Let the fabbath be honoured by a pious recefs from the labours of the world, and by a devout attendance on the worship of God, which is to be statedly folemnized on that day.

Let children be early formed to sentiments of piety and to the practice of virtue, that they may be useful members of fociety on earth, and become meet for the inheritance of the faints in light.

Cordially uniting in fuch measures as thefe, we fhall enjoy the fure protection of an almighty providence, and have little to fear from hoftile nations. "When our ways please the Lord, he will make our enemies to be at peace with us."

3. Our fubject warns us against a thoughtless confidence of continued profperity.

The prophet compares the work of providence to a moving wheel, to fignify, that the world is in continual change that no condition of persons or nations is stable and permanent.

While Europe has been in agitations and convulfions, we have, for more than twenty years, enjoyed great profperity and uninterrupted peace. There have been fome moleftations from the favages, and fome fpoliations on our commerce; but no invafion; no fuch hoftile attack, as has required a national exertion for defence. While fome of the governments of Europe have been fubverted, and others convulfed, ours has remained, and ftill remains unaflailed. While many parts of the ancient continent have felt the dire fcourge of fcarcity, and even famine, the confequence of wafting war and inclement feafons, we have enjoyed fuch a redundance of the fruits of the earth, as to be able, on advantageous terms, to fupply the wants of our fuffering fellow mortals.

But shall we promise ourselves the long, uninterrupted continuance of fuch profperity? No :

The wheel is rolling; and foon it may be our turn to feel its defcending motion. The changes in other nations are warnings to us. There are circumstances attending our prefent fituation, which carry a threatening afpect. It is a period, in which, according to the general interpretations of prophecy, great events are to be expected. Our profperity has continued much longer, than we, or almoft any nation have experienced at one period. Our moral ftate does not appear to be mended; but iniquities of fome kinds have obfervably increased. If an accumulated weight of national guilt shall fall on the defcending part of the wheel of providence, this will awfully accelerate its downward motion. Let us not be highminded but fear. God feems to be coming forth out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquities. The earth discloses her blood, and scarcely covers her flain. Let us enter into our chambers, and fhut our doors about us; there let us hide ourselves until the indignation be overpast.

The chambers to which we must resort, for security from impending ftorms, are the promises and providence of God. "The name of the Lord is a ftrong tower; the righteous run into it, and are fafe." Into this we must enter by repentance and prayer, and here we must continue by humble obedience.

The fcripture foretels a time, when the religion of the gospel shall generally prevail, and by its benign influence spread peace and happiness among the human race. But previous to this glorious period, there will be terrible judgments, violent convulfions, and mighty revolutions. These will be the dire effects of men's inveterate corruptions, which will have funk fo deep, that they can be

purged away only by the spirit of judgment and the fpirit of burning. To fecure ourselves from a fhare in thefe calamities all human power and policy are utterly infufficient. Our fecurity will depend on the governing influence of religious principles, and the general practice of virtue and righteoufnefs. If we would efcape the plagues, which are coming on other nations, we must so far separate ourselves from them, as not to par take of their fins.

The judgments foretold in prophecy, as nearly preceding the grand reformation in religion, seem chiefly to be pointed against the nations embracing the papal fuperftition. But if we, who pro fels a purer religion, imitate thofe nations in vice and immorality, on what ground fhall we expect an exemption from their calamities? National fafety depends on virtuous manners, not on nominal profeffions. Chrift fays to the church in Sardis, "I know thy works, that thou haft a name that thou liveft, and art dead. Be watchful therefore and ftrengthen the things that remain, which are ready to die; for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember how thou haft received and heard, and hold faft and repent. If thou shalt not watch, I will come upon thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know, what hour I will come upon thee. He that overcometh fhall be cloathed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life; but I will, confefs. his name before my Father, and before his angels."

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit faith unto the churches.

SERMON XIX.

The Temper of a Chriftian with regard to Moral Good and Evil.

ROMANS xii. 9.

Abhor that which is evil: cleave to that which is good.

THE difference between good and evil is here supposed to be already underfood and acknowledged. Thefe Romans, even in their gentile ftate, had known God, though they had not glorified him; and they had received the infcrip. tion of the great rules of morality on their hearts, though they had not obeyed them. By the gofpel there had been made to them a more full difcovery of the divine law and of moral obligation ; and, at the fame time, a way had been opened for the pardon of their paft tranfgreffions. They muft therefore now have been capable of judg ing what was right.

The wickedness of the world, befure of the Christian part of it, is owing far more to the want of an honeft difpofition, than to the want of ne ceffary information. Though various speculative opinions are adopted among Christians, yet con

cerning right and wrong in practice there is a general agreement, except where the judgment is perverted by the habits of vice. The main point is to abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good. With this temper governing our hearts, we shall be secured from dangerous errors; or at least from their dangerous influence.

We will confider the two branches of our text diftinctly.

Firft. We will explain and illuftrate the abborrence of evil.

On a careless, fuperficial view of themselves, fome may imagine, they abhor evil, when they really cleave to it. To prevent mifapprehenfions,

we must examine our hearts with attention.

1. There is a great difference between a real abhorrence of evil, and an external forbearance of it. Men do not always pursue the courfe of life, which, under other circumftances, their hearts would really choose. A regard to worldly intereft, the want of means or opportunity, the apprehenfion of detection and difgrace, the power of education and example, may be a temporary restraint from the iniquity to which they are ftrongly inclined, and which, as foon as the reftraint ceafes, they will pursue with avidity. King Joafh did right, while he was under the influence of Jehoiada the priest; but when the good priest was dead, the king fell away to idolatry; and even murdered Jehoiada's fon, who had the boldness to reprove his apoftacy. He who loves iniquity is, in the judgment of God, deemed guilty of it, though he should not actually practice it; for, in this cafe, the practice is prevented, not by voluntary choice, but by external reftraint.

The divine law forbids covetoufnefs, as well as