if time were, indeed, reckoned the most valuable of all things, and at the close of the journey to sit down and do nothing, or something worse than nothing! Yet, equally extraordinary is the conduct of a people who, after making the most vigorous, the most brilliant and persevering efforts to maintain their independence, and promote their prosperity, sit down with the idea of enjoying the fruit of their labours, but without any right consideration of the true value of life, or without a proper purpose of acting a part in it, as the opening scene of a drama, that must disclose, in the sequel, unspeakably more awful and important transactions. It is for the sake of converting sinners, and of conferring on the saints still more abundant life,-life that consists in " righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost," “joy unspeakable and full of glory,”—that the frame of nature is preserved in being. And when the counsels of God, with regard to his church, shall have been fulfilled, there will be nothing more among men worth superintending: "The heavens and the earth shall pass away with a great noise, and no more place be found for them."

A fifth lesson is the following: We have seen, that Providence involves in its own nature some distinct exhibition of the Divine perfections, and was, no doubt, designed, in part, for an actual display of the almighty Power and Godhead. So far we speculate, and not improperly. But to what will this amount, if we proceed not to moralize ? The manifestation of the Divine glory is not, like the vain parade of man, produced solely for its own sake. This would be unworthy of the Deity, as a Being absolutely self-sufficient. We ought, therefore, to ask farther, What was the design of those perfections themselves, as thus pictured to the eye of man? Reason joins with Scripture to reply, that man is a being chiefly designed for moral perfection; that he is the only being on earth capable of recognising those displays of God and his attributes; and that, therefore, man ought to consider himself as eminently interested in every actual discovery which God is pleased to make of his own Divine perfections. Man ought to imitate them in the highest possible degree. For this purpose he ought to study them by the light of Scripture as they appear in themselves. He ought also to ascertain the exact relation in which he stands to them, and to feel the solemn weight of them on his heart and conscience, so as personally to realize every privilege which flows from them, and discharge the sacred obligations which they

impose upon him. to do? Or, is it love or hate us?

Is God a Being with whom we have nothing a matter of no real consequence whether he Has he given us the most striking demonstration of his wrath against us? and shall we still remain unmoved, impenitent, rebellious? Again: Has he manifested an infinite pity, and mercy, and kindness, and love, and beneficence toward you and me especially, and shall we really and substantially make no requital, such as he has empowered and commanded us to make? Is gratitude an important and becoming consideration in every other case but this? Or, in all other instances do we expect it to be true, to be operative, and evinced in its own corresponding effects, and yet reduce it to a name and a shadow in every transaction which immediately relates to God? Let us rather, as reasonable, moral, accountable agents, whom God has redeemed by the precious blood of his Son Jesus, corrected by judgments, and soothed by the bounties of his infinite goodness, believe his truth, receive his mercy, fear his anger, love his holiness, trust his power, revere his justice, adore his greatness, yield to his will, admire his wisdom, and keep his commandments.

Considering the vast events now before us as under the direction of Almighty God, what an overwhelming idea do they give us of his majesty! This ought to be a prevailing sentiment in our contemplations on the subject. While artists are sedulously attempting to eternize the persons and feats of heroes, let a just and lively idea of the great God, and what he hath done, be imprinted on our hearts. Let poets celebrate their fellow-men in strains of well-earned applause, or of base adulation; but let us remember the deeds of the Almighty, and "talk of all his wondrous works." Historians, with different degrees of acuteness, will place the late events in the lights of human philosophy, and emblazon them for the admiration of distant ages: It is our duty, as private Christians, to speak of them to our children in the light of revelation, and that with all the pathos of admiring piety and devotion.

"Who would not fear thee, O Lord!" was the language of those who are represented in the text as contemplating the mighty works of God, in the operation and results of certain great commotions in human society; of "them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, that stood on the sea of glass, having the harps of God." And what are we more

than these, that we should refuse to fear God, to "tremble at his word," to implore pardon at his hands, and to endeavour after universal holiness, lest we should offend so righteous and so good a Being? After all that we have lately witnessed of the Divine authority, and power, and mercy, are we still false professors of obedience to his commands, or profane opposers of his will, as revealed in the Gospel? Are ye such characters ? Have ye, on innumerable occasions, as well as of late, seen this mighty power and authority, the truth and the vengeance of Him who rides upon the storm of the battle, to direct its motions, and determine its event? And do you still remain insensible and presumptuous? How wonderful is this! Would you not be astonished if wax refused to melt before the fire? if the tender leaves of the forest would not be moved by violent winds? How deplorable is your stupidity! How dreadful your audacity! Will you hear the word of God once more? I will present you, for your serious consideration, the most awful curse contained in the whole Bible. Do listen to it, I beseech you, and tremble while you apply it. Above all, seek redemption through faith in the atoning Lamb, while you quake to hear this most horrid of all possible denunciations: "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: And they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."

Finally: As we now resolve to adore the judgments, to secure the favour, and to study, revere, and conform to the laws and government of this dread Sovereign of all princes, and Ruler of all events, let us show, by a proper mixture of grateful joy, that we do so, in the genuine and happy spirit of the religion of Christ. Though we have cause to tremble, yet we have peculiar reason to rejoice. Gratitude is the most obvious duty of the time. Let our demonstrations of it be such as become the inhabitants of a Christian country. Thank God. Even the Philistines, when they had taken Samson, magnified

R

their Dagon; and, upon their victory over Saul, “ they sent about to publish it in the house of their idols." The Heathen altars were never so loaden with sacrifices as on occasions of public victory and triumph.

6

As Britons, we have the highest cause of thankfulness; and the present intelligence of peace, like music, should banish every painful passion, and incline our minds to dwell on the numerous and unequalled blessings we enjoy as a people. Let us especially value that chief corner-stone of them all,-our liberty. If we will not observe its happy consequences, though we live in the midst of them, let us listen to the testimony of a sensible foreigner on this subject.* In the commencement of his book, entitled, "A Picture of England," he observes, "A certain German gives the following excellent definition of political liberty : ، I call free, says he, that state in which no one is obliged to make any other sacrifice of his voluntary actions than that which is absolutely necessary to the preservation of the community; that state in which the necessary limitations are not made with partiality, but with unanimous consent, and solely with the view of augmenting the sum of the general good; that state which in the privileges it bestows on an individual, or on any rank, has regard only to the most conspicuous merit, or to the stability of government; in a word, that state in which the greatest number of powers can be displayed, and act in concert.' Now, I shall prove, in the course of this work, by incontestable facts, that this definition is more applicable to England than to any other country upon earth." If this be true, surely, such a blessing deserves a high preference in our Christian gratitude, and public acknowledgments. Let us consider this Divine gift of liberty, in connexion with the late happy victory by which it. has been preserved to us, while, at the same time, the battle has all along been mercifully kept from our own gate.

"

To conclude: “ Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth ; 0 sing praises unto the Lord; Selah: To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice. Ascribe ye strength unto God His excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds. O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: The God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God."

:

ON

THE GOSPEL:

OR,

THE SUBSTANCE OF A DISCOURSE

DELIVERED IN

BRIDGE-STREET CHAPEL, BOLTON,

MAY 17TH, 1815,

AT THE FORMATION OF

THE MISSIONARY AUXILIARY SOCIETY,

IN THAT TOWN,

FOR THE MANCHESTER DISTRICT:

AND PUBLISHED AT THE REQUEST OF THE DISTRICT-MEETING,
THEN ASSEMBLED.

"Go ye forth into all the world, preach the Gospel to every creature."

JESUS.