The Saints Safety in Evil Times, Text 1 – Title page 2

The Saints Safety in Evil Times · Text 1 – Title page 2

THE SAINTS SAFETIE IN EVILL TIMES.

Delivered at S^t MARIES in Cambridge the fift of November, upon occasion of the POVVDER-PLOT.

Whereunto is annexed a Passion-Sermon, Preached at MERCERS CHAPPEL London upon Good-Friday.

As also the Happinesse of enjoying Christ laid open at the Funerall of M^r Sherland late Recorder of Northampton.

Together with the most vertuous life and Heavenly end of that Religious GENTLEMAN.

BY R. SIBBES D. D. Master of Katherine-Hall in Cambridge, and Preacher at Grayes-Inne LONDON.

John 3. 30. Let him increase, let me decrease.

LONDON, Printed by M. FLESHER for R. Dawlman at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard. 1633▪

THE SAINTS SAFETIE IN EVILL TIMES.

SHEWING The nearenesse of God to such as owne his cause, stand for his truth, and walke closely with him in Well-doing.

Preached at S. MARIES in Cambridge, November 5.

BY R. SIBBS D. D. Master of Katherine Hall, and Preacher of Grayes-Inne.

DAN. 3. 17. The God whom we serve, is able to deliver us out of your hands.

LONDON, Printed by M. F. for R. Dawlman, at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard. 1634.

p. 1THE SAINTS SAFETY IN EVILL TIMES.

PSAL. 7. 14.

Behold, he travelleth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischiefe, and brought forth a lye.

Here be the words of David; the Title shewes the occasion, on which was, the malicious slander and cruell practices of Achit… phel or Shimei in the time of Absoloms rebellion: The words expresse the conception, birth, carriage, p. 2and miscarriage of a plot against David. In which you 1may consider. 1. What his enemies 2did. 2. What God did. 33. What we all should doe: his enemies intention, Gods prevention, and our duty: his enemies intention, be travelletb with iniquity, and conceiveth mischiefe; Gods prevention, hee brought forth a lye, our duty, Behold.

His enemies intention, or action is set out by a proportion to a bodily conception: The Holy Ghost delights to present unto us the plots of wicked men under the resemblance of a bodily conception and birth, by reason of the Analogie betweene both: the minde hath its conceptions as well as the body. The seed of this conception was some wicked thought either raised up by the heart it selfe, or cast in by Satan that envious man; not only p. 3wicked men, but their devices are the seed of the Serpent; the understanding was the wombe to conceive, the will to consent; the conception was the hatching of a mischievous plott; the quickning of it was the Resolution and taking it in hand; the impregnation, growing bigge, and travelling of it, was the carriage of it the due time: the birth it selfe was the execution expected, but yet miscarried and still borne; they intended the destruction of David, but brought forth their owne ruine.

1. For the conception, observe 1the aggravation of the sin,Voluntary. he conceiveth. Quò minor necessitas peccandi, …ò majus pecc… tum.1. Hee was not put upon it, or forced unto it, it was voluntary; the more liberty we have not to sinne, makes our sinne the greater; Involuntarium minuit de ratione peccati.he did not this in passion, but in cold blood; the the lesse will, lesse sinne; here p. 4could bee no plea, because nothing is more voluntary than plotting: where the will sets the wit a worke to devise, and the body to execute mischiefe, it shewes the spreading and largenesse of sinne in any man: for the will being the desire of the whole man, carryes the whole man with it.

Besides, when a man sins voluntarily,Voluntas appetitus totius sup…osit…. there is lesse hope of amendment, because his will is not counsellable: if the defect were in the u…derstanding of a man, then sound direction might set it right; but where the will is set upon a thing, and is the only reason of it selfe, (as when a man will becaus… he wills) there counsell will not be heard: for tell a roving person, that hee is out of the way, hee knowes it well enough already, & meanes not to take your direction, but p. 5tell an honest traveller, that ignorantly mistakes his way, and he will thanke you. So tell a Popish Atheist that he is in an error, he heeds…i…nor, because he is a papist for by-ends, not in judgement, and resolve… to be so bring what reasons you can▪ his hope being to rise that way: though the will follow some kinde of understanding, yet it is in the power of the will what the understanding shall consult and determine of, and therefore unlesse the malice of the will bee first taken away by grace, it will always byas our judgements the wrong way.

Neither was this plot onelyonly voluntary but with delight, because 2it was a conception: Delightfull.b…rths are with more paine; Delight carries the whole strength and marrow of the soule with it, much of the soule is where delight is.

p. 63Againe, it was a spirtuall sin, the spirit of a man is the chiefe seate of Gods good Spirit, Spirituall.wherein he frames all holy devices and good desires: the spirit is either the best or the worst part in a man; here Satan builds his neast, and forges all his designes, his master peeces, his powder plots: the chiefe curse or blesing of God is upon the spirits of men; If men be raised never so high in the world, yet if they are given to a malicious and devilish spirit, they are under a most heavie judgement, carrying Sathans stampe upon them; Diseases that seaze upon the spirits of men (as pestilentiall diseases, &c.) are more deadly than those that seaze upon the humours: Spirituall wickednesses are the most desper ate wickednesses: sins are more judged by the minde than by the fact.

p. 7And as it was a spirituall sin, 4so it was artificiall, Artificiall.there was a great deale of art and cunning in it; and in evill things, the more art, the worse: Art commends other things,Doli non sunt doli, ni astucoles. but it makes sinne the more sinfull. When men are mitty to worke mischiefe and wise to doe evill, then they are evill in graine: It is best to bee a bungler at this occupation: Ingenous men carry their hatred open; but this plot was spunne with so fine a thread, as could not easily be discerned.

Againe, they were very diligent 5in it,Diligenec in it. for it was a curious webb; And as in weaving, head and band, eye and foot, all goe together, so here they mustered up all their wits. Iudas is awake when Peter sleepes

And which is worst of all, 6they were so well pleased with the bratt of their owne braine, p. 8Dwelling upon it.that they travelled of it; it increases guilt, when men upon view and fight of their plot, grow so far in love with it, that they long to be delivered of it; the more the soule dwels upon and sinfull plot, the more efragement there is from God; because the happinesse of the soule consists in cleaving to God the fountaine of all good; the more deliberation any man takes in sinning, the more his soule is pleased with wickendnes. A heart long exercised in sinne will admit of no impression of grace; for the spirits are so absorpt with other designes, that they are dry and dead to better things. Many thousands are in hell at this day, for suffering their spirits to thove them too farre into sinne; Many suck out the delight of sinne before they act it, as Esau pleased himselfe p. 9by thinking the day of mourning for his father would come, Gen. 27. 41.Gen 27:41wherein hee might bee revenged of his brother.

Yet this sinne was not onelyonly 7spirituall and imminent, but transient likewise, it reached against the second Table; and therefore against the principles of nature, and against society, out of which God gathers a church; there was false witnesse and murther in this finne; In this respect it is, that the sinnes of the second Table are greater then the sinnes of the first, because they are against more cleare light; A naturall conscience hath a cleerer eye in these things, here is light upon light; for both grace and nature condemne these sinnes. Yet for order in sinning, the rise of all sinne against man is our sinning against God first, for none sinne against men, but p. 10they sinne against God in the first place, whereupon the breach of the first commandement is the ground of the breach of all the rest; for if God were set up in the heart in the first place, there parents would be honoured, and all kinde of injury suppressed for conscience sake: the Scripture gives this as a cause of the notorious courses of wicked men, that God is not in all their thoughts, they forget there is a God of vengeance, and a day of reckoning: the foole would needs inforce upon his heart, that there is no God, Psal. 14. 1.Ps 14:1and what followes, Corrupt they are, there is none doth good, they eate up my people as bread, &c. they make no more bones of devouring men and their estates, than they make conscience of eating a peece of bread: What a wretched condition hath sinne brought man p. 11unto, that the great God who filleth heaven and earth should yet have no place in the heart which he hath especially made for himselfe? The sunne is not so cleare as this truth, that God is, for all things in the world are because God is; if he were not, nothing could bee: It is from him that wicked men have that strength they have to commit sinne, therefore sinne proceeds from Atheisme (especially these plotting sinnes) for if God were more thought on, hee would take off the soule from sinfull contrivings, and fixe it upon himselfe.

But by whom and against whom, was this plotting? by children of the Church, not uncircumcised Philistims: Opposition is bitterest betwixt those that are neerest; as betwixt the flesh and the spirit in the same p. 12soule, betweene hypocrites and true hearted Christians in the same wombe of the Church: Brethren they were, but strange children: Children by the Mothers side, all bred in the same Church, but had not the same father; Children by the mothers side only, are commonly persecutors; Popish spirits count it presumption to know who is their father which shewes them to bee bastard children; The greatest sins of all are committed within the church, because they are committed against the greatest light; whereupon that great sin against the Holy Ghost (Which like lonas his whale devourous all at once) is not committed out of the Church at all. Oh beloved, how should wee reverence the blessed truth of God, and gracious motions of his Spirit? If it p. 13bee sinne to kill infants in the wombe, what is it to kill the breed of the blessed spirit in our hearts?

But against whom was this plot directed? even against David, a prophet, and a King▪ a Kingly Prophet, a man after Gods owne heart, though not according to theirs: A sacred Person, and therefore inviolable, Touch not mine Anointed, and d… my Prophets no harme, Psal. 105. 15.Ps 105:15it was a prohibition from heaven: David was a man eminent in goodnesse; and goodnesse invested in greatnesse is a faire marke for envie to shoot at; What men for sloth care not to doe, for weaknes cannot, or for prid… will not imitate that they maligne, sitting cursing▪ and sretting at the … o… the hill, a those which they see goe above …hem, whose life, g…gth witnesse again…t them▪ p. 14When goodnes shines forth it presently meets with envy, until it come to the height to bee above envie, as the Sunne at the highest hath no shadow: Envie hathan ill eye, it cannot looke on goodnesse without griefe, the spirit that is in us lusteth after envie: pursuing of goodnesse in men, and men for goodnesse, is a sinne of a deepe dye; because whosoever hates a man for goodnesse, hates goodnesse it selfe, and he that hates goodnesse it selfe hates it most in the fountaine,& so becomes a hater of God himselfe; and if Christ were in such a mans power he should escape no better than his members doe, for Christ is joyned either in love or hatred with his cause and children: he and his have common friends and common enemies: Men thinke they have to deale with silly men, but they shall one p. 15day finde that they have to deale with the great Lord of heaven and earth.

But what was the manner of carrying their designe? this cruell plot was cunningly carryed, for they kill him in his good name first, and accuse him as an enemy to the State, that so their slanders may make way for violence; Satan is a lyar first, and then a murderer, yea therefore a lyar that he may be a murtherer the better; he is first a Serpent, then a lyar and first a lyon couchant, then a lyon rampant; he teaches his Schollers the same method: Cruelty march…h furiously, and under warrah… with priviledge, when it hath slander to counten…nce it. Tai…o men once in the opinion of the world and then they lye open to any usage, it is not onelyonly … but glorious to oppose …, and thus Vertue comes p. 16to have the reward due to wickednesse, and passes under publike hatred: the open cause and pretence is one, and the inward moving cause another; which perhaps lyes hid till the day of revelation of the secrets of all flesh; as in a clock the wheeles and the hand appeare openly, but the weights that move all are out of sight.

But what course took David herein? Innocency was his best apologie, and when that would not doe, then patience; hee saw God in the wrongs he suffered, God bad Shimei, &c. but this invites more injuries, therefore by prayer he layes upon his soule to God; Davids prayer prevailed more in heaven, than Achitophels policy could doe on earth: Carnall men are pregnant and full of wiles and fetches to secure themselves, but godly men have p. 17one onelyonly refuge and hiding place, (yet that is a great one) namely to run to God by prayer, as to their rocke and tower of defence in their distresses. From all this that hath beene said there ariseth these conclusions.

First,Obser. 1. that even the best of Gods Saints are lyable to bee the subjects of the plots of wicked men. 1. From an Antipathy betweene 1the two contrary seeds in them. 2. Because God will not have 2his children love the world, therefore he suffers the world to hate them, 3. They are strangers here, 3and therefore no wonder if they finde strange entertainment from them that thinke themselves at home: There hath ever beene from the beginning of the world a continuall conspiracy of Sathan and his instruments against God and goodnesse; Emperours and Kings became Christians, but Satan p. 18never yet became a Christian, but hath alwayes bestirred himselfe to maintaine the first division, and never yet wanted a stronge faction in the world.

Secondly,Observ. 2. observe that it is the character of a man wicked in an high degree, to contrive wickednes; 1the reason is, 1. because it is a disposition of such as are given up by God to a reprobate sense, and it is reckoned among other vile sinnes, that they are full of maliciousnesse, and inventers of ill,Prov. …. …4. &c. A sonne of Beliall carries a froward heart and devises 2mischiefe. 2. It shewes that malice is so connaturall to such, that they cannot sleepe unlesse they cause some to fall; wickednesse comes from the wicked (as naturally and speedily)Prov. 4. 16.Prov 4:16 as poyson 3from a spider. 3. It argues such kinde of men worke out of a vicious habit, which is a stamping p. 19of a second ill nature upon the former; when as their hearts are exercised to doe mischiefe. 4. It shewes they are of the devills 4trade, whose onelyonly worke it is, to hurt and mischiefe (all he can) those that are broken loose from him; Certainly such people as these are the children of the devill in an higher degree than ordinary; It is said when Iudas began to betray Christ, the devill entred into him; Lukc 22. 3.he was the child of the devill in some degree before, but now the Devill tooke stronger possession of him: his unnatural treason did in some sort change him into the very forme of the devill. When Simon Magus sought to turne away the deputy from the faith, Saint Paul had no fitter termes for him than to style him, Thou full of all subtlety and mischiefe, Act. 13. 10.Acts 13:10and child of the devill. And indeed p. 20there is no disposition so contrary to the sweet spirit of God (which is a spirit of love and goodnesse) as this is.

Learn… hence therefore,Vse. as you love God to abhorre this hatefull disposition: The serpent indeed was wiser then al the beasts of the field, Gen. 3. 1.Gen 3:1yet when hee became an instrument of mischiefe, he was cursed above all the rest: Satan labours to serve his turne of the best wits: but what greater curse can befall a man than to serve the basest creature in the basest service, and that with our best abilities? Men of a devilish spirit, carry Gods curse under zeale, yea they cary the devil in their braine, in all their workes of darknesse: for alas, what should the subtlety of Foxes, and fiercenes of Lyons, and malice of Devils doe in an heart dedicated to Christ? Such p. 21men worke from a double principle, the illnesse of their owne disposition within, and Satan going with the tyde of that, whose chief labor is to make a prey of mē of the best parts, that by thē he may either snare others, or else vexe them that have so much wit or grace as not to bee catched by his baites: this is a course contrary to humanity as we are men, contrary to ingenuity as we are civil men, and contrary to Religion as we are Christian men; and plainly argueth that such persons are lead with another spirit than their owne; even by the Prince that ruleth in the ayre.

Our care and duty therefore should be to submit our spirits to the sweet guidance and government of Gods good spirit, to be contented that every device and imagination of our hearts, p. 22should be captivated to higher and better reasons than our owne.

Wee are not wise enough of our selves that our owne wils and wit should be our first movers: Every thing is perfitted by subjection to a superiour: where there should be a subordination to higher wisedome, there to withdraw our understanding and wills, is meere rebellion: That which the Prophet speakes is too true of many in these dayes Thy wisdome hath made thee to rebell, Esay 47. 10.Isa 47:10such are too wise to bee saved.

Wee need not bee ashamed to learne some things of our very enemies:Vse If they be so pragmaticall for evill, why should not wee be as active for good? I am sure we serve a better Master: true love is …ull of inventions, it will be devising of good p. 23things: so soone as ever our nature is changed, the streame of the soule is turned another way, the bent of it is for God; Alas it is a small commendation to be onley passively good, and it is a poore excuse to bee onelyonly passively ill. A good christian thinkes it not enough to see good done by others, but labours to have a hand in it himselfe; and he that suffers evill to be done which he might have opposed and hindered, brings the guilt thereof upon his owne head: Curse you Meroz (saith God) for not helping the Lord against the mighty, Judges 5. 23.Judg 5:23&c. What shall wee thinke then of those that helpe the mighty against the Lord, that cast oyle to kindle where they should cast water to quench, that inflame the rage of great persons, when they should labour to reduce all to … moderation? p. 24Of this spirit was that Apostate which stirred up the Emperour to kill man, woman, and child of the Protestants with all their kindred and allyance, fearing left any living should revenge the others quarrell.

Wee see God hath stooped so low as to commend his cause unto us, as if hee stood in neede of our helpe, and usually what good hee doth to us is conveyed by men like our selves; therefore wee should labour to appeare on his side, and owne his cause & children: In the house of God there be vessels of al kinds, some are of more honorable use than others: some make the very times and places good where they live, by an influence of good: others (as malignant Plannets) threaten misery and desolation where ever they come; these are the calamities of the p. 25times. Men may know whether they be vessels of mercy or no, by the use they are put too; the basest of people are sit enough to be executioners; the worst of men are good enough to be reds of Gods wrath; how much better is it to bee full of goodnes as the Scripture speakes of Iosiah, and Hezekiah, &c. Indeed what is a man but his goodnes? such men live desired, and dye lamented, yea their very name is as the oyntment of the Apothecary poured out, they leave a sweet favour in the Church behinde them.

Now I come to their miscarriage, they brought forth a lye, a lye in regard of their expectation, their hopes deceiving them; but a just defeating in regard of God; it was contrary to their desire, but agreeable to Gods justice; Neither were they disappointed p. 26onelyonly so as to misse of what they intended, but they met with that misery they intended not, yea even with that very misery which they thought to bring upon David.

This defeating ariseth by five 1steps, 1. They were disappointed, 22. they fell into danger, 3. they 3were contrivers of this danger 4themselves, 4. there was a p… nall proportion, they fell into the same danger which they plot…ed 5for another, 5. they were a meanes of doing good to him, whom they devised evil against; and raised him, whom they thought to pull downe: David sped the better for Shimeis: malice, and Achitophels pollicy. See all these five likewise in the example of Haman and Mordecai, 1. H…man missed of his plot; 2. he fell into danger, 3. hee fell into the same danger which hee p. 27contrived himselfe, 4. he fell into the same danger which hee contrived for Mordecai, and 5. was the meanes of Mordecaies advancement. It had beene enough to have woven a spiders webb, which is done with a great deale of art, and yet comes to nothing, but to hatch a Cockatrices egge that brings forth a viper which stings to death, this is a double vexation; Yet thus God delighteth to catch the wise in the imagination of their owne hearts, Luke 1. 51.Luke 1:51and to pay them in their owne coine. The wicked carry a lye in their right hand, for they trust in man which is but a lye, and (being lyars themselves too) no marvell if their hopes prove deceitfull, so that while they sow the winde,Hosca 8. 7. they reape the whirlewinde.

The reason of Gods dealing in this kinde,1. Reas. is first in regard of p. 28himselfe; God will not lose the glory of any of his Attributes, he will be knowne to be God onelyonly wise, and this he will let appeare then especially when wicked men thinke to over-reach him.

2Secondly, in regard of his tender care over his children; they are as the apple of his eye; and as they are very neare, so they are very deare to him; they cost him deare, they are his Iewels, and hee gave a Iewell of infinite price for them: he is interessed in their quarrells, and they in h…s; If they bee in any misery, Gods bowells yearne for them, hee is alwayes awake and never slumbereth; as we see in the parable, the Master of the house waked, while the servants slept. Gods eye is upon them for good, hee hath them written in the palmes of his hands, Christ carryest them alwayes in his breast: Christ p. 29who is the husband of his Church, is Lord of heaven and earth, and hath all p…wer committed to him, and will rule in the midst of his enemies: He is the onelyonly Monarch of the world, and makes both all things and persons serviceable to his owne end, and his Churches good; he is higher then the highest: Satan the God of the world is but his (and his Churches) slave: All things are the Churches to further its best good.

Another reason is the insolency 3of the enemies whose fiercenesse turnes at length to Gods praise; Psal. 9. 16.Ps 9:16for as hee is a just Lord, so hee will be knowne to be so by executing of judgement; it shall appeare, that there is a God that judgeth the earth.

Againe, Gods children will 4give him no rest; when he seemes to sleepe they will awake him p. 30with their prayers; They will not let him goe without a blessing from him, Gen. 32. 26.Gen 32:26they will prevaile by importunity as the widow in the Gospell. Having to deale with a just God, in a just cause,Luke 18. 5.Luke 18:5 against common enemies, his as wel as theirs; they binde him with his owne promises, and hee is content to be bound, because he hath bound himselfe first: hee will not lose that part of his title, Psal. 65. 2.Ps 65:2whereby he is knowne to be a God hearing prayers.

But it will be objected,Object. that wicked men doe not onelyonly set themselves against the people of God, but prevaile over them, even to the scorne of the beholders: Tully could say, The gods shew how much they esteeme of the Iewish nation, by suffering them so often to be conquered. Hath not Antichrist a long time prevailed? and was it not foretold that the p. 31beast should prevaile? where is then the bringing forth of a lye?

I answere,Answ. the enemies have power, but no more then is given them of God, (as Christ answered Pilate) they prevail indeed, but it is for a time, a limited time, & that a short one too, ten dayes, &c. and what is this to that vast time of their torm…nt; the time will come when there shall be no more time for them to persecu…e in.

Besides even when they doe 2prevaile, it is but over part onelyonly, not over the whole, they prevaile over persons it may be, not over the cause, that stands impregnable; they prevaile over mens lives perhaps, but not over their spirits, which is that they chiesty aime at. A true Christian conquers when hee is conquered:Act▪ 7.Acts 7 Steven prevailed over his enemies when they seemed p. 32to prevaile over him; God put glory upon him, and a spirit of glory into him.

3The Chu…ches enemies may prevaile in some place but then (as the sea) they lose in another: The more they cut downe Gods people (as Pharaoh did the Israelites) the more they multiply; and the more they are kept strait, the more they spread and are inlarged. God suffers the enemies of his truth to prevaile in some passages, to harden their hearts the more for destruction, as Pharaoh prevailed in oppressing the Israelites, and He rod in killing Iohn, &c. but yet lay the beginning and the end together, and then wee shall see they prevailed not; and so farre as they did prevaile, it tended onelyonly to hasten their owne ruine, because the present successe lifts up the heart. Wee see Antichrist p. 33prevailed (but spiritually) onelyonly over those whose names were not written in the Lambes booke of life; Revel. 13. ….Rev 13and outwardly over the Saints, for so it was prefixed, Revel. 18. that he should make warre with the Saints and overcome them, and this was objected as a fiery dart against the Christians in those times, that therefore they might thinke their cause naught, because they were so prevailed over: but they by helpe of the spirit of God, understood so much of the Revelation as concerned themselves; and used this as a weapon, confessing that they were the conquered people of God, but yet the people of God still. But the chiefe stay and satisfaction of the soule herein, is to look to the day of the righteous judgment of God, when wee shall see all promises performed, all theatnings p. 34executed, and all enemies troden for ever under Christ and his Churches feete.

This is a point of marvellous comfort,Vse. 1. when Israel can say, They have afflicted mee from my youth but yet they have not prevailed over me; Psal. 129. 1.Ps 129:1the gates of hell may let themselves against the Church, but shall not prevaile: the Church is not ruled by mans counsell: Wee neither live nor dye at mans appointment: Our lives are not in our owne hands, or Satans, or our enemies, but in Gods: they can do no more, they shall doe no lesse, then God will, who is our life, and the length of our dayes. God may give way a while that the thoughts of many may be reve… led, Luke 2. 35.Luke 2:35and that his glory may shine the more in raising his children and confounding his enemies: but he will put a period in his p. 35due time, and that is the best time: There is a day of lacobs trouble when his enemies say, This is Sion, J. …. 30. 7.whom none regards: but God sets bounds both to the time of his childrens trouble, and to the malice of the wicked: Their rod shall not rest over-long upon the backe of the righteous: Psal. 125. 3.Ps 125:3God will put a hooke into the nostrils of these Leviathans, and draw them which way hee pleaseth.

Againe we see here,Vse 2. that mischievous attempts, are successelesse in the end: for did ever any harden themselves against God and prosper long? Let Cain speake, let Pharaoh, Haman, Achitophel, Herod: Let the persecutors of the Church for the first 200. yeares, let all that ever bore ill will towards Sion Speake, and they will confesse they did but kick against the pricks, and p. 36dash against the rocks: The greatest torment of the damned Spirit is, that God turnes all his plots, for the good of those hee hates most: Hee tempted man to desire to become like God that so he might …uine him, but God became man and so restored him; God serveth himselfe of this Arch politician; and all his instruments, they are but executioners of Gods will while they rush against it: Iosephs brethren sold him that they might not worship him, and that was the very meanes whereby they came at length to worship him. God delights to take the oppressed parties part: Wicked men cannot do Gods childrē a greater pleasure then to oppose thē, for by this means, they help to advāce thē.

The ground of the miscarriage of wicked plots,Why wicked plots …. is, that Satan and his maintaine a damned cause, and their plots are under p. 37a curse; Every one that prayes thy kingdome come, prayes by consequence against them as opposers of it, and how can the men and plots of so many curses but miscarry, and prove but as the untimely fruit of a woman? they are like the grasse on the house top, which perks above the corne in the field, but yet no man prayes for a blessing upon it; when men come by a goodly corne field, every one is ready to say, God blesse this field, &c. Beloved it is a heavyer thing then Atheisticall spirits thinke of, to be under the curse of the Church; for as God blesseth out of Sion, so usually the heaviest curses come out of Sion: Wo be to the Herods and Iulians of the world, when the Church either directly, or indirectly prayes against them.

This is a ground of staying the p. 38soules of Gods people, in seeming confusion of things: there is an harmony in all this discord: God is …itting his people for a better condition, even when they are at the worst; and is hardning and preparing the wi…ked for confusion, even when they are at the best: The wicked practise against the righteous, but God laugheth them to scorne: Psal. 2. 4.Ps 2:4for hee seeth all their plottings, and his day is acomming: whilest they are digging pits for others, there is a pit a digging, & a grave a making for themselves: they have a measure to make up, and a treasure to fill, which at length will be broken open. Which (mee thinkes) should take off them which are set upon mischiefe, from pleasing themselves in their plots; Alas, they are but plotting their owne ruine, and building a Babell which will fall p. 39upon their owne heads. If there were any commendation in plotting, then that great plotter of plotters, that great Engineir Satan, would goe beyond us all, and take all the credit from us? But let us not envie Satan and his in their glory, they had need of something to comfort them▪ let them please themselves with their trade; the day is comming wherein the Daughter of Sion shall laugh them to scorne; there will be a time wherein it shall be said,Micah 4. 13.Mic 4:13 Arise Sion, and thrash; And usually the delivery of Gods children, is joyned with the destruction of his enemies; Sauls death, and Davids deliverance; the Israelites deliverance, and Egyptians drowning: The Ch…rch and her opposites, are like the scales of a ballance, when one goes up the other goes downe.

Hamans wife had learned this, p. 40that if her husband began once to fall before the Jewes, hee should surely fall. Wicked men have an house, and they will be sure to take it; and God hath his house too, and will be as sure to take that. The judgements of the wicked, are mercies to the Church; so saith David, He flew mighty Kings, Ogg King of Basan for his mercy endureth for ever, Psal, 136. 20.&c.

God hath but two things in the world, that he much regardeth, his Truth, and his Church begotten by his truth; and shall we think that he will suffer long, wretched men who turne that wit and power which they have from him, against his truth & Church: No assuredly, but he will give them up by that very wit of theirs, to worke their owne destruction; they shall serve their turne most, whom they hate p. 41most. God sits in heaven and laughes them to scorne. Shall God laugh, and we cry? They take counsell together on earth, but God hath a counsell in heaven that will overthrow all their counsells here. Marke the bitter expressions in Scripture, Psal. 2. 1.Ps 2:1Why do the heathen rage without feare or wit?Esay 8.Isa 8 Goe to now (saith God) gather a counsell, &c. Beloved it goes to the heart of proud persons to be scorned, especially in the miscarriage of that which they count their Master-peece: they had rather be counted Devils then fooles: Let us worke wisely (saith Pharaoh,)Exod. 2. 10.Exod 2:10 when hee was never more foole: they usurp upon God and promise themselves great matters for the time to come; whereas that is only Gods prerogative, and they neither know what the wombe of their counsels, nor what the p. 42wombe of to morrow may bring forth: that which they are big of may prove an abortive, or a viper to consume the wombe that bred it.Esay 51. 11.Isa 51:11 Goe to now (saith the Propher) all yee that kindle a fire, walke in the light of your fire, but take this of me, you shall lye downe in sorrow, &c. The Scripture is full of such expostulations, and up braidings; Gen. 3. 22.Gen 3:22Man is become like one of us, saith God. When men will have a way of their owne, and think themselves wiser than God, then it stands upon Gods honour to out-wit them; Yet God is wise, saith the Prophet; you thinke to goe beyond God, deceive not your selves, God is wise and you shall finde him to be so; …e hath a way to goe beyond you: Doe not many men spinne a fine thread and weave a faire webb, when by their turnings, and devices, they turne themselves into p. 43hell?Hosea 9. 2, 3.Hos 9:2Hos 9:3 Woe be to them that dig deep (faith the Prophet) and think to hide their counsels from the Lord, God hath an eye to see into the most secret & dark conveyances of businesse: God hath a key to open the closet of their hearts, let them bee never so close locked up: Oh that men would more feare this al-seeing eye of God; & be wise for themselves, and not against themselves: It is a miserable wisedome when men are wise to worke their owne ruine: Beloved, when men have had all their plots, God hath a plot still beyond them; he takes them failing in something or other: their devices are like a curious clock, if the least thing be out of frame all is marred; God suffers them to spinne a …ine thread a great while, and at length cuts the webb and there is an end: And p. 44they may thanke themselves for all this, for they carry a justification of God in their owne breasts; they perish because they will perish: and this will be the torment of all torments to gracelesse persons, that they polled destruction upon themselves. Malice blindes the understanding in Satan and his instruments; for if their malice were not above their wit, would they to gratifie their ill affections knowingly rush into the displeasure of God, and into such courses as will unavoidably bring their ruine? malice drinks up the greatest part of its owne poyson.Prov. 5. 22.Prov 5:22 His owne iniquity shall take the wicked himselfe, (saith Solomon) and he shall be holden with the cords of his owne sinne.

This may bee inlarged to all sinfull courses; every sinner worketh a deceitfull worke, and p. 45bringeth forth a lye. Austin saith well, Every sinne is a lye; Men would be happy, yet they will not live so as they may be happy; what more deceitfull than this? It will be the complaint of every sinner at length, that was Fvah's, The Serpent hath deceived me. It was S. Pauls complaint, and it will be the complaint of all sinfull wretches at the last day; What hath pride profited us?Rom. 7.Rom 7 What can the favour of men (upon whom wee beare our selves) doe us good now? Sinne promiseth us contentment, continuance, secrecie, full satisfaction &c. but doth it make good this? Were ever any, when the beginning and ending was laid together, established by wickednesse? Take it from God himselfe, (we have a commission to speake it) Say, it shall not goe well with the wicked, though they escape p. 46an hundred times, Eccles. 8. 12.Eccl 8:12yet it is but a reprivall for some further service which God hath to doe by them. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Galat. 6. 7.Gal 6:7When wee can bee more subtile than the Devill, or more strong than God, we may thinke to thrive by sinne; Can wee thinke God will alter the course of divine justice for us? Had we not better beleeve this than finde it so hereafter? Beloved, hell is for those to feele, that will not beleeve; Certaine it is, that those who will sinne notwithstanding Gods justice, shal be severely punished notwithstanding his mercy. God is not more peremptory in any one thing than in this; If any man blesse himselfe in an ill way, De…t. 29. 19, 20.my wrath shall smoake against him: therefore it is a good prayer, Lord give mee not over to lying, (that is) not to trust in that p. 47which will lye and deceive me.

This is the unhappinesse of us Ministers; all other professions are beleeved when they discover danger, but who beleeveth our report? Esay 53. 1.Isa 53:1Wee are mens enemies, because we tell them the truth: Galat. 4. 16.Gal 4:16Wee labour to take away the sweet morsells from men,(their Herodians) and to divide betwixt men and their sins, which they love better than their soules; No creature but man loves that which will bee its owne bane; OnelyOnly wretched man seek os happinesse in the way to misery, and heaven in the way to hell. I beseech you therefore, as you would not bee deceived (as indeed who would) take heede of the deceitfull workes of darknesse, Satan that tempts us, is but a lying spirit, 1 King, 2…. 2….(which hee is not ashamed to confesse) and sinne is like unto him; What p. 48got Ahab by his vineyard? Iudas by his thirty peeces of silver? Matt. 27.Matt 27What god Haman (and so of the rest) by their sinnes at the last? Men are usually ashamed of an ill bargain, because the very thought thereof, upbraids them with weaknesse and folly. What ever we get by sinne for the present, it will prove the worst bargaine that ever we made; Oh therefore let us use our wits and parts to better purpose, if wee will needs bee plotting, let us plot for eternity, that is worth the plotting for: Let us plot how to avoide Satans plot; Our time is short, Opportunity (the flower of time) shorter: Our talents are many, our accounts strict our Iudge unpartiall, Let us be sowing to the spirit; Let us labour to be like our judge, who went about doing his Fathers worke, and came to destroy the workes p. 49of the Devill; Oh beloved, shall we build up that which Christ came to destroy? All his miracles tended to goods; he wrought the salvation of those that wrought his destruction: hee shed his blood for those that shed his blood;Satan is all for mischiefe, and rather than he will not doe hurt, he is content to be set about drowning of swine: Marke 5. 14.Mark 5:14And such are all those that are led with his spirit, men witty to destroy, and acute to malice others, who take a great deale of paines to goe to hell and carry others with them: Those that are skilfull in the story of nature write of the Scorpion, that hee whets his taile often upon stones that so it may bee sharpe and ready for a mischiefe; some crooked wits there are which make it their exercise to vexe the quiet of the land; it is as naturall p. 50to them, as poyson to a Scorpion.

But our happinesse is how to be like the Idea, the patterne of all grace and the glory of our nature, by whom we hope to bee saved:Psal. 1.Ps 1 Our happinesse is to bring forth fruit and our owne fruit in due season; to have opportunity, ability, and a heart to doe good; how comfortable is death when it takes men so doing? The time will be ere long, when it will comfort us above all things in the world besides, that wee have beene honoured to be instruments of doing good, and stood in the gappe to hinder evill: Beloved, we serve a good master, we shall not lose a good word for a good cause, there is a booke of remembrance for every good word and worke we doe;Malach. 3. 16.Mal 3:16 When wicked men have beaten their braines, spent their spirits, p. 51and wasted their strength, what becomes of them at length? A conscience often wounded will receive no comfort, but take Gods part against it selfe. When the other powers are wearied, then Conscience comes and doth its office; then the eyes of the soule are opened to see what it would not see before; then sinne that lay at the doore, (at the going out of this life) flyeth in our faces: pleasure and profit for which wicked men project and contrive so much, comes all to nothing; but sinne it selfe, and the punishment of it, abides for ever; Men (like Popes) will dispence with themselves, and conceit a latitude and breadth in their courses, that they may doe so and so, and yet doe well at last; but who tells them this? Is it not a spirit of illusion? Indeed punishment is often deferred, it comes p. 52not like thunder and lightning all at once, yet as sure as God is true, sinne will be bitternesse in the end; when the hony is gone, the sting will remaine.

To conclude this point, when we are tempted to any hurtfull designe, let us look upon Christ and that great project for our redemption undertaken by him, and reason thus with our selves; Hath he plotted and wrought my salvation, and shall I plot against him in his members?

I beseech you stirre up your hearts to conceive and bring forth good purposes; Satan is an enemy to all strong resolutions and masculine conceptions indeavoring to kill them in the very birth. Alas, how many good thoughts are conceived whilest the word is hearing, which yet prove abortive and sticke in the birth? How few actions p. 53come to their due ripenesse and perfection? I am sure our incouragements to good, are farre more, than our incouragements to evill; we serve a better master, and for better wages; they may prosper for a time but nothing is more wretched than the happinesse of wicked men; it first hardens them,Prov. 1. 32.Prov 1:32 and then destroyes them.

Our onelyonly way is, 1. to get 1into Christ the true vine, then wee shall take and beare fruit presently, and draw and sucke out of him the same disposition.

2. And then lay up good principles 2and looke with a single eye to the maine end of our life, and see that all the particular passages of our life tend to that: It is an arguement of a narrow heart to bewise in some particular businesse, for some particular end, and yet to bee carelesse in the p. 54maine; Other creatures are carryed by a particular instinct to some particular thing; A spider is witty to catch flies, a bird to build nests, &c. As man hath larger parts, so hee should have larger aimes

That which we should especially labour for is, 1. to bee good in our selves, and 2. to doe all the good we can to others, even as God our father is good, & doth good; and the further our good extends, the more we resemble our Father. Such as we are, such are our thoughts, such are our devices; A good man wil devise of liberal things &c. Every vermine can doe mischiefe, we see some are never in their element, but when they are plotting or working mischiefe, as if they were borne for no other end but to exercise the graces of men better than themselves. p. 55It is a poore commendation to be counted a cunning person for selfe-ends: alas the heart of man (which is deceitfull above measure) hath abundance of turnings and windings in it, J…r. 17. 9.and can suggest trick enough to circumvent the best of us.

I come in the third place to our duty, which is to Behold; the ordinary beakon kindled to discover some extraordinary thing.

But what is here to bee beheld?Quest.

Behold the subtlety, malice, Answ.and restlesse indeavour of the enemies of goodnesse; Is it not a matter with griefe to be beheld that one member should teare another? that one professing the same religion, should study to supplant and devoure another? behold likewise their bootlesse enterprise, they bring forth a lye.

p. 56But especially behold the mercy of God to his children, his wisdome in discovering, his justice in confounding the mischievous practises of their enemies, making them the workers of their owne ruine.

The things which especially deserve our beholding are either, 11. things excellent, and so are all Gods works in their reason, yea 2Iustice it selfe: or, 2. Things rare, as comets and eclipses: or else, 33. Great things, as starres of the first magnitude &c.

Even such and much more is Gods mercy to his children, and justice against his enemies;Psal. 126. 2.Ps 126:2 Behold what great things hee hath done for them: Shall the heathen say so, and shall not Israel much more? Beloved, wee ought to seek out Gods workes, and shall wee not take notice of them when they are offered to p. 57our view? this is especially the duty of the Saints of God, All thy workes praise thee, and thy Saints blesse thee, saith David; Psal. 145. 10.Ps 145:10The workes of God praise him by our mouths & by our tongues; Were it not for some few, that by a more divine light and spirituall eye see more of God than others doe, what glory should God have in the world? God hath not brought us on the stage of this world to be meere gazers, but to extract something out for our owne use, and to give him the glory of his excellencies. But we are too wise to admire any thing; it is a matter too meane for our parts to take notice of God, and his workes: you have some that can see nothing in the workes of God worth the admiring, and yet they will have mens persons in admiration, in hope of some advantage p. 58by them; Wee are apt to admire any outward excellency, like the disciples (before the Holy Ghost came upon them) who stood admiring of the goodly stones of the temple; When our mindes are thus taken up, it were good,Marke 13. 1.Mark 13:1 if we heard Christ speaking to us as he did to them, Are these the things you wonder at?

Beloved, it is our duty to observe speciall occurrences, (not out of any Athenian curiosity, but) to begin our employment in heaven, now whilest wee are upon earth; to take occasion from thence to blesse God; We should compare the ru…e, and the event together, and observe what truth or attribute God makes good by that which is so fallen out; see how God commenteth upon himselfe by his owne actions: and from observation p. 59of particulars, it is good to rise to generals, as Deborah from the destruction of one enemy; to the destruction of all; So let all thy enemies perish, O Lord: Judges 5. 31.Judg 5:31This was Moses song, and Hannah's, and the Virgin Maries, &c. they mounted from a consideration of their owne particular, and had their thoughts inlarged with the mercy and instice of God to others, in succeeding generations.

And among all Gods works wee should more take notice of his mercy to the Church than of his iustice towards his exemies; because his justice is (as it were) a foile to give lustre to his mercy; God delighteth more in mercy (as being his proper worke issuing from his owne bowels) than in works of …ustice that are occasioned by the malice of men God is wonderfull in his Saints, p. 60and more in saving them, than in destroying his enemies: Considering therefore that mercy beares the chiefe office in the great workes of God, we ought to dwell most in consideration thereof; and feede our thoughts more with the meditation of his saving workes to his Church than of the ruine of his enemies.

We pray hallowed be thy name; unlesse wee practise what wee pray for, we mock God and deceive our owne soules: Let not God lose any glory by us; Let not us lose such a pledge of future happinesse, as glorifying God is; Oh that men would praise the Lord, saith David, who (fearing lest God should lose any glory from his creatures) stirres up Angels and all creatures to blesse the Lord: Psal. 148. 2, 3Ps 148:2Ps 148:3God takes it very unkindly when we do not observe (especially the excellent peeces) p. 61of) his workmanship: A foole considereth not this, &c.

The Lord hath done marvellous things for his Church of late whereof we should rejoyce. Wee should doe as Moses did when hee came out of the sea; & as the Church (in resemblance of that deliverance from Egypt) did; who sang the song of Moses being delivered from their spirituall Pharaoh.

We see now the viall poured upon the Sunn…, we see the Prophecies against Antichrists kingdome in fulfilling, God hath vouchsafed to strengthen our saith by experience, wee have something to lay hold on, which may incourage us to expect more from God, and to look for those Halleluj… to be sung from all creatures in heaven and earth, upon the utter confusion of Antichrist; which whosoever labours p. 62to hinder any kinde of way, hinders the glory of God, and the joy of his people.

It is good to observe how the Scripture sets out the enemies of God Church, in a double representation. 1. as terrible, terming them Lyons, Bulls, &c. 2. as Base, comparing them to chasse and dust before the winde, …dung, &c. that when wee see them in their present ruffe and jollity, we should stay our selves with consideration of their future besenesse. Faith looks on things as present, because it looks upon them in the word of I…hovah who will give a being to all his promises and threatnings; and therefore faith is called the subsistence of things not seene, Heb. 11. 1.Heb 11:1because it gives a kinde of being of things to the minde and affections of man, as if they were present, therefore the beleeving p. 63of the finall deliverance of Gods people, and the ruine of his enemies, cannot but raise up the soules of good men to a marvellous degree of joy and thankfulnesse to God: Who would not feare to cleave to Antichrist if they did but present to themselves by faith the certaine ruine of that state, which the Scripture sets downe (in a Propheticall manner) as a thing already present,Revel. 16. 2.Rev 16:2 Babylon is fallen, &c.

But to come to a more particular application, sutable to the present time; the occasion and the text are as parallel as may be: Our gun-powder-plotters were as pregnant in mischiefe as ever these. For conception; It could not but come from beneath the Vault; there was the very qnintessence of devillishnesse in it; Sathan emptyed all p. 64his bowells (as it were) in this project. If all the devills in hell were set a worke to devise the like they could hardly doe it. There was scarce from the begginning of the world, a designe more prodigious and unmercifull, of greater depth and extent of villany: Were not this Anniversary Commemoration of it, posterity would hardly beleeve that a plot so hollish could be hatched in the hearts of men, of English men, of Catholike men, as they would be termed, of men so borne withall notwithstanding their dangerous corresponcy with forraine enemies, and but halfe subject, their better parts (their spirits) being subject to another visible head, who can untye the bond of Allegiance at his pleasure.

Neither did they onelyonly conceive this hellish wickednesse, p. 65but were bigge of it, and kept it close many moneths, and pleased themselves in the same as monstrous and mishapen as it was; there wanted neither wit, nor counsell, nor combination, nor secret incouragement to effect it.

Nay it was an holy villany, sealed with oathes, sacrament, and all the bonds of secrecy that could be invented; Oh horrible prophanation, to set Gods seale to Satans plot; But God who delighteth to confound all presumptuous attempts, discovered it when it should have come to the birth, and so it proved but the untimely fruit of a woman.

They brought forth a lye, for whereas they intended to have blowne up King, and Kingdome, Church-men, & Church, Statesmen, yea the whole State it selfe, all at once, without any warning to prepare themselves p. 66for another world, they not only missed of this, but brought that ruine upon themselves which they intended to others; whereas they thought for ever to have established their (Religion, shall I call it, or Idolatry, or) superstition, they have by this meanes made it more odious than ever before; As the Northerne Gentleman could say, that though he was not able to dispute, yet hee had two arguments against Popery, equivocation and the Gun-powder-treason; But they turne it off easily (as they thinke,) Alas it was but the plot of a company of unfortunate gentlemen; It was our happinesse that they were unfortunate; whereas if it had succeeded well, they would have had other termes for it; successefull villany goeth for vertue.

Well, the net is broken, and p. 67we are delivered; God thought of us when wee thought not of him, and awaked for us when we were asleepe (here is a place for behold) for what a miserable face of things would there have been if their plot had succeeded?

Now what returne shall wee make for all this? they conceived mischiefe, let us conceive praise, and travell of holy resolutions to give up our selves to God, who hath given us our King, our State, yea our selves to our selves; He hath given us our lives more than once every one of us in particular, especially in the last heavy visitation; but had it not beene better for many in regard; of their owne particular, to have beene swept away in that deluge, than to live longer to treasure up further wrath to themselves: Many are not content to goe to hell alone, p. 68but they will draw as many others as they can into their fellowship here, and torment hereafter: Oh beloved, the preservation of such, is but a reservation to further iudgement: What good got the King of Sodome by being delivered once, Genesis 19.Gen 19and then after to bee consumed with fire and brimstone from heaven? Exodus 14.Exod 14What got Pharaoh by being delivered from ten plagues, and then to perish in the Sea? What are all our remporall deliverances, if wee live still in sin, goe on in sinne, die in our sinnes, and so perish eternally? Blessings, without returne of due thankes, increase the guilt of sin, and the increase of guilt causeth the increase of judgements.

The most proper homogeniall way of thankes, is to stirre up our selves to a greater harred of that Religion: they would saine p. 69free it, as if it were the fault of some persons onelyonly, but alas what can be else distilled from those dangerous points they hold, (as that, the Pope hath te… porall jurisdiction over Princes, that he may excommunicate them; that he may (out of fulnesse of power) dispence with the oath of allegiance; that he cannot erre; that subjection to him is a point of absolute necessity to salvation, &c. What, I say, can be distilled frō these opinions, but treason in a people that live under a Prince of a contrary Religion? the dispositions of many of them are better then their positions.

However perhaps the present Pope may be more moderate and neuter all, yet this is the infusion of their religion where ever it prevailes, and these tenents shall bee acted and in full force when they please, and it p. 70will please them when it shal be for the advantage of the Catholike cause; This was Bellarmines tenent, If the Pope should erre in commanding vice or forbidding vertue, the Church is bound to beleeve vice to be good, and vertue to be ill, or else it should sinne against conscience; for it is bound to beleeve what hee commands: thus they make the judgement of man the rule of truth and falsehood, good, and evill; Whereas truth is truth, and that which is false is false, whether men think so or no; there is an intrinsicall evill in evill which the judgement of any man cannot take away; and the truth and goodnesse of things, stands upon eternall grounds, not flexible or alterable by the will of any creature; otherwise it were all one as to thinke the course of the Sunne should be guided by a dyall; Is p. 71there any hope of their comming to us, when they had rather have the rules of nature and Religion (which are as unmoveable as a mountaine of brasse) to vary, than bee thought to confesse that the Pope may erre? which indeed is the grand and leading error of all. But how should wee expect our words should prevaile, when as the great workes of God prevaile not at all with them? The efficacy of error is so strong in many, that though they should see the viall powred out upon the throne of the beast, Revel. 16.Rev 16yet will they not repent.

For our selves, we cannot better shew our thankfulnesse for this deliverance by meanes wherof wee enioy our lives and our Religion, than to preserve that truth (that is grounded upon the foundation of truth) which p. 72hath been derived unto us from those that went before who held out the same truth; that hath beene sealed by the blood of so many Martyrs, that hath beene established by the Authority of gracious Princes, that God hath given witnesse to by so many deliverances, that concurres with the confessions of all Reformed Churches, that God hath blessed with a constāt tenor of peace, even to the rejoycing of all Neighbour Churches, to the envie of our enemies, and to the admiration of all, &c.

We see all countryes round about us in a confusion, and wee (as it were the three young men in the fiery furnace) safe,Daniel 3.Dan 3 without so much as smoak or smell of fire; as if we were the onelyonly people of Gods delight; Now what is that which God careth most for amongst us but his truth? which p. 73if we suffer (as much as in us lyeth) to take any detriment, God may justly make us the spectacles of his wrath to others, as others have beene to us: Beloved, God hath a cause and a people in the world, which hee esteemeth more than all the world besides let us therefore owne Gods cause and people: his side one day will prove the better side.

I beseech you consider, what hurt have wee ever had by the reformation of Religion? hath it come naked unto us? hath it not beene attended with peace and prosperity? hath God beene a barren wildernesse to us? Jerem. 2. 31.Jer 2:31hath not God beene a wall of fire about us? which if hee had not beene, it is not the water that compasseth our Iland could have kept us: So long as wee keepe Christs truth, Christ will keepe us: Otherwise (trust to it) p. 74Christ and his truth will leave us, No nation under heaven hath so much cause to say Behold, as we have; Men are ready upon all occasions to be sensible of civill grievances, (as in Solomons time gold was as stones in the street) but we should be sensible of the spiritual favours we enjoy; If wee looke upon other kingdomes abroad, what nation under heaven hath the like cause to blesse God for Religion, for Prince, for peace, &c. as we have? Beloved, we cannot better deserve of our King, Church, and State, than to give up our lives to God who hath thus blessed us; The greatest enemies of a Church and State, are those that provoke the highest Majesty of heaven, by obstinate courses against the light that shineth in their owne hearts. It is seriously to bee considered what Samuel p. 75saith to the people; and therefore, if not for love of our selves, yet for the love of our King, Religion, and State, let us take heed of provoking courses, and take heed of tyring the patience of God over-long; To conclude all, it is prayer that gets, but thankfulnesse witnessed by obedience that keepes blessings; and what can our thoughts devise, our tongues utter, or our lives expresse better than the praise of our good God that even loadeth us with his benefits? that so God may delight still to shew himselfe unto us, in the wayes of his mercy, & think thoughts of love towards us, and dwell amongst us to the worlds end.

FINIS.

p. 77THE CHVRCHES VISITATION.

DISCOVERING The many difficulties and tryalls of Gods Saints on earth:

Shewing wherein the fountaine of their happinesse consists:

Arming Christians how to doe, and suffer for CHRIST;

And directing them how to commit themselves, and all their wayes to God in holinesse here, and happinesse hereafter.

Preached in sundry Sermons at GrayesInne, LONDON,

BY R. S. D. D.

LONDON, Printed by M. F. for R. Dawlman, at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Churchyard. 1634.