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SERMON

Preach'd at

Chrift-Church in Dublin,

Before their Excellencies the

LORDS JUSTICES:

ON

Tuesday the 29th of May, 1711.
Being the

Anniversary of the Happy Reftoration.

By JOSEPH TRAPP, M. A.
Fellow of Wadham-College in the University
of Oxford, and Chaplain to the Right Ho-
nourable Sir Conftantine Phipps, Lord High
Chancellor, and one of the Lords Justices of
the Kingdom of Ireland.

Publifh'd by their Excellencies Special Command.

LONDON,

Printed for Hen, Clements, at the Half-
Moon in St. Paul's Church-yard. 1711.

(23)

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ISAIAH i. 26.

And I will reftore thy Judges as at the firft, and thy Counsellors as at the beginning; afterwards thou fbalt be call'd the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.

T

HE Folly and Ingratitude of Men appear in no Inftance more than in this; That they are apt to be regardlefs of the ordinary Bleffings they enjoy, and to be affected with none but those which are New, and Surprizing. A wonderful Deliverance makes fome Impreffion upon 'em; but they take no notice of being in fuch a Condition, as to need no Deliverance. Nay, they are influenc'd only for a time, even by thofe uncommon Occurrences; even those are foon flighted, and forgotten by them. Moft Men feem to expect the fame Proofs of God's Power and Goodness, as fome do to prove the Truth of the Chriftian Religion; both requiring a frequent Repetition of fresh Miracles, the Former to revive their Gratitude, as the Latter to begin their Faith.

Now tho' it be very unreasonable for Men to expect new extraordinary Favours, to refresh their Memories, and put them in mind of old ones; yet the Providence of God has been pleas'd to afford even that Privilege to us of thefe Nations. Befides former Deliverances from the many imminent Dangers which threatned our Conftitution; we have had at least One, But fince That which we this Day commemorate. the present Occafion obliges me to inlarge chiefly upon That: And That indeed is fo very fignal and re

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markable, that it is of it felf more than fufficient to furnish Matter for any one Difcourfe.

In fpeaking upon this Subject, the Words which I have chofen feem very proper to be infifted upon; not only my Text, but this whole Chapter, being applicable to our prefent purpose. Which indeed is not to be wonder'd at; our Cafe fo nearly refembling That of the Jews: Since, like Them, by the peculiar and fignal Providence of God, we enjoy the pureft Religion, and the best Establishment in the World, with refpect to both Church, and State; and I wish I could not fay that, like Them too, we are particularly remarkable for our Perverfenefs, and Rebellion, and for our ungrateful Abuse of fuch inestimable Privileges.

This whole Chapter therefore, I fay, is almost as exactly adapted to our Circumftances, as if it were purposely calculated for them. Befides fome other Paflages which I fhall have occafion to mention in the Progress of my Difcourfe, Thefe which follow are a perfect Description of the State of thefe Kingdoms,efpecially in the Times of Thofe who overturn'd our Conftitution,and made a Reftoration fo neceflary a Bleffing. The Prophet, or rather God by the Mouth of his Prophet, begins his Expoftulation with his People in thefe fublime, elegant, and pathetical Expreffions, which no Human Eloquence can equal, or imitate. Hear O Heavens, and give ear O Earth; for the Lord hath spoken. I have nourish'd and brought up Children, and they have rebell'd against me. The Ox knoweth his Owner, and the Afs his Master's Crib, but Ifrael doth not know, my People doth not confider. Ah! finful Nation; A People laden with Iniquity; a feed of evil Doers; Children that are Corrupters; they have forfaken the Lord, they have provok'd the Holy One of Ifrael to Anger, they are gone away backward. Why should ye be ftricken any more? Te will revolt more and more: The whole Head is Sick, and the whole Heart faint. From the Sole of the Foot even unto the Head there is no Soundness in it; but Wounds, and Bruises, and

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