> A ,. K . C O I ^Z, 5/^ DISCOURSES Several Public Occasions During the WA^ in }hy A M E R I C a/ Preached chiefly with a View to the Explaining the Importance of the Protestant Cause, in the Britifh Colonies-, and the Ad- vancement of RELIGION, Patriotism and Military Virtue. Among which are A Dlfcourfe on AdverHty ; and alfo a Difcourfe on Planting the Sciences, and the Propagation of Chrif- tianity, in the untutored Parts of the Earth. With an Appendix, containing lome other pieces. By WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. Provoft of the College and Academy of Philadelphia. LONDON: Printed for A. Millar, facing Catharine-ftreet ; and R. Griffiths, oppofite Somerfet Houfe, in the Strand 3 and G. Keith, in Gracechurch Street. M.DCCXIX. PREFACE. TH E particular defign and oc- cafion, as well of thefe Dif- courfes, as of the pieces in the Appendix, being mentioned in their relpedive places, the author needs not now detain the reader with a long Preface. He would only obferve that it was neither the fondnefs of commencing Author, nor the vanity of ima- gining that he pofTeiTed any fuperior capacity for the work, that led to the prefent publication. A great part of what is contained in it was publifhed before, at the inftance of thofe to whom he was bound to deny nothing of that kind ; and although it became his duty, in thofe perilous A 2 times, W PREFACE. times, when he was called to deliver mofl: of the following Difcourfes, to difplay, according to his beft abilities, the irnmenfe value of the blefTings refulting from the enjoyment of the Protestant Religion and Civil LiBJ^RTY, in order to propagate a laudable zeal for their Defence; yet he can with truth fay that there is no part of his Majefty's Dominions, where thofe bleflings are better underftood, or more fully prized, than among men of rank and charader in America, who have enjoyed due opportunities of knowlege and improvement. But tho' this be the cafe in re- gard to fuch pcrfons, it can hardly be imagrined to be fo with rcfpedl to tlie people in general; who live in a difperfl: retired ftate, and are ftill too much without the above advantages. Neverthelefs, that it fhould be fo a- mong them, alfo is of the utmoftim- por- P R E F A C E. V portance to the future fafety and prof- perity of the BHrifh Colonies. We are there on a/ very difFerent footing, from that of the jnother- country here. Both we aful our enemies are an encreafing mukitiide of people, compofed of various na- tions and languages, and continually approaching to each other in our fron- tier- fettlements. We have there no fur- rounding ocean, nor floating caftles, to form a barrier between us. Nothing, therefore, but a high and commanding fenfe of the un- fpeakable difference between our K e^ ligion and that of the enemy, be- tween Liberty and Slavery, kept a- live and propagated on our part, can preferve us a feparate people, and render us Brave by principle. When once the fenfe of this difference is loft, or ceafes to have its influence on the conduft, all fecondary confide- rations will lend but a feeble aid. A ,3 Now, vi PREFACE. Now, to promote fuch a fenfe, to the utmoft of the author's power, was his view in deHvering fuch of thefe Difcourfes as relate to the war; and with the fame view they are now coUeded into a volume, which he was the more willing to take the prefent opportunity of publifhing here, as he knows how ready the mother-country is to give a kind patronage and reception to whatever is the production of her colonies, and intended for their benefit, tho' other- wife, perhaps, of lefs value to her- felf. The Firft and Fifth of the Dif- courfes have no immediate connexion with the fubjcfts of the reft ; but, finding fufiicicnt room for them, the author thought proper to infert them, and that in the order of time where- in they were preached. The for- mer was publifhed fcvcral years ago ; and PREFACE. vii and an Edition of the other had been frequently defired and promifed. With refpedl to the ftyle, the au- thor hopes the Occasion will general- ly juftify the Manner, He always en- deavours to fuit his language to the fubjedl ; and thinks he has no where offered to addrefs the Paffions, till he has firft endeavoured to convince the Judgment. There are fome fea- fons, when more than ordinary Warmth is expe6ted ; and, if it be ever allowable, it is on thofe folemn days, when the interefts of a whole country are to be ftated and fet forth, and each individual in it ftrongly a- nimated " to play the man for the people and cities of his God." The author, however, does not offer to juftify any faults that may be found in thefe Difcourfes. He fears they have more material ones than what is hinted at above ; which may, viii PREFACE. m?y, perhaps, be incident to the period of life wherein moft of them were compofed. But he has fubmitted them to the pubHc, and would neither prefume to anticipate its approbation, or its cen- fure. THE THE CONTENTS. DISCOURSE I. Page II. PERSONAL Affliaion and frequent Refleftion upon human life, of great ufe to lead Man to the Remembrance of God. Preached in Chrift-Church, Philadelphia; September 1,1754. On the death of a beloved Pupil. Psalm xlii. 6. O my God ! my foul is cajl down within me^ therefore will I remember thee. DISCOURSE 11. Page 37. An earneft exhortation to Religion, Bro- therly-love and Public-fpirit, in the pre- fent dangerous ftate of affairs. Preach- ed in Chrift-Church, Philadelphia, June I Pet. ii. 17. Love the brotherhood \ fear God \ honor the King, DIS- jt The CONTENTS. ♦DISCOURSE III. Page 63. JIardnefs of heart and negleft of God*s merciful Vifitations, the certain fore-run- ners of more pubHc miferies -, applied to the Colonies, in a pariiilel between their ftalc and that of the Jews, in many remarkable inftances. Fult preach- ed at Briflol in Pennfylvania, on the public Faft, May 21, 1756 ; and after- wards (with fmall variation) at Ger- mantown in the fame province, on the public Faft, in July 1757. Jeremiah viii. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Tea the Jlork in the Heaven knoweth her ap- pointed times^ and the turtle and the crane and fw allow obferve the time of their coming ; but my people know not the judg" ment of the Lord, &c. DISCOURSE IV. Page 97. The Cliriftian Soldier's duty ; the lawful- nefs and dignity of his office -, and the importance of the Proteftant Caufe in the Britifli colonies. Preached in Chrift- Church, Philadelphia, April 5, 1757; at * Diicourfcs marked thus * were never printed before. tlie The CONTENTS. xi the defire of B r i g a d i e r-G e n e r a l Stanwix, to the forces under his com- mand, before their march to the fron- tiers. With a Prayer. Luke iii. 14. And the Soldiers demanded of him likewife, Jaying — Majler^ and what Jhall we do ? He /aid unto theniy Do Violence to no many net- ther accufe any falfely^ and be content with your wages. ♦DISCOURSE V, Page 131. On planting the Sciences in America, and the propagation of Chrift's Gofpel over the untutored parts of the earth. Preach- ed before the truftees, mailers, flu- dents, and fcholars, of the College and Academy of Philadelphia, May 17, 1757; being the firfl anniverfary commence- ment in that place. Psalm ii. 8. jtjk of me and I Jhall gi've thee the Heathen for thine inheritance^ and the uttermoji farts of the earth for thy poffefpon. Page 157. A Charge, delivered in the afternoon of the fame day, to the Can- didates who obtained their degrees. D I S- Orii The CONTENTS. ♦DISCOURSE VI. Page i8/. The duty of praifing God for fignal mer- cies and deliverances. Preached, firfl, in Trinity-Church, New- York, Sep- tember 17, 1758; and afterwards at [ Oxford in Pennfylvania Octob. i.in the fame Year : On occafion of the remark- able fuccefs of his Majelly's arms in A- merica, during that Campaign. EXOD. XV. I. / mllfing unto the Lord, for he hath tri- umphed glorioujly. APPENDIX I. Page 201. An earnefl: addrefs to the colonies, par- ticularly thofe of the fouthern diftrift; on the opening of the campaign 1758. APPENDIX II. Page 215. Account of the College and Academy of Philadelphia; with the plan of educa- tion, &;c. APPENDIX III. Page 235. A Philofophical Meditation, and Religious Addrefs to the Supreme Being ^ firil compofcd for the ufe of young Students. DISCOURSE DISCOURSE I. Perfonal Afflidlion and frequent Re- fledion upon human Life, of great Ufe to lead Man to the Remem- brance of God, Pre ach'd i n Chrtji-Church^ Philadelphia; September i, 1754. On tkb Death of a beloved ^\j'21L. <^^^^%^%^^^>^:^^'^<§^%^^^^>^%^ B SAMUEL MA^ I ^F>> Efq; Member of Parliament for Camelford, -, Treafurer to the Princefs Dowager of WA{is»*^A^ And Secretary of the Treafury. AS a Teftimony of Regard to his public Charadler, and of Gra- titude for the Honour of his Friend- fhip thro' a Series of Years, this Dif- courfe^ preached on the Death of his beloved Coulin, is moft humbly infcribed By the Author. B 2 TH E following Verfcs having been originally print- ed with this Difcourfc, ought not now to be fc- parated from it. When the good-natured reader is acquainted that they arc a ColIe£lion of the Tears of a few young gentlemen, who were fellow Students of the deceafed, the Author knows that he may depend on that Candour in favour of them, which he can only hop^ for, in favour of himfclf. [ V] TO THE AUTHOR, On hearing his Sermon, upon the Death of his hopeful Pupil, our dear Fellow-ftudent, Mr. William Thomas Martin *. IC A L L*no aid, no mnfes to infpire. Or teach my breafl to feel a poet's fire ; Your foft expreilion of a grief fincere, Brings from my foul a fympathetic tear. Taught by your voice, my artlefs forrows flow -, ^ I figh in verfe, am elegant in woe, ^ And loftier thoughts within my bofom glow. J For when, in all the charms of language dreft, A manly grief Hows, genuine, from the breafl. What gen'rous nature can efcape the wounds. Or fteel itfelf againfl the force of melting founds ? O ! could I boaft to move with equal art The human foul, or melt the llony heart •, - My long-lov'd friend fliould through my numbers fhine, Some virtue loft be wept in every line ; *. The young Gentleman To juflly lamenfed here, was the fecond Ton of the Hon. jofiah Martin, Efq; of New-Ynrk. He died at Philadelphia, while a lladent in the higher Pialo- fophy clafs of the college there. B 3 For L vi ] For virtues he had many 'Tvvas confcH: That native fenfe and fweetnefs filfd his breaft. But cooler reafon checks the bold intent, And, to the tafk refufing her confent, This only truth permits me to difclofe, "^ That in your own, you reprcfent my woes •, I And fweetcr than my fong, is your harmonious f profe ! J College of Philadelphia^ F. Hop ki n son . September 5, 1754. On the fame y by a Fellow -ft u dent. AND is your Martin gone ? Is he no more. That living truth, that virtue feen before ? Has endlefs night already hid the ray, The early promife of his glorious day ? That grief, great Mourner ! in fuch drains cxpreft, Shews he was deep implanted in your breaft. Yet hark ! foft-whifpering reafon feems to fay, Ceafe from your forrows, wipe thefe tears away. He's gone, he's paft the gloomy fhades of night, Safe- landed in th' eternal realms of light. Happy exchange ! to part with all below, For worlds of blifs, where joys unfading flow. And lainted fouls with love and rapture glow. College cfPhikdchhia, - S. MAG A W. Sfptcmbcr 6, 1754. On [ vii ] On the fame ^ hy a Fellow -Jiudent, WHILE for a pnpil lod, your forrow flows. In all the harmony of finifh'd profe ; While melting crouds the pious accents hear. Sigh to your fighs and give you tear for tear ; We too, in humble verfe, would treat the theme. And join our griefs to fwell the general ftream. For we remember well his matchlefs power. To fleal upon the heart, and chear the ibcial hour. Ah! much lov'd friend! too foon thy beauties fade ! Too foon we count thee with the filent dead 1 Thou, late the faireft plant in virtue's plain. The brighteft youth in wifdom's rifing train j By genius great, by liberal arts adorn'd, By Grangers feen and lov'd, by flrangers mourn'd; Bleft in a tender brother's friendly breaft ; And in paternal fondnefs doubly blefl ! Art thou now funk in death's tremendous gloom, Wrapt in the awful horrors of a tomb ? Ah me ! how vain all fublunary joy ! Woes following woes, our warmeft hopes deflroy j But hark !--fome voice celeftial ftrikes mine ear. And bids the mufe her plaintive flrains forbear. *' Weep not, fond youths, ---it cries, or feems to cry— - " He lives, your Martin lives, and treads the B 4 ^' From [ viii ] " From care, from tOil, from ficknefs fnatch'd away, " He (hines amid the blaze of heaven's eternal day. CoUe<^e of Philadchhia, J. D U C H E\ September 7, 1754. On the fame, CHECK, mournful preacher ! check thy ft reaming woe, Pierce not our fouls with grief too great to know ; He joys above whom we lament below. Snatch'd from our follies here, he wing'd his way. To fing HosANNAS in the realms of day. With him, the fight of life and death is o'er. And agonizing throes fhall pain no more *, No more (hall fell difeafe, with wafleful rage, Blaft the fair bloflbms of his tender age -, Tranfplanted now, he blooms a heav'nly fiowV, Where fpring eternal decks yon Amarinthine bower. Thy pious forrows, Smith, to future days, Shall bear his image, and tranfmit his praife. Still, ftill I feel v/hat thy Difcourfe impreft. When pity throb'd, congenial, in each breaft : When deep diftrcfs came thrilling from thy tongue. And fympathizing crouds attentive hung. To mourn for thy lovM Pupil all approv'd ; On fuch a theme 'twas virtue to be mov'd. Whoe'er thefe tender pages fhall explore, Mufl learn thofe griefs the Pulpit taught before. ColL'ge of Philndclphia, T. BARTON. September 7, 1754. On [ ix ] OfJ the fame, OD E AT H ! could manly courage quell thy power. Or rofy health protrad the fatal hour ; Could tears prevail, or healing arts withiland Th' unfparing ravage of thy waflcful hand ; Then Martin flill had liv'd a father's boaft. Nor had a mother's fondeft hopes been loft ; Then, Smith, thy darling youth, thy jufteft pride, With virtue's firft examples long had vy'd. But he is bleft where joys immortal flow j Ceafe tears to flream, be dumb the voice of woe„ Releas'd from vice, in early bloom fet free From the dire rocks of this tempetiuous Tea, The yoiKhful faint, in heav'n's ambrofial vales. With glory crown'd, ^therial life inhales. No more let grief repine, or wifh his ftay, In this dark gloom, this twilight of our day. Rather w^e'll hail him fled from night's domain, Array'd in light to tread the azure plain. There fcience dwells;-— before the mental eye Nature's ftupendous works unfolded lie ; There wifdom, goodnefs, power diffufive fhine, And fire the glowing breaft v/ith love divine. College of Philadelphia, P. JACKSON. Septemler 7, 1754. DIS- DISCOURSE I. Psalm xlii. 6. O my God I my Soul is cajl down within me, - therefore will I remember thee. IT is elegantly faid by the author of the book of ^' Job, who feems to have experienced all the dire viciffitudes of fortune, '' That man is born to trouble as the fparks fly upwards." These Troubles, however, as the fame author further obferves, ferve the wifeft purpofes, in as much as they are not the efFeds of what is called blind Chance, but of that unerring Providence, which graci- oufly conducts all events to the general good of the creature, and the final com- pletion of virtue and happinefs. "Affliction comes not forth from the duft, neither does trouble fpring out of the ground." * Ch. V. 6. Very 12 DISCOURSE I. Very far from it. At that great day, when the whole council of God fhall be more perfedly difplayed to us, we fhall be fully convinced, that all his difpenfations have been wife, righteous, and gracious; and that " -|- tho' no chaftening for the prefent feems joyous, but grievous, neverthelefs it afterwards yields the peaceable fruits of righteoufnefs to them that are exeicifed thereby." Of the truth of this we might indeed foon be convinced, ' at prefent, were we but wife, and fuffcred ourfelves to reflcft on what we daily fee. 'T;s with the greateft injuftice, that men afcribe their fins wholly to worldly temptations, and inveigh upon all occafions againrt: this life on account of its vanities. Thefe, if well attended to, would perhaps put us on our guard againft fin ; and, upon enquiry, it will be found that the great and general caufe of all iniquity, is a ftupid liftleifnefs, or want of confideration •, which, like fome vafl weight, oppreffcs the more generous efforts of the foul, and bears all filently down before it, unlcfs checked by the powerful hand of aflliflion. i Ikb. xli. n. I DISCOURSE!, I3 I fmcerely pity the man who never tafted of adverfe fatej and were I capable of wifhing evil to any perfon, I could not v/ilh a greater to my greateft foe, than a long and uninterrupted courfe of prolperi- ty. A flattering calm portends a gathering ftorm ; and when the ftream glides fmooth, deep and filent on, we juftly fufpecl that the fea or fome declivity is near, and that it is foon to be loft in the vaft ocean, or to tumble down fome dreadful fall or craggy precipice. Such appears his ftate to be, who never knew an adverfe hour, nor took time to confider whence he came, where he is, or whither bound. There is room to be ap- prehenfive left, being drunk with profpe- rity, he fliould fwim fmoothly from joy to joy along life's fhort current, till down he drops, thro' the pit of death, into the vaft ocean of eternity ! If we loved fuch a one, what more charitable wifh could we indulge towards him, than that the chaften- ing hand of heaven might fall heavy upon him, arreft him in his thoughtlefs career, and teach him to paufe, ponder and weigh the moment — the eternal mo- ment — " of the things that belong to hJs 8 peace, 14 DISCOURSE J. peace, before they arc for ever hid from his eyes ?** That there fhould be any perfons, en- dued with reafon and underftanding, who never found leifurc in this world to re- fleft for what end they were fent into it, would feem incredible if experience did not affure us of it. There are really fo many aft'efting incidents in life (undoubt- edly intended to awaken rcfieflion) that their hearts muft be petrified indeed, one would think, and harder than adamant, or the nether milftone, who can live in this world without being fometimes aftecl- cd, if not with their own, at leaft with the human, lot. I HOPE it is far from being my cha- ra6ler that I am of a gloomy temper, or delight to dwell unfeafonably on the dark fide of things. Our cup here is bit- ter enough, and misfortunes too thick, for any one who loves his fpecics to feek to embitter the draught, by evils of his own creation. But there is a time for all things; and, on fomc occafions, not to feel, fympathize and mourn, would argue the moft favage nature. This DISCOURSE I. 15 This day every thing that comes from me will be tindured with melancholy. It is, however, a virtuous melancholy; and therefore, if publickly indulged, I hope it may be thought excufable. You know it is natural for thofe, who are fincerely afflicted, to believe that every perfon is obliged to fympathize with them, and attend patiently to the ftory of their woe. But whether this be your prefent difpofition or not, I fliall fay nothing, which you are not as much concerned to receive deeply into your hearts, as I am to pour it from mine. The general DocTRiNEwhichI would enforce from the text (previous to my in- tended application of it) is, that a conftant feaft was never defigned for us here, and that it is the good will of our Father that WQ fhould be frequently roufed by what happens to us and aroufid us, to remember him, the great fountain of our being ; and to cherifli that ferious reflection and re- ligious forrow, which may lead us to e- ternal joy. That we fliould obferve fuch a con- duct appears highly reafonable in itfelf. For, next to the immediate praifes of our great Creator, there is not an exercife that 5 tends x6 DISCOURSE I. tends more to improve and ennoble the foul, than frequently to caft an eye upon human life, and expatiate on tlie various fcene, till wx lead on the foft power of religions melancholy, and feel the virtuous purpofe gently rifing in our fympathifing breads, thrilling thro' our inmoit frame, and ftarting into the focial eye in generous tears. It v^ould be affronting your underfland- ing to fuppofe that you think the 7?iela?i^ cboly here recommended, in any manner related to that gloomy defpondency into which fome people fall. Noj my beloved brethren : It is that virtuous reficBion^ phi- lofophic penfiveyicfsy and religious tendernefs of foul, which fo well fuit the honour of our nature, and our fituation ia life. And much to be pitied, is that man who thinks fuch a temper unbecoming his dignity, and whofe proud foul pretends never to be cafl down from the lofty throne oi Jloic infenfibility. Such a one, in the funfliine of hisprof- perity, may arrogantly boaft that nothing can move him j and while the world goes well with him, he may remain blind to his error. But let lieaven ftrip him of his DISCOURSE I. 17 his gaudy plumes, and throw him back naked into that world, where he had fix- ed his heart, he will find to his coft that, tho* he never had the virtue to be caft down and feel for others, yet he will have the weaknefs to be caft down and become the moft abject defpondent' thing alive for himfelf. When his tranfient honors are thus fled, his haughty looks will be humbled. He will begin to contemn his paft folly, and enter deeply into his own bofom. He will no more rely on the finiles of fortune, or the flatteries of men; but will acknow- ledge, from dear-bought experience, that, in this life, there is no fure refuge but God, nothing permanent but virtue, and nothing great but an humble heart, and deep fenfe of the ftate of cur mortality here. But, befides personal Affliction (which is perhaps a laft means) the all gracious governor of the world, ftill watchful to turn every event to the good of his creatures, without violating their moral liberty, has many other v^^ays of leading them to the remembrance of him. Whether we look within or around us, C we 1^ DISCOURSE I. we fhall find enough in the profpeft to humble our fouls, and to convince us that, not trurting to any thing iji a world where all enjoyments are fleeting, we fliall then only be iafe in it, " when we have put on the breaft-plate of Righteoufnefs, and arm- ed ourfelves with the fword of the fpirit*." " Few and evil are the days of our pilgrimage here -f-." God never intended this world as a lafting habitation for uS; and, on a juft eftimate of things, evil will be found fo continually blended with good, that we cannot reafonably fct our afFeftions much upon it. Wailing, weak and defencelefs, we are ufiiered into it; Our youth is a fcene of folly and danger -, our manhood of care, toil and difappoint- ment. Our old age, if haply we reach old age, is a fecond childhood. Withered, weak and bowed beneath our infii'mities, we become, as it were, a living hofpital of woes ; a burden to ourfelves, and per- haps a nufancc to others. This is the common ftate of our Be- ing. But befides all this, the number of evils in each of thefe ftages is greatly en- creafed, partly by our own mifconduft, • Galat. vi. 14, Sec. f ^ca. xlni. 9. and D I S C O U R S E I. t9 and partly by our neceffary connexions with others. For the equitable judgments of God are often general. " All things come alike to all men ; and there is but one event to the righteous and to the wicked -}-?" Moreover, many of thofe evils are of fuch a nature, that no prudence of ours can either forefee or prevent them. All the ftages of life neceflarily fubjeft us to pains and difeafes of body, and many of them to the acuter pains of an anxious mind. Upon the whole, we may pronounce from the higheft authority, that " our life is but a vapour, which is feen a little while, and then vanifheth away, as a tale that is told and remembered no more; or as a wind that paffes over and cometh not again." The man muft be thoughtlefs, indeed, who is not humbled with thefc refleftions* But fuppofe his own life fhculd pafs over as happily as poffible, and he fhould feel but few of thefe evils himfelf 3 yet, un- lefs he fhuts his eyes and his ears from the world around him, he muft ftill find fome- thing in it, which ought to move the '(■ z Eccles. ix. 2. C 2 tender 20 DISCOURSE!. tender heart to religious forrow and Re- membrance of God. Our blefled Saviour himfclf, tho* more than human, and confcious of no per- fonal ill, caft his eye upon Jcrufalem and wept over it, on account of its impending fate. Juft fo, if we caft an eye upon the world, we fhall drop a tear over it, on account of the unavoidable misfortunes that prevail in it. Don't wc often fee tyranny fuccefsful, ruthlefs opprefTiou and pcrfecution ravag- ing the globe, die bcft of men made flaves to the worft, and the lovely image of the Deity fpurn'd, diflionor'd, disfigur'd ! How many men, of genuine worth, are caft out by fortune to mourn in folitary places, unfcen, unpitied ; while wickednefs riots in the face of day, or pampers in lordly palaces ! How many pine in the confine- ment of dungeons , or arc chain'd down, for offences not their own, to the gallies for life ! How many bleed beneath the fword, and bite the ground in all the fad variety of anguifh, to fate the cruel ambition of contending mailers ! Plow many are de- prived of their cftates, and dlfappointed i:i their nuft fanguinc expedations, by the malice DISCOURSE I. 21 malice of fecret and open enemies, or, which is far more piercing, the treachery of pretended friends ! How many boil with all the tortures of a guilty mind, and the bittereft remorfe for irreparable injuries ! How many purfue each other with the moft implacable malice and re- fentment ! How many bring the acuteft mifery upon themfelves by their own in- temperance ! How many condemn their Souls to a kind of hell, even in their own bodies, by an unhappy temper, and the violent commotions of diforder'd blood ! How many are completely wretched in their famihes, and conftantly gall'd by the un- avoidable misfortunes of their deareft friends ! O N one fide the diflrefs of the Needy, the injuries of the oppreiled, the cries of the widow and orphan, pierce our ears. On the other, we hear the Voice of Lamenta- tion and Mourning ; our friends and neigh- bours weeping for dear relations fuddenly fnatch'd away, and " Refufing to be com- . forted becaufe they are not." Here one's heart is torn afunder by having a be- loved wife or child fnatch'd from his fide ! There another bewails the lofs of an af- C 3 feclionate 22 DISCOURSE I. fcclionate parent or brother ! Here fturdy manhood drops inftantly beneath the fud- den ftroke ! There Blooming Youth— Ah ! my blccdnig heart, wring me not thus with flreaming anguifli-- -there Blooming Youth falls a premature victim to a doom feemingly toofevere ! Beneath the cold hand of death, the rofes are blaftcd ; reftlefs agility and vigour are become the tamell: things s and beauty, elegance and ftrength, one putrid lump ! Surely, if we would think on thefe, and fuch things, which ought not to be the lefs ftriking for being common, and which render this life a fcene of fuffering, a valley of tear?, we could not fet our hearts much upon it, but fhould be arref- ted even in the mid-career of vice, and trembling learn to weigh the moment of things, and fecure ** the one thing needful." All the tender paflions v;ould be awaken d in our bofoms. Our fympathizing fouls would be caj} down within us, and alarm'd at their own danger, would fly round from ftay to ftay, calling incelfantly for help, till they could find a fure and never- failing refuge. But DISCOURSE I. 23 But where is this never-failing refuge to be found ? It becomes me now to point out fome ever-flowing fpring of comfort, fome eternal rock of falvation, for the foul, after having thus mufter*d up fuch a baleful catalogue of certain miferies, to alarm and humble her. Now, blefled be the lord, this refuge is pointed out in the Text, In fuch cir- cumllances, we fhall never find reft, but in refolving with holy David " O ray God ! my foul is caft down within me, therefore will 1 Remember thee." Without reinembring that there is a God^ that overrules all events, what hope or comfort could we have, when we re- fleft on all the aforefaid common mife- ries of life, and many more that might be named ? Did we, with the Atheift, be- lieve them to fpring up from the duft, or to be the blind efFefts of unintelligible chance, and of undirefted matter and motion, what a poor condition fhould we think ourfelves in here ? Would not all appear as " a land of darknefs, as dark- nefs itfelf, under the fhadow of death, without any Order, where the light is as darknefs* ?" * Job, X, 22. C 4 SURELV 24 DISCOURSE L Surely we could not wifli to live In thi^ world, upon fuch a precarious footing as this. AiTd yet we fhould not know whi- ther to fly from it, unlcfs into the darker {late of dreary annihilation, at the thoughts of which the aftonifhed foul fhudders and recoils. Upon fuch a fchcme,. all our hopes would be thin as the fpider's web, and lighter than chaff that is dif- perfed thro' the air. Our Adverfity would hurry us into the moft invincible defpair, and our Profperity would be as a bubble burfting at every breath. Philofophy would be a dream, and our boafted Fortitude nieer unmeaning rant. But on the other Hand, if, *' when our fouls are cafi: down withing us, we will re* member that there is a God," whofe great view in creating was to make us happy,whofe defign in afiiicting is to reclaim us, and who governs the world by his providence only to conduct all to the greatefl: general good-— then, and not till then, we fiiall have fure footing. We fhall neither raife our hopes too high, nor fmk them too low. If fortune is kind, we ihall enjoy her finilcs without forgetting the hand that guides her. If fhe frowns, we fliall feel DISCOURSE I. 35 feel our woes as Men, but fliall nobly bear them as Chrlftians. For if we are really Cliriftians, our holy religion teaches us that this Scene of thuigs is but a very fmall part of the mighty Scheme of hea- ven ; that our prefent life is only the dim dav^n of ourexiftence; that we fhallfhort- ly put off this load of infirmities, and be tranflated to a ftate, where " every tear fhall be wip'd from our eyes, and where there fhall be no more death, nor forrow, nor crying, nor pain, becaufe the former things are paffed away*/* If we are thus intimately convinced that unerrring Wifdom, Power and Goodnefs, hold the reins of the univerfe, and are at peace in our own confciences, the ftorm of the world may beat againft us ; but, tho' it may fhake, it can never overthrow us. " Although the fig-tree fhall not blof- fom, neither fliall fruit be on the vines ; tho* the labor of the olive fliall fail, and the fields fhall yield no meat ; tho' the flock fhall be cut off from the fold, and there fhall be no herd in the fcall ; yet will we rejoice in the Lord, and we vv^ill joy in the God of our falvation-f*." Although mif- fortunes * Revn xxi. 4. t Habbak, lii. 17, i8. 26 DISCOURSE I. fortunes fhoiild befiege us round and round ; tho' woes fliould clufter upon woes, tread- ing on the heels of each other in black fucceifion, yet when we Remember God, and fly to him as our refuge, we fliall ftand colle£led and unfhaken, as the towering mountains^ amid the general ftorm. With our eye thus fixt upon heaven, trufting in the mercies of our Redeemer,and animated by the Gofpel-promifes, we fhall wrge our glorious courfe along the traft of virtue, bravely withftanding the billows of adverfity on either fide, and triumphing in every difpenfation of providence. Tho' death flioukl ftalk around us in all his grim terrors ; tho' famine, peflilence and fell war fliould tear our beft friends from our fide ; tho' the laft trumpet fhould found from pole to pole, and the whole world fhould tremble to its Center ; tho' we fhould fee the heavens opened, our Judge coming forth with thoufands and ten thoufands, his eyes flaming fire, the plane- tary heavens and this our earth wrapt up in one general conflagration ; tho' we fliould hear the groans of an expiring world, and behold nature tumbling into univerfal ruin ; Jet thenj even then, we might look up with DISCOURSE I. 27 joy, and think ourfelves fecure. Our holy religion tell us, that this now glorify 'd Judge was once our humbled Redeemer ; that he has been our never-failing friend, and can (hield us in the hollow of his hand. The fame religon alfo afTures us, that virtue is the peculiar care of that Be- ing, at whofe footftool all nature hangs ; and thnt, far from dying or receiving injury amid the flux of things, the fair plant, under his wife government, fhall furvive the laft gafp of time, and bloom on thro' eternal ages ! And now, my refpefted audience, I think it is evident that if we fearch all na- ture thro', we fhall find no fure refuge but in keeping a clear Conjcience^ and rememher- ing God. If we conftantly exert ourfelves to do our duty, and remember that there is an all perfed: Being at the head of af- fairs, the worfl: that can happen to us can never make us altogether miierable ; and, without this, the bell: things could never make us in any degree happy. If, therefore, it is one great defign of all affliftion, to bring us to fuch a Remem^ brance^ and make us examine into theftate of our pwn fouls, I think I may be per- 3 mitted 28 DISCOURSE L niitted to befeech you, by your hopes of immortal glory and happlnefs, not to be blind and deaf to the repeated warn- ings given you by your kind Parent God. Tho* the affliclions do not happen immedi- ately To you, they happen For you. And tho' all feems well at prefent, which of you knows how foon the lord may vifit you in his fierce anger ? Which of you, young or old, can fay your fouls will not next, perhaps this very night, be required of you ? And think, O think, if you have never been led to remember God, by the re- peated warnings given you in this world,* how unfit a time it will be to remember him when you are juft ftepping into the next ; when (as you have feen in the cafe of many younger and ftronger than moft of you,) you Ihall be ftruck fenfelefs on a death-bed at once, and know not the fa- tiicr that beagt you, nor are confcious of the tears of her that gave you fuck ? If you can but think on thefe things, the vanity of this world, and the eternity of the next i if you can but think on the value of thofc fouls, for which a God incar- nate died, and fealed a covenant of grace with his blood, into which you have {o- Icmnly DISCOURSE I. 29, lemnly fworn yourfelves; furely you will flop your ears againft the allurements of the Flelh, and the " Voice of the Charmer, charm he ever fo wifely/' It may eafily be gathered from what has been faid, that this hfe has no continuance of unmixt pleafure for us, and that what alone can alleviate its Evils, or make its Goods give us any fubftantial joy, is a frequent refledlion on the prefent ftate of things, and the drawing near to God, in holy Remembrance of his adorable attributes, and our own abfolute depen- dence on him. Behold then once more this very God himfelf invites you to draw near to him, and commemorate him at his holy table *^ Let him not, therefore, invite you in vain. Do not fhamefully renounce your moft ex- alted privilege, and wilfully cut yourfelves off from the fociety of Gocfs iiniverfal Church, You all know what is required to make you meet partakers of this holy commu nion. It is a ftedfaft faith in the Gofpel- promifes and the mercies of God ; a fincere Repentance for paft offences j an unfeign^ ed pyrpofe of future Amendment, and an ♦ Preached on a Sacrament Day. unbounded JO DISCOURSE L unbounded Ciiarity and Benignity of Heart towards all your fellow-mortals, however feemingly different in fentiment and per- fuafion. If you have thefe difpofitions either be- gun now, or continued down to this day, from fome earlier period of your lives, you need not fear, in all humility, to approach this holy communion. " Up, efcape for thy life; look not be- hind thee 5 ftay not in all the plain ; fly to the mountain, lefl: thou be confumed ;'* was the alarm rung in the ears of Lot by his good angels ? Even fo, permit me, in the fincerity of my heart, to alarm and exhort you. Up ! fly for your lives to the mountain of your God. Let not your fouls find any refl: in all the plain of this life, till you have fixed on the everlafting rock of your falvation, and fecured your intereft in God, through Chrifl. Let no excufes de- tain you, nor linger while the danger is at hand. I hope you will excufe my warmth on this occafion. I wifli I had no ground for it. But the fliafts of death fly thick around us. You cannot but mUs many whom you faw here a few Sabbaths ago -, and fome of them DISCOURSE I. 3.1 them younger and ftronger than moft of you, particularly that dear Youths whofe fudden and much lamented death has forced this train of refleflion from me. Such a difpenfation ought to give par- ticular warning to all ; but to you more e- fpecially his dear companions and fchool- mates, I would apply myfelf ; not doubting but the Moral of his death will be accept- able to you, however unfavourably grave and ferious fubje6ls are generally received by perfons of your years. From the example before you, let me in- treat you to be convinced that you hold your lives on a very precarious tenure, and that no period of your age is exempted from the common lot of mortality, But a few days ago, the deceafed bore a part in all your ftudies and diverfions, and enjoyed a Iliare of health, ftrength and fpirits infe- rior to none here. You all knew and lov- ed him, and I beheld many of you be- dewing his grave with becoming tears. Oh then 1 let it be your care fo to behave yourfelves, that, at whatever period you may be called from thence, you may fall equally beloved, and equally lamented. Indeed 32 DISCOURSE I. Indeed, if any external circumftanccs could have arrcfted the inexorable hand of Death ; if any thing that nature could give, or a liberal education beftovv', could have faved fuch a rifing hope of his country ; late, very late, had he received the fatal blov;^ ! He bid fair to have been the longeft Liver among us, and my eyes would have been for ever clofed, before any one had dropt that tear to his memory, which is now forced from them. But the difeafe was of the mofl obftinate kind. All the pov;er of medicine, and all the love we bore to him, could not gain one fupernu- merary gafp. He fell in his Bloom of youth y and, as I long loved, {o I muft long remember him, with pious regard. To the will of heaven, however, mine fhall ever be refigned. ** Shall wc receive good at the hand of God, and fhall wc not receive evil alfo ? The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blefled be the name of the Lord ?" I fincerely believe that my dear pupil, yourdeccafed fchool-mate, is now in a far better ftatc than this. He has happi- ly efcapcd from a world of troubles. He has t)^t j^ft gone a little before us, and perh^P^ never could liave gone more be- loved, D I S C O U R S E I. 33 loved, more lamented, or more prepared for an inheritance in glory. What ftronger proofs of affeftion could any one receive than he did ? Tho* at a diftance from his immediate connexions, ftrangers tended his fick-bed v^ith paternal care. Strangers clofed his eyes, while their own trickled down with forrovv. Strangers followed him to the grave in mournful filence 5 and, when his duft was commit- ted to duft, ftrangers paid the laft tribu- tary drop !. Yet, after all, to have a fon fo loved and fo honoured, even by ftrangers, and to be furprized with the news of his death before they heard of his ficknefs, muft be a fe- vere blow to the diftant parents — But, Oh my heart ! why did this thought occur ? Again my Affections ftrug- gle with Reafon — again Nature, wilt thou be Conqueror 1 can add no more 1 have now done the laft duty of love^ — > let filent tears and grief unutterable fpeak the reft ! D ; ( 34 ) A HYMN, ccmprifmg the chief Heads of the foregoing Difcourje ; i?ite7ided to have been Jung after it. FATHER o{ all! fliU wife and good, Whether thou giv'li or tak'lt away ; Before thy throne devoutly bow'd. We hail thy prccidcntial fvvay ! Save us from fortune's hollow fmile, That lures the guardlefs foul to reft ; A round of pleafure is but toil, And who could bear a conftant fcaft ? Sometimes thy chaft'ning hand employs Gently to roufe us, not to pain ! ^ Sometimes let forrow prove our joy. And fcattcr folly's noify train ! Oft let us drop a pcnfive tear, O'er this much-fuficring fcene of man -, Acute to feel what otlicrs bear, And wife * our own defects to fcan. Teacu us, while woes and deaths arc To think on thee, and weigh our duft ; (nigh. Well may we mark the Hours that fly, And ftill find Icifure to be jujl. * The Icarnctl reader need not he told that the au- ^•hor htfrc had Mr. Gicy's bcautilul Hymn to Advcrfity before him. DISCOURSE II. An earneft Exhortation to Religion, Brotherly Love and pubHc Spirit, in the prefent dangerous ' State of Affairs, Pre ach'd i n Chrijl-Churchy Philadelphia; On the Anniverfary of St. John the Baptift, D 2 A Few PafTages In the former Editions of this Difcourfe, that related merely to the So- ciety at vvhofe Defire it was delivered, are now entirely left out, as having no immedinte Con- nexion with the main Subjed, or the defign of the prefent Publication. [37] I Peter ii. 17. Love the Brotherhood-, fear God-, honor the King, TO contain rules of condu6l levelled to every capacity, and fitted to the circumftances of men, in all their various relations, is an excellence peculiar only to God*s holy word. In the text, and verfes preceeding, the apoftle has the follov^ing noble exhortation — " Wherefore, fays he, laying afide all malice, and all guile, and Hypocrifies, and envies, and all evil fpeakings ; be ye as livmg Stones, built up a fpiritual houfe; free but not ufing your Liberty as a cloak of malicioufnefs. Love the Brotherhood -^ fear God -, honor the Kijig *,'* This Exhortation fo exaftly fuits our prefent purpofe, that it contains thofe very principles on which this fociety pro- fefles itfelf to have been founded, time immemorial. And certain it is, that if Ver. I, 5, 16, 17. D 3 none 38 DISCOURSE II. none be ever accepted into it, but tliofe who have banifhed thofe evil padions, mentioned above 5 then may it tiuly be de- nominated 2ifpiritual Houfe^ built up with Ihing Stones^ hewen out of the rock which is Cbrijl^ and adorned with Jewels of in- eftimable price. Ail its members fhall then \)zf}'ce indeed; for they fhall be Jrce from the dominion of turbulent pafiions, and utter enemies to all forts of Slavery. Liberty of every fpecies, ?vIoral, Religi- ous and Civil, they will purfiie as the firll pf blcffings; but they will not make this purfuit a Cloak of Malicioufucfs, either to injure their Neighbours, or to diftrefs law- ful Government. On the contrary, they will love the Brctherhocd -, fear Go J-, and honor the King. But farther, tliefc words, as was hint- ed of God's holy word in general, equal- ly concern men of all denominations, ^nd this, I confcfs, was no fmall induce- ment to my choice of them. I confidcr this as a very mixt affembly, and have there- fore fclefted a fubjecl which alike inrcrells us all, as Men and as Chriftians. In things of inferior moment, I doubt not, our Sentiments may differ; but in thalb DISCOURSE II. 39 thofe principles which are the foundation of the text, 'tis to be hoped we all agree, namely in believing — That there is one God, the fupreme Lord of the Univerfe ; that the whole fpecies are one Brother- hood, being one flefli, and the work of his handi and that we were de- figned for focial life, being by nature both fitted and difpofed to encreafe each o- ther's happinefs, and incapable of any tolerable happinefs in a folitary flate. Thefe principles partly conftitute a kind of univerfal Religion, of eternal and im- mutable obligation ; and whatever Affocia- tions we may form for particular purpofes, the great end propofed upon the whole, fhould be to enable us the more efFeftually to a6l in conformity to this obligation, which no power on earth can releafe us from. As long, therefore, as we believe thefe principles — -and we cannot help believing them as long as we continue to be confti- tuted as we are — it mull, at all times, and in all circumftances, be our indif- penfable duty, to love this Brotherhood who are our own Flefh ; to fear this God who made us for focial happinefs ; and to honor thofe who, in a more eminent man- D 4 ner^ 40 DISCOURSE 11. ner, concur with the benevolent purpofcs of Pleaven, to promote the good of the Social fyrtem. As a Golpel-minirter, therefore, fin- cerely pcrfuaded of thofe facred truths I am bound to preach, it giv^es me inexpref- fiblc pleafure to think, that at the fame time that I am called to exhort you to a ftricl lemembrance of your fundamental principles, I fliall be exhorting every Chriltian to a zealous obi'ervance of the great duties of our holy profeffion. I ihall be endeavouring to render God more feared and more adored, and mankind more happy and more in love with one another. And confequently, I fliall have the honor of being, in fome degree, fer- viceable in that glorious caufe, for which the prophets prophefied -, for which the Lord Jefus defcended from Heaven; for which he toiled ; for which he bled ! Having thus faid what feemed neceflary by way of introduction, and having cfta- bliflicd the duties commanded in the text, by a brief, and I hope clear, dcduftion of them from firit principles; I fliall add fome confidcrations to enforce the pradice of them, taking them fmgly in their order. First, DISCOURSE IL 41 First, we are to love the Brotherhood, This fundamental precept has been fo of- ten recommended as the firmeft link in the golden chain of ail focieties, that fcarce any thing remains to be added upon it. " Change not a faithful brother, fays the wife man*, for the gold of Ophir." And one ftill wifer lays fuch ftrefs on Brotherly Love, that he requires it as the teft of our chriftianity. " Hereby fliall all men know- that ye are my difciples, if ye have love one to another -f*." The whole Gofpel breathes the fplrit of love. Its divine author is all love, and his true followers rauft be love. Love is the happinefs of the faints in glory, and love only can render the chriftian life an imi- tation of theirs. Few motives, therefore, one would think, might fuflice to enforce the praftice of fiich a godlike virtue. When we calmly confider whence we came, and what we are; when we find that the fame goodnefs called us forth from daft '' to bear our brow aloft," and glory in rational exiftence; and when we reflect that we depend on the fame pater- nal kindnefs for all we have, and all we * EccUf, vii. 18. t yohn xiii. 35. hope 42 DISCOURSE II. hope to have, and that we are connefled by the fame wants and the fame dangers, the fame common falvation and the fame chriftian privileges ^ one would imagine it fcarce poffible for our hearts to be un- affected towards each other! But when we enquire farther what is our deftination, and whither we are going ; when we ex- tend the profpeft beyond the grave, and flretch it down thro* vaft eternity 3 how greatly does it endear the tie ? Our hearts would venerate thofe who were to be the faithful companions of our good and bad fortune thro* fome ftrange country ; and fhall not our very fouls burn within us towards the whole human race who, as well as we, are to pafs thro' all the untried fcenes of endlefs being ? Good heaven! what a profpecl does this thought prefent to us ? Eternity all before us ! how great, how important does man appear ! how little and how trifling the ordinary caufes of contention ! Party differences, and the vulgar diftinftions be- tween finall and great, noble and igno- ble, are here entirely loft ; oi, if they are feen, they are feen but as feathers dancing on D I S C O U R S E II. 43 on the mighty ocean, utterly incapable to tofs it into tumult. In this grand view, we forget to enquire whether a man is of this or that denomi- nation ! We forget to enquire whether he is rich or poor, learned or unlearned ! Thefe are bat trivial confiderations ; and, to entitle him to our love, 'tis enough that he wears the human form ! 'Tis enough that he is our fellow-traveller thro' this valley of tears ! And finely 'tis more than enough, that when the whole world fhall tumble from its place, *' and the heavens be rolled together as a fcroll," he is to {land the laft fhock with us ; to launch out into the (liorelefs ocean beyond; to fliare the fortunes of the endlefs voyage, and, for what we know, to be our infe- parable companion thro' thofe regions, over which clouds and darknefs hang, and from whofe confines no traveller has returned with tidings ! Another motive to Brotherly Love is its tendency to foften and improve the temper. When a reigning Humanity has filed its divine influences on our hearts, and impregnated them with every good difpofition, we fliall be all harmony with- in. 44 DISCOURSE 11. in, and kindly afFedled towards every thing around us. Charity, in all its golden branches, iiiall ilhiminate our fouls, and banifli every dark and illiberal fentiment. We fliall be open to the fair impreflions of Beauty, Order and Goodnefs j and fliall flrive to tranfcribe them into our own breads. We fhall rejoice in the divine adminiftra- tion ; and imitate it by diffufing the moft extenfive happinefs in our power. Such a heavenly temper will give us the inexpref- fible meltings of Joy at feeing others joy- ful. It will lead us down into the houfe of mourning to furprife the lonely heart with unexpecled kindnefs ; to bid the cheerlefs widow fing for gladnefs, and to call forth modeft merit from its obfcure retreats. To aft thus is the delight of God, and muft be the higheft honour and moft ex- alted enjoyment of Man. It yields a fatif- faction which neither time, nor chance, nor any thing bcfides, can rob us of; a fatisfadion which will accompany us thro' life, and at our death will not forfake us. For then we fhall have the well-grounded hopes of receiving that mercy which we have ih.'jwn to others. The D I S C O U R S E II, 45 The laft motive to Brotherly Love, which I fliall mention, is its being the joint command of him v/ho made, and him v^ho redeemed, us. Seeing, therefore, a man can neither be '' profitable to his Crea- tor," nor make any immediate return for Redeeming Love, all that we can do for fuch unfpeakable kindnefs, is to honor the divine will, and co-operate with it in pro- moting the glorious fcheme of human feli- city. To be infenfible to thofe emanations of goodnefs to which we are fo wonder- fully indebted, or not to be charmed to the imitation of it, would argue the total ab- fence of every thing noble or ingenuous in our nature. As long therefore as the Almighty Source of all Love continues to beam down his Love, in fuch exuberance, upon us ; let us, like fo many burning and fliining lu- minaries, in a pure unclouded fky, refleft it back upon each other, mingling flame with flame, and blaze with blaze ! Secondly, we are exhorted to fear God ; by which is generally underfl:ood the whole of our duties towards him. Having already pointed out the foundation of thefe duties, I fliall juft obferve farther, that if the 46 DISCOURSE II. the Fear of God was fet afidc, it would be impoffiblc to form any fcheme either of private or pubhc happinefs. With regard to individuals, where fliall they find confolation under the various preiFurcs of life, if they look for no God to reft upon ? Whither fhall they wander in fearch of happinefs, if, in all the uni- verfe, they know not an object adequate to their moft generous and elevated affec- tions ? How Ihall they fill up the mighty void within, if thofe ever-a6tive powers of the foul, which are foon cloyed with the things of this diurnal fcene, and ftill han- kering after the Great, the Fair, and the Wonderful in objefts, do not center in him who is the Firft Great, the Firft Fair, and the Firft Wonderful ; in the contemplation of whom the mind may dwell, with aftonifliment and defight, thro* an unfail- ing duration ! With regard to the Public, the magi- ftrate may fright vijce into a corner, and fecure the Being of focicties ; but their Well-being depends entirely on the univer-- fal practice of thofe filent virtues, which fall not under the fan6tion of human laws. Nothing but the Fear of God, and religi- ous D I S C O U R S E II. 47 €us fanftions, can take cognizance of the heart, and make us " fubjeft for confcience fake." Nothhig elfe can fecure the prac- tice of private veracity, fidelity, mutual truft, gratitude, and all the deep-felt offices of humanity, which are the main fources of public happinefs. It appears, then, to ufe the words of an ingenious divine, that in order to fecure human happinefs, " and make the whole chain of duties hold firm and indiflbluble, the firft link muft be faftened to the throne of God, the confummate Standard of per- feftion," * " with whom there is no vari- ablenefs, nor fhadow of turning ?" Thirdly, we are commanded to honor the King ; that is, all thofe in general, who are lawfully vefted with authority for the public good, as appears from the thirteenth verfe. " Submit yourfelves, fays the apo- flle, to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's fake ; whether it be to the King as fupreme, or unto Governors as fent by him, for the punifhment of evil-doers, and the praife of fach as do well." This Duty is founded on the former ones. For if we believe that God made * Seed on the Fear of God. US 48 DISCOURSE TI. us for happincfs, and that our great hap- pinefs lies in friendly communion, we muft think fociety, and whatever is eflential to its fubfiltence, of divine Original. Go- vernment, therefore, in fome form or other, muft be the will and appointment of God. But government, without honoring and re- garding lawful governors, is imprafticable. Hence, whatever the form may be, pro- vided it is founded on confent, and a view to public good, the fubmiifion of indivi- duals muft be a moft facred duty. N A Y, tho* wicked men bear fway, as cannot fail fometimes to happen, yet ftill it muft be a duty to honor them on account of their ftation, becaufe thro' them we honor that conftitution we have chofen to . live under. This is clear from the apoftle's injunftion to the Chriftians, not to moleft the government under which they were born, but to honor the King, who was then Nero, the moft cruel of men, and their bitter perfccutor. The rcafon is obvious. The Chriftians were but a few, and tlie conftitution much older than their new fc£l, as it was then called. To redrefs grievances, and reform the ftate, was the bufinefs of the majority, who alone had power D I S C O U R S E II. 49 power to make Innovations ; and any at- tempt in the Chriflians, however juft, might have been conftrued into fedition, and would probably have been productive of more evil than good. B u T it would be abfurd to argue from thence, as fome have done, that the apoftle meant to enjoin a continued Submiffion to Violence ^ and that a whole people injured might, in no cafe, recognize their trampled majefty. The doftrine of Non-refiftance is now fufRciently exploded; and may it be for ever treated with that fovereign Contempt, which it deferves among a wife and virtuous peo- ple. God gave us Freedom as our Birth- right ; and in his own government of the world he never violates that Freedom, nor can thofe be his Vicegerents who do. To fay they are, is blafpheming his holy name, and giving the lie to his righteous authority. The Lo'De of Ma?2kind^ and the Fear of God y thofe very principles from which we tracQ the divine original of juft government, would lead us, by all probable means, to refift every tyrant to deftruflion, who ihould attempt to enflave the free-born E foul 50 D I S C O U R S E II. foul, and oppole the righteous will of God, by defeating the happincfs of man ! This, however, is to be a laft refource ; and none but the majority of a whole people, both in wifdom and force, can de- termine in what cafes refiilance is necelfary. In the Scriptures, therefore, obedience is rightly inculcated in general terms. For a people may fometimes imagine grievances which they do not feel, but will never mifs to feel and complain of them where they real- ly are, unlefs their minds have been gra- dually prepared for flavery by abfurd tenets. From what has been faid on thefe heads, I hope you will readily confefs — that as foon might the rude Chaos, or jarring atoms of certain philofophers, have jum- bled into tlie Order of theuniverle, without the forming hand of the Almighty Archi- te6l, as men become fit for ibcial happi- ntls without Brotherly-Love, the Fear of God, and Regard for jufl: Authority. Suffer me now to apply what has been faid, by earnefHy charging every one of this audience to a confcientious obfer- vance of thefe duties ; for if there ever was a people, in a more peculiar manner, called D I S C O U R S E II. 51 called to obferve them, we who inhabit thefe colonies are that people. Being yet in our infancy, and furronnded with reft- lefs enemies, our ftrength, our fuccefs, and our future glory, depend upon our truft in God, our love and unanimity among ourfelves, and obedience to that authority, which is neceflary to coUeft our fcattered rays, and pour them, with confuming force, upon the heads of our proud foes. I SHALL not, at prefent, flay to exhort you farther to the firft of thefe duties; Truft in God. It is the bufinefs of ^11 our Preaching ; and the government of tliis province appeared of late fo fenfible of our entire dependence for viftory upon the Lord of Hofts, that a day of public humilia- tion, to implore his aid and direction, was enjoined in terms that might do honor to any government. On that occafion, you heard how vain are all the inventions of men, when they feek not counfel of the moft High. You heard how the M'ghty have fallen, and how weak their b^afted ftrength has been found, when they did not reft upon the living God. What remains then, is to charge you, and I am bound to charge you, to a fovereign E z regard 52 D I S C C U R S E II. regard for your civil Conftitution, and the juft authority of your King. Without this we fhall be as a body without a head, our ftrength uncollected, and ourfelves an eafy prey to every invader. And furely, if it be a duty in all cafes for fubjefts to honor a king, vefted with legal authority, and to fupport him in defence of that con- ftitution they have chofen to be governed by, how much more muft this be a duty to the beft of kings, and beft of conftitu- tions ! A king who is the father of his people, and the firft friend of liberty ! A conftitution which is founded on common confent, common reafon, and common utility ; in which the governing powers fo admirably controul, and are controuled by, each other, that it has all the advantages of all the fimple forms, with as few of theh* incQnveniencies as can be expelled amidft the imperfeftions of Things hu- man. I N a difcourfe calculated to render our benevolence as diffufive as light or air, it would ill become me to run into inve6tives, even againft our worft enemies. But can we look round this great globe, and fee fuch an immenfe majority of our fpecies crouch- ing DISCOURSE 11. 52 ing under the galling yoke of a few human monfters ; unman'd, funk in mifery and bafenefs, their fpirits broke, and a fettled gloom in their countenances -, can we fee this, and not adore that Liberty which exalts human nature, and is produ6live of every moral excellence ? Can we mark the defolating progrefs of flavery, or behold her gigantic approaches even towards our- felves, and not be alarmed and enflamed ? and not feel the Spirit of the Free ftirring within us ? To dream of accommodations with a perfidious nation, by leagues or imaginary lines, extended from claim to claim along a champaign country, is the height of folly. So oppofite our views, fo rooted their ha- tred, that unlefs the boundary'between us be fuch as nature has fixed, by means of impafilble mountains, feas, or lakes, one continent cannot hold us, till either one fide or the other fhall become fole mafter. Should it be our fad lot to fall under the dominion of fuch a haughty foe, fare- wel then, a long farewel, to all the happi- nefs refulting from the exercife of thofe virtues which I have been recommending, E 3 from 54 t> I S C O tJ R S E IL from the text, as the true fupport of fo**' ciety ! WitH regard to Brotherly I.ove, how, alas ! in fuch circumftanccs, fhould wc floiirifli, or be happy in the exercife of it ? What love, what joy, or what confidence can there be, whci-e there is no communi- ty ; wlicre the w^ill of one is law ; where injuftice and opprefiion are liberty -, where to be virtuous is a crime ; where to be U'ife and honeft arc dangerous qualities ; and where miftruil:, gloom, diftraction and mifcry are the tempers of men ? As to pi^ty, or the Fear of God, what rational exercife of devotion could we pro- pofe in a religion obtruded upon our con- fciences ? A religion that muft give u5 dark and unfavourable notions of the Deity, by making ufe of his holy name to juftity oppreliion, and fanctify unrighte- Dufncfs ! A religion, in fliort, thct muft be abhorred by men of good nature for its many cruelties ; by men of virtue for its indulgeiKcs of immorality ^ and by men of gravity and lound philofophy, for its ablard pageantry, and fad degeneracy from its once pure inftitution, by the blclTed Jefus and his holy apoftks And D I S C O U R S E II. s; And laftly, what joy could we look for in Honouring the King ? A king whofe dominion over us would be founded in violence and blood ! whofe reign would be a Handing war againft our fouls and bodies, againft heaven and earth ! Surely the moft diilant thoughts of thefe dreadful calamities would alarm every perfon who had not drank in the very laft dregs of flavifh principles. And fhall we, ^ whofe fouls have been taught to exult at the facred found of liberty, not be rouf- ed, animated and enflamcd, by our pre- fcnt danger, to fecure a treafure which in- cludes in it almoil every human felicity ? Things of inferior concern may be adjuited at another feafon ; and thofe who pretend to the greateft public fpirit, fliould be the firft to give a proof of it, by turning their attention to the main chance, at a junduie when our ftrength and fuccefs fo evident- ly depend on unanimity and immediate action. Is this a time for diflenfions a- bout matters of trivial moment, when the very vitals of Liberty are attacked, which, once gone, may never be recovered ? Is this a time to decline toils, or dangers, or expence, when all lies at ftake, for which E 4 a S6 D I S C O U R S E ir. a wife man would chufc to live^ or dare to die ! In times part, when Liberty, travelling from foil to foil, had deferted almoft every corner of the world, and was prepared to bid an everlafting adieu to her laft beft re- treat, the Britifo IJles ; our great Forefa- thers (whofe memories be bleft) anticipa- ting her departure, came into thefe remote regions. They encountered difiiculties in- numerable. They fat down in places be- fore untrod by the foot of any chriftian, fearing lefs from Savage beads and Savage men, than from Slavery, the worft of Sa- vages. To preferve at Icaft one corner of the world, iacred to liberty and undefiled religion, was their glorious purpofe. In the miCan time the itorm blew over, and the fky brightened in the mother-land* Liberty raifed her drooping head, and trimmed her fading laurels. Halcyon-days fuccceded, and their happy influence ex- tended even into this new world. The co- lonies rofe and flouriflicd. Our fathers faw it, and rejoiced. They begat fons and daughters, refigncd the profecution of their plan into our hands, and departed into the manfions of reft — • 3 But D I S C O U R S E IL 57 But lo ! the- ftorm gathers again, and fits deeper and blacker with boding afpev51: ! And fhall we be fo degenerate as to defert the facred truft configned • to us for the happinefs of pofterity ? Shall we tamely fiiffer the peftilential breath of Tyrants to approach this garden of our fathers, and blaft the fruits of their labors ? No — ye illuftrious lliades, who perhaps even now look down with anxiety on our condu£l ! we pronounce, by all your glori- ous toils, that it fhall not, muft not, be ! If we are not able to make thofe who mourn in bonds and darknefs round us, fliare the bleft effects of liberty, and dif- fufe it thro' this vaft continent, we will at leafl: preferve this fpot facred to its exalted name ; and tyranny and injuftice fliall not enter in, till the body of the laft Freeman hath filled up the breach Spirit * of ancient Britons ! where art thou ? Into what happier region art thou fled, or flying ?«Return, Oh return into our bofoms ! expel every narrow and groveling * This was preached, v/hen General Braddock was tarrying on his expedition to the Ohio 5 and when that fpirit, which has fince been fo much for the honor of many of our colonies^ had fcarce begun to exert itfelf. fenti- 58 D I S C O U R S E IL fentiment, and animate us in this glori0u$ caiifc ! Where the voice of public virtue and public liberty calls, thither may we follow, wlicther to life or to death ! May thefe ineflimable blefTings be tranfmitted fafe to our pofterity ! and may there never be wanting champions to vindicate them a- gainfl: every difturber of human kind, as long as there fliall be found remaining of all thofe who afiume thediitinguifhed name of Britons, either a tongue to fpeak, or a hand to afl: ! As for you, my brethren, on whofe account we are now afllmbled, I need not obferve that you are engaged to all thefe facred duties in common with your fellow-citizens. But, as in a more particu- lar manner you profefs to fhine in love to the brethren, piety towards God, loyalty to the king, and zeal for freedom, it be- comes vou, on this occafion, in a more eminent degree, to approve yourfclvcs good fnbjeds and good chriilians. Give your enemies no handle to accufe you of irreligion, or want of public fpirit. Promote virtue, difcourage vice, and be diftinguifhcd only by fuperior fanftity of man- DISCOURSE II. 59 manners. Purfue your private callings with induftry and honefty. Be faithful to your promifes, and let no rude guft of paffion extinguifh that candle of Bro- therly LovC) which illuminates your fouls^ and is the glory of your nature. I F you aft thus, the Eternal Almighty One, lliall give you profperity. You fhaU, in the fl:ri6teft fenfe, be denominated mem- bers of a building, founded on everlafting pillars 3 whofe depth is the center, whofe height is the heavens, whofe period the age of the fun, and whofe extent his daily circuit. So ftrongly fupported, fo firmly united, fo nobly adorned, is that Society which is fupported, united and adorned by Wifdom, Strength and Beauty; that Wifdom which is the Fear of God, and Pradice of Righteoufnefs ; that Strength which is Love, the Cement of fouls, and Bond of Perfeftnefs ; and that beauty which is inward Holinefs, and an entire freedom from the turbulence of paffion ! Now, to the thrice blelTed Three, Fa- ther, Son and Holy Gholt, one God, who can keep you from falling, and conduft you 6o DISCOURSE I. you fafc to thofe happy manfions, where peace and joy and love eternal reign, be afcribed, as is moft due, by men on earth and faints in heaven, all praife, pow- er, glory and dominion, now and for ever. DIS- ^€*#@0^0®^@@'@^i»®#€*##®®€*^ DISCOURSE III. Hardnefs of Heart and Negleft of God's merciful Vifitations, the cer- tain Forerunners of more public Mi- feries ; applied to the Colonies, in a parallel between their ftate and that of the Jews in many remark- able Inftances, First preached At Brtjlol in Pennsylvania, on the Public Faft, May 21, 1756. And afterwards (with fmall Variation) at Germantown in the fame Province, on the public Faft, in "July 1757. ^%%%^^'m%^%%%^^^^^^^%^^^ AFTER acquainting the Reader that this Dif- courfe was firft delivered, when the Pro- vince was groaning under all that load of Mi- fery, which was the Confcquence of Braddock's Defeat and the Inroads of the French and Sa- vages on our diftrefled and helplefs Frontiers, any Apology for the matter or manner of ic would be needlefs. [ 63 1 ^f -S T E R E M I A H viil. ■^ ' ' '* F. 7, 2>^, Z/??^ 5/(?r^ /« I be Heaven knoweth her '^- appointed titneSy and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow ohferve the time of their com- ingy hut my people know not the Judgment of the Lord. 8. How do ye fay y We are wife^ and the lazv of the Lord is with us ? Lo^ certainly in vain made he it \ the pen of the fcrihes is vain, 9. The wife men are afhamed^ they are difmay^ ed and taken -, lo they have rejected the word of the Lord^ and what wifdom is in them ? JO. therefore will /give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that fhail inheric them. For every one^ from the leaf: even un- to the great eft y is given to covet oufnefs \ from the prophet even unto the priefl^ every one dealeth falfely. 1 1 . Fcr they have healed the hurt of the daugh- ter of my people flightly ; faying^ Peace ^ Peace ^ when there is no Peace. Brethren, WE are this day aflembled, on one o£ the moft folemn and interefting oc- cafions, that this land ever beheld. We are called, by the authority of government, to proftrate ourfelves before the almighty God, in humble confefiion of our mani- fold offences, both public and private ; to implore ■•-'. 64 DISCOURSE III. implore forgivenefs, and grace for amend- ment ; to oficr up our praifes and thankf- givings for our deliverance from the fury of widc-fpreading eartliquakes j and to be- feech him in mercy to avert thofe other awful judgments that now hang over us, threatening the fubverfion of all that is near and dear to us, as Britons and as Prote- ftants* Rising up to addrefs you, on fuch an important occafion, it will become me to fpeak with the utmoft freedom 5 and I am fure you yourfelves would difapprove a ti- mid or faint execution of this day*s duty. You know tlie condemnation of the falfe Pricfts in the text, " who healed the hurt of the daughter of God's people flightly, and cried Peace, Peace, when there was no Peace." You know alfo that the Lord hath pronounced — '' If thou fpeak not to warn the wicked from his way, that wdcked man flinll die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thy hands." You liave moreover heard the fate of the pro • phet Jonah, who vainly imagined to flee from the face of the living God, and avoid the execution of perilous duty. The very elements fought againft Iiim; the Whale DISCOURSE III. 65 Whale of the ocean vomited him back on dry ground 5 and there his wilhng feet learned to purfue his Maker's will, and never again to v^ander from his way. The explanation of duty is a weighty charge, and it becomes thofe who are en- trufled with it, to fuit themfelves to times and feafons, and to try every method of making impreffions in favour of God and Goodnefs. Sometimes the Lord conde- fcends to manifeft himfelf in peculiar a6ls of mercy and loving-kindnefs^ and then the hearts of men are to be won to grati- tude by rapturous views of his eternal good- nefs. Sometimes again, he thinks fit to vifit in terror and judgment, earthquakes, peililence, famine, fword, and the like i and then his fervants are to forego their ufual methods of addrefs, and aflume a feverer and bolder note. I would be far from multiplying Judg- ments, or magnifying into that clafs what may pofTibly be but the common refult of things. But, on the other hand, to deny God's particular providence, and the occafi- onal exertions of his power in an extra- ordinary manner, to anfwer extraordinary purpofes in his moral dealings with free F agents, 66 DISCOURSE III. agents, would be to exclude him from the immediate government of that world, which he has made. The hiftory of all ages may convince us that he has often interpofed to overrule particular events, both in Judgment and Mercy ; and to you who believe his facred word, arguments on this head would be unneceffary. I, therefore, proceed to the main bufmefs of this difcourfe, and therein fhall purfue the following method. First, I fliall give fome account of the ftate of the Jewilh nation, with rcfpeft to thofe vices which drew down the judg- ments denounced in the text. Secondly, I fhall give fome account of cur own ftate by way of parallel, and conclude with an application of the whole to the buHntfs of the prefent day. As tu the vices of the jewifli nation, they are fo fully and pathetically defcribed, in the precceding chapters, by this prophet, who was one of the moft zealous of God's fer- vants, that I cannot forbear laying a few of the verfcs before you. I am fure, they are too plain to ftand m need of a comment. Having, in the firft chapter, pubhfhed his high commiiFion, he proceeds with a noble DISCOURSE IIL 67 noble and exalted vehemence, in the caufe of his God, to expoftulate with the people for their ungrateful returns to all the di- vine favours. He earneflly exhorts them to repent while the door of mercy was yet open, and ftrives to work upon them by every poffible motive. In cafe of their compliance, he propofes to their hopes the moft alluring rewards. In cafe of their negle6l, he alarms their fears with a prof^ peft of the moft dreadful punifhments. But let us hear himfelf. Standing forth as the meflenger of the great Jehovah, in the midft of his people, burning for their good, and deeply labouring with the vaft weight of his fubjeft, he proceeds as fol- lows, in the adorable name of his maker—- ** Then * laid the Lord unto me — Out of the north an evil fhall break forth up- on all the inhabitants of this land 5 and I will utter my judgments againft them touching all their wickednefs, who have forfaken me." " Go -f- cry in the ears of Jerufalem, faying, Thus faith the Lord. I lemember the kindnefs of thy youth, when thou wenteft af- ter me in the Wildernefs, in a land that was * Chap. [. t Chap. II. F 2 not 68 DISCOURSE III. not fown. Ifrael was (then) Holinds unto the Lord and the firil fruits of liis increafe. And what iniquity have your fathers ( or you now ) found in me that you are gone far from me, neither fay where is the Lord that led us thro* the wildernefs, through a land of defarts, in which no man dwelt ? I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruits there- of. But, when ye entered in, ye defiled my land, and made my heritage an abo- mination. And the priefts faid not, Where is the Lord ? Now let me plead with you, Oh my people ! Pafs over " the ifles of Chittim , fend unto Kedar," and all the country round about, " and fee if there be fuch a thing" as this. Have thefe '' nations changed tlieir Gods, which yet are no Gods ?" But my people have been more foolifh ftill. " They have changed their Glory for that which doth not profit. Be aftonifhed at this, O ye heavens, and be ye horribly afraid ! For my people have committed two evils. They have forfaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewen out for themfclves cifterns, broken cillerns, that can hold no water.'* Now, DISCOURSE III. 69 Now, for thefe iniquities of Ifrael, " The young lions have roared upon him : They have made his land wafle ; his cities are burnt, v^ithout inhabitant. The chil- dren of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head. I have fmitten your children, and they have received no correction. The *" fhowers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain ; but thou refufedft to be afhamed. Upon every high mountain, and under every green tree, thou haft played the har- lot. And yet after all thefe things, I faid return, O thou backfliding Ifrael; for I am merciful, faith the Lord, and will not keep anger for ever. I will take you, one of a city and two of a family, and bring you to Zion ; and will give you paftors according to my heart, who fliall feed you with knowlege and underftanding." Thus far the prophet, in a tender and affeftionate ftrain, hoping to win and to allure his people to repentance. But find- ing all arguments of perfuafion ineffe(51:ual to move their hardened hearts, he foon afterwards affumes the voice of terror and * Chap. III. F 3 judgment. 70 DISCOURSE III. judgment, and breaks forth in the deepeft agitation of foul, on a nearer view of that ruin which he faw ready to involve them. " My * bowels ! my bowels ! I am pain- ed at my very heart ; my heart maketh a noife within me ; I cannot hold my peace, becaufe thou hall heard, O my foul, the Sound of the Trumpet, the alarm of war. Deftmdlion upon deftruclion is cried, for the whole Land is fpoiled 1 have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguifh of her that bringeth forth her firft child ; even the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herfclf and fpreadeth forth her hands j faying. Woe is me now, for my foul is wearied becaufe of Mur- derers !'' " A -}- LION out of the foreft fliall flay my people. A leopard fliall watch over their cities, and every one tliat goeth out thence fhall be torn in pieces. I will bring a nation upon you from afar, O houfe of Ifrael. It is a mighty nation whofe lan- guage tliou knowclt not j a people § that cometh from the north country j rifing up from the fides of the earth -, who lay hold of the bow and the fpear -, whofe vioce • Chap. IV. t Chap. V. § Chap. VI. roareth DISCOURSE III. 71 roareth like the fea 5 who are cruel and have no mercy ; at whofe fame your hands Ihall wax feeble, * and they fliall eat up- thine harveft, and thy bread, which thy fons and thy daughters fhould eat." *' And when it fhall be faid, Wherefore doth the Lord thefe things unto us ? You fhall anfwer — Like as ye have forfaken me and ferved ftrange Gods in your own land ', fo fhall ye ferve llrangers in a land that is not yours. For, fear ye not me, faith the Lord ? Will ye not tremble at my prefence, who have placed the fand for the bound of the fea, by a perpetual de- cree that it cannot pafs it ? But this peo- I)le are more unruly than the fea itfelf." " They are revolted and quite gone. As a fountain cafteth out her waters, fo Jeru- falem cafteth out her wickednefs'*— ^f- They " truft in lying words ; faying the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord 1 They fleal, they murder, they commit a- dultery, and fwear falfely and walk after other Gods ; and then they come and ftand before me in this houfe, which is called by my name ;" as if the bare profelfion of religion would juftifie them in " all * Chap. V. t Chap. Ylf. F 4 thefe 72 DISCOURSE in. thcfe abominations — But I will caft them out of my fight, as I have caft out all their brethren, even the whole feed of Eph- raim. Therefore, pray not thou for them ; neither lift up C17 nor prayer for them, neither make intercefilon to me 5 for I will not hear thee — They * flidc back 'by a perpetual back-Aiding ; they hold faft deceit, they refufe to return ;" they are even more ftupid than the brute creation — "For the ftork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times, and the turtle and the crane and the fwallow obferve the time of their coming ; but my people know not the judgments of the Lord," nor regard the merciful vifitations of my power ! Why, then, fhould they fay *' we are Wife, and the Law of the Lord is with us ? Lo, cer- tainly in vain made he it, and the pen of the fcribes is vain." Where is their wif- dow, when the very fowls of the air re- proach them with folly ; obfcrving the times and the feafuns ; while this people is deaf to all the calls of my providence. They boaft that my *' Law is w^ith them," nnd value thcmfelvcs upon the many ex- alted privileges which I have given them. ♦ Chap. Vllf. But DISCOURSE III. 73 Sut what do thefe avail, unlefs to encreafe their guilt ? The Law is become as a dead letter, when it produces no effeft upon the life and morals. In vain have I given it to them, and the pen of their fcribes has prefer ved it in vain. For where are its fruits ? Look at thofe who are called Wife Men. Behold, " they are afliamed ; they are difmayed 3 they are taken ;" All their fchemes are unfuccefsful. " There is no wifdom in them 3" and how fhould there be any, feeing " they have rejefled the word of the Lord," which is the only foundation of all wifdom ? They are all corrupt; " from the leaft- even to the greateft they are given unto covetoufnefs ;" and, what is worft of all, the very priefts and prophets, who fliould probe the fore to the bottom, are content with fome tran- fient or fuperficial cure. " They heal the hurt flightly," and leave it ready to break out again the next moment. They are either as corrupt as the reft 3 or, from fordid views of popularity, they are afraid to ftem the torrent. Rather than offend, by an honefi: difcharge of duty, they floop to footh the people in their folly. In (lead of proclaiming the true dodrint^s of ever- lafting 74 DISCOURSE III. laftlng peace and falvation, they trcache- roully proclaim falic peace, where there is no peace to be found. Seeing, then, fuch is their ftate that all remedy is defpaircd of, and they wholly refufe to be inftrufted by all that has hap- pened to them ; what remains but a fear- ful looking for judgment and fiery indig- nation ? — *' My * Soul fliall depart from them. Jcrufalem fhall be made defolate, a land not inhabited — I will give their wives to others^ and iheir fields to them that fiall inherit them' — Tremendous threatning ! which was foon afterwards fulfilled, and is now re- corded for our admonition. And Oh ! that we may be enabled to make a right ufe of it ; bringing it home to our hearts and our bofoms, in the prefent dubious Hate of our affairs, and admiring and a- dormg that divine goodnefs, which thus calls us to avoid our own deftru6tion, by placing before us the errors and example of others ! T H E bounds which I have prefcribed to this difcourfe, would not permit me to enter into a more particular account of the Jcwiflr nation 3 but the verfes which 1 have ♦ Chap. VI. felefled DISCOURSE IIL 75 felefted are fufficiently expreffive of their ftate and charafter, previous to their fal- ling under thofe defolating judgments, which the Lord thought fit to denounce againft them in the text. It remains, then, that we now proceed to make fome enquiry into our own ftate by way of parallel j which was the Second thing propofed. I N doing this, let us follow the words of fobernefs and truth ; equally abftaining from vain fcepticifm on the one hand, and weak credulity on the other i neither arro- gating to ourfelves virtues which we have not, nor terrifying ourfelves with vices, ' to which our confciences may yet be hap- pily ftrangers. I grant that prophecies are now probably ceafed, and thefe verfes may have had their accomplifhment. But their fpirit and meaning ftill remain ; and the fame caufes will produce the fame efFefts in every age. If, therefore, we find any fimilitude in them to our own ftate at prefent, we cannot be unaffefted at the confequences ^ and we muft be blind in- deed, if we fo far flatter ourfelves as to think there is none. On the contrary, is it poffible to read them, without imagin- 2 ing 76 DISCOURSE HI. ing that we hear our heavenly Father kindly addrefling a great part of them to ourfelvcs, with little variation of w^ords, in the manner following ? Oh Britojjs and Protejfants I I remem- ber, faith the Lord, the days of your youth, " when you went after me in the* wilderncfs, in a land that was not fown. You were then holinefs to me and the firfl fruits of my increafe." I brought you forth into this remote country, as an in- fant people, as a chofen feed ; purpofing, thro* you, to extend my kingdom to the uttermoil parts of this American world. " You have heard with your ears and your fathers have told you the noble works that I did in their days, and in the old time before them." I PROTECTED you thro' the dangers of the ocean, and preferved " you in a land of defarts. I bade the folitary place be glad thro* you, and the dcfart itfclf to re- joice and bloflbm as the rofe.'* When yon were but a weak and helplefs peoj)le, I made the Heathen your friends, who had power to dcllroy you. *' I gave you a plentiful country, and bade you eat the fruits thereof" — You then faw that *' this was DISCOURSE III. 77 was my doing," and, in thofe early days, were not alhamed to confefs that " the right hand of the Lord had brought nyghty things to pafs." When you look- ed back on the dangers you had efcaped, your grateful fouls were lifted up in praifes to me, who fpoke the fierce ocean into peace around you, and made the gloomy wilderncfs become the cheerful abode of men. When you fav/ the bounteous earth bring forth her willing encreafe, you ac- knowleged " that your lines had fallen in pleafant places ; yea that you had received a goodly heritage." But you had not long entered in before " ye defiled my land, and made my heri- tage an abomination." I gave you Plenty ; but Plenty begat Eafe ; and Eafe begat Luxury -, and Luxury introduced a fatal corruption of every good and virtuous principle -, in fo much that you forgot the very hand from which you received all things. You forgot to fay, *' Where is the Lord" that hath done fo much for us ? Or where is he that brought us thro' the fierce ocean, that made the heathen our friends, that proteded us in the wilder- ncfs, 78 DISCOURSE III. nefs, and caufed the defart around us to fmile ? For the fpacc of an hundred years (a period of happinefs which no nation be- fore you could ever boaft of) my patience bore with you, while you enjoyed a con- tinual profperity ; being almoft entire ftran- gers to the " found of the tiiimpet, the alarm of war, and the fight of garments rolled in blood. But, in proportion to my mercies, has your guilt encreafed. You have become more and more forgetful of me, and of the exalted privileges I called you to enjoy. *' Pass over the Ifles of Chittim ^ fend unto Kedar, and fee if there be any fuch thing as this/* Look through all the coun- tries of your Popifh and Heathen neigh- bours ; and fee if the former have chang- ed their Superftition, or the latter " their Gods, which yet are no Gods!" fuch a change would have been wifdom in them -, but what have you done ? '' You have even changed your glory for that which doth not profit! Be aftonifhed at this, O yc heavens! and be yc horribly afraid 3 for this pecjJc have committed two evils," and have been guilty of double foohfhnefs ! Tliey DISCOURSE III. 79 They have neglected the exercife of their holy Proteftant Religion, trufting to the lying vanities of this life; "and have for- faken me the fountain of living v^^aters, to hew out for themfelves cifterns, broken cifterns that can hold no water." In the midft of light, they have chofen darknefs, and corrupted their children by their fad example. I have warned you once for thefe things, and twice have I fpoken unto you, faith the Lord -, but you have neither killed my rod, nor humbled yourfelves under my chaftifements. " The fhowers have been withholden and there hath been no latter rain ; yet you have refufed to be afhamed. My Judgments have been abroad upon the earth, but you have not learned righteouf- nefs." " Wherefore, the young Lions from the foreft have roared upon you. They have made your land wafte, and your cities are burnt, without inhabitant. The chil- dren of Noph and Tahapanes have ♦broken the Crown of your head." I * This is othcrwife rendered *' feed on thy Crown." But, however it be underflood, the words, and the whole defcription that follows, are too remarkable, not to bring to our mind all the horrors of an Indian war, and the deteflable cuftom of Scalping, or cutting off the (kin of the head, to be fold for a price. have 8o DISCOURSE III. have let the favages of the woods loofe upon you. They rage in all your bor- ders. Your country is depopulated, your villages burnt up, and thoufands of your miferablc brethren, tortured, murdered or carried into barbarous captivity. " De- ftruction upon deflruction is cried, for the whole land is fpoiled.'* The voice of la- mentation is heard, as of a woman in travail) even the voice of your bleeding country, *' that bewaileth herfelf, and fpreadeth forth her hands; faying, Woe is me now, for my foul is wearied bccaufe of Murderers — I have Tent a nation upon you from afar, whofe language you know not; a mighty nation from the north country ; rifing up from the fides of the earth; that lay hold on the bow and the fpear; whofe voices roar like the fea; who are cruel and have no mercy ; at whofe fame your hands wax feeble, and one fays to another, go not out into the field, nor walk by the way, for the fword of the ene- my is on every fide, and whofoever goeth out (hall be torn in pieces. And behold! they cat up your harvell and your bread, whicli your fons and daughters ihould eat ; and they eat up your flocks and your herds and DISCOURSE III. 8i and your vines and your fig-trees ; and they impoverifh your fenced cities wherein you have put your chief truft." And fhould any one fay. Why doth the Lord thefe things to his people ? This fhall be your anfwer. Like as ye have for- faken me, and Ihewn yourfelves unwor- thy of your holy religion and exalted pri- vileges, fo I have forfaken you, and deli- vered you over to be chaftifed with an iron rod by thefe your fierce enemies. For will ye not fear me, faith the Lord, who have done fo great things in your behalf? Will ye not tremble at my prefence, whom earthquake, fire and ftorm and all the ele- ments obey? Why will ye truft in lying words, faying " The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord;" — we are Britons, we are Proteftants? What fignify thefe names, when you have forgot the caufe of your country, and made your religion a re- proach among the Heathen around you ? will ye ileal, will ye commit adultery, will ye defraud, will ye walk after cove- toufnefs, will ye profane my name, will you difregard my righteous judgments, will you remain indifferent to the preferva- tion of your ineftimable privileges; and G then E2 DISCOURSE III. then will ye come and ftand before me, in my houfe which is called by my name, and fay we are Britons, we are Proteftants, as if this would juftify you in all thefe abo- minations ? The very fowls of the heaven aft a more ccnfiflent part than you. They obfervc the figns and the feafons which the Lord hath ap- pointed for them. But you have neither re- garded my former judgments, nor have my latter more fevercones awakened your atten- tion, and made you wifer. Even in the very fight of '' Sinai's burning mounts" in the midfl of the moft complicated mifcries; when blood and defolation are all around, you have neither reformed your lives, nor regarded the diftrefs of your coimtry. An evil fpirit of unbelief hath gone forth am*ong you, fetting every prefent danger at a dillance. You have refufed to *' play the man for the cities of your God," or to defend that glorious plan of public hap- pinefs delivered down to you hy your fathers. Strifes, difcords, hatred, uncha- ritablenefs, licentioufnefs, civil broils, ca- lumnies and contention about trifle?, have been uppcrmoll in your thoughts; Vv'hile your molt valuable and cdential interefts have DISCOURSE III. 83 ' have been made a fecondary concern, or perhaps no concern at all, or the concern only pf thofe who wanted the power to ferve them. In fuch circumftances what doth it %- nify to fay " The Law of the Lord is with US;" we are a diftinguifhed people; ours is the reformed Religion, and ours the en- joyment of civil Liberty ? Were you truly fenfible of the immenfe value of thefe fu- preme of bleflings, your praftice would have been conformable ; and your fouls would have been enflamed with ail the ardors of the brave, on the leaft approach of danger towards them. — Yoa likewife fay, you are wife ; and boaft of your fu- perior improvements. But what marks of • this can you fhew ? Even the Heathens themfelves have outdone you in wifdom and ftratagem. Your armies flee before them ; your wife men are confounded ; none of their devices profper ; feeing they have rejefted the Lord, and have not fought counfel of the moft high. What, then, will be the end of thefe things ? Hear it now from that wifdom which cannot err. ** Unlefs you repent and return and amend your ways, the G 2 foul 84 DISCOURSE HI. foul of the Lord will utterly depart from you. He it' ill give your wives to others y and your fields to them that Jl:all inherit tkem. Thus, my brethren, we fee a ftriking fimilitude between us and the Jews in many ftrong and capital inftances ; and I am perfuaded you will not think the picture exaggerated. Within the fhort period of one year, how many marks of God's deal- ing with us have we feen ? Not to mention excefiive droughts, earthquakes and other omens of his wrath, the troops fent to our protection have been mofl miferably defeated, and fuch fcenes of barbarity, horror and defolation have enfued, as hu- man nature fhudders to recount, and hi- ftory can fcarce parallel ! Yet what have we profited by all this ? Has it humbled us under our fms? Has it broiiglit our civil difcords to an end •? Or has it eradicated thofe abfurd princi- ples of government that have brought our country to the brink of ruin ? On the contrary, are they not inculcated among us with more zeal and induftry than ever? Have v/e not many who have made it their bufinefs to reftrain the ardor of God's people DISCOURSE III. 85 people in their righteous caufe ; to tie up the hands of the king's beft lubjetSs in the hour of extremeft danger, and cry " Peace, peace, when there is no peace ?" Have we not many who, like the prophet Jonah in the ftorm, are gone down to the fall places, to indulge themfelves in unglorious reft, when the poor Ihattered bark that carries them along is ready to be fwallowed up of every wave ? Yet I would hope that but fmall part of this guilt will fall to the charge of the Proteftant miniftry of this province. It would not become me, who am even lefs than the leaft of all God's, fervants, to ftand forth the accufer of my brethren, on any occafion ; and, on the prefent, I know many among them who have nobly exerted themfelves in the caufe of their God, their king, and their country. Yet, perhaps, after all, there may be fome who have been but too complaifant to favorite vice5 and opinions. If that flioqld be the c^ife. Oh ! let them think how great their con- demnation will be. For, if the guides be gone out of the way, how fhall thofe that fol- low after be in the ftraight path ? If the minifters of God's word have once learned G3 to S6 DISCOURSE III. to ftoop to prejudices, or to fupprefs ortt needful truth, either thro' fear or favour, it is one of the worft lymptoms of total degeneracy, and the hopes of reformation are utterly blafted. How different a conduct did that zea» ious preacher of righteoufnefs, the author of my text, obferve ? Tho' called to his facred office when very young, yet he was not awed by the faces of men. He fcorn- ed either to footh them in their folly ; or to burn inccnfe on the altar of popular ap- plaufe ; or to facrilice his virtue and judg- ment to prevailing errors. He fets out, in his firil chapter, with a moft fervent and enlightened fpirit, declaring that he had it in charge from the living God to fpeak to his people, and not to be difmayed at their faces ; for that the fame God who had called him to be a prophet was able to fupport him in the execution of his high commifiion, and had made him as '^ a defenccd city, as an iron pillar, as a brazen wall againft the whole land," and all its corruptions. Trusting to fuch a mighty fupport (and what preacher of righteoufnefs may net trufl: to it r) he determined that no 2 temporal DISCOURSE III. 87 temporal confideration fhould awe or in- fluence him from his duty. He appeared in the midft of his people, in the moft perilous times, not like fome wild impof- tor, foaming and tearing his own fxefh> but like a prophet of the moft high God, majeftically compofed, and awfully impref- fed with the whole weight of facred and impoitant truth. For the fpace of forty years, he continued a faithful mefTenger of his maker's will ; pleading the caufe of expiring righteoufnefs and trampled virtue, among a back-fliding people, with an ex- alted vehemence and unremitting ardor, againft far greater corruption than we have to ftruggle with. Ours, I truft, is not yet total like that of the Jews, for which rea- fon I did not cai'ry the fimilitude quite thro'^ and, altho' we have many who are ready to tear our names in pieces when- ever we mention the caufe of our country, efpecially if we are zealous in prefling home the great duty of Defending our in- eftimable rights againft a Popifh and Hea- then enemy, yet we have alfo many who have laid the ftate of their country, and God's dealings with us, deeply to heart. Nay I hope that even the worft of us have G 4 fome f» DISCOURSE III. fome virtues to put In the balance with our vices ; and that there is mercy with God for us all, if wc carneftly feck it of him ; and that the day of our entire dcfolation is not yet come ! But let us remember that every negleft of his vifitations is an approach to- wards that fatal day, and that if v^'e continue longer hardened under the prcfent fevere thaftifcments of his hand, we have reafon to fcarthat a worfe thing will befal us. Iris the method of God's providence to bear long with his people, and to try all methods of reclaiming them con- fiftent with their moral agency ; fuch as by reproof, by example, by mercy, and by chaftifemcnt. But there is a time when his patience has had its full work, and " * there remaineth no more facrifice for fms.'* There is a ftage or crifis in the corruption of nations, beyond which it is as impoflible for them to fubfift, on any tolerable principles of focial happinefs, as for the body to move when the life and fpirits are fled. It follows, then, that every neglcfl to improve by God*s merci- ful vifitations is an advance to this ftage, m^ X. 26. and D I S CO U R S E III. 89 and therefore a fatal fymptom of ap- proaching ruin. To offer farther proofs of this would be needlefs. For if there be any meaning in all that I have laid before you ; if the words of the text and the whole tenor of fcrip- ture be of any weighty if the voice of rea- fon and the experience of ages be worthy of regard ; then it is evident, paft con- tradiftion, that national vices lead to na- tional mifery. For a holy and juft God mufl: punifh the flagrant abufe of his mercies ; and when this abufe is by a whole people, or the majority of them, the punifhment may well be expefted in this world, feeing in the next all the pr-efent focieties of men will be difbanded. Be- fides this, in the very nature of things, a general corruption of the feveral members muft lead to a diflblution of the whole body. I F we fearch all the annals of mankind thro', we fhall find that no people was ever truly great or profperous, but by fup- porting a fenfe of liberty, and upholding the majefly of virtue. Government can- not be maintained on any other principles than juftice, truth and fobriety. Vice is a 90 DISCOURSE III. a ftaading rebeliionagainfl: God and go- vernment, and a total llibverfiou of all order and foith and peace and focicty a- mong men. Let roej, then, my brethren, adjure and befeech ypu to improve this day of iblemii humiliation before the Lord, to thofc pious pui-pofes fgr which it was fe: apart. Let me call upon you, by every dear and facred tie; By all the dchverances which God hath wrought for you ; By all the mellim- ablc blellings which you have received at his hand ; By the glory and dignity of your immortal nature -, By the fandifying graces of his holy fpirit ; By the glorious eoming of his evcrlafting Son from the bofom of his love ; By his adorable plan of redemption and bloody crofs 3 By the purity of his everlafting Gofpel and your high calling as Chriltians ; By all that you arc, and all that you hope to be 3 By the /lender thread of life that feparat^^s you from the dark manfions of the grave ; By the found of the laft trumpet that will raife you to tndlefs life; By the fun in darknefs and the mcon in blood 3 by Jefus the Rcdev'mer fcatcd on his awful tribu- nal ; By the laft fokmn fcntcnce and an eternity DISCOURSE III. 91 eternity to come — or if thefe glorious and important confiderations will not work up- on you, let m€ call upon you by your dread of punifliment and fear of ruin^ By all the examples of divine vengeance that have been laid before you 3 By a regard to your pofterity yet unborn ; By the fighs and dif- flrefs of your captivated brethren ; and By the groans and miferies of your bleeding country — ^repent; be converted from e- very fin 5 humble yourfelves in the duft before the Lord 5 cry earneftly unto him for forgivenefs thro* the blood of Jefus, and ftedfaftly purpofe to walk before him for the future, ** in holinefs and right eouC- nefs all the days of your lives!" Such a conduft as this will equally en- title you to the charafter of good chriftians and good citizens. For whatever we may boaft of public fpirit and love to our coun- try, it appears from what has been faid, that he, and he only, is the greateft pa- triot, and manifefts the greateft public fpirit, who fupports the majefty of religon, reverences the laws of his country, and keeps a confcience void of offence towards God and towards man. And happy is he, of all others rnoft happy, whether in 92 DISCOURSE III. in a high or low ftation, who, in the prc- fent coiifufion of our affairs, can [lay his hand on his heart, and pronounce that luch has been the ftcady tenor of his proceed- ings. For him there will remain the re- compence of the Juft, when all fublunary things fhall have come to an end. Grant, O heavenly Father ! that fuch may be the future conduct, and fuch the final recompence of every one of us here aflembled before thee. Gracioufly accept this day's imperfect fervice, and the humble offerings of our praife for all thy unme- rited mercies ; and particularly for having faved us from the fury of thofe raging Earthquakes that have fo lately whelmed thoufands, perhaps lefs guilty than wc, in one fuddenruin. Strengthen us with thy grace for the performance of thofe vows of amendment, into which we have now folcmnly entered. Continue to us the pure light of the everlafting gofpcl, which thy jufticc might well remove from us. Bring our civil difcords and all er- roneous doctrines to a fpeedy end. Hear the cries of our fuffering and captivated brethren every where, and fupport them in thy DISCOURSE III. 93 thy Faith and Fear. Have pity on the general diftrefs of this country i and Oh! thou whofe Almighty power can raife even the dead from the grave, raife up leaders and champions among us for our holy Zion, in this day of peril ; that even the bones which thou haft broken may hear of Joy and gladnefs ! Infpire us with a high and commanding fenfe of the im- menfe value of what we are now call- ed to defends which will be the beft foundation of true heroifm and virtue. For could we be once fo loft to goodnefs and wifdom as to apprehend the diffe- rence between one religion and another, one fyftera of government and another, not worth the price of blood and treafure, the day of our defolation would not be far diftantj and v/e and our pofterity would foon be loft and blended among the nations around us taat know not theei from which unfpeakable calamity good Lord deliver us to the lateft gene- rations, for the fake of our Saviour Jefus Ghrift ! Amen. DISCOURSE DISCOURSE IV. The Christian Soldier's Duty; the Lawfulnefs and Dignity of his Office; and the Importance of the Protestant Cause in the Britifh Colonies. Preached In Chrijl-Church^ Philadelphia* April ^, 1757. At THE Desire OF Brigadier-General Stanwix, To the forces under his Command, before their march to the Fron- tiers; With a Prayer on the fame Occafion. [ 97] Luke iii. 1 4. A?id the Soldiers demanded of him like-wife^ fayi?2g — Majler^ and what JJjall "we do? He f aid unto theiUy Do violence to no man^ neither accufe any falfeh\ and be content with your wages. THIS chapter contains an account of the preaching of St. John the bap- tift; who, being called of God in the wildernefs, and duly commiffioned for his high office, " came into all the country about Jordan, preaching to the people the Baptifm of Repentance for the Remiffioix of Sins." The more thoroughly to awaken their attention and evince the neceffitv of his do(5lrine, he appears in the moft flriking character ; being, as was prophefied con- cerning him, *' the voice of one crying in the wildernefs ; prepare ye the way of the Lord; make his paths ftraight ! Every val- ley fhall be filled, every mountain and hill fhall be brought low ; the crooked [places^ H Hiall 98 DISCOURSE IV. (hall be made ftiaight; the rough ways fmootli ; and all Fklh fhall fee the Salva- tion of God !" These- words allude to a known cuftom of great kings, who, when they undertook any long journey, were wont to fend forth their mefiengers before them ; proclaiming to the people to make their way plain. Now, as the Jews, at this time, daily look- ed for the coming of their King or Pro- mifcd Mefiiah, fuch a proclamation, from fo extraordinary a perfon, crying out to clear the way, *' for that the Salvation of God was at hand," could not fail to excite their curiofity, and intcrefl: their affections ! EvF.RY heart was accordingly feizcd with an inftant hope of beholding the Defire of Nations; with whom they expected to lliare crowns and empire and temporal glory. Nay, they began " to mufe in their hearts whether John himfclf were the Chrill-f," or only his fore-runner. In ei- ther cafe, they were eager to embrace the baptifm which he preached ; as artful cour- tiers will iirive to recommend themfelves f They were, no doubt, fomctime m this fufpcnfe, be- fore John rcfolvcs them, by telling them that he was not the Chrirt, nor even worthy to unloofe the Utchet ot his flioes^; but that tlic Chi ill was quickly to follow after him. tcv D I S C O U R S E'<^.. 99 to the graces of an expe6led Mafter.., Ht^Uce, *' a Multitude of them came foitH; t^ '0e v^. >^ baptized of him." ^^' ^ ^ ^ John, who faw their carnal views, is ^,'^*. not too forward in conferring his baptifm upon them, without duly inftructing them in the nature and conditions of it. '' O generation of vipers! fays he j who hath w^arned you to flee from the wrath which is to come ?" Neverthelefs, if you are real- ly defirous to efcape it, and to be admitt- ed to the blefTings promifed in the mefTiah, do not deceive yOurfelves in thinking that thofe blellings may be derived to you by inheritance. They are not of a carnal but of a fpiritual nature. Nor will it a- vail you any thing to fay, " we have A- braham to our father ;" and are thereby the children of promife. For I fay unto you that unlefs you bring forth fruits meet for repentance j you can by no means in- herit thofe Promifes — " For God is able of thefe ftones to raife up children to A- braham j" and in them fhall his promifes be made good, if not in you. And you muft now, without delay, make your choice. ■* '' For the ax is already laid to the * V. 7, 8, 9. H 2 root ICO DISCOURSE IV. root of the trees 3 and every tree that, brhigeth not forth good fruit is to be hewn down and call into the fire." Such an alarming denunciation ftruck the people with double aftonifhment ; and they preflcd ftill more eagerly about John, crying — -f '' what fliall we do then i" to efcape this ruin and obtain this falvation ? " He anfwered and faid unto them, he that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none. And he that hath meat let him do likewife;" herein ftrenuoufly recommending the univerfal practice of that difiufive charity and benevolence, which are a main foundation of moral vir- tue, and the mofl acceptable fervice we can render to our adorable Creator ! Among otliers who prefTcd forward, on this occafion, came the Publicans, a fet of men infamous for their illegal exaftions upon the people, crying — '' Mafter, what ihall we dor" Jolni, who knew their charafter, lirikcs boldly at their capital vice; charging them by their hope of fal- vation and their dread of Ruin, — *' exad: no more than what is appointed you" by t V. 10, ir, 12, I J. law i. DISCOURSE IV. loi law 5 for how (liall you begin to be goodj till you ceafe to be unjuft? Laft of all came the Soldiers*, " demand- ing of him likewife, faying— and what fliall we do ? he faid unto them do violence to no man, neither accufe any falfely, and be content with your wages." Such are the words which were recom- mended to me as the fubjeft of this dif- courfe. And had I been left to my own choice, I could not have felecSed any more fuitable to my purpofe. For being deli- vered by divine infpiration, on a moft im- portant occafion ; namely, when the fol- diers themfelves earneftly requefted to know, by what means they might efcape the threatened fire of God's wrath, and ob- tain falvation thro the Meffiah, we may be fure they imply in them the fundamen- tal parts of the Chriftian Soldier's Duty -, fo far at leaft as relates to that particular chara6ler. I fliall therefore proceed upon them, in their natural order. With diffidence, how- ever, I enter upon my fubjefl. I know many of you to be men of diftinguifhed un- derftanding; confcious of the dignity of * V. 14. H 3 your 102 D I S C O U R S E IV. your own character, and of the glorious caiifc wherein you are engaged. And no- thing but your own expreis defire, could give me courage to offer my thoughts con- cerning any part of your duty. But, be- ing invited thereto, I ihall proceed to the utmofl: of my abilities, as far as the time will permit. And, whatever may be the execution, 1 can fafely fay that I bring with me a heart zealous for the pubhc — and regardful of you ! FiKST, then, the Crifi:ian-Soldier is to " do Violence to no man.'* There are two forts of violence which a foldier may be guilty of. One is againft thofc who are lawfully veflcd with com- mand over him. This is conimonly fliled Mutiiiy, and is a crime of the moft atro- cious nature; feldcm to be expiated but by the Death of the offender. And as Gcd is a God of order, it UiUlt be peculiarly odious to him. Another fort of Violence, which a fol- dier may be guilty of, is, againfl his Fel- low-fubjects. This is that violence more immediately meant in the tcxt^ the ori- ginal worfi there, fignifying, the fliaking or terrifying a man, fo as to force money from DISCOURSE IV. 103 from him, thro' fear. This we find ex- prefly forbid by the fpirit of Chriftianity, under pain of forfeiting the Salvation of God. And we may glory to fay that it is alfo forbid by the mild fpirit of the Eri- tifli conftitution ! Our Soldiery are armed by the laws of their country, and fupported by the com- munity ', not to com.mand, but to ferve, it; not to opprefs, but to proteft, it. Should they, therefore, turn their fword againft thofe from whom they derive their authority, and thus Violate the juft rights even but of one Ereeman, who contributes to their fupport — what a compHcation of guilt would it imply ? It would be treache- ry ! It would be ingratitude ! Nay it would be parricide ! A s for the tyrants of mankind, let them (belying heaven and pretending an authority from God ) lead forth their armed flaves to plunder, to harafs and to deftjoy thofe, to whom they ov/e protec- tion ! Let them fill thofe lands with Vio- lence and Blood, which they ought to fill with Blcffing and Joy ! " verily I fay unto you they Ihall have their reward." For, believe me, fuch adions are odious to hea- H 4 ven 104 D 1 S C O U R S E IV. ven, repugnant to tlic gofpcl ; and God will certainly avenge his own caufe ! Happy for us, we rejoice under milder influences ! our gracious fovcreign, thro' a long and profperous reign, has never, in any inftance, offered violence to the rights of his fubjecls ; nor permitted it in his fervants. The * Commanders placed over us, in our prefent difl:rers, have fignalized themfelvcs as patrons of juftice and lovers of liberty. I'ho' appointed over great ar- mies, among a people long nccuftomcd to profound peace, jealous of their privileges, and fome of them even unrcafonably pre- judiced againft all Force and Arms ; yet they have happily reconciled jarring in- terefts, and, with all poilihle care, fup- ported the Military, without violating the Civil, power. A s a fignal inftance of the harmony arifing from this conduct, it will be but juftice to mention you, gentlemen, whom I have now the honor to addrefs. You have been among us for many months. * Lord Loudoa was commander in chief when this difcourfc was delivered, and as the fame characftcr can be juflly extended to all his Lordlhip's fucccfTors in America, it is with plenfure that the Author renders thi$ paragraph general, which was at fu ft particular. Mort D I S C O U R S E IV. 105 Moft of you were at firft but a raw un- formed corps ; and, from the manner of your being quartered out in fmall parties among the inhabitants of this city, difl-nr- bances might have been expefted. But quite tlie reverfe has been the cafe. No deeds of Violence have been offered. No complainings have been heard in our ftreetsj and your conduct has done honor to your- felves -y to your officers in general, and your worthy Commandant in particular. All I fhaU add, then, on this head is, to befeech you, by your hopes of the Gof- pel-piomifes, to perfevere in the fame duti- ful inoffenfive behaviour towards your fel- low-citizens, in all parts of your future conduct:. And, as you can never be led to deeds of Violence by any authority ap- pointed over you, let it never be faid that your own choice or rafhnefs engaged you in them ; fo as to fa bjeft you to the fevere and fhameful puniihments denounced a- gainft them, by the laws of your country in this world, and by the Gofpel of Chrift in the world to come. Thus I have endeavoured to G;ive the true meaning of the words ** do violence to no man." I knov\^ there arc fome who ^ffecf to undeftand them in a more un- limited io6 DISCOURSE VI. limited fcnfe ; as containing a general pro- hibition of all Force and Arms whatfo- ever. But, in this, they are neither war- ranted by fcripture nor reafon. Nay, the very rcverfe is evident from the text itfelf. The Soldiers, v^^hom faint John ad- dreffes, received wages for fighting and bearing arms againft the enemies of their country. He exprefsly enjoins them to be content with thofe wages. But this he never would have done, if the fervice, which they performed as the condition of the wages, had been that identical Violence, which he fo llrongly prohibits in the for- mer part of the verl'c. They mufl: indeed be very bold, who can charge the fpirit of God with fuch an abfurdity ! But the fact is that — to fupport Juflicc, te maintain Truth, to defend the goods of Providence, to reprefs tlie wild fury of lawlefs Invaders, and by main force, if pofiible, to extirpate oppredion and wicked- nefs from the earth, has never been ac- counted Violence in any language or coun- try. On the contrary, it is duty to the public, and mercy to tlioufands ! I F Society is of God's appointment, every thing clfential to its fubfilience mull be DISCOURSE VI. 107 be fo too ; for he that ordains the end, ordains the means. But how fliall Society fubfift, if we are to fubmit to the unrighte- ous encroachments of every reftlefs Inva- der ? If we are tamely to be plundered, tortured, maHacred and deftroy'd by thofe who covet our pofiefiions ? has God given us his Gofpel, endowed us with realon, and made us fit for fociety, only to put us in a worfc condition than the roamijig Savage, or the Beaft of prey ? We all allow, in com.m.on cafes, that a public Robber n^iay be fubdued by force or death, if other means fail. We grant alfo that thofe who invade private proper- ty may be compelled to reflitution at the bar of juftice. But if independent ftates have injured us, to what bar iliall we cite them ? who fhall conllrain them to appear at our fummons ? or, if they fliould aj)pear, who fliall oblige them to abide by thefentence? open force, then, mull: be the dernier re- fort. And ilrange it is that thofe who are often fo litigious in cafes of private right, fliould affecl to be the moft paflive in what concerns the rights of the community ! In fliort, if human focieties arc infti- tuted for any end at all, independent ftates may loS D I S C O U R S E IV. may not only defend their rights when invaded ; but if they are ah*eady deprived or defrauded of them, they may demand rellitution in tlie loudef!: and moll: impor- tunate mariner -, even by calling for it in thunder at the very gates of their enemy. This is often the lliorteft and moll: mer- ciful method. Nor is it doing Violence to our neighbours, but juftice to ourfelves, and to the caufe of Right, Liberty, Virtue and public Safety ; which would otherwife be left unavoidably to fuffer. I T were indeed fmcerely to be wiflied that the Gofpel of the bleflcd Jefus might have fuch an univerfal influence on the lives of all men, as to render it no more neceflary to learn tlie art of war. But alas ! this is a degree of perfection not to be hoped for in the prefent flate of things, and only to be look'd for in the kingdom of univerfal Righteoufnefs. Were all men arrived to fuch a degree of goodncfs as to render force unnecelfary, then alfo the magiltracy, the laws and every thing elfc belonging to particular focieties in this world, would be a necdlels inflitution. But as long as particular focieties are of any ufe, fo long will force and arms be of ufe. DISCOURSE IV. 109 life. For the very end of fuch focieties is to unite the force of individuals, for ob- tainhig fafety to the whole. What I have ah'eady faid will convince every reafonable perfon that the words — do violence to no man — were never meant as a general prohibition of all force and arms -, fo often necefiary in this embarafled fcene of things. As for thofe who from views of intereft, pretended fcruples of confcience, and I know not what prejudices of education, ftill fliut their eyes againft the clearefl: light, I do not pretend to offer arguments for their conviction. If the barbarities that have been commit- ted around them ; if the cries of their murdered and fuffering brethren ; if their country fwimming in blood and involved in an expenfive war — if thefe things have not already pierced their ftony hearts and convinced their deluded reafon, that their principles are abfurd in idea and criminal in pradice, I am fure any thing I might fay farther, would have but little weight. I fhall only beg leave to remind them, that they will have this caufe to plead one day more before a tribunal, where fubterfuges will ftand them ia no ftead -, and where it will no DISCOURSE IV. will be well if liicy are acquited, and no pait of the blood that has been fpilt is re- quired at their hands. Having found it neccfTary to dwell fo long on tlic former part of the text, I (hall be vcrv brief on what remains. The Chriftian-foldicr is forbid, in the Se- cond Place, to " accufe any man falfely." To circumvent, to b'jar down, or to take away, the character of another, for the fake of revenge, profit or preferment, is indeed a crime of the moft unpardonable nature. It Seldom admits of any reparation, and ftrikes at the very root of all peace and faith and fociety among men. Surely, then, a.iiong a fociety of foldiers, vvhofe fl-rength connfts in their harmony, and whole peculiar character is their Honor and Veracity, i'uch a pernicious vice fhould be difcouraged in an eminent degree,* as tending to their immediate ruin, and odious both to God and Man. In t!ie Third and lall place, tlie Chrif- tian-foldier is to be content with his wages. This is alfo a very elii-ntial duty. No- thing ought to be more inviolable among men than the performance of their cove- nants. Now, between the Britilh flate and DISCOURSE IV. Ill and its foldiery, there is a covenant of the nioft facred nature. They voluntarily en- lift into a certain fervice for certain wages. Thefe w^ages are fufficient for a comforta- ble fubfiftence. The Britifti government has Mercy in its whole nature, and all its appointments are liberal. The wages of our common foldiery are almoft equal to thofe of the inferior officers in many other fervices. Surely then, for them a- bove all others, to be difcontented with thofe wages, to negleft the duty annexed to them, or to be faint-hearted in its per- formance, would argue the higheft bafe- nefs. It would be breach of Faith, breach of honor, and a total want of every ge- nerous afFe6Vion. Moreover, to be content with one's Wages implies alfo a faithful application of them to the ufes for v^hich they are given. They are not to be fpent in riot and intemperance, but in keeping the body neat, clean, healthy and vigorous for the difcharge of its duty. Naftinefs and floven- linefs in drefs or behaviour are fure marks of a mean and daftardly temper. The man who difre^ards the care of his own perfon, which is the Image of his maker, can 112 DISCOURSE IV. can have neither fpirit nor grace nor virtue in him. It will b'j alnioft impolTible to exalt his groveling Soul to the performance of any great or heroic adion. AiND as for intemi)erancc, in a foldicr, a vice of more ruinous confcqucnce can- not well be imagined ; or rather it is a complication of all vices. For, not to fay that it generally leads to thofe a6ls of Vio- lence, fo fully mentioned above, it is in itfclf a manifeft violation of every tie be- tween the Soldier and his country. The Soldier, by the terms of his enlift- ment, configns his health, ftrength and fervice to the public, in confideration of his receiving certain v/ages. Now for him to fpend thofe wages in enervating or de- ftroying that very health and ftrength for which t'ley are given him, would be rob- bery of the public! nay defertion itfelf is not a greater crime -, and nothing but the mercy of our laws,lin compaflion to the frailties of human nature, could have made the punidiment of the one lefs than that of tiie other. For a Ibldier may as well be found abfent from his poft, or allccp on it, as be found on it in a condition which renders him unfit for the duties of it. U DISCOURSE IV. 113 In fhort, difcontent, floth, murmuring and intemperance, have been the bane of many a powerful army, and have often drawn down the divine difpleafure, by giving them up to certain ruin. Upon the whole then, we may conclude from the text, that the particular duty of ehriftian foldiers confifts chiefly in — Obe- dience to thofe who are appointed to com- mand them; a refpedful inofFenfive Be- haviour to thofe who fupport and maintain them ', ftrifl Honor and unfhaken Veracity towards one another; Temperance, So- briety, Cleanlinefs and Contentment in their private charader ; and a fteady, bold and cheerful difcharge of whatever fervice their King and Country may require of them. I faid that thefe things conftitute the par- ticular duty of foldiers, confidered as fuch. But here let it be remembered, that no fpecial injun6lions of this kind to any certain order of men can poflibly exempt them from the general precepts of the gof- pel. Tho' the text be addrefs'd particu- larly to the foldiers, confidered in that cha- ra6ler; yet as they are alfo Men and Crea- tures of God, they are equally called (ir^ I the 114 DISCOURSE IV. the eleventh verfc for inftance) to the prac- tice of univerfal benevolence and charity, with the whole body of tlie people, where- of they are a part, and to whom that verfe is direfted. Thus I have finifhed what I propos'd from the text. And now, gentlemen Officers, you will permit me to addrefs the remainder of this difcourfc more immediately to you. I know you love your King and Country. I know you regard thofe men under your com- mand, and would wifli to fee them fliining in the praftice of thofe virtues which I have been recommending. But yet, after all, this muft, in a great meafure, depend upon yourfelves. If, then, you would defire to have any tie upon their confciences; if you would wifli to fee them aft upon principle, and give you any other hold of them than that of mere command — let me, Oh let me be- feech you, to cultivate and propagate a- mong them, with your whole influence and authority, a fublime fenfeof Religion, Eter- nity an'd Redccming-Love ! Let the bright profpccts of tlic Gofpcl of Jcfus be placed 8 full b I S C O U R S E IV. 115 full before their eyes ; and let its holy pre- cepts be inculcated frequently into their hearts ! B u T, above all things, let the adorable name of the everlafting Jehovah be kept facred among you ! Glorified angels fall proflrate before it ! The very devils themfelves tremble at it ! And fhall poor worms of earth ; dependent on a pulfe for every breath of being; furrounded with dangers innumerable 5 marching forth in the very '' fliadow of death ;" to day here, and to-morrow in eternity — (hall they dare to blafpheme that holy name, be- fore which all nature bends in adoration and awe ? Shall they forget their abfolute dependence upon it for all they have, and all they hope to have ? Alas! when the Name of our Great Creator is become thus familiar, and pro- ftituted to every common fubjeft, what name fhall we invoke in the day of dan- ger ? to what refuge fhall we fly amidft the various preiTures of life ? to whofe mercy fhall we lift up our eyes in the hour of death ? and into whofe iDofom confisin our fouls, when we launch forth into th^ dark precinfts of Eternity ? I 2 Once ii6 DISCOURSE IV. Once more, then, I befecch you, let the name of the Lord be holy among you ; clfe have you no lure foundation for vir- tue or goodnefs ; none for dcj^cndence up- on providence j none for the ianclity of an oath ', none for faith, nor truth, nor '' obe- dience for Confcience-fake." Next to religion and a fovcreign re- gard to the honor and glory of your great Creator, it will be of the utmoll impor- tance to cultivate, in yourfelves and thofe under you, a noble, manly and rational *Enthufiafm in the glorious caufe wherein you are engaged ; founded on a thorough conviction of its being the caufe of Juftice, the Proteftant-caufe, the caufe of Virtue and Freedom on earth. Animated by this fubllme principle, what wonders have not Britons perform- ed ? How have they rifen, the terror of the earth -, the protcftors of the Oppreficd ; the avengers of Juilicc, and the fcourge of tyrants ? How have the fons of Rapine and Violence iluunk before them, con- founded and o'crthrown ? Witnefs, ye Da- ♦ The author hopes to be excufed in the ufe of this word, as here reftriwled and explained. He does not know another, that would convey his idea, to fub- niti.tc in its place. nube D I S C O U R S E IV. 117 nube and Sambre, and thou Boyn crim- fon'd in blood ! bear witnefs and fay— what was it that fired our Williams and our M^rlboroughs to deeds of immortal re* nown ? Wliat was it that fteeled their hearts with courage, and edged their fwords with victory ? Was it not, under God, an animating convidion of the juftice of their caufe, and an unconquerable paflion for Liberty, and the purity of the Proteftant- faith*? And do you think now, gentlemen, that the caufe wherein you are engaged is lefs honorable, lefs important ; or that lefs de- pends on the fword you draw ? No gentle- men ! I will pronounce it before Heav- ven and Earth, that from the days of our Alfreds, our Edwards and our Henries downwards, the Britiih-fword was never * Never were the noble efFe£ls of this fublime princi- ple (o confpicuous as at the glorious battle of the Boyn. Here our great deliverer king William, with a fmall army routed a much fuperior, and perhaps othervvife a better one. There was only this difference. The one fought for liberty, for religion, and their country ; and were ardent in their caufe, from a conviction of its juftice. The other fought in defence of tyranny, having little of their own to lofe, and no fteady prin- ciple to a6t upon. I 7 un- ii8 DISCOURSE IV. unflicathed in a more glorious or more di^. vine caufe than at prefent ! Look round you! behold a country, vaft in extent, merciful in its climate, exu- berant in its foil, the feat of plenty, th* garden of the Lord ! behold it given to us and to our pofterity, to propagate Virtue, to cultivate ufeful arts, and to fpread a- broad the pure Evangelical Pvcligion of Jefus ! behold colonies founded in it! Pro- icjlant Colonies ! Free Colonies ! Britijh Co-^ lonies ! Behold them exulting in their Li- berty ; flourifliing in Commerce -, the Arts and Sciences planted in them ; the Gofpel preached ; and in fliort the feeds of happi- nefs and glory firmly rooted, and growing up among them ! But, turning from this profpeft for a moment, look to the other hand! direft your eyes to the weftward ! there behold PopiJI: Perfidy, French Tyranny, and Savage Barbarity, leagued in triple combination, advancing to deprive us of thofe exalted Bleflings, or to circumfcribe us in the pof- felFion of them, and make the land too fmall for us and the increafing multitude of our poflcrity ! Qh D I S C O U R S E IV. 119 O H Britons ! Oh Chriftians ! what a profpe6l is this ! 'tis odious to the view, and horrible to relate. See, in the van, a fet of fierce Savages hounded forth againft us, from their dark lurking places -, brandifli- ing their murderous knives ; fparing nei- ther age nor fex ; neither the hoary fire, nor the hopeful fon ; neither the tender virgin, nor the helplefs babe. Ten thou- fand furies follow behind and clofe up the fcene ! grim Superftition, lording it over Confcience ! bloody Perfecution, fhaking her iron fcourge ! and gloomy Error, fe- ducing the unwary foul ! while, in the midft, and all around, is heard the voice of Lamentation and Mourning and Woe; Religion bleeding under her ftripes ! Vir- tue baniihed into a corner ! Commerce bound in chains, and Liberty in fetters of iron ! But look again, gentlemen ! between us and thofe evils, there is yet a fpace or gap left ! and, in that gap, among others, you fland ; a glorious phalanx ! a royal regiment ! a royal American regiment ! a regiment formed by the beft of Kings for the nobleft of purpofes ! and formed to continue, perhaps, for thefe purpofes, the I 4 aven- 120 D I S C O U R S E IV. avengers of Liberty and protedors of juf- tice in this new world, throughout all generations ! And now is not my afiertion proved ? Confider'd in this light, does it not appear to yourfclves that never, from the firlt of time, was a body of Britons engaged in a more glorious caufe than you are at pre- fent ', nor a caafe on whole ifiue more de- pends? You are not led forth by wild am- bition, nor by ill-grounded claims of right, nor by falfe notions of glory. But, con- fign'd to you is the happinefs of the pre- fent age and of late poilerity. You wear upon your fwords every thing that is dear and valuable to us, as Men and as Chri-* ftians. And upon your fuccefs it depends," perhaps, whether the pure religion of the gofpel, ftreaming uncorrupted from its facred fource, rational, moral and divine, together with liberty and all its concomi- tant blefTmgs, fliall finally be extended over tlicfe American regions , or whether they fliall return into the bomiage of ido- latry, and darknifs of error for ever ! • In fuch an exalted and divine cauie, let your hearts betray no doubts nor unmanly fears. Tlio' the prof^x^fl: may look dark a'lainft DISCOURSE IV. 121 againft us, and tho* the Lord may juftly think fit to punifh us for our fins, yet we may firmly truft that he will not wholly give up the Proteftant-caufe 3 but that it is his gracious purpofe, in due time, to add to the reformed church of Chrift, " the Heathen for an inheritance, and the utter- moft parts of the earth for a poflefTion." Go forth, then, with humble boldnefs, as men confcious that their defigns are ap- prov'd of God. And oh! if perchance your feet lliall touch thofe fields that have already drank in the blood of the Slain, and have beheld your brethren expiring in all the variety of woe — gently, oh gently tread among their *" uncoffin'd bones ! drop a * The body of men to which this difcourfe was de- livered, were expected to have gone dire6lly againft Fort du Quefne on the Ohio, but were obHged to a6t only on the defcnfive for that year. A great part of them, however, were prefent at the reduftion of ths place the year following, under Brigadier-General Forbes, who, to his immortal honor, literally fulfilled what is here hinted at. For, having happily got pof- feffion of the Fort in November, ijs^, a large part of his army was fent to Braddock's field on the banks of the Monongahela to bury the fad remains of the dead that had lain there upwards of three years. This was truly a moving and very folemn fcene ; made yet more fo by the tears of fundries who had loll their fa- thers, brothers and dearell relatives in that fatal fpot. There is an account of fuch a burying as this in the Roman hiflory, painted in very moving terms by Taci- tus ; 122 DISCOURSE IV. a tear over their fcattered afhes 3 and give a moment's paufc for reflection ! It v^'ill touch the heart with tendernefs, and be a fruitful fourcc of much ufcful thought. It will give frefh vigor to every arm, and new ardor to every breafi: ! To fee one of our fpecies mangled and torn in pieces is horrible ! to fee a Briton, a Proteflant, our friend, our neighbour, fo ufed, is more horrible ilill ! but to think that this fliould be done, not to one but to thoufandss and done in an unguarded hour; and done without provocation ; and done with all the aggravation of infernal torture; and done by favages; and by liiva^cs whom we have cheriflicd in our bofom ; and by favages ftirred up againft us contrary to the fiiith of treaties; and ftirred up by men profeffing the name of chriflians good heaven! what is it? words cannot paint the anguidi of the tus; who tells us that Germanicus and his foldiers, hav- ing come near thcforcftof Teutoburgium, where by re- port the bones of Varus and the legions had lain fix Years unburied, they became poiTcilcd with a tendernefs to pay the laft offices to their countrymen. In perform- ing this fad duty, " no one, fays he, could dilVuiguilh whether he gathered the particular remains of a itran- ger, orthofe of a Kinfman ; but all confidcrcd the whole as their friends, the whole as their relations, with heightened rcfcntmcnts againll the foe." thought ; DISCOURSE IV. 123 thought ; and human nature ftartles from it with accumulated horror ! Rise Indignation ! rife Pity ! rife Patri-. otifm ! and thou Lord God of Righteouf- nefs, rife ! avenge our bleeding caufe ! fup- port Juftice, and extirpate perfidy and cruel- ty from the earth ! infpire thofe men, who now go forth for their King and Country, with every fpark of the magnanimity of their forefathers ! the fame our caufe, the fame be its iffue ! Let our enemies know that Britons will be Britons ftill, in every clime and age ! and let this American world behold alfo thy Salvation ; the work of the Lord for his Inheritance! Even fo; rife Lord God of Hofts! rife quickly! Amea ^nd Amen. 124 DISCOURSE IV. A PRAYER On the fame Occafion. FAT HEP. of all! Preferver of all! Judge of all ! thou Firlt and Bcft of Beings! all praifcand glory be afcribed un- to thiCe, who halt made us capable of feek- ing and loving thee; and haft invited us to fly to the throne of thy Meicy for aid and direction in all our undertakings, and de- liverance in all our dangers. Surely that heart nnift be loft to every nobler feeling that does not fee and adore thy unfpeakable goodnefs towards the children of men — We fee and we adore it, O thou King of Nations ! ftruck with the tranfcendent Majefty of thy perfections, confcious of our own unworthincfs, and relying on the merits of thy ever blefied Son, we prof- trate ourfelves in the duft before thy glo- rious prefence; fearing, yetlovings tremb- ling, yet adoring ! We confcfs, O Lord! that thou haft done wonderful things for us and for our fathers! thou haft indeed given us a goodly DISCOURSE IV. 125 goodly heritage ; . and the power of thy glory, hath often fupported us fignally in the days of our danger. But alas ! our in- gratitude has increafed in proportion to thy Mercies, and all forts of tranfgreflions have fpread themfelves wider and wider a- mong us. Thou haft vifited us for thefe things, and fent thy Judgments upon the earth, but ftill we have not learned Righ- teoufnefs; and juftly might our unworthi- nefs provoke thee to remove from us our ineftimable privileges, both civil and re- ligious. Yet ftill, tho* we have finned againft heaven and before thee, we will truft in thy paternal mercy — and we know in what we truft. Thine ear is not heavy that it cannot hear, nor thy hand lliortened that it cannot fave ; and there is fufficiency in the blood of the Redeemer ! fuffer us there- fore, O merciful Father, in this day of our vifitation, to throw ourfelves upon the merits of the ever-bleffed Jefus; humbled under thy chaftifements -, confefling and bewailing our paft off'ences, both pubhc and private ; and befeeching thy divine grace to revive among us a Ipirit of pri- mitive piety, integrity and virtue ! Bur 126 DISCOURSE IV. But oil ! above all, and as the founda- tion of all, inrj)ire us with an awful reve- rence of thy glorious majcfty. Give us an uniliaken Loyalty to our gracious fo- vereign , and a prevailing love and vene- ration for our excellent Conititution, civil and religious ! and as often as we are cal- led more immediately to appear in defence of it, O grant that, in fuch a glorious caufe, we may betray no unmanly fears > but aft the part of Britons and of Free- men ; going forth devoted either to death or to victory ; and fcorning a life that is to be purchafed at the expence of the Pro- tcftant Religion and our National Privile- ges ! Bless and long preferve our rightful fovereign King George! Blefs his royal family and all his alliances! furround him with Councillors of a true uncorrupted Britifh Spirit^ men fagacious to dilcover, and rtedfail to purfue, their country's Good. Guard him from all confpiracies againft his perfon and government; whether fccret or more open. May his adminilbation be fleady ! ftcady in the caufe of liberty ! flcady in promoting the public welfare ! ftcady in oppofing the enemies of our Zion ! DISCOURSE IV. 127 Zlon ! and may the gates of hell never prevail againft it! For this end, O Lord, give fuccefs to his arms both by fea and land, and favor our righteous caufe! give courage, con- duft and integrity to our commanders, and " thofe who turn the battle from our gates." In a particular manner, blefs all thofe who go forth for the Proteftant-caufe, in this American World! make them in- ftrumental in preferving among us, and fpreading abroad to the remotefl parts of the habitable earth, the precious Bleffings of Liberty and undefiled Religion. And thou that ftilleft the rage of the ocean, and the tumults of the people, fpeak peace to the rage of our implacable and favage foes, and bring this expenfive war to a fafe and fpeedy iflue ! May we foon be delivered from all our fears, and peace be reflored in all our borders. May thefe men here prefent, who now go forth in our caufe, be returned fafe to our friendfhip, crowned with triumph and viftory. And then may they and we to- gether ferve and adore thee without fear, in hollnefs and righteoufnefs before thee, all the remainder of our days ! Hear us, O 128 DISCOURSE IV. O heavenly fiUher, for thy fon Jefus Chrifl's fake, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghofl-, one God, be the kingdom and the power and the glory, world without end. Amen. D I S- @-s-s@-§^^>3a©^^'4s-3®-3-§a'S-^-3^-^'^ DISCOURSE V. On the Planting the Sciences in A- merica, and the Propagation of Chrift's Gofpel over the untutored Parts of the Earth. Delivered before the Truftees, Mailers, Stu- dents and Scholars of the College and Academy of Philadelphia, May 17, 1757. Being the firft anniverfary Com- mencement in that place. With a Charge, delivered in the Afternoon of the fame Day, to the Candidates who then ob- tained their Deo;rees. 'O' ##®©-®©€*«*€H3vS-^#«n1f0€*^'^®-««S® K ( 131 ) Psalm ii. 8. Ajk of me and I Poall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance^ and the iittermoji parts of the earth for thy foffefjion* THIS Pfalm is one of the moft ex- act Allegories of all antiquity. Un- der the hiftory of David's being raifed from a low condition, and eftabliflied on the throne of Ifiael, in oppofition to all the efforts of the kings and rulers of the earth, who combined themfelves againft tiie Lord and his anointed^ is delivered a moft illuftrious prediftion of the propaga- tion and final eftablifliment of Chrift's kingdom ; and the exaltation of one of David's, royal race to fit upon the throne of glory, and to rule over all the nations of the earth, in oppofition to the combin- ed powers of Darknefs and Satan. The Lord declared his firm decree — '^ Yet have I fet my king upon my holy hill of Sion. Thou art my Son 3 this day have I begotten thee. Aik of me and I K 2 fliall 132 DISCOURSE V. (liall give thee the Heathen for thhie in- heritance, and the uttermoft parts of the earth for thy poireflion :" The meaning of which is, according to all the Commen- tators Thou art my Son Jefus ! This day have; I anointed thee king over all the world j which thou hafl: purpofed to redeem. Go on ; compleat the great eternal fcheme, and thereby eftablifli for thyfelf a kingdom of everlaftin^ holinefs. ' In vain fhall the nations rage. In vain fhall their proud leaders, Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Phari- fees and rulers of Ifrael, combine them- felves againft thee, as Saul and the kings of the earth, did againft David of old. In vain fliall they feek to dethrone thee, to cut thee off from the earth, and to crufli thy kingdom in its birth. My eter- nal purpofes arc fixed. The right hand of my power Ihall be thy ftrength and guide. It fliall defeat all the machinations of thy enemies, and raife thee even from the habitations of the dead, to thine in- heritance in the manfions of glory. There flialt thou dwell for ever, and thy king- dom fliall prevail and flouriili, till all the nations D I S C O U R S E V. 133 nations of the earth are brought under thy government — ■ O H moft glorious thought ! Oh moft triumphant confideration, to thofe who believe the Golpel of Jefus, '' to be the power of God unto falvation !" How muft it rejoice them to be affured, not only from the words of my text, but many other clear palfages of fcripture, that the Saving Influences of this Gofpel, are to be ex- tended over all the dark parts of the earth ? And how muft this joy be encreafed when it appears that the happy period is not only nigh at hand, but even begun to be accomplifhed in this our day ? Christianity was firft revealed and embraced in the eaftern parts of the world. Like the Sun, there it rofe^ and, like him, advancing VVeftward thro* the nations, difrufed light and love and joy, wherever its ray3 could pierce the thick clouds of error and barbarifm. At length, it crofied the vafi: Atlantic ; and, in the fettlement of thefe colonies, a large inheritance was ad- ded to the Kingdom of Jefus, in the re- moteft parts of the wxft. 'Tis true, there is yet an immenfe depth of this continent, whofe forlorn inhabi- K 3 tants 134 D I S C O U R S E V. tants have never had any opportunity to hear the '' glad tidings of falvation -," and, of thofe who have been bleft with fuch an opportunity, few, very few, have turn- ed a hftcning ear to the joyful found. But *' the promifes of God in Chrifl: arc all Yea and Amen." We may be fure that the time will come, when the Heathen around us fhall be gathered into his fold, under the great Shepherd and Bifliop of Souls. And tho* the meafures, hitherto ufed, have not proved effedive of that glorious end, in any large degree ; yet it is our duty to continue our belt endeavours. For who knows either the time when, or the means by which, the Lord may be pleafed to accomplifli his own eternal promifes ? The Converfion of nations has often, before now, been brought about when but leaft cxpefted, and by means which, to human forefight, fccmed the Icall probable. One fmgle Savage, fully convinced of the Truth of Chriflianity, and truly animated by its fublimc fpirit, may perhaps, thro' the power of the living God, at fome future period, be rendered an apoftle to the refl:, and an inftiumcnt of turning thoufands from the ways of darkuefs and the power of DISCOURSE V. 135 of Satan, to the marvellous light of Chrift; •' that they may receive forgivenefs of fins, and an inheritance among them which are fanclified by faith that is in Him." Innumerable other methods befides this are in the providence of that God, whofe power, who ihall tell ? It is impof- fible, however, but, in his own appointed time, he muft give a bleflirig to the pious endeavours that are continually ufed for the propagation of the Gofpel of Chrift in this weftern world. The unwearied labors of the venerable Society incorporated for this purpofe ; the great expencs they cheerfully undergo to plant and fupport Chriflianity here; the many other pious Societies lately erefted, with the fame benevolent and godlike views j the Cultivation of the Sciences, and the founding Seminaries of Learning among ourfelves — thefe, all together, muft in time light up fuch a blaze of knowlege, as cannot fail, thro' divine grace, to burn and catch and fpread, like fome wide conflagra- tion, till it has finally reached and illumi- nated the rcmoteft parts of this untutored continent, K 4 Time 136 D I S C O U R S E V. Time will not permit me to make par- ticular mention of all the Inftitutions of j-eligious knowlege, already begun in this New World i nor would it be neceffary to you. As little do I think it neceflary, at prefect, to enter into any further ex- planation of the text, compared with thofe other paflages of fciipture, which foretel the final Converfion of the Heathen, and feem to have a particular reference to our fituation on this continent. There is, in- deed, a beautiful harmony among the fa- cred writers, to this purpofe -, and it would be a mod delightful exercife to trace it out. But, the prefent occafion leads me to profecute my fubjeft in another light ; and this I do the more cheerfully, as I perfuade myfelf that you all believe the General Do6trine of the text; namely — ''That it is the eternal purpofe of God, in his own good time, to bring the Heathen around us to the knowlege of his blclfed Gofpel, thro' the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift." All, then, that re- mains for me at prefent, is First, to obferve to you that the pro- pagation of Science (thro' the eftabiifli- ment of feminaries of Learning on this con- D I S C O U R S E V. 137 continent) will probably be the moft effec- tual human means of accompliihing fo glorious an end. Secondly, in this view of things — and furely I can find none higher — to be- fpeak your contiiuied favour and protec- tion of this infant Seminary. Now, on the fiiil head, it will be ne- ceflary to give fome account of the Hu- man Sciences, in order to fhew their fub- ferviency to the great Science of Chrifli- anity, and their tendency to promote its interefts. And, that this may be done with the more precilion and clearnefs, I fhall recur to firft principles. I F we confult the conflitution of our nature, we fliall find ourfelves, in every purfuit, actuated by the dcfire of Happi- nefs, and determined to account every thing more or lefs valuable, as it contri- butes more or lefs to that end. Happiness, however, is a complex thing, compounded of many ingredients ; and the road to attain it has its labyrinths and Vv^indings, not to be travelled, but with caution and forefight. For man, being made up of foul and body, fuftains a double relation, and b capable of a double kind 138 D I S C O U R S E V. kind of pleafuie ; there being a variety o^ objects fuited to the variety of his affec- tions, paiTions and tempers, when in their found moral ftatc. His Ilappinefs, there- fore, muft evidently depend on making a right ellimate of thefe objefts, and main- taining this found temperament of confti- tution 'y fo as to purfue each of them with a decrrec of force commenfurate to their refpcctive values, or tendencies to give plea- fure. Hence, then, whatever enables a man duly to ellimate themoment of things, and to frame his conduct agreeably, muft be confidered nsan engine of his happinefs,and is to be valued proportionably. it follows, therefore, that thofe refearches which bring him acquainted with hinjfelf, the ends, ufes and mcafures of his feveral powers and movements, together v/ith tiie ends and ufes of tlic various objccSts witli whicli he Hands connected, muft be a main fpring of his happinels y and, in this view, may be denominated his trueWifdom, thtjirjl and great Philofophy , or that glorious Syftem of Knowledge, which gives hmi his chief prehemincncc over the biutes, and exalts him 4 DISCOURSE V. 139 liim to the fupreme perfeftion and higheft enjoyment of his nature ! Other Sciences may have their ufe, as matters of ornament or amufement. But whenever they interfere with this grand Science of Life and Manners, they are to be difregarded as empty trifles ; fubjects at befl but of vain curiofity, or unavaihng fpeculation. I SHALL, therefore, endeavour to diftin- guilh the True from the Falfe, the fpuri- ous parts of Knowlege from thofe of ge- nuine growth, by pointing out to you the effential branches of this great Mafler- Science. In doing this, let us never lofe fight of the fundamental principle already laid down, namely that every part of knowlege, ( human knowlege I fpeak of ) derives its value from its tendency to in- form us " Quid fumus, Sc quidnam vidluri gignimur — " What we are, and v/hither deftined ; v/hat our conftitution and connexions; and what our duties in confequence thereof. Whoever fets out on this enquiry will, in the firft inftance, be llruck with the vaftnefs of the undertaking, and the in- fufficiency of his own abilities. Human nature. I40 DISCOURSE V. natiu'e, and the various natures around it, are a copious fubjecl. Life is fhort, and each man's own experience too fcanty to trace for himfelf the relations and fitnefs of things ', to examine into all Moral and Phyfical Qualities , and, from thence, to deduce the Rules of Conduct, and afcer- tain the true Path of Happinefs. Like a traveller in a ftrangc country, he will, therefore, be glad to enquire his way of others , and make all poflible ufe of the experience of thofe who. with honour and fuccefs, have travelled the path of life be- fore him. He will endeavour to avail himfelf equally of the good and bad for- tune of thole whofe courfe is finiflied, and ftrive to bring all Antiquity under Contri- bution to him for wifdom. But how could this be done, if there were not fome method of prefeiving, and poffefrmg ourfelves of, the experience of others ? And here wx fee the ufe of Languages and Writing. Neverthtlefs an acquaintance with all forts of languages would be almofl: as difficult an acquifition, as the particular examination of all forts of things. Hence then, it became neccilary for the Learned to fix on ibmc Univerfal Lan- D I S C O U R S E^^ 141 Language or Languages, as the grapd SJl^n- nel or inilrument of conveying their '^xperi-^^ - ^ ences, obfervations and conchjfions, c6n->. ' /% cerning the conduct of life and the truth ^/^ untry for fome years backwards, and which became needlefs when joined to the preceeding difcourfes, are now wholly left out, which renders it much fhorter than when deli- vered. But a difcourfe on this fubje^t was judged a happy conclufion to the foregoing ones, and the author was therefore glad that he could add any thing. of that kind, however concife or imperfetlh O Obe- 194 DISCOURSE VI. Obedient to his nod, his Servant-Seas and Winds rofe and raged. The proud hopes of the enemy were brought low ; and all their {lately caftles, that rode erewhile fo triumphantly on the watery furface, were now difperft before the breath of the Al- mighty, or whelmed to the bottom in the midft of his vengeance, as a ftone that is dropped from the hand. In the fight of Britain, this Deliverance was wrought. Our fathers, from thefhore, flood and beheld it. Their praifes and (hou'ts of triumph afcended to the fky. The God of Vi6lory was their theme. Him they adored, and him they left it in charge for their children to adore, to the lateft ge- nerations ! The next attempt againft our Proteftant Faith was laid dark as Night, and deep as hell. In the bowels of the earth a Mine was placed, with a view to blow up the king, the royal family, both houfes of parliament, and deftroy at once the whole hopes and flrength of our bleffed refor- mation. But the all-feeing eye of God detefled the black defign, and his all-power- ful arm dragged the confpirators to light and deferved vengeance j thereby working a D I S C O U R S E VI. 195 a fecond deliverance as great as the form- er. Since that time, many repeated at- tempts have been made to divide us from ourfelves, and dehide the mithinking mul- titude by means of a Popifli Abjured pre- tender. But the Lord has rendered thefe as vain as all the others. Thus defeated every where in the pa- rent-land of Proteftantifm and Liberty, our inveterate foes are making their laft def- perate pufli, againft our holy eftablifli- ment, civil and religious, in thefe remote parts of America. But we trufl: in that fame power which has appeared fo fignally for our fathers — Thou, O God, haft been our truft ; nor have we trufted in vain. After the days of mourning which we have feen, the fhort period of one year has produced fuch a turn in favour of the Pro- teftant caufe, as even aftoniflies ourfelves, and among pofterity will fcarce be believ- ed. The wonderful fucceffes of the Ptuf- fian Hero, towards the clofe of the laft campaign in Germany; and the fuccefles which, in the prefent campaign, God has already been pleafed to beftow on the Bri- tifli arms in America, by the reduction of O 2 Louif- 196 DISCOURSE VI. Louifbourg and other important places, furnifli a feries of fuch happy events, that if any one had propofed them to our hopes a twelvemonth ago, we fliould have thought him mocking our creduUty, or infulting our diftrefs. But all things are poffible to God ; and, when affairs are at the worft, then is often the time when the Mighty One of Ifrael is pleafed to inter- fere, and therein " to triumph glorioufly." In fuch cafes, it is our indifpenfible duty to mark the manifeftations of his power with humble reverence, and to rejoice be- fore him exceedingly; but ftlll we muft " rejoice with trembling." Although the Lord hath brought down the proud hopes of our enemies, who, like the Aflyrian of old, began to lift themfelves uj) and to boafl: of their vi6lories ; yet we are to re- member that they and we are flill held in the Balance of his Almighty power, and it is impofTible to fay which Scale he may finally caufc to mount up, or which to preponderate. Besides this, even tlie beft fruits of vic- tory arc bcfct round with thorns ; and what arc days of rejoicing to others are but days of mourning to many, whofe dcareit Rela- tives D I S C O U R S E VI. 197 tives have given up their lives, a facrifice in the conteft. This vv^orld is a chequer- ed fcene, and we are to expeft no pure blifs in it. But let us aft the part of good Subjefts and good Chriftians, and then we may fafely truft the iffue to his diredion, who is fupremely juft, wife and holy ! End of the Discourses, APPENDIX, ©e©#'^'§@©0©©0?^:©^3^e.^^.^^©^© APPENDIX. ®®©§>©#®©®®®@®@c*@®®^®®^®® PREFACE. TO render this fmall volume fomewhat more fizeable, the author has annexed the three following piece s ; which are not quite foreign to the fubjefts he has been handling. The firfl of the three ought to be read before the laft of the foregoing Diicourfes, as prior in order of time; but it was not judged convenient to infert any thing among them. It was written, and publifhed in a paper called the Watchman, in the beginning of the campaign 1758, when the forces were levying for th» Ohio expedition ; on occafion of an intimation received from Briga- dier General Forbes, that fomething of this kind to the people, explaining the importance of the fervicc, and the blelFings they were to contend for, might be of ufe in forwarding the meafures committed to his management. The defigns of the two remaining pieces are mentioned in their proper places. APPENDIX I. An earneft Addrefs to the Colonies, particularly thofe of th^ Southern diftrid; on the opening of the Campaign, 1758, Brethren and Countrymen, I Am now to addrefs you, in the moft folemn manner, on the prefent pofture of affairs, and the duty we owe to his facred majefty, to our holy religion, and to our lateft pofterity, on this important' occafion. As I would be underftood by all, I fhall not affe6l a vain parade of words, or pomp of ftile. Brevity and per- fpicuity fhall be my principal aim. The almighty author of our nature has thought fit to create man a needy and de- pendent being, incapable of fubfilVmg in a folitary ftate with any degree of hap- pinefs, In order to his well-being a m 1- tual 202 APPENDIX!. tual interchange of good offices with his fellow-creatures- is abfolutely ncceflary. Hence the origin and foundation of civil focieties, which are nothing elfe but certain bodies of men linked together by common compa6l or agreement, for the better fecuring themfelves againft Want, and defending themfelves againft Danger. In confcquence of this compaft, every individual is under the moft folcmn obli- gations to contribute what he can, for the general welfare and prefervation of the community, whereof he is a part; and when this is done with zeal, fidelity, and an elevated fenfe of duty, it is denominated public Virtue and Love of our Country ; than vvhich, human nature boafts of no qualities that are more amiable or more divine. Both reafon and religion inculcate this in the ftrongeft terms. A narrow felfifli fpirit is odious to God and Man; and no community ever fubfifted long where fuch a fpirit difgraced its mem- bers. It is fcarce to be conceived how great a difference public virtue makes in the ftate of nations. Animated by it, the fmallcft remain powerful and fafc; while, without APPENDIX!. 203 without it, the mofl populous are the moft defpicable and weak. The little State of Sparta was an illuf- trious proof of this. To acknovvlege no lord or mafter ^ to live independent and free; to be governed by their own laws and cuftoms; to preferve themfelves from corruption, felfifhnefs and effeminacy; and to be the avengers of Juftice and the fcourges of tyranny — were the highefl: bleffings which Spartans knew; and when- ever they were called to exert themfelves on this fcore, they declined neither toils nor dangers nor fufFering. The blaze of pub- lic fpirit then flione illuftrious from bofom to bofom, till it had effeftually fubdued and confumed the enemies of their coun- try. Their very women fhared the general contagion; and whenever the trumpet founded the alarm of war, one fitted out a hufband, and another a fon ; charging them, by all the ties of love and honour and duty, not to difgrace the dignity of the Spartan name, and either to chaftize the infolence of their enemies, or perifli in the glorious attempt. Seeing then, my countrymen, fuch vv^as the virtue of a Spartan, and even of a 5 Spartan 204 APPENDIX!. Spartan woman, what may not be expe6t- cd from Britons j who, added to all the advantages which the former enjoyed, have that of the chriftian religion and its everlafting profpecls to animate and in- flame their condufl ? We are, or might be, thehappieft and moft enlightened peo- ple in the world ; and, by confcquence, we ought to be the braveft. Were we to call our eyes over this globe, and to take a view of the condition of our fellow-creatures in other countries; how fliould we blefs our lot, and how dear would the name of Britons become to us! Not to mention many parts, even of Europe itfelf, where the common people are in a manner the property of their lords, and on little better footing than their cattle themfelves; I might carry you through Afia and Africa, to fliew you the deplorable ftate of human nature in thofe countries, groaning under a race of mon- gers that difgrace their very fhape, and in a condition fo compleatly miferable, that you have neither feen nor can imagine any thing of the kind. The wild favage, that roams A P P E N D I X I. 205 roams the wildernefs, is infinitely happier than they. But I fliall not take up your time with,, thefe eaftern fcenes of fervitude and woe. ^.^ Thanks be to God! we are as far removed .*^ from the danger of them, as we are from the place of their exiftence. Our appre- . henfions are from another quarter. Our ambitious French neighbours are the only people on earth, from whom we have any thing to fear. It may, therefore, be proper to give you a fketch of the fituation we fhould be in, under their government and power. And, on this head, I would obferve firft that among them, you would in vain look for that happy equality and fecurity which you enjoy here. All the property of the fub- jeft lies there at the abfolute difpofal of the fovereign -, and the poor labourer has no encouragement to be induftrious or get before hand in the world, fmce he can neither be certain to comfort himfelf there- by, nor thofe with whom he is mofl near- ly conneLled. You have frequent opportunities of be- ing informed ot the manner in which the French 2o6 A P P E N D I X I. French are forced to live near ourfelves in Canada. You know on what poor fare all, who can bear arms among them, are oblig- ed to follow their arbitrary leaders thro' thefe inhofpitable American woodsy feldom enjoying a comfortable meal, unlefs by chance they can fcizeitfrom us, which makes theni the more eager to difpoffefs us of thefe happy fettlements, and to reap the fruit of our labors. But, added to all their other miferies, the greateft is, that they are not only de- prived of freedom of Body, but even of Mind. Inftead of being permitted to pour forth the genuine Worihip of the Heart, before the great Creator of Heaven and Earth, they are obliged to pay a mock-a- doration to thofe " who are no Gods !" Inftead of putting their truft in his mer- cies, thro* the one only Mediator Jefus Chrift, they are forced to put a vain con- fidence in relicks, and departed fpirits, and thofe who can afford no help. Inftead of following the plain dictates of common fenfe and the light of their own under^ ftandings, they muft fubmit to be hood- winked, and have their confciences ridden, by APPENDIX I. 207 by a fet of priefts and jefuits and monks and inquifitors, fwarming in every corner! But how different is the cafe among us ! we enjoy an unprecarious Property -, and e- very man may freely tafle the friiits of his own labors, " under his Vine and under his Fig-tree, none making him afraid." If God has bleffed us with the good things of this life, we need not fear to make an appearance anfwerable to our condition ; and what we do not fpend ourfelves, the laws will fecure to our children after us. The king, upon his throne, cannot exacSl a fmgle Farthing of our eftates, but what we have firft freely confented to pay by laws of our own making. We cannot be dragged out, in violation of Juftice and Right, to wade in feas of blood, for fatia- ting the avarice or ambition of a haughty monarch. We need not fear Racks, nor Stripes, nor Bonds, nor Arbitrary Im- prisonments, from any authority what- foever; or could fuch prevail for a time above Law, yet, while the conftitution re- mains found, \YQ may be fure the very a6l would foon deftroy itfeif, and terminate at length in the utter ruin of the projedtors. Tis 2o8 A P P E N D I X I. *T I s our happinefs too that our Mlnd^ are as Free as our Bodies. No man can impole his own Dogmas or notions upon our Confciences. We may worfhip the God of our Fathers, the only living and true God, in that manner which appears moft agreeable to our own underftandings, and his revealed Will. The Bible is in our hands ; we are affifted by an orthodox gofpel-miniftry ^ v^'e may fearch and know the Words of eternal Life -, and, what is e- qually valuable, we may convey what we know to our children after us, no man having it in his power to wrefl their Edu- cation from us. This, my dear countrymen, is happinefs indeed ! and what ftill enhances it, is the confideration that we are not only called to enjoy it ourfelves, but perhaps to be the inftruments of diifufmg it over this vaft continent, to the nations that fit in " dark- nefs and the fliadow of Death." Surely the thought of this ought to roufe every fpark of virtue in our bofoms. Could an ancient Spartan ruih into the field of death, upon the motives mentioned above ; and is there any danger which a Briton ought to decline for the fake of thefe 1 A P P E N D I X I. 209 thefe ineftimable privileges ? Or fliall a French Have and popifli bigot, at this day, do more for the glory of his tyrannical Lord, than a Freeman and Proteftcnt for the beft of Kings, and the Father of his People ? This land was given to us for propaga- ting Freedom, eftabllfhing nfcful Arts, and extending the kingdom of Jefus. Shall we, then, be falfe to fuch a truft, or pufil- lanlmous In fuch a divine caufe ? We have hewn out habitations for ourfeh'-es in an uncultivated wlidernefs , and fliall we fuf- fer them to fall a prey to the moft faith- lefs of enemies ? We have unfurled the Meffiah's banner In the remoteft parts of the earth ; and fhall we fuffer the bloody flag of Perfecutlon to ufarp its place ? We have planted the bleffed Gofpel here -, and fliall we fufFer Fleathen error to return where the glad Tidings of Salvation have once been preached ? No, countrymen ! I know your fouls dlf- daln the very thought of fuch a conduct ; and you would rather fufFer ten thoufand deaths (were fo many poffible) than be guilty of that which would entail Infamy on P your- 210 APPENDIX I. yourfelves, and ruin on your latcft pofte- rity. Your readinefs to Join in the meafures concerted for your fafety, and to ftrike a decifive blow againft the enemy, may much determine your future happinefs aa^^^^^ as a people -, and 1 may well truft, when fo much is at flake, you will not be back- ward in offering your fervice for a few months, under a General of humanity, experience, and every amiable accomplifli-- nient. I hope even to hear that our Wo- men will become advocates in fuch a caufe, and entitle themfelves to all the applaufes fo long ago paid to their Spartan predecef- fors ! I WOULD not now wound you, with a difagreeable recapitulation of our paft mifcondu6l and fatal indolence, efpecially in thefc Southern colonies. Many a time has it been in our power to crufh out this dan- gerous war with a fingle tread of our foot, before it blazed up to its prefent height — But this we fadly ncglefted -, and, perhaps, the all-wife difpofcr of events meant to fhew us that, when our affairs were at the worft, he was Mighty to fave. Never APPENDIX I. 211 Never was the Proteftant Caufe in a more defperate fituatlon, than towards the clofe of laft campaign. The great and heroic King of Pruffia ftood ready to be fwallowed up of the multitude of his ene- mies. The Britifli Nation was torn to pieces by inteftine divifions ; its helm con- tinually fliifting hands , too many bent on fordid views of felf-intereft; too few regard- ing the public goodj Minorca loft; Ha- nover over-run ; our fecret expeditions ending in difgrace ; our forts in America deftroyed ; our people captivated or inhu- manly murdered, and our fleets difperfed and fliattered before the winds Yet, even then, when no human eye could look for fafety, the Lord interpofed for the Proteftant Religion. In the fliort fpace of two months, the king of Pruflia extricated himfelf out of his difficulties, in a manner that aftoniftied all Europe, and will continue to be the admiration of ages to come ! And had we only done our parts in America at that time, the pride of France would have been effeftually hum- bled, and we fhould probably now have been rejoicing in an honorable peace. P 2 But 212 APPENDIX I. But as that was not the cafe, the na- tion, in concert with the king of Pruflia and other Proteftant powers, has been ob- liged to make one grand pufli more for the general caufe in the prefent campaign ; and if that is unfuccefsful, God knows what will become of our liberties and properties. This we may lay down as a certain truth, that the expence of the prefent war is far too great to be born long by the powers concerned in it. The Britifh nation is labouring under a heavy load of taxes. Thefe colonies are likewife drained to the utmoft, and finking under the burthen, as WQ all feel. Peace, then, of fome kind or other, muft be a defirable event ; and up- on our fuccefs this campaign it may de- pend, whether we fhall dictate a Peace to the French, or they to us. Should the latter be the cafe, ( which God forbid ! ) it would be a fatal peace to us. Rise then, my countrymen ! as you value the bleflings you enjoy, and dread the evils that hang over you, rife and fliew yourfelves worthy of the name of Britons ! rife to fecure to your pofterity, peace, free- dom, and a pure religion ! rife to cha- ftize a pefidious nation for their breach of treaties, APPENDIX!. 213 treaties, their deteftable cruelties, and their horrid murders ! remember the cries of your captivated brethren, your orphan children, your helplefs widows, and thouf- ands of beggar'd famihes ! think of Mo- nongahela, Fort- William Henry, and thofe /cenes of favage death, where the mang- led Hmbs of your fellow citizens lie ftrew- cd upon the plain ; calling upon you to re- trieve the honor of the Britifh name ! Thus animated and roufed, and thus putting your confidence, where alone it can be put, let us go forth in humble bold- nefs y and the Lord do what feemeth him good ! APPEN. ( 215 ) APPENDIX II. Account of the College and Acade- my of Philadelphia. HAVING mentioned this Inflitution in the fifth of the foregoing Difcourfes, in a man- ner that may make feme perfons defirous of know- ing more concerning it ; the author thought it mighp not be improper to annex a fhort account of it, taken from one which he had written and publifhed fometime ago in America. He has many reafons for defiring to make fo good a de- fign as pubhc as pofTible. He knows that it is for the intereft of found ReHgion and Learning that it fhould be fupported, and beheves that it needs only to be more generally known, in order to recommend it to that favour and encourage- ment of the humane and benevolent elfewhere, which it can hardly expe6l from the prefent Leaders of the country where it is eftabliflied ; and yet will -ftand in need of before it is brought to perfeclion. .• How far fuch an inflitution would be practi- cable in a very large com.munity, perhaps time will befl: Ihcw. At prefent it is found extremely well adapted to the circumftances of the place where it is ereded, and may boaft feveral things P4 in ai6 A P P E N D I X II. in its plan of a very laudable nature, which yet are peculiar to itftlf. Mr. Sheridan, no doubt, never heard of the conftitution of this feminary, when he aflced the following quellion. " To inii-ru(^ cur voudi, fays he, * in the arts of reading and writing, there are many femi- naries every where eftablifhed, throughout this realm ; but who, in th.fe countries, ever heard of a mailer for the improvement of Articulation, for teaching the due proportion of founds and quantity of fylL^bles In Englifh, and for point- ing out to his pupils, by precept and example, the right ufe of accents, emphafes and tones, when they read aloud, or fpeak in public ?" Now, from the following account, it will ap- pear that fuch a Mailer of Articulation, as is mentioned above (dyled " profeflbr oi Englifh and Oratory''; has been ern;:>loyed in the college and academy of Philadelphia, from the begin- ning ; and if the many advantages that l^ave arifen from that Part of the plan werefufficieiitly known, they would furnilh one very- convincing argu- ment in favour of the point which that ingenious aentlcman is fo worthily ftriv-nn; to accomplifh, in behalf of the Language and Elocution of his country. But to proceed to the account itfelf. • See SVer dan's introdudory difcouife to Icdures on elo- cution, &c. « IN A P P E N D I X IL 217 N the year 1749, a number of private gentle- men of Pcnnfylvania, who had long confider- ed it as a misfortune to the youth of the pro- vince, that there was no piibhc feminary in it, where they might receive the accompli fhments of a regular education, publiflied a paper of hints and propofals for erecting an Academy in the city cf Philadelphia. They obferved very juftly that the good education oF youth has been efteem- ed, by wife men in all ages, the fureft foundation both of private and public happinefs ; and that it has been the principal concern of every well- regulated government to eftablifh and endow pro- per feminaries for the advancement of learning, and for training up a fuccefl^ion of men, fit to ferve their country in every ufeful flation. Many of the firfc fettlers of America were men who had received a good education in Europe; and to their wifdom and good manngement much of the prefent profperity of the colonies is owing, Neverthekfs, it was obvious that without mak- ing a provifion for cultivating wifdom and good- nels in the rifing generation, they would foon de-* generate into a Itate of i^^norance and barbarity, lictle better than that of their Neighbour-Savages, and be neither able to preferve nor enjoy the in- eftimable bleflings, delivered down to them from their fathers. To prevent thefe dreadful misfortunes, was the defign of thofe wlio projeded this inftitution ; a defign that will do honor to their names as long as any memorial of virtue and letters fhall remain in their country -, and a defign in which they can boall all the Sages and Law-givers and Patriots of 2i8 A P P E N D I X IF. of every age, as their patterns and fellow labour- ers, for the propagatio!) of vvifdom and the-good of their fpecies ! This defign was not long formed before it was carried into execution. Twenty four Perfons joined themfelves together, as Truftees for carrying on the work, and agreed never to exceed that num- ber ; which was compofed, without any regard to difference in religious pcrluafions, of creditable gentlemen of various profellions and callings. The fcheme being made public, with the names of the gentlemen undertakers, all was fo well approved of, that in a very fliort time the fubfcription for carrying it on amounted to Eight Hundred Founds per annum, for five years ; a very ftrong proof of the public fpirit and gene- rofity of the inhabitants of that place ! In the beginning of January 1750, three of the Ichools were opened, namely the Latin fchool, the Mathematical fchool, and an L^'nglifh fchool. For it had always been confidered as a very leading part of the defign, to have a good fchool in the mother tongue, and to h.ve a per- fon of abilities entrufted with the care of it. Oratory, corredl Speaking and Writing the Mother Tongue, are branches of education too much negledttd in all feminaries, as is often vifible in the public performances of fome of our molt learned men. liut, in the circumftances of this province, luch a neglefl would have been ilili more ine:tcufable, than in iiny other part of the BritiHi dominions. For being made up of fo great a mixture of people, from almoll all cor- ners of the world, neceffarily fpeaking a variety of languages and dialedts, the true pronouncia- tion A P P E N D I X II. 2t9 tion and writing of our own language might foon be loft, without fuch a previous care to preferve them in the rifing generation. At the opening of the above fchools, which were intended to be preparatory to the higher parts of learning, a fuitable fermon was preached, by the provincial fecretary, from St. John viji. 32. "And ye fliall know the Truth, and the Truth fhall make you Free." This reverend and worthy gentleman (who, amid all the labours of his public ftation, as well as the many private labours in which his benevo- lence continually engages him, has ftill made it his care to devote fome part of his time to Claf- fical Learning, and the ftudy of Divinity to which he was originally bred) took occafion, from thefe words of our bleffed Saviour, to fhew the intimate connexion between Truth and Freedom, betweeen Knowlege of every kind, and the pre- fervation of Civil and Religious Liberty. For it has ever been found that where the Former is not, the Latter cannot long fubfift. The inftitution, thus begun, continued daily to flourifh ; and at length the Truftees applied for a charter of incorporation, which they obtain- ed in July, 1753, from the honourable Proprie- tors ', who likewiie gave a handfome benefadion for carrying on the work, and intend to do much more for compleating it. Soon after it was found that many of the youth, having gone thro' their courfe of Grammar -Learn- ing, would be defirous of proceeding to Philo- fophy and the Sciences ; and this being reprelent- ed to the Truftees, they began to think of en- larging their plan, as they had promifed at the 4 be- 220 A P P E N D I X II. beginning. They were highly fenfible that the knovvlege of Worc^s, without making i."iem fub- fc'in'rnt to the knovvlege of Things, could never be tonfidered as the bufinefs of education. 1 o lay a foundation in the l^anguages, was very ne- cefiury as a firll ftcp, but v.ithout the fuperltiuc- ture of the Sciences it would be but of little ufe for the conduct of life. In corifiucratioa of this, the truftees determin- ed to complete the remainder of their plan and applied ior an / ddition to their ch^iiter, by which a pov/er of conferring degiTCS and anpo'nting Profcirors in the various branches of the arts and fciencc", was granted to them. By this me ins, a College was added to, and ingrafted upon their former Academy ; a joint government agreed upon for both i the fvle of the trullces changed :o that of — " Truftees of the College, Academy and Charity Schools of Philadelphia ;" and the Profeffors conftituted under them into one body or Faculty, by the name of " The Provoft, Vice Provoll and Profeffors of the Col- lege and Academy of Philadelphia." This char- ter bears Date May 14th 1755. Having given a fhort account of the rife of this inftitution, I proceed now to give a view of the diiferent Branches thereof, as they are at pre- fent; and (hall begin at the lowell,- which con- flfts of two Charity Schools. In one of them forty girls are taught Reading, Writing, Sew- ing, &c. In the other, about feventy Boys are taught Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic, in order to fit them for various forts uf bufinefs and mechanic Arts. The Second branch is properly an Knglifh Academy, and confiils of two parts j an Englifh and A P P E N D I X II. 221 and Writing ichool, and a fchool for the Pradical branches of the Mathematics. In the Former, befides Writing, the Pupils are taught the Mother- tongue Grammatically, together with a corre6t: and juft pronounciation. For attain- ing this, a fmall roftrum is erefled in one end of the fchool, and they are frequently exercifed in read'nig aloud from it, or in delivering floor t ora- tions'^ while the ProfelTor of Englidi arxl O- ratory ftands by to corred whatever may be amifs, either in their Speech or Gefture. Besides this rollrum, which is in their private fchool, there is alfo a large ftage or oratory eredl- ed in the College hall, where the Speakers ap- pear on all public occafions, before as many of the inhabitants as pleafe to attend. This pare of the inftitution is of fingular bene- fit. It correds unbecoming bafhfulnefs, &c. gives the youth prefenceof mind, habituates them to appearing in public, and has been the means of producing many excellent young Orators, that have occafionally charmed large audiences "^ ; and it is hoped will loon become an honour and an or- nament to their country, in the various ftations to which they may be called. This attention to public fpeaking, which is begun here with the very rudiments of the mother-tongue, is continu- ed down to the end ; and cfpecially in the Philo- fophy fchools, where the youth frequently deliver * A number of the lludents and fchohrs performed the mafque of Alfred by way of Oratorial Exeicife, before the Earl of Loudoun and the Governors of the fouthern colonic?, in the beginning of the year 1757, with very much and juil applaufe ; and on any occafion a fufhcient num- ber of fpeakers may be fcleded to perform any good piece of this kind. exercifes 222 A P P E N D I X II. exercifes of their own compofition, at commence- ments, examinations, and other public occafions. The Third and higheft branch of the inilituti- on is the College, in which the learned languages and the fciences are taught, as in other Colleges and UniveiTities, tho' on a plan fomewhat diffe- rent. It confifts of the Latin and Greek fchools, and three Philofophy fchools. An account of the whole follows. Latin and Greek Schools. ifl Stage. Grammar. Vocabulary. Senten- iix Pueriles. Cordery. IE(op. Erafmus. N. B. To be exadl in declining and conjuga- ting. To beo;in to write exercifes, for the better underilanding of Syntax. Writing, Reading and Speaking of Englifh to be con- tinued, when neceflary. 2d Stage. Seledlas e veteri Teflamento. Se- ledlne e profanis Authoribus. Eutropius. Nepos. Metamorphofis. Latin Exercifes and Writing continued. 3d Stage. Metamorphofis continued. Virgil with Profody. C^efar's Comment. Salluft. Greek Grammar. Greek Tellament. Elements of Geo- graphy and Chronology. Exercifes and Writing continued. 4th Stage. Horace. Terence. Virgil review- ed. Livy. Lucian. Xenophon or Homer begun. N. B. This year to make Themes -, write let- ters i give dcfcriptions and charadcrs. To turn Latin into Engiilh, with great regard to pundluation and choice of words. Some Englidi A P P E N D I X II. 223 Englifh and Latin orations to be delivered, with proper grace both of elocution and ge- Hure. Arithmetic begun. Some youths, it is found, go thro' thefe ftages in three years, but moft require four, and many- five years; efpecially if they begin under nine or ten years of age. 1 he mafters muft exercife their bed difcretion in this refped. Those who can acquit themfelves to fatisfa(5lion in the books laid down for the fourth ftage, af- ter public examination, proceed to the ftudy of the fciences, and are admitted into the Philofophy- Schools as Frefhmen, with the privilege of be- ing diftinguifhed with an under-graduate's gown. The method of ftudy profecuted in thefe fchools for the term of three years, follows ; and the por- tion of reading allotted for each month is particu- larly diftinguifhed • VIEW 224 A P P E N I X If. VIEW of the PHILOSOPHY-SCHOOLS. FIRST YEAR. Fresh ten Mayi^. Fiift f'erm. Tiiree Months. Second Term. Three Months. January. Third Term. Four Months. Remarks. SECOND YEAR. Juniors. May 15. Firft Term. Three Months. Second Term. Three Months. January Third Term. Four Months. Remarks. THIRD YEAR. SzNioRs. May 15. Firfl Tcrni. Three Months. Second Term. Three Months. January, Third Term. Four Months. 1- O K E N O O N. INSTRUMENTAL PHILOSO PH~Y~ LECTURE I. LECTURE il. Lat. i Engl. Exercifr- continird. The fame. Loiiic w ith Metaphyfic " N. B. At loifure hours Dif- putation begun. Logic, &c. reviewed. Surveying nnd Di.illing. Navigation. Conic Scdions. Fluxions. MORAL FHIL05. Ikiuui. Vi7. Compcnd. of Ethic:. N. B. Difputation continued, Ethics continued. Natural and civil Law. Introdu£tion to Civil nlAory. ■ — to L>wi and Go\crnmcnt. — to Trade and Commerce. Review of the Wholr, Examinai, for Degree of B. A, Common Arithmetic reviewed Derim.il Arithn:etic. Algebra. Frnftions and Extrac. Roots. Equations, fimple Sc quadratic Euclid, fiift fix Books. Euclid a fecon'l Time. Logarithmical Arthmetic. Plain ^'Splicricil Trijon.nr M Eu-lid, inh B-^ok. .——12th O.rto. Archii'''turr, with Fortirwir. NAT. PHILOSOPHY bc-un Viz.CencralPrnpjrr. of Body, — MerhanicPowers, * ■ — Hvdrollatics. '-Pneumatics. N. B. Dcclam.uion and pub- lic Speaking continued. Ligiit and Colours. — ^Oi^tics, Sec. Perfpcftive. Ailronomy. Nat. Hiltory of Vegetables. ■ ■ ■— • of Animais. ChemiPrv. Of Fomi's. Of Agriculture. N. B. Thro' all the Viars, the French Language may be ftu- died «t If i fore Hours I APPENDIX 11. 22^ FIRST YEAR. FRESHMJN'May 15. Firft Term. Three Montlis. Second Term. Three Months. January. Thlnl Term. Foar Montiis. Remarks. SECOND YEAR. Juniors. M.>y I5. Firft Term. Three Months. Second Term. 1 hrce Months. January, Thircl Term. Four Months. Remarks, THIRD YEAR. Seniors. May 15 Firft Term. TJirc- Months. Sccon'J Term. ThriC Month:. January Third Term, four Monihs. A F T H R N U N. Claflical and Rhetorical Studies ~ L~E~C'irU ~R~E ~ 1 1 1 .~ i> R I V A 'j; E HOURS. Mifcellaneous Studies, For improv. the vnrioi;s Branches Homer's Ihaa, Juvenal. Spectators, Rambleis, &j. foj the Improvement of Style, ano K"owlc^e of Life. Barrow's Lectures. Pardle's Geometry. Maclaurin's AJre- ra. Ward's Mathematics. Keil'; Trieonon^etry. Watts'sLogIc, andSupp'ement. Locke on human IJnderftanding. Hutchefon's Metaphyfics, Vare- nius's Geography. Watts's Ontology and EHays. KingdeOrig. Mali, with Lavv■'^ Notes. Johnfon's Elem. Philol. PinJar. Cicero, felccl Parts. Livy relumed. Thucydides, or Euripides. Wells's Dionyfius. N. B. So-aie Afternoons to be fparcd for Declamation this Year. Introdu£lion to Rhetoric. Longinus, critically. Horace's Art of Poetry, critically Ariftot. Poet. Scd critically. Qnintiiian, '{Ac'\\: Parts. VofTius. Coaiu Pere Bohours. Drydcn's EHays and Prefaces "^P-nce on Pope's OdvfTey Trapp'c Pn-elcft. Poet. Dionv- hus IJalicarn.. Demetrius Pha- Icreus. Strad;? Prolufiones. Patoun's Navigation. Greeo- ry's Geometry — ^-.n Fortificati- on. Simfon's Conic Se£r ons. Maclautin's andEmerfon'sFlux- 10ns. Palladio by Ware. Helfnam'^ Ledures. Grave- fande. Cote's Hydrodatics. Dcla- guliers. Mufchenbroek. Keil's Introduaion. Martin's Philo^ 'ophy. Sir Ifaac Newton's Phi- '"fophy. Maclaurin's View of D.tto. Rohault per Clarke. CO MP OS IT ION begun Cicero pro Mi lone. Dcmofthciies pro Ctefiphon. N. B. During the Application of the Rules to thefe famous O- rations, Imifa'ions of them are ro be attemp;cd on th.: Models of perfect Eloquence. . Epickti Encliiridion. Ciceio de Officiis, Tu feu Ian Qnxtt. Memorabilia Xcnoph, Greek. I'uitendort by Barbevrac. Cumbrrland de Leg. Sidney. Harrington. Seneca. Hutchefon's Works. Locke on Government. Hooker's Polity. Sc.iliger de Emendatione Tem- porum. Precep'or. Lc Clerc's Compend. of Hiflory Gre- j;ory'o Aftronomy,--f ortefcue on Laws. N. Bacon's Difcourfcs. My Lord Bacon's Works. Locke <'nCoin. D.vcnant. Gee's Com - pend. Rjy. Dcrham. Spcclacle dc la Nature. Rdigious Phi- ofopher Holy Biblt, to be read daily from t!ie Begin- ning, and now to fupply the De- ticicnccs oftl.c-WhoV. Patavii. Rationar, Temporum. Pla:o dc Lei;ibus. Grotius de jure, B. Sc P. Afternoons of this 3J Term, for Comnrfition and Dccl.ima- rion on Mor.U and Phyfical Sub- jjds. — iMiilufophy Ads held. Q. ON 226 A P P E N D I X II. ON this plan, it is to be remarked that life itfclt being too fhort to attain a perfect ac- quaintance with tht whole circle of the Sciences, nothing has ever been propofed by any fcheme of Univerfity-Ediication, but to lay fuch a general foundation in all the branches of literature, as may enable youth to perfedl themfelves in thofe par- ticular parts, to which their bufinefs, or genius, may afterwards lead them ; and fcarce any thing has more obChrULled the advancement of found learning, than a vain imagination, that a few years, fpcnt at college, can render youth fuch ab- folute Mafters of Science, as to abfolve them from all future ftudy. , As far as our influence extends, we would wifh to propagate a contrary doctrine ; and tho' we flatter ourfclves that, by a due execution of the foregoing plan, we fhall enrich our country with many Minds, that are liberally accomplifhed, and fend out none that may juftly be denominated barren, or unimproved-, yet we hope that the youth committed to our tuition, will neither at college, nor afterwards, red fatisfied with fuch a general knowledge, as is to be acquired from the public Icflures and exercifes. We rather trufl; that thofe, whofe tafte is once formed for the ac- quifition of foiid WifJom, will think it their duty and mofl: rational fui.^fa\^tion, to accomplifli themfelves Itill farther, by manly perfeverance in private ftudy cr.d meditaticn. T o dircd them in this refpcdt, the laft column contains a '^choice of the moft approved writers in the various branches of literature, which will be eafily undcrRood when once a foundation is APPENDIX II. 227 is laid in the books to be ufed as ClalTics, under the feveral lectures. For thcfe books will not be found in this laft column, which is only meant as a private library, to be confulted occafionally in the ledtures, for the ilJuftration of any particu- lar part ; and to be read afterwards, for compleat- ing the whole. In the difpofition of the parts of this fcheme,- a principal regard has been paid to the connexion and fubferviency of the Sciences, as well as to the gradual openings of young minds. Thofe parts are placed firft, which are fuited to flrength- en the inventive faculties, and are Inftrumental to what follows. Thofe are placed laft, which require riper judgment, and are more immediate- ly connected with the main bufinefs of life. In the mean time, it ispropofed that they fhall never drop their acquaintance with the clajftc Sages, They are every day called to converfe with fome one of the ancients, who, at the fame time that he charms with all the beauties of language, is generally illuftrating that particular branch of philofophy or fcience, to which the other hours of the day are devoted. Thus, by continually draw- ing fomething from the mod admired mailers of fentiment and expreffion, the tafle of youth will be gradually formed, to jull: Criticifm, and mafterly Compofition. For this reafon, Compofition, in the ftridb Meaning of the term, cannot well be begun at ah earlier period than is propofed in the plan. The knowlege of Mathematics is not more necefiary, as an introduction to natural philofophy, than an acquaintance with the beft ancient arid miOdern writers, efpecially the Critics, is to juft Ccmpoficl- 0^2 on 228 A P P E N D t X II. oni and, befidcs this, die topics or materials are to be fupplicd, in a good meafure, trom Moral and Natural* Philofophy. Thus, it is hoped, the ftudent may be led thro* a fcale of eafy afcent, till finally rendered capable of Thinking, Writing and Acting well; which are the grand objects of a liberal education. — At the end of every term, fomc time is allowed for Recreation, or bringing up flower Geniufes. Perhaps, after all, fome who fee this plan, may think three years too icanty a period for its execution •, and, undoubtedly, a period fomewhat longer would be better. But it is found, nevcr- thelefs, that the time is fufficient for a middling genius, with ordinary application •, and where both genius and application are wanting, no time ■will be found fufficient. Difference of circumflances is always to be regarded In our American Colonies very few youth can be detained for a long period at infant unendowed colleges, where they muft wholly maintain themfjlves at a confiderable expence, and where their genius feems not only to be fooner ripe, but where there is alio a mo?e immediate demand, and a more eafy fetdement to be ob- tained, in all the ways of genteel employment, for Young Men of Parts, than there is in Euro- pean Countries. Befides this, clofe fludy for ten xnonths of the year is here required. See Difcourfe v. The A P P E N D I X If. ?29 The Whole in one VIEW. Schools. Maflers. r Three Philofopliy Schools. The ProvoO and Viceprovofl CoIV'-e \ ^ . C-, 1 C The Prok-lTor of Languages, a - ' ° S Latin and Creek Schopls. ^ Tutors, aWriting-maftcr,&c, (Students and Scholars in this part about — — — 95 C The Froleflbr of Englilh and Acade- fEnsl^^'^ School, -^ Oratory, with one A fTiftant. niy. J School for pra£lical Branches of 5 The Profcflbr of Mathema- ) Matl'.ematics. Z tics. (_. Scholars in this part about -r- — — — 60 r School for Ciiarity Boys, One Mafter and one Afliftant Ch '.nty \ c^^j^^^i tor Chi;rity Giils. One Miftrefs ^^^^''^'^•C Scholars in this Part— — — . — — — IIJ In all, z68 Thus we fee that this Inftitution Is placed on a moll enlarged bottom, being one great Collec- tion of Schools, undc^r a general government ; in which all the branches and fpecics of education are carried en that can be conceived neceflary for any community, whether in the learned Profejfions.y in'Merchand/fe, m the mecharJc Arts^ or inferior callings. It may, therefore, be proper now to give a fhort flcetch of thofe methods, by whicl> difciplinc and good order are preferved, among fuch a variety of fchools, fludents, and fcholars. The chief power is, by Charter, lodged in twenty four Truftees, who mud all be refidents not only within the province, but within five miles of the City. .Ul matters of higher im- port are to be decided by their council and di- redlion \ and all La,ws are either to be made by them, or receive a final fandlion from them. Nq ftudent Can receive the honors and, ordinary de- grees of the college, without a previous exami- nation in their prefence, and a Mandate under their privy fcal and the hands of a majority gf 0^3 th;?m. 230 A P P E N D I X II. them. Nor can even an honorary Degree be con- ferred without a like Mandate, under the laid privy -fcal and the hands of at leaft two thirds of the whole body ^ which regulations mud alv/ays be a means of preventing a proftitution of thole degrees and honors to the Illiterate and lindefcrv- ing, which (liould be the r>^ward of real Learning and Worth. In order to do their duty as truftees more ef- feiflually, they fct apart the fecond Tuefday of every month, for vifiting and examining the fchools, converfing and advifing with the mailers, encouraging the ftudents according to their feveral tlegrecs of merit, and making fuch regidations 'as may be thought necefiary. All the fchools liave their turns of thefe vifitations ; which are truly calculated to keep up the fpirit of the infti- tution, and promote diligence, emulation and good behaviour among the icholars. Besides thefe flated meetings, their prefidenr, who is chofen annually, has a power of calling other meetings on any particular occafion. Under thefe truftecs, the principal mafters are conftituted into a Faculty, or common body, with all the powers neceifary for the ordinary government of the Ichools and good education of the youth. They are to meet, in Faailty, at ieaft once in every two weeks, and at fuch other times as the Provofl:, or fcnior member prefent, (hall think fit to call them, or any two members defire him fo to do. At thefe meetings they are to enquire into the flate of the fchools, and fee that the feveral parts of education be regularly carried on^ and the laws of the inflitution duly executed and obferved. They have alfo power to ena6l tem- porary A P P E N D I X ir. 231 porary Rules and Ordinances, to be in force as Laws, till the firft enfuing meeting of the Truf- tees ; before whom they are then to be laid in order to be altered, amended or confirmed, or left probationary for a longer period, or wholly laid afide, as they fhall think fit. By this method, all Laws either do, or may, take their rife from mailers, who being daily prefent in the inftitution know bed what regula- tions and orders may be wanted. At the fame time, as thefe regulations are to receive their lafl fanftion from the Truftees and Vifitors, who are men of experience, influence and probity, and have children of their own to educate, we may be certain that nothing can obtain the force of a Handing Law, but what is found falutary and good upon trial. By- the prefent rules,thc faculty of mafters meets every Thurfday noon, and all the fchools are affem- bled before them that they may examine the weekly roll, and call delinquents to account. As feveral youth are too big for corporal punifhment, there are fmall Fines by the Jaws agreeable to the nature of the oflfence, and the cuftom of other colleges ; yet no one need pay any fuch fine unlefs he chufes it, but may undergo the fame punifhment as if no fuch fines had ever been appointed. What- ever money is thus raifed from the flothful and refra6tory in Fines, is appropriated in Rewards to the diligent and obedient ; lb that any youth, who has once been a deUnquent, may have an oppor- tunity of getting back, by future care, what he forfeited by former negled. These Rewards and Punifhments are both adminiftred in the moft public manner j and, in 0^4 ihort. 232 APPENDIX II. fhort, the whole difciprmc is fo rcafunablc and }u([, that any youth who might define to break thro' the ruler, of this inllitution in his younger years, can hardly be expected to fubmit even to the rules of Society itfelf, when grown up. As to the plan of education, it has been the fiuit of much thought. Great care has been taken to comiprehcnd every ufeful branch in it, without being burdenfom, or launching into thofe that are unneceffary. The principal maflers are men of known abi- Hties, who have given many fpecimens of their fKill, in thofe particular parts of literature whicii they feverally profefs. Nor is it any objedtion, but rather an advantage, particularly to the youth intended for bufincfs and public life, that the building is within the city. By good rules and good example, the Morals of youth may be. as eafily preferved, in a great and well-policied city, as in a fmall village ; if we can fuppofe, any place to continue fmall where fuch a feminary is once founded. When 1 fpeak fo, I would be underftood to mean, when the youth all lodge in, the houks of their parents, or in lodgings within the walls of the college -, which the truftees by their iirft plan propofed to cre6l, and will douhtlefs accomplifh whenever their funds will permit. ' In this inuirution, there is a very noble Appa- r.ltus fc5r ex[)crimcnts in Natural Philofophy, done in England by the bell hands, and brought over froni thence, in different parcels, at a very great cxpence. There is alfo, in the experiment room, an Eledrical Apparatus, the property of one of the profcflbrs, chiefly his own invention, and perhaps APPENDIX II. ^33 perh^ips the completeft of the kind, now in the world. This is a faithful, tho' brief, account of the whole feminary ; and what a bleffing mud it prove to the continent of America in general, as well as to the province in which it is founded ? What advantages may not the youth reap, amid fo many opportunities of improvement, and fo many incitements to indudry -, where the mafters tranf- a6l every thing by joint advice ; where all pofTible regard to religion and morality is kept up, and the whole open to the vifitation and frequent in- fpedion of a number of gentlemen of rank and chara6ler ? May there never be wanting a fuccefTion of fuch gentlemen to take the truft and care of it ; and may it continue, to the lateft times, as a fhin- ing light to the Vv'orld around it I APPENDIX ( 235 ) APPENDIX III. A Philosophical * Meditation, and Religious Address to theSu- PREME Being. Preparatory Address. O! Eternal fource of Life, Light and Love ; that permitted thy reafonable crea- tures to open their fouls to Thy divine influence by prayer ! compofe my thoughts, raife my affec- tions ; and grant that I may approach Thy aw- ful prefence, with a humble fenfe of my own in- digence, * This piece was firft compofed for the ufe of young Students in Philofophy, and publifhed in London 1754, ^^ the end of a book of Ethics, written by the Rev. Dr. Sa- muel johnfon, prefident of the college of New York ; and the defign of it was explained as follows " I he author having been entrufted with the publi- cation of thefe Ethics was of opinion, that a Meditation and Addrefs on this model, which might be a fummary reca- pitulation of the work, and alfo contain Petitions for the divine aid in difcharging the duties difcovered and laid down in it, would be of great ufe to the young ftudent.'* ** Hence this Compofition confifts of the fame parts with the treatife itfelf, viz. ** Firft, The Speculative truths relating to God, which make the Addrefs and Acknovvlegement of him; and the Speculative truths relating to ourfelves, which make the Confeffion. *' Secondly, The Praftical duties that refult from thefe truths, which are Moral, Divine and Social. Petitions for grace to difcharge thefe aright make the Petitory parts. "The ^36 APPENDIX in. digence, and v^ith worthy apprehenfions of Thy all-iuHiciency. As Thou halt given me the means of knowing, in fome degree, the relations which I fuftain, and haft alfo given me reaibn to deduce from thence my various duties j permit me to i\y to Thine ahnighty grace and aid, to enable me to put thefe duties in pradlice : For, without this, I know how infufHcient I am, by my own natural ftrength, to do any thing that is truly iicceptable to Thee. ^be fpeculathe ^art of Chr.Jlian Philofcpby. I. In the courfe of my refearches, v/hat firfl of all appears to me is — that Thou \ ^T^'^Pt ^^^ ^^^^^ everlafting to everlafting, trcod.^^ completely happy in Thyfelf, perfect in Goodnefs, Power and Wifdom. Thy Goodnefs fpoke creation into birth, with no other view but to communicate to finite na- tures, from that unbounded ocean that flows for ever undiminiflied round thy throne, the greatcil pofTible fum of Happinefs that fuch natures can pofTibly fliare I Thy Power governs Thy univer- fal family of heaven and earth as beft fuits tlie ends of their various natures, and Thy gracious defigns towards them ! And Thy WifJom {6 conduuls the eternal fcheme, that, however ic *' Tlic author, however, does not ofter this as a com* plctcform. For Intcrceflion, Thanklgiving, and romc other parts of prayer, could noothcrwife make a part on this plan, ihan by pciiticning for the regular diichargc of them, con- fidered as duties." Having explained the firft intention of this piece, the author is now willing to prefer vc it in a colledlion of his own ; hoping that the fame candor, which he will Hand in need of for the other parts of the prefent work, wjH Jfu/licc for this. may APPENDIX III. ±n may now appear to Thy fhort-fighted creatures j it will at lall unfold itfclf in a perfedt confiftenc whole, whole invariable objedl has all along been the greateil good of Thy whole family ; and thus open a new fcene to make them for ever happy in the contemplation of fuch boundlefs love and perfe(flion. Thoi7 liaft portioned out thy gifts and favours in various degrees am.ong thy creatures. To * me Thou haft given the noble Faculties of rcafon and underftanding. '' Thou haL made me but a little lower than the angels, and crowned m.e with glory, honour and immortality." Thou tookeft me from the w^omb, and haft tenderly preferved and provided lor me to this very moment. Thy unwearied patience has born with all my fail- ings, and Thy overflowing love has even loaded me with undelerved favours and advantages BtjT what language can fpeak Thee as Thou art ? Thy goodnefs towards me rifes far above all expreiTion, far above all thought. When I had ft rayed from Thee and was funk in ignorance^ thou thyfclf vouchfafed to fpeak to me, rifing up early and fpeaking. Thou didft alfo fend thy fervants the prophets, rifing up early and fending them. Laft of all thou fenteft the Son of Thy bofom with his holy apoftles, to fave me from merited deftru6lion \ to reftore my ruined nature ; to inftrudl me in my duty, and guide me to end- lefs reft. " How precious are Thy thoughts unto me, O my God ! How great is the lum of them ! if 1 fhould count them, they are more ia number than the fand !''■ " * Me, in the firrt pcifon, is here put for the human fpecies. 2. AlI^ 2SS APPENDIX III. 2. All this, O heavenly Father, I know Thou art ; and all this I know Thou haft • I* '^r"^!^ ^^"^ ^^^ ^^ '• ^"^ when I enquire, in to^man.^ ^^ ^^^ "^^^ place, what I myfeh" am, and what I have done in return ; alas ! my confcience tells me that I have not always confi- dered and acknowlcged Thee as being what Thou art. I have often counterworked 1 hy gracious purpofes towards me, and finned againft Thy holy and equitable lavv's. Forgetting my high preheminence of birth, I have often perve/iely a- bufed, or ungratefully negk6ted the proper ufe of, thofe noble powers with which Thou haft crowned my nature. " My iniquities have takc-n hold of me fo that I cannot look up. They afc more in number than tiie hairs of my head ; therefore my heart faileth me." Yet flill, wheri I refledt on Thy paternal love, my hope is in Thy mercy, through the Redeemer, that '' Thou wilt hide Thy face from my fms, and blot out all my tranfgrefilons." In this facred hope, I humbly proftrate myfelf before Thee, fincerely confeiTing my repeated trefpafles, earneftly imploring Thy forgivcnefs of them, and ftedfaftly purpofing, as far as in me lies, to amend my future condudl Look down then, O Tiiou Firfl 'and Bed of Beings ! From eternal fplendors and glories unutterable, look down with compalTion on a fmful, but penitent, creature humbled in duft ! F^or 1 hy dear fon Jellis Chrift's fake, fave me from the confequences of mine iniquities. Par- don what is paft, and vouch fafe me the aid of Thy holy fpirit to lead me thro' all future trials in APPENDIX III. 239 in the fteady exercife of thofe virtues, Moral, Divine and Social, which in the courfe of my re- fearches, affifted by Thy Spirit and Revealed will, I have difcovered to be my Duties, towards My- felf, towards Thee, and towards my Fellow-Crea- tures. The Framed Tart of Chrijiian Philofopby, I. With regard to Myfdf, may I, for the fu- ture, pradife the great virtue of Tem- perance, and preferve my body chafte, ^* P^titionj as the ternple of the Holy Ghoft. ["^'o?;": May 1 dilcipline my Pamons and re- vate Moral gulate my Affedions aright, that fo I Duties, re- may never be fubjefted to inordinate ^F<^ngone'« defires and violent commotions of Soul ; but pafs my time in Tranquility, Sobrie- ty, Frugality and fnduflry. But may I always remember that my care is to reach beyond my body to my better part. Hence, may I ftrive, above all things, to improve the divine faculties of Reafon and Underftanding ; employing them, according to Thy defign, as the means of fearching and knowing the truth, and conducling myll'lf towards my true happi- nefs. And whatever acquifitions of knowlege I may through Thy aid attain, may I never be puffed up ; but refer all to Thee, and in all my refearches be felf-diifident, from a fenfe of the ex- treme fc.mtinefs of the highell human Attain^ ments. Yet, U my God ! while in the purfuit of true, knowlege, 1 abftain from finful pride, on the one hand-, may I alio, on the other, abftain from a narrow defpondent undervaluing of thofe powers which 240 APPENDIX III; which thou haft given mc, even in their [)icllntiirir paired flatc. For, though th.cy are not the highell in the fcale of being, neither arc they the lovveft -, but arc, indeed, noble when confidercd in their proper place, and with regard to their proper end. There is fomething grand and augult even in the prefent (late of human nature, which fpeaks its Ahnighty Author -, and thofe muft grovel beneath their native deftination, without exerting their flrength, or afpiring at any thing that is ge- nerous, elevated or greatly good, who iiave not a juft fenfe of this grandeur — iVlay I have a juft fcnfe of it, and reverence my nature ! May I confider myfelf as Thy image, and flrive to a6c up to my dignity in the humble imitation of thy divine perfedtions. To difpofe me to do this, may I look deeply into myfelf, and frequently em|)loy my thoiiglns at home. May I attentively liden to the (1:11 voice of a well informed conlcience, v/hich is ti^y vice-gerent within me. ^^'hat it v/arns me not to do, may I ever feduloufly tly from, however dear-, and what it dictates to be done, n^ay I ever refolutely atchieve, however hard ! 2. W J T II regard to Thee, O my God ! may I make it the chief aim of my life to ^- ^ ^^I'" dircharj::!;c the Di.tics of Piety and tions for tJie r\n-r at t i 'i praaice of g^'^itcful Praile. May I always acknow- thc Dmuc lege Thee to be, v/hat I'hou art, the Duties, re- fovcreign objCcSt ot all Love; for fure- fpcaingGod. jy jj^^j.^ -^ nothing that can fatisfy the human foul hut thee. When I flrayfom the love of thee, .1 find within n:yft.lf a frightful void, and nought of folid haprincfs to fill ]t up. .-Ul APPENDIX III. 241 All my powers are diffipated with falfe hopes and falfe fears •, nor can I fupport the lingering tor- ment of focieiy with myfelf. But when I return to Thee, fighing and thirfting after Thy divine fellowfhip, my foul is abundantly fatisfied, and filled with inborn tranquility and Joy in the Holy Ghoft. Nought can difturb its peace, while it feels Thy prefence, exults in Thy favour, and, in all things, quietly refigns to thee, who art in- finitely Wife to contrive. Good to incline Thee, and powerful to execute what is beft for me in the whole ■. — O, THEN ! may I always love and obey Thee, without the leaft murmuring or diftruft j and con- fider whatever befals me now, as meant to difci- pline and prepare me for future happinefs. May I bear every thing with Contentment, Fortitude and Equanimity •, neither too much elated or de- jedled at any thing which this fcene can give or take away, fince 1 am not qualified to judge of the tendency of things in the whole. Give me a lively faith in thy promifes, and fave me from all irreligion and profanation of thy holy name ; for thou art the all-feeing Governor and tremendous Judge of the world, and wilt not hold them guiltlefs who profane or negledt the awful reverence of thy glorious attributes — May I never negledt it, and never forget the worfhip and grateful praifes which are due to Thee, both in private and public j for I can never be without a prompter ! All thy works, with unceafing voice, eccho forth thy wondrous praifes. The fplendid fun, with the unnumbered orbs of heaven, thro' the pathlefs void, repeat their unwearied circuits, R tha; 24r APPENDIX III. that, to the uttcrmoft bounds of the univerfe,. they may procLiim I htre tiic iburce ot julleil or- der anvl unabating liarmony. This earth rolls round the various iealons of the year, that, in ail her changes and appearances, The may Ipeak thee the original of all beauty; and every creature that lives thereon feems to rejoice in i:s Puite and be happy, that it may pronounce Thee the parent of all wiidom and goodneis ! S H.A L L I then, v.'ho am favored above them all with reafon and voice articulate, mar the orand Chorus ? S!^all I be the only peevifh firing in the tunetul inflrumcnt ? — OIi no! — lave rae. Thou Sovereign Power ! Thou Univerfal Good ! fave me from fuch a perverfe ungrateful condu(5l. Let not i!vle, ^;Ie alone, here io high- ly endowed, wander as if d?af, blind and dumb, in the midft of Thy applauding works ; but may I walk forth with the m'jrning iun and under the evening fky, while my fcrling !bul attends, and my confenting heart beats uniibn, to the voice of nature •, for the fame is thy voice founding aloud in the ears of the wife. Thus may I go on. my '^^ay through life, cor- n'fponcling with the general harmony, and praif- ing thee for all things— for my rtafonable being, fur my prefervation ; and above all for the light of thy gofptl, and my redemption through Chrift Jefus. I'liis is that aftonilhing plan by which thou haft reconciled Jullice with Mercy •, and while all fupcrior blinds, inhabiting wide through nature, make every fphere vocal in praifes to thee fur it, let not Mc, Me for whom the won- derful work, was v/rou^ht, be tiie only re.ilonablc creaturcjthat is iileiit about it, ana uiat perceives nothing APPENDIX III. 243 nothing grand or augufl: in it. Sooner let me forget to breathe, than forget to extol thee for it. May I mingle in frequent worfhip with the hofts of Heaven, and fwell their univerfal anthem, adoring its depth, adoring its fublimity, adoring its riches ; while oft my raptured heart breaks forth in drains like thefe *' Bless Jehovah, O my foul, and all that is within me blefs his holy name ! Blcfs Jehovah, O my foul, and forget not all his benefits ; who forgives all thine iniquities, and heals all thine inhrmities; who redeems thy life from deftruclion, and crowns thee with loving kindnefs and tender mercies. For ever blefs Jehovah, O my foul ; His name is excellent in all the Earth ; His glory is far above the Heavens." He, only He, is worthy to be celebrated with eternal praifes ! 3. With regard to others, teach 3- Petition me an unbounded Love and Benigni- ^?^ the prac- ty of heart. Save me from that mean- cocia° Du- eft of all vices, a felfifh unfeeling foul, ties, lefpec- coiled up within its own narrow Orb. ting others. May I confider myfelf as related to that univer- fal republic of being, whofe common parent thou art ; and, in a particular manner, feel for all my own fpecies; weeping the lovely tear of fympa- thy with thofe that weep ; and mingling the ge- nerous joys of congratulation with thofe that joy. May I confider each individual in this world ns having his Infirmities and wants ; and let this tlifpofe me tenderly to bear with all, and be ever ready to alleviate the burdens of my fellow ex- iles, in our common journey to the land of pro- mifc. 244 APPENDIX III. mile. May it be ever prefent in my thoughts, how many more deferving than me mourn around in " deep retired diftrefs," and drink the bitter draught of mifery, while I abound and am glad ; and may this confideration induce me to do gocd, and communicate to the utmofl: of my power, left in the day of final retribution they fhould be comforted, while I am doomed to forrow in my turn. But, when I have done all in my power to re- lieve others, let me not think that 1 have acquit- ted myfclf of all my duty towards them. May I alfo afllft them with my advice, and intercede for them in my prayers, that thou wouldft grant them refignation and patience, till, confident with the generous purpofes of thy moral govern- ment, thou fhalt be pleafed to put an end to their troubles. May it be the chief triumph of my foul to fee the world holy as well as happy -, and efpecially to fee the Society, to which I more immediately be- long, a holy and happy one ; eftablifhed upon the evcrlafting foundation of Truth, Righteouf- nefs and Peace. For this caufe, having firft warmed my own heart with thy love, and latisfi- ed myfclf of thy eternal goodnefs, as I now have done, may my benevolence prompt me to lead as many of my fellow- creatures, as I can, to the i'ame temper i driving to make Thee more adored, and them more in love with one another. But may no mifguided zeal, or difference of fenti- ment, induce me to the leall breach of charity ; much lefs to the Pcrfecution of others ; efpecial- ly thoie v.ho profefs the fame general faith, and with APPENDIX TTf; 245 with whom I Ihould live as with brethren, heirs of the fame common lalvation. I N general, fave me, O my God, from all Violence, Cruelty, H aid- hearted nefs. Slander, Covetoufnefs, Deceit, Infidelity, Morcfenefs, bif- obedience, and every Unfocial difpofition. May the fovereign Love of Juftice, my Country and Mankind, regulate all my Social Condudl, and infpire me with all noble fentiments and heroic virtues. Let me give every man his Due, and do to him, as I wifh to be done to by others. To my Inferiors, kt me be conde fee nding, affable and kind; to my Equals refpedful, mild and engaging; to my Superiors, fubmilfive, dutiful and obedient ; to my Enemies forbearing, placable and forgiving ; to my Friends, affectionate, fm- cere and faithful ; and, in a word, to All Man- kind, humane, juil and amiably courteous, from that inward fweetnefs and benignity of foul, which are the Elder-born of Charity. The CONCLUSION. And now, my God 1 grant for Ch rift's fake, that I at leafl: may fpend my time in the faithful difcharge of all thefe my duties, and whatever elfe may be fo. And having thus done all the Good in my power, throughout the whole courfe of my continuance in this world •, having endea- voured to improve my better part in all virtuous habits and ufeful knowlege in this life, to capaci- tate myfelf for happinefs in the next, may I calmly and decently take my Departure from this prefent ftagej nor let me, when I have endea- S voured 1246 APPENDIX III. voured to a6l up to my charadler in every former fcene, flag under the laft. Let me rather, O God ! confront the king of terrors with Chriftian refokition, in the hopes of being placed with the righteous at Thy fon's right-hand, in that terrible day, when He fhall come in all His glory to judge the world ; and in the hof>es of returning with him thro' the gates of the new Jerufalem, amidft the fhouts and congratulations of all the hofts of heaven, with them to celebrate the praifes of the Godhead in that endlefs ftate of unmixed joy, which is to be the confummation of virtue and happinefs ! That this may be my blefled ftate, I beg thro* the merits and mediation of the fame Jefus Chrift, who has taught me to fum up my imper- feft Petitions, by faying •— Our Father, i^c. F I N I S, ERRATA. PAGE 1 8. at bottom j for Galat. read Ephef. &c. p. 25. ]. 21. for on. r. in. p. 33. I. 20. for wilt thou r. thou wilt. p. 38. !• 2,/or thofe r. the. p. 83. 1. 18. r. heathen, p. 150. 1. 18, 19, r. diftin(5lly. p. 2x0. 1. 6. M and fafety.