which he can neither foresee nor control; or the dishonesty, the humour, or negli gence of other men who are necessary to his purpose, may either suddenly dash, or gradually obstruct and defeat, his best-concerted projects. The weakness or treachery of a single individual, or one untoward incident, may baffle his ablest efforts, and teach him his dependance upon that Providence which has all nature at command, and which only can order the unruly wills and affections of men.

There is a beautiful instance in the story of Esther of this divine superintendance, in furnishing views and disposing circumstances, for the accomplishment of a great national deliverance. Haman, having conceived a violent resentment against Mordecai the Jew, to satiate his vengeance procured an edict for the destruction of all the Jews who were scattered through the Persian empire. On the very night when Haman meant to solicit an order for the execution of Mordecai, the king, to amuse his thoughts, (not being disposed to sleep) called for the public records; and that part being accidentally

read to him which recited his deliverance, by means of Mordecai, from a dangerous conspiracy, he inquired, what reward had been conferred on his deliverer for this service; at which critical moment, Haman appeared in the outer court, to speak to the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for the purpose. Upon his admittance, being asked, What shall be done to the man whom the king delighted to honour? and having answered according to his own ambitious wishes, he was commissioned to do all that honour to Mordecai which he imagined would have been done to himself; and when he had discharged this 'mortifying office, was hanged upon the gallows he had prepared for his adversary. The sanguinary edict he had obtained against the Jews at large, was counteracted by another; and in every province, this devoted nation had joy and gladness, and many of the people of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews fell upon them. That such an extraordinary coincidence of circumstances, as we have here stated, could have taken place without a particular direction of

providence, no man can suppose whose judgment is governed by the established laws of probability.

We have a more agreeable and domestic instance of this particular direction in the story of Abraham's servant, when he went to seek a wife for his young master Isaac. Upon his arrival at the city of Nahor in Mesopotamia, we are told, He made his .camels to kneel down without the city, by a well of water, at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water. And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham: behold, I stand here by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: and let it come to pass that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: Let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac: and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed kindness to my master. And it came to

pass before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out that was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me (I pray thee) drink a little water of thy pitcher. And she said, Drink, my lord and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink, And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking. And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not. And it came to pass as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ear-ring, of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold: and said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee, is there room in thy father's

house for us to lodge in? And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bore unto Nahor. She said moreover unto him, we have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in. And the man bowed his head and worshipped the Lord. And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren *." There is so much simplicity and nature, such evident traces of divine conduct in this little patriarchal story, that I could not forbear to recite it at length.

The providence of God in the ordinary course of the world, though less marked and conspicuous, is no less real; though it lie concealed under the operation of general laws, framed with such incomprehensible skill as to contain provisions for the smallest events, or hide itself under the exercise of human policy and prudence, its efficacy is

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* Gen. xxiv.