SER M. Being requires of us. For fince by the conftiX. tution of our nature, we have affections

which will of themselves arife towards him when known; and fince we are endued with a capacity, and furnished with the means of knowing, rather than with the actual knowledge of him; the most obvious obligation on creatures in fuch a ftate, and the most important part of their trial is, to improve that capacity by deliberate attention and reasoning, and to apply themfelves diligently to the use of those means.

It follows, that the exercise of fincere piety, all fumm'd up in the love of God, is always proportionable to our clear and distinct perceptions of his nature and attributes, in a rational way; and therefore it is neceffary to religion that we preferve the free and un-. disturbed use of our intellectual powers. Our affections to other objects are excited by fenfe without confideration. The imagination, which often misleads the judgment, heightens their fervour; and the paffions which violently agitate the foul, (and always need to be restrained rather than inflamed,) feem, in their original intention and within their proper bounds, rather defigned to ferve the purposes of the animal life and our condition in this world, than the sublime exercises of the

X.

the mind, and the highest ends of our being: SER M. But true devotion, which is wholly founded in the understanding, always keeps pace with its calm and deliberate exercise; and the rule by which we ought to judge of its fincerity, is not extatic rapture and vehement emotion of mind, but a conftant refignation to the will of God, and a fteddy purpose of approving ourselves to him in the whole course of our actions; for this is the love of God, that we keep his Commandments.

SER

SERMON XI.

Of Truft in GOD, and Praying to him.

SER M.

XI.

Pfal. lxii. 8.

Trust in him at all Times ye People, pour out your Heart before him.

MA

S all the creatures derive their being, and whatever degree of power, perfection, and happiness they poffefs, from the goodness of God, (the fole principle which, we can conceive, could determine him, infinitely perfect and felf-fufficient, to create any thing ;) fo the continuance of their being, and every degree of created power, perfection and happiness, depends folely on his good pleasure. For it is impoffible that such an effect fhould not depend abfolutely on the caufe; that any thing which exifts merely by the will of another, should not exist just fo long as, and cease to exift whenever that other, pleases; and that all the circumstances.

of

of its condition, ordered by his free appoint- SER M. ment, should not be always subject to his dif- XI. pofal. The rational creatures whom God has indued with a capacity of discerning this, will find, that as, when they seriously and deliberately attend to it, the affection of gratitude will naturally arife in their minds for the favours they have received, fo with respect to futurity, (to which they cannot help looking with an earnest and folicitous expectation,) they have no folid ground of inward tranquillity and hope, but in an affectionate reliance on the fame immutable divine bounty, to which they owe their being and all the good already in their poffeffion. This then, as well as love, is an eminent branch of that natural homage which intelligent creatures owe to the Deity, Efpecially we, who find ourselves in an imperfect and indigent state; having weaknesses in every part of our conftitution; frail bodies and feeble minds; narrow understandings, vexatious defires and perplexing fears; who are always liable to changes, to pains and troubles of various kinds, and the whole of our condition here but a kind of infancy of being, naturally capable of being raised to a much higher degree of perfection hereafter, and capable likewise of a change for the worse, when this state

of

SERM.of probation and discipline is over, (for of
XI.. that future existence there is at least a high

probability, which muft fenfibly affect an
attentive mind,) we, I fay, who find ourselves
in this fituation; whofe all is in God's hands
and depends on his pleasure; who have fo
little in actual poffeffion, and fo much in pro-
fpect; we especially, live by faith in God;
and it is a moft important part of our duty,
as well as the only fure foundation of inward
peace and fecurity of mind, to trust in him at
all times.

I will endeavour in this discourse to explain
confidence in God, by fhewing the true
principles on which it refts, together with
the fentiments and difpofitions imported in
it; and then, I will confider what the Pfal-
mift recommends in pursuance of it, namely,
pouring out our hearts before him, or pray-
ing to him.

To truft in any perfon or intelligent agent, is to expect good from his benevolence or kind affections. In order to which there must not only be a perfwafion of his good difpofitions, but of his power as fuperior to ours, at least as fufficient for affecting something to our advantage, which we could not effect without him, and of his knowledge and wisdom extending to the affairs wherein