The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca
The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca
l88SERMONS.to receive them ; and that God, who with a flr6ftghand delivered the Ifraelites from Egyptian bondage,can deliver the people of this land from the hardfhipsunder which you make them groan. You fuppofe,perhaps, that, from a fond attachment to their nativecountry, they will flill continue to toil and ftarve, asmoft of them have hitherto done. But the weightof oppreffion muft overbalance that attachment ; avariceoften defeats its own aim, and in this particularcafe it muft, in the iflue, unavoidably have that effe£l.The farmers are in fome fort your property ;for from them your land derives its value ; and wheneveryou drive away one of them, you thereby diminifhyour incomes ; and befides, every laborious manis worth a great fum of money to his country. Howpoor and defencelefs will this country be, if. by yourcovetoufnefs and rigour, it is fpoiled of its inhabitants! The proportion of brave men v/hich this nationfurnifhed to the navy and the army in the latewar was high, and is almoft incredible. Will fucha fupply be pofhble in time of need, if the land fhallbedepopulated ? You are often complaining that ourminifters of ftate a£l foolifhly, when, at the end of awar, they difmifs fo great a number of brave feamen ;ail of whom, you fay, might be retained in tl^e^fervice,if two or three overgrown penfions were wifelyapplied to maintain them. Will you ruin ycur country,by beating time with the aukward and impoliticalmeafures of a covetous and bungling miniftry,-which you defpife and condemn ^ It is time, it ishigh time for you to alter your meafures, to ceafefrom oppreffion, and, if pofTible, prevent the defok--tion of the land. Exa£l: not the whole ; hay, abatea great deal of that which your tenants have of lateobliged themfeives to pay. When you granted themleafes, oat-meal was at 15 d. a-peck.- It hath fin ccbeen a third cheaper. Can you in confcience exa£lrall that which they have fooliihly obliged thenjfelve?'
SERMONS. 189to pay ? Think on juilice and equity, and you willbe moved by the fear of a righteous God, and by aregard to your own intereft, to abate a great part ofwhat you can in rigour demand. Rellore to theirpoflelfions thofe whom you have ejected, and rcftorethem on equitable terms. Let me addrefs you in thewords of Nehemiah, which were immediately compliedwith ^^*, Reftore, I pray you, to them, even thisday, their lands, their vine-yards, their olive-yards,and their l)oufes, alfo the hundredth part of tlie money,and of the corn, the wine, and the oil,that youexa6t of them. And they faid. We will rellore, andrequire nothing of them." Make fome pj?oviiion forthe many diftrefled families, whofe vitals you havefucked and left them to flarve. Reftore the pledge,and give again that ye had robbed. Parcel out yourwafte grounds to fober and induflrious families, andencourage them to abide with you :" And the defolateland (hall be tilled, whereas it lay defolate in thefight of all that paiTed by." Inftead of enrichingyourfelves by grinding the faces of the poor, pitythem, relieve them ; for " He that by ufury and unjuftgain increafeth his fubflance, he fhall gather itfor him v/ho will pity the poor." Can any of youhave greater pleafure in life, than to behold a immberof poor families brought from diftrefs into comfoitable circumftances by your means ? Is there anycharacter more noble, than that of fuch a compaffion*!ate and humane man ? Is there any more refpe^lablein youth, or in old age ? " Behold," fays Samuel," I am old and grey-headed, and I have walked beforeyou from my childhood to this day. Behold,here I ani, witnefs againft me before the Lord. Whofeox have I taken ? or whofe afs have I taken ^ whom.''have I defrauded ^ whom have I opprefTed or ofwhofe hand have I received any bribe ?" I hope, that.though inhumanity and extortion have become fo faiiiiiouable,there are ftill many of you who efteem
- Page 145 and 146: SERMONS.13 Vtiements in the defart
- Page 147 and 148: SERMONS.. 139>copard would lie down
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- Page 157 and 158: cfous ?'*The church and people of G
- Page 159 and 160: of fuccefs.sfeRM0N5.l^ludeed, provi
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- Page 163 and 164: SERMONS. 15.5*oF popery too) to eil
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- Page 181 and 182: SERMONS. 173fome ufe of terror, man
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- Page 185 and 186: SERMONS. 177noble lords and comnion
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- Page 193 and 194: This,'SERMONS-l8>and ill founded :
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- Page 205 and 206: SERMONS. 197have yourfelves. Throug
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- Page 209 and 210: s ownSERMONS.20 rand it is all befo
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- Page 215 and 216: feign for ever and ever. Sing tlioi
- Page 217 and 218: large," a defirable retreat from al
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- Page 221 and 222: SERMONS, 213'tie without form of la
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- Page 229 and 230: SERMONS. 221any degree be a means t
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- Page 235 and 236: SERMONS. 22.7the treafure and the p
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l88SERMONS.to receive <strong>the</strong>m ; and that God, who with a flr6ftghand delivered <strong>the</strong> Ifraelites from Egyptian bondage,<strong>ca</strong>n deliver <strong>the</strong> people <strong>of</strong> this land from <strong>the</strong> hardfhipsunder which you make <strong>the</strong>m groan. You fupp<strong>of</strong>e,perhaps, that, from a fond attachment to <strong>the</strong>ir nativecountry, <strong>the</strong>y will flill continue to toil and ftarve, asm<strong>of</strong>t <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m have hi<strong>the</strong>rto done. But <strong>the</strong> weight<strong>of</strong> oppreffion muft overbalance that attachment ; avarice<strong>of</strong>ten defeats its own aim, and in this particular<strong>ca</strong>fe it muft, in <strong>the</strong> iflue, unavoidably have that effe£l.<strong>The</strong> farmers are in fome fort your property ;for from <strong>the</strong>m your land derives its value ; and wheneveryou drive away one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m, you <strong>the</strong>reby diminifhyour incomes ; and befides, every laborious manis worth a great fum <strong>of</strong> money to his country. Howpoor and defencelefs will this country be, if. by yourcovetoufnefs and rigour, it is fpoiled <strong>of</strong> its inhabitants! <strong>The</strong> proportion <strong>of</strong> brave men v/hich this nationfurnifhed to <strong>the</strong> navy and <strong>the</strong> army in <strong>the</strong> <strong>late</strong>war was high, and is alm<strong>of</strong>t incredible. Will fucha fupply be p<strong>of</strong>hble in time <strong>of</strong> need, if <strong>the</strong> land fhallbedepopu<strong>late</strong>d ? You are <strong>of</strong>ten complaining that ourminifters <strong>of</strong> ftate a£l foolifhly, when, at <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> awar, <strong>the</strong>y difmifs fo great a number <strong>of</strong> brave feamen ;ail <strong>of</strong> whom, you fay, might be retained in tl^e^fervice,if two or three overgrown penfions were wifelyapplied to maintain <strong>the</strong>m. Will you ruin ycur country,by beating time with <strong>the</strong> aukward and impoliti<strong>ca</strong>lmeafures <strong>of</strong> a covetous and bungling miniftry,-which you defpife and condemn ^ It is time, it ishigh time for you to alter your meafures, to ceafefrom oppreffion, and, if p<strong>of</strong>Tible, prevent <strong>the</strong> defok--tion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> land. Exa£l: not <strong>the</strong> whole ; hay, abatea great deal <strong>of</strong> that which your tenants have <strong>of</strong> <strong>late</strong>obliged <strong>the</strong>mfeives to pay. When you granted <strong>the</strong>mleafes, oat-meal was at 15 d. a-peck.- It hath fin ccbeen a third cheaper. Can you in confcience exa£lrall that which <strong>the</strong>y have fooliihly obliged <strong>the</strong>njfelve?'
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