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hope and confidence to say, with this great man after his conviction, -" Try me, O God, and seek the " ground of my heart;-prove me, and examine my "thoughts;-look well if there be any way of wick"edness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Now to God the Father, &c. &c.

1

SERMON V.

THE CASE OF ELIJAH AND THE WIDOW OF

ZAREP ATH CONSIDERED.

A CHARITY SERMON,

TO THE

VERY REVEREND

RICHARD OSBALDISTON, D. D.

DEAN OF YORK,

SIR,

I HAVE taken the liberty to inscribe this Discourse to you, in testimony of the great respect which I owe to your character in general; and from a sense of what is due to it in particular, from every member of the Church of York.

I wish I had as good a reason for doing that, which has given me the opportunity of making so publick and just an acknowledgment; being afraid there can be little left to be said upon the subject of Charity, which has not been often thought, and much better expressed by many who have gone before: and, indeed, it seems so beaten and common a path, that it is not an easy matter for a new. comer to distinguish himself in it, by any thing except the novelty of his vehicle.

I beg, however, sir, your kind acceptance of it, and of motives which have induced me to address it you; one of which I cannot conceal in justice to myself, because it has proceeded from the sense of many favours and civilities which I have received from you.

I am, Reverend Sir,

your most obliged,

and faithful humble servant,

LAWRENCE STERNE.

SERMON V.

THE CASE OF ELIJAH AND THE WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH CONSIDERED.

1 KINGS XVII. 16.

And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fall, according to the word of the Lord which he spake by the prophet Elijah.

THE words of the text are the record of a miracle wrought in behalf of the widow of Zarephath, who had charitably taken Elijah under her roof, and administered unto him in a time of great scarcity and distress. There is something very interesting and affectionate in the manner this story is related in holy writ; and, as it concludes with a second still more remarkable proof of God's favour to the same person, in the restoration of her dead son to life, one cannot but consider both miracles as rewards of that act of piety, wrought by Infinite Power, and left upon record in scripture, not merely as testimonies of the prophet's divine mission, but likewise as two encouraging instances of God Almighty's blessing upon works of charity and benevolence.

In this view I have made choice of this piece of sacred history, which I shall beg leave to make use of as the ground-work for an exhortation to charity in general: and, that it may better answer the particular purpose of this solemnity, I will endeavour to enlarge upon it with such reflections as, I trust in

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