been delivered by the immediate efficacy of means, yet you are blind if you fee not, that the efficacy of means depends upon the providence of God, it is he that provides it, and that makes the means effectual. But in this deliverance, God hath pleated to hedge up, as it were, your way from attributing it to means, and hath given you an indication, that it was done by his own immediate power, and that he delivered you above, and beyond means: it is true, you had a very able and careful phyfician, and very great attendance and care was uled about you, but when your phylician and all that were about you, began to de pair of your recovery, when means proved ineffectual. when the strength of nature was exhaufted and baffled by your dileate, God almighty, upon a fudden, and beyond expectation, relieved you; and, as it were by his own hand, brought you back from the very threshold of the grave: and this he did, that you, and all about you, and all your relations might take notice of it, that it was he that did it.

And thus almighty God hath exercised towards you, two great experiments; the firit of his severity; the fecond of his mercy and as your fickness and rod had its voice, a loud and fharp voice, to your recovery and deliverance hath its voice alio, a fweet, gentle, and, I hope, effectual voice; and I will, as thortly as I can, tell you what it is.

1. Remember this benefit; remember it was reached out unto you, from the mere power, goodneis, and mercy of God: remember evermore, in your heart and foul, to be thankful to him for it: remember as long as you live, upon all occafions, to acknowlege it; daily to return upon your knees humble thanks for it, to him that had regard to you, and remembred you in your low estate; to him that forgave your iniquities, and healed your difeale; to him that did this for you, when all means failed; that did it for you, when you had not the understanding to call upon him for it; to him that did it for you, that deferved it not, for you that had provoked him, and neglected him in the time of your health. This God it was that delivered you; read often the ciii. Pfalm attentively, and apply it to your condition, it will do you good.

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2. Remember to acknowlege this goodness of God with all humility; your deliverance was not the purchase of your own power, nor of your own defert, it was an act of the free undeferved goodness of God; what almighty God faid by Mofes unto the Ifraelites, Deut. ix. 4, 6. I fhall fay to you with fome variation: understand therefore that the Lord thy God hath not given thee this deliverance for thy righteoufnefs; no, it is the mere effect of his own goodness, and to give you opportunity to praise him, and ferve him better than ever you did before.

3. Remember, that although great deliverances require your great acknowlegements, yet there is fomewhat more required; namely, a real, practical glorifying of God, by ordering your conversation aright, by ferving him, pleafing him, obeying him, living to his honour: this almighty God expects as well as praifes, and acknowlegements: as the end of God in afflictions is to make men better, fo the end of God in deliverances is to make men better; and if we are not the better men by both difpenfations, we do as much as in us lies, difappoint almighty God in his design, and disappoint ourfelves of the benefit and advantage intended in both, and eafily to be gained by both. This therefore is the voice of this deliverance, it calls fweetly, and gently indeed, but earnestly and effectually for amendment of life: and that upon two great and moving arguments.

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1. Your recovery, and great deliverance, calls for this from you, upon the account of common ingenuity and good nature, which obligeth a man to be obfervant and dutiful to his benefactor: God almighty is the greatest Benefactor, and hath manifested himfelf fuch to you, upon a visible emiment account; this is engagement enough upon the account of common humanity, to be dutiful and obedient to him when therefore you are at any time, by the temptation of your own corruption, or by the folicitation of evil perfons, folicited to evil actions; confider thus with yourself, is this a becoming return to that God, that hath thus wonderfully delivered me? is this the requital that I fhall make to him for his mercy? thall I pleafe a vain luft, or a vain companion, and displease the great God of heaven and earth, that hath thus delivered me, VOL. I.

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and done me more good than all the world could ever do me, or than I can ever recompence?" Do ye thus requite the Lord, O ye foolish people, and unwife? is "not he thy Father that hath bought thee? hath he not "made thee, and established thee?" Deut. xxxii. 6.

2. This mercy calls for your obedience to God, in an eminent manner upon the account of common prudence and discretion; the benefit of your obedience to him will be your own, your own happiness in this life, and in that to come: there is no greater moral fècurity against future dangers and troubles, than obedience and reformation of life, upon great deliverances received; nor is there any greater invitation of new troubles and mischiefs, than ingratitude, difobedience, and great fins after great mercies and deliverances: there is a kind of certain and infallible connexion between great fins, after great mercies received, and great judgments to follow, Ingentia benefi cia, ingentia peccata, ingentia fupplicia. Again, as I have formerly told you, you do not know how foon you may ftand in need of the fame mercy and goodness of God, which you have formerly found: you are never out of the reach of his power, and the neceflity of his help; whatever you do therefore, never difoblige him by whom you live, and whofe extraordinary mercy you may stand in need of, you know not how foon: there is nothing in the world doth more provoke God, than neglect, forgetfulness, or wilful disobedience after fignal mercies: thele provoke the merciful God to a feverity of the highest kind, because the sweetest and most obliging call of mer cy and deliverance is neglected: read the first chapter of the Proverbs attentively.

And the merciful God hath given us a plain rule and method, how he may be ferved, obeyed, and pleased; he hath given us a plain difcovery of his will in the fcriptures of both teftaments: read that often, you have it by you, and you need not go far to find what is your Maker's will, and what that obedience is, that he requires as the return of this, and all other his mercies; yet I think it not amifs to mind you of fome particulars, that may be ufeful for you upon this occafion, and to direct you how particularly to improve it, and fo order your future life in fome measure answerable to it,

1. I would have you make it your first business, after your recovery, to confider the course of your life past, fince you came to the age of difcretion, and fee what hath been amifs in it; whether you have not neglected religion, and the duties of it too much, as prayer, hearing the word preached, observing the Lord's day, receiving the facrament; whether you have not been guilty of intemperance, excess of drinking, wantonnefs, uncleanness, idlenefs, mifpending your time, and those fupplies which have been allowed for your maintenance; whether you have not too much delighted in vain, and finful, and diforderly company, vanity and expence in apparel: and if any fuch, or the like faults have been, repent of them, be forry for them, resolve against them; and let the future courfe of your life be amended in relation thereunto: I have before told you, that your heavenly Father hath forgiven you, and I have forgiven you, neither do I mention these things to upbraid you for them, but that you, upon the confideration of what hath been amifs, may be thereby the better enabled to rectify and fet in order future life: if this be done and practised, I will reckon your late sickness and diftemper one of the greatest bleffings that ever befel you.

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2. I would have you always keep a habit of the fear of God upon your heart: confider his prefence, order your Fife as in his prefence; confider that he always fees you, beholds and takes notice of you, and especially whether you carry yourself answerable to this great deliverance; it is one of thofe talents for which he will expect an account from you.

3. I would have you frequently and thankfully confider of the great love of God in Jefus Chrift, whom he hath given to be the Inftructor, and Governor, and Sacrifice for the fins of you and all mankind; through whom, upon repentance, you have assurance of the remission of your fins, and eternal life; and frequently confider how great an ingagement this is upon you, and all mankind, to live according to such a hope and fuch a mercy.

4. I would have you every morning read a portion of the holy fcriptures, till you have read the Bible from the beginning to the end: obferve it well, read it reverently and attentively, set your heart upon it, and lay it up in

your memory, and make it the direction of your life; it will make you a wife and a good man: I have been acquainted fomewhat with men and books, and have had long experience in learning, and in the world: there is no book like the Bible for excellent learning, wisdom, and ufe, and it is want of understanding in them, that think or speak otherwife,

5. Every morning and every evening, upon your knees with all reverence and attention of mind, return hearty thanks to God for his mercy to you, and particularly for this deliverance, defire his grace to enable you to walk in fome measure answerable to it; beg his providence to protect you, his grace to direct you, to keep you from evil actions, and evil perfons, and evil occurrences; beg his pardon for your fin, and the continuance of his favour; always concluding with the Lord's prayer.

6. Obferve confcionably the Lord's day to keep it holy, avoid idle company, idle difcourfe, recreations, and fecular imployments upon that day; refort twice that day to the publick prayers and fermon, come early to it, he attentive at it, keep your eyes and mind from roving after vain thoughts or objects; and spend the rest of that day, that is free from neceffary occafions, in reading the fcriptures, or fome good books of divinity.

7. Once every term, at least, come preparedly and reverently to the holy communion, receive it with great reverence and thankfulness, and due confideration of the end of its inftitution: renew your covenant with almighty God, that you made in baptifin, and to live foberly, righteoufly, and godly before him, and beg his grace and ftrength to perform it.

And as thofe directions before, do more specially relate. to almighty God, and your deportment immediately towards him; fo these that follow, more especially relate to yourself and others, and your moral converfation. Therefore,

8. Be very moderate in eating and drinking; drunkennefs is the great vice of the time; and by drunkenness, I do mean, not only grofs drunkennefs, but alfo tipling, drinking exceflively, and immoderately, or more than is convenient or neceffary; avoid thofe companies that are given to it, come not into those places that are devoted

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