brance of it, even at this distance, is almoft ftill SER M. matter of amazement to us! "Bleffed be the LORD GOD of Ifrael, who alone "doth wondrous things." And with our joyful praises, let us join our most devout and fervent prayers to Almighty God, for the king's and queen's majefties, "and for all that are in authority." And I may truly say, that there was hardly ever greater reafon and occafion for it, from both our distractions at home, and our dangers from abroad; never was there greater need of our earnest supplications and prayers, than at this time, when our armies and fleets are in motion, and when GOD feems already to have given us fome earnest of good fuccefs; bleffed be his great and glorious name. We have indeed a great army, and a more powerful fleet, than ever this nation fent forth; but un-. lefs God be on our fide, and favour our caufe, in vain are all our preparations; for whenever his providence is pleased to interpofe, by ftrength fhall no man prevail. Have we not reafon then to cry mightily unto God, when the only strength of the nation is at stake, when our fins and provocations are fo many and great, and there lies fo heavy a load of guilt upon us? When the perfon of his facred majefty is exposed to so much hazard, not only in the high places of the field, but from the reftiefs attempts of the malicious and implacable enemies of our peace and religion, that he would be gracioufly pleased to go forth with our armies and fleets, and not remember our iniquities against us, but fave us for his mercies fake? We are too apt to murmur and complain of mifcarriages, and the ill management of affairs; but Ff4 furely LXXXIV. SERM. furely the best thing we can do, and that which best LXXXIV. becomes us, is to look forward, and to turn our cenfures of our governors and their actions, intu humble fupplications to GoD in their behalf, and in behalf of the whole nation; "that he would be pleafed to turn us every one from the evil of our "ways, that he may return to us, and have mercy "on us, that fo iniquity may not be our ruin; that "he may rejoice over us to do us good, and may "at at laft think thoughts of peace towards us, "thoughts of good and not of evil, to give us an "expected end of our troubles." Let us then betake ourfelves to the proper work of this day, hearty prayers and thanksgivings to Almighty God, for the king and queen," and for "all that are in authority;" that as he hath been pleafed by a wonderful providence, to rescue us from the imminent danger we were in, and from all our fears, by the happy advancement of their majefties to the throne of thefe kingdoms; fo he would of his infinite goodnefs ftill preferve and continue to us this light of our eyes, and breath of our noftrils, princes of that great clemency and goodnefs, which render them the true reprefentatives of GOD upon earth, and the moft gracious governors of men. And let us earnestly befeech him, "that he "would confirm and ftrengthen them in all good"ness, and make them wife as angels of GOD, to "difcern betwixt good and evil, that they may "know how to go in and out before this great people; that he would give them the united af"fections of their people, and a heart to study and feek their good all the days of their lives. 66 And LXXXIV. And finally, that he would be pleased to continue S ERM. fo great a bleffing to us, and to grant them a long, and profperous reign over us; and that their pofte-. rity in this royal family may endure for ever, and their throne as the days of heaven; that under them the people of these nations, we and the generations to come, may lead quiet and peaceable lives, in all godliness and honesty; for his mercies fake in JESUS CHRIST, who is king of kings, and Lord of lords; to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour, and glory, dominion and power, now and for ever. Amen. THE 1342 THE CONTENTS. SERM. LIX, LX, LXI, LXII. LXIII. HE B. X. 23. LET us bold faft the profession of our faith without SER M. LXVI, LXVII. Of felf-denial, and fuffering for CHRIST's fake. MATT. XVI. 24. Then faid JESUS unto his difciples; if any man will SER M. LXVIII, LXIX. Good men strangers and fojourners upon earth.] HEB. XI. 13. SER M. LXX. The prefence of the Meffias, the glory of the fecond temple. HAGGAI II. 6, 7, 8, 9. For thus faith the LORD of hosts, yet once it is a Jhake all nations, and the defire of all nations fhall come, and I will fill this house with glory, faith the LORD of hosts. The filver is mine, and the gold is mine, faith the LORD of hosts. The glory of this latter boufe fhall be greater than of the former, |