great ignorance and superstition-we must admire the divine wisdom and goodness, and say, Marvellous are thy works, O King of saints.

But if God has done so many marvellous works to make known his will to men, some will ask, Why has he not made it known universally ?-If revelation is so important, as from these works it seems to be, Why has it, in all ages, been so partial?

But, What is that to you? God has granted you this privilege; see that you improve it. If others are not favoured as highly, this cannot justify your neglect. Adopt the language and sentiment of the blessed Redeemer, when he rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that, though thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, thou hast revealed them to babes.

Is Revelation less useful to you, because there are many who have not known it? Or, Will you be excusable in your contempt of it, because you have been preferred to them? No : He who knows his Lord's will, and does it not, will be beaten with many stripes.

Will you question the truth of Revelation, because it is confined to a part of our fallen race? As well might you question the reality of human reason, because some are destitute of this; and among those who enjoy it, some possess it in amuch higher degree than others. Remember that God is sovereign in the distribution of his favours, and divides them among his creatures severally as he will. His works are marvellous and unsearchable. Infinite wisdom doubtless sees sufficient reasons, why some, rather than others, enjoy Revelation, though these reasons are not obvious to us.

Perhaps the partiality of Revelation is more owing to men's own fault, than is generally imagined. There are few nations, but what have heard of the

gospel. Were there among mankind the same solicitude to acquire, and to spread the knowledge of religion, as to improve arts and commerce, the gospel would be far more generally known. Many nations, now in a state of ignorance, once enjoyed Revelation, but have put it from them; and the infidelity of one generation has entailed ignorance on those which succeeded; as we see, in a Christian land, the impiety of the father often corrupts and destroys the children.

After all, it must be remembered, that God will finally judge all men according to the talents which they have received. To whom he has committed much, of them he will ask the more.

Some perhaps will be curious to know, Whether they, who enjoy not the gospel, can be saved? But such curious questions need no answer, because they, in no respect, concern us. The Judge of all the earth will do right. That God who has given a Revelation, can, in such ways as he pleases, communicate himself to those who seek after him; for great and marvellous are his works.

There is another question more important, and more easily answered, Whether we who enjoy the gospel, can be saved, if we live in opposition to it? This is a question which the gospel has decided. They who put the word of God from them, judge themselves unworthy of eternal life. Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish. To such a question the same answer is to be given, as our Saviour, gave to one who asked him a similar questionWhether few should be saved ? Strive to enter in at the strait gate. Be not curious to know, how it will fare with others. Be solicitous for yourselves. Work out your own salvation; for many who enjoy the offers and means of salvation, will, through their own neglect, perish, and be lost forever.

SERMON X.

The Works of God, as King of Saints, great and marvellous.

REVELATION xv. g.

Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

GOD is here acknowledged in the charac

ter of King of saints. And his works, as King of saints, are called great and marvellous.

These works of God we are humbly attempting to illustrate.

We have shewn,

I. That the work of redemption, which God has wrought, and in which the saints are peculiarly interested, is a marvellous work.

II. That the various revelations, by which God has brought the saints, in the several ages of the world, to the knowledge of this redemption, are also marvellous.

I proceed now to a farther illustration of this grand and solemn theme.

III. The dispensations of God's providence toward the church, in correcting and punishing her for her declensions, and in delivering her out of dangers and afflictions, are great and marvellous.

These are the works, to which our text especially refers. When John saw the seven angels, having the seven vials of plagues, which were last to be poured on the earth, before the commencement of the glorious state of the church, then he heard the saints, who had gotten the 'victory over their enemies, singing this song-Just and true are thy ways-great and marvellous are thy works, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear and glorify thy name? For thou only art holy. All nations shall worship before thee; for thy judgements are made manifest.

The church has, in all ages, been the object of God's peculiar care. Amidst all the revolutions, and all the corruptions, which have been in the world, this has been supported, and in it the knowledge of the true religion has been preserved.

When all flesh had corrupted God's way on the earth, Noah was found righteous; and he, with his household, was saved in that general deluge, which destroyed the rest of the human race.

Afterward, when idolatry had almost overspread the world, Abraham was called forth from among his kindred, that in his family the worship of the true God might be maintained. His posterity, when they were exposed to extinction by a famine, were miraculously preserved by a call to settle in Egypt. Here, for several generations, they were kept a distinct people, and then delivered by a mighty hand, and formed into a national and ecclesiastical state in the land of Canaan.

With a view to the maintenance of religion, God, for several hundreds of years, supported and defended this people, to whom he had committed his oracles; while other nations were destroyed, and the remembrance of them blotted out from under heaven.

When their iniquities were grown so great, that God gave them up to the power of the king of Baby

lon, still they were the objects of his providential care. While other captivated nations were lost among their conquering enemies, the Jews remained distinct; and, after a captivity of seventy years, were restored to their country, and reinstated in their privileges.

To make way for their return, a surprising revolution takes place in Babylon. This monarchy, which had long been the scourge and terror of other nations, becomes subject to the Persian power; and Cyrus, a just and benevolent prince, being exalted to the throne, proclaims liberty to the Jews, and encourages and assists them in rebuilding their ancient city and temple. Amidst all the changes of the great empires of the world, this small people were strangely preserved. And though they were always hated, and often conquered, they were never totally destroyed.

No reason can be assigned, why they were thus distinguished, but because God would not blot out the knowledge of the true religion from the world, nor take from them his kingdom, until the time was come, when it should be given to other nations.

No less remarkable have been the dealings of Providence toward the Christian church.

The religion of Jesus was first preached by a small number of Apostles, who had nothing to recommend them, but the simplicity of their manners, the reasonableness of their doctrines, and the evidence of their miracles; while they were every where opposed by all the prejudices and powers of the world. But yet, under their ministry, the word of God mightily grew and prevailed. In a few years it spread over a great part of the then known world. Christian churches were planted in almost every province of the Roman empire: Yea, in the city of Rome itself, the seat of the empire,