of Infidelity: O shun its baleful notes! How worthless must be that man's heart, who can turn the animating, and harmonious verse to the injury of his fellow-men, the sure destruction of their souls! How cruel his unfeeling mind, who studies that he may ensnare; who captivates the heedless steps of youth, merely to hurl him over the precipice of vice, a victim to the Devil and his Angels.

Such was not intended, when the charms of Poetry were God's blest gift to man; a solace of his toils; the nurse of virtue, and a path to honest fame. O let its nervous lines resound the praise of God; its lofty strains ascend before His gracious throne!

Such were David's feelings, such be ours; for upon us a light has risen, the brilliancy of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. From Whom alone cometh our salvation; and in Whom are light, and peace, and immortality.

David, in prophetic forebodings of the great Advent of our Lord Jesus upon earth, to redeem our fallen race; thus sublimely begins his inspiring Psalm :-" My song shall be alway of the loving-kindness of the Lord; with my mouth will I ever be shewing thy truth from one generation to another."

How truly in this instance the Royal Psalmist prophesied, our present consideration of his writings exemplifies. How manifestly David sets forth his Messiah King under his own name, in this eighty-ninth Psalm, let other corroborating Scriptures testify; both of the Old and New Testaments.

As God's Almighty truth, and superintending Providence, are the subjects of our present discourse; let us illustrate these his great attributes, by the first part of this fine composition comparing it, as our custom invariably has been, with other parts of our Scripture. That so its harmony may breathe peace into our souls; and they adorn our lives with religious content, and happy resignation. On a future occasion the remainder of this beautiful Hymn may prove well worthy our attention.

"O Lord God of Hosts, who is like unto thee: thy truth, most mighty Lord, is on every side. Thou rulest the raging of the sea: thou stillest the waves thereof when they arise.'

دو

The most casual reader of the Bible will remember that very remarkable instance of his Providence, when the Red Sea opened its waves for the people of Israel his chosen.

For God then ruled the raging of the sea, while the waves thereof were still, and formed a wall on the right hand, and on the left.

That such a fact was possible, let recent voyages into the frozen seas demonstrate; where the waters have stood upon a heap for ages. Insomuch that one Country had actually been lost to the rest of Europe for some Centuries; although records were still extant of its existence; an existence within the last few years actually once more fairly brought to light.

It will, perchance, be said by some of my hearers, why not rest your proof of God's truth upon ancient history alone? But I reply, that God's truth is on every side: and from all ages has it been, unto all generations shall it be eternally manifest.

And as God out of the mouths of babes, and sucklings, has ordained truth; so would I furnish all children with a ready reply to the scorner; so shame Infidelity even from an Infant's memory.

Well may the Ministers of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, "of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named," laugh to scorn the weak attempts of the sceptic. Who, as a departed Bishop of Norwich, the amiable and

learned Dr. Horne, proved of the celebrated Deist, Hume; doubts of every thing, until he disbelieves his own existence.

But our gracious Master will not that even one of these little ones be lost; and blessed is our lot, in extending the eternal truth of God, as a shield to their defenceless heads. Ye little ones of our flock, fear not him who can kill the body only; but fear him who can cast both soul and body into hell.

Behold, your God will neither slumber, nor sleep; and, if in his Almighty wisdom, he may permit the wicked to prosper for a while; yet will he bring him to condign punishment. For he, who scorneth the word of God, shall himself be laughed to scorn.

His good providence has set over you a perpetual succession of Christian ministers, from the time of the Apostles; who watch for your souls, as they that must give account. Who are bound by the most solemn oaths, as they hope for, and expect, their own salvation from the pains of hell; to labour earnestly for the universal redemption of all mankind.

Many a time while you sleep, are they watching over your safety; humbly trusting

that God's grace, and mercy, will inspire them with good counsels. For from him, as your Prayer Book justly teaches from Scripture, "all holy desires, all good coun- ́ sels, and all just works do proceed."

Moses tells us in the Book of Exodus, that is, of the going forth; "the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided—and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left."

Now, the waters might certainly, and probably did hang over, like a wall on either side; waters, not frozen. Yet as frozen seas are found both at the North, and South Pole, and in all the coldest parts of the universe; the same all-powerful hand of God, most probably, froze up these waters by the strong east wind blowing, and causing the waters to go back all that night.

The mere interposition of the thick cloud, which prevented Pharaoh's army from seeing the Israelites, between the Sun, and the Red Sea; with the powerfully chilling East wind, would cause its waters thus to stand upon a heap.