XIV. at no loss for ministers of justice. A SERMON thousand instruments of vengeance are at his command; innumerable arrows are always in his quiver. But such is the profound wisdom of his plan, that no peculiar interposals of power are requisite. He has no occasion to step from his throne, and to interrupt the order of nature. With that majesty and solemnity which befits Omnipotence, He pronounces, Ephraim is joined to his idols; let him alone*. He leaves trangressors to their own guilt, and punishment follows of course. Their sins do the work of justice. They lift the scourge; and with every stroke which they inflict on the criminal, they mix this severe admonition, that as he is only reaping the fruit of his own actions, he deserves all that he suffers. From what has been said, I might take occasion, IN the third place, to shew the injustice of our charging Providence with a promiscuous and unequal distribution of its favours among the good and the bad. • Hofea, iv. 17: That XIV. SERMON That unequal distribution takes place in appearance only, not in reality. The whole conduct of Providence sufficiently marks, which of those classes of men it blesses and protects. The prosperity of sinners is no more than a deceitful show. The great materials of happiness are provided for the virtuous; and evil never fails to pursue the wicked. I shall close the discourse with observing, In the fourth and last place, the necessity which plainly arises from our present condition, of looking up to God for direction and aid in the conduct of life. The result of the whole doctrine I have now delivered is, that man's happiness or misery is, in a great measure, put into his own hands. In vain he complains of Providence. If his heart fret against the Lord, it is only because his foolishness hath perverted his way for on himself, and his own behaviour, it depends, to be free of those miseries which harass the wicked. - But, alas! when we say, that this depends upon man, on what uncertain ground do we place his security? Is man, when left to himself XIV. himself equal to this high trust that is SERMON reposed in him, this important charge that is committed to him, of attaining happiness, by wise and irreproachable conduct? Inconstant as he is in virtue, variable in his resolutions, soft and yielding in his nature to a thousand temptations; how shall he guide himself through such slippery and dangerous paths as those of human life; where many hidden precipices surround him; many false lights lead him astray; and where the consequence of every step he takes may be destruction and ruin? Thankful let us be to Heaven, that, in this situation, a merciful guide stretches out his hand to aid us; that a celestial light shines upon us from above; that a divine Spirit is promised to illumi nate and strengthen us. Let us humbly request of Heaven, that this Spirit of the Almighty may ever be our guide; never presumptuously trusting in our own wisdom, but listening attentively to the voice of God; and in all our ways acknowledging Him who only can direct cur steps.-Upon the whole let us hold fast the persuasion of these fundamental truths; that, in all his dis pensations, XIV. SERMON pensations, God is just and good; that the cause of all the troubles we suffer is in ourselves, not in Him; that virtue is the surest guide to a happy life; that he who forsakes this guide, enters upon the path of death; but that he who walketh uprightly, walketh surely; and that he who keepeth the commandment, keepeth his own soul. SERMON XV. On INTEGRITY as the GUIDE of LIFE. PROVERBS, Xi. 3. The integrity of the upright shall guide R them. XV. IGHTEOUSNESS and sin are, in this SERMON book of Proverbs, frequently contrasted with each other, and the advantages of the former displayed. The righteous man is shewn to be more excellent than his neighbour, as the ways in which he walks are ways of pleasantness, while the way of trangressors is hard. Honour is represented as attending the one, while other. shame is the portion of the The of the other |