IN the 2 Corinth. 12. chap. 10. vers. we read of St. Paul, that he took pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in ne­cessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christs sake, and with the same great mind seemed He to be endow­ed, for whom we mourn this day; That Royal Per­son, and Great Prince, how meekly, how patiently did he take it to conflict with the greatest affronts [Page 2]and calamities in the world; but God is most potent and can uphold his Servants, (in spite of Satan and all he can inspire, to molest, provoke, and exasperate his Servants) that in their Tryalls and Sufferings, neither the Devil himself, nor all his Instruments, shall be [...]ble with their unjustest doings to provoke his Beloved, and dear Servants, and Children unto any lesse approved passage in words or gesture, in all their Sufferings; which thing, among all that ever suffered (next to our Saviour himself) 'tis conceived (by all comparisons) none more perfectly, exact­ly, and clearly manifested, than our most Gratious and blessed Prince of sweetest Memory, now in Heaven; of which perhaps I may speak more in the handling of this Text.

Many Bulls have compassed me, strong Bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouthes, as ravening am a roaring Lion. I am pour­ed out like water, and all my bones are out of joynt.

In which words we have a great danger declared, (observe) even that most Holy King and Prophet was in, which sorely troubled him. Violent and un­reasonable people, and many of them too, Many Bulls of Bashan have compassed me; And this was no small trouble if we consider, 1. Their Hostility; the malevolency of those wicked Enemies, which the Holy Ghost expresseth here by those Savage and Ravening Creatures, wilde Bulls, and hungry Lions, such were those who could find in their hearts to pursue our Holy and Innocent David, whom no­thing could satisfie (they were so wickedly resolved) but his dearest Life, end, most pretious Blood, that [Page 3]so having slain (as it is in the parable) the Lord of the Vineyard, they might rise and take possession. Pers [...]cution, you know, may be carried on, either mode cruento, or i [...]cruento, they were too well versed in both kinds, speaking like him in the Book of Wis­dom, ch. 2.19, 20. verses. Let us examine him with despitefullnesse, and let us condemn hims with a shamefull death. Here I could speak of the Apostles, and other Saints believing in Christ, how some of them were beheaded, and others crucified, others hanged on a tree, others killed with the swords; most sad stories, all yet even to be paralleld by these times in our me­morie. Eusebius tells us of a persecution under those monsters of Men, Dioclesian, and Maximinian, wherein 17000 Christians were slain with the sword V. D Jo­han. Pap­pas in E­pist Hist. Eccles. And an other tells of 900000. in the space of 30. years, from 1550. to 1580. in the Low Countries, England Italy, and Spaine, that were mise­rably butchered, for the Religion we now profess D. Sac­cus 2 part post Doni. 8. Tr.. But what is this to the cruelties our eyes have seen, or might have seen, in a lesser space, both of ground, and time? Oh how many thousands (beloved?) yea, who is able to number them that went to wrack by the means of that unnatural Rebellion of late years amongst us? Nay men of principallest quality, and best fashion amongst us Here think up [...]n the Nobles, Knights, & Gent.. Nay, our dearl highly honoured and beloved King compassed by those Bulls of Bashan, and destroyed in open sight, at his own Doors, his poor loyal people sighing, and help­lesse Spectators. O horrid and unheard of cruelty! O bloudy Catalines! Could no bloud satisfie, after so many noble streams your cruel hands had made, [Page 4]but the blood of your Sovereign? what vipers? what tygers? what bulls of Bashan were these? cer­tainly David could not more bitterly entitle his ma­licious enemies, then we may justly those of the late King, many are the adversaries which rose up against him may Israel now say, many are the ad­versaries, and they fought against me with cruel hatred may Israel also say, and who were those ad­versaries that rose up so violently against David? not strangers, but his own Subjects, his own vassalls, and servants, this aggravated the matter; had it been a stranger (as he said elsewhere) he could have borne it with much more patience, but our late Sove­reign was afflicted by his own people, insolently handled, by rebells most barbarously murthered; yet bore it with unheard of patience, sweetly coun­selling and advising as if he had been not so much to die by them, as for them; Oh beloved, let us be­waile that wicked fact, let us lament that ever En­glish-man should prove so unnatural, so cruel, so in­humane as to rise up against his own, own own na­tural Prince. What a disgrace by that barbarous fact, did those vipers bring upon the Nation? 'tis storied of vipers, that grown to maturity in their dams belly, they gnaw a hole, and so those ser­pents come forth into the world; just so did those Rebells of old, grown up to some strength gnaw a hole thorow the bowels of those that bred them, and destroyed the Patrem Patriae, and had well nigh mur­thered their Countrey; beloved, for this should we mourn this day, for this lament, abhorring all thought of the least refreshment; For know ye not [Page 5]that a great prince fell in Israel this day, let us there­fore mourn, let us express and shew our sadness be­fore God and man; and let this be Dies Nefastus, an unlucky day, a day of darkness for ever, a day of blackness and gloominess; let no joy or gladness be heard in our streets; but rather paleness in our faces, and sorrow perceived in our hearts on this day for ever. Let us also by prayers and godly readings humble our minds at the footstool of Divine Maje­sty, that he may be intreated concerning the blood of our gracious Sovereign, that some of the chief actors having been hung up before the Lord, the kingdom may be guiltless before the Lord for ever, Oh hear us we beseech thee O Lord, and make not inquisition upon the guiltlesse for blood, but let the blood of those which spilt that most pretious blood, satisfie thy sore displeasure for shedding of that blood.

Austin tells us, de Civit. 26. there sha [...] be [...]owards the end of the world such Persecutions as never was, and truly such dayes had we (within these few years past) when those Bulls of Bashan were got loose, what swarms then of Locusts and Caterpillars were every where, upon every green thing.

Zozomen and Theodoret tell us, That the Persecu­tions were not alwayes with present death, to hang, or shoot them forthwith, but sometimes to macerate them first in Prisons, and to afflict them there with expectation of death, more intollerable then death it self. So was the Church afflicted in the Primitive times, and when those Bulls of Bashan were loose, (who ever escaped) the Clergy ever went to wrack; [Page 6]in the Primitive Persecution, John the Baptist was B [...]headed, Peter and John we read were Imprisoned, Acts 4.3. S [...]. Peter and Andrew were Crucified, St. Bartholomew Skin'd alive, St. Luke Hanged, Ignatius cast to Lions, the Prophet Michael fed with bread and water, others spoyled of their Goods and E­states, and sent away into Banishment. But with us many thousands of the poor Commonalty were sold into perpetual sl [...]very, to Digge under ground in Mines, all the dayes of their Lives: Many were de­prived, Zozom. saith oft times, of their civil Ho­nours, and the Churches in many places shut up, the Ministers proscribed, and turned out, Church Reve­nues scamled amongst needy and bankrupt people, to encourage others, such like, to rise up and accuse their Godly Ministers; and now I beseech you doth not this seem like the History of our times, saving that we had something yet worse, which grew out of thes [...] ev [...]s, and that was the damnable mask of Religion and Godlinesse, then which there can be nothing more desireable, when true and sincere; For it is not my thoughts (I blesse God for it) to speake, or hint the least in way of discountenancing of true Religion and Godlinesse, or to discourage or balke any in the sincere practice thereof, no it were better I profess [...] th [...]t my tongue should cleave to the roofe of my mouth. No, (my beloved Brethren) go on I beseech you in all Sinceritie, and Truth, both to professe, and practice also, not in words onely, but in deeds also, f [...]r there is nothing more beneficiall, nothing more comfortable in the end, then to be able to say with the Holy Father, Egredere meâ anima, [Page 7]go forth my soul, go forth with chearfulnesse to meet thy gratious Lord, whom thou hast (through his grace) served so many years; Then nothing is more desireable then Religion, but then I mean to note it also that nothing is more mischievous, when feigned, and counterfeited, and what was more fre­quent? 't was that great Mask the prime Contrivers of our Ruine walked in themselves, and it was that they loved to see their Imps to imitate them in, so that if the common'st So it was with my self. Strumpet (in fame) could but scruple at the word Temple, or Church, or Al­tar, she was Godly enough to accuse her Minister for a Scandalous Person. Oh the Hypocrisie of those times, that Religion and Godlinesse it self should be so abused, to be made the Stalking-horse for Sacrilege, Robbery, and Theft, and that the ex­quisitenesse of Villany should grow to that strength, as to infect the World for many years after, if it be not lustily observed by us, and the World made sometimes ashamed. Quis tulerit Gracchos? Juven [...]. Satyr. 10. said the Poet, who is able with tollerable patience to see men such proficients in Villany, that they can shift the Scene, and be Knaves on both sides, grow as con­fident with whom they have new [...]y insinuated, to do mischief by them, as ever they did, or threatned heretofore by the contrary. These be pure youths indeed, and would be uncased a little to appear in their own colours, these be those Bulls of Bashan that can breed disquiets, and through all bounds of Law and Right, pasture up [...]n men at their pleasure: Certainly Davids Persecution was very great, but our Davids much more, it we consider the Hostility [Page 8]of it, either to Himself, Church, or Loyal people; or if we consider the Plurality thereof, David com­plained of many Bulls, 'twas not any one that could have compassed him, but they were many, he speak­eth of many, of all his Persecutors, Many Bulls of Ba­shan, yea strong Bulls compassed me; so it is usually; the State is like a Ship, and the unruly Multitude like the Sea, which if by any means a leake be sprung, will pour in, to the endangering of all; After David was opposed with an Army, the very abjects could shake their heads at him, and many troubles followed one upon another; so beloved, when our bewailed King was compassed on every side, how did the mischiefs on every hand increase the Reve­rend Fathers pulled down, and Canting false Prophets set up, petty Tyrants, like young sprouts, started up every where out of the great root of Tyranny above, many but (to domineer over their Clergy, and have of his livelihood as they pleased) had their wayes they gloried in, to do him mischief at pleasure, and if Aristotle's rule in moral Philosophy be true, Quic­quid per amicos, aliqualitèr per nos, that what we do by friends, we may be said to do (in some sort) our selves, then were some, and of such fashion too, as ought to have scorned such things, no honester then they should be, and yet beloved these were not half the evils of those dayes, which came upon us, with­out all question, through the untimely loss of our gracious Sovereign; then did they slander and re­proach the foot-steps of the Lords Annointed, then was the Orthodox faith exploded, the gravest Mini­sters proscribed, and many of the Rable yet, for the [Page 9]contempt was poured out on Church men, can scarce yet entertain a just respect; but the servant is not above his Lord, there were who said Christ had a devil, Joh. 8.48. and in the time of Constantine the Emperour, the truly Orthodox were called of the Arrians, Homousians, Theod. lib. 1.4. Austin was called of the Palagians a Manichee, and as Ruf­fin, lib. 1.17. Athenatius was called a Conjurer, that they might deprive him of his Bishoprick; nay they Excommunicated the most Orthodox partie, and denyed them Christian burial when they were dead. Lord whither will not the petulant rage, and madnesse of men carry them, when once let loose? Government is a precious thing, that distinguisheth us from beasts, and makes us to live like men, nay like honest and good men; which, if let loose, our late times shew what beasts men will become, Bulls of Bashan, and rave­ning Lions; the holy Ghost thinks fit expressions to intimate their purposes, and practices, that once set themselves against Law and Supreme authority. The Leaders and instigators unto that evil are in Gods account, and all reason shews in a Common­weal, as wilde Bulls, and ravening Lions, drawing a world of evils after them, if not timely prevented, and discreetly avoided by all. For as Lawes are the proper fences, and bounds of our properties, and rights: so is the Soveraign power the shelter, and preservation of the Law: As therefore is the losse of Law, such is the utimely destroying of the rightfull Sove­raign, which must needs draw after it (as we not ma­ny years since w [...]fully experienced) multitude of [Page 10]evils. So that we may this day weep for our selves, as Christ told the people of the Jewes, Weep not for mee, but weep for your selves, that God may avert the judgement due unto this land, for that most horrid and wicked fact committed on this day. Weep ye that so much i [...]nocencie, uprightnesse, and justice should fall, by such guilty, and treacherous hands. Neither may ye wonder (Beloved) that God would let loose those bulls of Bashan, upon his David, upon so good a King; his best Servants ate fittest to make greatest Champions, as ablest through greatest graces, to stand out most nobly in the causes of God; And be­side Christ himself went this way to heaven, and it behoveth those who are mostly his members, to be made most conformable unto him, and was not Christ betrayed too and sold, and are there not many who have betrayed him over again in his members, an have gone, like Judas, unto the persecutors and said, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And now, beloved, Observe agen who is it in the text that saith, have compassed me, mee; was it not David? Holy David, a King, and a Prophet, a man after Gods own heart, 1 Sam. 13, 14, 16, 13. to whom was promised the blessing, Acts 13.23. who spake by the holy Ghost; yet so it was, that God suffers him to be in that manner compassed with Bulls and Lyons, Many Bulls have compassed me, strong Bulls of Bashan beset me round about.

Whence we may observe, That the afflictions of good men, are notes rather of love, then displeasure of the Almighty, for whom the Lord loveth, he afflict­eth: [Page 11]and so he doth the wicked too, but in a different manner, and to a different end, they find not that com­fort in it, nor that amendment by it, as do Gods Ser­vants; wicked men are seldom the better for any cross, or at best of no long continuance: 'Tis true, 'tis said of Ahab, Seest thou not how Ahab humbleth himself? But yet a little after we read him threatning, and scou­ling at Gods Prophet for telling him the truth; but gracious hearts are highly every way improved by troubles, Before I was afflicted, I went astray, saith Da­vid, but now I have kept thy word; So then afflictions as they are arguments in Gods Servants of more good­ness: so are they of more love, and therefore are they to be the more condoled, and lamented in their suf­ferings, by how much their translation hence (what way soever) may be for their own joy, and comfort above, but our misery in their losse, or manner of losse here below. Then I lay you down this doc­trine, That it is most meet (according to command) that we mourn this day for the untimely death of our late King, for I may say with David, 2 Sam. 3.38. Know ye not that a great Prince fell on this day in Israel? Nay I have to observe farther, That the Church of God may be sometimes deprived of such heads, as would have been very much for her behoofe to have retained: for what greater Prince then Ioshua for whom God fought, at whose prayer the Sunne, and Moon stood still, unto whom God sent an Auxi­liarie of Haile from heaven, to vanquish his enemies, Josh. 20. for whose sake the water of Jordan gave place fox him to go over, yet this Joshua was taken [Page 12]away, and the people of God lost so good a Prince, which would have been in all likelihood, much for their behoof, to have k [...]pt. What shall I say of Da­vid, of Abraham, and Sampson, they are all dead; and which is more yet, Aliquando tristi aliqua morte ex­tinguuntur, they are sometimes taken off with un­timely, and to be extreamly lamented deaths: and yet very good Kings too. As for example, Iosias whose heart was tender, and trembled at the word of God, and rent his clothes, 2 Kings 22.11. of whom it is said 2 Kings 23.25. That there was no King before or after him that turned so his heart to the Lord his God; yet was he untimely sl [...]in at Megiddo, and by an un­circumcised hand of Pharoah Necho King of Aegypt: Wherefore (beloved) let it not suggest evil thoughts of God, or our Prince unto us, that this hapned as on this day, God hath his reasons for it, and he would humble us, we had sinned questionless, and therefore God suffered us to be robbed of so great riches we had in our late King, that we might be punished in the loss, let us not then presume any evil of him, for otherwise must we suspect evil of good Josias, whom the Scri­pture highly commends, and yet so untimely slain; Let us then mourn for our sins and that will please God I am sure. Let us lament, and say with the Prophet Jeremiah in the 5th of his Lamentations, vers. 16. The Crown is fallen from our head, woe unto us that we have sinned. And as at the 40 verse, Let us search and try our wayes, and turn again unto the Lord; Let us lift up our hearts and hands unto God in the heavens; We were deeply wounded through our [Page 13]Soveraign, but he Co [...]neli­us me e­vasit said the Tyrant Nero. Tacit. escaped through the losse of him, lay groaning under heavie oppressions, due punishments for our sins: But now it hath pleased Almighty God (blessed be his holy name) to restore agen (as much as may be) our gra­cious and desired Soveraign, in his beloved Son, our present and good King, the best of Princes. But let us not forget the dutie of this day, to weep, to mourn, to be afflicted, to lament the fall of our former dear Soveraign, and to be able to say with the Prophet, Lamentations the 3. v. 48. Mine eyes runneth down with rivers of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people. And with the Prophet, Let us wish for a fountain of tears, to weep day and night for the slain. O let us mourn this day, as 'tis said of Joseph, and his brethren, for his Father Israel, that they mourned with a very great and sore lamentation, that even those Ca­naanites amongst us may say, This is a very grievous mourning to the Loyalists. And let us (beloved) give thanks to God for our Dear Soveraign that now is, who (as out of the Ashes of that Phoenix,) happily is returned to raign agen his Father over us, and to de­liver us from innumerable evils, and to restore us all the blessings of peace, for which the Lord blesse him, as Solomon prayeth for himself, with wisdom and pru­dence: And the Lord blesse him moreover (as he added unto his Solomons desire) with riches and honour, and the Lord be with him in his going forth, and comming in.

And let it repent us in particular this day, let it re­pent us of our Sins, let us resolve upon amendment of [...], and let us not consecrate such dayes to Bacchus, [Page 14]and delights, but to God, let not those miscreants gather encouragement from their Tis said of Satan, be can turn him­self into an Angel of Light. Devillish holiness for that any of us seem to have none, but let us all be as really religious, as they would seem to be: l [...]t us indeavour to grow in faith, and all spiritual graces, and be constant in hope, and persevere in obedience, and be Zealous in good works, which make for the Worship, and Glory of God.

And the Lord grant we may induce him by our prayers this day, to turn away his wrath and just displeasure from us. Amen, Amen.