A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE KING, Aug. 14. 1666. Being the Day of Thanksgiving for the late VICTORY at Sea.  
By J. Dolben, D. D. DEAN of WESTMINSTER, and Clerk of the Closet.  
Printed by His MAJESTY'S especial Command.   woodcut of a ship 
London, Printed for Timothy Garthwait, 1666.   
Psal. 18. Ver. 1, 2, 3. 
1. I will love thee, O Lord my strength.  
2. The Lord is my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my Buckler, the Horn of my Salvation, and my high Tower.  
3. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be Praised, so shall I be saved from mine Enemies.  
AMong the Laws of the Roman Triumphs, as some were very Bloody and Barbarous, so others were wise and worthy our Imitation. In all those ostentations of their Glory, there was ever a mixture of Religion, such as it was; a ceremonious and pompous application to their imaginary Deities, 
Livius Passi n.  Ut ob res bene gestas Diis immortalibus honos habeatur sibique Triumphanti urbem invehi liceat, was the form of their Petition who sued for that honour. Idolatry (the great Mother of Atheism) was not able to extirpate the natural Conviction which every one hath in himself of an Almighty Power governing the Universe. But it kept a room; even in those men's Breasts who were so full of themselves, that they expected to be adored by the rest of Mankind. That Triumphant Dictator, who lorded it over the Lords of the world, before whose Axes Consuls and Praetors trembled, while he trod proudly on the necks of Captive Kings, and dragged them chained like slaves after his Chariot, would at the same time fall down before a Captive Stock or Stone; lower his Rods and Laurels; Prostrating himself with all the Ensigns of his Power and Honour, to a rotten deformed Idol which he had brought home in a Cart. This was another Triumph in and over their Triumphs, a victory of Religion over Infidelity in its greatest strength and exaltation; for though the Devil did so far debauch the understandings of reasonable Creatures, as to make them worship him instead of God; yet while some worship was practised, and they chose rather to adore a ridiculous abominable Deity than none; Even by these Profane sacrilegious Rites, the Principle of a God was kept alive and warm in the minds of men; for a Handle whereby in fullness of time, Christ and his holy Doctrine took hold on a lost World, and pulled them back to the service of the True God. Another thing I observe which will be more to our present purpose; They admitted not a General to triumph, unless he had finished the design upon which he was employed, 
Perduellibus victis, Confectâ Provinciâ.  and so broken the enemy that he might bring his army home with him, leaving the Province quiet to his Successor. But upon any considerable success they would make solemn and public supplications to all their Gods and Goddesses, in the name of their absent Commander, that he might by their favour perfect the Conquest which he had already happily began or advanced. This is our case. We are not yet ready for a Triumph, but have matter enough for Supplications and Thanksgivings. Our Enemies are not subdued, but by God's help they are in good measure broken and defeated; Our Noble Consuls are not yet sailing homeward with Laurels on their stems, but they are very conveniently posted on the Enemy's Coast, as Pregnant instances to them of one victory already obtained, and hopeful Pledges to us of another to follow. And therefore although our joy be bounded and circumscribed, to keep us modest, and sober, and humble; yet have we not only ground sufficient, but many high obligations that our Thanksgivings be hearty, and zealous, and universal; full of Devotion and sense of our Duty to God; expressed by ardent Love to his Goodness, Trust and affiance in his Mercy, worshipping his Majesty by constant Prayers and Praises: the only means to bless and consecrate our past successes, and to procure his assistance in our future undertake. All which (that I may not seem to teach a Christian Congregation only by Heathen examples) you will find recommended to your imitation in the Practice of David upon a like occasion. So the Title enforms us, both here, and 2 Sam. 22.  
The Text look two ways, Backward upon all the Mercies and Deliverances which God had bestowed upon David, which he acknowledgeth in the many glorious Titles ascribed to God, in the first and second Verse, My Strength, my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my Buckler, and the Horn of my Salvation, and my High Tower.  
Forward, in the returns of Duty, to which he engageth himself: Of Love, vers. 1. Trust, vers. 2. Praise and Prayer, vers. 3. Upon all which he] grounds to himself a firm Hope of being saved from his Enemies; So shall I be saved from mine Enemies.  
I begin with David's acknowledgement of God's mercies, expressed in the Titles of Strength, Rock, Fortress, etc. Of all these words I shall not need to speak Particularly, they being but so many Synonymous Phrases, signifying one and the same thing, That God had often with great Demonstrations of his Power and favour succoured, and saved David. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Wherefore the Greek Translators have chosen rather to deliver the mind and intention of the Psalmist in plain words, then to render literally the metaphors of the original. Yet must we not take this merely for the exuberance of a Poetical style, much less can we imagine David to be guilty of that Battology, and those vain repetitions in his Devotions which our Saviour condemns in the Heathens, Matth. 6.7. It was their practice to worship Vanity with Vanity, heaping in their Prayers a multitude of empty insignificant names upon their vain and more insignificant Deities. But this exaggeration in David's Hymn flows from the abundance of a devout and grateful heart, labouring to empty and discharge its fullness, struggling with Human infirmity the narrowness of our Conceptions, and the poverty and barrenness of Speech, and endeavouring by any means to intimate, if not express those transports and ecstasies which possessed his soul upon the contemplation of God's Majesty and Goodness. Besides (as the Title both here, and 1 Sam. 22 directed to observe before) this Hymn was made in commemoration of all the great things God had done for David, and so many various mercies could not be comprehended under any one Notion: His dangers and distresses had been so numerous, and both in their kind and circumstance so different, and Gods ways of vindicating his servant so unlike one another; sometimes by warning him of treacherous designs, that he might avoid or counterwork them; sometimes by defeating dangerous Counsels, and turning pernicious wisdom to folly; By diverting his Enemies, By defending him against their force, or by enabling him to overcome it. And as so many and so different things could not be put together in one stanze of a Psalm, otherwise then in general terms, so David could not satisfy himself but by crowding in all the general words and Appellatives which plain or figurative speech afforded, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret. in Locum.  accompanying doubtless every several word with a proper distinct act of Devotion, a new heat and flame of love and zeal; so that all together (like the Milky way) they seem one Celestial fire, but are many.  
That we may see how well such a full acknowledgement would become us, how well all these Names and Titles attributed by David to God would sound in our mouths, if we would ascribe them with David's Devotion and Affection; Give me leave to look back, not so far as he does, to the whole life of a Man, but to that new Epocha of our lives, the new Birth and Restauration of all things to us. Methinks that should be remembered every Thanksgiving-day, without which we should never have had any Thanksgiving day at all. Consider then in what condition we were this time seven years, when the last Effort we could make, or Project for the recovery of our Country, was miserably defeated; Shall I say by the Treachery of some, the folly and cowardice of others, or rather by the good Providence of God? who designed to show us the vanity of all our contrivances, and the impossibility of our being saved by any other means, than the miraculous interposition of his help, and thereby make us humble enough for such a Deliverance. You cannot but remember, That we did not then draw our Breath, otherwise then Precariously, and at the mercy of impotent Fanatical, and now enraged Tyrants, from whose Principles, as well as malice, nothing was to be expected but Robberies, Massacres and Desolations; private mischiefs and public Ruin. Men that could not possibly agree to establish themselves, and besides that they conspired to undo all but themselves; their very disagreement (had they designed nothing towards it) must necessarily have destroyed the Nation.  
Who would have expected, that through this black Cloud, a comfortable light, and day of Salvation, should dawn and break upon us within a few Months? Who durst hope, or almost Pray, (in so deep a despair) that out of this horrid Chaos, a World of Beauty and Order should arise so soon, and we be surprised (as in a dream) with a perfect rescue from all we feared, and a quiet enjoyment of whatsoever we could wish? This was clearly the Work of God, and God alone; a mere miracle of Mercy, wrought in despite of so much actual force at home, so much Council of all States and Princes abroad, and the yet more dangerous oppositions of our own Provocations, perversely and insolently contending against God's goodness, and making it far more reasonable for us to look for a hand upon the Wall, writing a visible inreversible sentence of extirpation, then secretly and powerfully working our deliverance behind it. And therefore were there nothing else in our case, we must confess that this alone hath filled all the expressions of David in my Text, and we shall think ourselves bound for ever to celebrate our Good God as our Refuge and Defence, our Deliverer, the Horn of our Salvation, and our High Tower, etc.  
TO come close and home to our present business; When the impudent injustice of our Neighbours made this War necessary, we soon saw we should be engaged to contend with the most powerful enemies in the World, without the assistance of any friend; And, perhaps this little world of ours, were it unanimous and entire, vigorously exerting all its force, might be able to defend itself against so much of the greater. But we are full of Caprice, and humorous Emulations and Piques, which trouble and discountenance, and worse things which hinder and obstruct Public Enterprises. The infirmities of some, and the wickedness of others weaken our hands, and make us little more than half ourselves: One sort do no good, and others all the harm they can. So desperately mad are they, 
Liv. l. 2.  that like Appius his Legions, they would rather be destroyed by any Enemy, then live to see their Prince have the honour of saving and defending them.  
These things shame us, and disadvantage our Cause; but they exalt the Glory of God, and make his help afforded us more conspicuous: For notwithstanding all this, He gave us the last year a glorious Victory, which brought forth good fruit and great effects. And this year he hath not been wanting to us. In the First Fight he brought us off without dishonour, nay, perhaps with more honour (the circumstances of the Battle considered) then a full Victory could have challenged, had we been evenly matched. And your Enemy's Behaviour then will teach you how to value the Victory you have now. Lord! how did they insult and brave it all over Europe? How unable were they to govern themselves, when they pretended to have mastered us? If Bonfires and Dutch Wit, French Brags, and some English Despondence could have conquered us, we had been utterly undone. But now behold how the Scene is changed; we have seen our Conquerors fairly beaten; and they who lately told the World that the narrow Seas were become as subject to them as their own Ditches, and talked, as if like Xerxes, they would bridle and fetter the Captive Ocean, are shamefully fled like him broken and shattered through those very Seas, and left them to the possession of their ancient rightful owners. And now their countenance is altered with their fortune: Heretofore they were like the Grecian Wrestler, who being thrown, would spring up nimbly from the ground, and confidently aver, that he had given his adversary the fall. Now they are more ingenuous and modest, but not more quiet; their Rants and Huffs are exercised among themselves: And having by a calm escaped an imminent ruin at Sea, they are shaken by Tempests and Storms at Land; Revile and accusations fly like Broadsides among their great Captains, and the wise men cannot make the valiant ones agree which of them contributed most to their being beaten. That all this hath been done for us, and in a time while the devouring Pestilence rageth in our bowels, and kills far more at home, than our Enemies can abroad; That the spreading Contagion, which hath seized all quarters of our Land, hath been restrained from hindering our great business, either in the Fleet, the Court, or this City, is of the wonderful goodness of God, who though he will chastise, will not destroy us, though he take us into his own hand to correct us for our amendment, yet suffers us not to fall into the hands of Man, but both in Judgement and Mercy approves himself our Strength, our Deliverer, the horn of our Salvation, and our high Tower; and all this, to try us by one experiment more, whether when we have found him as good to us as he was to David, we will be as thankful to him as David was; Love him, Trust in him, Praise him, and Pray to him.  
1. Love him.  
Who can do other than love God, in whom he lives, and moves, and hath his Being? How can we refrain loving that Infinite Wisdom, and Power, and Goodness, which hath made the Universe, and wonderfully disposed it in a beautiful Harmony, and mutual correspondence, and doth so sweetly govern, and carefully sustain all the parts of it? Beside David knew Love to be the sum of God's Law, and the Compendium of man's Duty to him, and could not be a Man after Gods own heart without doing this before, and then what new thing doth he promise in my Text? Further, To love God for his Benefits only, is but to love ourselves, and our own conveniences; to love him as we do fair weather, and sweet air; as we love meat, drink, and sleep; And the insincerity of such a love would be sure to appear upon the trial which Satan desired to put on Job: 
I b 1.9, 10, 11.  While God maketh a hedge about its, and blesseth all that we have, perphas we shall love him; But if he put forth his hand, and take all we have, our Love being grounded on no other Principle, will go away with our goods, and we shall be in danger of Cursing him to his face.  
We are to love God for his own Excellencies; We are to love him because he requires it; and the more, Because having a just Right and Power to exact from us the most painful hard services: He is so gracious, as to demand no more, but that we love him; that we be not so much his Servants, 
J●hn 15.15.  as his Friends. This is our standing ordinary Duty; Indeed, this is all we can perform; We can do no more than love God; That is both the Perfection of our Obedience here▪ and shall be of our Happiness in Heaven. But yet this love is capable of degrees; The affection may and must be at sometimes, and on some occacasions more intense then at others, and the acts more lively and vigorous, when our hearts are impregnated, and our services called forth by signal extraordinary demonstrations as instances of God's love to us. We ought ever to love God with all our Souls. that is, hearty and entirely; yet this hinders not, but that the love which was always true, and void of Hypocrisy, proceeding (as S. Paul derives it) out of a pure heart, 
1 Tim. 1.5.  and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned, may now be more ardent than usual. That the fire which was alive in the Embers before, may now burn out, and flame with a Seraphic heat and brightness, when God hath descended thus to stir it up, to invite, and court, and even ravish our affections with the abundance of his favours. This David intimates in the very Text; For though we have it only, I will love, yet the Original expression signifies, I will ardently or affectionately love thee: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of my Bowels, or from the bottom of my heart will I love thee, 
Ex intimis viscer●hus. Tr●m●l.  and so some of the best Translations render it.  

To t'ame●ò affettu●sa ment. Dio dati.  Well then, if this be the Scale and Standard of our Duty in this behalf, that our Love ought to rise in proportion to the Benefits we receive; As our Saviour indeed sets it in the Gospel, 
Luke 7.47.  where he tells us, that the most obliged person will love most; and were it not so, there could be no such sin as Ingratitude in the World; that odious inhuman Crime would lose all the ground and reason both of its guilt and shame. Then it will presently be evident to all men, how much we of this Nation ought to love God, who hath so abounded in his favours to us. But how much we do love him is hard to say; for the expressions of our affection are very untoward: L●ke the Course and rude Caresses of Russian Husbands to their Wives; our kindness looks much more like to Anger and ill nature, then Love. If to disobey, dishonour, injure, and affront, to do every thing that will displease God, and grieve his Holy Spirit, be Love; then we love him extremely.  
But if there be any Truth, in what Common Sense, and the Uniform Voice of Mankind affirm of Love, That it is an active vigorous Principle, working mightily in the hearts of Men, Provoking, and even constraining them to do every thing which may be agreeable to those they Love, and accordingly hath produced wonderful, Prodigious effects in Humane Friendships. If the Holy Scriptures and Histories of Times truly Christian, deceive us not, in representing the sincere Love of God, as an affection which can neither be dissembled, nor suppressed, being always cheerfully and indefatigably employed in his service. If it devoureth Difficulties, casteth out 
(a) 1 John 4.18.  Fear, 
(b) Psal. 119. saepe.  Rendereth Labour easy and , delighting not only in the sweat of its Brows, but in the most Bloody Agonies and Conflicts; breaking through the Briars and Thorns of an accursed World, and the many flaming swords which Satan draws against it; making itself a Paradise, and Heaven upon Earth, in the doing Gods Will, in walking with, and 
(c) 1 John 4.15▪ 16.  dwelling in him: For which reason Love is called, The 
(d) Rom. 13.10.  fulfilling of the 
e Gal 5 10.  Law; The keeping God's 
(f) 1 John 5.3  Commandments; That whereon all the Law and the Prophets 
(g) Mat. 22 40  depend; The 
(h) 1 J●hn 4 7.8  knowing God, and being known of him: The 
(i) E●h 3.17.  Root and Ground of Religion, and the choicest, most excellent 
(k) Ga●●5. 22.  F●uit of the Spirit.  
If this be the true Character of that Divine Virtue (as indeed these are the Lineaments and Features by which it was most eminently discernible, in the unparallelled Example of our dear Lord and Saviour, and in the first Copies taken from thence, the Primitive Martyrs and Confessors) Then may something like to it be found in our Fancies, our Discourses or Professions, but not the least shadow of it appears in our Lives and Conversations. Unhappy Nation that we are! for whom the essences of things, and the Definition of Duty must be quite changed, ere we can pretend to that disposition towards God, which Nature dictates, and the bare apprehension of a Deity exacts! I am not willing to utter words of ill Omen this day; but thus much I cannot refrain from saying, That had God expressed his kindness to us, no otherwise then we have done our returns of Love to Him, we had not now been here.  
Surely David loved God at another rate; else we should not have found him in one Psalms panting and languishing after him like an embossed spent Dear; 
Psal. 42. 1● 2.  Grieved and afflicted for being kept from his presence; 
Psal. ●20. 84▪ 2.69.9.  Languishing and fainting, with desire to get into his Temple; burnt up, and devoured with Zeal for it in others. Not only his Book of Psalms, but his whole life could not otherwise have been so full of jealousy for God's Honour, Delight in his Commands, and every thing that may express a Will knit and united to that of God (as the Chaldee hath it here) which is the true and proper effect of Love.  
Indeed David could not without such a love of God, have performed well those acts of Piety and Devotion which he promiseth in my Text; Can not Trust in him, Praise him, or Pray to him acceptably, with hope to be saved from his Enemies. Nor can we (however our Fancies and Dreams of Religion deceive us) and therefore must be sure to take it along with us throughout▪ And first to help us, and give us ground and foundation for our Trust in God; the next thing in my Text.  
TRust, we know is an act of Friendship, and the greatest fruit it yields, Mutual Confidence, springing naturally from Mutual Affection. I can safely rely upon that Person whom I therefore love, because I esteem him so good, that he will not fail any just expectation, and whose affection to me is my double Pledge that he will surely answer mine. But if I doubt either of these two things, Love and Trust vanish together; so that we must both love God, and believe that he loves us, before we can Trust in him: For though God's Goodness be Infinite, and have wonderfully abounded to us, yet being free in its exercise, it will be presumption and folly, not trust, to expect any thing further from him but according to the methods of his Wisdom revealed unto us in his Promises, and he hath promised his favours only to those that love him; And if we love him, then shall we Trust in him, both with a steady and humble Confidence: Not murmuring when we want the success we expect, nor growing insolent when we have it. Love will not suffer us to suspect his Goodness if every event come not up to our wishes; Nor censure his Wisdom, though sometimes we discern not the reason of his Providence: Much less shall we justle him out of his Throne, and put in for our share in governing the World, setting up a Counter-Deity of our own Council and Force. These are generally the two great faults of men in our Condition; Not submitting to the Wisdom and Goodness of God; And relying too much upon the Arm of Flesh▪ And have we never been guilty of either of them? Have we never quarrelled and grumbled if there were a ship less taken than we had predestined in our Fancy? Any thing fallen out otherwise then we had set it down in the Gallery, or the Coffee-house? Do we not in the computation of our strength for the War, make false Musters, passing our own Force and Courage twice over upon the Rolls, and leaving God quite out? Imagine ourselves sufficient Deliverers and Saviour's to ourselves, and forgetting that God is our Strength, The Rock of our Defence, and the Horn of our Salvation. I fear something of this may have been the Provocation which hath moved God to Discipline us with his own Sword, the Plague, at home, while he saves us from that of the Enemy abroad. Lately to show us danger in an unequal Encounter, and even now to check our Victory, and snatch much of its fruit out of our hands when we were just grasping it, and seemed to ourselves almost possessed of a full and final Conquest: And this hath he done, not by animating our drooping Enemies with new Courage, or strengthening their feeble hands with fresh force and activity; but merely by withholding the Breath of his Wind, that we may be convinced upon how Particular and constant attendance of Providence upon us, our felicity depends; which if it be suspended but for one moment, we presently falter; if the influence of God's Power and Goodness (that soul of our affairs) do not exert itself in every instance, immediately our nerves are relaxed, and our spirits damped, and we begin to languish without strength or motion. This being duly considered, I hope will engage us not only to Love God more ardently, and Trust in him more entirely and firmly, but doing both, to Praise and Pray to him more affectionately, That so we may both now and always be safe from our Enemies. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I, etc.  
I fear there is not so much of my time left, as of my Subject; Wherefore I will join these two Duties of Prayer and Praise in my Exhortation, as the Chaldee and Greek do in the Text itself, who read both of them; Praising I will Pray: And they cannot be more joint and united in any Expression, than they are in their own natures, Praise being one, and the most noble Part of Prayer, that which is most peculiarly and eminently the Worship of God; For though when we Petition him for the Benefits we desire; or against the Evils we fear▪ we do tacitly and by consequence acknowledge both his Power and his Goodness, yet do we more expressly and directy Honour and Glorify God, when our souls are poured out in cheerful Hallelujahs, hearty and joyful celebrations of his holy Name, who is the Lord Blessed for ever. Whoso offereth me Thanks, and Praise, he 
(a) Ps 50.23.  Honoureth me, saith David; and how much David thought so, appears by this that all his Psalms are so full of those oblations, as in the Original they are justly called, The Book of Praises: And why are not our lives as full of them too? We mistake ourselves, if we think this Duty confined to great Festivals and solemn Thanksgivings, to depend upon our Calendars, or the King's Proclamations; Holy Job, in the depth of his sorrows, and the midst of his great distresses, when he had at once lost both his Wealth, and his Children, all the supports and comforts of this life, Even upon the Dunghill 
(b) Job 1 21.  Blesseth the Name of the Lord his God, who had both given, and taken away; To teach us, that we can never be in a condition so wretched and uncomfortable, wherein we may not find somewhat, for which we ought to Praise God, and adore and magnify his goodness towards us; not only although we be afflicted and cast down, but even because we are so.  
Would we allow ourselves some time to meditate seriously on the incomprehensible Excellencies of the Divine Nature; To consider how all God's Attributes have been employed and exercised for our Good, To understand what it was at first to be created out of nothing, and put into a capacity of happiness; What need we had of Mercy, and how unworthy we were of it, when by a foolish Disobedience we had obliged and confined ourselves to endless woe; and then at what a rate our Redemption was procured; That by the Blood of Christ, not only Pardon, but Eternal Happiness was purchased for us; Would we recollect the several instances of God's Care and Providence in the preservation of our lives, and all our worldly concernments; but especially the continual endeavours of his Grace and Holy Spirit, to conduct us safe to the enjoyment of that Blessedness which his Infinite Wisdom and Goodness have prepared for us: Such Reflections as these (would we suffer them to settle and fix upon us) must needs fill our souls with the Love of God, and our mouths with his Praises: This would kindle in us a zealous Concern and Passion for the Glory of God, and we should apprehend no happiness upon Earth, but in the promoting his honour among men; Our hearts would be like Altars of Incense, with a perpetual Heavenly fire burning on them, and sending up continually our Eucharistial oblations, that odour of sweet smell made of holy Oil and fragrant Spices, Love and Joy in the Lord, and the Cloud of this Incense would cover the Mercy Seat; The assistant Angels would (as the Jews say) go up in this Cloud to offer our laud's unto God, and bring back from him Grace, and Peace, and Salvation in returns unto us. 'Tis for want of this (because we are such strangers to God and ourselves) that the life of every Christian is not a continual Eucharist; That we come so seldom, and with such coldness and Indevotion, to join with the Church Militant in her Sacrifice of Praise, the Holy Communion, 
Hebr. 13 15.  that great peculiar instance of our Religion, wherein Christ hath commanded us to continue a perpetual thankful remembrance of all God's Mercies, and particularly of his Death (which comprehends them all) and there to connect our poor Prayers to his powerful eternal intercessions, that so both our Petitions and Praises may be acceptable to God. 'Tis for want of this that the Children of God are so unwilling to have their Conversation in Heaven, to join and communicate in this Honourable, delectable Duty of Praising God with the Church Triumphant, where Saints and Angels incessantly Praise God, having nothing to ask or beg of him, but in behalf of us. We deceive ourselves grossly and dangerously, while we think we can be Religious without Praising God often, and hearty, and cheerfully, in Private as well as Public. Alas! our loud and clamorous Prayers, how many or importunate soever they be, separate from this, are but Hypocritical Devotions, terminated in our own interests, not in God, or his Glory: And our Prayers would be as few as our Praises, but that the love of the world and ourselves, which damps the love of God in our hearts, and suffers us not to delight and rejoice in Praising him; sometimes prompts us to call on him, to fly to his help in distress; make us look up (like the Jews in the Wilderness) when we feel ourselves stung. And this strange fire on the Altar, looks like the True, burns and blazeth for a while, and makes us think ourselves very Religious, when alas! we are only very fore, or very fearful, and our necessities and distresses are devout, not we. I need not Press that further, whereof every one hath a sufficient conviction in this, that while our case is thus, Devotion comes upon us only by catches and starts, and even as in an Ague, we have as many cold Fits as hot. When the violence of that impulse pulse which warmed us, is spent, we frieze again, when the Calamity or terror which put us into a hasty fermentation is taken off, immediately we settle upon our lees; When he kills us, than we seek him; we turn early and inquire after God, when we remember that God is our strength, 
Psal. 78.  and the most High God is our Redeemer; but as soon as the Judgement is removed, and we have swallowed and digested the Mercy, we turn back and tempt the Holy One of Israel; We think no more of his Hand, and of the Day wherein he delivered us from our Enemies: Whereas were a habit of Religion firmly settled in us, rooted and grounded on the love of God, and conscience of our Duty, it would be both Permanent and Uniform in all its exercises, We should not think to use God only as a Property or Convenience, but adore the Majesty of our Almighty Sovereign Lord, and delight as much to Praise him for the Benefits we have received, as to receive any new ones from his hand! What then shall I say? Shall I reproach a Christian Congregation, by exhorting them to love God? I am ashamed to do that, and I have said enough already, (if any thing be enough) by telling you, that without Loving God, you ought not to Trust in him, you cannot Praise or Pray to him; your Praises will be but Flatteries, and your Prayers indignities and affronts. Shall I desire you to be more frequent, and more zealous in your Praises? Sure I need not request you (if you mean to go to Heaven) to practise that beforehand here, which must there be your only Employment; to beseech you not to think that a trouble now, which then will be your Happiness and Glory: I will rather tell you, that God needs none of all these things from you; Your Love does not benefit, nor your Praises exalt him; He is the same Omnipotent Majesty, Infinitely happy in Himself, whether you depend on his Protection, and beg your daily Bread and all other good things at his hands; or whether neglecting both those Duties, you live as without God in the World: But He is pleased, when you love and honour him, because he is delighted in the obedience of his Creature; and nothing is so agreeable to him, as that we should give him those occasions to love us, and do us good: which if you thus qualify yourselves to receive his favour, I can assure you he will do, as the Prophet David here assures himself. Upon these Terms we shall be safe from our Enemies. So shall I, etc.  
SO shall I be safe, otherwise I shall not: We cannot promise ourselves to be safe by our own strength, For were it never so great, it may be matched and exceeded; And were we never so much Masters of our Enemies, we are not Masters of Occasion; We may, and have been obliged to fight upon disadvantage; We are not Commanders of the Seas, nor of the Winds, which God keeps in his Treasure. Last year they were helpful to us, They were otherwise this year. And if we cannot protect ourselves, Who shall protect us? I have heard, that one of our enemies hath said with contempt and scorn enough, We have no Friend But God Does he make such But's? I pardon his raillery, and hearty embrace the good Omen of it. If we have no Friend but God, than we have him, and if he be our Friend, I am sure we need not fear what man can do against us. Neither they, we have so oft conflicted with, nor they who hover further off, expecting an opportunity to fall upon us when we are sore, can be able to do us harm. He is too much a Coward, that dreads any Enemy, when he hath Omnipotence itself to second him. But he is more a fool who may have such a Second and Patron, and yet will be so far wanting to himself, as not to procure his favour and assistance; Especially, when the terms upon which it is to be had, are so easy, nay so , that the Condition of acquiring it is more valuable than the thing itself, it being a far greater happiness to love and serve God as we ought, then to be secured by him from all the harm this world can do.  
For my part, it shall suffice me that I have brought the business home, and laid it at your own doors. I dare say there is no Person in this Congregation, who wisheth not all safety to his Country, Honour to the King and Victory to his Arms. You must therefore think it an advantage to be directed how yourselves may have the satisfaction to bear a part in the achieving all this, which you do (and are so much concerned to) wish. I will presently take of that regreat which your gallantry hath raised in many of your thoughts, for your being detained by employment, or any other circumstance of your Conditions, from showing your courage, and gaining a share in the honour of the late Engagements. Courage! break off your Sins by Repentance, live a Christian, devout, holy life and pray earnestly for God's gracious favour and succour, so shall you serve the King as considerably as any Volontier in the Fleet. Here is a Project to raise an Army easily, speedily, without charge or trouble, and such a one as could I see form, I should be so much tempted to despise all our Enemies: No Age or Sex but are fit to be listed in it. The impotent Old man on his Couch, the Lady in her Closet, the Sick and Weak upon their Beds, without Danger or Fatigue at Sea, every one in their own station, where infirmity or tenderness hath ranked them, may fight and be certainly victorious. Whoever can but mortify a Lust, forsake a Sin; kindle an ardent love to God in his heart, shed a Tear, send up a Prayer, a sigh or groan to Heaven; may thereby without any other Artillery reach and gall the Enemy at what distance soever. By the secret invisible influence of your Devotion, you may strengthen the hearts and hands of your Friends. While your hearts are right with God, and you hold up pure hands in Prayer (like Moses in the Mount) theirs will be victorious in Battle. But then remember that though, when Moses his hands were up, Josua prevailed, yet when they were set down, Amalek prevailed. Success varied and shifted from the People and Army and Cause of God, to the accursed Nations whom he had vowed to destroy, 
Exod. 17.11.  upon every intermission of Moses Prayer. And therefore unless we think God's honour more concerned in our affairs, then in theirs whom he had chosen and promised, and avowed to all the world that he would give them the spoils and inheritance of their Enemies. Unless we think our adversaries more accursed than those whom God had sworn to have War with for ever, 
Exod 17.14.16.  whom he had devoted to ruin and extirpation; We cannot hope to prosper and prevail upon other Terms than Josuah did. And truly you are too unkind, if while your Countrymen fight for you, you will not Pray for them; While they patiently endure Toil, Sickness, Wounds, nay, lose their Lives, you will not amend yours, will not do so delightful, so proprofitable a thing, as to love and serve God, both for their sakes and your own, to procure Peace and safety in this World; and eternal Happiness in that to come. Which God grant us all for the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord.  
FINIS.