THE TRIUMPH OF THE CHURCH Over her Plotting Implacable ENEMIES: Being the Substance of a Moral Discourse, Delivered on the Fifth of November,  
By that Reverend Divine, N. V.  

First, showing the black Barbarity of the Powder-Plot.  
Secondly, The Infinite Mercy and Goodness of God in preserving these Three Kingdoms when they were threatened with utter Destruction.  
Thirdly, An Exhortation to a Holy life, as a suitable return of those Favours received.   Isaiah, 43d. Chap. part of the 2d. verse. 
When thou walkest through the Fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flamme kindle upon thee.  
London: Printed for P. Brooksby at the Golden Ball in pie-corner, and J. Deacon at the Angel in Gilt-spur-street, and J. Blare at the Looking-Glass on London-Bridge, near the Church, and J. Back at the Black-Boy on London-Bridge, 1689.   

licenced, According to Order.   

THE TRIUMPH OF THE CHURCH, &c.  Isaiah 43d. Chap. part of the 2d. verse. 
When thou walkest through the Fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flamme kindle upon thee.  
THE Scriptures are full of these comfortable Promises, which are as so many. Pillars to support the Righteous Church and People of God from finking under the Troubles of this present World; many are and have been the Plots and Persecutions raised by the Malice of wicked Men against them, and yet as often have been delivered; yet sometimes God suffers those Instruments of Cruelty to go on in their Designs until his People are brought to the brink of ruin, and then in a moment he turns the stream of Destruction upon the Authors thereof, while he preserveth his People by his Mighty Power.  
What a desperate pinch were we brought to this Fifth day of November: Now we were in the Fire indeed, a Fire kindled in Hell, a Sulphurean Fire, into which, not only the three Children, but the three ' States of our Realm were enwrapped, and all bound together, to have perished with one Crack. Let us pause here, and consider the danger of our Extremities, that we may be stirred up the more feelingly and hearty, to magnify the Mercy, Power, and Goodness of the Lord, manifested in our Delivery: Consider how cunningly it was contrived, how cruelly it was intended, how nearly achieved, how miraculously discovered, for the cunning in contriving, what secrecy of Care, what secrecy of Persons, the place, a place of Darkness, and therefore fit for a work of Darkness, the secrecy of the place seemed to invite them to this bloody Design, even as the opportunity of time smiled upon them, and promised to be the unhappy Midwise, to deliver the Actors( who big with their Conception) of this monstrous burden: Let me now take you hand in hand, and led you to this dark Cave, this hollow Den, this fiery Aetna, this tormenting Tophet, I know not what to call it, Grammar, logic, rhetoric, all are posed, no Art can yield a work Emphatical enough for this artificial Phalarian Invention, a strange Engine, it was invented for the torment of Innocents, but( as that of Phaleris) turned to the torment of the Inventors. See here what Barrels of Powder packed close together! what piles of Wood billeted over those Barrels! what Barrels of Iron mingled with those Piles! Of all resemblances, methinks a Tophet sits it best, see the description of Tophet, and parallel them, Isaiah, 33.33. Tophet is ordained of old, yea, for the King it is prepared, he hath made it deep and large, the Pile thereof is Fire and much Wood, the Breath of the Lord like a stream of Brimstone doth kindle it. Lo here a right Tophet ordained of old, hatched in the latter years of the Reign of our late Queen Elizabeth, prepared not by God, but by Men; nay; not by Men; but by Devils, was it not digged deep, and made large, made for the King, yea, and the Queen, Prince, Prelates, Lords, Commons, all the burning of it was Fire and much Wood, a stream of Power, as a River of Brimstone, was to kindle it, a right Tophet; some place Hell in the Centre or midst of the Earth; here you might have found it somewhat beneath the superficies of the Earth: thus were there villainies butted in the Bowels of the Earth, Isaiah, 29.15. They dig deep to hid their Counsel from God and Man; the Persons will be as secret as the Place.  
These catholic Conspirators, to make all sure, to sow their Lips fast, swear a Silence, and bind that Oath with the Sacrament, and did what in them lay, as far as God would give them leave; but let no Man henceforth wonder at the Fury of that Romish Catiline, who forced his Followers to pledge each other in Healths of human blood. Behold here that Romish Catesby, with his ' Complices, take the blood of God, and as they maintain it, the real essential blood of the Son of God must be caroused, to give up their Lips from the Discovery of this Hellish Design! thus closely was it carried on, so lapped in the Mantle of Darkness that none but the Devil, as they gave it out( the Lord was far from their thoughts) could embroil it, and pluck off the Mask from this Hag; yet was their Cruelties no whit inferior to their Secrefie: Let me begin in the Words of Moses, Deut. 4.32. Ask of the Days of old, that have been since God created Man upon the Earth, from one end of Heaven unto the other, if there came to pass such a great thing as this, or ever the like was heard of; search all Chronicle, turn over the Records of all Nations, no Age, nor Story, human or Divine, can match this matchless Bresident, the Massacre of France, the Slaughter of the Indies, wherein Worlds of People were most cruelly made away, all heinous transcendent Crimes falls short of this. Nero that Spring of blood, and Monster of Men, as the Stories Record, wished all the People of Rome had but one Head, that he might chop it off at a Blow; that which was but desired of Nero was not wished only, but plotted and attempted by these Antichristian Nero's; had their Plot taken effect, not the Head of Rome but of England had been cut off at a Blow. Nero caused the City of Rome to be fired, and laid the blame on the Christians; if their Train had blown up our Church and State, the Imputation of so foul a Fact by these Equivocating catholics, must have been cast on our innocent Protestant Brethren. These famous Kingdoms, by a blessed Peace-maker, our late sovereign King James the First, united into one happy Monarchy, had been with one Blow and Blast in a day, an hour, a moment, perished, e'er they knew who hurt them; no Sect, no Sex, no Person, nor Age might be spared, no, not those of their own Religion; the Powder, like the Duke of Medina's Sword, would have known no difference between Protestant and Papist; the King's Majesty, the Golden Head of this Land, the Lord's Anointed, and the Breath of our Nostrils, his dear Queen; his Princely Heir, the Pledge of our succeeding Hopes; the noble Lords and Barons, the Shields and Shoulders of our Land; the Reverend Bishops and Clergy, the Chariots and Horse-men of Israel; the grave Sages and Judges, the Hands of our Land for Execution of Justice; the Flower of our Gentry and Commons, the Feet of this Land; root and branch, priest and people, head, root, branches, eyes, shoulders, arms, hands, feet, all, all, should have been torn up, and mounted on high to fall headlong; their carcases mangled and burnt, by an unheard of kind of Execution; in their Wrath they digged down a Wall, and in their Anger would take away a whole Nation as one Man. Cursed be their Anger, for it was fierce and their Wrath, for it was cruel; into their Secrets let not the Righteous enter: My Soul be not thou joined with their Assemblies; How near was it come, even to the point of Execution! the Children were at the Birth; we had but the burning of a Match to live; not a hair's breadth between us and this Death, these Flames. How miraculously was this Plot discovered! How opportunely were the Traytors defeated the Wisdom of the King came from the Inspiration of the Almighty; strange it is to consider what English his Majesty did pick out of a dark Letter; he that sits in Heaven made their own Hands and Pens to betray all, Eccles. 10.20. Curse not the King, no, not in thy thoughts; for the Fowls of the Heaven shall carry it, and that which hath Wings shall declare the matter. If the Lord had not been with us, among us, for us, and put a Word of Divination into the Lips of our gracious sovereign, we had all been, long e'er this, as Sodom and Gomorrah, Kings, Princes, Nobles, Peers, Prelates, Judges, Gentry, Commons, our Peace, Plenty, the Gospel of Peace, the Comfort of our Lives, and the Life of all our Comforts, al● had vanished into Ash-heaps: Thus am I fallen upon the author of this Great Deliverance, who kept us in the Fire, that the flamme did not so much as kindle upon us; so literaily are the Words of this Propnesie fulfilled of this Church and State, who kept us, Jehovah,( saith my Text) Jehovah saith, this day I will be with thee; the safety of the Church consists in the Presence of the Lord; Jehovah is that Cloud which gives light to the Israelues, strikes terror into the Egyptians, and takes off the Wheels of their Chariots; Jehovah is that Wall of Fire that fenceth his Elect, and consumes his Enemies; the Lord is my Rock and my fortress: so David. The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower, into which the Righteous Nation shall enter: so Solomon. This Tower is invincible, this bulwark impregnable, this Fortress is out of Gun shot, and therefore cannot be battered; this Wall reacheth higher than the Heavens, and cannot be scaled; the Lord is ever with his Church, what he speaks of the Temple, the Type of the Church, needs must it be verified of the Church, the Truth of that Type, 2. Chron. 7. Chap. ver. 16. I have chosen this place that my Name may be there for ever, and mine Eyes and my Heart shall be there perpetually; there is he present and Resident, and that not as a naked Spectator to behold their Miseries, but as a tender Father, as a mighty Saviour, as a tender Father commiserating their distresses, caring the Cares, grieving the Griefs, and fearing the Fears of his Chosen; in all their troubles he is troubled, when the Foot has trod upon in Earth, the Head cries from Heaven, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? he is present. Secondly, As an Almighty powerful Saviour; Is there any thing too hard for him? Is his Arm shortened? Did not he wound Rahab? Smite the Dragon? Overthrow the Horse, and his Rider? make a Path in the great Waters, and alloy the heat of the Fire? he works with means, without means, against means, and doth whatever he will in Heaven or Earth: Hath not he set bounds to the Sea, though it rage and foam, here it must stay, thus far it shall come and no further; here the proud believes must be broken. Hath not he Satan in a Chain, and all his Instruments, that they cannot pluck a hair from the head of his Servants without his leave and licence? Behold now the safety, the security of the Church! If God be with us who shall be against us? if God be with us, what need we fear what Man can do unto us, Men or Devils? No marvel if the Prophet Command, fear not he that is thus guided, thus guarded; how can he fear or faint? so the same Prophet, Chap. 51. ver. 12.13. I even I, am he that Comforts thee, who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of a Man, and of the Son of Man, which shall be made as Grass, and forgettest the Lord thy Maker: and Jehovah hath undertaken to be the Lord-Protector, or Lord-Keeper of his read Vine, Isaiah 27.3. I the Lord do Watch over it by night and by day; he will defend it against secret Treacheries, these are night Assaults; against open Hostilities, these are day Assaults: What tho' the Ramping lion go about about continually, seeking whom he may devour? Is not the lion of the Tribe of Judah as vigilant to defend, as Satan to assault? The Destroyer of Israel never slumbereth nor sleepeth; no more doth the Keeper of Israel, he also never sleepeth, never slumbereth; let their Enemies be never so many, all Nations to him are but as the dust of the Balance, the drop of a Bucket, as nothing, less then nought; let their Enemies be never so mighty, he hath their hearts in his hand, can turn them as the Rivers of Waters, and make our Enemies at peace with us, changing their stabs into kisses; he hath their heads in his hand, and can infatuate the wiliest Herod, the craftiest Achitophel, turning their Councils into folly; he hath their hands and horns in his hand, and can either bind them to their good Behaviour, or knock out the Teeth of grators before they bite; let them dig deep to hid their Plots, the Lord will go beyond them, let them join hand to hand, they shall not prosper; we may say it, we may sear it, we must believe it, we have had experience( never any Church more of the like) what it is to have such a protector, whose power is unresistible, his Will unchangeable, his Skill unfearchable; whose Greatness is such, that he can do what he will, whose Goodness is such, that he will do what he can, and ever magnify both his Greatness and Goodness, in the protection of his Israel, and in the conversion or confusion of his Enemies. Witness this Day of days, on the Morning of our Fifth of November, they would have blown us up; on the Evening of their Fifth of November, God beat them down.  
Is Jehovah the deliverer of his Israel? Why let God then have the Honour of his own Work; not our Wit, not our Wealth, not our Goodness, not our Greatness, not our Friends, not our Bulwarks, but the Lord only; It was the Lord's doing, let it ever be marvelous in our eyes: This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us be glad and rejoice. Let the wicked Politician, the machiavellian Atheist sacrifice to their own Nets. We will cry with that Kingly Prophet, Not unto us O Lord, but unto thy Name we give the Glory. The whole praise of so glorious a Rescue, how great so ever it be, which indeed is exceeding great, is only due to Jehovah. Let the King say, it is the Lord that giveth great Deliverances unto his David, and sheweth mercy to his Anointed, and his Seed for ever. Let the great Peers & Princes say it is not our Arm that hath saved us, not our mighty Strength, but the Strength of Israel, Jehovah. Let the House of Aaron say and sing Praises unto the Lord that hath done wisely, discovered our Enemies, broken their Snares, and we are escaped. Let all England say, If the Lord had not been on our side, if the Lord had not been on our side, when men rose up against us, they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us. Praise waiteth for thee O God in Sion, who is like our God, who doth great and wondrous things. Honoured for ever be that Noble and Honoured Society( The High Court of Parliament) that to all Ages hath set a day apart, for the Honour of that God, who is the Protector of his Sion, the Detector, the Destroyer of his and their Implacable Enemies: Go on still, O Noble Senate, let King, Prince, Peers, Prelates, Commons, all conspire to Honour the God of Heaven by enacting such solemn Panagericks to Jehovah, and the God of Honour will Honour you; this Church, this State, your Posterity; the Generation to come, shall bless God for the deliverance of this Day; for the Record of this Deliverance, for this public Gratulation upon Record: Blessed be that God which hath put it into the Heart of that great Assembly, with an unanimous and free Consent to enact it for a Law in Israel, and an Ordinance in Jacob for ever. If ever we forget this Mercy, let our Tongues cleave to the Roof of our Mouths, and our Arms rot from our Shoulders; let all Faithful, Loyal, true hearted English Protestants, with one Heart and Voice cry, Amen, Amen.  
Finally, doth the security of the Church, State, all lye in the presence of God? Where God is, there is no Danger; as where he is not, no safety; O keep him while we have him, drive him not from you who is our Buckler, our Shield, all in all unto us, keep him in his Word, in his Sabbaths, in his Ordinances, and he will keep you. Would you know in a word, what drives the Lord from a Land, a People? Sin; nothing but Sin can do it, and Sin will do it, Your sins have separated between me and you; where Sin is countenanced, maintained, multiplied, there is no harbour for the Almighty. He is a God of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, what communion between God and Belial, light and darkness, Christ and Antichrist? Sin chaces the Lord away, and leaves that person, that Nation naked, unfeigned, exposed to the Malice of Men, to the Fury of Satan, to the Flames of Hell. Every wilful Sinner is a traitor to God, his King, and country, as well as to his own Soul. Away with beloved darling Sins, away with those wasting King-killing State-ruinated Sins, Idolatry, Contempt of God's Word, Worship, Sacraments, Sabbath, Ministers, Scandalous enormous Impieties, out-facing Authority: These if they should be found among us, will kindle a flamme in our Cities, country, a worse then Powder-Flame, that shall burn to the bottom of Hell.  
If we ourselves betray not our Souls, our Church, our State, our Kingdom, in vain shall the Gates of Rome repined at the prosperity of England; if we pull not down our own Walls with our own hands, no Engines of theirs shall ever batter them; if we do not open the sluices and flood-gates, the Inundations of that Romish Nilus, with her marish Waters, shall never over flow our Banks; if we carry not Flax, Tinder, Gun-Powers, in our own bosoms, and strike not Fire with our own fingers, their Matches shall never take, their sparkles shall not burn, the flamme shall not kindle upon us.  
For God's sake therefore, for your Souls sake, for your Country's sake; if you love your King, Country, Peace, Plenty, the Gospel of Peace, your Goods, Friends, Children, away with the toleration, dispensation of known, gross, scandalous, notorious, enormous Impieties; maintain a perpetual correspondence, with your Heavenly Father; be in League with Heaven; delight to Honour him, his Name, Word, Worship; Sacraments, Sabbaths, Messengers, that he may delight to Watch over you; serve him who saved us, and therefore saved us,( that we being redeemed from this black and horrid Sulphurean Treason, and so wonderfully delivered us from the wicked Designs and subtle Snares of our malicious Enemies) we might serve him all the days of our Life, and devote all our Actions unto his Glory:  
The which that we may, God of his infinite Mercy be pleased to work in us a true and unfeigned Repentance, that we may at the last merit the Throne of Grace, where sitteth the Lamb Eternally in the Heavens, unto whom be most-duly rendered all possible Praise and Adoration.   

A Thanksgiving for God's wonderful Deliverance of the King's Majesty, and the State of Parliament, from the Gun Powder Treason, An. 1605.  
O Almighty God, great in Mercy, and wonderful in judgement, who by the instinct of Nature, and charge on holy Scripture, hast taught us, that great deal verances ought to have perpetual remembrances: We miserable Sinners, whose corrupt Nature and vile Actions have deserved by evtraordinary Punishments to be made a spectacle to the World, and to Angels, and to Men, do humbly aclowledge thy Love and long Sufferance, in delivering us from many heavy Judgments which might justly have been brought upon us and our chiefest Delights.  
O Lord, we tremble to think upon it, how unjustly they intended to take us away before our time, by secret conveying of fearful Gun-Powder covered with Iron, Wood and Coals. ready to put Fire under a dark Vault under the House of Parliament, a place of state against a present sitting.  
O Lord, if this had not been, we had been blown up, we had been smothered, we had been dismembered, we had been persecuted: We had been undone, all and some, fearing thy Name, the poor Commonalty, the worthy Gentry, the judicious Lawyer, the reverend Judge, the true Nobility, the Learned Clergy, and the sacred Council of our King; yea, our King and his Queen, and all the Royal Progency, the most honourable Assembly of Christendom sitting in their State, for the continuance of they Truth and good of the Realm.  
FINIS.