THE most both of ancient and mo­dern Authorities date this Psalm in good Hezekiah's days; at least, on the occasion of that nights deliverance, when the Angel of the Lord fell in upon the Assyrian Camp, and slew of them one hundred and fourscore and five thousand. When with such a mighty hand, and out-stretched arm, God rescued his peo­ple, some from slavery, some from death, all from the power and dread of their ene­mies, [Page 2] then was it eminently, that in Ju­dah was God known, and his name was great in Israel. Then did it appear more glo­riously, that in Salem was his tab [...]rnacle, and his dwelling place in Sion. For there brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battel, v. 1, 2, 3. Then the stout-h [...]arted w [...]re spoy [...]d, they slept their sleep (the sleep of nature and of death together), and non [...] [...]f the men of might found their hands. v 5 Then did God arise to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth, v. 9. Or rather, as the origi­nal no less naturally bears, to save all the poor of the land. Which Salvation the sacred Author having thus loftily and sweetly sung, adds for a close, as in an Ecstatick Acclamation, this Divine Aphorism (verified not only by that sin­gle instance, but by the experience of all ages) Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee; the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

I know a certain Church allows not Hallelujahs in Lent: but the redeemed of the Lord, whom he hath delivered from the hand of the enemy, and gathered them out of the land of bondage, of Terrors and Ravage, must be excused, if they think [Page 3] not any time unmeet for them to pro­proclaim The Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad. He changeth times, he changeth events at pleasure; and when even the wrath of man praises him, how may Gratitude be ever silent?

Wrath properly denotes the heat of Anger (so the Origin of the Hebrew word for it in the Text directs us to take it) the fi [...]rceness of man, says our old translation; well enough (O! si sic omnia). But not fierceness alone, without a mix­ture and connotation of Pride, the com­mon adjunct of wrath, both in Nature and scripture. Proud wrath, Prov. xxi. 24. And, we have heard the Pride of Moab.—I know his wrath, saith the Lord, Jer. xlviii. 19, 20. Yet are we not, for rea­sons, which will appear anon, to inter­pret wrath here only of the inward (how ever compound affection, but to comprise also under this name all its tendencies and effects; all the Disturbances, Tu­mults, Oppressions, Cruelties, Destru­ctions and Desolations it operates to, or produces. For all these as we shall see, each in their way do, or shall, praise God.

That indeed touching wrath, thus ta­ken, it should be said as in the later mem­ber of the Text, God will restrain it, all will acknowledge reasonable to admit. But that wrath, in such a latitude, should praise God, is next to impossible to con­ceive; especially when St. James has told us, The wrath of man worketh not the righte­ousn [...]ss Jam. 1. 20. of God. We must therefore di­stinctly consider each branch of the Text.

And first, The wrath of man shall praise thee. Shall may be referred to a double period; To the time future in this world, or to the day of judgm [...]nt in the next: and touching the praise of God by the wrath of man, both, or either reference will be found most illustriously true.

1st. Even in the present World the Wrath, Furies, Insolence, Oppressions, and all the violence of men shall praise God; not indeed by mans intention, (so 'tis sure what St. James says, The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God) but by God's over-ruling providence, by an all-wise and unseen management.

A threefold act of Providence, as to such things as the wrath of man, that is, even as to moral evils, is ordinarily asserted to God, by Divines. He permits, limits, and directs.

1st. To begin with the lowest degree of praise, which God reaps from the wrath of man; He permits it: for other­wise it could not be: And he permits it upon most holy and wise counsel. None in­deed can deny God's absolute Dominion and soveraignty over all his creatures. He may do with them, and every of them, what he will; and who shall say unto him what doest thou? But it must be together acknowledged, that in the Government of world, and especially of men, God makes as little use of this soveraign Do­minion, as ever did any who pretended to soveraignty. What to Man Law is, that to God is his Infinite Wisdom: and what ever he does, he does for most ex­cellent reasons; in the wisest sort, and for the best ends. He rather wills what he does, because it is good, than does any thing, because he absolutely wills it: so that I dare not say, Arbitrary Government (that is absolute Will for a Law) has any precedent even in the Empire of the most High. Having therefore in the Creation made free Agents, his wisdom did not see it fit, to seem so far inconsistent with himself, as by his Providence ever to tye them up. He can Regulate their Attempts, [Page 6] and Govern their Actions in other ways: and he'll shew it so one day. In the mean while he'll not Enslave his Subjects for his Glory. He leaves them in the hand of their own counsel; gives them indeed most ex­cellent Laws, and those enforced by most proper sanctions, of the highest Rewards and Punishments. He is not wanting with the sweet breathing and preventi­ons of his spirit, or assistances of his grace; but after all, he precludes not men from their natural liberty: He is ever con­stant to himself, the same in providence as in creation; the holy immutable God, without variation or shadow of change. The wrath of man still may break forth, and it praises God, in that it is Permitted.

But much more (2.) in that it is Limi­ted, and even in every particular in­stance, most particularly. Men do indeed commonly what they will; but most times not so much mischief as they would. Hitherto shalt thou go, and here shall thy proud waves be stopt. The whole design against innocent Joseph, which his en­vious brethrens wrath had laid, consisted of divers parts; Let us slay him, say they, Gen. xxxvii. 20. and cast him into some pit, and we will say some evil beast has devoured him, and then [Page 7] we shall see what will become of his dreams. In other terms, they would destroy him, make away his body, palliate their vil­lany by a lye, secure to themselves by that means impunity, and in fine defeat God's counsels. But Reuben interposes, and they slay him not; only they cast him into a pit, and God provides the pit should have no water in it. Reuben's interpositi­on (no doubt) was no less from God, than the pits emptiness: and both particulars, instances of God's Limiting hand. To take another instance. The Devil had malice enough to have destroyed Job, and all that belong'd to him: yet one while he may destroy Job's goods, houses, stock and family, but not touch his person: anon may touch his bone and flesh, but not his life. Job I, and II. In these cases nei­ther men nor devils went as far as their inclination or malice led.

Yet again, sometimes the wrath of man is permitted to vent all its Venim; only the External Agents or Instruments are tied up. The three young Jewish Nobles are bound and cast unto the burning fiery furnace, but the fire fastens only upon their bonds, so that they are at liberty to walk, to stretch their limbs, & at ease ex­patiate [Page 8] in the flames: not so much as an hair on their head is singed, nor their coats chan­ged, nor the smell of fire had passed on them, Dan. III. 27. Daniel himself is thrown unto the hungry Lions: but the Lions mouths are stopped. Not only the Wrath of Man then, but the Appetites of fier­cest Beasts, and even Malice of Devils as well as of Men, has its fixed pillars, and more than adamantine chains and posts: and, by these its bounds, praises, that is, gives occasion to the praise of him, who there fixed its Neplus ultra. In a word, the wrath of man praises God, in that it stops, though on force.

To God's limitting, or setting bounds to the wrath of man, doth belong his Baffling it, and, at such critical instants as he sees meet, defeating the poor angry worms. This is rather here to be taken notice of, because it is the very case which gave occasion, as 'tis thought, to this Psalm. Sennacherib, King of Assyria, had 2 Kings 18. 13. 17. come up against, and had taken most of the fenced Cities of Judah: and was about with a vast Army (such as comes not into the field now a-days) to invest Je­rusalem it self; all, not without great haughtiness and insolence, even against [Page 9] the most High himself. Hearken not, says he, to the poor besieged Jews, by his En­voys, V. 32. Hearken not to Hezekiah, when he perswadeth you, saying, The Lord will de­liver you. Hath any of the gods of the Nations delivered at all his land out of the hands of the King of Ass [...]ria. Where are the gods of Ham [...]th and of A [...]pad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, &c. Have they deliver'd Samaria out of my hand? Who are they amongst all the gods of the Countreys, that have deliver'd th [...]ir Countrey out of mine hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand? Now was the time for God to exact praise from the fierceness of this swag­gering bubble; and he does it. By his word to his Prophet Isaiah, He autho­rises Jerusalem to defy the invasion. Ch. 19. v. 21, 22. The virgin the daughter of Sion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; The daught [...]r of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee; and v. 27. 28. He sends the invading King word (in part) how he will deal with him, I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me. Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put mi [...]e [Page 10] hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest. In v, 32, 33, &c, He assures the invaded and distressed people of de­liverance, Thus saith the Lord concerning the King of Assyria; he shall not come into this City, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with a shield, &c. for I will defend this City to save it, &c. And finally, v. 35, and 36. the deliverance is effected: I [...] came to pass in that night, that the Angel of the Lord went out, and smote of them one hundred foursc [...]re and four thousand. And when they arose in the morning, they were all dead corpses. Now the wrath of man had praised God. Now we know, and the Assyrians then knew, that the Lord is greater than all gods; for in the Ezod. 18. 11. thing wherein they dealt proudly, he was above them. So shew thy self, O Lord, to all the proud ones of the Earth!

But more gloriously yet doth the wrath of man operate to the praise of God by his Directing either it or its ef­fects▪ to ends and purposes of his own, be­yond or beside the intention of the wrath­ful. And herein most manifoldly shines forth [...] the much various Wisdom, Power and Goodness [Page 11] of the Almighty. It is not easy, if pos­sible, to represent, or account (even in ge­neral) all those marvellous ends of his own, which God in this world serves and accomplishes by the sins, by the [...]uries, rage, and Pride of men. May I have leave to specify some.

1st. Upon the world, that is mankind in general. The wrath of man praises God, in that it is commonly the great Instrum [...]nt of his judgments and Venge­ance throughout the Earth, while the unthinking, raging Insolents prove only God's executioners. They indeed indulge the ferity and barbarity of their own nature; they genuinly shew, and of their own accord nakedly act themselves; in­tending not any ways to be subservient to God, nay haply intending rather to affront him, and yet notwithstanding while they thus design meer self-gratifi­cation, in open Tyranny, or private Spleen, they do God's work for him un­awares. Hereof we have a most illustri­ous instance in another Assyrian King; Isai. X. As to his Pride, he saith, Are not my Princes altogether Kings? is not Calno as Carchemish—and Samaria as Damascus, &c. All of them my New Conquests, a­like [Page 12] over-run with ease, and intirely sub­jected to my will. Here is now an Uni­versal Monarch; at least, one more neer­ly such, than any who now huff and rage, as if they would be: And he too falling upon his neighbours, for the Glory of his A [...]ms. For, It is in his heart to destroy and cut off Nations not a few, v. 7, 8, &c. This design and affectation of bloud, ad­ded to his pride, are certainly an high­flown pitch of the wrath of man. But can God have any praise hence? yes; In all this, though his own Stomach and Ty­ranny acted him, yet was he notwith­standing all along, only God's tool, and for God taking vengeance upon an Hy­pocritical Nation, the people of God's wrath, v. 5, 6, O Assyrian the rod of mine Anger, and the staff in their hand (that is by a change of the pronoun (or person) fre­quent with the Hebrew, The Staff in thine (the Assyrians) hand) is mine in­dignation. I will send him against an Hy­pocritical Nation. Howbeit, (v. 7.) he meaneth not so, neither d [...]es his heart think so. He only designed Empire, Tyranny, bloudy greatness; and to that purpose magically consulted which way to bend his arms, as we read, Ezek. XXI. 21. But [Page 13] God directed him against this guilty Na­tion. Amongst whom notwithstanding, there was no doubt, as the Apostle speaks in another case, a Remnant according un­to the Election of grace; some men of piety, or of good and honest hearts, for 'tis touching the people of the Jews (his then only visible church) that God speaks, and them in zeal for their amendment he calls by such rough terms. Now thô all by God design'd upon the wicked multitude of them might be the meer cutting them off, and so the Assyrians fu­ry, in regard of these, praised only the Divine justice; yet upon those of them that feared the Lord and his word, the wrath of man praised also his grace and fatherly love in chastizing his children: In regard of both the proud and wrath­ful Assyrian is God's instrument: Which engages me to speak a little more distin­ctly, how the wrath of man praises God, both upon his Church, and upon his Ene­mies.

And 1st. upon his Church; God by his directing Providence makes the wrath of men praise him, when it by resting upon his servants, reforms and amends them; or which is much the [Page 14] same, of good makes them better, ad­vances them in purity, and in all Chri­stian virtue and practice. This the Ene­my intends not, but God superintending effects. There is no praise which God esteems equal to the Prevalence or Growth of Holiness in his Church. When the wrath of man purges the faithful, it praises him most seraphicly; and I may say, it together turns to prayer, and that very effectually, for the remo­val of that very wrath from his people. That God many times refines his Church in the fire, and by the heat of her Ene­mies fury, the Instances in all ages are so plentiful, that it is hard to find where to begin, or having begun, where to end. Instead of medling therefore with ages at a distance, I will only crave leave to say, that there was even amongst the people of these Nations, a while a go, some visible appearance of amendment; for a time at least: whether by the mis­eries we suffer'd, or upon the fears of what we apprehended imminent, I can­not speak. There was really (as far as man could see) more preparation for Heaven, more contempt of this world, more open hearts and hands, more strict walking, [Page 15] and care of mens ways, more retrench­ment of vanity & luxury, than for some years had been before observable: I wish I might not say, than is at present, in most persons, visible. The wrath of the com­mon Enemy did amongst us then praise God. But is that wrath, at least the fears of it, over at present? Or are we, by be­ing longer under such apprehensions, hardened, and grown more insensible? for I must beg pardon, if I say plainly, we are now again, most of us, as bad as ever we were. I do not say all. God be blessed we have some excellent exam­ples of perseverance; and the greatest where it ought, and where it is most il­lustrious, in the Greatest. But as to the most of us, who are fallen back, give me leave to say, if the wrath of our Enemies and I must insert also (the Favours and Protection of our Deliverers) do not praise God by amending us, we must ex­pect God will force praise to himself from the wrathful consticts on both sides; we shall be dasht in pieces against, and with, those our adversaries, whom we cannot judge more the Enemies of God, than by our incorrigibleness we manifest our selves to be, and have been; we shall pe­rish [Page 16] both, like vessels of dishonour, by mutual collisions. But God avert it.

To return from whence I may seem to have digrest, having first craved par­don (which I humbly do) for this short, but necessary admonition by the way. To return, I say.

It is another particular of praise which by the wrath of men God reaps from the faithful, when it quickens them to Faith, study of perseverance, patience, magna­nimity, and even rejoycing in tribulati­on: when though thrown, and resting under the wrath of their own Enemies, (tho perhaps such who scarce seem to act like men) they laud and magnify the name of their God, who has thought them worthy to suffer for him; they wait and hang upon him with unshaken dependance and patience; praying in­deed, yet quietly expecting, deliverance; either in this world, or to a better; and submitting to his will, which way of the two he pleases to dismiss them from the yoke. Thus befell it in the case of St. Paul and Silas, when by the command of the Philippian Magistrates thrust into the inner Prison with their feet made fast in the Stocks. At midnight they prayed Acts XVI. 25. [Page 17] and sang praises unto God. An example drawn into practice, no doubt in most ages, by vastly greater numbers, though unequal Saints.

Our adversaries (somewhere) of late have oftentimes in several places curst the damn'd Hereticks, as they call'd them, whom they had driven hungry, and al­most naked, through thick and thin, as sheep to the slaughter, for that in their cold prisons they would not forbear their prayers and their Psalms. They have threatned them with bolts and irons, and the Gallows too, except they would de­sist, but, tho for that time interrupted, they have not been finally silent to their God. These were Refugees to heaven, and I crave it may not be offensive to say, I hope not less loyal, meerly because with their own little ease, and less safety or advantage, they kept possession of some part of the Earth for their Countrey­men. They yielded not a tittle of faith or right, except to suffer for both be to yield.

But to shut up this point. Thus the praise of God has many times been inhan­ced by the wrath of man: while it has appeared to the regret of wicked men, [Page 18] and their Chieftain the grand Abaddon and Apollyon, which acts them, that, mau­gre the malice of men and Devils, God could not be debarred, at least deprived, of the Praises and Hearts of his Faithful.

I will mention but one way more, in which, through Divine Direction of it, the wrath of man praises God, and that is upon his Enemies; when what they de­signed proudly, for their own advance­ment, he turns together to Their Ruin, and possibly also to his Pe [...]ples D [...]liver­ance. Before, we saw them God's Exe­cutioners on others; now we shall see them such upon themselves. This per­haps was never more illust [...]iously verified than in Haman. He is consulted what shall be done unto the man, whom the King Esth. VI. 6. delighteth to honour. Now Haman thought in his heart, to whom should the King de­light to do honour more than to my self? By the bye, I need not tell you what an implacable rage and malice Haman brea­thed against the Jews, and particularly against Mordecai, for the hanging of whom upon the Gallows, that he had prepared, he came then to speak to the King [v. 4] Well: Haman gives his ad­vice, and 'tis like what was to be ex­pected [Page 19] from such a touring empty head, [v. 8, 9] Let the royal apparel be brought which the King uses to wear, and the horse th [...]t the King rideth upon, and crown royal which is s [...]t upon his head: And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the King's most noble Princ [...]s, that they may array the man withal, whom the King d [...]lighteth to honour, and bring him on horseb [...]ck through the street of the City, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King delight­eth to honor. Upon this the King gives his royal mandate to him. v. 10. Mike hast, and take the Apparel, and the horse as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the J [...]w, that sitteth at the King's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken: Which is executed in the following verse. And, now, by Haman's own advice, his hated Mordecai is become great at Court, he soon hanged upon the Gallows he had prepared for Mordecai; and though the Orders given out for the slaughter to be acted on the Jews, being solemnly past under Seal, could not by the law of the Medes and Persians be reverst, yet an or­der is granted (O! that the like had come to some men in good time) that [Page 20] they should stand on their own defence, and so the whole people of the Jews are delivered from the Massacre design'd on them.

Thus, O Blessed Father, may the wrath of man ever praise thee. Great and mar­vellous are thy works, O Lord God Al­mighty, Just and true are thy ways, O thou King of Saints.

Hitherto of the shall in this world. By our discou [...]se, whereon it appears, that here the wrath of man only in s [...]me part or instances of it, and at certain times, praises God: But at that great day, when the vast Theatre of the world, and of all ages shall be opened, and the parti­cular scenes of each Tragedy, that from the beginning has been acting and acted in the several spots upon Earth, shall be displaid, then will it appear that All the Furies and Bravo's, nay All the Sag [...]s too of the world have all along, even in their bloudiest outrages as well as most com­posed consultations, in their gravest as well as in their boldest enterprises and transactions, busied themselves only like a company of blind madmen, doing they knew not what; sometimes pleasing, [Page 21] sometimes tormenting themselves in the extravagant swinge of their own hu­mours or lusts, but in the mean whil [...] moving in a most regular, though to them unseen course and method; All or­der'd by the wisest counsel, and over [...]u­led by the sweetest, though Almighty hand. Nothing in humane Action forc'd, nothing unnatural (as to God's part) who will then appear, let mens intrigues and plots have been what they could, ne­ver to have been at a loss, either for coun­sel, power or instruments to work his own will; but on the contrary so to have pre­disposed and connected all events, that to his designs all have been directly subser­vient and cooperative, however to hu­mane eyes they have seemed to run coun­ter: Only with this difference, some, ha­ving comply'd with his grace, have in the strength thereof served his purpose out of choice; others having resisted his grace, have notwithstanding their own malice served his purpose against their will. The one therefore will be graciously rewar­ded, the other justly punished; but as to both, the Event in all will appear to have praised him. For where in his infinite wisdom he saw not good to order the [Page 22] wrath of man to his praise, it will be manifest, that the remainder of wrath he did restrain: which is the second member of the verse, and of which briefly.

The remainder of wrath shalt thou re­strain: [CHEMOTH] Wrath in the plu­ral number, seems to be put in opposi­tion to [CHAMATH] the single wra [...]h of man in the former part of the verse: to shew there is more wrath, which God is to restrain, than meerly that of man. There is also more pride, which needs a­like restraint; namely, that of the first Lucifer, who sinn'd, and, as is thought, fell by aspiring to ascend, and to be like the most High. There are finally, that I may add that beyond my Text, other counsels also, as well as other wrath and pride, besides humane, which God con­founds. There is a wisdom that descen­deth not from above (no nor grows on earth) but is devillish, Jam. III. 15. And both wrath, pride, and wisdom, of Devils as well as men, shall God restrain, when he pleases not to turn them to his praise. Let there then be Hellish plots, yet our God shall confound them.

I am not ignorant there is another sense [Page 23] of the word, which we render restrain, viz. he shall gird himself; whether with the remainder of the wraths of Enemies as with spoils, when he has defeated what thereof he lists; or with wrath of his own, against his Enemies, I may not stand to discuss: I have thought fit to keep to our own translation. Waving therefore these interpretations, I shall only in two words consider, How God re­strains the remainder of wrath, which he does not see fit shall praise him.

1st. He sometimes happily restrains it; by changing (perhaps throughly convert­ing) the angry or furious heart. For even the hearts of Kings, and much more of meaner personages, are in the hands of the Lord, and as rivers of water he turneth Prov. xxi. 1. them whither he pleases. He changes, I say, the angry heart, either,

1st. By Abating its furies, and indu­cing a calm and sweet temper. Thus God restrain'd the remainder of Esau's wrath to his brother Jacob. Esau had said in his heart (perhaps sworn, for, he was prophane enough to do so) the days of mourning for my father are at hand: then will I stay my brother Jacob. Gen. XXVII. 14. And he came to meet his bro­ther [Page 24] Jacob (an unarm'd shepherd, with wives, and children, and flocks) he came to meet, I say, this his naked brother, and four hundred men with him; all no doubt in warlike array, and he breathing his former fierce intentions. But God swee­tens him. To pass by many little parti­culars of the story: When they are in sight of one another, God puts into Ja­cob's heart to bow himself to the ground seven times until he came near unto his bro­ther. Ch. XXXIII. 3. 4. And Esau ran to meet him, and em­braced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. O that all quarrels between brethren, that is at large be­tween private Christians, might thus end, thus praise God!

Or, (2.) Sometimes God of his infi­nite grace lays a train, uses means to con­vert and turn to himself the hearts of his & his servants enemies. Thus it was with them who were sent by the spiteful Pha­risees to apprehend our Lord Jesus: not without some grains of malice, undoubt­edly of their own; otherwise they would John VII. never have gone on such an Errand. Now God had so order'd it, that at the moment these Officers found Jesus, he was preaching in the temple: and their [Page 25] curiosity moved them to attend and hear a little, before they take him: perhaps that they might catch, whereof to accuse him. But the effect of what they heard is, their hearts are touched, they are ta­ken themselves, they return to their prin­cipals, Never man spake like this man. May God daily more and more thus re­strain wrath!

But we must remember in this sort God uses to restrain only the wrath of men, and but of some men too: for De­vils are incorrigibly malicious; and so are too many of their agents: Both these therefore are not convertible.

Wherefore as to their wrath, Second­ly, God more forcibly, perhaps dreadfully restrains it, by plain tying them up, or de­stroying them. As to tying up the De­vil at God's pleasure, besides the fore­mentioned case of Job, whom Satan could not touch until, and no farther than, God would permit, the twentieth of the Revelations, when we have stript it of all mystery or prophesy in it, is a most positive and indefeasible proof; v. 1. I saw an Angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand. Here is (as I may [Page 26] say) all the circumstantiative pomp and deviseables for the fastest confine­ment. A mighty Angel for an officer, a great chain to bind Satan, with a dungeon (the bottomless pitt) into which he is to be cast; here in too he is to be shut: then for the dungeon, when shut, there is a key, and after all, according to the manner of the Easterlings, a seal to be set upon it, and none can loose him save he that bound him. Stricter restraint can­not be described. Thus as to the wrath of the Devil. And as to incorrigible men, such an one proved Sennacherib, the person so much concern'd in the sub­ject of this Psalm; the remainder of whose story, let us consider in a word. He lost an army of one hundred fourscore and five thousand in one night, and that by the stroke of an Angel, (by a dreadful pestilence perhaps, as some like expres­sions in scripture seem to explain it) and he was preserved no doubt to the same end, to which such another was recover­ed from the like stroke; namely, that God might shew in him his power, and that Exod. IX. 16. his name might be d [...]clared throughout all the Earth. His wrath should together otherwise praise God, and in the end be [Page 27] restrain'd. Immediately upon the loss of his army, he fled out of Judea to his own Countrey, and dwelt at Nineveh (viz. the Metropolis of Assyria): where he fell again to his old practice, and in his wrath slew many of the Jewish Captives; and as the manner of such Tyrants is, would have exercised further rage upon the dead bodies of the Hereticks, (for no bet­ter undoubtedly he accounted them) had not Tobit buried them privily, so that they Tobit. I. 18. could not be found when sought for by the King. This his furious carier God stops; but how? And it came to pass as he was Isai. XXXVII. 38. worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esar­haddon his son reigned in his stead. So may all thine Enemies perish, O Lord, and the wrath of Devils and incorrigi­ble men be restrain'd!

I have thus, as briefly as I could, dis­patched both parts of my Text. I crave leave to conclude, by urging in a few words, some such practice as this dis­course is apt to perswade.

And, First, Inasmuch as the wrath of man does even here praise God, namely, [Page 28] by his providential over-ruling it and its Events; Let us study and observe this his no less wondrous than gracious ma­nagement of the world: Let not so ma­ny instances of God's most Holy and Wise providence pass us without regard, as daily do. It is certainly one main part of pure Religion to attend, and much meditate on, the providence of God, which is not less fruitful of won­ders, than his Creation. And it is as much our interest, as our duty to do so. Whosoever is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lo­ving Ps. evil. ult. kindness of the Lord. Providence is a book legible to all, even the illiterate, (if they will but think) and in some sense too super-adding to scripture it self. In the book of holy scripture indeed, we read the goodness and grace of God to mankind in general: In the book of pro­vidence, his mercies to us in particular. It deserves therefore to be read, that is, ob­served. And in our observation of God's loving kindness to us, and to his Church, let us not forget particularly to note, wherein, as to our selves, God makes the wrath of man to praise him? wherein, for us, he has brought Good out of Evll. [Page 29] A sword that by the same stroke can wound and heal, is wonderful indeed: But such is the wrath of man, when God takes it in hand; and such perhaps most of us have found it, if we would but du­ly reflect on what has befaln us. I may fay, were we careful to observe all, we should certainly admire, love and adore our God in the severest dealings we can meet with, or have met with, from men.

Secondly, Inasmuch as the wrath of man shall praise God, or be restrain'd, let us constantly maintain a comfortable Affiance and Dependance on God, in all conditions whatsoever; and that, whe­ther as to the course of publick affairs, or of our own private concerns. Let us still trust God, bear up in the worst junctures, with courage and cheerfulness, with faith and patience; In well-doing committing all to him, as to a wise Creator, and no less wise and vigilant a Governour.

(1st.) As to publick affairs; Let it con­tent us, that God governs the world. It may perhaps seem unto us, that he (at least oftentimes) uses but strange instru­ments to govern it withal; such, I may say, as none can govern with but him­self. Stultitiâ hominum Deus regit mun­dum, [Page 30] has been said by a wise man: and the consideration thereof should humble haughty wisdom. If that be doubtful, 'tis sure, The wrath of man shall praise thee. This is as proper to bring down proud wrath. Folly and Fury are indeed strange expedients to govern by: But when an all wise and almighty hand takes the folly and fury of man to task, we need not fear the general management or is­sue. Many clouds arise in the heavens, and are dispell'd, either by winds bred in their own bowels, or we know not how; or at another time (peradventure) de­scend in clam and gentle showers, upon the parched earth, a welcome refresh­ment to man and beast. Many storms fall, one while upon the vast Ocean, ano­ther while on Forrests, and howling De­serts; still, only where God directs them. So is it in publick Dangers: The same almighty hand has a thousand ways to dissipate them, or divert them from his Church. And he surely will, if we prove capable of such mercy. The wrath of man shall praise him; and praise him it cannot, except all things succeed to his glory, and the good of the faithful, either in this world, or a better. Wherefore [Page 31] be of good cheer, as to the publick.

And (2.) as to Our p [...]rvate concerns. If in the course of Divine Providence there were anything perfectly accidental, give me leave to say, the Faithful have more chances for their private security, than the circumstances of publick bodies ad­mit.

The Church still, as Israel in the wilder­ness, has a large mixt multitude in it; and though the present Jews impute to those numerous wicked In-mates more of their forefathers transgressions in that age, than justly they may; yet in our Israel, we may reasonably hope, the most pro­voking share of publick guilt does not arise from the sincere part of the Church, that is, from persons, who serve their God in spirit and truth, and who trem­ble at his word; of whom only at pre­sent we speak. These therefore may justly hope, if the storm should fall here, it may blow over them, or they may find shelter. They may apply to them­selves such comforts as these. Ps. XXVII. 5. In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his taber­nacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up­on a rook. Again, Ps. XCI. 4. He shall cover [Page 32] thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. And perhaps many of us have found these things made good to us. Isai. XLIX. 2. In the shadow of his hand hath he hid us. However, whether we have found it or no. 2 Chron. VI. 9. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro tho­rowout the whole Earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him: And those eyes purify, as well as preserve; cherish and provide succour for the frailties of the mind, as well as of the outward man. Let the consideration hereof therefore cheer us, as to our own, both Temporal and Spiritual concerns. The wrath of man shall praise God, either by our pre­servation, or betterment, or both.

Lastly, inasmuch as all the praise which God gets by the wrath of men, is gene­rally, Against their will, and meerly forc'd by his almighty wisdom and power, let not us, who avow our selves servants, and have the honour to be called the sons of the most high, put our gracious Lord and Father to this force. It is enough for Rebels to praise him by their wrath, and against their will: Sons should praise [Page 33] him out of choice with cheerful wil­ling minds, in a spirit of Divine Love, Gratitude and Meekness; Of Peace, Sweetness and Charity; Of Holiness, Duty, and study of all well-doing. In a word, God has been universally benefi­cent to us of these Nations, beyond what we could possibly hope for. Let not us repay him in ingratitude, looseness and negligence. Let our praises be, to our power, as Universal as his Beneficence: beginning first, In our hearts; by an universal devotedness to our Duty, and by all Diligence therein: and particu­larly by what is most contrary to wrath, universal Charity. No man is thankful to God, or praises him at all (any other­wise than forcibly) who indulges a wrathful, bitter, or uncharitable spirit towards any man living. From our hearts, let our praises proceed into Acti­ons, by grateful returns; Doing good unto others, and as far as we are able, unto all; Even as God has both been, and done, good unto us. And if the praises of God be thus in our Hearts & Actions, they will be ever and anon in our Mouths too: we shall even with our voices in some sort exalt the God of our mercies.

And may the Causes of God's praises ever continue to us all, and particularly to Your Sacred Majesty; for whom we poor Protestants of Ireland, above all men, must both pray and praise. May the prai­ses of God, I say, be ever in your Majesty's mouth, and a two-edged sword in your hand; Not so much to execute Vengeance, as to Conquer; And, by Conquering, to give Peace, and together Laws for an happy Settlement, and for reforming what is amiss in these distracted Churches and Kingdoms. May all late and present wrath of men amongst us thus praise God; and such remainders as will not, may he restrain. Amen, Amen.