gard to Religion, Probity, and Purity of Manners, and to guard against Vice, Libertinifm, Profaneness, and Debauchery. This and this alone will make and preserve us a flourishing, a free, and happy People. God grant that this may be the Bleffing of these Nations to the latest Pofterity. Amen.

God's

God's providential Government with regard to particular Perfons confidered: And first, as extending to their Hearts and Thoughts.

DISCOURSE IX.

PSALM Xxxiii. 15.

He fafbioneth their Hearts alike.

T is of great Importance in Religion to have our Minds established in the firm Belief of the Providence of God, especially as exercised towards Mankind, whether fingly or collectively confidered.

Some Confiderations have been offered concerning God's providential Government, as refpecting Communities. Let us now proceed to confider it as extending to particular

Perfons. This hath a near Connection with the former; for there could be no proper Care taken of collective Bodies, if the particular Perfons of which they are composed were abfolutely neglected. To pretend that Providence doth not concern itself about Individuals, about their Actions, or the Events which befall them, would be to all the Purposes of Religion the fame Thing as to deny that there is a Providence at all; fince in that Cafe every Man would be left to do what is right in his own Eyes, without the Dread of a fupreme Governor and Judge. All the Arguments which have been brought to demonftrate a Providence in general, do also, if rightly confidered, prove that it extendeth its Care to particular Perfons. And indeed it is hard to conceive a Providence respecting reasonable Creatures, and yet not concerning itself with particular Perfons, Cafes, and Circumftances. And though it must be acknowledged to be an amazing Scheme, to make Provifion for all particular Perfons and Cases, without infringing the general Laws of Nature, or the Freedom of moral Agents, yet who will undertake to prove that this is impoffible, or even difficult, to an infinite Mind? That immenfe Being, whofe Effence poffeffeth every Part of this vaft Universe, is present

to

to every Individual of the human Race. It is in him that we all, from the highest to, the meanest, live and move, and have our Being. And if that most wife, holy, and abfolutely perfect Being, the great Ruler of the World, be always present to every Individual of the human Race, then every Individual of the human Race, and whatsoever relateth to each Individual, must be under his Inspection and Superintendency. And as his infinite Understanding hath a perfect Knowledge of all Things before they come to pass, it can be no Difficulty to him to form a Scheme of Things in his all-comprehending Mind, which fhall take in all the Cafes and Circumstances of particular Perfons, in fuch a Manner as is perfectly confiftent with the true Exercise of their rational and active Powers. And our not being able diftinctly to explain how this is done, is no juft Objection at all against it.

The Government of Divine Providence with regard to particular Perfons, may be confidered as extending to their Hearts and Thoughts, to their outward Actions, and to the Events which befall them.

I fhall diftinctly confider each of these. First, Let us confider God's providential Government as extending to the Hearts of Men.