outward circumftances. It is to be remembered, that the present life is not a ftate of recompence, but a ftate of trial; confequently, men are not dealt with in outward difpenfations according to their true character. The goods of Nature and Providence are distributed indifcriminately among mankind. The fun fhines, the rain falls, upon the juft and the unjuft. It is a dangerous error, therefore, to judge of moral character from external condition in life. This was the error of Job's friends; this the foundation of the cenfures they caft against this excellent perfon, and for which they were reproved. The intention of the book of Job is, to fhow the falfeness of that fuppofition, by representing the incomprehenfible Majesty of God, and the unfearchable nature of his works. Many inftances in Scripture confirm the truth of this observation. Who, that faw David reduced to ftraits, wandering for refuge in the rocks and dens of the wilderness, would have believed him to be the prince whom God had chosen ? Who, that beheld Nebuchadnezzar walking in his palace, furrounded with all the pomp and fplendour of the east, would have believed him to be the object of Divine displeasure, and that the decree was gone out, that he was to be driven among the beasts? Who, that beheld our Lord in the form of a fervant, would have believed that he was the Master of Nature?

I am, lastly, To deduce the practical confequences from the doctrine, by fhowing you the grounds of joy and confolation that it gives to the world.

In the first place, The doctrine of a fuperintending Providence yields us joy and confolation with refpect

to our lot in life. Many perfons are accustomed to complain concerning their fituation and circumstances in the world. Their defires and their fortune do not correspond; they think that they are misplaced by Providence, and look upon the lot of their neighbours as more eligible than their own. It is impoffible, in the present fyftem of things, that all men can be alike. Nature, through all her works, delights in variety. Though every flower is beautiful, and every star is glorious; yet one flower excelleth another in beauty, and one star exceedeth another in glory. There are also diversities in human life, and a beautiful fubordination prevails amongst mankind. The Father of Spirits hath communicated himself to men in different degrees. But although all men cannot be alike; yet all men may enjoy a great measure of happiness. Every station in life poffeffes its comforts and advantages. In thofe comparisons you make of your life with that of others, when you would wish to exchange places with fome of your more fortunate neighbours, do you not always find something in which you have the fuperiority? Is there not fome talent of the mind, fome quality of the heart, fomething where you think your strength lies, fome one fource of enjoyment, which you would wish ftill to retain? Is not this the teftimoof nature, that you are happier in that path of life, than you would be in another? Wherever you are placed by Providence, the ftation appointed is the post of honor. A general, in the day of battle, marshals his army according as he fees proper, and diftributes the pofts of danger and importance, according to the courage and conduct of his foldiers.

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Your Commander knows your abilities better than you do yourselves; he prefcribed to you the duty you have to execute; and he marked out the path in which you are to feek for honor and immortality. It is from your discharge of these offices affigned to you, that the happiness of your life, and the perfection of your character, are to arife. It is not from the sphere they hold in life, but from the luftre they caft around them in that sphere, that men rank in the Divine estimation, and figure in the annals of eternity. If, with five talents, you gain five more, or if, even with one talent, you gain another, you are as praiseworthy as he who, with ten talents, gaineth other ten talents.

Further, As in a kingdom, every highway leads to the capital; as in a circle, every line terminates in the centre; fo, in the wide circle of nature, every line terminates in heaven; and every path in life conducts alike to the great city of God. The prefent state is intimately connected with the future; the life which we now lead, is an education for the life which is to come. If your mind were enlarged to comprehend all the connections and dependencies of things; if your eyes were opened to take in the whole of your immortal existence, you would then fee and acknowledge, that Providence had affigned the very ftation you would have wished to fill; the very part you would have chosen to act. Trusting, therefore, in that God who prefides over the universe; affured of that wifdom and goodness which direct the whole train of the Divine adminiftrations, each of us may exprefs our joy in the words of the Pfalmift: "The lines have fallen to me in pleaf

to you

"ant places; I have a goodly heritage: the Lord is "the portion of mine inheritance; the Lord will "command the bleffing, even life for evermore."

In the Second place, This doctrine will yield us confolation during the afflictions which we meet with in life. If we believed that the universe was a ftate of anarchy, confufion, and uproar, that the Governor of the world was a cruel and malignant being, who made sport of human mifery, and took pleasure in punishing his unhappy creatures, fuch a thought would overwhelm the mind; it would turn the gloom of adversity into the shadow of death, and mingle poison in the cup of bitternefs which we are doomed to drink. But the Scriptures inform us, that the dark difpenfations of Providence are part of that plan which has the good of the world for its object; take their rife from the goodness of our Father in heaven; are intended for the reformation and final bleffedness of his children. The fame word of life which fays, "Bleffed is the man whom thou "choosest and makeft approach unto thee," fays alfo," Bleffed is the man whom thou chafteneft." So far from being marks of the Divine wrath, the afflictions of life are tokens of the Divine love. While heedless and unthinking we go aftray, God interests himself in our favour, and fends these his meffengers to bring us to himself. It is but a narrow and imperfect view we take of afflictions, when we confider them only as trials. They are not fo much intended for the trial as for the cultivation of virtue. They are fent by Providence, to mortify your unruly paffions; to wean you from the world; to prepare you for heaven. They are fent for the improvement of

your nature; for the increase of

your graces, and for the fuperabounding of your joy to all eternity. When under the afflicting hand of Heaven therefore, you are standing a candidate for immortality; you are fingled out by Providence to exert the part of a christian, and you are called forth to exhibit to the world a pattern of the fuffering virtues. He is but a novice in the school of Chrift, who has not learned to fuffer. The best affections of the heart, the noblest graces of the foul, the highest virtues of life, the offering that is most acceptable to Heaven, arife from the proper improvement of adverfity. The bleffed above, whom the Prophet faw arrayed in white before the throne, came out of great tribulation; the bleffed above, whom he heard finging the fong of Mofes and the Lamb, learned the first notes of it on the bed of forrow.

Such is the intention of afflictions which Providence fends, and even under these afflictions God is with his people. You are ever under the hand of a merciful Creator, who doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. He knoweth your frame; he remembereth that you are but duft; he will afflict you no further than you are able to bear; and as your days are, he hath promised that your ftrength shall be. Nay, in all your afflictions he is present with and the hand that bruifed you binds up the wound. Let not then your hearts be troubled. Bear up under the preffure of wo. Rejoice because the Lord reigneth, and exult in the language of the Prophet; " Although the figtree "fhould not bloffom, nor fruit be found in the vine; though the lobour of the olive fhould fail, and the

you,

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