fubject or theatre of miracles, on many

vious accounts.

ob

Not to respect the general prefence and agency of God is practical atheism. It is living without God in the world; and to expect his miraculous interpofitions, and not to confider him as acting by general laws, is to encourage an enthusiasm, and a delufion, that is, in fome cafes, almost as dangerous; leading men to neglect the natural and only efficacious means of improving their characters, and to depend on certain supernatural impulfes and feelings, of vague and uncertain description, and that cannot have any relation to moral virtue; which consists in a fupreme reverence and love of God, an entire devotedness to his will, in doing and fuffering, a difinterefted love of his creatures, and our brethren, and a just self-government, equally favourable to both.

On the whole, the doctrine of divine agency and divine influence, refpecting things spiritual, as well as temporal, is true, and in the highest degree

degree important. Our characters approach to perfection in proportion as we keep it in view, and they are debased and bad, in proportion as we lofe fight of it. But the doctrine of a proper fupernatural influence on the mind is false, and though, like most other false principles, it may be very innocent, not in fact fuperfeding the use of the natural means of religion, it is always delufive, and in some cases highly dangerous.

Let this doctrine, therefore, teach us, as individuals, to cultivate above all things a fpirit of habitual devotion, founded on the belief of the divine prefence with us, and of his conftant agency upon us, and upon all things. This is that faith which is the only fure anchor of the soul in a tempestuous world, or rather it is the wings on which we rife above the world, and approach to a state of union with God.

But let us carefully avoid indulging the vain and delusive imagination of an immediate and fupernatural communion with God,

which

which is always the foundation of Spiritual pride, and the bane of humble devotion and virtue. For there is no true devotion without the deepest humility, and what is fometimes not improperly called felf-annihilation.

As minifters and people, let us bear in mind, on the one hand, that a congregation is a flock, that must be tended and fed; that food for the mind must be provided, received, and digefted, like food for the body, and that we receive nourishment and ftrength from both in the fame natural and gradual manner. We must therefore labour for the bread that endureth to everlasting life, as well as for the bread that perishes. And though we are to expect no success but in the diligent use of proper means, we must, at the fame time, afcribe to God, and acknowledge that we receive from him (who has wifely and graciously adapted all means to their proper ends) both the bread that we daily eat, and the benefit we receive from the adminiftration of the word, and ordinances of the gospel, both our growth in strength

and

and stature, and what is called our growth in grace.

Of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him, therefore, AND TO HIM ONLY, be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Rom. xi. 36.

FINI S.

WRITTEN BY

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