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not him alone. This muft appear upon the stricteft inquiry: for, confidering this solar system, of which we are a part, we have no reason to think but that it bears as great proportion to the whole, as any other system: in this fyftem our earth is one confiderable part; and this part was manifeftly prepared for man, who has dominion over it. So that the human race is no inconfiderable part of the creation in this way of reckoning: and it is reafonable to say, that the world was made, if not for him only, yet as much and as truly for him, as for others.

Being then poffeffed of this fact, that, weak and infirm as we are, God has abundantly provided for us in this life; and that, confidered as part of the natural world, we have a very full proportion of good things allotted to us; what conclufion does it lead us to, if we confider ourselves as part of the rational and moral world? Is it reasonable to imagine, that God has taken fo much care of us in his natural government of the world, and that he will neglect us in the moral part of it? that he regards us as animals, but has no regard to us as rational agents? Can any man think seriously of God, as a reasonable, juft, and upright being, and suppose this to be the case?

Now, these confiderations lay a foundation for a just expectation from the goodness of God of his affistance in our cafe, where it is most wanted; that is, for his affiftance to us as rational and moral beings, as capable of being happy or miferable by virtue or by vice.

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works of God: and it is reasonable to infer, from the visible regard fhewed to us in one refpect, the regard had for us in all; especially in the principal and moft concerning relation in which we stand to. wards him; that is, as rational agents. And this leads us directly to fuppofe that God will provide for our well-being as moral and religious creatures, with a care, at leaft, equal to that fhewn for us in our natural capacity in this world.

Join now to this prefumption what the Gofpel has exprefsly revealed to us, and fee whether the whole is not of a piece, and confistent.

The Gospel tells us, that God has fent his Son to redeem us: you wonder he should take fo much trouble for fuch creatures: but is it not as becoming his goodness to redeem us, as it was to make us? You will fay perhaps, we are fince that become finners. True; and yet ever fince that he has preferved us, and afforded us the bleffings of this life and is it not of a piece to open to us the hopes of a better? Mistake not my meaning: I do not mean to infer from what God does for us in this world, that he is bound in juftice to do as much for us in respect to another. I know of nothing that he is bound in juftice to do for us. But surely it is fafeft reasoning upon the ways of providence from the manifeft works of providence and by feeing how God has dealt with the children of men as part and as inhabitants of this natural world, it is reasonable to conclude in what manner he will treat them as part of the moral world. And, if we confider what we fee and know of the works of nature, and of the good we enjoy from them, and compare them

with the greater works of grace, as manifested in the Gospel of Chrift Jefus, we may eafily discern the confiftency and harmony of God's dealings in both cafes; and fee too, at the fame time, that the methods of Providence by which we hope to be faved, and which we have from revelation, are liable to no other objections, than the methods of Providence by which we live, and which we fee daily with our eyes. In both cafes the works of God are indeed. wonderful, and we unworthy of the leaft of them: and we may justly say of both, Lord, what is man, that thou regardeft him? and the fon of man, that thou vifiteft him?

DISCOURSE XII.

ACTS X. 34, 35.

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of perfons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

THESE words, if not carefully attended to, may seem to carry a sense contrary to the meaning of the Apoftle in delivering them. St. Peter in the text declares, that God, without refpect to any national or perfonal privileges, was ready to admit all people into the covenant made with Chrift Jesus, provided they were duly prepared for fuch admiffion. Some from his words have concluded that there is no neceffity of becoming difciples of Chrift, but that it is fufficient if we live according to the principles and light of nature; forafmuch as every one who feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him: and thus fupported, as they think, by one paffage of Scripture, they have been emboldened to defpife and reject all the reft as of no use to them, and to put their falvation upon their own ftrength, in oppofition to the method revealed and declared by the Son of God. This error is common, as well

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