fhall for ever be well and happy, beyond what the most enlarged heart can poffibly conceive.The reafon of this declaration is fubjoined:

For they fhall eat the fruit of their own doings. Similar expreffions are often used in fcripture, to fignify, that good men fhall receive a reward adequate to their works of righteoufnefs. The man according to God's own heart affirms, That light is fown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart *, • Great peace (faith he) have they who love God's law, and nothing fhall offend them t. In keeping God's true and righteous judgments there is a great reward.' God, by our prophet, declares, The ⚫ fruit of righteoufnefs is peace, and the effect thereof quietnefs and affurance forever .' And the Apostle Paul lays it down as an unquestionable maxim, that whatsoever a man foweth, that fhall he alfo reap §.' Thefe, and other fimilar paffages of fcripture, inculcate the important truth contained in the words before us, and give the most explicit afsurance, that the labour of the righteous fhall not be in vain in the Lord; and that all the difpenfations of providence, whatever afpect they may bear to human view, fhall uniformly tend to promote their real welfare. The fruit of their affliction fhall be. their purification and improvement; the fruit of their profperity fhall elevate their hearts in the good ways of the Lord; the fruit of their reproach fhall be the Spirit of God, and of glory, refting upon thern; the fruit of their having nothing fhall be that they fhall poffefs all things; and the fruit of their walking in wisdom's ways fhall be pleafure and peace. We appeal to the generation of the righteous for the truth of these remarks; which fuggeft to you the most animating motives to patient continuance in well-doing; of which we entreat ye be not weary, for in due time ye fhall reap, if ye faint not.

Pfal. xix. 11.

11 Wo unto the wicked, it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

This alarming declaration, published against those of an oppofite character, contains the counterpart to the meffage delivered in the foregoing verfe.The first thing which demands our attention, is, the character of the perfons against whom wo and mifery are denounced. The word tranflated wicked, fignifies unquiet; and fo emphatically defcribes the temper and condition of the ungodly and profane. Unquiet is their name, and unquietnefs is with them: they dif turb and trouble themselves; and often vex and harafs others to the utmost of their power. Sin not only exists in their turbulent difpofitions, but exercises ufurped authority over them, to which they yield not a forced and involuntary fubjection, but a chofen and willing obedience. Diftracted by various contending paffions, which often oppofe one another, they are agitated like the troubled fea, which cannot reft, whofe waters caft forth mire and dirt. Far from complaining of their tyrannical authority and deftructive influence, and contending with them as their greatest enemies, they readily comply with their demands, and then form plaufible excuses to justify their foolish conduct. Though often wearied in the fervice of divers lufts and pleasures, they induftriously proceed to offend yet more and more, and prefumptuously to commit all manner of iniquity with greedi nefs. Indifferent to their duty, their danger, and their intereft, in proud contempt of God, and the facred obligations they are under to honour and obey him, they obftinately perfift in executing the mifchievous devices they have imagined, ruinous to themfelves, and hurtful to fociety. Such are the perfons against whom God, by the prophet, denounces complicated mifery.

Wo unto the wicked, it shall be ill with him. It must be fo for they are enemies to God in their minds,

and

and by wicked works; by nature the children of wrath; by practice the children of difobedience, the miferable flaves of Satan, who leads them captive at his pleasure. They lie under the complicated guilt of all their multiplied and aggravated tranfgreffions; for each of which, they deserve that everlasting deftruction, of which they are in continual danger; having no fecurity but that every moment they may be fummoned to appear before the tribunal of God, where they fhall be adjudged to weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, in that place where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. Slaves to their infatiable appetites, ever craving, but never fatisfied, they feel the anguifh which arises from difappointment, refiftance, and denial, and the mifery which never fails to attend counteracting the influence of the nobleft powers of the foul. Befides, they are exposed to innumerable calamities of various kinds, which may fuddenly blaft their reputation, bereave them of health, deprive them of the delufive peace they enjoy, and plunge them into that endless ruin which they little dreaded.Say then, brethren, is it not ill with the wicked? Were it lawful for us to wish the worst condition poffible to our bitterest enemies, we could not form a wifh in which more mifery is comprehended than that of Job; Let them

be as the wicked and the unrighteous *.' Men of this character may dream of peace and fafety; but the word of God cannot be broken, which faith, There is no peace to the wicked. Would to God that fuch would seriously remember, that the frequent folemn warnings they now receive of their imminent danger, if neglected and defpifed, will at laft greatly aggravate their condemnation and mifery! Attend to this ye that forget God, and fay in your heart, God hath forgotten. The reason of this declaration is added:

*Job xxvii. 7.

For

For the reward of his hands fhall be given him. The punishment of tranfgreffors fhall be proportioned to the wickedness they have committed. Upon the wicked God fhall rain fnares, fire and brimftone, and an horrible tempeft: this fhall be the portion of their cup. They fhall not only have the cup put into their hands, but they fhall be obliged to drink off its bittereft dregs. God will render to every man ' according to his work t.' Do you object to thefe, and fimilar paffages of fcripture, the prosperity of the wicked, who often enjoy most of the riches, honours, and pleasures of this world, and poffefs the fairest inheritance upon earth? and do you find difficulty in reconciling the propofition before us with your own obfervation. The profperity of the wicked does not contradict the truth under confideration, for it is truly ill with a wicked man, even in profperity: it deftroys him, it hardens his heart, it administers fewel to his lufts, and renders calamities more terrible when they arrive. To fome of the wicked God difpenfes the good things of this life, to furnish them for accomplishing the purposes of his providence, and to recompenfe them for performing the fervices affigned them. To others, they are given to discover what is in their hearts, to make them fenfible of the iniquities which predominate there, and to leave them wholly without excufe for their fins. And though fome of this character feem exempted from many of the ills denounced against the wicked, and do not appear to receive the reward of their hands, yet mifery is their juft defert, wrath their certain portion, their increase hall go into captivity, their riches fhall flee away, their grandeur fhall be brought down, their beauty fhall be ftained, their reputation blafted; fo that their fulnefs fhall be converted into emptinefs, and all their ⚫ comforts into wo: and, at the final judgment, they thall be ordered to depart into everlafting fire, pre

* Pfal. xi. 6.

+ Rom. ii. 6. Cc

pared

pared for the devil and his angels.

Let the wicked forfake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, ⚫ and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God 'for he will abundantly pardon. As I live, faith the Lord God, I have no pleafure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live: turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die. An all-fufficient remedy is provided for your relief, in the mediation of Jefus Chrift, whereby you may obtain pardon of fin, peace with God, and eternal life. Come then to him without delay, that you may enjoy the ineftimable bleffings contained in his promifes.

•

12 ¶ As for my people, children are their oppreffors, and women rule over them: O my people, they which lead thee, caufe thee to err, and deftroy the way of thy paths.

A fharp reproof is here adminiftered to the rulers of God's people, who were chiefly culpable, having greatly contributed, by their pernicious influence, and bad example, to carry forward that general corruption which pervaded all ranks among them.As for my people, faith God, whom I have created for myself, that they may fhew forth my praife; whom I have chofen for my peculiar treasure, above all the people on the face of the earth; whom I have redeemed by a ftrong hand, and ftretched-out arm; for whose ranfom I gave Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sebah; to whom I have given ftatutes, commandments, and ordinances, prophets, teachers, and guides, to instruct them; and who have been the objects of my peculiar affection, and distinguishing care-Children are their oppreffors, or as the word fignifies, rigorous exacters. The governors of Judah are called children, to intimate, that they were weak, imprudent, and unfkilful, in the management of the public affairs with which they

were