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"their tongues for pain, and blaspheme the God "of Heaven."* But sanctified adversity, the tribulation of ourselves or others, worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts. These happy effects, fair and fragrant as the sweet fruits of Paradise, are wrought by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Again. Do not our minds, necessarily, when contemplating any species of suffering, revert to Him who was bruised or threshed for our sakes, who was pressed with the weight of our iniquities, and who bearing the indignation of the Lord, because we had sinned against him, was trodden down as mire in the streets, by ungodly men; and finally suffered without the camp? and to those also who being conformed to His death, were esteemed the off-scouring of all men, of whom the world was not worthy; from those lowly degradations, from those deep abasements they have arisen to immortal splendors the former through his own might and merits, and the latter through faith in him. And should it please Him who doeth according to his will amongst the inhabitants of the earth, to pour

Revelations, xvi. 10.

out on us the vials of his wrath, we may hope through the same propitiation; that though these dispensations will not be joyous for the present, but grievous, that afterwards they shall yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness to such as are exercised thereby.

Lastly. Estimate aright the invaluable privilege of being interested in the cultivating care of the Great Husbandman. All things are for your sakes-events grand and august beyond any former precedent, are but as the preparatory toils of agriculture, for your advantage.

Labor then, to share the favor of a covenant God, that it may be well with you, and that you may not fear though the earth be removed out of its place. Give yourselves no rest until you have a wellgrounded hope that you are as his beloved vineyard in a very fruitful hill. Recollect that thus desirable you will appear in his sight, only through the cleansing blood and clothing robe of a Saviour's righteousness, every thing else is inferior -trivial-less than nothing-lighter than vanity. Whatever distinctions you may be indulged with, wealth-descent-connexion-intellectual eminence-moral virtue-count them but as dross and

dung, that you may win Christ and be found in

him at that great and notable day of the Lord, when" in this mountain shall the hand of the "Lord rest, and Moab shall be trodden down "under him, even as straw is trodden down for "the dunghill."

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DISCOURSE VI.

THE FALLOW BROKEN.

JEREMIAH, iv. 3.

For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.

THE term fallow in agriculture, signifies such land as has been repeatedly ploughed over, and exposed to the influence of the sun and air, for the purpose of rendering it mellow and clear from weeds; not being sown, but left to rest after the tillage it has undergone.

This usage is productive of the most essential advantage to the ground; has been practised from the earliest ages; may be considered as that branch of husbandry which is yet susceptible of the greatest improvement; and though, perhaps, the most

toilsome, may be considered as the least precarious and expensive method of recovering and refreshing land.

It would be obviously opposed to our avowed design, to enter into the nice distinctions and minute varieties of this process of husbandry; or even to specify the several kinds of fallows, whether summer or winter, naked or green; for it is the moral purpose, the religious application of this similitude, that we have in view.

Considered simply as a command issuing from the God of nature, as the Instructor of Husbandmen, the precept ought not to be overlooked. We are directed to labor with diligence, to seek fresh opportunities and stations for our industry. Nor can it be questioned, but that were the waste and unproductive lands broken up and regularly cultivated, our garners would be more completely filled, affording all manner of store; nor would comparative scarcity occasion, if not justify, complaints in our streets. "He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread."* A defective supply is generally the result of our own negligence, rather than of failure on His part, who openeth his hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing.

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*Proverbs, xxviii. 19.

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