SERM.

VII.

ance on, and an humble refignation to, the divine Being. We may rest assured, that he who made our fouls will be careful to guard and preserve them; he will not defpife or neglect the work of his own hands. There is a perpetual acting providence prefiding over, and directing all human affairs; and we need not doubt but that the spirit of man is its conftant favourite, its peculiar care. And of this important truth every man may be convinced, who will at any time, in his more ferious moments, reflect on the motions of his own foul; for how often 'do we feel degrees both of joy and grief within us, by no means proportionable to the external, apparent caufes of either? Advantages the most trifling and inconfiderable, shall exalt us into rapture; evils the most infignificant, fhall deprefs us into a ftate of the utmoft mifery and anguish, Groundless hopes shall delight, and fears

as

VII.

as groundless shall torment us: and what SER M. is this but the invifible power of the Almighty, working within our hearts, and rewarding or punishing us as we deferve, even in this life, according to his own divine will and appointment? When we confider how totally the spirit of man is in the power of God, with what unfpeakable joy he can infpire, with what inconceivable horrors he can affright it; fhould it not make us rejoice in the hopes of pleafing, and tremble at the thought of offending him? To him then let the wounded spirit apply for relief; let us trust in his juftice, and rely upon his mercy. Can we be fafer than under the eye of divine wisdom? Can we be more fecure than in the hands of almighty power? If we addrefs him as dutiful children, he will fmile upon us with all the indulgence of an affectionate parent; if we feek him as our phyfician,

he

SERM. he will cure us; if we implore him as

VII.

up

our guardian, he will protect us. If he
permits the wound to be inflicted, he
hath a balm ready to pour into it; he
will not fuffer us to be afflicted beyond
what we are able to bear, but will with
the affliction make us a way also to escape
from it. To him then let us deliver
our fouls; of him, in the day of prof-
perity, let us beg that we may not be
inflamed and elated with it; to him, in
adverfity, let us pray that he will either
remove, or enable us to bear it. And
laftly, as our spirit is an immortal spirit,
let us fend up our prayers to him, that
it may even whilft on earth be mindful
of its dignity, that it may rife fuperior
to mortality, and, unwounded by the
little concerns of this life, in hopes of
being admitted to a better and more
durable one: to a place where the body
cannot be hurt, and where the spirit can

3

never

never be wounded: where that fpirit SERM. which is immortal will be bleft with

health and reft; with health, which the moth and ruft of fin cannot corrupt; with reft and tranquility, which no earthly cares can break through and steal : to a place, where, whilft the fpirits here below are wounded by pain and misery, it shall smile in uninterrupted joy, and tafte the never-fading pleasures of peace and immortality.

VII.