the heart, we ought to infer concerning the works of God, not only that they are executed with infinite skill, but they are wifely adapted to accomplish the purposes of infinite benevolence. It is not only true that God hath made all things for their ufe, but that " every creature of God is good." After this furvey of the leading characters of the works of God, which of us will not be difpofed to adopt with devout admiration the language of our Di vine Poet: These are thy glorious works, Parent of good! Thus wondrous fair! thyself how wondrous then! In these thy loweft works: yet these declare Study the works of nature for a higher purpose than merely to furnish you with an amufing employment for your leifure hours, or with fruitful topics of enter taining taining converfation. Let philofophy conduct you to the temple of religion. Contemplate the objects and productions of nature as the great and marvellous works of Almighty God. And let the contemplation confirm your faith in hist Being and Providence, exalt your conceptions of his nature, and lead you not to look up to him with fuperftitious terror, or to approach him with fanatical familiarity or myftical enthusiasm, but, at all times, to think and to fpeak of him, and to worship him, with all reverence as THE FIRST BEING IN THE UNIVERSE. Glory be to God for ever! Amen. The The Chriftian Religion, a luable Treasure. MATTHEW Xiii. 44. The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; which, when a man bath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof, goeth and felleth all that he hath and buyeth that field. In the preceding parables, recorded in this chapter, our Saviour had described the different reception which his doctrine would meet with from men of different characters; foretold the mixture of good and bad men which fhould afterwards be found in his church, and the feparation which fhould finally be made made between them; and reprefented the future fpread of his gofpel, from the fmalleft beginnings, till it fhould extend its influence and authority through the world. He proceeds, in this parable, to instruct his difciples, that the religion which he was about to eftablish would be an inestimable bleffing to mankind. This point he illuftrates by two fimilitudes. He first compares the kingdom of heaven, or the Chriftian religion, to a treasure hid in a field, which, when a man hath found, he keeps fecret, and with great delight goes and fells all he poffeffes, and buys the field. He next compares it to a precious gem or pearl, which a merchant, who goes abroad in search of fuch treasures, having met with an opportunity of purchafing on advantageous terms, fells whatever he has, that he may become poffeffed of it. The points of resemblance between the principal object and the secondary of these parables are two firft, the value of the treasure; S and, and, fecondly, the earneft defire of the perfon by whom it is difcovered, to make it his own. Like the treasure fpoken of in the former fimile, and like the goodly pearl in the latter, the gospel of Chrift, or the doctrine which he hath taught, is a poffeffion of inestimable worth, which cannot be too dearly purchased. And, as in both the cafes fuppofed, the person who made the fortunate discovery, did not hesitate to part with all his former poffeffions, in order to make the treafure he had difcovered his own, fo a wife man, who perceives the importance of the Chriftian religion to the reformation, improvement, and happinefs, of mankind, and is fenfible that the bleffings which it promifes are infinitely fuperior in value to any thing which this world can beftow, will think no labour, hazard, or facrifice, too great, in order to furnish himself with the present advantages which it affords, and to fecure to himself the future feliVOL. I. cities F |