Salvation Improved, Sermon
Salvation Improved: IN A SERMON Upon the 16th of April, 1696. Being the Day of SOLEMN THANKSGIVING For the Preſervation of His Majeſty's SACRED PERSON, from Barbarous Aſſaſſination; and of this Kingdom, from French INVASION.
Preached at Oſweſtry, by J. O. Miniſter of the Goſpel.
LONDON: Printed for I. Salusbury, at the Riſing Sun in Cornhil, 1696.
SALVATION Improved: In a Sermon on the 16th of APRIL, 1696. Being the Day of Solemn THANKSGIVING, &c.
Pſalm 144.10.
It is He that giveth Salvation unto Kings, who Delivereth David his Servant from the hurtful Sword.
THESE Words Recommend unto us, Two Remarkable Inſtances of Divine Providence.
Firſt, Toward Kings in general, It is He, i. e. The Lord, That giveth Salvation unto Kings.
Secondly, Towards David in particular, Who Delivereth David his Servant from the Hurtful Sword.
David the Man after God's own heart, had many Enemies; neither his Piety towards God, nor his Succeſſes againſt the Common Adverſaries of Iſrael, could ſecure him from the Plots and Conſpiraces of Evil Men; among whom, his own Father-in-Law, King Saul, made the firſt Figure: But God duplicate page delivered him from the hurtful Sword of Saul, and other Enemies: No Weapon form'd againſt him Proſpered; He wore a Protection againſt all the Attempts of Ungodly Perſons, by vertue of his Relation to God, to whoſe Service he had Devoted himſelf, and under whoſe Umbrage he found Shelter: He was a Servant of God, which contributed more to his Safety, than his being King of Iſrael.
The Senſe of the words may be ſummed up into this Propoſition.
There is a Particular Providence, that concerns its ſelf in the Preſervation of Kings and Princes, eſpecially of ſuch as are Good.
Royal Perſons are Guarded and Attended by a Numerous Train of Armed Men; but their Salvation conſiſteth not in theſe: an Arm of Fleſh, is no Defence without God: Strong Guards have been the Ruin as well as the Support of Princes; as they are more expoſed than other Men, ſo are they framed of the ſame mould with others; they are as ſuſceptible of Hoſtile Impreſſions as others, being Veſſels of the ſame Clay with other Mortals, and eaſily cruſh'd and broken: The Almighty King will make them acknowledge ſooner or later, That it is he that makes their Mountain Strong, Pſal. 30.7.and if he hide his Face, they are Troubled.
There is a Providence to which all things owe their Conſervation; the ſame power which produced this Vaſt World, and its Innumerable Inhabitants,Neh. 9.6. Matt. 10.29. Upholds and Preſerves them all: A Sparrow falls not on the ground without our Heavenly Father.
How much more doth the Divine Providence concern it ſelf about Man? The Darling of Heaven; The Chief of God's Works: The Object of Redeeming Love; For whoſe Salvation the Son of God Aſſumed Fleſh: God ſtiles himſelf,Job 7.20. The Preſerver of Mankind: It is his Prerogative, and our Priviledge.
He is the Saviour of all men, 1 Tim. 4.10.eſpecially of thoſe that Believe: They are his by Covenant, and he hath engaged all his Glorious Attributes, for their Defence and Salvation: He hath Promiſed to be with them in all Extreamities; and never to leave nor forſake them: The Lord preſerveth the Faithful, Pſal. 31: 23.ſaith the Royal Prophet; and in another place,Pſal. 97.10. He preſerveth the Souls of his Saints; he Delivereth them out of the hand of the Wicked: The ſame is acknowledged by Hannah in her Euchariſtick Song;1 Sam. 2.9. He will keep the Feet of his Saints; that is, He will order their Steps, and Eſtabliſh their Ways; or as the Wiſe Man expreſſes it, He preſerveth the way of his Saints.Prov. 2.8.
If there be ſuch a Watchful Providence over Good Men, how much more over Good Princes? They have an intereſt, not only in that Providence which reſpects Good Men in Common, but in a more diſtinguiſhing one, which is proper to themſeves: It is Recorded as the peculiar favour of Heaven, to King David, That the Lord preſerved David whitherſoever he went.Iſa. 8.6
'Tis True, If Princes forſake God, he alſo will forſake them, and leave them deſtitute of deſired help, when Diſtreſs and Anguiſh cometh upon them: Thus King Saul; having abandon'd himſelf to Vile and Unmanly Paſſions, was firſt given up to himſelf, and afterwards into the hands of his Enemies; when the Spirit of God had once left him,1 Sam. 16.14. it was not long until the Divine Protection alſo departed from him:1 Sam. 28.15. If Princes ſet themſelves againſt God, he'll ſet his Face againſt them; and who can Deliver out of his hand? Who cuts off the ſpirit of Princes, and is Terrible to the Kings of the Earth.Pſal. 76.12.
But Good Princes are the Special Care of Heaven; God is with them, his Eyes are upon them for good, his Angels Encamp round about them; they are as a ſignet upon his Right Hand, Iſa. 22.23.which none can pluck thence: He faſtens them as a nail in a ſure place, and makes them a Glorious Throne to their Fathers Houſe.
There is a particular Providence over them, Firſt, In preventing Secret Conſpiraces. Secondly, In Covering them from Open and Publick Dangers.
Firſt, In Preventing Secret Conſpiracies: Though the Plots of Cunning Enemies, be laid as deep as Hell, and cover'd with Infernal Darkneſs; yet that All-ſeeing Eye, before which, Hell is Naked, and Deſtruction hath no Covering, Penetrates into them, and expoſes them to publick View.
Little did Moſes and his Iſraelites, ſuſpect the Secret Intreagues of Balac and the Princes of Moah, who were forming a Plot againſt them, under the conduct of Balaam a falſe prophet; but the Vigilant Providence, which ever eſpouſes the cauſe of Innocency and Truth, rebukes the madneſs of the Prophet, diverts his vile Inclinations, and converts his intended Imprecations, into Real Bleſſings.
There was a more Dangerous Plot againſt our Great Deliverer and our Proteſtant Iſrael; the Method was, To Aſſaſſinate his Royal Perſon, to deſtroy his Friends, to Involve theſe Nations in Blood and Miſery, to Overturn the Foundations of our Religion, Laws, and Liberties, and enſlave us to the worſt of Tyrants, the French King, and to a forward Inſtrument of his Cruelties, the Abdicated King James, who was ready to Invade us with a French Power, and to return like the Ʋnclean Spirit in the Goſpel, with ſeven other Spirits more wicked than himſelf, to repoſſeſs his deſerted Throne, whereby our laſt ſtate would have been ſeven times worſe than our firſt.
All this was managed with the greateſt Secrecy, until things were come to ſuch a ripeneſs, that there wanted nothing but the Execution of an infallible deſign, as they called it; but bleſſed be God, it proved equally infallible with the Romiſh Church, whoſe diſtinguiſhing Character is to extirpate the beſt of Chriſtians, under the odious name of Hereticks.
Things were arrived to this perfection, and no viſible hand at work to prevent the Fatal Stroke; we were in a deep ſecurity, as Sheep devoted to the ſlaughter, tied as it were to the Horns of the Altar, and ready to be Sacrificed.
But the Great Shepherd and Biſhop of our Souls, the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, looked down from Heaven, troubled the Hoſts of theſe Egyptians, and took off their Chariot-Wheels as they were driving on with the greateſt Fury, and aſſurance of Succeſs.Pſ. 2.4. He that ſitteth in the Heavens did laugh, the Lord had them in deriſion. He Divided their Tongues, Infatuated their Counſels, and made the ſworn Inſtruments of the Kings Deſtruction, the happy means of preventing it. He ſent a ſpirit of Jealouſie among them, which occaſioned the diſcovery of their execrable Intentions.Pſ. 110.2. Thus Chriſt rules in the midſt of his Enemies, and overrules their Helliſh Policies to his own Praiſe.Job. 5.12, 13 14, 15. He diſappointeth the Devices of the Crafty, ſo that their Hands cannot perform their Enterprize: He takes the Wiſe in their own Craftineſs, and the Counſel of the Froward it carried headlong.
When Balak practiced againſt Iſrael, and took Balaam for his Counſellor, neither the one or the other thought of the French Method of hiring a company of Deſperadoes to Aſſaſſinate Moſes, who was a King in Jeſhurun, and ſo prepare a way for an eaſie and inglorious Victory over Iſrael: No, that Heathen Prince judged it the beſt policy to engage his Gods on his ſide, and to expoſe Iſrael to a Prophetick Curſe: The World then was too innocent to entertain ſuch deviliſh projects. Royal Minds ſcorn ſuch mean Arts of ſubduing their Adverſaries. The Aſſaſſinating Invention owes its Original to latter, and more Brutiſh Ages; the name and thing are derived from the barbarous Saracens, among whom there is a Bloody Sect called Aſſaſſini, living under a Senior, or Ruler, whom they honour as a Prophet, by whom they are ſent forth to murther ſuch Princes as favour them not, promiſing themſelves the reward of Immortality by him in all things, though with the loſs of their Lives. They are Mahometans by profeſſion, and one would be apt to think no other but a Mahometan were capable of ſuch Villany. Our Noble King Edward the firſt, when he was at Acon, was dangerouſly wounded by an Aſſaſſine, and had undoubtedly died of the Wound which the Saracen had given him with a poiſoned Knife, had not Queen Eleanor, of immortal memory, ſucked out the poiſon with her Tongue, when no Medicine could extract it. She licked his rankling Wounds, whereby they perfectly cloſed, and yet her ſelf received no harm.
The Spirit of this Barbarous Sect is ſince enter'd into the Jeſuits, and other Popiſh Orders, who have by their Writings, and Actions proved themſelves the genuine Off-ſpring of the Mahom tan Aſſaſſines. Henry the 3d. of France, and his Succeſſor, Henry the 4th. a great Prince, both fell by baſe aſſaſſinating. One would think the preſent French King, whoſe Grandfather was ſtabbed by Ravaillac, ſhould above all Men abhor Aſſaſſinations, eſpecially towards a Prince who expoſes his Perſon to the utmoſt hazards of Battle; but we have have ſtrong Preſamptions that the deſign upon King William's Life was carried on with his Knowledge and Approbation, nor could the late King be ignorant of it, or leſs innocent than his mighty Guardian: For the Succeſs of the intended Invaſion depended upon the taking away of the Kings Life. The Army at Calais, under the Conduct of Monſieur Bouflers, and K. J. waited only for the welcome news of the King's Death, to give Life to all their motions: The diſcovery of the Plot broke all their meaſures, and ſpoil'd the infallible deſign. The French King's Ambaſſadours at the Courts of Sweden and Portugal, and in ſome other Courts of Europe, gave ſufficient hints of their knowledge of it. Beſides,
Grandval, who was Executed in August, 1692. in Flanders, for being in Conſpiracy to aſſaſſinate King William, confeſſed that he was put on by Monſieur Barbeſieux, the French King's Secretary, who promiſed he ſhould be made a Count, and by the late K. J. of whom he had Audience in Preſence of his Queen, and was aſſured by him he ſhould never want, provided he did his work effectually.
They who have been concerned in a deſign againſt the King's Life, may be juſtly ſuſpected to have a hand in the late Conſpiracy, which was undertaken in favour of them both, and who were like to be the Principal, if not only gainers by it.
2. There is a particular Providence over Princes, in covering them from open and publick dangers. King David often recognizeth the divine Goodneſs in delivering him from his ſtrong Enemies, even when they were too ſtrong for him. They compaſſed him about like Bees, Pſ. 18.17, and 118, 12.and were quenched as the fire of Thorns. When he was ſurrounded with the ſnares of Death, God made a way of eſcape for him. When good King Jehoſhaphat was incloſed by the Syrian Army,2 Chro. 18.31. he cried out unto God, and he helped him, and moved them to depart from him.
King Richard the firſt, who was hunting careleſsly near Joppa, with a few of his Nobles about him, was ſurprized by a company of Turks, who lay in Ambuſhment for him, and had inevitably fallen into their Hands, had not one of the Company,walſh. hypod. neuſtr. p. 454. William de Pratellis, cried out in the Turkiſh Language, That he was the King, which the Turks believing, carried him away in Triumph, and neglected the reſt, whereby King Richard had his opportunity of eſcaping their Hands, and returned ſafe to his own.
All Hiſtories are full of Inſtances of a particular vigilancy of Providence over Princes, but no Age hath afforded more pregnant ones than thoſe that concern the Perſon of our Illuſtrious King William. A Narrative of all the remarkable deliverances of his Life, would fill up a juſt Volumn.
None can be more converſant with dangers, none more ſecure in the midſt of them: He walks without fear in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, he paſſes untouched through the midſt of the Enemy's Fire, guarded by inviſible Powers, as the three young Men in the Fiery Furnace; he advanceth with an Heroick Courage before the Mouths of roaring Canons, thoſe Artificial Vulcano's, that vomit out Fire and Smoak, and flying Globes, the irreſiſtible Meſſengers of a terrible and preſent death.
His truſt is in the name of the Lord, which is a ſtrong Tower, a Shield of defence, and a ſure Refuge, which no adverſe Power is able to penetrate. He believes that every Bullet has its Commiſſion, 2 Kings 22.3…and is directed by unerring Providence. This is not to aſcribe events to a Turkiſh Fate, as his Enemies have invidiouſly and baſely traduced him, but an entire dependance upon the Divine Will, to whoſe Conduct the moſt fortuitous Events ought to be aſcribed.
How wonderfully has God preſerved him at the Boyn! A Canon-Ball gently ſalutes him, to give him a ſenſible Impreſs of his mortal ſtate, and of his immortal Obligations to his Almighty Preſerver. In Flanders another Canon-Bullet diſcharges its Fury againſt a Tree, where the King had been a few Minutes before. At the Siege of Namur, ſome fall at his Right-hand, ſome at his Left, while himſelf ſtands as an impregnable Monument of Divine Power and Goodneſs.
The Lord hath delivered him in ſix Troubles, Job 5.19.yea in ſeven no evil hath touched him. Eliphaz reckons it among the Priviledges of a good Man,Job. 5.23. that he ſhall be in League with the stones of the field, that is, he ſhall be preſerved from every hurtful thing. Stones in thoſe ancient times were uſed in Wars, and did as much execution then as Bullets now.Judg. 20.16. and 9.53. *1 Sam 17.49. Joſeph. de bill Judaic. 111.9.Joſephus in his deſcription of the Siege of Jotapata by Veſpaſian, ſaith, that the Stones that the Romans ſhot out of their Catapultae, and great Machines, deſtroyed whole Ranks of Soldiers together; and that the Head of one of his Men (for he was Governour of the place) was ſtruck off with a great ſtone, and was carried three Furlongs diſtance with the violence of it. He adds, that a Big-bellied Woman was ſhot in the Belly, and the ſhattered Infant driven half a Furlong with the force of another Stone.
Thou ſhalt be in League with the stones of the Field, is as much as if he had ſaid, No Weapon ſormed againſt thee ſhall proſper, one Species of Warlike Inſtruments being put for all the reſt.
King William may be ſaid to be in League with Guns and Pistols, Pſ. 91.12.with Swords and Pikes; he daſhes not his foot againſt a Stone, but walks ſecurely amidſt the greateſt, and ſeemingly inſuperable dangers.
All this is owing to the Protection of Heaven, which attends all his Noble and Hazardous Undertakings.
He is raiſed by a ſingular Providence to be a Deliverer of oppreſſed Nations, and eminently ſhares in the Bleſſings he derives upon others by the diſtinguiſhing Deliverances which the Divine Favour hath wrought for him. The King truſteth in the Lord, Pſ. 21.7.and through the Mercy of the Moſt High, he ſhall not be moved.
I ſhall give two Reaſons for the Confirmation of the Truth before us, to wit, That there is a particular Providence which guards the Perſons of Princes, eſpecially good Princes.
1. The firſt reaſon is taken from their near relation unto God. Princes are Terreſtrial Gods, they partake in ſome meaſure of the Divine perfections, are illuſtrated with ſome Beams of the excellent Glory; their perſons are Sacred, and have viſible Characters of Majeſty upon them.
Dominion over Creatures of an inferiour rank,Gen. 1.27.28. is part of God's Image upon Man; Dominion over Men is a more excellent reſemblance of God, the ſupreme Rector of the World.
For this reaſon Princes are called Gods, Pſ. 82.6. I ſaid ye are Gods, by office, not by nature. They are Men by Nature, as it is in the following words, v. 7. Ye ſhall dye like Men: But by Office they are Gods. God puts his Name upon them,Vox foreign ut notant Hebraei, ſive de Deo ſumatur, ſive de hominibus ſive de Angelis, judiciariam poteſtatem ſufficat. Grot. in Exod.vid Schinler and inveſts them with power and Authority for the Adminiſtration of Juſtice, the protection and encouragement of thoſe that do well, and for the puniſhment and terror of Evil Doers. They are honourable Miniſters of the Eternal King, deputed by him, and entruſted with the Government of this Lower World. Hence Subjects are required to Honour them next unto God, to obey them in the Lord, Fear God, Honour the King: And in another place,Exod. 22.28. Thou ſhalt not revile the Gods, nor Curſe the Ruler of thy People. Sometimes we Tranſlate the Word Elohim, Judges, as in Exod. 21.6. Then his Master ſhall bring him unto the Judges, foreign unto the Gods,2 Chron. 19.6. ſo called, becauſe they judge not for Man, but for the Lord.
Earthly Princes think themſelves obliged to ſupport and defend their Officers of State;Turg. foreign coram judices. how much more doth the King of Glory exert a particular Concern for his Vicegerents upon Earth?
They are Gods, not abſolute and independent Perſons. It is the Prerogative of the Eternal to be Abſolute and Unlimited.Dan. 5.23. Rulers over Men are Subjects to God, in whoſe Hand their Breath is, and whoſe are are all their Ways. Pſ. 18.King David reckons it his higheſt Honour to be the Servant of the Lord.
God's Government in the World is Abſolute, his Will is Sovereign, and the only meaſure of all good and evil; and it muſt needs be ſo, for he is infinitely Wiſe, eſſentially and immutably Good. His excellent Wiſdom ſecures him from all poſſibility of erring or miſtaking; his tranſcendent Goodneſs from all poſſibility of abuſing his Power to the hurt of any. But this cannot be ſaid of any created Being, much leſs of Man, who is miſerably degenerated from his Original Purity and Perfection. The wiſeſt of Men know but in part, the beſt of Men are imperfectly good. It was Man's firſt Apoſtacy from God to covet to be as Gods, ſupreme and abſolute. By aſpiring too high, and invading the Prerogatives of his Maker, he fell below himſelf, and became like the Beaſts that periſh. Pſ. 49.20.The moſt abſolute of Princes are the moſt brutiſh of Men, they Tyrannize over their emaſculated Subjects, and with an Appetite worſe than brutiſh, devour thoſe of their own kind.
None aſpires more to Abſoluteneſs than the Prince of the power of the Air, who boldly uſurps the Divine Properties, aſſumes the incommunicable Attributes of the Infinite Being, and exerciſeth a Tyrannical Dominion over a great part of the ſinful World, to the ruin and deſtruction of Mankind. He is therefore called Apollyon, Rev. 9.11.or the Deſtroyer.
They that aſſume the ſame Power, imploy it for the ſame Ends, and entitle themſelves to the ſame Name; only they have this diſadvantage of him, that they are not Immortal as he is; theſe Infernal Gods ſhall dye like Men, and they rarely dye the common Death of other Men. They forfeit the divine Protection, and periſh in their own Iniquity. Wilt thou yet ſay before him that ſlayeth thee, I am God,Ezek. 8.2…. but thou ſhalt be a Man and no God in the Hand of him that ſlayeth thee.
But good Princes account it their greateſt Happineſs to reſemble the Divine Goodneſs, to make the Eſtabliſhed Laws the Rule of Government, and to direct all their Actions to the publick Good. They have no Intereſt of their own, diſtinct from their Subjects; they are Fathers of their Country, and naturally care for it; they are Heads of the Political Body, and derive Life and Vigour to all the Members of it, except it be ſome gangren'd parts, which ſhould be cut off, leſt the whole be infected, and endangered by them. While proud Tyrants affect to be like the moſt High, it's the only Ambition of Pious Princes to be like the moſt Holy. They know themſelves to be but Men, and that it is their Intereſt to be under the protection of Heaven, which is never wanting to them. The Lord delivered me, ſaith King David, Pſ. 18.19, …becauſe he delighted in me; the Lord rewarded me according to my Righteouſneſs, according to the cleanneſs of my Hands hath he recompenſed me.
2. There is a particular providence which guards the perſons of good Princes, becauſe they are publick Bleſſings to the World. This World cannot ſubſiſt without the Benefit of Government. The Life of all Societies is their Order and Subordination to Lawful Rule. The beſt part of Mankind would ſoon be ſwallowed up by the worſer part, were it not for the reſtraint of Humane Laws, which have a greater Influence upon them than the Laws of God; and the ſurviving part would afterwards deſtroy each other by mutual depredations, did not the Laws ſet Bounds to the Brutal Appetites of unreaſonable Men.
The enjoyment of Liberty and Property under the favourable Influences of good Rulers, is one of the moſt valuable of Temporal Bleſſings. It is an unaccountable Stupidity in a ſort of People among us, to prefer the Garlick and Onions of Egypt before the Showers of Manna that fall about our Tents; to prefer French Slavery, which is worſe than Turkiſh, before Engliſh Liberty; to prefer the Common Enemy of Europe, before the Generous Aſſertor of it's juſt Rights; Would you think it, that any Perſons that wear the name of Proteſtants ſhould reckon themſelves aggrieved under the beſt of Proteſtant Princes, and ſeek their relief from the worst of Popiſh Princes? Good God! what a Spirit of Infatuation has poſſeſſed theſe Men? They are to be pittied as Men beſides themſelves, and pray'd for, that God would open their Eyes, to ſee the things of their peace, before they be hid from them. They are homines ad ſervitutem nati, born to enſlave themſelves and Poſterity. But thanks be to God, they are but a ſmall part of the Engliſh Nation, and generally the worſer part of Engliſh Proteſtants.
I hope we are ſenſible what Bleſſings we enjoy under the preſent Government, and what duties we owe unto it in our ſeveral Stations.
Good Princes are as uſeful in their kind as the Sun in the Firmament.2 Sam. 23.3, 4. He that rules in the fear of God, is as the Light of the Morning, when the Sun riſeth, even a morning without Clouds.
Princes are the pillars of the Earth, upon which it ſtands.2 Sam. 2.8. The Pillars of the Earth are the Lords, and he hath ſet the World upon them. When one of theſe Pillars falls, the whole frame of the Building is ſhaken, and in danger of being overturned, the Earth, Pſ. 75.3.and all the Inhabitants thereof are diſſolved, as the Royal Prophet ſpeaks.
Vertuous Princes are like the Pillars in Solomon's Temple, whereof the one was called Jachin, i. e. he will eſtabliſh; the other Boaz, that is, in him is Strength; their ſtrength is in God, and it is he that Establiſheth them.
In another place they are called the Shields of the Earth; The Shields of the Earth belong unto God. Pſ. 47.8.Shields are for defence, all Princes ought to be ſo, good Princes are ſo. Now theſe belong unto God, he has a Propriety in them, and they depend upon him. He makes them Shields unto us, and he is a Shield unto them. He ſhields our very Shields.
Our Lives are bound up in the Life of our King.Lam. 4.20. He is the Breath of our Noſtrils, and under his Shadow we ſhall live among the Heathen.
Precious in the Sight of the Lord is the Life of all his Saints,Pſ. 116.15. how much more precious is that ineſtimable Life, in which are involved ſo many Thouſands of uſeful Lives! What was ſaid of David, may be truly affirmed of our renowned King William, Thou art worth ten thouſand of us.
Let us improve this Truth.
1. For Thankfulneſs, God hath wonderfully preſerved the Perſon of our Gracious King from the barbarous contrivances of ungodly Men.Pſ. 21.11. They imagined a miſchievous device, Pſ. 64.26.whch they are not able to perform. God hid him from the ſecret Counſel of the Wicked, from the Inſurrection of the workers of Iniquity. They ſearch out Iniquities, Iuveſtigarunt vias nobis nocendi. Grot. in loc.that is, they ſet all their wits at work to find out the methods of deſtruction: They accompliſhed a diligent ſearch. Their Counſels were brought to a great maturity and perfection; none but he in whoſe Hands are all the ways of Men, could have prevented the execution of them.Prov. 19.21. Many are the devices of Man's Heart, but the Counſel of the Lord that ſhall ſtand. How weak and ineffectual are the endeavours of Politic Men to obſtruct it; they conſider not,Prov. 21.30. that there is no wiſdom, nor underſtanding, nor Counſel againſt the Lord. When the Lord comes to ſave his People, he doth it in ſuch a manner, as that he alone may be exalted in that day. The Work is done not by might, Zach. 4.6.or by Power, but by his Spirit, that we may cry, Grace, Grace, unto it. The Spirit of the Lord hath the Hearts and Thoughts of all Men in his Power, and turns them as Rivers of Water. He ſearcheth the deep things of Man, unlocks the moſt retired apartments of the Soul, and brings to light the hidden things of darkneſs.
None would engage in ſo barbarous a deſign againſt his his Majeſty's Sacred Perſon, but ſuch as had caſt off all fear of God, had extinguiſhed all principles of Vertue and Humanity, and were deſperately reſolved to accompliſh their Intentions: But behold an inſtance of the Dominion of God over the Thoughts of Men, he unravels their helliſh Counſels, inſpires new Thoughts into ſome of the Conſpirators, and makes them the inſtruments of a happy Diſcovery, in the very juncture of time, when all their Meaſures were concerted, and the Helliſh Aſſaſſines were ready to perform their Enterprize. We may ſay with David, Pſ. 20.6. and 21, 1.Now know I that the Lord ſaveth his Anointed. The King ſhall joy in thy ſtrength, O Lord, and in thy Salvation how greatly ſhall he rejoice!
O the depth of the Riches of Divine Wiſdom, and Goodneſs, how unſearchable are his Judgments, and his ways paſt finding out! The Squadron intended laſt Winter to join Sir George Rook at Cadiz could not ſail for want of Wind. God foreſaw what need we ſhould have of them at home to guard our Coaſts againſt the French, who might eaſily have landed upon us, and doubtleſs would have improved their advantage, had that Squadron been out of the way.
Our Deliverance ſhould the rather excite our Thankfulneſes becauſe,
1. It was unexpected. We were upon the brink of Ruin, and knew it not. An inviſible Cloud was ready to diſcharge it ſelf upon us in Fire and Brimſtone, and an Horrible Tempest, when our Heavens ſeemed clear over our Heads. We might have been ſurpriz'd with Sicilian Vapours, or a Bartholomew Supper. This Iſland might have been Swimming in a Deluge of Innocent Blood. and become the ſad Monument of French and Popiſh Cruelties. When thoſe Monſters of Barbarity had murthered our Renowned King, the next Attempt would have been to deſtroy his numerous and well-affected Subjects; Head and Members muſt have undergone the ſame Fate. Bleſs the Lord, Pſ. 103.….O our Souls, and all that is within us bleſs his Holy Name. When he turned back our Captivity, we were like them that dream, our Deliverance was ſo ſurprizing and aſtoniſhing, that we could ſcarce believe our own Senſes. God prevented us with the Bleſſings of Goodneſs, and his own Right-H and wrought Salvation, when we neither foreſaw our Danger, nor could provide againſt it.
2. It is an undeſerved deliverance. We are a ſinful Nation, a People laden with Iniquity, and it is of the Lord's Mercies that we are are not Conſumed. He conſulted the Honour of his great Name that is called upon us, and would not give his glory to another, nor his Praiſe to graven Images.
All the great Deliverances of the Church are Effects of Sovereign Mercy, rejoicing againſt Judgment.Ezek. 20.14.22. When God delivered Iſrael out of Egypt, he found them in their Blood and Filth, polluted with the Abominations of the Egyptians; yet in the fulneſs of time,Exod. 12.4…. the Decree brought forth, and the promiſe of Deliverance had an infallible Accompliſhment. God's Truth in keeping Covenant, runs parallel with his Mercy in making Covenant.
The Deliverance from the Babyloniſh Captivity found the People unprepared, as Daniel confeſſeth. All this Evil is come upon us, yet made we not our Prayer before the Lord our God, Dan. 9.13.that we might turn from our Iniquities, and underſtand thy Truth. God deferred his Anger for his Names ſake, and choſe them in the Furnance of Affliction, Iſa. 48.9.10before they were refined from their Droſs.
Our Eternal Salvation from the Wrath of God, our Temporal Salvation from the Wrath of Men, flow from the ſame ſpring of undeſerved Mercy and Grace.
3. It is a Deliverance ſcarce to be parallelled. One of the greateſt Deliverances upon Engliſh Records is that from the Gunpowder-Treaſon, of which we retain as grateful Impreſſion, being Annually revived in our ſolemn Commemoration of it; but our preſent Deliverance may ſeem in ſome reſpects to tranſcend that. That Plot was the Act of a few comparatively, this was carried on by a vaſt Multitude: That was manag'd by profeſſed Papiſts, this by Nominal Proteſtants in Conjunction with Papiſts: That by a Faction of deſpicable Prieſts and Jeſuits, this by perſons of Note and Figure: That was levelled againſt the Reform'd Religion as ſuch, this both againſt our Religion, and civil Liberties, by ſubjecting us to a French Power: Had that taken, effect it might have hazarded the Proteſtant Intereſt in one Nation, had this prevailed, it might have been the extirpation of the Proteſtant Churches throughout all Europe. The French King had grown invincible, had in a little time over-run the Empire, reveng'd himſelf upon Holland, made the two Northern Crowns ſubmit to his own Terms, and had gloried in more extenſive Converſions than thoſe in his own Kingdom, effected by the irreſiſtible Miniſtry of his Booted Apoſtles. He would have acquired a perſonal Right to the Title of Moſt Chriſtian King that was conferr'd by the great Antichriſt of Rome, Pope Julius the Second, upon his Anceſtor, Lewis the XII, to encourage him to perſecute and deſtroy the poor Waldenſes. But bleſſed be God, who has not deliver'd us up as a Prey to his Teeth: Pſ. 124.6, 7.Our Soul is eſcaped as a Bird out of the Snare of the Fowler; the Snare is broken, and we are eſcaped.
We may ſay of this Deliverance, compared with that of the Gunpowder-Treaſon, what is ſaid of the Deliverance from Babylon, compared with that from Egypt, that the latter ſhould obſcure the Glory of the former.Jer. 16.14 15 It ſhall no more be ſaid, the Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Iſrael out of the Land of Egyt; but the Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Iſrael from the land of the North.
2. Let us improve this Deliverance as a motive to Obedience and Holineſs. Let's Sin no more, leſt a worſe thing befal us. The deſign of God's Goodneſs is to lead us to Repentance. If we turn not from our evil ways, God will ſet his Face againſt us for Evil: If we improve not Mercies, we muſt feel the ſmart of Judgments. They that will not learn Righteouſneſs by the gentle Methods of God's Patience and Kindneſs, muſt expect to be taught as the Men of Succoth, Judg. 8.16.with Thorns of the Wilderneſs, and with Briers.
Deceive not your ſelves with Carnal Confidences, ſay not,Jer. 7.4; 9, 10 the Temple of the Lord are theſe: Will ye Steal, Murther, and commit Adultery, and ſwear falſly,— and ſay, We are Delivered to do all theſe Abominations? Truſt not to Goſpel priviledges in the neglect of Goſpel Holineſs. Former Deliverances will not ſecure us from future Ruin, if we harden our ſelves in a ſinful way.Gra. 14.17. and 19.24. The Men of Sodom were reſcued from Captivity by Abraham's Sword, not long before they were utterly Conſum'd by Fire and Brimſtone from Heaven. Unbelieving, and Impenitent Iſrael periſhed in the Wilderneſs after their miraculous deliverance from Pharoah's Oppreſſions. St. Jude urgeth this Conſideration upon the Chriſtians as an Argument for perſeverance in the Faith of the Goſpel. Ye once knew this, jud… 4.how that the Lord having ſaved the People out of the land of Egypt, afterward deſtroyed them that believed not.
God forbid that all our great Deliverances ſhould be loſt upon us, and be of no other uſe unto us but to encreaſe our guilt, and aggravate our puniſhment. O be not like unthankful Iſrael, Pſ. 106.12, 13.who, after they had Sung the Praiſe of God their Saviour, ſoon forgot his Works.
God hath promiſed that upon Mount Zion ſhall be Deliverance, Obad. 17.and there ſhall be Holineſs. He hath given the former Bleſſing, and will not with-hold the latter from them that ſeek him. Our Iniquities have retarded the Progreſſes of our Deliverance, and have provoked God to turn us back to this Wilderneſs, when we we were within Proſpect of the deſired reſt. The Principles of Chriſtianity are by ſome neglected as uſeleſs, by others rejected as inconſiſtent with the dictates of their depraved Reaſon. They conſider not that it is not only moſt reaſonable, but moſt neceſſary, that our imperfect, and erroneous Underſtandings ſhould receive Laws of Truth from Infinite Wiſdom, as our Rebellious Wills do Laws of Holineſs from the Divine Goodneſs.
The Practice of Heatheniſh Morality, which is all the Chriſtianity that many pretend to, is wofully loſt among us. The Sobriety, Chaſtity, and Uprightneſs of many Heathens, will riſe up in Judgment with, and Condemn a Drunken, Unclean, and Hypocritical Generation. Who can expreſs the Abominations of our Land? What Oaths, what Blaſphemies, what Immoralities abound among us? How boldly do guilty Wretches challenge the moſt Righteous Judge to damn them? Alas, his Holy Law hath Condemned you already, and art thou Impatient of a ſhort Reprieve? Some profeſſed Proteſtants lead ſuch Lives as if they were liſted under the Prince of Darkneſs, to fight againſt Heaven.
God expects that ſo ſignal a Mercy as we enjoy this day ſhould melt our Hearts, and effectually oblige us to a Reformed Courſe.
No ſooner were the People come out of Egyptian Bondage, Exod 15.….but they were call'd to renew their Covenant with God. Let us ſay with Ezra, Seeing that thou, our God haſt given us ſuch Deliverance as this, Should we again break thy Commandments? Wouldſt thou not be angry with us till thou hadſt Conſumed us, ſo that there ſhould be no remnant nor eſcaping?
Hapy are the People, whom God delivers at once from their Diſtreſſes, and from their Sins, the procuring Cauſes of them. It is a poor Victory to ſubdue our Enemies, and continue Slaves to our own Luſts. A Servant of Sin is the vileſt Slave in nature. The rational Powers which ſhould command, are ſubject to Brutiſh Paſſions, which entangle the Sinner in the ſnare of the Devil, who leads him Captive at his Will. Look unto your Eternal Deliverer, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, if he makes us free, we are free indeed.
Set upon the ſubduing of your Sins, and you have overcome your moſt dangerous Enemies. The Luſts of the Fleſh war against the Soul, they are dangerous Enemies to its Purity, Peace, and Everlaſting Happineſs.Jam. 4.1. Whence come VVars and Fightings among you, ſaith the Apoſtle, come they not hence, even of your Luſts that war in your Members.
Mortifie theſe in your ſelves, and you ſhall have Peace within; Pray that God would mortifie them in others, that the bleſſing of Peace may be reſtor'd to the oppreſſed Nations, who are made a Sacrifice to the boundleſs Ambition, and bloody Rage of defigning Men.
Be importunate at the Throne of Grace for the Life of our Great and Good King William, for a Bleſſing upon his Councils, and for the ſucceſs of his Arms againſt his, ours, and God's Enemies. Let us ſerve the Lord with a willing Mind, that we be not made to ſerve our Enemies againſt our Wills. The Lord threatens Iſrael, that they ſhall be Servants to the King of Egypt, that they may know his Service, and the Service of the Kingdoms of the Countries. Such as are weary of the eaſie Yoke of Chriſt, may have their Necks gall'd with the Iron Yoke of Antichriſt.
Is it the Lord that giveth Salvation unto Kings? Let's contribute our beſt endeavours to ſupport the preſent Government. God uſually ſaveth Kings and Kingdoms by the Agency of Second Cauſes. Its rarely, if ever, he Saves a People againſt their Wills. His Majeſty never declines emergent Dangers, but expoſes his Sacred Perſon upon all occaſions for our Defence, and ſhall we decline the duty we owe him upon any Proſpects of hazard?
Let's chearfully pay our Taxes, as heavy as they ſeem to be, they are abſolutely neceſſary for the carrying on a juſt War in defence of our Religion and Liberties, which ought to be dearer to us than our Eſtates, than our Lives.
Let's unanimouſly join with our Reproſentatives in Parliament in defence of his Majeſty's Perſon and Government: Let's unanimouſly joyn with the reſt of our Fellow Subjects, who give freſh aſſurances of their Loyalty, and firm adherence to the Government in this difficult time: Let's joyn with the Great Body of true-hearted Proteſtants through all his Majeſty's Dominions. Our Union is our Strength. Nothing can ruin us but our Diviſions. The Experience of moſt Ages hath evidenced the Truth of that Maxim, A Kingdom divided againſt it ſelf cannot ſtand.
The diviſions of the old Britains ſubjected them at firſt to the Roman Yoke. Dum ſingul. pugnant, In Agr. co vit. 12.omnes vincuntur, ſaith Tacitus. While they were quarrelling among themſelves, Caeſar comes and decides the Controverſie, by a Conqueſt of all. The Diſſentions of Androgeus and Caſſivellan rulned the Kingdom.
The diſcontents and Animoſities of the Jews, rendred them an eaſie Prey to Antiochus Epiphanes, who miſerably perſecuted them, cauſed the daily Sacrifice to ceaſe, ſet up the abomination of Deſolation in the Holy Temple,Joſeph. de bel. Jud. lib. cap. 1. Antiq. XII. 6. and ruin'd all the Country by an unparallel'd Cruelty. The Sons of Tobias to be reveng'd of Onias the Prieſt, who had baniſh'd them out of the City, invite over Antiochus, (as ſome do now the French King) who being glad of the occaſion, invaded the Country with a great Army, deſtroy'd all before him, interdicted the Profeſſion of the true Religion,Joſ. de bell. Jud. VI. 11. and ſet up Heatheniſh Idolatry.
The diſcords of Ariſtobulus, and Hircanus brought Pompey to Jeruſalem, by whom they were made a Roman Province.
Paleſtine was loſt to the Turks by the unhappy diviſions of the Chriſtians, who had been poſſeſſed of it about an hundred Years, after they had recover'd it at a prodigious expence of Blood and Treaſure.
Upon the Death of Baldwin the Fifth, whom his Mother poyſon'd to advance Guy, her ſecond Husband to the Throne, they fell at variance, and were ready to turn their Swords upon each other; of which Saladin, the Egyptian Sultan, taking the advantage, won many Cities, in a Bloody Battle overthrew the Chriſtians,Turk. Hiſt. cap. 2. took Priſoners the King, moſt of his Nobles, and the great Maſter of the Templars, which broke the Strength of the Chriſtians in Syria, and after fourteen days he took Jeruſalem.
If we look into our own Hiſtories, what woful Tragedies have our own Diviſions been productive of? The diſcords of the Engliſh brought in the Normans, and ſubjected this Nation to the Sword of a Forreign Conqueror.
Upon the Death of Edward the Confeſſor, the Nation was divided about his Succeſſor, ſome were for Edgar Atheling, the rightful Heir, others for Harold, Earl Goodwin's Son, others for William Duke of Normandy, to whom King Edward had promiſed the Engliſh Crown. At length Harold poſſeſſed himſelf of the Crown, but enjoyed it not long. The Norman Duke invaded England, being attended with the Pope's Benediction, and the good Wiſhes of the Clergy, who then depended on him, and were diſaffected to King Harold, for the Wrongs done unto Robert Archbiſhop of Canterbury, by him and his Father. Harold was ſlain in a Bloody Battle, in which above ſixty Thouſand Engliſh fell. The Conqueror advances to London, was Crown'd by the Archbiſhop of York, the Clergy and People ſwear to him, and he to them: But he was no ſooner eſtabliſhed in the Throne, but he enſlaved the Engliſh, gave their Eſtates to his Normans, extirpated the ancient Nobility, and ſo grievouſly oppreſſed the Commons, that many of them forſook their Houſes, and lived in the Woods by Theft and Robery, preferring the naked name of Freedom before their Inheritances under the miſerable Tyranny of their Conquerors. vid. Matth. Weſt minst. ap. 433 ad ſin. lib. 1. and init. 2. libOthers truckled under their new Maſters, endured the heavy Yoke, and durſt not complain, leſt it ſhould be made yet heaver. He ſeized the chiefeſt Offices of Honour and Profit into his own hands, and gave them to Strangers; he receiving Hoſtages of thoſe that were Potent, and ſent them to Normandy, he diſ-arm'd all the Natives of the Land; he forbad all Night Meetings, and obliged the Engliſh to cover their Fire at eight a Clock at Night, at the ringing of a Bell, which is yet call'd Couvre lefeu; he ſent the Nobility to his Wars beyond the Seas; he obliged the Commonalty to turn Soldiers, and by them he fought his ſharpeſt Battles in Normandy, and France, he impoveriſh'd the Laity by oppreſſive Taxes, and Forfeitures; he robb'd the Clergy of their richeſt Plate and Ornaments; he publiſhed his Laws in French, and took advantage of Peoples Ignorance of them; he amaſs'd into his own Exchequer the Treaſures of this Realm, ruin'd whole Villages and Towns, ſeveral Churches and Chappels to make a Foreſt of, ſeized into his Hands all the Chaſes and Foreſts of this Kingdom.
Thus God brought low the Engliſh Nation by their own diviſions, and fondneſs of a French Prince. Can we expect better Treatment from the preſent French King, than our Anceſtors did from the Norman Baſtard? Will not his little Finger be heavier than the other's Loins?
King Lewis is a profeſſed Enemy to our Holy Religion, and glories in the unchriſtian, and barbarous Methods, by which he has perverted, or ruined near two Millions of his Proteſtant Subjects; and can Engliſh Proteſtants promiſe themſelves Protection from ſuch a Prince? Will he be more favourable to Strangers and Enemies than to his Native Subjects, who were his faſt friends, and by whoſe Loyal Arms he was eſtabliſhed in his Throne?
Is he like to aſſert the liberties of Engliſhmen, who has left none to his own Frenchmen? It's obvious to all Men of Common Senſe, that the late King cannot return but by a French Power, which will prove deſtructive to our Religion, Laws, and Liherties, none therefore but an Enemy to all theſe, can wiſh his Reſtauration.
FINIS.
End of the text · James Owen, Salvation Improved (1696)