makes the virtuous sorrowful, and the vicious rejoice. There are many occurrences in the course of events, which no human prudence can prevent, or foresight enable one to avoid, that exposes the virtuous as well as the wicked to distress, and sometimes to that which is both protracted and severe. From mistaken ideas on this subject, it appears the friends of Job founded their various accusations against him. They concluded, from his great troubles and distress, that he must have secreted crimes of a very flagrant nature. From this circumstance, they therefore took the liberty to accuse him, and to call loudly upon him to repent. Conscious of his own integrity and the ignorance of his misguided friends, Job maintained his cause. Conscience did not accuse him, nor did his patience to endure fail him, in that distressing scene of trial. He was one of those who "was made an example of suffering affliction and of patience." But in cases like this, let not the heart fail; the Lord is our helper, and will he not appear in our behalf? "Ye have heard," says the Apostle James, "of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy." Chap. v. 11. Let us be assured that the Lord will thus finish all our afflictions, and at this time we are almost ready to say, "Behold, we count them happy that endure."

On the subject of our present labor, there is a scriptural illustration, that is too applicable to be passed over in silence. There were about our Lord, those "that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus, answering, said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinats above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things ?" The Galileans in general, it appears were not a very calm and peaceable people; but these were peculiarly disgraced at their death, in that while

they were sacrificing, Pilate falling upon them, slew them, and mingled their blood with the blood of the sacrifices which they offered. This, to human view, was a signal and irretrievable destruction. But are we to infer from this circumstance, that those Galileans were more wicked than other Galileans? It was to them an unavoidable providence of God, and not that they were singled out as an extraordinary example of wickedness. What says our Lord to the question of their being greater sinners? His language is, "I tell you, Nay, but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."

Again, our Lord mentions another instance of a similar nature. "Those eighteen, upon whom the tower of Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem ?" This question he answers himself, as he did the other. “I tell you, Nay, but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Luke xiii. 1---5. It is said "this prediction of our Lord was literally fulfilled. When the city was taken by the Romans, multitudes of the priests, &c. who were going on with their sacrifices, were slain, and their blood mingled with the blood of their victims; and multitudes were buried under the ruins of the walls, houses, and temples."

We find in this our world of misery, that some people, (we know not but as innocent as others,) are made the subjects of long and grievous afflictions. Some, like the children of Israel in Egypt, are doomed to a life of intolerable hardships. Others spend the best of their days in gloomy prisons or dark cells, where they are neither visited with the light of the sun, nor the society of a social friend to awaken a lively feeling in those long and dreary abodes. These are events that appear dark to us. But of one thing we may be fully persuaded, that the Lord is good. The Psalmist de

clares that he "is good unto all, and his tender mercies are over all his works." Our Savior says, "he is kind to the unthankful." Luke vi. 35. Whatever afflictions assail us, or however grievous our lot of life may be, let us then never despair of divine mercy; for the Lord is our helper, tho all other helps fail.

The scriptures maintain the doctrine of a universal retribution. God "will render to every man according to his deeds." This every Christian professes to believe; but not with a perfect uniformity of interpretation. The general assent of the Christian world harmonizes in the opinion that the present is not a state of full and perfect retribution. To this opinion I know of no other exceptions than a portion of our own connexion. But to us, both the scriptures and the known state of society unite in maintaining this want of full and perfect retribution here. We sometimes see the wicked oppressor sailing upon the tide of prosperity, and at death, some friendly hand closes his eyes in peace. To be sure he pursues a dangerous course, even in relation to the things of this world; but we do not always see him fall. On the other hand, we hear the honest poor groan under the hand of the oppressor; perhaps he falls a victim to his relentless rage, and thus closes the career of his mortal life. Long may the sorrowful widow sigh in her lonely dwelling, and the helpless orphan about her weep, while the cruel hand that removed at once a husband and a father, is successfully administering distresses to others of a similar description. Shall we believe that both these characters, the oppressor and oppressed, are receiving a just and equal retribution in the daily course of the present career of life? or will they find it in a succeeding period, when it shall be said of such oppressors, as was said to the rich man, "But now he is comforted, and thou art tormented."

Let us now call into view our third head of discourse, that concerning what is hidden by the veil of futurity, we should never judge contrary to God's mercy. When we are told that the tender mercies of God are over all his works, should we judge righteous judgement, to say any portion of his works is out of the reach of his mercy? Who has fixed bounds to the mercy of our God, and said, thus far shalt thou come, and no farther? and here shall thy benevolent hand be stayed? How appear these things to you, my hearers? Remember, that if you judge according to the appearance, and do not judge righteous judgement, like the Scribes and Pharisees of old, you condemn where the Lord does not condemn.

The future is to us a state unseen. It is where our experience has never attained. Our best ideas of much that pertains to this life, are extremely imperfect; much more so, then, must be those conditions which are beyond the ken of a mortal's eye. We may comprehend some outlines of general description. And such we have reason to believe were only intended for us in the communications of God's word, on subjects of futurity.

There are many things which appear to us portentous of evil, that are in reality, much less unfavorable. Of this we need not doubt, from the numerous occurrences of mistakes into which we find we have frequently fallen. It is a happy circumstance, when, at the departure of our friends, we are enabled to behold them calm, resigned, and happy. It is equally happy for us when in life, we can behold them meeting the vicissitudes and adverses of fortune, with a calm reliance on the faithfulness of God, possessing patience and fortitude to endure. But we cannot always expect to be thus fortunate in our friends. The burden of life, in some cases, is hard to be borne; and a state of despon

dency, which we cannot always control, makes it intolerable. By the timely use of proper means, our moral condition may be often meliorated, but not always controlled. It is impossible for us to determine the full influence of bodily infirmities. We should therefore be careful how we judge, lest by the appearance, we should find that we are deceived.

We would now close this subject by a few remarks on the subject of suicide. I am very sensible that the present very solemn occasion requires much caution and care in treating a subject of this nature, lest your feelings, already alive to sorrow, should be too deeply wounded by the recital. But we believe the interest excited by the occasion on which we have met, justly requires that something should be offered.

Suicide is thought by many to be the worst species of murder. This sentiment seems to be founded on the opinion that the state of all is irreversibly fixed at death. And as suicide is, according to this sentiment, a criminal assault upon one's self, in the last moments of life, it leaves no room for repentance, but seals a person's doom to the region of endless woe. But should we allow all this to be true, which we do not, is not the murder of another a greater crime than the worst species of suicide? In the last case, the guilt and the suffering are both confined to one; but in the former, the inno cent bleeds for the malice of his wicked enemy. Should we consider them both in an unprepared state for death; then one goes to misery by his own hands, another by the hands of his enemy; and this enemy still remains a prepared victim for those fearful torments. In which of these is the most injury done to society? The person that has committed suicide, has not fallen upon his neighbor, but upon himself; the person that has com mitted murder, has fallen upon his neighbor, and has left a wretch to burden society. Perhaps it may still