have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation I have not concealed thy Loving-kindness and thy Truth from the great Congregation So his conscience testified of his Practice Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men that they would offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and declare his works with gladness So doth he pour forth his Desire O clap your hands all ye people shout unto God with the voice of triumph Sing unto the Lord bless his Name shew forth his salvation from day to day Declare his glory among the Heathen his wonders among all people Come and see the works of God Sing forth the honour of his Name make his Praise glorious O give thanks unto the Lord call upon his Name make known his deeds among the people So doth he summon so doth he urge us to this practice and in his deportment we may see our Duty IV. It is peculiarly the Duty and practice of good men upon such occasions to feel and to express religious Joy The righteous shall be glad in the Lord. Good men indeed then have great matter and much cause on many accounts to be glad It becometh them to rejoyce as having an universal complacence in God's proceedings as gratefully relishing all dispensations of Providence They as pious are disposed to bless and praise God for all things incident and cannot therefore but rejoyce Joy being an inseparable companion of Gratitude and Praise Hence Light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart Hence The voice of salvation and rejoycing is in the tabernacles of the righteous Hence Rejoyce in the Lord O ye righteous for praise is comely for the upright is an exhortation backed with a very good reason They cannot but find satisfaction in observing God's Providence notably discovered to the confirmation of their faith and cherishing their hopes together with the conviction of infidelity and confusion of profaneness Our heart saith the Psalmist shall rejoyce in him because we have trusted in his Holy Name I have trusted in thy mercy my heart shall rejoyce in thy salvation The righteous shall see it and rejoyce and all iniquity shall stop her mouth It is to them no small pleasure to behold God's holy Perfections illustriously shining forth and the Glory of him who is the principal object of their love their reverence their hope and confidence to be conspicuously advanced Rejoyce saith the Psalmist O ye righteous and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness Zion heard and was glad and the daughters of Judah rejoyced because of thy judgments O Lord. For thou Lord art high above all the Earth It is to them ground of exceeding comfort to receive so clear pledges of God's Love and Favour his Truth and Fidelity his Bounty and Munificence toward them expressed in such watchful care over them such protection in dangers such aid in needs such deliverance from mischiefs vouchsafed to them Such Benefits they cannot receive from God's hand without that chearfulness which always doth adhere to gratitude I will saith David sing unto the Lord because he hath dealt bountifully with me Because thou hast been my helper therefore in the shadow of thy wings I will rejoyce My lips shall greatly rejoyce in thee and my Soul which thou hast redeemed I will be glad and rejoyce in thy mercy for thou hast considered my trouble and hast known my Soul in adversities The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad Let all those that put their trust in thee rejoyce let them ever shout for joy because thou defendest them They are also greatly refreshed with apprehension of the happy fruits sprouting from such dispensations of Providence such as are the Benefit of mankind the Peace and prosperity of the Civil State the Preservation settlement enlargement advancement of God's Church the support of Right the succour of Innocence the maintenance of Truth the encouragement and furtherance of Piety the restraint of Violence the discountenance of Errour the correction of Vice and Impiety In these things they as faithful servants of God and real friends of Goodness as bearing hearty good will and compassion to mankind as true lovers of their Country as living and sensible members of the Church cannot but rejoyce Seeing by these things their own best interest which is no other then the advantage of Goodness their chief honour which consists in the promotion of Divine Glory their truest content which is placed in the prosperity of Sion are highly furthered how can they look on them springing up without great delight and complacence O saith the Psalmist sing unto the Lord for he hath done marvellous things He hath remembred his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God And Sing O heavens cryeth the Prophet and be joyful O earth and break forth into singing O ye mountains for the Lord hath comforted his people and will have mercy on his afflicted And When saith he ye shall see this the comfort of God's people your heart shall rejoyce and your bones shall flourish like an herb and the hand of the Lord shall be known toward his servants and his indignation toward his enemies Even in the frustration of wicked designs attended with severe execution of Vengeance on the Contrivers and Abettours of them they may have a pleasant satisfaction they must then yeild a chearful applause to Divine Justice The righteous saith the Psalmist shall rejoyce when he seeth the Vengeance and Let the wicked saith he perish at the presence of God but let the righteous be glad let them rejoyce before God yea let them exceedingly rejoyce Whence at God's infliction of Judgement upon Babylon it is said in Jeremy Then the heaven and the earth and all that is therein shall sing for Babylon and at the fall of Mystical Babylon in the Apocalyps 't is likewise said Rejoye over her thou heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her Farther V. The next Duty prescribed to good men in such cases is to trust in God that is to have their affiance in God upon all such like occasions in all urgencies of need settled improved and corroborated thereby This indeed is the proper end immediately regarding us of God's special Providence disclosing it self in any miraculous or in any remarkable way to nourish in wel-disposed minds that Faith in God which is the root of all Piety and ground of Devotion Such experiments are sound arguments to persuade good men that God doth govern and order things for their best advantage they are powerful incentives driving them in all exigencies to seek God's help they are most convincing evidences that God is abundantly able very willing and ever ready to succour
them They saith the Psalmist that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee And I saith he will abide in thy tabernacle for ever I will trust in the covert of thy wings For thou O God hast heard my vows thou hast been a shelter for me and a strong tower from the enemy It is indeed a great aggravation of diffidence in God that having tasted and seen that the Lord is good having felt so manifest experience of Divine goodness having received so notable pledges of God's favourable inclination to help us we yet will not rely upon him As a friend who by signal instances of kindness hath assured his good will hath great cause of offence if he be suspected of unwillingness in a needful season to afford his relief so may God most justly be displeased when we notwithstanding so palpable demonstrations of his kindness by distrusting him do in effect question the sincerity of his friendship or the constancy of his goodness toward us VI. Good men upon such occasions should glory All the upright in heart shall glory Should glory that is in contemplation of such Providences feeling sprightly elevations of mind and transports of affection they should exhibit triumphant demonstrations of satisfaction and alacrity It becometh them not in such cases to be dumpish or demure but jocund and crank in their humour brisk and gay in their looks pleasantly flippant and free in their speech jolly and debonair in their behaviour every way signifying the extream complacency they take in God's doing and the full content they taste in their state They with solemn exultation should triumph in such events as in victories atchieved by the glorious Hand of God in their behalf in approbation of their cause in favour toward their persons for their great benefit and comfort They may not as proudly assuming to themselves the glory due to God but as gratefully sensible of their felicity springing from God's favour se jactare se laudibus efferre as the Hebrew word doth signifie that is in a sort boast and commend themselves as very happy in their relation to God by virtue of his protection and aid They may not with a haughty insolence or wanton arrogance but with a sober confidence and chearfulness insult upon baffled impiety by their expressions and demeanour upbraiding the folly the baseness the impotency and wretchedness thereof in competition with the wisedom in opposition to the power of God their friend and patron For such carriage in such cases we have the practice and the advice of the Psalmist to warant and direct us In God saith he we boast all the day long and praise thy Name for ever Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy work and I will triumph in the works of thy hands We will rejoyce in thy salvation and in the Name of our God we will set up our banners Glory ye in his holy Name let the heart of them rejoyce that seek the Lord. Sing unto him sing Psalms unto him talk ye of all his wondrous works Save us O Lord our God and gather us from among the heathen to give thanks unto thy Name and to triumph in thy praise Such should be the result upon us of God's merciful Dispensations towards his people I shall onely further remark that the word here used is by the Greek rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall be praised which sense the Original will bear and the reason of the case may admit For such Dispensations ever do adorn integrity and yeild commendation to good men They declare the wisdom of such persons in adhering to God in reposing upon God's help in imbracing such courses which God doth approve and bless they plainly tell how dear such persons are to God how incomparably happy in his favour how impregnably safe under his protection as having his infallible wisedom and his invincible power engaged on their side This cannot but render them admirable their state glorious in the eyes of all men inducing them to profess with the Psalmist Happy is the people which is in such a case yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord. And of such a people that declaration from the same mouth is verified In thy Name shall they rejoyce all the day long and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted For thou art the glory of their strength and in thy favour their horn shall be exalted Such are the Duties suggested in our Text as suting these occasions when God in special manner hath vouchsafed to protect his people or to rescue them from imminent mischiefs by violent assault or by fradulent contrivance levelled against them I should apply these particulars to the present Case solemnized by us but I shall rather recommend the application to your sagacity then farther infringe your patience by spending thereon so many words as it would exact You do well know the Story which by so many years repetition hath been impressed on your minds and by reflecting thereon You will easily discern how God in the seasonable discovery of this execrable Plot the master-piece of wicked machinations ever conceived in humane brain or devised on this side Hell since the foundation of things in the happy deliverance of our Nation and Church from the desperate mischiefs intended toward them in the remarkable protection of Right and Truth did signalize his Providence You will be affected with hearty Reverence toward the gracious Authour of our salvation and with humble dread toward the just awarder of vengeance upon those miscreant wretches who digged this pit and fell into it themselves You will be ready with pious acknowledgment and admiration of God's Mercy his Justice his Wisedom to declare and magnifie this notable Work done by him among us You must needs feel devout resentments of Joy for the Glory arising to God and the Benefits accruing to us in the preservation of God's Anointed our just Sovereign with his Royal posterity in the freeing our Country from civil Broils Disorders and Confusions from the yoaks of Usurpation and slavery from grievous Extortions and Rapines from bloudy Persecutions and Trials with the like spawn of disastrous and tragical consequences by this Design threatned upon it in upholding our Church which was so happily settled and had so long gloriously flourished from utter ruine in securing our profession of God's Holy Truth the truly Catholick Faith of Christ refined from those drossy alloys wherewith the rudeness and sloth of blind Times the fraud of ambitious and covetous Designers the pravity of sensual and profane men had embased and corrupted it together with a pure Worship of God an edifying administration of God's Word and Sacraments a comly wholsome and moderate Discipline conformable to Divine Prescription and Primitive example in rescuing us from having impious Errours scandalous Practices and superstitious Rites with merciless
arm of the wicked and weakneth the strength of the mighty and delivereth the poor from him that is too strong for him Also when great policy and craft do effect nothing but are blasted of themselves or baffled by simplicity when cunningly-laid designs are soon thwarted and overturned when most perspicacious and profound counsellours are so blinded or so infatuated as to mistake in plain cases to oversee things most obvious and palpable when profane malicious subtil treacherous Politicians such as Abimelech Achitophel Aman Sejanus Stilico Borgia with many like occurring in story are not only supplanted in their wicked contrivances but dismally chastised for them These occurrences do more then insinuate Divine wisdom to intervene countermining and confounding such devices For he it is who as the Scripture tells us maketh the Diviners mad turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolish disappointeth the devices of the crafty so that their hands cannot perform their enterprize taketh the wise in their own craftiness and turneth down the counsel of the froward headlong When-ever a just cause or honest design without any support or succour of worldly means without authority power wit learning eloquence doth against all opposition of violence and art prevail this signifieth him to yield a special countenance and aid thereto who to depress humane pride and advance his own glory hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised and things that are not to bring to nought things that are that are with us in most request and esteem Again when Plots with extream caution and secrecy contrived in darkness are by improbable means by unaccountable accidents disclosed and brought to light a bird of the air as the wise man speaketh telling the matter the stones in the wall as it is in the Prophet crying out Treason The King cannot sleep to divert him the Chronicle is called for Mordecai's service is there pitched on an inquiry is made concerning his recompence honour is decreed him so doth Aman's cruel device come out Pity seiseth on a pitiless heart toward one among a huge number of innocents devoted to slaughter that he may be saved a Letter must be sent in that words inserted suggesting the manner of execution that carried to the wise King who presently smelleth it out so This day's Plot was discovered Such events whence can they well proceed but from the all-piercing and ever-watchful care of him whose eyes as Elihu saith are upon the ways of man and he seeth all his goings There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity shall hide themselves For Hell is naked before him and destruction hath no covering Also when ill men by their perverse wiliness do notably befool and ensnare themselves laying trains to blow up their own designs involving themselves in that ruine and mischief into which they studied to draw others as when Saul exposing David's life to hazzard encreaseth his honour when the Persian Nobles incensing the King against Daniel do occasion his growth in savour with their own destruction when Aman by contriving to destroy God's people doth advance them and rearing a gallows for Mordecai doth prepare it for himself when it happeneth according to those passages in the Psalms The wicked are taken in the devices that they imagined In the net which they hid is their own foot taken He made a pit and digged it and is fallen into the ditch which he made His mischief shall return upon his own head and his violent dealings shall come upon his own pate These are pregnant evidences of God's just and wise Providence for the Lord is known by the judgment that he executeth the wicked is snared in the work of his own hand All such occurrences containing in them somewhat if not down-rightly miraculous yet very admirable in like manner deflecting from the stream of humane affairs as miracles do surmount the course of nature most reasonably may most justly should be ascribed to the special operation of him who only doeth wonderful things 2. Another character of special Providence is the Seasonableness and Suddenness of Events When that which in it self is not ordinary nor could well be expected doth fall out happily in the nick of an exigency for the relief of innocence the encouragement of goodness the support of a good cause the furtherance of any good purpose so that there is occasion to acknowledge with the Prophet Thou didst terrible things that we looked not for This is a shrewd indication that God's Hand is then concerned not onely the event being notable but the connexion thereof with circumstances of need being more admirable Thus in time of distress and despondency when a man is utterly forlorn and destitute of all visible relief when as the Psalmist speaketh refuge faileth him and no man careth for his soul if then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an opportune succour doth arrive he is then unreasonable and ingrateful if he doth not avow a special Providence and thankfully ascribe that event unto him who is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble a strength to the poor a strength to the needy in his distress a refuge from the storm a shadow from the heat the hope of Israel and the Saviour thereof in time of trouble This is that for which in the 107 Psalm the Divine Goodness is so magnificently celebrated this is the burden of that pathetical rapture wherein we by repeated wishes and exhortations are instigated to bless God his wonderfully relieving the children of men in their need and distress this is that which God himself in the Prophet representeth as a most satisfactory demonstration of his Providence When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Jacob will not forsake them I will open rivers in high places and fountains in the midst of the valleys c. That they may see and know and consider and understand together that the Hand of the Lord hath done this and the Holy one of Israel hath created it So also when pestilent enterprizes managed by close fraud or by impetuous violence are brought to a head and come near to the point of being executed the sudden detection or seasonable obstruction of them do argue the ever-vigilant Eye and the all-powerful Hand to be engaged God ever doth see those deceitful workers of iniquity laying their mischief in the dark he is always present at their Cabals and clandestine meetings wherein they brood upon it He often doth suffer it to grow on to a pitch of maturity till it be thoroughly formed till it be ready to be hatched and break forth in its mischievous
may we presume that God is not unconcerned nor will prove backward to reach forth his succour And when accordingly we find that signal aid or deliverance do then arrive it is most reasonable to suppose that God particularly hath engaged himself and exerted his power in their behalf For seeing it is his proper and peculiar work seeing it most becometh and behoveth him to appear in such 〈◊〉 affording his helpful countenance when he doth it we should be ready to acknowledge it In such a case The hand of the Lord shall be known toward his servants and his indignation toward his enemies saith the Prophet 5. Another character is the Correspondence of Events to the Prayers and desires of good men For seeing it is the duty and constant practice of good men in all exigencies to implore God's help seeing such Prayers have as S. James telleth us a mighty energy it being God's property by them to be moved to impart his powerful assistence seeing God most plainly and frequently hath declared and obliged himself by promise that he will hear them so as to perform what-ever is expedient in their behalf seeing we have many notable experiments recorded in Scripture as those of Asa Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Elias Daniel and the like of Prayers bringing down wonderful effects from Heaven with which the testimonies of all times and the daily experience of good men do conspire seeing the presumption of such efficacy is the main ground and encouragement of Devotion we have great reason when-ever Events are answerable to such Prayers to ascribe the performance of them to God's Hand great reason we have in such cases to cry out with David Now know I that the Lord saveth his Anointed he will hear him from his holy Heaven with the saving strength of his right hand just cause have we according to his pattern thankfully to acknowledge God's favour in answering our petitions The King said he shall joy in thy strength O Lord and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoyce For thou hast given him his heart's desire and hast not withholden the requests of his lips 6. Again The proceedings of God especially in way of judgment or of dispensing rewards and punishments discover their original by their kind and countenance which usually do bear a near resemblance or some significant correspondence to the actions upon which they are grounded Punishments saith a Father are the forced off-springs of willing faults and answerably Rewards are the children of good deeds and God who formeth both doth commonly order it so that the children in their complexion and features shall resemble their Parents So that the deserts of men shall often be legible in the recompences conferred or inflicted on them not according to the natural result of their practice but with a comely reference thereto apt to raise in them a sense of God's Hand and to wring from them an acknowledgment of his Equity in so dealing with them So when humble Modesty is advanced to honour and ambitious Confidence is thrown into disgrace when Liberality is blessed with encrease and Avarice is cursed with decay of estate when Craft incurreth disappointment and Simplicity findeth good success when haughty Might is shattered and helpless Innocence is preserved when the Calumnious tongue is blistered the Flattering lips are cut off the Blasphemous throat is torn out when bloody Oppressours have blood given them to drink and come to welter in their own gore an accident which almost continually doth happen when Treacherous men by their own Confidents or by themselves are betrayed when Retaliations of vengeance are ministred extorting confessions like to that of Adoni-bezek As I have done so God hath requited me deserving such exprobrations as that of Samuel to Agag As thy sword hath made women childless so shall thy mother be childless among women grounding such reflexions as that concerning Antiochus Thus the murtherer and blasphemer having suffered most grievously as he entreated other men so died he a miserable death By such Occurrences the finger of God doth point out and indicate it self they speak themselves immediately to come from that just God who doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 render to men answerably to their doings who payeth men their due sometimes in value often in specie according to the strictest way of reckoning He as the Prophet saith is great in counsel and mighty in work for his eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men to give every one according to his ways and according to the fruits of his doings This indeed is a sort of administration most conformable to God's exact justice and most conducible to his holy designs of instructing and correcting offenders He therefore hath declared it to be his way It is saith the Prophet directing his speech to the instruments of Divine vengeance upon Babylon the vengeance of the Lord take vengeance upon her as she hath done do unto her And The day of the Lord saith another Prophet concerning the like judgment upon Edom is near upon all the Heathen As thou hast done it shall be done unto thee thy reward shall return upon thine own head Thereby doth God mean to declare himself the Judge and Governour of men For I will saith he in Ezekiel do unto them after their way and according to their deserts will I judge them and they shall know that I am the Lord. Farther 7. Another argument of special Providence is the Harmonious conspiracy of various Accidents to one End or Effect If that one thing should hit advantageously to the production of some considerable Event it may with some plausibility be attributed to Fortune or common Providence yet that divers things having no dependence or coherence one with the other in divers places through several times shall all joyn their forces to compass it cannot well otherwise then be ascribed to God's special Care wisely directing to his own Hand powerfully wielding those concurrent instruments to one good purpose For it is beside the nature it is beyond the reach of Fortune to range various causes in such order Blind Fortune cannot apprehend or catch the seasons and junctures of things which arise from the motions of causes in their nature indifferent and arbitrary to it therefore no such event can reasonably be imputed So to the bringing about our Lord's Passion that great Event which is so particularly assigned to God's Hand we may observe the monstrous Treachery of Judas the strange Malignity of the Jewish Rulers the prodigious Levity of the People the wonderful Easiness of Pilate with other notable accidents to have jumped in order thereto So also that a malicious Traitour should conceive kindness toward any that he should be mistaken in the object of his favour that he should express his mind in a way subject to deliberate examination in terms apt to breed suspicion where