Of our obligation to put our trust in God, rather than in men, and of the advantages of it in a sermon preached before the honourable society of Grayes-inn, upon the occasion of the death of our late Royal Sovereign Queen Mary / by William Wake ...

Of our obligation to put our trust in God, rather than in men, and of the advantages of it in a sermon preached before the honourable society of Grayes-inn, upon the occasion of the death of our late Royal Sovereign Queen Mary / by William Wake ...

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Psal. cxlvi. 3, 4, 5.

Put not your Trust in Princes, nor in the Son of Man in whom there is no Help.

His Breath goeth forth, He returneth to his Earth; In that very Day his Thoughts perish.

Happy is he who hath the God of Jacob for his Help, whose Hope is in the LORD his God.

IF ever any People had a just Occasion given them to enter upon those Reflections which these words naturally present to us; and to consider, How little dependance is to be placed upon theSo [...] v. 3. imports. Best or Greatest among the Children of Men: I may with confidence say, that we of this Nation, have at this time, a most eminent Occasion given us by the Divine Providence so to do.

It has pleased God, within these few days, to deprive us of a most excellent Princess; under whom, we had flatter'd our selves, that we [Page] should have long enjoy'd, a more than ordinary Portion, of Happiness and Prosperity. A Person she was, as by the Greatness of her Character qualified beyond most Others to have become a National Blessing; so by the many incomparable Endowments, God had bestow'd upon her, in a singular manner disposed so to be. And as this raised our hopes into some more than ordinary Expectations from her; so that firmness of Constitution which she enjoy'd, accompanied with a yet early and vigorous Youth, seem'd to promise us, that we should be many years blessed under the influence both of her Authority and of her Example.

But alas! how suddainly are all these Hopes cut off, and our Expectations brought to an End! And nothing left us but the sad Reflection, how grievously mistaken we were in our Opinion of our own Happiness; and how little trust is to be put in Any, but that God, who alone enjoys a Certainty of Being, and therefore can alone with safety be depended upon.

In the words before us, there are these two things that naturally offer themselves to our Consideration:

First, That it is a vain thing to put our Trust in any Man, be his Rank or Condition never so great; upon this double Account,

[Page] (1) That his Power to help us, is very small: ver. 3. And,

(2.) His Continuance short and uncertain, ver. 4.

And therefore to Trust in such a person, must be to repose our Confidence in One, who oftentimes cannot help us; and, in a little while, will fail us.

Secondly, That he who will place his Trust upon a sure foundation, must place it upon God; who alone is always able, and will always continue in a Condition, to help and defend us.

And, First, That it is a very vain thing to put our Trust in any Man, be his Rank or Condition never so Great; Because both his Power to help is very small, and his Continuance short and uncertain: And therefore to Trust in such a Person, must be to build our Hope upon one who oftentimes may not be Able to help us; and very probably, in a little while will fail us.

This is a Consideration, both so certain in its self, and so Obvious even to the meanest Capacity; that did we not see Men every day overlook it in their practice, one might think it hardly needful to offer any Arguments, either to Illustrate, or to Confirm the Truth of it.

[Page] If (1) We consider the Power, of the Greatest Persons, to help us; Alas! How little is it at the Best? And, for the most part, How useless to us? In how many Cases does it surpass their Power to do us any Good? And even in those in which it may seem the most in their Power to assist us; yet how many Accidents may there fall out, to prevent us from being at all the better for it?

It may be they are Unwilling to grant us what we desire of them. Perhaps they are disposed to do Somewhat for us; but they will not be perswaded to do so Much as our needs require: And so spoil all the Advantage we hoped to have reaped from their Kindness to us, for want of making their Supply suitable to our Occasions.

It may be they are willing to do All that we desire of them, but not Presently: They put off the time; till at last, by their delays, their favour comes too late to us.

Or lastly; It is possible that in a little while they may Change their Minds, and with them, their Affections towards us. And so where we thought to have found a Friend, we meet an Enemy: One who is disposed rather to do us a mischief, than to lend any Help or Assistance to us.

So Impotent; so Trifling; so Uncertain, and Dis-ingenuous a Creature, is Man! And then, What a Vanity must it be for any one to place his [Page] Trust upon the Interest or Authority, the Love or Favour of such a One? Who in the chiefest of our needs, cannot Help us at all: And in those, wherein he is able to relieve us, will be apt either altogether to fail us; Or else to mix so much of Humane Frailty and Infirmity with his Favour, as shall render it of very little Use and Value to us.

Nor let any one think that there is any Order of Men exempted from the force of these Reflections. Even the greatest Persons lye open to them, no less than those of a lower degree. Their Power indeed is Greater, and they can do much more for us than other Men. But yet still it is far short of our Wants; And cannot answer one half of those Exigencies, in which we shall stand in need of some one to Help and Assist us.

Their Minds are Mutable no less than Other Mens: And they are by so much the more likely to Change in their Affections towards us, by how much the more they are exposed to the Delusions of those about them; who are still envious of such as they take into their particular Favour; and will therefore be still endeavouring, by all imaginable ways, to bring us into Disgrace with them.

Their Favours are, generally, the Longest in Coming, and the Hardest to be Obtain'd: Whilst the [Page] very Formality which attends the Dispensing of them, oftentimes, Costs so much, and causes such Delays; as is utterly inconsistent with many of those Wants, wherein we might otherwise promise our selves the most considerable Advantage from their Favour and Affection towards us.

And from all which we must therefore conclude, That it is a very vain thing to place any confidence in Man upon this first Account, viz. That the Power, even of the greatest Persons, to Help us is exceeding Small; exposed to so many Casualties, and attended with such Inconveniencies, as renders it of very little Use, and of no Dependance at all to us.

But (2dly) Were the Case quite otherwise; were there any Order of Men so perfect, in all other Respects, that they Could supply us with All that we should ever be likely to Want, and Would give us whatsoever we should Desire: And were their Inclinations towards us so Fixt and Immutable, that we might depend upon them that they would never forsake us, but be at all times ready to Grant us whatsoever we should ask of them: Yet still their Life is so Uncertain, and, at the best, so Short; that it would be a very vain thing for us, after all, to set up our Trust and Confidence upon them.

For alas! Where is the Man so Great and Self-sufficient, that can secure himself the next Hours [Page] Breath? And in the heighth of all his Fortune presume to say, that to Morrow shall not lay him Equal with the Dust, and return him to the Earth from whence he was taken?

It is an extraordinary Character which the Holy Spirit gives to some Persons, Psal. lxxxii. 6. I have said that ye are Gods, and that ye are all the Children of the most High. And yet what follows immediately upon it? A Sad, but Certain Truth: Nevertheless ye shall Die like Men. This is the Conclusion of all; The Common End of the Greatest, as well as of the Meanest, Persons. Here they may seem to be a Sort of Gods upon Earth: May dispense the Fortunes of Men as they please; Set up, whom they will set up; and Pull down, whom they will pull down. They may be Honour'd too as Such, by Those who know no Religion above their Interests; nor think any Divinity more worthy of their Regard, than Those who have it in their power to promote them to Riches, and Honour, and Authority.

But Death observes none of these Formalities. When that strikes, the Crowned Head falls as surely before it, as He who had not where to lay his Head, till the Grave afforded him a place for it. All the difference is, that as such Persons are exposed to more Dangers, and subject to Greater Hazards, than lesser Men; so are their Lives more [Page] Uncertain; and, generally Speaking, more Short too. A Cottage may, and oftentimes do's afford us an Example of a Vigorous Old Age: But this is a Sight which the Palaces of Princes are seldom blessed with; nor can it reasonably be expected they should often Enjoy it.

And when this is the Case, what a folly must it be to build our Hope upon such Protectors? Who are so far from being able to Help us, that alas! they are not able to Help themselves, in those Instances, in which both They and We, the most, stand in need of Assistance. Whose Breath is not their Own: Who live by the meer Favour of Another: Who to day appear in Glory and Honour; and to morrow go down into the Grave, and yield to the Fate of other Ordinary Men.

So foolish a thing is it, in point of Reason, to put our Trust in Man; be the Place, the Power, or Authority which he Enjoys, what it will. And for a yet more sensible confirmation of this Great Truth; give me leave, but briefly, to illustrate it to you, in that Fatal Evidence it has pleased God at this time to give us, in the Person of our late Royal Soveraign; How little dependance is to be placed upon any Human Support; upon the Best, or Greatest of the Children of Men.

If, First, We consider Her with respect to her Power and Dignity; She was Queen of a Mighty and [Page] Renowned People: Endued with the Highest Authority that a Crown could give her; and in that with the largest Capacity that any Creature could pretend to, of Doing Good. Her Opportunities were Many, and her Advantages very Great for such a Purpose. Much was expected from Her; and we must, with Gratitude, Acknowledge, that much she did Do.

For indeed, 2ly; Her Will was not at all Less, nay I may venture to say, it was much Greater than her Power. Nor did she value any thing so much in the Eminence of that Station to which it had pleased God to raise her amongst us; as that it put her in a Condition of extending the Exercise of her Vertues a great deal farther, than it had been possible for her to have done in a Lesser Fortune.

Never was there Any in so High a Place, more free and easie of Access, even to the most Ordinary Persons: More Desirous to Oblige all, or that better knew how to Do it. Insomuch that I believe it has seldom been known that Any ever Applied to Her, but what have gone away Easie and Contented from Her: And either obtained what they wanted, or not known how to Complain, if they have not.

The truth is, She was a Person in whom Nature and Grace seem to have concurr'd, to make up One great Master-piece of Excellency and Perfection.

[Page] Her Natural Disposition was Free and Generous; Open and Sincere. She had a Sweetness of Temper, finish'd and heightned with a large mixture of Christian Charity and Compassion: Such as never loved to see any in Misery, Otherwise than as it gave her an Opportunity thereby of Doing somewhat for them to make them Easie.

Thus was she fitted to Do Good: And a singular Dexterity She had in the Doing of it. She knew What was fit to be done for Every One; and After what Manner; and At what Time. And seldom did She Vouchsafe a Favour to Any, but the very Way that she bestow'd it in, doubled the Obligation; and made a deeper Impression upon the Mind of Him who receiv'd it, than the Benefit it self did.

In short; So Great was her Comprehension; So Correct her Judgment; So Easie her Dispatch, of whatever came before her; That God seemed to have fitted her Soul to her Place and Character: And to have given her a Capacity as far beyond that of Other Common Persons, as she was in Rank and Dignity above Them.

Such good reason had we, upon All those accounts, to expect some more than Ordinary Blessings under her Government; and to put a greater Trust and Confidence in her, than was almost fit to be placed in any Creature. And the more to [Page] encourage us so to do, it had pleased God to all his Other Endowments, to Add such a Vigour of Body, and Firmness of Constitution, as seem'd to Equal the Vivacity of her Mind: And promised us almost an Age of Happiness yet to come, under the Influence of her Conduct.

And now, when so many Circumstances concurr'd to encourage our Relyance upon Her; who could Blame us for being willing to flatter Our Selves, that such a Queen was certainly raised up by God to do some extraordinary Good for that Church and Kingdom to which He had given Her? But alas! a Sad Experience has shewn us that we ought not to have put our Trust even in Such a Person. And if Such a Person may not be rely'd upon, We may then safely conclude, that We must look beyond this World for our Support: And not place our Confidence on any but that God who alone, both Can Do All things for us; and will continue, for ever, to Help and Defend Us.

Which therefore brings me to the Other Point I proposed to speak to;

Secondly, That he who will place his Trust upon a sure Foundation, must place it upon God; who alone is Able to Succour us in All our Exigencies, and will Always continue in a Capacity so to Do.

[Page] And 1st. That God is Able to Succour us in All our Exigencies; is evident from hence, that he is Able to do whatsoever he pleases both in Heaven and Earth. Psal. cxxxv. 6. That he has no Equal, much less any Superiour Power, to Controul his Will; and to hinder him from bringing Whatsoever he purposes, to the End which he Designs. * That as he is the first Being, and Author of all Others; So was there Nothing before him to Confine, or Limit his Perfections. He Received not his Power from Any; Nor has he therefore any Restraint upon it but what proceeds from himself, and is subject to his Own Will.

Man, as he was Created by God, so was he limited too by him in his State and Condition, to a certain Degree of Perfection, beyond which he cannot Go, nor Raise up himself above it. And therefore, whatsoever Power he has, is confined within those Bounds which the Divine Wisdom has thought fit to set to it: Nor can he Go, the least Tittle, beyond what God has permitted him to Do.

But God himself is Free and without Constraint. With him nothing is impossible, but what is Sinful; And that is not an Instance of true Power, but of Impotency and Infirmity.

So that if we would then Trust in Man, we must do it with those Restrictions which his Nature [Page] requires us to limit our Trust withal: And depend upon Him as One whose Power may fail; Whose Mind may Change; nay, whose very Life may be taken from him.

But with God we shall need none of these Referves. He is Absolutely Able, in Every thing, to Help and Succour us: And in all such Cases wherein it is fitting for Him to Do it, He will help us, if we do but duly apply our selves to Him, and depend upon Him. And when such is the Advantage of God, in this Respect, above Any of his Creatures; much more above Man, the Lowest of all the Rational Kind in Power and Dignity: Well may the Psalmist pronounce him Blessed, whose Wisdom and Piety have taught him to fix his Trust there, where Nothing can hinder it from being Beneficial to Him, but his own Neglecting to seek for Help as he ought to Do.

I say nothing now of the many Other Arguments that might be offered to Encourage us in this Trust, and to shew the Happiness of that Man who has placed his Hope upon it. Such are, * The infinite Wisdom of God, in judging what is Best for Us, and after what Manner it will be most for our Interest to be Helped by him. * His infinite Knowledge, for the Discovery of our Wants, oftentimes long before We Our selves are sensible of them. * His Power to Relieve Us, not only [Page] in All our Exigencies, which I have before Observed; but to Do it in a Moment, at the very Minute that it will be most Seasonable for Us to have it done. And, not to mention any more; * His Ability to Prevent Evils from Coming upon us, no less than to Free us from them, or to Support us under Them, when they have Overtaken Us. And in all which the Wisdom and Power of Man can either Do Nothing at all, or Nothing Comparable to what God is able to Do.

But One Consideration more there is, which neither the express Words of my Text, nor the Occasion of the present Discours, will permit me to pass by: And that is, 2dly. That God is not only thus Able, as I have shewn, to Help us in All our Needs; but will continue for Ever in a Capacity to save and defend Us. For God is Eternal in his Duration, as well as Infinite in his Power; and as He never had a Beginning of Being, so neither can He Ever Come to an End of it.

Now how far this sets him up above all Earthly Benefactors, I have already shewn you; and the mighty Loss, we have just now sustain'd, does but too plainly Declare.

When One of our Earthly Benefactors Dies, not only all his Good Dispositions towards us perish together with Him, but all his Power too of putting them in Execution, from that instant, Ceases. [Page] And we from thenceforth become as Destitute and Forlorne, as if we had never had any such Friend or Patron, to rely upon. In such a Trust therefore there is no certainly: Nothing on which to build any lasting Hope; any wise and comfortable expectation.

But God endureth for ever, Psal. ix 7. cii. 12. and therefore his Help can never fail us.Psal. xlviii. 14. He will be our God unto Death; Nay, and even after it too, will save and deliver Us. The Grave it self, which puts an end to all things else, cannot take us out of his hand, nor deprive us of his Protection. But in that melancholy Place and State, tho' we know but little else of what relates to it; yet this we are sure of, that our Souls continue under his Care: And that, after a certain Period of time, our very Bodies themselves shall again be restored to us;1 Thes. iv. 17. and so we shall be for ever with the LORD.

And thus have I shewn you, What the Advantages of that God are, above all Other Supporters, in whom our Text exhorts us to put our Trust; and pronounces Him Happy who has taken Care so to do. And when such are his Advantages above any of his Creatures, in this respect, as well as in All Others; What resolution can we better take up, than that which is pointed out to us in that Exhortation of the Evangelical Prophet, [Page] Isai. 26. 4. Trust ye in the LORD for ever; for in the LORD Jehovah is everlasting strength.

And this may suffice for the two Points I proposed to speak to: I shall only draw a few plain Consequences from what has been said, and so conclude this Discourse. And,

First, Since such is the Vanity of putting our Trust in any Humane Help; let us resolve to take off our Hearts from all such Dependencies: And not build our Hope on such a Foundation, as we are sure in a little time will fail us, and we cannot tell how soon it may do so.

I do not deny, but that as God orders the Affairs of Mankind by the Ministry of Second Causes; so we may, without incurring any just Censure for it, look to them as the Instruments which he makes use of in his Dispensations towards us. Nay, we may put some kind of Trust too in them: Provided that it goes no farther than the Nature of such Causes admits of; and that we still take care to look beyond them, to that God who employs them to our Interest and Advantage. But yet, when all is done, our last and highest Dependance must be placed upon God only; who alone is Able, and will always be so, in all our Exigencies to Help and Deliver Us.

It cannot be doubted but that We of this Country, [Page] and especially We of this Church, have indeed received as great a loss, as could well have happen'd to us, in the unexpected Death of our late Royal Sovereign.

A Princess she was, such as this Nation never before had, nor was it now worthy of her. To draw her Character, and set her out to you with all the Advantage that her Real Worth deserves, is a Task too difficult for me to presume to attempt: Though this security I should have in the doing of it, that let me say what I could, no one would accuse me of Flattery in ir; a Vice ever odious, and I think no where more so than in the Pulpit. For howsoever 'tis impossible to speak of Her, and not say Great things; yet very hard it is to speak, but a small part, of what all must allow might justly be reported of Her. Let it suffice, at present, to say; That if a Queen so Vertuous, that her very Example was enough to convert a Libertine, and to reform an Age: So Courteous and Affable, as to be the wonder and delight of All that Knew her: So great a Lover of her Country, and the Interests of it; as to be willing to hazard what, next her Conscience, she the most valued, her good Name, and good Opinion in the World, for the preservation of them: So firm and constant in her Mind, as not to have once known, no not in Death it self, what it was [Page] to fear: So Happy in Business, as to astonish, rather than satisfie, those who were the best versed in it: I say, If to have been deprived of such a Queen as this; and that at such an Age, when our Expectations were at the highest from Her, be a loss above the power of Words to express; then such is our loss: The greatness of which we are so far from being able sufficiently to declare, that perhaps we cannot yet make a just Estimate of it.

But yet, were we not hereby too much convinced, how little we ought to depend upon such kind of Helps; I might presume to say, to the Glory of God, and to our own Comfort, that we had still enough of these remaining, to suppress all disorderly Fears, and undue Repinings at that which we have lost.

God has, 'tis true, removed our Queen from us: But He still continues his Sacred Majesty to us, notwithstanding all the Dangers to which He has been exposed. He has deprived us of the Benefit of Her Conduct: But he has left us Him, under whom She herself grew up in that Wisdom and Courage, we so much admired in Her.

And even beyond this, we have the Prospect of a yet farther Succession to fill the Throne; and to support the Interests both of the Church and State amongst us.

[Page] But yet when all is done, 'tis not upon these fair and promising Expectations that we must place our Trust, or account the Fortune of our Publick Welfare to depend: But it is that God, who has so long and wonderfully defended us, that must still be our support; or all these Helps Nothing to us.

Indeed these are the Persons by whom we justly may, and therefore accordingly do Hope to be Protected and Defended. And a singular Happiness it is to us, that we have such a fair Succession of the Royal Family before our Eyes. But yet when all is done, 'tis from the Blessing of God in preserving these Persons to us, and prospering their Endeavours, that we must look for safety: And God, even without any such Helps, could, if He pleased, secure and protect us. But,

Secondly, As these Considerations should move us, not to put our Trust in any Humane Help; so should they keep us from being very much surprised, if at any time such kind of Helps shall chance to fail us.

It was a Great Expression, and argued a Worthy Mind, in Him anciently, who being told of the Death of his Son, pass'd it off with this only Reflection; That He always knew that He was mortal.

[Page] And the same should be our Consideration upon these Occasions. We know that all Humane Helps are Transitory and Uncertain: And why then should we stand amazed, as if some strange thing had happen'd to us, when we come to be Deprived of that, which we always knew we had no security of.

I am not so unsensible of the loss we have now received, as not to think that we ought to pay a very just regret to it; and to consider seriously with our selves, for what Sins of this Nation especially it is, that God has taken away from us our Royal Defender. But yet I cannot think that it ought to be any great Surprize to us: Unless it be some new Calamity to see a Mortal Die, and to find that to have happen'd to One, which happens to Thousands every day.

Nay, but Thirdly; We ought not only not to be Surprized at the failure of such kind of Helps, but neither should we be immoderately Concern'd and Cast down at it: Because God is never the less Able to preserve us for the loss of these; but can either raise us up New Supporters, or save us without Any, if He rather sees fit so to Do.

I am verily perswaded that we have at this time received as sensible a Blow, in this respect, in the Loss of our Royal Sovereign, as could have befallen us in any One Life, excepting that of [Page] His Sacred Majesty. But yet far be it from me so far to despond, or to distrust the Providence of God, as to think we must needs be ruined, because our Queen is taken from us. This were certainly to confine too much the Power of God, and to give too great an Advantage to our Enemies; who because they earnestly wish our ruine, are therefore ready, upon every Occasion, to flatter themselves that the time is coming which they so much desire to see.

But to shew you how little Reason either we have to be dejected, or They to exalt their Hopes, on any such Account; Let us suppose the Case to be as bad as the most Melancholy mind can fansie, or our most bitter Enemies could desire it to be. That we were indeed left Naked and Destitute of all Humane Help; and had no prospect remaining of any succour, much less had so good a one, as I have before shewn; and as it is evident to all the World that we have: Yet still I say that all this would not be enough to warrant us to Distrust God; but rather,

Fourthly, We should then more especially rely upon his Help, when all Other Supports do the most fail us.

It is too common a thing with most Men, when their Affairs go smoothly on, and all succeeds according to their Expectations; to [Page] attribute too much to their own Power and Policy; and to forget that God; without whose Help all their own Endeavours would be to no purpose. And therefore to prevent this, God is pleased oftentimes to suffer Men to fall into great Difculties, not that he designs their ruine, but only to make them sensible of their Own Weakness; and to draw them back to him who is their only sure Defence, Psal xviii 2. lxii. 7. &c. the Rock of their Salvation, in whom they ought to trust.

It were an easie Matter for Me to confirm the truth of this Remark in a multitude of Instances; from whence it may appear, that God has in all Ages then especially exerted his Power in the delivery of his Servants, when their Enemies have thought themselves the most secure of their Destruction. But I shall content my self with a few Examples; tho' such as I am perswaded, may abundantly suffice to shew, How false a Conclusion Men make, when they presume to determine; That because God deprives any People of the present, visible Means of Deliverance, therefore he designs to give them up to Destruction.

When Haman projected the Universal Extirpation of the whole People of the Jews; Esther iii. 6. 12, 13. and was come so near to an Accomplishment of it, that the Order was signed, and the Command gone forth for a General Massacre of them; Who could [Page] have imagined any other, but that the final ruine of that poor Nation was at hand.Chapters v. vi, vii, viii. And yet by what a strange concurrence of unexpected Events were they delivered from his danger, and the Mischief turn'd upon his Head who had contrived their Destruction?

Nor was their Preservation afterwards less remarkable,Joseph. Ant. l. xviii. c▪ 11. De Bell. Jud. Lib. i. cap. 17. when Caligula sent Petronius into Syria, to set up his Statue in the Temple at Jerusalem; and the Jews resolved, every Man of them, to perish, rather than submit to so abominable a Profanation of that Holy Place.

It were too long for me to relate to you, how far Petronius insisted upon the putting of this Command in Execution; and what he did in order thereunto. It shall suffice to say, that his Army was drawn together, and all just ready to come to the last Extremity: When the Governour considering how sad a thing it would be to root out a whole Nation for so small a Matter, stopp'd his Souldiers, and wrote the Emperour an Account both of what he had done, and how Averse he found the Jews to his Design; and therefore intreated him not to pursue his Attempt any farther.

But in vain was this delay; nor could any of these Remonstrances alter the Emperour's Resolutions. But on the contrary, He renew'd his [Page] Orders yet more peremptorily, of having the Jews destroy'd for opposing his Will; and commanded Petronius himself to be murdeed with Them, for deferring so long the Execution of his Orders.

And now, What could be expected by that Miserable People, but ruine and desolation? When behold! God took their Cause into his Own Hand: And so disposed Matters, that before this Second Command could reach Syria, the News of the Emperour's own Murder flew thither; and saved both the Governour and Them from that Destruction, which was just ready to break in upon Both.

So able is God, when things seem to be at the very worst, to interpose his Hand; and to save those who trust in Him, not only without any Visible Means, but against all Humane Appearances. And for yet fresher Instances of this,See their History written by Gilles, Leger, Morland, &c. Let me only desire you to reflect how strangely God has preserved, for several Ages together, those ancient Reformed Churches in the Valleys of Piedmont; notwithstanding all the Power and Malice of their Enemies to root them out.

It is but a very little while since we saw them reduced to so wretched an Estate, that we accounted them to have been dispersed beyond all Hope of any future Restitution. Their own Prince, [Page] supported with the Power, and led on by the Example and Encouragement of a mighty Neighbouring Monarch, had resolved upon their ruine. Sorrow and Distress encompass'd them on every side, and from whom to expect a deliverance they could not tell. And yet, lo! these very Churches are again already restored to their ancient Splendor: And to encrease the Wonder, are now Protected by that very Power that before Destroyed Them.

But what need I lead you into foreign Countries for Instances to shew, that God is not confined, in his Workings, to Humane Appearances: But oftentimes is then the most ready to support his Servants, when all other Helps the most fail Them. Our Own Country, and our Own Church, ever since the Reformation; has been more or less a Continued Evidence of the truth of this Remark.

How melancholy was the Prospect which our Forefathers had, at the untimely Death of that most excellent Prince, King Edward the Sixth? When Queen Mary being set upon the Throne, nothing was to be expected by Them, but an utter Extirpation of all that seemed in any wise to favour the purity of Religion among Them.

What she did,See Dr. Burnet's Hist. of the Reform. and How far she went, in a few years, to blot out all the Memory of her Brother's Piety, I shall not need to say: The [Page] History is still fresh in all your Memories. Yet in the midst of all their trouble; when the Hope of their Enemies, and their own Fears were at the Highest; it pleased God upon a sudden to take off that Queen, and put such an End to their dangers, as nothing else could have done.

But though by this means therefore we were secured against their open Violence, yet God still permitted them to endeavour, by secret Treachery, to carry on their Designs against us: And Has by that means furnish'd us with yet more Engagements to relie upon his Protection; who has so often, and wonderfully delivered us from their Devices.

Witness the many subtle and barbarous Attempts, that were made by Them upon the Life of Queen Elizabeth: See Foulis's Popish Treasons, l. vi c 4. l. vii. c. 3. ad finem. The Open Force, and Domestick Disturbances which they raised up against Her. And yet in all these they miscarry'd; and in many of them so signally, as plainly shew'd the Hand of God was against them.

When that Queen was gone,See Foulis, ib. l x. c. 2. and King James settled upon the Throne, it was but a little while before they return'd to their Old Malice, but in a New Way; and that such, as all the Cunning of Hell had never before contrived; I mean that of the Gun-powder Conspiracy. And that too was discovered after a most wonderful manner, [Page] and at a most Critical juncture, when all was just come to the Point of Execution.

I might add to these Examples, the Happy Restauration of our Church and Government, after the fatal Murder of King Charles the First. Their frequent disappointments since; but especially that of the last Reign. But I think I have already given you Instances enough to Convince you, that were we now left in as Bad an Estate, as blessed be God! we are in a very Good One: Yet still whilst we held firm to our Holy Religion, and continued our Trust in God, there would be no Cause for us to Despond: Seeing God can defend us without any Humane Help; and, as I have now shewn you, has often done it, when we could have been Protected by None but Him.

And this brings me to the next thing I have to observe from the foregoing Discourse; and that is,

Fifthly; That we should therefore be sure never to depart from our Trust in God, and then we may be confident we shall not be Forsaken by Him. For God loves to be Depended upon; and has seldom been known to fail those, who have constantly stuck to Him.

A notable Example of which we have in the History of the present Psalm, and which the Antients tell us was this.

[Page] When Cyrus had given leave to the Jews to return to Jerusalem, and to rebuild their Temple, and restore the Worship of God in it; the Samaritans, a sort of mix'd People,2 Kings xxii. 28, 29, 41. Half Jews, and Half Idolaters, so wrought with their Adversaries, that little was done in it, notwithstanding all the favour that was shewn them by that great Monarch.

No sooner was Cyrus gone, and Cambyses placed upon his Throne; but All Hope seemed utterly lost to them, of either restoring their Temple, or regaining any part of that Liberty they had before been encouraged to expect.

But what then was their Behaviour on this Occasion? Did they distrust God; and give way to such Fears as the Insolence of their Enemies, and their own Circumstances, did indeed but too much expose them to? On the contrary, it was at this very juncture of time,So the lxx. and Syriac, and other ancient Versions, in the Title of this Psalm. that those two great Prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, composed the Psalm we have now before us: And exhorted the People not to consider the ill-prospect which, according to Humane Appearance, their Affairs were in; but to trust in God, who whenever he pleas'd, could turn all things to their Advantage, and no doubt in his due time would do so.

And what was the issue of this Excellent Advice? Why in a very few Years Cambyses died, and Darius came into the Throne; and in despite [Page] of all that either their Half Brethren, or their Open Enemies could do to hinder it, so encouraged the Work, that both their Temple and their City were Re-built; and themselves restor'd both to their Liberty and to their Religion.

And if to Trust in God be able to work such wonderful Effects as these; How much more may we promise our selves from it, who have so fair a Prospect before our Eyes; if we do but firmly rely upon Him, and not suffer any thing to shake our Confidence of his Mercy.

But then, Sixthly; and to Close all: That our Hope may be sure to have its due effect, let me add finally; That we must not think it enough barely to trust in God; but must take Care withall to live so, that we may be, in some measure, worthy of his Protection. We must to the Purity of our Religion, add the Reformation of our Manners; and then we may securely defie our Greatest Enemies to do us any Mischief.

And because Examples, in these Cases, are not only more Instructive than Precepts, but more apt to Perswade too; and that this is all that now remains to us of that noble Pattern, which was wont to shine so brightly in all our Eyes; to reflect upon Her Piety, and by that to learn how to improve our Own: I will conclude All with a few Remembrances of what our late Blessed [Page] Sovereign Did, to shew you what we ought to Do. And,

First, Since Good-Nature is, I think, by All allowed to be one of the best Preparations to the Divine Grace; I shall in the first Observe it as a singular part of the Felicity of Her sacred Majesty, that she enjoy'd all that is properly understood by that Phrase, in as high a Perfection, as, it may be, any Person in the World ever Did.

Her Temper was naturally Sweet and Chearful; Easie to her self, and Acceptable to all others. And if that Old Rule of the Jews be true, Vid. R. D. Kimchi, in 1 Sam. x. 5. & 2 Kings iii. 14, 15. That the Holy Ghost loves to dwell in a quiet and comfortable Breast; I may be bold to say that Her Soul was always in a disposition for that Blessed Spirit to descend upon it, and to abide in it.

To improve this Excellent Temper, she had a Greatness and Generosity of Mind, equal to her Rank and Quality: Free from Jealousies and Suspicions, as she was from Fear of Any. In a word, Clear of all those Passions which Agitate lesser Souls, and keep them in a continual Hurry and Distraction.

Thus was she prepared by Nature for that extraordinary Progress which she afterwards made in Christian Piety and Vertue. And as St. Luke tells us to Those, to whom St. Paul preached the Gospel heretofore;Acts xiii. 48. That as many as were Ordain'd to [Page]Eternal Life, Believ'd; that is, such as were in their Tempers and Dispositions Fitted and Qualified for the Reception of what He deliver'd to them: So may it no less truly be said of Her Sacred Majesty that She was, in like manner, Ordained to Eternal Life; and therefore made such vast Attainments in all those Graces that were necessary to bring Her to it.

But, Secondly: To this first Advantage, it pleased God to add as great an Eminence of, what we usually call, Good Parts; as I believe has ever been known in any of Her Sex. Her Apprehension, was Quick and Piercing; Her Judgment, Deep and Correct: Nor could any thing almost be propos'd to Her, but She was presently ready with all Clearness to Receive it, and with no less Accuracy to Pronounce and Determine concerning it.

And when such was Her Capacity, it is not to be wonder'd if She soon came to a right Apprehension of the Design and End of Christianity: And was thoroughly convinced of the mighty Concern which there lay upon Her, to live in an exact Obedience to its Commands.

But this was not all the Advantage She had in this respect: For though Her Parts were such, as would, with a very moderate Exercise, have carried Her into a Perfect Knowledge of Her Religion; [Page] yet She did not rely upon them: But to Her natural Abilities, added such a Care and Diligence, to Improve Her Understanding, and to Enflame Her Affections, in all such things as seemed any way to referr to it; as Few in a lesser Station have ever done.

To pass by Her constant Attendance upon the Publick Service of God, and those Opportunities of Instruction which She provided for, on all the more solemn Returns of it. To say nothing of Her frequent and useful Conversation with those who Ministred unto Her in Holy Offices. What a large Proportion of Her Time did She every day spend in Her own Private Retirements? And of which no Business, no Ceremonies, much less any vain Pleasures or Avocations, could ever deprive Her.

What vast Numbers of Excellent Books did She there read? And that not lightly, or superficially, but with the severest Care and Reflection? And how cautious was She, if any Difficulty chanced to arise to Her in Her Reading, which She could not presently resolve to Her own satisfaction, to be sure to call in some of those who attended on Her, to clear it to Her?

Nor did She in Her Reading run lightly off from Book to Book; the common Method of Empty and Unsettled Minds; tho' She read over [Page] a great Many. But when She met with any Discourse that seem'd particularly to Affect Her, or Otherwise to come up in any peculiar manner to Her own Circumstances; She stuck closely to it: And by so doing, evidently shew'd that Piety and Instruction were indeed the Ends She aim'd at in this Exercise: That She read for Profit, not Curiosity; and sought for Use, not Diversion, in it.

Such was Her Care to get Instruction: And the same Excellent Disposition that moved Her thus diligently to inform Her self in all the Parts of Her Duty, engaged Her yet more, Thirdly, To desire with all imaginable sincerity to be made Acquainted, with the True and Genuine Measures of it.

It is the Folly of Many, but especially of Great Personages, that they cannot endure Correction; nor will bear to have the Truth spoken freely to them, in such Instances as are contrary to their own carnal Desires and Affections. And therefore it is that they seldom know either Themselves, or their Duty; either what they Ought to do, or what their State and Cdndition is with relation thereunto.

But this was not the Case of that Admirable Person of whom we are now speaking: She Knew How dangerous an Instrument of the Devil [Page] Flattery is, and How fatally Her Station exposed Her to it: And She took care for nothing more than to secure Her self against the danger of it.

I shall never forget with what weight of Reason, and sincerity of Concern, I have sometimes heard this Great Queen represent the danger which Princes, above all Others, are apt to run in this Respect. And with what Earnestness She has exhorted those about Her, to deliver to Her the plainest Truths; and with all Freedom to tell Her if they had Observed any thing Amiss in Her Conduct, that she might amend it.

O wonderful Condescension! A sincerity of Piety beyond Exception! And that in a place where there are usually but too many Temptations to Pride and Self-Opinion: And it must therefore be an Argument of a more than Ordinary Wisdom and Integrity, to be able to withstand the Force of them.

But yet still All this is only the Preparatory, tho' indeed a very Good one, to that which I am especially to observe to you, and that is, Fourthly, Her sincere Piety and Religion. And for that, give me leave to say thus much; That if a Constant Attendance upon all the Offices of Devotion both in Publick and Private: If such a Behaviour at them, as shew'd her Soul to be wholly fix'd on what she was about; and was enough to [Page] have raised a Spirit of Piety in all that beheld Her: If the influences of this Devotion upon Her whole Life and Conversation, and those so Eminent as to speak Her not only Good but Excellent; an Ornament to the Court, and an Honour to Her Religion: If all this may suffice to shew a Mind wholly consecrated to the service of God, and the discharge of Her Duty; then was the Soul of this Blessed Princess unquestionably so; and that, for ought I know, beyond Any that at this Day remains behind Her.

But for the clearness of Her Conscience in the discharge of Her Duty, besides what we Saw and Admired in Her; two Arguments there are that may especially be offer'd, and I think ought not to be passed by. First; That while She lived, She was always Easie in Her own Mind: And which since it could not proceed either from any Ignorance of Her Duty, or Unconcern'dness for it; We must conclude it did arise from a full perswasion, that She did live according to the tenour of it. And, Secondly, That when she came within the prospect of Death, and knew how near She was to it, She still appear'd Unconcern'd at it: And thereby gave a finall Evidence that She accounted Her self prepared for it, and therefore was not afraid of it.

[Page] I should too far Exceed the bounds I am here confined to; should I enter upon the Consideration of those Particular Vertu's, which seemed to Shine in a more especial Manner, above All Others, in Her. Bur two there are which I must not Overlook; and Those are, Her true Humility, amidst all the Temptations of a Court and Crown to the contrary; And Her extensive Charity: Such as sometimes deprived Her even of the means of exercising of it; And might have abundantly satisfied any Mind but Hers, who knew no end of Doing Good; but has, after all, been seen sometimes, even with Tears, to regret, that she could do no More.

But I must restrain my self; and set some bounds to my Reflections, tho' my subject is beyond Any. And for the rest content my self with satisfaction to Remember, what I was wont with Wonder to Behold.

And, Oh! That it would please God that both You and I might so effectually Meditate upon these Things, as to form our Lives according to Her Example! And become now the Disciples of our great Queen, as we have hitherto been Her Subjects!

This will be the best Offering we can pay to Her memory, who while there is any Sense of Goodness remaining amongst Us, must never be [Page] mentioned without Honour. This is that Improvement of our Great Loss, which our Religion expects from Us; what our Souls call for: And what, if she has yet any Knowledge of what is Done here below, our Royal Soveraign will, above all things, be the best pleased withall.

And if we thus improve the Memory of Her Vertu's, we shall be even Gainers by Her Departure. Such a demonstration of our Love and Honour to our Royal Mistress, will do more to Establish our Tranquility, than any Human Conduct or Prudence could have done without it.Dan. 4. 27. It will engage God on our side: And, if God be for us, Rom. 8. 31. we need not fear who can be against Us.

Let us then, as we have now paid our just Sorrow to the loss of this Blessed Saint, so from henceforth resolve to make this farther Improvement of it. Let us thank God, that tho' He has removed One great Supporter from us, He has yet left us Another; And, Our present Circumstances consider'd, the more necessary One to us, in the Person of His Sacred Majesty.

Let us strengthen his Hands both by our Piety towards God; and by our Duty to Him: By Uniting now all that Affection and Obedience in Him alone, which we before paid to Both Their Majesties.

[Page] Let us consider his Courage; and as far as either Piety or Prudence will allow us, Let us Trust in his Fortune: That is to say, as far as any Human Help may be Trusted in.

But yet still let us Remember, that our Last Dependance must be upon God: Who as He has hitherto preserved us, so will He still go on to Save and Defend us; if we do but firmly Adhere to Him, and Prepare our selves for His Favour, as our Duty Requires; and as I have now shewn you, in a most Illustrious Example, we May and Ought to Do it.

FINIS.

§

[Page]

Of our Obligation To put our Trust in God, rather than in Men, and of the Advantages of it. IN A SERMON Preached before the Honourable Society OF GRAYES-INN: Upon the Occasion of the Death of our late Royal Sovereign Queen Mary,

By William Wake, D. D. Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty, and Preacher to the same Society.

Published at the Request of several of the Masters of the Bench, and others, that heard it.

LONDON: Printed for R. Sare at Grayes-Inn-gate in Holbourn, 1695.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE Genuine Epistles of the Apostolical Fathers, St. Barnabas, St. Ignatius, St. Clement, St. Polycarp. The Shepherd of Hermas, and the Martyrdoms of St. Ignatius and St. Polycarp, written by those who were present at their Sufferings. Being, together with the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament, a compleat Collection of the most Primitive Antiquity for about CI. Years after Christ. Translated and Published with a large Preliminary Discourse relating to the several Treatises here put together. By W. Wake, D. D.

[Page]

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Of our obligation to put our trust in God, rather than in men, and of the advantages of it in a sermon preached before the honourable society of Grayes-inn, upon the occasion of the death of our late Royal Sovereign Queen Mary / by William Wake ...

Wake, William, 1657-1737.

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1695

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2005-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

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A66214

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Wing W247

ID [STC]

ESTC R4700

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12376334

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60624

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— Of our obligation to put our trust in God, rather than in men, and of the advantages of it in a sermon preached before the honourable society of Grayes-inn, upon the occasion of the death of our late Royal Sovereign Queen Mary / by William Wake ..., Wake, William, 1657-1737..

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[2], 38 p.

Printed for R. Sare ...,. London :: 1695.. (Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.)

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