always strive. A hand's breadth only is between you and the grave. If you have any work to do, it must be done quickly, for death is at the door. This day perverted, may be the last you will ever see. This moment, your sun may be casting its last beams upon the mountains. Or should you live, this day may close the period of divine influence. This discourse neglected, may be the last by which God will ever expostulate with you in mercy.

By all the joys, then, of immortality, and by all the sorrows of eternal death; by all the mercies of God, and by all the terrors of his wrath, I beseech you, be ye reconciled to God. Submit to him, and he will rule for his own glory, and you shall behold his glory and rejoice in it forever. But rebel, and still he will reign, still he will bless his kingdom, but he will exclude you, forever, from its holy joys.

5

SERMON II.

THE REMEDY FOR DUELLING.

ISAIAH, lix. 14, 15.

And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

THE people of Israel, when this passage was written, had become exceedingly corrupt, and were sinking under the pressure of fearful judgments.

But although they are hardened in sin, they are not insensible to misery; and though regardless of God as their benefactor, they murmur and tremble before him as the author of their calamities.

They admit, indeed, their sinfulness, but suppose that they have made already a sufficient atonement for it. It is not for sending judgments, therefore, that they impeach the Almighty, but for continuing them. Not because he is just, but because he has no mercy. "Wherefore have we fasted, (say they) and thou seest not-have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge."

The majesty of heaven condescends to reply. He declares their sin to be the cause of his judgments; and their hypocrisy and impenitence, the ground of their continu

ance.

The sins which brought down the judgments of heaven were, it appears, national sins. As individuals they were guilty, and each had contributed to augment the national stock. But of all classes, their rulers and men of wealth and eminence had been the most liberal contributers. Their private character was abominable, and their public character was no better. They perverted justice—their feet ran to evil their hands were defiled with blood. Their thoughts were thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction were in their paths.

The profligate example of rulers has at all times a pernicious influence. It had in the present case. Conspicuous by its elevation, and surrounded by the fascinations of honor, it ensnared the young, emboldened the timid, and called hardened villains from their dark retreats. A tremendous scene ensued a scene of impurity, intrigue, jealousy, violence and murder. And there was none to help. All bonds were sundered the foundations were destroyed. "None called for justice." The oppressed did not, because they despaired of her aid; and the wicked did not, because they were too guilty to trust to her decisions.

Doubtless in the humble walks of life, there were some who had escaped this contagion of bad example, and who, had they been united and courageous, might have set bounds to these evils; but they neglected to make exertion, they were dismayed, and gave up the cause of God without an effort.

I have no conception that this state of the Jewish nation, is, in general, a correct portrait of our own. But are there no points of resemblance? I allude now only to the conduct of such of our rulers and men of eminence, as denominate themselves men of honor; and who, despising the laws of their country and their God, adjust with weapons of death their private quarrels. To such, the character ascribed to the Jewish rulers is affectingly applicable. Their hands are full of blood; and wasting and destruction are in their paths.

I allude also to the impunity with which, in a community nominally christian, and under the eye of the law, these deeds of violence are committed. With respect to the punishment of even murder, committed in a duel, "judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter."

It may be added, that, as among the Jews, the people, who by the influence of public sentiment might have limited the evils of their day, remained inactive; so the great body of this nation, although they abhor the crime of duelling, remain inactive spectators of the wide-wasting evil.

But, it will be demanded, how can the people prevent duelling? Already laws are enacted, with severe penalties; besides this what can we do?" You can rescue these laws from contempt, by securing their prompt execution. Do you demand how? By withholding your suffrage from every man whose hands are stained with blood, or who has been directly or indirectly concerned in a duel; and by intrusting to men of fair moral character, and moral principle, the making and execution of your laws.

It will therefore be the object of this discourse, to suggest and illustrate the reasons which should induce every man to withhold his vote from any person who has fought, or aided in fighting, a duel.

1. The elevation of duellists to power, is a practice in direct opposition to the precepts of the christian religion.

Civil government is a divine ordinance. The particular form, is left to the discretion of men; but the character of rulers, God has himself prescribed. They must be just men. Such as fear God-a terror to evil doers, and a praise to them that do well. Do duellists answer to this description? Are they just men? Do they fear God? Look at their law of honor. It constitutes the party judge in his own cause, and executor of his own sentence. Its precepts, like those of Draco, are written in blood. Death, or exposure to it, is its lightest penalty; and this, with un

relenting severity, is inflicted for the most trifling offence, as well as for the most enormous crime; and as often perhaps upon the innocent, as upon the guilty.

When arrested by the fatal challenge, no plea of reverence for God, of respect for human law, of conscience, of innocency, absence of anger, actual friendship, affection to parents, wife or children, the hope of heaven or fear of hell, is for one moment admitted. All obligations are cancelled; all ties are burst asunder; all consequences are disregarded.) "Nor justice nor mercy may interpose, to mitigate the rigors of the controversy. The peaceable must fight the quarrelsome-the rich man, the bankrupt—the father of a family, the libertine-the son of many hopes, the worthless prodigal." It is a law which inculcates no virtue, and which prohibits no crime, if it be honorably committed. It tolerates adultery, blasphemy, intemperance, revenge, and murder. Thou shalt kill, is its first and great command, and too much conscience to obey it, is the only unpardonable sin. The obedient subjects of a law so impious, so unmerciful and unjust, God hath denounced as unfit to govern men. They are disfranchised by heaven. But,

2. The duellist is a murderer: and, were there no sentence of exclusion from civil power contained in the word of God, the abhorrence of murder should exclude from confidence these men of blood.

"Murder (says Blackstone) is committed, when a person of sound memory and discretion, killeth any reasonable creature in being, with malice aforethought, either express or implied. Express malice is, when one, with a sedate deliberate mind, and formed design, doth kill another. This takes in the case of deliberate duelling, where both parties meet avowedly with an intent to murder."-And a greater than Blackstone has said: "If a man smite his neighbor with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer. And if he smite him with a hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer. And if he