...X. SERM. In the laft extremity of nature, the rod and Staff of the Shepherd of Ifrael fupport them. THUS I have shown, though in an imperfect manner, what benefits holy men derive from a habitual sense of the Divine prefence. It animates and ftrengthens their virtue. It enlivens and brightens their profperity. Under various forms of adverfity, it affords them confolation and relief.Such confiderations, undoubtedly, form a ftrong argument in favour of a devout spirit, and a virtuous life. But they are confiderations which may, probably, be regarded by fome, as ideal and visionary; requiring aid from a heated, or an enthufiaftic, fancy, in order to give them force. I readily admit, that amidst the hurry and turbulence of the world, it may be difficult to bring thefe religious fentiments as fully into view, as is neceffary for their making a juft impreffion on the foul. This requires the effort of an intelligent and feeling mind; and therefore cannot be expected to be commonly found. To the unreflect ing crowd, nothing appears real, but what is expofed to fenfe. What is invifible, is the fame to them, as if it had no exiftence. But by the groffness of their own conceptions, they have no title to meafsure those of others. While they affect to treat all confiderations taken from the fenfe of the Divine prefence, as vifionary and enthufiaftic, it can, on the contrary, be clearly shown, that they are founded on the moft certain and unquestionable principles of reafon. They effentially belong not to revealed only, but to natural, religion. Their reality can be denied by none, but thofe who deny that God exifts, or that he governs the world. For if he exists, he must undoubtedly pervade and inspect the world which he governs. He muft know what is going on throughout his own universe; and especially muft know what paffes within the hearts which he has made, and of which he is to judge. To be every where present, is the attribute of his nature, which, of all others, is the most neceffary to his administration of the universe. This, accord SERM. accordingly, is an attribute which all reli X. gions have afcribed to him. All nations have believed in it. All focieties appeal to it, in the folemnities of an oath, by which they determine controverfies. This attribute being once admitted to belong to the Deity, the confequences which I have deduced from it, plainly and naturally follow: And every good man has ground to say, Lord, I am continually with thee. SERMON On PATIENCE. XI. LUKE, xxi. 19. In your Patience poffefs ye your foils. THE possession of our fouls is a very em- SERM. phatical expreffion. It defcribes that ftate in which a man has both the full who thus possesses his foul is capable of pos- felf XI. SERM. felf-poffeffion, the most important requifite is, the habitual exercife of patience. XI. I know that patience is apt to be ranked by many, among the more humble and obfcure virtues; belonging chiefly to those who groan on a fick bed, or who languish in a prifon. If their fituation be, happily, of a different kind, they imagine, that there is no occafion for the difcipline of patience being preached to them. But I hope to make it appear, that, in every circumftance of life, no virtue is more important, both to duty and to happiness; or more requifite for forming a manly and worthy character. It is not confined to a fituation of continued adverfity. It principally, indeed, regards the disagreeable circumftances which are apt to occur. But in our present ftate, the occurrence of thefe is fo frequent, that in every condition of life, patience is inceffantly called forth. Profperity cannot be enjoyed, any more than adverfity fupported, without it. It must enter into the temper, and form the ha bit of the foul, if we would pass through the |