THE Fore-casting of Events, and the Prudent Providing against the Worst, as it is a Necessary Course for us all to take in the Management of our Private and Particular Concernments, so 'tis a most Useful Course in the Governmet of Publick and National Affairs, especially in Lowring Weather and Threatning Times, when a Nation seems to be brought under an absolute Necessity, either of being Wise in Time, or of being undone for ever.

'Tis plain that this was the Case of Jerusa­lem, when our Saviour Lamented over her, and was a Mourner at her Funerals before­hand: her Days were numbred out unto her; her last Hours were spending apace, and [Page 2] She was limited to a certain Time, which the purpose of a Patient and Just God had fixt her: so that one of these two things She was bound to Resolve upon, either to bethink her self of her Follies, while the Sands were yet in her Glass, or to Perish and be Destroyed without any Remedy or Controul.

That Merciful Jesus who came into the World, not to Destroy Mens Lives, but to Save them, and to Retrieve and Succour that which was Lost, not only told her her sad Doom, if She persisted still in her wonted course of Obstinacy and Rebellion (notwith­standing so many Meroies God had shewed her, and so many Deliverances he had wrought for her) but moreover he Courted her with the most Passionate Expressions of Tenderness and Goodness, that now, at the last, after that the Patience of God had waited for her so long, she would be True to her own Interest, and be Merciful to her self: for the Particle (If) is an Optative in this place, a note of Desire and Earnest Longing; as if our Blessed Sa­viour had said, O that thou hadst known; would to God thou wouldst consider and do the things which belong unto thy Peace.

These words I have chosen to Discourse of now, because they contain that Ʋse and Improve­ment [Page 3] which every Provident Nation should make of the Divine Goodness; and espceially we of This Nation, who have had such Ample and Wonderful Experience of the Mercies of God (and particularly in that Signal and Mi­raculous Instance of it, which we Commemo­rate this Day) that one would think, Louder warnings could not well be given to Any Peo­ple under Heaven, than what hath been given to Ʋs, To know the things which belong unto our Peace. For though One end of our Meeting be to Praise and Bless the Keeper of our Isra­el, for this Days Astonishing Deliverance of our King, of the whole Family Royal, of the Three Estates of the Realm, and of our whole Church and Nation, from the Barba­rous Designs of our old good Friends at Rome, with whom Treason and Villany is Me­ritorious; yet this is not the whole, nor indeed the greatest part of our Business. For, Dan­gers of Destruction are Indications and Ar­guments of mens Demerits; and a Scourge, though it be not Felt, yet is a Monitor from Heaven that tells us what we shall feel in the end, if we be not Tractable; and if in Time we be not Disciplin'd into that Wisdom which is Peaceable and Pure. So that every Deliverance being but a Summoning of us to [Page 4] our Duty, we are not only to look Backward upon it, nor barely to Read it as a Story of Gods Providence; but we are chiefly to look Forward, to the thing that it Points at, to the Amendment of our Lives, and to the Practice of the things which belong unto our Peace, while it is yet Our day.

Ingratitude, though it be the Basest and most Odious Sin, yet 'tis the Great and Epide­mical Guilt of this Nation; that, when no People under Heaven are so deeply Indebted to Gods Providence as We are, Men neverthe­less suffer, if not the Memory, vet the Sense of his Goodness to slide so easily away from them, as if they had nothing to do, but still to be trying Conclusions with Heaven, and to make fresh Experiments of Gods Mercy, how Long, and how Far 'tis Possible for it to Last. What have we learnt from this Days Mercy, but to fling Invectives at the Papists (though, I confess, the greatest Invectives can­not be too much?) what other use have ma­ny made of the King's Restauration, but This onely, to try whether they could Rout him again out of his Kingdome, or dispatch him quite out of the World? Nay (if I may have Liberty to ask it) what have they learnt from the Dangers of a late Popish [Page 5] Plot, but to Form a Fanatick Conspiracy, and to Mock God Solemnly by Studying Treason Themselves after a Day of Humili­ation for the very same Horrid Sin in o­thers? I cannot tell what Use we shall make of the Late▪ Deliverance of the King and the whole Kingdome, which God hath wrought for us but Yesterday, as it were: but I am greatly afraid, that the Sense even of This Deliverance will not stick by us long neither; especially since some begin already to look upon that as a Sham, which was one of the greatest Miracles of Mercy, that ever we or our Fore-Fathers have seen.

Lord! after this Rate what shall we do, and what will become of us in the End? Little do Men consider, that these Rescu­ings of us from Perdition, are intended on­ly to lengthen our Time for Repentance; and 'tis a general Fault among us, that while we are striving, who shall be too hard for the other, we do not look up unto Heaven, where the Righteous God is weigh­ing his Mercies and our Sins.

To Stir Men up therefore to a, Religious and Timely Care of a Matter which is of such vast Importance and Concernment to our whole Nation, I have pitch't upon these [Page 6] Words of our Saviour, which with weeping Eyes he used concerning Jerusalem in the like Case. And before I take upon more to speak of the things which belong unto our Peace, as Affairs stand with us in this Juncture; there are Two Points couched in my Text, which I beg leave to offer to your Serious Consideration.

1. First, that the most Profligate Nation have Overtures of Happiness, a Day of Peace given them; so that if they be Undone, the fault is their own, and their Destruction is of themselves.

There hardly ever was a more Wicked and Profligate People in the World (especial­ly that Profest Religion and the Knowledg of the True God) than that People was, which now was within the Walls of Jerusalem; an Ungrateful and Rebellious Generation: Men that were Addicted to Hypocrysie, to Vio­lence, to Cruelty, and to all manner of Wickedness, Idolatry only excepted. Men that Rejected the Prince of Peace, that Resisted the Holy Ghost, that shut their Eyes against the Truth, and obstinately opposed it, not­withstanding the most Convincing Argu­ments which were given on its side, even [Page 7] by Miracles from Heaven. Men that for­sook their own Mercies, and were so Mali­ciously set against Him, that brought those Mercies in his hands, that they only studyed how they might now Treat themselves with his Blood at the Passover. Never did any Nation take a more direct Course to bring themselves to Ruin, than the Jews took at this time: and yet they had their Day, an Opportunity given them to save themselves from Destruction, if they would have been Wise in Time.

This was that Time of Visitation which we find mentioned at vers. 44. of this Chapter. For there is Visitatio Misericordiae as well as Justitiae, a time when Men are Visited in a way of Mercy, as the Jews were Visited at their Deliverance out of Egypt, and as we of this Nation have been often Visited with many stupendious Deliverances from the most imminent Dangers all along from the Beginning of the Reformation unto this day. And thus Christ Visited Jerusalem when he Rode unto her in Tryumph (the only Triumphal Progress which he took in his whole Life) he went to her to Heal, and to Save, and to Deliver her from Destructi­on. This Lucid Interval and Lightning of [Page 8] Mercy before her Tragical overthrow, is cal­led the Day of Jerusalem, Her Day, as it was distinguish't from Gods Day, that time of Judgment which followed afterwards. Our Saviour himself did thus distinguish between these two times: for speaking of that Desola­tion which was coming, how the Jews should be led away Captive into all Nations, and Jeru­salem should be Troden down of the Gentiles, These (said he) are the Days of Vengeance, Lu. 21. 22. It was a far different Time from that which he called here a Time of Visitation: This was a Time of Grace and Mercy: now he went to Jerusalem with Peace and Pardon in his Hand, if she would not bid him defiance. As yet the Jews were not utterly lost, but they might have been happy if they had not been wanting to themselves; because in the Sen­tence against them God had reserved to him­self a Power of Revocation: his purpose con­cerning them, was not Peremptory as yet: for though Ruin and Excision had been, time af­ter time, denounced against them, yet the Me­naces were not Absolute; but as his Promises to them were on Condition of their Obedience, so all his Threatnings against them, were on Condition of their Impenitence, if they Re­fused to do the things which did belong unto their Peace.

[Page 9]And the Reason of this is grounded upon that Infinite Goodness and most Tender Com­passion, which is an Inseparable Property of the Divine Nature. His Mercy is over all his Works; and his Providence is watchful over Mens very Lives and Fortunes to keep them from being lost, and many times too when Men are upon the very Brink of the Pit, and in the greatest Extremity of Dan­ger, as his Providence Kept and Sav'd This Our Church and Nation, even when the Powder and the Touch-wood was now ready, and but a few Hours before the Intended Blow: God doth not willingly Afflict nor Grieve the Children of Men; and when he threatneth to do it, it is with an Intent to prevent the doing of it, b [...] Correcting and Humbling People by the Fears of the Rod. Judgment comes heavily from him, and with a Holy kind of Reluc­tancy and Regret; and so it is called his strange Work, and his strange Act, as ma­ny Interpreters Understand that Place in Is. 28. 21.

This Consideration is of very great Use to us, to make us Steddy, Ʋpright and Couragious even in Times that are full of Difficulties and Horrous. The Bowels of God are ever Yern­ing toward us; and if we do not Mis-imploy [Page 10] or squander away those Blessed Oportunities which he gives us, we need not doubt, but his Providence will Protect and Preserve us, though the World be never so Impatient and Mad, and on which Hand soever it be that Danger threatneth us, whether it be from the Popish, or from the Protestant Jesuit. But yet (that we may not presume too much, or be Consident if we be Careless) we must note, that though Vengance be called a Strange work, yet 'tis Gods work nevertheless, when he is forced to it, and when all other Courses are ineffectual. Mercy hath the first turn, but Justice takes the second, when the forbearance and Goodness of God do not lead Men to Repentance. Go we to Jerusalem for an In­stance: She had her Day indeed, wherein she might have known the things which did be­long unto her Peace: but by the Tenor of our Saviours Mournful Speech she might Collect, that she should be Irrecoverably Lost and Undone, if she slept or sported her time away. O that thou hadst known, even thou at least in this thy day! intimating that Another day was at hand, and that Gods day would come next, and that a time of Vengeance would certainly follow the time of her Visitation.

[Page 11]2. Whence I proceed to the Second Point, That when a Froward and Stubborn Nation do Obstinately refuse to do the things which belong unto their Peace, they fall at last un­der an ineluctable Fate, and Ruin themselves by an inevitable kind of Nec [...]ssity, when Judg­ment is Ripe, and Men are Ripe for it, then the Purpose of God concerning the Destru­ction of a City or a Kingdom in general, is a Definite, Peremptory and Ʋnalterable Purpose; so that when Gods Time of Striking is fully come, there is no possible way to evade, or ward off the Blow: This is clear from Gods dealing with those People over whom our Sa­viour Wept now. Though they had a Day, and a long Day too, yet their Light utterly va­nish't at the last; so that when Titus came with his Army against Jerusalem, all her Time of Grace was spent, and her Hour of Darkness and Desolation began. God would not then be intreated for the Hardened Jews, nor was it possible by any means to Reverse the Decree that was gone out against them. Josephus the Historian was at that time in the City; and when he saw the Blockade about it, and how impossible it was for the City to Escape, not­withstanding all the various Methods, and the [Page 12] Restless endeavours which the foolish Jews used, he was plainly, sensible that they fought against God, and strove against his Irresistible Will; and therefore would have perswaded them to Resolutions of Surrendring, being fully convinced, that Jerusalem at that time was under the same unavoidable Necessity of being taken, as it had been under before, in the time of Nebuchaddonosor and Antiochus.

The Scripture sometimes speaks of Mens filling up their Sins, and of their filling up the Measure of their Iniquities. For such is the Mercy of God, that he doth not strike upon every (though Just) provocation; but stays to soe how Far, and to what Degree Men will go on in their Impieties in spight of all Means and Calls to the contrary: and 'till the Cry of Mens Sins be Great and General, God is not wont to bring a Curse upon a Nation so, as to Bury it in Ruin. Thus speaking of the Amorites, how they were to be Extirpated, he pointed to the Time, when it was to be done, viz. in the Fourth Genera­tion, not till then; for (said he) the Iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full, Gen. 15. 16. As King Solomon did set Shimei his Bounds, say­ing, that if he passed over the Brook Kidron, he should surely dye, 1 Kings 2. 37. So does [Page 13] the great Governour of the World deal with Evil Men, especially such Men as Shimei was, Persidious Wretches and Traytors; he gives them their Rope and Tedder, but of such a length and scantling; and when they come to their Kidrons, the next step they take is into Destruction. For God cannot but hate all manner of Wickedness, especially when 'tis a Trade; and most of all when 'tis a Long and an Old Trade. This is enough to wear out the Patience, even of a Merciful God; and then Men must come to a full recko­ning for a Long Indulgence, and so many Acts of Grace, which they have Abused.

And would to God we should lay this Con­sideration to Heart, and for the sake of this Poor Nation, Transmit it into Practice be­times; and not presume too much upon the Divine Clemency, as if it would never be Night with us, what use soever we make of our Day of Peace! 'Tis true; as the Malice and Designs of our Enemies, so have the kindnesses of our God, been to us, even from the Days of Old, and ever since the Day­spring from an high, began to Visit us in the Morning of the Reformation. Those Acts and Struglings under K. Henry the 8th. could not keep the Truth of Religion from break­ing [Page 14] out. Those Commotions in the Reign of K. Edward the Sixth, were not able to hinder the Perfecting of the Work which his Father had begun. Those Victims which were off red in the Marian Persecution, served only to bring down, as it were, God upon the Earth to be with his Saints and M [...]rtyrs in the Flam [...]s. In the Days of Q. Elizabeth, when in a man­ner the whole Papal World, at Home and A­broad, formed their Designs, and put th [...]m­selves in Arms against One Woman, God stood by this Church so, that no hidden Conspira­cies, nor open Force, proved Effective of those Ends which the Romanists aimed at, with so much Confidence. The Treason of this Day, in the time of K. James, what did it do else, but Blow up the Interest of the Popish Cause, and Kindle such a Zeal against that Sanguinary Religion, as Burneth yet in our Breasts, and we hope will be Warm in the Veins of our Po­sterity to the Worlds End? Nay, to go on a little farther to the Reign of that Incompara­ble Prince, and in the End, Royal Martyr, K. Charls the First; when a Domestick Enemy undertook the Quarrel of a Foreign one, and Votes, and Ordinances Roar'd Louder than Bulls; though a Cromwell was a more Prospe­rous Devil than a Catesbie or a Garnet, and [Page 15] the Consistory was a more Mischievous Legion than the Conclave; yet God was so Mer­ciful to our Sins, that he suffered not this Na­tion ro be quite eaten up of the Vermine that it bred; but after a long Aegyptian Plague of Lice made us whole and Sound again, if happily we would be taught by that Severe Judgment, to Sin no more.

These Great and Continual Deliverances 'tis necessary for me to mention, and for us All to be thankful for, that we may set forth the Honour of Gods Name, and the Glory of his Mercy, which from Age to Age he hath so abundantly shew'd to this our Sion, as if he had said of it, as he did once of Je­rusalem, Here will I dwell, for I have a Delight therein.

But yet, 'tis a most Impolitick and Dange­rous Course for us, to lean still upon the Goodness of God, if we be not careful to Answer the great Ends of all his Longanimi­ty and Compassion. For his Spirit mill not al­ways be striving with Men: there is a Time when he will give overall further Luctations with an Incorrigible People. And I Pray God we may not be made a fearful Instance to demonstrate to the World the Truth of this. But if our Consciences are not Seared, we [Page 16] cannot but be Sensible how near our Ingrati­tude hath lately brought us again to the Edge of the Praecipice, and to the very Margin of that Gulph, which would for ever hath Swal­lowed us all up, had not our God after a most Providential manner, opened our Eyes, and discovered unto us the Depths of Satan.

Though our Nation hath for some time past been troubled, and Giddy with a Meagram, yet now we may have our Senses at Command; we may clearly discern the Wolf under the Lamb-Skin; and if we be not willfully Blind, we have Light enough to discover those who are Protestants by Profession, but as very Ruf­fians and Regicides by Principle, as the Jesu­ites. For the difference is not great, whether a Powder-Treason be Acted at the Parlia­memt-House, or at Rumbolds: the Principle up­on which both Parties Act, is the same; and it seems, the Reward was to have been alike too; and Statutes and Monuments were to have been set up in Honour of Thee, as Gar­nets Picture was set up at Rome with this In­scription, Father Garnet, Executed at London for the Catholick Faith; that is, for Treason; which at last, it seems, is made a part of the True Protestant Faith also.

[Page 17]That our King and his Kingdoms are not made a Consumptive Sacrifice to the Diabolical Fury of these Abaddons, is a Felicity which we owe onely unto the Ʋnwearied Goodness of God to his Anointed, and to this Church; both which have hitherto been the Care, as they both are the Blessing of Heaven.

Yet still I say, 'tis most unsafe for us to hug our selves with Confidences, if we be not bet­ter Husbands of our Time than the Jews were; and if we do not study to doe the things which belong unto our peace, while it is yet called to day. This I look upon to be the great end of our late Deliverance, to try whether one Gracious Visi­tation more will work any good upon us. Though it be probable, that as God suffered not long since a dreadful Rebellion to go on, that thereby he might punish the whole Nation; so he may have suffered This Horrid Conspira­cy to go on, that thereby he might punish the Traytours themselves: yet we must not interpret the Providence of God this way onely; but we ought to look upon the Judgment to have been sent us to Frighten us all into our wits, and upon this day of Grace to be given us to this end, that God may make another Experiment of us, whether we will yet learn Wisdom by this one Miracle of Mercy more. And truly [Page 18] we shall build our Hopes upon no other than a shadow, if we do not found them upon a Good Conscience; and we may [...]latter our selves as we please; but if we do not heartily set about the main business, and doe the things which belong unto our peace, all the mercies of God to us will be utterly lost; and, instead of being the Better, we shall be the Worse for them; and both the Deliverance of this day, and all other our deliverances since, will turn to a sad Reckoning, and greatly aggravate our Guilt and Misery in the day of the Lord.

I have now done with the Explication and Application of those Two Points which are easily gathered out of our Saviour's words in my Text. But since I am called to this Office, I would not be so Rude with this Venerable Auditory, as to omit any thing which may be thought to be either Proper for Me to add, or Profitable for this great Assembly to hear.

And because the Subject I am upon is alto­gether of a Practical nature, I humbly con­ceive it to be both a fitting and an useful course for us all, to consider a little, what those things are which at this time of day do very nearly belong unto our peace, and which are apt to Direct and Govern our Practice rightly, in a matter of such Moment and Importance. [Page 19] For my hopes are, that the Generality of us▪ being now very sensible both of our manifold Dangers and Deliverances, are so well dispos'd to Hearken to those things which really tend to the Peace and Happiness of our whole Nati­on, that 'twill be needful for me but to Pro­pound, and make mention of them onely. I must therefore beg a little more of your Chri­stian Patience, while I offer a few things, which if we will but duly observe, the Peace we desire will follow of Course, and 'twill be Impossible for us to be any other than a most Prosperous and Happy Nation.

1. And, first, that we may begin at the Right end; it necessarily belongeth unto our peace, by constant Prayer, and sincere Repentance, and by the diligent performance of all offices of Religion, and all manner of Piety, to make our Peace with Heaven in the first place. For that on which the whole interest of a Nation doth solely depend, is This, to engage the God of peace on its side. Now, as on the one hand, Irreligion and hardness of heart serves to make God an Enemy, to sight against a Nation (as Josephus said, That the Sins of the Jews was that which brought in the Romans upon them; and Titus himself profest, That he came against [Page 20] Jerusalem by a Divine Impulse:) So on the other hand, Mens careful performing of their duty to God, in its several parts and branches, doth effectually serve to make him a Friend to fight for a Nation: and when Mens ways please the Lord, be maketh even their enemies to be at peace with them, Prov. 16. 7.

Here then we are to Begin; to make Religi­on the Business and Employment of our Lives. For such is the Horrid Atheism of our Age, such are the Profanations of God's Holy Name, and so common are all sorts of Immorality and Debauchery, that instead of wondring at any of our dangers, we may rather wonder that our Calamities are not Greater and More, and that God's Soul is not yet avenged on such a gene­ration as this.

2. It makes for our Peace, to be Ingenuous, Ʋpright and Sincere in our Professions of Religi­on. Alas! What Peace can we hope for from Them, who make a shew of Piety onely to Cheat the World, and to serve a Turn? from Them, who go to Churches for Sanctuary and Refuge onely (as St. Austin saith the very Pagans did when Rome was taken by the Goths under King Alaric?) from Them, who use Religion as an Ʋmbrello, to keep their Treasons and Villanies [Page 21] in the Dark, and to keep themselves from the Heat of the Laws? from Them, who are always observing the Weather-gage and the Tide, and are for steering, not the Best, but the Safest course? from Them, that can Temper and Lard their Con­sciences so, that you may discern for one Layer of Religion, many Layers of Dishonesty? 'Tis all one to these, whether there be Peace, or Consu­sion: Nay, we have some Reason to mistrust, that these Men are ready to Exchange (I will not say Christianity for Turcism, but) a Christi­an Monarch for an Insidel: I am sure that they, who have of late been so favourable and kind to the Mahumetan Interest, go upon such Reasons as would make them wish the Turk the same good success in England (were he at Our doors) which they have already wisht him at the Gates of Vienna. It puts me in mind of what was said once by Cartwright (that old Zealous Advocate, for a Perfidious and Turbulent Sect)Foulis, Hist. pag. 60. who speaking of complyance with our Church-rites, affirm'd, That we ought rather to consorm our selves in Orders and Ce­remonies to the Fashion of the Turks, than to the Pa­pists. There is, it seems, such a spirit among them, which runs, ex Traduce, from the Father to the Child, that they are willing to admit of a Ma­humetan Habit, rather than a Christian Cere­mony; [Page 22] and so on, for ought we know, a Bassa rather than a Lord Mayor, a Mufti rather than a Bishop, and a True-Protestant Grand Seignior ra­ther than a Christian Prince.

3. Next to our Religion to God, it greatly be­longeth unto our Peace to be very careful of our Loyalty to God's Anointed. For our Peace being wrapt up in the welfare of the King, and in the prosperity of his Government, 'tis our Wisdoms to be True to Both; and 'tis a most Absurd, a well as a most wicked course that some have ta­ken, who would bear us in hand, that to Tra­duce and Expose Majesty, is the way to make His Reign, and our own Lives Happy; and that the Diminution of his Prerogatives is the way to Support him; and that the destruction of his Life (another Cursed bout at Lopping) is the rea­dy way to preserve Three Kingdoms. These are a­bominable Fallacies put upon the Fickle and In­judicious Populace; and Men are greatly De­ceived if they do not believe, that every ones In­terest is lodged in the King's, and that the way to make our selves happy, is, to make Him happy in the first place. To obey him Humbly, to Ho­nour him Conscientiously, and to Love him Affec­tionately and Heartily, this is at once our Necessa­ry Duty, and our Best Interest: whereas, to cast off that Reverence which he hath a just Right unto, [Page 23] to Mis-construe his Actions, to Deprave his Coun­sels, to Suspect his Integrity, to Defame his Person, to render him cheap, contemptible and odious, and much rather to Conspire against his Life (as some very Dainty, Tender-Conscience-Christians have done;) This is a Direct course to tear our Peace, and Government, and All into pieces, and to lay our Jerusalem waste without the help of a Foreign Enemy, and though the Romans sit still, and stir not a Foot or a Finger against us.

4. Farthermore, it would be much for our Peace, were we but Candid and Kind in our Sen­timents of all our Superiours in Church and State, and not Factiously Suspicious of them. For one Devilish strategem which has been used of Late, to bring us first to Confusion, and so on to Bloud-shed and Ruine, hath been This, to Insinuate to the world, that our Governours are a Cabal of Conspiratours against our Religion, and against our Laws, and whatsoever else is dearer unto us than the skin upon our Hearts. This is manifest­ly the design of that Cried-up Libel, the Growth of Popery. A Treasonable Pamphlet, concluded to have been written by a London-Cargillite, who in the late Hellish Conspiracy was a Common Agi­tatour: one whose Soul and Principles are of the same Complexion with the Jesuites; and whose Name consisteth of just so many syllables and [Page 24] letters, as Regicide and Massacre. We see now for what end that, and other the like Pestilent Libels were handed about, namely, to doe a piece of Journey-work, first for One Ahitophel, and then for Six, that the King might be destroyed, that his Friends might be Butcher'd, and that the Go­vernment might be Subverted (as They hoped) upon some Colourable Pretences. Now, if people be thus wickedly persuaded, that our Governours are unfaithfull to our Religion and Liberties, it cannot be expected that our day of Peace should last long, but the whole Frame of things in Church and State will be in a Tottering condition, and Fears and Jealousies (which have ever been the Beginning of our sorrows) will be so strong and epidemical, that at last we shall inherit the porti­on of Ishmael, whose hand was against every man, and every man's hand against him.

5. Again, it would very much conduce to our Peace, if Men were effectually taught to cease from Reproaching all such of us, as study to lead Quiet and Peaceable Lives in Godliness and Hone­sty. Herodotus tells us, that the old Egyptians were wont to call all that were not of their own Nati­on, Barbarians: and thence the Greeks learnt to call All that were not of their own Language, Bar­barians. In like manner, 'tis Customary now [Page 25] with many rash and evil men among us, to call All that are not of their Faction, Papists; so that let a man be a true Friend to the in­terest of the Crown, and to the Government of the Church, and to the Solemnities of God's Worship, and (though he doth all this pur­suant to those Obligations which are laid upon him by the Precepts of Christianity, and by the Laws of the Land, yet) presently, for­sooth, he is Branded, and Hated, and Marked out against another day (among the Men Wor­thy) for a Papist. But I remember, that when Alexander the Great was moved to have no Allies but the Greeks, and to deal with all other People as Enemies, his Answer was, that a Better way would be to distinguish be­tween Men and Men by their Vertues, or their Vices, rather than by their Character and Deno­mination, because he had found many Evil and Scurvy men among the Greeks themselves. And truly it doth become Ʋs to take the same Course and Resolution now. Considering how abominably Lewd and Vicious, Dishonest and Factious many are that pretend Religion, and pretend to be the great Patriots of it too, we should do well to take measures of men, not by the Length of their Tongues, but by the Size of their Practices (which will infal­libly [Page 26] shew what every man is) and accor­dingly in taking the tale of our Protestant Brethren, we should fling Villains and Base Fellows aside, and discount for them; for if things go on at this rate, and men of the most Callous and Brawny Consciences be al­lowed to pass and shrowd themselves under the common Name of Protestants, we must look upon it to be no other than an Old Trick, to Ruin the Kingdom once again, and to make Eighty three as Infamous an Aera as Forty eight.

6. There is another thing yet which migh­tily belongeth to our Peace, and 'tis Proper for me to mention it to You who are the Worthy Magistrates of this Honourable City, because you are concern'd by your Place and Office to help us to it, and you will be justly Bla­med if you do not Endeavour to help us to it, and it is This, that we may be at Ʋnity among our selves, as Jerusalem was in King David's time, when she was most Happy. Jerusalem, said he, is built as a City that is Compact toge­ther; for thither the Tribes go up, the Tribes of the Lord, unto the Testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the Name of the Lord. Psal. 122. 3, 4. And at the sixth Verse he exhorted them to pray for a continuance of Jerusalems Peace, [Page 27] O pray for the Peace of Jerusalem; as if all its Prosperity depended upon that admirable Or­der, Harmony and Ʋnity in Religion, which was then within its Walls. For nothing doth so Naturally tend to break the Peace first of the Church, and at last of the State, as Schism and Faction and Division doth. It was the very thing which hastned Jerusalems ruin at last, and which was the direct Instrument of its Fate, when its day of Peace was spent: So that had not Titus struck a stroke, the Jews themselves by their Domestick Feuds and Animosities would have made utter havock of each other; and the very Romans under the Walls, though they were Enemies, yet being a People of Manly and Generous minds, could not but Pity the Monstrous Follies of those Miserable men. And O that we would know, even we, at least in this our day, this one thing, which so visibly belongeth to our Peace! You cannot but discern where the Seminaries of Sedition and Rebellion do lye, and who are the Labourers in them. You cannot but know, that all Schismatical Assemblies are of them­selves a Breach of the Peace: And you have reason to believe, that People are drawn thi­ther, to be taught by degrees how to be Rio­ters and Traytors under pretence of Religion. [Page 28] Is the Nation ready to be on a Flame? It is There that the Fire it Kindled. Is the King and his Government Bespattered? 'Tis There that the Dirt is gathered up. Are the Laws Desied, and Disobedience Pleaded for? It is Thence that Arguments are fetcht. Is the Populace tainted with any Evil Principle? It is Thence that the Sowr Leaven comes. Are any Seditious men to be Nominated for a Publick Office, or any Friendly Jobb to be done for the Good Did Cause? 'Tis There that Measures are taken, and Instructions given; and now the Separation is grounded, not upon point of Conscience to teach men to be Pious and Honest, but upon point of Po­licy, to uphold and encourage a Party against the Government, and the Laws. 'Tis plain, that as the Jesuite and Presbyterian came into the World much about the same time, so they have been Kind to each other like Bre­thren ever since, and both are Sworn Enemies to this Monarchy and Church. You have seen enough of their Pranks already, and you must not expect to see more, unless you will stand still and look on, till you see your selves and the whole Kingdom Ʋndone.

7. To prevent which, it is necessary for you also, by all possible means to hinder the [Page 29] Spreading of those Leud and Antimonarchical Doctrines, which for these Five years past have made the whole Nation to Shake: As, That the King hath not his Authority imme­diately from God, (which yet was the Apostles Doctrine) but that the People are the Foun­tain of all Authority; that He is Their Trustee, and that they have Reserved to themselves so much of their Power, that they can call a Prince to an Account, and dispose of his Crown. These are Principles, which (to give them that Honour which is due for their Extraction and Kindred) were first Begotten by the Je­suit (the Father of Ravilliacs) then Nursed up by Buchanan (the Father of Rebels) and at last Adopted by the Leviathan (the Father of Atheists.) And it is impossible there should be any Firm Peace or Lasting Safety, either for Prince or Subject in any Kingdom where these Doctrines prevail, which have been all along Designed and Maintained to Ruin Kings, and all Hereditary Monarchies. These Prin­ciples made way for the Treason of This Day. And you may observe, that These were the Principles which Bradshaw, and the rest of That Cursed Association went upon, when they Arraigned and Murthered the Best Chri­stian Prince that ever was made of Flesh and [Page 30] Bloud. You may read them throughout that Sad Trial, and we may be sure that They who of Late have borrowed of the Jesuit the Same Principles, borrowed them for the Same Purpose; and would have acted upon them such another Tragedy, had not the God of Peace by his Immediate and Special Provi­dence rescued our Sovereign, and all of us, out of the Claws of those pretending Prote­stants, whose Creed is at St. Omers, whose Consciences are in their Chests, whose Hearts and Souls are in the Field, and whose Honesty is No where.

Honourable and Beloved, I have humbly offered these things to your Consideration, not only because your Example is such as Influenceth the whole Nation, but also be­cause your Loyalty is such, that you have gi­ven a Noble Example to all others, and we doubt not, are still ready to follow after the things which make for Peace. That we now Sit every man under his own Vine, and under his own Fig-tree, is a Blessing which we owe, next to the Providence of God, and the Vigi­lance of the King, to the Wise and Excellent Conduct of those Loyal and Heroick Spirits in This City, who have ventured so hardly, and have waded so resolutely through so many [Page 31] Difficulties and Dangers, to Stop the Torrent, when a Raging Inundation was just breaking in upon us. This is to your Eternal Honour, and God forbid that ever you should be rob'd of any part of it, by taking any Wrong and Unhappy Measures, and by Suffering your selves to be Supplanted or Over-born by those who Envy you the Name of the Loyal Citizens of London, the Restorers of our Peace. For the maintenance of this Great Character, no more is needful for you, but to add still to your Fidelity Diligence, and Courage to your Wisdom. How Crafty are the Children of this World in Laying their Designs? And how Zealous are they in the Management and Prosecution of their Interest? So it commonly happens, that the Worst Cause is Best Sollica­ted. But as this is Folly in our Private Con­cernments, so in Publick Tranfactions it is a Crime, especially when the Life of a Prince, and the very Being of a Church, and the Pros­perity of a whole Kingdom, are all in danger. This I speak the rather, because it has been generally observed, that some Honest De­signs, how Prudently soever Laid, have ne­vertheless Miscarried, and proved Ʋnsucces­ful, for want of Diligence and Care, and joynt Resolution. In the Name of God let m [...] be­seech [Page 32] you to carry a most Watchful Eye up­on those who are Enemies to Peace, remem­bring what a Reproach was brought upon this Great City by a predominant Faction in the Last Age, which nothing could ever have Attoned for, but the Faithfulness and Bra­very of some Generous and Right-worthy Citizens in This Age. Your selves have Expo­sed, both with Shame and Indignation, the Villanies that were acted here at Common-Halls and Common-Councils in the former times; and I have sufficient Authority of your own to observe briefly unto you, some of those Horrid Practices which a Factious Party then used here, First to Destroy one Prince, and then to Keep out another. The Late Loyal Act of Common-Council hath given us to Understand out of the City-Records, that 'twas here that a Rebellion was pro­moted in Forty One: That here great Trea­sures of Money and Plate were expended in carrying the Rebellion on in Forty Two: That here New Sums and Forces against the King were raised in Forty Three: That here Roy­alists were Punisht, and their Estates taken away in Forty Four: That here a Treasonable Oath and Covenant was Administred in Forty Five: That here a Thanksgiving was appoin­ted [Page 33] for several Victories over the King in Forty Six: That here Resolutions were taken to stand and fall with a Rebellious House of Commons in Forty Seven: That here a Pe­tition was Voted for Justice upon all Capital Actors in the War, from the Highest to the Lowest (and but a few Days before the King was Murder'd) in Forty Eight: That here a Petition was drawn for Altering the Laws in Forty Nine: That here a Solemn Fast was held for the good Success of a Rebel-Army in Fifty: That here 'twas Resolved to Ad­venture Lives and Estates against the King of Scotland in Fifty One: That here a Publick Thanksgiving was Celebrated for the Defeat of the King and his Forces at Worcester in Fifty Two: That here Cromwel the Usurper was Carest and Treated in Fifty Three: That here Thanks were given him for his great Care of the Peace in Fifty Four: That here Monies were issued out for a Disloyal Militia in Fifty Five and Fifty Six: That here Sub­jection to the Ʋsurper was Acknowledged in Fifty Seven: That here his Death was Condoled, and his Successor Congratulated in Fifty Eight: And that here the Parliament (so called) the Council of State, and the Officers of the Army were all Publickly and [Page 34] Splendidly entertained at the Cities Charge in Fifty Nine. Such a Chargeable and Costly Rebellion was here for Eighteen years toge­ther, that it is no wonder if your Publick Bank hath been rob'd, not of its Treasure only, but in a manner of the very Bags.

Beloved, I am apt to deal Plainly with All men; and if I deal so with You now, it is not with any the least Design either to Ʋp­braid this Honourable Assembly, or to Reflect upon the Memory of your Loyal and True-Hearted Predecessors; but that you may see what great Reasons you have for your Best endeavours to follow the things which make for Peace, and to put an Early stop to the Growth of a Faction, who when they for­sake their Duty, forsake all Modesty and good Manners, and by ceasing to be Governed be­come the most Imperious and Heady Gover­nours, the most Insolent and Outragious Vil­lains in the World. Every Good man ought to be very Careful, at least in this our day, that he do not Herd or Concur with those Spirits, which but the other day (as it were) to shut out all Arbitrary Power brought it in, and to prevent Popery laid aside all True Reli­gion, and the Fear of God.

[Page 35]But this Care especially belongeth unto You, the Honourable Governours of this Great Body, and your Timely Zeal for the Interest of the King, of the Church and of the whole Nation, will not only be Eff [...]ctual to the Establishment of such a Peace, as (by the Blessing of God) will be transmitted to Po­sterity; but 'twill also render your Names Great and Precious, for being the Happy In­struments to Recover the Ancient Honour of this Renowned City. The Story is well known of Tylers Formidable Rebellion, who had the Confidence to say (in the Reign of King Richard the Second) that there should be no Law in England but what came out of his Mouth. His Conspiracy was designed to destroy theSee Slow and Speed in R [...]. 2. King, the Nobles, the Ministers of State, and the whole Body of the Clergy, saving the Begging Friars, who had no [...]hing to Lose. That Truly Honourable Person, Sir William Walworth, was the Lord Mayor of London that year; and that Excellent Man, with the help of some of his Brethren, ventur'd so Reso­lutely, that the Rebellion failed of Success. For being himself in [...] of danger, he Cryed out, Ye good Citizens, help your King that is to be Murther'd, and succour Me your Mayor; or if you will not succour Me, yet [Page 36] leave not your King destitute: This so anima­ted the Loyal Citizens, that in a very short space Sir William brought the Traytor's head to the King upon the point of his Sword. To Reward this great Service, the King gave Honours and Estates to the Mayor, and his faithful Brethren; and to set a particular Mark of his Kindness upon the whole City, and to perpetuate the Honour of that day, and the Memory of such Signal Loyalty, some Historians tell us, that the King order'd the Sword to be put in the Dexter Canton of the City-Arms.

Here is a Noble Pattern of Fidelity and Fortitude for every Honest Magistrate to follow in These days; for who is not convin­ced of the Truth of a Conspiracy now? Though, God be Blessed, we have not yet the Alarm in our Streets, yet we have many Tylers that are ready to destroy our Laws, and to cut our Throats, and many Straws too (if you will forgive the Expression) that are ready to Stuff our Skins also; but we have our Walworths too; and as our Comfort is, that we are now Bless'd with another Walworth, so our Wishes are, that men of such Zeal, Con­duct, and True Gallantry, may bear the Sword here to the Worlds end.

[Page 37]When Treasons are Hatched against a most Gracious Prince, and the Common Peace is in danger, 'tis Happy that the Sword is in the hands of Such, as will not turn the point of it towards the bowels of that Authority which gives it.

When Religion is made the Visor of a Fac­tion, 'tis Happy that the Magistrate is such, as will not be favourable to those who go to School to the Atheist, and Truck with the Je­suit and the Devil himself, to make Spoil of the best Constituted Government in the whole World.

When this poor distressed Church (the Envy of Rome, and the Glory of all Christen­dom) is in danger of being torn in pieces by the Lion on This hand, and the Bear on That, it is Happy for us that the Magistrate is such as will think himself obliged for Conscience, and for Gods sake, to Rescue the Spouse of Christ from the Jaws of the One, and from the Paws of the Other.

And things being thus well provided, it is the part of every one of us, to Study to be Quiet, and to do his own Business, and so in well-doing to commit our selves into the hands of that good God whose Providence careth for us All. It is by means of that [Page 38] Good Providence that we are Assembled this day to praise his Name for our Wonderful Deliverances hitherto, and if we our selves be but carefull to Mind the things which be­long unto our Peace, we need not doubt but the same Providence will deliver us still, though Extremity of danger should threaten us yet once again. For commonly Gods time of stepping in between Men and Ruin is then when Dangers are come to that Hedd and Crisis, that without present help from above there is no Visible way of Esca­ping. Thus the Providence of God inter­posed on This day, when the Bloud-thirsty Papists had laid their Designs so Closely, so Opportunely, and so Luckily, (as They thought) even beyond their First Hopes, so that with­in the space of a few hours the Fire was to be Laid, and the King, the Nobles, and the Flower of the whole Nation, were all to be blown up, Then, and in that Nick and Critical Juncture, the Good Providence of God brought to light the hidden Works of Darkness, and in the Twinkling of an eye delivered his poor Church, that was just Dropping into a Chaos.

[Page 39]We our Selves have Lately seen Two such other In­stances of God's Providence; Instances, to which per­haps no Late Age, no Modern History can shew us a Pa­rallel. The Stupendious Victory in Germany over the Profest Enemy of the Holy Jesus, though Men read it as News, yet we may well look upon it as a Signal Instance of God's wonderful Providence over so many miserable Souls, which were reduced to that condition, that in all Human probability they could not have held out against the next assault. In those their Last straights, God him­self made bare his Holy Arm, and stretch't it out against the Blasphemous Insidel, so that almost such another over­throw was seen There, as was in the Camp of the Blas­phemous Sennacherih, when there fell an Hundred Fourscore and Five Thousand, as you read 2 Kings 19.

To come nearer home, to a Late Miraculous Deliverance wherein we our Selves are so greatly concern'd: The Fire at Newmarket, what was it, but one of the most Seasonable mercies, that God ever Visited this Poor Nation with? Had not Flames and Smoak been imployed to Drive the Anointed of God home just at that juncture, and but a very little time before the Instruments of Death were plan­ted against him (Lord! I tremble but to think of it) the Breath of our nostrils had been snatcht away long ago, and Three Kingdoms would have presently layn weltring in Blood and Gore. The very Finger of God was plainly seen in this; and 'twas the immediate Providence of God that has saved us All; yet so, as by Fire.

This I have mentioned, not only because 'twas neces­sary for me to take notice of the Late miraculous Delive­rance, without which, God knows, we should not have had the Happiness of meeting together now, to Commemo­rate [Page 40] the Deliverance of this Day; but also because the Consideration thereof is a very Proper and a very Strong Argument to Encourage us to depend still upon God's good Providence; and especially if we be mindful of the Main thing, and Labour to do the things which at this Critical time do belong unto our Peace.

I have no more to add, but my hearty Prayers to God of Order and Peace, that as he hath preserved this Nation from the Ravenage of Popery and Faction hitherto; so he would Preserve it still, and Pardon all our Shameful and Monstrous Ingratitude: That he would Bless our Sove­raign (that hath all along been as a Signet upon his right Hand) with a Long, Prosperous and Peaceable Reign over us. That he would Bless and Support our Government which is such a great Blessing to Us, that no People under Heaven are so Happy as We, if we did but see and value our own Happiness. That he would Bless our Churhc, which is under God, our Safeguard and Bullwark against that Foreign Enemy which we are all afraid of. And that he would Bless us all in turning us all away from our Iniquities, and by opening our Eyes that we may see the things which belong unto our Peace, before they be hid from us. All which mercies, God Almighty grant unto us for Christ Jesus his sake, to whom with the Father and Holy Ghost, be all Honour, Praise and Adoration.

Amen.