The proud hearts of the carnal wicked world, in general, ascribe their mercies to fortune, luck, and chance—the trinity of fools; and such pour sovereign contempt on that Providence which ordereth all things in heaven and on earth; but whoso is wise will observe these things, and he shall understand the kindness of the Lord. Hence the saying of the wise—“Whoso eyeth the providence of the Lord shall never want a providence to watch.” This has been true in the experience, more or less, of all the Lord’s tried people, who have waded through much tribulation, and arrived safe at home: and this is the present experience of the Lord’s people upon earth; it is a part of their life of faith, and often produces prayer and praise, watchfulness, and gratitude—so I have found it, almost through the whole course of my life. Amongst thousands of circumstances I have read of the Lord’s gracious dealings with his people, in providence, I remember one, in particular, in the case of Mr. Fox, who wrote the Book of Martyrs, in the close of the reign of Henry the Eighth;—that he went to London, where the want of employment soon reduced his pocket to emptiness, and every source of maintenance failed: in this situation, as he sat one day in St. Paul’s church, spent with long fasting, his countenance thin, his eyes hollow, and with the ghostly appearance of a dying man, every one seemed to shun him with horror; there came one to him whom he had never seen before, and thrust into his hand an untold sum of money, bidding him to be of good cheer, and accept that small gift in good part; adding, that in a few days new hopes were at hand, and a more certain condition of livelihood; and sure enough it came to pass—for, within three days after, the Duchess of Richmond sent for him, to live in her house, and to become the tutor of the Earl of Surrey’s children, then under her care. Thus, as the German proverb says,—“When the bricks are doubled, then comes Moses;”—that is, man’s greatest extremity is God’s opportunity.