An Address to the Inhabitants of the Colonies | Page 5

I Beseech you, brethren, suffer this word of exhortation. Your souls are
precious. They are precious in the sight of God. They are precious to
the Lord Jesus Christ. They are precious in my esteem. Oh that you
yourselves were equally sensible of their value.
We have now been here almost five years. During this time, I trust, I
have been faithful in the discharge of my duty, faithful to my God, my
country, my conscience, and to your immortal souls.
I would, nay I do, humbly hope, that my labours have not been wholly
in vain. Some of you, I trust, have been convinced of your folly, sin and
danger; you have earnestly sought, and happily found mercy with God
through a Mediator. You can now approach him as a God reconciled, a
merciful Father and Friend, and are evidencing the reality of you
conversion, by an upright life and conversation.
But I must express my fear, that those of you, who are thus convinced
of sin, and converted to God, and reformed from your evil courses, are
comparatively very few. It is too evident, that the far greater part of you
discover no concern for religion. The Great God, the Lord Jesus Christ,
the Holy Spirit, death, judgment, eternity, heaven and hell,--these are
subjects which seldom, if at all, engage your attention; and therefore
you spend days, weeks, months and years, in a profane and careless
manner, though you are repeatedly informed and reminded in the most
plain, falthful, and alarming language I can use, that the wages of sin,
without repentance, is death,[Rom. vi. 23.] the curse of God, and the
eternal ruin and damnation of your souls!
Oh, I intreat you, brethren, to consider what is contained in these two

words, SALVATION and DAMNATION! The one implies every thing
that an immortal soul can want or desire to make it happy. The other
includes an idea, the most gloomy and dreadful that can be conceived.
The former will be the admiration of angels, and the song and joy of
the redeemed; the latter will be the torment of devils, and of all
impenitent sinners, for ever and ever [I Pet. i. 12.; Rev. vii. 9-17.; Rev.
xiv. 11.].
Remember likewise, that ere long, either this endless inconceivable
happiness, or unutterable misery will be your portion, or your doom,
and mine. Our glass of life is running away apace. Our time is fast
hastening to a period. Death is making sure and speedy strides towards
us daily, judgment is at hand, and the judge himself is at the door. And
oh! consider, when the breath we now draw shall depart, the tender
thread of life be cut, our state will be unalterably and for ever fixed;
either to live with God, with angels, and glorified saints, in heaven; or
to dwell with devils, in the darkness and torments of hell.
On these accounts your souls are, as I have already observed, very
precious, not only in the sight of God, but also to me. My brethren, God
is my record, how greatly I long after you all, in the bowels of Jesus
Christ.[Phil. i. 8.] Next to the salvation of own foul, nothing in this
world lies so near my heart, as the conversion and salvation of my
fellow creatures; and especially of you, over whom I am appointed
more immediately to watch, as one who must give an account [Heb. xiii.
17.].
And oh, my friends, if this affectionate, though plain address, should
answer my ardent wishes and prayers, if it should prove the happy
means of converting even one soul to God, I should indeed rejoice, as
one that findeth great spoil [Ps. cxix. 162.]. For once, at least,
endeavour to lift up your hearts with me in prayer to Almighty God, the
bountiful giver of all grace. He only can make this or any other means
effectual; and should it please Him of his abounding mercy to make a
saving impression upon your hearts, you will reap the happy fruits of it
in life, at death, and to eternity. Oh that the gracious spirit of the Lord
may open the eyes and the ears of all who may read or hear what I am
writing. May they who are asleep, awake! May they who are spiritually
dead, be made alive!
May backsliders from God be reclaimed! May every one be stirred up

to consider, What will become of him in another world! For who
amongst us can dwell with everlasting burnings? [Isa. xxxiii. 14.] Yet
such MUST be our lot, unless we repent. May the Lord God give, to
each of you, repentance unto life, that you may be holy in this world,
and happy in that which is to come!
My brethren, I trust I