THe Psalm is for the day, Eucharisticall, a Psalm of Praise, and hath, as many learned men conceive, a Propheticall Respect to the great Deliverance of Ierusalem from the Assyrian Army, and the miraculous Destruction of that Adversary by the hand of an An­gel, of which we read 2 King. 19.35. Indeed some passa­ges [Page 2] in the Psalm seem to look a little that way,Non est ut pro certâ aliquâ historiâ assig­nandâ ad quam hic psalmus re­spiciat, anxiè laboremus. Muscul. and the Septuagint have added to the title these words, [ [...]] a Song against the Assyyrian; which 'tis like hath carried some Interpreters: But whether the Psalm were calculated purposely for that point in the circle of Providence or no (a question in which I labour not) it may serve indifferently for the use and comfort of the people of God in all ages upon all rejoi­cing occasions, especially such as respect their preser­vation against their enemies.

In the Psalm we have

• Ecclesiae omni­um aetatum psalmus est in­telligendus. Moller.
  1. Materialls of Gods Praise propounded in the 10. first verses.
• 2. An Exhortation to it sub­joyned, ver. 11.

The Matter of praise here gathered up may be re­duced to two Heads,

• 1. Gods gracious Presence and Manifestati­on of himself in his Church, v. 1, 2.
• 2. His eminent Appearance for them against their Adversaries, v. 3, to 11.

In the Latter he is celebrated under a double ha­bitude,

• 1. Of a Mighty Champion, discomfiting the Enemies, v. 3, 4. to 8.
• 2. Of a Supreme Judge deciding the Quar­rel between them & his people, v. 8, 9, 10.

And in his Judgement observe,

• 1. The publicknesse of it, It was heard from Heaven.
• 2. The Majesty of it, It imprest fear and si­lence on the earth, v. 8.
• 3. The Effect of it, The salvation of the [Page 3] Meek on earth, v. 9. So the people of God are often called in Scripture: O that the Character were more agreeing to us in these dayes!
• 4. The End and Design of it exprest in the manner of an Epiphonema, a Rhetoricall closure to the rest, in the words which I have chosen, Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee, &c.

Though the word [...] be usually causall, Explication. yet is it ma­ny times, and especially in the beginning of a Sen­tence, apertive onely, and little more then expletive, as Prov. 30.2. and so our Translatours with others ren­der it here, Certè furor hominis, Surely the wrath of man, &c. But if we read it Quoniam (as Hierom and many others do) and so run the sense of the former part of the verse into the latter, it may seem very convenient, thus, Because the wrath of man shall praise thee, thou wilt restrain the remainder, or excesses of it; and so it makes the praise of God the finall cause of his restraint upon the wrath of man. However the import of the words is the same both wayes.

The wrath of man] is not so well understood in a pas­sive sense (according to the Chaldee) for the wrath of God upon Man as in the Active signification,Vide Musculum in locum. as it notes wrath subjected in man, and so the word Man is to be limited (or extended rather) to wicked men in their wrath against the godly, and so the word Man and Men is often used, as Mat. 10. Beware of men, i. e. of Wicked men. And Psal. 9.19. Let not man prevail, i. e. Evil men, &c.

Shall praise thee] It is a Tropical Expression, in which the Production of the Effect is imputed to that which [Page 4] doth but administer some kind of cause or occasion to it [Verbum quod actum ceu effectum denotat de occasione ejus aliquando intelligendum est. Glassius.] So Judas is said to purchase a Field, Acts 1.18. because he provided the Money. And Zedekiah is said to burn Jerusalem, Jer. 38.23.Dignitatem tu­am illustrabit hominum in­juria. Cic. ad Lentul. (see the Margin) because (as our Translation has it in the line) he occasioned it to be burnt. So the wrath of Man shall praise God. That is, it shall afford matter for his praise, and occasion men to praise him.

The remainder of wrath] may be taken for the peo­ple of God that out-live the wrath of men, [...] as Joel 1.4. The remainder of the Palmer worm signifies that which the Palmer worm hath left: so Iunius and others understand by the remainder of wrath, the godly that escape the wrath of wicked men. But our English Bible goes the plainer way, taking The remainder of wrath for those excessive Eruptions of it which might redound to the dishonour of God, or which are more then he will use to his praise: The remainder of wrath wilt thou restrain.

Maldonat, &c. Pontif. Restrain.] The word [ [...]] signifies to Gird, and is here used for a coercive girding, such as that of Peter when he stretched out his hands, & another girded him, Joh. 21.18. i. e. bound him as a prisoner, or tied him to the Cross (as some will needs have it.) Yet they that take it for a corroborative girding, and refer it to the godly, whom the wrath of enemies leaves undestroy­ed (as Junius and others do) in the result resolve the words into the same sense; viz. That the wrath of man shall by the over-ruling hand of God be made to conduce to his praise: and that it may do so, and not proceed to his dishonour, he will restrain it from ex­cesses, [Page 5] and confirm his people against it. So much for Explication.

In the words thus expounded, note,

• 1. The Evil Affection of men to the people of God. They are angry with them— The wrath of man.
• 2. The good Event of that Evil. It shall praise God.
• 3. Gods Restraint upon it to that end. The re­mainder of wrath thou wilt restrain. —

Of the first of these, The evil affection of men to the godly. And it gives us ground for this Doctrinall Ob­servation,

Doctrine. That there is much fervent anger in the hearts of men against the people of God.

That I may give an account of the sense of this Doctrine, and its deduction from the Text, I must speak briefly, 1. Of the Subject of this Anger, Man. And then 2. Of the Affection it self, as inherent in that Subject.

1. For the Subject of Anger, It is Man: the heart of man is its Receptacle, there it lives and dwells: and so its called in the Text, The wrath of Man: which words are spoken,

1 First, Insultingly, as some understand, implying an Encouragement to the Godly, in that they are but Men that are angry with them. It is not the wrath of Almighty God, but of poor weakly Man;Appellatur [...] quòd omnibus diebus vitae suae doleat. as David prayes God to let the Enemies themselves know that they are but Men, [ [...]] poor sorry man, as the word signifies, Psal. 9.20.

2 Secondly, The word Man is spoken collectively for Mankind, and so it implyes the vast number of them [Page 6] that are angry with the people of God, even the whole body of Mankind. For though the godly themselves are some part of Mankind, yet they are so few that the species is in a manner entire without them. As our Saviour tells his Disciples, Joh. 15.18. That the world will hate them. Themselves were some part of the World; but alas, their number was so small, that it made no considerable substraction from the totall of the world, and therefore the world is spoken of as whole without them, and wholly against them, accor­ding to that of Mat. 10.22. Ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake. That is, almost all men; there will scarce any be found that will not hate you. What is the Sea the lesse if you take out a few Hogsheads of water? Nothing to speak of. The Vintage is counted whole though some gleanings of Grapes be left behind. So the wrath of man against the godly, is the wrath of the generality, almost the universality of men.

3 Thirdly, The word Man is spoken Patronymically. In Hebrew 'tis the wrath of Adam, for the Children of Adam, the untransplanted Branches of that old Stock. Unregenerate men are meer Adamites, and so metonymically Adam, as Israelites are called Israel. Look how Believers ingrafted into Christ are called Christ, 1 Cor. 12.12. so unbelievers and wicked men are fitly called Adam, as those that abide in him (as fallen) in his spirit, and in his condition. And thus the Doctrine proceeds concerning the multitude of unregene­rate and wicked men, that there is much fervent An­ger in their hearts against the people of God. Yet 'tis here to be noted,Note. that all wicked men do not at all times, nor all in a like manner and degree exert their anger against the Godly, though they all have it in [Page 7] them. Even the unregenerate Father against the god­ly Son, and the unbelieving Son against the godly Fa­ther. Mat. 10.35. So much of the Subject, the hearts of men.

2.Ignescunt irae & duris dolor ossibus ardet. The Affection inherent in this Subject is Much fer­vent Anger. All Anger is hot, it's a soul-enflaming passion. The Egyptian Hieroglyphick for Anger is an heart upon a gridiron with burning coles under it. An­ger is hot; but the Anger here spoken of is of the hottest kind. The word in the Hebrew text signifies properly Heat, and sometimes the Sun for its burning heat. It notes that Anger which the Greeks call [...] & [...] because it heats and burns the heart: Junius translates it Aestus, Plat▪ and others furor hominis, The heat and rage of man. So it is very fervent.

And there is also very much of it in the heart of man. In the latter part of the Text the word is in the plurall number, the remainder of wraths. [...] There are heats and treasures of Wraths in the hearts of wicked men a­gainst the godly. A stock of wrath that can never be spent up, they are alwayes angry, and alwayes ready to be more angry at them. And so much is also implyed in the word [ [...]] which elsewhere notes abun­dance. Malac. 2.15. Thus you see there is much hot and fiery an­ger in the hearts of wicked men against the godly. No wonder though they trade in Fire-works & Sulphureous engines, when they have so much fire burning in their bosomes. Thus much for the sense of the Doctrine, and to shew you how 'tis seated in the text.

For further confirmation of this point,Proof. see Psal. 124.1, 2, 3. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say, If it had not been the Lord who was on [Page 8] our side, when men rose up against us, then they had swal­lowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us. The Church complains of the fury of enemies, that it was so hot and fierce, that if he that took their part had been any thing lesse then God, they had been utterly swallowed up and devoured. But when was this? per­haps at some one time when they were more then or­dinarily provoked: Nay many a time (saies the Church, Psal. 129.1, 2.) many a time have they afflicted me, and that from my youth up. Ab ipsis Ecclesiae Natalitiis. Ever since God had a Church upon Earth, wicked men have had a fire of Anger in their bosomes, ever and a­non flaming out against it. For thy sake we are slain all the day long, was the Churches complaint in David's time, Psal. 44.22. and Paul applyes it to his dayes, Rom. 8.36.

Now there are two principall causes of this Anger, in which we have the reason of the Doctrine, I shall but briefly touch them.

1. The malignity of Mans Nature. This is the Internall and Materiall Cause of all the Wrath which wicked men conceive against the Godly: the very fu­ell whereon this fire feeds and is maintained. And therefore is wrath justy reckoned up among the rest of the fruits of the flesh in the Apostles Inventory, Gal. 5.20.

2. The Malice of Satan first against God, and then against his people, makes him an industrious Agent in kindling and blowing up the coles of this fire in the hearts of wicked men. As James sayes of the tongue we may say of the heart of man, that in its anger a­gainst the godly, It is set on fire of hell. Poets talk of fire stollen out of Heaven; but this fire is brought from Hell, and like the Vestal fire alwayes kept alive by [Page 9] the vigilancy of the evil one. Satan has an old grudge against God ever since the day when he fettered him in chains of darknesse, and doth what he can against him and his,Gestit retalia [...] in populo Dei iram Dei sibi irrogatam. Cocce jus in Nahum. by himself and his Instruments by way of revenge, whence (as some think) he is called the A­venger. (In Hebrew the avenger of himself) Psal. 8.2. because he loves to be retaliating upon the people of God the anger which God has executed upon him.

Now there are two seasons in which the wrath of men, through their own Malignity and Satans Malice, is especially intended against the godly, times when it flames out more vehemently, as they say of Aetna and Vesuvius, There is alwayes fire burning in them, yet there are some speciall times of their more vehement eruption.

1 First, A time of Reformation in matters of Reli­gion. In 2 Chron. 31. we read much of the zeal of He­zekiah and his people in destroying Idolatry, and re­storing the Worship of God to its native purity. And then it follows in Chap. 32.1. After these things, and the establishment of them, Sennacherib King of Assyria came and entred into Judah, &c. And God takes notice of him that he came in a great rage, 2 King. 19.27. As it also appears by the railing of his servant Rabshekah be­fore the walls of Jerusalem. And to this Invasion some learned men (as I said before) think this Psalme has a speciall respect. I do not say that Reformation is alwayes the thing which immediately offends wicked men, but it is that which vexes Satan, and makes him provoke and stir them up against the people of God, and then he finds them out some ground or other of a quarrel, such as will best fit their humour, and is most agreeing to their interest. Sennacherib did not make [Page 10] Hezekiah's Reformation the professed ground of the quarrell, but his rebellion, because he had withdrawn himself from his allegiance, and served him not, Isaiah 36.5. On whom dost thou trust that thou rebellest against me? As if he had said, I come not against thee for thy Religion, nor because thou hast demolished the Altars at which the people were wont to worship, ver. 7. But because thou hast made a defection from my So­veraignty and Government: But that Satan (who is the generall instigator of Gods peoples enemies) had the greatest spight against the King and his people for their reformation in matters of Religion, is manifest enough. How did the wrath of Rome burn and flame even up to Heaven in the dayes of Luther's Reforma­tion in Germany! and what mischievous plots and de­vices the Anger of that party hath put them upon against this Nation in times of Reformation, it's very well known. The Spanish Armado, in which that Mo­narchy acted against England, ad extremum virium, was formed in a time of Reformation. And the Conspi­rants in that Hellish plot, which we may now call The former Powder-Treason, themselves assigned the Lawes of Parliament against Idolatry, and Seducers to it for the cause of that invention. Some yeares ago God put it into the heart of Authority to revive the design of Reformation, which for a long time before had not onely not gone forward, but receded, till we were in­sensibly drawn back almost into Egypt again. But e­ver since that day, it is a wonder to see in what an heat the world has been against the people of God in En­gland, what raging, railing, fighting, and violence have they endured from enemies at home, and from for­raigners almost in all points of the compasse. We [Page 11] may say as David, and with as easie an hyperbole, All Nations have compassed us about, and kept us in on every side. But in the name of the Lord we have hitherto either subdued or defeated them.

At present when one of the greatest Potentates in the world is in the height of preparation against us, yet e­ver and anon there is one Contrivance or other on foot in our own nation for the destruction of them whom God has most signally owned among us. It were an absurdity for me (Right Honourable) to give you a re­port of the late horrid design against his Highnesse im­mediately, your selves next, and then those for whose protection and government God has raised up him, and gathered you together. We that are at a distance derive our knowledge of it from your selves: But this observation among others may be very easily made upon it, That the grand [...], the Contrivers and Promoters of this and such like Stra­tagems do very well know how many heads are for the present standing on the shoulderrs of that one single person, at whom they take their aim, as sometimes Caligula wisht all the Romans had but one neck, that he might cut off all their heads at one single stroke.

Obj. But some may interpose; Here is indeed an evi­dent appearance of the wrath of man in these attempts: But where is the Reformation? Alas, the zeal of Refor­mation is almost extinguished among us, and it is not like the Adversary's indignation should take fire from thence.

Ans. And yet you see many times how great a mat­ter a little fire kindleth. It is true, the hideous Bla­sphemies, portentous Delusions, abominable Do­ctrines, [Page 12] and cursed Practises of many among us wit­nesse to our shame, that pure Religion is far from that Power and Soveraignty in the Nation, which is due to it. But yet in publick Endeavours, though there has not been enough done to make us a people throughly reformed, (God onely can do that) There has been enough done to make the Adversary angry with us as a people under saile towards the land of Re­formation, though we move but slowly by reason of contrary winds. The removall of an oppressive pow­er in matters of Religion, and many corrupt imposi­tions thereby enforced, under which the best part, the very soul of the Nation groned; The ejection of ma­ny scandalous and ignorant men, from the place of the Ministry; The Provision made for encouragement of men faithfull in that work; The Redemption of the Sabbath, the Lords day, the observation whereof is the very pulse by which you may make a judge­ment of a peoples temper in all Religion, from profa­nation, formerly maintained by a Law, in which there is hopes that you Honourable Senatours, will do more and more worthily then those that have been in your capacity before. Nehemiah saies of himself, that he com­manded the Gates of Jerusalem to be shut in the even­ing before the Sabbath, ch. 13. 19. I am very much per­swaded that you might do God good service in causing the gates of our Cities and Towns to be shut up in the morning after the Sabbath, I mean in removing or pro­moving to more distance, our Munday Fairs and Mar­kets, in preparation for which many tradesmen hold themselves under a kind of necessity to steal away a great part of the Sabbath. These and such like things are good assaies to a publick reformation; and though [Page 13] in some mens eyes they may seem small matters, yet are they enough to make the Adversary angry. But till the day of Gods power dawnes upon us, in which he will make us a willing people to yield our selves unto the Lord, and enter into his Sanctuary (as Hezekiah speaks) The Sword and the Mace will never effect a thorough Reformation.

2 A second time in which the wrath of wicked men uses especially to break forth, is the time of Gods peoples exaltation in the world, when God lifts up his people among men, and sets them high in worldly respects. This time comes about but seldome (I con­fess) and yet oft enough for ought I know, unlesse we had more grace to use it when it comes. Generally the people of God are the poor among men, trodden under foot and afflicted. Yet sometimes it pleases him to turn the under side upwards, to set the poor on high, and make him families like a flock. And this seemes a kind of soloecisme to wicked men, they think God is out of his way, and mistaken in the course of his Providence (as Joseph thought his Father Jacob was in blessing his two sons) because he doth not alwayes lay the right hand upon their heads. When Judah be­gan a little to bear up in Asa's days, and had put them­selves into a military posture, presently comes Zera the Aethiopian with a thousand thousand men against them, 2 Chron. 14.8, 9. When the Jewes at their re­turn from the Captivity, began to build the Temple, their enemies were angry with them, but when Sanbal­lat heard that they builded the wall, that they were like to come to some strength, and safety, and interest, he was angry, and took great indignation, Neh. 4.1. Wic­ked men think it meet that the heirs of Heaven should [Page 14] continue alwayes in Wardship here on earth, and that they should be their Guardians. Like Pharaoh and his servants they think they do very ill at any time (if they [...] hinder it) to let the Children of Israel go from serving them; and therefore when they see them go­ing presently they pursue them with all the force they can make. Such is their Malice against the Godly, that they cannot endure to see them in any degree of safety and enlargement, much lesse of power and in­terest in humane affairs, they never walk at ease but when they have the necks of Gods people to tread upon, Isa. 51.23.

Again, besides this envy of the wicked at the pro­sperity of the people of God▪ That condition com­monly brings such temptations with it as draw the godly into many provoking sins, and so he has occasi­on given him to let their adversaries loose against them. Yea when the godly prosper in the world, ma­ny persons that have nothing of godlinesse in them, will be crowding in among them daily. Every one that can but make any shift to patch up a form of Christianity, will presently get his name lifted among the Saints, and himself into their fellowship. These quickly grow light and loose in their notions and con­versations, and thereby taint the rest. So the mixed multitude (as 'tis said Numb. 11.4.) sins against God, the Gospel brought under reproch, and the name of God blasphemed, and then wrath comes forth upon the whole Congregation. I remember what was repor­ted of some eminent persons that staid here in the time of the war, though they were very heartily ad­dicted to the other part; when some that were inti­mate with them asked why they went not over to the [Page 15] quarters of their friends, They answered, They could do their friends more service by staying where they were. So wicked men do Satan more service, and the people of God more hurt by being professors among them, then by setting themselves professedly against them. And so much of the seasons, when the wrath of man especially breaks out against the people of God. I proceed now to the use of the point.

And first, Use. If there be so much anger in the hearts of wicked men against the godly: This serves sharply to rebuke the sinfull Anger & Animosities of the people of God among themselves. I know this is a beaten subject, but the Doctrine in hand permits me not to passe silently by it. I say it rebukes the sinfull anger of Gods people, because I know there is a godly kind of Anger, though I know not so well where to find it. Our Saviour in censuring him that is angry with his Brother without a cause, plainly implies that there is a cause why, and so a time when a man may be angry even with his Brother; and the Apostle commands Anger and forbids Sin in the same breath, Eph. 4.26. Be angry and sin not. Now we are very apt to think, that if there be any thing good in any kind, our own is of the best sort; That if we are angry with our bre­thren, we have just cause to be so, and do well to be angry, as Jonah thought when he was angry with God him­self. But indeed, if the matter be strictly examined, there is hardly a rarer commodity among men then good anger. We read in Scripture of many men that were angry, but seldome of any that were well angry.

Irasci debemus prapter contu­meliam Dei, pro­pter injustitiā, &c. Roll. in Eph. Videndam est [...]. Non ob lanam caprinam, aut res leviculas, sed justas ob causas; ut si cul­tus Dei, si reli­gio, si patria, si parentes, &c. laedantur, vio­lentur aut con­temnantur. Hereb.Good Anger therefore is to be attended,

Ratione 1. Objecti. 2. Egressûs.

1. Anger is good in respect of the Object, when it is excited by sin. Sin is the proper formall Object of Anger. Gods Anger is onely at Sin, and Men for Sin, and so should ours be: Eph. 5.1. Be ye followers of God as dear Children, and walk in love. We should so love our Brethren, as not to be angry with them for any thing but that which angers him. As godly Sorrow (2 Cor. 7.9.) so godly Anger is [ [...]] according to God, when a man is angry at that which displeaseth God, and angry as he (though but after the manner of men) is often in Scripture said to be angry. But is our Anger such? Is it not evident that we are often angry with our brethren for that which we know is not sin? And ordinarily for things in which we do but suppose them to be sinners?

1 First, It's common with us to be angry with our brethren for that which we know is not their sin. Their Preferments, their Estates and Incomes, their Honour and Esteem, their very Gifts and eminent A­bilities many times are enough to create peevish pangs in us against them: so our eye is evil because God is good. This is like Cains anger, because God shewed more regard to Abel then to himself, and (it may be) prospered Abel in his flock more then him in his tillage. Yea, if a man doth but commend the per­son whom we dislike, 'tis enough to make us angry with him too, as Saul was in a rage against Jonathan because he spake good of David; and yet he is a very bad man indeed, of whom we may not truly speak something by way of commendation. Nay is it not a matter of Anger to us if a man doth not speak as much [Page 17] evil and as bitter words against others as we our selves do? men must reproch with us those whom we re­proch, and revile with us those whom we revile, or we shall be angry with them. Is this to be angry at Sin, or will you call this good Anger?

2 Secondly, We are often angry with our Brethren for those things in which we do but suppose them to be sinners: And this, 1. Sometimes supposing that to be sin in them which is not: And 2. Sometimes suppo­sing them to be in that sin in which they are not.

1. Sometimes we are angry at that which we do but suppose to be sin in our brethren, as their lawfull liberty, yea sometimes their very duty. We are of­fended at them as if they had sinned highly against God, in that wherein they have not exceeded the bounds of the liberty which God allowes them. Nor (it may be) of the duty which he injoynes them. Thus Moses was angry with the sons of Aaron, Lev. 10.16. for not eating the Sin-offering in the holy place, as if they had sinned beyond all defence. And yet when Aaron had plainly opened the matter to him, and shewed him the reason of it, Moses was content, v. 19, 20. That An­ger might well have been spared for a fitter occasion. So the weak is angry with him that eats flesh, Rom. 14. And so the Jewes were offended with Peter for eating with the Gentiles, Act. 11. Though it was not his liber­ty onely, but his duty to do it. Of this sort are most of our angry prejudices against our brethren in point of opinion, meer mistakes; we think their principles cor­rupt because they do not use just our terms and noti­ons, when upon enquiry they prove as sound in the Faith as our selves; and count them dissenters who are of the same mind with our selves, if we were but [Page 18] cool enough to hear, or willing to understand one ano­ther. It was Theodosius his penance injoyned by Am­brose for a rash piece of cruelty, that alwayes when he condemned an offender, he stould stay thirty dayes before he executed the sentence: And by this means upon wiser second thoughts many a mans life was saved. O how much of our anger might be prevented, if we would but take time to consider the cause before we admit the passion! It's an easie matter to grow hot against a man for his opinion, his action, or practise which we allow not; but it is not alwayes so soon pro­ved to be sin, unlesse we think our selves fit to be o­ther mens Oracles, and count it necessary that their judgements should be immediately determined by our own. But we are presently angry at a venture, if men seem to vary from us. Were we as free of our purses as we are of our passions, we should be the most gene­rous people in the world. And yet if Christ himself misreckon it not, a man had better part with many summes of money for nothing, then be once angry with his brother without a cause. He that is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of the judge­ment, Mat. 5.22.

2. Again, Sometimes we are angry with our bre­thren for sin when we do but vainly suppose them to be in it, or guilty of it. So Eliab was angry with Da­vid for pride and naughtinesse of heart, which he sup­posed brought him to the army, and made him neglect his calling; when if he had been calm enough to consi­der it, he might have found another cause of his co­ming, 1 Sam. 17.28, 29.

Thus when we see men willingly undertake pub­lick employments, presently we judge they are proud, [Page 19] and do it for honour; or covetousness, and do it to en­rich themselves: and this supposed pride and cove­tousnesse of their hearts suffices us for a cause of anger. Do we observe men kind and courteous to enemies? presently we think they fall into a compliance with them. Do men carry themselves gently and tenderly towards erroneous persons? immediately we suppose them to be of their party. Or if we see a man peace­ably moderating between dissenters, endeavouring to bring them to a good accord among themselves, he is condemned as a Mongrel, an Ambodexter or a Neuter, a man that is any thing, and nothing in his principles. Thus we make men sinners in our own conceits, and then grow angry with them, or (which I doubt is more usuall) first we are angry with them, and then we ima­gine them to be sinners. Shall we call this a good An­ger? Or do we well thus to be angry?

2 Secondly, Anger is good ratione egressus, when it uses good means to exert and put forth it self; other­wise, let the cause be what it will, the anger is naught. Good Anger expresses it self in Christian reproofs and admonitions, and makes a man vehement in perswasi­ons to reformation: yea, vents it self in prayers and teares for the offending party. It's said of our Saviour that when he was angry with the Pharisees, he was grieved for the hardnesse of their hearts, Mar. 9.5. And when he could not but be angry with Jerusalem for killing the Prophets, and stoning them that were sent unto it, he beheld the City and wept over it. Lu. 19.41. You that are angry with your Brethren, have you plainly admonished them? or do you indeed hate them in your hearts? It's Gods own Antithesis, Levit. 17.19. If you have not done the former, you are guil­ty [Page 20] of the later,In this sense the Philosophers words agree well to good anger, that it is [...]. Arist. Rhet. and he that hates his Brother is a Man­slayer. O that men would seriously consider it! Again, have you mourned over your offending brethren, and prayed for them in relation to their sin? If your An­ger be good, it will make you mourn in earnest desires for them with whom you are angry, that their sin may be pardoned and removed. But do not your hearts tell you that you are angry many times for things of which you cannot for shame complain to God? You dare not, you dare not tell those angry stories to God in prayer, which you will passionately rattle over to your friends behind the offenders back. Again, Have you used the properest means to reduce the offending party, and to gain him off from that which you conceive to be his sin? This is to some pur­pose, there is some wisdome in such anger. But from whence come the wars and fightings that are among pro­fessed Christians? not from any pious Zeal, or good An­ger, but from your lusts that warre in your members, Jam. 4.1. What must we think of that Anger which spends (or rather feeds) it self in brawlings, raylings, bitter in­vectives, and biting language? God will not justifie such anger, no not in Moses himself, though it be occa­sioned by sin. Heare now ye rebels, said the good man once in his haste, but he had better have bit his tongue and held his peace; God gave him a sad remembrance of it afterward. What kind of anger is that which vents it self in backbitings and evil reports? What kind of Anger is it which makes men interpret the best and worthiest actions of their brethren into crimes and points of naughtiness? even such as that of the Scribes and Pharisees, when they condemned our Saviour as a friend of Publicans and Sinners, because he pitied them, [Page 21] and took opportunities to do them good. What kind of Anger is that which makes men desert, yea obstruct one another in good and necessary undertakings, and so o­pen a door to publick enemies, rather then come to an accord with their friends, though in never so commen­dable designs? Yea, what kind of Anger is it which engages men in secret Contrivances against their bre­thren, to disappoint them, to work them out of power and interest, to set them at variance among them­selves, and strengthen the hand of a common enemy a­gainst them, and put it to the adventure whether they can stop the Water and stay the Mill when they have ground their own Grift? I doe but name these ugly things, each of them deserves an hours declamation. But will you count this a good anger? 'Tis earthly, sen­suall, devillish.

You see what Anger is here reproved, and with­all how little good anger is in the world. Now to enforce the reproof, consider two things:

Consid. 1 First, Consider how uncomely a thing it is for the joynt Heirs of Heaven, and Subjects of Christs King­dome on earth, to nourish anger in their bosomes one against another. It's no marvell if the world hate the people of God, but for them to be enemies one to a­nother is prodigious. It is objected against Edom as a shamefull thing, that when strangers cast lots upon Je­rusalem, he, though a brother to the Jewes by extra­ction, was as one of the strangers, Obad. 11. Thou that art peevishly angry with thy brother, what an odious thing is it that when strangers revile him, backbite him, practice against him, thou shouldst be as one of them.

Consid. 2 Secondly, Think what an imprudentiall thing it is for Christians to be at variance among themselves, [Page 22] when the world is set against them all. Truly it ar­gues a very mean spirit in our enemies, whoever they are at this time, that they are not ashamed to bestow their anger on a people so divided among themselves as we are, an object more proper for their scorn, or for their pity, if they had any good nature in them, then for their anger. Indeed there has been hitherto a pre­sence of God among his poor people, holding them up above contempt, otherwise they are to be pitied of their friends, and scorned of their enemies for their childish divisions. We read of ten plagues on the Egyp­tians in Exodus, but there is an Eleventh elsewhere threatned, worse then all the rest, Isa. 19.2. I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians. If the Israelites be set against the Israelites, Christians against Christi­ans, what can the hardest hearted enemie desire more? If our enemies will but be at the charge to lay in powder, they may light their matches at our own Fires of Contention to blow us up. And doubtless they had done it long ere this time, if the providentiall care of God for us had not strangely disappointed them in ma­ny a probable contrivance. Yet it is something to con­sider how guilty we are of tempting men to the loss of their lives and ruine of their families, besides the sin it self. So divided an house would entice any man alive but a reall friend to overturn it. So much of the first use.

Use 2 Secondly, This Doctrine serves as an Argument to perswade all Gods people to use their best care & dili­gence to prevent the eruptions of the wrath of wicked men. Such is their fury, that if once it breaks out it knows no bounds, especially in a time when the losse of power out of their hands, and of many high-flown hopes and strong attempts to recover it, has made them [Page 23] like Bears robbed of their whelps. Fire straightned a while rages more furiously when it gets a vent.

You, Honourable Senators, in the first place be exhor­ted to use the properest means to obstruct the rage of Gods enemies against his people. You know how the wrath of man is kindled against us abroad, and you see what fire-works are secretly carried on at home. It's easie to judge whose hand is in them: I hope I shall not need use many words to perswade you to do God that service, your selves that right, and the poor family of Christ that favour, to lay out the power which God hath put into your hands in propelling the fury of wic­ked men, that it break not out into a flame upon us, I think your coming together at this time holds some Analogie to that we read in 2 Chron. 32.2, 3. may it prove as happy in the event. I would not solicite you to any thing unrighteous in it self, nor any thing really dishonourable to the nation: but certainly it will be no grief of heart to you in time to come, to have used all lawfull and becoming means to guard the nation and the godly in it against the rage of angry men. God is my witnesse I wish no evil to any man, but that pro­vision be made for publick safety against known adver­saries. After so much experience of their malice, and so many warnings given us by their (hitherto abortive) Plots and Projects, can we yet confide in their ingenui­ty? Sic not us Ulysses? But I am no Statesman that I should take upon me to propound the way of doing what I exhort you to: Be it humbly submitted to your wisdomes, as the wise God shall direct you.

Next, to all that fear God I offer this exhortati­on: Be perswaded as you are Christians, to use the best [Page 24] means to stave off the wrath of man, And in that capa­city I dare prescribe to you.

Meanes 1 First, Live holily towards God. The wicked is his sword, Psal. 17.13. And while you keep close to him in the way of holinesse, you may expect he will con­fine it to the scabbard. When a mans wayes please God he makes his enemies to be at peace with him, Prov. 16.7. He shall have enemies no doubt, but God will beat and bruise them down before him, till they shall be glad of peace: we have seen much of this in our ex­perience as bad as we are; O what might we have seen if our wayes had been more pleasing to God! The sins of Gods people are encouragements to their enemies to devour them, Jer. 50.7. All they that found them have devoured them: Their Adversaries said, we offend not, be­cause they have sinned against the Lord; and when the sins of the people of God came under their observati­on, they think they do God service in destroying them. It is Holinesse (Honourable and Beloved) that I presse you to, not a fashionable dresse in Religion, or a conjunction with men drawn up into this or that form, which is most in credit, but the reall subjection of the soul to the Authority and power of Godlinesse; and this I propound as a good way to safety among men. Follow peace with all men and holinesse, Heb. 12.14. Though Holinesse will make men angry with you, yet (which may seem a Paradox) it is the way to overtake peace.

Meanes 2 Secondly, Be Harmlesse to all men. It is the Apo­stles exhortation, Phil. 2.15. Be harmlesse as the sons of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. Indeed the word is Hornlesse, [...], Be not like Beasts that push and gore their fellows when they have got them [Page 25] in a corner. Do violence to no man, though you have the sword in your hands: Be not oppressive, be not injurious to the worst of men, when it is in the power of your hand to do them hurt. David sayes of his ene­mies, They came about him like bees, Psal. 118.12. A man may passe through a great swarm of Bees, if he goes calmly and quietly along; but if he beats and laies about him, he is like to have many stings in his skin quickly. A man may walk much more safely a­mong adversaries, if he walks quietly and harmlesly a­mong them; but if he be rough and violent he shall find them as angry as Bees, as we use to say. David overcame Saul at last by sparing him when he had him in his power, and disarmed him by sending him his spear again.

Meanes 3 Thirdly, Be Kind to all, not onely to the good, but to the evil, that you may be like your father which is in heaven. We have a brave invitation to this duty: Rom. 12.18, 19, 20. If it be possible, as much as in you li­eth live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not your selves, &c. — If thine enemy hunger, feed him, if he thirst give him drink, for in o doing thou shalt heap coles of fire on his head, that is melt him if he be ingenuous, or else burn him at the last. Christians, you never had, and if you should live these hundred years, for ought I know are never like to have a better opportunity to put this duty in practise then now. Many of you are full of the goods of this world, and many of your ene­mies are hungry, feed them; they want rayment, clothe them; they are reduced to extreme necessity, relieve them. You will say we have little encouragement to this, we see their malice is invincible. This is but a [Page 26] poor objection: put on courage and charge them with love again; be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good. I am speaking to you now as in the capa­city of Christians onely, not of Magistrates. But (say some) in so doing we may be thought to flatter ene­mies, and to dislike our former heartinesse in a good cause against them. I answer, You have wayes e­nough before you to manifest your constancy and fide­lity to your principles, if you will; but if any man will refuse to act in good and just designes for his friends, such a one may thank himself if he he suspe­cted and misinterpreted in his charity to his enemies. Truly it is a very bad nature which may not be over­come by kindnesse. I believe the Devil (as bad as men are) has a pretty hard taske of it to move them to violence against those godly men that have used them kindly in their need.

Meanes 4 Fourthly, Behave your selves wisely towards them that are without, Coloss. 4.5. The Apostle propounds this as a way to redeem the time, that is, to redeem it from the evil of it, and make it better. A wise carriage among men serves to make the worst of times much better to the godly then otherwise they would be. David makes very good shift to live quietly by behaving himself wisely, 1 Sam. 18.5. Yea he made Saul, though his mortall enemy, afraid of him, because he behaved himselfe wisely, ver. 15. When our Saviour sent out his Disciples as Sheep among Wolves, he bid them Be wise as Serpents and innocent as Doves. (I have spoke of the latter alrea­dy.) Doubtlesse Christians by their froward, rude, and unstudied carriage towards wicked men do many times [Page 27] make them much more their enemies then otherwise they would be.

Meanes 5 Lastly, Follow God with earnest prayer for protection. This is of excellent use even when other means fail. David complaines of his Enemies, Psal. 109.4. For my love they are my adversaries. What should a man doe next in such a case? If Love and Kindnesse will not overcome an Adversary, what will? But if it pro­cures a man enemies, or makes them more his ene­mies, what can he doe then? Ile tell you (sayes Da­vid) what course I take, I give my selfe to prayer. The Hebrew is short and sweet, I to prayer, That was my fefuge presently when other helps failed and pro­ved inefficacious. Were the spirit of Prayer in as much vigour among us now as it was some yeares agoe, we might confidently expect it would as powerfully keep our adversaries down now as it brought them down then. These and such like may be good meanes to keep the fire of mans wrath from breaking out into a slame upon us; but yet if it should get an egresse, as I confesse its very like it will ere long, Christians be not discouraged, let not your hearts be troubled. There are indeed very threatning clouds gathered over our heads, and there is much danger, unlesse we could accord better in the means of prevention, that our Cities and Townes must feel the fire again short­ly, our Streets be washt with blood, our Fields made fat with the bodies of the slain, and our selves and those that are dearest to us be made the subjects of such cruelties as were lately acted upon the poore English in Ireland, and the Protestants in Piedmont. But I should draw too many black lines upon the face of [Page 28] this dayes Solemnities, if I should more fully speak my apprehension of the state of things. God grant us ma­ny more Thanksgiving daies.

But yet Christians, be not terrified at the wrath of man, be it never so hot; it is and shall be so mana­ged by the power of God, that in all its issues and results it shall contribute to, and promote his praise. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee. This is the se­cond thing propounded to your consideration in the Text, and (I confesse) the principall Doctrine of it; but I must handle it very briefly, having exceeded in the former.

Doctr 2 The wrath of wicked men against the people of God is very tributary to his praise.

I shall first prove it by some instances in which the wrath of man against the godly turns emi­nently to the glory of God, and then conclude in a word or two of Application.

1 First, It puts them upon many subtil Devices, and cunning Stratagems, in frustrating of which the wis­dome of God and his care of his Church is very much illustrated. Hamans anger made him tenter his wit and policy to contrive that wicked plot against the Jewes, which gave God the glorious opportunity of turning his mischief upon his own head, and so came up the famous Solemnity of the dayes of Purim. Esth. 9.20. It is an ancient practice of the people of God to keep dayes of Thanksgiving for the disappoint­ment of Plots against them; and thus we came by the opportunity of this dayes praises. The wrath of man makes holy-day to God. So some learned men translate the latter part of the Text,After the 70. Reli­quiae [Page 29] irarum diem festum tibi agent. The Seventy tran­slate the word [...] by [...], The secret cogitation of the heart of man shall praise thee; That is, as some ex­presse it, either the enemies shall acknowledge, or the thing it self shall declare, that in their most secret and subtil contrivances against God and his people, he has been too hard for them. The profoundest Plotters shall be forced to confess that there is no Wis­dom, nor Understanding, nor Counsel against the Lord.

2 Secondly, The wrath of wicked men impells them to many violent and forcible attempts upon the peo­ple of God to destroy them, and so gives him occasi­on to manifest his power in their defence. Pharaoh pursued Israel to the Red sea, that they might there take a view of the Salvation of God. For this cause was his heart raised up to this bold attempt, that God might shew in him his power; and hence came that Rhetoricall and High-strained Song of Moses, Exo. 15.

3 Thirdly, It makes them sometimes fit to be his instruments in correcting his people, and so he vin­dicates himself from the suspicion of being a Patron to sin in them that are neerest to him, and makes them that hate holinesse promote it in his people, and them that intend them the greatest hurt, to do them the greatest good. Angry Adversaries are Gods Scullions, whose service it is to scour off the rust and soyle that cleaves sometimes even to his Vessels of Honour; and if they were not very rugged and rough-handed, they would not be so fit for the turn. When a marching Army is pursued or atten­ded with a powerfull enemy, it serves to bring in stragglers, and to keep the Body close together. [Page 30] Truly 'tis a sad thing to consider how farre Christians range abroad from their Colours, though we have e­very day an allarm given us by the Adversary. But if the Lord suffers their wrath to break out upon us, it will be the likeliest way that I know to fetch us in from our extravagancies, to cure us of our pride, our wantonnesse, our mutuall discontents, and sinfull anger among our selves, and make us love one a­nother like the Disciples of him whom we call our Master. If these shakings of the Rod which we may every day observe, prove not effectuall to re­duce us to a better rate of Christianity, God will not alwayes stand at shall I? shall I? but lay it on to purpose, or else how shall he secure the honour of his own name? We pray him for his Names sake to spare us: and this is our last Refuge we are come to, our last Prayer. But alas, the Argument turns head against us, there being a kind of necessity upon him to use some effectuall means to take us off from those things which openly reflect disgrace upon himself, and if nothing else will do it, this must.

4 Fourthly, The wrath of man against the people of God administers occasion to him for the manifestati­on of the power of his grace in upholding the spirits of his people, and the being of his Church in despight of all that enemies can do against them. The heartiest persecuters have found it easier to weary out them­selves,Mal. 7.28.16.18. then to wear out the Saints of the most High, which made those brethren in cruelty, Dioclesian and Maximianus to alight from their Imperial Thrones, and betake themselves to a private life, out of a sullen dis­content and vexation of spirit (as Nicephorus reports [Page 31] it) because they could not extirpate the Christians.Plures efficimur quoties metimur à vobis; semen est Sanguis Christianorum. Tert. Apol. ad­versus Gentes. So Papists oftentimes complain Rhetorically, that they find the Hereticks (as they call Reformed Christians) like another Hydra, when they have taken off one head many more succeed it. The undaunted confi­dence and invincible patience of the godly under per­secution makes much to the glory of God.

5 Fifthly, It serves very much to adorn Gods most signall undertakings for his people in the world. Those rare pieces of Divine Providence, The Advancement of Joseph to the Government of Egypt, and the Tran­slation of the Israelites thence into the land of promise, the exaltation of Daniel and Mordecai in the captivity, and restauration of the Jewes from it, receive their greatest beauties and embellishments from the variety of Humane obstructions through which they forced their way. Our greatest Romancers could never yet find a more effectuall Medium to take their readers, then by leading on their ultimate designs through so many impediments, as may often make them seem impos­sible. So in all the amazing changes and revolutions which our eyes have seen, there is a grand design of God uniformly carried on for his people through an incredible variety of mens counterworkings; all which shall serve to make it the more glorious in the Issue. Neither must we expect that Satan and his instruments will ever leave off their secret plots and open oppositi­ons, till the work upon the wheel be wrought off, and then it Will turn very much to the glory of the whole design, that men shall view it from the beginning in all its progresses, and see how many times through the malice of adversaries, and otherwise, it has been at the [Page 32] next step to utter loss and disappointment, and yet still recovered, kept alive, and brought unto perfecti­on.

6 Lastly, It serves to manifest the glory of Gods ju­stice upon his peoples enemies in the day when he rises up to avenge himself upon them, when he shall stand over them, lashing them with Scorpions, and at every blow minde their former cruelties. Here, Take that for your inhumane rage against my people at such a place, and that for your barbarous usage of them at such a time: Now see how good it is to be im­prisoned, beaten, tortured, burnt, and sawn asunder. Thus the enemies themselves are oft constrained to acknowledge with Adoni-Bezek, the righteous hand of God upon them in the day of Inquisition. They that set up the Statue of Sennacherib when his sons had slain him, after his fatall expedition towards Jerusalem, compelled him, though he was dead, yet to speak these words to all spectators, Whosoever looks upon me let him learn to fear God: God is glorious in his apparell, when it is all stained with the gore blood of his enemies, because it is the day of recompence, Isa. 63.1, 2, 3. the day of recom­pences for the controversie of Sion, Isa. 34.8.

Use 1 But (to apply this briefly) If the wrath of wicked men against the godly be thus conducing to the glory of God, how just cause have we to be humbled, consi­dering how the kindness of God to us has through our abuse of it been turned to his dishonour. The wrath of the wicked praises him, and his mercy to us disgraces him. We have shamed the mercies of our God, and the God of our mercies, by an unworthy walking under them. You know who said, when she had made a Bi­shop [Page 33] she had spoyled a Preacher. It may too truly be said concerning us, that when we were in a low estate, and under the lash, we were an humble people, a pray­ing people, a mutually loving people, and in a word, a people that lived like Christians; but since we have been made free, and great, and potent in the world, we have been spoiled for Christians, and are become a people vain and light in our minds, a people that dare boldly believe or unbelieve any thing, which will make any man vain in his conversation; A proud and haugh­ty people, even to the justification of them whom God abased before us; Covetous, ambitious, hard-hearted, and in Religion, generally carelesse, cold, and undetermined. Has God delivered us so many times, and saved us for this? Truly, to speak after the man­ner of man, as Moses sayes of God, Gen. 6. that it re­pented him that he made man, We may say, God may well be ashamed of all that he has done for us. Is it not pitty that his enemies should reproch him in pointing at us, and say, These are the Lords people? Ezek. 36.20. Do you see them? these are the Saints; do you observe what their Religion is, and how well it teaches them? Do you see what 'tis to be godly? I know that in the fai­lings of Gods people, the logick of Adversaries is such, that they will infer an ell from every inch, but it is just matter of lamentation tous that we have given them so much occasion to blaspheme.

Use 2 But to conclude, This serves to perswade Christi­ans to be patient of the wrath of enemies, though it do break out, God will make an excellent use of it, and press it into a subserviency to his own glory. Let the earth be removed (if it must be so) and the mountaines [Page 34] cast into the midst of the sea. Let the Saints be thrust again into prisons and dirty dungeons; Let fire and faggots come in fashion again, and bloody persecutors return to their old trade; yea let that Tragedy of Pi­edmont be acted over in England (we are too angry a­mong our selves for the most part, to see how neare these things are in probability upon their march towards us) But let it be as the Lord pleases, certain­ly it shall be no worse. And though men be never so enraged, he will out of their greatest fury make admi­rable provisions for his own glory. And if God thinks his Glory well worth the whole charge of Creation and Providence, why should not we reckon our light Affli­ctions well bestowed upon it?