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conceived; it unites itself to the vivifying principle, which lives eternally, and gives all things life-to that power which will, in due time, call into existence a wonderful scene of life, beauty, and glory, which the visible world cannot contain. It attaches itself to the footstool of the divine throne, and feels itself firm amidst the shakings and convulsions of the universe. From hence, it appears how highly necessary is an increase of faith. The desire of its increase is essential to true religion. If you feel no want of faith, no desire for an enlarged and confirmed persuasion of divine truth, you are utterly destitute of vital religion. If there are any of this description now present, let me entreat you to beware of danger. If there are any who are desirous of increasing their faith, permit me, in the conclusion of my remarks, to recommend to you the most effectual means of confirming your faith.

1. The first is prayer. Our text affords an encouraging example. The apostles were successful in their application; their faith was increased. Although, at one time, it was wavering and feeble, yet it was strengthened from above; they became the ministers of mercy to an afflicted and guilty world, and are now exalted to the regions of glory-to the very vision and presence of God. And our faith may be strengthened in the same way. The throne of grace is as accessible now, as it was in the days of the apostles; and we are invited to come that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. The Scriptures abound with promises and encouragements, and God is ready to impart the energies of the Holy Spirit, to increase your faith. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. What man is there among you, whom if his son ask bread, will give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will give him a serpent? If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? One of the good things you desire, and greatly need, is an increase of faith. Approach God, then, with confidence, and pour out your souls before him. Plead with him, earnestly and fervently, for an increase of faith; and I humbly trust you will soon find your faith to be springing forth with new life and vigor.

2. Converse much with the objects of faith. Mankind insensibly become assimilated to the persons with whom they associate, to the books they read, to the sentiments they hear, and to the manners they behold. If you desire an increase of faith, you should, therefore, study the Scriptures, and reflect upon the truths of religion. There is a holy infection, or, I would rather say, a sweet, a divine influence, in these contemplations, that will infuse life and vigor into the soul. That Christian is wanting to himself, who suffers a day to pass without searching the Scriptures, or who satisfies himself with a careless and hurried perusal of these Sacred Oracles.

It was a description of a saint, in days of old, which has never yet been cancelled.-God forbid it ever should be cancelled—that His delight was in the law of his Lord; that he meditated in the law of his God day and night. The Scriptures are a receptacle of spiritual truth, an inventory of the riches of heaven, a divine register of the treasures of eternity. As a taste for literature is produced by studying the noblest works of human genius, so your moral taste will be purified, and your spiritual discernment improved, by the study of the Scriptures.

3. Watch against all objects that would have a tendency to diminish your faith; set a guard upon your senses; shun everything that encourages the luxury, and increases the corruption of the heart. There is nothing which obscures the atmosphere of faith so much as the sullen, dark, and polluting damps of a sensual mind; even moderate and innocent gratifications have a tendency to diminish the influence of faith. To walk by sense, is directly opposed to walking by faith. Love not the world, seek not to be wealthy; if riches increase, set not your affections upon them. Dread the consequences of sudden prosperity. Walk in this world as strangers and pilgrims, as sojourners, that have no continuing city; this is not your rest-you cannot secure two worlds. Seek a better country, that is a heavenly country, a country out of sight. Be content to secure a building of God, when this earthly house of your tabernacle is dissolved; a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

4. Wait upon God in the institutions he has appointed. Never neglect the services of religion, nor the means of grace, but be diligent in attending upon both. In all the exercises of devotion, make it your constant object and aim to attain an increase of faith. In this way your doubts and fears will be removed, and your faith will become strong and invincible, and you will be enabled to triumph in God as did the saints of old. You will be enabled to adopt the expressive language of the prophet: Although the fig-tree should not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the field shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls; yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will joy in the God of my salvation. You will triumph in the celebrated strain of the apostle: Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth. It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerers, through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

DISCOURSE VII.

On the Existence of Divine Providence.

"The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice."-Psalm xcvii., 1.

To reflecting men, the universe presents a scene of wonders. We find ourselves brought into the world without our knowledge, and without our agency. If we look around us, we behold the earth clothed with an infinite variety of herbs and fruits, subservient to our use, or administering to our delight. If we look above us, we behold the host of heaven waking in brightness and beauty; the sun ruling the day, the moon and the stars governing the night. If we cast our eyes over the face of the earth, we behold it peopled with animals of every form and size, all enjoying happiness suited to their several natures and capacities. If we attend to the course of nature, we behold, with wonder, the various revolutions of the year-the gradual return of the seasons-and the constant vicissitudes of day and night. While contemplating these objects, the human mind is led to the stupendous inquiry, who created the earth, swarming as it does with life? Who covered the face of it with verdure, and gave to nature her laws? Who governs this mighty universe, and carries forward the great designs of providence? For, surely, the universe is governed by regular laws, and the most significant marks of contrivance and design are displayed in every part of creation. Whilst thus we are employed, we behold in the heavens the glory of our Creator; we discover in the firmament the handiwork of Omnipotence; and we hear the voice that nature sends out to the ends of the earth, that all things are the workmanship of a Supreme and intelligent cause.

When we examine a watch, or any other piece of machinery, we instantly perceive marks of design. The arrangement of its parts, and the adaptation of its movements, to one result, show it to be a contrivance; nor do we ever imagine the faculty of contriving to be in the watch itself, but in a separate agent. If we turn from art to nature, we behold an endless number, and an infinite variety of contrivances; we see innumerable objects, replete with the most exquisite design. The human eye, for example, is formed with admirable skill, for the purpose of sight, the ear for the function of hearing. As in other productions of art, we never think of ascribing the power of contrivance to the machine itself; so we are certain the skill displayed in the human structure is not a property of man, since he is very imperfectly acquainted with his own formation. If there be any inseparable ideas between a contrivance and a contriver, and if it be evident, in regard to the human structure, the designing agent is not man himself, there

must undeniably be some separate invisible being, who is his former. This great Being is indicated by the appellation of Deity.

This reasoning admits of but one reply. Why, it will be said, may we not suppose that the world has always continued as it is; that is, that there has been a constant succession of finite beings, appearing and disappearing on the earth from all eternity? I answer, whatever is supposed to have occasioned this constant succession, exclusive of an intelligent cause, will never account for the undeniable marks of design, visible in all finite beings. Nor is the absurdity of supposing a contrivance, without a contriver, diminished by this imaginary succession; but rather increased, by being repeated at every step of the series.

Besides, an eternal succession of finite beings involves in it a contradiction; and is, therefore, absolutely impossible. As the supposition is made for the purpose of avoiding the idea of any one having existed from eternity, each of the beings, in the succession, must have begun in time; but the succession itself is eternal. We have, then, succession of beings infinitely earlier than any being in the succession; or, in other words, a series of beings running on, ad infinitum, before it reached any particular being, which is absurd.

From these considerations, it is evident there must be some eternal Being, or nothing could ever have existed; and since the beings we behold bear in their whole structure evident marks of wisdom and design, it is equally certain that he who formed them is a wise and intelligent agent.

Such are the proofs of the existence of that great and glorious Being, whom we denominated God; and it is not presumption to say, it is impossible to find another truth in the whole compass of morals, which, according to the strictest laws of reasoning, admits of such a clear and rigorous demonstration.

If it be admitted that the universe was created by an all-wise and intelligent Being, it must also be admitted that the universe is governed by the same Being. The same almighty power and infinite wisdom, which was exerted in the creation of the universe, must still be employed in superintending its operations, and in carrying forward the great designs of that creation. To illustrate and unfold this doctrine, will be the object of this, and the following lectures on this subject. The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice.

The superintendence and care which the Supreme Being exercises over creation, is usually denominated the providence of God. That there exists a Divine Providence, which superintends the affairs of this world and directs their course, has been generally admitted among the human race, in all countries, and in every period of history. Every altar that has been erected, every sacrifice and every prayer that has been offered up, afford a striking proof of this belief. So fully have men been persuaded of the

truth of this doctrine, and the sincerity of each other's faith in it, that in an appeal to the Divine Ruler of the world, by the solemnity of an oath, they have introduced it both into the most ordinary and the most important business of life. This universal conviction of men, of all ages and of all degrees of knowledge, from the most profound philosopher to the rudest barbarian, has, probably, been handed down by tradition from sire to son, and has never been totally effaced from any nation under heaven.

I. The truth of this doctrine is susceptible of the most complete proof from the principles of science, as well as from the testimony of revelation. If the world had a beginning, it must obviously have an end; and can be continued in existence, only, by the constant energy of that power by which it was first created. He, therefore, who acknowledges a creation and denies a Providence, involves himself in this palpable contradiction: That a system which, of itself, had not an original and momentary existence, may yet, of itself, have a perpetual existence; or that a being, which cannot, of itself, exist for a second of time, may yet, of itself, exist for a thousand years. The absurdity is obvious, and evident to the most uncultivated mind.

Should we, indeed, for a moment suppose, with certain theists, ancient and modern, that the matter of the universe is self-existent and eternal, and that the power of the Almighty was exerted, not in creating the substances, but in reducing the original matter from a state of chaos, into that beautiful order in which we see it arranged, the constant energy of Providence must still be admitted, as necessary to preserve the forms and continue the motions, which were originally impressed on the chaotic mass. It is a first principle in philosophy, that power cannot be exerted without a subject; and that nothing can act where it is not present. If, therefore, there be powers of attraction and repulsion, there must be a subject of these powers; and if matter, whether solid or fluid, be the subject, it cannot possibly attract, or repel, at a distance. Sir Isaac Newton calls the notion that matter possesses an innate power of attraction, or that it can act upon matter at a distance, and attract, and repel, by its own agency," an absurdity into which, he thought, no one could possibly fall." From recent experiments, it appears extremely doubtful, whether any two atoms of the most solid body be in actual contact; and that they are not all in contact, is evident from the contraction and expansion which is produced by cold and heat upon these bodies. The truth of this doctrine is proved from many other experiments. Yet it requires a very considerable degree of force, to carry to a greater distance from each other the parts of a stone, or a bar of iron. By what power, then, are these parts kept contiguous? It cannot be by their own; because nothing can act where it is not present, and because our best philosophy has long taught us, that the atoms of matter are essentially inactive. Experiments, also, prove that it requires an external pressure of

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