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of God, and his ordinances, is another cause of his controverfy; one for which we ought this day to exercife humiliation in his fight. How is his infinitely venerable name profaned in the unneceffary, irreverend ufe of it by fome, and in the impious oaths and imprecations of others? Are not his ordinances neglected and despised by many, who live within reach of the fanctuary, and who, by their parents, were early devoted to his fervice in baptifm? Is not that precious volume the bible; that volume which affords the most reviving expreffions of Jehovah's love, and conftitutes the broad charter of all our privileges and profpects; is not that volume regarded by fome with neglect and indifference; by others has it not been derided as the offspring of fuperftition, or prieftcraft? Does not a licentious infidelity obviously pervade the higher orders of fociety in our country? Was not that man who has appeared as one of the most open, bold, unblushing champions in this caufe; who has exhaufted his talents. in the derifion of every thing facred; who has uttered the fouleft blafphemies, which a polluted imagination could conceive, against the Son of God, against his Perfon, against the myfteries of his gofpel, and the minifters of his religion; has not that man been invited to this country by the leading men of our nation; has he not been correfponded with, and caref fed fince his arrival? If this circumftance does not avow their real enmity to the faviour's cross, it at least betrays an alarming indifference to its interefts: And I am bold to affert that those who are hoftile to our re

ligion cannot be the real friends of our liberty, whatever be their political pretenfions. Divine revelation is the great charter of our rights as men, no less than of our privileges and profpects as chriftians; it proclaims to man his dignified origin, as created after the image of God; it infpires the individual with the most exalted fenfe of his own importance, by declaring that the Lord God hath made of one blood all men to dwell upon the earth, and confequently that all are naturally poffeffed of certain, equal, unalienable rights: This conftitutes the greateft poffible fecurity for focial order among men by enjoining us to live foberly, righteously and Godly; to do justly, to love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. These are not the fentiments merely of the divine; they are maxims firmly believed and openly avowed by the moft accomplished legiflators that ever adorned the world. Suffice it to mention the obfervations of Him whom

His Excellency GEORGE WASHINGTON, in his last address to the citizens of the United States. Christianity," says' Montesque, a celebrated French writer," has prevented the establishment of despotism in Ethiopia, notwithstanding its situation in the midst of African despotic states." And Hume, although a malignant enemy to religion, has acknowledged that "the precious sparks of liberty were kindled by the puritans in England, and to them the English owe the whole freedom of their constitution." I cannot help remarking that the observations of these authors are literally exemplified in New-England. There is no part of the christian world where pure religion more eminently flourished than in those states for generations after their first settlement; and

all revered as equally the Statesman, the Hero, the Patriot; on whom the eyes of every American citizen were fastened as the brighteft ornament of our country; our pride in peace; our fhield in war; and,under God,the inftrument of incalculable bleffings to our nation. "Of all the difpofitions and habits which lead to political profperity, religion and morality are indifpenfible fupports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotifm who fhould labor to fubvert these great pillars of human happiness; thefe firmeft props of the duties of men and citizens: The mere politician equally with the pious man ought to refpect, and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their conne&ions with private and public felicity."

AGAIN, is not the holy fabbath, that rest which is ordained for the people of God; that inftitution which is calculated to fecure health to the body, no lefs than happiness to the foul; that inftitution which is a lively memorial of the refurre&tion of our crucified Lord, and furnishes a conftant pledge of our own refurrection, is not this day openly prostituted without a bluth, and without remorfe? Is it not profaned by fome in idleness and amufements; by others in unneceffary vifits, and by many in the deli

there is perhaps no part of the globe, where the principles of rational liberty are better understood, or more zealously vindicated. On the other hand, what probably paved the way for the easy introduction of despotism in France than the general infidelity and licensciousness of the people.

berate profecution of their fecular employments ? Is not the peaceful worshiper often interrupted and infulted as he repairs to, or retires from the temple of his God, by the wanton tranfgreffors of that facred inftitution? And does it not render our guilt more aggravated, and expofe us to feverer vengeance, that this profanation of the Sabbath is permitted in part by public authority? Our Legislature* has explicitly provided that no man "removing his family, or household furniture" fhall be detained on that day. Does not this toleration virtually make void the command of Jehovah who had enjoined, TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES, AND BEAR NO BUR

*During the discussion of a bill relating to the Sabbath, which was brought before the Legislature some years since, a member was heard in the street to "damn the Sabbath and all its advocates." I mention this circumstance merely, to shew that in the election of the unprincipled, indecent man to public office, we not merely evince a want of zeal for God, a want of concern for the interests of morality, but a great want of respect to ourselves. Petitions in support of that bill were poured in from various parts of the state, and a single copy of the petition from the city of New-York, as was stated in a public paper,had eighteen hundred names annexed to it. As citizens of a free government we possess the right in a respectful manner to petition our legislative bodies, and our petitions, especially when presented by a large and respectable part of the state,are entitled to respectful attention. But in the instance of the member above mentioned, the maxim holds true, that he who does not fear God will not regard man, not even his constituents from whom all his little importance is derived.

DEN ON THE SABBATH DAY, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerufalem; neither carry forth a burden out of your houfes on the Sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. Have we not reafon to fear that the Lord God, provoked by our impiety, will execute upon us the vengeance denounced against the nation of Ifrael, I will draw out a fword after you, and make your cities wafte. Then fhall the land enjoy. her Sabbaths as long as it lieth defolate, and ye shall be in your enemies country; even then fhall the landreft and enjoy her Sabbaths.

3. THE general, and very grofs corruption of public morals is another caufe of the divine difpleasure with us as a nation. May not the records. of our courts of juftice teftify how common are the crimes of falle fwearing, and forgery; crimes peculiarly offensive to Jehovah; and which tend to fap the very foundation of focial order among men? Do not our daily prints announce the very alarming increase of bankruptcies in our country? Probably one thousand inftances of private failure occur now, where not one occurred twenty years ago. fa&t evinces the corruption of public morals, as thefe failures muft ordinarily proceed either from a concealment of property with a view to defraud the creditor, or from a mode of living utterly beyond our ability. Is not that most unnatural, moft horrid. of all crimes, felf-murder, become mournfully prevalent among us? Is it not alfo a fashionable thing;

This