jectors of this world overlook,-or at leaft make no allowance for in the formation of their plans, they generally find in the execution of them. And though the fatalist may urge, that every event in this life is brought about by the miniftry and chain of natural caufes,yet, in anfwer, let him go one ftep higher-and confider,-whofe power it is that enables their caufes to work,-whofe knowledge it is, that foresees what will be their effects,-whose goodness it is, that is invifibly conducting them forwards to the best and greateft ends for the happiness of his creatures.

So that, as a great reafoner juftly distinguishes upon this point," It is not only religiously speak"ing, but with the ftrictest and most philofophical "truth of expreffion, that the fcripture tells us, that "GOD commandeth the ravens,that they are his di"rections which the winds and the feas obey. If his "fervant hides himself by the brook, fuch an order "of caufes and effects fhall be laid,--that the fowls "of the air fhall minifter to his fupport. When "this recourfe fails, and his prophet is directed to

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go to Zarephath,for that he has commanded a "widow woman there to fuftain him,-the same "hand which leads the prophet to the gate of the

city, fhall lead forth the diftreffed widow to the "fame place, to take him under her roof; and "though upon the impulfe of a different occafion "fhall neverthelefs be made to fulfil his promife and "intention of their mutual prefervation."

Thus much for the truth and illustration of this great and fundamental de trine of a Providence; t!

belief of which is of fuch confequence to us as to be. the great fupport and comfort of our lives.

Juftly therefore might the Pfalmift upon this declaration, that the Lord is King-conclude, that the earth may be glad therefore; yea, the multitude of the ifles may be glad thereof.

May God grant the perfuafion may make us as virtuous, as it has reason to make us joyful; and that it may bring forth in us the fruits of good living, to his praise and glory!—to whom be all might, majesty and dominion, now and for evermore. Amen.

SERMON IX.

The Character of Herod *.

MATTHEW X1. 17, 18.

Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, faying,Iu Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning; Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted, because they are not.

THE words which St Matthew cites here, as fulfilled by the cruelty and ambition of Herod,are in the 31ft chapter of Jeremiah, the 15th verfe. In the foregoing chapter, the prophet having declared God's intention of turning the mourning of his people into joy, by the restoration of the tribes which had been

led

away captive into Babylon; he proceeds, in the beginning of this chapter, which contains this prophefy, to give a more particular defcription of the great joy and feftivity of that promifed day, when they were to return once more to their own land, to enter upon their ancient poffeffions, and enjoy again all the privileges they had loft, and, amongst others, and what was above them all,the favour and

Preached on Innocent's Day.

ES

protection of GOD, and the continuation of his mercies to them and their pofterity.

To make therefore the impreffion of this change the ftronger upon their minds-he gives a very pathetic reprefentation of the preceding forrow on that day when they were first led away captive.

Thus faith the Lord, A voice was heard in Rama; lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, refufing to be comforted, because they

were not.

To enter into the full fenfe and beauty of this defcription, it is to be remembered that the tomb of Rachel, Jacob's beloved wife, as we read in the 35th. of Genefis, was fituated near Rama, and betwixt that place and Bethlehem. Upon which circumftance, the prophet raifes one of the most affecting fcenes. that could be conceived; for as the tribes, in their forrowful journey betwixt Rama and Bethlehem, in their way to Babylon, were fuppofed to pafs by this monumental pillar of their ancestor Rachel, Jacob's wife, the prophet, by a common liberty in rhetoric, introduces her as rifing up out of her fepul chre; and, as the common mother of two of their tribes, weeping for her children, bewailing the fad catastrophe of her posterity led away into a ftrange land,—refufing to be comforted, because they were not,loft and cut off from their country, and in all likelihood, never to be restored back to her again..

The Jewish interpreters fay upon this, that the patriarch Jacob buried Rachel in this very place, forefecing, by the Spirit of prophefy, that his pofterity

fhould that way be led captive, that he might, as they paffed her, intercede for them.

But this fanciful fuperftructure upon the paffage,,

feems to be little elfe than a mere dream of fome of the Jewish doctors; and indeed, had they not dreamt it when they did, 'tis great olds but fome of the Romish dreamers would have hit upon it before now. For as it favours the doctrine of interceflions--if there had not been undeniable vouchers for the real inventors of the conceit, one fhould much fooner have fought for it among the oral traditions of this church, than in the Talmud, where it is.-.

But this by the by. There is ftill another interpretation of the words here cited by St. Matthew which altogether excludes this fcenical reprefentation I have given of them.By which 'tis thought that the lamentation of Rachel here deferibed, has no immediate reference to Rachel, Jacob' wife, but that it fimply alludes to the forrows of her defcendants, the diftreffed mothers of the tribes of Benjamin and Ephraim, who might accompany their children led. into captivity as far as Rama, in their way to Babylon, who wept and wailed upon this fad occafion; and, as the prophet defcribes them in the perfon of Rachel, refufing to be comforted for the lofs of her children, looking upon their departure without hope or profpect of ever beholding a return.

Which ever of the two fenfes you give the words of the prophet, the application of them by the evangelist is equally juft and faithful. For as the former fcene he relates, was tranfacted upon the very fame flage,—in the fame diftrict of Bethlehem near Rama