fhip with the unfruitful works of darkness, but will rather reprove them."

We have seen what it is, to cleave to that which is good. We will close the fubject with fome arguments to confirm our resolutions in well doing.

"Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?" This will always be fafe. There can be no real danger attending it? Whatever dangers you may apprehend, they are but imaginary. They are the suggestions of luft, not of wisdom. Can there be danger in daily prayer to God, in a pious regard to his provi dence, and in a reverence of his name? Can there be danger in righteoufnefs, benevolence and integrity toward men? Can there be danger in fobriety, temperance, purity and meeknefs? Do thefe virtues expofe you to any mischiefs, from which the contrary vices would fecure you?

The wicked man is often perplexed, what courfe to pursue, and what turns and shifts to make, that he may fhun the evils which threaten him; and, after all his artifice, he runs into the very mischief which he aims to avoid, or plunges himself into a greater by declining a lefs. The upright man needs no artifice. The way of fafety lies plain before him. It is only to follow that which is good. "He who walks uprightly walks furely; his integrity will preferve him."

"Great peace have they who love God's law, and nothing fhall offend them." Whatever af fictions befall them, they have joy in the reflection, that their steady aim has been to approve themselves to God.

"Jefus," the great pattern of virtue, "went about doing good. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from finners." No dangers ever diverted him from the work which God gave him

to do. The more conftantly we cleave to that which is good, the nearer we approach to his character.

The way of goodness leads to happiness. The pleasure which the good man finds in religion here, is an earneft of fuperior happiness hereaf ter. By experience he daily learns the tendency of virtue, and is perfuaded that there awaits him, in God's prefence, fulnefs of joy. Amidft the changes of this mortal ftate, he looks up to God with cheerful hope and confidence, that under the direction of perfect wisdom, all things are working for his good; that, in the hands of in finite power, his future felicity is fecure; and that these light afflictions, which are but for a moment, will prepare him for a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Conscious that he has cleaved to that which is good, he contemplates, with a ferene and cheerful mind, the gloomy change of death, viewing it as the happy period of all his painful labours, and his introduction to a world, where he fhall receive an abundant reward.

That we may cleave to that which is good, let us make it our full and deliberate choice. Let us feek the spiritual renovation of the heart, á mind enlightened to the clear difcernment of truth, and a temper moulded into a conformity to the character of God. Let us ever guard against the first departure from goodness; for one devious ftep leads to another. When we begin to wander, we can prescribe no bounds to tranfgreffion. Let us entertain no fentiments, which contradict moral rectitude. Such fentiments, whatever arguments may be urged in their fupport, muft be falfe. Nothing can be true, which is contrary to moral goodness. Great familiarity with ourselves

is neceffary to conftancy in religion. It is by the examination of our hearts, and the review of our actions, that we learn whether they are conformed to the will of God. It is thus that we make a seasonable discovery of our errors, and correct them before we are led dangerously astray. Remembering our dependence on God, we muft repair often to his throne for light to guide us, and grace to preserve us in the way of goodness and truth.

Happy is the man who with the Pfalmift can say, "I have chofen the way of truth, thy judgments I have laid before me, I have ftuck unto thy teftimonies. I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou fhalt enlarge my heart."

SERMON XX.

Moral Reflections on Floods.

A Sermon delivered February 22, 1807.

AMOS ix. 5.

The Lord of hofts is he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn, and it shall rife up wholly like a flood, and shall be drowned as by the flood of Egypt.

GREAT and important events are, in the facred writings, often described by allufions to the fudden rife and extenfive fpread of waters. This metaphor is fometimes used to exprefs happy events; but more frequently those which are calamitous. To the latter it is applied in our text.

The prophet foretels a defolation foon to come on the land of Ifrael by the invasion of their enemies. The fudden manner and irrefiftible force of the invafion, and the clean riddance which it fhould make of people and property he illuftrates by a flood; particularly by a flood of Egypt,

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when the river Nile, overflowing the lower couatry, compelled the inhabitants to retire with their fubftance to the higher grounds. "The Lord toucheth the land, and it fhall melt ;" to be at once diffolved into water. rife up wholly as a flood, and fhall be drowned as by the flood of Egypt."

fhall feem "It fhall

Floods of water naturally fuggeft to us many useful meditations, fome of which may properly employ our minds this afternoon.

The winter hitherto has been moft remarkable. A long courfe of intenfe cold has covered the ftreams with prodigious maffes of the firmeft ice. The streams, thus bridged over, have, thrice within three weeks, been fuddenly fwelled by copious rains to fuch a height, as to sweep off by the force of water and weight of ice, a great part of the inills, and most of the bridges, which stood upon them.

By reason of the increafe of people, wealth, business and travelling, works of this kind have been greatly multiplied within a few years; the lofs fuftained therefore by individuals and by communities has been incalculable; and the embarraffments, to which many travellers and fome families are fubjected, in confequence of these devaftations, is inconceivable.

Thefe floods, though difaftrous to property, may be conducive to the promotion of piety. With this view we will now contemplate them. 1. They lead us to realize the majesty and supremacy of God.

Grand and ftriking is the defcriptive language of the prophet in our text. "The Lord of hofts is he, that toucheth the earth, and it shall melt." The touch of his finger covers the earth with a flood, as fuddenly, as if the folid ground were melt