56G THE UNLAWFULNESS OF SELF-MURDER. wanting. Perhaps there was eeme person came happily into the room, at the time of your bloody purpose, or you were not then furnished with some proper instrument of death ; perhaps you were prevented from finishing the fatal stroke when you had begun it, or the murderous attempt of your bands was not se strong and so Successful as your wretched heart wished and de signed it; perhaps your heart relented as you were just going to give death to yourselves ; or some sudden turn of thought, some happy word of scripture was brought into your mind, that forbid the mischief and rescued your soul.. Let the method of prevention be what it will, it is certain God was there, divine providencewas there, divine mercy was there ; Psal. lxviii. 20. Our God is the God of salvation ; to God the Lord belong all the issues or escapes from death. Stand therefore and wonder at the-riches of divine grace, and give God the glory of thy, rescue from the arms of death and the flames of hell. Amongst thy solemn thanksgivings for received mercies recount this illustrious instance of it. With great humility fall down before the throne of God, and with thy warmest devotions and gratitude appear there at his foot as a humble monument of his surprizingkindness. Remember the nearer thou wert to destruc- tion, the greater and more evident is the mercy of thy deliver- ance. Let thy soul and all that is within thee join to praise the name of lire Lord, thy deliverer. Psal, viii. 1, 2. H. Take shame to yourself in the sight of God for every murderous thought, every degree of compliance with this temp- tation. Repent deeply, O sinner, if thou hast indulged any bloody purpose in thy heart, and cry for divine forgiveness. Cone fess thy sin at the mercy-seat, and seek pardon through the atoning sacrifice of the Son of God. Remember that theblood of Christ cleanses us from all sin, even from the crimes of mur- der and blood. God has snatched thee from the mischief of thy own hands, lift up those hands to heaven to implore pardoning grace in the name of Jesus the great reconciler ; repent and re- ceive the blessing. III. Meditateon the long train of benefits derived from this deliverance, and survey the weighty obligations that are laid on your soul thereby. Say thus to yourselves, " Every hour of rest and peace that I enjoy is the effect of this peculiar mercy, this divine rescue from death. Every sermon that I hear, every season of grace that is afforded me, is a special favour from that God who delivered me from this destruction. Every opportunity that I have of bending my knees before the throne of grace, every comfortable promise that I read . in the gospel, every beam of mercy that I see, and every word of hope that I hear, are all owing to that b.appy hoar of my escape from the violenceof my own hands. Wretch that I was ! I was cutting off all my hopes, I was eancelliug my name out of all the promises, and putting
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