INATTENTION TO PROVIDENCE. 345 



tale as a man, glory as a Christian, and bless the 

 gracious power that permitted roe to obtain this 

 knowledge. 



Residing, as I constantly do, in the country, and 

 having been long observant of rural things, and the 

 operations of Infinite Wisdom, through the very 

 feeble organs with which I have been endowed, I 

 have often thought, that we,, who are daily made 

 sensible of so many manifestations of creative power 

 and mercy, should be more seriously disposed, more 

 grateful for the beneficences of Providence, than 

 those who live in societies removed from these 

 evidences ; but yet I neither know nor believe that 

 we in any respect give greater proof of this dis- 

 position, or are more sensible of the benevolence of 

 an over-ruling power, than others. The manu- 

 facturer by the combination of artful contrivances 

 effects his purposes, and by aid of man's wisdom 

 brings his work to perfection ; the artisan may eat 

 his bread with all thankfulness and humility of 

 heart, solace his labours and mitigate his fatigue by 

 the grateful flavour and juices of fruits purchased 

 at the stall ; but he sees nothing of the machinery, 

 the gradual elaborations of nature, nor can he be 

 conversant with the multiplicity of influences and 

 events, which are requisite to bring them to his 

 hand. He who lives in the country knows that an 

 omnipotent impulse must be constantly in action ; 

 he may till his land, and scatter his corn, but the 



