Another may fancy himself too big to be punished, or to be brought to own his crimes. A man could not, he would not, think fo, if he would but confider, that the fear of the Almighty God brought two of the greatest princes on earth to humble themselves for their faults.

The great king Nebuchadnezzar, when God, who had punished him for his pride, had restored him to his kingdom, makes his confeffion in these words: I praise, and extol, and honour, the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment; and those that walk in pride he is able to abafe. And king David was fo far from exalting himself against God, when he had finned against him, that he thus expreffeth his forrow: Mine iniquities are gone over my head, and are as an heavy burthen, too heavy for me to bear: I will confefs my wickedness, I will be forry for my fin.

Had king Adonibezek confidered this truth, That God is just as well as almighty, he would hardly have forced God to have brought him to this confeffion for his barbarous inhumanity, As I have done, fo God hath requited me."

But then why should not every Christian, who profeffes to believe this, abhor, and fear the consequence of every act of injustice, of oppreffion, of wrong to his neighbour? Why fhould not every Chriftian, when he is tempted, through covetoufnefs, through malice, • Pfalm xxxviii. b Judges i. 7.

f Daniel iv. 37.

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through revenge, to injure any man, why fhould he not fay this to himself:—If I should give my neighbour this loss, this trouble, this vexation, the righteous God will certainly requite me; either I or my children fhall pay for it?

The terrible punishment of Sodom and Gomorrah, with fire and brimftone from heaven, is a most remarkable standing proof of God's holiness and purity, of his almighty power and purpose to punish all fins of uncleanness after the most dreadful manner.

All Chriftians, that know and believe this, will firive, and pray, and avoid, all temptations to every degree of these fins. They will remember, that it is the fame holy God, who has declared, that no fornicator, nor adulterer, nor unclean perfon, has any inheritance in the kingdom of God, but are to have their portion with devils.

And let no Chriftian, who believes the almighty power of God, fay, that he cannot overcome the corruption of his nature, or the temptations he meets with. If the grace of God will enable a man to overcome all the difficulties he can meet with, and if grace may be had for asking, which are two undoubted truths; why then whoever, in the fincerity of his heart, prays for grace and ftrength to overcome the weakness and corruption of his nature, shall certainly have an almighty power

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to affift him; and then he will have no reason to fear, no reason to complain.

The poor man, who has faith in God, will be contented with his condition, though it be never fo mean; for he will argue thus with himself: I am the creature of the Almighty God; it is not for want of power that he has given me fo little of this world's goods; I call him my Father, and he permits me to call him fo; it must be therefore that he knows that this very condition is the beft for me, and therefore I will endeavour to be fatisfied.

And the rich man, whose heart is not hardened, and who believes what he faith of God, will thus reafon:-The fame Almighty God, who gave me thefe riches, is as able to take them away, and very probably will do so, or continue them as a curfe to me, if I make them my idol, my god; if I adore them in my heart; if I put my truft, and place my happiness in them; or if I ftrive to increase them by unjust ways; or if I do not do good with them.

If a Christian is in the greatest distress, and does but call to mind what he believes of God; that he is almighty; that he is a father; that he fees all our diftrefs; that he is faithful to his promises; though he cannot perhaps fay, as holy Job did, Though he flay me, yet will I trust in him; yet he will not utterly defpair of a change for the better, because his hope is in God.

When

When a Chriftian confiders how plentifully God Almighty has provided for all his creatures; what care he takes of them, in fo much as that the least of them does not fuffer without his knowledge, without his leave; how juftly fhall we not reproach ourselves in the words of Christ, Shall be not be concerned for us? O we of little faith!

Can my weakness be greater than the Almighty can help? Can my fins be greater than infinite goodness can pardon? Can my enemies be more and stronger than he can fubdue? Are my wants greater than the Almighty can fupply? Need I go to the devil for help, when the Almighty God is ready to help me? Need I take unjust ways to provide for myself, or my children, when God has promised to be a father to them and to me, while we behave ourselves like children of fo holy a father?

If I am at any time going to do a thing which I have reafon to fear will displease God, let this thought restrain me: Is it not the Almighty God that I am going to offend? Shall I provoke the Lord to anger? Am I ftronger than he?

When I obferve the great patience of God, in fparing us when we deferve punishment, I fhall not be fo foolish as to imagine that it is for want of power, for he is almighty; but because he is infinite goodness, he waiteth to be gracious, until his despised mercy and juf

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tice fhall oblige him to take vengeance; and then I fhall feel his power, when it is too late to avert it by repentance.

Christians too feldom confider how many fins they would certainly have fallen into, had not God interpofed his almighty grace. We have, every foul of us, the feed of every wickedness within us; and it is God who hinders them from fpringing up, and from becoming our ruin.

It is God, the Almighty God, who only can oppofe the number, the power, the malice, and the fnares of evil fpirits, which are always attempting to ruin us; and would certainly do fo, did not we dwell under the shadow of the Almighty; under the protection of one who is able to fave. In confidence of whose protection, a Chriftian may be easy amidst all the disturbances the world is fubject to, and may fay with David, My help is not from man, but cometh from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

But then, left the mighty privilege we Christians enjoy, of having the honour to call the Almighty God our father, fhould make us proud of ourfelves, and in comparison of those who know not God; let his almighty power reprefs our infolence: for what am I in comparison of the Amighty? What have I, that I have not received from him? And what have I not to fear, left he should deprive me of his grace?

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