THE science of history has its peculiar ad­vantages, and is in some respects singu­larly useful and important. The pleasing and profitable are here so blended together, that it is alike calculated to entertain and improve. Such are the changes and revolutions in man­ners and customs, that the history of a few years back, affords, perhaps more agreeable novelty, than the inventions of the fanciful in our own time. History, especially ecclesias­tical history, is also a source whence may be drawn the foundest maxims of prudence, and most substantial improvements in piety. We here become acquainted with a variety of per­sons whom we never saw, may learn their cha­racters, trace their motives of acting, and thus acquire great knowledge of mankind. While we are here furnished with many illustrious models of goodness, benevolence, and piety; we also light on characters of a contrary com­plexion, whose pride and ambition, disobedi­ence and vice, and consequent overthrow, are [Page 4] on record for our admonition. The authen­tic history of the church does indeed contain the records of divine providence towards her, and furnishes us with indubitable testimony, that a holy God will not suffer iniquity and vice to go unpunished, nor virtue and piety unrewarded.

Sensible of the many important advantages resulting from a careful attention to ecclesias­tical history, the inspired penman in this Psalm gives a brief historic detail of God's marvellous dealings with his ancient people; and of their ungrateful requital of his kind­ness; from their departure out of Egypt, to the time of David's promotion to the throne of Israel. Many things occur in the history of this people, so extraordinary and important, adapted to admonish and instruct all succeed­ing generations, that they ought never to be forgotten. And thus God expressly enjoined upon the Israelites, at the giving of the law, that they should not only study it, and become thoroughly acquainted with it themselves; but also faithfully inculcate it upon their children, that the knowledge thereof, might be trans­mitted through every succeeding generation—For he established a testimony in Jacob, and ap­pointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known [Page 5] to their children; that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children. In exact conformity to this precept was this Psalm composed. Though we have a history of the same events at large, elsewhere; yet we here have an a­bridgment, containing only the more memo­rable and important occurrences, that the sub­stance of the whole is reduced into a small compass, may be collected at once, and hence is more adapted to immediate use.

For the instruction and admonition of suc­ceeding generations, the pious and learned, on various occasions, have taken great pains to collect materials for, and to furnish the church with, authentic ecclesiastical histories; and transmit to posterity every thing calculated to subserve the interests of religion—That the Jews, in ages to come, might see the bread which God provided for their fathers in the wilderness, he directed Moses to have an omer full of Manna laid up in a pot, before the tes­timony of the Lord, and there to be kept for their generations.

This psalm is introduced, with a mixture of authority and affection, suitable to a divine teacher. Give ear, O my people to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth;" [Page 6] that is, attend with reverence to the instruc­tive admonitions I am now about to give you, taken from the memorable events of provi­dence, relative to your forefathers, which me­rit your devout regard, and that of every suc­ceeding age to the end of time. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark say­ings of old. Though this psalm contains a narrative of facts, easy to be understood; yet, if we consider it as having a typical reference to gospel times, it then becomes parabolical, as to its spiritual meaning and ultimate design. And thus Paul, referring to things related in this psalm, saith, now all these things happen­ed unto them for examples, and they are writ­ten for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. And the things that I am about to relate, are such as we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us: that is, they are not things that have been done in another nation, and among another people, and hence of doubtful credit; but they are things that you have heard, and known to be on record in your sacred books; which your forefathers, who were eye-witnesses of them, have faithfully registered, and transmitted to you.

My text next follows, which the psalmist appears to have uttered with an ardour of pie­ty, [Page 7] and a most generous regard for the inter­ests of religion, in generations to come.—We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that be hath done. Though the recollection of the ingratitude, with which your forefathers re­quited the marvellous goodness and grace of God, is humiliating in the highest degree; that did we merely court the applause of their children, we should pass in silence this unplea­sant part of the history; yet, as this may be profitable for their admonition, we will hide no part from them—We will relate with the same fidelity, those things that may mortify, or excite pain, as those that are calculated to afford pleasure. We will not conceal any thing from their children. The principle which actuated the sacred historian, was gene­rous and animating. Not confining his at­tention to self, nor to a few particular friends, nor yet to the people of his own time, his views reached forward into futurity, and his love embraced millions of unborn sons and daugh­ters of Zion. The prophetic grace imported to him, expanded his soul, and extended his views to the generations to come, and raised his thoughts superior to every thing low or groveling. His conduct on the occasion, does [Page 8] honor to him as a citizen of Israel, as a patri­ot, and is worthy of him as a prophet of the most high.

Shewing to the generation to come, or the lat­ter generations of christianized Gentiles, as the meaning may probably be. This construc­tion gives the prophet's views a still further extent and larger scope. His love was warm—his pious zeal fervent—his language animated—his object grand and important, the glory of God, in the welfare of all succeeding gene­rations to the end of the world.

What the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works, mentioned in the text, were, is obvious from the context. They were his marvellous acts of righteousness and grace, towards his ancient people, from the time they left Egypt, to the royal establish­ment of David over them.

From the text thus explained, I shall take occasion to discourse, with special application to this church and society; taking notice of the more remarkable or leading providences of God towards her, from her first origin to the present time, which is now one hundred years. That we may adhere as strictly to the spirit of the text, as the occasion will admit, I purpose to draw a parallel, or point out the resemblance, between the praises of the Lord [Page 9] and his strength, and his wonderful works, towards Israel, in the period to which this his­rory relates; and towards you, and your fore­fathers. Though it might favor of arrogance and superstition, to suppose that the Israelitish church was intended to set forth this, or any other christian society in particular; yet in the former we have an emblem of the whole chris­tian church in general; and perhaps more striking instances of resemblance can be tra­ced in few christian societies, than in this.

1st. The Israelites could say, at the time this history commences, that they sprang from ancestors of eminent piety—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Though some of their posterity of later times, have prided themselves in their pious descent, in a manner that did them no credit, either as men, or as pious men; yet it is doubtless a privilege of no inconsiderable value, to descend from pious ancestors—To be dedicated to God in infancy, and placed with­in the pale of the visible church by believing parents, to have their prayers treasured up before God in our behalf, and our minds early furnished with pious instruction, and nurtured to habits of virtue; are privileges, which no considerate person will undervalue—and thus the advantage of being a Jew formerly, and the profit of circumcision, saith Paul, are [Page 10] much every way, chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God—Now these are privileges with which you were born; and in the enjoyment of which you have grown up—You sprang from ancestors of eminent piety; who gave strong proof of the steadiness of their faith, and of their un­shaken adherence to their christian principles—In the first instance, to escape persecution, or that they might guilty enjoy a good con­science in the worship of their God; and that the morals of their youth might not be ex­posed to corruption among a dissolute people; your forefathers fled across the Atlantic, and chearfully submitted to all the hardships that attended the settlement of a wilderness of a northern climate—Though they endured al­most incredible sufferings of cold, hunger, and nakedness; and dangers from the savage natives of America, and other causes; yet, un­like the Jews, who were for returning to their bondage and oppression in Egypt, we never hear them complain of the lot, providence had appointed them. Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt—And they preferred a good conscience to ease and wealth—And perhaps in no part of the world since the days of the Apostles, has religion flourished more, or in [Page 11] greater purity, than in New-England, the land where they fixed their habitation. They took pains, to have the gospel immediately planted with them, and taught among them. These are the people from whom you sprang, and their prayers for you are not at this day obliterated from the book of God's remem­brance. Did your fathers do so much, in their reduced and distressed circumstances? What then ought you their children to do, at the height of prosperity, to which you are raised?

2d. The Israelites left Egypt under the guidance of Moses the servant of the Most High, and accompanied by Aaron, who was appointed by God to minister to them in holy things—And your fathers left Dorchester, Roxbury, and Milton, in the state of Massa­chusetts, accompanied by a Minister of the gospel. When they came on to these south­ern provinces, it was not it appears in order to flee from the presence of the Lord, nor to rid themselves of religion, as a burdensome or un­profitable thing—they set too high a value on the gospel and its ordinances, to dispense with them; and were no doubt persuaded, that to walk with God in all his holy institutions, is the surest road to prosperity and happiness in this world▪ and entirely necessary to a well [Page 12] grounded hope of admission into a better—Hence, when they set out, the Ark of God must go with them, or they furnish themselves with a gospel minister, who is ordained to their particular charge—Their fathers, breth­ern, and friends, accompany them down to the shore; where, after kneeling down and mingling their supplications to the God of all grace, they take leave of one another, with every expression of christian tenderness and brotherly love, expecting to meet again in a state of inseparable union to each other; and to Jesus their common head.

No people that are wise, will abandon or treat with neglect the sacred institutions of the gospel; for they are scarcely less conducive to the peace and welfare of society in this world, than to fit men for blessedness in the next.

3d. When the Israelites left Egypt, they car­ried with them the religion and worship of the true God, into a land overspread with iniquity and idolatry. And one leading object, which your fathers contemplated, in their removal to the state of South-Carolina, was, to en­courage the settlement of churches and the pro­motion of religion in the Southern plantations; a striking evidence of their distinguished pie­ty and zeal for the general diffusion of the knowledge of the gospel of peace.—Probably [Page 13] at the time your fathers came on to Carolina, there were few or no religious societies regu­larly organized in that state.^* Hence they felt the necessity of bringing the gospel with them, that they might not be destitute of a blessing which they prized more than wealth. Being animated from on high, by a generous zeal for the spread of that gospel, which is able to make men wise unto salvation; they were induced to leave their fathers, their brethern, and their native land. How far they succeeded in this laudable design, we at this day are not able precisely to ascertain. That their example in this particular is how­ever, worthy of the imitation of the christian world, while nations of our fellow men are perishing through Heathenish ignorance, none may doubt.

4th. Moses and Aaron died, and were suc­ceeded in office by Joshua and Eleazer. The Reverend pastor, Joseph Lord, who accom­panied your forefathers from New-England, to South-Carolina, has also had successors in the sacred office of the gospel ministry in this [Page 14] church. The first was the Reverend Hugh Fisher, who died on the sixth of October, 1734—The Reverend John Osgood succeeded him, and entered on the pastoral charge of this church, the twenty-fourth of March, 1735: and died the second of August, 1773; whose sympathy and affection, as the friend of his people—whose labors, as the servant of Christ—whose watchfulness, as the bishop of souls—whose care, as the shepherd of his flock—whose piety, fidelity, and success in the minis­terial work, will by you be remembered to his praise for generations to come; and are now stars in the crown of his rejoicing in Heaven, which shall shine with growing splen­dor, when yon great lamp which illumes the heavenly orbs shall be put out: for they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righte­ousness as the stars for ever and ever.—The three succeeding years after the death of Mr. Osgood, the church was occasionally supplied, by Dr. Zubly, Messrs. Cook, Daniel Robarts, and others.—In the year 1776, the Reverend Moses Allen succeeded to the pastoral charge of this church, and continued in it until No­vember 1778, when it was entirely broken up, and dispersed by the British army. At the conclusion of the war, the people returned [Page 15] to their plantations, and immediately pro­ceeded to measures for the restoration of their religious privileges, statedly assembling on the Lords day, previous to their procuring a Minister, and uniting in the duties of social worship. In August 1784, the Reverend Abiel Holmes entered on the ministerial work among you, and continued his pious labors with you, until the twenty-first of June 1791—Your present pastor succeeded him in the sa­cred office the fourth of the ensuing Decem­ber—And sirs, your fathers are gone as well as your ministers, and you have risen up in their stead—One generation passeth away, and another hasteneth after it—We have here no continuing city. With our loins girded, and our lamps trimmed and burning, should we therefore hold ourselves in readiness to go hence.

5th. The Jews were a pilgrimating people. Forty years they had their encampments in the wilderness, journeying from place to place, without any fixed abode—This also hath been a pilgrimating church—In the year 1696, or probably in the beginning of the year 1697, your fathers arrived in South-Carolina, where they made a stand, and named their settle­ment Dorchester, after the place of their na­tivity. They continued here about fifty-seven [Page 16] years—When, finding their lands insufficient for the rising generation, and a disposition in numbers, from this circumstance, to remove; and apprehending this would operate to the injury of the society, and especially to the de­triment of such as should leave it, they wisely contemplated a general removal—And after sending forward several persons, at different times, into this state, to seek out a convenient spot, and prepare the way; and hearing from them a good report of the lands, a considera­ble number of the society with Mr. Osgood, who at that time was their pastor, effected a removal to this place in the year 1754. The remaining part followed them, as soon as their circumstances would admit—thus evidencing their brotherly love—their union of heart, and unaffected regard for gospel ordinances. The same attachments and sentiments of piety were again manifested, in the universal return of the people to their plantations, at the conclu­sion of the British war. Happy is that peo­ple, whose hearts are united by supreme affec­tion to the God of love, and to one another by pure christian friendship. If this be your case, ascribe the whole praise to him, whose great love is the source of all our blessings.

6th. The ancient people of God found much opposition to encounter, and many difficulties [Page 17] to surmount in their various journeyings—At one time they lacked bread, at another they were parched with thirst, at another again, their progress was opposed, by nations hostile­ly enclined towards them—And in this res­pect as well as others, their state in the wil­derness, was intended to set forth that of the christian church; and has been resembled by this society in particular—Your difficulties and trials, and those of your fathers, have been many and great, perhaps almost singular—They doubtless had many difficulties to en­counter, in their first settling in Carolina—Many sad discouragements, heavy losses, and disappointments, also attended them in their removal from Carolina into this state—And the losses you sustained, and the sufferings you endured in the British war, exceed descrip­tion, and were equalled perhaps by few socie­ties in America—Your house of worship, dwelling houses, and crops were consumed by fire; yourselves driven from your plantations, and divested of your property for many years; and your lives exposed to the mad unrestrain­ed cruelties of men, ill affected towards the American cause—And your savage neighbors, have been, as pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides almost continually—The pesti­lence also hath prevailed among you, to a me­lancholly [Page 18] degree in many instances—What numbers of you are constantly clad in sack­cloth? With more than common emphasis may it be said of you, that one generation pas­seth away, and another hasteneth after it—A few years give an almost entire change of per­sons in this church—The aspects of providence have often been dark and threatening towards you; and you have been admonished of the Lord out of the whirlwind—Happy are they, who endure the chastenings of the Lord as sons and daughters, patiently submitting to his rod—While they, who like a refractory bullock, harden themselves against discipline, and thus provoke the holy one of Israel to cast them out of his presence, and abandon them of his care, are inexpressibly wretched.

7th. Though the Jews were an afflicted peo­ple, yet the interposing goodness of God was on many occasions signally manifested in their favor. When ready to be swallowed up by their enemies, with a strong hand, and an out stretched arm, the God of Jacob granted them deliverance and victory—He guided them in the wilderness like a flock, and led them on safely—He gave them laws and testimonies, and entrusted them with the oracles of divine truth. To them prophets and teachers were raised up, and a Saviour revaaled. Ask now, [Page 19] saith Moses, of the days that are past, which were before thee since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from one side of Heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it? Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live? or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by sings, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? Though neither this, nor any other church under the gospel, hath been distin­guished from all the rest of the world, as the Israelites were formerly; yet have you expe­rienced many distinguishing marks of divine favor—under the frowning aspects of provi­dence, you have often sustained much less in­jury, than you have been ready to expect. Judgments have been intermixed with mer­cies—At other times, dark clouds have been dispelled, your sky has brightened, and you have been unexpectedly lifted on high by prosperity—God hath given you, not only the necessaries and comforts of life, but wealth, and an abundance of leisure, in which you have had [Page 20] excellent opportunities of furnishing your minds with useful knowledge, and becoming thoroughly acquainted with his laws and testi­monies—By the goodness of God, you have also had his word and special ordinances dispen­sed to you with but little interruption—When the pastoral office hath been vacated, the Lord hath interposed in your favor, by healing the breach, and filling up the gap in a little time— The dispensing of gospel ordinances, appears also to have been attended with considerable success among you: that we hope and trust, not a few, in the course of a century past, from this church, have joined the church triumph­ant; who are now mingling their songs of praise to the Lamb that was slain, with those of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the celestial choirs.

8th. The Jews were formerly a people by themselves, enclosed on every side by Heathen nations—In some degree similar hath been the state of this church—She hath been so detached in her situation, as to be able to have but little intercourse with any regular church­es of Christ—Her neighbors, instead of lend­ing any friendly aid to the support of religion, have termed her members Saints, by way of reproach, and endeavored to laugh them out of their religion. And as the providence of [Page 21] God was particularly concerned, in preserving the Israelites, a distinct people, and preventing them from intermixing with their Idolatrous neighbors; so when we consider the local situa­tion of this church, the preservation of her existence to this day, is doubtless to be attri­buted to the special care, and interposing kind­ness of Heaven; and ought by you, to be numbered among the distinguished praises of the Lord. It has been often remarked of this society, that they discover a singular attach­ment to one another, while they treat stran­gers with a degree of shiness—This circum­stance hath probably, in the train of provi­dence, contributed considerably to the preser­vation of the truth and simplicity of the gos­pel among you—Without directly commen­ding this treatment of strangers, it may not have so much arisen, from that narrow and il­liberal spirit, to which it hath generally been imputed as from other causes—Particularly, from a concern for the morals and piety of the rising generation, and a conviction that you needed the utmost vigilance, to protect them from the contagious influence of vice and ir­religion.—Nor are we to impute your pre­servation in the faith of Jesus, principally to your own wisdom and vigilance. As the Israelites had been often overwhelmed by ini­quity [Page 22] and idolatry, had not the great Shepherd of Israel hedged up their way from destruction; so, to the same divine care are you indebted, that the seducing artifices of ungodly men have had so little influence, in leading your youth astray; that your children have been taught to walk in the steps, and to pattern after the pie­ty of their fathers—That a society, locally situated as you have been, should be preserved from general seduction one hundred years, must be attributed to the gracious care, and powerful protection of that heavenly Father, who keepeth covenant and sheweth mercy unto them that love him and keep his command­ments, unto a thousand generations.

9th. The Jews were a stiff-necked, perverse, and rebellious people, who set not their hearts unto the Lord, and whose spirit was not right with God—And to what shall we impute the distresses and calamities, that have befallen this church, but to their sins? Though this is not a state of retribution, in which exact jus­tice is distributed; yet a righteous God chas­tens not those who sin not—Your iniquities have been the occasion of all your painful ca­lamities—And while we hope, that these in the main, have been sent in mercy, and over­ruled to the advancement of your religious wel­fare, it would surely be wise in man to avoid [Page 23] that sin and disobedience, which render afflic­tions needful—You are to remember, that sin derives great and awful aggravation, from the light sinned against, and the convictions that are withstood. And as the sins of the Jews were, in these respects peculiarly aggravated; so it is a circumstance that hath rendered your sins highly displeasing in the sight of God, that they have been committed against the clearest light, and the richest displays of divine good­ness and love—The Jews formerly were favor­ed above other nations in a religious point of view—In like manner have you been favored in this respect above many; yea above most others—Not to mention other things, perhaps you have too much rested in, and relied on your external privileges, and tokens of the di­vine favor; minding too little the more sub­stantial part, the temper of your minds and the state of your souls; and have been more concerned to bear the name, than to attain un­to the character of christians.

10th. The Jews, though a stiff-necked and ungrateful people generally, yet there were many persons of eminent piety among them—And that your fathers were men of eminent piety, appears from several circumstances, al­ready suggested. As further proof of this, we may add, their indefatigable endeavors and so­licitous [Page 24] care, to have the ordinances of the gospel regularly and faithfully dispensed to them—As often as the ministerial office hath been rendered vacant among them, they have made immediate application, for the healing of the breach and the filling of the vacancy; seeking the direction of infinite wisdom, and looking up to the great fountain of blessings for success. And though, in several instances, they have failed in their first applications; yet discouraged by no difficulties, they have steadi­ly persevered, until success hath been granted them.—When destitute of a minister, they have uniformly kept up public worship on the Lord's day, reading practical discourses. Their punctuality in supporting the gospel, is also to be noticed, as an evidence of the high value they set on it, and of their unaffected regard for it—When you see a people creating difficul­ties about supporting the gospel, it may be marked as a symptom of declension in the ways of God—May the eminent piety of your fathers, enkindle your zeal, and animate you to pattern after their example.—How your standing is now, compared with former times, may not be easy to ascertain—It is to be feared, you have somewhat degenerated, from the purity and Godly simplicity of your forefathers—In numbers you appear rather to [Page 25] encrease—From the best accounts I have been able to obtain, the church now consists of ninety-eight white persons, and forty-nine blacks, in all, one hundred and forty-seven—Fifty-one have been received to the commu­nion, since my residence among you, which is now five years—twenty-six white persons have died from the communion in that time—say, eight or ten blacks, and three or four white communicants have removed from us—That the church now contains about twelve mem­bers more, than it did five years ago. This seems matter of some encouragement, calcu­lated to strengthen your faith, and animate your hope, that the prayers treasured up with God for the preservation and prosperity of this church, will be heard, and answered through generations to come. May the Lord Jehovah be a wall of protection around about you, and a glory in the midst of you; crowning with abundant success, your pious care, to season the minds of your children with wise instruc­tion, and inure them to habits of virtue; that they may be induced to transmit with vene­ration the principles of our holy religion to their children, and the generation to come be taught, to fear the God of their father.—

Lastly. God gave the Israelites corn from Heaven, and fed them with Angels food— [Page 26] And you have been furnished with the true bread of life, of which the Manna was but a faint representation. Your fathers did eat, Manna in the wilderness, and are dead, said Jesus. I am the living bread, which came down from Heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever, and a man may eat of this bread and not die; and the bread that I will give is my flesh. This bread hath been the food of every believing soul—Did God fur­nish, his ancient people with water from the rock to quench their raging thirst? To you hath the inexhaustible fountain of the waters of life stood open—To this you have been made welcome to come and receive, to the extent of your wishes—Jesus, the rock whence these waters issue, hath been proclaiming to you, Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; yea come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.—Yea he hath been crying aloud, if any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink; and whosoever will, let him come, and take of the waters of life freely.

1st. In reviewing the special care, and dis­tinguished kindness of God, towards you and your fathers, you should be naturally led, to entertain an exalted esteem for the great shep­herd [Page 27] of Israel—His providence is to be noticed in every step you have taken; and his grace to be acknowledged, in all the great blessings bestowed upon you.—They have all flowed from his everlasting love, and are so many testimonials of his faithfulness to them that fear him and trust in his mercy. To the sovereign grace of God, is it to be imputed, that you were not with millions of others, born in a land of Heathenish ignorance and savage barbarity; that you sprang not from profane irreligious parents; that you were not bred up strangers to the way of life and peace. To the sovereign grace of God were your fore­fathers indebted, for their eminent piety, by which they were induced to bring the gos­pel with them to this country; and to his un­deserved kindness are you to ascribe, your en­joyment of the gospel and its ordinances, in so much purity at this day. Such of you as set any proper value on these blessings, or feel any suitable temper towards God, will be na­tively led, in view of these things, to enthrone him in your hearts, and to exalt him in your thoughts—Oh! beware of the ingratitude, disobedience, and rebellion of the ancient Jews, as you would escape the awful judg­ment, with which they were visited.

2d. By this subject, you should also be led [Page 28] to impress on your hearts, and to treasure up in your memories, the great things which God hath done for you and your fathers—The passover was expressly enjoined on the Israel­ites as a memorial of their preservation from that fatal stroke, by which Egypt was hum­bled, and all her first born slain. Moses and Aaron were directed, to lay up before the tes­timony of the Lord, the pot of Manna, to be a memorial in their generations, of the miracu­lous manner in which God furnished their fathers with bread—And the principal design of this discourse, is, to bring into view the special care, and distinguished favor of Heaven towards this church in the generations that are past; that the present and succeeding ones may know and remember the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done, in respect of their forefathers, to their lasting benefit—Let there­fore the things that you have heard, be en­graven on the tablets of your hearts, that you may be able to talk of them when sitting in your domestic circles, and when walking by the way, that your children may be able to relate them to their children, and they again to theirs—They will have a happy tendency to cherish pious impressions, and to animate you to a steady regard for, and faithful adherence [Page 29] to the interests of religion, in this church, and through the world.

3d. Considering you, either as just entering on a new Century, or a New-Year, it is not an unsuitable time to bewail, and relinquish your past sins, and to come to a determined resolu­tion henceforth to be the Lord's—You, my young friends, who as yet, have formed no re­solutions of this sort, who have hitherto been pursuing the vanities, mirth, and gaity, to which your age inclines, will never find a better season, in which to abandon the unpro­fitable pursuits of sin and folly, and devote yourselves to the fear and service, the honor and glory, of the God of your fathers—As a church, you are now entering on the second Century of your existence; and as individuals, you have this day entered on a New-Year—Oh! that it may be recorded in Heaven, that on this day such and such of you choose the God of Jacob for your God, and the Redeem­er of Israel for your Saviour! Would you but indulge a little serious consideration, you could not want for motives, to induce you to this wise and happy choice. To this all the mani­fold goodness and love of God, which both yourselves and your fathers have so richly ex­perienced, should allure, constrain, and bind you: Oh! be urged to it, by the consideration [Page 30] of the eminent piety of your fathers, and as you desire this day, to rejoice their righteous spirits, fill Heaven with shouts of praise, and acclamations of joy:—As you desire to follow them to the courts of the blessed, and have them for your companions forever: as you would not be eternally excluded, from the presence and love of that God, deprived of whose favor, existence will be a curse.

4th. Leaving for a moment the century past, let us look forward through a century to come, and ask, where will you be at the close of it? Objects awfully solemn, here rise into view. All swept off the stage of time—laun­ched on the boundless ocean of eternity—not one will be left—Your fathers, who left New-England one hundred years since, are gone—not one of them remains—The same will be said of you, one hundred years hence—You must then, either be suffering the righteous, unutterable vengeance of an holy God, with Devils and despairing Ghosts, or sharing with the blessed, the pure and endless joys, which a bleeding Saviour purchased, and which the glorious presence of the exalted Redeemer shall kindle; either sinking from gulph to gulph in Hell, under the pangs of eternal death; or towering, from glory to glory in Heav­en, in beautitude divine—Seeing such grand and weighty matters are before us, and our [Page 31] time short, how doth it stand us in hand to watch and pray.

Finally—By what hath been said, you are taught, the great care and vigilance of your fathers, to preserve their rising posterity from the contagious influence of vice and corrup­tion, and the success with which their pious efforts have been crowned—Permit me to recommend them to you in this particular, as affording an example, highly worthy of your immitation. Your pious pastor, who pre­ceded me in the ministerial office, observing the peculiarities of your local situation, and the exposed state of your youth, often looked forward to the rising generation with an affec­tionate concern, and carried your attention with him. Nor hath the subject been silent­ly passed over, during my ministrations among you—While it is believed, that you have not treated with disregard your ministerial admo­nitions on this head; it is thought, that you cannot bestow too much attention to a sub­ject, in which the future existence and wel­fare of this church are so deeply concerned. Ye aged infirm parents, who are just taking your leave of us, feel the subject in its impor­tance; let it especially occupy your thoughts, and employ your care, the few remaining hours of life—Account not yourselves past a capa­city for usefulness, while your lips can utter a [Page 32] word of council or admonition; or your souls, breathe forth one pious wish to the God of grace, for his blessing on your offspring—Let the subject lie with weight on the mind of every parent. Oh! look forward, and con­sider of what infinite everlasting consequence, that your youth, and your little ones should be guided in the path of life! Spare no pains, omit no care that may conduce to the training of them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord—to the establishing of their minds in the principles of our holy religion, and inuring them to habits of virtue and piety. In the mean time, abide stedfast in God's covenant, plead his promises, and depend on his grace; con­fide in his faithfulness, and be encouraged, to look forward with hope—Jehovah is a great God, whose strength and salvation the Israel­ites of old, often experienced; and your fathers long since. He is also a faithful God, who keepeth covenant and sheweth mercy unto them that fear him, from generation to gene­ration—Let it therefore be your care, to shew unto the rising generation, the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works, and trust in his grace; then may you fall asleep in Jesus, with tranquil souls and joy­ful hopes; for though you die, the church shall live among your children, and their chil­dren, for ages to come.

THE division of time into years hath ob­tained considerable use among men, in respect of settling and adjusting their worldly matters. And is it not, at least, equally pro­per, that we endeavor to derive aid from this division of time, in the regulation and adjust­ment of the more weighty matters of our soul's concern? While we enquire into the state of our accounts with our fellow men, as citizens of this world, how proper it is, that we also en­quire into the state of our accounts with God, as being his stewards, and candidates for the inexpressible and everlasting rewards of the invisible world.

The year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven last night expired, and we this morning have entered the threshold of a New Year. There are a number of serious ques­tions, which it seems especially proper, that we should ask ourselves at such a season: there are many serious reflections and resolutions, which it is highly suitable we should make at [Page 4] such a time. If this discourse may be instru­mental of administering to your aid in these things, and thus of contributing to your reli­gious welfare, the labor of it will receive the reward it seeks.

There are some things, that are valuable for their own sake, and there are other things that are valuable, only as a mean of obtaining some­thing else, or only in a subordinate view. Whether time is really valuable in any other but the latter sense, seems to admit of some doubt; or in other words, whether, under the condition of there being no hereafter, that the conclusion of this life puts a final period to the existence of man—is it better for us to be, or never to have been, seems not easy to deter­mine—so many painful losses and disappoint­ments, do the greater part of men in this life suffer, and so many scenes of anguish and hor­ror do they pass through, in this world of sin and guilt, that the evil they endure, seems to equal or exceed the good they enjoy. Death and the grave, with their ghastly attendants, and the painful diseases that usher them in, we all have to account on as certain, or they are entailed upon us. And how often are we cal­led to suffer, in a sense, the pangs of death, in the loss of one near connection and another dear friend? Therefore, said the wise man, [Page 5] I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me; for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.—But time, con­sidered as a season in which to prepare for eternity, is of unspeakable value. The mise­ries to which sin hath made us liable, which await the ungodly in a future state, and which, in time we enjoy the means of escaping; and the blessedness to which we may in time secure a title, being both, unutterable and everlast­ing, render time unspeakably precious—It is unspeakably precious as a season in which to effect these most valuable ends—yea it hereby acquires infinite value, as it is the only season in which these infinitely valuable ends can be obtained.

In the context the Apostle addressed the Ephesian christians, in a variety of exhorta­tions, suited to their standing, as having re­cently emerged from a state of Heathenish ig­norance—"Ye were sometimes darkness," said he, "but now are ye light in the Lord; walk as children of light." And in the verse pre­ceeding my text, "see then that ye walk cir­cumspectly, not as fools, but as wise." Since you are happily brought from a state of Heath­enish ignorance, to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and the interesting truths of his gospel, so it is especially incumbent on you to con­duct [Page 6] answerably to this privileged state. Not foolishly undervalueing this gospel, nor heed­lessly neglecting to enquire whether any bene­fit is to be derived from it or not; but wise­ly estimating the blessings it proclaims, and conducting with that christian prudence and circumspection, which shall most effectually secure to you a share in them. The exhorta­tion is pursued in my text, which next follows: Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

In discoursing from these words, I purpose, first, to explain the exhortation or injunction they contained; and second, offer several con­siderations to enforce it. I am then first, to explain the exhortation or injunction in the text—"Redeeming the time." This exhorta­tion, it may be remarked, has by some com­mentators been supposed to have been prin­cipally designed, as a caution to christians to avoid persecution, and not unnecessarily to provoke their enemies, to cut off their lives in the midst of their days. While it is not doubt­ed, but that some christians have improperly exposed their lives to the rage of their perse­cutors; perhaps more from a spirit of bigotry and blind zeal, than from the dictates of an enlightened conscience; and while it is not doubted, but that they have herein acted amiss, yet, to admonish against imprudence of this [Page 7] sort, is scarcely to be supposed the principal object of this exhortation—The word redeem, or else the word in the original here rendered, redeeming, seem properly to denote, the re­covery of something that we have lost. The exhortation seems therefore especially to re­commend or enjoin, extraordinary care and diligence, in improving every portion of re­maining time in the best manner; and of de­voting it to the most valuable purposes; that we may thereby, as far as possible, regain the years that we have spent in sin and folly. Time thus spent may fitly be accounted on as lost, or worse than lost.—The Apostle pro­bably had immediate reference to the Ephe­sians, as having spent a considerable portion of their time in Heathenish ignorance, practising the most egregious enormities. He would therefore, by this consideration, impress their minds with a deep sense of the importance of extraordinary care and diligence, in the dispo­sal of their remaining time. And thus he re­minded them in the proceeding context, of there having been sometimes darkness; and of a number of the vile practices, in which they had freely indulged themselves.

Happy would it be for the christian world, were there none who have been born in a christian land, and instructed in the princi­ples [Page 8] of our holy religion from their tenderest age; who nevertheless, have equal reason to listen to, and regard this injunction, with the Ephesians, when addressed in the text—Where is the man that can say, he has not spent any, or even much time, in sin and fol­ly; in things that will turn to no lasting good account; and which therefore, he may fitly ac­count on as lost time? And who is there, that is not sensible, that it is especially incumbent on him, from this circumstance, to exercise extraordinary care and diligence, in the dispo­sal and improvement of his remaining time; thereby to recover, as far as possible, such portions as are lost?

But in order thus to redeem time, it is re­quisite, that we should be apprised of the bu­siness which properly belongs to time. While persons mistake this, it is unlikely that they will redeem time to any good purpose—The treasuring up of wealth, the pleasurable en­joyments and gratifications of the flesh, may not be deemed the chief and proper business of man in this world. We need but a small portion of earthly good things, for a tempe­rate subsistence here; and such a portion may ordinarily be obtained, without making it our chief business to acquire riches. The season in which we can enjoy them is so short and [Page 9] precarious, and the gratification of bodily appetites affords such momentary delight; that to suppose God had primary regard to these, in allotting to man a season in this world, is to entertain very unworthy conceptions of him. The business of man in time, is emphatically, to prepare for eternity. And thus the sacred word enjoins, seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.—Man having lost the image, and forfeited the favor of God; and in his infinitely condescending goodness a dis­pensation of grace being set up, he was pleas­ed, to allot unto man a season in this world, to retrieve the losses sustained by the fall, and to secure unto himself an happy immortality. That preparation for eternity, which consti­tutes the proper business of man in time, does then eminently consist, in regaining the image and favor of God; without which, rational existence becomes a curse. It will imply that we make our peace with God through Jesus Christ—that we mortify the love of sin in our hearts, and regulate our lives by the precepts of christianity, that we press forward with an ho­ly ardour of soul, after the most exalted at­tainments in that moral rectitude, which is in­dispensably necessary to capacitate us, for the enjoyments of divine love. This is the pro­per business of man in time, to which every [Page 10] other should be held in entire subordination. Every scheme should be formed, and every business be undertaken, with an ultimate view, to the furthering of this business. That time which is employed in putting forward this, is spent to good purpose; every advance we make in it, is so far obtaining the grand end, for which time is given to man. And that which is spent, in business foreign from, or unconnected with this, may be set down as so much lost time. It passes away, leaving be­hind, only the memory of guilt and folly. To redeem time in the sense of the text then is, to bestow extraordinary care and diligence, that all our remaining time be employed to the best advantage, for the promotion of this work; that so we may, in some measure re­trieve losses sustained, through the misim­provement of former seasons. This seems to be the only way, by which time can be re­deemed, or such losses retrieved; for there is no recalling time—The year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven is forever gone.

I pass second, to offer several considerations to enforce this injunction.—1st. We should be induced to comply with it, by the consid­eration of our having spent much time, foreign from the business properly belonging to it. [Page 11] That we have all done this, will scarcely be denied by any. We have lived, some ten, some twenty, some thirty, some forty, and others fifty years in this world—and what have we done? What worthy of rational immortal creatures? How many of these years are a mere blank, as to any thing good done in them? What a mixture of guilt and folly pre­sent themselves to the reflecting eye, even of those who have been the most diligent and circumspect? What sad neglects have they to charge upon themselves? How many blank days do they find? How little of the proper business of man in time have they executed, compared with what they might have done, or with what might reasonably have been ex­pected from them? In respect of the last year, how little hath been done, compared with what might have been? What progress have you made in the knowledge and love of God? What victory have you gained over the world and the flesh? And how much yet remains to be done? And alas! how many have never yet entered on the proper business of time? Have never yet commenced a life of holiness, nor taken one step towards making their peace with God? How many, whose whole life is a mere blank, as to any thing done, that will turn to any valuable account to them hereaf­ter? [Page 12] How sirs, should these humiliating con­siderations awaken up all our souls, and teach us the necessity of retrieving, as far as possible, these affecting losses, by extraordinary care and diligence in the improvement of our re­maining time.

2d. We should be induced to comply with the injunction in the text, by the consideration of the shortness of our remaining time. The whole extent of time, from the beginning of the creation, to the present day, or even to the end of the world; is but a contracted span, a hands breadth,—a mere point compared with the unnumbered ages of eternity. One se­cond of time bears a much greater proportion to six thousand years, than six thousand years do to eternity. The whole extent of time bears no proportion to, admits of no compari­son with eternity. What then is the portion of time that falls to the lot of any one indivi­dual? What is the life of man at the present day, in respect of those who live to what is termed old age? How much shorter still must be our remaining time? Yet we are all living for eternity; preparation for that endless un­successive duration must be made in this sea­son, short as it is, or go forever unmade. With what energy doth this teach us, that every hour should be deemed precious; and that we [Page 13] should bestow the utmost care and diligence, to retrieve, as far as possible, past losses.

3d. You should be led to comply with the exhortation in the text, by this circumstance also, that the duration of your remaining time is exceedingly precarious or uncertain. You may certainly know that your remaining time is short, while you know not how short—A number of our friends who saw the last New-Year, are gone forever; and no doubt, before the conclusion of this year, a number of us will be gone, and time to us be no more. Whether it will be you, or you, or me, or how many of us, we know not; or to what day, or month in the year life will be prolonged, is quite uncertain. Should the eyes of any one or more of us, be fast closed in the sleep of death, before to-morrow's light, or this even­ing's twilight, it would be no rare thing. However differently from this you may be cal­culating, whatever schemes you may be form­ing, for months and years to come; or what­ever unfinished pursuits may now employ your attention; yet death is not wont to wait our time, but hath in ten thousand instances over­taken men at unawares, full of earthly schemes and pursuits. What then but one year more, or perhaps not a hundredth part of it, in which to redeem the mispent time of the whole of [Page 14] our former lives? How then should we spend that? What extraordinary diligence is incum­bent on us? And what care should we take, that this diligence be employed in the best things; that every hour be devoted to the most valuable purposes? that so we may, as far as possible, buy back our lost opportunities.

4th. We should also be induced to comply with the injunction in the text, by the consi­deration, that an happy, or miserable eternity depends on the good, or ill improvement of time. It is from this circumstance that time derives its chief value. Of however little value it may be considered in itself; yet its value in this relative view, exceeds all human calcula­tion. For the creature can comprehend nei­ther the depth, fullness, and duration of that misery, which we have an opportunity of es­capeing; nor the height, perfection, and dura­tion of that felicity, which we have an oppor­tunity of securing in time. Time is thus in­finitely precious in a double point of view, for as on the good improvement of it depends our escape from infinite, everlasting misery, and our attainment of infinite everlasting bles­sedness—With what care and diligence should we study, so to improve it, as to obtain these grand ends—a secure shelter from the over­whelming tempest of divine vengeance, and [Page 15] an unfailing title to an inheritance in the Kingdom of Eternal Glory—And having lost, having fooled away a considerable portion of our precious time, how should we strive to re­trieve the loss, by extraordinary diligence in future? And it is to be recollected, that a mere escape from future misery, and the at­tainment of future blessedness, is not the whole that may, and ought to be done by us—There are different degrees in the happiness of Hea­ven. He that soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully—And again, there is one glory of the Sun, and another glory of the Moon, and another glory of the Stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. None therefore may suppose, that nothing more remains for them to do; for they who have arrived at the highest attainments of piety, may still arrive at higher, and will have strong motives to re­deem time to the latest moment of life.

5th. As a further motive to comply with the injunction, that is used by the Apostle in the text, offers itself to our consideration—Re­deeming the time, because the days are evil—The exhortation was addressed to the Ephe­sian christians, at a time when they were threa­tened with severe persecutions, and were in [Page 16] danger of being deprived of their religious privileges. Now this was a proper motive, as well as that of their having spent much time in heathen enormities, by which to urge them to extraordinary care and diligence in impro­ving the season, they then engaged. Though the days now, may not be evil in precisely the same sense; yet from the growing prevalence of infidelity and vice, the days may fitly be termed evil in a sense, that should effectually excite every friend to the christian cause, to extraordinary vigilance in guarding his own mind, and especially those of our youth, from the contagious influence of vice, and in coun­teracting the malignant poison of infidelity.

6th. Our immediate compliance with the injunction should be gained, by the con­sideration, that the season is hastening on when time will be no more redeemable. I must work the work of him that sent me, while it is day; the night cometh when no man can work. There is a business properly belong­ing to time, and which can be done only in time. When the night of death, which is ap­proaching, shall overtake us, this work must cease forever. In however imperfect a state it shall then be, it must so remain. And in respect of those, who shall then have utterly neglected this business, the neglect will be [Page 17] irreparable. There will now be no retriev­ing mispent past opportunities, by any extra­ordinary diligence in future. Time will be irredeemable—To what care and diligence should this consideration excite us now, in re­deeming so valuable a blessing. When men suffer losses of a worldly kind one year, they ordinarily have an opportunity the ensuing year, and feel it incumbent on them, then to make extraordinary exertions, to retrieve those losses. How much more should they make extraordinary exertions, to retrieve past losses, in the more weighty matters, that respect the well being of their souls through the intermi­nable ages of eternity? Especially when we consider, that if this season be neglected, the loss will be irretrievable: that there will be no second year or ensuing season in which to redeem time—To give this consideration its proper force, enquire within yourselves, what would a poor tormented spirit in hell give, for such an opportunity as you now enjoy of redeeming time? Oh! that we did more accus­tom ourselves, to live and act in the light of eternity!

Permit me to suggest one consideration more, to enforce the injunction, and that is, the infinite price that was given to purchase time, as a season of grace for fallen man— [Page 18] But for the wonderful interposition of the son of God, the dreadful penalty of the divine law, we may suppose, would have been imme­diately executed; at least we could never have enjoyed time, as a season in which to make our peace with God, and prepare for an hap­py immortality. We derive this blessing as a fruit of his infinitely meritorious obedience and sacrifice. It must therefore, in its rela­tion to eternity, be infinitely precious. And thus it deeply concerns us, by every extraor­dinary effort to redeem so precious a blessing, wherein we have lost it. And be it remem­bered, that time having been purchased for us at so dear a rate, must awfully aggravate the condemnation of those, who consume it in the vanities of this world; utterly neglecting the weighty business properly pertaining to it. It had been better for such, never to have been born—never to have enjoyed time.