turn, and survey our privileges, we shall be filled with holy raptures, and break out in songs of praise.

Family mercies call aloud for praise to God. We are blessed, perhaps, with agreeable partners in life; with affectionate and dutiful children; with honest and industrious servants; with a sufficiency of this world's good; with long continued health; and perhaps those who are nearest to us, love and obey God. When this is the case, what sweet peace we enjoy under our own roof! What harmony and love reign in a pious family! A family united both by the ties of nature and of grace, very much resembles the family of God in heaven. If we are not blessed with all these family mercies, yet we have many others which call aloud for praise and thanksgiving. The Lord provides for them; spares them when he might justly cut them off; strives with them by his grace; and has blessed them with the use of reason, the use of their limbs, and all the senses of the body. These favours, being common, are frequently overlooked; but piety quickens our sight, and enables us to discover our obligations to God in every manifestation of his love.

National blessings put us under obligations to praise the Lord. This was a common subject of praise amongst the pious Jews of former ages; and we owe as much to God, in this respect, as they ever did, even in the happiest periods of their history. We are indebted to God for protection from foreign foes, for a temperate climate, and a fertile soil: We are indebted to him for those laws, which protect our persons, property, and characters: And we are indebted to him for religious liberty, so that we can worship God according to the dictates of conscience, no man daring to make us afraid. Happy Britain! May thy sons bless the Lord, from generation to generation, till time shall be swallowed up in eternity!

II. HOW SHOULD WE PRAISE THE LORD?

In offering up praise, we should carefully avoid mere formality on the one hand, and hypocrisy on the other. This duty, with too many, is a mere form. They engage in it at certain seasons, appointed by the laws of their country, without entering at all into the spirit of praise. Others hypocritically draw nigh to God with their lips, while their hearts are far from him; and offer praise in words, without feeling gratitude in their hearts. That we may avoid these errors, let us praise the Lord in our hearts, with our lips, and in our lives.

The Lord should be praised in our hearts, by honourable thoughts, ardent love, and grateful expressions of his goodness and mercy. The mind can sing his praise without the use of words. He sees our grateful thoughts, and warm affections, as they spring up in the mind; and he hears the cheerful voice of the internal man. Praise in the heart, is a solemn transaction between God and the pious: No being hears it, but he who searches the heart; yet it goes up with acceptance, is pleasing to the Lord, and profitable to us. Encouraged by these considerations, let each of us say with the Psalmist, "Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, Ŏ my soul, and forget not all his benefits." Ps. ciii, 1, 2.

We should praise the Lord with our lips, in appropiate words, that our grateful feelings may be made known to men; saying with pious David, "His praise shall continually be in my mouth." We praise him with our mouth, when we speak honourably of his attributes, works, and ways; when we extol his government, his cause and his people. This we should do on all fit occasions; never being silent when we can express his praise with propriety. We also praise the Lord with our lips, when we sing hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs. Singing the praises of the Lord in a right frame, and with suitable dispositions, resembles the praise of the heavenly world. It is sweet beyond expression, helps devotion, quickens and revives the spirit, and raises the heart to things above. But this can only be said of the pious; for those who sing merely for the sake of pleasing sounds, lose all the subline pleasures of devotional singing.

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And we should praise the Lord in every action of our lives. Actions have a voice, and speak loudly to the sons of men. In this way we should show forth the praises of him who has created us anew in Christ Jesus. The work praises the workman; and we are the workmanship of God. The sun, moon, and stars, and every other part of creation, praise the Lord, by a glorious display of his wisdom, power, and goodness; and our lives, when regulated by his precepts, display his glory. "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye my disciples." John xv, 8. What are sentiments, however correct; what are feelings, however ecstatic, when unconnected with right conduct? They amount to nothing. But, when the heart, the tongue, and the life, sweetly harmonize, we praise the Lord in every possible way. One principle produces another; and if the first be right, those which follow cannot be wrong. The heart opens the lips, regulates the life, and promotes, in all things, the glory of the Lord.

III. WHEN SHOULD WE PRAISE THE LORD?

That we should praise the Lord, in seasons of prosperity, will not admit of a doubt. In the vigour of youth, in the bloom of health, and in the height of temporal prosperity, let us not forget this high and important duty. When he smiles; when peace and joy overflow our hearts; and when we enjoy all the solid comforts of religion, let us praise the Lord. Our prosperity, both in temporal and spiritual things, is of the Lord; and it is a reasonable and fit thing, to give him all the glory. "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with his benefits, even the God of our salvation." Ps. lxviii, 19.

But we should also praise the Lord in adversity. We may, for wise reasons, be brought into a pure state of poverty and want; but, even then, with pious Habakkuk, we should rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of our salvation. "Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields 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." Hab. iii, 17, 18. Affliction, when improved by a Christian temper, weans our affections from the world, purifies and refines our hearts, and excites ardent desires after a

better country. Viewed in this light, afflictions are blessings; and all our sufferings furnish matter of praise to the Lord.

Even in death we should praise the Lord; for death is a necessary passage to eternal life. The passage may be dark and gloomy; but, when we pass through it, the light of the Lord will direct our steps, and the power of the Lord will uphold and support us. O, how happy, to end this short life in the praises of our God! When the sound of praise expires in death, our happy spirits mount up to the throne of God, and enter upon eternal songs of praise! How delightful is such a passage, from a world of sin and sorrow, to a world of purity and joy! Who would not wish to die in such a frame as this? Ye proud infidels, ye covetous worldlings, ye sons of pleasure, come and see the good man die! The happiness of his last moments far exceeds that of your whole lives. He dies praising God; but, if you remain in your present state, how will you die? Let us now consider,

IV. THE GOOD WHICH WILL RESULT FROM OUR IMPERFECT PRAISES. By offering up the sacrifice of praise, we please the Lord. This is beautifully expressed in the following passage: "I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs." Ps. lxix, 30, 31. Men are pleased with praise, because it feeds their vanity; but God is pleased, because it promotes the happiness of his creatures. He knows perfectly, that those views of himself which excite praise, are sources of pure pleasure to all his children.

A disposition to praise the Lord, lessens the sufferings of a good man. A murmuring temper sharpens the edge of affliction; but a thankful temper blunts its edge. All the men on earth, all the devils in hell, closely combined, cannot make that man unhappy, who has a heart disposed to praise the Lord. This is the joy of heaven begun on earth. It is an exalted employment: It is the employment of all the bright celestial spirits in the upper world. And what can make us unhappy, while we join the grand chorus of Jehovah's praise? Paul and Silas, in a dark prison at Philippi, beaten with stripes, and set fast in the stocks, were happier than kings in their palaces; for they were employed in prayer, and they "sang praises unto God." Acts xvi, 25.

Those who praise the Lord, promote the prosperity of religion. She then appears in her loveliest dress. If professors are filled with murmurs and complaints, what will men think of God and religion? But when they hear the voice of cheerful praise, they are invited to draw near; they reflect; they renounce the gloomy service of the devil; and they joyfully enter into the service of the Lord. May "kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: Both young men and maidens; old men and children; praise the name of the Lord." Ps. cxlviii, 11-13. Amen.

SERMON L.

SECRET THINGS BELONG UNTO THE LORD.

The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: But those things which are revealed belong unto us and our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. DEUTERONOMY xxix, 29.

USEFUL knowledge, like hidden treasure in a field, cannot be purchased at too high a price. In this world of darkness and misery, it is the guide, consolation, and support of man: It opens the way to substantial happiness, extensive usefulness, and high reputation. But there is a vain and useless knowledge, which only dazzles the eye, excites curiosity, and feeds presumption. Therefore, while we steadily pursue useful knowledge, let us carefully guard against vain curiosity; not presuming to pry into those secret things which "belong unto the Lord our God." That this may be the case, let us inquire into those secret things which belong unto the Lord our God; and then point out the revealed things, which belong unto us and unto our children.

I. THE SECRET THINGS WHICH BELONG UNTO THE LORD our God. The perfections of the Divine nature, are secret things which belong unto the Lord our God. His being is fully revealed; but his attributes, in their vast extent, never were, nor ever can be, made known to any of his creatures. It would require an infinite mind to comprehend infinity: Hence it clearly follows, that God only knows the absolute perfections of his own nature. He has not told us how he existed from all eternity; how his Son was begotten; how the Holy Ghost proceeded; or how these three are ONE. Who can understand the vast extent of his wisdom, power, and presence? Our views of his purity, justice, mercy, and love, are limited in very narrow bounds. Blessed be his name, we may know what is necessary to be known. The rest we leave, humbly adoring, and deeply reverencing him, as the incomprehensible Jehovah.

Creation, in its vast extent, is a secret thing which belongs unto the Lord our God. There may be, for aught we know to the contrary, millions of worlds far more glorious than ours; and, in those worlds, there may be millions of rational beings, widely different from the human race. Many worlds, in the vast universe, may have been destroyed; and many more, quite different from any that have yet existed, may be created in future ages. Who dare presume to limit the wisdom and power of God? Who dare say to the Creator, Thy work is finished. After this world had been created, God rested from all his work; but it does not follow that he would never work again. A calm survey of those works which are visible to us, produces wonder and astonishment; how wonderful then, and astonishing, are his works in boundless space! But, even the earth which we inhabit, is full of wonders! Innumerable

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effects appear, which we cannot trace to their proper causes. a fly, a flower, present insurmountable difficulties to the eye of investigation; and loudly proclaim the wisdom of God, and the ignorance of man.

God, who made the world, has not left it to chance, but wisely governs it from age to age. Every particle of matter is under his eye Men, and all other creatures of every description, are under his govern ment. But who can declare all his ways? Who can fathom the depth of his plans? He has neither fully made known to us the reasons why the wicked prosper in the earth; nor why the pious suffer adversity. Who can account for the great variety of outward situations in which men are placed? One struggles with poverty and want; while another, perhaps less deserving, enjoys a large portion of wealth and affluence. The lot of one is cast in burning regions with savage tribes; another spends his days in the dark and dreary regions of the frigid zones; while a third lives in a temperate and pleasing climate, surrounded with every blessing that nature can bestow. Again, some are favoured with Gospel day, while others remain in the darkness of pagan night. The premature death of some wise and good men, and the protracted lives of some who are neither wise nor good, is another mystery in the Divine government. Wars, pestilence, and famine, in many instances, are awful but mysterious visitations. The bold and presumptuous may pry into these things; but the humble and the prudent leave them unto the Lord.

Are not many of the eternal purposes of God, respecting this lower world, profound secrets, which the human mind cannot penetrate? If so, to pry into them, as some have presumed to do, must be vain and useless. We must suppose, that God has had purposes, and has made decrees; but his purposes and decrees are worthy of himself, and, when fully revealed, will reflect everlasting honours on his name. The end of time will develope all his plans and purposes relating to the human In the mean time, let us not perplex ourselves with subjects so profoundly deep. If we think at all upon his eternal decrees, let our thoughts be guided by plain revelation. Had men followed that unerring guide from the beginning, little would have been thought, and less would have been said, on the subject of absolute election and reprobation.

There are many mysteries in the mediatorial undertakings of Christ, which are only known to God. It is clearly revealed, that he saw fit to redeem the world by his Son; but who can assign a satisfactory reason why he did so? Can any one state the reasons why Divine justice demanded innocent blood as the price of human redemption? Or why that blood must be the blood of God? Acts xx, 28. To deny this truth, would clash with revelation; to attempt a full explication, would argue uncommon presumption. That no one on earth could be ac cepted; but, that the Son of God, who made the world, must quit his heavenly throne; be clothed with a human body; and die on a cross, to redeem and save a ruined world, are deep mysteries, which we shall never understand on this side eternity. We know the work was done by a fit person; and we know he is still engaged for us in the courts above