to go out of the world blessing him for all the mercies and truth which he has here performed to us! How would this encourage weak Christians, and convince the atheistical world, that verily there is a reality and an excellency in the ways of God!'

5. At death we begin the angelical life of praise and thanksgiving. We then enter upon that everlasting sweet employment; and as I doubt not but the providences in which we were concerned in this world will be a part of that song which we shall sing in heaven, so certainly it will become us to tune our hearts and tongues for it whilst we are here, and especially when we are ready to enter upon that blessed state. O therefore let it be your daily meditation, and study what God has been to you, and done for you from the beginning of his way hitherto! O that you would be persuaded to this lovely and beneficial practice! This I dare presume to say, that whoever finds a careful and a thankful heart to record and treasure up the daily experiences of God's 's mercy to him, shall never want new mercies to record to his dying-day.

CHAPTER VI.

APPLICATION.

THUS, through the aid of Providence, I have dispatched the main design I aimed at in the choice of this subject. All that remains will now be speedily finished in some few inferences to be briefly drawn from the whole, and three or four practical cases to be stated.

INFERENCES.

1. If God performs all things for you, learn that God is to be owned by you in all that befalls you in this world, whether it be in a way of success and comfort, or of trouble and affliction. When God gives you comforts, it is your great evil not to observe his hand in them. was the charge against Israel, Hosea ii. 8, "She did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold;" she did not affec

Hence

tionately consider my care over her, and goodness to her in these mercies. And as for afflictions, it is a great wickedness, when God's hand is lifted up, not to see it, Isa. xxvi. 11. O look to the hand of God in all, and know, that neither your comforts nor afflictions arise out of the dust, or spring up out of the ground!

2. Learn hence how you are obliged to perform all duties and services for God who performeth all things for you. Shall God do all things for you, and will you do nothing for God? Is Providence every moment at work for you, and will you be idle? To what purpose then is all that God has done for you? Is it not the aim and design of all, to make you fruitful people? If God plant, and fence, and water you by Providence, sure he looks that you should bring forth fruit, Isa. v. 1, 4. O that in return for all the benefits of Providence, you would say with David, "What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me?"

3. Does God perform all things for his people? Do not distrust him then, as often as new or great difficulties arise.

Why should you think that he who has done so many things for you, will now do no more? Surely "the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, nor his ear heavy that it cannot hear." "How long will it be ere you believe him?" If a thousand and ten thousand of trials and experiences of his tender care, faithfulness, and love, will cure this distemper in you, you have them at hand to do it. If the frequent confutations of this your distrust, by the unexpected breakings out of mercy for you under like discouragements, will cure it, look back, and you may see them. Certainly you have been often forced by Providence with shame and repentance to retract your rash censures of his care; and yet will you fall into the same distemper again? O that you would once learn this great truth, that no man ever wanted that mercy, which he wanted not a heart to trust and wait quietly upon God for.

4. Does God perform all things for you? Then seek God for all by prayer, and never undertake any design without him. Certainly, if he do not perform it

for you, you can never have what you desire and labor for: and though he have designed to perform this or that mercy for you, yet, for these things he will be inquired of that he may do it for you. I reckon that business as good as done, that mercy as good as if it were in hand, that trouble as good as over, for the doing, enjoying, or removing whereof we have engaged God by prayer. It is our folly to engage this instrument or that, for us to attempt this way and that way to compass our design, and all the while forget him, upon whose pleasure all instruments and means entirely depend. That which begins not with prayer seldom winds up with comfort. O let him that performs all, be owned and acknowledged in all !

5. If God performs all things for us, then it is our great interest and concern in all things to study to please him, on whom we depend for all things.

It is a weighty observation of Chrysostome, that "nothing should be grievous and bitter to a Christian, but to provoke the displeasure of God." Avoid that, and no affliction or trouble whatever can cast you down. "It is with such a soul,"