We may, indeed, atheist like, ascribe all these things to natural causes, and say, “Our own skill and foresight has brought us hither in safety.” But as certainly as JESUS CHRIST, the angel of the covenant, in the days of his flesh, walked upon the water, and said to his sinking disciples, “Be not afraid, it is I,” so surely has the same everlasting I AM, “who decketh himself with light as with a garment, who spreadeth out the heavens like a curtain, who claspeth the winds in his fist, who holdeth the waters in the hollow of his hands,” and guided the wise men by a star in the east; so surely, I say, has he spoken, and at his command the winds have blown us where we are now arrived. For his providence ruleth all things; “Wind and storms obey his word:” he saith to it at one time, Go, and it goeth; at another, Come, and it cometh; and at a third time, Blow this way, and it bloweth.
It is he, my brethren, and not we ourselves, that has of late sent us such prosperous gales, and made us to ride, as it were, on the wings of the wind, into the haven where we would be.
“O that you would therefore praise the LORD for his goodness,” and by your lives declare, that you are truly thankful for the wonders he had shewn to us, who are less than the least of the sons of men.
I say, declare it by your lives. For to give him thanks, barely with your lips, while your hearts are far from him, is but a mock sacrifice, nay, an abomination unto the LORD.
This was the end, the royal Psalmist says, GOD had in view, when he shewed such wonders, from time to time, to the people of _Israel_, “That they might keep his statutes, and observe his laws,” _Psalm_ cv. 44. and this, my good friends, is the end GOD would have accomplished in us, and the only return he desires us to make him, for all the benefits he hath conferred upon us.
O then, let me beseech you, give to GOD your hearts, your whole hearts; and suffer yourselves to be drawn by the cords of infinite love, to honour and obey him.
Assure yourselves you can never serve a better master; for his service is perfect freedom; his yoke, when worn a little while, is exceeding easy, his burden light; and in keeping his commandments there is great reward; love, peace, joy in the Holy Ghost here, and a crown of glory that fadeth not away, hereafter.
You may, indeed, let other lords have dominion over you, and Satan may promise to give you all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, if you will fall down and worship him; but he is a liar, and was so from the beginning; he has not so much to give you, as you may tread on with the sole of your foot; or could he give you the whole world, yet, that could not make you happy without GOD. It is GOD alone, my brethren, whose we are, in whose name I now speak, and who has of late shewed us such mercies in the deep, that can give solid lasting happiness to your souls; and he for this reason only desires your hearts, because without him you must be miserable.
Suffer me not then to go away without my errand; as it is the last time I shall speak to you, let me not speak in vain; but let a sense of the divine goodness lead you to repentance.
Even _Saul_, that abandoned wretch, when _David_ shewed him his skirt, which he had cut off, when he might have also taken his life, was so melted down with his kindness, that he lifted up his voice and wept. And we must have hearts harder than _Saul_’s, nay, harder than the nether milstone, if a sense of GOD’s late loving kindnesses, notwithstanding he might so often have destroyed us, does not even compel us to lay down our arms against him, and become his faithful servants and soldiers unto our lives end.
If they have not this effect upon us, we shall, of all men, be most miserable; for GOD is just, as well as merciful; and the more blessings we have received here, the greater damnation, if we do not improve them, shall we incur hereafter.
But GOD forbid that any of those should ever suffer the vengeance of eternal fire, amongst whom, I have, for these four months, been preaching the gospel of CHRIST; but yet thus must it be, if you do not improve the divine mercies: and instead of your being my crown of rejoicing in the day of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, I must appear as a swift witness against you.
But, brethren, I am persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though I thus speak.
Blessed be GOD, some marks of a partial reformation at least, have been visible amongst all you that are soldiers. And my weak, though sincere endeavours, to build you up in the knowledge and fear of GOD, have not been altogether in vain in the LORD.
Swearing, I hope is, in a great measure, abated with you; and GOD, I trust, has blessed his late visitations, by making them the means of awakening your consciences, to a more solicitous enquiry about the things which belong to your everlasting peace.