"Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law: but when they, in their trouble, did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity."* That is a most shocking account of the state of nations,-to be without the true God-without a teaching priest-without law. Could any thing be worse? There were great plenty of priests, but they did not teach the people the law. There were idle priests, drunken priests, and voluptuous priests, in abundance, who devoured the fat, and fed themselves, but did nothing. They were something like modern Bishops, and many of their clergy, who devour thousands, without preaching once in the year.

It is vain for any country to expect that God will protect it, when the people are given to voluptuous idleness and oppression. Before Asa engaged this host, he set the Lord before him, and succeeded. It would appear that this was not the first time that king Asa had sought the Lord; for he speaks as if he had been acquainted with him, and had a particular interest in him. "O Lord our God, we rest on thee." My Lords, it is not every one that can speak in this manner. Such as trust to their own wisdom, or to an arm of flesh, have no such confidence; these say in their hearts, we trust to the good schemes we have devised to the goodness of our troops-and to the skill of our officers-what are a thousand thousands to five hundred thousand men of valour, with good officers upon their head. True, my Lords; but how many do you reckon the Almighty may stand for? The battle is not always to the strong, more than the race to the swift. The king of Judah knew, that without the protection of Providence valour would do little; he therefore began at the right end of his work, and, like a humble dependent suppliant, made his request known to the God of battles, and humbly begged his assistance. How humbly does he express himself: "It is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power." This was a fair acknowledgment that no force could prevail against God's will, and that the skill and valour of troops are good for nothing, except the Almighty be upon their side.

The people that are called in this place Ethiopians are in the Hebrew called Cushites, a people in Arabia, and not in Africa, where the Ethiopians have their country; these were probably some of the children of those who had been driven out of Palestine by the children of Israel, and wanted to recover their original rights and possessions; but, as their fathers were

• 2 Chron. xv. 3, 4, 5, 6.

L

driven

driven out of the land on account of their wickedness, and on that account forfeited their right, so the children of Israel had their right established by a long prescription. It was therefore an unjust war on the part of the Cushites, and an invasion of the rights and properties of others. They could neither ask nor expect the divine assistance, if they had been so disposed, in such an enterprise. There is something, my Lords, exceedingly profane in asking the assistance of the Almighty to support a cause which is not founded in truth and natural justice. There is a vast difference between a nation defending its own rights, and attacking others for the sake of dominion. A robber may as

well ask assistance of the Lord to render him successful on the highway, as a nation ask aid of Heaven for power to increase its dominion over others. The causes for authorizing mankind to ask assistance of God are very plain; there need be no dispute concerning them: and if ever there is any dispute about a cause where blood is to be shed, those who mean to attack should desist from the undertaking. If they proceed, they will find it bitterness in the latter end. The case with respect to Asa and the people of Israel was clear: the Cushites came to invade and lay waste their country; they could not, therefore, without impiety, implore assistance of the Lord against unjust oppression. But it was otherwise with the invaders: Heaven could not help being against them, unless they had been sent for a scourge to Judah on account of the sins of the people. It is not even lawful to ask of God any more power against our enemies than to be able to defend ourselves against them; to do to them as they have done to us, is making ourselves as bad as they are.

The king and the people of Judah, at this time, seem to have had all their confidence in the Almighty; and, as a testimony hereof, immediately after the war, they set about a thorough reformation. Instead of being corrupted with the plunders of the war, and the booty which they took from the enemy, they devoted themselves to the service of the Almighty, and reformed all the errors and abuses of the nation. They entered into a covenant with God, and put away all idolatry out of the land. My Lords, this has not been the case with Great Britain; for though she was successful in the last war, and Providence smiled upon her enterprises, yet, since the commencement of the peace, instead of gratitude to God, all manner of wickedness has abounded. The riches which have been bestowed upon individuals, have been wasted upon sinful pleasures; aud a contempt of religion has attended our riches. If Heaven give Britain prosperity in her present undertakings, it is more than she has reason to expect from her present character. The most that can be said of these nations at present is, that God may make them, like the Assyrians, the rod of his auger, to scourge other people; but he will do with them in the end as he did with the Assyrians, throw the rod into the fire. This is not courtly style; but

yet

yet it is plain, and the principles upon which it is founded are plain also. You must not imagine that Providence is an idle spectator of what your Lordships are about. No, my Lords; you will find it otherwise some time or other. If you want to be I delivered from the dilemma you are in, take an example from Asa and his people. Begin, carry on, and support a reformation of manners, and flee to the Lord. It is not a mean thing to serve the Lord; kings and nobles may do it without disgraceyea, they may do it with honour to themselves. Unless they do it, they will never be great in any thing, except that they will be great sinners. There is not so much danger in reforming, and turning to God, as in carrying on a ruinous war: the one is good for both soul and body; the other is dangerous to both. It requires no expence to reform the manners of a nation; and, by doing it, you will need neither additional taxes, nor be plagued with estimating the strength of the nation to raise money. You need only, as good magistrates, endeavour to make all things less expensive, by preferring laws to check pride and extravagance, and promote true self-denial. That imaginary greatness which you aspire after, is really meanness; there is more true greatness in being like Jesus Christ, in humility, mercy, and meekness, than in all that gaudy glory which great men are fond of. Were you as assiduous in promoting temperance, meekness, judgment, and faith, as you have been in promoting worldly glory, you might have paid off all the national debt before this time.

I am now, my Lords, going to take my leave of you, and would recommend to you, in your present dilemma, to read over the chapter where the text is, and the two following ones; you will find some lessons there even worthy of Ministers of State to learn and practise. You will there see a sovereign humbling himself before the Almighty, and his people joining with him; an army of five hundred thousand men trusting in the God of battles, more than in their own strength; a battle gained, and a great enemy subdued, by the power of the Lord of Hosts; and, what is more, you will see the conquerors devoting themselves, and all they were possessed of, to the Most High; all Judah rejoicing at the oath of God, and the kingdom enjoying peace and prosperity. These are things worthy of your most serious consideration, and ought to occupy your thoughts more. than worldly dignity or riches. The fashion of this world passeth away, my Lords; the stage that you now act upon will be removed, the curtains withdrawn, and all your mysteries of state revealed. In a little while all the world will be let into your greatest secrets. You stare! But, my Lords, it is true. "God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or evil." Do you say, if that was the case, your Bishops and Chaplains would have told you? My Lords, they have no heart to speak truth; they dare not speak plain, for fear of offending the higher powers, by whom they

live, and by whose influence they have their honours. They would be obliged to tell you the same thing that I am telling. you now, if their pride and interest would let them. My Lords, I want none of your favours, nor do I fear any of your frowns; I wish you better than even they do: and every man is your friend that will tell you the truth. I consider it a duty to pray for all in authority, but at the same time account it justice to point out truth to them. Men may become your enemies for telling you the truth, as was the case with the apostle Paul at Galatia; but they are your truest and best friends, and you ought to account them so. My Lords, I shall conclude with wishing that God may so open your eyes, that you may see your errors; give your hearts to forsake them, and amend your ways, forgive all your iniquities; and pardon your sins; and make you take shame and sorrow to yourselves for what you have done; that, though your works should be consumed as hay and stubble, yet you yourselves may be saved, though it should be as by fire. May the king and the people live in love and peace; and may the God of love and peace be with them,

Amen.

THE END.

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