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through their Mifcarriages, he is forced to pass any fevere Sentence upon them. All this is the Language of God in Scripture, when he Ipeaks of his People; and therefore, we cannot doubt of his fincere Affection to them, and particular Care of them.

All the Doubt is, Whether thefe Expreffions ought to be applied to any other People than the Jews, with refpect to whom the Scripture ufeth them. But we that believe the Gospel, need not make much doubt of it. For it is certain, the Reafon of all these Expreffions of Kindness to the Jews, more than to other Nations, was founded in this; That they were the People whom God had chofen to plant his Church among. They were the People where his Religion was owned. But now it is evident to all Chriftians, that after bur Saviour came into the World, and preached his Gospel to all Nations, the Jews, as a Nation, ceafed to be God's Church, or peculiar People; and from that Time, all thofe Nations that embraced Chrift's Religion, came into their Place, and were from thence forward, to be as dear to God, and as much his Care and his Treasure, as ever the Jews were. And, upon that account, we of this Nation, may, with as much Reafon, apply the Expreffions of Scripture to ourfelves, which declare God's Kindness and Concernment for his People, as ever the Jews did.

Efpecially confidering, that God has owned us of this Nation for his People, in as Remarkable a Manner as any Nation in Chriftendom:

ftendom. As appears not only from that glorious Light of the Gofpel, which he has for many Years bleffed us with, above any other People, perhaps, in the Christian World; But alfo from the wonderful Providences, by which he has from Time to Time preferved our Church, and with it the true Religion among us, notwithstanding the various Attempts of our Enemies to fubvert it. O may thefe Mercies of God to our Nation, never be forgotten, and may we always remember them with that due Thankfulness they call for at our Hands!

And thus much of our First Head. I beg leave to draw a Practical Inference or Two from what hath been faid, before I proceed

to the other.

First, Since it appears, that God fits at the Helm, and Steers and Manages all the Affairs of Mankind; and that Publick Societies are more especially the Objects of his Care and Providence: Methinks this Con fideration fhould be a good Antidote against all thofe troublesome Fears, and Solicitude; we are apt to disturb ourselves with, about the Succefs of Publick Matters.

If, indeed, all Things went in the World by Chance or Fate, and there was no God that did fuper-intend Human Affairs; I should think it very natural, for Men to be extreamly concerned, at every piece of ill News they heard. It might be allowed them to break their Sleep in the Night, and to complain difmally in the Day, of the fad Times that

were

were coming upon us.
But fince we are cef.
tain, as much as we are certain there is a
God, and as much as we are certain that the
Scripture is True; that all our Affairs, our
Publick as well as our Private Affairs; the Af
fairs both in Church and State, are entirely
in God Almighty's Difpofal, and that He doth
really manage and order all Things among us;
and likewise so manageth them, that all shall
at last turn to the Good of his People, and to
the Good of every Honeft Man: I fay, fince
we are, or may be fatisfied, that our Business
is in fo good Hands, I must confefs, I do not
fee what Reafon People have, to give them-
felves fo much Trouble and Uneafinefs, about
Things that may, or may not come.

Thus far, indeed, it is fit that every one fhould be concerned; Nay, it is fit that every one should charge his Confcience with it; Namely, to do his Duty to the Publick, in his Place and Station; to contribute all that is in his Power, towards the procuring and promoting the common Happiness; and to endeavour all that in him lies, towards the averting those Judgments we have reason to fear. But when a Man hath done this, to what purpose is it for him to trouble himself any further? I fhould think he had better follow our Saviour's Advice, which, when all Things be confider'd, will be found Eternally Prudent Matt. 6. and Reasonable: Take no thought for to Morrow; let the Morrow take care for the Things of itself: Sufficient unto the Day, is the Evil thereofs

34.

Secondly,

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21.

Secondly, This Doctrine ought to teach us this farther Leffon, To depend altogether upon God Almighty, and upon him only, for the good Succefs of our Affairs, either in Church or State, whenever they are in a doubtful or dangerous Condition. For though many are the Prov. 19. Devices in the Hearts of Men; nevertheleẞ the Counsel of the Lord, that shall ftand. It is in vain to truft Human Means: For be our Strength never fo great; or be thofe that manage for us never fo induftrious; or be our Hearts never fo much united; yet it is an easy Matter for God to blaft all our Defigus, and to disappoint all our Counfels in a Moment.

He hath often done fo, where Men have been confident in their own Strength. In one Night's time he made that prodigious Army 2 Kings of Affyrians that came up against Jerusalem, 19. 34. and thought themselves fure of taking it, to decamp and fly back into their own Country, leaving an Hundred and Fourfcore Thousand of their Number dead upon the Place.

There is in Truth no trufting to an Arm of Flefb. For the Succeffes of War depend upon a Thousand Contingencies, which it is not in the Power of mortal Men, either to forefee, or remedy. So that the Race is not always to Ecclef. 9. the Swift, nor the Battel to the Strong, nor can a II. King be faved by the Multitude of an Hoft, nor any 16. mighty Min be delivered by his much Strength. But the God of Heaven that ruleth in the King doms of Men; it is he that preferves or des troys; that gives Victory, or fends a Defeat, as it pleaseth him. And therefore he is,

VOL. I

R

by

Pfal. 33

Joth. 6.

20.

chap. 7.

by way of Eminence, ftiled, The Lord of Hofts,

the God of Battels.

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On the other hand, If our Affairs at any time be in so very bad a Posture, that we cannot avoid the having a melancholy dismal Profpect of Things; yet let us not be discouraged, let us ftill truft in God let us do what belongs to us to do for the obtaining his Mercy and Favour, and then refer the Event to him. God hath certainly a Kindness for his People, and if we do our Parts towards the preferving his Affection to us, we may ftill hope he will continue to be our Saviour and Deliverer.

It is as easy to God, to fave by few as by many ; the Walls of Jericho, at his Command, fell 2 Kings, down flat, only at the Sounds of RamsHorns: And when the City of Samaria was Befieged, and brought into the greatest Extremity that was poffible, fo that Women, even ate their own Children; yet in one Night, God by an unaccountable Terror, which he ftruck into the Hearts of the Enemies, raifed the Siege. And fuch Plenty was left in their Camp, that every one of the Befieged had wherewith, not only to fatisfie his Hunger, but to enrich himself: Only that Nobleman that would not believe this, when it was foretold by the Prophet, did not live to taste of the Fruits of God Almighty's Victory, being trodden to Death in the Croud.

II. But it is Time to come to the Second General Point I obferved from this Text;

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