BY a strict Enquiry into the Design of this Psalm, we shall find it (compos'd by David) an Hymn of Praise, suitable to the Circumstances of most Men; wherein the Royal Psalmist shows us the various and strange Revolutions which happen, not by an Auspicious Contingency and Hit of Chance, but by the All-guiding Hand of the Divine Providence, to the Kingdoms and People in the World.

There are several Instances offer'd to our View, which do directly express the Wonder­ful Care of Almighty God towards his Crea­tures, in delivering them wonderfully from their Troubles and Distress, as he did the Israelites from their Egyptian Captivity, when no Power, besides the Hand of God, was able to redeem them.

In the foregoing Psalm we may find the Particular Miseries of that People: They were delivered into the hand of the heathen, and they that hated them were the rulers over them; their Enemies also oppressed them: So that they be­came their Slaves, for they were brought into Subjection under their Hand: And the rea­son was, Because in their Prosperity they for­gat God their Saviour, which had done great things in Egypt. They apostatiz'd from God, though he had so wonderfully deliver'd them from their Egyptian Bondage, even by the strange Overthrow of Pharaoh and his Host in the Red Sea: And yet upon their Repen­tance, God regarded their Affliction; and whenever they made their Application to him,‘He constantly raised up the Spirit of Bp. Ely's Paraph. some Great Man to (Redeem or) Rescue them from the Cruelty of their Oppressors.’

This he did for his own Mercies sake; and this was one reason why the Sweet Singer of Israel compos'd this Anthem of Thanksgiving; even out of a deep Sense of the Immense Love of Almighty God towards those that call upon him.

But besides this foregoing one, there are se­veral other Arguments repeated in this Psalm, of God's Indulgence towards Mankind; show­ing that no Circumstance whatsoever is be­yond either the Power or the Will of God, for the help of his distressed Servants: Of that God who could guide the bewildred Traveller to a Place of Rest and Habitation: Who could correct the starving Sharpness of hungry Fa­mine; turning the barren Wilderness into plen­tiful and well-spread Tables of Quails and Manna: Of God who was able to calm the unruly Motion of the proud Waters, and quell the stormy Wind into a gentle Breeze: Of God who has deliver'd the Prisoners out of Captivity, even through Bars of Iron, and Gates of Brass; turning the wilderness into a standing water, and fountains of water from the rocks of stone.

These and many other Instances might be given of the Goodness of God upon the [Page 4] World; from whence the Royal Prophet might well make his Inference; O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

The great share of which we have been Partakers in the strange Indulgence of Almigh­ty God, has laid as great an Obligation upon us to join our Voices with Holy David: Since we have found by a most Blessed Experience, such signal Effects of the Protection and Pro­vidence of Almighty God, as not only the Israelites, but as any other People under Hea­ven could ever pretend to.

And here might be drawn a fair Parallel, comparable to the Context in every Particu­lar: To mention no more than these Two Instances:

1. The Wonders of God which we have seen in the Deep: Witness that Bold Adven­ture, when our Invincible Armada rode in State on the Mediterranean; even on the same Waters where that Christian Israelite (St. Paul) suffer'd Shipwrack, when his Ship bulg'd up­on that Coast: Where the Proud Waves do swell to the height of Mountains, and yet our Tall Ships liv'd upon those Mountains, [Page 5] to the Amazement of all Strangers, to the Defiance and Terror of our Enemies, and the immortal Glory of our English Nation.

But then 2dly, to apply our Case yet more home; Might we not have compar'd our Bondage to the Egyptian Captivity, at that Time when Antichrist began to appear in his Deformity, and to lay that Yoke upon our Necks, which must in a small time have press'd us down with Sorrow to the Grave? But of this I shall be more particular in ano­ther Place: In the mean time 'tis sufficient on­ly to remember in these two Instances, the great Assistance we receiv'd then from the Hand of God, in giving us the Victory over those that hated us; in delivering us from the Strength of that Power, when all our own Power was gone, and we were utterly unable to help our selves; in stopping the Carier of such prevailing Philistines, and bringing us in Safety to the beloved Haven of Security: Therefore let us praise God for his goodness, and declare the wonders that he doth for the chil­dren of men.

And that we may be the better dispos'd to such a Joyful Employment, I shall address my self to these following Particulars.

[Page 6] I. To consider this Goodness of God in relation to the Inhabitants of this Kingdom.

II. That all the Mercies which we have re­ceiv'd, are the pure Result of his Goodness. And therefore,

III. We have a great Obligation upon us to Praise God, and declare in our Thanksgi­vings the Wonders that he hath done for us.

This Goodness of God then will appear in these two Respects: From the Consideration of the Dangers we have escap'd, and in the Mercies we have receiv'd.

1. He that will but open his Eyes, and look abroad into the World, cannot but be sensible under what Distress this once most happy Island has so lately groan'd: How both Church and State were forc'd to bend under the heavy Weight of a Misguided Scepter: When our Religion lay a bleeding; when it was sadly chang'd into Superstition and Idolatry, and the Word of God was become offensive, without a Leaven infus'd into it of Blind Zeal and Will-Worship. And though by a Mira­culous Providence the Time of this Tragedy was of no long Duration; though some Drops [Page 7] only fell down to warn us of that Shower of Blood that must have follow'd (had not He in whom all Power is, stretch'd forth his migh­ty Arm to help us), yet even those Drops were of themselves sufficient to proclaim that Storm of Persecution that hung over our Heads.

What might we not have expected at that Time, when Cruelty was applauded as me­ritorious! When the Face of Truth was eclyps'd, and the very Foundation of our Church was shaken! When Vision was ceas'd among us, and we could discern no Prospect of unrestrain'd Freedom in the Worship of God! When in the Scripture-Language, the Bells of Aaron had almost lost their Clappers, and their Divine Noise could scarce be heard Exod. 28. 33, 34, 35. amongst us! How great was the Prospect of our Danger, when the Candlesticks were remo­ved out of their Places, and the Light of our Temples were just extinguish'd! With what reason might the ways of Sion mourn, because none came up to her feasts; when her Gates were desolate, and her Priests lamenting! Did we not see all this already begun with the di­stressed Church of England? When our Gold was become dim, and our Sanctuaries neglect­ed; [Page 8] and the Sons of Sion, which once were comparable to Fine Gold, were at that time esteemed as Earthen Pitchers. It might then be read in the Countenance of every man, what he was not allow'd to speak, when the Elders of the Daughter of Sion were commanded to sit upon the ground, and to keep silence.

Thus the first Scene of this Tragedy was begun amongst us; whilst the Church of the Reformation labour'd under these Agonies, travelling like the mother of Ichabod in the abortment 1 Sam. 4. 19, 21. of her children! Whilst our Land was fill'd with Idols, and with those Graven Images which did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria.

This was the Danger of our Church at that time, when we had no Hopes of Delive­rance, till God with his own Right Hand re­pell'd our Enemies, and did Wonders for us; which will appear yet greater, from the De­fect and Mismanagement in Civil as well as Ecclesiastic Matters.

Corruption, Cruelty, and unjust Oppres­sion, did they not cry out aloud, even to the most Western Part of our Island? How were our Ears fill'd in those Days with the Groans of the Oppressed! Was not the Seat of Ju­stice in many Places made the Seat of Spoil, [Page 9] that robb'd many Hundreds not only of their Privileges, but even of their Lives! Were not the Laws made then the Traps and Snares wherein both Plaintiff and Defendant were equally trepann'd! When Right and Wrong were so in Name only, and Innocence too frequently was branded as an Offender! When the Cause of the Fatherless was not taken part withal, nor the distressed Widow reliev'd in her Calamity! Might it not then be said of ours, as the Holy Prophet ex­claim'd against the Governors of Judah, her Magistrates, and high-plac'd Officers, That indeed they should be blinded as to Respect of Persons; but instead of that, they were blinded with Gifts and Bribes; for the Mat­ter was never examin'd by the Weight of its Merit, but by the Weight of the Re­ward of the Mighty: And the Poor, the Just, and the Righteous Man, his Cause ne­glected, and all of them equally oppress'd and cashier'd! How mournfully (methinks) did the Prophet in his Time lament all this, when he said the City was full of Judgment, and Righteousness lodged in her;—but now Isa. 1. 21. Murtherers.

This not long since was the sad De­cay both in Church and State; when evil was called good, and good evil; light was put for darkness, and darkness for light: When the Wicked were justified for Reward, and the Righteousness of the Righteous was taken from him: When the Innocent was pro­nounced guilty, and the truly Religious Heretical and Criminous.

But, blessed be his Name, we see the Tribunal is God's; and with what Strength soever Authority may be grasp'd, still there is an All-wise Power above, who can Infatuate the Counsel of the Crafty; who for his own Mercy sake can wrest and take away the Sword out of the Hand of the Oppressors, although they have the Strength of Legions to secure it.

And this is the Great Work which he hath done for us, whereof we rejoice: Rescuing us from a Captivity both in Body and Soul; both in Church and State; and that from so Great a Power, from such otherwise Invincible Armada's, that we may well say with Holy David, [Page 11] When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion, then were we like unto them that dream: For what could it appear otherwise than a Matter of mere Fancy and Imagination, for us to have been thus surpriz'd by such a strange Deliverance, without Blood, al­most without a Struggle, from the Ne­fandous Stratagems of such a Convention; from the very midst of such well-appoint­ed Men, as might in a Good Cause have challeng'd, have engag'd the whole World, and overcome them? Therefore, Not unto us, most gracious God, not unto us, but unto thy Sacred Name be the Praise and Glory! O let us Praise our God for this his Good­ness to us, and declare these Wonders that he hath done for us: Who has surpass'd our very Hopes by the Greatness of his Love, and has done more for us than our own Hearts could wish for, or we were able to desire of him. But

2dly. We shall find this Goodness of God enlarg'd, not only from the Dan­gers we have escap'd by his means, but by the Immense Goodness of his Love to [Page 12] us, in the Merciful Favours we have re­ceived.

And this has brought me to the Glo­rious Theme most proper for our pre­sent Occasion: 'Tis the pleasant Counte­nance of Peace, that we are now to fix our Eyes upon: They are the delightful Notes which she dictates, that we are now to sing: A Melody so grateful, so inchanting to the greatest Part of Europe, that I am persuaded no Voice could charm like this of an Universal Peace: No Sound could yield so great, so melodious an Har­mony: For what can be more tuneful to a Christian Ear, than to hear the consent­ing Voices of all Christendom, joining in a Symphony, and the sweet Consort of Peace and Concord.

Whoever is not sensible of this great Blessing, must be wholly ignorant of the direful Effects of a Bloody War: No man that has ever tasted the bitter Cup of an Invasion, or that has ever set his Foot upon the Bloody Stage of War, can forbear to Praise the Living God, for the Divine Blessings of a Peace. He that has [Page 13] heard the Clashings of the Sword and Spear, the direful Shoutings of prevailing Par­ties, and the sad Mourns of poor Wound­ed Captives: He that has beheld the fenced Cities begirt with bloody Regi­ments, surrounded with those merciless Executioners of Death, that black King of Terrors, whilst no place has been left open, but into the Grim Jaws of cer­tain Ruin and Destruction: He that has beheld the Heaps of wounded Bodies lye weltring in their own Gore, whole Coun­tries become an Aceldama, and Field of Blood: When the flourishing Stateliness of whole Kingdoms have been laid Level to the Ground, and their Lofty Turrets have retain'd no Memory but in their Ruinous Heaps and Demolitious: When Cities by their general Conflagrations have become Resemblances of the General Judgment: When Parents have beheld their Chil­dren deflower'd before their Faces, pro­stituted to the Villany of Insulting Con­querors, and have taken it as a Favour to be sent out of the World, lest they should be tormented with the Sight of [Page 14] such Barbarities: And on the other hand, when Children have lifted up their Voi­ces in the mournful Strains of Lamen­tation and Sorrow, to behold the man­gled Bodies of their murther'd Parents, stretch'd forth and dead: He, I say, that has ever beheld these common Effects of the Rage of War, may easily be con­vinc'd of what reason there is to Bless and Praise Almighty God for the Blessings of a Peace.

And though through a most Blessed Providence, this Favourite Island of Hea­ven (as I may well call it) has been miraculously preserv'd in all these Jars and Fightings round about us, from those Shocks of Violence, when almost the whole World besides have labour'd un­der them: Yet even upon this very Ac­count, our Praises to our God for such singular Mercies, should rather be enlarg'd with greater Acknowledgments: That We, over whom the greatest Danger was im­pendent; We, who have deserv'd the great­est Judgments by our Sins, should yet come [Page 15] off with the least Reproach, with so much Honour and Renown.

'Tis true, and therefore we are oblig'd to acknowledge, That we owe this our Deliverance and our Peace, in a great measure, to the mighty Valour of a Brave Heroick Prince, whose Generous Conduct has made him Famous and Renown'd in all the Courts and Empires in the World: And in this our Gracious God has de­clar'd his Goodness to us, in raising up such a Glorious Instrument to compleat his Wonders: For let me tell you, though this Mighty Man has already silenc'd that sul­len God of War, and purchas'd Peace for us; yet has he another Conquest to pur­sue; an Atchievement that requires an Arm no less Puissant than that Conquering Prince's, who has reduc'd the violent Out­rage of an Insulting Enemy, into a calm Serenitude of Quietude and Peace: He has a Noble Conquest still to make, by which he will obtain unto himself Another Crown in a Better Kingdom.

Sin, that Black Prince of Darkness, has set his Standard up in our Nation; and God knows, he has his Thousands and his Legions that are daily fighting under his Proud Banners. If we consider the whole Realm in all the common Quali­ties and Dispositions of Men, shall we not find them all in a strange Defection from Piety and Virtue; listing to Apo­stacy, and falling from God: Some run­ning confusedly into Divisions, and they know not what Schisms: Others making Religion a Cloak for their Hypocrisy: Every one setting up his own Temple to serve God in; and that is, in plain English, God has no Temple allow'd him, no Devotion paid him. Shall we not find them like those men of Athens, dedicating their Lives and Actions, [...], to a God which they know not; of whose Goodness and Mercy, of whose Ma­jesty and Power, of whose Providence over them in this World, and most Gracious Proffers of Eternal Life, they are resolv'd to be ignorant, and not regard them. Is it not too plain, That our Religion, like [Page 17] the Blessed Author of it, has scarce a Place where to repose its self? Is it not too apparent, how the Temple of Bac­chus is more frequented than the Tem­ple of God? Has not a degenerate Cu­stom made it a common Practice for daring Men to be, instead of fearing God, openly disputing against God; instead of Hearing or Meditating on his Word, Blaspheming the Sacred Oracles of Life? And do not our Ears glow even of the Blasphemy of the Multitude, who are resolv'd, rather than there shall be no Di­visions amongst us, to divide Almighty God even from himself; to confound the Trinity in Unity, and as far as their Narrow Ca­pacities can reach, to destroy the Saviour of the World? Thus do they run toge­ther in whole Battalia's, fighting against the most High; and as it were storming the Throne of the Son of God.

From hence then we may look into the true State of our Nation: What a mighty Army there now is, revelling under the Black Ensign of Misery and [Page 18] Death; so that our only Hope, next to the Good Providence of God, lies in the unshaken single Courage of this Kingdom's Worthy.

And I do not in the least doubt but that this will be his next most Glorious Enterprize, to bring the Infidel and the Atheist to the Knowledge of his Maker: and by this means he will become as much a Favourite of Heaven, as by his own Prowess he has made himself the Wonder of the World. But

3dly. It is the Goodness of God alone that has wrought out all these his Won­ders for us: For alas! what can we pre­tend to, as a Motive springing from our selves, to prevail upon him to bless us in such Signal and Extraordinary Mer­cies? If the Sin and the Prophaneness of this Degenerate Age in which we live: If the Oppression, the Extortion and In­justice so predominant amongst us: If our Rebellion against God, and our Ha­tred of him: If our Contempt of all his [Page 19] former Mercies to us, can be Arguments to plead for us, then indeed the Case is otherwise; for we have nothing else to offer in our own behalf. No, no; our Sins must be our Advocate, or there is nothing else that can come from us, to interceed with God for us: And therefore what might we not have expected from his Justice? What Visitation, but his Wrath? What Message, but the Punishment of our Sins? And yet when our Iniquities cried out aloud, even to Heaven for Ven­geance; when our Transgressions were so great as justly to deserve some Signal Scourge and Judgment from above; even then are we deliver'd by a mighty Hand from the Scourge of Tyranizing Men; from the Fatal and Epidemick Cruelties of the Children of Blood. Blessed God! So great is thy Love to thy sinful Crea­tures, that thou art more merciful than we can be sinful.

In this then the Goodness of God is wonderfully apparent; that although he hateth Sin with a perfect Hatred, yet he [Page 20] regardeth Sinners with a stupendious Love: For though we have rebelled against him, and revolted from him, yet still he en­deavours to draw us to himself and to his Obedience, by the Cords of his Mercy: For this he has bless'd us hitherto; he has brought to nought the Malice which the Devil and Man had contriv'd against us: He has, if I may presume to say so, new modell'd the Most Christian Temper; chang'd the Nature of that which was not long since stain'd with the Black Cha­racters of Cruel and Tyrannick, into a Generous Disposition of Restitution; to the Honour of Himself, the Glory of our Mighty Monarch, to the Peace and Sa­tisfaction of the whole Christian World. And all this to bring us to a Sense of his Loving-kindness, and our Obedience to his Righteous Commandments. And what shall we render unto him less than this, for these the Benefits which he has done unto us? Shall we not remember that this is the Lord's doing, and let it be mar­velous in our eyes? This is the Day which the Lord hath made, shall we not be glad and re­joice in it? For,

4thly. We have an indispensible Obliga­tion upon us to express our selves in a grateful Acknowledgment of his exceeding Goodness. And indeed, to shew our selves insensible of such Favours as we have so lately received, would be an Ingratitude of the blackest Dye: This would be to tempt God afresh, and make him to re­pent that ever he has done such Won­ders for us. And I would have all men seriously consider, that the same Almighty God who can do Wonders for our Good and Happiness; if he finds we are re­solv'd that his Goodness shall work no good effect upon us; if we will not by that means be brought unto Repentance, (for that is the only way to shew our Acknowledgments of his Mercies) the same All-powerful God then can send as great Instances of his Anger, in his Punishments upon us. Let no man therefore be too secure, and think it beyond the Power of God to punish, now there is a Peace among Men; for when God arises in his Anger, with his Sword unsheath'd, to exe­cute [Page 22] his Justice upon those that will not be by any means prevail'd upon to turn from the evil of their ways; when once the Sins of any People make them ripe for Vengeance; then 'tis that God wants nei­ther Strength, nor the Assistance of Insulting Men; but he has ways enough to vindi­cate his Honour and his Justice, and to punish any backsliding foolish People: 'Tis not always that he commissions the Sword to pass through the Land: Some­times he punishes by Famine, then by Pe­stilence; these are more raging, cruel Ene­mies, than any other. 'Tis not, as I'm inform'd, above Two and thirty Years, since this very Town did feel the impar­tial Stroke of one of these unrelenting Executioners: And I am apt to think that Tragick Time has not escap'd the Memo­ry of some that are here amongst us: When the Tolls of Passing-Bells scarce ever ceas'd; when the Voice of Mourning was never silent: When tender-hearted Pa­rents dar'd not approach the Beds of their Sick and Dying Children; and when they on the other hand dar'd not approach to [Page 23] beg the Blessing of their dying Parents, for fear of the Infection: When men awoke and rose well in the Morning, and yet were laid among the Dead ere Night: When there was no Musick but the Noise of Bells, to proclaim the Rage of Death: When in each Hour the destroying An­gel mow'd down Multitudes, and every Week's End brought the News of the Increase of Thousands. Did you not then, if you might venture through the Streets, behold them fill'd with the Voice of La­mentation, and the sad Liveries of Mourn­ing. Thus then you were convinc'd, that God could be provok'd; and when his Mercies would not do to reclaim men from their Sins, he had more ways than by a Common Enemy to punish the Trans­gressors of his Will.

And shall not this prevail upon Us also to be wrought upon by his Good­ness; to Praise his Holy Name as we ought to do! We must be sensible that he tries by all the softest ways of Ten­derness and Love to win our Hearts to him, [Page 24] before he pleads with us with his Rod in his hand.

Let us not then provoke so good a Be­nefactor, by a Contempt of his Indulgent Favours, and because they are so conti­nually multiplied upon us. What could he have done more for us, that he has not done? Oh then! Shall we not praise this God? Is there any thing that he can command us, and we ungratefully refuse it? Surely, had we Hearts of Rock, we must be melted by his Goodness; and never be so stupid, so dumb, as not to open our Mouths, to declare the Wonders that he hath done for us.

But what Anthem shall we devise to sing these Mercies! How shall we strain our Voices to such a Key, as shall ever reach the Heighth of his Immense Love! O let it be the Harmony of our Lives! Let all our Actions speak the Sense we have of the Length, and Breadth, and Depth, and Heighth of the unbounded Goodness of our Heavenly Father: Remembring that [Page 25] 'tis not for this time only that God can en­large his Love to this vast degree: His Al­mighty Power is as Immense, as his Love is Infinite; and he can make his Goodness to shine upon every particular Soul among us, as well as upon a whole Kingdom in general. And if God can thus bless us with his Goodness here, how transcendent will his Favour be upon us in another World!

To conclude: Let this be the Method of our Praises and Thanksgivings, To redeem the Time that we have lost; to prove our selves worthy of these Favours which we have receiv'd, keeping the Unity of the Spi­rit in the Bond of Peace. Let the whole Course of our Lives be squar'd according to the Rule of God's Precepts: That our Rejoicings may flow from the Peace of a Good Conscience; then shall we have Peace indeed; even the Peace of God, which passeth all understanding. O let our Hearts be lift­ed up to God! whilst the remaining part of our Lives is spent, not in a wild Pro­phaneness, not in Revelling and Debauches, not in the secret Murmurings of Factious [Page 26] Spirits; but in Sincerity and Truth, in Vir­tue and Religion: with a Spiritual Joy and Gladness; proclaiming and admiring the Goodness and wonderful Mercies of Al­mighty God; praising and adoring his Ho­ly Name; chanting out his Glory here, as it will be our constant Employment and Pleasure to do in never-ceasing Hallelu­jahs, when we shall come to see him, and enjoy his Blessed Presence in the next World: Which that we may all do, God of his Infinite Mercy grant, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ: To whom, with Thee, O Father, and the Holy Spirit, be ascribed all Glory and Honour, Praise and Thanksgi­ving, both now and ever. Amen.