SERMON XVIII.

On the Government of Human Affairs by

Providence.

PROVERBS, XVI. 9. A man's heart deviseth

his way; but the Lord directeth his steps.

2 CORINTH. V. IO, For we must all appear

before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every

one may receive the things done in his body,

according to that he hath done, whether it be

good or bad,

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SER-

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SERMON I.

On HOPES and DISAPPOINTMENTS.

PROVERBS, X. 28.

The hope of the Righteous shall be gladness; but the expectation of the Wicked shall perish.

I.

TTACHMENT to futurity has SERMON a remarkable influence on the operations of the human mind. The present, whatever it be, seldom engages our attention so much as what is to come. Remembrance of the past may sometimes occupy our thoughts; but what for the most part fills them, is the anticipation of the future. The present is apt to be considered as an evanescent scene, just about

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SERMON about to pass away; and in the midst of I. wishes and desires, of hopes and fears,

which they For if ex

which all respect futurity, we may be said
to dwell. As on these the life of man is
so much suspended, it becomes a very ma-
terial part both of wisdom and of duty to
attend to any regulations by
may be properly conducted.
pectations and hopes on one hand, and
fears and alarms on the other, are suffered
to arise with groundless precipitancy, and
to acquire an undue ascendant, it is evi-
dent that they will produce much delusion
in conduct, and often will engender much
vice and guilt. As there is a hope of the
Righteous which shall be gladness, so there
is an expectation of the Wicked which shall
perish. The anticipations of the former,
conducted by prudence, and regulated by
piety, mislead him not from his duty, and
afford him satisfaction in the end. While
the expectations of the latter, arising from
fantastic imaginary prospects, delude him
for a while with vanity, and terminate in
misery. It will therefore be an useful sub-
ject of meditation, to consider, in a few
instances, of what we may, and of what we

may

I.

may not, reasonably expect from the world, SERMON when we look forward to what is most

likely to happen, in the ordinary course of human affairs.

I. We are not to expect the uninterrupted continuance of any measure of health, prosperity, or comfort, which we now enjoy. There is the greater reason for beginning with this admonition, as there is a strong propensity in human nature to imagine that what we at present possess, is always to remain. When no warnings of any approaching change appear, we are all inclined to look forward to futurity with a smile; and to indulge the hope that to-morrow shall be as this day and even more abundantly. Hence, in the lives of thoughtless men, there breaks forth so much folly and presumption, so much pride and levity, and often so much impiety and contempt of religion. What is the Almighty that we should serve him? Or what profit shall we have, if we pray unto him? Our mountain stands strong; and shall never be moved.

On the lot of some men Providence is pleased to bestow a longer continuance of prosperity

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SERMON prosperity than on that of others. But

I.

as the term of that continuance is hidden from us, all flattering and confident expectations are without foundation. At one period or another, it is certain that the calm is to be troubled, and the dark cloud is to arise; and how soon that period is to come, you cannot tell. In your health, or your fortune, or among your connexions and friends, be assured that some trial awaits you. For human life never stands still for any long time. It is by no means a fixed and steady object, like the mountain or the rock which you always find in the same situation; it is a river continually moving and flowing. Neither is it the still and smooth stream which glides along with the same constant tenour; but a river which for a time may hold a regular course within its banks, till, being interrupted by rocks, it foams into a torrent, or, swoln by foreign currents, it lays waste the neighbouring plains. Amidst such vicissitudes of time and life, who has any title to reckon upon the future?-To faults, all are subject; to troubles, all are exposed. As that man is the most virtuous who can be

charged