THE SAFETY OF JERUSALEM, EXPRESSED In a SERMON to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, with the Aldermen, and common-council of LONDON. In the Parish-Church of Laurence Jury. On Tuesday the XXIV of March, MDCLVI. Being, the day of Their Solemn , For the Health and Safety of the City, In its Preservation from Pestilence, Fire, and other Calamities. By THOMAS HORTON, D. D. ESAY. 68.18. Thou shalt call thy Walls SALVATION, and thy Gates PRAISE. REVEL. 21.26. They shall bring the GLORY and HONOUR of the Nation into it. LONDON: Printed for John Clerk at Mercers-Chappell in Cheapside, near the great Conduit, 1657. The Epistle Dedicatory. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE Sir ROBERT TICHBOURN, Knight Lord Mayor, with the Right Worshipful the Aldermen, And the rest of the common-council of the Famous City of LONDON. RIGHT HONOURABLE, etc. I WAS in good hope when this Sermon was once preached, that I had no further work about it, except it were only to work it upon my own heart, and to pray for a Blessing upon it, in the hearts of those that heard it. Whereas now since some weeks after, I received an Order from your Court, for the commending it to public view; But it took me at such a time, when I was very little at leisure for it; From whence it is now come forth both too soon and too late. Too soon in regard of itself, which deserves not this Publication, Too late in regard of the Occasion, which is now so long time past as that I fear it is almost forgotten in the minds of many men, although it be such as hath cause to be always remembered. I do so much the willinglyer close with the impartment of this Discourse, as it may serve to revive the memory of that mercy, which is the subject of it; and may confer something to the renewal of our Thankfulness for it. The more and greater Blessings we do profess to have received from God, the more and greater do we consequently declare our Engagements to be to Him which are to run out in answerable Fruitfulness and Activity for Him. That this may be the General Improvement of the mercy, which is here proclaimed, is the hearty wish and Prayer of Your Honour's most humble Servant for the Truth's sake, THOMAS HORTON. THE SAFETY OF JERUSALEM. ESAY. XXXVII. VER. XXXV. For I will defend this City to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake. IT is the great care, and tenderness of God towards his Church and people, not only to keep them from Evil, but likewise from the Fear of evil, which sometimes is a great deal more than the Evil itself; The former, to provide for their safety; the latter to provide for their security, and tranquillity of mind. Look, as on the one side the Enemy, he does not only persecute, but threaten, nor he does not only project and design mischief, but often brags, and boasts of it aforehand thereby to daunt the courage and to allay the Spirits of the people of God: So on the other side God himself, he does not only protect, The Coherence. but comfort, nor he does not only purpose and intent preservation, but gives some hints and predictions of it, that so thereby he may the better strengthen and encourage his people's hearts. This we may observe him to do in the drift of this present Scripture, which we have now in hand. Senacherib the King of Assyria had in the foregoing chapter, and this sent his servant Rebshakeh with an insolent and reviling message to Hezekiah, and the rest of Judah threatening them what great matters he would do against them, and their City; This Hezekiah and his people were very much affrighted, at, and affected with, and accordingly spread their case and condition before the Lord. Now the Lord hereupon undertakes the satisfying, and comforting of them; tells them what ever threats their enemy might make against them, he should not once come near unto them, nor enter amongst them, and in the Verse which I have now read unto you gives an account and reason of it whence it should be so; not from any change in the enemy, as if his mind were bettered towards them, but rather from Gods own constancy of affection to them, and care for them, For I will defend this City to save it for mine own sake etc. This is the Cohaerence of the words. The Text (as you see) points at the safety and preservation of a City, the City of Jerusalem; and so very well suits with the occasion of our coming together at this time, which is the safety and preservation of our own, the City of LONDON: And though not every way just in the same Circumstances of deliverance, yet perhaps (if we consider all) not altogether different from them, and besides with some what more, joined, and superadded unto them, not only from the sword of the Enemy, but also from the sword of the Angel, nor only from the combustions of war, but from the fires of Peace. In the Text itself there are two general parts observable, First, the Mercy signified, The Division. And Secondly, the Ground, or Motive for the bestowing of it: The Mercy signified, that we have in these words; For I will defend this City to save it. The ground or Motive of it, in these; For my own sake, and for my servant David's sake. We begin with the first general, viz. The first General. The mercy signified, wherein two Particulars more. First, The Specification. And secondly, The Amplification. The Specification, or mercy itself, which is expressed, I will defend this City. The Amplification or extent of the mercy, To save it. First, To speak of the former, viz. The Specification of the mercy. The Specification of the mercy, or the mercy itself, which is here signified; it is Divine protection, and defence, I will defend this City, 1? Who is that? Namely, God himself, who here sends this message by his Prophet, it is he that takes this business of defence and protection upon him, one who was able enough to do it, and to go through with it. And this City which was that? Namely, Jerusalem, the City of God, where his name and worship was celebrated; That's the City which is here promised the benefit of God's defence and preservation of it; so that there are two things here now considerable. The Defended, and the Defendant, The Defended, that's this City; The Defendant that's the God of Israel, Himself. For the First, The Defended. The place defended, it was Jerusalem, the City of God; This was that which was the object of this defence, and which this protection extended unto, which accordingly shows unto us the state and condition of the Church in all succeeding ages and generations; This promise it is not to be limited or restrained to this present time, or occasion whereupon it was made, but in the force and efficacy of it, does reach to all periods of time throughout the World, And is written even for our consolation, upon whom the ends of the world are come, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope: Rom. 15.4. and 2 Cor. 10, 11. The point before us is this; That the Church and people of God, they are under a special safeguard and protection, for the security and defence of them. This City, though it be a word of mixture, and so does seem to take in all with it, who were occasionally involved in the mercy, yet it does principally, and more particularly refer to the Church and true Believers, who were the better part of it. The Church it is not without a fence, it is a Garden enclosed; and those places wherein it resides, they do partake of special custody, and preservation, in reference to it. This City it shall be defended; Thus Zechar. 2.4, 5. Jerusalem shall be inhabited as Towns without walls, for the multitude of men and cattles therein, For I (saith the Lord) will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. So Zechar. 12.8. In that day shall the Lord defend the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David, and the house of David shall be as God, as the Angel of the Lord before him. So Isa. 31.5. As birds flying, so will the Lord of Hosts defend Jerusalem, defending also he will deliver it, and passing over he will preserve it, As Birds flying, that is with great deal of tenderness. Birds we know, they are very careful of their young ones for the preserving of them; Even so will God be of his people. As an Eagle stirs up her nest, flutters over her young, spreads abroad her wings, bears them on her wings, etc. Deut. 32.11. And so Matth. 23.37. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, How often would I have gathered thee together, as an hen gathereth her chickens under her wings! That is, with very much affection of and regard unto thee, He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye Zechar. 2.8, 9 Or again; as Birds flying, that is with a great deal of swiftness, and speed for the accomplishment of it, In Psal. 125.2. It is said, that as The mountains are round about Jerusalem, so is the Lord round about his people, from henceforth even for ever. The Mountains round about Jerusalem, they are for the Defence and security of it, even so is the Lord himself unto it, and a great deal more; For the Mountains shall departed, and the hills shall be removed, but my kindness shall not departed from thee, etc. saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee, Isa. 54.10. This serves to discover to us the happiness and privilege of God's people, Use. and their advantage above other men. Happy art thou O Israel, who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, who is the shield of thine help, and who is the sword of thine excellency! Duet. 33.29. As for other people in the world, there's no great care taken of them, for the defence and protection of them. Oh but the Church, that's sure to be defended, what ever becomes of Babylon, God will be sure to look after Zion, and what ever becomes of Lachish, God will be sure to defend Jerusalem, and to provide for the safety of it. Indeed, other places and persons may occasionally, and accidentally partake of the protection of the Church; wicked, and ungodly men, who are intermixed with the people of God, they do partake of defence with them, and defence from them, as cursed Cham from his abode in the Ark, but it is not they, which are so much aimed at, or intended in this preservation; no, but God's people themselves, and the City, by which his Name is called on. He will defend this City especially; and this he will not be failing to it, in the defending of it, whiles He says He will do it, He hereby signifies his Purpose about it. It is not only a word of Intimation, but also of Resolution, and that peremptory which cannot be frustrated, or disappointed. If against this shall now be objected, An Objection Answered. that experience oftentimes proves the contrary; so that notwithstanding this promise here made, and this point maintained by us, there is not always this defence vouchsafed, but that the people of God are, for all that, involved in sundry, and frequent evils; To this we answer, that still the promise of God stands sure, I will defend this City: Because as all other conditional promises besides, it holds good for the most part, and so far forth as may best consist, both with the Honour and Glory of God, and the greatest welfare of his people, This is a most certain Truth; That God will be no way wanting to his Servants in the reasonable defence of them. The Lord God is a Sun and shield; Psal. 84.12. The Lord will give Grace and Glory, no Good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. This is matter of very great comfort, Use. and encouragement to them, which may make them to go on with cheerfulness, and resolution in his service; Fear and apprehension of danger, it is a grand obstruction to performances. Where men cannot think themselves safe, they cannot there so quietly act, or undertake what belongs unto them; But, now this is the happiness of God's people, that they shall be kept and preserved from danger: whiles they walk in his ways, they are sure to have his Protection; Not only Cities, and Public places in General, but particular Persons; especially as their work is larger, and of more General concernment. Public Persons they being themselves of Public interest, and the Good and welfare of the Public being in some manner wrapped up in them, they do therefore accordingly partake of the Benefit, and comfort of those promises, which are made to Public Relations, whether in Church or Common wealth. Magistrates in the discharge of their places, and Ministers in the discharge of theirs; The Defence of the City, it is the Defence also of them who are in a special, and more than ordinary consideration comprehended in it. And thus ye shall find it to be set even by the Scripture itself in those Encouragements, which are therein given unto them. Thus in God's expression to Joshua, Josh. 1.5. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life; As I was with Moses, so will I be with thee, I will not leave thee nor forsake thee. And thus in God's expression to Paul. Acts 18.9, 10. Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace; For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee; For I have much people in this City. I have much people in this City; what was this to Paul's protection? Yes very much; not only by taking it of those, which were God's people already, and so likely to take his part against those, which would set themselves against him: but especially understanding it of those, which were God's people in decree, to be converted, and wrought upon by Paul in his Ministry, which could not consist with the taking away of the Apostles life before that work was done by him. This is the great advantage of those, which are the servants of God; that their Employment is their security; and the more business they have to do for him, the more defence they shall receive from him. And this for the Defended, This City, in the full acception, and consideration of it. Now as for the Defendant, The Defendant. that is here expressed to be God himself. It hath been intimated, and employed hitherto in that which we have spoken all this while of the Defence, and Protection itself. But we may here now take a more particular view and notice of it. It is not said only: This City shall be defended; which had been enough, as to the safety of the place; but I will defend this City, as pointing out the Principal Author, and Actor in the defence of it, It is God, and he alone that is, to any purpose, the Defender of the City, I the Lord do keep it. I will water it every moment, lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day, as he speaks concerning his Vineyard, Isa. 27.3. It is true indeed, God does commonly make use of others to this purpose both Angels and men, which are Creatures. Magistrates they are in their places, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. and ex officio the Defenders of the City, and therefore called in Scripture the Shields of the Earth, Psal. 47.9. Because as a Shield does defend the Person that bears it, and by taking the blow itself does ward it off from him that uses it, even so also Governors in the execution of their places, are Persons of great Security to the People that partake of them. So also Counselors and men of advice they are in like manner men of Protection. Wisdom, Eccles 7.12. (says Solomon) is a Defence and, money is a Defence; but the Excellency of knowledge is that wisdom giveth life to them that have it; which money without wisdom cannot do, though wisdom can sometimes without that: The poor wise man by his wisdom delivered the City. Eccles. 9.15. And in the multitude of Counselors is safety. Prov. 11.14. and Prov. 24.6. Watchmen, and inferior officers, they have a share also in this defence; But yet these and all others with them, they fetch their strength and assistance from God, Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it, except the LORD keep the the City, the watchman watcheth but in vain. It is God must help the Builders; and it is God must keep the Keepers, and it is God must watch the Watchers: If we desire to have an House, it is he that must raise it; and if we desire to keep an House, it is He that must watch it: It can neither go up without him, nor yet stand without him, neither an House, nor whole City itself. We find as I said in the Psalm before alleged, that Magistrates are called the shields of the Earth, but yet in the same place these shields are said to belong to God. They belong to God to make them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they belong to God to keep them and they belong to God to use them, and to manage them, and to defend with them. A shield in a weak hand, is to little purpose but is easily struck out and remooved, yea, but therefore do these hold upon God, without which they are all in vain. And as all defence is in vain without God, so none is in vain with him; whensoever he undertakes it, there is safety and security enough even from his undertaking. This is also hinted to us in the Scope, and drift of the Text, where this I is to be taken not only simply but emphatically. The Lord here for the comfort of his people, who were now insulted over by their enemies, and apt to be daunted by them sets Himself in a way of opposition to all contrary attempts, as a sufficient bulwark against them. What's Sennacherib to me? And what's Rabshakeh to me? Or what's all Assyria to me? as long as I have taken upon me this City for the defence and protection of it, what evil can now happen unto it? or what Enemy in the assaulting of it, can prevail against it? If God be for it, who can be against it? Or if he be to what purpose? This is further observable from the Cansall, FOR in the beginning of the verse which joins this, and the foregoing together; It was said there, that Ashur should not come into this City nor shoot an arrow there nor come before it, etc. Now it might be demanded, what might be the ground of so much confidence in the consideration of so much danger? This is here answered in the Text. For I will defend this City, etc. It is no matter what may be the Danger, so long as God is the Defender, and undertaker, for deliverance from it, which holds as in case of Enemies, so also of all other evils besides, whether sicknesses, or famines or desolations, or what ever we can name; Forafmuch as the Lord hath all these in his own hand, and they are at his disposing therefore may the people of God in an holy manner triumph over them, and assure themselves so far forth as is fitting of preservation from them. This is that which the Psalmist bottoms on, and teaches us to bottom on to. Psal. 115.9. O Israel trust in the Lord, he is their help and their shield: O house of Aaron trust in the Lord, he is their help and their shield. Te that fear the Lord trust in the Lord, he is their help, and their shield. It is thrice repeated, for the better carrying of our minds thereunto. And thus much of the mercy signified, as considerable in the Specification, or simple Proposition of it: For I will defend this City. The second is in the Amplification or Extent, 2. The Amplification. in these words; To save it. This is added to the former by way of further in largement, and explanation of it. And there are two things considerable in it; First, The Efficacy of this Defence what it is, whereunto it attains, And Secondly, The end of this Defence, what it is whereunto it drives, and which is propounded in it, and it is salvation in either of them. First, For the Efficacy or effect of it, 1. The Efficacy. the thing whereunto it reaches or attains, and that is to save; This is more than can be said of all defending in the world, they do not all end in saving, there's many a Person, and Place, and City, which is held up for a while, which yet at last is not preserved; because there is not so much Power, or strength or ability, as will amount to the preserving of it; yea, but where God undertakes, it is so, where ever he will defend he saves; where he defends in the undertaking, he saves also in the accomplishment. According to that again in the prophet, Isa. 31.5. Defending also he will deliver, and passing over he will preserve. So Isa. 26.1 In that day shall this Song be sung in the Land of Judah; We have a strong City, Salvation will God prepare for Walls and Bulwarks; His arm brought Salvation. Isa. 59.26. Stand still and see his salvation, Exod. 14.13. This is the excellency of the Lord; That he is mighty to save. Isa. 63.1. His hand is not shortened that it cannot save, Isa. 59.2. No, But he is able to save to the uttermost those that come to him, both in spirituals and temporals too. This accordingly teaches his people to expect it from him, Use. not to limit the holy one of Israel, or to call in Question his power, to this purpose, as the distrustful, and unbelieving Israelites, sometime did, but to embrace it, and to depend upon it. As the Church, Isa. 25.9. Lo this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us: This is the LORD, we have waited for him; we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. There's none that ever yet trusted, and depended upon God, as they should do, who were frustrated in this particular. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him, He will also hear their cry, and will save them. He will save them in the actual accomplishment of salvation to them. This is the difference now betwixt God and men in this respect; Men they can use the means, but they cannot promise the success: They can set upon the undertaking but they cannot assure the Perfomance; Physicians can give Physic, but they cannot give Health, and Magistrates can give Assistance, but they cannot give Diliverance, yea, but the Lord he can do all these; Health and Victory, and Protection, and Salvation itself; not only in the Endeavour but in the Event, defend to save; as to the Efficacy, or Effect of it, that's the First Explication. The Second is the End, 2. The End or intent. I will defend it to save it, as signifiing Gods gracious aim, and drift, in the defending of it. There are defendings sometimes which as they do not always end in Salvation, so neither do they always tend to salvation, but rather no somewhat else, which is either contrary or different from it. Thus Enemies they sometimes defend those persons whom they take captive in War, but it is not so much to save them, as rather to make advantage of them, and sometimes advantage against them, to abuse them, and to exercise so much the greater cruelty upon them, as the Philistims did with Samson whom they kept to make themselves Sport, and to insult so much the more over him. Judg. 16.28. Thus we see how that all defending, or keeping, it hath not saving with it, And as not with men, So not with God neither. The Lord he does not defend some people always to save them, but rather in Indignation towards them. He keeps them from one Judgement that he may reserve them for another, and that for a worse, keeps them from the Pestilence, that he may deliver them to the Famine, delivers them from the Famine, that he may give them up to the Sword, he shifts and changes their punishments but does not remove them, or take them away. According to that expression, Isa. 24.17, 18. Fear and the pit, and the snare are upon thee, O Inhabitant of the earth. And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear, shall fall into the Pit, And he that cometh out of the midst of the Pit, shall be taken in the snare. Here's now defending, and evading, but yet still Salvation far enough from it either in the thing itself, or in the intention of him that vouchsafes it; yea but here in the Text it is otherwise, when the Lord says concerning Jerusalem, that he will defend that to save it, he signifies that he will defend it with the greatest benefit, and advantage to it, as he speaks sometimes to Abraham. Blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee; that is, I will make those things which are Blessings an Increase, in the show, and purport of them, to be so indeed, in the Event and Effect, that thou mayst find them to be so to thy self, in thy own experience. This is that which God promises to his people in his defending of them. Indeed they sometimes make other interpretations of it; as if he defended them to destroy them, rather than to save them. As the Israelites in their murmuring and repining temper. Numb. 21.5. He brought us out of Egypt, that he might destroy us in the Wilderness. Yea, but it was not so for all that; God had other intentions towards them. I know the thoughts that I think towards you, (saith the Lord) thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end, Jer. 29.11. Men in their courtesies they are many times false and uncertain: If they do one kindness, they'll do sometimes two unkindnesses for it, Perhaps, unkindnesses in it. Timeo Danaos vel dowa ferentes. but it is not so with God, He defends to save, and he saves in defending, especially such as are his people, and belong unto him. This is a very great happiness, and answerably should be pursued by us; Try all of our Conditions. we should examine not only what we have, but upon what terms we have it, to see that it be in mercy and love, and as a fruit of God's goodwill towards us, and as relishing his favour in it. This we may judge according as we are any thing made better by it, and do any thing better with it Then are mercies saving, when they are sanctifying, and sanctified to us; Then they are bestowed in favour, when they are improved in fruitfulness, and made encouragements to further usefulness and cheerfulness, and activity in God's service, otherwise we shall have but little comfort or satisfaction from them, but even our blessings will be cursed unto us. Malach. 2.2. which is the sad condition of many wicked and ungodly Persons, God defends them not so much to save them as rather to harden them, and so at last to ruin them, Psal. 92.7. when the wicked spring as the grass, and all the workers of iniquity do flourish, it is that they shall be destroyed for ever. But as for the Servant, of God, he does not deal so with them, God hath not appointed them to wrath, but to Salvation, as the main end of his dispensations towards them, which he promises here to this City of Judah; 1 Thess. 5.9. I will defend this City to SAVE it. For a further opening and inlargeing of this present passage to us, The nature of the mercy. we may here moreover take notice of the Nature and quality of the mercy itself, and that is not of delivering mercy, but of preventing mercy. It is not said I will rescue this City but I will defend it, nor it is not said, I will recover this City, but I will preserve it. It is not said, I'll let the Assyrian come in, and when he hath been in for a while, and done his pleasure in it, i'll them expel him, and drive him out of it again, no, but I will not suffer him so much as to enter into it, in the two verses before the Text. He shall not come into this City nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cust a bank, against it, By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not enter into the City (saith the Lord) See here, He shall not come into it, He shall not come into it; it's twice repeated to make it more remarkable; and that also with the Circumstances of it, not shoot at it, not besiege it, not encamp about it, such is the tenderness of God towards his people, as to keep off calamities from them. This is to be observed by them, 1. Preventing. where it is, and to be acknowledged with greater Thankfulness. Preventing mercies are the greatest mercies of all: though such is our weakness, and corruption, that we are not always so senssible of them, nor do so much lay them to heart: we are commonly more apprehensive of Deliverances, than we are of Preservations; of health recovered, than we are of health continued; and of safety or plenty restored, rather than of either of them maintained still unto us. But that is rather I say from our Infirmity, then from the Nature of the things themselves. If we take the thing simply in itself, so continuance is more than restauration, because it hath the sweetness of the Good in it, without experiences of the contrary Evil. Indeed in some cases, and accidentally, the latter may be much better than the former, and the restoring of a comfort, may be a greater mercy than the Constant enjoyment: when as namely occasionally from the temporary want of that Comfort a man's Heart is made so much the better; As when from some intermission of Health, a man has his Spirit hereby the more mortified, 2 Cor. 4.16. and crucified, and estranged from the world, and he grows stronger in the inward man, which is hence renewed day by day: here the recovery may be more happy than the Continuance; But yet absiractly and in the nature of the thing, especially alike sanctified to us, so it is otherwise and to be apprehended by us: we should have our hearts much drawn out in Thankfulness for God's withholding of Evils from us, as it was here with this City before us. He did not rescue them so much as defend them; It was not restoring mercy, but preserving; Not delivering mercy, but preventing. Again further, Take one more, 2. Indefinite. It was not determined mercy, but indefinite, I will defend this City to save it; To save it? from what? It may be you will say from the fury, and rage of the King of Assyria; from the oppressions of a foreign Enemy. It is true indeed, that was the occasion, and the main and principal thing that was here intended, but yet that was not all. To defend and save, it is an expression of large Extent, and comprehends many things in it. Those who are kept from the Evils of war, are kept from more than war itself, as having many other Evils with it, and consequent to it. Now this was the State and condition of this people, and God's carriage towards them. His mercy it was full, and complete; He did not only defend them, but save them; Not restore them only, but preserve them; Not preserve them from one Evil, but from many more together with it; from the Sword of their Enemies, with all the mischief attending upon it. Thus as in matter of Judgement where God gins, he will make an End, so also in matter of mercy, where he undertakes, he will fully accomplish, and bring to perfection. And so I have done with the first General part of the Text which is the mercy signified both in the Specification and the Extent. I will defend this City to save it. The Second is the Ground, The second General. or Motive for the conferring of it, and that is double; The one taken from God himself; For mine own sake, and the other taken from his servant; For my servant David's sake. We begin with the First, viz. The argument taken from God himself: For mine own sake; where three things more by way of explication: First, For my mercy's sake, 1. Argument from God himself. for the Honour of my free Grace. Secondly, for my Glories sake, For the honour of my Great Name. Thirdly, For my Truth's sake; For the honour of my Ancient promise. First, For my mercy's sake; for the honour of my free Grace; 1. For my mercy. The best account of God's actions is that which is resolved into himself, but it holds good of none more than of his actions of Goodness, and Favour. These take the chiefest rise from himself, as the Ground of them. 1 Thes. 5.10 Even so O Father because it seemed good in thy sight, Mat. 11.26. It is true of spiritual, and eternal salvation, more especially, of Gods defending and saving from Hell, and from wrath to come, God does this for his own sake indeed; but it is true also of salvation, which is Temporal, and so of this in the Text; when the Lord would show a reason of his Favour, and kindness to this people in preserving them from the Violence of their Enemies, He says I will defend this City to save it for mine own sake. When it is said here; For mine own sake; we are to take this expression with restriction, signanter, & exclusive; Exclusive. It shuts out this people themselves as any motives, or arguments hereunto. For mine own sake, that is, not for theirs. Thus Ezek. 36.22. I do not this for your sake, O House of Israel, but for mine holy Names sake. And again v. 32. Not for your sakes do I this (saith the Lord God) be it known unto you. And here two things more. First, Nothing in you to deserve so much from me. Secondly, Much in you to deserve the contrary from me; nothing on your part of merit, why it should be: much on your part of provocation, why it should not be. First, Nothing in you of merit to deserve it. It is the Conceit of most kind of men, 1. No merit in them. when they have any thing more than ordinary from the hands of God, that it is from some special worth in themselves; And so it is likely God saw that it was ready to be with this people; Luke 17.10. for which cause he puts in this Caveat to prevent such a mistake in them. When we have done all we can, we must needs say we are unprofitable servants; we have done no more than was our Duty to do, nor so much as that. Esay. 64.6. All our righteousness but as a menstruous cloth, and as filthy rags. Secondly, There's much also of Provocation, and contrary behaviour; as no merit, 2. Much demerit so a great deal of demerit. We are so far from deserving from God, that we are obnoxious to him, and give him daily occasion (if he would take occasion against us) utterly to consume, and destroy us. Thus it was with this people of Jsrael: It is noted of them, that they provoked him to anger from day to day by their continual abominations, and yet notwithstanding he followed them with his mercies; He suffered them with a great deal of Patience, and bore with their manners in their mildernesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as a Nurse beareth or feedeth her children, Acts 13.41. Doing acts of courtesy for them, even whiles they were full of frowardness, and rebellion against him, This is God's way, and manner of dispensation. From whence we may therefore learn occasionally how to deal with him, Direction. and to address ourselves to him for any thing which we stand in need of. Alas, when we look upon ourselves, and our own deservings, there is nothing at all, which may encourage us, 1. How to deal-with God. nay there is much rather which may dishearten us, and keep us off; yea but here's now an argument which will take, and prevail with him from his mercy, and free grace, and accordingly we should use it to him. Lord, if thou wilt not do it for our sakes, yet do it at least for thine own; There's nothing in us to move thee, but there's a great deal in thyself: Our deserts are none, our provocations are many, but thy grace is above them all: And therefore according to the multitude of thy tender mercies be gracious to us; seeing God will do for it himself, let us not lose such an argument as this is for prevailing with him. Thus we shall find the church to do, Jer. 14.7. O Lord though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy Names sake, for our bachsliding are many, we have stnned against thee. And so David in his own particular; For thine Names sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great: As knowing that this would work upon him, where nothing else would. And here as we have an argument to prevail with God, 2. How with Satan. so an answer to return upon Satan, when he labours to discourage us from the suggestion of our own unworthiness, 2 Tim. 2.13. we may here tell him, that it is not upon such terms that we deal with God, but upon the account of his own mercy, and grace; Let us be what we will be, yet he still abides the same, and cannot deny himself. Again, For his mercy's sake, that is, for his bowels, and out of regard to his own compassions, which never fail. God will save his people, as being himself interested in their sufferings, and afflicted in all their afflictions; From whence he is ready to say with Esther, Esay 63.9. How can I endure to see the destruction of my people, Esther 8.6. And that's the first explication; For mine own sake, i. e. for my mercy's sake, For the honour of my Free Grace Secondly, For mine own sake, that is, 2 For my Glory. for my Glories sake, For the honour of my great Name. The preservation of God's people is for the glory of God himself, which therefore carries him to it: And that in two respects. First, For his Glory, which would be otherwise neglected; He would have else none to serve him; Secondly, For his Glory which would be otherwise polluted; He would have else many to blaspheme him. First, God preserves his people for his glory, 1. Lest it be neglected. which would be otherwise neglected; He would have else none to serve him. Take away the Church of God, and ye take away the Service of God, destroy his People, and ye consequently destroy his Worship and his Name which is advanced by them, and by them alone. As for the rest of the World, which are altogether strangers to him, they care not what becomes of him, nor of any honour which is done unto him: It is the Church which is called by his Name, by whom his Name is called upon. Now therefore as they are tender of him, even so is he also of them, upon the same consideration, As Samuel tells the Israelites, 2 Sam. 12.22. The Lord will not for sake his people, for his great Names sake, because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people. And so Psal. 132.13. The Lord hath chosen Zion, he hath desired it for his habitation; This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell, etc. It is spoken in reference to the Ark, and to the Temple, in the dedication of it, The Ark, of God it hath a Blessing of preservation with it, which belongs unto it. 2. Sam. 6.12. The Lord hath blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that pertain unto him, because of the Ark of God, The same Privilege also hath the Gospel, and evangellical Administrations in the right use and improvement of them, to wit a preserving Efficacy to the Country's and Cities, wherein they are, so far forth as God is zealous for his Glory, and the continuance of his worship in the world so far forth will he defend his people, where his true worship and fear is maintained in the power and purity of it. Secondly, 2. Lest it be polluted. For his Glory, as who would else have many to blaspheme him, If God should not defend his people, his enemies would be ready to reproach him, This is that which they have been ready still to do upon the least advantage, we need to go no further for an instance than the occasion of the Text itself, in Senacherib and Rabshakeh, Isa. 36.15. Let not Hezekiah make you to trust in the LORD, saying, The Lord will surely deliver us, This City shall not be delivered etc. Where are they amongst all the Gods that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand? here now were provokeing speeches, Improvement. even to the dishonour of God himself, and therefore it concerned him to bestir himself, and to deliver his people for his Names sake. Thus have the servants of God sometimes made it an argument to him; As Moses interceding for the Israelites, 3. By the Church. Numb. 14, 15. Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, than the NATIONS which have heard the fame of thee will speak saying, Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the Land, which he swear unto them, therefore hath he slain them, etc. And so Exod. 32.12. Wherefore should the Egyptians say, for mischief did he bring them out to slay them, etc. And so Joshuah, in their discomfiture at At, Josh. 7.9. The Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the Land shall hear of it, and environ us round, etc. And what wilt thou do unto thy GREAT NAME? still the Name of God (as ready otherwise to be blasphemed by his enemies) is improved for the protection of his people. And as it has been improved by them to him, 2. By God himself. so it hath also been considered by himself, even of his own accord, as ye may see in Deut. 32.26, 27. Speaking there of the people of Israel, I said I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men, were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest the adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they should say, our hand is high, and the Lord hath not done all this, God's people are sometimes accidentally so far forth beholding to their enemies, as that their intolerable insolences do move God to keep them from these evils, which otherwise for their own provocations would fall upon them. The blasphemies of the Adversary they are the shelter and defence of the Church; for mine own sake, (i. e.) for my glories sake, for the honour of my Great Name; that on the one side it may be advanced, and that on the other side it may not be blasphemed, That's the Second explication. Thirdly, For mine own sake; that is, 3. For my Truth. for my Truth's sake, for the glory of mine Ancient promises The Israelites they were people of God's Covenant, whom he had bound and engaged himself to, by many gracious and comfortable promises for the deliverance and preservation of them; and now therefore in reference to these, will he defend them to save them, God hath magnified his word, that is his promise above all his Name, Psal. 138.2. Now this is that which He so much stands on, and makes it an argument to himself. The NAME of the LORD is a strong Tower, the righteous run unto it and are safe. Prov. 18.10. What's the Name of God? It is the True and faithful one, Temporal Promises. The God that keeps Covenant. That's a great letter in his Name; and very much for the Comfort of his People, 1. Of protection in General. He is faithful that hath promised, Heb. 10.23. His Truth shall be thy shield and buckler, Psal. 91.4. How is the Truth of God a shield? Namely, as included in his Promise, which engages him to the protection of his people, according as he hath declared himself to them, 2. In Particular. and that in all sorts of conditions, John 5.19. He shall deliver thee in six troubles and in seven there shall no evil touch thee, In famine he shall redeem thee from Death, and in War from the power of the Sword, Thou shalt be hid from the Scourge of the Tongue, 1. From sickness. At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh, So Psal. 91.5. Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flieth by day, nor of the Pestilence that wasteth in darkness, nor of the Destruction that walketh at noonday, a thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee. And again, 2. From Fire. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee, when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Isa. 43.2. In these and many such Scriptures have we the promises of Temporal protection made to the people of God, and the Lord does answerably hold himself to be tied and bound up by them, so far forth as may best consist with the Glory of his own holy Name, and the greatest Good and Benefit of his people, and accordingly likewise may his people depend upon him for it, Lord remember thy Promise unto thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope. Ps. 119.49. For mine own sake, that is, for my Promise, That's the Third Explication. And so the First Part of the Argument, for Gods defending, and saving of his people, to wit, which is taken from himself. The Second is taken from his Servant. And for my Servant David's sake, where before we go any further, Second Argument from David. we may here by the way take notice of the Title, and honourable Appellation, which God puts upon David, My Servant David. It was not plain David, nor it was not King David, but David my Servant. God cannot let David pass without a Title of Honour; and God cannot put a greater Honour upon David, then by calling him his Servant, God's Servant, it is the best Title, and it is the best Office, In the Thing itself. there's none like unto it, Not but that there are other Titles, and such as are in their places also Honourable, and as Men to be acknowledged by us (Rligion does not destroy civility, but rather establishes it) but this is the Highest Title of all, especially in a Spiritual sense. There are two things observable in this expression; First, God's Servant two ways. That David was God's Servant for the thing itself; And Secondly, That God does here own him, and acknowledge him to be so, as to the Title, and Apellation. First, He was God's Servant, His Servant David, There were two ways in which David (as any other besides) might be said to be the Servant of God, 1. As to his work. either in reference to his Particular calling, and the work wherein he was employed, or in reference to his General calling, and the frame and temper of his heart in it. First, As to his particular calling as a Magistrate, and Governor of God's people, He was the Servant of God thus, Magistrates, as they are Gods Vice-gerents so also his Servants, and his Servants therefore. This is a very great honour and Dignity to them, It is an Honour to be used by God though in works of an inferior nature, not to be wholly useless or laid aside as broken vessels wherein is no pleasure, but the Higher the Service, still the higher the Honour, and the Honour is from the Service, this is the Honour of those which are in place of public Government and Authority, But an Honour and Dignity with a duty belonging unto it, which is to approve themselves to him whose Servants they are. But Secondly, As David was God's Servant in regard of his place, and employment, So more especially in regard of his Spirit, and the frame of his heart, This was that which made him God's Servant in a more Principal manner, 2. As to his Spirit. and for which God does here so entitle him, There's a great deal of difference betwixt my Servant David, and my Servant Nebuchadneezzar, we shall find in Scripture that Nabuchadnezzar, was called God's Servant, Jer. 25.9. Nabuchadnezzar the King of Babylon my Servant, Namely, as employed by God in that work, which he used him for. There's not the worst men that are but in a sense, they may be God's Servants, so far forth as he does make use of them for the accomplishment of those Gracious ends, which he designs to himself, God improves many men's parts and power, and wisdom, and interest, and estates beyond the thoughts of their own minds; and so they are Servants to God in the matter, and substance of their Employment. But this was not that which served David, neither should it serve any of us. He was the Servant of God in another manner then so; and that is in the Gracious frame of his soul, which was brought in subjection to God and whereby he aimed at God's glory in the service of him, this was that which was David's temper and which was David's Honour, and in which sense he might well say of himself, as he sometimes does; O Lord, truly I am thy Servant, I am thy Servant, etc. Psal. 116.16, David, He was God's Servant in the Thing itself. And Secondly, God owns him in it, 2. In the Appellation. and so denominates him for the Appellation; My Servant David. Thus God delights still to speak of Useful, Persons, Abraham my Servant, and Jacob my Servant, and Moses my Servant, God speaks of them as takeing a great deal of Pleasure in their relation to him: He is not ashamed to be called their God, nor that they should be called his Servants. Yea, and that also even under some defects, and infirmities, and imperfections, As David here, he had sometime his miscarriages, yet truly repenting, and turning to God, and becoming a Newman, God owns him for his integrity, and uprightness of heart, and reformed conversation; My Servant still, still my Servant, My Servant David, so much for that. Now for the Argument itself, which is here used, The Argument itself. For my servant David's sake, God joins David with himself as an argument for his goodness to his people; why for David's sake? Namely, for his Covenant with David, and so it refers to that which we spoke of before, concerning his Truth, Thus Psal. 132.11. The Lord hath sworn in truth to DAVID, he will not turn from it. We might here at large take notice of the Benefit, which Posterity partake of from their Godly and Faithful Predecessors; even then, when they are dead and deceased, DAVID was now gone, and in his grave many years since, yet this people they far the better for his sake; not for his present Intercessions (as the Papists would feign enforce it) but for his peculiar Interest and relation, and the COVENANT which was formerly made with him; Jerusalem shall now be kept, and preserved for David's sake, And so it is still from time to time. The just man walks in his integrity, his children are blest after him, After him, Yea, and for him, and in reference to him. God will show mercy unto thousands, of them that fear him, even unto the Third and Fourth Generation. But this mention here of David in the Text hath somewhat a further reach in it, The Spiritual since. then as yet we have spoken unto; and that is as it points out Christ, of whom David was no more than a Type. And so it shows us the true, and proper conveyance of all Good, and comfort to the Church. In these two expressions before us: For mine own sake; and for my servant David's sake; we have two main Principles of faith exhibited to us; The one is the Spring, and Fountain of our mercies: The other is, the Conduit-pipe, and derivation. The Spring, and Fountain, that's the free grace, and goodness of God; He does it for his own sake. The Dirivation, or conveyance that's the mediation of Jesus Christ, He does if for his servant David's sake. The Sum of all is this; That all the Good, which Believers do partake off from the hands of God, The Sum. it comes to them in the way of the New Covenant, which is founded in Christ; Who hath the Throne of David his Father given unto him, Luke 1, 32. And who sits upon this Throne and Kingdom to order it, and to establish it for ever, Isa. 9.6.7. Christ, who was figured by David and descended from him according to the Flesh, he hath changed David's temporal Kingdom into an everlasting, and spiritual one; And for his sake will the Lord in this sense defend Jerusalem to save it, that is, keep and preserve his true Church from all the Adversaries, and Enemies of it. In his days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely, and this is the Name wherewith he shall be called The LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, Jer. 23.6. and 33.16. Here's the great safety, and security of the Church of God, The Safety of the Church. that it stands upon a Covenant made with the Son of God. God cannot break with Christ, in whom all his promises are made yea, and amen, and therefore he cannot forbear to protect, and to defend the Church. Therefore the Gates of Hell shall not be able to prevail against it. Sennacherib, and Rabshakeh, and all the host of the Assyrians, they shall not be able to fight against this City, so, as to overcome it; that is, Satan, and all his instruments, they shall never be able to overthrow it. God will put his Hook into their noses, and his Bridle into their lips, and turn them back by the way, in which they came. He hath sent Redemption to his people: He hath commanded his COVENANT for ever. Holy, and Reverend is his Name, Psal. 111.9. This is matter of Consolation not only to the Church in General, and at large, The Comfort of the Church. but likewise to every true believer, who is a part, and member of it; For upon the same terms as God defends this City itself, he does likewise defend every Citizen of it. Every good Christian may assure himself of preservation from all his Enemies from this Covenant, which God hath made with Christ, but I cannot now insist upon this. That's the Second motive or argument for Gods defending this City to save it. Namely, which is taken from his servant, For my servant David's sake. I shall have quickly done with the Text, when I have taken notice of one thing more, and then proceed to Application. And that is the manner, or way in which the Lord did accomplish this promise, The manner of the Church's preservation. which he here makes for the defence of this City. This will appear to us out of the Context in the following verse. Then the Angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the Camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore, and five thousand. The Salvation of the Church, it is procured by the Ruin of the Enemy. The destruction of the Assyrians it is the Preservation of the People of God. These two are like a pair of Bucketts, or Balances; when the one goes up, the other goes down. The Reason of it is this; The Reason. Because they are of Contrary interests, and consist of contrary Principles, which cannot Cohaere, or hold together. They are like fire and water, which do mutually take away each other. The seed of the Woman, and the seed of the Serpent are opposites. This is a point of very great Terror to the Church's Enemies, 1. Terror to the Enemies. and shows their ruin to be unavoidable. If the people of God cannot be saved unless their Adversaries be destroyed, than their Adversaries destruction is necessary, because their own salvation is infallible. Look upon what terms, the Church stands for safety, upon the same do the Enemies for undoeing. If it be asked, why it pleases the Lord to take such a Course as this is. We answer, First for his own sake, and the greater manifestation of his Power, and dominion in the world; God could (if he had so pleased) have defeated Ashur, and yet not have destroyed them, hindered them from hurting Jerusalem, and yet not have hurt themselves; yea but then this had not been so much for the advancement of his Power; which God delighted to manifest towards them, as he did with Pharaoh. He would show his Power in him, Rom 9.17. Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the Heathen: I will be exalted in the Earth, Psal. 46.10. Secondly, for the comfort of his people. in their security, and greater satisfaction. 2. Comfort to God's People. If God had driven the Assyrians back, and kept them still alive, Jerusalem might still have been ●om what anxious, and solicitous about it, as thinking that they might haply recruit, and recover themselves again; now whiles they see them dead and destroyed before their eyes, here this solicitude is taken off from them, and they are now sensibly assured of this promise, which God made unto them; that he would defend them to save them. Now in that it is here further said: The Instrument That this was done by the Angel of the Lord; it teaches us how these Glorious Spirits are ministering to the salvation of the Church, Psal. 78.49. and active in the preservation of it. Look, as sometimes they are instruments of God's Corrections. He sent evil Angels amongst them. not evil in regard of their Nature, and in reference to sin, but evil in regard of their Effects, and in reference to punishment, so are they also instruments of God's preservation; both in the sheathing the sword, and in drawing it: In sheathing it as to the sparing of Jerusalem in David's time. In drawing it as to the defending of Jerusalem now in the Time of Hezekiah. 2 Sam, 24.16. So much may be spoken of that. And so much also of the Text itself. And now for the Application of the Text to the present Occasion. THat which hath been hitherto said, The Application of the Text to the Occasion. in that by way of promise, the same is made good in this by way of accomplishment. And that which was true of Jerusalem, it is abundantly true of London in all particulars. The Lord hath defended this City to save it, for his own sake, etc. Defending and saving (as I told you) is a large word & of indefinite signification, and truly we have found it so for ourselves in the full latitude of it. There's no evil which any City could be well defended and saved from, but we have had our share and interest in that Salvation. we'll begin with that which is next at hand, Preservation. and in the scope of the Text, the evils and calamities of War, How hath the Lord saved us, and defended us from these! From War. Indeed we have heard of such a thing as this is, we have had the Rumours of War, amongst us but we never yet felt the smart of it, as other parts of the Nation have done; we have had the Alarm, but we never yet came to the Encounter, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Matth. 24.6. no compassing of our walls, no battering of our Forts, no plundering of our houses, no demolishing of our Temples no slaying of our Wives and Children before our eyes, nor carrying of ourselves as Captives into another Country; when almost all the Land besides as it were upon a light flame, Dan. 3.27. Not an hair of our head singed, nor our our coats changed, nor the smell of fire passing upon us. And as through the goodness of God we have been prevented from foreign invasions, so likewise, from domestic combustions, and tumults amongst ourselves. No breaking in, Psal. 144.4 nor going our nor complaining in our streets. It is a thing wonderful to consider, how in such a Populous City as this is, wherein there are such multitudes of Persons, and withal such varieties of Interests, and difference, and contrariety of affections, yet not withstanding there should be so much outward agreement, and correspondency and external compliance, as is easy to be observed; Where again almost in all the world can a man walk with so much safety at all times and hours of the night, without fear, or molestation, as he may do in the City of London, or where may he stay in his House with so much security! War, It does not usually go alone, but for the most part hath other evils, and calamities attending upon it. The Scripture points out two especially, The Famine and the Pestilence; as in that eminent place of the Prophet, Ezek. 7.15. The sword is without, and the Pestilence and the Famine within. He that is in the Field shall die with the sword, and he that's in the City, Famine and Pestilence shall devour him. This hath been the case of others, But this case hath not been ours, we have not known what Famine meant nor Pestilence neither. For Famine, From Famine. though it is true it hath been an usual consequent of War, and of Civil war, more especially, yet it hath been so with us here in this Land, nor so consequently here in this City, nay we have been so far from being troubled with Famine, as that some of us (the more shame for us) we have rather been troubled at Plenty, and almost hungered for Famine itself, so great hath been the abundance of Food and Provision amongst us, which God hath bestowed upon us. Yea, and that in such Circumstances to, as wherein the Contrary might rather have been expected, we have had years of Drought, and yet not years of Dearth; wanted Water, and yet not wanted Bread. And for the Pestilence, From Pestilence. which is the business that we do more particularly take notice of this day, in this our solemn meeting, we have cause to take notice of it indeed, as little less than a miracle itself, our preservation from it; especially so long together as we have been without it in these latter years, whiles other Countries and Nations about us have been so sorely visited with it. Especially if we shall also further add the forerunners, and prognostications which we have had of it in inferior diseases, as smallpox measles and the like, yet not leaving this other in their room as they are usually observed to do, but so kindly parting with us, like the thaw of some great frost without a rain following upon it. That we should have so much Health in so much Company; the number of Houses and Inhabitants increased unmeasurably; The number of the Dead not increased, but rather diminished; Take but this last week for an instance, wherein the sum of all the buryals within the City and Suburbs and Libertyes, and out-Parishes of it doth not come up to the number of two hundred in the whole account. Add to this (which is added in the occasion) our late remarkable preservations from Fire, From Fire. which for some time we had been afflicted withal, Tower-street. we know how many sad and fearful accidents of this kind did for a while happen unto us in sundry eminent and seattered places of the City, Thread needle-street, Fleetstreet. Bermondsey-street. etc. which in a sort was become another Taberah, to us, Numb. 11.2. God hath graciously quenched and extenguish these flames amongst us, and he hath done it also as a return of Prayer; as he did there with his people of Israel, in v. 2. of that Chapter, It is not a mere co-incidence, but a relative providence, & so we are to take it; Faith, whereof Prayer is the flame, it hath quenched the violence of fire, Heb. 11.34. And we are to bless God for his acceptance of it. That we have neither the fire in our Bon●s, in burning and inflaming distempers, nor yet the fire in our Houses in those terrible and lamentable Conflagrations, neither the Dever, nor the resheph; The Pestilence which goes before him, nor the burning coals which go forth at his feet, as Officers, and Attendants upon him, both before and behind, Habback. 3.5. But that each of these have been kept off from us, and restrained from their violence amongst us, what does this but declare Gods special care and tenderness over us, for the defence and preservation of us? And how much does it concern you all to consider it and to lay it to heart, and to be affected with it! ye go into the Country, and ye find your houses and families safe there; ye come back again to the City, and ye find your houses and families safe here; ye change your Places, but ye do not change your Protection, nor your condition with them. And this ye do also in a Variety, and succession of Time, Psal. 65.12. Summer after Winter, and Winter after Summer, and one year after another; God Crowns your years with his Goodness, and his paths drop fatness to you, I say it is God that does it and he exclusively; By God alone- it is as true of us, as ever it was of Jerusalem, He that is our God, is the God of our salvation, and to God the Lord belong the issues from Death, Ps. 68.20. But what is that which hath moved him, & persuaded him and encouraged him hereunto all this while, Perhaps it hath been somewhat in us, who have deserved as much at his hands. It may be it hath been our strictness and exactness of conversation before him; Our care of his worship, our Vindication of his Truth, our observation of his Sabbaths, our Honour of his Ordinances, our respect to his Servants our love of his Children, Perchance it hath been our charity, our humility, our sobriety, our integrity, our zeal, etc. Which hath so far taken with him, and prevailed upon him, Surely, it is because he hath not spied in us those errors, nor lusts, nor filthiness; nor horrible abominations; which He hath seen, and beheld in some other places and times; Esay. 1.9. Oh Beloved! should the Lord but have gone by this Rule, I fear this City had been in its ashes long before now, We had been as Sodom and had been made like unto Gomorrah. Not but that God has a Number, not a small but a very great remnant of those that truly fear him amongst us, Act. 18.29. He hath much people in this City. But if we speak of the common frame of men's spirits, and tenor of their lives, For his own sake. we shall find it to be for otherwise, in somuch that the safety which we enjoy, must be resolved into the Freegrace and goodness of God towards us; He hath defended us and saved us for his own sake, as the proper Ground and Motive to it. And yet I must also add, For his Servant David's sake. as himself does here in the Text, For his servant David's sake; too we enjoy the Benefit of the graces of the Godly Martyrs, and other holy Persons, our Fore Fathers in former ages who by their Prayers and votes for us, whiles they were here alive did reserve a special Blessing for us in these succeeding times; As we are not the worse neither for the faithful Servants of God, which at this day reside amongst us, and are mingled with us, who both keep of many judgements from us, which we otherwise deserve, and secure many mercies to us, which we might otherwise lose. Now what is the result of all this to ourselves? Namely, that which is the proper work and business of our coming together, even to labour to get our hearts enlarged in thankfulness to God for it, It is a work well becoming the Representative body of the City, as ye are now met together this day, and wherein ye have very happily consulted the welfare of it, & of yourselves, God expects such acts as these from us, answerable to his goodness to us, especially upon our intreatyes of him; Forasmuch as we had humbled ourselves before God, for the vouchsafing of these mercies to us (as sometimes we had done) we cannot in all reason but return our acknowledgements to him for the bestowing of them Every day of humiliation, whensoever it obtains its effect hath a day of thanksgiving in course and of right belonging unto it. They that seek the Lord must praise him, Psal. 22.26. Among many other matters besides as I have already mentioned which you have not excluded, there are two which ye have especially intended, The preservation of the City from Fire, and the preservation of it from sickness, and principally those contagious diseases, which have raged in other places of the world; and it is a very good course which is here taken by you, in the serious improvement of it for the preventing of such judgements from yourselves by thankfulness and humble deprecation, as the Captain of fifty, to Elijah, in 2 King. 1.13. This is that which we are to do at this time; and that not for a day only, but all our lives. There's no such thankfulness as reformation, and and amendment of life. 1 Sam 15.22 To obey is better than to sacrifice; and to hearken then the fat of Rams. 1 King, 8.28. Alas Beloved, what will it avail us, Esay. 9.18. to be freed from the plague of the Body, and to be infected with the plague of the Heart? or to be freed from the firing of our Houses, and to be inflamed with the fire of lust? of wrath, of contention, of revenge, of wickedness, which burns as a fire? Scornful Persons (as all ungodly men are both actively, Pro. 29.8. and passively) they set a City on fire, as Solomon tells us, But wise men, that is, those which are Gracious and Faithful, they turn away wrath. This let us be careful to do. That so as God hath delivered us formerly, so he may please to deliver us still; and may say to us in the words of the Text in the future expression; I will defend this City to save it, That is; I will continually defend it, from fire, and sword, and pestilence and such evils as those are. Yea, let us answer this goodness of God to us in a suitable and proportionable Improvement, Here are now two great mercies together, which we now celebrate, The one, that our Houses are not burnt down. And the other, that our Houses are not shut up, Now each of these calls for answerable carriage and conversation, on our behalf, How should this now engage us to make our Houses and Families to be the receptacles and habitations of Holiness, and to devote them to his worship and service; that as they stand, so they may stand for Him, and his Spirit to dwell and reside in. And so for our preservation from Pestilence, and such like distempers, what an engagement is this to us to fruitfulness of society and communion one with another! To the frequenting of the public Assemblies: and congregations of the people of God, We need not now to be afraid of the breath one of another or of coming into one another's company, which people in such times and cases and conditions are wont to be. But yet withal, whiles we are thankful for deliverances, it concerns us to tremble at judgements The experiences of Italy and of Rome, especially which is mystical Babylon the mother of Harlots, and Abominations of the earth; partake not in her sins, that so we may not partake in her plagues. The sins of Italy in England, Revel. 17.5. Revel. 18.4. are worse than in their proper place; by how much our profession is better, and our Religion purer, and our Engagements more. Therefore let us renew our Covenants with God this day, and labour to be every way answerable to his providences towards us; seeing He hath defended us, let us also defend him in his Truth, and worship and Servants. And seeing it is God alone that can defend us, that is, defend us to save us, let us hid ourselves all we can under his shelter, and wings, etc. We are now in the turn & revolution of another year, which we know not what it may bring forth; Oh but if we can get but a share and portion in God, we shall be provided against all occurrences whatsoever they may be. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty; He shall say unto the Lord, he is my Refuge, my God in him will I trust. Psal. 91.1, 2. There are two things which lies upon us in this particular, to be pursued by us. The one is Interest in God. And the other is Communion with him. The former as a foundation to the latter. And the latter as a Perfection of the former. First, Accquaintance and Interest in God through Jesus Christ, Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace, Job 22.21. There is nothing more miserable in times of public danger or calamity, then for a man to be a stranger to God, and un-acquainted with him; It is sad and ill at any time, but it is then so more especially; that so we may by all means take heed of being guilty of it. Remember, that it is for David's sake, take this City is defended and saved; therefore those who have no portion in this David, they can expect none of this defence. Christ will own none but his Members, in the day of his wrath, and them He will be sure to own, one way or other. Then happy are all they that put their Trust in him. Lord I am thine, save me, that's the best plea of all. Psal. 119.94. Secondly, as Interest in God, so likewise actual Communion with him, let us preserve that also. As there should not be in us a strangeness of condition so neither a strangeness of Spirit, or conversation in such times as these are, but we should still be careful to keep up our hearts in a blessed and constant frame of recourse unto him; that so, what ever may befall us, it may be sure to go well with us; which is the difference betwixt the children of God, and other men; As for other People; Carnal, and worldly persons, they are well in times of Freedom, and security, when there's no plague, or judgement stirring abroad, than they can make a shift to do as well as any men else, and as they think better too; yea but how is it with them in times of Trouble, and sadness indeed? Here they are all amort, and know not which way to turn themselves: as those which swagger most in a Calm, in a Storm are at their wit's end; so is it with such kind of men. Eut I know it shall be well with them that fear the Lord, that fear before him, as the Preacher tells us, Eccles. 8.12. This is the Excellency of a Christian especially living in the Power of Christianity, that he can in some manner hold up even in bad times, and in bad conditions. He can be safe in the midst of evils, and calamities themselves: safe, not only from them, but in them, yea and under them too, as it may be with him. The servants of God have this privilege, that those things, which are evil in themselves, yet they are not evil to them, as having all Estates sanctified to them through Christ. That which is a Plague in the nature of the Disease, and the Physical consideration of it, yet it is not a plague to them, in regard to Gods ordering it to them, as having the Spiritual venom and malignity taken out of it for them; and so for any thing else besides; A Christian has learned to commend all he has or is to the wise and holy providence of a gracious God; His Times are in God's hands, and so he is not in thraldom to sickness: and his Estates in God's hands, and so he is not under the power of Fire, or wind, or water, or malice, or any other casualty whatsoever; There's nothing can absolutely hurt him, because he is Good, and right himself. But I cannot press these things at this time. To return to that which we spoke of before, The Conclusion. and which this performance calls us to, and so to conclude. Let us be much in the thoughts and meditation of God's goodness to us, whether in our own particular persons, in the mercies, which we have received there, or in the General state of the City, in the mercies, which we have received in common, and together with that; Both of them are to be considered by us, and both very suitable to this work of our Public Thanksgiving. Look as in a day of public Humiliation, we are to be humbled, not only for Nationall, but for Personal sins: So also in a day of Public Thanksgiving, we are to remember not only our Nationall, but Personal mercies; especially as our particular Persons have any thing more sh●red in those mercies as we have some of us done; In the recovery and continuance of our Health; In the increase, and preservation of our Estates; In the freedom, and deliverance from Enemies, or whatever else we can name, or think of. Look how far any do more partake in mercy, so should they more partake in Thanksgiving. The Observation of Public mercies should occasion in us private Reflections; And the reflecting upon private mercies, should more quicken us in public acknowledgements. But this is our great misery, that we are for the most part but defective in either. We are so busy commonly in the enjoyment of mercies, that we have no leisure to be thankful for them. Though the Lord doth exceedingly abound in the manifestation of his Goodness to us in all respects, in our health, in our plenty, in our safety, and miraculous preservation: And above all in the continuance of his Gospel, and Ordinances, and soul opportunities amongst us; yet truly for the General we are very little sensible of them, or affected with them, or thankful under them; even those who if they should lose them, would soon miss them. What do I speak of Thankfulness; when we have much ado to keep ourselves from murmuring and repining at God's deal with us. The Lord had never an heavier hand in his Contestations with backsliding Israel, than he hath with many amongst ourselves. Well, Let us here be seasonably awakened from this present Occasion before us, to lay these things more to Heart, than ever yet we have done. Oh it should make us to love and serve this God so much the more, who has done so much for us; that so he may still take pleasure in us, and delight to dwell amongst us for Good: To bless us in our Persons, in our employments, in our estates, in our Families, and in all our Relations: And may defend this City to save it for his own sake, and for his servant David's sake, that is, for his son Jesus Christ's sake to all following, and succeeding Generations even to the end of the world. Amen, Amen! FINIS