this one useful obfervation arifes from them SERM. all taken together, that God exercifes a fo- XIII. vereign dominion over the whole courfe of nature, animate and inanimate, and continually interpofes in directing it so as to fulfil his own purposes, particularly, the purposes of his moral government over mankind. The things here referred to, have, fome of them, the greatest outward appearance of being ef fects which depend upon neceffary and undefigning caufes; as famines, we know, proceed in fome countries, and at fome times, from extraordinary droughts, or from exceffive rains, which men can only account for in general, by changes in the temperature of the air depending on the mechanifm of inanimate nature like this also seems to be the immediate cause of peftilences; fome noxious vapours wherewith the air is impregnated, or may be infects floating in it, which entering into the human body prove fo destructive to it. Some of the fore judgments of God feem to be altogether fortuitous. What can be more fo, than the ftroling of favage beasts from their haunts into an inhabited country, which rather feems to be the averfion of their nature? And fome of them are the immediate productions of voluntary causes, but

it

SERM. having quite different designs from thofe
XII. which God accomplishes by them. Thus,

take the spoil, and to

tread them down like
Howbeit, be meaneth

the prophet Ifaiah gives us a very elegant de-
fcription of providence over-ruling the coun-
fels and meafures of the Affyrian king to fulfil
the purpose of correcting a finful people,
when the voluntary active inftrument had no
other views than to fatisfy his own ambition.
*O Affyrian, the rod of mine anger, and
`the staff in their band is mine indignation, I
will fend him against an hypocritical nation,
and against the people of my wrath will I
give him a charge; to
take the prey, and to
the mire of the streets.
not fo, neither doth his heart think Jo; but it
is in his heart to cut off nations not a few.
"His intention was only to exalt 'his power, to
enlarge his dominion, and to fatisfy his cruel
"thirft of blood; but providence, whofe in-
* ftrument he was, had a quite different design,
which he never thought of, namely, to
chaftife a rebellious and degenerate people for
their iniquity. Many other declarations we
have in fcripture to the fame-effect, which
reprefent God as calling for far diftant na-
tions, and employing their fwords in executing

Ifaiah x. 5, 6, 7.

171

his judgments upon the lands that were be- SERM. come obnoxious to his juft vengeance for XIII, their grievous trefpaffes; as firft, the Affyrians, afterwards, the Caldeans, were sent to correct Ifrael and Judah: in like manner it pleafed the great Ruler of the world to make the Medes and Perfians the minifters of his vengeance against great Babylon devoted to utter deftruction.

Now, how grand, how awful an Idea doth this give us of the divine administration! The fupreme Ruler, tho' to us invifible, is intimately prefent in all parts of his vaft empire, infpecting their affairs, guiding their motions and changes. In the first chapter of this book, this is represented in vifion to the prophet Ezekiel by animated wheels; -teaching us that the elements and course, even [of corporeal nature are under an intelligent direction. The vaft orbs, which continually and regularly move on in that appointed order, not only serve their more general and obvious purpofes, but fulfil the more particular purposes of the governing fpirit prefiding over them: and, efpecially, it is to be obferved that the administration of the great king in his natural dominion is adjusted to the defigns of his moral government. Elibu

SERM. Elibu fays*, That by watering, he (God) XIII. wearieth the thick cloud, which is turned

about by his counfels, to fulfil whatever he pleafes on earth; and they come, either for correction, or for his land, or for mercy. Nay, the fuperior celeftial influences minister to the fame purposes, the stars in their courses, fought against Siferat. How glorious is God? How weak are defenceless mortals against him? how vain their devices? Univerfal nature is ready to arm in his caufe, and every part at his command to ferve the ends of his goodness or juftice. But the things which feem to be the most fortuitous and contingent, are as much under his direction as thofe that move by the moft fteady unchangeable rules. What can appear more giddy, more capricious, than the ramblings of wild beafts feeking their prey, and yet these are guided by providence to make their inroads upon inhabited lands, for the punishment of finners that dwell in them. And, laftly, the defigns of men, even the most cunning, the most fecret, and the most violent of them, are under the guidance and controul of fuperior divine counfels. If the rulers of one nation are meditating

Job. xxxvii, 11, 12. + Judges v. 20.

ditating mischief against another, they can SERM. neither form their projects nor execute them, XIII. without the permiffion of divine providence which therefore is always to be adored, to be feared, always to be depended on.

Let us now apply what has been faid to the particular defign of our present affembly, which is to humble ourselves before God, confeffing the fins of these nations against him, and deprecating his deferved difpleasure. That the lands have finned against the lord, will in general be readily acknowledged; but to affect our minds the more fenfibly, and that we may the better difcharge the duty which on this occafion is incumbent upon us, we ought in our reflecting thoughts to lay before our felves the more grievous trefpaffes which may be justly charged upon us. I have fhewed what tranfgreffions may be juftly called national; among them the iniquities of governors have an eminent fhare, and often are attended with most fatal confequences to the people. Indeed it becomes fubjects to carry it with great reverence to the higher powers ordained of God, that is, by his providence, to rule over them, and to speak of them with all the refpe&t which is

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