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was no Concuffion of the Nation followed thereupon.

Are not thefe Extraordinary Inftances of God's Kindness to a People? And ought not we, who have receiv'd, and do yet enjoy the Benefit and the Comfort of them, to remember them with Thankfulness all the Days of our Life?

But fome of us, perhaps, are not now in a Humour to think of thefe Things; our prefent Circumstances fill our Minds, and Those are difficult enough. Let our paft Deliverances have been what they will, yet we are fure we are now in a Hazardous Condition, notwithstanding all the Prayers we have put up for better Succeffes.

That is too true: And I pray God make us all fenfible of it; and efpecially make us fenfible of the Things that have caused it, namely, our Ingratitude for God's former Mercies; our Lewdness and Debauchery; the Spirit of Atheism and Profanenefs, and Irreligion, that ftill reigns among us as much as ever; and above all, our unaccountable dividing ourfelves into Parties, and purfuing particular Piques and Quarrels, not only to the Neglect, but to the plain Ruin of our common Interests.

These are the Things that have hindred our Succeffes, and provoked God's Displeasure against us; and till these Things be amended, I am afraid we shall never be a happy Nation. But yet, notwithstanding our high Provocations, fo gently hath God corrected us, and even in his Judgments fo much hath he remembred Mercy, that we have all Reafon to rejoyce

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rejoyce at the Benignity and Kindness of his Difpenfations towards us; nay, and to render him our moft hearty and folemn Thanks, for the Mercies that he hath beftowed upon us, even with respect to the Matters we complain of.

For God hath really fo far heard our Prayers this Year, that he hath given us the most important Succeffes, tho' not the Succeffes we defir'd.

He hath kept the War at a diftance from us : and we have, under the Happy Government of Her Majefty, lived free from all Disturbance at Home; every Man fitting under his own Vine, and his own Fig-tree, (as the Prophet fpeaks) enjoying his Religion and Rights in perfect Peace; and with a bountiful Provifion likewife, from God's Hand, of all the Things that were either needful or convenient.

And as for our Succeffes Abroad, tho' it is not proper for me to talk of thofe Matters, yet I believe, thus much I may decently and truly fay, That tho' the King had not the Victory, being over-power'd by Numbers; yet he gained more Honour, and fuftain'd lefs Lofs than those that boasted of the Victory.

And, which is yet more, God hath not only Preferved his Perfon, amidst the infinite Hazards he was continually expofed to, and Returned him fafe to us, but returned him likewife with fuch Reputation for his Courage, and Vigilance, and Conduct in the Difficulties he had to ftruggle with, as hath gained him the highest Efteem among his Enemies, and therefore ought much more to endear him to his own Subjects.

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And now, let all this be confidered, and then let any Man fay, that really loves the Interest of his Country, whether we have not reason to look upon these Things as Great Bleffings; and as fuch, to return our folemn Thanks to God for them.

And then in the Second Place, as to our future Succeffes, let us all chearfully depend upon God's Providence, and truft in his Mercy for them.

This is all the Rejoicing we can express as to future Things; and this is that which the Apoftle calls Rejoicing in Hope.

And furely great Reafon have we thus to do, when we confider who it is that orders our Affairs; One, whofe Kindness we have no reafon to doubt of, having had so many Experiences of it, even beyond our Hopes and Expectations: And one likewife upon whofe Power we may fecurely depend, fince his Arm is not fhortned, nor ever can be, how much foever our Arm of Flesh may.

God Almighty is our King, and He both certainly knows, and will certainly do, that which is beft for us, provided we take care to do that which becomes us.

Away therefore with all Fear, and Diftruft, and Defpondency; it is an Argument of Infidelity and Irreligion, as well as Cowardife, to defpair of the Commonwealth.

We are in as good Hands as it is poffible for us to be: Nay, we ourselves cannot wish to be in any other.

Let us but do our Parts, by qualifying our felves for God's Mercies; and that is to be done Cc 4

by

by contributing our beft Endeavours, every Man in his Place and Station, to the Service of the Publick; and then we may fafely caft all our Care upon him who careth for us, and we may be fure we fhall not be difappointed.

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This Method, as it is much more eafie, fo we shall find it much more conducing towards the obtaining the Succeffes we desire, than Complaining, and Fretfulness, and a tormenting Anxiety about our Affairs.

We may, indeed, by our Peevish and Querulous Humour, difquiet ourselves, and put others into a Ferment, nay, and at laft, perhaps, may contribute a great deal to the Glory of hindring and defeating the most wife Counsels, that are propofed for our Safety; but that is the greateft Point we gain.

God Almighty will not alter his Methods, for any of our foolish Paffions; but there is a way to prevail upon God himself, to do for us all that our own Hearts can defire, provided that which we defire be good for us, and that way is, to own him and his Government; to love him, and to ferve him; to be thankful for his Mercies; to be eafie and chearful under all his Difpenfations to us; and Laftly, to refer ourselves entirely to his Wife Counfels, and to trust in his Mercy for all that is to come.

Great, indeed, and wonderful, are the Promifes that are made to thofe that put their Truft Jer. 17.5. in God. Curfed (faith the Prophet) be the Man that trufteth in Man, and maketh Flesh his

Arm: But, Bleed is he that trufteth in the Pfal. 32. Lord, and whofe hope the Lord is. Many Sorrows (faith the Pfalmift) fhail be to the Wicked:

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But whofo trufteth in the Lord, Mercy fhall embrace him on every fide. And again, O tafte and Pf. 34. 8. fee, how gracious the Lord is: Bleed is the Man that trufteth in him.

If now we believe thefe Things, (and if we be Chriftians, we do and muft believe them) confider, I beseech you, the Ufe we are to make of them.

What have we all to do? Let our late Dif appointments have put us into never fo bad a Humour; let our present Circumstances be entangled with never fo many Difficulties; yet what have we all to do but to Rejoice in GOD, and to Truft in his Mercy?

All is well, and All will be well for ever, to them that Love God, and put their Truft. in him.

Sing we therefore unto the Lord, a new Song: Let the Congregation of Saints praife him. Let Ifrael rejoice in him that made him: And let the Children of Sion be joyful in their King. God is the King of all the Earth, let us fing Praifes with Understanding. The Lord hath pleasure in his People: He will for ever help the Meek-hearted: For his delight is in them that fear him, and that put their Truft in his Mercy. He is our Help and Strength, a very prefent Help in Trouble: therefore will we not fear, though the Earth be moved, and though the Hills be carried into the midst of the Sea: Though the Waters thereof rage and fwell, and the Mountains fbake at the Tempeft of the fame. Even in that Čase, the Rivers of the Flood thereof, fhall make glad the City of God. All the Blufterings and Storms that threaten God's People, fhall turn to their Ad

vantage,

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