stamp Mayor.  
Martis xix Die April 1692. Annoque Regis& Reginae, Willi.& Mariae Angl. &c. Quarto.  
THIS COURT doth desire Mr. Fleetwood to Print his Sermon, preached at the Parish-Church of St. Mary le Bow, on Friday the 11th Instant, before the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Companies of this City.  
GOODFELLOW.   

A SERMON preached before the RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD MAYOR AND Court of Aldermen, AT St. MARY LE BOW, ON Friday the 11th of April, 1692.  
Being the Fast-Day.  
By W. FLEETWOOD, Rector of St. Austins, And Chaplain in Ordinary to their Majesties.  
LONDON: Printed for Thomas Newborough at the Golden Ball in St. Paul's Church-Yard, 1692.   
2 SAM. x. xii. 
Be of good Courage, and let us play the Men for our People, and for the Cities of our God: And the Lord do that which seemeth him good.  
WHEN Joab had set his Army in Array against the Syrians, and had given his Orders to Abishai to do the like, with those under his Command, against the Ammonites, and mutually engaged the Assistance of each other, on occasion, in the 11th Verse. He prepares both himself, his Brother and the Army for the Fight, with this short Speech in the Text, Be of good Courage, &c. In which Words we have these three Things to consider: First, The Exhortation of the General, Be of good Courage, and let us play the Men. Secondly, The Occasion and Necessity there was of doing so; the Concern they had at Stake was very great, it was, For their People, and for the Cities of their God. Thirdly. The Resignation and Submission of the Issue and Event to God's good Pleasure and Disposal; And the Lord do that which seemeth him good. Of these I intend to speak in the first Place; and, in the second, make what Application may be proper. And first of the Exhortation; Be of good Courage and let us play the Men. The Safety and Success of an Army, does in great Measure depend upon the Concord and Agreement of Commanders, and the good Understanding there is betwixt them; and Joab prudently considering this, lest the unequal Division of the Bands should offend Abishai,[ for whether the Syrians were indeed the better Soldiers, and more formidable Enemies; or whether the Ammonites were supposed by Joab to be weakened by their Guilt( as a Jew might well surmise) being the Authors and Occasion of this War, by having villainously treated David's ambassadors, and therefore that the weakest Men of Israel would be a Match for them, or whatever was the occasion of Joab's taking all the chosen Men to serve under him,] he makes his Agreement beforehand with him, to come and succour him, if he should find himself distressed, and requires the like of him again. But because the People bear too great a share, either in Rout or Victory, to be overlooked, he does, as Wise and Valiant Captains always used to do, address himself to the Army likewise, in the usual Words of Exhortation, Be of good Courage, and let us play the Men. Be of good Courage, said Moses, to the Men he sent out to explore the Land of Canaan, Numb. 13.20. Be strong and of a good Courage, said the same Moses, both to Joshua and the Israelites, when he was about to leave them, to encounter with their Enemies, Deut. 31.6, 7. Be strong and very courageous, be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, said God himself to Joshua, entering upon his Command, Josh. 1.6, 7, 9. Be strong and of good Courage, said this Joshua too, to the Israelites, 10.25. And so said David to his Son Solomon, 1 Chron. 22.13. Chap. 28.20. And so said Ezra to the Jews, 10.4. Which does not only show, that no Attempt of any Moment or Importance, of our own Contrivance or Design, can be hopefully undertaken by us, without the exerting thus our Strength and Courage to the utmost; but that it is also necessary so to do, even in Enterprizes begun by God's especial Order and Command, and where the Undertakers were his peculiar Favourites, as is observable in all the above-mentioned Instances. There is nothing so sure, as that where the Heart is faint, the Hands are feeble and hang down; the one does strangely influence the other; Men are commonly Strong or Weak, according to their Courage, not their Nerves and Sinews; they are almost whatever they desire to be; and Power dwells near the Will, as well as near Necessity. Some by this Heart and Courage have achieved such great and marvelous Things, as few but they who are alike Inspired, and heated with their Fire, can easily fancy or believe, more than indeed themselves could at first propose, or in their sober, cautious, reasoning Mood, could hope for. Others, for want of this, have lost their lucky Opportunities, and blasted many a fair and hopeful enterprise, when every thing besides themselves, conspired to Crown them with Success and Honour. Many, whose Hearts have robbed their Heads of their Triumphant wreaths, and loaden both themselves, and( which is more to be lamented) others, both with Chains and Infamy, that with a little of this generous Warmth, a little shaking off their Fear and Sluggishness, were fitted to be Conquerors and Happy. And therefore there is great Necessity, in all Attempts of Weight, of raising up the Heart, and calling all the vigorous active Spirits up to our Assistance: And not of this alone, but of provoking others, with our Exhortations and Incitements, to be of good Courage also. There is a noble Emulation in the Souls of most, which oft lies Dormant for a while, until it be awakened by Example, or Upbraiding, or Encouragement; till either Praise or shane, discover what they can, as well as what they should do. And this is most remarkable in War; where many times a quick Oration, or a brave Example of some one or few Particulars, has given such Life and Strength to the whole Army, that from a fearful and inglorious Flight, they have returned to Victory and Spoil, and bravely have defaced and crost the Footsteps of their shane: And on the other Hand, some have been quiter intimidated into Rout and great Disorder, by the Despondency of some great Officers, and Cowardous Example of their Fellows, whose Fear did perfectly infect their Neighbours. So that in all Attempts of Moment, it is not only necessary to quicken and animate ourselves, and raise our Hearts as high as can be, but to give Life and Soul to Others also, and to take what Care and Pains we can, that They as well as We may Be of good Courage. The other part of the Exhortation, is, Let us play the Men; which is but the same Thing, expressed in other Words. Be strong and quit yourselves like Men, and Fight, said the Philistines to each other, 1 Sam. 4.9. Be strong therefore and show thyself a Man, said David dying, to his Son, 1 King. 2.2. And so saith St. Paul, in the Case of Spiritual Warfare, 1 Cor. 16.13. Quit yourselves like Men, and be strong. Using the very Words by which the LXX. have Translated the Exhortation in the Text, {αβγδ}. And where this History is again repeated, in 1 Chron. 19.18. It is— Let us behave ourselves valiantly, instead of, Let us play the Men; the one importing and supposing the other. And this the Heathens understood of old, when they began their Exhortations to the Fight, with {αβγδ}, and Fite Viri, &c. Do but remember you are Men, and act accordingly; imagining that they who would but think upon themselves, would never do a thing unworthy of their Nature, and the noble Name by which they were called. They looked upon the Name of Man as a Preservative, and powerful Charm against both Treachery and cowardice; a perfect Contradiction to whatever is esteemed Vile and Infamous, and comprehending every Thing that is Great and Brave and Honourable. But lest the Consideration of the Excellence and Dignity of Human Nature, should not, of itself, balance the Love of Life and Fear of Death, the general and prevailing Passions of Men's Hearts, there are also added, in the second Place, the Motives and Incitements to the showing forth this Courage, some Reasons and Inducements, why they ought to quit themselves like Men; it was not for themselves alone they were to Fight, but For their People, and the Cities of their God. By People we are to understand, all that were left behind at home, all the Relations and dependents that they had, their Fathers, Mothers, Wives and Children, Friends and Servants; and all the Civil and Judicial Laws, the Ties and Bonds that make a People, and distinguish them each from the other; for all these are implied in the Word People; and when Men Fight for their People, they virtually Fight for all these, because that these are all in danger to be lost by being Conquered. And by the Cities of God we are to understand, not only their particular Cities, but all the Villages and Country, and all their Estates and Habitations, all their subsistence and their livelihood, because whoever Masters the Cities of a Country, is presumed to be Master of all besides; the one does naturally take in all the other; it must be so in Reason, and we see it is so by Experience. But because these Cities are also Cities of God, we may very well imagine their Religion also is included in those Terms: For whatever Grace and Favour God is said, in many Passages of Scripture, to show to Israel, and Jerusalem, and Sion, to love her Buildings and her Towers, and to take Delight in her Palaces, with the like, we may be sure it is for the sake of his Laws and Worship therein being: In Jury is God known, and his Name is great in Israel; at Salem is his Tabernacle, and his Dwelling in Sion. And this is the Foundation of his Love. He sheweth his Word unto Jacob, his Statutes and Ordinances unto Israel: He hath not dealt so with any Nation, neither have the Heathen Knowledge of his Laws, Psal. 147.19. Here was the Habitation of his House, and the Place where his Honour dwelled: And 'twas on this Account that it was called the Holy City, and the Holy Place; and it is in this respect( making Allowance for a greater Holiness and greater Favours) that the Church of Christ is called, The City of the Lord, Isa. 60.14. Mount Zion and the City of our God, in Heb. 12.22. And the same in Revelations is said of Heaven itself, 3.12. So that by Cities of God, we are not to understand only the Walls and Houses, but the Worship and Religion of those Places. And then To be of good Courage and play the Men, for their People, and for the Cities of their God, is neither more nor less, than to Fight and do Valiantly for their Lives, and Laws, and Fortunes, and Religion; the same which the Ancients called Fighting, pro Aris& Focis. This Place would give me opportunity of saying something in defence of War in general, and in the Justification of each of these particular Occasions; but the Consideration of these Matters at large, would led me too far, and hold me too long; it may be more convenient, to take the Matter as it is in the Text, for granted, as Joab did undoubtedly, concluding the Defence of his Country and Religion, a very justifiable Ground of War; especially if we remember withal, that this Their behaving themselves valiantly for their People, and for the Cities of their God, was, notwithstanding, an offensive War on Israel's side, invading Ammon for their vile, unmanly Usage of the King's ambassadors; and if such insolent injurious Dealing with ambassadors, be( as it always was accounted by the World in general) a just occasion for a War offensive, we may conclude safely enough, That the Defence of Lives and Laws, and Fortunes and Religion, are each of them sufficient Warrant for the drawing of the Sword. And though in private Cases, the Principles of Christianity are very peaceable and tender, and regardful of Men's Welfare in this World as well as the other, and lay greater Restraint on Peoples Inclinations to Contention and Disturbance than any other Laws whatever, and would perhaps, if heedfully attended and obeied, prevent most Wars; yet where Men will not harken to good Reason, nor the Christian doctrines, where there is no redress of Injuries to be expected from the Laws( as in National Affronts and Wrongs there cannot be) where the contending Parties will admit of no Arbitrator betwixt them, whose Sentence shall be Decisive, and from whom there shall be no Appeal, there certainly the Sword of War becomes necessary, there Christ hath left the public to consult its Welfare and Defence, and to pursue its Peace and Safety by such Methods, as are Proper, Just and Honourable. He hath left no Rule in these Extremities for the public to govern itself by, but neither hath he barred it such Defence as the common Reason of Mankind suggests in all such Cases. He hath not indeed commanded War, but neither hath he so forbidden it, as that it should not be both Just and Lawful, when it is absolutely necessary. And absolutely necessary to be sure it is, when either Lives or Laws, or Fortunes or Religion, are at Stake, and cannot otherwise be well preserved. What End and Purpose of Religion can be served, by letting fifty, sixty, or an hundred thousand People be killed, for the enlarging such a One's Dominion, or for the Enriching so many Plunderers with the Booty? What Tendency has such a Slaughter to the promoting of either Piety or virtue? And therefore to think that Christianity commands such Patience, Sufferance, or such Cowardice as this, is to think it not only a very weak Religion, but a Religion countenancing and encouraging Oppression, Insolence and Violence, and Cruelty and Blood; for this would naturally happen, through the Infidelity of such as are not Christians, and the Malice and perverseness of such as are very bad ones. What use would such a People as the Tartars are, make of such a doctrine, as the Unlawfulness of War among the Christians? One might justly say, that such a doctrine would be the occasion and cause of all the Ravages and Barbarous Devestations, of all the Rapes and murders such a People would commit. And to say that Christianity encourages to so much Evil, is to give it an abominable Character. And yet they say as much, who say that War is absolutely forbidden to Christians; for were it so indeed, both Infidels and wicked Christians would commit a thousand greater Evils than they daily do, and how far Christianity would be chargeable with them, by such a Natural Provocation and Encouragement, as that disarming Christians were, is not hard to determine. It is but a poor Defence to say, I did not kill Cajus, nor provoke Sempronius to his murder, but only took away his Sword and Weapons of Defence, and left him to the Fury of his Adversary, who only watched for such an opportunity. The Case of private People's suffering Injuries without Retaliation, is much another thing than this of public War; though even in that, the redress of Law is by no means absolutely forbidden; and the permission of redress by Law for private Injuries, is not so different from permission of redress by War, for public Wrongs as People commonly imagine; the Reasons differ not in Kind but in Degree. And if Martyrdom itself, i.e. the suffering Death for the Sake of Christ and of the Gospel, be not so commanded, but that it may and is to be avoided, where the Honour of God and of the Christian Name can be secured without, we may be sure, the suffering Death and other Evils, where neither God's Honour, nor the Truth of the Gospel, nor any end of Christianity is served, is not commanded us, and consequently that War is not forbidden by the Christian Law. But leaving these Disputes, and taking it for granted, that every one of these occasions of War is Just and Lawful; the Text supposes that they are every one of them good Motives and Encouragements to Men, to behave themselves Valiantly in the Fight, Let us be of good Courage, and let us play the Men, for our People, and for the Cities of our God, which as I tried to show, implied our Lives and Laws, our Estates and our Religion.  
That People's Lives are worth contending for, need not be proved, for every ones Own, is almost worth a War to him; but when the Lives of all his Civil and his Natural Relations too, are equally concerned, then, not to venture bravely for them, is to prove his Life indeed was hardly worth the living; a Life that well deserved to be cast away. And what can be said of Men who in such Extremities will tamely yield, but that they act at once the Fool and Madman, and the indeed for fear of Death? There is little hope, that the Preservation of the Laws and Liberties of a Nation should prevail with those, whom the consideration of their own and others Lives cannot incite to Courage, and incline to behave themselves like Men; but however, this has all along been esteemed, of all brave People, a Consideration of the last Importance, and they have freely ventured the one, in behalf of the other, accounting Life itself a burden, when they lost the other. There is something in the Frame and Constituion of each Government, so fitted and peculiar to the Genius and the Tempers of a People, that it is not to be altered by violent Conspirators at home, nor by a foreign Enemy, without the greatest Inconveniences, and the most fearful Consequences possible, and the Laws of each particular Nation, consulting most especially the Benefit and Welfare of their own Subjects, it is no wonder if they are tenacious of this kind of Government, and of these Laws, and find it worth their while to resist unto Blood in their Defence and Maintenance. It is the properness and the fitness of these Laws to the Country and the Subject, that gives each People the Happiness they have; and since it is impossible for a Nation to be absolutely Conquered, without breaking the Laws and Constitution of its Government, and bringing others in, more beneficial to the Conqueror and his Country, and consequently prejudicial to the conquered, there is nothing in this World that better deserves to be defended to the utmost of Men's Power, than the continuance of their Laws and Government. And this the rather, because the overturning of the Laws, does also overthrow Men's Fortunes and Estates, without which Men would live but hardly and uncomfortable; and that's the least and one of the most gently Effects of being Conquered, by a ravaging and greedy Enemy: the being reduced to Misery and the greatest Evils of Want and Slavery, is an inseparable Companion of being overcome; the hope of Prey and Spoil, is the Life and Soul of an Army, and the fear of it should also prove as strong a Spur to Valour, to defend ones self against it. That Religion( lastly) suffers constantly in War, is very certain; and as certain, that the preservation of it, in its Purity and Truth, is as worthy an employment of men's strength and courage, as any other Cause whatever. Cum loca capta sunt ab hostibus, omnia desinunt esse sacra, was a Maxim of Old. When once a Place is taken by the Enemy, there is no farther difference made betwixt things sacred and profane. Wars and Victories( saith Tertullian, Apol. c. 25.) are made up of Cities taken and overthrown, which cannot be without offending the Gods; the Military fury at the same time indifferently assaulting the City-Walls and Temples; Slaughters involving Priests and Citizens without distinction; and the soldier, greedy of his prey, no more regards things sacred than profane: So many Conquests, so many Sacrileges, so many Triumphs over Nations, so many Triumphs too over the Gods: And this was looked upon so certain, that the Greeks esteemed it as a Law and Rule, That whoever conquered the Country, conquered the Religion of it also; and they did accordingly surrender both together: And upon this account it was, that all the Ancient Generals in their Speeches to their Armies, constantly re-minded them of their Religion, Gods and Altars left at home, as well as Wives and Children, which were sure to be the Prey and Plunder of their Conquerors; and thought at the same time, That if the Love and Fear, and the Regard they had to them, would not excite their utmost Courage, nothing else could do it. Whether it be lawful to carry War into another Country for the vindication of God's honour, which we think is injured and affronted by the barbarous or ridiculous Worship of that Country, and for the propagation of the true Religion, is what may bear some short dispute perhaps; but the conclusion will in all likelihood be, That it is not lawful, since God is his own best Avenger, and can vindicate his Honour, and promote his Truth, in times, and ways, and methods, as he sees convenient, without the help of Man, which he, in such cases, requires not. But whether it be lawful to carry War into another Country, for the defence and preservation of the true Religion, which is otherwise in danger and great likelihood of being ruined and destroyed at home, will bear no manner of dispute; because if it be lawful to be defended at home,( as all Men must allow,) it will be also just to be defended abroad; for the carrying the War into another Country, is only to avoid those Evils we must otherwise necessary endure, if we should suffer our Enemies to bring the War home to Us: And this makes no alteration of the justice of the War at all; for the Cause of that is still the same, whether we fight abroad, or defend ourselves at home; and Men choose the one or the other, according to their Strength, and the Situation of their Country, and for a great many other natural or accidental reasons. But whether it be lawful to carry War into another's Country, even an invasive War, in the defence not only of the true Religion, but of the Professors of that true Religion, though another's Subjects, has born dispute a great while. The Example of Constantine the Great's invading of Licinius for the Christian's sake, the Subjects of Licinius, might( with the Approbation of the Christians at that time) serve in some measure, one would think, to determine this matter in the behalf of the Lawfulness of so doing. Constantine and Licinius had shared the Empire betwixt them, and were consequently independent, each of them, upon his fellow; Each was Augustus, and each of them had made his Son caesar; and the Subjects of these Princes owed no manner of Obedience, but to each their Master. The Emperors had each of them decreed at Milan, 
Euseb. Eccl. Hist. lib. X. cap. 5.  That the Christian Religion should be tolerated through the Empire: But Licinius afterwards, suffering himself to be persuaded otherwise, betook himself, by all the arts and methods he was master of, to break this Edict; and fearing the Zeal and Power of Constantine, was forced to practise secretly and cunningly, at first, the overthrow of Christianity; not appearing in the thing himself, but acting by his Presidents and Governors, who made their Court to him by such compliance with his cruel purposes, well knowing they could recommend themselves no way so effectually as by fulfilling his Desires, without expecting his Commands: But, in a little time, this modesty or fear was overcome,( such zealous superstition is impatient of restraint,) and he began to open his designs with falling first upon the Bishops,( all Persecutions ever did the same, the very Heathens knew, as well as did the Christians, that the Church of Christ could never be undone without their ruin, and therefore took the readiest way by falling upon them at first;) next he dismissed the Christians from all Employments at Court, cashiered them from the Army, and turned them out of every Office; then seized on their Estates, and fell at last upon the Clergy, killing some Bishops for praying for Constantine. Thus he continued persecuting for some good time, designing nothing less than the utter subversion of Christianity, which Eusebius( who lived at the same time) says, He had undoubtedly effected, 
Eccl. Hist. cap. 8.9.& de Vit. Const. lib. 2. cap. 2. &c.  had not God, the Protector of his People, prevented it, by raising up his Servant Constantine, and leading him as it were by the hand to their Delivery; who, after having exercised more patience, than was necessary, with this brutal Prince, and all to no purpose, made ready at last to succour these distressed Sufferers, concluding it a holy and religious thing, to remove One Man, and save thereby a multitude of People. In truth, Eusebius tells this Story in such manner, that One might reasonably think, the Christians of Licinius's Empire, sent to Constantine for some relief; and there are some Phrases, that would incline one to guess so: But there is no occasion of going any farther than we are sure; and that is, That Constantine did certainly make the Sufferings of the Christians one of his pretexts of War at this time; and that the Expedition was so well liked, that many 
Valesius calls them Bishops.  Clergymen attended him as Chaplains; and he thought, if ever he had need of Prayers, it was now, and took them accordingly with him very gladly: And, lastly, That the whole Church, as well the Western as the Eastern One, rejoiced exceedingly at the deliverance God was pleased to work by him, and expressed it in all the demonstrations possible of Love, and Gratitude, and Honour; and with one accord submitted to him, as the great and glorious Instrument of God's mercy and goodness towards them, and filled the world with his commendations: And of this mutual satisfaction in each other, the great and many endearing kindnesses and compliments that past between the Emperor and the Council of Nice, are so many ample testimonies, though they were most of them Licinius's Subjects, and the Council was called but a year after his deseat, 325. This Approbation of the Ancient Christians of this Act of Constantine, might serve, I say, to show that they esteemed it not only just and lawful, but honourable and religious, to carry War into another's Country for the defence of the true Religion, and the preservation of the Lives and Liberties of its Professors, which had been otherwise in danger of being quiter lost: For the Victor neither made pretence of propagating the true Religion, nor of forcing People to forsake the false one, by the Sword, but only of securing and defending them who were before Christians. And the whole Conduct of our Queen Elizabeth( one of the best and happiest Princes that we ever had, and one who loved, and best consulted both the honour and the welfare of our Nation,) her whole Conduct, I say, with respect to all the Protestants abroad, approved of and rewarded, both by Parliaments and Convocations, might make this Case a little more defensible, than it is commonly held to be, by a great many People. These Princes( and a great many others) did not only think themselves obliged to be of good courage, and behave themselves valiantly, for their own People and the Cities of their God at home; but made the Cities of God extend to all places where the same God was worshipped in the like Purity, Simplicity and Truth. They went indeed farther than Joab here did, because he had no occasion to go farther; but his Principles would have carried him, to the defence of the Cities of God, if they had been either in Ammon's or in Syria's Territories; and we need not question, but he would have made the rescue and deliverance of their persecuted Brethren, a quickening motive and encouragement to the behaving themselves valiantly, and quitting themselves like Men. The last thing we have to consider in Joab's conduct, is, his Resignation and Submission of the Issue and Event to God's good pleasure and disposal, and the Lord do that which seemeth him good. He had made what preparations he could, or thought convenient to his purpose; he had gathered a great Army, and selected all or most of the chosen Men, to oppose to the Syrians, and committed the rest to Abishai's management, to order, as he saw necessity, against the Ammonites; and had agreed to do what was fit in case of each others exigence, and he had made his final Speech to all of them, and done, in a word, all that a wise and valiant General had to do, and then commits the Event to God. It is in vain to think of doing any thing well without God; but it is as vain to think that God will do any thing without us, that lies in our power to do. God is, in all our wants, our help and succour, but not unless we will co-operate with him, and join our forces to those which he affords us: He is indeed the best ally that can be, but he will never fight our battles by himself, whilst we stand idle by, and unconcerned: He is indeed the Author and Bestower of every good and perfect Gift; but he bestows them all upon our industry and vigilance; he makes his blessings still the recompenses of our care and labour; he gives success, and wealth, and honour, and wisdom; but he gives them to us, by ourselves, and gives them to our diligence and industry, to labour and much study; he gives us Virtues, but it is by pains and habits; he gives us many Graces, but it is by frequent exercises and good uses of them; it is in vain to ask him any thing we can bestow upon ourselves, for that's the way he has already taken to bestow it on us; it is but mocking God to beg of him, what we think not worth our while or labour to obtain: By vigilance, activity and looking wisely after things, 
sallust.  they all go well; but when you give yourself to sloth, and laziness, and cowardice, you shall in vain implore the assistance of the Gods, for they are angry and incensed with such, said a Heathen of old of his fictitious Deities; and we may say as much of ours, the true and only everlasting God: For although we are commanded to pray to God for our daily bread, yet we must work for it, if we will have it; and St. Paul concludes we shall make ourselves unworthy of it, if we will not. We must indeed cast all our care on God, and trust to his good Providence, and be over-anxious for nothing at all; but we must not so trust him, as to tempt him, by neglecting the means which he hath put within our power; we must do what we can for ourselves in every case, and pray to God to bless and prosper our endeavours, to make those means effectual to the attaining of their end, and to supply, by his abundant goodness, what is wanting: And when we have done all we can, all that is fit for us to do, we must resign up all to God, and try to be contented with the issue he shall give to our attempts, let it be what it will; and say with Joab, The Lord do that which seemeth him good. By this we aclowledge both his Being and his Providence; By this we own him for the Supreme Governor and Arbiter of all affairs: That he both over-looks and over-rules them all; That we put no trust or confidence in our strength or skill alone, without his blessing; That all our cunning and abilities are but his instruments, and the means by which he brings to pass his glorious Purposes; That the preparations we make, are neither made in ostentation of our Strength and Excellence, nor in doubt or distrust of his Almighty Power, nor in defiance of it, to be sure; but that we do, therein, as reasonable Creatures ought to do, make such provision, as that Reason says we should, and such as is proportioned out to our Abilities and our Necessities; but know withall, that they will signify nothing without his pleasure and permission; that all our expectations and desires are, That these our reasonable and natural means may attain the end for which they are provided; but still with this supposal, That it is agreeable to him; still it must be, As it seemeth good to him. But this is not all; We do not only by this Resignation and Submission own him for the Master and Disposer of all Events, but we prepare ourselves thereby against them; let the Issue be what it will, we are thereby fitted for it: If it be prosperous, and as we wish it, we know it is nevertheless an effect of God's kindness towards us, although we were ourselves the Instruments of working it; and we have then this satisfaction, That God co-operates with our designs, and blesses our endeavours; they who have perfect confidence in God's goodness, and perfectly resigned themselves to his disposal, have every blessing doubled that befalls them; they have all the happiness that the blessing of itself can naturally afford, to be sure; but then the thoughts of having it from God, of considering it as an effect of his peculiar favour and benignity, That it is the disposal of unerring Wisdom: these thoughts advance the blessing to a mighty height, and make it dear and valuable indeed: If it be across, and other than we wished and hoped for, yet this Resignation to the Will of God, makes it go down a great deal better; it puts us upon thinking it was neither necessary nor convenient for us, since it was denied by him, who gives to those who trust entirely to him; not only more, but better things than they can ask or think themselves; or else it drives us to consider with ourselves what we have done that called for and deserved such punishment, and consequently gains the end of every one of God's inflictions, namely, self-examination and amendment; it never drives us from, but towards God; and makes us see his Mercy in his Justice, his Goodness in our Punishments. But( abstracting the Consideration of our Sins, being the Cause of our Miscarriages, as they are not always so,) when we know we have done all that we should and could do; and after that, have given up the Event to God, let it be what it will, we have this satisfaction, That neither our own hearts, nor other people, can reproach us justly, with neglect or cowardice. When we have done our utmost, and performed what lay in us, the disappointment leaves no sting or torment in the Mind; 'tis not vexatious to reflect on our Miscarriages, that happened through no fault of ours, but were invisible, and not to be prevented; the trouble is, where we look back, and see our Folly, or our Wickedness, the causes of our Sufferings; That Re-collection is uneasy, and intolerable, and fills the Soul with pain, and with confusion: But when we have discharged our duties, been of good courage, and behaved ourselves as Men; then we can say before, with cheerfulness, The Lord do that which seemeth him good; and bear it handsomely after, be it what it will. We may be then Unfortunate, but still we shall be Innocent; and neither be accused nor condemned by our own selves or others: We acted prudently and well, but were not Masters of the Event; that was in God's hands, and he hath done that which seemed him good.  
The Application I intend to make of all these Matters to ourselves, will be both short and plain. We are, we know, involved in War alike with all the World; and though the Occasion of it is not the same with that of David's, yet it is full as great and necessary: The Hanun that we have to deal withall, does not descend to treat ambassadors villainously, but their Masters; deals with them all as Vassals, or as Children; does not cut off their Garments to the middle, but divests them of the whole, with mighty scorn and insolence; and cuts not off their Beards, but pares them to the quick; is not at War with all his Neighbours only, but with Faith and Honour, Truth and Justice, and Religion; who knows no distinction betwixt right or wrong, but makes his pleasure and convenience the Standard of his private and his public Actions: That has enraged the whole World against him, and, like a ravenous Wolf, called all the Neighbourhood out to hunt their common Enemy: That notwithstanding all his open force and strength, and all his secret charms, hath kept no active ally or Confederate with him, but the public and professed Enemy of Christianity; and that too, by such arts and methods, as both good Christians and good Turks abominate: One, that, besides these public Evils, hath, by the Vices and Impurities of his Private Life, sinned himself into a dreadful fear and superstition; and has been labouring, for some years, to appease and placate God, by human Sacrifices, by Cruelty and great Barbarity, by the destruction of his own Subjects, and by exhorting and assisting other Princes to do the like. One, in a word, that has almost all the evil qualities of all the ancient and renowned Sons of Violence, without the shadow of their Virtues, or pretence to any of their Merits: This is the Enemy I would exhort to be of good courage against; and say with Joab, Let us play the Men. For though these words were spoken to an Army, ready to engage in fight, yet they are full as fit and proper for a peaceful Auditory; for we, as well as Souldiers, are concerned in all the Events of War: We are the Body, of which they are the Hands to defend us; and if we do not quit ourselves like Men, 'twill be to little purpose what they do: If we by our Despondency or Fear, by our Divisions and undue Heats, by our Remissness or Neglect of public Concerns, by our Rapaciousness, or Parsimony, where there is no need, or any other methods, starve or discourage them abroad, we shall in vain think to be safe ourselves at home; for whatever be the Event, We shall be sure to feel the worst effects of it; Here are the People and the Cities of our God; Here are the Lives we have to lose ourselves, and those we value equally with our own; Here are the Laws and Government so famous over all the World, for Liberty without Licentiousness, for Monarchy without Tyranny, and for Subjection without Slavery; Here are the Fortunes and Estates the best secured that can be, not subject to the Assessment or Taxation of an Arbitrary, Lawless Prince alone, whose Vanity or Folly, bad Designs or Wantonness, might drain the labouring and industrious Subjects; nor yet so much the Private Masters own, as that he should deny the use of what the public finds is necessary to discharge its duty: Here, lastly, are the Cities of our God, the best Religion in the World, founded and built upon the Laws of God, and established by those of the Land: And if all these Considerations are not strong enough to persuade us to be of good courage and play the Men, in their behalf, there is nothing left to do it, we shall deserve to lose them all. The very apprehension of the loss of any one of these, though sometimes in imagination only, and oftentimes at great distance, has frequently alarmed us to great care and watchfulness, and raised our hearts and resolutions; and if all of them together, in most apparent hazard, by a strong and subtle Enemy, will not encourage us, nay force us to a brave defence, and quitting of ourselves like Men, we shall be miserable to extremity; but shall be miserable without excuse or pity. When Men's misfortunes come apparently from God's hand, from some unlucky Accidents, that neither all their Wisdom could foresee, nor all their Power and Care prevent; then, as I said, they become the Objects of Compassion: But when their Folly or their carelessness, their Cowardice or Falsehood, are the occasions of their Sufferings, the World a-round must laugh at and despise them, and their own hearts reproach them and condemn them: If after we have gone thus far, and made such fair and towardly advances to a through deliverance of ourselves from many certain, and more threatened Evils; and of the rest of Europe, from the Chains provided for them, we should not now go on, behave ourselves like Men, and second with our Hearts, and Hands, and all the assistance that we can, the great and generous Purposes of our King abroad, if we should either by Dissensions, or ill-timd Frugality, weaken his Hands and Heart, or those of his Allies, we should deservedly become the hissing and the scorn of all the Earth; Our Chains would then become our Necks, and Slavery sit gracefully upon us, because we took such pains for, and because we did so well deserve it: And where should we look for pity and compassion then, when our own Hearts would load us with reproach, and infamy, and great confusion? But far be such suspicion from Us; far be the Omen of these Miseries; we have a much more lightsome comfortable prospect of affairs; the Cause is just and honourable, so is the End, and so are the Means; it is not Joab now, but David, that exhorts to be of good courage, to play the Men; not thoughtless Fools, or trifling Children, but the Men, for our People, and for the Cities of our God. And let us therefore harken to him; let us both animate ourselves and others, with the consideration, That all we have that is near and dear to Us, is at stake, and that we owe our best endeavours to them; and when we have done all that lies within our power, let us with Joab say, The Lord do that which seemeth him good; for then it will be time, and not before: Then let the Event be what it will, we shall be satisfied; then we can answer it to ourselves and all posterity, although we are in Chains and Bondage; We did what we could and should; we took the Courses that we judged most reasonable and fit; we were not wanting to ourselves; but God is above us all, and knows what we deserve, and what is most convenient for us; he is the Arbiter and wise Disposer of our Persons and Affairs; he is the Master of Events, and gives us out the Lotts that best befit our Circumstances; and we must be contented with them, be they what they will; and say with Joab here, and good Old Eli in another place, 1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good.  
FINIS.   

Advertisements.  
THE Critical History of the Versions of the New Testament, Part II. By Father simon of the Oratory: with a Refutation of the Passages which seem contrary to the Church of England.  
Geographia Universalis; The Present State of the whole World: Giving an Account of the several Religions, Customs, and Riches of each People; the Strength and Government of each Polity and State; the Curious and most Remarkable Things in every Region; with other Particulars necessary to the understanding History and the Interest of Princes. Written Originally at the Command of the French King, for the use of the Dauphin, by the Sieur Duval, Geographer in Ordinary to His Majesty. The Second Edition, Corrected and Enlarged: By R. M. M. D.  
Both Printed for Tho. Newborough at the Golden Ball in S. Paul's Church-yard.