III. SERM. sisted all that could be truly called religion. So that the Jewish was the only true religion at that time professed upon earth; and that made Haman have such a spite against the Jews, and the Devil to put it into his head to destroy them, if it had been possible, from off the face of the earth, that the whole earth might be overspread with idolatry and superstition. How far this holds good as to our present case, is so well known, that I need only observe in general, that this nation having lived many years in communion with Rome, and thereby contracted all the errors and superstitions wherewith the Christian Religion was there corrupted and made different from what Christ and His Apostles had settled in the world; it pleased God, at length, to open the eyes of the government to see an absolute necessity of laying aside all such corruptions in faith and practice, as ever they desired that the Christian, the only true religion now upon the face of the earth, should be again truly professed in it: which was, therefore, done so effectually, that the Christian Religion was here restored to its primitive simplicity and purity, both in doctrine, discipline, and worship. This is that which made those who still continued in subjection to the See of Rome so very restless and uneasy, that they could never bear the sight of this Church, but have been ever since plotting and conspiring against it, more than against any that were reformed about the same time; till, at length, they arrived at the highest pitch that all the power of Hell could carry them, the conspiracy which we this day commemorate. Indeed, this Church was too well reformed, not to be Matt.16.18. assaulted on every side. When our Saviour said, that" the gates of Hell should not prevail against His Church," He plainly intimated and foretold, that the gates of Hell would use all the power and policy they had, to disturb, undermine, and overthrow His Church, that which was planted and ordered by Himself. But then He promised withal, that they should not prevail against it. This day was this Scripture fulfilled in the sight of this nation, as to the Church which God had planted and established in it: though He suffered it to be brought to the brink of ruin, He would not suffer it to be thrown down; but, as He had done it many a time before, He preserved it now, though it was at the expense of little less than a miracle, if not at the full value. That there was more than ordinary in it, is acknowledged and declared in the act itself that was made for the observation of this day, where it is said, that this conspiracy would have turned to the utter ruin of this whole kingdom, had it not pleased Almighty God, by inspiring the king's most excellent majesty with a Divine Spirit, to interpret some dark phrases of a letter shewed to his majesty, above and beyond all ordinary construction, whereby he miraculously discovered this hidden treason, not many hours before the appointed time for the execution thereof. Here then we may justly stand still and wonder at the infinite goodness and truth which God then manifested, in defending His Church and people, and turning that which was intended for a day of slaughter and destruction, into a joyful day of deliverance; and that too, not only then, but at another time also, above fourscore years after, when He brought over his late majesty upon the same day, to deliver us again from the same sort of enemies. They who do not see the Hand of God in all this, it is because they will not: they who do, cannot but highly esteem that Church, which Almighty God hath so mercifully delivered from such imminent and apparent dangers, and give Him the honour and praise which is due unto His holy Name for it; as we do this day, and have cause to do so all the days of our life. When Haman's conspiracy was defeated, and the destruction designed against the Jews was, by a wonderful chain of Providences, turned upon their enemies, it is said, that many of the people of the land became "Jews, for the fear of the Esth. 8. 17. Jews fell upon them." Their enemies, though heathens, saw plainly from what had happened, that the Jews had more than ordinary favour shewed them from Heaven, and from thence inferred that their laws and religion must needs be more acceptable there than any other; and, therefore, left their own for theirs, and became Jews themselves, that they might partake of the same privileges and favours with them. God grant that this wonderful deliverance which He III. SERM. wrought for our Church and nation, may have the same effect upon our enemies on all sides, that they would all turn to us; it would then be an happy deliverance for them; as it was for us, who enjoy the benefit of it to this day, not only in our freedom from that tyranny and oppression, which we must otherwise have lived under (if we had lived at all), but likewise in the true and free profession of the Gospel, to the saving of our souls: which we could not have enjoyed as we do now, if we had not been delivered from this horrid plot, which was laid on purpose to deprive the whole nation of it. But thanks be to God Who hath delivered us, and in Whom we trust that He will yet deliver us. But that He may be graciously pleased to do so, we must take care to answer His holy end, in what He hath done already for us, by living as becometh the Gospel, which we so freely and truly profess in the Church, which He for that purpose so wonderfully preserved: for that is the end wherefore He so preserved it, as it is of all the glorious victories and successes which He hath given our most gracious sovereign and her kingdoms, since her happy accession to the throne. The great end of all is, that we may glorify Him; not only as we do this day, with our mouths, and I hope with our hearts too, but likewise through the whole course of our lives; by giving up ourselves to His service, and striving [1 Pet. 2.9.] all we can to shew forth the praises of Him "Who hath [1Cor.4.1.] called us out of darkness into His marvellous light," and hath still continued us in it, notwithstanding all the artifices that have been used by the Devil or man to get us out. Wherefore," as a Minister of Christ, and Steward of the mysteries of God," I beseech you all, in His Name, that you would keep the wonderful works that He hath done always in remembrance: particularly that of this day that ye would ascribe it wholly to His infinite goodness and mercy in Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate: that ye would fix it so firmly upon your minds, that you may never forget to love and honour Him above all; Who is above all, and hath done, and can do such great things for you when He pleaseth that ye would learn by it to fear the Lord and your sovereign, and not keep company with them "who are 21.] given to change:" and that ye would improve it to the great [Prov. 24. ends and purposes for which God did it, even that ye may worship and serve Him better while ye are in this world, and attain everlasting joy and felicity in the next. Which now, by His assistance, ye all may, if ye will; for do but believe and live in all respects as ye are taught by the Church of England, and my life, my eternal life, for yours, you will be happy for ever. "Which God grant we may all be, through Christ our Saviour and mighty Deliverer; to Whom, with the Father and Holy Ghost, be ascribed, as is most due, all honour, praise, and glory, this day, and for evermore." SERMON IV. Preached before the House of Peers, in the Abbey-Church of Westminster, on January the 30th, 1705-6. SERM. IV. ACTS, xxii. 20. And when the blood of Thy Martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. THE opposition which the Christian Religion met with, when it was first planted upon earth, was so far from hindering its taking root, as was designed, that it made it grow more and spread wider than otherwise it would have done : for the Apostles and first Disciples of Christ, being forced to flee from their native country, carried the Gospel along with them, and preached it wheresoever they came, with that undaunted courage and resolution, with that invincible patience and constancy, that their very enemies could not but admire it, and acknowledge, that they could never have done and suffered so much as they did, without extraordinary and supernatural assistance from God Himself; Who gave sufficient testimony to the truth of what they taught, by enabling them not only to work miracles for the confirmation of it, but to seal it too with their own blood; as both the Apostles and many other Disciples did; which were, therefore, called martyrs, that is, witnesses for Christ and His Gospel; because they had attested the truth and certainty of what He had there taught, in the highest manner that creatures could do it, even by laying down their lives in the defence of it. Which was so full an evidence for the excellency of the Christian Religion, that many were thereby |