Dependence upon his Providence, and to put us in mind that we ought not to attempt, or defire to obtain any Thing, but what we may safely commend to God, fo as to look up to him for a Bleffing with it. And when we have ufed our best Endeavours, we must place our Reliance on the divine Wisdom, Goodness, and All-fufficiency; by which I do not mean a Confidence that God will grant us the particular Thing which we defire, but that he will either do that for us, or do what is really as good or better, and that he will order all Things in the wifeft and propereft Manner. This it is to commit our Way unto the Lord, and to exercise a regular Truft and Dependence upon him. And it lays a folid Foundation for inward Peace and Satisfaction, and intitleth us to the divine Protection and Bleffing. For God frequently affureth us in his Word of his fpecial Care towards those who put their Truft in him. Pfal. xxxi. 19. xxxiv. 8. and the whole xci. Pfalm.

I fhall conclude with this Observation. How vaft is the Advantage of a Man that looketh upon all Events as under the Direction of Divine Providence, above him who doth not confider the Hand of God in them? All the good Things he enjoys, come to him with a redoubled Sweetness

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Sweetness and Pleafure, when he regards them as the Effects of the divine Favour and Goodness; and Afflictions appear with a quite different Afpect to him, from what they do to the irreligious and profane. It may be justly faid of him, according to the Obfervation of the Pfalmift, that he shall not be afraid of evil Tidings; his Heart is fixed, trufting in the Lord. Pfal. cxii. 7. He is prepared for all Events, and can never lofe all Hope, or fink into utter Defpondency under his Burdens and Preffures. And this lays a folid Foundation for a noble Fortitude. And whereas it hath been brought as a Charge against Religion, that a Dependence on Divine Providence, has a Tendency to make Men neglect the Ufe of Means; this is far from being a fair Representation of the Cafe. The truly religious Man, who rightly believeth and dependeth upon Divine Providence, is as careful as any Perfon whatfoever in the Ufe of all proper and lawful Means. For he not only uses them, as others do, as the most probable Way of fucceeding in his Defires, but as a Duty laid upon him by the Authority and Will of God, and the stated Order of his Providence, which hath appointed that Means should be used on our Parts: but then, in this he has a fignal Advantage above other Men, that

if he meets with a Difappointment, he can calmly acquiefce, because he believes it to be ordered or permitted by the fupreme Difpofer, for wife and righteous Ends. This fhews the great Benefit of Religion. It tends to produce a true Greatness of Soul, and directs us to a proper Conduct in every Circumftance. It manifeftly contributeth to the Eafe and Satisfaction of this present Life, as well as to prepare us for eternal Happiness in future State.

a

Concerning

Concerning the Wisdom of Divine

Providence.

DISCOURSE XII.

ISAIAH Xxviii. 29.

This alfo cometh from the Lord of Hofts, who is wonderful in Counsel, and excellent in working.

E have in feveral Difcourfes taken

WE

a general View of the Providence of God as extending to the inanimate, to the brutal and fenfitive, and above all to the rational Part of the Creation, especially to Mankind. But befides what has been already offered, there are several other Observations relating to this Subject, which will tend to illuftrate the Wisdom, the Good

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Goodness and Righteousness of God in his providential Difpenfations, and to obviate fome of the principal Objections that have been urged against Divine Providence. These are Things of no fmall Importance, and which deferve to be diftinctly confidered.

What I now propofe is to offer some Confiderations concerning the Wisdom of Providence, with regard to which we may justly make use of these Words of the Prophet, that he is wonderful in Counsel, and excellent in working. And this, if confidered in its most comprehenfive Notion, would open to us a Subject of vast Extent. The fame Wisdom which established what we call the Courfe of Nature, and put Things into fuch an admirable Order in the Beginning, ftill continueth to maintain and direct the Course and Order of Things, All the general Laws by which the material Syftem is governed, which, though few and fimple, produce an amazing Variety of Effects, are so many ftanding Proofs of the divine Wisdom. And the most fagacious Enquirers into Nature, the farther they have carried their Enquiries into these Matters, have been ftruck with the greater Admiration and Astonishment. What marvellous Wisdom appears in the apt Connections and Correfpondencies between

the