greatest matters-much more in smaller: but let it teach you alfo, that when you have finned, to search out the fpirit, and repent. David had finned horribly in the fight of God; and where the text takes him up, he was ftill in the height of his delufion: but his whole life after, as far as we can judge, was a life of repentance. Where fhall we find fuch expreffive forrow for fin as in his penitential pfalms, when he went mourning all the day long, and at night watered his couch with his tears. His fins might have been recorded not only to teach us penitence, but to teach us never to defpair: the greatest fin, on repentance and a change of life, may be forgiven through the merits of Chrift. Each of us hath in his own breaft that prophet, which will on every occafion tell him honeftly, as Nathan told David, Thou art the man. To this monitor let us at all times liften; and may God Almighty give us grace fo to attend its warning voice, that we may make our peace here, before all opportunity is loft for ever! SERMON VIII. [Preached on the Faft Day, Feb. 25, 1795-1 PSALM Xcvii. 1. THE LORD IS KING: THE EARTH MAY BE GLAD THEREOF; YEA, THE MULTITUDE OF HIS pfalm is fuppofed to have been written. THIS by king David, on the occafion of a victory. He attributes nothing to his own power, but refers all the glory to God. To God, likewife, he attributes all the misfortunes that befal the wicked, either as punishment or as trial. The holy Prophet therefore rejoices in the idea that God, whether he gives profperity, or adversity, governs every thing. The Lord is king: the earth may be glad thereof; yea, the multitude of the isles may be glad thereof. I fhall I fhall confider thefe words by fhewing you, firft, what is meant by the Lord's being king; fecondly, on what foundation the earth, and multitude of the ifles, may be glad thereof; and, laftly, I fhall make an application to ourselves. In the first place, the Lord is king, as he is the governor of all nature: all created things are under his control, and are only the inftruments of his government. In his vaft storehouse he has ftorms, infected air, earthquakes, and various other evils: he has likewife calm fkies, fruitful showers, and abundant harvests. In short, profperity and adverfity, in every shape; and even the wickedness of man, fo far as it affects mankind, (his own actions being always free,) are only various means by which God tries, punishes, and rewards the children of men. Again, the Lord is king over mankind, as divided into nations. Men form themselves into various governments, and amuse themselves with the wisdom with which their feveral schemes are conducted; but, in fact, all their governments and all their schemes are only the administrations of this great Ruler. Kings may suppose they govern, and generals may fuppofe they conquer; but but it is God that giveth power to the one, and force to the other, and conducts all their purposes to his own wife ends. The Lord is king alfo over men, confidered as individuals. There are various ftations in the world-high and low, rich and poor; and men fuppofe their own wifdom, induftry, and prudence, procure them their various distinctions in life but if we believe that the Lord is king, and that he ruleth the affairs of mankind, we must believe alfo, that nothing happens without his direction. Thus the Lord is king over all nature-over mankind in general, not only in a state of fociety, but as individuals alfo. But here, perhaps, fome may object, that if the Lord is king, and ruleth every thing, what occafion have we to do any thing? Why should the rulers of a country concern themselves about national affairs; or private men, about their feveral employments? All they do fignifies nothing. The Lord is king, and he will govern the affairs of nations and men as he pleafeth, whether themselves act, or not. This is falfe reafoning. We do not know what God intends; but we know what he orders us us to do, and therefore at any rate we fhould obey him. The fame God, who ordereth the affairs of nations and men, ordereth us alfo to ufe our wisdom and prudence, and every capacity which he hath given us. Our actions, like every thing else, are God's inftruments: by thefe he brings about the great purposes of his will. What thefe purpofes are, we know not; but of this we may be affured, that, by obeying or difobeying him, we may turn ourselves into good inftruments, or bad: his inftruments, certainly, in fome shape we muft be. If the wicked man therefore skreen his wickednefs by faying, that God turns his vices into benefits, let him confider what the fcripture fays, It must needs be that offences come; but woe be to that man by whom the offence cometh. God does not make men wicked; but if they make themselves wicked, he turns their wickedness to his own wife purposes. Again, if a man pretend to say, he hath accom- . plifhed any thing by his own wifdom or power, he is equally mistaken. The Lord is king, and for his own great purpofes beftows wisdom, and power; which, at the fame time the poffeffor may turn, if he pleafe, to his own advantage: as, in common life, a factor may contribute to VOL. IV. I carry |