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SERMON III.

PSALM CXVI. 2.

Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

THIS Psalm is not expressly ascribed to David: yet it is generally supposed to have been written by him. He is called in scripture "the man after "God's own heart:" and it has often been enquired on what account this high character is given him. Among other reasons, this may be assigned; that in every circumstance of danger and difficulty, he made the Lord his Refuge and Confidence, and sought him by the fervent prayer of faith; and whenever he obtained deliverance and success, he ascribed all the glory to God, and rendered to him the tribute of adoring grateful praise.

1 Preached at the close of a series of lectures, on the signs and duties of the times, by a society of clergymen, in or near Lon don, and published at their unanimous request, 1802.

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I purpose to apply the verse, which I have read, to our concern in the publick affairs of the church and nation. Not one only, but multitudes in concert, both of those now assembled, of others inhabiting this city, and in all the different parts of Great Britain, have united in prayer for the land : and "the LORD hath inclined his ear unto us,' and, beyond our expectations, has granted our requests; therefore "we will call upon him as long "" as we live."

Let us then my brethren,

I. Consider the fact, "He hath inclined his 16 ear unto us."

II. The acknowledgment which we ought publickly to make of this goodness and truth of God to us, according to the subsequent language of the Psalmist. " I "will offer to thee, the sacrifice of thanks

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giving, and will call on the name of the "LORD. I will pay my vows unto the "LORD, now in the presence of all his

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people; in the courts of the LORD'S "house: in the midst of thee, O Jerusa"lem. Praise ye the LORD."

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Oh, that men would praise the LORD "for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let

"them sacrifice the sacrifice of thanksgiv ing, and declare his works with rejoicing."

III. Let us consider the concluding resolution: "Therefore will I call upon him as long as I live."

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I. Let us consider the fact. God hath inclined his ear unto us; he has heard and answered our prayers.

It would take me far from my design, should I enter particularly on the nature and effects of those publick convulsions, which during the late years, like a political earthquake, have shaken all Europe. The consequences of the first disturbances were such as exceeded conception; the possible effects defied the powers of calculation; no man could conceive how, or where, or when, the wide spreading desolations would terminate; no man, after a time, could consider his property, his liberty, his family, his very life, secure. The baleful effects of infidel principles, and principles of insubordination and anarchy, menaced awfully the destruction of our holy religion. We could not but mourn over the miseries and destruction of our fellow-creatures in other lands: but we also could not but tremble for ourselves. One year after another the storm gathered force, and the danger became more formidable. Our fears perhaps exceeded our dangers. Even such as had

not been used to tremble, at least not greatly to tremble, at the word of God, began to take the alarm and it became the general sentiment, that the times called for peculiar exertion and decided measures; nay, for humiliation before God and united prayer.

No doubt, before publick affairs wore so threatening an aspect, numbers, in all parts of the land, had secretly, and in their families and social intercourse, poured out their supplications for our beloved country and king, for our constitution, for our holy religion: but still it appeared to some of us, that the times called for more avowed and united efforts in this and in other respects. When conversing together on the aspect of publick affairs, we remembered those words, "The LORD's "voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wis"dom shall see thy name: Hear ye the rod "and who hath appointed it." We saw or supposed we saw, "his hand lifted up." We considered all creatures and second causes as ordered by him, who permits, limits, over-rules, and works by all, his own wise, righteous, and merciful purposes. We said, "Because of thy wrath are we troubled; "for our secret sins are in the light of thy coun“tenance.” We were deeply affected by contrasting our national privileges with our national character; the sins of the land and of the church; the infidelity, impiety, profligacy, and cruel iniquity, which prevailed, in some awful instances still sanctioned by professedly Christian legis

lators. These things alarmed us far more than the power and success of our enemies; and we seriously enquired, What can we do, in such circumstances, more than we now do, to stem the torrent, and to turn away the wrath of God from our guilty land?' We had before considered it as our bounden duty to remember, in our daily prayers, the perilous state of the church and nation, and to exhort our congregations to do the same; but still we doubted, as ministers of Christ, whether something did not remain for us to attempt.

While thus reflecting and conversing on these subjects from time to time, with no small anxiety; not only did the annual proclamation of our king, appointing a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer, convince us still more, that the LORD God called us to peculiar duties, in this emergency; but our superiors in the church gave unequivocal intimations, that they were of the same opinion: and it was evident from many declarations, that almost every serious person thought something beyond common efforts ought to be attempted.

At this crisis, the Society, which is this day dissolved, was first formed: a small number of clergymen in the metropolis, in the habits of friendly unrestricted intercourse on such subjects, entered into a resolution to assist each other, in endeavouring to stir up their congregations. 1st. To personal self-examination, repentance, and religious dili

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