Thou crowneft the Year with thy Goodnefs, and thy Paths drop Fatnefs.

T

HE conftant Revolutions.

of the Year, and the regular Succeffion of fruitful Seafons confequent thereupon, are fuch obvious and ample Declarations of the Goodness. and Power of that God, by the Bounty of whofe Hands, and Riches of whofe Mercy, our Hearts are filled with Food and Gladness, that St. Paul calls them the Witnefs he left of himself in the World

F 4

✓ World. By our Creation we do indeed exift, but by the Providence of that Almighty Nourisher of Mankind we continue in our Exiftence; we enjoy that Existence with Comfort, and are enabled

to perform all the neceffary and plaufible Functions of Life. But fuch is the degenerate State of fallen Man, we are apt to forget the Largeness of thofe Benefits, which are poured daily upon us, we look upon them as Bleffings of course, depending upon fuch ftated Rules and Laws of Nature, as fhall not be broken; and with the Indifference of unthankful Receivers, we fancy the Fruits of the Earth, the Fruits of our own Industry. But if we confider God as well the wonderful Controuler, as Author of Nature, who ordereth as well as created all things for the Pleasure of his Almighty Will, we shall find abundant Reason to give continual Thanks for continual Mercies, their being common by no Means taking off from their being great; and with the humble Praise of Dependancy and Gratitude, we ought to look up to the Allbountiful Hand of the Almighty, from whom

whom we receive our daily Bread. How glaring foever the extraordinary Works of God's Providence appear, yet the ordinary Difpenfations of it are ftill more wonderful both in Usefulness and Variety. Do we admire the Greatnefs of that Power, whereby above five thousand were fed by a few Barley-Loaves and small Fishes; and shall we not much rather with thankful Hearts and Mouths look up to and adore the Almighty Goodnefs of the fame Eternal Being, who feeds Millions of Millions with the daily Overflowings of Riches and Plenteousness? But in order to confider the wonderful Power and Kindness of that God, who crowneth the Year with his Goodness, and whofe Paths, or, as the Old Tranflation renders it, whofe Clouds drop Fatness ; I shall in the following Discourse take occafion to confider,

I. THE Words themselves, as referring
to God the Encrease of the Fruits
of the Earth. And,

II. THE Tempers of Mind which those
Reflections ought naturally to raise

in us.

1. THEN,

And

1. THEN, I am to confider the Words themselves, as referring to God the Encreafe of the Fruits of the Earth. here I fhall 1ft endeavour to lay before you the Means whereby God renders the Earth fo abundant in Plenty; and 2dly, fhall confider the large and glorious Effects of thofe Means.

1. THEN as to the Means, whereby the Almighty renders the Earth fo abundant in Plenty. The natural Knowledge of former Ages amounted to no more than the bare and immediate referring to Almighty God all the Appearances of Nature; Philofophy in its more improved State finally indeed refers all to God, but by the Mediation of fecond Causes; so that they could only view the Glory of God in the Effects of his Power and the Goodness of his Providence, but we can praise and adore him likewise in contemplating the Means whereby thofe glorious Effects are produced. And here, whether we confider the wonderful Inftruments, whereby the Work of Vegetation is wrought, or the Simplicity, whereby thofe Inftruments operate, great certain

ly

ly will his Power, and infinite will his Wisdom appear. The Means of Vegetation are the four great Elements of Nature. The Heat of the Sun draws up into tender Plants thofe prolific Juices which the Rain fo largely fupplies, those Juices are proper Conveyances of the Particles of Earth, which feed and nourifh the Plants themfelves; and the Air is continually fanning and refreshing, ftrengthening and expanding the Parts of them.

THESE Appearances are principally caused by thofe Motions whereby the Heavenly Bodies particularly feem to move in their daily and yearly Courses.

THE firft of thefe Motions causes the grateful and neceffary Viciffitude of Day and Night, the latter that of the Seafons; thefe Motions are fo regular, fo fimple, fo harmonious in themselves, as plainly fhews they are the Work of that God who is the God of Order and Wisdom. The continual Changes, which are made in the Pofition of the different Parts of the Earth with refpect to the Sun, occafion the Variety of Seafons; Spring, Summer,