TO THE MOST SACRED MAJESTY OF CHARLES II. KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, AND IRELAND, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, &c. GREAT SIR, THE circles of Divine Providence turn themselves upon the affairs of the world so, that every spondyl of the wheels may mark out those virtues, which we are then to exercise; and every new event in the economy of God is God's finger to point out to us by what instances he will be served. We have been sorely smitten and for a long time; for (that I may use the words of the Prophet)," Alas, for that day was great, so that none was like to it, it was even the time of Jacob's trouble," and then, faith and patience, and all the passive graces of religion, were in their own season. But since God hath left off to smite us with an iron rod, and hath once more said unto these nations "They shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king whom I have raised up unto them;" now our duty stands on the sunny side; it is our work to rejoice in God and in God's Anointed, a Jer. xxx. 7. and to be glad, and worthily to accept of our prosperity is all our business: for so good a God we serve, that he hath made it our duty to be happy, and we cannot please him unless we be infinitely pleased ourselves. It was impossible to live without our king; but as slaves live, that is, such who are civilly dead, and persons condemned to metals; we lived to the lusts and insolency of others, but not at all to ourselves, to our own civil or religious comforts. But now our joys are mere and unmixed; for that we may do our duty and have our reward at once, God hath sent your Majesty amongst us, that we may feel the pleasures of obedience, and reap the fruits of that government which God loves and uses, which he hath constituted and adorned, which he hath restored to us by a conjugation of miracles, by the work of his hand and the light of his countenance, by changing the hearts of men, and scattering the people that delight in war,' by infatuating their counsels and breaking their cords asunder; that is, which he himself hath wrought amongst us by himself alone, and therefore will bless and will never interrupt only we must be careful never to provoke him any more by our unthankfulness and infidel apostasy. But now, great Sir, be pleased to give me leave in the throngs of those that rejoice to see the goodness of God to his servant Job, in imitation of them who presented him with, every man, an ear-ring of |