city, the city of David, and, more than any other city of ancient times, the city of God, was indeed laid low and utterly abased; yea, so literally was this the case that there was not one stone upon another that was not cast down.

My brethren what is the important lesson to be learned from all this? Let the Scripture declare it: Now all these things happened for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Natural judgments come from above, and call upon a guilty nation to repent and humble itself before God. It is no difficult thing with the King Eternal, to make the most hardened offender feel the weight of the iron sceptre of his wrath. But, leaving other nations and other cities, I will advert to some points connected with the British Metropolis and its suburbs. Many instances might be mentioned; but one may suffice. I allude to the time when it pleased the Almighty Governor of the world to visit our capital with pestilence. The plague of London, as it is commonly called, was most truly a judgment from

God upon our forefathers for their iniquities. How truly then did it again hail the hail of death! and our city was low in a low place, yea it was utterly abased. How terrible, when the dead-cart proceeded along the streets, and the bodies of the deceased were thrown from the windows, and the most ordinary rites of sepulture were utterly neglected! With what feelings did men then flock to the house of prayer, and listen to the word of mercy! They heard indeed as those who were strangers and pilgrims, as men already standing in the shadow of the angel of death! Few were so hardened as to deny the hand of God: the major part confessed it was the Lord who had thus smitten them. They besought the gracious interposition of the Almighty. Through the merit of the great Advocate of the church, the prayers of the faithful ascended accepted as a cloud of incense before the Mercy-seat. The Lord was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed.

From that time to the present, our happy country has enjoyed innumerable mercies,

and has been raised in the scale of empires above all the kingdoms of the earth. Still have we, occasionally, been visited by those seasons of adversity which have deeply affected all classes of the community; and which, if not stopped by the good hand of Providence before they had reached their height, might have proved ruinous to our commerce and to our liberties.

You will by this time be prepared, my brethren, for my adverting to a point of great delicacy, and of some difficulty. I mean, the painful occurrences of the past fortnight in the commercial world. Far be it from me to impeach the honour or integrity of those respectable houses which, by the unexpected and unprecedented demands made upon them, have been compelled, for a season, to suspend their payments. With the private character of some of those individuals I have the happiness to be well acquainted, and feel assured that it remains unstained by their misfortunes; misfortunes to which the mercantile world must be continually exposed; and I will add, misfortunes which, in the case of the

honored individuals to whom I allude, have only tended to endear them still more cordially to those friends, who witnessed with admiration their devotedness to God and their benevolence to their poorer brethren in the days of their prosperity; and who hope, with equal admiration, to behold their calm submission to the wise, though unscrutable, dispensations of Providence, in this the day of their adversity. Let such men know that they are not degraded by their misfortunes; that the church of Christ sympathises with them, and prays for them; and that this most painful circumstance shall turn to their salvation through prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. He can repair every loss, and sanctify every trial. Let them then imitate the conduct of the great Pattern of the faithful, who, in reference to his cup of trembling, that cup of the Divine wrath against our sins, thus expressed his meek submission: If it may not pass from me except I drink it, thy will be done.

But the word of comfort to such persons will more appropriately come under the

second division of our subject. Let me here, for a few moments, advert to persons of a different description; men upon whom the troubles of the world have unexpectedly lighted, and found them unprepared. For such men I entreat your prayers, that their trials may not overwhelm them, or, driving them to desperation, lead to the most fatal consequences. Bring such persons, I entreat you, and the thousands who are now suffering in consequence of their misfortunes, bring them all before the throne of Divine Mercy; and do all in your power to bear their burdens, and to comfort their hearts.

Still, however, while I would deeply feel for those who are now suffering under losses so serious, and from a want of confidence so extensive and alarming; I cannot but exhort you, in the language of Scripture, Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it. Let Britain know that afflictions do not spring out of the dust; but are the visitations of an Almighty, but offended, yet merciful Father. Forgive me for plainly declaring my decided conviction, that much