WE have no greater encou∣ragement in our Addresses to God, than the remem∣brance of past deliverances; and we never Worship him more decently, than when we mix our acknowledgments for what is past, with our Prayers for what is to come. So David here implores the Divine Pro∣tection in an extreme danger, which is poetically exprest, by the Lions mouth, the figure of a Lion importing the strength as well as the rage of his enemies; and its Page  2 mouth importing the nearness of the dan∣ger, which perhaps relates to the hazards he run of falling into the hands of Saul. And with this he gives the reason of his confidence in God, even in that Ex∣tremity; because in some former dangers, which are expressed by the figure of being on the horns of the unicorn, or Rhinoceros, and so being ready to be tossed up, or torn by it, God had heard him. This perhaps relates to his deliverance from the Lion, and the Bear, or from Goliah. It is needless to en∣large more upon the words. Three things occur very naturally to our thoughts from them, with relation to this present occa∣sion.

The first is, the apprehension of danger from a formidable and cruel Enemy.

The second is, a hope of preservation founded on former deliverances.

And the third is, the mean that is here laid before us for our preservation; it is prayer to God, that he may save us from the lions mouth, who has before heard us (that is, in the Seripture-phrase delivered us) from the horns of the unicorns.

Page  9 For the first Particular, I will use no Preambles, but plainly tell you, That it is the Church of Rome which I mean, that is both so strong and so cruel an Enemy; and is as a Lion going about seeking how to devour all that differ from it. As for the Strength of this Enemy, it may be measured by the Empire which that Church has assumed, not onely over Mens Per∣sons, but over their Consciences: This be∣ing indeed the Fundamental Doctrine of of that Church, of believing as the Church believes; of delivering up Mens Reasons and Consciences to be led blind-fold into whatsoever Doctrines or Practices their Guides impose upon them; and making them think, that to doubt of any of these is a Sin, and that therefore it must be opened to the Priest, and cannot be taken away, but by his leave, and Pardon given by him. The Mystery of Popery lies not so much in other Speculative Opinions, as in this main Point, That we ought not Page  10 to trust neither our Reason nor our Sen∣ses in the examining such Articles as that Church proposes to us, but must take them all, and her Authority to boot, which determines all the rest, upon her own Word: So that the main thing in controversie between the Church of Rome and us, is, Whether we ought to inquire into the Will of God our selves, or must take it upon trust from our Guides?

A Church that has established such a Tyranny upon the tenderest Part of our Natures, our Reason, which is the most jealous of its Liberty, as well as the most desirous of it, no wonder if she takes it ill to see so sacred a Secret look'd into; for, as it will not bear an Inquiry, so every Inquiry into it, is a Step towards the sha∣king it off. And therefore, as her Power is absolute over her own Votaries; so she must bear an extreme Hatred to any that will be so impudent as to pretend, that Page  11 their Understandings are exempted from her Yoke.

Other things concur in that Church to confirm this Empire. The Belief of the Priests Power, both of Transubstantiating the Bread and the Wine, and of granting Absolution, makes it seem very reasonable to trust a Body of Men, that are so won∣derfully qualified, with the Keeping and Conduct of other Mens Consciences. And after the most essential, as well as the most uneasily subdued Power of a Man was conquered, no wonder if the lesser Mat∣ters, such as Wealth and Dominion, should follow the other, as a sort of Perquisits. He that can forgive the Sins of the Li∣ving, and redeem the Souls of the Dead, will drive a sure Trade for himself; for though it cannot be sure that what he does is ratified in Heaven; yet the Belief of it, whether it gives Heaven to the Pur∣chaser or not, is sure to bring the best Page  12 part of this Earth to the Seller. Men do not return to tell that they were cheated in the Bargain, and to demand an Equity. On the contrary, in dark Ages nothing was more common than pretended Ap∣paritions and Voices to confirm the Im∣posture; which have vanished in an Age that is more apt to suspect and examine such things, as the Illusions of our Dreams fly from us whenever we are awake.

But the Night was so long and so dark, that no wonder if so gainful a Trade was carried on with great success: And who would stand much upon the Case, after they had parted with the Jewel? So Mens Reasons being once given up, no wonder if Wealth, and all other Secu∣lar Advantages, were thrown into the Bargain. A Church established upon such a Bottom, and supported with so much Wealth and Power, and defended by such Multitudes, who as they have all their Page  13 Proportion of the Spoil, so are tied to it by Vows, as well as engaged in it by In∣terest; and that has subdued so great a part of the World, and claims a more than ordinary Title to us, as having been once a very valuable Part of her Empire, is justly to be looked on as a great and formidable Enemy.

But it is not the Greatness of an Ene∣my, that makes him so Formidable; it is his Rage and Cruelty that gives the most mortal Apprehensions. The old Romans made the Nations that they subdued, Gain∣ers by the Conquest they made of them: But the Modern Romans are more unre∣lenting Enemies. They first make all their Votaries look on such as are not of their Party, as Hereticks, that is, Men hated of God, and devoted to Damnation. Now it will be no hard thing to inspire Men with Cruelty, when they are once posses∣sed with such inveterate Hatred and Aver∣sion Page  14 to a sort of Men who they believe are to burn in Hell for ever; and so they think they but co-operate with the Justice of God, if they help this forward, and bring it on a little the sooner; especially when such Fires purifie the Air, which would be otherwise corrupted with their Heresie.

A Church that has substituted this Wild∣fire of Rage and Cruelty, to these gentle Flames of Love and Charity; and that, in stead of making us love one another, makes us destroy and burn one another, is the most opposite thing possible to a Society founded on the Gospel; as if, in stead of the Union that ought to be among Christians, we ought onely to be bundling up Numbers of them in Fag∣gots, to be burnt or blown up. All means possible are taken to impose this Cruelty on the World, which without Page  15 some Practice and extraordinary Endea∣vours could not be wrought up to such a Pitch, as to lay down the Bowels of a Man, and take up the Rage of a Wolf or Lion.

Bishops among them are made to swear at their Consecration, That they shall per∣secute Hereticks to the utmost of their Pow∣er. Decrees of General Councils have been made for the Extirpating Hereticks; and Indulgence, with the Pardon of Sins, have been promised to such as should as∣sist at it. And because there is somewhat Great and Generous in the Nature of most Princes, therefore they have decreed, That if they are remiss in this Affair, of Extirpating such as the Church condemns of Heresie, which is onely a soft Word for being the Churchmens Executioners, they shall be first Excommunicated; and if they persist in their merciful Inclinati∣ons, Page  16 they are next to be Deposed, their Subjects to be acquitted of their Oaths of Allegiance, and their Dominions to be disposed of to other more Zealous, that is, less Merciful Catholicks.

Thus all possible Ways are taken to engage all sorts of People, both Clergy and Laity, both Princes and Subjects, into these Cruel Practices; and therefore the Bloody things that have been done among them, are not so much the Ex∣cesses of Particular Persons, as the Natu∣ral Effects of the Established Doctrines and Rules of their Church, which seems to have forced them upon all within it, with so affected a Care, as if those who had managed it had been jealous that Good Nature and Common Humanity would have been too hard for them, if this Machin had not been set on by so many strong Springs, that nothing should withstand it.

Page  17 So in short, here is an Enemy that if it prevails it must either swallow up our Souls, or will be sure if that project fails, to succeed in that which it has in reserve, it will devour our Bodies.

If any say, that these were effects of heat long ago, which are now disowned by that Church.

To such this must be answered, That as Bel∣larmine says, the Church does not always put in practise her power of deposing Princes, be∣cause she is not always able to execute her Cen∣sures; so this Doctrine of extirpation is either really hid from some good-natured Prose∣lytes, whose hearts might perhaps turn against a Church that should authorize such barbarities; or is cautiously and prudently enough disowned by those who know it, till they see a fair con∣juncture and a fit opportunity: and those who do not now see it, may perhaps then feel it.

But we are not to seek long for instances of this cruelty, when we have such a crying one in our eyes in the business of this day, which is the second thing I proposed to speak to. Where we have a Crime before us that far past all the Page  18 invention of former Ages: for never was there any one single action, that would have produ∣ced such mischievous effects, as one spark of fire would have done here, if God had not heard and delivered us from the horns of the Vnicorns. None could suspect the nature of man of so black a design: and it was less to be apprehen∣ded from men of the same Countrey, if the be∣coming a Proselyte to Rome did not make a man both forget that he was a man, and an English-man. Nor was there any violent oppression in the case, which often makes even a wise man mad, for they were under so little pressure, that the Government was a little censured for its re∣misness: so that a Merciful Prince and a gentle Reign do not allay their fury. It had been long in consultation among them, as may appear by this one instance among many more that might be given,* Delrio a Jesuite in a book Printed at Leuvain, but five years before this, puts a Case, Whether if a Confederate discover in Confession that he or some else have placed Gunpowder, or such like matter under such or such a house, and unless it be removed, the House will be blown up, the Prince destroyed, and as many as are in or going out of the City, will sustain great mischief, or run an extream hazard, the Priest ought to reveal Page  19 it? It is determined in the Negative, that he ought not to do it; and for this he cites a Bull of Pope Clement the Eighths, against the taking any notice of things discovered in Confession, which though it related only to Superiours, and required them to take no notice in their Go∣vernment of such things as they know in Con∣fession, yet the Jesuite argues from thence, that the Pope approved the opinion, that Confessors ought to behave themselves in all respects, as if they had heard nothing at all in Confession. This being published so near England, and so near the time when this Train was laying, shews that it was then in their thoughts: for it is a case that had never before fallen out, and so was not likely to have fallen into a mans thoughts, if the thing had not been in consultation a∣mong them. In conclusion, when a sufficient number were cemented by so many Oaths and Sacraments in such a black design, then it was laid with so much artifice, that it was not pro∣bable it could have miscarried. Thus were our Fathers upon the horns of the Vnicorns, when by an unlookt for accident it appeared, that that eye to which those dark places lay naked, took pitie on us, and laid this open to the preserva∣tion of King, and Queen, and Prince, the Cler∣gy Page  20 and Nobility, the Commons and all others whom that great solemnity of the meeting of a Parliament commonly brings together; besides the crouds round about the place, who would very probably have had a large share of so de∣vouring an Earthquake, as so much Gunpowder must have produced. It is true, some humanity was left, but it was only to their own Party; warning was given to so many, that there were not above Three worth Saving, in their account, in all that vast Assembly, who were not adverti∣sed to absent themselves, as Sir Everard Digby writ out of Prison to a Friend.

One of these Advertisements being conveyed very odly to a Lord of that Religion, gave him the happy opportunity of being the instrument that brought out all this secret provision for so many deaths that was laid up in store. The bold Incendiary that undertook the thing, was taken, and all broke out: but then, though a great many of those who had not learnt the depths of Satan, were so far overcome by the Discovery, as to confess all, yet as one of these was prevailed with to retract that afterwards, but a few minutes before his death in prison, which prevented his suffering by the hand of Justice, Page  21 so the Jesuites shewed on this occasion how they can steel their Consciences, both in undertaking the blackest Crimes; and in throwing off that guilt with the most impudent denials. Garnet their Provincial did this to a degree of assurance, that astonished those who took his Examinati∣ons. Sir Everard Digby, one of the Conspira∣tors in his Letters, of which I have seen the O∣riginals, calls that Conspiracy, A Cause dearer to him than his Life; and so powerfully had the poyson of that Religion corrupted his thoughts, that in all his Letters writ during his imprison∣ment, even in his last Advices to his Children, there is not the least hint of Repentance for his engagement in so vile a design, though in all o∣ther respects he appeared to be a man that was both Vertuously and Religiously inclined, such an influence has that Religion even on the best natures.

If after all this, these had been only the exe∣crable practices of some Assassinates, though it would have left some Imputation on a Church, for having such Members in her bosome, yet it might be well enough put by with this; that there will be still cockle among the Wheat, and that there was a Traitor among the Twelve A∣postles. Page  22 But if these things were done pursu∣ant to the Doctrines of that Church, that makes it lawful to Kill Hereticks, to Depose Princes, to dissolve the Bonds of Allegiance, and to give their Dominions to other; then we may more justly charge the guilt of this day upon the Church it self.

It gives very just grounds of suspicion that the Pope never made any Declaration of his de∣testation of that Crime, though, as I have been credibly informed, it was much desired: on the contrary, two Priests that had engaged in it, getting beyond-sea, were well received and pro∣vided for by the Pope even in Rome it self. And the Jesuites have made Prints and Pictures for Garnet as a Saint, and fables of straws that wrought miracles by virtue of some drops of Blood that fell on them, which afterwards were converted into little pictures, have been pro∣posed to the World as evidences of his Saint∣ship. In a word, it is plain that these who en∣gaged in this Conspiracy, were carried into it by the Principles of their Religion, and that they were so far from being condemned for it, that they were supported and justified both living and dead for what they did in it.

Page  23 And that Learned King, though by the good∣ness of God he never felt the effects of the bloudy rage of that cruel Religion, yet he knew it well, and therefore upon a solemn occasion he protested to his Councellours, That he would ne∣ver so much as grant a Toleration of that Religion,* but would spend the last drop of bloud in his body before he would do it; and pray'd that before any of his Issue should maintain any other Religion than what he truly professed and maintained, that God would take them out of the world.

Since then, notwithstanding the close manage∣ment as well as the secret contrivance of this cursed Plot, which was so near its execution, that the whole State both of this Church and Nation was in a danger, not unfitly expressed by their being on the horns of the Vnicorns; God yet heard our Fathers and delivered them, who have handed down to us the remembrance of that great Sal∣vation that he wrought for them on this blessed day; then all the Royal Family descended from that King, all the Nobility and Gentry, whose Ancestours were markt for destruction, all the Clergy to whose burning that fire was the fore∣runner, unless they resolved to save themselves by Apostacy, and the whole English Nation that was then like to have seen so black a day, and Page  24 have fallen under so dark a night, ought all to joyn together and say, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious, for his mercy endureth for ever, Amen and Amen.

And because his mercy endureth for ever, there∣fore we ought still to pray to him to preserve us, and to say to him, Save me from the Lions mouth, which is the third thing in my Text. We believe there is a secret providence that governs the World, and that discriminates between the good and the bad, and therefore we ought to address our selves to that Providence, as well as to depend on it and submit to it; and since the Religion that we profess is the Cause of God, and the dearest of all other things to him who de∣livered it to the world, who sealed it with his own Blood, and in whose hands the government of all things in Heaven and in Earth was put by his Father, we may well quiet our minds, amidst all the fears and apprehensions which melancho∣ly thoughts may suggest to us. God will not abandon his own work, nor will Christ forget that which was the purchase of his own Blood. We may indeed make our selves unworthy of it, and the cry of our sins may go up so loud to Heaven, as to drown these softer whispers of our Prayers and Thanksgivings.

Page  25 It is our contempt of God and Religi∣on; our unreformed Lives amidst all the noise we make of the Reformation, our forgetting past Mercies, and our insensibility to all the Methods of Di∣vine Providence, that ought to make us fear the Lion's Mouth, and every thing else that is dismal and frightful: and therefore if we would have our Prayers to be effectual, we must take care that our Lives may not defeat our cold and slender Devotions.

But as we desire to have our Pray∣ers to be heard, so we must take a par∣ticular care to join no Endeavours with them that may argue a distrust of God, or of our Religion: and while we have a zeal against Popery, as a bloody, a rebellious, and a cruel Religion; we must do nothing to shew that we are acted by the Spirit of Popery, even Page  26 while we seem to oppose it. All Ma∣lice to Mens Persons, all desire of Re∣venge, the thirst of Blood, fierce Zeal, and indecent Rage, are the Characters of the Persecuting Spirit that reigns there: We must not think ill of every particular Man among them, because of their Corruptions, which perhaps he does not know; and if he did know them, would disown them. We must think as charitably of men as we can: for tho' there is very little Charity due to the complicated Body, and the go∣verning Part of that Church; yet we owe a great deal to many particular men in it, who are still in it, because they have not known the Depths of Satan; and would very probably for∣sake it, if they saw so well as to dis∣cern them.

Page  27 But above all these, we must never forget the Station in which God has put us, as we are Subjects under a law∣ful Prince, to whom we are tied both by Divine and Humane Laws: and even the Lion's Mouth it self opening to devour us, can never excuse us from our Obligation to submit and suffer, if God had so ordered it by his Provi∣dence, that we had not the blessing of being born under a Prince that is the Defender of the Faith, but were born under one that would deliver us up to the LION. Much less ought Jealou∣sies to be so blown into our minds by ill-disposed men, as to make us forget our Duty to God and the King.

Suffer me here to speak this freely, that the late Rebellion, as it was managed with a Popish, that is, a Bloody Spirit, so many of the Arguments that were Page  28 used to defend it, were taken from Po∣pish Authors.

When we go out of the way of Pa∣tience and Submission, of Obedience, and of bearing the Cross; when we give scope to Passion and Rage, to Jealousy and Mistrust, and upon this Fermenta∣tion in our Minds we break out into Wars and Rebellion; we forget that the God whom we serve is Almighty, and can save us either from a devouring Fire, or a Lion's Mouth; and either will save us from these, or reward us in∣finitely for them: We forget that the Saviour whom we follow, was made perfect by Sufferings; and that we be∣come then truly his Disciples, when we bear his Cross, even tho' we should be crushed under it: We forget that our Religion ought to inspire us with a con∣tempt of Life and the World, and with Page  29 meekness and lowliness of Mind: We forget that we are the Followers of that glorious Cloud of Witnesses, who have by Faith and Patience inherited the Pro∣mises, and have gone to take possession of the Kingdom that was prepared for them, through Fire, and through Blood, but it was their own Blood. And to sum up all, we forget that our Refor∣mation was the shaking off of Popery, that is, a bloody Conspiracy against the Souls and Bodies of men: against the Souls of the Weak, and against the Bodies of the Firm, but Innocent Pro∣fessors of this Holy Religion. We are not to share with them in their Cruelty, nor imitate them in their Rebellion.

But on the other hand; If we will live so suitably to our Religion, that we may be thereby entitled to the bles∣sing of enjoying it, and of being secure Page  30 in it; and if our melancholy apprehen∣sions make us pray more earnestly to the Great Author of it, then we may lie down in quiet; for God will either make us to dwell in safety, and deliver us from the Lion's Mouth; or if he gives us up as a Prey, yet at least we shall even in Death overcome, and ob∣tain the Crown of Life.