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families, and those whom age has rendered ve nerable, are called upon to use their authority and influence for the glory of God, and the good of others. Bad men themselves discover an inward conviction of this, for they are often liberal in their reproaches of perfons of grave characters or religious profeffion if they bear with patience the profanity of others. Instead of enlarging on the duty of men in authority in general, I must particularly recommend this matter to those who have the command of foldiers enlifted for the defence of their country. The caufe is facred, and the champions for it ought to be holy. Nothing is more grieving to the heart of a good man, than to hear from those who are going into the field of battle, the horrid found of curfing and blafphemy. It cools the ardour of his prayers, as well as abates his confidence and hope in God. Many more circumftances affect me in fuch a cafe than I can enlarge upon, or indeed eafily enumerate at prefent: the glory of God, the intereft of the deluded finner, going, like a devoted victim, and imprecating vengeance on his own head, as well as the cause itfelf committed to his care. We have fometimes taken the liberty to forebode the downfall of the Britifh empire, from the corruption and degeneracy of the people. Unhappily the British soldiers have been distinguished among all the nations in Europe, for the moft

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fhocking profanity. Shall we then pretend to emulate them in this infernal distinction, or rob them of the horrid privilege? God forbid! Let the officers of the army, in every degree, remember, that, as military fubjection while it lafts is the most compleat of any, it is in their power greatly to reftrain, if not wholly to ba nifh, this flagrant enormity.

2. I exhort all who are not called to go into the field, to apply themfelves, with the utmost diligence, to works of industry.

It is in your power, by this means, not only to fupply the neceffities, but to add to the ftrength of your country. Habits of induftry prevailing in a fociety not only increase its wealth, as their immediate effect, but they prevent the introduction of many vices, and are intimately connected with fobriety and good morals. Idlenefs is the mother or nurfe of almoft every vice; and want, which is its infeparable companion, urges men on to the most abandoned and deftructive courfes. Industry, therefore, is a moral virtue of the greatest moment, abfolutely neceffary to national profperity, and the fure way of obtaining the bleffing of God. I would also observe, that in this, as well as in every other part of God's government, obedience to his will is as much a natural mean, as a meritorious caufe of the advantage we wish to reap from it. Induftry brings up a firm and G hardy

hardy race. He who is inured to the labour of the field, is prepared for the fatigues of a campaign. The active farmer, who rifes with the dawn, and follows his team or plow, muft, in the end, be an over-match for those effeminate and delicate foldiers who are nurfed in the lap of felf-indulgence, and whofe greatest exertion is the important preparation for, and tedious attendance on, a masquerade or midnight ball.

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3. In the laft place, fuffer me to recommend to you frugality in your families, and every other article of expence.

This the ftate of things among us renders abfolutely neceffary, and it ftands in the most immediate connection both with virtuous industry and active public fpirit. Temperance in meals, moderation in drefs, furniture, and equipage, have, I think, generally been characteristics of a diftinguished patriot. And when the fame fpirit pervades a people in general, they are fit for every duty, and able to encounter the most formidable enemy. The general fubject of the preceding difcourfe has beenThe wrath of man praifing God. If the unjuft oppreffion of your enemy, which witholds from you many of the ufual articles of luxury and magnificence, fhall contribute to make you clothe yourselves and your children with the work of your own hands, and cover your tables with

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the falutary productions of your own foil, it will be a new illuftration of the fame truth, and a real happiness to yourselves and country. I. I could wish to have every thing done from the pureft and the nobleft views Confider

therefore, that the Chriftian character, particularly the self-denial of the gofpel, should extend to your whole deportment. In the early times. of Chriftianity, when adult converts were admitted to baptifm, they were asked, among other questions, Do you renounce the world? its fhews, its pomp, and its vanities? I do.. The form of this is ftill preferved in the admiftration of baptifm, where we renounce the devil, the world, and the flesh. This certainly implies not only abftaining from grofs acts of intemperance and excess, but a humility of carriage, a restraint and moderation in all your defires. The fame thing, as it is fuitable to your Chriftian profeffion, is alfo neceffary to make you truly independent in yourselves, and to feed the fource of liberality and charity to others, or to the publick. The riotous and wasteful liver, whofe craving appetites make him conftantly needy, is, and muft be, fubject to many masters, according to the faying of Solomon, The borrower is fervant to the lender. But the frugal moderate perfon, who guides his affairs wich difcretion, is able to affift in publick councils, by a free and unbiaffed judgment, to fupply the

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wants of his poor brethren, and fometimes, by his eftate and fubftance, to give important aid to a finking country.

Upon the whole, I befeech you to make a wife improvement of the prefent threatening afpect of public affairs, and to remember, that your duty to God; to your country, to your families, and to yourselves, is the fame. True religion is nothing else, but an inward temper and outward conduct, fuited to your state and circumftances in providence at any time, And as peace with God, and conformity to him, adds to the fweetness of created comforts while we poffefs them, fo, in times of difficulty and trial, it is in the man of piety and inward prineiple that we may expect to find the uncorrupted patriot, the useful citizen, and the invincible foldier. God grant, that in America true religion and civil liberty may be infeparable, and that the unjuft attempts to deftroy the one may, in the iffue, tend to the fupport and establishment of both.

The End.

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