Post nubila Phoebus Or A SERMON OF Thanksgiving For the safe and happy Return of our gracious SOVEREIGN, to His Ancient DOMINIONS, and Restauration to His just and Native DIGNITY, ROYALTIES and GOVERNMENT.  
Preached in the City of Aberden, at the desire of the LORD PROVEST, Bailies, and Council thereof, upon the XIX day of june.  
By Mr. JOHN PATERSONE Minister of the Gospel in the said BURGH.  PROV. 20.28. 
Mercy and truth preserve the King, and his Throne is upholden by mercy.  
Let the KING'S Enemies become a Portion for Foxes.  
ABERDENE, Printed by james Brown, Ann. DOM. M.DC.LX.   

Unto the Right Honourable, GILBERT GREY, LORD PROVOST. And Unto the Right Honourable, JOHN JAFFRAY, Late PROVOST. 

Baylies.  
WILLIAM GREY,  
ALEX. ROBERTSONE,  
ALEX. ALEXANDER,  
Mr. ROBERT PETRIE,  
PATRICK MOIR,  
GILBERT MOLYSONE, Late Baylies.   

john Duncan, Dean of Gilled,  
john Burnet Thesaurer: And Remnant Honourable Counselors of the City of Aberden  
Thomas Mercer, Late Dean of Gilled  
Thomas Mitchell, Late Thesaurer:  
And whole Remnant of the Late honourable Council of Aberd.    
Right Honourable,  
THE Day of BRITAIN'S solemnities, for the Happy Return and Restauration of our Most Gracious and Illustrious KING, safe in His Person and sound in the truth of Religion (after such a long and dismal Absence) to His Ancient Dominions, and to His native Royalties and Government, is such an transcendent temporal Mercy, as deserves to be written, not only on Pillars of Marble, and with a Diamond and Pen of Iron, but upon the Spirits of all, who are truly Godly and Loyal within BRITAIN and Ireland. And it cannot be expected, but such an great & merciful Revolution, brought about in such an unanimous, peaceable, sweet way, without blood, will be exceedingly magnified and called Blessed, by all succeeding Generations, so long as SCOTLAND ENGLAND and Ireland remains to be NATIONS. And who are so stupid? but must look upon this, at an signal token for good, that after such an great State-quake, and Overturning in these three KINGDOMS, when all concernments in them were wrapped up in Darkness and Confusion, when men's thoughts were quivering, like the needle in the Sea compass and knew not where to rest, The LORD should have been pleased, even then, in such a sudden, to concentre the hearts and desires of these three NATIONS, in the KING'S MAJESTY, his Person and Government, as the only earthly Foundation of their Prosperity and Peace. This admirable Mercy, hath brought forth many loud and Public Acclamations of joy in all Cities, Counties, Incorporations and Churches of the three LANDS, and indeed Duty to GOD ALMIGHTY, who hath made his own A●me bare in our Deliverance, Duty to Our SOVEREIGN the KING, GOD His immediate Vicegerent over us, the Duty which we own to Our Consciences, Relations and Interests, and to the Protestant Religion at home & abroad, calls for very singular appearances, and resentments of such an eminent Blessing.  
Amongst many other His MAJESTY'S Royal burgh's in SCOTLAND, I believe none (be it spoken without envy or disparagement) did appear more early, and with greater alacrity and cheerfulness in the public and solemn manifestations of their Joy, for His MAJESTY'S safe and happy Return and Restauration to His just Government, nor this City did, which hath always accounted its Fidelity and Loyalty to its native KING, its chief earthly Ornament; whereof it hath many testimonies and evidences standing in public Register, and during His MAIESTY'S sad days, & absence, none loved His MAJESTY more, none Prayed more hearty, none longed more earnestly, nor ABERDENE did, for that blessed day of His MAJESTY'S Return and Restauration, which the right hand of the LORD hath at last brought to Pass: Beside many other very Solemn and Public Manifestations of the joy of this CITY, for this Mercy, never to be forgotten, it was your HONOURS command, that the following Sermon, being preached in your Pulpit at your desire, should be put to the Press, & although the Conscience of my own weakness, and the worthlessness of any thing, which can drop from my Mouth or Pen, might and would have put me, from any appearance in Print, Yet the subject being so Royal, and at such a nick of time, and my respects to your HONOURS being so many and so pressing, have prevailed with me to let this poor Mite of yours and my own Loyalty, appear on the Stage of a Critic World, Veritas non querit angulca: I know I must meet with Censurers, but if men will censure Truth harshly, it will stand upon its own joints, and if they censure my mean conceptions, and expressions, I can suffer that easily, for it is the matter and not the manner, that I have chief aimed at, which makes this paper come out, in its naked Simplicity, without Ornaments. Whatever it is, I have put it under your Patrociny, and I lay it down at your feet as a small testimony of my many Obligations and Engagements to your HONOURS and to this Honourable City. The LORD multiply His Spirit and Grace upon you, that you may go on, to act for the Glory of GOD, for the Power of GODLINESS, for the KING'S MAJESTY'S happiness, and for the Good and Prosperity of this People. So Prayeth  
Your Honour's affection at servant in the Work of the Ministry, Mr. JO: PATERSONE.   

From a very Reverend and Faithful BROTHER: Mr. William Douglas, Professor of Divinity in the KING'S college of the University of Aberden.  
MY thoughts of this SERMOM, after perusal, are as follows.  
That the whole Draught is plain, pertinent and powerful: That the Observes have such a natural and genuine arise, and the Uses are so consequentially flowing from the Observes and Doctrines, that the committing of it to the Press, shall tend much to the public good; And so much the rather, That herein is holden forth what have been the public faults of these three NATIONS: as also pointing punctually at our duties, we own most to OUR SOVEREIGN: both which are to very good purpose, branched out in many particulars. This is testified (though much more might be said) by my subscription.  
Mr. W. DOWGLAS. At Old Aberdene, AUGUST 4. 1660.   

A SERMON OF Thanksgiving: For the safe and happy Return of our SOVEREIGN LORD, CHARLES the SECOND, by the Grace of GOD: KING of great Britain, France & Ireland, Defender of the faith, to His Ancient DOMINIONS, and Restauration to His just and Native DIGNITY, ROYALTIES and GOVERNMENT.  PSAL. CXXVI. 
Vers. 1. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion: We were like them that dream.  
Vers. 2. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing etc.  
We may look upon this day, as upon the springing up, of a bright & fair morning, after a cloudy dark night, wherein so many beasts of prey did creep out of their den's, and lurking places of their hateful and hellish Hypocrisy: we may look upon it, as the beginning of a sweet calm, after a long and dangerous storm; as upon the breaking of an heavy and sad yoke, which hath lion sore upon the necks of these three Kingdoms, SCOTLAND, ENGLAND & IRELAND; in the wreathing whereof, some of this Nation cannot justly plead innocency: We may look upon this day, as the beginning of a blessed Peace, after a time of much innocent blood: as upon a day of a civil Resurrection, after a long civil 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 Rejoicing, and to songs of Praise & Jubilation.  

Division.  These words of the Text, May be taken up in five points. I. We 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 Conquerors, the Babylonians. II. We have their Deliverance, the losing of their Captivity, with their Reduction to their native Country. (Brought back the Captivity of Zion:) III. We have the Author of their Delyverance, it was not Themselves, not their own wisdom, nor Power, nor Policy, not the arm of Flesh, but GOD, & GOD alone. (When the Lord etc.) IU. How the losing of them from Captivity and their Reduction from Bondage did affect them, at first they were so surprised with it, that they could not believe, that it was a true & real Thing, they looked on it as a Dream. (We were like them that dream.) V The Effects which the sense of their delivery did work upon them, after that the Amazement was a little allayed, & these were, Rejoicing 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, we are 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 whereof we have at length, II. Chronicl. 36. and in the tenth book of Josephus de BELLO JUDAICO, as also in the Ps. 137. there is a hint of it. By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea we wept, when we remembered Zion: We 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 we sing the LORDS song in a strange land? If I forget thee, O JERUSALEM, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not JERUSALEM above my chief joy. vers. 1.2.3.4.5.6.  
That even that people whom GOD loves and respects, Observe. 1 may be brought under sad bondage, & that in reference both to their Ecclesiastic and Civil ESTATE; This was the lot of the LORDS own peculiar People, the jews were bondmen in Egypt, they laboured there in brick and mortar, they were Captives in ASSYRIA, Captives in BABYLON, they are now scattered up and down the World, for their Blasphemy, Infidelity; and Crucifying the LORD of GLORY, and for not accepting their MESSIAH to reign over them.  
And what hath our Condition been these several by gone years? Even a Dark gloomy black Day, wherein we had light neither of the Sun nor Moon nor Stars in our civil Relations. I do not say, That we are a people beloved of God in such a signal way, as the jews were; They were a Royal Priesthood: but I may say, That the Lord hath had a singular respect to Britain, beyond many Nations, for many ages: And yet because, we were not thankful to God, for His rich & signal Mercies, for such a fair day of the Gospel, for so long continued Plenty and Peace, under such a just, equal, ancient and wel-ballanced GOVERNMENT, as any Nation in Europe enjoyed, but like JESHURUN, we waxed fat in our sins, and like a wild untamed Colt, did cast our Rider, & took the reins upon our own lawless necks; Therefore 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, Hypocritical, Treacherous and usurping Party, who have trodden 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 judicatories changed: Strangers imposed on us for our judges, men unacquainted with our Laws and Customs: our Parliaments with their power, totally taken away: OUR GRACIOUS and DEAREST KING, of Sacred and Eternal Memory, CHARLES the FIRST, the PEARL of earthly Kings, most cruelly, inhumanely and barbarcusly martyred, and murdered by a faction of Godless, Cruel, Bloody, Perfidious and Hypocritical TRAITORS, and yet under a pretence of Zeal for GOD and justice. O unparallelled hellish Villainy! Traitors who plotted it, Traitors who acted it, traitors who rejoiced in it, Traitors who allowed it, for by that one fatal, O fatal blow, these Cannibals cutted the throats of three KINGDOMS, & left them bleeding, they did put out the most GLORIOUS and SHINING LIGHT, that ever swayed Sceptre in Britain! But the Cruelty and bloody Design, of that Murdering Faction, was not satiated with that Royal and innocent Blood, after that sweet SOULE was posted into GLORY, to receive the immarcessible Crown, whether no Traitor can reach a bloody hand, than they voted down MONARCHICAL GOVERNMENT, by a faction, having secluded and forced from the Parliament, the godly, honest and loyal Party thereof, they proscribed, and by an ungodly Act, they disinherited our most GRACIOUS KING (now reigning by the mercy and goodness of GOD over their bellies) and laid aside that ROYAL FAMILY, from having any right to the CROWN, and declared Him the Capital Enemy of their new-moulded COMMONWEALTH, they did raze the HOUSE 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 CROWN on His Head; Did not that bloody faction, headed by that Cerberus, Oliver Cromwell, force Him from all His DOMINIONS▪ to live as an Exile in foreign Nations? Were not our Nobles and ancient Gentry despised and abused? Were not these three KINGDOMS impoverished with heavy Assesses and sad impositions, & the blood of the poor sucked out, and all to maintain the ambition and tyranny of an usurping Faction? Were not the Lives of the most godly and most faithful Subjects of the three Nations made bitter unto them, & their hearts sadded by being nicknamed Malignants? And were not the heads of unnatural factious Incendiaries lifted up? Thus was our State in perfect Captivity. And as for our Church, it also was in Captivity. The just Power, Privileges and Authority of it was trodden upon, our Church judicatories threatened, and not suffered to proceed in their own proper affairs, our Assemblies, yea, the GENERAL ASSEMBLY raised by force: and for want of our Native KING and lawful Magistrates 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 means whereof and of that vast and lax Toleration (the great engine which made these men keep the saddle so long) hath not Popery increased in the Land? have not all manner of Heresies, schisms, wild and abominable opinions abounded in Britain? A whirlwind of fancies & delusions, a swarm 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 sinful Captivities in reference to Church and State, were not men's Consciences in Captivity & Bondage, being forced with Oaths, yea with Contrary-oaths and Tenders, contrary to former solemn Engagements, contrary to Allegiance and Loyalty, and was not this a perfect Bondage.  
Observe. 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; ye know how often God dealt so with these Jews, who yet for all that, still remained his People. The external Passages of Providence are a very unsure Rule, whereby to judge of God's special Love & Favour to a Nation: As it is an evil Argument to prove that God carries no respect to a people, but hath utterly rejected them, and casten them off, because their Enemies prevail 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 Undertake, because they prosper and are victorious over others; No man, yea no Nation, nor people knows, whether they be hated or loved of God, by these external passages of Providence, All things fall alike to all. But I must confess, that this Turkish Argument built merely upon external Providence and Success, hath been most sinfully & factiously made use of, in these late Troubles and Revolutions. How many false and unjust Conclusions, have been drawn from the Lords most wise and providential Actings in Britain of late, as if God had allowed all these horrible Villainies, these treacherous Attempts & Conspiracies, all the bloodshed, Murders, Tyranny, Usurpations 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 mischief; but God will not take with their bastards, although they laid them to the door of his all wise and just Providence, which stands clear 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 implieth two things. 1. The losing of their Captivity, or the taking away the yoke of BONDAGE from off their necks. 2. Their Returning back to their own LAND in freedom and safety.  
That although the Lord suffer Nations and Kingdoms to Observe. 1 be under bondage and captivity, for a long time, yet He 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 year's 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 deal with Britain & Ireland; the Lord hath reduced our Captivity. And as in many things this Mercy is great and wonderful, so specially is it in this, that the Lord hath been pleased to reduce our Bondage and Captivity so soon, IT is a wonder of the Lords Goodness, that he hath not wreathed the Yoke of our Bondage about our necks for many generations. His own peculiar people were in bondage 70 years, 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 we 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 Lion's whelp, and none made them afraid. vers. 12. The Lion did tear 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 smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young Lions, and I will cut off thy Prey from the earth, and the voice of thy Messengers shall no more be hard. Where now is the dwelling of these men, who of late did tear these Nations in pieces, and devoured them like a Prey? Are they not gone, & going to their own place.  
Observe. 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 GRACIOUS KING'S Sufferings. Hath he not been a Sufferer since his Childhood? What did he suffer, before his DEAREST FATHER'S unparallelled Murder? Consider how his tender SOUL was affected, when these sad News c●me to his ears, of that dismal blow given to his most ILLUSTRIOUS and LOVING FATHER, by some incarnate 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 Oak was his ROYAL PALACE? What hazards hath he been exposed to, by sea and Land? What temptations did he meet with abroad? What Leagues and Confederacies have been drawn up against him and his just interests, by foreign Princes & States? How unkindly used by these who should have been friends? How deserted and forsaken? How tossed with so many billows of Adversities? Was he not of late looked upon, but as a broken vessel, 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 HONOUR more resplendent and orient, like a bright Sun, after a dark & tempestuous Night. Surely this is a matter of exceeding great Praise to GOD, and of wonderful Rejoicing to all the truly Godly and Loyal, in the three KINGDOMS. But as for Mal-contents, let them gnaw their Tongues for sorrow, & feed on their own Bowels like 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 Arm bare, and His steps manifest, and His Hand visible in our DELIVERANCE? Who is so blind but sees the very FINGER of GOD, and a wonderful PROVIDENCE in this Work, 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 mere Anarchy, and intended to rule not by the SPIRIT, but by the sword, and that none should have RULE 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 Loyal Party of it, under the Command of that Noble and Valorous GENERAL MONCK, to stand up for lawful 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 Contriving, Stir and Rise, to hinder the electing and sitting of a free PARLIAMENT, and many illegal Qualifications intended to be put upon Elections and persons elected, yet then did the LORD arise, and befool 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 (Guiltiness within, often makes feeble hands.) and did not the LORD send the Ringleaders of that Fanatique party, prisoners to LONDON, the very day before that the PARLIAMENT sat down, a very Presage from HEAVEN of better days? 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 KINGDOMS, of all Ranks, to erect MONARCHY, the only Ancient and Lawful government of these NATIONS, and to send for the KING, and to bring him home, with great HONOUR and STATE, with the universal acclamations of his People? Yea, and all that so great a Work, to be brought to pass, without one drop of blood? Who ever dreamt of such a peaceable, sweet and unanimous REDUCTION of our native KING? and is not this, the very immediate 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, (Than we were like them that dream.) Now in this Expression take notice of two Things. 1. That these who are under Captivity & Bondage, are like to men in a Dream. 2. When these who have been in Bondage & Captivity are delivered, they are not at first sufficiently awakened out of their Dream, that is, they cannot get their Deliverance fully believed.  
These who are under Bondage and Captivity, are like these in a Dream, or Captivity is a Dream, or it is as a dreaming Time, and that in these Considerations.  
These that Dream, dream, in the Night, the night is a time of Dreaming, even so is Captivity a dreaming Time, it is a Night, a civil Night, it is a time of Darkness & Clouds upon a Land: And what have these late years of our Bondage been, but a Night, a night of Confusion, of Usurpation, of Tyranny, a night of Blackness & of Darkness upon the three NATIONS, a night which did overcloud all these Ancient lights, which sometimes shined clear in Britain 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 dream in this respect, These that dream are sleeping, so a Land under Captivity and Bondage is sleeping, ordinarily it is so. I mean not sleeping in respect of external peace and rest, ease and plenty: but they are sleeping in a sense Moral and Spiritual: thus did the JEWS (I believe) dream 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 pursuing these Lands these several years bygone, for many abominations, and particularly for the cry of blood, and above all, for that Royal and innocent Blood of our Late SOVEREIGN, yet we have sleeped on in our sins and security. We have keeped fast deceit, and have hid our sins like Adam: we have been as one that sleeps on the topmast.  
These that sleep, have their senses bound up, Their Eyes are shoot, they see not, their Ears are shut, they hear not, so it fareth ordinately with a People that are in Bondage and Captivity, a people lying under sin and wrath, Their Eyes are shut, their Understanding and minds are darkened, they do not take to heart their own sinful and slavish Condition, they do not see nor consider these things which may conduce for their relief and deliverance; This was the jewish people their Condition under the Romans, as ye may read Matth. 22. (O if thou hadst known, 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 shoot, we were dreaming, we did neither see nor consider rightly, how to win out of our Thraldom and slavery; Wisdom, Counsel, Resolution, Courage all our politic Senses, for the most part at least, were gone! We were become like EPHRAIM, A silly dove without an heart.  
Captivity and Bondage is like a Dream, because as they who dream, know not, when they shall awake; So a land in Captivity, knows not, when their Captivity shall be loosed, and the Yoke broken: In this consideration also, Britain and Ireland were dreaming.  
Captivity is like a Dream, because as they who dream, know not, that they are Dreaming, till they awake; so a people under Slavery, are oftentimes so stupefied & benumbed, and do sit down like 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 wonted freedom, and Liberty and Laws and King, than they find, that before that, they have been dreaming, than they look upon their former base dishonourable, and slavish Condition, with astonishment and admiration: thus are these three NATIONS awakened out of their dream: and these who of late were studying to keep the three KINGDOMS under slavery & bondage, doth now (I believe) find that they were dreaming also, but some of them are now awakened out of their dream, when justice is beginning to pursue them.  
These that are dreaming, their heads are full of imaginations and fancies. How many thousand fancies float up and down their Brains? a Poor-man dreams that he is Rich, a Thirsty-man, that he is Drinking, a Beggar dreams that he is a King? Even so a people that is in Captivity & Bondage are like Dreamers, ordinarily their heads are full of Fancies and Imaginations: And I must say, that never a people were filled with more Fancies, Imaginations & Whimsies, than many in Britain, during these late Revolutions have been. Have not some been dreaming to be Kings? did not all the Fift-monarchists dream to be Kings, Princes, Rulers & Possessors of the Earth? did they not call themselves, The sword of the Lord & of Gideon? & that to cut off all the Canaanites, in the three NATIONS, & to possess All; this was a greedy Dream. Were not some dreaming to be Protectors, to be Dictator's, to be the Council of Estate, the Committee of safety, yea some dreaming to have this Place or that Place. Were not Anabaptists, Quakers, Seekers, Levellers, and all the rabble of that fanatique Party dreaming strange dreams? And did not these pretended Parliaments of late, and their Council of Estate, dream strongly? How many new fancies and models of Government did they hatch in their brains, one Government this year, than another government the second year, and a third Government the third year? How often did they change their Principles and instruments of Government; even like to young Children building Castles of clay, they build one, that pleases not, down goes it, and then another is put up, but in end all is thrown down, and the Builders vanish & are scattered.  
The second Particular proposed on this branch of the text was this, that when a people, who have been under Bondage and Captivity, are delivered from their Bondage, they are so surprised with their Deliverance at first, that they can hardly get it believed, they think that it is not real, but a dream, and so was it with the JEWS, at this tyme.  
Because of their long continuance under Bondage, they were so accustomed & habituated with Captivity, that when they were delivered, they could not get it at first believed, they thought it a Dream.  
They thought it a Dream, in respect of the nick of time, when it fell out, that is, when least expected.  
They thought their Deliverance a dream, and were surprised with it, because of the Manner & Way how they were Delivered: which was without Armies, without Fight for their Delivery and for their Liberty, without Blood, without any common Consultation, or Meeting amongst themselves, yea without so much as petitionating for their own Deliverance.  
They thought it a Dream, in respect of the Instruments of their Deliverance. Cyrus and Artaxerxes to do it, that is, these who detained them in Captivity and Bondage.  
They thought it a Dream, in respect of the Suddenness of it.  
They thought it a Dream, in respect of the Repairer of their breaches. Now let us apply these things.  
As the JEWS Condition was sad and woeful, and as they were accustomed to Captivity, and so habituated in it, that when they were indeed Delivered, they could not at first, get it believed, but thought it a Dream: so our Deliverance seemed to us at first a Dream, we have been so sore tossed with Troubles, so accustomed to Slavery, that when our Bondage is broken, by the good hand of our GOD, we can hardly get it believed, we are like men that Dream.  
As the Occasion of their present Deliverance was strange, which made it look like a Dream, so the Occasion of BRITAIN'S Deliverance was very strange, we may look upon it as a Dream. And what was it? even the Pride and Ambition of that Fanatique Party, who raised that pretended Parliament, that they might have wreathed a new Yoke upon the necks of the three KINGDOMS.  
As the JEWS Deliverance was like a Dream to them, in respect of the Time when GOD did bring it to pass, so is our Deliverance, the LORD wrought it at such a Time, when we were not expecting Deliverance, but looking for sadder days, when all Matters were casten lose, all in a Confusion, the pretended Government in a nonentry, an Army on foot to rule by the Sword, then and not till then, did the LORD step out for out Help and Deliverance.  
As the JEWS Deliverance out of Babylon, looked like a Dream at first, in respect of the Instruments of their Delivery; so may our Deliverance look like a Dream, who could have imagined, that an English GENERAL, an English Army, an English Parliament, should have been the Instruments of SCOTLAND'S Deliverance? this is like a Dream.  
The Suddenness of the JEWS Deliverance, made it like a Dream, so may we look on our Deliverance, in respect of its Suddenness. That noble and worthy PARLIAMENT having but newly sit down, when matters are brought to such a pass, that our GRACIOUS KING, is voted unanimously (nemine contradicente) to have the just and undoubted Right, to the CROWNS of the three KINGDOMS, and voted to be sent for, and so brought home in great State and Honour, these Bloody Parricids and Murderers of his DEAREST FATHER voted Traitors, the KING so much longed for, received and welcomed, by the joyful Acclamations of the three NATIONS, and all this in so short a Time: is not this like a Dream? were not people thinking that there would be a long, intricate and doubtful Treaty, between the KING and the PARLIAMENT? and were not the Salamanders of Britain & Ireland preparing all the Doubts, Scruples, Obstructions & Remora's that lay in their power, to cast in the way, to have rendered such a Treaty void and ineffectual? but the LORD of his rich Mercy was pleased to preveen, yea and befool such unthankful and disloyal Incendiaries, and the KING is at home, before they can get their begins and snares well ordered and laid.  
As the JEWS Deliverance out of Babylon looked like a dream at first, in respect of the Repairer of their breaches, so is our deliverance: Whom hath GOD made the Repairer of our breaches? Even our own Native, Gracious KING, by His Gracious Messages to His Parliament, Army, Navy, & to His whole Subjects of the three NATIONS? Who dreamt, that KING CHARLES the SECOND, (on whom too many of late looked, as upon water spilt on the ground) that a PRINCE Exiled, without Armies, without real and cordial Friends abroad, a KING without the Sinews of war, should have been the Repairer of our Breaches? This is the LORDS doing, and it is Marvellous in Our eyes. Let all the GLORY of it be His.  
The Last words are (Than was Our mouth filled with laughter etc.) in these words, we have the Effects, which the JEWS Deliverance wrought on their Spirits, it made them to rejoice exceedingly.  

Observe.  That it is not only lawful, but it is also the duty of a People or Nation, whom the LORD hath brought out of Thraldom and Bondage, and restored them to their Ancient and fundamental GOVERNMENT, and Laws, 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 public solemnities of rejoicing before men. When DAVID brought up the ARK from Kiriath Jearim, II. Sam. 6. He did it, with great state and solemnity, and with great outward & public 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 danced before the Ark, and none censured him for so doing, but a vain precise, hypocritical scold, Michal. II. Kings 11. When Jehoash was crowned, it was done with great Solemnity and State. So also was SOLOMON'S Coronation, and such was DAVID'S return from beyond Jordan, and from the land of the Hermonits'; All these signal Mercies were acknowledged by public Expressions, and solemnities of rejoicings. This hath been the Custom of all Nations, Ages and Generations upon such eminent occasions, and wonderful revolutions of Mercies. And who can forbid such Solemn & public Expressions of Joy? But let it be much locked to, that there be no Excess, nor Riot, and no Offence be given to GOD, in our public rejoicings. If I had said two things, I have done.  
If I may compare Spiritual things with temporals, 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. (I Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy KING cometh unto thee: He is just, & meek.) This is indeed a Prophecy anent CHRIST the MESSIAH, as it is applied Math. 21 Yet I believe it to be no offence, to make some Allusion to it; And therefore I say, Rejoice 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 Counsel of State, not a Tyrant but a KING.  
THY KING, not the King of France, nor of Spain, not the Turk, not a Stranger King, but THY KING, THY OWN KING, THY NATIVE KING, THY KING by a CIX lineal Descents from Royal 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 foreign Forces, (which might justly have been feared) venit non irruit: HE comes Softly, not Jehu-lyke marching Furiously, HE cometh Smoothly & Calmly, like the Waters of Siloah, not Rashly, but Deliberately, 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.  
HE comes not to Oppress, nor to Tyrannize over His Subjects, but HE comes JUST, to restore JUSTICE, which was fallen in Our Streets, and where Equity durst not enter, and where Mischief, was established by a Law: HE comes JUST to erect our Ancient judicatories, Laws, Just judges, to lift up His afflicted and faithful Subject's Heads, which were trodden under, by a faction of Rebels & Usurpers, & to bring Oppressors, Tyrants and Bloody men low.  
HE comes MEEK, Just & Meek; This His Meekness 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 MAJESTY, and so principled HIM for ROYAL GOVERNMENT, that HE can mix justice with Meekness & Meekness with justice, and hath given to HIM a spirit of Wisdom, to discern between the clamorous pretending Whore, and the true Mother of the Child.  
Now (before I close) let me offer to you, some things, by way of advice.  
Let GOD have the Praise of this great WORK, of this wonderful 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, Wisdom and Goodness hath been more conspicuously & eminently seen, then in this our KING'S Restauration. Hath not the Wisdom of GOD in a sudden befooled all these Bloody-minded, Treacherous, Perfidious, Disloyal Achitophel's and Macchiavells in the three KINGDOMS? And therefore let the Praise and Glory of this WORK, be to the Holy Name of the LORD our GOD, Who is Excellent in working, Wonderful in Counsel, doing Wonders.  
Next under GOD, Let that Noble, Wise, and Religious PARLIAMENT of ENGLAND, That Noble, Wise, and Valorous GENERAL MONK, now Duke of Albemarlie, Knight of the most Noble order of the Gartar, etc. Let the honest and loyal 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 Coneys in their holes, to undermined) I say, Let all these who have been instrumental 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 Country's Honour, Freedom and Happiness, 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 ye can do to HIM, Pray for HIM often, not for a Form, but in good Earnest, and from a pious Loyal Affection, hold up HIS Condition to GOD, when ye remember your own; Pray the LORD, to establish HIS THRONE in Righteousness, to make the CROWN to flourish on HIS HEAD, & the HEADS of HIS POSTERITY, while Sun and Moon endure. Pray that no Treason, nor Traitor at any time may reach the CROWN, that GOD would bless His MAJESTY, with a wise, Godly, faithful, and Loyal Counsel, with an holy, obedient, and peaceable Clergy, with a submissive, contented, Loyal People, that HE may be a Bulwark for Truth, Godliness, Religion, justice and Equity, that HE may be a Nursing Father to the Church, an Advancer of the Protestant Religion, and that HE may Scatter the wicked of the land, with his eyes, and that HE may be a Diadem, in the hand of the LORD of HOSTS, and a Pattern for all the Kings of the world to imitate: For there was never KING of Britain, that had more need of Wisdom, Prudence & Foresight, than HIS MAJESTY who now Reigns. Never any of His Royal Ancestors did come to their Crown in a more difficult time, Never a KING had greater variety and tempers of Spirit, to deal with, nor more difficulty to give just and reasonable satisfaction and content to so many several and contrary Interests. Never any of His Royal Predecessors had more Enemies, some known, and some veiled, who can very slily and subtly drop out words, for His Disadvantage, so the KING stands much in need of the Prayers of His Godly and loyal Subjects, wherefore let our hearty Prayers be to GOD for HIM.  
Beware to give care to any sinistrous Reports, Suggestions or Misinformations against the KING'S Person or Government. There is and was a generation in BRITAIN, who made it their trade and game (Religiously & Devotly enough) to blast His MAIESTY'S FATHER'S Reputation, whose Memory is now sacred, & will be as a sweet favour to succeeding Generations, when the Memory of these vile Aspersers shall rote and stink in the Dust▪ Yea that same evil Spirit, is not yet banished away, studying what lies in its power in a fly, subtle, hypocritical, clandestine Way, under a pretence of Zeal and Piety, to suggest Prejudices in the mind of simple and well-minded People, whom they have abused too long against the KING▪ whereas HE hath given fare more evident Testimonies, in the midst of many strange Temptations to the Truth of the Protestant Religion, than any or all of these disloyal Whisperers. Beware to hear such false Insinuations, for they smell worse than Hemlock in the furrows of the Field. I do not speak this, with any reference to this Place in particular. I know & that upon good Grounds from many years' Experience, that ABERDENE might of old, and yet may (be it spoken without Envy or Disparagement) compare for Loyalty to their KING, with any City in BRITAIN, but I speak this as a general Warning, for the whole land, for there hath been much Sin that way in BRITAIN; and if any now should follow such disloyal Steps, they ought to be marked and discovered.  
Beware to have an hand, or any way to be accessary, to any thing, which directly or indirectly may tend to, or look like a Prejudice to MONARCHICAL GOVERNMENT, or to the shaking one Pin of it lose. It was most wisely said by our late Martyr KING of blessed Memory, that the Government then was like to a Watch, when it is taken down, if one Pin be set wrong, it will mar all, and make all go Wrong. We have found HIM a true Prophet in that, as in many other things. Now therefore since GOD in His deep Wisdom and wonderful Goodness, hath reduced Our NATIVE KING and set up MONARCHY, the Ancient and Lawful Government of these Nations, let all the Subjects beware of the least occasion, directly or indirectly to lose the smallest Pin of it. Let all the Subjects know that it's their Liberty and Honour, to live under their NATIVE KING, under their Ancient, fundamental Government and established Laws, and not under the sword of Usurpers & Tyrants. Have we not sore smarted already under the change of Government? Have we not found a fancied Comonwealths Finger heavier than Our former Lawful KING'S Loynt? Let us account Government a precious tender Thing, Let us not middle with them that are given to Change.  
Lastly be content to bear Burdens for a time, to pay public Assesses & Impositions, which yet the Necessity and Condition of affairs call for. What was paid to Usurpers, let none grudge to pay to Our just KING, for the great Affairs of the Kingdom. And I am confident that a short time shall ease these Nations of that, which for the present it is not rationally possible to be eased of: but I need not to spend time on Exhortations of this nature, as to Loyalty & Cheerfulness under burdens to this Honourable & Loyal City; in whose estimation & hearts the KING'S Majesty is most dear and precious. Love makes you Loyal. I say no more, but Fear GOD & Honour the KING. GOD bless K. CHARLES II. KING of great BRITAIN etc. Now to him who is KING of kings, & LORD of Lords, be Praise and Glory for ever, Amen.