the many amazing turns in his favour, -fometimes in the most unpromifing cafes, and often brought about by the moft unlikely caufes ;-when he remembers the particular providences which have gone along with him,--the many perfonal deliverances which have preferved him,-the unaccountable manner in which he has been enabled to get through difficulties, which on all fides beset him, on one time of his life, or the ftrength of mind he found himself endowed with, to encounter afflictions which fell upon him at another period:-where is the man, I fay, who looks back with the leaft religious fenfe, upon what has thus happened to him, who could not give you fufficient proofs of God's power, and his arm over him, and recount feveral cafes, wherein the GoD of Jacob was his help, and the Holy One of Ifrael his redeemer?

Haft thou ever laid upon the bed of languishing, or laboured under a grievous distemper which threatened thy life? Call to mind thy forrowful and pen

five spirit at that time; and add to it, who it was that had mercy on thee, that brought thee out of darkness and the fhadow of death, and made all thy bed in thy fickness.

Hath the fcantinefs of thy condition hurried thee into great ftraits and difficulties, and brought thee almost to distraction?-Confider who it was that fpread thy table in that wilderness of thought, who was it made thy cup to overflow,-who added a friend of confolation to thee, and thereby fpake peace to thy troubled mind.-Haft thou ever fuftained any confiderable damage in thy ftock or trade?-Bethink thyself who it was that gave thee a serene and contented mind under those loffes. If thou haft recovered,-confider who it was that repaired those breaches,-when thy own fkill and endeavours failed:-call to mind whofe providence has bleffed them fince,whofe hand it was that has fince fet a hedge about thee, and made all that thou haft done to profper.-Hast thou

ever been wounded in thy more tender part, through the lofs of an obliging husband?-or haft thou been torn away from the embraces of a dear and promifing child, by its unexpected death?

O confider, whether the GoD of truth did not approve himself a father to thee, when fatherlefs,-or a husband to thee, when a widow,-and has either given thee a name better than of fons and daughters, or even beyond thy hope, made thy remaining tender branches to grow up tall and beautiful, like the cedars of Libanus.

Strengthened by these confiderations, fuggesting the fame or like paft deliverances, either to thyfelf,-thy friends or acquaintance,-thou wilt learn this great leffon in the text, in all thy exigencies and diftreffes,-to truft God; and whatever befalls thee, in the many changes and chances of this mortal life, to speak comfort to thy foul, and to fay in the words of Habakkuk the prophet, with which I conclude,

Although the fig-tree fhall not bloffom, neither fhall fruit be in the vines; -although the labour of the olive fhall fail, and the fields fhall yield no meat; -although the flock fhall be cut off from the fold, and there fhall be no herd in the ftalls; yet we will rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the GOD of our fal

vation.

To whom be all honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

[95]

SERMON

XXXV.

EXODUS XXI. 14.

But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to flay him with guile;-thou shalt take him from my altar, that he may die,

A

s the end and happy refult of fociety was our mutual protection from the depredations which malice and avarice lay us open to,-so have the laws of GOD laid proportionable reftraints against such violations as would defeat us of fuch a fecurity.-Of all other attacks which can be made against us, that of a man's life,-which is his all,-being the greateft,-the offence, in GoD's difpenfation to the Jews, was denounced as the most heinous,-and reprefented as most unpardonable.-At the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.-Whofo fheddeth man's blood, by man fhall his blood be fhed.-Ye fhall take no fatisfaction for the life of a murderer;