to forewarn them of the just judgments of God, which eventually fell upon them. While Jeroboam was in the presumptuous act of sacrificing to the idols he had made, the Lord sent a prophet to reprove his wickedness, and to predict his future punishment. "And behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. And he cried against the altar in the word of the Lord, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord, Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee. And he gave a sign the same day, saying, this is the sign which the Lord hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out. And it came to pass when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord." Such was the fortitude and fidelity of one prophet in reproving the apostate Jeroboam; and it appears that other prophets were no less bold and faithful in reproving him and his followers in idolatry, until the wrath of God came upon them to the uttermost. For we are told, "The children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them; until the Lord removed them out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets." These faithful ministers of God ceased not, though at the hazard of their lives, to reprove the kings as well as people of Israel, who walked in the ways of Jeroboam, and forewarned them of the fatal consequences of their shameful apostacy. Is not this a noble example, and well worthy of perpetual imitation? Should any now rise into power who possess the spirit and imitate the example of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, would it not become the ministers of Christ to imbibe the spirit and imitate the example of those, who boldly reproved that profane and impious corrupter of Isracl? It is as true now as it was in the days of Solomon, that "righteousness exalteth a nation; and that sin is a reproach to any people." The religion of Christ has been the glory and happiness of our nation; and it would argue extreme unfaithfulness in the ministers of the gospel in these days, should they, for the sake of pleasing some, and for the fear of displeas ing others, hold their peace, and suffer vice and infidelity to destroy our religion and government, without uniting their ef

forts to prevent such deplorable evils? They are set for the defence of the gospel; and let them only be wise and faithful in the discharge of their duty, and they may safely confide in God, to wither the hand that shall be stretched out against them.

6. The nature and effects of Jeroboam's conduct, show us what we have to fear, should our civil rulers embrace and propagate the principles of infidelity. We have not so far lost our virtuous and religious habits, but that wise and virtuous rulers might, under Providence, restrain us from total declension and apostacy. But if those who fill the chief offices of state should openly renounce God and religion, it is difficult to see why they should not as easily and as universally corrupt our nation, as Jeroboam did the ten tribes of Israel. And who can say that men in power may not catch the spirit of the times, and follow the example of Jeroboam, or rather that of the late apostates in Europe? We are becoming more and more connected with those infidel nations, whose politicians and philosophers are the bold patrons and preachers of infidelity. This mutual intercourse affords a peculiar opportunity to try the whole force of their infatuating philosophy upon us in America. And it is beyond a doubt, that our rulers are the most exposed to their fatal delusions. What is there then to forbid our apprehensions, that those in the highest places of power may be corrupted, and actually apostatize from the religion of their country? And should they happen to apostatize, what could hinder them from driving our nation from following the Lord? Here lies the greatest danger to which we are at present exposed. Could we only maintain our religion and virtue, and stem the current of moral corruption, we should have ground to hope for future prosperity; but if the rulers of our land should renounce the Bible, and all the doctrines and duties taught in that sacred volume, we should have nothing to expect, but that the whole nation would be finally corrupted and destroyed.

7. It appears from what has been said in this discourse, that civil and religious delusions are the great evils which more especially call for our humiliation and mourning this day. Though we have been uncommonly happy and prosperous under the late administration of government; yet the people have loudly complained of public men and public measures, and by a majority of suffrages, placed the supreme power in different hands. And though we have been favored with the light of divine revelation, and been well instructed in the doctrines and duties of christianity; yet many individuals in various classes of men have renounced their former faith in the

inspiration of the scriptures and in the existence of God, and become open and zealous proselytes to the cause of infidelity. These strange and disastrous events must have been brought about by the arts of seduction. And the same men who, for the sake of subverting religion and government, have employed their artifice to promote civil and religious delusions, will wish and endeavor to increase them, to answer the same selfish purposes. These great and prevailing delusions are much to be lamented. They are not innocent errors, but national iniquities. They display the depravity of the heart, rather than the weakness of the understanding. God was highly displeased with Jeroboam for deluding Israel, and highly displeased with Israel for being carried away with his delusions. And he must be no less displeased with the deceivers and the deceived in our nation. Hence we have abundant reason to bewail the great and fatal delusions which are every day and every where prevailing among us. We ought to lament that any should cast off fear and restrain prayer before God, and actually disobey all human and divine laws; but we have much more cause to lament that so many should deny the existence of God, disbelieve the first principles of religion and virtue, strike at the foundations of government, and not only practice, but justify universal licentiousness. These are sins of the first magnitude in a land of gospel light, and are of all others the most alarming at the present day. God may justly expostulate with us as he did with his people of old. "What iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the Lord, and with your children's children will I plead. For pass over the isles of Chittim and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing. Hath a nation changed their gods which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. Be astonished, O ye heavens at this!" Let all the friends of God sigh and cry for the abominable and fatal delusions, which threaten us with the heaviest calamities that ever fell upon an ungrateful and apos

tate nation.

8. This subject teaches us the propriety and importance of praying for a general effusion of the divine Spirit. Without this, we have no ground to expect to be reclaimed from our deep declension. The best defences have been written in favor of our religion and government. The wisest measures have been adopted to open the eyes of the nation to see and pursue their best interests. An alarm has been sounded from the press and from the pulpit, to awaken the deluded from their

delusions. But it seems that the light which has been exhibited has served to increase the blindness of the blind; and the alarm which has been sounded has served to diminish the fears of the deluded. Hence it appears, that our national disorder lies in the heart, which bids defiance to all human exertions. The effusion of the divine Spirit is our only source of hope. Our present situation resembles the situation of Israel in the days of Jeroboam. No means nor motives could remove their delusions. While prophet after prophet admonished the corrupters and the corrupted, they still remained obstinate and bent to backsliding. God could have effectually reclaimed them by the influence of his Spirit; but it does not appear that he ever poured out his spirit upon Israel, after they yielded to the delusions of Jeroboam. But Judah, who never totally revolted, he frequently reformed, and for that purpose sent down the influences of his Spirit to change their hearts. And if God intends to save our nation, he will remove our delusions by the same divine influence. In this way he can easily confound the designs of the enemies and corrupters of christianity, and make even them the willing and active instruments of promoting the cause which they are attempting to destroy. It is, therefore, the special duty of this day of humiliation and prayer, to seek the outpourings of the Spirit. But who are prepared for this duty? Not infidels. They wish not to be undeceived. Their deception is their castle. They perfectly despise prayer, and the great and glorious object of prayer. Not the immoral. They dread all restraint, and especially that restraint which arises from the genuine convictions of the Spirit. Not mere moralists. They feel no need of a divine influence upon themselves or others. Who then are prepared to pray for the special operations of the divine Spirit? They are only real christians, who have seen the plague of their own hearts, and who believe the deep depravity of human nature. Such persons as these have the spirit of grace and supplication. is there not a remnant of such characters among us, who sigh and cry for our national declension and apostacy? The effectual fervent prayers of these righteous persons will avail much. Let these, therefore, stand in the gap, and cry mightily to God to pour out his spirit, and save our nation from both temporal and eternal ruin. Amen.

And

SERMON XIV.

FALSE ZEAL.

ANNUAL FAST, APRIL 8, 1802.

THEY zealously affect you, but not well. —GAL. iv. 17.

As LONG as the apostle Paul resided among the Galatians, they were highly pleased, both with his person and preaching. But very soon after they had been deprived of his public and private instructions, they became not only disaffected with his character, but extremely opposed to his doctrines. Certain Judaizing teachers crept in among them, who first corrupted their sentiments, and then used all their art and influence to alienate their affections from him who had converted them to the christian faith. Surprised at such a great and sudden change in the faith and feelings of his former friends, the Apostle pointedly reproves both the deceivers and the deceived. "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel; which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." After this severe anathema against these dangerous corrupters, he undertakes to describe and expose their most insinuating mode of seduction. "They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them." They are deceivers, and their power of deceiving lies in their peculiar zeal. They profess to be your warmest friends, whilst in reality they are your worst enemies. It is not your good, but their own, which