like birds' claws. At the time appointed, he recovered his reason; made the most humble acknowledgments of the sovereignty of the divine government, and was reinstated in his kingdom. The text informs us of the design of Heaven in this judgment upon him, and that it should not be removed until it had answer ed its end. "This is the decree of the most High-that they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times," that is, seven years shall pass over thee in this condition, “until thou knowest that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will." Then, and not till then, he was restored to his reason and his kingdom: but he did not enjoy it long, for after a few days, he was cut off by the stroke of death.

I might very properly take occasion from this text, to prove the universal agency of Providence in the natural and moral world. But, at present, I must confine myself to the proof and illustration of this important truth-that the Most High is the sole disposer of the fates of kingdoms, and particularly of the events of war.

This is demonstrable from the perfections of God-from the repeated declarations of Scripture-from the common sense of mankind and from the remarkable coincidence of circumstances in critical times.

First, That the Most High is the sole disposer of the fates of kingdoms, and the events of war, is demonstrable from his perfections.

We may infer from his wisdom, that he formed the world, and particularly man, for some important design, which he determined to accomplish: but could he expect that his design would be accomplished by free agents, left entirely to themselves, without any direction or control from him? Or would it be consistent with wisdom to form creatures incapable of self-government, and fit subjects for him to rule, and yet exercise no government over them, but leave them entirely to themselves? Justice is an awful and amiable attribute. And on whom shall he display it, but on rational creatures, who are capable of moral good and evil? Indeed, the display of justice on particular persons may be de

* This seems to be implied, Dan. v. 20, 21.—iv. 16.、

ferred, as it generally is, to another state; but on societies, as such, it cannot be displayed but in this life; for it is only in this life that they subsist in that capacity: and therefore guilty nations must feel divine judgments in the present state, which supposes that God disposes of them as he pleases. His goodness, that favourite perfection, is diffusive and unbounded; but how shall this be displayed in this world, unless he holds the reigns of government in his own hands, and distributes his blessings to what kingdom or nation he pleases? If he do not manage their concerns, his mercy cannot be shewn in delivering them from calamities; nor his patience, in bearing with their provocations. His power is infinite, and therefore the management of all the worlds he has made, is as easy to him as the concerns of one individual. He knows all things, and is every where present; and can he be an unconcerned spectator of the affairs of his own creatures, and see them run on at random, without interposing? We may as well say in our hearts, with the fool," There is no God," as entertain such mean ideas of him, as an idle being, whose happiness consists in inactivity. He will display his perfections in the most god-like manner, and this was his design in the creation of the universe and since he cannot do this without exercising a perpetual providence over it, we may be assured he will do according to his will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth."+ Indeed, there is something unnatural in the idea of a creator, who takes no care of his own creatures. Do you who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children? Are you shocked at the thought of a parent who takes no care of his own children, but leaves them as soon as born, to shift for themselves? And will not the great Father of Nature, who has implanted these parental passions in your breasts, will not he look after his own offspring, and manage their affairs? Undoubtedly he will.

Secondly, That God is the supreme disposer of the fates of kingdoms, and of the events of war, is demonstrable from the repeated declarations of Scripture; and this alone is sufficient proof to those that believe their divine authority.

This great truth, in one form or other, runs through the whole Bible Sometimes the divine government is asserted to be unj

versal, supreme and uncontrollable.*

"Our God is in the

heavens; he hath done whatsoever he pleaseth. The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. He doth according to his will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what dost thou ?" Now, his universal government, which is so strongly asserted in these passages, implies his particular government of the affairs of kingdoms and nations; and the Scriptures declare that the care of Providence extends to the most minute and inconsiderable parts of the creation; and therefore much more does it extend to the affairs of men, and the fates of kingdoms. "He giveth the beast his food, and the young ravens that cry :§ Behold, the fowls of the air; they sow not; neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them." Hence Christ draws the inference now in view, "Are not ye much better, or of more importance, than they?" And therefore must not you be more particularly the objects of your Father's care? "God," says he, "clothes even the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven."|| The value of two sparrows is but one farthing; and yet, says Christ, not one of them can so much as fall to the ground without your Father; that is, without the permission of his providence. Nay, the very hairs of your head, the most trifling things that belong to you, are all numberedGod takes as particular a care of them, as if he kept an account of each of them, and not one of them can be lost without his notice. Here again our blessed Saviour makes the same improvement as before, which is directly to my purpose; "Fear ye not, therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows." Does divine Providence take notice of ravens and sparrows, and the grass of the field? and will God not concern himself with the kingdoms of the earth? Does he take care even of the hairs of men's heads? And will he not take care of men themselves? Undoubtedly he will. The Scriptures farther expressly assert, that the promotion and degradation of princes, and the prosperity and destruction of kingdoms, are from God. "Promotion," says the Psalmist," cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south; but God is the judge; he putteth down

* Psa. cxv. 3.

§ Psa. cxlvii. 9.

† ciii. 19. Mat. vi. 26-30.

Dan. iv. 35.

Mat. x. 29-51.

"

one, and setteth up another."* He changeth the times and sea. sons, says Daniel; he removeth kings, and setteth up kings.† The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will; and sometimes in his wise sovereignty, setteth up over it even the basest of men."§ "When he giveth peace, who can give trouble ?" "Is there evil or affliction in the city, and the Lord hath not done it?"¶ "Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the ends of the earth: he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire."** Hence pious warriors have confided for victory in the providence of God, and been sensible that without him, all their military forces were in vain. "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God." And observe the difference ; "They are brought down and fallen but we, who put our trust in the Lord, are risen, and stand upright."ft Again we find many instances in the sacred writings of God's over-ruling the conduct of men, even of the wicked, to accomplish his own great designs, when the persons themselves had nothing in view, but their own interest, or the gratification of their malignant passions; and thus he brings good out of evil.

Who could have had any raised expectations from the sale of Joseph, a poor helpless youth, as a slave into Egypt? His brethren had no other end in it, than to remove out of the way the object of their envy, and their rival in their father's affection. But God had a very important design in it, even the deliverance of the holy family and thousands of others from famishing. And therefore Joseph tells his brethren, "It was not you that sent me hither, but God." The crucifixion of Christ was the most wicked action that ever was committed on this guilty globe; and the Jews freely followed their own malignant passions, and were not prompted to it by any influence from God, who cannot tempt to evil. But I need not tell you that this greatest evil is overruled for the greatest good of mankind. Though I might easily multiply instances, I can take time only to mention one more, exactly pertinent to my purpose; and that is the haughty and

* Ps. lxxv. 6. † Cap. ii. 21. + Dan. iv. 32.

§ Verse 17.

** Psa. xlvi. 8, 9. #Genesis xlv. 8.

powerful Assyrian monarch. Having pushed his conquests far and wide among other nations, he resolves to turn his victorious arms against the Jews. He was an arbitrary prince in his own empire, and apprehended he was subject to no control. His design in this expedition, was not to chastise the Jews for their sins against Heaven, but to enlarge his own territories, to increase his riches, to display his power, and spread the terror of his name. He proudly thought he acted wholly from himself, and disdained the thought of being a mere agent, commissioned by another. But hear in what a style the King of kings speaks of him, and degrades him into a rod, or a mere servant under command. "O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger; and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against a bypocritical nation, namely, the Jews; and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets." Thus, says God, I commission him-these are the orders I give him to perform. "Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither does his heart think so :" he does not so much as know that he has orders from me; much less does he design to obey them, "but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few ;" this is all his design. And when this haughty Assyrian arrogates to himself the honour of his successes, and vents himself in the most extravagant rant of self-applause, hear how God pours contempt upon him, and speaks of him in the most diminutive language, as a passive ax in his hand to hew rebellious nations; a saw, a rod, a staff of wood. "Shall the ax boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? As if the rod should threaten and shake itself against them that lift it up; or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood." What mortifying images are these, to represent a powerful and insolent prince? And how strongly may we infer from hence the supreme and absolute dominion of the King of heaven over the kings and empires of our world, and his directing the fate of war? Surely he has the spirits of men wholly under his command, who can make even their sins subservient to his good purposes, and who can accomplish his wise designs by them, even when they have no such thought, but are entirely ignorant of him. Thus he appears worthy of that august character, which he assumes to himself in