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fectual for preventing such bribery. How then can it be expected that the senate should be uncorrupt? For whilst the people, like Esau, sell their birth-right for a morsel of meat, or other paltry considerations, they have scarcely a right to complain, if they find others as venal as themselves; and surely they at least must expect that those persons who have purchased the distinction of legislators, at an almost insupportable expence, will endeavour to indemnify themselves, by the use they make of their talents, votes, and influence. This evil spreads so wide, and pervades all orders of men to that degree, that we may enquire with the prophet, "Who is there among you that would shut "the doors for nought?"* And it is a sad proof of the debility which hath seized upon our moral and religious constitution; for "the whole head is sick, and "the whole heart is faint," through this inveterate disease, which is the genuine offspring of luxury and extravagance, connected with avarice; an insatiable rapacity in getting, and a profuse prodigality in spend. ing.

8. The daring licentiousness that prevails among is, is another most deplorable evil. The unexampled effrontery, with which the trade of prostitution is con ducted; the multitudes who yearly, in the prime o life, full sacrifices to it; the wide spreading effects o it on domestick life; the exceeding frequency of adu tery; the encouragement given to ingenious women profligate character, to publish their infamous m

Mal. i. 10.

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age,

moirs; with many other particulars that might be adduced, evince, that the licentiousness of the present age, differs from that which must be expected in the general course of human affairs. There will indeed be abandoned men and women, so long as ungodliness prevails: but surely they might be driven out of our streets, into their dark recesses, in some degree at least; and salutary regulations might prevent the morbid part of the community from diffusing the fatal contagion so rapidly as is done at present. It is indeed said, by way of objection, that worse and more fatal effects would probably ensue from such an interposition: but I apprehend the reason to be insufficient, and that it is incumbent on legislators and magistrates to. adopt some method of discountenancing such destructive practices, and to leave the event to God. However, the very objection shews the awful state to which we are reduced, and what cause we have to fear, lest we should speedily become like Sodom and Gomorrah; only much more inexcusable, because of our superior advantages.

I shall conclude this part of our enquiry (not because the subject is exhausted, but because want of time requires it,) by mentioning,

9. Lastly. The sad abuse that is made of the gospel, by those who profess to believe it.

If the name of a Christian hath been rendered odious to Pagans and Mahometans throughout the earth, by the crimes of men who bore and disgraced that appellation, the peculiar doctrines of the gospel also have been grievously exposed to contempt and

obloquy, in our land, by the atrocious misconduct of many who have zealously contended for them. "Woe "be to the world, because of offences!" Indeed we have all need of humiliation before Gon this day, because we have failed of recommending the doctrine of GOD our Saviour to others, by our example, as we ought to have done; and because, in some respects, we have increased their prejudices by our misconduct. But I more especially advert to the notorious dishonesty and other scandalous crimes, which have been discovered in the habitual conduct of zealous disputers for evangelical tenets; the total disregard for relative duties, which many have manifested; the loose antinomian tenets, by which this laxity of practice has been varnished over; and the bitter, boasting, censorious, and backbiting spirit, with which religious controversies have been conducted. These, and various other abuses of the gospel, have furnished infidels with their most formidable weapons against the truth; have given countenance to those who substitute a decent proud morality, in the place of repentance, faith, and holiness; and have quieted the minds of careless persons with the idea that religion would rather make them worse than better; and led them to conclude, that there is no reality in it, seeing they can detect so much hypocrisy in men's profession of, and zeal for, the gospel.

And now, if we take these things together, comparing them with our national advantages and obligations will it not be evident, that "when the LORD looked "for grapes, he hath found wild grapes?"

V

-We proceed, therefore, to enquire,

IV. What consequences may be expected, notwithstanding the LORD's long suffering, unless proper means be used to prevent them?

The context expressly answers this question; the LORD himself declares what he will do to his vineyard. "I will," says he, "take away the hedge thereof, and "it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall there"of, and it shall be trodden down; and I will lay it "waste; it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there "shall come up briers and thorns: I will also com"mand the clouds, that they rain no rain upon it." If we provoke the LORD by our ingratitude to withdraw from us his providential protection, our fleets, our armies, and all the advantages of our situation, will do nothing to prevent our falling under a foreign yoke, or having our land desolated by hostile invasions. We may also be left to learn from experience the sore judgments of famine, pestilence, and other desolate Scourges. But it will suffice, if the LORD in anger should leave us to ourselves, and to our mad passions, or infatuated counsels. We should, in that case, soon throw away our mercies with our own hands; every man's sword would be turned against his brother; we should speedily be plunged into the horrors of civil war, and witness such massacres and desolations, as we can scarcely bear to read of, in the accounts we receive from a neighbouring nation. The invasion of Judea by the Chaldeans, the siege, taking, plundering, and destroying of Jerusalem, with the subsequent

Babylonish captivity: and the final ruin of that devoted city by the Romans, whilst eleven hundred thousand persons miserably perished during the siege: together with the calamities which followed the remnant of the Jews in their dispersion through the nations, and their condition to this day, constitute a solemn warning to us, above all people on the face of the whole earth.

But we have most reason to fear, lest we should be deprived of the gospel, which we have so much despised or abused; lest "the kingdom of God should "be taken from us, and given to a nation, bringing "forth the fruits thereof."* In this respect our sin may very probably become our punishment: the wide diffusion of infidel and heretical principles, (of which politicks are at present a very convenient vehicle,) may at length be permitted totally to eclipse the light of the gospel, and leave us to sink into heathen impiety and irreligion. This is the more to be dreaded, because these principles get ground so rapidly, in those families, congregations, and seminaries, where the doc. trines of the gospel have long been supported. The rising generation is, in many places, apparently disposed to change the religion of their fathers, for modern improvements of the faith; and great pains are taking to train them up accomplished pastors, according to their own hearts. Thus we may reasonably fear, that the LORD's vineyard will be laid waste, and only bear thorns and briers; and, in that case, he wi surely "command the clouds to rain no rain upon it."

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