THE Bowing the Heart OF SUBJECTS TO THEIR SOVEREIGN.  
A SERMON PREACHED on the 24th of May, 1660.  
Being a Day of Public Thanksgiving to the Lord for raising up his Excellency the Lord General MONCK, and other eminent Persons, who have been Instrumental in the Delivery of this Nation from thraldom and misery.  
By Francis Walsall D. D. and Rector of Sandy in Bedfordshire.  PSAL. 126. 1, 2, 3. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing, than said they among the Heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us: whereof we are glad. 
LONDON, Printed for John Shirley at the golden Pelican in Little-Britain, 1660.   

TO THE Ingenuous Reader.  
IT is not hard to divine, that this poor Piece will be charged with a double guilt, of coming out too soon, and of coming out too late; too soon as being no better, and too late if it were better. The horns of this Dilemma will be more easily slipped, by owning both, then denying either. The reason why it comes out so late, being because the Author thought it not fit to come out at all, howsoever at last he bowed his heart, to use the phrase of his Text, to the judgement (shall I say?) or affection of his Friend: 'twere a day after the Feast, but that he hopes the Feast will last always: besides that it may pass for a vigil to the grand Festival of June 28. which is appointed a Day of Thanksgiving for his Majesty's happy return, etc. If any expression in it be quarrelled at, as too airy, thou wilt easily pardon the ebullitions and excrescences of an excessive and unwieldy Joy. Since it pleased God to go out of the ordinary Road of his Providences, in giving us this blessed Opportunity of Rejoicing, it is no wonder if we step out of our ordinary road of Preaching, to meet him, and wait upon his Praise. Those clear souls, whose real affections to the Cause have exalted their spirits, will need no other Topick to persuade their Allowance of some passages, which upon another Account may seem too light, than this, that when Rivers overflow their banks, (as in this great Springtide of Joy) before they retreat to their channels, they leave behind them a kind of light matter that floated upon the face of the waters, which has its use too in a tendency to make fruitful, as the rest of the body of water that has more weight, and sinks deeper. When men's mouths have been long stopped (as we have been too long ante-episcopally silenced) when the Lord opens our lips to show forth his praise by so eminent a Miracle of Mercy as this was, it is hard to give a check to those thoughts that have lain so long in durance, and now press, and throng, and crowd up to such a Goal-delivery. Such Solemnities, as they enlarge the heart, so they give a great latitude to Tongue and Pen in venting those enlargements. But no more, this will be enough to him I address to, the Ingenuous Reader.  
F. W.   

A SERMON Preached on May 24, 1660. Being a Day of Public Thanksgiving, etc.  2 SAM. 19 14. And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man, so that they sent this word unto the King; Reurn thou and all thy servants. 
AS I cannot speak too much, so I would not speak too little, of those Glories the most conspicuous hand of Providence hath shed and shined upon us, those Miracles of Mercies he hath guilded and enamelled this day withal: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the day is too little for the day, as our Saviour saith, Enough for the day is the evil 
Matth. 6. 34.  thereof: so may we say (and happy we that we may say so) too much for the day is the good thereof: the day is too little to acquaint you with all the Grounds of your praising God this day, and to raise the Building of your high Praises upon those grounds. Therefore 
Psal. 149. 6.  that little that the little time will give me leave to speak to the Time, I would fain have apt and apposite, few words, but fit words; acceptable words, such as the Preacher sought out, a word in season, such 
Eccles. 12. 10. Esa. 50. 4. Prov. 25. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Opus Diei in die suo.  as the Prophet found out. Solomon tells us, that a word fitly spoken is like Apples of Gold in Pictures of silver: such gold and silver Medals would I cast among you this day: and therefore have I pitched upon this Text, than which the whole Book of God affords none more seasonable and suitable for the work of the day, or the day of the work: for it wraps up in its fair bosom, all those sparkling circumstances that have canonized this day in the Rubric of our hearts, and charactered it in a Dominical scarlet for a holy Feast to the Lord, a day of Praise and Thanksgiving. This May 24, is the forerunner of May 29, as John Baptist was to Christ: and I have the rather chosen this, because, as it is a remarkable Time, so you should have a remarkable Text; that whatsoever the Sermon be, you may be sure of an excellent Text, a Text butted and bounded, and exactly circumstantiated and proportioned to the Time; that those, that commonly remember little of the Sermon, may remember Sermon enough in the Text. And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so they sent this word unto the King, Return thou and all thy servants.  
My work to day shall be only a Paraphrase and a Parallel, close woven together on the words modelled into these three parts:  
1. Here's a blessed Instrument; Herald  
2. A blessed Influence of that, He, upon others; He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man.  
3. A blessed Effect of this Influence, that they sent this word unto the King, Return thou and all thy servants.  
1. The blessed Instrument, He: A blessed Instrument in the hands of God and the King; God's servant, and the King's servant, Amasa, the General of the Army. If you would know who this▪ Amasa was, look into Chap. 17. 25. And Absolom made Amasa Captain of the Host instead of Joab: He was the General of the Advers Party, Absoloms' General, yet He (i. e.) his General did this great Work: He bowed the hearts of all the men of Judah, (i. e.) He inclined and brought over the whole Nation to the King, that he might happily bring over the King to the Nation: God bowed his heart first, and then he bowed the hearts of all the People. This bowing the General's heart to the King, as well as the General's bowing the hearts of the People to the King, is the most eminent and conspicuous work of the great heart-bower and heart-breaker God himself; of whom Solomon saith, Prov. 21. 1. The King's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water, he turneth it whithersoever he will. He turned the General's heart to the King, and turned the People's heart to the General, that he might turn 
Gen. 22. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  the People's heart to their King. This is Deus in monte, & Deus è machiná, an eminent and immediate Providence: where we may see, not the finger only, but the hand; not the hand only, but the eminent, visible, naked bare Arm of God. God covers his hand, acts as it were behind the hang when he uses means, but when he will shed a lustre upon eminent Persons and Things by immediate Providences, he makes no use of the Creature, but puts forth his own power immediately: thus he handles the enemies of his Church without gloves (as we say) with his bare naked hand, which is more than with his Rod, as speaking immediate vengeance: and thus God delivers his servants with a mighty hand and outstretched arm. So has he done for us, that we may say with the Prophet, Esa. 52. 10. The Lord 
Hab. 3. 9 Thy bow was made quite naked.  hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all Nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God. And therefore you shall find in some Scriptures, that God does eminently assert his own hand, as Esa. 63. 5. I looked and there was none to help, and I wondered that there was none to uphold, therefore his own arm 
* Esa. 59 16. It is in the third person, ●is arm.  brought salvation. Thus it has often been the honour and happiness of God's people, to own their salvation to the immediate hand of God: Deut. 33. last. Happy art thou O Israel; who is like unto thee, saved by the Lord, the shield of thy▪ help, and who is the sword of thy excellence? such is the salvation we bless God for this day; this is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes, Psal. 118. 23. it is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is from the Lord, i. e. the immediate hand of God: the doing is from the Lord, as the day is from the Lord, both his immediate work, as it follows ver. 24. this is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hanc diem fecit Dominus, which I conceive a more natural reading of the words, than that of haec est dies quam fecit Dominus; because there is neither, is, nor which, in the Text. This deed the Lord did, and this day the Lord made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. And good reason, for such a sweet, such a sudden, such a saving change, without noise, without charge, without blood, I challenge all Nations, all Ages, all Story to produce a parallel: the Lord help us to kiss the Hand of that glorious Arm with an humble Thankfulness. Let us thank God for Amasa, and let us thank God in Amasa for David: let us thank God for the General, and let us thank God in the General for the King. As we have a high share, so let us have a deep sense, of those sweet and saving successes that Providence hath crowned the General's undertaking with. I would gladly let the world know the value we put upon his Excellence for our Deliverances; deliverances that have not only answered, but prevented our hopes, prevented and yet enlarged them, by giving in pledges to our humble confidence, that this floating Island is at length growing to its long-groand-for establishment, upon its proper Basis of Truth and Peace, Religion and Law. Let us pay our Sterling▪ thanks to the Lord of Hosts for this Excellent Amasa the Lord General's Excellence, whom the Lord hath made the Healer of our Breaches, first to heal a broken and divided House, and by that a broken and divided Kingdom: both which, as they were a Judgement of God upon us, so in the Judgement of God himself, they threatened our fatal and final Ruin. A House divided, and a Kingdom divided, cannot stand, saith Christ, Mar. 3. 24, 25. And we were both these, and the Lord made the General a blessed Instrument of Healing both these, and by them us all; by applying his excellent Weapon-salve to the Sword, healed us that were hurt. It was he that set the dislocated (secluded) Members of that great Body in joint again: He was the first Mover to our Happiness, the first that gave Check to that rapid motion that so hurryd us to destruction. It was he that secured the Interval between the two Parliaments so, that (though the world was half mad then) yet we had a lucid Interval. It was he that settled our Joys and secured our hopes in this present Parliament. It is he, the needful Midwifery of whose constant Care and goodness still attends this poor travelling Nation (that is yet in her Throes tormented with many struggling Parties in her Womb) till she be fairly delivered of a Handsome and Happy Birth, that may wear the Lord General's Name to Posterity, and our children's Children shall sing the Story of the Lord General Monks Peace, while their pleased Parents smile themselves into tears of Joy, in the remembrance that they lived to see the Truth of those strange Revolutions, that to after-Ages may possibly wear the face of a Romance. This is that blessed Instrument in God's hand and the King's hand: that He in my Text, Noble Amasa, a General that is the Darling of Prince and People. Lord shield him from the Fate of Amasa and Joab: Lord keep him as the Apple of thine Eye, whom thou hast raised to keep the Apple (the light) of our Eyes, his most Sacred Majesty, the only proper and precious Keeper of our Lives and Liberties. O may both King and General long live happy in one another, and all we in both them! You may wonder I have said so much of this He, the General: but that I may rebate that wonder, which is indeed but the daughter of Ignorance and inconsideration, I must tell you, this He, is a General, and that word speaks Power, a Public Person and a General Blessing. And truly though I never spoke so much of any living man in this Place (and I fear (or hope shall I say) shall never have occasion to say so much again of any living man, a Subject) yet if I had spoken less of him, the stones might have flown in my face for my silence, and spoken themselves these loud Truths. The People's Argument to Christ for the Centurion was but a petty Topick to this; They tell him, that he was worthy for whom he should do this, for he loved their Nation, and built 
Luk. 7. 4, 5.  them a Synagogue. Whereas this Noble Soldier hath, not only loved, but saved our Nation, and not only saved our Nation, but (as the admired St. Alban says in that History of Stanley to Hen. 7.) saved it and crowned it at once, nay saved and crowned three Nations at once. Saved the Nations and Crowned them with their King; saved the King and Crowned him with his People: the best of Crowns that ever any Prince was Crowned with, a Crown of hearts: a Crown of greater lustre than those three upon his Predecessor Edward's Sword: and not only built us a Synagogue, but a Temple, another Zerubbabel laying the foundation at least of a second Temple, for our first is sadly destroyed: but no more of that; I will not infaudum renovare dolorem, I will not blast your full blown joys, or grate your ears, or my heart, with any sad and unseasonable Reflections upon that mournful Theme, upon a day of such universal rejoicings. But this is but one Argument of my Apology for enlarging so much upon this Subject the General, this day; my next is, that he is the General Subject of this day. This is one of the main things in the Act of Parliament for this day's solemnity, as being the Resolve of the Lords and Commons in Parliament, That this day be set apart for a day of Thanksgiving to the Lord, for raising up his Excellency the Lord General and other eminent Persons, who have been Instrumental in the Delivery of this Nation from Thraldom and misery. I shall also acquaint you with another Resolve of the House of Commons of the same date, viz. Apr. 26. 1660. Resolved, That his Excellency General Monck have the acknowledgement and hearty thanks of this House for his eminent and unparallelled Services done for those Nations. Mr. Speaker did accordingly give the thanks of the House unto his Excellency, taking notice of his eminent Services and great Wisdom in conquering the Enemy without expense of Blood or Treasure. That Gods making him so instrumental to keep up the Nation from sinking, when no way appeared whence deliverance should arise, could not but be acknowledged by all, and looked upon as a miracle: so than we must praise God for the General this day, and when we praise God for him, we cannot but praise God in him. One Reason more I could give for dwelling so long upon General Amasa, and that is, that he was the King's Kinsman. See the vers. before my Text, how the King cajoll's him: Say ye to Amasa, art thou not of my bone and of my flesh: it is no small honour to relate to a King, but every loyal soul, and every loving Subject looks upon himself, as nearly related to his Prince by his Allegiance, as he can be by his Alliance: and upon that account thinks all the Blood in his Veins, and all the flesh and bones of his body little enough to guard his head, his Cognatum numen, his lesser God in flesh, his Deity incarnate in his Prince.  
2. He bowed, etc.] How was he qualified for such a work? It is not every man that could have bowed a whole Nation thus: and especially this Nation of Judah. I am sure Moses, that was their General as well as Amasa, branded them for a stiffnecked rebellious People, and this General's Master, David, found them so: how come they so soft now? They were stiff enough as long as Absolom lived: but Actio moritur cum Personâ, his cause died with his carcase, and now they melt for him, and they melt from him. Hopes and fears may stiffen people's hearts against their known duty, whilst the cause looks promisingly; but if it get a knock, soldiers themselves we see will faces about: but nothing softens like the example of a Commander, like lightning he melts the steel in the scabbered, makes their hearts soft and fluid, and ductill, easily lead with a finger to run in their old channel of Allegiance to their natural Prince. O a great man, but especially a good great man, and beloved for his goodness as well as greatness carries an invisible loadstone, that bows and draws even iron hearts. Indeed when greatness and goodness meet together (which it is pity is no oftener) they work wonders. The God of Heaven calls great ones, Gods on earth, and therefore we give them a civil worship; now, Quos colimus, imitamur, saith the Father; and therefore if men in power be as good as they are great, they show themselves worthy the Divinity God has stamped upon them; for like the upper lights, they have a great influence upon those below them. The truth is, great men had need look what paths they tread; for they walk in snow, or like the Priests of Bell, in ashes, every one sees their footsteps, and most will walk in them. It is not for the Sun to lie a bed till noon, while no man regards the rising or setting of a petty Star. We see by our late Usurpers and Oppressors, what power some leading men had to bow others to their will and way: they lead people in droves to the Devil; the very broad way was full of leaders and followers. When one of these great things relapses into backslidings, let him go backward from God, as many degrees as he will, he shall be sure the multitude will crowd after him, as the Sun that went backward for Hezekiah, was waited upon by knots and Committees of vulgar lights: It was ever the deplored fashion of the world; let great ones do what they will, they shall never want Apes, while sometimes being too eager in tacking about to gain the tide of wealth, or the wind of honour, they not only shipwreck their souls (a loss they do not much value) but (as we now see) endanger their estates and lives. Well these Grandees had need look to it. Great men are like great Parish clocks, if they tell a lie, and preach false Doctrine in the steeple, they misguide the whole Town into heterodoxy. Great men are called stars, and they are so indeed; for as they shed their light and heat among us, so all our fair or foul weather comes from them; either in counsel, command, or example. But if like our Amasa, our General here, they gild the honour of their Birth or Place with noble Action, they convert souls by it, and preach themselves into Heaven. A great good man is a great good-maker; Tu conversus (saith Christ to Peter) When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. A good man is any man's, nay every man's good; a common Conduit, Market, Magazine, Exchequer, Exchange. Amasa is the King's good, and the people's good. A good General is a general good. He that is most straight himself, is most likely to bow others. Upon that principle, Rectum est Index sui & obliqui: Upright persons are fittest to be Rules and Rulers: for as their straightness makes others obliquity and warping more notorious, so as it discovers, it recovers crookedness many times, as he bowed, etc. No marvel Amasa should have such power over them; we read his nature is in his name, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Populo parcens, Populum elevans, he minds nothing but the advantage and advancement of the people, as they find it in a full springtide of Trade, they bless God for.  
3. He bowed, etc.] He, what He? the General? Why this bowing their heart was in loialty to their Sovereign, and love to one another. And is this work for a General? for a man of war to make Peace? This is as great a Riddle, as that a soldier should invent Printing, or a scholar should conjure up Gunning: or that a Monk should unravel all the plots of the Jesuits spinning. But Sic quaerimus Pacem, say they that destroy all with fire and sword. The end of war is Peace, and though soldiers of fortune, that make a trade of war (I hope that Trade that has broke all others, will break itself at last) be content like the Ostrich to eat iron, and live upon the sword; yet they that take up the sword only upon an honourable necessity, will be glad to think an honest convenience, a cogent necessity to lay it down again, and afterwards look upon it as as great an honour and happiness to live by their head-piece, as by their sword: especially when God comes in with his sword, and wounds a noble Commanders heart, that it bleeds for the blood of its Country ungodlily poured out, to make a red Sea for a villain to swim in to the death of his natural Prince, whose murdered body is designed by the hypocritical Traitor, as a footstool for Master Anello, to clamber up to his Sovereign's Throne; and therefore it is no wonder that he bowed them to Peace, that the General should be the Peacemaker. Thus Abner cries to Joab, 2 Sam. 2. 26. Shall the sword devour for ever? And so little an Item bows both these great Generals to Peace, vers. 28. So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more. And oh let him have his part in Gods and the Kings Beati Pacifici, in internal, external, eternal Peace: May he be blessed from the beginning to the end quite through, Ps. 128. Thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.  
Secondly, The blessed influence of this He, That he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah.  
Where we are to inquire into the Act and the Object.  

1. The Act, He bowed.  
2. The Object, Their heart; He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah.   
1. He bowea:] Was this such a blessed influence? Was this such a piece of goodness? Soldier's indeed know how to make the people bow (we know that) yes, and will make but a small matter of breaking them too, if they will not bow. God dealt with us, as with his people, Isai. 51. 23. God put us into the hand of them that afflicted us, which have said to our soul, bow down, that we may go over, and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street to them that went over. Haman would break the whole Nation of the Jews, because one Mordecai will not bow. But our Amasa is of another temper: his design is only to bow and not break the heart, to soften them into a sweet compliance with their Prince, and one another. He bowed the heart of all Judah, and sent it the King for a token. Indeed some hard hearts are like some other hard things, not to be bowed without violence, or at least much liquoring, or greasing with drink or money: there are such thick skins in the world, that there is no bowing them without a great deal of oil, and that is perhaps operam & oleum pe●dere. But blessed be God he met not with such a people, 〈…〉, he met with them (as we say) in another sense.  
Well he bowed them, but how? With balmy words, with soft and gentle stroking, not striking them. This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Thankfulness to our good God, and this noble General that he bowed us without breaking, or cutting: he undertook, and went through the cure without incision, caustics or corrosives: but like the good Samaritan he poured wine, and oil into our gaping wounds, mollified us with sweet ointments and balsams, gently binding up the wound that had bled (but) too freely, and▪ to little (too little) purpose, but that of our enemies, to enfeeble our hearts and lives, and quench our spirits. For just in such a case he found us, as the Samaritan found the man that went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thiefs, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead, Luk. 10. 30. Truly if it be not a little too tart, I think I may safely (as sadly) say: we have been dealt withal as thiefs do by them they rob: we have been bound and gagged, that we might not stir to help ourselves, nor cry out for the help of others: while some in the mean time cleverly took away our money: so that we own and own to our General, not only the hope of redress, but the happiness of address. He was fain to bow us, that he might unbind us: if our hearts had not been bowed, our hands and tongues had been bound still: and now being handsomely handled, carefully opened, and softly bound up again, our very wounds will bleed balsam, though we bleed freely to preserve our natural Head.  
2. The Object, The heart of all the men of Judah. Why? were their hearts right and straight before he bowed them? Can they be right and straight that are in actual Arms against their lawful Prince? No sure: they were fare from straight: they were bowed too much the wrong way, to treason and rebellion, to rapine and murder, to covetousness and cruelty, to ambition and arrogance, to their own ways, and their own wills, and their own works. Every man would be his own King, and his own Priest, his own Magistrate, and his own Minister: and do what seemed right in their own eyes, the ordinary posture of the people when there was no King in Israel; as it is a brand upon that headless people often in Scripture; but especially it is the fulmen in clausulá, the last words of the last Chapter of the Book of Judges. So that it seems, they were bend too much; therefore he was fain to bow them t' other way; to bow them, to unbend them, to bow them to their Prince in loialty, and to one another in love: this is the bowing that makes them straight. They were a crooked generation before, and he bowed them to make them straight. The evil bow before the good, Prov. 14. 19 Thus this good General, is the forerunner of his King, as John Baptist was of his Christ: he makes straight what was crooked to pave the way to his entertainment. 
Luk. 3. 5.   
But here are two considerable notes that I must not slip.  

1. That he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah.  
2. Even as the heart of one man.   

1. All the hearts of the Nation, here is the Universality.  
2. Even as the heart of one man, here is the Unity of their bowing.   
1. Their Universality, He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah. What are all bowers? What a world of Osiers are here in a land of Oaks? Or did he change the Oaks into Osiers, with that pretty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that one weakly prayed for, that God would make all the willows about his College Cedars of Lebanon to wainscot the house of the Lord. What a rare influence had the prudence, and power, and courage, and conduct of this good man, that could undeceive them all, and turn, and bow them all to their forgotten Prince and principles? The great Artist said, If he could but get some thing strong enough to fasten on his Engine on, he did not doubt but he could the world round. Many of this kind of Engineers have been very busy, and have turned a great part of the world round (round even to 〈◊〉) blessed be God, there was a place found yet in constant and loyal hearts, where this excellent Artist the General fastened his rare Engine of wisdom and moderation, by which he has bowed and turned them again to their proper motion. They are now moved by their own Angel again, their own intelligence, their native Sovereign, whom God set over them as his own Sphere, we hope inseparably, as he that first fancied that opinion. Every one begins to move in his own Orb, to sit under his own Vine, and his own Figtree. But the manner of this successful bowing is beyond all comparison admirable; the Modus rei, is as much as Res ipsa, the manner is admirable as the matter: nay in some sense, Materiam superabat opus. To see a whole Nation turned thus, and bowed in a moment to their God, their King, and their Country, in so unexpected 
* Psal. 126. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , so unlikely a way, without money, without mutiny, without murder, is so rich a miracle of mercy, as not this day only, but all the days of our lives are little enough to be Thanksgiving-days: for 
a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. ●urip. Alii legunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  I shall wholly entitle God to it, and set his Name upon it, with the Apostle St Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rom. 11. 33. O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgements (and blessed be his Name, his mercies too) and his ways past finding out? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, no footstep to trace them by; and therefore let us not busy our heads to find them out; we shall praise God the better, the more we own to mercy, and the less to men. It is true, men are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, God's hands, as Herbalists call the Plants (and some have mere signal and speaking signatures of God upon them) and these hands of God we may kiss. But let us be careful not to take the Crowns and Garlands which we should lay at God's feet to set upon man's head. Here are two eminent Persons, for whom, and in whom we rejoice, whom we may with as great reason, as the people of Lystra 
Act. 14. 11. etc.  did Paul and Barnabas, call Jupiter and Mercury, but yet we dare not sacrifice to them. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; These footstep-lesse ways of God, let us spend that time in praising God for them, which our busy nature would in searching to find them out. I have much ado to forbear criticising upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but then I should run into the Metaphor the word relates to, and take away that quick sent of the mercy, and leave you at a loss without a footstep to follow this glorious mercy to its proper form, the great and good providence of God, that cleft of the Rock in which Moses lay, while the goodness or glory of God (for his glory is his goodness) passed before him. We have no more to do than what Moses did, Exod. 34. 8. And Moses made haste, and bowed his head down to the earth, and worshipped. We can do no less than pay such a bowing of the head, for this bowing of the heart. O come, let us worship and bow down, etc. Psal. 95. 6.  
2. The Unity as well as the Universality of their Bowing, is to be considered. Two expressions speak it.  
1. It is said, He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, the heart, not the hearts: they were all of one heart, of one mind: this is the eminent and immediate work of God. It is he that makes men to be of one mind in a house, Psal. 68 6. And we have seen what a rarity it has been, to find two men of one mind in a house, nay hardly one of one mind for an hour together, much more in the Kingdom (as I thank God I can now call it) and that is the  
2d. Even as the heart of one man. The word is not doubled in the Hebrew, it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and that's enough too: I would our Translators would mode their renderings so, that we might once see these modern tongues, Linguas ancillantes, wait upon their mother and mistress, and not debase (and in some places I may say debauch) the holy Idiom into a low compliance with our vulgar (sometimes too vulgar fancies:) but I have observed many expressions, some in the Text, and some in the Margin (though truly more in the Text) which I shall humbly present to the Church, when God shall please to give the Ark rest. In the mean time I shall go on, Even as one man, or the heart▪ of one man. God complains of some that have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An heart and an heart, two hearts, more than one man should have, a Prodigy in the Sacrifices of faith and love. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as St. James call them, Jam. 1. 8. Double minded men, that are unstable in all their ways. And truly it is no wonder, that one man should be unstable that is of two minds, when two men (nay many men) must needs be unstable, that are not of one mind: therefore to establish them, he makes them of one mind, single-hearted men: of one heart to their God, their King and Country. This is the mercy we have long prayed for: Let us not forget to praise God as hearty for it, as we have hearty prayed for it. I shall close this with David's, Ecce quàm bonum & quum jucundum? Psal. 133. 1, 2. Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity? It is like the precious oinment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his clothing. From the Prince and Priest, the Magistrate and Minister to the lowest subject. Nay like the ointment of Mary poured out upon the head of our Saviour; all the house is filled with the sweet savour of it. Not only the house of our Church and Kingdom, but the great house of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, we shall be as famous for our Peace, as we have been infamous for our war; nay we shall redeem our elder glories, and recover that beauty and verdure which hath been so long withered and blasted by our unnatural and unhappy differences (to call them no worse) when the world shall see, Umbrâ non errabit Crassus multâ, by our turning our swords, that reek yet with the blood of our Brethren, in some successful design upon our enemies, that we can be as a warlike people abroad, so a peaceable and quiet Nation at home. And when you have a while refreshed your spirits, and healed the Nation with this sweet sympathy-pouder of Peace, I doubt not but your gunpowder will be more offensive in your nostrils (unless in triumphs, when it only alludes to past dangers) than it has been these many years. It is that, which as it should have blown up one, if Providence had not danked it, so I am sure has blown down many Parliaments: whereas it is this sweet sugared syllable Peace that alone can restore them to their just power and splendour. But no more of this. I hope the miseries of our past war have dearly taught us the price of our present peace.  
3. Part. The Blessed Effect of the blessed Influence of this blessed Instrument; So that they sen● this word unto the King, Return thou and all thy servants. Here I shall briefly touch at three particulars:  
1. They sent word. 2. They sent this word to the King. 3. And the word they send to the King, Return thou and all thy servants.  
1. They sent word unto the King▪ it is well yet they are bowed so much, as to send to their King at all, that they would own him to be their King. There was a Vote passed of no more addresses to the King. But blessed be God, a part of the same party, by whose power the Vote passed for Non-Addresses, are now by a benign influence bowed to an humble owning their Sovereign. O that wretched Vote! I cannot remember it without horror, that was the bloody Avenue, whereat r●sh'd in an Army of mischiefs, tyranny, Anarchy, any thing, every thing, that could speak sin, or shame, or sorrow to the people. But no more of that, Blessed be God that has changed their Nolumus hunc regnare into our Vivat Rex. What ever was done then, it is well, yet they address now▪ They sent word: it is well they sent, and it is well they sent word: before they sent nothing but blows, or a word & a blow; if a word, a blow too, or words that were as bad as blows. The words that David's Rebels sent him, Words that were very 
* So that translation in the Liturgy reads it.  swords. There was a ●●ong war of the Pen, before that of the Sword broke out, when both sides shot only Paper-pellets: then all was lapped up in butter and honey, and oil, gold, and silk, and wool: Your Majesty's most humble and obedient servants, and the Event hath proved that the major part than meant it so; but there was a poisonous vein in the Lampery, that venomed the body so, that though jacob's voice went along with Esau's hand a while, the ●ougher hand at last silenced the smother and softer voice. So that upon the whole matter, I think without any unhandsome reflection upon the voice, which the hand stifled, I amy refer you for a character of th●se J●hu-like furious drivers to destroy their master, to Psalm 55. where you have David's Commentary upon the missives and messages of his Rebels. For after he had said, vers. 9 That he had seen violence and strife in the City, he comes at vers. 21. to tell, how that violence and strife was dissembled; the words were smother than butter, but war was in the heart. The words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords, drawn out of the scabbard, and the scabbard thrown away, and only sheathed in thin paper, lawn-paper-complements, a Petition and a Pistol, a word in one hand, and a sword in the other. These daubers with untemperd mortar, that meant to pull down the City and Temple, State and Church, had their Trowel in one hand, and their Sword in the other. Blessed be God, though this message is of another nature; for they sent this word to the King, Return thou and all thy servants. And that is the  
2d Particular, They sent this word to the King. To the King.] But one King. There is but one God in the world, but one Sun in Heaven, but one ●oul in the whole man, but one heart in the whole body. There is Divin●y in this Unity, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; but one King, the King; no more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to many Kings: and we hope no more many Kings to addre●●e to. We have seen the misery of many Kings: that Body is in an ill posture, where every little bone of the Rump is swelled as big as a Head. We have paid dear for learning Solomon's Divinity, Prov. 28. 2. For the transgression of a land, many are the Princes thereof. We hope now to be in a capacity to go on with that wise King in the next words: But by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged. By a man of understanding and knowledge; not many pretenders to understanding and knowledge, who whatsoever their judgement was, had no affection, no compassion. We have a Sovereign, that is a Sovereign indeed in the sense of Medicine, as well as Majesty, of a healing virtue; Majestas & Amor, Majesty and mercy enthroned in his Royal breast; a Sovereign like our Saviour, that can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities: Such an one whom besides his Sovereign sweet nature, his sufferings have taught 
Heb. 4. 15.  compassion: to this King this word is sent: and that is the  
3d. Particular, The word they sent, Return thou and all thy servants.  

1. They sent.  
2. What they sent.   
1. They sent this word, Return, etc. They (i. e.) All the men of Judah; the people of the Land in some frequent Senate or Convention; for so I suppose the people of the Land is to be understood. So is that 2 Chron. 33. 25. The people of the Land slew all them that had conspired against the King: and the People of the Land made Josiah his son King in his stead. So here, They sent this word (q. d.) We, all thy people say, Return. Our General hath bowed our heart as the heart of one man, and we unanimously with one heart and one voice cry, Return thou, etc. It was but an ungodly party among us that drove thee, and kept thee away: but now we are all for thy return: We all Lords and Commons (as it is in the Vote of May 9 instant) desire his Majesty's speedy return to his Parliament, and Kingly Office.  
2. Return thou] We are returned to thee, do thou return to us: only a few fanatics, that Thou, every body else, are not for this Thou: but it is no matter for them, as considerable as they vaunt themselves: do but Thou return, and they will be more than ever what they are, Quakers. Return thou, the glory of our Nation, the light of our Eyes, the breath of our Nostrils: Thou, whose Right we own, whose Person we honour, whose prosperity we pray for. Thou, who art the joy of our Hearts, the praise of our Tongues, the desire and delight of our Eyes: Return thou, and bring new Joys and new Glories to thy poor widowed comfortless people; and we will gather hopes from those startling Providences that promise us thy Return, that the King of Kings will set up a fifth Monarchy in thy belov'd Person and Progeny, in a truer and nobler sense, than is intended by the wild assertors of that judgement. Thou canst alone under God put a period to our unsufferable sufferings, therefore we pray, we send this word, Return thou.  
3. And thy servants.] Those that were before looked upon as enemies, our hearts are now bowed to entertain and embrace as friends: Thou art our great Master, and thy servants are our fellow-servants.  
4. All thy servants] We will not dare so fanatical an insolence, as to think of shackling or restraining our Prince to Numbers or Persons: it is above our duty, and it is below thy dignity: No, no, All come and welcome: All that please thee shall please us: Return thou and all thy servants.  
The next words are, So the King returned. Be it so Lord, be it so, Amen. The King of Kings return him to us with speed and safety, and keep him with us with honour and happiness, by keeping us to him with Humility and Sincerity.  
I had done here, but that there is a bowing the heart in my Text, which bows my heart, to bow your heart in a short application.  
Our backs have been bowed down to bear all the burdens that proud and wicked men thought fit to lay upon us. Like Issachar we have lain crouching between two burdens of sin and shame: our hearts and our backs too bowed, till they almost broke, by our fellow Subjects. Since than our hearts are thus sweetly bowed in Loyalty to our natural King, and love to our native Country; Let us say with St Paul, Ephes. 3. 14. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And as David expresses it, Psal. 95. 6. O come let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our maker: Let us bow down in praise and prayer. I will only quicken your memories with a few hints, what you should praise and pray for, and then join with you in praise and prayer for them, and the Lord bow all our hearts to, and in this Duty.  
First, For the Exercise of the Duty of praising God this day, the Text and the Time put us in mind of eight things.  
1. That the Lord hath pleased to bow the heart of the General to be so eminent an Instrument for his Glory and our Good. This is the duty the Parliament calls upon us for, but I hope we need no quickening.  
2. That the Lord hath crowned that excellent Instrument with so magnetic an Influence; that he hath bowed so many hearts, heads and hands without breaking any.  
3. That we ourselves are sincerely bowed to our duty, to our King and our Country.  
4. That this bowing is so universal, as to miracle it is: We may say as much, All the men of England, as the Text says, All the men of Judah. If the major part be all, if an hundred to one be all.  
5. That this bowing our heart to our King, is as unanimous as universal. All hearts centred in obedience to his Sacred Majesty. We hear of triumphal Arches erected in honour of the two new married Princes; we have an Arch which we acknowledge not so artificial, no● would we have it so, it were not good it were so: and that is that Arch which alone will bear the weight of a Kingdom, the universal and united bent of all our hearts to our King. All hearts are bowed into one Arch; a Bow which like that Bow that wears the King's Colours in Heaven, in a particoloured Ribbon (woven with Sunne-beams upon a cloud) shall be for a Token and a Covenant between God, our King and us, that a deluge of war and misery shall never destroy us any more.  
6. For the wisdom and goodness of the Kings most Excellent Majesty, who was bowed by God into such a condescension, as to vouchsafe to send such gracious Letters and Declarations to the Parliament, General, City, Navy.  
7. For those humble Messages that are sent back from all these to his Majesty, with their most humble desires of his Return, That they sent this word, Return thou and all thy servants.  
8. That the desires of the Parliament for the Kings Return are so free, so full, so ingenuous for him, and all his servants. From my soul I bless God, and I desire you to do so too, for the sweet mutual repose and absolute confidence and trust between the King and his Houses: which is to me the best Augury of our future happiness, because all our former sufferings own their beginnings to our foolish fears and jealousies.  
Secondly, Prayer. There is a great stock of Prayers to be laid up, and to be laid out upon a threefold Account.  

1. For the Remission of National sins.  
2. For the Removal of National Judgements.  
3. For the Restoring of National Mercies.   
1. For the Remission of National sins. Never expect good from God and the King, till you repent the evils against God and the King.  
Object. There were great and grain-sins committed in the Nation, to which guilt we would not, if we could, and could not if we would have contributed; as we could not hinder such villainies, so we did not further them, but hated and abhorred them in their Causes and Consequences, so far as we could foresee them all along.  
Sol. I answer that I dare answer for you, there is no tincture of the actual guilt of those high abominations, crimson sins, sticks to you; you may say as to all the blood shed in the high-places of the field, or that Akeldama Westminster-Hall, with the Apostle, you are clear from the blood of all men. But O let us consider whether we have not contracted a guilt ex p●st facto, if not by closing with the power these bloody monsters swum to in blood, yet by not pouring out water enough before the Lord to wash away this defilement, and stop the Cataract of vengeance, which we may justly expect, God will let lose in showers of blood upon the Nation.  
2. Though we could not perhaps have prevented them, we ought not to have connived at them. As we ought not to have complied with them, so we ought to have complained of them more to God, than it is to be feared we did. I shall only give you a slight touch or two upon some of them, and that so fare only as I conceive they may bring vengeance upon the Nation without repentance. For as I hate to take in that sink that stinks all the world over, or stir that old foul dunghill, the corruption whereof has bred so many vipers, that tear out▪ their mother's bowels: so I scorn to throw any bitter reflections at a party that is down. I shall only mind you of them, as I have but too much reason to fear, they will draw down the vials of God's wrath upon the Nation, unless good people pray them away. There be many of them like the Devils in Mary, Legion, a phrase which the more suits those sins, as speaking not only multitude, but power, an armed multitude. But I shall wrap them up all in one piece, but it is scarlet, the notion of blood, a sin of the deepest die, and the loudest cry: we may all pray with David, Psa. 51. 14. Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, so we read it, but it is from bloods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Several sorts of blood lie upon us, and cry upon us. I shall name only four; blood of People, blood of Prophets, blood of Princes, blood of Christ.  
And here because every man's heart and eyes, as well as tongue, can speak freely upon this sad subject, I shall say no more but this: O pray, pray to God for pardon of our heat and tindernesse to war, the swiftness of our feet to shed blood. I could tell you how too freely you parted with your gold to set up Calves, that you might worship them. But I think you have dearly paid for this State-idolatry, though I cannot say dearly enough, because I fear the Lord hath not yet said to his destroying Angel, it is enough. We cannot but fear that a great shower of vengeance will fall upon us, unless we prevent it with a shower of tears, for all that blood of the Nation, which our Land hath drunk up so freely, till it staggered and reeled again: and to complete the Sacrifice to Pride, Ambition and Covetousness, it was crowned with the blood of our lawful excellent Prince. This blood is loud blood; it cries high; and I am afraid the cry of our tears, the voice of our weeping hath not yet stilled the cry of this sin. This blood is not speechless yet. O let us pray that the blood of Christ would plead for us, and wash away this blood: and so for the blood of the Gospel, in countenancing even blasphemy itself: discountenancing the Truth and its Preaching and Professors, and prostituting the Ordinances of the first magnitude to the basest of villainies, here's work enough for this head of prayer, for the remission of National sins.  
2. For removing of National Judgements, which we either feel or fear, especially from war, battle and murder. David rather chose Plague than War, to fall into the hands of God than man. O pray against the Causes and Consequences of War. The causes, divisions in Church and State, and dissatisfiednesse with the present, though we know not how to make it better: and the Consequences of it, destruction of body and soul, Estate, Relations, Name, Nation, All. O it is the devouring sword: it hath done too much, the Lord say, it hath done enough.  
3. For Restoring National Mercies. Here I shall propound to your devotion two heads of prayer.  
1. That the Lord will please to return our King to us safely and speedily, we must pray to God as well as the King for his Return. Lord return him speedily to us, and keep him safely with us, to thy Glory, the good of thy Church, the honour of the Gospel, the Peace, Plenty and Prosperity of all his Majesty's Dominions: and let all the people say, Amen.  
2. That the Lord who hath pleased to bow our hearts, would keep them bowed to himself, his second self, his sacred Majesty, and to ourselves (i. e.) to one another. That the King may rejoice in his people, ●●e people may glory in their King, and both King and people in their God: that we may see God shining upon us in that glorious Prophecy, Isa. 1. 26. I will restore thy Judges as at the first, and thy Counselors as at the beginning; afterward thou shalt be called the City of Righteousness, the faithful City. The good Lord restore Magistracy and Ministry to their lost beauty and splendour, and that old Peace and Plenty, honour and safety with which he hath heretofore crowned this Queen of Islands, Amen, Amen.  
I have but one word more, and that is concerning the Joy of this day. I would not willingly give the least check to the honest and sober expressions of your Joy: you were never blest with a time that more required it: but than it is honest and sober Joy I mean, not rude, beastly drunkenness & debauchery: No, Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice before him with trembling, Ps. 2. 11. (i. e.) Fear to offend God in your Joy. I shall beg this of you that belong to my charge, for three precious sakes, your good God's sake, your good King's sake, and your good Causes sake.  
1. For your good God's sake, that gracious God who hath given you this blessed opportunity of rejoicing, and can turn that joy into weeping, as he has done your water into wine. Provoke him not to anger under a pretence of praising him for his mercy. Do not blast such a glorious mercy as this is, by abusing Gods other mercies in riot and drunkenness.  
2. For your good King's sake. His most excellent Majesty, who is the just cause of your joy is a sober Prince, and no man ever hated drunkenness and debauchery so much as he, unless it were his Father of precious and glorious memory, who was the Great Example of Temperance in every kind▪ Reg●●ad Exemplum— O imitate two Kings rather than beggars and rogues, that can be content to die as they live, beasts.  
3. For your good Causes sake. Remember that there is a Party in the Nation, whose eyes are upon you to spy out something that may open their mouths against you and your Cause, and are resolved to take advantage from the looseness of your mirth, to make people believe, that now all wickedness and profaneness is broke lose, and riot shall be countenanced, which is a great disparagement to your Prince, your Parliament, and this glorious Cause. Let us not drink down this Cause again; it shrunk in the wetting before: we know, how little drinking the King's health contributed to his help. If this good Cause should take wet again, I will not prophesy, but I will pray yet against this wickedness. Let us pray and praise God.  
FINIS.