tle mortals like themselves? Is it not to be supposed that, as the essence of God is incomprehensible, so his operations would frequently be inscrutable to them? Is it not the height of folly, as well as of profane arrogance, for them to summon the AllWise to their tribunal, to judge him by their limited ideas, and to murmur or condemn him, if they cannot perfectly understand the wisdom or the goodness of his proceedings? Are we able certainly to tell the end which God proposes to himself in his mysterious dispensations? No; frequently what we suppose to be his ultimate design, is only a means which he employs for the attainment of some more important object. Are we able to assign the reasons of his procedure? To judge of the innumerable motives which can decide the Supreme Intelligence, we must evidently ourselves be omniscient. Can we know the effect which will be produced upon ourselves by his proceedings, and is the whole scheme of his government so developed to us that we can tell their effect on the whole system of beings? And besides the narrow limits of our knowledge, do not our corruption, our passions, our self-love, our attachment to earth, render us incompetent to be impartial judges of the rectitude or benevolence of many of the divine dispensations which relate to us? Ah! sink into thy nothingness, worm of the dust! Respect the darkness with which the Eternal surrounds his throne; and "when his judgments are unsearchable, and his ways past finding out," humbly bend and adore.

Let me add, that since we are in a state of probation, in which we must "walk by faith and not by sight," the wisdom of God requires him, in conformity with this condition in which he has placed us, often to

reason.

hide himself. If he never were incomprehensible in his proceedings, faith and trust in him would lose all their value. But it is the lustre of faith, and it glorifies God, to believe what we do not see, and thus elevate ourselves above the senses of a feeble Then we truly believe, when we approve the wisdom, the justice, and the mercy of God, even in those events which contradict our desires, and transcend our understanding; when we rest upon his goodness, and rely upon his aid in those very occurrences in which he seems most directly to oppose our hopes. Besides, the mysterious dispensations of God tend to excite in us submission and reverence, to humble our proud but limited reason, and to teach us how little we are in comparison with Jehovah.

2. We should suppose, then, even before looking around us in the world, that God, the Saviour of Israel, would frequently hide himself; that the proceedings of his providence would often be mysterious and little observation is necessary to convince us that this is actually the case. How often is "his way in the sea, and his path in the deep waters!" How many things occur, which we would suppose his tenderness and infinite love to his people would prevent, which yet are permitted by him.

Why does he suffer wickedness to prosper, and his church to languish? Why does he not heal the desolations of Zion, carry conviction to the hearts of the impenitent, cause the enemies of the cross to flee to it for safety, and gloriously revive his work in all places where his gospel is preached?

Why does he so often visit those children, whom he so tenderly loves, with calamity and distress;

now withdrawing from them the light of his countenance, and leaving them disconsolate and mournful; now causing their hearts to bleed by tearing their dearest friends and relatives from them; now laying them on the bed of sickness, or reducing them to poverty and want; when he might enable them always to rejoice in the Lord, and to live to a happy old age in the bosom of their family and connexions, surrounded by those enjoyments which he can so easily bestow?

Why does he carry to an early grave the child that promised so much usefulness; or cut off in the midst of his days him who was so beneficial to society; or remove the pillars of the house of God; while the profane and the impenitent are guarded by his providence?

In these, and ten thousand similar instances, we must cry with the apostle, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are thy judgments, and thy ways are past finding out." And with the prophet, "Verily thou art he that hidest thyself; O God of Israel, the Saviour!"

Yes! he is a Saviour God to Israel, that is, to all his real people; and he hides himself for this very end, that he may bring them to immortal glory. This is to be shown in the

Ild. Division of our discourse.

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Listen to the brief illustration of this cheering truth, ye children of affliction, who are also the children of Jesus, who are crying, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God," that your tears may be dried, and your griefs composed; that you may look up to your Father, not with an eye overflowing with sorrow, and a heart

agitated with apprehension, but with composure

and trust.

Though the dispensations of Providence towards you are inscrutable, believers, they have a certain connexion with your salvation. Can you doubt of this when you consider,

1. The attributes of God? His love you surely cannot question, when you recollect the numberless blessings he has bestowed upon you; when you remember that he gave the Son of his bosom to die for you, and his Spirit to renew you; when you look back to the precious communications of his grace which you have received from him, or forward to that crown of immortality which he reserves for you. His power you know is unlimited: he could have averted those strokes under which you groan. His guardian care is incessant: the "wakeful Shepherd of Israel" did not slumber, when those events were produced which are dark and inscrutable to you. And are you not satisfied that his wisdom is infinite; that none" can be his counsellor;" that he always uses the properest ends for the attainment of his designs?"Oh! thou of little faith, wherefore then dost thou doubt ?"

2. Remember too his precious promises. Do they not call upon you to trust in him in seasons when his dealings with you are mysterious, as well as when they are more plain? Do they not engage his support and love to you at those times when he says to you, "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter," as well as when the reasons of his conduct are more manifest? Are you in a situation in which that comprehensive declaration cannot be applied to you, "All things shall work together for good to them that love God?"

3. If still unconvinced that God hides himself in order to become your Saviour, look to experience: the experience of others and of yourselves. Peruse the history of those holy men whose lives are recorded in the Old Testament and the New. See the dangers and afflictions of the patriarchs, the thousand events which appeared absolutely to prevent the accomplishment of the promises made to them; God then hid himself. But these afflictions ceased, this darkness vanished, events were so arranged and combined, that those very circumstances which seemed to prohibit all hope, proved the means of the fulfilment of the promises; here was manifested the Saviour God. And thus it has been in all ages: thus it has been with you. Speak, believers; testify to the faithfulness of your God.

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This one will say, God removed from me my children, my friends, those on whom my heart leaned with fondest love; I thought as he had hid himself from me; but my soul was thus attracted to him; I was thus taught the vanity of earth; and desolate and bereaved of earthly joys, I looked up and found a Saviour God.'

That one will cry, God appeared hidden from me; his ways were mysterious; when he deprived me of those worldly possessions for which I had laboured for so many years; when he visited me with affliction or with sickness; but he is a Saviour God: I was thus led to seek durable, eternal riches; to look forward to that world where sorrow, or sighing, or sickness, will never come.

Let all thus review their past lives: and there are few believers who will not find scenes on which to pause, and repeat the language of the prophet.