is only an entrance into mifery, pain, and forrow; where, it may be asked, is the advantage; where is the bleffing conferred on us by our creation? And it may be still farther obferved, that the more minutely we examine into the ftate and circumftances of man in this world, the more reafon we difcover, to regard it as our misfortune, and not our felicity, that we have received our being. For the prospect of human life never appears fo difgufting, as when we take a near view of it; because then we perceive, that what before we deemed the most inviting fcenes, are all delufive, and that their feeming beauty, is but real deformity. Thus many perhaps will be ready to argue, and thus to represent our cafe, and to delineate our condition; but admitting the picture to be really juft, and no feature exaggerated; yet nothing is more certain than that our creation, if we are not extremely wanting to ourselves, will ultimately prove, as it was originally intended, an invaluable benefit.

BUT then we are not to form our estimate of this benefit, from the very imperfect view of our existence, which we are able to take on this fide of the grave. It is as prefumptuous

fumptuous as it is unjuft, to conclude, that, because we find ourselves wretched in this tranfitory ftate, it is better that we had never been born; especially when we have every reasonable affurance, that thefe light afflictions, which we now fuffer, will finally work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. In this world we are only pilgrims and ftrangers, who are daily travelling to their everlasting home; if, therefore, in our present fituation, we are but ill accommodated, it cannot be any juft matter of furprise or complaint. For it is the common fate of travellers in general, to be liable to many difficulties, dangers, and inconveniencies. Indeed had our existence been limited to our prefent ftate, and we had nothing to expect beyond it, we should then have been able to form a more competent judgment. But as the present stage is only, as it were, a prelude to our real existence, our prefent determinations can, by no means, be decifive. The most we can pretend to fay, if we are to judge wholly from our own experience, is, that if we are never to arrive at a happier condition, than any we have as yet known, we cannot help wishing that we had never been created. But formally to pronounce,

pronounce, from fo inadequate an evidence, upon the merits of the question in it's utmost latitude, is a proof indeed of our rafhness and folly, but of nothing more. It would have been just as reasonable for the Ifraelites to judge of the fertility of Canaan, from the afperity of the intermediate road, as for us to judge of the state invifible, from the difficulties that occur in our paffage to it. And it is only from the nature of this ftate, that a right estimate can be formed, of the beatitude or infelicity of our having received our being. And in this, we are expressly told by him that made us, fuch elevated joys and exalted happiness await all those, who live agreeably to his precepts, as far exceed all human comprehenfion. For eye hath not Seen, nor ear beard; neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love kim.

ANOTHER very important benefit, which we daily experience at the hand of Gon, is our preservation. That we are all, every instant, exposed to numberless perils, we can, none of us, be infenfible. Whether we are at rest or in motion, whether afleep or awake, whether

whether at home or abroad, a thoufand dangers continually beset us. All the elements are replete with death; and we have no lefs to apprehend from things inanimate, than from those which are endued with life. The peftilence by which millions perish, rides, though unseen, upon the wings of the wind; and we know not, any of us, but the next breath we draw, may prove our deftruction. But though we had nothing to fear from dangers invifible, there are multitudes that we can perceive, which threaten us every moment. And what are we, that we fhould hope to resist their affault by any efforts of our own? By what caution can we elude it; or by what ftratagem divert it's force? What skill, what dexterity of man, is equal to the task? Or who is endued with that might and strength, that can support the ftroke, when it falls? How feeble, how impotent, when actually affailed, is the ftouteft among mortals! Nothing indeed is more evident than the inefficacy of all human means to procure for us a moment's fafety. To what then are we to impute our continual prefervation; and our frequent deliverance, even when there appears fcarcely a poffibility of it? Shall we afcribe it wholly to blind chance, to the influence of

the

the stars, or to the agency of friendly Demons? What then is chance, but a word without a meaning? For what proof is there, that even the smallest incident is the effect of mere chance? It is certainly no article of a Christian's creed, and an Infidel cannot maintain it. But are the ftars the guardians of the fons of men? Can they afflict or relieve, protect or destroy them at pleasure? Or can they interpose their influence in any one instance, beyond their natural and stated sphere? Can they even difpenfe one ray of light, to regions they were not deftined to illuminate? Or are they not themselves evidently impelled by neceffity, and fubjected to laws which they cannot tranfgrefs? If therefore they fight in their courfes, it is only at the command of their maker. And, as to the agency of demons, it is not true in fact that any one action, that was ever exhibited on the theatre of the world, could juftly be. afcribed to them, unless confidered as acting by the permiffion, at least, if not by the exprefs direction of a Divine Being. From thefe therefore no aid, no fupport or affiftance can be hoped for; nor indeed is there any other being, who can fuccour us in the hour of dif trefs, but the fupreme GOD. For he only is

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