saith St. Paul of him, 'stagger at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; being fully persuaded, that what God had promised, he was able to perform to do otherwise is very displeasing and offensive to God; for we do thereby either doubt of his veracity, so, as St. John saith, making him a liar;' or we disbelieve his power, and make him impotent in our conceit: which to do is high injury to God, and detestable sacrilege. Hence also,

7. Particularly this consideration may produce and cherish our faith in the sufficiency of God's providence, and may induce us intirely to rely on it. For if God be omnipotent, then he is easily able to supply us in all our needs, to relieve us in all our straits, to protect us from all danger and mischief; and being able, he will not fail to do it, since his goodness also disposeth him thereto, and his word engageth him; he having declared himself to be the patron, protector, and benefactor of the needy; he having promised to help, relieve, and comfort those who seek and cry unto him. Distrust in God's providence is always grounded either in the disbelief of God's goodness or of his power; either in supposing him to be unwilling or unable to do us good; and that is commonly grounded on the latter, the Israelites' constant behavior in the wilderness (representing the ordinary conversation of men in this world) doth inform us; who conceived their needs greater, than that God was able to supply them; their enemies stronger, than that by God's assistance they could withstand or subdue them; the obstacles to their proceedings such, that God himself could not carry them through them; for, as the Psalmist representeth their behavior and discourse, They spake against God, saying, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?' and that from their conceiting God unable to convey them through all dangers and difficulties, to render them victorious over the tall men and the fenced cities of Canaan, they, notwithstanding God's presence with them, and ready aid, desponded in heart, and murmured, and provoked God, and in consequence of such misbehavior forfeited obtaining the rest propounded to them, many passages in the story do show

us. We in practice do commonly follow them, notwithstanding the many experiments of God's wonderful power and goodness, frequently suspecting that God cannot supply our necessities or satisfy our desires; whence we are either overborne with anxiety, and become disconsolate, or have recourse for succor and relief to other aids; deserting God, as the prophet intimates, when he (withal declaring the offence God taketh at such miscarriages, with the guilt and mischief we thereby incur) pronounceth thus: Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord; for he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh, &c.' Whence our Saviour took it ill of his disciples, and rebuked them, when even in the most imminent and affrighting dangers they gave place to fear or doubt; as when in a great tempest, the ship being even covered with waves, they being afraid, cried out, Lord save us, we perish ;” he said unto them, τί δειλοί έστε, ὀλιγόπιστοι; 'Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?' And when St. Peter, walking on waves, and beginning to sink, his heart misgiving, in like manner cried out, Lord save me;' our Lord also reproves him with an ὀλιγόπιστε, τί ἐδίστασας; * Ο thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt ?' Whence we both learn that it is our want or weakness of faith which makes us in our greatest needs ready to sink, and that it is not excusable for us in the extremity of danger to doubt of God's protection and Farther,

succor.

8. This consideration affordeth comfort and encouragement unto us in the undertaking and prosecution of honest and prudent enterprises, giving us to hope confidently for success, how difficult or dangerous soever it appear unto us; all difficulties and improbabilities vanishing before that Omnipotency which abetteth and backeth such endeavors; the which is by faith imparted and appropriated unto us; so that we, with St. Paul, ' are able to do all things by God strengthening us.' Nothing is so high or difficult (if just and reasonable) which a resolute faith in the divine power cannot easily surmount and achieve: a word, seconded therewith, can transplant trees and transfer mountains any whither: If ye,' saith our Lord, have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye shall say to this mountain, Be thou

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removed hence to yonder place, and it shall be removed :'' Ye may say to this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the roots, and be thou planted in the sea, and it shall obey you;' kaì ovdèv ådvvarhoei vμiv, and there is nothing,' adds our Saviour, which shall be impossible unto you;' for, as he saith again, All things are possible to him that believeth :' that is, unto him who relieth on the divine power; for that the faith he speaks of referreth thither, appeareth by several like passages in the gospel; as for instance, in that, where to the blind men imploring his relief, our Lord puts this question: Do ye believe that I can do this?' and they answering, Yes, Lord;' he thereon replies, According to your faith be it done unto you.' In contemplation of this power, we may, if our duty or good reason do call us forth, how small or weak soever in ourselves, how destitute soever of defensive arms or offensive weapons, naked and unarmed, with a sling and a stone,' go out against the biggest and best-armed Philistine, nothing doubtful of victory; it will be enough if we can say with David, 'I come unto thee in the name of the Lord of hosts;' that is, confiding in his powerful help, as my invincible weapon and defence. But so much for this particular.

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III. That notion of the word Almighty, which implieth God's being universal proprietary and possessor of all things, hath likewise many good uses; we shall only name them, without enlarging on them: we thence learn,

1. That we ourselves are not our own, and therefore ought to submit ourselves with content and patience to God's disposal; for that, as it is in the gospel, God may do what be pleaseth with his own.' Whence also we are bound, as St. Paul enjoineth us, to glorify God with our bodies and spirits, which are God's.'

2. That also therefore we ought to be content with that portion of accommodations here which God alloweth us; for that since every thing is his, we can claim nothing to ourselves; all we have doth proceed from mere liberality and bounty.

3. The same reason obligeth us to be satisfied, whenever Providence withdraweth what it did afford us the enjoyment of; for God doth never so communicate any thing as to divest him

self of the paramount title and propriety therein; all things have an immutable relation to him as Lord, and cannot be alienated from him; whence he may justly, when he pleaseth, recal or resume them into his hand.

4. Yea, hence we are obliged to be heartily thankful for all we ever have or enjoy; for that nothing is on any account ours, or can be due to us from him; all proceeding from pure kindness and goodness.

5. We are hence obliged carefully to manage and employ all which is put into our hands, for his interest and service; as honest tenants and faithful stewards, making just returns and improvements; not embezzling nor abusing any of his goods committed to us.

6. Lastly, we may learn hence to be humble and sober; not to be conceited or elevated in mind, or apt to glory, in regard to any thing we have; since we have nothing that we can justly esteem or properly call our own.

IV. That sense, according to which the word doth signify God's containing all things by his immense presence, is also of most excellent use and influence on our practice. We thereby may learn with what care and circumspection, with what reverence and modesty, with what innocence and integrity, we ought always and in all places to manage our conversation and behavior; since we continually do think, and speak, and act in the immediate presence and under the inspection of God; whose eyes are on the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings;' who searcheth and trieth our hearts,' and ' possesseth our reins;' who encompasseth our path,' and 'is acquainted with all our ways;' to whose eyes all things are naked and dissected;' according to the significant and emphatical expressions of Scripture. Did we stand in the sight of our king, we should not dare to behave ourselves rudely and indecently; were a virtuous person conscious of our doings, we should be ashamed to do any base or filthy thing; the oversight of a grave or a wise person would restrain us from practising vanities and impertinences; how much more should the glorious majesty of the most wise and holy God, being ever present to all our thoughts, words, and actions, if duly considered and reflected on, keep us within awe and compass! how can we, if

we remember that we abide always in a temple sanctified by God's presence, not contain ourselves in a careful and devout posture of soul !

This consideration also prompteth us to frequent addresses of prayer, thanksgiving, and all kind of adoration toward God: for all reason dictateth it to be unseemly to be in his presence with our back turned unto him, without demonstrations of regard and reverence to him, without answering him when be speaketh to us; that is, without corresponding to the invitations which he frequently by his providence maketh to us, of conversing with him, of seeking his favor and imploring his help, and returning thanks for his mercies.

V. Lastly, the consideration that God doth uphold all things, and consequently ourselves, in being, may on several good accounts be influential on our practice; particularly it may powerfully deter us from offending and displeasing him ; for put case our life, our livelihood, all the conveniences and comforts of our being, should wholly depend on the bounty and pleasure of any person, should we not be very wary and fearful to affront, or injure, or displease such a person? It is in the highest degree so with us in respect to God; and why are we so inconsiderate, that the same reason hath not the same effect on us?

This consideration also should mind us how infinitely we are obliged to the goodness of God, who when he may by the bare withdrawing his conservative influence utterly destroy us, and suffer us to fall to nothing, doth, notwithstanding our many provocations, the many neglects and injuries he receiveth from us, continually preserve us in his hand, and every moment imparteth a new being to us. For which, and all his infinite mercies and favors toward us, let us for ever yield unto him all thanks and praise. Amen.