often darkest just before break of day.

And when

the ebbing of the tide is lowest, the flowing is nearest. Fourthly, since we see not how it will go with us, let us draw off our attention from future events to present duties. We are to cast, not our work, but our care upon the Lord. Duty is ours, and means are ours— but events are entirely his. And he says to us as the king did to his prime minister, "attend you to my af"fairs, and I will attend to yours." "Take therefore "no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall "take thought for the things of itself; sufficient unto "the day is the evil thereof. Be careful for nothing: "but in every thing by prayer and supplication with "thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto "God. And the peace of God which passeth all un"derstanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through "Christ Jesus." Such is the temper and the business of a christian. The child at school is not to lean his elbow on the table, and vex himself by thinking how he shall find raiment, how he shall get home, how the expence of his education is to be defrayed. He is a learn er; he is to mind his book-the father requires no more of him-He will provide. The farmer is not to muse from day to day about the weather, "perhaps it may "not be a fine season-it was not, such a year: there "may be a blight-and all my labor may be lost." No: but he acts; he goes forth bearing precious seed, commits it to the ground, and then pursues his other business-and what can his anxiety do afterwards? ." So "is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed "into the ground, and should sleep, and rise, night and "day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he "knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit "of herself, first the blade, then the ear, after that the "full corn in the ear." The soldier is to learn his exercise, to obey the word of command, to keep his arms bright, to be always at the post assigned him--but if he were to neglect all this, by busying himself in drawing

plans of the campaign, and describing the duties of the general-he would be shot.

Finally. Our ignorance of what may befal us, should lead us to seek after a preparation for all events. Do you ask, where shall we find it? I answer, in the blessed influence of divine grace. This drew prayer from Jacob, when he went forth with a staff; and praise, when he returned with a fortune. This preserved Daniel in the court of Darius, and in the lion's den. This enabled Paul to say, "I know both how to be abased, and "I know how to abound: every where and in all things "I am instructed, both to be full and to be hungry, both "to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things "through Christ which strengtheneth me." And seeing we have not the ordering of the weather, nor the choice of our food-happy is the man whose constitution enables him to bear any weather; and whose appetite enables him to relish any food.

This leads us, III. To inquire what there is to encourage us under all this darkness and uncertainty. You say, I see not how it will go with me.

-And it is well you do not. You know as much as is good for you. For it is with the mind, as it is with the senses. A greater degree of hearing would incommode us and a nicer degree of seeing would terrify us. If our eyes could see things microscopically, we should be afraid to move. Thus our knowledge is suited to our situation and circumstances. Were we informed before-hand of the good things prepared for us by providence-from that moment we should cease to enjoy the blessings we possess, become indifferent to present duties, and be filled with restless impatience. Or suppose the things fore-known, were gloomy and adverse what dismay, and despondency would be the consequence of the discovery; and how many times should we suffer in imagination what we now only endure once in reality? Who would wish to draw back a veil that saves them from so many disquietudes ? If some of you had formerly known the troubles through which you have since waded, you would have fainted

under the prospect.-You say, you see not how it will go with you

But God does. And he is your friend, and your father, and loves you better than you love yourselves, and is far more concerned for your happiness, than you can be. "Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O "Israel, my way is hid from the Lord, and my judg "ment is passed over from my God ?" Nothing is hid from him. "He knows thy walking through this great "wilderness; he knows thy soul in adversity;" he sees all thy dangers, and all thy wants. Nothing can surprise him, whose eyes are in every place: nothing can elude his notice, who numbers the hairs of thy head.When Abraham was called to leave his own country, and his father's house, he obeyed; and "he went out, "not knowing whither he went"—but though he knew not whither he went, he knew with whom he travelled: he knew that he followed a guide who could not lead him astray. And thus Job relieved his mind, under a pressure of perplexity. "Behold, I go forward, but he "is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive him; on the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot "behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that "I cannot see him: but he knoweth the way that I "take; when he hath tried me I shall come forth as "gold." You say you see not how it will go with you.

But you know "that it shall be well with them that "fear God"-you know that if you are his, though your way may be thorny, "your shoes shall be iron and "brass" and that as 66 your day is, so shall your "strength be." You know that love is the spring of all your trials, as well as of your comforts. And that though "no chastening for the present seemeth to be "joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yield"eth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them "which are exercised thereby." You know that "God "is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above "that ye are able; but will with the temptation also "make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

In a word, and is it not enough to know this ?-you know that ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD" to them "that love God; to them that are called according to "his purpose."-You say you see not how it will go with you

But your ignorance only regards time: all in eternity is sure. Beyond this land of darkness dwells everlasting light. Your uncertainty only regards the roughness or smoothness of the way for you know what stands at the end of it.It is your Father's house, where are many mansions.

Yes, you know how it will go with you there. There you will enter into peace. There the days of your mourning will be ended. There you will be forever with the Lord.

"There-shall we see his face,
"And never, never sin;
"There from the rivers of his
grace,
"Drink endless pleasures in.'

"Ah! blessed privilege-and happy they who can "enjoy it! They have enough to relieve them in every distress. Their afflictions must be light and mo"mentary indeed, when they are persuaded that they "are working out for them a far more exceeding and "eternal weight of glory. But this is not my case. "My perplexity seems to increase in proportion as I "advance. To me the other world seems darker than "this—and it is a dark valley that leads to it. O! if I "know that all would end well! But this is that "which adds a pressure to every burden, and embit"ters all my comforts-I see not how it will go with "me AT LAST."

My christian friend: I designed not by what I have

said, to intimate that such a persuasion is essential to your safety. But only that it is a desirable privilege; and in this we are agreed.-But remember, it is attainable you may have a good hope through grace, and the full assurance of hope: you are commanded to seek it. In the mean time I would observe-that the solicitude you feel, is no bad evidence in your favor. In proportion as the mind feels the importance of salvation, it longs for certainty, and fearful of deception, is not satisfied with slender evidence.

May the Lord you are now following sorrowful, and in darkness, shine upon your path, and "fill you with "all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in "hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."

But if we cannot begin the new year with confidence and joy, let us do it with seriousness and prayer. Let us resolve to walk before him, in newness of life. Let us commit ourselves to the care of his providence, to the word of his grace, and to the agency of his Holy Spirit. And let us lift up our hearts with our voices, while we sing,

"And now, my soul, another year
"Of thy short life is past;

"I cannot long continue here,

"And this may prove my last.

"Much of my dubious life is gone,

"Nor will return again;

"And swift my passing moments run,

"And few perhaps remain.

"Awake, my soul, with solemn care,
"Thy true condition learn;

"What are thy hopes, how sure, how fair,
"And what thy great concern.

"Now a new scene of time begins,
"Set out afresh for heaven;
"Seek pardon for thy former sins,
"In Christ so freely giv❜n.

"Devoutly yield thyself to God,

"And on his grace depend;
"With zeal pursue the heav'nly road,
"Nor fear a happy end."