your eye spare, neither have ye pity: slay utterly old and young, but come not near any man upon whom is the mark."

Now we should seek, brethren, whatever consequences may follow, to be among them that have God's mark -his mark of favor, and protection, and approbation; to be among those that he has appointed to be his jewels in the great day of account; whom he has promised to guide by his counsel, and afterward to receive to glory.

At the same time, while thus careful to meet consequences, we should not forget that we are here to thank him that in the midst of judgment he has remembered mercy to this land :—that while other nations lie prostrate, while their very names and their bounds seem to be forgotten, we stand here a monument of the grace and the goodness of God. God grant that we may still stand as a monument of mercy and grace, and that we may stand here and forever for Christ's sake!"

[Preached Feb. 17th. On the 2d of March following, Mr. Cecil had that seizure of paralysis which closed his public ministry.]

RECTITUDE OF THE DIVINE ADMINISTRATION.

Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ?-GEN. xviii. 25.

[1805.]

In this passage we have the example of Abraham interceding for Sodom. The general proposition contained in this text is that THE JUDGMENTS OF GOD ARE However ignorance

ALWAYS RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENTS.

may misconstrue, and impatience question, there are but two things needful for the full illustration of this

truth; namely, time and trust.

"Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?" The argument is the same as that of the Apostle, Rom. iii. 5, 6.

I shall observe,

I. THAT IT IS THE HIGH PRIVILEGE OF A TRUE BELIEVER

TO PLACE UNLIMITED CONFIDENCE IN THE CONSIDERATION

OF HIS JUDGE, Under all bereAVING PROVIDENCES.

II. THAT IT GIVES GOOD EVIDENCE OF A MAN'S HAVING BEEN TAUGHT OF GOD, WHEN HE HAS A PRACTICAL AND

READY APPLICATION OF THIS CONFIDENCE UPON ALL OCCASIONS.

I. IT IS THE high privilege of a believer to place UNLIMITED CONFIDENCE IN GOD UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. It is easy to say this; but it is of vast importance to practise it. In awful providences-súch as have lately hung over us-to consider that the reins of government are still in God's hands; that he, as the Judge of all the earth, will do what is right-and that though the present scourge of Europe,* like another Sennacherib, may be suffered to go forth and madly resolve to do whatever his ambition points out; yet, that God sitteth above the water-floods, and remaineth a King forever," saying to the proud menacer of the nations

"Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further;"-this shows a right position of mind. Now, do we believe this? or do his threatenings shake our confidence?

1st. A practical application of this consideration has a tendency to compose the mind under bereaving circumstances. It was Abraham's privilege to be able to place an unlimited confidence in the commands of God. We see this principle manifesting itself in his prompt and resigned obedience when commanded to offer up

* Napoleon Bonaparte,

his son Isaac; and this exercise of faith reconciled him to the bereavement. Now, under all trials and bereaving providences, to have this sentiment ever at hand"Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" and with Job to say, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord ;"— such a practical adoption of this proposition tends to quiet the mind, and lead it to rest in the character of God. What must have been the anguish of Aaron when, in one day, he lost both his sons, Nadab and Abihu! Yet, he "held his peace;" fully persuaded, that the Judge of all the earth must do right. So, under the same conviction, Eli exclaimed, when informed of the judgments which should befall his house, "It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good."

2ndly. This practical application of the text tends to quiet the mind with regard to the mysterious doctrines of divine revelation. I open my Bible, and see mysterious doctrines as to the eternal decrees: the text settles them. I read the doctrine of the eternal punishments of the wicked. In the lively exercise of a believer's privilege, I say, in reference to this awful and astonishing fact-" Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" If he has annexed such a punishment to sin, I am taught to "flee from the wrath to come." I am out of my place if I question. How can I expect to understand infinite perfection? So with respect to the justification of a sinner. Instead of asking how the innocent should suffer for the guilty, it is my privilege to believe and to say, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" It is absolute rebellion to cavil. The same may be said, if we ask, how prayer can be efficacious. What can a finite creature know of an infinite nature, or of an infinite government? It is enough for us to know that prayer

is pleasing to God-that he acts upon it; and will a proud cavilling spirit help us out of the difficulty? We may say what Eliphaz said to Job-"Are the consolations of God small with thee? What is man that he should be clean? and he that is born of a woman that he should be righteous?" Faith, in the highest degree, does not make void the necessity of practical religion: no man was a more devotional character or had more of practical religion than Abraham. The wicked speak either scoffingly or ignorantly of God; as if all was mercy and there was no justice. Let no man deceive himself with vain words: if he live after the flesh he shall die.

OF A MAN'S BEING DI

II. IT GIVES GOOD EVIDENCE VINELY TAUGHT, TO HAVE A READY APPLICATION OF THIS TRUTH UPON ALL OCCASIONS.

This is the proper exercise of faith. It was said of an eminent philosopher,* that the first lesson he taught his pupils was silence. Another philosopher, when a pupil was brought to him that he might learn to speak, demanded a double price; and when the reason of this demand was asked, he replied, "Because I must first teach him silence, and then teach him to speak." Thus, one of the first lessons which God teaches his children is, to be silent. Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant: that thou mayest remember thy ways and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God." Ezekiel xvi. 60-63. Thou shalt open thy mouth no more to

66

* Pythagoras.-ED.

boast, censure, or complain. Here was a practical use of the proposition in the text.

To teach this more effectually is one of the ends of afflictive dispensations. What a distinguished example was Ignatius of patience and resignation to the divine. will in the midst of suffering saying with St. Paul, "None of these things move me!" It was said of Fenelon, Archbishop of Cambray, that when he heard of the death of his favorite pupil, the Duke of Burgundy (with whom all his earthly prospects seemed to die), he calmly observed, "There are all my hopes cut off! but if the turning of a straw would bring him to life again, I would not do it."

I could not help being struck at the reply lately made by one of my hearers. When tidings were suddenly and unexpectedly brought him that a great part of his fortune was cut off, he immediately answered, "It is the Lord I have not a word to say!" Such a ready application of the truth which we have been considering, glorifies God: it acknowledges his perfections: it manifests a broken and a contrite spirit: it is following the example of our blessed Master, "who in the days. of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things that he suffered." But flesh and blood can reveal this to no man: it is the special operation of the Holy Spirit. Philosophy may produce stubbornness; but nothing, except grace, can, or ever will, enable us to adopt the language of the text. Abraham was a great man: but see how he humbled himself before God: "Behold, now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes."