SERMON XV. MATTHEW, x. 30. THE VERY HAIRS OF YOUR HEAD ARE ALL NUMBERED. IN the chapter from whence this verse is taken, our blessed Saviour instructs his apostles, before he sends them to preach the gospel. He enumerates the many difficulties they should meet with from bad men, and from the perverseness of the world in general. But he assures them for their comfort, that none of these events were properly in the hands of men; but were under the direction of Providence ;-of that Providence, whose care extended to the smallest events of the creation. The very hairs of their heads, he tells them, are all numbered. As the providence of God, no doubt, acts at all times in the same uniform manner, the instruction of the text belongs to us, as much as to those, to whom it was originally given; I shall therefore, in the following discourse, endeavour to explain to you, first, what we understand by the providence of God; and, secondly, I shall shew you what effect this doctrine should have upon us. WHEN We speak of the providence of God, we do not inquire into his being. That is taken for granted. Neither is God's creating the world the subject of our inquiry; but only his government of it; which is what we strictly mean by his providence. Now the belief of God's providence, or government of the world, engages us in greater difficulties, than the belief merely of his creating it; and it must needs be so. That God created the world, every one, who hath eyes to see, must be convinced. But to believe he governs it, requires the use of our reason as well as of our sight. We must reason from what we know to what we do not know for it is evident, that the acutest human reason cannot understand the whole mode of God's moral government. When you see a watch, you are convinced at the sight of so curious a piece of workmanship, that it was made by some ingenious artist; though, if you are not skilled in watch-making, you cannot possibly understand the use of all its springs and wheels; nor comprehend how its motion is regularly carried on, At the same time it would be absurd to doubt, whether the watch received its motion from the same ingenious hand that made it.-Thus when we see the various parts of this world move in so regular a manner-when we see the spring uniformly succeed the winter-when we see the summer follow the spring, and make proper preparations for autumn-and winter, as it were, resting from the labours of the year; and preparing for a new course of vegetation-when we see the world, thus admirably conducted in itself, and at the same time furnished not only with an infinite variety of animals, but each of those animals exactly suited to the element it lives in; and furnished with the proper means of providing food, and shelter, and other ne, cessaries, we cannot but allow, if we have any modesty, that every difficulty we meet with, must be owing to ourselves in not being able to comprehend, with our confined understandings, N 3 standings, the whole mode of God's govern ment. Thus far however the light of nature might go. God's general government of the world was denied by few even among the heathen. Our present question with regard to his particular providence was left more at large. It was not easily conceived, that so great a Being could trouble himself with such trifling affairs, as those of this world. And yet God's particular providence seems to be included in his general government. We know not where to separate them. The growth of a pile of grass is as regularly conducted, as the motion of the heavenly bodies. We cannot therefore but conceive the same hand presides over both. It is a mere prejudice therefore to suppose any thing in the creation so insignificant as to escape the comprehensive eye of Providence. Revelation however opens this matter to us very clearly. The Jews were well informed by their prophets, that the providence of God extended to every part of his creation-that the Deity is ever present to the minutest affairs of man-that he is about our path, and about our bed, and spieth out all our ways. The gospel carries on the same idea; informing us, that the most insignifi cant cant parts of nature are under the inspection of God-that not a sparrow falls to the ground without his knowledge; and that the very hairs of our head are all numbered.-From such strong expressions we collect that the whole world, and every part of it, are under the immediate government of God that nothing is left to chancethat God over-rules every thing-and that even the minutest circumstances are directed by him. As man indeed is placed in a state of trial, which he may either turn to his happiness or misery, his actions must, of course, be left free; and he may be said, in some respects, to govern himself: but even the will of man may be assisted by God, if man will condescend to ask his assistance, But this inquiry belongs to another question, As every doctrine of scripture is intended for our use, let us now see, as I proposed, secondly, what uses we should draw from the doctrine of the over-ruling providence of God. The first obvious instruction is, that we should all be content with our several stations in life. This is a lesson, which should be often repeated; as it is a lesson very hard to learn. The doctrine of the providence of God inculcates it strongly. N 4 `If |