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

154 SERMONS.had loft a battle, but had ftill great refources, and, hitheopinion of his friends, great caufe to hope forfuccefs, he choofed at once to take tlie defperate flcpof a Roman death, rather than to be the occafion ofany more bloodfned of the Romans his fellow-citizens! Or, at lead, is not the great length of this war,,which at firft was expected to be eafily finiihed in onefliort campaign^ a prefumption, that, in their profeffionsto faft and to repent, the inhabitants of the landhave not been fincere ? " Will ye fteal, and murder^andcommit adultery, and fwear falfcly by the nameof God r" and, even by your laws, give encouragementto a falfe» a blafphemous, and idolatrous religion? ^< Will ye plead for Baal ? Will ye burn incenfeto Baal ?" and yet come to this place, and,hanging down the head like a bulrufh, pray for fuccefsin this v/oeful war, in which the nation hathbeen fo long engaged, and by which it is fo miferatlyexhaufted ? Firft repent of yo^r fins, and then youwill be better prepared to afk, and may the ratherhope to obtain.It is poffibls there may be in high life fome perfonswho are ftrangely corrupted •, but I hope thereis not one »f you who wifhes for fuccefs, that youmay lay hold on the revenue and the fpoil of a foreignland, to be confumed upon your lufts.And if in thisland there be really fome perfons fo far debafed as towifti for fuccefs in the war, that fo they may get moregold and filver to confume in luxury, high living,drunkennefs, and gluttony, or in gaming, lewdnefs,and expenfive debauchery, grown up to a fcandalousheight, unheard of till this prefent age ; if there beothers who covet greater riches, that they may witha heavier hand bear down and opprcfs theirdependentsabroad and at home ; if there be a ftill higher,a minifterial party, who, by a revenue fqueezed fromAmerica, mean to create new offices, nev/ pofts, newpenfion?, greater bribes, in order (and by the means