government ;-some, to encourage and bless his rational creatures, and some, to punish them and make them suffer, for their iniquities. Men who accustom themselves to these enquiries, can easily and with pleasure find out, at least to their own satisfaction, where God has providentially interposed, either to protect or to punish themselves individually, or others of his rational creatures. Too little philosophy, when used in such speculations, puzzles the minds of many, and makes them sceptical; - but a larger share of it opens new scenes to the understanding— and the visible operations, if carefully examined and traced, lead them onward to the invisible Author and Disposer of those operations.

Let us now bring this view home, if possible, to the bosom of every individual,--reminding him, that, as a rational creature subject to God's moral government, he is under the inspection of that Providence, which will, on the one hand, interpose in his favour when goodness requires it, and, on the other hand, will thwart and afflict him, when it is required for a just and salutary purpose. And what need is there of abstruse or dry arguments to prove a truth, which every good man feels to be strong and lively in his own mind, that all God's creatures are, collectively and severally, objects of his unceasing providence ; and that this providence particularly watches over and regards mankind, to defend the good and innocent, and to punish the wicked. God is endued with infinite knowledge and infinite goodness:-and on

this basis will stand the great, important truth which so nearly concerns us all ;-on this basis will it stand, -till some over-refined genius can subvert it, by proving, that though his knowledge is boundless, yet he cannot be acquainted with all the ways of men,— that, though his goodness extends through the universe, yet he will not condescend to protect and assist virtue, and though his power is unlimited and ever active, yet he will not exert it to punish vice in any of his accountable creatures. But gloomy and cheerless must be the mind of that man, who would do his utmost to banish the Almighty, as it were, from controlling his own works, and to exclude from the human heart the sense of his providence. Far indeed, from a benefactor to his species must he be, who would rob his fellow-creatures of the most comfortable and most solid thought that enlivens and invigorates their breasts ;-a thought, without which, men neither would contend resolutely with the disappointments and calamities of life; nor would they, in prosperity preserve an evenness of temper, so as to be free from levity and arrogance,-the sources of ingratitude to God and of contempt for their less-favoured brethren.

To reason from the sensations of our nature and the inward consciousness of our souls, is the most obvious and convincing method. A mere profession of wisdom will cause us to falter and stumble at al

most every step. The largest share of philosophy attainable by man, with all its general laws deduced

from observation, and connecting its chain of secondary causes, can make but small advances. Some difficulty soon appears, which cannot be solved, without admitting the interposition of a supreme directing mind. In our knowledge of matter, we are, at best, but ingenious novices; but in the knowledge of mind and spirit, we can make no progress at all, without the supposition of a Providence. For instance,—a man is environed with great distress;-his condition is exceedingly deplorable; he is plunged in the deepest sorrow and dismay ;-for no relief appears, and all his prospects are dark and gloomy. At the bare recital of his case, a stranger, a person at a remote distance, interests himself in his cause; and, by a surprising turn of incidents in his favour, gives him an effectual redress. Cases like this have not unfrequently happened. They are such as every mind must acknowledge, that has the least experience in life, or that makes any observation upon it. Men of sober reflection and of candour will join with the bulk of spectators and hearers in ascribing them to a particular providence: but there arises, perhaps, some sullen or conceited sophist, who affects to unravel the whole process, by ascribing it all to the laws of matter and motion. Now, if this sophist's explanation or solution of the case is the true one,how happens it (we may ask) that all men are not equally mild, compassionate, and benevolent?-or why, when numbers of them are hard-hearted, is one single individual moved with tenderness? Is it not

that the Almighty can act upon the human mind? Cannot the best of Beings give it an inward touch, a secret emotion, in the cause of goodness? Is it unreasonable to suppose that God should think any man worthy of being His instrument in blessing other men? Those, who indulge in the pride of knowledge till they think themselves wise above what is written, should take care that their words and fancies never tend to efface and abolish the most amiable virtues that adorn human nature,—gratitude to the Supreme Being, and reverence of his active perfections. They should beware, lest, under pretence of supporting his honour, they persuade themselves that all prayers and thanksgivings to Him are needless and insignificant ; -and lest they degrade Him to one of the gods of Epicurus, who were supposed to sit lolling on the clouds in everlasting indolence,—and imagine Him to be unconcerned with what passes in his own creation. Far be such thoughts from the human heart! We should ever acknowledge "the great works" of Providence, and take the greatest delight in searching them out. We should adore his goodness, when he pleases to bless us; and his power and justice, when he visits us with sorrows. In our calm and contemplative hours, we should reflect on the numerous evils to which we are subject every moment, but from which we are delivered by the constant vigilance of our Almighty Guardian. It is impossible for any man who occupies his thoughts seriously with these subjects, and who carefully observes and retraces

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the scene of the passing world, the history of other men both in prosperity and adversity, and the incidents of his own life,-to have any doubt or scruple as to a Providence, a particular Providence. He will see the amplest reason to pour out his soul in gratitude to God, for having so often interposed in his favour and for his happiness ;--and he will also see the great necessity of daily imploring his protection, to be relieved from future evils. One thing, at least, is certain, that the man who can discern no instance or proof of a particular providence in the occurrences of his own life,-in what has happened either from within or from without, in regard to himself,—must be a person either of uncommon sagacity or of extreme dulness. That sagacity must be uncommon indeed, which can, by the laws of nature in mechanical operations, account for the individual's escaping, if not from imminent dangers, yet from those that daily threaten us from air, and water, and fire, from the seeds of numberless maladies concealed within our bodies, and from the mischiefs done to us by our own passions and the passions of others. What man is there, who, when he is prosperous and happy, can applaud himself for it, as purely the effect of his own conduct?—or, when he is wretched and afflicted, can account for it, in such a manner as to exclude the agency of Divine Providence, and so preserve his heart blameless and unreproached as having never deserved affliction or adversity? To imagine, indeed, that we have merited