in every power, and start up at once to the perfection of happinefs.

May we not add, That good men may be led by the Spirit of God, and yet they themselves not diftinguifh his holy influence? and be conducted fafely in the way to heaven, without difcerning the very hand that guides them? How is this incredible?

You believe, all of you, the Providence of God. It is a doctrine even of natural religion. Can you diftinguish between the acts of God, and the courfe of Nature? What is it that God doth? He doth all. No doubt. He ruleth in heaven above, and in the earth beneath. But he is invifible to your eyes: ́nor can you certainly feparate, in the tranfactions that lie before you, human weakness from omnipotent power; or draw the precife line in any one event, which you now fee, between God and Nature.

He

Pfal. cxxxix. 2.

8,9.

He is ever doing good, and almoft ever in a manner that exceeds alike our deferts and our understanding. His heavenly hand, like the hidden fpring in a machine, works unseen, yet powerfully; is little in appearance, but in effect wonderful. He delivers from dangers we never feared, beftows a thoufand benefits we knew not that we wanted. Not a fparrow is forgetten before God: the very hairs of your head are all numbered. In the mean time the original cause of all is undiscerned, perhaps alas! unthought of. He is about my path, and about my bed.

And yet, Job xxiii. Behold I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive him: on the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot see him.

Mark iv.

26, &c.

So is the kingdom of God, as if a man fhould caft feed into the ground; and should Sleep and rife night and day; and the feed hould fpring and grow up he knoweth

not

not how for the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself, first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. And when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the fickle because the harvest is come. The feed is the word of God;

16.

the heart of man is the ground into which it is caft: if this be good, doubt not the care of God; he will cause it to Spring and grow up, though we know not how. Rom. viii, His Spirit which helpeth our infirmities, Job will shed on it the fweet influences of hea- xxxviii.35. ven, fupport and cherish our tender goodnefs, defend it from the infects of the earth, and the storms above: the fruit is a life of piety and faith, good works and charity, purity and patience: when this is brought forth, the fickle is in the hand of the Angel of death, and the harvest is immortal glory.

It is certainly both allowable and proper to confider the most speculative points, which have any relation to reli

gion; but our attention fhould be much more employed on practical subjects; and most of all on practice. If we would obey God's commandments more, we should, all of us, queftion his promifes lefs; perhaps understand them better; certainly be more largely partakers of them.

There are, and will always be, innumerable things in the divine government impoffible for us to comprehend. And as thofe which are more known to us require our thanks and praife; fo the former call for other fentiments and difpofitions of mind equally reasonable, admiration, fubmiffion, truft: and all confpire to demand the conformity of our lives to the will of God. In cafes which we understand, we fee there is great reafon for this; and in those we do not, there may be greater.

When we read of the miracles done by the Apoftles, and find that in ancient

times the blind received their fight, the deaf heard, the lepers were cleansed, the lame walked, and the very dead were raifed at the fpeaking of a word; we are amazed at the powers bestowed on the first preachers of the Gofpel, and should be willing to fubmit to any degrees of rigour in our lives, that ourselves also, if it were now poffible, might be honoured with the fame fignal endowments. Though we are not fo wickedly foolish as to think, that the gifts of God can be purchased with money; whatever could procure them we fhould be forward to offer, crying out, with that false convert, Give me alfo this power.

24.

He that keepeth his commandments dwell- 1 John iii. eth in him, and he in him. Be as good men as the first preachers of Chriftianity, keep but with equal care the commandments of God, and the fame Spirit will be, is already, in you which was alfo in them, You cannot work miracles; but

you