prablically improved. z r 7 when he had the ftrongeft affurance of his S E R ivr. perfevering even to the end of faith, the V. falvation of the foul ; 2 Tim. i. 12. I know `--`^'' whom I have believed, and I am perfwaded he is able to keep that which I have committed to him again ji that day : Where it is plain, his hope chiefly refted, not on his prefcnt fincerity, and the firmnefs of his own re- folutions, but on him twhotn he had be- lieved ; and his perfwafion of his being pre - ferved to the final happinefs of the great day, was founded on the ability, and the grace of that Saviour, to whom he had com- mitted his foul in well doing. Thirdly, The whole paffage, whereof my text is a part, leads us to confider the in- fpetlion of God's providence into the fail- ures of his fervants, his forefight of them, his fuperinterding care, even during the pro - grefs of their temptations, and his over- ruling the iífues of them for good. No- thing does more obvioufly ftrike our minds in reading the hiftory, than the part which our Saviour had in it. He forefaw Peter's denying him. What can be more evident? he foretold it with all its circumftances, and if this tranfgreßion of Peter, of which himfelf was the adequate, complete, and 3 only
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