A sermon preached upon the fifth of November, 1678. By a Protestant divine

Anno Tertio Jacobi Regis.

Yearly Prayers shall be made, for the delivery of the King, &c. From the Gunpowder-Treason.

FOr as much as Almighty God, hath in all Ages shewed his power and mercy, in the miraculous and gracious deliverance of his Church; and in the Protection of Religious Kings and States, and that no Nation of the Earth hath been blessed with greater benefits, than this Kingdom now enjoyeth, having the true and free profession of the Gospel under our Most Gracious Soveraign Lord King James; the most Great, Learned, and Religi∣ous King that ever reigned therein, inriched with a most hopeful and plentiful Progeny, proceeding out of his Royal Loyns, promising continuance of this happiness and profession to all prosterity; the which many malignant and devilish Papists, Jesuites, and Seminary Priests much envying and fearing, conspi∣red most horribly, when the Kings most Excellent Ma∣jesty, the Queen, the Prince, and all the Lords Spiri∣tual and Temporal, and Commons should have been

Assembled in the Ʋpper-House of Parliament upon the fifth day of November, in the Year of our Lord, 1605, Suddenly to have blown up the said whole House with Gunpowder: an invention so Inhumane, Barbarous and Cruel, as the like was never before heard of, and was, as some of the principal Conspira∣tors thereof confess, purposely devised and concluded to be done in the said House. That where sundry ne∣cessary and Religious Laws for preservation of the Church and State were made (which they falsly and slanderously term cruel Laws) and enacted against them and their Religion; both place and persons should be all destroyed and blown up at once, which would have turned to the utter ruin of this whole Kingdom, had it not pleased Almighty God by inspiring the Kings most Excellent Majesty with a Divine Spirit to in∣terpret some dark phrases of a Letter shewed to His Majesty, above and beyond all ordinary constructions, thereby miraculously discovering this hidden Treason, not many hours before the appointed time for the exe∣cution thereof; therefore the Kings most Excellent Majesty, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and all His Majesties faithful and loving Subjects, do most

justly acknowledge this great and infinite blessing to have proceeded meerly from God, his great mercy, and to his most holy name do ascribe all honour, glory, and praise; and to the end this unfeigned thankfulness may never be forgotten, but be had in a perpetual remem∣brance; that all ages to come may yeild praises to his Divine Majesty for the same, and have in memory this joyful day of deliverance.

Be it therefore Enacted by the Kings most Excel∣lent Majesty, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled, and by the Authority of the same, that all and sin∣gular Ministers in every Cathedral, and Parish Church, or other usual place for Common-Prayer, within this Realm of England and the Dominions of the same, shall always upon the fifth day of No∣vember say morning prayer, and give unto Almighty God thanks for this most happy deliverance, and that all and every person and persons inhabiting within this Realm of England, and the Dominions of the same, shall always upon that day diligently and faith∣fully resort to the Parish Church, or Chappel accusto∣med, or to some usual Church or Chappel where the

said morning Prayer, Preaching or other service of God shall be used, and then and there to abide orderly and soberly during the time of the said Prayers, or Preaching, or other service of God there to be used and Ministred.

And because all and every person may be put in mind of his duty, and be then better prepared to the said holy service, be it enacted by Authority afore∣said, that every Minister shall give warning to his Parishioners publickly in the Church at Morning-Prayer the Sunday before every such fifth day of No∣vember, for the due observation of the said day, and that after morning Prayer, or Preaching upon the said fifth day of November, they read publickly, distinctly and plainly this present Act.

FINIS.