Thus was Darkness and Despair spread over the Face of the whole Kingdom, till an Invited Prince rose from the East, and rejoiced with the Sun to begin his Course. We saw Him, as upon this Day, appearing with feeble Rays, with few Forces, attended tho’ with united Wishes. His Coming was not with a killing Lustre, or with a Glory that destroys, whilst it shines; But all Folks then were refresh’d with the pleasing Sight, and felt a strange Revival. By his Presence He caus’d an Effusion of Joy, but none of Christian Blood. The farther he advanc’d, his Influence was found the more agreeable. Slavery and Idolatry instantly vanish’d, and the Shades of Superstition fled before Him. The Emissaries of Rome, those Creatures of Prey, got them away together, and laid them down in their Dens. Into Holes and Corners they retir’d, haunted by the Guilt of their ill Counsels, and as forward to desert an unhappy Prince, as formerly they had been to Mislead Him. We, in the mean Time, wrapt up in Silence and in Wonder, where wholly like to them that Dream. To us the Deliverance seem’d meer Vision, and the Surprize into which it cast Us, would scarce allow us to think it Real. Our Rescue was well nigh over, as soon as undertook, and we lifted up our Heads to see a Safety obtained, in which our Hands had no share. The only Difficulty We were then left under was how to prize and honour our Deliverer enough. We judg’d it as impossible ever to be unthankful for the seasonable Relief, as once it seem’d so, ever to obtain it; And we could repine at nothing (how much soever We have done it since) but at our own Inability, justly to acknowledge so great an Undertaking.
May this Auspicious Day ever bear a bright Figure in the English Annals, and continue, as it always has been, the Ornament of History, and Shame of Popery. May the glad Celebration of it run down to late Posterity, and so keep those Blessings upon perpetual Record, which otherwise, as at present they are too big to be own’d; so in an Age or two would seem too great to be believ’d. ’Tis but fitting the Church should observe a Festival, from which she dates her double Preservation; And we cannot fairly grudge the Day a Share in her Service, when without it the Whole had been lost. It has in former Time been thought, that the Conjunction of Stars made some Days particularly successful to Persons, or Nations: But our Faith upon this Occasion carries Us above Those, and puts us under a higher and a better Aspect; namely, that of a wise and benign Providence. Heaven will not allow us to be ungrateful, when we are thus critically and opportunely reminded, twice I mean on one Day. This confirm’d Experience gives us cause enough to conclude with the last Words of this Psalm: Our Help standeth in the Name of the Lord, who hath made Heaven and Earth.
FINIS.