me aliquid ubi persecutor pervenire non possit ubi Deus meus habitat Let Man be never so sharp in persecuting yet nothing dies in me but what is mortal Nevertheless there will be something in me at which the cruel Persecutor cannot come where my blessed God dwelleth Whom have I in Heaven but thee O Lord and there is none upon Earth that I desire beside thee But as this reproves all wicked and unbelieving Hearts so in the next place it is no small Encouragement unto all the Servants of the most high God for to fear him and serve him in Truth with a perfect Heart and willing Mind For it is an undeniable Assertion That such a Kingdom or People cannot be moved or shaken by any terrible Blasts of the Devil or his Instruments who hath the eternal Lord for its Strength and Defence And I may truly say that there are no times so very Perillous nor Days so very Evil but that they may be made easie and happy unto every Child of God and Believer in Jesus Christ I mean the dangerousness and badness of these times which many groundlesly and unjustly complain of may be reduced to an equality with the Peace Safety and Comfort of better times Yea may be made equal unto the best of Days which this present World commonly affords unto the Church militant As the sharpness of a very cold and pinching Season may by a proportionable addition of warm Cloathes the use of good Fires and the like be made as little offensive to a Man's Constitution as a temperate Season is Or as a Man who is shut up close in a most strong or impregnable Castle and is there sufficiently provided and stored with all things necessary as Men Arms Mony Powder Ball c. Is in as much or rather more safety and freer from all danger altho' he be encompassed about and besieged by his inveterate and implacable Enemies at the same time than another Man is who hath no Enemies at all seemingly near him In like manner when once a Man hath the great and mighty God for his Defence and the covering of his Almighty Wings spreading over him and underneath him the everlasting Arms which Moses speaks of Deut. 32. 27. Then what Bullets soever are flying about him what Cannons soever are roaring against him what Storms soever are rising what Waves or Billows soever are raging what Enemies soever are Plotting yea what Perils or Dangers soever he may be seemingly in yet notwithstanding all he is most safe he is most secure in God who is a firm Rock near a most raging Sea a sure Shield amidst Showers of invenom'd Darts And 't is one and the same thing unto such a Man for to be in the very midst of a Battel either by Sea or Land among the thundring Guns and Showers of small Shot which falls round about him like Hail as to be in the Walks of a most pleasant Garden and hear the sweetest singing of Birds The sound of Alarum by a Drum or Trumpet is as acceptable to him as the voice of the Turtle Because he can always and in every place rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of his Salvation as the Church does Hab. 3. 18. Alas A Man can but be safe a Man can but be secure and at rest and ease in his Mind if he lived in those halcion Days or golden Times prophesied of by the Psalmist When the Mountains shall bring Peace to the People and the â—â—ttle Hills Righteousness Psal 72. 3. That is to say when neither High nor Low King nor People shall be troublesome one to another nor disturb each other But the Wolf also shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the fatling together and a little Child shall lead them Verily the condition of a true Child of Light and Heir of Glory be he in the Wars either by Sea or by Land abroad or at home is always thus blessed and happy thus at ease and rest in his own Breast and Conscience because he is kept in perfect Peace by him who is the Prince of Peace Whereas 't is far otherwise with an ungodly wicked Man who is like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose Waters cast up Mire and Dirt. There is no Peace saith my God to the Wicked You then that are gone forth to War against the Enemies of the Lord and his Church whether you are by Land or by Water let me beseech you in Christ's stead and for his sake to receive this wholsome and profitable Advice and let it take deep Root in all your Hearts and be continually in your Mind Trust ye in the Lord Jehovah for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting Strength for he bringeth down them that are Proud and exalteth the Humble and Meek Isa 26. 4. 5. What could you wish for more than Strength Yes but here is everlasting Strength What could you desire more than Defence Yes But here is Defence and Safety Courage and a Blessing Oh our gracious and merciful God hath always some Twigs left for to preserve and keep his elect People above Water when they suspect themselves to be most in danger For he hath either the Castle of his Providence the Ark of his Promise or the All sufficiency of his Grace and Goodness for the safety and retirement of his Children and Servants in the greatest of Storms How did he defend David and his little Company when Saul and his Army had almost encompassed him about Alas you must expect to meet with some rubs in your way towards the Celestial Canaan and through many Tribulations you must enter into the Kingdom of God Non est ad astra mollis e terris via all true Christians know well that the Church is militant here on Earth and therefore the Saints commonly sow here in Tears that they may reap hereafter in Joy We must all expect to fight the Lords Battel here on Earth which St. Paul terms a good sight that we may acquire the Victory and receive our Crown of Righteousness and Glory in Heaven where there is no Enemy or Opposition for all are there of one Mind and Heart praising God with Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Here we must all run the Christian Race which is set before us by our Lord and Saviour with Patience and Alacrity that we may obtain the Prize or that Incorruptible Crown which the Lord the righteous Judg bestows on such Here is the place appointed for us to work in while it is day or rather the Lord's Vineyard But in the Kingdom of Heaven are we to expect and receive our Wages when our Work is done or our Course finished For there is the rest which remains for the People of God Wherefore then should any rational Soul think to find that in this World which God hath reserv'd for the World to come when
Solemn Fast Days and wrestle with God by Prayer as Jacob did with the Angel and not let him go until he had blessed us and our Forces I would to God I could prevail with you all for to consider the case of the Murmuring complaining unbelieving Israelites and so to be warn'd and repent For doth not the Apostle tell us in most plain Words That these things happened unto the Israelites for Examples and are Written for our Admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come Mark That we should not be Idolaters as were some of them That we should not commit Fornication as did some of them and fell in one Day three and twenty Thousand That we should not swear or take the Name of God in vain as did some of them and were destroyed of the destroyer That we should not have in us evil Hearts of unbelief and so provoke the Majesty of Heaven to refuse to go forth with our Hosts 1 Cor. 10. 6. to 12. There are three Vices or Sins especially above all others noted by Historians which bring danger and publick Punishment and Calamity unto a Kingdom or People viz. Ungodliness Injustice and Luxuriousness Ungodliness troubleth the Church Injustice the vulgar People and Luxuriousness private Families And the hurt in special redounds to the whole Nation Therefore Salmoxes Counsel is not amiss saying that these Things should by all means be avoided by every one that fears God namely Sluggishness from the Body Ignorance from the Mind Gluttony from the Belly Sedition and Faction from the Church and Nation Discord from the Family Disloyalty and Treachery from the Governours and Government Intemperance from all things and above all other Sin and Iniquity from every true Christian Oh that these Rules were but generally followed and practis'd throughout our whole Nation that so the everlasting Father of Lights might prosper us in our Labours and Arms. But let me address my self in a more especial manner unto you who are gone forth to warr against the Enemy You have heard here how the People of Israel provoked the infinite Majesty of Heaven and Earth to Wrath by their evil Ways and sinful Actions and caused the most Great and Terrible God who was their Helper and Defender to depart from them and leave them to the will of their Enemies insomuch that they were smitten of them sundrie times Oh! that this may be a warning unto all from the highest to the lowest And an effectual argument to prevail with every one of you both Officers and Souldiers for to leave off your most horrid Oaths your prophane Speeches your dissolute Actions your intemperate drinkings c. And to give your selves wholly unto the contrary Virtues As to the denying all Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts And to live soberly Righteously and Godly the remainder of your Days And if you do thus then you may justly hope for the Blessing of God Almighty upon your endeavours and upon good Ground expect to prosper in that employment whereunto ye are called But if you still do wickedly If you still continue in Sin and disobey the Commandments of God Can you reasonably think that the Lord of Hosts will abide with you or take your part against the Enemy Oh no he is a most just and Holy God who will by no means clear the guilty But will execute the fierceness of his Wrath against you until he hath destroyed you from off the Face of the Earth and blotted out your Names from under Heaven We have the Testimony of the Holy Ghost for this and many examples in the Sacred Scriptures As the old World which was drown'd Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed with Fire and Brimstone from Heaven The Galileans on whom the Tower of Siloam fell c. And then in Prophane History we Read that in the third Year after that Pompey had won Jerusalem Valerius Gracchus being President of Judea a certain Jew came to the Senate of Rome for to complain of the grievances and injustice done in that Country by their Magistrates c. And among other expressions he spake thus O Learned Fathers O happy People your Blessed Destinies that favour'd you and our angry God who hath forsaken us for our Sins hath now made the famous Metropolitan City of Jerusalem once the Commander of all Asia and Mother of the Jews Subject and Servant unto Rome and to you Romans Great indeed was the Courage and Power of Pompey and great was his Army that overcame us But I will tell you much greater was the Wrath and Fury of our God And without comparison the Number of our Sins for which we have deserved to be utterly overthrown It is worthy to be noted by you all that whatsoever People or Nation Fleet or Army doth press the Lord down most with the Weight and Burden of Sin That Nation or People shall be sure to feel most of Gods heavy Hand upon it Amos 2. 13. And thus the Justice of the most High will perform for it is gone out of his Lips and he cannot Reverse it That he will render unto a People according to its deservings Therefore it highly concerns the whole Nation in general and you of the Fleet and Army in particular for to give Glory to the Lord our God before he cause Darkness of Calamity or Captivity and before our Feet Stumble upon the Dark Mountains and while we look for Light Lest he turn it into the Shadow of Death and make it gross Darkness Jer. 13. 16. The Prophets meaning is thus according to Bishop Tayler upon it Repent of all your Wickedness before the Almighty come to search and find us out by his heavy Judgments And that while we have time and opportunity afforded us And this is the only means through the Blood of Jesus Christ for to appease Divine Wrath Revel 16. 9. And they repented not to give Glory to God Oh let us all then be perswaded to break off all our Sins by Righteousness for it may be a lengthening of our Happiness and an Infallible Means to cause the Lord to destroy our Enemies Rebel not ye against c. Secondly that God only is the best and safest defence of his Church against her Adversaries And this Truth may appear 1 From the Attributes and Titles of God in the Holy Scriptures and 2 By the manifold deliverances of his Church and People in all Ages of the World First from the Attributes and Titles of God He is most Holy and therefore in the first place we may with great safety trust in him and rely on his Word and Promise for help in time of trouble and he will deliver us For this is no mean Comfort unto his Church that the Lord is Righteous in all his Ways and Holy in all his Works And therefore he will not forsake a Holy Nation nor a Repenting Praying People He never leaves off a Kingdom unto it self until it first leaveth him by unholyness and filthy conversation and
no doubt by the Prince of the Power of the Air on behalf of his Children of Darkness to obstruct our Landing But the mighty God and terrible was with us and deliver'd us all from the Peril of the Seas bringing us back to Hell-voot Sluce And after that we had offer'd to him there the Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving for so merciful a Deliverance and tarried there about 11 days then did Almighty God send us a fair Wind which brought us all safely into Torbay where our most renown'd and blessed Prince landed And we were no sooner come into the Bay but the everlasting Arms were about us and changed the Wind which hindred our then Adversaries from pursuing us Who dares deny bu◠this was the Lords own doing and ought not to be forgotten of this Nation but to be marvellous in our Eyes For here was the Finger of God as our very Enemies confess'd And afterwards when we were come to Exeter how wonderfully did the Almighty turn the Hearts of this whole Nation and the opposite Army as the Heart of one Man towards this most valorous and mighty Prince insomuch that very little or no Blood was shed in this blessed and glorious Revolution Again was not the living and true God the best Defence unto our most gracious Sovereign Lord K. William and his Army when he passed the River at Drogheda vulgarly called the River Boyn when as the Enemy was so advantagiously encamped Yet how soon did the Lord strike Terror into all their Hearts and they fled before us Oh there is no question to be made but that the eternal Majesty of Heaven and Earth shelter'd our gracious King under his mighty Wings and encompass'd him about with his Favour and Protection and we hope and pray that he will still do so unto him for ever and ever Here is then a very sharp Reproof unto all wicked and unbelieving Hearts who are even distracted and at their Wits end at the very noise of a giddy Multitude As if the everliving and terrible Majesty of Heaven and Earth even the Lord Jehovah's Hand was shortned As if he was not as able to bless and preserve their most excellent Majesties in these days as he was in our Fore-fathers time Or as if he could not cover them and this Nation with the mighty Wings of his Providence from all Perils and Dangers of the Enemy now as he hath done all along Oh take notice then all ye faint-hearted faithlels and unbelieving Souls of those words of the Prophet Jeremiah Chap. 32. 18 19 27. Behold I am the great the mighty God the Lord of Hosts is my Name I am the God of all Flesh great in Counsel and mighty in Work Is there any thing too hard for me Are you so foolish and unwise as to think that all the Plots Conspiracies and Devices which are against my faithful Servants who fulfil my Will shall ever prevail Do you imagine that I who am the most just and righteous Governor of the World do not regard those my Deputies which rule according to the Truth of my holy Word and are a Terror to the Evil and a Praise to them that do well I tell you plainly That no Weapon form'd against such holy Princes shall prosper For I who am the great King of Heaven and Earth will certainly pull down all such as walk contrary to my Laws and I will bring to nought the Adversaries of my Church like Lambs to the Slaughter And the mighty Men of Babylon shall tremble for fear and forbear to fight They shall remain in their Holds and in their Camps their Might and Strength shall fail 'em and they shall be beaten and destroyed One Post shall run to meet another and one Messenger shall hasten to meet his Fellow To shew the King of Babylon the great and terrible Works of the most high God what Desolations or what an Overthrow the Lord whose Name is Jehovah hath wrought for his own Heritage against their Adversaries And then shall Tidings be spread through the Earth that the Babylonish Forces by Sea and Land are utterly confounded For every purpose of the Lord against Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon shall be perform'd to make him know and feel that God alone is to be feared throughout the whole Earth And tho' he hath devour'd the Heritage of the Lord yet his Heart shall melt away for fear and for those things which are coming upon him Jer. 51. 30 31 33 40. Alas what if the Adversaries of the Lord have gotten a second Chrysippus among 'em which probably may be able to speak well of every thing Or what if they have a second Achitophel But to go higher What if they have a second Aristotle or a second Solomon Yet still so long as we have the Almighty most terrible and all wise for our Defence who is the Fountain of all Wisdom and Knowledg and the Giver of Courage and Strength Deliverance and Salvation we need not to care Suppose we want some of the Beams so we have but the Sun it self And what matter is it if we want some of the Streams when we have the pure Spring Nay corrupt Streams and muddy and deceitful Branches are very unwholesome and infectious unto the Body Politick and therefore if they are dryed up or wasted we need not to care But now for the Church of God to hold fast together and to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one Heart in one place is a very good and joyful thing and no doubt exceeding acceptable in the sight of God our heavenly Father And I hope every one that hath the fear of God before his Eyes and the least regard to the welfare of their Majesties and their Kingdoms or to their own Salvation will not be remiss in joyning with the Church in Prayer upon our solemn Fast-days For tho' it cannot be denied but that the effectual fervent Prayer of one righteous Man avails much yet it must be granted that the joynt Prayers of a Congregation or rather of the whole Church prevail infinitely more One Stick may make a Fire but many Sticks put together will make a great and hot Fire One String of an Instrument may make a sound but many Strings a melodious Harmony One single Prayer in our Closets may be a Sacrifice but the Prayers of a whole Kingdom makes a Sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling Savour and therefore the Psalmist calls the publick Prayers of the Church a worshipping of the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness Psal 29. 2. We read of those Worthies how couragious they were for to keep Faith and a good Conscience Yea so valiant for the Lord's cause that they loved not their Lives unto Death Hence says that Champion of the Apostles None of these things move me neither count I my Life dear unto my self so that I may finish my Course with Joy c. Saviat persequendo nihil in me moritur nisi mortale erit in