 6. that they may notice them Vse 1. Come then and behold what the Lord dâ—th done for us Psal 46. 8. take reasons to move you 1. Ye offer a great indignity to God the doer if ye remark them not When a great Crafts-man hath brought a great and rare peice of Work to perfection and calls on us to look upon it if we refuse do we not affront him The Lord will sure take it as a high contempt if we do not consider his workings 2. His doings and workings are so full of ravishing wisdom power and love that there is in them a magnetick vertue to draw out our conâ—ideration and meditation and make us cry out as of all Gods works so of these in particular There are no works like unto thy works Psal 86. 8. Who is like unto thee O Brittain O people saved by the Lord Deut. 33. 29. Ask now of the dayes that are past and and aâ—k from one side of the heaven unto the other whether there hath â—â—en any such things as these great things are Deut. 4. 32. Who hath heard or seen such things Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day or shall a Nation be born at once Isa 66. 8. but sudainly so smoothly so wisely so gloriously hath the Lord done these great things for us 3. These things are done in our sight God did marveilous things in the sight of his people in Egypt in Zoan Psal 78. 12. he hath done them in our sight that we with open face might behold them 4. Strangers noticeth them they are saying as the Heathen did verse 2. and crying This is the finger of God Exod. 8. 19. and shall we not with the people in the Text Echo them and recognize his doing 5. It is a signe of a wicked man that when Gods hand is lifted up he will not see Isa 26. 11. Notice then Gods doings but do it First advisedly not slightly Men should wisely consider of his doings Psal 64. 9. Stand still and see this great sight Exod. 3. 3. Who is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord Psal 107. 43. Secondly With joy and delight The righteous should see and rejoyce Psal 107 42. for God doth his works to make his people glad Psal 92. 4. Thirdly Believingly and profitably to the strengthning our Fath and Hope for times to come that we may set our hope in God and keep his Commandments Psal 78. 7. Vse 2. Then justly reprovable are three sorts of men who come short of this duty in noticing Gods doings First carelesse and ignorant ones who like Swine take no notice of these Pearles How great are thy works O Lord a brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this Psal 92. 5 6. some are like the Israelites of whom it is said Psal 106. 7. that they understood not Gods wonders in Egypt but these provocketh God as it is in that same verse Secondly Despisers who undervalue his doings They regard not the works of the Lord nor the operation of his hands Psal 28 5. Isa 5. 12. like Swine preferreth the Accorn to the Pearl or children in knowledge triffles to Gold to such may be said as it is Act. 13. 41. Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish God will destroy such and not build them up Psal 28. 5. Thirdly Envious persons who envieth the glory of our King and the happinesse of these Lands of such the Prophet Isaiah speaketh chap. 26. 11. But they shall see and be ashamed for their envie c. for their envious and spightfull carriage towards God's people they shall be ashamed and confounded Obs 4. Fourthly Gods great works should be publickly acknowledged not only noticed but acknowledged noticed with solemn Narrations and Commemorations so did Moses and the Children of Israel notice and commemorate with publique confessions and praises Debora Jud. 5. is large in acknowledging Gods great doings It is commanded that we declare among the people his doings Psal 9. 11. and David engageth to do it in that Psalm verse 1. I will shew forth saith he all thy marvellous works and Psal 26. 6 7. I will compasse thine altar O
MIRABILIA DEI OR BRITANNIA GAUDIO EXULTANS Opened in a Congratulatory Sermon for the safe Return of our Gracious Soveraign and happy Restitution to the full and free exercise of His Royall Authoritie Preached on the 14 th of June 〈…〉 which was the day set apart for the Members Masters and Students of the KINGS Colledge in the Town and Parish of Old Aberdeen to commemorat and solemnly praise the Lord for the rich mercies above mentioned By ALEXANDER SCROVGIE Preacher of the Gospel and Minister at Old ABERDEEN Psal 〈◊〉 1. The King shall joy in thy strength O Lord and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoyce Psal 〈◊〉 6. Now I know that the Lord saveth his Anointed Prov. â—4 21. Fear thou the Lord and the King and medle not with them that are given to change 1 Sam. 26. 9. Destroy him not For who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltlesse Ambros ad Scapulam Colimus Imperatorem ut hominem a Deo secundum c. Aâ—nob cont â—entes lib. 8. Voâ— ethnici conscios timentes nos vero conscientiam solum 〈…〉 H Printed by a Society of Stationers 1660. To the Right Honourable and NOBLE LORD WILLIAM Earle of GLENCAIRN Lord of Kilmawers c. Lord High Chancellour of the Kingdom of SCOTLAND MY LORD GOD left not mankind in a confusion like beasts but hath appointed a Magistracy by which Policy receives it's order Quod Magistratus sunt saith Chrysost Quod Chryst 〈…〉 23. 〈…〉 ad 〈…〉 〈◊〉 quidem imperant isti vero pareant quod non simpliciter at temere cuncta feruntâ—r nec populi fluctuum instar huc at que illuc circumaguntur Divinae sapientiae opus esse dico and blessed be God that hath given such power to men Government is so necessary that better no Creation then no Government better not to be at all then not to be under Rule When there was no King in Israel every man did that which was right in his own eyes Micah and his Mother â—rivate Judg. 17. 〈◊〉 and c. 18. 〈◊〉 and â— 21. 2â—â— persons made a goodly Image and had a house of gods Judg. 17. 4 5. Gibea a City ravished the Levites Concubine to death Judg. 19. 25 26. and the Tribe of Benjamin countenanced their villanie Chap. 20. 13 c. The Danites a Tribe robbed and set up Idolatry Chap. 18. 17 18. 30. Ubi Princeps non est saith Athanasius ibi prorsus disturbatio nascitur Athanas in Orat. ad versus idola Where there is no King there is nothing but overthrow confusion and trouble First Of all Governments Monarchy is the best 1. For Antiquity 2. For Order 3. For Peace 4. For Strength 5. For Stability It is the best because God setled it among his People and the most perfect being the last he established among them See Justin in Orat. ad genâ—tes Cyprian â—de idol vanit Hieron in Epist ad Rusticum Monachum Thom. in 1. part 4. 103. Art 3. lib. 4. cont gent. Arist polit l. 8. c. 10. Plato in polit Plutarch in Opusc de Moâ—â—â—â—hia 〈…〉 serm 〈…〉 〈…〉 civ 〈…〉 5. 29. Secondly Kings have their Authority from God Rom. 13. 1. its given them from above Joh. 19. 11. He setteth up Kings Dan. 2. 21. and by him they reign Prov. 8. 15. They are Gods Anointed 1 Sam. 12. 3. 5. 2 Sam. 19. 21. Cujus jussu nascuntur homines ejus jussu constituuntur principes by whose appointment they be born men by his appointment and no other are they made Princes saith Iren. lib. 5. and that is only by God Inde illis potestas unde Spiritus thence have they their power whence they have their breath saith Tertuli Apol. p. 695. Thirdly Kingly Government and Authority is not founded upon sanctifying Grace nor is it lost by sin which was the dangerous error of some Hereticks called Pseudoapostoli who as Bernard relates taught Omnem potestatem tam politicam quam Ecclesiasticam amitti per peccatum mortale ac proinde illis qui mortalis culpae reï sunt non esse obtemperandum August saith well Qui Mario Imperium dedit ipse Caio Caesari qui Augusto ipse Neroni qui Vespasiano vel Patri vel Filio suavissimâ—s Imperatoribus ipse Apostatae Juliano All Kings are Gods Anointed not only David 2 Sam. 19. 21. Solomon 2 Chro. 6. 42. Josiah Lam. 4. 20. but wicked Saul 1 Sam. 12. 5. 13. and Cyrus a Heathen Isa 45. 1. want of Religion doth not un-make a King for then Cyrus had been no King nor had their been any King of old but in Judah nor any now but some Christian Kings and but few of them both too Tyranny un-makes them not else Saul a Tyrant and persecuting Emperors had been no Kings Heresie un-makes them not for then Constantius Valens Valentinian the younger who were Arrians Anastasius an Eutychian Heraclius a Monothelite and others had been no Emperors Excommunication divests them not of their Authority for then Saul deserted and excommunicate of God 1 Sam. 15. 18. had been no King Yea Apostasie it self deprives them not of their Crown Julian then had been no Emperour But God acknowledged Cyrus and Saul and other wicked Kings as his Anointed and Kings And the Primitive Christians acknowledged and obeyed these Hereticall Emperours yea and obeyed Julian the Apostate No Christian ever enterprised or taught or stirred up the Subjects to De-throne them be their Religion what it will and themselves never so wicked they continue Kings and by God they Reigne Good Kings Per Deum propitium wicked ones Per Deum iratum but still per Deum by God Fourthly The persons of Kings was still accounted Sacred their Office and Power Sacred and they reverenced as Gods Ignat. Ep. 7. ad Smyrn Tertul. in Apollogeâ— c. 30. 33. 37. Tertulli ad Scapulam Anointed that could not lawfully be touched 1 Sam. 24. 6. 10. 1 Chron. 16. 22. Neque enim rege quisquam praestantior aut quisquam ei similis in rebus creatis saith Ignatius Rex à Deo primus post Deum secundus saith Tertul. He is the second from God and the first after God count not God and the King is the first count God and he is the second He is solo Deo minor saith that same Author and omâ—ibus major dum solo vero Deo minor est How sacred and highly did holy David esteem the person of King Saul may appear from 1 Sam. 24. 6 10 12 13. and Chap. 26. 9 10 11. and from 2 Sam. 1. 14 15 16. of the heroick reverence of primitive Christians towards their Emperors will a little appear from the next Section Their Writ was stiled Sacri apices their Word Divalis Jussio their presence Sacra vestigia their Warrant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacra praeceptio piissima Jussio jussum pium and pium decretum these were the usual stiles of Councels when they
us whereof we are glad TO show this Text pertiuent to the present occasion will require no long processe We may say of it as our Lord Christ did of an other Text This day is this Scripture fulfilled in our ears Luk. 4. 21. If ever God did great things for these Lands and his Church in them now hath he done them If ever he gave us cause of Rejoycing sure this is the time God did a great work in delivering his People the Jews from the Babylonian captivity in freeing their Consciences from Tyranny in bringing them home to their own Land and granting them the free exercise of his Worship and in overthrowing their enemies This was so great that it wrought in the Heathen admiration and in themselves great joy and congratulation Gods arm is not shortned toward us he hath made it bare and turned again the captivity of our Sion of our King and advanced him to his Forefathers and his own Throne He hath put down the mighty from their seats in remembrance of his mercy and scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts Luk. 1. 51 52. 54. for his mercy endureth for ever Psal 136. 23. and this is so great a work that at first it seemd incredible to us so great that strangers stand wondering at it so great that Enemies stands amazed and discouraged at it But I hope it is so great in our eyes that it hath wrought and ere we have done will work in us a religious Intertainment a solemn and thankfull acknowledgment thereof and beget in us a great joy even a full joy joy of the heart and tongue too and engage all of us to pray in the highest fervency of our spirits for the increase and continuance thereof To come to the Text I will first shew the diverse readings thereof and the meaning of the words The Arabick Version hath the first part of this Verse thus Multiplicavit Dominus beneficium erga nos The Syriack Multiplicavit Dominus facere nobiscum The Chaldee Paraphrase Multiplicavit Dominus benignè facere nobiscum The Septuagints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Ethiopian Magnificavit Dominus facere nobiscum so the vulgar Latine Junius and Tremelius Magnifica Jehova efficit erga nos The last words both the Arabick Ethiopian Version Chaldee Paraphrase and vulgar Latine reads Et facti sumus laetantes the Syriak Et facti sumus in laetitia Trem. and Jun. Sumus laeti August Facti sumus jocundati The first word in the Original is Higdil from Gadal which signifies to grow or wax great so Gen. 26. 23. the man Isaac waxed great in Hiphil it signifies to magnifie and also to multiplie and so here and it is some times taken intransitivè so Ezek. 38. 23. Thus will I magnifie my self and other whiles it is taken transitivè so Josh 3. 7 And the Lord said unto Joshua this day will I begin to magnifie thee in the sight of all Israel It may be taken both wayes here First Intransitivè I will magnifie my self to do or in doing efficiendo as Jun. and Trem. in their Marginal Notes Translate it in the former Verse and the Lord did magnifie in this great work 1. His power when the people in their bondage were calling for the manifestation of his power Isa 51. 9. Awake awake put on strength O arm of the Lord awake as in the ancient dayes c. It is answered in the 11 vers Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return with singing unto Sion and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads c. and vers 14. The Captive exile hastneth that he may he loused and that he should not die in the pit And the reason of this is taken from Gods power vers 15. I am the Lord thy God that divided the sea whose waves roared the Lord of hosts is his Name and Nehem. 1. 10. Now these are thy servants whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power and by thy strong hand 2. His goodnesse as it is Jer. 32. 41. I will rejoyce over them to do them good and I will plant them in the land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul And God promises to magnifie this his goodnesse that it shall be to him a name of praise and an hononr before all the Nations of the earth which should hear all the good he did to his people Jer. 33. 9. 3. His faithfulnesse in performing his promise The Lord had promised to turn again their captivity Jer. 29. 14. I will turn away your captivity and I will gather you from all the Nations and from all the places whither I have driven you saith the Lord and I will bring you again to this place So Jer. 30. 3. 10. and Chap. 32. 37. 44. and by so doing he magnified his word his gracious promise above all his Name Psal 138. 2. 4. His Justice by the overthrow of the Babylonians the enemies of his people of whom God threatned to take vengeance Isa 47. 3. by sending out upon them in a moment in one day Losse of Children and Widow-hood in their perfection vers 9. and Jer. 25. 12. he threatned that after seventy years were accomplished he would punish the King of Babylon and that Nation and make that Land perpetuall desolations see Isa 13. and 14. Chap. and Jer. 50. and 51. Chap. Secondly It may be taken transitivè and then it relates either to his facere his doing or to his people and God did magnifie both he magnified his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his doing For First he made it appear so great and glorious that the Heathen did notice it as it is vers 3 and Jer. 32. he promiseth that this restitution of his people shall be a name of joy a praise and an honour before all the Nations of the earth and he assureth that he will so magnifie it that the Nations shall fear and tremble c. and it is Lyra his observation on the place that Gods doing was so magnified in the sight of the Nations that thereby some of them were turned Proselyts Secondly He magnified his doing by making it grow and increase as the word in the Original bears and ye heard some Translate it multiplicavit for this work was not done in a moment but of a longer tract being much opposed and retarded as appears from Ezra and Nehemiah and is clear by comparing the former Verses of this Psalm with the prayer in the 4 verse but God left not his work in its Infancy and half done but still stepped on in his glorious working and multipliing his work till the top-stone was put on that all might cry Grace to the Work and Glory to the Worker As God did magnifie his doing and his work so by it he magnified his people their enemies a little before mockt at their Sabbaths Lam. 1. 7 They opened their mouths against them they hissed and gnashed the teeth Lam. 2. 16. Their King the anointed of the Lord was
liberty who peradventure might revolt and breed a new trouble to the State 5. It was accompanied with much bounty even all things needfull for their return as may be seen in Eza 1. 4. 7 8 9 10 11. vers 6. It was carried on vigorously notwithstanding of discouragements and dangers of the way and engagements upon some of the people to stay in Babylon they having purchased Lands there and contracted affinity with the Chaldeans and the idlenesse and lasinesse of some others of them sure these declare the greatnesse of that work From the words I shall present you some Doctrines with Application suitable to the present occasion And the first I gather by comparing the Text with the former verse which I shall but name is That it is lawfull to use the testimony and saying of others although Heathen and Enemies too The Heathen sounded The Lord hath done great things for them and the Jews made the Echo The Lord hath done great things for us c. Paul made use of Aratus saying Act. 17. 28. of Menanders 1 Cor. 15. 33. of Epimenides Tit. 1. 12. a Heathen a wicked man may sometimes let fall a savory Truth Balaam and Cajaphas may prophesie and a prophane enemy utter some precious Truths which we may repeat as well as handle Gold that falls from the mouth of Swine But we must take heed First that we take up none of their prophane sayings Secondly That when we repeat Truths uttered by them we do it in an other manner of way sure the Jews here though the words were almost the same spoken by the Heathen yet they were uttered in an other manner of way as was said before If then a Papist a Sectary a Rebell say the Lord hath done great things for us in turning again our captivity and restoring to us our King let us not stick to say it over again but do it in another manner First They say it but it 's sore against their wills that ever they had cause to say it the greatnesse of Gods work hath extorted and wrought it from them but let us with a willing heart and glad tongue say it Secondly They utter it yet can make no right application of it but let us apply it for God did not this great work at randome but for us and our good Thirdly They say it but with grief their hearts are cast down and disquieted within them but let us say it with glad hearts a chearfull countenance and joyfull lips Obser 2. The works which God doth in behalf of his distressed people are great he doth great things for them it is his property to do great things It is true he doth small things for the words are not exclusive He is not like the Heathens Jupiter who took no leasure to notice small things nor like Moses to whom weighty and knotty controversies were reserved and the petty matters transmitted and referred to the Inferiour Judges Exod. 18. 26. all things come within the compasse of his providence there is nothing so small but he noticeth it and his providence hath a hand in it Matth. 10. 29 30. things that seem most contingent and casuall even to them his providence extendeth what more casuall in respect of the means then when a man striketh to cut down a Tree and the head of the Axe flees from the helve and smites his Neighbour that he die yet Gods providence hath a â—â—â—oak therein as is clear by comparing Deut. 19. 5. with Exod. 21. 13. but his glory shines most in his great doings an works whether of Justice or mercy great things he doth in behalf of his people to passe by the works of Creation which are great and wondrous Job 9. 10. and of Redemption and Salvation which are yet far greater the works of his Providence have among them great ones the bringing of his people out of Egypt through the Red-sea and overthrowing Pharaoh and his Army was a great work Exod. 14. 31. the driving out the Cananites before them was a great work 2 Sam. 7. 23. compared with 1 Chron. 17. 21. and this spoken of in the Text was a great one so great and strange in the peoples eyes that it seemed in some sort to abolish with them the memoriall of their deliverance out of Egypt It shall no more be said the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt but the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of the North Jer. 16. 14 15. and Chap. 1. 23. 7 8. when God comes to act for his people he does like himself his great and glorious power doth great and glorious works he acteth not like man who sometimes take a great deal of pains and yet doth nothing or with a great deal of Art and Policy brings forth trifles but when God comes to visit his people we may look for great and noble acts he is their praise and their God that doth for them great and terrible things Deut. 10. 21. and the reason hereof is he is the Lord and not man a great Lord and of great power and will do like himself Great is our Lord his understanding is infinite The Lord lifteth up the meek he casteth the wicked down to the ground Psal 147. 5 6. He that is mighty doth great things Luk. 1. 49. Thou art great and dost wondrous things O Lord thou art God alone What great things God did for his people the Jews ye heard before But to make Application which is the work of the day God hath done for us in these Lands not small and contemptible but great and glorious acts I mention five of them 1. The re-establishing of Kingly Government and to give you a glimpse of the greatnesse of this work consider first the thing it self Secondly the evils which followed upon the want of it Thirdly the impediments that stood in the way of its restitution First view the Government but a little it s the only Government these Nations have enjoyed for many hundred years and this Nation for neer 2000 years Secondly God hath blessed these Lands under it with many rich blessings both spiritual and earthly Thirdly It s the Government that Scripture doth most speak of with approbation and blessed with rare blessings Fourthly It s the most ancient approved Government amongst the Nations as appears from Scripture and the Judicious among the Heathen themselves Certum est sayes Cicero 3. De Legib. Omnes antiquas gentes regibus pâ—imum paruisse principio rerum saith Justinus lib. 1. Gentium nationumque Imperium penes reges erat and Callimachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex Jove sunt Reges 2. The miseris which have of late flowed from and accompanied the want of it may teach the most stupid how excellent it is how many miseries have we seen and undergone while we stood deprived of it 1. The Church of God was distracted and divided Schismaticall and Erronious persons countenanced and
safe on our Coasts and set it up amongst us on its pinacle The second great work is the setting of that Government on the right Shoulders putting the Crown on the head of Him whose by right it is and settling it in the hand of the owner our gracious and dread Soveraign King CHARLES the Second that now Reignes And this is a great work if we but consider these First the impediments that stood in His way Secondly some things relating to himself I. The impediments and they were many 1. The sins of the Subjects of all rank sins against His Royal Father and against His Royal self Here I have a large field but it is my hearts prayer to God that he will grant repentance to all and never charge these sins upon the offenders in the day of their Accounts Sin is a great obstructer of mercies and rendred us unworthy of so great a favour as we now enjoy But not for your sake do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes O house of Israel Ezek. 36. 32. 2. His Person defamed by too many who made it their work to cast the seeds of prejudice into the hearts of His Subjects that they should not any more look after Him 3. Himself exiled and impoverished without Men or Money the sinews of War 4. His Title to the Crown cryed down and voted down as if the poorest Brat had as good Title to it as the righteous Heir himself 5. His Possessions and Revenues divided among hundreds to encourage them to withstand His restitution 6. A victorious Army puft up with Successe engaged by oath and gain against Him 7. His loyall Subjects rendred uncapable of places of Trust or Power Disarmed Impoverished Sequestrate Forefaulted Murdered or Banished watched over as the Leopard watches the Traveller Hos 13. 7. so that they were in no capacity to act for Him 8. A rebellious Subject stept up to the Throne and Zimri-like advanced himself by the execrable murder of his Master he catcht that golden Ball and endeavoured to secure it by Power and Policie and to transmit it to his Posterity to whom he bequeathed it but could not leave neither his Brain to manage it nor Gods blessing to secure it all aâ—d every one of these were high Mountains and deep gulfs to the eye of naturall reason impassible gordion knots not easily untwisted and Labyrinths inextricable but the Mountains are levelled the Gulfs filled up and the Knots untwisted the Lord who knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations 2 Pet. 2. 9. the only wise God hath extricated our King and by his great power mounted Him upon Eagles wings Exod. 19. 4. over all impediments and brought Him to us and His Thrones and this is so great a work that we want words to expresse it or example to paralell it Secondly View the excellency of our King behold him in his beauty I do not take upon me to draw Him to the life ye may see an imperfect delineation of Him in others who will acquaint you with His Piety Charity Mercifulnesse Prudence Sobriety and other Graces and Vertues I name only some things of Him briefly 1. He is the right full Heir of these Kingdoms 2. The Son of an incomparable Royal Father made glorious not only by His Piety Equity Clemency but also by His Sufferings and Patience under the crosse and love towards all His Subjects and Charity towards His Implacable Enemies and by Martyrdom it self 3. If the general approbation which he hath among Princes and People abroad even these of a different perswasion but especially the high esteem He hath among the Protestant Churches abroad can add any weight to His Glory He wants not this His praise is throughout all the Churches 2 Cor. 8. 18. 4. God who knows to put a right estimate upon every person and thing hath highly and conspicuously made known to all how excellent He is in His sight by His special care of Him and wonderfull preserving of Him from so many and great dangers forbearing to speak of all look but to His dangers at Worcester where His horse was twise shot under Him His Army over-powered with multitudes routed Himself hotly pursued by His Enemies but not overtaken being necessitated to dis-robe Himself of His Princly Ornaments and cut His hair and forced with one Servant to wander unto a Wood and there to make an hollow Oak His Castle of refuge yet not found out although searched after thereafter rides throâ—gh a Troup of His Enemies yet not discovered at an other time by providence in company with one of His notorious Enemies yet not noticed a great sum of money set on His Head and offered to any that would discover or apprehend him for which many out of covetousnesse made it their businesse to search for Him all places of escape watched yet so wonderfull were the steps and hand of Gods Fatherly Providence going along with Him that He gets safe into a Forraign Countrey while He is abroad He is not suffered to live at quiet but is still in danger of Powder plots poysoning and otherwise Achitophels contrived His ruine Nabals refused Him Intertainment some of His familiar Friends lift up the heel against Him so that He might have said as once Tyberius Timeo incustoditos aditus timeo ipsos custodes I fear the passages that are not kept I fear them who are set to be keepers or as Paul 2 Tim. 4. 16 17. No man stood with me all men for sook me notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion The Lord numbered the hairs of his head Matth. 10. 30. Gave his Angels charge over him Psal 91. 1. His enemies contrived mischief but brought forth a lie Psal 7. 14. He that neither slumbers nor sleeps was his keeper and preserved his going out and coming in Psal 121. 5. 8. and made him glorious by salvation Psal 21. 6. 5. His Majesties constant adhering to the Protestant Truth notwithstanding the many and strong tentations to alienate His heart therefrom speaks out His admirable excellency Look but upon these five tentations First How ill was He used and entertained by some of His own Subjects in Power highly pretending the Truths preservation being by them defamed exiled impoverished and persecuted and by too many others forsaken Secondly A note of ignominie cast upon the Protestant Religion by these of the contrare perswasion or Atheisticall ignorants as if it were a principle of our Religion to rebell and dethrone our own Kings which wrought so powerfully upon some unstable souls as to lead them to a detestation of the truth and wayes of God where as true Protestants teach no such seditious and treasonable Doctrine but does abhor it as the Doctrine of Divels taught by Jesuites Anabaptists and other Sectaries and with all our hearts and with deepest detestation condemneth that execrable murder of our
Lord that I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works and Psal 71. 17. he professeth that he hath performed his engagement Hitherto I have declared thy wondrous works The Lord doth great things for this end That we shew forth all his praise in the gates Psal 9. 13 14. Vse 1. Talk then of his great doings for us publickly with all solemn commemorations and confessions Let Parents declare it to their children If thy Son ask thee saying What is this and what meaneth these things thou shalt declare it fully unto him as ye have the like commanded Exod. 13. 14. and Josh 4. 5 6 7. the Psalmist promised to make known Gods works to the generations to come 78 4. 6 8. hide not then these things from others but say as the Lepers 2 King 7. 9. This day is a day of good tidings we do not well to hold our peace write them in your memories and open them in your communications he is a son of Belial that doth it not Take these motives to enforce the Duty 1. Thereby we advance Gods glory the work-man is exalted when the work is commended 2. Thereby we testifie our own thankfulnesse to God and gives the glory of all to him 3. We provock and encourage others to the like performance I will make thy name to be remembred saith the Psalmist in all generations therefore shall the people praise thee Psal 45. 17. Moses told Jethro all that the Lord had done for his people and Jethro thereupon blessed and magnified the Lord Exod. 8 9 10 11. 4. Thereby we engage our selves and encourage others to a right Improvement of Gods works that we neither contemn nor abuse them but take them with all dutifull respect and submissive reverence out of Gods own hand and entertain them as his gifts and doings Vse 2. Blame worthy then are they First who by their sinfull silence conceales these great doings Conscience of former guiltinesse choaks and shuts the mouths of some they are confounded and lay their hand upon their mouth But secondly Much more guilty and blame worthy are others who like the dog in the manger will neither commemorate Gods doings themselves nor suffer others to do it Or thirdly Who stands fretting within and gnashing the teeth while they behold others about it but these as it was told before shall be ashamed and confounded for their envie Isa 26. 11. Obs 5. Gods people should not only notice and declare Gods great doings but also apply them so did the Jews here and therein lay the difference betwixt the heathen and them for the Heathen could lay no claim to them nor had interest in them they could not appropriate because they were not done for them but for the Jews they were done they therefore had interest in them and rightly laid claim to them Thankfull ones are still applying and takes Gods doings as his gifts given to them and done for them And it is to be marked that their application was universall they did it as one man with one mouth and heart and as all concerned in it Search the Scriptures and ye will find the Lords people upon the receipt of common favours done to the body each of them laying claim to the same as a sharer therein and counting it done as for all in common so for himself in particular When they were delivered out of Egypt and possessed in Canaan or freed from their enemies or blessed with a good King they accounted these done to all in common and to every one in particular and if any one did otherwise he is branded as a son of Belial 1 Sam. 10. 27. and looked upon as unworthy of fellowship or protection but worthy of death 1 Sam. 11. 12. Vse 1. Look then upon these late Transactions and Revolutions as Gods doings done for us and not against us they are of common concernment and great mercies and should accordingly be entertained by all and every one of us will ye but reveiw the great things formerly mentioned and pause a little in your meditations and consider the great evils we are delivered from Church evils and State evils and the great blessings bestowed upon both Church and State and ye will find that every true Protestant and honest Patriot is so great a sharer therein that he may truly say The Lord hath done great things for us take but one under your cognisance to wit the restitution of our King to us a King the rightfull Heir of these Kingdoms indued with so many gifts and graces owned by the Lord perfected by sufferings and made glorious by so many wonderfull deliverances A King whom the Scripture calls our Father for His Fatherly love and care 1 Sam. 24. 11. and our Head for His beneficial Influences Deut. 28. 44. Our shepherd to lead and defend us Isa 44. 28. Our Nursing Father Isa 49. 23. The breath of our nostrils Lam. 4. 20. The great tree under whose shadow we dwell Dan. 4. 12. Our light 2 Sam. 21. 17. The Minister of God for our good Rom 13. 4. and doth not these work so strongly upon us to cry out and say The Lord hath done this great work for us whereof we are glade Are we not his Children and he our Father we his members and he our Head we the sheep of his pasture and he our shepherd Have we not seen already the first fruits of his restauration Let us therefore as one man say and sing it over again The Lord hath done many great things for us and this in particular in restoring to us our King whereof we are glad Vse 2. Far be it then from any I hope there is none here to forbear to make application of Gods great doings of late as done for us And if there be any such I must tell them that it proceeds either 1. From ignorance of the blessings bestowed and of the miseries from which we are freed Or 2. From beastly stupidity being insensible of good or evil Or 3. From prejudice Or 4. The want of Grace Or 5. Needlesse fears Or 6. Malice and desperate opposition to the work of God Or 7. Envie and such like There is none in whom there is any spark of Grace or affection to his Countrey and love to the Church of God and his Soveraign that can forbear to say it over and again The Lord hath done great things for us c. Obs 6. Great and real favours and deliverances should work a great and real joy The word rendred glad Imports so much They wrought so upon the Jews here their hearts were glade their mouths were filled with laughter and their tongue with singing Our joy should in some measure be answerable to the ground of it the receipt of a man-child brings great joy to the Mother Joh. 16. 21. A clear and calm morning after a dark and stormy night brings joy to the birds of the air that they creep and sing the Child