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ing tranquillity and peace, and joy. So far from being depreffed, the lively Christian rejoices, in the days of alarm and fuffering, and in the prospect of death: with ferenity and exultation, and triumph, moves forward to glory, honour and immortality. "None of

"these things trouble me," fays he, with the Apostle Paul, "neither count I my life "dear to me, while I finish my courfe with "joy."

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I mentioning the glorious prospects of faith and hope, with which being troubled in heart is incompatible, I am naturally brought forward to the inquiry, What are the fources of tranquillity and confolation, when there are wars and rumours of wars?

PART II.

.II. MANY are the confiderations propofed and urged in the holy Scriptures for preferving and cherishing tranquillity and hope, and enjoyment. The general and all comprehenfive direction is given by our blessed LORD, Let not your heart be troubled, be-"lieve in GoD, believe alfo in me."

Faith

in GoD, faith in CHRIST, foothes, restores and invigorates the foul: believers are filled with peace and joy.

If we fteadily regard the difcoveries prefented to us, of the divine nature and government; and of the grace and the glorious yet endearing characters of the LORD JESUS; if we embrace his promises; if we remember the protection, fuccefs and joy fecured to his followers, and experienced by them, according to his word; we will be faved from trouble of heart. Peruse with attention and application the confolatory difcourfe, which begins with the words now quoted; and its object, repeatedly mentioned, will be fecured; your hearts will not be troubled, neither will you be afraid. Under every trial, in every the most overwhelming difpenfation, tranquillity is enfured to the people of God; and has been enjoyed by them, as well as when there are wars and ru mours of wars.

"GOD is our refuge and ftrength, a very "present help in the time of trouble, there"fore will not we fear, though the earth be "removed

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" removed, and though the mountains be "carried into the midft of the fea; though "the waters thereof roar and be troubled;

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though the mountains shake with the fwel"ling thereof.—-Although the fig-tree shall "not bloffom, neither fhall fruit be in the 26 vines, the labour of the olive shall fail, and "the fields fhall yield no meat; the flock "shall be cut off from the fold, and there "fhall be no herd in the ftalls; yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of falvation. The LORD is my ftrength." Respecting war more particularly, fays the Pfalmift, "Though an hoft should encamp "against me, my heart fhall not fear; though "war should rise against me; in this will I "be confident. I cried unto the LORD with

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my voice, and he heard me out of his holy "hill; I awaked for the LORD fustained me. "I will not be afraid of ten thousands of

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people that have set themselves against "L me round about.

AT present, wars and rumours of wars, and the relieving and comforting views of faith, in their dangers and fufferings, and

alarms

alarms, claim our attention, in a more particular manner.

AMIDST the dangers, fufferings and alarms of war, this will preferve us from trouble of heart, and infpire tranquillity, that we remember, in general, that all things are under the control of heaven; that by fuch visitations God fulfils his purposes and manifefts his glory; that he hath often diftinguished and faved his people in wars and alarms ; that there are many foothing and reviving promises to the faithful, respecting war. I add, that the sympathy and the prayers of the faints are fources of peace and confolation, amidst the apprehension and horrors of war.

1. I BESEECH you, that your hearts be not troubled, to remember that all things, all these things, are under the control and direction of heaven.

By faith we know that the worlds were framed by the word of God: by faith we understand all things are upheld by the word of his power who is the brightness of the glory of God. Reason and revelation equal

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by afcribe the preservation and government, with the formation of all things, to God. A fparrow falleth not to the ground without your Father: the very hairs of your head are all numbered: GoD clothes the grafs of the field, and feeds the ravens : How much more, ye inftantly fay, is man the care of providence! how much more, bodies of men, focieties, nations, with all their privileges and enjoyments, facred and civil!

His church, the fociety of the faithful, is dear unto the LORD: "I am with you :-I "am in the midst of you," faith the LORD, and, "Lo I am with you to the end of the "world." If GOD is with them, preserving them and bleffing them; his providence regulates, directs and reftrains what fo materially affects their prefervation, privileges and enjoyments, as the issues of war. Το this conclufion, obvious and irresistible as it is, we are not left. What we neceffarily conclude is explicitly declared. The LORD of Armies is one of the characters of the Almighty. While Ifrael was obedient, JEHOVAH led forth their armies. The great revolutions

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