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XI.

elevations of mind and transports of affection, they should SERM, exhibit triumphant demonftrations of fatisfaction and alacrity. It becometh them not in such cases to be dumpish or demure; but jocund and crank in their humour, brisk and gay in their looks, pleasantly flippant and free in their fpeech, jolly and debonair in their behaviour; every way fignifying the extreme complacency they take in God's doing, and the full content they taste in their state. They with folemn exultation fhould triumph in fuch Pf.cxxvi.1, events, as in victories achieved by the glorious hand of God in their behalf, in approbation of their caufe, in favour toward their perfons, for their great benefit and comfort. They may (not as proudly affuming to themfelves the glory due to God, but as gratefully fenfible of their felicity fpringing from God's favour) je jactare, fe laudibus efferre, (as the Hebrew word doth fignify ;) that is, in a fort boast, and commend themselves as very happy in their relation to God, by virtue of his protection and aid. They may (not with a haughty infolence, or wanton arrogance, but with a fober confidence and cheerfulness) infult upon baffled impietya, by their expreffions and demeanour upbraiding the folly, the baseness, the impotency and wretchednefs thereof, in competition with the wifdom, in oppofition to the power of God, their friend and patron. For fuch carriage in fuch cafes we have the practice and the advice of the Pfalmift, to warrant and direct us. In God, faith he, we boast all the day long, Pfal.xliv.8. and praife thy name for ever. Thou, Lord, haft made me glad through thy work; and I will triumph in the works of thy hands. We will rejoice in thy falvation; and in the Pf. xx. 5. name of our God we will fet up our banners. Glory ye in cv. 3. 2. his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that feek the Lord. Sing unto him, fing pfalms unto him; talk ye of all his wondrous works. Save us, O Lord our God, and Pfal. cvi. 47 Pfal.cvi. gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy name, and to triumph in thy praife. Such fhould be the

a Pfal. lii. 6, 7. The righteous fhall laugh at him, or, deride him, in this manner; Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength.

xcii. 4.

SERM. refult (upon us) of God's merciful difpenfations toward XI. his people.

I fhall only farther remark, that the word here ufed is by the Greek rendered, Taiveo ovrai, they shall be praised: which fenfe the original will bear, and the reason of the cafe may admit. For fuch difpenfations ever do adorn integrity, and yield commendation to good men. They declare the wifdom of fuch perfons, in adhering to God, in repofing upon God's help, in embracing fuch courses which God doth approve and blefs: they plainly tell how dear fuch perfons are to God; how incomparably happy Pfal. exxyi. in his favour, how impregnably fafe under his protection; 3. cxxv. 1, as having his infallible wifdom and his invincible power cxxxviii. 1, engaged on their fide. This cannot but render them admirable, and their ftate glorious in the eyes of all men; Pfal. cxliv. inducing them to profefs with the Pfalmift, Happy is the 15. xxxiii. people, which is in fuch a cafe; yea, happy is that people, whofe God is the Lord. And of fuch a people, that dePfal.lxxxix. claration from the fame mouth is verified, In thy name 16, 17. Shall they rejoice all the day long, and in thy righteousness Shall they be exalted: for thou art the glory of their Strength, and in thy favour their horn fhall be exalted.

&c.

&c.

12.

Such are the duties fuggefted in our text, as fuiting thefe occafions, when God in a fpecial manner hath vouchfafed to protect his people, or to refcue them from imminent mischiefs, by violent affault or by fraudulent contrivance levelled against them. I fhould apply these particulars to the prefent cafe folemnized by us: but I fhall rather recommend the application to your fagacity, than farther infringe your patience, by fpending thereon fo many words as it would exact. You do well know the ftory, which by fo many years repetition hath been impreffed on your minds: and by reflecting thereon,

You will eafily difcern, how God, in the feafonable difcovery of this execrable plot, (the masterpiece of wicked machinations ever conceived in human brain, or devised on this fide hell, fince the foundation of things,) in the happy deliverance of our Nation and Church from the defperate mifchiefs intended toward them, in the remark

able protection of right and truth, did fignalize his provi- SERM. dence.

You will be affected with hearty reverence toward the gracious Author of our falvation, and with humble dread toward the juft awarder of vengeance upon those mifcreant wretches, who digged this pit, and fell into it themfelves.

You will be ready with pious acknowledgment and admiration of God's mercy, his justice, his wisdom, to declare and magnify this notable work done by him among us.

You must needs feel devout refentments of joy for the glory arifing to God, and the benefits accruing to us, in the preservation of God's anointed, our juft Sovereign, with his royal pofterity: in the freeing our country from civil broils, diforders, and confufions; from the yokes of ufurpation and slavery; from grievous extortions and rapines; from bloody perfecutions and trials, with the like spawn of disastrous and tragical confequences, by this defign threatened upon it: in upholding our Church (which was fo happily fettled, and had fo long gloriously flourished) from utter ruin: in fecuring our profeffion of God's holy truth, the truly catholic faith of Christ, (refined from thofe droffy alloys, wherewith the rudeness and sloth of blind times, the fraud of ambition and covetous defigners, the pravity of fenfual and profane men had embased and corrupted it,) together with a pure worship of God, an edifying administration of God's word and facraments, a comely, wholesome, and moderate discipline, conformable to divine prescription and primitive example; in rescuing us from having impious errors, fcandalous practices, and fuperftitious rites, with merciless violence obtruded upon us: in continuing therefore to us the most defirable comforts and conveniences of our lives.

You farther confidering this fignal teftimony of divine. goodness, will thereby be moved to hope and confide in God for his gracious preservation from the like pernicious attempts against the fafety of our Prince and welfare of our country, against our peace, our laws, our religion;

XI.

SERM. especially from Romifh zeal and bigotry, (that mint of XI. woful factions and combuftions, of treasonable confpi

racies, of barbarous maffacres, of horrid affaffinations, of inteftine rebellions, of foreign invafions, of favage tortures and butcheries, of holy leagues and pious frauds, through Christendom, and particularly among us,) which as it without reafon damneth, fo it would by any means deftroy all that will not crouch thereto.

You will, in fine, with joyous feftivity, glory and triumph in this illuftrious demonftration of God's favour toward us; fo as heartily to join in those due acclamations of bleffing and praise.

Pfal. cxxiv. Bleed be the Lord, who hath not given as a prey to 6. (lxviii. their teeth. Our foul is escaped as a bird out of the fnare of the fowlers: the fnare is broken, aud we are escaped.

32.)

Rev. xix. 1, 2.

Rev. xv. 3.

Pfal. lxxii.

18, 19.

Alleluiah; Salvation, and glory, and power unto the Lord our God: for true and righteous are his judgments. Great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, O thou King of faints. Blessed be the Lord God of Ifrael, who only doth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, and Amen.

SERMON XII.

A CONSECRATION SERMON.

Henry the
Seventh's
Chapel,
July 4,

1663. at

the Bishop of Man's confecra

tion.

PSAL. cxxxii. 16.

I will alfo clothe her priests with falvation.

THE context runs thus: The Lord hath fworn in truth SERM. unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy XII. body will I fet upon thy throne. If thy children will keep my covenant and my teftimony that I shall teach them, their children fhall alfo fit upon thy throne for evermore. For the Lord hath chofen Zion; he hath defired it for his habitation. This is my reft for ever: here will I dwell; for I have defired it. I will abundantly bless her provifion: I will fatisfy her poor with bread. I WILL ALSO CLOTHE HER PRIESTS WITH SALVATION: and her faints shall fhout aloud for joy. There will I make the horn of David to bud, &c.

If all, not only inaugurations of persons, but dedications even of inanimate things to fome extraordinary use, hath been usually attended with especial fignifications of joy and festival folemnity; with great reafon the confecration of a person to so high and facred a function, as that of a Chriftian Bishop, (that is, of a prince, or principal paftor in God's Church,) requires most peculiar testimonies of our gratulation and content: the face of things ought then to be ferene and cheerful; the thoughts of men benign and favourable; the words comfortable and aufpi

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