ness? 2

Particular acts of providence may appear strange, and their wisdom questionable. Why, for instance, remove that valuable individual, and spare that other, who is an avowed enemy of righteous"But let us judge nothing before the time. The wheels of providence are full of eyes, as the event will demonstrate. Among us mortals, it is accounted unfair to pass an opinion on unfinished workmanship. Extend the same justice to the Lord. Suspend your opinion of his handywork, until it be complete! then shall you be convinced, that indeed," He hath done all things well."

Questionless, this will prove no unimportant part of our future contemplations, and spring of our future felicity, to look back from the heavenly hills upon the long, intricate, and weary way, whereby we have been led during our pilgrimage below, -"a way that we knew not," and observe the critical escapes that we have often had, and the wisdom and the power, and the watchfulness, and the tenderness, that were unceasingly exercised on our behalf. Here we behold but the face of the dialplate. But when once we arrive within the veil, and perceive all the exquisite arrangements of the divine pre-ordination; the wheels within wheels, the subtile, yet infrangible links which connected one part of the chain of events with another, what trivial occurrences, (as they seemed,) served to give a turn and propitious determination to our ever-last

I Note XXVIII.

2 Note XXIX.

ing destiny,-O, how shall our admiration be excited: how shall we laud and extol the wisdom and loving-kindness of that adorable Artist, who planned and put in motion, and conducted to its destined end, the incomparable mechanism!

What an evident and striking proof of the interposition of his providence is afforded by the present posture of the world. In the accelerated diffusion of moral and intellectual illumination,-in the progressive discoveries of science,—in the increasing facilities of intercourse between the most distant regions of the globe,-in the opening of an entrance into cities and countries, formerly almost inaccessible, as Damascus, China, and the interior of Africa, for instance, -in the gradual sapping of antichristian and despotic dynasties,-in the rapid decline of the Mahometan empire, (actually perishing "without hand," or "help," like a drying up river,3)—in the reduction of Palestine to the liberal sway of the Egyptian monarch, and the remarkable instinctive movement, (in consequence) of the Jews, "the kings of the east," toward the land of their progenitors; in all these, and other phenomena of the age, one can scarcely avoid recognizing and acknowledging the visible hand of Jehovah. The stream of events runs so parallel with that of Prophecy; the kingdom of providence so manifestly favours the kingdom of grace, that, while they mutually elucidate, they mutually evince one another.

1 Daniel viii. 25.

2 Ib. xi. 45.

3 Rev. xvi. 12.

Their astonishing coincidence leaves the unbeliever wholly without excuse: affording as it does, so unquestionable a demonstration of their both emanating from one all-wise and omnipotent Director.

Labour, then, Believer! to get your mind firmly and immoveably established in this most certain and consolatory truth" that the judge of all the earth doeth right." Here cast the anchor of your soul in every storm, and here hold fast, till the storm blow over. This alone will suffice to compose your feelings under the apparently adverse and wrong direction which affairs may sometimes take, in this imperfect and preparatory state of being. "Rest in the LORD; and wait patiently for him; fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; fret not thyself in any wise to do evil." &c. He that believeth shall not make haste; therefore "in patience possess ye your souls.”

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Say not when tried by any adversity-Hitherto I might have hoped in the Lord, but this misfortune cannot possibly be remedied. What? Is anything too hard for Omnipotence? "Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary; there is no searching of his understanding," Remember Job's assertion-" Though he slay me, yet will I trust in

1 Psalm xxxvi. 7-11.

him.” Have you not lived to see former occurrences, which you deemed at the time equally disastrous as the present, to have been ordained in very faithfulness to you? The same experience will you one day realize respecting this also. This likewise cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. This likewise, is one of the ALL things, which shall work together for your good.1

Habituate yourself to view every event on its sunniest side. Each occurrence has a bright, as well as a dark complexion. Like the pillar of the cloud, while it frowns on God's enemies, it uniformly smiles on his friends. "All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies." The stream of providence may run sometimes smooth, and sometimes troubled; sometimes gleam with sunshine, and at others, be overcast with clouds; but whatever its surface, it is still the same unchangeable current of kindness and love, toward the Lord's converted people. Unto this, all collateral events are rendered tributary; and along this, the godly are floated incessantly toward their eternal salvation. With the Father of lights, is "no variableness, neither shadow of turning, but He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." "His mercy, toward them that fear him, is from everlasting to everlasting."

Could we see all things in one view, as the Om

1 Rom. viii. 28.

S

niscient seeth them, then, even when affairs appear the darkest, we should not wish them otherwise than they are. Oh! that we realised this! that we acted up to our principles.

But, Secondly, let us cease from man in a political respect. In time of war or peril, let us not place our confidence in any distinguished leader, naval or military, as if he were invincible : but letting go an arm of flesh, lean with all our strength on Him, who is the God of hosts or armies; and with whom it is the same to save by one, as by another. How often are we reminded, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong but that success in every enterprise cometh from the Lord. In the various victories obtained by the Israelites over the powerful nations of Canaan, it is uniformly declared, that the Lord delivered the latter into their hand.

Again, in times of perplexity and alarm, should wise rulers, ruling in the fear of GOD, be placed in authority over us, let us be thankful to him for this important benefit. But let us not substitute our rulers for the universal GOVERNOR as if they could do either good or evil of themselves. It is undoubtedly our duty to honour and obey the king, and all that are put in authority under him:' they being God's vicegerents; for He, not the people, as some erroneously affirm, is the source of all legitimate power: As it is written,-" Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers; for there is no power but of God: the powers that be, are ordained of