NEXT to the acknowledgment of God's Being, nothing is more essential to Religion, than the Belief of his Provi­dence, and a constant depen­dence upon him, as the great Governour of the World, and the wise disposer of all the affairs and concern­ments of the children of men: And nothing can be a greater argument of Providence, than that there is such an order of Causes laid in Na­ture, that in ordinary course every thing does usually attain its end; and yet that there is such a mixture of Contingency, as that now and then we cannot tell how nor why, the most likely causes do deceive us, and fail of producing their usual effects.

[Page 2]For if there be a God and a Providence, it is reasonable that things should be thus: Because a Providence does suppose all things to have been at first wisely fram'd, and with a fi [...]ness to attain their end; but yet it does also suppose that God hath reserved to himself a power and liberty to interpose, and to cross as he pleases, the usual course of things; to awaken men to the conside­ration of him, and a continual dependance up­on him; and to teach us to ascribe those things to his wise disposal, which, if we never saw any change, we should be apt to impute to blind ne­cessity. And therefore the Wise-man, to bring us to an acknowledgment of the Divine Providence, tells us that thus he had observed things to be in this World; that though they generally happen according to the probability of Second Causes, yet sometimes they fall out quite otherwise, I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battel to the strong, &c.

The connexion of which Words, with the foregoing Discourse, is briefly this. Among ma­ny other Observations which the Wise Preacher makes in this Sermon of the vanity and uncer­tainty of all things in this World, and of the mistakes of men about them, he takes notice here in the Text, and in the Verse before it, of two Ex­tremes [Page 3] of human Life: Some, because of the uncertainty of all worldly things, cast off all care and diligence, and neglect the use of proper and probable means; having found by experience, that when men have done all they can, they ma­ny times fail of their end, and are disappointed they know not how: Others, on the contrary, rely so much upon their own skill and industry, as to promise success to themselves in all their undertakings; and presume so much upon second Causes, as if no consideration at all were to be had of the First.

The Wise Preacher reproves both these Ex­tremes, and shews the folly and vanity of them. On the one hand, of those who sit still, and will use no care and endeavour, because it may all hap­pen to be disappointed, and to fail of Success: Not considering, that though prudent care and diligence will not always do the business, yet there is nothing to be done without them, in the ordinary course of things; and that, in the or­der of Second Causes, these are the most likely and effectual means to any end: And therefore, rejecting this lazy Principle, he counsels men, whatever they propose to themselves, to be very diligent and vigorous in the use of proper means for the attainment of it; in the Verse immediate­ly [Page 4] before the Text, Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.

But then he observes also, as great a folly and vanity on the other hand; that they who ma­nage their affairs with great wisdom and indu­stry, are apt to presume and reckon upon the cer­tain success of them, without taking into consi­deration that which in all human affairs is most considerable, the favour and blessing of that al­mighty and wise Providence which rules the World; I returned, says he, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battel to the strong, &c.

I returned and saw, that is, having consider'd on the one hand the folly of sloth and careless­ness, I turned mine eyes the other way, and saw as great an errour on the other hand; in mens presuming too much upon their own dili­gence and conduct, without taking notice of the Providence of God. For I have found, says Solomon, by manifold observation, That the suc­cess of things does not always answer the proba­bility of second causes and means. So that the sum of the Preacher's advice is this: When thou propoundest any end to thy self, be diligent and vigorous in the use of means; and when thou hast done all, look above and beyond these to a [Page 5] Superior Cause which over-rules, and steers, and stops as he pleases, all the motions and activity of second Causes: And be not confident that all things are ever so wisely and firmly laid, that they cannot fail of success. For the Providence of God doth many times step in, to divert the most probable event of things, and to turn it quite another way: And whenever he pleaseth to do so, the most strong and likely means do fall lame, or stumble, or by some accident or other come short of their end.

I returned, and saw under the sun, that is, here below, in this inferior World.

That the race is not to the swift: This the Chaldee Paraphrast does understand with relation to war­like affairs, I beheld, says he, and saw, that they who are swift as eagles do not always escape in the day of battel. But I chuse rather to understand the Words in their more obvious sense, that in a Race many things may happen to hinder him that is swiftest from winning it.

Nor the battel to the strong; That is, victory and success in war do not always attend the greatest force and preparations, nor doth that side which in humane estimation is strongest, always pre­vail and get the better.

[Page 6] Nor yet bread to the wise; Neque doctorum panem esse, so some render the Words, that learned men are not always secured against poverty and want.

Nor yet riches to men of understanding, for so some Interpreters translate the Words, Neque industriis divitias esse, that those who take most pains do not always get the greatest estates.

Nor yet favour to men of skill; that is, to those who understand men and business, and how to apply themselves dextrously to the inclinations and interests of Princes and Great men. Others interpret these Words more generally, Neque pe­ritorum artificum esse gratiam, that those who ex­cell most in their several Arts and Professions do not always meet with suitable encouragement: But because the Word, which is here render'd favour, is so frequently us'd by Solomon for the favour of Princes, the former sense seems to be more easie and natural.

But time and chance happeneth to them all; that is, saith Aben Ezra, there is a secret Providence of God which sometimes presents men with unex­pected opportunities, and interposeth accidents which no human wisdom could foresee: Which gives success to very unlikely means, and defeats the swift, and the strong, and the learned, and the industrious, and them that are best vers'd [Page 7] in men and business, of their several ends and de­signs.

It sometimes falls out, that he that is swiftest, by a fall, or by fainting, or by some other un­lucky accident may lose the Race.

It sometimes happens, that a much smaller and weaker number, by the advantage of ground, or of a pass; by a stratagem, or by a sudden sur­prise, or by some other accident and opportuni­ty, may be victorious over a much greater force.

And that an unlearned man, in comparison, by favour, or friends, or by some happy chance of setting out to the best advantage the little learn­ing he has, before one that hath less, may arrive at great things; when perhaps at the same time, the man that is a hundred times more learned than he, may be ready to starve.

And that men of no great parts and industry may stumble into an estate, and by some casual hit in Trade, may attain such a Fortune, as the man that hath toil'd and drudg'd all his life shall never be able to reach.

And Lastly, that a man of no great ambition or design may fall into an opportunity, and by hap­pening upon the mollia tempora fandi, some soft and lucky season of address, may slide into his Princes favour, and all on the sudden be hoisted up to that [Page 8] degree of dignity of esteem, as the designing Man who hath been laying trains to blow up his Rivals, and waiting opportunities all his days to worm others out and to skrew himself in, shall never be able to attain.

The Words thus explain'd contain this general Proposition, which shall be the subject of my following Discourse.

That in human affairs the most likely means do not always attain their end, nor does the event constantly answer the probability of second causes; but there is a secret Providence which governs and over-rules all things, and does, when it pleases, interpose to defeat the most hopeful and probable designs.

In the handling of this Proposition I shall do these three things.

First, I shall confirm and illustrate the truth of of it, by an Induction of the particulars which are instanced in, here in the Text.

Secondly, I shall give some reason and account of this, why the Providence of God doth some­times interpose to hinder and defeat the most pro­bable designs.

Thirdly, I shall draw some inferences from the whole, suitable to the occasion of this Day. In all which I shall endeavour to be as brief as con­veniently I can.

[Page 9] First, For the confirmation and illustration of this Proposition, That the most likely means do not always attain their end; but there is a secret Provi­dence which over-rules and governs all events, and does, when it pleases, interpose to defeat the most probable and hopeful designs. This is the general Conclusion which Solomon proves by this Induction of particu­lars in the Text. And he instanceth in the most probable means for the compassing of the several ends which most men in this World propose to themselves. And the great darlings of mankind are Victory, Riches, and Honour: I do not mention Pleasure, because that seems rather to result from the use and enjoyment of the other. Now if a man design Victory, what more probable means to overcome in a Race than swiftness? What more likely to prevail in War than strength? If a man aim at Riches, what more proper to raise an Estate than understanding and industry? If a man aspire to Honour, what more likely to prefer him to the Kings favour and service than dexterity and skill in business? And yet experience shews that these means, as probable as they seem to be, are not always successful for the accomplishment of their several ends.

Or else we may suppose that Solomon by these Instances did intend to represent the chief engines [Page 10] and instruments of humane designs and actions. Now there are five things more especially, which do eminently qualify a man for any undertaking; expedition and quickness of dispatch; strength and force; providence and forecast; diligence and industry; knowledge, and insight into men and business: And some think that Solomon did intend to represent these several qualities by the several instances in the Text. The Race is not to the swift, that is, men of the greatest expedition and dispatch do not always succeed: For we see that men do sometimes out-run business, and make haste to be undone. Nor the battel to the strong, that is, neither does force and strength always carry it. Nor yet bread to the wise; which some understand of the provident care and pains of the Husband man, whose harvest is not always answerable to his labour and hopes. Nor yet riches to men of understanding, or industry; that is, neither is diligence in business always crown'd with success. Nor yet favour to men of skill, that is, neither have they that have the greatest dexte­rity in the management of affairs always the for­tune to rise. And if we take the words in this sence, the thing will come much to one: But I rather approve the first interpretation, as being less forc'd and nearer to the Letter.

[Page 11]So that the force of Solomon's reasoning is this. If the swiftest do not always win the race; nor the strongest always overcome in War: If know­ledg and learning do not always secure men from want; nor industry always make men rich; nor political skill always raise men to high place; nor any other means, that can be instanced in as most probable, do constantly and infallibly suc­ceed: then it must be acknowledg'd that there is some other Cause which mingles it self with hu­mane affairs and governs all events; and which can, and does when it pleases, defeat the most likely, and bring to pass the most improbable de­signs: And what else can that be imagin'd to be, but the secret and over-ruling Providence of Al­mighty God; when we can find no other, we are very unreasonable if we will not admit this to be the Cause of such extraordinary events, but will obstinately impute that to blind Necessity or Chance which hath such plain characters upon it of a Divine Power and Wisdom.

I might be large upon every one of these In­stances in the Text, and illustrate them by pat and lively Examples both out of Scripture and other Histories. But I shall briefly pass over all of them, but the second; the battel is not to the strong.

[Page 12] The race is not to the swift. If we understand this literally, it is obvious to every man to ima­gine a great many accidents in a Race, which may snatch Victory from the swiftest runner. If we understand it, as the Chaldee Paraphrase does, with relation to War, that the swiftest does not always overcome or escape in the day of Battel; of this Asahel is an eminent Instance, who though he was, as the Scripture tells us, light of foot as a wild Roe, yet did he not escape the spear of Abner. It seems that among the Ancients, swiftness was look'd upon as a great qualification in a Warriour, both because it serves for a sudden assault and onset, and likewise for that which in civility we call a nimble retreat. And therefore David; in his Poetical Lamentation over those two great Captains, Saul and Jonathan, takes particular notice of this warlike quality of theirs; They were, says he, swifter than Eagles, stronger than Lyons: And the constant Character which Homer gives of Achilles, one of his principal Hero's, is, that he was swift of foot: The Poet feigns of him, that by some charm or gift of the Gods he was invul­nerable in all parts of his body except his heel: And that was the part to which he trusted; and in that he received his mortal wound: The wise Poet hereby instructing us, that many times [Page 13] our greatest danger lies there, where we place our chief confidence and safety.

Nor yet bread to the wise, or to the learned. The poverty of Poets is Proverbial; and there are frequent instances in History of eminently learned persons that have been reduced to great straits and necessities.

Nor yet riches to men of understanding: By which, whether we understand men of great parts, or of great diligence and industry; it is obvious to every mans observation, that an or­dinary capacity and understanding does usual­ly lie more level to the business of a common Trade and Profession, than more refin'd and elevated parts; which lie rather for speculation than practice, and are better fitted for the plea­sure and ornament of conversation, than for the toil and drudgery of business: As a fine Razor is admirable for cutting hairs, but the dull Hatchet much more proper for hewing a hard and knotty piece of timber. And even when Parts and Industry meet together, they are ma­ny times less successful in the raising of a great Estate, than men of much lower and slower understandings: because these are apt to ad­mire riches, which is a great spur to industry; [Page 14] and because they are perpetually intent upon one thing, and mind but one business, from which their thoughts never straggle into vain and useless enquiries after knowledge, or news, or publick affairs; all which being foreign to their business they leave to those who are, as they are wont to say of them in scorn, more curious and too wise to be rich.

Nor yet favour to men of skill. All History is full of Instances of the casual advancement of men to great favour and honour, when others, who have made it their serious study and busi­ness, have fallen short of it. I could give a fa­mous Example in this kind, of the manifold and manifest disappointment of a whole Order of men: the slyest and most subtile, in their ge­neration, of all the children of this World; the most politically instituted, and the best studyed and skill'd in the tempers and interests of men; the most pragmatical, and cunning to insinuate themselves into the Intrigues of Courts and great Families: and who, by long experience, and an universal intelligence, and commu­nicated observations, have reduced humane affairs, at least, as they think, to a certain Art and Method, and to the most steddy Rules that [Page 15] such contingent things are capable of: I believe you all guess before-hand whom I mean, even the honest Jesuits: And yet these men of so much art and skill have met with as many checks and disappointments, as any sort of men ever did: They have been discountenanc'd by almost all Princes and States, and, one time or other, banish'd out of most of the Courts and Coun­treys of Europe. And it is no small argument of the Divine Providence, that so much cun­ning hath met with so little countenance and success; and hath been so often, so grosly in­fatuated, and their counsels turn'd into foolish­ness.

But I promis'd only to mention these, and to insist upon the second Instance in the Text, I return'd, and saw under the Sun, that the battel is not to the strong, to the Gibborim, the Gyants, for so the Hebrew word signifies; in which Solomon might possibly have respect to the history of the Israelites subduing the Canaanites, a Peo­ple of great strength and stature, among whom were the Gyants, the sons of Anak: or more pro­bably, to the famous encounter of his Father David with the great Goliah. But however that be, the Scripture is full of Examples to this pur­pose; [Page 16] that when the Providence of God is plea­sed to interpose in favour of any side, it becomes victorious; according to the saying of King [...] Chr. 14. 11. Asa in his prayer to God, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with those that have no power.

Sometimes God hath defeated great Armies by plain and apparent Miracles: Such was the drowning of Pharaoh and his Host in the Red Sea; and the Stars fighting in their courses against Sisera; by which Poetical expression I suppose is meant Sisera's being remarkably de­feated by a visible hand from Heaven: And such was the destruction of the proud King of Assyria's Army by an Angel, who slew an hun­dred and fourscoure and five thousand of them in one night.

Sometimes God does this by more humane ways; by striking mighty Armies with a Pa­nick and unaccountable fear; and sometimes by putting extraordinary spirits and courage into the weaker side, so that an hundred shall chase a thousand, and a thousand shall put ten thousand to flight.

[Page 17]This made David so frequently to acknow­ledg the Providence of God, especially in the affairs of War. There is no King saved by the Psal. 33. 16. multitude of an Host, neither is a mighty man delivered by much strength. And again, I will not trust in Psal. 44. 6. my bowe, neither shall my sword save me. And Solo­mon Prov. 21. 30, 31. confirms the same observation, There is no wisdom, says he, nor understanding, nor counsel against the Lord. The horse is prepared against the day of battel, but safety, or, as some Translations render it Victory, is of the Lord. Gideon, by a very odd stratagem of Lamps and Pitchers, de­feated a very numerous Army, only with three hundred men. Jonathan and his Armour-bearer, by climbing up a Rock, and coming suddenly on the back of the Philistines Camp, struck them with such a terror as put their whole Ar­my to flight. King Asa, with a much smaller number, defeated that huge Ethiopian Army which consisted of a Million. And how was Xerxes his mighty Army overthrown, almost by a handful of Grecians? And, to come nearer our selves, how was that formidable Fleet of the Spaniards, which they presumptuously called invincible, shatter'd and broken in pieces, chiefly by the Winds and the Sea? So many accidents [Page 18] are there, especially in War, whereby the Di­vine Providence doth sometimes interpose and give Victory to the weaker side.

And this hath been so apparent in all Ages, that even the Heathen did always acknowledge, in the affairs of War, a special interposition of Fortune; by which the wiser among them did understand the Divine Providence. Plutarch, speaking of the Romans, says, that Time and Fortune, the very same with Solomon's Time and Chance here in the Text, did lay the foundation of their Greatness; by which he ascribes their suc­cess to a remarkable Providence of God concur­ring with several happy Opportunities.

And Livy, their great Historian, hath this re­markable Observation, That in all human affairs, especially in matters of War, Fortune hath a mighty stroke. And again, No where, says he, is the event less answerable to expectation than in War; and therefore nothing is so slight and inconsiderable, which may not turn the Scales in a great matter. And Caesar himself, who was perhaps the most skil­ful and prosperous Warriour that ever was, makes the same acknowledgment; As in all other things, says he, so particularly in War, Fortune hath a huge sway. And Plutarch observes. That [Page 19] there was no Temple at Rome dedicated to Wis­dom or Valour, but a most magnificent and state­ly one to Fortune; signifying hereby, that they did ascribe their success infinitely more to the Providence of God, than to their own Courage and Conduct. I proceed now, in the

Second place, to give some reason and ac­count II. of this, Why the Providence of God doth sometimes thus interpose to hinder and defeat the most probable designs of men. To bring men to an acknowledgment of his Providence, and of their dependence upon Him, and subor­dination to Him; and that He is the great Go­vernour of the World, and rules in the Kingdoms of men; and that all the inhabitants of the Earth are as nothing to Him, and the power of Second Causes inconsiderable: That He doth according to his will, in the Armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none may stay his hand, or say unto him what dost thou.

God hath so order'd things, in the admi­nistration of the affairs of the World, as to en­courage the use of means; and yet so, as to keep men in a continual dependence upon him [Page 20] for the efficacy and success of them: To encou­rage Industry and Prudence, God generally permits things to their natural course, and to fall out according to the power and probability of second Causes.

But then, lest men should cast off Re­ligion, and deny the God that is above; lest they should trust in their sword and their bowe, and say, the Lord hath not done this; lest men should look upon themselves as the Crea­tors and framers of their own fortune, and when they do but a little outstrip others in wisdom or power, in the skill and conduct of humane affairs, they should grow proud and presumptuous, God is pleased sometimes more remarkably to in­terpose, to hide pride from man, as the ex­pression is in Job; to check the haughtiness and insolence of mens spirits, and to keep them within the bounds of modesty and humility; to make us to know that we are but men, and that the reins of the World are not in our hands, but that there is One above who sways and governs all things here below.

[Page 21]And indeed if we should suppose, in the first frame of things which we call Nature, an im­mutable Order to be fix'd, and all things to go on in a constant course, according to the power and force of second Causes, without any inter­position of Providence to stop, or alter that course, upon any occasion: In this case, the foundation of a great part of Religion, but especially of Prayer to God would be quite ta­ken away: Upon this Supposition, it would be the vainest thing in the World to pray to God for the good success of our undertakings, or to acknowledge Him as the Author of it: For if God do only look on, and permit all things to proceed in a settled and establish'd course; then instead of praying to God we ought to ply the means, and to make the best provision and preparation we can for the effe­cting of what we desire; and to rely upon that, without taking God at all into our counsel and consideration. For all application to God by Prayer doth evidently suppose, that the Pro­vidence of God does frequently interpose, to over-rule events besides and beyond the natu­ral and ordinary course of things, and to steer them to a quite different Point, from that to [Page 22] which in human probability they seem'd to tend.

So that it is every whit as necessary to Reli­gion to believe the Providence of God, and that He governs the World, and does when He pleases, interpose in the affairs of it, as that He made it at first. I come now in the

Third and last place, to make some Inferen­ces, III. suitable to the Occasion of this Day, from what hath been said upon this Argument: And they shall be these.

First, From hence we may learn, not to ac­count Religion, and time spent in the Service of God, and in Prayer to Him for his blessing upon our endeavours, to be any hindrance to our affairs. For after we have done all we can, the event is still in Gods hand, and rests upon the disposal of his Providence.

And did men firmly believe this, they would not neglect the duty of Prayer, and behave themselves so carelesly, and unconcernedly, and irreverently in it, as we see too many do; they would not look upon every hour that is spent in Devotion as lost from their business.

[Page 23]If men would but take a view of what hap­pen'd to them in the course of a long Life, I believe most of us would see reason to acknow­ledge, that our prosperity and success in any kind hath depended more upon happy oppor­tunities, upon undesign'd and unexpected oc­currences, than upon our own prudent forecast and conduct.

And if this were well consider'd by us, we should not methinks be so apt to leave God out of our counsels and undertakings, as if he were a meer Name and Cypher in the World. It is, I am sure, the advice of one that was much wiser and more experienc'd, than any of us will pretend to be, I mean, Solomon, Trust in Prov. 3. 5, 6. the Lord with all thine heart, and leane not to thine own understanding: In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths: Be not wise in thine own eyes, fear the Lord and depart from evil. There is no Principle that ought more firmly to be belie­ved by us than this, That to live under a con­stant sense and awe of Almighty God, to de­pend upon his Providence, and to seek his fa­vour and blessing upon all our designs, being fearful to offend Him and careful to please Him, is a much nearer and surer way to suc­cess, [Page 24] than our own best Prudence and Prepa­rations.

And therefore at such a time, more especial­ly, when we are going to War, or engaged in it, we should break off our sins by repentance and the sincere resolution of a better course: We should earnestly implore the blessing of God upon our undertakings; and not only take great care that our Cause be just, but likewise that there be no wicked thing amongst us, to drive God out of our Camp; no accursed thing, that may provoke Him to deliver us into the hands of our Enemies. It was a particular Law given by God to the Jews, When the Host goeth Deut. 23. 9. forth against thine Enemy, then keep thy self from eve­ry wicked thing; then, that is, more especially at such a time.

And this is a necessary Caution, not only to those who are personally engaged in the War, that by the favour of God they may have their heads covered in the day of Battel, or if God shall suffer them to fall by the hand of the Ene­my, that having made their peace before hand with Him, they may not only have the com­fort of a good Cause, but of a good Conscience, void of offence towards God and men.

[Page 25]But this Caution likewise concerns those, who are interested in the success and event of the War; as we all are, not only in regard of our Lives and Estates, but of that which ought to be much dearer to us, our Religion and the freedom of our Consciences; which are now every whit as much at stake, as our Civil inte­rests and Liberties. And therefore as we ten­der any, or all of these, we should be very careful to keep our selves from every wicked thing; that they who fight for us may not for our sins, and for our sakes, turn their backs in the day of battel, and fall by the Sword of the Ene­my.

Secondly, From hence we may likewise learn, so to use the means as still to depend upon God; who can, as he pleases, bless the Coun­sels and endeavours of Men, or blast them and make them of none effect. For as God hath promised nothing but to a wise and diligent use of means, so all our prudence, and industry, and most careful preparations may miscarry, if He do not favour our design: For without Him nothing is wise, nothing is strong, nothing is able to reach and attain its end.

[Page 26]We should indeed use the means as vigorously, as if God did nothing; and when we have done so, we should depend upon God for the success of those means, as if we our selves had done nothing, but did expect all from his fa­vour and blessing: For when all is done, we are only safe under his Protection, and sure of success from his Blessing.

For whatever vain and foolish men may say in their hearts, There is, There is a God, that made the World, and administers the affairs of it with great Wisdom and Goodness; else how came any of us into Being, or what do we here? Did we not most assuredly believe that there is a God, that governs the World and super-in­tends humane affairs; the first wish of a Wise man would be, to steal out of Being, if he could; and that the same Chance or Necessity, that brought him into the World, would take the first opportunity to carry him out. For to be every moment liable to present, and great, and certain Evils; and to have no security a­gainst the continuance of them, or the return of the same or worse Evils; nor to have any as­surance of a better and more durable state of rest and happiness hereafter, is in truth so very [Page 27] melancholy a meditation, that I do not know any consideration in the World that is of force and power enough to support the mind of man un­der it: And were there not in the World a Be­ing, that is wiser, and better, and more power­ful than our selves, and that keeps things from running into endless confusion and disorder; a Being that loves us, and takes care of us, and that will certainly consider and reward all the good that we do, and all the evil that we suffer upon his account, I do not see what rea­son any man could have to take any comfort and joy in Being, or to wish the continuance of it for one moment.

Thirdly and lastly, The Consideration of what hath been said upon this Argument, should keep us from being too sanguine and confident of the most likely designs and undertakings; because these do not alwayes answer the proba­bility of second Causes and Means; and never less, than when we do with the greatest confi­dence rely upon them; when we promise most to our selves from them, then are they most likely to deceive us: They are, as the Prophet compares them, like a broken reed, which a man [Page 28] may walk with in his hand, whilst he layes no great stress upon it; but if he trust to it, and lean his whole weight on it, it will not only fail him, but even pierce him through.

And we cannot do a greater prejudice to our affairs, when they are in the most hopeful and likely condition to succeed and do well, than to shut God and his Providence out of our counsels and consideration. When we pass God by, and take no notice of Him, but will rely upon our own wisdom and strength, we pro­voke him to leave us in the hands of our own coun­sel, and to let us see what weak and foolish Creatures we are: And a man is never in grea­ter danger of drowning, than when he clasps his arms closest about himself: Besides, that God loves to resist the self-confident and pre­sumptuous, and to scatter the proud in the imagi­nation of their hearts.

And as in all our concernments we ought to have a great regard to God, the Supreme dispo­ser of all things, and earnestly to seek his fa­vour and blessing upon all our undertakings, so more especially in the affairs of War; in which the Providence of God is pleas'd many times in a very peculiar manner to interpose [Page 29] and interest it self: And there is great reason to think he does so; because all War is, as it were, an Appeal to God, and a reference of those Causes to the decision of his Providence, which through the pride, and injustice, and perverse passions of men, can receive no other determi­nation.

And here God loves to shew himself, and in an eminent manner to take part with Right and Justice against those mighty Oppressours of the Earth, who like an overflowing flood would bear down all before them: In this case, the Providence of God is sometimes pleas'd to give a remarkable check to great Power and Vio­lence, and to One that vainly gives out himself not unequal to the whole World, by very weak and conttemptible means; and, as the Apostle ele­gantly expresseth it, by the things which are not, to bring to nought the things that are: And to say to Him, as God once did to the proud King of Assyria: Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed, Isa. 37. 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32. and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lif­ted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy one of Israel. Hast thou not heard long ago, that I have done it; and of ancient times that I have formed it? Now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be [Page 30] to lay wast defenced Cities into ruinous heaps: There­fore their Inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded, &c. But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me: Because thy rage against me, and thy tu­mult is come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my hook into thy nose, and my bridle into thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.—The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall do this.

But more especially, in vindication of his oppressed Truth and Religion, and in the great and signal Deliverances of his Church and Peo­ple, God is wont to take the conduct of affairs into his own hands, and not to proceed by hu­mane rules and measures: He then bids second Causes to stand by, that his own Arm may be seen, and his Salvation may appear: He raiseth the spi­rits of men above their natural pitch, and giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength, as the Prophet expresseth it.

Thus hath the Providence of God very vi­sibly appear'd in our late Deliverance; in such a manner, as I know not whether He ever did for any other Nation, except the People of Israel, when He delivered them from the House of Bon­dage by so mighty a hand and so outstretched an arm: [Page 31] And yet too many among us, I speak it this day to our shame, do not seem to have the least sense of this great Deliverance, or of the hand of God which was so visible in it; but like the Chil­dren of Israel when they were brought out of Egypt, we are full of murmurings and discontent against God the Author, and his Servant the happy Instrument under God of this our Deli­verance. What the Prophet sayes of that Peo­ple, may I fear be too justly apply'd to us, Let favour be shewn to the wicked, yet will he not learn Isa. 26. 10, 11. righteousness; in the Land of uprightness he will deal unjustly, and will not behold the Majesty of the Lord: Lord, When thy hand is lifted up, they will not see; but they shall see, and be ashamed: And I hope I may add that which follows in the next verse, Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us; for thou also hast wrought all our works for us. What God hath al­ready done for our deliverance is, I hope, an earnest that He will carry it on to a perfect peace and settlement; and this, notwithstand­ing our high provocations and horrible ingrati­tude to the God of our Life, and of our Salvation.

And when ever the Providence of God thinks fit thus to interpose in humane affairs, the race is not to the swift, nor the battel to the strong: [Page 32] For which reason their Majesties, in their great Piety and Wisdom, and from a just sense of the Providence of Almighty God, which rules in the Kingdoms of men, have thought fit to set apart this Day for solemn repentance and humi­liation: That the many and heinous Sins, which we in this Nation have been, and still are guilty of, and which are of all other our greatest and most dangerous Enemies, may not separate between God and us, and hinder good things from us, and cover us with confusion in the day of our danger and distress: And likewise, ear­nestly to implore the favour and blessing of Almighty God upon their Majesties Forces and Preparations by Sea an Land: And more par­ticularly, for the preservation of his Majesties sacred Person, upon whom so much depends, and who is contented again to hazard Himself to save us.

To conclude; There is no such way to en­gage the Providence of God for us, as by real Repentance and Reformation; and by doing all we can, in our several Places from the highest to the lowest, by the provision of wise and effectual Laws for the discountenancing and [Page 33] suppressing of Profaneness and Vice, and by the careful and due execution of them, and by the more kindly and powerful influence of a good Example, to retrieve the ancient Piety and Virtue of the Nation: For without this, what ever we may think of the firmness of our present settlement, we cannot long be upon good terms with Almighty God, upon whose favour depends the prosperity and stability of the present and future Times.

I have but one thing more to mind you of; and that is, to stir up your charity towards the poor; which is likewise a great part of the Du­ty of this Day, and which ought alwayes to accompany our Prayers and Fastings: Thy Prayers and thine Almes, saith the Angel to Cornelius, are come up before God: And therefore if we de­sire that our Prayers should reach Heaven, and receive a gracious answer from God, we must send up our Almes along with them.

And instead of all other arguments to this purpose, I shall only recite to you the plain and persuasive words of God Himself, in which He declares what kind of Fast is acceptable to Him: Is it such a Fast as I have chosen. a Day for Isai. 58. 5, 6, &c. a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head [Page 34] as a bullrush, to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a Fast, and an acceptable Day to the Lord? Is not this the Fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, and to undo the heavy burthens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke: Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thine house; when thou seest the naked that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy salvation shall spring forth speedily; thy righteousnes, or thine Alms, shall go before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rere-ward: Then shalt thou call, and I will answer thee; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, here I am.

Now to Him that sitteth upon the Throne, and to the Lamb that was slain: To God, even our Father, and to our Lord Jesus Christ, the first be­gotten from the dead, and the Prince of the Kings of the earth: Unto Him, who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood; and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father: To Him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever, Amen.

[Page 35] And the God of Peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting Covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his Will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory, for ever and ever, Amen.