honourable and satisfactory end to the unhappy war in which we are engaged.

God speaking, and speaking to us out of the whirlwind. It is true, he spoke by them to our enemies likewise, for they likewise are 2. However the bulk of the nation may sinners. May both they and we be humbled determine, if the remnant who know his before him, and learn, that as sin instigates name, and have tasted of his love, should be and arms us to destroy each other, so when deeply impressed with a concern for his glory, he is pleased to take the work into his own and forsaking their little animosities and hands, he can strike such a blow, as shall for party-interests, should unite in application to the time suspend our feeble hostilities, and the throne of grace, and be found in those by involving us in a common calamity, make duties and practices which their profession of us, notwithstanding our enmity, the objects the gospel, and the state of things around of mutual commiseration. "The Lord's hand them require, there is yet hope. For the is lifted up." Isa. xxvi. 11. This part of an prayers of God's people have a powerful ancient prophecy is fulfilled in our view: the efficacy. The holy and benevolent importunext clause, "They will not see," is, alas! nity of Abraham would have prevailed in fulfilled likewise, by the amazing insensibil- favour even of Sodom, if ten righteous perity and infatuation which still prevails among sons had been found in it, Gen. xviii. When us. It follows, "But they shall see." What Sennacherib invaded Judea, had overrun the still greater evils may overtake us, before greatest part of the country, and thought this clause also is accomplished to the glory Jerusalem would be an easy conquest, Hezeof God, and our due humiliation, who can kiah, though he took such precautions as prusay! Alas! who that loves his country, but dence suggested, did not defeat him by arms, must tremble at the prospects of the judg- (Isa. xxxvii.) but by prayer. In the prayers ments y pending over us, if he should of true believers is our best visible resource. still proceed to plead his own cause, till he is These are the chariots and horsemen of Isfully avenged on such a nation as this!-rael. United prayer, humiliation of heart, To relieve my thoughts, I gladly hasten to inquire,

III. Whether there be any hope that such a nation as this may yet escape deserved ruin; and if there be, in what way this mercy is to be sought, and expected? I confess I have little hopes of it, but upon one or other of the following suppositions.

a mourning for sin in secret, and a faithful
testimony against it in public, will more es-
sentially contribute to the safety and welfare
of the nation, than all our military prepara-
tions without them.
We boast of our navy,
and it has often proved, by the blessing of God,
our bulwark; but how easily can he who
walketh upon the wings of the wind, dash the
best appointed fleet to pieces against the
rocks, or sink it like lead in the mighty
waters! We boast of our troops; but he can
easily cut them off with sickness, give them up
to a spirit of discord, or impress them with a
sudden terror, so that the stoutest heart shall
tremble, and the mighty warriors turn pale and
drop their weapons! A thousand unforeseen
events and contingencies are always at his
disposal, to blast and disappoint the best con-
certed enterprises; for that the race is not
necessarily sure to the swift, nor the battle
to the strong, is not only asserted in the
scripture, but confirmed by the experience
and observation of all ages, Psalm xxxiii.
16, 17; Ecclesiastes ix. 11. But his people
are precious in his sight, and their prayers
he will hear. Unknown and unnoticed as
they are in the world, he highly values them.
He has redeemed them by his blood. He in-

1. If the Lord be graciously pleased to succeed the professed design of this day's service, and to put forth that power which accompanied his message by Jonah to Nineveh, so that a general spirit of repentance and humiliation may spread throughout the land-If he bow the hearts of both rulers and people, to confess and forsake those sins which have awakened his displeasure-If the laws which concern his honour, will, and worship, be speedily and impartially enforced; and profaneness and immorality discountenanced and suppressed-If, instead of trust ing is fleets and armies, we acknowledge the Lord of hosts, and look up to him for a blessing-If men fearing God and hating covetousness, (Exodus xviii. 21,) are raised up to assist in our councils, and to stand forth in their country's cause; men who will rely on his guidance and protection, and disdain the little arts and intrigues on which alone short-habits them by his Spirit. He has prepared sighted politicians depend for the success of their measures-should I live to see such a happy internal change, I should hope, that notwithstanding our great provocations, the Lord, whose mercies are infinite, would be yet entreated for us; that he would turn from the fierceness of his anger, maintain our tranquillity at home, and, by his wisdom and his influence over the hearts of men, put an

heaven for them, and the earth itself is continued for their sakes, and shall be destroyed when they are all removed from it. They are the light, the salt, the strength, and the safety of the nations among which they are dispersed, Matt. v. 13, 14. Except the I ord of hosts had left a small remnant of these among us, we should long ago have been as Sodom, and made like unto Gomorrah, Isa. i.

9. To his attention to their prayers and concerns, I doubt not the preservation of this city at the time of the late horrible riots may be ascribed. I wish I could now recal to your minds the emotions which some of you then felt, when your countenances bore a strong impression of your inward anxiety. Those terrors came upon you unexpectedly, and though they are forgotten by too many, scenes equally distressing may present them selves before you are aware. O may he in mercy animate this remnant, now to stand in the breach as one man, and to wrestle for a sinful land! Then we may at least arise to the hope of the Ninevites, Who can tell but the Lord may turn from his fierce anger, that we perish not? Jonah, iii. 9.

Let me now close with an address,

1. To such of you in this assembly as fear the Lord. A part of you are poor and afflicted people, and by your obscure situation in life, are precluded from a very distinct knowledge of the causes, the present effects, and possible consequences of the war. You live in a happy ignorance of what passes in the world, and take no part in the disputes which, in many places, ensnare and embitter the spirits even of professors of the gospel. Your principles inspire you with sentiments of duty to government, with the love of peace, and with a just sense of the value of your privileges, civil and religious. But though you are poor, and can serve your country in no other way, you may serve it effectually by your prayers. You have access to the throne of grace. Intercede therefore for a land that lieth in wickedness, be concerned for the honour of his name, for the blindness and misery around you. It may be the Lord will be entreated of you, and for your sakes, and for the sake of such as you, command the destroying angel to stay his hand.

Those of you who have better opportunity of knowing the state of our public affairs, have likewise a more extensive sphere of service. You will, I hope, improve your influence in your families and connections, and by your advice and example, endeavour to awaken all with whom you converse to join in promoting the design of this day's service. I call upon all who have ears to hear, and eyes to see the voice and the hand of the Lord, the rich and the poor, the young and the aged, to be faithful, circumspect, and zealous in your several stations.

sioned to say to the righteous, It shall be well with him, Isa. iii. 10. The Saviour, to whom you have fled for refuge has all power in heaven and earth. He will keep you as the apple of his eye, and hide you under the shadow of his wings. He can screen you from evil, though thousands and ten thousands should suffer and fall around you. Or if he appoints you a share in suffering, he will be with you to support and comfort you, and to sanctify all your troubles. His word to you is, When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, see that ye be not troubled, Matthew xxiv. 6. Fear not them who, at the most, can but kill the body. The light of his countenance is sufficient to cheer you in the darkest hour, and your best interest,. your everlasting inheritance is safe beyond the reach of enemies, in a kingdom, (how unlike the kingdoms of the earth!) which cannot be shaken, Hebrews xii. 28. Your life is hid with Christ in God; and when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory, Col. iii. 3, 4. Thither neither sin nor sorrow shall be able to follow you. Then your sun shall go down no more, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. In patience therefore possess your souls. Be not moved by appearances, but remember all your concerns are in the hands of him who loved you, and gave himself for you. Let those who know him not, tremble when he ariseth to judg ment, and to shake terribly the earth; but do you sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, make him your fear and your dread, and he shall be to you for a sanctuary, (Isaiah, viii. 13, 14;) and in a little time he will come to receive you to himself, and to wipe all tears from your eyes.

2. But what can I say to the rest of the congregation? Though they are all met in the same place, and outwardly engaged in the same service, so that, to the eye of man, we may appear as one people, animated with oneand the same desires, the eye of the Searcher of hearts sees and notices a real and important distinction amongst us. He draws, with infallible certainty, the line of separation. He knows who are truly on his side, whose hearts are tender, (2 Chron. xxxiv. 27,) who are afraid of his judgments, and are mourning for their own sins, and the sins of the nation: and he knows and sees that too many here have neither his fear nor his love abiding in them. You may comply Should wrath be decreed, and there be no with an outward form, and abstain from a remedy, at least you shall prevail for your meal, but you neither abstain from sin, nor selves. You shall know that the Lord whom desire to do so. To-day you look serious, and you serve is a strong-hold in the day of trou- by your presence seem to assent to the conble, and is mindful of them who put their fessions which have been made, and the trust in him. You can hardly be too much prayers which have been offered in your alarmed for the nation, but for yourselves you hearing. To-morrow, I fear, will show that have no just cause of fear. We are commis- all your semblance of seriousness was but

A SERMON

PREACHED IN THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST. PAUL'S, DEPTFORD,

ON SUNDAY, MAY 7, 1786,

ON THE LAMENTED OCCASION OF THE DEATH OF

RICHARD CONYERS, L. L. D.

LATE RECTOR OF THAT PARISH.

So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.1 Thess. ii. 8.

An active undaunted zeal in the service | ning of the verse; and therefore our translaof God, and a peculiar tenderness of affection tors have employed two," Being affectiontowards his people, were happily and emi- ately desirous of you." It denotes a desire nently combined in the character of St. Paul. connected with the finest and most tender The latter appears in none of his writings to feelings of the heart; not like the degrading greater advantage than in this Epistle, and selfish desire of the miser for gold; but particularly in this chapter. He had been such an emotion (according to his own beaumade very useful to the Thessalonians, and tiful illustration in the preceding verse) as was greatly beloved by them. Many of them that with which the nurse, the mother while had received the gospel which he preached, a nurse, contemplates her own child. Being not in word only, but in power; and were thus disposed towards you, "we were willeffectually turned, by grace, from dead idols, ing"-but the Greek is more emto serve the living and the true God, 1 phatical. We esteemed it our pleasure, our Thess. i. 5-9. They likewise were very joy, the very height of our wishes, "to imdear to him; and being now at a distance part unto you the gospel of God," to put you from them, he writes to confirm their faith into our own place, to communicate to you, and hope, to animate and direct their con- by the gospel, all that comfort and strength, duct. And he takes many occasions of re- and joyful hope, which we have received minding them, of the peculiar regard he had from it ourselves. Yea, further, to have borne them from the first, and how near they imparted to you our own souls also; that is, still were to his heart; that his love for them, to devote our whole strength, time, and which had sweetened all his labours and study, to this very end, to spend and be sufferings when he was among them, made spent for you, and to be ready to seal our him stili solicitous for their welfare, and en- testimony with our blood, if this were needabled him to rejoice on their account, while ful to your establishment, "because ye are he was suffering bonds and imprisonment at dear" (y) exceedingly dear unto us. Rome. The same word is used (for the language of mortals will not afford a stronger,) Matt. iii 17. "This is my beloved Son."

The verse I have read is one passage, out of many in the New Testament, where our trin-lation does not fully come up to the spirit and beauty of the original. Not that it is untuthful or faulty; it is chiefly owing to the difference of the languages. I believe we have no single word in the English tongue, to express the energy of the Greek term, which he uses in the begin

When I thought of preaching to you this day, and of mingling my tears with yours, the occasion suggested the choice I have made of a text; and the countenances of many of you convince me that I have not made an improper choice. Another congregation might have been led, from what I have al

ready said, to sympathize with the Thessa- | 14. Till he knew the Lord, he acted very lonians, in what they must have felt when differently. While he was under the power they were deprived of such a minister and of prejudice and ignorance, he verily thought friend; but your minds are engaged by a sense of your own loss. You have reason. You acknowledge and feel, that if I wished (as I certainly did) to select a text which might, while you heard it, strongly impress your minds with the idea of my dear friend, your late pastor, and recal to your remembrance, his principles, actions, motives, and aims, how he spoke, and how he lived among you, I could hardly have found a passage in the whole scripture more directly suited to my purpose. I believe no minister in the present age, nor perhaps in any past age, since the apostle's days, could have a better warrant than Dr. Conyers, to adopt these words of St. Paul as expressive of his own spirit and character. He had a very tender affection for you it was his earnest desire, and his great delight, to impart unto you the gospel of God, because you were dear to him: and it may be said of him with peculiar propriety, that in this service of love, he imparted to you his own soul, or life also. You have not forgotten, surely you never can forget, the very solemn and affecting manner in which his ministry among you closed. Whether, while he was reading the apostle's farewell discourse to the elders of the church of Ephesus, (Acts xx. 18-35,) which occurred in the second lesson for the day, he had a presage that you would see his face no more, we know not. Had he been certain of it, he could not have taken your consciences more earnestly to witness, that he was clear of your blood, and that he had not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God. However, the event proved, that you then saw and heard him for the last time. His strength and life were prolonged to finish his discourse, and to pronounce over you his parting blessing, which he had scarcely finished, before he was called home to his Master's joy. "Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing," Luke xii. 43.

that he ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth, (Acts ix. 1; xxvi. 9,) and therefore breathed out threatenings and slaughter against his people. But Jesus whom he persecuted appeared to him in his way to Damascus, convinced him of his sin, vouchsafed him pardon, and commissioned him to preach the faith which he had laboured to destroy, Gal. i. 23. From that time he esteemed himself a chief sinner, (1 Tim. i 15, 16,) and because much had been forgiven him, he loved much. He devoted his whole future life to proclaim the glory and grace of his Saviour, and to propose himself as a pattern of his long-suffering and mercy to all around him, that they likewise might believe and be saved. He was conscious of his Saviour's just right to reign in every heart. And they who, by receiving the gospel which he preached, entered into his views, and loved the Lord whom he loved, instantly became dear to him for his Lord's sake, whether they were Jews or Gentiles, rich or poor, bond or free. It is probable, that all who are convinced and enlightened by the Holy Spirit, having a clearer knowledge of the nature, number, and aggravation of their own sins, than they can possibly have of those of any other person, account themselves among the chief of sinners, though many of them may have been preserved from gross enormities. I never heard that your minister was influenced, like Saul of Tarsus, by a bitter persecuting spirit; and I believe his beha viour was moral and exemplary from his youth. When he entered upon his ministry at his beloved Helmsley, in Yorkshire, he found the place ignorant and dissolute to a proverb. At this early period of life, he feared God, and he hated wickedness. With much zeal and diligence he attempted the reformation of his parish, which was of great extent, and divided into several hamlets. He preached frequently in them all. He encouraged his In considering the grounds of the apostle's parishioners to come to his house. He dislove to the Thessalonians, and the proofs tributed them into little companies, that he which he gave of it, the subject will fre- might instruct them with more convenience; quently lead me to bear a testimony to the he inet them in rotation by appointment. In grace of God, vouchsafed to your late minis- this manner, long before he fully understood ter, of whom we may truly say, he was a fol-that gospel of God which of late years he so lower of St. Paul, as Paul also was of Christ, 1 Cor. xi. 1.

successfully imparted to you, I have been assured that he often preached or exhorted pubI. The first ground, the original cause of licly, or more privately, twenty times in a the apostle's love to the brethren, was the week. These labours were not in vain: a love of Christ. His unwearied endeavours, great, visible, and almost universal reformain the midst of the hardships and dangers tion took place. About the time I am speakwhich awaited him in every place, to pro-ing of, a clergyman in his neighbourhood mote the happiness of mankind, made him apar to many who were unacquainted with the moti es of his conduct, as though he were besi te himself. The apology he offered was, the love of Christ constraineth us, 2 Cor. v.

made very honourable mention of Dr. Convers, in a letter to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, (which I have seen in print,) as perhaps the most exemplary, indefatigable, and successful parochial minister