1. I Will never hereafter, whatsoever Confusi­ons I behold, questi­on the justice of God's Pro­vidence; but constantly af­firm that He is not merely Just, but very Good; yea hath a most singular love to his faithfull people; who notwithstanding the evils they indure, will never con­sent to do any evil.

2. Time was indeed, when I, even I, who have had such long experience of his care over me, began to doubt and stagger in my Faith: nay, was in danger to tum­ble headlong into unbelief.

3. The reason was, that having a just indignation against the folly, or rather madness of wicked men, it first vext me to see them, notwithstanding their ill deservings, in a very flouri­shing condition; and then [Page 4]tempted me to think it very hard that sober men should not equal, if not exceed them, in such happiness: especially when I saw no likelihood that it would end, but that they continue in their prosperity.

4. For as they carry on all their designs smoothly and meet with no rub in their way, nor are in any danger (so great is their power) to be bound over by humane justice to answer for their crimes, how many soever they commit: so they are not afflicted with sore diseases by the hand of God, nor brought to their graves with pains and torment; but after a long life, in firm and vigorous health, depart easily out of the world.

5. Their life is nothing so laborious and toilsome as that of many honest, but poor and wretched men: and they escape untouch'd, or are little hurt, by such calamities as are common to all mankind.

6. Which makes them so unsufferably proud, and vainly conceited of them­selves, that they not onely tyrannize over their neigh­bours; but openly boast of the power they have to do them mischief: and glory in all the violence and cru­elty, whereby they main­tain and increase their pom­pous greatness.

7. In which they pamper themselves to such an excess, that in their very counte­nance they express the haughty swelling of their minds and hearts: which are strangely puffed up, by their being raised (not one­ly beyond the expectation of all other men; but) far above all that they them­selves at first imagined or could design.

8. They mock at all those who scrupulously tie them­selves to the Rules of Ju­stice, or tell them of the danger they run by their violation: for they threaten to undo all those that op­pose [Page 6]them; and publickly declare in the height of their arrogance, that they will not be bound by any Laws.

9. No, not those of God himself, who (with all the invisible Powers of which men talk) they say is but a Name; which they do not dread: and therefore no wonder, if such blasphe­mers of His Majesty spare neither high nor low, but let their tongues loose, to abuse and calumniate whomsoever they please upon earth.

10. And yet, as bad as they are, there is none of them but hath his followers and admirers; whom he first invites and then re­tains, like beasts, by filling their bellies: which abun­dantly contents them, though others be squeezed and oppressed, to give them this poor satisfaction.

11. Nay, they drink in their opinions, and join with them in their impiety, [Page 7]saying, How can God know what we do here? or if He do, why should we think that He, who is so high, troubles Himself about our affairs?

12. For behold, there are none that contemn Him more then these men; and yet He is so far from inflic­ting any punishment on them, that none enjoy such a continued course of pro­sperity as they; whose wealth and power increa­ses every day.

13. And verily, if these men discourse aright, I have taken a great deal of pains to little purpose; while I have studiously endeavou­red to keep my heart pure from so much as ill designs, as well as to refrain the do­ing of any evil actions; from the charge of which I can safely purge my self.

14. And yet I am pla­gued perpetually by the restless malice of these wic­ked doers; which as con­stantly as the Sun rises falls [Page 8]on me, a deal sooner then on other men.

15. But, whatsoever con­fused and foolish thoughts came on a sudden into my mind, I concluded upon more mature deliberation, that if I said as these men do, I should basely betray the cause of all them, who are truly dear unto Thee.

16. And therefore resol­ved with my self, before I pronounced my sentence, to study this point more se­riously; which at first sight appeared so hard, that it grievously perplexed me.

17. And retiring my self into the holy places to con­sult with Thee, and with those to whom Thou com­municatest thy Secrets, I was presently sensible how short their felicity is; unto which death having put an utter end, it is followed with a dismal after-recko­ning in another world.

18. And next I conside­red, that all of them do not stand so firm as they imagin, [Page 9]but merely flatter them­selves with vain hopes of continuing in their station to the end of their days: for being raised to the high­est preferments, they find them to be very slippery places; from whence, to the amazement of them­selves and of all spectatours, they come tumbling down into a most horrible ruin.

19. Oh what an astoni­shing change is this! which is the more frightfull, when on a sudden the Divine ven­geance seises on them; and, when they least expect it, an end is put to their great­ness: nay, they are quite destroyed, in a most terrible manner, as if they had ne­ver been.

20. So that it is but a dream of happiness where­in they live, and they pride themselves in a mere imagi­nary glory; which not onely vanishes away, when Thou, O Lord, dost arise to judge them, but becomes as contemptible, in that [Page 10]very City where they ap­peared in all their pomp and splendour, as the fine things, which a man sees in his sleep, are when he awa­keth.

21. And therefore when my spirit boiled with vexa­tion, and grew sour at the sight of their prosperity; (Ver. 2, 3.) when I was so vehemently provoked to passionate complaints, fee­ling the sharpest touches of grief and anger;

22. I now ingenuously acknowledg, it was for want of such manly and religious thoughts as these; which should have been in my mind, when I thought of thy Administrations, if I had not been dull and stu­pid; as void of sense as the beasts, which look onely at things before their eyes, and have no regard to what is to come, or is not seen.

23. For if I had looked beyond my senses, I might have seen that I am under the care of thy good Pro­vidence, [Page 11]and that Thou hast been my guide and my sup­porter, even when I had these bruitish thoughts, and didst not suffer these wicked men to destroy me.

24. And therefore I ought in all reason still to con­clude, That Thou wilt di­rect me to behave my self so wisely, that I shall never fall into their snares: but, after I have suffered a while, be preferred to those digni­ties from whence they fall; and, which is more, be so graciously accepted by Thee, as to continue in them unto immortal glory.

25. This I expect from thy Almighty Goodness, who art the solest object of my hope: For thou knowest there is none in Heaven, whom I depend upon for help and protec­tion but Thee alone; none upon Earth whose favour I seek, but onely thine, which shall perfectly content me.

26. It is possible I may still be pressed with such [Page 12]sore afflictions, that not one­ly my bodily strength, but also my courage may begin again to fail me; but then I will recover my self, and fortifie my Soul by flying unto Thee, O God, for safety: in whose love I will alway think my self happy, and enjoy everlasting satis­faction.

27. For there is nothing more certain or more re­markable then this; that they who, by forsaking Thee, have put themselves far from under thy care, will never be able, by any other means, to save them­selves from perishing: For Thou hast already made such men a terrible Exam­ple of thy displeasure; and utterly destroyed those, who, quitting thy service, have devoted themselves to the worship of other Gods, 2 Chron. XXVIII. 6, 18, 19. XXIX. 7, 8, 9.

28. And therefore I will learn by their miscarriages, that it is the best and safest [Page 13]course for me, to adhere to my good God; and to make my humble addresses to Him alone. I have done so hitherto, and no danger shall tempt me hereafter to quit this hold, and to con­fide in any thing, but one­ly in the Sovereign of the World, who never fails those that depend upon Him, and will, I hope, be so gracious unto me, that I shall have abundant cause to publish and proclaim to all others the Works of his Providence; in preserving the Good, and in throwing the wicked down, at last, to the ground.

1. O God, the Sove­reign Judge of the world, who hast justly ex­pelled us out of our Land, and continued our banish­ment so long, that little hope appears of our being restored to it again; be­hold the anguish of our Souls, wherein we cry un­to Thee for mercy: For we are confounded to see Thee so highly incensed against [Page 17]those, who were once un­der thy most indulgent care; as if Thou wert re­solved never to be recon­ciled to us any more.

2. Thou hast not forgot­ten, we know, though it be very long ago, with the expence of how many Mi­racles Thou didst make our Ancestours thy peculiar people: For which reason, though we be exceedingly underserving, we beseech Thee to let all the world see, Thou wilt not utterly abandon the poor remain­ders of that Nation, which Thou didst acquire at so great a price; that King­dom which Thou didst re­scue out of the most mise­rable slavery, to be thy own possession; and this Mount Sion, wherein (af­ter Thou hadst by many wonders brought us into Canaan, and routed out the old Inhabitants) Thou wast pleased at last, to settle thy abode among us.

3. Make haste, good Lord, to come and visit the ruins of our Countrey and City, which have la­sted exceeding long, and will never be repaired with­out thy powerfull help: which we implore against the Authours of them; who, to all the other mis­chiefs they have done, have with a peculiar spite, not onely defaced but, utterly destroyed thy dwelling-place.

4. They are thy Enemies therefore as well as ours, whose fury and rage so transports them that they roar rather then shout; whilst they triumph in those places where thy people were wont to meet to praise thy Name: There they have set up their Banners in to­ken of their Victory; and bragg, as if their Gods were superiour unto Thee.

5. Every one of them laid about him, and bestir­red himself with all his might; as if he hoped to [Page 19]get renown by the mischief he did: which was com­mitted with no more re­morse, then if they had been lopping off boughs in the thickets of a Forrest, where they may be spared.

6. Just so methinks I see (as if it were now a doing) how they hacked and hew­ed with Axes, and knocked down with Hammers, the curious carved Work of the Temple: whose elegance would have moved any but Barbarians, to have preser­ved it with as great a zeal, as they imployed to beat it in pieces.

7. But, so mad was their rage, it was not satisfied with this; but set fire un­to thy holy place: And what that did not consume, they pull'd down; till they had utterly profaned the habitation consecrated to thy Majesty, by laying it level with the ground.

8. Nor did all this give a stop unto their fury; but they rather grew the more [Page 20]outragious: For designing quite to destroy our Reli­gion, both in this and in future Generations, they left not so much as one place, wherein we might meet to say our Prayers, or hear the Law, throughout the Land.

9. And, which is the saddest thing of all, Thou seemest to have left us too; and we see no token of thy Divine presence with us: So far we are from behol­ding any miraculous works, as our Fathers did, for our deliverance; that there is not so much as a Prophet to be found, to give us any advice, or speak a word of comfort to us: not a man among us, that can tell when these calamities will have an end.

10. What a reproach is this, O God? which hath quite tired our patience; and makes us cry unto Thee to make haste, to avenge thy self of these in­sulting Enemies: Stop their blasphemous mouths, O [Page 21]God; and let them not say any more, as they have done too long, that Thou art not able to deliver us.

11. For we are confoun­ded and know not what to say, while Thou thus with­drawest thy powerfull pre­sence from us; that mighty power which was wont to do such wonders for us: exert it again we beseech Thee, and stretch it out for the destruction of those, who have spoken of it so contemptuously.

12. Why should I de­spair of it? since the great God, whom they deride, hath many Ages ago under­taken the Government and Protection of us: working for us such deliverances in this Land which now lyes waste, as astonished all the world.

13. Thou art that God, to whose power the raging Sea is subject; which at thy command retired, and opened a way for us to pass thorough; but came back [Page 22]again, with its wonted vio­lence, and overwhelmed the Egyptians; who, like so many Sea-monsters, thought to have devoured us.

14. Pharaoh, that fierce Tyrant, as terrible as the vastest Whales, Thou didst utterly destroy there; with all his stern Captains and Commanders: whom the Sea spewed up (XIX. Exod. 30.) to find their Tombs in the bellies of the wild Beasts, and Birds; which people the neighbouring Wilderness.

15. Where, when our Fathers wanted drink, Thou madest water to gush out of a Rock; (XVII. Exod. 6. XX. Numb. 9.) which fol­lowed them in a full stream, till they came to the bor­ders of Canaan: And then Thou driedst up the waters of Jordan, at a time when they ran violently, and (as if many Rivers had been joined in one) it overflow­ed all its Banks, III. Josh. 15, 17.

16. And still there are such instances of thy pow­er, which the whole world, if they would but mind, have alway before their eyes. For as Thou didst sometimes change the dry Land into a River, and a River into dry Land; so Thou dost continually change the Day into Night, and the Night into Day: having settled the Moon to govern the one, and the Sun to govern the other, in their turns.

17. By thy Almighty wisedom also it is, that the motion of the Sun not onely makes the days and nights; but the different climates of the Earth, and the seasons of the year: which are sometimes hot, and sometimes cold; some­times flourishing, as we see in the Summer, with all manner of fruit; and some­times stript, as we see in the Winter, of all its orna­ments, that afterward it may be the more fruitfull.

18. And we sure have indured a very tedious win­ter; wherein all things have lookt most ruefully. May it please Thee now to return, like the Sun, unto us, and let thy Enemies know Thou hast not for­gotten how they have re­proached Thee, O Lord; (whom they ought to have honoured as the mighty Creatour of all things) but wilt vindicate thy glory, by punishing these insolent people, who, foolishly puft up with their Victories, have despised and derided thy omnipotent Majesty.

19. Deliver, we beseech Thee, thy Church, which like a Turtle-dove can do nothing but meekly mourn, and make her silent com­plaints unto Thee, from those violent men, who, like Birds of prey, seek ut­terly to destroy her: Let them not take away its life and being; but, though we be at present deserted by Thee yet, hear our crys, [Page 25]and at last relieve a poor helpless company, who flee unto Thee, and depend up­on Thee alone for safety.

20. Though we are un­worthy to be regarded by Thee, yet have regard un­to thy own promises; wherein Thou hast enga­ged thy self unto our Fa­thers, to give to them and their posterity the Land of Canaan: which is so far from being now inhabited by thy people, that every blind corner of it is a den of thieves and murtherers; who have filled it with ra­pine and cruelty.

21. O let not thy poor afflicted servant, who im­plores thy aid against these barbarous oppressours, be denied his suit; and go a­way ashamed to see him­self disappointed of his hope: but let him, and all the rest of thy miserable people, who were never in greater need of thy help, be restored to praise thy goodness in their ancient [Page 26]possessions; from whence they have been thus long banished.

22. Appear, O God, in our behalf; and thereby vindicate thy self from re­proach: let me again be­seech Thee, to shew that Thou art not unmindfull of all the scoffs, which pro­sperous fools belch out against Thee, every day.

23. It is time to punish all the insulting language of thy Enemies: for the insolent braggs, and furious threats of those that op­pose Thee, increase still more and more; and rise up to a greater height of audacious impiety.

1. UNTO Thee, O God, the righte­ous Judge, who art the sole Authour of this great deli­verance, do I and all my people give most solemn thanks: Nor can we ever thank Thee enough, but we must again and again renew our acknowledg­ments unto Thee; whose Almighty Power is still ready at hand, we clearly [Page 29]see by the wonders Thou hast done, to succour all those, who gratefully com­memorate thy benefits.

2. And I will not con­tent my self with these ver­bal praises alone; but as soon as I shall meet with a fit opportunity, and we can have our solemn Assemblies again (which by this inva­sion have been interrupted, 2 Chron. XXXII. 1.) I will perfect the Reformation which I have begun: and see that equal Justice be done to all my people; as well as that they be pre­served in thy true Reli­gion.

3. The whole Country hath been in a miserable confusion; while their hearts melted with fear of an utter desolation: But as then I supported their spirits, and incouraged the Great men and the Officers to doe their duty (2 Chron. XXXII. 6, 7, 8.) So I will hereafter establish such Ma­gistrates and Judges, as shall [Page 30]bring all into better order.

4. I have told them my mind already, and do still solemnly proclaim and de­clare, that I will proceed with the utmost severity against the contemners of thy Laws; and therefore I advise them not to be so madly rude and insolent: For the proudest of them all shall know, that it is safest for them to be more modest, then to glory, as they do, in their impiety; or to boast of the power they have to be injurious to their neighbours.

5. Do not vaunt of this, I once more advise you, nor bear your selves high, as if you would out-brave Heaven it self: be not re­fractory and stubborn, nor arrogantly say, that you will have your way, and that none shall curb you.

6. For which way soever you turn your selves, whe­ther to the East, or to the West, or to the mountai­nous Desarts that lie on the [Page 31]North and South of us; in vain do you think to escape the righteous judgment of God.

7. Who being the So­vereign Lord and Gover­nour of the world, easily lays those low that proudly exalt themselves against his Authority; and lifts up those that humbly submit themselves unto Him.

8. For he never wants power to inflict the most dreadfull punishments; which (like an intoxica­ting Wine full of stupify­ing ingredients, that loosens the very joints, and takes away all a man's strength to resist) never fail to have their effect: And the god­ly may taste of them, nay suffer sorely for a time; but the heaviest and most grievous punishments (like the dregs at the bottom of such Wine) shall fall to the share of all the wicked of the Land; who shall be forced to indure the utmost expressions of the Divine [Page 30] [...] [Page 31] [...] [Page 32]vengeance upon their sins.

9. And this I, who am His Minister to execute his judgments, will not cease to declare as long as I live; that none may pretend ig­norance for their excuse: And I will sing praises un­to God (who delivered Ja­cob from all evil) not onely for his late miraculous pre­servation of us, by his vengeance on Senacherib (whom he hath made an Example of his wrath to all proud contemners of Him) but for making me the In­strument of so happy a Re­formation.

10. For this is my reso­lution, not merely, as I said, to praise Him; but to pull down the haughty spirit, and cut short all the power of the wicked, that they shall not be able to doe such mischief as they desire: and to raise the righteous into such Authority, that they shall not fear what their most insolent enemies can doe unto them.

1. GOD hath so illustri­ously demonstrated himself among us (in this unexpected and terrible ex­ecution) to be the Sove­reign Ruler and Judge of the World; that he must shut his eyes that doth not see it: His Power and all his other glorious perfecti­ons, which are conspicuous every where, are in no Country so magnified as they are in Israel.

2. Our Enemies them­selves, who reviled Him (2 Chron. XXXII. 17, 19.) and despised Jerusalem ( Ib. Verse 10.) are now sure [Page 35]convinced, that there this Mighty Lord maketh his abode: in the top of that Mountain where he hath chosen to fix his dwelling-place.

3. Before the Walls of which He hath slain with an invisible Dart, the fiery Archers (who have not shot so much as one Arrow into it, 2 King. XIX. 32.) and made the Shields, and Swords, and the rest of their military preparations, alto­gether useless and unprofi­table.

4. Whereby thou, O Sion, art become more glo­rious then all the Moun­tains, where the fiercest Beasts of prey, or the most desperate Robbers, have their resort: who never made such slaughters.

5. For they, whose cou­rage made them fear no danger, but confidently promised themselves the spoil of Jerusalem, are gi­ven unto us for a spoil: They lay down to sleep, [Page 36]but never awaked; 2 King. XIX 35.) not a man, a­mong the most mighty of them, was able to strike a stroke; or do any thing to defend himself against that hand, which cut them off.

6. But the most experi­enced Horsemen, as well as they that rode in Chariots, sunk down dead, at the sudden check, the severe rebuke; which they re­ceived from Thee, O God of Jacob, whom they re­proached, 2 King. XIX. 22, 23.

7. Thou, and none but Thou, art to be dreaded: And what King is he, that is able, for so short a time as a moment, to resist thy power? which in an in­stant can destroy all those, who incur thy heavy dis­pleasure.

8. We have an Example of it before our eyes; for when we made our solemn appeal to Thee (2 King. XIX. 3, 4, 15, 16.) Thou wast pleased to pronounce [Page 37]a sentence of condemnation from heaven upon our ene­mies: which struck such terrour into those that sur­vived, that they who be­fore were full of rage and made a tumultuous noise (Ver. 27, 28.) were as still as Lambs; and durst not stir a foot, but onely to re­turn from whence they came, Ver. 28, 36.

9. They were afraid to continue their attempts a­gainst us, when God, who had long suffered their in­solence, sent an Angel to chastise it, and to do exe­cution upon them: and thereby delivered the help­less people of this Land; who had patiently born their horrible oppression.

10. Which may well be a warning to all fell Ty­rants, not to be so fierce and outragious, which will onely present Thee with the fairer opportunity to glorifie thy self, and raise thy praise to a greater height; as Thou hast now [Page 38]done, by suppressing the Assyrians fury: who if they have any reliques of wrath, which may boil up again in their hearts; Thou shalt chain it up, and not suffer it to break forth to our further disturbance.

11. And let this excite you all, who are thus mar­vellously delivered, to make more liberal promises of gratefull Sacrifices; as well as to perform those, which you have already vowed, to the great Lord your most gracious God: who so far excells all others, that the Nations round about us, who hear the fame of this, shall reproach you (if you be forgetfull of his benefits) by the presents which they shall make to Him; (2 Chr. XXXII. 23.) who ought to be feared by all his Friends, and is most terrible to his Enemies.

12. For he can easily, with a sudden stroke, not onely take down the proud stomach, but take away the [Page 39]life, of the fiercest Captains and Commanders: (2 Chr. XXXII. 21.) yea, make the greatest Monarchs (who keep the world in awe) quake and tremble at his dreadfull executions.

1. I Have incessantly made my prayer to God, and I will still most earnestly in­treat his favour: To Him who hath justly afflicted us, and can alone relieve us, have I again and again re­newed my importunate suit; which I hope will at last prevail with Him for deli­verance.

2. I have not negligent­ly discharged this Duty; but as the distress is great wherein we are, so I have restlesly implored help from the Lord: In the night, when men are wont to bu­ry their troubles in sleep, I have with unwearied di­ligence, spread out my hands unto Him (in token that all my dependence is upon His power alone) re­solving to admit of no con­solation, [Page 41]till I obtained a gracious Answer from Him.

3. I remembred indeed, how kind God had been unto us in former times; but this onely gave me the greater trouble, when I compared it with our pre­sent miseries: and the more I mused on it, the more my spirit was disturbed, and miserably afflicted.

4. Insomuch that I could not close my eyes, to take a wink of sleep; nor open my mouth (such was my perturbation and astonish­ment) to express the hea­viness of my grief.

5. All that I could doe, was to recount thy merci­full Providences over our Forefathers in times past; and ponder seriously what wonders Thou didst for them, many ages agone.

6. I called to mind all the Songs I had indited, to celebrate the memory of those ancient benefits: and spent whole nights in silent meditations, and diligent [Page 42]inquiries, which I revolved to and fro in my mind; why He who had taken such care of our Ancestours, had so long rejected us?

7. Will the Lord, thought I, abandon us for ever? Is He so incensed against us, that He will never be recon­ciled, nor intend to shew us any more favour?

8. Is his infinite mercy, which is the fountain of all his benefits, quite exhau­sted? and will He never hereafter speak a word of comfort to us?

9. Hath God, whose property it is to shew mer­cy, quite laid aside all thoughts of exercising his clemency towards us? or have we so highly provo­ked Him to anger, that He hath no regard at all unto our miseries?

10. But having thus complained, and said with­in my self, This is the thing which sorely afflicts me, to see such alterations in the proceedings of the most [Page 43]High, that the same hand which formerly protected us, now severely scourges us;

11. I presently conside­red that there might be a change again: and resolved to comfort my self with the remembrance of the former works of the Lord; and to go back as far as the Miracle Thou didst for us (in bring­ing us up out of the Land of Egypt) when our deserts were as small as in these days.

12. Of all the ensuing wonders I will think, ra­ther then on our present miseries: I will not omit one of them; but, instead of these complaints, make them the constant subject of my discourse.

13. From which I can­not but conclude that the method of thy Providence, O God, is not onely per­fectly holy and just; but quite out of our reach: nor is thy Power inferiour; but, as Thou dost not pro­ceed in the common way of [Page 44]our thoughts, so none can resist what thy incompa­rable Majesty thinks fit to effect.

14. For Thou art the mighty God, who canst doe miracles, as easily as the most ordinary works: and hast made all the world sensible, that thy power exceeds, both the strength and the opinion of all Creatures.

15. Having delivered thy people, descended from Jacob and miraculously pre­served by Joseph, from the Egyptian bondage; by a long series of stupendious judgments upon Pharaoh and his Servants, VI. Exod. 6. VI. Deut. 21, 22. VII. 8.

16. Which were follow­ed presently with a greater wonder, when the waters of the Red Sea felt thy Power, O God: They felt thy power to the very bot­tom of them; which so disturbed them, that they retreated, as if they had been affrighted at thy pre­sence; [Page 45]and left a plain way for thy people to march through, upon dry ground.

17. But returned again upon the Egyptians (who pursued after us) accompa­nied with a terrible storm of rain, and thunder, and hailstones; which flew a­bout their ears, and brake the very Wheels of their Chariots, XIV. Exod. 24, 25.

18. The noise of this thunder filled all the air thereabout; and so did the lightning that flashed in their faces: which, toge­ther with a dreadfull Earth­quake, made the very in­habitants of Canaan tremble, II. Josh. 10, 11.

19. We might well say then, that thy way is quite out of our reach; (Ver. 13.) who madest a passage through the Sea, a broad path through the boiste­rous waters: which as none ever trod before or after, so they cannot trace the footsteps; which the wa­ters [Page 46]have overflown and obliterated, XIV. Exod. 26, 27.

20. Nor did thy care o­ver thy people end there, but by the ministry of thy servants Moses and Aaron, Thou didst conduct them with the same tenderness that a good Shepherd doth his Sheep; through a hor­rid Wilderness; in which Thou feddest them, till they came to Canaan [And thither the same Power can, and the same Good­ness will, I hope, restore us: though now we seem neglected by Thee, as our Fathers were, for a time, in the Land of Egypt.]

1. ATtend reverently, O my Country­men, for whom I have a particular affection, unto the Admonition, which now I intend to give you: listen diligently I beseech you to the following instruction.

2. It is no vulgar lesson, which I would have you learn; nor will I be sparing in my instruction: but I will abundantly inform you in the most remarkable pas­sages of God's Providence in former times; which are more worthy your knowledge then the skill of resolving the darkest Riddles.

3. And I will not re­port uncertain or doubtfull things to you; or things done in another Nation: But such as are of unque­stionable credit; which you have heard and know to be recorded in your ho­ly Books; and our Fore­fathers, who were eye­witnesses of them, have faithfully registred and transmitted unto us.

4. Who will not be so treacherous, as to lose the memory of them in our days; but diligently pro­pagate them to posterity: endeavouring that all fu­ture generations may un­derstand, how much the Lord deserves to be praised, for the mighty and stupen­dious works, which He hath done in former Ages.

5. And indeed, when God gave us the Law, He strictly charged our Fore­fathers, and made a parti­cular injunction about it, which He frequently re­peated ( Deut. IV. VI. XI. [Page 50] see the Argument;) that they should be carefull to leave the knowledge of these things as a sacred le­gacy, or inheritance unto their Children.

6. In order to the con­veying them, by their hands, to the next genera­tion; who were then un­born: who should be taught also when they were grown up, to deliver them with the same diligence to their descendants; and so preserve the memory of them to all succeeding ge­nerations.

7. To the end, that they might learn by such won­derfull instances of his powerfull goodness, to ad­here unto Him, and confide in Him alone; and by the constant commemoration of his benefits, be provoked religiously to observe his Precepts.

8. And take warning by the punishments inflicted on them, not to imitate the ingratitude of their Fore­fathers; [Page 51]who were not one­ly a refractory generation, but so fickle, that they fell off from God to the wor­ship of Idols, presently af­ter they came out of Egypt: For they did not lay to heart what He had done for them, and so were ne­ver rightly disposed to his service; or if, in a good fit, they were inclined to it, they soon revolted from Him.

9. What could be more shamefull, then their base refusal to go and ingage the Canaanites, when they were so well appointed for the fight? and were com­manded by God, in whose power they had no confi­dence, to go up and take possession of the Land? (I. Deut. 26.) unless it were their foul cowardise when they did ingage them against his command; (I. Deut. 43, 44.) and the Ephraimites themselves, though a valiant Tribe and excellent Archers, ran [Page 52]away, and were chased in a shamefull manner by their enemies.

10. For they brake their word with God; (who therefore would not be with them, XIV. Numb. 43.) and would not be gover­ned by his will, but by their own.

11. Never thinking of the illustrious works, which their eyes had seen; and so distrusting his power, not­withstanding all the Mi­racles, whereby He had de­monstrated the greatness of it to them.

12. Nor were the next Generation any better; though the memory was then fresh of that heap of wonders, which their Fa­thers saw him doe publick­ly: not in a corner, but in all the Land of Egypt: yea, in and about the principal City of the Kingdom.

13. From whence when He had delivered them, and they were in great distress at the red Sea; He made it [Page 53]give way to them, that they might walk through it on dry ground: the fluid waters swelling into little hills (XV. Exod. 8.) which stood like a solid wall on either hand, to secure them in that dangerous passage (XIV. Exod. 22.)

14. Through which He conducted them, as He did at all other times, by a glorious Cloud: whose dark side served also in the day-time, for a shadow from the scorching rays of the Sun; and its bright side in the night, for a torch to guide them when they travelled; or if they rested, to light them in their Tents.

15. And when they wan­ted water in the wilderness, He brought it out of the Rocks (which He comman­ded Moses to smite more then once, first at Rephidim (XVII. Exod. 6.) and then in Kadesh, XX. Numb. 8, 11.) And they had it in such plenty, both for them­selves [Page 54]and their cattel; as if it had been a great pond or lake.

16. And yet it was no standing, but a flowing wa­ter; which ran continually out of the dry Rock, as out of its Fountain, in se­veral streams: or rather, like unto Rivers; which followed them in their tra­vels.

17. But all these mira­culous works, did not al­ter their depraved Nature; which broke out into new and greater provocations; in that very place, where, without the singular Pro­vidence of their most high Benefactour, they had all been starved.

18. For they were not content with the bountifull provision which he had made for them; (XVI. Exod.) but muttered within themselves against Him: And wisht, if He was so powerfull and kind as was pretended, that He would give them a new proof of [Page 55]it; by sending them meat to satisfie their wanton ap­petite.

19. And at last, they openly declared that dis­trust of his power, which was in their hearts; saying, Is God able to make us a feast here in this barren wilderness? XI. Numb. 4, 5, &c.

20. It is true He hath brought water out of a Rock for us in great abun­dance; (which perhaps was lodged there before in the caverns of it, and might have flowed out of it self) but can he give us more substantial bread? (not such light stuff as this Manna is, which He also hath sent us, XI. Numb. 6.) here where no corn grows? and make an ample provision for all this multitude, of such flesh as this place doth not af­ford?

21. Which rude and in­solent language highly in­censed the Divine displea­sure; so that He sent light­ning [Page 56]from heaven (XI. Numb. 1.) to consume those, whom He had be­fore cherished: and He re­solved also to punish them more severely, before He had done with them (Ver. 33.)

22. Because they had so mean an opinion of Him, that they durst not confide in Him, and commend themselves to his good pro­vidence; to preserve and conduct them safe to Ca­naan.

23. No, not after such extraordinary benefits, as they had received from Him: for He had under­taken in a miraculous man­ner (as is fit to be more particularly remembred) to dispense food to them, from above; and to make the clouds their granary, whose doors he opened to them.

24. And, instead of rain (to make the earth with long labour become fruit­full) to send showers of [Page 57]Manna out of the air (XVI. Exod. 4.) which was a kind of Corn ready prepared for them, XI. Numb. 8, 9.

25. There was not a man among that vast multitude, but was fed with that strong and hearty, or rather princely food; brought to them from the habitation, and by the ministry of An­gels: This was their daily entertainment, as long as their travels in the wilder­ness lasted; and they had it in such abundance, that none of them could pretend they were not sufficed, XVI. Exod. 16, 17, 35.

26. And therefore it was not to satisfie their hunger, but to reprove their unbe­lief, that He was pleased to comply with their desires; and, when the wind blew violently out of the East, turned it by his power into the South:

27. Which brought a great Cloud of Quails (a deli­cious Bird) from the coasts about the red Sea: which [Page 58](either tired with long flight, or beaten down with the wind) came pou­ring down like showres of rain; and lay on the ground, as thick as the dust or the sand on the Sea shore, from whence they came, XI. Numb. 31.

28. There was no need of labour, or of any art to catch them; neither nee­ded they go far to take them up: for they dropt down in the midst of their Camp; and lay also many miles round it in such heaps, that they, who would, might fetch enough to serve them for a whole month, XI. Numb. 20, 31.

29. So they had not one­ly a taste of his liberality; but were glutted and cram­med with them: for He sa­tisfied their longings to the full.

30. And they were not hindred from eating as much as they pleased; nor was this diet become at all nauseous to them: but they [Page 59]greedily feasted on these Birds to the end of the month; and at that very time had these sweet mor­sels in their mouths, (XI. Numb. 33.)

31. When the Divine vengeance seised on them, by a very great pestilence: (XI. Numb. 33.) which swept away the strongest and goodliest persons that were in Israel

32. But these punish­ments wrought no more change in their hearts, then his benefits: for they ad­ded new sins to all the for­mer; and were not moved by any of his wonderfull works, to believe that He was able to bring them in­to the Land of promise, XIV. Numb. 2, 3, 4.

33. For which cause He resolved they should never come thither, but be con­sumed in the wilderness: (XIV. Numb. 28, 33, &c.) Where, though they tra­velled up and down very much and long, yet it was [Page 60]to no purpose; for they were never the nearer to their journeys end; nor were ever free from one plague or other, till they were utterly destroyed.

34. They relented in­deed sometime; and when God cut off some of them, the rest began to deprecate his displeasure: (XIV. Numb. 39, 40.) and, by promising amendment, most earnestly sought to recover his favour.

35. And professed that they would trust in God hereafter for safety and de­liverance: who they ac­knowledged was superiour to all other Gods, and had been their mighty Redee­mer.

36. But all this was little more then speaking him fair, while they lay under his correcting hand: and they did not sincerely in­tend to doe as they promi­sed, when it was removed.

37. For their hearts were not rightly disposed, nor [Page 61]firmly resolved to adhere unto Him; as appears by their frequent revolts from their engagements: which they never faithfully obser­ved; but as constantly broke, as they renewed their Covenant with Him, XVI. Numb. 3. XX. 3, 4. XXI. 5, 7. XXV. 1, 2, &c.

38. Yet He was so full of compassion, that, after He had threatned utterly to destroy them, (XIV. Numb. 11, 12.) He remit­ted very much of the seve­rity of the sentence: and did not cut them off at once, ( Ib. Ver. 15, 17, 18.) but very often spared them when they deserved to be punished; or, when He punished them, did it less then their deserts.

39. For He considered how frail they were, and that they could not con­tinue long (though He did not snatch them away) but would moulder of them­selves into dust; and vanish like a blast of wind, which [Page 62]makes a bustle and noise for a little time, and then is dispersed and heard of no more.

40. How many times, before this terrible threat­ning, did they provoke Him to anger in the wil­derness? (XIV. Numb. 22.) and afterward, did things exceeding offensive to Him, in other parts of the desert? Numb. XVI. XX. XXI. XXV.

41. Being so vilely un­gratefull, as to talk of re­turning into Egypt; (XIV. Numb. 4.) or requiring, upon every occasion, new proofs of his power: Nay, questioning whether it could doe all things, though He had wrought so many wonders; and ap­pointing Him, who had so often shewn Himself to be incomparably greater then all other Gods, what He should doe (as I said before Ver. 19, 20.) if He inten­ded to have them believe on Him.

42. For they quite for­got (this was the reason of their naughtiness, Ver. 11, 12. which is fit again to be repeated) or never laid to heart, the mighty things He had done for them: especially that memorable time, when He, by his power alone, delivered them from the tyranny of Pharaoh, who most misera­bly oppressed them.

43. They did not seri­ously ponder the evident demonstration He gave of his uncontroulable power, in the miraculous judgments which He sent upon the Egyptians; even upon the Court of Pharaoh, and the principal City of the King­dom.

44. When, for instance, He left them no water to quench their thirst; by turning the River Nile (VII. Exod. 17, 19, 20.) with all the streams that were derived from it, and all their Ponds and Pools of water, into bloud.

45. And sent an infinite swarm of the most pestilent (and to them the most odi­ous) sort of Flyes (VIII. Exod. 21, 22.) which bit the Egyptians, as they used to do their Dogs: As not long before He had sent such an army of Frogs to invade all places (VIII. Exod. 3, 8, 9, &c.) and so to spoil their meat and drink, and every thing else; that if this plague had la­sted, they must have left their Country, or not have lived.

46. After which He ex­posed the Fruits of the Earth, for which they had taken long pains, to be de­voured by various kinds of Locusts; with which the whole Country was so o­verspread, that nothing else, but they, were to be seen upon the face of the earth (X. Exod. 5.)

47. Which had been mi­serably harassed before, by storms of Hail, both small and great: whereby not [Page 65]onely the Grapes and such like Fruit, were smitten down; but the Trees them­selves (for instance, the Vines, and the wild Fig­trees) quite killed, and corrupted at the very root, IX. Exod. 18, 19, 25.

48. For there was a dreadfull Thunder and Lightning mixt together with it: which let no li­ving Creature escape, but destroyed even the Cattel and the Flocks, which were left abroad in the Field, IX. Exod. 22, 23, &c.

49. Many other ways He plagued them, which were tokens of his severest displeasure; by a grievous murrain, by fiery boils, by a most dismall darkness, (IX. Exod. 10.) till at length He sent evil An­gels (who had frighted them in that darkness XVII. Wisd. 3.) as the Ministers of his heavy wrath.

50. Which irresistibly and speedily seised on them, wheresoever He found [Page 66]them; and spared not their lives: but took away the First-born of all their Cat­tel by a pestilential disease, XXI. Exod. 30.

51. As well as the First­born of all their Children, (the prop of their Families, in whom the hope of fu­ture succession was princi­pally laid) throughout the dwellings of the posterity of Cham, the Father of the Egyptians, (X. Gen. 6. XII. Exod. 30.)

52. And by that means brought forth his people from among them, (XII. Exod. 31.) as peaceably as a Shepherd doth his Sheep out of their Folds (not so much as a Dog moving his tongue against them, XI. Exod. 7.) and then directed them the way they should go in the wilderness (XIII. Exod. 18, 21.) where He graciously provided for them.

53. He conducted them securely even through the red Sea, without any ap­prehension [Page 67]of danger, (XIV. Exod. 19, 22.) but over­whelmed Pharaoh and his followers, in that very path where they travelled in safety.

54. And never ceased his care over them (notwith­standing all their provoca­tions) till He brought them into his holy Land; and (in the issue) to this Mount Sion: which, not their prowess but, his mighty power, by the hand of Da­vid, won for them, 2 Sam. V. 6, &c.

55. And, after He had expelled the old inhabi­tants, who were not able to stand before them (XII. Josh.) He distributed by lot, to every Tribe their portion of Land, which they should inherit (XIV. Josh.) and settled them in a quiet possession of it, XXI. Josh. 43, 44.

56. Yet, after so many and so great benefits, they behaved themselves no bet­ter, in that good Land; [Page 68]then they had done in the Wilderness: but as soon as Joshua and the Elders were dead (II. Judg. 7, 10.) they disbelieved the threatnings of their Law, and would make a trial whether they were true or no; provo­king the great Lord of all the world, by slighting his Commandments, which He had so strictly injoined them to observe.

57. They imitated their Fore-fathers, both in their frequent apostasies from God, and in their falseness to their promises, when they pretended to repent of them, (II. Judg. 13, 18, 19. III. 7, &c.) having de­praved minds and hearts, which (like an ill made Bow, that never tends the Arrow to the mark) would turn aside into crooked ways, and not be directed according to the will of God.

58. For they highly in­censed Him, by their Altars and Images, (VI. Judg. 25.) [Page 69]which they built after the manner of the heathen (XXII. Numb. 41.) in the high places: where they worshipped a number of false Gods, (X. Judg. 6.) to his great offence and dis­honour.

59. Which was so noto­rious, that the Judge of the world could not but take notice of it, and severely punish it; by abandoning that people, for whom He had done such wonders, into the hands of the Sy­rians, the Moabites, the Midianites, Philistines, and the Children of Ammon, (see the Book of Judges) who made them as contemptible unto others, as they were loathsome unto Him.

60. Insomuch that at last He quite forsook the City of Shiloh, where, in his Ta­bernacle, He had been gra­ciously pleased to be present with them, (1 Sam. IV. 3, 4.) and would never return un­to it any more, (VII. Jer, 12. and see Arg. of LXVIII. Ps.)

61. Nay, He let the Ark of the Covenant, the spe­cial token of his presence with them, from whence his power was wont to ap­pear most gloriously for them, not onely fall into their hands; but be car­ried away captive by the Philistines (1 Sam. IV. 11, 22. V. 1.).

62. Whose Sword slew a great number of his peo­ple; (1 Sam. IV. 10.) so exceeding angry was He with those, whom He had formerly taken into his spe­cial care above all other Nations; XXXII. Deut. 8, 9.

63. For it was by his Di­vine vengeance, more then the Philistines valour, that they lost abundance of brave young men; the ve­ry flower of their Army: by which means many of their Virgins were constrai­ned to remain unmarried; and they that found Hus­bands, were fain to omit all tokens of joy, in a time of publick sorrow.

64. For some of their Priests, who were peculiar­ly consecrated to God's service, were slain in this Battel, (1 Sam. IV. 11.) and their Wives, oppressed with grief, did not long survive, to make any pub­lick Funeral for them; 1 Sam. IV. 20.

65. The Lord Himself also (who was wont to sight for us) seemed no more concerned in all these calamities, which befell both us and our Religion; then a mighty Commander is at that, which is done to his Army when he is asleep, or overcome with Wine: Till at last, like such a great Warriour (who be­ing awaked calls for his arms, and charges the ene­my with greater fury) He vindicated his honour in a terrible manner, and made a very great destruction a­mong them, 1 Sam. V. 9, 11.

66. For besides the fall of Dagon before the Ark, [Page 72]He smote several Cities of the Philistines, with a grie­vous sort of Haemorrhoids; whereof many died, and the rest languished under most miserable torments: (1 Sam. V. 6, 9, 12.) the monuments of which they themselves were forced to make, and send back with the Ark; to his great glo­ry, and their eternal re­proach, 1 Sam. VI. 3, 4, 9.

67. Yet he would not return to Shiloh again (which was in the Tribe of Ephraim, the Son of Jo­seph) nor have the Ark of his presence placed there any more:

68. But first it was brought to Kiriathaim, (1 Sam. VI. 21.) a City of the Tribe of Judah, XV. Josh. 6. where He resolved hereafter to have his spe­cial residence: and so from thence (after a short stay at the House of Obed-Edom) unto Mount Sion (1 Chron. XIII. 6. XVI. 1, 3, 29.) which He preferred before [Page 73]the Hill of Kiriathaim (1 Sam. VII. 1.) or any other place in all the Country.

69. There Solomon built Him a stately Temple, which, as it was a high and lofty Fabrick, so was not moveable, like his former habitation; but remained perpetually fixed, like the earth on which it stood.

70. For as He had rejec­ted Shiloh, and chosen Sion for the place of his dwell­ing; so He had likewise rejected Saul, and chosen David (the Father of Solo­mon) to be the King of his people: A man who ser­ved Him as faithfully in that Office, as he had done his Father in keeping of his Sheep.

71. From that mean im­ployment He took him, and raised him to the highest charge and dignity: that the care he had imployed in looking after the Ews, and their Lambs when they should fall, he might exer­cise in governing his people; [Page 74]and endeavouring that they, whom He had chosen for his own peculiar inheritance, did no way miscarry.

72. And he did not de­ceive His expectation; but governed them with equal integrity and prudence: never designing any thing but their good; and dex­trously accomplishing what­soever he designed.

1. O God, the supreme Judge of the world, Thou art not ignorant, we know, of our calamity, for [Page 74] [...] [Page 75] [...] [Page 76]it comes by thy order; but give us leave to represent unto thy Majesty, the sad condition of the people and place, which was once very dear unto Thee; for pro­phane Nations have not onely invaded our (or rather thy) Country, to which Thou hast a peculiar Title; but polluted thy own House, which was se­parated to thy service a­lone; and laid it, together with Jerusalem, in ruinous heaps.

2. Under which thy ser­vants the Priests, and o­ther holy men, whom they have slain, could not have the honour to be buried; nor obtain the common ci­vility of a Grave: but the dead Bodies of those whom Thou lovest, they have bar­barously disposed to be de­voured by ravenous Beasts and Birds.

3. For they valued the shedding of their bloud, no more then the pouring out of water: which flowed in [Page 77]such abundance about Je­rusalem; that they left not men enow alive, to take care of the Interment of the dead.

4. And we, that remain, lead a most despicable life; being not onely scorned, and abused, but openly de­rided, and made the sport of the Edomites and other Nations, which formerly stood in awe of us.

5. And which is saddest of all, we have long com­plained of this, and find no relief; but onely in our most passionate cries to Thee, O Lord: the effects of whose just anger and jealousie, we groan under (because we have forsaken Thee, and been unfaithfull to our Covenant with Thee) but hope it will not always last; nor proceed to make an utter end of us.

6. Pour it out rather (in as full a measure, and with as little pity, as they did our bloud, Ver. 3.) up­on the Babylonians: who, [Page 78]though they have conque­red many Kingdoms, do not acknowledge Thee at all, nor ascribe their successes to thy Power; but to their Idols, whom they serve, and honour with that wor­ship which is due to Thee alone.

7. They have been the Instruments indeed of thy vengeance, but have exe­cuted it with such cruelty; that, not content with the conquest of us, they have sought our total extirpati­on: having depopulated our Country, and made that pleasant Land a Wil­derness; which Thou ga­vest to Jacob and his Seed for their habitation.

8. O let not his vertue, and the Covenant Thou madest with him, be for­gotten; when Thou recko­nest with us for the sins of our Fore-fathers; the pu­nishment of which we be­seech Thee, that we may bear no longer: speed our deliverance, Good Lord; [Page 79]and how unworthy soever we be, let thy tender com­passion prevail with Thee, to save us from utter ruin; which is very near, so few, so broken and spent we are, unless seasonably prevented by thy mercy.

9. Send us that seaso­nable help, O God, from whom alone we expect it, and have heretofore very often received it; for it will tend much to the ho­nour of thy almighty Good­ness (which in former times was much celebrated, but of late hath been excee­dingly disparaged) to save us now, when none is able to preserve us: upon that account be pleased to pass by our sins, and to inter­pose for our deliverance; lest Thou suffer together with us:

10. While the Idolatrous Nations utter this insolent language (which is excee­ding grievous, nay insup­portable to us) If their God be so great in Himself, [Page 80]and so kind to them, as they pretend; why doth He not take their part, and appear for their delive­rance? O that Thou wouldst put them to si­lence, by taking such an open, and remarkable ven­geance on these blasphe­mous Nations, for the bloud they have shed; that, not onely we but, all the world may see, Thou hast a care of us thy Servants.

11. Let the sighs and groans of those who lie in prison, be as prevalent with Thee, as thee prayers: and magnifie thy power, by preserving the lives of those, whom they have condemned to die.

12. And when Thou hast done with the Baby­lonians, reckon with our neighbours also, who have insulted over us, and deri­ded us: or rather, have spoken so reproachfully of Thee, O God, that they justly deserve, not onely [Page 81]to be paid home in their kind; but to be made se­ven times more contemp­tible then we have been.

13. So we thy people, being conducted again to our Land, and happily re­stored to live under thy Government there; will never cease to give thanks unto Thee, for thy bene­fits bestowed upon us: And be carefull to trans­mit the memory of them, to those, who shall come after us; that all future Generations may perpe­tuate thy praises.

1. O Thou, who art the Ruler and Protec­tour of thy people Israel, who didst long ago give a famous instance of thy pow­er; in preserving Joseph, when he fell, like an inno­cent Lamb, among a com­pany of Wolves, (XXXVII. Gen. 18, &c.) and conduc­ting him to the highest preferment; reject not our humble petitions, which we put up unto Thee, in the like distress: but shew that Thou favourest us, by some illustrious token of thy presence among us, in [Page 85]thy Holy place; from whence Thou canst send Angels to defend and deli­ver us, 2 King. XIX. 35.

2. Let the posterity of Joseph, who beheld here­tofore so many enemies fall before Thee, when they attended upon the Ark of thy presence in the Wilder­ness, (II. Numb. 18, 20, 22.) and have lately been very zealous in thy service, (2 Chr. XXX. 1. XXXI. 1.) see thy power to be as great as ever: (though for some time it hath not ap­peared at all for us) and that Thou art as forward, in due time, to grant us a glorious deliverance.

3. Restore us, O God, to our former happiness; and for that end restore us into thy favour: and then there will soon be an end of our calamities.

4. For what can the greatest Armies (2 King. XVIII. 17.) doe against Thee, who art the supreme Lord of all, the absolute [Page 86]Commander of the Hosts of Heaven? whose help we have most importunate­ly implored, and long wai­ted for, as men impatient to see our enemies so pre­valent; though hitherto Thou hast been so excee­ding angry with us, that Thou hast not heard the prayers of thy people.

5. But hast turned our joyfull Feasts unto fasting, and weeping; and our plenty, into scarcity of all things, but onely of tears: which we pour out in large measure; when we think of the danger we are in, to perish by famine and by thirst, 2 Chron. XXXII. 21.

6. Our neighbours, the Edomites and others, either pick quarrels with us, or strive among themselves who shall make the greatest booty of us: while our enemies, that besiege us, mock at our inability to help our selves; and at our confidence, which we place in Thee, 2 King. XVIII. [Page 87]22, 23. 2 Chron. XXXII. 15.

7. Convince them, O Lord, that it is not vainly placed, by restoring us a­gain to our former happi­ness: which it is easie for Thee to doe, who hast all the Hosts of Heaven at thy command; if Thou wilt but be pleased to favour us (as we again beseech Thee, Thou wilt) and then no harm shall befall us.

8. We were once very dear unto Thee, when Thou didst transplant us, like a choice Vine, out of Egypt into this Country: from whence Thou didst drive out the ancient Inha­bitants; that we might be settled in their place.

9. Thou preparedst the way for us, making our terrour fall upon them be­fore we came (II. Josh. 9, 10, 11.) so that we easily expelled them; and being there firmly established, like a Vine deeply rooted in a fruitfull soil, we increased [Page 88]and multiplied, till we peo­pled all the Land.

10. And as a rich Vine covers the Hill, on the side of which it is planted; or overtops the lofty Ce­dars, which support it: so we obscured the splendour of the greatest Kingdoms; and made mighty Kings, become Tributaries to us, 1 King. IV. 24.

11. For our Empire ex­tended it self (just like such a luxuriant Vine which spreads its branches every way) from the mid-land Sea, to the River Euphra­tes, 1 King. IV. 21. ( see LXXII. Psal. 8.)

12. But now alas! Thou hast withdrawn thy pro­tection from us; and we are left like a Vineyard without its Hedges: All our strong Holds, and fen­ced Cities are taken, (2 King. XVIII. 3.) so that we lie open to be made a prey to every one that hath a mind to spoil us.

13. The Assyrian King, like a wild Boar, that breaks into a Vineyard, treads down all under his feet, and seeks to root us up: There is no savage Beast can make greater havock among the Vines, then his barbarous Souldiers have done throughout all the Land; which they have eaten up, 2 King. XIX. 29.

14. Our onely hope is, that Thou, the great Lord of Hosts, on whom the event of Wars, as of all things else, depends, wilt be reconciled unto us; and drive him out again: deny us not this request, we be­seech Thee, but though we be destitute of all help on earth, yet send us some from heaven; and, though very unworthy, yet graciously take us into thy care, and repair the breaches which they have made.

15. Be favourable to the remnant of us, which, by thy powerfull preservation, is still left; like the root [Page 90]or stock of a Vine, which may sprout out again: (2 King. XIX. 30, 31.) and especially to our King, whom Thou hast endued with zeal and couragious resolution for they service, (2 Chron. XXX. 32.) and for our defence, 2 Chron. XXXII. 5, 6, 7, 8.

16. Great numbers of us are destroyed already; and may be compared to the numerous branches of that remaining stock, which, be­ing cut off, are burnt with fire: and all the rest of us must perish; if Thou wilt not be reconciled unto us, but still persevere in thy anger towards us.

17. Which we beseech Thee turn away; and be the mighty Helper of our Sovereign, who is dearly beloved by Thee; of that excellent Prince, whom Thou hast endued with zeal and couragious resolu­tion, for thy service and for our defence and preser­vation, (Ver. 15.)

18. Which shall be an everlasting obligation upon us, never to revolt from Thee to our former Idola­try: Do but free us from these deadly enemies, and we will worship Thee a­lone; and never cease to praise Thee, and acknow­ledge that we owe our ve­ry lives to thy almighty Goodness.

19. Hear us, O great Lord, who hast all the An­gels in Heaven at thy com­mand; hear us, we once more beseech Thee, and restore us perfectly to our former happiness: and in order to it, restore us to thy favour; and let there be a speedy end of all these calamities.

1. SIng praises aloud unto God; to whose migh­ty power alone we owe the Deliverance which we now Commemorate: shout with the voice of triumph, in honour of Him; who was so good unto your Fore­fathers.

2. Offer to Him your chearfull Hymns; and, to compleat the melody, and express the greatness of your joy, let some with Timbrils, others with the pleasant Harp, and others with the Psaltery, celebrate the memory of his mercies.

3. And let the Priests especially (X. Numb. 8.) take care to blow with the Trumpets, at this sacred So­lemnity; on the first day of the seventh month, the principal New Moon in the year: that all the people may call to mind the Trump of God (XIX. Exod. 16, 19.) which our Fathers heard; at his dreadfull ap­pearance on Mount Sinai, to give his Law unto them.

4. For thus hath the Lord decreed in that Law; where the God of our Fa­ther Jacob requires this service of us, XXIII. Lev. 24, &c.

5. This He appointed unto the Children of Jo­seph, as well as the rest of the Tribes of Israel; for a perpetual memorial of his benefits: when He going out over all the Land of Egypt, (XI. Exod. 4. XII. 23, 29.) and destroying all their First-born, forced them to let us depart into the Wilderness; where we heard to our great astonish­ment (for we were never before acquainted with it) the voice of God.

6. Who, considering with Himself what a title He had to our service (having ta­ken off the heavy burthens which the Egyptians laid upon our backs, and rid our hands of those sordid and dirty Imployments, wherein they made us la­bour)

7. Admonished us to this effect, saying; You cryed to me by reason of your cruel servitude under Pha­raoh's Task-masters (II. Ex­odus 23.) and I delivered you out of it (III. 8.) and again answered your pray­ers, when you cried unto me in a new distress, at the red Sea, (XIV. Exod. 10, 13.) but confounded the Egyptians, with Thunder and Lightning out of the cloudy Pillar (XIV. Exo. 24, 25. LXXVII. Psalm 18.) After all which I might well expect you should depend upon me: but presently found you full of distrust and infidelity at the waters of strife; (XVII. Exod. 7.) where I gave you a new proof of my power.

8. Of which if you will still enjoy the benefit, then give ear, O my people, and I will solemnly declare my will; and give a severe charge unto you, O ye Israelites, if you resolve to be obedient to my admoni­tions.

9. Then this is the prin­cipal thing upon which all the rest depends, you shall not suffer any other Gods to be acknowledged among you, but onely me, (XX. Exod. 3. 23.) nor shall you worship the Gods of other Nations, XXIII. Exod. 13, 24, 32.

10. For I and I alone am the living Lord, the eternal God, who gave a Being to all things; and who am your peculiar Be­nefactour; having brought you out of the Egyptian Bondage: (XIX. Exod. 4. XX. 2.) And if you will be faithfull and obedient to me, inlarge your desires as far as you please, and I will satisfie them; for all the world is mine, XIX. Exod. 5. XXIII. 25.

11. But notwithstanding their seeming compliance with Him, and the fair pro­mises they made Him (XIX. Exod. 8. XX. 19. XXIV. 3, 7.) He presently com­plained, (XXXII. Exod. 7, [Page 100]8, 9. as I hear Him still do at this day) my people would not be obedient to me; and Israel would not rest contented with me a­alone:

12. So, provoked by their long stubborness, I took no further care of them; but left them to do as they pleased: saying, let them follow their own in­ventions.

13. But it had been bet­ter for them to have adhe­red to me; who, out of my tender affection to their good, still wished, even when they were so refrac­tory, that my people Israel had been so wise, as to have followed my directions, and been led by my advice; and not their own foolish imagi­nations.

14. Then I should, in a short time, have quelled all their enemies; and, by one Victory after another, have quite destroyed those ad­versaries: which (since I brought them into Canaan) [Page 101]have often miserably afflic­ted, and oppressed them, II. Judg. 2, 3, 14, 15, 19, 20. III. 1, &c. IV. 2.

15. All that maligned their prosperity, and set themselves against the de­sign of the Lord to make them victorious over their enemies, should have been so daunted; that they should have dissembled their inward hatred, and been forced, at least, to a counterfeit submission: but his people should have seen blessed days, and injoyed a substantial and durable hap­piness without any inter­ruption.

16. He should have made their Country exceeding fruitfull, and fed them with the richest Wheat: And I my self, saith the Lord, would have blessed Thee with such plenty, that in the Desarts thou shouldest have found the sweetest re­freshments; and without any care of thine, the Bees should have laboured honey [Page 102]for thee, in the Rocks, and holes of Trees, and such like places, XXXII. Deut. 13. XIV. Judg. 8. 1 Sam. XIV. 25, 26.

1. REmember, O ye Judges, whose Mi­nisters you are, (2 Chron. XIX. 6.) and consider, that you are not so powerfull, but GOD who hath put you in his place, and ho­noured you with his Name, (XXII. Exod. 28.) is far greater: and as He is pre­sent in your Court to ob­serve what you do; so will call you to a strict account, and severely punish you, if you judge amiss.

2. How dare you then pronounce an unrighteous Sentence? Is it not time to leave off your partiality? and no longer to favour a bad cause, because the man is rich and great; and can either give you a large bribe, if you will judge it for him; or doe you a mis­chief, if you give sentence against him.

3. Your duty is, to doe equal justice to all men that come before you; and to take a particular care, that the poor and the fatherless do not suffer, because they have no money to give, nor any friend to solicit, for the defence of a righte­ous Cause: and that the men of low condition, and such as are reduced to very great want, be not condem­ned; when they are inju­riously prosecuted, by those who are above them.

4. See that you protect and deliver him, that is quite exhausted and mise­rably oppressed with pover­ty: let them not become a prey to violent men, who have no conscience; but put it out of their power to undoe them.

5. These are the constant admonitions, which the men of God give the Judges; but alas! hitherto they have little prevailed. For they will not study the Laws of God; or if they [Page 106]do, will not think it their interest to be governed by them: but are blinded by bribes, or by their corrupt affections, to doe any thing that they would have them; insomuch that the Foun­dations of the Kingdom, which are Justice and Truth, are shaken; all things are in confusion, and in danger to come to utter ruin, V. Isa. 23, 24. X. 1, 2, 3.

6. Hear therefore the sentence of God upon you, (whose words these are) I have put my Majesty upon you; and, though you be no more then other men in your selves, have by my constitution raised you to such a dignity on earth, as my celestial ministers have in heaven:

7. Yet this shall not pri­vilege you in your unjust proceedings; but since you have no regard to me, nor to your Office, I will have as little regard to you: for you shall perish like one of the common men, without [Page 107]any respect to your ho­nour; and be thrown down from your seats, like the Tyrants and cruel Op­pressours that have been before you.

8. Let us see this sen­tence fulfilled, O God, the righteous Judg; and do not suffer the insolent iniquity of these men any longer: but redress all those evils wherewith such men have filled not onely this Nati­on, but all the world: which belongs to Thee, and Thou wilt one day sure vindicate mankind, as the just owner of them, from the tyranny of those impious Governours; who now abuse them, as if they had an absolute dominion over them.

1. O God, the supreme Judge of the World, whose power is so great that the united forces of all men on earth, or An­gels in heaven, are not to be compared with it, (2 Chr. XX. 6, 12.) who with one word of thy mouth canst dissipate this great Army; do not refuse now to an­swer our prayers in this sore distress: O do not shut thy mercifull ears to our cries; nor quietly see us perish, most mighty God.

2. For we are surprised with a sudden Invasion of [Page 111]numerous Enemies (haters of Thee, and thy Worship, as much as of our Nation) who make a dreadfull noise, like the waves of the Sea (2 Chron. XX. 2.) and proudly promising them­selves a Victory, insult as if they had already won it.

3. They have with e­qual malice and subtilty, carried on a close design against thy people: and with great secresie consul­ted how to destroy, not onely us, whom Thou hast hitherto wonderfully pro­tected as thy Jewels; but thy Temple also, and the secret place wherein Thou there dwellest.

4. Come, say they one to another, Let us agree and join all the power we have together; not merely to make a Conquest of them, but for their utter exstirpation, (2 Chron. XX. 11.) that there may be no mention hereafter in the world, of such a people as the Commonwealth of Is­rael.

5. And accordingly, Ten several Nations are combi­ned heartily in this design; and how different soever their inclinations are upon other accounts, they have all entred into a solemn league, and made a covenant of mutual help, and of im­ploying their joint indea­vours, totally to subvert that Government and Re­ligion, which Thou hast established.

6. Those warlike Nati­ons the Edomites, and Ish­maelites, who dwell in Tents, are ingaged in this enterprise: and so are the Moabites, and others de­scended from Hagar, the Mother of Ishmael.

7. With whom are uni­ted our neighbours the Giblites, (XIII. Josh. 5.) the Ammonites; our old e­nemies the Amalekites and Philistines; and they that dwell in and about the fa­mous City of Tyre.

8. And to add to their strength they have called [Page 113]the powerfull Nation of the Assyrians, into their as­sociation: on whose assi­stance, the Moabites and Ammonites (the Authours of this War) do principal­ly rely.

9. The greater need we have of thy assistance, and with the greater earnestness we beseech Thee to make them an example of humane weakness: by defeating them as Thou didst that vast Army of the Midia­nites and their Confede­rates, (VI. Judg. 5. VII. 12.) whom Gideon overthrew with no greater power then three hundred men, (VII. Judg. 21, 22. compared with 2 Chron. XX. 23.) and as Thou didst in former times to that famous Captain Si­sera (who fell by the hand of a Woman, IV. Judg. 21.) and to Jabin his King: who, together with his Ar­my, was swept away in the brook of Kishon, IV. Judg. 21, 24. V. 21.

10. A great slaughter there was of them near En­dor (compare V. Judg. 19. with XVII. Josh. 11.) where their carkases lay, and rot­ted; and served instead of dung, to fatten and inrich the earth.

11. Let their Princes and Commanders fall like Oreb and Zeeb: (VII. Judg. 25.) and their Kings not be able to save themselves by flight; but be taken and slain, like Zebah, and Zalmunna, VIII. Judg. 12, 21.

12. Who came with a design (VI. Judg. 3, 4, 5.) as these Nations do now (2 Chron. XX. 10, 11.) to possess themselves of that pleasant Land, wherein Thou dwellest among us, in thy holy habitation.

13. O my God, whose goodness hath never failed us, in distress, let them not be able to stand their ground: but put them to flight, and make them run as swiftly, as a ball down a hill; disperse all their forces [Page 115]like the chaffe, when it is blown about with a furi­ous wind.

14. Blast and consume them utterly; as the light­ning, or the scorching rays of the Sun in a long drought do the leaves of the forrest trees, or the grass upon the mountains, (I. Joel 19.)

15. Raise a dreadfull tempest to affright them; and pursue them so with thy vengeance, that they may be shattered and dri­ven away uncertainly, as in a whirlwind: put them into such a pannick fear, that they may not know which way to turn, but clash against one another, in a terrible confusion, 2 Chron. XX. 22, &c.

16. And make those that escape so ashamed, at this disgracefull disappointment; that they may not be able to hold up their heads, nor deny thy Power to be su­periour to theirs: but hum­bly seek thy favour.

17. This is the worst we wish them, notwithstanding their enmity to us; that they may be so astonished and confounded at their defeat, as never to recover any courage to assault us: nay, together with their credit and their courage, quite lose their power to give us any further trouble.

18. And thereby be con­vinced, which they would not believe before, that Thou art what Thou art called, the True and Onely God: who givest Being to all things; and art the su­preme Governour, not one­ly of us but, of all the Na­tions upon earth.

1. IT is impossible to ex­press the affection I have to thy Dwelling-place, O Lord; who art attended there by the ministry of the heavenly host, (XXXVII. Isa. 16.) and needest none of our services:

2. But we cannot live, with any satisfaction, while we are absent from Thee; for I am ready to faint away in ardent longings, to tread again in the Courts of the Lord's House: where my tongue, and my hands, as well as my mind, would gladly be imployed, in the praises of our God; who in this excells all other, (2 King. XIX. 4, 16, 18.) that He lives for ever.

3. It grieves me, O mighty Lord of all the hea­venly hosts, whose Subject I am, and infinitely enga­ged to Thee; to see the very Birds who know no­thing [Page 119]of Thee, injoy that liberty which is denied me: who am here lamenting my distance from Thee, when the Sparrows and the Ring­doves have their constant residence at thy House; and there live so undistur­bed, that they build their nests, and bring forth their young, in the rafters of it.

4. O how happy are they who partake of such a pri­vilege! who live so near thy House and frequent it so much, as if it were their own! Their delightfull imployment is, with never­ceasing praises, to pay their thankfull acknowledgments unto Thee.

5. And happy also is that man (how mean soever his outward condition be) who relying upon thy Divine protection, (XXXIV. Ex­odus 24.) goes up three times a year to the solemn Feast at Jerusalem: or when he is debarred that liberty, as I now am, is one of those devout persons, whose hearts [Page 120]are more in the high-ways that lead thither; then at their own home.

6. Who travelling through the troublesome valley of Bacha, where there is no water, pass it as cheerfully, as if it abounded with plea­sant Springs: and, depen­ding on God as the Foun­tain of what they want, re­ceive from Him the blessing of plentifull and seasonable showres, to refresh them in their journey:

7. So that the whole company, go from stage to stage, with an unwearied vigour; till they all present themselves before God, to receive his blessing in his Temple, upon the Hill of Sion

8. O mighty Lord, who commandest all the heaven­ly hosts, which attend in that holy place (and are far more numerous then the Armies that invade us, 2 Chron. XXXII. 7.) make me one of that happy num­ber: and restore me, O [Page 121]God, who deliveredst Jacob out of all his troubles, to the liberty of waiting upon Thee there.

9. Look graciously upon me, O God, who hast hi­therto been our protectour against the most powerfull enemies: and accept the prayer of our Sovereign, who petitions Thee still, to be our Defender, 2 King. XIX. 19.

10. For one day spent in thy Courts is far more pleasant, than a thousand in any other place: and I had rather lie at the Gates of thy House, then live in the most splendid condition, in Idolatrous Countries.

11. For, though our happiness be sometimes clouded yet, the Lord, like the Sun, will dispell the darkness of affliction; and, having brought us out of a disconsolate condition, de­fend and secure us in a bet­ter: (2 King. XX. 6.) The Lord will give those fa­vour with others, and ad­vance [Page 122]them to great ho­nour, (2 Chron. XXXII. 22, 23.) He will never be sparing of his blessings, but heap them abundantly on those, who sincerely doe his will in all things, 2 King. XVIII. 5, 6. XX. 3.

12. O most mighty Lord, who commandest all the host of heaven, happy is that man, who by his in­tegrity, preserves this hope and confidence in Thee; though, for the present, he be restrained from the de­lightfull injoyment of Thee, in thy Temple.

1. THou hast been ex­ceeding kind un­to us, O Lord; and we most thankfully acknow­ledge the favour Thou hast done us: in delivering us, the posterity of Jacob, out [Page 124]of our sad Captivity; and restoring us to the Land, in which Thou thy self hast chosen to dwell, I. Ezra.

2. Our sins kept us from it, in banishment, a long time; but now Thou hast graciously pardoned, both our Idolatry, and all the other crimes, for which we justly suffered.

3. Thou hast put an end to the sore punishments, which in thy heavy dis­pleasure Thou inflictedst on us: and turned thy severi­ty, which, like sire, had almost consumed us; into great clemency and mercy toward us.

4. Compleat, good Lord, our deliverance, which Thou hast thus gra­ciously begun: and let not our ingratitude provoke Thee, to continue this new vexation and trouble that is befaln us, IV. Ezra 4, 5, 21, 23.

5. Which forces us to sigh, and say, in the an­guish of our Souls, will [Page 125]there never be an end of our miseries? Is it not e­nough that the foregoing generation hath felt the sad effects of thine anger; but it must extend it self to us also, and our posterity?

6. Will it not be more for thy honour, not onely to preserve this feeble life which Thou hast bestowed on us but, to give us a per­fect recovery? that thy people may have nothing to damp their joy, and in­tire satisfaction, in thy good­ness to them?

7. Make us so happy, good Lord; and, though we deserve indeed to be more miserable then we are yet, let thy mercy prevail with Thee, to grant us a compleat deliverance.

8. I will wait patiently upon the Lord, the Judge of the world, for a gracious Answer to these Prayers: hoping that He will not condemn us to further pu­nishment; but settle his people, who devoutly wor­ship [Page 126]Him, in a prosperous tranquillity; provided they return not again to their old Idolatry.

9. He will be so far from deserting those, who fear to offend Him; that I am confident the time approa­ches, when He will finish what He hath begun to doe for us: in rebuilding our Temple, (V. Ezra 2, 8. VI. 7, 8, &c.) and resto­ring our Country to its an­cient dignity and splen­dour.

10. For, methinks, I see goodness and fidelity, justice and concord (which are the principal glory of a Kingdom) meeting toge­ther, like ancient Friends, which have been long ab­sent, and embracing each other.

11. And as Truth and Honesty, with all other Vertues, shall grow and flourish among us (like Flowers and Herbs in the Spring, after a tedious Win­ter) so God shall faithfully [Page 127]fulfill his promises to us, and exercise a most gracious providence over us.

12. Yea, the Lord will doe us good beyond our expectation: and reward our fruitfulness in good works, with such a large and plentifull increase of the fruits of the earth; as shall demonstrate the boun­ty of heaven to us.

13. He will govern us with great justice and mer­cy; having his faithfull promises always before his eyes; from that rule He will never swerve; but stedfastly proceed by it, as the constant method He will hold, in his Divine Administrations.

1. THere cannot be a fitter object of thy Mercy, O Lord, then thy poor Supplicant, who beseeches Thee graciously to condescend to his re­quest: for else he is utter­ly undone, being quite de­stitute of all humane help.

2. And yet my life is in imminent danger, unless Thou dost preserve it; as many reasons make me hope Thou wilt: for, as Thou the righteous Judge hast been long my benefactour, and I am perfectly innocent of that my enemies charge me withal; so I my self have been a reliever of o­thers in their need; and besides, am a faithfull ser­vant of thine, who depends intirely upon Thee, and hath no confidence in any thing, but onely thy Al­mighty Goodness.

3. Whose mercifull help I have also implored with most importunate and in­cessant prayers; which is another reason of my hope, [Page 130]that Thou wilt take com­passion upon me, O Lord:

4. And turn the present sorrow of thy servant into joy and gladness: For I have placed my hope in­tirely in Thee, O Lord; and expect nothing but from Thee alone.

5. Who art no less boun­tifull (which is another ex­ceeding great encourage­ment to me) then I am in­digent; ready also to pardon those that have offended Thee: yea to shew abun­dant kindness to every one of them, in their greatest distress; when with un­feigned devotion they call upon Thee.

6. As I now do, O Lord; most humbly beseeching Thee with repeated intrea­ties, to give a favourable answer to these prayers and supplications; whereby I deprecate thy displeasure, and sue unto Thee for fa­vour.

7. Which I beseech Thee let me the rather obtain, [Page 131]because my distress is so great and so urgent; that thy power will now be the more magnified in deli­vering me: as heretofore Thou hast been wont to doe, upon such earnest pe­titions, as these are unto Thee.

8. For nothing is too hard for Thee; nor art Thou unwilling to doe more kindnesses for us, be­cause Thou hast done so many already: But, as ap­pears by thy unparallel'd works, dost incomparably excell (whatsoever strangers think, 2 King. XVIII. 15.) all those that are worship­ped in the world as gods; who are not able so much as to help, and preserve themselves.

9. Which shall move all our neighbouring Nations (2 Chron. XXXII. 23.) as all the rest shall do in the days of that Great King which we expect, XV. Rom. 9.) to acknowledge Thee, O Lord, to be their [Page 132]Creatour; and with hum­ble veneration to submit themselves unto Thee, and to honour Thee with their highest praises.

10. For they shall clear­ly see, by the magnificence of thy marvellous works, that Thou art infinitely su­periour, to all those Pow­ers whom they adore: And that, in truth, there is no God, but Thou thy self alone.

11. Which I so firmly believe, that I desire no­thing more, then to be per­fectly instructed in all thy will; which I will sincere­ly observe: knit my heart, O Lord, in such pious af­fections to Thee, that it may never in the least dis­sent from Thee; nor be disturbed with any vain cares, but intirely bent to study this alone, what is pleasing unto Thee.

12. Whom I am bound to praise, both as the fu­preme Lord of all, and as my most bountifull Bene­factour, [Page 133]with all the pow­ers of my Soul: and accor­dingly, I do now most thankfully acknowledge Thee; and will never cease to honour Thee, and to doe Thee service, as long as I have any Being.

13. For the benefits Thou hast bestowed on me, are as inestimable, as they are in­numerable: I owe my ve­ry life to Thee, which hath been often snatched out of the extreamest dangers; wherein I had inevitably perished, if Thou hadst not mercifully delivered me, 1 Sam. XXIII, &c.

14. Behold, O God, a new opportunity to glorifie that mercy; for proud and ambitious men, (2 Sam. XV. 1, 2, &c.) have made an in­surrection against me, and raised a most formidable Army (2 Sam. XV. 12, 13.) to take away that life, which Thou hast so mira­culously preserved: having no regard to thy Provi­dence; nor refusing any [Page 134]means, whereby they may satisfie their unjust desires.

15. All our comfort is, that Thou, not they, dost govern the world: who art no less compassionate, then Thou art powerfull; readily forgiving offences, or bearing long before Thou punishest Them; chusing rather to heap thy benefits upon us, and never failing to perform thy faithfull pro­mises.

16. In confidence of which I humbly beseech thy favour, and gracious pardon, though I have highly offended Thee: As­sist thy poor servant, by thy irresistible power, a­gainst those mighty forces, which are ready to assault me: O deliver me, who am here humbled in the lowest manner before Thee; looking upon my self as more absolutely thine, then any slave that is born in our house, can be ours.

17. Vouchsafe me now in this great distress, such [Page 135]manifest tokens of thy fa­vour towards me, that I may not onely be delive­red; but all may take no­tice of it: And good men thereby be encouraged to hope in Thee; but they that hate me, be utterly confounded; to see him whom they intended to de­stroy, not onely preserved but, blessed with comforts proportionable to the sor­row he hath indured.

1. GReat is the strength and beauty of this place! which is founded by God in the high Moun­tains; which He hath pe­culiarly chosen for the seat of his Kingdom, and of his Priesthood.

2. Though the Lord loves all the habitations of his people; yet none are so dear unto Him, as those within the Gates of Jeru­salem: A principal part of which is Sion.

3. There is no City in the world, of which such glorious things are foretold, or of which any thing can [Page 137]now be said, comparable to what we can truly boast of thee; that art the City, which God Himself hath se­parated for his own habi­tation.

4. I do not deny the due praises which belong to o­ther places and Countries; but rather am wont to make honourable mention, among my acquaintance and familiars, of Egypt and of Babylon; and of those who are nearer to us, the Philistines, Tyrians, and A­rabians: bidding them ob­serve, that such a notable person was born among them:

5. But what is this to Sion? of whom it shall be said in future times, that (not such a single person, but) this and that man; a great many Worthies, and far more eminent, both in Learning and in Arms, but especially in Piety, were born in her: for she hath no meaner instructour than the most high; who shall [Page 138]settle her in a flourishing estate, by educating and forming her inhabitants, to the most excellent quali­ties.

6. So that when He him­self, whose eyes nothing can escape, shall look over the register of those Nati­ons, and count the famous men they have produced; He shall find onely some one great man, and he compa­ratively of no great value, was born among them:

7. But in thee, O City of God, He shall find mul­titudes of excellent persons, all eminent in their kind, even among those of lower rank, as well as in the high­er: And there shall be a constant succession of such; as there is of water from a spring.

1. O Mighty Lord, by whose gracious care and good providence, I have been hitherto pre­served, and on whom all my hopes of safety still de­pend; I have not failed in this sore affliction to im­plore [Page 141]thy mercy, with most earnest cries, without any intermission.

2. Let them at last pre­vail I beseech Thee; and do not reject my petiti­on, accompanied with sad moans and dolefull lamen­tations: but vouchsafe a favourable answer to it.

3. For my Soul is over­charged with great variety of long continued evils: which have brought me so low, that there is but a step between me and the grave.

4. All that know my condition look upon me, as utterly lost; and I have no reason to think other­wise: being quite spent, and having no power at all to help my self.

5. I am no longer one of this world, from whose so­ciety I am quite separated: there is little difference be­tween me, and those, who being slain in a Battel, and cast all together into one common grave, are no fur­ther regarded; or those [Page 142]whose families are so wholly exstirpated, that there are none left to preserve their memory.

6. For Thou hast thrust me down into a deep and dismal Dungeon (which I can compare to nothing but a Grave;) wherein I lie neglected, and see no hope of being delivered.

7. My spirit is ready to sink under the weight of thy displeasure: while my calamities fall upon me so fast, and so heavily (like the mountainous waves of the Sea) one after another; that it is impossible to ex­press the soreness of my af­fliction.

8. I am not allowed to have any familiarity with my friends or acquaintance; no more then if I were in another world: And as for other men, they abominate to come into such a loath­some place; where I am kept so close, that I have no means of getting out.

9. Nor can I doe any thing there but weep, till I am almost blind by reason of the miseries I endure: onely I cease not to look up unto Thee, O Lord, continually, who art my onely companion in this solitary and helpless condi­tion; imploring thy aid with fervent prayers, and longing expectations; say­ing,

10. Make haste, good Lord, to deliver me, if Thou intendest any kind­ness to me; otherwise I shall presently perish, and then, without the greatest Miracle, there is no help for me: For can I with any reason expect, that Thou shouldest doe won­ders for me among the dead, when Thou wouldest doe nothing for me, while I was alive? and raise me out of my grave, when Thou wouldest not bring me out of prison?

11. Now is the time to declare the love Thou bea­rest [Page 144]to me; and to perform the promise Thou hast made to them that faithfully serve Thee: For if Thou dost defer thy relief, I die; and what can I hope for, when I am rotten in my grave?

12. Shall thy power be apparent there, where no­thing is seen? And wilt Thou convince men how good and how just Thou art to thy servants, in the place where they are no more remembred?

13. Thus, O Lord, I cry unto Thee in the an­guish of my soul: which keeps me awake to present my prayers unto Thee, be­fore the morning light.

14. Though alas! they have no effect; but I see my self deserted, notwith­standing all my prayers, in these miserable straits: wherein I lie sighing to think what the reason should be, that Thou de­niest me thy help, and ta­kest no notice of me.

15. Which is the more strange, because I faint a­way under my misery, which hath continued many years, and under the sad prospect I have before me, of more dreadfull calamities: which so astonish me, that I know not what to doe with my self.

16. I onely bemoan o­ver again my forlorn estate, which grows still more de­plorable; I suffer not mere­ly the effects of thy anger (Ver. 7.) but of thy seve­rest and most terrible dis­pleasure: wherewith I am so overwhelmed and op­pressed, that I am scarce able to fetch my breath.

17. Which way soever I turn my self, I find that I am inviron'd with them: and they increase conti­nually, like flouds of wa­ter, coming from several places, and at last meeting all together, to inclose and swallow me up.

18. And there is no Friend, no Neighbour [Page 146]comes near me, to give me the least consolation: But all they whose sweet socie­ty was wont to help to mi­tigate my sorrow, are ei­ther dead; or kept from my sight; or hide them­selves for fear of being thrust down together with me, into this dolefull place.

1. THE innumerable calamities that are befaln us shall not blot out the memory of the innume­rable benefits, which the Lord hath formerly be­stowed on us: but I will sing of them without cea­sing; and indeavour to make all posterity believe, notwithstanding our pre­sent desolation, that Thou art faithfull and constant to thy word.

2. For I am confident thy Mercy, which is im­movable and indures for ever, will raise us out of these ruines: thy promises being as firm and stedfast as the heavens; in which we see an image of the un­changeableness [Page 149]of thy Na­ture, and of thy will.

3. Which Thou didst declare by thy Prophet, saying, (1 Sam. XVI. 13. 2 Sam. III. 9, 10. V. 2. VII. 15, 16, 28.) I have chosen David my faithfull Servant, to be the Gover­nour of my people; and have made a Covenant with him, confirmed by an Oath:

4. That not onely he, but his Children after him shall be settled in the Throne: which, though it totter sometime, or be thrown down, shall be raised again; and conti­nued throughout all suc­ceeding generations.

5. For which stupendi­ous kindness, if we should forget to praise Thee, or in this our calamitous con­dition distrust thy power and fidelity to make it good; the heavenly inha­bitants will not fail to doe it: but in their holy As­semblies confess them both, with their solemn praises.

6. For there are none of the powers of the air they know (much less any upon earth) that can resist the Lord, and hinder the ful­filling of his will: The mightiest among themselves, they are sensible, are not to be compared with his Majesty, to whom they are but Ministers.

7. And when they as­semble, in the greatest num­bers, and make the most glorious Court, stand in great fear and dread of Him: attending, with aw­full reverence, what com­mands He will be pleased to lay upon them.

8. With whom I will join, O Lord the Comman­der of all these heavenly Hosts; and celebrate thy Name on earth, as they do in heaven, saying: Where is he among them all, that can equal Thee, O most powerfull Lord; whose Faithfulness is as rea­dy to fulfill thy Promises, as the Angels are to execute thy Commands.

9. The Sea it self, which submits to no body else, is under thy Government: who, when it is a calm, makest it swell, as if it would overflow the earth; and reducest it, when it is in its greatest rage, to a perfect stilness again.

10. There the Egyptians, who had been wounded before with many other grievous plagues, were ut­terly overthrown: and with the like irresistible power the Canaanites were scatte­red; at the entrance of thy people, into the pro­mised Land.

11. For Thou art the owner of things, both in heaven and earth, and hast the justest right to dispose of them, to whom Thou pleasest: because the world, and all the inhabitants of it, are thy Creatures.

12. Whether we cast our eyes to the Southern or Northern parts of the earth; to the West, towards Tabor, or Eastwards towards Her­mon: [Page 152]they all acknowledge Thee their Creatour; and rejoice in thy bountifull Providence, which inriches them with all things need­full for them.

13. And thy power ex­tending it self throughout the whole, always effects in every place, whatsoever Thou designest: whether it be to punish evil-doers, or to preserve and exalt them that doe well.

14. But none shall be able to say Thou doest them any wrong: Because Thou dost not rule the world merely by thy abso­lute power; but hast pla­ced thy principal glory in justice and equity, mercy and fidelity; from which Thou never swervest.

15. Happy then are the people who live under thy righteous and mercifull Go­vernment; and hear the Trumpet sound, which sig­nifies the royal presence of thy Majesty among them, and calls them to attend [Page 153]upon Thee (X. Numb. 10.) They shall spend their days most chearfully, O Lord; being secure of thy favour, which will let them want nothing that is good for them.

16. They shall not bare­ly rejoice, but triumph, and that continually; in thy love to them, and thy power to defend them: and, walking in thy holy Laws, shall by thy good­ness be highly exalted, and made superiour to all their enemies.

17. For they owe not their conquests to their own valour, or forces, though never so great; but it is Thou who givest illustrious Victories, to the smallest Armies: And therefore by thy favour we hope that our Empire, which is now broken, shall be raised a­gain to its former splen­dour.

18. For the Lord is still our Protectour, though our Prince be taken, and made [Page 154]unable to defend us: He whom Israel adores, and acknowledges infinitely to transcend all other Beings, is our King and Governour.

19. Who then didst re­veal thy mind, in a Vision, to the holy Prophet Sa­muel, (1 Sam. XVI. 1.) when the Philistines defied Israel, and grew terrible to them, (XVII. 10, 11, 24.) saying; I have provided myself a valiant Champion, (1 Sam. XVI. 18.) to be your deliverer, (2 Sam. III. 18.) I have designed a per­son of singular worth, from among the common people, (1 Sam. XVI. 11.) to be promoted to the Kingdom.

20. I have observed Da­vid (1 Sam. XVI. 1.) and find him a man that will faithfully serve me: Go, and anoint him with the holy Oil; for I intend him for the Governour of my people.

21. With whom I will always be powerfully pre­sent, for his assistance [Page 155](1 Sam. XVII. 45, &c.) and never desert him, as I did Saul: (XVIII. 12, 24, 28.) But my mighty power shall extraordinarily strengthen him, in all his enterprises, 1 Sam. XXX. 6. 2 Sam. VIII. 6, 14.

22. The subtilest of his enemies, shall not be able to circumvent him; nor the most malicious, how powerfull soever, oppress him.

23. But after all their vain attempts I will not onely protect him, from their crafty violence; but subdue all his adversaries under him, and destroy those that hate him, 2 Sam. VII. 9.

24. He shall ever find me, not onely faithfull in my promise to him but, kind above his expectation: and, by my powerfull as­sistance, and his confidence in it, his authority shall be highly exalted, 1 Chron. XIV. 17. 2 Sam. VII. 9. VIII. 13.

25. On one hand he shall conquer the Phili­stines, and those that live upon the coast of the Sea, (2 Sam. VIII. 1.) and on the other hand the Syrians, as far as Tigris and Euphra­tes, (2 Sam. VIII. 9, &c. X. 16, 19.)

26. For he shall intirely depend on me in all his distresses, and fly to me for succour, as a Child to his Parent; saying, with more then usual love and confi­dence, Thou art my Father, as well as my omnipotent God, from whom alone I expect protection and deli­verance.

27. Which I will never fail to afford him, till I raise him to the prime dignity, a­mong all those whom I call my Sons; and set him so high above all other Kings in the world, that he shall be a most eminent Type of my Son Christ, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords.

28. Nothing shall alter these kind intentions to­ward [Page 157]him; but I will al­ways have a love for him, and faithfully perform my Covenant with him.

29. Which is, that his Family shall never be ex­tinct; but, notwithstan­ding the changes which all things are subject unto here below, have the royal pow­er continued in it, as long as the heavens endure, 2 Sam. VII. 16, 28, 29. I. Luke 32, 33.

30. If his Successours in­deed shall depart from the Law, which I have given you by my Servant Moses, and not judge my people righteously;

31. If they prophanely neglect, or corrupt my Re­ligion, and observe not the rest of the Rules of life, which I have enjoined them:

32. Then will I execute the threatnings which are in my Law, (XXVI. Levit.) upon them; and punish their transgressions with sore diseases, and their Ido­latries [Page 158]with several plagues, (2 Sam. VII. 14.)

33. But I will not so chastise them, as never more to doe good to his Family; (2 Sam. VII. 25.) but will still have a kindness for it, and faithfully keep my pro­mise with it, 1 King. XI. 34, 36. XV. 4. 2 King. VIII. 19, &c.

34. I will not violate the Covenant I have made with David (2 Chron. XXI. 7.) nor retract the promise, which I have solemnly pas­sed to his Family.

35. For I have unaltera­bly sworn by my own in­communicable excellencies, that I will as soon cease to be what I am, as deceive him.

36. His Family (as I said Verse 29.) shall never be quite extinct; but always remain in my favour, and hold the royal dignity, as long as the Sun shineth.

37. The Moon may as well fall from her Orb, as his Authority fall to the [Page 159]ground and rise no more: Let that be a witness of my fidelity, when you look upon it; (XXXIII. Jer. 20, 21.) and conclude, that af­ter all the changes and e­clipses his Kingdom may suf­fer, it shall stand as fast, as that and all the rest of the heavenly bodies.

38. But all these pro­mises, alas! so sacredly con­firmed, and oft repeated, have not secured it from a dismal subversion: For Thou hast rejected, with the greatest contempt and indignation, our Sovereign; one of the posterity of Da­vid, and his lawfull suc­cessour in the Kingdom, 2 King. XXIV. 20. XXV. 6, 7. IV. Lam. 20.

39. Thou seemest not to regard the Covenant made with that thy faithfull Ser­vant (which Thou promi­sedst not to break, Ver. 34.) and instead of raising his Family higher then all other Kings (Ver. 27.) hast suffe­red it to lose all its Autho­rity; [Page 160]which, together with the royal Diadem, is vilely trodden under foot.

40. Thou hast broken down all the walls of Je­rusalem, (2 King. XXV. 10.) and made all his for­tified places a mere desola­tion.

41. So that he hath no defence against those who have a mind to make a prey of him, (2 King. XXIV. 2.) and is now scor­ned and derided by those, who formerly dreaded him.

42. Thou hast made his adversaries (whom Thou promisedst to depress, Ver. 23.) far stronger then him­self: they have executed all that they designed, and now triumph in his ruin.

43. His forces have done him no service; but, being shamefully routed, durst never rally again, to make any opposition to their e­nemies.

44. Thou hast put out that splendour, which we thought should have been [Page 161]perpetual; (Ver. 37, 38.) and hast utterly overturned his Kingdom.

45. Thou hast made a speedy end of the reign of Jehojachin, who in his youth is made a slave: (2 King. XXIV. 8, &c.) and suffe­red Zedekiah to be most disgracefully condemned as a rebel, to lose his eyes, and remain a prisoner all the days of his life, 2 King. XXV. 6, 7.

46. O what a sad condi­tion is this, in which Thou seemest wholly to neglect us! But, O Lord, wilt Thou never appear for us again, and put a period to our miseries? wilt Thou let thy anger burn, till we be utterly consumed?

47. Our natural weak­ness pleads for some mercy; and imboldens us to beseech Thee, that, since we must not onely die unavoidably, but a short time will bring us to our graves, Thou wilt be pleased to let us spend that little time in [Page 160] [...] [Page 161] [...] [Page 162]more ease; and not live, as if we were made for no­thing else, but onely to be miserable and to die.

48. For where is the man, whose constitution is so firm, that he shall not yield to death? For what ability have we, though our enemies should not thus destroy us, to defend our selves from the power of the grave?

49. Lord! what a diffe­rence is there between our times, and those, when Thou wast so exceeding good to David? And swarest, most faithfully to continue to him for ever thy loving-kindness? which we beseech Thee now re­store unto us.

50. Shew, O Lord, that Thou dost not forget the scoffs and jeers; whereby our enemies augment the sufferings of thy servants: there is nothing I lay to heart so much, as all the reproaches of many and mighty Nations.

51. Who are thy ene­mies as well as ours; and have blasphemed Thee, O Lord, and mockt at Thee: as if our slavery were the effect of thy inability to protect us; and as if there were an end of the Family and Kingdom of David, thine anointed, which Thou saidest should last for ever.

52. But let them laugh on; neither their scoffs, nor our calamity, shall hinder us from praising the Lord, and speaking good of Him continually; in assured hope that He will at last deliver us. Let it be so, we beseech Thee; Let it be so, as we desire and hope: that we may ever praise Thee for our happy restauration.

1. O Lord, who sustai­nest and governest the whole world, Thou hast been the constant Pro­tectour of our Nation for many Ages: having affor­ded all things necessary for the defence and security of our Forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; when they had no certain dwelling-place, but were strangers in the Land whither we are going: and supported us in the Land of Egypt; where, in a time of dearth, Thou madest an ample provision for us; as Thou hast also done hitherto, in this bar­ren desert.

2. Where, though we have no Towns nor Houses, we ought to think our selves safe; and to trust in Thee, who art the same mighty God, Thou ever wast (not onely before we and our Forefathers were made, but before the mountains arose [Page 167]out of the waters, and Thou commandedst the rest of the earth, and this beautifull world to appear) and ever wilt be, whatever changes there be here, without any alteration.

3. We have highly of­fended Thee indeed, and so did our first Parents; who became thereby most wretched and miserable Creatures, and were doo­med by Thee to return to the dust, out of which they were formed: as all their posterity must do, when­soever Thou summonest them to obey that sentence, Thou hast passed upon them.

4. And should we have a reprieve for a longer time, then our first Father Adam, and some of his successours had, who lived near to a thousand years; we should be wretched still: especial­ly, when we compared our selves with Thee; in whose account the longest life is as inconsiderable as one [Page 168]day, and that when it is spent and gone; nay, as three or four hours, which pass away in sleep.

5. But alas! in these a­ges Thou carriest men away suddenly; as a violent tor­rent doth those things, it meets withall in its passage: they vanish like a dream, when we awake; and are as grass, which in the mor­ning is grown higher and stronger then it was;

6. But, how flourishing and fresh soever it then ap­pear, is cut down before night, and loses all its beau­ty: such is the frailty of man; who now is in vigo­rous health, and anon lan­guishes, and falls to the earth.

7. This, I am sure, is our condition; who have so provoked Thee to an­ger by our sins, that we perish in an instant, (XVI. Numb. 35, 46.) and are perpetually disturbed with dreadfull apprehensions of thy heaviest displeasure, XVII. Numb. 12, 13.

8. After many threat­nings, Thou hast procee­ded, as a righteous Judge, to call us to a severe account for all our foul crimes; though never so secretly committed: and makest it appear, by our punishments, to all the world (XIV. Numb. 20, &c.) that we are a perverse generation; though we pretend to thy service.

9. For we constantly feel some effects or other of thine anger; whereby our lives decline exceeding fast, and many times, before we can say what's this, is at an end.

10. We fall short of the days of our Forefathers; being now all doomed to perish in the Wilderness, and not to exceed, com­monly, the age of LXX. or (if men be of a vigorous constitution) at most of LXXX. years: the best part of which also, is spent in toilsome travels (XX. Num. 14. XXI. 4. XXXI. 11. [Page 170]II. Deut. 1, 3, &c.) and much sorrow and vexation; to see the strongest among us, cut down like grass in a moment, or at least ma­king great haste unto their graves.

11. And yet alas! who is there that seriously con­siders and lays to heart, the dreadfull effects of thy dis­pleasure; which irresistibly falls upon us? (XXV. Num. 1, 2, 3, &c.) or with such a pious fear, as it ought to excite, takes any care to prevent more terrible pu­nishments, then those we have felt already?

12. Lord, do Thou touch us with a sense of thy judgments; that we may not presume thus foo­lishly to offend Thee, as our Fathers have done: but, making a just account of the shortness and uncer­tainty of our lives, may wisely apply our selves to make the best use we can of them, in repenting of our sins.

13. And then be pleased to turn thy severity into kindness towards us: Let it suffice, good Lord, that we have indured so many and long punishments; and now at last revoke or mi­tigate the sentence Thou hast past upon us, who, though very disobedient, are thy servants.

14. O let us see some ap­pearance of thy love to us; which may satisfie and chear our languishing souls, like the morning light after a tedious night: and instead of sighs and groans, fill us with shouts of joy, all the remainder of our days.

15. Compensate our past troubles with future com­forts; and make our hap­piness to equal, if not ex­ceed, the misery we have suffered.

16. Declare to all the world, that Thou hast not quite forsaken us thy ser­vants: but wilt still work wonders for us; and doe more glorious and magni­ficent [Page 172]things for our Chil­dren, though we have sin­ned against Thee, XX. Numb. 17, 18, &c. XXXI. 2. II. Deut. 25. III. 24.

17. Let them inherit, by the special favour of the Lord our God, that lovely and pleasant Land, (XLIX. Gen. 15. VIII. Deut. 7, 8, &c.) which He hath promised to give us: and, for that end, direct and prosper our arms; that what we shall attempt in vain, if we be left to our selves, may successfully be atchieved by thy assistence, (VIII. Deut. 17, 18, &c. XXXI. 6, 7, 8.) O prosper Thou our undertaking; and make our arms victo­rious.

1. IT is an undoubted truth, that he who always makes the Divine Providence his Sanctuary, and, commending himself to the protection of the most High, rests in that and troubles himself no further; need not fear any danger whatsoever: but think him­self safe and secure in his custody; who, as He is Almighty so, will never fail those that piously confide in Him.

2. And therefore I will now incourage my soul, to flee unto the Lord for shel­ter, saying; I have no con­fidence in any thing but Him alone: He is a better [Page 176]defence then the most im­pregnable fortress; being the Sovereign of the world, and so good to me upon all occasions, that I will never distrust his kindness.

3. I doubt not but He will deliver thee from all unseen dangers; particular­ly from this most destructive Pestilence: whose venom catches men as insensibly and suddenly; as the snare doth the Bird, when it is laid by a cunning Fowler.

4. He will affectionately defend thee, as a Hen doth her young ones under her wings: And therefore trust to his benign Providence, and depend upon his faith­full word; opposing that to all the dangers which threaten thee, as a Souldier doth his Shield and Buckler to the Darts and thrusts of his enemies.

5. Then thou needest not to be afraid, either of murtherers and robbers; whose sudden attempts in the night, make them more [Page 177]dreadfull: nor of insurrec­tions, and popular tumults, and the open assaults of any adversaries.

6. No, nor of those in­fectious diseases, which arise from unknown causes: nor of those malignant fevers, which rage in the hottest season of the year.

7. Whereby though whole Towns and Coun­tries be depopulated, a thousand falling on the left hand, and ten thousand on the right hand of thee; thou shalt remain untou­ched in that mortality.

8. And onely be a spec­tatour of the Divine ven­geance, in punishing wic­ked offenders so visibly; that thou canst not but ob­serve his righteous Judg­ments, 2 Sam. XXIV. 15, 16.

9. Because I have placed my confidence and hope in Thee, O Lord; who art a sanctuary, to which no vio­lence can approach.

10. Therefore rest still assured, O my Soul, that He will suffer no mischief to befall thee: nor let this plague seize upon thy Fa­mily.

11. But give his Angels, who are always ready to obey his commands, a strict charge to take care of thee; and to preserve thee whi­ther soever thou goest.

12. They shall as dili­gently attend thee, as a Nurse doth her Child: guiding, supporting and defending thee, with such a solicitous affection; that the least harm shall not be­fall thee.

13. No, shouldst thou come among Serpents, Asps and Dragons, with all the rest of those venemous sort of Creatures, they shall not be able to doe thee hurt: but thou shalt victoriously trample upon them, and triumph over them, X. Luk. 19. XVI. Mark 18.

14. For so hath the Lord declared his will and plea­sure [Page 179]to be, when He gave commission to his Angels concerning me, saying; Because he heartily loves Me, and delights in Me, therefore will I deliver him from all present danger, and raise him above the reach of all future: because he hath acknowledged Me, to be the onely safe refuge, and relied on My power for his protection;

15. I will grant him all his petitions; especially when he is in any distress, I will be present with him, to afford him sutable com­fort: and not onely pre­serve him from perishing; but, after a happy delive­rance, make him great and illustrious.

16. And more then that he shall have the satisfaction of injoying his honour to a great old Age: and when his strength fails him, I will not; but still give him evi­dent proofs of my care of him, and kindness towards him.

1. NOW is the proper season to give thanks unto the Lord, for all the benefits we have re­ceived from Him: and it is no less delightfull, then it is profitable, to sing Hymns in the praise of the Divine perfections; which infinite­ly transcend all that can be said, or thought of them.

2. This is the sweetest imployment in the mor­ning; and no entertain­ment equal to it at night: [Page 182]to commemorate and de­clare to all, how bountifull Thou art; and how faith­full in performing thy pro­mises to those, who depend on thy Almighty Good­ness.

3. Which ought to be celebrated, with a full Con­sort, not onely of our chear­full Voices but, of all the Instruments of Musick.

4. For all are too little, O Lord, to express the joy I have in the acts of thy Providence; by whom, as the world was made so, it is still governed: it ravishes my spirit, and makes me shout for joy, to think how excellently Thou orderest and disposest all things.

5. Whose administration, though I cannot fully com­prehend; yet, I admire and applaud the astonishing greatness of thy works: and reverence the unsear­chable depth of thy coun­sels and designs.

6. Of which a stupid man, who looks not be­yond [Page 183]his senses, is so whol­ly ignorant; that seeing himself, and other such like fools, prosper and thrive, while better men are in trouble and affliction; He presently concludes, Thou dost not meddle in our af­fairs; but leavest all to chance: For he doth not understand, so much as this secret;

7. That when the lew­dest men grow rich, high and powerfull; and their interest is such, that by their means all the workers of iniquity, and few other men, are promoted; the reason is: because nothing in this world is of any great value, nor of any long con­tinuance; but after they have flourished a while in an empty glory, they shall be cut down like grass; and, which is more, never rise up again:

8. And that, Thou, who rulest all things, though far out of their sight, canst as well punish or reward men [Page 184]hereafter, as at present; being the eternal Lord.

9. Who shewest Thou dost not intend to let the wicked escape, though now they flourish; for Thou hast begun already to give thy enemies, who have long prospered, a remarkable de­feat: they have received such a notable blow, that I am confident they shall perish; and all their par­takers, though never so nu­merous and strongly linkt together, be dispersed and utterly destroyed.

10. But my power and authority Thou shalt raise to a formidable height: and crown that dignity with such undisturbed joy and pleasure; as shall prove, the pious are not always miserable:

11. Nor the wicked al­way prosperous. For to all other pleasures this shall be added, that I shall see those deprived of all power, who have long watched to doe me mischief: or certainly [Page 185]hear of the ruin of those malicious men, who set themselves with all their might to destroy me.

12. Which may be an in­couragement to every good man to hope in God, and not question the justice of his Providence; if at pre­sent he be afflicted: for as He shall overturn all his enemies at the last; so He will make the righteous flourish (not as the wicked do like the grass, Ver. 7. but) in a durable prosperi­ty, like the fruitfull Palm, and the stately Cedar in Lebanon.

13. For they are under the care of the Lord our God; whose House they frequent: and there par­take of his Divine blessing, for the growth and increase of their happiness.

14. Which shall not de­cay, as the strength and freshness of those Trees will do with age; but the ol­der they grow, the more happy fruits shall their [Page 186]piety produce: and they shall abound in wealth and honour; as much as they do in that.

15. To demonstrate to all the world, that the Lord is a most impartial Gover­nour; whom I have found my firm unmoveable Friend: and, assure your selves, is so just and kind; that he will never let wickedness go un­punished, nor vertue be al­ways unrewarded.

1. LET the Nations boast of the power and splendour of their Kings, and trust to their [Page 188]military preparations; this is our glory and our confi­dence, that the LORD reigneth over us: whose royal ornaments are not gold and precious stones, but Majesty it self; and is not armed with sword and spear, but with almighty strength, which is ready to fight for us: who have this comfort also, that He who made the world, will sup­port that excellent order wherein we are settled; so that it shall not be in the power of man, to disturb what He hath established.

2. This we know, be­cause thy Kingdom O Lord is fixed, and immoveable: and did not begin now, when we were made thy peculiar people; but was, as Thou art, from everla­sting.

3. We will not be afraid therefore, though multi­tudes of combined enemies threaten to break in upon us like a floud: though they storm, and rage, and [Page 189]insolently vaunt, as if they were sure to overwhelm us:

4. Though they roar terribly, and be as nume­rous as the waters of the Sea; swelling like its boi­sterous waves, in a furious tempest: the great Lord is above them all; and can instantly depress them, as low as He pleases.

5. And thy fidelity, in performing the promises, wherein Thou hast testified thy good will to us, is as unquestionable as thy pow­er: no age shall find it fail: for it becomes not Thee to start from thy word delivered to us, by thy Oracle; but it is thy glory to observe it sacred­ly for ever.

1. O Eternal Lord, the Sovereign of the world, in whose power it is to punish the highest of­fendors; and to whom a­lone it belongs, to take re­venge on those who oppress thy people, when they should protect them: make thy justice conspicuous in a severe vengeance upon them.

2. Call them to an ac­count, O Thou righteous Judge of the whole earth: And, by making them suf­fer according to the wrong they have done, let those proud men, who have acted as if they thought none could controle them, know they have a Superiour.

3. We can scarce behold these wicked men without [Page 192]indignation: it tempts us to impatience, O Lord, to see how they prosper and triumph in their injurious proceedings;

4. And to hear their in­solent, and provoking lan­guage; for they care not what they say; but as they intolerably abuse us, so they audaciously blaspheme Thee: the whole company of them, priding themselves in the mischief they doe; and scornfully deriding those, that tell them thy judgments will overtake them.

5. They have crushed thy people so, that they dare scarce complain of their tyranny: which cru­elly afflicts those who are dear unto Thee, with all manner of rapines and ex­tortions.

6. They have no com­passion upon the widow or the stranger; but the rather spoil them, nay condemn them to die upon false ac­cusations (that they may [Page 193]possess themselves of their estates) because they have no Patron to defend them: and in the same manner they murther, for it is no better, the poor fatherless children; whom they ought to protect from violence.

7. And to harden them­selves in their wickedness, they say; what do you tell us of the Lord? He knows not, or minds not, what we doe here: though there are such evident demonstra­tions of the Divine provi­dence over Jacob, and his posterity; yet, for all that, they fancy He doth not re­gard, nor will call them to any account for their do­ings.

8. What stupid wretches are these? who think them­selves the wisest, but are in truth the most brutish of all mankind: whom I would advise, if they have not perfectly lost their reason, to consider this, (and sure they are not such fools, but they may soon understand it)

9. Shall not He hear your blasphemies, who gave you the faculty of hearing? and shall not He see all you doe, who gave you the power of seeing? Is it possible He should give to others, what he wants Himself?

10. He that taught all Nations his will, shall not He correct them when they transgress it? To what pur­pose did he make man to know the difference be­tween good and evil, but that he should observe it; and expect, if he did not, to suffer for it?

11. Let them devise what ways they please, and flat­ter themselves with hopes to escape his vengeance: the Lord knows them all; and will make them see one day, that all such counsels and contrivances are but mere folly and vanity.

12. And far better had it been for them to have been punished sooner: For not he that prospers in his [Page 195]wickedness is happy, but he whom Thou chastenest, O Lord, when he doth a­miss; and thereby teachest to study and obey thy Law with greater care and dili­gence.

13. Which will quiet his mind under all his troubles, and at last procure the re­moval of them: when ab­solute destruction and ruin, mean time, is preparing for the ungodly.

14. For the Lord will never abandon the care of his people; nor leave those whom He owns for his pe­culiar possession, to be ut­terly undone by the op­pressions, which for a time they may endure.

15. But how much so­ever his judgments may seem to depart from the rules of righteousness, while the wicked flourish and the godly are afflicted; they shall at last return to such a perfect conformity with them: that all honest hear­ted men shall be incouraged [Page 196]thereby still to follow the Lord; and by no means to depart from their integrity, though all things look as if they were unequally car­ried.

16. Let them learn by my example not to despond; for who is it but He alone, from whom I have expec­ted, and still do expect to receive protection and help against these malicious men? who make no conscience of what they doe, and design my utter ruin.

17. Whose power also is so great, that if the Lord had not seasonably interpo­sed for my assistance and deliverance, I had not now been praying to Him; but laid in a silent grave.

18. This was my con­stant support, if at any time my heart even failed me, and I was ready to con­clude, I cannot subsist any longer; then thy mercy, O Lord, sent me relief, and preserved me from the dan­ger, wherein I was afraid [Page 197]I should have unavoidably perished.

19. I have had innume­rable perplexed thoughts, and anxious cares, which have extreamly disquieted me: But as soon as ever I reflected on thy goodness, justice and truth, they all vanished; and I felt such consolation from thence, as revived my dejected soul:

20. And made me say, I will never imagin it pos­sible, that Thou shouldest favour the tyrannical pro­ceedings of these unrighte­ous Judges: who not one­ly oppress thy people, but doe it in a form of justice; and under the colour and pretext of law, make them miserable.

21. They assemble them­selves together, and in full council combine to destroy the righteous: upon whom they pass a solemn sentence, though he be perfectly guilt­less, to lose his life.

22. But this doth not discourage me (whose case [Page 198]this is;) let them decree what they please, and be too hard for all laws: the Lord, who hates un­righteousness, will be my defence; He, who hath been long very gracious to me, I am confident will secure me from their vio­lence.

23. And more then that, retort it upon themselves; for the mischief they in­tended against me, shall fall upon their own head: He shall cut them off in their own wicked contri­vances; though it be not in our power, yet the Lord our God, who hath undertaken the patronage of those that confide in Him, shall cut them off.

1. OStir up your selves, all ye that are come hither to worship the Lord, and with united affections let us chearfully sing his praises: Let us lift up our voices and triumphantly laud the Authour of all the good we enjoy; and in whom we may safely con­fide for ever.

2. Let us approach into his presence with thankfull [Page 201]hearts, to acknowledge the benefits we have received from Him: and devoutly proclaim with triumphant hymns, what a joy it is to us, that we may address our selves unto Him.

3. For the Lord is infi­nitely powerfull, and hath a sovereign authority; not onely over all the Princes on the earth, but all the Angels and principalities in heaven.

4. All those Treasures are in his possession, which lie in the deepest and most secret parts of the earth; whither none of our Mo­narchs can extend their power: and the loftiest hills, which none but the clouds can touch, are part of his dominion.

5. The Sea also obeys Him alone; who hath an unquestionable title to it, and to all the rest of his wide Empire: for He made both it, and the dry Land; with all the things contai­ned therein.

6. O be not backward then to comply with this renewed invitation; but let us all with the lowest prostrations devoutly adore his Majesty: Let it not suffice us to doe it once, but again let us, with hum­ble reverence, bow both our bodies and souls, in token of our subjection to Him: Let us fall on our knees, and submissively ac­knowledge the duty we owe, to the great Lord, who gave us our Being.

7. Which we above all people have reason to doe, because He hath a peculiar relation to us, and kindness for us; providing for all our wants most liberally, and continually defending us from all dangers: O that you would therefore with­out delay listen to Him, and be obedient to the voice of your Creatour, Conserver and Benefactour, who calls upon you most graciously (by his own Son, III. Heb. 6, 7. IV. 7) saying;

8. Lay to heart what I have done for you, and be not so stupidly insensible, as your Fathers were; at that place, whose Name ( Meribah and Massah) pre­serves the memory of their provoking strife with Mo­ses, and temptation of God, in the Wilderness, XVII. Exod. 2, 7.

9. When they doubted of my power, and deman­ded new proofs of my pre­sence among them (XVII. Exod. 7.) though they had seen my wonderfull works, in their late deliverance at the red Sea; and in making the bitter waters sweet; and sending them bread from heaven, Exod. XIV. XV. XVI.

10. Nor did they then cease their discontented murmurings, and distrust of me; but continued their stubborn infidelity, vexing, nay tiring my patience for the space of forty years: long before the end of which I conclu­ded [Page 204]that they were a peo­ple whose heart would ne­ver be stedfastly resolved to adhere unto me; for they did not mind what wonder­full things I did for them, nor what I commanded them to doe for me.

11. Which so highly dis­pleased me, that I sware they should wander all their days, and die at last, in the Wilderness, (XIV. Numb. 28, &c.) and never enter into that good Land, where I intended to give them rest after all their travels, XII.

1. O Sing praises unto the Lord, for his new and extraordinary be­nefits, which He hath be­stowed upon us: Let all the earth join together with us, to sing his praises.

2. We can never praise Him enough; and therefore cease not to bless his Name, and to spread the fame of his Almighty Goodness to­wards us: but publish eve­ry day, with joyfull hearts, the great deliverances He hath wrought for us.

3. Tell the Nations round about how He hath glori­fied Himself: let none of them be ignorant of the wonderfull things He hath done among us.

4. For all our praises fall infinitely short of the great­ness of the Lord; who is worthy of the highest praise of the whole world: and hath shewn both to us (1 Chron. XIII. 10, 12. 1 Sam. VI. 20.) and to others (1 Sam. V. 3, 4, &c.) how dreadfull He is above [Page 207]all that are called Gods.

5. For all the Gods of the Nations are nothing worth; being able to doe neither good nor harm: But the Lord not onely made the earth, but the heavens too; which abun­dantly declare the great­ness and the splendour of his Majesty.

6. Whose heavenly Court infinitely out-shines all the state and pomp, wherein the greatest earthly Mo­narchs live, (1. Esther 4.) For all the words we have, are not able to express the brightness and magnificence, the power and comely or­der, of so much as his Mi­nisters: an image of which we have in his holy place; wherein He manifests Him­self among us.

7. Ascribe therefore un­to the Lord, O ye people, from whatsoever Family ye come; ascribe unto Him, that incomparable Majesty, and supreme Dominion and Authority; which you [Page 208]give to imaginary gods.

8. And renounce them all; and acknowledging the Lord alone to be the omnipotent King of all the world, doe Him honour su­table to the excellency of his Majesty: bring Him an oblation, in token of your subjection to Him; and humbly worship Him in his Temple.

9. O come and cast down your selves before the Lord in his Sanctuary; where He hath fixed his glorious residence among us: Adore his transcendent perfecti­ons; and let all the people approach into his presence, with a pious trembling and dread, to offend their So­vereign.

10. Go ye, that are al­ready become Proselytes unto Him, and publish eve­ry where, in all Countries; that the Lord [ CHRIST] is the Sovereign of the World, who alone can make it happy: For He shall settle those in peace [Page 209]that submit unto his Go­vernment; and they shall not be so disturbed as they were wont, with wars and tumults: He shall admini­ster equal justice unto all; and neither suffer the good to be unrewarded, nor the evil to escape unpunished.

11. Let the whole Uni­verse therefore be filled with joy, at this blessed news; which the Angels themselves shall gladly receive, (I. Luk. 30, 32.) much more ought all mankind, wheresoever they are dispersed, on the Earth, or on the Sea, and the Islands thereof, exceeding­ly rejoice; and fill all pla­ces with the loud sound of their joyfull praises.

12. Let the husbandmen, and the shepherds, and all that dwell in the fields, leap for joy: and the wood­men and foresters shout for joy, to see the happy day approaching; when all the Idols that are worshipped there, shall be thrown down together with their groves.

13. Let them welcome that day; and meet the Lord with forward affec­tion, who is coming to them: For he comes to re­form the earth, and will govern mankind by righ­teous and mercifull Laws; and faithfully keep his word with all those that truly observe them.

1. THE Lord, it is ma­nifest, is the Sove­reign of the world: under whose happy Government, not onely we, and they who are already become subject to Him in other places, ought to rejoice; but the most distant Coun­tries have the greatest rea­son to be glad thereof.

2. His Majesty is most dreadfull; and hath appea­red in great terrour against those that oppose Him: whom, as he will not wrong so, He will certainly pu­nish; for He maintains his Authority and supports his Government, by doing ex­act and equal justice.

3. Let none therefore resist Him, for flames of fire proceed [...] from his pre­sence; which make the battel too hot for his ene­mies: [Page 214]who can turn no way but they feel them flashing in their faces.

4. It was his thunder and lightning, the brightness of which the world lately saw; and were so amazed, that shivering pains took hold upon them, as upon a woman in her travail.

5. The hearts of the stoutest Kings and Captains failed them; and melted, like wax before the fire, at this terrible appearance of the Lord: at the ap­pearance of Him, whose dominion extends over all the earth.

6. For He is the Lord of the heavens: which have declared by this dreadfull tempest (excited by his Angelical Ministers) his severity against his enemies; and made all the people sensible of the incomparable splendour of his Majesty.

7. Which may well make them all ashamed (and they shall be confounded by Him, if they will not re­nounce [Page 215]their errours) who worship graven Images (though of gold and silver) 2 Sam. V. 21. and boast themselves in vain gods who can doe nothing for them: Let all that are cal­led gods, whether Princes on earth, or Angels in hea­ven, bow down to Him, as the onely Saviour (1. Heb. 6.) and acknowledge his supreme authority over them all.

8. Jerusalem the mother City, hath received the news of thy Victories with a joyfull heart: after whose example, all the other Ci­ties of Judah are exceeding glad, O Lord; because Thou hast judged righteously, in destroying our idolatrous enemies, and defending thy faithfull servants.

9. Whose hearts are fil­led with the greater joy; because Thou, O Lord, hast manifested thy self hereby, to be the supreme and one­ly Potentate: who rulest over all the earth, and art [Page 216]infinitely superiour to all that have the name of gods.

10. But do not content your selves merely with this passion of joy: if you tru­ly love the Lord, hate e­very thing which you know is displeasing to Him: so shall you have the Lord of all things for your continual keeper; who preserves the lives of sincerely pious men, and watches over them, with such a carefull provi­dence, that when they are in the power of the wicked, He will not suffer them to destroy them.

11. Be not discouraged, though the world should frown upon you; but rest assured that God designs you, in due time, more chearfull and happy days: which, if you continue faithfull and serve Him with upright hearts, shall as cer­tainly come; as the corn, at last, springs up, after it hath lain all winter in the ground.

12. Let all truly good men rely on this, and re­joice in their worst estate; that they serve such a gra­cious Lord: Let them give thanks unto Him for his be­nefits, and gratefully com­memorate how kind and gracious He hath been un­to them; that it may be kept in perpetual remem­brance.

1. O Let the new and extraordinary be­nefits, which the Lord hath bestowed upon us, provoke you to sing praises unto Him with fresh devotion: for He hath done stupendi­ous things, and by his Al­mighty goodness alone, and incomparable strength, hath wrought salvation for those; who were as unworthy to be helped by Him, as they were unable to help them­selves.

2. The Lord hath decla­red by the wonders He hath done, how mighty He is to save and deliver: He made the Gentile world apparent­ly see, that He is the just rewarder of all those who piously obey Him; and will not let the wicked escape unpunished.

3. He hath not forgot his ancient Covenant with our Forefathers: but so faithfully performed, what his mere mercy moved Him to promise, (1. Luke 54, 72.) that all mankind have seen [Page 219]what our gracious God hath done, and partake of his Divine benefits.

4. Let them all therefore shout for joy; let them cry aloud: and with strong and chearfull voices sing hymns of thanks and praise unto the Lord.

5. Let nothing be wan­ting to express your joyfull sense of the goodness of the Lord: but let the Harp ac­company your songs; let the sweet sound of the Harp, I say, and the sound of your voices be mixt together with your Psalms.

6. And let the Trumpet also, and Cornet proclaim with a louder sound, the exceeding greatness of your joy: while you shout with triumphant acclamations to Him, and acknowledge the Lord to be your King.

7. Let the noise of his praises be heard like thun­der, throughout all the ha­bitable world: both among those that live on the Sea, and those that are upon the Land.

8. Let high, as well as low, applaud their happi­ness, and joyn together with one consent; to ex­press by all the tokens of joy, the singular pleasure and satisfaction they feel in their hearts.

9. Let them meet the Lord with forward affecti­ons; who is coming to re­form the earth: and will govern mankind, by righ­teous and mercifull Laws; distributing to every man according to his works.

1. LET the people fret and be tumultuous, if they please; it will do them no service; for the Lord is the supreme Gover­nour of the world whether they will or no, and they had better with a pious fear submit themselves unto Him: Though the whole earth should be in an up­roar, we are safe and se­cure; for the Lord is at­tended with innumerable heavenly Ministers, who are a Guard to his faithfull worshippers.

2. The Lord, whose Pa­lace is in Sion, is transcen­dently great: there is no power on earth able to op­pose Him; who infinitely surpasses the united strength of all people.

3. Let them all therefore praise and reverently ac­knowledge thy mighty and dreadfull Majesty: for that alone is every way most ex­cellent, and hath no equal; and therefore worthy of all veneration.

4. For, though none can resist Him yet, He is not a King that uses his power to wrong or oppress his Subjects; but to do them right, and give them relief, in which He delights: This is thy character, O Lord, who hast established most equal Laws among us; and hitherto governed the seed of Jacob, with exact justice and singular mercy.

5. Do you therefore, a­bove all other people, ex­toll the Lord our God, both in your thoughts, af­fections [Page 224]and words; and, turning your faces towards the Ark of his presence, prostrate your selves before his Majesty, in token of your absolute subjection to Him: For He is incompa­rably above all other Be­ings, and the proper object of your adoration.

6. Thus did Moses and Aaron, two of his principal, and most famous Ministers, (XXXII. Exod. 11. XVI. Numb. 45, 46.) and thus did Samuel, one of his grea­test Prophets, that were wont to intercede for you, (1 Sam. VII. 5, 8, 9. VIII. 5. XII. 19.) These holy men fell down before Him, to make their humble sup­plications to Him; and He gave them what they de­sired.

7. He spake to them in a familiar manner, telling them his mind, out of a pillar of cloud; where­in He appeared to them (XXXIII. Exod. 9, 10. XII. Numb. 5. XVI. 42. [Page 225]1 Sam. III. 10.) and they, like faithfull servants of his, conformed themselves to his precepts, by which He te­stified his will to them; and worshipped him after that manner, that He appointed them.

8. Whereby they obtai­ned great favour with Thee, O Lord our God; for when they prayed to Thee, Thou fulfilledst their peti­tions: passing by, for their sakes, the sins of those who had highly offended Thee; but taking a most severe vengeance on all those, who contemned their au­thority, and were contri­ving how to depose them, XII. Numb. 2, 9, 10. XVI. 3, 31, 35. 1 Sam. VIII. 7, 8, 9, &c.

9. Imitate therefore the piety of those admirable men; and raise your thoughts, and affections, and voices, to extoll and magnifie the Lord our God, as much as you are able; for you can never do it [Page 226]enough: And in token of your absolute subjection to Him, go and prostrate your selves before Him, at his house on the holy hill of Sion; for the Lord our God is incomparably above all other Beings, and alone worthy of your adoration.

1. LET all the people of the earth lift up their voices, in triumphant Songs to the honour of the Lord; who deserves all our praises.

2. Make the service of the Lord your delight, nay greatest pleasure; and when you approach into his Ta­bernacle, shout for joy that you are admitted into his blessed presence, to praise Him with your chearfull hymns.

3. Consider that the Lord, whom you worship, is the Creatour and the Gover­nour of the world; who gave us our Being, and all the good things we enjoy: His we are, and by his power and goodness, not our own, we are become so great and mighty a Na­tion; whom out of his own mere good will alone, He hath made his peculiar people, of whom He takes a tender care.

4. When you enter there­fore into the gates of his [Page 229]Sanctuary, present Him, not merely with the sacri­fices of beasts but, with the most acceptable sacri­fice of hearty Thanksgi­ving; and, as you stand in his Courts, attending on Him, cease not to sing his praises: Thank Him, I say, for all his benefits, and praise his incomparable per­fections.

5. For as his power is transcendent, so is his good­ness; as appears by his ne­ver-failing bounty towards us, and his stedfast faith­fulness to his word: for the mercy promised to our Forefathers He hath exactly fulfilled in our days; and will continue to all succee­ding generations.

1. I Will never forget, but celebrate with perpe­tual praises, that mercy which hath raised me from [Page 232]a low condition, unto the Throne; and that just pu­nishment, which I see in­flicted upon all my oppo­sers: both which I ascribe, O Lord, to Thee alone, and not to my vertue or valour; and therefore to Thee will I sing my grate­full Hymns.

2. Nor will I satifie my self merely with Songs of praise; but study, with all diligence, integrity of life, and purity of manners: O when wilt Thou perfect, what Thou hast begun for me? and settle me peace­ably in my Kingdom? Then I shall be able to live more regularly, then now in this state of war and confusion, (2 Sam. III. 1, 39.) and so I resolve to doe; sincerely indeavouring to make my self an absolute pattern of piety, and vertue to all my Court.

3. No pretended reasons of state and politick ends, shall make me so much as project any thing against [Page 233]the Law; to which I will ever tie my self: For I ab­hor the practices of those, who decline that Rule, to pursue their own private desires; no such corrupt principles shall be entertai­ned in my mind.

4. I will turn him in­stantly out of my service, who shall dare to suggest to me any crooked coun­sels: I will have no fami­liarity with him, much less make him my favourite; who makes no conscience how he compasses his ends.

5. I will be so far from listening to their private whispers, who, by secret calumnies and detractions, indeavour to supplant their fellow-servants; that I will severely punish, and banish them my Court: nor will I indure those, whose pride makes them overlook all o­thers, as if they were ano­ther sort of Creatures; or whose unsatiable covetous­ness and ambition, makes them study their own ad­vancement, [Page 234]more then the publick good.