and Sanctifier, but of a Providence, a Judge, and an Avenger, lefs induftrioufly propagated by fome, or with more Zeal discountenanced by others? If this fhall appear to be the Cafe, we may humbly hope, that the Almighty will in his good Time, favourably a bear from the Heavens our Prayer and our Supplication, and maintain our Caufe. But, fhould the Reverse of all this be rather found true, His Disregard of our Fafts may from bence be but too easily accounted for. Vain and presumptuous muft our most devout Humiliations on one Day in the Year certainly appear, fhould there be Cause to suspect, that GOD is fcarcely in all our Thoughts, to any good Purpose, for the Remainder of it. Communities are not lefs concerned than Individuals, in that awful Declaration- They that defpife Me fhall be lightly esteemed.

Again: An unreflecting Levity of Mind, a prevailing Luxury and Fondness for fenfual Pleasures, equally unfuitable to Men's Circumstances and inconfiftent with their Duty; were at first complained of as National Diforders among us. And have the People of this Land in general fince recovered their once famed Plainnefs, Seriousness, and Regularity of a 2 Chr. VI. 35. b 1 Sam. II. 30.

Behaviour?

Behaviour? Do we find Men of all Conditions grown more willing to deny themselves the Use not only of fuperfluous, but even criminal Gratifications? Has the Support of a confuming War made any visible Retrenchments from our former expenfive Elegance in Diverfions, as well as Drefs and all the Articles of Living? Rather, do we not, in the Midft of our Complaints of encreasing Poverty, still continue to compafs Sea and Land; ranfacking all the Stores of Nature in order to furnish out fresh Materials for Pleasure, all the Inventions of Art in order to discover new Kinds of it? - The Answer to thefe Queftions must be left to every one's Obfervation of what paffes before him. But let us not flatter ourselves, that to afflict our Soul only for a Day, to bow down the Head as a Bulrufh, to spread Sackloth and Ashes under us; in short, to impose upon ourselves, for a few Hours, all the outward Tokens, or even all the real Offices, of Abftinence and Mortification, without Moderation in our Enjoyments, and a due Government over our Appetites, at other Times; will be admitted as a Faft and an acceptable Day to the LORD. Let us remember that tremendous Denunciation of the Prophet in a Free-thinking and Free-living

People,

a

People, -In that Day did the LORD of Hofs call to Weeping and to Mourning and to Baldness and to Girding with Sackcloth: And behold! Joy and Gladness, flaying Oxen and killing Sheep, eating Flesh and drinking Wine, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we dye," And it was revealed in mine Ears by the LORD of Hofts, faying, Surely this Iniquity shall not be purged away from you till ye dye, faith the LORD GOD of Hofts! But

Farther: With regard to the Relative Obligations fubfifting between the Members of the Community. Has a Reverence for Government as the Ordinance of GOD, and for Governours as His Minifters, of late gained any Ground among the feveral fubordinate Ranks of Men ? Are the facred Tyes of the Domestick Relation more religioufly comply'd with? Is Justice and Fairness in Men's Dealings with each other more ftrictly observed? Is the Labourer thought more worthy of his Hire by the Perfon employing him, or is he on his Part more content with his Wages? Are Men in general more eafy under the Allotments, of Providence, more industrious in their respective Callings, more punctual in °ren

b

a Ifai. XXII. 12, 13, 14. ç Rom. XIII. 7.

b Luk. X. 7. and III. 14.

a

с

dering to all their Dues? And, in Confequence, Do the Great and the Opulent find * their Houfes more fafe from Fear, and their Perfons from Infult and Outrage? Have we fewer Complainings in our Streets; is Violence more rarely heard in our Land, or Wafting and Destruction within our Borders?—I with every one's Obfervation would enable him to give himself a pleafing Account of these Matters. But if, on the other Hand, an Impatience of Reftraints of any Kind, and a Contempt of all Order and Authority, be a notorious Part of the Character of the present Generation; if the most audacious Violations of all Laws, human as well as divine, are daily committed, and make some of the principal Occurrences of our Times: if Men of Rank and Fortune to their Sorrow find, that those Perfons, whom their Practice has for fome Time been teaching not to fear GOD, have at laft, without any fuch Inftruction, learned not to regard Man-May not fuch * Overflowings of Ungodlinefs justly make us afraid? Can we want a Reason, wherefore we have fafted and GOD feeth not? Is it poffible even for Providence, without a miraculous Interpof

a Job XX. 9. d Pfal. XVIII. 3.

b Pfal. CXLIV. 14. c Ifai. LX. 18.

tion, to fave us? or, fhould God be pleased to deliver us from our foreign Enemies, must He not work as mighty a Deliverance, to refcue us from ourselves.

、

a

It were but too easy to proceed in asking (would to GOD it were equally agreeable to anfwer!) fuch Questions as thefe, with regard to the vifible State of Religion and Morals among us. And yet there remains still farther very important Matter for Enquiry; I mean, those Personal Sins, those Plagues of our own Hearts, which each of us is particularly called upon to fearch into and deplore; especially when, on fuch Occafions as this, we spread forth our Hands in the Houfe of GOD. Thefe, when fairly brought to Account, and added to our many National Tranfgreffions, may too juftly fill us with Shame and Confufion of Face: and make us, instead of expoftulating with GOD for the little Notice He has taken of our former Humiliations, cry out in the penfive Strains of the lamenting Prophet, It is of the LORD's Mercies that we are not confumed, becaufe His Compaffions fail not!

b

Happy for us, that His Compaffions do not fail! Let us then, upon the Encouragement

a 8 Kin. VIII. 38.

b I.am. III. 22.

arifing