Godhead. We measure the power of every agent by the nature, the number, and magnitude of the effects, which he has produced, or is able to produce. We admire the power of Sampson, who, by one effort of his strength, overthrew the house, and destroyed the lives of so many idolatrous Philistines. But what were those effects, in comparison, with the nature, varjety and magnitude of the effects which God has, every moment, for thousands of years, produced! He has upheld, preserved, and governed the heavens and the earth, and all the innumerable creatures and objects which they contain. To uphold and preserve one individual creature or object displays a power superiour to the united power of all created beings. But the power of God appears unspeakably greater and more astonishing in upholding and preserving every particle of dust in the earth, every drop of water in the ocean, every star in the firmament, and every creature in the universe. The number, variety, and magnitude of the effects, which God by his particular providence, has produced for ages, and will produce to all eternity, display his omnipotence in the most clear, amiable, and instructive light. His particular providence displays the immensity of his presence, as well as the omnipotence of his power. He is always present, wherever he always acts. He is always act ing in heaven, in earth, and in all places; his presence therefore, fills heaven, and earth, and all places at one and the same moment, through every period of duration. And what an exalted idea does this exhibit of the divine omnipresence! But God governs every created being and object, as well as upholds and preserves all things in existence. He governs every particle of matter, every motion of every living creature, and every action of every moral agent, in subserviency to one supreme and ultimate object, which is his own glory. And to superintend and overrule all things in such a manner, displays infinite knowledge and wisdom. Nor does he make a less visible and glorious display of his boundless benevo

lence, by the multitude of his favours, which he is continually bestowing upon both his innocent and guilty creatures. His creatures are innnumerable, and the blessings which he bestows upon each are innumerable. It is the particularity of divine providence that gives the brightest display of the immensity of the divine presence, and the infinitude of the divine power, wisdom, and goodness.

4. It appears from the particular providence of God, that the whole world are under indispensable obligations of gratitude to him, for every favour they enjoy. Every good gift and every perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning. By his particular providence, he has preserved them, watched over them, and provided for them every blessing that they have ever enjoyed. In Him, they have lived, and moved, and had their being, and to his almighty hand and benevolent heart, they ought to ascribe the great and innumerable blessings, which have fallen to their happy lot. In the exercise of his particular providence over the world, he has every moment exerted his almighty power, and infinite wisdom, and goodness, to satisfy the desires of every rational and irrational creature. Such displays of divine power, wisdom, and goodness God has made before the whole world of mankind, which have laid every individual under the most endearing obligations of gratitude to their creator, preserver, and benefactor. He has not left the heathen world without witness, in that he has done them good, and given them rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness. He has given far brighter displays of his goodness before all the christian world; and to no part of the christian world, perhaps, has he displayed the riches of his goodness and mercy so marvelously, as to our rising nation. We have been a people, emphatically saved of the Lord. We have been eminently the children of his care and providence. He has given us both temporal and spiritual, civil and

religious favours in vast variety, and extraordinary profusion. And in addition to these national blessings, he has bestowed upon every individual more personal mercies than can be reckoned up. But, alas! instead of giving unto Him the gratitude and praise, which the riches of his goodness have merited and demanded, how have we abused them! His goodness, instead of leading us to repentance, has led us to impenitence, unbelief, and rebellion. He has reason to complain of us, as he did of Israel-"Hear O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for I have nourished and brought up children, but they have rebelled against me." "I beseech you, therefore, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." God has spared your lives, and loaded you with his benefits another year, and now calls for his just reverence of gratitude and praise. But this you cannot pay him, without giving him the supreme affection of your hearts, and devoting your spared lives to his service. O consider in what a good world you have lived, in what a good land you have lived, under what a good providence you have lived, and under what pious parents many of you have lived. These great and singular favours, vastly strengthen, and increase your obligations to live pious and grateful lives. But if any of you, whether young or old, should refuse to give your hearts and your service to God, and continue barren and unfruitful, you have nothing better to anticipate, than to be cut down and destroyed, and that even before such an anniversary as this returns. Be entreated to spend this thanksgiving day gratefully and penitently, and if you do, you may hope for the continuance and increase of every temporal and spiritual blessing, that infinite wisdom and goodness shall see best to bestow. Will not he that clothes the lily, and feeds the fowls; much more feed and clothe you, who confide in his providence, as long as you shall need these blessings, in your way to heaven?

SERMON VIII.

THE REVEALED WILL OF GOD THE ONLY RULE OF DUTY..

DEUTERONOMY, xxix. 29.

The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Ir is a mark of the moral depravity of mankind, that they are generally more inquisitive to know their fortune, than to know their duty. They are much more solicitous to know what God intends, than what he requires. He has told them their duty, which they do not desire to know; but he has not told them their fortune, which they are fond of being told. This general propensity to know futurity has led the great mass of mankind, from age to age, to practice the grossest idolatry. When God led his people Israel out of Egypt by the hand of Moses, he gave them his written law at Mount Sinai, to prevent their symbolizing with the idolatrous nations through whom he was leading them, and among whom he was about to fix their permanent residence. This law they publickly and solemnly engaged to keep, at the very time it was given. But God knew their native propensity to disregard their most sacred vows and engagements, and therefore he commanded them to renew their covenant to obey his revealed will, just before they entered into the land of promise. But still farther to guard them against seeking to magicians, astrologers, or soothsayers, to know things which God had not seen fit to reveal, Moses gave them the admonition in the text, "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children, that we

may do all the words of this law." The plain meaning of Moses is,

That the revealed will of God, and not his secret will, is the rule of duty. I shall,

I. Consider what the secret will of God respects; II. Consider what his revealed will respects; and, III. Show that his revealed will, and not his secret will, is the rule of duty.

I. We are to consider what the secret will of God respects. The text supposes, that there are secret things in the mind of the Deity, which he has not revealed, or that he has secret designs concerning future events, which he intends shall remain undisclosed until they are actually accomplished. Before the foundation of the world, he formed in his own mind a complete scheme of his own conduct through all future ages. This scheme comprehended all things that ever have been and ever will be brought into existence. His secret will solely respects the taking place of those things, which he determined from eternity should take place, without any regard to the nature of them, whether morally good, or morally evil. It was his secret will, that not only holiness and happiness, but that sin and misery also should take place among his intelligent creatures. Though he loved only holiness and happiness, and perfectly hated sin and misery; yet he determined that both should take place. It was his secret will, that Lucifer should rebel, and Adam should disobey, though he hated both the rebellion of Lucifer and the disobedience of Adam. It was his secret will, that Judas should betray and Peter should deny Christ, though he hated the conduct of both Judas and Peter. It is his secret will, that all the elect shall repent and believe, and that all the non-elect shall live and die in impenitence and unbelief, though he loves faith and repentance, and hates impenitence and unbelief. It always was, and is, and will be his secret will, that all things shall take place, which he sees will best promote his own glory, and the highest good of the universe, whether they are good