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DISCOURSES 
 
 O N 
 
 PUBLIC OCCASIONS 
 
 I N 
 
 AMERICA. 
 
 By WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. 
 
 Provofl of the College and Academy of Philadelphia. 
 
 The SECOND EDITION. 
 
 CONTAINING, 
 
 I. Sundry DIfcourfes during the Ra- 
 vages of the FRENCH and IN- 
 DiAj, r s> preached with a View 
 to the explaining the Importance of 
 thePROTZSTANT CAUSE in the 
 Britifh Colonies, and promoting 
 a general Zeal for their Defence. 
 
 II. A Thankfgiving-Difcourfe from 
 Exod. xv. i. on the Reduction of 
 Louifbourg, and Succefe of the 
 Campaign 1758. 
 
 III. *A Difcomfe in two Parts, from 
 Pf. ii. 8. concerning the Gon- 
 verfion of the HEATHEN- 
 
 AMERICANS, and final Propa- 
 gation of CHRISTIANITY and 
 the SCIENCES to the Ends of the 
 Earth. Part I. Preached before a 
 voluntary Convention of Epifcopal 
 Clergy at Philadelphia, May ari, 
 Jjdo. Part II. Preached at the 
 firrt anniversary Commencement 
 in the College there. 
 
 IV. *A Difcourfe from i Kings, 
 viii. 13, 27, 57, 60. at the Open- 
 ing of St. PETER'S CHURCH, 
 Philadelphia, Sept. 4th, 1761. 
 
 V. Two FUNERAL DISCOURSES. 
 
 With an APPENDIX, containing, 
 I. * A LETTER to a Clergyman on 
 the Frontiers of Pennfylvania, on 
 Braddock's Defeat ; foncerning 
 
 the Duty cf Proteftant Minifters in 
 Times of Public Danger. 
 
 II. J^n Addrefs to the Colonies, on 
 opening the Campaign, 1758. 
 
 III. *A GENERAL IDEA of the 
 College of Mi RANI A, and the 
 Method of teaching Religion and 
 
 Science therein ; firft publi/ned as 
 a plan fora College in New-York, 
 in the Year 1753. 
 
 IV. An Account of the College and 
 Academy of Philadelphia. 
 
 V. A CHARGE to the firft Graduates 
 in the faid College. 
 
 VI. A Philofophical Meditation and 
 Addrefs to the Supreme Being. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for A. MILLAR, R. GRIFFITHS, and 
 D. WILSON, in the Strand ; and G. KEITH, in 
 Gracechurch-Street. M. DCC. LXII. 
 
N. B. The Difcourfes and Eflays that are marked 
 with an Afterifk, in the foregoing Title Page, 
 and alfo one of the Funeral Difcourfes, were not 
 in the FIRST EDITION, and are to be had fepa- 
 rately. 
 
To THE HONOURABLE 
 
 THOMAS PENN 
 
 AND 
 
 RICHARD PENN, Efqrs. 
 
 True and abfolute PROPRIETORS * of 
 the Province of Pennfylvania ; and 
 Counties of Newcaftle, Kent and 
 Suflex, on Delaware, in America. 
 
 HONOURED GENTLEMEN, 
 
 THE following DISCOURSES, and moft 
 of the Pieces in the APPENDIX, hav- 
 ing been originally compofed and published 
 in that Province wherewith you are fo clofe- 
 ly connefted, with a view to promote its 
 beft interefts in the moft difficult times ; 
 you will permit me to prefix your names 
 to the prefent collection of them, and 
 humbly to acknowlcge that kind coun- 
 
 * By Rqyal Charter, fo made and conftituted. 
 
 A % tenance 
 
 456 
 
DEDICATION. 
 
 tenance which I have always found you 
 ready to beftow upon every defign for the 
 good of the people there, and particular- 
 ly your extraordinary munificence to that 
 truly ufeful and extenfive Seminary of 
 Learning, over which I have the honour 
 to prefide. 
 
 To bear this juft teftimony, as far as any 
 thing of mine tan have a chance to be re- 
 membered, being the main defign of this 
 addrefs ; and knowing how difagreeable 
 the too common language of DEDICA- 
 TIONS would be to you if it could pof- 
 fibly find a place here I fhall only beg 
 leave to fubfcrribe myfelf, with all grati- 
 tude and refpeft, 
 
 Honoured Gentlemen, 
 Your moft obedient, 
 And moft obliged 
 Humble fervant, 
 
 WILLIAM SMITH. 
 
( v) 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 TH E kind reception which thefe DIS- 
 COURSES and ESSAYS have met with, 
 as well in their original detached ftate, as in 
 the former joint Edition of them, having in 
 fome degree relieved the Author from the 
 anxiety which was at firft natural on their 
 account* he fhall not now detain the Reader 
 with a long Preface. 
 
 HE flatters himfelf, it will be allowed 
 that neither the fondnefs of commencing 
 Author, nor any vain confidence of fuperior 
 talents, could have given birth to the prefent 
 work, fince every thing contained in it will 
 appear to be occafional^ arifing either imme- 
 diately from Calls of Office, or from other 
 Public Calls, which could neither be flighted 
 nor fuflfered to pafs without Improvement. 
 
 SUNDRY of the Difcourfes, as well as Ef- 
 fays, were written and publifhed by defire,. 
 in fome of the moft difficult and perilous 
 times which the Britifh Colonies ever ex- 
 perienced ; with a view, in the Autho r r, to fet 
 forth, according to his beft abilities, the im~ 
 A 3 menfe 
 
( vi ) 
 
 menle value of the Bleflings arifing from the 
 enjoyment of the PROTESTANT RELIGION 
 and CIVIL LIBERTY, and to inipire a be- 
 coming Zeal for their Defence. 
 
 THE Remainder (excepting the two * 
 FUNERAL DISCOURSES, and that which 
 was delivered at the opening of ST. PE- 
 TER'S-CHURCH) confifts chiefly of fuch 
 things as the Author hath had occafion to 
 publilh, in the Difcharge of his office as 
 Head of a feminary oflearning; in order to 
 advance the interefts of SCIENCE > and there- 
 with the interefts of true CHRISTIANITY, 
 in the remote Parts of the earth. 
 
 SUCH being the topics here handled, the 
 Author entered upon them with his whole 
 Spirit and Zeal; and provided that this Zeal 
 fhall be found " according to Knowlege," 
 and tempered with Judgment, he thinks he 
 never can have reafon to be forry for hav- 
 ing employed part of his beft days, on fome 
 of the moft interesting fubjefts, that can 
 
 * It was intended to have printed thefe two Difcourfss 
 next to one another; but as the Additional Part of this vo- 
 lume was to be done off Separately, it was neceflary to leave 
 all theDifcourfesasthey flood in order of time, which has no 
 other inconvenience, but that one of the Funeral Difcourfes 
 jlands before thofe that relate to the war,, all of which fol- 
 hnv in cue order. 
 
 poffibly 
 
(vii) 
 
 pofiibly claim the attention of young and 
 rifing Colonies. 
 
 To recognize the glorious plan of pub- 
 lic Liberty and Happinefs, which we are 
 there called to inherit as defcended from 
 the illuftrious ftock of BRITONS; to fet 
 forth the Importance of the PROTESTANT 
 CAUSE in the immenfe regions of AMERICA, 
 and the great things which the kind Provi- 
 dence of GOD feems there to have in view 
 through us ; to promote the good Education 
 of Youth, and the eftabliihing fuch founda- 
 tions of ufeful literature, as fhall not only 
 be a means of cultivating Divine Knowlege 
 among ourfelves, but alib of extending its fa- 
 ered influence to others, and bringing the 
 barbarous nations around us, within the pale 
 of Religion and civil Life 3 thefe areDefigns, 
 upon which (if laboured in with fincerity) 
 a good man needs not fear to reft his character 
 both as a Chriftian, and a member of Society, 
 Defigns, which at all times would be im- 
 portant, but are more efpecially fo, when 
 Dangers prefs, when Violence is abroad up- 
 on the earth, when Popi(h and Savage Foes 
 have combined againft us, and when it be- 
 hoves every Head to confult, every Hand 
 A 4 to 
 
'( tiii ) 
 
 to a<5t, and every Bofom to be animated, fo* 
 the Public Safety. 
 
 IT may, indeed, be granted that there is, 
 perhaps, no part of his Majefty's dominions 
 where the ineftimable Bleffiings of Liberty 
 and a pure Religion are better underftood, 
 or more fully prized, than among men of 
 rank and character in America, who have 
 had due opportunities of improvement. But 
 thefe are only a few compared to the body 
 of the people, who live in a difperfed and 
 retired itate, and are dill too much without 
 the above advantages. Neverthelefs, that 
 they alfo (hould be poffeffed with fome juft 
 notions on this head, is a matter of the very 
 higheft importance to the future fafety and 
 profperity of the Britifh Colonies. 
 
 WE are there on a very different footing 
 from that of the mother-country here. Both 
 we and our enemies are an increafing mul- 
 titude of people, continually approaching 
 each other in our frontier-fettlements, and 
 having no furrounding ocean* or impafiible 
 barrier, to divide between us. 
 
 NOTHING, therefore, but a high and com- 
 manding fenfe.of the great difference be- 
 tween our Religion and theirs, between Li- 
 berty and Slavery, kept alive and propagated 
 
 on ( 
 
on our part, can ever preferve us a feparate 
 people from them, or render us Brave by 
 principle. When once the fenfe of this dif- 
 ference is loft, or ceafes to have its influ- 
 ence on the condudt, all fecondary confider- 
 ations will lend but a feeble aid. When once 
 we begin to confider our vaft AMERICAN 
 SETTLEMENTS, as given to us merely for ad- 
 vancing our fecular interefts, and not for en- 
 larging the fphere of Proteftantifm and Hu- 
 manity ; we may have reafon to fear that 
 the good Providence of GOD would leave 
 us to ourfelves, and raife up worthier in- 
 ftruments for accompli thing its own eternal 
 purpofes of love towards thofe fo long be- 
 nighted and forlorn regions. 
 
 THIS is truly an interefting confideration 
 to us ; and if ever more than ordinary 
 warmth be allowable, it is when fuch fub- 
 jedls as thefe come more particularly before 
 us. It is on thofe folemn days, when the 
 interefts of a whole country, and the ways 
 of Providence concerning it, are to be ftated 
 and fet forth ; and every individual in it 
 ftrongly animated " to play the man for the 
 " people and cities of his GOD." 
 
 IN a letter to a Clergyman on the frontiers 
 of Pennfylvania, on General Braddock's de- 
 feat, 
 
(* ) 
 
 feat, before any more than two of the fol- 
 lowing difeourfes were written, the author 
 had fo fully delivered his fentimcnts con- 
 cerning the duty of Proteftant Minifters in 
 times of public danger, the fubjects chieffy 
 to be handled by them, and the zeal proper 
 on fuch occafions, that when it became his 
 own turn to handle the like fubjects in the 
 like emergencies, he could not but ftrive to 
 come as near as poflible to the rule he had 
 before propofed ; and therefore he begs leave 
 to refer the Reader to the faid Letter (as 
 contained in Appendix I.) for what may be 
 further neceffary by way of Preface to fuch 
 of thefe Difeourfes as relate to the War. 
 
 BUT he would not hereby be underftood 
 as offering to excufe any faults that may be 
 found in them, or any other part of this work. 
 All he would fay is, that he hopes the Oc- 
 cafion will generally juftify the manner 5 
 that he has always endeavoured to fuit his 
 language to his fubjeft, and thinks he has 
 no where oitered to addrefs the Paffions 
 without firft ftriving to convince the Judg- 
 ment. As for the reft, he has already expe- 
 rienced the kind indulgence of the public, 
 and would not now doubt of its continuance. 
 
 THE 
 
THE 
 
 C O N T E N T S. 
 
 DISCOURSE I, Page r. 
 
 PERSONAL Affliction and frequent Re- 
 fle&ion upon human life, of great ufe to 
 lead MAN to the REMEMBRANCE of GOD. 
 Preached in Chrift-Church, Philadelphia; Sep- 
 tember i, 1754. On the death of a beloved 
 Pupil, from 
 
 PSALM xlii. 6. 
 
 my Gcd! my foul is caft down within we> there- 
 fore will 1 remember thee. 
 
 DISCOURSE II. Page 27. 
 
 An earned exhortation to Religion, Brotherly- 
 love and Public-fpirit, in the prefent danger- 
 ous ftate of affairs. Preached in Chrift- 
 Church, Philadelphia, June 24, 1755* from 
 
 i PET. ii. 17. 
 Love (be brotherhood, fear God- 9 honour the King. 
 
 DIS- 
 
( xii ) 
 
 * 
 
 DISCOURSE III. Page 47. 
 
 Hardnefs of heart and neglect of GOD'S merci- 
 ful vifitations, the certain fore-runners of more 
 public miferies; applied to the Colonies, in 
 a parallel between their ftate and that of the 
 Jews, in many remarkable inflances. Preached 
 on the public Fad appointed by the Govern- 
 ment of Pennfylvania, May 21, 1 756, from 
 
 JEREMIAH viii. 7, 8, 9, 10, u. 
 
 Tea the ftofk in the Heaven knoweth her appointed 
 times i and the turtle and the crane and fw allow 
 obferve the time of their coming , but my people 
 know not the judgment of the Lord, &c. 
 
 DISCOURSE IV. Page 75. 
 
 The Chriftian Soldier's duty ; the Jawfulnefs 
 and dignity of his office , and the importance 
 of the Proteftant Caufe in the Britifh colonies. 
 Preached in Chrift- Church, Philadelphia, 
 April 5, 1757; at the defire of GENERAL 
 STANWIX, to the forces under his command, 
 before their march to the frontiers. With a 
 PRAYER. From 
 
 LUKE iiu 14. 
 
 And the Soldiers demanded of him likewife, faying 
 
 Mafter* and what Jball we do ? He faid 
 
 unto them, ,Do Violence to no man> neither ac- 
 ufe any falfely, and be content with your wages. 
 4 DIS- 
 
( xiii ) 
 
 DISCOURSE V. Page 103. 
 
 The duty of praifmg God for fignal mercies and 
 deliverances. Preached September 17, 1758, 
 on the remarkable fuccefs of his Majefty's 
 arms in America, during that Campaign 5 
 from 
 
 EXOD. xv. i: 
 
 / will Jmg unto the Lord> for he hath triumphed 
 
 glorioujly. 
 
 DISCOURSE VI. Page 117: 
 
 Concerning the Converfion of HEATHEN-AME- 
 RICANS i and the final Propagation of CHRIS- 
 TIANITY and the SCIENCES to the Ends of 
 the Earth. In Two PARTS. 
 
 Part L Preached before a voluntary CON- 
 VENTION of EPISCOPAL Clergy, inChrift- 
 Church, Philadelphia, May 2, 1760. 
 
 Part II. Preached before the Truftees, Maf- 
 ters and Scholars, at the firft Anniverfary 
 Commencement, in the College there; 
 from 
 
 .. PSALM ii. 8. 
 
 AJk ofme, and I Jh all give thee the HEATHEN for 
 thine inheritance, ard the utter mo ft farts of the 
 jtarth for thy fo/efficn. 
 
 PIS- 
 
 
DISCOURSE VII. Page 167. 
 
 The great duty of PUBLIC WORSHIP, and of 
 ere6ting and SETTING APART proper places 
 for that purpofe. Preached in ST. PETER'S 
 Church, Philadelphia, September 4, 1761,' 
 being the day appointed for the firft perform- 
 ance of divine worfhip in the faid Church: 
 . With an account of the whole Service ufed on 
 that Occafion j from 
 
 i KINGS viii. 13, 27, 57, 60. 
 
 / have furely built thee an houfe to dwell in, a 
 
 fettled place for thee to abide in for ever! - 
 
 But will God indeed dwell on the earth ? Be- 
 hold the Heaven, and the Heaven of Heavens, 
 cannot contain thee ; how much lefe this houfe that 
 
 * I have buildcdt 
 
 tfhe Lord our God be with us, as he was with our 
 Fathers : let him not leave us nor for fake us.--~ 
 *hat all the 'people of the earth may know that 
 the Lord is God, and there is none elfe, 
 
 DISCOURSE VIII. Page 193. 
 
 The GOSPEL-SUMMONS ; preached January 10, 
 1762, at the FUNERAL of the Rev. ROBERT 
 JENNEY, L. L. D. Reftor of CHRIST CHURCH^ 
 Philadelphia, from - 
 
 LUKE 
 
(XV ) 
 
 LUKE xvi. 2. 
 
 Give an Account of thy Steward/hip 5 for tboti may eft. 
 be no longer Steward. 
 
 APPENDIX FIRST. 
 
 NUMBER I. Page 3. 
 
 A Letter concerning the Office and Duty of 
 PROTESTANT MINISTERS, efpecially in times 
 of publk Danger and Calamity ; written to a 
 Clergyman on the frontiers of Pennfylvania, 
 on General Brad dock's defeat. 
 
 NUMBER II. Page 21. 
 
 An earned Addrefs to the Colonies, at the open- 
 ing of the campaign 1758. Written at the 
 defire of Brigadier-General FORBES. 
 
 APPENDIX SECOND. 
 
 NUMBER I. Page 39. 
 
 A general IDEA of the COLLEGE of MIRANIA; 
 firft publifhed in the year 1753, as a plan for 
 a College in New York. 
 
 NUM- 
 
(xvi ) 
 
 NUMBER II. Page 107: 
 
 Account of the College and Academy of Phila- 
 delphia. 
 
 NUMBER III. Page 129. 
 
 f A CHARGE delivered to the GRADUATES at the 
 firft Anniverfary Commencement in the Col- 
 lege of Philadelphia. 
 
 APPENDIX THIRD. 
 
 Page 147. 
 
 A Philofophical Meditation, and Religious Ad- 
 drefs to the SUPREME BEING. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Page 12. at bottom ; for Galat. read Ephef. &c. p. 65. 
 I. 26. read heathen. 
 
 Appendix, p. 28. 1. 22. dele, and fafety ; p. 45. 1. i.for 
 thefe, read his; p. 49. 1. 4. read learned languages; p. 80. 
 for cifes, read exercifes. 
 
 DISCOURSE 
 
DISCOURSE I. 
 
 Perfonal Affliction and frequent Reflection 
 upon human Life, of great Ufe to lead 
 MAN to the REMEMBRANCE of GOD. 
 
 PREACHED IN 
 
 Chrift-Crrurch, PHILADELPHIA ; Septem- 
 ber i, 1754, 
 
 O N T H B 
 
 DEATH of a beloved PUPIL 
 
 B 
 
THE following Verges, having been dfiginally print- 
 ed with this Difcourfe, ought not now to be fe-* 
 parated from it. When the good-natured reader is ac- 
 quainted that they are a Collection of the Tears of a few 
 young Gentlemen, who were fellow Students of the de- 
 ceafed, the Author knows that he may depend on that 
 Candour in favour of them, which he can only hope for, 
 in favour of himfelf. 
 
 The truly promifmg Youth, who is the SubjecT: of them* 
 died at Philadelphia, dugujt 28th 1754, being a Student 
 in the fenior Philofophy Clafs of the College there. He 
 was the fecond Son of the Hon. JOSIAH MARTI N, 
 Efq; of Antigua, aud Coufin to SAMUEL MARTIN, 
 Efq ; Member of Parliament for Camelford, Treafurer to 
 the Princefs Dowager of Wales, and Secretary of the 
 Treafur,y to whom the following Difcourfe is moft re- 
 fpecTfully and gratefully infcribed. 
 
 To 
 
C iii ] 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 AUTHOR, 
 
 On hearing his SERMON, upon the Death of hie 
 hopeful Pupil, our dear Fellow-fludent, Mr* 
 WILLIAM THOMAS MARTIN. 
 
 1C ALL no aid, no mufes to infpire, 
 Or teach my breaft to feel a poet's fire j 
 Your foft expreflion of a grief fmcere, 
 Brings from my foul a fympathetic tear. 
 Taught by your voice, my artlefs forrows flow j 
 I figh in verfe, am elegant in woe, 
 And loftier thoughts within my bofom glow. 
 For when,, in all the charms of language dreft, 
 A manly grief flows, genuine, from the breaft, 
 What gen'rous nature can efcape the wounds, 
 Or fteel itfelf againft the force of melting founds 
 
 O ! could I boaft to move with equal art 
 The human foul, or melt the ftony heart ; 
 My long-lov'd friend mould through my numbers 
 Some virtue loft be wept in every line j 
 For virtues he had many -'Twas confeft 
 That native fenfe and fweetnefs fill'd his breaft* 
 But cooler reafon checks the bold intent, 
 And, to the task refufing herconfent, 
 This only truth permits me to difclofe, ") 
 
 That in your own, you reprefent my woes 5 
 And fweeter than my fong, is your harmonious profe ! ^ 
 
 College of Philadelphia, F, HOPKINSON. 
 
 September 5, 1754. 
 
 JB 2 On 
 
On the fame ', 3y Fellow-Jludent. 
 
 AND is your MARTIN gone? Is he ho 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 ftrains expreft, 
 Shews he was deep implanted in your breaft. 
 
 Yet hark ! foft-whiipering 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, L 
 
 And fainted fouls with love and rapture glow. J 
 
 College of Philadelphia, S. MAG AW, 
 
 September 6, 1754. 
 
 Onjbe fame^ by a Fellow- ft udent* 
 
 WHILE for a pupil loft, 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 j 
 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 fteal upon the heart, and chear the focial hour. 
 
 Ah ! much lov'd friend ! too foon thy beauties fade ! 
 Too foon we count thee with the filent dead ! 
 Thou, late the faireft plant in virtue's plain, 
 The brighteft youth in wifdom's rifing train ; 
 By genius great, by liberal arts adorn'd, 
 By ftrangers feen and lov'd, by ftrangers mourn'd -, 
 Bleft in a tender brother's friendly breaft 3 
 And in paternal fondnefs doubly bleft ! 
 
 Art 
 
[v] 
 
 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 deftrpy ! 
 But hark! fome voice celeftial ftrikes mine ear, 
 And bids the mufe her plaintive ftrains forbear. 
 <c Weep not, fond youths, it cries, or feems to cry 
 cc He lives, your MAR TIN lives, and treads the sky; 
 <c From care, from toil, from ficknefs fnatch'd away, 
 " He {nines amid the blaze of heaven's eternal day. 
 
 College of Philadelphia, J. DUG HE. 
 
 September 7, 1754. 
 
 On the fame. 
 
 CHECK, mournful preacher ! check thy ftreaming 
 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 fmg HOSANNAS in the realms of day. 
 Witli him, the fight of life and death is o'er, 
 And agonizing throes {hall pain no more ; 
 No more {hall fell difeafe, with wafteful rage, 
 Blaft the fair bloflbms of his tender age ; 
 Tranfplanted now, he blooms a heav'nly flow'r, 
 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 what thy Difcourfe impreft, 
 XVhen pity throVd, congenial, in each breaft : 
 When deep diftrefs came thrilling from thy tongue, 
 And fympathizing crouds attentive hung. 
 To mourn for thy lov'd Pupil all approv'd ; 
 On fuch a theme 'twas virtue to be mov'd. 
 
 3 3 Whoe'er 
 
[ vi ] 
 
 Whoe'er thefe tender pages (hall explore, 
 
 Muft learn thofe griefs the Pulpit taught before. 
 
 College of Philadelphia, T. BARTON, 
 
 September 7, 1754,, 
 
 On the fame. 
 
 ODKATH ! could manly courage quell thy power, 
 Or rofy health protract the fatal hour $ 
 Could tqars prevail, or healing arts withftand 
 Th' unfparing ravage of thy wafteful hand ; 
 Then MARTIN (till 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 nrft examples long had vy'd. 
 
 But he is bleft where joys immortal flow; 
 Ceafe tears to ftream, be dumb the voice of woe. 
 Releas'd from vice, in early bloom fet free 
 From the dire rocks of this tempeftuous fea, 
 The youthful fajnt, in heavVs ambrofial vales, 
 With glory crown'd, aetherjal life inhaks. 
 No more let grief repine, or wifh his flay, 
 In this dark gloom, this twilight of our day, 
 Rather we'll hail him fled from night's domain^ 
 Array'd in light to tread the azure plain. 
 There fcience dwells j before the mental eye 
 Nature's ftupendous works unfolded lie; 
 There wifdom, goodnefs, power diffufive fhine, 
 And fire the glowing breaft with love divine. 
 
 College of Philadelphia* P. J A C K, S Q N, 
 
 September 7, 1754, 
 
 DIS* 
 
DISCOURSE I. 
 
 PSALM xlii. 6. 
 
 O my God! my Soul is caft down within me, 
 therefore will I remember thee. 
 
 IT is elegantly faid by the author of the book 
 of * Job, who fcems to have experienced all 
 the dire vicjflitudes of fortune, " That man is 
 born to trouble as the fparks fly upwards." 
 
 THESE Troubles, however, as the fame au- 
 thor further obferves, ferve the wifeft purpofes, 
 inafmuch as they are not the effects of what is 
 called blind Chance, but of that unerring Pro- 
 vidence, which gracioufly conducts all events to 
 the general good of the creature, and the final 
 completion of virtue and happinefs. " Af- 
 fliction comes not forth from the duft, neither 
 does trouble fpring out of the ground." Very 
 far from it. At that great day, when the whole 
 council of God mall be more perfectly difplayed 
 to us, we mall be fully convinced, that all his 
 difpenfations have been wife, righteous, and 
 gracious , and that f though no chaftening for 
 the prefent feems joyous, but grievous, never- 
 
 *Ch.v. 6, f Heb. xii. u. 
 
 B 4 thelefi 
 
8 DISCOURSE I. 
 
 thelefs it afterwards yields the peaceable fruits of 
 righteoufnefs to them that are exercifed thereby." 
 
 OF the truth of this we might indeed foon 
 be convinced, at prefent, were we but wife, and 
 fufFered ourfelves to reflect on what we .daily 
 fee. 'Tis with the greateft injuftice, that men 
 afcribe their fins wholly to worldly temptations, 
 and inveigh upon all occafions againft this life 
 on account of its vanities. Thefe, if well at- 
 tended 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 liftlefihefs, pr want of confideration ; 
 which, like fome vaft weight, opprefles the more 
 generous efforts of the foul, and bears all filently 
 down before it, unlefs checked by the power- 
 ful hand of affliction, 
 
 I SINCERELY pity the man who never tailed of 
 adverfe fate , and were I capable of wifning evil 
 to any perfon, I could not wiih a greater to my 
 greateft foe, than a long and uninterrupted 
 courfe of profperity. A flattering calm portends 
 a gathering ftorm ; and when the flream glides 
 fmooth, deep and filent on, we juftly fuipedb 
 that the fea or fome declivity is near, and that- 
 it is foon to be loft in the vaft ocean, or to tum- 
 ble 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 apprehenfive left, being 
 
 drunk,. 
 
DISCOURSE I. 9 
 
 drunk with profperity, he mould fwifn fmoothly 
 from joy to joy along life's fhort current, till 
 down he drops, thro' the pit of death, into the 
 vail ocean of eternity ! If we loved fuch a one, 
 what more charitable wifh could we indulge to- 
 wards him, than that the chaftening 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 
 moment " of the things that belong to his 
 peace, before they are for ever hid from his 
 eyes ?" 
 
 THAT there mould be any perfons, endued 
 with reafon and underflanding, who never found 
 leifure in this world to reflect for what efid they 
 were fent into it, would feem incredible, if ex- 
 perience did not afiure us of it. There are really 
 fo many affecting incidents in life (undoubtedly 
 intended to awaken reflection) that their hearts 
 muft be petriiied indeed, one would think, and 
 harder than adamant, or the nether milftone, 
 who can live in this world without being ibme- 
 times affected, if not with their own, at leaft 
 with the human, lot. 
 
 I HOPE it is far from being my character, that 
 I am of a gloomy temper, or delight to dwell 
 unfeafonably on the dark fide of things. Our 
 cup here is bitter enough, and misfortunes too 
 thick, for any one who loves his fpecies to feek 
 to embitter the draught, by evils of his own 
 creation, But there is a time for all things ; 
 
 and, 
 
10 D I S C O U R S E I. 
 
 and, on fome occafions, not to feel, fympathize, 
 and mourn, would argue the moft favage nature. 
 
 THIS day every thing that comes from me 
 will be tinctured with melancholy. It is, how- 
 ever, 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 whe- 
 ther this be your prefent difpofition or not, I 
 fhall 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 DOCTRINE which I would en- 
 force from the text (previous to* my intended 
 application of it) is, that a conftant feaft was ne- 
 ver defigned for us here, and that it is the good 
 will of our Father that we mould be frequently 
 roufed by what happens to us and around us, to 
 remember him, the great fountain of our being ; 
 and to cherifh that ferious reflection and reli- 
 gious forrow, which may lead us to eternal joy. 
 THAT we mould obferve fuch a conduct ap- 
 pears highly reafonable in itfelf. For next to 
 the immediate praifes of our great Creator, there 
 is not an exercife that tends more to improve 
 and ennoble the foul, than frequently to call an 
 eye upon human life, and expatiate on the va- 
 rious fcene, till we lead on the foft power of re- 
 
DISCOURSE I. n 
 
 Ugious melancholy, and feel the virtuous purpofe 
 gently rifmg in our fympathifing breafts, thril- 
 ling through our inmoft frame, and ftarting 
 into the focial eye in generous tears, 
 
 IT would be affronting your underftanding to 
 fuppofe that you think the melancholy here recom- 
 mended, in any manner related to that gloomy 
 defpondency into which fome people fall. No j 
 my beloved brethren : It is that virtuous reflex 
 tton, pbilofophic penfivenefs, and religious tender nefs 
 of foul, which fo well fuit the honour of our na- 
 ture, and our fituation in life. And much to 
 be pitied is that man, who thinks fuch a temper 
 unbecomming his dignity, and whofe proud foul 
 pretends never to be caft down from the lofty 
 throne ofjloic infenfibility. 
 
 SUCH a one, in the funfhine of his prolperity, 
 may arrogantly boaft that nothing can move 
 him ; and while the world goes well with him, 
 he may remain blind to his error. But let hea- 
 ven ftrip him of his gaudy plumes, and throw 
 him back naked into that world, where he had 
 fixed his heart, he will find to his coll 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 defpon- 
 {lent thing alive for himfelf, 
 
 WHEN his tranfient honors are thus fled, his 
 haughty looks will be humbled. He will be- 
 gin to contemn his paft folly, and enter deeply 
 l^s own bofom. He will no more rely on 
 
 the 
 
12 DISCOURSE!. 
 
 the fmiles of fortune, or the flatteries of men ; 
 but will acknowledge, from dear-bought expe- 
 rience, that, in this life, there is no fure refuge 
 but God, nothing permanent but virtue, and 
 nothing great but an humble heart, and a deep 
 fenfe of the ftate of our mortality here. 
 
 BUT, befides PERSONAL AFFLICTION (which 
 is perhaps a lafl means) the all-gracious gover- 
 nor of the world, ftill watchful to turn every 
 event to the good of his creatures, without vio- 
 lating their moral liberty, has many other ways 
 of leading them to the remembrance of him. Whe- 
 ther we look within or around us, we mail find 
 enough in the profpect to humble our fouls, and 
 to convince us that, not trufting to any thing in 
 a world where all enjoyments are fleeting, we 
 mall then only be fafe in it, " when we have 
 put on the breaft-plate of Righteoufnefs, and 
 armed ourfelves with the fwordof the fpirit*." 
 
 " FEW and evil are the days of our pilgrimage 
 here f." God never intended this world as a 
 lading habitation for us , and, on a juft eilimate 
 of things, evil will be found fo continually blend- 
 ed with good, that we cannot reafonably fet our 
 affections much upon it. Wailing, weak and 
 defencelefs, we are ufhered into it. - Our youth 
 is a fcene of folly and danger ; our manhood of 
 care, toil and difappointment. Our old age, if 
 haply we reach old age, is a fecond childhood. 
 Withered, weak and bowed beneath our infir- 
 
 * Galat, vi. 14, &c. f Gen. xlvii. 9. 
 
 mities, 
 
D I S C O tJ R S E L 13 
 
 
 
 mities, we become, as it were, a living hofpital 
 of woes j a burden to ourfelves, and perhaps a 
 nufance to others. 
 
 THIS is the common ftateof our Being. But 
 befides all this, the number of evils in each of 
 thefe ftages is greatly encreafed, partly by our 
 own mifconducl:, and partly by our neceffary con- 
 nexions with others. For the equitable judg- 
 ments 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 f ?'* 
 Moreover, many of thofe evils are of fuch a na- 
 ture, that no prudence of ours can either forefee 
 or prevent them. All the ftages of life necefTa- 
 rily fubject 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 vanimeth 
 away, as a tale that is told and remembered no 
 more ; or as a wind that paries over and cometh 
 not again." 
 
 THE man mull be though tlefs, indeed, who 
 is not humbled with thefe refle&ions. But fup- 
 pofe his own life mould pafs over as happily as 
 poflible, and he ihould feel but few of thefe evils 
 himfelf ; yet, unlefs he Ihuts his eyes and his 
 ears from the world around him, he muft ftill 
 find fomething in it, which ought to move the 
 
 f 2 Eccles. ix, 2. 
 
 tender 
 
 
'14 DISCOURSE L 
 
 tender heart to religious Sorrow and Rerrierri* 
 brance of God. 
 
 OUR blefled Saviour himfelf, tho' more than 
 human, and confcious of no perfonal ill, cail his 
 eyes upon Jerufalem and wept over it, on ac- 
 count of its impending fate. Juft fo, if we call 
 an eye upon the world, we Jhall drop a tear over 
 it, on account of the unavoidable misfortunes 
 that prevail in it. 
 
 DON'T we often fee tyranny fuccefsful, ruth* 
 lefs opprefTion and perfecution ravaging the 
 globe, the beft of men made (laves to the worft, 
 and the lovely image of the Deity fpurned, di 
 honour'd, disfigur'd ! How many men, of ge- 
 nuine worth, are caft out by fortune to mourn in 
 folitary places, unfeen, unpitied ^ while wicked- 
 nefs riots in the face of day, or pampers in lord- 
 ly palaces ! How many pine in the confinement 
 of dungeons ; or are chained down, for offences 
 not their own, to the gallies for life ! How ma- 
 ny bleed beneath the fword, and bite the ground 
 in all the fad variety of anguim, to fate the cruel 
 ambition of contending mailers ! How many 
 are deprived of their eftates, and difappointed 
 in j;heir moft fanguine expectations, by the ma- 
 lice 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 ! 
 
DISCOURSE L 15 
 
 fetttment ! How many bring the acuteft mifery 
 upon themfclves by their own intemperance ! 
 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- 
 ed blood ! How many are completely wretched" 
 in their families, and conftantly galled by the 
 unavoidable misfortunes of their deareil friends ! 
 
 ON one fide the diilrefs of the Needy, the 
 injuries of the OpprefTed, the cries of the Widow 
 and Orphan, pierce our ears. On the other, we 
 hear the Voice of Lamentation and Mourning ; 
 our friends and neighbours weeping for dear re- 
 lations fuddenly matched away, and " Refufing 
 to be comforted becaufe they are not." Here 
 one's heart is torn afunder by having a beloved 
 wife or child fnatched from his fide ! There an- 
 other bewails the lofs of an affectionate parent or 
 brother! Here flurdy manhood drops inftantly be 
 neath thefuddenftroke ! There Blooming Youth 
 Ah ! my bleeding heart, wring me not thus with 
 dreaming anguifh there Blooming Youth falls 
 a premature vi&im to a doom feemingly too fe- 
 vere ! Beneath the cold hand of death, the roles 
 are blafted ; reftlefs agility and vigour are be- 
 come the tameft things ; and beauty, elegance 
 and ftrength, one putrid lump ! 
 
 SURELY, if we would think on thefe, andfuch 
 things, which ought not to be the lefs ftrikmg 
 for being common, and which render this life 
 a fcene of iuffering, a valley of tears, we could 
 
 not 
 
id DISCOURSE!. 
 
 not fet our hearts much upon it, but fhould be 
 arrefted 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 pafTions would be awakened in our bo- 
 foms. Our fympathizing fouls would be caft 
 down within us, and alarmed at their own dan- 
 ger, would fly round from flay to flay, calling 
 incelTantly for help, till they could find a fure 
 and never-failing refuge. 
 
 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 
 muttered up fuch a baleful catalogue of certain 
 miferies, to alarm and humble her. 
 
 Now, bleffed be the Lord, this refuge is 
 pointed out in the Text. In fuch circumftances, 
 we {hall never find reft, but in refolving with 
 the Pfalmift " O my God ! my foul is caft 
 down within me, therefore will I Remember 
 thee." 
 
 WITHOUT rtmemlring that there is a God, that 
 over-rules all events, what hope or comfort 
 could we have, when we reflect on all the afore- 
 faid common miferies of life, and many more 
 that might be named ? Did we, with the Atheift, 
 believe them to fpring up from the duft, or to 
 be the blind effects of unintelligible chance, and 
 of undirected matter and motion, what a poor 
 condition fhould we think ourfelves in here ? 
 
 Would 
 
ri i s c o u R s E i. i? 
 
 Would not all appear as " a land of darknefs, 
 as darknefs itfelf, under the fhadow of death, 
 without any Order, where the light is as dark- 
 nefs f . 
 
 SURELY we could not wifh to live in the 
 world, upon fuch a precarious footing as this. 
 And yet we fhould not know whither to fly from 
 it, unlefs into the darker ftate of dreary annihi- 
 lation, at the thoughts of which the aflonilhed 
 foul fhudders and recoils. Upon fuch a fcheme, 
 all our hopes would be thin as the fpider's web, 
 and lighter than chaff that is difperfed through 
 the air. Our Adverfity would hurry us into the 
 moft invincible defpair, and our Profperity would 
 be as a bubble buriling at every breath. Plii- 
 lofophy would be a dream, and our boafled For- 
 titude meer unmeaning Pretenlion. 
 
 BUT on the other Hand, if, " when our fouls 
 are caft down within us, we will remember that 
 there is a God," whofe great view in creating 
 was to make us happy, whofe defign in afflictirig 
 is to reclaim us, and who governs the world by 
 his providence only to conduct all to the greateft 
 general good then, and not till then, we fhall 
 have fure footing. We fliall neither raife our 
 hopes too high, nor fink them too low. If for- 
 tune is kind, we mail enjoy her fmiles without 
 forgetting the hand that guides her. If me 
 frowns, we fhall feel our woes as Men, but fliall 
 nobly bear them as Chriftians. For if we are 
 t J*l>*. 22, 
 
 C really 
 
i8 DISCOURSE 1. 
 
 really Chriflians, our holy religion teaches us 
 that this Scene of things is but a very fmall part 
 of the mighty Scheme of heaven ; that our pre- 
 fent life is only the dim dawn of our exiftence 5 
 that we mail fhortly put off this load of infirmi- 
 ties, and be tranflated to a flate, where " every 
 tear mall be wiped from our eyes, and where 
 there mail be no more death, nor forrow, nor 
 crying, nor pain, becaufe the former things are 
 pafled away*." 
 
 IF we are thus intimately convinced that un-< 
 erring Wifdom, Power, and Goodnefs, hold the 
 reins of the univerfe, and are at peace in our 
 own confciences, the florm of the world may 
 beat againft us ; but, though it may make, it can 
 never overthrow us, 
 
 " ALTHOUGH the fig-tree mall not bloflbm, 
 neither mall fruit be on the vines - y though the 
 labor of the olive mall fail, and the fields mail 
 yield no meat ; though the flock (hall be cut off 
 from the fold, and there lhall be no herd in the 
 flail ; yet will we rejoice in the Lord, and we 
 will joy in the God of our falvation f." Altho* 
 misfortunes mould befiege us round and round? 
 though woes fhould clufter upon woes, treading 
 on the heels of each other in black fucceilion, 
 yet when we remember God, and fly to him as 
 our refuge, we lhall fland collected and un- 
 fhaken, as the everkfling mountains,, amid the 
 general florm. 
 
 * R&<v. xxi. 4. f Halbak. iii. 17, 18. 
 
 WITH 
 
DISCOURSE!. 19 
 
 WITH our eye thus fixt upon heaven, truft- 
 Ing in the mercies of our Redeemer, and ani- 
 mated by the gofpel-promifes, we mall urge our 
 glorious courfe along the trad of virtue, bravely 
 withftanding the billows of adverfity on either 
 fide, and triumphing in every difpenfation of 
 providence. Though death mould ftalk around 
 us in all his grim terrors ; though famine, pefli- 
 lence and fell war fhould tear our beft friends 
 from our fide ; though the laft trumpet fhould 
 found from pole to pole, and the whole world 
 fhould tremble to its Center ; though we fhould 
 fee the heavens opened, our Judge coming 
 forth with thoitfands and ten thoufands, his eyes 
 flaming fire, the planetary heavens and this our 
 "earth wrapt up in one general conflagration 5 
 though we fhould hear the groans of an expi- 
 ring world, and behold nature tumbling into 
 imiverfal ruin; yet then, even then, we might 
 look up with joy, and think ourfelves fecure. 
 Our holy religion tells usj that this now glorified 
 Judge was once our humbled Redeemer; that 
 he has been our never-failing friend, and can 
 (hield us under the fhadow of his wing. The fame 
 religion alfo afTures us, that virtue is the pecu- 
 liar care of that Being, at whofe footftool all 
 nature hangs ; arid that, far from dying or re- 
 Reiving injury amid the flux of things, the fair 
 plant, under his wife government, fhall furvive 
 the laft gafp of time, and bloom on through 
 eternal ages ! 
 
 C a 
 
20 DISCOURSE!. 
 
 AND now, my refpe&ed audience, I think it 
 is evident that if we iearoh all nature through, 
 we fhall find no lure refuge but in keeping a clear 
 Confcience'i and remembering God. If we con- 
 itantly exert ourlelves to do our duty, and re- 
 member that there is an all-perfect Being at the 
 head of affairs, the worft that can happen to us 
 can never make us altogether miferable ; and, 
 without this, the bell things could never make 
 us in any degree happy. 
 
 IF, therefore, it is one great defign of all af- 
 fliction, to bring us to fuch a Remembrance^ and 
 make us examine into the (late of our own fouls, 
 I think I may be permitted to befeech you, by 
 your hopes of immortal glory and happinefs, 
 not to be blind and deaf to the repeated warn- 
 ings given you by your kind Parent God. Tho* 
 the afflictions do not happen immediately To 
 yon, they happen For you ; and though all 
 ieems well at preient, which of you knows how 
 loon the Lord may vifit you in his fierce anger ? 
 Which of you, young or old, can fay that your 
 fouls will not next, perhaps this very night, be 
 required of you ? And think, O think, if you 
 have never been led to nmember God y 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 moil of you here,) you mall be 
 (truck fenfelefs ort a death-bed at once, and 
 
 know 
 
DISCOURSE!. 21 
 
 know not the father that begat you, nor are con- 
 fcious of the tears of her that gave you fuck ? 
 
 IF you can but think on thefe things, the va- 
 nity of this world, and the eternity of the next ; 
 if you can but think on the value of thofe fouls, 
 for which a God incarnate died, and fealed a co- 
 venant of grace with his blood, into which you 
 have folemnly fworn yourfelves ; furely you will 
 flop your ears againft the allurements of the 
 Flefh, and the " Voice of the Charmer, charm 
 he ever fo wifely." It may eafily be gathered 
 from what has been faid, that this life has no 
 continuance of unmixt pleafure for us - 9 and that 
 what alone can alleviate its Evils, or make its 
 Goods give us any fubflantial joy, is a frequent 
 reflection on the prefent Hate of things, and the 
 drawing near to God, in holy Remembrance of 
 his adorable attributes, and our own abfolute 
 dependence on him. 
 
 BEHOLD then once more this very God himfelf 
 invites you to draw near to him, and commemo- 
 rate him at his holy table*. Let him not, 
 therefore, invite you in vain. Do not fhame- 
 fully renounce your moft exalted privilege, and 
 wilfully cut yourfelves off from the fociety of 
 Got s univerfal Church. 
 
 You all know what is required to make you 
 
 meet partakers of this holy communion. It is a 
 
 ftedfaft faith in the Gofpel-promifes and the 
 
 mercies of God , a fmcere Repentance for paft 
 
 f Preached on a Sacrament Day. 
 
 C 3 offences -, 
 
}3 DISCOURSE I. 
 
 offences -, an unfeigned purpofe of future Amend- 
 ment, and an unbounded Charity and Benignity 
 of Heart towards all your fellow-mortals, how- 
 ever feemingly different in fentiment and per- 
 fuafion. 
 
 If you have thefe difpofitions either begun 
 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 commu- 
 nion. 
 
 " Up, efcape for thy life ; look not behind 
 thee ; ftay not in all the plain ; fly to the moun- 
 tain, left thou be confumed;" was the alarm 
 rung in the ears of Lot by his good angels ? 
 Even fo, permit me, in the fmcerity 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 reft 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 Chrift. Let no excufes detain you, nor 
 linger while the danger is at hand. 
 
 I HOPE you will excufe my warmth on this oc- 
 cafion. I wifh I had no ground for it. But the 
 fliafts of death fly thick around us. You can- 
 not but mifs many whom you faw here a few 
 Sabbaths ago ; and fome of them younger and 
 ftronger than moft of you, particularly that 
 dear Youth, whofe fudden and much lamented 
 death has forced this train of reflection from 
 me. 
 
 SUCH 
 
DISCOURSE I. 23 
 
 SUCH a difpenfation ought to give particular 
 warning to all ; but to you more efpecially his 
 dear companions and fchool-mates, I would ap- 
 ply myfelf; not doubting but the Moral of his 
 death will be acceptable to you, however unfa- 
 vourably grave and ferious fubjects are generally 
 received by perfons of your years. 
 
 FROM the example before you, let me intreat 
 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 en- 
 joyed a mare of health, ftrength and fpirits in- 
 ferior to none here. You all knew and loved 
 him, and I beheld many of you bedewing his 
 grave with becoming tears. Oh then ! 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 la- 
 mented. 
 
 INDEED, if any external circumftances could 
 have arrefted the inexorable hand of Death ; if 
 any thing that nature could give, or a liberal 
 education beftow, could have faved fuch a riling 
 hope of his country , late, very late, had he re- 
 ceived the fatal blow ! He bid fair to have been 
 the longeft Liver among us, and my eyes would 
 have been for ever clofed, before any one 
 had been called to pay the tribute due to 
 his memory. But the difeafe was of the 
 C 4 nioft 
 
24 DISCOURSE!. 
 
 moll obftinate kind. All the power of medi- 
 cine, and all the love we bore to him, could no 
 gain one fupernumerary gafp. He fell in his 
 Bloom of youth ; and, as I long loved, fo I muft 
 long remember him, with pious regard. 
 
 To the will of heaven, however, mine ftiall 
 ever be refigned. " Shall we receive good at 
 the hand of Gpd, and ihall we not receive evil 
 alfo ? The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh 
 away, blefled be the name of the Lord?" I fin- 
 cerely believe that my dear pupil, your deceafed 
 fchool-mate, is now in a far better ftate than 
 this. He has happily efcaped from a world of 
 troubles. He has but juft gone a little before 
 us, and perhaps never could have gone more be- 
 loved, more lamented, or more prepared for an 
 inheritance in glory. 
 
 WHAT flronger proofs of affection could any 
 one receive than he did ? Though at a diltance 
 from his immediate connexions, flrangers tend- 
 ed his fick-bed with paternal care. Strangers 
 clofed his eyes, while their own trickled down 
 with forrow. Strangers followed him to the 
 grave in mournful filence j and, when his duft 
 was committed to duft, ftrangers paid the laft 
 tributary 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 fevere blow to the diftant 
 parents BUT, 
 
D I S C O U R S E I. 25 
 
 BUT, why, alas! did this thought occur? 
 Again my Affections flruggle with Reafon 
 again Nature, thou wilt be Conqueror I can 
 add no more I have now done the laft duty 
 of love let filent tears and grief unutterable 
 fpeak the reft ! 
 
 * * * * 
 
 *< * > * 
 
 * 
 
 * * 
 
[ 26] 
 
 <d H Y M N, comprifing the chief Heads of 
 the foregoing Difcourfe^ compofed to be 
 fung after it. 
 
 FATHER of all! ftill wife and good* 
 Whether thou giv'ft or tak'ft away v 
 Before thy throne devoutly bow'd, 
 We hail thy providential fway ! 
 
 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 feaft ? 
 
 SOMETIMES thychaft'ning hand employ,, 
 Gently to roufe us, not to pain ! 
 Sometimes let forrow prove our joy, 
 And fcatter folly's noify train ! 
 
 OFT let us drop a penfive tear, 
 O'er this much-fuffering fcene of manj 
 Acute to feel what others bear, 
 And wife * our own defects to fcan. 
 
 TEACH us, while woes and deaths are nigh x 
 To think on thee, and weigh our duft ; 
 Well may we mark the Hours that fly, 
 And ftill find leifure to be jit/}. 
 
 * The learned reader need not be told that the author here 
 had Mr. Gray's beautiful Hymn to Adverfity before him. 
 
 DIS- 
 
DISCOURSE II, 
 
 An earneft Exhortation to Religion, Bro-: 
 therly Love, and public Spirit, in the 
 prefent dangerous State of Affairs. 
 
 . 
 
 Preached, by particular Defire, in 
 
 Chrift-Church, PHILADELPHIA* 
 
 O N T H E 
 
 Anniverfary of ST. JOHN the BAPTIST, 
 June 24, 1755. 
 
A Few Pafiages in the former Editions of 
 this Difcourfe, that related merely to thofe 
 at whofe Defire it was delivered, are now en- 
 tirely left out, as having no immediate Con- 
 nexion with the main Subjed, or the defign of 
 the prefent Publication. 
 
i PET E R ii. 17. 
 
 Love the Brotherhood; fear God; honor 
 the King. 
 
 <* 
 
 'h- 
 
 TO contain : rules of conduct levelled to every 
 capacity, and fitted to the circumftances 
 of men, in all their various relations and exi- 
 gences, is an excellence peculiar only to God's 
 holy-word. In the text, and verfes preceding, 
 the apoftle has the following noble exhorta- 
 tion 
 
 " WHEREFORE, fays he, laying afide all malice, 
 and all guile, and hypocrifies, and envies, and 
 all evil fpeakings "; be ye as living Stones^ built 
 up a fpiritual houfe ; free but not ufmg your 
 Liberty as a cloak of malicioufnefs. Love tbt 
 Brotherhood ;. fear God \ honor the King f ." 
 
 THE mod excellent Dodhine contained in 
 thefe words is not only highly fuitable to the 
 Purpofe of thofe at whofe Inflance I now appear 
 here, but likewife to every man among us of 
 whatfoever Denomination or Degree. And this, 
 I confefs, was my chief Inducement to the Choice 
 of them. It was reafonably apprehended that 
 the Nature of this Occafion would draw toge- 
 ther a very large and mixt AfTembly, and there- 
 fore I thought it my Duty to felecl a Subject, 
 fVer. i, 5, 16. 17, 
 
 which 
 
 
$o D I S C O U R S E II. 
 
 which might equally intereft us all, both as men 
 and as Cbrtftians, efpecially in the prefent dan- 
 gerous State of our Affairs. 
 
 IN things of inferior moment, I doubt not^ 
 our Sentiments may differ ; but in thofe prin- 
 ciples 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 rpecies is one Bro- 
 therhood, being one flelh, and the work of his 
 hand ; and that we were deligned for focial life, 
 being by nature both fitted and difpofed to en- 
 creafe each other's happinefs; and incapable of 
 any tolerable happinefs in afblitary flate. Thefe 
 principles partly conftitute a kind of univerfal 
 Religion, of eternal and immutable obligation - y 
 and whatever Affociations we may form for par- 
 ticular purpofes, the great end propofed upon 
 the whole, mould be to enable us the more ef- 
 fec~tually to act in conformity to this obligation^ 
 which no power on earth can releaie us from. 
 
 As long, therefore, as we believe thefe prin- 
 ciples and we cannot help believing them as 
 long as we continue to be conflituted as we are 
 it muft, at all times, and in all circumftances, be 
 our indifpenfable duty, to love this Brotherhood 
 who are our own Flem j to fear this God who 
 made us for focial happinefs ; and to honor thofe 
 who, in a more eminent manner, concur with 
 the benevolent purpofes of Heaven, tq promote 
 the good of the Social fyftem. 
 
 HAVING 
 
D I S C O U R S E II. 31 
 
 HAVING thus faid what feemed neceffary by 
 Way of introduction, and having eftablilhed the 
 duties commanded in the text, by a brief de- 
 duftion of them from firft principles ^ I mall 
 now lay before you fome confiderations to en- 
 force the practice of them, taking them fmgly 
 in their order. 
 
 FIRST, we are to love the Brotherhood. This 
 fundamental precept has been fo often recom- 
 mended as the firmeft link in the golden chain 
 of all focieties, that fcarce any thing remains to 
 be added upon it. " Change not a faithful bro- 
 ther, 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 Chrif- 
 tianity. " Hereby ihall all men know that ye 
 arc my difciples, if ye have love one to an- 
 other f." 
 
 THE whole Gofpel breathes the fpirit of love. 
 Its divine author is all love, and his true fol- 
 lowers muft be love. Love is the happinefs of 
 the faints in glory, and love only can render the 
 chriflian life an imitation of theirs. Few mo- 
 tives, therefore, one would think, might fuffice, 
 to enforce the practice of fuch 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 duft " to bear our 
 brow aloft," and glory in rational exiftence ; 
 and when we reflect that we depend on the fame 
 
 * Efdf/, vii. 1 8. f John xiii. 35. 
 
 2 . 
 
3 2 DISCOURSE' If. 
 
 paternal kindnefs for all we have, and all we 
 hope to have, and that we are conne&ed by th 
 fame wants and the fame dangers, the fame com- 
 mon falvation and the fame ehriftian privileges ; 
 one would imagine it fcarce poflible for our 
 hearts to be unaffe&ed towards each other ! But 
 when we enquire farther what is our deftinatiori * 
 and whither we are going ; when we extend the 
 profpect beyond the grave, and ftretch it down 
 through vail eternity ; how greatly does it en- 
 dear 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 mail 
 not our very fouls burn within us towards the 
 whole human race, who, as well as we, are to 
 pafs through 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 
 diftin&ions between fmall and great, noble and 
 ignoble, are here entirely loft \ or, if they are 
 feen, they are feen but as feathers dancing on 
 the mighty ocean, utterly incapable to tofs it 
 into tumult. 
 
 IN this grand view, we forget to enquire whe- 
 ther a man is of this or that denomination ! We 
 forget to enquire whether he is rich or poor, 
 
 learned 
 
D I S C O U R S E II. 33 
 
 learned or unlearned ! Thefe are but trivial con- 
 ficlerations ; 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 furely 'tis more than enough, 
 that when the whole world mail tumble from its 
 place, " and the heavens be rolled together as a 
 icroll," he is to ftand the lail fnock with us ; to 
 launch out into the fhorelefs ocean beyond ; to 
 fhare the fortunes of the endlefs voyage, and, for 
 what we know, to be our infeparable compa- 
 nion through thofe regions, over which clouds 
 and darknefs hang, and from whole confines no 
 traveller has returned with tidings ' 
 
 ANOTHER motive to Brotherly Love is its ten-* 
 dency to foften and improve the temper. When 
 a reigning Humanity has Hied its divine in- 
 fluences on our hearts^ and impregnated them 
 with every good dilpofition, we mall be all har- 
 mony within, and kindly affe&ed towards every 
 thing around us. Charity, in all its golden 
 branches, mall illuminate our fouls, and banifh 
 every dark and illiberal fentjrnent, We ihall be 
 open to the fair irrtprefiions of Beauty, Ordef 
 and Goodnefs; and fhall ftrive to tfanfcribe 
 them into our own breafts. We ihall rejoice in 
 the divine adminiftration , and irriitatc it by 
 diffufing the mod exteniive happinefs in our 
 power. Such a heavenly terfiper will give us 
 the inexprefiible meltings of Joy at feeing others 
 joyful. It will lead us down into the houfe of 
 D mounting 
 
34 DISCOURSE II. 
 
 mourning to furprife the lonely heart with urj- 
 expected kindnefs , to bid the cheerlefs widow 
 fing for gladnefs, and to call forth modeft meiit 
 from its obfcure retreats. 
 
 To ad: thus is the delight of Goi>, and muft 
 be the higheft honour and moil exalted enjoy- 
 ment of Man, It yields a fatisfaction which 
 neither time, nor chance, nor any thing befides, 
 can rob us of; a fatisfaftion which will accom- 
 pany us thro* life, and at our death will not for- 
 fake us. For then we ihall have the well- 
 grounded hopes of receiving that mercy which 
 we have fbewn to others. 
 
 THE lad motive to Brotherly Love, which I. 
 friall mention* is its being the joint command 
 of him who made r and him who redeemed us. 
 Seeing, therefore,, a man can neither be " pro- 
 fitable to his Creator," 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 promoting 
 the glorious fcheme of human felicity. To be 
 infenfible to thofe emanations of goodnefs to* 
 which we are fo wonderfully indebted, or not to 
 be charmed to the imitation of it, would argue 
 the total abfence of every thing 'noble or inge- 
 nuous 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 ma- 
 ny burning and mining luminaries, in a pure 
 
 un- 
 
D I S C O U R S E II. 35 
 
 Unclouded fky, reflect it back upon each other, 
 mingling flame with flame, and blaze with 
 blaze ! 
 
 SECONDLY, we are exhorted to fear GOD ; by 
 which is generally underflood the whole of our 
 duties towards him. Having already pointed 
 out the foundation of thefe duties, I mall juft 
 obferve farther, that -if the Fear of God was fet 
 afide, it would be impoflible to form any fcheme 
 either of private or public happinefs. 
 
 WITH regard to individuals, where mall they 
 find ccnfolation under the various prefTures of 
 life, if they look for no GOD to reft upon ? 
 Whither fhall they wander in fearch of happi- 
 nefs, if, in all the univerfe, they know not an 
 object adequate to their moil generous and ele- 
 vated affections ? How fhall they fill up the 
 mighty void within j, if thofe ever-active powers 
 of the foul, which are foon cloyed with the* 
 things of this diurnal fcene, and frill hankering 
 after the Great, the Fair, and the Wonderful in. 
 objects, do not center in him who is the Firft- 
 Great, the Firfl Fair, and the Firft Wonderful ; 
 in the contemplation of whom the mind may 
 dwell, with aftonifhment and delight* through 
 an unfailing duration ! 
 
 WITH regard to the Public, the magiftrate 
 may fright vice into a corner, and fecure the 
 Being of focieties; but their Well-being de- 
 pends entirely on the univerfal practice of thofe 
 filent virtues, which fall not under tfce fanctiorr 
 
 D 2 Q 
 
3 6 DISCOURSE II 
 
 of human laws. Nothing but the Fear of God, 
 and religious fanctions, can take cognisance of 
 the heart, and make us " fubject for confcience 
 fake." Nothing elfe can fecure the practice 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 in- 
 genious divine, that in order to fecure human 
 happinefs, " and make the whole chain of du- 
 ties hold firm and indiflbluble,. the firft link 
 muft be faftened to the throne of God, the con- 
 fummate Standard of perfection,' ' -f- "with 
 whom there is no variablenefs, nor fhadow of 
 
 turnng 
 
 THIRDLY, we are commanded to honor the 
 King , that is, all thofe in general, who are law- 
 fully vefted with authority for the public good, 
 as appears from the thirteenth verfe. " Submit 
 yourfelves, fays the apoftle, to every ordinance 
 of man, for the Lord's fake ^ whether it be ta 
 the King as fuprerne, or unto Governors as fent 
 by him, for the punifhment of evil-doers, and 
 the praife of finch as do well" 
 
 THIS Duty is founded on the former ones. 
 For if we believe that God made us for happi- 
 nefs, and that our great happinefs lies in friend- 
 ly communion, we muft think fociety, and what- 
 ever is eflential to its fubfiftence, of divine Ori- 
 ginal. Government) therefore, in fome form or 
 
 f SEED on the Fear of God. 
 
 Other, 
 
D I S C O U li S E IL 37 
 
 other, muft be the will and appointment of 
 God. But government, without honoring and 
 regarding lawful governors, is impracticable. 
 Hence, whatever the form may be, provided it 
 is founded on confent, and a view to public 
 good, the fubmifiion of individuals muft be a 
 moft facred duty. 
 
 NAY, though wicked men bear fway, as can- 
 not fail fometimes to happen, yet ftill it muft be 
 a duty to honor them on account of their ftation, 
 becaufe through them we honor that conftitu- 
 tion we have chofen to live under. This is 
 clear from the apoftle's injunction to the Chrif- 
 tians, 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 perfecutor. The reafon is obvious. The 
 Chriftians were but a few, and the conftitution 
 much older than their new feet, as it was then 
 called. To redrefs grievances, and reform the 
 ftate, was the bufmefs of the majority, who alone 
 had power to make innovations -, and any at- 
 tempt in the Chriftians, however juft, might 
 have been conftrued into fedition, and would 
 probably have been productive of more evil 
 than good. 
 
 BUT it would be abfurd to argue from thence, 
 as fome have done, that the apoftle meant to en- 
 join a continued SubmifTion to Violence ; and that 
 a whole people injured might, in no cafe, recog*- 
 nize their trampled majefty. 
 
 D 3 THE 
 
38 D I S C O U R S E II. 
 
 THE doctrine of Non-refiftance is now fuffi- 
 ciently exploded-, and may it be for ever treat- 
 ed with that fovereign Contempt, which it de- 
 ferves among a wife and virtuous people, GOD 
 gave us Freedom as our Birthright-, 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 Love of Mankind^ and the Fear 
 of God) thcfj very principles from which we 
 trace the divine original of juft government, 
 would lead us, by all probable means, to refift 
 every tyrant to deftrudtion, who mould attempt 
 to enflave the free-born foul, and oppofe the 
 righteous will of God, by defeating the happi- 
 nefs 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 determine in what 
 cafes refiilance is neceffary. In the Scriptures, 
 therefore, obedience is rightly inculcated in ge- 
 neral terms. For a people may fometimes ima- 
 gine grievances which they do not feel, but 
 will never mifs to feel and complain of them 
 where they really are, unlefs their minds have 
 been gradually prepared for flavery by abfurcl 
 tenets. 
 
 FROM what has been faid on thefe heads, I 
 hope you will readily confefs thatasfoon might 
 the rijde Chaos, or jarring atoms of certain 
 : phir 
 
D I S C O U' R S E II. $9 
 
 pKiloibphers, have jumbled into the Order of 
 the univerle, without the forming hand of the 
 Almighty Architect, as men become fit for fo- 
 cial happinefs without Brotherly-Love, the Fear 
 of God, and Regard for juit Authority. 
 
 SUFFER me now to apply what has been faid, 
 by earneftly charging every one of this audience 
 to a confcientious obfervance of thefe duties *, 
 for if there ever was a people, in a more pecu- 
 liar manner, called to obferve them, we who -in- 
 habit thefe colonies are that people. Being yet 
 in our infancy, and furrounded with rdtleis 
 t* nemies, our ftrength, our fucceis, and our fu- 
 ture glory, depend upon our truft in God, our 
 Ipve and unanimity among ourielves, and obe- 
 dience to that authority, which is neceflhry to 
 collect our fcattered rays, and pour them, with 
 confuting force, upon the heads of our proud 
 foes. 
 
 I SHALL not, at prefent, flay to exert you 
 farther to the firft of thefe duties ; Truft in 
 God. It is the bufinefs of all our Preaching; 
 and the government of this province appeared 
 of late fo fenfible of our entire dependence for 
 victory upon the Lord of Holts, that a day of 
 public humiliation, to implore his aid and di- 
 rection, was enjoined in terms that might do 
 honor to any government. On that occaiion, 
 you heard how vain are all the' inventions Of 
 men, when they feek not counfel of the mod 
 PIigl>. You heard how the Mighty have fallen, 
 D 4 and 
 
40 D I S C O U R S E II. 
 
 and how weak their boafted ilrength 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 regard 
 fpr your civil Conftitution, and the juft autho- 
 rity of your King,, Without this we mall be a.s 
 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 fubjects to 
 honor a king, vefted with legal authority, and 
 to fupport him in defence of that conftitution 
 they have chofen to be governed by, how much 
 more muft this be a duty to the beft of kings, 
 and belt of conftitqtions ! A king who is the 
 father of his people, and the firft friend of li- 
 berty ! A conftitution which is founded on 
 common confent, common reafon, and common 
 utility ; in which the governing powers fo ad- 
 mirabjy controul, and are controuled by, each 
 other, that it has all the advantages of all the 
 fimple forms, with as few of their inconvenien- 
 cies as can be expected amidft the imperfections 
 of Things human. 
 
 IN a difcourfe calculated to render pur bene- 
 volence as diffufive as light or air, it would ill 
 become me to run into invectives, even againft 
 pur worft enemies. But can we look round this 
 great globe, and fee fuch an immenfe majority 
 of our fpecies crouching under the galling yoke 
 gf a, few human monfters , unmanned, funk in mi-, 
 
 fery 
 
B I S C O U R S E II. 41 
 
 fcry and bafenefs, their fpirits broke, and a fet- 
 tled gloom in their countenances -, can we fee 
 this, and not adore that Liberty which exalts hu- 
 man nature, and is productive of every moral 
 excellence ? Can we mark the defolating pro* 
 grefs of flavery, or behold her gigantic ap- 
 proaches even towards ourfelves, and not be 
 alarmed and en flamed ? and not feel the Spirit 
 tf the Free ftirring within us ? 
 
 To dream of accommodations with a perfi- 
 dious nation, by leagues or imaginary lines, ex- 
 tended from claim to claim along a champaign 
 country, is the height of folly. So oppofite our 
 views, fo rooted their hatred, that unlefs the 
 boundary between us be fuch as nature has fix- 
 ed, by means of impaflable mountains, feas, or 
 lakes, one continent cannot hold us, till either 
 one fide or the other mall become fole matter. 
 
 SHOULD it be our fad lot to fall under the do- 
 minion of fuch a haughty foe, farewel then, a 
 long farewel, to all the happinefs refulting from 
 the exercife of thofe virtues which I have been 
 recommending, from the text, as the true fup- 
 porr. of fociety ! 
 
 WITH regard to Brotherly-Love, how, alas! 
 In fuch circumftances, fhould we flouriih, or be 
 happy in the exercife of it ? What love, what 
 joy, or what confidence can there be, where there 
 is no community ; where the will of one is law ; 
 where injuibce and oppreflion are liberty , where 
 Jo be virtuous is a crime ; where to be wife and 
 
 honeft 
 
4* DISCOURSE!!. 
 honeft are dangerous qualities ; and where mif- 
 truft, gloom, diftradtion and mifery are the tem- 
 pers of men ? 
 
 As to piety, or the Fear of God, what ratio- 
 nal exercife of devotion could we propofe in a 
 religion obtruded upon our confciences ? A re- 
 ligion that mufl give us dark and unfavourable 
 notions of the Deity, by making ufe of his holy 
 name to juflify oppreffion, and fan&ify unrigh- 
 teoufnefs ! A religion, in fhort, that muft be 
 abhorred by men of good nature for its many 
 cruelties -, by men of virtue for its indulgences 
 of immorality -, and by men of gravity and found 
 philofophy, for its abiurd pageantry, and fad de- 
 generacy from its once pure inilitution, by the 
 blefTed Jefus and his holy apoftles ! 
 
 AND laftly, what joy could we look for in 
 Honoring 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 diftant thoughts of thefe 
 dreadful calamities would alarm every perfon 
 who had not drank in the very laft dregs of fla- 
 vifh principles. And mall we, whofe fouls have 
 been taught to exult at the facred found of li- 
 berty, not be roufed, animated and enframed, 
 by our prefent danger, to fecure a treafure 
 Which includes in it almoft every human feli- 
 city ? Things of inferior concern may be ad- 
 jufted at another feafon j and thofe who pretend 
 
 to 
 
D I S C O U R S E II. 43 
 
 to the greateft public fpirit, fhould be the firfl 
 to give a proof of it, by turning their attention 
 to the main chance, at a juncture when our 
 flrength and fuccefs fo evidently depend on una- 
 nimity and immediate action. Is this a time for 
 diffenfions about 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 flake, for which a 
 wife man would chufe to live, or dare to die ! 
 
 IN times pail, when Liberty, travelling from 
 foil to foil, had deferted almoil every corner of 
 the world, and was prepared to bid an everlafl- 
 ing adieu to her lail befl retreat, the Britijb JJles\ 
 our great FOREFATHERS (whofe memories be 
 blefl) anticipating her departure, came into thefc 
 remote regions. They encountered difficulties 
 innumerable. They fat down in places before 
 untrod by the foot of any chriflian, fearing lefs 
 from Savage beafls and Savage men, than from 
 Slavery, the worfl of Savages. To preferve at 
 leaft one corner of the world, facred to liberty 
 and undefiled religion, was their glorious pur- 
 pofe. In the mean time the florm blew over, 
 and the fky brightened in the mother-land. Li- 
 berty raifed her drooping head, and trimmed 
 her fading laurels. Halcyon-days fucceeded, 
 and their happy influence extended even into 
 this new world. The colonies rofe and flourifh- 
 ed, Our fathers faw it, and rejoiced. .They 
 
 begat 
 
44 DISCOURSE II. 
 begat fons and daughters, refigned the profecu- 
 tion of their plan into our hands, and departed 
 into the rnanfions of reft 
 
 BUT lo ! the ilorm gathers again, and fits 
 deeper and blacker with boding aipect ! And 
 ihall we Be fo degenerate as to defert the facred 
 truft configned to us for the happinefs or pof- 
 terity ? Shall we tamely iufFer the peflilential 
 breath of Tyrants to approach this garden of our 
 fathers, and blafl the fruits of their labors ? 
 
 jvJo ye illuftrious {hades, who perhaps even 
 now look down with anxiety on our conduct ! 
 we pronounce, by all your glorious toils, that 
 it fhall not, mull not, be ! If we are not 
 able to make thofe who mourn in bonds and 
 darknefs round us, mare the blefl effects of li- 
 berty, and diftufe it through this vaft continent, 
 we will at leaft preferve this fpot facred to its 
 exalted name -, and tyranny and injuftice mail 
 not enter in, till the body of the laft Freeman 
 hath filled up the breach 
 
 SPIRIT f of ancient Britons ! where art thou ? 
 Into what happier region art thou fled, or fly- 
 ing ? Return, Oh return into our bofoms ! ex- 
 pel every narrow and groveling fentiment, and 
 animate us in this glorious caufe ! Where the 
 voice of public virtue and public liberty calls, 
 
 f This was preached, wten General Braddock was carry- 
 ing on his expedition to the Ohio ; and when that fpirit, 
 which has fince been fo much for the honor of many of our 
 colonies, had fcarce begun to exert itfelf. 
 
 thither 
 
DISCOURSE II. 45 
 
 thither may we follow, whether to life or to 
 death ! May thele ineftimabie blefilngs be tranf- 
 mitted'fafe to our poftenty ! and may there ne- 
 ver be wanting champions to vindicate them 
 againit every -difturber of human kind, as long 
 as there (hall be found remaining of all thole 
 who afTume the diilinguiihed name of Britons, 
 either a tongue to fpeak, or a hand to aft ! 
 
 As for you, my brethren, on whole account 
 we are-now aflembled, let me intreat you to give 
 your enemies no handle to accufe you of irreli- 
 gion, or want of public fpirit. Promote virtue, 
 difcourage vice, and be diftinguilhed only by 
 fuperior fandbity of manners. Purfue your pri- 
 vate callings with induftry and honefty. Be 
 faithful to your promifes, and let no rude guft 
 of pafiion extinguifh that candle of Brotherly- 
 Love, which fhould illuminate your fouls, and 
 is the glory of your nature. 
 
 IF you act thus, you (hall be as a building, 
 founded on everlafting pillars , fair to the fight, 
 and never to be (haken ! So ftrongly fupported, 
 fo firmly united, fo nobly adorned, is that So- 
 ciety which is fupported, united and adorned 
 by Wifdom, Strength and Beauty , that Wif- 
 dom which is the Fear of God, and Practice of 
 Rigliteoufnefs , that Strength which is Love, 
 the Cement of fouls, and Bond of Perfect- 
 neis ; and that Beauty which is inward Holinefs, 
 and an entire freedom from the turbulence of 
 palTion I 
 
 Now 
 
46 D I S C O U R S E II. 
 
 Now, to Him who is able to keep you from 
 falling, and condudt you fafe to thofe happy 
 manfions, where peace, joy and love eternal reign, 
 be afcribed, as is mod due, by men on earth and 
 faints in heaven, all praife, power, glory, and 
 dominion, for ever and ever ! 
 
 * * * * # 
 *< * > # 
 
 * * 
 
 #. * # 
 
 * * 
 
 DIS- 
 
DISCOURSE III. 
 
 Hardnefs of Heart and Negledt of God's 
 merciful Vifitations, the certain Fore- 
 runners of more public Mifcries; applied 
 to the Colonies, in a parallel between 
 their ftate and that of the Jews in many- 
 remarkable Inftances. 
 
 -no ' 
 
 PREACHED 
 
 On the Public Faft, appointed by the Go- 
 gernment of PENNSYLVANIA, May 21, 
 1756. 
 

 i 
 
 AFTER acquainting the Reader that 
 Difcourfe was firft delivered, when the 
 Province- was groaning under all that load of 
 Mifery, which was the Coniequence of Brad- 
 dock's Defeat and the Inroads of the French 
 and Savages on our diftrefTed and helplefs Fron- 
 tiers, any Apology far the matter or manner of 
 
 it would be needlefs. 
 
 
f 49 1 
 
 JEREMIAH viii. 
 
 V. 7. Tea, the Stork in the Heaven knoweth her 
 appointed times^ and the Turtle and the Crane and 
 the Swallow cbferve the time of their coming^ but 
 my people know not the Judgment of the Lord. 
 
 8. How do you fay, We are wife, and the law of the 
 Lord is with us ? L<?, certainly in vain made he 
 it ; the pen of the fcribes is vain. 
 
 9. The wife men are o.Jhamed, they are difmayed and 
 taken , lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord^ 
 and what wifdom is in them ? 
 
 10 Therefore will I give their wives unto others, 
 and their fields to them that fhall inherit them. 
 For every one, from the leaft even unto the great eft, 
 is given to covetoufnefs ; from the prophet even 
 unto the prieft) every one dealeth falfdy. 
 
 1 1 . For they have healed the hurt of the daughter 
 of my people flight ly^ faying. Peace , Peace y when 
 there, is no Peace. 
 
 BRETHREN, 
 
 WE are this day afTembled, on one of the 
 moft folemn and interefting occafions, 
 that we have ever beheld. We are call- 
 ed, by the authority of government, to proilrate 
 ourfelves before the almighty God, in humble 
 confefTicn of our manifold offences, both pub- 
 lic and private , to implore forgivenefs, and 
 grace for amendment , to offer up our praifes 
 
 E and 
 
5 o DISCOURSE III. 
 
 and thanfgivings for our deliverance from the 
 fury of wide-fpreading earthquakes ; 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 Proteftants. 
 
 RISING up to addrefs you, on fuch an impor- 
 tant occafion, it will become me to fpeak with 
 the utmoft freedom -, and I am fare you your- 
 felves would difapprove a timid or faint execu- 
 tion of this day's duty. You know the condem- 
 nation of the falfe Priefts in the text, " who heal- 
 ed 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 wicked man mall 
 die in his iniquity , but his blood will I require 
 at thy hands." You have moreover heard the 
 fate of the prophet Jonah, who vainly imagined 
 to flee from the face of the living God, and 
 avoid the execution of perilous duty. The very 
 elements fought againil him ; the Whale of the' 
 ocean vomited him back on diy ground ; and 
 there his willing feet learned to purfue his Ma- 
 ker's will, and never again to wander from his 
 way. 
 
 THE explanation of duty is a weighty charge, 
 and 4t becomes thofe who are entrufted with it, 
 to fait themfelves to times and fealbns, and to 
 try every method of making imprefiions in fa- 
 vour 
 
DISCOURSE III. 51 
 
 vour of God and Goodnefs, Sometimes the 
 Lord condefcerids to manifeft himfelf in pecu- 
 liar acts of mercy and loving-kindnefs -, and then 
 the hearts of men are to be won to gratitude by 
 rapturous views of his eternal goodnefs. Some- 
 times again, he thinks fit to vifit in terror and 
 judgment, earthquakes, peftiience, famine, 
 fword, and the like ; and then his fervants are 
 to forego their ufual methods of addrefs, and 
 .aflame a fevere and bolder note. 
 
 I WOULD be far from multiplying Judg- 
 ments, or magnifying into that clafs what may 
 poffibly be but the common refult of things. 
 But, on the other hand, to deny God's particu- 
 lar providence, and the occafional exertions of 
 his power in an extraordinary manner, to an- 
 fwer extraordinary purpofes in his moral deal- 
 ings with free agents, would be to exclude him 
 from the immediate government of that world 
 which he has made. 
 
 THE hiflory of all ages may convince us that 
 he has often interpofed to over-rule particular 
 events, both in Judgment and Mercy ; and to 
 you who believe his facred word, arguments on 
 this head would be unneceflary. I, therefore, 
 proceed to the main bufmefs of this difcourfe, 
 and therein mall purfue the following method : 
 
 FIRST, I mall give fome account of the flats 
 of the Jewifti nation, with refpecl: to thole vices 
 which drew down the judgments denounced in 
 the text. 
 
 E 2 Si- 
 
52 DISCOURSE III. 
 
 SECONDLY, I mall give forrfc account of our 
 own ilate by way of parallel, and conclude with 
 an application of the whole to the bufmefs of 
 the prefent day. 
 
 As to the vices of the Jewifh nation, they are 
 fo fully and pathetically deicribed, in the pre- 
 ceeding chapters, by this prophet, who was one 
 of the moft zealous of God's iervants, that I 
 cannot forbear laying a few of the veries before 
 you. I am fure, they are too plain to fland in 
 need of a comment. 
 
 HAVING, in the nrfl chapter, publifhed his 
 high commiflion, he proceeds with a noble and 
 exalted vehemence, in the caufe of his God, to 
 expoftulate with the people for their ungrateful 
 returns to all the divine favours. He earneftly 
 exhorts them to repent while the door of mercy 
 was yet open, and ftrives to work upon them 
 by every pofTible motive. In cafe of their com- 
 pliance, he propofes to their hopes the moft 
 alluring rewards. In cafe of their neglect, he 
 alarms their fears with a protpedt of the moil 
 dreadful punilhments. 
 
 BUT let us hear himfelf. Standing forth as 
 the meffenger of the great Jehovah, in the midfl 
 of his people, burning for their good, and 
 deeply labouring with the vafl weight of his 
 iubjedr., he proceeds as follows, in the adorable 
 
 name of his maker - 
 
 " THEN -f laid the Lord unto me Out of 
 
 f Chap. I. 
 
 the 
 
DISCOURSE III. 53 
 
 the north an evil lhall break forth upon all the 
 inhabitants of this land ; and I will utter my 
 judgments againft them touching all their wick- 
 ednels, who have forfaken me." 
 
 " Go f cry in the ears of Jerufalem, faying, 
 Thus faith the Lord, I remember the kindnels 
 of thy youth, when thou wenteil after me in the 
 Wildernefs, in a land that was not fown. Ifrael 
 was (then) Holinefs unto the Lord and the firft 
 fruits of his 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 through the wildernefs, thro* 
 a land of defarts, in which no man dwelt ? I 
 brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the 
 fruits thereof. 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 their 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 1 For my 
 people have committed two evils. They have 
 forfaken me the fountain of living waters, and 
 
 { Chap. II. 
 
 E 3 hewn 
 
54 D'ISCOUR-SE III. 
 
 hewn out for themfelves citterns, broken cit- 
 terns, that can hold no water." 
 
 Now, for thefe iniquities of "Ifrael, " The 
 young lions have roared upon him : They have 
 made his land wafle , his cities are burnt, with- 
 out inhabitant. The children of Noph and Ta- 
 hapanes have broken the crown of thy head. I 
 have fmitten your children, and they have re- 
 ceived no correction. The * mowers have been 
 with-holden, and there hath been no latter rain - y 
 but thou refufedil to be afhamed. Upon every 
 high mountain, and under every green tree, 
 thou haft played the harlot. 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 accord- 
 ing to my heart, who mail feed you with know- 
 lege and underftanding." 
 
 THUS far the prophet, in a tender and affec- 
 tionate ftrain, hoping to win and to allure his 
 people to repentance. But finding all argu- 
 ments of perluafion ineffectual to move their 
 hardened hearts, he foon afterwards affumes the 
 voice of terror and judgment, and breaks forth 
 in the deepeft agitation of foul, on a' nearer 
 view of that ruin which he faw ready to involve 
 them. 
 
 * Chap. III. 
 
 My 
 
DISCOURSE III. 55 
 
 * c MY * bowels ! my bowels ! I am pained 
 at my very heart ; my heart maketh a nolle with- 
 in me ; I cannot hold my peace, becaufe thou 
 haft heard, O my foul, the Sound of the Trum- 
 pet, the alarm of war. Deftruction upon tie- 
 flru6tion is cried, for the whole Land is fpoiled 
 I 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 herfelf and fpreadeth forth 
 her hands ; faying, Woe is me now, for my foul 
 is wearied becaufe of Murderers !" 
 
 " A -f- LION out of the foreft Ihall flay my 
 people. A leopard ihall watch over their cities, 
 and every one that goeth out thence ihall be torn 
 in pieces. I will bring a nation upon you from 
 far, O houfe of Ifrael. It is a mighty nation 
 whofe language thou knoweit not - 9 a people || 
 that cometh from the north country ^ riftng up 
 from the fides of the earth , who lay hold of 
 the bow and the fpear ; whofe voice roareth like 
 the fea , who are cruel and have no mercy ; at 
 whofe fame your hands ihall wax feeble, and 
 they ihall eat up thine harveft, and thy bread, 
 which thy fons and thy daughters fliould cat." 
 
 " AND when it fhall befaid, Wherefore doth 
 the Lord thefe things unto us ? You ihall an- 
 fvvcr Like as ye have forfaken me and ferved 
 ilrange Gods in your own lands ; fo ihall ye fervc 
 
 * Chap. IV. f Chap. V. || Chap. VI. $ Chap. V. 
 K 4 ftrangers 
 
56 DISCOURSE III. 
 
 ftrangers in a land that is not yours. For, fear 
 ye not me, faith the Lord ? Will ye not trem- 
 ble at my prefence, who have placed the fand 
 for the bound of the fea, by a perpetual decree 
 that it cannot pafs it ? But this people are more 
 unruly than the fea itfelf." " They are revolted 
 and quite gone. As a fountain cafteth out her 
 waters, fo Jerufalem cafteth out her wicked- 
 nefs" * " They truft in lying words; faying 
 the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord! 
 They fteal, they murder, they commit adultery, 
 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 j" as if the 
 bare profeBaon of religion would juftify them 
 in " all thefe abominations But I will call them 
 out of my fight, as I have call out all their 
 brethren, even the whole feed of Ephraim. 
 Therefore, pray not thou for them , neither lift 
 up cry nor prayer for them, neither make inter- 
 ceflion to me , for I will not hear thee They -f- 
 flide back by a perpetual back-Hiding , they hold 
 fail deceit, they rcfufe to return ," they are even 
 
 more ilupid than the brute creation 
 
 " FOR the flork in the heaven knoweth her 
 appointed times, and the turtle and the crane 
 and the fwallow obferye the time of their com- 
 ing-, but my people know not the judgments of 
 the Lord," nor regard the merciful viiitations of 
 my power ! Why, then, fhould they fay " we are 
 
 .Chap, Vil. f Chap. V11J. : 
 
 Wife, 
 
DISCOURSE III. 57 
 
 Wife, and the Law of the Lord is with us ? Lo, 
 certainly in vain made he it, and the pen of 
 the fcribes is vain." Where is their wifdom, 
 when the very fowls of the air reproach them 
 with folly ; obferving the times and the feafons , 
 while this people is deaf to all the calls of my 
 providence. They boaft that my " Law is with 
 them," and value themfelves upon the many ex- 
 alted privileges which I have given them. But 
 what do thefe avail, unlefs to encreafe their 
 guilt ? The Law is become as a dead letter, 
 when it produces no effect upon the life and mo- 
 rals. In vain have I given it to them, and the 
 pen of their fcribes has preferved it in vain. For 
 where are its fruits ? Look at thofe who are 
 called Wife Men. Behold, " they are afhamed ; 
 they are difmayed-, they are taken;" All their 
 fchemes are unfuccefsful. " There is no wif- 
 dom in them ;" and how mould there be 
 any, feeing, < c they have rejected the word 
 of the Lord," which is the only founda- 
 tion 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 mould 
 probe the fore to the bottom, are content with 
 ibme trmfient or fuperfkial cure. " They heal 
 the hu.c (lightly," and leave it ready to break 
 out again the next moment. They are either 
 as corrupt as the reft , or, from fordid views of 
 popularity, they arc afraid to item the torrent. 
 
 Rather 
 
5 S DISCOURSE III. 
 
 Rather than offend, by an honefl difcharge of 
 duty, they floop to footh the people in their 
 folly. Inflead of proclaiming the true do&rines 
 of everlafling peace and falvation, they treachcr- 
 oufly proclaim falfe peace, where there is no 
 peace to be found. 
 
 SEEING, then, fuch is their ftate that all re- 
 inedy is defpaired of, and they wholly refufe to 
 be mftructed by all that has happened to them ; 
 what remains but a fearful looking for judgment 
 and fiery indignation ? " My -f- Soul mall de- 
 part from them. Jerufalem fhall be made defo- 
 late, a land not inhabited / will give their 
 wives to others^ and their fields to them that Jhall 
 inherit them" 
 
 TREMENDOUS threatening ! which was foon 
 afterwards fulfilled, and is now recorded for our 
 admonition. And Oh ! that we may be ena- 
 bled to make a right ufe of it , bringing it home 
 to our hearts and our bofoms, in the prefent du- 
 bious ftate of our affairs ; admiring and ador- 
 ing that divine goodnefs, which thus calls us to 
 avoid our own deftru&ion, by placing before us 
 the errors and example of others ! 
 
 THE bounds which I have preicribed to this 
 difcourie would not permit me to enter into a 
 more particular account of the Jewiili nation ; 
 but the verfes which 1 have feledted are fuffi- 
 cientiy expreflive of their ftate and character, 
 previous to their falling under thofe dciblating 
 
 t Chap. VI. 
 
 judgments > 
 
DISCOURSE III. 59 
 
 judgments, which the Lord thought fit do de- 
 nounce againft them in the text. 
 
 IT remains, then, that we now proceed to 
 make fome enquiry into our own ftate by way 
 of parallel; which was the Second thing pro- 
 pofed. 
 
 IN doing this, let us follow the words of fo- 
 bernefs and truth ; equally abftaining from vain 
 fcepticifm on the one hand, and weak credulity 
 on the other; neither arrogating to ourfelves 
 virtues which we have not, nor terrifying ourfelves 
 with vices, to which our confciences may yet be 
 happily flrangers. I grant that prophecies are 
 now probably ceafed, and thefe verfes may have 
 had their accomplimment. But their fpirit and 
 meaning ftill remain , and the fame caufes will 
 produce the fame effects in every age. If, there- 
 fore, we find any firnilitude in them to our own 
 ftate at prefent,.we cannot be unaffected at the 
 confequences , and we muft be blind indeed, if 
 we fo far flatter ourfelves as to think there is 
 none. On the contrary, is it pofllble to read 
 them, without imagining that we hear our hea- 
 venly Father kindly addreffing a great part of 
 them to ourfelves, with little variation of words, 
 in the manner following ? 
 
 OH Britons and Prcteftants ! I remember, faith 
 the Lord, the days of your youth, " when you 
 went after me in the wildernefs, in a land that 
 was not fown. You were -then holinefs to me 
 and the firil fruits of my increafe." I brought 
 
 you 
 
60 DISCOURSE III; 
 
 you forth into this remote country, as an infant 
 people, as a chofen feed ; purpofing, through 
 you, to extend my kingdom to the uttermoft 
 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 through the dangers of the 
 ocean, and preserved " you in a land of defarts.. 
 I bade the folitary place be glad through you, 
 and the defart itfelf to rejoice and blorTom as 
 the rofe." When you were but a weak and 
 helplefs people, I made the Heathen your 
 friends, who had power to deftroy you. " I 
 gave you a plentiful country, and bade you eat 
 the fruits thereof"- You tlien faw that " this 
 was my doing," and, in thofe early days, were 
 not afhamed to confefs that " the right hand of 
 the Lord had brought mighty things to pals." 
 When you looked back on the dangers you had 
 efcaped, your grateful fouls were lifted up in 
 praiies to me, who fpoke the fierce ocean into 
 peace around you, and made the gloomy wilder- 
 ncfs become the cheerful abode of men. When 
 you faw the bounteous earth bring forth her 
 willing encreafe, you acknowleged " 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 heritage an abo- 
 mination." I gave you Plenty - 9 but Plenty be- 
 
DISCOURSE III. 61 
 
 gat Eafe ; and Eafe begat Luxury , and Lux- 
 ury introduced a fatal corruption of every 
 good and virtuous principle ; infomuch that 
 you fqrgot the very hand from which you re- 
 ceived all things. You forgot to fay, " Where 
 is the Lord" that hath done fo much for us ? 
 Or where is he that brought us through the 
 fierce ocean, that made the heathen our friends, 
 that prote&ed us in the wilderneis, and caufed 
 the deiart around us to imile ? 
 
 FOR the fpace of an hundred years (a period 
 of happinefs which no nation before you could 
 ever boail of) my patience bore with you, while 
 you enjoyed a continual profperity -, being al- 
 moft entirely ilrangers to the " found of the 
 trumpet, the alarm of war, and the fight of 
 garments rolled in blood." But, in prop^rtian 
 to my mercies, lias your guilt encreafed. You 
 have become more and more forgetful of me, 
 and of the exalted privileges I called you to en- 
 joy. 
 
 " PASS over the liles of Chittim , fend unto 
 Kedar, and fee if there be any fuch thing as 
 this." Look through all the countries of your 
 Popifh and Heathen neighbours ; and fee if the 
 former have changed their Superilition, or the 
 latter " their Gods, which yet are no Gods !" 
 Such 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 ailoniihed at this, O ye heavens ! 
 
 and 
 
62 DISCOURSE III. 
 
 and be ye horribly afraid ; for this people have 
 committed two evils," and have been guilty of 
 double fooiifhneis ! They have neglecled the 
 exercife of their holy Proteftant Religion, truft- 
 ing to the lying vanities of this life ; " and have 
 forlaken me, the fountain of living waters, 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 theie things, and 
 twice have I fpoken unto you, faith the Lord ; 
 but you have neither kifTed my rod, nor hum- 
 bled yourlelves under my chaftifements. " The 
 ihowers have been with-holden 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 righ- 
 teoufnefs." 
 
 WHEREFORE, the young Lions from the 
 foreil have roared upon you. They have made 
 your land wafte, and your cities are burnt, 
 without inhabitant. The children of Noph and Ta- 
 hapanes have f broken the Crown of your head." 
 I have let the favages of the woods loofe upon 
 you. They rage in all your borders. Your 
 
 f This is otherwife rendered " feed on thy Crown." But, 
 however it be under ftood, the words, and the whole defcrip- 
 tion that follows, are too remarkable not to bring to our 
 mind all the horrors of an Indian war, and the deteftable cuf- 
 tom of fcalping, or cutting off the skin of the head, to be 
 ibid for a price. 
 
 7 country 
 
DISCOURSE III. 63 
 
 country is depopulated, your villages burnt up, 
 and thoufands of your miferable brethren, tor- 
 tured, murdered, or carried into barbarous cap- 
 tivity. "^Deftrudtion upon deilruclion 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, andfpreadeth forth her hands; 
 faying, Wee is me now, for my foul is wearied 
 becauie of Murderers. I have fent a nation up- 
 on you from afar, whofe language you know 
 not -, a mighty nation from the north country ; 
 rifing up from the fides of the earth - y 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 enemy is on every fide, and whofoever goeth 
 out fhall be torn in pieces. And behold ! they 
 cat up your harvefl and your bread, which your 
 fons and daughters fhould eat , and they eat up 
 your flocks and your herds 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 forfaken me, and 
 fhewn yourielves unworthy gf your holy religion 
 and exalted privileges, fo I have forfaken you, 
 and delivered you over to be chaftiled with an 
 
 iron 
 
64 DISCOURSE III. 
 
 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 elements obey ? Why will 
 ye truft in lying words, faying " The temple of 
 the Lord, the temple of the Lord ;" we are 
 Britons, we are Proteilants ? What fignify thefe 
 names, when you have forgot the caufe of your 
 country, and made your religion a reproach 
 among the Heathen around you ? Will ye deal, 
 will ye commit adultery, will ye defraud, will 
 ye walk after covetouihefs, will ye profane my 
 name, will you difregard my righteous judg- 
 ments, will you remain indifferent to the prefer- 
 vation of your ineftimable privileges ; and then 
 will ye come and (land before me, in my honfe 
 which is called by my name, and fay we are 
 Britons, we are Proteilants, as if this would juf- 
 tify you in all thefe abominations ? 
 
 THE very fowls of the heaven act a more con- 
 fident part than you. They obferve the figns 
 and the feafons which the Lord hath appointed 
 for them. But you have neither regarded my 
 former judgments, nor have my latter more fe- 
 vere ones awakened your attention, and made 
 you wifer. Even in the very fight of " Sinai's 
 burning mount j" in the midft of the mod com- 
 plicated miferies ; when blood and defolation 
 are all around, yon have neither reformed your 
 jives, nor regarded the diftrefs of your country. 
 
 An 
 
DISCOURSE III. 63 
 
 An evil fpirit of unbelief hath gone forth among 
 you, fetting every prefent danger at a diflance. 
 You have refufed to "play the man for the cities 
 of your God," or to defend that glorious plan of 
 public happinefs delivered down to you by your 
 fathers. Strifes, difcords, hatred, uncharitable- 
 neis, licentioufnefs, civil broils, calumnies and 
 contention about trifles, have been uppermoft 
 in your thoughts , while your moil valuable and 
 eilential interefts have been made a fecondary 
 concern, or perhaps no concern at all, or the 
 concern only of thofe who wanted the power to 
 ferve them. 
 
 IN fuch circumflances what doth it fignify to 
 fay " The Law of the Lord is with us j" we are 
 a diftiriguifhed people ; ours is the reformed 
 Religion, and ours the enjoyment of civil Li- 
 berty ? Were you truly fenfible of the irnmtnfe 
 value of thefe fupreme of blefiings, your prac- 
 tice would have been conformable ; and your 
 fouls would have been enflamed with all the ar- 
 dors of the brave, on the lead approach of dan- 
 ger towards them. You likewife fay, you are 
 wife j and boaft of your fuperior improvements. 
 But what marks of this can you mew ? 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 rejecl- 
 ed the Lord, and have not fought council of the 
 moft high. 
 
 F WHAT, 
 
66 DISCOURSE III. 
 
 WHAT, then, will be the end of thefe things r 
 Hear it now from that wifdom which cannot err, 
 " Unlefs you repent and return and amend your 
 ways,/ the foul of the Lord will utterly depart 
 from you. He will give your wives to others^ and 
 your fields to tbem tbat Jhall inherit them" 
 
 THUS, my brethren, we fee a ftriking fimi- 
 Jitude between us and the Jews in many ftrong 
 and capital infcances \ and I am perfuadecl you 
 will not think the picture exaggerated. Within 
 the iliort period of one year, how many marks 
 of God's dealing with us have we feen ? Not 
 to mention excefiive droughts, earthquakes, and 
 other omens cf his wrath, the troops fent to our 
 protection have been moft miferably defeated,, 
 and iuchfcenes of barbarity, horror, and defola- 
 tion have eniued, as human nature fhudders to 
 recount, and hiftory can fcarce parallel ! 
 
 YET what have' we profited by all this ? Has 
 it humbled us under our fins ? Has it brought 
 our civil difcords to an end ? Or has it eradi- 
 cated thofe abfurd principles of government 
 that have brought our country to the brink of 
 ruin ? On the contrary, are they not inculcat- 
 ed among us with more zeal and indufby than " 
 ever ? Have we not many who have made it 
 their bufmefs to reftrain the ardor of God's peo- 
 ple in their righteous caufe ; to tie up the hands 
 of the king's beft fubjecls in the hour of ex- 
 * tremert danger, and cry " Peace, peace, when: 
 there is no peace J" Have we not many who 
 
 like 
 
DISCOURSE III. 67 
 
 like the prophet Jonah in the ftorm, are gone 
 down to the fail places, to indulge themfelves 
 in inglorious reft, when the poor ihattered bark 
 that carries them along is ready to be fwallowed 
 up of eveiy wave ? 
 
 YET I would hops 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 Hand forth the accufer of my bre- 
 thren, on any occafion - 5 and, on the prefent, I 
 know many among them who have nobly exert- 
 ed themfelves in the caufe of God, their king, 
 and their country. Yet, perhaps, after all, there 
 may be iome who have been but too complai- 
 fant to favourite vices and opinions. If that 
 fliould be the cafe, Oh ! let them think how 
 great their condemnation will be. For, if the 
 guides be gone out of the way, how fiiall thofe 
 that follow after be in the ftraight path ? If the 
 minifters of God's word have once learned to 
 itoop to prejudices, or to lupprefs one needful 
 truth, either through fear or favour, it is one of 
 the worit lymptorns of total degeneracy, and the 
 hopes of reformation are utterly blafted. 
 
 How different a conduct did that zealous 
 preacher of righteoufnefs, the author of my text, 
 obferve ? Though called to his facred office 
 when very young, yet he was not awed by the 
 faces of men. He fcorned either to footh them 
 in their folly; or to burn incenfe on the altar 
 
 F 2 >f 
 
68 DISCOURSE III. 
 
 of popular applaufe , or to facrifice his virtu6 
 and judgment to prevailing errors. He fets out r 
 in his firft chapter, with a moft fervent and en* 
 lightened 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 commiflion, and had made him as " a de- 
 fenced 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 not traft to 
 it?) he determined that no temporal confidera- 
 tion mould awe or influence 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 flem, but like 
 a prophet of the moft high God, majeftically 
 compofed, and awfully imprefTed with the whole 
 weight of facred and important truth. For the 
 fpace of forty years, he continued a faithful 
 meflenger of his maker's will ; pleading the caufe 
 of expiring righteoufnefs and trampled virtue, 
 among a back-Hiding people, with an exalted 
 vehemence and unremitting ardor, againft far 
 greater corruption than we have to ftruggie 
 v/ith. Ours, I truft, is not yet total like that 
 of the Jews, for which reafon I did not carry the 
 fimilitude quite through , and, although we have 
 many who are ready to tear our names in pieces 
 
 when* 
 
DISCOURSE IIL 69 
 
 whenever we mention the caufe of our country, 
 efpecially if we are zealous in prefilng home the 
 great duty of Defending our ineftimable rights 
 againlt a Popifh and Heathen 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 woril of us 
 have fome virtues to put in the balance with our 
 vices ; that there is mercy with God for us 
 all, if we earneilly feck it of him ; and that the 
 day of our en-tire defolation is not yet .come ! 
 But let us remember that every negletl of his 
 vifitations is an approach towards that fatal day, 
 and that if we continue longer hardened under 
 the .prefent fevere chailiiements of his hand, 
 we have reafon to fear that a worie thing, will 
 befal us, 
 
 IT is the method of God's providence to bear 
 long with his people, and to try all methods of 
 reclaiming them confident with their moral 
 agency ; fuch as by reproof, by example, by 
 mercy, and by chaflifement. But there is a time 
 when his patience has had its full work, and 
 " * there remaineth no more facrifice for fins.'* 
 There is a ftage or crifis in the corruption of 
 nations, beyond which it is as impofiible 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 neglect to improve by God's merciful 
 * Heb. x. 26. 
 
 F 3 vifitations 
 
;o DISCOURSE III. 
 
 vifitations is an advance to this ftage, and there- 
 fore a fatal fymptom of approaching ruin. 
 
 To offer farther proofs of this would be need- 
 lefs. 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 fcripture be of any weight , 
 if the voice of reafon and the experience of ages 
 be worthy of regard ^ then it is evident, paft 
 contradiction, that national vices lead to natio- 
 nal mifery. For a holy and juft God muil pu- 
 nifh the flagrant abufe of his miferies -, and when 
 this abufe is by a whole people, or the majority 
 of them, the punimment may well be expected 
 in this world, feeing in the next all the prefent 
 focieties of men will be difbanded. Befides this, 
 in the very nature of things, a general corrup- 
 tion/of the feveral members mult lead to a dif- 
 folution of the whole body. 
 
 IF we fearch all the annals of mankind thro' 3 
 we mail find that no people was ever truly great 
 or profperous, but by fupporting a fenfe of li- 
 berty, and upholding the majefty of virtue. Go- 
 vernment cannot be maintained on any other prin- 
 ciples than juftice, truth, and fobriety. Vice is 
 a Handing rebellion againft God and govern- 
 ment, and a total fubverfion of all order and 
 faith and peace and fociety among men. 
 
 LET me, then, my brethren, adjure and be- 
 feech you to improve this day of folemn humi- 
 liation before the Lord, to thofe pious purpofes 
 fpr which it was fet apart. Let me call upon 
 
 you, 
 
DISCOURSE III. 71 
 
 you, by every dear and lac red tie ; By all the 
 deliverances which God hath wrought for you , 
 By all the ineftimabie bleilings which you have 
 received at his hand ; By the glory and dignity 
 of your immortal nature ; By the fan&ifying 
 graces of his holy fpirit , By the glorious com- 
 ing of his everlafting Son from the bofom of his 
 love; By his adorable plan of redemption and 
 bloody crols ; By the purity of his everlafting 
 Goipel and your high calling as Chriftians ; By- 
 all that you are, and all that you hope to be ; By 
 the {lender thread of life that feparares you from 
 the dark manfions of the grave , By the found 
 of the laft trumpet that will raiie you to endleis 
 life ; By the fun in darknefs and the moon in 
 blood; By Jefus the Redeemer feated on his 
 awful tribunal ; By the laft folemn fentence and 
 an eternity to come or if thefe glorious and 
 important confiderations will not work upon you, 
 let me call upon you by your dread of punifh- 
 ment and fear of ruin ; By all the examples of 
 divine vengeance that have been laid before yon ; 
 By a regard to your pofterity yet unborn ; By 
 the fighs and diftrefs of your captivated bre- 
 thren , and By the groans and naileries of your 
 bleeding country repent; be converted from 
 every fin ; humble yourfelves in the duft before 
 the Lord ; cry earneftly unto him for forgivenefs 
 through the blood of Jefus, and ftedfaftly pur- 
 pofe to walk before him for the future, " in 
 holinefs and righteoufnefs all the days of your 
 lives!" F 4 SUCH 
 
72 DISCOURSE III. 
 
 SUCH a conduct as this will equally entitle 
 you to the character of good chriftians and good 
 citizens. For whatever we may boaft of public 
 fpirit and love to our country, it appears from 
 what has been faid, that he, and he only, is the 
 greatefl patriot, and manifeils the greatefl public 
 fpirit, who fupports the majefty of religion, rever 
 rences the laws of his country, and keeps a con- 
 fcience void of offence towards God and towards 
 man. And happy is he, of all others moil 
 happy, whether in a high or low flation, who, in 
 the prefent confufion of our affairs, can lay his 
 hand on his heart, and pronounce that fuch has 
 been the fleady tenor of his proceedings. For 
 him there will remain the recompence of the 
 Jtift, when all fublunary things mail have come 
 to an end. 
 
 GRANT, O heavenly Father ! that fuch may 
 be the future conduct, and fuch the final recom- 
 pence 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 unmerited mercies ; and particularly 
 for having faved us from the fury of thofe raging 
 Earthquakes that have fo lately whelmed thou- 
 fands, perhaps lefs guilty than we, in one fud- 
 den ruin. Strengthen us with thy grace for the 
 performance of thofe vows of amendment, into 
 which we have now folemnly entered. Continue 
 to us the pure light of the everlafting gofpel, 
 which thy juftice might well remove from us. 
 
 Bring 
 
DISCOURSE III. 73 
 
 Bring our civil difcords and all erroneous doc- 
 trines to a fpeedy end. Hear the cries of our 
 fuffering and captivated brethren every where, 
 and fupport them in thy Faith and Fear. Have 
 pity on the general diftrefs of this country , and 
 Oh ! thou whofe Almighty power can raiie 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 ! In- 
 fpire us with a high and commanding fenfe of 
 the immenfe value of what we are now called to 
 defend ; which will be the beft foundation of irue 
 heroifm and virtue. For could we be once 1o 
 loft to goodnefs and wifdom as to apprehend the 
 difference between one religion and another, 
 one fyftem of government and another, not 
 worth the price of blood and treafure, the day 
 of our defolation would not be far diftanr*; and 
 we and our pofterity would foon be loft and 
 blended among the nations around us that know 
 not thee^ from which unfpeakable calamity 
 good Lord deliver us to the lateft generations, 
 for the fake of our Saviour Jefus Chrift! Amen. 
 
 DIS- 
 
DISCOURSE IV. 
 
 The CHRISTIAN SOLDIER'S DUTY; the 
 Lawfulnefs and Dignity of his Office; 
 and the Importance of the PROTE- 
 STANT CAUSE in the Britim Colonies. 
 
 PREACHED IN 
 
 Chrift-Church, PHILADELPHIA ; April 5, 
 J 757- 
 
 AT THE DESIRE OF 
 
 GENERAL STAN W I X, 
 
 To the forces under his Command, before 
 their march to the Frontiers. With a 
 PRAYER on the fame Occafion. 
 
. [ 77 
 
 LUKE iii. 14. 
 
 And the Soldiers demanded of him likewise 9 
 
 faying Majler, and what Jhall we do ? 
 
 He faidunto them. Do violence to no man, 
 
 neither accufe any falfely^ and be content 
 
 with your wages. 
 
 THIS chapter contains an account of the 
 preaching of St. John the Baptift -, who, 
 being called of God in the wildernefs, and duly 
 commiflioned for his high office, " came into 
 all the country about Jordan, preaching to the 
 people the Baptifm of Repentance for the Re- 
 mi flion of Sins. " 
 
 THE more thoroughly to awaken their atten- 
 tion, and evince the neceflity of his dodtrine, he 
 appears in the moil linking character ; being, 
 as was prophefied concerning him, " the voice 
 of one crying in the wildernefs ; prepare ye the 
 way of the Lord ; make his paths ftraight ! 
 Every valley mall be filled, every mountain and 
 hill mall be brought low , the crooked [places] 
 lhall be made ftraight ; the rough ways fmooth - 3 
 and all Flefh (hall fee the Salvation 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 mef- 
 fengers before them ; proclaiming to the peo- 
 
 pie 
 
7 8 DISCOURSE IV, 
 
 pie to make their way plain. Now, as the 
 at this time, daily looked for the coming of their 
 King or Promifed Median, fuch a proclamation, 
 from fo extraordinary a perlbn, crying out to 
 clear the way, " for that the Salvation of God 
 was at hand," could not fail to excite their cu- 
 fiofity, and intereft their affections ! 
 
 EVERY heart was accordingly feized with an 
 inftant hope of beholding the Defire of Nations , 
 with whom they expected to mare crowns and 
 empire and temporal glory. Nay, they began 
 " to mufe in their hearts whether John himfelf 
 were the Chrift *," or on ty m ' s fore-runner. In 
 either cafe, they were eager to embrace the bap- 
 tifm which he preached , as artful courtiers will 
 ftrive to recommend themfelves to the graces 
 of an expected Mailer. Hence, " a Multitude 
 of them came forth, to be baptized of him." 
 
 JOHN, who faw their carnal views, is not too 
 forward in conferring his baptifm upon them, 
 without duly instructing them in the nature and 
 conditions of it. " O generation of vipers ! 
 fays he ; who hath warned you to flee from the 
 wrath which is to come ?" Neverthelefs, if you 
 are really defirous to efcape it, and to be ad- 
 mitted to the blefTings promifed in the MefTiah, 
 do not deceive yourfelves in thinking that thofe 
 
 * They were, no doubt, fome time in this fufpenfe, before 
 John refolves them, by telling them that he was not the 
 Chrift, nor even worthy to unloofe the latchet of his fhoes ; 
 )>wt that the Chrift was quickly to follow after him. 
 
 blefimgs 
 
D I S C O U R S E IV. 79 
 
 blefTmgs may be derived to you by inheritance. 
 They are not of a carnal but of a fpiritual na- 
 ture. Nor will it avail you any thing to fay, 
 " we have Abraham to our father - 9 " and are 
 thereby the children of promife. For I fay unto 
 you that unlefs you bring forth fruits meet for 
 repentance ; you can by no means inherit thofe 
 Promifes " For God is able of thefe ftones to 
 raife up children to Abraham ; and in them mall 
 his promifes be made good, if not in you. And 
 you mu ft now, without delay',make your choice.*'* 
 " For the ax is already laid to the root of the 
 trees ; and every tree that bringeth not forth 
 good fruit is to be hewn down and caft into the 
 fire." 
 
 SUCH an alarming denunciation ftruck the peo- 
 ple with double aftonifhment ; and they prefled 
 {till more eagerly about John, crying -f "what 
 mall we do then -," to efcape this ruin and ob- 
 tain this falvation ? " He anfwered and faid un- 
 to 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 recom- 
 mending the univerfal practice of that diffufive 
 charity and benevolence, which are a main foun- 
 dation of moral virtue, and the moil acceptable 
 fervice we can render to our adorable Creator ! 
 
 AMONG others who prefled forward, on this 
 occafion, came the Publicans, a fet of men in- 
 famous for their illegal exactions upon the peo- 
 * V. 7,8, 9. f V. 10, ii, 12, 13, 
 
80 DISCOURSE IV, 
 
 pie, crying" Mailer, what fhall we do ?" John, 
 who knew their character, flrikes boldly at their 
 capital vice-, charging them by their hope of 
 falvation and their dread of Ruin, " exact no 
 more than what is appointed you" by law , for 
 how fhall you begin to be good,, till you ceafe 
 to be unjuft ? 
 
 LAST of all came the Soldiers f, " demand- 
 ing of him likewile, 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 recommended 
 to me as the fubjedt of this diicourfe. And had 
 I been left to my own choice, I could not have 
 felecled any more fuitable to my purpofe. For 
 being delivered by divine infpiration, on a moft 
 important occafion - y namely, when the foldiers 
 themfelves earneftly requeiled to know, by what 
 means they might efcape the threatened fire of 
 God's wrath, and obtain falvation through the 
 Median, we may be fure they imply in them the 
 fundamental parts of the Chriilian Soldier's 
 Duty; fo far at leaft as relates to that particular 
 character. 
 
 I SHALL therefore proceed upon them, in their 
 natural order. With diffidence, however, I en- 
 ter upon my fubject. I know many of you to 
 be men of diftinguifhed underftanding ; confcious 
 of the dignity of your own character, and of the 
 t V. 14. 
 
 glorious 
 
D I S C O U R S E IV. Si 
 
 glorious caufe wherein you are engaged. And 
 nothing but your own exprefs delire, could give 
 me courage to offer my thoughts concerning any 
 part of your duty. But, being invited thereto, 
 I mail proceed to the utmoft of my abilities, as 
 far as the time will permit. And, whatever ma/ 
 be the execution, I can fafely fay that I bring 
 with me a heart zealous for the public and re- 
 gardful of you ! 
 
 FIRST, then, the Chriftian-Soldier is to "do 
 Violence to no man." 
 
 THERE are two forts of violence which a fol- 
 dier may be guilty of. One is againft thofe who 
 are lawfully veiled with command over him. 
 This is commonly fliled Mutiny, and is a crime 
 of the moft atrocious nature ; feldom to be ex- 
 piated but by the Death of the offender. And 
 as God is a God of order, it muft be peculiarly 
 odious to him. 
 
 ANOTHER fort of Violence, which a foldief 
 may be guilty of, is againft his Fellow-fubjects.- 
 This is that violence more immediately meant 
 in the text; the original word there, fignifyihg 
 the fhaking or terrifying a man, fo as to force 
 money from him through fear. This we find 
 exprefly forbid by the fpirit of Cliriftianity, un- 
 der pain of forfeiting the Salvation of God. And 
 we may glory to fay. that it is alfo forbid by the 
 mild fpirit of the Britifh conftitution ! 
 
 OUR Soldiery are armed by the laws of their 
 G coua- 
 
Si D I $ C O U R S E IV. 
 
 country, and fupported by the community; not 
 to command, but to ferve itj not to opprefs, 
 but to protect, it. Should they, therefore, turn 
 their fword againfl thofe from whom they derive 
 their authority, and thus Violate the juft rights 
 even but of one Freeman, who contributes to 
 their fupport what a complication of guilt 
 would it imply ? It would be treachery ! It 
 would be ingratitude ! Nay, it would be parri- 
 cide ! 
 
 As for the tyrants of mankind, let them 
 (belying heaven and pretending an authority 
 from God) lead forth their armed flaves to plun- 
 der, to harrafs and to deflroy thofe to* whom 
 they owe protection ! Let them fill thofe lands 
 with Violence and Blood, which they ought to 
 fill with Blefllng and Joy ! " Verily I fay unto 
 you they mall have their reward." For, believe 
 me, fuch actions are odious to heaven, repug- 
 nant to the gofpel; and God will certainly 
 avenge his own caufe ! 
 
 HAPPY for us, we rejoice under milder in- 
 fluences ! our gracious fovereign, thro' a long 
 and profperous reign, has never, in any inftance, 
 offered violence to the rights of his fubjects ; nor 
 permitted it in his fervants. The Comman-- 
 ders placed orer us, in our prefent diftrefs, have 
 fignalized themfelves as patrons of juftice and 
 lovers of liberty. Though appointed over great 
 armies, among a people long accuilomed to 
 
 pro- 
 
 
DISCOURSE IV. 83 
 
 profound peace, jealous of their privileges, and 
 fome of them even unreafonably prejudiced 
 agairift all Force and Arms ; yet they have hap- 
 pily reconciled jarring interefts, and, with all 
 poflible care, fupported the Military, without 
 violating the Civil, power. 
 
 As a fignal inftance of the harmony arifmg 
 from this conduct, it will be but juflice to men- 
 tion you, gentlemen, whom I have now the ho- 
 nor to addrefs. You have been among us for 
 many months. Moil of you were at firft but a 
 raw unformed corps ; and, from the manner of 
 your being quartered out in fmall parties among 
 the inhabitants of this city, diilurbances might 
 have been expected. But quite the reverfe has 
 been the cafe. No deeds of Violence have been 
 offered. No complainings have been heard in 
 our (treats. Your conduct has done honor 
 to yourfelves, and to thofe who have the Com- 
 mand our you. 
 
 ALL I fliall add, then, on this head is, to be- 
 feech you, by your hopes of the Gofpel-pro- 
 mifes, to perfevere in the fame dutiful inoffen- 
 llve behaviour towards your fellow-citizens, in 
 all parts of your future conduct. And, as you 
 can never be led to deeds of Violence by any 
 authority appointed over you, let it never be 
 faid that your own choice or rafhnefs engaged 
 you in them ; fo as to fubject you to the fevere 
 and lhameful punilhments denounced againft 
 G 2 them, 
 
S 4 DISCOURSE- IV. 
 
 them, by the laws of your country in this world, 
 and by the Gofpel of Chrift in the world to 
 eome. 
 
 THUS I have endeavoured to give the true 
 meaning of the words "do violence to no man.'* 
 I know there are fome who affect to underiland 
 them in a more unlimited fenfe , as containing 
 a general prohibition of all Force and Arms 
 whatfoever. But, in this, they are neither war- 
 ranted by fcripture nor reafon. Nay, the very 
 reverfe is evident from the text itfelf. 
 
 THE Soldiers, whom Saint John addrefTes, 
 received wages for fighting and bearing arms 
 againft the enemies of their country. He ex- 
 prefsl'y enjoins them to be content with thofe 
 wages. But this he never would have done, if 
 the fervice, which they performed as the condi- 
 tion of the wages, had been that identical Vio- 
 lence, which he fo itrongly prohibits in the for- 
 mer part of the verfe. They muft indeed be very 
 bold, who can charge the fpirit of God with fuch 
 a Contradiction ! 
 
 BUT the fact is that -to fupport Juftice, to 
 maintain Truth, to defend the goods of Provi- 
 dence, to reprefs the wild fury of lawlefs Inva- 
 ders, and by main force, if pollible, to extirpate 
 opprefilon and wickednefs from the earth, has 
 never been accounted Violence in any language 
 or country. On the contrary, it is duty to the 
 .public, and mercy to thoufands ! 
 
 IF 
 
DISCOURSE IV. 85 
 
 IF Society is of God's appointment, every 
 thing effential to its fubfiftence muil be fo too ; 
 for he that ordains the end, ordains the means. 
 But how mall Society fubfift, if we are to fub- 
 mit to the unrighteous encroachments of every 
 reftlefs Invader ? If we are tamely to be plunder- 
 ed, tortured, maflacred and deflroyed by thofe 
 who covet our pofleflions ? has God given us 
 his Gofpel, endowed us with reafon, and made 
 us fit for fociety, only to put us in a worfe con- 
 dition than the roaming Savage, or the Bead of 
 prey ? 
 
 WE all allow, in common cafes, that a pub- 
 lic Robber may be fubdued by force or death, 
 if other means fail. We grant alfo that thofe 
 who invade private property may be compelled 
 to reflitution at the bar of juftice. But if inde- 
 pendent flates have injured us, to what bar mall 
 we cite them ? who mall conftrain them to ap- 
 pear at our fummons ? or, if they fhould appear, 
 who jhall oblige them to abide by the fentence ? 
 open force, then, muft be the dernier refort. 
 And ftrange it is that thofe who are often fo li- 
 tigious in cafes of private right, Ihould affect to 
 be the moft pafiive in what concerns the rights 
 of the community ! 
 
 IN fhort, if human focieties are inftituted for 
 any end at all, independent Hates may not only 
 defend their rights when invaded ; but if they 
 are already deprived or defrauded of them, they 
 ipay demand reftitution in the loudeft and moft 
 
 G 3 inv- 
 
86 DISCOURSE IV. 
 
 importunate manner; even by calling for it in 
 thunder at the very gates of their enemy. This 
 is often the morteil and mofl merciful method. 
 Nor is it doing Violence to our neighbours, but 
 juilice to ourfelves, and to the caufe of Right, 
 Liberty, Virtue, and public Safety ; which would 
 otherwife be left unavoidably to fuffer. 
 
 IT were indeed fincerely to be wifhed that 
 the Gofpel of the bleifed Jefus might have fuch 
 an univerfal influence on the lives of all men, 
 as to render it no more neceffary to learn the 
 art of war. But alas ! this is a degree of per- 
 fection not to be hoped for in the prefent ftate 
 of things, and only to be looked for in the king- 
 dom of univerfal Righteoufnefs. Were all men 
 arrived to fuch a degree of goodnefs as to ren- 
 der force unneceflary, then alfo the magiftracy > 
 the laws, and every thing elfe belonging to parti- 
 cular focieties in this world, would be a need- 
 lefs inrlitution. But as long as particular focie- 
 ties are of any ufe, fo long will force and arms. 
 be of ufe j for the very end of fuch focieties 
 is to unite the force of individuals, for obtain- 
 ing fafety to the whole. 
 
 WHAT I have already faid will convince every 
 reafonable peribn that the words do violence 
 to no man were never meant as a general pro- 
 hibition of all force and arms ; fo often neceifary 
 in this embarraiTed fcene of things. As for thofe 
 who from views of intereft, pretended fcruples 
 of confcience, and I know not what prejudices 
 
 of 
 
D I S C O U R S E IV. 87 
 
 education, flill flint their eyes againft the cleareft 
 light, I do not pretend to offer arguments for 
 their conviction. 
 
 IF the barbarities that have been committed 
 around them ; if the cries of their murdered 
 and fuffering brethren ; if their country fwim- 
 ming 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 practice, I am fure any thing I 
 might fay farther, would have but little weight. 
 I mail only beg leave to remind them, that they 
 will have this caufe to plead one day more be- 
 fore a tribunal, where fubterfuges will ftand 
 them in no ftead \ and where it will be well if 
 they are acquitted, and no part of the blood that 
 has been fpilt is required at their hands. 
 
 HAVING found it neceflary to dwell fo long 
 on the former part of the text, I mall be very 
 brief on what remains. 
 
 THE Chriftian-foldier is forbid, in the Second 
 Place, to " accufe any man falfely." 
 
 To circumvent, to bear 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 feldom ad- 
 mits of any reparation, and ftrikes at the very 
 root of all peace and faith and fociety among 
 men. Surely, then, among a fociety of foldiers, 
 \vhofe ftrength coniifts in their harmony, and 
 
 G 4 whofe 
 
SS DISCOURSE IV. 
 whofe peculiar chara&er is their Honor and 
 Veracity, fuch a pernicious vice fhould be dii- 
 couraged in an eminent degree, as tending to 
 their immediate ruin, and odious both to God 
 and Man. 
 
 IN the Third and lafl place, the Chriftian-fol- 
 <lier is to be content with his wages. 
 
 THIS is alfo a very eflential duty. Nothing 
 ought tp be more inviolable among men than 
 the performance of their covenants. Now, be- 
 tween the Brhim ftate and its foldiery, there is 
 a covenant of the moil facred nature. They 
 voluntarily enliil into a certain fervice for certain 
 wages. Thefe wages are fufficient for a com- 
 fortable fubfiflence. The Britim government 
 has Mercy in its whole nature, and all its ap- 
 pointments are liberal. The wages of our com- 
 mon foldiery are almoft equal to thofe of the in- 
 ferior officers in many other fervices. Surely 
 then, for them above all others, to be difcon- 
 tented with thofe wages, to neglecl; the duty 
 annexed to them, or to be faint-hearted in its 
 performance, would argue the higheft bafeneis. 
 It would be breach of Faith, breach of honor, 
 and a total want of every generous affection. 
 
 MOREOVER, $o be content with one's Wages 
 implies alfo a faithfiil application of them tq 
 the ufes for which they are given. They are not 
 to be fpent in riot and intemperance, but in 
 keeping the body neat, clean, healthy, and vigo- 
 rpijs for the difcharge of its duty. Naftinefs and 
 
 flovenlinefs. 
 
DISCOURSE IV. 89 
 
 flovenlinefs in drefs or behaviour are lure marks 
 of a mean and daftardly temper. The man who 
 difregards the care of his own perfon, which is 
 the Image of his maker, can have neither fpirit 
 nor grace nor virtue in him. It will be almoft 
 impotfible to exalt his groveling Soul to the per- 
 formance of any great or heroic action. 
 
 AND as for intemperance in a foldier, a vice 
 of more ruinous confequence cannot well be ima- 
 gined; or rather it is a complication of all 
 vices. For not to fay that it generally leads to 
 thofe acts of Violence, fo fully mentioned above, 
 it is in itielf a manifeft violation of every tie be- 
 tween the Soldier and his country. 
 
 THE Soldier, by the terms of his enliflment, 
 configns his health, ftrength, and fervice to the 
 public, in confideration of his receiving certain 
 wages. Now for him to fpend thofe wages in 
 enervating or deftroying that very health and 
 ftrength for which they are given him, would be 
 robbery of the public ! nay, defertion itfelf is not 
 a greater crime ^ and nothing but the mercy of 
 our laws, in companion to the frailties of hu- 
 man nature, could have made the puniihment 
 of the one lefs than that of the other. For a fol- 
 clier may as well be found abfent from his pod, 
 or aileep on it, as be found on it in a condi- 
 tion which renders him unfit for the duties of 
 it. 
 
 IN fhort, difcontent, {loth, murmuring and 
 intemperance, have been the bane of many a 
 
 powerful 
 
90 DISCOURSE IV. 
 
 powerful army, and have often drawn do^n the 
 divine difpleafure, by giving them up to cer- 
 tain ruin. 
 
 UPON the whole then, we may conclude from 
 the text, that the particular duty of chriftian 
 foldiers confifts chiefly in Obedience to thofe 
 who are appointed to command them ; a re- 
 fpe&ful inoffenlive Behaviour to thofe who fup- 
 port and maintain them , ftrict Honor and un- 
 fhaken Veracity towards one another ; Tempe- 
 rance, Sobriety, Cleanlrnefs, and Contentment 
 in their private character-, and a fleady, bold 
 and cheartul difcharge of whatever fervice their 
 King and Country may require of them. 
 
 I SAID that thefe things conftitute the parti- 
 cular duty of foldiers, ccnfidered as fuch. But 
 here let it be remembered, that no fpecial in- 
 junctions of this kind to any certain order of 
 men can poflibly exempt them from the general 
 precepts of the gofpel. Though the text be 
 addreffed particularly to the foldiers, confidered 
 in that character ; yet as they are alfo Men and 
 Creatures of God, they are equally called (in 
 the eleventh verfe for inftance) to the practice of 
 univerfal benevolence and charity, with the 
 whole body of the people, whereof they are a 
 part, and to whom that verfe is directed. 
 
 THUS I have finifhed what I propofed from 
 the text. 
 
 AND now, gentlemen Officers, you will per- 
 mit me to addrefs the remainder of this difcourfe 
 
 mere 
 

 DISCOURSE IV. 91 
 
 more immediately to you. I know you love 
 your King and Country. I know you regard 
 thofe men under your command, and would 
 wim to fee them mining in the practice of thofe 
 virtues which I have been recommending. But 
 yet, after all, this muft, in a great meafure, de- 
 pend upon yourfelves. 
 
 IF, then, you would defire to have any tie up- 
 on their confciences , if you would wim to fee 
 them act upon principle, and give you any 
 other hold of them than that of mere command- 
 let me, Oh let me befecch you, to cultivate and 
 propagate among them, with your whole in- 
 fluence and authority, a fublime fenfe of Reli- 
 gion, Eternity, and Redeeming-Love ! Let the 
 bright profpe&s of the Gofpel of Jefus be placed 
 full before their eyes ; and let its holy precepts 
 be inculcated frequently into their hearts ! 
 
 BUT, above all things, let the adorable name 
 of the everlafting Jehovah be kept facred among 
 you ! Glorified angels fall proftrate before it ! 
 The very devils themfelves tremble at it ! And 
 mall poor worms of earth , dependent on a pulfe 
 for every breath of being , furrounded with dan- 
 gers innumerable , marching forth in the very 
 " fhadow of death ;" to-day here, and to-mor- 
 row in eternity mall they dare to blafpheme 
 that holy name, before 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 t 
 
9 2 DISCOURSE IV. 
 
 ALAS ! when the Name of our Great Creator 
 is become thus familiar, and proilituted to every 
 common fubject, what name mall we invoke in 
 the day of danger ? to what refuge fhall we fly 
 amidit the various prelTures of life ? to whofe 
 mercy mail we lift up our eyes in the hour of 
 death ? and into whofe bofom confign our fouls, 
 when we launch forth into the dark precincts 
 of Eternity ? 
 
 ONCE more, then, I befeech you, let the name 
 of the Lord be holy among you ; elfe have you 
 no fure foundation for virtue or goodnefs j none 
 for dependence upon providence ; none for the 
 fanctity of an oath , none for faith, nor truth, 
 nor " obedience for Confcience-fake." 
 
 NEXT to religion and a fovereign regard to 
 the honor and glory of your great Creator, it 
 will be of the utmoft importance to cultivate, 
 in yourfelves and thofe under you, a noble, man- 
 ly, and rational f Enthufiafm in the glorious 
 caufe wherein you are engaged , founded on a 
 thorough conviction of its being the caufe of 
 Juftice, the Proteflant-caufe, the caufe of Vir- 
 tue and Freedom on earth. 
 
 ANIMATED by this fublime principle, what 
 wonders have not Britons performed ? How 
 have they rifen, the terror of the earth ; the pro- 
 tectors of the Opprefled; the avengers of Juf- 
 
 f The author hopes to be excufed in the ufe of this word, 
 as here reftrided and explained. He does not know another, 
 thr. would convey his idea, to fubflitute jn Us place. 
 
 ticc, 
 
DISCOURSE IV. 93 
 
 tice, and the fcourge of tyrants ? How have 
 the fons of Rapine and Violence fnrunk before 
 them, confounded and o'erthrown ? Witnefs, 
 ye Danube and Sambre, and thou Boyn, crim- 
 foned in blood ! bear witnefs and fay what was 
 it that fired our Williams and our Marlboroughs 
 to deeds of immortal renown ? What was it that 
 Heeled their hearts with courage, and edged 
 their fwords with victory ? Was it not, under 
 God, an animating conviction of the juflice of 
 their caufe, and an unconquerable pafllon for 
 Liberty, and the purity of the Proteftant 
 faith f? 
 
 AND do you think now, gentleman, that the 
 caufe wherein you are engaged is lefs honor- 
 able, lefs important; or that lefs depends on 
 the fword you draw ? No, gentlemen ! I will 
 pronounce it before Heaven and Earth, that 
 from the days of our Alfreds, our Edwards, and 
 our Henries downwards, the Britim fword was 
 never unfheathed in a more glorious or more di- 
 vine caufe than at prefent ! 
 
 f Never were the noble efFecls of this fublime principle fo 
 confpicuous as at the glorious battle of theBoyn. Here our great 
 deliverer king William, with a (mall army, routed a much fu- 
 perior, and perhaps otherwife 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 convic- 
 tion of its juilice. The other fought in defence of tyranny, 
 having little of their own to lofe, and no fteady principle to 
 it upon. 
 
 LOOK 
 
94 DISCOURSE IV. 
 
 LOOK round you ! behold a country, vaft in 
 extent, merciful in its climate, exuberant in its 
 foil, the feat of plenty, the garden of the Lord ! 
 behold it given to us and to our pofterity, to 
 propagate Virtue, to cultivate ufeful arts, and 
 to fpread abroad the pure Evangelical Religion 
 of Jefus ! behold colonies founded in it ! Pro- 
 teftant Colonies ! Free Colonies ! Britijh Colo- 
 nies ! Behold them exulting in their Liberty ; 
 fiourifhing in Commerce ; the Arts and Sci- 
 ences planted in them , the Gofpel preached * 
 and in fhort the feeds /of happinefs and glory 
 firmly rooted, and growing up among them ! 
 
 BUT, turning from this profpecl for a moment, 
 look to the other hand ! direct your eyes to the 
 weftward ; there behold P.opijh Perfidy, French 
 Tyranny, and Savage Barbarity, leagued in tri- - 
 pie combination, advancing to deprive us of 
 thofe exalted BlefTmgs, or to circumfcribe us 
 in the poifeffion of them, and make the land 
 too fmall for us and the increafing multitude of 
 our pofterity ! 
 
 OH Britons ! O Chriffeans ! what a profpecl 
 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 lurk- 
 ing places ^ brandifhing their murderous knives ; 
 fparing neither age nor fex ; neither the hoary 
 fire, nor the hopeful fon; neither the tender 
 virgin, nor the helplefs babe. Ten thoufand 
 
 furies 
 
DISCOURSE IV. 95 
 
 furies follow behind and clofe up the fcene ! 
 grim Superflition, lording it over Confcience 1 
 bloody Perfecution, leaking her iron fcourge ! 
 and gloomy Error, feducing the unwary foul ! 
 while, in the midft, and all around, is heard the 
 voice of Lamentation and Mourning and Woe ; 
 Religion bleeding under her llripes ! Virtue ba- 
 nifhed 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 f Corps formed by the bell 
 of Kings for the noblefl of purpofes ! formed 
 to be the avengers of Liberty and protestors of 
 juftice in this New world ! 
 
 AND now is not rny affertion proved ? Con- 
 fidered in this light, does it not appear to your- 
 felves that never, from the firil of time, was a 
 body of Britons engaged in a more glorious 
 caufe than you are at prefent -, nor a caufe on 
 whole ifTue more depends ? You are not led 
 forth by wild ambition, nor by ill-grounded 
 claims of right, nor by faiie notions of glory. 
 But, configned to you is the happinefs of the 
 prefent age and of late poilerity. You wear up- 
 on your fwords every thing that is dear and va- 
 luable to us, as Men and as Chriftians. And 
 upon your fuccefs it depends, perhaps, whether 
 
 f Thfs Corps confifted chiefly of the royal American Regi. 
 
 3 the 
 
$6 DISCOURSE IV. 
 
 the pure religion of the gofpel, flreaming nit-* 
 corrupted from its facred fource, rational, mo- 
 ral, and divine, together with liberty and all its 
 concomitant blefiings, mall finally be extended 
 over thefe American regions ; or whether they 
 mail return into the bondage of idolatry, and 
 darknefs of error for ever ! 
 
 IN fuch an exalted and divine caufe, let youf 
 hearts betray no doubts nor unmanly fears. 
 Though the profpect may look dark againft 
 us, and though the Lord may juilly think fit to 
 punifh us for our fins, yet we may firmly truft 
 that he will not wholly give up the Proteftant- 
 caufe; 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 uttermoft parts of the earth for a poffef- 
 fion." 
 
 Go forth, then, with humble boldnefs, as men 
 confcious that their defigns are approved of 
 God. And oh ! if perchance your feet lhall 
 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 -f uncoffin^ 
 
 f The body of men to which this difcourfe was delivered, 
 were expe&ed to have gone direftly againft Fort du Qnefne 
 on the Ohio, but were obliged to aft only on the defensive' 
 for that year. A great part of them* however, vvereprefent 
 at the reduction of the place the year following, under Briga- 
 dier-General Forbes, who, to his immottal honor, literally ful- 
 filled what is here hinted at. For, having happily got pof-- 
 
DISCOURSED. 97 
 
 led bones ! drop a tear over their fcattered afhes ; 
 and give a moment's paufe for reflexion ! It 
 will touch the heart with tendernefs, and be a 
 fruitful fource of much ufeful thought. It will 
 give frem vigor to every arm, and new ardor to 
 every breail ! 
 
 To fee one of our fpecies mangled and torn 
 in pieces is horrible ! to fee a Briton, a Protef- 
 tant, our friend; our neighbour, fo ufed, is 
 more horrible ftill ! but to think that this mould 
 be done, not to one but to thoufands , and done 
 in an unguarded hour ^ and done without pro- 
 vocation ; and done with all the aggravation of 
 infernal torture , and done by favages , and by 
 favages whom we have cherimed in our bofom ; 
 and by favages ftirred up againft us contrary to 
 the faith of treaties , and ftirred up by men 
 
 feflion of the Fort in November, 1758, a large part of his ar- 
 my was fent to Braddock's field on the banks of the Monon- 
 gahela to bury the fad remains of the dead that had lain there 
 upwards of three years. This was truly a moving and very 
 Iblemn fcene ; made yet more fo by the tears of fundries who 
 had loft their fathers, brothers and dearefl relatives in that fa- 
 tal fpot. 
 
 Tjiere is an account of fnch a burying as this in the Roman 
 hiftory, painted in very rrioving term's by Tacitus; who tells 
 us that Germanicus and his foldiers, having come near the 
 ioreft of Teutoburgium, where by report the bones of Varus 
 and the legions had lain fix years unburied, they became pof- 
 fefled with a tendernefs to pay the latl offices to their country- 
 men. In performing this fad duty, " no one, fays he, could 
 diftinguifli whether he gathered the particular remains of a 
 ft ranger, or thofe of a kinfman ; but all confidered the whole 
 as their friends, the whole as their relations,, with heightened 
 refentments againll the foe/' 
 
 H pro- 
 
9.8 DISCOURSE IV. 
 
 profeffing the name of chriflians good heaven ! 
 what is it ? words cannot paint the anguifh of 
 the thought ; and human nature flartles from it 
 with accumulated horror ! 
 
 RISE Indignation ! rile Pity ! rife Patriotifm ! 
 and thou Lord God of Righteoufnefs, rife ! 
 avenge our bleeding caufe ! fupport Juftice, and 
 extirpate perfidy and cruelty from the earth ! 
 Infpire thofe men, who now go forth for their 
 King and Country, with, every fpark of the mag- 
 nanimity of their forefathers ! the fame our caufe, 
 the fame be its ifllie ! Let our enemies know 
 that Britons will be Britons ilill, in every clime 
 and age ! and let this American world behold 
 alfo thy Salvation j the work of the Lord for 
 his Inheritance ! Even fo ; rife Lord God of 
 Hofts ! rife quickly ! Amen and Amen. 
 
 
[ 99 3 
 
 A PRAYER 
 
 On the fame Occafion. 
 
 FA T H E R of all ! Preferver of all ! Judge 
 of all ! thou Firft and Beft of Beings ! all 
 praife and glory be afcribed unto thee, who hall 
 made us capable of feeking and loving thee ; 
 and hail invited us to fly to the throne of thy 
 Mercy for aid and direction in all our undertak- 
 ings, and deliverance in all our dangers. Surely 
 that heart muft be loft to every nobler feeling, 
 that does not fee and adore thy unfpeakable 
 goddnefs towards the children of men 
 
 WE fee and we adore it, O thou King of Na- 
 tions ! ftruck with the tranfcendent Majefty of thy 
 perfections, conicious of our own unworthinefs, 
 and relying on the merits of thy ever blefled 
 Son, we proftrate ourfelves in the duft before 
 thy glorious prefence; fearing, yet loving j 
 trembling, yet adoring ! 
 
 WE confefs, O Lord ! that thou haft done 
 wonderful things for us and for our fathers [ 
 thou haft indeed given us a goodly heritage; 
 and the power of thy glory hath often fupport- 
 ed us fignally in the days of our danger. But 
 alas ! our ingratitude has increafed in proportion 
 to thy Mercies, and all forts of tranfgrefllons 
 have fpread themfelves wider and wider among 
 
 H 2 US. 
 
loo PRAYER. 
 
 us. Thou hail vifited us for thefe things, and 
 fent thy Judgments upon the earth, but ftill. we 
 have not learned Righteoufnefs ; and juftly might 
 our unworthineis provoke thee to remove from 
 us our ineftimable privileges, both civil and re- 
 ligious. 
 
 YET ftill, though we have finned againft hea- 
 ven and before thee, we will truft in thy pater- 
 nal mercy and we know in what we truft. 
 Thine ear is not heavy that it cannot hear,, nor 
 thy hand jfhortened that it cannot fave ; and there 
 is fufnciency in the blood of the Redeemer ! 
 fufFer us, therefore,. O merciful Father, in this 
 day of our vilitation, to throw ourfelves upon 
 the merits of the ever-bleffed Jefus ; humbled 
 under thy chaftifements ; confeflihg and be- 
 wailing our paft offences, both public and pri- 
 vate , and befeeching thy divine grace to revive 
 among us a fpirit of primitive piety, integrity 
 and virtue !' 
 
 BUT oh ! above all, and as the foundation of 
 all, ihfpire us with an awful reverence of thy 
 glorious majefty. Give Us an unfhaken Loyalty 
 to our gracious fovereign y and a prevailing love 
 and veneration for our excellent Conftitution,. 
 civil and religious ! and as often as we are called 
 
 ^5 
 
 more immediately to appear in defence of it, O 
 grant that in fuch a glorious caufe we may 
 betray no unmanly fears ; but act the part of 
 Britons and of Freemen ; going forth devoted 
 either to death or to victory; and fcorning a 
 
 life 
 
P R A YE R. 101 
 
 fife tliat is to be purchafed at the expence of the 
 Proteftant Religion and our National Privi-~ 
 ie^es ! 
 
 BLESS and long preferve our rightful fove- 
 reign King George 1 Blefs his royal family and 
 all his alliances ! furround him with Counsellors 
 of a true uncorrupted Britifh Spirit - 9 men faga- 
 eious to xiifcover, and ftedfaft to purfue, their 
 country's Good. Guard him from all confpira- 
 eies againft his perfon and government ; whether 
 fecret or more open. May his adminiftration be 
 fteady ! fleady in the caule of liberty ! fteady 
 in promoting the public welfare ! fteady in op- 
 pofing the enemies of our Zion ! 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 favour our righ- 
 teous caufe ! give courage, conduct and inte- 
 grity to our commanders, and " thofe who turn 
 the battle from our gates. ' ? In a particular man- 
 ner, blefs all thofe who go forth for the Prote- 
 ftant-caufe, in this American World ! make them 
 inftrumcntal in preferving among us, and fpread- 
 ing abroad to the remoteft parts of the habitable 
 earth, the precious Bleffings of Liberty and un- 
 defilcd Religion. And thou that ftilleft the rage 
 of the ocean, and the tumults of the people, 
 jpeak peace to the rage of our implacable and 
 iavage foes, and bring this expenfive war to a 
 fafc and fpeedy ifiue ! May we foon be delivered 
 H 3 from 
 
J02 PRAYER.. 
 
 from all our fears, and peace be reftored in all 
 
 our borders. 
 
 MAY thefe men here prefent, who now go 
 forth in our caufe, be returned fafe to our friend- 
 fhip, crowned with triumph and victory ; that they 
 and we together may afterwards ferve and adore 
 thee without fear, in holinels and righteoufnefs 
 before thee, all the remainder of our days ! Hear 
 us, O heavenly father, for thy fon Jefus Chrift's 
 fake, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghoft> 
 one God, be the kingdom and the power and the 
 glory, world without end4 
 
 * * j$& * * 
 # <f * > * 
 
 * ^^ * 
 
 * * 
 
 * * * 
 
 D I S 
 
103 
 
 DISCOURSE V. 
 
 The Duty of praifing GOD for fignal Mer-* 
 cies and Deliverances. 
 
 PR EACHED, September 17, 1758. 
 
 On Occafion of the remarkable Succefs of 
 His MAJESTY'S Arms in AMERICA, 
 during that Campaign. 
 
 EXOD. xv. i. 
 
 / will fing unto the Lord* for he hath 
 triumphed glorioujly. 
 
 IF we look back to the records of antiquity, 
 we fhall find that fome of the oldeft and 
 moil exalted compofitions of men, are Songs of 
 praife and extafy to their great Creator. 
 
 THERE is fomething in Poetry and Mufic ad- 
 mirably fuited to divine fubjects ; and it is na- 
 tural for the foul, when (truck with any thing 
 furprizingly Great, Good, or New, to break forth, 
 beyond the common modes of fpeech, into the 
 moft rapturous turns of expreffion \ accompa- 
 nied with correfpondent attitudes of body and 
 modulations of voice. Even the untutored fa- 
 vages around us furniih ftriking examples of 
 this. 
 
 H 4 HENCE 
 
104- DISCOURSE V. 
 
 HENCE it is, that Poetry and Mufic were ori- 
 ginally confined to the immediate praifes of the 
 Deity -, and the beft and wifeft men, of all 
 ages, have had recotirfe to divine Hymns and 
 fpiritual Songs, in the eftufions of their fouls 
 before the almighty Lord of heaven and earth. 
 
 ERE yet temples were built, perhaps, or fixed 
 hours of devotion fet apart ; when the voice of 
 Confcience could be heard, and the bufy fcenes 
 of art had not yet feduced away the attention of 
 man -, the great progenitors of our race, as they 
 tended their flocks on from paflure to pafture, 
 no doubt, often felt their hearts rapt into this 
 kind of facred extafy, and poured them forth in. 
 unpremeditated ftrains before the Lord. When- 
 ever they received any fignaj. inftance of Al r 
 mighty Goodnefs-, whenever any furprifing ef- 
 fect of Almighty Power ftruck their fight and 
 kindled admiration ; that ^ufpicious moment, 
 they, dqubtlefs, embraced and adored the invifi- 
 ble hand from which the whole proceeded ; the 
 hand that formed the earth, the fun and moon, 
 which they. beheld i that hung the clouds in air j 
 that charged their bofoms with treafures, and 
 bade them drop down in fatnefs to rejoice herb 
 and beaft and man. 
 
 THESE fublime exercifes may be confidered 
 as the exprefs infpiratiqns of God himfelf, be- 
 ing nothing elfe but the fecret agency of his 
 grace, through the means of his works, on the 
 hearts of men, in thefe early days of fimplicity , 
 and, as this was the firft fource- of Poetry, it 
 
 were 
 
DISCOURSE V. 105 
 -were to be wifhed that fhe had never defcended 
 beneath her high original. It were to be wifhed 
 that, among ail our other improvements, we had 
 not too much improved away this pure primi- 
 tive intercourfe, with the Father of Light and 
 Spirits ! Yet ftill, we are to reflect that this is 
 a world of imperfection , and that, as there are 
 advantages, fo there are alfo inconveniences, in- 
 cident to every llage of its progrefs from origi- 
 nal fimplicity to its laft flate of refinement. 
 
 BUT, to proceed on our fubject ; fome of the 
 inoft beautiful pieces of divine poefy are left us 
 by the eaftern nations, and especially by the 
 Hebrews , with whofe compofitions of this kind 
 we are more directly concerned, as they are pre- 
 ferved for us in our Bibles. 
 
 Now, of all that we read there, one of the 
 moil exalted is the Song of Mofes, from which I 
 have taken my text j compofed in a tranfport 
 of 'joy, admiration and gratitude, when he be- 
 held the Mighty One of lirael divide the great 
 deep, and lead his people thro* on dry ground. 
 
 THIS was # fubject marvellous indeed, and 
 aftoniming beyond a parallel ! At the blaft of 
 the noftrils of the God of heaven, the courfe of 
 nature was controuled. The waters divided be- 
 fore the Lord. They left their channel in the 
 heart of the fea. They were gathered up, on 
 either fide, wave on wave, heap on heap ; and 
 {rood congealed in liquid mountains at the nod 
 of the Almighty. The Children of Ilrael patted 
 through. Immediately the waters elofed with 
 5 irre- 
 
106 DISCOURSE V. 
 
 irrefiilible fury. Pharaoh's proud hoil was co- 
 vered, overwhelmed, confumed; as a'ilone that 
 finks to the bottom 
 
 " THEN fang Mofes and the Children of If- 
 rael this SONG unto the Lord, faying (each for 
 himfelf) / willfing unto the Lord, for be bath tri- 
 umphed glorioufly. The horfe and his rider hath 
 he thrown into the Sea. The Lord is my 
 ftrength, and my fong ; and he is become my 
 falvation. He is my God, and I will prepare 
 him a habitation , my father's God, and I will 
 exalt him. The Lord is a man of war ; the 
 Lord is his name !" 
 
 IN fuch Itrains as thefe did the raptured lea- 
 der of Ifrael, and all his followers, celebrate the 
 God of their Fathers, on their deliverance from 
 the rage of Pharaoh, leaving an example for the 
 imitation of all ages, on the like occafions ; and, 
 indeed, ever}'- civilized people, into whole hands 
 this Song hath fallen, have been laviih in its 
 praifes. Its abrupt and beautiful beginning, 
 its pious and fervent conclufion, and the fub- 
 lime fentiments and grand imagery that prevail 
 through the whole, juflly render it a divine itan- 
 dard for all compofitions of the like kind. 
 . IN difcourfmg further from that part of it, 
 which I have taken as my prefent fubjecl:, two 
 things readily offer themfelves to be done 
 
 FIRST, to enforce the general dutyofprai- 
 fing God at all times, for his general works of 
 providence; and to point .out the good effects 
 thereof on the temper. 
 
 SECONDLY^ 
 
DISCOURSED 107 
 
 SECONDLY, to fhew the particular duty of 
 praifing him on particular occafions, for fignal 
 mercies and deliverances. 
 
 THE latter of thefe is what I have now more 
 immediately in view , the former being a main 
 buimefs of all our Preaching. But a few words, 
 on that head, may not be improper, before we 
 proceed to the other. 
 
 THE arguments to enforce the general duty 
 of praifing God are many and various. Fa- 
 vours conferred demand a return of gratitude ; 
 and we can fcarce think of the man, who, even 
 in his common dealings with men like himfelf, 
 is infenfible of favours, or returns evil for good, 
 without abominating his character. But how is 
 the guilt of fuch a conduct encreafed, when it 
 is towards that Being who gave us life, breath, 
 and all things ? 
 
 IF we confider the awful relation in which we 
 ft and to God, whether as our Creator, our Pre- 
 ferver, our Redeemer, or our Judge ; much do 
 we owe to him ! much have we to hope, and 
 much to fear from him ! In all thefe relations, 
 he is equally entitled to our warmeft adoration 
 and praiie. 
 
 WHEN we confider him as rifing up from 
 his myilerious Eternity, to fpeak a whole workl 
 into being; when, through the eye of faith* 
 we behold him feated on the throne of his omni- 
 potence, dealing abroad happinefs to his vafl fa- 
 mily of heaven and earth rSeraphs and Cherubs, 
 Angels and Principalities, Men and living crea- 
 tures 
 
.io8 DISCOURSE. V, 
 
 tures in proportion to their various capacities 
 to receive it ; when we behold him condefcencU 
 jng to govern the affairs of the univcrfe, and 
 carrying on, from the beginning, one great 
 fcheme of providence for accomplifhing his 
 own divine purpofes of love towards us , when, 
 for this end, we find him vouchfafing the grace of 
 his holy fpirit to aid and fupport the Juft, an4 
 not fparing even the Son of his bofom to redeem 
 
 and reftore trie Fallen - ? 1 fay, when we con- 
 
 fider thefe things, is it pofllble for us to with? 
 hold the juft tribute of our wonder, love, grati-, 
 tude and adoration ? 
 
 BUT, befides thefe . powerful arguments, we 
 are likewife to remember that the immediate 
 worihip of the Diety is undoubtedly the nobleft 
 and moil improving exercife of our rational na T 
 ture. The foul of man, in this uncertain ftate 
 of things, is as it were .confined from home 5 
 and, unlefs when tending towards her center, by 
 contemplating and adoring the great fource and 
 model of all perfection, me can find no lafting 
 happinefs, but is diftrafted by falfe hopes and 
 falie fears. There is not in all the univerfe^ 
 excepting God, an object capable of fully fatis^ 
 fying the intellectual and moral powers of the 
 foul , and therefore it behoves her much to foar 
 often above this enfnaring mafs of earthly defires, 
 and to ilrive for communion with him, who is 
 her fupreme good. 
 
 THE beft of men have found their chief com- 
 fort to confift in exercifes of this kind ^ and thofe 
 
 elevated 
 
D.I &C O U R S-E V. jogf. 
 
 elevated flights of the foul to God, when thus 
 winged with love, joy and admiration, truly 
 proclaim her divine original, her capacious 
 powers and glorious destination for eternity. 
 They expand and ftrengthen her faculties, im- 
 prove and .exalt the temper, and prepare her for 
 the harmony of heaven I 
 
 Now thete facred exercifes of praife to God 
 mufl not be entirely confined to clofets, and of a 
 private nature. We are likewife obliged to 
 praife him publickly " in the great congrega- 
 tion, and to reverence him in the aflembly of 
 his faints." 
 
 MEN are all citizens of the world, as well as 
 .of particular focieties. They are fubje&ed to 
 the fame general laws -, and, in many cafes 
 blended together in one common lot. We en- 
 joy many Bleflings in common, and in common 
 have deferved many punimments. In common, 
 therefore, we ought to deprecate the latter, and 
 praife our great Benefactor for the former. 
 
 BUT, added to all this, the exercifes of Reli- 
 gion are greatly quickened by friendly commu- 
 nion. Man is of a fympathizing nature; and, 
 when a number of God's people are pioufly af- 
 fembled before him, mingling hearts and voices 
 in one folemn act of devotion, a kind of facred 
 flame is apt to catch from bofom to bofom, 
 lighting up fuch rapturous ftrains of ardent 
 praife, as no other circumftances, perhaps, could 
 eafily excite. 
 
 NOR 
 
no DISCOURSE V. 
 
 NOR are fuch religious exerciies only calcu- 
 lated to improve our own natures, but likewife 
 peculiarly delightful to God himfelf , and we 
 may venture to affirm that, among all his works, 
 there is not a fight more grateful to him, than a 
 number of his dutiful children thus decently 
 aiTembled before him, and catching, as it were, 
 a few moments from the vanities of life, that 
 they may devote them to ferious reflexion, and 
 fervently breathe up the humble defires and 
 pious tranfports of their fouls to His holy and 
 exalted name. 
 
 THUS far with refpedb to the duty of praifing 
 God for his general works of kindnefs and love. 
 But this is not all. I propofed, in the Second 
 place, to fpeak of the great duty of praifing him, 
 on fpecial occafions, for particular mercies and 
 deliverances > and that not only privately in our 
 clofets, but in the public afiemblies of his peo- 
 pie. 
 
 ON this head, we have many illuftrious exam- 
 ples before us. I have already mentioned that 
 of Mofes and the Ifraelites , and from their lub- 
 lime fong of thanfgiving, on their deliverance 
 from the power of Pharoah, I have taken my 
 text. I mail offer only one example more. It 
 is the great Feftival-Sacrifice and Thankfgiv- 
 ing of David, on receiving back the f Ark of 
 God. 
 
 ON that happy occafion, he and all the El- 
 ders of the people, and the Levites and th& 
 
 f Chron. xv. xvi. 
 
 cap- 
 
DISCOURSE V. in 
 
 captains over thoufands, appeared in fblernn 
 proceflion, with inftruments of mufic, pfalteries 
 and harps and cymbals, and the found of the 
 cornet and of the trumpet, and the lifting up 
 the voice with joy : And David himfelf came 
 dancing and fmging before them, infomuch, 
 that Saul's daughter, beholding him out at a 
 window, and not being animated with the fame 
 godly rapture, that actuated the pious monarch, 
 defpifed hi m in her heart, as guilty of levity. 
 
 BUT why mould I mention examples ? The 
 fame reafon that calls us to humble ourfelves un- 
 der the marks of God's dlfpleafure, calls us to 
 rejoice with thankfgiving on the marks of his 
 favour. For a feries of years pad, we have had 
 many days of Weeping and Sorrow and Failing ; 
 and the hardeil heart would bleed to recount 
 the fcenes of fufFering and anguiih and diftrefs, 
 which we- have beheld. But, bleffed be God ! 
 our affairs begin to wear a better afpect , aud we 
 may now come before his prefence with fongs of 
 holy triumph and joy. Each of us for himfelf, 
 and all for the public, may take up the elevated" 
 drains of Mofes and of David 
 
 " WE will fmg unto the Lord, for he hath 
 triumphed glorioufly, the horfe and his rider 
 hath he thrown into the fea. The Lord is our 
 ftrength and falvation , and he fhall be the fub- 
 jecl of our fong. He is our God, and we will 
 prepare him a habitation ; our fathers God, and' 
 
 3 we 
 
ii2 Dl S C O U R S E V; 
 
 we will exalt him. The right hand of the * 
 Lord is become glorious in power, and hath 
 daihed in pieces the enemy. They faid, We 
 will purfue, we will overtake, we will divide the 
 fpoil But thou didft blow thy wind, and the 
 fea covered them-, they funk as lead in the 
 mighty waters *--f- Sing unto the Lord all the 
 earth , mew forth from day to day his falva- 
 tion. Declare his glory among the heathen y 
 his marvellous works among all nations When 
 his people were but few, even a few and flran- 
 gers in the land ^ when they went from nation to 
 nation, and from one kingdom to another, he 
 fuffered no man to do them wrong ; yea he re- 
 proved kings for their fakes BlefTed be the 
 Lord God of Ifrael for ever and ever : And all 
 the people faid Amen,, and praifed the Lord" 
 
 DELIVERANCES and bleffings equal to thefe,* 
 have been received by us and by our fathers,- 
 both now and of old. The power of God's 
 Glory hath often fhone illuftrious in behalf of 
 the Proteilant caufe \ and we truft it will yet> 
 ftiine to the remotefl periods of time. 
 
 EARLY did the defigns of our enemies appear 
 againfl the religion and liberties of Britain. 
 When Our fathers had but jufl fhaken off the 
 yoke of fpiritual bondage, and eftablifhed the 
 Religion of Jefus in its native purity, reformed 
 from popifh error and fuperilition , a bloody de* 
 fign was hatched by our reftlefs foes to extia-^ 
 
 * Exod. xvc. t l Chroii. xvi. 
 
 guilh 
 
DISCOURSE V. 113 
 
 guim our name and religion together. Their 
 vafl Arrnado failed, exultant, before the gale. It 
 covered the whole ocean, it approached the coaft 
 of Great Britain , and, in the pride of their heart, 
 they faid " What lhall refill our power ? We will 
 purfue, we will overtake, we will divide the fpoil.'* 
 The eternal God, who dwells in heaven, the pro- 
 tector of the Juft, faw and heard them. He laughed 
 their devices to fcorn. Obedient to his nod, his Ser- 
 vant-Seas and Winds rofe and raged. The proud 
 hopes of the enemy were brought low -, and all 
 their ilately caflles, that rode erewhile fo trium- 
 phantly on the watery furface, were now difperft 
 before the breath of the Almighty, 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 the more, ftood and 
 beheld it. Their praifes and fhouts of triumph 
 afcended to the fky. The God of Victory was 
 their theme. Him they adored, and him they 
 left it in charge for their children to adore, to 
 the lateft generations ! 
 
 THE next attempt againft our Proteilant 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 ftrength of our blefTed re- 
 formation. But the all-feeing eye of God de- 
 te&ed the black defign, and his all-powerful 
 
 I arm 
 
n 4 DISCOURSE V. 
 
 arm dragged the confpirators to light and de~ 
 ferved vengeance , thereby working a fecond 
 deliverance as great as the former. 
 
 SINCE that time, many repeated attempts have 
 been made to divide us from ourfelyes, and de- 
 lude the unthinking multitude by means of a 
 Popim Abjured pretender. But the Lord has 
 rendered thefe as vain as all the others. 
 
 THUS defeated every where in the parent- 
 land of Proteftantifrrv and Liberty, our invete- 
 rate foes are making their laft defperate- pufh, 
 againil our holy eftablifhment, civil and reli- 
 gious, in thefe remote parts of America. But 
 we truft in that fame power which has appeared 
 f@ fignally for our fathers Thou, O God, haft 
 been our truft j nor have we trufted in- vain. 
 
 AFTER the days of mourning which we have 
 feen, the mart period of one year has produced 
 iuch a turn in favour of the Proteftant caufe, as 
 even aftoniilies ourlelves, and among pofterity 
 will icarce be believed. The wonderful fuccefles 
 of the Pruflian 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 Britifh arms, in 
 America, by the reduction of Louifbourg and 
 other important places, funuih a feries of fuch 
 ,happy events, that if any one had propofed them 
 .to our hopes a twelvemonth ago, we fhould have 
 .thought him mocking our credulity, or infult- 
 ing our diftrefs. But all things arc poflible to 
 5 
 
God j and, when affairs are at the Worft, then i$ 
 often the time when the Mighty One of Ifrael is 
 pleafed to interfere, and therein " to triumph 
 glorioufly." 
 
 IN fuch cafes * it is our indifpenfible duty to 
 mark the manifeftations of his power with hum- 
 ble reverence, and to rejoice before him exceed- 
 ingly , but ftill we muft * c rejoice with tremb- 
 ling." Although the Lord hath brought dowrt 
 the proud hopes of our enemies, who like the 
 Aflyrian of old* began to lift themfelves up and 
 to boaft of their victories , yet we are to remem- 
 ber that they and we are ftill held in the Ba- 
 lance of his Almighty power, and it is impofiible 
 to fay which Scale he may finally caufe to mount 
 up, or which to preponderate^ 
 
 BESIDES this> even the beft fruits of vidtbry 
 are befet found with thorns ; and what are days 
 of rejoicing to others are but days of mourning 
 to many, whofe deareft Relatives have given 
 up their lives, a facrifice in the conteft. This 
 world is a chequered fcene,- and we are to ex- 
 pect rio pure blifs in it. But let us act the part 
 of good Subjects and good Chriftians, and then 
 we may fafely truft the ifTue to his direction, whd 
 Is fupremely juft, wife, and holy J 
 
 CIS. 
 

 
DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 CONCERNING THE CONVERSION 
 OF TH E 
 
 HEATHEN AMERICANS, 
 
 AND 
 
 The final Propagation of CHRISTIANITY and 
 the SCIENCES to the Ends of the Earth. 
 
 IN TWO PART& 
 
 PART I. Preached before a voluntary CONVEN- 
 TION of the EPISCOPAL Clergy of PENNSYL- 
 VANIA, and Places adjacent, in Chrift Church 
 PHILADELPHIA, May 2d, 1760-, and publim- 
 ed at their joint Requeft. 
 
 PART II. Preached in the College of PHILA- 
 DELPHIA, before the Trustees, Matters and 
 Scholars, at the firft anniverfary Commence- 
 ment. 
 
 13 
 

 
 
 
 
 
To the moft Reverend, His GRACE, 
 
 THOMAS 
 
 Lord Archbiihop of Canterbury, Prcfiderit; 
 AND 
 
 To all the honorable and venerable Members of 
 
 the SOCIETY 
 For propagating the Gofpel in foreign Parts. 
 
 My LORDS and GENTLEMEN, 
 
 AFTER the many excellent Sermons that 
 have been preached and publifhed by the 
 members of your body, on the Propagation of 
 CbriJFs religion through the untutored pai ts of 
 the earth; the prefent publication may bethought 
 to argue fome degree of prdumption. A l id this 
 confederation, added to the difficulty of faying 
 any thing new or interefting, on a fubjec~t fj 
 fully handled by many of the brighteft ornaments 
 of our church, would have deterred the author 
 from letting the/r/? Peri of this Difcourfe ap- 
 pear in print ; if, on the other hand, he had not 
 been encouraged therein, by theexprefs defireof 
 - his brethren who heard it, and the Hopes that 
 his fituation in America may have enabled him 
 to place fome particular points in a light, per- 
 Jiaps, fomewhat new. 
 
 WITH refpet to the fecond Part, it may DC 
 thought a very needlefs labour to attempt a 
 proof That the interefts of Chriftianity will be 
 advanced, by promoting the interefts of Science. 
 But it hath been the author's misfortune, in his 
 
 I 4 endeavoun 
 
 
 
endeavours for the latter, to meet with men, 
 
 who feeming to confider the advancement of 
 
 Knowlege and frte Enquiry as unfriendly to their 
 
 dark Syflem, have fet themfelves up, with 
 
 rage truly illiberal, to ftifle the infant Sciences 
 
 here. For this reafon, he thought he could not 
 
 do a better fervice than endeavour to mew them 
 
 at large that they were, in effect, waging war, 
 
 not only with every thing elegant and ufeful in 
 
 life, but even with the extenfion of our Common 
 
 Chriiiianity and the beft interefts of our fpecies ! 
 
 And if, in the profecution of this defign, he hath 
 
 been led into a more particular Analyfis of the 
 
 fciences than fome may judge needful in a dif- 
 
 courfe of this kind, he hopes the circumftances 
 
 of the cafe will be his plea. It may alfo be fome 
 
 Apology, that it was delivered in a Seminary of 
 
 Literature, and before a learned Body. 
 
 HE cannot conclude without taking this op- 
 portunity of exprefling his gratitude to the vener- 
 able fociety in general, for the honor done him 
 by their body; and to fundry illuflrious Mem- 
 bers in particular for the countenance and pro- 
 tection they have always ihewn him, in carrying 
 on the fundry Concerns committed to him, in 
 the diitant Parts of the Earth. More efpecially, 
 he owes mod humble Thanks to that truly learned 
 Prelate, hereafter quoted, who having himfelf 
 written fo excellently on the Accomplimment of 
 the Prophecies^ condefcended to perufe and make 
 fome corrections in the firft Part of this Dif- 
 courfe, before the prefent Edition was commit- 
 ted to the Prefs. 
 
 The AUTHOR. 
 
DISCOURSE VI. PART I. 
 
 PSALM ii. 8. 
 
 AJk of me and I/hall give thee the Heathen 
 for thine inheritance, and the uttermoft 
 parts of the earth for 
 
 " Y F you would make the foul of man great 
 X and good (fays a fublime f writer) give her 
 large and extenfive profpects of the immenfity 
 of God's works, and of his inexhaufted Wifdcm 
 and Goodnefs." 
 
 Now, thofe divine attributes of Wifdom and 
 Goodnefs are no where more glorioufly difplayed 
 than in the Gofpel-difpenfation, and in thofe 
 marvellous Revolutions and Workings of Pro- 
 vidence, which the Almighty has performed, 
 and wiM yet perform, for the Salvation of man- 
 kind, and the final extenfion of his Son's king- 
 dom to the ends of the earth. 
 
 WELCOME, therefore, thrice welcome the holy 
 Scriptures, thofe living oracles of God, which 
 can lend a clue to our meditations, and conduct 
 them, by divine Grace, through thefe awfully 
 improving fubjefts. Here is the " Myftery 
 which was hid from ages and from generations, 
 
 f Dr. Burnet in his Theory. 
 
 but 
 
122 DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 but which God at length manifefted to his Saints, 
 with a promife that the riches of the glory 
 thereof ihould be made known among the Gen- 
 tiles." f 
 
 THIS latter part of the Gofpel-difpenfation, 
 which relates to the final converfion of the Gen- 
 tiles, even " to the uttermoil parts of the earth," 
 is that which, by the words of my text, and the 
 prelcnt occafion of our meeting, I am more im- 
 mediately led to conlider. And, in doing this, 
 I {hall, by divine afiiftance, purfue the following 
 Method. 
 
 FIRST, I {hall endeavour to {hew, from the 
 general voice of Prophecy That it is the gra- 
 cious purpofe of God, in his own good time, to 
 bring the Heathen around us to the knowlege 
 of his blefled Gofpel, through the grace of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 
 SECONDLY, I {hall make fome remarks on the 
 prefent fituation of things on this continent 
 with refpeft to the Gofpel-ceconomy, and the 
 probability of a fpeedy accomplifhment of the 
 Prophecies which relate to the final converfion 
 of the nations. 
 
 LASTLY, from this view of things, I {hall of- 
 fer an humble Addrefs to you, my Brethren, who 
 are employed as inilruments in the hand of God 
 for carrying on this great work of Converfion, by 
 the Preaching of the Golpel in thefe diftant Re- 
 
 ColoiTtans i, 26, 37. 
 
 gions^ 
 
PART I. i-2 j 
 
 gions, to which its joyful Sound hath fo lately 
 reached. 
 
 You fee here, what a large field is opened ; 
 #nd would to God that I were endued with gifts 
 and powers fufficient to acquit myfeif ^herein 
 agreeable to your expectations. But I know the 
 vaft, the glorious importance of the fubjech pro-, 
 pofed 5 and I feel my own weaknefs, J befeech 
 you, therefore, to fend forth your prayers for 
 me to the throne of grace, that thefe fubje&s 
 may not fuffer in my hands ; and that I may be 
 enabled to fpea.k as becomes one called to the 
 prefent office, 
 
 I AM, in the FIRST PLACE, then, to confider 
 the general voice of prophecy, with refp.ec't to 
 the Converfion of the Heathen around us. And 
 among many other illuftrious predictions of this 
 event, the words of my text, and the verfes pre- 
 ceding it, are full and ftrong. 
 
 u WHY do the Heathen rage, and the people 
 imagine a vain thing ? Yet have I fet my king 
 upon my holy hill of Sion. Thou art rny fon > 
 this day have I begotten thee. Afk of me, and 
 J mall give thee the Heathen for thine inheri- 
 tance, and the uttermoft parts of the earth for: 
 thy pofTefFion." The meaning of which is, ac- 
 cording to all the commentators 
 
 THOU art my fon Jefus ! This day have I 
 anointed thee king over all the world, which, 
 thou haft purpofed to redcrm. Go on-, com- 
 pleat the great eternal fche-me-, and thereby ef- 
 
 tablllh 
 
124 DISCOURSE V-I 
 
 tablilh for thyfelf a kingdom of everlafting holi- 
 nefs. In vain fhall the nations rage. In vain 
 fhall their proud leaders, Herod, Pontius Pilate, 
 the Pharifees and rulers of Ifrael, combine them- 
 felves againft thee. In vain fhall they feek to 
 dethrone thee, to cut thee off from the earth, 
 and to crufh thy kingdom in its birth. My eter- 
 nal purpofes are fixed. The right hand of my 
 power fhall be thy flrength and guide. It fhall 
 defeat all the machinations of thy enemies, and 
 raife thee even from the habitations of the 
 dead, to thine inheritance in the manfions of 
 glory. There malt thou dwell for ever, and 
 whatever thou fhaltafkof me thou fhalt r receive, 
 till the Heathen become thine inheritance, and 
 the very ends of the earth thy poffeflion. 
 
 HEREIN we fee a moil linking Prediction 
 concerning the propagation and final extenfion 
 of Chrift's kingdom to the very remotefl nations 
 of the world. And indeed there is a beautiful 
 harmony among all the prophetic writers, rela- 
 tive to the fame event. 
 
 THE venerable Patriarch Jacob, inblefiing his 
 fon Judah, gives an early intimation thereof; 
 and tells him that the fceptre fhould not depart 
 from his family till the immortal SHILOH fhould 
 come, who was to erecl an everlafting kingdom, 
 unto " whom the gathering of the people was 
 to be f." 
 
 BUT of all the Prophetic writers, the fublime 
 
 t Genefis xlix. 10. 
 
 Ifaiah 
 
PARTI. 125 
 
 Ifaiah feems to have been favoured with the ful- 
 leilview of the Gofpel-ftate, from the very birth 
 of the Mefiiah to that glorious period, whereof 
 we are now fpeaking, when the " kingdoms of 
 this world mall become the kingdoms of our 
 Lord, and of his Chrift." For this reafon he has 
 been called the Evangelical prophet, and has de- 
 livered many noble predictions concerning the 
 cxtenfion of the Gofpel, and the final converfion 
 of the nations. 
 
 " THE * earth, fays he, in a language pecu- 
 culiarly flriking and emphatical, mail be full of 
 the knowlege of the Lord as the waters cover 
 the fea. And in that day there mail be a root of 
 Jefle which mail ftand for an enfign of the people i 
 to it mall the Gentiles feek, and his reft mail be 
 glorious. " 
 
 AND again the fpirit of God, fpeaking by the 
 fame Prophet concerning the Median, fays 
 " It f is a light thing for thee, [or a fmall part 
 of thy undertaking] that Thou [the faviour of 
 the world] fhouldft be my fervant to raife up the 
 tribes of Jacob, and to reftore the preferved of 
 Ifrael. I will alfo give thee for a light to the 
 GENTILES, that thou may eft be my fafoation unto tbe 
 end of the earth. 
 
 INDEED the laft chapters of this book are only 
 one continued prediction of this period, and the 
 glorious circumftances attending it. 
 
 " I AM found, fays he, of them that fough t 
 
 * Ifaiah xi, $ : o. .._, f Chapter, xlix. 6. 
 
 me 
 
126 D 1 S C O O R S E VI, 
 
 me not, I faid, behold me, behold me to a rift* 
 tion that was not called by my name *." 
 
 NAY he even gives a Geographical divifion of 
 the quarters of the world that were to receive the 
 Gofpel, wherein he has included the whole Four* 
 
 " I WILL fend thole that efcape of them^ fays 
 he, to Tarfhifh, Pul and Lud that draw the bow, 
 to Tubal and Javan, to the Ifles afar off that have 
 not heard my fame nor feen my glory ; and they* 
 lhall declare my glory among the Gentiles -f." 
 
 Now, according to our learned Commentators^ 
 Tarfhiili denotes the EAST, Pul and Lud the 
 SOUTH, Tubal and Javan the NORTH, and the 
 Ifles the WEST. For, in holy fcripture, thelfles, 
 the Sea, and the Weil are frequently put for ong 
 another; fo that " the iflands afar off which have 
 not heard of God's fame, nor feen his glory," may 
 well be underflood to comprehend this AMERI- 
 CAN Continent, or WEST-INDIES generally ib 
 called, as the learned Dr. Loibth has obferved in 
 his accurate commentary upon, this paffage. 
 
 To the fame purpofe fpeaks the propfiet 
 Jeremiah, in his fixteenth chapter. Intending to 
 reproach the Jews for their abfurdity in apofta- 
 tizing from the true God, aftef they had once 
 known him, he tells them that, to their great 
 difgrace, a time would come when the very 
 Heathen themfelves, who had never heard the 
 name of God, would come to him even from the 
 uttcrmoft -parts of tbe earth \ and confefs that" the 
 
 * Chapter Ixv. i< f Chapter btvi. 19. 
 
 gods 
 
PART I. 
 
 gods which they had worfhipped were no gods at 
 all, but that they and their fathers had inhe- 
 rited lies from the beginning, and put their truft 
 in things that profited not. 
 
 " O * Lord, my ftrength and my fortrefs and 
 my refuge in the day of affliction - 9 the GENTILES 
 lhall come unto thee from the ENDS OF THE 
 EARTH, and mail fay, Surely our fathers have in- 
 herited lies and vanity, and things wherein there 
 is no profit. Shall a man make gods unto him- 
 felf, and they are no gods ?" 
 
 LET us hear alfo the prophet Daniel. -f-"The 
 God of heaven fhall fet up a kingdom which 
 lhall break in pieces and confume all thofe king- 
 doms (i. e. the four monarchies) and it fhall (land 
 for ever and ever. || Behold, one like the fon of 
 man came with the clouds of heaven, and there 
 was given him dominion and glory and a king- 
 dom, that all people and nations and languages 
 fhould ferve him." 
 
 IN like manner fpeaks Malachi. " From the 
 Rifmg of the Sun to the Going-down of the 
 fame, my name fhall be great among the GEN- 
 TILES ; and in every place incenfe fhall be offered 
 unto my name, and a pure offering ; for my 
 name fhall be great among the Heathen." All 
 v/hich is confirmed, with the utmoft folemnity 
 by the angel's found in the revelation, and the 
 great voices from heaven, declaring 
 
 " THAT the kingdoms of this world are be- 
 
 * Jeremiah xvi. 19, 20. f Daniel ii. 44. jj VII. 
 
 *3 *4- i Malachi i. u 
 
 come 
 
128 DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 come the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his 
 Chrift, and he mall reign for ever and ever." * 
 
 Now, although thefe Prophecies may, in part, 
 have had their completion, by the vafl rapidity 
 with which the Gofpel fpread itfelf into almoft 
 every known corner of the old world, foon after 
 our SAVIOUR'S Afcenfion into heaven, yet, me- 
 thinks, it is impoflible that they mould ever have 
 their full accomplimment without the Conver- 
 fion of the Indian Natives around us, and the 
 propagation of Chrift' s kingdom to the remoteft 
 parts of this continent. We have many of the 
 ftrongeft arguments to induce ^this belief. For, 
 in the firft place, none of thefe Texts, which I 
 have read, put any fhorter limit to the fpreading 
 of the Gofpel than the Ends of the Earth, and 
 from the Rifmg of the Sun to the Going-down 
 of the fame. And fecondly our Saviour himfelf, 
 the greateft of all the Prophets, has exprefly 
 told us that " Jerufalem -f- mall be trodden down 
 of the Gentiles, till the times of the Gentiles be 
 fulfilled." Now Jerufalem is ilill trodden down 
 by the Gentiles, and || confequently their times 
 are not yet fulfilled. 
 
 WE believe, therefore, on the moft fblid prin- 
 ciples, that there is referved by Providence fomc 
 future period or crifis in the Gofpel-ceconomy, 
 for a more remarkable and final Coming in 
 of the Fulnefs of the Gentiles, even to the ends of 
 
 * RCY. xi. 15. -J- Luke xxi. 24, || See the learned 
 Bifhop Newtoft's DifTertations N, XX. Rom. xi. 29. 
 
 the 
 
PARTI. 129 
 
 the earth ; and that it is the great and gracious 
 purpofe of God, in that day, to manifeft himfelf 
 to the " Heathen around us> and bring them to 
 the knowlege of his blefTed Gofpel, through the 
 grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift;" which was the 
 firft thfag I propofed to fhew. 
 
 BUT here Infidelity ufually urges the follow- 
 ing queftions, viz. 
 
 IF fuch be the intention of God, and fo great 
 the efficacy of his Gofpel ; what muft become of 
 thofe who have fat fo long in darknefs and the 
 fhadow of death ? And why does he fo long de- 
 lay the accomplimment of his own eternal pro- 
 mifes ? 
 
 REVERENCE to the fupreme Lord of heaven 
 and earth, it might have been hoped, would 
 have fecured the advocates of the Chriftian Re- 
 velation againft queftions of fuch high prefump- 
 tion. For who mall fay unto the Almighty, 
 what doft thou ? Or what man, of mortal de- 
 fcent, (hall hope to unfold thofe fecret reafons of 
 divine conduct, which eternal wifdom hath not 
 thought fit to reveal ? 
 
 As for us, we (hall only reply in general that 
 as " Thofe * who have finned in the Law (hall 
 be judged by the Law,fo thofe who have finned 
 without the Law [if tbey ferijb] fhall perifh 
 without it." As the fpirit of God hath not 
 thought fit to declare how far the Satisfaction of 
 CHRIST will be applied, to thofe who never heard 
 
 * Romans ii. 12, 
 
 K of 
 
ijo DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 of his name, we mufl not prefume to be wile' 
 above what is written. The nations that fit in 
 darknefs and the lhadow of death mull be left to 
 God's uncovenanted Mercies, to judge them ac- 
 cording to the meafure of Knowlege and Light 
 \vhich they have received. The Tribunal of the 
 Almighty is erected upon infinite Wifdom, Juf- 
 tice and Goodnefs and infinite Wifdom, Juftice 
 and Goodnefs cannot commit Error or Wrong ! 
 
 WITH refpect to the fecond queftion " Why 
 doth the Almighty fo long delay the accomplilh- 
 ment of his own gracious promifes ?" We muft 
 anfwer much in the fame general manner. Known 
 unto God, and him alone, are all his councils 
 from the foundation of the world. Some Con- 
 jectures, however, we may humbly offer on this 
 head, without incurring the charge of prefump- 
 tion. 
 
 EXCEPT in extraordinary cafes, the fupreme 
 Being feems to conduct all his operations by 
 general laws ; and, both in the Natural and Mo- 
 ral world, the advances to Perfection are gradual 
 and progreffive. The Law and the Prophets, 
 which were of old, were but a faint and myfte- 
 rious Revelation of the will of God, compared 
 to the full blaze of the Gofpel, wherebyjiis 
 WHOLE -f COUNCIL fhone forth at lafl to mankind. 
 The Lord fpoke once in thunders and lightnings 
 from Mount Sinai, but now leaves the conver- 
 lion of nations to the ordinary methods of his 
 providence. God did not give the Chriilian Re- 
 
 J- Afls xx. 27. Exodus xix. 19. 
 
 velation 
 
PART I. 
 
 velation itfelf, till the -j- Roman ambition had 
 brought almoft the whole world to a kind of 
 fimilarity of language and manners, and had 
 opened luch an intercourfe between diflant na- 
 tions, as made that one of the moft favorable 
 periods for fp reading a new Religion. Coun- 
 tries were now acceffible that had before been 
 unknown ; and univerfal peace, added to uni- 
 verfal fubjeclion to one common Empire, gave 
 the Difciples of Chrift and firft Preachers of the 
 Gofpel a great advantage in travelling from 
 Clime to Clime. 
 
 Now, who knows but almighty wifdorrl may 
 have predetermined a period fimilar to this, in 
 the fituation of affairs in this New World, for 
 fpreading his glorious Gofpel to the remoteft 
 parts of it ? 
 
 AND the confideration of this leads me to the 
 SECOND head of my difcourfe ; which was " to 
 make fome remarks on the fituation of things on 
 this Continent, with refpect to the Gofpel-ceco- 
 nomy, and the probability of a fpeedy accom- 
 plifhment of the Prophecies which relate to the 
 Coming in of the Fulnefs cf the Gentiles, and final 
 Converfion of the Nations." 
 
 AND here what a feries of remarkable cir- 
 cum|tances claim our moil devout attention ? 
 Reaibning upon Moral as upon Natural things, 
 
 f See fome fine remarks on this head by Dr. Robertfon, the 
 celebrated author of the hiftory of Scotland, in his fermon, 
 before the fociety in Scotland for propagating Chriftian Know- 
 lege. 
 
 K 2 What 
 
DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 what a beautiful analogy mall we find among aE 
 the operations of Divine Providence ? 
 
 THE Sun, the glorious Luminary of Day, 
 comes forth from his chambers of the EAST,, 
 arid, rejoicing to run his courfe, carries Light 
 and Heat and Joy thro' the nations to the re- 
 moteil parts of the WEST, and returns to the 
 place from whence he came. In like manner 
 it doth appear that the Light of the glorious 
 Gofpel is to proceed, till it hath carried one 
 bright Day over all the habitable world -, and 
 then will come the end of things. The infpired 
 Writers, we have already feen, love to fpeak of 
 the propagation of Chrifiianity, under this figure; 
 as proceeding from the RISING to the SETTING 
 of the Sun - y and this courfe we find it has pur- 
 fued. 
 
 IN the primitive ages of Simplicity, the firft in- 
 dications of Divine Will were given to the Pa- 
 triarchs of mankind in the EASTERN parts of the 
 world, by God himfelf, converfing with them 
 face to face, as they tended their flocks, or jour- 
 nied on from paiture to pailure. This was the 
 Dawn of things.. Soon afterwards followed the 
 Law, and then the Prophets, advancing nearer 
 and nearer to a full and perfect Revelation, till 
 at laft it broke forth in its Meridian glory, by 
 the coming of the fon of God, at that period al- 
 ready referred to, when the fituation of the world 
 had prepared the way for its more effectual re- 
 ception. The Wifdom of God was vifible in. 
 
 all 
 
PART L 13 j 
 
 all this; and foon did the Chriflian Religioa 
 ipread itfelf WESTWARD, till it reached the vaft 
 Atlantic ocean, and the Ifles of the G entile s^ where 
 the pofterity of Jaf>het dwelt. ^ 
 
 Now among thefe Illes, or places on the Ocean, 
 or Weftern parts, as they are indifferently 
 phrafed, GREAT-BRITAIN, our Mother-country, 
 that ultima 'Tbule of the ancients, bore a principal 
 figure. Early was the Gofpel preached in her, 
 if not by the Apoftles themlelves, yet certainly 
 by fome of their followers, in their days, and be- 
 fore the deftruclion of Jerufalem ||. 
 
 HERE the matter relied. This was the^r/? 
 Stage of the Gofpel-progrefs. To the Weftward 
 of Britain the ancients feem to have known no- 
 thing. They confidered thefe iflands as the ends 
 -of the world \ and extenfive as the Roman em- 
 pire was at our Saviour's coming, this American 
 continent, more extenfive than it all, lay entirely 
 Jrid from their knowlege, and feems to have 
 been referved as the flage of zfaond remarkable 
 
 jj There is fome probability that the gofpel was preached in 
 Great-Britain by St. Simon the apoille, there is much greater 
 probability that it was preached there by St. Paul; and there 
 is abfolute certainty that it was planted there in their Days, 
 Eufebius fays that the apoftles preached in all the world, and 
 fome of them patted beyond the Ocean, even to the Britannic 
 ifles ; trans Oceanum evafijje, ad eas infulas qua: Brit annicts 
 <vccantur. Demons. Enjang. lib. 3. 
 
 And Theodoret, among the nation's converted by the apo 
 ties, reckons particularly the Britons :neque folum Romance 
 fed ct Britanncs, atque, ut femel dicam> cmnt bominum genus. 
 .Serin, 9. Sec Eiihop Newton, DiiTertation XVJJI. 
 
 K 3 period 
 
134 DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 period in the Gofpel-progrefs. Not a veftige, 
 therefore, of Chriftianity was propagated hither, 
 till after it had kept pofleflion of the Old World, 
 in various forms and under various corruptions, 
 for at leaft fifteen centuries. But, at the expira- 
 tion of that period, it pleafed God to open the 
 way to the difcovery of new countries, which 
 likewife opened the way to the eflablifhment of 
 the Gofpel in them. For it is obvious to re- 
 mark, that the nations, which were raifed up for 
 this purpofe, were thofe among whom Chrifti- 
 anity was openly proferled, and confequently 
 they carried their religion along with them. Be- 
 ing likewife fuperior to all the reft of the world 
 in the arts of Commerce and every improve- 
 ment of civil life, they were the fitteft to ex- 
 plore new fettlements, conciliate the affections of 
 the natives, and pulh their difcoveries to the 
 greateft extent. This they did with remarkable 
 zeal and fuccefs ; and, tho' it muft be confefled 
 that they have made ufe of the advantages which 
 they enjoyed, chiefly for the fecular purpofes of 
 extending their Empire and Commerce, yet they 
 have not been altogether negligent of the propa-, 
 gation of the facred religion which they profefs. 
 
 IN this divine work, our Mother-country, one 
 of the pureft branches of the Chriftian-church, 
 always foremoft in every pious and humane un- 
 dertaking, has fignally exerted herfelf. In her, 
 even in an age wherein Chriftianity hath loft 
 much of its influence on the lives of men, many 
 
 public 
 
PARTI. 135 
 
 public Societies have been formed, ana noble 
 contributions made, with the glorious view of 
 extending the Knowlege of God over this vafl 
 untutored Continent. At the head of thefe is 
 juftly placed that venerable SOCIETY, incorpo- 
 rated " for propagating the Gofpel in foreign 
 parts," in whofe fervice moft of you, my bre- 
 thren, have the Honour to be employed ; and 
 for promoting whofe pious defigns we are now 
 voluntarily afTembled together. This auguft 
 and venerable body confifts of the principal dig- 
 nitaries of our church, fundry of the prime no-" 
 bility of the nation, and many other pious per- 
 fons of every degree. It has fubfifted for near 
 fourfcore years, and, by the providence of God, 
 has been remarkably enabled to fupport the great 
 and growing expence incident to fuch an un- 
 dertaking. 
 
 Two objects have moil worthily employed the 
 attention of this Society ^ the FIRST, to provide 
 for the adminiflration of religious ordinances 
 among our Colon ills themfelves, who have hi- 
 therto been generally too thinly fettled to be able 
 to fupport a regular miniftry without fuch af- 
 fiftance; the SECOND, to win over the Hea- 
 then-natives to the knowlege of God, and a 
 firm attachment to our national intereft. Thefe 
 two defigns, however much evil men may ilrive 
 to feparate them, muft neceflarily go hand in 
 hand. Should the Society employ themfelves 
 wholly to the bufmefs of converting the Indian 
 K 4 natives 
 
DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 natives from Heathenifm, while they fuffered 
 their own colonies to degenerate into a ftate lit- 
 tle better than that Heathenifm itfelf, the at- 
 tempt would be equally vain and unjuft. For 
 it would be to little purpofe for us to fend out 
 Mifiion aries among them to perfuade them to 
 embrace our Religion, unlefs " the Light there- 
 of fhould fo mine before them, that they feeing 
 our good works may glorify oqr father which is in 
 heaven. *" 
 
 THE fupport, therefore, of Chriflianity among 
 ourfelves, and the propagation of it among our 
 Heathen Neighbours, are but different parts of 
 the fame undertaking ; and tho' we have not hi- 
 therto had any great fuccefs in the latter, yet it 
 is our duty to continue our bed endeavours. 
 For who knows either the particular time when, 
 or the means by which, the Lord may be pleafeci 
 to accomplifh his own divine Promifes ! 
 
 The Converfion of nations has often, before 
 now, been brought about when but leaft ex- 
 pected, and by means which, to human fore- 
 fight, feemed the leaft probable. One fmgle 
 Savage, fully convinced of the Truth of Chrifti- 
 anity, and truly animated by its fublime fpirit, 
 may perhaps, thro' the power of the living God, 
 at fome future period, be rendered an Apoftle to 
 the reft, and an inftrument of turning thoufands 
 from 'the ways of Darknefs and the " power of 
 Satan, to the marvellous light of Chrift, that 
 
 * Matthew v, j5. 
 
 they 
 
PART I. 137 
 
 they may receive forgivenefs of fins, and an in- 
 heritance among them which are fandified by 
 faith that is in Him." -f 
 
 INNUMERABLE methods, befides this, are in 
 the providence of that God, whofe power who 
 fhall tell ? And it is impoflible but, in his own 
 appointed time, he mnft give the promifed blef- 
 fing to the pious endeavours which are continu- 
 ally ufed for the propagation of his Gofpel in 
 this Weftern world, 
 
 MANY obilacles, which formerly lay in the 
 way of this great work, feem now to be almoft 
 entirely removed, We were, heretofore, but a 
 fmall people, pofleffing an inconfiderable fpot of 
 this Continent. Our accefs to the Heathen na- 
 tions was difficult and dangerous. Our know- 
 lege of their country was but very limited; and 
 the arts of our bufy enemies had fown many pre- 
 judices among them to our difadvantage. 
 
 BUT now the cafe is much altered. We are be- 
 come a great and growing people ; extending, 
 and likely to extend, our empire far over this 
 continent. The prefent war, which we ihort- 
 fighted mortals confidered as one of the greateft 
 evils, is like to be productive of the befl of con- 
 fequences. With the deepeil adoration, we be- 
 hold the hand of .Providence in it. A feries of 
 unlooked-for fuccefles has blefled our arms, for 
 which we and our pofterity, throughout all ge- 
 Delations, ought to offer up continual Hymns 
 
 f Aftsxxri 1 8, 
 
 e of 
 
DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 of gratitude and praife to the Giver of all vic- 
 tory. The Proteftant intereft in America has 
 now received fuch lignal advantages, and ol> 
 tained fuch fure footing, that we trufl neither the 
 machinations of its inveterate enemies, nor even 
 the gates of bell itfelf, mail ever prevail againft 
 it. Our credit with the Indian natives begins 
 to fland in a high point of light. A more tho- 
 rough knowlege of their country and manners 
 is obtained than ever we had before. Strong 
 fortifications are fixed, which will always facili- 
 tate our accefs to them. The attention of all 
 ranks of men is now more turned to the profe- 
 cution of our interefts on this continent than 
 ever was known at any former period ; and if it 
 fhall pleafe God to direct the hearts of our Rulers 
 to a Peace which may in any degree be anfwer- 
 able to our former fuccefTes, then will be the 
 time when we may expert to fee Chriftianity 
 propagated to advantage. 
 
 BY our connexions with our Mother-country 
 and the productions of our own happy climate, 
 we are the only people of all the European na- 
 tions, fettled in America, that are able to feed 
 the Hungry and cloath the Naked. When our 
 enemies fhall be confined within their due bounds, 
 we mall thus have obtained a more natural and 
 Lifting dominion over the Heathen natives of 
 this continent by our Arts and Manufactures, 
 than the Romans did over the old world by the 
 terror of their arms. Every river, creek, inlet, 
 
 lake 
 
PART I. 139 
 
 lake and fettlement, will be open to our Com- 
 merce \ and when we ftretch forth food and rai- 
 ment, and pradtife the other arts of Humanity, 
 to the glad inhabitants, it is hoped that we mall 
 not be wanting to ftretch forth alfo the bread f 
 of life to their famifhed fouls. The prefent fpi- 
 rit and difpofition of our nation give us a well- 
 grounded aflurance that the means will never be 
 wanting for carrying on fuch benevolent pur- 
 pofes ; and when all thefe things mall confpire, 
 we may truft that the promifed period, when the 
 Fulnefs of the Gentiles jhall come /;/, and the Na- 
 tions be converted, " even to thefe remoteft 
 parts of the earth," cannot be far off. 
 
 ONE circumftance more, which bears themoft 
 favourable afpect towards the accomplifhment of 
 this event, ought not to efcape our notice. It is 
 the fpirit which now difplays itfelf, through 
 thefe American colonies, for the founding femi- 
 
 f Old HAKLUYT, in his dedication to Sir FRANCIS WAL- 
 s ING HAM, has a fine thought to this purpofe; which mews 
 that our endeavours for the propagation of Chriftianity in thefe 
 parts, are only a neceflary refult of our firft plan in making 
 new difcoveries; and that our Public Faith, in conjunction 
 with our Duty to our God, engages us to the continuance of 
 thefe endeavours. 
 
 " For mine own part I take our traffick with the borne na- 
 turalles, (meaning the Indians) as a pledge of God's further 
 favour, both unto us and them ; but to them efpecially, unto 
 whofe doors, I doubt not, in time mall be by us carried the 
 incomparable Treafure of the Truth of Chriftianity and of the 
 Gofpel, while we ufe and exercife common Trade with their 
 merchants. 
 
 naries 
 
140 DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 naries of Learning and the advancement of ufe- 
 ful Science. Such pious defigns as thefe, aided 
 and improved by a preached Gofyd and the di- 
 vine bleffing, cannot fail of fpreading the rays 
 of heavenly knowlege far over this untutored 
 continent. The confideration of this hath ever 
 been an interefting topic with me; and, there- 
 fore, I have thought it worthy of being feparate- 
 ly handled -f. In the mean time, the bare men- 
 tion of this Circumilance, added to the Argu- 
 ments already laid before you, will be fufficient 
 to eflablifh the u probability ofafpeedy accom- 
 plimment of the prophecies which relate to the 
 final Converfion of the nations 5" which was the 
 SECOND Head of my Difcourfe. 
 
 I PROCEED, therefore, in the LAST PLACE," from 
 this view of things, to offer an humble Addrefs 
 to you, my brethren, who are employed as inltru- 
 ments in the hand of God, for carrying on this 
 great work of converfion, by the preaching of 
 the Gofpel in thefe remote and heretofore untu- 
 tored Regions ; whither its joyful Sound hath 
 fo lately reached." 
 
 AND this part of my fubjec"l I enter upon with 
 that diffidence and humiliation of heart, which 
 become one who is fpeaking to men of known 
 capacities and integrity ; and among whom are 
 fundry of my feniors in the facred office of the 
 minifhy. Added to this, a feries of neceflary avo- 
 cations hath, for fome years pail, drawn a confi- 
 derable part of my attention from the immediate 
 
 f See Part II of this Difcourfe. 
 
 flady 
 
PARTI. 14* 
 
 Jtudy of that Divine Science, which both duty 
 and inclination would induce me chiefly to cul- 
 tivate ; and nothing but your exprefs injunc- 
 tions, joined to a perfuaiion that it will not be 
 necefTary for me to fay much on this fubject, 
 could give me the Freedom to proceed. 
 
 Is it fo, then, my brethren, that God hath 
 ehofen the Britifh nation, above all others, to fet- 
 tle the mod important part of this continent ? 
 hath he profpered their arms, and extended their 
 empire in the moft fignal manner, thro' a feries 
 of hazardous events ? Doth he feem to have pur- 
 pofed through us the extenfion of his everlafling 
 Gofpel "to the ends of the world, and are you 
 charged with the miniftration of that blefTed 
 Gofpel, and feverally capable of contributing 
 fomewhat, under divine ailiftance, to the haften- 
 ing of that happy period, wherein " the Know- 
 lege of the Lord mall cover the whole earth as 
 the waters cover the fea?" Are thefe things fo; 
 and cart we ever be without the moft animating 
 motives to fupport and encourage us in fo noble 
 an undertaking, how inconfiderable foever the 
 temporal advantages may be, which are an- 
 nexed to it? Confidered in this light, how 
 divinely important does your MISSION appear? 
 You may look upon yourfelves as fellow- La- 
 bourers with the beft and greateft men of every 
 Age, in that glorious Work for which the Pro- 
 phets prophefied ; for which the Lord Jefus de- 
 fcended from Heaven-^ for which he toiled, and 
 for. which he bled even the great Work of pro- 
 pagating 
 
142 DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 pagating Wifdom and 'facing Knowlege, to the 
 very Ends of the habitable World ! Every ad- 
 vantage you gain this way, you may confider as 
 an Enlargement of your Mailer's Kingdom, 
 and a Glory far fuperior to that of temporal Con-' 
 quefts and Foundations ! 
 
 IN fo noble a work, therefore, the conducl of 
 that firil of Miffionarie^ the great Apoftle of the 
 Gentiles, our illuflrious predecefibr in the bu- 
 fmefs of preaching the Gofpel among unculti- 
 vated nations, ought to be our rule and model. 
 * c When it pleafed God, fays he, to reveal his 
 Son in me, tbat I might preach him among the Hea- 
 then> immmediately I conferred not with flefli 
 and blood." This zealous fervant of Chrift had 
 formed a juft idea of the work he had under- 
 taken, and confidered it as a field wherein he 
 was to encounter many difficulties, and reap 
 but few worldly advantages. He therefore pro* 
 pofes to himfelf advantages of a more durable 
 nature, and ilrives to raife himfelf above this 
 world, and all its clogs and attachments. For 
 this end, he holds daily intercourfe with the Fa- 
 ther of Spirits, and was frequent in prayer and 
 meditation. And certainly if ever men ought 
 to be ferious, humble, abftracted from worldly 
 embarrafTments, and dependent upon divine af- 
 iiftance in any office or truft in this world, it 
 ought to be in the Exercife of the Mini/try? and 
 difpenfation of the glorious Gofpel , for who is 
 of himfelf fufficient for thefe things ? 
 
 BUT 
 
PART I, 
 
 BUT together with Serioufnefs, Prayer, Medi- 
 tation, and dependence upon God, an ardent 
 Zeal and Fervor of Spirit are mod neceffary 
 qualifications. In any undertaking, where the 
 world has but few advantages to follicit perfe- 
 verance, nay where many inconveniencies muft 
 necefiarily be furmounted, it is well for a man 
 to have within himfelf a fervent principle of 
 aftion. Indeed, indifference in the difcharge of 
 any duty is a great error, but in things of the 
 highefl moment it is unpardonable. It was a 
 fevere rebuke to one of the churches, that me 
 was hike-warm -, for which me was threatened to 
 be fpued out. f " I know thy works, that thou 
 art neither cold nor hot. I would thou wert 
 cold or hot," faith the fpirit of God to her. 
 Whoever confiders the immenfe value of hu- 
 man fouls -, whoever is imprefled with a juft fenfe 
 of our prefent degeneracy-, whoever contem- 
 plates the vaft goodnefs of God, and believes the 
 Gofpel to be the produce of the greatefl Love 
 which heaven could mew, or a corrupt world 
 receive muft needs be inanimate indeed, not 
 to glow with an unquenchable ardour for its uni- 
 verfal extenfion to all the fons of men ! 
 
 TOGETHER with zeal for Religion, " pure and 
 undefiled before God and the father," tl a zeal 
 for Civil Liberty, its infeparable companion, will 
 be truly commendable. It is the peculiar glory 
 of the Britifh Nation to ilrive not only to en- 
 
 | Rev. iii. 15. |[ James i. 27. 
 
 lighten 
 
144 DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 lighten, but to ennoble, the Human Race ; not 
 only to break afunder thofe fpiritual Fetters which 
 the Dominion of ANTICHRIST hath eftablifhed 
 over the Souls of men, but likewife to let the op- 
 prejjedgo FREE, and to ftrike off thofe bodily Fet- 
 ters under which fo great a part of the human 
 Species groans. 
 
 IN fo righteous a caufe, it becomes the Mini- 
 fters of God's Word, which is founded on Li- 
 berty both of Body and Mind, to Hand among 
 the warmeft Champions -, and therefore mould 
 ever another period come, when a cruel enemy 
 is advancing to rob us of all that we account 
 dear and facred, let us cry aloud and fpare not. 
 Being placed on the walls of our Sion, and glow- 
 ing fublimely with the fpirit of Gofpel-truth and 
 Freedom, let us be earneft with our country, as 
 we have been heretofore, warning, exhorting 
 and animating all around to " play the men for 
 the people and cities of our God." -f- 
 
 THIS is agreeable to the injun&ions of our be- 
 nevolent fuperiors in fuch cafes delivered to us. 
 We are charged to enforce Loyalty, public 'Spi- 
 rit, SubmiiTion to juft government, and the Pay- 
 ment of neceiTary tribute and taxes. Defign- 
 ing men may infinuate, as they have done, that 
 this is going beyond our fphere, and they may 
 oppofe and injure us by every device in their 
 power. But ten thoufand fuch attempts and in- 
 iinuations ought not to deter us from our duty. 
 f 2 Sam. x. 12. 
 
 Our 
 
P A R T L 143 
 
 (bur Civil and Religious rights are infeparabiy 
 conne&ed ; and whatever hurts or deftroys the 
 former muft, in the iiTue, hurt or deftroy the 
 latter, 
 
 BUT further, to a .commendable Zeal in every 
 thing pralie-v/orthy, we muft add Prudence and 
 Decorum of conduit -, and, above all, a gene- 
 rous Spirit of Forbtarancei Toleration, and Cka- 
 rlty to our Proteftant brethren of other de- 
 nominations. Thefe are Duties peculiarly in- 
 cumbent on the Minifters of fo benevolent a 
 Religion as that of JESUS, and fo generous a 
 Church as that of England. Matters of Con- 
 Icience come not under human cognizance,- The 
 catholic and free fpirit of the Britifh Govern- 
 ment and Proteftant religion difdains to erect a 
 tyranny over the minds of men, or to reign over 
 uninformed zeal; Religion can be founded on 
 nothing die but every man's private convidiion.- 
 'Tis to God, in the end,- that we muft all an- 
 fwej , and from pur own Confciences, in the 
 mean time,- that we muft receive remorfe or fatis- 
 faction. Another man cannot interfere, nor feel 
 for us, nor judge for us, in this matter.- 
 
 ONE thing further is abfolutely neceffary for us 
 as Minifters of God's word ; and that is great 
 care and induftry in the compofition of our Ser- 
 mons. We have many eyes upon us \ and certainly 
 it is treating a fenfible "audience with a very great 
 degree of difrefpect, for any man to ftep into a 
 
 L pulpit 
 
DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 pulpit to entertain them with what bears all the 
 marks of want of Study and Care. 
 
 " IT is an unfeafonable piece of Vanity (fays 
 a learned || Prelate of our church) for any 
 preachers to offer their own crudities, till they 
 'have well digefled and ripened them. I wifh 
 the Majefty of the Pulpit were more looked to, 
 and that no fermons were offered from thence, 
 but fuch as mould make the hearer both wifer 
 and better." 
 
 WE do, however, readily acknowlege that a 
 man vitally good, much with God, rich in Grace, 
 fervent in Spirit, a mailer of literature and ex- 
 preffion, powerful in Eloquence, and above all, 
 mighty in the Scriptures^ may be well warranted, 
 as circumflances may require, to fpeak without 
 any immediate ftudy or preparation. But, in a 
 general way, this method argues fo much want 
 of care and deference ; it is withal fo dangerous 
 in its ufe ^ and thefe divine Gifts mentioned 
 above fallfo feldom to the fhare of anyone man, 
 and it is moreover fo eafy to miftake or fubilitute 
 the wild Ebullitions of a heated Imgination, or 
 Pharifaical Pride, in their room ; that our Church 
 fuppofes no Preaching of this fort. And what- 
 ever a man of the moft extraordinary virtues and 
 talents may be able to do in an unpremeditated 
 manner, he will certainly do much more by 
 ftudy, meditation and accurate compofition. 
 li Bifhop Burnet. 
 
 GREAT 
 7 
 
PARTI. 147 
 
 GREAT care is alfo requifite in the choice of 
 our {objects. The whole circle of Gofpel- truths 
 is before us ; but fome require to be more fre- 
 quently prefled home than others. Subjects of 
 Litigation, however, and points of Controverfy, 
 are to be avoided ; unlefs in times of extremeft 
 danger, when Fundamentals and EfTentials may 
 be attacked. 
 
 SOME men there are who, in their Preaching, 
 betray a marvellous Littlenefs of Genius, and 
 Barrennefs of matter. They are ever upon mi- 
 nute diftinctions, Party-Shibboleths, perplexing 
 definitions, and nice modes ; ten thoufand of 
 v/hich, if put in the balance with true Religion, 
 and the weightier matters of the Law^ would not 
 weigh afingle grain, efpecially when attended (as 
 they generally are) with Revilings and Curfmgs 
 and Anathemas againft all others differing the 
 lead from them in perfuafion, to the breach of that 
 HEAVENLY Charity, which is the very effence of 
 Chrift's Gofpel, and the height of religious per- 
 fection. We may well fufpect fuch men to be 
 but Smatterers in the Divine Science of Reli- 
 gion, much like thofe bold Pretenders in the 
 other Sciences, who finding it a work of hard 
 labor to obtain a thorough knowlege of their 
 profeffion, or peradventure not having the ca- 
 pacity for it, are therefore obliged to hide their 
 own ignorance, and fupply the want of real fkill, 
 by arrogant pretenfions to fome new difcovery, 
 L 2 or 
 
1 4 8 DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 or an affe6ted fmgulari ty in the treatment of fome 
 common points. 
 
 BUT not fo the man of comprehenfive know- 
 lege. Not fo the Preacher who has a clear and 
 glowing view of his Mailer's religion in general, 
 He will not endeavour to divide and perplex 
 mankind by vain and infigniricant diftinclions, 
 but to unite and animate them all in the exer- 
 cife of true vital and evangelical piety. He 
 will not multiply notions, or delight to dwell 
 on trifles, that tend to low animofities and create 
 confufions among the fame Species j. but to en- 
 force univerfal Virtue, and light up the lamp of 
 heavenly Charity, to adorn and gild this gloomy 
 vale of life. 
 
 SUCH a one will firft endeavour to obtain, for 
 himfelf, jufl and elevated notions of the fupreme 
 Being, together with a mafculine devotion of 
 heart, by approaching in frequent a6ls of con- 
 templation to the fountain of all grace ; and 
 what he himfelf /'%. he will ftrive to make others 
 be. When he ileps into the pulpit, he will carry 
 no fchemes or views thither with him that are 
 fhort of his Mailer's Glory. He will appear as 
 one ftanding in the prfence of the great Jehovah, 
 glowing for the good of his fpecies, and im- 
 preiTed with the vail confequence of eternity. 
 On every fubjedt, he willjpetk what hefee/s, and 
 ftrive to make others feel what he fpeaks. 
 
 BUT, in his more folemn addreiTes, when lie 
 
 finds 
 
P A R T i. 249 
 
 finds it particularly neceffary to rehirhinate 
 the dying fpirit of Freedom and Religion here on 
 earth ; or when the glorious profpedfo of a better 
 world and the amazing Goodnefs of Redeeming 
 Love are his theme, he will then be great in- 
 deed ! He will feem all on fire. His very 
 face will fpeak a foul of rapture. He vill be 
 borne along with a winged ardor of Genius, 
 pouring forth a torrent of facred Eloquence, 
 which fome will call Enthufiafm -, but, if it muft 
 be fo called, it will be the noble Enthufiafm of 
 Truth and Reafon a pure and tranfcendent 
 flame, bearing all down before it, and burning 
 itijl clearer and ftronger to the very laft 
 
 THE fallen and finful eftate of man , the 
 Grace and Goodnefs of God ; the wonders of his 
 Love , Chrift crucified-, the Purity of his ever- 
 lafting Gofpel -, Charity and Virtue ; Righte- 
 oufnefs, Temperance and a Judgment to come, 
 together with an Eternity afterwards who, my 
 brethren, that has thefe fubjecls before him, 
 would {loop to any thing of trivial moment, or 
 difgrace them by a crude and unworthy ma- 
 nagement ? 
 
 MAY the God of heaven give all of us the 
 grace of his holy fpirit to manage them as we 
 ought, and conduct us in every other part of our 
 duty " * for the edifying the body of Chrift." 
 Being poflefled with a juft conception of the 
 dignity of our holy Profeflion, and a thorough 
 * Ephef. iv. 12. 
 
 L 3 vene- 
 
I 5 o DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 veneration for the Saviour of the world, may we 
 flrive, in our feveral fpheres, with an earneft 
 contention of foul, for the eftablifhment of 
 genuine piety, and to make "his ways known on 
 Earth, and his faving health among all Na- 
 tions." May our Lives be a convincing ar- 
 gument to the Heathen around us, that our Re- 
 ligion is fomething more than a name, and that 
 we are in good earneft ourfelves, concerning that 
 which we would perfuade them to embrace ! 
 
 * 
 *< * > 
 
 * 
 
 PART 
 
PART II. 
 
 Delivered before the Truftees, Matters/ 
 and Scholars of the College and Academy 
 of Philadelphia, at the firft anniverfary 
 Commencement in that place, 
 
 PSALM ii. 8. 
 
 Ask of me and Ifhall give thee the Heathen 
 for thine inheritance) and the uttermoft 
 parts of the earth for thy poffefjion. 
 
 A FULL explanation of this text, compared 
 with fundry others, that foretel the final 
 Converfion of the Heathen, and feem to have a 
 particular reference to our fituation on this Con- 
 tinent, hath been already attempted, 
 
 CHRISTIANITY, we obferved, was firft reveaV 
 ed in the EASTERN parts of the world. Like the 
 Sun, there it rofe ; and, like him, advancing 
 WESTWARD through the nations, diffufed light 
 and love and joy, wherever it came. At length, 
 it crofTed the vaft Atlantic , and, in the fettle- 
 ment of thefe colonies, a way was opened for 
 .adding a large inheritance to the Kingdom of 
 Jcfus, in the remqteft parts of the Weft. 
 
 L.4 
 
DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 'Tis true that no great progrefs.hath hitherto 
 been made in this work. There is yet an inir 
 menfe depth of this continent, whofe forlorn in- 
 habitants never had any opportunity " to hear 
 the glad tidings of falvation ;" and, of thole 
 who have been blefl with fuch an opportunity, 
 few, very few, have turned a liilening ear to the 
 joyful found. 
 
 BUT " f the Promifes of God in Chrift are all 
 Yea and Amen." A careful examination of his 
 revealed word hath thoroughly fixed our belief 
 that the time will come, when the Heathen 
 around us fhall be gathered into his fold, 
 under the great fhepherd and bifhop of fouls. 
 Nay many aufpicious circumftances in the pre- 
 fent fituation of things on this continent, already 
 enumerated, give us reafon to expect that the 
 accomplilhment of this event is now not far re- 
 mote. And oh ! what a triumphant confidera- 
 tion is this, to thofe who believe the Gofpel of 
 Jefus " to be the power of God unto falvation ?" 
 
 Now, one of thofe circumffonces, which was 
 but flightly mentioned before, I have at prefent 
 the moil favorable opportunity of confidering 
 more at large. It is " the fpirit which difplays 
 itfelf, through thele American colonies, for the 
 founding fefninaries of Learning - 9 and the great 
 influence which the advancement of the Sciences 
 has on the advancement of Chrifc's Gofpel. 
 
 Ix order to do juflice to this fubject, it will be 
 f Corinth, i 50. 
 
 neceffary 
 
PARTI. 153 
 
 fiecefiary to give fome account of the Human 
 Sciences, as well as of the fublime Science of 
 Chriftianity j to mew the fubferviency of- the 
 former to the advancement of the latter, and 
 thereby to engage your continued favour and 
 protection of this infant Seminary. And that I 
 may proceed with the greater precifion and clear- 
 nefs, I mail recur to firft principles. 
 
 IF we confult the conflitution of our nature, 
 we fhallfind ourfelves, in every purfuit, actuated 
 by the deiire of Happinefs, and determined to 
 account every thing more or lefs valuable, as it 
 tends 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 windings, not 
 to be travelled, but with caution and forefight. 
 For man, being made up of foul and body, fuf- 
 tains a double relation, and is capable of a double 
 kind of pleafure -, there being a variety of ob- 
 jects fuited to the variety of his affections, paf- 
 lions and tempers, when in their found moral 
 ftate. His Happinefs, therefore, muft evidently 
 depend on making a right efbimate of thefe ob- 
 jects, and maintaining this found temperament 
 of conflitution , fo as to purfue each of them 
 with a degree of force commenfurate to their re- 
 fpective values, or tendencies to give pleafure. 
 
 HENCE, then, whatever enables a man to make 
 a right eflimate of things, and to frame his con- 
 duct agreeably, mufl be confidered as an engine 
 of his happinefs, and is to be valued propor- 
 
 tionably. 
 
154 DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 tionably. It follows, therefore, that thofe re- 
 fearches which bring him acquainted with him- 
 felf, the ends, ufes and meafures of his feveral 
 powers and movements, together with the ends 
 and ufes of the various objects with which he 
 flands connected, muft be a main fpring of his 
 happinefs - y and, in this view, may be denomi- 
 nated his true Wtfdom, the firfl and great Philofo- 
 phy ; or that glorious Syftem of Knowlege, which 
 gives him his chief preheminence over the brutes, 
 and exalts him to the fupreme perfection and 
 highefl enjoyment of his nature ! 
 
 OTHER Sciences may have their ufe, as mat- 
 ters 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 beft but of vain curiofity, or 
 unavailing fpeculation. 
 
 I SHALL, therefore, endeavour to diftinguifh 
 the True from the Falfe, the fpurious parts of 
 Knowlege from thofe of genuine growth, by 
 pointing out to you the erTential branches of this 
 great Mafter-fcience. In doing this, let us never 
 lofe fight of the fundamental principle al- 
 ready laid down, namely that every part of 
 knowlege, (human knowlege I fpeak of) derives 
 its value from its tendency to inform us What [j 
 we are, and whither cleftined ^ what our con- 
 ftitution and connexions , and what our Duties in 
 confequence thereof. 
 
 li Quid fumu?, et quidnam viduri gjgnimur, 
 
 WHO- 
 
PART II. 155 
 
 WHOEVER fets out on this enquiry will, in 
 ithe firft inftance, be ftruck with the vailnefs of 
 the undertaking, and the infufficiency of his own 
 abilities. Human nature, and the various natures 
 around it, are a copious fubjecr.. 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 afcertain the true Path 
 of Happinefs. Like a traveller in a ftrange 
 country, he will, therefore, be glad to enquire 
 his way of others ^ and make all poflible ufe of 
 the Experience of thofe who, with honor and 
 fuccefs, have travelled the path of life before 
 him. He will endeavour to avail himfelf equally 
 of the good and bad fortune of thofe whofe 
 courfe is finimed, and ftrive to bring all Antiquity 
 under Contribution to him for wifdom. 
 
 BUT how could this be done, if there were 
 not fome method of preferring, and pofTefling 
 ourfelves of, the experience of others ? And here 
 we fee the ufe of Languages and Writing. Ne- 
 verthelefs, an acquaintance with all forts of lan- 
 guages would be almoft as difficult an acquifi- 
 tion, as the particular examination of all forts of 
 things. Hence then, it became neceflary for 
 the Learned to fix on fome Univerfal Language 
 or Languages, as the grand channel or inilru- 
 ment of conveying their experiences, obferva- 
 tions and conclufions, concerning the Condud 
 of Life., and the Truth of Things. Now 
 
156 DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 Now Greek and Latin have been chofen for 
 thefe purpofes, on feveral fubftantial accounts. 
 For, not to mention that many of the nobleft 
 productions of ancient genius were originally 
 written in thefe languages, it is to be obferved 
 that dead languages are more durable, and lefs 
 fluctuating, than living ones ^ and, befides this, 
 living nations, jealous of each other, would think 
 it too great a mark of diftinction to chufe the 
 language of any particular nation among them, as 
 the grand channel of knowlege and experience. 
 
 WE fee, then, that an acquaintance with what 
 is called the Learned Languages is ftill juflly 
 confidered as a part of liberal Education, and a 
 neceftary introduction to the Sciences. For, 
 though words, abftractly confidered, cannot in 
 themfelves add to our knowlege, yet as the Means 
 of conveying and acquiring knowlege, they will 
 be fludied by all thofe who, to their own ex- 
 perience, would add the experience of thofe 
 who have lived in former ages ; or, living in 
 the prefent, can no otherwife render the fruits 
 of their enquiries ufeful to mankind, than by 
 Language and Writing.-)- 
 
 f The author found it necefiary to be thus particular in 
 explaining the ufe of the Learned Languages ; fome regarding 
 them as a needlefs part of education, and others confidering 
 them as all the education neceflary to a fcholar Opinions 
 equally prejudicial to the advancement of Sound Knowlege. 
 Under this head, it is obvious that he means to include Hif- 
 tory, both natural and civil ; i. e. whatever can be obtained 
 from the Experience of others. 
 
 NEVEB,- 
 
PART II. 157 
 
 NEVERTHELESS, a perfon, who knows hi mlelt 
 endued with reafon and underftanding, will not 
 be content to take his knowlege entirely at le- 
 cond hand. On fubjects ib important as the na- 
 ture and fitnefs of things, and the Summum 
 Bonum of man, he will not rely wholly on a Hif- 
 torical knowlege, founded on the Experience 
 and Teilimony of others -, however much his 
 labors may be fhortened thereby. He will think 
 it his duty to examine for himfelf, and to ac- 
 quire a Moral and Phyfical knowlege , founded 
 on his own Experience and Obfervation. 
 
 THIS is what we call Philofophy in general j 
 comprehending in it the knowlege of all things 
 Human and Divine, fo far as they can be made 
 the objects of our prefent enquiries. Now, the 
 genuine branches cf this Philofophy, o r great 
 lyftem of practical Wifdom, together with the 
 necefiary inflrumental parts thereof, may be in- 
 cluded under the following general heads; it 
 appearing to me that the nature of things admits 
 of no more. 
 
 1. LANGUAGES, &c. which have been already 
 mentioned rather as an Inftrument or Means of 
 Science, than a Branch thereof. 
 
 2. LOGIC and Metaphyfics, or the Science of 
 the Human mind ; unfolding its powers and di- 
 recting its operations and reafonings. 
 
 3. NATURAL Philofophy, Mathematics, and 
 the reft of her beautiful train of fubfervient arts ; 
 invefrigating the PhyficaL properties of Body, 
 
 ex- 
 
i 5 8 DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 explaining the various phenomena of Nature ; 
 and teaching us to render her fubfervient to the 
 eafe and ornament of Life. 
 
 4. MORAL Philofophy ; applying all the above 
 to the bufinefs and bofoms of men, deducing 
 the laws of our conduct from our fituation in 
 life and connexions with the Beings around us, 
 fettling the whole GEconomyof the Will and 
 Affe6tions, eftablifhing the predominancy of 
 Reafon and Confcience, and guiding us to Hap- 
 pinefs, through the practice of Virtue. 
 
 5. RHETORIC, or the art of mailerly Compo- 
 fition, juft Elocution, and found Criticifm ; 
 teaching us how to cloath our wifdom in the 
 moil amiable and inviting garb -, how to give 
 life and fpirit to our ideas, and make our know- 
 lege of the greateft benefit to ourfelves and 
 others. 
 
 THIS lafl mentioned part of literary accom- 
 plifhment, like the firft, I grant, is to be confi- 
 dered rather as an Inftrument, than a Branch 
 of Science. But if the above definition be juft, 
 you will not wonder that we feparate it from 
 Languages, as being of a much higher nature 
 than they ; and even place the ftudy of it after 
 all the other Sciences, feeing they are || necefiary 
 and fubfervient to its perfection. 
 
 THESE are the capital branches of Human 
 Science, as taught in every liberal inftitution \ 
 and were there no connexion between them and 
 
 || See Appendix II. Number I. 
 
 the 
 
PART II. 159 
 
 the knowlege of Chrift's religion, or did we flop 
 fhort at the former without bringing them home 
 to the latter , we fhould then indeed be build- 
 up to ourfelvs ftru6tures of emptinefs on foun- 
 foundations of rottennefs. But it is impofiible 
 that ever Sciences, fo liberal as thofe mentioned 
 above, tending fo directly to elevate and enlarge 
 the mind, mould be at enmity to the divine Sci- 
 ence of Chriftianity, and the great myftery of 
 Godlinefs , that fublimeft fyftem of Philofophy, 
 into which even the Angels themfelves defire to 
 be further initiated ! A little learning, may pof- 
 fibly have the Effects which a great -f genius af- 
 cribes to it. But fuch an acquaintance with the 
 fciences, as is defcribed above, will be fo far from 
 damping the ardor of religious knowlege, that it 
 will be more and more inflamed thereby , which 
 is a mod convincing argument of theilrong and 
 immediate connexion between them. 
 
 WERE it necefTary to be particular on this 
 head, I might mention the example of the 
 greateft and beft Philofophers of every age ; 
 who have always been the moil devout men. 
 Far from being puffed up with the pride of hu- 
 man Learning, or " alhamed of the Gofpel of 
 Chrift," they have made it 'their glory, and ac- 
 knowlege it to contain the only infallible rules of 
 their conduct in this life, and the only founda- 
 tion of their hope in that which is to come. , It 
 is faid of the great Sir Ifaac Newton, that, tho* 
 
 f Bacon. 
 
 he 
 
; 6o DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 he entered further into the depths of Philofophy 
 than ever mortal before him, yet he accounted 
 the Scriptures of God to be the moil fublime 
 Philofophy , and never mentioned his Creator^ 
 name without an awful paufe of adoration, 
 wonder and felf-abafement ! 
 
 THE further we pufh our enquiries into na- 
 ture, the more we lhall be convinced of the 
 greatnefs of its author, and the infuHiciency of 
 unenlightened Reafon. We lhall find many 
 things of the utmoft importance for us to know, 
 which yet will baffle all our efforts, and elude 
 our moil eager refearches. The creation and 
 various revolutions of the world, the fall and 
 redemption of man, the laft judgment and an 
 immortality to come, are fubjects in which no 
 human wifdom could inflruct us, unlefs the 
 Lord had been pleafed to reveal himfeif con- 
 cerning them. 
 
 AND yet what is all the Philofophy in the 
 world compared to a knowlege in thefe points ? 
 Where is its fublimity, or what is its fignificancy 
 to us, if it affords us no infallible rule of duty at 
 prefent, and no ground of hope hereafter ? If it 
 leaves us in the dark concerning our own origi- 
 nal, the means of falvation from fin and mifery, 
 and the immortal ftate of our fouls in the un^ 
 tried periods of eternity ? 
 
 WHAT joy, then, muft it yield a lincere En - 
 
 quirer> to be fufficiently informed upon thefe 
 
 important fubjects, by a revelation from God 
 
 '4 him- 
 
PART II. i6t 
 
 Jilmfelf ? Can he neglect or defpife fuch ah awful 
 fyftem ? Or will he not rather take it to his bo- 
 fom, fearch into its depths^ and reverence it as 
 " containing the Words of eternal life/' arid be- 
 ing the richeft legacy whieh heaven could give, 
 or earth receive ? 
 
 SUCH a Revelation and fuch a Legacy are the 
 Scriptures of God; In all the fimplicity of truth 
 and beauties of majefty, they deliver thofe rules 
 by which we are to live here and be judged here- 
 after. Containing doctrines the moft rational 
 and exalted, precepts the moft humane and im- 
 portant, a ftile the moft rich and perfuafive, 
 abounding in all the variety of tropes and 
 figures, and " fharper than a two-edged fword/' 
 the Scriptures are calculated to feize and purify 
 the affections ; to enlighten and exalt the under- 
 ftanding , to alarm and roufe the confcience ; 
 to confirm our hopes and remove our fears ; to 
 banifh fuperftition and caft down the idols of the 
 nations ; to mitigate lawlefs power and hunla- 
 nize the rage of barbarifm ; and to call men off 
 from a vain dependence on external ceremonies, 
 to a truft in the Living God, obedience to his 
 moral laws, repentance for paft offences, an ac- 
 ceptable and manly devotion of heart, a longing 
 after Immortality, an union with the divine na- 
 ture, and an exaltation to the life of Angels and 
 felicity unfpeakable ! 
 
 EVERY thing which human reafon would defire 
 to be informed in^ is fully brought to light in the 
 
 M Got 
 
1 62 DISCOURSE VI. 
 Gofpel. Here the Origin, Connexions and Du- 
 ties of man are amply defcribed ! Here his de- 
 parture from his firlt Innocence and rectitude, 
 the degradation of his nature, and all the mar- 
 vellous workings of omnipotence to reclaim and 
 fave him, are diflinctly recorded ! Here we fee 
 the Prophets prophefying for his fake, the old 
 world drowned, another fitted up, and laft of all 
 the Lord of Glory defcending from heaven, to 
 accompliih the amazing Plan of Redemption, 
 and reftore him to the divine favour ! Here alfo 
 Life and Immortality are brought to light, and 
 the Future difplayed ! Here the folemnity of 
 the laft Judgment, and the aftonifhing fcenes of 
 the general Confummation, are laid before us ! 
 Here Death is difarmed of his Sting, and the 
 Grave of Victory ! Here the gates of Heaven 
 are fet open and Oh ! what an unutterable 
 weight of Glory, thro' all the ages of eternity 
 
 SAY, then, ye Wife Ones of the earth ! ye 
 Sages, ye Philofophers, or by whatever other 
 names ye would be called ! fay now, what is the 
 amount of your knowlege, if it refolves you not 
 on fuch fubje&s as thefe ? Can an acquaintance 
 with human Science render you indifferent to 
 fuch an exalted iyftem of heavenly Wifdom as 
 this ? Surely not. The one will only inflame 
 your thirft for the other, and make you purfue 
 it as the finiihing and moft durable part of the 
 whole, 
 
 " FOR> whether there be Tongues, they mall 
 
 ceafe > 
 
PART II. 163 
 
 ceafe ; or whether there be Knowlege, it fhall 
 vaniiri away." This vain world itfelf, all its gay 
 fcenes, every thing that we account wife or cu- 
 rious in it, fhall come to an end and pleafe no 
 more. But the fublime fubjects of the Gofpel 
 will ftill be New. They will be the object of our 
 endleis enquiries, and conltitute a Philofophy, 
 the Marvellous of which eternity cannot exhauft, 
 nor the longeft periods of duration bring to decay. 
 
 AND now, having ihewn the fubferviency of 
 Human Science to the advancement of Chriftia- 
 nity, and that a liberal Education is a means of 
 fpreading a thirft for heavenly wifdom , what 
 need I add more to befpeak your continued fa- 
 vour and protection of this Seminary ? Surely it 
 cannot be indifferent to us, whether the know- 
 lege of Chrift and his blefled Gofpel fhall be 
 fpred over this continent, or not ? Surely it 
 cannot be indifferent to us, whether our own 
 children fhould be bred up in ignorance"; or whe- 
 ther they lhall Ihine in every moral excellence, 
 the glory of their country and a light t(5 the 
 world around them ? We muft know the -rela- 
 tion in which we ftand to them, and the account 
 which we lhall one day be required to give of 
 their tender years. 
 
 FOR whatever bufinefs a -man may be defign- 
 ed, a liberal education will not only prepare him 
 for that, but alfo for a life of general virtue. 
 If Intended for the noble ProfefTion of the Law, 
 to be the protectors of the innocent and adyo- 
 
 M 2 cates 
 
164 D I S C O U R S E VI. 
 
 cates of juftice ; the bed foundation will be a 
 love of humanity, and a thorough knowlege of 
 the laws of nature, and general rights of man- 
 kind. If for the fervice of the ftate, the fame 
 will hold good. The man beft acquainted with 
 the nature of civil government, the juft bounds 
 of authority and fubmiflion, and the univerfal 
 principles of equity and virtue, will always be 
 the ableft Politician and firmeft Patriot. Ao-ain* 
 
 D * 
 
 if intended to follow the healing art of Phyfic, 
 the knowlege of Mathematics and the various 
 branches of Natural Philofophy, will be the beft 
 introdu&ion. If propofed for the Miniftry of 
 the blefied Gofpel, every human Science ought 
 to lend its aid, and kindle a love of wifdom. 
 
 IF other arguments were necefTary to induce 
 you to the cultivation of knowlege and the fup- 
 port of fuch ufeful feminaries as this, I might 
 difplay to you the wonderful change which the 
 Sciences have produced in the ftate of every coun- 
 try, where they have been received. Though 
 they have not been able wholly to eradicate Ty- 
 ranny, yet they have always checked and miti- 
 gated its influence-, infpiring humanity, love 
 of moral excellency, and every fofter virtue. 
 
 BUT why fhould I bring inftances from other 
 countries, when one of the moil illuftrious is be- 
 fore our eyes ? This polifhed and flourifhing 
 City ! what was it fourfcore years ago ? Even its 
 foundations were not then laid ; and in their 
 place was one depth of gloomy wildernefs ! This 
 
 very 
 
PART II. 165 
 
 very fpot, the Seat of the Mufes where I have 
 now the honour to ftand, preaching the Gofpel 
 of Jefus, furrounded with men excelling in every 
 valuable accompliihment, and youths rifmg after 
 their great example had I feen it then, what 
 mould I have found it ? A fpot rank with weeds 
 perhaps, or the obfcure retreat of fome lawleis 
 and uncultivated favage ! 
 
 O GLORIOUS change ! O happy day ! that now 
 beholds the Sciences planted where barbarity 
 was before ! that now fees this Inilitution at 
 length brought to fuch perfection, as to extend 
 the Laurel to its firft worthy fons ! how ought 
 fuch advances in knowlege to rejoice every heart 
 among us , but efpecially thofe whofe pious 
 labors have contributed eminently to that end ! 
 
 OH ! heaven-born Wifdom, and thou divine 
 Science ! proceed, ftill proceed ! let other Semi- 
 naries fuch as this rife, where other defarts now 
 extend ; and, beyond thefe, let others and flill 
 others rife, through the remoteft depths of this 
 continent ; till Chrift's kingdom is made univer- 
 fal, and " the Heathen be given him for an in- 
 heritance, and the uttermoft parts of the earth 
 fora poflefTion!" 
 
 M 3 D I S- 
 
DISCOURSE VII. 
 
 The great Duty of public Worfhip, and of 
 erefting and fetting apart proper Places 
 for that Purpofe. 
 
 PREACHED 
 
 In St. PETER'S Church, PHILADELPHIA, 
 September 4th, 1761. 
 
 Being the Day appointed for the firft Per- 
 
 formance of Divine Worfhip in the faid 
 CHURCH. 
 
 With an Account of the SERVICE ufed on 
 that OCCASION. 
 
 M 4 
 
At a Meeting ofVeftry, held at St. PETER'S 
 Church^ September jth> 1761, 
 
 RESOLVED, that the Thanks of this 
 Board be given to the Rev, Dr. SMITH, 
 for his excellent Sermon preached at the Opening 
 of St. PETER'S CHURCH, the 4th Inftant; and 
 the Cburcb-Wardens are ordered to return him the 
 Thanks of this Board accordingly, and to requeft 
 the Favour of him to furnim a Copy of the fai4 
 Sermon to be printed. 
 
 TRUE Copy from the Minutes. 
 
 A. STEDMAN, Church- Warden. 
 
 P R E- 
 

 
 PREFACE. 
 
 IT was an ancient Cuftom not onlyamqng the 
 Jews, but even among the Gentiles, long 
 before CHRISTIANITY, to feparate from com- 
 mon Ufe, by certain formal Rites of Dedication, 
 their Temples, Altars and Places of religious 
 Wormip. And we find God himfelf exprefsly 
 approving this Cuftom in Refpe6t to the Jews 
 (who were his peculiar People, and blefied with 
 a more adequate Knowlege of his Name) inaf- 
 much as he vouchfafed his fpecial Prefence in 
 the Places fo fepaiated and dedicated by them. 
 Of this, the Chapter^ from which the Text of 
 the following Difcourfe is l^ken, furnifhes fuffi- 
 cient Evidence ; and, in the third Verfe of the 
 fucceeding Chapter, God exprefsly tells Solo- 
 jnon " I have heard thy Prayer and thy Sup- 
 plication I have hallowed this Houfe which 
 thou hail built, to put my Name there for ever ; 
 and mine Eyes and mine Heart mall be there 
 continually." 
 
 AGREEABLE to this, the primitive Chriflians, 
 even in the moft difficult Times (as we have the 
 utmoft Reafon to believe) did not refort to any 
 Place for Hated Wormip, till they had fa&fepa- 
 rated or fet it apart , if not: by public Rites, yet 
 at leaft by peculiar Thankfgivings, and Prayers 
 for a fandified Ufe thereof. And in the more 
 
 prof* 
 
i 7 o PREFACE, 
 
 profperous Days of Chriftianity, when Kings 
 and Potentates became Converts to its Truths, 
 thefe Separations were performed with far greater 
 Ceremony, and diftinguifhed by the more pom- 
 pous Names of Dedications, Confecrations, and 
 the like ; in all which acts, " the common Prayers 
 of the Church were not looked upon as fufficient, 
 without fpecial Panegyrical Orations, and Forms 
 of Adoration and Praife more peculiar to the 
 Occafion."* 
 
 THIS Cuftom was very early introduced into 
 our Mother-Country , for we find Auftin him- 
 felf, who has been flyled the Apoille of our An- 
 ceflors, agreeable to his inftru&ions, converting 
 fuch Idol-temples, as were fit for Ufe, into Chrif- 
 tian Churches, by the Rites of Confecration. And 
 in after-times it was exprefly provided, that all 
 Churches, &c. Ihould be confecrated within two 
 Years after they were finimed ; -f nor do our 
 Laws take any Notice of Churches or Chapels, as 
 fuch, till they are formally confecrated. || 
 
 Now, it is to be prefumed that, in thefe Laws 
 and Regulations, our Fore-fathers were actuated 
 by the fame pious Motives that influenced the 
 primitive Chrillians ^ namely the Hopes (ground- 
 
 * See Bingbam's Ecclef. Antiquities, who gathers this from 
 Eufebius, who has preferved an Oration delivered on one of 
 thefe Occafion s. 
 
 f ut omnes Cathedrales Ecclefiac, et Conventuales, acPa- 
 rochiales, a tempore Perfeftionis ipfarum, infra Biennium, 
 per Dioecefanos ad quos pertinent, vel eorum Audoritate per 
 alios, Conjee rail ones acciperent. 
 I] V. Coke Inft. 4. 
 
 ed 
 

 PREFACE. 171 
 
 ed on the old Teflament, and more particularly 
 on the new} that God would be fpecially prefent 
 with them, to hear their Prayers and pardon their 
 Offences, in thofe Places thus feparated to his 
 Service, and dedicated to his Name. And thus 
 run the Preambles of thefe very Laws them- 
 felves " Domus Dei, materials Subjetto non dif~ 
 ftrens aprivatis, per Myflmum Dedications invift- 
 bile, fit 'Templum Domini, ad expiationem Deliffo- 
 rum &? divinam Mifericordiam implorandam" 1|. 
 And therefore it was but fit that the Perfor- 
 mance of a Service fo folemn and ancient, agree- 
 able to^thefame Laws, mould be referved to the 
 higheft Dignitaries of the Church, namely the 
 Bifhops, or thofe having their immediate Autho- 
 rity. 
 
 IN this Country, then, where our Church is 
 far removed from the Government of her Bifhops, 
 and where it hath not yet been the Method (nor 
 indeed would Circumftances always admit) be- 
 fore a flated Ufe of our newly-erected Places of 
 Worlhip, to follicit a fpecial Authority for fepa- 
 rating them to God's Service, in the exprefs 
 Manner of any approved Ritual ; all we can do 
 is to preferve fo much of the original Defign of 
 the thing as Prefbyters may waiTantably perform, 
 and which, in fuch Circumftances, may be 
 thought more immediately necelfary for Edifica- 
 tion. We may meet on a fixtDay ; and,, in Con- 
 junftion with the common Service of the Church, 
 
 || Vid. De Confecr. & Reform. Stat. Eccles. 52' Hen. 3. 
 Gibf<m\ Cod. 
 
 may 
 
172 PREFACE. 
 
 may ufe fuch particular Forms of Prayer, and 
 Sermons, as may be fuitable to the Occafion - y 
 profeffing before God and the World, our hum- 
 ble Defire offetfing apart fuch Places to his Ser- 
 vice, and keeping them continually facrecl to 
 that pious End. 
 
 THUS much is in the Power of every religious 
 Society , and thus much, at leaft, as Members 
 of the Church of England, it is our particular 
 Duty to do, with all pofTible Solemnity, Gravity, 
 and Love to God, whenfoever we devote any 
 particular Place to his Service ; in Order that 
 for ever afterwards, when we enter therein, we 
 may confider ourfelves as entering into the Place, 
 where he hath promifed to manifeft his more im- 
 mediate Prefence, and behave ourfelves when 
 there (as the primitive Chriflians are || faid to 
 have done in their Places of Worihip) with the 
 utmoft Reverence and Devotion, as in the Palace 
 of the GREAT KING. 
 
 THESE were the Principles kept in View at the 
 OPENING of St. PETER'S CHURCH in this City ; 
 and the beft Teftimony for the Conduct of that 
 Solemnity is the Approbation it met with, even 
 from fome who came prejudiced againft every 
 Thing of that Kind. And here it is but Juftice 
 to the officiating Minifters to fet down the whole 
 Order and Choice of the Service, made by them 
 on this Occafion. 
 i . A beginning was made, with pronouncing the 
 
 following Sentences. 
 
 H Chryfoflom. 
 
 " Thus 
 
P R E F A C E. 173 
 
 u Thus faith the Lord : The Heaven is my 
 Throne, and the Earth is my Footflool, Where 
 is the Houie that ye build unto me ? and where 
 is the Place of my Reft ? Ifaiab." 
 
 " FROM the rifmg of the Sun, to the Goino- 
 down of the fame, my Name fhall be great amono- 
 the'Gentiles; and in every Place Incenfe fhall be 
 offered unto -my Name, and a pure Offering ; for 
 my Name mail be great among the HeatLcn^ 
 faith the Lord of Hofts. Malachi" 
 
 " THE Wilderneis and the folitary Place fliall 
 be glad, and the Defart fhall rejoice and blofTom 
 as theRoie. Ifaiab." 
 
 " WHERE two or three are gathered together 
 in my Name, there am I in the midfl of them. 
 St. Matthew" 
 
 2. AN occafional Prayer from the Reading-Defk. 
 
 3. MORNING Prayer of the Church, as ufual. 
 
 4. PROPER Pfalms. 84th. I22d. 
 
 -\ i Kings * Ch. viii. 
 
 5. The Leflbns, viz. >St. Matthew, Ch. xxi. to 
 
 i ver. 1 4th. 
 
 [N. B. Thus far (except reading the Absolution; 
 by the yoiingeft officiating Minijier*'] 
 
 6. AN occafional Prayer, with a Baptifm, at the 
 Fount. [By the Author of the following Ser- 
 mon.] 
 
 7. THE Remainder of the Morning Service 
 (ufmg only, inftead of the Collect for the Day, 
 
 * Rev. Mr. Douche. 
 A that 
 
I 7 4 PREFACE- 
 
 that for St. Peter's Day, and the laft for good 
 Friday) by the f eldeft Miflionary prefent. 
 
 8. OCCASIONAL Prayer, with the Communion 
 Service. 
 
 9. THE Collects, as above. 
 
 10. THE Epiftle. Haggal^ Ch. 2d. to ver. loth. 
 
 1 1 . THE Gofpel for St. Peter's Day. 
 
 [N. B. This part of the Service was performed at 
 the Altar, by the eldeft officiating Mi nifter.] 
 
 To this fucceeded the following SERMON , and 
 if a Judgment might be formed from the Atten- 
 tion wherewith it was received by a very crouded. 
 Audience, the Author may flatter himfelf that 
 now, when it appears from the Prefs, and ibllicits 
 a candid Perufal in the Clofet, it may be of fome 
 Service ; more efpecially that part which re- 
 gards our neglected Sabbaths, and pub lie Ordi- 
 nances. 
 
 THE Author's engagements allow him but few 
 Opportunities of addre fling the World in this 
 Way-, and thofe hitherto have chiefly arifen out 
 of public Occafions, where the Calls were fud- 
 den, and where he hath only had Leifure to 
 ihew the Warmth of the HEART, and not the la- 
 bour of the HE AD Happy always if, with a De- 
 fire to ferve his' Friends, he can give any Tefti- 
 ' mony of a Zeal for Truth, and for that Church 
 whereof he is a Member ! 
 
 t Rev. Mr. AW//. Rev. Mr. Sturgeon. 
 
 i KINGS 
 
[ '75 1 
 
 
 i KINGS, Chap. viii. 13,27, 57, 60. 
 
 I have furely built thee an Houfe to dwell in, a fet- 
 tled Place for thee to abide in for ever ! But will 
 GOD indeed divell on the Earth? Behold ths 
 Heaven, and the Heaven of Heavens-) cannot con- 
 tain thee ; how much lefs this Houfe that I have 
 builded? 
 
 <The Lord our God be with us as he was with our 
 Fathers : Let him not leave us, nor for fake us 
 That all the People of the Earth may know that 
 the LORD is GOD, and that there is noneelfe. 
 
 My BRETHREN ; 
 
 A LTHOUGH I have only read to you the 
 jf foregoing verfes, as being thofe which I 
 am more immediately to infift upon, yet the 
 greateft part of the chapter from which they are 
 taken, containing the hiftory of Solomon's DE- 
 DICATION of the Temple, and which has been 
 already read to you as the firft LefTon for this 
 day's fervice, will be the fubjed of my following 
 difcourfe. 
 
 BUT, before I proceed, it may perhaps be ex- 
 pelled that I fliould carry you back into remote 
 antiquity, to inveftigate the origin and fhew the 
 
 reafon- 
 
176 DISCOURSE. VII. 
 
 reafonablenefs of CONSECRATING, DEDICATE 
 ING, or SETTING APART, particular places for 
 the more immediate and public worfhip of the 
 fupreme God. And fuch an enquiry, it inuft be 
 confefsed, would furnilh out a molt interelting 
 detail , no way unfuitable to this day's iblemni- 
 ty. But the time being mort, and having ano- 
 ther plan in view, I mall touch but (lightly on 
 thefe matters. 
 
 THE great Progenitors ofour race, ADAM and 
 EVE, when they firft fprung from the 'forming: 
 hand of their munificent Creator, no doubt, felt 
 their hearts bound with joy and gratitude unut- 
 terable. Every thing within and without them 
 contributed to heighten this joy into the moft 
 tranfcendent extafy. The curiofity of their own 
 ftructure, the Paradife that furrounded them, the 
 unfading beauty, the eternal verdure and yet con- 
 tinual novelty, of its fcenes (while they continued 
 in their ftate of Innocence) led them, doubtlefs, 
 at all times and in all places, into the moil fer- 
 vent acknowlegments of that Goodnefs from 
 which the whole proceeded. Neverthelefs, it 
 is m way improbable but that they had fome 
 CONSECRATED place, fome chofen Bower, by 
 brook or by fountain, adorned with all the bloomy 
 honors of Paradife, whither (at dated times, and 
 at proper intervals) they might retire from the 
 heat of the day, to offer up their more imme- 
 diate praifes for Creating Love and Preferring 
 Goodnefs. 
 
 BUT 
 
D IS COURSE. VII. 177 
 
 BUT whatever may be in this, one of the firfl 
 things we find their Defcendents employed in, 
 after the Fall, was their folemn offering up 
 " the fruits of the earth, and the firftlings of 
 " their flocks/' in places fet apart for that end ; 
 and, after the Flood, NOAH no fooner deicends 
 from the Ark than he is found creeling an altar 
 unto the Lord. Abraham too planted a Grove 
 in Beerfheba, where he called on the name of the 
 everla'fting God ; and this God himfelf, through 
 four whole chapters of Exodus, is found inftruc- 
 t ting Mcfes how to erect and adorn that glorious 
 Tabernacle which we read of there. 
 
 Now thefe places of worlhip were agreeable 
 to the Hate of a people, in thole early ages, mi- 
 grating from place to place. But when nations 
 were fettled, and diftinct focieties formed, in the 
 place of Groves and temporary Tabernacles, fu- 
 perb Temples were erected. And thus it was 
 with the Jews, at the time of erecting that Tem- 
 ple of unparallelled magnificence and architecture 
 divine, whofe Dedication or Confecration my 
 text refers to. 
 
 AFTER journeying for many years thro' the 
 wildernefs, after fufbaining many bloody wars 
 with their fierce enemies, that people had now * 
 got full poflefiion of the Land of Prom ife, and 
 enjoyed that happy tranquillity, which their fouls 
 had long and earneftly wiilied for. 
 
 AND now, what improvement doth their illuf- 
 
 trious monarch make of this occafion ? Doth he 
 
 N forget 
 
178 DISCOURSE VII. 
 
 forget the.Goo OF ISRAEL, that had led his peo- 
 ple through fp many dangers ? Doth he turn the 
 fruits of PEACE entirely to works of fecular im- 
 port, or of low felfim enjoyment ? No ! but he 
 remembers the intimation given by the prophet 
 Nathan to his father David, how that his for* 
 after him mould build an Houfe (not a movea- 
 ble and temporary Tabernacle, but a fixed and 
 fettled Houfe) to the name of the Lord for ever -}-- 
 Accordingly, with his whole heart and fpirit he 
 jfets about this divine work, and writes to diftant 
 places, for an amazing ftore of materials of every 
 fort. To this purport is his letter to Hiranv 
 king of Tyre and Sidon J. 
 
 " Thou knoweft, fays he, how that David 
 " thy father could not build an houfe (or fixt 
 " temple) unto the name of the Lord his God, 
 u for the wars that were about him on every 
 fide, until the Lord put them under the foles of 
 " his feet. But now the Lord my God hath given 
 " me reft on every fide, fo that there is neither 
 " Adverfary nor evil occurrent : and behold, I 
 " purpofe to build an houfe to the name of the 
 ** Lord my God ; as he fpake unto David my 
 tc father, faying, Thy fon, whom Twill fet upon 
 <c thy throne in thy room, he (hall build an 
 u Houfe unto my name. Now therefore, com- 
 cc maud them [thy fervants] to hew me cedar 
 " trees out of Lebanon ^ for thou knoweft that 
 
 f 2 Sam. i. 15. J i Kings v. 2, 7. 
 
 there' 
 
DISCOURSE VII. 
 
 * c there is not among us any that can fkill to 
 " hew timber like the Sidonians ." 
 
 SOLOMON having procured his materials, and 
 at length finimed his houfe with fuch a profit 
 lion of ornament and eaftern magnificence, a$ 
 far excels all the pomp of modern times , hav- 
 ing been favoured with the divine direction in 
 planning and carrying on the work ; having built 
 the walls with hewn flone, and lined them with 
 cedar - 9 having carved and adorned the doors and 
 linings with gilded Cherubims, and palm-trees* 
 and knops and full-blown flowers ; having over- 
 laid the holieft places, fuch as the Oracle, the 
 Altar and the Sanctuary with plates of many 
 gold ; having furnifhed the whole houfe with 
 tables* and candlefticks, and lamps, and tongs, 
 and bafons, and bowls, ,nd eenfers, made alfo of 
 gold* and curioufly embofled with flowers ; to- 
 gether with fuch an immenfe quantity of bafes, 
 and lavers, and pots, and other veflels of polifh- 
 ed brafs-work as was not to be weighed J ; 
 the day was now come when this fuperb Edi- 
 fice, with all its coftly apparatus of furni- 
 ture, was to be DEDICATED, CONSECRATED 
 N 2 and 
 
 $ Thefe are the fame Sidonians whom Homer calls -aroXyM^Aef, 
 much {killed in divers arts ; which particular character of them 
 is mentioned to fhew that Solomon fought out the moft excellent 
 artifts in the world for the work of the temple; and that the 
 Bible account of them correfponds exactly to that given of 
 them, in fome of the moft ancient profane writings which we 
 now have. 
 
 t i Kings, ch. vi. vii. ^ 
 
i8o D 1 S C O U K S E VII. 
 
 and SET APART for ever to the name of thr 
 Lord! 
 
 ON that memorable day, the Elders .and 
 Judges of cities, the Heads of tribes and Chiefs 
 of families, aflembled themfelves before king 
 Solomon, and began the folemnity with a grand 
 proceffion from Jerufalem to Mount-Sion, in 
 order to bring from thence the ARK OF THE 
 COVENANT, containing the two TABLES of the 
 I.AW ^ which had been depofited there by David 
 (when he brought it from the Houfe * of Obed- 
 Edom) in a temporary Tabernacle, until a fixed 
 Houfe mould be prepared for its reception. 
 
 IN the like folemn manner did they return 
 from Mount-Sion, to the. Mount of the Temple 
 at Jerufalem,.. the Prlefts bearing., the ARK with 
 the LAW,, and the Levites the TABERNACLE in 
 which it had been placed, with all the holy vef- 
 fels of the fanctuary -j- ; that there might remain 
 no occafion for Idolatry, nor pretence for fchifm, 
 or worihip in any other place fave that whicli 
 was now dedicated to the Lord. 
 
 SOLOMON and his grand retinue being now 
 arrived at the temple, in the midfl of facrifices 
 of iheep and oxen innumerable ; the priefis, 
 whofe privilege it was (leaving their attendants 
 in the outer courts, and before the houfe) en- 
 tered firft into the holy place, and then into, the 
 moft Holy, and there with folemn awe they de- 
 pofited 
 
 * 2 Sara. vi. 2, 17; f i Kings, Ch. viii. 
 
DISCOURSE VII. 
 
 polked the Ark in the place ' prepared for it, 
 under the wings of the golden Cherubims, that 
 expanded themfelves from wall to wall, ihad- 
 ing the MERCY-SEAT and the Cherubims of 
 Mofes. 
 
 BUT behold now a moll ilnpendous appear- 
 ance ! No fooner had the prieils retired from the 
 moil holy place to begin the fervice at the Al- 
 tar , no fooner had the trumpeters and fingers 
 become as one, and lifted up the voice in full 
 chorus with Trumpets and Cymbals and In- 
 flruments of mufic, to be heard in praiflng and 
 thanking God, than lo ! a cloud of thick dark- 
 nefs, declaring the immediate prefence of the 
 glory of the Lord filled the whole houfe -, fo that 
 the prieils duril not iland to miniiler by reafon 
 thereof, but retreated to the outer courts with 
 the utmoil conilernation. 
 
 AND here let us paufe, ponder and reflecl: on 
 the nature of this wonderful phenomenon. 
 Strange it may feem that a GOD, who is Light it- 
 felf, ihould appear in thick darknefs. But, as 
 he knows whereof we are made, this is in com- 
 paflion to our weaknefs. 
 
 WE are not, however, to think that this DARK- 
 NESS was nothing more than the Pillar of Cloud, 
 in which the -j- SCHECHINAH, or prefence of the 
 
 N 3 divine 
 
 2 Chron. 6, 13. 
 
 f As the SON of GOD, \vhen he came into the World to re- 
 deem Mankind, did, of his infinite Condefcen/ion, take upon 
 hiqfi their Nature as a Vail to his Divinity, that he might 
 thereby convcife with them Face to Face; fo the great JEHO. 
 
 YAH, 
 
182 DISCOURSE VIL 
 divine GLORY, ufually manifefted itfelf ; for this, 
 it is to be prefumed, would not have terrified 
 
 to 
 
 VAH, in converging with the Ifraclites, did it by his divine 
 SCHECHINAH, or the Prefenceof his Glory, abiding under the 
 form of a Pillar of Cloud and Pillar of Fire. 
 
 THIS well-known Appearance it was that went before the 
 Jfraelites in the Wildernefs ; that called Mo/es up into the 
 Mount ; that fpoke to -f- Aaron and Miriam in the Door of 
 the Tabernacle ; and that finally reded " over the molt holy 
 Place within the vail ; and thence fpoke from off the Mercy-feat, 
 that was upon the Ark of the Teftimony, from between tke two 
 Cherubims." || And this former Dwelling of God among the 
 Jfraelites by the SCHECHINAH, was all along a moft luminous 
 Type of his Son's future Dwelling in human Nature. 
 
 Now, outwardly this Habitation of the Prefence of the Di- 
 vinity looked as a Cloud, but inwardly as a FIRE; and the 
 Fire, or inward Part, was that which was more immediately 
 termed the GLORY, and put on different appearances accord- 
 ing to different Circumftances. Sometimes it Ihone through 
 the Cloud in fuch ferene and foftened Luftre, that it might be 
 looked upon by common Eyes. Sometimes it prevailed fo much 
 over the Cloud, that only the Eyes of a favoured few could be- 
 hold it, and that too by repeated Efforts and by gradual Ap- 
 proaches. And fometimes it broke out fo intenfely ftrong, 
 eclipfing the Sun, the Cloud and the whole Face of Things, 
 that no human Eye could behold it, or any thing elfe that fell 
 within its overwhelming Splendors. 
 
 B E A u T i F u L L Y h as the Jewijh R abbi , Jehu dab, exprefled 
 himfelf on this Subject, as he is quoted by Bifhop Patrick. 
 ?* Of the GLORY mentioned in Scripture, there is one (faith 
 he) which all the ISRAELITES faw, fuch as the CLOUD and 
 confuming FIRE ; another of fuch a Nature that the Eyes of 
 the Prophets could fuflain it; but another fo pure, and bright 
 to fuch a Degree, that no Prophet is able to apprehend it, but 
 if he venture to look on it, his Compofition is difTolved." 
 
 OF the Firft or milder GLORY, I have mentioned fundry In- 
 ftances; and it feems referred to in Pfalm xcvii. 2.3. " CLOUDS 
 and DARKNESS are round about HIM, and FIRE goeth be- 
 fore HIM.- Of the SECOND Kind, where the FIRE or GLORY 
 fo far prevailed over the VAIL or CLOUD, that only a favoured 
 Few could behold it, and that at a Diilance, or by gradual 
 f Numb. xii. 5. || Numb vii. 8, 9. 
 
 Ap- 
 
DISCOURSE VII. 183 
 
 to the degree here fpoken of. 'No, my brethren. 
 
 But, on the contrary, as we know that the GLORY 
 
 N 4 on 
 
 Approaches, we have amoft grand Defcription in Exodus xxiv. 
 j'o. as it was feen by Mofes and Aaron, Nadab and Abilm, and 
 the feventy Elders" And they faw the GOD OF ISRAEL, and 
 there was under his Feet, as it were a paved Work of Sapphire- 
 Stone, and as it were the Body of Heaven in his ClearneiV- - 
 or the united Splendors of all the heavenly Luminaries. And 
 when Mofes was to be called nearer to this glory, the others 
 being commanded to remain afar off, fix Days was he in his 
 Approach to it, while the Lord kindly vailed it before him, 
 nor was it till the feventh Day that he was taken into the midil 
 of it; while it appeared like a devouring Fire, on the top 
 of the mount t thofe at a di&ance, 
 
 BUT as to the THIRD GLORY, which, ^n its unvailed Splen- 
 dors, eclipfes all the created Luminaries of the Univerfe, feeing 
 no human Eye has been able to behold it, fo no human Lan- 
 guage has been able to defcribe it, otherwife than by the Ne- 
 gative Terms of DARKNESS, or " Light which no Man can 
 approach, or behold and live."f For that which overwhelms 
 and hides the View of all things elfe, and yet is itfelf beyond 
 the Power of all View, muft, in refped to us, be the fame as 
 total DARKNESS. 
 
 THIS high Degree of GLORY is that in which the more 
 .immediate prefence of the Godhead feems to. have been mani- 
 fefted on fpecial Occafions. This it appears to be that broke in 
 upon St. Paul at Noon-Day, fo intenfely ftrong, that the Sun 
 Ihone to him in vain ; for " he could not fee for the Glory of 
 that Light, but was led by the Hand of thofe that were with 
 him," who, it is prefumed, faw only a lefler Decree of this 
 aftoniming and overwhelming Light. This too *h was that 
 filled the whole Body of the Tabernacle, at the Confecrating 
 thereof, fo that Mofes, who had entered into the fecond Glory 
 and beheld it, was not able to enter into this. 
 
 CAN we doubt, then, but that it was the fame Superior 
 GLORY, dazzling and overwhelming; all things befides, that 
 aftonifiied the Priefts at the Confecration of the Temple? Had 
 it been the more ufual Appearance of the Cloud and the 
 the Glory together, it is not to be imagined that they would 
 have been driven by it from the Service at the Altar as t tie 
 
 f i Fim, vi. 1 6. Exod. xxxiii. 18. 
 
 now 
 
i$4 DISCOURSE. VII. 
 
 on this accafion was fuperior to that of former 
 ones, fo we may believe its vailing darknefs was 
 fuperior alfo ; or peradventure, if entirely un- 
 vailed, the fame would be the effect of the un- 
 fufferable power of LIGHT itfelf, and the DARK- 
 NESS be fuchas our fublime poet fpeaks of 
 
 " DARK with exceflive BRIGHT" 
 SUPPOSE a perfon long pent up in a gloomy 
 dungeon, where fcarce a fingle ray had pene- 
 trated to cheer his lonely hours - 9 and fuppofe 
 
 now were ; with a View, no doubt, in the Conducl of Pro- 
 vidence, to " intimate that their Miniftry and Way of Wor^ 
 fhip ihould ceafe when the Meffiah came, in whom the Fulnefs 
 of the Godhead dwelt bodily." Indeed, we are exprefly told 
 that the Glory did, on this- Occafion, break entirely out of 
 the Cloud ; and after it had filled the whole Houfe, " daz- 
 zling rather than enlightening (faith the learned Biihop Pa- 
 trick} fo that nothing elfe could be feen'' while it continued 
 there, it fettled at lail in the moil holy Place. 
 
 No Perfon feems to have had more beautiful and accurate 
 Conceptions on this Subjeclthan our fublime Poet Milton y in, 
 the PafTage already referred to. 
 
 " Fountain of Light! thyfelf invifible 
 
 ft Amidfl the glorious brightnefs where thou fit'ft 
 
 ' Thron'd inaccefiible ; fave when thou ihad'ft 
 
 " The full Blaze of thy Beams, and thro' a Cloud, 
 
 ' Drawn round about thee like a radiant Shrine, 
 
 " DARK \VITH EXCESSIVE BRIGHT, thy Skirts appear, 
 
 ** Yet dazzle Heaven, that brighrell Seraphim 
 
 ' Approach not, but with both Wings vail their Eyes 1" 
 
 THESE Remarks, as far as the Author's Knowlege extends, 
 lie thinks fufficiently warranted. But, if he mould be mif- 
 taken in any of them, they concain no hurtful pofition, and 
 therefore may be fubmitted with all Deference to the Correc- 
 tion of thofe, who have had more Leisure, than hath ever been 
 his Lot, to attain an exaft and critical Skill in Oiiental Li-, 
 terature. 
 
 hun 
 
DISCOURSE VII. 185 
 
 him liberated at once, and turning his eye to the 
 Noon-day Sun ; would not the whole Face of 
 things appear to him Dark and without diilinc- 
 tion, till by repeated efforts he had accuftomed 
 himfelf to bear the redundant blaze ? Or fup- 
 pofe ten thoufand Noon-day Suns ihould now 
 unite theii fplendors, and burft inftantaneoufly 
 upon us who enjoy but one, would not our weak 
 organs be wholly overpowered, and all things 
 around us be loft in darknefs vifible and fenfible ? 
 And yet what are thele compared to the imme- 
 diate breaking in of the prefence of God's glory, 
 before one fingle ray of which ten thoufand 
 Noon-day Suns themlelves would hide their di- 
 minimed heads, and be loft in total obfcurity ? 
 Could mortal eye look at this and live ? Even 
 the burning Seraphims cover themfelves before 
 it, and " with both wings vail their eyes !" 
 
 THE wife Solomon, on this occafion, having 
 either more prefence of mind than the aftonifh- 
 ed priefls, or rather being the inftrument whom 
 God had chofen to proceed with the remainder 
 of this folcmn fervice, cries out " The Lord 
 hath laid that he would dwell in thick dark- 
 nefs j" and no man can behold his Glory with- 
 out a Vnil. Be not afraid ye Priefls and Mini- 
 ilers of God, at what has now happened ! Do 
 you not know, from the book of your own Law, 
 that the high Prieft durft not approach the 
 Mercy-Seat, without making a Cloud of Incenfe 
 before him, left he fhould be (truck blind, or 
 6 lofe 
 
DISCOURSE VII. 
 
 lofe his life with the fplendor of the divine 
 Glory ? Know ye not that at the j) Confecration 
 of the Tabemacle, in like manner as now, the 
 majefty of the divine Glory broke out fo ftrong, 
 beyond what ever it had done before, rilling the 
 whole houfe, that " Mofes was not able to en- 
 ter into the Tent of the Congregation." Look 
 therefore on this fudden and alarming appear- 
 ance, that drove you from the Altar, as a fure 
 token of God's immediate Prefence, overwhelm- 
 ing with Light that cannot be beheld, accepting 
 our folemn Dedication of this Houfe, and ac- 
 knowleging it to be the place where his Glory 
 will dwell for ever ! 
 
 TRIUMPHING in this idea, and raifed almoft 
 into Raptures divine, the pious monarch now 
 turns his fpeech from the Priefts and People im- 
 mediately to JEHOVAH himfelf, in that fublime 
 Apoftrophe of my text. 
 
 "I HAVE furely built thee an Houfe to dwell 
 in, a fettled place for thee to abide in for ever!" 
 
 Now do I afTuredly know, O thou holy One 
 of Ifrael, that my labours of love to thee are not 
 in vain ! Now am 1 convinced that I enjoy that 
 honor which I have long wifhed for that fu- 
 preme honor of building thee an Houfe (not a 
 temporary tabernacle, like thofe of former 
 times, in which thou wilt fojourn only for a fea- 
 fon, but a fixed place, an Houfe of ages) in which, 
 I truft, thou wilt abide for ever ! 
 
 IjExod. xl. 35. 
 
 THEN 
 
DISCOURSE VII. 187 
 
 THEN turning himfelf back to the people, he 
 began to blefs them, and to give Thanks to God, 
 and to recount before him the many inftances of 
 his kindnefs in the carrying on this work for the " 
 reception of his Glory. 
 
 BUT fuddenly recollecting himfelf, and being 
 ftruck with the vanity of thinking that the tre- 
 mendous majefly of Heaven could be confined 
 to time or place, he breaks out into a fecond 
 Apoftrophe more grand than the former flill, 
 and exceeded by nothing that is to be found in 
 all the volumes of the world ! 
 
 " BUT will God indeed dwell on the earth ?" 
 Will HE at whofe footftool ten thoufand worlds 
 hang and are as nothing will HE who walks on 
 the whirlwind's wing, and pafles from one end 
 of creation to the other, fwifter than the light- 
 ning's glance will HE be limited to any particu- 
 lar abiding place ? How vain the thought, O 
 thou Being fuperlatively raifed above all Beings ! 
 Behold ! the whole immenfity of fpace, nay the 
 very " Heaven, and Heaven of Heavens, cannot 
 contain thee \ how much lefs this Houfe that I 
 have builded ?" Yet, though in a literal and lo- 
 cal fenfe, thou wilt not be confined here, we know 
 that thou wilt neverthelefs in a fpecial manner 
 be prefent " to have refpect to the fupplication, 
 and to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer ' 
 which thy fervant and thy people mall make to- 
 wards thee in this place." || 
 
 || V. 28, 29.* 
 
 CON- 
 
DISCOURSE VII. 
 
 CONVINCED, therefore, of this, the reft of the 
 chapter and Service dedicatory, is chiefly SUP- 
 PLICATION and PRAYER ; two verfes of which I 
 have alfo taken into my text as a model for us 
 on the prefent occafion. 
 
 HAVING thus laid before you the defign and 
 occafion of the text, with as much brevity as 
 circurnflances would admit, I come now to 
 make an application of the whole to the purpofe 
 of this day's folemnity. 
 
 WE too, my brethren, have been building a. 
 HOUSE to the .Lord; not a fuperb and magni- 
 ficent ONE, fitted to the oftentatious Worfhip of 
 the LAW; but a HOUSE decently neat and ele- 
 gantly plain, |I fitted to the Simplicity of that 
 GOSPEL- WORSHIP which muft be performed in 
 <c Spirit and in Truth." We too are here aflem- 
 bled, in the prefence of Almighty God, and in 
 the fight of Men and Angels, to make a folemn 
 OFFERING of THIS HOUSE to the name of the 
 JLord ; and tofet it apart to the purpofes of Reli- 
 gion for ever. 
 
 BY this work of ours, we pretend not to con- 
 fer any peculiar San&ity on particular places, or 
 portions of inanimate nature. What we do is 
 only declarative of our own fixt Intention of en- 
 deavouring, through God's Grace, to fanctify 
 ourfelv.es in this place, in the full hopes of meet- 
 
 D The Houfe here fpoken of well deferves the above Clja- 
 ra&er, being a very elegant Building, executed in the beft 
 Tafte. Its Dimensions are Ninety-one Foot by Sixty-one. 
 
 ing 
 
DISCOURSE VII. 
 
 irig the fpiritual Confolation of his divine pre- 
 fence therein ; and entering into a Iblemn en- 
 gagement, for ourfelves and our pofterity,- of 
 keeping it for ever facred to thefe pious ufes, 
 agreeable to the pure Model of that moil excel- 
 lent Church, whereof \ve are members. 
 
 THIS labor of our love, however unworthily 
 performed, and by however mean inflruments, 
 we hope will be accepted in and through the 
 mediation of Chrift Jefu-s, A fign from Hea-- 
 ven to confirm this hope, we rrmfl not expect ! 
 a CLOUD OF GLORY, declaring the immediate 
 Prefence of God among us, we look not to fee ! 
 Types and fliadows and the burden of ceremonies 
 are done away. But behold, a greater evidence 
 is here ! The fon of God himfelf hath been 
 among' us, and hath left in our hands the GOS- 
 PEL of falvation, the words of eternal truth, de- 
 claring that cc Where two or three are ga- 
 thered together in His name, there will lie be in 
 the midft of them." By the eye of fcripturc- 
 faith, that fail anchor of the Soul, we can fee him, 
 we can feel him vitally prefent with us ! we caw 
 enjoy union and communion with him ; and, in 
 our moft holy Places, we can behold him feated 
 on another Mercy-Seat than that of the Temple 
 and the Law, and hear him fpeakkig in another 
 manner than from within the Vail ! We can be- 
 hold him feated on the Mercy-Seat of REDE EM- 
 ING LOVE, and hear him fpeaking in the com- 
 fortable overtures of the Gofpel of Peace I. 
 
 THESE 
 
190 DISCOURSE VIL 
 
 THESE interefling Truths being premifed, arid 
 having the well-grounded afTurance that " God 
 will indeed dwell on the Earth" even in the 
 midft of the truly religious Meetings or Socie- 
 ties of his people -, it behoves us next to confider 
 what conduct fuch Societies ought more ef- 
 pecially to obferve, in order to expect fo great 
 a blefling. 
 
 AND firft, then, if we, as a religious Society, 
 would hope that God would continue among us 
 in this Place which we have dedicated to his 
 name, we mufl be careful to improve ourfelves 
 in " all manner of holy converfation and godli- 
 nefs, not forgetting the AiTembling ourfelves to- 
 gether, as the Manner of fome is."(J 
 
 AND here, as this neglect of " AiTembling to- 
 gether," in the place where God's honour more 
 immediately dwells, is an evil of the moft un- 
 grateful kind, and which cannot but provoke 
 him above any other, to withdraw his more im-* 
 mediate prefence from a people, it may not be 
 amifs, with all candor and affection, to addrefs 
 a few things to thofe whofe " Manner" this is ; 
 although it mufl be confefled that it is hard even 
 for Charity herfelf to imagine any plaufible pre- 
 text for their conduct. 
 
 THERE is not, I am certain, a perfon among 
 us that will not acknowledge fome fort of Ho- 
 mage to be due to the fupreme Lord of heaven 
 and earth. Even the DEIST himlelf will be fond 
 of owning this to be a natural Dictate of eternal 
 Reafon, founded on the immutable relation be- 
 H Heb. x 25. 
 
 tween 
 
DISCOURSE VII. 191 
 
 tween the Creature and its Creator. But then 
 he will fay that this Homage is a tribute of the 
 Heart, better to be performed in the retirements 
 of the Clofet, than amidft the avocations of a 
 public AfTembly. And the kindefl thing we 
 can fuggeft is, that this fentiment (it is to be 
 feared) is too much adopted by many men, in 
 other refpects of ftricl honour, fair morals and 
 ufeful members of fociety; who, although they 
 profefs to believe in the Religion of Jefus 
 Chrift, and would fcorn the imputation of Deifm, 
 yet ftill continue in the nt- /- .61 of that public 
 worfhip and thofe facred ordinances which this 
 religion hath enjoined. Inftead of approaching 
 the Courts of the Lord, with their refpective fa- 
 milies, on thofe days that are confecrated to his 
 . more immediate fervice, they either fequeiler 
 themfelves from the reft' of mankind in unfocial 
 retirements - 9 or, if Decency obliges not to this, 
 " one goes to his farm, and another to his mer- 
 chandize." 
 
 Now, we will allow fuch perfons, all that they 
 themfelves can afk. We will in Charity fuppofe 
 that they are as regular and fervent in. Private 
 devotion as they can pofllbly pretend to be. Yet 
 ftill we fay that the neglect of Public worfhip con- 
 tradicts their profeffion of Chriftianity, and is a 
 public breach of duty to God, to Society and to 
 their own Souls. And would to Heaven that 
 what may be offered on this head might gain 
 their attention j feeing no terms of aiperity and 
 
 reproach 
 
DISCOURSE Vlf. 
 
 reproach mall be ufed, unbecoming the fpirft 
 and temper of that religion, to the public exer- 
 cife of which, we would woo and win them. 
 
 AND firft they are intreated to confider that, 
 from the whole tenor of Scripture, the public 
 obfervance of a Sabbath, in places fet apart for 
 that purpofe, appears to have been God's own 
 appointment, and has the promife, both of this 
 life and that which is to come, annexed to it. 
 Eternal Wifdom gave an early intimation of it, 
 while our firft parents were yet in Paradife, by 
 bleffing the Seventh day. Our firfl parents de- 
 livered it in Tradition to their pofterity, who (as 
 we have feen) had their places of public worfhip, 
 approved by God's immediate appearance amono- 
 them , and at length when thefe Traditions were 
 either darkened ordeftroyecl, the Lord iblemnly 
 republifhed the fame inftitution or ordinance 
 from mount Sinai, in the Law, faying " re- 
 "member the fabbath day to keep it holy." 
 
 JESUS CHRIST, who came not to deftrdy but 
 to fulfil the Law, frequented the places of pub- 
 lic worfhip, and fanctified the Sabbath by his 
 example. The very form of prayer, given by 
 him to mankind, at the inftance of his difciples, 
 is a public form. Nay the great defign of his- 
 coming into this world and leaving his Golpel be- 
 hind him, was to accompliih a plan of Redemp- 
 tion for loft mankind, to plant a CHURCH for 
 himfelf upon earth> and form his difciples into 
 one public body, whereof himfelf is the head. 
 
 Bur 
 
DISCOURSE VII. 193 
 BUT how can there be a CHURCH, where there 
 is no Memberfhip, no Communion, no " Afiem- 
 bling otirfelves together," agreeable to his ap- 
 pointment ? How can thofe be his Difciples now, 
 who do not imitate his firft Difciples, and join 
 together " in || Doftrine, Fellowihip, in Break- 
 ing of Bread, and in Prayers ?" Thefe firft Dif- 
 ciples certainly knew their matter's will as well 
 as we do now ; and if one fett of men, who call 
 themfelves Chriftians, may withdraw themfelves 
 from public ordinances, another may do the 
 fame; and, as example is powerful, the time 
 may faft come, when in vain mall we build 
 Churches nay, in vain mould we open the doors 
 of thofe that are already built ! 
 
 WE do moft readily allow the Private worfhip 
 of a man's own heart, its full commendation ; 
 and God forbid that any thing here laid fhould 
 be underftood as derogatory from that worfhip, 
 or tending to fet in opposition to that which is 
 Public. It is moft fmcerely to be wifhed that no 
 man ever pretended to it, who did not heartily 
 practife it. All true devotion muft begin in the 
 heart ; but then it muft not end there. God not 
 only calls us to acknowlege him in pur own 
 minds, but openly and avowedly to acknowlege 
 him before men-, that they, feeing our good 
 works, may be ftirred up to give him the greater 
 
 glory. 
 
 OPENLY do the CELESTIAL CHOIRS pour forth 
 
 I) A<Sls ii. 42. 
 
 O tfceir 
 
194 DISCOURSE VII. 
 
 their triumphant HALLELUJAHS to his adorable 
 .name ! Openly do they cart their crowns at his 
 feet, faying " Worthy art thou, O Lord ! to 
 receive glory, and honour, and power !" 
 
 AND mall MAN be filent, or wholly felfifh, in 
 his worihip ? Man, fo highly favoured ! Man r . 
 the REDEEM'D OF GOD ! Man, made focial in his 
 nature ; endued with voice articulate, and ap- 
 pointed to lead the Chorus of this lower world ! 
 Shall he forfake his poft, and neglecl thofe pub- 
 lic praifes, which his tongue was framed to ut- 
 ter? Should he do this, the very Brute and 
 even the Inanimate creation, openly and incef- 
 fantly declaring God's glory day and night,, 
 would fhame him for his fad defertion ! And 
 lhame him they do, while he confines himfelf ta 
 a worlhip merely felfifh or folitary, hides hirnfelf 
 from the world> abfents himfelf from the great 
 Congregation of God's people,, and blufhes to ut- 
 ter forth his maker's praifes before heaven and 
 earth ! 
 
 BY a Worfhip merely folitary, a man may per- 
 haps fomewhat improve the ftate of his own 
 mind, and ferve himfelf -, but, by Public Wor- 
 fhip, a man not only ferves himfelf, but, as far 
 as poor dull and afhes can, promotes God's 
 
 glory alfo, by acknowleging him before the 
 
 I 
 
 THE RE may have been inftances, where fome of God's Ser ] . 
 vants have been fuffered to with draw from the World, to a Life 
 merely folitary. But thefe are rare Cafes, not intended for 
 common Ufe, or common Example; nor do we fpeak to any 
 who pretend to a Life of that Sort. 
 
 whole 
 
DISCOURSE VH. 
 
 Whole world. The height of religious perfe&ion 
 is when both forts of Worfhip have their due 
 place , and however much a man may boaft of 
 the Devotion of the Heart, if he keeps it there, 
 the world will be apt to fufped him, and to afk 
 of him a fign for the edification of others. 
 
 UPON the whole then, it appears that a ne- 
 gled of the Public Ordinances of Religion, in 
 one profeffing to believe the Gofpel, is a plain 
 contradiction of that profeflion, and a breach of 
 that duty which we owe to God. And oh ! that 
 it might never be forgotten by any one who 
 names the Name of Chrift^ that it is only to thofe 
 who " confefs him before men," that he hath 
 given the mod comfortable promife of f c confef- 
 fmg them before his heavenly father," in that 
 awful day of accounts, when he is to fit abfolute 
 judge of their condu6t. 
 
 AND yet ftill, if fuch be the cafe in refpedt to 
 thofe who, though they negledt the Public Wor- 
 fhip of God, neverthelefs pretend to a more Pri- 
 vate and Spiritual Worfhip of him - 9 what muft 
 it be with fuch as are avowed enemies to both ? 
 Would to God that they would put the matter 
 to their own Souls in their ferious moments - 9 if, 
 peradventure, they ever leave themfelves leifure 
 to be ferious. 
 
 BUT, to proceed we were next to fhew that 
 
 the negleft of Public Worfhip is alfo a breach 
 
 of Duty to Society. Much of what might be 
 
 offered on this head is anticipated on the for- 
 
 O 2 
 
196 DISCOURSE VII. 
 
 mer; for ib kind hath God been to us, that 
 whatever he hath commanded us to do for his 
 Glory, is likewife for our own Good. Many ar- 
 guments might alfo be drawn from the nature of" 
 fociety , our common wants, our common dangers, 
 our common Redemption, and our common de- 
 pendence for happinefs here and hereafter, on 
 the fame Parent-God. But thefe may be 
 pafl"ed over at prefent; it being generally ac- 
 knowleged that government and fociety cannot 
 be maintained on any other principles than juf- 
 tice, fobriety and obedience. And thefe prin- 
 ciples cannot be maintained, in any tolerable 
 degree, but " for the Lord's fake," and by 
 means of Religion and its divine fanctions. And 
 Religion cannot be maintained without a due 
 regard to its public ordinances. 
 
 THERE is fomething as lovely and venerable, 
 as it is truly ancient, in the appointment of n 
 Sabbath, or one^ day in Seven, for " afiembing 
 ourfelves together." By this means, people are 
 brought forth and aflbciated in their rnoft decent 
 attire. They are humanized and polifhed and 
 made better acquainted. They provoke one 
 another, as the apoftle expreffes it, to love and 
 good works. Nay, as the fame apoftle further 
 teftifies, much greater fruits than thefe may be 
 expe&ed. For, " if -f the whole church be come 
 together in one place, and there come in one that, 
 beiicveth not, or one unlearned ; he is convinced 
 j- i Cor. xiv. 23, Sec. 
 
 gf 
 

 DISCOURSE VIL 197 
 
 of all, he is judged .of all -, and fo, falling down 
 on his face, he will worfhip God, and report that 
 God is of a truth" in that place. 
 
 WHENCE it appears that the aeglecl: of public 
 worfhip is alfo a breach* of duty to Society, and 
 a bar to the reformation and good order of man- 
 kind. It was next to be proved a breach of 
 duty to our .Chyn Souls. And here little need be 
 faid. 
 
 WHATEVER is a neglect of duty to God, 
 whatever obftru&s the good of Society, muft ne- 
 ceflarily be prejudicial to the Individual. Were 
 men wholly compofed of foul and made entirely 
 for themfelves, a refined felfifh and folitary xelir 
 gion might poflibly fuit them. But, as the mat- 
 ter now is, they Hand in need of all focial helps 
 to enflame their devotion 9 and it is found by 
 experience that in public aflemblies, when all 
 things are conducted with decency and order, 3 
 kind of holy fervor is apt to kindle from -f bo* 
 fom to bofom, rifmg to heights which the foli- 
 tary worfhipper cannot eafily reach or conceive. 
 In a word, 'tis to focial and public worihip, as 
 hath been already hinted, that our blefTed Sa- 
 viour hath given many of the Golpel-promifes. 
 ' For he hath allured us that if even fo fmall a 
 number as " two fhall agree on earth, as touch- 
 ing any thing that they mall afk, it fhall be done 
 for them of his father who is in heaven." || 
 
 f See fome Arguments on this head in Difcourfc V, |j Mat. 
 19. 
 
 O 3 THXSE 
 
i9 DISCOURSE VII. 
 
 THESE arguments, 'tis to be hoped, may con- 
 vince thofe who neglect or fcorn our Sabbaths 
 and public Meetings, that they are, in Reality, 
 a&ing contrary to their Duty to God, to Society, 
 and to Themfelves , and that if it were not for 
 the wife ordinance of a Sabbath, true religion 
 would fcarce be found upon earth. And if Re- 
 ligion were gone, Society could not long fubfift, 
 or at lealt it could not fubfift on the principles 
 of Virtue, Freedom and Safety. 
 
 AND this leads me to one argument more, 
 which, as it is of a worldly nature, may perhaps 
 be better heard. If we would wiih to live happy 
 and fee good days ; if we would wifh to fee our 
 Children dutiful, and our Families in Subordi- 
 nation round us ; if we would wiih to have our 
 Property fafe, and our perfons free from Vio- 
 lence , we ought to fupport the credit of Reli- 
 gion, and fet forward the Public Worlhip of 
 God, by our whole influence, our example, an4 
 every other means in our power. 
 
 So far in general. As to you, my brethren, 
 to whom this Difcourfe is more particularly ad- 
 drefled, it is to be hoped that you will be per- 
 fuaded to a confcientious attendance upon the 
 public Worfhip, the Prayers, the Feilivals and the 
 Sacraments of our CHURCH, not only from the 
 above motives, but from the nobler motives firft 
 mentioned to you, namely as a means of con- 
 tinuing the divine Prefence among yon, and ob- 
 taining that Spiritual Confolation and Fellowfhip 
 
 with 
 
DISCOURSE VJJ. 199 
 
 with God, which, it is to be believed, were your 
 iincere defire in contributing of your fubftance 
 to the erecting of this Houfe. 
 
 ANOTHER thing I muft recommend to you, 
 if you would expect God to dwell among you, 
 as a Religious Society. 'Tis UNION and CHA- 
 RITY with one another. For St. Paul tells the 
 Corinthians, that where Diviiions are among a 
 people, they will come together in the Church, 
 " not for the better, but for the worfe."* It is 
 impoflible, indeed, in this world, while men have 
 their pafiions, their vanities, their interefts, and 
 their ambitions, but luch offences will come ; 
 and a good man will be apt to cry out " Is 
 there no balm in Gilead," no fovereign me- 
 thod to prevent or heal thefe painful wounds ? 
 The beft way, indeed, is to practife all Chriftian 
 FORBEARANCE, and to leave the reft to God's 
 Providence \ ever bearing in mind that the glory 
 of a Church confifts not in the oftentation of 
 numbers, but in the ftrid Union and Fellow- 
 fhip of its members. 
 
 THE fame Chanty, Love and Candor, that 
 you extend to one another, let me befeech you, 
 in a particular manner, to extend to thofe who 
 are appointed to minifter among you. Judge 
 of them with impartiality. Bear in mind the 
 difficulties of their office. Confider that they 
 are men of like infirmities with yourfelves, 
 placed by their ftation in a very public point of 
 
 * i Cor, xi. 17. 
 
 O 4 view; 
 
200 DISCOURSE VII. 
 
 view ; and thereby what failings they jnay have 
 are rendered the more confpicuous. 
 
 WHEN you enter God's Houfe, let your 
 minds be imprefled with a deep fenfe of his 
 awful prefence, and " keep your feet with all 
 diligence." Examine carefully into the mo- 
 tives of your appearing there , whether it be 
 from an idle Curiofity, or to have a momentary 
 warmth raifed in you merely by PREACHING"; 
 or whether it be, in good earneft, to humble 
 yourfelves before the throne of God, and to join 
 with your fellow Chriftians in the folemn acls of 
 Devotion ; " in Supplications, Prayers, Inter- 
 ceffions, and Giving of Thanks for all men," 
 agreeable to the moil compleat form of our ex- 
 cellent Liturgy ? 
 
 PREACHING, my brethren, was originally a 
 wife inftitution, to inftrucl the Ignorant, to roufe 
 the Dull, to confirm the Wavering, and to ani- 
 mate All in the difcharge of their duty , and, as 
 fuch, is {till retained by our Church as a very 
 necefTary addition to her public fervice, and is 
 moreover warranted by the example of our Sa- 
 viour and his Apoff.es. But then, here lies the 
 fault, that many will confider this PREACHING 
 as the principal part of the Public Wormip it- 
 jTelf -, and no PREACHING will be acceptable to 
 them that does not, as it were, hurry them out 
 of themfelves, by captivating the PaiTions, as if 
 that was a nobler and more ufeful work than to 
 
 convince 
 
DISCOURSE VII. 201 
 
 convince the Judgment. Preachers there are, 
 indeed, who can do both in an eminent degree ; 
 and their fuccefs in this refpeft is a blefling to 
 the focieties to which they belong. But what 
 we complain of is this that the excellent Li- 
 turgy of our Church fhould be no motive, or 
 only a fecondary motive, for frequenting her 
 Service ^ and that this wrong tafte of Hearers is 
 apt to lead to a wrong tafte in Preaching, and 
 draws men of warm tempers, fmall abilities, and 
 fond of pleafmg, into extravagances of heat and 
 zeal, which Reafon cannot juftify, and CHRIS- 
 TIANITY requires not at their hand. 
 
 As the reful t, therefore, of what has been faid, 
 let me, in the next place entreat you, as a reli- 
 gious Society, to " hold faft the profeffion of 
 your Faith without wavering," without levity, 
 and without being " blown about by every 
 Wind of Dodlrine." 
 
 I rnean not, on this pccafion, the leaft refiec- 
 tjon againft any of thofe who differ from us in 
 their perfuafion. They have, no doubt, fully 
 examined and convinced thernfelyes in the Faith 
 they hold ; and the fame indulgence which we 
 freely extend to them, we do but claim for 
 ourielves. Seeing we alfo, as well as they, have 
 embraced the Faith of a particular Church, we 
 alfo muft be fuppofed to have fufficient convic- 
 tion in our own minds for the choice we have 
 made. We muft be allowed to think the faith 
 6 of 
 
202 DISCOURSE VII. 
 
 of that Church the fame that " was once de- 
 livered to the Saints." We muft be allowed to 
 confider her Worfhip- as focial in its nature , 
 plain yet folemn, and keeping the golden mean 
 betwixt thofe idle pegeantries that diffract the at- 
 tention to things purely- fenfible, and thofe illu- 
 five reveries that pretend to refinements which 
 human nature cannot reach. We muft be al- 
 lowed to pay a due regard to her ancient dif- 
 cipline, her venerable order, and her wife confti- 
 tutions, that were planned by men of fuperior 
 eminence, and have flood the tefl of ages. 
 And, laftly, we muft be allowed to look upon 
 thefe things as matters, not lightly, wantonly, 
 or rafhly, to be given up. 
 
 I mall only detain you while I recommend 
 one thing more to you, as a Religious Society ; 
 and that is, a liberal and beneficentfpirit in con- 
 tributing to all works of CHARITY and Com- 
 mon Concern. And, on this head, it is with 
 pleafure that I confefs myfelf almoft abfolved 
 from the necefiity of faying any thing. I am 
 rather called to congratulate you on the excel- 
 lent fpirit that hath already been Ihewn, than 
 to doubt of its continuance. 
 
 THIS Houfe hath been almoft wholly built 
 within yourfelves ; by the free, voluntary and 
 chearful contributions of your own members. 
 Some have fpared in their exigence, and foms 
 out of their abundance, and that too with fur- 
 
 prifmg 
 
DISCOURSE VII. 203 
 
 prifing liberality. BlefTed are ye " for this loan 
 " that ye have lent xmto the Lord *. May God 
 " remember you concerning this, and wipe not 
 " out your good deeds that you have done for 
 " the Houfe of your God and for the Offices 
 " thereof." f 
 
 PROCEED with the fame liberal and pious 
 fpirit, in what remains of this good work. Re- 
 member that God hath blefTed you with every 
 inftance of profperity, in times of extremeft dan- 
 ger. And furely, when our harvefts have been 
 multiplied, and our cattle and our fields encreaf- 
 cd j when we behold our children growing up 
 and profpering round us, and even wanting 
 room in the Houfe of the Lord, then, oh then ! 
 it is one of the nobleft CHARITIES to offer back 
 to God a part of what He has fo liberally be- 
 ftowed, and to make a provifion for continuing 
 the Worfhip of His adorable name among our 
 poflerity to the lateft generations ! Whatever we 
 may give this way, according to our beft abili- 
 ties, God will accept as an offering of our Love 
 to Him -, and let us look what we lay out, and 
 it mall be returned to us " after many days" j| 
 
 I come now to the laft verfes of my text, 
 which were thefe--" The Lord God be with us, 
 " as he was with our fathers. Let him not leave 
 " us nor forfake us That all the people of the 
 " earth may know, that the Lord is God, and 
 " there is none elfe." And the very tenor of 
 
 * j Sam. ii. 20. f Nekem. xiii. 14. j| Ecclef. xi. i. 
 
 thefe 
 
204 PRAYER, 
 
 thefe words, as well as the nature of this occa- 
 lion, calls us to conclude in the moft humble 
 and fupplicant manner with 
 
 PRAYER. 
 
 BUT with what language mall we addrefs 
 thee, O thou moft holy and exalted Being ! 
 our GOD and our Fathers GOD who inhabited 
 eternity, and art the Life and Light of the 
 world ! What mall we render unto thee for ten 
 thoufand times ten thoufand mercies, which 
 language would fail us to exprefs, and the whole 
 period of onr lives to recount ! Above all, what 
 fhall we rerfder unto thee for the Knowjege of 
 thine everlafting Gofpel, and thofe glorious pri- 
 vileges to which we are called as members of 
 thy Church militant on earthr-even to that ex- 
 alted Privilege of Angels-r-the Privilege of en- 
 joying Union and Communion with thee I Oh 
 then, that our hearts could now conceive, and 
 our tongues could utter, fuch ftrains of praife 
 and adoration and thankfgiving to thee, as Angels, 
 and glorified Spirits, and the Church triumphant, 
 pour forth to thee in Heaven above ! 
 
 IT is good for us, O Almighty Father, that 
 thou haft called us to this Knowlege, and haft 
 vouchfafed us thefe Privileges ! It is good for 
 us that thou didft put it into our minds to build 
 
 tbee 
 
PRAYER. 205 
 
 the* an houfe to dwell in^ and haft permitted us 
 td DEDICATE and fet it apart (as we hope) to the 
 glory of thy name for ever ! Yet, inafmuch as 
 we are taught not to put our truft in thefe out- 
 ward marks of Devotion, but that each of us 
 muft prepare for thee an habitation inwardly, 
 and a temple in our Hearts j we do, therefore, r 
 now come to make a nobler and more impor- 
 tant DEDICATION unto thee! We come, as is 
 our bounden duty, thro' the merits and inter- 
 ceflion of our blefTed REDEEMER, to DEDICATE 
 OURSELVES, our Souls and Bodies, our whole 
 Lives, to thy fervice. And, O thou who art the 
 Hearer of Prayer, " to whom mercies and for- 
 givenefles belong, tho' we have rebelled againil 
 thee," we moil earneftly pray that our pad of- 
 fences may be blotted out, that we may be warn- 
 ed in the Blood of Chrift, and that the vows and 
 offerings which we now make may be accepted 
 in Him, and rendered effectual to our ever- 
 Jailing falvation. 
 
 For this end, O merciful God, let the Grace of 
 thy holy fpirit aflift and flrengthen us in all our 
 Supplications and Prayers, that we {hall thence- 
 forward offer up to thee in this Place ; and be 
 thou gracioufly pleafed to vouchfafe us thy Pre- 
 fence therein continually. As thou ivert with our 
 TATHERS, O Lord our Gcd^fo be thou with us. As 
 thy mighty power brought them (like the Ifrae- 
 lites of old) thro' the perils of another raging 
 Sea \ as thou didft fupport them in a remote 
 
 Land, 
 
206 PRAYER. 
 
 Land, while it was yet another Wildernefs ; 3 
 thou didft at length give them goodly habita^ 
 tions therein, and, in thy divine favour, made 
 choice of them and their children after them, to 
 plant and propagate thy everlafting Gofpel to 
 the ends of the earth as thou wert with them 
 in thefe things, fo be thou with us. Let not our 
 unworthinefs provoke thee to " leave us nor for* 
 fake us ," but let our light mine continually 
 forth, till all the people of the earth /hall know* 
 till the HEATHEN around us know that the 
 Lord is God, and there is none elfe ; till they 
 know and confefs that the GODS whom they 
 have ferved are no Gods -, that they and their 
 Fathers have inherited Lies and Vanity from 
 the beginning ; and that there is none in whom 
 Salvation may be found, fave in thee, O Lord 
 moft mighty and moil high ! 
 
 AND in order to haften this happy time, when 
 all the ends of the earth mall bow down to thy 
 Majefty, and Kings and Prinees cait their Crowns 
 before the throne of the Lamb, we pray that 
 thou wouldft give fuccefs to all foundations of 
 ufeful Knowlege, and to the blefied GOSPEL, 
 wherefoever and by whomfoever it is truly 
 PREACHED. In a particular manner, be pleafed 
 to give continual fuccefs to the PREACHING 
 thereof in this Houfe, which we have now open- 
 ly and folemnlyy}/ apart to that facred purpofe. 
 May all who are called to minifter therein, put 
 off their own Righteoufnefs, nor feek the ap- 
 
 plaufe 
 
PRAYER. 207 
 
 plaufe of Men ; but may they be cloathed with 
 the Humility of Chrift, rightly and duly admi- 
 niiler his Sacraments, explain his Word, and be 
 anxious for nothing fo much as to advance his 
 Glory, and preach him crucified. May this place 
 never be proftituted to the purpofes of Vanity 
 and Ambition, Error or Enthuliafm, Coldnefs 
 or Lukewarmnefs. May it continue the Habi- 
 tation of the " God of Jacob for ever j a Place 
 where Prayer fhall ever be made unto him, 
 and where daily lhall he bepraifed!" May it 
 continue a place where the Service of our 
 Church, the Preaching of the Word, and the 
 Adminiflration of our Sacraments, may be ren- 
 dered effectual, thro' the atonement of Chrift, to 
 the Salvation of thoufands ! 
 
 FINALLY, O Lord, we pray that Love and 
 Union may prevail among all the Members of 
 this Church thro' life ; and, at their death, may 
 they be tranflated into the general Aflembly of 
 the Church of the firft-born that are written in 
 Heaven, where, being freed from all human 
 frailties, and admitted to the beatific prefence, 
 they may offer up unwearied Hallelujahs to him 
 that fitteth on the Throne, and to the Lamb for 
 ever and ever !* 
 
 * A conclufion was made by finging the words of the text, 
 as an Anthem. 
 
 DIS- 
 
20 9 
 
 DISCOURSE VIII. 
 
 The GOSPEL-SUMMONS. 
 
 Preached in Chrift -Church PHILADELPHIA-, 
 January 10, 1762. At the FUNERAL of the 
 Rev.RoBERT JENNEY, L. L.D. Reftor of the 
 faid Church. 
 
 LUKE, xvi. 2. 
 
 Give an Account of thy Steward/hip ; for thou may eft 
 be no longer Steward. 
 
 RENDER up your Stewardlhip give an 
 Account of your Conduct thundered forth 
 by fome powerful Superior, that will brook no 
 delaywhat a tremendous SUMMONS is this ? 
 
 HEAR it ye rich, and ye poor j ye rulers, and 
 ye fubjedls , ye paftors, and ye people ! Whe- 
 ther there be committed to you ten Talents, 
 or one , whether your Stewardfhip be in things 
 fpiritual, or things temporal hear it and be in- 
 ftru&ed ! The ialt Knell of expiring Time ; the 
 trump of GOD calling us to his judgment-feat; 
 ought not more deeply to alarm us, than this 
 awful Summons of the Gofpel ; which, though it 
 is daily heard by us, has its Moral but too much 
 daily neglected. 
 
 VARIOUS are the methods by which God's 
 P wifdom 
 
no DISCOURSE VIIL 
 
 wifdom thinks fit to call tinners to repentance, 
 in the fcriptures. Sometimes in language, foft 
 as the breathings of love divine , fometimes in 
 notes, fevere as the voice of offended majefty ; 
 fometimes by the gentle allurements of promifed 
 rewards ; and fometimes by the awful denuncia- 
 tions of a judgment to come. 
 
 OUR blefied Redeemer, in the preceeding 
 chapter, had been Preaching up the moil com- 
 fortable doctrine of his Father's free Grace^ ma- 
 nifeiled in the remiffion of fins, and his readinefa 
 to receive and embrace returning penitents. The 
 love of God in this, and his planning from 
 eternity a method of bringing home loft Souls 
 to himfelf, through the all-perfect Satisfaction, 
 of a Saviour, are moft beautifully and tenderly 
 fet forth in fundry inflructive Parables , fuch a& 
 a Shepherd's leaving ninety-nine of his Iheep in 
 the wildernefs, to look after one loft, and calling, 
 all his neighbours to rejoice with him on finding, 
 it ! Such as a Woman's fearching carefully for 
 a piece of loft treafure, and communicating her 
 joy to all around her on the recovery thereof ! 
 And, above all, fuch as that of an indulgent Pa- 
 rent, receiving back to his bofom even a Prodigal 
 Son that had wafted his fubftance in riot and in- 
 temperance.- 
 
 BUT all theie foft and winning defcriptions 
 were loft upon the hardened Pharifees. Our 
 Saviour, therefore,, addreffes them in a very dif- 
 ferent ftrain. He lays before them this Para- 
 ble of the Steward, called fuddenly to account 
 
 before 
 

 DISCOURSE VIII. 211 
 
 before his Lord and Mafter , thereby intimating 
 to them, in colours the molt itrikmg, that how- 
 ever light they might make of the Goipel Over- 
 tures in the Day of Grace> a time would come, 
 and that fuddenly too as a thief in the night, 
 when they would be called to give a fevere ac- 
 count of the improvements they had made of 
 fuch fignal ble (Tings ! 
 
 I HAVE not choien thefe words, as thinking 
 that this congregation could be moved by no- 
 thing but arguments of terror; nor becaufe 
 there is the leaft fimilitude between the charac- 
 ter of the Steward in the text, and that charac- 
 ter which is the occafion of the prefent mourn- 
 ful folemnity. To argue thus, would be a per- 
 verlion of all Parables, and the defign of all 
 Preaching. The Scripture-Parables are gene- 
 rally written for the illuftration of fome impor- 
 tant point of Doctrine, or Morals , and do 
 not require a particular application of every par- 
 ticular circumftance. 
 
 THE words which I have read, " give an ac- 
 count of thy Stewardiliip, for thou mayeil be 
 no longer Steward," are to be taken, as 
 they ftand, in their (ingle and irrelative 
 fenfe, being equally applicable to account- 
 able creatures of every degree. And the doc- 
 trine I would infer from diem on the prefent oc- 
 cafion is 
 
 FIRST, That every thing we poiTefs in this 
 P 2 world 
 
212 DISCOURSE VIII. 
 
 world is given us in Truft, and for Improve- 
 ment. 
 
 SECONDLY, That there will be a day of final 
 Reckoning ; and that as the Account flands at 
 the hour of Death, fcr will it be produced in the 
 day of Judgment. 
 
 THIRDLY, That the only reflections which 
 can give us hope, as accountable creatures, 
 in the hour of death, and the refignation of our 
 Stewardlhip, are to be derived from the gofpel- 
 profpedts and promifes. 
 
 And FIRST, then, it is evident, from the 
 whole tenor of God's holy word, that whatfoever 
 we poflefs in this life is given us in Truft and 
 for Improvement. The unprofitable fervant, 
 who laid up his Pound in a napkin, had a fevere 
 lentence parTed upon him by his returning lord - 
 " Take f from him the pound, and give it to 
 him that hath ten pounds ;" to him that hath 
 made a due improvement of what was formerly 
 eommitted to him. The like fentence was de- 
 nounced againft the fruitlefs Fig-tree " Cut |j 
 it down, why cumbreth it the ground ?" 
 
 MANY more Scripture-proofs might be ad- 
 duced ^ but the point in queflion does not feem 
 to need them. To a man who lives a life of 
 Reafon and of Virtue, few things are fufHcient 
 'to fatisfy the calls, nay to anfwer the conve- 
 niencies of life. Could it be agreeable then, to 
 the ordinance of a wife and juft God, for one to 
 f Luke xix. 24. || xiii. 7. 
 
 5 
 
DISCOURSE VIII, 213 
 
 grafp a thoufand times his proportion of the 
 Goods of this world and to hoard them up with- 
 out improvement for the public ? Why fhould 
 different talents be affigned to different perfons, 
 if they were to be employed folely for their own 
 private ufe ? Why fhould one wallow in wealth ; 
 one be exalted to the fummit of power ; one re- 
 joice in bodily ftrength ; one enjoy faculties of 
 mind almoft angelic ; if the feparate pofTeffors 
 were to ufe thefe feparate gifts only for them- 
 ielves, without regard to the community ? 
 
 THROUGH all nature, there is inceflant en- 
 ergy, a&ion and communication of powers. No- 
 thing feems to exift on its own fmgle account. 
 The very Stars, that fpangle the face of night, 
 are bound to their orbits by mutual action on 
 each other, and on the common center of the 
 fyftem 1 
 
 WHY, then, fhbuld thofe divine gifts and en- 
 dowments, which providence fhowers fo pro- 
 fufely on individuals of the human fyftem, be 
 kft without their full ufe ? Why fhould they 
 be fuffered to ftagnate, as it were, like waters 
 emitting only a noifome vapor in the fummer's 
 drought ? Ought they not rather to flow irri- 
 guous, "like the refreihing Rills, rejoicing the 
 country around ? IVloft undoubtedly, my bre- 
 thren, they ought ! And fuch would be the im- 
 provement which we fhould make of every thing 
 committed to us if, inftead of looking upon it 
 as peculiarly our own, and fo much added to our 
 P 3 private. 
 
DISCOURSE vm. 
 
 private felicity, we would confider ourfelves on- 
 ly as God's Stewards for the fame ; and more 
 efpecially relied that there will be a day of final 
 reckoning, when we fhall be called to give an 
 account of our Stewardihip, before men and 
 angels, at the. bar of omnipotence. And this 
 was the SECOND topic of my difcourfe. 
 
 Now a Day of Accounts is infeparable from 
 the very notion of a Stewardfhip , and the facred 
 fcriptures, purfuing the metaphor, have placed 
 this matter beyond Contradiction. We are there 
 told that all our a&ions are regiftred in a Book, 
 written with a pen of iron and with the point 
 of a diamond. We are alfo told that our om- 
 nipotent judge will open this awful book and 
 proceed againft us by regular procefs " I || faw 
 a great white throne and Him that fat on it ; 
 from whofe face the earth and the heaven 
 fled away, and there was noplace found for them. 
 And I law the Dead, fmall and great, ftand be- 
 fore God -, and the BOOKS were opened and the 
 Dead were judged out of thofe things which 
 were written in the Books, according to their 
 works." . 
 
 Ah ! then, my Fellow-Chriftians ! how many 
 thoufand thoufand fecrets fhall be laid open before 
 an aiTembled univerfe P Then, and not till then, 
 fhall we thoroughly fee and underftand the 
 fum and fcope of God's eternal plan, without 
 thofe intricacies wherein it is now involved! 
 Then fhall the account between virtue and vice 
 be finally ftated and balanced! Then fhall hypo- 
 y Rev. xx. u, 12. 
 
 crify 
 
DISCOURSE VIII. 215 
 
 crify be obliged to lay down its mafk, oppref- 
 fion his rod^ dominion his fceptre ; and all to 
 appear naked and on a level, at the bar of the 
 Almighty, to give an account of their Steward- 
 fhip, each for himfelf, and none by another ! 
 
 THEN mall it be feen how every one of us 
 has ufed the gifts committed to us in our feveral 
 fpheres. Then mail it be known for what end 
 Wealth or Power, or great Talents were va- 
 riouily beftowed. If the former was our por- 
 tion, it will be known, whetherSve "hoarded it 
 Ajp with a mere fordid view of Self-enjoyment ? 
 Whether we fuffered it to draw off our attention 
 from things celeftial, to extinguilh the Ibcial and 
 public affections \ and to debafe us into a literal 
 affinity with the beafts that perim ? or whether, 
 if we did beflow any thing out of our abundance, 
 it was done v/ith a fpirit of oftentation to be 
 feen of men ; or done, in the true Gofpel-fenfe, 
 to feed the hungry and cloath the naked, after 
 anfwering all the domeftic Charities of father, 
 fon and brother, and the facred calls of the Com- 
 munity, which includes the whole ? 
 
 AGAIN, if Power and Government fell to 
 our mare, it will be known Whether we 
 bartered our favours away for vile gain ? whe- 
 ther we were open to the allurements of 
 vice, the blandilhments of flattery, and the in- 
 toxications of party ? or whether we made ufe 
 of our influence to fupport juftice, to protect in- 
 nocence, to encourage virtue, and to reward 
 humble merit ? 
 
 P 4 IF 
 
2i6 DISCOURSE VIII. 
 
 IF wifdom and great talents were beftowed 
 upon us, it will be known Whether, with a 
 noble Difmtereftednefs of foul, unawed by 
 power and unbribed by wealth, we have lied- 
 faflly exerted thefe divine gifts for the illumina- 
 tion of mankind, for the advancement of God's 
 glory, for the propagation of civil Liberty, and 
 for the fupport of whatever elfe is valuable in 
 fociety ? 
 
 THEN, at length, it fhall be known from 
 what fecret motives the labors of the reputed 
 Patriot took their rife ? Whether the loud De- 
 claimer inienates and public afiemblies fought his 
 own glory or the glory of the public ? Whether his 
 many laboured and popular harangues have flow- 
 ed from partiality to his friends, oppofition to his 
 enemies, or peradventure from both ? Whether 
 they were calculated in good earneft to relumi- 
 nate the dying fpirit of virtue and freedom ; or 
 to raife himfelf, on the wings of a temporary 
 fame, to the fummit of earthly power ? 
 
 THEN too it fhall be known- Whether he that 
 miniftred at the altar, miniltred for himfelf, or 
 for his Lord and Mailer ? Whether he was more 
 anxious for the reformation of mankind, or to 
 appear and fparkle, for a moment, in the pub- 
 lic eye ? Whether the fpirit of the gofpel, enter- 
 ed always into the fpirit of Preaching ? Whether 
 the fierce zeal, often fhewn for particular points, 
 was a zeal according to knowlege ? Whether it 
 hath tended more to inftruct or to diffract the 
 world ? Whether the divifions, feparations and 
 
 COIN 
 
DISCOURSE VIII. 217 
 
 contentions among Chriftians, have been made 
 leifurely and upon cool reflexion ? Whether 
 pride, paflion, refentment and wilful narrownefs 
 of mind, had any mare in forming them ? 
 
 THESE things, and ten thoufand more, which 
 it would be impoflible to recount, will be known 
 at that day ; in which there is nothing now hid 
 that mall not be made manifeft ! 
 
 HAPPY the man, then, and thrice happy he, 
 who, anticipating this tremendous fcene, can 
 give an account of his Stewardihip to his own con- 
 fcience ! Happy the man in public life, who mall 
 be able in that awful day to appeal to his paft 
 conduct, and fay" Whofe jj ox have I taken? 
 Whom have I defrauded ? Whom have I op- 
 prefled ? Or of whofe hand have I received any 
 bribe to blind mine eyes therewith r Even the 
 Lord (my judge himfelf) is witnefs this day that 
 ye have not found ought in my hand !" 
 
 HAPPY too the minifter of God's woid, who 
 can call his people to witnefs for him in that day, 
 and fay, in thewords of the blefled apoftle Paul 
 " I f take you to record that I am pure from the 
 blood of all men ; for I have not fhurmed to de- 
 clare to you all the council of God ; and I have 
 kept back nothing that was profitable to you ; 
 but have fhewn you and taught you publicly 
 from houfe to houfe ; taking heed to the flock 
 over which the holy Ghoft hath made me over- 
 feer ; feeding the Church of God which he hath 
 purchafed with his own blood." 
 
 SUCH being the cafe, then, my brethren ; and 
 
 jj i Sam xii. 35. t Aftsxx. 
 
 fince 
 
2i8 DISCOURSE VIII. 
 
 flnce as the tree falleth, there it will lie ^ fince as 
 death leaves us, judgment will find us ^ what an 
 awful and important moment muft the moment 
 of our dying be ? It is like entering, through a 
 dark portal, into the great manfion-houfe where 
 we muft render up our Stewardship. Having 
 once parTed the threfhold, there is no way for re- 
 treat left ; no way to alter or amend one jot of 
 our account ; for " there * is neither work nor 
 device in the grave." 
 
 No wonder, then, that to die, mould be reck- 
 oned a thing exceeding folemn ! A day of ac- 
 counts, and the vaft ocean of eternity before us- 
 Oh ! how the foul fhudders on the brink, and 
 fain, very fain, would cleave to this evanefcent 
 fpeck of earth, loth to quit her hold, till the God 
 of grace comes with his divine confolations, and 
 cheers the recoiling fpirits ! 
 
 AND this leads me, in the THIRD place, to 
 obferve that our only hope in the hour of death, 
 is to be derived from the Gofpel-profpects and 
 promifes. 
 
 BEFORE the Chriftian Revelation was made 
 known, the Death of the beft of men was only a 
 leap into the Dark ; a wrench from the precincts 
 of day, and a forrowful parting with all that 
 they placed their hopes upon. The Wifdom of 
 the World could even go but a little way in 
 teaching men how to LIVE, but when it came to 
 lay down leffons how to DIE, it was found to be 
 perfect Foolifhnefs. It gave them no folid aflli- 
 
 * Ecclef. ix. io. 
 
 ranee 
 
DISCOURSE VIII. 219 
 
 ranee of a future flate, the remifilon of fins, and 
 a glorious reward for the juft. After all the ar- 
 guments that unafTiiled reafon and philoiophy 
 could bring, the fears of having the Body laid 
 down in the clay tomb, and the thoughts of 
 dreary Annihilation, ilartled and aftonilhed the 
 foul on the one hand. Or, on the other, if 
 there were any more enlightened, who believed, 
 or rather hoped, the Body's Refurre&ion, and the 
 Soul's continuance after death, they were ilill at 
 a lofs how to regain the favour of their offended 
 gods. In iliort, all was doubt and diflraclion 
 and defpair -f among them, at that laft period, 
 when it moil behoves the Soul to be left eafy, 
 tranquil and recollected. 
 
 BUT how different is the matter under the 
 Gofpel of Chrift? We are there taught that 
 what we falfely call the hour of our Death, is 
 but the hour of our Birth to Life eternal. We 
 there learn the true meaning of thefe ancient ex- 
 prefllons " I * will ranfom them from the power 
 of the grave I will redeem them from death ; 
 O Death, I will be thy plagues O Grave, I 
 will be thy deftruction. " 
 
 THE gofpcl lifts our eye to immortal fcenes. 
 It (hews us a reconciled God, and Jefus the iMedi- 
 ator feared at his right hand. It teaches us a- 
 method by which the account of our Steward- 
 
 I " The great, th' unbounded profpeft lay before them, 
 
 " But clouds and darknefs hung upon it " ADDISOW. 
 * Hofea xiii. 10. 
 
 fllip 
 
20 DISCOURSE VIIL 
 
 fhip may be fettled even in this life , by which 
 our fins may be blotted' out of the regiflry of 
 Heaven, even tho' they be written with a pen 
 of iron, and graven with the point of a dia- 
 mond. 
 
 To the Chriflian a light has arifen in dark- 
 nefs ; and his profpe&s are extended beyond the 
 grave, and ftretched down thro' immeafurable 
 Eternity. Herein is the vail fuperiority of our 
 Religion above all others, in that it hath not on- 
 ly taught us how to Live, but likewife how to 
 Die. OurblefTed Saviour, having publifhedLife 
 and Immortality to all fuch as repent, believe and 
 obey his Gofpel, has, in refpedl to them, taken 
 away the fling and removed the fear of Death. 
 
 ANIMATED with the celeftial views of Futu- 
 rity, the fmcere Chriflian, who has feen and felt 
 the vanity of all earthly things ; who has medi- 
 tated much upon Time and Eternity, the enjoy- 
 ments of this world and the next; he who is 
 fully convinced of the truth of God's promifes ; 
 who has with all good confcience endeavoured 
 to do his duty here ; who has fmcerely lamented 
 the errors he may have committed, and em- 
 braced the terms of pardon and falvation offered 
 by God in Chrift, with an awful conviction of 
 their truth and efficacy Pie, I fay, who has 
 done thefe things, can have but little left to do 
 when he comes to Die. 
 
 SUCH an one, my brethren, will appear in a very 
 fuperior light to the greateft of thofe who have 
 
 died 
 

 DISCOURSE VIII. 221 
 
 died without thefe advantages. He will be 
 free from their doubts, their diftra&ions, and 
 their horrors ^ and will enjoy a foul-felt recol- 
 ledtion and truft, which the enemies of religion 
 cannot eafily be made to conceive. When all 
 is forrow and mourning around him, he will be 
 fuperlatively raifed above the general weak- 
 nefs. Heaven and glory will begin to open up- 
 on him, and he will be in the midft of his com- 
 forters (to borrow an image from a pious 
 and fublime -j- writer) like fome lofty mountain, 
 ferene and bright, retaining the fplendors of the 
 fetting fun, while damps and (hades have cover- 
 the vales below ! 
 
 I doubt not, every perfon prefent has already 
 anticipated my intended application of this 
 difcourfe. We are here met to perform the 
 lad obfequies to the body of our deceafed Paf- 
 tor a man venerable in years, and who was a 
 ftriking pattern of Chriftian refignation, under 
 a long and fevere illnefs. Thofe who knew 
 him beft in that fituation, know that his chief 
 concern was not for himfelf, but for the diftref- 
 fed and perplexed Hate of his congregations. 
 
 CHARACTERS, my brethren, in funeral fer- 
 mons, in thefe days, lie under fome difgrace ; 
 being too often the productions of men willing 
 to fhew their own eloquence ; or perhaps too 
 complaifant to the tendernefs of mournful rela- 
 tives. But, without incurring either of thefe 
 * Dr. Young. 
 
 impuh 
 
222 DISCOURSE VIII. 
 imputations, I can with truth fay of your de- 
 ceafed minifter, that he was a man of flrici: ho- 
 nefty, one that hated diffimulation and a lie, ex- 
 emplary in his life and morals, and a moil zea- 
 lous member of the church. 
 
 Thefe were fome of his virtues as a Chriftian, 
 and they were ufeful in his generation. Frail- 
 ties he, no doubt, had too, as a man ; but as 
 they were never injurious to others, fo we may 
 well believe that they have long before now 
 found flicker in the bofom of divine mercy ; and 
 what mortal mall feek to draw them from that 
 facred refuge ? He had full time given him to 
 prepare for his death, and it came at laft, ear- 
 neftly wifhed for by him ; fo that he cannot fo 
 properly be faid to " have been taken away, as 
 to have tarried till God came." 
 
 AND now, my brethren, a newfcene opens to 
 you who are members of thefe congregations; 
 or, at lead, to you who are the reprefentatives 
 thereof. Behold the breathlefs clay of your late 
 paftor placed on the brink of a grave. In a few 
 moments, its yawning jaws will be clofed over 
 him, and thus will the fcene between him and 
 you be for ever ihut ! 
 
 THINK, then, what a weight has fallen upon 
 you ? There is a Stewardfhip in your hands, of 
 a peculiar fort, for which you are accountable 
 both to God and man ; and which I forbore to 
 ipeak of till now. 'Tis the flewardlhip for this 
 church and for this people a church confpi- 
 6 cuous 
 
DISCOURSE VIII. 223 
 
 cuous in her fituation, and a people daily in- 
 creafing in multitude. Coniider that what you 
 may do, and my plan in this refpect, is a work 
 which may affect you and your children, and 
 the caufe of religion, for generations to come ; 
 and what is once done, is not eafily to be re- 
 called. Proceed, therefore, we pray you, cooly, 
 juftiy and deliberately, in this great matter. 
 Let neither follicitations, nor prejudices, nor 
 any wrong pafllon, be able to biafs you. 
 
 THE Gofpel of Chrift (fays a great * divine) 
 can only be propagated " by the fame means 
 and the fame temper, wherewith our blefied Sa- 
 viour began to propagate it ;" not by noife and 
 bu (tie, not by vain words and empty founds 5 
 but by a noble fpirit of charity towards the per- 
 fons of men by ftrength of reafon, clearness of 
 argument, and an example of virtue and righte- 
 oufnefs. If men of thefe qualities be encou- 
 raged to minifter among you, then we may 
 hope that the Vine, which God's right-hand 
 has planted in this remote corner of the earth, 
 will " f fend out her boughs unto the fea, and 
 her branches unto the utmofl rivers." The con- 
 trary, we trufl, will never happen, through any 
 fault in your Stewardfhip. 
 
 THESE counfels, I hope, you will take in good 
 part from me, at a time when I am fure I can- 
 not be fufpedted of any interefted views. God 
 knows but this may be my laft opportunity of 
 
 * Dr. Clarke. f Pfaira. Ixxx. 2. 
 
 ever 
 
224 DISCOURSE Vffl. 
 
 ever fpeaking to you from this place. My heart 
 Is full on the occafion \ and had not my notice * 
 been fo very fhort, and the time urgent, I 
 fhould have enlarged farther. But I mall fum 
 all by exhorting you to ftand firm in your 
 Faith, and above all, to cultivate that Divine 
 Charity, which is the very perfection of Chrif- 
 tianity. The other virtues and graces bring us 
 near to God by diftant approaches. But, by this 
 divine virtue of Charity, we are not merely led 
 and drawn unto Him ; but we prefs, as it were, into 
 his prefence by it, and are thereby prepared for 
 his eternal fociety. Our Faith, after death, 
 fhall be fwallowed up in Vifion, and our Hope 
 in Fruition ; but our Charity fhall live for ever, 
 and be a main ingredient in our happinefa 
 thro* the endlefs ages of eternity. 
 
 THAT every bofom among us may be 
 found glowing with this celeltial virtue, at 
 the hour when we are called to give an ac- 
 count of our Stewardmip, may GOD of his 
 infinite mercy grant, for the fake of Jefus 
 Chrift. Amen. 
 
 * The Author had but a day or two to prepare this dif- 
 courfe, and no leifure to revife it before it was firll publifh- 
 ed ; being immediately obliged to embark for England. 
 This, it is hoped, will be his apology, if it mould be found 
 lefs perfeft than the fubjeft requires ; for it cannot now be 
 much improved without drawing it too far from its original 
 plan. 
 
 END of the DISCOURSES. 
 
APPENDIX FIRST. 
 
 
NUMBER I. 
 
 A Letter concerning the Office and Duty ^PRO- 
 TESTANT MINISTERS, efpecially in Times 
 of public Danger and Calamity \ written to 
 a * Clergyman on the Frontiers of Pennfyl- 
 vania, on General Braddock's Defeat ; and 
 fir ft publified In Auguft 1755. 
 
 MY DEAR SIR, 
 
 IH A V E carefully read the fermon that came 
 enclofed to me in yours of the i^th inftant ; 
 and cannot but think the fubjed well chofen 
 and highly feafonable. The thoughts you have chief- 
 ly dwelt on are truly interefting ; and their frequent 
 intrufion (hews a mind more deeply imprefled with 
 
 * The reverend Mr. Barton. 
 
 a 2 its 
 
4 *fl>t Duly of Protejiant Minlflers 
 
 its fubjeft, than attentive to external niceties and 
 method. But, for this very reafon, perhaps, the 
 fermon may be more generally ufeful to fuch rea- 
 ders as want to have the fame truths fet in various 
 points of view ; fo that I have been very fparing 
 in my propofed alterations of method. Some 
 tranfpofuions and abridgments I have, however, 
 offered to your confideration, agreeable to the con- 
 fidence you are pieafed to repofe in me. 
 
 THERE is, if we could hit upon it in compofi- 
 tion, a certain incommunicable art of making one 
 part rife gracefully out of another ; which, although 
 it is to befeen by a critic only, will yet be felt and 
 fafted by all. To pleafe in this refpecl is well 
 worth our warmefl endeavours. We are debtors 
 alike to the wife and the unwife-, the learned Greek 
 and the foolifh Barbarian. None but a few choicer 
 fpirits have fenfe and goodnefs enough, to be cap- 
 tivated by the naked charm of RELIGION. Vulgar 
 fouls need to be roufed from the lethargy of low 
 defire, and to have their love of God and goodnefs 
 excited and enfiamed. Hence, Religion muft be 
 taught, as it were, to breathe and to move before 
 them, in all the grace and majefty of her mof 
 winning and attra&ive form. 
 
 WE /hall, therefore, err greatly, if we flatter 
 purfelves that it will cod us lefs labour to preach 
 or write to the Ignorant, than to the Intelligent. 
 
 O * O 
 
 to pleafe and profit the latter, requires Senfe only. 
 pleafe and profit the former, requires Senfe and 
 
 I 
 

 in Times of public Banger. 
 
 I AM obliged to you for your kind exprefildns 
 towards me. An intercourfe of compliment would 
 ill fuit the ferioufnefs of our characters , and, in 
 regard to any fmall fervices I have been able to do 
 you, I am more than repaid in obferving that I 
 have, in fome meafure, been inftrumental in fup- 
 plying our poor back-fettlers, with a minifter of 
 the blefled Gofpel ; who, in this day of our vifi- 
 tation, will* to the beft of his abilities, ftem the 
 tide of popular vice and folly, and difdain to ap- 
 pear cold to the caufe of his God, his king, or 
 his proteftant country. 
 
 I KNOW, however, that your appearing warm ift 
 thefe grand concerns will even procure oppofition to 
 your miniftry, as well as objections to all fermorrs 
 of this kind. You will hear it faid " That a mi- 
 " nifter profefTmg to be a difciple of the meek and 
 * c blefTed Jefus, fhould confine himfelf to fubjects 
 " purely fpiritual and eternal. What have the cler- 
 ct 87 to ^Q w i tn c ^ v ^ anc ^ temporal concerns ? And 
 " as to blowing the trumpet of war, and declaiming 
 " againft popery, a fubjecl; fo long ago exhaufted, 
 <c what purpofe can it ferve but to kindle the flame 
 " of perfecution, and banifh chriftian charity from 
 *' the habitations of men ?" 
 
 THESE objections will feem plaufib'e to many, 
 tho' they will not fo much be levelled againft any 
 particular performance, as againft every proteftanc 
 minifter in general, who ihall have the noble re- 
 folution to difcharge the important duties of his 
 office, in the prefent emergency. I fhall, therefore, 
 a 3 endeavour 
 
6 The Duty of Proteflant Mlnifters 
 
 endeavour to ftrip fuch objedions of their falfe 
 varnim, and (hew that to admit them in their 
 full force, tends clearly to involve the worjd in 
 error and flavery. 
 
 IT is indeed a melancholy confideration that 
 fuch a tafk fhould be necefTary at this day, even 
 under the happy aufpices of Liberty and a reformed 
 Religion. But I know that, in the courfe of your 
 duty here, you will find arguments ftill wanting 
 to combat prejudices of this kind, and even to 
 plead before very partial judges the caufe of a pro- 
 teftant miniflry. And it is our good fortune that 
 fuch arguments may readily be produced, even 
 upon principles of reafon and good policy, if thofe 
 of a higher nature mould be refufed. 
 
 WE may grant that, in the infancy of time, 
 when men lived in a difperft (late, it was poiTible 
 that every one might be Prieft as well as King in 
 his own family. Not being as yet collected into 
 larger focieties, men were not then engaged in that 
 conftant round of action, which hath fince been 
 the lot of their fhort- lived pofterity. Their man- 
 ners were more fimple ; the diftinctions between 
 right and wrong were lefs perplexed ; and they had 
 leifure to attend not only to the dictates of a heart 
 lefs corrupt, but a!fo to thofe pofitive injunctions, 
 received occafionally from God himfelf, converfing 
 face to face, or handed down from their firft pa- 
 rents, in pure and faithful tradition. 
 
 BUT altho* in thefe times of fimplicity, as they 
 are defcribed to us, we may fuppofe every man ca- 
 pable 
 
in ffmts of public "Danger. j 
 
 pable of di (covering his own duty, and offering up 
 the pure and fpiritual worship of his own heart, 
 yet firch a worfhip was too refined, abftracled 
 and folitary, to laft always. Human affairs foon 
 became more complicated. Societies were necefTa- 
 rily formed ; and this facred intercourfe of individu- 
 als, with the FATHER of LOVE, foon began to de- 
 cay. The avocations of life made many forget it 5. 
 and many more were too much funk in ignorance 
 and indolence, to mark thofe difplays of wifdom, 
 power and goodnefs, which ought to raife it rn the 
 breaft. Such perfons could fee the fun fet and 
 rife, and could turn their fight upon the fpacious 
 fky, without adoring the Maker's greatnefs, or ex- 
 tolling his wifdom. They could wander, with un- 
 confcious gaze in the midft of nature, neither lifton- 
 ing to her voice, nor joining in her grand chorus 
 to creative goodnefs. 
 
 Now it was eafy to forefee, that this defection of 
 individuals from their Almighty Parent, might not 
 only fpread itfeif into general corruption, but in- 
 volve particular focieties in temporal mifery, Ic 
 therefore became neceffary to inftitute a focial wor- 
 Ihip, by which all the members of a community 
 might be afiembled, in one folemn act, to give 
 fome public mark of that homage of heart, which 
 was univerfally agreed to be due to the fupreme 
 head of the focial fyllem. 
 
 FROM this time, then, a chief ruler, to admini- 
 
 fter law and fuperintend the public weal, was not 
 
 -a more falutary inftitution, than the feparate infti- 
 
 a 4 tution 
 
8 fte Duty of Proteftant Miniflers 
 
 tution of an order of men to prefide in thefe folemn 
 acts of devotion, and to form the minds of the 
 people to the knowledge both of law and duty. 
 For adtion follows opinion , and, in order to aft 
 right, we mud firft learn to think right. 
 
 THUS, the Priefthood feems to reft on the 
 fame foundation with Society itfelf, and takes its 
 rife from the neceflity of human affairs, which re- 
 quires fome inftitution for aflifting the Bufy, rouz- 
 ing the Indolent, and informing All. Without 
 this, every other inftitution for the good of man- 
 kind would be found imperfect ; and there never 
 was a fociety of any kind that did not find it ne- 
 ceflary, under fome name or another, to appoint 
 certain perfons, whofe particular bufinefs it might 
 be, to ftudy and explain what was conceived to be 
 the great interefts of that fociety, efpecially to fuch 
 of its members as had lefs opportunity or ability 
 of informing themfelves. 
 
 WE fee, then, that the office of fuch an order of 
 men (call them priefts, or by any other name) is 
 important in its original, and noble in its defign ; 
 being nothing lefs than the great defign of making 
 men wife and happy wife in knowing and hap- 
 py in doing what God requires of them. 
 
 BUT what is it that God requires us to know and 
 to do as the means of happinefs ? Is it not to know 
 and do homage to him as our fupreme good, and 
 to know and do our duty in the feveral relations he 
 hath appointed us to fuftain ? 
 
 SHALL 
 
in Times of public Danger. $ 
 
 SHALL thofe, then, who are called to inftrudt 
 mankind be told after this, that things belonging 
 to civil happinefs fall not within their fyhere ? Hath. 
 .not God himfelf joined the table of foclal duties to 
 that of Religious ones ? Hath he not, in his be- 
 nevolent conftitution of things, made temporal 
 wifdom and happinefs introductory to that which 
 is eternal ? And fhall we perveriely put afunder 
 what God hath fo kindly joined ? Or is it not evi- 
 dently our duty, as Teachers, to explain to others 
 their great interefts, not only as they are creatures 
 of God, but alfo as they are members of a particu- 
 lar Community ? 
 
 THE contrary doctrine would foon pave the way 
 to entire wretchednefs. For what nation hath ever 
 preferved a true fenfe of virtue, when the fenfe of 
 liberty was extinct ? Or, in particular, could the 
 proteftant religion be maintained, if the fpirit of 
 proteftant liberty were fuffered to decay ? Are 
 they not fo intimately connected, that to divide 
 them would be to deftroy both ? 
 
 INDEED, languid and remifs as many of our 
 profefuon are faid to be, yet to them is greatly 
 owing what fenfe of virtue and liberty is flill left 
 in this remote part of the globe. Had not they, 
 or fome of them at lead, from time to time, boldly 
 raifed their voice, and warned and exhorted their 
 fellow-citizens, mix'ng temporal with eternal con- 
 cerns, moft certainly popifn error and popifh fla- 
 very (perhaps heathen error and heathen flavery) 
 had long ere now overwhelmed us! Where, then, 
 
 would 
 
io fbe Duty of Proteftant MiniJIers 
 
 would have been the bleffings purchased by our re* 
 formation and glorious revolution ? Or, where 
 would have been that inedimable liberty of con- 
 fciencc, which, as the bed things may be moft rea- 
 dily abufed, 
 
 " Now views with fcornful, yet with jealous eyes, 
 " Thofe very arts that caufed itfelf to rife ? 
 
 POPE. 
 
 BUT further, in favour of the point in queftion, 
 I might here alfo bring the fanftion of God himfelf, 
 and plead the example of our blefied Lord and 
 mailer, that great high-pried and beft preacher of 
 righteoufnefs, who had a tear yes, a heart- fhed 
 tear for the civil diftrefs incumbent over the very 
 country that crucified him, and would have led its 
 inhabitants to fliun their temporal as well as their 
 eternal mifery. 
 
 BUT this I pafs over, as I know you will have 
 to deal with thofe who will be for trying every 
 thing at the bar of what they call impartial Keafon. 
 I have, therefore, hinted fuch reaions as I think 
 will hold immutably true, in focieties of every 
 kind, even in the moft enlightened, and far more fo 
 in thofe that are circumdanced as we are at prefent. 
 
 WE are a people, thrown together from various 
 quarters of the world, differing in all things 
 language, manners and fentiment. We are bled 
 with privileges, which to the Wife will prove a 
 Sanctuary, but to the Foolifh a rock of offence. 
 Liberty never deigns to dwell but with a prudent, 
 afenfible and manly people, Our general conduct, 
 
 I fear, 
 
in Times of public Danger. 1 1 
 
 I fear, will fcarce entitle us to this character in 
 its proper degree. We are apt either to grovel 
 beneath the true fpirit of freedom ; or, when 
 we aim at fpirit, to be borne, by an unbridled 
 fiercenefs, to the other extreme; not keeping 
 to that rational medium, which is founded on a 
 more enlarged and refined turn of fentiment. 
 Add to all this, that an enterprifing enemy be- 
 hind us is ready to feize every advantage againft 
 us. We are continually advancing nearer to one 
 another in our frontier fettlements, and have here 
 no fur rounding ocean, or impafiible barrier be- 
 tween us. 
 
 Now, in fuch a fituation, what can ever unite 
 us among orurfelves, or keep us a feparate people 
 from our crafty foes, but the confcioufnefs of 
 having feparate interefts, both civil and religious? 
 It mould, therefore, be the conftant endeavour 
 of the clergy, in all their public addrefles, to 
 infpire evei-y bofom with a rational zeal tor our 
 holy Proteflant Faith, and an utter averfion to 
 all forts of flavery, efpecially in the prefent 
 emergency. 
 
 How far a juft fenfe of our ineftimable privi- 
 leges, will contribute to exalt the genius of one 
 people above another, is evident from the con- 
 duct of our brave countrymen, in the colonies 
 . to the northward. Their preachers have been 
 long accuftomed to dwell much upon the rights 
 of Britons and of Proteftants. In confequence 
 of this, to their immortal honour, they are now 
 
 I acting, 
 
1 2 tfhe Duty of froteflont Miniftefs 
 
 acting, as one man, like Britons and Proteftarrts, 
 in defence of thofe rights. 
 
 AMONG us, on the contrary, where the few, 
 who ought to explain thofe noble fubjects, la- 
 bour under many difadvantages, which I need 
 not mention to you, a quite different * temper 
 and fpirit are to be feen. We either think it 
 unlawful to aft at all in the aflertion of thefe 
 facred rights ; or if we act, it is only with half 
 a heart, as if but half informed with that fu- 
 blime fpirit, which is kindled by the love of 
 Truth and Freedom, and burns in the bofom, 
 like fome pure etherial flame, lighting the foul 
 to deeds of virtue and renown. 
 
 EVERY endeavour, therefore, to kindle up 
 this all-enlivening flame, and exalt our country's 
 Genius, is truly worthy a Preacher's character, 
 notwithftanding ten thoufand fuch frivolous ca- 
 vils as thofe above-mentioned ; every one of 
 which falls of courfe, on the removal of the fun* 
 damental one. For, having already (hewn, than 
 it becomes thofe who are placed as Watchmen 
 on the walls of our holy Zion, to " cry aloud 
 " and fpare not," on the approach of every 
 thing that can " hurt or make us afraid," either 
 
 * This was the ftate of things at the time of writing the 
 above, when fome unhappy difputes and prejudices greatly 
 retarded the public fervice of the country. But thefe beitfg 
 at length done away, it muft in juftice be owned that full 
 compenfation hath, in the iffue, been made for this firft ds- 
 
 lay, 
 
 in 
 
 8 
 
in 'Times of public "Danger. 13 
 
 in our civil or religious capacity ; furely no 
 warmth can be unfeafonable at a time when all 
 that we account dear or facred is threatened with 
 one indifcriminate ruin. 
 
 THOSE who are in good earned, in the great 
 work of imlrucling others, will fuit themfelves 
 to feafons and occafions ; and for a Preacher to 
 neglect the prefent opportunity of making im- 
 preffions of holinef;, and diffufing a juil fenfe of 
 thofe excellent privileges, which are but too little 
 underftood, though fully enjoyed among us, 
 would be the mod unpardonable breach of duty. 
 
 IT were, no doubt, fmcerely to be wifhed, that 
 the harfa voice of difcord, and the clangor of the 
 trumpet, could be for ever hufhed in the world. 
 And we, in particular, who preach the Kingdom 
 of the MESSIAH, cannot but prize and even adore 
 Peace, as it is the chief of blefiings, and aufpicious 
 to Religion and all the belt interefts of mankind. 
 But the greater this blefting is, the more neceflaqr 
 it often becomes to aflert it again ft thofe who de- 
 light in violence and blood. There is no unmixed 
 felicity in this imperfect flate. It was only in 
 Eden and the flate of Innocence, where the rofe 
 bloomed without its thorn ; and till we are ad- 
 mitted into a kingdom of univerfal righteoufneds, 
 we muft not look for the blefllngs of peace, en- 
 tirely free from the miferies of war. While we 
 have public fins, we muft expect public chaftife- 
 piems. 
 
 WITH 
 
14 be "Duty of P rot eft ant Minifters 
 
 WITH regard to the lafl objedion, which I faid 
 might probably be levelled againft fuch fermons 
 as yours, I would obferve, that I think the fub- 
 jed of Popery can never be exhaufted, while the 
 danger of it remains ; and tho* it may be a fub- 
 ject well underftood by thofe who have been long 
 blefTcd with faithful Proteftant paftors, yet this 
 cannot be the cafe with thofe who have had fo 
 few advantages of this kind as your infant con- 
 gregations. 
 
 INDEED, that you fhould be more than ordina- 
 rily alarmed at this mod finguiar crifis, is not to be 
 wondered at. For, while we fit as yet fafe in our 
 metropolis, your fituation on the frontiers is moft 
 dreadful; and our laft accounts from you are 
 
 truly diftreffing to humanity The army fent 
 
 to your protection, defeated, retreating and leav- 
 ing you defencelefs behind them ! Murderers 
 flealing thro* midnight darknefs, and polluting 
 the bed of reft * with favage death! Our poor 
 Back-fettlers, who, after much hardfhip and toil, 
 had juft begun to tafte eafe and comfort, daily 
 forced from their habitations, leaving their un- 
 reaped Harvefts to the fpoiler ; and what is far 
 
 more fevere leaving, fome a beloved wife, 
 
 fome an affectionate hufband, fome a tender pa- 
 rent, a brother or a fon, leaving them bleeding 
 beneath the unrelenting hand of mercilefs barba- 
 rians ! 
 
 * The inhuman butcheries and outrages of the Indians. 
 
 Is 
 
in Times of public Danger. 15 
 
 INT fuch a cafe, (hall we be filent to avoid the 
 imputation of too much warmth ? Shall we ex- 
 pofe ourfelves to worfe than perfecution, for fear 
 of ftirring up a perfecution of others? The reft 
 of the foregoing objections would only lead us 
 to give up all concern for the civil rights of our 
 fellow citizens; but this goes farther, and, under 
 an extraordinary fliew of benevolence, would in- 
 duce us tamely to yield up our facred Truth and 
 religious rights alfo, for fear of being thought 
 rude and uncharitable to fuch as leek to rob us of 
 them. Surely we may guard againft Jlavi/h and 
 erroneous doctrines, without any breach of our 
 Chriftian chanty towards thofe who have unhip- 
 pily embraced fuch doctrines. And furely we 
 may drive to awaken in every proteftanc bofom 
 a due fenfe of our exalted privileges, and a nobfe 
 rcfolution to defend them againft every foreign 
 invader, without kindling the flame of perfec- 
 tion againft any of thofe who have praccably 
 ftueltered themfeives amongft us, upon the Faith 
 of a rational Toleration. 
 
 MOST certainly, my Friend, all this may be 
 
 done , and I think it has been clearly fhewn that 
 
 all this ought to be done by every minifter, and 
 
 more efpt-cially thofe of our national church, 
 
 .which is the great bulwark of the proteftant inte- 
 
 reft. And, indeed, we who belong to that church, 
 
 .can want no farther arguments on this head 
 
 when we have the example of that great and good 
 
 prelate 
 
1.6 ttt Duty cf Protejlant Minijlers 
 
 prelate * who now prefides over it. In his civil 
 capacity, I need not mention the noble (land 
 which he made in his diocefe of York, during the 
 late rebellion. It will never be forgotten by 
 Englifhmen. And, in his epifcopal capacity, 
 when that danger was over, if you read his fer- 
 mon preached at Kenfington, on the Faft-day, 
 January yth, 1747* you will there find him as 
 (trenuoufly engaged for the prefervation of the 
 public Virtue of his country, as he had been be- 
 fore for the prefervation of its public Liberty ; 
 confidering the one as infeparable from the other, 
 and breathing forth that candid benevolence to 
 his fpecies, together with that tempered zeal for 
 the proteftant religion, and the rights of the Bri- 
 tifh nation, which diftinguifh his character. 
 
 AND here I cannot forbear the tranfcribing a 
 paragraph of a late rnoft excellent letter, which 
 I had the honour to receive from him by your 
 hands. It is not foreign to the fubjecl: we arc 
 now upon ; and I perfuade myfelf that you will 
 make the fame good ufe of it, which, by the help 
 of God, I fliall ftrive to do. 
 
 '* You will, fays he, not only maintain, but 
 " certainly encreafe your credit, by promoting 
 *' the intereft of your country and the honour 
 " religion ; in which I will venture to call it the 
 ?_ golden rule of conduft, to keep ftridly to the 
 
 * Archbilhop Herring. 
 
 " fpii 
 
In Times of public Danger. 17 
 
 " fpirit of Proteftantifm, and to preferve the dig- 
 " nicy of our eftablifhment, in the temper of 
 " every reafonable degree of Liberty." 
 
 THIS is a golden rule indeed j and while we 
 frame our conduct by it, we need not be awed 
 by the faces of men, but boldly proceed to 
 warn and exhort them in every fpecies of duty. 
 *Tis true, we have but few temporal advantages, 
 in thefe parts, to fupport us in fuch a noble caufe, 
 but yet we are not left dcftitute of the moft ani- 
 mating motives. Whilft others are propofing, 
 and juftly propofing, to themfelves the palm of 
 high renown, for bravely fubduing and maintain- 
 ing a rich and fpacious country for the name of 
 Britain and Liberty, we may confider ourfelves 
 even in a dill higher light, as fubduing it to the 
 Name of CHRIST, and adding it to his everlaft- 
 ing kingdom! Compared to this, the glory of 
 temporal conquefts and foundations is but unfub- 
 ftantial air, and more-lived renown ! 
 
 HENCE, then, my Friend, were it my lot to be 
 
 in your fituation, at this perilous feafon, me- 
 
 thinks I mould confider myfelf as one who had 
 
 ; advanced to the very frontiers of thofe places to 
 
 which the gofpel hath yet reached, and among 
 
 ' the firft who had unfolded its everlafting banners 
 
 in the re meted parts of the Weft. Recede * I 
 
 b would 
 
 * The gentleman to whom this was addrefTed, as well as 
 fome Minifters of other denominations, did a few months af- 
 ter this find it necdiary to appear at the head of their people, 
 
 and 
 
i8 The Duty of Proteftavt Minifters 
 
 would not, nor give back a Tingle inch to the 
 gloomy reign of Heathenifm and Error j but 
 would drive to fubject dill more and more to 
 the kingdom of God and his Chrift. To fee 
 the fire and vigour of youth fpent in fuch a work, 
 is indeed a mod lovely fpectacle, becaufe they 
 are fpent in his fervice who* gave us both youth 
 and fire ! And if we exert ourfelves manfully 
 in fuch a caufe, who knows, but at length, 
 through Almighty aflldance, a flame may be 
 , kindled which fhall not only exalt every bofom 
 among us to an equality with the foremod of 
 our neighbours, but (hall alfo burn, and catch 
 and fpread, like a wide conflagration, till it has 
 illuminated the remoted parts of this immenfe 
 continent ! 
 
 I WOULD not, however, be underdood from 
 any thing here faid, to think it expedient for 
 Miniders of the Gofpel to interfere any farther in 
 civil concerns than is jud necefiary to fupport 
 that fpirit of Liberty, with which our holy Re- 
 ligion is fo infeparably connected ; for fuch a 
 conduct might engage us in broils, ruffle our 
 tempers, and unfit us for the more folemn 
 part of our duty. Nor do I think we ought to 
 dwell any farther on the errors of others, than 
 jud to enable thofe, with whom we are connec- 
 ted, to fhun them j led, indead of the fpirit of 
 
 and were fignally inftrumental in preventing fome of the 
 Frontier-counties from being toially abandoned by their in- 
 habitant?. , 
 
 true 
 
in Times of public Danger. 19 
 
 true holinefs, a fpirit of Vain-glory, Self-righteouf- 
 nefs, and Hypocritical-pride, fhould be promoted. 
 *Tis true, as hath been already faid, that we 
 can never be too much upon our guard againft 
 the growth of a corrupt and fiavifh religion 
 among us, but we may be in as much danger, 
 on the other hand, from Infidelity, a rnorofe and 
 cenforious fpirit, and a neglect of the practice 
 of all Religion. Hence, then, tho' on proper 
 occafions, we are to rife with a noble contention 
 of foul, againft Vice and Error -, yet ftill our 
 favourite fubjects ought to be on the brighter 
 fide of things to recommend the love of God 
 and our neighbours, together with the practice 
 of every focial and divine virtue. 
 
 I WOULD juft obferve farther, tho 5 , in fuch 
 circumftances as the prefent, Sermons from rhe 
 Prefs may be fometimes both necefiary and fea- 
 fonable, yet I am far from thinking that this 
 will be our mod effectual method of ferving Re- 
 ligion, in general. We (hall be vaftfy more ufeful 
 in this caufe, by being much among the people 
 committed to our care, and knowing how to ac- 
 commodate our private as well as public inftruc- 
 tions to their various difpofitions and necefTities. 
 THAT the Author of every good gift may en- 
 able you to be more and more uiefui in this and 
 every thing elfe that can adorn the^character of 
 a Preacher of Righteoufnefs, is my fmcere wilh, 
 as I cannot think myfeif indifferent to any thing 
 that affects the credit of your mini dry. I am >&?*-. 
 Philadelphia, 2ift Auguft, 1755. 
 
 b 2 N U M- 
 
NUMBER II. 
 
 An earnefl Addrefs to the Colonies, parti- 
 cularly thofe of the Southern Dijlritt , on 
 the opening of the Campaign, 1758: Writ- 
 ten and pubtifoed at the Defire of Briga- 
 dier-General FORBES, when levying Forces 
 for .the Expedition again ft Fort Du Quefne, 
 which was afterwards taken by him. 
 
 BRETHREN and COUNTRYMEN, 
 
 I AM now to addrefs you, in the mod fo- 
 lemn manner, on the prefent pofture of af- 
 fairs, and the duty we owe to his facred ma- 
 jefty, to our holy religion, and to our lateft po- 
 flerity, on this important occafion. As I would 
 be underftood by all, I fhall not affeft a vain pa- 
 rade of words, or pomp of (tile. Brevity and 
 perfpicuity mall be my principal aim. 
 
 b 2 THE 
 
22 dddrefs to the Colonies 
 
 THE almighty author of our nature has 
 thought fit to create man a needy and dependent 
 being, incapable of fubfifting in a folitary ftate 
 with any degree of happinefs. In order to his 
 well-being a mutual interchange of good offices 
 with his fellow- creatures is abfolutely necefTary. 
 
 HENCE the origin aV.d foundation of civil fo- 
 cieties, which are nothing eife but certain bodies 
 of men linked together by common compact or 
 agreement, for the better fecuring themfelves 
 againft Want, and defending themfelves againft 
 Danger. In confequence of this compact, every 
 individual is under the moft folemn obligations 
 to contribute what he can, for the general wel- 
 fare 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 deno- 
 minated public Virtue and Love of our Country ; 
 than which, human nature boafls of no qualities 
 that are more amiable or more divine. Both 
 reafon and religion inculcate this in the ftrongeft 
 terms. A narrow felfrm (pint is odious to God 
 2nd Man-, and no community ever fubfifted long 
 where fuch a fpirit difgraced its members. It is 
 fcarce to be conceived how great a difference 
 public virtue makes in the (late of nations. Ani- 
 mated by it, the fmalleft remain powerful and 
 fate; while, without it, the moft populous are 
 phe moll defpicable and weak. 
 
 THE 
 

 
 I 
 
 en opening the Campaign, 1758. 23 
 
 THE little ftate of Sparta was an illuftrious 
 proof of this. To acknowlege no lord or ma- 
 fler; to live independent and free; to be go- 
 verned by their own laws and cuftoms ; to pre- 
 ferve themfelves from corruption, felfifhnefs and 
 effeminacy; and to be the avengers of juftice 
 and the fcourges of tyranny were the higheft 
 blefllngs which Spartans knew ; and whenever 
 they were called to exert themfelves on this fcore, 
 they declined neither toils nor dangers nor fuffer- 
 ings. The blaze of public fpiric then (hone il- 
 luftrious from bofom to bofom, till it had effec- 
 tually fubdued and confumed the enemies of their 
 country. Their very women fliared 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 chaf- 
 tize the infolence of their enemies, or perifh in 
 the glorious attempt. 
 
 SEEING then, my countrymen, fuch was the 
 virtue of a Spartan, and even of a Spartan wo- 
 man, what may not be expected from Britons ; 
 who, added to all the advantages which the for- 
 mer enjoyed, have that of the chriftian religion 
 and its everlafting profpects to animate and in- 
 flame their conduct ? We are, or might be, the 
 happieft and moil enlightened people in the 
 world; and, by confequence, we ought to be 
 the braved. 
 
 b 4 WERE 
 
24. Addrefs to the Colonies 
 
 WERE we to caft our eyes over this globe, 
 and to take a view of the condition of our fel- 
 low creatures in other countries - 9 how fhould 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 a little better 
 footing than their cattle themfelves ; I might 
 carry you through Afia and Africa, to mew you 
 the deplorable ftate of human nature in thofe 
 countries, groaning under a race of monfters 
 that difgrace their very fhape, and in a condi- 
 tion fo compleatly miferable, that you have 
 neither feen nor can imagine any thing of the 
 J^ind. The wild favage, that roams the wilder- 
 nefs, is infinitely happier than they. 
 
 BUT I fhall not take up 'your time with thefe 
 eaftern fcenes of fervitude and woe. Thanks 
 be to God ! we are as far removed from the dan- 
 ger of them, as we are from the place of their 
 exiftence. Our apprehenfions 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 fketc^ of the fituation we mould 
 be in, under their government and power. 
 
 AND, on this head, I would obferve firfl that 
 among them, you would in vain look for that 
 happy equality and fecurity which you enjoy 
 
 here. 
 
en opening the Campaign, 1758. 25 
 
 here. All the property of the fubjed: lies there 
 at the abfolute difpofal of the fovereign ; and the 
 poor labourer has no encouragement to be induf- 
 trious or get before hand in the world, fince he 
 can neither be certain to comfort himfelf there- 
 by, nor thofe with whom he is moil nearly con- 
 nected. 
 
 You have frequent opportunities of being in- 
 formed of the manner in which the French are 
 forced to live near ourfelves in Canada. You 
 know on what poor fare all, who can bear arms 
 among them, are obliged to follow their arbi- 
 trary leaders through thefe inhofpitable Ame- 
 rican woods ; feldom enjoying a comfortable 
 meal, unlefs by chance they can feize it from 
 us, which makes them the more eager to dif- 
 poflefs us of thefe happy lettlements, and to 
 reap the fruit of our labours. 
 
 BUT, added to all their other miferies, the 
 greateft is, that they are not only deprived of 
 freedom of Body, but even of Mind. Inftead 
 of being permitted to pour forth the genuine 
 Worlhip of the Heart, before the great Creator 
 of Heaven and Earth, they are obliged to pay a 
 mock adoration to thofe " who are no Gods !" 
 Inftead of putting their truft in his mercies, thro' 
 the only Mediator Jefus Chrifl, they are taught 
 to put a vain confidence in relicks, and departed 
 fpirits, and thofe who can afford no help. In- 
 ftead 
 
26 Addrefs to the Colonies 
 
 ftead of following the plain di&ates of common 
 fenfe and the light of their own understandings, 
 they muft fubmit to be hood- winked, and to have 
 their confciences ridden, 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 every man 
 may freely tafte the fruits of his own labours, 
 " under his Vine and under his Fig-tree, none 
 making him afraid." If God has blefled 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 exact a fingle Farthing 
 of our eftates, but what we have firft freely con- 
 fented to pay by laws of our own making. We 
 cannot be dragged oat, in violation of Juftice 
 and Right, to wade in feas of blood, for fatiat- 
 ing the avarice or ambition of a haughty mo- 
 narch. We need not fear Rucks, nor Stripes, 
 nor Bonds, nor ARBITRARY IMPRISONMENTS, 
 from any authority whatfoever ; or could fuch 
 prevail for a time above Law, yet, while the 
 conftitution remains found, we may be fure the 
 very act would foon deftroy itfelf, and terminate 
 at length in the utter ruin of the projectors. 
 
 'Tis our happinefs too that our Minds are as 
 Free as our Bodies. No man can impofe his 
 
 own 
 
on opening the Campaign , 1758. 27 
 
 own Dogmas or notions upon our Conferences. 
 We may worfhip the GOD of our Fathers, the 
 only living and true GOD, in that manner which 
 appears mod agreeable to our own underftand- 
 ings, and his revealed Will. The Bible is in 
 our hands ; we are aflifted by an orthodox go- 
 fpel-miniftry ; we may fearch and know the 
 Words of eternal Life ; and, what is equally 
 valuable, we may convey what we know to 
 our children after us, no man having it in his 
 power to wreft their Education from us. 
 
 THIS, my dear countrymen, is happinefs in- 
 deed ! and what ftill enhances it, is the confide- 
 ration that we are not only called to enjoy it 
 burfdves, but perhaps to be the inftruments of 
 diffufing it over this vafl continent, to the na- 
 tions that fit Ci in darknefs and the fhadow of 
 " Death." 
 
 SURELY the thought of this ought to roufe 
 every fpark of virtue in our bofoms. Could an 
 nntient Spartan rufh into the field of death, upon 
 the motives mentioned above ; and is there any 
 d < gtr which a Briton ought to decline for the fake 
 oi uiefe ineftimable privileges? Or mall a French 
 flave and popifh bigot, at this day, do more for 
 the glory of his tyrannical Lord, than a Free- 
 man and Proteftant for the befl of Kings, and 
 the Father of his people ? 
 
 THIS land was given to us for propagating 
 Freedom, eftablifhing ufeful Arts, and extend- 
 
 ing 
 
28 Addrefs to tie Colonies 
 
 ing the kingdom of Jefus. Shall we, then, be 
 falfe to fuch a truft, or pufillanimous in fuch a 
 divine caufe? We have hewn out habitations 
 for ourfelves in an uncultivated wildernefs , and 
 fhall we fuffer them to fail a prey to the mod 
 faithlefs of enemies ? We have unfurled the 
 Median's banner in the remoteft parts of the 
 earth , and fhall we fuffer the bloody flag of Per- 
 fecution to ufurp its place ? We have planted 
 the blefled Gofpel here; and fhall we fuffer 
 Heathen error to return where the glad Tidings 
 of Salvation have once been preached ? 
 
 No, countrymen ! I know your fouls difdain 
 the very thought of fuch a conduct ; and you 
 would rather fuffer ten thoufand deaths (were fo 
 many pofllble) than be guilty of that which 
 would entail infamy on yourfelves, and ruin on 
 your lateft pofterity. 
 
 YOUR readinefs to join in the meafures con- 
 certed for your fafety, and to ftrike a decifive 
 blow againft the enemy, may much determine 
 your future happinefs and fafety as a people ; 
 and I may well truft, when fo much is at ftake, 
 you will not be backward in offering your fer- 
 vice for a few months, under a General of hu- 
 manity, experience, and every amiable accom- 
 plifliment. 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 predecefibrs ! 
 
 I WOULD 
 
en opening the Campaign, 1758. 29 
 
 I WOULD not now wound you, with a difa- 
 greeable recapitulation of our pad mifcondudl 
 and fatal indolence, efpecially in thefe Southern 
 colonies. Many a time has it been in our power 
 to crufh out this dangerous war with a fingle 
 tread of our foot, before it blazed up to its 
 
 prefent height But this we fadly neglected -, 
 
 and, perhaps, the all- wife difpofer of events 
 meant to fhew us that, when our affairs were at 
 the word, he was Mighty to fave. 
 
 NEVER was the Proteflant Caufe in a more def- 
 perate fituation, than towards the clofe of lad 
 campaign. The great and heroic King of Pruf- 
 fia flood ready to be fwaHowed up of the multi- 
 tude of his enemies. The Britifh Nation was 
 torn to pieces by intefline divifions ; its helm 
 continually mifting hands ; too many bent on 
 fordid views of felf-intereft j too few regard- 
 ing the public good , Minorca loft ; Hanover 
 over-run , our fecret expeditions ending in dif- 
 grace ; our forts in America deftroyed ; our 
 people captivated or inhumanly murdered, and 
 our fleets difperfed and mattered before the 
 
 winds 
 
 YET, even then, when no human eye could 
 look for fafety, the Lord interpofed for the Pro- 
 teflant Religion. In the fhort fpace of two 
 months, the king of Pruflia extricated himfelf 
 out of his difficulties, in a manner that aftonifhed 
 all Europe, and will continue to be the admiration 
 
 3 of 
 
30 Addrefs to tie Colonies 
 
 of ages to come! And had we only done our 
 parts in America at that time, the pride of 
 France would have been effectually humbled, 
 and we fliould probably now have been rejoicing 
 in an honorable peace. 
 
 BUT as that was not the cafe, the nation, in. 
 concert with the king of Pruffia and other Pro- 
 teftant powers, has been obliged 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 un- 
 der the burthen, as we all feel. Peace, then, of 
 fome kind or other, mufl be a defirable event , 
 and upon our fuccefs this campaign it may de- 
 pend, whether we {hall 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 
 bleffings you enjoy, and dread the evils that hang 
 over you, rife and fhew yourfelves worthy of the 
 name of Britons ! rife to fecure to your pofterity, 
 peace, freedom, and a pure religion ! rife to cha- 
 ftize a perfidious nation for their breach of trea- 
 ties, 
 
on opening the Campaign , 1758. 31 
 
 ties, their deteftable cruelties, and their horrid 
 murders ! remember the cries of your captivated 
 brethren, your orphan children, your helplefs 
 widows, and thoufands of beggar'd families ! 
 think of Monongahela, Fort-William Henry, 
 and thofe fcenes of favage death, where the mang- 
 led limbs of your fellow- citizens lie flrewed upon 
 the plain , calling upon you to retrieve the ho- 
 nour 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 boldnefs j and the Lord 
 do what feemeth him good ! 
 
 APPENDIX IL 
 
APPENDIX SECOND. 
 NUMBER I. 
 
 GENERAL IDEA 
 
 OF THE 
 
 COLLEGE 
 
 O F 
 
 M I R A N I A. 
 
 The SECOND EDITION, corrected. 
 
 Quid Leges fine Moribus van* proficiunt. 
 
 HOR, 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 nr 9 HE following IDEA of a Seminary of 
 Learning, adapted to the circumftances 
 of a young colony, was drawn up and pub- 
 UJhed, near ten year 3 ago, at the dejire offome 
 gentlemen of New Tork y who were appointed 
 to receive propofah relative to the eftabliflment 
 of a COLLEGE in that province ; and as it 
 contains a pretty exaffi reprefentation of what 
 the author is now endeavouring to realize in 
 the feminary over which he has the honor to 
 prejide in another colony r , he thought that it 
 might be no improper introduction to the Jub- 
 fequent account ofthatjeminary. 
 
 IN a performance written info early ape- 
 riod of life, and defignedly offered as a plan for 
 improvement y the reader will not look for per - 
 feflion. In this edition, however ', feme redun- 
 dancies are retrenched^andfome faults corrected , 
 into which want of experience, hafty public a- 
 tion> and too eafy ajfent,had drawn the author 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 A GENERAL IDEA of the 
 COL LEG E vlMIRANIA. 
 
 To the Truftees by Law appointed, for re- 
 ceiving Propofals, relating to the Efta- 
 bliftiment of a College in New York. 
 
 GENTLEMEN, 
 
 i!(iH>'$ 1 every one that has the intereft and 
 T a reputation of this province at heart, 
 
 &**!$ P articularl 7 to vou > * muft give a 
 very fenfible fatisfa&ion to find, at 
 length, the general attention drawn towards the 
 eftablifhing a public feminary in it, under the 
 patronage of the government, for the inftitution 
 of youth in the liberal arts and fciences. 
 
 The day appointed for the meeting of the 
 general aflembly now draws near^ when, in 
 confequence of a vote of laft feffions, this im- 
 portant affair will be the fubjecl: of their delibe- 
 rations. And, as the plan or idea of the whole 
 inftitution ought, firft of all, to be fixed, that 
 every ftep they take may uniformly tend to the 
 execution of the fame, I thought it my duty to 
 contribute my belt endeavours to this end, as 
 well on account of what I owe to the public, as 
 tofatisfy the expectations of fome gentlemen 
 c 3 who 
 
40 -A General Idea, 
 
 who have, at all times, a right to command 
 
 me. 
 
 While I was ruminating on the conftitu- 
 tions of the feveral colleges, which I had either 
 perfonaliy vifited, or read of, without being 
 able to fix on any, which I could wholly recom- 
 mend as a model for us at preient, I chanced 
 to f^ 1 into the company of a valuable young 
 genu^iian, named Evander^ who is a perfon 
 of fome difti notion of the province of Mirania. 
 After fome converfation on learned topics, he 
 was led to give me an account of a feminary 
 eflablifhed about twelve years ago in that pro- 
 vince, which I thought admirably well fuited to 
 our circumftances, and therefore I have offered 
 it to your confideration and improvement. 
 
 Mirama^ Gentlemen, is one of the provinces 
 of the New World, firil fettled by our country- 
 men, the Englifh, about a century ago. In 
 what degree of latitude it lies is of no import- 
 ance. I am not to w.riue its hiilory, but only 
 to give a general account of its college, and the 
 method of education practifed in it ; which, as 
 nearly as I can remember, I fhp.ll do in Evan-' 
 der's own words, being fenfible that every de- 
 viation from them would be a detect. After a 
 modeft apology, with which I ftiall not trouble 
 you, he began as follows. 
 
 EVAN- 
 
Of the College of Mirania, 41 
 
 E v A N D E R'S Account of the College 
 of MIRANIA. 
 
 IT had been the peculiar happinefs of my 
 countrymen, ever fmce their firil iettle- 
 ment, to enjoy an uninterrupted tranquillity ; 
 at peace with their neighbours, unrival'd in their 
 trade, and bleft in the adminiftraticn of a fuc- 
 ceffion of mild and juft governors, who had the 
 real intereft of the province at heart. Thefe fa - 
 vorable circum fiances had, from time to time, 
 befides conftant fupplies from the mother- 
 country, invited over valt numbers of foreign- 
 ers, who, quitting their native land, fought a 
 calm retreat m Mirania \ where, under the pro- 
 tection of wife and equal laws, they might 
 enjoy the rights of confcience, and the fruits 
 of their own labor. 
 
 Thus, about twelve years ago, the Mira- 
 nians faw themfelves a mighty and florifhing 
 people, in pofiefTion of an extenfive country, 
 capable of producing all the neceffaries and 
 many of the fuperftuities of life. They re- 
 flected that the only method of making thefe 
 natural advantages of lading ufe to themfelves 
 and pofterity, the only infallible iburce of 
 tranquillity, happinefs and glory, was to con- 
 trive and execute a proper fcheme for forming 
 a fuccefiion of fober, virtuous, induftrious 
 
 citi- 
 
42 A General Idea 
 
 citizens, and checking the courfe of growing 
 luxury. They were convinced that, without 
 a pievious good education, the beil laws are 
 little better than verba minantia^ and would 
 often be infringed by powerful villainy ; that 
 the magiftrate can at b. it but frighten vice in- 
 to a corner, and that 5 ns education alone which 
 can mend and rectify the 'heart. 
 
 They faw alfo,'hat, among the foreigners,who 
 were as numerous as the "-Lngiifh themfelves,ma- 
 ny diftinctions were forming upon their different 
 cnftoms, languages and extractions, which, by 
 creating feparate Interefts, might, in the ifTue, 
 prove fatal to the government. They wifely 
 judged, therefore, that nothing could fo much 
 contribute to make fuch a mixture of people 
 coalefce and unite in one common intereft, as 
 the common education cf all the youth at the 
 fame public fchools under the eye of the civil 
 authority. By thefe means, faid they, indif- 
 foluble connexions and friendmips will be 
 formed, prejudices worn off, and the youth 
 will, in time, either forget their extraction, 
 or, from a more liberal education, and manly 
 turn of thought, learn to contemn thofe idle 
 diftinctions that arife among the vulgar, be- 
 caufe their fathers firft fpoke a different lan- 
 guage, or drew air in a different clime. ; 
 With thefe views \hzMiranians applied them- 
 felves to project a plan of education ; every 
 
 per- 
 
Of the College of Mirania. 43 
 
 perfon of genius, learning and experience of- 
 fering his impartial thoughts on this fubject, 
 \vhether in a private or public capacity ; as being 
 fenfible that an undertaking of fuch lafling 
 coniequence demanded the united councils, the 
 heads and hearts, of a whole country. 
 
 The object they kept always in fight, was 
 the eafieil, fimplefl, and mod natural method 
 of forming youth to the knowlege and exer- 
 cife of private and public virtue ; and there- 
 fore they did not fcruple to reject fome things 
 commonly taught at colleges, to add others, 
 and fhorten or invert the order of others, as 
 bed fuited their ci re urn (lances They often 
 had this fe it' nee in their mouth, which I 
 think, in other Words, I have read in TILLOT- 
 SOM, That the knowlege of what tends neither 
 directly nor indirectly to make better men, 
 and better cit zer.s, is but a knowlege of 
 trifles. It is not learning, but a fpecious and 
 ingenious fort of iaienefs. 
 
 We muft not then, faid they, bewilder onr- 
 felves in the fearch of truth, in the vail 
 tomes of ancient fchoolmen , nor in the more 
 refined fpeculations of modern metaphyficians, 
 nor yet in the polemic writings of fubtle 
 caiuifls. Life would be far too fhort to at- 
 tain any proficiency in all the difputes and 
 refearches of this kind, which have fo long 
 puzzled the learned world, and are ilill as 
 
 much 
 
44 ^ General Idea 
 
 much undecided as at firft. Almighty God 
 feems to have fet the knowlege of many 
 things beyond our prefent reach, on purpofe 
 to confound our pride, and whifper to us con- 
 tinually the degeneracy and imperfection of 
 our nature - 9 and when we confider fuch things 
 in this light, we make the only wife ufe of 
 them. For, fuppofe we could live long enough 
 to obtain the exacted proficiency in all thefe 
 points, what would it contribute to the main 
 defign of making better men and better citizens? 
 Why, juft nothing at all ! We ought then, 
 continue they, rejecting things fuperfluous 
 and hypothetical, to mount directly up to fun- 
 damental principles, and endeavour to afcertain 
 the relations in whick we ftand, that we may 
 fuflain, with -dignity, the rank affigned us 
 aiiiong intellectual natures, and move in con- 
 cert, with the reft of creation, in accomplim- 
 ing the great end of all things. 
 
 To fatisfy ourfelves of this, Quid fumus, 6? 
 quidnam vifturi gignlmur^ requires no fuch depth 
 of underftanding, no fuch fubtle reafonings 
 and tedious refearches, as fome would perfuade 
 us. For, befides his revealed will, God has 
 .given intimations of his will to us, by appeal- 
 ing to our fenfes in the conftitution of our na- 
 ture, and the conftitution and harmony of the 
 material univerfe. We have only to reafon 
 by analogy, and correct our reafonings by 
 
 thefe 
 
Of the College of Mirania. 45 
 
 thefe holy oracles. Then the leaft attention 
 will convince us, that what God chiefly expects 
 of us here, is to love him, and all his crea- 
 tures for his fake ; to view, through the me- 
 dium of benevolence and chanty, thofe inccn- 
 fiderable differences, which, in a flate of im- 
 perfection, muft fubfift among free Agents, 
 and which God himielf, perhaps, views with 
 pleafure , to do always the greateft good in 
 our power, whether to ourfelves or fellow- 
 creatures, of whatever country, feel, or deno- 
 mination, they may be ; to act a juft and ho- 
 nefl part in our focial capacity ; and, laftly, 
 as much as pciTible, to repair the ruins of our 
 nature, by improving and enlarging our fa- 
 culties, and confirming ourfelves in habits of 
 virtue, that thus we may, in fome fort, be 
 qualified to be replaced in our original high 
 rank, to which, through the Redeemer's me- 
 rit, we may yet afpire to rife, and be ad- 
 vanced from Itage to ilage of perfection and 
 bliis, through all the endlefs periods of our 
 Being. 
 
 To fay, or even think, our prefent fpan is 
 too fhort for thefe purpofes, is to charge the 
 moil High with injuftice in the conflitution of 
 things. We have, in reality, not only time 
 enough to obey the dictates of reafon and reli- 
 gion, by learning and difcharging the duties 
 we owe to God and man, but fufficient left for 
 
 recrea- 
 
46 A General Idea 
 
 recreation, and innocent amufement; unlefs 
 we will make life too fhort by creating bufmefs 
 for ourfelves, which no way concerns us, and 
 turning our attention to fubjects which, after 
 all our fearches and refearches, will make us 
 neither wifer nor better than when we firft fet 
 out. 
 
 Hence it appears, continued they, of what 
 lafting importance it is, to accuftom youth 
 early to diftinguifh the true from the falfe, by 
 directing their fludies to furh things as come 
 more immediately home to thrir bufmefs and 
 bofoms. Were men as generally agreed what 
 thele things are, as they foon would be, if 
 paflion and prejudice were laid afide, then in- 
 deed the bufmefs of education would be fhort, 
 eafy and pleafant , and the Miranians would 
 have found no difficulty in fixing on a proper 
 and unexceptionable plan for this purpole. But 
 they faw, with concern, that while there were 
 human infirmities, and different opinions to 
 ftruggle with, the beft fcheme they could con- 
 cert, would not be alike acceptable to all, and 
 would be liable to many exceptions and mif- 
 conftrucYions. No matter : that did not deter 
 them from their duty. They had the noble 
 refolution to follow the unbiased di6tar.es of 
 their own good fenfe, confcious that, though 
 they could not project an unexceptionable, far 
 kfs a perfect, plan, they Ihould acquit them - 
 
 felves 
 
Of the College of Mirania.' 47 
 
 felves to GOD, and the uncorrupted judgment 
 of pofterity, by rendering it as perfect as they 
 could, and delivering it down in a condition 
 of being improved as often as circum fiances 
 might alter, and experience difcover defects 
 in it. 
 
 But it would be needlefs to trouble you with 
 all the difficulties and toils they encountered, 
 before they brought the fcheme to the point 
 of perfection aimed at. I mall therefore give 
 you an account of the whole, as it now ftands j 
 in which you will not expect that I mould be 
 very particular, as a full detail of every thing 
 worth notice in fuch an inftitution, would fur- 
 nifh matter for a volume. 
 
 With regard to learning, the Miranians di- 
 vide the whole body of people into two grand 
 clafTes. The firft confifts of thofe defigned for 
 the learned profefTions ; by which they under- 
 fland divinity ', law, phyfic, and the chief offices 
 of the flate. The fecond clafs confifts of thofe 
 defigned for the mechanic profeflions, and all 
 the remaining people of the country. 
 
 Such a divifion is abfolutely neceflary ; for, 
 if the fhorteft way of forming youth to act in 
 their proper fpheres, as good men and good 
 citizens, ought always to be the object of edu- 
 cation, thefetwo clafles fhould be educated on 
 a very different plan. The knowlege of the 
 learned languages, as the means of acquiring 
 
 other 
 
48 A General Idea 
 
 other ufeful knowledge, is indifpenfibly necef- 
 fary to the firft clafs. To the fecond, the 
 time thus fpent might be otherwife employed* 
 as they never have occafion to make ufe of 
 thofe languages. A lefs extenfive acquaintance 
 with the fciences, except arithmetic and mathe- 
 matics, will alfo ferve their purpofe. 
 
 Any fcheme, then, that 'either propofes to 
 teach both thefe grand claries after the fame 
 manner, or is wholly calculated for one of 
 them a without regarding the other, mufl be 
 very defective. And yet fo it is, that public 
 feminaries are almoft univerfally calculated for 
 the firft clafs ; while a collegiate fchool for the 
 inftruction of the latter, is rarely to be met with. 
 This clafs of people, by far the moft nume- 
 rous, and alfo the hands and flrength of every 
 government, are overlooked, and have no- 
 thing but this alternative left thetn, either to 
 be fatisfied with what fmall portion of the arts 
 and fciences they can glean at private fchools, 
 or to go through a courfe of learning at col- 
 leges, for which they have neither time nor 
 ufe. 
 
 Thefe confiderations gave rife to what is 
 called the Mechanic's School, or Academy, in this 
 feminary, which is no other way connected 
 with what is called the College, (by way of 
 diftinction) than by being under the inflection 
 of the fame Truftees, and the government of 
 
 the 
 
Of tie College of Mirania. 49 
 
 the fame Body of Mafters. Moft of the bran- 
 ches of fcience 9 taught in the college, are 
 taught in this fchool ; but then they are taught 
 without languages, and in a more compen- 
 dious manner, as the circumftances and bufi- 
 nefs of the common clafs of people require. 
 This fchool is fo much like the Englijh fchool 
 and academy in * Philadelphia^ that a particu- 
 lar account of it here is needlefs. 
 
 Nine years are fufficient to compleat the 
 mechanic's education in this fchool , proportion- 
 able to which are nine forms or clafTes. In the 
 three lo weft, #/*/# is taught grammatically,and 
 as a language, with writing. In the fix higher 
 clafles, Englijh and writing are continued, at 
 the fame time that accompts, mathematics, 
 oratory, chronology, hiftory, the mod plain 
 and ufeful parts of natural and mechanic 
 philofophy, are taught , to which is added, 
 Something of hufbandry and chymiftry, which, 
 as improved of late, they efteem a very ufeful 
 branch of inftruction. 
 
 Thus, at about fifteen year's of age, the me- 
 chanic's education is finifhed ; and he comes 
 out well qualified to make a good figure in 
 every profeffion, wherein languages are not re- 
 quired. The Miranians value themielves high- 
 ly on the inftitution of this fchool ; and often 
 tell ftrangers, that, as a trading people, it is 
 
 of 
 
 * Firft fketched out by the ingenious Dr. Franklin of 
 that Place, 
 
O 'A General Idea 
 
 of as great importance to them, as the college 
 
 for breeding men for the learned profefTions , 
 
 of which I proceed now to fpeak. But, pre- 
 
 paratory thereto, I mufl give fome account 
 
 of 
 
 LATIN SCHOOL. 
 
 This fchool is divided into five great forms, 
 or claffes, correfponding to the five years 
 the youth continue in it , which, in a general 
 way, is found to be long enough. Such of the 
 youth as are intended for the learned profef- 
 fions, are moved into this fchool from the third 
 form of the academy, or Englijh fchool men. 
 tioned above, provided they be nine years of 
 age, can write tolerably, and can read and ar- 
 ticulate die Englijh Tongue. The firft four 
 years are wholly given to the Latin tongue, 
 and improving the youth in Englijh and wri- 
 ting at leiiure hour?. The fifch year, the 
 higheft clafs divides the day between Latin and 
 Creek \ proceeding thro' the Greek Declenfions 
 and Conjugations, St. Luke's Gofpel, Luciaa's 
 Dialogues, &c. Thus, at fourteen years of age, 
 well verfed in the Latin tongue, with fome 
 foundation in the Greek, the youth are entered 
 into 
 
 f be FIRST CLASS of the COLLEGE. 
 
 This is called the Greek Clafs ; in which, as 
 in every other, clafs, the . youth remain one 
 
 'yean 
 
Of the College of Mirania. 51 
 
 year. In the forenoon they read Theocritus' 
 Idyllic^ with fome felect pieces of Hefiod^ Ho- 
 mer and Xenophon. In the afternoon they 
 learn arithmetic, vulgar and decimal; mer- 
 chants accompts, fome parts of algebra, and 
 fome of the firft books of Euclid. 
 
 The SECOND CLASS. 
 The next year is fpent in this clals; the 
 mafter of which is ftyled ProfeJJbr of Mathema- 
 tics. He carries the youth forward in algebra, 
 teaches the remainder of the firft fix books of 
 Euclid^ together with the eleventh and twelfth, 
 and alfo the elements of geometry, aftronomy, 
 chronology, navigation, and other moll ufeful 
 branches of the mathematics. So much of 
 logic and metaphyfics as is ufeful, is joined 
 with mathematics ; but a fmall fpace of time 
 ferves for thefe fludies, logic in particular, as 
 commonly underftood, being in fome difrepute 
 among them. They, therefore, bend their 
 chief attention this year, to the more advan- 
 tageous ftudy of mathematics, which, by the 
 bye, they efteem the beft fyftem of logics that 
 can be given to youth. The evolution of ma- 
 thematical truths, through a chain of propofi- 
 tions, contributes more, in one year, fay they, 
 to expand the faculties of the mind, and accuf- 
 tom it, by a juft attention to intricate fubjects, 
 to reafon clofely and in train, than a life fpent in 
 
 d the 
 
52 d General Idea 
 
 the ufual fchool-logic. At proper feafons, when 
 the weather permits, this clafs is exercifed in 
 practical geometry; in furveying lands and 
 waters ; and in plotting and ornamenting the 
 maps of fuch furveys. There is a weekly ex- 
 ercife for their further improvement in Greek 
 and Latin. 
 
 The THIRD CLASS. 
 The Matter of this clafs is called Profeffbr of 
 Philofophy. The day is divided between the 
 frudies of ethics and phyfics. Under the latter, 
 the Miranians comprehend natural hiftory5 
 with mechanic and experimental philofophy > 
 for the illuftration of which, they are provided 
 with a complete apparatus. With regard to 
 ethics, they feem to think that a full yet 
 compendious fyftem, calculated by fome found 
 philofopher for youth at colleges, is a book 
 ftill wanted. They own, that the Engtijh ex- 
 cel in detached pieces on all moral fubjedh ; 
 but thefe, fay they, are only thedisjeffa 
 membra ethices ; no one author having handled 
 the fubjed of ethics, in all its ramifications> 
 with an immediate view to the ufe of youth. 
 
 In this clafs, at prefent, they read the philo- 
 fophic books of Plato and Cicero, in their ori- 
 ginals, with Locke, Hutchefon, Puffendorff, &c. 
 the profefib^ taking care to guard the youth 
 againft every thing in which any of thefe au-. 
 thors are fingular. But they have another 
 
 method 
 
Of tie College of Mirania. 53 
 
 method of improving the youth in ethical know- 
 lege, upon which they lay great ftrefs, and 
 that is by hiilorical facts ; of which I fhall af- 
 terwards Ipeak. The private reading of various 
 ethical writers is alfo recommended for the 
 greater improvement of the youth in the fludies 
 of this clafs; the profdlbr, from time to time, 
 fatisfying himfelf, by proper queftions, what 
 advantage they reap from fuch reading. I do 
 not mention Keil, Gravefand, Newton's Prin- 
 cipia, &c. becaufe claflical books, and fup- 
 pofed in the ftudy of natural philofophy. 
 The FOURTH CLASS. 
 The Matter of this clafs is flyled Profeffor of 
 Rhetoric and Poetry. As it is in this and the 
 following clafs, continued Evander* that my 
 countrymen bring all that has been before 
 taught home to the bufinefs of life, and are 
 more fingular in their method ; I muft beg to 
 be fomcthing more particular in the account of 
 it. A great flock of learning, without know- 
 ing how to make it ufeful in the conduct of life, 
 is of little fignificancy. You may obferve that 
 what has chiefly been aimed at, in the foregoing 
 clafles, is to teach youth to think well, that is 
 clofely and juftly. When this is attained, it is a 
 noble bafis, but would, however, be ufelefs 
 without its fuperftrudlure ; without teaching 
 them to call forth and avail themielves of their 
 thoughts, in writing* fpeaking^ afting and liv- 
 
 d 2 *? 
 
54 ^ General Idea 
 
 ing well. To make youth matters of the firfl 
 two, viz. writing and fpeaking well, nothing 
 contributes fo much as being capable to relifh 
 what has been weM written or fpoken by others. 
 Hence, the proper fludies of this clafs, are 
 ' Rhetoric and Poetry ; from which arife Criti- 
 sifm and Compofition. 
 
 I mall Ipeak firfl of Rhetoric, as it is the 
 firfl fludy. The profeflbr begins with giving 
 the fludents a general notion of the precepts and 
 different kinds of Rhetoric. He then proceeds 
 to make them read fully's oration for Milo 9 
 leifurely in its original ; applying, as they go 
 along, the precepts of oratory -, and making 
 them apprehend its plan, feries, delicacy of 
 addrefs; the flrength and difpofition of the 
 proofs ; the juflnefs of the tropes and figures ; 
 the beauty of the imagery and painting , the 
 harmony and fulnefs of the periods - 9 the pomp 
 and purity of the diclion ; and, in fine, that 
 grandeur of thought, that afloniming fublime, 
 that torrent of eloquence, which, moving, 
 warming, feizing the foul, fweeps all irrefifla- 
 bly down before it. After this, Demofthenes's 
 harrangue for Ctefiphon, which fully (I think,} 
 calls the model of perfect eloquence, is read in 
 the original, and explained in the fame manner. 
 
 Thefe two celebrated orations, thus explained 
 and apprehended, are judged fufficient to give 
 youth a right idea of oratory, and fix its pre- 
 cepts 
 
Of the College of Mirania. 55 
 
 ccpts in their mind, which is not to be done ib 
 much by reading many orations, as by flu dy- 
 ing a few thoroughly , and therefore, only 
 three more orations, one in Greek, one in Latin, 
 and one in Englifh, are read in the fchool 
 through the whole year. Thefe are fuccefTive- 
 ]y handled thus. In the Evening, the profeffor 
 prefcribes a certain portion of the oration, and 
 appoints the iludents to write out their ob- 
 fervations upon its conformity to the laws of 
 rhetoric ; the plan, thoughts, &c. by way of 
 critkifm. This they bring with them next 
 day, when the part prefcribed is read over, 
 and this criticifm of theirs examined and cor-. 
 reeled. A new portion as before is prefcribed 
 againft next meeting, till in this manner they 
 have rinimed the whole three orations. 
 
 In the fame manner is poetry fludied, which 
 is, indeed, rather the fame than a different 
 fludy , poetry being nothing elfe but the eldeft 
 daughter of eloquence. The arangement of 
 the fable in the one correfponds to the plan and 
 feries of the other. Tropes and figures they 
 have in common *, and where, in the peculiarity 
 of her drefs, and the more frequent ufe of ima- 
 gery, o?r. Poetry affects to differ, the youth 
 are not unacquainted with it , as they have been 
 made to obferve it in reading the claffic-poets. 
 The rules, together with the nature and defign 
 of the feveral kinds of poetry, are, in the firft 
 d 3 place, 
 
5 6 A General Idea 
 
 place, explained ; after which, as in the ftudy 
 of rhetoric, the youth privately write a piece of 
 criticifm upon each, beginning with the lefler 
 kinds, as the ode, elegy and fatyr, proceeding 
 to the drama, paftoral and epopsa. All thefe 
 criticifms are carefully revifed and corrected by 
 the profeiTor, which is all the public bufinefs 
 of the clafs. The reading of Arifiotle^ and the 
 beft French and Englifh critics, is allowed, and 
 even recommended, to affiil and direct the 
 judgment of youth in this exercife. 
 
 Here I interrupted Euander, by telling him, 
 that I thought this ftudy alone, might require 
 half the year. No, replied he. They don't 
 ipend above two months in the ftudy of all the 
 kinds of poetry. This is owing chiefly to the 
 placing the ftudy of poetry after philofophy 
 and rhetoric, which makes it exceeding eafy. 
 It is alfo partly owing to the age of the youth, 
 they being now, at leaft, in their i8th year, 
 and capable of greater application ; partly to 
 the delight they take in the ftudy, and partly 
 to their having read moft of the different kinds 
 of poems as claflic exercifes, which renders the 
 review of them pleafant, in order to apply the 
 rules of criticifm. About a fortnight is enough 
 for all the inferior fpecies. The fame fpace of 
 time ferves for the drama and paftoral, and, 
 j^ftly, about a month for the epic poem. 
 
 The 
 
Of the College of Mirania. 57 
 
 The remainder of the year, which is about 
 fix months, is fpent in compofing and deliver- 
 ing orations ; and 'tis no wonder that this ex- 
 ercife is attended with great fuccefs, when de- 
 deferred to this its proper feafon. Philofophy, 
 rhetoric and poetry, being fufEciently taflcd and 
 admired ; the youth cannot but be animated, in 
 their compofitions, to imitate thofe bright mo- 
 dels that gave them fo much pleafure in the 
 reading. The ftudy of poetry, in particular, 
 elevates their thoughts, warms their imagi- 
 nation, leads them to give lively defcriptions, 
 infpires them with ftrength, variety, copioufnefs 
 and harmony of ftyle, and diffufes a delicacy 
 over every thing they compofe. 
 
 In this exercife of compofition, they begin 
 firft with fmaller eflays on proper fubjects ; 
 thence proceed to frame orations according to 
 the precepts, and on the models, of perfect elo- 
 quence. Thefe the profefibr corrects, and care- 
 fully points out where the fubject would have re- 
 quired more concifenefs ; where more copiouf- 
 nefs ; where the figurative flyle, and gra- 
 ces of fpeech , where the plain and fimple ; 
 where they ought to have rifen $ where fallen ; 
 where they have given conceit inftead of wit ; 
 thefcrced and far-fetched, inftead of ,the eafy 
 and natural ; bombaft and fwelling, inftead of 
 the fublime and florid. Thus to correct one 
 oration, and to hear another (that has been cor- 
 rected before) delivered with proper grace and 
 
 action, 
 
5 8 A General Idea 
 
 action, 15 all the bufinefs of the clafs at one 
 meeting or diet. Of this the youth have their 
 turns, fb that when the clafs confifts of twenty 
 boys, each of them compofes and delivers an 
 oration once in * ten days. And as they muft 
 thus all be prefent at the correcting and de- 
 livering two orations each day, they profit as 
 much by the faults or beauties found in the 
 eompofitions of therr fchool-fellows, as by their 
 own. 
 
 In correcting the eompofitions of youth, 
 however, the profeflbr is fenfible, that great 
 judgment and art are required. Always re- 
 membring that they are youth, he is greatly 
 careful not to difcourage them by too much 
 leverity. If ever he feems difpleafed at any 
 thing,it is when he difcovers ftiffnefs,affectation, 
 and figns of coldnefs and flerility in their pieces ; 
 while, on the other hand, redundancy of thought, 
 and fprightly fallies of imagination, mare his 
 diflinguifhed indulgence. Thefe he calls the 
 blooming fhoots of genius ; and, though exube- 
 rant, thinks they are no more to be lopped off at 
 an improper feafon, or m an unfkilful manner, 
 than the luxuriant growth of a thriving young 
 tree. Jt is dangerous for any hand, but that 
 
 * When we allow but ten days to compofe an oration, 
 t>efides attending the duties of the clafs, we mufl fup- 
 pofe their pieces fhort. 
 
 of 
 
, Of tie College of Mirania. 59 
 
 of time, to reduce thefe wholly within their 
 proper bounds. 
 
 I am perfuaded, continued Evander^ that you 
 will think it no objection againft the ftudy of 
 rhetoric, that it has often been proftituted to 
 the vileft purpofes. What is there that may 
 not be abufed by bad men ? But, in the poflef- 
 fion of a good man^ eloquence is the mod glo- 
 rious gift of nature. It makes him the fan- 
 Hilary of the unfortunate, the protector of 
 the weak, the fupport and praile of the good, 
 and the eternal terror and controul of the bad. 
 In, a word, we muft often addrefs the paflions, 
 in order to reach the heart. 
 
 It muft be obferved, however, that the Mi- 
 ranians do not propofe to make orators and po- 
 ets of all their youth, by thefe ftudies. They are 
 fenfible, that both the orator and poet muft 
 be born, not made. But, fay they, thofe to 
 whom nature has given a genius for compoii- 
 tion, either in poetry or profe, will be thus put 
 in the method of improving that genius to the 
 greateft advantage; and thofe who have no 
 fuch genius, will, however, be enabled, by thefe 
 ftudies, to write elegantly, or at leaft correctly, 
 in the epiftolary way, and on the common and 
 moft important concerns in life. 
 
 Unlefs the tafte is thus formed, and youth 
 taught to be found critics on the beauties of 
 thofe celebrated pieces that have challenged 
 
 the 
 
60 d General Idea 
 
 the admiration of all mankind and flood 
 the teft of time; what is the amount of 
 their learning? Nay, without this * tafte, 
 or relifh for the pleasures of imagination ; how 
 joylefs in many inftances is life itfelf ? Nature 
 has given the rudiments of it to every man. 
 But if we compare the man who has perfectly 
 cultivated it, with him who has not, they feem 
 almoft of a different fpecies. To the latter arc 
 entirely loft, the gay, the tender, the eafy\ the 
 -natural, the fublime, the marvellous, and all the 
 namelefs graces of a finifhed piece ! Should fo- 
 litude, mould want of bufmels, or misfortunes 
 of any kind 3 force fuch a man to feck relief 
 
 * In fupport of EvandeSs fentiments in this paragraph, 
 fuffer me to quote the following beautiful Verfes from 
 Dr. Armftrongs Epiftle on Benevolence : 
 
 " "Tit chiefy Tafte, or blunt, or grofs, or f*e, 
 Makes Life injtpid, beftial, or divine. 
 Setter be born with tafte to little rent, 
 Than the dull monarch of a continent. 
 Without fine nerves, and bofomjuftly rwann'd, 
 An eye, an ear, a fancy to be charm* d; 
 In vain, majeftic Wren expands the dome ; 
 Blank as pale Stucco, RUBENS lines the room ; 
 Loft are the raptures of bold Handel'/ ftrain ; 
 Great Tully farms, fweet Virgil Jings in vain. 
 *Tbe beauteous forms of nature are effaced', 
 Temped foft charmt, the raging vjatry wafte, 
 Each greatly -wild, each fweet romantic fcene, 
 Unheeded rife s, and almoft unfeen. 
 Tet thefe are joys with fame of better day, 
 ?* footb the toils flifis tmbarrafs'dway" 
 
 from 
 
Of the College of Mirania. 61 
 
 from books, alas ! he finds them " but formal 
 dulnefs, tedious friends ! " He may read; but 
 he will be as 'unconfcious of the mafterly and 
 delicate ftrokes of what he reads, as the moun- 
 tain is of the ore lodged in its caverned fide. 
 A flupid fort of admiration is the higheft plea- 
 fore he is capable of receiving ; while, on the 
 contrary., the man who has been taught to take 
 the full guft of the generous pleafures arifmg 
 from the contemplation of beauty, order ^ har- 
 mony ', defign, fymmetry of part s^ and conformity to 
 truth and nature -, finds, within himfelf, an in- 
 exhauflible fund of the mofl noble and ratio- 
 nal amufement. No m oment of time, I {peak 
 it feelingly, faid JLvander^ no moment of time 
 needs hang heavy on his hands. No fituation, 
 no circumffonces, -\ either at home or abroad, 
 neither in youth or old age, in profperity or 
 adverfity, but can be rendered more agreeable, 
 while he can tafte the intellectual joys of his 
 darling ftudies. 
 
 Suppofe, then, that youth fhould reap no o- 
 ther advantage from the ftudies of this clafs, but 
 the power of filling up thofe vacant hours to 
 advantage, which thofe, who want fuch a tafte> 
 
 f Hare ftudia adclefcentiam alunt, feneSutem 
 fecundas res ornant, ad<verjis perfugium & folatium pre- 
 bent : Deled ant domi? non impediunt foris \ pernoftant no- 
 frifeum, peregrinantur, rufticantur. 
 Cic. 
 
 wfually 
 
62 A General Idea 
 
 ufually fpend in trifling vifits, cards, hunting, 
 drinking- matches and other hurtful pleafures, 
 we have reafon to think a few months proper- 
 ly fpent in forming this tafte a very eflential 
 part of education. But further, the Miranians 
 fay, that this tafte for polite letters, not only 
 teaches us to write well, and renders life com- 
 fortable to ourfelves, but alfb contributes high- 
 ly to the cement of fociety, and the tranquility 
 of the ftate. They do not hefitatc to affirm, 
 that they think it almoft impoflible for a man, 
 that has a tafte for the imitative arts, and can 
 feel the noble charms of rhetoric, poetry, 
 painting, mufic, fculpture, &c. to be a boifte- 
 rous fubjeft, an undutiful fon, a rough hufband, 
 an unnatural parent, a cruel mafter, a treache- 
 rous friend, or an unruly and turbulent man. 
 Thefe ftudies enlarge the mind, refine and exalt 
 the underftanding, improve the temper, {often 
 the manners, ferene the pafiions, cherilh reflec- 
 tion, and lead on that charming penfivenefs of 
 foul and philofophic melancholy, which, moft 
 of all, difpofe us to love, friendfhip, and every 
 tender emotion. But I will conclude this ar- 
 ticle, with which, as it treated my favorite flu- 
 dies, I have perhaps tired you. 
 
 fbe FIFTH, or higheft CLASS. 
 The Principal of the college, whofe name is 
 'Aratus^ inftrufts this clafs in the ftudy of agricul- 
 ture and hiftory. The knowledge of phy fics, ac- 
 quired 
 
Of the College of Mlrania. 63 
 
 quired in the third clafs, contributes greatly to 
 make the ftudy of agriculture eafy at this time. 
 In fome previous lectures Aratus refiimes this 
 (abject , and, particularly, gives the youth a 
 good knowlege of the animal flrudhire and anato- 
 my,which is not only of great ufe to teach them 
 the proper care of their own health and bodies, 
 but highly necefiary by way of analogy to 
 explain the ceconomy and mechanifm of plants, 
 the itrudture of their vefiels, their generation, 
 manner of life and accretion, perfpiration, 
 circulation of fap, &c. After this he ex- 
 amines, with the youth, the mineral ftrata of 
 the earth ; enquires into the nature of thofe 
 faline and aqueous juices that conftitute the nu- 
 tritious matter or food of vegetables ; and of 
 thofe other fofTils, which, being either hetero- 
 geneous to the vegetable fubflance, or too grofs 
 to enter the roots of plants, ierve> however, to 
 Ibften and feparate the concreted parts of the 
 earth, and prepare it for vegetation. The whole 
 is illuftrated by a courfe of chymical and ftati- 
 cal experiments. 
 
 The theory of vegetation once explained, and 
 tolerably underftood ; what remains in the flu- 
 dy of hufbandry is not very difficult. For t 
 after obtaining a good infight into the vege- 
 table ceconomy, the quality of foils, ff c. by the 
 analyfis of plants and foflils, as above, the youth 
 
 may 
 
54 d General Idea 
 
 may be enabled tojudge what eftecT: every manure 
 
 will have on every foil ; what is the proper 
 manner of preparing the ground for the feed ; 
 and what feed or plant fhould be affigned each 
 natural earth ; in which chiefly confifts the huf- 
 bandman's art. After this foundation is laid, 
 they proceed to read Varro, Columella, Tut/, 
 Bradley, &c. afilgning, as they go along, the 
 rationale, for the natural phenomena and rules 
 of tillage, recorded in thefe authors, upon the 
 principles and philofophy of modern natu- 
 ralifts. 
 
 One part of the day is given, through the 
 year, to the ftudy of agriculture, as laid down 
 above. The remainder is afllgned to the ftudy 
 of hiftory ; by which, it is plain, I do not 
 mean the reading of hiftory to fatisfy the 
 curiofity for a moment, with the know- 
 lege of fingle and irrelative facts ; which, 
 it muft be owned, is all that youth generally 
 profit by hiftory, at the age, and according to 
 method, it is commonly handled. In the courfe 
 of the above-mentioned ftudies, and from their 
 private reading for amufement, the Miranian 
 youth, I need not tell you, muft, by this time, 
 have obtained a pretty full knowlege of the 
 principal events that happened in the world 
 before they were born. The bufmefs of this 
 clafs is of a far more noble and extenfive na- 
 ture 
 
Of tie College of Mirania. 65 
 
 ture than this* It is to review thofe events in 
 the calm light of phikfophy, when related in 
 their full extent, attended with a deduction of 
 their immediate and remote caufes and confe- 
 quences, in order to make them a leflbn of 
 ethics and politics, and an ufeful rule of conduct 
 and manners through life. 
 
 It is dangerous to fend raw and unpractis'd 
 virtue abroad into a world, where right and 
 wrong are too often confounded 5 and nothing 
 can obviate this danger, but the giving youth 
 a previous acquaintance with the world, and 
 making them behold virtue and vice, with all 
 their confequences, painted in genuine colours 
 by the hiflorian. Numerous are the evils that 
 arife in fociety when youth are fent into it, cf- 
 pecially in any high ftation, without this know- 
 lege. In fuch cafe, neither logics, mathema- 
 tics, phyfics, rhetoric, nor all the branches of 
 fpeculative knowlege they are capable of at- 
 taining, can direct their conduct, nor prevent 
 their falling a prey to defigning men. Thefe 
 fciences, however, if we do not flop at them* 
 are highly ufeful, and render the fludies of this 
 clafs pleafant and profitable. As the fludy 
 of agriculture was made eafy, by a previous 
 knowlege in natural philofophy ; fb is the 
 previous knowlege of the fundamental prin- 
 ciples of ethics, a fine introduction to the phi- 
 lofophical ftudy of hiftory. This fubject Ara- 
 
 tus 
 
66 A General Idea 
 
 fus refumes before entring upon hiftory. He 
 confiders man, in the folitary (late of nature, 
 furrounded with wants and dangers, and no- 
 thing fecure to any of the fpecies, but what can 
 either be acquired or maintained by force. From 
 thence he takes occafion to mew the necefllty 
 mankind lay under of entring into fociety, 
 and voluntarily refigning fome mare of their 
 natural freedom and property, to lecure the reft. 
 Then he explains the different forms of go- 
 vernment, with the advantages and inconve- 
 niencies in the adminiflration of each. 
 
 This being prernifed, the youth enter upon 
 the ftudy of the Grecian hiftory in the fol- 
 lowing manner. Aratus prefcribes a portion 
 of it, which, againft next day, they muft read 
 in their chambers, and abridge the fubftance of 
 it into writing, about twice or thrice as large as 
 a copious argument of any chapter. This 
 fixes the facts deeply in their minds, teaches 
 them, moreover, to exprefs themfelves in a fhort 
 and nervous manner, as occafion may require it ; 
 and, when the whole is finimed, ferves as a re- 
 capitulation of the hiftory, to which they may 
 always have recourfe through life, and bring 
 the facts frefh into their memory. Thefe fum- 
 maries are revifed in the clafs by the Principal, 
 v;ho is careful to make them apprehend the 
 blameable and praife- worthy, in the conftitution 
 of the feveralftates j and, in the familiar way of 
 
 dia- 
 
Of the College of Mirania. 6j 
 
 dialogue, to make them give their opinion up- 
 on the fads mentioned, the manners and cuf- 
 toms of the people, &c. drawing proper moral 
 inferences from the whole. In this manner a 
 portion is abridged, and defcanted upon, every 
 day, till they have gone over the hiftory of the 
 rlourifhing ages of Greece ; which they perform 
 in about the fpace of a month. The hiftory 
 of Rome (Mr. Hooke's judicious collection of 
 it) is ftudied, in the next place, down to the 
 days of Anguftus. This requires about two 
 months more. 
 
 All between this period and the beginning of 
 -the fixteenth century is paft over, the remainder 
 of the year being fpent in the ftudy of modern 
 hiftory -, from fome good introduction to which, 
 they firft take a general view of the principal 
 ftates and kingdoms in Europe, that now dU 
 vide that power among them, upon which de- 
 pends the whole fyftem of police operating at 
 prefent. After that, they defcend to ftudy the 
 hiftory of England, from the beginning of the 
 faid century, in the fame manner that they 
 had before ftudied the hiftory of Greece and 
 Rome-, the Principal taking care, as they go 
 along, to note the fife, interefts, dependencies, 
 and conftitutions of the feveral nations and 
 ftates, whofe hiftories are interwoven with that 
 of England. They conclude the whole, with a 
 view of our colonies in this hemifphere , their 
 e ftate, 
 
58 d General Idea 
 
 Hate, produce, interefts, government, &c 
 taking fome notice as they go along, of the 
 French and Spanifh fettlements that we are 
 chiefly concerned with in trade. Every Sun- 
 day night, about an hour is fpent in the ftudy 
 of the bible hiilory. 
 
 Though this is but a fmall part of the hiilory 
 of mankind, yet it is as much as can conve- 
 niently be brought, and much more than ge- 
 nerally is brought, into a fcheme of public 
 education. The youth are thus fent into the 
 world well acquainted with the hi {lory of thofe 
 nations they are likely to be moft concerned 
 with in life - 9 and alfo with the hiftory of Greece 
 and Rome, which may be juflly called the 
 hiftory of heroimij virtue and patriotifm. This 
 is enough to prepare them for fbciety, and 
 put them in a method of fludying the hiftory 
 of any other nations they think proper, in a 
 philofophical manner, whenever their inclina- 
 tion and leifure mail prompt them to it. 
 
 This, continued Evander, is a fketch of the 
 fludies of the leveral clafles ; which I could 
 with pleafure, in this account, purfue through 
 all their different ramifications. But as this is 
 inconfiflent with my deflgned brevity, I have 
 only mentioned the general heads of fcience, 
 wholly neglecting fuch branches as are either 
 included in, or neceflary to, the knowlege of 
 thofe I have mentioned, 
 
 la 
 
Of the College of Mirania. 69 
 
 In the fecond clafs, you will obferve I have 
 fold nothing of plain trigonometry, becaufe it is 
 fuppofed in the ftudy of geometry. Neither 
 have I mentioned perfpective,becaufe connected 
 with the beautiful fciences of optics ; nor even 
 optics themfelves, nor fpherical trigonometry, 
 as they are all fuppofed in the general fludy of 
 aftronomy. In like manner, I have not men- 
 tioned dialing, becaufe after being taught aftro- 
 nomy, and the ufe of the globes, the whole 
 theory of dialing is learned in a few hours ; and 
 thus of all the other clafles, which I take notice 
 of exprefsly, that you may not judge the ftudies 
 of any one clafs difproportioned to the reft* 
 without taking into the account all their 
 branches, prsecognita, and the like* 
 
 Here I told Evander, that I was fully fatis- 
 fied that the ftudies of the clafles were very well 
 proportioned, as they become ftill more exten- 
 five the farther the youth advance in years -, but 
 that I thought the ftudies of every clafs were 
 more than they could probably become fuf- 
 ficiently acquainted with in the time allotted 
 to them. 
 
 He replied, that if the Miranian youth did 
 not attend the duties of the college longer than 
 the, ordinary terms, my obfervation would be 
 jufl. But vacations and holy days in this col- 
 lege don't exceed two months. Befides, con- 
 tinued he, my countrymen don't propofe any 
 e 2 thing 
 
70 A General idea 
 
 thing more than to give the youth a general 
 knowlege of thefe fludies. This is all that can 
 be done at college. For as bent of genius will 
 not carry all the youth of a clafs the fame 
 lengths in every finely ; that fcheme of educa- 
 tion is fufficiently perfed, by which all the flu- 
 dents may become ordinary proficients in all 
 the fludies ; and are put in a method of excel- 
 ling in thofe particular branches to which nature 
 has given them a genius. The * age of the 
 youth contributes highly to aid the execution 
 of fuch a fcheme; and I can afftire you, from 
 experience, that by attending even eight or 
 nine months in the year, all that is narrated 
 above may be done by youth of ordinary ge- 
 nius, without making it any burden to them. 
 
 You will, no doubt, take notice that the num- 
 ber of matters are fewer than ordinary by this 
 fcheme *, and the oeconomy different from that 
 of moft colleges, which have a diflindb profef- 
 lor for every branch of fciehce, as a profeflbr 
 of anatomy, botany, chymiflry, civil law, &c 
 fo that the fludents muft attend a great many dif- 
 ferent maflers and fludies at different hours. But 
 though my countrymen could afford falaries for 
 fuch a number of profefibrs, they do not feem 
 difpofed to this method ; for they think it a 
 
 * They muft be at leaft in their 1 4th year when entered 
 into thefe clafles, and in their i9th when they leave 
 them, as may be gathered from what is faid above. 
 
 great 
 
. Of the College of Mirania. f 71 
 great difadvantage to youth to be concerned 
 with too many m afters and ftudies at the fame 
 time. - They judge it a much better method, 
 that fuch branches of fcience as are related to 
 one another, mould be wholly finifhed under 
 one and the fame mafter, before the youth pro- 
 ceed farther ; and that the whole ftudies or 
 branches of fcience, ihould be ranged in their 
 natural order ; that thofe of each lower clafs 
 may be an introduction to the clafs. above it, 
 and the youth thus raifed by a chain of eafy 
 fteps to the fummit of their education. Hence^ 
 a ProfefTor ferves, by the above fcheme, for all 
 the branches of knowlege that can be acquired 
 in one year ; which makes the number of clafies 
 and mafters equal to the number of years, and 
 renders the whole plan fimple and regular. 
 
 That the ftudies laid down for the five fore- 
 going clafies, are ranged in their natural order, 
 will beft appear to thofe who are beft acquainted 
 with the nature and object of them. With re- 
 gard to the three lower clafTes, there can be no 
 objection of this kind, as mathematics go be- 
 fore philofophy in every feminary , and are fo 
 necefiary to it, that the beft writers advife the 
 ftudy of mathematics, fuppofe we Ihould propoie 
 no other advantage by them than to ftrengthen 
 the reafoning faculty, and prepare the mind for 
 the ftudy of philofophy, by accuftoming it to 
 5 3 think 
 
72 A General Idea 
 
 think clofely, and to call forth thofe thoughts 
 
 in a clear and regular manner. 
 
 That rhetoric, criticifm and compofition, 
 fhould be placed after philofophy, feems decided 
 alfo by the authority of the greater! orators and 
 poets. Scribendi refte, fapere eft & principium 
 & fons^ fays Horace j and Tully blames the 
 orators of his time for neglecting the ftudy of 
 philofophy and polite literature. Nemo videre- 
 tur exquijitius quam vulgus hominum ftuduiffe lite- 
 ris, quibus fons perfef<e eloquently continetur \ ne- 
 mo qui philofpphiam complexus ejjet, matrem cm- 
 nium b$ne faftorum* beneque diftcrum. Quin- 
 tilian every way is of the fame opinion. And 
 Pliny advifes in exprefs terms ; Mores pri- 
 mum^ mox eloquentiam difcat y (Puer) qu<e male 
 Jim moribus difdtur. 
 
 But, without any authorities, the thing is felf- 
 evident ; it being idle to think of writing or 
 compofing philofophically till we are philofo- 
 phers, or till we have acquired a tafte for 
 polite letters. And as to fpeaking, no man 
 but he who can diftinguim philofophically be- 
 tween right and wrong, and who is poflefled 
 of the moral virtues, can have long fuccefs in 
 this way, becaufe no man can move others, 
 unlefs it appears that he himfelf is moved with 
 what he fays. A bad man may, to give his 
 words force, affect to be moved when he rea- 
 fons of virtue - 9 but when ever his character is 
 
 fully 
 
Of tie College of Mirania. 7$ 
 
 fully detected, all his moft artful pretences this 
 way will, in the ilTue, only fo much thq more 
 hurt his own caule. 
 
 Here I afked Evander, why rhetoric was ib 
 commonly placed before philofophy, if the lat- 
 ter was fo necefiary to it ? He anfwered, that 
 as far as he could learn, the difference between 
 the method of his countrymen, and that of the 
 belt modeled colleges, was not material. 5 Tis 
 true, faid he, thefe colleges begin the ftudy of 
 rhetoric in the lower clafies, but they continue 
 it through the higher ones. Thus the firft 
 year, perhaps, the youth learn no more than 
 the figures of fpeech and the precepts or rules 
 of oratory. The knowlege of logic and gram- 
 mar is enough for this purpofe. Compofition, 
 criticifm, and that part of rhetoric to which 
 philofophy and polite letters are neceflary, fall 
 of courfe after the ftudy of philofophy, &c. in 
 the generality of leminaries, which is the fame 
 thing upon the whole ; only that my country- 
 men, as hath been obferved, think it belt 
 for them, never to engage youth in more 
 than one or two ftudies till they are fully 
 mailers of them , and to keep their plan 
 as fimple as poffible, that they may ftand 
 in need of no more profeflbrs and tutors 
 than their circumftances enable them to em- 
 ploy i which are the fole confiderations that 
 would ever make them depart in the leaft from 
 
 the 
 
74 ^ General Idea 
 
 the practice of nations more learned than them- 
 
 felves. 
 
 I prefume, I need offer no reafons for placing 
 the fludies of agriculture, hiilory and politics 
 in the higheft clafs. As thefe fludies feldom 
 enter much into the fcheme of education, but are 
 left for every man's private reading after his edu- 
 cation at the univerfity is finiihed, it is plain 
 that they mould be lafl, if they are at all 
 brought into fuch a fcheme. They are in- 
 deed the fludies of men, and require a ripe 
 judgment. But befides this, all the former 
 ftudies, as I have obferved already, are neceflary 
 and fubfervient to them. Even the knowlege 
 of rhetoric itfelf is of great ufe in reading a well- 
 wrote hiflory, as many of the chief beauties 
 thereof would otherwife be lofl and untailed. 
 And if this was not the cafe, yet ftill, methinks, 
 hiflory and agriculture mould be placed laft 
 Jn order to fend youth abroad into the world, 
 warm (if I may fo exprefsit) from thofe fludies 
 which their own interefls and the fervice of 
 their country will generally require them chiefly 
 to cultivate. 
 
 The next thing to be fpoken of is the public 
 exerciles of thefe clafles ; for the Miraoians are 
 fully convinced of the great advantages of 
 bringing youth early to fpeak in public, and 
 therefore have fet all the Saturdays of the year 
 wholly apart for this Purpofe. 
 
Of tie College of Mirania. 75 
 
 Upon thefe days, the mailers, fcholars, and 
 as many of the citizens as pleafe to attend, be- 
 ing aflembled in the chapel after morning 
 prayers; one of the fludents in the firfl or 
 Greek clafs appears as refpondent with an op- 
 ponent or interrogator from the third clafs. 
 The latter pitches upon any Greek author, 
 which the refpondent has read during the courfe 
 of the year in his clafs, and prefcribes a pafTage 
 in it to be rendered into Engliili extempore. 
 This the relpondent does, pointing out the 
 author's beauties, clearing up his obfcurities 
 and difficulties, and giving an account of the 
 cafe, tenfe, mood, derivation, conftrudlion, &V. 
 of every word. The opponent takes care to 
 fet him right where he errs ; and gives him an 
 opportunity, by proper interrogations, to dif- 
 play his fkill and improvements to the beil ad- 
 vantage. The mailer of that clafs to which 
 the opponent belongs, fuperintends thefe exer- 
 eiies, and may interfere with his afliftance if 
 there mould be occafion. But this feldom 
 happens. 
 
 After thefe, one of the 2d clals appears as 
 refpondent, with an opponent from the 4th, 
 who endeavors to impugn a thelis given out 
 and defended by the other. Then he changes 
 the fubjecl: and interrogates him concerning his 
 fkill in fuch branches of the mathematics as he 
 the reipondent) has learned in his clafs. 
 
j6 A General Idea 
 
 In the next place, a refpondent appears from 
 the third clafs with an opponent from the 5th, 
 The method of exercife the fame as above. 
 The fubjedl: ethics and phyfics. 
 
 Befides bearing a Part, as interrogators, in 
 the foregoing exercifes, the 4th and 5th clafles 
 have an exercile of declamation peculiar to 
 themfelves. Firfl one of the youth in the clafs 
 of rhetoric delivers a fpeech with proper grace 
 and action on any philofophical fubjed, or on 
 the nature, rules and advantages of eloquence 
 and poetry, which are the ftudies of the prefent 
 year. 
 
 Laftly, one of the 5th or higheft clafs de- 
 livers an oration, framed according to the exact 
 rules of rhetoric, upon any civil topic that is, 
 or may be, difputed with regard to the intereft 
 ^of their country. And fuch harrangues I have 
 often known to be of very public fervice, not 
 only when delivered, but when thought worthy 
 of being publilhed. Sometimes too their fub- 
 je6t is the ufefulnefs of hiftory and agriculture ; 
 the pleafures of retirement, or any moral to- 
 pic. Thus when there are not above twenty 
 boys in each clafs, every boy in the three lower 
 clafles appears in public twice a year, and thofe 
 of the two higher clafles four times. There 
 are exercifes of the fame kind in the higher 
 clafles of the academy and mechanic's fchool. 
 
 And, 
 
Of the College of Mirania. 77 
 
 And, in the latin fchool, there are quarterly 
 examinations, and proper rewards diftribute4 
 to excite emulation. 
 
 There is one thing peculiar to the Miranians 
 in thefe exercifes, which I had almoft forgot to 
 mention ; viz. that they are moft commonly 
 in the Engiim tongue. No people are more 
 careful than they to teach youth to tranflate 
 Latin readily, as may appear in the courfe of 
 the foregoing ftudies, where every author 
 is read in the original : But, when this is at- 
 tained, they aim at nothing more. They are 
 fenfible, that there is a great difference between 
 being able to explain a clafTic author extempore, 
 and being able to write with as much purity a$ 
 that author. Almoft any perfon may attain to, 
 the firft ^ but only a few have attained to the 
 perfection of writing pure clafiic Latin, un- 
 mixed with barbarifms and foreign idioms, 
 fince it became a dead language. 
 
 They don't .however deny, but learned men, 
 to render their works more univerfally ufeful, 
 may write in the Latin tongue, though they 
 cannot write with claflic elegance and purity. 
 But they greatly condemn the practice of neg- 
 lecting the mother-tongue, and embarrafilng a 
 young ftudent, by obliging him to fpeak or 
 compofe in a dead language. While he is 
 hunting after words to convey his ideas, he 
 js continually on the rack \ one half 'of his fen- 
 
 {iments, 
 
j 8 A General Idea 
 
 timents, one half of the fprightly failles of fancy 
 which would otherwife mine through his com- 
 pofitions, mud efcape his memory before he can 
 find language to exprefs them. The confciouf- 
 nefs of Ipeaking improperly, often barbaroufly^ 
 muft damp his ardor, and reflrain him from 
 delivering himfelf with that becoming eafe and 
 confidence, that grace of voice and action, that 
 propriety and harmony, which he could not 
 fail of, by applying that time and pains to 
 compofition in the Englifh tongue, which 
 is often without fuccefs given to the Latin. 
 Befides, my countrymen feem to think it in 
 fome fort difhonourable to declaim only in a 
 foreign tongue, before an Englifh audience. In 
 particular, my friend, continued Evander, very 
 gaily, to fpeak in Latin, we think, would be 
 an affront to our ladies, who often honor us 
 with their prefence on thofe occafions. Yet 
 flill, to mew that it is not for want of ability 
 to fpeak in Latin that this method is in general 
 difcontinued, there are always fome Latin ora- 
 tions and difputations at the anniverfary com- 
 mencements, and on other private occafions. 
 There are likewife m afters in the college 
 for teaching the French, Italian, Spanim and 
 German tongues, at private hours ; and a 
 fencing mafter, who, befides the ufe of the 
 fword, teaches the military exercife. There 
 
 is, 
 
Of the College of Mirania; 79 
 
 is, ladly, a dancing-mailer, whom I mould 
 have mentioned firft -, as this art is learned by 
 the boys when very young, viz. in the loweft 
 clafies of the latin and mechanic's fchool- 
 None of the youth, however, are obliged, by 
 the flatutes of the college, to attend thefe 
 mailers ; and if they do attend them, it muft 
 be before they are entered into the fourth or 
 rhetorical clafs, becaufe they will not fufFer any 
 thing to interfere with the duties of the two 
 higher clafies ; which, as you will remember, 
 confifl chiefly in reading and writing in private. 
 
 The fludents in thefe two clafies are efleem- 
 ed men , and it is reckoned fhameful for them 
 to be ignorant of dancing, fencing, and mo- 
 dern languages till that time. None of thefe 
 mailers are included in the inflitution, in any 
 other thing, but that the governors or truflees, 
 upon any complaint that their characters are 
 bad, and their example dangerous, may de- 
 prive them of the benefit of teaching the 
 youth ; a punifhment great enough. For, tho* 
 they have no falaries from the public, yet as 
 each of them has generally thrice the number 
 of boys that are in any of the clafles, their in- 
 come is nothing inferior to the income of the 
 rnaflers that are upon the eflablifhment. And 
 the college alfo gives fuch of them, as be- 
 have well, a hanclfbm gratuity yearly v as a 
 teftirnony of their being willing to encourage 
 
 the 
 
So A General Idea 
 
 the acquilition of all polite arts, and manly 
 
 dies among the youth. 
 
 Here Evander paufed, as if in expe&ation of 
 fome remarks from me upon the excellency of 
 the institution he had given me an account of. 
 I told him, that as far as he had yet proceed* 
 cd, I greatly approved of it: But that I 
 thought the fludy of religion, without which 
 no fcheme of education could be of advantage 
 to the State, or private perfons, did not fuffi- 
 ciently enter into his account , and that if the 
 Miranians did nothing more this way than he 
 had ipoken of, I judged their fcheme deficient 
 in the moft interefling Article. 
 
 He refumed, that my obfervation was juft$ 
 and that it was for this very reafon he had left 
 the account of their method of inculcating reli- 
 gion and morals to a feparate article ; as well* 
 becaufe of their importance* as becaufe they 
 are the chief object of the ftudies of every clals, 
 and confequeiitly could not be brought into the 
 account of any particular one. 
 
 My countrymen, proceeded he, are fully 
 perfuaded that thole, who are entrufted with 
 the education of youth, can do more lailing 
 fcrvice to the interefls of religion and virtue^ 
 at a time when the heart is fufceptible of every 
 imprefllon, than all the good men, armed with 
 all the power of a country, can do ; if, for 
 want of education, the heart is fuffered to be- 
 come 
 
Of the College of Mirama. $i 
 
 come callous, as it were, and obftinate in the 
 habits of vice. They were therefore extremely 
 careful to look for fomething ftill better than 
 learning in all the mailers they chofe into this 
 ieminary, admitting none but men of irre- 
 proachable characters ; men whofe lives mould 
 be a daily comment on their precepts, and their 
 genuine goodnefs of heart a conftant pledge 
 for the morals of the youth committed to their 
 care ; men indefatigable in the difcharge of 
 their duty, from a confcioufnefs of the weighty 
 truil repofed in them, and an unfeigned zeal 
 for the prefent and future interefts of their 
 pupils ; men, in a word, formed to command 
 love and reverence, and, from their fweetnefs 
 of temper, difpofed to flrew the path to fci- 
 ence with rofes. They prudently forcfaw, that 
 upon their meeting with men of this character 
 at firil, not only depended the reputation of 
 the College, but, in a great meafure, the mo- 
 rals and genius of their country to the lateft 
 generations. 
 
 Such men it was their happinefs to meet 
 with ; and it will prove a pleafing {peculation 
 to take a more particular view of the method 
 of inculcating virtue, which is pradlifed by 
 them, and may be practifed by every good 
 mailer, in the courfe of theie fludies. Some 
 may be ready to imagine that they beflow a 
 great deal of labor this way ; but, on the con- 
 trary 
 
82 A General Idea 
 
 trary, though religion and goodnefs be a fub* 
 ject always in their eye, it is not always in their 
 mouth. They know well enough that youth 
 are apt to give but a cool attention to whatever 
 has the appearance of fet lectures, and formal 
 difcourfes on morality ; while a word dropt, as 
 it were cafually, by a fkilful matter, in a 
 proper feafon, mail ftrike fo much the deeper 
 as it was not expected, and make an impreflion 
 perhaps never to be erafed. 
 
 His great Bufmefs then, who would train 
 up youth to the love of religion, ieems to cori- 
 filtj in the firft place, in getting the entire po 
 feflion of their hearts, in keeping a watchful 
 eye over them, in preventing the approach of 
 every thing that is of a noxious quality, in 
 making all around them breathe innocence, 
 purity and truth ; and, laftly, while the heart 
 is in this found (late, in watching the proper 
 opportunities of dropping into it the feeds of 
 goodnefs, which will not fail to bring forth an 
 hundred-fold; provided he adds to the whole 
 his own example, and feems fully perfuaded 
 of the truths he would imprefs upon them, ne- 
 ver mentioning religion and virtue, but with 
 the utmoft devotion and fervor of foul. 
 
 Opportunities of this kind will never be 
 wanting to the mafter, who has himfelf a good 
 heart. I (hall take notice of a few of them ; 
 and though every claflic author may be made 
 
 to 
 
Of tie College of Mirania. 83 
 
 to furnifh them, I mall confine myfelf to the 
 five learned clafies laft mentioned, becaufe I 
 would be brief. I fhall take care to afcribe no- 
 thing more to the fcholar than I myfelf have 
 felt, nor can I afcribe half fo much to the 
 matter, as I have known the good Aratus to 
 put in practice ; for under him I had the hap- 
 pinefs to pafs through thefe five clafles, being 
 one of the youth with whom he opened the 
 college, and which he could not open higher 
 than the firft or Greek-Clafs aforefaid. 
 
 Now, in this clafs, the reading of Homer 
 under fuch a, mailer, was like travelling through 
 fome delightful country, richly variegated 
 with every thing that could pleafe the fancy or 
 exalt the genius. Numerous were the oppor- 
 tunities which the good man took, from the 
 writings even of this heathen author, to prefs 
 home upon us refpect for kings, magiftrates, 
 parents, and all fuperiors. Beautifully would 
 he mark for us the Decorum and Honeftum of 
 life, painted in the characters, and every thing 
 ignoble and unworthy expofed. Often would 
 he dwell with rapture on the poet's noble images 
 of ancient hofpitality, generofity, benevolence, 
 juftice, honor, piety, integrity, friendfhip, 
 fidelity, fincerity, intrepidity, patience, re- 
 fignation, and the like. At the fame time, 
 while he taught us to gather the rofes of fuch 
 an author, he not only made us fhun the 
 
 f thorns , 
 
84 d General Idea 
 
 thorns \ but, as bees from poifonous herbs ex* 
 trad healing liqu'. is, he taught us even to reap 
 advantages from thofe abfurdities, which were 
 more the fault of the age than of the poet. 
 Sach are the monftrous fifliohs about the na^ 
 tu re of the Gods, their jars, thefts, re bl cries, 
 rapes, incefcs, drunkennefs and the like ; from 
 which Aracus would take occafion to teach us 
 the jui: value of thofe iacred volumes, which 
 have reicued us from fuch fuperftition and 
 blindnefs. 
 
 In the fecond clafs, what frefh opportunities 
 did he find of leading us from wonder to won- 
 der, and bringing the Deity as it were before 
 our eyes, in the ftudy of his ftupendous works ! 
 How were our minds dilated and exalted when 
 he led us to confider the heavenly bodies, and 
 puc them in competition with what we uiually 
 called great! Even the terraqueous globe on 
 which we dwell, with all its kingdoms and 
 boalted grandeur, feemed in our eye but a point 
 in the folar-fyflem ! The folar-fyftem itfelf 
 dwindled into a narrow fpot, when compared 
 with the numerous fyftems of thofe. ftars that 
 in a clear night ftud the Cerulean ! All thefe 
 fyflems again were loft in the vaft expanfe when 
 compared with that infinity of fyftems, which 
 philofophy's purer view can defcry beyond the 
 reach of all optics, 
 
 Thus 
 
Of the College of Mirania. 85 
 
 Thus, having raifed us from fyftem to 
 fyftem, beyond all definite fpace, till he per- 
 ceived us loft in the imagination, and, as it 
 were, labouring under the weight of our own 
 conceptions ; the good Aratus, knowing his 
 opportunity and exulting in his fuccefs, would 
 turn his addrefs immediately to us in words 
 like thefe, 
 
 " My dear youths ! I think it not ftrange that 
 " fuch fpeculations fhould fill your minds with 
 " wonder and amazement. Yet be allured, 
 <; (if we may ufe the inadequate language of 
 cc men) that fo far are we from having even in 
 " thought reached the limits, that we are ftill 
 " but on the frontiers, of the CREATOR'S king- 
 " dom. How much, then, ought we to be 
 " aftonifhed at our own littlenefs^ and his gran- 
 " deur, whofe * hand framed ail thofe clufters of 
 " fyilems, kindled all their funs and feeds their 
 " immenie fires from age to age ? How 
 " daring is it for us, the atom-lords of 
 " this atom- world, to exalt ourfelves againft 
 ct the great Sovereign of fuch an incomprehen- 
 " fible domain ! How ridiculous to flrut about 
 " in pride, and boaft that all thefe fyflems 
 
 * Whofe arm almighty put thefe wheeling globes 
 In motion, and wound up the vaft machine ! 
 Who rounded in his palm thofe fpacious orbs ; 
 Who bowl*d them flaming thro' the vaft profound, 
 And let the bofom of old night on fire. Dr. Toung. 
 f 2 " were 
 
36 A General Idea 
 
 e were made for us ! Certain I am, that very 
 " different fenfations muft now actuate your 
 " bofoms. Doubtlefs, you have already, in 
 " your own imaginations, peopled all thefe 
 * c various fyftems with ten thoufand various or- 
 " dcrs of being) rifing rank above rank in the 
 *' fcale of intelligence. Nay, if I deceive 
 " myfelf not, your very fouls are now ardently 
 Cc affedting that period when, fhaking off this 
 " cumbrous vehicle of flefh, you fhall foar per- 
 " haps through the wide realms of nature, fee 
 cc all things as they are> and be indulged in a 
 " correfpondence with all thcfe iyflems, and 
 " all their inhabitants. Such affeclions as thefe, 
 " my dear youths, are from above-, they are 
 * c divinely infpired , O check them not ! They 
 " fpeak the worth and immortality of your 
 " Souls ! If a God, that does nothing in vain, 
 " has endowed you with defires fo incommen- 
 <c furate to all terreitrial objecls, and a capacity 
 " of foaring fo far beyond them , if he has 
 u given you fuch a refllefs cnriofity of prying 
 " farther and farther into the boundlefs fcheme 
 " of nature; be nffured that this curiofity will 
 " not be fruftrated. There are in referve for 
 " you future periods of exiftence, when all 
 <c thefe noble defires will be fully fatisfied, and 
 fuperior difplays be eternally opened upon you, 
 as your powers are for ever enlarging." 
 
 But 
 
 " 
 
Of the College of Mirania. 87 
 
 But it was not alone, by afcending in the 
 fcale of nature, that our amiable utar taught 
 us to admire the Creator's goodnefs. We were 
 forced to acknowledge him ftill greater, if pof- 
 fible, in the fmaileft than in the greateft things, 
 when in the THIRD CLASS we defcended in the 
 fludy of nature towards its other extreme. 
 
 To fpeak only of that fingle branch of phy- 
 fics called micrography, how did it furprife us to 
 difcover living creatures, thou&nds of which 
 would be imperceptible to the unaflifted fenfe, 
 fwarming by legions in each leaf and grain ; 
 animating our choiceft viands, mantling our 
 pureft liquors, and crouding even the tranfpa- 
 rent atmofphere ? But when we were convinced 
 that thefe animalcules are fo far from being the 
 laft degree of fmallnefs, that there are others 
 as much fmaller than them as they are fmaller 
 than us, we were then as much loft in the di- 
 vifibility of matter, as formerly in its multi- 
 plicity. As in the one cafe, we could con- 
 ceive no end of the magnitude and addition of 
 heavenly bodies, fo in the other we could con- 
 ceive no end of divifion and fmallnefs. On 
 either fide of us, the gradation exceeds all our 
 conceptions -, and, aftonifhed at ourfelves, we 
 now faw man in a different light. He that but 
 a little before feemed only an atom of an atom 
 world, almoft imperceptible in the bolbm of 
 the univerfe, feemed now diftended into a world, 
 f 3 even 
 
88 A General Idea 
 
 even into an univerfe, when compared but with 
 the laft degree of perceptible fmallnefs. Taking 
 the view, therefore, on both fides, we were na- 
 turally led to affign him his proper place as the 
 "nexus utriufque mundi* 
 
 But, to proceed. How greatly was our 
 aftonifhment increafed, when we were convinced 
 that the minuteft of thefe animals is formed with 
 as exact proportion, nicety and defign as man 
 himfelf! That they have their diflincl: joints, 
 limbs and vefiels, all difpofed in number, 
 weight and meafure ; and that- 
 
 Each within this little bulk contains, 
 An heart to drive the torrent thro* its veins ; 
 Mufcles to move its limbs aright ; a brain, 
 And nerves difpofed for pleafure and for pain } 
 Eyes to diftinguilh ; fenfe, whereby to know 
 What's good or bad, is, or is not, its foe !- 
 They too*are pain'd with love addrefs the/#/>, 
 And, with their rivals, wage deftructive war. 
 
 UNIVERSE. 
 
 Such ipeculations, conduced by the pious 
 and fervent Aratus, did not fail to imprefs us 
 with grand and elevated conceptions of the 
 Deity ! 
 
 " Think, my dear youths (he would fay to 
 us) " Oh ! think how wonderful, how incom- 
 u prehenfible muft that God be, whofe works 
 
 "are 
 
Of the College of Mirania. Bg 
 
 * are fo amazingly various ! Who performed 
 " all thefe minute operations, who made the 
 <c fmall heart, and poured the exceedingly fub* 
 " tile aquids into the fmall vefiels.of thefe dimi* 
 " nutive animalcules all with the very fame 
 " right hand, wherewith he rounded thofe im- 
 " menfe orbs, and launched forth ail thofe 
 " fyftems of worlds through immeafurablefpace, 
 4C whofe magnitude and numbers fo lately con- 
 * c founded us !" 
 
 Forgive me, my Friend, faid Evander, if in 
 this part of my narrative, I fhould feem tedious, 
 or difcover any unbecoming raptures. The 
 time fpent in thefe fludies was the happieft pe- 
 riod of my life ; a period which I can never 
 reflect upon, without having before me the idea 
 of the good Aratus^ pouring forth important 
 truths to us, and leading us imperceptibly from 
 the vifible to the invifible things of God. 
 
 It is impoflible to exprefs what a foundation 
 in piety may be made, on fuch occafions, by a 
 good and fervent man, whofe perfon and cha- 
 racter we love, and whom we fufpect of no 
 defign upon us but our own welfare; and he 
 who fails to make a due improvement of fuch 
 opportunities of inftiJling goodnefs into youth, 
 doth indeed neglect one of the mod eiTential 
 defigns of education. He neglects to form that 
 reliih for the devout contemplation of God's 
 works, which is not only capable to give us 
 
 joy 
 
go A General Idea 
 
 and fatisfa&ion in all conditions of life -, but 
 will, no doubt, conftitute' a part of our plea- 
 fure, and be the fubject of our contemplation 
 and wonder, for ever and ever ! On the con- 
 trary, he who embraces fuch opportunities, 
 with judgment and difcretion, will have no 
 realbn to complain that youth are unfufceptible 
 of ferious impreflions ; or that true pbilofopky is 
 unfriendly to religion. Perhaps, it may be true 
 of philofophy, as the poet beautifully expreflc* 
 it from Bacon, 
 
 " That mallow draughts intoxicate the brain * 
 *' But drinking largely fbbers us again," 
 
 So far in refpect to the THIRD CLASS. Aa 
 to the FOURTH, I have already hinted how far 
 the ftudies of Rhetoric^ Poetry^ and what is 
 commonly called the Belles Lettres^ tend to 
 foften the heart, and ferene the temper. I pafs 
 on, therefore, to the FIFTH, or higheft clafs. 
 
 And here, what need I fpeak of Agriculture ; 
 which is only a capital part of natural know- 
 ledge reduced to practice ? Indeed Tully * and 
 Columelk \ have exprefsly honoured this fludy 
 
 * Ttnio nunc ad <voluptates dgricolarum, quibus ego incre- 
 dibiliter deleSor ; qu<s nee ulla impediuntur fcne&ute t & 
 mihi ad fapientis <vitam proxime accedere cvidentur* 
 
 f- Res rufti(a t fine <tubitatione t prcxima & qua/i COK- 
 Janguinea fafienti* eft. 
 
 with- 
 
Of the College of Mirania. 91* 
 
 With the name of Wifdom and the life of a wife 
 man *, a ftudy that hath given that happinefi 
 to the moft renowned names in flory, which 
 the world could not give, and afforded them 
 folid pleafures in their declining years,after being 
 cloyed with all that mankind call great! In- 
 deed, it would be endlefs to enumerate all the 
 opportunities which Aratus here found of Lm* 
 proving our religious fentiments. He could 
 not explain the theory of vegetation, without 
 exhibiting whole worlds of wonders. He 
 could not examine the ftructure of the moft 
 indifferent plant, without making us perceive 
 in it the fame wifdom and defign that appear 
 in the ftrti&ure of the moft perfedt animal. 
 He could not examine the foflil and mineral 
 kingdoms, without pointing out to us the fame 
 agreement, fitnefs and defign in the difpofition 
 of things, even amid the dark recefles and fe- 
 cret bowels of the earth, as on her beautiful 
 furfacc. And her beautiful furface he could 
 not furvey without filling our hearts with won- 
 der, love and gratitude. 
 
 In this clafs, having now arrived to the laft 
 ftage of our ftudies, and juft entering into 
 manhood, Aratus treated us more as his bo- 
 fom-friends and companions, than as his pupils 
 or fcholars ; and often, when the feafon per- 
 mitted, would lead us to the adjoining fields, 
 
 to 
 
g 2 A General Idea 
 
 to make the proper remarks on the different 
 
 plants, trees, &c. 
 
 Early, one morning, he appointed us to meet 
 him in the public garden, where, being con- 
 vened, he told us, that the plant which he pro' 
 pofed to mew us was not there, but that it 
 grew wild near the top of a mountain at about 
 a mile and a half diftance to the northward of 
 Mirania. To this place, therefore, he invited 
 us to walk, exprefling his hopes that he might 
 be able to furnifh amuiement for us, fufHcient 
 to compenfate the toil. Having reached the 
 fummit, and found what he was in fearch of, 
 he feated himfelf beneath the made of an an- 
 cient oak, and began his remarks on trie curio- 
 fity of the plant he had mentioned to us. 
 
 The morning was ferene, and the profped 
 around us enchanting. The city lay open to 
 the view, and the iun was juft darting his firil 
 beams to gild its various turrets and Ipires. 
 Two mighty rivers, whofe fources are among 
 nations and regions yet unexplored, embracing 
 each other before us, rolled their united flood 
 in filent majefly to the main. On either bank 
 tail woods and forefts, planted by nature's own 
 hand, time immemorial, waved their graceful 
 verdure to every gale ; while, between thefe 
 woods, at different diflances, vales and favan- 
 nahs, opening interminable, gave a beautiful 
 divcrfity to the fcene Here gentle brooks me- 
 
 andring 
 
Of the College of MiraniaJ 93 
 
 ftndring along their peebly channels, to pour 
 their tributary urns into thefe larger rivers; and 
 there a rich profufion of hillocks, tufted with 
 Various trees, among which groups of tame 
 animals fed in mingled peace and happinefs 
 with their wild brothers of the woods, as yet 
 undifturbed by the barbarous huntfman's toils. 
 The whole rural profpect was clofed by vaft 
 mountains, piled into the clouds, whofe enor- 
 mous height even ake the beholder's eye,* and 
 charm the foul with delightful grandeur. 
 
 Turning to this landfcape, and dropping the 
 fmall plant that he held in his hand, " Look 
 * c round you, my dear friends ! look round 
 " you, faid Aratus! Who can confine his 
 < c his attention to a flngle production of na- 
 " ture* when fuch immenfe fcenes lie before 
 u him ? How infeparably connected are beauty 
 " and utility , magnificence and frugality, in all 
 " the works of God! Thefe inequalities and 
 << varieties, on the furface of the earth, not on- 
 46 ly ierve to form thofe profpects, which now 
 * c enchant us,but alfo to fructify and enrich the 
 "foil! Thefe hillocks and lefTer valiies form 
 " rivulets, and drain off the fupervacaneous 
 <c moiflure. Thefe rivulets form rivers ; and 
 " thefe rivers fupply the expence of evapora* 
 c tiorrs from the ocean. Thefe evaporations 
 " form magazines of dews and rains -, and, 
 " laftly, thefe magazines of dews and rains are 
 
 " condenled 
 
94 'd General Idea 
 
 " condenfed, and brought down upon the earthy 
 " by the help of the high mountains. Thus 
 " the globe is ever fupplied with frefh recruits 
 * c of moifture, and faline juices. And thus, 
 * 6 though all things differ, all agree to promote 
 4c the fame wife ends. Order walks hand in 
 " hand with variety. The mountains but 
 <c ftand the lofty minifters of the vales. Unlefs 
 " they thus reared their gelid crefts into the 
 " fky, to arreft and condenle the fluctuating va- 
 " pors, the hotter countries would probably 
 *' be left deftitute of rain, and the whole moi- 
 ** fture of the globe might, by degrees, eva- 
 " vagate towards the colder regions, and be 
 " at length congealed round the poles -, not to 
 " mention that the mountains alfo produce 
 " many curious minerals and vegetables of fo- 
 * c vereign ufe, which are not to be found elfe- 
 Ci where. Such, for inftance, is this plant, 
 " which we afcended hither in fcarch of, and 
 ,'* which I fhall afterwards give you a further 
 " account of. But let us, in the mean while, 
 Ct return homewards, to avoid the encreafmg 
 *' heat of the day." 
 
 Aratus having finimed, and taken a few of 
 the plants with him, which he might readily 
 have procured with lefs labor to himfelf, we 
 were at no lofs to guefs what had been his 
 principal motive in leading us to this delightful 
 place. 
 
 But 
 
Of the College of Mirania. 0,5 
 
 But you will excufe this digreflion, if you 
 Should efteem it fuch. The laft ftudy to be 
 fpoken of is HISTORY, which, as Aratus ma- 
 naged it, is nothing elfe but religion and pbi- 
 Icfophy taught by examples. 
 
 When the mirror of ages was held up to us, 
 and all the celebrated names of antiquity made 
 to pafs in bright review before us ; when we 
 beheld the glorious effects of virtue, with the 
 train of private and public miferies, which have 
 always been the confequence of vice; when 
 we faw the public villain branded with eternal 
 infamy, and delivered down as a malefactor to 
 all poflerity, while the patriot's name is em- 
 balmed, and rendered for ever illuftrious, by 
 the concurring plaudits of the world , could we, 
 do you think, forbear, in our own imagina- 
 tions and refolutions, to enlift ourfelves for life, 
 under the banner of virtue ? Could we forbear 
 to glow with a generous defire of earning the 
 fair eileem of good men, and partaking ibme 
 fhare of fame with thofe venerable worthies 
 we read of? Or could we once think of com- 
 mitdng a bafe and diftioneft action, without 
 Ihrinking from it with horror, at the apprehen- 
 fion of the lading reproaches of mankind ? 
 
 The ftudy of hiftory, and a view of the 
 greatnefs, iliuftrious achievements and manners 
 of other nations, may, in fo;ne degree, fupply 
 the place of travelling, and make youth make 
 
 off 
 
2 6 A General Idea 
 
 off that narrownefs of mind, which is apt ta 
 fubftiture the cufloms, manners and adions of 
 the fmall fpot wherein they were born, as the 
 ftan.dard of right and wrong, the model of eve- 
 ry thing great 'and good It begets in them a 
 more noble an . generous turn of thought, ex- 
 tends their views, and teaches them, as citizens 
 of the world, to do impartial juftice to the vir- 
 tues of every people and nation, 
 
 Indeed there is fome danger, that hiftory, 
 with all its advantages, mould go too far in 
 this refped, and beget a Love of falfe magni- 
 ficence and external mew. The partiality of 
 hiftorians to their own great m^rs, the pom- 
 pous accounts of victories and triumphs, with 
 the colorings often employed to heighten ao 
 tions that have little or no intrinlic greatnefs, 
 are apt to dazzle the eyes of unwary readers. 
 But here it was, that Aratus, ever watchful and 
 fagacious, took particular care to make the 
 proper diftindions, and to cultivate in us the 
 tafte of folid glory. 
 
 He would afk us, whether, in our own pri., 
 vate judgment, Timoleon, when he declined 
 all the dignities offered him by a grateful 
 people, and retired to pradife in filence the 
 virtues of a private life, only faving to himfelf 
 the pleafure of feeing thoufands happy by his 
 means, did not appear as venerably great, as 
 when he came at the head of an army, refolv- 
 
 ed 
 
Of tie College of Mirania. ^7 
 
 ed either to die, or refcue that people from 
 flavery and oppreffion ? Whether Curius, when 
 he rejected the vail fums offered him by the 
 Samnite ambaffadors, though they found him 
 fo poor as to be cooking his own fupper, did 
 not mew as much magnanimity, as when in 
 the front of dieadful war he conquered where T 
 ever he came ? Whether Fabius hath not been 
 as much applauded for faving from deftruction 
 his rival and adverfary,M'tf#<r/#j,who had endea- 
 voured to fupplant him in the efleem of the 
 people, as for defeating the great Hannibal, 
 and faving] the Republic ? Whether Cincinna- 
 tus deferved more praifes for his triumph over 
 the j^Equi, or his immediate abdication of the 
 di&atorfhip (when he could be of no farther 
 public fervice) and flealing away from the ac- 
 clamations of his fellow-citizens, to manure his 
 little farm, and cheer his lovely Racilia, to 
 whom in his abfence he had committed the 
 care of it ? Whether he might not appear as 
 great, when feated on an humble turf he de- 
 cided a difference among his neighbour-pea- 
 fants, and reftored peace to a poor family, as 
 when feated on the high tribunal of Rome, 
 and vefted with uncontroulable authority, he 
 gave law and peace to half the world ? 
 
 Thefe renowned worthies (Aratus would ob- 
 ferve) when they conquered nations, faved their 
 country and triumphed over its enemies, did 
 
 that 
 
^ 8 A General Idea 
 
 that which was great indeed! Neverthelefs 
 many others have equalled them in this. But 
 when they conquered themfelves \ when they 
 faved their bittereft enemies ; when they tri- 
 umphed over poverty, and would not ftoop to 
 gather gold, diadems and kingdoms, for their 
 own private emolument j-they did that in which 
 they have had but few equals. 
 
 By contrafts like thefe, and queftions fre- 
 quently afked, I have known Aratus labor to 
 form and improve our notions of true greatnefs. 
 By laying before us thofe bright examples of 
 public virtue, who managed the treafures and 
 filled the moft eminent pofts of their country . 
 with uniullied integrity, who conquered the 
 moft opulent kingdoms without adding a 
 fingle drachma to their private fortune ; and, 
 whenever their country's iervice did not require 
 their immediate prefence, defcended volunta- 
 rily from the command of mankind to manure 
 a few private acres,and trace the divine wifdom 
 in the works of nature -,--- 1 fay by laying fuch 
 bright examples as thefe before us, he led us 
 
 naturally to this conclufion That nothing 
 
 can be honourable but integrity and the appro- 
 bation of good men-, nothing mameful but 
 vice and communion with the bad ; nothing 
 neceffary but our duty ; nothing great and 
 comfortable but the confcientious difcharge of 
 itj and that true glory does not confift in 
 
 breathing 
 
Of tie College cf Mirania. 99 
 
 breathing the fiery fpirit of war, and thirfdng 
 eagerly after dominion ; but in delighting to 
 fee the world happy and unalarmed, in fer- 
 vently driving to promote this happinefs, in 
 cultivating the arts of peace, encouraging 
 agriculture and manufactures, educating chil- 
 dren aright as the rifing hopes of the ftate, and 
 ferving God in tranquility of mind and purity 
 of heart. Hiftory fhews that none but thole 
 who acted thus, have either been happy in 
 their life, or efleemed after their death. 
 
 I mall only mention one advantage more 
 propoled from this philofophical review of the 
 hiftory of mankind ; namely, that to behold 
 the dreadful effects of tyranny and religious 
 impofture in other countries, and the number- 
 lefs fcenes of great and real diftrefs to be met 
 with in their hiftory, not only teaches the youth 
 to fet a juft value on the Britifh conftitution, 
 and that glorious plan of civil and religious li- 
 berty which it fecures to us, but alfo tends 
 more to humanize the breaft and to purge and 
 regulate the affections, than all the imaginary 
 diftrefs of the beft conducted Drama. 
 
 In this concluding lecture, Aratus, ever fer- 
 vent, feemed animated with more than ordinary 
 warmth. After a thorough furvey of that fer- 
 vitude and wretchednefs under which the far 
 greater part of the human fpecies groans, 
 u Turn we, my dear friends (he would fay) turn 
 g we 
 
ioo A General Idea 
 
 we from thefe unhappy regions, that pre* 
 " fent nothing to the view but fcenes of the 
 * 5 mod complicated mifery, and whofe hiftory 
 " is little elfe but the hiftory of human vio- 
 " lence and human wickednefs, however dif- 
 " guifed by names and fan&ified by cuilom ! 
 " Let us caft our eyes homewards, on more 
 "joyous profpe&s; a Land of Liberty; life 
 " and property fecure ; a people bufy to im- 
 " prove their unprecarious fortune , cities 
 " teeming with wealth , commerce extended as 
 " far as winds blow and waters roll; every gale 
 " and tide wafting riches into port, and bear- 
 " ing forth the fruits of induftry in fair ex- 
 <c change ; arts and letters flourifhing ; reli- 
 <c gion pure and uncorrupted ; the loweft fons 
 cc of labor glad ; the very earth delighting to re- 
 *' ward their toils, and the fun fhedding on it his 
 <c choiceft beams while above all, aKiNG\\ho 
 <c is the common father of his people (and as 
 " fuch reigning in their hearts) is feen watching 
 <c over this happy conftitution even with a 
 " patriot's zeal ; and ufmg every generous cf- 
 * c fort to refcue the wretched of other climes 
 < c from flavery, and to place them allb in 
 * c the lap of Freedom to enjoy the fame un- 
 " fpeakable happinefs ! notnen duke liber- 
 : * c tatis ! O jus eximium noftr* civitatis ! Oh } 
 how delightful the name of liberty ! How 
 
 " traa- 
 
Of the College of Mirania. 101 
 
 " tranfcendent the prerogatives of the community 
 " to which we belong ! Happy ; ou, my dear 
 " friends! and thrice happy, who are now going 
 * c to be enrolled active members of that very 
 Cc fociety, in which, above all thofe you have 
 <e read of in the volumes of/?sry,you would have 
 " chofen to live and to die, if the choice had 
 ** been now left to you ! Oh then ! let nothing 
 " ever deter you from a<5ting a part worthy of 
 " theknowlege you have received, and worthy of 
 * 6 the ineftimable privileges you are now called 
 ic to enjoy ! If there be any thing on earth that 
 " deferves your attention, and is fuited to the 
 ** native greatnefs of the human mind, it muft 
 *' be To afTert the caufe of religion and truth; 
 " to fupport the fundamental rights and liber- 
 ** ties of mankind ; and to ftrive for a confti- 
 <c tution like this a government by known 
 * c laius^ not by the arbitrary decifions of frail 
 * c impaffioned Men !" 
 
 Thus have I given yon a brief fketch of the 
 method of teaching the fciences and inculcating 
 natural religion and virtue in this feminary. 
 There is only one thing wanting to compleat the 
 whole; namely, the ftudy of revealed religion. 
 And for this purpofe the Sunday evenings are let 
 apart thro' the year, when a lecture is read in all the 
 higher dalles on the fundamental principles of our 
 COMMON CHRISTIANITY , this being all that my 
 g 2 country- 
 
1O2 A General Idea 
 
 countrymen can mix with their public plan of 
 Education, as well on account of the various reli- 
 gious periuafions fubfifting among them, as the 
 various profefiions for which the youth are 
 defigned. As for thofe who are intended 
 for the facred ofEce of the miniftry, private 
 opportunities are given them for fludying their 
 own particular fy items of Theology under fuch 
 of the mafters as are of their own perfuafion. 
 For though the Principal is a clergyman 
 of the eftablifhecj religion, which was thought 
 but a readable compliment to the conftitution 
 of the country, it was neverthelefs found expe- 
 dient to leave the other offices open to men of 
 any : :'ner proteftant denomination. And it is 
 a ti ul :;ifying fight to behold, in this inftance, 
 to, wn ; t an amiable height the divine virtues of 
 Charity and Forbearance may be carried, upon 
 the Chriflian principles, by men blefl with an 
 enlarged and liberal turn of mind ! 
 
 And now, my friend, continued Evander, by 
 this time I hope you are fully fatisfied, that the 
 fludy of Religion, both natural and revealed, 
 enters fufficiently into the plan of this feminary. 
 For furely, when fuch care, as is abovemen- 
 tioned, is taken through the week, to em- 
 brace evjery opportunity of laying a foundation 
 of natural religion and goodnefs, the great 
 truths of Chriftianity cannot fail of a favour- 
 able reception on the Sundays, whether they 
 
 come 
 
Of the College of Mirania. 103 
 come from the matters in the evening clafies, 
 or from the pulpit in the time of divine 
 fervice. 
 
 Eafy and delightful mufl the tafk of the 
 Clergy be when, by the regulations of fociety, 
 the whole inftrudtors of youth go thus hand in 
 hand with them in advancing the interefts of vir- 
 tue and piety ! Happy, continued Evander, (his 
 face brightening with a laudable fondnefs for 
 his country) happy are the people that are in 
 fuch a cafe ! What can we figure to ourfelves 
 more noble than the whole wifdom of a com- 
 munity, thus uiing every human effort to train 
 up and fecure to the ftate a fuccefllon of good 
 citizens to the latefl generations ? What can we 
 conceive more lovely than the youth of a coun- 
 try thus colle&ed into one great fchool of virtue, 
 and flriving, in the fight of the public, with a 
 noble emulation to excel each other in every 
 thing that does honour to their nature ? Can 
 any thing be more praife-worthy than to con- 
 trive and execute proper means for exciting and 
 encouraging this noble conteft among youth? 
 Confidered in this light, well might Tully call 
 Education a divine work ! Well might Plato 
 call it a godlike one ! 
 
 Here Evander concluded his account of this 
 feminary ; and how far it may be imitated or 
 improved by you, Gentlemen, in this Province^ 
 is entirely fubmitted to your wifdom. 
 
 POST- 
 
POSTSCRIPT, 
 
 SO far, on a careful review, the author 
 thought the foregoing IDEA worthy of be- 
 ing preferved in this collection -, as well for the 
 reafons already given, as becaufe it contains fen- 
 timents on Education, which, 'tis hoped, may be 
 of ufe in other young fettlements where the like 
 defigns may be fet on foot. There were fome other 
 Papers attending it, which related to the plan 
 of the buildings at New York, the choice of 
 fituation, the method of raifmg money and carry- 
 ing the whole into fpeedy execution there, with 
 other matters merely occafional, thrown to- 
 gether indeed haftily, and of no ufe now, as 
 the defign of them hath long fmce been an- 
 fwered. A very laudable and promifing femi- 
 nary was opened about fix months afterwards 
 in that province, on a plan fomewhat different 
 from what is propofed above, and nearer the 
 model of our illuftrious Englifh univerfities, 
 without taking the inferior and preparatory 
 fchools into the defign. Neverthelefs, fome- 
 thing of this kind is ftill intended to be added, 
 when convenience will allow, in order to adapt it 
 more fully to the circumftances * of the country. 
 
 * In the mother country, where there are fo many noble 
 foundations for grammar learning, and fo many private 
 academical inftitutions to raife youth for the universities, 
 there is no occafion for fuch preparatory fchools in them. 
 But the cafe is very different in the Colonies. 
 
 In 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 103 
 
 In a neighbouring colony, however, there is a 
 feminary (namely, the COLLEGE AND ACADE- 
 MY OF PHILADELPHIA, which I am now going 
 to give an account of) that approaches very 
 nearly to the foregoing IDEA, as hath been be- 
 fore hinted. At the time of framing and pub- 
 liming this IDEA, the Author had only read the 
 printed account of that feminary, fo far as it 
 had then advanced, but had never vifited it ; 
 nor was it till a year afterwards that he under- 
 took the care of it. Being then in its infancy, 
 and but of four years {landing, it confifled only 
 of the inferior fchbols, properly called the Academy ; 
 Thefe were an excellent foundation to proceed 
 upon ; and, as fuch, are mentioned above, 
 p. 49. The remainder, which compofes the 
 chief part of the foregoing IDEA, was the fuper- 
 flructure to be added ; and as the doing of this 
 was to require time, the author exhibited his 
 imaginary feminary at twelve years {landing, that 
 he might have an opportunity of reprefenting ic 
 compleat. 
 
 Now twelve years happens at this time to be 
 juft the age of the Philadelphia-Seminary ; and 
 as it hath fallen to the author's mare to 
 prefide over it during the laft eight years^ 
 when the fuperflructure of the fciences and the 
 collegiate part were to be engrafted on the for- 
 mer foundation, the reader may fee from the 
 
 follow* 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 following account, how far the real lemihary, 
 as it now Hands, corrcfponds to the ideal one. 
 
 The chief difference, it is prefumed, will 
 be found in the time allotted to the fciences and 
 higher branches of literature -, the mod material 
 parts of what is propofed to be done in five 
 years in the ideal plan, being reduced to three 
 years in the other. But this was matter of ne- 
 ceflity, not choice. In the prefent great de- 
 mand for young men of education in our colo- 
 nies, and the ready fettle ment to be obtained 
 for them in all the ways of genteel employ ment s 
 it was not found pofiible to retain them at col- 
 lege for the full term propofed ; more efpecially 
 while the expence is fo considerable, and to be 
 wholly borne by themfelves. But when this 
 demand mall be fomewhat abated ; when the 
 expence can be reduced, by fome proper exhi- 
 bitions or provifion to aid thofe of confined 
 circumftances as in other colleges,and by bring- 
 ing the youth into a collegiate manner of living 
 (which will be when the buildings now on foot are 
 finifhed) it is hoped the term of years may then be 
 lengthened. In the mean while, it is the duty 
 of thole concerned, by diligence and every 
 other means in their power, to bring as much 
 as poflible into the time allotted-, and this will ap- 
 pear, from the following account, to be their 
 eameft endeavour. 
 
 NUMBER II. 
 
NUMBER II. 
 
 Account of the Cdlege, Academy and Charitable 
 School of Philadelphia, in Pennfyfaania* 
 
 IN the Year 1 749, a few private Gentlemen 
 of Pennfylvanta, obferving the vaft acceflion 
 of people to that place, from different parts of 
 the world, became ferioufly impreffed with a 
 view of the inconveniencies likely to arife from 
 their being deftitute of the necefTary means of 
 Inftruction. As fundry circumftances rendered 
 it improbable that any thing could be fpeedily 
 done among them, in a public way, for the ad- 
 vancement of Knowlege, and at the fame time 
 but very few of fo great a multitude could af- 
 ford the expence of educating their children in 
 diftant places, they faw with concern that their 
 country was not only in danger of wanting a 
 fuccefilon of fit perfons for the public (lations of 
 life, but even of degenerating into the greateft 
 Ignorance. 
 
 h To 
 
io8 Account of the College 
 
 To prevent thefe dreadful evils, they pub- 
 lifhed propofals for erecting the Englifli, Latin, 
 and Mathematical Schools of this inftitution, 
 under the name of an * ACADEMY - y which was 
 confidered as a very proper foundation, on which 
 to raife fomething farther, at a future period, if 
 they fliould be fuccefsful fo far. And in order 
 to carry this defign into execution, twenty-four 
 perfons joined themfelves together as TRUS- 
 TEES, agreeing never to exceed that number. 
 
 THE fcheme being made public, with the 
 names of the gentlemen concerned in it, all was 
 fo well approved of, that in a very fhort time 
 the fubfcription for carrying it on, amounted to 
 Eight Hundred Pounds per annum, for five 
 years; a very ftrong proof of the public fpi- 
 rit and generofity of the inhabitants of that 
 place ! 
 
 IN the beginning of January 1750, the three 
 fchools above mentioned were opened, namely the 
 Latin, the Mathematical and Englifh School. 
 For it had always been confidered as a very 
 leading part of the defign, to have a good fchooi 
 
 
 
 * Many gentlemen of the firft rank in the province gave 
 their countenance to this defign, as foon as it was mentioned 
 to them, and afterwards became Truftees for it ; but thofe 
 on whom the chief care of digefting and preparing matters 
 
 retted, were Thomas Hopkinfon, Tench Francis, Rich- 
 
 ard Peters, and Benjamin Franklin, Efqrs ; by the latter of 
 whom the original propofals were drawn up and publifhed. 
 
 in 
 
and Academy of Philadelphia. 109 
 
 in the mother tongue, and to have a perfon of 
 abilities entrufted with the care of it, 
 
 ORATORY, and the correct Speaking and 
 Writing of Englim, are branches of education 
 too much neglected, as is often vifible in the 
 public performances of fome very learned men. 
 But, in the circumftances of this province, fuch 
 a neglect would have been ilill more inexcufable 
 than in any other part of the Britifli dominions. 
 For being made up of fo great a mixture of 
 people, from almoft all corners of the world, 
 necefTarily fpeaking a variety of languages and 
 dialects, the true pronounciation and writing of 
 our own language might foon be loft, without 
 fuch a previous care to preferve them in the rif- 
 ing generation. 
 
 AT the opening of the above fchools, which 
 were intended to be preparatory to the higher 
 parts of learning, a fuitable fermon was preach- 
 ed, by Mr. PETERS, provincial fecretary, from 
 St. John viii. 32. " And ye fhall know the 
 Truth, and the Truth (hall make you Free." 
 
 THIS reverend and worthy gentleman (who, 
 amid all the labours of his public flation, as well 
 as the many private labours in which his benevo- 
 lence continually "engages him, has dill made it 
 his care to devote fome part of his time to Claf- 
 fical Learning, and the iludy of Divinity, to 
 which he was originally bred) took occafion, 
 from thefe words of our bleffed Saviour, to (hew 
 the intimate connexion between Truth and Free- 
 h 2 dom, 
 
1 1 o Account of the College 
 
 dom, between Knowlege of every kind, and the 
 prefervation of Civil and Religious Liberty. 
 
 THE inftitution, thus begun, continued daily 
 to flourifh \ and at length the Truftees applied 
 for a charter of incorporation, which they ob- 
 tained in July 1753, from the honourable Pro- 
 prietors , who, at different times, have contri- 
 buted in lands and money, to the amount of 
 THREE THOUSAND POUNDS STERLING, for 
 carrying on the defign a very noble and even 
 princely benefaction, truly worthy of perfons fo 
 clofely concerned in the effential interefts of the 
 country ! 
 
 THINGS having proceeded thus far, it was 
 foon found that many of the youth, having gone 
 thro* their courfe of Grammar Learning, would 
 be defirous of proceeding to Philofophy and 
 the Sciences ; and this being reprefented to the 
 Truftees, they began to think of enlarging their 
 plan, as theyhad promifed at the beginning. They 
 were very fenfible that the knowlege of Words, 
 without making them fubfervient to the know- 
 lege of Things, could never be confidered as the 
 bufinefs of education. To lay a foundation in 
 the Languages, was very neceffary as a firft (rep, 
 but without the fuperftructure of the Sciences 
 would be but of little ufe for the conduct of 
 life. 
 
 IN confideration of this, they determined to 
 complete the remainder of their plan, and ap- 
 plied for an Addition to their charter, by which 
 
 a 
 
and Academy of Philadelphia. in 
 
 a power of conferring degrees and appointing 
 ProfcfTors in the various branches of the Arts and 
 Sciences, was granted to them. By this means, 
 a College was added to, and ingrafted upon 
 their former Academy; a joint government agreed 
 upon for both ; the flyle of the Truftees changed 
 to that of <; Truftees of the College, Academy 
 and Charitable School of Philadelphia, in Penn- 
 fylvania ;" and the Profeflurs conftituted under 
 them into one body or Faculty, by the name 
 of " The Provcft *, Vice Provoft and Pro- 
 feffors, of the College and Academy of Phila- 
 delphia." This charter bears Date May I4th 
 
 '755- 
 
 HAVING given a mort account of the rife of 
 this institution, I proceed now to give a view 
 of the different Branches thereof, as they are 
 at prefect ; and fhall begin at the lowed, which 
 confifts of two Charity Schools. In one of them 
 forty girls are taught Reading, Writing, Sew- 
 ing, &c. In the other, eighty Boys are taught 
 Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic, in order to 
 fit them for the various forts of bufinefs and me- 
 chanic Arts. 
 
 THE Second branch is properly an Englifh 
 Academy, and confifts of two pares ; an Eng- 
 lifh and Writing fchool, and a fchool for the 
 
 * It was about a year before the obtaining this additional 
 charter, viz. May z$th, 17,4, that the author was fettled as 
 Head of this fcminary. 
 
 h 3 Pra&ical 
 
H2 Account of the College 
 
 Practical branches of the Mathematics, Drawing, 
 &c. In the Former, befides Writing, the Pupils 
 are taught the Mother-tongue Grammatically, to- 
 gether with a correct and juft pronounciation. 
 For attaining this, a fmall roftrum is erected in 
 one end of the fchool, and the youth are frequent- 
 ly exercifed in reading aloud from it, or in deliver- 
 ing Jhort orations ; while the Profeffor of Englifh 
 and Oratory ftands by to correct whatever may 
 be amifs, eicher in their Speech or Getture. 
 
 BESIDES this roftrum, which is in their pri- 
 vate fchool, there is alfo a large ftage or oratory 
 erected in the College-hall, where the Speakers 
 appear on all public occafions, before as many 
 of the inhabitants as pleafe to attend. 
 
 THIS part of the inftitution is of fingular be- 
 nefit. It corrects unbecoming bafhfulnefs r &c. 
 gives the youth prefence of rnind, habituates 
 them to appearing in public, and has been the 
 means of producing many excellent young Ora- 
 tors, that have occafionally entertained large au- 
 diences * j and it is hoped will foon become an 
 
 honour 
 
 * A number of the ftudents and fcholars, wifh very juft ap- 
 plaufe, performed the Mafque of Alfred by way of Oratorial 
 Exercife, before the Earl of Loudon and the Governors of 
 the feveral colonies, who met at Philadelphia in the begin- 
 ning of the year 1757. 
 
 The choice of this performance was owing to the great fi- 
 jnilarity of circumitances in the diftrefs of England under the 
 I>anifh Invafion, and that of the Colonies at this time under 
 the ravages and incurfions of the Indian,*. The whole was 
 
 applied 
 
and Academy of Philadelphia. 1 1 3 
 
 honour and an ornament to their country, in the 
 various ftations to which they may be called. 
 This attention to public fpeaking, which is be- 
 gun here with the very rudiments of the mo- 
 ther-tongue, is continued down to the end; and 
 efpecially in the philofophy fchools, where the 
 youth frequently deliver exercifes of their own 
 competition, at commencements, examinations, 
 and other public occafions. 
 
 applied in an occafional prologue and epilogue: and at any 
 time a fufficient number of fpeakers may be found to perform 
 any piece of this kind, in a manner that would not be difagree- 
 abie to perfons of the beft tafle and judgment. Mr. Sheridan, 
 it is to be prefurned, never heard of the conftitution of this 
 feminary, when he aiked the following queftion^in his intro- 
 ductory Difcourfe to Lectures on Elocution, &c. 
 
 " To inftruct our youth, fays he, in the Arts of Reading 
 " and Writing, there are many feminaries every where efta- 
 <e blifhed, throughout this realm ; but who, in thefe coun- 
 " tries, ever heard of a mailer for the improvement of Arti- 
 " culation, for teaching the due proportion of founds and 
 " quantity of fyllables in the Englifh language, and for 
 " pointing 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 the Profeflbr of Englifh and Oratory mentioned 
 above, is exactly fuch a Matter of Articulation as this, and 
 has been employed in the College and Academy of Philadel- 
 phia from its firft foundation. And if the many advantages, 
 that have arifen from this part of the plan, were fufficiently 
 known, they would furnifli one very convincing argument in 
 favour of the point, which Mr. SHERIDAN is fo worthily ftriv, 
 ing to accomplifh, in behalf of the language and elocution 
 of his country. 
 
 h 4 THE 
 
1 14 Account of the College 
 
 THE Third and higheft branch of the inflitu- 
 tion is the College, in which the learned lan- 
 guages and the fciences are taught, as in other Col- 
 leges and Univerfities, tho' on a plan fomewhat 
 different. It conilfts of the Latin and Greek 
 fchools, and three Philofophy fchoqls. An ac- 
 count of the whole follows. 
 
 LATIN and GREEK. SCHOOLS, 
 
 ift FORM or STAGE. Grammar. Vocabulary. 
 Sentential Pueriles. Cordery. ^Efop. Eraimus. 
 N. B. The youth to be exact in declining and 
 conjugating; and to begin to write exercif- 
 es, for the better underftanding of Syntax. 
 Writing, Reading and Speaking of Englifh 
 to be continued likewife, if neceflary. 
 
 ad STAGE. Sele&ae e veteri Teftamento. ' > 
 le&se e profanis Authoribus. Eutropius. Nepos. 
 Metamorphofis. Latin Exercifes and Writing 
 continued. 
 
 3d STAGE. Metamorphofis continued. Virgil 
 with Profody. Casfar's Comment. SalJuft. Gretk 
 Grammar. Greek Teftament. Elements of Geo- 
 graphy and Chronology. Exercifes and Writing 
 continued. 
 
 4th STAGE, Horace. Terence. Virgil re- 
 viewed. Livy. Lucian. Xenophon or Homer- 
 begun. 
 
 N. B, This 
 
and Academy of Philadelphia. 115 
 
 N. B. This year the youth are to make 
 Themes - 3 write letters ; give defcriptions 
 and chara&ers; and to turn Latin into 
 Englifh, with great regard to punctuation 
 and choice of words. Some Englifh and 
 Latin orations are to be delivered, with 
 proper grace both of elocution and gefture. 
 Arithmetic begun. 
 
 SOME of the youth, 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. The mailers muft ex- 
 ercife their belt difcretion in this refpecl:. 
 
 THOSE who can acquit themfelves to fatisfac- 
 tion in the books laid down for the fourth ftage, 
 after public examination, proceed to the ftudy of 
 the fciences, and are admitted into the Philofo- 
 phy Schools, by the name of Frefhmen or No- 
 viciates, with the privilege of being diftinguifhed 
 with an under-graduate's gown. The method 
 of ftudy profecuted in thefe ichools for the term 
 of three years, follows , and the portion of read- 
 ing allotted for each month is particularly dif- 
 tinguifhed. 
 
 VIEW 
 
ii6 'Account of the College 
 
 VIEW of the PHILOSOPHY-SCHOOLS. 
 
 FIRST YEAR. 
 
 Firft Term. 
 Three 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. 
 SENIORS. May 15 
 
 Firft Term. 
 Three Months. 
 
 Second Term. 
 Three Months, 
 
 Januarj 
 Third Term. 
 Fuur Months. 
 
 FORE! 
 
 MOON. 
 
 INSTRUMENTAI 
 LECTURE I. 
 
 . PHILOSOPHY. 
 LECTURE II. 
 
 at. &Engl. Exercifes continued. 
 
 Common Arithmetic reviewed. 
 Decimal Arithmetic. 
 
 Algebra. 
 
 The fame. 
 
 Fractions and Extract. Roots. 
 Equations, fimple & quadratic. 
 Euclid, firft fix Books. 
 
 Logic with Metaphyfics. 
 
 N. B. At leifure hours Dif- 
 putatiun begun. 
 
 Euclid a fecond Time. 
 Logarithmicai Arithmetic. 
 
 Logic, &c- reviewed. 
 Surveying and Dialling. 
 Navigation. 
 
 Plain & Spherical Trigonometry. 
 
 Conic Seftions. 
 Fluxions. 
 
 Euclid, nth Book. 
 izth Ditto, 
 Architecture, with Fortifkat. 
 
 MORAL PHILOS. begun. 
 
 NAT. PHILOSOPHY begun. 
 
 Viz. Compend. of Ethics. 
 N. B. Difputation continued 
 
 V iz. General Propert. of Body. 
 Mechanic Powers, 
 Hydroftatics, 
 Pneumatics. 
 N. B. Declamation and pub- 
 lic Speaking continued. 
 
 Ethics continued. 
 Natural and civil Law. 
 
 Light and Colours. 
 Optics, &c. 
 Perfpedlive. 
 
 Introduction to Civil Hiftory. 
 to Laws and Government 
 
 Aflronomy. 
 Nat. Hift. of Vegetables. 
 
 
 
 Review of the Whole. 
 Examinat. for Degree of B. A 
 
 Chemiftrv. 
 Of Foflils. 
 Of Agriculture. 
 
 N. B. Thro' all the Years, 
 the French Language may be ilu^ 
 died at leifure Hours. 
 
 FIRST 
 
and Academy of Philadelphia. 
 
 117 
 
 FIRST YEA:R. 
 
 FRESHMEN. Mayi5, 
 
 Firft Term. 
 Three 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 Monihs. 
 
 Remarks. 
 
 THIRD YEAR. 
 "SENIORS. May 15 
 
 Firft Term. 
 Three Months. 
 
 Second Term. 
 Three Months. 
 
 January 
 Third Term. 
 Four Months. 
 
 AFTERNOON. 
 Clafikal and Rhetorical Studies. 
 
 "LECTURE in. 
 
 PRIVATE HOURS- 
 
 Books recommended for improv- 
 ing the Youth in the various 
 Branches. 
 
 Homer's Iliad. 
 Juvenal. 
 
 Pindar. 
 Cicero, felec?. Parts. 
 Livy retimed. 
 
 Spectators, Ramblers, &c. foi 
 he Improvement of Style, and 
 Cnowlege of Life. 
 Barrow's Lectures. Pardie's 
 Geometry. Maclaurin's Alge 
 ora. Ward's Mathematics. KeiTs 
 Trigonometry. 
 Watt c 's Lo^ic and Supplement, 
 
 Thucydides, or 
 Euripides. 
 Wells's Dionyfius. 
 
 N. B. Some Afternoons to be 
 sared for Declamation this Year. 
 
 -ocke on human Undcrftanding. 
 -lutchefon's Metaphyfics. Vare- 
 nius's Geography. 
 Watts's Ontology and Eflays. 
 K-ing de Orig Mali, with Law's 
 NTotes. Johiifon's Elem. Phiiof. 
 
 Introduction to Rhetoric. 
 -lOnginus, critically. 
 
 Voffius. Boffu. Pere Bohours. 
 Dryden's ElTays and Prefaces, 
 ^pence on Pope's OdyfTey. 
 Tricp's Prielecl. Pc^et. Dionv- 
 
 Horace's Art of Poetry, Critically. 
 Ariftot. Pcet. &c. critically. 
 Qumtilian, felect Parts. 
 
 I'js Halicarn. Demetrius Pha- 
 ereus. Strada^ Prolufiones. 
 Patoun's Navigation. Grego- 
 
 COMPOSITION begun. 
 
 ry's Geometry on Fortification. 
 Simfon's Conic Sections. Mac- 
 
 Cicero pro Milone. 
 Demofthenes pro Ctefip&Qp. 
 
 N. B. During the Application 
 of the Rules of thefe famous O- 
 ration?, Imitations of them arc 
 to be attempteci on the Model 
 of perfect Eloquence. 
 
 laurin's and F.merfon's Fluxions. 
 Palladio by Ware. 
 Helftam's Leflures. Grave- 
 farxie. Cote's Hydreftatics. Defa- 
 guliers. Mufchenbroek. Keil's 
 Introdadlicn. Martin's Philo- 
 <~opb.y. Sir Ifaac Newton's Phi- 
 iofophy. Mdclaurin's View o 
 Ditto. Rchault per Clarke. 
 
 Epicleti Enchiridion. 
 Cicero de Officiis. 
 Tufculan Quaeft. 
 VJernorabiiia Xenoph. Greek. 
 
 Puftendoif by Barbeyrac. 
 Cumberland dc Leg. Sidney. 
 Harrington. Seneca. Hutchefyn'* 
 vVorlcs. Locke on Government, 
 ^looker's Polity. 
 
 Patavii Rationar. Temporum. 
 PI 3 to de Legibus. 
 Grotius de Jure, B. & P. 
 
 Scaliger de Emendatione Tem- 
 porum. Precepfor. Le Clerc's 
 Compend. of Hiftory Gre- 
 
 Afternoons of this -^d Term, 
 : or Composition and Declama 
 tion on Moral and Phyfical Sub- 
 eels, P-iiloiophy Aits held. 
 
 Laws. N. Bacon's Difcourfes, 
 My Lord Bacon's Works. Locke 
 on Coin. Davenanf. Gee's Com- 
 ^enH Ray. Derham. Spectacle 
 le la Nature. Religious Phi- 
 lofopher HOLTT BJBIE, to 
 be read daily from the Begin- 
 ning, and now to fupply the De- 
 ficiencies of the Whole. 
 
 
 CON- 
 
1 1 8 Account of the College 
 
 CONCERNING the foregoing plan, it is 
 to be remarked that life itfelf being too 
 ihort to attain a perfect acquaintance with the 
 whole circle of the Sciences, nothing can be pro- 
 pofed by any fcheme of Collegiate- Education, but 
 to lay fuch a general foundation in all the bran- 
 ches of literature, as may enable the youth to 
 perfect themfelves in thofe particular parts, to 
 which their bufmefs, or genius, may afterwards 
 lead them ; and fcarce any thing has more ob- 
 ftructed the advancement of found learning, than 
 a vain imagination, that a few years, fpent at 
 college, can render youth fuch abfolute Matters 
 of Science, as to abfolve them from all future 
 itudy. 
 
 THOSE concerned in the management of this 
 Seminary, as far as their influence extends, 
 would wim. to propagate a contrary doctrine ; 
 and tho' they flatter themfelves that, by a due 
 execution of the foregoing plan, they fhall en- 
 rich their country with many minds, that are 
 liberally accomplifhed, and fend out none that 
 may jultly be denominated barren, or unim- 
 proved; yet they hope, that the youth commit- 
 ted to their care, will neither at college, nor 
 afterwards, reft fitisfied with fuch a general 
 knowlege, a> is to be acquired from the public 
 lectures and exercifes. They rather truft that 
 thofe, whofe tafte is once formed for the acquifi- 
 
 tion 
 
and Academy of Philadelphia. 1 1 9 
 
 tion of folid Wifdom, will think it their duty 
 and moil rational fatisfaction, to accomplifli 
 themfelves flill farther, by manly perfeverance in 
 private ftudy and meditation. 
 
 To direct them in this refpect, the lad co- 
 lumn contains a choice of approved writers in 
 the various branches of literature, which will be 
 eafily understood when once a foundation is laid 
 in the books to be ufed as daffies, under the fe- 
 veral lectures. Forthefe books will not be found 
 in this laft column, which is only meant as a 
 private library, to be confulted occafionally in 
 the lectures, for the illuftration of any particular 
 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 con- 
 nexion and fubferviency of the Sciences, as well 
 as to the gradual openings of young minds. 
 Thole parts are placed firft, which are fuited to 
 (Irengthen the inventive faculties and are inftru- 
 mental to what follows. Thofe are placed lad, 
 which require riper judgment, and are more im- 
 mediately connected with the main bufmefs of 
 life. 
 
 IN the mean time, it is propofed that they 
 fhali never drop their acquaintance with the claf- 
 fic Sages. They are every day called to con- 
 verfe with fome one of the ancients, who, at the 
 fame time that he charms with all the beauties 
 of language, is generally illuflrating that parti- 
 cular 
 
Account of the College 
 
 cular branch of philoibphy or fcience, to which 
 the other hours of the day are devoted. Thus, 
 by continually drawing fomething from the moft 
 admired matters of fentiment and expreffion, the 
 tafte of youth will be gradually formed, to juft 
 Criticifm, and mafterly Compofition. 
 
 FOR this reafon, Compofition, in the ftrict 
 Meaning of the term, cannot well be begun at 
 an earlier period than is propofed in the plan. 
 The knowlege of Mathematics is not more ne- 
 ceffary, as an introduction to natural philofophy, 
 than an acquaintance with the bed ancient and 
 modern writers, efpecially the Critics, is to juft 
 Compofition ; and, befides this, the topics or 
 materials are to be fupplied, in a good meafure, 
 from 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 educa- 
 tion. At the end of every term, fome time 
 
 is allowed for recreation, or bringing up flower 
 Geniufes. 
 
 No doubt, thofe who compare this plan with 
 what is laid down in the preceeding efTay, will 
 think the term of three years too fcanty a period 
 for the execution of every thing here propofed. 
 
 And it muft be acknowledged that a longer pe- 
 
 f 
 
 * See Difcourfe vij and alfo the foregoing number of this 
 Appendix. 
 
 8 riod 
 
and Academy of Philadelphia. 12 1 
 
 riod would be necefiary. But circumftances muft 
 ^always be regarded in the execution of every 
 plan ; and the reaibn of confining the execution 
 of this to the term of three years hath been 
 mentioned in the poftfcript to the former num- 
 ber. 
 
 The Whole in one VIEW. 
 
 Schools. Makers. 
 
 r Three Philofophy Schools. The Provoft and Vice-provo/r. 
 
 College. ) Latin and Greek Schools. $ The Profe^r of Languages, 3 
 
 1 1 utors,aWnting-mafter,&c. 
 
 C Students and Scholars in this Part about _ 1O o 
 
 r The Profefibr of Englifh and 
 
 I Englifh School. < Oratory, with one Afilftant 
 
 Acade- \ t- and a Wming-mafter. 
 
 my. j School for practical Branches of ("The Profeficr of Mathema- 
 I Mathematics. "^ tics. 
 
 ^Scholars in this Part about go 
 
 r , r School for Charity Boys. One Mafter and one Affiftant. 
 
 cT i < Schco1 for Charity Girls. One Miftrefs. 
 
 ols ' C Scholars in tlm Part . -._ J2O 
 
 In all, 310 
 
 r-.si^:'rd^-C y 
 
 The chief Mafters are 
 
 William Smith, D. D. Provoft of the Semi- 
 nary, and Profeflbr of Natural Philofophy ; 
 Francis Alifon, D. D. Vice^ Provoft, and Pro- 
 feflbr of Moral Philofophy , Ebenezer Kinner- 
 (ley, M. A. Profeflbr of Oratory -, John Beve- 
 ridge, M. A. Profeflbr of Languages ; Hugh 
 Wiliiamfon, M. A. Profeflbr of Mathematics. 
 
 The prefent Truftees are 
 
 Richard Peters, Efq; Prefident of the Board, by 
 annual Election. 
 
 The 
 
122 Account of tie College 
 
 The nondurable James Hamilton, Efq; Lieute- 
 nant Governor of the Province. 
 
 The Hon. William Allen, Efq; Chief- Juftice. 
 
 William Coleman, Efq; Third Judge of the Su- 
 preme Court. 
 
 Alexander Stedman, Efq; Firft Judge of the 
 Common Pleas. 
 
 Edward Shippen, Efq; Judge of the Admiralty. 
 
 Benjamin Chew, Efq; Attorney-General. 
 
 Benjamin Franklin, Efq; L. L. D.I 
 
 J 
 
 Aldermen of 
 the City of 
 
 ... 
 Ph.ladelph.a. 
 
 Jofeph Turner, 1 
 William Plumfted, 
 Abraham Taylor, >Efqrs; 
 William Cox, 
 Thomas Willing, 
 
 f Thomas Cadwalader,' 
 
 ~ jThomas Bond, C^ r 
 
 Drs. < , . c , >Phyficians. 
 
 }Phmeas Bond, 
 
 (^William Shippen, 
 fjohn Inglis, 
 
 Thomas Leech, 
 
 Mefirs. < Thomas White, >GentIemen a 
 1 Samuel M'Call, 
 ^Philip Syng, J 
 
 The Reverend Mr. Jacob Duche, one of the 
 
 Minifters of Chrift-Church. 
 One Seat vacant. 
 
 THUS we fee that this inftitution is placed on 
 a moft enlarged bottom, being one great Collec- 
 tion 
 
and Academy of Philadelphia. 123 
 
 tion of Schools, under a general government j 
 in which all the branches and fpecies of education 
 are carried on that can be conceived necefTary for 
 any community, whether in the learned Prof effions* 
 in Merchandife y in the mechanic Arts^ or inferior 
 callings. It may, therefore, be proper now to 
 give a fhort fketch of the methods, by which 
 difcipline and good order are preferved, among 
 fuch a variety of fchools, (tudents, and fcholars. 
 
 THE chief power is, by Charter, lodged in 
 twenty- four Truftees, who muft all be relident 
 not only within the province, but within five 
 miles of the City. All matters of higher im- 
 port are to be decided by their council and di- 
 rection ; and all laws are either to be made by 
 them, or receive a final fandtion from them. No 
 fludent can receive the honours and ordinary de- 
 grees of the college, without a previous exami- 
 nation in their prefence, and a Mandate under 
 their privy-feal and the hands of a majority of 
 them. Nor can even an honorary Degree be 
 conferred without a like Mandate, under the faid 
 privy-feal and the hands of at lead two thirds of 
 the whole body \ which regulations muft always 
 be a means of preventing a proftirution of thofe 
 degrees and honours to the Illiterate and Unde- 
 ferving, which Ihould be the reward of real 
 Learning and Worth. 
 
 IN order to do their duty as truftees more ef- 
 fectually, they fet apart the fecond Tuefday of 
 every month, for vifiting and examining the 
 i fchoois, 
 
124 'Account of tie College 
 
 fchools, converting and advifmg with the'mafters, 
 encouraging the Itudents according to their feveral 
 degrees of merit, and making fuch regulations 
 as may be thought neceffary. All the fchools 
 have 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 fcholars. 
 
 BESIDES thefe dated meetings, their prefident, 
 who is chorfen annually, has a power of calling 
 other meetings on any particular occafion. 
 
 UNDER thefe truftees, the principal matters are 
 conftituted into a Faculty, of common body, 
 with all the powers neceflary for the ordinary 
 government of the fchools and good education of 
 the youth- They are to meet, in Faculty, at 
 lead once in every two weeks, and at fuch other 
 times as the Provoft, or fenior member prefent, 
 ihall think fit to call them, or any two members 
 defire him fo to do. At thefe meetings they are 
 to enquire into the (late of the fchools, and fee 
 that the feveral parts of education be regularly 
 carried on, and the laws of the inftitution duly 
 executed and obferved. They have alfo power 
 to enaft temporary Rules and Ordinances, to be 
 in force as Laws, till the firft enfuing meeting 
 of the Truftees ; before whom they are then to 
 be laid, in order to be altered, amended or con- 
 firmed, or left probationary for a longer period, 
 or wholly laid afide, as they fhaH think fit, 
 
 BY 
 
and Academy of Philadelphia. 
 
 BY this method, all Laws either do, or 
 take their rife from maftersj who being daily 
 prefent in the infti nation know bed what regula- 
 tions and orders may be wanted. At the fame 
 rime, as thcfe regulations are to receive their laft 
 fanftion from the Truftees and VifitorSj 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 ftanding Law, but what is found falutary 
 and good upon trial. 
 
 BY the prefent rules, the faculty of matters 
 meets every Thurfday noon, and all the fchools 
 are afTembled before them that they may examine 
 the weekly roll, and call delinquents to account* 
 As many of the youth are too big for corporal pu- 
 nimment, there are fmall Fines by the laws agree- 
 able to the nature of the offence, and the cuf- 
 tom of other colleges. Whatever fnoney is thus 
 raifed from the flothful and reftadory in Fines* 
 is appropriated in Rewards to the diligent and 
 obedient ; fo that any youth, who has once been 
 a delinquent, may have an opportunity of getting 
 back, by future cafe, what he forfeited by for- 
 mer neglect. 
 
 THESE Regards and Puniflimerits are both 
 adminiftred in the moil public manner ; and$ iii 
 fhort, the whole difcipline is fo feafon^ble and 
 juft^ that any youth who might defire to break 
 thro* the rules of this inftitution in his younger 
 
126 Account of the College 
 
 years, can hardly be expefted to fubmit to the 
 rules of civil Society itfelf when grown up. 
 
 As to the plan of education, great care has 
 been taken to comprehend every ufeful branch 
 in it, without being burdenfome, or launching 
 into thofe that are unneceflary. 
 
 THE principal matters are men who have fe- 
 verally given fpecimens of their (kill, in thofe 
 particular parts of literature which they profefs. 
 Nor is it any objection, but rather an advan- 
 tage, particularly to the youth intended for bu- 
 fmefs 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-policed city, as in a fmall 
 village ; if we can fuppofe any place to continue 
 fmall where fuch a feminary is once founded. 
 When I fpeak fo, I would be underftood to mean, 
 when the youth all lodge in the houfes of their 
 parents, or in lodgings within the walls of the 
 college-, a proper number of which are now 
 erecting, at a very confiderable expence. 
 
 IN this inftitution, there is a good Apparatus 
 for experiments in Natural Philofophy, done in 
 England by the bed hands, and* brought over 
 from thence, in different parcels. There is alfo, 
 in the experiment room, an Electrical Apparatus, 
 chiefly the invention of one of the * Profeflbrs, 
 
 * Mr. Kinnerfley. 
 
 and 
 
and Academy of Philadelphia* 127 
 
 and perhaps the completed of the kind, now in 
 the world. 
 
 THIS is a faithful, tho' brief, account of the 
 whole feminary ; and what a bleffing muft 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 toinduftry -, where the mailers 
 tranfacl every thing by joint advice ; where all 
 pofllble regard to religion and morality is kept 
 up, and the whole open to the vifitation and fre- 
 quent infpection of a number of gentlemen of 
 rank and charafter ? 
 
 MAY there never be wanting a fucceffion of 
 fuch gentlemen to take the truft and care of it ; 
 and may it continue, to the lateft times, a fhin- 
 ing light to the world around it and an honour 
 to the province, as long as any memorial of vir- 
 tue and letters fhall remain among mankind ! 
 
 NUM. 
 
NUMBER III. 
 
 A CHARGE delivered to the GRADUATES at 
 the fir ft Anniverfary Commencement in the 
 College of Philadelphia. 
 
 GENTLEMEN, 
 
 YOU now appear as Candidates for the firft 
 honours of this inftitution. The free 
 fpirit that it breathes permits us not to bind you 
 to us by the ordinary ties of oaths and promifes. 
 Inftead thereof, we would rely on thole prin- 
 ciples of virtue and goodnefs which we have en- 
 deavoured to cultivate. Suffer me, therefore, 
 ere you go, to fum up all our former labours for 
 you, in this place, by one laft and parting 
 charge. 
 
 SURELY to live is a ferious thing! And you 
 
 are now about to ftep into life, and embark 
 
 in all its bufy fcenes. It is fit, then, that you 
 
 fhould make a paufe a folemn paufe at its por- 
 
 i 4 tal, 
 
A Charge to the fir ft Graduates 
 
 tal, and confider well what is expected from 
 you, and how yo\i are prepared to perform it. 
 
 ON the qne hand, you will have all the dan- 
 gers and indifcretions of youth to grapple with, 
 at your firft fetting out in the world. Raw and 
 unexperienced in its ways, you will be apt to 
 confider yourfelves as fet loofe from the reins of 
 difcipline, and to look abroad in it with con- 
 fcious rapture, and the moft buoyant hopes. 
 The fullnefs of blood, the -ftrength of pa (lion, 
 the conftant call of pleafure, and the harlot-form 
 of vice, will be apt to bear down that fober wif- 
 dom and cool reflection, which are your beft 
 guard. At every glance, elyfian fcenes and 
 fairy profpedts will open before you ; feemingly 
 fo variegated with beauty, and itored with plea- 
 fure, that the choice will perplex you. But 
 alas 1 thefe lead not all to the bowers of joy ! 
 many will only feduce you from the path of 
 virtue, by falfe appearances of happinefs, and 
 draw you on, through meads of unreal blifs, to 
 the fool's paradife; a deceitful region, which 
 proves at laft to be but the valley of the fhadow 
 of death, where fnakes Jurk under thegrafs 
 
 And, mid the rofes, fierce repentance rears 
 Her horrid creft * 
 
 ON the other hand, you will find the world 
 inclined to make but finall allowances . for the 
 
 * Thornfon, 
 
 flips 
 
in the College of Philadelphia. 131 
 flips of youth. Much x^ery much will be ex- 
 pefted from you. Your fuperior opportunities 
 of knowlegc, the many fpecimens of genius you 
 have already exhibited, will give your friends 
 and country a right to expect every thing from 
 you that is excellent or praife-worthy. 
 
 OH ! then, let no part of your future con- 
 duel: difgrace the leflbns you have received, or 
 difappoint the. hopes you have fojuftly raifed ! 
 Confider yourfelves, from this day, as diftin- 
 guifhed above the vulgar, and called upon to act 
 a more impoitant part in life! drive to (hine 
 forth in every fpecies of moral excellence, and 
 to fupport the character and dignity of beings 
 formed for endlefs duration! TheChriftian world 
 ftands much in need of inflexible patterns of in- 
 tegrity and public virtue ; and no part of it more 
 fo than the land you inhabit. 
 
 REMEMBER that fuperior .talents demand a 
 fuperior exercife of every good quality ; and that, 
 where they produce not this falutary effect, it 
 v/ere far better for the world to be for ever with- 
 out them. Unlefs your education is feen con- 
 ipicuous in your lives, alas! what will be its fig- 
 nificancy to you, or to us ? Will it not be deem- 
 ed rather to have been a vain art of furnifhing 
 the head, than a true difciplinc of the heart and 
 manners ? 
 
 IF, then, you regard the credit of this inftitu- 
 tion, which will travail in concern for you, till 
 
 you 
 
 
132 A Charge to tie fir ft Graduates 
 
 you are formed into ufeful men ; if you regard 
 your own credit, and the credit of the many fuc- 
 ceeding fetts of youth, who may be fired to glo- 
 ry by your example ; let your conduct in the 
 world be fuch, at lead, as to deferve the ap- 
 plaufe of the wifer and better part of it. Re- 
 member you are the firft who have received the 
 honours of this feminary. You have been judg- 
 ed doubly deferving of them. O ! think, then, 
 what pain it would give us, mould we be difap- 
 pointed in you, our firft and mod hopeful fons ! 
 What a reproach would it be to have it faid that, 
 under us, you had obtained all forts of learning, 
 and yet had not obtained Wifdom efpecially 
 that Wifdom, which has for its beginning the 
 Fear of God, and for its end everlafting felicity ! 
 
 BUT we have every reafon to expect far better 
 things of you. And, in that expectation, I 
 (hall beg leave to propofe a few rules, which, 
 being well obferved, will contribute greatly to 
 your fuccefs in life. They mall be confined to 
 two heads. 
 
 i ft, How to live with Yourfelves, and your 
 God. 
 
 2dly, How to live with the World. 
 
 PERHAPS this may be deemed a very needlefs 
 work at this time. But my heart yearns to- 
 wards you. I cannot eafily part with you. And 
 though I mould only repeat what you have of- 
 ten heard in the courfe of our lectures in this 
 place; yet, being laid together in one more 
 
 view* 
 
in the College of Philadelphia. 133 
 
 view, and delivered before fuch a number of 
 witnefles, 'tis probable the impreflion may be 
 fo much the deeper. And, that it may be fo, I 
 fhall not amufe you with high drawn cha- 
 racters and vifionary precepts , the creatures of 
 fancy's brain, worked up beyond the life. Such 
 may allure the eye, but they will not fway the 
 practice. They may induce defpair, but they 
 will not quicken induftry. I mail, therefore, 
 confine myfelf to the living Virtues, as they are 
 within the ordinary reach of humanity, when 
 aflifted by divine grace and gpodnefs. For 'tis 
 they alone that can influence the conduct, and 
 excite to imitation. 
 
 FIRST, then, in Living with Yourfelves and 
 your God, let it be your primary and immediate 
 care, to get the dominion of your own paffions, 
 ^nd to bring every movement of the foul under 
 fubjection to Confcience, Reafon and Religion ; 
 thofe three lovely guides, fet over the human 
 conduct:. Let your wimes be moderate, follici- 
 tous about nothing fo much as the friendfhip 
 of your God, and the prefervation of your vir- 
 tue and good name ! 
 
 ACCUSTOM yourfelves to an early induftry in, 
 bufmefs, and a wife reflection upon human life. 
 Beware of idlenefs, and the pernicious influence 
 pf bad habits. PofTefs yourfelves of juft and 
 elevated notions of the divine character and ad- 
 miniftration, and pf the end and dignity of your 
 
 own 
 
134 <A Charge to the firft Graduates 
 
 own immortal nature. Oh ! confecrate to your 
 God the fird and bed of your days ! When you 
 enjoy health of body, drength of mind, and 
 vigour of fpirits, then is the heart a noble facri- 
 fice, and bed worthy of being prefented to the 
 great Creator of heaven and earth ! 
 
 BUT, alas ! when the prime of our years have 
 been devoted to the ways of pleafure and folly, 
 with what confidence can we offer to our God 
 the dregs of vice and iniquity ; an old age 
 broken with infirmity, and groaning under the 
 load of mifery ? Tho' heaven be all merciful, 
 and even this laft offering not to be negle&ed ; 
 yet, to a generous mind, there is fomething pe- 
 culiarly painful in the thought. And certainly, 
 when the foul is fitted for pleafure, then alfo ic 
 is fitted to be lifted up, in manly devotion, to 
 its adorable Maker ! 
 
 THAT your fouls may be the more difpofed 
 to this exalted intercourfe, continue to adorn 
 them with every divine grace and excellence. 
 As far as your circumdances will permit, con- 
 tinue thro* life the votaries of Wifdom ; and 
 never drop your acquaintance with thofe Scien- 
 ces into which you have been initiated here. 
 But, in the profecution of them, weigh well the 
 drength of the human underdanding. Keep 
 to fubjects within its reach, and rather to thofe 
 which are ufeful than curious. In your enqui- 
 ries, never fuffer yourfelves to be drawn from 
 the main point, or lod in a multitude of parti- 
 culars. 
 
in the College of Philadelphia. 135 
 
 culars. Always keep firft principles in view j 
 life is (hort ; we can go but little farther, and 
 that little will then only be of ufe, when clearly 
 deduced from them. 
 
 FOR this reafon, beware, above all things, of 
 valuing yourfelves much on any temporary ac- 
 quifitions, or falling into the error of thofe who 
 think they mew the depth of their wifdom, by 
 difregarding that fublime fyftem, brought down 
 from heaven by the Son of God. Poor is the 
 extent of human fcience at beft -, and thofe who 
 know the mod, know but juft enough to con- 
 vince them of their own ignorance. Vain, then, 
 muft they be who would be thought wife for 
 defpifing the dictates of eternal wifdom, and 
 would build up the pride of knowlege upon 
 their ignorance of things of the moft lading 
 confequence. 
 
 IN my Difcourfe before you. this day, I (hewed 
 that fuch empty fmatterers could have but fmall 
 pretenfions to common wifdom, much lefs to 
 the exalted name of Philofophy. The true vo- 
 taries of this divine fcience will ever difclaim, 
 them ; and I am perfuaded you will heartily join 
 in the fuffrage. 
 
 THO' we honor human Reafon, and think hu- 
 man Virtue the glory of our nature, yet your 
 education here will teach you to fix your hopes 
 on a far more folid foundation. It will convince 
 you that reafon, when unenlightened, may be 
 fallacious j and confcquently that virtue, by it 
 
 8 alone 
 
136 A Charge to the frft Graduates 
 
 alone direfted, will be devious. There are milts* 
 diffufed before the temple of happinefs, which 
 are only to be penetrated by the purer eye of 
 Religion. 
 
 HENCE, then, you will be difpofed to feek a 
 fublimer wifdom than any that is to be attained 
 by mere human efforts, confined to the works of 
 nature alone, thofe fainter exhibitions of the 
 Deity ! You will fee the necefllty of ftudying 
 his character, as exhibited in his holy oracles. 
 There you will receive fuch auguft impreffions 
 of him, as will correct your philofophy, humble 
 the pride of reafon, and lay you proflrate at his 
 feet. You will be taught to renounce your own 
 wifdom, however excellent; and your own righ- 
 teoufnefs, however diflinguifhed. You will be 
 made to rejoice in the name of Chriftians, and 
 triumph in the glorious relation you bear to Jefus* 
 as ihedding the brighteft luftre round the human 
 character. And confequently you will love to 
 inculcate his holy religion, as a fcheme of wif- 
 dom falutary to mankind, unfolding their belt 
 interefls, training them up for eternity, and con- 
 ducting them to the fupreme felicity and per- 
 fection of their nature ! 
 
 THRICE happy you, when by Divine Grace 
 you (hall have obtained this dominion over your- 
 felves, and thro 1 the Redeemer's merits are thus 
 united to the fupreme Good ; every wifh refign- 
 cd, and every paflion raifed to the throne of 
 your fathtr and your God ! then, and not till 
 
 then* 
 
in the College of Philadelphia. 137 
 
 then, you will have truly learned to Live with 
 Yonrfelves, and with Him that made you ; till, 
 after the clofe of your pilgrimage here, you are 
 finally admitted to live and rejoice with him for 
 ever! 
 
 I AM now, in the SECOND place, to offer you 
 a few plain directions, how to Live with the 
 World. And on this fubject I fhall be but brief. 
 For, being once initiated into the true enjoyment 
 of your own nature, and actuated by a deep 
 fenfe of God's univerfal prefence, all your other 
 actions will be duly influenced thereby. 
 
 WITH regard to Benevolence, that great law 
 of Chrift, and fruitful fource of all focial virtue, 
 why fhould I recommend it to you ? If you truly 
 Jove God^ you mud necefTarily love all his crea- 
 tures for his fake, and difdain a narrow unfeeling 
 heart, coiled up within its own fcanty orb. Your 
 Charity will be of the mod exalted and fervent 
 kind 5 extending itfelf beyond the vulgar attach- 
 ments of family and friends, embracing the 
 whole human fpecies, and ready to facrifice every 
 temporal confideration to their good. 
 
 ACTUATED by fuch liberal fentiments as thefe, 
 you will always be ready to do good and com- 
 municate freely your fuperior knowlege. Your 
 council and your affiftance, your hand and your 
 heart will never be refufed, when demanded 
 for the benefit of others, and in a virtuous caufc. 
 Or rather, you will never let them be demanded, 
 6 but 
 
138 A Charge to tie fir ft Graduates 
 
 but freely prevent the readieft wifh. Modeft 
 merit will be the object of your peculiar regard ; 
 and you will always rejoice when you can pro- 
 duce it to public view, in an amiable and advan- 
 tageous point of light. 
 
 BELIEVE me, my dear youths, you can acquire 
 no authority ib lafting, no influence fo beneficial, 
 as by convincing the world that you have fupe- 
 rior talents, joined to inflexible virtue, and un- 
 confined benevolence. Compared to flich a foun- 
 dation as this, the proud flruclures of vulgar 
 ambition are but rottennefs, " and their bafe 
 built on flubble." A confidence placed as above, 
 will give you a kind of dominion in the hearts of 
 others, which you will, no doubt, exert for the 
 nobleft purpofes ; fuch as reconciling differences, 
 enforcing religion, fupporting juftice, infpiring 
 public virtue, and the like. 
 
 To this Benevolence of temper, you are to 
 add Prudence, and a ftrict regard to the grace 
 of character and proprieties of life. If you 
 would be very ufeful in the world, beware of 
 mixing too indifcriminately in it, or becoming 
 too cheap in the vulgar eye. But, when you are 
 in it, be affable to all, familiar with few, cau- 
 tious in contracting friend mips, ftedfaft in pre- 
 ferving them, and entering into none without 
 the cleareft virtue for their foundation and end. 
 
 MAINTAIN fuch dignity of conduct, as may 
 check the petulance of vice, and fuffer none to 
 contemn you \ yet (hew fuch modefty of tem- 
 per, 
 
in the College of Philadelphia. 139 
 
 per, as may encourage virtue, and induce all to 
 love you. Preferve a chearfulnefs of counte- 
 nance, never affecting to appear better than you 
 are ; and then every good action will have its 
 full weight. 'Tis difh'onouring God, and dif- 
 couraging goodnefs, to place virtue in a down- 
 caft look, or in things external. The chriftiaa 
 life, far from being gloomy and fevere, wa$ 
 meant to exalt the nature of man, and fhew 
 him in his beft perfection -happy and joyful ! 
 
 WHEN you mix in company, you will often 
 have occafion to be difgufted with the froth and : 
 levity 'tis well if not the vice of the ge- 
 neral run of converfation. Strive, therefore, as 
 often as you can, to give it a chafte and inftruc- 
 rive turn , regarding always the propriety of 
 time and place. And if, on any occafion, an 
 ingenuous honefty of nature, and an abhorrence 
 of vice and dhTimulation, fhould oblige you to 
 bear your t'eftimony agaihff what you hear ; 
 fee it be evident to all that you are offended, not 
 at the perfons but at the things. Great delicacy 
 is requifite in fuch cafes ; and you mufl blame 
 without anger, in order to remove the offence, 
 and not to wound the offender. 
 
 'Tis true, fome'tirries an animating conviction 
 of a juft caufe, an undifguifed love of divine 
 truth, and a cohfcioufnefs of fuperior know- 
 lege, will, in the befl of men, on fuch occafions, 
 produce a feeming warmth of expreflion, and' 
 
1 40 A Charge to the firft Graduates 
 
 keermefs of expostulation ; efpecially when heated 
 by oppofition. But if, from the general teno'f 
 of your conduct, you have convinced the world 
 of the goodnefs of your heart, fuch darts of 
 paflion will be forgiven by your friends, or con- 
 fidered only as the fire from the flint ; " which, 
 " being fmitten, emits its hafty fpark, and is 
 " ftraightway cool again." 
 
 IT will be your wifdom, however, to prefervtf 
 the ferenity of your temper ; to avoid little dif- 
 putes -, and to raife yourfelves above the worldy 
 as much as poffible. There are really but few 
 things in it, for which a wife man would chufe 
 to exchange his peace of mind - 9 and thofe petty 
 diftinctions, that fo much agitate the general run 
 of mankind, are far from being among the 
 number. 
 
 BUT fome things there are, nevertheless, 
 which will demand your moft vigilant attention; 
 and fome occafions, when to be filent or confent- 
 ing would be a criminal refignation of every 
 pretenfion to Virtue or Manhood. 
 
 SHOULD your Country call, or mould yoir 
 perceive the reftlefs tools of faction at work in 
 their dark cabals, and plotting againft the facred 
 interefts of Liberty ; mould you fee the cormp- 
 tor-s or corrupted impofing upon the public with 
 fpecious names, undermining the civil and re- 
 ligious principles of their country, and gradually 
 
 paving the way to certain Slavery, by fpreading> 
 
 de* 
 
fa the College of Philadelphia. 14 1 
 
 Notions of Government then, Oh ! 
 then, be nobly rouzed ! Be all eye, and ear, and 
 heart, and voice, and hand, in a caufe fo glo- 
 ridus ! cc Cry aloud, and fpare not," fearlefs of 
 danger, undaahted by opposition, and little re- 
 gardful of the frowns of power, or the machi- 
 nations of villainy. Let the world know that 
 Liberty is your unconquerable delight, and thac 
 you are fworn foes to every fpecies of Bondage, 1 
 cither of body or of mind ! 
 
 THESE are fubjects for which you need not 
 b'e afhamed to facriftce your eafe and every other 
 
 private advantage For certainly, if there be 
 
 aught upon Earth fuited to the native greatnefs 
 of the human mind, and worthy of contention ; 
 
 it muft be To alTert the caufe of Religion 
 
 and Truth $ to fupport the fundamental Rights 
 and Liberties of mankind ; and to ft rive for the 
 Conftitution of our country, and a Govern- 
 ment by Known Laws, not by the Arbitrary 
 Decifions of frail impaflloned Men. 
 
 IF, in adhering to thefe points, it mould be 
 your lot, as alas ! it has been the lot of others* 
 to be borne down by ignorance, to be re- 
 proached by calumny, and afperfed by falfhcod, 
 let not thefe things difcourage you 
 All Human Virtue, to its lateft breath,- 
 Finds Envy never conquer'd but by death; 
 The great Alcides, every labor paft, 
 Had (till this monfter to fubdue at lad.* 
 
 Pope. 
 
 fc 2 While 
 
142 A Charge to the Jirft Graduates 
 
 "While you are confcious of no lelf repr: ~b, 
 and are fupported by your own integrir ;, let no 
 earthly power awe you from following the un- 
 biafled dictates of your own heart. Magnani- 
 moufly afifert your private judgment where you 
 know it to be right, and (corn a ierviie t, 
 ling to the names or opinions of others, how- 
 ever dignified. With a manly and intrepid fpi- 
 rit, with a fervent and enlightened zeal, perfe- 
 vere to the laft in the caufe of your God> your 
 King and your Country. And, tho' the prefent 
 age fhould be blind to your virtue, or refufe you 
 juflice, let it not furprize you 
 
 The funs of glory pleafe not till they fet ;* 
 
 and the fucceeding age will make ample amends 
 to your chara&er, at a time when the names of 
 thofe who have oppofed you will be forgotten, 
 or remembered only to their lading difhonour. 
 
 NEVERTHELESS, though you muft not expect 
 to efcape envy, or to receive the full applaufe 
 of your virtue in your own day ; yet there will 
 always be fome among the better few ready to 
 do you juftice, and to judge more candidly. 
 Perhaps, it may be your lot to be fingularly 
 favoured by your friends, in this refpect. But 
 be not too much elevated thereby. The real 
 good Man, as he will never be more undaunted 
 than when mod reviled and oppofed in his great 
 
 * Pope. 
 
 career 
 
in I he College of Philadelphia. 143 
 
 career of juftice, fo he will never be more 
 humble than when mod courted and applauded. 
 
 THE two great rocks of Ijfe, efpecially to 
 Youth, are Profperity and Adverfity. If fuch 
 meet with any degree either of Succefs or Dif- 
 ficulty in the world, before they have learned 
 great felf-denial, they are apt, in the one cafe, 
 to be blown up by an overweening conceit of 
 their own importance -, and, in the other, to be 
 borne down by a timid diftruft of their own abi-^, 
 lities. Both difpofiuons are equally prejudicial 
 to virtue the former fo far as it tends not to 
 excite emulation, and infpire to worthy actions - 9 
 and the latter fo far as it checks the native ar- 
 dor of the foul, and ties it down to inglorious 
 purfuits. But the fame means will correct both. 
 A larger commerce with the world, and a fre- 
 quent viewing ourfelves through a more impar- 
 tial medium, compared to others of equal or 
 greater merit, will bring down the one, and raife 
 the other, to its juft and proper ftandard. What 
 was pride before, will then be converted into a 
 fenfe of honour, and proper dignity of fpirit; 
 and what was timidity or felf- diftruft, will be 
 turned into manly caution, and prudent fore- 
 fight. 
 
 TIME will not permit me to add more. Hap- 
 py fhaii you be, if, by attending to fuch max- 
 ims as thefe, you can pafs your days, tho' not 
 with the higheft approbation of others, at leaft 
 with full fatisfaclion to yourfelves ! Happy, if 
 k 3 in 
 
144* d Charge to the firft Graduates 
 
 in the eve of life, when health and years and 
 other joys decline, you can look back with . 
 cpnfcious joy upon the unremitting tenor of an 
 upright conduct -, framed and uniformly fup- 
 
 ported to the laft on thefe noble principles 
 
 Religion without Hyppcrify, Geperofity without 
 Oflentation, Juftice tempered with Goodnefs, and 
 Patriotifm with every E>omeftic vircue ! 
 
 ARDENTLY praying that this may be your 
 lot, I fhall take leave of you in the words of 
 old Pollonius to his ion 
 
 The friends you have, and their adoption try'd, 
 Grapple them to your foul with hooks of fteel. 
 But do not dull your palm with entertainment 
 Ofeachnew-hatch'd unfledg'd comrade. Beware 
 
 Of entrance to a quarrel 
 
 Give every man your ear, but few your voice. 
 Take each man's cenfure,but referve your judg- 
 ment. 
 
 This above all to your ownfelves be true, 
 And it mud fo'low, as the night t,he day, 
 You cannot then be falfe tq any man.* 
 
 THESE things I have fketched for you as the 
 out- lines of your duty. I pretend not to go. 
 farther. It is not my prefent bufmefs to offer a 
 perfect plan for the conduct of life. Indeed my 
 experience in it has been too fmall for fuch an 
 arduous work. And I hope to be judged rather 
 
 * 3.hake f peare. 
 
 by 
 
in the College of Philadelphia. 145 
 
 by what I have faid, than by what could not 
 properly be faid, on fuch an occafion. 
 
 As for the reft, I fhall commit you to the beft 
 of mafters. Be fure, in all things, to learn of 
 Chrift. In following him you cannot err. And 
 to do fo will be your intereft, and your greateft 
 glory, at a time when human wifdom mall fail, 
 and of the things that now are, Virtue immortal 
 Virtue fhall be the great and chief furvivor ! 
 
 F.arewel ! my BlefTing feafon thefe things in 
 you.* 
 
 * Shakefpeare. 
 
 APPENDIX 
 
APPENDIX III. 
 
 A PHILOSOPHICAL MEDITATION, and 
 RELIGIOUS APPRESS to the SUPREME 
 BEING *. 
 
 PREPARATORY ADDRESS. 
 
 O ETERNAL Source of Life, Light and 
 Love ; that permitteft thy reafonablc 
 creatures to open their fouls to Thy divine influ- 
 ence by prayer ! compofe my thoughts, raife 
 my affections, and grant that I may approach 
 Thy awful prefence, with a humble fenfe of my 
 own indigence, and with worthy apprehenfions 
 
 of 
 
 * This piece was firft coTipo r ed for the ufe of young Stu- 
 dents in Philofophy, and publiftied in London 17^4, at the 
 end of a book of Ethics, written by the Rev. Dr. Samuel 
 Johnfon, prefident of the college cf New York; and the de- 
 fign of it was explained as follows- 
 
 -" The author having been entrufted with the publication 
 of thefe Ethics was of opinion, that a Meditation and Ad- 
 drefs on this model, which might be a fummary recapitula- 
 tion of the work, and alfo contain Petitions for the divine aid 
 in difcharging the duties difcovered and laid down in it, 
 wpuld be of great ufe to the young ftudent. 
 
 ? Hence 
 
148 A Philofophical Meditation, 
 
 cf Thy a'1-furHciency. As thou haft given me 
 the means of knowing, in Ibme degree, the 
 relations which I fuftain, and haft alfo given me 
 reafon to deduce from thence my various du- 
 ties ; permit me to fly to Thine almighty grace 
 and aid, to enable me to put thefe duties in 
 praftice : For, without this, I know how infuf- 
 ficient 1 am, by my own natural ftrength, to do 
 any thing that is truly acceptable to Thee. 
 
 tfbe fpeculative Part of Chrifiian Philofopby. 
 
 i. IN the courfe of my refearches, what firft 
 
 Truths ^ a ^ a PP ears to me is that Thou 
 with refpeft art from everlafting to everlafting, 
 to God. completely happy in Thyfelf, perfect 
 in Goodnefs, Power and Wifdom. 
 
 " Hepce this Compofition confifcs of the fame parts with 
 the treatife itfelf, viz. 
 
 " Firft, Speculative and Religious truths relating to God, 
 which make the Addrefs and Acknowlegement of him ; and 
 truths relating to ourfelves, which make the Confeflion. 
 
 " Secondly, The Practical duties that refu't from thefe 
 truths, which are Moral, Divine .and Social. Petitions for 
 grace to difcharge thefe aright make the Petitory parts. 
 
 " The author, however, dqes not offer this as a complete 
 fs-rm. For Interceflion, Thankfgiving, and fome other parts 
 of Prayer, could no otherwife make a part on this plan, than 
 by petitioning for the regular difcharge of them, confidered 
 as duties.'* 
 
 Having explained the firft intention of this piece, the au- 
 thor is now willing to preferve it in a collection of his own ; 
 hoping that the fame candor, which he will (land in need of 
 for the other parts of the prefcnt work, will fuffice for this. 
 
 THY 
 
and Addrefs to the Supreme Being. 149 
 
 THY Goodnefs fpoke creation into birth, with 
 no other view but to communicate to finite 
 natures, from that unbounded ocean that flows 
 for ever undiminifhed round Thy throne, thfe 
 greateft poflible fum of Happinefs that fuch na- 
 tures can pofiibly mare ! Thy power governs 
 Thy univerfal family of heaven and earth as bed 
 fuits the ends of their various natures, and Thy 
 gracious defigns towards them ! And Thy Wif- 
 dom fo conduces the eternal fcheme, that, how- 
 ever it may now appear to Thy fhort- lighted 
 creatures, it will at laft unfold itfelf in a perfect 
 confident whole, whofe invariable object has all 
 along been the greateft good of Thy whole fa- 
 mily ; and thus open a new fcene to make them 
 for ever happy in the contemplation of fuch 
 boundlefs love and perfection. 
 
 THOU haft portioned out thy gifts and favpurs 
 in various degrees among thy creatures. To * me 
 Thou haft given the noble Faculties of reafon 
 and underftanding. " Thou haft made me but a 
 Jittle lower than the Angels, and crowned me with 
 glory, honour and immortality." Thou tookeft 
 me from the womb, and haft tenderly preferved 
 and provided for me to this very moment. Thy 
 unwearied patience has born with all my failings, 
 
 * Me, in the firfl perfon, is here put for the human fpecie?. 
 
 and 
 
A Pbilofophtcal Meditation^ 
 
 and Thy overflowing Jove has even loaded me 
 
 with undeferved favours and advantages 
 
 BUT what language can fpeak Thee as Thou 
 art ? Thy goodnefs towards me rifes far above 
 all exprefiion, far above all thought. When I 
 had ftrayed from Thee and was funk in ignorance, 
 thou thyfelf 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 deftruction , to reftore my ruined 
 nature; to inftruft me in my duty, and guide 
 me to endlefs reft. " How precious are thy 
 thoughts unto me, O my God ! How great is 
 the fum of them ! if I (hould count them, they 
 are more in number than the fand !" 
 
 2. ALL this, O heavenly Father, I know Thou 
 
 art ; and all this I know Thou hail 
 
 2. Truths J ORe f or me j g ut w j ien i enquire, in 
 
 with reipetl . . , ,, , r a . 
 
 toman/ tne next place, what 1 myfelr am, and 
 
 what I have done in return ; alas ! my 
 confcience tells me that I have not always confi- 
 dered and acknowleged Thee as being what Thou 
 art. I have often counterworked Thy gracious 
 purpofes towards me, and finned againft Thy 
 holy and equitable laws. Forgetting my high 
 preheminepce of birth, I have often perverlely 
 abufed, or ungratefully negle&ed the proper ufe 
 
 of, 
 
and Addrefs to the Supreme Being. 151 
 of, thofe noble powers with which Thou haft 
 crowned my nature. " My iniquities have taken 
 hold of me fo that I cannot look up. They are 
 more in number than the haifs "of my head ; 
 therefore my heart faileth me." Yet flill, when 
 J reflect on Thy paternal love, my hope is in 
 Thy mercy, through the Redeemer, " That Thou 
 wilt hide thy face from my (ins, and blot out 
 all my tranfgreffions." 
 
 IN this facred hope, I humbly proftrate myfelf 
 before Thee, fmcerely confeffing my repeated 
 trefpafies, earneilly imploring Thy forgivenefs of 
 them, and ftedfaftly purpofing, as far as in me 
 lies, to amend my future conduct 
 
 LOOK down then, O Thou Firft and Beft of 
 Beings ! From eternal fplendors and glories un- 
 utterable, look down with companion on a fin- 
 fui, but penitent, creature humbled in duft f 
 For thy dear (on Jefus (Thrift's fake, fave me 
 from the confequences of mine iniquities. Par- 
 don what is pad, and vouchfafe me the aid of 
 Thy holy fpirit to lead me thro* all future trials 
 in the fleady exercife of thofe virtues, Moral, 
 Divine and Social, which in the courfe of my re- 
 fearches, afiifted by Thy Spirit and Revealed will, 
 I have difcovered to be my Duties, towards My- 
 felf, towards Thee, and towards icy Fellow- 
 Creatures. 
 
 ft* 
 
152 A Pbilofopttcal Meditation^ 
 
 The Practical Part ofCbriftian PMofopby. 
 
 i. WITH regard to Myfelf, may I, for the fu- 
 
 r i Petitions ture ' P ra( ^ l ^ e tne great virtue of Tern- 
 fot 'the prac- perance, and preferve my body chafte, 7 
 tice f, pri ; as the temple of the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 vace Moral ..... T ,. r . ,. r rr i 
 
 Dnties, re- May I uifciplinc my rainons and re- 
 
 fpeftingone's gulate my Affections aright, that fo I 
 
 may never be fubjedted to inordinate 
 
 defires and violent commotions of Soul ; but pafs 
 
 my time in Tranquillity, Sobriety, Frugality 
 
 and Induftry. 
 
 BUT may I always remember that my care is to 
 reach beyond my body to my better part. Hence, 
 may I drive, above all things, to improve the 
 divine faculties of Reafon and Underilanding ; 
 employing them, according to Thy defign, as 
 the means of fearching and knowing the truth, 
 and conducting myfelf 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-diffident, from a fenfe of the 
 extreme fcantinefs of the higheft human At- 
 tainments. 
 
 YET, O my God! while in the purfuit of true 
 knowlege, I abftain from finful pride, on the one 
 hand ; may I alfo, on the other, abftain from 
 narrow defpondent undervaluing of thofe powers 
 which thou haft given me y even in their prefenc 
 
 impaired' 
 
and Addrefs to tie Supreme Being. 153" 
 
 impaired ftate. For though they are not the 
 higheft in the fcale of being, neither are they the 
 loweft ; but are, indeed, noble when confidered 
 in their proper place, and with regard to their 
 proper end. There is fomething grand and au^ 
 gqft even in the prefent fallen ftate of human na- 
 ture, which fpeaks its Almighty Author; and 
 thofe muft grovel beneath their native deftination, 
 without exerting their flrength, or afpiring ac 
 any thing that is generous, elevated or greatly 
 good, who have not a juft fenfe of this grandeur 
 May I have a juft fenfe of it, and reverence 
 my nature ! May I confider myfelf as Thy 
 image, and ftrive to ad up to my dignity in the 
 humble imitation of thy divine perfections. 
 
 To difpofe me to do this, may I look deeply 
 into myfeif, and frequently employ my thoughts 
 at home. May 1 attentively liften to the ftill 
 voice of a well-informed confcience, which is thy 
 vicegerent within me. What it warns me not 
 to do, may I ever feduloufly fly from, however 
 dear ; and what it di&ates to be done, may I 
 ever refolutely atchieve, however hard ! 
 
 2. WITH regard to Thee, O my God ! may I 
 make it the chief aim of my life to 2< Petil 
 difcharge the Duties of Piety and tions for the 
 grateful Praife. May I always ac- ^f ice Divin ^ 
 knowlege Thee to be, what Thou Duties, re- 
 art, the fovereign objed of all Love ; f P edin S God - 
 for furely there is nothing that can fatisfy the 
 6 ' human' 
 
154 A Pbilofopbical Meditation, 
 
 human foul but Thee. When I flray from the 
 love of Thee, I find within myfelf a frightful 
 void, and nought of folid happinefs to fill it up. " 
 All my powers are diflipated with falfe hopes and 
 falfe fears \ nor can I fupport the lingering tor- 
 ment of fociety with myfelf. But when I return 1 
 to Thee, fighing and thirfting after Thy divine 
 fellow (hi p, my foul is abundantly fatisfied, and 
 filled with inborn tranquillity and Joy in the 
 Holy Ghoft. Nought can di-fturb its peace, 
 while it feels Thy pre fence,- exults in Thy fa- 
 vour, and, in all things, quietly refigns to Thee, 
 who arc infinitely Wife to contrive, Good to in- 
 cline Thee, and Powerful to execute what is bed 
 for me in the whole 
 
 O, THEN ! may I always love and obey Thee, 
 without the leafl murmuring or diftruft ; and ; 
 confider whatever befals me now, as meant to 
 difcipline and prepare me for future happinefs.- 
 May I bear every thing with Contentment, 
 Fortitude and Equanimity , neither too much 
 elated or dejected at any thing which this fcene 
 can give or take away, fince I 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 
 fhy holy name y for thou art the all- feeing Go* 
 vernor and tremendous Judge of the world, and' 
 vult not hold them guiltlefs who profane or ne* 
 gleet the awful reverence of thy glorious attri- 
 buies 
 
and Addrefs to tbc Supreme Being. 155 
 butes May I never neglect it, and never forget 
 the worfhip and grateful pruifes which are due to 
 Thee, both in private and public j for I can ne- 
 ver be without a prompter ! 
 
 ALL thy works, with unceafing voice, echo 
 forth thy wondrous praifes. The fpkndid fun* 
 with the unnumbered orbs of heaven, thro' the 
 pathlefs void, repeat their unwearied circuits, 
 that, to the uttermoft bounds of the univerfe* 
 they may proclaim Thee the fource of jufteft 
 order and unabating harmony. This earth rolls 
 round the various feaions of the year, that, in all 
 her changes and appearances^ fhe may fpe-ak 
 Thee the original of all beauty ; and every other 
 creature that lives thereon feems to rejoice in 
 its (late and be happy, that .it may pronounce 
 Thee the parent of all wifdom and goodnefs ! 
 
 S&ALL I then, who am favoured above them 
 all with reafon and voice articulate, mar the 
 grand Chorus ? Shall I be the only pecvifli 
 firing in the tuneful inftrument ? Oh no ! 
 fave me, Thou Sovereign Power! Thou Uni- 
 verfai Good ! fave me from fuch a perverfe un- 
 grateful conduct. Let not Me, Me alone, who 
 am here 'fo highly endowed, wander as if deaf, 
 blind and .dumb, in the midft of Thy applaud- 
 ing works ; but may I walk forth with the 
 morning fun and under the evening fky, while 
 my feeling foul attends, and my conferring hearc 
 beats unifon, to the voice of nature \ for the 
 1 fame 
 
^ PbiUfopllcal Meditation, 
 
 fame is Thy voice founding aloud in the ears of 
 the wife. 
 
 THUS may I go on my way through life, cor- 
 refponding with the general harmony, and praif- 
 ingThee for all things for myreafonable being, 
 for my prefervation ; and above all for the lighc 
 of thy gofpel, and my redemption through Chrift 
 Jefus. This is that aftonifhing plan by which 
 thou haft reconciled Juflice with Mercy , and 
 while all fuperior beings, inhabiting wide thro* 
 nature, make every fphere vocal in praifes to 
 'I hee for it, let not Me, for whom the won- 
 derful work was wrought, be the only reafon- 
 able creature that is filent about it, and that per- 
 ceives nothing grand or auguft in it. Sooner let 
 me forget to breathe, than forsret to extol Thee 
 
 O * O 
 
 for it. May I mingle in frequent worfhip with 
 the hods of Heaven, and fvveli their univerfal 
 anthem, adoring its depth, adoring its fublimity, 
 adoring its riches? Often may my raptured hearc 
 
 break forth to thee in drains like thefe 
 
 " BLESS Jehovah, O my fcui, and all that is 
 within me blefs his holy name ! Blefs Jehovah, 
 O my- foul, and forget not all his benefits , who 
 forgives ull thine iniquities, and heals all thine 
 infirmities , who redeems thy life from dedruc- 
 tion, and crowns thee with loving kindnefs and 
 tender men ies. For ever blefs Jehovah, O my 
 foul i His name is excellent in all the Earth; 
 His glory is far above the Heavens." He, only 
 
and Addrefs to /<? Supreme Being. 157 
 
 He, is worthy to be celebrated with eternal 
 praifes ! 
 
 3. WITH regard to others, teach me an un- 
 
 3. Petitions bounded Love and Benignity of heart. 
 
 fortneprac- Save me from that meancft of all 
 
 Soci/Du! vices a fdfl[h unfeeling foul, coikd 
 
 ties, refpeft- up within its own narrow orb. May 
 
 ing others, j conflder myfe , f a rdated tQ thac 
 
 univerfal republic of being, whofe common pa- 
 rent thou art-, and, in a particular manner, feel 
 for all my own fpecies ; weeping the lovely tear 
 of fympathy with thofe that weep; and mingling 
 the generous joys of congratulation with thofe 
 that joy. 
 
 MAY I conflder each individual in'this world 
 as having his infirmities and wants ; and let this 
 difpofe 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- 
 mife. May it b* 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 good and communicate to the utmofl 
 of my power, left in the day of final retribu- 
 tion they fhould be comforted, while I am 
 doomed to forrow in my turn, 
 
 BUT, when I have done all in my power to 
 
 relieve others, let me not think that I have ac- 
 
 1 a quitted 
 
A PJoilcfopbical Meditation, 
 
 quitted myfelf of all my duty towards them, 
 May 1 alfo aflift them with my advice, and in- 
 tercede for them in my prayers, that thou 
 \vouidft grant them refignation and patience, 
 till, confident with the juft purpofes of thy 
 moral government, thou (halt be pleafed to puc 
 an end to their troubles. 
 
 MAY it be the chief triumph of my foul to 
 fee the world holy as well as happy ; and efpe- 
 cially to fre the Society, to which I more imme- 
 diately belong, a holy and ha; py one , eftablifh- 
 ed upon the everlaiting foundation of Truth, 
 Righteoufnefs and -Peace. For this caufe, hav- 
 ing firft warmed my own heart with thy love, 
 and fatisfied 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 fame temper ; driving to make 
 Thee more adored, and them more in love with 
 one another. But may no mifguided zeal, or 
 difference of fentiment, induce me to the lead 
 breach of Charity, much lefs to the Perfecution, 
 of others ; efpecially thofe uho prof els the fame 
 general Faith, and with whom I mould live as 
 with brethren, heirs of the fame common Salva- 
 tion. 
 
 IN general, fave me, O my God, from all 
 Violence, Cruelty, Hard-heartednefs, Slander, 
 Covetoufnefs, Deceit, Infidelity, Morofenefs, 
 Difobedience, and every Unfocial Difpofuion. 
 
 7 May 
 
w.d Addrefs to the Supreme Being. 159 
 
 May the fovereign Love of Juftice, my Coun- 
 try and Mankind, regulate ail my Social Con- 
 dud, and infpire me with all noble ftntimcnts 
 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, let me be condefcend- 
 ing, affable and kind ; to my Equals, refpedlful, 
 mild and engaging; to my Superiors, fubmif- 
 five, dutiful and obedient; to my Enemies, for- 
 bearing, placable and forgiving ; to my Friends, 
 affectionate, fincere and faithful ; and, in a word, 
 to All Mankind, humane, juft and amiably- 
 courteous, from that inward fweetnefs and be- 
 nignity of foul, which are the Elder- born of 
 
 Charity. 
 
 t 
 
 The CONCLUSION. 
 
 AND now, my God ! grant for Chrifl's fake, 
 that I at lead may fpend my time in the faith- 
 ful difcharge of all thefe my duties, and what- 
 ever 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 
 endeavoured to improve my better part in all 
 virtuous habits and ufeful knowlrge in this life, 
 to capacitate myfelf for happinefs in the nex:, 
 may I calmly and decently take my Departure 
 from this prefent flage ; nor let me, when I have 
 
 endea- 
 
160 A Philosophical Meditation, &c. 
 
 endeavoured to a& up to my character in every 
 former fcene, flag under the laft. 
 
 LET me rather, O God ! confront the king 
 of terrors with Chriftian refolution, in the hopes 
 of being placed with the righteous at Thy Son's 
 right-hand, in that terrible day, when He fnall 
 come in all His glory to judge the world ; and 
 in the hopes of returning with him thro* the 
 gates of the New Jerufalem, amidft the fhouts 
 and congratulations of all {he hofts of heaven, 
 with them to celebrate the prailes of the God- 
 head in that endlefs (late of unmixed joy, which 
 is to be the confummation of virtue and hap- 
 pinefs ! 
 
 THAT this may be my blefied flate, I beg 
 thro' the merits and mediation of the fame Jefus 
 Chrift, who has taught me to fum up my im- 
 perfedl Petitions, by faying \ 
 
 Our Father, 
 
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