teach you a contrary doctrine. Such insinuations are at once an incitement to your vanity, and an insult to your understanding.

The scriptures contain the only true philosophy on this subject. They teach, that the heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.

From this source arises your greatest danger. If you lose your virtue, liberty will be a curse. You feel secure, because the people govern. But if the people become corrupt, where is your security? The officers of government are taken from among yourselves. And do you believe an impure fountain will send forth pure streams? The only way to have virtuous rulers is to be virtuous yourselves. If y make yourselves vile, you must expect they will be vile also. You say public officers are your servants, and that you will watch their conduct. But can you believe there will be peace or safety when corruption only is left to watch corruption, and satan to reprove sin?

you

The government of our country is a government of opinion, rather than of force. More is therefore to be feared from the depravity of ourselves than of our rulers. If they become corrupt, the people can displace them; but if the people themselves become corrupt, it is an evil without a remedy. While the will of the people is on the side of virtue, we shall remain happy ; but whenever it preponderates to the side of vice, we must be miserable.

Act then at all times a decided part in favour of religion. On this the safety of your country, as well as the salvation of your souls, depends. Without this no people can long be prosperous and happy. "This is the cement of society; this the tie that binds man to man, and man to God." Without religion the sanctions of an oath have no validity; contracts cannot be supported; crimes cannot be investigated and courts of justice must cease. Without this, how is your reputation to be secured from the slanderer's tongue, your property from the robber's grasp, or your life from the assassin's dagger? Imperfect indeed must be that security which results only from the civil law.

Revere therefore public worship, and sanctify the sabbaths of the Lord. When the public institutions of the gospel are brought into disgrace, private virtue will cease. It is in the churches of Christ that men are taught to dread the judgments of heaven, and believe in the providence of God.

Avoid the pollutions, and reist the influence of infidelity. Yield not to its flatteries; be not deceived by its smiles. It never approaches virtue, but that it may pollute her; it never takes liberty by the hand, but when it designs her as its victim. Its doctrines are, that all future responsibility is a chimera; that death is an eternal sleep; and that the end sanctifies the means. Doctrines, which put in practice, must revive the pollutions of Sodom, and the abominations of Gomorrah. Thus by corrupting the heart, de

stands upon its own basis, where truth is vindicated by its own weapons, and conquers by its own evidence. Here light without a veil emanates from the sun of righteousness, and salvation, without a mixture, flows pure and unrestrained from its sacred source the gospel.

Such is our situation, and such our privilege. "This is indeed the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.'

Is our present situation marvellous? It will appear more so, if we consider the means by which we have been exalted to it.

The manner in which these colonies have been preserved from savage barbarity, from French usurpation, and finally delivered from British tyranny, is little less than miraculous.

While it was in the power of the natives to have swallowed us up, they were mercifully restrained : afterwards, when they attempted it, they were delivered into our hand.

Against the French, God fought for America. In this warfare he enlisted the elements, marshalled the thunder, and commissioned the pestilence.

The fleet which was fitted out in 1746, at vast expence, for the sanguinary purpose of conquering Nova Scotia, destroying Boston, and ravaging the whole extent of our defenceless coasts, was providentially defeated in its object. After this mighty armament was ready to put to sea, it was shut up for weeks

in the ports of France, by an embargo from heaven. When crossing the Atlantic, its ships were so tossed by the waves and shattered by the tempests, that like the chariots of Pharaoh, when the Lord looked upon them through the pillar of fire, they moved heavily. A part only of this fleet ever reached our shores. The admiral, to whom this work of death was committed, disheartened by those disasters, fell into an apoplexy, or drank poison and died. The second in command, struck with sudden terror from the Almighty, put an end to his own life. The third accomplished a landing at Chebucto. But no sooner had he pitched his camp than the Angel of the Lord smote it with pestilence, and it became, like the camp of Assyria, full of dead men. Thus the Almighty laid his veto upon their arms, and compelled them to return by the way they came, without so much as lifting a spear or shooting an arrow against the cities they were destined to destroy. Our fathers stood still and saw the salvation of God.*

The same providential care was extended to these colonies during the revolutionary war.

An event so great as the dismemberment of this country from Britain, was not to be accomplished without struggles and contests. The issue was awfully dubious. Human probability declared against the attempt. The decree, however, was passed in

For a more particular account of these disasters, sec Trumbull's history of the last century.

24

heaven. In the eighteenth century, America was to shake off the yoke and become free and independent ; and already had God prepared the instrument by which this was to be accomplished. Was Moses formed to rescue ancient Israel from bondage? So was Washington, to rescue this western and modern Israel of the Lord.

The glory of furnishing protectors belongs to God; and who does not see his wisdom and goodness in raising such a character at such a crisis? His equal had not existed for ages, and probably will not for ages to come. like the celebrated leader of Israel, he was great in the sight of all his people and all their enemies. Great with respect to the energies of his mind, the resources of his genius, and great with respect to that divine efficacy which stamped victory on his arms, and crowned his exertions with success.

He was providentially fitted for the part he was called to act, and providentially introduced upon the theatre of action.

"His education was such as favored the production of a sound mind and a vigorous body."* The early habits of his youth prepared him to endure the toils and fatigues of after life.

The part he acted when the unfortunate Braddock fell, brought his character into view, made him known to his country, and was justly considered as a presage of his future greatness.† Thus God prepared his ser

* Ramsay's history.

† See Davies' sermon, delivered soon after Braddock's defeat