When wicked Tyrants and Oppreffors are at the Heighth of their Pride and Glory, and Good Men are reduced to a hopeless State, beyond the visible Relief of any Human Power. This was the Cafe of Ifrael in Egypt, when God fent Mofes to deliver them with a mighty Hand, and an outftretched Arm. This was feveral times their Cafe in the Days of the Judges, when they were oppreffed by their Enemies, and God raifed up Saviours aud Deliverers for them. Thus it was in the Days of Hezekiah, when God in one Night deftroyed the mighty Army of the Affyrians. Thus it was in Queen Hefter's Days, when that wicked Haman had confpired the Deftruction of the Jewish Nation. And there want not Examples of it in Chriftian Story: Never was there a fiercer Perfecution of Chriftians, than when God advanced Conftantine to the Throne, and not only reftor'd Peace to the Chriftian Church, but made Chriftianity the Religion of the Empire. And if the Wisdom of Providence confifts in giving us wife Inftructions, I am fure,this furnishes us with many.

When Things are reduced to that Extremity, as to be paft Human Relief, it makes it vifible to all the World, that it is God's doing. Where there is Force against Force, and Counfels against Counfels, tho' Providence determines the Event, Human Power and Counfels very often monopolize the Glory, and leave God out: But when God does that, which Men are fo far from being able to do, that they can't think it poffible to be done; Senfe of an Invifible Power, Divine Glory and Providence World.

this awakens a and makes the known to the

When

1

When God expofes his own Church and People to fuch a fuffering State, and threatens them with final Ruin, it is a fevere Summons to Repentance; and warns them, not to truft in vain words, crying, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord: For God will purge his own House; and no External Relation or Privileges fhall fecure us from Vengeance, if we walk not worthy of that holy vocation wherewith we are called.

But fuch Deliverances as thefe give us great Reason never to defpair: They teach us, That no Cafe is defperate, when God will fave; and therefore the lefs Expectation we at any Time have of Human Succours, the more earnestly ought we to implore the Divine Protection, and learn to live upon Faith and Truft in God.

When Good Men are reduced to fuch Extremities, it makes them more fervent and importunate in their Prayers, more ferious in their Repentance, more fenfible how much they ftand in need of God; and fuch furprizing and unexpected Deliverances inflame their Devotions, make their Praises and Thanksgivings more hearty and fincere; which gives great Glory to God, and betters their own Minds.

5thly, The fudden Revolutions of the World, and the various and unexpected Changes of Mens Fortunes, which is thought one great Calamity of Human Life, is intended by God, to inftruct us in fome neceffary and excellent Parts of Wisdom.

Some crafty Politicians, like Mariners, fteer their Course as the Wind blows, and change as it changes. They have no other Rule for their Actions, but to guefs, as well as they can,

where

where their Advantage or Safety lies; but Providence very often disappoints them in this, by fuch hafty Changes, and fhort Turns, as make them giddy. And this teaches us to act by Rule, not by a politick Forefight of Events: Our Rule can never deceive us: What is juft, and right, and true, is always fafe; but our Politicks may; for Things may not go as we expect.

The various Changes of Mens Fortunes, teach us to treat all Men with great Humanity; not to be infolent when we are profperous; nor to despise our Inferiors; for we know not what they, nor we may be, before we die. Civility, and Modefty of Converfation, is always fafe; but Pride and Infolence may create us Enemies, who may in time, how mean foever they are at present, be able to return our Infolence.

The Divine Providence fo orders Human Affairs, as to teach us most of the wifeft Rules of Human Life, both for our Religious and Civil Converfation: And this I take to be a manifeft Proof of the Wisdom of Providence.

6thly, The Wisdom of Providence is often feen, in the wife Mixture and Temperament of Mercy and Judgment; when he corrects, but not deftroys; humbles, but does not caft down; when he makes us fenfible of his Displeasure, and gives us juft Reason to fear, but without Despair When, as the Pfalmift fpeaks, He lifts up, and cafts down; keeps us under the Difcipline of Hopes and Fears, and tries our Faith, and Patience, and Submiffion; and both threatens, and invites us to Repentance, by the interchangeable Scenes of profperous and ad

verfe

verfe Events. Thus the Pfalmift tells us it is with Good Men. The fteps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and be delighteth in his way: Tho' be fall, he shall not utterly be cast down i for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand, 37. Pfal. 23, 24. Thus 94. Pfal. 14, 15. For the Lord will not caft off bis people, neither will be forfake his inberitance: But judgment shall return unto righteousnefs, and all the upright in heart shall follow it. And he proves this by his own Experience. Unless the Lord had been my help, my foul bad almost dwelt in filence. When I faid, my foot flippeth, thy mercy, O Lord, beld me up; Ver. 17, 18. An Example of this ye have 27. Ifa. Hath be fmitten them, that is, Ifrael, as he fmote thofe that fmote him? He fmote Ifrael, but not as he fmote the Enemies of Ifrael: Or is be flain, according to the flaughter of them that are flain by him? In measure when it shooteth forth, wilt thou debate with it? He stayeth his rough wind, in the day of his east wind. This is to fing to God of Mercy, and of Judgment; to learn Righteousness by the Things which we fuffer, but still to truft in his Help.

СНАР.

IX.

Concerning thofe Duties which we owe to Providence.

Have now finished what I intended, with relation to the Nature and Juftification of Providence; and all that remains, is to explain

and

and enforce thofe Duties which we owe to Providence.

Natural Religion is founded on the Belief of a God and a Providence; for if there be no God, there is no Object of our Worship; if there be no Providence, there is no Reafon for our Worship. But a God, that made the World, and takes care of all the Creatures that are in it, deferves the Praises and Adorations of all: A God, who neither made the World, nor governs it, is nothing to us; we have no relation to him, he has nothing to do with us, nor we with him; but a God in whom we live, and move, and have our being, is the Supreme Object of our Love, and Fear, and Reverence, and Hope and Truft, and of all those Religious and Devout Affections which are due to our Maker and Sovereign Lord.

This is so plain, that it is enough to name it but the Nature and Extent of thofe Duties which we owe to Providence deferve a more particu lar Confideration.

As to inftance in fome of the chief.

I. To take notice of the Hand of God in every thing that befals us; to attribute all the Evils we fuffer, and all the good things we enjoy, to his Soverign Will and Appointment: This is the Foundation of all the other Duties which we owe to Providence; and the general. neglect of this makes us defective in all the reft.

Now if the Divine Providence has the abfolute Government of all Events, you must confefs it your Duty to take notice of Providence, and to acknowledge God in every thing; for this is only applying the general Doctrine of Providence to particular Events; without which particular Application, the general belief of a

;