and therefore have all the reason in the world to expect that he will decide against 'em, and finally award the victory to their enemies.

'Tis true, God is not obliged in juftice, always to determine the Victory to the Juft cause for there may be just reasons, and many times there are, moving him to the quite contrary. Sometimes it may be more for the publick good, of which he is the great confervator, that this particular righteous caufe fhould mifcarry, than that it fhould profper and fucceed, in which cafe it's but reasonable that he should rather permit a particular mischief, than hinder a publick convenience. Sometimes a good caufe may be more effectually advanc'd by a prefent overthrow, than by a victory; and when this happens, it's a good reason why God fhould at prefent pronounce the fen tence of victory on the contrary fide. Sometimes it may be necessary to deny fuccefs to those who have the righteous caufe on their fide, in order to the crowning it with fome greater bleffing; and to take away a lefs good, to make room for a greater, is fuch an exchange, as is far from Robbery. And lastly, Sometimes for the fins of those

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on the right fide may be fuch as do render it not only fit, but neceffary for God to make 'em examples to the world, of his righteous severity. And what greater feverity can he exprefs, than to abandon a good caufe, and rather permit it to fall to the ground, than fee it upheld and fupported by impious and prophane hands? But though there are these, and fundry other just reafons why God should not always award fuccefs and victory to the right fide; yet doubtlefs he ordinarily doth fo: for all war is either between one Prince and Nation and another, or else between Princes and rebellious Subjects. Now as for the firft, it is in moft cafes impoffible for us certainly to deter mine which of the two parties hath the rightful cause; because we do not understand the pretenfions on both fides, nor are we capable of judging of thofe nice reafons, and intricate circumstances upon which their oppofite claims depend; and therefore though we through our pity and ignorance together, do commonly pronounce the vanquifhed cause the best, and upon that ac count do foolishly murmur at the decifions of Providence, as if they were unjust and

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unequal; yet God, who fees through all the circumftances of things, doth many times moft certainly know the contrary, and so determines the cafe contrary to our blind pity and ignorance, according to his own infallible judgment: and had we but the understanding of God, I make no doubt but we should find many of thofe profperous causes which we condemn for unjust, to be moft juft and righteous, and be fully fatiffied, that the awards of Providence in the cafe are much more equal than we imagine. But then, as for the other fort of war, viz. That between Princes and their rebellious Subjects, it's evident that Providence doth much more conftantly decide the fuccefs to the juft and righteous caufe, and give judgment on the fide of the injured Prince, against the Rebellious and ufurping Subject. For if you confult History, you will find, that though for juft and righteous ends, God hath fometimes permitted Rebellions to fucceed; yet where he hath profpered one, he hath ufually curfed and blafted twenty. And indeed, fince War, as was before observed, is an appeal to God, the great Arbitrator of all events there are

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peculiar reasons why he fhould more constantly declare himself for the right side in a Rebellious war, than in any other:

First, Because Rebellion is an apppeal to him, in a cause that is plainly and apparently unjuft.

Secondly, Becaufe 'tis an appeal to him, in a cause that very nearly touches and affects his own Authority.

Thirdly, Because 'tis an appeal to him, in a cause that is of all others most deftructive of humane Society.

Firft, Because Rebellion is an appeal to God in a Cause that is plainly and apparently unjuft. For in those wars that are between Princes and Princes, the right or wrong of the cafe is many times not eafily decidable: the Meum's and Tuum's of Princes and Nations, being very often fo blended and confounded by Conquefts, Leagues, and Intermarriages, and revolutions of Empire; that 'tis not only difficult, but sometimes impoffible to determine on which fide the Right lies and tho' the contending Princes may in most cases, perhaps, be able to inform

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themselves, whether the Cause they contend for be right or wrong; yet the people can be no competent Judges of it, but are obliged to acquiefce in their Princes judgment, and to follow 'em with an implicit faith: so that if they are in the wrong, 'tis through invincible ignorance, which renders their cafe extreamly pitiable and excufable before the juft and righteous Tribunal of God. And therefore though He most perfectly understands on which fide the Right lies, be the cafe never fo perplexed or intricate, yet his compaffion to their mistaken innocence, may in concurrence with other reafons, especially when their enemies fins do outvy the juftice of their cause, sometimes prevail with him to give judgment of Victory on their fide. But as for Rebellion, the injustice of it is far more vifible and apparent, every man knows, or might cafily know, if he were not extreamly wanting to himself, that his King is the Vicegerent of his God; and that being fo, he is indifpenfibly obliged by all the ties of Reason and Religion to fubmit to his Will,and reverence his Perfon, and bow to his Authority; and that he cannot lift up his hand against him, with

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