GODS RECOVERING .MERCY. 637 among the accidents of this life how, many hundreds come to their end by such accidents P Besides the wear- ing out of this mortal nature, by labours of the mind or body, or growing years and advancing age. What muh titudes have gone down to the dust since we have been born, and'yet we continue upon the earth, who have no- thing in 'us that can promise, or that can secure length of life to us_ beyond those who are dead. We are thus surrounded with deaths within and without, and yet we live, I. By:constant supplies of food and raiment, and the necessaries of life, which we have out of the stores of divine bounty. It is God that feeds and clothes us in this wilderness, and gives us our daily bread, thoughnot in so wonderful and visible a manner as he did to the Israelites. It is he blesseth our daily food to make it nourishing to our natures, and effectual to preserve life. Deut. viii. 3. " Man doth not live by bread only, but " by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the " Lord." We are sometimes filled with anxieties ; &c. but God hath hitherto provided, and we live, He feeds the lamp of life with fresh oil, which would otherwise expire in darkness, II, By his kind providence preserving us from outward dangers, Psal. cxxi. 2, 3, 4. He carried the Israelites through the wilderness ; their feet swelled not, nor did the heat consume them, or serpents or plagues utterly destroy them, .Psal. xxxiv. 20. He keepeth all our bones, not one of them is broken. He sends his angels for our guard, and gives them charge over us to keep us in all our ways. Psal. xci. 11, 12. To bear ús up in their hands, lest we dash our feet against the stones, Psal. lxviii. 20. He that is our God, is the God of sal- vation ; often we have been on the very edge of the grave, and behold we live; to the .Lord our God belong all our escapes from death. III. By merciful recoveries from sickness, by healing our diseases which were ready to destroy us. Psal. ciii. 3, 4. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, whohealeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mer- cies. Psal xxx. 2, 3, 0 Lord, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healedme. O Lord, thou hast brought my soul from the gave, thou hast kept we alive, that I should not
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