may have a right to the tree of everlasting life, by being made partakers of those excellent things, which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived.* O brethren, brethren, if you have any interest in the soul's salvation, you will not slight the appointed means. If you have any generosity-if you have any gratitude, you will not harden your hearts to these powerful motives, nor shut your ears to his paternal voice, which still, in the full diapason of divine love, sounds forth the blessed assurance -He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst!+ Lord, ever more give us this bread, as we ascribe to Thee, in unity with the Father and the Holy Ghost, all honor, power, and salvation, for ever. Amen. * 1 Cor. ii. 9. + John vi. 35. LECTURE IV. ACTS VII. 11, 12. Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance. that there was corn in fathers first. But when Jacob heard Egypt, he sent out our VAIN is it for man to contend with God! As well may we strive to stay the uplifting tides, and arrest the orbs of Heaven in their bright career, as to disannul the determinations of his gracious will. No matter, what cunning we may employ-no matter, to what stratagems we may have recourse-however secret in council, and resolute in action, all is blank, and impotent to alter or impede the predestinated designs of Heaven. (It is hard to kick against the pricks); when man dares to lift his puny arm in proud rebellion against the King of Heaven, he smites with the fist of wickedness, and it returns upon his own head, for God maketh the wrath of man to praise him, and he is prompt to restrain it within permitted bounds. Wickedness can succeed no farther than he allows, and while it insures its perpetrator the certain retribution, it is oftentimes made the means of crowning virtue with ultimate reward. This is a high doctrine, which the human understanding cannot span, nor the mortal eye discern, but the Gospel hath clearly revealed, and the history of Joseph hath fully exemplified it. For his brethren sold him into Egypt, that they might defeat and falsify those dreams which they certainly understood to be prophetic of this exaltation, and thereby they became instrumental to their accomplishment. Yet, let it not be thought (no, not for a moment) that there was any irresistible impulse upon the bre |