Vow sealed with horrid Imprecations (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Zelot ap Judaeos Philo. leg spec to murder S. Paul as he went towards the Hall of Judgment and first they acquainted their impious Priests with it who approved the Design and encouraged the Actors promising them no doubt if they were seized by the Guards and executed for this Heroick Zeal toward their Old Religion that they should merit Paradise at least for ridding the Church of such an Enemy Thus far the Stories agree But S. Paul was a private Man and their Fellow-Subject and they aimed at a single Sacrifice to their Rage Whereas these Plotters aim at a Gracious Prince their own Sovereign and at a thousand more Lives besides his yea as the Parliament is the Nation in Representative our Plotters seem inspired with the bloody Principles of Caligula (g) Utinam Pop. Rom. unam cervicem haberet Votum Caligul ap Suet. l. 4. p. 24. who wish'd he could cut off all the People of Rome at one stroke They were for destroying a thousand innocent Lives at once and subverting the Religion and the whole Government of the Nation and cutting off all that should oppose them So that the Scripture affords no parallel of such cruel and blood-thirstymen and we must be content with a Crime like it but in a far lower degree The first Collect. The first Collect consist of 1st A Memorial of past Providences observing 1st The Author of them Almighty God who hast in all ages c. 2ly The Objects of them 1. The Church 2. Kings in the miraculous and gracious deliverances c. 3. States 3ly The end of them viz. their safety from such Plots from the wicked Conspiracies c. 2ly An act of Praise for a special Providence to us relating 1st The Thanksgiving it self we yield thee our unfeigned thanks c. 2ly The grounds of it 1. The persons hereby delivered for the wonderful and mighty c. 2. The Evil escaped by Popish Treachery appointed c. 3. The aggravation thereof in a most barbarous c. 3ly An acknowledgment whence it came From this unnatural Conspiracy not our merit c. 4ly A Recognition to whom the Praise is due And therefore not unto us O Lord c. A Practical Discourse on this Collect. § 7. ALmighty God who hast in all Ages shewed c. This Collect relates to our former deliverance and is introduced by observing that this was not the first time Heaven had shewed its Power and Mercy upon such occasions And it is very fit that a new instance of the Divine Goodness to us should revive in our grateful minds the memory of Gods Blessings though granted in ages long since past Time should never blot out their Remembranc especially when a later Act gives us occasion to call to mind all of the like kind For all these Providences aim at the same end that is by preserving righteous and religious Kings and States professing his holy and eternal Truth to preserve his Church and true Religion throughout all ages so that it is come down even unto our times The Old Testament records many Deliverances of the Jewish Church and State and of their Religious Kings David and Asa Jehosaphat and Hezekiah And ever since there were Christian Princes the Annals of the Church abound with Examples of their being preserved from the plots and malice of Jews and Pagans Hereticks and Infidels yea from all sorts of Traitors And the Reign of Queen Elizabeth alone of Blessed Memory is sufficient to confirm this Truth The Romanists hoping with her to destroy the Religion she professed often attempted her Life by poisoning and stabbing and sought to take away her Crown by frequent Rebellions at home and by a formidable Invasion from abroad but still Heaven manifestly defeated them and miraculously preserved Her We yield thee our unfeigned thanks and praise for c. As their malice ended not with her Reign so neither did Almighty God cease his care When there was a fresh occasion by a new Plot against her Successor King James I. a new Providence delivered Him and gave us occasion with all joy and gratitude this day to own it by commemorating First the Persons designed to be destoyed viz. A Wise and Gracious Protestant King his Vertuous and Religigious Queen and their most Innocent and Hopeful Heir Prince Henry together with the whole Parliament consisting of the three Estates and all Officers and Attendants belonging to any of these (h) Parliamentum Curia apud nos suprema magnum trium ordinum Concilium vel Conventus ut cum Rege de rebus arduis consultent Somneri Glossar ap X. Script yea all whose business or curiosity on that solemn Day should bring them to that fatal place under which were privately laid such certain instruments of death as in one instant would have torn these poor Creatures into a thousand pieces and buried them all in the Ruins of that Ancient Senate-house If an implicite Faith and a blind Zeal could not work Prodigies it is scarce to be imagined how any thing in human shape could be so infatuated as to believe that God who hates robbery for a Burnt-offering (i) Isa LXI 8. can like some cruel Pagan Doemon be pleased with Murder or delight in a Sacrifice of Human Blood But they who are taught to renounce their Senses (k) Absit credere quae videmus Walt. Mahop de nugis curiae dist 1. c. 11. and must not believe that which they see tast and smell may easily be brought to abandon their Reason also and wretchedly imagine they oblige and serve God in exercising the greatest barbarity upon men To kill one innocent Man wilfully is a damning sin if the Eighth Commandment be one of Gods Eternal Laws but to kill so Many One of them their Sovereign some of them their Friends and Relations and all of them their Countrymen and Civil Neighbours and to do this in so sudden and merciless a manner and still to believe this barbarity to be meritorious is as the Collect notes a Wickedness that hath no parallel nor precedent in former Ages these Monsters staâ—â— single From this unnatural Conspiracy not our merit c. Those who could so long ruminate upon so unnatural a Plot and fortified themselves for it by profaning the Holy Sacrament of Peace and making that the Bond for Murder These would not have shrunk at the Execution And oh what a blessing was it â—hat these cruel Hands were not let loose God â—ne could and he did restrain them and this nor for our Merit for we were then as we are now a sinful nation They were discovered not by our foresight since it was hatched in the dark â—nd carried on closely almost to the very fatal minute But by Heavens never-sleeping and all-seeing Eye while they feared no stop and we apprehended no danger Then as happily as unexpectedly all was disclosed and prevented
were in greater Danger or more illustriously Delivered than we We have the greatest Liberties of any Subjects and the best Religion of any Christians in the World and by these continued wonders of Providence we now enjoy them both Had either of these Designs taken in the Church we should have had Error for Truth Idolatry instead of the true Worship Darkness in the room of Light innumerable Holy Cheats in the place of Gospel Sincerity Inquisitions Fire and Fagot instead of Freedom and Peace In the State Force would have usurped the priviledge of Law Slavery had banished our ancient Freedom Absolute Power would have excluded Property and Arbitrary Punishments have discouraged Industry and Trade and in a short time Penury and all Calamities would have irresistibly broke in upon us The very consideration of the dreadful Evils we have escaped and of the Happines we now enjoy will certainly engage us to rejoyce exceedingly and return our most unfeigned Thanks to him who hath done all this for us And we humbly pray that the devout sense c. If we have a deep and devout sense of our Obligations our Returns will be more than bare Acknowledgments from our Lips and therefore we return our Praises into Petitions that he who only can move our Hearts will give us such just apprehensions of his Infinite Goodness as may produce these three blessed Effects First Of true Piety which will express it self in Love and Gratitude to God the sole Author of these Deliverances Even Heathens and Publicans love those that love them (f) Mat. V. 46. and shall we not love our Heavenly Father who hath given us so many Instances and clear Demonstrations of the greatest Love that ever was shewed to any People Secondly And since Heaven in this later Case chose a Wise and Valiant a Just and Religious Prince to be the Instrument of this Mercy First to procure it by his coming and then to secure it by his being advanced to the Throne We are bound to pay our Gratitude also to this King all that are protected by him are obliged at least to a peaceable Submission to his Government (g) Rex Jacobus I. asserit Subditos demigrare debuisse ex ejus Principis ditionibus cui nullum obsequium aut fidelitatem debent Apolog. pro juram fidel §. 53. p. 31. And such as count the Religion and Liberties which he hath restored to be mighty Blessings these are bound to Obey and Serve him to Vindicate and Support him against all his Enmies because they are not his Foes only but theirs also Lastly We pray that we may have a Spirit of fervent Zeal for our holy Religion which hath been so wonderfully preserved to be a Blessing to us and our Posterity To be indifferent as to the Success of it and unconcerned for its Danger or safety argues us to be meer Hypocrites it shews we have no Religion at all and only profess this for some mean Interest (b) Possis animadvertere quod servet istam pro Consuetudine magis quam pro Religione reverentiam Sidon de Theod. ep 2. l. 1. Such would easily turn to any Party to serve their secular Ends. But we who are sincere in our Affection to this Church seeing the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against it should heartily pray for its Peace vigorously promote its prosperity adhere steddily to it and zealously strive to win others to come over to these Tents which Heaven doth so Guard and Bless that all Attacks have ever ended in its Enemies Confusion and its own greater Glory These indeed are desirable Fruits and yet right uses to be made of these Mercies And therefore that they may inspire us with Piety to God with Loyalty to the King and Love to this Reformed Church we humbly beg for Jesus Christ his sake Amen The end of the Office for the Vth of November A DISCOURSE ON THE OFFICE FOR THE XXXth of January BEING The Day of the Martyrdom of the Blessed King Charles the First The Preface THe History of this Days Tragedy need not be repeated here because many yet alive remember it and others may read it in our Annals where it stands to the perpetual Infamy of all that Acted therein It is sufficient to my purpose to give this brief Account of it When Peace and Plenty for Three Reigns had made this Nation wanton and ungovernable (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot pol. lib. 4. cap. 11. some Demagogues foured with evil Principles both as to Monarchy and the Church drew in all that were Discontented either because their Ambition was not gratified or their Wants not supplied together with those who feared the Government might be at leisure to look into their Crimes And these first quarrelled with the Administrations Impeached the King's Legal Ministers and without any colour of Truth pretended That Encroachments were made upon the Liberties of the People and a Change designed in the Religion Of both which they professed themselves the Patrons meerly to get Power into their hands to enslave the People and destroy the Church (b) Libertas ac speciosa nomina praetexuntur nec quisquam alienum servitrum ac dominationem sibi concupivit ut non eadem ista vocabula usurparet Tacit. hist l. 4. p. 532. However by these Arts they became Popular and by the help of the Rabble procured some of the Kings best and ablest Counsellors to be removed and then boldly demanded one branch of his Prerogative after another till at last when this Gracious Princes Concessions only enflamed their Arrogance in asking they required such things as he either must deny and so give them some colour for a War or if he granted them he must be in their power even without fighting (c) Postulabant non ut assequerentur sed causam seditioni â—e Flaccus multa concedendo nihil aliud effecerat quam ut acriùs exposcerent quae sciebant negaturum Id. ibid. p. 462. Finally when they had made themselves strong enough to appear Bare-faced and weakned the King so far that they hoped to conquer him they turned Open Rebels seize his Towns and Forts banish him from his House bring an Army into the Field pursue his Loyal Subjects with Fire and Sword and in many bloody Battels in which he was present sought his destruction yet still gave it out they fought for the Kings preservation But as soon as our Sins and some of his Treacherous Subjects had put him into their hands they would not spare him nor let him escape as his Son did since though he had really attempted that which was but pretended against the Father But they injustly Imprisoned him and falsly charging him with the Murders and Oppression which they had caused they Condemned him without Law and executed him without Mercy And then altered the Government which they had sworn to defend changed the Laws which they had promised to guard and utterly destroyed the Church which
To be ungrateful for so necessary so seasonable and so profitable a blessing would be a provoking sin and prevent Gods future Favours therefore we pray that we may have first a lively and then a lasting sense of it First that it may work vigorously on our Affections and produce sprightly and hearty praises Secondly That it may sink deep into our hearts and never be forgotten by us We seemed indeed all to be much affected with this mercy at first but Time in too many hath shamefully effaced those Notions so as they have almost forgot as Israel did the Lord and Gideon (u) Jud. VIII 34 35. Now this ingratitude is the more inexcusable because the same God who preserved our Church and our ancient Government hath since setled and secured both and hitherto defended that Valiant and Prudent Prince who guards us and them so that we have a continued succession of new Mercies (w) â—eneficia mea tueri nullo modo melius possem quam ut augeam Plin. ep l. 2. to keep alive in us the sense of the first Blessing and if these will not make us continue grateful nothing will work on us That we may not grow secure and careless in c. But the saving an Excellent Church and three Nations so long requires a better return than the Tribute of our Lips God justly expects from us such a sense of this as may influence our Lives and make us as much better as we are now by his mercy safer than we were before When the danger threatens we are commonly fervent in our Prayers strict in our Lives and sensible of our sins (x) Utinam tales esse sani perseveremus quales nos futuros profitemur infirmi Plin. ep 26. l. 7. but when it is over we grow secure and negligent in our obedience We presume the Goodness of our Religion is such that let us live as we will God will ever protect it (y) Jer. VII 4. and this dangerous notion hinders our repentance Wherefore let me desire you to consider Many pure Churches have been destroyed for the sins of those who were members of them Gods Truth may be removed to another Land and be safe whatever become of us so that our present Quiet must not make us negligent or presumptuous his Goodness should not hinder us from but lead us to Repentance the kinder he is to us the greater should be our shame that we have offended him And though the preservation of an excellent Religion be a mighty blessing it is so only to those who live up to the Principles of it and walk by its Rules these only are better by it in this world and these alone shall be saved by it in the next world What signifies the freedom to profess the true Faith to him that lives like an Infidel (z) Inter Christianum Gentilem non fides tantùm debet sed vitâ— distinguere D. Hier. ep 14. ad Celant p. 130. or the liberty of worshipping God aright to him that either comes seldom to Gods House and Ordinances or performs that Service slightly and grows no better by it His Religion is worse by the scandal he brings on it and he will be no better by all the pretences he makes to it If Popery had prevailed such men could not either have lived more wickedly or perished more certainly Wherefore that the preserving and establishing our Religion may be a real Blessing to us here and hereafter let us repent and carefully avoid security negligence and presumption and this is the negative part And let the continuance of this holy Church by such signal Providences move us to be more diligent and zealous both in joyning with it in that pure way of Worship it maintains and in adorning it with such holy lives as it directs us to lead and this is the affirmative part of which the next Paragraph gives us the particulars Let Truth and Iustice Brotherly Kindness and Charity c. When God hath saved our Religion he expects we should live up to it he makes it safe and we should make it lovely by the practice of all those Duties and Virtues that are of good report especially such as have been formerly most neglected as particularly Sincerity and Truth in our Words Honesty and Justice in all our Actions a hearty Love to all our Fellow-Christians as Brethren Bounty and Charity to such as stand in need Devotion and true Piety in the service of God Unity Peace and Concord with one another yea even with those of other Parties And to encourage us to pray for and practise these Virtues more heartily it is noted that this is the certain way both to move God to establish us and to engage all Nations to admire and praise us these things would make us safe and honoured our Times may thus continue peaceable and our Church by this means become the praise of the whole Earth which methinks every wise and good Protestant should above all things desire But alas the contrary to all these are too common amongst us there is so much Deceit and Hypocrisie Cheating and Dishonesty we are so unkind to all and so obdurate and niggardly to the Poor so slight and remiss in the Service of God and so full of Heats and Animosities among our selves that we have more reason to fear to be unsetled again by these sins than by our Enemies policy and power These crimes that are so contrary to our Religion bring more dishonour upon it than all the spightful calumnies of our Enemies If we did not afford them just matter of reproach their known malice would hinder their censures from being believed (a) Prastra irascimur obtrectatoribus nostris si eis obtrectandi materiam ministramus D. Hieron ep 14. ad Celant p. 136. Wherefore I earnestly intreat all that wish the peace of this Church and desire its universal Honour to endeavour the practice of these Virtues and to avoid falling into these mischievous and scandalous Crimes And since we cannot do this but by the Grace of God let us beg that most devoutly for the sake of our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ Amen The Third Collect. The Third Collect consists of four parts 1st A memorial of two Mercies describing 1. The Author of and Motives to both Almighty God and Heavenly Father c. 2ly A more particular account 1st Of the former Mercy didst prevent the malice and imaginations c. 2ly Of the latter and didst likewise upon this day c. 2ly An Act of humble gratitude for them both we most humbly praise and c. 3ly A confession acknowledging 1st Gods free grace and mercy we confess it has been of c. 2ly Our own evil deservings for our sins have cryed to heaven c. 3ly His not strictly punishing us but thou hast not dealt c. 4ly Our escaping by that means but hast in mercy delivered us from c. 4ly A Prayer containing 1st The several
A DISCOURSE ON THE OFFICES FOR The Vth of November XXXth of January AND XXIXth of May. By THOMAS COMBER D.D. Dean of DURHAM LONDON Printed by Samuel Roycroft for Robert Clavell at the Peacock at the West-End of St. Pauls 1696. A DISCOURSE ON THE OFFICE FOR November the Fifth The Anniversary both of the Discovery of the Gun-powder Treason 1605. And of King WILLIAM's Arrival for Our Deliverance 1688. The Preface THe Jews of Old paid a double regard to that Festival which fell on their Sabbath Day and called it an High Day (a) Joh. XIX 31. The Athenians gained two great Victories on the same Day of the Month at Leuctra and at Gaerestus wherefore they counted it always a Fortunate Day and made it a Great Festival (b) Al. ab Alexand. gen dier lib. 4. c. 20. p. 232. The Romanists also have their Double Festivals And now God hath made this Day such an one to this Reformed Church by two eminent Deliverances thereof from utter Ruin On this Day in the Reign of King James the First the Gun-powder Treason was wonderfully discovered and happily prevented and above 80 year after when the same Enemies were in hopes to extirpate our Religion and subvert our Laws Providence caused a Deliverer to Land here on the same Day of the Month by whose means these Designs were blasted and our Church once more established So that this is to us a Day much to be remembred to the LORD (c) Exod. XII 42. I need not relate either of these Histories The former is fully described with all its Circumstances and Proofs by the late Learned Bishop of Lincoln (d) Dr. Barlow 's Discourse of Gunpowder Treason Printed at Lond. 1679. Exarsit importunè quorundam Catholicerum in aminis saeva illa omni a vo damnanda Conjuratio quâ Regem Regnique Proceres misso sub aedibus Comitiorum pulvere tormentario in altum tollâ—ndos duxerant ut è rebus humanis momento omnes tollerent Hist Missionis Angl. Soc. Jesu c. collectore Hen. Mero ejusdem Soc. Sacerdote Audomari 1660. In Praefat. §. 9. Vid. plura hoc ipso libro lib. 7. §. 21 22 c. to which Book I refer the Reader The latter is fresh in all our Memories and exactly set down in a Journal of later date (e) History of the Desertion printed at Lond. 1689. But my busâ—ness being to Explain the Offices I would rather meddle with Matter of Fact nor dispute with any Party Only I must clear the way to our grateful Observation of this Day by proving very briefly the reality of the Gun-powder Plot which some Romanists are so hardy as to deny and by shewing this latter Deliverance was also a mighty Blessing which some prejudiced Protestants seem unwilling to grant First That the Papists did really design to blow up King James with the Prince and Parliament by Gunpowder on this Day is not only evident in general by their former Plots and practices in Queen Elizabeths time and their endeavours to hinder King James his Succession to the Crown (f) See the Preface to Dr. Barlow's History But it appears more particularly 1st By the Materials found in that Infernal Vault and the seizing a desperate Papist with the Keys in his hands late in the Night before the intended Massacre 2ly By the Flight and open Rebellion of the other chief Conspirators upon the Discovery 3ly By the Confessions under the hands of Fawks and Winter two principal Agents in this horrid Plot. 4ly By the Trials of all the Criminals yet extant at large shewing the legal Evidence and judicial Proofs by which they were convicted 5ly By Father Garnet the Provincial of the Jesuits his owning his knowledge of this Design by a Declaration made before his Execution 6ly By the Letters of Sir Everard Digby a Person equally eminent for his Extraction and his Zeal for Rome who acknowledges he knew of and approved this Plot. 7ly By the Romanists abroad crying them all up for Martyrs who died in this Cause as intending to serve their Church Lastly By the Laws made here in full Parliament with mature deliberation upon this occasion And those who can deny this Evidence may outface the plainest Truth As to the Second Deliverance it is too fresh and was too publick to be downright denyed as yet but some endeavour to lessen our Sense of it and Gratitude for it by privately suggesting 1st That we were in no danger of Popery 2ly That it was only a pretence to remove one Prince and set up another 3ly That we are in as ill Circumstances now as we were before I would not mention these Objections but that how improbable soever they are some venture to assert them and others are so credulous to believe them and thereby guard their Ingratitude for this late Mercy which I think they ought to praise God for if they will impartially consider what is candidly offered to confute these Insinuations For our great Danger of Popery under the late King appears First By the great encouragement given to that Religion And here we may consider the Kings temper and zeal for it The numbers of Priests and Jesuits and their eagerness to promote it The great Army kept up in times of Peace and the care to model it with Officers that would support Arbitrary Power The liberal Rewards offered and given for turning to that Church The open profession of that Religion in defiance to all Laws unrepealed that did prohibit it The Arts used to procure a pre-engaged Parliament to make way for it by repealing the Test and Penal Laws The advancing Men unqualified Papists or their Friends into all sorts of Offices and Preferments Civil Military and Ecclesiastical The Contrivance to have an Heir in a lucky Hour to give them another Reign to bring this about if the first should too soon expire The open Boasts of the Romanists themselves who best knew that Prince's Mind and finally The vast number of Atheists Dissenters and pretended Protestants who came in as Tools to carry on this Design These Considerations shew that Popery was intended to be set up and it is as plain that Protestant Religion was intended to be pulled down by the violent proceedings against Corporations the altering their Magistrates and seizing their Charters by the disgracing and displacing all the steddy Professors of it out of their Offices in the Court and Camp on the Benches above and in the Country also by ejecting a whole Society and many private Persons out of their Freeholds in the Universities and elsewhere without Law by Imprisoning the Bishops for an humble Petition by setting up an illegal Court with an unlimited Power over all the Clergy and drawing all of them that were firm to the Protestant Religion into the danger of a Suspension This I hope may satisfie disinterested Men that our peril was as great as it was real and imminent Secondly That the present King did
foolish as it is impious and let them take heed it do not provoke God to convince them of his Justice by a speedy Vengeance for then the knowledge of their danger will come too late to prevent it It was a sign that Adams understanding was weakned by his Fall as St. Chrysostom notes (s) Chrysost in Gâ—n hom 17. p. 10â— otherwise he would not have been so weak to imagine the Trees of the Garden could hide him from his Maker And it is evident they must be infatuated to a high degree who can persuade themselves that he who made all mens Eyes and Earâ— doth not hear the Cry of the Oppressed and see the Cruelty of their Oppressors (t) Oâ—â—dum 〈◊〉 te non intendit suum qui fecit tuum Aug. V. D. Ser. 10. If Reason would not Examples might have taught them that God by his Judgments brings the proudest Atheistical Heathens such as Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar to own his Power and Equity (u) Exod. IX 28. Dan. IV. 37. and by sharp Punishments he teaches the most obstinate Wretches to know there is a God who judgeth in the Earth and under his Rod they confess it (w) Oculos quos cluserat culpa aperit pana Greg. Mag. Vid. Gen. XLII 21. Wherefore all the while Men are encouraging themselves in Sin by hopes of impunity the Lord knows these are vain thoughts and will in a little time wofully confute them Ver. XII XIII XIV XV. So that an evil Man is miserable while he seems to be spared but the Pious are Blessed when they are afflicted (x) Psal CXIX 7â— Quod sâ—vitiam existimas gratia est Tert. Scorp cap. 5. Qui corrumpuntur prosperis corriguntur adversis Salv. de Prov. l. 6. because this makes them more holy and devout and while the Calamity endures they are supported by Patience till they find themselves delivered and their Enemies punished for injuring them And if this Justice seem to be slow yet it is very sure for God never did fail at last to rescue the Good and punish evil Men. He is ever righteous in his Nature and at length his Righteousness breaks forth into Act and he executes Judgment even in this World Wherefore men that truly love God may firmly trust in him and follow after Virtue still for their Hope shall not be ashamed nor their Expectations finally disappointed Ver. XVI XVII XVIII XIX And God hath taught us of this Land that there is more reason for innocent Suffeâ—â—â— to be Patiâ—nt than for unjust Oppressors to Presume 'T is true we looked long under that Tyranny for human â—â—id hoping some good Patriots or generous Foreign Prince would take our part against â—â—ese Regicides But at last when we were just sinking into Anarchy and a new Civil War by the divided Parties striving for the Mastery God himself miraculously pulled them all down (y) Dum imperare singuli cupiunt imperium omnes perdidâ—runt Justin hist l. 8. This indeed was long deferred so that many good mens hearts almost failed them they began to fear God had forsaken them and given them over to their Enemies But the Lord in the midst of these despairing thoughâ— did support them with secret comfortable hopes of a gracious Deliverance Ver. XX XXI XXII XXIII For it could never enter into their hearts that God should approve of their cruel Judgment-seats and Bloody Tribunals (z) Shall the Throne of Iniquity have fellowship with thee which frameth mischief by a Law New Transtat Qui sâ—dit crimina vindicaturus admittit Cypr. ep ad Donat. where they first made most wicked Laws to justifie Murder and all sorts of Cruelty and Injustice (a) Ex Senatus consultis plebisque scitis scelera exercentur publicè jubentur vetitae privatim Sen. ep 95. p. 366. and then pretended legally to kill and ruin Men to make an offensive War against their Sovereign and to imbrue their hands in his and his Friends most innocent Blood It were Blasphemy to imagine God should be on their side Wherefore while these dismal Times continued good Men were supported by hoping and believing that Heaven to which they fled for refuge would at last rescue them and punish their Malicious Enemies with utter Destruction which was no more than requiting them according to their own Doings and destroying the Destroyers And after some years this Hope was verified Anarchy vanished the Authors of it were justly punished and the Church and the Monarchy were restored for which let us now sing Glory be to the Father c. Psal LXXXV consists of these Three Parts 1st An acknowledgment of Gods former favour 1. Removing an old Calamity Ver. I. 2. Pardoning the Sin which caused it Ver. II. 3. Ceasing from his Anger then Ver. III. 2ly A Prayer for the like favour now 1. Deprecating his present Anger Ver. IV. 2. Expostulating for its Continuance Ver. V. VI. 3. Petitioning for Mercy earnestly Ver. VII 3ly An exercise of their Faith and Hope in 1. Waiting for a gracious Answer V. VIII 2. Believing it will come shortly Ver. IX 3. Rejoycing in hope as if it were come Ver. X XI 4. Expecting better Times after Ver. XII XIII Brief Notes on this Psalm § 3. THis Psalm supposes one Evil had been removed from Gods People and another was like to fall on them shewing how they comforted themselves with hopes of a second Deliverance by remembring the former Ver. I II III. This Psalm respects both our deliverances from Faction first and then from Popery and so I shall apply it When the King and his Loyal Subjects were restored to their Rights and the Church once more setled in Peace we blessed God for his Favour to our Land which he had then so happily freed from its Oppressors that we hoped our Sins had been all forgiven and the effects of them even Gods displeasure totally ceased for Peace and Plenty Truth and Justice Religion and Piety then flourished here Ver. IV V VI. But we alas fell back into our old Sins at last and forgat the God who had saved us from Anarchy which renewed his Anger and then a new Storm arose which threatned both our Religion and our Liberties from him who had solemnly promised to defend both This renewed our former Prayers to the Lord to make us better and to avert this impending Judgment we expostulated with Heaven and set out how severely we had been chastised in the last Generation by the tyrannizing Murderers of our Royal Martyr and if he should now again give us up into the hands of Persecutors armed with Arbitrary Power this would look like keeping his Anger for ever and extending his Wrath from one Generation to another We could indeed scarce believe that a God of so much Patience and Compassion would so soon take away the Comfort we had in the true Religion and our Native Liberties We hoped he would avert these fears which made our lives grievous (b)
Psal LXVIII 26 19. 7ly A Pious Wish that 1. Sinners may be punished Psal VII 9. 2. Good Men may rejoyce Psal XL. 19. Brief Notes on this Hymn Psal LXXXIX 1. THE restoring our Monarchy and reestablishing our Church were such a demonstration of Gods loving kindness to us and of the certain Truth of all those Promises which we relied on in our Trouble That his Goodness and Truth ought both to be the constant Subjects of the Praises of this Age and of the next Generation also Psal CXI 4. 'T is pity any of his Works should be forgotten But there was so much Free Grace and Mercy in his delivering us from our Oppressors and such Miracles of Wisdom and Power in restoring our ancient Government and Religion that we should be hateful to God and Man and the most ungrateful Wretches in the World (a) Omnes enim immemorem beneficij oderunt Cicer. de Offic. lib. 2. if we do not keep a Memorial of this for ever Psal CVI. 2. 'T is true this and the rest of Gods Noble Acts are such complications of Infinite Wisdom Power and Goodness and all of them so perfectly excellent that no man can sufficiently describe them nor express all the Praises due to their Divine Author (b) Ecclus XLIII 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hermes Aegypt So that being overwhelmed with Admiration at their astonishing Glories we must at first wonder in silence and Adore Psal CXI 2. However good Men delight in nothing more than in studying and meditating upon the Mercy which Contrives the Wisdom which Conducts and the Power which Accomplishes these stupendious Works 't is pleasant above all things to them to search into the Causes and happy Effects of them (c) Non patior me quicquam nescire de eo quem amem Plin. Epist they could with great satisfaction if it were possible spend their whole time in these Contemplations Psal CXLVII 6. If we turn our thoughts from hence to the most righteous administrations of his Providence thence will arise new matter for our Praises How often doth he pity the Humble and Meek who though extremely injured are perhaps not able however not willing to avenge themselves And doth he not at the same time cast down their impious and proud Oppressors from their usurped Power and Authority Psal CIII 6. They may be so strong and so secured that Men dare not accuse or cannot punish them but the Lord the supreme Judge of all will at last take the innocent Mans case into his hand and will not only pass a righteous Sentence but also execute it effectually by shewing Mercy to the Oppressed and sending his Judgments on the Oppressors Ver. 9. As to his own Children though they often offend him and sometimes go on a long time in their folly yet such is his gracious Nature that he bears with them a great while before his anger begin and then also it is soon over (d) Irasci quidem rebus indignus sed flecti citò Aurel. Victor de Theodos he doth not keep it for ever Ver. 10. When our Sins compel him to correct us for the vindication of his Laws he punishes us less than our iniquities deserve the Correction begins not so soon rises not so high nor endures so long as it justly might Ver. 11. His Mercy is as much higher and greater than ours as his Glorious Habitation of Heaven is higher and larger than this Earth on which we dwell this is but a small point compared to that vast Circumference yet such are all human Compassions in comparison of his infinite Pity towards us Ver. 13. We may help our weak Apprehensions by likening his Affection and Kindness to those that fear him when they are in distress to the tender pity that a loving Parent hath to his dearest Child when it is in extream Torment But this will fall far short of Gods Infinite Compassion Psal LXVI 9 11. Yet as the kindest Father is sometimes forced to correct his beloved but offending Child so our Sins and Corruptions do often compel our Heavenly Father to afflict us He is necessitated to put us into the Fire of Calamity and try us as Silver is tried (e) Omnia adversa caercitaâ—iones putat Sen. de Prov. cap. 2. but his design is not to consume but purifie us and therefore if we bear them patiently they ever end well Thus in our Case while our Oppressors had Power they used us with as much contempt as if they had trampled us under their Horses Feet we escaped as narrowly as if we had been to run through a raging Fire (f) 1 Cor. III. 15. or wade over a deep Water But the happy Restauration brought us into a condition of Safety Peace and Plenty again Psal LXXI 18. Lord how many Miseries did then beset us Our Religion our Liberty our Estates and Lives were all at Stake yea we and our Hopes also seemed to be buried in the Earth Yet according to thy wonted Compassion thou didst turn and refresh us with an unexpected Deliverance So that our Church and Monarchy with all the true Friends of both seemed to have a new Resurrection from that Grave in which our Foes hoped they would have slept for ever Psal CXXXVI 23 24. Our Estate before was very low Plundering and Sequestration Fines and Imprisonment Banishment and the Sword had made our Condition seem helpless and our Ruin unavoidable But when thou O Lord didst undertake our Rescue moved by thy never-failing Pity we were suddenly and strangely set free Therefore we will sing that triumphant Psalm (g) Solet iste Psalmus rebus laetis auâ—iberi Gâ—ot in Psal 136. which celebrates the eternal duration of thy Mercy and was wont to be used on the most joyful occasions Psal LXXXV 1. and LIX 10. Never was so Blessed a Change in so short a space brought about in any Land and Heaven was eminently gracious to ours in so wonderfully putting an end to our miserable Bondage We had a most convincing Evidence of Gods abundant Goodness in his letting our Eyes see what our Hearts had so long wished even the Cessation of that Tyranny under which we had groaned Psal XX. 18. and XXXVI 12. By thy Providence we saw them fall from their usurped Authority and our selves raised up to our ancient Freedom under our Rightful Prince They were exalted by Injustice and we had been depressed by Violence therefore their Ruin is most just and we hope their Recovery impossible so long as thou O Righteous Lord dost govern the World Psal CXV 12 13. We thought our Misery very tedious and our Burden very heavy but found at last that God had us in his Mind all those sad times therefore why should we not hope he will go on to Bless both his People and his Priests after this Deliverance We cannot doubt the continuance of his Favour if we continue to fear him in our Prosperity as we did in our Adversity