established those natural Laws, appointed the Deviations from them, or that they should be over-ruled on fuch certain particular Occafions, whether brought about by the immediate Power of God, or by the Power of fubordinate Agents, which are Instruments in the Hand of God for this Purpose. If Things were always to go on without the leaft Variation in the ftated Course, Men would be apt to overlook or queftion a wife governing Providence, and to afcribe Things to a fixed immutable Fate, or blind Neceffity, which they call Nature. So the Scoffers, mentioned 2 Pet. iii. 4. were ready to conclude, that the Earth and the present State of Things would continue for ever without Alteration, because, as they pretended, fince the Fathers fell asleep, all Things continue as they were from the Beginning of the Creation. Whereas fuch Changes and extraordinary Operations and Appearances, tend to awaken in Mankind a Senfe of a fupreme Disposer and Governor of the World, and may anfwer important Ends, for difplaying God's Mercy and Justice, and for giving an Atteftation to the divine Miffion of those whom he feeth fit to fend on extraordinary Errands, for inftructing and reforming Mankind.

This Subject may furnish feveral ufeful Reflections.

First, What an awful Idea should this give us of the Greatnefs and Majefty of God, confidered as the Lord of Nature! The vast inanimate material World, the Extent of which no human Imagination is able to conceive, is under his Direction, and he employeth every Part of this unwieldy Mafs, as it pleaseth him, to subserve the wife Purposes of his Providence. How huge a Body is this terraqueous Globe; compared with which, the loftiest and most extended Mountains, the View of which is apt to strike us with Astonishment, are small and inconfiderable Things! And yet this Earth is but a very minute Part of this ftupendous material System, all of which is under the conftant Influence of the almighty univerfal Sovereign, moved, actuated, and guided according to his Will. He can, with the fame Eafe, continue Things in the fettled Course and Order, or alter and change the whole Frame of Nature, or any Part of it. This is often reprefented in Scripture in the strongest and most magnificent Expreffions, the more effectually to imprefs our Hearts with a facred Awe and Veneration of his infinite Majesty. He is wife in Heart, and mighty in Strength: who bath hardened himSelf against him, and hath profpered? Which removeth the Mountains, and they know not; which overturneth them in his Anger: Which

fbaketh

Shaketh the Earth out of her Place, and the Pillars thereof tremble: Which commandeth the Sun, and it rifeth not; and fealeth up the Stars: Which alone Spreadeth out the Heavens, and treadeth upon the Waves of the Sea. Job ix. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. He looketh to the Ends of the Earth, and feeth under the whole Heaven, to make the Weight for the Winds; and be weigheth the Waters by Meafure: And hath made a Decree for the Rain, and a Way for the Lightning of the Thunder. Chap. xxviii. 24, 25, 26. The Sea, that boisterous Element, is described, by a noble Figure, as in the Hand of God like an Infant bound in fwaddling Bands. Chap. xxxviii. 8,9. He is represented as having meted out Heaven with a Span, and comprehended the Duft of the Earth in a Meafure, and weighed the Mountains in Scales, and the Hills in a Balance. If. xl. 12. The Lord hath his Way in the Whirlwind, and in the Storm; and the Clouds are the Duft of his Feet. He rebuketh the Sea, and maketh it dry, and dryeth up the Rivers: Bahan languisheth, and Carmel, and the Flower of Lebanon languifheth. The Mountains quake at him, and the Hills melt. Nah. i. 3, 4, 5. He it is that commandeth the Morning, and caufeth the Day-Spring to know his Place. He can bind the fweet Influences of Pleiades, and loofe the Bands of Orion; and can bring forth Mazzaroth

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zaroth in his Seafon, and guide Ar&turus with his Sons: For he hath appointed the Ordinances of Heaven, and jet the Dominion thereof in the Earth. Job xxxviii. 12, 31, 32, 33. This prefent Course of Things dependeth wholly upon his Will, and shall continue while he feeth fit, and no longer; and then, when it hath answered the Defigns of his Providence, this vaft Frame, or at least that Part of it to which we are more nearly related, fhall be taken down, For the Day of the Lord cometh, in the which the Heavens fhall pass away with a great Noife, and the Elements shall melt with fervent Heat, the Earth alfo, and the Works that are therein, shall be burnt up. And this great Catastrophe of Nature shall be fucceeded by a new Face of Things, a new Heaven, and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth Righte¬ oufness. 2 Pet. iii. 10, 13. Surely when we confider all this, we fhould proftrate ourfelves before him, filled with the most adoring Thoughts of his incomprehenfible Majefty. How should fuch feeble Creatures as as we are be able to refift him, or stand before him when once he is angry? Shall not we ftand in Awe of his Power, and dread his Difpleasure, who can wield and manage the whole Course of Nature as he pleaseth?

But fecondly, God's fovereign Dominion over the whole material World may also let us

fee

fee what a proper Object he is of our steady Truft and Dependence. How happy fhall we be if our Help be in the Name of the Lord, who at first made, and still governeth Heaven and Earth, and hath this vaft univerfal Frame, and every Part of it, under his Direction, and at his Difpofal! What can we want, or of whom should we be afraid, if the Lord of Nature be our Friend? What a comforting Confideration is it to a good Man, that the whole Series of natural Caufes is in the Hand of God, directed and over-ruled by infinite Wisdom, Righteousness, and Goodness! Whofoever confidereth with Attention the State of Things, may easily observe a wife and benign Difpofition in the ordering and governing the inanimate material World, for the general Good of the vital, fenfitive, and rational Creation. It is made in numberless Ways fubfervient to the Enjoyments and Happiness even of the inferior Brute Animals, but especially of Mankind. And may we not then justly conclude, that he will upon the whole over-rule and order the Course of Things, for the Benefit of those who love and ferve him in Sincerity? And if, for the prefent, he frequently maketh use of these Things to chaften them. in this State of Trial and Difcipline, yet all fhall in the Iffue be fo ordered, as to contribute

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