Glass / "^ Book ' St/ lg ^^ .^19 SERMON, ©BLIVEKED IN THE PRESBYTERIAK MEETING-HOBSR !N WINCHESTER, On THURSDAY the 23b Jan 1812; BEING A DAY OF FASTING AND HUMILIATION, 4PF0INTED BT THH CITIZENS Olf WINCHESTE8. ON AGCOtJWT OF TRp LATE CALAMITOUS riRfi At THE RICHMOND THEATRE. By the Rev. WILLIAM HILLj OP WINCHESTER. *J 1 1 W— .y>y t'BI^iTSB ATTHEOrnCBOJf Xfi^ -' WINCnsStEK GA'iETTFr.t Y'^'i^ Dear Sib, ON behalf of the Committee, appointed by the late meeting of the Citizens of fVinchestct% and at the request of many of our mutual friends, I have to request that you will favour us with a copy of your truly excellent and ap- propriate Sermon, delivered on Thursday last, for pub- Ucation, I am, respectfully, ALFRED II POWELL, Monday, Jan. 27th, 1812. To the Rev. WILLIAM HILLr ^V3 wi; SERMON, Sfc. Luke — XIII. — 1^^ and 5th inclusive. There were present at this season, some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrijices — And Jc.sns answering said unto them ; ^suppose ye that these Galileans xcere sinners above allthc Galileans, because they suffered such things? I fell you nay : but except ye repent ye shall also likewise perisli. Or ^hose eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloamfell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt at Jerusalem ? I tell you nay : but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. THE Blessed Saviour in the close of the last chapter, had just mentioned what would be the dreadful doom of obstinate and impenitent sinners, who, when in the hands of their adversary, and about to he hauled before their Judge, should still neglect to make their peace with him. — This induced some person present to mention the case of those Galileans, whose blood Filate had mingled with their sacrifices, as a case supposed to be in point. The Saviour, as was his custom, took an occasion, from the relation of that barbarous act, to deduce a pious improve- ment, and to impart useful instruction. By referring to another passage of scripture, and to the Jewish historian, Josephus, we learn the occasion of this cruel deed. These persons, slain by Pilate, the pro- curator of Judea, were some of the faction of Judas of Galilee, mentioned by Gamaliel in the 5th Chap, of the Acts of the Apostles, and more at large, by Josephus. This Judas had stirred up the Galileans to sedition against the Roman government, under a pretence of as- serting their liberty, by freeing them from the Roman tribute ; and some of thern coming to Jerusalem, to sa- I ^ 1 •cvificc according to the custom of the Jews, at the Passo- ver; Pilate Ciiuscd them to he slairi upon the spot, while they were engaged in ot'leritig up their sacrilices ; shed- ding their hlood, with that ol their beasts, which thejr were slaying tor the altar. Our Saviour takes occasion from the relation of this event, to correct a very vicious humour, which has al- ways raged in the world : that of censuring the faults of others, whilst we overlook our own. The principle ol self-love which was inherent in man, has, by our apostacy degenerated into self- flattery, so that it has now almost become natural to man, to sup- ply the want of a good conscience, by a good opinion of themselves. And hence it comes to pass, that men are so ready to take all advantages to confirm themselves in that false peace, which they have created to themselves in their own imagination: and so they can but main- tain a comfortable opinion of themselves, it matters not how uncharitable they are to others: and knowing no better way to foster this fond eonceit of themselves than by fancying God to be their friend, it hence comes to pass, that they are so apt to int( rpret the providences of God towards others in favour of themselves, and to abuse the judgments which fall upon their neighbours, into an argument of their own comparative innocence. Therefore, our Saviour, who knew what was in man, and what kind of conclusions men are apt to draw from such occurrences of Providence as are before us, endea- vours in the first place to prevent the bad use which they were apt to make oi'them. "Suppose ye," says he," that those Galileans were sinners, above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things ? I tell you, nay." To this instance of the Galileans, he adds another still stronger. Pilate might be represented as a tyrant, and * the best of men are liable to sufTer, by the cruel hand of oppression. But he now mentions an occurrence of a recent date, and well known to all at Jerusalem, which proceeded immediately from the hand of God, without the agency of ma^ii. " Those eigliteen upon whom the t ^ 1 tower in Siloam fqll, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all that dwelt at Jerusalem ? I tell you nay" And having thus anticipated the censuring of others, our Saviour proceeds to awaken his hearers to a consi- deration and care of themse'ves. '' 1 tell you nay; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." The general sense of which words, is, that impeniten- cy in sin, will certainly be the ruin of men sooner or la- ter. It will bring great mischiefs upon them in this world : but however that may be, it will infallibly plunge them into inconceivable misery in the next. But besides the certain denunciation of misery and ruin to all im- penitent sinnery, which is the largest sense of the words, and analogous to many other declarations of scripture, it is probable that our Saviour, in the present instance, more immediately referred to those temporal calamities which were shortly to beial the Jews ; and by way of prediction, foretold what would be the fate of that whole nation, if they continued impenitent. There is ^ pecu- liar force in the word, omows , which means something miore than merely, likewise, or alsQ^ as it is rendered in our translation. It means literally, '* except ye repent, ye shall all perish in like manner,'' i. e. besides the ven- geance of another world, a temporal judgment as sad as those just alluded to, and not much unlike them^ shall come upon this whole nation : which awful prediction was soon after fulfilled at the siege and sack of Jerusa- lem, by the Roman army under Titus. The pious and useful reflections, suggested by the subject under consideration, would also very naturally arise from the late awful visitation of Richmond, which has shrouded that city in gloom — thrown our legis- latures into mourning, and suspended the voice ofmelody and song. The dreadful scene forbid? all attempts at painting it, for it would actually beggar all description.*' * What follows, was here introduced when the fermon was delivered ; but upon reflexion, I think it had belter appear in the fliap© of a netr SHaa w th; body of the fejaion; [ 6 1 It is true our friends and fellow citizens have been in-. rested — suddenly arrested — in an hour of thought. e»s gaiety and mirth. — Many — Aii! many have lallen victim? to devouring tlamcs : without previous rellection hur- ried to a judgment bar, and to a destiny hencefor- ward unalterable. And are wc to conclude, that they were the guilty, and we the innocent ? Our Saviour cautions us from drawing such a conclusion, but assures us '' that except we repent, we shall all likewise perish!' All th^t I (hall venture upon, towards this, at prefcnt, will be t© n^e a few appropriate lines from a favourite Poet. When againft rcafon, riot (huts the door, And Gaietv fupplies the place of fenfe, 4)eath leads the dance, and ftamps the deadly dycf Gayly caroufjng, to his gay compeers, Inly, he laughs, to fee them laugh at him As abfent far. And when the revel burns ; When fearii baniflied, and triumphant thought Calling for all the joys beneath the moon, i^gainft death turns the key ; and bids hin^ fup "With their progenitors — He drops bii malk, Frown out at full, — they ftart — despair — and dic» Scarce with more ludden terror and furprizc, From his black mafk of nitre, touch'd by fire, He burfts — explodes — roars -blazes — and dcvourc| A fliining mark invites the tyrants fpcar, As if to damp our elevated aims, And ftroagly preach humility to man. Oh ! how portentous is fcftivity ! How comet-like, it threatens while it (hines ? We have juft had full proofs ot deaths ambition :» To cull his viflims from the taireft folds, And flieathe his fliafts in all the pride oi life, When flooded with abundance : purpled o'er With recent honours, bloom'd with every blifs ; Set up in oftcntation ; made the gaze, The gaudy centre of the public eye ; When fortune thus had toifed her children up. How fuddcn have we feen them drop at once ; Our morning's envy, and our evening's figh : Thus runs death's diead commiffion," Strike I bat h-^ ** As moft alarms the living by the dead." Hence flratagem delights him, and furprizc, And cruel fport with man's fecurities. Not fimpic conqueft, trhmph is his aim And where lealt fear'd, /(^ifri" conqueft triumph* moS;. [Somcvrb;it altered and accommodated from Young, j ^ 4 £ 1 1 From the text and the occasion thus explained, let us e-onsider two things. 1st. The wrong use and censorious conclusions which men are apt to draw from signal judgments of God upon others. 2nd. The right use w^hich we should make of these things ; which is, to reflect upon our own snis, and repent of them ; lest the like, or greater judgments overtake us. But, before I enter upon a discussion of this subject, I beg leave to make one or two rrmarks. — Remarks which I think necessary from the place in which I stand; from a regard to the office I sustain, — And to guard against a misapprehension or misconstruction, of what I may say upon this occasion. Whilst i sincerely commiserate the unhappy victims who have lately fallen at the theatre in Richmond; whilst I condole with their afflicted friends and relatives; whilst 1 mean to censure, — and censrre with severity the illiberal and malignant constructions, which many are disposed to draw from this and similar occurrences ; 1 am constrained to declare myself an enemy to the amusements of the theatre, as they are in use in our day. Not that I suppose a theatre might not be so ordered and regulated, as to become a powerful auxiliary to vir- tue, patriotism, and literature. I believe they formerly answered these purposes In ancient Greece and Rome '. and I have no doubt that they might again, under pro- per management and regulations: but I view' them, at present, as little better than schools of vice. The stage has fallen into the hands of the most abandoned and licentious wretches and prostitutes, with ^^\w exceptions. The performances are very generally calculated to of- fend piety, and wound modesty and delicacy : to be- stow our support and charity upon such objects, is> certainly to divert it from objects much more worthy and meritorious. But, notwithstanding my opposition to the theatre, I do not suppose it go deadly a crime to attend it, as to L 8 J call for a signal judgment of God to dlbtinguish it froiti. other vices. 1 have no hesitation in declaring, that I consider it as comparatively innocent, to many other practices very common with others, as well as among ourselves; and committed by persons not unwilling to deal out the thunders of Jehovah asainst their neijjhbours, andtoconstitutethemselvestheinterpretfTs of Providence. We are now, 1st, to consider the urt>ng use and censo- rious conclusions, men are ipt to draw from the signal judgments of God upon others. In general, it consists in being very uncharitable and censorious towards them. This may sometimes be the effect of sheer envy, and malevolence; (for the cre- dit of human nature it is to be hoped that this case does not often happen) — but it is more commonly the conse- quence of a gross and stupid neglect oi' ourselves. For men do not usually cherish and entertain this censorious humour for its own sake ; but in order to some other end ; and that is, most commonly, self- flattery and a fond affection for themselves. This makes them forward to* represent others, to all the disadvantage possible, that they themselves may appear less evil in their own eyes, and have a foil to set themselves off by comparison. Ifc is the nature of guilt, to flee from itself, and to use all possible arts, to hide and lessen itself. For guilt in the soul, is like deformity in the body ; persons of this des- cription seldom arrive at the absurd conceit of thinking themselves beauties. But because thev cannot think so, they do all they can to comfort and commend themselves, by comparison. Hence men are apt to multiply and ag- gravate the faults and miscarriages of others that their Ovvn may appear the less : for a !< ss evil in respect to a greater, hath some face and appearance of good. And because there can be no oreater evidence that a man is a great sinner, than for him to be declared to be so, from heaven, many are forward to interpret the re- markable judgments of God upen others, as an argu- ment of their being more notorious otfenders, Sometimes thig is doiiCj thro' a species of pride, and t 9 ] uuriosity, in seeming to understand the i*eason and end of Gods judgments, as if they had been of his council and saw further into the reasons of his Providence than other men. Like some pragmatical politicians, who, affecting to be in the secrets and confidence of government, wiil pretend to understand all its hidden springs, and under- take not only to explain the design and intention of every public measure, but also foretel what is yet to come to pass. But what is still vvorse — this is many times done Jo gratify their own passions and foolish conceits ; as if God was angry with those persons and things which displease ?^em ; and that God's judgments are expres- sions of his displea&ure at those persons whom they dis- like, and would certainly punish, if the government of the world were m their hands. But many mistaken men think it a piece of piety and affectionate ^eal for God, and a taking of his part, to censure those heavily, whom he aflflicts severely. Like some cringing Parasites, who if they should see a great man, whom they would call their friend, to be angry with any one and to strike him, would think themselves bound, thro' mere officiousness, to fall upon him and beat him too. But from whatever cause it may proceed, it certainly is a base principle ; and our Saviour, in the text^^ does, with great vehemency deny, that any such conclu- sions can, with certainty, be collected from the judg- ments of God upon others; " 1 tell you n^y f and to express it still diore vehemently, he repeats it again, " I tell you na' consumed us. But whatever God may do as to temporal judgments, this we are as sure of, as the word of God can make us ; that there is a sad fate hanging over ail impeninent sin- ners ; which, however they may escape in this world, will certainly fall upon them in the next. God hath sworn ■[ 19 3 it, and shall he not do it ? that such shall never enter in- to his rest. He is immutably determined to make such for ever miserable, as by their final obstinacy and im- penitency refuse to be happy. And of this terrible doom the judgments here in the text, and that lately expe- rienced among ourselves, are but imperfect types and representations. How glad would sinners then be, to suffer only such things as the Galileans did — what a fa- vour would they esteem it to have no worse fate, than those eighteen upon whom a tower fell ; — How willing- ly would they then exchange their lot, for a hasty tem- porary blaze of fire that would instantly suffocate them; destroy all sensibility', and reduce them to ashes ! Fain would they call to the rocks and mountains to fall on them, and there lie hid from the face of him, that shall sit upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. JNlo, it is a more fearful ruin — a destruction infinitely more terrible that awaits those in another world, who will not Fepent in this life ; even everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power! And how great and fearful that is, is not to be expressed in words ; nor can we frame any perfect idea of it, from any of those pains and sufferings with which we are ac- quainted in this world. For who knows the power of God's anger? or who can conceive the utmost of what omnipotent justice is able to do to sinners? Certainly, nothing can be a sadder presage of greater calamities, and a more feaful ruin yet to befal us, than that we have hitherto been so little reformed by those loud and chick vollies of judgments, which have been already thundered upon us. This was what brought at last so terrible a destruction upon the Egyptians : tliey were hardened under ten previous plagues, I'o be im- penitent under the judgments of heaven which are so mercifully designed to reclaim and to reform us, is to poison ourselves with that which was intended for our medicine, and, by a miraculous kind of obstinacy, to turn the rods of God into serpents. f ^ 1 Be assured we have not been called to repenttince and- rerormutioii too soon. God knows, the state of religion, ofniorals, & manners is gloomy enough among us; we have enough to repent of : enough that calls riloud for refor- mation. M:iy we not hope we are already sensible of it! Let us then shew our sincerity by, our conducts- use all our influence from our standing in society and from the stations we may fill, to suppress vice and im- piety in every shape : and to approve ourselves to our maker. Other places have been gorely visited and have sorely suffered. Sin, no doubt, has been the procuring cause of all our sufferings. " What then, were they the wicked above all^, And we the righteous ?- -No — none are clear. And none than we more guilty. But where all Stand chargeable with guilt, and to the shafts Of wrath obnoxious ; God may choose his mark = May punish if he |jlease, the less, to warn The more malignant. If he spar'dnot them. Tremble, and be amaz'd at thine escape -lest he spare not thee." COWPER. THE END. .£JL '10 V.