AMongst the many undeniable and ir­refragable arguments that may be brought to prove the Existence of God, the consideration of the great Care which He the Supreme Gover­nor and Moderator of all things hath in all Ages taken to preserve his small Flock, the Church, from the Paw of the Lyon and the Beare; (not­withstanding all the Arts and Stratagems, all the force and cunning of her potent and vigilant Adversaries) seems to me not to be of the least moment to convince an Atheist of his impiety, a Pagan of his Infidelity, an Heretick of his Obsti­nacy, and a Schismatick of his dangerous and erroneous Opinions. For surely were there not a God in heaven that put a stop not only to the raging of the Sea, but the madness of the peo­ple: [Page 2]were there not a God who set Limits to the Waves, and bounds to the fury of Tyrannical Oppressors; were there not a God who put a Hook into the Jaws of the great Leviathans: the spiritual Church had long since been like some of the material Churches in the low Countreys, quite under water: The Floods of Oppression had overflown her, and she had long ere this become a prey to those many Enemies which even from her infancy have Watch'd and Waited for her ruin and destruction. To see the Church like the Salamander, not only living in the fire of Afflictions but as it were receiving nou­rishment from the inoffensive Flames; to see the Holy Bush-burning without any detriment to its own substance, is a sufficient Argument that there is an Angel that Protects her, an invisible pow­er that dwells within her, which preserves her body from scorching, though not always her Garments, her external Constitutions from the smell of the Fire: That such a small Vessel as the Church should Ride out so many blustring storms on a troublesome and tempestuous Sea, without bulging or leaking, without splitting on the Shelves, or being swallowed up of the Sands, must needs proceed from the skill and care of her indefatigable Pilot, and the strength of her in­vincible [Page 3]and irremovable Anchor: for what the Disciples said to Jesus when a sudden gust of Wind arose on the Lake, and filled the Ship with Water, Help Master or we perish, is most true of the Church in general: Were it not for his aid and assistance, for his continual presence, and ex­press Commands, whom the Winds and Sea, and all boystrous and otherwise unruly passions obey, we should not only be tost to and fro with eve­ry wind of uncertain Doctrine and so become unsetled in our Judgements, and Resolutions, but also we should suffer on the one side from Pira­tical Oppressors, and on the other from Hereti­cal and Schismatical Intruders.

It had been impossible for Christianity, like Rome now the great Opposer of it, which from a few scattered Cottages came to be the soveraign Commandress of the whole known World, to have stretched out her Empire so far, and wide as it is at this day, and that from so low and small beginnings, had not the Divine Spirit car­ried her on and protected her, assisted and up­held her in spight of all opposition, and contra­diction whatsoever: Turning some unto that Faith which they but lately persecuted, discove­ring the wicked designs and machinations of others, and confounding all their devices; so [Page 4]that diverse convers'd with Lyens without and danger, and play'd upon the hole of the Asp, and the Den of the Cockatrice in great security, as was foretold by the Prophet concerning the first days of the Gospel. God hath built his Church upon a Mountain that cannot be shaken, on a Rock that cannot be moved; for though the rain descend, the Winds blow, and the Floods rise, though the Rain of adversity may wet her, and the Floods of persecution may rage against her, and the furious blasts of discord and dissenti­on may ruffle and discompose her outward Gar­ments, yet the Church her self shall not fall, nor her Faith totally fail, nor even the Gates of Hell prevail against her; for she is founded upon a Rock, even the Rock Christ Jesus: he is her Saviour and deliverer, her Fortress and Castle of defence, under the shadow of whose Wings, un­der the coverture of whose gracious providence she shall be safe and secure till all Tyranny and Oppression, all rage and violence, all Envy and Malice be quite past and blown over: For though they have afflicted her from her youth may Israel now say, though many a time have they afflicted her from her youth, yet have they not pre­vailed against her.

From which Declaration of the royal Psal­mist we may observe.

1. The inveterate Malice, and the unwearied Industry of the men of this world to ruine Sion, and to pull down the Walls of Jerusalem: Ma­ny a time have they afflicted her from her youth, many a time will they afflict her in her old age.

2. The Frustration of their design, or the ill success that all those meet with who strive to oppose the Truth by Violence, or to detain it in ungodliness by Fraud. Yet have they not prevailed against me.

3. The Retribution or return that the Church is bound to make, Deo statori & liberatori, to her Saviour and Deliverer, for the preservation of her self and the destruction of her Enemies. May Israel now say, ought Israel now to say.

The frequent Declarations of the Mercies and Deliverances we receive from the hand of God; is a sign of the value and estimation we put upon them, and the ready way to increase their num­ber. The Remembrance of the Churches danger and of her wonderful deliverance from it must be the burden of her Song of Thanksgiving: For so the ingemmation of my Text, as in other pla­ces seems to import.

In the first general Observation we are to con­sider 1. Who they are that are so malicious as to envy the peace of Sion, and so sedulous and diligent in contriving her Destruction.

2. How frequent they are in their Attempts.

3. By what ways and means they indeavour to bring their wicked and pernicious designs to pass.

And this I shall show in the Phrase and Lan­guage of my Text.

1. The Enemies of Sion are many. Their multitude renders them formidable: Illos defendit Numerus junctaeque Umbone Phalanges.

2. Many a time do they renew their Assaults; Like importunate Beggars one or two denials will not shake them off; one or two, or twenty disappointments do not dishearten or cause them to desist from their interprize: This but whets their anger and inventions: Animos a vul­nere sumunt: Like Antaeus they seem to receive vi­gour from their very falls. This shows their Obstinacy and inveteracy.

3. They have many ways to execute their Fury and to bring their hidden purposes to perfection. The Sword and the Mattock. open Force, and hidden Treachery: I might put in the Pen like­wise [Page 7]none of the least invenom'd Weapons they make use of to accomplish their wicked designs: Besides a thousand little Arts they have to delude the Vulgar, and to hold silly ignorant people Captive this shows their Cunning. They do as Balaam did, at the request of Balak; Num. 23.13 if they can­not curse Israel from one Hill, they will try a­nother, and another after that, to see if at length some one lucky hit may render their Fascinations and Enchantments prosperous and successful.

1. The Enemies of the Church are many; Too many for me to speak to within the compass allotted for this Exercise; too many for the poor Church by her own strength to encounter, but not too many for her Almighty Patron and in­vincible Champion to deliver her from: For though all the Legions of Darkness should com­bine in one against her, and call in all their Auxiliaries to their assistance, all those who for the Virulency of their Principles, and the mali­ciousness of their practice, may be stil'd Devils incarnate, yet should they be as chaffe before the wind, and the Angel of the Lord scattering them, as the fire burneth the Wood, and the flame consumeth the Mountains, so shall God persecute them with his Tempest and make them afraid with his Storm. Though they come about [Page 8]her like Bees yet shall they be extinct as the fire amongst Thorns, so suddenly shall they vanish and be no more. Though the Red Dragon open his mouth wide to devour her and her offspring, yet God will prepare a place-in the Wilderness for them to retire unto: And though he fol­low her thither, yet he shall give her the wings of an Eagle that she may fly away and be at rest: and though the Serpent cast whole Floods of Water out of his mouth to overwhelm her, yet the Earth shall preserve her, by receiving them into her large and vast Treasury As the Air before, so the Earth now, yea even all Elements shall by the direction and command of their Superior Agent, contribute to her security, and preservation. The Enemies of Sion are ma­ny: She may well say as David did in her person, All nations have compassed me about, they have con­sulted together with one consent, and are confederate against me; the Tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites of Moab, and the Hagaerens, those indeed who to our great trouble, (and the greater, because as­sisted by one who calls himself the most Christian King,) have overspread a considerable part of the once Christian Empire; Though the late prospe­rous successes of the Churches Arms make us to hope, that notwithstanding those indirect and [Page 9]unchristian practices, their late Half Moon is hastily declining to its utmost Waine. Gebal al­so and Ammon, and Amalek, the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre, Assur, also is joyned with them and have holpen the Children of Lot. The Enemies of Sion you see are many: The Vine­yard which God hath planted for himself with his own right hand is infested, and troubled with many Adversaries that envy her Felicity, and en­deavour her utter extirpation. There are wild Boares that break down her Hedges, and would lay her open, and make her common to the Beasts of the Wide, and unmanured Wilderness: And there are little Foxes that creep through them and crop her tender Budds: There are Sacrilegious Caterpillars that devour her fairest Clusters, her best and richest possessions: And there are Tere­dines little Creatures that worm themselves into the body of the Vine, and corrupt it, and others that gnaw at the very Root thinking to kill, and destroy it.

I shall passe by her Forreign Adversaries, A­theists, and Infidells who deny the very Principles and first Grounds of our most excellent Religi­on, whose Eyes the God of this World hath so blinded that they cannot see the wonders of Gods Law: and come to some of her domestick and [Page 10]homebred Foes, those that eat of her Bread and drink of her Cup, that partake of the same Or­dinances, Communicate of the same Sacraments, that acknowledge the same faith, and yet either out of Pride or Ignorance, Folly or Conrempt lift up their heel against her.

1. Some of those many Enemies of Sion that molest and disturb her are those who joyning with her in her outward worship, in the obser­vation of her excellent Discipline, and the be­lief of her sound and Orthodox Doctrine, do notwithstanding to their own shame, and the Churches prejudice depart from her in their practice, and manner of outward conversation: whose lives are no ways answerable to that most holy Religion which they profess. Qui aliud, aiunt, aliud vivunt. That speak the words of Simon Peter, and live the life of Simon Magnus. And truly these are none of the least Enemies that the Church of Christ hath; for there are no wounds like the wounds of a Friend, they strike deepest and are most unkindly resented. Such as these give advantage to the Gainsayers of the Truth, and make them speak evil of that most innocent Gospel that is first pure, and then peaceable. Me­thinks I hear our blessed Saviour saying to the [Page 11]sinning Christian that lives indirect opposition to those divine Precepts which he left to be the Rule and Guide of our Actions, something not unlike what the chast and dying Arria said to her beloved Paetus.

The Wounds that the malicious and blood­thirsty Jews made in my Hands my Feet do not trouble me being they were given me for thy sake do procure an Attonement for thee: but they are those which thou my Friend and Com­panion whom I loved as my self, those which thou who art a part of me, a Member of my Bo­dy givest me with thy Blasphemies, with thy Oaths and Execrations, those are the Wounds that stabb me to the heart, that crucifie me afresh, that put me anew to open shame. Pitty it is that those who are right as to their understand­ing should be perverse in their Wills, and irregu­lar in their Affections: That those who are so far inlightned in their minds should mix Heaven with Earth, light with Darkness, for what Fel­lowship or Communion is there between them. Oh! if there be any such here, let me beseech them by the Mercies of God, by the Bowels of Christ Jesus, not to Eclipse the Light of their Profession, [Page 12]by the dull interposition of their carnal and Earthly desires.

2. Another sort of the Enemies of the Church, which do her and themselves no small prejudice, are those who by opposing her Doctrine, and se­parating from her Communion upon slight and frivolous pretences, do what in them lyes to loose those Bands and Ligaments of Order that preserve her within the Terms and Limits of one entire Body and Society. What Opinion this sort of People, who out of an over nice and Curious Tenderness run from one extreme sometimes to another have, I know not; but this I think, that no rational unprejudiced person can altogether excuse them from giving Offence, and Scandal to the Catholick Church of Christ, whereof they either are or ought to be Members. If Laceration, if Distortion, if Mutilation bring pain, deformity and imperfection along with them, then sure I am that those who tear one Member from another, who divide the continuity of Christs Mystical Body, and cut off diverse from the whole, must needs not only spoyle the Beauty and Comliness of her who is the fairest of ten Thousand, but also bring torment and vexation, pains and diseases to the great and universal Congregation of the Faithful. These unnecessary, I may say scandalous Divisi­ons, [Page 13]are as the Rickets which hinder the growth of the Church, that impair her strength, and make her Limbs knotty and disproportioned.

3. The third, last, and most dangerous sort of those who afflict Sion, and seek her utter ruine and destruction that I shall mention, are those who either out of Ignorance, or secular Carnal self Interest, or both, corrupt her Doctrine, and either propose new, and unwarrantable Articles of Belief for the Terms of their Communion, and as the necessary conditions of Salvation, or else detain part of that which is necessary to be assen­ted to, and practiced; from the knowledge of those who are subject to their Authority, and Ministerial Jurisdiction. These deliver the Inven­tions of Men instead of the Oracles of God, and impose uncertain Traditions instead of Divine Truths upon the overcredulous and easily seduced Multitude: God hath commanded the Gover­nors and Stewards of his Church to prepare whol­some Pottage for the Sons of the Prophets; but they who have long, (though upon false grounds) pretended to be folely authorized, and commissi­onated for that Employment have gathered wild Gourds, venomous Colloquintidu instead of favory favory Herbs, so that we are forced to cry out that there is Death in the Pot, there is no safety [Page 14]in eating and drinking with them after a Reli­gious manner, no Communicating with them in in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper without dan­ger of infection, till some Flour, which was Eli­sha's cure of the Deadly Pottage, be acknowleged to be in their Host; which they (for Reasons best know to themselves) will not allow of. They have so poyson'd and Corrupted the pure Streams of Gods Word, which should make glad the Church, which is the City of our God, that he that continueth to drink his fill of those putrified Waters without a special Antidote dyeth. Nay the Jesuits some of the greatest Empoysoners, and Sorcerers have turn'd them, as once the River Nilo was, into blood; that is by their false com­ments and misinterpretations of the Sacred Writ they have extracted bloody and cruel Principles out of it. And by vertue of that unlimited, and uncontroulable Authority they would falsly fetch from thence, assume to themselves a power (which they have but too often used) of Dethroming Kings and Princes: and by dissolving the bands of Allegiance, expose them to the rage and fury of their own Subjects; impudently denouncing the fatal Sentences of Deprivation and Destruction a­gainst those Soveraign and Anomted Heads, whose Authority is in those Sacred Volumus most [Page 15]plainly asserted; and their Persons most expressly protected. To pass by that rabble of Hereticks that arose in the Primitive Times, (for the good Man had no sooner Sowne his Wheat but the evil one scatter'd his tares amongst it) the Church of Rome as infamous now for her Apostacy, as she was once Famous for her Faith, hath willfully incurr'd the severe penalty mentioned by St. John in the Revelations, adding to and diminishing from the express word of God; nay some of her Communion have been so impudent as not only to corrupt several places of the Holy Scriptures, but even to Abase the value of that which they have left untainted and untoucht, Preferring their Canon Law, before the law of God, preferring the arbi­tray constitutions of St. Peters pretended Successor to the undoubted and Divinely inspired writings of St. Paul: one instance of which I shall men­tion out of their own Decretalls: where it is said, Secundam accipere uxorem Secundum Apostoli praecep­tum licitum est, Secundum vero veritatis rationem verè Fornicatio. That is as much as to say, that according to the word of God in St Pauls Epistles Second Marriages are lawfull, but according to the word of God, as they would have it in their Canon Law written 1200 years after, 'tis plain For­nication. St. Paul gives a command to Timothy to keep safe that committed to his Charge, to [Page 16]preserve the Talent of Catholick Faith delivered to him unbroken and uncorupt, neither perverted or crak't in it's order by Schismaticks, nor tainted in it's Doctrine by Haereticks: but it seemes the Pope who so frequently and so easily, (though it may be not so cheaply) dispensed with others, hath given himself a Dispensation from this Golden Rule: makeing such an unequall Exchange with us, as Diomedes in Homer made with Glaucas for his Armour, brass for Gold: giveing us brazen, impudent, counterfiet Traditions, for the Golden Armour of Gods word which admitts of noe Dross, no Alloye.

2. As the Enemies of the Church are many, so are their Assaults frequent, their industry un­wearied, and their malice still ragoing, though continually unsuccessfull. Like Couragious Gamsters, two or three unlucky Games cannot, dishearten them, nay the more they loose, the eagerer they are thinking though in vain, that some one fortunate hit may make them amends for their former disappointments, and answer their so often deluded expectations. It was a great comfort to Israel that though Sisera had nine hun­dred Chariots of Iron, and a vast Army with which he harast and opprest them for twenty years, that yet one overthrow given him by Deborah secured them from all such hostile Inva­sions [Page 17]for a long time after: But here it is as with the Hydra, out off one head and two springs up in the place of it: Though divers of the heads of the adversaries of Sion have been fixt on Poles for their Treachery and Rebellion, to be a terror and warning to others to avoyd the same indi­rect Courses, least they meet with the same fatall end, yet there have been alwayes other Heads of the same Mould, and Figure, and are still busily plotting, and contriveing the downfall, and ruine of this poor Church of England, forsaken of those who should be her Friends, and exposed to those adversaries whose Designes is to Swallow both. And no wonder it is that these fiery Exhalations continue burning in their Malice for so many Ages together, seeing they have a plentifull Sup­ply of unctuous, and Sulphureous matter from Hell it self which maintains the flames of Dissen­tion which like the Funerall pile of the two irre­concileable Brothers, Eteoches, and Polmices whose Enmity lasted longer then their breath, divide themselves, as also the more vehement fire of Persecution.

The Enemies of Sion are moved by a restless Spirit, even by him who is ever in action going too and fro about the Earth: and his chief busi­ness and designe is to disturb the Peace of Sion [Page 18]and to hinder the wellfare of Jerusalem; to pull down the old Temple of the Lord and to erect a new Chappel for his own Worship. From the infancy of Religion he began to persecute the holy Seed nor will he leave off to malign their happi­ness, and to create them trouble till this world be no more, and till they arrive at that unchange­able State of rest, and Security, which he being bound with his confederates in everlasting chains of darkness shall have no power though his per­verse will shall still be the same, to desturb or molest. he seduced Eve in Paradice from the duty She owed to her Lord and Husband, and drew both of them from their Allegiance to their Su­pream Head and Master: and thereby made them instrumentall to their own and our Misery: He instigated Cain to Sacrifice his innocent Brother, indeavouring thereby to destroy the Church in the first Marter and Confessor of it. Endless would it be, and indeed needless to run through the many oppositions that the chosen People of God met with by his sly, and cunning insinuations be­fore their settlement in the promis'd Land: need­less I say it would be to rehearse the severall hardships they underwent, in a Congregation of reformed Protestants to whom the free use of the Sacred History of the Bible is allowed in their own tongue, wherein the several particulars re­lateing [Page 19]thereunto are contained. Were I indeed to Preach to an Assembly of Lay Papists, and had occasion to make use of any part of the Sacred writ, to give a demonstration of Gods care of his People under their most cruel and severe Task­masters, then it would be necessary to make a full, and perfect recitall of all the circumstances be­longing to such a deliverance; and that because their cunning and merciless Spiritual Guides as they call them, look up the Records of Eternal Truth from them, and keep them in ignorance of those wonderfull works of God which he hath done for his chosen Seed: it being in some of the Catholick Countryes as they are Stiled, a crime within the compass of the Inquistion for any laick to have a Bible in the Vulgar tongue in his custody: but to you it is given to know those truths that concern your everlasting Salvation; and if it be not your own or your Parents faults you may be able to understand the whole Series, and me­thod of Gods Mercies to his Church from the beginning of the world till the Revelation of Jesus Christ; Happy are you if you know how to make a right use of this great Priviledge to your own advantage: I shall therefore be very brief, and that rather to refresh your Memories, then to inform your understandings. I shall not stand to reckon up the several Depravations, Schismes, and [Page 20]persecutions that hapened to the Children of Israel under the several Dispensations of the Old Law untill the comeing of our Saviour in the flesh: and then at the Entrance of the Captain of our Salvation on the great, and charitable work of our Redemption, Satan renews his Assaults, doubles his files, and again seeks to strangle Christianity in the very Cradle. He incites Herod to lay in wait for him, and what he could not accomplish by his Agents he attempts to perform in his own Person, after this he exposes him to the malice of the Scribes and Pharises, and at last when he thought his designe finisht, he was vanquisht by the Cross, and the Death of Jesus prov'd the life of his Church: who knows not what Enemies, how powerfull, and how cruel the first Propa­gators of the Christian Religion met with from his bloody Instruments in the first Ages, and Centuries of the Church? how they were thrown to wild Beasts, devoted to the flames, Broyl'd upon Gridireons, pounded in Mortars, and put to all the Torments that Mans malicious wit could invent, or his power execute: Afterwards when the Gospel of Grace, and Peace, had by its own inocent Arts and iresistable Charmes, (the Divine Spirit working along with them) spread it self over a great part of the world, but then by de­grees (as the best things here below are subiect [Page 21]to coruption) became tainted with Errors, and overcast with Ignorance, and superstition, when a few (as most great things have small beginnings) to whom a light from above shined through the grosse and thick Mist, being sensible of their Errors, and willing to Forsake them, and to bring others likewise out of them, Endeavoured to re­forme those dangerous, and damnable Corrupt­ions which had (dureing that General state of darkness) crept into the Church; what opposition? what contradction? what Persicution? did those first Reformers, and Assertors of the true Antient Catholick and Apostolick-Faith meet with from those whom either incorrigible Obstinacy caused to persevere in their ignorance; or whom carnall Interest obliged to act contrary to those Principles of light, and Knowledge where with they were informed. I might run this from the beginning of our own Reformation down to these very days, and show you how the several Enemies of the Church have been still hammer­ing and beating out Plots, and makeing Fetters from time to time to Shackle us again, and to reduce us to our former Slavery. No sooner had we through Gods providence escaped from the land of Darkness but the Egyptians as loth to loose so sweet and profitable a pray pursued us, useing all Arts, and means both force, and cunning, both [Page 22]threatings, and temptations to bring us back to our old house of Bondage: But this will more pro­perly belong to the third head: which was this.

3. As the Enemies of Sion are many, and their Assaults frequent, so they have many ways to accomplish, and bring about their Pernitious de­signes. They know that the same Stratagems in Warr are seldom twice us'd with good success: and therefore they vary their Arts, and change their Habits according to the times they live in, and the Persons with whom they have to deal. I might show you here what little and yet destructive Arts some of the Enemies of our Church breed amongst our selves (doubtless deri­veing their small bye Streames from the corrupt and infected Fountain of Rome) use to under mine her Foundations, and by dissolveing her Order endeavouring to subvert her very Consti­tution. But seeing the solemnity of this day, the happy day of our Deliverance from one of the most horid Plots that ever was contriv'd against our Religion, and just upon the Brinke of Exe­cution, seems to Point to me to direct my Dis­course to that Party who were the cruel Instru­ments, and Abettors of that hellish Conspiracy, I shall wave those lessor Disturbers of our peace, and come to that open, and professed Enemy of our Religion as by Law Establisht amongst us: [Page 23]Following the method that Gregory Nazianzone does in his first Invective against Julian, who would not medle, as he tells us in the beginning of his Declamation, with Sehon King of the Amorites, nor with Og King of Basan, small in­considerable Princes; and who only endamag'd a little part of the Church Israel: but that he would direct his Arrows against that great Proud Spirit, that Dragon, that Apostate, that common Enemy, and disturber of Mankind. we will at present pass by those who do not Practice what they profess, though they are a great Dishonour to our Church; we will slip over in silence those who though in most Points they acknowledge her Doctrine, doe yet without any real grounds dissent from her Discipline, though this be an unknown injury and discredit to her, and as great an unhap­piness to themselves, and come to this great Monster this red Dragon, red with the blood of the Saints, to this ungratefull Backslider of Rome who brings a disreputation on that once Famous Place where the Apostles of the Gentiles, and the great Minister of the Circumcision Preacht up that pure and sin­cere word of Truth, which is their at this time, and hath been for some ages so abominable a­dulterated, and corrupted: Christ gave St. Peter the Keys and commanded him to lay aside his Sword, but his pretended Successor hath beaten [Page 24]them into two Swords a Temporall, and a Spiri­tual, with both which he Tyranizeth over the Kings and Princes of the Earth, witness those Emperors he hath Excommunicated with the one, that so he might the sooner, and easier dispatch them with the other.

Should I recite the several Murders, and Mass­acres that the feirce Propugnators of the Romish interest have committed, that deluge of the blood of the Saints which they have spilt and the cruel and Barbarous torments they have exposed them to, my Sermon must become a Martyrology, and these few Papers swell into a Volume: all History that runs parallel with their Epoche abounds with instances of their cruelty and violence: Neither are their own writers shye in relateing the great Slaughters they, have made, and the many out rages they have committed for the propagation of their Religion, and the rooteing this pestilent Northeren Heresie of ours as they call it out of the world: glorying in their Villanies when Growned with Victory and triumph, but disown­ing them when Abortive and unsuccessfull. And if this barefaced, and open way of proceeding will not serve their turns; if plain force will not pre­vaile, then in the next place they have recourse to hidden Arts, and secret Treachery: what they cannot compass in the open field, they endeavour to effect by Ambush, by drawing those lives [Page 25]they aime at into a snare under the pretence of a Treaty for accommodation: witness John Husse, and Hierome of Prague both betray'd by the Emperours Letters of safe conduct into their Enemies hands, and then Sacrificed to their Zeal­ous fury: so unsafe is it to put any confidence in them whose Sacred Principle it is not to keep their promise with them whom they are pleas'd to brand with the title of Haereticks. But more especially for ever be remembred the barbarous, and inhumane Massacre at Paris whither the chief of the Protestant party were decoy'd under the pretence of an accord, and there miserably Butcher'd. Sometimes they work under ground showing themselves thereby the Children of dark­ness, they conceal their intentions the better to bring them to perfection: We ought to bless God dayly for the many Seasonable Deliverances He hath at all times afforded us from the many Treacherous Designes which that restless party have contrived against the Persons of our Princes, and the Body of our Religion: but more particularly we have, as we ought, this Morning offer'd up the unbloudie Sacrifice of our Praise and thanksgiveing in the name and the sence of our Church to our gratious and merci­full Preserver for the timely and happy discovery of that Powder Plot which was hatcht in Hell, [Page 26]wrought in darkness, and should have been this Day executed in Clouds, and Pillars of Smoke: A Smoke like that which arose out of the bot­tomless pit, like the smoke of a Furnace; a smoke which would have Eclips'd our Sun and Moone; our King, and Prince: that would, have dark­ned the Stars of the first Magnitude our Nobles; as likewise the lesser Constellations, the lower house of Parliament: and which is more, and which, had been worse (though all was bad e­nough) a Smoke which had quite put out the Glorious Light of the Gospell, the very Eye, and Sight of this our most excellently Reformed Re­ligion: and a smoke at last which like that as­cending from the infernal Pit, would have brought whole swarmes of Locusts, and Caterpillers, of Monks, and Fryers, of Priests and Jesuits, which would have devoured all that had been green, and pleasant, all that had been pure, and wholsome in this our fruitful Land, through this fire (for their is no smoke but hath some fire) they in­tended to have Sacrificed our Consciences to the Moloch of Rome; that cruell Idol that kills soonest those whome it embraces closest.

I need not give you a Resation of that wicked and pernicious designe; their late Practises, and contrivances to overturn the Foundation of our Religion hath sufficiently revived the memory [Page 27]of their ancient detestable conspiracies, and of this unparalleld one among the rest; so that now almost every Child is made acquainted with it, and the Fathers shall teach their Chil­dren as the Psalmist says upon the like occasion,Psal 78, 4.5.6.7. that their Posterity may know it, and the Chil­dren that are yet unborn, to the intent that when they came up they might shew their Child­dren the some &c. and therefore I shall pass on to something else. These ways they have to offend their Enemies, other ways they have to gain Friends and to obtain Proselytes, one way is by speaking them fair with large Pro­misses of Indulgence and Preferment: how many hath the hope of Liberty to do what they please upon easy termes of Absolution Seduced from the Truth, and caus'd them to make Shipwrack of their Fayth? And as they have this way to gain them so they have another to retaine them: false signes, lyeing wonders, and counterfiet Miracles: for certainly as the delusions of the Egyptian Sorcerers were in some measure a cause why Pharouh was more perverse, and his heart more hardned against the Children of Israel, so the strong opinion that the vulgar have of the reality of those signes and wonders that are pretended to be wrought amongst them is a great reason of the continuation of their Spirituall [Page 28]Captivity. These wayes and several, others they have to promote their cause, and make their worse then Egyptian Sorceryes to prevaile but to no purpose, for there is one in Heaven that laughs them to scorne; for as Balaam when Divinely inspired said:Num. 23.23. Surely there is no En­chantment against Jacob; neither is their any Divination against Israel: according to this time shall it be sayd of Jacob, and of Israel, what hath God wrought? which makes good the next General I am to speak to which must be ac­ceptable to all good men.

The Frustration of their designe: or the ill success which they meet with, that strive to op­pose the Truth by violence, or detain it in un­godliness by fraud: yet have they not prevailed against me.

Many are the inventions of the wicked, many their Plots and Stratagems, many their devices, and subtle Machinations, but the Counsel of the Lord that shall stand! As Satan and his Instru­ments are restless Persecutors of the Saints; so is God a sure rescuer, and Preserver of them: Though the red Dragon call together all his infernall Legions;Rev. 22.7. all the Principalities, and Powers of darkness, all the numerous host of the bottomless Pit; yet the victory shall re­main with Michael: for indeed it is Imper con­gressus, [Page 29]a very unequall Match? for although the Devil in Scripture be stiled the strong one, yet hath he to deal with a stronger then him­selfe, with one who can when he pleases restrain his fury, and dispossesse him of all the advan­tageous Holds he hath gotten) and disappoint him and his Agents of their most forward and pregnant hopes even upon the Edge, and point of their accomplishment. As the Enemies of Sion have many wayes, and many meanes to afflict her, so God hath many ways, and many means to protect and defend her. I cannot show all the ways, and Methods which our Almighty Preserver makes use of to save and deliver his Chosen, because many of the Paths of his secret Providence are unknown to us, and past finding out: neither can I insist long upon those several wayes, that are discovered to us in holy writ, which his divine wisdom uses for their contin­uall Preservation: I shall instance in the two most comprehensive Methods I can think of and be as brief in them as I can.

1. The speciall Providence of God is won­derfully shown in the singular Protection of his Servants from those dangers that arise from necessary causes, from such as act from their naturall inclinations, or at least ways without much premeditation or designe.

2. His infinite Love to his People is more Eminently discovered in the various Methods he takes to secure them from the mischiefs that are design'd them by voluntary Agents. But before I treate of either of these I must premise this by way of caution; That God does not allways make use of any peculiar providence for the preservation of his dearest Children either from dangers ariseing from necessary, or free Agents, and therefore we are not rashly to judge of all those who come to any Misfortune either from the one, or the other Cause. Sometimes he suffers his cheifest Favourits to be sawn asunder, to pass through the flames, and those of whom the world was not worthy to be stoned, and slain with the Sword, here in suffering the Malice of the wicked for some private end of his own to take it's naturall course, and to obtain it's designed Purpose; sometimes likewise he suffers his own Children to come to sudden, and as we call them untimely Ends; by some unforeseen, and therefore unavoideable accident: but chiefely and generally speaking God as I shall show you is pleas'd to give signall Eviden­ces of his particular care of his own People, in preserveing them from the many fatall dan­gers they are subiect to from the one and the many bloudy contrivances that threaten them from the other Cause.

1 Gods care is remarkeable in the preservation of his Servants from dangers ariseing from naturall Causes: He oftentimes for the Safeguard and Protection of his People either restraines the violence and Malignity of them, or else alters, or suspends their Property: Thus he restrain'd the consumeing nature of the fire in the over heat Furnace into which the three-Children, (the bold opposers of Jdolatry to the Kings face) were cast, So that they walked unconcernedly in it, as though they had only been surrounded with a harmless Lambent flame. Thus the viper that fastned on St. Pauls hand by the wonderfull Providence of God, (whose first motions all natural Agents must needs obey) had lost its innate venome, which was turned into an in­nocent juyce: and this is one of the promises which our blessed Saviour made, to his Disciples a little before his Ascention mentioned by St Marke: They shall take up Serpents,Mark. 16.18. and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them. we are told by Job that the stones of the feild shall be in League with the Righteous, Job. 5.27. and that the beasts of the field should be at peace with him. Thus God shut the Mouths of the Lyons, and took away their ravenous appetite, to pre­serve his Servant Daniell, whose onely crime was his Devotion, his not dareing to offer up [Page 32]any Petition but to his God only. and we know that the stones which the people of Lystra (the same persons whome St Paul had lately before Restrain'd with much adoe from Idolatry.)A [...]s 14.19. threw at that great Apostle, were more favourable to him then the hard hearts of the misguided rabble; Thus the fire shall not burn, nor the viper sting, nor the Lyons devour, nor the stones kill, nor the Oyle Scald, (St Johns deliverance at Patmos) when God is pleased to appear for the security and Preservation of those who stand up in opposition to Idolatry and Superstition in defence of his own true worship.

2. The speciall Providence of God is most Eminently discovered in the severall methods he takes to secure them from the violence in­tended them by voluntary Agents. And this God does sometimes by turning the hearts or those who wish evil unto Sion into a friendly compliance with her. thus he protected his ser­vant Iacob twice in the same journey, when Laban pursued him, and his incensed Brother Esau went forth to meet him. Sometimes by turning the fury and violence of the enemies upon themselves: Thus the warr between the Turks, and the Persian was for a long time the Safeguard, and preservation of the Christi­ans in Hungary: and often times the jealousies [Page 33]and contests amongst the several Sects of the Mahometans have diverted the arms of those In­fidells, or recalled them from the advantages they had gained by their vast multitudes: some­times God is pleas'd to send Panick fears, and general consternations amongst the Enemies of Sion, thereby making them afraid of their own shadows, and causeing them to fly when there is none to pursue.Kings 2 book 7.6. Thus he made the Syrians to here the noise of Chariots and Horses, even as the noise of a great host, and they arose and fled, and left all their Furniture and provision behind them to the great comfort of the allmost starved Samaritans. At other times he preserves his Ser­vants by discovering the councills, and revealing the designes of those that seek their destruction: thus God by the Prophet Elisha discovered the secret Cabinet Councills of the King of Syria, by which means the King of Israel saved himself: otherwhile he smites them with blindness, as he did he great host that came to intrap the Pro­phet Elisha and takes them in the same snare they layd for others. Sometimes he infatuates their Councills, makeing them thereby instrumentall to the preservation of those whom they had markt out for destruction: Thus the writeing of an ambiguous Letter to the Lord Mount­eagle to diswade him from coming to the House [Page 34]that day was a Secondary means of preventing that bloody, and horid designe which should on this day have been executed, and for the happy discovery whereof we have this Morning paid our gratefull acknowledgment to our Mercifull Saviour and Deliverer.

And as God hath many ways so he hath many means to protect his Chosen, and to sup­press either the force or to defeat the cunning of their Adversaries: As his Angels, his Mini­string Spirits sent abroad continually for the good of his Elect: witness Sonacheribs vast army destroyd in one night by them: his Magistrates which are the Sheilds of the Earth, and his Ministers which are the Chariots and horsemen of Israel. But in all these we must look up to God, the first Mover of the wheel and return our Praise and thanksgiveing to him, to whom it alone belongs, which brings me to the last head The duty of the Church; the thankfull retribution she is bound to make to her great Champion, and Defender of all her deliverances: may Israel now say. The remembrance of her past dangers ought to be the Burden of her Song of thanksgiving: as the Reduplication in the Text, and in other places of the Psalmes seem to import Not unto us, not unto us O Lord but unto thy Name be glory; they compassed me [Page 35]about, they compassed me I say about, but in the Name of the Lord I will destroy them. All the redoublings almost that we meet with are but so many repetitions of Gods favour, and Mer­cies, whereby we are the more effectually and strongly stird up to a chearfull thankfullness to him who is the Giver of all victory and the only Preserver of all those that fear him, and put their trust in his mercy.

A gratefull acknowledgment of Benefits re­ceived is one of the first Principles and common notions we bring into the world along with us: neither have we only the indelible and indis­pensible Law of Nature to commend this duty of gratitude to us, but the positive command of God himself to inforce the commemoration of either particular or national deliverances, under no less apenalty then the absolute forfeiture of them: God will by no means admit that his mercies should be writ in Sand to be washt away by the next coming in of the Tyde; but that they should be recorded in such lasting Characters that may transmit them to succeeding genera­tions. He commanded a Pot of Manna to be preserved in his Tabernacle to testifie to after ages that miraculous Providence where by he sustained the Children of Israel for forty years in the dry and barren Wilderness: And when [Page 36]the waters of Jordan were dryd up to afford an easie passage to that vast army into the promis'd Land, we find that Joshua erected 12 stones in the place where the waters were cut off, to be a perpetuall Memoriall of that wonderous sepa­ration: Nay we are told that in the same place where they past over the Red Sea, the Print, and Footsteps of that Stupendious March. May be seen to this day, as a lasting Monument of that Miraculous Preservation: I shall not stand to justifie the truth of that bold and seemingly improbable relation; but sure I am that the signall steps, and prints of this days wonderfull deliverance remain fresh in this Nation to this present time, for though many noble, and E­minent neighbouring Structures have since (not without suspition of indirect contrivances from the same cruell hands) felt the fury of the merciless Flames: yet those ancient, and glorious Piles of building at Westminster, where the Plot was layd, where the seene was contrived, and which were designed, for one common heap of rubish, stand hitherto as a monument of our Churches triumph, and their shame, and at once bid defiance to the jaws of Time, and their inveterate Malice.

Let not therefore the complicated Blessings which by the happy discovery of this days horrid Treasons descended upon this Nation be blotted out of our remembrance so long as we wish well to the English Monarchy or to the Protestant Religion; for to this days Triumph we owe the Preservation of both.

Nay least the remembrance of those Mi­raculous Deliverances that God hath bestowed upon this Kingdome by snatching it out of the bloody Jaws of Popery should ever be for­gotten by us; he hath been gratiously pleas'd, as it were to refresh our Memoryes, and to re­print the Characters of his goodness to be con­tinued to our Posterity, to signalize once more the same day of the same Month, and the same date of the year with fresh instances of his gratious Providence over us, and his singular protection of us, and our most excellent Religion. Mikeing 88 in this wonderfull Century, and the now twice happy fifth of November, (the glori­ous day of his present Sacred Majesties Arrivall in England, for the Preservation of our Liberties and Religion) the joyfull Seasons once more of our deliverance from that fearfull inundation of Popery that was ready to break in upon us.

Let us therefore offer unto God our Pro­tector, and Preserver a double Tribute of thankfullness for the joynt Deliverances vouch saf'd to us, and our fore Fathers on this Solemn Festivall, which deserves to be mark't with a new Star, and colour'd with a fresh, and richer graine in our English Calender.

Deliverances by which we are rescued from being carried back to our old abandond Egypt of Idolatry, and Superstition. Mercies to which we owe the continuance of many noble Families which otherwise had been blown up without any Luxury or Prodigality of their own: and lastly Mercies to which we must ascribe the free Excercise of our Religion, and our meeting together in this venerable, and Agust Place ap­pointed for Gods holy Worship; (a place to which that Party were lately too near Neigh­bours, and which they lookt upon with too greedy an Eye) whereby we have this opper­tunity of Magnifieing that gratious Providence which countermind all their hellish Plots in both the Miraculous Revolutions.

And set us show our Gratitude to Almighty God on this great occasion chiefly by wishing well unto Sion, and doing the things that may conduce to her Peace.

Let us not be accessory to our own Misfor­tunes in calling down judgements from Heaven, in removeing those Golden Candlesticks which are yet, God be praised, (and long may they continue so) fixt in our Sanctuaries either by the wickedness of our lives, or the vitiousness of our Principles. Let there be no Divisions among us, the fomenting of which is the ready way to blast, and sully those extraordi­nary blessings which we at present enjoy; and which an unanimous conformity to the most pure and excellent rules and Discipline of our Church, is the most likely, and prudentiall way to confirme to our further Benefit, and advantage. Let those who upon slight, and triviall Grounds separate from our Communion consider seriously with themselves, who they were, that have ever since the Reformation been the stout opposers of Popery, and who they now are which appear as the resolute Champions of the Protestant Religion against all it's Enemies whatsoever. And then let them be asham'd to stand out any longer against them, who have alwayes stood in the Gap to Defend them, and the Faith which they Profess.

Let them all run into the Arms of our com­mon Mother the Church of England, and rest [Page 40]assured that they cannot but be safe unde her Shelter whom God hath so miraculously restored, and preserved: And let all acquiesce in the wise, and the sober determinations of those Reverend, and pious Compilers of the most excellent form of her Dicipline which as well as her Doctrine, some of them seald, and confirm'd with their best blood. For we may assure our selves of this Truth, that as a Church over burden'd with a multitude of Ceremonies is like a Bird with great Wings, many gay Feathers, and a small light, empty useless Body; So that Church (if we may call it one) that despises all outward Decency, and Order, is like the unplum'd Jay in the Fable, a trouble to her self, and laughing stock to her Neighbours.

Lastly let us endeavour to be Sober in our Judgements, prudent in our Conversation; putting on a calme, meek, obedient, teachable Temper; not affecting singularity, but agreeing as in one Faith, one Hope, one Baptisme, in the acknowledgement of one Lord, and Saviour of us all: So likewise in one outward form of worship, even that Incomperable one which is so happily (and long may it be so) Establish't by Law among us.

And let Us, bless and Praise God for all his Mercies; and then God shall bless us, and continue this most excellent Religion which we profess, and enjoy, in spight of all it's Adversaries, and Opposers whatsoever, to us, and our Posterity for many and many Generations; till all Churches shall be gathered into one, and united to their Supreme head Christ Jesus our blessed Saviour, and Deliverer, to whome with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, three Persons, and one God be ascribed oll Power, Praise, Honour, and Glory for ever and ever, Amen.