THis Chapter contains a Catalogue of those numerous transgressions, which the Children of Israel were found guilty of before the Lord their God.

In which account, my Text brings in that Cardinal Sin of murmuring against their Rulers, of repining against Gods heavenly Dispensations, in governing all the Nations upon Earth, accor­ding to his Divine Will and Pleasure. For the Words have a particular reference to Korah, and his rebellious Accomplices; who insolently accused the man Moses, a Person of eminent meekness, even above all the men which were upon Num. 12. 3. the face of the Earth; for haughtily aspiring to make himself altogether a Prince over them in Num. 16. 13. Temporal matters: and for constituting his Bro­ther Aaron High Priest, and so consequently making him Chief in all Spiritual affairs.

Whereupon the disaffected Party gather them­selves together in Tumults; and tell these two [Page 2] Pillars, Upholders of the most immediate Theocracy Josephus lib. contr. Appion. ever known on this side Heaven, plainly to their faces; That in truth, they took too much upon them, seeing all the Congregation were holy every one Num. 16. 3. of them, and the Lord was alike among them. Whence they proceeded to demand that uncivil question, Wherefore then did these two Brethren arrogantly lift up themselves above the Congregation of the Lord?

Thus do we find, that in all Ages before and from the Jewish times, even down to our own later unhappy dayes of utter confusion and in­effable misery, the Trumpet never yet sounded an Alarm for battle; but the goodly pretences, the specious pleas made use of to excite the un­thinking Multitude, to animate the ignorant Rabble (which, like those sixscore thousand per­sons of Nineveh, cannot discern between their right Jonas 4. 12. hand and their left) evermore were, and ever­more will be those false suggestions, that their Rulers take away from them their Property and Liberty, their Religion and freedom of Con­science.

Wherefore since the blessed Apostle tells us in the following words of my Text, That all these things hapned unto them for ensamples; and Ver. 11. they were further written and delivered down un­to posterity for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come; whose lot it is, as persons born out of due time, to wear out a trou­blesome life in these last and worst of dayes; Let us, I say, therefore endeavour to grow wise [Page 3] upon other persons cost. Let us, having taken a serious view in private of those stupendous Judgments shew'd upon those Mutineers; how suddenly those malecontents perished and came to a fearful end, unanimously resolve Rebellion to 1 Sam. 15. 23. be in truth (according to the Scripture compa­rison made thereof) as the sin of Witchcraft.

Let us accost those Sons of men, who (in the phrase of the Psalmist) are set on fire: that re­solvedly Psal. 57. 4. continue restless, as those noxious aspi­ring flames, which first incensed them, until they have, like those, consumed whatsoever is high and great above them: that most obstinately persevere by their daily practices and nightly Studies, to cause unhappy divisions amongst us, in the words St. Paul does his foolish Galatians, Gal. 3. 1. [...]. namely, who hath bewitched you? Who, by the Hellish power of magick Fascination has so far infatuated you, so strangely depriv'd you of that natural reason you were born into the World with, as to make you so erroneously prefer Changes and War, before Establishment and Peace?

In the ensuing Discourse I shall endeavour to shew:

1. That in these later times of Usurpation, Li­berty and Property, Religion and Freedom of Conscience were most unjustly taken away from the oppressed Inhabitants of these three then wretched Kingdoms.

2. That God has been pleased in a most won­derful manner to restore unto us of these rava­ged [Page 4] Nations, together with our King, our Liber­ty and Property, our Religion and Freedom of Conscience, in the highest degree of perfecti­on.

3. That notwithstanding this, an ungrateful murmuring against the Government is still the English, as it was then the Israelitish Sin, which cries aloud to Heaven for Vengeance. And then

4. And Lastly, I shall draw a practical Conclu­sion from the foregoing matter, and so dismiss you.

Of these in their order; and First, That in I these later times of Usurpation, Liberty and Pro­perty, Religion and Freedom of Conscience were most unjustly taken away from the oppressed In­habitants of these three then wretched King­doms.

It cannot indeed be denied by any ingenuous person, but that (contrary to the Roman Obser­vation) Silent Leges inter arma. Cic. Orat. pro Milone. at the same time when the shriller sound of the Trumpet, the noise of Horses, and the noise of a great Host pierced our Fathers tender ears, Justice, however, was heard to utter her still small voice in our Streets, whilst (in the words of the Psalmist) the Throne of Iniquity, which then bore Psal. 94. 20. the Soveraign Sway, framed all their Mischief by a Law.

For whosoever shall compare the Tryal of our Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, before Pontius Pilate's first High Court of Justice, with the Ar­raignment of our late most barbarously mur­dered [Page 5] King, before John Bradshaw's second, shall find them to differ no more, than a faithful Copy from its Original.

The blind rage of the Populace, the insuffe­rable insolence of the Soldiery, the mock-shew of Equity; but especially the notorious Corrup­tion of both their Judges, in condemning two innocent Persons, in whom they could find no fault; in suffering them alike to be destroyed only by a pretended Law; nay, and by a fur­ther abetting their Deaths by an unknown Law, do make their conditions exactly parallel, and I had almost said, alike in Sufferings, alike in In­nocence.

But to proceed, As it fared with Him, who sate upon the Throne, even so did it fare with him, Ecclus. 40. 3, 5. that was humbled in Earth and Ashes, Wrath and Envy, Trouble and Ʋnquietness, fear of Death, and Anger, and Strife were made the common por­tion of Truth and Fidelity: Whilst those partial Determiners of Causes (to use the Prophets words) smote the great Houses with Breaches, and the little Amos 6. 11. Houses with Clefts. The Princes and People, the Potentates and Peasants, in proportion to their respective Estates, were equally damnified and oppressed.

Then was the time, when the Loyal Party ha­ving a matter against another, durst not go to Law 1 Cor. 6. 1, 7. before the Ʋnjust. Then was the Apostle's Injun­ction easily observed by all good men, rather to take wrong, rather to suffer themselves to be defrau­ded by their false Brethren, who were for them; [Page 6] or their traiterous Enemies, who were openly against them, than to bring in their legal Defence, and implead them before those Heathen Tribu­nals. Then, in Short, was Judgment turned into Wormwood; then did they leave off righteousness in the Earth. Whilst they exercised the most ty­rannical, high, arbitrary Government over the Lives, Liberties and Properties of the English, Scotch and Irish Nations, ever yet read or heard of amongst us. Whilst Volumes will not contain the Murders, Rapines, Oppressions, Sequestrations, Decimations, Imprisonments, and whatsoever else can be thought of, that was cruel, unjust, and (as that great Apostle of those more modern Gentiles words it) might be taken for an effect of their power, Hobbs. Leviat. p. 56. or a cause of their pleasure.

But to leave this Humane Court, and to enter into that Divine one, the Church.

Where, behold, in our Cathedrals (those pla­ces of God's standing Worship) where we used to be most religiously delighted with the grate­ful melody, and harmonious noise of Praises and Thanksgivings unto God, the Fountain and Foun­dation of all our Bliss: We then (instead there­of) most wretchedly heard the contrary baleful Notes, the ill-boding voices of those melancholy Birds mentioned by the Prophet Isaiah: The Cor­morant Isa. 34. 11. and the Bittern, which possess'd those Places; the Owl also and the Raven which alone dwelt in them.

Those that lifted up the Axes before upon the Psal. 74. 5, 6. thick Trees (the Psalmist tells us) were renowned [Page 7] as such, who intended to bring a thing to an holy perfection: but, lo! then they brake down all the carved work of the Sanctuary with Axes and Ham­mers.

It pitied us to see the Stones of our ruined Sion lying in the dust; it grieved us indeed to behold this Abomination of Desolation standing where it ought not. It afflicted us to view (in the words of Ho­sea) the Thorn and the Thistle coming up, flourish­ing Hos. 10. 8. and full blown upon our Altars: where the Mystical Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ were usually beheld, and received with a most awful Reverence.

If then our Emanuel, our God with us, had vouchsafed to have bowed the Heavens, to have come down and visited that stubborn, stiff-neck­ed Generation of men, which so often in their hypocritical bablings invoked him by the name of Lord, Lord: He would have found a much like, but more unhallowed Reception upon such a second Advent, than he did upon his first. For those Enemies of his Cross made even his Father's House become a lively Representation of that crowded Inn, where there was no room; where he suffered himself, at his Incarnation, to be ne­cessitated to make a Stable his consecrated Tem­ple, and a Manger his Holy of Holies, wherein to lodge his shrowded Divinity.

They most sacrilegiously made those Church-Lands, dedicated unto God for the maintenance of a religious and learned Clergy, to become the Wages of their Iniquity. They were then guilty of [Page 8] Jeroboam's evil way, they made the lowest of the 1 King. 13. 33. People Priests of the High Places: whereupon it naturally followed, that their Priest taught for Hire, Mic. 3. 11. and their Prophets divined for Money.

From thence, we had preached up unto us, for sound, and (as the Cant then was) Soul-sa­ving Doctrine, blasphemous Socinianism, wild Enthusiasm, disguised Popery, which gave exe­crable Indulgences and Absolutions to men, not to perform their Oaths of Allegiance and Supre­macy, they had so often taken: by virtue where­of (as good Christians and Subjects) they and their Posterity were obliged to bear true Faith and Trust to their lawful Soveraign; and so far as in them lay, to defend that Protestant Church and Faith, of which our Royal Martyr died Head and most true Defender.

Wherefore, I shall chuse to conclude this first Proposition, with the Remark of a Person wor­thily honoured for his eminent Loyalty and Lear­ning.

That God has been pleased in a most wonder­ful II manner to restore unto us of these ravaged [Page 9] Nations, together with our King, our Liberty and Property, our Religion and Freedom of Conscience, in the highest degree of Perfection.

Our Fathers (like the plagued Egyptians, de­scribed in the Book of Wisdom) were shut up in Wisd. 17. 2. their own Houses, and confined by their usurping Governors from maintaining (the sweetest comfort of Humane Life) Society with their Friends: being made Prisoners of Darkness, fettered with the Bonds of a long Night. Whilst they could be permitted See the Act, Anno 1649. Chap. 72. on the Week-day to travel but little further than the Jewish Sabbath days Journey. But now (prai­sed be God) the day is broke, and those black affrighting shadows are fled away. The most il­lustrious day now shines upon us, our Calendars ever yet recorded. A Day at first graced by the sacred light of a Noon-tide Star added to that of the Sun. A Day which the Lord himself has made marvellous in our eyes, for the most auspicious Birth and Return of his Gracious Majesty, the Breath of our Nostrils, the Anointed of the Lord. A Lam. 4. 20. Day, that, next to the Nativity of our blessed Saviour, ought in all Ages to be solemnized with the most gratefull Doxologies of Glory to God in the highest; for so miraculously sending Peace on this our share of the Earth: and so graciously shewing his good Will towards us, a lost, ruined part of Mankind: For so mercifully compas­sing us about with Songs of Deliverance: For so compassionately vouchsafing us a second inferior sort of Redemption from our temporal and spi­ritual Thraldom; a second lower kind of Re­stauration [Page 10] unto all our forfeited (through Sin) humane and divine happiness.

For how does Judgment now run down as Wa­ters, Amos 5. 24. and Righteousness as a mighty Stream! Pure and undisturbed, as that flowing River, which gushed forth from the twice smitten Rock, open­ed by the divine hand of Moses. Num. 20. 11.

Now the sincere and upright Judges of our Land impartially render to all, their dues; to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, with an undaunted Loyalty; to God, and his Holy Church, the things that are God's, with pure Religion; to all the King's Subjects the things that belong to them with an even indifferency.

We now again walk in the House of God as Friends; which not long since had been made a graceless Den of Thieves: whilst it was defiled with Horses, and polluted with those far uncleaner Beasts, their Riders: who plainly, and without a Metaphor, made the Church of Christ here on earth to be truly Militant, and terrible as an Army Cant. 6. 4. with Banners; forgetting that meekness of Wis­dom, which guided our first Reformers in setling that pure, peaceable, Protestant Religion, which this day happily has restored to us.

In our Cathedral Service (whether in the Body, or out of the Body, we cannot tell; being caught up, 2 Cor. 12. 2. as it were, with S. Paul, to the third Heaven) we now joyn with those ten thousand times ten thou­sand, Rev. 5. 11, 13. and thousands of thousands of Angelical mi­nistring Spirits, in a full Chorus, to sing Psalms and Hymns of Blessing, and Honour, and Glory, and [Page 11] Power unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and un­to the Lamb for ever and ever.

But to advance yet farther to that most holy ground, where the Communion Table is by publick Authority most properly placed: and here no Protestant Spectator (unless falsly so called) but but must from the bottom of his heart acknow­ledge; that we alone give unto the Lord the Glory Psal. 29. 2. due unto his Name, and worship the Lord in the right beauty of Holiness. Whilst we alike decline the Whorish Gawdry of Babylon, the Idolatrous Pa­geantry of the Church of Rome, on the one hand; and the slovenly, clownish, and (in truth) irreve­rent behaviour of the Phanatick Dissenters on the other.

We enjoy the most absolute form of the Hie­rarchy to be found upon earth: a Monarchical Government of Bishops in our Church; where our lawful Soveraign (the only true Vicegerent of Jesus Christ, that supreme Bishop of our Souls) pre­sides over us in all sacred spiritual matters.

And by the gracious encouragement of this our King, the Churches Royal nursing Father, it comes to pass; that many of those, who serve at her Al­tars, are the Sons of Nobles: most of them, at least descended from reputable Parentage.

We have publick set Forms of Prayer; to the end, that neither Priest nor People should be rash with their mouths, or let their hearts be hasty to utter any unpremeditated thing before God. The modest Compilers of our Liturgy having minded us, that God is in Heaven, and Omniscient; vain [Page 12] Man upon Earth, and born ignorant of the ways of the Lord, and unskilful in the word of Righteous­ness; and therefore prudently direct us to let our words be few and chosen.

It is our Church alone, which holds no pious Frauds, maintains no holy Cheats. It is she alone that can defie all the studied wit and malice of her Adversaries, to shew any political Article or Canon of her Establishment, whereby it may be proved that any of her true Sons can cry out (with Demetrius) and say, Sirs, ye know that by Act. 19. 25, 28. this craft we have our Wealth; therefore, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

No, it is only her Teachers, when they instruct their respective Congregations, who cannot be persuaded to suppose that Gain is Godliness: but with an ardent Zeal demonstrate, that they seek not theirs, but them; that they covet not their Possessions, but their Salvation.

She obliges her Proselites to stand to no Prin­ciples, but those which in express words are ma­nifest in the Scriptures; or else by undeniable consequence may be deduced thence. The un­fained meaning of which Texts, she most candid­ly refers to those impartial Commentators, those greatest Lovers and most competent Judges of the Divine Truth; namely, the uncorrupted Coun­cils, and genuine Works of those ancient Fathers, who came nearest our Blessed Saviour (the first Author, and last Finisher of our Faith) as well in Holiness as time.

She most indulgently, and like a true Mother, obliges her Children to the performance of no Duty, which has not the power of God's Law in the first place, and of the King's Law in the se­cond; a Divine as well as Humane Sanction, to enforce the practice thereof.

Her Discipline, in short, is most sincerely Pri­mitive, and her Doctrine most truly Apostolical. 'Tis she alone that compleatly answers the descri­ption made in the Canticles of the Spouse of Christ, She is all fair, there is no spot in her. Cant. 4. 7.

Thus hath God been pleased to look upon his people; and magnifie his Mercy in restoring to us our Prince, and together with him, our Reli­gion, Laws and Liberties, to our unspeakable present and future Comfort. A happiness, that, before we enjoy'd it, was almost above our Faith as well as Sight: and therefore, now we do en­joy it, should be commemorated with a most ex­alted thankfulness. For now has the Lord given Isa. 14. 3. us Rest from our Sorrows, and from our Fears, and from the hard Bondage wherein we were made to serve.

This is that we should all learn to do, to praise Psal. 107. 8. the Lord for his Goodness, and for his wonderful Works to the Children of Men: learn to fear God first, and then honour his Anointed, who draws us to Obedience no otherwise than with the Cords of Hos. 11. 4. a Man, and with the Bands of Love. Legum idcirco omnes servi su­mus, ut liberi esse possimus. Cic. Orat. pro. A. Cluentio.

But though our Duty be so easie, as that Li­berty shall be the purchase of our Obedience; and (as the Orator says) in being subject to the [Page 14] Laws, we shall find the greatest freedom; yet will not many amongst us be persuaded hereun­to: but on the contrary, disturb the Peace and Quiet of these Nations, by their endless Jealousies and Murmurings, Which brings me to the third Proposition; namely,

That notwithstanding the misery we were in, III and the happiness we are restored to, an un­grateful Murmuring against the Government is still the English, as it was then the Israelitish Sin, which cries aloud to Heaven for Vengeance.

The English Man will answer his opprobrious, but too sadly true Character; that he never knows when he is well. Then only will he make a true estimate of his happiness, when it is too late; when, for his high Ingratitude towards his Di­vine and Humane Donors, he most justly becomes deprived thereof.

He is born with an innate sullen Principle of Discontent, which directly interferes with that inward Quiet, that sedate Serenity of Mind, which alone is able to yield that true Peace and Satisfaction, which all the Affluence, which all the good things of this World besides cannot afford.

Yea, he will continue like the troubled Sea, when it cannot rest: He will, like those disturbed Waters, be casting up Mire and Dirt: He will, like those raging Waves, be evermore foaming out his own shame, by despising Dominion, and speak-Evil of Dignities. He will not cease bringing false railing Accusations against the established Government under which he lives; until he [Page 15] has effectually made his Teeth to prove Spears and Arrows, and his Tongue a sharp Sword, where­with to destroy his lawful Soveraign, and Fel­low-Subjects.

For, whence else have proceeded those two late equally detestable Hellish Plots, of the Jesuits, and Jesuited Protestants; of Simeon and Levi, who are Brethren, who have the same Instruments of Cruelty in both their Habitations?

From whence else have arose those contumeli­ous Reproaches, whereby the blasphemous Rab­shakehs of our Age, with the pestilential Breath of their Mouths, have in vain endeavoured to blast the verdant flourishing honour of the most just Bench, and most Orthodox Pulpit, this Nation could perhaps ever yet in any Age glory of?

But the English Men will prove themselves He­brews of the Hebrews; descended, as it were, on both sides from those murmuring Israelites my Text relates to.

For how do they remember their past Afflicti­on and Misery? the Wormwood and Gall, they so Lam. 3. 19. lately fed upon? Why, most truly like that un­thankful people, they have their Souls dried away, Num. 11. 6. because they have nothing else but this Manna, this Angels Food before their Eyes to nourish them.

For otherwise how comes it to pass, That they will forsake the true Fountain of living Waters, the Church of England, which not long since their Souls seemed to pant after; and perversly hew them out Cisterns, broken Cisterns, that can hold no Water, unless corrupted and poysoned.

What other Reason can be assigned, That when the Fathers of our time are asked by their Children for the Bread of Life, they will give them (but at best) an insipid Stone, in which there is no delight or nourishment, either to Body or Soul; That when they ask for a Fish, they (con­trary to our Saviour's Remark) give them a Ser­pent: and when an Egg, a Scorpion? When, as new born Babes, they desire the sincere Milk of the Word, they send them in their tender years, to suck in those deadly envenom'd Principles, that are but too commonly prated up in Conventicles; those Seminaries of Murmuring, and Nurseries of Re­bellion? And when they desire the strong Meat of the Gospel, that they may grow thereby unto per­fect Men, unto the measure of the stature of the ful­ness of Christ; they (instead thereof) actually en­gage their unstable minds in Leagues, Covenants and Associations against the King's sacred Person, his serene and happy Government.

These are the mischievous methods these Men take to beguile unwary Souls; these the accursed Theorems they lay down to their Proselites. But whenever they put them in practice, they will (without a speedy Repentance, and God's great Mercy) most assuredly find Misery and Destru­ction to be the Reward of their Unrighteousness. For though they may chance to escape the stroak of Justice here, yet, Behold, the Lord cometh (saith St. Jude) with ten thousands of his Saints, to exe­cute Jud. v. 14, 15, 16. Judgment upon all such as are Murmurers, Com­plainers, walking after their own Lusts, and whose [Page 17] mouth speaketh great swelling words, having mens persons in admiration because of advantage. But, Fourthly, and lastly,

I shall now draw a practical Conclusion from the foregoing Matter, and so dismiss you.

It is my wish, and I shall make it my endea­vour, IV to end like a true Samaritan; and pour in healing Oyl and Wine: to do my little part in binding up those green Wounds, under which some part of our miserable Nation most wilfully at present languishes.

Our blessed Saviour, although Truth it self in the Abstract, when he found he could not gain Belief to his Doctrine amongst the hardned Scribes and Pharisees; condescended so low as to refer them unto Moses and the Prophets: and tells them, they were they which testified of him. St. Paul condescended yet lower; when he disputed with his Heathen Auditors, whilst he only refers Aratus. Menander. Epimenides. them unto their own Poets, to find a Confirma­tion of his Arguments.

But I will stoop to the lowest method of Rea­soning: whilst I shall only refer those turbulent Spirits, who refuse to be convinced from the Ho­ly Bible, the Oracles of God, that they ought to possess their Souls, not only in patience, but in thankfulness too, to an impartial perusal of those brief Weekly Memoirs, which are Authentick A­bridgments of our present Modern History. And then I dare challenge the boldest of them to de­ny if they can,

That God has not in a most gracious manner been pleased to appear to us of these Fortunate Islands, under his kinder Titles, The God of Peace and of Order: whilst at the same time he has been known to all the Nations round about us, as well Christian as Infidel, under his more ter­rible Names of The Lord of Hosts, The God of Forces, The Lord strong and mighty, even the Lord mighty in Battel.

That whilst we have been breaking our Swords into Plough-shares, and our Spears into Pruning Hooks: whilst We have been making those In­struments of death, serviceable towards bring­ing forth the Fruits of the Earth; our Neigh­bours have not in a most hostile manner been turning them upon each others Breasts, even till their Blood has been poured out as the Dust, and their Flesh as the Dung.

Whilst we have securely eaten every Man of his own Vine, and every one of his Fig-tree; and drank every one the Waters of his own Cistern: They have (on the contrary) sowed, but not reaped; and trod Mic. 6. 15. the Olives, but have not anointed themselves with Oil; and pressed those Grapes which make the sweet Wine, but have not drank Wine.

Whilst We enjoy the quiet possession of our Estates in our own times, and probably may leave them so to our Posterity after us; They have had their Enemies without number encamped against them, to destroy the Increase of the Earth: And Armies as Grashoppers for Multitude entring into their Land to devour it. So that Strangers have [Page 19] been filled with their Wealth, and their Labours have been in the Houses of Strangers.

Whilst God has been pleased mercifully to crown our Years with his Goodness, and to cause the Clouds continually to drop down Fatness; yea, to drop even upon the barren Dwellings of the Wilderness. Whilst our Hills have rejoyced on every side, our Pastures have been cloathed with Flocks, and our Valleys covered over with Corn: Their Fields have been turned into Aceldama's, made fertile only by the flowing Streams of Hu­mane Blood; and no other Voice heard there­in, but the dismal howlings, and sorrowful Groans of the most miserably expiring Slaugh­tered.

Whilst we have been cloathed in soft Raiment, and been gorgeously appparelled; whilst we have lived delicately, and been pampered with all the various parts of Luxury: Their Fields have been covered with dead Corps, their Garments rolled in Blood: and those Bodies that surviv'd the common Misery, have been exposed to the scorching heat of the Sun by day, and the chill benumming Cold of the Moon by night. So that though they were invulnerable, by all the Weapons formed against them in this cruel War­fare; yet have they not been Armour-proof against those keener Arrows of Exile, Famine and Despair.

Whilst our most gracious Moses wears himself away with anxious Cares how to procure all Wel­fare to his bounden Subjects; and, as if he were [Page 20] not by a figure, but in a literal sense, the Father of his Countrey, carries us in his Bosom, as a nurs­ing Num. 11. 12. Father beareth the sucking Child: Whilst He seems to be wrought upon only by the [...], by his Natural Affection; and like an indulgent Parent, thinks his Children ought not to lay up for him, but he for his Children: Whilst (I say) he has of late exempted us from paying the most customary Taxes usually granted him over and above his Annual standing Revenue, the most necessary support of his Crown and Dignity. Our Neighbours all the while have most arbitrarily been forced to raise almost infinite Sums of Con­tribution Money, for the Maintenance of their Usurping Tyrants; and so brought upon them­selves and their Posterity, in good sad earnest (what our late Murmurers vainly but suspected) perpetual Slavery.

Whilst We enjoy the free Exercise of a most pure and undefiled Religion; whilst our Mother, the Church, is permitted (without any interrup­tion) freely to receive her Sons and Daughters into her Arms, and to gather her Children as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings; (though many of them are so rebellious as to despise so tender a Proposal; and rather chuse to expose themselves to those ravenous Birds of Prey, her Adversaries:) The People round about us are sent to sing the Songs of the Lord in a strange Land; and have no other Rule left them to walk by, but that hard one to Flesh and Blood; namely, When they are persecuted in one City, to fly unto ano­ther. Mat. 10. 2 [...]. [Page 21] Nay, and in those places, where the true Religion is not yet wholly extirpated, the Pro­fessors of it are in perpetual danger, even whilst they are performing her most holy Rites, to be themselves offered up as Holocausts; and with the surprised Galileans, to have their Blood mingled with Luk. 13. 1. their Sacrifices.

Whilst we have been particularly privileged with calm Halcyon days; whilst we have been in a most peculiar manner blessed with the Genuine Fruits of the Dove-like Spirit; to wit, Love, Joy, Gal. 5. 22. Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, and Goodness: On the other side, Snares, Fire and Brimstone, Psal. 11. 17. Storm and Tempest have been the dis-relishing Por­tion of their Cup. And may the over-ruling Pro­vidence of God most graciously forbid their being forced ever to wring out the dregs thereof, and drink them. For that, at present, within are Fears, al­though without there are not actual Fightings amongst them. They are troubled with Formi­dable Rumours of Wars, and have but too great reason to fear their speedy breaking out into open Hostility. Their only sad hopes, alas! are, that, though the thing revealed be true, yet the time appointed may be long.

Thus has God visited others with Judgment, and us with Mercy. And We trust, that as he has lately in an eminent manner, so he will still vouchsafe to abate the pride, asswage the malice, and confound the devices of our Enemies, of whatsoever Party or Persuasion. Our Souls having escaped, even as caught Birds, out of the Snare of their [Page 22] entrapping Fowlers: The Snares having been in a miraculous manner broken, and thereby a most signal Deliverance wrought for us.

And now that God (the Almighty Governor of the World) hath done these great things for us, beyond what he has done for other Nations, it should engage Us to a most hearty Thankfulness for the same. Let us therefore offer Heb. 13. 15. the Sacrifice of Praise to God continually, that is, the Fruit of our Lips, giving thanks to his Name. This would silence all our Complaints, quiet our Murmurings, and drive away our Fears; especi­ally now we are so throughly convinced by plain demonstration, that the Lord is on our side, he taketh our part, and fighteth for us.

Away then with groundless Jealousies, and ima­ginary Fears! When God is our Helper, our De­fence, even a Tower of Strength to his Servants against all their Enemies. Shall we still dis-believe all these happy signs of his Love, he has shewed among us? Shall we (out of Mockery to his Al­mighty Power) create to our selves, out of no­thing, unreasonable Discontents and Murmurings? This is (like Envy it self) for us to weep, because Vixque lacry­mas, quia nil lacrymabile cernit. Ovid. Met. l. 2. we can see nothing justly deplorable: To draw up the Sluces, and open the Flud-gates of our Tears; because we can meet with no true reason of Complaining in our Streets. Let us then no longer nauseate, and ungratefully surfeit upon our lasting Prosperity; and, like Polycrates, wilfully fling our Rings into the River, that according to the blind Dictates of Humane Nature (which in­cline [Page 23] us to love Variety) we, with him, may ob­tain an unsavoury taste of Adversity. Let us no more provoke the Lord by a foolish Longing af­ter Change and Novelty: but resolve to be con­tented with that Lot and Portion, his merciful Providence hath assigned to us: Ever humbly ac­knowledging his multiplied Mercy, and his pecu­liar Care over us; a Nation, even like Israel it self, for whom the Lord has wrought Marvels, Exod. 34. 10. such as have not been done in all the Earth. A Na­tion, saved by the Lord, the Shield of our Help, and Deut. 33. 29. the Sword of our Excellency.