NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 29 



divine excellencies super-excel the creation ; 

 whose infinite wisdom di splay 'd itself before 

 time and the world had as yet a beginning. 

 Pardon my presumption, most sovereign Power, 

 when to prostrate my humilities before thy sa- 

 cred shrines, that with a holy reverence and di- 

 vine piety, all my devotions may be acceptable 

 to thee. We are but finite, but thou art infinite 

 infinite in power to create the world, and infi- 

 nite in wisdom and providence to uphold it. 

 Thy government is in heaven, yet thou rulest 

 upon earth ; but thy habitation here is the ta- 

 bernacle in man. 



O sacred Divinest ! direct us in thy paths of 

 wisdom, to lead us the ready way to thyself; 

 for thou rewardest every man answerable to his 

 works, and our works (as Paul saith) do certain- 

 ly follow us ; then will they as certainly be an 

 orb to environ us ; and because an object conti- 

 nually before us, we can neither evade nor shake 

 them off, whereby they'll delight or be a ter- 

 ror unto us. " As the tree falls, so it lies ; and 

 in the grave there is no repentance ;" therefore 

 seek the Lord early in a spirit of meekness, for 

 the meek are said to inherit the earth, whilst the 

 proud that exalts himself shall be abased. Thy 

 powerful arm has often reached deliverance ; the 

 righteous, therefore, shall rejoice in thy salva- 

 tion ; and all that sollicit thy paths of peace, 



