tributes glorified in the mercy and peace of the church, Rev. xiv. 1-8.

2. And as it is a pleasant sight to see the harmony of God's attributes, so it is exceedingly pleasant to behold the resurrection of our own prayers and hopes as from the dead. We hope and pray for such or such mercies, but God delays the accomplishment of our hopes and suspends the answer of our prayers. He seems to say to us, Though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry." But we have no patience to wait the time of the promise, our hopes languish and die in the interim; and we say with the desponding church, "Our hope is perished from the Lord." But O, how sweet is it to see these prayers ful.. filled, after we have given up all expectation of their fulfilment! May we not say of them, as the scripture speaks of the restoration of the Jews, it is even "life from the dead."

3. What a transporting pleasure is it, to behold great blessings and advantages wrought for us by Providence out of those very things that seemed to threaten our ruin and misery! and yet by duly obsèrv

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ing the ways of Providence, you may find it so. How many times have you been made to say, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted." O what a difference have we seen betwixt our afflictions at our first meeting with them, and at our parting from them! We have entertained them with sighs and tears, but parted from them with joy, blessing God for them, as the happy instruments of our good.

4. What unspeakable comfort is it for a poor soul, that sees nothing but sin and vileness in itself, to see at the same time what a high esteem and value the great God has for it! This may be discerned by a due attention to Providence, for there a man sees goodness and mercy following him through all his days. Other men prosecute good, but it flies from them, and they never overtake it; but goodness and mercy follow the people of God, and they cannot avoid or escape them. And O with what a melting heart do they some→ times reflect upon these things! And will not the goodness of God be discouraged from following me, notwithstanding all my vile affronts and abuses of it in former mercies? Lord, what am I that mercy

should thus pursue me, when vengeance and wrath pursue others as good by nature as I am!

5. What is there, that can give a soul such comfort, as to find itself by every thing furthered in its way to heaven? And yet this may be discerned by a heedful attendance to the effects and issues of providence.

Have we not with joy observed that those very things, which sense and reason tell us are opposite to our happiness, have been the most blessed instruments to promote it? How has God blessed crosses to mortify corruption, wants to kill our wantonness, disappointments to wean us from the world! O we little think how comfortable those things will be in the review, which are so burdensome to present sense!

III. Consider what an effectual means the due observation of Providence will be to overpower and suppress the natural atheism that is in your hearts.

There is a natural seed of atheism in the best hearts, and this is very much nourished by passing a rash judgment on the works of Providence. When we see

wicked men prosper in the world, and godly men crushed and destroyed in the way of righteousness, it may tempt us to think that there is no advantage in religion, and that all our self-denial and holiness are little better than lost labor. But, if we would heedfully observe, either the signal retributions of Providence to many of them in this world, or to all of them in the world to come, O what a confirmation would this be to our faith! "The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth." And, on the contrary, how convincingly clear are those providences that demonstrate the being, wisdom, power, love, and faithfulness of God, in the supporting, preserving, and delivering of the righteous in all their dan gers, fears, and difficulties! O do but reflect upon your own experiences, and solemnly ask your own hearts, have you never seen the all-sufficient God in the provisions he has made for you and yours throughout all the way that you have gone? Consider the constancy, seasonableness, and at some times the extraordinary nature of these provisions, and how they have been given upon prayer, and shut

your eyes if you can, against the convincing evidence of that great truth, “He withdraweth not his eye from the righteous." Have you not plainly discerned the care of God in your preservation from so many and great dangers as you have escaped and been carried through hitherto? How is it that you have overlived so many mortal dangers, sicknesses, accidents? have you not evidently discerned the Lord's hand in the guiding and directing of your paths to your unforeseen advantage? And how satisfying, beyond all arguments in the world, are these experiences, that there is a God to whom his people are exceedingly dear, a God that performeth all things for them!

IV. The recording and recognising of the performances of Providence will be a singular support to faith in future exigencies.

This excellent use of it lies on the very face of the text. There never befell David in all his troubles, a greater strait and distress than this, and doubtless his faith would have staggered, had not the consideration of former providences come in to its relief. The apostle Paul im