the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

But because we are not able to explain the manner of God's influences and operations, in his conftant providence over individuals; it is therefore looked upon, by fome, as chimerical and vifionary. Whereas from every view we can take of man, in whatever light we place him, it must be owned, that he is not equal to the danger and evil to which he is liable; and could not poffibly fo generally enjoy fuch degrees of good or happiness, was it not for the constant active care of the governour.

It might be farther demonftrated, in the conftant experience men have of the inefficacy of their schemes; which feldom admit of being conducted upon their own plan, if they are permitted to reach any maturity. A train of ideas ketch out the procefs: but unforeseen occurrences interrupt, and, at least, change the plan. So true is it, that a man's heart devifeth his way, but the Lord diretteth his steps.

To fuppofe that God does not exercise an active providence, or interpofe by his power in the government of this world, is to fuppofe, that he permits men to have more concern in it than he has himself: because the earth being divided into Empires, Kingdoms, and States, there are princes who exercise wide dominion, and by their feveral forms of government demand an extensive homage. And where-ever they behave upon the maxims of righteousness and truth; they are great bleffings to fuch large communities. This is by' an active providence, or government that they produce fuch spreading benefits to mankind. But can we conceive them as any other than God's minifters? or of their rule, as any other than C

very

very imperfect copies of the active government of God?

And how very intolerable would be the idea of moft earthly princes, who are no other than proud, haughty and tyrannical; who spread flavery and wretchednefs, and at their pleasure facrifice their ten thousands, did we exclude a particular providence? One and another of thefe, whofe ambition is infatiable, would, in fucceffive attempts to grafp at univerfal dominion, depopulate the world, and lay wafte the habitable territories of all oppofers. And this must have been the cafe, if there had been no interpofing power, who has faid to all the great deftroyers, hitherto fhalt thou go, and no farther.-Are not the amazing fucceffive ruins of the most extenfive empires, fo many monuments of the fupremacy of God! and of the fovereign edicts of his rule? evidences, that the hearts of Kings are in his hands; and that be turns them as the rivers of water, whither foever he pleafeth. But to fuppofe that God has no check, no controul on princes, or that he does not exercife any active providence at all, is to fuppofe him lefs actually a God to our world, than the mortal fons of men: which is an abfurd fuppofition. But fuch are his acts of fupreme dominion, that he maketh the wrath of men to praife him, and the remainders of it he reftrains. To him muft all princes be accountable, for the licences they have taken in fpreading mifery, devaftation and death.

If there be no particular providence, then as God has no freedom of agency, fo all events feem to be neceffary; fince they all take place according to fome original, eftablifhed laws, or decrees, which have provided for all the occurrences of ages. Not one thing can be a contingency; but all incidents and circumftances be

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long to the original plan: for do but allow one action of man to be a contingency, and not within the general establishment, as there would then be no laws to controul it's effects, it might overfet the whole conftitution. And if all events are within the fettled laws, then there can be no actions of man, that are either virtuous or vicious; becaufe neceffary. Whereas fo far as men are moral agents, their actions either may, or may not be. But all thofe actions which exprefs falfhood, are a violation of the known laws and conftitutions of God: no original eftablishment has made any allowance for thefe: confequently, as fin, in it's various forms, is a violation of all God's moral laws, it is neceffary that he should have a liberty of agency, in limiting, controuling and fo ordering it's effects, that they may not overthrow the whole frame and conftitution of human fociety.

Man, as a free agent, having violated truth, may fee the evil, and difapprove his conduct; or elfe he may continue to repeat like violations. Yet this penitency in the offender, will not change the. effect or tendency of the violation; but he must be equally liable to the penalty, with the perfevering offender, if there be no particular interpofals of divine power. But we know that there is forgiveness with God that he may be feared; and that with him there are plenteous redemptions.

An active providence, that concerns itself with individuals, in remitting, and abfolving the penitent, appears neceffary to fupport the moral obligation men are under to forgive one another's offences, upon the expreffion of penitency. For if man is formed with a capacity of expreifing fuch a divine lenity, and compaffion; it is impoffible but that his Creator must have an ability of expreffing an actual forgivenefs. Which is done, by either ab

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abfolving from the penal effect of tranfgreffion, or by abating it's. force, or by rendering it the means of the greater good of the penitent. Before I was afflicted, I went aftray; but now have I kept thy Word.

Tho' every man's true worth is to be estimated from his perfonal abilities and difpofitions, together with the right use and application of them; yet, man's prefent comfort and fafety do not depend on his own behaviour: but he is liable to violence and fraud in fociety, all men having capacities of injuring his perfon or property. So that the propriety of that petition, arifeth from the precarious condition of man, viz. deliver us from wicked and unreasonable men: for all men have not faith, nor fidelity. The many inftances of escapes from the ruinous defigns of villains, argue the very interpofals for which we are contending; nor will the inftances of their fuccefs invalidate the conclufion. Thefe are not too many to infpire with caution, the honeft and induftrious. And were they lefs frequent, perhaps men would generally be tempted, to facrifice to their own net, and burn incenfe to their own drag.

But as men's hearts are hidden from our canvafs, and various humours and paffions may be excited in them towards us, either of envy, malice, or hatred concealed: they are capable of undermining our schemes, and of blafting the fruits of all our honeft labours. So that the comfort and fafety of any man, does not folely depend on his virtuous endeavour; but is at the mercy of others. On which account, it is reafonable to suppose the freedom of divine interpofals, in favour of those, who trust in him with all their hearts, and who lean not to their own underStandings, as adequate to the fuccefs of their fchemes: but in all their ways acknowledge him, and ke directs their paths.

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I might here mention, the ftrength or force of fome paffion, or appetite, when the exciting object has made it's addrefs in every alluring form! this has made it needful, that the young, or the vigorous fhould call in foreign aid; I mean, he should understand the fear of the Lord, and find the Knowledge of God; in order that dif cretion may preferve him, and understanding may keep him from the infection.-It is neceffary that man does make God his principal in the whole fcale of existences: and as moft intimately prefent with him, in order to his efcaping the malignity of temptation. There have been, from the earlieft ages of the world, and will be fuch circumftances in which men may be placed, when no other repellent would be effectual, but that, of how fball I do this great wickedness, and fin against God? which makes God the principal in the fcenery of human intercourfe and action.

In the idea of God, not only revelation defcribes his omniscience, as a reafon of homage and truft; but reafon, unaffifted by revelation, would conclude fome being equal in knowledge to the intricate ways of men, and to the perilous condition of individuals. And if equal in knowledge, equal alfo in care and concern about the fafety of a creature, the moft noble and exalted in this fyftem of beings; and yet, the moft liable to evil. For the idea of omnifcience will have no useful pleafing effect on the mind, if it did not imply fupreme goodnefs.

Not to fuppofe omnifcience constant in it's operations, or not to fuppofe it an active omnifcience, would be without any excitement of our paffions; and no more raise our hopes or confidence, than the contemplation of a fine picture, or the beauties of a piece of admired ftatuary.But from the view of active omnifcience, we can make