command over nature, he caufeth the feparate qualities of heat, and cold, and moisture; by which the fruits and flowers of the earth are generated and perfected. He giveth life to the heart of man. Without his fovereign fiat, neither nourifhment would fupply, ftrength to our bodies, nor medicines. health. For as our Lord affures us, Man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth-out of the mouth of God, that is, his omnipotent, unerring will is, the cause that every thing doth yield its due effect. In like manner Solomon declareth, in the book of Wisdom, xvi. 12. That it is neither herb, nor millifying plaifter, that of themselves give health, but thy word, O Lord, which bealeth all things. In fhort, it is not any independant power, in the creature that worketh thefe effects, but the goodness of the Most High that fupplieth all their virtues. for by the word of his mouth do all things exift. Thus St. Peter afferts, 2d epift. iii. 5. As by the word of God, the heavens were of old, and the earth were made, fo by the fame word are they kept in ftore until he withdraw his power, that is, when it fhall be his will to deftroy them.

If the goodnefs and power of God did not manifeft themselves in, the government of his work; if he did not rule the raging of the fea; had he not appointed it bounds, that it cannot pass, long fince would it have fwallowed up the earth, as by its own force we fee it is inclined, in many inftances, where his providential judgments have permitted it to exceed its limits; but he hath said, hitherto fhalt thou come, and no farther, for both winds and fea obey his voice. But for the preferving power of his hand, the jarring difcord of the elements would quickly have involved in ruin the whole face of nature; whereas, through the gracious care of the Almighty, fuch harmony is maintained among them, and their effects reftrained to

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fo many defirable ends, that even the moft boifterous elements contribute, under his wife directions, to the health and happiness of mankind. What but the power of him who made the fun to rule the day, and which arifeth according to his word, and knoweth its going down, could prevent the fire of that vaft body from endangering continual deftruction to the globe we live in? yet is its heat fo tempered by the gradual return of the feafons, and so manifeft is God's goodnefs in measuring its influence towards the feveral parts of the creation, that it bestows no more than fuch due degrees of genial warmth, as are neceffary to produce, and ripen, the various fruits of the earth, as formed for their pcculiar climates.

Confider again, the great ball which we inhabit; what but the controuling word of the Almighty could determine and direct its regular courfe, through fo many ages of time? whofe fize is fo marvellously proportioned to its motion, that we are not fenfible thereof from its daily revolution. Well may we exclaim, with holy Job, Who hath underflanding to discover where the foundations thereof are fastened? And fo true is the Pfalmift's fublime expreffion on this fubject, He laid the foundations of the earth that it never fould be moved at any time. Pl. civ. 5. by which he means that it fhould never depart from its appointed courfe. Again, if we confider the furious beafts of the foreft, and the huge fishes in the waters, to what can we afcribe their little power to general mifchief, nay the difpofition of many of the former to fubjection, but God's goodnefs to mankind, who hath given us understanding to obtain dominion over far more powerful creatures than ourselves, and to convert their mighty ftrength to the purpose of use and pleafure? For who, as Job again obferves, infpireth understanding but the Almighty? xxxii. 8. In truth, what have we that we have not received? or who

can boast of wifdom, or knowledge, or strength, but what cometh from the Lord? for man did not make himself, and from whom could he derive the power of thought, but the giver of every good. gift? Hear the judgment and confeffion of the wifeft of men, who afcribeth the glory where alone it is due: God hath granted me (fays Solomon) viith Wisdom, ver. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. to speak as I would, and to conceive as is meet, for the things that are given me: because it is he that leadeth unto wisdom and diretteth the wife, for in his hand are both we and our words: all wisdom aljo, and knowledge of workmanship, for he hath given me certain knowledge of the things that are, viz. to know how the world was made and the operation of the elements. The beginning and ending, and midst of the times: the alteration of the turning of the fun, and the change of the feafons, the circuits of years, and the pofition of the ftars. The natures of living creatures, and the furies of wild beafts: the violence of winds, and the reafonings of men: the diverfities of plants, and the virtues of roots. Finally, He concludes all wisdom to be the breath of the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty: So abundant is God's goodness in his dealings with men, which mercy demandeth the conftant gratitude, and devotion of our hearts. And if it is hard for mortal man to guefs aright at things that are upon earth, and that with labour be findeth out the things that be before him, who is equal to search out the things that are in heaven? For what man is he that can know the counsel of God, except He give wisdom, and fend his Holy Spirit from above? for the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and our devices are but uncertain. Wifdom ix. For from whence can man derive understanding but from the Moft High? If, then, the wifeft of the fons of men makes this confeffion, why should we hefitate one moment to acknowledge it? Let the full conviction, therefore, of this effential truth, lead us all to discharge the VOL. II.

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rod m grateful duty due to fo much undeferved goodness. Thus much will be fufficient for our improvement. at this time, upon this most excellent and important fubject of the universal bounty, and power of the Almighty. The order and beauty, the comforts. and delights flowing from all God's works, pronounce the Author to be omnipotent, goodness infinite! and exalt the admiration and praifes of both heaven and earth. But there remains a ftill more interefting part of the fubject to be considered, and that is a due acknowledgement of the wondrous love of our blessed Redeemer, who is the fole cause of any mercy being fhewn us; and alfo the ftill further goodnefs of God, in granting us the good fpirit of his grace, by whofe affiftance only we are rendered capable of converting every good gift to God's glory, and our final happinefs, of courfe. The account of which aftonishing mercy will be fully fet forth in the following difcourfe. For the prefent, let us humbly offer up our thanks to God for all his goodnefs towards us undeferving creatures, by the most grateful acknowledgments, that to HIM belongeth all praife, and honour, and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

DISCOURSE XIX.

PART SECOND.

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Of the Homily for Rogation Week. On the univerfal Goodness of God.bubn

Do not err, my beloved brethren, every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down 1. from the Father of lights.

THE Tvariety of particulars, ferving to demonHE laft difcourfe upon thefe words contained strate the great goodness of Almighty God towards us his undeferving creatures, both as it is manipas fested by his creation of the world itself, and in the production of all the good things it contains; and which fupply fo many comforts and conveniencies to mankind. The defign of this general difplay of our Maker's bounty, was to move our gratitude, and becoming obedience towards fo gracious a Benefactor. When the heart is touched with a proper fenfe of its continual, and unfpeakable obligations