i. e. "Our best way is to leave it to the gods (so he speaks in compliance with the custom of his coun

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trymen) to judge and determine what is useful and "convenient for us. For they will certainly give us, "instead of those things that most please us, those things that are fittest for us. For they have a "greater care of man than he hath of himself."

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But as to our duty of trusting in God, full is the expression of Solomon in the text we have more than once mentioned, Prov. iii. 5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. Every man almost pretends to trust in God; but few trust on him in truth, and with the whole heart. Whereof this is a plain demonstration: no man heartily trusts in God, but he that doth every day commit himself and all his concerns in general to the divine Providence by serious prayer, and in every particular occurrence and business of moment makes his particular address to God, by humble supplication, for his direction and blessing. Now how very few are there, of those that pretend to trust in God, that do thus.

And after all, we are still to remember the proviso already given, that our dependence on God's providence must be accompanied with a sincere obedience to his commands. Hence the Psalmist joins both together in the above alleged text, Psalm xxxvii. 3. Trust in the Lord, and do good. And Solomon in the text last mentioned, Prov. iii. after he had said, ver. 5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, presently subjoins, ver. 7. Fear the Lord, and depart from evil. Our hope in God is presumption, without due regard to his laws, and an uniform obedience to his commands. And to convince us of the perfect vanity of such presumption, let us but attentively

consider, what that providence of God is that we pretend to trust in. That special providence of God, which is man's only security, (as.we have above described it,) is nothing less than his special love and kindness to man, whereby he hath a tender regard to all his concerns, and, as a signal expression thereof, sends his holy angels, those most glorious spirits, to pitch their tents round about him, and to take a singular care and tuition of him in all his ways.

Now what an intolerable impudence is it in any wicked man to depend on such a providence of God over him? With what face canst thou expect God's special care and regard of thy concerns, that hast so little or no regard of his commands? Can the adulterer, the drunkard, the liar, the slanderer, the backbiter, the common swearer, the cheat, the unjust man, the covetous and worldly man, the spiteful and malicious man, or any man that continues in any wilful transgression of any known law of God, be a darling of divine Providence? Will the angels, the holy angels of God, those faithful ministers of his, attend on and do good offices for such as refuse to serve their great Lord and Master, yea live in downright rebellion against his government? Can the glorious host of heaven wait on the vassals of hell? This cannot be.

Indeed who can be worthy of that providence of God which we have set forth? No man by a worthiness of merit. But yet there is a worthiness of meetness, fitness, and due disposition required in all that expect to be favourites of the Almighty, and objects of his more especial care and providence. And this worthiness consists in a firm belief of the special providence of God over good men, in a sincere

and hearty endeavour to obey God in all things, i. e. to become ourselves good men, that we may be entitled to such his providence over us, and then in an entire trust and dependence on it.

Wherefore (to conclude) let us all in good earnest make it our great business to serve God, to study to know his will, and to do it when we know it, and then we are safe. Whosoever thou art that hearest me this day, be persuaded presently to forsake thy sinful courses, and entirely to resign up thyself to the divine government, and then be secure of the divine protection and special providence over thee. Then let loose the reins of thy hope and confidence in God, and trust in his gracious providence as much as thou canst, and thou shalt never be confounded. God shall lead thee by a most gracious economy through this vale of tears the whole course of thy pilgrimage in this world; directing thee in all difficulties, comforting thee in all sorrows and distresses, blessing all earthly enjoyments that he gives thee, and supplying the want of those that he thinks fit to deny thee with greater blessings; and in the life to come he shall pour out the full riches of his grace and goodness on thee.

For which blessed life God of his infinite mercy fit us, and thereinto in his due time admit us all, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.

To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed all honour and glory, might, majesty, and dominion, both now and for evermore. Amen.

SERMON XX.

THAT IT IS MATTER OF GREAT USE AND CONCERNMENT, MUCH CONDUCING TO THE PURPOSES OF RELIGION, SERIOUSLY TO CONSIDER THE SHORTNESS AND UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE; AND THAT SUCH DUE CONSIDERATION OF OUR SHORT AND UNCERTAIN ABODE IN THIS WORLD IS THE GIFT OF GOD, AND THE EFFECT OF HIS GRACE, WHICH THEREFORE OUGHT TO BE SOUGHT FOR BY HUMBLE AND EARNEST PRAYER.

PSALM XXXix. 4.

Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. THIS thirty-ninth Psalm, composed on the same occasion as the thirty-seventh, namely, on the scandal that David took at the prosperity of wicked men whilst he was himself in misery, hath also a mixture of contemplation upon the vanity of all worldly things. The particular calamity that prompted David to this useful contemplation is not by interpreters fully agreed on.

Many think that it was some sickness that David was at this time afflicted with. Others are of the opinion, that his trouble from Absalom was the particular occasion of the Psalm.

But for myself, I incline to the first opinion, which I am confirmed in by the eleventh verse, where David describes the beauty of man as consuming away like a moth at God's rebuke and cor

rection; and by the 13th and last verse, where he prays that God would spare him, that he might recover strength, before he should go hence, and be no more.

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On which words a learned interpreter thus paraphrases", "Withhold thy scourge from me a little while, that I may recover my former strength, or "health, before I am forced to depart out of this "world never more to return hither again."

This Psalm is, by the wisdom of our church, appointed to be used in the Office for the Burial of the Dead, as being almost wholly spent on the theme of the shortness and vanity of this our mortal life on earth; and is indeed a rich repository or commonplace of fit texts for funeral sermons.

As for the words which I have now chosen for the subject of my present discourse, they are evidently ́a a devout prayer of David, relating to his death and departure out of this world. But it is questioned what the thing distinctly is for which David prays in these words, Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days.

Some have thought that he prays for a special revelation from God of the time of his death, taken either precisely or with some latitude, how long he should live, when he should die, and be called out of this world. Indeed this is a favour which it hath pleased God to grant unto some men. Thus Moses and Aaron, some time before their death, had notice given them of it, and of the place where they should lay themselves down and die, the one on mount Hor,

a Abstine paululum a flagellando me, ut vires pristinas recipiam, priusquam migrare cogar, nunquam huc reversurus.