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fojourning in Egypt, he made way for their bondage there; and their bondage made way for their deliverance.

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Many paffages happen in the world, much like that little cloud, in the eighteenth chapter of the first book of Kings, that appeared at first to Elijah's fervant no bigger than a man's hand; but prefently after, grew and spread, and blackened the face of the whole heaven, and then difcharged itself in thunder, and rain, and a mighty tempeft. So thefe accidents, when they firft happen, seem but small and despicable; but by degrees they branch out, and widen themselves, into fuch a numerous train of mifchievous confequences, one drawing af ter it another, by a continued dependence' and multiplication, that the plague becomes victorious and univerfal, and personal mifcarriage determines in a national calamity.

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And as it is with nations and governments, fo it is alfo with particular perfons. Thus, for example again, Was it not a mere accident, that Pharaoh's daughter met with Mofes? Yet it was a means to bring him up in the Egyptian court, then the school of arts and policy; and fo to fit him, for that

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great and difficult employment that God defigned him to. For fee upon what little hinges that great affair turned: for had either the child been caft out, or Pharaoh's daughter come down to the river, but an hour fooner or later; or had that little veffel not been caft by the parents, or carried by the water into that very place where it was; in all likelihood the child must have undergone the common lot of the other Hebrew children, and been either ftarved or drowned; or however, not advanced to fuch a peculiar height and happiness of condition.

On the contrary, when providence designs judgment or destruction to a person, no body knows by what little, unusual, unregarded means, the fatal blow fhall reach him.

Thus king Abab being defigned for death, a foldier in the enemy's army drew a bow at a venture; yet the fure, unerring directions of providence, carried it in a direct courfe to his heart, and there lodged the revenge of heaven.

And this directing influence of God reacheth not only to the great and powerful, but it is alfo as vifible and remarkable in the

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affairs

affairs of perfons of inferior rank and condition; and that too, in those things, in which they are moft nearly concerned; as in their lives, their health, their reputation, their friendships or enmities in the world, and fuch like.

And firft for men's lives: Tho' thefe are things for which nature knows no price nor ransom ; yet we may appeal to univerfal experience, whether many mens lives have not oftentimes hung upon a very flender thread, and the distance between them and death hath been fcarce perceptible, and the escape wonderful. There have been fome, who upon a flight, and perhaps groundless occafion, have gone out of a fhip, or house, and the ship hath funk, or the house hath fallen, immediately after their departure.

In like manner, for mens health; it is no lefs wonderful to confider, to what ftrange cafualties many fick perfons oftentimes owe their recovery. Perhaps an unusual draught, or morfel, or fome accidental violence of motion, hath removed that malady, which for many years hath baffled the skill of all phyficians.

And then alfo, for mens reputation; there

is hardly any thing, which (for the most part) falls under a greater chance. If a man fucceeds in any attempt, tho' undertaken with never fo much folly and rafhness; his fuccefs fhall vouch him for a politician, and good luck fhall pass for deep contrivance For give any one fortune, and he fhall be thought a wife man. On the contrary, be a design never fo artificially laid, and spun in the finest thread of policy; if it chanceth to be defeated by fome cross accident, the man is then run down by an univerfal outcry; his counfels are derided, his prudence queftioned, and his person despised.

And then again, for the friendships or enmities, that a man contracts in the world; than which there is nothing that hath a more direct and powerful influence upon the whole courfe of a man's life, whether as to happiness or misery; yet chance hath a ruling ftroke in them all.

A man, by mere peradventure, lights into company, and there begins an acquaintance with a perfon; which acquaintance and endearment grows and continues, even when his relations fail him; and perhaps proves

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proves the fupport of his mind, and of his fortune, to his dying day..

And the like holds in enmities, which come much more eafily than friendships. A word unadvisedly spoken on the one fide, or misunderstood on the other, any the least furmise of neglect, hath fometimes raised such an averfion to a man, as in time hath produced a perfect hatred; and that, fo ftrong and tenacious, that it hath never left vexing and troubling him, till it hath hunted him to his grave.

AND now, tho' I have not recounted all, or indeed the hundredth part of those casualties of human life, that may display the full compafs of divine providence; yet I think I have reckoned up fo many, as will fufficiently inforce the neceffity of our reliance upon it. I fhall therefore only mention what uses we ought to make of this doctrine I have delivered, and fo conclude. And these are briefly two; not to be overconfident in profperity; and not to be too much dejected in adverfity.

WE fhould from hence learn, I fay, not to be over-confident in profperity.

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David,

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