SERM. Service, the Earth, Air and Sea, and all I. Things in them; and not only fo, but the heavenly Bodies alfo, the Sun to rule the Day, and the Moon and Stars to give him. Light in the Night Seafon; for tho' these may have other Ufes in Nature, yet as long as they ferve the Ufes of Man, it is the fame to him as if they were made for him only, and require the fame grateful Acknowledgments.

2. The Wisdom of God in the Works of the Creation should teach us not only Thankfulness, but Humility. For indeed, if we confider that, among the infinite Variety of Things with which we are incompass'd, there is not one of them that is thoroughly known and understood by Man, a few Properties only of a Thing being enough for an Age or two to find out, and the leaft Blade of Grafs having Wonders enough in it to confound the greatest Philofopher, what Avenues can there poffibly be for Pride to enter? Well then might it be faid, that Pride is founded in Ignorance, and well might the most knowing be alfo the most humble.

3. The Wisdom of God discover'd in the Works of the Creation fhould teach us not only to be thankful and humble, but to be good, and to lead fuch Lives as may

make

I.

make us in fome measure worthy of thefe SERM. Bleffings which we were defign'd to contemplate and enjoy. And indeed, if we are truly grateful and humble, these Virtues will naturally lead us to this; for all the Actions of a good Life are but fo many Branches that fpring from them. Whoever has a juft Senfe of Gratitude to God, and is poffefs'd of a truly humble Mind, will alfo of course be temperate, fober, juft, and every thing else that is good and praiseworthy; he will put that Value upon Men and Things which they deferve; he will confider himself, not only as the Workmanfhip, but the Image of God; and therefore will be very cautious of doing any thing that tends to throw a Slur upon him whose Image and Superfcription he bears. fhort, he will do every thing to answer the Ends of his Creation, and to contribute to the Glory of his great Creator. Which that we may all do, God of his infinite Mercy grant, &c.

In

SERM.

II.

SERMON II.

JOB XXviii. 28.

And unto Man be faid, Behold,
the Fear of the Lord that is
Wisdom, and to depart from
Evil is Understanding.

N the foregoing Chapter, to which this has Relation, fob had been protesting against the Doctrine of his Friends, who all along afferted that Afflictions were ever the Confequence of Sin, and that fome remarkable Vengeance always attended wicked Men; which nevertheless he grants that it does fometimes happen to be true, tho' he denies it to be always a conftant Rule and Method of God's Proceedings: And being aware that they would be apt to suspect the Impartiality of this way of acting, and would not be able to reconcile it to the Juftice of God, he fhews

II.

shews them that these things are beyond the SERM.
Reach of human Capacity, that the Things
of Nature would be a more proper Subject
to employ the Wit and Industry of Man,
whofe Enquiries, when they have been car-
ried this Way, have answered the End and
proved fuccessful, but that the Secrets of
the Almighty are likely always to remain.
fuch to us, notwithstanding our utmoft En-
deavours to find them out. Surely, fays
he, there is a Vein for the Silver, and a
Place for Gold where they find it: Iron is
taken out of the Earth, and Brass is mol-
ten out of the Stone. There is a Path which
no Fowl knoweth, and which the Vulture's
Eye hath not feen; the Lion's Whelps have
not trodden it, nor the fierce Lion passed
by it. But where fhall Wifdom be found?
and where is the Place of Understanding ?
that is, who can find out the Reafons and
Methods of God's Providence? This is
indeed a hard Question for Flesh and Blood
to anfwer: as for this fort of Wisdom, which
is Wisdom in the highest Senfe of the Word,"
there is no Purchase to be given for it; for
Man knoweth not the Price thereof, nei-
ther is it found in the Land of the Living.
The Depth faith, It is not in me; and the
Sea faith, It is not with me: Where then

fhall

SERM. fhall we feek it? If it is not in the Earth

II.

nor Sea, where can we imagine it to be?
where are we like to meet with it? If we
confult the fame good Man in this Cafe, he
will tell us that God alone underftandeth the,
Way of it, be knoweth the Place thereof;
and tho' he only hath feen it, and fearched
it out, and the Knowledge of it is not to
be obtained by Man, yet he fhews that
God hath appointed Wifdon and Under-
ftanding of another Kind, more fuitable to
our Condition, more advantageous in the
End, and which we are all able to attain;
which confifts in fearing the Lord, and de-
parting from Evil. Unto Man he faid,
Behold, the Fear of the Lord that is Wif
dom, and to depart from Evil is Under-
Standing Now tho' thefe Expreffions,
the Fear of the Lord, and departing from
Evil, include in them the whole Sum and

Subftance of Religion, yet because Job had his
been fpeaking against a curious Enquiry
into the Ways of Providence, and had fhewn
that that kind of Wisdom belonged only to
God, and having in the Words of the Text
pointed out to us a Wisdom of a lower Na
ture, in Contradiction to that which is more
fuitable to our Capacities, and which con-
fifts in the doing good and forfaking Evil,

I believe