centre in one sovereign purpose! The great end of Creation and Providence and Grace is God's own glory. This will be made manifest at the grand consummation. But in nothing will this more shine than when it shall appear that the voluntary, and even the wicked acts of innumerable creatures, all concur in the accomplishment of God's purposes; and that in proportion as man's way has not been in himself, in the same proportion has the magnificent plan been carried to completion.

There is a wonderful display of wisdom and power in material nature; and if we regard each star, even in the milky way, as the centre of a system, we are overwhelmed with the consideration of so many orbs, all moving agreeably to a uniform law, and circling their respective courses for ages without confusion. Yet still more astonishing, and still more glorious will it be, when at the last it shall appear, that of the millions of redeemed souls, each has been the free originator of thoughts and volitions; that these have flowed from each in a perpetual stream; that they have conflicted with one another, and conflicted with the preceptive will of God; that, nevertheless, all have contributed to the happiness of the saved world, and the glory of the Almighty. Then shall be heard the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints."

THE OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD A GROUND

OF ENLARGED CHRISTIAN

EXPECTATION.

IV.

IF any are dissatisfied with the Christian religion,

it is because of their own ignorance or perverseness. It is impossible to conceive of any higher good, than that which the Gospel offers to every human being who hears it. Nothing has so revealed the capacities of the soul, as Christianity; all the speculations of antiquity are trifling in comparison: and these capacities seem to be revealed for the very purpose of exalting our delightful expectations, as to their being filled. When Christianity would lay a foundation for our hopes, it does not build on any doubtful analogies, but digs deep, and shows us the solid rock of God's infinite perfections; saying, as it were, If you would know what you shall receive, think what God is-how great and how good. "All is yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's." And we have endeavoured to set this forth, from the beginning, as the true ground of all rational comfort in religion. For if our distresses and trials do not drive us to seek support in the attributes of God, they do not afford us any benefit. The ground of all our hopes is God's love, manifested to the world in the gift of his only begotten Son. From this

source we cannot expect too much. Hence you will uniformly observe, that those who dwell most on the person and work of Christ, have the brightest prospects of future blessedness. And the apostle Paul uses a fervent prayer, that those to whom he wrote, might attain to the knowledge of this love of Christ, by means of which they would learn the riches of their destined inheritance.

The apostle Paul breaks forth in a mingled doxology and prayer, when writing to the Ephesians: "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." God is thus able; and thus his omnipotence is a ground of consolation.

I. God's omnipotence and grace, authorize us to expect from him blessings beyond our comprehension. The little child takes a pleasure in learning its father's riches, because it knows that this is all for its own advantage, and it never dreams of the parent's being restrained from giving by any thing but want of means. In like manner the Christian who has any right views of God as a Father, and of his relation to God, only needs to be informed that God is Almighty to be assured that he will bestow all good. Hence meditation on the omnipotence of God is greatly edifying, not only as it raises us to high thoughts of the adorable divine character, but as it assures us of the infinite sufficiency there is in him. To say that God is able, is to say that he is willing. This method of proceeding from his disposition to his nature, from his goodness to his