gofpely while many other countries are still overfpread with darkness if it hath been favoured with numberless temporal blessings if it be fed cured by its happy fituation from numberless dangers if it hath enjoyed its liberty, when moft of the nations around have been enslaved

if it hath been exalted to the greatest height of power and wealth if it hath been defended by the hand of Providence from many dangers which threatened both its temporal and spiritual happiness--if to this day it till exits, in the height of its power, a monument of God's fal vour_211_what gratitude does this ifle owe to its great Governor and Protector! Whatever the mitellitude of the isles may do, this iffe has furely ground enough to be glad that the Lord is kingruulo joanco puds, „ob yo'li noriw Lan (

How then, fhould we suppose, the inhabitants of this isle' would naturally behave, after receiving fuch multiplied mercies? We should imagine that with all thankfulness, they would acknowledge that the Lord is king that to him they would refer all their profperity that it should be the pride of their hearts to ftudy the revelation of his will, and be folicitous to make it the guide of their actions.

And, no doubt, there are numbers in this favoured ifland who are truly fenfible of the bleffings they enjoy, and fhew their gratitude by a pious obedience to God's laws. But I fear, if our Saviour's net, which gathered of every kind, were thrown over us, there would be multitudes fit only to be cast away. The love of money, and the love of pleasure, are the two great evils which infect a rich nation. Almost every wicked conception is stirred up, and kindled into a flame, by one or other of thefe debafing principles. Oppreffion, avarice, and fraud in every shape, attend the former; while the train of the latter is followed by prodigality, volup troufness, and every mode of diffipation. Both thefe principles often take full poffeffion of a man, and when they do, they cannot claim the protection of the Lord for their king, i wou When fuch principles pervade the higher ranks, the lower, we may be affured, will follow, Vice never rifes from low to high: it i more its nature to defcend; and the higher ranks may always be confidered as the gauge of a nation. All the fubtil arts of getting money, and the refined modes of fpending it, are not found, it is true, among the lower ranks; but

the

the dregs of wickedness deprave and corrupt, as much as its more fubtil parts. Let us, however, my brethren, rather look at home than abroad; and take a fpecimen of the wickedness of the times from what we obferve among our felves.

How fares religion amongst us? In general, I fear, we have not much even of the appearance of it. The people of ancient times were ready to give up their lives for their religion: people flow are as ready to give up their religion-not for their lives, but even for their diverfions. The bell tolls on Sundays; and many well-difpofed people, no doubt, confider it as a call to worship God, and hear their duty explained: but what becomes of the reft? you will find them perhaps loitering idly at home or following fome unlawful diverfion in the foreftor, probably, at the alehouse! the bell which calls others to worship God, gives them only a greater relish for wickedness.

Few virtues furvive the decay of religion. A fort of decorum of manners, among the higher claffes of mankind, hath fomewhat the appearance of virtue, though it is but an appearance; yet even this appearance is removed among the lower ranks. We fee drunkenness staggering about in open day-we hear loud converfations

made up. of obscenity, swearing, curfing, and blafphemy-we fee family-quarrels, abufe, fpiteful actions, and ill neighbourhood. Vice fcoms to wear any difguife, when religion alone takes account of actions... When the law, indeed, steps ini, men are more cautious. How long is it ago

not very long-fince I heard of a neighbour's horse being killed in the night? What a mind muft that wretch have, who could commit fo malicious and wicked an action, from which he could receive no advantage himfelf, merely to gratify a horrid spirit of revenge! Another wicked fellow was obliged to fly the country for theft; while another, I believe his companion, was taken and convicted, And, the other day, fome wicked perfon put abroad an incendiary letter, threatening death, and burning of houses

but for what, I could not difcover. They who were able had juft made a fubfcription to lower the price of bread, which I hoped had given general fatisfaction: but malice is a vice without either gratitude or feeling.

These things, my brethren, fhew that we of this place are not clear of that guilt which hangs over the land. Corruption infinuates itself into

the manners of men by degrees. Human nature

will always be wicked; but where people are not greatly corrupted, fuch wickedness and crimes as I have been defcribing do not often appears when they do, I should fear they fhew corruption has spread very deep. And though the greater part of you, no doubt, abhor fuch heights of wickedness, yet the best amongst us hath still great reafon to call himself to account.

Let us then all endeavour to take our own fins, at least, from the burden of the land: it has guilt enough to weigh it down without ours, Nor let any one think his fins will be loft in the general mass. No; they will certainly increase it. They may, for any thing we know, be that addition that will turn the scale against us. Ten righteous perfons might once have saved a city: God knows how many it may require to fave fuch a country as this. Let us, however, strive to be among those righteous few; and not provoke God to bring his judgments upon us, as he has always done on wicked and corrupt nations.-A people is armed against us, whom we never yet feared; but, if God forfake us, they may be a dreadful inftrument of his wrath.Let us then endeavour to avert that wrath, be

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