his power and grace. We could as easily form a new world, as we could form the new creature in our own bosoms : " He that must work us to this self-same thing, is Godf." In its rise, its progress, and its consummation, no other hand can be seen but His. Nor is good alone to be traced to him ; for he is, so far as •permission goes, the author of evil also. Moral evil indeed cannot be ascribed to him, any further than as per- mitting it for wise and gracious ends : but penal evil, in what- ever way it comes, and from whatever hand it proceeds, may be referred to him, as its proper author. The Sabeans and Chaldeans destroyed the property of Job ; yet Job regarded them only as instruments in God's hands, and received the visitation precisely as if it had proceeded from God himself, without the intervention of any secondary caused Thus must we also do : for " there is not either good or evil in the city, but the Lord hath done ith."]
3. The End of all—
[God in every thing seeks his own glory, and from every thing will assuredly bring glory to himself. From the fall of man, from the very crucifixion of Christ himself, has his glory been educed: but never has he designed that man should glory1. Be it so, then, that you are enjoying salvation in all its fulness: you must, to the latest hour of your life, say, " Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name, be the praisek" ]
A just view of the two former points will prepare us for,
III. His appropriate acknowledgment —
To God he gives the glory. And who amongst us will not cordially add his "Amen?"
We must do it upon earth —
[Our hearts should be duly sensible of our obligations to him, whether for temporal or spiritual blessings. To whom can we ascribe it, that we were brought into the world in a Christian land, where the light of revelation shines ; and not in the midst of heathen darkness ? To whom do we owe it, that we were made to hear the glad tidings of salvation, which are so faintly proclaimed even by the established messengers of Christ; and that we were enabled to receive them into our hearts, when so many pour contempt upon them, as of no value? Surely, " it is God who has made you to differ;" and to him must you ascribe all the praise.]
f 2 Cor. v. 5. e Job i. 21. h Amos iii. 6.
1 1 Cor. i. 29. k Ps. cxv. 1.