Die Lunae, Novemb. 9 1646.  
ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, that Mr Strode do give thanks to Mr Strong, for the great pains he took in the Sermon, which he Preached at the entreaty of this House, at Margaret's Westminster on Thursday last (being the fifth of November) the day of the damnable Powder Treason, and that he be desired to print his Sermon: And that he have the same Privilege as others have in the printing of their Sermons.  
H. Elsing Cler. Parl. D. Com.   

I do appoint Francis Titan Stationer, to Print my Sermon,  
William Strong.   

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE Commemoration and Exaltation OF MERCY.  
DELIVERED IN A SERMON Preached to the Honourable, the HOUSE of COMMONS, at Margaret's Westminster, Novemb. 5. 1646.  
Being the day of their public thanksgiving, for that eminent and Ancient Mercy, the Deliverance of them, and the whole Kingdom in them, from the Popish and Hellish Conspiracy of the Powder Treason.  
By WILLIAM STRONG, a Member of the Assembly of Divines.  ESAY 54.15. 
Behold they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee, shall fall for thy sake.  VERS. 17. 
No weapon that is form against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement, thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.  
Quae De●s contulit gratis, tollit ingratis: Quod i●lo dante fit nostrum, nobis superbientibus fit alienum,  August. Homil. 14. 
LONDON, Printed for Francis Titan, at the three Daggers near the Inner Temple 〈…〉   

To the Honourable THE COMMONS OF ENGLAND, Assembled in PARLIAMENT.  
GOD hath made all his Ministers Stewards, 
1 Cor. 4.1.2.  and a great Trust he hath committed to them, 
Heb. 13.17.  The mysteries of God, 
2 Cor. 2.17.  and the souls of men. That they may rightly discharge this Trust, 
2 Cor. 3 11.  a double qualification is required in them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Ephes. 4. ●4.  sincerity of spirit and liberty of speech: We are neither to use a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a sleight of hand to wrest the word to our sense; nor a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to temper it to the lusts of men. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Clem. Alex. Strom. l. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. justin. Mart. Epist. ad Lenam & Serenum. 2 Cor. 4. 2. jer. 23.31.  Let false Prophets smooth their tongues, and fill the ears of deluded souls with spiritual flatteries. Those that God hath sent, must speak as the Oracles of God, not sparing the sins, nor fearing the faces of men, lest they be confounded before them: And amongst all that confluence of mercy, which I desire may be poured down upon your Honourable Assembly from Heaven, this is not the least, that God may give you, and continue unto you Pastors after his own heart, who may discharge their trust with boldness and faithfulness towards God and you; and that you may receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.  
What is here presented to your view, I hope gave no offence in the delivery, neither will it in the reveiw, being made public by your command. However, I have discharged what I apprehended to be my duty, 
Bonae. res neminem scandalizant, nisi mala●●●entem, Tertul de veland. virgin. cap. 7.  to God, to you, and to the whole Kingdom in you; for the wounds of this people will never be healed with sweet words. If any one shall conceive something to be spoken here, as savouring of too much boldness and plainness; I must answer him with Salvian in a like case, Non à mea sibi haec linguâ dici aestimet, sed à conscienti suâ; It is not my tongue, but his own heart which makes the Application.  
Two great evils God hath blamed in his people in all Ages, 
 accipinat importuni, donec acceperunt inquieti, & ●bi acce●erunt ingrati. Bern. de consider, l. 4. c. 2.  unthankfulness for mercies, and wantonness under them.  
1. Unthankfulness; We are very apt to be importunate for mercies, when we want them; and to despise and undervalue them when we do enjoy them. It's a very hard matter to have the same esteem of them in our praises, which we had in our prayers. God hath honoured, loaden, yea crowned you with mercies; his faithfulness and truth hath been your shield and buckler: He hath not only given you these Ancient mercies, that of 88 and this: The Remembrance of which you did upon this day celebrate; but he hath showed you greater things than these; that you and the world may wonder; he hath since delivered you, from many invincible Armadas, and many Powder Plots at once. Let these mercies never wax old to you; 
Haec beneficii intet duos lex est. Alter statim oblivisci debet dati, alter accepti nunquam. Sen. de benes. l. 2. c. 10.  it is an evil that we are all prone to, that as time will wear out the sense of sin, so it will the esteem of mercy; and he that shall keep either the one, or the other always fresh before him, had need be anointed daily with fresh Oil. 
Docuerunt linguam suam grandia loqui, cum operentur exigua. Largissimi promissores, & parrissimi exhibitores, etc. Bern. de confider, l. 4. c. 2.  Neither should our thankfulness be only the fruit of the Lips, but of the Life, The Lord is better pleased with the language of our hands, then with the language of our tongues. And this must not be for a day and no more; mercies are eternal obligations; and while we enjoy the fruit of them, it's but reasonable that God should have the glory; and that we should say with Hezekiah, The Lord was ready to save us, therefore we will sing our songs to the stringed instruments, all the days of our life in the house of the Lord, Esay, 38.20.  
2. Wantonness under mercies; jesuron may wax fat and kick; and when the filling of a people is according to their pasture, 
Deut. 32.15. jeshuron à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aspexit solicit, observavit: quia Israelitae viderunt presentiam gloriae divinae. Shined l. Hos. 13.6.  their hearts may be lifted up, and they may forget the Lord; It was Vzziah his sin and ruin, he was mightily helped till he was strong, and then his heart was lifted up to his own destruction. To lose the fruit of an affliction is a great provocation, but much more the fruit of a mercy; when cords of love make a people sit more lose from God, to draw iniquity with cords of mercy, this is the highest way of sinning.  
It's a great testimony that is given of jehosaphat, The Lord established the Kingdom in his hand, 
2 Chron. 26.15 Perdidistis utilitatem calamitatis, & miserremi facti estis & pessimi p●rmansistis, Austin. de civet. l. 1. c. 33. 2 Chron. 17.5.6. His vincit, qui se vincit in victoria.  and all judah brought him presents; and he had riches and honours in abundance; and his heart was lift up in the ways of the Lord. We should be like a spire Steeple, which is minimus in summo; lest in our own eyes, when God hath made us greatest in the eyes of other men; we should acknowledge the Lord to be the God of our mercies, make him the God of our praises, and consecrate not only the mercy to him with Hannah, but ourselves also, as Hezekiah exhorteth, to give the hand, and as the Churches of Macedonia did, who gave themselves to the Lord. 
2 Chron. 30.8.  There is as great danger of mercies as of any of God's dispensations: 
2 Cor. 8.5.  Our mercies may become our snares, and that which should have been for our welfare may become a trap, to take us; for the ground that drinks in this rain of mercies, as well as that of ordinances, and brings not forth herbs meet for him by whom it is dressed, is nigh to cursing. These will make the sins of people like Summer fruits, 
Socrati cum multa multi pro suis quisque facult●hus offerrent, Aesc●ines pauper Auditor, Nihil (inquit) dignum te, quod dare tibi possim, inve●●o. Itaque dono t●bi quod unum habeo, me ipsum, Sen. de benef. l. ●. c. 8. Amos 8.1.  ripen them the sooner.  
If it prove so with us, we must remember that there be changes of the right hand of the most high; 
Psal. 77 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutat●ones dexiera, Cal.  he may repent of these mercies, as he did, that he had made Saul King; he may become our enemy, and fight against us, and may resolve to destroy us, after he hath done us good.  
The light that God hath caused to rise to us in obscurity, 
Iosh. 24.20. Zach. 14.6.  is such as is neither clear nor dark; we are in continuo crepusculo; we cannot as yet say all our fears are over, and that the Sun hath risen upon us to a perfect day; and hence it comes to pass, every man's heart is become a merchant, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 38.10.  traffiking too and fro, not knowing where to rest. Leave your former mercies with God, but so as to improve them for God; while you do enjoy them, commit the keeping of your mercies to him as well as of your souls in well doing; that if he change his hand towards you again, your hearts may not reproach you, and say, the time was we had a price in our hand, but we had no heart. Let your mercies make you more faithful, more fruitful; and then doubt not, but if God lead you into new troubles, if the bush be brought into the fire again, the good will of him that dwelled in the bush, shall be with you.  
And though the Enemy, now his power is gone, sets all his Policy on work, and it may be, hopes to effect that by the one, which he could not by the other; Yet the GOD of your salvation, who hath given you these former mercies, 
Psal 74.14.  as the Head of Leviathan for food to your faith, and hath in the latter mercies, opened to you in the Valley of Anchor a door of hope; 
Hos. 2.15.  I say, the same GOD who hath taken the Lions, will in his own time, take the Foxes also; For he takes the wise in their own craftiness; Which is the daily prayer, and shall be the constant expectation of him,  
Who is devoted to your Service in the Gospel, William Strong.   

A SERMON PREACHED Before the Honourable HOUSE of COMMONS, At their late Solemn Thanksgiving, the 5th of November, 1646.  EZRA 9.13.14. 
After all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such a deliverance as this:  
Should we again break thy Commandments and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldst thou not be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?  
ALL well ordered States have their public Records, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 King. 15.23. & 16.5. Ezra. 4.15. & 6.1. Hest. 6.1.  in which as in a common Treasury, all the memorable Acts of that Kingdom are reserved, to be transmitted to posterity. God in his Kingdom also loves to have such Registers and Chronicles kept, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay. 62.6.  of all his special dispensations; He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered, Psal. 111.4. And the Scripture tells us, that God hath Recorders, Officers maintained to this end, sc. all those that have pleasure in them; and the Table in which they are recorded, is their heart, which should be written as the Prophet's role, within and without, both of the word and the works of God; a Table of mercy and and a Table of duty: For seeing God hath a Book of Remembrance of our works written before him; 
Mal. 3.16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  it is but equal that we should have a book of Remembrance of his works written before us; and to read over this book is to be a great part of the labour of a man's whole life.  
Perusing the Annals of England, we find Anno 1605. a glorious deliverance recorded, which God vouchsafed to the Representative body of this Nation, and in them to the whole Kingdom, from a Popish and hellish Conspiracy, of long deliberation and sudden execution. The wood was laid in order, and the child as it were bound upon the wood; the knife prepared, and the hand lifted up; and then came the voice from heaven, stay thine hand.  
To read over the Records of this mercy, is the occasion of this solemnity; that we may delight ourselves in the goodness of the Lord, and say, Our God is the God of salvations, to God the Lord belong the issues from death; that we stand upon the Red Sea, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 68.20.  and view the head of this Leviathan broken; and writ upon the mercy a new Higgaion Selab, 
Psal. 9.16.  as matter of most serious Meditation.  
The words read unto you, were uttered upon a fare different occasion from this of ours, that being to them a time of public Humiliation: This to us a time of public thanksgiving; they were met together to bewail their sins against God; and we are met to rejoice in God's goodness towards us. But it is Tertullia's rule, specialiter pronunciata, generaliter sapiunt. 
De specta●ul. c. 3.  The Scripture like a well drawn Picture, hath an eye upon every one that comes into the room; and therefore the instructions may be as proper to us as unto them; though the occasion be different.  
The Text contains a serious and hearty detestation of a revolt into former sins, enforced by these three Arguments.  
1. Taken from the justice of God, and the remembrance of his former judgements; Our dwelling places have cast us out, and by the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept, for seventy year: In Babylon we remembered Zion, and being returned to Zion, it behoves us to remember Babylon; After all this is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass.  
2. Taken from the mercy of God, 
Psal. 78.38. E●●● 28.8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infra peccata jerm.  and that both Punishing and Delivering: First, Punishing, The Lord hath not dealt with us according to our sins, he did not stir up all his wrath, but stayed his rough wind in the day of his East wind he hath punished us less than our iniquities deserve: 
Ezech. 37.1.2. Psalm. 136.23.  Secondly, Delivering; We being a field of dry bones, he might have made our graves in the land of our captivity, and we might never have returned again to see our native Country; but he remembered us in our low estate, for his mercy endureth for ever; and as be punished us below our desert, so he delivered us above our expectation.  
3. Taken from the issue and the dangerous consequence of such a revolt; 
jerm. 34.17.  Many of us have been swept away in this judgement, and we were numbered to the famine, to the sword and to the pestilence; we were resembled by the hair, Ezech. 5.2. an unprofitable excrement, some cut with a knife, and some scattered with the winds; yet a few in number were bound up in the Prophet his skirt; some written to life in jerusalem, as it is at this day. But if we should again break his Commandments, 
Esay 4.3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  and not only return to our old land, but also to our old sins, we can expect nothing but an utter destruction, that as to Sodom, and Gomorrha, God should leave us no remnant nor escaping.  
It cannot be expected that we should treat of all these particulars, which the Text holds forth to us; therefore from the commemoration of the Deliverance, and the detestation of the revolt, I will present you only with these two observations at this time.  

1. A thankful heart hath high apprehensions of mercy; and looks upon every mercy as great.  
2. The revolt or back-sliding of a people into former sins after they have received great deliverances, is a very high provocation.   
To begin with the first.  
Doct. A thankful heart looks upon every mercy as great.  
The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Original hath a special emphasis in i●, such a deliverance as we are not able to express: Our Enemy being the greatest Monarch of the Earth, and we in as low a condition as could be, prisoners in a pit, 
Zach. 9.11. Ezech. 37.2. Esay 41.14.  dry bones, worms, whom none loved, none feared, but every man ready to tread upon: And in this condition we had been for seventy years, that we had now even forgot prosperity, and seemed men add mancipium nati, 
Lam. 3.17.  home-born slaves; who had not only lost our liberty, 
jer. 2.14. Ezech. 37.12. Esay 53.10.  but our hope too. That now deliverance should arise to us, our light break forth in obscurity, and we not make an escape, as those that break prison, but be sent out at the Kings own motion with love and triumph as if we rather returned from a victory then a captivity; and to have Materials allowed for the work of the House of God, and moneys out of the King's Treasury, it is such a deliverance and so fare above our hope, that we could scarce believe our own eyes when we saw it; 
Ps●lm. 126.1.  when the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.  
I shall not give you particular proofs of the point, the several Songs of Deliverance, with which the people of God have compassed him about, and those torrents of Rhetoric which they have poured out in them, evidently show what esteem they had of the mercies, adn to what height they did arise in their apprehensions.  
I shall therefore for confirmation give you the grounds thereof.  
First, The price of every mercy doth arise from God the Author; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Arist.  whatsoever is in God or comes from him hath in that respect an excellency stamped upon it; therefore the Holy Ghost in Scripture when he would exalt any thing to the highest, adds the name of God thereunto, as Abraham called a Prince of God, that is a mighty Prince; and Rachel said to wrestle with the wrestle of God, that is great wrestling: 
Gen. 23.6. & 30.8.  There is not the meanest mercy but has an excellency in it as it comes from God: For God to spread your Table, fill your cup, make your bed, draw your curtains, and watch over you while you sleep; for God to cause his Sun to shine, his rain to fall on the just and on the unjust: though these be the most common and ordinary mercies in the world, yet a thankful heart looks upon them as great, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb 12.5. job 7 17. 1 Sam. 24.14. Occumbens Hercu●is a●mis do ium ingens, Flac. Indignus sum quem vel percutias. Caryl in lac.  in reference to the Author: the least affliction as it comes from God, should not be despised; God is said to magnify man when he does visit him every morning and try him every moment It's an honour to die by a great and mighty hand; David saith that Saul honoured him and abased himself too much, to pursue after a dead dog, after a flea; job looks upon himself as one who was not only unworthy that God should bless him, but also unworthy that God should smite him: And if God doth magnify men when he doth afflict them, How much more when he doth deliver them?  
Secondly, Grace is nothing else but the exaltation of God in the foul, 
Tendentia animae in Deum.  and therefore it causeth men to value all things either as they come from him, or as they lead to him, and herein godliness consists: and on the contrary, low and undervalewing thoughts of God and all things that come from him, this is ungodliness. Hence it is that a gracious heart, if he see nothing of God in those things which the world counts great he looks upon as nothing: Honour a bubble, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 25.23. Psal. 62.9. Dan. 4.17. Ecce (●●quit) hanc ●●stiam (b●ffonem intuitus) tam eximiam creaturam fecit me Deus, & n●nquam gr●tias egi quod non me quoque tam deformem buffonem fecerit; hoc est quod amare fleo. Oh Aug●stine sancte quam vere dixisti. surgunt ndoct: & rapiunt Cael ●n; & nos cum doctrinis ●ostris voluta●ur in can● & sanguine. Luth. d clam. popul. de tertio p. aecepto, tem. 1.  the pomp of the world a fan●y, the great men of the world a lie yea, he looks upon the greatest Monarches as the Spirit of God styles them, if wicked, as the basest of men: But on the contrary, wheresoever he seethe any thing of God, he hath high apprehensions of it, whether it be in nature or providence. 1. In nature, Luther relates a Story of two Cardinals riding to the Council of Constance, by the way they heard a shephead weeping and bewailing himself bitterly; one of the Cardinals moved with compassion, turned aside out of the way to comfort him, as his necessity should require, and he found him looking upon an ugly Toad; and he told him, he could not but weep in consideration of the goodness of God, and his own unthankfulness, that God had not made him such a creature as this: With which the Cardinal was so affected, that he fell off his Mule in a swound, and coming to himself again, he continually cried out, well said St Augustine, the unlearned take heaven by violence, and we with our learning wallow in the delights of flesh and blood. 2. In providence, there is not the falling of a sparrow, the turning of the wind, the change of counsels, the alteration of affections, or the answer of the tongue, but they look upon them as great, because they come from God, and are acted by great Instruments unto glorious ends, for the spirit of the living creatures is in the wheels. 
Ezech. 1.20.   
Thirdly, They are deeply apprehensive of their own vileness, and unworthiness of the least mercy: They maintain in themselves a constant poverty of spirit, and the mercy must needs rise high when the man falls low: a gracious heart says with Abraham, I am but dust and ashes; with jacob, I am less than the least of thy mercies; with David I am a worm and no man; with Paul I am nothing: with Bernard, tanquam monstrum inter filios Dei sto: with Eccebolius calcate me salem insipidum; with Hooper, thou art heaven, I am Hell. When men have such low apprehensions of themselves they must needs have high thoughts of the mercies; the Schools say humility is vacuum spirituale; so is pride plenetudo diabolica, a fullness from Sa●an: a person that is great in his own eyes is ready to think as every honour so every mercy too small for him.  
Use 1. It should stir up all our hearts to set a high price upon this present mercy; God's eye is upon your spirits in your days of Thanksgiving, as well as in your days of Humiliation; and as not to be affected with the sin and judgement in the one, is a great provocation (It was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of Hosts, 
Esay 22.12.13.14.  surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till you die, etc.) So not to be affected with the mercy in the other, 
Psal. 78.42.  They remembered not his hand nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy. As it is acceptation with God, which we should chief look at in all our services: so it is acceptance with us, which God chief looks at in all his mercies, that we should count them worthy of all acceptation. It is our acceptance of the mercy, that will make our Thanksgiving to be accepted; this makes God to smell a savour of rest: 
G●n. ●. 2●. I●●●●. 22.3.  this prepares for him an habitation where next to heaven he loves to dwell, for he inhabits the praises of Israel.  
I hope we are not come into God's presence this day barely in a form to keep an Anniversary remembrance according to custom, and no more: There are these four ends which we ought to propose to ourselves, and neither of them can be obtained unless the mercy be great in our eyes.  
First, we are met this day that God may be exalted, that we may make his praise glorious; now the glory of God is twofold, essentialis or manifestativa, the first is the excellency of the divine nature in itself, the second is the shining forth of this excellency unto us and our reflection thereof unto God again. The highest way of our honouring God lies in high apprehensions of him, being overwhelmed with his excellency, seeing light in his light; which is that way of glory which he hath reserved for himself in heaven: to speak high words of God when men have low apprehensions of him, this is not to honour him as a God: If therefore the apprehension of the mercy doth not arise in your hearts, God is not exalted in your praises.  
Secondly, We are met this day, that our hearts may be enlarged, Revel. 5.8. The Saints are said every one of them to have harps and goldenvials full of odours; these vials are their hearts, these odours glorious apprehensions and fervent affections; therefore when men come to heaven, their faculties shall be enlarged, their apprehensions raised; this is Domus militiae, that Domus laetitiae. 
Bern. l. ●. Cap. 14.  Gellius speaks of men whose words are ore nata non pectore; as there are prayers so borne, so are there praises, and these never enlarge the heart. The praises of the Saints are melody in the heart to the Lord, 
Ephes. 5.19.  and it is melody in the heart which only can enlarge the heart.  
Thirdly, We are met this day that our mouths may be opened and our glory awakened, Psal. 51.15. David doth complain of closed lips, surely as it was his, in confession, so it will be our condition in thanksgiving, if our apprehensions of the mercy be not raised; either our mouths will be stopped: or if they be open, we shall but babble verbis humidis & lapsantibus: For God expects in all our praises that we should render unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the mercy that we have received from him; 
2 Chron. 31.25.  and therefore according to our apprehensions of what we have received, so will our endeavours of a return be. It is with men in thanksgivings for mercies received, as it is in humiliations for sins committed: If a man have but slight thoughts of sin as no great offence; he can easily put it off with a formal confession; so if he think the mercy received to be but small, than a verbal thanksgiving shall suffice.  
Fourthly, We are met this day to abase ourselves before the Throne of Grace, Rev. 1●. 16.17. The Elders who s●●● before God on their seats, fell upon ●their faces & worshipped God, And they said we give thee thanks oh Lord God Almighty; the face is the glory of the man, and he that falls upon his face, abuseth his glory: Our mercie● should humble us as well as our sins. In the Thanksgivings of his people, when they offered thei● first fruits to God and came to rejoice before him, in every good thing that he had given them, they m●st say, 
Deut. 26.5.  A Syrian ready to perish was my Father, and he went down into Egypt and sojourned there with a few, and became there a Nation, great mighty and populous, etc. When David went in and sat before the Lord, in a day of solemn Thanksgiving, he said, who am I oh Lord God and what is my house, 
2 Sam. 7. 1●.  that then hast brought me hitherto! If the mercy seem high, the man will surely fall low before the Lord. As small sin● will not work in men great sorrows, so small and ordinary mercies will never work in men great abasements; if we once apprehend God to be glorious in mercies, we shall then look upon him as fearful in praises, but never till then.  
If these ends be not attained this day, we may think we have done a great service, in this formal presenting ourselves before the Lord; but we shall surely find that rule to be true, sordet in conspectu judicis, quod fulget in conspectu operantis; 
Creg.  and that those services as well as persons, which are highly esteemed among men, are an abomination in the sight of the Lord, Luk. 16.15.  
In this deliverance out of Babylon which the holy man Ezra doth here so much exalt, there were many things with which sullen and unthankful spirits would have extenuated the mercy, and would have been ready to say, This is no such deliverance as you would make it be: Cyrus indeed made a Proclamation throughout all his Kingdom, 
Ezra. 1.3. ●.  that we should return to jerusalem and build the house of the Lord God of Israel: And that in all places which we sojourned, that the men of that place should help us with silver and with gold, with goods and with beasts, besides the free will offering for the house of God that is in jerusalem: But no sooner did we begin to lay the foundation, but all the Idolatrous Nations adjoining, did set themselves to hinder the work, being countenanced and encouraged thereunto by the Governors of those Provinces; and they prevailed so fare with Cambyses the young Prince, who had the charge of the Empire, while his Father was otherwise busied, 
job. 2.20. Sir Walter Roughley, hist. of the world, l 3. c. 3. § 7. Ezra. 7 25.  that he countermanded the building, and our enemies came upon us and made us to cease the work by force and power, and thus it remained only a foundation laid for 46 years together: having from the Decree of Cyrus, received so many hindrances to the sixth year of Darius. And though the Temple is finished, yet the wall of jerusalem is still broken down and the gates thereof burnt with fire; 
Neh. 1.3.  and we that are the remnant left of the captivity are in great affliction and reproach to this day: We are still under the command and power of the King of Persia; and great men are given to change, and if his mind change, he will soon reduce us into the same bondage and captivity in which we were; and we have enemies round about, that watch for our halting, and are daily studying accusations, and giving informations against us; surely this is not so great a Deliverance. Indeed, had the Lord brought us out of Babylon, as he did our Fathers out of Egypt by a mighty hand, with signs and wonders, with silver and gold, and not a feeble person among our Tribe; and so fare avenged our quarrel, as to have destroyed our enemies before our eyes, that the fear of us had fallen upon all the Nations round about: such a Deliverance had been worthy to be exalted. But as for this, we confess its a mercy to return again to our own land; yet not so great as you would seem to make it. But Ezra mentions none of these things; for as a believing heart takes in no considerations that may darken the promise, 
Rom. 4.20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  so a thankful heart takes in nothing that may extenuate the mercy.  
There are six things which may extenuate this present Deliverance, and hinder thankfulness in this solemn day of our Thanksgiving.  
1. It is the acknowledgement of a mercy: Had it been of an injury, thereof men are very tenacious; and they will never forget, even then when they pretend to forgive; but lay a charge upon themselves as Darius did upon his attendants for a treachery wrought against him by the Athenians, Memento Atheni●nsium. To forget injuries, States must enact an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Roman Senate did after the death of Caesar, but we need not make an Act of Oblivion for mercies. The Deliverance out of Egypt was a public and an eminent mercy, which was put into their Catechism: in the Preface to the Commandments, they kept an Anniversary remembrance of it; and one of their Sacraments was instituted upon that ground; and yet the Lord complains, That they remembered not his hand, nor the day, wherein he delivered them from their enemies, Psal. 78.42.  
2. This is a public mercy: Had it been particular to any one family or person, he might have been affected with it. For Noah to be preserved in a common Deluge, or Lot in the general overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrha. But public mercies are looked upon by men as public duties; that which is every man's work is no man's work. Corrupt nature is nothing else but a principle of self-love, and all mercies are the less sweet to self, because others have a share in them, for self would engross all unto self: Whereas on the contrary, grace is a public and princely spirit, which can rejoice in the good of many, though the man hath no interest in it; and his own interest in any mercy is so much the sweeter because others partake therein together with him: he can delight in the prosperity of jerusalem, 
Psal. 106.5. Etiam Caesares credidiss●nt, si & Christiani potuissent, esse & Caesares, Tert. Apol.  and rejoice in the good of Gods chosen, & glory with his inheritance. But a corrupt heart is so full of self, that though the knowledge of Christ be the salvation of the world, yet if it cross any self interest, be will be so far from seeking the good of the public and rejoicing in it, that he will (though to the damnation of many) endeavour to obscure the Lord of glory.  
3. It's a preventing mercy: To see other men executed before our eyes, and we ourselves to be preserved as firebrands plucked out of the burning: this might affect men; but to be carried upon eagle's wings, out of the reach of evil, 
Exod. 1● 4.  and the snare to be broken before we knew we were in danger, and merely the consideration of it to affect men; to think the Lord delivered us when there was but a step between us and death, this is difficult.  
4. It's an old Deliverance: New mercies may affect men, while the thoughts of them are fresh, 
Nihil citius senescit quam gratis, Sen. Psal. 106 12.  but by degrees the sense will we are out. They that stood upon the Red Sea, and saw the Egyptians dead before them they believed his words, and they sang his praise; but they soon forgot his works and waited not for his counsel, but lusted in the wilderness and tempted God in the Desert. Had we seen how the hearts of King and Parliament, City and Kingdom, were affected the day after this Deliverance, when in their public Thanksgivings they said of the Papists, Their faith is faction, their religion rebellion, and their practice the murdering of souls and body: we would have thought, there had been no fear of the growth and countenancing of Popery in this Kingdom to the endangering of all the truths of God, both in Doctrine and Worship; much less that ever a Popish Army should have been raised in this Kingdom for the destruction of the Parliament; and that by many of those who were themselves Members of the Parliament; but rather that this whole Kingdom from the highest to the lowest had taken up Luther's resolution after many Provocations, Brevi efficiam, at ●athe●●● sit esse Papestam.  
5. Because you were not the particular persons delivered: none of you were Parliament men then. Indeed this Deliverance is in a manner particularly yours, and belongs unto us, as it were, only at second hand, as we have an interest in you, as in you our good is bound up; as God hath made you the light of our eyes, the breath of our nostrils, the stay of our Tribes, and the covering Cherub upon the Ark of God among us: 
●●e b. 28.16. Non mir●●s se de l●beratione laetari quam illos ipsos qui o●im ex Aeg●pto ed●cti crant. M●ll. P●●l. 66.6.  And though you were not the particular persons: yet its agreeable to the language of the holy Ghost in the Scripture, to take that as done to ourselves, which was done to our forefather's, the fruits whereof in our generation we enjoy: He turned the Sea into dry land, they went through the flood on foot, there did we rejoice in him. They looked upon themselves concerned in the mercy, as truly as if they had been of the number of those that saw the wonders of God in Egypt, and had been baptised with Moses in the cloud and in the Sea, Hos. 12.4. He met with him in Bethel and there he spoke with us: They acknowledge the goodness of God unto jacob, as if they had been the men who stood before the Lord in Bethel. And so should ye account Deliverances granted to your Ancestors to be yours, for you enter into their labours who now sit in their places; and you reap the fruit of all their hazards and dangers.  
6. It's a mercy which (though exceeding great in itself) God hath drowned as it were with greater mercies since: God doth sometimes darken former mercies by greater deliverances; he saith, the days shall come when they shall say no more, the Lord liveth which brought up the children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt; 
jer. 23.8.9.  but the Lord liveth which brought up and led the seed of the house of Israel out of the North Country, and from all the Countries whither he had driven them, etc. The greater mercy should as it were eclipse the glory of the former, that in comparison it should disappear, tanquam stellae exiliores as exortum solis. But though God may thus darken mercies in themselves, yet greater mercies should not ●so darken the former unto us as to cause us to neglect or forget them. The greatness of the glory of redemption should not take off a man's heart from being affected with the mercy of the creation; and the remembrance of our Redeemer, should not cause a man to forget his Creator. The greater mercies should be a means to affect a man's heart with lesser mercies anew: As a great sin humbled for, and repent of, doth not make men to sleight small sins, but rather makes a man's heart more tender of them: so a heart raised to thankfulness for a great mercy, should not cause a man to neglect and undervalue lesser favours; but rather make him the more thankful for them, and to view over the whole course of mercy which the Lord hath showed towards us, 
Mich. 6.5.  even from Shittim to Gilgal; that we may know the righteousness of the Lord, 
Psal. 68.26.  and that we may praise the Lord from the fountain of Israel; even from the time, that the first corner stone of mercy was laid unto this day.  
Such thoughts as these Satan will be ready to inject, to extenuate this mercy, to lessen your thankfulness, and if your Vials be not full of Odours, to clog yours spirits upon this joyful day. Having thus endeavoured to remove those things with might cause the mercy to seem small: I shall now propose some considerations which may raise the mercy, and make it glorious in your eyes, that you may say with Ezra his affection, thou hast given such a deliverance as this.  
1. The more bitter the enemies, and the more deadly the danger, the greater the deliverance, when the snares of death do compass us about and the pains of hell take hold of us, and then to God the Lord belong the issues from death, it doth exceedingly advance the mercy. Had this plot taken, it would have cost many men's lives, and these the chief of our Tribes; and how much blood might have followed, who knows? for the woman rides upon the scarlet coloured beast, and is arrayed in scarlet coloured garments, Rev. 17.3.4. And if we had scaped with our lives, they had been lives worse than death, we had surely lost our Liberties and Religion: for an especial part of Rome's trading is in slaves and souls of men, Rev. 18.13. so that many of us owe our lives unto this mercy, and all we that are converted, own that which is better than our lives, sc. our conversion thereunto.  
2. The deeper a plot is laid, 
Psal. 83.3.  and then to be defeated, the greater the mercy: They have taken crafty Counsel against thy people and they consulted against thy hidden ones. The thing was ploited beyond the Seas, with the influence doubtless of all the policy of Rome: Instruments chosen and brought over of purpose, men skilful to destroy: It was communicated but to a few, and to these under an oath of secrecy, receiving the Sacrament thereupon; And the assistance of Hell was not wanting doubtless, 
Rev. 11.8.  for Rome is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Egypt for cruelty, Sodom for filthiness, and for sorcery Babylon the great. And when it had taken effect, the Plot was to lay all upon the Puritans the godly party of the Kingdom, whom they knew to be extremely hated amongst us, and therefore we were apt upon any slander raised to believe any thing concerning them, which for aught we know might have produced as great a Massacre upon all the godly in this Kingdom, as that in France was. But there is a God that reveals secrets, before whom Hell and Destruction are open; much more the hearts of the sons of men; and he discovered it. This shall be the end of all those that Plot against God, and dig deep to hid their counsels from him, he will certainly out wit them all at last, and will take the wise in their own craftiness.  
3. The more confident an enemy is of success, the greater is the mercy in such a Deliverance, when they are folded together as thorns in a confederacy, and drunken with confidence as drunkards, than they shall be consumed as stubble fully dry, Nah. 1.10. The Conspirators said, heaven and earth had agreed together to avenge the iniquity of these times, and the Heretics shall receive a blow, and never know who hurt them etc. But as Luther said in another case, Aliter decretum est in Caelo. 
Mich. 5.12.  They knew not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understood they his counsel; he did laugh them to scorn, did blow upon their counsel, made the devise to be of none effect, and wherein they concluded with themselves proudly he was above them.  
4. The more immediately the hand of God is seen in any deliverance, the greater it is; 
H●b. 3.8.9. Esay 52.10.  when the Lord makes his bow naked and his arm bare and doth ride for his people's safety upon his charets of salvation. Here the children were come to the birth, the vault was digged, the Powder prepared, the Billets placed, and all the Instruments of death ready; and the Actors and Confederates most of them gone into the Country, to expect the fatal blow. Now is God a help found in the time of trouble; 
Psal. 46.1.  cum duplicantur lateres, veniet Moses, is the Hebrew Proverb, that we may for ever to posterity leave this Inscription upon this mercy, jehovah jireh, in the Mount will the Lord be seen.  
5. That it should not end only in our Deliverance, but in the enemy's destruction; and we wash our feet in the blood of the wicked; this doth much exalt a mercy when wicked men are snared in the work of their own hand, fall into their own pit & necis artificem arte perire sua; 
Esay 33.11.  when their own breath shall be as fire to devour themselves. And the heads of these Conspirators stand as public Monuments of the justice of God and man upon the top of that house which they did desire to have turned upside down. In this God gave you the head of Leviathan for food to your faith, in all that wilderness of troubles and fears, which he hath since led you through. 
Zach. 2. Theodoret. in loc.  And hath been as a wall of fire round about you: Qui cominus arceat & eminus terreat; for he hath said all that are incensed against thee shall be ashamed, and confounded, they shall be as nothing, and all they that strive with thee shall perish, Esai. 41.11. Such considerations as these will raise the esteem of the mercy and make it glorious in our eyes. Let us now conclude this first point with the close of Deborahs' Song, so let all thine enemies perish oh Lord, but let them that love him be as the Sun when it goeth forth in his might, judg. 5.31.  
Doct. 2 Let us now come unto the second point proposed, which was, That the revolt of a people into former sins after they have received great Deliverance is a great provocation: and therefore that which a thankful heart abhors: should we again break thy Commandments? the Interrogation hath the force of negation, a detestation.  
Here for explication, we will only propose to you these three things.  
1. That the evil heart of man is exceeding prone to a revolt, 
Hos. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  and to back sliding: the word signifieth, suspensi, men that are always in doubt, certain and resolved of nothing: the same word that is used Deut. 28.66. thy life shall hang in doubt before thee: It may be while they are under the sharpness of some affliction, and the gall and wormwood is yet in their mouths, or under the fresh apprehension of some late mercy, they may seem then to be through for God, and carried on to holiness and reformation with a full sail: But they are as unresolved men, quickly turned about to the contrary point of the Compass, 
Heb. 10.39.  and they draw back to perdition, as fast as they did seem before to put forward to salvation, and to turn again to folly with as much earnestness as before 
Psal 85.9.  they seemed to turn to God and duty, their righteousness is as a morning dow, and they start aside as a broken bow. And therefore it's the title that God puts upon his own people above all other Nations, backsliding Israel: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jer. 3.6. & 14: & 22.  the word signifies a people reversed and turned backward, that had made a defection from what they were or at least did seem to be. And the great mercy promised to this people when the Lord shall return to them is, that he will he●le their back-slidings, 
Hos. 14.45.  and then they need not fear ●u● of all other things shall be a healing; for than his anger is turned away and be will ●e as the dew to Israel.  
2. It hath been the glory of God's people, and also their glorying, that they have not made defection and revolt from God in the greatest straiton, 
Psal. 44.17.18.19.  Thou hast ●ore broken us in the place of Dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death; though all this become upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee; neither have we dealt falsely in thy Covenant, our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way.  
To some men prosperity is a greater trial than adversity, and prove● a more dangerous means of back-sliding; Hazael when he heard what was Prophesied of him, his present resolutions were such that he thought it was more suitable to the nature of a dog then a man, and therefore answers; Is thy servant a dog, 
2. King. 8.13.  that be should do this great thing? The Prophet make● him no answer, but this, The Lord hath shamed●ne that thou shalt be King over Syria: and then the change of his condition would soon change his present resolution, and manifest to the would that he was such a dog indeed. Many men's hearts change with their estates, and their lost rise with their outward pomp and greatness; many a man had never been so wicked, if he had not been so great. Now if it be an evil to revolt from God in adversity, than it is much more in prosperity; to turn from him when he blesseth us, is a greater provocation then to turn from him when he smiteth us.  
3. There is a fourfold revolt or back-sliding from God, which the Scripture taxeth men for, and every one is a degree and step unto the other.  
1. In Apprehensions: when a man hath not the same judgement and esteem of God, of reconciliation and communion with him, of Christ and an interest in him; of grace and the means of grace; of holiness and of the Saints of God, his holy ones, which he had in times past. This the Apostle blames the Galations for, cap. 4.15. when he first preached among them the Gospel of grace, they looked upon his Ministry as a great mercy; they counted his feet beautiful, and in way of thankfulness, they counted nothing dear to them; they would have even have plucked out their own eyes; and have given them unto him; But they had soon lost these apprehensions: and then saw no such blessedness in the Gospel of Christ, as they had seen; therefore saith the Apostle, where is the blessedness that ye spoke of? And in this all black-sliding doth begin.  
2. In Affections: This is the evil which the Prophet condemns in the people of Israel, under that Parable of the boiling pot: 
Ezech. 24.3.4.  they had been over the fire both of mercies and ordinances, and afflictions; and they were so affected, that the scum did rise, the sin in their consciences did overspread the whole face of the soul, and they took up great purposes of repentance and Reformation. But the scum boiled in again; these affections slacked, their heat abated, and they continued in their former evils still: This also is set forth by another similitude, 
Hos. 13. ●3.  sc. of a travelling woman, Hos. 13.13. They had many convictions, troubles of conscience, and semi-perswasions tending to conversion and Reformation, which were in them, as throws and pangs to travail: but when the child of Reformation came to the birth, there was no strength to bring forth; they stayed in the place of the breaking forth of children: and their pains went away, their trouble ended in trouble, and they were never new borne to the Lord: 
Rev. 2.5.  Thus also the Church of Ephesus left her first love: This is back-sliding in affection.  
3. In Communion: Thus did the Church through a spiritual desertion and sloth, back-slide, Cant. 5.1.2. she had but lately recovered out of a desertion, and attained a small communion with Christ, vers. 1. I am come into my garden, my sister, and my Spouse; yet is presently cast into a sleep, I sleep, but my heart waketh: she remits her watch and looseth her communion. 
1 King 11.9.  This is the evil objected to Solomon, his heart departed from the Lord who appeared to him twice. Though the state of grace can never change, the life of Christ being an abiding life: yet a man in this estate is subject to many spiritual alterations. Our communion ought to be maintained and improved as well as our sanctification; and there should be as great care taken not to fall from, but to grow in the one as well as in the other, in privileges as well as in graces.  
4. In Conversation: When men have escaped the pollutions of the world, 
2 Pet. 2.20. Math. 12.13.14 2 Pet. 3.17. jam. 1.27.  and are again entangled and overcome, when the unclean spirit, that was cast out doth return again, and a man falls from his former steadfastness, from the beauty and integrity of his former conversation, his ways are more party coloured, and he is more spotted of the world; This seems to be imputed unto David in his old age (its a hard thing to keep close to God, 
Psal 2.14.  usque ad decrepitum, and to preserve a man's greenness, and flourishing in his age, to grow in grace in the decay of nature) 2 Chro. 17.3. The Lord was with jehosophat, because he walked in the first ways of his Father David: David therefore had his first and his latter ways, and it seems that there was not the same glory and beauty in the one, that there was in the other. All these back-slidings after mercies, a thankful heart abhors, as being matter of great provocation unto the Lord.  
Use. Let it be an admonition unto you (honourable and beloved) to whom especially and primarily this mercy belongs, that after God hath given you such a deliverance at this, ye do not again break his Commandments and join in affinity with the people of these abominations; either those from whom God hath now delivered you, or those of the same spirit, whom he hath since cast out before you.  
There is a spiritual affinity as well as a corporeal; Christ tells the Pharisees ye are of your Father the Devil; 
joh. 8.44. Gen. 49.5. Nec hoc novum in Scriptures figuratè uti translatione nominis ex comparatione criminis. Tertul. count. Marcio. 3. c. 8.  and there are some who are brethren in iniquity: It will be necessary therefore to inquire (as the Prophet doth Ezech. 16. The sins of thy sister Sodom were pride, fullness of bread, abundance of idleness, and contempt of the powe) what the sins were of those that God hath formerly cast out before your eyes, that you may take heed you join not in affinity with them therein.  
1. Their care was more to be great then good: and though their authority might avail something to restrain sin in other men, 
Tutum est peccare autor bus illis: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rom. 1. ●2.  yet they took no care of any personal holiness in themselves; and so sin was countenanced and grew bold by their example; for they not only did such things themselves, but favoured and delighted in them that did them. Do not you join in affinity with them in this: Get the power of grace into your own hearts, be inwardly and personally holy, or else you can neither rule with God nor for God. There is in the Magistracy as well as in all other things a double title; Ius politicum & Evangelicum, temporale & spirituale: Its one thing to have a civil right to a thing by the Laws of men, and another thing to have a spiritual right, as a part of the inheritance of Christ, in which Believers have an interest by virtue of their union with him, 
1 Cor. 3 22.23  All things are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is Gods. It's one thing to rule by providence, and another by promise: They set up Kings, but not by me, they have made Princes, 
Hos. 8.4.  and I knew it not: By God's providence they did it, and by his permission; 
Est●de ●t●●e d●●i it Evangelici, confer facul●●tem spiritualiter dominandi ad finem spirituatem: sed dominis politici est, tribuere faculiatem assumendi h●c temporali● 〈◊〉 usus temporales Daven. determ. q. 30.  but not by his allowance and approbation. And though it be a truth, Dominlum politicum non sundutur in gratia, 
Non me consulto vel approbantem ipsorum sactum, ad regnum per seditionem evexerunt, Tarn●●i●●oc.  yet Dominium Evangelicum is founded therein only. You will have but a frugle and an imperfect title to rule, if personal holiness be wanting: This only will carry true awe and majesty with it. Herod feared john and did him reverence; it's a small honour for to be saluted or flattered rather, with cap and knee, when you shall be despised as vile persons in the hearts of men.  
There is a twofold image of God, the one inward, consisting in a conformity to God, in knowledge righteousness and true holiness; the other outward, 
Imago 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 specialiter & propriè dicta, vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impropriè: tugman. Photinia de imag. Dei in homine ●dis p. 8. Quadum in quibus ra●● imaginis principaliter consistit, est & aliquid 〈◊〉 l● qu● i●●g● Dei inventur, Aquin. Sum. pre●. q. 93. a. 4.  in a Dominion and Sovereignty over the creatures as, 1 Cor. 11.7. But this latter is called the image of God, Divines say, improperly, secondarily, and rather as a consequent of this image than a part of it. Get not only the outward image of God, consisting in sovereignty, 
Mr Burges vindiciae legis, p. 115.  but the inward, which consists in sanctity; for than will your Authority be complete, when you have not only a single, but a double image, not only the Image of God upon you as Magistrates, but also in you as Saints.  
2. It was the great evil of those whom God hath cast out before you, they used all their authority for their own private ends: the advancement of themselves, the enriching and raising of their families and allies; and when any one of a family did rise to any place of honour or eminency, all the rest were raised by him without respect to any thing but consanguinity or affinity. And though the man were never so unjust, never so unable, yet his relation to such a great man, was sufficient to qualify him for any place, either of honour or trust in Church or Commonwealth: As Shebna (with whom Cal. did parallel Sir Thomas Moor in his time) being himself fastened as a nail in a sure place, Treasurer over the King's house, 
Esay 22.25. Onus] omnes qui eorum authoritate nitebantur, cum iis coreuere necesse est. Cal. Vasa] Id est, filii amici & quotquot ab eo pendebant. Alap. in loc. Reynolds in Hos. 14.9. Salu. de guber. Dei, p. 10. Rosin. Antiq. Rom l 7. cap. 48. pag 7; 5.  he had his creatures raised by him, and who as a burden bung upon him: But the Lord saith, the nail fastened in a sure place shall be removed, and be cut down and fall; and the burden that is upon it shall be cut off, for the Lord hath spoken it. Do not ye join in affinity with them in these abominations: The Civil Law saith, Qui rem dopositam in usus suos converter it invito Domino, furti reus est. Surely all the Authority that is in your hands, is but a depositum committed unto you, and ye are Stewards, and therefore it's not lawful for you to convert a public trust to a private use. The Heathen thought that man unworthy of any place of Trust in the Commonwealth, that did affect to enrich himself; therefore among the Romans, their Law was Qui usque ad decem libras dives esse voluisset, indigrum curiâ judicarent; and that if any Senator after his entrance upon authority should be sound guilty this way, he was to be put out of the Senate. 
Tertul. Apol. c. 6. Pro magno titulo ambitionis, Senatu summovebant. Tunc illi pauperes magistiratu● opulentam Rempub. 〈◊〉; nunc autem d ves potestas pauperem sacis esse rempub. Sal. ibid.  They found this evil in the Magistracy to be a canker to the Commonwealth; and that when persons in public place did seek to enrich themselves, the public must needs be impoverished thereby.  
And happy shall that man among you be, when he shall come to give up an account to God of this great trust, either at the end of these troubles, or of his life, who shall be able to say with the Church, 
Idoneus plane & dignus qui ponatur custos in veneis, quem propriae cura vinea à commissoruns diligentia & sollicitudin● non impedit aut retarda●. Been. in Cant. Serm. 30.  Cant. 1.6. They made me keeper of the Vine-yards, but mine own Vine I have not kept.  
3. The common evil of those that were cast out before you, was, that they hated reformation; and though there were many things which they could not but acknowledge were out of frame, and had need to be reform; yet being of the Archbishop of Capua his mind, who when Paul the Third did call a Council to decree something about the Reformation of the Church to satisfy the people, he would not yield to have any thing amended, 
Ipse em●i● emendationis impatiens, magna con●entione rec●am that, ne quid ●mninò res●●●●r●●●●, ne L●hera●i ja●e it quasi ab ipsit propo●dam ad●i istud, secerint. Sleidan. comment. l. ●2.  lest the Lutherans should boast themselves that they had forced them thereunto. I know ye do, nay, ye cannot but see many things amiss in Church and State; let there be no stop in the Reformation for any private respect whatsoever, that it may never be objected to us as to Ephra●m, He is an unnise son, for he should not have stayed long in the place of the breaking forth of children. 
Hos. 13.13. Psal. 82. ●.  For the Commonwealth, even the foundations of the earth are out of course. Truly if a man should with. 
Eccles. 4.12.  Solomon consider all the oppressions done in the land, and behold the tears of such as are oppressed and they have no Comforter, and on the side of the oppressors there is power, but they have no comforter, it would cause a man to praise the dead which are already dead, more than the living which are yet alive. 
Hab. 1.13.  It would make a man to sigh to the breaking of his loins, to see men made as the fishes of the Sea that have no King over them. God hath committed the sword into yours hand; bear it not in vain; Do justice to all equally; not only see that great men, who can make friends, have right done them; but defend the poor and fatherless do justice to the afflicted and needy; 
Hos. 14.3.  Gods especial care is of such, with him the fatherless find mercy; let them find justice with you: A good Magistrate is resembled in Eliakim, to a nail fastened in a sure place, 
Esay 22.2.  and they shall hang upon him all the glory of his Father's house the offspring and the issue; and all vessels of small quantity as well as great, cups as well as flagous': Let violence be done to no man, either by your officers of your Armies. 
Non solum Magnates sustinebit, sed etiam infinio ordini consulet quo autem id in Principe rarius est, co majore laude dignum. Cal. in loc.   
For the meanest subject of England hath as truly an interest in the common justice of the Kingdom (though he sue for it in forma pauperis) as the greatest. 
Nemo est omnium principum qui jus habeat vel teruncium exigendi à suis praeter constitutam censum annnum ●isi populus assenti●tur, Vide Philip. Cominaeum l 10. in calce.   
Do justice to all speedily: Let it not be said that the attendance for justice is the greatest oppression; and many rather content themselves to lie down under the burden, then seek a remedy, the seeking where of they know will be worse than the disease, and therefore men choose vitia ferre potius quam remedia. 
Amos 5.2.  Let judgement run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream; remembering Iehosaphats charge, Take heed what ye do, for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in judgement; wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you, 
2 Chro. 19.6.7.  take heed and do it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.  
And for the Church, let our Congregations be purged, let the outward Court be cast out, and let not those ordinances which are only the Privileges of the Saints, be prostituted to the lusts of every profane man; Let the belly of the Church (which some interpret of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper) be as a heap of wheat, 
Cant. 7.2. Mr ●●tions Exposition.  set about, not with weeds, but with Lilies: And do you take care that it be so in practice as well as in Doctrine, that it may be no more objected to our shame, that we teach the truth, but practise the contrary. And let not only the rubbish be cast out, but let the Temple of the Lord be built; there is in Reformation an Astructive part as well as a Destructive: Let all the Ordinances of God that are wanting be set up, and all the furniture of Christ's house brought in, and let every one laying self-respects aside, say with Baldassor a German Divine in an Epistle of his written to Oecolampadius, 
Burrougheses Gracious Spirit, p. 277. Psal. 2.12. 2 Chron. 30.8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 10.5.  Veniat verbum Domini, veniat, & submitiemus illi, sexcenta etiamsi nobis essent colla. This were indeed to kiss the Son, to give the hand to the Lord, and to show forth the power of the word upon our spirits; when strong holds and reasonings are cast down, and every thought brought into subjection, to the obedience of Christ.  
4. Those that are cast out before you, had no zeal for God in any thing, wherein their own private interest was not concerned: Though men were never so blasphemous against God, and wicked in themselves; yet if in their ways of wickedness they did not entrench upon them, they had no zeal against it at all. Surely, God did never commit any people to the Government of a Magistrate, but with this limitation, that they should be so his people that they still remain God's people.  
All Government depends upon a twofold Covenant: First, inter Deum & Regem, between God and the King, sc. ut populus sit & perpetuò maneat populus Dei, that the care of Princes should be that the people so obey them as that they shake not off their subjection unto God. Secondly, inter Regem & populum, 
Sancitur saedus inter Down & Regem, e● sc. conditione, ut populus sit, & perpetuò maneat populus Dei; Deus enim sua proprietate & possessione non exuit, cum populum Regibus tradis: sed regendum, curandum poscendū tradit, non secus ac is qui gregi pastorō eligit, gregis nihil minus Dominus manet. Stephen, junius, vindiciae contra Tyrannos. Q 1.  inter Regem & populum, between the King & the people, sc. ut bene imperanti bene obtemperaretur, sc. that the people should obey them, ruling according to Law, and no otherwise. It's necessary, therefore that Rulers look first at the Covenant made between them and God, before they come to plead the Covenant of the people; and they would thereby see that they are as truly bound to keep the people in obedience to God, as the people to keep themselves in obedience unto them. 
Dominium politicum est jus sen facultas, habenadi, reg●ndi, utendi pers●ni● vel rebus, sec●●●●●●eges ritè institu●●●, Daven. d●term. Q 30.  And the only way to keep a people whithin the bounds of their Covenant with them, is to use their authority to their utmost to keep their Covenant with the Lord; for he only it is that gives Rulers the hearts of men, & subdues the people under them. That Arminianism, Socianinism, and many unheard of blasphemies should walk abroad with open face, and most of the Principles of Religion in this Sceptic age be either questioned or denied, as if we were certain of nothing; and that our condition should be as that of Laish, 
judg. 18.7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cohibitionis vel retentionis hares.  where there was no heir of restraint to put them to shame in any thing: That in a time of Reformation as this is, Satan should cast out a flood after the woman, is no wonder; but that there should be none to secure the woman, this seems strange. Surely, God is as jealous now of his name and truth, as he was in former ages, and so should his people be: 
Malo in nos murmur h●min●m quam in Deum; bonum est mihisi D●u dignetur me uti pro clypeo: Bern. de consider. Ephes. 4.14.  Be ye therefore as tender of God's honour as of your own; say the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me; and be willing to sustain the dishonour yourselves, so the name of God be not blasphemed. It will be but a sad account for Governors at last day to say, I was by God set over this people, and I have used my power to the utmost to keep them in subjection to me; but I have taken no care to keep them unto God, but have suffered every man according to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and craft that is in them, to seduce, and draw them away from God at pleasure. Ye are indeed told by some, and that to your faces, that ye have nothing to do in matters of Religion; I dare not presume so fare, as to prescribe to you how, and in what order, or measure your power should be put forth in the things of God: But this I say confidently, that Magistracy who will rule with God, must rule for God: job saith, 
job 31.26, 27, 28.  if I beheld the Sun when it shined, or the Moon walking in brightness, and my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: (I quote this place because I think men will not say this is Jewish, and therefore in the New Testament binds not:) He doth not say, hath any man a rule over my conscience in matters of Religion? I may and will worship what God I please; no Magistrate in the world shall prescribe to me in this, so I walk peaceably and disturb not the civil State, they are to look no farther. But he was quite of another judgement; for he adds, this also w●re an iniquity to be punished by the judge, for I should have denied the God that is above. And it is not to be passed by, that he saith [This also] he had said the same of adultery, vers. 11. This is an heinous crime, yea, it is an iniquity to be p●●is●●● by the judges, unto which and to other sins formerly enumerated, he addeth this also; as that which should be matter of the Magistrates care, as well as the wickednesses committed between man and man. And I am sure the Apostles rule is, that we are to pray for Magistrates and all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in godliness as well as honesty, 1 Tim 2.2.  
5. Those that God cast out before you, 
Perstringit impios homines, q●i c●nque●eban●ur d● l●bertate Proph●t●● 〈◊〉 & objurgationum veh●men tia, acsi po●ulum & magnates insectari voluissent, Cal. in loc. 2 Chro. 30.22. Ares●endo a ●scit, sc. paul●t●m. & ita tandem pereat ab ipso ab ipso omnis fortitudo omne aux●lium, omne c●nsilium, Tarnov.  discountenanced the Ministry, and the more faithful any were to God, the more they were suspected of loyalty to them. They made a man an offender for a word, and laid a snare for him that reproved in the gate: Do not you join in affinity with them herein. Those that teach the good knowledge of the Lord, speak comfortably unto them, let them be encouraged and countenanced by you in their work: It may be sometimes a look of yours may prevail more with some then a Sermon of ours.  
Those that do neglect their duty, you need not fear will grow too high; for the Lord hath said of the idol shepherd, his right arm shall whither, and his right eye shall be put out. Wherein they fail, it is proper for you to say to Archippus, take heed to thy Ministry; and with jehoash, to call for jehoiada and the other Priests, and say unto them, why repair ye not the breaches of the house? 2 King. 12.7.  
But for those that are both faithful and painful, do not you by discountenancing of them make them vile among the people with whom they have to deal; do not weaken their hands, who have to their utmost by their pains and prayers endeavoured to strengthen yours. Surely, the strength and glory of a Kingdom lies in the Ordinances thereof, and if they be once taken away, ye may say as was said at the death of that great Roman Senator, Succurrite cives, maenia civitatis nostra ceciderunt. And ye may write upon all your remaining mercies Ichabod, the glory is gone. Neither is that all the danger, but the Prophet tells us Ezech. 10.2. when the glory of the Lord departed from the Cherubins, the command given, was, fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the Cherubins, and scatter them over the City. It's Mr calvin's gloss upon it, they supposed ignem sacrum tantum valers ad expianda scelera, etc. That the fire in the Temple did serve for no other end, but to expiate their sin; but God tells them that it would serve also to burn their City.  
6. Those that God cast out before you, plotted against Religion and the power of godliness, and the stream of their lusts ran out that way; Do not you join in affinity with them herein. I do not now plead for all those that call themselves Saints, (which hath not anciently been the manner of the Saints;) But for those that do give testimony in their conversation, that they are so indeed; do not, I beseech you make their hearts sad. Doubtless, it is confessed by all, that a great part of England's Interest lies in that Text, Touch not mine Anointed, and do my Prophets no harm. If the differences be in matters circumstantial, not in faith but order; and this accompanied with holiness and humility, I think for such Luther gives a good rule, Igne charitatis comburendi sunt Haeretici: our glass is not crystal yet, but mixed with fire, 
Rev. 15.12.  and when the Lord shall be pleased to restore the one, we may expect he will take away the other; mean while, we ought to give the right hand of fellowship to those, with whom we hope to enjoy fellowship at the right hand of God hereafter. We know the spirit of Antichrist hath acted men furiously this way, and may secretly creep into godly men, as sometimes Satan did into Peter; and we have seen in our own times, that many have received the mark of the Beast in their right hands, who never intended to wear it in their forehead.  
Having thus finished this Admonition, I shall conclude with a desire that the Commemoration of this mercy may strengthen your hands, to do great things for God, in this day of yours and the Kingdom visitation. The civil Law saith, if a man be redeemed from captivity by another, protinus est redimentis; God hath purchased you by the mercy of this day; be through for God; yet are not your own, let the love of Christ constrain you.  
But if not, consider the Arguments which the Text gives you: 1. God will be angry (wilt thou not be angry with me) and having tasted of the sweetness of his love, there is great cause that you should fear his wrath; for as his loving kindness is better than life, so is his wrath worse than death.  
2. A worse and a greater danger may arise; wilt thou not be angry with us till thou hast consumed us? God's displeasure is progressive, Hos. 1.3. the Prophet sets forth the pedigree of Judgement, if Diblaim be the mother and the daughter Gomer, she will not bring forth jezreel only, and leave bearing, but Lo-ruhamah and also Lo-ammi; they are not my people, and I will be their God no more. The same enemies have vexed you with their wiles ever since, and have attempted to blow up your Honourable Houses in a more dangerous, and if it may be, in a more unnatural way: But you may say, hitherto the Lord hath helped us; only consider Ezech. 1.15. All things here below are compared to wheels, they are in perpetuo motu; and the Government of them is in the hand of Christ; the spirit of the living creatures is in the wheels; and if he turn his hand, they will run backward, as well as forward, and as fast.  
I shall cease to be further burdensome, and conclude with that of 1 Sam. 12.24. Only fear the Lord and serve him in truth, with all your heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you.  
FINIS.