Chance, abating only the Contradiction of SERM, the Word, is no less than the great God of I. Heaven and Earth. Which brings me, as I propos'd,

Secondly, To make fome Reflections upon the Whole. And, firft, The Wisdom, which every where difplay'd in the Works of the Creation, fhould lead us to praise and adore the great Creator. Man is the only Creature upon this Globe that is capable of difcerning the infinite Beauty and Contrivance of them; for, tho' other Creatures are naturally fenfible of the Use and Benefit of a great many of them, as, for Example, that the Grafs is good for Food, the Tree for Shelter, c. yet Man alone is capable of feeing how wifely and beautifully they are order'd and contriv'd, because he alone is endued with Faculties capable of fuch a Contemplation; he alone then is able to exprefs a juft Sense of it, to praise the Lord for his Goodness, and declare the Wonders that he doth for the Children of Men; and hence arifes his Obligation to do it.

But Man is more efpecially concern'd to do this, because he is placed at the Head of Things, at least in this Part of the Creation, where all Things were made for his Ufe and

C

Service,

SERM. Service, the Earth, Air and Sea, and all

I.

Things in them; and not only fo, but the heavenly Bodies alfo, the Sun to rule the Day, and the Moon and Stars to give him Light in the Night Seafon; for tho' these may have other Ufes in Nature, yet as long as they ferve the Ufes of Man, it is the fame to him as if they were made for him only, and require the fame grateful Acknowledgments.

2. The Wisdom of God in the Works of the Creation should teach us not only Thankfulness, but Humility. For indeed, if we confider that, among the infinite Variety of Things with which we are incompass'd, there is not one of them that is thoroughly known and understood by Man, a few Properties only of a Thing being enough for an Age or two to find out, and the leaft Blade of Grafs having Wonders enough in it to confound the greatest Philofopher, what Avenues can there poffibly be for Pride to enter? Well then might it be faid, that Pride is founded in Ignorance, and well might the most knowing be also the most humble.

3. The Wisdom of God difcover'd in the Works of the Creation fhould teach us not only to be thankful and humble, but to be good, and to lead fuch Lives as may make

I.

n

make us in fome measure worthy of thefe SERM. Bleffings which we were defign'd to contemplate and enjoy. And indeed, if we are truly grateful and humble, these Virtues will naturally lead us to this; for all the Actions of a good Life are but fo many Branches that spring from them. Whoever has a juft Sense of Gratitude to God, and is poffefs'd of a truly humble Mind, will alfo of course be temperate, fober, juft, and every thing else that is good and praiseworthy; he will put that Value upon Men and Things which they deserve; he will confider himself, not only as the Workmanship, but the Image of God; and therefore will be very cautious of doing any thing that tends to throw a Slur upon him whose Image and Superfcription he bears. In fhort, he will do every thing to answer the Ends of his Creation, and to contribute to the Glory of his great Creator. Which that we may all do, God of his infinite Mercy grant, &c.

SERM.

II.

SERMON II.

JOB XXViii. 28,

And unto Man be faid, Behold,
the Fear of the Lord that is
Wisdom, and to depart from
Evil is Underflanding.

N the foregoing Chapter, to which
this has Relation, Job had been
protesting against the Doctrine of

his Friends, who all along afferted that Afflictions were ever the Confequence of Sin, and that fome remarkable Vengeance always attended wicked Men; which nevertheless he grants that it does fometimes happen to be true, tho' he denies it to be always a conftant Rule and Method of God's Proceedings: And being aware that they would be apt to fufpect the Impartiality of this way of acting, and would not be able to reconcile it to the Juftice of God, he fhews

fhews them that these things are beyond the SERM. Reach of human Capacity, that the Things of Nature would be a more proper Subject to employ the Wit and Industry of Man, whose Enquiries, when they have been car ried this Way, have anfwered the End and proved fuccessful, but that the Secrets of the Almighty are likely always to remain fuch to us, notwithstanding our utmost Endeavours to find them out. Surely, fays he, there is a Vein for the Silver, and a Place for Gold where they find it: Iron is taken out of the Earth, and Brass is molten out of the Stone. There is a Path which no Fowl knoweth, and which the Vulture's Eye hath not seen; the Lion's Whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce Lion passed by it. But where fhall Wisdom be found? and where is the Place of Understanding? that is, who can find out the Reasons and Methods of God's Providence? This is indeed a hard Question for Flesh and Blood to answer: as for this fort of Wisdom, which is Wisdom in the highest Senfe of the Word, there is no Purchase to be given for it; for Man knoweth not the Price thereof, neither is it found in the Land of the Living. The Depth faith, It is not in me; and the Sea faith, It is not with me: Where then

fhall