TURES. These wait all upon Thee, that Thou mayst give them their Meat in due feafon. Thou giveft them, They gather; Thou openeft thine Hand, They are filled with Good. Thus fung the fweet Pfalmift of Ifrael * in Hymns of Praife unto the LORD his GOD, who though clothed with Majefty and Honour, and High above all Nations, and his Glory above the Heavens, Yet humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in beaven and earth +.

The Goodnefs and Benevolence of GOD to the Brute Creatures

water animals, I have fubftituted Living Creatures for Beafts. And thus the Hebrew word ChIUT is rendered in Ezech. i. 5.

2 Sam. xxiii. 1. + Pfa. cxiii. 6.

feem

feem to have made fuch an impreffion upon the mind of David, and to have been fo favourite a theme with him, and he takes fuch frequent occafions to introduce their Names into his most facred Poems, and moft ardent Prayers; that one would almost suppose he thought to render GOD the more propitious towards Men, by reminding him as it were of his Mercy, and Loving Kindnefs, to Creatures fo much inferior to Men. When he was bewailing his own mifery and weaknefs, he compares himself to the lowest reptile: -I am a WORM, and no Man. (Pfa. xxii. 6.) When he was interceding for his people in the time of plague, he recommends them to the divine Mercy and

And

and Forbearance, under the denomination of harmlefs and innocent Sheep*:-I it is that have finned and done evil indeed; but as for thefe SHEEP what have They done? (1 Chron. xxi. 17.) when deprived of the opportunity of attending the public worship; when his Mind was contemplating the Amiableness of GOD's Tabernacle; when his Soul was longing and fainting for the Courts of the LORD, and his very heart and flesh crying out for the Living GOD, the Sparrow and the Swallow are the Mediators of his Sup

*It is well known that our bleffed Saviour frequently calls the Members of his Church his SHEEP, which word likewife occurs in the daily Liturgy of the Ch. of Eng. We have erred and strayed-like loft Sheep.

3

plication:

plication : — The SPARROW bath found an Houfe, and the SWALLOW & Neft for herself, where She may lay her Young, even Thine Altars, O Lord of Hofts, my King and my God. Pfa. lxxxiv. 3.

In the CXLVIIth Pfalm, He calls for the Harp to accompany the Voice of Melody:-O Sing unto the LORD with Thanksgiving, Sing praises upon the Harp unto our GOD; who covereth the Heaven with Clouds, and prepareth Rain for the Earth, and maketh the Grass to grow upon the Mountains*. He giveth to the BEAST

In the Com. Pr. Book Verfion, it is added, and herb for the ufe of men; but as this is not in the Hebrew, nor in our Bible Ver fion, I omit it in this place.

bis

his Food; and feedeth the Young RAVENS which cry or call upon him. With GOD no Creature is contemptible. By his general Providence, He hath manifefted his Love and his Tenderness towards ALL. Even a young Raven cannot call upon him, but the Lord will hear its cry and will anfwer it: For He provideth for the RAVEN his Food, when his Young Ones cry unto GOD. Job xxxviii.

4I.

It is not improbable that our Lord JESUS had an eye to the last mentioned paffages of Scripture, when he commanded his difciples to Confider the RAVENS, which neither fow nor reap, neither have ftorehouse nor

barn,