THE Revelation of St. John, has been esteemed by all learned & judicious Men, since the Religion of the great Emanuel diffused Light and Life, thro' Nations that sat in Darkness, and the Shadow of Death; to be the most difficult & myste­rious Part of the Bible. It has indeed puzzled the bright­est Genius, in it's Endeavours to investigate the Mysteries recorded in this Book —Many Things are accomplishing, and perhaps accomplished, concerning mystical Babylon, or Rome papal.—We all with earnest Expectation wait, the blessed, glorious and joyful Time, when the Man of Sin shall be destroyed—When mystical Babylon, that my­stery of Iniquity, fraught with the Wages of Sin, shall be hurried with the greatest Precipitation (by the divine [Page 8] Permission) into the Abyss of Oblivion & Non-existence— Then shall the glorious millennial State dawn, when the Church of God, (whereof the Temple on Mount Zion was a Type)— The Mountain of the Lord's House, shall be established in the Top of the Mountains, and exalted above the Hills, and all Nations shall flow unto it.— When one of those bright Intelligences, who inhabit Realms inaccessible to Mortals here below, shall fly thro' the midst of Heaven, having the everlasting Gospel, to preach unto all those that dwell on the Earth, to every Na­tion and Kindred, and Tongue, and People.—But why this Digression—My Hearers, I shall not pretend to dive into this Bathos; but gently glide upon the Surface; lest by endeavouring to plunge into the Abyss, I should find it unfathomable, and difficult with Ease or Decency, to emerge from its Profundity.

I take the Words read at this Time for a Theme sui­table, as I suppose, to expand Fancy's Wing, in order to expatiate upon the magnalia Dei, the great Things of God.—How great & marvellous all his Works of Crea­tion, and Providence are; and I might more especially treat of the marvellous Work of our Redemption by Jesus Christ: But that I must leave; as the Occasion of our meeting together, naturally leads us largely to treat of God's marvellous Works of Providence. — I shall but gently glide along upon the Surface of the first, in the Skiff of my natural & artificial Abilities, and so declaim more largely upon the latter: Such as the great and mar­vellous Works of God's Providence towards us in Years past; in prospering the British Arms; in granting us Pros­perity; especially this Year, and the last, in setting Pros­perity and Adversity, the one over against the other.

These Things loudly call upon us, to recollect; and may they make a lasting Impression upon our Minds; so that we may teach them to our Children, that these mighty Acts of the Lord may be known by succeed­ing [Page 9] Generations. All Things which arise to our View, on the Surface of this Earth, at the Call and Command of the great Architect, arose from the primordial Mass.— The invisible Things of him from the Creation of the World, are clearly seen, being understood by the Things that are made; even his eternal Power and Godhead. His Power, in being able with so much Ease and Expedition, to rear and uphold so vast a Fabrick — His Wisdom, in contriving such a beautiful System of Things, digesting them so fitly, and connecting them so firmly, and in such harmonious Order.— And his God­head, in being the Author of all those Beauties and Per­fections; all those Splendors and Magnificences, which we behold with so much Pleasure and Wonder; in the Contemplation of which, the Heathen were carried away in poetic Rapture; which sometimes terminated in Hymns and Eulogies to the World's Creator.

In my descant on Creation, I shall not trouble you with Geographical Certainties, or Astronomical Niceties; but proceed in just Gradation intelligible to all; forming my Plan upon that of the holy Penman, (in the first Chapter of Genesis.) directed by unerring Wisdom: — And shall fix my Observations more especially, on those great and marvellous Works of Jehovah, on this Terra­queous Globe, conspicuous to a contemplative Mind,— This Terraqueous Globe, which all-bounteous Heaven designed for our present Abode.—Not being wholly con­fined to this Terrestial Habitation, being necessitated, perhaps my Thot's may sometimes soar upon Contem­plation's Wings, to the starry Region. This Abode of Mortals, differs from the Celestial, as it was formed out of pre-existent Matter, which probably they were not; But then the Mass out of which it arose, was ^† rude and undigested, and unapt of itself to receive the beautiful [Page 10] Form which the almighty Artist put upon it, so as to de­serve, tho' in a secondary Sense only, the Name of a Creation — So that we may justly be transported, and join the comprehensive Strain in the Text— Great and marvellous—

That the World by some powerful, yea, omnipotent Agent, was created out of a Chaos, a confused, inordi­nate Heap of Matter, is evident from the Histories of the most ancient Nations, and the Testimonies of their best Authors.— And this is no ways repugnant to Scripture, but agreeable thereto; for it is manifest from the Des­cription Moses gives of the Creation, where he says, ^‡ In the Beginning God created the Earth, i.e the Matter whereof the Chaos was composed, which was with­out Form, without any Shape or Order; and void, with­out any Thing living, or growing in it; and Darkness was upon the Face of the Waters: nothing was seen for want of Light which lay buried in this vast Abyss.

"The inspired Penman, by the Chaos, seems to give us an idea of a fluid Mass, wherein the Seeds and Prin­ciples of all Things were blended together, and mingled in Confusion, so that heavy and light, dense and rare, fluid and solid Particles, were all in wild Confusion and Disorder."—

It may be observed, that before the holy Penman in­forms us what particular Creatures were each Day succes­sively brought into Being, (as a Thing essential and pre­paratory to the Work) he tells us, That the Spirit of God moved upon the Face of the Waters. Whether by the Spirit of God, we are to understand his holy and essential Spirit, which is the third Person in the ever-blessed Trinity, or the Spirit of the Messiah, as some of the antient Jews have understood it; or that plastick Nature, which according to some, was made subservient to him upon this Occasion, or some other Emanation of [Page 11] the divine Power; we may rationally suppose, that its Incubation or Brooding (as it literally signifies) upon the Chaotick Mass, not only separated those Parts which were jumbled together, but impregnated it with several Kinds of vital Influence, or gave a vivifick Vertue, to produce what was contained in it, so as to make it capable of Disposition and Order.— Great and Marvellous!—

In this State, we may suppose the Chaos to have been, when the Fiat for Light was given, on the first Day.— Whereupon all the confused, stagnating Princi­ples of Matter, began to range into Form and Order the terrene Parts which over-clouded the Expansum, at the Summons given, retired to their respective Centers, viz. the Planets: And as the grosser Parts subsided, the lighter and more tenuous mounted up, and meeting to­gether in a Body, were then put into a circular Motion, so as to visit the whole Expansum of the Chaos; This was not only to separate the Light from the Darkness, and make a Distribution of Day and Night, but to faci­litate the Work too, and forward the Digestion of the remaining Parts of Creation.

Thus the bright and active Element of Fire was ex­tracted from the chaotick Mass. This was for the pre­sent to influence the upper Parts of the Chaos, and to be the Instrument of Rarefaction, and all the rest of the Operations, which were necessary to mould it into such Creatures as were afterwards brought into Being— Great and Marvellous!—

On the second Day of Creation, the beautiful Ele­ment of Air was extracted, when before Water lay un­distinguishably dispersed, in the Expansion of the Chaos, and together with the Aether, made a pellucid Body.

The next Thing to be done; was to make a Divi­sion of these Waters, and distribute them in proper Por­tions to their respective Planets; which is taken to be the meaning of the Waters above the Firmament.—The [Page 12] Almighty gave Command and all the aqueous Parts of the great Pellucid subsided towards their Centers, and cir­cumfused about their Globes. — The Waters under the Firmament, were divided from the Waters above the Fir­mament; the Waters of the Earth of the Moon and other Planets which before this Day lay confusedly dispersed in the Expansum were divided.

The watry Particles on the third Day having cleared the Expansum, and falling upon the Planetary Orbs, covered the Face of the Earth as well as other Planets; the great Creator gave command for the Waters to be gathered into one Place, and the dry Land to appear. Then the mighty Mountains instantaneously reared their lofty Heads— and the Waters with tremendous Roar, flowing from their enormous Sides filled the wide extended Valleys.—Those Vales which the swelling of the Earth in some Places, had made in others for the Reception of the Waters, which seems to be countenan­ced by the Psalmist: The Waters standing above the Mountains, at thy Rebuke they fled, at the Voice of thy Thunder (perhaps an Earthquake which is subterranean Thunder) they hasted away, and went down to the Valleys beneath, even unto the Place which thou hadst prepared for them.— And by Jehovah himself, who is introduced thus speaking in the Book of Job I break up for the Sea, my decreed Place, and set Bars and Doors.

After this, the Almighty Jehovah gave Command, and the Earth was covered over with verdant Herbage, the gay Green, which is Nature's universal Robe—Vegeta­bles of all Kinds were then produced in full Proportion, laden with Fruit, and not subjected to the ordinary way of Maturation, by virtue of a supernatural Power, given by the great Artichect; notwithstanding the fecundity of the primigenial Earth, beyond what it is since the Fall of Mankind; it is rational to suppose something super­natural, if we consider the Space of Time, in which the [Page 13] Thing was accomplished—Great and marvellous are his Works!—

After the All-powerful Jehovah had finished this lower World, the divine Historian carries us upon Con­templation's Wing, to the starry Region— Let us then, with him, hover a while in the Regions above, and take a View of those Luminaries that rule the Day & Night, the Work of the fourth Day.

The Moon, as well as the other Planets, must be sup­posed to go along with the Earth in its Formation, and to advance in Proportion, tho' it is not said to be made be­fore the reflected Rays of the Sun made it visible to the Earth —That flaming Light, which is of different Make and Matter, and which moved around the chaotick Mass, having used its Influence, in producing the Aether, in the separation of the Water, and the Arefaction of the Earth; the omnipotent Agent, on this fourth Day, cast into a proper Orb; for no Doubt, had its Duration been lon­ger, the Heat would have been too intense, both for the Production and Conservation of the human and bru­tal Species.— As was said before, the Almighty placed it at a convenient Distance from the Earth, and other Planets; giving it a duplicate Motion to distinguish the Day from the Night, and to mark out the various Sea­sons of the Year, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, and by Consequence, the Seasons for ploughing, sowing, planting, pruning, reaping, vintage, sailing &c. and form­ed it into that glorious Luminary, we are every Day so much indebted to, and view so often with Admiration— Wonderful are the Works of God, his Ways incompre­hensible to Mortals!

Let us re-visit the Habitation of Mortals, having glan­ced upon the marvellous Works of the Deity in the For­mation of inanimate Creatures; we shall now proceed, with the holy Penman, to the animate; the Work of the fifth Day — Beginning with the less, and going on [Page 14] to the more perfect; until we come with the mosaick History, to the top of the animal Creation: which is Man —

With vast Amazement, we may view the innumera­ble Multitude of Fish that inhabit the Deep, and Fowl that mount on high in Air, which by the almighty Fiat, were in an instant produced out of Matter, as it was mixed with Water, which contained many Things be­sides Water in the Simple—The great Congruity there is in their Natures, is a sufficient Indication of this — Let the Waters bring forth abundance (says God); immediately the Command is obeyed, and the Waters bring forth abundantly—So that we may naturally sup­pose, that many Individuals were at first created.— Again, there seems to be something peculiar, in blessing his Creatures; of which there is no mention made be­fore.—Here he bids them to be fruitful & multiply ^*— and marvellously we behold a prolific Virtue, and a na­tural Instinct for Generation; so that they may pre­serve their Species, and multiply their Individuals.

Every Thing being put into marvellous Order by Omnipotence it self — The Earth covered with Her­bage— The Waters stored with finny Inhabitants — The Air replenished with the winged Tribes—And that Fire which moved round the chaotick Mass, placed at such a convenient Distance, so as to give Warmth and Nou­rishment to them all; and that this sublunary Abode might be more comfortable for the most noble of all God's Works, even Man.

In the beginning of the sixth and last Day, terrestrial Animals were created; the savage Beasts that range the Wood; all tame and domestick Creatures for the Use of Man, constituted Vicegerent here below— and creep­ing Things innumerable, the most odious to the human Species, of any of the Creation of God.—GOD made [Page 15] the Beasts, and every Thing that creepeth, after his Kind.— Great and marvellous are thy Works, O Lord God Almighty!

Every Thing being made subservient to a rational in­telligent Being, in order to advance his Felicity— The Light had penetrated into, and clarified the dark and thick Atmosphere—The Air was freed from noxious Vapours, and fitted for Respiration — The Waters so disposed, as to afford Mists and Dews from Heaven; Springs and Rivers from the Earth, to supply Man's Necessities.—The Earth was now solid for his Support, was covered with Trees, Shrubs, and Vegetables of all Kinds, for Sustenance and Delight.—The glorious Fir­mament on High, with all the blue aetherial Region, and shining Frame of the spangled Heavens, was laid open to Contemplation, and the Luminaries by their powerful Influences, put in such Order as to distinguish the Seasons, and make the World a delicious, and plea­sant Habitation—In short, when all Sorts of Animals, in Air, Seas, and Earth, were contrived by infinite Wis­dom, so as to contribute in their several Capacities for Benefit and Delight; then Man was created, and brought upon the Stage —Then he was constituted by the Almighty, Lord and Governor of the whole, in which his Honor and Dignity were consulted— In an Instant of Time, the great Protoplast was made in full Perfection.

But perhaps the Thing will make a stronger Impres­sion on our Minds, if we suppose the Figure of Man to rise by Degrees, and finished Part by Part, in a Suc­cession of Time—That when the whole was compleat­ed, the Veins and Arteries bored, the Sinews and Ten­dons laid, the Joints fitted, and the Liquor transmutable into Blood and Juices, lodged in the Ventricles of the Heart, God infusing into it a Principle of Life: after which, the Liquor in the Heart begins to descend, and [Page 16] thrill along the Veins; and this crimson Current, caused a heavenly Blush to arise in the Countenance, such as scorned the help of Art, and was above the Power of Imitation— This Image moved, it walked, it spake; moved with a Majesty, which loudly proclaimed it, Lord of the Creation; and spake with such an Accent and Sublimity of Sentiment, as to make every Ear attentive, and even it's great Creator enter into Converse with it— If we should see all this transacted before our Eyes, should we not stand astonished at the Sight, and in hum­ble Admiration cry out, Lord, what is Man that thou art mindful thus of him and the Son of Man that thou thus visitest him? From a Piece of Clay thou hast made him little lower than the Angels, to crown him with Glory and Worship; thou hast made him to have Dominion over the Works of thy Hands, and thou hast put all Things in Subjection under his Feet—O Lord our Go­vernor, how excellent is thy Name in all the World!— Yes, verily we may cry out with Propriety, Great and marvellous.

But besides all this; Man had the Image of his great Creator instamped upon him—A Mind fortified to bear the divine Presence—qualified for the divine Converse; fully illuminated by the divine Spirit: and a Body, con­trary to it's natural Composition, indulged the Privi­ledge of Immortality—an Harmony in all it's Faculties— an Understanding stored with all Knowledge, — a Will submitted to the divine Pleasure — Affections placed on their proper Objects: a serene Conscience, and resplen­dent Holiness.— In short, a Body formed with so much Majesty and Splendor, as to challenge the Government of this inferior World. — Great and marvellous is this Work of thine, Lord God Almighty!

Having taken a cursory View of the marvellous Works of the Deity, in the Creation of Beings, rational and ir­rational, animate and inanimate.

[Page 17]Let us now shift the Scene; which will open to our View, his providential Care over the Creation: For as soon as Creatur [...] are made, they want divine Power to support them: "No Time can be imagined, in which they can subsist without God's Interposition; and the Preservation of the World, may with Propriety be called a continual Creation." — Let us then view the various Parts of his Providence—The Scene will open in order, these following Acts of Providence, viz.—God's Inspecti­on— His Preservation—The Provision he makes for Men and Beasts—His Concurrence and Co-operation with all Things. — And then proceed to the rational World— Considering the Government of Causes, natural, acci­dental and moral; and the directing of Events, private and publick. — God's Inspection is marvellous; His Eyes are in every Place; as the Scriptures assure us; they run to and fro', throughout the whole Earth:— All Things are naked and open, to the Sight of him with whom we have to do—God has an universal Inspection, and this is even necessary in God; His Presence is in every Place, and his divine Substance permeates all Things.

This is an Instance of his Perfection, that he is not limited to the use of material Organs, such Instruments as we make use of—Not to need those Helps which we need; which are a thousand, and ten thousand Times surpassed by the Immensity of that Essence, which is every where at once, so as to penetrate all Things with­in, like an universal Soul, and contain all Things with­out, like an universal Place —

As this marvellous Structure, at first arose by God's Almighty Power, so his marvellously assisting Hand, is stretched forth, in the Preservation of the Being, and his Power, & Wisdom, are displayed, in the Provision he makes for the well-being of all Things. — By a bare Fiat, or Act of his Will, they passed from Nothing into Being; [Page 18] if He should suspend that Act, they must unavoidably return to a State of Non-entity. — In short, as the A­postle well observes, God holds, or bears up all Things by the Word of his Power.—The same almighty Power is necessary to keep the World from sinking into Nothing, that was necessary to raise it out of Nothing. The Pre­servation of every Thing at this very Day, is as much the Effect of God's Power, as they were the Moment, the very first Moment that they existed — Great and marvellous! Thou, even thou art the Lord alone; Thou hast made the Heaven, even the Heaven of Heavens, with all their Hosts, the Earth and all Things that are therein, and thou preservest them all. God thinks it not enough to preserve all his Creatures in Being, but he provides too for their well-being.

We will then take a short View of some Parts of his Providence, in order to conceive how just the Observa­tion of the Psalmist is, viz. That the Eyes of all wait upon God, who opens his Hand, and fills all things liv­ing, with Plenteousness.

If we look upon the Earth, our present Abode, we can­not but perceive its Fruitfulness, in Animals and Vegi­tables —A variety of Trees, all laden with Delicacies, whose Seeds are in themselves, in order for their Con­tinuance.—A variety of delightful Flowers, wonderful in their make.—Grains of all Sorts, for Man's Support; and Herbs of all Kinds, both for Food and Physick, ri­sing conspicuous to our view on its Surface.— And yet the Earth out of which these Blessings are produced, is a cold Mass of Matter, destitute of Warmth and proli­fick Virtue.

If we take a View, as we pass into the Region of A­nimals, we cannot but observe, the singular Beauty and Strength, that some of them are endowed with; others have great Sagacity: All, how savage soever in their [Page 19] Nature, are tenderly concerned for the Preservation of their Young. Marvellous indeed is this!

I shall not expatiate any further, over the several Tribes of Animals—But go on in regular Progression to another Act of God's Providence; his constant Concur­rence, and Co-operation with all Things.

As God's Essence is in every Place, so is his Power ex­tended to all Things; the proper End of his Power is Acti­on, and consequently where the Deity is, there it must be acting— The Parts of Matter, in what Order soever we may suppose them to be disposed, neither gravitate, nor communicate Motion, nor in any Respect, act upon one another, but in Consequence of God's immediate and marvellously assisting Hand. What are the Motions of all the heavenly Bodies, and their regular succeeding Revolutions—The Revolution of Day and Night, and the return of annual Seasons, but the marvellous Work of Almighty God?

Again, with regard to the vegetable World: They have neither Sense nor Reason to discern the Periods of their growth, yet before they wither and die, they run up into Seed, as if they foresaw their approaching End, and so were solicitous to leave a numerous Posterity be­hind them.— What is this, but the marvellous Co-ope­ration of God Almighty.

I might descant largely upon the Concurrence and Co-operation of God's Providence, as to the brute and irrational World; but what has been said, is enough to suffice any Person of Contemplation.

I proceed then to take a View of the rational World.

I do not pretend to say, that Man acts without the Concurrence and Co-operation of Almighty God, in whom we live and move and have our Being: To sup­pose the contrary, would be impious, and inconsistent with the Dependence we owe to our great Creator.— [Page 20] But this I must say, and I hope without Offence to any Persons that allow themselves to exercise the Faculty of thinking, indulged them by the Creator, tho' at the same Time, I think my self under no Obligation to please any particular Sect in Religion; but to speak the Sentiments of the Heart, not to pin my Faith upon the Antinomian Sleeve, or to imbibe any Notion started by the fiery Homo-thumadon Brethren; that the Case is not with Men as with Brutes. God has not only en­dowed him with natural Powers, and Principles of Action, but an Understanding and Will too, whereby he judges, reasons and determines for himself— and therefore it is thought by the Judicious, that the divine Co-operation, with respect to Man, seems to extend no farther, than the natural Power of acting, and not to any specifick Acts. It makes no Alteration in the Powers of Nature, but only enables them to act according to their Natures: God sets these Powers a going indeed, but gives them no preter-natural Motion▪ this is something like the wind­ing up of a Watch, leaving its Motion to be guided by its Springs and Wheels. Marvellous indeed is this Work of God!

The Scene opens to our View a fourth Act of God's Providence; viz. The Government of Causes, natural, accidental and moral. —All natural Causes are under the immediate and absolute Government of God: He keeps the Springs of Nature in his Hands, and turns them as he pleases.— He guides the heavenly Bodies, impresses the Degree, and chalks out the Path of their Motions— His almighty Hand turns round those stupendous Wheels, in a perpetual Revolution. This is evident from the Expostulation God holds with Job— Knowest thou the Ordinances of Heaven, and canst thou set the Dominion thereof on the Earth? &c. There are indeed different Virtues and Powers bestowed by God, on natural Cau­ses; in ordinary Cases he makes use of these Powers to [Page 21] serve the wise Ends of his Providence in the Govern­ment of Mankind. ‘Tho' every Thing in the material World, exerts it's natural Powers, and acts necessarily: The great and everlasting God, can suspend its Mo­tions, and direct its Influences, without reversing the Laws of Nature.’ Fire and Water, Wind and Rain, Thunder and Lightening, have their natural Powers and Qualities; and God produces such Effects with them, as they are apt to produce of themselves: He warms us with Fire, invigorates the Earth with the kind Influ­ence of the Sun; cools the Air with Winds; and clari­fies it with Thunder and Lightnings. — But, when and where the Winds shall blow, and the Rains fall, and in what Measure and Proportion. Times and Seasons, and other natural Causes, shall give or with hold their In­fluences: this God keeps in his own Power, — hereby he governs the World, and can reward or punish Men as they deserve, without altering the standing Laws of Nature—Fire and Hail, Snow and Vapour, and stor­my Winds fulfil his Word: He calls to the Clouds, that abundance of Water may cover the Earth at one Time; gives the former and latter Rain in its Season: as God of his abundant Goodness has dealt with us, not long since; and has given us as great Plenty perhaps as ever was known in this Land; so that we have been a­ble to supply our Forces, both by Sea and Land, with Provisions of all Kinds; notwithstanding the long Con­tinuance of the sore Judgment of War.— At ano­ther time, God shuts up the Heavens, that it does not Rain, or causes it to rain upon one City, and not upon another; so that two or three Cities wander to one City to drink, and are not satisfied; as you are sensible was the Case the last Year: and these are our Circumstan­ces at present

But in the midst of Judgment, He is remembering Mercy; in granting us one Success, after another, against [Page 22] our Enemies; which is the Occasion of our meeting together, to render Thanks unto Him for his Bene­fits in this Respect.— God has set Prosperity and Adver­sity the one over against the other. In the Day of Prospe­rity, we are to be joyful, and in the Day of Adversity, to consider. But what shall we do, when they both hap­pen together? I answer; The highest Piece of Wis­dom, is to live in a serious Sense of the Power of God; and to consider, that nothing comes to pass without his Providence; with which we must not be uneasy, when he is pleased to cross us in any of our private Designs, or to send any publick Calamity, which by all our Art and Power we can neither avoid nor remedy.—No, we ought rather to accommodate our selves to the present State of Things; and when we are in Prosperity, to en­joy God's Blessings cheerfully with thankful and chari­table Hearts: But so soberly, as not to forget that Affliction may come, and when it does▪ let us take it patiently, considering among other Things, that there may be a Change for the better: For as both the one and the other come from God; so he hath ordered they should have their Turns in such due Season, and bal­lanced one with the other so exactly, that the meanest Man has no Reason to complain; nor the greatest to fancy himself more than a Man; who can't invent any Means to dispose Things otherwise, much less, better than God has done. ^†

There are many strange, casual and accidental Events, which happen to us all, and are of great Consequence to the Happiness or Misery of human Life; which Ob­servation the wise Man made long ago: I returned and saw under the Sun, that the Race is not to the swift, nor the Battle to the strong; neither yet Bread to the wise, nor yet Riches to Men of Understanding, nor yet Favour to Men of Skill; but Time and Chance happeneth to [Page 23] them all. ^† Some strange and unaccountable Accidents change the Fortunes of Men, and disappoint the most proper Means of Success. What should conquer in a Race, one would think, but Swiftness? or win the Battle, but Strength? What should supply Men's Wants, and increase Riches, but Wisdom and Understanding in human Affairs? What more likely Way to gain a ge­neral Favour and Esteem, than a skilful Application and Address? And yet the Preacher observed in his Days, what is abundantly verified in our's, that Time & Chance, some favourable Conjunctures, and unforeseen Accidents, were of more Avail to this Purpose, than all the Means and Methods that Men can devise. "It was this Obser­vation, that caused the Heathen World, to deify Fortune, and attribute all Things to her Government:— But Christians know of no such Thing as Chance or Fortune. We know that God alone governs the World, and dis­poses of all Events. So that how fortuitous soever Things may be, in respect of the Design, and natural Tendency of second Causes, yet they depend upon the Will and Power of the first Cause: and they never hap­pen without the Purpose and Intention of God, who fore­sees them before they come to pass.—What can be more uncertain, than an Arrow shot at a venture? and yet that, wherewith Ahab was slain, was pointed and direct­ed by the unerring Hand of God."

We can't but think that these Things are the proper Province of God, and the more immediate Objects of his Care and Attention, since they are such powerful In­struments in his Hands — If we consider how the Lives and Fortunes of Men, the Fate of Kingdoms & Empires, the Successes of War, and Changes of Government, ma­ny Times are determined and effected, by those Events, which we call fortuitous; and how Chance defeats the wisest Counsels, and strongest Powers; rewards good [Page 24] Men unexpectedly, and punishes the bad remarkably— If we exclude God from the Disposal of these, we not only rob him of a great Branch of his Dominion, but our selves too, of the comfortable Sense of our Security under the Wing and Shadow of the Almighty.

Let us now pass to moral and rational Agents.— Moral and rational Agents are immediately under the Government of God; He not only over-rules the Acti­ons, but sways the Wills, and guides the Passions, and directs the Designs of Mankind, as it best suits with the Ends of his Providence—This we learn from the sacred Records, where it is said, That Man's goings are of the Lord; and tho' his Heart deviseth his Ways, yet the Lord directeth his Paths—That the Way of Man is not in himself — That the Heart of Kings is in the Hand of the Lord, which he turneth as he will; and that tho' there be many Devices in Man's Heart, never­theless, the Counsel of the Lord that shall stand &c.— But then you may reply, that this destroys the Liberty of Choice, and consequently the Nature of Virtue and Vice, and the Reasons of Rewards and Punishments— To this I answer — That we must distinguish between God's Government of Men as reasonable Creatures and free Agents, and his Government of them, as the In­struments of his Providence: The first considers them in their own private and natural Capacity; the second in Relation to the rest of Mankind; which makes a great Difference, both in the Reason and Acts of Go­vernnment.—Marvellous is this Act of God's Provi­dence!

Lastly, I shall exhibit one Branch more of the Pro­vidence of God, to your View, viz. His ordering and di­recting all the Events that attend human Affairs,—such as long Life, and sudden Death, Health and Sickness, Honor and Disgrace, Riches and Poverty, Famine and Plenty, War and Peace; and those many great and sur­prizing [Page 25] Changes and Revolutions, which many Times happen in Kingdoms and States. That all the Blessings and Comforts of human Life, are of God's immediate sending upon us, is acknowledged by all that believe a Providence. The only Difficulty is about the Cala­mities of it.—This is familarly exemplified by a Divine of our own.^*—God suffers one bad Man to execute his Vengeance upon another bad Man — There are bad Men enough in the World, that deserve Correction, and others that are ready enough at all Times to fall upon their Brethren, if the Restraint was taken off; and if we make this Supposition, that a Man has forfeited his Life, or Estate, or Reputation to Providence, or without any Forfeiture whatever, God thinks fit for other Reasons, to remove him out of the World, or to reduce him to Poverty or Contempt: There are always Men enough, forward to execute such Decrees: 'Tis but the bringing such Persons as he appoints for Suffering, into the reach of such Men as he designs shall be the Executioners of his Will; and their own Malice and Wickedness will do the rest.—This is the Method used by God in bringing Calamities upon particular Persons; and all the Hand he has in it, is only withdrawing the Restraint, and suf­fering bad Men to be driven by the Impulse of their own Lust.— And supposing the Restraint never to be withdrawn but only to execute his righteous Judgments, nothing is more honourable to Providence, or a greater Security to Mankind."

By the Account we have in Scripture, we may sup­pose that both good and bad Angels are made Use of by God in the Government of the World: but how well qua­lified, and how far appointed to be the Instruments of public Blessings and Calamities, I need not determine— [Page 26] It was usually by the ministry of those Spirits, or by the unruly Passions of Princes, that the sore Judgments of Heaven, the Sword and the Famine, and the noisome Pestilence, fell upon a guilty Land. — God gives the Commission, the Execution is intirely done by them— As is represented in Ezekiel's Vision; where the Angels of God are busily employed in the Destruction of Jerusa­lem ^*. Cause them that have Charge over the City, &c.

It seems therefore to comport with the Majesty and Purity of God, to suppose that the Calamities which are sent upon a guilty World, are fomented by the un­ruliness of Men's Spirits, or inflicted by the Ministry of Angels: But the Hand of God seems more eminently visible, in Changes and Revolutions, which many Times happen in Kingdoms and States. ^† For the Providence of God concerns it self more especially in producing these amazing Events, so that its Influence on Things below, may be observed & acknowledged; which would come near to be forgotten, were there not some remar­kable Instances of his Interposition in human Affairs, by raising Men up at fit Times, to a lively and vigorous Sense of it.—Tho' we are sensible, that we live, move, and have our being in God —that we are supported con­stantly by his almighty Power, and all our Actions con­ducted by his unerring Wisdom and Goodness; yet the Impression which this Knowledge makes upon our Minds, is but faint, and is quickly effaced. It is so difficult to distinguish his secret concurring Influences, from the Workings of natural and moral Causes, that we are apt to rest in the Contemplation of the one, without consi­dering the other; and we resolve all at last into the Power of such Principles, as lie nearest to us.

And, even in the greater and more publick Transacti­ons of the World, when they appear to be the Effects of human Foresight and Contrivance, we are apt to stop [Page 27] in our Reflections, and consequently cease in our Con­templations, upon that invisible Hand, which wields the vast Machine, and directs all its Springs and Motions. But then, when the Scene shifts suddenly, and those vi­sible Causes that contributed towards the producing this Effect, are not in Proportion to this sudden Change; then we are checked in our Insensibility; being sufficiently roused, we begin to perceive a Divine Providence that influences human Affairs, and adore it's Footsteps. And God is pleased now and then to awake our Attention, and to present to our View some astonishing Revolution of State, so that our grov'ling Thoughts may be raised above the World, to the Author of Nature, that a deeper Awe of Super-intendency, may be imprinted on our Minds, that for the future, we may remember his Ad­ministration of the great Affairs below, tho' they proceed with the greatest Regularity.

But, there is a farther Reason, for these surprizing Revolutions of State, brought about by the Hand of God: He makes use of these unexpected Turns of State, to baffle the mistaken Policy of Men, so as to discover to them the Vanity and Emptiness of a Pre­tence to consummate Wisdom, which belongs only to the great Governor of the Universe, tho' the falsly wise of this World please themselves often with this Chi­maera.

Ministers of State, Men of Experience and Ability, in Affairs of Importance, who have been long at the Helm of Government, and have been often right in their Conjectures of Things, and prosperous in their Projects— These very Persons, after a Series of Prosperity which attended their Administration, are apt at last, to strut and swell with a munificent Conceit, giving themselves the Honor of all their good Luck, and presently grow vain upon it; saying proudly in their Hearts, according to [Page 28] the elegant Expression of the Prophet,^† "By the Strength of my Hand, I have done it, and by my Wisdom, for I am prudent; and I have removed the Bounds of the People, and have robbed their Treasures, and I have put down their Inhabitants, like a valiant Man, and my Hand has found as a Nest, the Riches of the People; and as one gathereth Eggs that are lest, have I gathered all the Earth, and there was none that moved the Wing, or opened the Mouth, or peeped."—Thus they are apt to pride themselves in mere Vanity, to adore all those Schemes that brought these Things to pass, and esteem them as infallible for the future: But God often gives them a convincing Proof of their Folly, and shews them the Defect, (viz. robbing him of the Honor due to him considered as universal Monarch) by disconcerting all their Measures at once, and exhibiting a new Scene of Things, which they could not foresee with all their pre­tended Omniscience, nor prevent by Prudence, consum­mate Prudence, as they tho't it: That so the wise Man may learn not to glory in his Wisdom, and the mighty Man, not to glory in his Might: but he that glorieth may glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me; that I am the Lord, which exercise Loving-kindness, and Judgment, and Righteousness in the Earth; for in these Things I delight, saith the Lord.

^‖Were it not for such surprizing Revolutions of Affairs, which disappoint the Devices of the crafty Ones, and make the Heads of the ablest and most experienced Lookers-on giddy at the Sight, God would, in the Opi­nion of many of his Creatures, be shut out from the Government of the World; and the Honor of his Con­duct devolved upon some of the mean and subordinate Instruments of it. ‘Those poor Insects, that sit upon the Wheels of State, and imagine themselves to be the [Page 29] Authors of all it's Motions, and able to check or quicken them, at their Pleasure!’

These are some of the Acts, great and marvellous Acts and Offices of God Almighty: those wherein his Providence consists, and whereby he makes Himself known to be the most High, that ruleth in the Kingdoms of Men.

Thus I have finished what I proposed from the Words. But who among Mortals, can fathom these Depths of infinite Wisdom— These marvellous Works of Creation and Providence? How unsearchable are his Judgments, and his Ways past finding out! Who can by search­ing find out God? Who can find out the Almighty to Perfection— It is high as Heaven, what can we do? Deeper than Hell, what can we know? The Measure thereof is longer than the Earth, and broader than the Sea.

It remains that we improve the Subject—I shall pass by some useful Reflections that might be made upon Creation, which I shall leave for every one to do, at convenient Opportunities—This any Man can do, that has the Exercise of his rational Faculties, and is a Man of Contemplation: For let him be where he will, some­thing of God will present it self to his View, sufficient for Contemplation.

From what has been said upon the marvellous Works or Acts of Divine Providence; let us reflect upon the Duties we owe to Providence. And

1. Let us have a lively Sense of it impressed upon our Minds.—The Prophet Isaiah has exhibited a very lively Description of some gay unthinking People, that in a continual Round of Pleasures, fill up the Vacancies of Time: The Harp and the Viol, the Tabret and the Pipe, and Wine are in their Feasts, but they regard not the Work of the Lord, neither consider the Operation of his Hands. But it is to be hoped, that neither you my [Page 30] Hearers, nor Mankind in general, are so giddy and in­considerate: Mankind in general, indeed the most of them, have some Notion and Belief of a Providence: But their Error is this; in imputing most Events to the immediate and visible Causes, and so overlook the Di­vine Hand, in every Thing that befalls them, and con­sequently rob God of the Glory of his Dispensations, and themselves of the Benefits, that naturally flow from such a sober Recollection.—We must not be contented with a general Belief of God's Super-intendency, in hu­man Affairs, if we own a Providence, to the true Ends and Purposes of Religion.—But whatsoever our State and Condition is in this World, we must consider it to be thus ordered by God:—If we are Poor or Rich, we must be contented, knowing it is God that makes us so: that it is the Will of Heaven, that we should be Poor; and the Blessing of Heaven that makes us Rich — Or if we loose our Estates by any adverse Providence, we ought to make this submissive Acknowledgement— The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: And whatever our Miseries and Misfortunes are, we should imitate David's Practice & Behaviour; I was dumb, and open­ed not my Mouth, because it was thy Doing.—

2. From what has been said in the preceeding Dis­course; let us learn submission to the Divine Will— For after we have affected our Minds with a due Sense of the Divine Super-intendency, in every Thing that be­falls us, the next Thing to be done, is to compose our Souls into a humble Submission to the Almighty's Will, so that we may bear with Decency the Sufferings he lays upon us, and continue in the State in which God has placed us, with content. It is not inconsistent with the Christian neither, that he should desire a removal of Calamities inflicted. — But this is inconsistent with the Christian Character, to reproach and censure Providence, and to think it severe and merciless: We should always [Page 31] put the most favourable Construction upon God's Dis­pensations, with reverend and submissive Thoughts▪ and Eyes lift up to Heaven, wait with Patience, until God have Mercy upon us.

Tho' we are to bear Afflictions in Obedience to our great Creator's Will, yet we are to bear them as human Nature will permit. With Pain and Grief, and Re­luctancy; with Sighs and Groans, and Complaints; with vehement and importunate Desires and Prayers to God and Man, to help and deliver us— God indulges us in this too—Our blessed Redeemer who is the best Pattern for our Imitation in our Behaviour, expresses himself to the same Purpose—Father, if it be possible, let this Cup pass from me; but when he considered the Hand that held it out, he adds with Submission, Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt—We should consider God as wise and good in all his Dispensations, not as so­vereign and arbitrary, but tender and compassionate to all his Creatures, who does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the Children of Men; but corrects us for our profit, that we may be Partakers of his Holiness: Being thus resolved to acquiesce in God's good Pleasure.

3. From hence we also learn, to trust and confide in Divine Providence, as our best and greatest Safe-guard in all our Concerns; and our Security both in Want and Danger.—Now God is a Friend unto us; He loves us; He desires our Happiness; He knows the Means that are effectually conducive to secure it: And those that have Faith in the Promises, should first of all apply themselves to that Source from whence is derived every Blessing—Apply, earnestly, and importunately to him, to take them and their Concerns under the Wing of his Protection.—Now, if God has taken this Care upon Him­self, (which I think is evident) ought we not to rejoyce in it, as our greatest Happiness? Yes verily —. For what Reason has any Person to be afraid, that has a [Page 32] Being of infinite Power for his Protector? Or to be anxiously solicitous, that has a God of infinite Goodness so near? It was from the Consideration of God's great Care in providing for his Creatures, that our great Lord and Master, gave this Advice following— Take no Tho't for your Life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your Body, what ye shall put on? is not the Life more than Meat? Is it not more difficult, to make a living Creature, than to find out Means to feed it? Is not the Body more than Raiment? Is it not more difficult to form a Body, than to provide for it's cloath­ing? Behold the Fowls of the Air, consider the Lil­lies of the Field; and if God feed and clothe them; shall he not much more you? O ye of little Faith. — It was this Consideration of God's providential Care in protecting Mankind, that gave the Psalmist such Boldness —The Lord is my Light and my Salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the Strength of my Life, of whom shall I be afraid? Again, in another Place he proceeds with the greatest intrepidity of Mind; We will not fear, tho' the Earth be moved, and tho' the Hills be carried into the midst of the Seas, tho' the Waters thereof rage and swell, and tho' the Mountains shake at the Tempest of the same: the Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our Refuge.— There is nothing in these Texts of Scripture that Countenances a supine Negligence, without any Concern for our Main­tenance and Preservation: this would not be trusting, but tempting God: The Meaning therefore is this — That we must do the best we can, and accquit our selves as diligent and provident, in a humble Dependence upon God, without perplexing our Minds, or terrifying our selves, with empty Fears; considering our selves as un­der the Defence of the most High, and that nothing can hurt us without the Divine Permission.

[Page 33]4. From hence I infer two Duties — viz. Prayer and Thanksgiving—For when we have fixed our Trust and Dependance on Providence, these two Duties continually call upon us.—In Prayer we request of God those Mer­cies and Blessings we stand in need of—And in Thanks­giving, we return our most grateful & devout acknow­ledgements for every Thing we receive — Indeed if we are thoroughly convinced that all our Enjoyments of what Name or Nature soever come originally from God the gi­ver of every good & perfect Gift; and that He who is so­vereign Lord of all Things; is good and gracious, full of Long-suffering; is concerned for us as his Offspring▪ and is willing to shew us Protection, considered as his Crea­tures; and to provide for us, as we are dependent.— A God to whom we may disclose all our secret Wants, and upon whom we may cast all our Burden, being fully perswaded, that he will comfort and relieve us — If we consider this I say, we must think that it is, not only our inestimable Priviledge, but our Duty, to ask for Help in a Time of Need, imploring his Aid and Assistance in all our lawful Undertakings, as well spiritual as temporal, and his Protection against every Evil; especially Sin, the greatest Evil, and it's necessary Consequents, the Sword, the Famine, and the Pestilence.

Nor can we once reflect upon the Number and Ex­tent of his Benefits to us, considered as Individuals—as a Town, Province or Nation: How our Life & Motion, (as an english ^‖Divine excellently expresses it) our Health and Vigour, our Sense and Perception, our Reason and Understanding, are his Gift; How we move upon his Earth, and breathe in his Air, drink of his Springs, and are fed from his Graineries, and are cloathed from his Wardrobe; and I may add with Regard to the publick Transactions in the World, and in particular with regard to War; How he has supported the English Nation, [Page 34] tho' but few in comparison with the other Nations of Europe, but the Bulwark of the Protestant Interest— supported I say, the British Nation, with the Prussian Hero, when surrounded with potent Enemies—An evi­dent Demonstration this, of God's superintending Power, that he can cause one to chase a Thousand, and two to put ten Thousand to flight—That he can save by few, as well as by many— But besides these before-mentioned, from the same inexhaustible Bounty, many inestimable Benefits, are extended to our better Part—How can we enumerate these Benefits, and our Hearts not swell with grateful Sense of them—Our Tongues should break forth into that devout Rhapsody of the Prophet David, "How precious are thy Thot's, thy kind and merciful Tho'ts, unto me, O God, how great is the Sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in Number than the Sand."

We my Hearers, that enjoy the Light of the glorious Sun of Righteousness, have this Advantage above the Heathen; they were puzzled how to reconcile Prayer and Thanksgiving, with their Notion of Necessity and Fate—And there are some at this Day, that hug the old Pagan Principle. But let us suppose Providence to be nothing else, but a necessary Chain of Causes, where would be the Encouragement to present our Prayers, or Praises to God: or which is the same, let them be fixed and immutable Decrees, upon this Supposition, God can help us no more than he can alter Destiny; and conse­quently upon this Supposition, for whatever befalls us, deserves no Thanks:—But if he governs the World with Liberty and Freedom, it is highly reasonable, that we should pray to him, and praise him for the Benefits we daily receive—This is as reasonable as to offer our Pe­titions, or returns our Thanks, to our Parents, or our Prince, nay infinitely more, as God is the Original of all, they only the Conduits, that convey some few of his Blessings to us.

[Page 35]5. Let us close all with an Enumeration of God's Pro­vidential Dealings with us in Years past; adding some­thing (tho' briefly) on the Occasion of our assembling to­gether at this Time, in Obedience to the Authority set over us.— Let us consider, that God has instituted Prayer and Thanksgiving, not only as a proper Acknowledge­ment of the Divine Goodness, super-intending the World, but as a Thing necessary, both to our own Happiness, and the wise Improvement of his Blessings—Let us have the Qualifications to make all Services of this Kind ac­ceptable, which is to keep a Conscience void of Offence, towards God, and towards Man, and to have a lively Sense of the Divine Providence, always present with us, observing our Ways, and directing our Concerns—The Lord Jehovah, the Everlasting King, who super-intends universal Nature, who reared the vast Fabrick of the Universe, and wields this vast Machine; as you have heard in this Discourse; in short, he not only created all Beings, animate and inanimate, but governs them by certain Laws—He upholds all Things by the Word of his Power; and his Providence influences in all the Con­cerns of Men here below.—He sets Prosperity and Ad­versity, the one over against the other; for this End, that Men may find out none of those Things which shall befall them hereafter; that so being perfectly ignorant of what is to come, we neither presume in Prosperity, nor Despair in Adversity.

God in his Providence, has exhibited this Lesson unto our View this Year, and the last, amidst our Successes against our Enemies; He is still threatning us with want of Bread, and cleanness of Teeth, by with-holding the Rain from Heaven; so that we may not forget that Adversity may come.

But let us take a cursory View of God's Kindness, repeated Kindness to us. Tho' there was something of Adversity in the Beginning of the War— Our Enemies [Page 36] gain'd upon us for a while — Yet what a Series of Fa­uvors has the All-powerful Jehovah indulged us withal? What great and marvellous Successes has our gracious Protector granted to us against our Heathen and Anti­christian Enemies? Our perfidious and common Enemy can't but see, and know, that the God of the English Israel, has exhibited glorious Acts of his Power, in be­half of the Protestant Cause; and that he can conquer, as well in the Valleys as upon the Hills—What mighty Acts of Power and Goodness, has he display'd in behalf of our Nation in Europe and America — Surely God has shewed himself to be Lord of our Hosts, and the God of our Armies, and to be indeed a Man of War, as he is stiled by a poetical Licence in the Song of Moses— He has made known unto us in a Variety of Instances, that he super-intends all human Affairs; and in War in particular, that he can save by few as well as by many; as may be instanced in our Nation, which is small, when compared with either of the Nations, we are now engag­ed with in War, especially as to Number: And more particularly, in upholding the ^‡ Hero of the Times, en­compassed with so many potent Enemies, and exposed to so many Dangers— These are great and marvellous Works of God!—

And now let us, my Hearers, more especially con­template with Amazement, and be carried away in a Transport of Gratitude, when we consider the great and marvellous Works of God's Providence, in succeeding the British Arms in America.— No sooner had the A­merican Dunkirk surrendred to the brave American ^* General, but Providence opens a Door for the Reduction of the Enemy's Capital in Canada, by that brave and generous ^‖ Hero, who resigned his Breath in Action; and whose Memory will last as long as Time — After this, all the other strong Fortresses surrendered at Dis­cretion: [Page 37] their Defenders, who were resolute in the be­ginning of the War, to prosecute a Plan, laid by Louis and Hell, to engross the whole of America to France— These resolute Defendants now come with Arms rever­sed, and surrender upon our own Terms — Great and marvellous is this Work of thy Providence, O Lord God Almighty!

And now, let us, who are met together with Songs of Praise and Thanksgiving, in the Presence of the All-seeing Jehovah, that searches the Hearts, and tries the Reins of the Sons of Men; see to it, that we are in a right Temper of Mind to render Thanks to God, who is the Fountain of eternal Love, and to contemplate on his Mercies towards us (tho' unworthy) these two Years past.—God has instituted Prayer & Thanksgiving, as was observed before, not only as a proper Acknowledgement of the Divine Goodness, super-intending the World, but as a Thing necessary, both to our own Happiness, and the wise Improvement of his Blessings.

In the Course of the last Year, we should not forget to take thankful Notice of his over-ruling Hand, in sub­jecting Martineco, and Islands adjacent, to the British Crown. Now an Opportunity presents, let us return our grateful Acknowledgements, taking proper Notice of the Goodness of God towards us in thus repeatedly humbling our common Enemy.

And furthermore, we should not forget to express our Thankfulness, for the favourable concurring Circum­stances, that attend our military Operations in Germany: marvellously has God appeared of late on our Side, by enabling Prince Ferdinand, to defeat so large a Body of the Enemy, with so inconsiderable a Loss — Bless the Lord, O our Souls, and may all that is within us, bless his holy Name!—

But above all, with Hearts elate in Gratitude and A­mazement, we must contemplate the glorious and im­portant [Page 38] Conquest of the HAVANNAH.—If we consider the Strength of the Place,—the Resolution of the De­fendants, and the Unhealthiness of the Climate, we shall find the Hand of God visible in its Reduction; and ourselves have great Reason to rejoice, and be thank­ful. Who knows but that this is designed in Providence, to humble the King of Spain, that haughty Monarch; for his Injustice in unnecessarily entring into a War with our Nation.

The Reduction of this Place, was attempted not ma­ny Years since, as some now upon the Stage of Action, can well remember. At that Time the English came off with Disgrace;—but not so now.—Now glorious News indeed! ^† The old Prophecy which has been among the Inhabitants, for many Years, is now accom­plished, viz. That Englishmen should some Time or other, walk as freely about the City, as Spaniards: And for this Reason, they always blind-folded every Eng­lishman, whether in Time of War or Peace, when tra­velling about the City; least their vast accumulated Wealth, should be discovered; being sensible that if e­ver a War should happen between the two Nations, the English would endeavour to spoil them of their Wealth, by cutting off the Communication this Way, between old Spain and New: At the same Time sensible of their Pusillanimity and Unskilfulness in defending them­selves in War, tho' Nature, as much as Art formed it al­most impregnable. But their brave Defence at this Time, will redound greatly to the Honor of the Spanish Arms.

But amidst these Successes, let not our Hearts be e­late with Pride: Let us not glory in our Strength; but let us glory in the Strength and Power of the almighty Arm: And not forget that Adversity may come.

To conclude: Let us all this Day, give Thanks to God in a right Manner; considering that there is this [Page 39] one Qualification requisite to make all Services of this Kind, acceptable; and that is a Conscience void of Of­fence, toward God, and toward Man; with a constant lively Sense of the Divine Providence, always present with us, always over-looking us, observing our Ways, and directing our Concerns, pursuing us with Punishments, when we do amiss, and crowning us with Blessings, when we do our Duty; is the most effectual Means to attain. Let us then consider him at all Times, as the all-pow­erful Jehovah, who rules in the Armies of Heaven a­bove, and among the Inhabitants of this World. That his Dealings with us, are consummately wise:—That all his Providences, whether prosperous or adverse, are for our spiritual Good; for our awakening out of our Lethargy in Sin, and quickning in the Ways of Vertue and Godliness. Don't let us misimprove these gracious Dealings towards us; may they be the Means of making us look up for the future, to the good Hand that is continually over us; and see that it is by God, that we live, and move, and have our Being.

Let us take due Notice of every Instance of his Fa­vour, with Regard to the War; and let us all Pray, that the God of Peace, would in his own Time, conduct us to an honourable permanent Peace. That he would hasten the happy and glorious Time, when Wars and Fightings shall cease among Mankind; when all Nations shall be united under Jesus, the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, and great Head of the Church.

And finally, may we all be bro't at last, to the eternal World, and there join with the general Assembly of the Church of the First-born, in singing the Song of Moses, the Servant of God; and the Song of the Lamb, saying, in one comprehensive Strain; Great and marvellous are all thy Works of Creation, Providence and Grace, Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy Ways, thou King of Saints.

AMEN.