propriety for one year, how can they give direction and vigour to every department of our civil conftitution from age to age? There are fixed bounds to every thing human. When the branches of a tree grow very large and weighty, they fall off from the trunk. The fharpeft fword will not pierce where it cannot reach. And there is a certain distance from the feat of government, where an attempt to rule will either produce tyranny and helpless fubjection, or provoke refiftance, and effect feparation. I have faid-If your principles are purethe meaning of which is, if your present oppofition to the claims of the British ministry does not arife from a feditious and turbulent fpirit, or a wanton contempt of legal authority, from a blind and factious attachment to particular perfons or parties, or from a felfish rapacious difpofition, and a desire to turn publick confu fion to private profit; but from a concern for the intereft of your country, and the fafety of yourselves and your pofterity. On this subject I cannot help obferving, that though it would be a miracle if there were not many felfish perfons among us, and difcoveries now and then made of mean and interefted tranfactions, yer they have been comparatively inconfiderable both in number and effect. In general there has been fo great a degree of public fpirit, that we have much more reafon to be thankful for its vigour vigour and prevalence, than to wonder at the few appearances of difhonefty or difaffection. It would be very uncandid to afcribe the univerfal ardour that has prevailed among all ranks of men, and the fpirited exertions in the most diftant colonies, to any thing elfe than publick fpirit. Nor was there ever perhaps in history fo general a commotion, from which religious differences have been fo entirely excluded. Nothing of this kind has as yet been heard, except of late in the abfurd, but malicious and deteftable attempts of a few remaining enemies to introduce them. At the fame time I must also, for the honour of this country, observe, that though government, in the ancient form, has been fo long unhinged, and, in fome colonies, not fufficient care taken to fubftitute another in its place, yet has there been, by common confent, a much greater degree of order and publick peace, than men of reflection and experience foretold, or could expect. From all these circumstances, I conclude favourably of the principles of the friends of liberty, and do earnefly exhort you to adopt and act upon those which have been defcribed, and refift the influence of every other. Once more: If to the juftice of your cause, and the purity of your principles, you add prudence in your conduct, there will be the greatest reason to hope, by the blessing of God, for profperity and fuccefs. By prudence in conducting this important ftruggle, I have chiefly in view union, firmnefs, and patience. Every body must perceive the abfolute neceffity of union. It is, indeed, in every body's mouth, and therefore, inftead of attempting to convince you of its importance, I will only caution. you against the ufual caufes of divifion. If perfons of every rank, instead of implicitly complying with the orders of thofe whom they themselves have chofen to direct, will needs judge every measure over again when it comes to be put in execution, if different claffes of men intermix their little private views, or clashing interefts, with public affairs, and marshal into parties the merchant against the landholder, and the land-holder against the merchant; if local provincial pride and jealousy arife, and you allow yourfelves to speak with contempt of the courage, character, manners, or even language, of particular places, you are doing a greater injury to the common caufe,, than you are aware of. If fuch practices are admitted among us, I fhall look upon it as one of the most dangerous fymptoms, and if they. become general, of approaching ruin. By firmness and patience I mean, a refolute adherence to your duty, and laying your account with many difficulties, as well as occafional difappointments. In a former part of this. difcourfe, I have cautioned you against oftenta tion tion and vain glory. Be pleafed further to obferve, that extreams often beget one another; and the fame perfons who exult extravagantly on fuccefs, are generally moft liable to difpondent timidity on every little inconfiderable defeat. Men of this character are the corruption of every fociety or party to which they belong, but they are especially the ruin of an army if fuffered to continue in it. Remember the viciffitudes of human things, and the ufual courfe of providence. How often has a juft caufe been reduced to the lowest ebb, and yet, when firmly adhered to, has become finally triumphant. I speak of this now, while the affairs of the colonies are in fo profperous a ftate, left this profperity itself fhould render you lefs able to bear unexpected misfortunes. The fum of the whole is, that the bleffing of God is only to be looked for by those who are not wanting in the discharge of their own duty. I would neither have you to truft in an arm of flesh, not fit, with folded hands, and expect that miracles fhould be wrought in your defence. This is a fin, which, in fcripture, is filed tempting God. In oppofition to it, I would exhort you as Joab did the hoft of Ifrael; who, though he does not appear to have had a spotless character throughout, certainly, in this inftance, fpoke like a prudent general, and a pious man. Be of good courage, and let us play F 2 play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God, and the Lord do that which feemeth him good *. I shall now conclude this difcourfe by fome exhortations to duty, founded upon the truths which have been illuftrated above, and fuited to the interesting ftate of this country at the prefent time. And 1. Give me leave to recommend to you an attention to the public interests of religion, or, in other words, zeal for the glory of God, and the good of others. I have already endeavoured to exhort finners to repentance. What I have here in view, is to point out to you the concern which every good man ought to take in the national character and manners, and the means which he ought to use for promoting public virtue, and bearing down implety and vice. This is a mate ter of the utmost moment, and which ought to be well understood both in its nature and principles. Nothing is more certain, than that a general profligacy and corruption of manners, makes a people ripe for deftruction. A good form of government may hold the rotten materials together for fome time, but beyond a certain pitch, even the best conftitution will be ineffectual, and Alavery must ensue. On the other hand, when the manners of a nation are Sam. x. 12. pure, |