The Favour of God the Best Security of a People

THAT Joseph Whiting Esq; and Capt. Isaac Dickerman, Return the Thanks of this Assembly to the Reverend Mr Jacob Heminway, for his SERMON delivered before the Assembly on the Eighth Instant, and desire a Copy thereof that it may be Printed.

George Wyllys Secr.

p. 1The Favour of GOD the best Security of a People.

PROVERBS XVI. 7.

When a mans Ways please the LORD, He maketh even his Enemies to be at Peace with him.

IT being the pleasure of the All-wise GOD to suffer War to happen in our Nation at this Day as in gives us all grounds to fear that our Ways have not been Pleasing unto Him; so if we are sensible o◊ our Danger, it can scarcely be imagined, but that we should be thoughtful & inquisitive what we may best do to secure our selves from the invasions of our Enemies▪

And truly at this day, this has been the solicitous tho't & Enquiry of many in this Government: And in a time of Danger it is but reasonable that every one should have a suitable Concern for his own & others Safety. But here lies the difficulty▪ fully to determine what is the b◊st ◊e h◊d & way that a Person or People can t◊ke for their own Defence and Security from their Enemies. And some are for one way and p. 2some for another▪ And this being an Enquiry of such Importance, that it is needful it should be satisfyingly Answered, I have therefore tho't it best for us to seek for an Answer to this Enquiry from the Oracles of God▪ For as God is wiser than men, so his Counsels & Directions are the safest for us to follow And therefore I have tho't it might be season b◊e & suitable at this time, to Entertain you from this Portion of 〈…〉. Writ, even this wise Proverb of Solomon; who as he was one of the Wisest of meer men, so being a King he had the clearest insight into the affairs of Government, and well knew what would most of all conduce to the Peace, Security & Prosperity of a People. And whereas at some times and under some circumstances, it might appear a difficult & puzzling Question to some how to make their Enemies to become their Friends & to be at Peace with them, he h◊th in these words resolved this Problem & wisely answer'd the Case in this sa◊◊ng, When a many ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him▪ The words in themselves are p◊ain & obvious, and need little or no Exp◊ication. And by one who◊e ways please the Lord, we may understand a godly Person, one who orders his Conversation a◊◊ght; One who is careful to obey God in all his ways, one that above all things is studious of g◊◊ning the friendship and favour of God. And when the case is so with any man or people, p. 3God will make even their Enemies to be at Peace with 〈…〉 Th◊◊i◊, He will not onl◊ keep his Friends in peace with him but will also move and incline his very Enemies unto peace & friendship, so that they shall not in any wise 〈…〉 him▪ As if he h◊d said, When ◊◊ce a man has 〈…〉 the favour & friendship of God, God will protect & secure him, and not only make hi◊ Friends 〈…〉 Friends; but will make 〈…〉 very 〈…〉 to be either at Peace or become his Friends. God will make his worst Enemies to be either so far at Peace with him as that they shall no ways hurt him, or be cordial Friends to him and do him good▪ And so in these few words, Solomon does very much commend Religion is the most likely way to Protection & Security from all Adversaries.

p. 3But here seems to be one Objection lying in the way of this Truth which may need a little Solution, and it is this;

How often in all Ages has it been observed, That th◊se that have been godly & whose ways did please the Lord, yet have had Enemies that were never at peace with them, but always endeavoured to do them mischief? And Christ tells his faithful Followers, That they should be hated of all men for his Name sake. And we read of some of the Primitive Saints of the first Magnitude, of whom the world was not worthy, Heb. 11. 36,—Who had trials of cruel Mockings & Scourgings; Yea, moreover of Bonds and Imprisonment. They were stoned, they were p. 4sawn asunder, werr ◊emoted and slain by the Sword; They wandred about in Sheep-skins & Goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented: They wandred in Deserts and Mountains, in Dens and Caves of the Earth. So that to a carnal Eye, one would be ready to think this Aphorism of Solomon to be but a Paradox, and that the Truth lay in the Reverse; and that th◊se had the fewell Enemies and most Peace whose ways displeased God: As it hath been often found in Experience, That the tabernacles of Robbers prosper, and that those that temp God are secure.

How then must we understand this saying of Solomon, That when a mans ways please the Lord, he will make even his Enemies to be at peace with him?

Now for an Answer to this Objection, we must remember, That God makes a mans Enemies to be at Peace with him in a two-fold sense.

1. When he makes them become his Friends: When those that were at Enmity with him and hated him, become Reconciled & cordial Friends to him, to love him & carry it friendly to him.

2. God makes a mans Enemies to be at Peace with him, when He protects & secures him from all harm from them: So that tho' their Enmity remains and they would destroy him if they could, yet God curbs & restrains their Power, so that their hands cannot perform their Enterprise …