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

SERMONS. 37prove'ment, and to aim at Chriftian perfection." AnJwe might have it to add, with the fame devout andiUuflrious writer, I ewe it to the providence ot God^that ever I was acquainted with fuch perfons.And here one cannot but lament the falfe delicacyand corruption of Chriftians in the prefent age, whichin fome refpe£ts is funk into degeneracy, even belowthe flate of the heathen world : Heathens, when theymet top-ether, ufed to difcourfe concerning the natureof virtue, the chief happinefs of man, the being andprovidence of their fuppofed gods ; they talked oftheir fupreme divinity •, with him they began, withhim they ended, of him too were their fongs. How"different from this is the temper and piaOiice ofChriftians, v/ith refpecl to the true God, in whomthey pretend to believe ! I fpeak not of nominal Chriftians; of them it is to be feared, that God is not inall their thoughts, for he is not in their mouths, unieiswhen they blafpheme him ; I fpeak of thofe whomake fome profeflion of being Chriftians : When acompany of fuch convene, how are tlicy employed ?Why, thofe who have ridiculoufiy ufurped to themfelvesthe ftile of good company, call for the gamingtable, and from diftipation or avarice wafte the precioushours in a dull round of inlipid play.—Hence the unbecoming,the lamentable and growing ignorance ofthat clafs of people ; an abufe of company ! a murderingof time, which I truft will ever be difcountenancedby the clergy of Scotland.—And on a cheerfulor a grave occafion, where gaming is improper,what do our fafliionable people talk about ? If one ofthe company happens to fpeak of God, or religion, orprovidence, or a future ftate, he is airnoft thought tohave fallen into an impropriety of behaviour, and tohave tranfgrefled the rules of good-bfeeding ; nay,fwayed, it feems, by the fafliion of the age, even theteachers of wifdom and righteoufnefs, if they happen\.obe in company with their hearers or fcholars afterD