not only as it wafts into our Ports, the Harvest of every Climate; and renders our Island the Centre of Traffic; but also as it fecures us from foreign Invasions, by a fort of impregnable Entrenchment*.

METHINKS, the View of this profuse Munificence inspires a fecret Delight, and kindles a difinterefled Good-will.--While the "little "Hills clap their Hands," and the luxuriant Valleys laugh and fing;" who can forbear catching the general Joy? Who is not touched, with lively Senfations of Pleasure ?-While the everlafting Father, is fcattering Bleffings through his whole Family, and crowning the Year with his Goodness; who does not feel his N 2 Breaft

Nahum iii. 8.

*Whofe Rampart was the Sea. I hope, this little Excurfion into the Country, will not be looked upon as a Departure from my Subject. Becaufe, a rural View, though no effențial Part of a Garden, is yet a defirable Appendage, and neceflary to complete its Beauty.-As Usefulness is the most valuable Property, which can attend any Production: this is the Circumftance, chiefly touched upon in the Survey of the Lancape. Though every Piece of this extenfive and diverfified Scene, is caft in the most elegant Mould; yet nothing is calculated merely for Shew and Parade. You fee nothing formed in the Tale of the oftentatious Obelisk, or infignificant Pomp of the Pyramid. No fuch idle Expences were admitted into that confuminate Plan, which regulated the Structure of the Universe. All the Decorations of Nature are no lefs advantageous, than Ornamental; fuch as fpeak the MAKER infinitely beneficent, as well as incomparably magnificent.

Breaft overflowing, with a diffusive Benevolence? My Heart, I must confefs, beats high with Satisfaction; and breathes out congratulatory Wishes, upon all the Tenants of these rural Abodes: "Peace be within your Walls, "as well as Plenteoufnefs around your Dwell

ings." Live, ye highly favoured; live fenfible of your Benefits, and thankful to your Benefactor. Look round upon these prodigioufly large Incomes of the fruitful Soil, and call them (for you have free Leave) all your own.-Only own. Only let me remind you of one very important Truth. Let me fuggeft, and may you never forget; That you are obliged to CHRIST JESUS, for every one of these Accommodations, which fpring from the teeming Earth, and the fmiling Skies.

1. CHRIST* made them, when they were not: -He fetched them up from utter Darkness; and

* When I afcribe the Work of Creation to the Son, I would by no Means be fuppofed, to with-hold the fame Honour, from the eternal FATHER, and Everbleffed SPIRIT. The Acts of thofe inconceivably glorious Perfons are, like their Effence, undivided and one. But I choose to ftate the Point in this Manner, because this is the manifeft Doctrine of the New Teftament; is the exprefs Belief of our Church; and a moft noble Peculiarity of the Gofpel Revelation.—I choose it also, because I would take every Opportunity of inculcating, and celebrating, the Divinity of the REDEEMER. A Truth, which imparts an unutterable Dignity to Chriftianity; a Truth which lays an immoveable Foundation,

for

and gave them both their Being, and their Beauty. He created the Materials, of which they are compofed; and moulded them into this endless Multiplicity, of amiable Forms, and useful Subftances. He arrayed the Heavens, with a Vesture of the mildest Blue; and cloathed the Earth, in a Livery of the gayeft Green. His Pencil ftreaked, and his Breath perfumed, whatever is beautiful or fragrant in the Universe. His Strength fet faft the Mountains; His Goodness garnished the Vales; and the fame Touch which healed the Leper, wrought the whole visible System into this complete Perfection.

2. CHRIST recovered them, when they were forfeited.-By Adam's Sin, we loft our Right to the Comforts of Life, and Fruits of the Ground.

N 3

for all the comfortable Hopes of a Chriflian: A Truth, which will render the Mystery of our Redemption, the Wonder and Delight of Eternity: And with this Truth, every one will obferve, my Affertion is infeparably connected.

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If any one Questions, whether this be the Doctrine of our Church; let the Creed, which we repeat in our moft folemn Devotions, determine his Doubt: "I believe," fays that Form of found Words, "in one LORD JESUS CHRIST, very GoD of very God, ly whom all Things are made."-If it be farther inquired, From whence the Nicene Fathers derived this Article of their Faith? I anfwer, From the Writings of the beloved Difciple, who lay on the Saviour's Bofom; and of that great Apoftle, who had been caught up into the Third Heaven. John i. 3. Coloff. i. 16.

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Ground. His Difobedience was the most impious and horrid Treafon, against the KING of Kings. Confequently, his whole Patrimony became confifcated: as well the Portion of temporal good Things, fettled upon the human Race during their Minority; as that everlafting Heritage referved for their Enjoyment, when they should come to full Age. But the "Seed of the Woman," inftantly interpofing, took off the Attainder, and redeemed the alienated Inheritance. The firft Adam being difinherited, the fecond Adam* was appointed

Heir

Heb. i. 2.-In this Senfe at leaft, CHRIST is the Saviour of all Men. The former and latter Rain; the precious Fruits of the Earth; Food to eat, and Raiment to put on all thefe he purchased, even for his irreclaimable Enemies. They eat of his Bread, who lift up their Heel against Him.

We learn from hence, in what a peculiar and endearing Light, the Chriftian is to contemplate the Things that are feen. Heathens might discover an eternal Power, and infinite Wisdom, in the Structure of the Univerfe; Heathens might acknowledge a moft ftupendous Liberality, in the unrefeived Grant of the whole Fabric, with all its Furniture, to the Service of Man. But the Chriftian fhould ever keep in Mind his Forfeiture of them, and the Price paid to redeem them. He fhould receive the Gifts of indulgent Providence, as the Ifraelites received their Law, from the Hand of a Mediator. Or rather, To him they fhould come, not only iffuing from the Stores of an unbounded Bounty, but fwimming (as it were) in that crimson Tide, which ftreamed from IMMANUEL'S Veins.

* Col.

Heir of all Things, vifible as well as invisible. And we hold our Poffeffion of the former; we expect an Inslatement in the latter; purely by virtue of our Alliance to Him, and our Union with Him.

3. CHRIST upholds them, which would otherwife tumble into Ruin.--By Him, fays the Oracle of Infpiration, all Things confift*. His Finger rolls the Seafons round, and prefides over all the celeftial Revolutions. His Finger winds up the Wheels, and impels every Spring, of vegetative Nature. In a Word, the whole Weight of the Creation, refts upon his mighty Arm; and receives the whole Harmony of its Motion, from his unerring Eye.-This habi table Globe, with all its rich Appendages, and fine Machinery, could no more continue, than they could create themfelves. Start they would into inftant Confufion; or drop into their primitive Nothing; did not his Power fupport, and his Wifdom regulate them, every Moment. In Conformity to

his

*Col. i. 17. I beg leave to fubjoin St. Chryfoftom's pertinent and beautiful Note, upon the Paffage; by which it will appear, that the Sentiment of thefe Sections, is not merely a private Opinion, butthe avowed Belief of the primitive Church. That is to fay, fays the eloquent Father, the Foundation of the Universe refts fufpended upon Him: He not only produced it into Being from Non Existence, but controuls and Supports it by his continued Influence fo that if his Providence were to be withdrawn, for one Inftant, it would immediately perish and fink into Nothing.