machine, you may then speak of your chain of mechanical causes and effects. But, alas! the most improved philosophy can do no more but skim the surface of things; and in its progress from the immediate visible to the first invisible cause, at one or two removes, it finds its period, beyond which it cannot go.

Further, this mechanical system of governing the world without the immediate interposition of the Deity, undermines the foundation of all religious worship. When we pray for our daily bread, what do we ask but the blessing of God upon the earth, to yield her fruits in due season? When we ask the blessing of God upon our meals, what do we less than recognise his supreme power, and implore him to make the gifts of his Providence the means of our sustenance and refreshment? This disclaims every notion of natural causes and effects that shuts out God; it supposes his concurrence and co-operation directing all the operations of nature. Again, when we pray for the graces and virtues of the spiritual life, what do we ask but the Divine aid to strengthen the good dispositions he hath already given us, and so to direct and order the course of events, that we may be kept from temptation, or not be overcome when we are tempted? But this supposes the superintendence of God over us; supposes his interposi tion in human affairs; supposes his Providence continually exerted in administering to the wants of his creatures, according as their circumstances require. If this account be just, then our worship is a reasonable service. But if these are vain words, then our worship also is vain. Then every one, that goes into his closet to pray, goes only to act foolishly; then all the good and the pious, every where over the face of the whole earth, that are calling upon the Most High God, are as uselessly, as absurdly employed, as if they were falling down before a dumb idol, and paying their devotions to images of wood or stone.

Further still, this mechanical system, in a great measure, annihilates the moral perfections of the Divine nature. It places the Almighty in a state of indolence, which is inconsistent with every idea of perfection; it makes 'him an idle and unconcerned spectator of his own works, and represents him as beholding virtue and vice, the sinner and the saint, with an equal eye. There are many scenes in human life, at which, if we were present, it would be criminal for us not to take a part. Did we see

the hands of the violent raised to shed innocent blood, and not rush to prevent the horrid deed; did we know the retreats of the robber and murderer, and not endeavour to bring them to public justice, we would be reckoned in part guilty of their crimes, as, by a criminal omission, we should endanger the peace of the public, and the interests of society. If we, being evil, would abbor such a character, shall we impute it, can we impute it, to Him who is in finite in goodness, and who is possessed of absolute perfection? To what purpose is God everywhere present, if he is not everywhere employed? Whereto serves infinite power, if it must be for ever dormant? Whereto serves infinite wisdom, if it is never to be exercised? To what purpose are the Divine goodness, and the Divine justice, if we only hear of their names? Are all the attributes of the Godhead in vain? How false, how absurd, how blasphemous, is an opinion that would destroy every Divine perfection!

I have thus shewn you the absurdity of that system which would exclude God from the government of the universe: And,

II. I am now to establish and confirm the doctrine of a particular Providence. This doctrine is founded both upon reason and the Scriptures.

Reason and true philosophy never attempt to separate God from his works. We must own him in the sky to hold the planets in their respective orbits; we must own him in the earth, and in the seas, to keep them within their proper bounds, and we must own him through the whole system of nature, to support and maintain that gravitating force which gives consistency and stability to all material things. Reason tells us, that it is not probable that the Creator of the universe would forsake that world which he had made; that it is not probable, that a Being, possessed of infinite perfection, can be an idle and unconcerned spectator of his own works.

But our chief evidence for this doctrine rests upon Revelation. Mankind obtained early notices of the Divine superintendence, by peculiar interpositions. In the history of the Old Testament, we have an account of the loss of Paradise by sin; of the banishment of Cain for the murder of his brother; of the translation of Enoch, as the reward of his righteousness; of the wickedness of the old world, and its destruction by the deluge, Noah and his

family only excepted, who, by the eminence of his piety, found grace in the sight of God to become the Father of the new world. When this new world revolted from God, and ran into idolatry, we see Abraham called out to be the head of a mighty nation, which grew up and flourished, by a series of the most wonderful providences; governed by laws of God's own appointment; with promises of protection and blessing, so long as they should be obedient, and threatenings of punishment and destruction, if they fell off to serve other gods; which in the event were punctually verified. This was a visible and standing evidence of a governing Providence. The doctrine was thus established upon a higher authority than reason, and upon better evidence than the light of nature. God revealed himself to men as the Governor of the world, the avenger of the wicked, and the protector of the good. But although in administering the affairs of the universe, the object of Providence should be to depress the bad and to favour the good; yet an exact retribution of rewards and punishments was none of the ends of his administration in this scene of things. This would have defeated the plan of his Providence, and superseded the necessity of a day of judgment. Nevertheless, he would frequently interpose to punish signal wickedness, or reward illustrious virtue. Thus, in the early ages of the world, he did often miraculously interpose to let the nations understand that he took notice of their righteous or unrighteous deeds; that he had power to vindicate the honour of his laws; and to make examples whenever it was requisite, for the correction and reformation of men. Miraculous interpositions were not intended to be permanent or perpetual; yet the Providence of God was not to cease. Accordingly, he took care to inform us, that what in the first ages he had done visibly, and by miracles, he would do in the latter ages by the invisible direction of natural causes. The Scriptures are so full of this notion, that it would be endless to be particular. You may read the twenty-eighth chapter of Deuteronomy, where you will see all the powers of nature summoned as instruments in the hands of the Almighty, to execute the purposes of his will;-where you behold them commissioned to favour the good with national prosperity, with domestic comforts, with safety from their enemies, with fruitful seasons, with a numerous offspring, and with an abundance of all blessings ;-commissioned to

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punish the wicked with national distresses, with indigence, with slavery, with destructions and molestations of every kind, by war, by famine, and by all sorts of diseases.From all which, the plain inference is this, that the most common and most familiar events are under the direction of God, and by him are used as instruments, either for the hurt or for the good of men.

How this particular Providence operates, may, in some degree, be conceived by us. Man, in his limited sphere, can take some direction of natural causes. You can direct the element of fire either to warm or to consume: the elements of air and water to cherish and to annoy. Does not that power, then, in a more illustrious manner, belong to God? Is it not as easy for Him, think you, to give laws to the tempest, where to spend its force; to direct the meteor flying in the air, where to fall, and whom to consume? Are the elemental and subterraneous fires bound up? He can let them loose. Are they broken loose? He can collect them as in the hollow of his hand. And all this he performs, without unhinging the general system, and without any visible tokens to us, that he is at all concerned, though in truth he is the effective agent. In like manner, we may comprehend, in some measure, how God may direct, not only the motions of the inanimate and passive part of the creation, but also the determinations of free agents, to answer the purposes of his Providence. The hearts of men are in the hand of the · Lord, as much as the rivers of water. This does not in the least destroy the freedom of human actions. Every one knows that the acts of free agents are determined by circumstances; and these circumstances are always in the hand of God. The dispositions and resolutions of men are apt to vary, according to the different turn or flow of their spirits, or their different situations in life, as to health or sickness, strength or weakness, joy or sorrow; and by the direction of these, God may raise up enemies, or create friends, stir up war, or make peace. Take, as an instance, the history of Haman. That wicked man had long meditated the destruction of Mordecai the Jew, and rather than not satiate his vengeance upon him, would involve the whole Jewish nation in utter destruction. He at last obtained a decree sentencing this whole people to the sword: and the day was fixed. In this crisis of their fate, how was the chosen nation to be delivered? Was God

visibly and miraculously to interpose in favour of his own people? This he could have done: but he chose rather to act according to the ordinary train of second causes. He, who giveth sleep to his beloved, withheld it from Ahasuerus, the monarch of Persia. In order to pass the night, he called for the records of his reign. There he found it written, that Mordecai had detected a conspiracy formed against the life of the king, and that he had never been rewarded for it. By this single circumstance, a sudden reverse took place. Mordecai was advanced to honour and rewards; the villainy of Hainan was detected; the decree fatal to the Jews was revoked; and the nation of the Jews was saved from instant destruction. In like manner, in the history of Joseph, and other histories of the Old Testament, you see the most familiar events made instruments in the hand of God to effect the purposes of his will.

There is then a particular Providence. The arm of the Almighty, reaching from heaven to earth, is continually employed. All things are full of God. In the regions of the air; in the bowels of the earth; and in the chambers of the sea, his power is felt. Every event in life is under his direction and controul. Nothing is fortuitous or accidental. Let me caution you, however, against abusing this doctrine, by judging of the characters of persons from their outward circumstances. It is to be remembered, that the present life is not a state of recompence, but a state of trial; consequently, men are not dealt with in outward dispensations according to their true character. The goods of Nature and of Providence are distributed indiscriminately among mankind. The sun shines, the rain falls upon the just and the unjust. It is a dangerous error, therefore, to judge of moral character from external condition in life. This was the error of Job's friends; this is the foundation of the censures they cast against this excellent person, and for which they were reproved. The intention of the book of Job is, to shew the falseness of that supposition, by representing the incomprehensible Majesty of God, and the unsearchable nature of His works. Many instances in Scripture confirm the truth of this observation. Who, that saw David reduced to straits, wandering for refuge in the rocks and dens of the wilderness, would have believed him to be the prince whom God had chosen? Who, that beheld Nebuchad