Moreover, my brethren, several of us have to look back on our past lives with sensations never to be forgotten. Brethren, the time is short. How many affecting memorials have we of this? And what consolations could we now have, if we were deprived of those which flow from religion? When we consider that our friends are not lost, but advanced only a step before us, and have got home, where their sorrows are ended, and their tears wiped away; our's ought to abate,-for ere long we also, confiding in the same glorious Redeemer, shall attain unto the same rest, and find, as they have already done, that our labor has not been in vain in the Lord. May that God who hath made all nations of men that dwell on the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation, diffuse his blessed Gospel abroad, and incline all our hearts to seek the Lord, if haply we may feel after him, and find him; though he be not far from every one of us. "For in him we live, and move, and have our being." He holds our destiny in his hands his favor will exalt us to glory, or his displeasure consign us to misery. In short, let us be always ready, and we shall be always happy. Amen.

ཟ

SERMON VII.

Preached at the Mission Church, 1 Jan. 1808.

EPHES. V. 16. Redeeming the time, because the

TH

days are evil.

HERE are three respects in which days may be denominated evil: when they are days of persecution, of profaneness, or of public calamity.

The present times do not seem to be particularly remarkable in either of these respects, if we except the last. While the scourge of war continues, the misery of man must be great in the earth.

We are called We are called upon to consider it as the awful visitation of God, and the tremendous operation of his hands: "Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth." Do we behold the shaking of the nations, the wounding of the heads of divers countries? Do we behold kingdoms broken with the iron rod, and dashed in pieces like a potter's vessel? We are to recollect that the evil days of impiety, error, and profaneness, preceded these calamities.

When

When God's judgments are abroad in the earth, the people will learn righteousness; they will be prepared for religious truth, for instruction in righteousness, and for an heavenly reign. Looking to this end, we may hope that the sufferings of these times are a prelude to happier days, when it shall be said, "Behold he maketh wars to cease to the end of

the earth." But while iniquity abounds, while men run into excess of riot and impiety, and burst the moral bonds which hold society together, we must still expect to follow what has ever been the uniform conduct of Providence toward the incorrigible: "They chose new gods, then was war in the gates."

It has called for observation, that we in this city have enjoyed for a number of years greater tranquillity and freedom from public calamity than any other part of the globe; and perhaps dissipation and licentiousness have been less prevalent than in other societies; there has been at once less opposition to evangelical truth, less tendency to religious errors, and less deviation from decent morals: this must be understood comparatively with our former selves, and with less favored communities.

Persecution is not indeed a striking feature of the present times, although those who live godly

godly in Christ Jesus will always have to endure some degree of it; but when bitter words are the only weapons with which we are assailed, they may well be endured. Religious toleration seems now better understood, and more generally extended than at any former period. This may be one of the effects produced by the pressure of civil calamity, now the overflowing evil in the earth. "While the potsherds of the earth strive with the potsherds of the earth," the church of God hath rest. Yet, let us my brethren be prepared for the worst; let us redeem the time, and improve the present season, by entering into just reflections on the past, and by forming holy purposes for the future.

We ought to reflect on the dealings of God with us, both in tempora and in spiritual respects. Have we been prospered in our outward circumstances! We should be careful to improve that prosperity to the honor of God, our gracious benefactor; we should honor him with our substance, with our influence, with our talents, and try by every means in our power to advance his kingdom among men. Have we been visited with adversity? We are not to despond; for although prosperity affords men greater advantages for doing

good,

good, adversity usually furnishes more opportunities for getting good: the day of adversity is particularly marked out by Solomon, for consideration. It is the time and season to reflect on the vanity and uncertainty of the world; to know ourselves better, and God more; to chuse the better part, that shall never be taken from us, and to make sure an heavenly inheritance. It will be useful to review the mercies of God toward us in affording us support in the hour of trial. Hath it been made good to us that " as thy day is, so shall thy strength be ?" Have we found God a very present help in trouble? then may not past experience give us confidence that we shall find him our refuge and strength in all our future trials?

But it will be still more profitable if we carefully review God's dealings with our souls: What hath God done for them? If we have attained clearer views of the evil of sin, of our own hearts, of the world, and of the dangers arising from the evil one, who goeth about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour if we have more of the glories of the blessed Redeemer, of his suitableness - as our Saviour, and his inestimable value and preciousness to the believing soul: if we have

tasted