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SERMON III.

ON RESIGNATION IN PRISONS.

LAM. III. 39.

Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his Sins?

SINCE

INCE there can be no occafion to prove, in this place, the reality of miferies and troubles, the pains, perfecutions and afflictions to which Mankind are fubject, it will conduce more to your Improvement in religious Knowledge, to lay before you thofe arguments, which may teach you refignation, upon

the

the principles of Chriftianity. The bold and daring character may think, that he has need of no refources beyond his own breaft, to enable him to bear the ftrokes of calamity; yet he knows not that an hour will arrive, when his heart will fink within him, like the heart of a little child, unlefs fortified by virtue, ftrengthened and fupported by religion. Shall I. from the midft of this audience, felect fome who will bear witness to this obfervation? Shall I appeal to your own confciences to declare, whether you have not found this defertion even in the ftrongest minds, whether you have not feen trembling and timidity even in the boldest Adventurer ?

It is a vain pretence for any one to rely folely upon the ftrength of his own mind for fupport. The Seeds of Error are mixed with the firft principles of our Exiftence; and Sin, that deftroyer of human Happiness,

Happiness, overfhadows and darkens all mortal Enjoyments. Even a good man, amidst the beft refolutions, falleth feven times a day. * Some Negligence, which he ought to have guarded against, betrays him into mistake, fome temptation leads him aftray. If the righteous, then, fcarcely be faved, where fhall the ungodly and the Sinner appear? +

The commiffion of fin, you are all ready to confess, hath occafioned your meeting together within this prifon. Different were your views in life, and various the cir cumftances which you had occafion to pursue. But in following the plans you had marked out, you lost fight of virtue. You deceived your own hearts by a thousand falfe and flattering expectations. Sometimes, too, you rushed to Iniquity with all the

Mat. xyiii. 21.

1 Pet. iv. 18.

the impetuofity of wilful and deliberate tranfgreffors. And where are you now? Either fuffering, or expecting, the juft punishment of your faults. Surely, then, if you have any fenfe of your prefent fituation, if you look forward to that ftate, in which you are to receive a recompence for the things done in the body, if you have any hopes of Heaven or fears of Hell, you must humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may pardon and relieve you, and exalt you in due time. †

Look upon the days of old, and confider how many good men, men of whom the world was not worthy, have been perfecuted and oppreffed, tortured and tormented. The Apoftle defcribes them as having had Trial of cruel mockings and fcourgings yea, moreover, of bonds and

+ Pet. v. 6.

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imprisonments. They were ftoned, they were fawn afunder, were tempted, were flain with the fword; they wandered about in fheepskins and goatskins, being deftitute, afflicted, tormented; they wandered in deferts and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the Earth. + This pathetic description of misery, I repeat not to aggravate your feelings, but that the obfervation in the text Atrike you with greater force. Wherefore doth a livingman complain, a man for the punishment of his Sins? If those who endeavoured to reform the world met with fuch cruel treatment from it, how much lefs have you reafon to complain, who have increased the confufion, and injured Society by a thoufand offences? The foolishness, that is, as the word is generally to be understood in fcripture language, the wickedness of man perverteth his own ways, and

may

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† Heb. xi. 36, 37, 38.

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