an Angel preserved him The Time that God ordinarily chooseth to shew himself their Saviour is when the State of his People looks to be come to such an Irrecoverable Ruin as that they must of necessity perish if he do not save them The Almighty's Deliverance often comes in the most Unlikely Time When Sense is at a loss and Carnal Reason is puzzled In the Mount he is seen When the Knife is lifting Cum duplicantur Lateres venit Deut. at the Throat when all Hope is cut off Then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God's Sovereign Arm appears beyond all hope or thought Is 33. 7 8 9. And so we come in the IIId Place to Consider of the Ways or Manner how God is wont to deliver his Church and Servants And truly if we trace the Footsteps of the Most High in the Work of Execution on his Enemies and of Salvation toward his People we shall be forced to say as in Psal 77. 9. That his way hath been in the Sea and his paths in the Is 64. 1. Cant. 2. 8. Neh. 1. 3. great waters and his footsteps were not known In leading on his people like a flock he hath travelled in the greatness of his strength sometimes removing Mountains out of their way making them flow down at his presence and sometimes skipping over them and sometimes his way hath been in the whirlwind and in the great storm In short He hath ever acted in this Matter in Ways and Manner most Glorious to and Expressive of his Great Name most Advantageous and Comfortable to his own Servants and fullest of Shame and Confusion to his Enemies And First One way he takes to Rescue his Servants is By laying Restraints and causing sudden Changes on the Spirits of their Adversaries Thus it was in Jacob's Cause with respect to his Inraged Brother Esau's Malice was stirred and his Power great enough to cut off Jacob with all appertaining to him but upon Jacob's Prayer to God for his appearing on his behalf Lo Quantum Mutatus God's Awing Hand seized on him and so effectually checkt his Bloody Intention that when he met his Brother he could not so much as give him an Ill word But Jacob saw his face as if he had seen the face of God So well was Esau seemingly at least pleased with him Genesis Chapters 32 and 33. Thus God held in Israel's Envious Neighbours from Attempting the least Hurt against them at a Time when they might easily have Ruined them At other Times they were watchful enough for all Advantages to Invade their Land being spitefully Set against them But now when on God's Command the People and all the Males leave their Habitations to go to Worship at Jerusalem they do not once Offer to make any Inroads into their Country when there was Nothing in second Causes to hinder them So Saul's Revengeful Spirit against David which had all the Force of Interest to Support it suffers such a wonderful and sudden Change that of a Persecutor he becomes a Justifier of David Acknowledging David's Innocence and his own Guilt 1 Sam. 24. 17. c. And in like wonderful manner was Jehosophat rescued from Destruction for when the Enemies in Battel had espied him they presently compassed him about so as he had no likely way of Escaping but God saith the Text moved them to depart from him 2 Chron. 18. 30 c. God sometimes again Preserves his Indangered People By Infatuating or Defeating the Counsels of their Foes Hence Enemies often Fail in their Mischievous Designs because they act like very Fools in the Management of them So Herod in Designing the Death of our Saviour his Feared Competitor in the Kingdom went a very simple way to work though he was naturally a †Else our Saviour had not call'd him Fox Crafty Person for instead of sending some of his own Tried Friends or Servants or going himself in Person to find him out and cut him off he commits the whole Affair to such as were meer Strangers to him and of whose Trustiness he could not have the least Assurance And as much Infatuated were the Egyptians in Entring into the Red-Sea after the Israelites to Destroy them there when they saw the Israelites God opening it miraculously for the Rescuing his said People from them So the Divine Oracles tell us How for the saving of his People from Oppressors he can make Princes fools and the wise Counsellors of Persecuting Princes to become brutish Isa 19. 11 12 20. And as in Job 12. 16 17. He leadeth Counsellors away spoiled and maketh the Judges fools And 't is not seldom that he causeth the wisdom of the wise to perish Is 29. 14. and his Enemies to fall by their own Theodoret. Hist l 3. c. 20. Counsel as Julian did before the Persians by Advising the Burning of his Ships the better to Provoke the Valour of his Soldiers Again as by Infatuating of their Counsel so likewise by Defeating of Good Counsel he Preserves his Maliced Servants from the Rage of their Cruel Foes An Instance of this we have in Absalom who Consulting with his Great Ministers how to Act in the Pursuit of David so as to make sure of him had his Eyes held from Discerning the best Counsel given him by Ahitophel which would certainly have answered his Design in the Ruining his Excellent Father the King and so Followed the worst Advice to his own Overthrow and his Father's Escape One while he keeps his People safe from the Designed Ruin by Causing Timely Discoveries of their Enemies Plots against them Thus Israel was Preserved from a Mighty Enemy by their having Disclosed to them the Secret Counsels of the King of Syria that was Preparing Mischief against them 2 Kings 6. 10. And Paul's Life was Secured by the Discovery of a Conspiracy against it Acts 23. 14 c. So the Powder-Treason was happily Put by through a Strange Discovery in the very Nick of Time when the Match and the Powder had well nigh Met. So our Present Sovereign and these Nations with him had as Wonderful a Deliverance from the Intended Hellish Assassination two Years ago by making some of its Abettors to become its Detecters in the very Juncture of Time when the Miscreants were full ready to Give the Accursed Blow Another while he Protects his Cause and People by Turning their Enemies Plots and Attempts against Themselves and to the Advantage of his Church Snaring the Wicked in the Work of their own Hands and taking them iâ— their own Craftiness Job 5. 12 13. Psal 9. 15 16. So Haman's Conspiracy against the Jews and Daniel's Enemies Plots against him Ruiâ—â—d themselves only but turned to the Good of these whom they were Intended to Destroy Esth 8. 6 7. Pharaoh Feared Israel would Grow too Mighty and therefore Oppressed them to Hiâ—der their Increase but this made them both Stronger and More Numerous Thus Bloody Maxâ—ntius to Destroy Pious Constantine and his Army Made a
Provoking Guilt and Offences against Heaven the Lord thus Appeared for us Could we Behold what Excellent Wisdom how Glorious Power what Free Goodness how Exceeding Great Compassions what Wonderful Patience and Long-Suffering the Lord has Displayed in Working out this our so Great and Multiplied Salvation with What Thankful Hearts Raised Affections Praising Tongues and Eminently-Fruitful Lives should we Set our selves to Bless Extoll Serve and Magnify our Good God Casting on Him the Glory of All What we Are the Lord has Made us What we Enjoy is the Gift of his Free Bounty Fetched by his Mighty Arm as out of the Fire and Handed to Us from the very Jaws of Ruin The Lord has Gone before Us in the Greatness of his Strength has been a Jer. 14. 8. the Hope of our Israel the Saviour thereof in the time of Trouble b Psal 72. 4. Who has Judged the Poor of our People and Saved the Children of the Needy and Broken in pieces oâ—â— Oppressours c Psal 72 14. he has Redeemed our Soul from Deceit and Violence and Precious has our Blood been in his Sight Even he d Jer. 10. 10. the Onely True and Living God the Everlasting King at whose Wrath the Earth doth Tremble and whose Indignation the Nations are not able to Abide has Looked on Us in our Low Estate Saved Us from Job 5. 15 20. the Power of the Sword f Job 5. 12. Disappointed the Devices of our Crafty Enemies so that their Hands could not Perform their Enterprize and does now Abound toward us in Riches of Goodness and Forbearance and Long-suffering Purposely to Lead us to Repentance O therefore let us Duely Oâ—â— Him Rightly Mention his Holy Name and Shew forth All his Praises Let us Break off oâ—â— Iniquities by Repentance and Turn unto the Lord with all our Hearts and not feignedly Let us study What to Render unto the Lord for all Hiâ— Benefits And according to the Modell of Truâ— Thankfulness though alas too short and lamâ— that has been Set before you always Strive to your Utmost with Heart Lip and Life with All you Are Have Meet with and Can Dâ— to Yeild unto the Lord the Glorious Honour of his Majesty and of his Wondrous Works Psal 145. 5. And to Provoke Us to such a God-Glorifying Course Know we and Consider well 1. That we are no True Christians nor will God so Account of us if we Do it not Taking the Name of the Lord upon us without Living after His Example who spent his Days in g John 17. 4. Glorifying His Father and h Acts 10. 38. Going about â—â—d Doing Good or Doing His Holy Will or Following the Conduct of His Spirit will Avail us Nothing Then only are we Christians in Truth when our Souls are Renewed Our Hearts Withdrawn from Vanity Wills Subdued to God and our Whole Man Absolutely Devoted to the Honouring of God in Christ Believe it To be a Christian indeed is a Very Great and Serious Business a Business which will not be Done with a Careless Mind or a Slothful Unresolved Soul nor with the Thoughts and Hours which Pride and Vanity can Spare and which are the Leavings of Fleshly-Lusts and Pleasures And Persons will One Day Find that Christ will not be Put off with Vain Complements or Reward Any who under His Livery Pleased the Flesh and Served the World 2. What ever Mercies and Gifts God Bestoweth on Any He Expecteth to Receive again with Usury The 19. Luke 12 13 23. Deserves your Serious and Lasting Consideration The Lord Keeps Account of What ye Have and will have a Reckoning with you to See What Work you have been Minding and whether you have Served His Interest with what you had or Proâ—â—gally Wasted it on thâ—t of the Flesh If you have Wealth Interest and Power and you Succour not the Poor do not Right and Protect the Distressed and Promote the Cause of God and the Common Good But a Job 29. 12. Ye Refuse to Dâ—liver the Poor that Cry and the Fatherless and him that hath none to Help him If ye b Isa 58. 7. Draâ— not forth your Soul to the Hungry c. If you Decline c Ezek. 18. 16. Loosing the Bands of Wickedness and Undoing Heavy Burdens to let the Oppressed Gâ— Free i. e. if you will not Honour God with Hâ— Own nor be the Instruments of His Beneficence to Others nor as Faithful Stewards Improve the Talents He has Entrusted you with to Holy Uses and Ends You 'll be Cast and Ruined in the Great Day of Account Live not therefore as if it were enough to Do No Harm and say as the Slothful Servant Here is thy Talent which I hid 3. 'T is most Excellent and Honourable Work the Lord Calls you to herein And Christianity surely is a most Noble Thing when it Requirâ—s and Makes Persons to be so Like unto the Holy God It 's Work and Business being but to Represent God's Glorious Perfections and by the Light of Holy Living to Shew forth and Recommend the Divine Majesty to a Darkenel World as a Candle Lighteth what Way so-ever it Goeth It Instates us into God's Family and Imploys us in that which is the Work yea the very Glory of Heaven it self Shall a Creature be Called forth to the Honouring his Maker and a Mean Worm be said to Glorify God O who can Conceive of the Glory and Honour hereof We Read Psal 78. 25. How Maâ— did Eat Angel's Food but we are Call'd to Angel's Work 4. The Neglect of this Duty Forfeits All our Mercies and Lays us open to All Miseries whatever a Deut. 28. 47 48. Because thou Servedst not the Lord thy God with Joyfulness and with Gladness of Heart for the Abundance of All Things Therefore shalt thou Serve thine Enemies which the Lord shall Send upon thee in Hunger and in Thirst and in Nakedness and in Want of All things and he shall Put a Yoke of thy Neck c. This Text was Greatly Verified on our Selves in the two Late Reigns untill the Happy Revolution under our Present Gracious Sovereign the Lord Making us to Feel that b 2 Chron. 15. 2. He will be no Longer with a People than they are with Him and that He will Forsake Them when They Forsake Him Where a Mic. 2. 7. Hos 2. 9. Religion Decays States or People cannot Thrive 5. A Good Discharge of this Duty is the onely Way to Put an Utter End to our Remaining Fears and Troubles and Make us Happy here and hereafter b Isa 4. 5. Upon the Glory there shall be a Defence The * A Bishop of Magdenburg hearing the Duke of Saxony was Preparing War against him fell to Reforming his Church and amending what was amiss And being ask'd by one of the Duke's Spiâ—s if he did not hear what the Duke was intending against him because he made no Defensive Preparation He said Year but Ego
curabo Ecclesiam Deus pro me pugnabit I 'll take care of my Charge and the Defence of me belongs to God On the tidings of which the Duke disbanded his Forces Luther Expos in Isa 30. 15. Reformation and Holy Living of a Kingdom or Persons is Meant the Glory that Being indeed the Excellency and Glory of them God and his People being both Glorious in Holiness Now upon this Glory God Promiseth a Defensive-Shelter A greeably the Lord has Ingaged to Make that People's Enemies to be at Peace with them who in their Ways Please and Honour Him Prov. 16. 7. Nor can the Mightiest Force of the most Formidable Enemy Do any Hurt against those who Keep in with God and have Him on their Side as in Isa 8. 9 10. and Isa 54 1â— Whosoever shall Gather together against thee shâ—l Fall for thy Sake Without God there is Littâ—â— Hope but Against Him there is Certain Ruiâ— Yea further as Evill will be Prevented so All Good will be Obtained by Giving the Lord his Due Honour Hag. 2. 19. From this Day forward will I Bless Thee viz. from the Day that they Took Care of the Temple Thus c 2 Chron. 7. 11. Aâ— that Came into Solomon ' s Heart to Make in his own House and the House of the Lord he Prosâ—â—rously Effected Carrying on God's House with his own he Prospered in his Way d 1 Chron. 29 12 14. Both Richâ—â— and Honour Come of Thee and in thy Hand it iâ— to Make Great and to Give Strength unto All. And his Promises of Blessing both for Thâ—â— Life and That to Come are Made to Trâ—â— Godliness All Blessednesses according to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Due to him that Shuns God Reproaching Courses and Delights in God's Laâ— Psal 1. 2 and Ver 3. Universal Good Success Attends him God Metes out to Persons in their own Measure and Makes their Outward Estate to Carry Proportion to their Inward As â—â— Rise or Fall in our Respects to the Lord accordingly shall we be Made either the Head or the Tail among the Nations The Stories of Joseph Judg. 6. 11. Psal 78. 70. Job 42. 12. Psal 113. 7 8. Moses David Gideon Job Daniel c. Shew us how God will Raise from the very Thrâ—shing-Floor from the Sheepfold and the Dunghil those Poor and Needy Ones who Signally Honour Him to Set them among Princes and to Make Them Inherit the Throne of Glory As Contrarily He Abaseth such as Refuse him His Glory by Hurling Some out of their Kingdoms and Throwing Down Others from their Principalities and Great Dignities turning them to Graze with Oxen to Teach them that the Most High Ruleth in the Kingdoms of Men and will â—e had in Reverence and his Name Sanctified by All People To Draw then to a Conclusion know ye That it Lieth much on the Inhabitants of our Kingdoms under God Whether such Good Beginnings of Mercy as we Commemorate this Day shall have an Happy End and Progress or a. Sudden and Doleful Conclusion And I must Profess my Serious Thoughts and Belief hereof hath Wrought within me a Posture of Soul much-Like to that of Eli's of 1 Sam. 4. 13. old When he Sate on a Seat by the Way-side Watching to Hear Tidings of his People's Welfare his Heart Trembling the mean while for the Ark of God the Pledg of his Gracious Presence O Christians I must tell you That as our Outward Deliverances and All other Temporal Mercies are very Imperfect Things and being but Means to Greater Matters the Interest of God and the Good of Souls can be of no Further Significancy or Advantage to us than as they Further us in God's Service so the Diverting of them to Other Uses contrary to the Design and Honour of the Lord may Easily Draw down Fiercer Indignation and much Sorer Judgments from Heaven on Us than we ever yet Felt or Suffered according to Ezra 9. 13 14. Believe it Brethren and so may All England with you That the Lord will be Lord over us and will Rule us either as Subjects or Rebels If by God's Establishing the Kingdom in the Hands of our Gracious King His Heart with Jehosaphat's shall be Lifted up in the Ways of 2 Chron 25. 16. the Lord and All our People shall Set their Hearts to Glorify their God who has thus Woâ—derfully Delivered them the Lord will Rejoyce over us to Do us further Good as having his Hand upon them for Good that thus seek him Ezra 8. 22. But on the other Hand if we will not Conside the Operation of God's Hands nor Advance the Honour of his Name and the Welfare of Christ's Kingdom by the Blessings he Gives us to that Josh 24. 20. End He will Turn and Do us Hurt and Consume us after that he hath Done us Good I Close All therefore with my most Hearty Wishes That We may All from the Highest to the Lowest be Strong in Holy Purposes and very Couragious to Serve the Cause of God and the Publick Good with Absolute Resolution as firmly Believing That them that Honour God He will Honour and they that Despise Him shall be Lightly Esteemed 1 Sam. 2. 30. FINIS Page 42. Line 12. after for it adde Here then let All among us who in these Times of Common Danger have Perfidiously Enriched themselves by the Spoils of the Publick and made themselves Great by Robbing the Nation do their part and come forth with Achan and Give Glory unto the Lord by making Josh 7. 19. Luke 19. 8. Confession and with Zacheus full Restitution Their Sin is Villainous and Crying every such Offender being not only the Agent Mr. Baxt. Dir. of the Devill but his Image that Wicked Spirit making it his Businesse to Undo Men and bring them into Distresse and Misery 'T was Treachery against the Whole State Endangering the Publick Peace the Safety of the Government and the Souls and Bodies of Men by Tempting those that were less able to bear such Oppressions into Discontents Sedition and Insurrections Let therefore the Guilty in this kind know That it 's a Determin'd Case in Divinity that such Unlawfull Wealth ought to be Restored with all Damages and that there can't be a just Compensation made for such Wrong but according to the Proportion of the Guilt and the Loss compared together St. Austin tells them Non Remittitur Peccatum niâ—â— Restituitur ablatum Aug. That Without Restitution they can have no Remission and the Holy Movet Câ—rnicula risum Furtivis nudata coloribus Hor. Spirit assures them that How Great soever they may now look in the Kingdoms of Man they shall be Least and not thought worthy of a place in the Kingdom of God The Author's Absence hath occasion'd these Errata to Escape the Press As for Pointing and other small Literals the Reader is desired to pass 'em by PAge 4. l. 24. r. Sennacherib p. 5. l. 20. r. Affliction ib l. 29. r. Ps 66. p. 6. in Marg. r. Hos 14. 4. Ps 12. 5. p. 7. l. 26. r. Counsels p. 10. l. penult r. Arising p. 14. l. 18. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 16. l. 4. r. Jehoshaphat p. 18. in Marg. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 19. l. 30. r. he was p. 21. l. ult r. 2 Chron. p. 23. l. 16. r. Judges 7. p. 24. l. 5. r. Justice p. 25. l. 27. r. Conceitedly ib. l. 31. r. Counsel p. 27. l. 16. r. Doctrine p. 35. l. 27. r. Consecrating p. 37. l. 5. r. Blessings p. 38. l. ult r. and Prudent p. 44. in Marg. Ps 116. 2.