SERMON XXXVII. PSALM CXviii. 8. It is better to truft in the Lord, than to put any confidence in man. ET how unwilling are the greater part YR of mankind to feek for this against the evils of life, and how ready are they to feek for other methods of warding off the misfortunes to which they are liable. So many are the changes and chances of this mortal life, fo grievous the difficulties and dangers we are deftined to encounter in this vale of tears, that the unfupported weaknefs of human nature muft ever find itself unable to fuftain them. Hence it is, that in times of diftrefs and affliction all men natu rally flee for help, and endeavour to seek tefuge from the evils that surround them. Nor are the fupports on which they depend lefs various, than the miseries from which they fly. Some put their truft in chariots and fome in horses; fome rely on riches, or the confolations of human strength or friendship; others take shelter under the fpecious arguments of human wisdom and vain philofophy. These, and fuch like, are the broken reeds of comfort, to which men, in all ages, have had recourse for help in the day of trouble. Amidst this perplexing uncertainty of vain hopes and deceitful expectations, the Royal Pfalmift wifely undertakes to direct our wandering steps, and points out a fountain of comfort, which can never fail or deceive us. And who was better able than the Royal Pfalmift to give us this information? He had felt all the miferies that mortal man is heir to, he had tried all the confolations which human strength can afford; and, after all, declares, as the refult of his latest and best experience, "that it is better to trust in the "Lord, than to put any confidence "man," This declaration I shall endeavour to illuftrate by a confideration of the following particulars: First, That man can be no true object of truft and confidence. 1 Secondly, That God is fuch an inexhaustible fountain of power and goodness, that he can never fail those who put their trust in him. That man cannot be a proper object of confidence, will be evident from the slightest survey of human nature and its leading principles. His will, which is the great spring of all his actions, is ever fickle and inconftant in all its propenfities and averfions, not only driven about with every sudden gust of humour or paffion, but even attached by fecret likings and inexplicable fympathies, and alienated and estranged by as fudden and unaccountable hatreds and antipathies. What dependence then can there be on that which is fcarce a moment the fame, which is feldom in our own power, and at all times deceitful above all things. Nor is this perverse fluctuation of the hu man will to be controlled by any laws, or re ftrained by the strongest tyes and obligations we can lay upon it. For how often do we see the parent abandon the child, for whom he is bound by the laws of nature to provide; abandon him without remorfe, to danger, calamity, or death; and how often, again, does the child as unfeelingly trample under foot the facred bonds of gratitude and filial duty? And if thefe, whom the most cogent laws of God and nature have appointed for a mutual comfort and fupport, can yet fail and deceive each other, what trust or confidence can we repofe in the help of man, when he is bound by no laws, or inclined only by the weaker impulfes of gratitude or friendship, to relieve us? Should fo plain a point as this ftill want confirmation, read the hiftory of mankind, and you will foon be convinced, how little faith is due to the common profeffions of friendship and efteem. Whilft fortune fmiles upon us, and our tables are crowned with riches and plenty, we fhall not want numbers to devote themselves to our férvice, and de clare clare themselves, like the faithlefs Peter, even ready to die with us: but let the providence of God change the scene, and scatter the bleffings he had poured upon us, then, like Peter alfo, will they be ready with an oath to deny us. Their proteftations of service will then be changed into frivolous excuses, and we fhall be left to mourn our folly in putting any confidence in man. But let me not be misunderstood. I mean not here to depreciate the value of true friendship, which every reasonable man is bound to honour, as the nobleft balm of life, which God hath bestowed in compaffion to the manifold infirmities of our nature. But I must at the same time observe, and, I fear, the experience of too many will confirm the obfervation, that he, who flatters himself with the hopes of enjoying this bleffing, will find by long trial, that as it is more precious, fo alfo it is more difficult to be acquired than gold, yea than much fine gold. But even should we fucceed in our perfuit of this inestimable treafure, how far are we ftill from having obtained any fecurity against $ 4 the |