in fuch Cafes we ought to have a just Sense of our Obligations to the worthy Inftruments, yet we should principally carry our Views to a moft wife fuperintending Providence, and give God the Glory of all.

On the other Hand, the Divine Providence is alfo to be seriously confidered in all public Evils and Calamities. It hath often happened that there have been vifible Marks of God's Difpleasure against a People. Their Counfels have been infatuated, or their Forces enfeebled and difpirited; their foreign Enemies have been fuffered to prevail against them, or they have been given up to domeftic Tyrants and Oppreffors, or they have been rent afunder by Tumults and Commotions, and have been abandoned to the leading of ambitious and factious Men, who have contributed to the Ruin of their Country, whilft they pretended a great Zeal for its Interests. The Hand of God is to be acknowledged in these Things, as well as when a People fuffer by Famine, Pestilence, Earthquakes, inclement Seasons, epidemical Diftempers, &c. which are ufually regarded as the more immediate Work of Providence.

This leads me to obferve,

Thirdly, That in all these Cases of public Bleffings and Calamities, or of natio

nal Revolutions, Providence proceedeth not merely in a Way of arbitrary Sovereignty, but according to fteady and righteous Rules, and for wife Ends and Purposes. It may be justly faid, that the Adminiftrations of Divine Providence in difpenfing Rewards and Punishments towards Nations or large Communities, are generally more conftant and uniform than the Diftributions of outward Rewards and Punishments towards particular Perfons in this Life. The Reason is, that particular Persons shall receive their principal Rewards and Punishments in a future State; whereas, if Communities or Nations as fuch be rewarded or punished at all, it must be in this prefent State in which alone they fubfift. The Promises of temporal Bleffings made to the Ifraelites in the Law of Mofes in cafe of their Obedience to the divine Commandments, and the Threatenings of temporal Evils denounced against them in cafe of their Difobedience. Lev. xxvi. and Deut. xxviii. related chiefly to them as a Community. For they did not always hold with regard to particular Perfons, as is evident from the Complaints made by good Men under that Difpenfation concerning the Afflictions of the righteous, and Profperity of the wicked. But with regard to the Public,

they

they never failed of being accomplished. When Religion and Virtue flourished among them, and they walked in Obedience to the divine Laws, they were raised to a high Degree of Glory and Reputation, they were fuccessful in their Wars, and had great Plenty and Affluence, and every Thing that could contribute to the public Prosperity and Happiness. And on the contrary, when they revolted from God, and fell into a great and general Depravity and Corruption, they became abject, defpifed, miferable, and were a Prey to the neighbouring Nations. And in general it may be faid, that whenever any public Calamities were inflicted upon them, whether by the more immediate Hand of Heaven, as Famine, Drought, Peftilence, &c. or by the Hands of their Enemies and Oppreffors; it was always as a just Punishment for their national Iniquities, their Idolatry, Impiety, and abounding Wickedness and Corruption of Manners. And upon their Repentance and Reformation thefe Calamities were removed, and their Profperity restored. This was the general Course of God's providential Difpenfations towards them, as is manifeft from the whole History of that Nation.

Nor was this peculiar to the Jews. The ftated Rule of the divine Procedure towards Nations

Nations is laid down, Jer. xviii. 7, 8, 9, 10. At what Inftant I shall speak concerning a Na tion, and concerning a Kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it, if that Nation against whom I have pronounced, turn from their Evil, I will repent of the Evil that I thought to do unto them; and at what Time I Shall Speak concerning a Kingdom, to build, and to plant it, if it do Evil in my Sight, that it obey not my Voice, then I will repent of the Good wherewith I faid I would benefit them. It is an Obfervation which hath generally held in all Nations and Ages, that Righteousness exalteth a Nation, but Sin, i. e. abounding Vice and Wickedness, is a Reproach to any People. It bringeth Difgrace and Mifery upon them. Prov. xiv. 34. If we confult the History of Mankind, we fhall find that it hath ufually happened, that when a People have been remarkable for Juftice, Temperance, Industry, and a Zeal for the public Good, they have preserved their Liberties, they have profpered in their Undertakings, and have been in high Reputation and Efteem. Nor can any Inftance be brought of a Nation's being given up to exterminating Plagues and Calamities, whilst Religion, Probity, and Virtue flourished among them. But when they have degenerated from their national Virtue, when Falfhood

and Perfidy, Injustice and Violence, Luxury and Debauchery, and a Diffolutenefs of Manners, with a Contempt of Religion, have generally prevailed among them, they have fallen into many Calamities, they have been caft down from their Profperity and Glory, and have been deprived of those Advantages they fo much abused. God may indeed, in his great Wisdom and Patience, long bear with a finful degenerate People. He may fuffer them to enjoy great Profperity for a while, and may pour forth many Bleffings upon them, even when they are in a corrupt State. For the Methods of Providence towards Societies are generally flow though fure; and the Punishments that are inflicted upon Nations feldom come in a fudden and extraordinary Way, but are for the most part fo ordered, as to appear to be the Effects of their own Conduct. proper The Corruption ufually cometh on by Degrees, and doth not become univerfal at once. And there is often a Remnant of good Men still continued among them, even in a Time of great and general Depravity, and for their Sakes Judgment may be deferred. God first usually fendeth leffer monitory Judgments upon a People, and if they are not reclaimed by thefe, he fheweth his Juftice and Righteousness,

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