We proceed, therefore, to inquire,

IV. What consequences may be expected, notwithstanding the Lord's long suffering, unless proper means be used to prevent them?

The context expressly answers this question: the Lord himself declares what he will do to his vineyard. "I will," says he, "take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and "break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trod"den down; and I will lay it waste; it shall not "be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up "briers and thorns: I will also command the "clouds that they rain no rain upon it." it." If we provoke the Lord by our ingratitude to withdraw from us his providential protection, our fleets, our armies, and all the advantages of our situation, will do nothing to prevent our falling under a foreign yoke, or having our land desolated by hostile invasions. We may also be left to learn from experience the sore judgments of famine, pestilence, and other desolating scourges. But it will suffice if the Lord in anger should leave us to ourselves, and to our mad passions, or infatuated counsels. We should, in that case, soon throw away our mercies with our own hands: every man's sword would be turned against his brother: we should speedily be plunged into the horrors of civil war, and witness such massacres and desolations, as we can scarcely bear to read of in the accounts we receive from a neighbouring nation. The invasion of Judea by the Chaldeans, the siege, taking, plundering, and destroying of Jerusalem, with the subsequent Babylonish captivity; and the final ruin of that devoted city by the Romans,

whilst eleven hundred thousand persons miserably perished during the siege; together with the calamities which followed the remnant of the Jews in their dispersion through the nations, and their condition to this day; constitute a solemn warning to us, above all people on the face of the whole earth.

But we have most reason to fear lest we should be deprived of the gospel, which we have so much despised or abused; lest "the kingdom of God "should be taken from us, and given to a nation "bringing forth the fruits thereof." In this respect our sin may very probably become our punishment: the wide diffusion of infidel and heretical principles (of which politics are at present a very convenient vehicle,) may at length be permitted totally to eclipse the light of the gospel, and leave us to sink into heathen impiety and irreligion. This is the more to be dreaded, because these principles gain ground so rapidly, in those families, congregations, and seminaries, where the doctrines of the gospel have long been supported. The rising generation is, in many places, apparently disposed to change the religion of their fathers, for modern improvements of the faith; and great pains are taking to train them up accomplished pastors, according to their own hearts. Thus we may reasonably fear that the Lord's vineyard may be laid waste, and only bear thorns and briers and in that case, he will surely "com"mand the clouds to rain no rain upon it."2

Such of us as are past the meridian of life may

perhaps hope that the light will not be removed in our days but we may well tremble for our children, lest they should be left, as a part of this guilty nation, to prefer man's devices to the sure testimony of God; and lest the candlestick should be removed from this land, after the example of the churches of Asia. This spiritual judgment is more to be feared than war, famine or pestilence; than subjection to a foreign conqueror or a domestic tyrant; nay, than the fury of an ungovernable multitude, the horrors of anarchy, and the cruelties of factions contending with, and by turns prevailing against, and wreaking their vengeance on, each other. But, if the Lord be provoked to withdraw his gospel, he will depart from us in other respects, and "wo unto us if he depart from us."

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It is vain to say that ministers in former times have dolefully foreboded the same thing, and yet we are preserved and prosper. "Because sentence "against an evil work is not executed speedily, "therefore the hearts of the sons of men are 'wholly set in them to do evil."2 The unbelieving Israelites urged the same objection against the messages of the prophets, when the threatened vengeance was mercifully delayed: 3 no wonder then, if, “in these last days, there are scoffers, "walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where "is the promise of his coming."4 But, though "the Lord be long-suffering and slow to anger, he "will by no means acquit the wicked:" and he will surprise them by his judgments when they

1 Rev. ii. iii.

3 Ezek. xii. 22.

2 Eccles. viii. 11.

2 Peter iii. 3, 4.

least expect them. If we decide about the time when national punishment will be inflicted, we exceed our commission: but, if we declare that "ex

cept we repent we shall perish," as Israel did, we only say what the Lord hath commanded us. Many a time did he deliver his ancient people, when they "provoked him with their counsel, and were

brought low by their iniquity;" yet at length "wrath came upon them to the uttermost:" and so it will upon us, if we copy their example, and do not use proper means of averting his indignation. And this leads me to inquire,

V. What withholds these judgments at present, and prolongs our national mercies?

I would not willingly aggravate, or palliate any thing in our national character? but would impartially and simply state the doctrine of God's word on this important question, so far as I am capable of discovering it. We may, therefore, safely allow that there is a bright, as well as a dark side belonging to our subject; and it is far more agreeable to discuss this than some of the preceding topics. Our measure of iniquity, alas! fills apace; but it is not yet full: nay, many favourable circumstances may be descried, which give some ground for hope that we may yet be preserved; if by any means a proper attention to the important concern can be excited in the minds of the inhabitants of our favoured land.

1. Then, we observe with heart-felt satisfaction, that persecution of the church of Christ is no part of our national guilt: at least, should any defects in our laws be called by so harsh a name, we may rejoice that a blessed inexperience of greater se

verities occasions our noticing such trivial deviations from the system of complete toleration which hath been introduced among us.

When God hath a number of spiritual worshippers in any country, and they are permitted to live unmolested, and to follow the dictates of their consciences in his service, I apprehend that something must still be wanting to render that nation ripe for vengeance; and that the prayers offered by believers, "for the peace of the land in which "they enjoy peace," will continue to prevail, until they be removed from the evil to come; or until a departure from tolerating principles drive them away, or bring them under the yoke of oppression. Herod, to his other crimes, "added yet this above "all that he shut up John the Baptist in prison," and put him to death. It was the principal charge brought against the nation of Israel, that they murdered the Lord's prophets, and persecuted his faithful servants: and the crucifixion of Christ, with the violent rage and cruel enmity of the Jews against his disciples, filled up the measure of their iniquity, when wrath came upon them to the uttermost. Nay, the abominations of mystic Babylon would not have been complete, had she not been "drunken with the blood of the saints, and of the "martyrs of Jesus." of Jesus." We may, therefore, consider the tolerating spirit that at present prevails in our land as a very favourable circumstance, and an encouragement and obligation to pray for the continuance of its peace and prosperity.

2. We may remark, that Christianity, as it has

1 2 Chron. xxxvi. 16. Matt. xxiii. 37 38.