The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca

i:02 SERMONS.mlfcondu£l, they may terrify tlie generals to acl withfpirit, and even oblige the llatefman to flvake his handfrom hokling of bribes. But if the people be alf3corrupted, (ilent, unafFed^cd, unalarmed, when, by thevilefl meafures, the nation hath been loaded with dif-»;race, there feems to be nothing that can fave it fromiHllblution *, the fatal, the deilined period of its exiftcnceas a (late hath approached; the cup of its-ini^quity is full ; it will fuil be a taunt and a proverb byits neighbours, and then thefe fame neighbours willprobably invade and conquer it. Thus all the aurk ient empires of the world came to an end j Babylon,Athens, Sparta, Rome herfelf, after all her conqueftsand worldly gloiy. V/e now keep a fad-day, thatthis may not for a long time be the cafe of Great.Britain ;which may God of his infinite mercy grant,Haying explained. the chapter, I proceed to make'fome remarks upon the alarming hiltory it contains..x\nd, in the lirit place, I remark, i. That a peoplewho have formerly been fuccefsful in war, are apt tobe elated with a high opinion of their own wndomand ftrength, and to defpife the ftrength of thofe a-gainft whom they are next to carry on a war. TheIfraeiites had fucceeded iigainfl two kings on the eaftlideJordan ;they had got Jericho without any other,labour but that of going ftralght forward, and killingthe inhabitants, after the city-wall had fallen. Theytherefore fay, " Let not all the people go up and-itnite Ai -,for they are but few." By the exercife ofwar, foldiers acquire {kill in war -, and, truftipg tothat Ikill, they fometimea-difregard the God of battles;and, from a vain audacioufnefs, they precipitatelyluih abroad into dangerous war, when equity andprudence miglit call upon them to flay at home, andlive in peace. Thus Rabihakeh defies the living God,and fpeaks of Sennacherib his mailer, as if he hadbeen invincible. « Beware," he fays to the Jewi:-,