and deaths, that theatened it in the fiege of Na- SER M. mur; and given fuccefs to the defign of taking XIX. that fortress.

AND whereas the proclamation by the Lordsjuftices, appointing a thanksgiving on this day in reference to thefe great things, takes notice; that this protection of the king's life, and the fuccefs of his forces in that great undertaking, is justly to be looked upon as an answer to prayer, especially the prayers of that day of fast, that was appointed and obferved in the beginning of the fummer, with relation to this year's expedition: I do accordingly, at this time, intend to confider the fecond verse of this pfalm, in connexion with the third; as I did on that fast-day confider it, in connexion with the first.

66

THE words of the proclamation are to this purpose; "That whereas they did appoint a general faft to be kept through this kingdom, "for imploring the bleffing and protection of "almighty GoD in the prefervation of his Majefty's facred perfon, and profperity to his 66 arms, both at land and fea, which hath been "obferved accordingly; and forafmuch as it "hath pleafed almighty GoD, of his infinite

66

goodness, in answer to the prayers humbly and "devoutly offered up to him, to grant to the "forces of his Majesty, and his allies, fo great "fuccefs in the taking of the town and caftle of "Namur: they do therefore, adoring the divinę goodness, appoint this day &c."

VOL. Now, according to the obfervation that is II. justly made here, that God hath made the event to correfpond so far unto prayer, I have, as hath been already faid, determined to infift upon the fecond verse in connexion with the following, which run thus; That thy name may be known upon earth, thy faving health among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O GOD! let all the people praife thee. Whereas on that day of publick faft I confidered the fecond verfe, in connexion with the firft; the words of which are thefe: GOD be merciful to us, and bless us, and caufe bis face to fhine upon us; that thy name may be known upon earth, thy faving health among

nations.

all

IT was with this defign that fuch mercy was petitioned for; or that Gop would be merciful unto us, and blefs us, and caufe his face to fhine upon us. Which expreffions, relating to a community of people, and their publick affairs, import favourable aspects of providence upon fuch a people, and fuch affairs; and that fuch requests were made, and fuch mercy fupplicated for from heaven, with this defign, that God's ways may be known upon earth, his faving health among all nations. As this was the end and defign of prayer, fo the profpect, the expectation, and hope hereof, is made the great inducement, as well as the spring and fource of praise. And what we aim at or feek for, is, that all people may every where praise GOD; that all nations may be glad and fing for joy, because he will

judge

judge the people righteously, and govern the na- SER M. tions upon earth..

By the way of GoD we are to understand, the course of his oeconomy in governing the world; but especially (as the expreffions connected with it fhew) as it refers to the falvation of men. What our tranflation reads in two words,. [faving health; ] is but one in the hebrew text, [falvation.] And we know that from the fame word comes that name Jefus, given to the great and eminent Saviour; who by a known and elegant metonymy, is hereupon again and again in Scripture called GOD's falvation. And judicious expofitors understand this to be the highest intendment, and ultimate meaning of these very words; that Chrift, and God's defign of faving finners in and by him, may be more known in the world. And therefore, taking the foregoing fupplication as I now state it, connected with the refolved duty of praifing GOD, and the invitation of all to a general concurrence herein; and we have a fufficient ground for that obfervation, which I fhall now recommend to you as the theme and fubject of our present discourse.

XIX.

THAT Our fouls fhould be greatly inlarged, and highly raised in praifing God for fucceffes, and for favourable afpects as to our publick affairs, from the hope, that thereby divine knowledge may more generally be diffused, and spread in the world. I fhall, in fpeaking to this,

VOL.

II.

I. BRIEFLY fhew you what I mean by divine knowledge.

II. SHEW you, that such means as are here intimated; to wit, the fucceffes and favourable afpects of providence, with relation to the publick affairs of fuch as profefs the name of GOD, and defign to ferve his intereft in the world, have a tendency to the fpreading of fuch divine knowledge among men. And,

III. I SHALL fhew, that the hope and expectation hereof is a very proper, and should be the principal fpring of our praises for fuch fucceffes, and favourable aspects upon our common affairs. And fo make application of all as time will allow.

I. I SHALL briefly fhew you, what is here intended by divine knowledge. That is truly called fuch knowledge, whofe object, and whose author, and whose nature are divine. And fuch I mean that to be, which I now fpeak of; and fhall open to you in the terms of the text.

1. FOR the object of it; namely, GOD's way, and his falvation. The way of Gop as I told you is his oeconomy, or courfe of difpenfations in governing the world. And that takes in both religion and righteoufnefs together, objectively confidered; the knowledge of the true religion, and of all that men do mutually owe to one another, And we find that both are intended here in this context. That the general spreading of religion

religion and righteousness is defigned, and aimed SERM. at (with the defire and expectation of which the XIX. Pfalmift's heart is fo much taken up) you may fee from the feventh verfe, which concludes the Pfalm. GOD fhall bless us, and all the ends of the earth fhall fear him. This fhall be the confequence of his faving us; his giving us fuccefs, or his making his face to fhine upon us: that is, that as he bleffeth us, men fhall more and more be induced to blefs him. That expreffion, the fear of GOD, is, you know, a paraphrase of true. religion not only religion in general towards GOD, but even fuch religion as hath its foundation in Chrift, the Saviour and Mediator between GOD and men. And this feems to be here intended in the words of the text, That thy way may be known upon earth, thy faving health among all nations. There can be no fuch thing as religion in the world at all, which is not founded in the hope of mercy, as the fpring and fountain; and of final felicity, as the end, that all shall refult into at laft. There could be no more religion upon earth, than in hell, if there were no hope of falvation. Men would but have the religion of devils, or fear GoD with a fear of horror. For the devils are faid to believe there is one God, and tremble†; that is, gnafh their teeth for horror 2. They tremble to think there is a power fuperior to them, which they cannot overcome; and that will take a juft, and eternal revenge

a

* Φρίσσεσι, * Jam. 11. 19.