Enfield, Connecticut
July 8, 1741

'Their foot shall slide in due time.' Deut. 32:35

In this verse is threatened the vengeance of God on
the wicked unbelieving Israelites, who were God's
visible people, and who lived under the means of
grace; but who, notwithstanding all God's wonderful
works towards them, remained (as ver. 28.) void of
counsel, having no understanding in them. Under all
the cultivations of heaven, they brought forth bitter
and poisonous fruit; as in the two verses next
preceding the text. The expression I have chosen for
my text, Their foot shall slide in due time, seems to
imply the following doings, relating to the
punishment and destruction to which these wicked
Israelites were exposed.

1. That they were always exposed to destruction; as
one that stands or walks in slippery places is always
exposed to fall. This is implied in the manner of
their destruction coming upon them, being represented
by their foot sliding. The same is expressed, Psalm
73:18. 'Surely thou didst set them in slippery
places; thou castedst them down into destruction.'

2. It implies, that they were always exposed to
sudden unexpected destruction. As he that walks in
slippery places is every moment liable to fall, he
cannot foresee one moment whether he shall stand or
fall the next; and when he does fall, he falls at
once without warning: Which is also expressed in
Psalm 73:18, 19....