greatest propriety and effect, we ought not to confine our views to men. They cannot be any thing more than secondary causes, and we ought to look beyond them to the first and primary cause of all things, to that great being who over-rules even the follies and vices of men, and makes them the instrument of his great and good designs.

Joseph could not but be sensible that it was by the malice and wicked contrivance of his brethren, that he was sold into Egypt; yet when he saw the great and good purpose that was answered by it, he could say, with peculiar satisfaction, that it was God who had sent him before them into that country. David well knew the malice of Shimei, and retained a proper resentment of it; but yet he could say, even the in moment of his greatest provocation, let him curse, for God has bid him curse. What true piety, and greatness of mind was that.

Our Saviour also, who knew what there was in man, well knew that it was the outrageous malice of the Jews that was the immediate cause of his cruel sufferings and death, and he was not sparing of his invectives against them, and yet knowing the design of God, and the infinite advantage that his dying in those circumstances would be of to the world, he received his afflictions as from the hand

of

"that my father

of God. "The cup," says he,
"gives me to drink, shall not I drink it."

With respect to the difficulties we bring upon ourselves by our follies and vices, shame, and remorse are certainly proper, and indeed unavoidable. They ought therefore to be indulged, until they have answered their purpose, by correcting the disposition of the mind which was the cause of our improper conduct. But still we

量

ought not to forget that there is a will above ours, and that comprehends ours; that it is God who suffers us to fall, and that whatever we may have intended, he no doubt, has the best end to answer by our failings, as well as those of others. We should therefore humble ourselves before him, and confide in him; assuring ourselves, that when, by means of the course of discipline to which he has wisely subjected us here, we shall be sufficient exercised and improved, an end will be put to the troubles we bring upon ourselves, as well as to those which others bring up.

on us.

Secondly, to this reason for acquiescing in the divine disposals, drawn from the consideration of our incapacity to alter the course of things, we may subjoin another, which is, that, if we could

A

could alter it, there is no reason why we should wish to have it altered. For, the affairs of the world, and of all men, are already in the best hands, so that no regard to our private happiness, or that of society, can be justly alarmed whatever turn the course of things may take. And this consideration should make us perfectly easy in all cases, where we have no influence. We want no proof that the God in whose hand our breath is, and whose are all our ways, who does whatever he pleases in the armies of Heaven above, and among the inhabitants of the earth here beneath, is more concerned then even we ourselves can be for the happiness of his creatures. In all his works of creation or providence, we see that he is good to all, and that his tender mercies are over all his works. This is true, even of his greatest judgments. Is there any evil in a city, says the prophet, and the Lord has not done it? Can any thing befal us, or others, without his permission, or express appointment? And if it be within the compass of his intention, can it produce any thing contrary to his intention; that is, any thing contrary to the designs of perfect wisdom and good

ness.

All

All the works of God are of a piece, however different they may appear at first view; and we may assure ourselves, that they all uniformly concur in promoting some great design, worthy of the divine power, wisdom and goodness. Affections, we read, come not from the dust, nor do troubles spring out of the ground, as if they came by chance, or without design. What we call chance, can have no place in the works of God, for nothing can happen unforeseen or unintended by him, and if nothing comes to pass without his design, nothing comes to pass without the most kind and gracious design possible. We may some time, like Jacob, be apt to say, all these things are against us; but it is our ignorance, as it was his, that dictates the language. What we call unfriendly occurrences, come in fact with the mostly friendly intention, only we happen to mistake their meaning.

As soon as we shall have got a good understand

ing of the ways and works of God, we shall perceive that they all speak the same language, and look to the same end. All the works of God praise him, and wear the most favourable aspect towards the subjects of his government, and the objects of his care. Storms and tempests are as much the voice of a benevolent and gracious God, as the sound of the

small rain upon the tender grass, to use the language of the psalmist; or any other, the most pleasing accents in nature. Such is the perfect harmony through all the works of God, that even the sun, moon and stars, and every thing the psalmist enumerates, things the most distant in place, and the most opposite in nature, join, as we may say, in the same hymn of praise to God. It is true their tone is different, but, if we may pursue this figure, they differ as the several parts of an excellent piece of music, and when heard together, make the most perfect harmony.

So when, in some future period of our existence, and from a more advantageous point of view, we shall take a larger survey of the works of creation and providence, when we shall see them in the light in which God himself sees them, according to their TRUE, though often remote relations and uses, we shall pronounce them all to have been very good, admirably calculated to be, or to make, happy. We shall then see, to adopt the language of the apostle Paul, that all things have been ours, that life or death, things prosperous or things adverse, have worked together for our good. We shall then see that our having been from time to time deprived of several enjoyments, which then

cost