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pens that men are deficient in goodness for want of knowledge and of power, yet I am perfuaded they are oftner fo for want of will or inclination. But it is not thus with the divine being. He is ever difpofed to works of mercy and compaffion, and is more ready to do us good than we are to afk it. And as he is kind and bountiful, fo he is faithful and true. We may depend upon it that he will fulfil all his promises; for he can be under no temptation to break them. If men at any time time prove falfe and unfaithful, it is owing either to rashness or forgetfulness, to inconftancy or impotency, to fear of evil or hope of gain: but none of these things can be imputed unto God; and therefore we may with the utmost security rely upon his pro

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The power of God is another attribute which renders him a proper object of our trust and confidence. In men benevolence and ability are often feparated. There are fome large and generous fouls who are oppreffed by the narrowness of their outward circumstances, and thereby hinder'd from doing that good which they would: but in the divine being, the difpofition to do good

is always accompanied with a power of effecting it. The most High doth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or fay unto him, what doft thou? Dan. IV. 35. It was from a fenfe of the excellency of God's power as well as of his mercy, that the pfalmift of old stirred up himself to put confidence in him only, and recommended the like practice to others alfa. Pfal. LXII. 5, &c. My foul wait thou only upon God: for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my falvation; he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my falvation and my glory: the rock of my ftrength, and my refuge is in God. Trust in him at all times, ye people, pour out your heart before him: "God is a refuge for us. Selah. Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lye to be laid in the balance they are altogether lighter than vanity. Truft not in oppreffion, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increafe, fet not your heart upon them. God hath Spoken once, twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God, alfo unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy.

In this paffage God is propofed as an object of truft, in oppofition both to men and things. Men are not fit objects of truft, let them be of what condition they will: for if they are of low degree they are vanity, i. e. they are weak and impotent, and therefore unable to fupport and deliver those who confide in them: and if they are of high degree they are a lye, i. e. they are falfe and deceitful, and often fail of giving that affiftance and security which might be expected from them. Neither can we fafely rely upon the things of this world. Riches, if they are gotten by unlawful means, fuch as oppreffion and robbery, will be rather a caufe of evil than a defence from it: and if they are got by lawful means, yet till they are of fo uncertain and tranfitory a nature, that they are by no means worthy of our dependence and confidence. It remains therefore, that we place our confidence in God alone; who hath given us abundant affurance, both by his works and in his word, that he is a being of unparalleled power and goodnefs; by the former of which he is enabled, and by the latter inclined, to affift and defend those who put their trust in him.

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There is one attribute more belonging to the divine being, which renders him a proper object of truft; and that is his eternity. If there were no other objection against confiding in men befides that of their mortality, yet that alone were fufficient; for there can be no firm dependence upon perishing and corruptible beings. Whofoever builds his hopes upon fuch, builds them upon a fandy foundation, and is in continual danger of having his expectations fruftrated, because the perfons on whom he relies are continually liable to death. For this reason the pfalmift cautions us against putting our truft in any of the fons of men, even the greatest and most exalted. Pfal. CXLVI. 3,4. Put not your truft in princes, nor in the fon of man in whom there is no help: his breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish. But on the other hand, he pronounceth him happy who placeth his hopes in God his creator, who is immutable, ver. 5, 6. Happy is he who hath the God of Jacob for his help, whofe hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the fea, and all that therein is, who keepeth truth for ever. In like manner the prophet Ifaiah,

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Ifaiah diffuades from repofing confidence in man, whose life is fo precarious and uncertain; and propofes God as the most proper object of it, upon account of his eternal power. Ifa. II. 22. Ceafe ye from man whofe breath is in his noftrils: for wherein is be to be accounted of? XXVI. 4. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlafting ftrength.

(4.) Thofe precepts which enjoin the worship and adoration of the divine being are righteous precepts. If it is fit for us to poffefs our minds with an holy awe and reverence of the divine Majefty, to be inwardly affected with love and gratitude towards him, and to maintain a firm dependance upon him; it is alfo fit for us to teftify thefe affections of our fouls by fome external acts. We ought to own every being to be what it is therefore if God is the greatest and best of beings, we ought to acknowledge that he is fo: and if we ourselves are dependent creatures, we ought to acknowledge that alfo, and give glory to him on whom we depend. If we who are subject to various wants and neceffities, and furrounded with manifold dangers and difficulties, are un

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