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knew that it would poifon him? or the robe he is going to wear, if you knew that it would infect him with the plague? On the other hand, you may err in your pity. You fay, fuch a friend, alas! is reduced; but he is only taken down from the hill of danger, and placed in the vale of fafety. You fay, He groans; yes, a limb is amputating; but it is to fave the whole body from mortification and death.

Thirdly. The profperity of the wicked, and the fufferings of the righteous, are a mystery, which has often perplexed even good men; but here it is explained. He can give in wrath, and refuse in mercy. He can indulge us to deftruction; and he can chaften us that we may not be condemned with the world.

Fourthly. Here we can harmonize the character and promise of God with thofe denials which He fometimes gives to our petitions. He is a God hearing prayer. He has faid, "Afk, and it shall be given "you; feek, and ye fhall find." But you have implored many things which you have never obtained. This helps you to understand the Scriptures, and fhew's you with what conditions and qualifications God has spoken. He did not engage to gratify your desires, whether his indulgence would be beneficial or injurious. This would have been a threatening, not a promise. A heathen could fay, " It is kind in the "Gods not to hear us, when we pray for things that "are evil." If a man give "good things" unto his children in anfwer to their reasonable and needful defires, he is a good father; and who would think of reflecting upon him as not difcharging the duties of his relation, because he does not, while they

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are incapable of judging for themselves, give them a knife or a loaded piftol, or fuffer them to climb a ladder, and becoming giddy expofe themselves to inftant deftruction!

ways pray.

Let us learn alfo, with what a referve we fhould alLet us not prefume to determine beforehand that certain things are indifpenfably neceffary, and because we think we abfolutely want them, grow fretful and miferable when we are refused. This is to prescribe to God; to impeach his wifdom and his goodness; and nothing can be more improper in the unworthy who have no claims, and in the ignorant who have been fo often deceived in their judgments. Let us always refer ourselves to his counsel ; let us be always his followers, not his guides; let us trust, and not teach him, and let us learn to imitate the example of David, who in a case the most trying, faid, " Carry "back the ark of God into the city: if I fhall find "favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me a'gain, and fhew me both it and its habitation. But "if he thus fay, I have no delight in thee; behold "here I am, let him do to me as feemeth good to him.” And be it remembered, this is the way to fucceed. When God gives in kindness, he produces a previous temperance of defire, which will allow him to indulge us with fafety, A preparation for our mercies is as neceffary as a preparation for our trials and our duties; who thinks of this?

Finally, The fubject fays to us in forcible language, be moderate in your defires; "let your converfation "be without covetoufnefs; be content with fuch things as ye have." "Seekeft thou great things to thyself,

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"feek them not." Our Saviour teaches you this leffon in your very devotion; "Give us this day our 66 daily bread." All Jacob ftipulates for is "bread "to eat and raiment to put on." And "having food "and raiment," fays an apostle, "let us be therewith 66 content." This is the grand improvement we ought to make of the piece of history before us; now "these things were our examples, TO THE INTENT 66 THAT WE SHOULD NOT LUST AFTER EVIL THINGS, re AS THEY ALSO LUSTED." How were quails evil things? Is not every creature of God good? The cafe was this; they were evil in their confequences, and alfo in the principle from which they were defired. Thefe Jews craved them unneceffarily; they had a fufficiency before from the miraculous and merciful providence of Heaven; they craved them intemperately and unfubmiffively; they demanded; "they 66 wept aloud." Chriftians, beware of fuch fenfelefs and inordinate longings; beware of a roving fancy; of imaginary wants; of unfanctified wishes. "Dearly "beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, "abstain from fleshly lufts which war against the foul." દ They that are Chrift's, have crucified the flesh with "the affections and lufts."

Men and Brethren, we have forbidden you to feek after temporal things with too much folicitude; but remember, it is far otherwise with regard to divine concerns. Spiritual bleffings fuit the foul; afford real fatisfaction; fecure the friendship of God; endure for ever; these are our perfection. Here we cannot be too earnest, too ambitious, too covetous. "Open thy "mouth wide, and I will fill it." Afk and receive,

that "

your joy may be full."

"And this I pray

"that your love may abound yet more and more. in "knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may ap

prove things that are excellent; that ye may be fin"cere and without offence till the day of Chrift; be"ing filled with the fruits of righteoufnefs, which are "by Jefus Christ unto the glory and praise of God.”

SERMON XIV.

HOPE.

ROMANS V. 5.

And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is fbed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

THE Christian never finds this world to be his reft. He is called to a life of labour and difficulty; of mortification and reproach. His afflictions are many; but he poffeffes one incomparable advantage: he has a hope full of immortality. This renders every duty delightful; this teaches him in whatfoever ftate he is, therewith to be content; this enlightens his darknefs, and alleviates his forrow. Like a helmet of falvation, it guards his head in the day of battle. Like an anchor of the foul, it holds and fecures him in the storms of adverfity. Like a pleafing companion, it travels with him through all the tedioufnefs of the wilderness, and often reminds him of his removal from this vale of tears, to the reft that remains for the people of God. He is faved by hope. He rejoices in hope.

Of this hope the apoftle fpeaks in the words which we have read, and his language is peculiarly worthy

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