{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_36694/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_36694","id":"gutenberg_36694","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36694","summary":null,"tags":["Bible. Nahum I, 3 -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800","Category: British Literature","Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches","Category: Politics","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Sermons","Storms -- Great Britain -- Early works to 1800"],"text":"</pre>\n\n\n\nProduced by Steven Gibbs, Linda Cantoni, and the Online\nDistributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. In\nmemory of Steven Gibbs (1938-2009).\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Transcriber's Note: This e-book, a pamphlet by Daniel Defoe, was\noriginally published in 1704, and was prepared from _The Storm_, a\nmodern reprint (London: Penguin Books Ltd., 2005). Archaic and\ninconsistent spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and hyphenation,\nas well as apparent printer errors, have been retained as they appear\nin the original.]\n\n\n\n\nTHE\n\nLay-Man's\n\nSERMON\n\nUPON THE\n\nLATE STORM;\n\nHeld forth at an Honest\n\n_Coffee-House-Conventicle_.\n\n\n_Not so much a Jest as 'tis thought to be._\n\n\nPrinted in the Year 1704.\n\n\n\n\nNAHUM. I. III\n\n     _The Lord has his way in the Whirle-Wind and in the Storm,\n     and the Clouds are the Dust of his Feet._\n\n\nThis Text is not chosen more for the Suitableness to the present\nCallamity, which has been the Portion of this Place, than for the\naptness of the Circumstances, 'twas spoken of God going to Chastise, a\nPowerful, Populous, Wealthy and most reprobate City.\n\n_Nineveh_ was the Seat of a mighty Empire, a Wealthy Encreasing\nPeople, Opulent in Trade, Flourishing in Power and Proud in\nProportion.\n\nThe Prophet does not seem to deliver these words, to the _Ninevites_,\nto convince them, or encline them to consider their own Circumstances\nand repent, but he seems to speak, it to the _Israelites_ inviteing\nthem to Triumph and Insult over the Heathen adversary, by setting\nforth the Power of their God, in the most exalted Terms.\n\nAnd that this is a just Exposition of this Text, seems plain from the\nwords Imediately going before, _the Lord is slow to Anger, and Great\nin Power and will not at all acquit the wicked_. These words could\nhave no Connexion with the Text, tho' they are joyn'd with them in the\nsame Verse, if it were not meant of his being slow to Anger, to his\nown People, and Terrible to the Heathen World, and this being spoken\nas an Expression of his being not easily provoked as to his Church,\nthe Subsequent part of the Verse tells them how his power and Vengance\nis matter of particular Satisfaction to his People as being exercis'd\nin Revenging the affront put upon his Glory by his Enemies, _God is\nJealous, and the Lord Revengeth, the Lord Revengeth and is Furious,\nthe Lord will take Vengeance on his adversaries and he reserveth wrath\nfor his Enemies_. Tis plain this is meant of his Enemies, but as if\nbrought in with a Parenthesis, tis spoken for the comfort of his\nChurch, the Lord is slow to Anger as to them, and to lift up their\nhearts in a further confidence that their Enemies are all in his hand,\nhe goes on discribing the Terrors of his Judgement.\n\n_The Lord has his way in the Whirl-wind and in the Storm, and the\nClouds are the Dust of his Feet._ Eloquent Flourishes upon the\nOmnipotence of God.\n\nThe short Exposition I shall make of the words, Tends only to remind\nus that the Whirl-wind and Storm which are here made use of, to\nexpress the Magnipotent power of God are acted by his Direction, _he\nhas his way in them_, it may note indeed the Invisible secrecy and\nswiftness of his providences, but to avoid long Paraphrases, I confine\nmy self to my own Construction, as that which, as it is a just\ninference from the matter of the Text, so 'tis most suitable to the\ndesign of this discourse.\n\nAnd as this Sermon may be a little Immethodical, because I purpose to\nmake it almost all Aplication so I shall advance some Conclusions from\nthe Premises which I lay down, as the Geneuine sence of the Words.\n\n1. The Omnipotence of God gives Christians sufficient ground to Insult\ntheir Enemies, _wherefore do the Heathen Mock thy People and say unto\nthem where is now your God? Behold our God is in the Heavens, and\ndoeth whatsoever he pleaseth_; as the Prophet _Elija_, Banter'd the\nHeathen Priest of _Baal_, with the Impotence of their Gods, Cry aloud\nfor _he is a God, either he is talking or he is Pursuing, or he is in\na Journey, or Peradventure he Sleepeth and must be awakned_, so he\ninsulted them about the power of the true God, _let it be known O Lord\nsays he this day that thou art God in Israel_.\n\n2. As God in all the works of his Providence, makes use of the\nsubserviency of means, so the whole Creation is Subordinate to the\nExecution of his Divine will, _the Clouds are the Dust of his Feet and\nhe rides upon the Wings of the Wind_, the most Powerful Elements are\nso subjected to his almighty power that the Clouds are but as Dust\nunder his feet, tis as easy for him to Govern and mannage them; as it\nis for a man to shake off the Dust from his feet, or he can as easily\nsubdue the fury of them as a man Tramples the Dust, they are small and\nTriffling things, in his Eyes.\n\n3. The ways of God are unsearchable, the Methods of his Providence are\nsecret and powerfull; his way is in the Whirle-wind, and in the Storm,\ntis invisible and iresistible, invisible as the Wind, and iresistible\nas the Storm.\n\nBut waving these and abundance more usefull observations which might\nbe justly drawn from so rich a Text, I shall proceed upon one which\ntho' it favours something more of private authority, and I have not so\nAuthentick Opinion of the Learned Commentators, on my side, yet I\nshall endeavour not to Merit much Censure, in the Improvement of it,\neven from those who perhaps may not joyn with me in the Exposition.\n\nAccording therefore to my own private opinion of these words; I shall\nfor the present occasion only Paraphrase them thus, that _the Lord has\na way_ or an end _in the Whirle-wind, and in the Storm_, nor is this a\nvery unusual Method of expressing things in Scripture, where the way\nis Exprest, to signify the design, or end of a thing.\n\nAnd from this Exposition I advance this head.\n\nThat as God by his power Governs the elements, so in all their\nExtraordinary Motions, they are in a Perticular manner acted by his\nSoveraignity. And,\n\n2. When the Creation is put into any Violent or Supernatural\nAgitation, God has always some Extraordinary thing to bring to pass,\n_he has a meaning in all the Remarkables of Nature_.\n\n3. We ought dilligently to observe the extraordinary actings of\nProvidence, in order to discover and Deprecate the displeasure of\nAlmighty God, Providences are never Dumb, and if we can not discern\nthe signals of his Anger, we must be very blind. The Voice of his\nJudgements is heard in the Voice of Nature, and if we make our selves\nDeaf, he is pleas'd to make them speak the Louder, to awaken the\nstupifyed sences, and startle the World, which seem'd rather Amus'd\nthan Amas'd, with the common Course of things. This I take to be some\nof the true meaning of the way of God, in the Whirle-wind, and in the\nStorm.\n\nThe design of this Discourse therefore, is to put the Nation in\ngeneral upon proper Resolutions; if we pretend to believe that there\nis any such thing as a Collateral Sympathy, a Communication of\nCircumstances, between a Nations Follies, and her Fate. Any Harmony\nbetween Merit and Mischief, between the Crimes of Men and the\nVengeance of Heaven; we cannot but allow this _Extra_-Pulpit\nadmonition to be just.\n\nAnd let not any man Object against this being call'd a Sermon, and its\nbeing introduc'd from a Text of Scripture while the remainer of this\nDiscourse, seems wholly Civil and Political.\n\nIf all our Measures in Civil affairs were deduc'd as Inferences from\nsacred Texts, I am of the Opinion the Text would be well improv'd, and\nPublick matters never the worse Guided.\n\nAnd for this reason, tho' the Subject be not Treated, with the Gravity\nof a Sermon, nor in so serious a manner, as would become a Pulpit, yet\nit may be not the less suitable to the occasion and for the manner, it\nmust be placed to the Authors account.\n\nBesides the Title I think has provided for the Method and If so he\nthat expected it otherwise than it is tis his Fault, and not Mine.\n\nThe Term Sermon which is but _Sermo_, a Speech, may Justify all the\nNovelty of my Method if those who find fault please to give themselves\nleave to allow it, and since it has never profain'd the Pulpit, I\nbelieve the Text will receive no Prejudice by it, I wish every Sermon\nequally Improv'd.\n\nAnd what tho' your Humble Servant be no Man of the Text; if he be a\nMan of Honesty, he may have a hand in making you all Men of\nApplication.\n\nIn publick Callamities, every Circumstance is a Sermon, and every\nthing we see a Preacher.\n\nThe trembling Habitations of an Unthinking People Preach to us, and\nmight have made any Nation in the World tremble but us; when we were\nrock'd out of our Sleep as Children are Rock'd into it; and when the\nterrible Hand of Soveraign Power rock'd many a Wretch from one Sleep\nto another, and made a Grave of the Bed, without the Ceremony of\nwaking in the Passage.\n\nThe shatter'd Palaces of our Princes Preach to us, and tell us aloud,\nthat without respect to Dignity, he is able to put that Dreadful Text\nin Execution; _That if a Nation does wickedly they shall be destroy'd\nboth they and their King_.\n\nThe fallen Oaks, which stood before to tell us they were the longest\nliv'd of all God's Creatures, Preach to us, and tell us that the most\ntowring object of humane Beauty and strength must lye humble and\nprostrate, when he is pleased to give a Check to that Splendor which\nwas deriv'd from his Power.\n\nThe Wrecks of our Navies and Fleets Preach to us, that 'tis in vain we\npretend to be Wall'd about by the Ocean, and ride Masters of the Sea:\nAnd that, if he who bestow'd that Scituation upon us thinks fit, he\ncan make that Element which has been our Strength, and the Encreaser\nof our Wealth, be the Grave of our Treasure, and the Enemy of our\nCommerce; he can put it into so violent Agitation, by the blast of his\nMouth, that all our Defence and the Naval Strength we have vallued our\nselves so much upon, shall at once be swallow'd up in the Mouth of our\nFriend the Sea; and we shall find our Destruction in the very thing\nfrom which we expected our Defence.\n\nOur Seamen and Soldiers, whose Dead Bodies Embrace the _English_\nShores, Preach aloud to us, that whenever we think fit to Embark them\non any Design, which Heaven approves not of, he can blast the Embrio,\nand devour those People whose Hands are lifted up against Justice and\nRight.\n\nAlso they Preach to us, Not to build our hopes of Success upon the\nmultitude of Ships or Men, who are thus easily reduc'd, and the\nStrength of a whole Nation brought to Ruine in a Moment.\n\nThese are the Monitors of our Missfortunes, and some of these\nadmonitions would be well preach'd from the Mouths of those whose\nTallent as well as Office gives them reason to do it, and us to expect\nit.\n\nBut since the Sons of the Prophets have not yet thought it proper to\nenter very far into this Matter, not doubting but they will in due\ntime find it as suitable to their Inclination as 'tis to their Duty,\n\nIn the mean time let us see if no uncommon Application may be made of\nso uncommon a Circumstance.\n\nFirst, 'tis matter of wonder that any Man can be so senceless, as to\nsuppose there is nothing extraordinary in so signal an Instance of a\nSupream Power; but 'tis much more remarkable that those who have\nReligion enough to own it a Judgment, are yet at a loss how to\nappropriate it's signification.\n\nEvery one thinks it to be a Judgment upon the Person or Parties they\nsee touch'd with it. _W----_ the Carpenter was knock'd on the head\nwith a Stack of Chimneys, and his Wife saved; all the Neighbours cried\nout 'twas a Judgment upon him for keeping a Whore; but if Stacks of\nChimnies were to have fallen on the Heads of all that keep Whores,\n_Miserere Dei_.\n\n_S----_ was kill'd by the like Accident, and he must be singl'd out\nfor Extortion; But think ye that he was a Sinner above all the\n_Gallileans_?\n\nThe _Jacobites_ and _Non-Jurants_ shall rise up in Judgment against\nthis Generation, and shall condemn them, for they tell us, this Storm\nis a Judgment on the whole Nation, for Excluding their Lawful\nSoveraign, and Abjuring his Posterity: Upon this head they have been\npreaching up Repentance, and Humiliation to us; and some of them are\nwilling to reduce all to a very practical Exhortation, and tell us, we\nought to look upon it as a Loud Call to Restore the Right Owner (as\nthey call him) to the Possession of his own again; that is, in short,\nto rebel against a Mild, Gentle, Just and Protestant Queen, and call\nin the Popish Posterity of an abdicated Tyrant.\n\nThese Gentlemen are Men of Uses and Application, and know very well\nhow to make an Advantage of God's Judgments, when they serve their\nturn.\n\nThe _Whigs_ and _Occasional Conformists_ shall rise up in Judgment\nagainst this Generation; for they are sensible of the present severe\nStroke of Providence, and think 'tis a mark of Heavens Displeasure\nupon the Nation, for the violent methods made use of by some People\nagainst them, for their Religion, contrary to their Native Right, and\nthe Liberty of their Consciences.\n\nSome think a general Blast follows all the Endeavours of this Nation\nagainst the Common Enemy, for their slighting and reproaching the\nGlorious Memory of the late King _William_, whose Gallant Endeavours\nfor the general good of _Europe_, and of _England_ in particular, were\nTreacherously thwarted and disappointed while he was alive, and are\nBasely and Scandalously undervalued and slighted now he is Dead; and\nof this sort I confess my self enclined to be one.\n\nFrom these general Observations we may descend to particulars, and\nevery one judges according to their own Fancy.\n\nSome will have it, that the Slaughter and Destruction among the Fleet,\nis a Judgment upon them, for going into the _Streights_, and coming\nhome again without doing any business; but those forget, that if they\ndid all they were ordered to do, the Fault lies in those who sent\nthem, and not in they that went.\n\nSome will have the Damage among the Colliers to be a Judgment, upon\nthose who have Engross'd the Trade, and made the Poor pay so dear for\nCoals; not enquiring whether those Engrossers of the Coals are not\nleft safe on Shore, while the poor Seamen are drown'd, who know\nnothing of the matter.\n\n'Tis plain to me, who ever are Punish'd by the Storm, we that are left\nhave a share in the Judgment, and a Trebble concern in the Cause.\n\nIf it could be said that those who are destroy'd, or who have suffered\nthe loss of Lives, Limbs or Goods, were the only People who gave any\noccasion to the Divine Justice thus severely to Revenge it self, then\nall admonition to the rest of Mankind would be useless, any farther\nthan it directed them to be Cautious how they provoked him in like\nmanner; but have we not all had a hand in the general provocation,\nthough not an equal share in the general Calamity.\n\nSometimes the Judgements of Heaven, bear so much Analogy to the\nCrimes, that the Punishment points out the Offence, and 'tis easy to\ndistinguish what it is the perticular hand of Justice points at.\n\nAnd if we will seek for a Perticular case, in which Heaven seems to\nhave singled out this way of Punishment on the Nation, as best\nproportion'd to the general National Crime we are all guilty of? what\nseems more Rational than to Judge that tis a severe Animadversion upon\nthe Feuds and Storms of parties kept up among us in this Nation, with\nsuch unnatural Heat, and such unaccountable Fury, that no man, who\nhas the least Compassion for his Native Country, but must with more\nthan Common Grief, be concerned for it, since unless some speedy\ncourse be taken to bring a general Composure upon the minds of Men,\nthe general ruin seems Inevitable.\n\nIf the matters in Debate were of Extraordinary Consequence, there\nmight be some pretence for Espousing contrary parties with unusual\nheat; but while the difference lies in small, and, in some cases,\nindifferent things, tis a most inexcusable Madness that the Feuds\nshou'd be run up so high, that all manner of Charity should Perish and\nbe lost among us.\n\nWe have had an Extraordinary Bustle in the World about Moderation, and\nall Parties pretend to it, and now we are as busy about Peace, and\nevery one lays in a Loud Claim to it.\n\nI have seen, with some regret, the strange Mysterious Management of\nthis Age about Moderation, and tho' some late Authors have Published\nthat Moderation is a Vertue, It begins to be a question whether it is\nor no.\n\nI wish some Body would make enquiry after the occasion that has\nbrought this Blessed Word into so much Contempt in the World; tis very\nhard that a word expressive of the most Glorious Principle in the\nWorld, should become the Brand of reproach, and a Badge of Infamy to\nParties; be a Nick-name it self, and be Nick-nam'd on every side; and\nthat at a time when the Vertue it self, is perhaps the only thing left\nin the World, that can preserve this Nation from Destruction.\n\n'Tis too unhappy for _England_, that Men of immoderate Principles are\nso powerfull as they are. Let the Party be which it will, tis\nDestruction even to themselves, to run up all their Niceties and all\ntheir Scruples to the Extremes. Every Dispute becomes a Feud, every\nSpark a Flame, every word a Blow, every Blow, a Civil-War, and by this\nIntestine Confusion of Principles, Backt with the Passion and Fury of\nMen, this unhappy Nation is Subdivided into an Infinite Number of\nParties, Factions, Intrests and seperate Opinions.\n\nEvery Man being thus bent upon the propagation of his own Notion, for\nwant of this healing Spirit of Moderation, falls foul upon his\nNeighbour because he has not the same Heat, and if he finds him\nbetter Temper'd than himself, if he finds him less Violent, less\nFurious, than himself, he is Imediately Branded with the Scandal of\nModeration.\n\nSince then the Change of times has made this Practice, which in its\nvery Nature is a Foundation of Vertue, become a Crime, Let us examine\nwho are, and who are not Guilty of it.\n\nFor the Negatives of this Vice of Moderation they are something Easier\nto be discover'd than ordinary, both in Principles and in Practice;\nand, without the Scandal of a Censorious Writer, I may be allowed to\nsay all the following Instances may stand clear of this Crime.\n\n1. If Mr. _Sachaverell_, with his Bloody Flag, and Banner of Defiance,\nwere Indicted for Moderation, I verily believe no Jury would bring him\nin Guilty.\n\n2. If Dr. _J----ne_, Author of the Character of a Low-Churchman, Mr.\n---- Author of the New Association, if a famous Bishop who told us,\n'twould never be well with _England_ till all the Dissenters were\nserv'd like the _Hugonots_ in _France_, if any of these were Indicted\nfor Moderation, they might safely plead not Guilty.\n\n3. If Sir _John Friend_ and Sir _William Parkins_, had been only\naccus'd for Moderation, they had never been Hanged, nor _Collyer_ and\n_Cook_ had never absolv'd them at the Gallows without Repentance.\n\n4. If he were Hang'd for Moderation, who ask'd the Question, _whether\nif the Play-house in Dorset-Garden, were let for a Meeting-house,\n'twould not do more harm than tis like to do as a Theatre_, he would\ncertainly Dye Innocently.\n\n5. If _Fuller_ had been Voted an Incorrigible Rogue only for the Vice\nof Moderation, I should have thought the House of Commons had done him\nwrong.\n\n6. If the Councellors of the late King, such as Father _P----_, my\nLord _S----_ and all those that betray'd their Master, by hurrying on\nhis ruin and their own. If those Gentlemen were Charged with\nModeration, I doubt we should wrong them.\n\n7. If some of the Members of our Late Convocation shou'd be accused\nfor Moderation, I believe it might be no Difficult task to Vindicate\nthem.\n\n8. If this Crime should be Charged higher than we dare to mention, I\nam perswaded some Persons of Note would think themselves abused.\n\n9. In short all those Gentlemen, by whatsoever Names or Titles\nDistinguish'd, who repine at the Settlement, who reproach the\nTolleration, and who Blame the Queen for her promises of Maintaining\nit, these abhor the thoughts of this Scandalous Crime of Moderation,\nand are as Innocent of it as the Child unborne.\n\n10. Tis the Opinion of some People, That there are some of our beloved\nFriends in _Scotland_, may be Vindicated in this case, nay others are\nof the Opinion, tis not a National Crime in that Country, that is,\n'tis not a sin the _Scots_ are much adicted to.\n\n11. Lastly, Take our English Clergy in general, some are ready to say\nthey have no great cause of Repentance for the sin of Moderation.\n\nOn the other hand, some People have so home a Charge of this Error\nlaid upon them, that 'twill be very hard to clear themselves of it,\nand I am afraid they would be brought in Guilty by a Jury, almost\nwithout going away from the Bar. as,\n\n1. Our Observator, they say, is Guilty of Moderation, with Relation to\nhis Wit, and Especially as concerning his good Manners; I hope he wont\nbe prosecuted for it the next Sessions, if he should, I doubt, 'twill\ngo hard with him.\n\n2. If our News-writers should be Indited for Moderation, as to Truth\nof Fact, I would advise them to plead Guilty, and throw themselves\nupon the Mercy of the Court.\n\n3. Some of our Captains, they say, are addicted to Fight but\nModerately; I hope all the rest wont be Infected, but I know not what\nto say to it.\n\n4. Some of our Lawyers are apt to be very Moderate in their Justice,\nbut being well read in the Law are cunning enough to keep off an\nIndictment, so there is no fear of them.\n\n5. Some of our General Receivers, when they got the Publick Money in\ntheir hands, were apt to be very Moderate in paying it out again.\n\n6. Some have been very Moderate in giving in their accounts too, as\nmay appear in former Reigns, and perhaps in time to come too.\n\nSome Moderately Wise, some Moderatly Honest, but most Immoderately\nadicted to think themselves Both.\n\nTho' I might be a little more serious upon the matter, yet this way of\ntalking is not so much a Jest neither as it looks like; and has its\nMoral, in it self, which a Wise man may see, and for the Fool tis no\nmatter whether he does or no. Custome has prevailed upon us to such a\ndegree, that almost in every part the very Practice seem a Scandal,\nand the Word passes for a Reproach.\n\nTo say, among the Sons of _Levy_, such a man is a Moderate Church-man\nis to say he is no Church-man, and some of our present Bishops from\nthe Practice of Moderation have been boldly call'd Presbiterians in\nthe Pamphlets of our less Moderate writers.\n\nIn short, 'tis hard to find any party or profession of Men among us,\nthat care for the Title; and those who but Moderately espouse an\nIntrest, are generally suspected by those who are of that side, as\nPersons Favouring their Enemies.\n\nThese Moderate Men, said a Gentleman whose Gown and Band had given us\nreason to expect better Language, they will Ruin the Church, this\nDamn'd Moderation, says he, spoils all, we should deal well enough\nwith the Dissenters, if it were not for these men of Moderation, they\nare worse than Dissenters, for they seem to be among us, and yet wont\nJoyn heartily to do the Work.\n\nModeration seems to be cast off on every side, and is used as a Badge\nof reproach in every Class, or degree of Men in the World.\n\nIn the Church of _England_, 'tis call'd Low-Church.\n\nIn the Court, 'tis call'd Whiggism.\n\nIn the Dissenters, 'tis call'd Occasional Conformity.\n\nIn Parties, 'tis call'd Trimming.\n\nIn Religion, 'tis call'd Latitudinarian.\n\nIn Opinion, 'tis call'd Indifference,\n\nIn the Church of _Scotland_, 'tis call'd Prelacy.\n\nWhile Moderation of principles seems thus the general Sin of Parties,\nLet them consider whether Heaven it self has not declar'd War against\nus all on this Head, and fill'd us with immoderate Judgements.\n\nWhere's all our prospect of success Abroad, or prosperity at home?\nSince our late Thanksgiveing for Victories, how has Heaven Treated us,\nbut like a Nation, that being puff'd up and exalted with prosperity,\nbegan to slight Forreign Judgements, and leaving Providence to Work by\nit self fell to making War at home with one another, as if we would\nprove that the Scripture was not true _and that a Kingdom might stand\ntho' it were divided against it self_.\n\nHow has Heaven declar'd that he is resolv'd not to bless this\nimmoderate Generation? How has all their Measures been disappointed\nboth abroad and at home, all their designes been blasted, and the\nAnger of Heaven so remarkably bent against them, that even the little\nsuccess we have had, has been prescrib'd by Providence to those few\nhands who Act from Principles of Honesty and Temper, as if God did\nthereby point out to us who they are he delights to bless.\n\nThe _D----_ of _M----_ is a Whig _say some of our People who Hate all\nModeration_, he is so _Dutchify'd_, we shall never have any Good of\nhim, why that may be, but yet you see there is not one Article of our\nConduct has succeeded but what has been under his Mannagement.\n\nAnd Heaven has declar'd so Eminently against all other Branches of our\nAffaires, that I wish I am mistaken when I say 'tis plain either he\nseems to mislike the Cause or the Persons employ'd, and that however\nsevere he was pleas'd to Anminadvert upon the Publick affaires in the\nlate Violent Tempest, it seems that _for all this his Anger is not\nturned away but his hand is Stretched out still_.\n\nBut what has a Sermon to do to enquire, may some say, and if it had,\nhow shall it make appear whether God is displeased with our designs or\nthe Persons employed, with the cause or the Carryers of it on.\n\nAs to the cause, all men are Judges of the Justice of it, and all men\nknow the Foot of the present Confederacy, at least our part must be\nJust as it is to Maintain our just Rights, Liberty, Trade and\nReligion.\n\nIt must then be the Persons, the _R----s_, the Sir _G----s_,\n_G----ns_, the _R----ks_ of this War; that Heaven is resolv'd shall\nnot be the men, whom he will honour with the Deliverance of his\nPeople.\n\nAll wise Princes in the World have made it a constant Maxim in their\nGovernments, that when any of their great Generals prove Unfortunate,\ntho' never so Wise, they lay them by, as Persons that God does not\nthink fit to bless with success, and 'tis not needful to examine\nwhether it were not their fault, but to be Unfortunate is to be told\nfrom Heaven, that such a one is not the Man, and a Nation ought to\nunderstand it so.\n\nBut sure when Heaven Singles men out by Crossing their attempts _and\nMarks them for unfortunate_, and we can give our selves good reasons\nwhy they are thus Mark'd by the Divine displeasure; when we can see\ntheir false steps, their General designs against God and their\nCountries Intrests, 'tis high time then for those who sit at the Helm\nof Government, to Change hands and put their affaires into such\nPersons Conduct, against whom Heaven has not declar'd so plainly its\nDispleasure, nor the Nation its Dislike.\n\nWhy shou'd the Queen be desir'd to Chain down her own Happiness and\nthe Nations Interest, to the Missfortune of a few Men. Perhaps God may\nBless the Fleet under one Admiral, when he will not under another. I\nknow nothing against Admiral _Callemburgh_, he may be an Honest and\nworthy-man, and ready enough to Fight for the cause, for indeed most\nof the _Dutch_ Captains of Ships are so, but since Heaven has now\n'twice refus'd to let him go, and driven him back again, if I were the\nGovernour of his Masters affairs, he should not be sent a Third time,\nleast we should seem obstinately to Employ somebody that God himself\nhad declar'd against and had three times from Heaven forbid to go.\n\nI hope no Body will Construe this to be a Personal Satyr upon _Myn\nHeer Callemburgh_, But _take it among ye_, let it go, where it Fitts\nbest.\n\nIf these are not the Generation of Men that must do the Nations\nbusiness, then 'tis plain our Deliverance will never be wrought while\nthey are employ'd; If God will not bless them he will never bless us\ntill they are dismist.\n\nI doubt not we shall be deliver'd, and this Nation shall yet Triumph\nover her Enemies; but while wrong Instruments are Employ'd the Work\nwill be delay'd. _God would have a House built him_ But _David_ was\nnot the Man and therefore the Work was put off till _Solomon_ was in\nthe Throne.\n\nGod would have _Israel_ go into the Land of _Canaan_ and possess it,\nbut those Generals and those Captains were not the Men; _Moses_ and\n_Aaron_, and the great Men of the Camp were not such as God approv'd\noff and therefore _Israel_ could not go over _Joardan_ till they had\nlaid their Bones in the Wilderness.\n\n_England_ is hardly ever to pass over the _Jourdan_ before her, till\nthese Immoderate Men of Strife and Storms are laid by.\n\nIf any man ask me why these men shou'd not perfect the Nation Peace as\nwell as other men? _I do not say which Men nor who_, but let them be\nwho the enquirer please, I answer the Question, with a question _How\nshou'd men of no Moderaion bring us to Peace_.\n\nHow shou'd Men of strife bring us Peace and Union: Contraries may\nIllustrate but Contraries never Incorporate; Men of Temper, are the\nsafe men for this Nation. Men of heat are fit to Embroil it, but not\nto Cure it: they are something like our Sea Surgeons who fly to\nAmputation of Members upon every slight Fracture, when a more proper\nApplication would effect the Cure and save the Joynt.\n\n'Tis an ill sign especially for _England_ when Wars abroad wont make\nus Friends at home. Foreign dangers us'd to Unite us from whence Queen\n_Elizabeth_, has been said to leave this Character of the Nation\nbehind her, that they were much easier to be Govern'd in a time of War\nthan in Peace.\n\nBut when This, which us'd to be the only Cure of all our diseases,\nfails us, 'tis a sign the Distemper is Grown very strong, and there is\nsome more than usual Room for despair.\n\nThe only Way left the Nation is to obtain from those in power, that\nModeration may cease being the pretence and be really the practice.\n\nIt would be well all men would at least _be Occasional Conformists_,\nto this Extraordinary principle; and when there is such a Loud call to\nPeace both from Heaven and from the Throne, they would do well to\nconsider who are the Men of Peace and who are not: For certainly those\nImmoderate Gentlemen, who slight the Proposals for a general Union of\nCharity, cannot pretend to be Friends to the present Intrest of their\nNative Country.\n\nThese men, 'tis true, Cry out of the danger of the Church, but can\nthey make it appear that the Church is in any danger from Moderation\nand Temper; can they pretend that there is no way to secure her, but\nby pulling down all that differ with them, no way to save her but by\nthe ruin of her Protestant Brethren; there are Thousands of Loyal\nhonest Church-men, who are not of this mind; who believe that\nModeration and Charity to Protestant Dissenters is very Consistant\nwith the safety of the Church and with the present general Union which\nthey Earnestly desire.\n\nAs to Persons we have nothing to say to them, but this, without\npretending to prophesy, may be safely advanced, that Heaven it self,\nhas Eminently declared it self against the Fury and Immoderate Zeal of\nthose Gentlemen, and told us as plainly as possible, unless we would\nExpect a Voice from on high, that he neither Has nor Designs to bless\nthis Generation nor their proceedings.\n\nWhen ever our rulers think fit to see it, and to employ the Men and\nthe Methods which Heaven approves, then we may expect success from\nabroad, Peace at home, prosperity in Trade, Victory in War, plenty in\nthe Field, Mild and Comfortable Seasons, Calm Air, Smooth Seas, and\nsafe Habitations.\n\nTill then we are to expect our Houses Blown down, our Pallaces\nShatter'd, our Voyages broken, our Navys Ship-wreck'd, our Saylors\nDrown'd, our Confedrates Beaten, our Trade ruin'd, our Money spent and\nour Enemies encreased.\n\nThe Grand dispute in this Quarrelsome Age, is against our Brethren who\nDissent from the Church; and from what principle do we act? it is not\nsafe say they to let any of them be entrusted in the Government, that\nis, it is not profitable to let any Body enjoy great Places but\nthemselves.\n\nThis is the Bottom of the pretence, as to the safety of it. These are\nthe People who Cry out of the Danger from the Dissenters, but are not\nconcerned at our Danger from the _French_; that are frighted at the\nDissenters who as they pretend grow too Formidable for the Church, but\nare not disturb'd at the Threatning Growth of a Conquering _Popish_\nEnemy; that Deprecate the Clouds of Whiggism and Phanaticism, but\napprehend nothing of the Black Clouds of God's Threatning Judgements,\nwhich plainly tell them _if they would suffer themselves to think_,\nthat there is somthing in the general practice of the Nation which\ndoes not please him, and for which the hand of his Judgements is\nextended against us.\n\nThese are strange dull-sighted men, whose Intrest stands so directly\nbetween them and their understanding that they can see nothing but\nwhat that represents to them; God may Thunder from Heaven with Storms\nupon Storms, Ruin our Fleets, Drown our Sailors and Blow us back from\nthe best Contriv'd Expeditions in the World, but they will never\nbelieve the case affects them, never look into their own Conduct to\nsee if they have not help'd to bring these heavy Strokes upon the\nNation.\n\nHow many Thousands have we in _England_, who if the whole _Navy_ of\n_England_ had been at Stake; had rather have lost it than the _Bill\nagainst Occasional Conformity_; that had rather the _French_ should\nhave taken _Landau_ and Beat the Prince of _Hess Cassell_, than the\nQueen should have made such a _Speech for Peace and Union_; that had\nrather the _Duke_ of _Bavaria_ should have taken _Ausburgh_, than that\nthere should not have been _some Affront put upon the House of Lords_.\n\nAnd if such Zealots, such Christian Furies are met with by Providence,\nand see both the _Fleet_ and the _Occasional Bill_ lost together is it\nnot plain, what Providence meant in it. He that can not see that God\nfrom on high has Punish'd them in their own way and pointed out the\nCrime in the Vengeance must be more blind than usual, and must shut\ntheir Eyes against their own Consciences.\n\n'Tis plain Heaven has suited his Punishment to the Offence, has\nPunish'd the Stormy Temper of this Party of Men with _Storms of his\nVengeance, Storms on their Navies, Storms on their Houses, Storms on\ntheir Confederates_, and I question not will at last with _Storms in\ntheir Consciences_.\n\nIf there be any Use to be made of this matter, 'tis to excite the\nNation to Spue out from among them these Men of Storms, that Peace,\nLove, Charity and a General Union may succeed, and God may Bless us,\nReturn to us and delight to dwell among us, that the Favour of Heaven\nmay Return to us, and the Queen who has heartily declared her Eyes\nopen to this needful happiness, may enjoy the Blessing of Wise\nCounsellors and Faithful Servants, that Constant Victory may Crown all\nour Enterprizes, and the General Peace of Europe may be Established.\n\nIf any one can tell us a way to bring all these Blessed ends to pass,\nwithout a General Peace of Parties and Interests at home, he is\nWellcome to do it, for I profess It is hid from my Eyes.\n\n\n_FINIS._\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<pre id=\"pg-footer\">","title":"The Lay-Man's Sermon upon the Late Storm: Held forth at an Honest Coffee-House-Conventicle","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":6340}