THE Goodness of God, which inclined him to create so great a number of Beings, of whose Service he could have no want, having all Perfections contain­ed in his own Nature, and essen­tial to it, moved him, ever since they did exist, to preserve them.

Among the Creatures of several Kinds and Ranks which God brought into the World, to some he gave a Capacity to discover his Being, and that he was the Maker of all things, and did conserve [Page 6] and govern them; who by considering the Works of his Creation, and either viewing them singly, or comparing them together, must discern Wise De­sign, Exact Order, Mutual Fitness and Subservi­ency one to another, every where among, them, and thence necessarily conclude, that the Author of all these Productions is endued with Infinite Power, Wisdom, and Goodness; and that it is most rea­sonable for them who have receiv'd so Noble a Nature from him, to reverence, love, and honour him for it.

But what he did enable his Creatures to find out by their Reasoning Faculties, he has manifested more fully to them by Revelation; as well what concerns the Excellency of his own Nature, as what relates to them, and their Dependency upon him.

He has taught them, that he is their Sovereign Lord, of whom they hold all, and that it is their Duty to worship and praise him for his Loving-kindness; that as he only can furnish them with the common Supports of Life, so they are to pray to him for them; that as he will rescue them out of danger, so they ought humbly to recommend themselves to his Care and Protection; and after he has made a way for their Escape, heartily to return him Thanks for their Deliverance.

Thus to be grateful to our Principal Benefactor, is not only agreeable to Natural Light and Justice, [Page 7] but the great Law of our Religion. I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

In the Text these Two Propositions are plainly contained.

(1.) That Deliverances are from God.

(2.) That it is our Duty to glorify and honour him for them.

In treating of the first, I will shew (1.) That all Deliverances are from God.

(2.) That some are more evidently so, as having the plain and visible Marks of his Hand impress'd upon them.

(1.) That all Deliverances are from God: Be­fore I enter upon the Proof of which, I would premise (1.) That this Assertion does not imply, That God will deliver us, if we do nothing our selves towards obtaining our Safety; he has promi­sed that his Grace shall attend and promote our honest Endeavours, but gives no ground to the idle and negligent to hope for his help, who will make no use of their Natural Powers derived from him for their own Preservation.

(2.) Neither from hence does it follow, That God will encourage men in the pains they them­selves take to get out of Trouble, if they do not humbly address to him for his help; The calling up­on him in the day of trouble, being the express Condi­tion upon which he will deliver us.

[Page 8] (3.) Nor though men pray vehemently to God, have they the least reason to expect he will fetch them out of those Dangers they have run them­selves into, by being engaged in any wicked De­sign. Should Robbers, Pyrates, Murderers, Assas­sines, Traytors to their King and Countrey, pray for the Success of their Villany, and that they may escape the Stroke of Justice, God would be so far from granting their Petitions, that he would take their Prayers for a new Injury and Affront, and ab­hor their Sacrifice as much as their Sin.

4. Neither are these things to be so strictly un­derstood, as if the wicked should never escape out of any danger; for they sometimes may call upon God, and he may have so much regard to their Prayers, as to take them out of the hands of their Enemies, who may be worse than themselves, to induce them to repent, and return to him and their Duty; they may humble themselves before God, and he defer the Calamity to a further time, which he had threatned to bring presently upon them: Thus upon the Humiliation of Ahab, who did evil above all that were before him, God delays the Execution of the Judgment he had denounced against his House, unto the days of his Son.

Moreover, very bad men sometimes do deeds of Charity and Mercy, and God suffers their few Good Works for a season to cover their many Evil ones, [Page 9] so that they are not always brought immediately to Light and Punishment.

God also may permit the Wicked to succeed in their Evil Designs in order to correct and reform his own People, when they trust more in the Arm of Flesh, than in God their Saviour; and when upon any loss, or disappointment, they grow un­easy and ungrateful, and do not retain a due sense of his great and manifold Mercies.

Lastly, The Wicked often do prosper, and are suffer'd to climb high, not out of kindness to them, but that their fall may be the greater; and that the Divine Vengeance may be the more con­spicuous in their final overthrow.

These things being premised, I proceed to ob­serve, That Deliverances are of several sorts, both with respect to them for whom they are wrought, and with respect to the Evils from which they set us free.

Some are confined to single Persons, or reach but to private Families, or Towns; and some ex­tend to whole Countreys and Nations, indeed to all the Race of Mankind, as that Transcendent Deliverance in the Redemption of the World by our Lord Jesus Christ. And as the Redemption Christ did purchase for us with his Blood was the most comprehensive, taking in the whole Stock of Men; so was it the most valuable, as rescuing [Page 10] us from the power of Sin, which brought the Wrath of God upon us; and from the wages of Sin, everlasting Punishment, which is the greatest of Evils.

As to single Persons, God guards their Souls against the Designs of their spiritual Enemies, the World, the Devil, the Flesh, either by keeping them out of the way of the Tempters, or by enabling them to overcome their Temptations, so as they shall not be hurt, or led captive by them. It is also to the Goodness of God that particular men owe the preservation of their Health, Life, Reputation, and Estates: He defends their Lives from the malignity of Diseases, from the cove­tousness of Oppressors, who would kill, that they might take possession; from the malice of their cruel Enemies, that thirst after their blood; and from a vast number of dangerous Accidents, which are not to be imputed either to their own folly, or the ill will of other men.

He also protects the Reputation of the Inno­cent, and delivers them from the Slanders of ly­ing Lips; he secures mens Estates, not only from the Assaults of Robbers and Thieves, but from the violence of Fires, Tempests, and Floods, and from all other Casualties.

But though there is no Creature so small and inconsiderable, that God does not take care of it; yet for the most part, the Acts of his Providence [Page 11] are more apparent and discernable in the ordering and management of the greater portions of the World; his hand is more visible in the government and disposal of Countreys and Kingdoms, than of particular Places and Families; of Kings, and Men in Authority, than of private Persons; whe­ther in their ruin, when they turn their hearts from the Lord their God, and give themselves up to commit evil; or in their Preservation, when they do that which is right in his eyes, and keep the Covenants and Statutes which he has com­manded them.

And it is to the extraordinary Providence of God, that we are beholden for this joyful Occasion of assembling our selves together, who hath deli­vered our King from the hands of cruel and barba­rous Men, that had conspired to Assassinate and Murther his Sacred Person; and preserved our Na­tion from an Invasion, for which all things were prepared and made ready by a Powerful Neigh­bour, with design to conquer our Countrey, and to bring that Bondage and Slavery upon us, under which his own Subjects do labour and groan.

Had God, justly incensed by our Iniquities, per­mitted these Hellish Plots to have taken effect against the Person of our Dread Sovereign, and the Land of our Nativity, it is not easy to con­ceive the Fears, Horror, and Confusion with [Page 12] which we should have been overwhelmed; nor the Rage and and Cruelty with which our Ene­mies would have follow'd their Blow to have ob­tained a full Conquest, and made us compleatly miserable.

We could with no reason have expected the least degree of tenderness, or pity from them, who had so far divested themselves not only of Re­ligion, but Humanity it self, as to murther the Father of their Countrey, under whose Protection they for many years had lived safely; neither should we have had more ground to hope for favour from that Prince, by whose Arms we were to be invaded, who in his whole Conduct seems to have greater regard to the amplifying of hisWho has suffered so many things to be said of him, not only full of rank Flat­tery, but which savour much of Blasphemy; viz. Viro immortali, p. 42. Factis miracula firmat; totus me indiget or­bis, p. 44. Nusquam meta mihi; nus­quam devius, p. 45. Vae cui Iratus Ju­piter, p. 47. Per se cuncta videt, p. 48. Qui nec errat, nec ceffat, p. 54. Hi­stoire du Louis le Grand. Par les Medailles. Glory and Power, and the enlargement of his Dominions, than to the honesty of his Cause, and the Rights of them with whom he does contend; and whose Mercy, or even Faith and Ju­stice, the unhappy whom he has conquered, have no reason to applaud.

Neither perhaps are these Failings so much to be charged upon the Ambition of his Natural Temper, as upon an unenlightned Zeal he has to promote a Religion, which allows men to do very many ill things.

[Page 13] For where Popery has a full Influence upon men, they will break through all Tyes, Natural, Civil, or Divine, to serve that Interest. Neither Laws, nor Edicts, nor Promises, nor Oaths, nor Vows, nor sense of former Kindnesses, have been found Bands strong enough to hold them.

There are indeed Doctrines taught in that Church, which are great hindrances to good Life, and dispose men to violate the Moral Duties of Na­ture and Religion, without any great shock of their Consciences, or fear of Future Punishment. They get rid of their Fears by the Doctrines of Penance, Purgatory,Memorabilis est dispositio Philip. IV. Hispan. Reg. quâ constituit ut 100000 Missae ex sua intentione dicerentur, & quidem ut si ipse non amplius its opus habeat, Patri ac Matri suae bono cede­rent; sed si hi jam in Coelo essent; eo­rum animabus applicarentur, qui in Bellis Hispanicis mortem oppetierint. Puffendorf de Cons. & Diss. Protest, p. 43. Masses for the Dead; and make their Consciences easy by those of Equi­vocation, Absolution; and that they are not bound to keep the Faith they have engaged to He­reticks (which is the good Name they are pleased to give us), whom they will not allow to have any Right to Truth, or Ju­stice, or so much as to their own Lives.

Hereupon many of that Communion think it no Sin at all to kill us; and the most zealous and bigotted among them believe it a Good Work, and that they shall merit Heaven by doing God and their Church such Laudable Service.

[Page 14] Since these Principles have found Entertain­ment in the World, what Havock has been made of the Lives of Men? what Effusion of Christian Blood ?

During a short Reign in our own Kingdom, Men and Women of Holy and Peaceable Lives, to a great number, were burnt at the Stake, be­cause they would not embrace Opinions devised by the Church of Rome, and imposed for Articles of Faith, which are not contained in the Holy Scripture, nor known to the Primitive Chri­stians.

In the Countrey from whence we now were threatned with an Invasion, as we are inform'd by some of their ownHist. Hen. IV. Bishop of Rodez. p. 24. Authors, the Throats were cut of near a Hundred thousand Protestants in the space of a few days: When Tidings of it reach'd the Court ofMezeray Hisf. p 722. Gregory XIII. Pontificatûs initia laetiora Iaetus de Pa­risiensi Hugonotorum caede nuncius fe­cit. Hor. Tursellin. Soc. Jesu, lib. X. Rome, his Holiness the Pope received them with in-expressible Joy;O diem illum plenum loetitiae & hi­laritatis, quo tu, Beatissime Pater, hoc ad te nuncio allato, Deo Immortali, & Di­vo Ludovico Regi, cujus haec in ipso pervigilio evenerant, gratias acturus in­dictas à te supplicationes pedes obiisti, Muret. Orat. 22. coram Pontifice Rom. habi­ta v. Calend. Jan. 1572. he went to St. Lewis's Church in Processi­on, to give God Thanks for the Success;Quia neque ullum dicendi argu­mentum, hoc quidem tempore reperiri potest, in quo plus aut dignitatis aut delectationis inesse videatur, peto à te, Bea­tissime Pater, ut hoc temporis, quod mihi ad dicendum tua benignitate con­ceditur, in harum potissimùm rerum tractatione consumi collocarique patia­ris. Muretus, ib. heard Panegyrical Orations on that Occasion with extreme Satisfaction and Plea­sure; [Page 15] Edito ampliffimae indulgentiae Dis­plomate, Stradae Bel. Belgic. lib. 7. granted ample Indulgences, Molmet. Hist. Summ. Pontific. Per eorum Numismata, P.93 and on a Medal stamp'd for that purpose; he caused this Hellish Tragedy to be represented as the work of an Angel: Which none could have undertaken, before they had by a long custom of sinning brought themselves to hope, that there were no Invisible Powers, no An­gels, nor God to observe the Wickedness of men, and to punish it.

Queen Elizabeth sat a long time on the Throne, lov'd and honour'd by her Subjects for her Wise and Righteous Government, and yet there was hardly any part of her Reign without a Plot carried on by her restless Enemies of that Re­ligion.

At one time—Aggregaverat quosdam No­biles Romanae Religionis Studio inflam­matos, Cambden Eliz. p. 405. Conantur docere licitum esse princi­pes excommunicatos è Medio tollere, & si jus violandum, Religionis Catholicae Causa violandum, Id. p. 406. Abingtonus, Barnwellus, Charnocus, & Savagius prompti & alacres in caedem jurant, Ibid. several Gen­tlemen, Zealots of the Roman Church, some of whose Ac­complices had undertaken to make out, That it was Law­ful to take off Princes excom­municated; and that if Right and Justice are ever to be vio­lated, it is allowable in such Cases as tend to advance the Catholick Religion, did readily and chearfully enter into a Conspiracy, and bind [Page 16] themselves by an Oath to Murther her Majesty. But the Providence of God which now disco­vered the late Traitors, brought then their black Contrivances to light, and they suffered condign Punishment for them.

But of all bloody Designs that Popish Coun­sels have hatch'd, and they seem to outdo all others, there is none that had so contracted its Venom and Malignity together, like the Rays of the Sun in a glass, and which in the most compendious manner would have destroyed so many, and of such high Quality, as the Gunpowder Plot. Caligula wish'd the People of Rome had but one Neck, that he might cut it off at one Blow; and the Horrible Cruelty which the Pa­gan Tyrant had only in his Wishes and Specu­lation, the Christians of the Church of Rome would have put in Practice, and with one Stroke have killed the King, the Nobility, and the Re­presentatives of the People.

And is there not reason to believe, that the same Evil Spirit, which pusht on the Romanists in the days of our Fathers to such horrid impie­ty, did govern these wretched Men in the Present Plot? which in some respect does exceed that former Treason. For at the same time that the Life of the King was to be taken away by [Page 17] Wicked Traytors at home, there was an Army in readiness to have made a Descent upon us from abroad, sufficient not only to destroy the Lords, and the Commons, who represent the People, but the People themselves; and there is great cause to think they would have made the Sword drunk with Blood, before they had put it up.

It is most unaccountable how any Protestant should have been concern'd in it; and yet it cannot be denied, that some there were of that Religion, and Church, which abhorreth such Doctrines; they were of that Church, but had departed from it, before they did engage in these Horrible Designs.

I say, it is unaccountable, since in the time of the late King they wish restored, their Re­ligion, the Laws, the Rights, and the Liberties of the Nation, were in a manner all subverted; and the King, on whose Power all their hopes of restoring him are built, is one that caused all his own Protestant Subjects, who would not forsake their Religion, to be imprisoned, ba­nisht, or put to death; by which Severities he hath rooted them out of their Native Soil, and left no appearance of them in their own Coun­trey.

[Page 18] Is it to be thought he would treat Strangers more tenderly than he has done his own People? or that he would tolerate the Exercise of the Reformed Religion in this Kingdom after he had conquered it, who has extirpated it in his own, where his Subjects had a right by Law to enjoy it, and were not guilty of the least undu­tiful Behaviour to provoke him to violate their Rights?

And here I should have thought it necessary to do an Act of Justice to our Religion, in renoun­cing and disavowing the late Proceedings of those Clergy-men, who absolved two Persons that were condemned for Treason, and at their death shewed no tokens of Repentance for that Detestable Crime, as being contrary to the Do­ctrine and Practice of the Church of England, and scandalous to all good Christians in her Communion, had it not been done already, as far as can be in the present Circumstances, by the Bishops of the Church, and, I doubt not, with the hearty Concurrence of the rest of the Clergy.

While such Pernicious Opinions as these find favour in the World, and there are men bad enough to practise them, we have great need to fly unto God for Protection. We cannot re­flect [Page 19] upon the inhumane Slaughter intended both of our King, and of our People, without horror and detestation; we cannot think of our Won­derful Deliverance without hearts full of Joy, Praise, and Thanksgiving, ready to be offer'd to God our Gracious Deliverer.

Great is the Lord,Pial. 145. 3. 107. 43. 64. 9. and marvellous, Worthy to be praised; there is no end of his greatness. Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall un­derstand the loving-kindness of the Lord. Men shall fear, and declare the works of the Lord; for they shall wisely consider of his doings.

Indeed a little consideration and thought will convince us, that all Deliverances, whether pri­vate or publick; whether of single Persons, or of whole Nations, are due to God. All men are sensible that they cannot preserve them­selves; they find no power within them, ei­ther that was the cause of their being, or that can certainly secure their Estates, their Cre­dit, or Friends, or prolong even their own Lives.

Men, seemingly to themselves, and others, in sound health, are in a day or two's time car­ried off by a Malignant Disease; Death surpri­zing them when they had set it at a great di­stance, and scarce allow'd it any room in their [Page 20] thoughts. So Thefts, and Fires, and other Accidents, Quem dies vidit veniens superbum, Hunc dies vidit fugiens jacentem. Senec. in Thyeste. sweep away their Estates, against which the nicest Care and strictest Guards are no absolute Security.

Greater Uncertainties do attend War and Peace, Publick Councils, and the State of Kingdoms: Counsels, through want of knowledge of many things, may be wrong taken; or the Wisest by Treachery may be discovered, or defeated; small circumstances of things change the fate of Battels; things which were not observed, or so much as thought of when they began, and they that assured themselves to return Conquerors from the Field, have been carried away Prisoners.

Such as pretend to be our Friends, may be plot­ting against us; and our truest Friends may not have skill and strength to deliver us; or be out of the way, when we stand in most need of their help. And as we discover no sufficiency in our selves, or Friends on Earth to save us from trou­ble and danger, so have we no ground or war­ranty to address our selves to the Souls in Heaven of Saints departed; since we have no assurance they know how, or what we do; nor that they could help us, if they had knowledge of our Affairs.

[Page 21] Much less can we apprehend how they should hear the Prayers of some Millions of Persons di­spersed thro' all Countries, put up at the same time: which is in effect to allow them Omniscience, and Omnipresence, two of the Properties of the Divine Nature. It is therefore intolerable Presumption in the Writers of the Church of Rome to suppose such Powers and Authorities to be lodged in the VirginTua e­nim omni­potentia manifestè ostenditur, quia multos de sua damnatione jam certos, multos in aqua praesocatos, multos ex improviso mortuos, qui dum caderent tuo Patrocinio se commendârunt, liberásti; mul­tos etiam qui fine Poenitentia decesserunt in peccato mortali, à diaboli faucibus eripuisti, & ur possent agere poenitentiam ad vitam reduxisti. Euseb. Nieremb. Tropaea Mariana, p. 7. 8. Nomen Mariae convenit nominibus Dei. 1. El. 2. Eloha. 3. Elohim. 4. Sabbaoth. 5. Eloim. 6. Qui est, vel sum quod sum. 7. Adonai. 8. Jehova. 9. Saddai. 10. Tetragrammaton, quod Je­hovah pronuncianc. Biverm, de Privilegiis filiae Dei Mariae, p. 165. Mary, and St.Anna, abs te nequeunt mortalia pectora frustra Poscere, quod (que) voles nata, Deùs (que) volet. Beiselius in Rosar. S. Annae. Cùm alii Sancti habeant suffragia à Christo impetrare suis devotis, per modum supplica­tionis, S. Anna autem sicut Avia Christi habet jus imperandi & praecipiendi Christo, sicuti etiam mater Maria, nec fas est negare quod postulat. Pelhart de Temeswaer, Serm, 3. de S. Anna Ann her Mother, and other Saints, which are peculiar to God himself.

They must have very false Notions of God and of his Creatures, who imagine either that he can transfer, or that a Creature is capable of receiving those Attributes, which are in their own nature in­communicable, and which without a Contradiction cannot be separated from a Being infinitely perfect. There is therefore nothing we can firmly rely on, either for the safety of our Persons, or the private Comforts of this Life, or the Publick Good of our Country, but God himself: Upon him it is we must [Page 22] call in time of trouble, and he will deliver us.

The Heathens had such a just sense of humane Frailty, that they did attribute all the great Turns in their Condition to something a­bove their own power.Cum Divis volentibus, quod bene eveniat mando tibi. Cato de re rustic. cap 14. Te sancre venerans precibus invicte invoco, Porrenta ut populo, Patria, verun­cent bene. Non. Marcel. c.2. To the Will of God they ascribed the good success of their Affairs, and hoped by his Aid to be delivered from Ca­lamities. [...]Pindar, Od. 8. That the happiness of his planting was the more dura­ble. [...]Soph. Electr. That when he will punish, there is no escaping for the Strong. Saepe Jovem vidi cum jam fua mittere vellet Fulmina, Thure dato sustinuisse manum. Ovid. That his displeasure might be appeased by their humbly addres­sing themselves to him.Aristotle tell us, that the ancient Philosophers, who treated of the Original, and Corruption of things, did define nothing, or leave no Opinion concerning For­tune.—That nothing proceeded from it.—That a Mind or Nature was precedent to it, and there­fore necessarily, the first Cause of the Effects, not only ascribed to Fortune, but of the Universe. [...]. Arist. Natur. Auscult. l. 2. c. 6. And tho sometimes they talk of the in­fluence Fortune has over humane Affairs, yet they acknowledg it to be subject to the pleasure of God. Omnem Deum, qui ab ho­mine colitur, necesse est inter so­lemnes ritus, & precationes Pa­trem nuncup [...]ri, non tantum he­noris gratia, verum ctiam rationis; quod & antiquior est homine, & quod vitam, salu­tem, victum prastar ut Pater. La [...]itius apud Lactant. lib. 4. cap. 3. Wherefore in their Prayers they style God their Father, that is, the Author of their Life, Health, and Goods. [...], Procli Chrestom.p. 7. They dedicated Hon­ses to Religious Uses, and had se­veral kinds of Verses, which they appropriated to the Service of the [Page 23] Gods.Hinc cum praelio dimicare constituerunt, ea, quae bello cepe­runt, plerun (que) devovent, capta im­molant, Caesar. Cem. lib. 6. Bello foeliciter confecto, gratias agi Diis, & supplicationes ad omnia pulvi­naria haberi Senatus decernebat. Liv. Hist. lib. 30, 35, 37. Before Battles and after Victories they return'd them so­lemn Thanks, and part of the Spoils of War they devoted to God, and offered them in Sacrifice, as an acknowledgment that the event of things is in his disposal.

And though their Temples were stately and well adorned, [...]Aristot. Rhet. lib. 3. and the Spices rich and sweet which were burnt upon their Altars,Animadverto Deos ipsos, non tam accuratis adcrantium preci­bus, quam innocentia, & sancti­tate laetari; gratiorémque existi­mari, qui delubris eorum puram, castámque mentem quam qui me­ditatum carmen intulerit. Plin­Panger. and their Prayers accurately composed, yet the wisest of them thought that the Pie­ty, Innocence, and Purity of their Minds, would be more grateful and acceptable to God than the Costliness of their Sacri­fices, and the Eloquence of their Language.

And these Notions which the Pagans had of God did result form the Idea and Conception of a Being infinitly perfect; for if God be Almighty, nothing can be brought about by any Power, which does not depend on his, and spring from him: So if he be Omniscient, [...]. Tris­megist. a­pud Suid. Rom. 11.36. not any thing can come to Pass without his privity; no event can be casual or un­certain with respect to him, who sees and knows Effects while they are in their Causes, and disposeth of them according to his good pleasure: For of him and through him, and to him are all things: To whom be Glory for ever.

[Page 24] Secondly, I proceed to shew that some Deliveran­ces are more evidently from God, as having the plain and visible Mark of his hand imprest upon them.

First, The glory of those Deliverances more espe­cially are to be given to God which happen to Men without their own Wisdom and Contrivance, and where they had ussed no precautions against them: When at the same time Men arrive at the know­ledg of their danger, and of their deliverance, there can be no boasting of their own foresight, nor place to praise the Scheme of Policy formed by themselves. God often surprizes his People with great Mercies, of which they had not the least expectation, that they may not have so much as a pretence to thank any but him for them.

So our Preservation from the late horrid Conspi­racy is not to be imputed to the Wisdom of our Counsels, but to the Providence of God, which so awakened the Consciences of some of the Malefa­ctors, that they made a voluntary discovery of it. And that which should more deeply affect us with our Escape, and engage us to give God greater Thanks for it, is,Ut tanta repentè mucatio non fine Deo videretur. Salust. That this execrable Plot was ripe for Execution, and the Blow ready to be gi­ven, when, by his Mercy, it was detected.

[Page 25] 2. Those Deliverances are to be looked on as coming more immediately from God, which we receive after no hope was left of flying from the Mischief which was imagin'd against us: When al­tho' we might foreseee the Storm, yet we had no power to ward against it, or to put it by. Tho' we might know out danger, yet it was too big for us, we were not able to deal with it; the little Strength we had to defend out selves, bearing no Proportion to the mighty Force of the Enemies who intended to assault us: Now to be saved after Men had despaired of a Deliverance, and when their Adversaries were secure of a Conquest, must be owned to be the visible Work of the Lord of Hosts.

It is the wise Method of Divine Providence, [...]. Stobae­p. 581. often to let us miscarry in those Designs of which we were sure and confident, and to bring those good things to pass of which we had no hope; both to convince us of our own Infirmity, and to induce us upon all occasions to address out Pray­ers unto him, who is able to save us in our great­est Distress. Thus his People of Old, when in the time of their trouble they cryed unto him, he heard them from heaven, and according to his manifold mercies, he gave them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies, Neh. 9. 27.

[Page 26] This was our Condition before the late happy Revolution, when much Endeavour was used to suppress our Holy Religion, and to discountenance those who profest it; when our Laws, that guard our Lives and Properties, were dispens'd with, and the Yoke of Popery was ready to be ty'd on our Necks, and we saw no way of escaping, then, God, in his Goodness, was pleas'd do make His present Majesty the great Instrument of our Preservation.

(3.) The Providence of God is very apparent in these Deliverances which are brought to pass by the Disappointment of our own Counsels and Re­solutions, which, had they taken effect according to our Minds, wou'd have prov'd of dangerous consequence to us; for so little do we see into things, that God often saves us, by frustrating the very Designs we had laid for our Preservation.

And this holds as well in the Private Concerns of particular Men, as in the Publick Affairs of Na­tions: There is hardly any good Man, but in the Course of his Life, has found reason to thank God, for having deny'd him the things he had most set his Heart upon; he being sensible that much of the good Circumstances of his present Conditi­on is owing to his former Disappointments: Nay, upon due Consideration, wise Men are satify'd, that if they had had their Will in Matters that [Page 27] once they eagerly pursu'd, it wou'd have undone 'em. And the joyful cause of our present Solemnity is an eminent Instance of God's Mercies of this kind; for one Branch of our Deliverance is fully due to his Providence, which wou'd not permit us to put our own Counsels in execution; for had our Fleet pur­su'd the Expedition, that was according to Human Understanding, prudently design'd, the Passage wou'd have been laid open for the Army that was in a readiness to invade us; and there were but few Forces left then in the Kingdom, either to have hin­der'd their Landing, or to have put a stop to their Progress.

(4.) We may manifestly discern the Hand of God in those Deliverances which proceed from Causes over which we have no power. Of this sort are all those that are produc'd by the Wind, or the Sun, or the Rains, or the Frost, or other remarkable Changes of Weather. Histories of all Ages do testifie, that the greatest Victories both by Land and Sea, have had their great Turn from those things that were quite out of the command of the Mighty and the Proud, and were entirely directed by the Wisdom of Providence.

Seafaring Men oblige themselves to perform their Voyages to such Ports, and by such times, if the Wind and Weather favour them; that is, [Page 28] if God pleases. And what is expresly contain'd in their Contracts, is imply'd, and ought to be own'd in all Enterprizes relating to Affairs of highest Na­ture, and under the conduct of the wisest Men.

Under the former Head of this Discourse, we consider'd our Deliverance, as proceeding from a Disappointment of the Methods that were taken for our Defence; and here we observe, that that Disappointment was caus'd by the Winds, and at that time also when we apprehended they blew a­gainst us, and in favour of our Enemies; inso­much that if we had had them in our own keep­ing, and cou'd have made them move according to our mind, we shou'd have been expos'd to the utmost hazard of being over-run by a foreign E­nemy.

Wherefore if we have no command over many of those Causes which bring of stop Victories, and that contribute to the safety or destruction of Kingdoms; and if we had any Influence, might often use it to our own disadvantage, let us look to God, from whom comes our help; Let us adhere to him in all the Changes of Life, to whose [...]. Iambl. de Sect. Py­thag. Goodness and Power, we must attribute the Beginning, the In­crese; and the Accomplishment of all our Vir­tuous Designs; let us beg his Guidance in our Un­dertakings, and his Blessing upon them, without which they will come to nothing; and glorifie him, [Page 29] as for all his Mercies, so particularly for this our Deliverance.

We come now to consider by what Actions we shall glorifie God acceptably for these his gracious Dispensations, and make such Returns as will please him.

(1.) We glorifie God by a sincere acknowledg­ment that he, as has been prov'd, is the Author of our Preservation, and that it was the Work of his Providence that our Enemies were discover'd, and put to shame, and that we have escaped out of the Snare they had laid for us. We must with thankfulness confess, that all our own Cares and Projects wou'd not have been sufficient to pre­serve us, had not God appear'd on our side; and that with less Preparations our Enemies might have destroy'd us, had not he fought against them.

God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him. In thy name shall they rejoyce all the day, and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. For thou art the glory of their strength, in thy favour our horn shall be exalted For the Lord is our defence, and the Holy One of Israel is out King, Psal. 89. 7, 16, 17, 18.

(2.) We honour God by stirring up in our minds a true Sense of the Mercies we own he has done for us: We glorifie him when we reflect upon his [Page 30] Works with Pleasure and Joy, and have entire sa­tisfaction in his administration of the Affairs of the World; when we heartily believe his Govern­ment to be Wise and Merciful, and that the cros­sest Dispensations will turn to, and end in, the Ad­vantage of his faithful Servants. There must be an agreeableness in all the Motions and Inclinati­ons of our Hearts, to the sense we have of God's kindness. After such large Experiments of Faith­fulness and Care, we ought not to distrust his Pro­vidence in any future Difficulty or Danger; and when any unreasonable Fear begins to lay hold of us, we must endeavour to banish it, by Re­flections on the great things he has done sor us al­ready.

Neither ought we to repine at the Expences which are necessary for the defence of our Country, nor to murmur at Grievances which the wisest Governments have never been able wholly to prevent; since how great soever they seem to us, they bear no Comparison with the wonderful Mercies we have receiv'd.

(3.) We glorifie God when we are not content only with cherishing a secret Sense of it in our Souls, but when we testifie before Men what mar­vellous Kindness he has shewn to us; when we lay hold of every opportunity to publish it to others, that our Friends, our Neighbours, and all good [Page 31] People, may rejoyce together with us, and hence be encouraged to trust in God, and to cast their Care upon him.

But the highest Testimony of Publick Thank­fulness is, to assemble our selves in the House of God, and with united Hearts and Lips, to set forth his Praise. And if we do bring Minds fill'd with Love and Gladness, our Christian Sacrifice will a­scend up into Heaven with a sweet savour, such as God will graciously receive: And the Angels, who shew so much Joy at the Conversion of Sinners, will be much more delighted with the Triumphs of the Saints, in ascribing Glory to God.

(4.) We glorifie God by endeavouring to pre­serve in our Memories these Deliverances of his, whereof at present we have so lively a Sense: So that neither Business nor Pleasure, nor length of Time, may wear them out of our Minds. It will pass for a true Mark of the Honour we have for God, that his Favours have made so deep an Im­pression in us, as will last all the Days of our Life: And when also we convey the History of them down to our Posterity, and afford them Matter of Thanks to render to him for the glorious Works of his Providence done not only in their own time, but in the Days of their Fathers.

[Page 32] Thus what the people of Israel had heard, or known, or their fathers had told them, they were bound not to hide from their children, but to shew to the generations to come, the praises of the Lord; and his strength, and his wonderful works that he had done, that the genera­tions to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children; that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his com­mandments, Psal. 78. v. 3—7.

(5.) We glorifie God by our humble Confes­sion that we did not deserve the great and many Deliverances he has wrought for us; but that they were wholly due to his infinite Goodness, Such a sincere Acknowledgment cuts off all pre­tence of Right to his Mercy; and the more we exclude our own Merit, the higher we exalt God's free Grace. And surely it much enhances the Kindness manifested in our present Escape, that God has snatch'd us, an ungrateful People, from the Brink of Ruin, who are so far from having any Claim to his Favours, as having served him better than others, that we must ascribe it to his in­finite Goodness and Mercy, that the open Pro­phaness, avowed Irreligion, monstrous Unthankful­ness of so many amongst us, have not yet provoked him to give us up, not only to our Lusts, but to the Fury of our bitter and implacable Enemies.

[Page 33] (6.) We glorifie God by letting the Mercies he has bestow'd on our Country incline us to Love and Charity, and to be reconciled to one another. It is na­tural to imitate the Examples of those we have in the highest esteem; and if we really honour God in our Souls, we shall strive to do like him in all In­stances, wherein Creatures can copy after their Creator. By forgiveness of Injuries, by healing of Breaches, and renewing of Friendships, we do that good to one another, which God has extended to us all, and make our Behaviour much to resemble his.

No course like this, will fix and continue his Fa­vour among us, and encrease our strength to resist our Enemies. As nothing will more discourage and ruine the designs of wicked Men against us, than the firm Union of our Minds, and Affections, so nothing has given so much life to their hopes of making an easie Prey of us, as our Divisions. Sure­ly then the extraordinary care God has had of us, should dispose us to lay aside all private Animosities, and Self-ends, and heartily to join together in pur­suit of the public Good.

We cannot but be sensible how much our King and our Kingdom have been under the peculiar Care of God. How osten has God preserved his Majesty's Life, not only in the day of Battle from open Enemies, but from the execrable Conspiracies of bloody Men, who would secretly have murther­ed [Page 34] him? The very Winds that now detained our Ships for the necessary guard of our Coasts, did not long since lock up the Fleet of our Enemies, when they had framed a design to burn ours in the Harbour, and to cover the Descent they intend­ed to make upon us.

And will not now every private Man thank God heartily on this Day for his inestimable Mercies, when by his Thankfulness, he will not only workout his Sal­vation, but effectually contribute to the Preservati­on and Happiness of the Country where he lives ? Shall we not praise God with all our Soul, when the so doing will not only purchase us a Reward in the other World, but is attended with present Bles­sings, and is the way alone to secure to our Nati­on God's Assistance and Protection in future times? To render Thanks to the Lord for his loving Kind­ness will give Cheerfulness to our Spirits, when things have an ill Aspect; Courage to our Hearts, and Strength to our Hands in the greatest danger; and tho' all Men, Pagans as well as Christians are convinced that there can be no accession toVeterum sanctisu­morum hominum exempla secutus: Illi enim, quod ali▪ menta, patriam, lucem, se devi (que) ipsos Deorum dono habebant, ex omnibus aliquid Diis sacrabant; magis adeo ut se gratos approbarent, quam quod Deos iis arbitrarentur indi­gere. Censorin. de die Nat. cap. 1. God's infinite Glory by the Acts of our Honour, yet they are sensible that the sincere performance of this Du­ty does dispose God to love them, and to do good to them, and does prepare their Hearts for, and [Page 35] open and enlarge their capacity to receive his Be­nefits.

And things being so, shall we not think our selves highly obliged by our public Praise and Thanksgi­vings, to contribute what we can to maintain that Cause, which God has been pleased to make so much his own ? Should we not be all ready to join our Heads, our Hearts, our Hands, our Affections and utmost Endeavours to serve his Majesty for our own Preservation ? Should we not above all things every one do his Part, when God has been graci­ously pleased, as it were without our asking, to shew himself on our side, now to engage him to continue with us? which is impossible otherwise to be hoped for, than by promoting a general Reformation.

Which if any one is yet to begin, that has any Generosity in him, from whence shall he chuse to date it, rather than from such a day as this, a day when we are to thank God for such extraordinary, such wonderful Deliverances, as we have not seen the like given to any other People, the common Deliverance of our King and our Nation, of our Bodies and our Souls; and not only of our selves, but of our Posterity. Surely whosoever has any sense of Gratitude moving in him, cannot but feel it move powerfully in his Heart at this time, to glo­rifie God, as he demands it in our Text, I will de­liver thee, and thou shalt glorifie men.

[Page 36] Now to join our Prayers together with our Thanksgivings, May God be graciously pleased to pre­serve the King's Person, which has been so often exposed in the Defence of ours; may he whom Providence has guarded against so many Swords, and so many Bullets, in the Field, and in the Frenches; never to be taken off by Poison; or fall by the vile Hand of any barbarous Assassine; may all his People Love and Serve him; and may he long live to defend the Establish'd Church, the Laws and Rights of these Realms; the Re­formed Religion; and, to restore Peace to the Christian World, upon good and lasting Foundations: And in the end, for all his Righteous Labours, may he receive a Crown of Glory.