Now this leads me to shew, II. What God requires of us at this time —
There is a special call, both from God in his provi- dence, and from the highest authorities in the realm, to humble ourselves at this time in fasting and prayer. But we must be careful not to think that a mere outward service will be of any avail, if we add not to it that reformation of heart and life which God calls for at our hands : I say then that,
1. He requires of us the same duties as of his people of old —
[We must put away from us every thing that is contrary to love, and live in the habitual exercise of love in all its brandies. There are many things, the offspring of pride and selfishness, sanctioned by the habits of the world, which yet we should be careful not to practise
When addressing you on a day of national humiliation, I may well advert to that great national sin of holding thousands of our fellow-creatures in bondage, and treating them as though
they had neither the rights nor feelings of humanity
Whilst this continues, God cannot but have a controversy with us ; nor can we expect any thing at his hands but to be
visited with his heaviest displeasure But there are
manifold instances of oppression which obtain amongst our- selves in our daily intercourse with mankind, which, though not of the same flagrant nature with the slave-trade, are most offensive in the sight of God : and against these we should, all of us individually, be on our guard ; for God is the avenger of the injured party, whosoever he may be, and will call us to account for all the evils that we inflict upon him.
But this is a small, a very small, part of the duty which we owe to our brethren of mankind. We should regard our fellow-creature, how poor and destitute soever he may be, " as our own flesh," and be as anxious for the relief of his neces- sities, as we should for the ease and welfare of a member of our own body. The extent to which our charity should be carried, should know no other bounds than the necessities of our brother, and our own ability to relieve him. And such should be our delight in these exercises of love, that they should call forth all the finest feelings of our souls, and administer to ourselves a more exquisite joy than the communication of any benefits can confer on the receiver of them.
This is the proper employment of a season like this ; and,