principle of religion; it is another word, indeed, for faith, as that term is applied in the New Testament, the grand principle which distinguishes good men from men of the world. The former trust in God; and, trusting in him, their souls are kept in peace. They commit their way to him, and resign their wills into his hands. God demands from his creatures universal confidence, not only explicit, but also implicit. The former is that which arises from a clear perception of his intentions and designs. When we are able to trace his counsels, our trust in him is regulated by our knowledge of his ways and purposes, and this must precede any exercise of the latter kind of trust. But when the Divine Being has, by such a manifestation of himself, by such a degree of illumination, established a conviction of his paternal character, and sufficiently revealed the principles of his government, it is worthy of his majesty to put his rational creatures to the test. Having had innumerable experimental proofs of his loving-kindness, and of those tender mercies which are over all his works, should we not be ready to follow him in a path that we cannot discern, even when his footsteps are in the great deep? May not the Father of the universe call on all his rational offspring to place unlimited confidence in himself, to be willing to fall into his hands, to commit all their concerns to his disposal, to abandon themselves to his pleasure? When we consider also the provision he has made for our eternal happiness in the economy of redemption, in those exceeding great and precious promises he has there revealed, and especially in the gift of his own Son, the sum and substance of all possible communications of good, how infinitely fit is it for such a creature, having to deal with such a God, to say, with the most entire selfoblivion, "Do with me as seemeth good in thy sight;" joy or sorrow, prosperity or adversity, are indifferent to me, since thou canst bring light out of darkness, order out of confusion, and cause these light afflictions, which are but for a moment, to work for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

(3.) Another advantage derived from this proceeding is, that it tends to promote humility and vigilance, at the same time that it excites to diligence and exertion. As we are to give account of our conduct, it is necessary that the Divine Being should afford us a rule of action, and this must be clear and determinate. But it is not necessary that we should be informed of the issue of actions; these, therefore, he is pleased to keep in his own hand. Yet, as without the hope of attaining some advantage, to stimulate us to activity, the mind would become lethargic, because we should feel ourselves chained down by a fatal destiny, in helpless despondency; such a constitution is wisely established, that success may be the general rule, failure the exception. But occasional instances of the latter are useful, by teaching us not to lean to our own understanding. Men are now too much disposed to "sacrifice to their own net, and burn incense to their own drag:;" but if they were capable of certainly foreseeing the issue of their schemes, if the battle were always to the strong, and riches to men of understanding,-how would the strong man glory in his strength,

the rich man in his riches! These objects of pursuit would be the source of most intemperate idolatry, and would utterly corrupt the mind of their possessor, by leading him to glory in himself, and not in God. On the other hand, were there no connexion between the cultivation of certain qualities and success, did no advantage result from the possession of them, there would be no motive to action, no inducement to make those exertions which promote the improvement of mankind, and of the institutions of society. Still, the knowledge that a successful result cannot be calculated upon with certainty greatly tends to stamp vanity on all that relates to the present world, and thus leads men to trust in the living God, whose promises, resting on a certain basis, are secure of their final accomplishment.

With respect to the events that may befall us, especially in reference to that great and final event, death,-were the period perfectly certain, we should be tempted, during the interval, to sit down in the indulgence of security. Such knowledge would induce, in most men, the greatest rashness and presumption. While the event was at a distance they would gratify their appetites without restraint; they would, upon system, procrastinate attention to their eternal interests. Whereas, now, the uncertainty of its arrival furnishes the highest reason for being always ready, and renders the neglect of preparation the greatest folly and infatuation. It should operate as a solemn admonition from God to perpetual watchfulness and care, not to leave that undone which, if undone at a dying hour, renders the doing of all other things merely vanity and vexation of spirit, while we are left in a state of inconsolable wretchedness. All pretence for delay being hereby cut off, the inattention of the majority of mankind to these divine warnings becomes utterly inexcusable; especially if we consider the magnitude of the event itself, and that the change it effects in our condition is not only awfully great, but will continue, beyond any possibility of future change, to eternity. Hence our Saviour urges this circumstance as one of the most powerful motives to incessant vigilance. "Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh. If the good man of the house had known at what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through." "Stand, therefore, having your loins girt, your lamps burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for the coming of their Lord. Who is that wise and faithful servant whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing?" God is pleased to deal with us, in the economy of his providence and grace, as creatures that possess reason, and are therefore accountable, that can look forward, and make provision for the exigencies of the future,and whose great business it is to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling." The great necessity which attaches to us is that of changing worlds; while our life is but a fleeting vapour, liable to be instantly extinguished. That event is perpetually suspended over us, as the inevitable circumstance attending our destiny; but we are in total ignorance of the time of its arrival. We cannot, therefore, without the greatest presumption, call a single moment our own. How is

this arrangement adapted to fix and concentrate our attention on the momentous event; to cause it to combine itself with all our plans and counsels! If we are wise, we shall constantly remember our latter end, be always ready, and not suffer that day to come upon us like a thief. "Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments."

There is another, less solemn, yet important view which may be taken of this point, and equally illustrates the wisdom of God in concealing future events. Were the time of our death foreseen, what a melancholy character would it impart to the pursuits and occupations of the human race! If every man saw the moment of his death continually before him, how would his thoughts be fixed to the fatal spot; and, as it approached nearer, the consideration of it would probably absorb every other. With respect to our fellow-creatures, how would it poison the springs of enjoyment, were parents and children, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, able to calculate with certainty the period of each other's lives! We should seem to be walking among the victims of death; the scenes of human existence would lose all cheerfulness, animation, and beauty. The interests of society would also sustain most serious injury. Many great and noble enterprises would never have been begun, could the persons who, in the hope of life, engaged in them, have foreseen that before they could be concluded they themselves would be snatched away by the hand of death. Many discoveries, by which great benefit has been conferred on the world, would not have been elicited. Few efforts probably would be made to attain any object, the consequences of which terminate with the life of the party, if he foresaw that they would be intercepted by death. Who would build, or engage in any lucrative employment, if he certainly knew that the benefit would not be even partially realized during the term of his mortal existence? But, happily for mankind, events are concealed-duties only are made known. With respect also to calamities which stop short of death, how wisely is it ordered, that, in consequence of their coming upon us by surprise, the courage and fortitude required to encounter them are not weakened by a presentiment of dread! The prospect of them perpetually before our eyes would throw a cloud over the whole path of life, and when they arrived would cause them to fall upon us with supernumerary and redoubled weight. On the other hand, could we foresee our successes, they would lose much of their flavour and relish. The surprise with which they often come upon us is one element of our enjoyment of them.

The future world also has been placed, by the wisdom of God, just in that light in which it is most for our benefit that it should be placed. Were we fixed in the situation of the apostle John, were the heavenly state continually laid open to our view, religion would be no longer a voluntary service; we should be forced to attend to objects so transcendently glorious brought thus near to us. Could we distinctly hear the voices, like mighty thunderings, heard within the vail, they would render us deaf to every earthly sound: religion would be no longer matter of choice; and consequently faith would be no longer matter of

virtue. The preference of present to future interests, and therefore the exercise of self-denial, would be impossible. But the Divine Being has been pleased to throw over the heavenly world a great degree of obscurity. Jesus Christ has indeed brought life and immortality to light by the gospel; has raised our hopes to the highest point, by investing the future state of glory with unspeakable elevation and grandeur; but has not explicitly taught us in what that state will consist: "It doth not yet appear what we shall be." We know enough of futurity to make it become the great object of our attention; although it does not so press upon our organs as to render us insensible to present scenes and interests.

4. The glory of God is concerned in concealing much in his character, works, providence, and revelation, because this will probably be a source of great additional happiness to the redeemed, and mingle itself among the elements of devotional enjoyment in the eternal state. A degree of surprise and astonishment, which cannot consist with the perfect comprehension of whatever falls under our cognizance, appears to be one ingredient in the highest degree of felicity of which a rational being is susceptible. There is a principle in the constitution of our nature which renders us dissatisfied with what we thoroughly understand in all its parts: when there is nothing more to be discovered, from that moment it begins to pall upon us, and we must pass to something which will give scope to the activities of the human mind.

The Deity is intended to be the everlasting field of the human intellect, as well as the everlasting object of the human heart, the everlasting portion of all holy and happy minds, who are destined to spend a blissful but ever-active eternity in the contemplation of his glory. This can only be effected by his concealing himself. He will for ever remain "the unknown God." We shall ever be conscious that we know little compared with what remains to be known of him; that our most rapturous and lofty songs fall infinitely short of his excellence. If we stretch our powers to the uttermost, we shall never exhaust his praise, never render him adequate honour, never discharge the full amount of claim which he possesses upon our veneration, obedience, and gratitude. When we have loved him with the greatest fervour, our love will still be cold compared with his title to our devoted attachment. This will render him the continual source of fresh delight to all eternity. His perfection will be an abyss never to be fathomed; there will be depths in his excellence which we shall never be able to penetrate. We shall delight in losing ourselves in his infinity. An unbounded prospect will be extended before us; looking forward through the vista of interminable ages, we shall find a blissful occupation for our faculties, which can never end; while those faculties will retain their vigour unimpaired, flourish in the bloom of perpetual youth; ..... and the full consciousness remain that the Being whom we contemplate can never be found out to perfection..... that he may always add to the impression of what we know, by throwing a veil of indefinite obscurity over his character. The shades in which he will for ever conceal himself will have the same tendency to excite our adoring

wonder as the effulgence of his glory; the depths in which he will retire from our view, the recesses of his wisdom and power, as the open paths of his manifestation. Were we capable of comprehending the Deity, devotion would not be the sublimest employment to which we can attain. In the contemplation of such a Being we are in no danger of going beyond our subject; we are conversing with an infinite object..... in the depths of whose essence and purposes we are for ever lost. This will probably give all the emotions of freshness and astonishment to the raptures of beatific vision, and add a delightful zest to the devotions of eternity. This will enable the Divine Being to pour in continually fresh accessions of light; to unfold new views of his character, disclose new parts of his perfection, open new mansions in himself, in which the mind will have ample room to expatiate. Thus shall we learn, to eternity, that, so far from exhausting his infinite fulness, there still remain infinite recesses in his nature unexplored— scenes in his counsels never brought before the view of his creatures; that we know but "parts of his ways;" and that instead of exhausting our theme, we are not even approaching nearer to the comprehension of the Eternal All. It is the mysteriousness of God, the inscru tability of his essence, the shade in which he is invested, that will excite those peculiar emotions which nothing but transcendent perfection and unspeakable grandeur can inspire.

Before I conclude this discourse, permit me to remind you, that while there are many things which God conceals, and thereby advances his glory, he has made manifest whatever is essential for man to know. Whatever is intimately connected with our duty is most plainly taught; whatever is important to our welfare and happiness is fully revealed. Do not for a moment imagine that he has concealed any thing that bears a near relation to your interest. "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good." He has distinctly set before you the good and evil of a future life. It is true, you know not the time of your death, but you know that you are mortal; you know not the particulars of what will succeed death, but you know that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and also of the unjust; that they who have done good shall come forth to the resurrection of life, they that have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation. Jesus Christ has disclosed in the gospel, as far as they are important for any practical purposes, the realities of eternity; has announced to you his second appearance to raise the dead, and decide the eternal destinies of the human race; to separate between the righteous and the wicked, place every individual of mankind in one of those classes, and divide them one from another as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. He has told you that he will say to the former, "Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire ;" and to the latter, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." He has assured you, that those who die in a state of impenitence, unbelief, and alienation from God will sink into eternal misery; that their doom shall be to go away into everlasting punishment, the portion of the devil and his angels. Those, on the contrary,