natural meffage from heaven. While the princes of the earth were left to act by the counfels of their own wifdom; while, without interpofition from above, Generals conquered or fell, according to the viciffitude of human things; to this good centurion an Angel was commiffioned from the throne of God.

What can I fay more or higher in praise of this bleffed character, than that it is what God delights to honour? Men fingle out as the objects of distinction, the great, the brave, or the renowned. But he who jeeth not as man feeth, paffing by those qualities which often shine with false splendour to human obfervation, looks to the inward principles of action; to those principles which form the effence of a worthy character; and which, if called forth, would give birth to whatever is laudable or excellent in conduct.Is there one, though in humble station or obfcure life, who feareth God and worketh righteouf ness; whose prayers and alms, proceeding in regular unaffected tenour, befpeak the

upright,

24

On the Union of Piety and Morality.

I.

SERM. upright, the tender, the devout heart?Thole alms and prayers come up in memorial before that God who is no respecter of perfons. The Almighty beholds him from his throne with complacency. Divine illumination is ready to instruct him. Angels minister to him. They now mark him out on earth as their future affociate; and for him they make ready in paradise, the white robes,the palms, and the fceptres of the juft.

To this honour, to this bleffedness, let our hearts continually afpire; and throughout the whole of life, let thofe folemn and facred words, with which I conclude, found in our cars, and be the great directory of our conduct: * He bath fhewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but--to do justly, and love mercy-and to walk humbly with thy God?

* Micah, vi. 8.

SERMON

SERMON II.

On the Influence of RELIGION upon
ADVERSITY.

PSALM Xxvii. 5.

In the time of trouble, he shall hide me in his pavilion; in the fecret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

THE life of man has always been a SERM.

very mixed state, full of uncertainty and viciffitude, of anxieties and fears. In every religious audience, there are many who fall uder the denomination of the unfortunate; and the reft are ignorant how foon they may be called to join them. For the profperity of no man on earth is stable and affured. Dark clouds may foon gather

II.

、

II.

SERM. gather over the heads of those whose fky is now moft bright. In the midft of the deceitful calm which they enjoy, the ftorm that is to overwhelm them has perhaps already begun to ferment. If a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many *.

Hence, to a thoughtful mind, no study can appear more important, than how to be suitably prepared for the misfortunes of life; fo as to contemplate them in prospect without difmay, and, if they must befall, to bear them without dejection. Throughout every age, the wifdom of the wife, the treasures of the rich, and the power of the mighty, have been employed, either in guarding their ftatc against the approach of diftrefs, or in rendering themselves less vulnerable by its attacks. Power has endeavoured to remove adverfity to a distance. Philofophy has ftudied, when it drew nigh, to conquer it by patience; and Wealth has fought out every pleafure

* Ecclef. xi. 8.

II.

pleasure that can compenfate or alleviate SER M. pain.

While the wifdom of the world is thus occupied, religion has been no less attentive to the fame important object. It informs us in the Text, of a pavilion which God erects to fhelter his fervants in the time of trouble, of a fecret place in his tabernacle into which he brings them, of a rock on which he sets them up; and else where he tells us of a field and a buckler which he spreads before them, to cover them from the terror by night, and the arrow that flieth by day. Now of what nature are thofe inftruments of defence, which God is reprefented as providing with fuch folicitous care for those who fear him? Has he reared up any bulwarks, impregnable by misfortune, in order to separate the pious and virtuous from the reft of mankind, and to fcreen them from the common difafters of life? No: To those difafters we behold them liable no less than others. The defence which religion provides, is altogether of

an