of this Pfalm, will foon fee, that David here is not acted by Fear but Zeal; that 'tis not his own Enemies, but the Enemies of God and Goodneẞ he fets himself against : Nor is it his own Defence, but the Overthrow of Wickedneß which he aims at. I think therefore we ought to look upon David here in a publick Capacity, as a Prince or Magiftrate; and then as fuch he deplores the Increase and Confidence of the Wicked and having fortify'd himself in God by Prayer, he resolves, in the words of my Text, to do the Duty of his Station, to imploy all the pow er God had given him for the Extirpation of Wickedness, and the Reformation of an impious People, and earnestly invites and calls in to his Affiftance all that had either Heart or Ability for such a Work, as being well aware of the great difficulty of it. Who will rife up for me against the Evil-doers? or who will stand up for me against the Workers of Iniquity? This is the Sence I prefer, not only for the Reasons before alledg'd, but also because it beft becomes the Zeal and Faith of David, beft fuits the Spirit and Genius of feveral other parallel Pfalms, and feems plainly to me to have the Countenance of the Targum and Septuagint

tuagint. In the words thus explain'd we have these three things:

1. The deplorable State of Ifrael. This is easily to be collected from the form and manner of David's expreffing himself here, Who will stand up for me? who will take my part? As if he fhould have faid, Such is the number and power of the Wicked, that how much foever my heart is fet upon a Reformation, I can hardly hope to effect it, without the Concurrence and joint Endeavours of good Men. And yet alas! how little is the Aftance I can reafonably expect of this kind? How few are the fincere Friends of Goodness? How great and ge neral is the Coldnefs and Indifference which poffeffes men in the things of God?

2. The Duty of the Magiftrate. This is plainly imply'd here, and is, to curb and restrain Wickedness, and to promote a general Reformation.

3. The Duty of all good People. Which is, as far as in them lies, to affift and encourage the Magiftrate in this good Work. I begin with the first of these :

I. The deplorable State of Ifrael. The Pfalmift does not here reckon up all the Sins which then polluted the Land;

but

but only observes to what height Wickedness was grown. Impudence and Atheifm, or fomething equivalent to it, and Crimes of no common fize now reign'd and rag'd every where. Sin was no longer the work of darkneß: Trans greffors were above the fear both of Shame and Laws: they had thrown off all Reverence for the God of Jacob, and hop'd in a little time to fee all others do fo too. Though they were fuch as were not to be endur'd in any Community, yet were they fo far spread, and had fo advanc'd themselves into places of Power and Profit, that they were in a Condition to opprefs the Godly, and to project the utter Extirpation of Vertue, and the Establishment of Wickedness in its room, by their Influence and Authority. All this is plainly to be inferr'd from the Pfalmift's Defcription of thofe times: Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long fhall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and fpeak hard things, and all the workers of iniquity boaft themfelves? They break in pieces thy people, O Lord,and afflict thine heritage.They lay the widow and stranger, and murder the fatherles. Yet they fay, The Lord fhall not fee, neither fhall the God of Jacob regard it.

And

And v. 20. Shall the Throne of Iniquity have fellowship with Thee, which frameth Mifchief by a Law?

This was indeed a miferable, a defperate state of things: and yet we have reason to fear that our own is as bad; nay, confidering the Means and Motives we have enjoy'd, and still do, worse. Our Wickedness, both in practice and. principle, is at laft arriv'd at the utmost maturity it is capable of. It is not lukewarmneß in practice, 'tis not too great à latitude in the Faith, 'tis not Difputes about things indifferent that we now complain of, but downright Apoftacy and Infidelity. The utter Subverfion of all Religion is now threatned by Atheifm and Deifm, by Clubs and Combinations of Wretches, who believe either no God at all. or none but fuch a one whose being and Attributes confift well enough with the worft of Vices. Order and Decency, Peace and Unity, Church Difcipline and Government, are things that we have long ago accuftom'd ourselves to contemn and flight but now we are come to treat the Gospel it felf as a cunningly devifed Fable, and Vertue and a publick Spirit as things that none have an in

ward

ward Efteem for but Fools and Superstitious. Now when these are our Principles, when thefe are openly abetted and induftriously spread in Publick and Private, in Print and Conversation, to the reproach of Christianity, and the scandal and shame of Magistracy and Government, what Morals are we to expect amongst us? what, but just fuch as we find? We were long ago Lewd and Carnal, Factious and Contentious, Admirers of the Pomp and Oftentation of Life. But these are the common and ufual Vices of prosperity in every Age: we have now advanc'd much further. We are False, and Base and Cowardly, Corrupt and Perfidious. There is no Truth, no Juftice, no Integrity amongst us: much lefs any Love of our Country, or Zeal for any thing that is commendable or lovely. Before we were feduc'd by Profperity against Confcience: but there was yet hope, because something of Conscience remain'd: but now alas! Confcience is look'd upon as a Notion fit only to awe and scare the Weak and Simple. Before, we were too far eftrang'd from that Purity and Peaceableneß, which are the infeparable Properties of heavenly wisdom: but now we are as far eftrang'd

from