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Meditations on the Providence of GoD in refpe&t to Natural Events, and the Difafters incident to Nature.

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LL that happens in the sky, earth, fea, or air, is according to the laws prescribed by the CREATOR. But it would be abfurd not to acknowledge a particular providence of God, which directs natural things, and makes them concur with his views. He makes ufe of natural caufes to chaftife or reward mankind; and it is thus, for example, that by his command the air corrupts or purifies, and the feafons are fruitful or barren. He prevents, or he affifts the defigns of man, fometimes by winds or forms, fometimes by the flux and reflux of the fea. It is true, that God does not interrupt, in general, the course of nature; but it is no less certain, that nature cannot act forcibly without his affiftance and concurrence. The parts of which the vifible world is compofed, have not the faculty to make use of their strength as they please. In the mean time, God can influence his creatures without interrupting the courfe of nature. Fire, water, wind, and rain, have their natural caufes and particular virtues; but God makes use of them in a manner adapted to their nature, in order to fulfil his views. He makes ufe of the fun to warm the earth, and to render it fruitful. He employs the rain and wind to purify and cool the air; but it is always in the manner and degree that beft fuits his defigns.

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A great part of the bleffings and evils of this life proceed from the objects around us. Now, as God interefts himself in all which happens to mankind, he muft neceffarily direct those objects, and influence all nature. On this is founded the rewards and punishments of virtue and vice. He gives peace and profperity to crown the one, and fends when he pleafes famine and plague to punish the other. In a word, all natural causes are in the hand of God, and are immediately under the guidance of his providence. Men themselves may furnish an example of this. How often does their induftry triumph over nature? They cannot indeed change the nature of things, but they can make ufe of natural causes so as to produce effects from them, which would not have taken place without the art and direction of man. Now, if God has in fome measure fubjected natural caufes to human industry, with how much more reafon may he referve to himfelf the government and direction of them. We may from hence conclude how neceffary it is, that a particular providence should watch over the guidance of the world.

Natural caufes are certainly excellent inftruments; but, in order to make them ufeful, they ought to be in the hands of a wife Being. It would be unreasonable to with that God fhould every moment change the laws of nature once established; that, for VOL. XIX, October, 1796.

example,

upon us.

example, if we fall into the fire or into water, we should not be confumed or drowned. Neither is divine Providence obliged to preferve us, if we fhorten our lives through intemperance, For God is not obliged to work miracles to fave men from miffortunes drawn upon themfelves by their own irregularities. It is our duty to atribute to providence all those particular and beneficent difpenfations which relieve our wants and reftore our hearts to peace: But all the disorders of nature are at the fame time effects of God's anger, which ferve to punish mankind. On this truth we found our prayers for the heavenly benediction, and our thanksgivings for all the bleffings which God beftows Nature contains within itfelf the fources of cruel devaftations. How much mischief is occafioned by the overflowing of rivers, too heavy rains, the melting of fnow and ice; Whole villages overflowed, fruit trees torn up by the roots, crops of corn laid under water, flocks destroyed. All these are fad monuments of the deftructive power of the elements. A Shipwreck appears to be a lefs fatal difafter; but a whole commonwealth might have been produced from the men that the fea has fwallowed up. Immenfe fums which required ages perhaps to collect, are loft in a moment. Whole families are ruined by. one fhipwreck. The very fight of the ftormy fea, the lamentable cries of the dying people, the crush of the fhip when it splits, what terror must it not ftrike? What calamities proceed alfo from the exceflive Heat and long Drought? The grass and the plants wither, the earth is dried up, and we are fifled with the burning fand. The waters gradually corrupt, and become a poifon to the flocks. Heat and putrefaction likewife breed infects. prodigioufly. They deftroy every thing, they devour the country; and if they die to-day, another generation appears to-morrow. The horrid companion of death, Famine, comes next, and is followed by the plague. One fingle bad year, a war, an infectious. What confufion, what dediforder, may caufe all these evils. ftruction the earthquakes occafion, which become more and more common! In the very bowels of the earth peftilential vapours boil up, and a destructive fire fpreads death on every fide. Öften on a fudden, in the middle of the night, the earth rumbles and quakes, whole cities are overthrown, and thousands of people are fwallowed up. What a formidable fight is a Volcano ! Nature, which in other refpects is fo lovely, here becomes terrible. At this dreadful fcene, I fay to myfelf, How imperfect is every thing but the CREATOR himself! Many people make nature their God, and its beauties make them forget the great Being from whom they proceed. Let us learn the true ftate of all earthly things, and how much fuperior the Love of God is to all that can attach us here. To find delight in GOD, as our reconciled Father, thro' his Son Jefus Chrift; to contemplate his divine Perfections and glorious attributes; and to know and en

joy

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joy his Favour and Image, is the fure way to triumph over all the defolations of nature.

What is more proper alfo to increase our love and gratitude, than to remember, that he turns even thefe calamities into bleffings? These apparent diforders of nature prevent evils infinitely worfe, which would happen if deftructive matter, fuch as fubterraneous fires and vapours were to remain heaped up and confined in the bowels of the earth. Volcanos and inundations preferve us often from the greateft calamities. Burning heats ferve to dry the earth, which is in other parts overflowed with water. Plague and famine deliver the world from a multitude of wicked people that are a burden to it; and the extraordinary mortality which fometimes happens among ft men, is a very wife means of preferving the balance, and of preventing too great population. Perhaps God would not fend plagues on earth fo often, if his juftice and righteoufnefs did not oblige him, from time to time, to punish the crimes of the wicked.

When we are mere fpectators of the mifchiefs that happen, and not immediately interested in them, ought not our gratitude to that great Being who has fpared us, to be attended with fentiments of compaffion and charity towards our unfortunate fellow-creatures? Let us never be infenfible to the misfortunes of others, nor hear with indifference the calamities of people the most remote from us; as if nothing was to effect us but what related perfonally to us. In the immenfe chain of events in the world, there is not a fingle link to which we do not each of us belong more or lefs nearly. Were the unfortunate people who fuffer fo many miferies greater finners than we? Why are they fallen, while we are preferved? Is the place we inhabit lefs fullied with crimes than the countries where earthquakes and volcanos make fuch havock? The final catastrophe of nature will be ftill in another 'manner terrible to us. This world is not eternal. After having fucceffively experienced evils of every kind, the moment of its total diffolution will at laft arrive. Nature ftill flourishes, but the vifibly grows old. It is only with labour and induftry that we draw from the earth what it produced of itfelf to our ancestors, and what they gathered almoft without trouble. Let it perifh then, this land of our pilgrimage, fince it is defigned to perifh. We have no permanent abode here, but let us feek that which is to come in the kingdom of God.

To deftroy and to create, fuch is, and ever will be, the work of God to the end of time. If he never deftroyed, we fhould fee no new creations. We fhould have no trials for refignation or patience. We fhould not be fo fenfible of the value of religion, which ftrengthens and confoles in the wort calamities, and which raises us above all the evils of life. Let us then hold by this, and let this be the refult of our reflections. 3 X 2

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An Account of Samuel, and John Hindry, who were executed at Thetford in Norfolk, on Saturday the 2d of April, 1796. By Mr. T. BROADBENT.

SAMU

AMUEL HINDRY, aged 24 years, and John Hindry, aged 13 years, were natives of Horning, in Norfolk. According to their own account, but little care had been taken of their education; tho' they faid their parents had never encouraged them in robbery, and spoke of their mother, as being inclined to teach them to read, and to bring them up in the Fear of GOD; but that being boys, they foon got from under her direction, and gave themfelves up to work wickedness with greedinefs. Their mother died on the day they were removed from Norwich to Thetford, to take their trial.

On Thursday night, the 4th of February laft, they met William Smith, on the Yarmouth road, and after violently affaulting, and beating him, they took from him a filver watch, and about twentyfive fhillings in money. They were foon apprehended, and lodged in Norwich Castle. At the allizes held at Thetford, on Friday the 11th of March, 1796, they were found guilty, and as fome circumftances in their conduct were very aggravating, they were both left for execution. There was also a man of the name of Watts, charged with a fimilar crime, who was left with them for execution, but he has fince been reprieved.

I had not an opportunity of vifiting these malefactors before Saturday the 19th of March. In order to convince them of the deplorable ftate which their fouls were in, I read and endeavoured to explain the Ten Commandments, and 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. "Know ye not that the unrighteous fhall not inherit the kingdom of GoD? Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor effeminate, nor abufers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, fhall inherit the Kingdom of GOD." And particularly I observed, that Theft was forbidden by the Law of GOD, and confequently that all thieves were included in the black lift of those who were excluded from heaven.

They all profefled to believe in the Being of a GOD, and in a future ftate of rewards, and punishments, and that if they died in their fins, they could not be happy. They appeared willing to receive inftruction, and fignified a defire, that I would pray with them. I asked, what I should pray for? They replied, "That GOD would forgive us our fins." The two Hindrys could not read, but as Watts could, I gave him the Sermon, “ Awake thou that flepeth," to read to his fellow-prisoners.

Sunday the 20th, I visited them again, and asked what they thought of their fate? The two brothers acknowledged, that they had lived a finful life; but that they looked upon the crime for which they were condemned, to be the greatest they ever had committed, and that it was neceffary they should repent. Upon

afking them if they knew what repentance was, they fignified a defire to be informed.

Tuesday 22d, Mr. Furness and I attempted to point them to Chrift, exhorting them to come to him as loft finners. We fung the Hymn," And am I born to die;" and then prayed with them. They appeared to be more affected than I had yet feen them, particularly the elder Hindry.

Wednesday 23d, I converfed and prayed with the prifoners again. They affented and confented to all I faid, but I could not perceive that they had any true sense of the awful ftate their fouls were in. I gave them that excellent book, “Mr. Allein's Call to the Unconverted," and defired that it might be read regularly, and with much confideration.

Tuesday 29th, I came to town again, and found that a refpite had arrived for Watts. I was alfo informed, that the prisoners had laid a fcheme to get out of prison, which being discovered, of confequence they were more heavily ironed. Samuel, the elder brother, appeared exceedingly diftreffed; he wept amazingly; upon asking him the cause of it, he replied, "Oh! my fins are a greater burden than I can bear!" Being afraid that his diftrefs arofe from the frustration of his intention of escaping from prifon, I faid, you are diftreffed on account of the fituation you are in, and of the fhameful death that is approaching?" He replied, "O no! I do not mind these things at all, if it would please GOD to forgive me my fins." I afked him, if it were on account of any particular fin, that he was fo diftreffed? He faid, "No; the fins of my whole life." His brother John alfo was more affected than ufual.

Wednesday 30, I found the prifoners more comfortable in their minds, and their countenances cheerful. I asked, what was the cause of that fudden alteration? Samuel anfwered, "I believe GOD has pardoned my Sins." You are fenfible you have been a great finner? He replied, "O yes!" I asked, When did you find that change? (for they both profeffed to be happy ;) Samuel replied, "Soon after we were locked down in our cell, last night, being earnestly engaged in prayer, we found our distress removed, and our minds were peaceable and happy." I muft confefs I was afraid that they had deceived themselves, and reminded them, that the day of their departure was fast approaching. Samuel faid, " I am willing to die this day, if it pleased GOD; I know it is what we deferve; and we also deserve hell, for ourfins against GOD; but as he has pardoned great finners, I hope we fhall experience mercy." I asked him, if he could forgive his profecutor? He anfwered, "Yes; all the world; and I pray GOD to reward all we have injured; for it is not in our power to do it. I wifh our death may prove a blefling to others; particularly our relations, and companions in fin," John alfo faid the fame.

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