don, to that of Vienna, Paris, Rome, and all the large cities of Italy? English ladies are not attended by their cicisbys yet; nor would any English husband suffer it. So that, bad as we are, we are sober and temperate, yea, and modest, in comparison of our neighbours. 11. But if sloth and luxury are not, what is the present characteristic of the English nation? It is ungodliness. This is at present the characteristic of the English nation. Ungodliness is our universal, our constant, our peculiar cha tacter. I do not mean Deism; the not assenting to revealed religion. No; a Deist is a respectable character, compared to an ungodly man. But by ungodliness I mean, First, a total ignorance of God; Secondly, a total contempt of him. us. 12. And, First, a total ignorance of God is almost universal among The exceptions are exceeding few, whether among the learned or unlearned. High and low, cobblers, tinkers, hackney-coachmen, men and maid servants, soldiers, sailors, tradesmen of all ranks, lawyers, physicians, gentlemen, lords, are as ignorant of the Creator of the world as Mohammedans or Pagans. They look up to that "brave o'er-hanged firmament, fretted with golden fires;" they see the moon walking in brightness, the sun on his meridian throne; they look round on the various furniture of the earth, herbs, flowers, trees, in all their beauty; and coolly ascribe all to nature, without having any idea affixed to the word. Should you seriously ask them, What is nature? they know not how to answer. Perhaps they will 66 say, Why, it is the course of things, that always was and always will be." Always was! Then you assert that the present course of things was from eternity. If so, the world is eternal; either then there are two eternals, or there is no God! 13. So much the good people of England in general know of God their Creator! And high and low, from the meanest peasant to the gayest butterfly at court, know just as much of God their Governor. They know not, they do not in the least suspect, that he governs the world he has made; that he is the supreme and absolute Disposer of all things both in heaven and earth. A poor Heathen (though a consul, a prime minister) knew Deorum providentiâ cuncta geri; that "the providence of God directs all things." Providence! What is that? Do you know any thing about it? "Yes I do; I never denied a general providence." A general providence! What do you mean? What is a general that includes no particulars? What is a whole that does not contain any parts? It is a self-contradiction, it is arrant nonsense. Either, therefore, allow a particular providence, or do not pretend to believe any providence at all. If you do not believe that the Governor of the world governs all things in it, small and great; that fire and hail, snow and vapour, wind and storm, fulfil his word; that he rules kingdoms and cities, fleets and armies, and all the individuals whereof they are composed; (and yet without forcing the wills of men, or necessitating any of their actions ;) do not affect to believe that he governs any thing, or has any thing to do in the world. No; be consistent with yourself: Say that, as nature produced, so chance governs, all things. At least, if you must, for decency's sake, acknowledge a kind of God, maintain that, Since he gave things their beginning, he left it, and every thing therein, to spin on in its own way. 14. Whether this is right or no, it is almost the universal sentiment of the English nation. And if high and low are so totally ignorant of God their Governor, are they likely to know any more of God their Redeemer, or of God their Judge, who will shortly reward every man according to his works? In very deed, God is not in all their thoughts; they do not think of him from morning to night. Whether they are forming particular or national schemes, God has no place therein. They do not take God into their account; they can do their whole business without him; without considering whether there be any God in the world; or whether he has any share in the management of it. 15. And whatever be the event of their undertakings, whether they have good or ill success, they do not suppose God to have any part either in the one or the other. They take it for granted, that the race is to the swift, and the battle to the strong. Therefore, if things succeed well, they give no praise to God, but to the conduct of their general, and the courage of their men. And if they succeed ill, they do not see the hand of God, but impute all to natural causes. 16. The English in general high and low, rich and poor, do not speak of God. They do not say any thing about him, from day to day, from week to week, from year to year. They talk of any thing beside; they are not so squeamish as the old poet, who would not spend his breath in talking De villis, domibusve alienis ; [About other people's country seats, or mansions; nor whether Lepos dance well or ill.] We talk indifferently on every thing that comes in the way; on every thing-but God. If any one were to name him in good company, with any degree of seriousness, suppose at a gentleman or nobleman's table, would not they all stand aghast? Would not a profound silence ensue, till some one started a more agreeable subject? 17. Again: A vast majority of the English live in the constant neglect of the worship of God. To form a judgment of this, you may take a specimen in the good city of London. How few of the inhabitants worship God in public, even one day in a week! Do not yet fewer of them make a conscience of worshipping God in their families? And perhaps they are a still smaller number that daily worship God in their closets. Such, if we acknowledge the truth, is the general, constant ungodliness of the English nation! Is. But negative ungodliness (so to speak) is the least exceptionable part of our character. Proceed we then to the positive ungodliness, which overflows every part of our land. The first branch of this positive ungodliness, and such as shows an utter contempt of God, is perjury. And to this the common people are strongly tempted in our public courts of justice, by the shocking manner wherein oaths are usually administered there, contrary to all sense and decency. Forty years ago, (and perhaps it may be so still,) when an oath was administered in the court of Savannah in Georgia, the judge with all on the bench rose up, and stood uncovered while it was admit nistering; and none moved his foot, or uttered a word, till they sat down again. Has not every English judge power to introduce the same solemnity into every court where he presides? Certainly he has. And if he does not exert that power, he is inexcusable before God and man. 19. Till this is done, our shameless manner of administering oaths will increase the constant perjuries in our nation. They are farther increased by our muitiplying oaths to such an amazing degree; and that on the slightest occasions. Hence perjury infects the whole nation. It is constant, from month to month, from year to year. And it is a glory which no nation divides with us; it is peculiar to ourselves. There is nothing like it to be found in any other (Christian or Heathen) nation under heaven. 20. To descend to particulars would be tedious: Suffice it to observe in general, there are exceeding few justices of the peace, mayors of corporations, sheriffs, constables, or churchwardens; exceeding few officers of the customs, the excise, or any public office whatever, who are not constantly perjured, taking oaths which they never intend to keep. Add to these, thousands, yea, myriads of the voters at elections, particularly for members of parliament: add thousands of the students in each university, who swear to a book of statutes, which they never read, which most of them never design to read, and much less to observe: then judge whether there be any nation on the face of the earth, which can vie with the English in perjury! 21. There is one other species of ungodliness, which is, if possible, still more general among us; which is also constant, being to be heard in every street every day in the year; and which is quite peculiar to our nation, to England, and its dependencies; namely, the stupid, senseless, shameless, ungodliness of taking the name of God in vain. Where in the habitable world do the people so continually pray the great God to “damn their souls?" Where else do they so blaspheme the Majesty of Heaven? so idly swear by the name of God? Some wretched gentlemen (so called) set the example, which the small vulgar readily follow. And these curses and oaths they pour out wantonly, without any provocation; and desperately, without any remorse. Let those who are acquainted with ancient and modern history say, whether there is or ever was any Heathen nation wherein such a total contempt of God, such horrid ungodliness, so generally and constantly prevailed! 22. Sec then, Englishmen, what is the undoubted characteristic of our nation; it is ungodliness. True, it was not always so: for many ages we had as much of the fear of God as our neighbours. But in the last age, many who were absolute strangers to this, made so large a rofession of it, that the nation in general was surfeited, and, at the Restoration, ran headlong from one extreme to the other. It was then ingodliness broke in upon us as a flood; and when shall its dire waves be stayed? 23. Countrymen, is ungodliness any honour to our nation? Let men of reason judge. Is this outraging the greatest and best of Beings. a thing honourable in itself? Surely you cannot think so. Does it gain us any honour in the eyes of other nations? Nay, just the contrary. Some of them abhor the very name of Englishmen, others despise us, on this very account. They look upon us as monsters, hardly worthy to be ranked among human creatures. 24. Ye men of candour, say, does this ungodliness bring any real advantage to our nation? Innumerable advantages we enjoy; but might we not have them without discarding the fear of God? Might we not prosper as well, both by sea and land, if we did not set God at open defiance? if we did not so continually affront him to his face, and dare him to do his worst? If he has not left chance to govern the world, and it he is really stronger than men, will not our affairs go on better if God is our friend, than if he is our enemy? Is God an enemy to be despised? Rather, is there not reason in those words of the old warrior?— Non me tua fervida terrent Dicta, ferox, Dii me terrent et Jupiter hostis! [Insolent foe, your proud boasts affright me not, but the gods, and especially Jupiter, iny enemy!] We have had excellent, well-appointed fleets; we have had numerous veteran armies. And what have they done? Have we not more and more reason to make that melancholy exclamation, Heu, nihil invitis fas quenquam fidere Divis! 25. Can you believe, that our total ignorance of God, and our general contempt of him, who, whether men will acknowledge it or no, has still all power in heaven and in earth, can be well pleasing to him? We need not care for all the fervida dicta, all the rodomontades, of France and Spain. But if the Lord of the universe is against us, ought we not to care? unless we are very sure that our fleets and armies can prevail against him! Otherwise, would it be any disgrace to humble ourselves, not to man, but to God? to use every means to secure him for our friend, now all our other friends have failed us? Then, admitting "there is no other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God," yet shall none be able to hurt us, but peace and every other blessing shall return both to us and to our colonies. A WORD TO A SABBATH BREAKER. "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." HAVE you forgotten who spoke these words? Or do you set him at defiance? Do you bid him do his worst? Have a care. You are not stronger than he. "Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth; but wo unto the man that contendeth with his Maker. He sitteth on the circle of the heavens; and the inhabitants of the earth are as grashoppers before him!" "Six days shalt thou do all manner of work. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." It is not thine, but God's day. He claims it for his own. He always did claim it for his own, even from the beginning of the world. "In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it." He hallowed it; that is, he made it holy; he reserved it for his own service. He appointed, that as long as the sun or the moon, the heavens and the earth, should endure, the children of men should spend this day in the worship of Him who “gave them life and breath and all things." Shall a man then rob God? And art thou the man? Consider, think what thou art doing! Is it not God who giveth thee all thou hast? Every day thou livest, is it not his gift? And wilt thou give him none? Nay, wilt thou deny him what is his own already? He will not, he cannot, quit his claim. This day is God's. It was so from the beginning. It will be so to the end of the world. This he cannot give to another. O"render unto God the things that are God's," now; "today, while it is called to-day!" 46 For whose sake does God lay claim to this day? for his sake or for thine? Doubtless, not for his own. He needeth not thee, nor any child of man. Look unto the heavens and see, and behold the clouds which are higher than thou. If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? If thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him? If thou art righteous, what givest thou him? Or what receiveth he of thine hand?" For thy own sake, therefore, God thy maker doeth this. For thy own sake he calleth thee to serve him. For thy own sake he demands a part of thy time to be restored to him that gave thee all. Acknowledge his love. Learn, while thou art on earth, to praise the King of Heaven. Spend this day as thou hopest to spend that day which never shall have an end. The Lord not only hallowed the Sabbath day, but he hath also blessed it. So that you are an enemy to yourself. You throw away your own blessing, if you neglect to "keep this day holy." It is a day of special grace. The King of Heaven now sits upon his mercy seat, in a more gracious manner than on other days, to bestow blessings on those who observe it. If you love your own soul, can you then forbear laying hold on so happy an opportunity? Awake, arise, let God give thee his blessing! Receive a token of his love! Cry to him that thou mayest find the riches of his grace and mercy in Christ Jesus! You do not know how few more of these days of salvation you may have. And how dreadful would it be, to be called hence in the abuse of his proffered mercy! O what mercy hath God prepared for you, if you do not trample it under foot! "What mercy hath he prepared for them that fear him, even before the sons of men!" A peace which the world cannot give; joy, that no man taketh from you; rest from doubt and fear and sorrow of heart; and love, the beginning of heaven. And are not these for you? Are they not all purchased for you by him who loved you, and gave himself for you? for you, a sinner? you, a rebel against God? you, who have so long crucified him afresh? Now look unto him whom you have pierced!" Now say, Lord, it is enough. I have fought against thee long enough. I yield, I yield. "Jesus, Master, have mercy upon me !" On this day, above all, cry aloud, and spare not, to the "God who heareth prayer." This is the day he hath set apart for the good of your soul, both in this world and that which is to come. Never more disVOL. VI. 23 |