look for the supply of all our wants, corporeal or mental, and to him thould our gratitude be expreffed; for the gospel and all its effects, as well as for food and raiment. And we actually receive bleffings of both thefe kinds, viz. spiritual and temporal, in the fame manner. It is always through the channel of some natural means, and never, at leaft, in this age of the world, by miracle.

Let us, therefore, look up to God for every thing, but always in the use of proper means; and let us beware of deceiving ourfelves, as too many do, by expecting any end whatever, especially a proper temper of mind, neceffary to qualify us for future happiness, without the diligent use of such means as he has prefcribed for that purpofe. If God had thought proper to work, and gain this end, by miracles, there would have been no occafion whatever for preaching, for the gofpel itself, or even for the practice of virtue, which is the end of the gofpel, and of the preaching of it. For, as I have, indeed, obferved already, could

not

1

not the Divine Being change the hearts of the most profligate of men the moment they were to enter another world, and fit them as completely for the enjoyment of heaven, as if he had made them go through all the difficulties, trials, and difcipline, of a virtuous life? But as we are well affured that God will not do this, though he is certainly able to do it, we may be equally affured, that the hearts of none will be thus miraculously changed in an inftant, as many suppose, at any period of life. A real change of character, from vice to virtue, is only to be effected in a natural, and confequently in a gradual manner.

If this doctrine be true (and the whole tenor of scripture and reason confirm it) the doctrine of inftantaneous converfion is altogether a moft dangerous delufion. Buoyed up by this vain hope, men continue in fin, fancying they can be converted at the very hour of death; and though they are even brought to the gallows by their crimes, even from thence they pretend to be fure of going to heaven.

But

But if there be any fuch thing as an eftablished courfe of nature, if our minds be fubject to any regular laws and influences, and if changes of mind are made in no other manner than by the natural influence of the objects presented to them, and by the circumstances in which men are placed (which certainly correfponds to fact) time must be requifite to form any character. A character is a thing of flow growth, but of a firm conftitution. The rudiments of it are formed early, while the mind is fenfible to impreffions of all kinds; but when once it is formed, it is with great difficulty indeed that it receives any material and lafting change.

Minifters therefore should beftow their labour chiefly on the young, inftructing them in the principles of religion, inculcating good maxims, forming them to good habits, and making every thing in religious discipline familiar to them. This is bending the oak while it is pliable, and while the task is not difficult. But, with respect to perfons advanced in life, all that we can hope to do is

to

to palliate exceffes, and

prevent enormities. The character, the general temper, and turn of mind, are fixed, and can no more be made to bend to our efforts, than an oak of fome growth and standing.

I shall conclude with obferving, that there are two things that we should principally attend to with respect to God, and both are of the greatest importance. The first is, the confideration of his univerfal presence, and his conftant uncontrolled agency; and the fecond is, his acting by natural means, or in a regular manner. We muft, in the first place, endeavour to fee God in every thing, and to fee every thing in God, that is, in its relation to him. We muft habitually look beyond all fecond caufes, confidering them in no other light than as inftruments in the hands of God, the only proper cause of all, and employed by him to accomplish, in the best manner, his excellent purposes.

But, in the fecond place, it is almost of as much importance, that we confider God not as a being

a being incapable of forefight, and acting as particular occafions and emergencies require, but as foreseeing every thing that can ever come to pass, and adapting means to ends from all eternity: as acting by general laws, and established rules, without ever deviating from them, except for great and extraordinary purposes; and then in such a manner as that his interpofition fhall be publickly known and acknowledged, fo as to have the effect of proper miracles. And now, that God has fufficiently provided for the inftruction and reformation of mankind by the gofpel, we are to confider the age of miracles as over. And if we are not to expect miraculous interpofitions in the external world, fimilar to thofe that were exhibited in the times of Mofes and the prophets, or those that attended and promoted the first promulgation of the gofpel, much lefs can we expect any miraculous influences on the minds of men; which, in a moral sense, do not appear to have ever been the fubject of miracles in former times. Indeed, in this fense they would have been a very improper

fubject