which is loft or concealed in our tranflation; it lies in the oppofition between the 19th and 21ft verses. The 19th verfe runs thus, "Many are the afflictions of the righte"ous; but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." In oppofition to this, it is faid, in the 21ft verfe, as it fhould be tranflated, "One evil fhall flay the wicked; and they "that hate the righteous fhall be defolate." This probably points at the great diftinguishing fecurity of good men, that their falvation is fafe in the keeping of God, and quite beyond the reach of their most implacable enemies. Whatever ftraitening circumftances they may be reduced to, they have treasures in heaven, "which neither moth nor "raft can corrupt, nor thief break through and fteal." They may be driven from their habitations, or banished from their country; they may resemble thofe of whom we read, Heb. xi. 36, 37, 38. "And others had trials of cruel

mockings, and scourgings; yea moreover of bonds and "imprisonment. They were ftoned, they were fawn "afunder, were tempted, were flain with the fword; they "wandered about in fheep fkins, and goat fkins; being "deftitute, afflicted, tormented, (of whom the world was "not worthy;) they wandered in deferts, and in moun"tains, and in dens, and caves of the earth;" but they cannot be banished from the kingdom of heaven. No tyrant can shut the gates of Paradife against them; for they have been opened by him, "who openeth, and no man "fhutteth; and fhutteth, and no man openeth." I have often read with admiration, both in the inspired writings and ecclefiaftical history, the patience and conftancy of the martyrs. How edifying is it to obferve, that by witneffing a good confeflion, together with the gracious influence of the spirit of God, they have become fuperior to the fear of death, and have been enabled to defpife or pity the weakness of perfecuting rage? Sometimes we may clearly fee, the unrighteous judges torn in pieces, with the fury of infernal paffions, vainly endeavoring to wreak their malice, by newly invented tortures, and the happy prifoners, as it were, already beyond their reach, while by faith and hope they are firmly affured of "an inheritance VOL. I. 3 U

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incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, "referved in heaven above."

Having thus confidered the nature of the good man's fecurity, I am now to confider the abfolute certainty of it. On this I fhall be very fhort, it refts upon the divine perfection, the divine promife, and the experience of the faints. 1. The divine perfection. Is there any thing too hard for the Almighty? Is he not the Lord of nature? And are not all things obedient to his will? The great enemy of fouls, and all his inftruments and agents, are under the government of God. He fets bounds to their rage, and will not fuffer them to go fo much as one hair's breadth beyond the limits he hath appointed for them. How great then must be the fecurity of thofe who put their trust in him? Again,

2. Confider his faithful promife; he hath faid it, he hath repeated it, he hath fworn it, that his covenant fhall ftand faft for ever. Every page of the facred oracles is full of the most gracious affurances; and thefe expreffed in the moft condefcending terms. Pfa. xci. 1-4. "He "that dwelleth in the fecret place of the Moft High, fhall "abide under the fhadow of the Almighty. I will fay of “the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortrefs; my God, "in him will I truft. Surely he fhall deliver thee from "the fnare of the fowler, and from the noisome peftilence. "He fhall cover thee with his feathers, and under his "wings fhalt thou truft: his truth fhall be thy fhield and "buckler." Zech. ii. 8. "He that toucheth you, touch"eth the apple of his eye." Nay, the very minifters of his Providence are your attendants." Pfal. xci. 11. "For he fhall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee "in all thy ways."

3. Confider the experience of the faints; they all, with one voice, bear their teftimony to the divine faithfulness and mercy. It is with this particular view that the Pfalmift fays, in that forecited text, Pfal. ix. 10. "And they that "know thy name will put their truft in thee; for thou, "Lord, haft not forfaken them that feek thee." And indeed in every age, Chriftians of flanding and experience are ready to give their fanction to the certainty of God's

promifes, and will often confefs the greatness of his past mercy, even while they are chiding their own impatience and diftruft, that it can fcarcely fuffice to embolden them for future duty, and prepare them for future trials.

IV. I come now, in the laft place, to make fome practical improvement of what hath been faid. And, first, From what hath been faid, you may fee the finfulness of diftruft. Has God laid fo noble a foundation for our dependance upon him; and are we ftill fo backward to the duty? Is not diftruft in fome measure a denial of God himfelf? A denial of his prefence, a denial of his perfections, and difbelief of his promifes? Let us all be covered with fhame, when we confider how much we have already difhonored him, in this refpect. And let us pray, that he may enable us henceforward not only to fend up our cries to heaven, for relief in diftrefs, but to caft our cares and burdens upon the Lord, in the faith "that he "will fuflain us, that he will never fuffer the righteous to "be moved."

2. You may fee the remedy of diftruft, which is, to be more and more acquainted with the name of God. Contemplate his glory in the visible creation: he may be seen not only in his fpreading out the Heavens like a curtain, but in the formation of the meaneft creature; in a pile of grafs, or in a grain of fand. While you are daily tasting his gifts, forget not to acknowledge his bounty, in the rifing fun, the growing corn, and the falling rain. Think of his faithful word, read his promifes, lay them up in your memories, write them in your hearts; and efpecially, the exceeding great and precious promifes of the everlafting gofpel, which may be yours, which you are intreated to accept as yours, and if they be not yours, you shall render an account to himself at the last day, for receiving them in vain.Think alfo of his Providence, all you have feen, and all you have felt, of preferving goodness, and of redeeming grace; and continue to cleave to him as your portion, in the Pfalmift's words, Pfalm xlviii. 14. "This God is our God, for ever and ever, he will be our guide even unto death."

3. In the laft place, learn from hence, what is the fureft and fhorteft, and indeed, the only fafe way of deliverance from fuffering. Flee to God as your strong tower, by prayer and fupplication: but with this, endeavor by the renewed exercife of faith in your Redeemer's blood, to afcertain your title to the favor of God; endeavor by a ftedfaft adherence to your duty, to commit your ways to God; and fo foon, and so far, as you have good ground to know that you are his children, you ought to resist and banifh every doubt of your fecurity, Rom. viii. 28. "And we know, that all things work together for good to them "that love God; to them who are the called according to "his purpose." Verfe 32, of the fame chapter, "He that "fpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, "how fhall he not with him alfo freely give us all things."

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.

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HERE are two different divifions frequently made of practical religion. One, into our duty to God, and our duty to man. Not as though every part of our duty were not to be ultimately referred to God, and to be done from a regard to his authority enjoining it; but because there are fome duties, of the performance of which the Lord our maker, and fome of which our neighbor is the immediate object. Another common divifion is into the hidden and the apparent part; the inward frame and temper of the mind, and the outward life and converfation. These two divifions, though they are near a-kin to one another, and often by indiftin&t fpeakers in a great measure confounded, yet are by no means one and the fame; and when the difference is not fufficiently attended to, it is followed by many bad confequences. It is undeniable that God is chiefly delighted with truth in the inward parts; yet there are many of the duties we owe to God, which ought to have an outward expreffion, which without it will not be acceptable to him, but which are greatly neglected by those who imagine that a good life and converfation implies no more than the performance