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others gentle, and the latter are often devoured by the former. Just so is this world, a habitation for both bad and good men: and as Pharaoh's lean and ill favoured kine ate up the well favoured and fat kine, Gen. xli. 3, 4. fo thofe ill-favoured, and hell favoured, eat up these that are the favourites of heaven, Pfal. xiv. 4. and this is permitted by the wife orderer of all things, for the best of reasons: but it shall not always be fo; for the tables fhall foon be changed; "Like fheep they are laid in the grave, "death fhall feed on them, and the upright "fhall have dominion over them in the morning," Pfal. xlix. 14.

As beafts of the forest come forth in the night to hunt for their prey, but no fooner is the fun up, than they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens, then man goeth to his labour, Pfal. civ. 20---23. and the traveller may proceed on in his journey with fafety: So the wicked, who are compared to lions, Pfal. lvii. 4. harafs and devour the righteous in this short mortal life, which is but as a night or a dream of the night, or rather nothing, in comparison of that endless day

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which the righteous fhall enjoy in a future ftate.

In that morning, big with the greatest of events, even that decifive morning of the refurrection, when the Sun of righteoufnefs fhall, to the unfpeakable joy and comfort of his people, be feen coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory: then indeed fhall the righteous have power over the wicked, and thefe lions fhall be gathered together, and made to lie down in the infernal den of utter darknefs, eternal mifery and woe. Then will the righteous rejoice with joy unfpeakable and full of glory; there being nothing to hurt or deftroy in all God's holy mountain, Ifa.

xi. 9.

What pitiful fhrieks are these which I hear! O, I perceive it is a hawk which has feized on a feeble wren, and is bearing it off in his claws, and the poor little creature cam do nothing but cry.

Well done, lucky fhot! A fowler juft now paffing through yonder glade has obferved and fhot the hawk; and I cannot help be

ang fomewhat glad at the circumstance; though, poor creature, it was only acting agreeably to the law of nature, yet I could not help feeling very much for the little captive it had feized.

This circumstance puts me in mind, that however much the wicked may oppress and tyrannize over the people of the Lord, and those that are poor in this world, and tho' thefe poor oppreffed can do nothing but cry; yet their cries fhall enter into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, Jam. v. 4. who will arife for the oppreffion of the poor, and the fighing of the needy, and set them in fafety from their oppreffors, Pfal. xii. 5. for the Lord is the avenger of all fuch, 1 Thess. iv. 6.

The wicked may take their time in finning and oppreffing the poor and the needy; but the Lord will take his time in punishing them for their iniquity and cruelty; Vengeance is mine, I will repay, faith "the Lord," Rom. xii. 19.

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CONTEMPLATION IX.

ON

A BROOK.

'HIS large brook directly in my way,

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without either bridge or boat over it, puts me in mind of that recorded Pfal. cx. 7. of which our Lord is faid to drink.

Whatever be the true interpretation of that paffage I fhall not determine; but one thing is clear, the brook of God's infinite wrath ran in the way of man's falvation, fo that none of the fons of Adam could ever have got to heaven: nay, like Jordan, it overflowed all its banks, Jof. iii. 15. and

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