suddenly; and, exerting themselves with vigour, covered, in a week or two, mountains with grass; enriched vallies with corn; beautified gardens with blossoms; filled every eye with charming prospects, and raised in every breast pleasing sensations! This was the doing of the Lord, and the more wondrous, because he did so for a nation unthankful and unholy, a nation which had turned against his law, and abused to his dishonor the riches of many plenteous years.

2dly, The restraints laid, once and again, on vegetation were wondrously removed. December-winds, which blew in June and July, and a coid damp cloudy atmosphere, which intercepted the rays of the sun, arrested the growth of every vegetable, embittered the joys of summer, and covered the country with gloominess. But the Lord, remembering his covenant, would not destroy the hope of man; and, by a warm and sunny day now and then, reanimated and brought forward the growth of hay and corn in a wonderful manner.

3dly, Damages in August were moderated. Hail, hoarfrost, and ice, rung a dreadful alarm at that season; filled every serious man with anxiety, and raised apprehensions every where, that the hardships of dearth would be followed with the miseries of famine. But the Lord was gracious! Our fears were prevented. Little hurt was done, and the fruit of the earth was wondrously preserved.

4thly, In a late harvest the weather continued settled and dry a length of time unusual in a climate where it is so variable, and hath now crowned the year with goodness. This, all this, is the doing of the Lord, and, in doing it, who can deny that he has dealt wondrously!

What shall we say to these things? The motive in wondrous dealing should work upon the natives of Britain, in all the vigor and extent in which it operated upon the inhabitants of Canaan. The operations of Providence, which have preserved the fruits of the earth, and crowned the harvest of the year, though not miraculous, are wonderful. These invite and encourage us to humble ourselves before the Lord for the iniquities which provoked him to threaten us with scarcity and dearth, and these allure, and draw us to rejoice in this abundance which his power hath produced, and his hand bestowed. "Oh that men would praise "the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works "to the children of men! Let them exalt him also in the

"congregation of the people, and praise him in the assem"bly of the elders. He turneth the rivers into a wilder"ness, and the water-springs into dry ground; a fruitful "land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that "dwell therein. He turneth the wilderness into standing "water, and the dry ground into water-springs. And there "he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a "city for habitation, and sow fields, and plant vineyards, "which may yield fruits of increase. He blesseth them "also, so that they are multiplied greatly, and suffereth "not their cattle to decrease. Again they are minished, "and brought low, through oppression, affliction, and sor"row. He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth "them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way. "Yet setteth he the poor on high, and maketh him families "like a flock." This is wondrous dealing toward men! These are wonderful conversions: Water-springs turned into dry ground, and dry ground into water-springs; vine-. yards turned into wildernesses, and wildernesses into vineyards; the hungry filled with all that the earth, the fold, and the stalls, produce; emptied again, and sunk into pov. erty and misery: Princes loaded with ignominy, and banished into deserts: Families of poor men raised in the public eye, and multiplied like a flock of sheep, where barrenness is unknown, and in which every one beareth twins. Unto whom shall we ascribe the diversified glory, in these operations of judgment and mercy? Shall it be ascribed unto the undefined thing which men call chance; or shall it be offered at the senseless altars of good and evil fortune? We will ascribe it all unto Jehovah, the God who doth wonders, and who exerciseth loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth; saying, with the writer of the psalm in which these operations are described, and in which the operator is acknowledged, "Whoso is wise, "and will observe those things, even they shall understand "the loving-kindness of the Lord. "* Oh that men would "mention the loving kindness of the Lord, and the praises "of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed "upon them, and the great goodness which he hath "wrought for us, according to his mercies, and according "to the multitude of his loving-kindness."

*Psal. cvii. 31-43.

Before we conclude we shall present an Address unte the following classes of hearers. First, You who are in casy, and, in comparison of others, affluent circumstances, attend unto these instructions. Ye are intrusted with property by the Professor of heaven and earth, and accountable to him at an appointed day. For every thing, whether inherited by succession, acquired by industry, or received from benevolence, account must be given. Riches are good, if men use them lawfully. It is not a crime to be rich. There is no iniquity in silver and gold. It is not money but love of money, that is the root of all evil. Use what is committed to your trust lawfully, use it to the honour of the proprietor, and according to the instructions given in his word. In the day of reckoning or giving in accounts, it will fill you with admiration to hear your conduct approved, and yourselves promoted: "Well done "good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a "few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, en"ter thou into the joy of thy Lord." When favorable seasons increase your wealth, and raise your name and credit higher, take heed lest your heart be lifted up, and lest you forget the Lord who giveth power to get wealth. It is lamentable to observe, and there have been instances of it, that a rise in circumstances defaces the beauty of humility; and that, as families climb the mountain of prosperity, they become more insolent toward all below them, and less exemplary in walking humbly with God who is above them. "Thou art waxed fat, thou art grown thick, thou art cov"ered with fatness; then he forsook God that made him, "and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation." How glorious is the grace of God, in preserving holiness and humility from being suffocated with prosperity? And of this too there are instances. "Then Isaac sowed in that "land, and received in the same year an hundred fold, and "the Lord blessed him. And the man waxed great, and "went forward, and grew until he became very great: "For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds "and great store of servants-And he builded an altar, "and called upon the name of the Lord." Sharpers lurk in every corner, and some of them among professors. Stumble not at religion because men make a cloak of

*Deut. xxxii. 15. Gen. xxvi. 12, 13, 14, 25.

villainy. Here there is danger, and the man who escapes is blessed: "Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended "in me." When ye lose by them, consider it as a check to desires of earthly things, a call to examine if you be using these lawfully, a trial whether you love the Lord when the heap is growing less, a motive to depend on him for wisdom and discretion, and as a necessary caution against setting your heart upon the world. In diet and in dress be examples of plainness and simplicity. Feast with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Bridle appetite, and keep the body in subjection. This is for your health. A moralist, who had looked into the higher walks of life, saith, very sensibly, 'When I behold a fashionable table set out in all its magnificence, I fancy that I see gouts and diopsies, fevers and lethargies, with other innumerable distempers, lying in ambuscade among the dishes.'*When ye eat in plenty and are satisfied, praise the name of the Lord your God, who dealeth wondrously with you. Religion is the strength and glory of our households. To acknowledge, morning and evening, and at every meal, our obligations to God, who giveth us all things richly to enjoy, is the duty, the honor, and the interest of every family. The burden of the ministry is growing daily heavier-Under this every honest man is ready to faint, and to wish to be in a wilderness. It would be lighter, and more easily borne, were landholders and men of property to declare themselves for the doctrine which is according to godliness, and help children and servants to the knowledge, and faith, and practice of it with their example and authority. "I know Abraham, that he will command his "children, and his household after him, and they shall keep "the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment.Ӡ

Secondly, Poor householders. With the sweat of the brow, and many sorrows, ye labor for food to eat and raiment to put on. You I exhort to praise the name of the Lord, who hath dealt wondrously with you. The provision of the year is good and competent, and affords reasonable hope of living cheaper than in some late seasons of scarcity. In your conversation the Lord looketh for humility and gratitude. Provoke him not, with pride and unthankfulness, to permit combinations among men of

business for raising the price of corn, and creating an artificial dearth. Be content with your portion. Though small, it is greater than ye deserve. Why should you set your heart upon wealth? Had you been rich, you might have behaved yourselves worse than some whom ye are ready to envy. Inconveniences of using little are lighter than the guilt of abusing much. In years of plenty, and in years of scarceness, many things are reprehensible in the temper, language, and conduct of the poor. Rich men you suppose to be the cause of your miseries, and look at them with dissatisfaction and envy, while you do not observe the justice of Providence in suffering them to bear hard upon you. Where dwell the men of violence, whose pride compasseth them as a chain, whose eyes stand out with fatness, whose mouths are set against the heavens, and whose tongues speak loftily and wickedly concerning oppression? The poor point to palaces of the nobility and great farm-rooms, where field is added to field, and prosperity is spreading like a green bay-tree. But the children of pride do not all live in these. Among shepherds and hinds, and town and country heritors, among tradesmen and day-laborers, among men-servants and maid-servants, Lucifers appear in great numbers, and in full magnitude. "Hear ye and give ear, be not proud, "for the Lord hath spoken: Give glory to the Lord your "God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains. But if ye will not "hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your "pride." "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace un"to the humble." Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up, and exalt you to honor.-That man is a fair Christian, and hath a noble spirit, how plain and low soever he be as a man, who, among other ornaments of the elect of God, hath in Christ Jesus put on humbleness of mind.

Thirdly, You who have not families, and serve in different places, we must not forget. For some years your circumstances have been favorable. Ye have eaten in plenty, have suffered little from the late scourging seasons, and have received high wages. Where are the wages which ye have earned? This is a fair question. Servants as well as masters are accountable to the Lord.What have ye done for your parents in poverty and old