A SERMON Preached on the Thanksgiving-Day The 27 th Day of October 1692. AT CROSBY-SQUARE By SAMUEL SLATER Minister of the GOSPEL LONDON Printed for John Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultry over-against the Compter 1693. TO THAT Flock of GOD which meets at Crosby-Square Dearly Beloved THE following Discourse was through Divine Assistance prepared for you and deliver'd in your hearing it is now publish'd upon your Desire which would not take a Denial Ambition of appearing in Print is far from me the very Trouble of it is sufficient to discourage one who hath so much Work besides to engage him But you are so dear over me and to me that to refuse what you request is next to impossible specially when it speaks your Zeal for their Majesties Interest and tends to the promoting of common Good The Acceptance my poor Labours find with you is a great strengthening of my Hands as your Peace and Unity among yourselves and the sincere Love you bear to all that love our dear Lord Jesus is no less the matter of my Rejoycing Sad Divisions there are to be found up and down at this day which cause great Thoughts of Heart and call for great Searching Oh that the infinitely great and wise Physician would be pleased to speed the Healing of them and blessed be his Name the Devil hath not hitherto set his Cloven Foot among you and oh that he never may And that you may still keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace growing exceedingly and sensibly in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ shining with the bright Beams of Holiness to the Adorning of your Profession And that you may meet with God in Ordinances here to your Comfort and Improvement and after that have a full Enjoyment of him and immediate Communion with him in his Heavenly Kingdom for ever is and shall be the hearty Prayer of him who is Yours to serve you in the Gospel of Christ S. SLATER From my Study Nov. 14 1692. XX. Psalm v. We will rejoyce in thy salvation THIS short but sweet and excellent Psalm was indited by the holy Spirit of God and penn'd by David the sweet Singer of Israel in the form and manner of a Prayer for the help of the Church in their imploring Blessings and Successes upon their Kings whom God by his Providence had set over them though here is also a particular Reference or Respect had unto the Lord Jesus who is the Head of the Church and over all things to the Church King of Sion and of Saints Of whom those other Kings in their Power and Authority were Types shadowing of him out in his Royal Office and Dignity and some of them as David and Solomon were so in a more special and peculiar manner The Psalm indeed doth contain in it two parts or is made up of two things Prayer and Praise The former of these namely the Prayer takes up the five first Verses in which they do humbly and heartily beg of GOD these things for the King First They beg of GOD Audience for the KING The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble Where we may observe that Kings may be in Trouble as well as meaner Persons They have Burdens upon them the Burden of Government which calls for a strong Sholder and the Burden of Care which requires an able Head and Heart And as they have their Burdens so their Troubles Crowns and Thrones are not without their Thorns no more than other Things Trouble will make its entry into the Prince's Palace as well as the Peasant's Cottage Observe again As Princes have their Troubles so they should not be without their Prayer It is not enough for them that their Clergy and other Subjects are Suitors on their behalf but they ought to spread their own Case before God and make their Requests known to him while their People pray for them they should pray for themselves and their People too As they are Men of Power so they should be Men of Prayer I give my self unto prayer said David And happy that Nation which hath a Praying King such a King as is valiant and dares fight with Enemies for them and being gracious knoweth how to wrestle with GOD too It is in the Text taken for granted that the King prays and therefore they desire he may be heard Observe again While the King prays it is the People's Duty to back him and set in with God with him and for him We owe him a special Room in our Hearts and Petitions The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble Doth the King pray oh that he may prosper oh that his Prayer may come up before God as Incense oh that his Prayer may be accepted and granted The Lord hear thee Secondly They desire Protection for him The name of the GOD of Jacob defend thee Do Troubles encompass thee let Salvation do so too Are Men thine Enemies let God be thy Guard his Name is a strong Tower let it be so to thee from the Face of thine Enemies Let all his glorious Attributes which are as so many Letters of his Name be engaged and employed for thy Security and Preservation Thirdly They beg Assistance for him not only that the Divine Shadow may be over him but that the Divine Hand also may be with him and the Everlasting Arm stretched out on his behalf Send thee help from the sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Sion Help when thou needest it and callest for it maist thou never be without the help of God Strength when thou hast Enemies to grapple with that thou maist conquer them and when thou hast Work to do that thou maist go thorough with it and do it to Acceptance Praise and Honour send thee such Help as will be seasonable and such Strength as will be sufficient Fourthly They beg for him Acceptance with God and the gracious Remembrance of all his Religious Services Remember all thy offerings and accept all thy burnt-offerings O my Friends what a singular Comfort is it to a gracious People when they know their King to be a true Worshipper of God together with them and have reason to look upon him as one that is devoted to the Fear Service and Honour of God and when they are so perswaded it is unquestionably their Duty to desire that he might in all that he doth be accepted of God acceptable to his People at least to the best and most judicious of them and to his God too Lastly They beg the fulfilling of all his Counsels and of all his Petitions Verse 4. Grant thee according to thine own heart and fulfil all thy counsels And v. 5. of which the Text is a part The LORD fulfil all thy Petitions The Lord grant that when thou hast directed thy Prayer and lookest up thou maist see something of Mercy coming down That none of thy Prayers may miscarry none drop by the way and fall short of
Heaven but that what goeth up in a Cloud of Prayer may descend again in a Shower of Blessings And that none of thy prudent Counsels may prove abortive but what thou hast been travelling with for the Glory of God the Welfare of the Church and the Good of the Nation thou maist be able to bring forth The Lord grant that thy Prayers may be followed with satisfactory Answers that thy Counsels may be crowned with prosperous Issues and thou maist prove most happily successful in them both Besides these their Prayers for the King whose Example let us follow in Prayer for ours who highly deserves it at our hands as all must acknowledge who are not basely disingenuous and ungrateful they do in the words of the Text promise and ingage for their interesting themselves in his Good and that his Safety Peace and Welfare shall be the matter of their Comfort We will rejoyce in thy salvation In which words we may take notice of these two parts I. A great Mercy or Blessing bestowed upon the Person of the King that is Salvation II. A sutable Affection thereupon working in the Hearts of the People and that is Joy this they promised We will rejoyce in thy salvation If God be thy Defence that shall be our Delight and I question not their Performance good Men will be as good as their word And may their Example be followed by us may all the People of this Land tread in their steps God hath graciously commanded Salvation for our King and now let us rejoyce in his Salvation Sure I am there is very great reason why we should The Doctrine which I shall from hence draw and insist upon will be this DOCT. The Prince's Salvation is just and great Cause for the Peoples Joy When the Prince's Salvation goeth before the Peoples Joy should quickly follow after Praises should even tread upon the heels of Mercy and answer presently as the Eccho doth the Voice And now that our King who hath receiv'd the Mercy doth out of that kindly and deep sence he hath of it call us to the work of Praise we should have our Ears open to the Call and our Hearts rais'd and tun'd for the Work Now that their Majesties say to us all Bless the Lord with us that Man who will not come forth with a Blessing deserves to meet with a Curse at home He that is without his Joy is unworthy of a share in the Benefits of the Salvation In the Prosecution of this Point I shall observe this Method 1st I shall prove it and give you some Reasons for it why the Prince's Salvation should be the Peoples Joy 2dly I shall instance in some particulars which do accent the Salvation and therefore may very well raise and encrease the Peoples Joy A special Salvation ought to be attended with more than a common Joy Here I shall present you with some Considerations that may help to furnish you with the better Sacrifices of Thanksgiving and prove as Fuel to raise a higher and more noble Flame 3dly I shall in a few things shew you what kind of Joy we should have what ought to be the Properties of it if we desire-it may be accepted and approved of God and then 4thly We shall make some Improvement of it in a way of Use and Application and in all have a due Respect to the Time We will begin with the first and shall speak to it as at this day it hath a direct reference to his present Majesty his Salvation doth loudly call upon us to rejoyce in it for these Reasons 1. Because it is such a Salvation as hath come to him upon the Wings of Prayer Sudden and unexpected Mercies Deliverances and Salvations ought to be rejoyced in such as come to us in a way of Surprize when God doth for us things that we thought not of that we looked not for these we should entertain with Joy and be thankful for These speak the watchful Care and rich Mercy of a gracious God But when we can look on a Mercy a Salvation as an Answer of Prayer it puts a further and very delicious Sweetness into it and accordingly calls for the higher Praises When a poor Woman hath been in hard Labour and had many a severe Throw and terrible Pang that hath extorted Groans and Shreiks from her Oh! what Joy is there when she is told that a lovely perfect Child is brought forth into the World If we do not trifle with Duty but understand what Prayer is and manage it aright we do travel in Prayer we have our Pangs and Throws and surely it is with great Wrestlings that we wrestle and when the Mercy sticks in the birth what an Agony is the holy Soul put into And when we do prevail when Free-grace saith Be it to you even as you will and Divine Providence midwives the Mercy into the World we should be very disingenuous ingrateful and unworthy if we should not heartily Welcome it embracing and hugging it with joyful Arms. A bare Salvation is a Mercy a single Mercy but a Salvation fetched in by Prayer is a Mercy doubled upon us A meer Salvation is but a common Mercy extended to the Bad as well as to the Good to Brutes as well as to reasonable Creatures for God preserveth Man and Beast But that Salvation which is commanded and sent in as a Return of Prayer is a special Mercy How greatly upon that account was the Heart of that good Man David affected in the 66 Psal. 19 20. Verily God hath heard me he hath attended to the voice of my prayer Blessed be God which hath not turned away my prayer nor his mercy from me Now while our King hath been studying caring and consulting for us while he hath been travelling labouring and fighting for us we have been praying for him Some of us have been praying for him every day and more than once in a day you know what Prayers have been made and multiplied for him in our publick Congregations and solemn Assemblies what Clouds of Incense have ascended to Heaven what Days of Prayer have been spent and set apart for him what Fastings and Prayers there have been and in them the Pourings out of our Souls and it hath not been in vain God hath heard and answer'd and done therefore let us be joyful in the Lord and his Goodness and take up the aforesaid Expression Blessed be God that hath not turned away our Prayer nor his saving Mercy from our Soveraign Yea and again let us say Blessed be God 2. The King's Salvation is and ought to be the Matter of our Rejoycing because by means thereof there is the continuance of our Peace and Prosperity Indeed when Princes instead of being the Fathers of their Country do become Tyrants and their Government degenerates into Oppression when they bind heavy Yokes and Burdens upon their Subjects and sport themselves in their Sorrow and Ruine when they take destructive Courses and are
this day such Praises to GOD as he may call a glorifying of him Secondly Let us accompany and follow our Praises to God for the Salvation which hath been already commanded with Prayer for further Salvation as need shall require and for more and more Blessings upon him upon them both sor they will stand in need of more They have an absolute Dependence upon him and cannot be without him one day should he depart from them their Strength would be Weakness their Counsels Folly and all their Endeavours unsuccessful God hath store of Salvations by him and a multitude of tender Mercies and can send down Showers of Blessings and he is willing so to do for he doth not faint under Works of Power nor is he weary of Acts of Kindness But still we must seek him for he loves to be enquired of by the HOUSE of ISRAEL Let us therefore pray for our King and Queen heartily constantly every day while they are thinking consulting ordering caring spending venturing themselves for us it is our unquestionable Duty to be Praying for them Let us do it now and hold on in doing it Praise and Prayer are good in company When we with Joy draw Waters out of the Well of Salvation we must let down our Buckets for more And since GOD hath set a Crown of pure Gold upon their Heads let them still joy in his Strength and through the Mercy of the most High let them not be moved let them be prevented compast followed with the Blessings of Goodness let them have Honour and Majesty laid upon them and be made glad with the Light of his Countenance Let the right Hand of GOD find out their Enemies that hate them and make them as a fiery Oven in the time of his Anger The good Lord cloath their Enemies with Shame but upon their Heads let the Crown flourish Thirdly Make their Work as easie to them as ever you can You all see the height of their Station and how much GOD hath advanced them above others but you do not know the Difficulties they meet with in it Crowns do glister but they are very heavy It is no easie thing to manage such a Trust and sit at the Helm of three Kingdoms You that have but little Families do know it is an hard matter to provide for them rightly to govern them and to keep all things in them in a due Order by that judge what it is to look after care for direct and rule such great Bodies O let us make it our business to render their Work as facil and delightsul as we can And surely it is highly reasonable that every one should contribute his utmost toward it While it is our unanimous Desire they should make their Government as easie to us as they can shall we not make it as easie to them as we can And then we shall do so when we are a quiet and well-temper'd People when we are a loving and loyal People when we are an united People Away with Discontent and Variance with Discord and Quarrels and Grumblings without Cause or for Trifles or for such things as are unavoidable Let their Majesties see that ye Love them and are at Peace among yourselves How sweet and pleasant will it be to them to find they have a Room in your Hearts and that you have a Brotherly Kindness for one another and why not Though there are and will be Difference of Judgment and consequently of Practice in some things yet there may and should be an Uniting in Affection Men may walk divers ways without punching one another Fourthly Be ready to assist them to your Power In the Natural Body the Hands and Feet and all the Members will contribute all they can to the Service of the Head so it ought to be in the Body Politick Accordingly let all do the Duties of their Places single Persons theirs let them order and govern themselves Masters of Families theirs let them wisely rule their own Houses Magistrates in Cities Towns and Countries fiâ—l up their Places Judges theirs Ministers and People theirs Persons in Ecclesiastical Civil Military Employments theirs That is an healthful Body of which all the Parts are fit for and bufie at their several Functions The doing of this will lighten the Princes Load and remove many Rubs out of their way Assist them then with your Persons one would think the Gallantry of an English Spirit should scorn to wait for a Press when the Service of the King and Country calls you out much more to flee and hide from it My heart is toward them among the people that offer themselves willingly said brave Debora 5 Judges And let all that are able too assist with their Purses Why such Discontent because of the Taxes are they Unnecessary Can they be avoided Can a War be maintained without Charge A Navy and Army be kept up with nothing Will Souldiers and Seamen venture their Limbs and Lives for nothing or is it fit they should Who can see by your Garbes and Tables that you are over-burden'd by the Taxes Which of you fares the Coarser for them or goes the meaner But what are these Taxes to what those poor Countries suffer that are the Seat of the War what to Military Execution Do you pay more than the Gospel is worth more than the Honour of your Wives and Daughters is worth more than your Peace and Liberty are worth I think it better to pay half what you have than lose all as thousands have and you will if under a French Power Lastly Do not you expose their Majesties to Danger by your Follies We are now rejoycing for their Salvation and other Mercies shewn to them and us in them let us not when we have done go and sin both them and us into Misery and Ruine Know as a People may suffer for the Sins of a King so Aegypt did for the Stubbornness of Pharoah yea and Israel too for David's Numbring the People so may a King suffer for the Sins of the People It was unto the People Samuel spake those words 1 Sam. 12. 25. If ye shall still do wickedly ye shall be consumed both ye and your King Let us all therefore take heed to ourselves let us break off our Sins by Repentance and be a reformed and holy People so walking as to please GOD and honour the Gospel then it will be well with Us and our KING and QUEEN Amen The END