and he bringeth them out of their diftreffes. 29. He maketh the form a calm, fo that the waves thereof are fill. 30. Then are they glad because they be quiet; Jo he bringeth them unto their defired haven. 31. 0) that men would praife the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 32. Let them exalt him alfo in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the affembly of the elders.

The fourth fimilitude chofen to portray the dangers of our prefent ftate, and the goodness of God displayed in our falvation, is taken from that fignal inftance of the divine power and providence, the prefervation of mariners in a ftorm at fea. The description which the Pfalmift hath given us of such an event admitteth of no comment. Experience alone can illuftrate it's beauty, evince it's truth, and point out the propriety of the circumftances which are felected to furnish us with a full and complete idea of the whole. Few of us, indeed, are ever likely to be in that terrible fituation. But then, we cannot help reflecting, that there is a fhip, in which we are all embarked; there is a troubled fea, on which we all fail; there are ftorms, by which we are all frequently overtaken; and there is a haven, which we all defire to behold, and to enter. For the church is a fhip; the world is a fea; temptations, perfecutions, and afflictions are the waves of it; the prince of the power of the air is the ftormy wind which raifes them; and heaven is the only port of reft and fecurity. Often during the voyage, for our punishment, or our trial, God permitteth us to be thus affaulted. The fucceffion and the violence of our trouble, the eleva

tions and depreffions of mind and fortune, the uncertainty of our counfels, and our utter inability to help ourselves, are finely reprefented by the multitude and impetuofity of the waves, the toffings and agitations of the veffel, the confufion, terror, and distress the failors. In both cafes, prayer is among the proper effect, and the only remedy left. With the earnestness of affrighted mariners, who will then be devout, though they never were fo before, we should "cry unto the Lord Jefus in our trouble;" we should, as it were, "awake" him, like the difcpiles, with repetitions of Lord, fave us, we perifh!', Then will he arife, and rebuke the authors of our tribulation, faying unto them, "Peace, be ftill;" and they shall hear, and obey his voice. "He will "make the ftorm a calm, so that the waves thereof "fhall be ftill;" and at length he will "bring us" in peace, joy, and gladness, " to our defired haven," there to exalt him in the congregation" of his chofen, and "praise him in the" great "affembly" of faints and angels. This is the confummation fo devoutly wished and requested by the church for all her children, at the time of their baptifm, that they, "being delivered from God's wrath, may be received "into the Ark of Chrift's church; and being sted"faft in faith, joyful through hope, and rooted in charity, may fo pass the Waves of this troublefome world, that finally they may come to the "Land of everlasting life." Thus we fee there is no fpiritual evil, out of which God is not both able and willing to deliver us, when we call upon him. Are we ignorant of the way to the heavenly city? He will guide and conduct us thither. Are we bound

with the chains of fin and death? He will loofe and deliver us. Are our minds difeafed and languid? He will heal and invigorate them. Are we in danger of being overwhelmed by the troubles of the world? He will preferve us in the midst of them, until he bid them ceale. Of his power and inclination to do these things for our fouls, he hath given affurance to all men, by thofe pledges of his love, the benefits and bleffings conferred on the bodies of his people, in leading them through the wilderness to Canaan; in refcuing them fo often from the miferies of captivity; in healing their diseases; and in faving thofe of them, who did bufinefs in great "waters," from the perils of the fea. Certainly, the mind of man cannot have a nobler fubject for meditation in this world, than the wonders of Providence, confidered as reprefenting the mercies of Redemption.

33. He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the water Springs into dry ground. 34. A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. 35. He turneth the wilderness into a ftanding water, and dry ground into water Springs; 36. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation; 37. And for the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increafe. 38. He bleed them alfo, fo that they are multiplied greatly, and fuffereth not their cattle to decrease.

In this latter part of the Pfalm, the prophet farther exemplifieth the power, the juftice, and the goodness of God: his power, in being able to change the very nature of things; his juftice, and

his goodness, in fo doing, either to punish the rebellious, or to reward the obedient. A well watered and fertile country fhall, for the fins of it's inhabitants, be converted into a dry and a barren one. The plain of Jordan, which, before the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, was "well watered every where, "like the garden of Jehovah," Gen. xiii. 10. hath, fince that overthrow, been a land of falt and fulphur, and perpetual fterility. Nay, even the once fruitful Palestine itself, that flowed with milk and honey, is at this day a region of fuch utter defolation, that the very poffibility of it's ever having fufficed to maintain the people who formerly poffeffed it, is now called in queftion. And indeed, while the rain of heaven shall continue to be in the hand of God, how easy it is for him, by withholding it during a few months, to blaft all the most promifing hopes of man; and, instead of plenty, joy, and health, to vifit him with famine, peftilence, and death! On the other hand, when the ways of a people please him, he can rid them of thefe dreadful guests; the rain fhall defcend from above, the fprings fhall rise from beneath, the earth fhall yield her increase, the cattle fhall feed in large paftures, the feafons shall be kindly, the air falutary, and the smiling face of nature shall atteft the loving kindness of the Lord. Thus, in the difpenfations of grace, hath he dealt with Jews and Gentiles. The fynagogue of

the former, once rich in faith, watered with the benedictions of heaven, fruitful in prophets and faints, adorned with the fervices of religion, and the prefence of Jehovah, hath been, fince the murder of the Son of God, curfed with infidelity, parched like

the withered tops of the mountains of Gilboah, barren and defolate as the land of their ancient refidence, whofe naked rocks feem to declare to all the world the hard-heartednefs and unprofitableness of its old poffeffors. When the "fruitful field" thus became a" foreft," the "wildernefs," at the fame time, became a "fruitful field." A church was planted in the Gentile world, and the "Spirit was poured out

upon it from on high." In that "wilderness did "waters break out, and ftreams in that defert." There was faith fown, and holiness was the universal product. "The wildernefs and the folitary place "was glad, and the defert rejoiced, and bloffomed "as the rofe. It bloffomed abundantly, and rejoiced "even with joy and finging; the glory of Lebanon "was given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and "Sharon;" the privileges and honours of the fynagogue were conferred upon the church; and the nations now "faw the glory of Jehovah, and the ex

cellency of God." Ifai. xxxii. 15. XXXV. 1, 2. Spiritual increase, health, and plenty, fpiritual peace, joy, and happiness, appeared in beauteous and lovely proceffion, and the bleffing of Jefus was upon this his new inheritance, in every way.

39. Again they are minifhed, and brought low, through oppreffion, affliction, and forrow. 40. He poureth contempt upon princes, and caufeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. 41. Yet fetteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.

But let not thofe, who have received the largest fhare of heaven's favours, therefore boaft and pre

fume,