English Puritan & Reformed

Englands Rejoicing for the Parliaments Return

John Bond (1612-1676) · 926 words · 4 min

The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A28662.0001.001

Project Note

This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.

The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.

This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.

Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.

However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.

This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.

Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org

        England's rejoicing for the PARLIAMENTS RETVRNE. DECLARING THE KINGDOMES HAPpinesse in their Councils, and their Justice in their Consultations against Papists, Arminiasme, and Popish Superstition.
       
        Composed by JOHN BOND,
        
         Cantabrid.
        
        St.
        
         John's Coll.
        
         [illustration]
        
         London,
        
        Printed by
        
         F. L.
        
        for
        
         T. Bates,
        
        and are to be sold at his shop in the old Bail
        
         •
        
        y 1641.
       
       England's rejoicing for the Parliaments return. DECLARING The Kingdoms happiness in their Councils, and their Justice in their Consultations against Papists, Arminianism and Popish superstition.
      
       WElcome ye Stars of
       
        England,
       
       whose bright beams
      
       Doth us illuminate, with the full streams
      
       Of Justice, In whose sacred Brow we scan
      
       The height of equity; and truth of man.
      
       Whose Splendor do so radiantly appear
      
       Like fixed Stars within our
       
        Hemispheare
       
       And if the exub'rance of a word may swell
      
       So high, that Angels may be said to dwell
      
       Within your councils: Nothing sure can be
      
       Distill'd from you but mere Divinity.
      
       But stay! why do my saucy pen transgress
      
       'Gainst modesty, in striving to express
      
       Your Panygericke, which the hearts of men
      
       Cannot conceive enough: How dare I then
      
       Presume audaciously now to express
      
       In you, renowned England's happiness?
      
       Pardon (great worthies!) pardon my poor Muse
      
       Which (while all other Poet's do refuse
      
       This task) ambitious only is to be
      
       In painting forth your sweet solemnity
      
       In your recesse how every heart did pray,
      
       Praying inquire, enquiring wish the day
      
       Of your return and now you do fulfill
      
       Their expectation, and God's holy will.
      
       Me thinks I see each Subject strive to come
      
       And then endeavor you to welcome home
      
       Unto your sacred council; once begun,
      
       And ever shining as the splendent Sun.
      
       Blessed
       
        Astr
        
         •
        
        a
       
        •
       
       aignes within your minds:
      
       Within your hearts and constancy there finds
      
       A pious habitacle: firm faith now show's
      
       Your blest intent, and piety your brow's
      
       'It is your return, that makes our hearts to move
      
       With great alacrity, and greater love.
      
       'It is your return that makes men to rejoice
      
       And caroll forth their joy's with heavenly voice
      
       It is your return, that causeth us to singe
      
       Encomiums as from the Muses spring.
      
       'It is your return, that doth infuse my Quill
      
       With Poetry, as from
       
        Parnassus
       
       Hill.
      
       And whatsoever we do, 'tis your return
      
       That causeth all our hearts in joy to burn.
      
       For as Monopolers did heretofore
      
       Triumph, yet by your Justice they deplore
      
       Their sad disastruous fortune: and the while
      
       Truth under your protection rightly smile
      
       When Bishops did exult, and made the poor
      
       Too servile, who their Lordships did adore
      
       Those, who did strive to trample over the Crown
      
       By your true Justice are all tumbled down.
      
       And Judges likewise (by whose false command
      
       Extortion reigned even throughout this land)
      
       By your heaven-guided councils, and great power
      
       Do most deservedly suspect the Tower.
      
       But England do not labor anymore
      
       Of these incendiaries, as before.
      
       Proceed, renowned Worthies, then proceed
      
       And what in action is, perfect in deed.
      
       For (loe!) the Kingdom wholly doth depend
      
       On you: who do it piously defend.
      
       Behold, the Pope doth quake at your return,
      
       And mourning fears, and fearing still doth mourn
      
       Which may he still continue, till he lies
      
       Ship-wrack, in mourning, and so mourning dies!
      
       Behold! the Papists tremble, and do fear
      
       Extreamely, and soe sink into despair.
      
       Which may they sink into! For now I hope
      
       No more respect shall be given to the Pope.
      
       Behold! Armineans tumble everywhere
      
       And now are struck with repercussive fear.
      
       Which may they still be struck with! For I doubt
      
       They'l be expel'd, and banished without.
      
       Behold! The Priests of
       
        Baal,
       
       Atheists
      
       And Jesuits, with other Popish Priests
      
       Lament their fortunes: for in you they see
      
       Nothing but Justice, and true equity.
      
       You have deliv'red us from all the hands
      
       Of these, and more, yea from the Devils bands.
      
       We will not therefore so ungrateful seem
      
       Your sacred Justice e're to dis-esteem:
      
       But to extol, and celebrate your fames
      
       And pious honors, as perpetual names,
      
       Which never shall be out of memory
      
       Razed, but kept unto eternity:
      
       Witness those prayers, which we daily make,
      
       For your security, and council's s
       
        •
       
       ke.
      
       Each man prepares his mirth, each man salutes
      
       Your blest return, and each man disputes
      
       Of your renowned equity, which finds
      
       An habitation in all several minds.
      
       This land triumphs in you alone (great Peers.)
      
       Who have absolved us from all our fears.
      
       Oh let the Sun-shine of your virtues then
      
       Illustrate all the joyful hearts of men!
      
       And let the influence of your great power
      
       The Gospel's mortal enemies devour.
      
       For your security we daily pray
      
       That true Religion never may decay
      
       But re-erected by your equity
      
       May flourish to all perpetuity.
      
       And that the Church of God may never more
      
       Be dis-respected still as heretofore.
      
       But governed by your consultations
      
       May shine throughout all other Nations.
      
       Thus do all things by you securely stand,
      
       And thus all things do flourish in our land.
      
       By you the branches of Relig'on grow,
      
       By you the Rivers of the Gospel flow.
      
       In you we do receive a blessed station,
      
       In you we have a heavenly contemplation.
      
       With you true Justice flourisheth aright.
      
       With you and good Relig'on shineth bright.
      
       From you this Island do receive a bliss
      
       From you, a blessing, not a Judas kiss.
      
       To you be therefore glory, and great praise
      
       To you we yield the Olive, and the Bayse.
      
       By, in, with, from you we receive all joy:
      
       To you be Honor: which you shall enjoy.
      
        Vestra Deus dirigat concilia.
       
       FINIS.