Imatges de pàgina
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righteous and the wicked-If there is a Saviour who taketh away fin by the fucrifice of himself; or, if, according to the holy fcriptures, the impenitent finner must fink down to everlasting defpair covered with all the horrors of unexpiated guilt? All other inquiries fhould be poftponed to these. They regard not only your prefent peace, but your eternal interefts-Not the honor that cometh from men, but that which cometh from God.

Let not any of you imagine that, because you may not chufe the holy miniftry for your profeffion in future life, the truth or the practice of religion may be of less importance to you than to others. This is prefering decency of character to the difcharge of your duty. Befides, although true piety may be lefs effential to one profeffion than to another; yet, remember, and may the fpirit of truth write it indelibly in your hearts, it is equally neceflary to you all as you are men—as you are immortalas you are accountable to God-as you are to receive your everlafting defliny from his juftice according to the deeds you have done in the body.-But, abftraéting from

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the confiderations of a future cxiflence, religion will form your highest ornament, and your most refpectable character, in whatever flation you may be placed in life. The reputation of fincere religion is fitted to attract confidence and honor from mankind -What a luftre does virtue fhed upon confpicuous talents! How amiable will fortune, or rank, or whatever may elevate you hereafter above your fellow-citizens, appear, if it be adorned with that piety which makes all men equal again by the benevolence and humility of its fpirit! "Godliness is profitable to all things, having the promife of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."

This fubject I have chofen, not from any apprehenfion that the cenfures which are due to impiety and vice are merited by you; but from my knowledge of the present state of manners, and the present fashions of opinion. In proportion as our manners daily degenerate, irreligion in principle more and more prevails. All moral and religious opinions, except thofe that are fixed by revelation, are in a flate of perpetual flux and mutability. They have their

your own

fashions and pafs away. This is the age of indel and licentious principles in their molt extravagant fhapes; and the age to come will look back with altonilhment at the folly and madness of the prefent. Will you ri.k your falvation on a foundation fo unfound and falle? Confider the awful intereils that depend on the decifion which you form on the fubject of religion. Exainine into its reality, and the right which it claims to command your obedience, with all the ferioufnels which eternity requires. It is a high claim that comes to you in the name of God, and in the name of immortal interefts. The fool alone fays in his heart there is no God to obferve his conduct, and to punith his vices, and denies a truth that is borne with fuch evidence on the whole face of nature, and written in fuch legible characters on the whole courfe of providence. For this crime doth the judge of all the carth; at this moment, seem to be punishing the world, and, at the fame time, hardening their hearts that they fhould not difcern the caufe of their calamities. Eternal Spirit of Truth! rebuke the nations. in mercy! Deftroy the dark fpirit of atheilin the offspring and the nurfe of crimes!

Illuminate! penetrate our hearts with the facred principles of piety and virtue! Reveal in our hearts Chrift Jefus the hope of glory! And haflen the bleffed moment when thy victorious grace fhall subdue the vices, the crrors, and the pallions of all men; and righteoufnefs fhall cover the earth as the waters cover the fea!

AMEN!

ས ་

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DISCOURSE III.

ON THE DANGERS OF PLEASURE.

ECCLESIASTES VII. 2.

It is better to go to the houfe of mourning than to the houfe of feafling.

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ENSUAL pleafures are among the most dangerous enemies of virtue. The natural talles for them are not culpable, and, within moderate limits, happiness demands them, and reafon and religion permit them. But, ardent, and prone to excefs, they require to be fubjected to a prudent and holy vigilance, and to be indulged with caution and

circumfpection.--Conflant pleasure is not to be expected here. And the continual or exceffive purfuit of it, is unbecoming our flate in this world. Our path is chequered with evil. If the fanguine but shortfighted hopes of youth picture to themselves

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