a virtuous man is the best patriot, and the best fubject the king has.And though an individual may fay, what will my righteousness profit a nation of men?

Ianfwer, if it fail of a bleffing here (which is not likely), it will have one advantage, it will fave thy own foul, and give thee that peace at the laft, which this world cannot take away.

Which GOD, of his infinite mercy, grant us all. Amen.

SERMON XXXIII.

ROMANS ii. 4.

Defpifeft thou the riches of his goodnefs, and forbearance, and long suffering,-knowing that the goodnefs of GOD leadeth thee to repentance?

So fays St. Paul. And

ECCLESIASTES VIII, II.

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed fpeedily; therefore the heart of the fons of men is fully fet in them to do evil

T

AKE either as you like it, you will get nothing by the bargain.

'Tis a terrible character of the world, which Solomon is here accounting for, -that their hearts were fully fet in them to do evil.-And the general outcry against the wickednefs of the age, in every age, from Solomon's down to this, fhews but too lamentably what grounds have all along been given for the complaint.

The diforder and confufion arifing in the affairs of the world from the wickedness of it, being ever fuch,-fo evidently feen,-fo feverely felt, as naturally to induce every one who was a fpectator or a fufferer, to give the melancholy preference to the times he lived in; as if the corruptions of men's manners had not only exceeded the reports. of former days, but the power almost of rifing above the pitch to which the wickedness of the age was arrived.How far they may have been deceived in fuch calculations, I fhall not inquire; -let it fuffice, that mankind have ever been bad,-confidering what motives: they have had to be better;-and taking this for granted, inftead of declaiming against it, let us fee whether a difcourse may not be as ferviceable, by: endeavouring, as Solomon has here done, rather to give an account of it, and by tracing back the evils to their first principles, to direct ourselves to the true remedy against them.

the

Let it here only be premifed, that wickednefs either of the prefent or paft times, whatever fcandal and reproach it brings upon chriftians,-ought not in reafon to reflect difhonour upon christianity, which is fo apparently well framed to make us good;-that there is not a greater paradox in nature,than that fo good a religion should be no better recommended by its profeffors. -Though this may seem a paradox,— 'tis ftill, I fay, no objection, though it has often been made use of against chriftianity;-fince, if the morals of men are not reformed, it is not owing to a defect in the revelation, but 'tis owing to the fame caufes which defeated all the ufe and intent of reafon,-before revelation was given. For fetting afide the obligations which a divine law lays upon us,-whoever confiders the state and condition of human nature, and upon this view, how much stronger the natural motives are to virtue than to vice, would expect to find the world much better than it is, or ever has