When we have viewed and conſidered theſe Particulars, I ſhall in a few Practical Inferences bring them home to our own Doors, and there leave their Application.

I. Here is a Vacancy in the Throne: There was in thoſe Days no King in Iſrael.

By the Word King in this Text, we are not, I conceive, to underſtand that Form of Government only which we call a Monarchy, but Civil Government in general; if the Text did intend that Form Preciſely and Excluſively of all others, it would, I confeſs, be the ſtrongeſt Argument of the Excellency and Uſefulneſs thereof, and a Reflection upon all other Models, as being leſs ſufficient for their Ends. We might from ſuch an Expoſition infer, That the Monarchical Government is the moſt Powerful and Effectual Reſtraint to the Paſſions and Vices of Men. As if we ſhou'd ſay, There were other Governours, the ſtanding Council of the Great Sanhedrim, and other Inferiour Judicatories; but theſe could not check the Inſolencies of Men, nor ſtop the Courſe of Impiety or Violence; theſe could not hinder, or durſt not puniſh the Riots and Unlawful Aſſemblies of the Wicked and Unruly Sons of Belial. There was no King, and therefore every Man did as he pleas'd, as if no Lord were over them.

But I conceive ſuch an Expoſition is too narrow, and not altogether true: For, as Solomon obſerves, Prov XXX. 27. The Locuſts who have no King, yet go forth all of them by Bands. So, other Conſtitutions of Government may have Unity, and Order, and Strength, to enforce their reſpective Laws; and the Finger of their Diſcipline is found ſometimes to be heavier than the Loins of Monarchy; the Generoſity and Clemency of Kings (at leaſt of ſome Kings) Diſpenſing in ſome matters with a rigid Conformity to their Laws; while others who affect a ſhow of more Liberty, prove generally more ſevere Exactors of Obedience. And therefore, by No King in Iſrael, I am content you may underſtand a Ceſſation of Civil Authority in general, and not of any particular Form of its Adminiſtration. So that, No King, ſhall ſignifie No Government in Iſrael. But then, this kind of Government being here put to ſignifie any other, we may reaſonably conclude, Either

1. That this, viz. A Monarchy, is the beſt of all the ſeveral kinds, the moſt apt and ſufficient for its ends, Parcere Subjectis, & Debellare Superbos, for the Terror of Evil Doers, and the Praiſe of Them that do Well. Or,

2. That, that Government by which God Preſided over the Jews, in the Times of Moſes, and Joſhua, and the Judges, did more reſemble that of a King, than any other ſort of Adminiſtration, whether of Ariſtocracy or Democracy. And therefore we may have leave to think, that ſuch a Paternal Government in a Gentle and Well-temper'd Monarchy, is moſt like the Divine Theocracy over that Nation, and conſequently, where-ever it obtains, in any other, is moſt Acceptable and Pleaſing unto God, as the neareſt Approach to the Pattern in the Mount, the Primitive Model and Scheme which He contriv'd for his own People: And therefore if any Form of Government be of Divine Right, more than another, ſuch a kind of Monarchy bids faireſt for the Character, as being a Copy from the Divine Original. The Rays of Soveraignty did not indeed dazle the Eyes here, ſo much as in the Tyrannies of the Nations, but they were more Benign, and better ſuited to the Nature and Genius of a Free People: The Circumſtances of Majeſty were not ſo Glittering and Gaudy, nor the Power ſo Abſolute and Deſpotical; but was ſufficiently qualified to anſwer all the Neceſſities both of Prince and People. Power is a Wild, and often a Deſtructive Thing, if it be not fix'd by Law, and ſweeten'd by ſome Allay; and it becomes not only more Uſeful and Beneficial, by being ſomewhat Limited and Circumſcrib'd, but alſo more Durable and Strong, by the Willingneſs of the People to live under it, where it is their Intereſt to Support and Maintain it, as well as Duty to Obey it.

But in this Government of the Jews, there could be no Defect; every Want was ſupply'd by the Special Providence of the All Wiſe and Almighty Monarch: For. when the Lord rais'd them up Judges, the Lord was with the Judge, and deliver'd them out of the Hands of their Enemies all the Days of the Judge, Chap. II. 18. All the Defect was in the Frowardneſs of the People, when they would not hearken to their Judges, Verſ. 17. but went a Whoring after other Gods; either inventing New Gods, or New Ways of Worſhip, after the faſhion of their Neighbours, and at laſt throwing off, with their Religion, even their Form of Civil Polity, both which God had inſtituted for them. Thus at one time, as ſoon as Moſes turn'd his Back, they cry out to Aaron, Make us Gods to go before us; and of their Idols ſo made, Theſe be thy Gods, O Iſrael; and at another time to Samuel, for a King to Rule them, after the manner of the Nations. And theſe things became matter of Gods high and juſt Diſpleaſure againſt them; not that ſuch a Form was ſimply, and in it ſelf, Unlawful, but becauſe they were given to Change, and grew weary both of the Worſhip which He had preſcribed for them, and the Government by which He had deliver'd them at firſt out of Aegypt, and carry'd them into Canaan, and there frequently Reſcu'd them from ſuch as Oppreſſed and held them in Subjection. The Provocation had been equal, to have deſir'd a Parliament, or any other Regimen, than that which God Himſelf had choſen for them; and this appears in the Reaſon He gives of His Diſpleaſure, to Samuel, 1 Sam. VIII. 7, For in ſo doing, they have not rejected thee but Me, that I ſhould not Reign over them.

Having ſaid thus much of the firſt thing in the Text, viz. the Diſſolution of the Civil Government among the Jews, or the Vacancy of the Throne; I need not trouble you with the Enquiry about the Period of Time to which this Obſervation refers; about which, I cannot find that Agreement on which one may build any Certainty; But certain it is, it could not be after the Times of Eli and of Sampſon, though it is ſo placed in the Hiſtory, becauſe we find Phineas the Son of Eleazer was alive, and Attended the Altar, even after this, Chap. XX. 28. The things therefore here Recorded, and in the following Chapters of this Book, are moſt probably conceiv'd to happen ſoon after the Death of Joſhua, and the Elders that were Contemporary with him; when, as you already heard, they forſook the Lord, and God forſook them; and leaving them without Rule and Government to do what was right in their own Eyes, they became an eaſie Prey to every Tyrant.

But it does not much concern us to know when thoſe Days were, if there were at any Time ſuch Days, in which there was No King in Iſrael: And that there were ſuch, appears by the frequent mention of this Phraſe, in ſeveral parts of this Book; the Writer whereof ſeems not ſo Critical about the Chronology, as the Matters he relates; as not Confining himſelf ſo much to the Laws of Method, as the Simplicity of Truth.

And ſo I come, from conſidering the Vacancy in their Government, to view the Conſequence of ſuch a State.

II. In the Second Point in the Text, which is this, An Univerſal Debauchery and Depravation of Manners; and who indeed could expect other? Who, that conſiders how difficult it is, even with Bit and Bridle, to reſtrain the hard Mouth of the Multitude? It will try the Patience, the Wiſdom, the Courage of the moſt Able and Experienc'd Rulers, even in the beſt Governments, when they are Arm'd with Power, and bear not the Sword in vain, to quench the Fire of Ambition, and keep down the Paſſions of Men from boyling over into Luſt, and Rage, and Revenge: But when there is none to Guide the Chariot, to Addreſs the Motion, to Check and Arreſt the Furies that draw it, into what Precipices will they not run? God help thoſe that ſit in the One, or ſtand in the way of the Other. This State of Things is Deplorable, but 'tis Unavoidable from the Other; Every Man will then do what is right in his own Eyes. Whether this Expreſſion does more fully deſcribe the Sinful or the Miſerable Eſtate of a People, is a queſtion; but that it does both, I think is none.

1. It does import the Sinfulneſs and Wickedneſs of a People walking by this Rule? For to do what is right in our own Eyes, is what we daily confeſs to be our Sin, in following too much the Devices and Deſires of our own Hearts. It is an Expreſſion that is beſt meaſur'd by its contrary, viz. To do what is right in the ſight of God: And therefore we are Commanded, Numb. XV. 39. to ſeek His Statutes, and not to go after our own Hearts, and our own Eyes; and throughout this Book, theſe Phraſes are ſet in Oppoſition to each other. The Phraſe indeed, conſider'd abſtractively, is capable of a better ſence, to follow the Conduct of Right Reaſon; but it is plain, that cannot be the Conſtruction here, but the contrary: And I think there is no Expreſſion that gives us a more full and compleat Character of a Perſon or a People wholly abandoned to a Vicious, Profligate and Senſual Life.

2. It does as neceſſarily imply the Miſerable Eſtate of any People: For no Man is ſecure of any thing, though never ſo dear or valuable. The World is too Narrow for the Ambition and Avarice of Men: They will not graze, like other Beaſts, in Common; but every Man would have a Property in all: So that every Man muſt be perpetually on his guard againſt his Neighbour; and none can taſte or enjoy his Property, for fear of loſing it. Every Man then, will be a Cain in his Family, an Abſalon in the Commonwealth, and an Iſhmael in the World: His Hand againſt every Man, and every Mans Hand againſt him. There needs not many words in a matter whereof all Men are convinc'd: For if every Man do what he thinks right, as he pleaſes, and as he is able, no Man can be long pleas'd, or ſecure, of his Property, his Liberty, or his Life: Men will grow, without Religion and Law, more Deſtructive than Beaſts without Reaſon; and neither of theſe are ſuppoſed in this Caſe, to have any part: Grace here is turn'd into Wantonneſs, and Religion is uſed only as a Vizard to deceive; Reaſon is turn'd into Craft, and Power abus'd to Oppreſſion; the Weak become the Prey of the Strong, and the Simple of the Subtile; Strength is the only Law of Juſtice; and he that Suffers, is always in the Wrong: And ſurely there is not a more miſerable Condition in the World, than to live in ſuch a State of Anarchy. The moſt Cruel Tyranny is more Tolerable, by how much it is better to be a Slave to One, than Every Man. Men would rather chooſe to open a Paſſage and let out their Lives, than to be in ſuch continual Torment about them: They would rather ſtrip themſelves of all Being, if they could, or venture their Condition in another World, than live in this upon ſuch Terms. And yet, with how Pleaſing a Speculation does this Commonwealth of Libertiniſm entertain many Imaginations? They have nothing but Golden Dreams, they already wallow in Wealth, they ſwim in Pleaſure, and are Maſters of all they can deſire: But alas! They conſider not that Others have the ſame Fancies and Appetites; and while every Man graſps at all, none can hold any thing faſt.

And that none may think I have repreſented things in Falſe Colours, Let us put our Eye to the Perſpective, and look upon the Iſraelites by the Light of this Text, and we ſhall behold them all Chaos, Deformity, and Confuſion, both in their Religious and Civil Affairs.

In the Story here before us, we find Micah and his Mother buſie and zealous about their Graven and Molten Images, their Houſe of Gods, and their Ephod and Teraphim, making his Son a Prieſt, who was not of the Tribe of Levi. For the Congregation is Holy, ſaid Korah, and every Man has the Spirit. In the Verſe after the Text, we find a Levite Inveigl'd, to give the more Credit and Countenance to the Idolatry. Tempted by Neceſſity, as may be conceiv'd by the Salary this Chaplain was contented with, viz. Ten Shekels of Silver per Annum, a Suit of Cloaths and his Dyet. So that he, that was but a Servant to the Prieſt in the Divine Appointment, is Conſecrated a Prieſt, by Micha's Order; and by the ſame Rule, the Prieſt may become a Biſhop. And as Micha here, ſo we find a great part of a Tribe Seduced into the ſame Sin, Chap. XVIII. 19. Thus the Divine Inſtitution will be Deſpis'd, and all Order inverted in Religion, if every Man may do what is Right in his own Eyes. Every Man will take Honour to himſelf, without being Call'd as Aaron, will Affect the Preheminence, as well as Diotrephes, or Aerius, will be an Apoſtle or a Prophet, have a Pſalm or a Hymn, a Way and Mode of Worſhip by himſelf; and the Unity of Religion ſhall be Divided and Multiply'd not according to the Number of our Cities or Families, but of Perſons. Every Man will Cry 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and Eſteem it a fine thing to be Celebrated for an Author and a Setter forth of new and ſtrange Doctrines, and Applaud themſelves for their own happy Diſcoveries, whereof there are no Footſteps in any of the Traditions or Dotages of the Antients. There is not more Pride, in being Firſt in a Faſhion, than being Singular in an Opinion. Such is the Carnality of ſome Minds, That nothing is more Delightfull to them, than, as the Scripture Phraſes it, to Run a Whoring after their own Inventions.

Nor were the Jews more Unhappily led by this Liberty into Apoſtacy from their Religion, than into the Vileſt and moſt Shameful Immoralities; of which the Lewdneſs of the Benjamites, in all its Circumſtances and Conſequences, is an Inſtance, without a Parallel. And the ſame Reaſon is aſſign'd in the concluſion of the Hiſtory, as ſure, there was no King, but every Man did that which was Right in his own Eyes. Judg. XXI. 25.

But the Evil does not Reſt here, for their Idolatries and Wickedneſs is Puniſht, with Civil Wars among themſelves, and Invaſion from abroad. The Luſt of the Benjamites, kindled the Rage of the other Tribes into ſuch a Flame, as almoſt Conſum'd a Tribe of Iſrael. Nor was their Miſeries only from a Civil War, but from Foreign Enemies: While they forſook God, who was their Strength, and every one diſpleas'd Him, by doing what was pleaſing to himſelf, their divided Houſe could not Stand, but lay Open to the Ambition of every Powerful Prince, who thought fit to Advance the Glory of his Arms, in their Conqueſt and Diſtruction. And thus they became a Prey to Chuſhan the Meſopotamion and Eglon the Moabite, and to the many other Lords, who in their Turns Rul'd over them, almoſt to the Ruine of their Nation. Had not God ſent them frequently Signal and Unhop'd for Deliverances.

Having entertain'd your Patience on the Two Particulars, I Propos'd to Diſcourſe of: Give me leave to make a few Inferences from what has been ſaid.

I. And Firſt, this ſhews an abſolute neceſſity of Civil Power, and a due Execution of Penal Laws, for the well Governing of any People. Since theſe only can ſufficiently curb and reſtrain this Maxim of the Libertine, which if Purſu'd, muſt neceſſarily Deſtroy all our moſt Important Intereſts, of Religion, of Liberty and Property. And all theſe are neceſſary. As good no King, as no Law; no Law, as no Execution.

In the Caſe before us, we find the Want of Civil Government to be the Reaſon of all the Sins and Miſeries of the Jewiſh Nation. They had the beſt Religion, then, in the World, and the beſt Laws for their Uſe. And Phinehas the High-Prieſt ſtood before the Altar, Chap. XX. 28. in thoſe days when there was no King.

But though he was a Man famous for his Zeal, as Abraham for his Faith, for it was Imputed to him for Righteouſneſs, and we cannot imagine he was Idle in that high Employment; yet neither his Courage nor his Piety could ſtem the Torrent of Vice and of Idolatry, by the Power purely Spiritual.

Where Men have Faith to believe Eternal Rewards and Puniſhments, the Weapons of the Religious Warfare are indeed Mighty, and of great Efficacy to the pulling down of ſtrong Holds. But even our Saviour could do no mighty W • rks in ſome Places, becauſe of Mens Unbelief; Nor can the Eccleſiaſtical Conjurers work Miracles of Reformation on all Men, for the ſame Reaſon.

But all Men have Senſe, though all Men have not Faith, and the Atheiſt fears Death, that does not fear God; and looks on that as a Real Evil, though he thinks Hell Torments but a Painted Fire. The Cure therefore of theſe Evils, of Idolatry, of Atheiſm, Lewdneſs, and Prophaneneſs; which, we are told in Job, are Iniquities to be puniſh'd by the Judge; is not to be expected from the Spiritual Sword, unleſs the Secular Arm aſſiſt it, by delivering them over to Temporal Puniſhments, as God did to Satan, in the Primitive Diſcipline, that they may learn not to blaſpheme.

2. The Miſchief of this Principle, of doing every one what is right in his own Eyes, ſhews the Unreaſonableneſs of thoſe that Contend for an Indefinite Liberty, either in Religious or Civil Matters, under a Stated and Well-Settl'd Government; for it is the firſt End of Law and Government to bound and limit ſuch a Liberty. And if Men will not be Confin'd by the Society in which they live, they Cancel the Obligations to which they are ſuppos'd to have Conſented, by Entring into it; and ſo endeavour to Sap and Undermine the Foundation on which it ſtands; and conſequently expoſe Themſelves and Others to the ſame Inconveniencies and Inſecurities they were in, when there was no Government. It is therefore the Intereſt of Government, and of Thoſe that are Protected by it, joyntly to oppoſe ſuch a Principle as will deſtroy both. And when a Government is ſo Supine and Careleſs as to ſuffer Men to Speak, Write, or Act, as they liſt, it is neither True to it Self, nor Juſt to Thoſe that Depend upon it; but ſeems to Conſpire with the Enemy to its own Deſtruction: For as, when there was No King in Iſrael, every Man did what was right in his own Eyes; it is as viſible if every Man be allowed to do ſo, there cannot long be a King in Iſrael. Men do not put out their Eyes, when they enter into Society; but they muſt not walk afterward ſo much by the Light Within, in things Lawful, as by the Light of Authority, in things that are to be done; and the Light of Faith in the Divine Revelation of the Scriptures, in things that are to be believ'd. And as wiſe Governments will not Abridge the Liberties of Men, which they have by the Charter of Nature, or of Chriſtians, which they enjoy, by that of the Goſpel, beyond what is neceſſary for the Peace or Good Order of the Community; ſo neither ſhould Men be Clamorous for being Circumſcrib'd in ſome few things in their own Nature perfectly Indifferent.

3. If the want of Civil Government be ſo great an Evil, Then it is both the Duty and Intereſt of any People, who are fallen into ſuch a Circumſtance, immediately to apply the proper Remedy, by filling the Vacant Throne by a Free Election, where they have Power ſo to do; or Peaceable Submiſſion to Thoſe, who have a Right without it. And the Publick Neceſſiity of Affairs, the Salus Eccleſiae & Salus Populi, does both Require and Juſtifie their doing ſo, as well for Gods Honour, as their Countrey's Safety.

4. If the want of Civil Government be an occaſion of ſo much Wickedneſs & Miſchief; What great Reaſon have theſe Nations to bleſs Almighty God, for the Reſtraint He put upon the Hearts and Hands of Men, when theſe Kingdoms were left in ſuch a State? Though in ſome Places the Rabble proceeded to ſome Exceſs, yet how little Miſchief was done, in compariſon of what All reaſonably fear'd would have come to paſs? When the People were left without Government, and an Army was Disbanded, but not Diſ-arm'd, it cou'd be nothing leſs than the Incontroulable Dominion which God has over the Hearts of Men, that Reſtrain'd their Spirits, and Chain'd up their Deſires, from the utmoſt Violence, even from Sheathing our Swords in one anothers Bowels. But on the contrary, The Men whoſe Hands were Mighty, found nothing; while the Multitude, apt enough at other times to run to do Evil, now generally ſtand ſtill to ſee the Salvation of God; and God choſe (not in the Wind, and in the Fire, but) in a ſoft ſtill Voice to ſpeak Peace to His People.

5. When there was no King in England, but the People were left as Sheep without a Shepherd; and thoſe in Ireland were Expos'd to the Fury of their Implacable and Inveterate Enemies; when the Ship was left to run a Drift among Rocks and Sands, without a Pilot, What reaſon have we all to Rejoyce, and to Praiſe God, who has committed us to the Care of ſuch a Shepherd, who has put the Helm into ſuch a Hand, as hath hitherto ſo Steer'd the good Ship between all Difficulties, that we may comfortably hope He will at length carry her into a ſafe Harbour?

Bleſſed be God, and bleſſed be the Name of Their Majeſties, This Days Aſſembly opens to us a Fair Proſpect of our being upon the Borders of Better Times than we have yet ſeen. We are not, as the Iſraelites in the Text, without a King, nor without a Prieſt, nor without God in the World, as ſome, in ſo charging us, have lyed unto God. God has Reſtor'd our Religion and our Monarchy, our Laws and our Law-Makers; our Judges, as at the Firſt; and our Counſellors, as in the Beginning. I hope we ſhall not be like them, in the other Part, by doing every One, That which is right in our own Eyes; ſeeking our Selves, our Pleaſures, and our Gains from our Quarters, our private Intereſts either of Parties, or Perſons, in the prejudice of the Common Stake, and to the Diſſervice of their Majeſties, who have call'd, or the People, who have ſent us hither.

I hope again we ſhall not be like them, as at other Times Murmuring at Gods Providence, becauſe our Deliverance is wrought in Meaſure, and keeps not up with the Vehemence of our deſires; or Repining at ſuch Miſcariages, as are inevitably Incident to all great Revolutions: Leſt our Ingratitude ſhould become an occaſion of our Complaints, and ſlacken the full Accompliſhment of what we long for, with ſuch Impatience. Let us not therefore look only on the Dark ſide of the Cloud, on our Perſonal Sufferings, and fret our ſelves becauſe of the Evil doers, but behold the Bright and Amazing Deliverance which God has Wrought for us, and rather than ſtill be Complaining, let us ſay with good old Mephiboſheth, when he loſt half his Eſtate, by the Private Accuſation of a falſe Informer, Yea, let them take all, ſince my Lord the King is Return'd in Peace.

And now, what ſhall we Render unto the Lord, for all the Benefits He has beſtowed? Since the King is Victorious over our Enemies, and we are thereby Reſtor'd to all thoſe Bleſſings, of which they had unjuſtly Depriv'd us; ſurely the moſt juſt and ſuitable Acknowledgment we can make, is to ſerve Him, in every Station and Relation, wherein we have receiv'd advantage; in our Religious, and Private, and Legiſlative Capacities.

1. Let it be right in our Eyes, to ſerve Their Majeſties, in our Religious Stations, by Praying Sincerely and Earneſty, for Them, by whom the Houſe of Prayer is Reſtored to us, That the God of Iſrael would Protect the King of Iſrael, and Eſtabliſh him, on the Holy Hill of Sion, where his Right Hand hath Set him. Let us thus ſupport the hands of our Deliverer, while his Armies are Fighting againſt Amalek; that being call'd out of the narrow Scene, where his Progenitors Actions were confin'd for the Deliverance of Oppreſſed Provinces, to Aſſert the Liberties of Europe, againſt the Great Deſtroyer, he may ride Proſperouſly, becauſe of Truth, till he ſee the deſire of his Soul.

2. Let it be right in our Eyes, to ſerve Them with our Properties, and Private Intereſts, to enable them to compleat that Deliverance, for which his Majeſty ſo freely Ventur'd his Life among us: At leaſt let it appear, that we are, even in our low Eſtate, to our Power, yea and beyond our Power, willing of our ſelves, to ſupply the Neceſſities, of which we have been a great occaſion, that our Loyalty and Zeal may Provoke many.

3. Let it be right in our Eyes; to ſerve them, in our Legiſlative capacities, by whom our old Laws are Reſtor'd to us, and we to the Authority of making new Ones, without any Challenge of ſuch a Diſpenſing Power, as might render both uſeleſs. Let us therefore give Conſent to, and offer Matter for ſuch Laws, as will ſecure their Majeſties Government, by Promoting the Glory of God, and Love and Goodwill in the People, to their Majeſties, and to one another; by ſuppreſſing Idolatry and Vice; that by Righteous Laws, and Severe Executions, and Good Examples, all Immorality and Prophaneneſs may be Puniſht, and if poſſible, put out of Countenance; that ſo, ſome Stop may be given to that Flood of Impiety, That is roll'd in upon us, and is become too Strong for Pulpit Reproof, or ordinary Diſcipline.

It is your Duty, (Moſt Noble Lords, Moſt Wiſe and Worthy Patriots) in this your Day, to Conſider Things that make for Peace, and to bear your Teſtimony againſt the crying Sins of this Generation, which call aloud for Reformation, or for Vengeance. By frequent Rapines, we have almoſt loſt all Senſe of Juſtice: By the commonneſs of Swearing and Curſing, all Reverence for God, and Holy Things, Becauſe of theſe things, our Government is Weakned, and Reproach'd, our Religion Diſhonour'd, and the Wrath of God cometh on the Children of Diſobedience. You cannot ſerve their Majeſties more acceptably, who are great Examples of Vertue, and ſcatter Iniquity with their Eyes, nor ſettle their Thrones more ſecurely, which are beſt Eſtabliſh't by Righteouſneſs, nor your own Peace more durably, than by retrieving the Credit of our Worſhip, and making it a ſupport of Vertue as well as of the Proteſtant Religion. Then Righteouſneſs and Peace will Kiſs each other, Truth will look down from Heaven, and Glory ſhall dwell in our Land.

But if after ſo great a Deliverance, we ſhall again Return, or rather ſtill Continue, in our Follies and our Vanities, in our Filthineſs and Intemperance, in our Oppreſſions and our Plunders, eſteeming all right in our own Eyes, whereby the Luſt of the Fleſh, the Luſt of the Eye, or the Pride of Life, is nouriſhed and pamper'd; we vainly truſt in Princes, or in Armies, tho never ſo Brave and Fortunate: Our boaſting of a True Religion is vain alſo, while we hold it in Unrighteouſneſs; nor will it ſtay long with us upon ſuch diſhonourable Terms. God knows how to Puniſh, as well as to Deliver: He can give us up to our own Hearts Luſts, to Bite, and Devour, and Conſume one another, by Civil Wars; or He can hiſs for our Enemies from Abroad, and bring upon us a Chuſhan, or an Eglon, or ſtir up the Conquer'd Philiſtine, and Arm the Canaanite yet in the Land againſt us; and the Thorns in our Sides will prove Skeins and Daggers at our Hearts, and Fire come out of the Bramble, and deſtroy the Cedars of Lebanon. But I hope better things of you, while I thus ſpeak. Which God of His Infinite Mercy grant for His ſake, who ſpeaks better things: To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghoſt, be all Honour and Glory for ever. Amen.