fhall be obliged to take notice of them again, when we are called upon to answer the objections drawn from this conftitution, against the paternal goodness of God.

Leaving the goodness of the Divine Providence, as manifefted in his treatment of the wicked, for the subject of the next difcourse, I would conclude the present with this reflection.

What peculiar reafon have all the fincerely pious and virtuous, to adore the wife benevolence of their heavenly Father, and moral Governor! The laws which he hath given them are rules of happiness, and the more exactly they obferve them, the happier they find themselves; in the fatisfactions of rational devotion, and conscious virtue and goodness, and in the deserved esteem and affection of others, and in hopes continually brightening and enlarging for eternity. The more independent also they thus become on the changes of an uncertain world, and more meet for the expected blifs of immortality. The ftate of things around them, their heavenly Father has ordered in

a manner, that may call forth every virtue into exercife, and improve it, and prevent their indulging expectations of enjoying any confiderable happiness here; except in a course of steddy virtue, and in the folid hopes of a better life. And if they can trust to the clearest reafonings, from the wisdom and goodness of an ever-present and all-difpofing God; or to the repeated and express declarations of a revelation ftrongly proved divine, all the events in the life of a pious man are fo directed, as will moft promote his virtue and piety at prefent, and his full bleffednefs hereafter.

*

If perfons of this character acknowledge God in all their ways, he will direct their paths. All things fhall work together for good unto them who love God. He chaftens them, not for his pleasure, but for their profit, that they may be made partakers of his bolinefs. He will never fuffer them to be tempted above what they are able; but with the temptation will alfo make a way to efcape: that they may be able to bear it. He num

* Proverbs iii. 5, 6. Hebrews xii. 10.

+ Romans viii. 28. § 1 Corinthians x. 13.

bers

bers the

hairs of their heads; and will magnify his ftrength in their weakness. He will deliver them from every evil work, and preferve them unto his heavenly kingdom. And although as a confequence of the frailty of their moral conftitution, of the various temptations amidst which they are fituated, and the shortness of their time of difcipline, their virtue will be found imperfect; yet fuch is the force of good habits, and fuch the nature of their moral conftitution, that in this fhort life they may establish that good temper, which amidst the advantages of the next state will secure them from falling into any fin, and qualify them for improving in perfection and felicity forever.

Verily then that God must be confest infinitely benevolent, who thus watches over the virtue and happinefs of his inconftant offending, but fincerely dutiful children; and who by the difcipline of afflictions, and the trials of this fhort life, trains them for unchangeable rectitude and felicity, and 2 Corinthians xii. 9.

* Matthew x. 29. 2 Timothy iv. 18.

then rewards them with these ineftimable gifts; how happy will a correfpondent gratitude to God render us in a future ftate, when we who have been confcious to fo many fins and imperfections, fhall fee and feel the divine good nefs towards us, to be in its effects infinite and everlasting!

SERMON

SERMON

VII.

The Goodness of Divine Providence to Sinners.

MATTHEW V. 45.

He maketh his fun to rife on the evil and on the good; and fendeth rain on the just and on the unjuft.

N the preceding difcourfe we had a view

IN

of the goodness of the Deity to all mankind as their moral governor; let us, according to the direction of our divine Mafter, advance to the confideration of his goodnefs, as exercised towards finners, who deferve evil. Such is the majefty and greatnefs of the fupream Cause of all things, and fo inconfiderable are mankind when compared with him, that fuppofing them generally to prove dutiful and obedient, when we feriously meditated on the continued atten