SERMON XVIII.

On the GOVERNMENT of HUMAN
AFFAIRS by PROVIDENCE.

PROVERBS, xvi. 9.

A man's heart devifeth his way; but the
Lord directeth bis fteps.

MANY

SERM.

ANY devices there are, and much exercife of thought and counfel XVIII.

; a

ever going on among mankind. When
we look abroad into the world, we be-
hold a very bufy and active
great multitude always in motion, actu-
ated by a variety of paffions, and en-
gaged in the profecution of many dif-
ferent defigns, where they commonly

flatter

SERM. flatter themselves with the profpect of XVIII. fuccefs. But, much of this labour we behold at the fame time falling to the ground. The race is far from being always to the fwift, or the battle to the Strong, or riches to men of understanding. It plainly appears, that the efforts of our activity, how great foever they may be, are fubject to the controul of a superior invisible power; to that Providence of Heaven which works by secret and imperceptible, but irresistible means. Higher counfels than ours, are concerned in the iffues of human conduct. Deeper and more extensive plans, of which nothing is known to us, are carried on above. The line is let out, to allow us to run a certain length; but by that line we are all the while invifibly held, and are recalled and checked at the pleasure of Heaven.-Snch being now the condition of man on earth, let us confider what inftruction this ftate of things is fitted to afford us. I fhall firft illustrate a little farther the position in the text, that though a man's heart may devife his way, it is the Lord who directeth

bis Steps; and then point out the prac- SER M. țical improvement to be made of this

doctrine,

AMONG all who admit the existence of a Deity, it has been a general belief that he exercises fome government over human affairs. It appeared altogether contrary to reason, to fuppofe that after God had erected this ftupendous fabric of the univerfe, had beautified it with fo much ornament, and peopled it with fuch a multitude of rational beings, he fhould then have thrown it out from his care, as a despised, neglected offspring, and allowed its affairs to float about at. random. There was indeed one fet of ancient philofophers who adopted this abfurd opinion; but though they nominally allowed the existence of fome beings whom they called gods, yet as they afcribed to them neither the creation nor the government of the world, they were held to be in reality Atheists.

In what manner Providence interpofes in human affairs; by what means it influences the thoughts and counfels of men, and, notwithstanding the influence

XVIII.

SERM. fluence it exerts, leaves to them the XVIII. freedom of will and choice, are fubjects

of dark and myfterious nature, and which have given occafion to many an intricate controverfy. Let us remember, that the manner in which God influences the motion of all the heavenly bodies, the nature of that fecret power by which he is ever directing the fun and the moon, the planets, ftars, and comets, in their courfe through the heavens, while they appear to move themfelves in a free courfe, are matters no lefs inexplicable to us, than the manner in which he influences the counfels of men But though the mode of divine operation remains unknown, the fact of an overruling influence is equally certain in the moral, as it is in the natural world. In cafes where the fact is clearly authenticated, we are not at liberty to call its truth in queftion, merely because we understand not the manner in which it is brought about. Nothing can be more clear from the teftimony of Scripture, than that God takes part in all that happens among mankind;

directing

text.

XVIII.

directing and overruling the whole SER M. course of events fo as to make every one of them answer the defigns of his wife and righteous government. This is diftinctly and explicity afferted in the Throughout all the facred writing, God is represented as on every occafion, by various difpenfations of his Providence, rewarding the righteous, or chaftening them according as his wisdom requires, and punishing the wicked, We cannot indeed conceive God acting as the governor of the world at all, unless his government were to extend to all the events that happen. It is upon the fuppofition of a particular Providence, that our worship and prayers to him are founded. All his perfections would be utterly infignificant to us, if they were not exercised on every occafion, according as the circumftances of his creatures required. The Almighty would then be no more than an unconcerned fpectator of the behaviour of his fubjects, regarding the obedient and the rebellious with an equal eye.

It