as Creator, by which we are qualified to receive new and noble fatisfaction, from the improvements and happiness of every virtuous and pious mind throughout the creation, as we become acquainted with him. How numberless then the fatisfactions, which an acquaintance with the countless myriads of angels, an admiration and love of their moral excellence, and a joy in their happiness will give; especially when we find ourfelves alike efteemed and beloved by them. And what new objects of love and delight will open before us to eternity, as we extend our acquaintance from world to world, with the worthy and happy minds which abound) throughout all the immenfe creation of God; and which will employ the generous and godlike affections of our fouls, and thus make us happy to eternity.

Let us therefore refolutely reftrain all thofe narrow, felfish and brutal indulgences, which would incapacitate us for being happy in mental and divine fatisfactions; and diligently cultivate a difpofition for the fatisfactions of knowledge, devotion and generous kindness; and then we may with

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transporting pleasure look forward to eternity, affured of finding for ever in the infinite difplays of the divine perfections, and the infinite effects and objects of the divine munificence, new and exalted fatisfactions.

-fatisfactions which will ever increase the perfection of our nature, and our qualification for, and our intereft in the favour of a God infinitely and eternally benevolent : whofe immense and unchangeable goodness will be a full security for our compleat and everlasting felicity. These are not merely defireable expectations, but such as our heavenly Father hath affured us, by the gospel of his Son, he will make good, even to the imperfectly if fincerely pious and obedient. May he bless what has been offered to the making or continuing us all of this happy number. Amen!

SERMON

IV.

The Creation of Mankind a glorious Inftance and Proof of the Divine Goodness.

PSALM viii. 5.

Thou baft made him a little lower than the angels, and baft crowned him with glory and bonour.

N the preceding difcourfe, the goodness

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of God, or his difpofition to communicate good to his creatures, according to their various natures and capacities, was illuftrated, as exerted towards the merely animal inhabitants of our globe-my method now leads me to reprefent it, as difplayed in a manner more glorious and interesting, in the formation of mankind. Our bodily part allies us to mère animals, fubjects us to their wants, and inclines us to their pleasures.

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By our Spirits we are akin to angels, and though at present God hath placed us a little lower than them, yet if we cultivate with care our nobler part, and pursue and enjoy the pleafures of the fenfitive life, in a conftant fubordination to the fatisfactions of knowledge, goodness and divine love, we fhall foon rife to their fociety and employments, and become like them in perfection, bleffedness and immortality *.

How many the millions of men who now inhabit this earth, how countless the millions which the Creator hath, in fucceffive generations, introduced into life fince the first man; and placed in a world, wherein by a right use of their bodily and mental powers, they might enjoy various pleasures and great good, and prepare themselves for immortality! Great as the quantities of good enjoyed by them all, and as the larger portions of good, which they might have enjoyed, had they heartily complied with the design of their Creator; and infinite as the degrees of happiness to eternity, for which, by a right conduct during their ftate of trial,

* Luke xx. 35.

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