the dregs of wickednefs deprave and corrupt, as much as its more fubtil parts.-Let us, however, my brethren, rather look at home than abroad; and take a fpecimen of the wickedness of the times from what we obferve among ourselves.

How fares religion amongst us? In general, I fear, we have not much even of the appearance of it. The people of ancient times were ready to give up their lives for their religion: people now are as ready to give up their religion-not for their lives, but even for their diverfions. The bell tolls on Sundays; and many well-difpofed people, no doubt, consider it as a call to worship God, and hear their duty explained: but what becomes of the reft? you will find them perhaps loitering idly at home--or following fome unlawful diverfion in the foreft-or, probably, at the alehoufe: the bell which calls others to worship God, gives them only a greater relifh for wickedness.

Few virtues furvive the decay of religion. A fort of decorum of manners, among the higher claffes of mankind, hath fomewhat the appearance of virtue, though it is but an appearance; yet even this appearance is removed among the lower ranks. We fee drunkennefs ftaggering about in open day--we hear loud conversations made

14

made up of obfcenity, fwearing, curfing, and blafphemy-we fee family-quarrels, abuse, fpiteful actions, and ill neighbourhood. Vice fcorns to wear any disguife, when religion alone takes account of actions. When the law, indeed, steps in, men are more cautious. How long is it ago -not very long-fince I heard of a neighbour's horfe being killed in the night? What a mind muft that wretch have, who could commit fo malicious and wicked an action, from which he could receive no advantage himself, merely to gratify a horrid fpirit of revenge! Anotherwicked fellow was obliged to fly the country for theft; while another, I believe his companion, was taken and convicted. And, the other day, fome wicked perfon put abroad an incendiary letter, threatening death, and burning of houses --but for what, I could not discover.. They who were able had juft made a fubfcription to lower the price of bread, which I hoped had given general fatisfaction: but malice is a vice without either gratitude or feeling.

Thefe things, my brethren, fhew that we of this place are not clear of that guilt which hangs over the land. Corruption infinuates itself into the manners of men by degrees. Human nature

will always be wicked; but where people are not greatly corrupted, fuch wickedness and crimes as I have been defcribing do not often appear: when they do, I fhould fear they fhew corruption has spread very deep. And though the greater part of you, no doubt, abhor fuch heights of wickedness, yet the beft amongst us hath ftill great reafon to call himfelf to account.

Let us then all endeavour to take our own fins, at least, from the burden of the land: it has guilt enough to weigh it down without ours. Nor let any one think his fins will be loft in the general mass. No: they will certainly increase it. They may, for any thing we know, be that addition that will turn the fcale against us. Ten righteous perfons might once have faved a city: God knows how many it may require to fave fuch a country as this. Let us, however, strive to be among thofe righteous few; and not proyoke God to bring his judgments upon us, as he has always done on wicked and corrupt nations.-A people is armed against us, whom we never yet feared; but, if God forfake us, they may be a dreadful inftrument of his wrath.Let us then endeavour to avert that wrath, be

fore

fore it be yet too late; that we may be able, from our hearts, to join in the triumphant fong of the text, The Lord is king: the earth may be glad thereof; yea, the multitude of the isles (and our own in particular) may be glad thereof.

SERMON IX.

MAT. V. 34.

BUT I SAY UNTO YOU, SWEAR NOT AT ALL.

DESIGN, in the following discourse, to shew you the great wickednefs of common fwearing. I shall endeavour, as far I can, to deter the young finner from forming habits of this vice; and, if it be in my power, to reclaim the old one.-I shall first, therefore, fhew you the wickedness of common fwearing; and, fecondly, I fhall exhort those who practise it to lay it afide.

THE firft argument against the wickedness of common fwearing may be taken from its tendency to perjury, by making a folemn oath received with lefs reverence.

An