PSALM cxviii. v. 23.

It is the Lord's doing, and it was marvellous in our Eyes.

THings do sometimes speake, and times call aloud; and as all Men are before hand with me, in the choice of this Text, at least in applying it to the present time, so that amasing Concurrence of Providences, which have conspired to hatch and bring forth, and perfect this extraordinary Revolution, would lead one very naturally to use these words, even tho we had no such Verse in Scripture; for we have before us a Work, that seems to our selves a Dream, and that will appear to Posterity a Fiction: a Work about which Providence has watched in so pecu∣liar a manner, that a Mind must be far gone into Atheism, that can resist so full a conviction as this offers us in favour of that Truth. And if a threed of happy steps on the one hand, and of mistaken ones on the other, can upon any occasion be made an Argument, we have it here in its utmost force.

It is the Lord's doing, not as the Heavens and Earth, as the Revo∣lutions of Day and Night, and the whole Chain of Second Causes are his Work: The whole Springs of Nature are wound up by him, so that all things are in some sort his doing: He gives also a secret Direction to all second Causes to accomplish his Eternal Pur∣poses. He knows all the foldings of our Hearts, and the compo∣sition of our Natures so well, that without putting us under a force, he can bring about whatsoever pleases him. He also on some great occasions does Violence to Nature, and puts her out of her Chan∣nel in those extraordinary Productions that are called Miracles. But besides all these, there are times in which the great Governour of Heaven and Earth will convince the World, that he is not an unconcerned Spectator of Human Affairs: But because Men are apt to be so partial to themselves, and to their own Opinions, as to look on every favourable Accident as a smile from Heaven, and that Sanguine People are as ready on the one hand to think them∣selves God's Favourites, and the special Objects of his Care, as Me∣lancholy Men on the other, in the fourness of thought that oppres∣ses them, construe every thing that succeeds not according to their Page  4Wishes, as the effect of some cross Aspect on them; it is necessary to find the Temper between flattering our selves too much, and the charging our selves too severely; and to examine Providence by such equal and just measures, that we may neither put too much on the common course of Second Causes, nor ascribe too much to such Specialties as our Partialties may incline us to imagine ap∣pear in our favours: for because we are always kind to our selves, we are very apt to believe that Heaven is so too. But to come closer;

1. All signal and eminent things are by the common Phrase of Scripture ascribed to God; and therefore every Event that is great in its self, and may become yet much greater in its Consequences, ought to be imputed to an immediate Hand of Heaven: some that have judged that a special Direction of all things was too great a Di∣straction to his Divine Beeing, & a trouble unworthy of it, have yet thought that its care extended to great matters. If then this may be laid down for a Rule, we must conclude that this Transaction now before us, is God's doing, since the vast importance of it is so visible, that it may be perhaps lessened rather than aggravated, if one would attempt to set it forth. You all know what you both felt and feared: the overturning this Church, and the subverting of this Government, must in consequence have brought on the Ruine both of the Protestant Religion and the publick Liberty all Europe over. When all this is stopp'd, and a happy Crisis appears, that gives the fairest hopes not only of the securing our Religion, together with our other Temporal Concerns, but of putting a check to the Spirit of Persecution, which has of late raged so furiously against our Brethren in so many different places of Europe, and that the Persecutor of Religion, and the Ravisher of Liberty, and the Scourge of the Age, after his having been so long a Plague to all his Neighbours, may probably be brought to feel a little of those Miseries which he has laid on others; so great a Transaction as this, which is perhaps the fore-runner of a greater, may upon very just grounds be called the Lord's doing, if every thing that is great is so.

2. Those Things in which God's Honour is most particularly concerned, may be well reckoned his doing; for if he has a Pro∣vidence that extends it self to all Things, wee have much more Reason to conclude, that Mankind has a more special Title to it: And among Men, that Christians are under a particular distin∣ction; and of all Christians, that those who have reduced Chri∣stianity Page  5to its Primitive Purity and Simplicity, are its chief care; so that the reestablishing of that Glorious Work, which God in a series of many signal Providences had set up in the last Age, and which for the Sins and the unreformed Practices of those who pre∣tended to it, was brought so low in this, may be justly ascribed to that Sovereign Wisdom that governs the Church, which was purchased by the Blood of the Son of GOD.

Matters of Controversy are not proper upon this Occasion; but without entring far into them, the common sense of Mankind, and the general Notices of Truth that are impressed upon our Minds, may serve to determine the greatest part of the differences between us and our Persecutors, Whether Men ought to satisfy themselves in the Points of Religion, or ought to take them upon trust? Whether Men ought to put the stress of their Religion upon a real Renovation of Heart and Life? or, if it may do full as well, to hire and pay a Priest for forgiving our sins in this Life, or re∣deeming us from the punishment of them in the next? Whether we ought to believe our Senses and Reason in their proper Objects, or not? And not to run out too far, whether those Eternal Rules of Justice and Mercy, ought to be the Measures of our Actions, or if Zeal for Holy Church, can warrant us to break our Faith, and destroy our Neighbours? All these seem to be so plain; that one would think the Decision should be soon made; and indeed, if in∣stead of that false shew of Learning, and the many hard words with which these Matters have been disguised and intangled, Men would try them in a shorter and simpler Method, Truth would be sooner found out. In a word; The Truth of our Religion appearing to us in so many conspicuous Characters, especially after the noble and worthy Endeavours of so many of the Lights of this Church, who have proposed all the Points in dispute to the World with Ad∣vantages beyond any thing that had appeared ever since the first beginnings of those Contests. After all this, I say, we must con∣clude, that this is the Lord's doing; since a work that is so dear to him, seems now to be again received into his protection, in so sig∣nal a manner, after he had seemed to hide himself from it.

3. Those Providences which seem immediately to work upon the Minds of Men, and to engage them into the Designs of Hea∣ven, are in a more conspicuous manner the Work of God. For the Mind of Man being a free Agent, it is less accountable how vast Multitudes should come all under the same Impressions, unless Page  6God did by those secret and undiscernable Methods of his Wis∣dom, give them such directions. This Psalm seems to be penned upon the making up of that Breach that was between the House of David and the House of Saul; all Israel following the latter, while only the Tribe of Judab adhered to the former, see 2 Sam. 2. But all were afterwards united in owning of David, who was become the Head Stone of the Corner, that joined those two great Divisions in one. David had felt how little either Princes or People, that is, those of the Sanhedrim; or to speak in an English Phrase, the Peers or Commons of the Jews, were to be depended upon: And there∣fore, vers. 9, and 10. he says, It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in Man: It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in Princes, either numerous Armies, or wise Councils. The Reign of Saul, and the Charms that were in Jonathan, had, no doubt, given the family a great Root. But the Divine Designation that was upon David, had broke through all that, and had turned the the Hearts of the whole Nation as one Man to him. David had seen a formidable opposition in his way, and he himself had pas∣sed through great and threatning Dangers; but the right Hand of the Lord had been of his side, and had done valiantly. And all the Force that was brought against him, had vanished into nothing; or as a Fire of Thorns, it had blazed and crackled a little, but was soon spent: And therefore as there was an universal rejoicing in the Tabernacle of the Righteous, so David went into the House of God, this Psalm being set as the Hymn of his Triumph: which was pro∣bably sung before him as he went into the Tabernacle in Mount Zion; for these words, Open to me the gates of Righteousness, I will go into them and praise the Lord, together with the Answer, This is the gate of the Lord into which the Righteous shall enter, seem to be set for his entring in at the Gates: In a word, the centring of the whole People in him, was so particularly a work of Providence, that in a most special manner this was the Lords doing. And therefore an extra∣ordinary concurrence of all favourable Accidents, and particular∣ly, the disposing of all Mens minds one way, has a Character upon it, that must force us to say, This is the Lords doing. I know how dangerous and deceitful an Argument this from Providence will ever seem to be; and therefore I will touch, it with that caution which is requisite. It is certain, that God for the punishing of Na∣tions, gives sometimes such a torrent of Success to those who are the Instruments of their Correction, that this may be rather a mark Page  7of his displeasure against those who are to be brought low, than of his favouring those who are lifted up. There are also such Myste∣ries in the whole Conduct of the World, that though our Partiali∣ty makes us apt to Magnifie all that we like, yet if we carry it too far, we will be in danger to be often out of countenance, when the same Argument turn against us; therefore before we can make any Comments on so doubtful a Text, we must be first sure that the ground work is well laid, and that both the Cause it self, and the means used to advance it, are good. But when we are got over that, and are satisfied both in the one and the other, then we can hardly forbear to look on a chain of unlook'd for and unac∣countable Providences, without a most sensible Joy. I will not build too much on the Characters that have appeared in the Insen∣sible part of the Creation, I mean the Winds and Weather, for one does not know how far those have been the effects of the natu∣ral series of things, yet one cross Wind which seemed design'd on∣ly to make us apprehend the hand of Heaven, without suffering much by it, and without losing above one Man in it; and ano∣ther strong and prosperous Gale, which both preserved us from those who were appointed to wait for us, add brought us so near our Port, but changed immediately for another to fetch us into it; and which having executed its Commission, was immediately in another corner, and the softness of the Weather, in a Season so far advanc'd, are things so remarkable, that we are extream insensible if they make not deep Impressions on us. But, as I said before, the application of Providence in the turning and bending the minds of Men, is yet a most immediate work of Hea∣ven. The precipitation and folly of Persecutors in opening their ill designs so early, the Impudent breach of Faith, and the unre∣lenting Cruelty that they had put in practice in the Neigh∣bouring Kingdom, sent us over many thousands of Witnesses, to awaken us, and to let us see what we ought to look for whensoever that bloody Religion should come to prevail among us; and of what account all Promises and Laws were to be, whensoever they could break through them. This comming so critically, in the very time in which the Repeal of Laws was to be asked in their fa∣vours, was a more sensible Argument against it, than all the speci∣ous ones could ever be that were brought for it; and so much Evi∣dence was necessary, otherwise the good Nature of some, and the Page  8weakness and corruption of others, had perhaps put us to a more Melancholy and Troublesome after game; but such an apparent breach of Faith, and so furious a Persecution as they had raised be∣yond Sea, were Arguments that every Man could comprehend and manage, and out of which it was not possible to beat them. I need not enlarge on all that chain of Errors and Violences that have followed, since the first broaching of the Design; they were too many to be all repeated, and too visible and well known to need that it should be done. Nor would I willingly say any thing that might look either like Insulting or Reproaching, God has seemed to have given them up to such a Spirit of delusion, as if the Curse of those who Worship graven Images, had fallen on them; Like unto them are all they that worship them: and in Conclusion, GOD put such a Cup of trembling and astonishment in their hands, that he seemed to have taken away the heart of the Counsellors, and that ac∣cording to another of Davids Expresions, none of the men of might have found their hands; in short, the Methods that God has suffered them to take for the alarming and awakning the whole Nation, for the uniting of all that were so unhappily broken asunder before, and for ingaging all to center in what is now brought about, is an Emi∣nent Character of the hand of God in the whole matter: Why went they so fast and so barefac'd? Why grasp'd they so much all at once? Why was the Hook so ill covered when the Bait was thrown out? Why was it that few were either so weak or so corrupt, but they have been so successful that they at last have set them right? In a word, all this blasting of Counsels, and defeating of their de∣signs by their own means, was of God, and must be owned to be his doing.

The Errors also of the great Supporter of Persecution, his Quar∣rels with the Head of that Mystical Babylon, and his diverting his Force to a new War, an unjust one, to be sure, since begun by him; the Concurrence of so many great Princes, and above all that happy Union that was in those Blessed Provinces, that tho' compos'd of so many different Bodies, seem'd to have but one Head and one Heart upon this Occasion, are all conspicuous Cha∣racters. The Constitution and the Interests of the States do always byass them against War, or every thing that may interrupt their Trade; and the Dangers which appeared from a War in their Frontier, seemed at least to engage them to secure themselves rather by a strengthning than a diminishing of their Force; and yet the Page  9universal and chearful Concurrence of all among them, from the Highest to the Lowest, both those that were in the Government, and those that were without doors, by which they put their whole Strength to this Design, and put all to hazard to carry it on, spa∣ring neither their Fleets, their Armies, nor their Treasure; all this, I say, made every one conclude, that this was the Finger of God. The Concurrence of all in this Nation, & especially of that Great Body from which the chief Opposition was expected, was no less signal. Their Numbers, and that courage which is so natural to this noble Nation, and many other Considerations, concurred to give just Apprehensions of a Bloody Scene. But how strangely did all this vanish? And how have our Hopes and even our Wishes been so far prevented, that we are scarce yet recovered out of that surprize of Wonder into which this threw us? When all this is laid together, we are tempted not only to cry out, that this is the Lords doing, but that it is such a doing of his as is beyond any thing that is in all the Records of past Times; and is a Scene all of Wonders, but Wonders of Love and Mercy.

4. When Revolutions happen, that carry so many Characters of the Attributes of God on them, that we see both Power, Wisdom, and Goodness in every Step of them, then we are yet more parti∣cularly bound to adore the Hand of God in them. The Progress that Mahomet and his Followers made, which is indeed one of the most amazing things in History, carried evident Marks of the Power end Justice of GOD, in suffering that Scourge of the Eastern Christians to bring them under his cruel Yoke. The Progress of the Roman State had in it Characters both of the Power and Wis∣dom of GOD, in disposing the World for the Christian Religion, by bringing it under one Empire, and such a Civilized Gorvern∣ment as was a due Preparation for so holy and perfect Religion. But here we have both Power, Wisdom, and Goodness, all con∣curring to set forth the Glory of the Author of it. So great an Un∣dertaking, and the several Branches of it, all meeting so happily together, and favoured with so many prosperous Accidents, shew how the Power of GOD concurred in it. The Depth, the Secrecy, the prudent Management and Execution of it, shew the Wisdom of GOD; but above all, the sudden and unbloody Issue to which it was so unexpectedly brought, is a Character of GOD'S Goodness to us, which can never be sufficiently acknowledged: If either a slow Lingering had made us languish, or a bloody Decision had Page  10been the price of the Victory, we should have had reason to con∣fess, that, our Sins had rendred us unworthy of so great a Mercy as we haye now before us: But with how much admiration must we look on and see our selves prevented with so early a Deliverance? and that our Deliverer, as he came detesting the Imputation of Conquest that was call on him, so he was received in a way suitable to his own good Intentions. And thus upon all these Reasons, as we see in general what are the Characters from which we may conclude what things may be called the Lord's doing, so we see in particular how fitly they all belong to that which is the Subject of our wonder at present.

For this is mavellous in our eyes. We talk of it, both to our selves, and to one another in this style: who can cease wondring, especially those who have seen how the springs of this Affair have moved all along? We wonder at the Deliverance it self, and we ought to wonder much more such a Guilty Nation as this is, should have been delivered in so harmless a manner. We see what a storm has gone over, and broke out upon many of the For reign Churches. A Persecution that is in all its Circumstances far be∣yond the blackest of any that are in History. If our Church has advantages in her Constitution, that make her the just pride and glory of the whole protestant Side; we have still so much the more to answer for, if we have not walked worthy of those Blessings, that Light, and those Advantages with which God had honoured us. And why is it then that God ha• only only shaken the Rod over us, but has not suffered it to hu•••s? Our Enemies had rage enough to design it, and they had an abused Authority so entirely in their hands, that they seemed to have got the Government un∣der as implicit obedience, as they have got over the Faith of their Votaries. How comes it then that God did not suffer this to go farther, that he did not punish our sins, and in particular the sharpness with which we had treated one another, by delivering us up to those whose tender mercies are cruel? All this is marvellous, but whether it is so in our eyes or not, I do not know: that is, whe∣ther we make those Reflections on it, which such miracles of mer∣cy call for from us; or if we let it pass by us without any other Reflection but of talking about it, as we do concerning all other Revolutions: In a word, as this is the Lord's doings and marvellous in it self, so it ought to be so in our eyes; for it is certainly in the the eyes of all the World beside. We ought Page  11to make such pauses in thinking on it, as may lead us up to adore and admire the great Author of it, in this his doing.

1st, We ought in a most profound prostration, to magnify the good-of God to us in it: to him belongs the Glory of it, for his hand has wrought this Salvation for us. Some may mention their Chariots, and some their Horses, but we ought only to mention the name of the Lord our God. It will not all derogate from the▪ Honour of our Great-Deliverer, to consider him as the Instrument, whom God has so highly exalted, in bringing about so great a work by his means; and so to direct our Homage and Adoration to the Ori∣ginal of this, and all our other Blessings. And God has imployed an Instrument in it, who desires that the acknowledgments may be wholly made to that Eternal Purpose, that brings abour all its Designs in so Sovereign a manner. This is indeed in all it parts above the skill and wisdom of Man: and therefore let us offer up the whole honour of it to God: and when that is done, this will lead us best of all to pay all the due returns of gratitude and esteem to Him whom God hath now blessed for the second time with the greatest honour that can fall on a mortal Man, that he seems born to be the great Blessing of the Age. His first appearance in the World carried with it a Deliverance to those happy▪ Provinces; for happy they were, from the time that they came under His pro∣tection. We that saw their Peace▪ and Plenty, and the Order and Justice▪ that Reign among them, and the sense that they have of that Conduct that procures, it saw an ear∣nest of those Blessings that seem to be before us▪ And indeed the pas∣sion that they all expressed at His leaving them; was to us the truest Indication of the joy and confidence with which we ought to receive Him here, and of the hopes that we may promise our selves un∣der so glorious a Protection. Let us therefore ponder all these Providences of God so as to admire them, not only into a lazy and silent▪ wonder, but in those true acts of Praise and Adoration, by which our souls, and all that is within us, may he stirred up to bl•ss the Lord, and not to forget anyone of all those benefits which he has bestowed on us, upon this occasion, in which he has redeemed our life from destruction, and crowned us with bis loving-kindness and tender meroies.

2dly. If this Work of God does possess us with that veneration which is due to it, we ought not to stop the course of it, till it has had its full effect; nor to daub matters by slight and palliating re∣medies. We see now before us the most glorious beginning of a noble Change of the whole face of Affairs, both with relation to Page  12Religion, and the Peace of Europe, that we could have wisht for It is so for beyond our hopes, that we durst scarce let our wishes go so far: we may, it we are not wanting to put selves, and to the Conjuncture before us, hope to see that which may be according to the Prophetick style, termed a new Heaven's, and a new Earth. But if a Spirit of jealousy and murmuring, of impatience and faction, and of returning back to that out of which God has so signally ex∣tricated us, grows up; so that instead of reaping the fruits that we have now in prospect, we have not Souls big enough, nor Hearts good enough, to carry this on to perfection, then we may justly fear our being delivered up avail those Evils from which we will not be healed. But it on the other hand we raise our minds above every narrowness of thought, and all partial regards, and consi∣der matters with such a naked impartiality as becomes Christians, Prorestants and Englishmen, and provide such Remedies as are requisite, then we may hope to see this blessed morning to grow up to a perfect day. In a word, Life and Death are before us, and Blessing and Cursing. Those who chuse Life, and every thing that leads to it, secure a Blessing to themselves, and entail it on their Po∣sterity: but if we chuse Death rather than Life, there is no help for it: such persons secure a curse to themselves, and do what in them lies to entail it on their Posterity; and there is scarce any indicati∣on more certain of the Sins of a Nation being grown up to that height, that it must be destroyed, than the Miscarriage of so great a Deliverance is God has wrought for us, which will be an eternal Blot on the Wisdom of the Nation; since, in that Case the Figure of our Saviour must be justly applyed to us: We have piped to you, but you have not danced; or these other words of his, O Jerusalem, Je∣rusalem, how often would I have gathered thee under my wings, at the hen gathereth her brood, hut thou wouldest not: Or that of the Prophet, That while Children were in the Womb, there was not strength to bring forth.

3dly, But if we will carry on, and perfect this marvellous Work of GOD, we must study to be such, that GOD may not repent him of the good which he seems to have prepared for us. While we are under such a happy Influence of Heaven, we must not raise up such an Interposition between it and us, as may not only make us lose this happy Opportunity, but turn it to a Curse by the ill use we may make of it. We have not forgot the Criminal Exces∣ses of the year Sixty, and how that great Revolution that seemed Page  13to promise all that a Nation that had been so long tossed with Wars and changes of Government, could wish for, was so unsuccessful; but instead of the Nations receiving that with those Acknowledge∣ments that were due for such a Blessing; how did all People, as it were, conspire to defeat the ends of Providence in it? The exces∣ses of Rioting and Drunkenness, and the Disorders of all sorts, grew not only to be practised, but gloried in, as if those Abomi∣nations had been the proper distinctions of a Loyal man; a Virtuous man looked out of Countenance, if he could not go in to the mad∣ness of the time; and because the high Professions of Religion in the former times, had been a disguise to many ill Designs, men not only laid aside all the Decencies of Religion, but began to think it a peece of breeding to decry it as an Imposture. This went so far, that perhaps in no Nation, under Heaven, did men treat the Religion which they professed, so familiarly as we did; and those who were not concerned any further in Religion, than as it might advance their ungodly Designs, were willing to encourage this Spi∣rit of Atheism, hoping that it would make way for a Religion which in some respects is worse than no Religion at all; for tho, with re∣lationto particular Men, there is no Comparison indeed to be made between Popery & Atheism; yet, with relation to humane Society, a Religion that dissolves Faith and good Nature, and gives Authority both to Perfidy and Cruelty, is worse than none at all. As we reflict upon these Abominations, and on the fatal Consequences of them, which have been on us so long; so in order to the preventing the return of the like Evils, we must avoid the relapsing into the like Sins. It is neither the Union nor Wisdom of Councils, nor the Strength of Fleets or Armies, that will secure us from the Judgements of God, which we may expect will fall upon us with an extraordi∣nary redoubling, according to the Prophetick Phraise of seven times heavier than any thing that we have yet seen or known; if those that are filthy, will be filthy still: If the Atheist will think that his standing up for the Protestant Religion, is a warrant to him to laugh at all that is Sacred; In a word, if Men think that their Fears are over; that, therefore they may give themselves up to work wickedness without restraint; then we may justly expect a return of the like; if not of greater Miseries. We despised our Religion, and GOD has threatned to take it from us; yet it seems the Prayers of the Few have prevailed over the cry of the sins of the many. But we have no reason to expect that it should be always Page  14so. We are certainly the happiest Nation in the World, if we can but know and value it as we ought to do. Our Climate, through none of the best, yet is Kind and Fruitful: and if the Sun is less favourable to us; yet our Situation as it separates us from all the World, so it lets the Wealth of the whole World in upon us, and keeps Danger and War at a distance from us: We have all the Liberties of Freemen tempered with a firm and steady Government. But which is above all, we are blest with that holy Religion which the Son of God revealed to the World, and we are Reformed from those Corruptions which had defiled it, and that in so equal manner, that we are the chief Object of the Ro∣man Fury, as well as the just Glory of the Reformation: We have had the truths of Religion both in the points of Speculation and Practice opened to us with such advantages, that if we stumble or lose our way in the midst of so much light, we have more to an∣swer for than any Nation under Heaven: and to Crown all, God his put us so far into the hands of our Enemies, as to let us clearly see what we were to expect from them. They had devoured us in their hopes, and seemed; to be Haman's Friends calling Lots, and watching a fit opportunity to destroy us, when of a sudden the Snare was broken, and we have escaped out of it. I hope none of those that were here well soon or easily forget how near they were to be swallowed up; and if they had then grave thoughts and se∣rious purposes, I hope this change in their Fortunes will not make them dismiss, or forget them, And for us, that saw God's Won∣ders in the Deep, and that after we had past an Eminent Danger, languished so many dayes in the Harbour between Hope and De∣spair, upon which we seemed to put on firm resolutions, and make solemn Vows of amendment, Can we be guilty of so hainous an Ingratitude and breach of Faith; as to forget the engagem•nts, into which we then entred, of a serious and universal Reformation?

4. But while we let our thoughts out to wonder at the Wisdom and Goodness of God, let the admiration of these produce some∣what like them in our selves: we ought to grow wise; for our Ex∣perience has cost us dear, and had almost proven a very dreadful School to us: We now see the folly of trusting to that Religion, and of imagining that any weight was to be laid on all the Pro∣mises that could be made us by them. It is not to be doubted but that many were so little acquainted with the depths of Satan that are in that Black Society, as to believe it was possible for them to maintain Truth, Honour and Good nature; notwithstanding the Page  15points of Speculation that are in their Schools: we resolved to make the Experiment, and they have taken such pains to let us see our mistake, that it is to be hoped will never at any time hereafter relapse into the like Error. The goodness of God, that appears now in such endearing Characters to us, ought likewise to form the like temper in us. Our minds have been to much em∣bittered on all hands, by reason of some inconsiderable differences which our Enemies have always managed, with so much address, as to engage us to weaken our common Force, by dividing our selves into Parties: and by a fatal serie of woful Accidents, these sparks have been blown up into such a flame, that they had almost quite consumed us. But it is to be hoped that we will study to be all of one mind; or, if we cannot arrive at so great. blessing, that at least we will love one another, and remember that we are Bre∣thren, fellow Christians and fellow Protestants, that must have been destroyed together, and therefore must now support and bear with one another. But as I doubt not but the happy disposition of all peoples minds will now produce a desired temper in those mat∣ters; so we must not bound out Charity within so narrow a compass: No, we are Christians, and therefore we must not only love our Brethren, but even our Enemies and our Persecutors, and so over∣come their evil with good. For how hard thoughts, soever we may justly have of the Spirit and Councils that govern that that Church; yet many among them in the simplicity of their heart, and according to the impliciteness of the Principles follow those Opinions that have been dropt into them from their Child∣hood; they have not strength of thought to look narrowly into them; nor do their Rules allow them in so bold a thing as to exa∣mine whether they are in the right or not: and though it is hard to imagine how any should go over to them; yet it is easie to ima∣gine how these who are among them should be shut up blindfold & muffled up with the awful bonds of Authority & Infallibility. And for such, though we are under the highest provocations that any Nati∣on can have; yet after all, let us still remember that we are Chri∣stians, and that as we have declared openly against the Injustice and Cruelty of our Enemies, we govern our selves by the Rule of doing as we would be done by. It is a presage of Moderation in our whole proceedings, that even the less governable Part of the Nation, I mean the unruly Multitude, has been so happily re∣strained from extravagant acts of fury: for without justifying what they have done, we may well rejoyce for what they have not Page  16done, and that Bloody and Outragious Sacrifices have not been made. It is the peculiar Character and Glory of this Nation, That Tenderness and Compassion are so natural to it, that the Un∣fortunate are always pitied by them. And if tumultuous Num∣bers have observed so much temper in their wrath, how much more is to be expected from Councils that are to be governed by Justice and Mercy, and under the directions of a Prince who has shewed that his hatred of Persecution in others, was not only be∣cause his own side suffered in it; but from a steadly and uniform Principle which has made him not only just to those of that Re∣ligion, but even kind too, whensoever they deserved it. We, indeed, ought to study the firm securing of our Religion, even from the remotest possibilities of hurt that can come to it from that restless and violent spirit which has hithero created us so much trouble; this we owe to Almighty God, to this Glorious Church, to our Selves & to our Posterity: but in doing this we must so govern our selves, as not to suffer our Blood to boil too high, nor our Thoughts to run too fast; and while we consider that we may perhaps owe our Enemies, we ought to take care not to forget what we owe our selves, that so we may look to the honour, as well as the security of our Holy Religion. In a word, let us re∣solve to be Christians indeed, and to act as Men that have those undefiled Rules, and that bright Example, which our Saviour has given us. ever in our Eyes, and then it is impossible for us to mis∣carry. But if Revenge and Animosity prevail over the softer and wiser Councils, that Reason and Religion may suggest, and if in all that we do, we take not care to have God ever on our sides, it will be easie for him to blast all Councils, and to defeat even the greatest and best laid Designs. We have now before our Eyes, one of the signallest Instances that is in any History, of the Instability of all human things: on which one cannot refl•ct without making a full stop in his thoughts. But the subject is so speaking, that it needs not be insisted on, and there are particular Circumstances in it that forbid it; but if it is not decent to speak much of it, yet I hope none are so insensible as not to think much of it. Perhaps some may imagine that are safe, because we cannot be dashed on the same Rock about which we see so great a Shipwarck; but alas, if we provoke God to hide his Face, and to withdraw his Protection from us, his ways are past finding out, he can bring ruine and de∣struction on us from that hand from which we perhaps apprehend on us from that hand from which we perhaps apprehend it the least: If Prosperity and Success blow and up, and make them Page  17forget God and all the Vows that they made to him, he will ne∣ver want means and methods to make them return to themselves, and to remember him.

Upon the whole matter then, since God has wrought so extra∣ordinary a deliverance for us; let us adore him, who is the true Au∣thor of it; and under him let us pay all the returns possible of Re∣spect and Gratitude to that Blessed Instrument on whom he has laid so much Glory. Let us improve it to the highest and noblest ends that can be thought on; let us live under as becomes those who take care to do nothing that may render them unworthy of the continuance of it: and let us all, in our several Stations, study to behave our selves so, That the Glory as well as the Safety of the Nation, and the lustre as well as the establishment of our Religion; may be raised up to that pitch, that the Name of an Englishman and a Protestant may have a sound all the World over, that may give Terror as well as creat Esteem; and that this Work, which is now brought to so great a forwardness, may in due time attain to its full perfection; and that then we may all have reason to break forth in the Triumphant words with which this Psalm begins; O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, because his mercy endureth for ever Let Israel now say, That his mercy endureth for ever. Let the house of Aaron now say, That his mercy endureth for ever. And let them that fear the Lord say, That bis mercy endureth for ever.