A SERMON, Preached in the Cathedral Church OF NORWICH: Before the Mayor and Aldermen.  
Upon the Second of December 1697.  
Being the day of Public Thanksgiving, etc.  
By Charles Trimnell A. M. Prebendary of Norwich, Rector of Brington in Northamptonshire, and Chaplain to the Right Honourable the Earl of Sunderland.  
LONDON, Printed for J. Weld, at the Crown between the two Temple-Gates in Fleetstreet. 1697.   

To the Right Worshipful Laurence Goodwin, Esq Mayor of the City of Norwich.  
SIR,  
Tho' I was unwilling to increase the number of Sermons that have been Printed of late, to the prejudice of those excellent Discourses, which had they been fewer, would perhaps have been of more value and use; yet I could not easily deny the Request, which you with several of your Brethren, and others were pleased to make me of publishing this: When I saw it proceeded from your concurrent opinion, that it was likely to answer in some measure those Public and Peaceable ends for which it was made. I pray God it may, and if it does so at all, I shall be so far from being concerned, that you put me upon it, that I shall be glad you engaged me.  
However, Sir, I cannot repent the gatifying you in particular, in what I am sure was a well intentioned desire; and came from the same good Principle that has ever made you a constant and serious Attender upon the Worship of God; and added an honour to that Office you so well Adorn in other respects.  
That it would please God to continue his mercies to you, and give you with all good men the satisfaction of seeing Religion and Virtue flourish under this Blessing of Peace, for which we have rendered our Thanks; is the hearty Prayer of  
SIR, Your very much obliged and very affectionate Friend and faithful Servant, C. Trimnell.   
PSALM 116.1, 2. 
I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice, and my supplications.  
Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.  
THese words express the grateful resentment which David had of the lovingkindness of God, shown to him, in his signal deliverance, and they also contain his resolution upon it, to place his whole future dependence on him, as the only return he could make, for those mercies which he does in this Psalm so fully acknowledge: Nor is he in any thing a Man after God's own Heart more clear than in this; as it is not possible for us to conceive or imagine, that he can be pleasing to God who has no sense of his mercies, or thinks to approve himself by any other return. But when the blessings of Heaven fall so, as to sink into our Hearts, and we are made soft by them, as by the drops of Rain, God will delight to shower them on us; when his Goodness enters into our Souls, and takes such hold of our Affections, that our spirits cleave steadfastly to him, then will he also rejoice in the gladness of his People, and accept of the thanks of his Inheritance.  
That those blessings of his which we this day Commemorate, may have this effect upon us; and that our Thanksgivings may prove of this force and virtue with him; I shall proceed to consider.  
1. The reasons we have to love God for his having inclined his ear unto us, and heard our Petitions.  
2. The Obligation we are under, in return, to call upon him as long as we live.  
1. The Reasons we have to love God, etc. or as we read in the Liturgy, to be well pleased, that the Lord hath heard the voice of our Prayer, as no more is proposed to be understood by Love in this place, than barely that joyous affection, with which we are unavoidably carried, upon the sense of any Felicity, towards him we esteem as the Author, before we consider what sort of Gratitude he may expect at our hands: And then looking on God as having heard our Petitions, we can no more help loving him for it, than we can being pleased with what he has given; which before we weigh its Importance and Use, must needs be a delight, as effectually answering those earnest Prayers we have put up these several Years.  
For if the desire accomplished is sweet to the Soul, 
Prov. 13.19.  as the Wise man assures us, and the Sense of the meanest finds to be true; bringing that to perfection at last which has been so long expected, and under so much suspense, cannot choose but afford a proportionate joy: when our Hearts are discharged of that sickness which always attends the delay of our Hopes, and our Minds are delivered from that oppression, which our fears brought in abundance upon us; they will of themselves grow erect, and break out in the praises of God.  
And this admiration of his wonderful goodness will rise higher still, as we go on to reflect on the Blessings themselves: An advantageous Conclusion of Peace crowned with the safe return of the King.  
If we look upon Peace but in its general view, there are so many things agreeable in it, that he must have lost the Taste of all that Human Nature does relish, who can find in his heart, to make any doubt, whether it be a Blessing or no: A Blessing beyond all question it is, so far as the perfectest state of this World can pretend to be so; for we have no other notion of Civil, any more than we have of Natural Health, but such a condition in which the course of things goes quietly on; when no violent obstruction forbids the due use of what we receive, but every thing we take, or enjoy, has leave to promote the most suitable end.  
Nor does it alter the state of the case, that Afflictions are frequent occasions of Good, and the calmest condition often a Snare; this arising from our corruptions, and not so much from the nature of things. It is to mankind's disadvantage, that men often say we are by nature the Subjects of War, and they who say this han't so much as a thought, that it would not be better for us to be always in Peace, if those Lusts that are in us would let it be so. For as many Wars as there have been raised in the World, no Man ever yet desired they should last as a general good, but only hoped to work by them some desperate Cure: And, taken alone, that must be an Evil which our Nature abhors, and which makes a part of the threaten of God; as that must be accounted a happy Estate, which Men have ever pressed to enjoy, and which is proposed as the greatest reward of our Obedience here, by him who delights to be called the Prince, and King, and God of Peace; and is described as scattering those that take pleasure in War.  
And well do they deserve to be scattered, who have burst the Bonds of Tenderness so far, as to make sport of that furious Employment, which draws such a Chain of Miseries after it, and can hardly ever with any comfort be looked back upon, but when it ends in such a Peace as we have attained: A Peace that makes ample amends for what we have endured, by the advantage it brings to our Civil and Sacred Concerns.  
For this War is not ended, as Wars too often are, in our slavish subjection to some vile and imperious Sword, but that Royal Hand which has led on our Arms, and prevailed to our laying them down with Safety and Honour, has been stretched out to maintain our Religion and Laws, and by the help of God, has defended them both.  
Our Possessions now may be called our own, a Wall of Defence is placed round about them, and we may safely take our Pastime therein: The sound of Alarms is no more in our Ears, nor is our sleep broken by visions of fear, but our Days are all quiet; and our Nights are secure. No restraints jy upon us, but what the wisdom of Laws directs us to choose, and our very Liberty itself does require; so that all the fair ways of thriving are open, and we are free to do all the good that we would.  
Had we felt more of the smart of this, so many years' War, we should not have needed any representations of other Men's making, to give us a value of this blessing of Peace: And I trust, we shall not esteem it the less, for God's having been pleased to bring it home to us, before he had suffered the War to fall, with all its force and terror, upon us. Not but that the Fire has been often so near us; and the apprehensions we have frequently had when things went against us, must be still so fresh in our minds; that we cannot choose but from our own observation, form great Ideas of that Mercy, for which we are called to offer our Thanks  
And these will still be enlarged, as we ourselves advance to consider the aspect it has in our sacred concerns.  
By this our Religion is preserved to us uncorrupt and entire, and we are not only maintained, but encouraged in keeping up its public profession: Be it never so true what has often been said, that no Man's Religion can be rifled from him, that being a Treasure locked up there, where no outward malice can come; yet considering the weakness of Men, the arts of the World, and the wiles of the Devil; how apt we are to grow sick of our Faith, when troubles attend it, and how forward the great Deceiver appears to suggest doubts in Belief, when 'tis hard to profess; we must needs acknowledge it a singular mark of God's tender compassion, that he keeps off temptations from coming upon us, and suffers us not to be brought into such fiery Trials as these.  
It cannot but make us think the better even of the Truth itself, to see it protected; and that Religion must invite our Obedience, which so visibly has the succour of Heaven: The Duties of it are matter of easier practice, the freer we are from the cares of this World, and the more removed we come to be, from that Fear which has Torment, in so much the better condition we are to receive the gentle impressions of Love.  
An entire dependence on God, and a joyful taking of all that he sends, are pretty difficult Lessons, when things frown upon us, and we see nothing but Troubles about us: But when he is pleased to turn again and refresh us, new vigour arises, and rejoicing in him becomes a natural work. While our Thoughts are oppressed with the temporal dangers we find on every hand, they have hardly leisure or spirit to look to what passes within: Some, it is to be hoped, are brought to reflect on the state of their Souls, from the hazard they find their Bodies are in; but the care of most, it is to be feared, is limited there, and the better part must have patience to stay till the worse is secure.  
At best, the service we pay in the midst of distress, especially when it gins not till then, is very imperfect, and falls abundantly short of the Obedience we give, when we have strength to resist: And 'tis quite another Oblation we make of ourselves, when we like our Condition, over that we put up, when we wish for a change: We may possibly be accepted in this through the mercy of God; but we are cheerful givers in that, and such as he loves: when we offer him all that we take pleasure in, it is to be sure, a greater sign of our Affection and Zeal, than just flying to him at a time that we know not whether to go; and we ourselves have less comfort in this, than the other, where we are scarce able to keep up our hopes of being received, while there we move with all the fullest assurance of Love.  
There are many virtues no doubt to be shown in the most wretched Estate, and many occasions of Piety given us by those, that wish ill to our Souls: but a larger field of Obedience to be sure is opened, by making us room enough to go at our ease; and our outward Prosperity is a great invitation as well as a means, to complete our felicity in every respect.  
Promoting the knowledge of God, reforming the manners of Men, and extending of Charity with all the train of Religious Works, are things of great worth in themselves, and esteem in the World: and we account it none of the lightest mischiefs of War, that it is a mighty hindrance to these. How much then must it add to the advantage of Peace? That by it we are put in a state of pursuing these glorious ends; That we have leisure to look to ourselves with such greater exactness, as withal to regard the welfare of others, who cannot be forgotten but at our expense.  
For it is when we want inclination or time to look to that which most nearly concerns us; that we neglect those who have a right to be part of our care, and will be remembered when we think of ourselves; God having most wisely disposed our several interests in so mutually depending a manner, that for our own sakes, we must be kind to our Brethren; and therefore we cannot but think those Circumstances exceedingly happy, that put us into so fair a Capacity of following up our common Concern.  
And we are in the better posture for this, through the extent of that Peace, in which so many others partake the Comfort with us: which is not only a great addition to the general joy, but every ones particular Triumph is thereby advanced; as that good fortune which affords us no more than a just satisfaction, while we think of it with calmness at home, is apt to transport us when we get abroad, and come to see what effect it has upon the face of the World. So natural is it for Joy as well as for Grief to swell up to a pitch from the number of those that make up the Train.  
And there is great reason it should do so here, where not only Religion, and good nature persuade us to be well pleased that others are happy; but our own opportunities of doing good, and receiving advantage are thereby enlarged; while all the kind Offices of Neighbours and Friends are freely exchanged in this part of the World.  
We have also the more reason to hope the continuance of this mutual Access, for it's being so wide; which cannot but make the prospect more pleasing to all, and all the more careful for that to prevent the cutting off any thing from it, and hardly can there be any one found so little concerned what the rest shall think of him, as not to avoid with the utmost caution, that soul mark which must light upon him who first disturbs the the common Repose.  
Which Consideration as it greatly enhances our Joy on this happy occasion, in respect of what we might otherwise fear from Abroad; so it further Augments it, by the hopes it affords of putting an end to our civil dissensions at Home: For tho' some may have been hitherto held by the mistaken Bonds of former Engagements against the plain sense and meaning of Laws, and the nature of Things, yet now perhaps they may find themselves free, and in a state to accept an Accomplished Deliverance. They might possibly be in a well meant suspense, while things were in dispute, and seemed to depend upon the Issues of War: but when that last Recourse has determined against them, and all the World besides confirm the decision; it is to be hoped that they also will be fully concluded. It cannot sure but give them a lower conceit of their private Opinion, to find it disclaimed by the rest of mankind, who have less concern that it should be an error; and prevent their being so fond of Disquiet, as still to resolve upon continuing uneasy when the World is at Rest.  
This we will hope both for them and ourselves, and with so much the more expectation of having our wish; as it has pleased God to Crown this Blessing of Peace, with the return of the King.  
Had his Sacred Person been permitted to fall by the black Malice of Implacable Men, or taken from us by any other, almost as sad, though less violent Death; after all, that his Wisdom and Courage with the Blessing of Heaven, had accomplished for us; that Glorious Day had been overcast at its very first opening upon us in the dismallest manner; and what would have followed that Terrible Night, no Mortal can tell: The loss of him who is not only of that importance to us, but to so many about us, at such a critical time, might well have unravelled all things again, and put our Afairs in a dreadful disorder: And such a Confusion had been too thick a Cloud for us to see through, what would be in the End.  
But God has had pity upon us, and by bringing back his Majesty to us, seems inclined to establish the wonderful things he has wrought for our good, and to make that Hand which has hitherto prospered with so universal an Honour in War, a further means of procuring to us, all the remaining Glories of Peace. And this we may have the fuller hopes he will do, if in the next place we proceed to consider.  
2. The obligations we are under in return, to call upon God as long as we live. This calling on God implies our entire dependence upon him; and our care to order our behaviour so as may give our Hearts a Confidence in him. And what is there in either of these, that we must not acknowledge his due in a singular manner, for what he has done? What temptation can we possibly have so much as to think of withdrawing our affiance in him, who has been so far from forsaking us, that he has been exceedingly favourable to us, beyond what we could even allow ourselves to expect at his hands? Had Afflictions and Wars been our Portion still, our Trust ought to have stood, where our Help ever did in the name of the Lord: But it would be now altogether as senseless, as it would be an ungrateful offence, to place it any where else. He who has safely conveyed us through so many Dangers, and brought us at last to the end of our temporal Hopes, has not only a right to our Trust, but such a one as it would be madness in us to dispute.  
On the other hand it would be a presumption to rely upon God, without care to make our Conversation such as might give us an humble assurance in all our appearings before him. To keep on in ways of our own, when he has done so much to invite us to order our go, in his, is such a contempt of his mercy, as would soon provoke him to turn it away: To divert his Goodness so far from being a means to lead us to Repentance, as to make it a new occasion of sinning; would be such a despite to his Spirit and Power, as must justly make us dread the return of his Judgements, with so much the fiercer Anger upon us.  
To prevent this, and to secure our Peace, we must resolve upon paying an unfeigned Obedience to God, who has been so gracious to us; 
Psal. 105.43, 45.  who has brought forth his people with Joy, and his chosen with gladness, that they might keep his statutes and observe his Laws. And to uphold us in these as well as to continue our happiness to us; we must according to the most obvions' sense of the words call upon him as long as we live. Duly considering that while we are here, there will always be danger of our departing from God, and of his leaving us, when we do, to the fruit of our ways: both which we must pray to avoid, and for some reasons peculiar to Peace.  
For tho', as it has been already observed, many great opportunities of promoting Virtue are thereby allowed us; yet it must be confessed, that there are too some Temptations in it, so apt we are to forget God, when we see no particular need of his help, and let our vain Inclinations take their extravagant course, when there is no visible stop in the way; and the apt still shall we be to do this, as our late visitation has had the less Influence on us: insomuch, that observing how little we are amended by that, we ought to be the more apprehensive of a tendency in us, to pervert and abuse our better success: And that should make us fear its Decay.  
How highly then must it always import us to pray to God in the first place that we may be Obedient, and wisely employ the Blessings we have; to lay the better ground for our ask their future continuance? And that these Prayers may be heard, we must be earnest and diligent in them; whether we offer them up in the Public Assemblies, or in the less suspected Zeal of a private Devotion: Both which ways of Address should always afford each other their mutual Help; that our secret Retirements may have the more warmth, by what we bring from the Concurrence of others; and our solemn meetings be quickened with greater Attention from our Practice at Home.  
We are now more than ever obliged to be frequent and serious in these, as well that we may show our Esteem of such Opportunities, as provide for their being the longer enjoyed: since it cannot be thought we account them a Blessing, if we care not to use them, or be hoped they will last, if we do not pray that they may be preserved.  
For tho' there is a Concurrence of several things to give us good hopes of an Enduring Peace; yet we cannot but know the state of this World, how uncertain it is; and the designs of those who have been most Disappointed, how unwearied they are. We ought therefore with the more carefulness to watch unto Prayer that our condition may be the less subject to change, and beseech God that we may never be added to that Church which has debased Religion and corrupted the World.  
The better to guard against such a Bondage as this, we must pray for a union of all our strength and endeavours at home; that they who have long since divided from our Holy Communion, may upon looking nearer into what we profess, see through the thinness of those pretences upon which they withdraw, and not be frighted from calmly considering the state of the Case by any want of Temper in us.  
To this let us add our Requests: that they who shall remain to descent from this Days Thanksgiving, may come at last in this sense too, to see the things that make for their Peace; and be brought on their way by such usage from us, as may show the desire we have to share our Happiness with them.  
For both these ends, we must earnestly pray that the King may live long, and prosper among us, not only in gratitude to him, but for the sake of all that we own to his Care; as we cannot hope to be settled and flourish in Peace, under any hand so well as that, which procured it for us, which steadily guided the Helm of this tottering state, dashed on each side with contrary Waves, and has brought it at last to the Haven where it would be.  
A great deal remains to be done for repairing the hurt it got in the storm, and should not he who secured it then, live to make up the Breaches of that, it would hardly bear the launching again? considering of how many different parts the Vessel is made, it cannot but want the Cement of so strong and piercing a spirit to hold them together, and secure the Effects of all that have an Adventure in her.  
This, if he lives, (who has made the most distant Interests abroad work together for Peace) we may hope he will do, to consummate our Happiness, and fully complete the Satisfaction he takes in perfecting that: And tho' a far greater reward will come at the end of all his Labour and Care than the brightest Scene of this World can afford; yet it cannot but be an agreeable earnest of that Glory which shall be revealed, to see the fruit of his Toils and Conflicts here, in the Virtue and Greatness of those Kingdoms for which he has been so often exposed.  
For his sake therefore, as well as our own, let us jointly endeavour to make this just and grateful Return, and help him to finish that excellent work he has so far advanced, that it must be our fault, if it ever miscarries: he has now by the favour of God, put it into our hands to do good to ourselves; and it is our true Wisdom not to let the occasion slip▪ as it certainly will, if we do not improve it; and not only vanish itself, but leave our Condition worse than it was.  
To avoid this Relapse, let us here ●n the presence of God reckon ourselves to be saved from the hand of our Enemies, that we may serve him without fear, in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our life, and if our Deliverance has this effect, our welfare is safe in our Virtues and Blessings daily receiving a mutual increase, and the Better we are, the Happier still shall we certainly be.  
Let it then be our Care to give the mercies we are met to acknowledge, this interest in us; that our present Rejoicing may leave an abiding Comfort upon us, and every moment make us fit for all that we want: That the King may have the pleasure we own him of ruling a People with ease, he has been at so much pains to preserve; and that from both God alone may have always the Praise. To whom be ascribed, as is most due, all Honour and Glory, Dominion and Power, now and for ever. Amen.  
FINIS.