ing that he shall be supported in the hour of trial, and that he shall be delivered in due time. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand." Ps. xxxvii. 23, 24.

VIII. Wicked men are terrified when they reflect that God governs the world.

They dread that wrath, which pursues them in all their works and ways; and tremble in secret, while they sin in open day. God is better to them than they deserve, but they hate his government; and, if it were in their power, would dethrone the Most High. Some of them, in their obduracy, "set their mouth against the heavens" in horrid blasphemy; and yet there are awful moments in which they tremble before the Lord. The sons of Jacob, who sold their brother as a slave, lived in dread of the divine vengeance; and when they were brought into trouble, "they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. Gen. xlii. 21. It is probable that king Herod was afflicted with a similar feeling, when he heard the fame of Jesus; for he said, "This is John whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead." Mark vi. 16.

It is highly probable that the superstitious fears of men had their origin in a deep conviction that some invisible power would punish vice; and hence it came to pass that crime filled the soul with painful apprehensions of punishment. To prevent this, they had recourse to innumerable expedients to ward off the awful stroke of vengeance; not reflecting that innocence inspires men with confidence, and preserves them from the alarms and terrors of the guilty. Instances are on record, of persons who professed infidel principles being dreadfully afraid of an invisible ruling power; and especially when exposed to imminent danger. Hobbes, the noted infidel, was afraid of ghosts and apparitions; and durst not be left alone in the dark, lest some evil should befall him from those agents and others, who have been bold and daring in sin, have trembled in the dark at the shaking of a leaf.

IX. Unbelievers have raised many objections to divine providence. The two following are the principal; and the only ones that we shall now consider.

The first is the sufferings of good men, both in temporal and spiritual things, in the present world. That they do suffer, in both respects, is a fact that cannot be denied; but there are sufficient reasons in the divine mind why they Their sufferings, in some cases, are cor"For whom the Lord loveth he cor

suffer. rective.

recteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." Prov. iii. 12. When they offend, the rod is used to teach them obedience by the things which they suffer. But all their sufferings are of a purifying quality. Job viewed the subject in this light, and said of the Almighty, "When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." Job xxiii. 10. Further, the sufferings of good men are light, and of short duration, and end in an eternal weight of glory. 2 Cor. iv. 17. And in the present state of things, "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Rom. viii. 28. This established fact should silence every objection against the conduct of providence towards holy

men.

But, secondly, the prosperity of the wicked in the present world, is a stronger objection to the doctrine of divine providence than the sufferings of the righteous. It must be allowed that many vile men are wealthy, honourable, and powerful in the ranks of civil society; but we should consider, that their riches, honour, and power are but for a moment. They will soon mingle with the clods of the valley; and then their honour and glory will have passed away for ever. That was a cutting reflection of Abraham to one of his descendants, in hell, "Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Laza

rus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." Luke xvi. 25. Asaph was envious at the foolish, when he saw the prosperity of the wicked; but when their end was discovered to him in the sanctuary of God, he said to the righteous Lord, "Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors." Ps. lxxiii. 18, 19.

But all the apparent inequalities in the present administrations of the divine government, will be rectified in the world to come. In that world the good will not suffer any more; and the bad will no longer enjoy the bounties of divine goodness. Both are now mercifully designed: the sufferings of saints are permitted to try and prove them, and to prepare them for a better state of things; and the good things of sinners are bestowed, to teach them the goodness of God, and his willingness to save them from sin and from death. And when this end is attained, either by suffering or enjoyment, God is glorified, and men are happy. But the last day will declare all things, and then the righteousness of God will appear as the noon-day light to an assembled world. "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Eccles. xii. 14.

X. The subject of a superintending providence, over all the affairs of men, should be practically improved.

First, let us be thankful for a superintending providence. Under its care we are safe and happy. No evil can come nigh us without the permission of Him that rules in righteousness; and he permits no evil but what he overrules for good. He watched over us in our childhood; in our youth and manhood; and will watch over us in old age. Through every period of our lives, undeserved favours have been heaped upon us. We have enjoyed a large portion of health and strength; we have been favoured with many friends and agreeable companions; and with a rich store of unnamed blessings. And should we not be thankful for those afflictive providences, which brought us back to the fold of Christ, when we wandered like lost sheep? Those afflictions demand our praise, because they promote our good, and the divine glory.

Secondly, we should place entire confidence in the great Governor of all worlds. He knows how to guide our steps; he has sufficient power to protect us in danger; and his goodness is equal to his wisdom and power. He will never deceive us in our well-founded hopes, nor leave us in our sorrows. We may walk in providential darkness; but let us trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon our God. Isai. 1. 10. Famine may prevail, the sword may devour, the