JUDGING only by our natural partial Ideas of the divine Wisdom and Goodness, and from our inadequate Views of the Designs of Providence, we should be ready to con­clude, that when the Father of Mercies, the God of Peace, sent his only begotten Son into the World, on a Message of Love to Mankind, one principal Design of his Mission had been, to com­pose the Nations, and establish Peace in this lower World; that he had crushed all the Sons of Vio­lence, and set up a Kingdom against which no Na­tion had dared to exalt itself; that all his Disciples, by their Profession of Christianity, had been secured from the Wrath and Violence of a wicked and restless World; that he had said to the World, ‘Touch not mine Anointed, nor do my Prophets Harm;’ that every Attempt to disturb their Tranquility, had been punished with immediate Vengeance, Fire from Heaven to devour them. And when, in Contradiction to all such Expectations, we find that the Church of Christ has, in every Age, shared in the Calamities common to Mankind: and more than this, when we find it has been the pe­culiar Object of the implacable Malice of the World; [Page 2] that the Kings of the Earth have set themselves, and the Princes taken Counsel together against the Lord, and against his Christ; such a Conduct in divine Providence, leads us to wonder at the Designs of Providence, so contrary to what Reason seem'd to sug­gest: we are tempted to say, there is one Event to the Righteous and to the Wicked; were there an in­finitely wise and good Being, that presided over the Affairs of Mortals, surely we should not see real Christianity depressed, and Sin reign and triumph; we should not find the Church of God a Field of Blood, under the long-expected Reign of the glo­rious Prince of Peace.

To teach us therefore, how apt we are to form wrong and inadequate Notions of the Methods of God's Government; to give Relief to our Minds under those Discouragements, that the Events of Providence are apt to produce; and that no one might mistake the Nature, the Design and Privi­leges of his Kingdom, our Saviour has plainly told us what we are to expect; he has pointed out what is like to be the Condition of his People, and taught us not to wonder, when we see all these Things come to pass: think not that I am come to send Peace on Earth; I came not to send Peace, but a Sword.

THIS Verse, to any one, who will consider the Tenor of our Saviour's Discourse, is sufficiently plain, and void of Difficulty; and leads us, on this Occa­sion, to consider the following Things; viz.

First, THE Christian Church, as sharing in the Calamities common to a degenerate World, particularly that of War.

[Page 3] Secondly, THE Agency of God, in the Wars and Miseries common to this State of the World.

Thirdly, THE Reasons of the divine Conduct in this Affair.

1^st. WE are to consider the Christian-Church, as sharing in the Calamities common to a degenerate World, especially that of War.

GOD was pleased of old, for wise Purposes, to take a particular People, the Seed of Abraham, into a peculiar Covenant with Himself: He separated them from all the Nations of the Earth, He dealt with them as he did not with any other Nation, He gave them Laws different from all other Nations; and as it was necessary in that Age, before Life and Immortality were brought to Light by Jesus Christ, He invited them to the Worship and Obedience of the True God, by the certain Promise of temporal Rewards, and deter'd them from Idolatry and Disobe­dience, by the Threatnings of temporal Judgments. These Promises and Threatnings were a considera­ble Part of God's Covenant with that People: if they obey'd and serv'd him, they were sure of Pros­perity; that God would draw a Line of Protection around them; that all their Enemies should flee be­fore them:—But, if they forsook God, and went after the gods of the Nations, the Sword was threat­ned, to cut them off from under Heaven, Isai. i. 19, 20. if ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the Good of the Land; but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured of the Sword, for the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. And according to the Tenor of this Covenant, God always dealt with that People; when they feared and obeyed Him, He subdued their [Page 4] Enemies and gave them Peace and Rest; but when they forsook God, the Heathen had Dominion over them. To acquaint us how exactly God con­formed his Dealings to their moral Conduct, and to this Covenant, so to teach us the Regard God has to Virtue, seems to be one principal Design of the large History we have of that People in the Bible.

SUCH Promises, and Threatnings, with a Conduct agreable to them, were suitable and necessary for that People. This was perhaps the only Method in which they could be brought to Obedience: Their spiritual Capacities and Discoveries were but small, not sufficient to govern them, without the immediate, and sensible Effects of Virtue and Vice. This was a Government exactly agreable to the Genius and Capacity of that People, and in this Way God's moral Dominion was long supported.

BUT even then the Promises belonged to them as a People, and not to Individuals, as such. Hence we find even in that Day, Examples of suffering Virtue, and triumphant Wickedness. The Prospe­rity of the Wicked, and Affliction of the Righteous, was a Subject that engaged the Attention, and exer­cised the Patience of good Men, in that Day. A­mong that People, the Apostle tells us of some emi­nent Saints, that had Trial of cruel Mockings and Scourgings,—they were stoned, were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the Sword, &c.

THUS were the Jews taken into a peculiar Cove­nant with God, and as a People, were the Subjects of temporal Promises and Threatnings.

BUT upon God's sending his Son into the World, the State of Things was much changed. That particular Covenant with the Jews, to which these [Page 5] Promises belonged, was abolished, the Jews were no longer considered as God's peculiar People. The Promises and Threatnings that belonged to their po­litical Being ceased; nor was there any Nation ap­pointed to succeed them. The Blessing of Abra­ham, the spiritual Promises descended, from that Time, equally on Jews and Gentiles. Our Lord appeared, to set up a Kingdom, that is not of this World, to reveal a New, a better Covenant; which was established upon better Promises; enforced not with temporary Sanctions, but with spiritual and eternal Motives; exceeding greet and precious Pro­mises, by which we are made Partakers of the divine Nature. The Gospel is a Dispensation of superior Light; in it Life and Immortality are set before us in the clearest Light; its Promises are of a divine Na­ture, its Motives to Obedience are not temporal Peace, but spiritual Happiness; Motives drawn from the World to come. The Obedience of the Gos­pel Covenant, is that of Faith; it flows from an unshaken Faith in the Rewards and Punishments of another Life; We walk by Faith, and not by Sight. Evangelic Religion, does not take its Rise from the Hope of Silver or Gold; but from the Love of God, the Love of our Redeemer; and a blessed Faith and Hope in the Promises of future Glory. Christians are not, under the Gospel, considered in a political View, as the Nation of the Jews was; nor have we any Exemption from the Calamities that are common to Mankind: So far from this, that our blessed Lord has expresly taught us, to ex­pect the peculiar Resentment of the World, to be subject to the Sword, and fiery Persecutions, till that happy Day come when the Nations shall learn War no more. I came not [...]o send Peace on Earth but a [Page 6] Sword; hence he goes on to arm and fortify his Dis­ciples, and show them what a zealous Love to him­self, will be necessary to support them, in their Obe­dience to him. He that [...] Father or Mother more than me, is not worthy of me; He that findeth his Life shall lose it; and he that loseth his Life for my sake, shall find it. Argeably he tells them, Matt. v. 11, 12. blessed are ye when Men shall hate you, and persecute you and say all manner of Evil falsly against you for my sake; Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your Reward in Heaven. In the World ye shall have Tribulation. So far is Christianity from securing temporal Prosperity to its Professors, that Sufferings are every where in the New-Testament supposed to be the peculiar Lot of Christians; they are taught to expect th [...]; and one grand Design of the Gospel is, by its noble Promises, to support the Faith, encourage the Hope, and secure the Stead­fastness of its Professors, under those shocking Trials they are taught to expect: And that this is not a State peculiar to the primitive Ages of Christianity, but is like to last many Ages we learn from the Revelation of St. John, who tells us; and when they shall have finished their Testimony, the Beast that as­cendeth out of the bottomless Pit, shall make War a­gainst them and kill them,—and the Dragon was wroth with the Woman, and went to make War with the Remnant of her Seed, which kept the Command­ments of God, and the Testimony of Jesus Christ. In a Word, the Events of many Ages, serve to demon­strate that no such Promises of temporal Prosperity belong to the Church, as a political Body, as did [...] to the Nation of the Jews. A great Change [...] made in God's Dealings with his Church, when the Gospel Kingdom was set up, He now deals with [Page 7] us in another Manner; we are arrived to a more perfect Age, and put on Trial upon more refined Principles and Motives; we have reason to expect, that Religion it self, will expose its Professors to the Malice [...] wicked World: Hence the Church is said to come out of great Tribulation and to wash their Robes, and make them white in the Blood of the Lamb.

HENCE, it plainly follows that the earthly Pro­mises and Threatnings, proposed to God's ancient People, are ill [...] to Christians, considered in a political View- [...]nder the Gospel. What Right have any to apply the Promises of worldly Felicity, made to a particular People; under a peculiar Co­venant, long since confessedly abolished, to Chris­tians, who are evidently under another Covenant, a more spiritual Dispensation; who are considered in the Gospel, not as political Societies, who [...] this proposed as one essential Condition of their salvation, that they deny themselves, and be ready to sacrifice all, even Life itself, in the Ca [...]se of Christianity.

I KNOW the great Apostle of the Gentiles tells us, that Godliness is profitable unto all Things, [...]ing Promise of the Life that now is:—That our blessed Master promises to them, that seek [...] the Kingdom of God, that all these Things [...] added unto them; He once said, Blessed are the Meek, for they shall inherit the Earth;—‘not that they shall al­ways have much of the Earth.’ ^† But it is observa­ble, that the Promises in the New-Testament, that look this Way, respect Christians not in a political Form, (for no such political Constitutions were then foun­ded among them,) but as Individuals; and 'tis ne­cessary to understand them in a limited Sense, as [Page 8] intimating to us the natural Connection of Holiness and Happiness, how much true Religion contributes to our comfortable Enjoyment of this World, and that Believers may safely trust in the Providence of their heavenly Father, who sends his Rain upon the Just and upon the Unjust. It is undeniable evident, that no such Promises are absolutely in Force; for we find in Fact, they are not literally fulfil'd, either to particular Christians, or Societies of Christians. Experience convinces us, that many eminent Men are as remarkable for their Poverty, and Affliction, as for their Piety: that the most eminent Christians have died Martyrs to the Malice of the World, and the Faith of Jesus Christ.

IT is readily granted that Sin and Misery, Virtue and Happiness are nearly connected; that public Virtue is the natural Parent of public Happiness. The Gospel is excellently adapted to advance tem­poral Prosperity;—Peace, Harmony and good Or­der, are naturally grafted on the Christian System. Nothing can more powerfully tend to advance hu­man Happiness, even in this Life, than the refined Morality of the Gospel. But how often do we see the Order of things inverted, the Tendency of Vir­tue obstructed, in this World of moral Disorder! Christians don't feel that Felicity, for which the christian Precepts are divinely adapted. Indeed God may interpose, and cause Religion to have its genuine Effects;—I don't say, his Providence does not in this State sometimes give us a visible Token of his Ap­probation of Religion, (tho' I make no doubt, this was [...] Ages of the World, than [Page 9] in our Days^†) but in what Cases, and in what Man­ner, he will do this, either on behalf of Individuals, or of Nations and Kingdoms professing Christianity, is absolutely in his own Breast: He has confin'd himself by no Promise: He is sovereign and arbi­trary in all his Dispensations towards his Church: He sometimes suffers the R [...]d of the Wicked to rest on the Lot of the Righteous:—He does not always [Page 10] appear to crown the best Cause with Prosperity—Tho' Reason would seem to teach us, that God will ordinarily appear in the Cause of Virtue, yet Reve­lation shows us, we are not to expect it in many Instances; though we are assured, Religion will be finally Victorious.

SOME may be ready to say, this is lessening the Motives to public Virtue:—If real Christianity will not secure to a People the divine Protection; if this will not ensure to them Success against all their Enemies, what becomes of the Props and Supports of national Religion? But, if it evidently appears, that no such Promises are to be found in the chris­tian Constitution, why should we labour to enforce public Virtue by a Motive that God has not given? He must think diminitively of the blessed Gospel, who does not see the noblest, the most suitable and sufficient Motives, to all Piety, Righteousness and Sobriety, even without such Promises of outward Prosperity, sufficient to raise true Believers to a Con­tempt of the World; yea, to a glorious Contempt of Life itself:—And what is that Religion, which is meerly the Product of worldly Motives? how far beneath the noble Religion of the Gospel!^†—

II. WE come to consider the Agency of God, in the Wars and Calamities among Mankind,—I came—to send—a Sword.—

[Page 11] WE find God often speaking of his Agency in the Wars and Destructions of Mankind. Isai. xlv. 7. I form the Light, and create Darkness, I make Peace and create Evil; I, the Lord, do all these Things.—Isai. liv. 16. I have created the Waster to destroy. We find him expresly calling for the Sword, Isai. xxv. 29.—for I will call for a Sword upon all the Inhabi­tants of the Earth, saith the Lord of Hosts. Amos ix. 4.—thence will I command the Sword, and it shall slay them. So we find the Almighty calling and raising up Enemies to chastize Nations.

THESE strong Expressions of Scripture seem to intimate some powerful Influence of God, raising up, and spriting Men to be the Executioners of one another: But they must be taken in a limited Sense; nor may we imagine God to have any other Agency in these Things, but what is perfectly consistent with the Goodness of his Nature. It would be a most dishonourable Thought of God, to imagine, that he excited the Lust and Ambition of Mankind; that he made them cruel, or inspired them with that unnatural Desire to butcher, and devour one another: No; these are Thoughts unworthy that Being, whose most endearing Character is Love.

IT must however be acknowledged, that God does in some Sense send the Sword, and suffer his own Church [...]eel the scorching Flames of War; these Things are all under his Eye, subject to his Controul, and serve the Purposes of his Will; and His Influence may extend thus far:

1^st HE may be said to send the Sword, as He affords that Strength and Power by which Wars are carried on: He gives to his Creatures that Wisdom, Power and Courage, by which they destroy one a­nother: He affords that Affluence of Riches, that [Page 12] Superiority of Power, which are the Cause and Oc­casion of civil Contentions: But herein, He is no more the blameable Cause of that Destruction, which is made in the World, by the Abuse of that Strength and Power, than He is the Author of all the Sin which is committed in the World, because He has created and upholds all, and gives to every one those Abilities they have; yea, He supports them in their Rebellions, by giving them Food and Raiment; sending his Rain upon the Just and upon the Unjust. Even the Gospel, one of the richest of all Blessings, is the Occasion of Sin in this Life, and of an aggravated Damnation, to such as receive the Grace of God in vain, in the next. The Means, Occasions and Instruments of War, are the Effects of divine Bounty; but in all these, God by no Means unsuitably influences his Creatures, nor is He the blameable Cause of Evil. That Power which God gives to Nations and Princes, by which they destroy one another, is but the accidental Cause of Evil, and might as well be employed to save and defend.

2^dly. GOD in Wisdom permits the Sword to de­vour. Altho' Wars and Fightings have their Ori­ginal in the Lusts of Men; yet God has a sovereign Power to restain and subdue that Pride, that Malice and Ambition, which make such Destruction in the World. He can turn the Hearts of Kings, He can send the Spoilers away spoiled; He maketh Wars to cease to the Ends of the Earth, He breaketh the Bow, and cutteth the Spear in [...]. He [...] the Cha­riot in the Fire: He has often manifested his irre­sistable controuling Power, on behalf of his suffering Creatures. But He is pleased to permit the Lusts of Men to have their natural Effects: He does not [Page 13] lay that Restraint on his Creatures, that he is able to do: He suffers the proud Oppressors of Mankind to make sad Destruction; and sometimes to spread De­solation among his own People He; beholds Nations and Empires rushing on certain Ruin. In this Sense God is often said to do, what he does not hinder, or permits to be done. Thus when he raises up the Scourges of Mankind, and suffers them to go on and prosper; He is said to call and send them to ex­ecute his Judgments;—It is in this Sense He is said to harden Men's Hearts, and blind their Eyes; thus He bid Shimei curse David; though in all these Instances, He only permitted them to be done: the Purpose, Desire and Action was not of God. So God not only gives Permission to the Sword, but equally permits those numerous Rebellions, that are daily committed against Himself; yea, by one Man he permitted Sin at first to enter into the World, from whence spring all the Evils of his Creatures, whether of a moral or penal Nature. This Per­mission of Sin and Disorder, is agreable to the Ora­cles of Truth, but is one of the deep Mysteries of Heaven: His Judgments are a great Deep.

3^dly. GOD makes use of the Jars and Tumults among Nations, and the Destructions which He permits in the World, to bring to pass the wise De­signs of his Providence; All these Things are in the Hand of God: He over-rules them to the best Ends: He maketh the Wrath of Man to praise Him. Thus He raised up and permitted; yea, in the Scripture Stile, He sent Nebuchadnezzar, to de­stroy Nations and Kingdoms not a few, and among the Rest his own People, that He might accomplish the Designs of his Government, which that cruel ambitious Prince never thought of. So while the [Page 14] Enemies of the Church, and of Mankind, are en­slaving and destroying them in subserviency to their boundless Ambition, they are all this Time serving the Ends of his Government, executing the good Purposes of God;—Purposes laid in the eternal Counsels of the divine Mind—Ends, wise in them­selves, holy, just and good. The bloody tragical Scenes acted on the Stage of this World, tho' dread­ful in themselves, are finally over-ruled for good; in the End they will appear Parts of that Govern­ment, in which divine Wisdom, Holiness and Good­ness, will shine forevermore. God is wonderful in Counsel, and excellent in Working; He doth great Things and unsearchable, marvellous Things without Number.

4^thly. GOD sometimes secretly influences and spi­rits his People to stand up in Defence of Liberty and Religion. So He gave Charge to the Israelites to be the Executioners of his Vengeance upon the Canaanitish Nations; to make no Peace with them, 'til they were utterly destroyed from off the Earth; and in a wonderful Manner assisted them to execute the awful Commission: a Judgment which those Nations deserved for their Idolatry. We likewise find military Skill and Power ascribed to God; He teaches, says David, my Hands to war, and my Fin­gers to fight: This special Influence, this powerful Assistance, has been often experienced in a just Cause, in the Defence of his People, in executing the particular Commands of Heaven. He who has the Hearts of Kings in his Hand, often raises up Instruments to assert his Cause, to vindicate the Safe­ty and Liberties of Mankind, when threatned by the unbridled Rage and Ambition of Princes.—Of old He raised up Deliverers for his People: He made them valiant and victorious.

[Page 15] BUT after all, Wars and Fightings come from the Lusts of Men: they have their Origin in that Lust of Riches and Dominion so common to a de­generate World. It is Ambition and Coveteousness that have, thro' all Ages, depopulated Kingdoms, subverted Empires, and delug'd this World in Blood and Ruin. Wars are visible sad Instances, awa­kening dreadful Demonstrations, of the deep Cor­ruption of human Nature; such unnatural Events, as proclaim Mankind awfully deviated from the Rule and Order of their Being; awfully lost to the no­ble Principles of Humanity; filled with that malig­nant Hatred, that is not to be found in the brutal World. How many of the Wars and Persecutions that have distressed the World, have proceeded from that Malice there is in the Hearts of Men to Jesus Christ, and that best of Religions, He has taught and supported in the World!

BUT when you read and hear of the Calamities God has permitted upon the World by the Sword: when you think how many Thousands, I had al­most said Millions, have been sacrific'd to the Pride of Princes; how often the World has been drown­ed in Blood, and wide Destruction spread among suffering Mortals; you are ready to ask, ‘What are the Reasons of God's Judgments; what Ends, agreable to the divine Wisdom, are answer'd? can such Things consist with the divine Good­ness? are they not Evidences of God's want of Regard to His Creatures?—Can you vindicate the Ways of Heaven, and ascribe Righteousness to our Maker?’

III. I ANSWER, as was propos'd in the last Place, the Ways of God are past finding out;—'tis hard [Page 16] for us to investigate the particular Reasons of many Parts of the divine Conduct:—But even in these dreadful Things, there are wise Designs of Provi­dence pursu'd. Upon the most serious Considera­tion of Things, we shall see much of the wise and good Government of God; that these are a neces­sary Discipline, a State of Things exactly adapted to the moral Temper and State of the World, and not without their salutary Effects in God's Creation.

As to the Church of Christ, the Sword may be sent to refine and purify it. This is a Discipline by which God tries the Fidelity of Christians, brightens their Virtues, and prepares them for a Crown of Life: and if God is pleased to exercise his Children with severe Discipline; if they suffer with Christ here, and reign with Him hereafter, who can say that God is unrighteous; seeing this is but a Proba­tion-Life, that perfect Rewards and Punishments are reserv'd for the next Life, when every one shall re­ceive according as his Works shall be?

MOREOVER, the Sword often serves to chastize the Church for their Apostacy. Christians often fall into great Apostacy and lose the Power, and in a Measure, the Form of Godliness; they often need the Rod to scourge, awaken and reclaim them: this is frequently the Case, when Christians have enjoy­ed long Peace and Prosperity; they need some se­vere Discipline to recover them.

IN [...]ine, God may send the Sword upon his Peo­ple, to display his Power in the Preservation of his Church from all her Enemies. Not that this is a primary and immediate End, but a final Cause, an [...] of that glorious Being who looks [...] View. We have lately seen the [...] the Occasion of [Page 17] amazing Displays of divine Love and Power in the Deliverance of His Cause. The Preservation and Go­vernment of the Church, not suffering the Gates of Earth and Hell to prevail against her; giving a final Triumph, will redound to the Glory of God and the Redeemer. As the Promise is now the grand Support of our Faith, so the compleat accomplish­ment of it will wonderfully display the Wisdom, Power and Providence of God, and give Occasion for that Song of the Blessed; Amen, Blessing, and Glory, and Wisdom, and Thanksgiving, and Honour, and Power, and Might, be unto our God for ever and ever.

AND then as to the World in general: Wars and Desolations are suffered, to curb the Lusts and pu­nish the Wickedness of Mankind. That Mankind have revolted from God, and are liable to his just Vengeance, is too manifest to be deny'd. Mankind have more or less, in every Age, disowned the di­vine Authority, and been sunk in Atheism, Sensu­ality and Prophaness; hating God, and runing up­on his Neck, [...]ven upon the thick Bosses of his Buckler: 'Tis therefore necessary that God use a severe Disci­pline.—Indeed I dare not say that Misery, or natu­ral Evil, is essential to a State of Trial and Improve­ment. Where reasonable Creatures are innocent and uncorrupt, milder Means are sufficient; but where Children are obstinate, God, as the tender Father of his Creatures, must take the Rod in Hand:—From this Necessity He destroy'd a World of Ungodly by a Flood; he sends Plagues, Famines and the Sword, to correct the exorbitant Growth of Wickedness, to lessen the Number of Sinners, to lay Restraints upon Survivors. As Sin and Misery are closely connected, in the Nature of Things, [Page 18] what Wisdom is it in God to suffer Men to feel the Folly of their own Ways, in the Vengeance they execute upon one another: thus Sin is its own Pu­nishment: The alwise RULER teaches the Evil of Sin, sets Bounds to human Wickedness, prevents the dreadful Effects of Prosperity, and keeps the World in Awe: for, O! Lord, when thy Judg­ments are in the Earth, the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness. Examples of divine Re­sentment are needful: So God drowned the Old­World; He rained Fire and Brimstone upon Sodom, to make Examples of Judgment for all succeeding Generations. These Severities in Government are not to be look'd upon as the Effects of Passion, or arbitrary Will, or a needless Rigour; but as righ­teous Dispensations;—'tis in Mercy to Mankind that He inflicts them: He suffers no more Examples of Vengeance in the World, than are necessary to the good Government of it:—In the End, all these bitter Things will be found to be the most proper Discipline for this degenerate Race: the Ends of Government will be wisely answered; we shall be able in the Review of all, to say, great and marvel­lous are thy Works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy Ways, thou King of Saints.—We shall see Order, Harmony and the best Good of the Crea­tion, resulting from this Confusion.

THUS necessary, thus profitable is the Sword in the present State of Things. But should any go farther, and ask, ‘Wherefore has the supreme RULER form'd such a Plan of Government, and permitted such a lapsed State of Being as to make these Confusions necessary?’—Let such know, that they do not enquire wisely of this Matter. Who can by searching find out God? who can find out the [Page 19] Almighty unto Perfection? His Ways are above our Ways.—Shall the Thing formed say to him that for­med it, why hast thou made me thus?—'Tis not for us, short-sighted Mortals, to pry into the secret Reasons of the divine Conduct, nor to say whether this was the only possible Plan of divine Govern­ment: The indisputable Marks of Wisdom and Love, which we see in all his Works, lead us to believe, that his Way is perfect; that he is a God of Judgment, without Iniquity, Just and Right is He.

From what has been offered:—

1^st. LET us learn to think well of God, and his Dispensations. When we think on the Miseries, the Nations have in all Ages suffered by the Sword: when we reflect on the Pride of Monarchs, and the Horrors of War; and consider that these are per­mitted by God, in the Wisdom of his Administra­tion, we are ready to think hard of Heaven, and foolishly charge God with a want of Regard to our Happiness: ‘Are these the Dispensations of that Being, whose Nature is Love? is this the Lan­guage of paternal Goodness?’—But we ought to remember that Sin, which by one Man entered in­to the World, has reigned triumphant in all Periods of Time, notwithstanding the more gentle Methods of Grace to reform it; so that it was necessary to uphold God's moral Dominion, that Men should feel some of the natural penal Effects of Vice. The natural State of the World has never been worse; the Father of Mercies has never been more severe, than was necessary to the Purposes of his moral Go­vernment. Wars, tho' the greatest of natural Evils, have been salutary in their moral Effects; hereby the Lusts of Men are restrained, the Number of ob­stinate [Page 20] Sinners is diminished. God is known by the Judgments which he executes. God has been, as Ho­ly and just, so Wise and Good, in all. Tho' we are not able to assign the particular Reasons of the divine Conduct in particular Cases, nor the eternal Reasons of such a Plan of Government; yet we have Reason to believe, we shall know hereafter.—The full Display of the Beauty and marvellous Wis­dom of God's Government, in the wonderful Con­trivance and Execution of it from the Beginning to its final Accomplishment, must be reserved for a Fund of everlasting Entertainment, in the Regions of perfect Knowledge:—O! what a noble Satis­faction will it g [...]ve us, to behold these mysterious Dispensations unfold! to see infini [...] Order and Har­mony, Justice and Mercy runing thro' all! how astonishing to see the best Good, rising from the greatest Evil! to see God, in all, invariably pursu­ing the universal Good of his vast Creation!—Here we see thro' a Glass darkly; we see but Part of the extensive Plan; we know not the eternal Connecti­ons in the divine Mind: But hereafter, all his Works will appear to have been of a Piece; exact Order and Propriety will shine in all: God himself will shine thro' all, immensely Great, divinely Good.—O what a happy Review will this be! O happy Employment of the reasonable and pious Mind! O noble Happiness! to rest in God; to be swallowed up in Him; to gaze forever on that glorious Sun, and feel itself divinely, inexpressibly Happy in the Friendship of that Being, who is incomprehensibly wise, and supreamly good!

2^dly. FROM a serious Consideration of the present State of the World, we learn that a military is a ne­cessary and respectable Character. God, from Mo­tives [Page 21] of superior Wisdom, and extensive Benevolence, has been pleased to make this World hitherto a State of Goodness, tempered with a needful Severity: The Sword is his Rod to chastize Nations, from which not his own Church is exempt.—This State of Things makes Self-Defence a necessary Duty, and reconciles a military to a christian Character.—It is true, the Use of carnal Weapons is no Part of our christian Constitution. The Founder of our holy Religion once said, ‘my Kingdom is not of this World, if my Kingdom were of this World, then would my Servants fight.’ Christianity is not to be propagated by Fire and Sword; it gives no Claim to the Rights and Possessions of others. But our Christian Profession by no means dismem­bers us from civil Society, nor deprives us of the Privilege of Self-Defence and Self-Preservation; a Principle so natural and powerful, in all Ranks of Beings: it does not strip us of our Rights as Men, nor destroy in our Breasts; but rather improves, upon the best Principles, an ardent Love of Man­kind, the Love of our Country, and a noble public Spirit: It forms the Valour of Alexander and Caesar, stript of that brutal Rage and destructive Ambi­tion, which [...]ully the Characters of those cruel Ty­rants over Mankind.^† A noble Zeal in the Defence of Religion, an ardent Love of our Country, a calm, and dispassionate Valour in the Protection of Man­kind from Violence are Virtues, if not immediately [Page 22] inculcated in the New-Testament, yet naturally growing upon christian Principles. Tho' we meet with Precepts of this Tenor in the Gospel,—‘resist not Evil, be not overcome of Evil, but overcome Evil with Good,’ they must be received in a qua­lified Sense, and rather respect private Injury than public Violence. Altho' Christianity is an Enemy to those savage Passions, which prompt Men to de­stroy, yet it cultivates that Love of public Good, and lays the Foundation of that unshaken Fortitude, that arms with resistless Energy, in Defence of the Rights of Mankind.—What remains then but that we look with Respect upon the military Order; that every lawful Attempt to revive, improve, and propagate military Skill and Discipline, be regarded as a public Good; that Men of this Character be respected as, under God, the Guardians of our Lives, Liberties, Property and Religion?—

^† HIS Excellency the Governor, ^‡ Captain-Ge­neral of this Province, and the Source of military Power, under God and the King, needs not what has been said to acquaint Him with the Origin, Rea­sons, Necessity, and Utility of War in the present State of the World. He is well acquainted with the [Page 23] present Situation of our military Affairs. It is with Pleasure and Gratitude we see Him, concerned for the public Good, compassing Sea and Land, to put us in a proper State of Defence; to give full Secu­rity to our most distant Frontiers.—His Excellency easily distinguishes the Merit and Capacities of Men; He knows every good Man has not a military Ge­nius: He will therefore, in all his Appointments to command, select Men of Genius and Merit, without which all Attempts to revive military Skill will prove ineffectual.—He will go on to encourage military Skill, and spare no Pains to render our Militia, (our Defence under God) respectable.—He knows, that in nothing can he more effectually serve this Coun­try, than in His encouraging martial Discipline; in rendering us formidable to an invading Enemy; in making a thoro' Reformation in military Affairs. Should God ever permit the Necessity, we are per­suaded he will put his Person at the Head of His Troops, and teach them Bravery by his own Ex­ample: He will venture his Life in the Defence of the Country that looks to Him, as its principal Guardian and Protector.—

HIS Majesty has put the Reins into his Hands at a Time when the Cares and Fatigues of Govern­ment are doubled upon Him; but He needs no Mo­tives to support him under the Weight of the Ad­ministration, but the Pleasure of doing Good, the Happiness of being extensively useful, the Appro­bation of his own Conscience, and of our FINAL JUDGE; by a Conduct uniformly conformed to such noble Principles, He is sure to endear himself to every true Lover of his Country, and to secure the Approbation of HIM who searches the Heart:—We [Page 24] wish Him the divine Assistance in all his Admini­strations, the Love and Honour of a grateful Coun­try, the Favour of our gracious Sovereign, and above all that Approbation of the KING OF KINGS, in that Day when we must all stand before the Judg­ment-Seat of Jesus Christ; ‘Well done, thou good and faithful Servant; thou hast been faith­ful over a few Things, I will make thee Ruler over many Things, enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord.’

WE behold, with universal Satisfaction, His Ho­nour the Lieutenant-Governor, ^‡ great among his People, advanced to the Second Seat of Government, accepted of the Multitude of his Brethren, affectio­nately seeking the Wealth of his People, the Welfare of Church and State, and speaking Peace to all his Seed.

^† OUR Lot is cast in difficult and perilous Times; while we are deeply interested in the Events of War, it becomes Gentlemen of the military Order to improve in every Art of Self-Defence. Could I, by a most importunate Address, be instrumental of a general Improvement in the Art of War, though I might act beside my sacred Character; yet I could excuse my self, with the Thought of having done [Page 25] Good to my Country. We are indeed to look on this Necessity as the Judgment of God. We are to cultivate the Arts of War, as beside the genuine Tendency of our holy Religion; nevertheless neces­sary in this State of Disorder. The skilful Defen­ders of our Lives and Liberties are great Blessings to Mankind. Does it not create Anxiety in every considerate Mind, to find, that after so many Years Exercise in War, military Skill and Discipline have received no greater Improvements? Every one knows the Posture of our military Affairs is greatly changed since the Beginning of the War; that the Discipline which was before, is now by no Means suitable and adequate to the present State of America. Should God suffer us to be invaded, we should not have to deal only with raw undisciplined Savages, but with regular Battalions, expert in all the Arts of War, provided with a numerous Train of Artillery, no Way to be broken but by Troops equally provid­ed, of equal Skill and Fortitude. What an unequal Match are twice their Number of half-armed, un­disciplined Militia, suddenly assembled; the greater Part of whom never faced an Enemy, or were marshaled in regimental Order? What Impression could they make upon the firm Battalions of veteran Troops? What Perplexity, what Amazement, what Confusion would a powerful Invasion throw us in­to? How highly necessary is it that our Troops know how to approach, and retreat from an Enemy in unbroken Order, and to withstand the furious Shock of a regular Army? Providence therefore calls us to make great Improvements in this necessary Science. This good Land, which God gave to our Fathers, with the noble Privileges transmitted to [Page 26] us, is worth defending. Our pleasant Seats, our Wives and Children, our Liberties; these sacred Temples, our holy Religion call for Improvement in the Art of defending them. We become more and more the Object of public Attention. We may expect this New World will henceforth be the Seat of War; we may expect in our Turn to be in­vaded: Some of us may yet see our Plains flow with human Blood. This Matter therefore de­serves a serious Attention, especially by those of the military Order, particularly by the Gentlemen of that antient and honourable Constitution, originally de­signed for, and who profess to be the School of true Discipline.

A LOVE to my dear native Country leads me, my patient Hearers, to congratulate you, on the Smiles of Heaven upon the Protestant Arms, the signal Successes, the repeated Conquests of the last Year have given a favourable Turn to the War in Ame­rica, and now enable us to meditate a final Blow, as the last Means of Peace: May Heaven crown that Enterprize, so hopefully begun, with desired Success!—We still enjoy the precious Life of our Royal Sovereign to give Life to our Hopes: the British Arms, under a wise Administration, are grown respectable: our Navy is become the Envy and Terror of the World. Add to this, the noble Stand our German Ally has made against the united Powers of France, the Emperor and several power­ful States of Germany; the Swedes and Russians, all unitedly bent upon his Ruin; and that Train of Victories, which has surprized the whole World. These Events give us Hopes of Peace highly ad­vantageous to the Protestant Nations. But let us [Page 27] rejoice with Fear; the Events of War are most precarious and surprizing. He, who guides the cir­cling Worlds, can dash our Hopes with a Word. There wants but his Permission, and raging Pesti­lence shall cut off our Armies; Storms shall scatter our Ships of War; He can insensibly blind the ablest Generals, dart Life into our despised Foes; or by a secret Influence intimidate Legions in a Day of Bat­tle; He can soon make the Prospect dark, as it is now bright and clear. He wants neither Means nor Skill to humble our Pride, and baffle our san­guine Expectations. O! let us suitably acknowledge his Agency; let us hope in the God of Armies: Thine O Lord is the Greatness, and the Power, and the Glory, and the Victory, and the Majesty—now therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise thy glorious Name.

3^dly. LET us be deeply affected with the depraved, deplorable State of Mankind. We do not live in a Garden of Pleasure, but in a World of Woe. 'Tis affecting to think of the Havock and Desolation sin­ful Mortals have suffered in all Ages. We, that only hear the Sound of War, know but little of its Horrors. What affecting Scenes are these! Coun­tries depopulated, the Glory of Kingdoms slain in a Day. To walk the Fields of Battle; to feel our Hearts pierced with the Groans of expiring Men; to see Garments rolled in Blood; to trample on bro­ken Limbs, and mangled Bodies, gnawing their Tongues, biting the Ground for Anquish; the dy­ing mingled with the dead, Fields streaming with crimson Gore; O Spectacle of Horror!—But to bring these Things home: to see our Wives and Daughters ravished, our young Men slain in Battle, [Page 28] our Infant-Offspring dashed in Pieces, our Houses laid in Ashes; this would give us the most feeling Sense of human Misery: nor let any say, this is but an imaginary Vision, this, hard as it is, has been the Lot of Thousands, perhaps Millions of our own Race. Shall we not feel for others; shall not the Love of Mankind teach us Compassion to our very Enemies. Let us mourn the Unhappiness of Man­kind: Let us cry to the Father of Ages to pity his degenerate Offspring, and hasten that glorious Day, when the Nations shall learn War no more.

4^thly. LET us be thankful for the Hopes we en­tertain of Deliverance from this State of Woe. Tho' the World has hitherto been a Field of Blood, we hope for better Days. It is hardly possible to be­lieve, that the noble Prophecies of the Peace and Glory of the Church, have ever yet had their most illustrious Accomplishment. No past State of the Church seems to have answered to the lofty Meta­phors, of the Old-Testament Prophets, and more elevated Descriptions of the New-Testament Reve­lation. The whole Tenor of prophetic Revelation evidently points us forward to a more glorious Day upon Earth: when JESUS CHRIST the Prince of Peace, shall be King over all the Earth; in that Day shall there be one Lord and his Name one—when He shall judge among the Nations and they shall beat their Swords into Plow-Shares, and their Spears in­to Pruning-Hooks, Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation, and they shall learn War no more. Such a happy Period of the World seems to be pointed forth by the Prophet Hosea when he speaks of the Recovery of the Jews in the latter Days, (Ch. iii. 4, 5.) and by the Apostle of the Gentiles [Page 29] (Rom. xi. 26) likewise by the Prophet Daniel, (ch [...] vii. 27.) The Kingdom and Dominion, and the Greatness of the Kingdom under the Whole Heaven, [...] given to the—Saints of the MOST HIGH [...] Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all [...] shall serve and obey Him; when, as the Apostle John expresses it, The Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever. As all the great Lines of Providence, through the Course of preceed­ing Ages, were directed to, and brought about, that great Accomplishment of the eternal Coun­sels of God, in the coming of the Messiah; so we have little Reason to doubt, the Scheme of Pro­vidence is carrying on in a continual Progress, though we are unable to trace its Steps, to bring on that most perfect State of the World, in which the no­blest Designs of God's Love in this World will be fully accomplished. All Things have been, in all Ages conducted for the final Advancement, of Puri­ty, Perfection, and Happiness through Jesus Christ. As the preceeding Dispensations prepared the World for the Gospel-Kingdom, that grand Dispensation of Grace; so it is highly probable, that the Dispen­sations of Heaven since, are all preparatory to, and introductive of, that Golden Age, that most perfect and glorious State, that is not yet for Ages to com­mence. As all the Ages before the Manifestation of God in Flesh, were but a preparatory Scene to [...] which is the perfect State of the World; so per­haps all the Ages that are pass'd and to c [...]me before that Day, [...] but the [...] Light, the Dawn of Day, to [...] long meridian [...] that compleatest [Page 30] Dispensation of God's Love to the World; a glori­ous Emblem of the uninterrupted Felicity of Hea­ven. Now when we consider the more rigorous Dealings of Providence, as the necessary Steps to prepare the ascending World for its meridian and lasting Glory, what an enlarged View does it give us of the benevolent Designs of the Father of Mer­cies! Further, as that future Day seems to be spoken of by the Prophets, as the most excellent State of the World, the Perfection of the Gospel-Administration, may we not conjecture, that (ana­logous to the known Order of divine Operations) all preceeding Ages will bear no more Proportion to that Day, than the Dawn of Light to the long Sum­mer's-Day; or than one or two Days to a Thousand Years. Well may such Prospects alleviate our Minds under the Pressure of human Woe.—With what chearful Hope should we extend our Views to that long Age of Peace, when all these Things shall be forgotten! And tho' we, long e'er that Day, shall sleep in our Graves,^† yet when we see the Good of God's chosen, we should rejoice with the Gladness of his Nation, and glory with his Inheritance. Bles­sed be God for the rising Light of Prophecy,—for that Light and Happiness, to which this unhappy World will in distant Ages rise, thro' JESUS CHRIST; of the Increase of whose Government and Peace there will be no End.

[Page 31] LASTLY, let us all prepare and long for an eternal World of Peace. Here our Hopes and Fears take their Turns: our Hearts ach for a miserable World. Justly may we adopt the Complaint of the Psalmist; Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech—I am for Peace; but, when I speak, they are for War.

BUT, blessed be God, our Faith leads us to con­sider these Things, not as the final State of human Nature, but only as the Means of a glorious Here­after. These Troubles are in the Hand of the Me­diator, thro' whom they serve to prepare a chosen Race for a Stat [...] of refined Happiness. We are Strangers and Pilgrims here, but we look for a City which hath Foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God. There we shall find no contending Nations; Pride and Envy are never felt: there are no aspiring Princes, no grasping Monarchs, to disturb the hea­venly Society. O! let us be quickened by the un­certain State of human Affairs, to lay up our Trea­sure there. Let us fight the good Fight of Faith, under JESUS CHRIST the Captain of our Salvation, that we may lay hold on eternal Life. Consider, my Hearers, the Dignity, the noble Powers, the Im­mortality and substantial Felicity of your intellectual Spirits, and labour to rise up in spiritual Perfection. O! let us all secure a Union and Conformity to the Father of Spirits; the Peace of God, that passeth al [...] Understanding, and a glorious Inheritance in the Re­gions of Light and Love: let us see to it that we dwell in God, and He in us; then may we, in all the future Convulsions of Nature, look down with Serenity on tempestuous Worlds;—behold the Ele­ments melt with fervent Heat, the Earth and the [Page 32] Works that are therein burnt up.—We were made to out-live the Ruins of Time. We need not fear them who can only kill the Body; but, Him who can destroy both Body and Soul in Hell. We shall one Day behold the Desolation of this material System; unshaken,—triumphing in our natural Immortality. And when the Sun shall become black as Sackcloth of Hair, when Time shall "tread out Empire, and "quench the Stars," We, undying Spirits, if wise and holy, shall shine as the Brightness of the Firma­ment, and as the Stars for ever and ever.

Now to Him who governs the World in Wisdom, of whom and to whom, and through whom are all Things; to Him be Glory, by JESUS CHRIST, World without End.

AMEN.