they trusted, and turn aside from the paths in which they walked, that you will enjoy the protection they enjoyed, and hand down to your posterity the blessings they handed down to you ? No; if there be any truth in God, ye shall not prosper. For he who holds your country's destiny in his hand, hath sworn by himself, that if ye do these things, wrath shall fall upon you, and judgment from the Almighty shall overtake you. And you shall be cursed in the city and cursed in the field. Cursed shall be your basket and your store. Cursed the fruit of your body and the fruit of your land, the increase of your kine and the flocks of your sheep. Cursed when ye come in and cursed when ye go out. " For, saith the Lord, I lift mine hand to heaven, and I live for ever. If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me." God is not a disinterested spectator of the conduct of men. With holy indignation he looks down and beholds the abominations of the earth. He has already come forth out of his place to punish the nations for their sins. A fire is kindling in his anger, that shall burn to the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. Hitherto he hath borne with us; but there is something fearful even in this forbearance. For the longer his mercy spares us, unless we repent, the fuller will be the vials of his wrath, and the more dreadful the day of our visitation. Turn therefore from your evil ways; for why will ye dic, O house of Israel. Choose you this day whom you will serve. This is no time to hesitate. Your country is in jeopardy ; your all is at stake. If immorality, impiety and infidelity prevail, they will plunder you of happiness here, and rob you of Heaven hereafter. Patriots, I adjure you by the love of your country; Christians, I adjure you by the love of Emanuel, to unite in your exertions to oppose the common enemies of your peace, your liberty and your salvation. Why will you weaken each others influence by division ? Are you not all brethren? Is not your interest one? Are not your dangers the same ? A portion, rich and immense, is put in your possession. Will you cast it from you? Will you despise the bounty of Heaven, and sport with an inheritance purchased with the toils of your ancestors and the blood of your brethren ? No party interests governed your fathers; no foreign influence divided them. No; they were united ; united in the love of their country; united in the duties of religion; united in the worship of their God. They have obtained the victory; they have received the crown; they have entered into Heaven. And now, bending from yonder skies, they address you, saying, " Children of our pilgrimage below, imitate the example we have left you; be virtuous, be united, be happy. Act worthy of yourselves. Hand down to posterity unimpaired the portion which we left you, and persevering through faith to the end, come up hither." Ye spirits of our fathers, we hear your voice; we venerate your counsel. We will obey it. We will honour the Saviour you honored, revere the religion you revered, defend the liberties you defended, and press toward the glory you have attained. Already do our souls aspire to heaven, and our hearts pant after immortality; and we trust that the God who led you through this vale of tears will not forsake us; but that through the grace which hath made you perfect, we shall be made perfect also. WHEREFORE OUR HEARTS ARE GLAD, OUR GLORY REJOICETH, AND OUR FLESH SHALL REST IN HOPE. AMEN. -1 |