Jovis 6 die Aprilis 1699.  
ORdered, That the thanks of this House be given to Mr. Smalwood, for the Sermon by him Preached before them Yesterday, at St. Margaret's Westminster, and that he be desired to Print the same, and that Mr. Gerrard and Colonel Montague do acquaint him therewith.  
Paul Jodrell Cl' Dom' Com'.   

A SERMON Preached before the Honourable House of Commons. AT St. Margaret's Westminster, On Wednesday the 5th of April, 1699.  
Being a solemn day of Fasting for Imploring a Blessing on his Majesty, and all his Dominions, and for averting those Judgements we most justly deserve, and for the distressed Protestants abroad.  
By James Smalwood, Chaplain to the Right Honourable the Earl of Romney, and His Majesties own Regiment of Foot-Guards.  
LONDON, Printed for Abel Roper, and R. Basset, in Fleetstreet. 1699.   

Mr. SMALWOOD's FAST-SERMON Before the House of COMMONS. April 5. 1699.   

A FAST-SERMON BEFORE THE House of Commons.  PSAL. 80. last ver. Turn us again, O Lord God of Hosts, show us the light of thy countenance and we shall be whole. 
IF we read over this whole Psalm, we may plainly discover by it, that the people of Israel were, when it was composed, under some great and heavy affliction, Thou feedest us with the bread of tears, and thou givest us plenteousness of tears to drink; Thou hast made us a very strife unto our neighbours, and our enemies laugh us to scorn, says the Psalmist, v. 5. and 6. whereupon according to his usual custom he addresses himself to Almighty God for Relief and Succour, Hear O thou shepherd of Israel, says he, v. 1. stir up thy strength and come help and us, verse 2. How long wilt thou be angry with thy people that pray, vers. 4. and to mention no more of his pathetical Supplications, no less than three times in this short Psalm, which adds extremely not only to the fervency, but also to the Beauty and Harmony of his Prayer, he repeats the words I have chose for my Text, Turn us again, O Lord God of Hosts, show us the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole, or as the old Translation renders it nearer the Hebrew, Turn us again, O Lord God of Hosts, cause thy face to shine upon us, and we shall be saved.  
Now though the people of Israel's case at that time, and ours at present is not altogether the same, though (blessed be God) we of this Nation do not now labour under any public affliction, neither have our Enemies any great reason to laugh us to scorn; yet to show that this Psalm is very suitable to the occasion of our present meeting, we may observe the Holy Prophet prays particularly for three things in it, wherein we may reasonably suppose he judged the welfare of the people to consist, and which three things we are by public Authority enjoined this day to pray to God for.  
1. He prays for a Blessing upon the King, let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, and upon the Son of Man, whom thou hast made so strong for thine own self. v. 17.  
2dly. He prays for the afflicted condition of the Church, That God in his great meroy and goodness would relieve and comfort that, and this he couches very elegantly under the Metapher of a vine, Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt, thou hast cast out the heathen and planted it, thou madest room for it, and when it had taken root it filled the land, why hast thou then broken down her hedge, that all those that go by pluck off her grapes, the wild boar out of the wood does root it up, and the wild beasts of the field devour it. vers. 12. 13.  
3dly. He prays to God to remove and avert those judgements which the manifold sins and provocations of the people had justly deserved, and that is employed in the words of my Text.  
These three things the Holy Prophet particularizes in this Psalm, exactly agreeable to the duty required of us this day: But what he chief sues for, and lays the stress of his Prayers on, as a means of procuring the other two, and indeed all Blessings whatever, is a general conversion and repentance of the people; this is his chiefest aim, this we find the main scope and burden of this his heavenly Song, therefore it is he repeats these words so often, and heigthens them still with greater vehemency and ardour every time than other; Turn us again O God, vers. 3. Turn us again O Lord God, vers. 7. Turn us again O Lord God of hosts, show us the light of thy countenance and we shall be whole. vers. 19  
The words are of themselves very plain and intelligible, not to spend therefore any time in the explanation of them. From the consideration of the circumstances which King David and his people were now in, which was under the Judgements of God, and the methods that he took to remove those judgements, which was a general conversion of the people from sin, I draw these two doctrinal conclusions.  
1. In respect to God, that the chief end and design God aims at in sending judgements upon a People or Nation, is to reclaim them from their sins.  
2. In respect to Men, that the only way a People or Nation has to avert God's judgements, is to turn from their sins.  
I shall speak to these two Points, and then apply them to the business of the day.  
1. The chief end and design God aims at in sending Judgements on a People is to reclaim them from their sins. It may here be said, that the end of all the dispensations of God to mankind is to convert them from sin: For this very purpose did he send his Son into the World, to draw and win us to himself, by the promises of Heaven and Eternal Happiness, and all the attractive motives that can be supposed to work upon Humane understanding, and for this only reason does God daily bestow his mercies and benefits upon us; according to what St. Paul tells us, The goodness of God leadeth us to Repentance, Rom. 2. 4. Why then if the gentler methods of lenity and mercy may have the same effect, does God use the severer ways of reclaiming men by pouring Judgements and Afflictions upon them?  
To this I answer, The ways which God chief delights to deal with mankind in, are gentleness, 
Rom. 2. 4.  Goodness, Forbearance and Long-suffering, God does not 
Lam. 3. 33.  afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of Men, says the Prophet Jeremiah, nay, the whole tenor of Scripture discovers this to be the nature of God; and were it not that we are such perverse Creatures as not to be wrought upon by kindness, so wild as not to be tamed by gentle usage, God would not handle us in any other way, I drew them with the cords of a Man, with the bands of Love, says the Holy spirit in the Prophet Hosea, but the Jews but still so stiffnecked and untractable they would not follow, so that 
v. 11. 4.  they almost forced God, contrary to his inclination, to take the rod into his hand, and when they would not lead then to drive them, God was forced to turn those soft cords into whips, and those bands of Love into shackles of Iron.  
And yet when God comes to take this course with Man, he still, like a prudent Parent, aims at nothing but his good and benefit by it, if he puts a yoke upon our necks, it is but to breing us to humity, if he puts the bit into our mouths, it is but to check our career in sin, if he afflicts us, it is not because it is pleasant to him to deal harshly with us, but because it is profitable and necessary for us so to be dealt with.  
This the holy Scripture informs us to be the end of all the severe methods of Providence towards the Sons of Men, this, Moses tells us, made God exercise the people of Israel with all the hardships could be inflicted on them for forty years in the Wilderness, He led thee through that great and terrible Wilderness wherein were fiery Serpents, and Scorpions, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at the latter end, Deut. 8. 15. So that the afflicting Providences of God are not only apt in their own nature to do us good: but, which is a great argument of his goodness, God intends and aims at this end alone by them. Indeed we often read in Scripture of God's Anger and Wrath, and heavy displeasure, and Fury and Indignation, but it is always against men's sins and not their persons; and if his resentments are so great as to provoke him to inflict any Judgement, yet still it is with a merciful design in the end. If he has visited a Nation with any Plague, or sore Disease, it was only to let out its corruption, if he has thrown us into the Furnace of affliction, and tried us so as by Fire, it was that he might refine and purify us from the dross of our Sins; If he has embarassed us in War and Battle, it was only to let out so much hot blood, that the whole body might be the more cool and temperate, and healthful afterwards; so that, tho' it cannot be denied but that the Judgements of God are evil in themselves, yet considering the intention of them, they are no real objections against the mercy and goodness of God, but rather Arguments for it.  
My first Doctrinal conclusion appearing thus evident, namely, That the chief end and design which God aims at by sending his Judgements upon a People, is to turn them from their Sins, that so they may be saved; what follows but that we make the right use of this Doctrine. If Judgements which are in themselves very irksome and grievous to humane nature, must be the remedies of sin, why will we not live regularly and prevent them? What corrupt humours are to the body, that sin is to the soul, its greatest Disease and Malignity; now if we will contract ill humours and distempers, if we will make ourselves sick, that is our own mismanagement and folly, and no fault of the Physician, but if when we are sick the Physician does recover us, tho' it be by the most unpleasant and bitterest draughts, we are most certainly beholden to him; all Temporal and Worldly Judgements are properly medicinal, and if we will but suffer them to have their kindly operation upon us, they will work our cure, and how grievous and distasteful soever they may seem for the present, they will prove mercies and blessings in the end, for this reason Holy David reckons afflictions amongst the blessings of his Life, It is good for me, says he, 
Psal. 119. 72.  that I have been afflicted: And he gives the reason for it in the same Psalm, Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I have learned thy precepts; But however, altho' David did make the right use of his afflictions, altho' he applied what God administered aright, and it wrought its intended cure upon him, yet still that Man must be allowed to have lived most cautiously who the least wants such sharp Physic; He certainly must be judged to take a greater care of his health, who by a Temperate diet and Regular way of living prevents sickness, than he that suffers a malady to grow upon him, and to corrupt the whole mass of his blood, so that nothing at last but the most violent courses, and the most painful applications can restore him to his former health. And this brings me to my other doctrinal conclusion from the Text, which this.  
2dly. That the only way a Nation or a People has to avert God's Judgements, is to forsake their sins.  
The Christian Religion as it prescribes the best and most reasonable precepts of any Religion that ever was in the World for the peace and happiness of every private Man; so likewise does it afford the most expedient rules for the safety and preservation of Public Communities; conversion from Sin, and Repentance, Mortification of our Lusts and Appetites, by Watch, Fast, and Prayers, and the humiliation of our Bodies, in order to raise in our Souls good and devout thoughts, are duties required from all of us by our Holy Religion, and though these duties may be said to tend most directly to the reformation and amendment of single persons, yet because the whole consists of its parts, the compounded Body of a Nation must find a benefit from the good which accrues to the several members of it; and therefore it is King Soloman says that righteousness exalteth a nation. The practice of Virtue and Piety begets a Reverence and Honour, a Reputation, and a worldly Glory to any people; but on the contrary, be a Country never so exalted by Dominion and Power, and Wealth, and all other temporal advantages, and wanting at the same time in the moral accomplishments of Virtue and Justice and Piety, that Country will by degrees grow base and contemptible, and in the end be ruined, for the same Wise man tells us, sin is the reproach of any people, and this will appear to be true from two causes.  
First, From the nature of the thing itself.  
Secondly, From the Judgements of God.  
1. From the nature of the thing itself: Whatever Nation degenerates in its Manners, must decay gradually in its Power and Strength, and consequently, is in a ready way to Ruin. Sin, of what kind soever, is against the Interest of a People: Lewdness and Intemperance, and such like Vices, debase Men's Courage and Spirit; they breed Infirmities and Diseases, which spoil the Strain of a Nation, and then it becomes languid, feeble and cowardly, and at last must be the Scorn, as well as the Triumph, of its Enemies. Irreligion, Profaneness and Atheism quite unhinge a Government; for where there is no Belief of a God, there are no Hopes or Fears of future Rewards or Punishments: And when you are once come to that, what can hinder all manner of Wickedness from breaking in upon you? Falshood and Injustice, Persidiousness and Treachery, Theft, Rapine and Murder, and all the Black Crew of Villainies, must burst in where the Barrier of Religion is broken down: And whenever such a Flood as this pours in upon a Nation, what can hinder it from being ruined, either by others, or itself?  
2. It is not only that the Nature of the State itself will bring Ruin on a wicked People, but God's Judgements will likewise fall upon them. Indeed, as to private Persons, the Case is not the same; for God is sometimes pleased to let good Men live miserably, and the Wicked to prosper in this World; but there is a very good Reason for it, because he reserves the Rewarding of the one, and the Punishing of the other, till a more convenient Season of Retribution. But God does not deal after the same manner with Nations, because public Bodies and Communities of Men, as such, can only be rewarded and punished in this World: In the World to come, all Corporations and Societies will be quite dissolved; God will not then reward or punish Nations, as Nations; but every Man must give an Account of himself, and accordingly receive his own Personal Sentence: Therefore the general Sins of a Nation cannot escape God's Judgements here upon Earth, unless they be prevented by a National Repentance.  
And indeed, all along the History of the Old Testament, we find this to be true by the different Providences of God always suited to the Manners of the Jews; they were constantly prosperous, or afflicted, according as Virtue or Vice reigned amongst them. Nor was it towards his own People alone that God used this constant Method; St. Austin tells us, That the mighty Success and Greatness of the Romans was a Reward given them from Heaven, for their eminent Justice, Temperance, and other Virtues. And tho' we must not peremptorily conclude, that the Administration of God's Justice shall be the same to all Nations that it was to the People of Israel, yet thus much may be probably concluded from it, That as God always favoured that People when they were obedient to him, and sent his Judgements among them when they rebelled against him; so he will also deal with other Nations; and this Conclusion is drawn from an Everlasting and Unchangeable Cause; and that is, the Justice of the Divine Providence.  
This is what Religion and Reason teach us, That the only Way to procure God's Blessings, and avert his Judgements is, to work a thorough Reformation on our Lives: And it were to be wished that all Men were so well disposed, that Religion by its Authority, and Reason by its Force, might be sufficient to establish this Truth in the Minds of Men; but the Corruptions of Humane Nature will always make a strong Opposition against it; and the Degeneracy of the present Age in particular is so very great, that no Arguments drawn either from the invincible Demonstrations of Religion, or the Light of Reason, seem to be sufficient for it.  
'Tis true, at the first Planting of Christianity, we find the great Author of it then complaining of the Insensibility of Men, that their Hearts were waxed gross, 
Matt. 13. 45.  and their Ears were dull of hearing, and their Eyes were closed; lest at any time they should see with their Eyes, or hear with their Ears, or understand with their Hearts, and should be converted, and he should heal them: And therefore our Saviour then accompanied his Doctrine with Miracles; and where he could not prevail with Words, there he convinced by Actions. But now it has pleased God to withdraw that Power, and has left his Church to be carried on and supported by more ordinary and Humane Ways, by the Succession of the Ministerial Function, by the Power of Preaching, and using all such Arguments and Motives to bring Men to their Duty, which the Holy Spirit has revealed to us, and designed for these good Purposes: But this, we find, will not do; Paul may plant, and Apollo's may water: The Ministers of the Gospel may use what Means they can to reclaim Men, but still we see no visible Effects of all their Labours; Men will not hearken to the Voice of these Charmers, charm they never so wisely. We are 
Psal. 50. 5.  taught therefore, in this Case, to call in the Assistance of the Civil Power, and the Countenance of Authority; we must apply to them who are our Governors, to them who St. Peter tells us are sent by God, for the 
1 Pet. 2. 14.  Punishment of Evil-doers, and for the Praise of those that do well: Which, indeed, was never more necessary to be done than in this present Age, which is prodigiously sunk into Atheism and Profaneness, and consequently into the foulest Immoralities, and the most Bestial Vices whatever; Vices of such a kind, that, tho', in Obedience to St. Paul's Direction, I shall not so much as once name them among you, yet the Remembrance of a late public Example cannot hinder us from thinking of some of them.  
'Tis this Universal and Monstrous Wickedness that has excited You, our wise Governors, to provide several Laws that might be thought effectual for the suppressing of it; and, to mention no more, One, I think, if it were carefully put in Execution, would contribute much towards the suppressing of Atheism and Irreligion; and that is, The Act against the Papists. That Looseness of Principles, and consequently Libertinism of Living, which may be observed now to spread and grow upon us, may be imputed in great part to some Emissaries of Rome, who still are (I speak it knowingly) lurking among us: These Men, by what Authority I know not, I am sure not by his from whom they unworthily take their Name, assume to themselves a peculiar Propriety of the Guidance of Men's Consciences; they creep into all Companies, and get possession of as many Families as they can; and then, by their Arts and Insinuations, they beset and undermine the Principles of Men's Religion; and oftentimes, while they endeavour to bring a Man over to their Religion, they craftily steal away his own, and leave him without any. Popery, by its own very Tendency and Disposition, must gradually lead Men into Atheism, Superstition, and an Idolatrous Worship; set up many Gods, and then, as it is the Humour of Mankind to start oftentimes from one Extreme to another, rather than they will have so many imposed upon them, they will choose to have none. Nay, if you trace Atheism to its Fountainhead, you will find it springs from the corrupt Manners of the Romish Court: Italy was the place where it chief reigned for some time; our Ancestors here in England, if History may be credited, knew none of those Italian Vices: But in this last Age, Atheism began to travel over the Alps, and infected France; and now at last it has crossed the Seas, and has invaded our Nation, and (which is much to be lamented) has prevailed too in it.  
I have dwelled a little upon this Article, because I think the only Way for this Nation to flourish and be happy, and for the Protestant Church to stand pure and uncorrupt, is, to remove, if possible, all those far from it, whose Business and Study it is, not only to distract our Government, but also to pollute our Manners.  
But I leave this, next to God, to the Great and Wise Council of the Nation. I proceed now,  
Thirdly. To apply what has been said to the Business of the Day. And because we have heard, First, That the chief Design of God's Judgements upon a People, is, to reclaim them from their Sins; and Secondly, That the only Way a People had to prevent and avert God's Judgements, was, to forsake their Sins; therefore Conversion from Sin, to God, must be esteemed a necessary Spiritual Duty: And tho' this Duty is most certainly always very requisite and seasonable, yet there are some Seasons when the Church does most chief require it; and, to name no more, this present Season is the greatest; now in the Time of Lent, but more especially in this Magna Hebdomada, this Great Week before the Resurrection, we are called upon to make a strict Review of our Lives, and to humble our Souls in God's Presence, and to bewail our manifold Transgressions, and to devote ourselves afresh to his Service. This Obligation the holy Church lays upon us: But still there is another Engagement for our most solemn Humiliation on this Day, Public Authority has added a further Injunction on us: To answer therefore this double Obligation, and that we may perform the Office of the Day aright, let us inquire what we have now to do; and that I shall consider of after this Twofold Manner:  
First, Generally; What all Days of Humiliation do require of us.  
Secondly, Particularly; What this Day distinctly requires.  
First, All Days of Public Humiliation seem to require these Three Things at our Hands:  
1. That we should humble ourselves before God, every one for his own Personal Sins, whereby he has provoked God, and increased the public Gild, and done his part to bring down the Judgements and Vengeance of God upon the Nation.  
2. That we should likewise hearty lament the Sins of the Public, especially the great and crying Sins of the Nation, whereby the Wrath and Indignation of God has been so justly incensed against us.  
3. We should prosecute this our Humiliation with an Actual Reformation and Amendment of our Lives for the future.  
I do but just mention these Particulars, without any Enlargement on them that I may more fully speak to the Duties of the Day, which are these Three:  
1. We are this Day to pray to God that he would avert those Judgements which our manifold Sins and Provocations have most justly deserved.  
2. That he would, in his great Mercy and Goodness, relieve and comfort such as suffer abroad for the Protestant Religion.  
3. We are to implore a Blessing from Almighty God, upon His Majesty, and all His Dominions.  
1. We are to make our Supplications unto God for the Averting of those Judgements which our manifold Sins and Provocations have justly deserved. 'Tis true, we of this Nation have lately received no small Tokens of God's favourable Inclinations to us, in bestowing upon us a Grateful and an Honourable Peace; a Peace that, I hope, may prove a competent Recompense to us for all our Toils, and Fatigues, and Expenses: But if we continue to lead Lives unsuitable to such Blessings received, how easily may God find a Way to let in the same Enemy afresh upon us? King David tells us, That the Lord gives Strength unto his People; the Lord gives his People the Blessing of Peace: That is, God Almighty defends, and protects his People: but 'tis only so long as they are obedient to him; for he says in another place, If a Man will not turn, God will whet his Sword, and will bend his Bow and make it ready, and prepare for him the Instruments of Death. God Almighty has dealt all along with this Nation, as he formerly did with his own peculiar People, the Jews: He has exercised, and made Trial of us, by all the wise Arts of his Divine Providence; we have felt the Powers both of his Mercy, and his Justice, Alternately: Out of his Mercy he would never destroy us quite, yet it has, as it were, puzzled his Justice how to save us: We read of four sorts of Judgements wherewith God formerly used to endeavour to reclaim the Ancient Jews, Plague, Fire, Sword and Famine; we in this Nation have, in a few Years, felt the former Three; and, indeed, we have some Reason to fear, from the remarkable Defect and Decay of the Seasons for some Years last passed, that if we do not repent in time, and deprecare God's heavy Displeasure against us, his Providence may be a preparing the Fourth, and the most dreadful of them all, a Famine, for us.  
Let us therefore, with the greatest Importunities, make our Addresses now to Almighty God, that he would be pleased to avert those terrible Judgements which we so righteously have deserved, and to which the great Sins of the Nation do now so justly expose us; humbly beseeching him, not for us, but for his his own Name's sake, and because we are his People, and are called after his Name, and because his holy Faith and Religion are professed among us, that he would be pleased to hear the Prayers and Supplications of his Servants, which they have made before him this Day. And, together with ourselves, let us pray unto God, that he would please,  
2. To regard our distressed Brethren in the Faith, all the World over; particularly, to relieve and comfort those that suffer abroad for the Protestant Religion. 'Tis a mighty Scandal to the Christian Religion, and what all Jews, Turks and Pagans may justly reproach the Followers of Christ with, that there are such implacable Divisions, and such barbarous Persecutions practised and kept up among us. The Doctrine of the great Author of our Faith was made up all of Love; this was the distinguishing Character his Disciples were to be known by, If they loved one another: Yet in a certain Church, and a Church too that boasts itself the only true Church of Christ, we find that Badge and Character quite worn off; for, instead of loving those who cannot persuade their Consciences to swallow such gross Absurdities as they do themselves, these Men think they do God good Service if they kill them. I might produce many Instances of this outrageous Zeal, against the Romish Church; The cruel Inhumanities' against the Vaudois, the Butcheries of the Albigenses and the Poor of Lions, the total Extirpation of the Protestants in Moravia, Silesia, Bohemia and Hungary, the Massacre of the Hugonots in France, and the English Protestants in Ireland; not to mention those Ignominious Flames that were kindled in our own Queen Mary's Days, and that terrible and unparallelled Design that was laid to destroy the Lords and Commons of our Nation at one Blow in the succeeding Reign, are all Memorable Examples of the Popish Cruelty. But we need not look back into History to furnish us with Instances of this kind; how many living Objects of our Compassion are still under great Pressures from them in the neighbouring Countries to us! And how many Thousands have fled from thence, to us, for Refuge? There, indeed, the Vine of the Lord does most apparently suffer; there the Wild-Boar of the Wood does root it up, and the Wild-Beasts of the Field devour it. But let us, with King David, say, Turn thee again, O Lord God of Hosts; look down from Heaven, behold and visit this Vine, and the place of the Vineyard which thy Right Hand hath planted, and the Branch that thou madest so strong for thine own self.  
3. The Third Duty of the Day is, to implore a Blessing from Almighty God upon His Majesty, and all his Dominions. And here I think it altogether unnecessary to use any Arguments to excite your Zeal, or to heighten your Affections; Interest, which is the first Spring and great Director of all our Actions, if not Gratitude, will recommend this Duty to us: The great Benefits and Advantages we have already received from him, are sufficient Motives to pray for his long and happy Reign over us. He that has preserved our Rights and Liberties, that has rescued our Religion, that has maintained our Laws, that has defeated the Designs of our Enemies, that has subdued the Disturbers of our Peace; he that has run all Hazards of his Life, often crossed the Seas, traversed many Countries, ventured his Person in Battle, and sometimes very narrowly saved it; he that has opposed, and stemmed too, the Tide of a Power generally thought irresistible: In a Word, he that has settled us in Peace at home, and procured us Honour abroad; if he does not deserve our hearty good Wishes, and most sincere Prayers, I know not what Obligations can extort that Duty from us.  
The Kingdom of England is now in as hopeful a Condition as any Nation can be, if we are not wanting in some Cases to ourselves: If we can preserve our Peace with as much Prudence and Unanimity, as we carried on the War with Heartiness and Courage; if we keep our Country as quiet within ourselves, as we defended it bravely against others; in a Word, if we live up to the Rules of our Religion, as well as we fought for it; then will England, in time, not only recover its Strength and Riches, flourish and grow great within itself, but it will be able to give Laws to all its Neighbours round about it: And, indeed, not to flatter ourselves, there is no Kingdom I know of in the World so every way capable of being made Great and Glorious, as we are now at this time; and that upon these Two Accounts:  
1. We have a King, whom God seems to have brought into the World, to have trained up and preserved on purpose for us: A Man of our own Religion, and indeed, of a true English Temper and Genius; a Man skilful and courageous in War, wise and satisfied in Peace; a Man that reposes a great Trust in the Fidelity of his Subjects, and a Man in whom they may repose theirs; a Man so wholly disposed for the Good of his People, that he is always ready to hearken to their Counsels, and to comply with them; a Man, in short, altogether inclined, and every way qualified, both to serve, and to protect his People; a Man, to sum up all, of whom I would not be thought to speak too great a Thing, if I say he is as brave a Warrior as either Alexander or Caesar was, because I design to speak yet a greater, and that is, that he is as good a Christian as either Constantine or Theodosius was.  
2. We have a People, famous in the World for great Valour and Courage, always having had a good Skill in Arms, and of such undaunted Spirits, that if we were united within ourselves, we are able perhaps to grapple with the most potent Kingdoms near us. We are a happy Nation too in our Situation: When the Prophet Ezekiel tells us of the Happiness of Canaan, he describes it to be a Land of Unwalled 
Ezek. 38. 11.  Villages, where the People are at rest, and dwell safely; all of them dwelling without Walls, and having neither Bars nor Gates: So we of this Nation have no need of Walling and Fortifying our Towns, as some of our Friends upon the Continent are forced to do; because, as the Prophet Nahum speaks of the City of No, we have the Sea for a Rampart to us. We are still 
Nah. 3. 8.  happier by our Constitution and Government, which, by its excellent Laws and Administration, so effectually provides for the Security, Quiet and Comfort of the People, that of no Nation under Heaven may it be more properly said, that every Man may sit 
Mic. 4 4.  under his own Vine, and under his Figtree, and no Man shall make him afraid. And we are happiest of all in our Church; a Church, which for Purity of Doctrine, Decency of Worship, and all Advantages for Piety, may compare with, if not exceed, any Church upon the Face of the Earth.  
These are the peculiar Advantages of England, and these are the Happinesses we at present enjoy; there is but one thing wanting to continue and secure these Blessings to us, and without that, all our Skill in Arms, all our Natural Courage, all our Plenty and Security, our wholesome Laws, and wise Constitution, will not be able to support and maintain us; and that is, True Godliness and Virtue. Let us all therefore pour out our most Affectionate Prayers unto God, to assist us with his Grace in the Attainment of these Accomplishments: And to his Grace, which he is never backward of affording us, let us add out own Endeavours; let us show the good Effects of these our Days of Humiliation in all the other Days of our Life. What shall it profit us to depend upon our Mortification and Fasting, when God shall say, as he speaks by the Prophet Zechary, Did you at all fast unto me, even unto me? The proper Fruit of Fasting is, to forsake our Sins, and become better for the future; without this, all our Fasting will but fill us with Wind, all our Tears will be but as Water spilt upon the Ground; in a Word, all our Penances will but create us Pain here, and increase it hereafter.  
But if we do now unfeignedly resolve to amend for the future, and shall prosecute those Resolutions in the Series of our Lives, we may then hope that God will incline his Ear unto us, and hear: In sure and certain Hopes of which, we now, according as we are appointed.  
1. Pray, that God would bless, preserve and keep our present King, as the Instrument by which he himself has chose to work such wondrous Deliverances already for us: May never any Foreign Forces, or Intestine Conspiracies, prevail against him; May never any Jealousies be fomented between him and his People; May he always think himself secure in the Hands of his English Subjects, and may they know they are so in his. Together with himself, May God bless all his Dominions; May they grow in Strength, increase in Riches, and excel in Honour; May he keep steadfast the true Friends to the Government, and baffle the Hopes of those that are not; May he give Wisdom to the Wise, and stop the Mouths of the Foolish.  
2. As the Consideration of our own Welfare and Interest prompts us to wish ourselves all the Good imaginable, so let our Compassion stir us up to pray for the Relief of our distressed Brethren the Protestants abroad: May God, in his due time, as he once did the Children of Israel, lead this his People through those Red Seas of Blood, through those Wildernesses of Pains and Troubles, if not into some pleasant Land here upon Earth, yet to the Heavenly Canaan at last: May he give them Constancy in their Faith, and Patience under their Sufferings; and whatever Numbers he is pleased to suffer to be diminished from the Communion of his Saints here upon Earth, may he add to the Noble Army of Martyrs in Heaven.  
Lastly, Let us pray unto God, that he would look down upon this sinful People of England, and that he would avert those Judgements which, we must confess, might be our due Reward.  
But instead of Judgements, God has heaped Mercies upon us of late; he has first saved us from the Slavery of our Consciences, and indeed, of our Persons; next, he has frequently delivered us from the Devices of Wicked Men, who have used several Ways and Means to ruin us; sometimes by endeavouring to take off our King, sometimes by corrupting our Coin, and by many other Ways, which Restless Spirits are fruitful enough at inventing. And now at last, he has crowned all his Mercies to us, in the Blessing of a Peace: Thou hast made Wars to cease amongst us; thou hast broke the Bow, and cut the Spear in sunder, (as holy David speaks.) Nation shall not now lift Sword up against Nation; neither shall they learn War any more, says the Prophet Isaiah of the Israelites, when they repent, and turned unto God. May We also repent, and turn, that we may have the Benefit of this Prophecy too: May this our Peace prove firm and lasting, and may we never again be embroiled in Wars and Blood. However, I hearty wish that the King may never want such Subjects, of such Skill and Courage, such Loyalty and true Honesty, to defend him, our Country, and our Church, upon any Occasion, as his late English Army was. But then, I will crave Leave to add this one Prayer, to end all; and I believe every Soldier that was in the Army, I am sure every true English-Man, that loves his Country, will join with me; and that is, How necessary soever an Army may be, in Times of Exigency, for the Defence of our King, our Country, and our Church, yet God grant that neither of them may ever again have Occasion to make use of their Swords, or to try either their Skill, or their Courage.  
FINIS.