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I WAS TAKEN BY SURPRISE.

EXPOSTULATING with a friend in reference to a fault into which he had fallen, by way of excuse he said, "I was taken by surprise.' This implied that he was off his guard, that he was neglecting the loving admonition of his gracious Lord, "Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation." Though in one sense always safe, we should never feel secure, for security generally ends in a fall. We are in an enemies' country, and our enemies are crafty, cruel, and watchful. We are in a wilderness, and may meet with surprising dangers where we least expect them. We are under the guidance and direction of a special providence, and may hope for many changes, and different treatment at different times. We should live believing God's word, watching God's hand, and waiting upon God in his ways; if we do not we shall be taken by surprise.

We may now be surrounded by kind, judicious, and sympathising friends. They may seem to be the light of our eyes, the stay of our hearts, and the joy of our souls. Let us enjoy them while we have them, but let us not place any dependence upon them; for if

we do, they may soon become alienated from us, be removed to a distance, or even be turned against us. Man is changeable. He walketh in a vain show. At his best state, he is altogether vanity. Trust him, and he will deceive you. Put him in God's place, and he will wound you, and pierce you to the heart. 66 'Trust not in a friend, put no confidence in a guide." "Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm." Let your God be your friend. Remember there is ONE friend that loveth at all times. You may trust him, confide in him, and open your whole heart to him. But if you do so without reserve to any other, you may be betrayed, deceived, or forsaken; and then in the bitterness of your soul, to account for the painful acuteness of your feelings, you may be heard to exclaim, I was taken by surprise."

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Death is our enemy. He has no regard to our feelings, wants, or wishes. The finest, most fruitful, and most valuable trees he marks to fall. The husband, the father, the mother, the wife, are often taken away with a stroke. We ought to enjoy our relations, and we ought to love them; but we must remember they are only lent us, we cannot claim them; nor when sent for can we detain them. If we look upon any relation as essential to our support or comfort, or usefulness on earth, it is very likely that we shall be deprived of that relative. God often shews

his people that no one is essential to them, but himself. That they can live, be comfortable, and do good in the absence of any earthly relative. Let us not then idolise any relative, however near, dear, or important to us; for if we do, ten to one but we shall be bereaved of it, and then with deep distress of soul, we may find ourselves saying "I was taken by surprise."

If the Lord has given us property or a good income, or a profitable situation, let us take heed that we do not look upon such things as our freehold, for we have no title deeds to shew for them. We may be deprived of them suddenly, and soon. Temporal wealth, is spoken of in God's word as if it were nothing. "Wilt thou set thine heart upon that which is not? Do not riches make to themselves wings and flee away as an eagle toward heaven ?" Sometimes, by one stroke, providence sweeps away all our property. In one moment we lose the income, which we believed to be ours for life. By one turn our situation which we considered permanent is gone. Now if we have been depending upon our income, instead of God; or if we have been making gold our trust, and fine gold our confidence; or if we have been secure in our situation instead of trusting in the Lord alone; no wonder if the Lord tears our nest, cuts down our hopes as a tree, and gives us occasion to say with Job, The Lord hath taken away." Then perhaps the suddenness

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or the severity of the stroke will fill us with commotion, alarm, and distress. Then unbelief will work in our hearts, and sadness will shroud our spirits, and all we shall be able to say in accounting for our sorrow will be "I was taken by surprise."

Man is born to trouble, nor was religion ever intended to exempt us from it. Our blessed Lord assures all his disciples, that in the world they should have tribulation. Days of trouble will be sure to be found in our lot. Now, we are not to be always anticipating trouble, or to allow the thought of future trouble to spoil or rob us of present enjoyment. But we are always to be prepared to meet trouble. By faith in God, by confidence in Jesus, by relying on the promises, and by praying always, and giving thanks for every comfort, we are to be ready to meet whatever trouble comes. Nor are we to feel sure in reference to any quarter, that trouble will not come from thence; for it very often comes from the quarter we least expected. Trouble sometimes springs up in the family, sometimes it springs up in our business, and sometimes it meets us in the Church of God. If there is any quarter from which we never anticipated any trouble, from that quarter it is very likely to come.

Now if we are off our guard, if we fancy our sun will no more go down, neither will our moon withdraw itself; if we say our mountain stands strong, we shall never be moved;

then when the Lord darkens the sun in the clear day, when the moon is hidden behind the dense dark clouds, when our mountain is removed and cast into the sea; sad, sorrowful, and cast down, we shall most likely be heard to say, “I was taken by surprise.”

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Brethren, in days like these, and in a world like this, it becomes us to be prepared for any thing, for every thing. Nothing should dispirit us, or cause us to fret. All things are under a divine arrangement and superintendence. Our God worketh all things

after the counsel of his own will. As he loves us with an infinite love, and consults our welfare in all he does, and in all he permits, we ought not to be dejected, occur what will. Nothing should "take us by surprise," for we are forewarned, that we may be forearmed. Our God has told us of troubles, trials, temptations, losses, crosses, and bereavements, before they come to pass, that when they do come to pass, we may be ready to meet them, be ready to battle with them, and overcome them. Nothing can sever us from his love. Nothing can deprive us of his care. Nothing can pluck us out of his hand. Let us then confide in him, walk closely with him, and in every thing look to him. He is our Father, and we may pour all our sorrows into his bosom. He is our Saviour, and we may trust all our affairs in his hands. He is our Comforter, and we may look to him to comfort us in all our

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