my duty to speak my undisguised and unprejudiced sentiments of the state of things amongst us; not from the splenetic views of a gloomy temper or disappointed ambition; not from the selfish aims of interest, or the partial considerations of faction, pique, or prejudice; but from a sincere and zealous desire of making men better and wiser, and of averting those heavy judg ments of God, which we have already in part felt, and which we may still fear to feel in a much greater degree, if we do not amend our ways, and turn unto the Lord our God.

I trust therefore and hope, that every one who hears me this day; who remembers that it is the duty of every minister of the gospel to be at all times instant in season and out of season; to reprove and rebuke, as well as exhort with all authority; will be so far from being offended with this plainness of speech, that he will rather consider it as an earnest call to him seriously to examine his own life, and whenever he shall find himself to have offended in any of the vices I have named, there to bewail his sin to Almighty God, with full purpose and amendment of life.

But whether he will hear, or whether he will forbear, no considerations shall restrain me from discharging what I think to be a just and neces

sary part of my duty. For though, like St. Peter of old, I may toil all night, and catch nothing, yet at thy word, O blessed God, I will still continue to let down the net! ever mindful of that solemn command, "Thou that bringest good "tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it "up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!"

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I call upon you, therefore, once more in the name of God, I exhort you in the name of Christ, to call your ways to remembrance, to confess your sins to Almighty God, and to resolve for the future to walk in newness and holiness of life. To you, who are masters and mistresses of families, I would especially address myself, with all earnestness and seriousness of exhortation. Let me adjure you, by every tie of religious and civil duty, to pay a more strict regard to the morals of those committed to your care, both in your own example and in their behaviour. Above all things suffer them not to spend their Sundays abroad in idle dissipation, or in those numerous places of dangerous resort, where, the foundation is laid of their sure destruction both in body and soul. You know, you experimentally feel, the truth of what I say, in your children, your apprentices, and your servants. Why then do you not in earnest endea

your

vour to apply a remedy to so great and growing an evil? The work of reformation must ever go on slowly, when it rests in few hands. Our ministerial labours are too often despised or ridiculed by the profane and unthinking: but could we speak even with the voice of angels and the tongue of seraphs, our ministerial labours could never alone produce the effect we desire; more especially, when, as is too much the case, too many neither attend our preaching themselves, nor compel or even permit those, who are under their care, to do so. But would you but heartily join your endeavours to ours, would you but send them to hear our instructions, and take care that they are innocently at least, if not piously, employed, when the public business of the Sabbath is over, we should soon see a very different face of things in the world, and you yourselves would reap an immediate advantage from your care and piety. For sure I am, that both in private and in public life, he will always do his duty the best, who fears God, and who does it for conscience sake, not as pleasing men, but God.

I could add much more on this melancholy subject, which a view of the state of things among us suggests, often, and with much sorrow, to my mind, when I compare our lives and prac

tices with those pure and holy precepts of which I am appointed a minister and dispenser.

But

I have already said enough for this time, and perhaps more than the fastidious ears of some will well bear. I will therefore only add a few words more, and so leave to your serious consideration the melancholy truths I have delivered.

We are assembled here this day to deplore our past sins to Almighty God, and to vow future amendment of our ways, both in word and deed. Let us remember then, that if we do not this in good earnest, and with sincerity of heart, it is only solemn mockery, and will aggravate our offences in the sight of God. Let us remember too, that though we may deceive men, by an outward appearance, by the garb of sorrow, by a sad countenance and uplifted hands, yet we cannot deceive him with whom we have to do: that we are now not only under the roof, but under the eye of the all-seeing God; to whom all things are naked and open, and to whom the darkness is no darkness at all, but the night is as clear as the day. Let us not therefore flatter ourselves with the hope of escaping his notice, or of eluding his vengeance.

But,

But, on the other hand, if we are sincere in doing this work, and cry mightily unto God in prayer, though our backslidings are many, and our transgressions are multiplied, yet he is a gracious and merciful God, to whom belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him.

Let therefore these considerations induce us all to fall down before the footstool of his grace, deprecating his vengeance on our sins, and supplicating his blessings on all our honest and pious labours that neither iniquity and dissension at home, nor anarchy and confusion abroad, may shake the stability of our empire, or rend the necessary union of its several parts.

And whatsoever prayers thy people shall make here before thee on earth, for these great and valuable blessings, hear thou, O Lord, in heaven, thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest: for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of the children of men!

SERMON