lity. For when men fay they would be content to fuffer loffes, if from the hand of God alone; but that the aggravation of their misfortunes proceeds from fudden and grievous accidents, fuch as oppreffive treatment, or treacherous and ungrateful friends, and that this excites their murmuring: what, I fay, doth this prove, but their ignorance or difbelief of God's mode of governing the world? For as God being invifible to human fight, can only be difcovered in his works and as the ufual method of his ordering events, is through the agency of fecondary caufes, fo it is an article of found faith to believe that all things are ultimately converted by his infinite wifdom and goodnefs, to the purpofes of his own glory. Not that any the leaft degree of wickednefs is at all neceffary to magnify his name; for thus perfection would not be the character of his dwelling place, Ecclus, xv. 11, 12, and following verfes. For God hath no need of the finful man, nor can any fay it was through the Lord that he fell away, for he ought not to do what God bateth; for he com mandeth no man to do wickedly, neither bath be given any man licence to fin (20). but as the wifdom of the Lord is great, as he is mighty in power and beholdeth all things, fo according to the order of his providence, in this imperfect state, he employeth the fuited inftruments of good and evil for trial, cor, rection, or reward. And thus Solomon obferves in another place, (Wisdom xvi. 24.) That the creature ferveth him who is the Maker, increafing his Arength against the unrighteous for their punishment, and abateth his ftrength for the benefit of them that put their trust in God. Pure and impure fpirits, good and bad men, are fubject to his controul. Fire and bail-ftones, and vapors, wind and storm fulfil bis word, Pfalm cxlviii. 8. Therefore by whatfoever means we are deprived of thofe good things, God may have been pleafed once to bestow upon us, we muft ftrive to imitate the example of holy

Job

t

C

Job, who, though his cattle were driven away by his enemies; though his dear children were deftroyed, and his own body afflicted by the malici ous power of the devil; yet ftill he acknowledges the fovereign power of God in all that came upon him, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away! bleed be the name of the Lord. Thus was this faithful fervant purified, and here is a leffon of becom ing refignation to the rich, and profperous, that are humbled by calamity. And as to forbear, ance, under the trial of flanderous reports, the conduct of the prophet David affords a no lefs remarkable inftance of chriftian fortitude and meek+ nefs, as related in 2 Sam. xvis 122: For we read that when Shimei cuffed David in the foulest language, and one of the king's attendants would have taken due Vengeance on his head; the king made no impatient anfwer againft his enemy, but only thus appealed to God in the moment of provocation: It may be the Lord will look upon my affliction, and that the Lord will requite me good for his curfing this day. From these examples we con'clude, that though the inftrument of a wicked action is led thereto from private malice, and the malignity of his own difpofition, yet fince.God may permit fuch injuries to befal us in this prefent life through these means, either for trial of our dependance on his help, or to render us more perfect than if not thus tried; it is more becoming chriftians, to fubmit with patience to the Scourges, (which when it hath produced the defired effect of falutary correction, will be configned to the proper place of every thing that is worthlefs in itfelf) than by violent oppofition to endeavour to avenge ourselves; fince God has declared, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, faith the Lord. Trufting in God then, for our fupport under the bittereft provocations, it is far more profitable to beg that grace which David fo nobly inftanced, when he swore to his enemy in his power, Thou shalt not die, 2 Sam. xix, 23,

Let us pray and ftrive therefore to imitate thefe memorable examples of submission, and truft in God. Let us confefs every kind of good gift to be fo entirely dependent on the will of God, that we may be always refigned to his management of our affairs; however unpleasant, or unpromifing, the immediate iffue may appear to our prefent narrow fighted judgment. Let it be the ftudy of our whole lives, to eftablish this truth in our hearts, that not only the good things of this corruptible ftate, but every christian grace or virtue, every the most perfect gift proceedeth from the Father of lights. That without his gracious influence upon the mind, no man can poffefs a faving faith of this truth, or continue in it; and this will be made more fully evident in the next difcourfe. In the mean time may the truths already advanced make lafting impreffions upon us, and operate through God's bleffing, to the profitable conviction of our understanding, and the improvement of our lives. That we may be finally prepared for the bleffing promised by our Lord and Savior: Bleffed are they that hear the word of God and keep it; Amen; for the fake of Jefus Chrift, the author and finisher of our faith. To whom, &c.

DIS

DISCOURSE XX.

Third Part of the Homily on the fame Subject.

General Epiftle of St. JAMES i. 16. and part of 17th verfe.

Do not err, my beloved brethren, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.

N the first of the two foregoing difcourfes upon

nefs towards mankind, was established by arguments supported on fcripture authority; whence it was fhewn, that it is to that only that we are indebted for every good thing we receive and enjoy. In the fecond fermon on this fubject, the confirmation of the neceffity and usefulness of maintaining fuch a doctrine, was further enforced. In the management of these points, the inftruction they were intended to convey was chiefly confined to the outward goods of this world, as riches, health, and power; and the refpective comforts flowing from these gifts.It is time now to proceed to the confideration of the remaining part of the fubject, as propofed to be examined in its proper place.

VOL. II.

Firft

First then, it will be profitable to fhew, that not only every good gift of this corruptible ftate depends upon God's wife and merciful difpofal, but that, more especially, every fpiritual grace and gift is derived from the fame endless fource of every perfection. Every good and perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights.

Secondly, That Jefus Chrift, God's Son and our Lord, is the fole caufe, or mean, through whom we experience the merciful goodnefs of God in any fhape; and,

Thirdly, That it is by the power and affiftance of the Holy Spirit (procured for us by Chrift) that we are rendered capable of receiving or employing these gifts and graces. These you may remember were the original divifions of the subject.

Now as the foundation of all religious confidence is FAITH, for, without this (fays the Apoftle) Heb. xi. 6. it is impoffible to please God; because be who cometh to bim must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently feek him. Let us, therefore, confider, how this principle is applicable for the confirming of the truth of the matter before us. Now as this appears, by the Apostle's reafoning, to be the very firft introduction to the chriftian life, we will examine what has been affirmed in scripture concerning this first of all the fpiritual graces (the gift of faith) and whence only we can obtain it.

Nothing can be more exprefs than the fentiment of St. Paul concerning this gift: For by grace (fays he) ye are faved through faith, and that not of yourfelves, it is the gift of God. He here moft plainly atlerts our own infufficiency to produce fuch a quality, and as pofitively declares from whom only it proceeds. And, as every man's own experience muft convince him of the truth of this, from the natural inclination of the human heart to unbelief,

all.