VI.

preffed by the dread authority which it çar- SER M. ries, shall you not fall down on your knees before your Maker, imploring his mercy to pardon your paft offences, and his grace to rectify your future way?

SUCH ought to be the effects of the confideration of God as the Governor of the world. It leads to thoughts of a very ferious nature. When we regard the work of the Lord, and contemplate him as the Author of the universe, fuch contemplation prompts devotion. But when we confider the opera tion of his hands in providence, and contemplate him as the Governor of mankind, such contemplation prompts humiliation before him for offences committed. The former addreffes itself to the ingenuous sentiments that are left in the heart; and awakens a fense of our unworthinefs, in neglecting the Author of nature amidst our riotous pleafures. The latter addreffes itself to our regard for fafety and happiness; and awakens fear and dread, from confciousness of the guilt we have contracted. Hence springs up in every thoughtful mind, an anxious concern to avert the displeasure, and regain the

VI.

SERM. favour of that Supreme Being to whom we are all fubject. This, among unenlightened nations, gave rife to facrifices, expiations, and all the rites of humble though fuperftitious worship. Among nations, who have been instructed in true religion, sentiments of the fame nature pave the way for prayer, repentance, faith, and all thofe duties, by means of which we may hope, through a divine Mediator and Interceffor, to be reconciled to heaven. Natural and revealed religion here appear in concord. We behold the original dictates of the human heart laying a foundation for the glad reception of the comfortable tidings of the gospel.

I HAVE thus endeavoured to fhew in what manner, by regarding the work of the Lord, and confidering the operation of his hands, we may prevent the dangers arifing from a thoughtless indulgence of pleasure; we may be furnished with an antidote to the poison which is too often mixed in that intoxicating cup.-Human life is full of troubles. We are all tempted to alleviate them as much as we can, by freely enjoying the pleasurable moment which Providence

2

dence thinks fit to allow us. Enjoy them we may: But, if we would enjoy them fafely, and enjoy them long, let us temper them with the fear of God. As foon as this is forgotten and obliterated, the found of the harp and the viol is changed into the fignal of death. The ferpent comes forth from the roles where it had lain in ambush, and gives the fatal fting. Pleasure in moderation is the cordial, in excess it is the bane, of life.

SER M.

VI,

SERMON VII.

On the PRESENCE of GOD in a FUTURE

STATE.

SERM.
VII.

PSALM xvi. II.

Thou wilt fhew me the path of life: In thy prefence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

THE apoftle Peter, in a discourse which

he held to the Jews, applies this pasfage, in a myftical and prophetical sense, to the Meffiah. But, in its literal and primitive meaning, it expreffes the exalted hopes by which the Pfalmift David fupported himself amidst the changes and revolutions, of which his life was full. By • A&s, ii. 25-28.

thefe

thefe hopes, when flying before Saul, when driven from his throne, and perfecuted by an unnatural fon, he was enabled to preferve his virtue, and to maintain unshaken truft in God.-In that early age of the world, thofe explicit difcoveries of a ftate of immortality, which we enjoy, had not yet been given to mankind. But though the Sun of righteousness was not arifen, the dawn had appeared of that glorious day which he was to introduce. Even in those ancient times, holy men, as the Apostle writes to the Hebrews, faw the promises afar off, and were perfuaded of them and embraced them; and, confeffing that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth, declared that they fought after a better country, that is an beavenly. Indeed, in every age, God permitted fuch hopes to afford fupport and confolation to those who ferved him. The full effect of them we behold in those triumphant expreffions of the text, which are to be the fubject of this discourse. They lead us to confider; firft, The hope of the Pfalmift in his present ftate; Thou wilt fhew me the path of life. And, fecondly, the ter

Heb. xi. 13-16.

mination