fide, yet not diftreffed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; perfecuted, but not forfaken; caft down, but not destroyed.” This is the language of Chriftian Philofophy: and fuch as every. Follower of Christ should be authorized to use, whenever he is "in Trouble, Sorrow, Need, Sicknefs, or any other Adverfity."-Not to feel these things, is impoffible: but so to feel them as to "hate life," and rafhly return it to the God who gave it, is pufillanimous and deeply finful. This being a Subject of the utmost confequence, as it very intimately concerns both private and public life, I fhall attempt to treat it with that care which its importance demands. That it is a necessary Subject, a recent melancholy Circumftance must convince you, and will, perhaps, cause it more forcibly to strike your attention.*-May the Grace of God affist me in the awful difcuf fion; and though you have your life" alway in your hand," yet may he fo incline your hearts as "not to forget his Law!" The Law the Pfalmift here alludes to is, undoubtedly, the fixth Commandment; and *This Sermon was preached after an inftance of Suicide in the author's Parish. his words, with the context, may be thus paraphrafed-" Thou O God, haft created me a free agent, and haft graciously left my life in my own power. I am troubled above measure, through the very difquietness of my heart: yea, Trouble and Heavinefs have taken fuch hold upon me, that I could cheerfully terminate my being;-but I do not forget thy Law-that Law which tells me 66 THOU SHALT DO NO MURDER." This Law is pofitively broken by two descriptions of perfons;-by those who take away the Lives of their fellow-creatures, whether with intent to rob or to revenge an Injury: and by those who put a period to their own. Certain perfons of the former description, actuated by a spurious kind of Honour,-a fpecious Counterfeit of Courage, endeavour to make a distinction, where Almighty God will admit of none. For, whether a Man fall by the hand of a dark and fecret Affaffin, or by the hand of an impious Duellift, THE DEED IS MURDER; and the Perpetrator involves himfelf in all the Guilt of that atrocious Crime. -Hear the Divine Law, which allows of no remiffion: "Whofo fheddeth man's Blood, by man fhall his Blood be fhed."* And again-" Ye shall take no fatisfaction for the Life of a Murderer; but he shall be surely put to death."+ If human Laws are, erroneously, more lenient, and the fashionable Miscreant be fuffered, like Cain, to efcape the Punishment due to his Crime,-let a man, ere he refolve to meet his Antagonist in the field, ere he exchange the fatal Stipulation for Outrage and Murder,-let him turn to that holy, that precious, that shamefully-defpifed Volume, which contains these alarming Words:-"NO MURDERER HATH ETERNAL LIFE ABIDING IN HIM."‡ "" HE SHALL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD;" but " SHALL HAVE HIS PART IN THE LAKE WHICH BURNETH WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE."**. Tenfold more dreadful will his fate be, than the common Affaffin who fuffers in this world for his Crime. The latter expiates, perhaps, with * Gen. ix. 6. + Numb. xxxv. 31, 30. **Rev. xxi. 8. his own Life the "crimson fin" of taking away the Life of another: whereas the Duellift goes unexpiated and unabfolved to " appear before the judgment Seat of Chrift:" there to" receive the due reward of his Deed," in "weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth." Equal,-nay Superior in Guilt is the SelfDestroyer. Cut off, even in the bloffoms of his fin" by his own hand,-" no reckoning made; but sent to his account, with all his Imperfections on his head! O horrible, most horrible!”—my Soul trembles within me. Affrighted at the bare idea of the crime, fhe "fhrinks back upon herself, and ftartles at Destruction."-May you feel the idea as I feel it myself, and then I am sure you will fly from the wrath to come." Be your Afflictions, and Troubles, and Difappointments, what they may, you will look to God with an eye of modeft apup peal, and fay with David-" My Soul is in my hand: yet do I not forget thy Law." .. Sometimes, I know, the Principle of Reason is suspended or dethroned, and poor human Nature is left without Guide or Sentinel. Unruly and uncontrouled, the diftempered Paffions reign destructive; and the very "image of God" is laid in mournful ruins! In these cafes, Man ceases to be an accountable Creature: and the unfortunate person who-thus circumftanced-puts a period to his existence, is charitably confidered by the Laws of our Country.-This, no doubt, is a juft and merciful diftinction: yet I fear, a diftinction that is sometimes made without fufficient grounds of proof. I mean in cafes where the mind was no otherwise deranged than by Caprice, or disappointed Pride and Ambition. In fuch cafes, a feeming Severity towards the Dead, would be extenfive Mercy towards the Living.-It gives me pain to recommend what may feem cruel and fevere, but what is not fo in reality: a wound that indicates Mortification, treated with too much Tendernefs, may prove deftructive to the whole fyftem. At Rome was ftrikingly exemplified my meaning. The horrid crime in question, through frequency of commiffion was once become fashionable; and the Roman Females were chiefly the victims of its fatal Prevalency. But no fooner did an |