stand in the hedge to turn away God's wrath that he destroy not the land. Remember what was said to the degenerate church of the Jews. Jer. ii. 19. "Thine own wickedness shall correct thee; and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see, that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts." At hearing professors reproved so sharply, let not a smile of complacency invigorate the countenance of the ungodly, saying, within their heart, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst. No; for the Judge standeth at the door. The time is not far distant, when he will treat you according to your real character, and just demerit. The scripture saith, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodty committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. Now, When this cometh to pass, (and it will come) this question is, solemnly. put to your consciences, Can thine heart endure, can thine hands be strong, in the day that the Lord shall deal with thee? He has spoken it, and will do it. That infidels, who openly disavow Divine Revelation, and men of notoriously profligate characters, should be raised, by the suffrages of the people to important stations in government, is matter of lamentation among pious people. Is this the case now, more than it was forty, or sixty years ago? If it be, it is decided evidence that corruption and wickedness is more prevalent now than formerly. And what is most distressing, is, that christian professors should unite with the open enemies of Christianity, to exalt such men to the chair of state. How many are there, who profess to love the Lord Jesus, His truth, and religion, and people, who not only put in their own suffrages, but also use great exertions, to influence others to vote for men of known abandoned characters, and even open infidels. Such professors, in this matter, pay no attention to their Bibles. There it is written, Deut. xvii. 14, 15. "When thou art come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me: Thou shalt in any wise set him king whom the Lord thy God shall choose, one from among thy BRETHREN shalt thou set king over thee: Thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy BROTHER." If professors had united with the more discerning and sober part of community, in the choice of rulers, it is not probable we should now be involved in war. God will not set a man of a weak head, or wicked heart; an open infidel, or a proud tyrant, to rule His people, unless such a man be their choice. Proud Saul was a man of the people's choice. God told them afterwards, that He "gave them a king in his anger, and took him away in his wrath." Professors-you stand on high, and solean ground; and, therefore, you ought to be exceeding careful that you do not symbolize with the world. By conforming with the world you may be instrumental of bringing ruin on yourselves, and destruction on the nation. Great is your responsibility. IV. It remains to give some directions. 1. Be at peace among yourselves. 1 Thes. v. 13. Such a spirit of division and animosity, rages in America, that the existence of the nation is set at hazard. Even in the councils of the nation, how evident it is, that a malignant party spirit governs their conduct. Is it not evident to the world, that the important business of these States, is conducted with an overbearing hand? There is no yielding, no compromising, in matters of the highest importance. Has not this same malignant party spirit, ascended the pulpit, in some instances ? Are there not those, who, by office are the Ambassadors of the Prince of Peace, who cry, To arms! to arms! and call on their people to spread havoc and destruction among their fellow-men? Is this preaching the gospel of peace? Is this imitating Him who is our peace? Certainly not. And has not this very same evil spirit taken possession of the church, in many instances? Are there not cases in which professors, Whet their tongues like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, at each other, even bitter words? Now if it be so, is this to love one another with a pure heart fervently? 2. Lye not against the truth. Jas. iii. 14. Deceit, falsehood and lying are testified against, while the scriptures press the duty of sincerity, uprightness and truth. But is not falsehood, deceit and lying, the order of the day in America? Was not the President of the United States chargeable with deceptive conduct when he proclaimed the Milan and Berlin decrees were revoked, when no such revocation then existed; and continuing his proclamation in force, when there was evidence those decrees were still taking effect? How many deceptive arts have been used to rouse a war spirit against Great-Britain by painting her conduct towards America in the most hideous colours, and palliating all the injuries we have received from France ? Have not printers of newspapers put all their talents into requisition, to deceive their readers, respecting the state of our foreign relations, and domestic affairs? What unwearied pains have been taken by tavern bar-room orators, and their aids, who have rode, and run, and talked, to persuade the less knowing part of community, that if power should again get into the hands of the Federalists, laws would be enacted by which every denomination of Christians would be necessitated to pay to the standing order, as they called it, when they knew at the same time such laws would be of no force, because contrary to the constitution? All done with design to deceive. Does not the war, in which we are engaged, stand on delusive ground? For what are we at war? For Sailor's rights, it is said. Who are those sailors? are not many of them, and probably the most, the sweepings of the jails in Europe, who fied from justice, in their own country, to this once happy America? Does wisdom, or policy, or benevolence, require that our fathers, our husbands, our brothers, be called to suffer in the camp, and die in the field of battle; and misery and distress be spread over the whole nation, for the sake of men whose room in America is infinitely preferable to their company? It is now enquired of professors, whether they have not united with the wicked in this work of falshood and delusion? Have you not, for the sake of supporting, and strengthening the party to which you are attached, said what you knew was false, and done what you knew, when you were doing it, was wrong? If so, how hateful is your conduct in God's sight! I wish it were not so, but I fear - 3. "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." Exod. xix. 8. Many who are high in the profession of religion, deby there is a Sabbath-day under the gospel. Those will pro fane the day, and use their influence that others should. But how little is the day regarded by those who acknowledge the morality of the fourth command-how greatly is it profaned! If we could see, as the Lord sees, from Maine to Georgia, what should we see? We should see men sleeping, and playing, and sitting in idleness, laboring in their fields, and shops, making and receiving visits; in taverns, quarelling and drinking themselves drunk; travelling on the road on business, or amusement. If we could see what is done every Sabbathday, what a scene of wickedness would lie in view! The Lord sees it all. On the Sabbath-day we should see some in the places allotted for public worship; but if we could look on the heart, as the Lord does, how few should we see, worshipping him in spirit and in truth? 4. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord. Jas. iv. 10. It is, my friends, no time for contention among ourselves; but it is a time for prayer, for humiliation, for repentance and reformation. Every one ought to feel, most sensibly, the sore judgments of heaven, now poured on our guilty land. They are tokens of God's great displeasure against us for our abounding impiety, and unrighteousness. Deep repentance, and humiliation, under God's mighty hand, become, every one. All, rulers and people, professors and non professors, all have done something towards filling the measure of sin: no one is exempt. Let us all then rise as one man, not to cut each others throats, not to thrust the bayonet into each others hearts; but rise, and in humble courage and zeal, take the kingdom of heaven by violence. By sincere repentance, and humble fervent prayer, engage, and make sure the presence of God with us. When Moses let down his hands Amalek prevailed, when he lift up his hands Israel prevailed. God's praying servants have more than once, stood in the gap, to turn away his wrath. Do this in humble dependence on the Lord Jesus, and we may all take comfort from the following Divine declaration, "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, here am I." AMEN.. |