God muft deal with his Creatures, as every wife Parent deals with his Children. And tho' thefe Chaftifements (as the Apoftle tells us) are not joyous, but grievous, yet are they defign'd for the bringing forth the peaceable Fruits of Righ teoufness in all them that are exercised thereby.

The Truth is, we do not know what is Good for ourselves. We often wish for Things, that perhaps, if our Wishes were granted, would undo us: But our Happiness is, that God knows all, and fo tempers all, that all Events, even those that we are apt to look upon as the greatest Judgments fhall at last appear more visibly to have been the wifeft Methods that could poffibly have been contrived for the doing the greatest Good to us. And if they do not fucceed accordingly, it will be our own Fault.

This must likewife needs be true, if perfect Goodness govern All: For even Justice itself is but a different way of expreffing Goodness. And all that, which we call Judgment, and Vengeance, is unaccountable, unless it ferve for the doing

Good to the World.

Fourthly, and Laftly; From hence it follows, that all Events whatsoever, that ever did, or do, or fhall happen in the World, either with refpect to Nations, and Kingdoms, or with refpect to particular Perfons, are really the Best that could, or can happen. And if Things were ordered otherwise, it would not be fo well.

A ftrange Paradox you will fay this is; that not only the Mifchiefs and Calamities that fall upon Mankind, but even their Faults and Mismanagements, nay, their very Sins and Wicked

nesses,

neffes, fhould be for the beft. But really fo it is, and fo it muft be, if both infinite Wisdom, and Goodness, and Power govern the World.

Not, but that a particular Man's Sins may be the Occafion of his Ruin, nay and certainly will be fo, if he perfift in them.

And likewife the Faults of a People may, and will have fuch an ill Influence upon the Community, as if they be not amended, the Defolation of the Nation may at laft enfue thereupon.→

But ftill, tho' every Thing that happens do not prove for the Good of that particular Perfon, or that particular People, that is immediately concerned in the Event; yet it will certainly prove for the General Univerfal Good.

So that, take all the whole Series of Events together, that have, or fhall come to pass all the World over, we may undoubtedly affirm, that all Things have been as well managed, as it is poffible they could be; and will be fo to the End of the World: And this we ourfelves fhall be fatisfied of, when we come to be in a Condition of making a juft Estimate of Things.

For, indeed, to fuppofe otherwise, is to fay, either that Infinite Wisdom doth not act fo wifely as it might do; or, that Perfect Goodness might do more Good than it does do; or, Laftly, that Omnipotent Power cannot do every Thing that is poffible. All which Suppofitions are plainly abfurd and contradictious.

And now, if all thefe Things be true (as they certainly are) how natural is the Conclufion of my Text? Since God is the King of all the World, and fuch a King likewife, that Vol. I.

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the

the Meafures of his Government are exact Goodness, and Wifdom, and Righteousness; what have all Mankind to do, efpecially Good Men, but to Rejoice and be glad?

This is the Pfalmift's Inference from this Doctrine. And this is the prefent Bufinefs of the Day: And therefore let us all practise accordingly. That is the only Application I defire to make of what hath been faid.

And Two ways we ought to exprefs our Re

jozcing.

Firft, In a hearty Senfe of all God's past and prefent Mercies to us, and an actual giving him our Thanks for the fame.

Secondly, In a chearful Dependance upon him for his Future Bleffings. Give me leave to speak a little to thefe Two Points, and I have done.

Firft, Let us be heartily fenfible of all God's Kindness to us, both past and present, and unfeignedly thank him for the fame.

It is very remarkable, that not only David, but the Prophets likewife, when they are treating of God's Kingdom, call upon the Iles in a particular manner to take notice of it; [See Ifa. 24. 15. 42. 4, 10, &c.] as here in my Text, Let the Multitudes of the Ifles be glad thereof: As if the Iles in a more particular manner were to have a Share in the Bleffings of his Government. And, no doubt, it was fo intended, and accordingly it hath fo come to pafs. For it is the Iles of the Gentiles, by which Name the Scripture expreffeth thofe Countries that were at the greatest Distance from the Continent of Judea; I fay, it is these

Iles, which now, at this Day (God's, ancient People the Jews being for their Infidelity long ago rejected) are the principal Seat of his Church and Kingdom, and to which he vouchfafeth the Light of his Gofpel, and the Means of Salvation; fo true is God to all his Promifes.. But' now, of all the Isles of the Gentiles, if any one above the reft hath felt the benign and gracious Influences of the LORD's being our King, certainly Our's is that Ifland.

How wonderfully bountiful hath God been to us in a continued Succeffion of Publick Bleffings, even from the firft Beginning of Time, that we have had any Memorials of Events among us?

We had the Happiness to be early made a Province of the Roman Empire, and by that Means were trained up to Civility, and Arts, and Good Manners.

That made way for the greatest Bleffing that Heaven could beftow upon us, even the receiving Chriftianity: And that Bleffing we had with the most early, being the first among the Nations that embraced it.

When through the juft Judgment of God, Barbarifm and Ignorance overfpread the Face of Europe, and by the Occafion thereof Superftition and Idolatry made its way, and all the Western Kingdoms gave up their Power to a Foreign Ufurper; even then this Iland made the longest stand; nay, and was never fo perfectly fubdued, but that Popery was here a different Thing, from what it was in the Southern Climates.

When the happy Time came, that God thought fit to fet on foot the Reformation (having firft made way for it, by the reftoring of Learning) fuch was his particular Care of us, that this was one of the firft Kingdoms that was brought over to it.

And we have this Advantage above all other Reformed Churches, that as our Reformation was regularly made, and by juft Authority, fo it was made most agreeably to the Pattern of the Primitive Churches of Chrift..

And, God be thanked, according to the Goodness of it, fuch hath been its Success ever fince; for we have all-along, from that Time to this, (except the Interruption of a few Years in the late Times) ferved God in Peace and Happiness, under the fame Establishment; and we truft we shall do fo to the End of the World.

Many, indeed, have been the Oppofitions and Disturbances, that have been given us by our Adverfaries, both at Home and Abroad; but as manifold likewife have been our Deliverances, and that in a most wonderful manner. I need not mention them, for they are known to us all.

How many Secret Confpiracies against our Proteftant Kings and Queens, hath God Almighty's Mercy detected and defeated?

How many Open Attempts against our Laws, and against our Religion, hath he, by ftrange Providences, brought to nought?

More than once hath he by wonderful Methods preferved us, when we gave up our Church and our Liberties in a manner as loft, and that in fo cafie and quiet a way, that there

was