Where is the man who could say fo?He does not live, who would wish thus fhamefully to die. No good man can wish it. If he has done, while it is day, the work of him that fent him, happy is he, and he will wifh to live, that he may enjoy his happinefs. But if his work remain unfinished, let him remember how foon the night of death will approach, without his haftening it, when none can work: when, instead of wishing the Almighty to "hide him in the grave," he will exclaim in the language of bitter regret: "O fpare me a little that I may repent of my fins, before I go hence, and be no more feen!"---Therefore, Sinner! hear and reverence the facred voice of Wisdom: " Seek not Death in the error of thy life; and pull not upon thyfelf Destruction with the work of thy hands." *

But, to close a Subject (which I am forry the weakness of human nature renders neceffary) let us, my fellow christians, as the best Prefervative against the Crime which has occupied

*Wifdom ch. i. v. 12.

our

our reflections, - let us impress our minds with a firm Truft and Confidence in God, a true and lively Sense of Religion, and a Conviction that no Evil can befal us that will not have an end. -If, either through Misfortune or our own Imprudence, we are overwhelmed in Sorrow if " through Oppreffion, through any Plague or Trouble, we are minished and brought low :" let us apply with diligence to whatever may be our calling, obferve a fober and frugal conduct; and we fhall foon (under the bleffing of heaven) begin to enjoy life, be a Comfort to our friends, and useful members of Society.

Other Afflictions I know there are of a more painful nature, during which for a time the tongue of men and of angels" would be unable to administer comfort. While forrowing under their anguish, the Stoic may preach in vain ; -'tis his part to reafon, but the afflicted Patient's to feel.-Yet even in the deepeft Abyss of Mifery, there is a portion of " light for the Righteous."-There

are Confolations in ftore for us, if we properly

properly feek and deferve them. Are we deprived by death of our most valued Friends? Let us confider (if they were virtuous) what they have gained by the removal, and our lofs will be foothed with refignation: let us reflect on the transcendant bliss to which they are exalted; to a participation of which we may, ere long, be called, where the interchanges of love will be more tender and more dear.-Are we deprived by Malice or Slander of our good name?— Let us "abstain from even the appearance of evil; and then commit our way unto the Lord, and he will bring it to pass ;—will make our righteousness as clear as the light, and our just dealing as the noon day."-----Have we been wicked,-fo atrociously wicked, as to fuppofe ourselves precluded from every hope of Salvation? Let us turn to the Lord who will have mercy upon us, and to our God who will abundantly pardon. "Him that cometh unto me, fays our meritorious Redeemer, " I will in no wise cast out." Though our Sins be as fcarlet, if we fincerely repent of them,

them, his atoning Blood will make them white as fnow: though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. "If we confefs and forfake our Sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jefus Christ the Righteous, and he is the Propitiation for our Sins."

Knowing these things, my fellow christians, let us not defpair. We are in the hands of God, whofe mercies are great; who will not fuffer us to be tempted above what we are able. If we call upon him he will hear us: if we trust in him, he will keep us from falling: will, in his own good time, translate us from the vale of tears to a scene unchangeable, and full of glory.

PRAYER.

GOD, who knoweft us to be fet in the midst of fo many and great Dangers, that, by reafon of the frailty of our nature, we cannot always ftand upright; grant us, we earnestly befeech thee, fuch Strength and Protection, as may support us in all Difficulties, and carry us through all Trials and Temptations, for the fake of Jefus Chrift our bleffed Lord and Saviour.

Amen.

SERMON

SERMON V.

ON THE CAUSES OF DISAPPOINTMENT, AND THE PROPER ATTAINMENT OF HAPPINESS.

ECCLESIASTES ii. 17. (latter part.)

All is Vanity and Vexation of Spirit.

HERE is no maxim more commonly

TH

used than this which I have juft recited; nor any that is more wrongly applied, or misunderstood. By prefixing it to this discourse you may suppose that I coincide with those who quote it for the purpose of difcouraging all focial joy, and of restraining our defires of temporal felicity. But this is not the cafe. I class with none so loft to the better feelings of human nature,-none fo loft to a sense of the Di