to David and as to Christ and as to our selves in the application that the Lord doth make a day wherein he will do and give good unto his People 2. I now proceed to the next point herein observable Our work in this day We will rejoyce and be glad in it The point being this That those dayes by the Lord made and Given to his People are to be observed and improved by them I will not spend time in proving it it needs it not nor will the time permit it I shall rather speak to the manner and practice of our duty herein and herein I shall confine my self to the Text and to what therein we are directed Where we find three things proposed to us in way of duty in this particular 1. That we take notice of the Lords work what it is that he doth for us So here v. 24. This is the day 2. That we take notice of Gods work so done for us with thankfulness We will rejoyce and be glad in it 3. That we farther improve such the Lords mercies to us by Prayer Save now I beseech thee O Lord c. v. 25. 1. That we are to take notice of Gods work for his People here is a day for it and that day particularly pointed at This is the day c. as to the manner of it 1. This is by taking notice of Gods work in particulars not in the gross or bulk of them only A particular Enumeration and confession of Sins becomes a day of Humiliation so are mercies to be particularly remembred in a day of praise Psal. 111. 2. Ps. 103 1 to 6. 2. We are not in this not to pass over the works of God lightly but to insist on them in serious meditation and in speaking of them again and again as here v. 15. 16. but this I shall not dwell upon longer at present 2. The next part of our duty is our observing Gods works of good to us and that with thankfulness This is the day c. We will rejoyce and be glad in it Our rejoycing must be in the Lord and that cannot be but in a thankfull acknowledgment of his mercies to the praise of his name where therefore it is said we will rejoyce in it v. 24. it is after with praises unto God v. 27. 28 29. Let us see the practice and ground of this duty by what may be observed of it in Davids day 2. By what we find of the Lords goodness to us in this our day And 3. the ground of our joy and rejoycing in this day also of our Lord Jesus Christ 1. As this day referrs to David his day required such thankfull acknowledgment from him and from his People You have heard what the Lord has done for David and in him for his People such mercies required sutable acknowledgments See himself in the duty I will praise thee for thou hast heard me and become my Salvation v. 21. Thou art my God and I will praise thee thou art my God and I will exalt thee v. 28. He stirreth up others also in it O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever v. 1. 29. and thereunto he calls all the People Let Israel now say that his mercy endureth for ever v. 2. And the Priests Let the House of Aaron now say that his mercy endureth for ever v. 3. God is the Lord who hath shewed us light bind the Sacrifice with cords even unto the Horns of the Altar v. 27. And all this is done in a publick manner even in the Church the publick place for Gods worship Open to me the Gates of righteousness I will go into them and I will praise the Lord this is the gate of the Lord into which the righteous shall enter v. 19. 20. publick mercies must have publick acknowledgments as you have seen in Davids day 2. Our day also this which now we celebrate commands the like performances from us our duty of praises to our God I am sure no people under the Sun have more cause for it then have we in these three Kingdoms after so many and so great and such continued confusions to be thus as at present setled in peace under his sacred Majesty This surely is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes it is a day which the Lord hath made let us rejoyce and be glad in it Nor is the Lord to be praised in his works alone but in those also whom he makes his Instruments in those his works the Lord alloweth them their praise in this yet so as in reference to him in whose hands they are instruments and that those praises be not lodg'd with them but that they passe from and through them unto him who employed and fitted them for the work and carried them on in it 1. Let me therefore to the glory of God and to the praise of his great name this Day speak unto those in the first place who have been chief in this work I confine my self herein at present to what is within our selves in this Kingdom only unto you the heads and leaders of the People I shall say only as in Deborahs tryumphant song of praise My heart is toward the Governors of Israel that offred themselves willingly among the People bless ye the Lord Judg. 5. 9. You have herein your praise and we have cause to bless you for what have been by you done for us but bless ye the Lord Let your praises be returned from you to him by whom you have been so stirred up and owned in this great work 2. To you of the Army Officers and Souldiers is your praise also I may say of you as was said of Zebulun and Naphtali in the before mentioned song of Deborah Zebulun and Naphtali were a People that Jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field Jud. 5. 18. Blessed be God that it did not come among you unto that of death or to the least drop of blood of any of you It is a Miracle that it was so yet did you put your lives in your hands in this great cause and they were by you Jeoparded nor would you have drawn back from the utmost of dangers had it been necessary 3. As to you of this City both you in the chief Government and others you have your praise also and that very eminently as you have been even above others eminent in the work of this day in which also you continue even unto this very day 4. Nor ought you of the general Convention of Ireland to be forgotten but to be remembered with the first for you have in a time of trouble and great distractions risen from your severall places and set your selves here for the quiet and settlement of this Kingdom The happy fruits whereof we this day gather by you have our publick wants been supplied in a time of pressing necessities to the great refreshment of the
A SERMON Preach't at CHRISTS-CHURCH DUBLIN Before the GENERALL CONVENTION OF IRELAND May 24. 1660. By Henry Jones D. D. Vicechancellour of the University of Dublin and Bishop of Clogher LONDON Printed by J. C. for J. Crook at the Ship in St. Pauls Church-Yard 1660. A Declaration of the General Convention of Ireland for a day of publick Thanksgiving to be observed throughout the Kingdom WHereas it hath pleased Almighty God after so many and various Revolutions to look upon these Kingdoms of England Ireland and Scotland with the eye of Mercy by resettleing them upon the ancient basis of their lawful Government in which onely they can be happy And whereas God hath made his arm bare in this signal and eminent transaction that no flesh might assume glory to it self and hath removed all those great obstructions without the effusion of bloud a mercy as much beyond humane expectation as our merits We therefore the General Convention of Ireland that we may give unto God the things that are Gods as unto Caesar what belongs unto Caesar do in manifestation of our sense of this high undeserved mercy the humble yet fervent return of our praises to him for placing his royal Majesty King Charls King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. not onely in the throne of his Ancestors but in the hearts of his people Appoint accordingly ordain that Thursday the 24. day of this instant May be a day appointedand set apart throughout all the Churches in this Kingdom to praise God for this great seasonable deliverance afforded to us that are less then the least of his mercies and that this Declaration be then publickly read by the respective Ministers in their Congregations and all Mayors Sheriffs Justices of the Peace and other Officers and Ministers are respectively to take notice hereof and to take care that the samebe put in due execution accordingly and that all persons do forbear to labor or exercise their ordinary calling on that day God save the King Dated at Dublin the 15. day of May 1660. Ordered that this Declaration be forthwith Printed published Mat. Barry Cl. of the General Convention of Ireland Ordered Monday 14. May 1660. THat Dr. Henry Jones Lord Bishop of Clogher one of the Members of this Convention be and is hereby desired to carry on the work of the thansk giving day appointed upon thursday next come seven night being the 24. day of this instant May at Christ Church Dubl Signed by Order Math. Barry Cl. of the General Convention of Ireland Thurseday 24. May 1660. WHereas Dr. H. Jones L. B. of Clogher one of the members of this Convention was desired to carry on the work of this day appointed a day of thanksgiving that God in much mercy has restored his Majesty to the Government of these his Kingdoms which was both learnedly piously performed by his Lordship It is Ordered that the Chairman of this Convention do returne their hearty thanks to his Lordslip And that he be desired to cause his Sermon to be printed and published at the charge of the said Convention Signed by Order Math. Barry Cl. of the General Convention of Ireland PSALM 118. 24 25 26. This is the day which the Lord hath made We will rejoyce and be glad in it Save now I beseech thee O Lord O Lord I beseech thee send now prosperity Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord I Have chosen these words for this time A Psalm and of praise is a fit subject for this occasion such is this psalm It begins and ends with praise ending as beginning and with the same words O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever ver. 1. 29. There are we called on and invited to the Duty but here in the Text we are in the duty in the practice of it This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it c. This Psalm hath not the Author in its Title yet may we probably conclude it Davids A general consent of Writers ancient and modern is for it The matter also of the Psalm leads to it being much the same with the second Psalm that being as this of Davids and Christs Kingdom both first opposed and after established notwithstanding all to the contrary Why do the Heathen rage and the People imagine a vain thing the Kings of the Earth set themselves and the Rulers take Councell together against the Lord and against his anointed Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion Psa. 2. 1 2 6. where note that that Psalm hath also no title as this here yet is that declared to be Davids by the Testimony of the holy Ghost Acts 4. 25 26 27. Who by the mouth of thy Servant David hast said why did the Heathen rage c. Nor is this our Psalm as to the matter of it to be Apropriated unto David for here we find Jesus Christ of whom are principally the words which are next foregoing in the Text v. 22 23. The stone which the Builders refused is become he head stone of the corner This is the Lords doing it t is marvelous in our eyes Which are applied unto Chr i st Acts 4. 11 10. So also are these words in the Text Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord v. 26. with Math. 21. 9. David was here the tipe and what is to be said of David must be principally referred unto Christ the Antitipe the same matter being here as in many other Psalms common to both And whereas David is said to be A tipe of Jesus Christ it is intended Principally as he was a King he a tipe of Christs Kingly office as were others of his other offices propheticall and Priestly Therefore and for other reasons is Christ as a King called by the very name of David Ezech. 34. 23 24. I will set up one Shepheard over them and he shall feed them even my Servant David he shall feed them and he shall be their Shepheard and I the Lord will be their God and my Servant David a Prince amongst them I the Lord have spoken it Therefore must this Psalm be understood of David and of Christ as to the Kingly power and Government vested in them therefore is this Psalm in that yet neerer to the present occasion And yet more particularly these words seem to point to that very period of time when David first entred on his Kingdom in peace freed from those disturbances till then given him as it was also with Jesus Christ of either of them it might be said that he was A stone which the builders refused being after made the head stone of the corner v. 22. 23. unto this this tryumphant day in the Text doth particularly referr This is the day c. In all which
Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of waters he turneth it withersoever he will Pro. 21. 1. No man can command or change the course of tides but God can do it and who but he can order the hearts of men as he hath done it in the King so is it from him that it is done in the People the hearts of both being by him thus turned to each other That Reformation by Hezechiah was done in 16. dayes It was soon done for all hearts were made willing to it which is therefore said to be from the Lord And that God had prepared the People For the thing was done suddainly 1 Chr. 29. 17. 35 36. This is our very case this day being in this day of the Lord made a willing People Psal. 110. So that we may conclude concerning it as here that this is the Lords doing his and his only 2. Therefore it is marvellous in our eyes which now followeth v 23. Who would have believed that one cast out so as was David should in the condition he then was be on a suddain so raised and that to the highest pitch of all Imaginable glory for but a little before he had been in very great distresse at Zicklag 1 Sam. 30. 6. at that time also were the People of Israel in great confusions by reason of the Philistins then prevailing over them so was it then with David and such was the condition and State of affairs at home when David was brought in therefore all things considered it could not but have been marvellous in the eyes of all that beheld it And if the confusions of England and of the three Kingdoms be considered in this our day I dare be bold to say it the like cannot in any time or history be ever paralell'd For to speak nothing of the strange confusions in the foregoing years since the year 1648. we find in this very year in which we now are even but in the compass of these past twelve months taking in this in which we now are one of them we shall find I say within these twelve months ten Fundamentall changes 1. That violent dissolving of the Parliament in Aprill 1659. Called the Protectors Parliament 2. An Army-Government thereupon 3. The Armies recalling in May after that now called the Rump-Parliament 4. That Parliaments laying aside the Protector in June next after 5. The breaking up in October of that Parliament so lately recalled 6. The bringing them back again in December 7. The again excluding them soon after by the coming in of the secluded Members 8. The secluded Members dissolving themselves in Aprill 1660. 9. The meeting of the present Parliament which may be Justly called the happy Parliament 10. The resettlement of the three Kingdoms on the basis of their ancient Government in his sacred Majesty by whom is all happiness and peace promised to his People Who could expect so much good from so much evil who could look for order from confusions and from overturnings of Foundations one after and upon another to find such a settlement as at this day it cannot but be acknowledged with astonishment to be The Lords doing and it is surely marvellous in our eyes Let therefore the day of such great things and of so many and publick mercies be precious and valued of us as was that day of Davids with his People This is the day which the Lord hath made Let us rejoyce and be glad in it Thus of these words as to David of whom the words have been in the Letter considered I shall now look on the words as they pass from David the Tipe unto Christ the Antitipe Christ is indeed he who is herein principally concerned to him are those words particularly applied that He is that stone which the builders refused and now made the head stone of the corner c. 22. 23. He himself speaks so of himself pointing to this very Scripture in that parable of the husband mens not receiving but refusing and slaying him the Son sent by the Lord of the Vineyard to them Math. 21. 42. Of him also is that spoken by the Apostle Peter Acts 4. 10. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 6 7 8. and Paul Eph. 2. 20. the following words also v. 26. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord are applied to him and yet more particularly 1. That Jesus Ghrist was that stone refused by builders is evident That he is now made the chief stone of the corner who knoweth not and who could but stand amazed at that great work to see one so dispised of men cast off and cast out and to be dead and three dayes buried and yet after all this raised again and exalted above all Angels and Men and all being made subject unto him the Emphasis of all is laid here that he having been so low is now raised and exalted above all Him saith Aplc. being delivered by the determinate Counsel and foreknowledg of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain Whom God hath raised up Acts. 2. 23 24. This Jesus hath God raised up v. 32. That same Jesus whom ye have crucified hath God made both Lord and Christ v. 36. We see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffrings of death crowned with glory and honour Heb. 2. 9 He made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of Men and being found in fashion as a Man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Wherefore God also hath highly axalted him and given him a name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2. 7 8 9 10 11. In all which you see him who was the stone so refused by the builders to become now the head stone of the corner and that this is the Lords doing and marvellous in our eyes This of Christs glory is the day here pointed at this is the day c. Which his day strictly taken is the day of his resurrection his first step into glory from his humbled condition that having been before dispised he was then exalted above all Or this his day may be taken in a greater Latitude for all the degrees of his exaltation together then is this the day or of his glory begun in his resurrection and carried on to the fulness of glory of which he is now possessed for evermore in which is the ground of this joy here expressed by his People This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it You have hitherto heard of the Lords making or the Lords work in making this day for his People You have seen it as
his distresses in that kind of which I need not speak nor make farther application That not withstanding such his sufferings yet was not David forsaken for first even then when at lowest he had the hearts of many who followed him in all his troubles so as that even then he was not altogether inconsiderable 1. Chr. 12. 1 to the 23. but after when the Lord had indeed prepared the hearts of his People and that they were generally bowed to him how great then was the confluence to him from all parts of his Kingdom and that when he was yet at a great distance and farr off they then inviting and pressing his return to his own Country and people 1. Chr. 12. 23. to the end I know not why in this parallel I should omit the Circumstance of time when David made this his entrance in to his power It was long after his having been anointed King by Samuel he had at first his right of title to the Government but had not untill now possession of it And his right considered he might in his very first entrance have written the 12th year of his Reign supposing him to have been about 18. when he was anointed by Samuel as some have it although that others whom I reverence add more to his years but as to Davids age when he was actually brought in it is clear that he was then about Thirty years old 2. Sam. 5 4. An age that carrieth in it an Omen for good for so was Josetph when he stood before Pharoah and was made Governour of Egypt Gen. 41. 46. And of Jesus Christ also it is said that he began to be about thirty years of age when he did first put himself forth into the World in his baptisme Luke 3. 23. Nor have we reason to debarr our selves of our hopes of his Majesty among those he beginning to be now about 30. years of age the 29th of this Month giving the entrance thereunto as doth this Month to his happy Government over us That I may proceed in this parallel Davids return to his People was with generall acclamations Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord So here v. 26. taking this in the letter to be of David such a Prince could not but be a blessing to his People so as they had good cause to bless him and God for him He came to them in the name of the Lord Saul did not so come to them he came not with a blessing to the People his reign was with confusion and with blood even of the very high Priest himself also of other the Priests cruelly murdered by him on a charge of complyance with David 1. Sam. 22. 9. to the end no wonder therefore if it should be said of Saul whether personally intended of him or of some such other That God gave him to be a King in his anger and took him away in his wrath Hos. 13. 11. Which Scripture some have enlarged against Kings in general and against Kingly Government as if that had been a form of Government not from God whereas David was a King given by God He came in the name of the Lord and was given a blessing unto his People God chose David his Servant and took him from the Sheep folds from following of the ewes great with young He brought him to feed Jacob his People and Israel his inheritance So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skilfullness of his hands Psalm 78. 70. 71. 72. A good King is given in mercy and there is wrath to that People from whom he is kept or removed As on the contrary it is the mercy of that People from whom such a Prince as Saul is removed and to whom a David is given whereunto that spoken in another case may be applied Thou profane wicked Prince of Israel whose day is come when iniquity shall have an end Thus saith the Lord God remove the Diadem and take off the crown this shall not be the same exalt him that is low and abase him that is high I will overturn overturn overturn it and it shall be no more untill he come whose it is and I will give it him Ezek. 21. 25 26 27. And great cause had the People to hope well of David and to promise themselves a blessing in him as coming to them in the name of the Lord considering 1. In what might have been observed of his great piety and constant holding on in the truth of his profession Notwithstanding many Temptations This is to our case this day very eminently and give me leave to change the person a little from David to his sacred Majesty our Soveraign on whom we look in all this more especially Might not his sufferings have been in this his Temptation Many have fallen therein Or might not hopes of being restored to his Kingdoms by those abroad have wrought him to a compliance nothing being then from his own at home hopefully visible towards his return Or was there not danger in the very abiding among and converse with Idolaters which was necessarily enforced besides strong endeavours purposely used to withdraw him from the truth of his profession How greivous this was to David above any thing beside of all his sufferings we may remember and that there was nothing whereof he so complained as of this very thing cursed be they saith he before the Lord For they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saying go serve other Gods 1. Sam. 26. 19. The driuing him into those streights was as to the Temptation to say go serve other Gods But David did not so and his Majesties return is with the same Spirit he was not overcome but confirmed in the truth by what he had suffred 2ly Those Davids suffrings were a better fitting him for Government It was an inducement to the People for receiving Henry the 4th of France with hopes of much good by him in that he was a Prince of great sufferings So doth God by sufferings fit his for great things and for good to themselves and others Thus was David kept back many years from what he had been appointed unto So Joseph Psalm 105. 17 18 19 20 21 22. So Jesus Christ also he was made perfect through suffrings Heb. 2. 10. So also Gods Children for whom a Kingdom is preserved they are to be thereunto fitted and perfected for it by sufferings Nor was the hopes of the People disappointed in what they might expect of happiness in Daâ—â—ds Government for a Prince he was of rich endowments and in the very entrance of his Government they had experience of his clemency Clemency is a Princely qualification Davids sufferings and personall injuries were by him soon forgiven and forgotten and all passed over as it were by generall Act of Oblivion and that given by him not demanded of him Thus was it to the generality of his People who