THE words are a part of Ezra's Prayer, the time when he Prayed was after the return of the Jews from the Captivity in Babylon, and the free Exercise of their Religion, after [Page 2] the second Temple was finished; the deli­verance here mentioned, is their liberty to return and to set up God's publick Worship in Jerusalem; the Sins he here mourns for, and prayeth God to Pardon, are the Ido­latry of the Jews, and their Intermarriages with the Heathens, after God had given them so great a deliverance.

This good Man feared the Consequence of their great Ingratitude, he saw God's end frustrated, and therefore expected grea­ter Judgments; he observed no Reformation after such a signal Providence, and there­fore had just Reason to believe, that God would bring them back again into that Cap­tivity, out of which they lately escaped. He acknowledgeth it is but fit, that God should inflict more severe Judgments, when his Mercies do not draw to obedience, the design of the whole, is to perswade the Jews to Repentance and Reformation, as a suitable return to a gracious God, for their late Deliverance.

The words contain these five Propositi­ons:

• 1. That Sin is the cause of all the Miseries that do befal the Church and People of God; And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass.
• 2. That God doth not punish his Church and People, according to the Merit of their Sins; Seeing that thou our God hast punished us less then our iniquities deserve.
• 3. That the Deliverances of the Church and People of God come from him; and hast given us such Deliverance as this.
• 4. That great Deliverances do call for great Reformation, by way of Thank­fulness and Gratitude; This is implyed throughout the whole:
• [Page 4]5. That Disobedience after a great Deli­verance, doth highly provoke God to inflict more terrible Judgments.

Should we again break thy Commandments, and joyn in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest thou not be angry with us till thou had'st consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?

I shall all along apply these Heads, in or­der to perswade Men to Repentance and Reformation, for the great Deliverance, we of this Nation have lately received.

1. That Sin is the cause of all the Miseries that do befall the Church and People of God; And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass.

It was Sin, that carried the two Tribes Captive into Babylon for seventy Years, destroyed their City and Temple, slew their Princes and Nobles, and laid their Country [Page 5] desolate. Zedekiah did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and hum­bled 2 Chron. 36. 12, 13. not himself before Jeremiah the prophet, speaking from the mouth of the Lord; he stif­fened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel: Moreo­ver, all the chief of the priests, and the peo­ple transgressed very much, after all the abom­inations of the heathen, and polluted the house of the Lord which he had allowed in Jerusa­lem: Therefore he brought upon them the King of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword, in the house of their sanctua­ry, and had no compassion on young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand.

All these evils came upon the Church of the two Tribes, for their evil deeds and for their great trespass, for their Idolatry in Wor­shipping strange Gods, for their immoral Practices, in living worse then the Heathen, for the corruption of their Hearts, and pro­phaneness of their Lives.

And now to apply this home to our selves; It was for the Sins of this Nation, that we were brought so near unto Destruction, God shook his Rod over us, to shew us what Punishment our Sins deserved, although in Mercy he did not lay the Ax to the Root of the Tree; it was for contempt of God's Word and Worship, for prophaning his Holy Day, dishonouring his sacred Name, by Customary Swearing and Cursing, for Drunkenness, Adultery, Pride, and Disso­lute living, that we were likely to loose our Religion, our Liberties, and our Properties; we deserved these Judgments as much as ever the Jews did their seventy Years Cap­tivity in Babylon; the more reason then have we to praise God for our late Delive­rance: This brings me to the second Par­ticular.

2. That God doth not punish his Church and People according to the Merit of their Sins; Seeing that thou our God hast punished us less then our iniquities deserve.

God temper's Mercy and Judgment toge­ther, he doth not proportion the Stripes to the Offence, he Corrects in Love, when he might justly Destroy in Wrath: the obsti­nate Jews deserved, that God should utter­ly forsake them, their Sins cryed for a long­er Captivity then of seventy Years; but it pleased God to restore them again to their Native Country, and to erect a second Temple for his publick Worship: Yet many Neh. 9. 30, 31. years did'st thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands. Nevertheless, for thy great mercies sake, thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a Gracious and a Merciful God.

And now to apply this to ourselves; God hath certainly punished us less then our Sins deserve; it was not for any Righteousness in us, that God hath so Graciously deliver­ed us, for we are a Rebellious and an Un­thankful [Page 8] People, our Sins were clamorous for greater Judgments then those, from which God hath in Mercy rescued us, God may justly say to us, as heretofore to the Jews: Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed Ezek. 36. 32. and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.

God hath spared us to magnifie his Grace in our Deliverance, he hath miracu­lously preserved us, to Demonstrate to the Antichristian World, that we profess his true Religion, although we do not live up to it; it was more for the Sins of the Pa­pists, then for the Righteousness of the Protestants, that God so providentially Ap­peared for us.

O what great Reason have we then to celebrate God with Praises! O how thank­ful should we be for this unexpected Deli­verance! God hath done great Things for us, and shall not we rejoyce in God? He hath Magnified his Mercy, and shall not we [Page 9] Admire his Love? O give Thanks unto the Psal. 118. 1, 2, 3. Lord, for he is good: because his mercy endu­reth for ever. Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. Let them now that fear the Lord say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

That the Deliverances of the Church and People of God come from Him; and hast given us such deliverance as this.

The return of the Jews from their Cap­tivity in Babylon, was God's Act; he put it into the Heart of Cyrus, to issue out his Proclamation to rebuild Jerusalem, and to Erect there a Temple to the Lord; God brought them down to Babylon, and brought them up again.

And thus our Deliverance from two in­tolerable Evils, Popery in the Church, and Slavery in the State, is God's Work; we may truly say of it, what the Magicians of Aegypt did of the unimitable Miracle, this [Page 10] is the Finger of God; we have great reason to apply the Words of the Psalmist, this is Psal. 118. 23. the Lord's doing, it is marvellous in our eyes.

If ever any Deliverance had plain Cha­racters, of a remarkable Providence stampt upon it, this hath; God so managed the whole, that every one may discern his Hand in it, that doth not affect wilful Blindness, it was so contrived in every part of it, it came in such a time of Ex­tremity, and was brought about by such Unlikely and Improbable means, all things did so Conspire together for the good of this Church and State, that if ever God hath wrought Miracles in any Age, since that of the Apostles, then was the time.

Let us not then impute our Deliverance to Chance and Fortune, or to our own Wis­dom and Endeavours, or to the Policy and Craft of States-men, or to the renowned Instrument of it, that Illustrous Prince (whom God hath in Mercy to us, Exalted [Page 11] to the Throne) but wholly to the Provi­dence of the Almighty: Let us say with Daniel, Blessed be the Name of God for ever Dan. 2. 20, 21. and ever: for wisdom and might are his, and he changeth the times and the seasons: he re­moveth kings, and setteth up kings: he giv­eth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

Here certainly we may apply the Words in the Song of Moses; How should one chase Deut. 32. 30, 31. a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up? For their Rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.

Let us then regard God, as the sole Au­thor of our Preservation, let us not so much consider second Causes as the original Cause; let us conclude this Point, with the Words of the Psalmist: If it had not been the Psal. 124. 1, 2. [Page 12] Lord, who was on our side, may Israel now say: If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us: Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us.

That great Deliverances do call for great Reformation, by way of Thankfulness and Gratitude; This is implied throughout the whole.

Beloved Brethren, the late Deliverance of this Nation, is Great and Remarkable, it should not only be Recorded in our Chronicles, but Written on our Hearts; he that hath no sense of it, hath no regard for God or Religion; it deserves to be Proclaimed with the lowdest Praises, our Hearts and Lives should concur together, to demonstrate our Gratitude for it.

God intends his Mercies, as Obligations to Obedience, they are Arguments very proper, to work on all that have any Inge­nuity. Let us then live up unto that holy [Page 13] Religion God hath preserved among us; now being delivered out of the Hands of our Enemies, let us serve our God, with humble and obedient Hearts; now we are secured from the Fears of Popery, let us live as doth become the Protestant Profes­sion.

Let us not be more zealous for the Rites and Ceremonies of Religion, then for the Substantial and Indispensible Duties of it; let us not waste our Zeal upon Triffles that cannot profit or edifie Souls, and in the mean time loose those essential Graces, without which we cannot be saved; let us not contend about the Shell and part with the Kernel, the Life and Spirit of Christianity, the Love of God and our Neighbour, let us all endeavour to exceed one another, in practising the substantial Duties of Piety, Justice, Sobriety, and Charity, and then we shall not differ much about indifferent Things.

Peace and Unity, are the Glory of a Christian Church; this excellent Chara­cter is given of the Primitive and Purest: The multitude of them that believed, were Acts 4. 32. of one heart, and of one soul: Love is the inseparable Badge, of a true Disciple of Christ. By this shall all men know that ye John 13 35. are my disciples, if ye have love one to ano­ther.

Internal Holiness, is absolutely necessary to Salvation, because without it no man shall Heb. 12. 14. see the Lord; let us then live in Peace, love one another, and honour the Gospel with holy Lives, and then we shall answer God's end, in our great Deliverance: when God promiseth Blessings to his People, he fore­tels them what Returns he expects; then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and Ezek. 36. 31. your doings that were not good, and shall loath your selves in your own sight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations.

Let us consider the greatness of our Deliverance, that we may understand what Obligations are laid upon us, to Repen­tance and Reformation.

God hath preserved us from Captivity, under a mystical Babylon, from the Roman Yoke, a Burthen so Intolerable, that nei­ther we or our Fathers were able to bear it, we are secured from Aegyptian darkness, and all those Oppressions the faithful Peo­ple of God would meet with in that Land.

We are Delivered from a Church, whose Doctrines contradict common Sense, the most evident Principles of Reason, the plain Rules of Morality, and the known Laws of Christ; a Church that Magisteri­ally imposeth upon mens Consciences, makes as many new Articles of Faith as it pleas­eth, and bindes all under the Penalty of Damnation, to an implicite Faith and O­bedience to all its Decrees and Rules.

A Church that pretends to an Univer­sal Monarchy, to have Power to dispose of all the Kingdoms of the World, to pardon Sins by Absolution, and to give leave to Sin, by Dispensations.

A Church Idolatrous in the Wor­shipping of Images; the Adoration of a piece of Bread; the Invocation of Saints and Angels, and veneration of holy Relicks and Crucifixes.

A Church that would Rob you of one half of the Sacrament, take one of the Commandments out of the Moral Law, deprive you of the holy Scriptures, the Key of Knowledge, impose Prayers in an Unknown Tongue, and take much pains to increase Ignorance (as they call it) the Mo­ther of Devotion.

A Church that teacheth Doctrines not known in Scripture, that choke's Religion with numerous and insignificant Ceremo­nies, and incourageth Sin by Pardons, Indulgences, easie Penances, and Dispensati­ons.

A Church whose Principles are Incon­sistent with Human Society, and whose Religion is as bad as none at all; be­cause it indulgeth Sin, gratifies Carna­lity, and makes Internal Holiness unneces­sary.

A Church made up of Fraud and Cru­elty; whose Arguments to propagate their Faith are Prisons, Fagots, and Mis­sionary Dragoons, that keeps no Faith with such as they call Hereticks, and think's it a meritorious Act to destroy them.

A Church that allow's the most wick­ed Methods, to carry on its own bad Cause, among whom Murtherers, are reputed Saints; and Men of Blood have their Names in their Rubricks.

A Church that would in time, have de­voured your Estates, seized your Lands, cor­rupted your Blood, and inslaved you in Soul and Body.

Blessed be God, that he hath preserved us from such a Church, he suffered Popery to come to the Doors of our Churches, but would not permit it to enter in; he suffered our Enemies to make a great Progress, and then blast­ed all in a Moment; he delivered us 2 Cor. 1. 10. from so great a death, and doth deliver, in whom we trust, that he will yet deli­ver us.

That Disobedience after a great De­liverance, doth highly provoke God to inflict more terrible Judgments: Should we again break thy commandments, and joyn in affinity with the people of these abominations? would'st thou not be angry with us, till thou had'st consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escap­ing.

God hath indeed been very Gracious unto us, he expects an impartial Refor­mation from all orders and degrees of Men among us, his Mercies should in­gage us to walk more Humbly and Reli­giously.

But if God's end is frustrated, if his Mercies are abused, if we still dishon­our our Holy Religion, by ungodly Pra­ctices, then the Mercy of God will be converted into fury, he will Deliver us no more, but cast us off for E­ver.

It was a lasting aggravation of the Sins of the Jews, that they rebelled against that God, who had brought them out of the Land of Aegypt, and from the House of Bondage; it was a great aggravation of Davids Sin, that God had done such and such things for him, and yet he offended in the matter of Ʋriah: it was an aggra­vation of King Solomon's Sins, that he for­sook that God who had Appeared to him twice, and it will be a terrible Aggravati­on of our Sins, that such a great Mercy, such a wonderful Deliverance hath not re­duced us to Obedience; God may justly say to us, as he did to the Incorrigible Jews; You only have I known of all the Families of Amos 3. 2. the Earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

Let us not think our selves past all Dan­ger, let us not put far from us an evil Day. Alas! they are never safe, who are secure in their Sins; he who hath Miraculously De­livered us at one time, can easily Destroy [Page 12] us at another, if we Repent not.

O let every one take up the Resolution of Holy David, I have sworn, and I will Psal. 119. 106. perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judg­ments: let us all answer as the Children of Israel did Joshua; The Lord our God Josh. 24. 24. will we serve, and his voice will we o­bey.

God by his Providence speaks now to us, as once unto the Jews; O that there Deut. 5. 29. were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep my commandments always that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! O that my people had hark­ened Psal. 81. 13. 14. unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! I should soon have subdued their Ene­mies, and turned my hand against their ad­versaries.

I shall conclude all with the Profession and Exhortation of Samuel, Moreover, as 1 Sam. 12. 23, 24. for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord, in ceasing to pray for you: but I [Page 22] will teach you the good and the right way. Onely fear the Lord and serve him in truth, with all your heart, for consider how great things he hath done for you, but if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed both ye and your king.

To God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, be Honour, Praise, Love, and Adoration, hence­forth, and for ever more.