be thus zealous both in our prayers and in our endeavours to fortifie our selves and one another to rouse up our courage to maintain what God hath so long by many wonderful providences maintained and preserved because he doth not seem to have a mind to leave us if we will not basely desert him and his cause For mark I beseech you what incouragement he gives us to hope that notwithstanding our vile requitals of all his loving-kindness we may be delivered if we will at last take such a pious course as I have described First of all he hath graciously heard the Prayers of his faithful people who have often besought him that he would bring to naught all the evils which the craft and subtilty of the devil or man worketh against us He hath strangely when we lookt not for it detected their secret Counsels and thereby delivered our Soveraign whom God long preserve from the detestable design which was against his life This was the Lords doing alone and it ought to be marvellous in our eyes and excite us to do all we can for our own preservation seeing he hath done so much already For unless the Lord had been our help our souls had quickly dwelt in silence Ps XCIV 17. Another incouragement is the happy agreement hitherto between the two houses of Parliament who both are industrious to make further discoveries of those ungodly devices which are in part come to light and to provide the best means they can think of for our safety His Majesties gracious Declaration also that he is ready to joyn with them in all the wayes and means that may establish a firm security of the Protestant Religion as our own hearts can wish is a further encouragement But the greatest of all is that God hath done all hitherto for us himself for his own Names sake notwithstanding our high provocations There hath been little of man seen in all this business or in any of our former deliverances which have been a succession of Miraculous works for the preservation of this Church and Kingdom We cannot say that it was the prudence the diligence the watchfulness of our Councellors which brought to light the deeds of darkness but Gods infinite mercy alone who toucht the heart of one man to reveal those secrets which for the present hath dasht their designs in pieces As confident as they were they are faln short of their aim and the prey is snatcht as it were out of their very teeth They opened their mouth against us they hissed and gnasht their teeth but have not as yet been able to say we have swallowed them up certainly this is the day that we looked for we have found it we have seen it Lam. 2.16 No Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth Which we may very well look upon as a token for good saying with David Psal XLI 11. By this I know that thou favourest me because my enemy doth not triumph over me When they were in so fair a way to it then to be disappointed of their triumph is a manifest sign I think that God hath a kindness for us And may incourage us to say when we see them rave and hear them still brag that the day shall be their own Talk no more so exceeding proudly let not arrogance come forth out of your mouth for the Lord is a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed He will keep the feet of his Saints and the wicked shall be silent in darkness for by strength shall no man prevail 1 Sam. II. 3 9. Did we thus religiously depend upon him and trust in him I am very confident he would still defeat our enemies and not suffer them howsoever they may boast to triumph over us even for this very reason because they are so insolent and barbarous That 's a new thing to be considered for our encouragement The savage cruelty and bloodiness of their designs against those among whom they live peaceably and who have been kind as well as gentle to them is an argument that God abhors them as much as we can do and that he will confound them if we do not provoke him to abhor us and cast us off for our ingratitude and gross negligence in that Religion which hath been so often most wondrously preserved We may make the same complaint to God that David did and thereby move him to pity us that they are not only our enemies wrongfully but have rendred us evil for good and hatred for our good will which is the character of the worst natures in the world It would have been easie for us were we so disposed as we find them to be to have destroyed them all long ago Our Numbers and strength being so vastly greater that nothing could have restrained us from it but only this that our Religion is better Which may make us hope God will be farther merciful to us and not let them prevail who are emboldned by nothing else to attempt to destroy us but by this alone that we are taught to be so kind to them as not to destroy them If David made this an argument why God should defend him from those that rose up against him because they were gathered together not for my transgression nor for my sin O Lord as he speaks Psal LIX 3. We may much more urge the same motive with a little alteration of his words saying Deliver us from the workers of iniquity save us from bloody men For lo they lie in wait for us the mighty are gathered together against us not for our transgression nor for our sin O Lord but quite contrary because our fear of thee forbids us to destroy them They run and prepare themselves without our fault awake to help us and behold the danger wherein we are Thou therefore O Lord God of hosts the God of Israel awake to visit them be not merciful to any wicked transgressor Consume them in wrath consume them that they may not be and let them know that God not they ruleth here and unto the ends of the Earth And it is a singular comfort surely to know and stedfastly believe that as the Psalmist saith elsewhere Psal XCIX 1. according to the old translation The Lord is King be the people never so unpatient he sitteth between the Cherubims i. e. governs the world be the earth never so unquiet Upon him therefore let us depend and commend our selves piously to his protection and we need not fear all the power on earth that they can raise against us As for their interest in heaven we are sure it is very small For if the Lord had not been on our side when they rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quick when they were so wrathfully displeased at us They depended it's like very much upon their supposed interest in the Saints whom they ply hard with their prayers and it is probable besought their help
A SERMON PREACHED AT S. PAVL COVENT-GARDEN On the late Day of Fasting Prayer NOVEMB 13. By SIMON PATRICK D.D. Rector of the said Parish and Chaplain in Ordinary to his MAJESTY IMPRIMATUR Guil. Jane R. P. D. Hen. Episc Lond. a Sacris Dom. Nov. 23. 1678. LONDON Printed by R. E. for J. Magnes and R. Bentley in Russel-street in Covent-Garden near the Piazza 1678. TO THE Inhabitants OF THE PARISH of S. Paul Covent-Garden THis Sermon being Printed meerly because many of you have desired it I hope you intend it shall not lose its Fruit but be imprinted in your Memories and on your Heart It is plain as becomes the Habit of a Mourner but what it wants in Ornament it makes up I trust in honest affections and substantial endeavours to do you good and if it be received into honest and good hearts may conduce much to your happiness here and hereafter I pray God it may and beseech you every day to commit the custody of your selves so seriously unto him in well-doing that you may every one of you be able to say boldly The Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me Nay you may have that comfortable hope which S. Paul had and say with him 2 Tim. IV. 17 18. I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me to his Heavenly Kingdom Amen Jeremiah XIV 9. latter part Yet thou O Lord art in the midst of us and we are called by thy name leave us not THE occasion of our solemn meeting at this time is an Information that hath been given as we are told in the Proclamation which called us hither of an horrible design against the life of his Sacred Majesty which must needs have drawn along with it such fatal consequences had it succeeded as would have endangered the subversion of the Protestant Religion and Government of this Realm which God of his infinite mercy hath hitherto prevented and it is to be hoped will prevent for the future These Reasons have moved the Parliament to desire and His Majesty to grant and appoint that this day be set apart for the imploring the mercy and protection of almighty God to His Majesties Royal Person and in him to all his loyal Subjects and to pray that God would bring to light more and more all secret Machinations against his Majesty and the whole Kingdom For the obtaining these great blessings we ought in the devoutest manner to lift up our hearts and our hands as this Prophet speaks elsewhere to God in the Heavens Acknowledging indeed that we are a very sinful Generation a people laden with iniquity who deserve if he should punish us according to our provocations to be utterly abandon'd by him but humbly beseeching him of his infinite clemency to have patience with us and spare us and not to cut us down as barren Trees that cumber the ground but to try us at least a while longer whether we will bring forth the fruit he justly expects from us Which though we have often promised and not performed and thereby made our selvs the more obnoxious to his heavy displeasure yet since he hath not taken the forfeitures we have made of his favour but still continues it to us nay in a wonderful mannner defeats the attempts of those who would subvert our Religion we have incouragement to importune him in such words as these I have now read and to say though we have been false to thee and to our own vows Yet thou O Lord art in the midst of us and we are called by thy Name leave us not Which are part of an humble deprecation of Gods displeasure which the Prophet Jeremy makes in the behalf of Judah and Jerusalem And are the fittest I could think of to put into your mouths at this time for the averting of Gods Judgments from this poor Church and Kingdom The Jews for whom the Prophet was so importunate in those dayes languished under and were in danger to be devoured by a most miserable Famine which in that Country was wont to come from want of Rain as here in this part of the world from overmuch moisture Thus the Chapter begins as the words run in the Hebrew The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the restraints which were upon the clouds that is by the command of the Almighty who detained their showers and so brought a dearth upon the Land This dearth is described in a very dreadful manner from thence to the 7th v. But looks nothing so terribly to my apprehension as a famine of the word of God would do which we may fear would have followed here in these Countreys if God had permitted our Enemies to accomplish their designs against us For they would have shut up the holy Scriptures from you and laid a restraint upon that Heavenly Doctrine which hath so many years to use the words of Moses Deut. 32.2 Dropt upon you as the rain and distilled as the dew as the small rain upon the tender herb and as showers upon the grass Our unfruitfulness indeed under such sweet influences of Heaven may bring upon us this sore punishment For we must confess as Jeremy doth in the 7th v. That our iniquities testifie against us They are open and apparent they accuse us heavily and demand judgment upon us they plead for our condemnation and the severest executions For our back-slidings are many and we have sinned against God most grievously And therefore unless he will be favourable to us as the Prophet there speaks for his own Namessake we must look for nothing but utter destruction That is our only hope as it was theirs But alas such was the sadness of their case that they had too much reason to fear he who was the hope of Israel as it follows v. 8. and the Saviour thereof in time of trouble would not regard them nor take any farther care of them For that 's the meaning of those questions why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land and as a wayfareing Man who turneth aside to tarry for a night That is as one that minds not what becomes of us no more than a man is concern'd for a place where he intends not to inhabit but only to pass thorough in his way to some other Country Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied as a mighty man that cannot save Or as some render it like one that is weary with his former labours and toils for the good of his neighbours which he finds have been bestowed to so little purpose that he hath no incouragement to do any more to help them God seemed that is to be resolved to send them no more deliverance but to abandon them to inevitable destruction or matters were come to such a pass that the Prophet feared he would soon be so resolved their behaviour towards him being so
he there gives directions how it should be built and orders how it should be furnished with a Table and Dishes and Spoons and Candlestick and Snuffers and abundance of other houshold-stuff Whereof no reason can be given but this that it might represent in the most familiar manner to the grossest souls in the Nation that God dwelt and as it were kept house among them 5. And that it might be more apparent this was his House and that herein he dwelt among them this House was seated in the midst of their Camp Numb XI 17. v. 3. and there was also a glorious cloud covered it whereby it was sanctified to be his habitation Exod. XXIX 43. The pillar of the cloud and fire that is which had led them out of Egypt and was the special token of his presence with them he there promises should rest upon this House and consecrate it to himself And accordingly you find that as soon as Moses had finished this habitation and set it up A cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle So that Moses was not able to enter into the place because the cloud abode thereon and the glory of the LORD filled it Exod. XL. 34 37. On the outside of the house that is there was a smoak but within there was a most glorious brightness which sometime broke forth in an amazing splendor as a visible token of his presence in the midst of them So you read in many places which I cannot stand now to mention that the Glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud and stood in the door of the Tabernacle and appeared to all the congregation dazling their eyes and frighting them when they were in the greatest tumults and rebellions against Moses and Aaron For it lookt then like a consuming fire which they thought would presently devour them Lastly Gods dwelling among them was so clearly demonstrated he was so nigh to them and made himself so familiar with them that he is said to be seen face to face among them So you read Numb XIV 14. Where the people being in a mutiny against the only good men amongst them The Glory of the Lord appeared in the Tabernacle and the Lord threatned to disinherit them and had then done execution upon them had not Moses interposed for them by this argument that the people of Canaan would make an ill construction of it For they have heard that thou LORD art among this people that thou LORD art seen face to face and thy cloud standeth over them c. Read also Deut. V. 4. And when you have considered all this seriously you will see there was reason to say that the LORD was in the midst of them and in an extraordinaary mnner sensibly present to this people They were above all others dear to him and had the highest marks of his favour and love None could more presume of his indulgent kindness to them or be more assured of his tender and affectionate care watching over them to preserve them Unless it be our selves who have a greater grace vouchsafed to us and more illustrious demonstrations of his powerful presence with us to bless protect and defend us than the Israelites though so much in his favour could boast of We whom he hath Elected to be his peculiar people called to be Saints and sanctified excell them as much as they did other Nations He hath exalted our praise far above theirs who were heretofore so much renowned and hath approached so nigh to us and made us so near to himself that we may glory in his holy Name and say in a far more noble sence than they could that he hath spoken to us face to face For no man hath seen God at any time but the only begotten Son who is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him And the Word was made flesh say the Apostles of our Religion and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father Joh. I. 14.18 God shone into the very hearts of these holy men to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. IV. 6. And what they saw and heard they have declared to us that we might also have fellowship with them and they protest that truly their fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. I. 3. Who is the image of the invisible God and the brightness of his glory By whom God looks upon us and speaks to us through our own flesh for he dwells not now as he did among them in a Tabernacle made of Curtains and beasts Skins or in a house of stone but hath made our Nature his dwelling-place The flesh of man is become the Sanctuary of God wherein he will dwell for ever As our Lord hath assured us by sending down from his holy place the HOLY GHOST the Spirit of glory upon us whereby all Christians are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit Ephes II. 22. Who hath delivered to us his Oracles in the holy Gospel where such things are revealed unto us as the Angels desire to look into 1 Pet. I. 12. For the New Jerusalem of which we are Citizens came down from God out of Heaven and when it descended S. John heard a great voice out of Heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God Rev. XXI 2 3. Nor was all this proper only to those times when Christianity was first planted in the world but we have still visible assurances of his gracious presence among us and of his dear love to us And that is in the holy Sacrament of our Lords Body and Blood where he really and indeed makes himself present to all the faithful and is in the midst of them There he calls unto us and says See the love I bear to you Behold the tokens of my everlasting remembrance of you Believe it I am with you always to the end of the world I assure you hereby that my Body and Blood shall preserve you to eternal life Because I live ye shall live also And though you may imagine this to be a priviledge common to all Christians yet if the matter be well considered it will appear that we have a peculiar Claim to this honour of being a people nigh unto him or may at least in a double regard challenge a special interest in his favour above all those who endeavour wholly to ingross and limit it to themselves First In that we have the blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood more entirely and purely administred unto us Whereby we are assured he is there present among us when-as they that depend upon the intention of their Priests can have no certainty of so great a blessing We have him presented to us
we think that God will preserve our Religion and maintain it against those that seek to destroy it if we make no other use of it but only to fill us with vain confidences of his love and favour while we continue in our impurities If we have any love to it any value for it let it have its due effect upon us by purging us from those things which disparage it That we may be vessels of honour sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work 2 Tim. II. 21. And in what work can they that have authority better imploy themselves than in setting themselves to chastise evil doers to reform all abuses in the places where they live to discover all workers of iniquity and to pursue them when they are discovered with a just indignation and bring them to condign punishment They are very useless if they neglect this and have little love to their Master and his Religion which had such power over mens hearts heretofore that even after they had left their first love and declined in their affection to Christianity they had so much zeal remaining as not to be able to bear them which were evil It is our Saviours Character of the Church of Ephesus Rev. II. 2 4. among whose works though short of what they did at first v. 5. he reckons this for one and commends them for trying them which said they were Apostles and were not and for finding them to be liars III. Which will lead me to the last thing I am to press upon you and that is to be zealous for the defence of our Religion Godly zeal I suppose you all know is nothing else but the affection of love to God raised to the pitch of fervency which will not let us endure any hurt or contempt should be offer'd to that which he loves if we can remedy it Now what doth he love more than true Religion which the purer it is the dearer without all doubt it is to him that hates all iniquity And where I beseech you can you find any Religion which in this regard may be compared with that which is by Law here established Which deserves therefore all the zeal you can express for its preservation and at this time calls for all the zeal that it deserves For it is lost in all likelihood without every mans zeal in his place to save it We are undone if we have not a heat activity and courage proportionable to theirs that seek to destroy it And is it not a shame that false Religion should make men more busie and active more bold and undaunted than true Religion doth those who have so long professed it and been instructed in the worth and excellency of it Or do we expect to have it preserved without so much ado Are we such Fools as to imagine that if we defend our selves weakly faintly and timorously when they assault us not only resolutely but boldly and furiously we shall get the Victory No the Magistrates must do all that is in their power to execute his Majesties Command for the finding out and expelling those that oppose it And they that are not Magistrates must give them their assistance and quicken those that are Call upon all your Acquaintance who have any power or interest to be honest and upright to preserve their integrity and not be tempted by any thing in this world to betray their Religion And tell them it is not enough to be upright but they must be diligent and zealous because now is the time for every man to shew himself and to do all that lawfully he may for the honour and safety of his Religion There are no other bounds that I know of which we are to set to our zeal for our Religion but only this that we do nothing contrary to it Whatsoever it allows it now requires that we may not lose it We must not suffer our zeal to be damped by politick considerations respect to our private interest and desire to please Men but waving all these take care only that others be not wronged by it while we suffer perhaps very much in our own concerns For he knows nothing of the nature of holy zeal who doth not feel it transport him to act beyond himself and to make him quite forget his own private concerns which he thinks of no further than as they are included in the publique good There can be no other meaning of that which the Apostles apply to our Saviour The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up Joh. II. 17. than this that he regarded not his own particular interest nor minded what he was likely to suffer but all thoughts of it were swallowed up in his zeal to serve God Who will not be served indeed by our private passions and evil affections but doth expect that we should not consult with the wisdom of this World which is for suffering nothing but avoiding all that may hurt and prejudice us though God may be thereby very much honoured And therefore his wisdom of which we ought to take counsel bids us forget the damage we may suffer and lay aside all thoughts of our selves so we may but promote his glory When we have any hope of that we must hearken to no other advice but that of the Apostle Rom. XII 11. Not slothful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord. We would be glad perhaps to follow the other reading of the last part of that Verse serving the time but not in the right sense serving the time by serving the Lord faithfully in our several stations This he expects from us this our Religion and all good men expect from us that at this time when the Zealots of the Romish Church are so outragiously set to destroy us we should pluck up our spirits as the phrase is and imitate or rather excel them not in that cut-throat zeal God forbid which made the Jewish Nation as it doth them so infamous but in a just indignation against such barbarous persons and practises and in a zealous resolution always burning in our breasts to defend our Religion the best we can against their attempts I am bold to speak in this manner without any undue transport because I find God himself expressing his zealous affection for the defence of his Church in far higher terms than these Zach. VIII 2. Thus saith the Lord of hosts I was jealous for Zion with great jealousie and I was jealous for her with great fury Do not you then listen to any motion which may be made to you I will not say to leave your Religion but to be remiss and not so zealous for it Think what a dishonour it will be to you and how it will endanger it if when so many bend their tongues like their bow for lies you should not be valiant for the truth Which was the charge that Jeremy ch IX 3. brought against Jerusalem but I hope will never be your