only observe, that it is enough for us to be assured of the fact, though we be not able to comprehend all the reasons upon which it is founded. Among other reasons, however, there is one that appears sufficently obvious, namely, that all this hath doubtless been ordained with a view to maintain the order and dignity of the Divine government, and, at the same time, to secure, as far as was possible, the restoration of human happiness. It was, doubtless, with a view signally to demonstrate the malignity of sin, and allure to the practice of holiness. It was, doubtless, with a view to overcome our evil with good, and to draw us with the cords of love and the bands of a man. It was, in short, with a view, both to render it meet for God to bestow, and also to qualify us, his distressed and fallen children, to receive all that fulness of joy which he had prepared for us in heaven before the world existed, before time itself began.And to inspire the mind with an earnest desire; to excite it strenuously to endeavour, that this wondrous display of grace may accomplish the blessed end designed by it, is the great and only object which I now propose to prosecute.

I have already had occasion to illustrate sufficiently the nature and abundance of the grace of the gospel, and also to guard men against the fatal abuse which the ignorant and the wicked may be disposed to make of it. All, therefore, that now remains for me to do, is to entreat my fellow creatures RIGHTLY TO RECEIVE, AND WISELY TO IMPROVE IT.

And in the first place, I must aver, that it is our duty, that it is the least return we can make for the grace of God, to cherish in our breasts the most admiring gratitude. This, we all know, is an amiable sentiment which, upon the experience of great and unmerited goodness, spontaneously arises in the generous soul. Its nature is such as invariably to felicitate and adorn its possessor, to make him command our approbation, and necessarily prompt us to love him, and, as much as we can, to do him good. But the man, in whose bosom this lovely sentiment never glows, it is not enough for us to say, that we behold him with indifference; we mark him with detestation. We deny his kindred with humanity; we sink him below the level of the

brutes. For even "the ox knoweth his own66 er, and the ass his master's crib." What then is the man who is a stranger to gratitude? What is he who receives blessings without being sensible of them, or who enjoys them without once acknowledging him who confers them? Duller than the ox, more stupid than the ass, that man doth not know, that man doth not consider *.

Thus comely and necessary, we maintain, is gratitude, even to an earthly benefactor: how comely, how necessary then, to that Benefactor who is divine, and whose love is as high above the love of any earthly benefactor, as the heavens are high above the earth. We cannot sufficiently admire and extol his creating and preserving goodness; what then shall we say of his redeeming grace? This is the most wonderful of all his works, and to us, infinitely the most important that distinguishes the annals of time. If we attempt its praises, we find them indeed unutterable; and this

* Si ingratum dixeris, omnia dixeris, says the Latin maxim; -if you call a man ungrateful, you have called him every thing that is base; you need say nothing more.

only can we say, that it is easier for the mind to conceive, than the tongue to express the gratitude we should feel. O bless then the Lord, all ye his saints! Bless the Lord, O my soul! O let us bless and magnify his holy name; rejoice for ever in Jesus whom he hath sent, and burn with love to Him, who suffered, and bled, and died from his love to us!

And if the grace of God ought thus to kindle in our breasts the purest flame of gratitude, let me ask, in the next place, if it ought not also to inspire us with the most unbounded confidence?" Yes, will

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every true Christian say, with the un

suspecting confidence of a grateful child "to an indulgent father, will I now raise "mine eyes to heaven, and rely upon the "God of my salvation. He hath already "shown me his abundant grace, he hath

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promised me, hereafter, an eternal weight "of glory; and therefore do I now rest as"sured that he will withhold no good thing "from me, or from any of those who sin"cerely love him."-This is the faith of the Christian soul; and is it not a faith rational and well-founded? For let there be

mentioned but a single reason of distrust, which the grace of God, upon which this faith rests, is not more than sufficient completely to remove. Does the believer ever fear that the blessings which he requires, are too valuable for heaven to bestow, or for him to receive? This he need never fear; for "the unspeakable gift” which has been already given him, is greater far, than any thing he can now ask; infinitely greater than all that his heart can desire. Or if he fear not that the blessings themselves are. too valuable, yet is he ever afraid, that God is too exalted a Being to bestow them; too high and lofty to regard such a sinner's wants, much more so, to condescend to relieve them? This suggestion, the grace of Heaven, displayed in our redemption, proves also to be groundless; for those whose souls God sent no less a person than Jesus to redeem, he must ever be ready to support and to deliver. "Can a woman forget "her sucking child? Can she cease to have "compassion on the son of her womb ?" Yes, she may; but the Lord will never forget, the Lord will never forsake any of his children. " Nothing, neither life, nor death,

nor things present, nor things to come,