Tertullian calls such Philosophers negotiatores famae Merchants for fame and it is perchance some part of their cunning in that trade which makes them strive to beat down the price of this commodity that they may more easily engrosse it to themselves However experience proves that such words are but words words spoken out of affectation and pretence rather then in good earnest and according to truth that endeavours to banish or to extirpate this desire are but fond and fruitless attempts The reason why is clear for 't is as if one should dispute against eating and drinking or should labour to free himself from hunger and thirst the appetite of Honour being indeed as that of Food innate unto us so as not to be quenched or smothered except by some violent distemper or indisposition of mind even by the wise Authour of our nature originally implanted therein for very good ends and uses respecting both the private and publick benefit of men as an engagement to Vertue and a restraint from Vice as an excitement of industry an incentive of courage a support of constancy in the prosecution of worthy enterprises as a serviceable instrument for the constitution conservation and improvement of humane society For did not some love of Honour glow in mens breasts were that noble spark quite extinct few men probably would study for honourable qualities or perform laudable deeds there would be nothing to keep some men within bounds of honesty and decency to deterr them from doing odious and ugly things men not caring what others thought of them would not regard what they did themselves a barbarous sloth or brutish stupidity would overspread the world withdrawing from common life most of its ornaments much of its convenience men generally would if not altogether shun society yet at least decline the cares and burthens requisite to the promoting its welfare for the sustaining which usually the chief encouragement the main recompence is this of Honour That men therefore have so tender and delicate a sense of their Reputation so that touching it is like pricking a nerve as soon felt and as smartly offensive is an excellent provision in nature in regard whereto Honour may pass among the bona naturalia as a Good necessary for the satisfaction of nature and for securing the accomplishment of its best designs A moderate regard to Honour is also commendable as an instance of humanity or good will to men yea as an argument of humility or a sober conceit of our selves For to desire another man's esteem and consequently his love which in some kind or degree is an inseparable companion of esteem doth imply somewhat of reciprocal esteem and affection toward him and to prize the judgment of other men concerning us doth signifie that we are not oversatisfied with our own We might for its farther commendation allege the authority of the more cool and candid sort of Philosophers such as grounded their judgment of things upon notions agreeable to common sense and experience who adapted their rules of practice to the nature of man such as they found it in the world not such as they framed it in their own fancies who have ranked Honour among the principal of things desirable and adorned it with fairest elogies terming it a divine thing the best of exteriour goods the most honest fruit and most ample reward of true Vertue adjudging that to neglect the opinions of men especially of persons worthy and laudable is a sign of stupid baseness that to contemn them is an effect of unreasonable haughtiness representing the love of Honour rightly grounded and duly moderated not onely as the parent and guardian as productive and preservative of other Vertues but as a Vertue it self of no small magnitude and lustre in the Constellation of Vertues the Vertue of Generosity A Vertue which next to the spirit of true Religion next to a hearty reverence toward the Supreme Blessed Goodness and that holy Charity toward men which springeth thence doth lift a man up nearest to Heaven doth raise his mind above the sordid desires the sorry cares the fond humours the perverse and froward passions with which men commonly are possessed and acted that Vertue which enflames a man with Courage so that he dares perform what reason and duty require of him that he disdains to doe what is bad or base which inspires him with Sincerity that he values his honesty before all other interests and respects that he abhorrs to wrong or deceive to flatter or abuse any man that he cannot endure to seem otherwise then he is to speak otherwise then he means to act otherwise then he promises and professes which endows him with Courtesie that he is ready to yield every man his due respect to afford any man what help and succour he is able that Vertue which renders a man upright in all his dealings and correspondent to all his obligations a loyall Subject to his Prince and a true lover of his Country a candid judge of persons and things an earnest favourer of what-ever is good and commendable a faithfull and hearty friend a beneficial and usefull neighbour a gratefull resenter and requiter of courtesies hospitable to the stranger bountifull to the poor kind and good to all the world that Vertue in fine which constitutes a man of honour who surely is the best man next to a man of conscience Thus may Honour be valued from natural light and according to common sense But beyond all this the Holy Scripture that most certain standard by which we may examine and determine the true worth of things doth not teach us to slight Honour but rather in its fit order and just measure to love and prize it It indeed instructs us to ground it well not upon bad qualities or wicked deeds that 's villainous madness not upon things of a mean and indifferent nature that 's vanity not upon counterfeit shews and pretences that 's hypocrisie but upon reall worth and goodness that may consist with modesty and sobriety it enjoyns us not to be immoderate in our desires thereof or complacencies therein not to be irregular in the pursuit or acquist of it to be so is pride and ambition but to affect it calmly to purchase it fairly it directs us not to make a regard thereto our chief principle not to propound it as our main end of action it charges us to bear contentedly the want or loss thereof as of other temporal goods yea in some cases for Conscience sake or for God's service that is for a good incomparably better then it it obliges us willingly to prostitute and sacrifice it chusing rather to be infamous then impious to be in disgrace with men rather then in disfavour with God it in fine commands us to seek and embrace it onely in subordination and with final reference to God's honour Which distinctions and cautions being provided Honour is represented in Holy
and fat by digesting the thin air with what regard then shall his free and faithful advice be entertained Shall not his moderate confidence be accounted impudence his open sincerity of speech be styled unmannerly presumption his minding others of their duty adjudged a forgetfulness of his own condition or a disorderly transgressing the due limits thereof If he be not ashamed of the truth will not the truth be ashamed of him Shall he not prejudice more by the meanness of his garb then further by the force of his reason that good cause which he maintains Will men respect his words whose person they despise will they be willingly counselled or patiently reproved by him whom they esteem yea whom they plainly see so much their inferiour No the same words which proceed from the mouths of men in eminent dignity are not the same when they are uttered by those of base degree Weak and ineffectual are the most eloquent harangues of beggarly Oratours obscure like themselves and unobserved the most notable dictates of poor mercenary pedants The authority of the speaker doth usually more incline then the weight of the matter It was the observation of the wise Son of Sirach When a rich man slips he hath many helpers he speaketh things not to be spoken and yet men justifie him the poor man miscarried and they farther rebuked him he spake discreetly and yet could have no place When a rich man speaketh every man holdeth his tongue and his words they extol to the clouds but if a poor man speak they say Who is this and if he stumble they will help to overthrow him And Solomon himself notes the same The poor man's wisedom is despised and his words are not heard Not onely those that swell with pride and swim in plenty but even the meanest of the people will be apt to contemn his instructions whom they perceive in few or no circumstances of life to excell them If the Preacher's condition be not as well as his Pulpit somewhat elevated above the lowest station few will hear him fewer mind his words very few obey him Job's Case deserves well to be considered While he flourished in wealth and reputation all men attended to his counsell and admired his discourse The Princes saith he resrained talking and laid their hand on their mouth The Nobles held their peace and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth When the ear heard me then it blessed me and when the eye saw me it gave witness to me Unto me men gave ear and waited and kept silence at my counsel After my words they spake not again and my speech dropped upon them So officiously attentive were all men to Job in his prosperity But when the scale was turn'd and he became depressed in estate no man minded either him or his discourse except it were to despise and scorn both But now saith he they that are younger then I have me in dirision whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock I am their song yea I am their by-word They abhor me they fly far from me and spare not to spit in my face Because he hath loosed my cord and afflicted me If Job a person who so equally and moderately yea so humbly and courteously and bountifully used his prosperity as we find he did was notwithstanding in his adversity so generally slighted and abhorred what shall their lot be who never enjoyed those advantages what regard shall their wholsome advice find what efficacy their most pathetical exhortations obtain what passion their faint breath raise in mens benummed hearts No more certainly then their mean condition shall procure among men either of friendship or esteem We see therefore how Almighty God that he might conciliate credit unto and infuse a persuasive energy into the words of his Prophets and Apostles was pleased to dignifie them with extraordinary gifts of foretelling future events and doing miraculous works their Doctrine it seems though of it self most reasonable and plausible being not sufficient to convince the hearers without some remarkable excellency in the Teachers challenging the people's awful regard and exciting their attention Otherwise how pitifully-scant a draught those poor fishers of men had caught by the common allurements only of innocent life and rational discourse I leave you to imagine And where such extraordinary commendations are wanting is it not reasonable that the need of them should be supplied by ordinary and probable expedients I might further add how a necessitous and despicable estate doth commonly not onely disturb the mindes and deject the spirits of men but distempereth also their Souls and viciateth their manners rendring them not onely sad and anxious slavish and timorous but greedy also and covetous peevish and mutinous rude and ignorant engages them in sordid company and tempts them to unworthy courses From which one cause how scandalous effects and how prejudicial to the Churche's both honour and safety have proceeded I need not for to say since wofull experience too loudly proclaims it I might adde more-over that the Priests do confer to the good of the State which is secured and advanced by the sincere instruction of men in duties of Obedience Justice and Fidelity and by maintenance of good Conscience among men So that if things be rightly considered it will be hard to find a better Commonwealths-man then a good Minister Seeing therefore the good of the Church upon various accounts is so much concerned in the Priests encouragement welfare and respect 't is very fitting they should have them Which Consideration I conclude with that serious Admonition of the Apostle to the Hebrews wherein the substance of what hath been spoken on this point is contained Obey your Rulers or Guides and submit to them for they watch for your Souls as they that are to give an account that they may do it with joy and not with complaint for this is unprofitable for you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for this pays no taxes quits no scores turns to no account is no-wise advantageous for you but rather for there is a Miosis in those words is hurtfull and detrimental to you But farther III. Common Equity and the Reason of the Case exacts that Safety competent Subsistence and fitting respect be allowed to the Priests If you consider their Personal qualities who I pray do commonly better deserve those advantages then they Those qualities I say which result from a liberal a sober a modest Education in the Schools of Wisedom and under the influences of good Discipline If Birth that is at best an imaginary relation to the gallantry of an Ancestour entitle men to Honour if the cheap favours of Fortune be so highly prized and admired if Riches that is the happy results of industry in trivial matters do easily purchase respect what may they not pretend to whose constant and not always unsuccesful endeavour it
He that hath chosen a good way may with assurance commend his way to God's providence he may depend upon God for his concurrent benediction he with an humble boldness may address prayers to God for his protection and aid He so doing hath interest in divers clear declarations and express promises of good success such as those Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him in truth He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him he will hear their cry and will save them He may dare to refer his case to the severest examination saying with Job Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity and with the Psalmist Judge me O Lord according to my righteousness and according to mine integrity that is in me He with an humble confidence can appeal to God borrowing the words of Hezekiah I beseech thee O Lord remember how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Hence The Hope of the righteous as the Wise man telleth us is gladness He considering the goodness the justice the fidelity of God whereof his integrity doth render him capable and a proper object cannot but conceive a comfortable hope of a good issue And obtaining success he doth not onely enjoy the material pleasure thereof but the formal satisfaction that it is indeed good success or a blessing indulged to him by special favour of God enabling him to say with the Psalmist The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God However an upright dealer hath this comfortable reserve that what-ever doth befall him however the business goeth he shall not condemn and punish himself with remorse he shall not want a consolation able to support and to erect his mind He shall triumph if not in the felicity of his success yet in the integrity of his heart and the innocence of his deportment even as Blessed Job did under all the pressures of his adversity for Till I die said he I will not remove my integrity from me My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it goe my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live So true it is upon all accounts that according to that assertion in the Psalm Light is sown for the righteous and joyfull gladness for the upright in heart VII He that walketh uprightly is secure as to his honour and credit He is sure not to come off disgracefully either at home in his own apprehensions or abroad in the estimations of men He doth not blush at what he is doing nor doth reproach himself for what he hath done No blemish or blame can stick upon his proceeding By pure Integrity a man first maintaineth a due respect and esteem for himself then preserveth an entire reputation with others he reflecteth on his own heart with complacence and looketh upon the world with confidence He hath no fear of being detected or care to smother his intents He is content that his thoughts should be sounded and his actions sifted to the bottom He could even wish that his breast had windows that his heart were transparent that all the world might see through him and descry the clearness of his intentions The more curiously his ways are marked the more exactly his dealings are scann'd the more thoroughly his designs are penetrated and known the greater approbation he is sure to receive The issue of things assuredly will be creditable to him and when the day-light hath scattered all mists hath cleared all misprisions and mistakes his reputation will shine most brightly the event declaring that he had no corrupt ends the course of his proceedings being justified by the very light of things God himself will be concerned to vindicate his reputation not suffering him to be considerably defamed according to that promise He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light and thy judgment as the noon-day That in Job will be made good to him Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot and he may confidently averre with the Psalmist Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy commandments If he findeth good success it will not be invidious appearing well deserved and fairly procured it will be truly honourable as a fruit and recompence of Vertue as a mark and pledge of the Divine favour toward him If he seemeth disappointed yet he will not be disparaged wise and candid men will excuse him good men will patronize his cause no man of sense and ingenuity will insult on his misfortune He shall not as the Psalmist assureth be ashamed in an evil time Yea often his repute from under a cloud will shine if not with so glaring splendour yet with a pleasant lustre Uprightness disposing him to bear adverse events with a gracefull decency VIII The particular methods of acting which Uprightness disposeth to observe do yield great security from troubles and crosses in their transactions What is the conduct of the upright man He is clear frank candid harmless consistent in all his behaviour his discourse his dealing His heart commonly may be seen in his face his mind doth ever sute with his speech his deeds have a just correspondence with his professions he never faileth to perform what he doth promise and to satisfie the expectations which he hath raised He doth not wrap himself in clouds that none may see where he is or know how to find him may discern what he is about or whither he tendeth He disguiseth not his intents with fallacious pretences of conscience of publick good of special friendship and respect He doth use no disingenuous spitefull unjust tricks or sleights to serve the present turn He laieth no baits or snares to catch men alluring them into mischief or inconvenience As he doth not affect any poor base ends so he will not defile his fair intentions by sordid means of compassing them such as are illusive simulations and subdolous artifices treacherous collusions slie insinuations and sycophantick detractions versatile whifflings and dodgings flattering colloguings and glozings servile crouchings and fawnings and the like He hath little of the Serpent none of its lurking insidiousness of its surprizing violence of its rancorous venom of its keen mordacity but much of the Dove all its simplicity its gentleness its fidelity its innocence in his conversation and commerce His wisedom is ever tempered with sincerity and seasoned with humanity with meekness with charity being the wisedom which is from above first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated full of good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie He
dispositions when without both great blame and much dammage to our selves we cannot neglect it times there be most proper and acceptable when we do especially need to pray and when we are likely to speed well therein Every one saith the Psalmist that is godly will pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found and My prayer saith he again is unto thee in an acceptable time Thus when we have received any singular blessing or notable favour from God when prosperous success hath attended our honest enterprises when we have been happily rescued from imminent dangers when we have been supported in difficulties or relieved in wants and streights then is it seasonable to render sacrifices of Thanksgiving and praise to the God of victory help and mercy to admire and celebrate him who is our strength and our deliverer our faithfull refuge in trouble our fortress and the rock of our salvation To omit this piece of Devotion then is vile ingratitude or stupid negligence and sloth When any rare object or remarkable occurrence doth upon this theater of the world present it self to our view in surveying the glorious works of Nature or the strange events of Providence then is a proper occasion suggested to send up hymns of Praise to the power the wisedom the goodness of the World 's great Creatour and Governour When we undertake any business of special moment and difficulty then it is expedient wisedom prompting it to sue for God's aid to commit our affairs into his hand to recommend our endeavours to the blessing of him by whose guidance all things are ordered without whose concourse nothing can be effected upon whose arbitrary disposal all success dependeth The beginning of any design or business although ordinary if considerable is a proper season of Prayer unto him to whose bounty and favour we owe our ability to act support in our proceedings any comfortable issue of what we doe for All our sufficiency is of him without him we can doe nothing Whence we can never apply our selves to any business or work not go to eat to sleep to travel to trade to study with any true content any reasonable security any satisfactory hope if we do not first humbly implore the favourable protection guidance and assistence of God When we do fall into doubts or darknesses in the course either of our spiritual or secular affairs not knowing what course to steer or which way to turn our selves a case which to so blind and silly creatures as we are must often happen then doth the time bid us to consult the great Oracle of truth the mighty Counsellour the Father of lights seeking resolution and satisfaction light and wisedom from him saying with the Psalmist Shew me thy ways O Lord lead me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my salvation Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me following the advice of S. James If any man lack wisedom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him When any storm of danger blustereth about us perillously threatning or furiously assailing us with mischief so that hardly by our own strength or wit we can hope to evade then with the wings of ardent Devotion we should fly unto God for shelter and for relief When any anxious care distracteth or any heavy burthen presseth our minds we should by Prayer ease our selves of them and discharge them upon God committing the matter of them to his care and providence according to that direction of S. Paul Be carefull for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God When we do lie under any irksome trouble or sore distress of want pain disgrace then for succour and support for ease and comfort we should have recourse to the Father of pities and God of all consolation who is nigh to all that call upon him will also hear their cry and will save them who when the righteous cry doth hear them and delivereth them out of all their troubles who is so often stvled the hiding place from troubles the help and strength the shield and buckler the rock the fortress the high tower the horn of salvation to all good and distressed people To him we should in such a condition have recourse imitating the pious Psalmist whose practice was this In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord I poured out my complaint before him I shewed before him my trouble I called unto the Lord in my distress the Lord answered me and set me in a large place When any strong temptation doth invade us with which by our own strength we cannot grapple but are like to sink and faulter under it then is it opportune and needfull that we should seek to God for a supply of spiritual forces and the succour of his Almighty grace as S. Paul did when there was given to him a thorn in the flesh a messenger of Satan to buffet him then he besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from him and he had this return from God My grace is sufficient for thee When also from ignorance or mistake from inadvertency negligence or rashness from weakness from wantonness from presumption we have transgressed our duty and incurred sinfull guilt then for avoiding the consequent danger and vengeance for unloading our Consciences of the burthen and discomfort thereof with humble confession in our mouths and serious contrition in our hearts we should apply our selves to the God of mercy deprecating his wrath and imploring pardon from him remembring that promise of S. John If we confess our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity and that declaration of the Wise man He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy In these and the like cases God by our necessities doth invite and summon us to come unto him and no less foolish then impious we are if we do then slink away or fly from him Then we should as the Apostle to the Hebrews exhorteth come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need or for seasonable relief And beside those outwardly prompting and urging us there be other opportunities springing from within us which we are no less obliged and concerned to embrace When God by his gentle whispers calleth us or by his soft impulses draweth us into his presence we should then take heed of stopping our ears or turning our hearts from him refusing to hearken or to comply We must not any-wise quench or damp any sparks of devout affection kindled in us by the Divine Spirit we must not repell
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 Agaeg 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 the Plot was laid that the Counsellours should despise it and yet not smother it that the King instantly by a light darted into his mind should descry it these things so happily meeting may argue God who mouldeth the hearts who guideth the hands who enlightneth the minds of men to have been engaged in the detection of this day 's black Conspiracy Such are some characters of special Providence each of which singly appearing in any occurrence would in a considerate man breed an opinion thereof each of them being very congruous to the supposition of it no-such appearances being otherwise so clearly and cleverly explicable as by assigning the Divine Hand for their principal cause But the connexion of them all in one Event when divers odd accidents do befal at a seasonable time according to exigency for the publick benefit the preservation of Princes the security of God's People the protection of right the maintenance of Truth and Piety according to the wishes and prayers of good men with proper retribution and vengeance upon the wretched designers of mischief such a complication I say of these marks in one Event may throughly suffice to raise a firm persuasion to force a confident acknowledgment concerning God's Providence in any considerate and ingenuous person it readily will dispose such persons upon any such occasion to say This is the Lord 's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes Notwithstanding therefore any obscurity or intricacy that sometime may appear in the course of Providence notwithstanding any general exceptions that may by perverse incredulity be alleged against the conduct of things there are good marks observable whereby if we are not very blockish drowzy supine lazy or froward if we will consider wisely with industrious attention and care with minds pure from vain prejudices and corrupt affections we may discern and understand God's doing Which to do is the First Duty specified in our Text upon which having insisted so largely I shall hoping you will favour me with a little patience briefly touch the rest II. It is the Duty of us all upon such remarkable occurrences of Providence to fear God All men 't is said shall fear It is our Duty in such cases to be affected with all sorts of fear with a fear of awful dread with a fear of hearty reverence with a fear of sober caution yea sometimes with a fear of dejecting consternation When God doth appear clad with his robes of vengeance and zeal denouncing and discharging judgment when he representeth himself fearful in praises terrible in his doings toward the children of men working terrible things in righteousness it should strike into our hearts
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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on your minds and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 violence obtruded upon us in continuing therefore to us the most desirable comforts and conveniences of our lives You further considering this signal testimony of Divine Goodness will thereby be moved to hope and confide in God for his gracious preservation from the like pernicious attemps against the safety of our Prince and welfare of our Country against our Peace our Laws our Religion especially from Romish Zeal and Bigottry that mint of woful Factions and Combustions of treasonable Conspiracies of barbarous Massacres of horrid Assassinations of intestine Rebellions of forrein Invasions of savage Tortures and Butcherics of holy Leagues and pious Frauds through Christendom and particularly among us which as it without reason damneth so it would by any means destroy all that will not crouch thereto You will in fine with joyous festivity glory and triumph in this illustrious demonstration of God's Favour toward us so as heartily to joyn in those due acclamations of blessing and praise Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us a prey to their teeth Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers the snare is broken and we are escaped Allelujah Salvation and glory and power unto the Lord our God For true and righteous are his judgments Great and marvellous are thy works O Lord God Almighty just and true are thy ways O thou King of Saints Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who only doth wonderous things And blessed be his glorious Name for ever and let the the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen and Amen The Twelfth Sermon PSAL. 132. 16. I will also cloath her Priests with salvation THE context runs thus The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David he will not turn from it Of the fruit of thy body I will set upon thy throne If thy children will keep my covenant and the testimony that I shall teach them their children also shall sit upon thy throne for evermore For the Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it I will abundantly bless her provision I will satisfie her poor with bread I WILL ALSO CLOATH HER PRIESTS WITH SALVATION and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy There will I make the horn of David to bud c. If all not only Inaugurations of persons but Dedications even of inanimate things to some extraordinary use hath been usually attended with especial significations of joy and festival solemnity with great reason the Consecration of a person to so high and sacred a Function as that of a Christian Bishop