his Working is not fo difcernable as at other times. God could have revealed to Abafuerus the Innocence and Merit of Mordecai, and by many fupernatural Ways prevented his and his Countrymen's Ruin, but his Providence over them was nevertheless effectual in faving them by a more ordinary Method; the King could not fleep (Eftb.6.) he calls for his Book of Memoirs to entertain himself that Night, and there he finds what Service Mordecai had done, and fo Things were put into the natural Course for the Deliverance of Him and the fews. It fometimes happens that good Men are by fuch a strange concurrence of Affairs, preferv'd and protected from Ill-Will, and fecur'd from the Malice of their Enemies, that though they fee nothing, but the natural Operation of Second Caufes, yet they cannot but afcribe that Conjuncture to a fupernatural Guidance, by which they were put into that Order of Working, especially fince both Reafon and Scripture concur in this matter ; for it is very reasonable to believe, that if there be a Providence which prefides over all things, that Providence must be especially concern'd for the Welfare and Security of good Men : And the Scripture, as in feveral other Places, fo in the Context, affures us of it, viz. That the Eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous, and that

are

his Ears are open to their Frayers; but the Face of the Lord is against them that do Evil Which is one Reafon why St. Peter infers in the very next Words, thofe of the Text, And who is be that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is Good? For indeed they feem to be well fenc❜d againft all Harm, whofe Virtue and Piety doth not only put them under the Protection of Man, as much as can be, but likewife more immediately under the Protection of God.

But to all this I know it will be objected, That the Condition of the Church in St. Peter's Time, fhewed the contrary to what was by Him affirm'd, and by Us pretended. For the Jews perfecuted the Chriftians with an induftrious Malice, and the Empire was by no means favourable to them: Nero hated them, and he and feveral other Emperors after him, made terrible Havock of the Church, and the beft Chriftians were ftill hunted after for their Deftruction. And the like has happen'd in other Ages afterwards. How there fore can it be faid, Who is be that will barm you, if ye be followers of that which is Good? How can these Things ftand either with the Security of good Men fuppofed in the General in the Text, or with that Particular Reafon for it now affign'd, viz,

God's

God's efpecial Providence in favour of his Servants, especially fince they have happen'd fo often, that we cannot fay the Cafe is very rare and extraordinary? This is the obvious Objection against what hath been faid.

Now indeed there is this, Reason why we need not be follicitous for an Answer to it, because this is not our Cafe, whofe Religious Affemblies for the Service of God are Protected by the Civil Authority. But then there is another Reafon why we should be concern'd what to fay to it, because the Sufferings of the Faithful have been objected against the Caufe for which they fuffered, becaufe alfo they have been produced against the Belief of Providence by Atheists and profane Perfons, and because it is for the ftrengthening of our Faith, to understand well how the Truth of God's Promises, and the Wifdom of his Providences, and his particular Care of Righteous Men, can stand with fuch Inftances as feem. to conclude the contrary.

To the Objection therefore I answer,

1. That the Cafe of Suffering for the Truth and Faith is a Cafe exprefly excepted by St. Peter.

2. That the Permiffion of it is plainly confiftent with the Care, and Wisdom, and Goodness of Providence.. 3. That

3. That Good Men in fuch a Cafe do not fuffer more under the Malice of their Enemies than thofe do under God's Judg

ments.

1. That it is plainly an excepted Cafe For immediately after St. Peter had faid, Who is be that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is Good? He continues his Speech, But and if je fuffer for Righteoufnefs fake, happy are ye. And fo he goes on, fhewing what little Reason they had to be troubled, who fuffer with a good Confcience, and for Well-doing. So that this Limitation coming immediately after the Rule in the Text, clears the Scripture from ufing a deceitful Argument to perfuade Well-doing. If we would be Safe and Happy, Well-doing is the only Method you can take for this End ; for if you follow that which is good, your Innocence and Virtue will gain upon the Affections of Men, they will procure the Protection of the Government, and the favourable Providence of God. But if you fhould object against this the Sufferings of the Church under Jews or Heathens, I anfwer, That is a particular Cafe, which does not fo properly come under the Rule, and is therefore to be excepted from it, but even in that Cafe ye are Happy alfo upon other Accounts, becaufe This is Thank-worthy, if a Man for Confci

ence

ence towards God, endures Grief, fuffering wrongfully; and if when je do well and fuffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. And thus he fhews us that the Motive to Well doing from that Happiness it will procure us, holds even in that extraordinary Cafe, when it does not fecure us from outward Harm. Now altho' the excepting of the Cafe is a plain Vindication of the Sincerity of the Scripture, yet it doth not of it felf fhew how God's permitting this Cafe to happen is conconfiftent with the Particular Providence of God over Righteous Men, mention'd in the Verfe foregoing the Text, That the Eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous, and bis Ears are open to their Prayers. Let us therefore confider,

2. How it ftands with the Wifdom and Goodness of God's Special Providence over Righteous Men.

Now although our general Belief of Providence, and of God's infinite Wisdom and Goodness, is fo ftrongly grounded, that we may well argue as to thofe Inftances of his Providence, that they are Wife and Good, in which we are not able to discern God's particular Reafon and Counsel, yet of this Cafe it is by no means hard to give. a reasonable Account proper to the Cafe.

There