is the most powerful incentive to every virtue.

Another mark of this divine principle, is a cheerful resignation to the wise and righteous Providence of God in all his dispensations. It must be acknowledged, that apparently unfortunate events, are often permitted to attend even the best of men in this world, which it is sometimes difficult, for the infirmity of human nature, to sustain. In this view, it is, that "the judgments of God are a great deep." It is our present condition, to "know but in part," and to see but one link of a chain which extends to infinity. But we have abundant evidence that a wise and good Providence is at the head of affairs, and that even those calamitous events which are permitted to take place here, are most wise and necessary parts of that great plan of operations by which God governs the world. The pious mind admits the full force of this sentiment, is assured that all is well ma

naged, and firmly persuaded that the seemingly partial evils here below, are real, universal good. He therefore silences every murmuring thought, restrains every uneasy sentiment, loses his will in the Divine counsels, and with humble, pious cheerfulness, supports himself with the rejoicing thought, that all is wise, righteous, and good. And why not submit, when infinite Benevolence chooses, infinite Wisdom directs, and infinite Power brings to pass whatever happens? When we consider that the greatest, the wisest, and the best of Beings, orders the whole series of events, how absolute should our submission, how entire should our confidence be! This is no more than a becoming loyalty of heart to the Governor of the universe; it strongly indicates the Love of God, and bespeaks a mind resting upon his Will.

The sum of the whole is this; that the Love of God and the love and practice of virtue is the same thing. To love

God, is to desire with all our hearts to please Him and we shall please Him if we use our utmost endeavours to obey his laws. Wherever this obedience is not found, men may talk what they please of an ardent love for the Supreme Being they love themselves, or the world much better. They may boast of zeal even to fury, in his service; it is nothing at all but self-delusion, or a wicked attempt to deceive others. To love God, is to love goodness, for God is goodness. If therefore to love goodness and to practise wickedness, is a contradiction; for the same reason, for one who is habitually wicked, to pretend to love God, is a contradiction also. As he only who doeth righteousness is righteous, so he only who doeth what is pleasing to God, is possessed of true Love for him.

LECTURE XLIII.

THE duty of Prayer next claims our at

tention.

Prayer is by far the most solemn act in which a human being can engage. It is an immediate address to the great Governor of the universe, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. It is an expression of all the feelings of a rational mind toward the Infinite, Eternal, Supreme, and All-perfect Mind; it is an expression of all the feelings of a dependent creature, towards his Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor; that Being from whom he has received all his present blessings, and to whom alone he looks for the gratification of all his hopes of future felicity. Although the word Prayer, is sometimes

restricted to that part of an address to God, which is called Petition, or an expression of our wishes respecting futurity; yet it is with propriety used (and it is in this sense that we shall now use it) to signify an address to God in general. It is, in one word, the intercourse of the soul with God. The aweful nature of this service might inspire a terror which would be overwhelming to the mind, if we were not taught by the Christian Revelation, to address this venerable Being under the endearing appellation of Our Father.

As the obligation to the duty of prayer is grounded on a belief of the Omnipresence of God, at least of his knowledge of our temper and conduct, and a sense of our dependence upon Him; it would appear to us that a savage or a heathen would not be capable of understanding or feeling this obligation; and yet very illiterate nations, in all ages of the world, have shown the existence