IMPRIMATUR.  
Hen. Maurice Reverend. Willielm. Cant. Archiepisc. a Sacris.   

ERRATA.  
PAg. 11. l. 23. for imparable, r. incomparable, p. 13. l. 22. f. Monarch, r. Monarchy. p. 24. l. 5. f. the, r. their.   

A SERMON Preached at WEST MINSTER-ABBEY On the 26th. of July, 1685. BEING THE THANKSGIVING-DAY FOR HIS Majesty's VICTORY OVERDO THE REBELS  
By Edward Pelling, Chaplain to his Grace the Duke of Somerset.  
Printed at the Earnest desire of some Friends.  
LONDON, Printed for Samuel Keble at the Turks-Head in Fleetstreet over against Fetter Lane, and Walter Davis in Amen Corner, 1685.   

A SERMON PREACHED AT WESTMINSTER-ABBEY On the 26th. of July, 1685. BEING THE THANKSGIVINGDAY, etc.  Psal 124. 6. Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a Prey to their Teeth. 
THE good Providence of God over the Sacred Persons, and the just Government of Princes, in preserving both from the most malicious designs of so many restless and sanguinary Spirits, is one of the most stupendious Works of God's Omnipotence that ever he hath showed since the last day of the Creation. A Miracle, which was the common subject of King David's thankful Meditations, up and down throughout his whole Book of Psalms, and particularly in This Psalm; where after a most humble manner, he doth adore the infinite Mercy and Power of God, for delivering Him and his Subjects from the threatening dangers of a fresh Insurrection. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say: If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men risen up against us; they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us: Then the Waters had over whelmed us, the stream had gone over our Soul: The proud Waters had gone even over our Soul: When the Insurrection was so formidable, when the malice of wicked men was so outrageous, when their appetites were not to be satisfied but with streams of Blood; when Ruin was breaking in upon the whole Land like a mighty Torrent; when, without the immediate help of God, nothing could be expected, but utter Desolation; when the danger was so imminent, and seemingly so inevitable, that those men of violence thought themselves as sure as if the prey they sought after were already in the Gin; Then was the time for God to lay to his Hand, to make bare his Arm, and to gain himself Honour by rescuing Innocence from the Pit, as it lay at the Brink, ready to drop into the Depth of Destruction.  
This Psalm was David's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Eucharistical Sacrifice of Jonah, after he had been delivered from the belly of the Whale. And that I may not spend my time in a curious, but unnecessary division of the Text, let us fall directly; first upon the consideration of David's deliverance, which was the ground of his thankfulness, and the purport of the Psalm; and so proceed in the second place, to the consideration of our own deliverance, which is the reason of Our thankfulness, and the business of the Day.  
1. As to that deliverance for which David here blest God, indeed Divines cannot find out any one certain Aera, or point of time, where to fix it. But if I may have leave to conjecture, I conceive, that David spoke here in reference to those his Signal Victories over some Domestic Conspirators, whereof we find a most devout and grateful Commemoration in 2 Sam. 22. For several of the same expressions we meet with there, which we find in this Psalm. There he spoke, as he did Here, of the Waves of Death, of the Floods of ungodly Men, of many Waters, of Snares, of them that risen up against Him, and the like. Now it is evident, that in that place the King of Israel had in his mind, not only the former downfall of Saul, but chief the late Victories which God had given him over two formidable Traitors; the one a discontented, yet an Ordinary Subject, the other a Darling, but a graceless Son. Let us look a little, I beseech you, into the Story of both.  
The discontented Subject I speak of, was that considerable man, Sheba: Sheba the Son of Bichri, as he is called eight times together in one Chapter. The Scripture seems to set a mark of infamy upon his Father, as well as on Himself.  the Traitor is named, 'tis always Sheba the Sonof Bichri, as if he were an Hereditary Rebel. Now David's deliverance, out of the Hands of this Man of Belial, was a Work of God's wonderful Providence. For, though this Rebellion was not so near David's Doors as the other was, yet David mistrusted this Son of Bichri would do him more harm, than had been done him hitherto, 2 Sam. 20. 6. For the wretch was haughty and enraged: His party was very numerous; yet not more numerous, than they were perfidious and disloyal: Men that had set up for their King one of saul's Family, while the House of Judah followed David: Men that consented to the King's Restauration upon mere necessity, and yet would have gone away with the Honour of it: Men that had great expectations from David, and because they could not get their Ends, and obtain the Government of him, took up presently a mortal grudge against him, as if they had no part, no inheritance in the Son of Jesse (as they spoke by way of contempt) and so the Alarm was instantly taken by them all, Every man to his Tents, O Israel. This was Sheba, and these were his Associates; a desperate Leader of a very terrible Defection; nothing being more dangerous to any Prince, than the united malice of Rebellious Spirits, that submit, not for Conscience sake, but either upon Constraint, or for their Interest only.  
Yet how soon did the hand of God break that dark and threatening Cloud which now covered the greatest part of David's Kingdom? Joab indeed pursued the Rebel from place to place; and at last hemmed him in. But the Victory was from Heaven; without any battle in the Field, without the personal valour of Joab, without the loss of any of Joabs' Forces was this deliverance wrought: by the contrivance of a woman was Sheba's Head taken off, and cast over the Wall; by one of the weaker Vessels was the main thing done, that the Excellency of the Power might be of God, and not of man; that I may allude to the expression, 2 Cor. 4. 7.  
But there was a Greater deliverance than this, which I doubt not, but David particularly thought of, when he penned this Psalm: A deliverance from a Conspiracy, that might have swallowed up the King, and all the people that were with him, as 'tis said of that Conspiracy, 2 Sam. 17. 16. the very same expression, as is used at the 3d. Verse of this Psalm: A Conspiracy that was not only near David's Threshold, but went to his very Heart too, the Conspiracy of his Son Absalon. His bloody Son Absalon, that formerly had been guilty of shameful Murder. His Ambitious Son Absalon, whom none of those Preferments could Content, which would have contented Sheba; nothing would satisfy him but the Crown. His ungrateful Son Absalon, that so basely rewarded him for his Long after him, when he fled from his presence to Geshur, and for his Pardon, for his Kisses upon his Return, and upon that his most solemn, though artificial submission at his Father's Feet. His perfidious Son Absalon, that no sooner went out of his Father's Court, but ran to the Gates to steal away the hearts of his Father's Subjects with such mean addresses to the Populace, O that I were made Judge (meaning, King) in the Land. His hypocritical Son Absalon, that pretending a desire to perform his Vow, declared for the Throne, and under colour of Religion raised an open and barefaced Rebellion This was such a dreadful Conspiracy, as made David himself, though a man of such Prowess and Conduct, presently to flee for his Life. For so it was that Absalon, what with the gracefulness and beauty of his Person, what with his Popularity, and what with other sinister and sordid Artifices, had insinuated himself strangely into people's Affections; the hearts of the men of Israel were after him, saith the Scripture; so that the Conspiracy was strong; the business was laid very broad, for the People increased continually with Absalon, though at the First he was but two hundred Men strong, as we read, 2 Sam. 15. Had not the hand of God, which commands the Seas, governed and overruled this design, the King had been utterly undone, and all his Loyal Subjects that clavae to him: Such a violent agitation were disaffected People in then, that they were ready to flow to him from all Quarters, like the meeting and inundation of many Rivers to make a Deluge.  
But that which made this Conspiracy the more terrible, was this, that Achitophel was in the head of it. Achitophel, that had served to corrupt and debauch the young man, Absalon, and had ministered to his Lusts. Achitophel, that False and Treacherous Villain, that had been one of David's Counsellors; nay, the Precedent of his Council, as 'tis plainly intimated, 1 Chron. 37. 34. Achitophel, that dexterous man at wickedness; such a cunning and crafty Politician, that he was looked upon as infallible, as an Oracle. Achitophel, that was so maliciously set against the King, that nothing would satisfy him, but the Assassination of his Person. Achitophel, that hardened Traitor, and cursed Reprobate, that when his Counsel and Bloody endeavours would not take, fled for it presently, and through anguish and vexation hanged himself: (A sad End indeed, for any Rebel to be his own Executioner, though in some cases 'tis pity that an Achitophel, an inveterate, and advising Rebel should ever die in his Bed.)  
When the highest Treason was form by such working heads, when 'twas conducted by such Politic Counsels, when 'twas Executed by such desperate Instruments, when it prospered on a sudden by such successful stratagems nothing could be expected, but the King's inevitable ruin, had not the hand of God been more concerned in the cause, than the hand of Joab.  
Herein was manifested the great power of God, that notwithstanding all these Arts, Enterprises, and desired Events of wickedness, the whole frame of the Conspiracy was dashed down in a moment, the King was delivered, Peace was restored, the whole Nation was freed from commotions and dangers; and all this, by the unexpected and surprising death of Absalon, who, as God, would have it, was caught in a Wood; and hung by his Locks upon a Tree; to show the World what a Reward all they deserve, that take up Arms, and Rebel against their Lawful Prince.  
2. You have now seen some of David's deliverances; I mean his deliverances from Homebred dangers, from Enemies that were in his own Country, in his own Bosom; which, as I conceive, David had an immediate eye upon in this Psalm, where he blest the God of his Salvation, that he and his people were not delivered as a Prey unto their Teeth.  
To proceed in the next place, to the consideration of our own deliverances, which is the necessary subject of our Meditations this day. I know not any deliverances, that can come nearer (perhaps not so near) to those of David, either for the Quality, or for the Circumstances of them, than those wonderful deliverances from so many Sheba's and Achitophel's, which God hath from time to time wrought for this Nation: Perhaps no Age, no State, no History can show the Like instances of his good Providence; so unwearied hath his Goodness been to our Princes, as if he had entailed his Mercy upon Them, as he did upon David, and upon his seed for evermore. 'Tis true (a most sad and shameful Truth, God knows) such was the monstrous impiety of the Last Age, that it afforded one unpresidented, unparallelled instance of God's wrath, when that imparable Monarch, the Glory of our Reformation, and the Honour of the World, was forced to bow his head down, and to fall a Sacrifice to the Lusts of the most barbarous Villains, as if God had forsaken him. Yet I cannot tell, but that God, who draweth Good many times out of the greatest Evil, did in that terrible juncture design to show men the excessive sinfulness of their Follies, in throwing away a Felicity, always to be reflected on, but hardly ever to be recovered to the Worlds End. However, that some Compensation might be made for that superlative (and otherwise irreparable) loss, by the due succession, and after Greatness of his Posterity, God hath multiplied those temporal Glories upon the Sons, which he took from the Father, and gave him a Blessed Eternity in Exchange for. And to let the World see, that resistance is criminal even when 'tis prosperous, and to punish Rebellion in a second Age, tho' it escaped in the First, God hath delivered the two Royal Brothers from six troubles and seven, though Sheba and Absalon, with their wicked Confederates, joined hand in hand to Execute a Conspiracy, which had been long a forming by the Serpentine subtlety of a twining and party coloured Achitophel.  
This Deliverance was manifestly the work God. For first our dangers were so immense, and yet so close and privy, that it both passed the sagacity, and exceeded the reach of humane Force to prevent them; and nothing could deliver us from them, but the Power and Wisdom of Almighty God. What were the Conspirators, but the most daring and desperate Villains? Men of the most desperate Principles, ready and disposed for the most desperate undertake; and either so laden with the guilt of former Crimes, or so linked together in the Communion of New ones, that nothing less could be expected, than the utmost of those mischiefs which are always acted by men of the most desperate Fortunes? And what was the Conspiracy itself, but a long studied, and now ripe Design, to draw in upon us a whole Deluge of Blood, to overwhelm Prince and People, with final slaughter, to destroy the very Name, as well as to stifle all further efforts of Loyalty, to bury our Monarch beyond all hopes of a Resurrection, to engulf the Church in an eternal Chaos, so that you should hardly have seen the very Ruins of it, to dash down at once the whole frame of the present Government, and to leave it to Time, and Fortune, and the Decision of the Sword, what other Model should be set up? And what would have been at the end of all this, but Irreligion and Atheism, accompanied with the most dismal Confusions, and a perpetual War, till by weak'ning and killing one another, each Party must have given a Foreign Power the fairest opportunity of Invading and Captivating all. Nothing could destroy such a bulky, such a barbarous Design, but the Arm of God, whose extroardinary providence is then wont visibly to interpose, when dangers are so Immense; so Imminent, and otherwise Inevitable. And the Truth is, the Conspiracy was too great to prosper, too excessively monstrous to give any but Atheists promises of success; the Mercy of God being such, that amidst all our Corrections, he hath still kept us from Ruin, and has always saved us from the Axe, though we have been often delivered most deservedly to the Rod.  
2. Again; the Conspiracy was laid so very broad (as one of the Criminals himself confessed) that there is little reason to doubt, but that innumerable numbers of disaffected men in all parts of this great Island, divers of the most Potent, many the most Active, all the most Violent of the Faction, were more or less actually engaged to carry the Design on; so that had not that good God wonderfully interposed, who commands the hearts, and stilleth the madness of the people, by his own secret, and unaccountable, but yet overruling and efficacious power, in all humane probability no way could have been left for innocence to escape. And when the Rebellion was now begun by the most Forward of the party, that gave the Alarm to the rest, who only waited for an invitation; to distract the whole Kingdom, Sheba had so posted himself in one part of it, and Absalon in another, that all such whose hearts were after both, had their choice given them of repairing unto either, had not God restrained and dampt their spirits, and made even resolute men, Cowards. This we must needs ascribe to the particular providence of God; especially if we do consider, that those ordinary Forces throughout the Nation, on which we confided for the kerbing and suppressing of Rebels, were, (for the most part) what through cowardice, what through perfidiousness, and what through both, much prepared, and much more desirous themselves to turn Fugitives.  
Not but that God permitted the Feceses of the people to gather together into a considerable (nay, I must call it, because we once thought it, a formidable) body; for never is there an inundation without a great scum. But yet, such was the good Providence of God to us, that all this was, more for our Terror, then to our Injury: that by making us sensible of our Conquest, God might show us our danger; which had it not appeared at our Doors, might have made no more impression upon us, than a Dream in the Night.  
3. And in this, Thirdly, the Hand of God was most plainly seen, that after so many preparations on the one side, after so many terrors on the other, and after so many uncertainties on both, the Scales were turned so in a moment, that we no sooner heard of a Conflict, than we were sure of a Victory, and that in such a Nice and Critical juncture, that we might have thought ourselves happy, might have blest God for but a Drawn Battle; they that shall duly consider what a condition the King's affairs was in that Fatal Night, (for it was the most Fatal Nightwork that ever Absalon had in hand) how disproportionable his Majesty's Forces were in Number, how secure they were, like so many good Consciences at their Repose, how unexpectedly fire and Sword came against them, how silently he stole upon them like a Thief, whose design was to plunder a whole Kingdom; and yet how suddenly that desperate engagement ended, I do not say in a Victory, but in an utter defeat and overthrow of the whole Faction; they must needs look upon it as a Miraculous deliverance, and grant the providence of God to have been as visible then in the Preservation of the Crown, as it had been before in the Restauration of the Prince himself. Lord! how in a moment was that great work done which the Government had been labouring at for so many years, and yet unsuccessfully? How soon were all the Counsels of Achitophel turned into foolishness; and all the Arts and Machinations of his numerous Adherents brushed down all at once like a Cobweb, in the twinkling of an Eye? After so many designs against the Monarchy and the Church, which had been so Politicly, and so deeply laid; after so many close and Treasonable consultations that had been held; after such along trade of Perjuries, that to the wounding of their consciences, and to the scandal of Religion had been practised: after so much industry that had been used in lying, Libelling, and debauching the World with wicked Principles; after so much pains that had been taken in setting up Magistrates to overly and stifle the Laws; after so much villainous Hypocrisy, which profligate Souls had been guilty of even before the Altar of God; after so many correspondences that had been maintained thro'out these Kingdoms to hue down all the pillars thereof; after such a train of Arts, which they had been laying so many years to begin and carry on a Rebellion; after such a vast expense of time and Money; (Money like that which Judas received, that may cost even the Creditors their Necks) after all this, I say, and a great deal more, the whole controversy was ended as it were at a Blow, by a few men, by an hours push; and so, that those very methods which they used for the Ruin, have effectually served to the Establishment of the Throne; they have made our Prince (though against their own Wills) a glorious King indeed, and Us his faithful Subjects, an happy and safe People: And all, by the good Providence of our God, who for his Mercy sake governed and overruled even Midnight surprises, and in that critical and most dangerous juncture kept us All from being the prey to the fury, or cruelties of those abaddon's.  
4. And yet, Fourthly, the Providence of God did not stop here; but as his bare and outstretched Arm had now unexpectedly defeated those villainous Enterprises, so to Crown the Victory after a signal manner, his vengeance pursued and overtook the Men, even the most Principal Traitors, to deliver up those to the Law, who had escaped the Sword. This was a singular and very remarkable Work of God; because on this our future Peace and Felicity did depend: and to see how strangely God doth sometimes bring his great purposes to pass, this Last, this greatest Work was done after a most Providential manner, and by the meanest and most ordinary Instruments. For as that Sheba of the North was after a Month's Invasion, taken at last by three Servants, in the Water; so that Absalon of the West was after his Month's Invasion, or thereabout, caught also by three Men of the like Figure and Condition, and that like Absalon the First, in a Wood, among Brakes and Trees; and hereby God shown his just displeasure against All the Rebels both ways, by exposing the most honourable of them to Disgrace and Shame, as well as by bringing them to capital punishment. And thus by a Wonderful and an uninterrupted course of God's blessed providence, he hath in a very short time wrought one of the greatest Deliverances for us, and our Posterity; these having been (we hope) the Last Efforts of that wicked Cause, which for many years hath made such mischiefs in the World, but (God be blessed) was brought at length to its extreme Agonies, and is now Dead: Dead, and I hope Buried, till the day of Final Reckoning, when it's more valiant Patriots will rise up in judgement, and upbraid these for the less fortunate successes of their more Open and Notorious Wickednesses.  
That I have thus particularly observed the several steps of God's Providence in this case; is not only to express mine own deep and humble Sense of those manifold Mercies which never fail us; or to quicken the like Sense in you, and to excite the Endeavours of us all, to give due Testimonies and Expressions of the most Religious Hearts; of Hearts Penitent for those Sins which drew the point of the Sword upon us, and Thankful for our speedy and effectual Deliverance from it.  
Though these are Eucharistical acts, very suitable to the purport of this day; very necessary to be performed by us, for the infinite goodness of God to us, when we were in trouble: yet there are three other things, which I would by way of practical Inference draw out of this whole consideration; and methinks we are so plainly taught them by this our late Deliverance, as if God himself did purposely intent to direct us to these three things with his own Hand.  
1. That we carry in our minds a Fixed and Awful Remembrance of a Deity. Good God That ever Atheism should prevail in such a Land as this, where not only all Demonstrative Arguments have been used to prove a Being infinitely Wise, Just, and Good, to Preside over the World, but moreover where the Presence of God hath been so often, so long, and in all the vicissitudes and changes of this Sublunary World, so constantly seen and manifested, as if he had taken up his Abode with us, as if he had said of this Kingdom, as he did of Zion, Psal. 132. 14. This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein.  
And yet I may say truly, but to our great shame, that since the Creation of the Universe there never was such an Atheistical Generation, no not in the most dark, in the most distant, in the most infidel parts of the World, as this Nation hath groaned under of late years. And yet 'tis observable, though it be very strange, that none among us have pretended greater concernment for the Reformation, for the interest, for the security of our established Religion, than those who have bid open defiance to all Religion whatsoever. Men of the most Licentious Lives, of the most seared consciences, of the most profligate Reputation: Open Drunkards, professed Adulterers, Notorious Cheats, Forsworn Rebels, Impudent Liars, perfidious Hypocrites, and but the other day Scoffers at God, and at the very show of piety. 'Tis enough to move the meekest, the most patiented man on Earth to consider, what foreheads of steel and Adamant those impious Wretches have, that could take the confidence thus to gull and impose upon the World by a seeming zeal for Religion; and especially, that when they were now up in Arms for it, they should Ravish Virgins, commit Sacrilege, and drink the most villainous Healths in the Bowls of the Sanctuary, and even before the Altar of God: such a barbarous profanation, as Belshazzar himself would have dreaded amidst all his Concubines.  
'Tis no wonder that the righteous God did presently write Mene, Mene, upon the Plaster of the Walls, and made a very short Work with that Kingdom, which they thought to have had; for who could think, that such monstrous Impieties could prosper? And when God did on a sudden, and after such a Providential and Signal manner, blast the designs of those wicked men, he did not only vindicate his own Holiness, and gain himself Honour upon those sons of Belial that were Rebels against Himself, as well as against their Sovereign; but he did that too, which was enough to Convince even the Actors of those wickednesses, that verily there is a Reward for the Righteous, and that there is a God that Judgeth the Earth. In which respect God was so kind and good to those his Enemies too, that he made their very Punishments to Instruct them, and took a direct course to convince the Atheist by defeating, and plagging and delivering up the Trayter: I pray God, all such of them as yet survive may be throughly sensible of his Providence, and make a Christian use of it, while it is called to day; and that all such as have not God in their thoughts, may learn once to make him their Fear, by impartially considering the Exemplary fall of Absalon (if I have not done him too Great an Honour in calling him Absalon, whose  and mean spirit never argued him to be the son of a Prince.)  
2. As for those, in the Second place, who own and acknowledge a Deity, and yet are apt to stagger (as many among us of late have done) in their belief of the Divine Providence, as if our trusting in God were a thing of small value, as if we and our Religion were in a dangerous case, as if ordinary means would do us no good, and as if nothing but violent and indirect course could secure our Civil and Sacred Interests; in the Name of God let such men seriously reflect upon this our Late Deliverance, and thereby learn that excellent Wisdom, in all Cases and Circumstances, still to commit themselves to God in well doing.  
That which was the Ground (or, at least, the Pretence) for the late Rebellion, was this. Unreasonable Jealousy, which some weak men have entertained, that the Ark of God, which hath been (blessed be God) fixed in this Kingdom, hath been so Glorious since the Reformation, is now in a tottering, in a falling Condition, so that nothing but strong and Armed Hands can support it. This, you know, is the Common Plea, which Malcontents and Rebels use for their disobedience to, and resistance of the Lords Anointed. Now I am apt to believe, that in working this late marvellous Deliverance for us, one of God's good purposes was, to signify from Heaven, that as he hath been all along with our Fathers, so He is still with Us, that in all circumstances and junctures, he is able to take care of us, and that his good Providence shall not be wanting to us, if we be not wanting to our Duty, but adorn our Faith with sincere obedience to Himself and his Vicegerent, and so put our Trust and Confidence in him, as good and honest hearted Christians ought to do.  
Give me leave to deal plainly with you; for the condition of the Times requires plaindealing.  
It hath been generally believed, that a Prince, who is in the communion of another Church, must needs endeavour the alteration of the Established Religion, if it be different from his own. Men are ready to think it must necessarily be thus, and that it cannot possibly be otherwise. But this is a very great mistake: and to prove that it is so, I appeal to a most memorable story, that I perceive is not taken notice of, and yet the truth of it is acknowledged by one, that is well known to be of Republican Principles, and that a while ago wrote a very Seditious Book, to Subvert our Monarchy, and to reduce our Government to the Venetian form; I mean, the Author of Plato Redivivus. That very man tells us (pag. 207) that a few years since, a Duke of Hanover was reconciled to the Roman Church, and even went to Rome to abjure the Protestant Religion. Yet upon his return home, he lived and governed as he did before, without the least animosity of his Subjects for the change he had made, and without any endeavour of his to introduce any change in his Government or People, but reigned peaceably fourteen years, and then dying left the Established Government and Religion entire to his Brother, the Bishop of Osnaburg, who was a Protestant. Here now is plain experience and matter of Fact, which shows that 'tis very possible for a Prince to Reign very quietly and peaceably over a Church, that is of a different Faith in some things from his own. Consider this instance well: it may be a good means, by the blessing of God, to remove those in ordinate jealousies, which are so destructive both of the Kings and the People's peace, and which we should carefully stifle for that reason; especially since our Prince hath given us so many Solemn Assurances, and in all his actions hitherto hath given Real Demonstrations of his sincerity. A Prince, not of Absaloms' temper, unstable, fraudulent, false; but one of that True Honour and Greatness, that he never yet deceived any part of mankind, and I am persuaded never will; unless it be in one point; I mean as to their Fears: those indeed, he hath deceived already, and truly the World is bound with all Thankfulness to forgive him that.  
But I was speaking of the Providence of God and of casting ourselves upon it in all Circumstances and Conditions. And do but consider, I beseech you, what is it, but the Providence of God, that all Princes and people live by: And what is it, but that wonderful Providence which hath made our Prince and us to outlive these late dangers, which threatened us with no less, then utter and remediless Destruction? Here we have had fresh Experience of God's overruling Providence at Home, in a Deliverance, that may trouble an inquisitive Historian to find out its parallel; if you take it all together, and consider how black the Cloud over our Heads was, and how suddenly it increased from the bigness of a man's hand, and what Assurances so many Sons of Belial went upon, and how ready the hearts of vast multitudes more were to run to their assistance; and what Encouragements they would have had upon the least success, and how near that Success was; and yet how this great Complication of dangers was broken, dissipated, and utterly destroyed in a moment, in the turn of an hand, in the twinkling of an eye, as if God was making us a new world after the same manner he made this, when he only spoke the word, and it was done.  
What can there be more, to encourage us to an entire and constant dependence upon the good Providence of God? Especially, if we remember what David said, when he reflected upon that satisfaction and ease of mind which was the result of his Integrily, This I had, because I have kept thy Commandments, Psal. 119. 56. And this, perhaps, We have had too as the Reward of our integrity. For though we are far from ever owning the doctrine of Merits, yet 'tis not immodest to think, that God, who hath a Respect unto the Meek, Regard to the Lowly, and a Favour to all such as are true of heart, hath in this our late Deliverance showed some regard and favour to our Zeal in the late Times for true Allegiance, Justice, and Honesty, when others did not care what evil they did, as long as it tended unto good. Though for a good Conscience-sake we ran the greatest hazards, and were wrapped up in the greatest difficulties, and yet had but very little Encouragements before us, yet (blessed be God) we were mindful of our Duty, and Resolved to Live and Die by it, and acted like good Christians, though seemingly at all manner of disadvantage; and all this upon that firm trust and confidence we had in the Providence of our God. And now we see his Providence hath not failed us, nor have our hopes made us ashamed; but God hath marvellously done the blessed Work for us, and strangely restored us to a blessed condition, while his just judgements have been such upon the Enemies of our peace, that all those Arts and Methods which they employed for Our ruin, have after a most stupendious and unaccountable manner turned to their Own. I dare say, that if you trace over all those wicked practices which they have used for several years last past to undermine the Throne, to blow up the Church, to destroy and overthrow All; you will find that true, which David observed of such men in his days, that they are sunk down in the pit that they made; that in the Net, which they had hid, their own foot is taken; that they are caught in the devices which they themselves imagined for others, that they are fallen into the ditch, that they digged with their own hands; that their mischiefs are returned up-upon their own heads, and their violent deal come down upon their own Pates. Blessed be God that it is so; it is marvellous in our eyes.  
3. Lastly therefore, that I may conclude all by applying myself to such as hate the sins of Faction and unfaithfulness; let the consideration of this astonishing deliverance, strengthen our hopes and confidence still, that God will perfect that good work which he hath wrought in us. I was upright before God, saith David, upon the consideration of his deliverances, in Psalm 18. Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eye sight. With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright; With the pure, thou wilt show thyself pure, and with the froward thou wilt learn frowardness.  
The course of God's Providence is to go along with men in their own ways, to deal with them as they carry themselves towards that Rule of Life, which he hath laid before them; and to protect, or cast them out of his hands, according as their Trust, or their distrust is in his providence. Therefore if we do but unanimously apply our hearts carefully to observe his Will, and Act according to the Laws of honesty and Religion, we have no Reason to doubt, but God will not only preserve that established Government and Religion which are so dear to us, but will moreover fix and re-settle both upon such sure foundations, that we shall be once again the honour and envy of Christendom.  
As far as I have observed, the whole History of England doth not afford us an instance of God's providence that can come any thing near that account which relates to our present Sovereign and his Royal Brother and Predecessor of ever blessed Memory; unless it be that single story of King Alfred the Great. A Prince of that Learning, Wisdom, Clemency, Sweetness of Nature, and other such excellent Virtues, as really made him an Honour and Ornament to the Throne. And yet that excellent Prince was once reduced to those miserable straits, partly by the Invasion of Enemies from abroad, and partly through the treachery of Rebels and Deserters at home, that he was forced to put himself into the disguise once of a common Soldier, another time of an Herds man, and at last to abscond for a considerable time in the West, in a poor Cottage among Woods and Moors; a sad and woeful place for a Crowned Head to rest in: And yet, such was his Religious dependence upon God, that though he was forsaken by his friends, environed with his Enemies, and brought to those extreme and shameful necessities, that his Mother and himself were hardly able to subsist, yet he doubted not but providence would one day restore him to his just Grandieur. And so it was, that in that very mean Condition, in that most Obscure Place he began the Recovery of his Fortunes; and 'tis observable, that the Place was in those very Moors in Somersetshire between Taunton and Bridgwater: There he began the new foundation of his Kingdom raising it on still by degrees, till in a little time he became the sole and absolute Monarch of this Nation, and made it a most flourishing Kingdom, and gave many the most Excellent Laws that we enjoy at this Hour. We know, too well, to what Miseries, Dangers, and reproachful Necessities, the Sins of this Nation exposed the Offspring of that Royal and Incomparable Martyr, King Charles the First, of whom the World was not worthy. I need not speak of the Royal Oak, nor of the rest of those straits, which were not unlike those of King Alfred. Notwithstanding all those difficulties, the Providence of God hath been over that our late, and this our present Sovereign; so that he hath not only preserved them Both out of the hands of their bloodthirsty and barbarous Enemies, but hath moreover showed his Power in Exalting the Throne from so Low, to such a Lofty State, as if Alfred the Great sat in it again: and this we own to the singular Providence of God in giving his Majesty this most memorable Conquest over His and Our Enemies at King alfred's quarters.  
As we are to bless God for his unexpressible Mercy, so let us ever put our firm hope and confidence in him; being careful still to act like good Christians, and honest hearted Subjects, and then not doubting, but that all things will work together (as hitherto they have done) for our Good.  
I conclude all with those Triumphant expressions Apocal. 19 Hallelujah, Salvation, and Glory, and Honour, and Power be ascribed unto the Lord our God, for True and Righteous are his Judgements. To him be given by us and all Churches of Christ, all Honour, Thanksgiving, and Adoration for evermore: Amen.  
FINIS.