verfal government. But it is the most natural duty we owe him as creatures. For to praise him, is only to fhow forth his praife; to glorify him, to celebrate his glory; and to honour him, is to render him and his ways honourable in the eyes and efteem of others. And as this is the moft natural duty that creatures owe to their Creator, fo it is a tribute he requires of every one of them in proportion to their respective talents, and abilities to pay it.

(4.) As dutiful fubjects, we must contentedly and quietly fubmit to the methods and adminiftrations of his government, however dark, involved or intricate. All governments have their arcana imperii, or "fecrets of ftate;" which common fubjects cannot penetrate. And therefore they cannot competently judge of the wifdom or rectiture of certain public meafures; because they are ignorant either of the fprings of them, or the ends of them; or the expediency of the means, arifing from the particular situation of things in the prefent juncture. And how much truer is this with relation to God's government of the world? whofe wifdom is far above our reach, and "whose ways are not "as ours." Whatever, then, may be the prefent afpect and appearance of things,

as

as dutiful fubjects, we are bound to acquiefce; to afcribe wisdom and "righte

oufnefs to our Maker," in confidence that the King and "Judge of all the earth "will do right."-Again, (5.) As good fubjects of God's kingdom, we are bound to pay a due regard and reverence to his minifters: Efpecially if they discover an uncorrupted fidelity to his caufe, and a pure unaffected zeal for his honour; if they do not feek their own intereft more than that of their divine Mafter. The minifters of earthly prince, too often do this. And it would be happy if all the ministers and ambaffadors of the heavenly King were entirely clear of the imputation.-It is no uncommon thing for the honour of an earthly monarch to be wounded through the fides of his minifters. The defamation and flander that is directly thrown at them, is obliquely intended against him: and as fuch it is taken. So to attempt to make the ministers of the gospel, in general, the objects of derifion, as fome do, plainly fhows a mind very diffolute and difaffected to God and religion itself; and is to act a part very unbecoming the dutiful fubjects of his kingdom.-(Laftly), As good fubjects, we are to do all we can to promote the intereft of his kingdom:

by defending the wifdom of his adminiftrations, and endeavouring to reconcile others thereunto, under all the darkness and difficulties that may appear in them, in oppofition to the profane cenfures of the profperous wicked, and the doubts and difmays of the afflicted righteous.-This is to act in character as loyal subjects of the king of heaven. And whoever forgets this part of his character, or acts contrary to it, fhows a great degree of selfignorance:

But (2.) As the creatures of God, we are not only the subjects of his kingdom, but the children of his family. And to this relation, and the obligations of it, muft we carefully attend, if we would attain the true knowledge of ourselves.-We are his children by creation, in which respect he is truly our father. Ifa. Ixiv. 8. But now, O Lord, thou art our father: we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thine hands. And in a more fpecial fenfe we are his children by adop tion. Gal. iii. 26. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Chrift Jesus.--And therefore, (1.) We are under the highest obligations to love him as our father. The 'love of children to parents is founded on gratitude, for benefits received which can

never

never be requited: and ought in reafon to be proportioned to thofe benefits; efpecially if they flow from a conscience of duty in the parent. And what duty more na

tural than to love our benefactors? What love and gratitude then is due to him, from whom we have received the greatest benefit, even that of our being? And every thing that contributes to the comfort of it?-(2.) As his children, we must honour him; that is, muft fpeak honourably of him, and for him; and carefully avoid every thing that may tend to difhonour his holy name and ways. Mal. i. 6. A fon honoureth his father:-if then I be a father, where is mine honour?(3) As our father, we are to apply to him for what we want. Whither fhould children go but to their father, for protection, help, and relief, in every danger, difficulty, and diftrefs? And (4.) We must trust his power and wisdom, and paternal goodness to provide for us, take care of us, and do for us that which is beft; and what that is he knows beft. To be anxiously fearful what will become of us, and difcontented and perplexed under the apprehenfion of future evils, whilft we are in the hands and under the care of our Father which is in heaven, is not to act like children. Earth

ly parents cannot avert from their children all the calamities they fear, because their wisdom and power are limited; but our All-wife, and Almighty Father in heaven can. They may poffibly want love and tenderness for their offspring, but our heavenly Father cannot for his, Ifa. xlix. 15.

It

(5.) As children, we muft quietly ac quiefce in his disposals, and not expect to fee into the wifdom of all his will. would be indecent and undutiful in a child to difpute his parents authority, or question their wifdom, or neglect their orders, eve

ry time he could not difcern the reason and defign of them. Much more unreafonable and unbecoming is fuch a behaviour. towards God," who giveth not account "of any of his matters; whofe judg

ments are unfearchable, and whofe ways "are paft finding out," Job xxxiii. 13. Rom. xi. 33.-(Laftly,) As children, we muft patiently fubmit to his discipline and correction. Earthly parents may fometimes punish their children through paflion, or for their pleafure; but our heavenly Father always corrects his for their profit, Heb. xii. 10. and only if need be, 1 Pet. i. 6. and never fo much as their iniquities deferve, Ezra ix. 13.-Under his fatherly rebukes then let us be ever humble and fubmiffive.