Epiphanes. Through the over-ruling Influence of a wife Providence, Events that were defigned for the Destruction of the Church have been made fubfervient to its better Establishment. Thus Haman's Plot, which threatened the utter Ruin of the Jewish Nation and Religion, was wonderfully over-ruled to contribute to the Confirmation of it.. Divine Providence hath been also remarkable in raising up faithful Witneffes for the Truth, and preferving a pious Remnant in Times of a general Defection from the Purity of Faith and Practice, and fometimes in bringing about a Reformation of long established Errors and Corruptions, by very unlikely Inftruments, and even over-ruling the Lusts and Paffions of Men for contributing to the abolishing of the false Religion, and establishing the true,

Finally, What was observed with regard to the divine Judgments towards Nations that have fallen into a very corrupt and degenerate State, may be also applied in a great Measure to degenerate backfliding Churches. God declared to the Jews by the Prophet Amos, You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth, therefore I will punish you for all your Iniquities. Amos iii. 2. He had diftinguifhed them above other Nations, by granting them many valuable Privileges, VOL. I.

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and erecting his vifible Church among them, and therefore he punished them in. a remarkable Manner for their Revolts and Backfliding. His Dealings towards them might feem to be fometimes fevere, but were always unexceptionably just and righteous; and have left this great and useful Leffon to all Ages, that no external Profeffion of Religion, or visible special Relation to God as their God in Covenant, will intitle any Church or People to the divine Favour, or fecure them from his awful Judgments, if they be destitute of real Virtue and Godliness, and become generally abandoned to Vice and Wickednefs: On the contrary, as their Privileges and Advantages aggravate their Crime, fo they will be expofed to a more grievous Punishment.

The fame holdeth good with respect to Churches profeffing Christianity. Some Churches which feemed once to be in a flourishing Condition, now lie defolate; their Candlestick is removed, and the Light that fhone in them feems to be extinguished. Others which are not utterly deprived of their Privileges yet have been expofed to fore Perfecutions. And nothing can be more just than that God should in his holy Providence manifeft his righteous Displeasure against backsliding Churches,

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Churches, that have fallen from the Purity and Power of Religion into a State of great Corruption and Degeneracy. The Perfecutions they have been exercised with, however grievous they may appear, often anfwer very valuable Ends. The Church is not always really in the best Estate when it seemeth to be outwardly most flourishing, nor in the worst Estate when it is outwardly oppreffed and perfecuted. In Times of long external Peace and Profperity, there are often great Corruptions in Doctrine, Worship, and Practice. The Spirit of this World prevaileth, and Religion degenerateth into Form and Shew, fo that though the Church may appear to be outwardly in profperous Circumstances, yet it hath little more than a Name to live, and is really ready to die. And on the other Hand, it frequently happeneth that in Times of Perfecution, though the Church hath fewer Profeffors, it hath better Members. The Faith and Patience of the Saints is more exercised and displayed, their Zeal and Piety is more eminent, and the divine Power of Religion doth more gloriously appear. And then in due Time he raifeth his Church, when fitted for it, from their afflicted State, and executeth juft Vengeance upon their Adverfaries and Perfecutors. Thus Babylon of old was punished

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nished for her Cruelty and Oppreffion of the Jewish Church. And fo fhall it alfo be in the Cafe of myftical Babylon, which, after having been long fuffered to prevail, and to make War with the Saints, fhall have a dreadful Downfal, wherein the Vengeance and Justice of God fhall be illuftriously displayed; of which we have a lively Description in the 18th Chapter of the Revelation of St. John.

This Subject may furnish feveral useful Reflections.

And first, We may hence see how much it is the Wifdom and Duty of all the People of the Earth to fear before God, and to render him a religious Homage and Obedience as their fupreme universal King and Lord. For the greatest and most powerful Nations are under his Dominion, and he ordereth the Events relating to them according to the Counsel of his Will. From him the mightiest earthly Potentates hold their Crowns and Sceptres. Their Empires and even their Lives are at his Difpofal. By him Kings reign, and Princes decree Juftice: by him Princes rule, and Nobles, and all the Judges of the Earth. All Kings fhould therefore fall down before him, and all Nations fhould ferve him. For as much as there is none like unto thee, O Lord, and thy Name is great in Might, who

would

would not fear thee, O King of Nations? for unto thee doth it appertain. Jer. x.

6, 7.

Secondly, It should help greatly to calm and compose our Minds, when Darkness and Confufion feem to be upon the Face of public Affairs, to reflect that all Things are under the Direction and Superintendency of a moft wife Providence. There is nothing which is more apt to fill the Heart of a good Man with deep Concern, than the Calamities that threaten large Communities, Nations or Churches; thofe especially to which he is most nearly related. Sometimes the Afpect of Things with regard to Church and State is fo black and difmal, that we are ready even to fink into Defpondency, and can see no Refource, no Way of Deliverance or Escape. But in fuch Cafes, when Things feem to be at the worft, and have the most difaftrous Appearance, there is no Confideration fo proper to comfort us as this, that God reigneth, who will certainly order Things for the best upon the whole, and whofe Prerogative it is to bring Good out of Evil, and Order out of Confufion. When the Floods lift up their Waves, how fhould we rejoice to think that the Lord on High is mightier than the Noife of many Waters. Pfal. xciii. 3, 4. He filleth the Noife

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