Pfal. 18.

this Prince after his Acceffion to the Throne; he became as famous in the Field as he was in the Temple: All which he afcribes to the fpecial Kindness of Heaven; for fays he, God teacheth my Hands to war, fo that a Bow of Steel is broken by my Arms. Thou hast also given me the field of thy Salvation; and thy right Hand bath holden me up, and thy Gentleness hath made me great; thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my Feet did not flip. I have purfu'd mine Enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were confum'd.

I might alfo inftance in God's railing up of Cyrus, whofe Preservation, if circumstanc'd as Juftin reports, was as extraordinary as his Atchievements: For tho he was expos'd as foon as born to the Mercy of wild Beasts, the Providence of God fo order'd it, that a brute Animal gave Nourishment to the helpless Infant, and defended him from the Beasts and Birds. The poor Shepherd, who had been employ'd in this barbarous Work of exposing the Infant, had his Pity excited by the Tendernefs of a Brute, and immediately takes up the Child and carries it to his Cottage, where it was bred up; Divine Providence guarding him, till from a poor Shepherd's Boy, he became the Prince of a mighty Empire: and after several Victories, and the dethroning of his Grandfather Aftyages, who order'd him to be fent out of the World as foon as he came into it, left he should rival him in his Throne: I fay, after all this (as was foretold by a Spirit of Prophecy above 200 years

• Vid. Juftin. lib. 1. p. 5, 6, 7.

before

before his Birth) he deliver'd the Jews from their feventy years Captivity in Babylon, and caus'd the Temple to be rebuilt at Ferufalem, Ifa.44.28. and its Worship to be reftor'd. Now what can fuch a Series of Wonders be afcrib'd to, but the Divine Providence? Many more of the like kind might be recited from facred Story; But the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Heb. 11. 32, and of Barak, and of Samfon, and of Jephtha, 33, 34. -of Samuel, and of the Prophets; who thro Faith fubdued Kingdoms, wrought Righteousness, obtain'd Promifes,efcap'd the edg of the Sword, out of weakness were made ftrong, wax'd valiant in fight, and turn'd to flight the Armies of the Aliens. Yet it may not be unfutable briefly to recite fome Mighty Acts of fpecial Providence which God has wrought for this Nation; not to look fo far back as the Defeat of the Spanish Armada, that was boasted of as invincible, and the amazing Discovery of the Powder Plot: but to inftance in fome things within the memory of most of us, as the Happy Revolution by the illustrious Prince of Orange, who was afterwards deservedly advanc'd to the Throne of thefe Realms; who enterpriz'd our Deliverance at a defperate Juncture, and accomplish'd it in fo fhort a time, that we were like thofe that dream. The good News of our Happinefs was fo fudden and furprizing, that we believ'd not for Joy; as 'twas faid of the Difciples of our Lord, when they were told that he was rifen from the dead. Matters had been brought to that extremity, that we had nothing in view, humanly fpeaking, from which we could expect any Relief: Our Lives were in imminent danger, and our Liberties actually invaded: Our Schools of Learning like

Z 4

ly

ly to be turn'd into Popish Seminaries, and our Places of publick Worship into Idolatrous Temples: In a word, all that was dear to us lay at the mercy of Arbitrary Power. At which difficult Crifis it pleas'd God to profper the Undertakings of that excellent Prince, but just now nam'd, and to give us by him an aftonishing Deliverance, an amazing Salvation; which was not bought with a mighty effufion of Blood, but came to us fo cheap, that 'twas never put to the hazard of a Battel. And can any English-Man and Proteftant look back upon this, without the highest Gratitude and most exalted Praise ?

Again, we may very well esteem the Reduction of Ireland as one of the Mighty Acts of God's special Providence; and particularly the Success of our Arms at the Boyn, at a jancture the most seasonable. Seafonable I fay, in regard it was neceffary to give new Spirit at home, and to abate the Triumphs of our Enemies abroad, who had just then gain'd fome advantage over our Navy: Seafonable, because the Fate of the whole Proteftant Interest feem'd to depend on that hazardous Battel; a Battel that will be famous in Hiftory, in regard of the Difficulties that our Hero furmounted, and the Glory that he won.

Again, how fignal was the Hand of Divine Providence in the glorious Victory which the English obtain'd over the French Navy at La Hogue; when God, who holds the Winds in his hand, and caufes them to blow from what Corner of the Heavens he pleaseth, made use of 'em to chain up the French Fleet till ours we e prepar'd to attack them; which was -follow'd with fuch Succefs, that the French

were

were utterly defeated, and the greatest part of their Capital Ships destroy'd!

And what fhall we fay of King William's taking of Namur, in the view of a great and numerous Army? Was it not an argument that God fought for us, and had girded our Prince with Strength unto Battel?

Moreover, the conftant Prefervation of the late King William of glorious Memory, ought to be reckon'd among the Mighty Alts of God's fpecial Providence to thefe Kingdoms. How eminently did the Lord of Hosts cover the Head of that Great Prince in the Day of Battel abroad, and guard his Life from the murdering Hands of bloody Affaffines at home! That Prince feem'd to be born for the common Benefit of Mankind, as he was most remarkably the Darling of Divine Providence. A Prince that might justly be call'd the Father of his People: for he had nothing more at heart than their Welfare, of which the words he utter'd with his dying Breath are a proof: Is there, faid he, any more that I can do for my People? Understanding, by the return that was made him, there was not; he, like David, after he had ferv'd his own Generation by the will of God, fell asleep. Serv'd his Generation, I fay, by frequently hazarding his invaluable Life, and at the expence of a vast Sum out of his own Eftate. Yet fuch is the Ingratitude of fome who enjoy'd the Benefits of his mild Reign, that they treat his Memory with an intolerable degree of Rudeness: But he is afcended above the blasts of Envy; and the Name of WILLIAM the Third fhall shine in the Records of Fame, when theirs who have endeavour'd to stain it fhall rot in eternal Oblivion. Again,

Again, the Preservation of her present Majefty, thro fo many Difficulties and Temptations, to the peaceable Poffeffion of the Crown of thefe Realms, well deferves to be number'd among the Mighty Acts of Divine Providence: Not all the Infinuations of the Romish Clergy, nor the Authority of the King her Father, having been able to byafs her (when she mov'd in a lower Sphere) to act contrary to the Dictates of her Confcience. And fince Her Majefty's happy Acceffion to the Throne, Divine Providence has guarded Her Royal Perfon, and caus'd a Current of Succefs to attend Her Arms. 'Tis under Her wife Adminiftration that we enjoy our Civil and Religious Liberties, Peace, Plenty, and Profperity at home, while other Countries are involv'd in the Miseries of War. Now to what, but the fpecial Indulgence of Heaven, can we afcribe thefe Favours; together with that glorious Victory for which we praise God this Day, and concerning which, I fhall have occafion to speak more in the clofe of my Sermon ? I proceed now to the fecond Head.

Secondly, I am to tell you what is comprehended in our praifing of God for the Mighty Acts of his Providence.

1. It fuppofes that we strictly obferve in what Inftances the Divine Attributes are difplay'd in favour of our felves or others. Many among us are fo unobfervant, that the most remarkable Occurrences in the Divine Government escape their notice: and if at any time the strangeness of an Event invites their Curiosity to look into it, they feldom have regard to the first, but wholly account

for