of our social conversation; while in our religious assemblies, they should never fail to occupy a very considerable share of our attention. It is one part of the preacher's duty, to mark all such occasions as they rise, with an earnest desire that they may not pass away without a due improvement—and it is under the influence of such views, that I call your thoughts this morning to the subject now before us: and if your feelings, at this season, bear any similitude to my own, our expressions of gratitude will be both ardent and unanimous. Bring unto the Lord, Oye mighty, bring young rams unto the Lord: ascribe unto the Lord worship and strength. In his temple let every man speak of his honour: for the Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. The eyes of all wait upon him, and he giveth them their meat in due season. He openeth his hand, and filleth all things living with plenteousness.

That some special act of thanksgiving, on the in-gathering of the harvest, is agreeable to the will of God, we have his own express appointment to allege, as recorded in the book of Deuteronomy; where we find the following passage-Thou shalt observe the

feast of tabernacles seven days, after thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine. And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man servant, and thy maid servant, and the levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates. The feast here appointed was of a peculiar character. It was to be held before the Lord, in remembrance of his bounty, and to the honour of his adorable name: in consequence of which, there was attached to it a degree of sanctity that belonged not to their ordinary meals. All the circumstances connected with it, and all the ceremonies attending it, even down to those feelings of joy and gladness which it was intended to excite, were all of a sacred nature, and peculiarly calculated to strengthen their dependence upon a faithful God. Unhappily for us, this ancient custom has long been laid aside: or if remains of it are still visible among any us, they are only those grosser parts of the ceremony, which have always had a tendency, more or less evident, to profane the whole. A feast is indeed held, on like occasions, in our own day but it is generally of such a character as leads to the degradation

of the guests, while it dishonours that gracious God, of whose presence they have no apprehension, and whose multiplied favours excite in them no sentiments of gratitude. But I proceed,

Thirdly-To press upon you the serious counsel of the prophet: Let us now fear the Lord our God. Since we are wholly dependent upon God for the supply of every want to which we are subject, let us fear to offend him by our levity, our ingratitude, or our insubordination. While we rejoice in his fatherly care, let us learn to reverence his name, and stand in awe of his power. Fear ye not me, saith the Lord, and will ye not tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it; and though the waters thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it.

The God, in whom we live, and move, and have our being, is a God glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders. He holds all the elements in the hollow of his hand, every moment restraining them with

in their proper bounds: and were it not so, neither our possessions, nor our lives, would be secure for a single day. There are seasons, when, in order to teach us our entire dependence upon his sovereign will, he lets loose his angry agents upon a defenceless world, fire and hail, snow and vapour, wind and storm, fulfilling his word. And though such fearful visitations are seldom allowed to continue for more than a few hours together, yet how dreadful are the ravages they exhibit even within the limits of so short an interval! On such awful occasions, the produce of a thousand fields is swept away at once. The rustic cottage and the magnificent palace, the retired village and the populous city, are either inundated or overthrown, swallowed up or laid in ruins. So easy is it for the great Governor of the world to turn a fruitful land into barrenness, and to depopulate the most crowded metropolis, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. Such events as these are not only recorded in the page of history; but reports of similar occurrences are not unfrequently brought to our ears, very solemnly enforcing

the admonition of the prophet-Let us now fear the Lord our God.

But the fear of the Lord very frequently signifies the whole of religion, with all its reverential feelings and all its rich consolations. There is a servile and tormenting fear of God, which marks the base condition of a slave, and there is a filial fear of exciting the divine displeasure, which belongs to the nobler character of a son. The former is made up of apprehension and alarm, while the latter is sweetly moderated and tempered with a spirit of love. Under the petrifying influence of a servile fear, men are naturally disposed to reason thus-Seeing that all our comforts depend upon the sovereign pleasure of Him, who giveth not account of any of his matters, let us fear to offend him, lest he turn his avenging hand upon us, and suddenly strip us of all we possess.

On the contrary, a filial fear of God will as naturally incline us to argue in this more disinterested and satisfactory manner—Since the hand of the Lord our God has been upon us for good, giving us rain from heaven and