Body Mind or Estate especially those who suffer Persecution for enjoying the Light of thy Gospel and fly into this Land for Succour Hear us O Lord for them and thy whole Church and hear Christ for us all in whose Name and Word we further call upon thee saying Our Father c. A Prayer before the Communion O Merciful Jesu who diedst an ignominious Death upon the Cross for my Sins and didst bequeath in thy last Will and Testament this holy Sacrament for my Souls Nourishment My Sins O Lord are great but I lament my Uncleanness and renounce my Unworthiness II. I come not to thy Holy Table because Worthy but Necessitous I come to be made clean and purged from my Dross and Filthiness thy Body and Bloud can make me Clean thy Merits can make me a worthy Receiver and here is a Conveyance of thy blessed Body and Bloud in this Holy Sacrament Give my Sins thy Pardon my Soul thy Heavenly Grace and what thou dost convey seal unto me for thy alone sake my only Saviour and Redeemer Amen At receiving the Bread Blessed Jesu as thou hast given thy Flesh to be the Bread of Life and Salvation so vouchsafe to work in me by a lively Faith that I receiving the same may evermore continue in thee and thou in me Amen At receiving the Cup. Lord grant that as thy Bloud was shed to wash me a poor Sinner so grant that it may through a lively Faith take effect in me that I may become a fit Member of thee and live and die in thee for ever A Prayer after the Communion GLory Honour and Praise be given unto thee O Lord most Holy for all thy Mercies bestowed upon me I have now been partaker of Bread and Wine Lord make me partaker of thy Body and Bloud The one turns to the Nourishment of my Body but the other with thy Grace is the Nourishment of my Soul II. O let not thy precious Bloud be shed in vain for my Sins but let my hearty Repentance with thy Grace fully purge me from all Uncleanness I have this day been put in mind of the benefit by Christ's Death let me every day learn to die unto Sin and live the Life of the Righteous that at last I may become a new Creature Unto thee O Father my Creator and Preserver unto thee O Christ my Redeemer and Justifier unto thee O Holy Ghost my Sanctifier and Instructer be ascribed all Honour Power and Glory now and for evermore Amen For the Church WE beseech thee O Lord graciously to accept the Prayers of thy Church that she being delivered from all Adversity and Errour may serve thee in safety and freedom through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For the King and Queen O Lord we beseech thee Bless our Sovereign Lord and Lady King William and Queen Mary by thy Gracious Appointment our supream Governours enrich them with all increase of Vertues whereby they may be able to eschew Evil and to follow thee the Way the Truth and the Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For the Royal Family We beseech thee O Lord to Bless Catherine the Queen Dowager Her Royal Highness the Princess Anne of Denmark and the rest of the Royal Family Grant that they may walk in the ways of thy Holy Commandments all the days of their Lives through Christ our Lord. Amen For the High Court of Parliament O Lord Bless the great Council of the Nation direct The joyfull Coronation of King William and Queen Mary at Westminster Abby April the 11th 1689. April â—he 11th 1689. Their Majesties went from 〈…〉 c-hall to Westminster 〈…〉 Heralds being ready 〈…〉 Peers in the Lords House and the Pâ—eresses in the Painted Chamber so that 〈…〉 even in the Morning Theâ— Majesties and the whâ—… Proceeding were conducted to Westminster-hall where a Throne being erected 〈…〉 Majesties took Their Seaâ— and after the Ceremonâ— was ended the Proceeding began from Westminster-Hall to the Abby where beinâ—…d in Order the Lord â—ishop of London began â—…th the Recognition which ended with an universal Acclamâ—tion of Joy then the 〈…〉 of St. Asaph and Banâ—r sung the Lâ—â—tâ—ny 〈…〉 ended the Communion Service began the Epistle taken out of the 1. Pet. 2. 〈…〉 17. read by the Bishop oâ— Carlisle the Gospel 〈…〉 22. 16. 22. read by the Bishop of St. Asaph then followed the Sermon by the 〈…〉 of Salisbury whose Texâ— was 2. Sam. 23. 3. 4. 〈…〉 God of Israel said the Rocâ— of Israel spake c. Sâ—â—mon being ended Tâ—… Majesties took the Oath aâ—d were solnmnly anoiâ—…nd 〈…〉 Crowns placed on their Heads by the Lord Bishop of London assisted by 〈…〉 Lord Bishop of Rochestâ— upon which the Drâ—…t the Trumpets sounded the great Guns were fired yet were drowned in a manâ—…y the loud Shouts and â—…lamations of the Peoplâ—… Many other Royal Ceremonies â—as used too tedious to insert in this narrow 〈…〉 About Eight in the Eveâ—ing Their Majesties râ—…d to White-hall and prosper all their Consultations grant that what they do may be to the advancement of thy Glory the good of thy Church the safety honour and welfare of our Sovereign Lord and Lady and their Kingdoms that all things may be so well ordered and firmly settled by their good endeavours upon the best and surest Foundations that Peace and Happiness Truth and Justice Religion and Piety may be established among us for all Generations These and all other Necessaries for them for us and thy whole Church we humbly beg for thy Son's sake our Saviour Amen For the Clergy Almighty and everlasting God who by thy Spirit dost sanctifie and govern the whole Body of thy Church Graciously hear our Prayers for all those whom thou hast Ordained and called to the publick Service of thy Sanctuary that by the help of thy Grace they may faithfully serve thee in their several degrees through Jesus Christ our Lord. For Friends I beseech thee O Lord for all those to whom I am indebted for my Birth Education Instruction Promotion their Necessities are known unto thee thou art rich in all things reward them for these Benefits with Blessings both Temporal and Eternal For a Family Almighty and Everlasting God send down thy Holy Angel from Heaven to visit protect and defend all that dwell in this House through Christ our Lord. For a Friend Almighty and Everlasting Lord God have Mercy upon thy Servant N. and direct him by thy Goodness into the way of Eternal Salvation that through thy Grace he may desire those things which please thee and with his whole Endeavour perform the same through Jesus Christ our Lord. For Peace O God from whom all Holy Desires all good Counsels and all just works do proceed give unto us thy Servants that Peace which the World cannot give that both our Hearts may be set to obey thy Commandments and also that by thee we being defended from the Fear of our Enemies may pass our time in rest and quietness through the
Merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour In the time of Plague Let thy Anger cease O Lord and be appeased for the inquity of thy People as thou hast sworn by thy self O Holy God Holy and Strong Holy and Immortal have Mercy upon us For a City Compass this City O Lord with thy Protection and let thy Holy Angels guard the Walls thereof O Lord mercifully hear thy People For Grace Lord from whom all good things do come grant unto us thy humble Servants that by thy Holy Inspiration we may think those things that be good and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same through our Lord Jesus Christ. For Enemies O God the lover and preserver of Peace and Charity give unto all our Enemies thy true Peace and Love and Remission of Sins and mightily deliver us from their Snares through Jesus Christ our Lord. For the Afflicted O Almighty God the Afflicted Soul the troubled Spirit crieth unto thee Hear O Lord and have Mercy for thou art a merciful God For Travellers Assist us mercifully O Lord in our Supplications and Prayers and dispose the way of thy Servants towards the Attainment of Everlasting Salvation that among all the Changes and Chances of this mortal Life they may ever be defended by thy most Gracious and ready Help through Christ our Lord. For the Fruits of the Earth O God in whom we live move and have our Being open thy Treasure in the due Season and give a Blessing to the works of thy Hands through Jesus Christ our Lord. Against Temptation Almighty God which doth see that we have no Power of our selves to help our selves keep us both outwardly in our Bodies and inwardly in our Souls that we may be defended from all Adversities which may happen to the Body and from all Evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the Soul through Jesus Christ. For Misbelievers and Sinners Almighty and Everlasting God who desirest not the Death of a Sinner mercifully look upon all that are deceived by the subtilty of Satan that all evil Prejudice laid aside they may return to the Unity of thy Truth and Love For Temporal Necessities Replenish those O Lord we beseech thee with Temporal Nourishment whom thou hast refreshed with thy Blessed Sacraments Against Tempests Drive spiritual Wickedness from thy House O Lord and preserve it from the malignity of tempestuous Weather For Women in Travel O Lord of thy abundant Goodness and Mercy help thy Servants who are in great pains and perils of Child-birth that being delivered out of their present Danger they may glorifie thy holy Name who art blessed for evermore For the Sick O God the only refuge of our infirmities by thy mighty power relieve thy sick Servants that they with thy gracious Assistance may be able to give Thanks unto thee in thy Holy Church through Jesus Christ. For Prisoners O God who deliveredst thy Apostle Peter from his Chains and restoredst him to Liberty have pity upon thy Servants in Captivity release their Bonds and grant them Freedom and Safety Accept of the hearty Repentance of those that are appointed to dye and save their Souls for his Merits who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever one God VVorld without end For the Dying Father of all Flesh and God of all Spirits receive the Souls which thou hast redeemed with thy bloud returning to thee A Prayer before Study O unspeakable Creatour who out of the Treasure of thy VVisdom hast ordained Hierarchies of Angels and hast placed them above the highest Heaven in a wonderfull order and disposed them sweetly for all parts of the VVorld thou the true Fountain and incomprehensible Principle of Light and VVisdom vouchsafe to illuminate the Darkness of my Understanding with a Beam of thy Light remove the Darkness wherein I was born Sin and Ignorance thou who makest the Tongues of Infants Eloquent loosen my Tongue and pour forth the Grace of thy Spirit upon my Lips give me acuteness to apprehend capacity to retain subtilty to interpret aptness to learn readiness to speak direct my beginning farther my progression and perfect my conclusion When the Bell tolls for a Dying Person O gracious God be with this Person in the holy operations of thy Grace and in the yearnings of thy tenderest Mercies in the dreadfull Moment when the Soul shall depart from the Body and conduct this thy dying Creature through the Valley of the Shadow of Death unto the Land of everlasting Life through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen A concluding Prayer Almighty God who hast promised to hear the Petitions of them that ask in thy Son's Name we beseech thee mercifully to incline thine Ears to us who have now made our Supplications and Prayers unto thee and grant that those things which we have faithfully asked according to thy VVill may be effectually obtained to the relief of our Necessities and to the setting forth of thy glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Peace of God which passeth all understanding keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord and the Blessing of God Almighty the Father Son and Holy Ghost be with us now at the hour of Death and at the Day of Judgment King Edward the Sixth's Prayer against Popery LOrd God deliver me out of this miserable and wretched Life and take me among thy chosen Howbeit not my Will but thy Will be done Lord I commit my Spirit to thee O Lord thou knowest how happy it were for me to be with thee yet for thy chosen's sake send me Life and Health that I may truly serve thee II. O my Lord God Bless thy People and save thine inheritance O Lord God Save thy chosen People of England O my Lord God defend this Realm from Papistry and maintain thy True Religion that I and my People may praise thy Holy Name Amen For God's Mercies upon Their Majesties Forces under the Command and Conduct of his Grace the Duke of Schomberg O Most powerfull and great God mighty in Battel fearfull in praises doing wonders thou hast done mighty things already for us whereof we rejoice O be pleased still to continue thy undeserved Mercies towards us and accomplish what thou hast already begun for us Go forth we humbly beseech thee with our Armies against those who would make a Prey of thy People II. Protect and guide our great Governour and Commander whose Commission is to fight thy Battel Guide him and Counsel him in all his Undertakings and cover his head in the day of Battel cause those that hate thy Name and People to flee before him and scatter them as the dust before the Wind Crown him with Victory and great Success that at the last he may return home in Peace and Safety to thy Glory their Majesties Comfort his own Satisfaction and all the Nation 's happiness this we beg for the Merits of Jesus Christ Amen For Mercy to the whole Nation
O Lord God who art full of Mercy and Compassion to all thy people bless us we beseech thee from all domestick and foreign Enemies that would endeavour to ruine our Souls and betray our Lives Let thy goodness and loving kindness evermore watch over us to defend protect and keep us from all assaults and temptations of the Enemy and grant that we may live sober godly quiet Lives to the glory of thy Holy Name Amen A Short Account OF THE MASSACRE IN Ireland Paris THE Popish Party in Ireland pretending the English unjustly detained their Lands from 'em which were justly forfeited to the Laws by their continual Rebellions and Treasons they did at last resolve to stir up all the cursed Romish Faction to shew their utmost Zeal for the Protestant's Destruction When their business was well laid in their publick Prayers they recommended the good Success of a great Design to advance their Catholick Cause and to stir up the People to act this Villany with the greater Cruelty they publickly discoursed that the English Protestants were Hereticks and not to be suffered to live any longer amongst them that it was no more Sin to kill one of them than to kill a Dog and a mortal Sin to protect or relieve any one of them When their Plot was ripe for Execution they proceeded against the English in divers methods some of the Papists only stripping the Protestants and turn'd them out of doors naked others murdering Men Women and Children without Mercy they all agreed â—o root out all the Protestants The most Reverend Bishop Usher The Irish Rebellion and French Massacre The Downfall of Rome The Massacre in Ireland happened in the year 1641 which by the learned Bishop Usher was predicted in 1601. at which time the Irish and English Papists by all manner of cursed Cruelties murdered near Three hundred thousand innocent English Protestants without the least cause or provocation given them whose bloud yet cries for Vengeance from Heaven against them and which we doubt not but the God of Vengeance will judge in his due time The Massacre of Paris was in the time of bloudy King Charles the Ninth the Papists used divers means to draw the Chief of the Protestants to Paris under pretence of a Marriage between the king of Navarre a Protestant and the Lady Margaret Sister to the French King Admral Coligni a Protestant Gentleman 〈◊〉 invited to the Wedding and in the Evening the Duke of Guise sent for the Captain of the Switzers and shewed him the King's Commission for murdering the Admiral and at midnight the Provosts Sheriffs and Captains of every Ward had the same Commission shewed them the Watch-word for the general Massacre was The tolling of the Bel in the King's Pallace a break of day and that the Executioners should be known by white Handkerchiefs tied on their Arms and a white Cross in their Hats no sâ—oner was the Watch Woâ—â—â— given but they felt to their Barbarity and murdered the Admiral and in two days there was slain in Paris above Ten thousand men women and children Popery Slavery and Arbitrary Power being vanquished Rome's Idolatry must expect its downfall the Multitude being got together begun to root out their damnable Religion here in England by falling down burning and demolishing most of Their Chappels and Houses but the utter ruine of Rome will be when she thinks her self most secure as the learned Bishop Usher mentions in his Prophesie in that Kingdom and so great was their violence that they would not permit the English Language to be spoke but punished all that used it they likewise changed the Names of all English Places killing or maiming all sorts of Cattle which belonged to the English Protestants The Popish Priests gave their Sacrament to several Irish on condition they should spare none of the Protestants but wash their hands in their bloud They also Excommunicated those that afforded any Relief so that many were â—â—â—â—ved and perished their Friars and Monks exhorted them with Tears not to spare any of the English and boasted when they had destroyed them 〈◊〉 Ireland they would go into England do the like for they â—â—ld it as lawsull to kill an English Man as to kill a Sheep or a Dog and that it was no more Conscience to deprive them of their Lives and â—sâ—ates than to take a bone from â— Dog 's Mouth The day before this bloudy Massacre the Priests gave them admission after Mass telling them they had now freâ— Liberty to go and take possession of their Lands and 〈◊〉 strip rob and despoil all the English of whatever they had that killing them was a mentorious Act and would preserve them from the pains 〈…〉 Purgatory which cause some of these murtherous Vâ—…lains after they had â—lain multitude of the English puâ—… lickly to boast That if the should die immediately thâ—â— were sure of Heaven and escape Purgatory They then proceeded commit all manner of Cruâ—…ties and Villanies imaginablâ— stripping naked Man Woman and Child driving Eight hundred and odd into a River where they were drowned and put one Hundred and Fifty into a Castle and burned them altogether An Abstract of their Popish Tortures and Cruelties against the Protestants in Ireland and Paris A Protestant Woman being delivered in the Fields they gave the new born Infant to the Dogs to be devoured The Irish Women followed the Camp and stirred up the Men to Cruelty crying Kill them all spare neither Man Woman or Child yea such was their detestable Malice that they taught their Children to kill English Children An Irish Woman was very angry with a Soldier that he did not bring the Grease of a â—at English Gentlewoman who was murdered to make Candles with which they barbarously did in many places By all manner of cursed Cruelties the Irish and English Papists in a short time murdered near three hundred thousand Protestants without the least cause or provocation whose bloud yet crys loud for Vengeance from Heaven against them and doubt not but God will avenge it in his due time Children have been cast to Dogs and Swine to be devoured by them Women great with Child have been hanged up and their Bellies ripped open that the Infant has dropped out and been thrown into a Ditch Youths have had their brains dashedout against Trees and some have been trampled to death Some Infants have been found sucking the Breasts of their dead Mother A great Commander took delight to â—lea off the skins of Men and to Head his Drums with them Some have been driven to a River where the Bridge has been broken down and there drowned if any of them could swim they either shot at them with Musquets or knocked them on the head as they came near the Land Some were put into Dungeons full of mire and dirt and having Bolts put on their Legs there perish'd with hunger Some had their eyes plucked out and their hands cut off and so let go to
God formeth by his Spirit in every Soul which he doth truly regenerate I found so little of it wrought in my self that I could speak of it only as Parrots by rote and without the knowledge and understanding of what I might have exprest and therefore I durst not presume to proceed any farther upon it When I seemed to stand amaz'd to hear such an humble Confession from so great and experienced a Christian. He added I must tell you we do not well understand what Sanctification and the New Creature are it is no less than for a Man to be brought to an entire resignation of his Will to the Will of God and to live in the offering up of his Soul continually in the flames of love as a whole Burnt-offering to Christ and how little says he are many of those who profess Christianity experimentally acquainted with this Work on their Souls By this Discourse I conceived he had very excellently and clearly discovered to me that part of Sanctification which he was unwilling to write I then presumed to enquire of him what his present apprehensions were concerning a great Persecution which should fall upon the Church of God in these Nations of England Scotland and Ireland of which this reverend Primate had spoken many years before when we were in Peace and Settlement I ask'd him whether he did believe those sad times were past or to come he told me They were to come and that he did as fully expect it as ever he had done adding That this sad Persecution would fall upon all the Protestant Churches in Europe I replyed I hoped it might be past as to these Nations of ours since I thought that though we have been punished much less than our Sins have deserved and that our late Wars have made far less devastations than War commonly brings where it pleaseth God in Judgment to suffer it yet we must needs acknowledge that many great Houses have been burnt ruined and left without Inhabitants many great Families impoverithed and undone and many thousand lives also had been lost in that bloudy War and that Ireland and Scotland as well as England had drunk very deep of the Cup of God's Anger even to the overthrow of the Government and the utter Desolation almost of a very great part of those Countries But this holy Man turning to me and fixing his eyes upon me with that serious and irefull look which he usually had when he spoke God's Word and not his own and when the Power of God seemed to be upon him and to constrain him to speak which I could easily discern much to differ from the Countenance wherewith he usually spake to me He said thus Fool not your self with such hopes for I tell you all you have yet seen hath been but the beginning of Sorrows to what is yet to come upon the Protestant Churches of Christ who will e'er long fall under a sharper Persecution than ever yet has upon them and therefore said he to me look you be not found in the outward Court but a worshipper in the Temple before the Altar for Christ will measure all those that profess his Name and call themselves his People and the outward Worshippers he will leave out to be trodden down by the Gentiles The outward Court says he is the formal Christian whose Religion lies in performing the out-side Duties of Christianity without having an inward life and power of Faith and Love uniting them to Christ and these God will leave to be trodden down and swept away by the Gentiles but the Worshippers within the Temple and before the Altar are those who do indeed Worship God in Spirit and in Truth whose Souls are made his Temples and he is honoured and adored in the most inward Thoughts of their Hearts and they sacrifice their Lusts and vile Affections yea and their own Wills to him and these God will hide in the hollow of his hand and under the shadow of his Wings And this shall be one great difference between this last and all the other preceeding Persecutions for in the former the most eminent and spiritual Ministers and Christians did generally suffer most and were most violently fallen upon but in this last Persecution these shall be preserved by God as â— Seed to partake of that Glory which shall immediately follow and come upon the Church as soon as ever this Storm shall be over for as it shall be the sharpest so it shall be the shortest Persecution of them all and shall only take away the gross Hypocrites and formal Professors but the true spiritual Believers shall be preserved till the Calamity be over-past I then asked him by what means or instruments this great Tryal should be broughâ— on He answered By thâ— Papists I replyed Thâ—â— it seemed to me very improbable they should be able tâ— do it since they were noâ—â— little countenanced and bâ—â— few in these Nations and that â—he Hearts of the People were â—ore set against them than eâ—er since the Reformation He answered again That it would be by the hands of Papists and in the way of a sudden Massacre and that the then Pope should be the chief Instrument of it All this he spake with so great assurance and with the same serious and concerned Countenance which I have before observed him to have when I have heard him foretel some things which in all humane appearance were very unlikely to come to pass which yet I my self have lived to see happen according to his Prediction and this made me give the more earnest attention to what he then uttered He then added That the Papists were in his opinion the Gentiles spoken of in the Eleventh of the Revelations to whom the outward Court should be left that they might tread it under foot they having received the Gentiles Worship in their adoring Images and Saints departed and in taking to themselves many Mediators and this said he the Papists are now designing among themselves and therefore be sure you be ready This was the substance and I think for the greatest part the very same words which this holy Man spake to me not long before his death and which I writ down that so great and notable a Prediction might not be lost by my self or others This gracious Man repeated the same things in substance to his only Daughter the Lady Tyrrel and that with many Tears and much about the same time that he had exprest the aforesaid to me and which â—…e Lady Tyrrel assured me of â—…ith her own mouth to this â—…rpose That opening the door of â—…s Chamber she found him â—…ith his eyes lift up to Heaven â—…d the Tears running apace â—…own his Cheeks and that â—…e seemed to be in an Ecstasie â—…herein he continued for aâ—…out half an hour not taking â—…e least notice of her though â—…e came into the Room but 〈…〉 last turning to her he told â—…er That his thoughts had â—…en taken up about the Miâ—…ries and
Death of thine only Son hast redeemed us from death to life and hast continually a care of us preserving us as the Apple of thine Eye from the dangerous Assaults of Satan and providest for us all things necessary that more Thanks and Praise is due unto thee than the Tongue of Men or Angels can declare II. Accept these my Praises and Thanksgivings O Lord Ibeseech thee and encrease in me a daily desire to praise thy Goodness acknowledging every good and perfect Gift to come from thee to whom with the Son and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and for evermore Amen To God for all his Benefits Most merciful God we yield thee humble thanks for thy continual favour and kindness towards us thy poor and unworthy Creatures for whose Salvation when we were lost thou wert pleased even of thy mere Love to send thine only beloved Son Christ Jesus into the World taking humane Nature upon him and suffering most bitter pangs of Death upon the Cross to redeem us again to thy favour II. Such O Lord was thine unspeakable Love for which we are never able to pay the least recompence but give us O Lord thankfull and obedient hearts that we may yield thee praises not only with our Lips but in our lives not only in giving thy Son for us but in leaving unto us a continual remembrance of the same thine unspeakable Love thy Holy Gospel wherein consists the rule whereby we are directed and though Heaven and Earth pass away yet not one tittle of that shall decay or diminish for without which we should have been in our accustomed Ignorance accept us we beseech thee in thy Son our blessed Lord and Saviour Amen Christian Courage IN AFFLICTION A Prayer before the following Advice to the besieged Souldiers in London-Derry under the Command of that worthy Divine and most Loyal and Valiant Commander Col. Walker O Most Eternal Lord God whose Providence never fails those who trust in thy Name and Word mercifully we beseech thee to cast down thy Eyes of Pity and Compassion upon us miserable Sinners which are here met together we do in all humility prostrate our selves before thy Divine Majesty beseeching thee to pardon all our Sins and help our Infirmities O Lord we are not able of our selves to do any thing but offend thee committing daily and hourly Sins without number but O Lord hear thy Son Christ Jesus for us and nail them to his Cross that they may never rise up in Judgment against us either to shame us in this World or condemn us in the World to come bury them in the bottomless Sea of thy Mercy and Forgetfulness that they may never appear before thee to hinder thy Favours unto us seal the remission of them to our Souls and Consciences that they may not disturb or distract us in our Devotions and Duty pour thy Grace and holy Spirit into us that may enable us to walk before thee in Holiness Righteousness and in Sobriety all the days of our lives Bless we beseech thee our dear and dread Soveraign Lord and Lady King William and Queen Mary Katherine the Queen Dowager the Princess Anne of Denmark and the rest of the Royal Family Bless the Archbishops and Bishops with the rest of the Dispencers of thy holy Sacraments and grant that the light of thy Gospel may never depart from us And Lastly we come unto thee for a Blessing upon our Governours Commanders and fellow Souldiers guide and conduct them in this Calamity fortifie them with Courage and Strength against our Romish Adversaries that thy Name may be glorified our Lives preserved and our Souls Eternally saved in the great day of the Lord Jesus when all flesh shall appear Grant that our Meeting at this time may be for the better and not for the worse to praise and glorifie thy holy Name in whose holy Name and Word we put up these our imperfect Prayers in that most absolute and perfect form of Prayer which Christ himself bath taught us Our Father c. Christian Courage IN AFFLICTION A Discourse by way of Advice to the besieged in London-Derry 2 Chron. 20. Chap. Verse 9. latter part of it Be not afraid nor dismay'd by reason of this great multitude for the Battel is not yours but God's THE Context runs thus And he said Hearken ye all Judah and ye Inhabitants of Jerusalem and thou King Jehoshaphat Thus saith the Lord unto you Be not afraid nor dismaied by reason of this great multitude for the Battel is not yours but God's These are the words of God which he commanded Jahaziel the Prophet to deliver to Jehoshaphat King of Judah When the Moabites and Ammonites came to make War against him to dispossess him of his Kingdom verse the 8th of this Chapter and may be a seasonable Text for this Auditory Our Sins indeed are many which have justly provoked God's heavy Wrath against us and our Enemies are very numerous which surround us therefore now let us cry mightily unto God earnestly beseeching him that he would pardon all our Sins blot out all our Iniquities and receive us graciously let us sincerely repent and be heartily sorry for our manifold Transgressions committed against him so shall we by his Divine Assistance be in a readiness to encounter with Roman Malice these Moabites and Ammonites who are Enemies to our Lives Religion Laws and Liberties and be animated with Courage to go out cheerfully against Rome's Force and Cruelties fighting manfully the Lord's Battel every one of us laying his hand upon his Heart with this comfortable Expression in our Mouths Be not afraid nor dismaied by reason of this great multitude for the Battel is not ours but God's Servile Fear is the harbinger of the Guilty and a slavish timorousness belongs not to the Strong and Couragious but a God like Fear attends upon the Vertuous and produces Success in their Undertakings Holy Job that great Proficient in God's School and great Example of Christian Patience tells you Job 28. 28. The fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from Evil is Understanding This is the only supream Good and Fear which secures us from committing shameful Acts and creates a circumspection in our Lives for as the shadow of the Body is followed by the Sun so doth Glory attend Vertue in our progress to Christ. Let us then put our whole trust in God in this time of danger and take the Royal Prophets resolution Psal. 118. 6. Not to fear what man can do unto us but rather fear the Lord who pitieth those that fear him Psal. 103. 13. It is the Duty of every one of us to be circumspect in our Lives but more especially at this season and time of Affliction when the hand of God is stretched out against us when the Enemy waits even at our doors ready to devour us when they stand gaping ready to swallow us up quick and none of us can prognosticate how soon his
Life may be lost or be in danger therefore it behoves us to lay hold on that Advice which St. Paul gave the Ephesians Ephes. 6. 10 11. Be ye strong in the Lord and in the Power of his Might Put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand So shall we be fortified with that Courage which is mentioned here in my Text of being not afraid or dismaied by reason of this great multitude for the Battel is not ours but God's Be not afraid or dismaied by reason of this great multitude is the Command of God and therefore in obedience to his Command let us humbly obey his Divine Order and valiantly fight under his Protection A multitude there is and very great what then the Battel is God's and David tells us 1 Chron. 16. 5. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised he is also to be feared above all Gods The multitude here in my Text were Moabites and Ammonites but the multitude which layeth close Siege to us are Jesuits and bloudy Papists whose damnable Principles and hellish Doctrines are to quench the light of the Gospel to root and destroy all Christianity who blasphemously think to gain Heaven by Massacring God ' People and triumph in the effussion of shedding innocent Bloud it is their Glory to lay Kingdoms wast and Countries desolate reduce Cities to Ashes and ruine Families those which will not fall down to worship their Idols false Gods of Wood and Stone are fit objects of their Fury their Cruelty is beyond what Malice can invent or Hell imagine and Solomon gives a true Character of them Prov. 27. 4. Wrath is cruel and Anger is outragious but who is able to stand before Envy But God will pour out his Wrath upon them and shoot at them with his Arrows that they shall be wounded his Vengeance will speedily overtake and drown them like harden'd Pharaob in the red Sea of Perdition let him who hath provoked God to Anger lay his hand on his Heart and now say with Nehemiah Shall such an one as I flie Shall I whom God hath honoured so much dishonour him by Oaths so greatly who am placed in an higher Sphere than others be either a dim or a wandering Star Shall I who am most obliged to God by the Bonds of Wealth and Power exceed the bounds of Truth and Justice whom he hath made a Ruler of the People not rule my self and my own Kingdoms according to his Golden Rule God forbid God will not permit their Romish policy to overthrow our Christian Piety he will not suffer them to break the bruised Reed of the Distressed nor quench the smoaking Flax of their Necessities he will be a Lamp unto our Feet and a Light unto our Path in this Extremity therefore be not afraid or dismaied by reason of this great multitude c. We must every one of us look upon this great Affliction as sent from God for he knows what is better for us than we do for our selves and that which seems most evil at present may turn at last to our greatest benefit None of us ought to despair of God's Mercy for when our weak Apprehensions of God are such as drive us from him we overthrow the main end of Religion which is to bring God and our selves nearer together None ought to exclude themselves from God's Mercy whom he excludes not from it and God excludes none whom he invites to repent with a promise of forgiveness if they do it and the goodness and long suffering and forbearance of us Sinners is on purpose design'd to lead us to Repentance so that after all this to despair and fail in our Courage is only to reject the Mercy which God offers but to question his truth and sincerity to slight his Patience to disparage his Goodness and to look upon him as a most revengeful and implacable Being is to admit and entertain most dishonourable and unworthy Thoughts of the Best the Wisest the most merciful and compassionate Being in the World who hath proclaim'd himself Exod. 34. 6 7. To be a God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for thousands for giving Iniquity Transgresson and Sin that is to all that truly repent So that when we consider we have no reason to despair of his Mercy to us but readily and willingly to obey his Command and not shrink from those principles which prompt us to his Honour and Glory in whose Service is perfect freedom but to rouse up our selves like Men stand upon our Guard fortifie our selves and be vigilant not being afraid or dismaied by reason of this great multitude for it is God's cause which we fight for and our Lives cannot be better imployed than in his Service from whom we received all we have or can pretend to therefore let us press forwards in obedience to his Command for the Battel is not yours but God's When the Lord's Battel is to be fought we must endeavour to follow his holy Order and Discipline and not our own sinfull Lusts and Appetires like brute Beasts which have no understanding Let us seriously consider I beseech you what it is we fight for it is to defend our Religion and oppose Idolatry to maintain Truth and beat down Falshood to exalt Glory and decry Shame and to enjoy our Freedom and not espouse Slavery Let happy England now be our pattern for Loyalty Magnanimity Courage then shall we arrive at that serene State which holy David expresses Psal. 85. 10. where Mercy and Truth are met together Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other if on the contrary we revolt nothing can be expected but Parisian Slavery to â—â—thrall us and Romish Idolatry to attend us Have we not felt the smarting Rod of Popery for many years yea within a few years when Legality was changed into Arbitrary Government Orthodox Religion grosly invaded and innovated Popish Doctrines publickly preached Crucifixes erected Adoration to Saints and Altars practised and Ten Ave Maria's said for one Pater Nesler The same may be said of Ireland as once a Reverend Divine wittily said of England Though it was but a little Place yet there was a great deal of ROME in it And shall not I visit for these things saith the Lord shall not my Soul be aâ—enged on such a Nation as this Jer. 5. 9. yes surely God will avenge himself and defeat all their Policies he will laugh aâ— their Galamity and meek when the â—â—â—â— cometh when their fear come as desolation and destruction as Whirlwind Prov. 1. 25 26 27. he is able and will deliver us if we trust in him he has promised us who will not break his Word Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the time of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Therefore let us be all of one mind and not halt between Two Opinions but stand fast Fear not nor be dismayed for the Battel is not