methods had been sufficiently tried, and tried in vain. E God may justly say," what could have been done more to reclaim mankind, that I have not done? And to what purpose would it have been, to have taken one step further? I tried them enough. There was no hope. Their heart was a heart of stone. Therefore, behold, 1, even I, will take away the heart of stone, and give an heart of flesh; and an apostate world shall be ashamed and confounded, and shall never open their mouth, when I shall do all these things for them."

We are apt to wonder why these glorious days should be so long delayed, if God indeed intends such mercy to men. But God, infinitely wise, knows what is best; knows how to conduct the affairs of the universe; knows when is the fittest time to introduce this glorious state of things; knows when matters will be all ripened, and every thing in the moral world prepared; so that this glorious day may be ushered in to the best advantage, in a manner most suited to honour God and his Son, to humble a haughty world, and to disappoint satan most grievously, after all his wily schemes, great success, and high expectations: I say, God knows when this will be. And this is the very time he has fixed upon for this glorious work.

4. It therefore becomes all the followers of Christ, in their several spheres, under a firm belief of these things, to be of good courage, and exert themselves to the utmost, in the use of all proper means, to suppress error and vice of every kind, and promote the cause of truth and righteousness in the world; and so be workers together with God.

If one stood at the head of this glorious army, which has been in the wars above these five thousand years, and has lived through many a dreadful campaign, and were allowed to make a speech to these veteran troops upon this glorious theme, he might lift up his voice, and say, "Hail, noble heroes! brave followers of the Lamb! Your general has sacrificed his life in this glorious cause, and spoiled principalities and powers on the cross! and now he lives and reigns. He reigns on high, with all power in heaven and earth in his hands. Your predecessors; the Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs, with undaunted courage, have marched into the field of battle, and

conquered dying! and now reign in heaven! behold, ye are risen up in their room, are engaged in the same cause, and the time of the last general battle draws on, when a glorious victory is to be won. And, although many a valiant soldier may be slain in the field; yet the army shall drive all before them at last. And satan being conquered, and all the powers of darkness driven out of the field, and confined to the bottomless pit, ye shall reign with Christ a thousand years; reign in love and peace, while truth and righteousness ride triumphant through the earth. Wherefore lay aside every weight, and, with your hearts wholly intent on this grand affair, gird up your loins, and with all the spiritual weapons of faith, prayer, meditation, watchfulness, &c. with redoubled zeal and courage, fall on your spiritual enemies. Slay every lust that yet lurks within, as knowing your domestic foes are the most dangerous and with gentleness, meekness, and wisdom, by your holy conduct, your pious examples, your kind instructions, your friendly admonitions, spread the savour of divine knowledge all around you, as ye are scattered here and there through a benighted world; labouring to win souls to Christ, to induce the deluded followers of satan to desert his camp, and enlist as volunteers under your prince, MESSIAH. And if the powers of darkness should rally all their forces, and a general battle through all the Christian world come on; O, love not your lives to the death! Sacrifice every earthly comfort in the glorious cause! Sing the triumphs of your victorious general in prisons and at the stake! And die courageously, firmly believing the cause of truth and righteousness will finally prevail."

Surely it is infinitely unbecoming the followers of Him who is King of kings and Lord of lords, to turn aside to earthly pursuits, or to sink down in unmanly discouragements, or to give way to sloth and effeminacy, when there is so much to be done, and the glorious day is coming on. How should those who handle the pen of the writer, exert themselves to explain and vindicate divine truths, and paint the Christian religion in all its native glories! How should the pulpit be animated, from sabbath to sabbath, with sermons full of knowledge and light, full of spirit and life, full of zeal for God,

and love to men, and tender pity to infatuated sinners! Christ loves to have his ministers faithful, whether the wicked will hear or not. And let pious parents be unwearied in their prayers for, and instructions of their children, and never faint under any discouragements; as knowing, that Christ is exalted to give repentance and remission of sins, and can do it for whom he will. Bring your children and friends, with all their spiritual diseases, and lay them at his feet; as once they did their sick, when this kind Saviour dwelt on earth. Let pious persons of every age, and in every capacity, awake from sleep, and arise from the dead, and live and act worthy their glorious character and high expectations; and in their several stations exert themselves to the utmost to promote the Redeemer's glorious cause. Let this age do their share, as David, although the temple was not to be built in his day, yet exerted himself to lay up materials for that magnificent edifice, on which his heart was intently set; as knowing, that in his son's day it would be set up in all its glory. So let us rise up, and with the greatest alacrity contribute our utmost towards this building, this living temple, this temple all made of lively stones, of stones alive, in which God is to dwell, and which will infinitely exceed in glory the temple of Solomon, that was built of dead timber and lifeless stones. And let this be our daily prayer, an answer to which we may be assured of, whatever other requests are denied us, our Father which art in heaven, &c. for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for

A

SERMON,

DELIVERED BEFORE

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

OF

THE COLONY OF CONNECTICUT, AT HARTFORD,

ON THE DAY OF THE

ANNIVERSARY ELECTION,

MAY 13, 1762.

PROVERBS xiv. 34.

Righteousness exalteth a nation : but sin is a reproach to

any people.

SOON after Solomon came to the throne of Israel, the Lord appeared unto him, and said, "ask what I shall give thee?" Solomon, desirous above all earthly things to be qualified for his high station, requests neither riches nor honour, nor length of days, nor the life of his enemies, but rather prays for "an understanding heart." And this prayer 'pleased the Lord." God loves to see rulers more concerned about their duty than about their private interest. A benevolent, generous frame of heart prompting them to do all the good in their places that they can, is pleasing to the Lord. Wherefore God heard his prayer, and gave him a wise and understanding heart, as he desired; and long life, riches, and honour, besides. "God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore: and Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the East country, and all the wisdom of Egypt; for he was wiser than all men ; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda,

the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round
about. And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of
Solomon, from all kings of the earth which had heard of his
wisdom and he spake three thousand proverbs," one of
which was this, righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a
reproach to any people. These words, then, come recommend-
ed to our most serious consideration, as containing one of the
wise maxims of the wisest of men, a chief political principle
of the greatest politician; and they furnish us with a subject
proper for this occasion. Here, then, let us inquire,
I. What is meant by righteousness.

II. How righteousness exalteth a nation.
Ill. How sin is a reproach to any people,
And then,

IV. I will endeavour to show, that the only way for us in this colony to be a happy community, is to be a righteous people. 1. In the first place, we are to inquire, what is meant by righteousness? And no doubt the word is designed to comprise all moral virtue in general; as it was only in this large and comprehensive sense of the word, that national prosperity and happiness were promised to righteousness under the Jewish dispensation. But then still it may be inquired, what is the sum of moral virtue? and how does righteousness naturally comprise the whole?

To view beings and things as they are, and to be affected and act accordingly, is the sum of moral virtue. All moral virtue, is frequently in the sacred writings summed up in one thing, under one comprehensive name. For, as every moral virtue grows up from one root, and is therefore radically but one thing; so with the greatest propriety all may be called by one name. Thus LOVE, in fact, is the whole of moral virtue. And thus LOVE is the name given to the whole, in that brief summary of the divine law given by our blessed Saviour, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart:" and "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Love is radically the whole of that duty which God requires of man. "For on these two commands hang all the law and the prophets." Yea, love is the sum of all God's moral perfections. And of all holiness in all holy beings in the universe. For the mo