at a venture, may be reckoned a pure accident, yet this contin gency was known to God, and foretold before the king entered into the battle. There never was a more accidental or unlikely event, than the advancement of Joseph, from a state of the deepest ignominy, to an high degree of exaltation and honor in the Egyptian court-yet the all comprehending knowledge of God, predicted it many years before it happened. What could be more improbable, or contingent to created minds, than the hurling the proud, the powerful, and haughty Nebuchadnezar from his throne, and when he was reduced to the most abject and forlorn condition of depression, to be raised again to authority and glory, far beyond his former splendor? Behold this eminent Chaldean monarch, banished to run wild in the fields with the common crouds of lu natics; was there not a humane heart in his extensive dominions, to afford him the hand of charitable care? And when in this melancholy state, covered with rags, browzing with the ox, his hair rigid like eagle's feathers, and his nails protracted like bird's claws; who could expect this dismal figure would be again set on the exalted and splendid throne of Babylon? Yet such surprisingly accidental, contingent and unlikely events, were all perfectly in the view of the omniscient Jehovah, and predicted by him with the most accurate precision. Thus, "All things are "naked and open to the eyes of him, with whom we have to do." Hence, each one may adopt the language of the Psalmist, and say, "Thou knowest my down sitting, and my up rising; thou "understandest my thoughts afar off; thou compassest my path "and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways; for "there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou know"est it altogether. Yea, he is perfect in knowledge, and his "understanding is infinite. Hell is naked before him, and de"struction hath no covering.. Darkness hideth not from him, "but the night shineth as the day, the darkness and the light are & both alike to him."

Do not all these things demonstrate the ineffable greatness

God. "He is higher than the heavens, what canst thou do? "Deeper than hell, what canst thou know?" He is incircumscribable, incomprehensible, and unlimited in all his attributes, infinity, eternity, omnipotence, immensity, omniscience, immu tability, and omnipresence; therefore, our hearts and mouths should be filled with praises, and from the overflowing fulness of our souls cry out, "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be fear"ed, and his greatness is unsearchable.”

I proceed now some instructive improvement of this subject.

First, When we contemplate a theme so sublime, as the greatness of God, how should this fill us with humiliating and selfabasing views of ourselves? What is man, under a proper sense and proper apprehensions of Jehovah? He is nothing, and less than nothing and vanity. "Behold the nations are as a drop of

a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the ballance; “behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Le"banon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient "for a burnt offering. All nations are before him as nothing; "and they are counted to him less than nothing." What can be more inconsiderable than the drop from a bucket? What more contemptible than a particle of dust in the ballance, which is blown off by the slender breath of the mouth; yet great and whole nations are before God inferior to these trivial things.— What then must an individual man be in the presence of his Maker? He is incalculably less than a drop of water, or a particle of trifling dust. How should this humble us in the deepest abasement, before the mighty God of heaven? Especially when we reflect that we, who are but dust and ashes, have rebelled against this supremely great and terrible Jehovah? Let us expel pride, vanity, and folly from our hearts, and think soberly, humbly, and meanly of ourselves, as we ought to think. Let us prostrate ourselves in the lowest penitential humiliation before God, and not only exclaim, we are less than nothing, but in all the sensible

feelings of brokenness of heart, acknowledge, saying, "Behold we are vile."

Secondly, From the infinitude and eternity of the unsearchable greatness of God, we should be taught to magnify and exalt him. with all the faculties of our souls. The greatness of our Creator, should awaken in us a magnanimity of mind; a magnanimity in our thoughts, desires, devotions, affections, and in all our deportment and conversation. Our desires ought to be so insatiable, that nothing but this infinite God can satisfy them; our affections so sublimated, that nothing but the eternal Jehovah can gratify them. How should we feel a superior disdain of all earthly things as forever incapable of giving felicity to a creature formed for immortality? Seeing we are made with capacities for the fruition of an eternal God, "let us not be looking at the things "which are seen and temporal, but at the things which are un"seen and eternal." Let nothing but this great, infinite, and eternal Jehovah, form a satisfaction and happiness for our souls, created for an interminable duration. Let us enter into the holy experiences of David, who in the magnanimity of his mind, said

My soul thirsteth for thee, to see thy power and thy glory. As "the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul af"ter thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living "God." Here are longings, breathings, desires, and experiences proper for an immortal soul towards a God eternally great.

Thirdly, Do the almighty power and unchangeableness of God display his marvelous greatness. How should these tremendous attributes strike terror into the sons of iniquity? Who knoweth the power of his anger and unchangeable wrath? It is an awful thing, to fall into the hands of the mighty God. He is immutable in his threatnings, omnipotent in his vengeance; he is the great and terrible God, and where is the hardy sinner that can stand before him? He exhibited a little of his splendid power in thunders, lightnings, and burnings on Mount Sinai to Moses, his ancient favorite, and with whom he spoke face to face, as

with his friend, yet this man of God said, "I exceedingly fear and quake." If this was the state of this good man, what must be the condition of the unrighteous, and finally impenitent, when this omnipotent and unchangeable Jehovah, shall make known. the whole power of his wrath, in their eternal destruction? Could his almighty arm in a moment bring worlds into existence, and can poor guilty man, who is feeble and crushed as the moth, dare to entertain the proud thought of sustaining, withstanding, or vanquishing his irresistable power? "Hast thou, O sinner, an (( arm like God, or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?" Remember, O impenitent sinner, "God's power and his wrath is "against all them that forsake him. Who can stand before his. "indignation, or abide in the fierceness of his anger?" Wherefore, O sinners, be intreated to change your minds, humble yourselves, and turn to this immutable God. You must change and, turn to him, or he will never change or turn to you. "Let the "wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; "and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon. "him-and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

Fourthly, The divine immensity, omniscience, and omnipresence of God, while they manifest his inconceivable greatness, administer lessons of the highest instruction in holiness to the children of men. Is God continually present with us, and is he intimately acquainted with all our thoughts, how holy should we be in heart, and in all our conversation? How watchful and careful, that no vain thoughts arise within us, and that we never, grant indulgence to any sin? Is God infinite in knowledge? Then let us seek to be renewed in knowledge after his image. Is he continually present with us, at all times and in all places? What encouragement does it afford for the duty of payer? We should, therefore, pray with all prayer and fervency. This doctrine should fill us with a solemn reverence, and an holy awe at all sea、 sons. Let us set the Lord always before us. He filleth all heaven and earth with his presence. He is all ja all. How should

this subject support and comfort the children of God? He is per fectly acquainted with all your difficulties and all your wants.

And your Eather which seeth in secret, will reward you open"ly." Now to the king immortal, invisible, omnipotent, immutable, omniscient and omnipresent, be ascribed all glory, honor, dominion and greatness, forever and ever. Amen.