when our bodies are mouldering in the duft, they will still retain their being and their powers; they are immortal, and nothing can shorten or destroy their existence, but that almighty Being who first created them, and who, as he is unchangeable, the fame yesterday to day and for ever, we may be fure will not.

CAN we now confider what we are, with what wonderful contrivance our bodies are formed, and what noble faculties our fouls poffefs, and not have the deepest sense of the goodness of that great and gracious Being, from whom we derived our exiftence? Can our fouls forbear praising him for the benefit of our creation ?-But our preservation no lefs calls for our thankfulness and praise.

WHEN the various parts of the human frame are confidered, and the number of thofe

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thofe delicate fibres, which are neceffary to the prefervation of life, and yet are capable of being difordered by the slightest accident, we ftand amazed at the continuance of our being, and fenfible how unable we are of ourfelves to fecure them from injury, and even to guard against the external annoyances to which we are expofed; we are led to acknowledge with the utmost lowlinefs, that it is through the Lord that we have been holden up ever fince we were born, and that he only can make us dwell in fafety. And this is the cafe not merely with refpect to our bodies, but the health and peace of our fouls alfo depend upon the fupport of God's providence. If we have ever feen the most melancholy fpectacle which human eyes can behold-one of our fellow creatures deprived of the due ufe of his reason, we shall not need any arguments to convince us how ineftimable a bleffing it is to poffefs a found mind, altho, like the bleffing

bleffing of bodily health, it be but little confidered by the generality of mankind. The fame in proportion is true of all the other faculties of our fouls; on God's fupport they all depend: were that withdrawn for a moment, confufion would enfue. But our gracious Father's goodness fhews itself alfo in the manner in which our being is continued to us.

THIS globe upon which we are placed, is furnished not only with things neceffary for our fupport, but with numberless comforts and delights; indeed there is scarce an object which ferves barely for use, and has not in fome degree the power of affording us pleafure: we feldom confider, perhaps, how much the goodness of God is manifeft in the pleasure which attends our taking in our daily food; in the prevalence of agreeable fmells over thofe which are difagreeable; of harmonious and sweet founds

on your minds, confirm your resolutions and animate your endeavours; by habitual and earnest private prayer, by the attentive reading of God's holy word, (applying what you read to yourselves) and by devout attendance upon the public offices of the church, and (with the affiftance of the divine grace which you thus will certainly receive) you will find the use of these means producing in your hearts continually a greater and a greater degree of the love of God.

SERMON

SERMON VI.

PSALM, ciii. V. 2.

PRAISE THE LORD! O MY SOUL, AND
FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS."

THERE is no quality in the human

character, which we more esteem than gratitude; nor do we confine ourselves to esteem only, but are strongly disposed to fhew, towards thofe in whom we find it, all poffible attention and kindness: on the contrary, ingratitude raises general abhorrence, and effectually prevents any fresh marks of our favor.