s/ " V" ^ ' v ^ * ^ ~&> ^~- %MI1V3-:IO^ %0dl ^ A\\E UNIVERS/A ?r <s-, -&, * ^; ._ . _ rz <c z " I 1 nw-soi^ j ^ ,vlOS ANCEtfj> ^ S E R O.N s ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS. By the Rev. WILLIAM WOOLLCOMBE, M. A. Late PREBENDARY of EXETER, And RECTOR of EAST-WORLINGTON and LA.WRENCE-CLYST. PRINTED AND SOLD BY TREWMAN AND SON} SOLD ALSO BY MESSRS. RIVINCTON, ' 5T. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD, LONDON. ras ADVERTISEMENT. HE Editors of the following Difcourfes, cannot permit their publication, without expreflmg their regret for its long delay ; and afluring the Subfcribers that it has" been occafioned by circumftances, which, with the utmoft folicitude for dif- patch, could not poffibly 'be prevented. They wifh alfo, in juftice to the memory of their Author, to obferve, that they were not written with the remoteft idea of public in- jpeftion; otherwife they would, in a literary view, have poiTeffed greater pretenfions to the very refpe&able an^ liberal patronage and c bee with which they have oeen honoured. JULY 2, 1798. $~ 305444t noiib33Hl -lib TO! shu^iji ion op v/ T^f -.ai oikfoqlo * A LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS TO THI * SERMONS Late Rev. WILLIAM WOOLLCOMBE. t A. OWAGER Countefs Albermale, two Copies Lady Harriet Ackland, Pi6ton-Houfe, two Copies Lady Arnefton, Edinburgh, two Copies Lady Afhburton, two Copies Lady Aubrey Mr Abbot, Exeter Rev. Mr. Abrahams, Crewkerne Hugh Ackland, Efq. two Copies William Adams, Efq. M. P. Plympton, ten Copies Mr. Adams, Totnes, two Copies Mr. Jofeph Adams, Lifkeard Thomas Ad kin, Efq. two Copies b Thomas Thomas Allen, Efq. London, two Copies Nathaniel Allen, Efq. London, two Copies Rev. Mr. Alford, Heal-Houfe Rev. T. Alfop Mrs. Anderdon, Bath Mrs. Sufan Anderdon, Ditto Rev. John Andrew, Powderham Mrs. Arbouin, Bath Mrs. W. Armftrong Mifs Arfcott, Okehampton Mr. Afh, St. Germains^ Mr. Edward Afh, Briftol Mrs. Mary Afhley, Bath, two Copies Atwood, Efq. Ditto Warden of All Souls Anonymous { B. Her Grace the Duchefs of Buccleugh, two Capit Lord Bridport, two Copies Lady Bridport, two Copies Lady Georgiana Buckley, two Copies Lady Blantyre, Scotland Hon. Mifs Stuart Blantyre, Ditto Rev. Michael Babbs, Lyme Andrew Bain, Efq. Lainftow, Hants Sir George Baker, Bart. M. D. two Copies Dr. Thomas Baker, Loventor, ten Copies Mr. John Baker, Briftol, t-wo Copies Rev. Slade Baker, Ditto, two Copies Mr. John Baker, Eaft-Worlington, Devon Mr. T. Baker, Weft-Worlington, Ditto Mifs Ball, Bath Mifs Ball, Mevagifley, Cornwall Ret. Mr. Ball, Winfrith Rev. R. W. Bampfylde, Poltimore Mrs. E. Bampfylde, Bath ^ William Barbor, Efq. Fremington, Devon, four Copies Mrs. F. Baril, Winchefter-ftreet, London Charles Baring, Efq. Courtland, twenty Copies John Baring, Efq. M. P. Mount-Radford, ten Copies Sir John Barrington, Swanfton, Ifle of Wight, two Copies Mr. Bare, Puddington, two Copies Colonel Barnard, Bideford James Barnard, Efq. Crowcombe, Somerfet Mrs. Barnard, London Rev. Robert Cary Barnard, Withersfield, Suffolk Mrs. Barnard, Ditto Rev. Charles Drake Barnard Mr. G. Barne, Tiverton Archdeacon Barnes, Exeter, two Copies Mrs. Barnes, Ditto, two Copies b2 Mr. ( viii ) Mr. Barnes, Chrift-Church College, Oxon Mr. Barnes, Exeter College, Ditto James Barrow, Efq. London, two Copies Rev. William Barter, Timfbury, Prebendary of Wells, four Copies Rev. Robert Bartholomew, Exeter Subdean Barton, Exeter, ten Copies Mrs. Barton, Durrant Mifs C. Ba{Tet, Tehiddy-Park John Pollexfen Baftard, Efq. Kitley, fifteen Copies Edmund Baftard, Efq. Sharpham, ten Copies Bate, Efq. Royal Hofpital, Greenwich William Batterfby, Efq. Briftol Mr. Bathifcomb, Windfor Mrs. Poole Bathurft, Bath, two Copies Batt, Efq. New-Hall, Wilts, two Copies Mrs, Batt, Ditto Benjamin Baugh, Efq. Briftol, two Copies Mrs. Bailey, Exeter Rev. Edward Baynes Rev. R. Bawdon, Warkley, Southmolton Mifs Bearde, Penzance Mr. Beck, Frenchay, two Copies Bedford, Efq. Barrifter a.t Law, London Rev. William Bedford, Mary-Tavy, Devon Rev. Finney Belfield, Primleys, Devon, twenty Copies Mr. Mr. Belitha, Cornwall Mrs. Bellamy Benham, Efq. Mr. William Bennet, Organift, Plymouth Mr. John Bennet, Merchant, Ditto Rev. Mr. Benfon, London Rev. Edmond Benfon Mrs. Benfon Rev. George Bent, Sandford Mr. Berjew, Briftol, two Copies Mr. Bethell Mifs Bickford, Dunfland, two Copies Biddulph, Efq. Richard Bingham, Efq. Melcombe, Dorfet, ten Copies Mrs. Bingharn, Ditto^ ten Copies Mifs Bingham, Ditto, four Copies Mifs Leonora Bingham, Ditto, four Copies Lieutenant-Colonel Bingham, two Copies Dr. Bingham, Gaddefdon, Hants, two Copies Rev. Peregrine Bingham Rev. William Bingham, two Copies Rev. George Bingham, Pimperne, two Copies Mifs Bingham, Ditto, two Copies Mrs. Blackall, Exeter, two Copies Henry Blackall, Efq. Ditto Dr. Blackall, Ditto b 2 Mr. ( * ) Mr. T. Blackall, Ditto Rev. S. Blackall Mrs. Blackman, London Mrs. M. Blackman, Ditto Mrs. Blackmore, Hanfden, Herts Mrs. Blagrove, Bath Rev. John Blake, Redor of Shoreditch Rev. Mr. Blake, Crewkerne Jofeph Bland, Efq. London, two Copies Blicke, Efq South-Lambeth Mrs. Bloflett Richard Blundell, Efq. Tiverton, two Copies Mrs. Eoger, Smitham Mifs Bond, St. James's-fquare, Bath Mrs. Bonfoy, Ditto Mr. Thomas Bonville, Briftol Mrs. Borlafe, Cornwall Major Bothwell, Royal North Britim Dragoons Mrs. John Bourge, Caftle-Cary, Somerfet E. F. Bourke, Efq. Fort-Houfe, Briftol, two Copies Mrs. Bourke, Ditto, two Copies Mifs Bourke, Ditto, two Copies Mifs H. Bowdler Mrs. Bower, Ewerne, Dorfet Rev. William I ifle Bowles, M. A. Donhead, Wilts Mrs. Boyce, Bath Mrs. Mrs. Bracheu, Ditto Brand, Efq. Topfham, four Copies John Brathwayte, Efq. Bath, two Copies Edward William Bray, Efq. Taviftock Rev. Mr. Brereton, Canon Refidentiary, Litchfield, Leicefter i;?jyj Rev. Mr. Brereton, Exeter, frup Copies Mrs. Brereton, Ditto, two Copus ftev. Mr. Bromley Bryan Broughton, Efq. Loudhii O. P. Brown, Efq. Rev. Charles Prideaux Brune, Place, Cornwall, two Cufies Rev. Mr. Brutton, Sidmouth Rev. Mr. Bryant, Chifelborough * James Bryant, Efq. Tauntpn Mrs. Buck, Daddon Rev. Charles Buckland, Axminfter Rev. John Buckland Mr. Btickley, two Copies Rev. Dr. Buckner, Canon Refidentiary, Chichefter, favo Copies Rev. John Bull, Briftol Dr. Buller, late Bimop of Exeter, ten Copies Sir Francis Buller, Bart. Lupton, three Copies, James Buller, Efq. Downs, ten Copies Mr. Bullock, Bedford-Row, London, two Copies b 4 Mifs Mifs Ann Burd, Okehampton William Burlton, Efq. Mrs. P. Burlton, Bridgewater Mrs. Burlton Rev. T. Burrow, Inwardleigh Rev. Dr. Burnaby, Archdeacon of Leicefter Thomas Burnaford, Efq. Taviftock Mr. Burnard, Crewkerne Rev. George Burrington, Chudleigh, t<wo Copies John Burton, Efq. Jacob%>w, eleven Copies Charles Burton, Efq. Mrs. Bunney, Bath Rev. J. BulTel Rev. Thomas Butler,, Child-Okeford, Dorfet, two Copies Mr. B. by the Rev. Mr. Luke Mr. B. C. Countefs Dowager of Chatham Lord Clinton, four Copies Lord Craig Lady Camelford, two Copies Lady Anne Carleton, t<wo Copies Lady Catherine Courtenay, two Copies Lady Elizabeth Courtenay Hon. Mrs, Colt, Scotland Mifs Mifs Colt, Scotland Mrs. Cambridge Mrs. Campbell, Karbric Rev. James Camplin, Eaftbuiy, Dorfet, two Copies Mrs. Camplin, Ditto, two Copies Chapter of Canterbury, twenty Copies Rev. Cornelius Cardew, Truro, Cornwall Pole Carew, Efq. Rev. J. W. Carew, Bickleigh, Devon Rev. J. Carlyon, Truro, Cornwall Thomas Carlyon, Efq. Tregrehane Capt. Carlyon, Cornwall John Carpenter, Efq. Tavyton, two Copies Mrs. Carpenter, Ditto John Carpenter, Efq. Launcefton, two Copies Rev. Dr. Carpenter, Ditto Mr. Carpenter, Wincanton John Carthew, Efq. Cornwall Mr. Edmund Carthew, Lifkeard Mrs. Carthew, St. Auftle Mrs. Cartwright, Exeter, two Copies' Stephen Cave, Efq. Briftol, ten Copies Rev. Mr. Carwithen, Newton St. Cyres Mrs. Carwithen, Exeter George Cary, Efq. Torr- Abbey, and Mrs. Cary, four Copies R. R. Chalmers, Efq. Arthur Champernoun, Eq. Dartington, Devon } four Copies Rev. John Charter, Holne, Afhburton Thomas Chauntrell, Efq. London Biihop of Chefter, two Copies J. P. Chichefter, Efq. Arlington, Devon R. B. Cholwich, Efq. Farringdon Dean of Chrift's Chvirch Peter Churchill, Efq. Dawlifh Rev. John Churchill, Reclor of Eggesford, ten Copies Rev. M. Churchill, Prebendary, Exeter, two Copies Mifs J. F. Churchill, Ditto Mr. Churchill, Fellow of All Souls, Oxford Rev. Mr. Churchward, Goodleigh Rev. William Churchward, Goodleigh Mrs. Sarah Churchward R. H. Clarke, Efq. Bridwell, tiuo Copies Rev. Samuel Clarke, Belmont, Hants, two Copies Mrs. Clarke, Ditto, two Copies Rev. Thomas Clarke, Charmouth Mrs. Clarke, of Mavilbank, Scotland Mrs. Clavill, Smedmore, Dorfet, four Copies. William Clay, Efq. London, two Copies Rev. Benjamin Clay, Eaft- Wellington Mrs. Clay, Ditto Mr. Cleather, Plymouth Mr. Mr. Cleave, Attorney, Crediton John Cleveland, Efq. Tapley Mrs. T. Clutterbuck, Traro, Cornwall Mr. Andrew Cobley, Eaft-Worlington, two Copies Rev. T. Cockayne, Stapleton, Glocefter Rev. John Pyne Coffin, Portlege, Devon, ten Copies Rev. Chades Pyne Coffin, Eaft-Down, Devon, two Copies Rev. W. H.,poham, Black Torrington John Cole, Efq. Exeter, /w Copies James Colley, Efq. Little Torrington B. F. ColemSn, Efq. Briftol, twoUopies Mrs. Collins, Trevathen, two Copi/s Mifs Collins George Collyns, Efq. Mr. Collyns, Kenton Mrs. Colmore, tbndon Rev. J. Comins, Re*5lor of Rackenfonl Rev. D^Conybeare Rev. Dr. G6)ke, Oxford, ten Copies Mr. Richard Cook, Weft-Worlington Mr. Coppleftone, Oxford Rev. Charles Coppleftone, Re6tor of Radcliffe Mr. P. Cornifh, Surgeon, Exeter,^tuo Copies Dr. Cornwall, Dean of Canterbury, ten Copies ' ^ & ' John Coryton, Efq, Cracadon, Conn\*ll, ten Copies Rev. R. T. Cory v, ^ - , Rev. J. Cory, Coftifloft, Cornwall MifsCory, Ditto Mifs E. Cory, Ditto Dr. Courtenay, Bifhop of Exeter, two Copies Mrs. Coufe, Falmouth Rev. Mr. Cox, Stockland Mr. Coxe General Craig Robert Craig, Efq. Advocate, Scotland Rev. William Crakelt, London Rev. Charles Crawley, Clift St. Mar)', De*n Mrs. Crofsley, Bath Rev. Dr. Cruwys, Cruwys-Morchard William Cubbin, Efq. Liverpool Dr. Cudlipp, Launcefton John Culme, Efq. Plymouth, four Copies Rev. J. P. Gumming, New College, Oxon, two Copies Rev. Mr. Curtis, All Souls, fix Copies Edward Curtis, Efq. Oriel College, two Copies Rev. Robert Cutcliffe, Seaton D. Earl of Darnley, two Copies Earl of Dalkeith, two Copies Lady Grace Doua^as, Cavers, two Copies Mrs. Douglas, Ditto Lord ( xvii ) Lord Dunfinnan Hon. Lord De Dunftanville, Tehiddy-Park Cornwall Hon. Lady De Dunftanville Lord Downe, Edinburgh, fix Copies Lady Downe, Ditto Right Hon. Henry Dundas, fix Copies Hon. Mrs. Drummond, Bath Mrs. Dale Nathaniel Dalton, Efq. Shank's-Houfe, Somerfet Mrs. Dalton Mifs Dalton, Pitcombe Mrs. Darner, Bath Thomas Daniell, Efq. Mincing-Lane, London, Copies Thomas Daniell, Efq. Briftol, twenty Copies Samuel Daniell, Efq. Yeovil, Somerfet, two Dr. Daniell, M. D. Crewkerne, two Copies Ralph Allen Daniell, Efq. Truro Mrs. Daniell, Ditto Philip Danfey, Efq. two Copies Mr. Danfey, Blandford Mrs. J. Danfey, Ditto Rev. A. Daubeny, Briftol, two Copies Mr. Jofeph Daubeney Mifs Daubuz, Cornwall Sir John Davie, Bart. Creedy, Devon, ten Copies Rev. ( xviii ) Rev. Charles Davie, Buckland, two Copies Mrs: C. Davies, two Copies Mr. Davies Ferdinand De Mierre, Efq. London, two Copies Rev. Dr. De Salis Mrs. Deacon, James-Street, Weftminfter Rev. William Dean, Great Torrington Nicholas Dennys, Efq. Afhley, Devon, four Copies Alderman Dennis, Exeter John Devayne, Efq. New-Street, Dorfet John Devaynes, Efq. New Bond-Street Rev. Richard Dibbin, Fontmill Rev. Mr. Dicken, Witheridge, Devon Rev. Edward Dickenfon, B.D. Redor of St. Mary Stafford Rev. Henry Dillon, Lilkearde Mr. diaries Dilly, fix Copies Mifs Dixon, London Rev. John Dobfon, Bath Rev. Robert Doidge, two Copies Sir William Dolben, Bart. M. P. James Douglas, Efq. London, four Copies Rev. Mr. W. Douglas, Salifbury Mr. Dove, Wincanton John Downman, Efq. London, Jlx Copies Dr. Downman, Exeter, four Copies Rev. Mr. Drake, Crewkerne Rev. Rev. Mr. Draper, Crewkerne Thomas Rofe Drewe, Efq. Wotton-Houfe William Drewe, Efq. Spring-Gardens Archibald Drummond, M. D. Ridgeway, Glocefter, four Copies Andrew Drummond,! Efq. Ditto, four Copies Mrs. Drummond Robert Dundas, Efq. four Copies Mrs. Chriftian Dundas, Melville-Caftle, Scotland, to Copies Mrs. Mary Knight Damer, Bridgewater Mr. B. Dunfterville, Surgeon, Plymouth Mr. John Dunfterville, Exeter College, Oxon S. Dupuy, Efq. Taunton, two Copies Mifs Dupuy, Ditto E. Right Hon. Countefs Dowager Ely, Bath Right Hon. Lord and Lady Eliot, Jix Copies Hon. John Eliot, Port Eliot Mifs Eliot, Ditto Lord Eikgrove, Edinburgh Mr. Bales, Plymouth Mifs Eaftcott Rev. H. R. Edwards Rev. W. E. Edwards, Redland, two Copies Rev. Rev. J. Edwards, Redtor of Berry Pomeroy Mr. Edwards, London, two Copies Samuel Edwards, Efq. Gotham, Gloucester William Egerton, Efq. Rev. Charles Egerton, Thorncombe William Elford, Efq. M. P. Bickham Jonathan Elford, Efq. Plymouth-Dock Rev. William Ellicombe, Alphington Rev. H. Ellicombe Mr. Elliker Mr. Ellis, Wincanton Mifs Ellis, Exeter, two Capias John Elmefley, Efq. Fellow of Oriel College, ten Copies Rev. William Elfton, Weft-Down Robert Cary Elwes, Efq. Rev. Mr. Eton, Archdeacon of Middlefex Rev. Mr. Evans, Eton Mrs. Evans, Bath Rev. Dr. Eveleigh, Provoft of Eton, two Copies Reftor of Exeter College, Qxon F. Earl Fortefcue, ten Copies Lady Fortefcue, ten Copies Hon. Capt. Fortefcue, ten Copies Thomas Falconer, Efq. Bath Mr*. Mrs. Faneuil, Stonehoufe John Fanfliawe, Efq. Wimpole-Street Mrs. Fanihawe, Ditto Mifs Fanfhawe, Ditto Mifs C. Fanihawe, Ditto Rev. R. Farmer Mrs. Fazerkerly, Jix Copies Jofeph Feltham, Efq. Hinton, Somerfetfhirc Rev. Mr. Fewtrell, Crewkerne Profeflbr Finlayfon Rev. Peter Fiiher, Little Torrington Mifs Fiiher Mrs. Foley, Bath Rev. John Follett, Tiverton Mr. Foote, Southmolton A. Forbes, Efq. of Culloden Rev. Mr Forrefter, Thurfton, Leicefter Inglet Fortefcue, Efq. Mrs. Fortefcue, Dawlifh, two Copies Mifs M. Fortefcue, two Copies Rev. Mr. Fofs, Arlington Rev. Dr. Fofter, Eton, two Copies Dr. Fothergill, Bath Rev. Peter Fowkes, two Copies Rev. Thomas Fownes, Kittery, two Copies Rev. F. Foxcroft, Winterbourn, two Copies c Mrs. < xxii ) Mrs. Fraine, Bath A Friend, two Copies, by Mrs. Vivian, Pencarlinick Ditto, two Copies, by Ditto Mr. William Fripp, Briftol Mrs. Froome, Salifbury, two Copies Rev. Robert Hurrell Froude, Totnefs, four Copies Rev. James Furneaux, Plymouth Rev. Peter Wellington Furfe, Halfdon Philip Furze, Efq. Briftol G. Earl of Grofvenor, two Copies Hon. Mifs Gray, Edinburgh Lady Glanville Lord Grenville, ten Copies Lord Gwydir, two Copies Henry Gaily, Efq. two Copies Rev. J. Gandy, Re6tor of Old Church, Plymouth, and Prebendary of Exeter Cathedral, ten Copies John Gape, Efq. Bath, two Copies Mr. Joel Gardener, Briftol, two Copies Mrs. Joel Gardener, Ditto, two Copies Rev. Mr. Garnett, Prebendary of Winchefter Mrs. Gamier Dr. Galking, Plymouth Mr. Gater, Exeter, two Copies Rev. ( xxiii ) Rev. Nicholas Gay, Vicar, Up-Ottery Mifs Gay, Cloifter-Hall Mifs Gennys, Stonehoufe, Plymouth, two Copies A gentleman, ten Copies, by the Rev. Mr. Karflake A Gentleman, Eton, four Copies A Gentleman, two Copies A Gentleman, by Mrs. Prideaux A Gentleman, by the Rev. J. Churchill Rev. John Gibbons, Bath Rev. Mr. Gibbons, Windfor Vicary Gibbs, Efq. London, ten Copies Mifs Gibbs, Heywood-Houfe, Wilts, ten Copies Mr. Gidley, Crewkerne Walter Rawleigh Gilbert, Efq. Pnory-Houfe,/<wr Copies Mrs. W. R. Gilbert, Ditto, four Copies Rev. Edmond Gilbert Mifs Catherine Gilbert Rev. William Gillett, Gloucefter .* . Dr. Girod, Exeter F. Glanville, Efq. Catch-French Mrs. Glanville, Ditto Dr. Glafs, Greenford Rev. George Glafs, Ditto Rev. Thomas Glubb, Exeter College, Oxon John Warren Glubb, Efq. Torrington Rev. Peter Glubb, Re&or of Langtree c 3 Mrs. ( XXIV ) Mrs. Glynn, Crefcent, Bath Rev. Mr. Goodall, Eton Robert Goodden, Efq. Compton, Dorfet, two Copies Wyndham Goodden, Efq. Clifton Mifs Goodden, Bath Mrs. Goodenough, Wigmore-Street, London, two Copies Mrs. Goodford, Yeovil, Somerfet, two Copies Rev. Mr. Gordon, Chaplain of Exeter Cathedral, ten Copies Mrs. Gordon, Hartland Rev. Charles Gore, Henbury, Gloucefier, two Copies Mrs. Gore, Dunfcombe George Gould, Efq. Upway, Dorfet Rev. Robert Gould, Motherton, Devon * Edmund Granger, Efq. Exeter^ two Copies Mr. William Gravener, Briftol Mrs. Graves, Bath Thomas Greening, Efq. Ditto, two Copies Mrs. W. Gregor Pafcoe Grenfill, Efq. Marazion, two Copies William Grey, Efq. Crewkerne Mrs. Grills, Helftone, two Copies Mifs Grills, Ditto Rev. R. P. Grills, Ditto Rev. Thomas Grove, Meer, Wilts Rev. Mr. Guirdner, Eton Nathaniel ( XXV ) Nathaniel Gundry, Efq. two Copies Mrs. Gundry, two Copies Mrs. M. Gundry, Richmond, two Copies Thomas Gundry, Efq. Dewliih, Dorfet, twa Copies Rev. Dr. Gunning, two Copies Mrs. Gunning John Gunfton, Efq. Bath Mrs. Gwatkin, Ditto Capt. Gwennapp, Bideford H. Earl of Hardwicke, twenty Copies Earl of Hadington, four Copies Lady Harewood, four Copies Lady Hamilton Lady Hope Hon. Mrs. Hood Lord Hawkefbury, two Copies Lord Vifcount Hood, two Copies Hon. Henry Hood Rev. William Hains, Vicar of Overton, two Copies Mrs. Hale, Ingfdon, four Copies Dr. Hall, Bodmin John Hallett, Efq. Mifterton, Somerfet Rev. Richard Hallett, Stedcombe Rev. Richard Hammett, Hartland c3 Sir ( xxvi ) Sir Alexander Hamilton, Retreat, Devon Hamilton, Efq. Curzon-Street, May-Fair Mr. Robert Hamlyn, Bideford Mrs. Hamlyn, Pafcoe Rev. Mr. W. Hannington R. Harding, Efq. two Copies Rev. Dr. Hardwicke, Sodbury, Gloucefter, two Copies George Hardwicke, M. D. Ditto, two Copies Mrs. Hare, Plymouth Edward Harford, Efq. Briftol, four Copies Jofeph Harford, Efq. Ditto, four Copies John Scandret Harford, Efq. Ditto Samuel Lloyd Harford, Efq. Ditto, four Copies ' Charles Jofeph Harford, Efq. Ditto, four Copies James Butler Harris, Efq. Powy's-Place, London Mrs. Harris, Bath Mifs Harris, Hayne, Cornwall Mrs. Harris, Truro Mrs. Harris, Rofewarne Mr. Harrifon, four Copies Mifs Harrifon, Bath C. B. Hart, Efq. Sidborough Mr. Harpur, Surgeon, Truro Mifs Harpur, Redruth William Hawker, Efq. Poundisford, Somerfet Mifs Hawker, Ditto Mrs. ( xxvii ) Mrs. Hawker, Long-Parifh, Eton, two Copies Mrs. Hawkins, Kelfton-Houfe, Bath Stephen Hawtrey, Efq. Mrs. L. Hawtrey, Eton Mrs. F. Hawtrey, Ditto James Hay, Efq. Drumellier, Scotland Mrs. Hay, Ditto Mrs. Hay Mr. Haydon, Crewkerne John Hayes, Efq. Rev. George Hayter, Me of Wight, two Copies Mrs. Hearle, Helligan Rev. Dr. George Heath, Eton, ten Copies Mrs. Heath, Ditto Rev. Dr. Heath, Ditto Rev. Canon Heberden, Exeter, ten Copies Dr. Heberden, Pall-Mall, two Copies Dr. William Heberden, Down-Street, Berkly.Sqnare, two Copies G. Heinzalman, Efq. Heavitree, Devon William Helyar, Efq. Coker, Somerfet, twenty Copies Mrs. Helyar, Ditto, ten Copies Edward Helyar, Efq. Ditto, two Copies Wefton Helyar, Efq. Newton Ferrers, Cornwall, two Copies Mifs Helyars, Bath, ten Copies c4 Mrs. - ( xxviii ) Mrs. Herring, Great Torrington Rev. Dr. Hey, Canon, Chrift-Church, four Copies Mrs. Heyes, Bath John Heywood, Efq. Inner-Temple, two Copies. Mr. William Hicks, Exeter Mr. E. Hicker, Richmond Mr. John Hiern, Torrington Rev. Mr. Hiern, Stoke, Devon James Hill, Efq. two Copies Mrs. Hill Richard Hill, Efq. Plymouth-Lodge, Cardiff Thomas Hill, Efq. Briftol Rev. Mr. Hill, Tawftock, Devon John Hilton, Efq. two Copies Rev. Mr. Hinde, Eton R. Hippefley, Efq. Rev. H. Hippefley Henry Hoare, Efq. Fleet-Street Mrs. Hoare, Ditto Mr. C. Hoare, Dawlifh Mifs Hodfon Mrs. Holdfworth, Dartmouth, ten Copies Rev. Thomas Hole, Ham, Devon Rev. H. A. Hole, Re&or of Chumleigh Rev. Jofhua Hole, Vicar of Burrington Rev. William Holland, Bath, two Copies Mrs. ( xxix ) Mrs. Holland, Portfmouth Mrs. Hoi man, Bath John Holmes, Efq. Mr. William Holmes, Exeter Mrs. Ann Holwell, Ditto, two Copies Rev. John Honey, Lifkearde Rev. John Honywood, Bath Mr. John Hofegood, Weft-Worlington, Devon Thomas Hofldns, Efq. Haflebury, Somerfet, two Copies William Hofkins, Efq. Perrcft-Houfe, two Copies Rev. David Horndon, t-wo Copies . Rev. Thomas Horndon, Bath Rev. Canon Howell, Exeter, ten Copies David Howell, Efq. four Copies Mrs. Howell, Bath, two Copies Mifs Howell, Ditto Mrs. Hudfon, Exeter Henry Hughes, Efq. William Hunt, Efq. Rev. William Hunt, Plymouth Mrs. Hurrel, and Mifs Davie, two Copies I. Hon. Mrs. Irby Sir James Norcliffe Innes, Bart. Innes-Houfe Lieutenant-Colonel Incledon, Firft Regiment ( XXX ) R. N. Incledon, Efq. Pilton, Devon Jolhua Ironmonger, Efq. Mrs. Ironmonger Mrs. Irwin, London Mifs Ifaac, two Copies Mr. D'Ifraelli, London E.I. William Jackfon, Efq. Exeter, ten Copies William Jackfon, Efq. Junr. Cowley, twenty Copies Thomas Jackfon, Efq. Secretary of Legation, at Turin, ten Copies F. J. Jackfon, Efq. two Copies William Bickford Jackfon, Efq. Bideford William Adair Jackfon, Efq. South-Sea-Houfe Eev. Dr. Jackfon Rev. J. Jago, Vicar of Milton Abbott Mifs Jago, MevagifTey Jarvoife Clerk Jarvoife, Efq. Belmont, Hants, two Copies. Thomas Clerk Jarvoife, Efq. Ditto, two Copies Rev. J. R. I'Ans Mrs. Jeffery, Bath, four Copies Mrs. Jenny, Truro Mifs Jenny, Ditto Mr. Jefle Richard Johns, Efq. Helftone Mrs. Johns William ( xxxi ) William Johnfon, Efq. London William Johnfon, Efq. King's College, Cambridge Thomas Jones, Efq. Stapleton, Gloucefter, four Copies Rev. Dr. Jones, Archdeacon of Hereford, two Copies Rev. Thomas Jones, Hill-Houfe, two Copies Rev. Richard Jones, Charfield Mr. William Jones, No. 141, Bond-Street, London Mr. Jones, Eton Mrs. Jones, Blandford Mrs. Joy K. Rev. Mr. Karflake, Bifhop's-Nympton, two Copies Mr. William Karflake Mr. Keate Rev. Mr. Keats, King's Nympton Mr. James Kemp, Truro Rev. Nicholas Kendal, Pelyn Rev. Mr. Kerrick Thomas Kevill, Efq. Trevenfan, two Copies Mr. Mervin King, Exeter Richard Kingdon, Efq. Barum Mr. Kipling Charles Kitfon, Efq. ten Copies Rev. Walter Kitfon, Exeter, two Copies Rev. E. A. Kitfon, Ditto, two Copies Rev. ( xxxii ) Rev. Thomas Kitfon, Shiphay Rev. William Kitfon, Torquay Mrs. Knapton, Dorfet L. Lady Langham, Cavendim-Square, London, two Copies Madam Lambert, Wales Thomas Lane, Efq. Coffleet, ten Copies A Lady, by Ditto, twenty Copies A Lady unknown, to be fent to Mrs. Welsford, Totnes, twelve Copies A Lady unknown, to be fent to Ditto, ten Copies A Lady unknown, to be fent to Ditto, fix Copies A Lady, four Copies A Lady A Lady, Bath A Lady Rev. J. Lamb, Vicar of Banbury, Oxford Rev. John Land, Thruifclk, two Copies Mifs Land, Dartmouth Mr. Philip Lane, Morchard-Biihop Rev. Dr.* Langford, Eton Rev. Mr. E. Langford, Ditto Rev. Dr. Law, Archdeacon of Rochefter, two Copies Mrs. Le Fevre, Bedford-Square, London, two Copies George Leach, Efq. Plymouth Thomas ( xxxiii ) Thomas Leare, Efq. Sandwellj Devon Mr. Lee, Ilfracombe Mrs. Lee, Bath Rev. Mr. Leeves, Ditto Mr. Leicefter, Eton Rev. George Leigh, Ellicombe, Somerfet, two Copies Rev. Charles Lethbridge, St. Stephen's, Cornwall Mr. Chriftopher Lethbridge, Launcefton Nathaniel William Lewis, Efq. Bath Mrs. Lewis, t-wo Copies Mrs. Lewis John Ley, Efq. Trehill, two Copies Henry Ley, Efq. Exeter, two Copies Mrs. Ley, Afliprington Rev. Jacob Ley, Reftor of Ditto Rev. Mr. Ley, Shobrooke Mr. George Ley, Cockington Mrs. Lillington, Bath Rev. Mr. Linch, Archdeacon of Canterbury, twenty Copies Sir Henry Lippencott, Bart. Stike, Gloucefter, two Copies Rev. Mr. London, two Copies Matthew Louis, Efq. Calcutta, Bengal, ^/y Copies Mifs Louis, Edinburgh, ten Copies Capt. Louis, of the Navy, ten Copies Mr. I ( xxx iv ) Mr. Louis, Exeter Mifs Elizabeth Louis, Ditto, four Copies Mifs F. E. Louis, Ditto, four Copies Mifs S. Louis Robert Harvey Lovell, Efq. Coal -Park, four Copies Dr. Lovell, Briftol Rev. T. M. Lovering, Pinhoe Thomas Lowfield, Efq. Bath, two Copies Rev. Mr. Luce, Plymouth Abraham Ludlow, M. D. Briftol, ten Copies Abraham Ludlow, Junr. Efq. Royal North Britim Dra- goons, ten Copies Rev. Mr. Luke, Exeter, two Copies John Fownes Luttrell, Efq. Dunfter Caftle Francis Fownes Luttrell, Efq. two Copies Rev. Mr. Luxmoore, Prebendary of Canterbury, ten Copies Henry Luxmoore, Efq. Okehampton Mr. T. B. Luxmoore, Ditto Mrs. Charles Luxmoore, Ditto Rev. Coryndon Luxmoore, Brideftow Rev. John Luxton Rev. Rickard Lyne, St. Ives, Cornwall Rev. Philip Lyne, L. L. D. Vicar of Mevagiffey Dr. Lyfons, Bath, two Copres A. L. Ditto Earl a ( xxxv ) M. I * Earl of Moray, ten Copes Dowager Lady Molefworth, Cornwall, four Copies Lord Montague, two Copies Hon. Mr. Marlliara Hon. Mrs. Marfliam, two Copies Sir William Molefworth, Bart. Pencarrow, Cornwall Lady Molefworth, Ditto John Mackrafs, Efq. John Mallet, Efq. Speccott Mifs Ann Mallet, Taunton Mrs. Mander, Truro Mrs. John Manley Richard Manfel, Efq. Bath Mifs March, Briftol, two Copies Rev. R. J. Marker, Uffculme Major-General Marfh, Bolton-Row Rev. George Marm, Critchel, Devon Rev. Edward Marfhall, Breage, Cornwall William Matters, Efq. Rev. William Matters, Vicar of Sparfhold, Hants James Martin, Efq. Temple, two Copies Mifs Martin, Seaborough Mrs. Martyn, Bath, two Copies Rev. J. Maule, Park-Row, Greenwich Rev, ( xxxvi ) Rev. James May, Cheldon John Mayo, Efq. Bath Mrs. Meddon Mrs. Medlycott, Ven-Houfe, Dorfet Rev. Mr. Meekins, Oxford Richard Melluilh, Efq. Witheridge, two Copies J. Merry, Efq. London, two Copies Warden of Merton College, Oxon, two Copies John Merrivale, Efq. Devon, four Copies. Mr. Meffer, Surgeon Jofeph Metford, Efq. two Copies. Mifs Michell, Redruth Mifs Middletons, Hill-Street, Berkley-Square, two Copies John Milford, Efq. Exeter, two Copies Richard Milford, Efq. Bath William Miles, Efq. Clifton, four Copies Rev. William Millars, Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge Mils Millar, Queen's-Street, May-Fair, London Mifs Milles, Ditto Langford Millington, Efq. London George Mills, Efq. Mrs. Mills Rev. William Forord Mitchell, Rector of Throwleigh Mrs. Mitchell, Dewlifli, Dorfet Abraham Moore, Efq. Temple, two Copies, Mrs. ( xxxvii ) Mrs. Moore, Grampound Rev. Archdeacon Moore, Exeter, ten Copies Rev. William Moore, Senr. Southtawton, two Copies Rev. William Moore Rev. Thomas Moore, Bifhop's Tawton Rev. Edward Moore, Oxford Rev. Mr. Montgomery, Vicar of Stewkly, two Copies Mr. R. Montgomery Rev. H. Morgan, Canon, Hereford General Morrifon, No. 62, Upper Seymour-Street Mrs. E. Morrifon, Bideford Rev. H. Morrifon, Yeovale Rev. T. Morrifon P. Morihead, Efq. Widey, two Copies Mrs. Mortimer Mifs Moyle, Park-Row, Greenwich Rev. Mr. Mules, Ilminfter Mrs. Munday, Budleigh-Salterton Mr. Murray N. His Grace the Duke of Northumberland, four Copies Lady Napier, Bath, two Copies Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, fae Copies Mrs. T. Nankivel Richard Nelmes, Efq. Briftol, two Copies d ' Rev, ( xxxviii ) Rev. Mr. New Newcorabe, Efq. Teignmouth, two Copies John Nicholas, Efq. Mincing-Lane Mrs. Nicholls, Terriff, Cornwall, two Copies Dr. Nowell, Principal of St. Mary's-Hall, Oxford, two Copies Rev. Chancellor Nutcombe, Exon, two Copies George Nutcombe, Efq. two Copies Mifs Nutcombe O. Rev. Henry Oglander, Fairy-Hill, Ifle of Wight Rev. Newton Ogle, D. D. Dean of Winchefter Mifs Oke Mr. Parry Okeden Paul Orchard, Efq. Hartland- Abbey, ten Copies Mrs. Ouchterloney, Toplham Mrs. Ourry Mr. Owen, London Right Hon. Earl Paulet, two Copies Lady Paulet, Lyme, Dorfet Loid and Lady Portfmouth, ten Copies Lady Porchefter, Pixton Houfe, two Copies Lady ( xxxix ) Lady Pellew, Flufhing The Lord Prefident, Edinburgh Hon. Philip Percy, four Copies Hon. Mrs. Paterfon Francis Page, Efq. Lawrence Palk, Efq. Haldon-Houfe, fifteen Copies Walter Palk, Efq. Marley Houfe Rev. Lawrence Panting, two Copies Thomas Parlby, Efq. Stone Hall, two Copies John Partridge, Efq. Great Torrington John Patch, Efq. London George Paterfon, Efq. Caftle Huntley, Scotland Mrs. Patterfon, Ditto, two Copies William Payne, Efq. Briftol, two Copies Mrs. Pellew, Falmouth Rev. Robert Penny, D. D. Reftor of Cromhall, and Chaplain to his Grace the Duke of Beaufort, two Copies Rev. John Penrofe, Carwarthenick, Cornwall Mrs. M. Penrofe, Ditto Mrs. Charles Penrofe, Breage, Ditto Rev. Thomas Penwarne, Cornwall Mr. Perfect, Wincanton Peter Perring, Efq. four Copies Rev. John Perring, by Mr. F. Barnes Rev. John Perry, Herts, two Copies d 2 Mrs. Mrs. Perry, Herts, two Copies Mrs. Peppin, Dulverton, Somerfet Henry Peters, Efq. No. 50, Park-ftreet Mrs. Peters, Ditto Sir John Philips, Newport Houfe, Cornwall, two Copie> Rev. J. Phillips, Merabury Mifs Phillips, Ditto Mrs. Phillips, Topfham Mr. Pickford, Oriel College, Oxford, two Copies Mifs Mary Pierce, Exeter Mrs. Pigott, Dartmouth Arthur Pigott, Efq. Powys Place Mifs F. D. Pindar, Treliffick, Cornwall Mrs. Pinny, Upper Charlotte-ftreet John Platel, Efq. London Mrs. Pleydell, Blandford, forty Copies Mifs Pleydell, Ditto, two Copies Mifs Mary Pleydell, Ditto, two Copies Mrs. Mary Pleydell, Twickenham, two Copies Mrs. Cornelia Pleydell, Ditto, two Copies Major Pleydell, Dorfet, two Copies Edmund Morton Pleydell, Efq. Whatcombe, Ditto, four Copies Rev. Mr. Plumptree, Pref. Worcefter Sir John De la Pole, Shute Houfe Mifs Polwhele, Truro Mrs. Mrs. Poole, Bath Rev. Mr. Poole, Oriel, two Copies Rev. Henry Pooley, Truro Mr. Jofeph Porter, London Rev. Mr. Poulter, Prebendary, Winchefter Mrs. Poor, Salisbury Richard Newdicote Poynty, Efq. Tormartin, Gloucefter Rev. Mr. Price, Merriott, Somerfet, two Copies Mr. Samuel Price, Eaft Worlington Rev. John Price-, Keeper of the Bodleian Lib. Oxford Rev. Richard Price, Lamerton Mrs. Prideaux, Bath, four Copies A Gentleman, by Mrs. Prideaux Mr. Prowfe, Exeter Arthur Puckey, Efq. Liflteard, two Copies Mrs. Puckey, Ditto Mrs. Putt, Brideftow Rev. Thomas Putt, Corpus College, Oxford, two Copies Rev. Edward Pyne, Eaft Down, Devon Mr. William Pyne, Briftol Lady Francis Quin Mrs. Quenoualt, Taunton Mrs. Quicke, Bath, two Copies d3 Lord R. Lord Rolle, Stevenfton<% ten Copies Hon. Lord Romney Lady Rofs, Bath Hon. Mr. Juftice Rook Richard Coppleftone Radcliffe, Stoke Rev. John Radford, Lapford Mifs Rae, Edinburgh Mrs. Rambouillet, Bath Rev. Dr. Randolph, Ditto, two Copies Rev. Dr. Randolph, Regius Profefibr of Divinity, Oxford P. Rafhleigh, Efq. Menabilly, Cornwall Charles Raihleigh, Efq. St. Auftle JMifs Redwood, Bath Richard Reed, Efq. Trevalas, Cornwall Dr. Remmet, Plymouth, two Copies Mr. Rendall, Wincanton Mrs. Reynolds, Penair, Truro, two Copies Rev. George Rhodes, Colyton, Devon Philip Richards, Efq. Penryn Rev. John Richards Mrs. Richards, Cambourne Rev. William Richards, Stour Provoft, Dorfet Mr. T. Ridout, Scaborough Mr. John Ridout, Ditto, Somerfet William ( xliii ) William Roberts, Efq. Exeter, four Copies Mifs Roberts, Penryn, Cornwall Rev. Mr. Roberts Mr. Thomas Roberts, Briftol Mifs Robinfon, Helfton Mr. Robinfon Lieut-Colonel Rodd, Trebartha, Cornwall, fix Copies Mrs. H. Rodd R. Rofenhagen, Efq. Royal Hofpital, Greenwich, Jix Copies Rev. J. Rowe, Alfcott, Devon James Rowe, Efq. Ditto, two Copies Mifs D. M. Rowe Mrs. P. Rowe, London Mifs Rowe, Tiverton, two Copies Rev. John Ruflel E. R. Countefs of Strafford Lady Anne Stuart, Scotland, ten Copies Lady Sommers Hon. Arch. Stuart, Blandford, four Copies The Biftiop of Salisbury Rev. Mr. Salmon, Crewkerne d 4 Rev. . ( xliv ) Rev. Thomas Saltren, Petticombe Mrs. Sambell, Mevagifley Capt Samber, Navy Robert Dundas Sanders, Efq. Mifs Sandfords, Bath Mrs. Sandford, Walford, Somerfetfhire Mrs. Sandford, Ninehead J. Satterthwayte, Efq. London Mrs. Sawle, Penryn, Cornwall, two Copies Mifs Bridget Sawle, Exeter, four Copies Mrs. Sayre, Bath, two Copies Mrs. Sayre, two Copies Sir William Scott J. B. Sealy, D. D. F. R. S. Stefted, Effex Mifs Sealey, Bridgewater Mrs. Segre Mrs. J. Senhoufe, Mincing-Lane, London Mrs. Sheere, Bideford Rev. George Sherrard Mrs. Sherrard John Jeffery Short, Efq. Exeter, ten Copies Mrs. Shute, Stapleton, Glouceflerfliire, two Copies Rev. Mr. Shute, Ditto, two Copies Thomas Shute, Efq. Wotton Mr. Sigmond, Bath, two Copies Mrs. Sillifant Mifs Mils Sinclair Rev. Mr. Sirvage, Eton, four Copies Sir John Skinner, two Copies Mrs. Skinner, Clofe, Exeter, two Copies Rev. Dr. John Skinner Rev. Richard Slade, Torrington Rev. Richard Sleeman Charles Smith, Efq. Queen Anne's-ftreet, Weftminfter, two Copies Mr. H. Smyth, Royal Hofpital, Greenwich Rev. Stafford Smyth, Prior Park, Bath . Charles Smyth, Efq. Rev. William Smyth, Bideford, four Copies Rev. William Southmead, Redor of Gidley . Mr. Ifaac Spaiks, Ditto John Span, Efq. Briftol, fwo Copies T. Sparkes, Efq. Ditto Mr. Speare, No. 5, Leadenhall-ftreet, two Copies Mr. George Spencer, Eaft Worlington Thomas Splatt, Efq. Brixton, two Copies Rev. Chriftopher Spry Rev. Mr. Spurway, Pilton, Devon Rev. William Spunvay, Barnftaple Mrs. St. Aubyn, Bath Rev. Mr. Stabback Mrs. Stackhoufe, Pendaroes Mr. ( xlvi ) Mr. Jofeph Staines, Ironmonger Mrs. Stapleton, Burton Pynfent, Somerfet Mifs Staunton, New Norfolk-ftreet Rev. W. M. Stawell, Southmolton Rev. Charles Steer, Axminfter Mifs Sterling, Scotland Mifs Sterling, Keir, Ditto Rev, Dr. Stevens Rev, Mr. Stevenfon, Eton James Still, Efq. Knoyle, Wilts, two Copies Rev. John Still, Ditto, two Copies Mrs. Still, Ditto. Mifs Stona Thomas Strong, Efq. Lympftone, two Copies Andrew Strahan, Efq. London Rev. Dr. Sturges, Chanc. Dioc. Winton, ten Copies Mrs. Sumbell Mr. William Sunter, Afhburton Mr. Jofeph Sunter, Ditto Button, Efq. New Park, Wilts, two Copic', Mrs. Sutton, Ditto, two Copies Mr. William Swanfon Rev. Thomas Sweet Mrs. Sweet, Kentifbury Mrs. Symons Mifs Symons Mr, ( xlvii ) Mr. William Symons, Plymouth Mr. James Renal Syms Lady Talbot Right Hon. Lady Charlotte Townfliend Lady Tynte, Hafwel, Somerfet, two Copies Prefident of Trinity College, Oxon Henry Tahourdin, Efq. London, two Copies Rev. Robert Tarrant, Exeter, two Copies Mr. Tatnell, Greenwich 'Mrs. Mary Tatnell, Ditto Dr. Tauntori, Bath Mrs. Taunton, Truro Mrs. Pearce Taylor, Ogwill, two Copies Thomas Taylor, Efq. Denbury, two Copies Rev. Mr. Taylor, Clifton, two Copies Rev. Edward Taylor, Bifrous, Kent, two Copies D. Taylor, Efq. Wotton Underedge Rev. J. Templar, Lindridge, four Copies Rev. John Templeman, Sopen, Somerfet Rev. Thomas Thelwall, M. A. Mrs. Theobald John Thomas, Efq. Rev. G. A. Thomas, Maize Hill, Greenwich Mr. Thorne, Wincanton Rev. ( xlviii ) Rev. F, Thurlfton, Leicefterfhire Mr. Tickle, Bath Mrs. A. Tippetts, Ditto Mr. Tippett, Falmouth Mrs. Todd, Ditto Rev. T. Todd Rev. M. Tomkins Rev. Mr. Tomkins, R. South Perrot, two Coffer Rev. William Toms, Southmolton Mr. Peter Tonkin Torrington Book Club Rev. Mr. Totten, Oriel College, Oxou Mrs. Towers, Bath Mr. Towle Francis Towne, Efq. two Copies Mifs Townley Mr. John Townfliend, Briftol Rev. John Trefufis, South Hill Arthur Tremayne, Efq. Sydenham, eleven Copies Rev. H. H. Tremayne, Helligan Rev. Dr. Trenchard, Lytchet Mrs. Trelawney, Loftwitliiel Mrs. Trevenen, Sen. John Trevenen, Efq. Helfton Mrs. Trevenen, Ditto Rev, Tho. Trevenen, Cardinham, Cornwall, two Copies Mr. ( xlix ) Mr. Trevoffa, Falmouth Meflrs. Trewman and Son, two Copies Rev. R. Tripp, Rewe Allar Tucker, Efq. Bideford Mifs Tucker, Uffculme Mifs S. Tucker, Ditto Rev. Peter Tucker, Morchard Rev. G. Tucker, L. L. D. Axminfter Henry Tuckfield, Efq. two Copies Mrs. Tuckfield, two Copies Mifs Tudor Mr. Thomas Turner, Attorney, Exeter Mr. Turner, Redland Thomas Tyndall, Efq. Briflol, two Copies Rev. W. R. Tyfon William Twopenny, Efq. Mr. Edward Twopenny Rev. Richard Twopenny, Oriel College, ten Copies U. and V. Mrs. Udney Unknown, two Copies Richard Vaughan, Efq. Briftol, two Copies Rev. Mr. Veyfey, ten Copies Rev. T. Stonehoufe Vigor, Clifton, two Copies Admiral Vincent, fixty Copies Thomas Vincent, Efq. Weft Stour Mr. ( 1 ) Mr. Viner, Furnivals Inn John Vivian, Efq. Bedford-fquare, two Copies Mrs. Vivian, two Copies J. Vivian, Jun. Efq. Temple, London, two Copies Rev. H. Vivian Mrs. Vivian, Pencarlinick, ten Copies Rev. J. Vivian, Ditto, Jive Copies Mifs Vivian Matthew Vivian, Efq. Rofewarne Mrs. M. Vivian Rev. Henry Vivian Mrs. John Vivian, Truro Rev. Dr. Vyner, two Copies Major-General Vyfe Thomas Vyvyan, Efq. W. Lady Willoughby, of Ereiby, two Copies Lady Dowager Wrey, Bath, two Copies "Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, two Copies- Mr. Daniel Wait Rev. Robert Walker, Cornwall Mrs. Walker, Loftwithiel Thomas Walker, Efq. London, ten Copies Mifs Mary Walker Thomas Walker, Efq. Ridland, ten Copies Mrs. Mrs. Wallis, Bodmin Rev. William Walter Jofeph Ward, Efq. Bath John Warren, Efq. Oriel College, Oxford, two Copies Mifs Warren, four Copies Mrs. Wathen, Bath Mr. Watfon, Bideford James Watfon, Efq. Sir Charles Watfon Mrs. Watfon "Mr. Edward Watts, Crewkerne Mr. Waufe Mrs. Wayte, Bath John Filher Wcare, Efq. four Copies Mrs. Webb, Truro Mrs. Webb, Bath Nathaniel Webb, Efq. Round Hill, Somerfet Mrs. Webb, Ditto W. Webber, Efq. Vanbrugh-Houfe, Kent, two Copies Rev. Samuel Wells, Portlemouth Mrs. Welsford, Totnes, t<wo Copies Mrs. John Welsford, London, two Copies Mrs. Weft, Upper Charlotte-ftreet Mr. Weftbrough, Briftol Mifs F. Wefton, Exeter Rev. S. Wefton, Prebendary, Canterbury, ten Copies Rev. ( lii ) Rev. Stephen Wefton, Edward-ftreet, Portman-fquarc Mifs Penelope Wefton, Ditto John Whaley, Efq. Wraxal Lodge Rev. John Wheeler Mrs. Whinfield, near Bath, two Copies Rev. Whitby, Ditto James White, Efq. Exeter, twenty Copies Mifs White, Ditto, two Copies Rev. Dr. White, Wadham College, Oxford, two Copies Mr. Henry Whitechurch, Taviftock Rev. Walter Whiter, Clare Hall, Cambridgeshire, two Copies Mrs. Wibault, Exeter Rev. George Wickey, R. Marham Church Mr. Stephen Willcocks Mrs. Auguftus Willett, Park-ftreet, Weftminfter Mifs Williams, Exeter, two Copies Mifs Mary Williams, Ditto, two Copies Rev. Jonathan Williams John Williams, Efq. Exeter, three Copies Mrs. Williams, two Copies Mifs Williams, two Copies John Williams, Efq. London Mrs. Williams, Bath Rev. Antony Williams, Nanfolven, Cornwall Mrs. Williams, Truro Sir Sir Adam Williamfon, K. B. Dover-ftreet Rev. Edward Williamfon, Reftor Q f Lolworth., Cam- bridgemire Rev. Vyvyan Willisford, Coryton Rev. William Willis, Cirencefter, two Cofhj Mrs. William Willis, Ditto, three Copies Mr. Thomas Willis, Briftol Mr. Wills, Crewkerne Edward Wilfon, D. D. Mrs. Wilfon, Truro Mrs. Wilfon, Ditto Bifhop of Winchefter, two Copies Mr. Windeatt, Bridge Town, Totnes Mrs. Windeatt, Ditto Mifs Windeatt, Ditto Mr. John Winfor, Afhburton Mr. George Winfor, Ditto Rev. James Winfor, two Copies Rev. Edward Winthropp, Leatherfhed B. Witts, Efq. Nibby Houfe Sir L. F. Wood, Bart. Rev. Mr. Wood, Milbourne St. Andrews, Dorfet Thomas Wood, Efq. London Rev. Matthew Woodford, Archdeacon of Winchefter, two Copies Dr. WoolJaftQn c Rev. ( liv ) Rev. John Woollcombe, Plymouth John Morth Woollcombe, Elq. Ambury, Devon, ten Copies Mrs. Woollcombe, Ditto, ten Copies Mr. Francis Woollcombe, Ditto, four Copies Mr. C. Woollcombe, Surgeon, Exeter George Woolcombe, Efq. Plymouth Rev. William Wrey, Combinteignhead, two Copies Sir Bouchier Wrey, Tawftock, two Copies General Wrey, Barnftaple, two Copies Rev. Dr. Wynne, London, two Copies Y. Mr. Morgan Yeatman, Briftol, two Copies Rev. Mr. Yeatman, two Copies Rev. Duke Yonge, two Copies Rev. James Yonge, Puflinch, two Copies Rev. Denys Yonge, Redor Weft Putford Martin York, Efq. SfeRMOfl ERRATA. Page 13, line a, for is read are. 1 6, laft, after but infert alfo with. ggj j , for attended read unattended. 80, 9, for met it read merit. <j I} 5, for this read thefe. I0 g, 10, after natures infert of. . 121, 3, after is infert in. - 193, - 20, after and infert ivbo. _ 20 6, 8, after yet infert they. . 24.8 j 6, for arrives read arifes. ibid, is> for motives read notices. There are a few other literal errors, and fome inaccuracies of punfluation; but as they do not affeft the fenfe, they will eafily be corrected by the reader. SERMON I. * ACTS, Ch. x. V. 38. HEN we confider the conftitution of things, our minds are forcibly ftruck with the connexion which pervades the whole, from their infinite author, to the leaft im- portant of his works. IN the natural world, the fyftem to which our globe belongs, we have reafon to believe, is connected with other fyftems, and in our own, we know that there is, as it were, a chain which links together its B various * Preached on the Anniverfary of the DEVON and EXETER HOSPITAL. ( * ) various parts, and forms one ftupendous whole. From the immenfe planetary orbs to the animal, vegetable, and fmalleft particle of inanimate, creation, nothing exifts for itfelf alone; nor is this principle of union lefs apparent in the moral world. Mind is of one and the fame nature, whether poffefs'd by Men, Angels, or God, and the operations of Jntelleft no more terminate in itfelf than the effe&s of matter., WHAT a glorious view does it give of the univerfe, to confider the different parts of it as all depending on one everating caufe, and working in different ways by limilar means, to the produ&ion of one great, good end ! THE conne&ion which is thus vifible between the different fpecies of the whole fyftem of the natural and moral world, is ftill more vifible between the different parts of ( 3 ) of the fame fpecies; and in particular, man finpds himfelf united with man, in every thing which contributes to his prefervation and enjoyment. He comes into the world, even in a more helplefs ftate than any other of the animal race; he palfes through a long and feeble ftate of childhood, not only his body wants tender care and conflant aflif- tance, buE his mind requires cultivation; he is plainly unequal to his own happinefs > he pines in folitude 3 he defires the fociety of his fellow creatures ; and he has as real fen- fations ofintereft, in the concerns of others, as thofe which he feels for himfelf, tho' unhappily too often overpowered by the latter mifconceived and moil erroneoufly purfued. If fuch be the conftitution of things in general, and fuch the nature of man, what are we to think of his living for himfelf alone, of fuffering all his thoughts to terminate within the narrow circle of his imagined perfonal concerns, unmindful B2 of ( 4 ) of the mifery orhappinefs of others, neither weeping with thofe that weep, nor rejoicing with thofe that rejoice ? what, but that he forgets his nature : that he is regardlefs of the great Author of his exiftence, who has fo forcibly pointed out to him a contrary difpofition and conduft? CONSIDER him as actually engaged in the bufmefs of life, in a ftate of civili- zation ; (for to know what man is, I would not fend you to the unnatural ftate of bar- barifm, from which fome would fain draw all their theory of human nature, tho' I need not dread the lefTon you might learn even from thence,) confider him as enjoying the pleafures which belong to either part of his frame, his body, or his mind, as having formed domeftic connexions, as engaging in the intercourfe of focial converfe, as anfwering the calls of fome particular em- ployment, or, if you pleafe, exempted by the bounty ( 5 ) bounty of providence, from the neceflity of following any particular employment, (till, if he will procure for himfelf the moft exalted pleafure, he muft feek for it in advancing thehappinefs of others; if he will promote his lafting interefts even in the prefent world, he muft make it his bufmefs to go about doing good. WHO is there of us that does not ac- quiefce in the truth of fuch obfervations as thefe, and reckon them among the moft clear and unavoidable conclufions, which the reafon of man muft draw from his nature and condition ; yet let it not be forgotten, how little fuch obfervations were attended to by the generality of mankind, how little they were uniformly regarded, even by thofe who made them, either in the countries which were overfpread by the gloom of Pagan fuperftition, or the partly enlighten'd land of God's chofen people. 63 I have ( 6 ) I have no defire to build the temple of Revelation on the ruins of reafon ; for I think it the glory of Revelation, that it coincides with the whole conftitution of things, and human nature, and that thofe parts of the information it conveys, which do not refpeft the myfterious difpenfation of God's free, and undeferved mercy to miferable linners, which " the very Angels muft ftill defire to look into," are fuch as right reafoning from our nature and condition, might have led men to acquire for themfelves ; but I would not have you forget, what the/z# was ; that men did not acquire it, becaufe their reafon- ing was not right, unbiased by corrupt pro- penfities ; becaufe they had not a right knowledge of themfelves, or their condition in the prefent life, THOSE fentiments are moft juft, and that difpofition in any literary produ&ion is deem'd to be mpft correct, which appear to uncultivated ( 7 ) uncultivated minds to be moft obvious and afy; but it does not follow from thence, that on the fame fubjeft they would have produced thofe fentiments, or follow'd that order. Let it be remembered then, to whom we are indebted for thofe pure notions of Benevolence which are fo familiar to our minds, which feem now to arife fo naturally on the leaft contemplaticn of our .own nature and our circumftances. Since the Sun of Righteoufnefs hath arifen and mined upon human nature, the understandings of men have been enlightened to perceive the common relation of mankind, " that we are every one members one of another." And their hearts have been warmed to allow the demands of their rdationjliip, " to be kindly affelioned one to another with brotherly love." THE influences of chriftianity are now felt by all in every civilized country with 64 the ( 8 ) the dawning of reafon, and firft emotion of paffion or affeftion. Its benign fpirit dif- fufed through the whole mafs of opinion, and fentiment infinuates itfelf impercep- tibly into the very texture of their minds and fenfibilities of their hearts. Thofe who unfortunately acknowledge not, or ungratefully difregard its divine Author, yet experience in many refpe&s, whilft they bow down to the idol, their reafon, the meliorating effe&s of his unfpeakable gift. And thofe who receive with meeknefs the engrafted word, and look there, for the foundation of their opinions, and regulation of their paffions and affe&ions, find in every page of the record of their faith, the mod forcible exhortations to the virtue of Bene- yolence. WITHOUT Benevolence, all pretences to natural religion, or revealed, are declared to be vain. If we love not our Brother whom '-( 9 ) whom we have feen, we are told, we cannot love God whom we have not feen ; and by this, faid Chrift, fhall all men know that ye are my difciples, if ye have love one to another. Precept however is cold and unanimatjng, addrefs'd to the underftanding alone, which is too apt in the midft of a world full of temptation, to be overpowered by the will and affe&ions. HERE then behold the virtue of Benevor lence receiving firm unmoveable fupport, and raifing itfelf into the grace of heavenly Charity. Thofe who have a true fenfe of the miferable condition of human nature, from which we have been relieved by the media- tion of the Redeemer, who are wafh'd from their fins in his blood, and fanftified by the infpiratiqn of his Holy Spirit ; whofe fouls are fufficiently refined to relifh the joys which await juft men made perfect ; who hope to join the multitude of all nations and kindreds^ kindreds, and people and tongues, in faying Salvation to our God which fitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb ; who, in all the various fcenes of life, look unto Jefus the author and finifiier of their faith, behold his patient forbearance, hear his meek anfwers, and afFe&ionate intreaties; witnefs his un- wearied endeavors to redrefs human cala- mity, and render men happy ; feel the immenfity of that love which brought him down from heaven, to die the death of a vile flave upon a crofs, and have the divine found of" Father forgive them for they know not what they do," ever vibrating in their ears Thofe men will have every feeling attuned to the love of their fellow creatures, and by the uniform practice of beneficence in their feveral ftations, according to the power they poffefs, draw in thefe days the willing teftimony from all that know them, which was once forced from the lips of a Heathen perfecutor 3 behold how thefe Chriftians Chriftians love one another. The nobleft obje6t which our eyes can behold in the prefent world, is one of our fellow creatures poffefTmg the power and difpofition to do good, and uniformly exerting it in the whole conduct of life. Let us then proceed to the effects of the difpofition we have been defcribing. YOUR hearts have often been delighted with the fight of a well regulated family, between the different branches of which, there, have fubfifted real regard and concern, for their mutual intereft: each individual comforting, and endeavouring to ferve and pleafe the others, and all looking up with confidence and love to their common Head, in whofe affe&ionate attention to the welfare of the whole* they find a bond ot union and an incitement to the chearful difcharge of their perfonal duties, When in like manner, all mankind are confider'd by us as one family, the the children of one Father, who has form'd them to live in focial intercourfe, and civil fubordination, who allots their different ftations, appoints their employments, diftri- butes enjoyment, trains them up here for greater happinefs hereafter, and conduces them to it, each perfon will receive his proper fhare of regard, according as he is placed nearer or more remotely in this great family of love, and from his iituation demands more or lefs our conftant and fedulous attention : in proportion as we arc minified with his welfare and happinefs. UPON this view of things, what are com- monly confidered as diflinct duties, appear to have an intimate connection with the common calls of Benevolence, and regard to our own families; and the advantage of confidering things in this way will be, that our attention to both will be duly propor- tion'd; and we mail not think as fome feem to to do, that unwearied endeavors to raife the latter as much as ever we can, is an excufe for the negleft of every other call for our beneficence. The truth is, the perfons who aft in this manner, are regarding them- felves alone, even in what they appear to do for them-, it is their pride or fome felfifh pailion, not real affection for their families, which they are endeavoring to gratify ; of which we frequently fee a convincing proof, when their particular views in life are in any way contraditted. The mind which is capable of feeling real love for others upon any occafion, will feel it upon all occafions which call for the exercife of it ; and the y^wtfdifpofition which leads a man to confult the happinefs of his nearer connections, for their fakes, will extend itfelf from the dif- charge of every endearing duty of domeftic life, to the calls of friendfhip, acquaintance, neighbourhood, country, and human nature. BENEVOLENCE ( 14 ) BENEVOLENCE fupported by fiich en- larged views of our fituation, will fhew itfelf uniformly,, and lead men to engage with alacrity, in every undertaking which feems calculated to advance the welfare of any of their Brethren ; they will do their alms in fecret, when the purpofe they have at heart can beft be ferved, by not letting their left hand know what their right hand doth ; and they will let their light JJiine before men, when by feeing their good works, they may be induced to glorify their Father which is in heaven. IT is upon this principle, that we appear here this day, in this public manner ; upon the fame principle which has frequently drawn you from the comforts of your own abodes, to Heal unobferved to the houfe of mourning, to offer confolation to the affli&ed, and convey food and raiment to the hungry and the naked. Ir ( 15 \ THE miferable objefts which you have at fuch times beheld with unavailing pity, lead you thus warmly to patronife this public work of mercy. For often have you feen the ravages of difeafe, or the ruinous effects of accident, and no fkilful hand near to afluage its anguifli, and fave the induftrious father, or the tender mother of furrounding infants, from a premature grave. Ah, little think thofe, on whom pleafure, power, and affluence attend, what fights fuch fcenes afford. And till men have beheld them, they know not the ineflimable advantage of this heavenly inftitution. In a room unprotected, perhaps, from the fury of winds or rain, with fcarce a pillow to fupport his head, or clothes to cover his limbs, without an attendant that knows how to foot he the mind, no food to fuit a fick palate, or drink to quench his parching thirft, difeafe increafing, unrefifted, or by the very means intended to alleviate it, every ( '6 ) every terrible foreboding thought, haunting the imagination ; in fuch a condition, prefent to yourfelves one of your fellow creatures, experiencing that languor and pain, which you have found it difficult to fupport, with every affiflance and comfort, which wealth, fkill and affection could afford ; from this wretched dwelling, fee him convey 'd to a place where he partakes of every accommo- dation his condition can require, every affif- tance the greateft learning and fkill can adminifter, every tender attention which can contribute to his eafe ; comfortable in the reflection that all human means are tried, and thus yielding himfelf up in peace to the difpofal of his heavenly Father. I DARE to fpeak thus ftrongly of our Houfe of Mercy, becaufe it is fo remarkably bleffed, not only with the beft profeffional affiflance in the honorable fcience and art of medicine and furgeryj but what can never ( '7 ) never be fufficiently valued or commended, the conftant vigilant attention of many per- fons with heads and hearts qualified to guide this work of Charity with prudence: nor is it a fmall part of our glory or advan- tage, that thefe perfons are of various pro- feflions in life, and different perfuafions in religion ; as it is the exaltation of this our ftftrvaldt love, that they come thus folemnly before God, avowing their readinefs to unite heart and hand in the fervice of their poor diftrefled brethren. You, Upon whom providence hath be- ftowed an abundance of the good things of this world, and the yet greater gift of bene- volent affe&ions, who upon the prefent oc- cafion ftand forth the avowed Patrons of this excellent Charity; on you, I need not attempt to inforce the bleffednefs of imitat- ing your Saviour in going about to do good. You well know that benevolence, uniformly C dire&ing dire&ing the ufe of riches, exhibits what Job defcribes of his profperity ; " When the ear heard me, then it bleiTed me, and when the eye faw me it gave witnefs to me : becaufe I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherlefs and him that had none to help him : the bleffing of him that was ready to perifli came upon me, and I caufed the widow's heart to fing for joy. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame." How are thofe men to be pitied, who imagine the advantages of a large fortune, to confift principally in the pomp and fplen- dour of equipage, and the uncontrouled gratification of their felfifh paffions j ftrangers to that felf-efteem and felf-congratulation, which they experience, who confider their condition in the light in which chriftianity reprefents it, as being flewards to their heavenly Father, and whofe confciences bear ( '9 ) bear them witnefs, that they are faithful to their truft. BUT Charity is equally fhewn by little as by much, when that little is given according to what a man hath: and an opportunity is this day afforded to all here prefent, of contributingyowfzo/^/ to this Inftitution. If there are any here who have received benefit from it, and from a change of circumftances are able to afford fome teftimony of their gratitude ; I do not afk fuch to contribute, for I am fure, they can need no exhortation to do according to their power. You, who in better circumftances, have known what ficknefs is, (and mqfl have known, and all may expert to know,) re- fleft on your own wants, your own wifhes, your own feelings : as you have known, or hope to know what it is to be pitied, fo may you now know what it is to pity ! C 2 NOR ( 20 ) NOR can I help reminding all here pre- fent, as well thofe who can, as thofe who cannot contribute to this Inftitution, that it is not only by their alms that they can pro- mote the welfare and happinefs of their brethren: by difcharging, as chriftians, the duties of their ftations in life ; by being good natured and obliging in their families kind and affifting, and courteous to their neigh- bours induftrious and confcientious in their refpe&ive callings by fubmitting them- felves in quietnefs and peace to the lawful regulations of fociety, and thus difcounte- nancing, in the mod efficacious manner, all turbulence and difaffetion to govern- ment, the fure forerunner of general cala- mity: by thefe means, may they all mew the benevolence of their hearts j and the poorer forj, by their fobriety and prudence, preventing many of the calamities relieved by this Charity,, contribute in effett towards it, it, by leaving more for the unavoidable vifitations of providence. MY endeavour has been to reprefent the duty of doing good to others, as refting upon the broad bafis of the whole conftitu- tion of things, and the make and condition of man ; as enforced, and irrefiftibly recom- mended to our feelings, by the precepts and nature of the chriftian religion, and the example of our Lord and Mafter Jefus Chrift y as mewing itfelf in every at of kindnefs, afliftance, and courtefey to all we have concern with, in various degrees ; and as ftrongly prompting us in particular, to give our hearty fupport to fuch Inftitutions, "as this day's folemnity was intended to re- commend. IN a mind accuftomed to confider the whole fyftem of human duties in this com-. prehenfive view, no perplexity will be C 3 occafioned occasioned by any feeming interference of different parts of it with each other. Modern Philofophers, as they are called, alas ! how unworthy of the name ! have moft unnaturally feparated the caufe of philanthropy from that of piety and holi- nefs, and affect to treat of benevolence, as if its dictates might fometimes be at variance with thofe of the gofpel. But let thofe trying circumftances arife, which bring opinions to the teft, and it will invariably be found, that the love of God, as he is revealed to us by Jefus Chrift, (with its necefTary confequences the regulation of our minds, and the due fubjeclion of our appetites and paffions to reafon and benevo- lence, as enjoined by the laws of chriitian morality,) is the only true and confident principle of the love of man. May a firm conviction of this important truth excite us to aim at uniform excellence of character, to ( 23 ) to become more and more perfect in every good word and work. IMAGINE then, my brethren, this bufy fcene at an end, and yourfelves able to view the whole of life through which you have paflfed, at once> in all its circumftances, connexions, and confequences; fee your- felves uniformly pafling on through all its Jlages in the difcharge of your duty, accor- ding to your nature and fituation, loving and beloved; behold good men dropping tire tear of grateful remembrance on your graves ; and anticipate the exultation of heart, with which you fhall hear the Almighty Judge of the Univerfe pronounce, " In as much as ye have done good unto one of the leaft of thefe my brethren, ye have done it unto me." C 4 SERMON SERMON II.* GAL. Ch. i. V. 10. FOR DO I NOW PERSUADE MEN OR GOD! OR DO I SEEK TO PLEASE MEN? FOR IF I YET PLEASED MEN, I SHOULD NOT BE THE SERVANT OF CHRIST." o F all the charaters which the holy fcriptures afford for our example and in- ftru&ion, there is none (our blefled Lord's excepted) which contains a more valuable affemblage of amiable virtues, than that of St. Paul, and, what forms the foundation of them all, the motive of his conduct mines with peculiar luftre: indeed, the general tenor * Preached at the Epifcopal Vlfitation at Southmolton. ( *5 J tenor of his whole life, as far as we are acquainted with it, appears to have been guided by the fame high principle. Even when he perfecuted the religion of Chrift, he tells us * that lie did It out of a zeal towards God, verily thinking with himfeJfthat he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Chrift. And although the public manner, in which our bleffed Lord gave his gracious inftruc- tions, and performed his many wonderful works, leaves us no room to fuppofe, that a man of St. Paul's a&ive and inquifitive mind could have wanted the fulleft acquain- tance with them; yet, when we confider the many and deep-rooted prejudices, both national and arifing from, the particularly ftrifit mode of his education, which con- curred in producing this determination of mind, we fhall be unwilling to dwell on this part of his chara&er; and readily pafs on to the proof which he gave of the fmcerity of * A&SJ cht xxii. v. 3. Ails, ch. xxvi. v. 9. ( 26 ) of his principles, when it pleafed God, who was willing to fhew him mercy, beeaufe, differently from his affociates, * he did it ignorantly in unbelief, to call him, in a more extraordinary manner, to become a minifter of the gofpel. A fimilar event is recorded in the new teftament to have happened to other perfonsj and the difference of their behaviour upon it from that of our Apoftle, plainly mews the different motives which influenced their conduct. When the band- of men and officers from the chief Priejls and Pharifees came forth to feize our blejjed Lord in the garden, hardened as they were, they were unable to withftand a momentary dif- play of his divinity; but went backward and fell to the ground; yet as foon as they rofe again, far from abandoning their wicked purpofe, |j they bound him and led him away. St Paul was not thus difobedient unto the heavenly * i Tim. ch. i. v. 13. St. John, ch. xviii. i| St. John, ch. xviii. heavenly vifion which appeared unto him j but having no bad motives to ftifle a con- vision, which he could not but feel, he gave up all that was dear to him, his for- tune, friends, reputation, and national dif- tin&ion and privileges, counting them, to ufe his emphatic language, * but dung that lie might win Chrijl. Though brought up hi Jemfalem, at the feet of Gamaliel, a doftor had in reputation among all the -people, || cajling down fuch imaginations and every liigh thing that exalteth itfelf again/I the true knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chrijl: ^though after the ftriftejl feel of his religion a Pharijee, an exacj obferver of the right eoufnefs which is in the law, and a zealous promoter of it, J preaching Chrift crucified. And from a more than commonly vehement perfecutor of the church of Chrift, becoming * Phil. ch. iii. v. S. Aa$, ch. xxii. v. 3. [J a Cor. ch. x. v. 5. f Ab, ch. xxvi. v. 5. Phil. ch. iii. v. 6. Ads, ch. xxii. v. 3. Gal.ch.i. v. 13. I i Cor.ch.i. v. 23. becoming its moft faithful paftor; the ex- ateft pattern of virtue, and amiableiiefs of manners, both to infidels and chriftians; the warmeft advocate for chriilianity, yet guided by the cooled prudence ; the moft patient, perfevering, and, except in cafes that required an exertion of his apoftolic authority, the mildeft inftru&or of his flock j confident and uniform, taking care in all things that the miniftry mould not be blamed. WHAT enabled him to at in this manner, co-operating with the divine grace, which thus nlanifefted its power in him, was his principle of alion ; which acquired ftrength, and threw off its imperfeftions, as all good qualities do, upon his becoming a chriftian. that time his fole endeavour was approve himfelf in the fight of God ; not to to gain the favor of men, the defire of which had fo unhappily mifled him : aware, that if the latter were in any refpeft the ruling motive of his conduct, he mould perhaps fall back into fome of his former miftakes, an4 foon ceafe to be the true minifter of the gofpel. In feveral parts of his writings he avows this principle and its importance: and fmce in the text he has laid it down as the neceflary fupport of hjs conduct as the fervant of Chriftj it will not, J truft, J} thought either unfuitable to the occafion of our prefent meeting, or exceeding the duties of the office affigned me, if from the pallage before us I endeavor to trace ou the importance of it to the prefent teacher? of religion, with refpecl: to their opinions^ doclrines, and conduct, AND firft, with refpecl: to their opinions, it will produce inquiry : he who is perfu.a- ded that he was fent into the world by $ fuperior ( 3 ) Superior intelligent Being, who endued him with powers of examining and determining upon the objects which are prefented to his mind, and that this Being is ever attentive to his conduct, cannot poffibly think, that lie acts agreeably to his will, when he per- mits thofe powers to lie inactive : certainly they were implanted in us by o-ur Maker for conftant ufe; and therefore riot to make any or but little life of them, is, as far as we can, defeating his gracious intention: befides, as our reafon is manifeftly defigned to govern and direct the other parts of our frame, fuch a perfon, fenfible that he mull give an account how, far this has really been; the cafe, will naturally be driven to inquire what the dictates -of that reafon are: anil fince (the appearances of things being fre- quently fo different from their realities,) the refult of this will unqueftionably be a; perfuafion, that, in more inftances than a few, fatisfaction is not to be obtained at firft fight; ( 3' ) fight j he will foon apprehend, that an in- quiry into his opinions is not only a necef- fary, but a very important branch of his duty. The farther he proceeds, the more fenfible he will be of its neceffity and im- portance; the more convinced that, in a matter fo interefting to his nature, and pro- duftive of fuch confequences, when pro- vidence hath afforded him leifure and op- portunity, none of his opinions are to be exempted from fuch an inquiry. If this be in fome meafure the cafe of every man who has the free ufe of his reafon, under how much ftronger obligations to at thus muft he think hitnfelf, who is to affift others in their inquiries ? who undertakes to * teach them the difference between the holy and the prophangy and. cauje them to difcern between the unclean and the clean ? Birr * Ezekiel, ch. xliv. v. 13. BUT further, exertion of thought is no fmall labour; and however eafy a life de- voted to ftudy and meditation may appear to the unexperienced at a diftance, it has been confeffed by all who have followed it to any extent, that, though flight induce- ments may engage men to begin, ftrong and powerful motives are neceffary to en- courage them to perfevere in it. From hence it happens, that among the many who enter with fincerity and order upon a ftudious courfe of life, fo few, in comparifon', appear to make a confiderable proficiency. Obftacles arife which were not thought of j where they expected to run, they find them- felves fcarce able to move their ardour de- clines indolence gains ground and whilft fome barely preferve the appearance, others turn afide to any objecls that will attract their attention, and keep it without any la- bour of their own. What then is fufficient fo counteract fuch difficulties? A defire of fame ( 33 ) fame and preferment has, it muft be con- * feffed, produced wonderful effecl:^ and, when confined within due bounds and in perfect fubjeclion to higher motives, it is not apprehended to be forbidden by our religion as inconfiflent with them: nay, as no one is at all times equally influenced by the beft motives, and as worldly objects affect us more ftrongly, in our prefent con- dition, than thofe which are abfent and fpiritual, it may, perhaps, when thus duly reftrained, be willingly admitted, as what will add occafionally a fpur to the moft in- duftrious, and diffipate the languor of the moft indolent. The piety which is founded on good fenfe rejects no affiftance; her en- deavour is to turn what is moft unconnected in its nature with the purpofe (he has in view to the attainment of it; and whilft me does this, flie only makes the nobleft ufe of thofe affections which worldly men abufe: yet, whatever fruits have in fome inftances D arifen ( 34 ) arifen from merely fecular views, thefe, be- fides t|j^it, they cannot be relied on in any ' inftance as an uniform and fleady principle of application, on many perfons cannot probably be expefted to have any influence at all. There are men of ability and op- portunity fufficient to afford hope of being ufeful in our profeffion, who have not the leaft profpecl of rendering themfelves famous, or of attaining, by fuch means, a ftation which can fatisfy the moft bounded defire of wealth. * Now, tho the perfuafion, that even a fincere defire to be ufeful, uni- formly exerted, is not likely to procure notice and a due degree of reward, accor- ding to the common courfe of things, is to be discountenanced as unfriendly to the caufe of learning and virtue in general: yet, to propofe to fuch men honours and wealth as motives for unremitted application, would be to * See Archdeacon Powell's ad charge to the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Colchefter, in 1772, Page 4th. ( 35 ) k to infult common fenfe, and to contradict the experience of the world. Som?motive muft therefore be found which will a6l con-- ftantly and uniformly, and affect us all, as well as thofe of fuperior abilities. The love of truth indeed, arifing from a fenfe of its importance and our obligations to purfue it, is undoubtedly a Headier prin- ciple of conduct, and in fome meafure level to the feelings and capacities of all men; and accordingly we mould endeavour to render the fenfe of it, which we naturally have, ftronger and more effectual: but, in the prefent condition of human nature, who, that fpeaks from his confcience, will fay, that he hath at all times found this fufficient to withftand the allurements to pleafure and diffipation, which the com- mon occurrences of life produce? What hope then is there, that it would be able, when once the defire of novelty is fatiated, to fupport men's minds in general, under Dz the ( 36 ) the fatigues of continued thought, and the perplexities of attentive difquifition? The difference of right and wrong, with a due fenfe of the obligation of the former and of our own imperfe&ion, will lead the mind a flep yet higher, and teach it to refer this, as every thing elfe, ultimately to his will who implanted this fenfe in us, and is ever attentive to the regard we pay it. And as we cannot but fee, that it is confident with juitice,' that he fhould expet returns ac- cording to what he hath conferred upon us; we muft know, that according to the abilities and opportunities which we have, he requires of us application and labour. To this a conftant fenfe of every moment of our time being obferved by him will power- fully and uniformly excite us. Since, when once his prefence is duly im.pre fifed upon our minds, we lhall no more think it al- lowable to pafs our retired hours in the futility of diHipated thought,, than to fpend the ( 37 ) the whole of our time about objects which merely afFel the fenfes: confcious too of the weaknefs of our beft refolutions, we fhall naturally be led to offer up continually our earneil prayers for the divine bleffing and fupport, in this as in every other par- ticular of our duty, which we may thus humbly hope to obtain. AND as this principfe of action, thus ftrengtheried, will promote in us inquiry and labour; fo it will moft faithfully condutt us in our refearches, and be the beft prefer- vative from error. If a man's firft aim be to advance his worldly interefts, he will be fubjecl, whatever care he takes, and with- out any wilful deviation, to an undue bias in favour of thofe opinions which find the readieft acceptance with the great and powerful. He, whofe grand endeavour is to raife admiration, will frequently find him- felf tempted to mut his eyes againjl truth, D 3 when < 38 ) when (he appears in the homely * drefs of general opinion, and to turn ajlde for a more unufual and ftriking appearance. To agree with the reft of the world, and endeavour to elucidate received opinions, is too cir- cumfcribed a path for vanity; which will ever be urging on the mind to fome un- common purfuit, in which the reft of the world have no (hare, and of courfe can lay claim to no p&rt of the praife. What a fource of error this muft be, it requires no pains to prove ; but, if duly conlidered, it will perhaps account for many extraordi- nary appearances among the learned, which move the pity of every perfon of candour and feeling. IN mort, intereft will be likely .to bias us too much one way in favour of received opinions, whatever they are ; and vanity to prejudice * See Sherlock's Difcourfes, vol. 3, fcr. 3, page 10, u, and 12. ( 39 ) prejudice us too much the other way againft them. Now the perfon who enters upon mquiry under a continual fenfe of God's prefence; and of being accountable to him, who fees the origin and progrefs of every thought, for his fairnefs and impartiality, is not in danger of either of thefe extremes; his great intereft is to difcover the truth, and therefore, with a due refpel, becoming his age and abilities, te the opinions of others, he dares to think for himfelf. If he differs from them, fliould it be in important points, confcious of his own integrity, his chief concern is for their miftakes; and on the other hand, * he is not difcontented or un- happy, when \\efinds himfelf, after the whole of his pains, of the fame fentiments with the reft of the world. THUS neeefTary and powerful then will the principle of a&ing from a fenfe of duty D 4 to * See Sherlock. ( 40 ) to God be, with refpeft to truth in general ; if we apply it to the caufe of religion, of chriftianity in particular, we fhall find it no lefs beneficial and neceflaiy. ALTHOUGH the two great articles of natural religion, the fuperintendence of God, and our accountablenefs to him, are the foundation of the principle itfelf, yet are there many other points relating both to thefe and others, which are fubjecls of inquiry, demand labour, and afford trials of impartiality. And as the perfon we have been fpeaking of is already convinced of the attention which is due to the caufe of truth in general; influenced by fuch a mo- tive, he can never think it a matter of in- difference, in what light he confiders thofe truths in particular, which more immediately affect the object of his duty. HERE HERE then he will be careful to lay well the foundation of his religion, and not be likely to fall into any confrderable miftake; much lefs the fatal one of imagining reve- lation either impofiible or unnecefiary: yet he will think, and withjuftice, that what pretends to fo high a character, as the ex- prefs will of the Deity, addrefied to rea- fonable beings, muft come attended by fufficient vouchers to eftablifh its claims. This conduces him to the examination of the evidence of chriftianity: and his prin- ciple of action begets in him patience, fuf- ficient to make a thorough inquiry, and fairncfs to examine well all fides of the qucftion, before he allows himfelf to deter- mine againft fo important a point. WHAT the refult of an inquiry upon this fubjecl, thus undertaken and carried on, muft naturally be, need not be mentioned in this place ; or if it need, I mall not be thought ( 4* ) thought unwarranted to declare, without any further examination, that it muft be the firmeft and fulleft perfuafion of the truth of the gofpel. BUT here another moft extenfive field opens before him, perhaps more befet with dangers, and fuller of perplexities than any he has hitherto trodden. After the au- thority of revelation is eftablifhed, the next ftep is to confider its meaning. THE holy fcripture, in which it is con- tained, may be confidered in two points of view, as being in fome parts naturally ob- fcure and difficult; and in fome, though not fo originally, as having been rendered fo, fmce its promulgation, by various acci- dental circumftances. To proceed with fteadinefs, and without prejudice, through fo many obftacles, which the ( 43 ) the ignorance and paffions of mankind have been increafing for ages, and which they are flill bufy to involve in greater difficulties, requires no fmall degree of nice examin- ation, diligence, and impartiality. THESE, however, (as we have feen) the principle under confideration naturally prop duces and fupports; accordingly the perfon who is influenced by it, having firft en- deavoured to fupply himfelf with thofe aids from human learning, which are neceffary to overcome thefe difficulties, applies him- felf to the undertaking with ardour and ferioufnefs. Without abjeft fubmiffion to the opinions of any, however recommended, he examines for himfelf: but at the fame time, he is equally cautious of miftaking a love of novelty for a fpirit of freedom, and thinks it but reafonable, that a young and inexperienced mind mould not haftily, and without diffidence, publiih and infift upon its ( 44 ) ks opinions, when they differ from thofe of greater experience ; and efpecially when they contradit doctrines generally received in every age of the church : at leaft, in fo important a bufinefs, he will wait till that fondnefs for our own produ&ions, which the molt difmterefted are not intirely exempt from, is a little abated ; judging, that if no kfs a fpace than nine years, has, upon this account, been fixed by a great * mafler for the private probation of a literary compo- fition, it can never be prudent or decent to ufher into the world our determinations of fuch higher moment, without the matureft deliberation. IF, however, after the faireft examination he can make, after waiting a due fpace of time, and revifmg and reconfidering the whole afrefh, he Itill fees caufe to differ from the opinion of others, though it mould be * Horace, ( 45 ) be in important points, he will think it both mean and diflioneft to conceal his fenti- ments: mould thofe points be fuch, as to render a conformity to the eftablimed re- ligion an a& of duplicity, he will behave confidently with the convictions of his con- fcience ; and, tho' unwilling to diflurb the unity of the church, feparate from her wor- mip : in fo doing, after fuch care and fuch endeavours to be impartial, he will deferve the efteem of every fincere friend to truth. But, if (as I hope I may, without undue partiality, fuppofe will generally be the cafe of a perfon of our communion, be- ginning fuch an inquiry upon fuch prin- ciples, and carrying it on in fuch a manner,) he fees good reafon to abide with that mother from whom he firft imbibed the milk of the gofpel, having his faith and opinions built upon fuch a foundation, he will attend to the miniftry duly qualified and ( 46 ) and duly fixed, *JJiewing himfe/f a workman that needeth not to be afhamed, rightly divi- ding the word of truth. THIS leads us to the fecond point, with refpeft to which I propofed to confider the importance of this principle, his doc- trine. The perfon, who has from fuch mo- tives taken fo much care to have his own opinions well founded, will confequently think it but juft to build thofe which he is to inculcate on others on their proper foun- dations ; and as all his conduct has refpeft to the pleafure of God, he will, as a chriilian, efteem this an indifpenfable duty, left he fhould be found to aflume the character of being called mafter, in the ftri&eft fenfe in which it is forbidden in the gofpel. But then, in this, as he is allured his duty is to edify his hearers, not to raife their vain admiration, very different methods of pro 1 - ceeding * 2 Tim. ch. ii. v. 15. ( 47 ) ceeding will be proper in different places, according to their abilities. To wife men he will *fpeak as unto wife men, requiring them to judge of what he fays: to fincere chriftians of inferior capacity, tho' to them he will not preach himfelf, yet he will think a plainer and more direct application of the dotrines and precepts of religion neceffary; becaufe fuitable to the abilities and oppor- tunity which providence hath afforded them. With all he will remember that his bujinefs is to preach [he trnth as it /j in Jefus: though he will by no means omit to incul- cate the truths of natural religion and mo- rality, as far as they are difcoverable by our reafon : though he will call to his aid all the affiftances of human learning and philofopy, as far as his attainments extend, he will not, however, forget, that with fuch 'prin- ciples and fuch wifdom, in a very improved and poliflied age, men did not themfelves attain * i Cor. ch. x. v. 15. Ephefians, eh. iv, v. 21. ( 4* ) attain to the true knowledge of God, nor confequently were able to inftrucl: others in the way of falvation, which was opened to them by a very different, tho' not inconfif- tent method. * After that, in the wifdom of God, the world by ^mfdom knew not God, it ^leafed God by the fooli/Jmefs of preaching tofave them that believe, by preaching not in the in- ticing words of man's wifdom : \\for tho 1 the Greeks fought after wifdom, ingenious differ- tations, and fublime theories, the great Apoftle of the Gentiles, and his brethren, preached Chrift crucified: not rejecting ar- guments, brought from profane fubjefts to enforce their preaching; particularly, al lufions to the games and other cufloms of the Greeks, (as is evident from the epiffles of the former efpecially;) much lefs omit- ting to teach moral duties, as improved and taught by our Lord; but laying the foundation, * I Cor. ch, 5. v. 22. i Cor. ch. ii. v. 4. y t Cor. ch. i. v. az and 23. ( 49 ) foundation, where God had laid the foun- dation of our falvation, on the death and fufferings of Chrijt Jefus. * Without this, a preacher may be a good orator, but he furely is not the true minifter of Chrift. Yet, as it is natural for the mind of man to go from one extreme to another, fo it hath happened in this refpeft; and contrary to common fenfe, contrary to the general tenour and almoft every page of the gofpel, fome, from their zeal to glory in the crofs of Chriil, and to magnify his grace, have fo preached him, as if they were preaching to mere machines, and fo as to render him in probable confequence the minifter of fin. From both extremes, the fober tho' pious principle of our Apoftle, will be the beft preservative: and as a juft regard for God will not allow his minifters to indulge, on E every * See Archbifnop Seekers charges firft charge to the Clergj of the Diocefe ot Canterbury, page 235, and the third to ditto, page 299866 alfo his Sermons id vol. ?th Sermon, page 150 and 151. ( 5 ) every occafion, in an ollentatious difplay of human learning, to the neglect of the momentous concerns of his exprefs reve- lation; fo neither will it permit them to fuppofe, that he has promulgated a law inconfiftent with that which he has written in men's hearts, or with the reafon which he has given them to enable them to find out his ways. In oppofition to the en- thufiafm of one party, or the felf fufficiency x)f the other, he will preach Chrift as he finds him revealed in the fcriptures: and in conformity to the folemn engagement, which he made before God at his ordination, he will preach him as the author and dif- penfer of our pardon and falsification, as well as the teacher of virtue ; and princi- pally on the motives therein contained, regardlefs of the fcorn and contempt of the world, mould different doctrines and different modes of preaching prevail, having this awful declaration of his Saviour ever fixed fixed in his mind * Whojoever fhall be afhamed of me and of my words in this adul- terous and finful generation, of him alfo Jhall the fon of man be ajhamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with his holy Angels. BUT however juft and fcriptural a man's opinions are, however rational and evan- gelical his preaching, there is (till a principal thing wanting, without which, neither will profit him or the public in any valuable de- gree. Good fenfe and experience of maiv kind, could teach Pagan philofophy to re- quire virtue in an orator; how much more ftrongly does Chriftianity require it in a preacher ? That thofe who teach Jliould be- have themjelves holily> juftly, and unblameably among them that believe ? Now a conftant fenfe of God's prefence is the only fure and fteady fupport of virtue in general, and of the feveral particular virtues which belong 2 to * St. Mark, ch. viii, v. -58. i Theflalonians, ch. ii. v. 10, ( 5* ) to the high calling of the minifter of Chrift: no other principle will either fufficiently lay the foundation, or direct and fupport us in the exercife of them. And firft, nothing but an ardent love of God will beget in us that zeal which will render us felicitous to promote his honour amongft men, or infpire us with that fteady concern for the fouls of our brethren, which will make us really in earneft to fecure their falvation. Other motives will produce an outward regularity, the true form of godlinefs ; but this, tho' abfolutely neceflary, will carry us but a little way in our undertaking, unlefs it be fupported by the true power of it over our minds, which can fpring only from a real faith and regard to God, as he is revealed to us by his fon Jefus Chrift : this, properly fixed in the heart, will teach us the true value of our profeffion, and, as it is in itfelf moft honourable, as well as beneficial to mankind, will make us efteem it above all worldlv ( 53 ) wordly objefts, and according to the di- rection of St. Paul, *give ourfelves wholly to it. It will alfo preferve our zeal from dangerous excefs. Religious zeal hath often been pro- ductive of mifery to mankind: but tho' men, in other refpecls confeiTedly good, have been the authors of fuch mifery j yet, in this refpett, they cannot be fuppofed to have had that continual regard to God which they ought: fmce, had his nature and declarations been confulted with due fun- plicity of mind, one would imagine, they could not have thought fuch proceedings agreeable to a being of infinite goodnefs, and who requires us to be merciful as he is merciful. The truth is, perhaps, they, like other men, were rather too much influenced by the fpirit of the times in which they lived, and had not learned, what it is the diftinguifhing glory of the prefent age generally to underftand, that indifference E 3 ancj * i Timothy, ch. iv. v. 15. ( 54 ) and toleration are by no means neceffarily united. Tho' we have not now the power of proceeding to fuch extremities, nor mould have their excufe if we had, yet a zeal not exerted under a continual fenfe of the Divine infpeftion, may hurry us into a&ions very injurious at leaft to the caufe of re- ligion, if not to the property and perfons of our brethren: but when we have always in view the end of our converfation, party, prejudice, or hatred, will be likely to have little fway over us, and we mall proceed on in our courfe, tlio 1 as burning yet as mild and fteady lights. SECONDLY, a conftant regard to God will be neceflary to produce in us proper perfeverance ; without this, the warmeft zeal, regulated by the greateft prudence, will never attain its end : and there are fo many things unfriendly to it in the world, that the means of fupporting it well deferve our ( 55 ) our regard. Not to mention the natural variablenefs or indolence, or the falfe fliame of our own minds, the incapacity and inat- tention of fome, the pleafure and profit of others, the pride and obftinacy of a third fort are opponents which it muft con- tinually encounter. When we have made the fincereft and perhaps moft painful endeavours to imprefs upon the minds of our people the momentous concern of the great truths of religion, we fliall frequently find no fmall number ftill ignorant and thoughtlefs, living without any rule of a&ion at all. With others, immerfed in worldly cares and fenfual pleafures, Jefs influence is to be expecled ; it may be, however careful we are not to give any unneceflfary offence, fome will be difpleafed with us, and count us their enemies, merely becaufe we fpeak the truth. The pride and obftinacy of many is fuch, that, tho' they be not offended, and tho' convinced of their E 4 error wror, they would rather continue in it, than allow themfelves to be directed by the knowledge of another. And perhaps in this above all other refpefts, moft men have a fort of delicacy, which conceals the benefit they receive: nay, it is in fome meafure an unavoidable circumftance at- tendant on our profeffion, not to perceive, as in others, the good effects of our labour in- creafe under our hands. The moral recovery of men is, for the moft part, very impercep- tible ; and we muft wait tor the comfort of perceiving it, till it is gradually exhibited in the courfe of their behaviour. Now, throwing afide all meaner confider- ations, if feeing the fuccefs of our endeavours be our motive of conduct, how foon mall we defift from doing any thing more than what we may be punifhed for omitting? If goodnefs of heart and pity for our brethren engage us, how will they endure fuch ( $7 ) fuch continual difappointments, which will be the more fevere, the more fenfible we are of fuch amiable feelings ? We mull have fomething in view fuperior to either of thefe to animate and fupport us ; or our generous feelings will daily decline, till at length they fink into indifference ; and our exertions grow gradually more and more faint. But regard to God and our bleffed Redeemer, moving beyond the fphere of worldly obftacles, will, in proportion to our ability, have the fame effeft upon us which it had upon the firft preachers of chiftianity. It will teach us to bear with flownefs of apprehenfion in our weaker brethren, as God bears with our imper- fections j and in this refpecl: efpecially, as in others, * to condefcend to men of low eftate. As workers together with him, we JJiall not defift to bejeech men not to receive the grace of God * Romans, ch. xii. v, 16. a Cor, ch. vi. v. i. God in vain ; but * whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, to fpeak the lan- guage of Ifaiah, add precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little: remembering the warning of God to us by his Prophet Ezekiel, || we fliall not ceafe to warn the wicked man from his wicked way, tho we incur his difpleafure thereby. Yet, as the ^fervant of the Lordmujl not roughly firm e ; we fliall be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient in meeknefs, inftruting thofe that oppofe ; and, with St. Paul, endeavour, as far as our integrity will permit us, J to become all things to all men; humouring their tempers, and infenjibly difpelling their prejudices, that we may fave fome. In a word, this principle will carry us on conftantly and evenly, ^[ not weary in well doing : for tho' we fee not, to the extent of our wiflies, the effefts * Fzekiel, ch. ii. v. 7. Ifaiah, ch. xxviii. v. 10. If Ezekiel, ch. iii. v. 18. f -2. Tim. ch. ii. v. 24 and 25. t i Cor. ch. ix. v. 22, [ Galations, ch. vi. v. 9. ( 59 ) effefts of our labour here, in duefeafon we JJiall reap if we faint not. LASTLY, as the refult of all, it will beget and fupport in us uniformity of conduft and behaviour, by which we fhall, in the greateft degree, adorn the doftrines of God our Saviour in all things ; and render ourfelves truly ufeful to our fellow creatures: from the want of which, men, of no final! worth, have caufed offences to be taken againft the caufe of religion, and men of great abilities have done little good. Imprefled with this con- ftant defire of fpeaking and a&ingas in the fight of God, we fhall be careful, in both, to have the true interefts of our profeflion pver in view, never betraying in either, what may lower our efteem, or leflen our ufefulnefs. We fhall not only * do no evil, but confcientioufly dbftain from the very a-ppearance * I Cor. ch. xiii. v. 7. i Theflalonians, ch. v. v. zt. appearance of it ; nay, * take heed that our good be not evil fpoken of; and labour to let our light always fo JJiine before men, that they may fie our good works, and glorify our Father which is in Heaven. " For this and this only, to adopt the expreffions of an eminent pre- Iate,|| will keep up in our whole deportment that uniform decency and propriety, which will preferve us from every unbecoming levity of behaviour and converfation ; add weight to the dignity of our characters, and raifeus above all the common meanejjes of merely fecular men" * Romans, ch. xiv. v. 16. Matthew, ch. v. v. 16. ii See Bifhop Porte us's life of Archbifliop Seeker, page 90. SERMON 61 SERMON III. ST. MATTHEW, Ch. xxii. V. 39. " THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF." I T is evidently the defign of the chriftian religion, not only to regulate the aftions of men, but alfo to change and improve their tempers and difpofitions. When this hath been effe&ed by their fincere and hearty reception of the Gofpel, and the gracious afliftances of the Holy Spirit, (which is the perfeiion of the new birth, and the new creation,) all the outward exprefTions of dutv duty follow In due order and proportion. But whilft men are influenced only by ex- ternal and diftant confiderations, their con- duct will ever be irregular and inconliftent. And as this is the cafe of religious obedience in general, fo the duties of each particular branch will then only be performed as they ought, when the genuine virtue to which they belong is feated in the heart. And with refpecl to my prefent fubjecl., the relative duties, thofe which are owing from man to man, will never be difcharged uniformly and conftantly, until we feel for our fellow creatures the affection which is enjoined in the text: and if true brotherly love be really felt, the performance of all the focial duties will follow as its proper fruits. I purpofe therefore, firft, to ftate to you the nature of Benevolence, by ex- plaining what is meant by loving others as ourfelves, and then to point out the natnral confequences of this affection. THE ( 63 ) THE Almighty hath implanted in each individual a regard for his own happinefs, which fliews itfelf in conftant wiihes and endeavours to avoid what is painful, and to attain what may conduce to enjoyment. And as it was his defign, that a great part of our happinefs fliould arife from focial in- tercourfe, he hath alfo given us feelings to- wards our fellow creatures, which prompt us to confult their happinefs in like manner. But fuch is the condition of the world, that what will contribute to the good of others, frequently appears inconfiftent with our own eafe and enjoyment, to which our felf- love is continually prompting us to have immediate regard. And this principle of felf-love gains fo much ftrength, by a&ing upon us continually, and by the indulgence of our early years, before our benevolent affections begin to expand, that it generally acquires too great a fliare of influence in the human heart. For at fir ft we live the life of ( 64 ) of mere animals, and gradually rife to thai which is rational and focial. It becomes therefore the bufinefs of reafon,as we acquire the power of confidering what palfes within us, and of direting the feveral propenfities of our nature, to counteraft this undue at- tention to ourfelves, which operates to the negle6l, and fometimes to the injury of others, by placing their feelings and con- cerns in the fa-me point of view, as that in which we confider ourfelves, and our own concerns. If we feel pain, we can confider that pain is the fame fenfation when felt by them. If wtffeel pleaftire, we can recoiled, that pleafure and delight are equally de- fired by them. The confequence of this habit of contemplating the feelings of others is, that we regard their welfare as we unavoidably regard our own, and from our focial affe&ion, as really wifli that they may avoid mifery, and obtain happinefs, as from our perfonal affeftion, we wifh that we we may do fo ourfelves. In the degrees, indeed, of that warmth with which we re- gard others, and of that with which we re- gard ourfelves, there will be in moft perfons a confiderable difference ; as there is in the regard which we mew for different perfons as they ftand in a nearer degree of con- nelion with us, or in one more diftant, as they intereft more or lefs the other feelings of our nature: But as we may be really interefted for feveral perfons, whom we love in different degrees, and whofe happi- nefs, we confequently defire with different degrees of earneftnefs, fo we may be as really interefted for others, as for ourfelves, whilft yet we love ourfelves the beft. You fee then, I hope, what is meant by loving others as ourfelves j it is entering into what concerns their happinefs and welfare, as truly as we enter into what concerns our own; entering into it, I mean with our hearts, not coldly performing beneficent F actions, ( 66 ) actions, which fome would reprefent as the whole of Charity, as they reprefent the outward compliance witlr the divine com- mands as the whole of the love of God. But thefe men furely forget that the out- ward aclion affe&s our moral chara6ter, only as it is an evidence of an internal feeling. In this way of ftating this precept, you perceive nothing extravagant or im- practicable, nothing but what may reafon- ably be made a fubjecl of command, nothing but what in fome meafure, tho', God knows, far mort of what it mould be, mankind in general experiences ; and therefore, nothing for the minds of any to be ftartled at, as, I fear, is fometimes the cafe on hearing this command, from the want of confidering difpaffionately its true fenfe and meaning. You have alfo, probably obferved, that what has been offered in explanation of this virtue, is true altogether, independently of the religion of Chrift: And the reafon is, that that the feeds of it were originally planted in our nature by our gracious Creator, at the fame time with the love which we bear to ourfelves: and the religion of Chrift, gives us no new feelings, but only reftrains, cherifhes, or direfts, thofe which belong to our nature. It reftrains our inordinate felf- love, it cherilhes and direts our love of our fellow creatures, and this in fo clear a manner, and with fuch affeting confider- ations, as were altogether unknown before: it carries it to fo much greater extent, than unaflifted reafon could conceive, that the Chriftian love of our brethren, juftly de- ferves to be called, as it is in the Holy Scriptures, a new commandment. I proceed to the particular effe&s of this principle of Benevolence, reformed, exalted, and ex- tended, into the Chriftian grace of Charity. It will lead us to rejoice with thofe that do rejoice, and to weep with thofe that weep. As the misfortunes of others will give us F 2 pain, ( 68 ) pain, tho' pain not attended by the comfort of felf-approbation ; fo their fuccefs and profperity, will really add to our fatisfa&ion and happinefs. Perhaps, this is not fo often the cafe, as we are fond of profeffing, nay, as we would willingly perfuade ourfelves, but It is a fure mean of judging, whether we do indeed poflefs benevolence of mind or not. Our fympathy with others, in cir- cumitances of affliction, is naturally flronger, and not fo much reftrained by felfifh con- fiderations. And therefore, it is more com- mon to find perfons who compailionate mifery, than thofe who really rejoice with the happy. And fince we muft frequently feel pain, from the various fufTerings of our fellow creatures, it feems that from mere regard to our own enjoyment, we mould endeavour to counterbalance it, by re- ceiving as much fatisfa&ion as we can from their fucceflfes. But real fympathy is an active principle, and urges on the mind to ftrenuous ftrenuous exertions to promote the good and the comfort of others. It fuffers not a perfon to form private and independent fchemes of perfonal good, but whilft he is planning or purfuing what may appear to advance or gratify himfelf, it leads him to confider in what manner the interefts of others will be affefted, and if poflible, to plan his defigns for his own happinefs in fuch a way, as to include rendering effential fervices to them; and it will alfo regulate his exertions by the importance of things: it will prefer the real good of others to their imaginary good ; the good of their fouls to their prefent fatisfa&ion ; the good of the public to the good of individuals: And on this account, it will afford a new motive for an exemplary attention to piety and virtue; by which the moft good is done, in the moft lafting manner, to the greatefl number of perfons. Nor will the benevo- lent man be inattentive to any thing in F 3 which ( 7 ) which the fatisfattion only of others is con- cerned. That politenefs, which in the world too frequently occupies the place of charity, will allow men at times to fay and do what they are confcious may give lafting uneafinefs, at leaft to their inferiors, and to fuch as appear not to be of ufe to them in the promotion of their importance, their pleafures or their interefts; or through in- dolence, to be guilty towards them, of inattentions which deeply wound their fee- lings, tho' they dare not mew it. And among perfons of worthier character, it is not uncommon to fee thofe who have a real defign of ferving others, in what they con- ceive to be matters of confequence, by little a>s of apparent unkindnefs or negleft, or perhaps by the very manner of con- ferring their favours, caufing to them more real fuffering, than their good offices can ever overbalance. They do not confider 3 that human beings have minds as well as bodies ( 7' ) bodies. The happinefs or mHery of this life, does not depend fo much upon great events, which feldom occur, as on a num- ber of little circumftances which attend us every day, and almoft every hour: and this muft by no means be forgotten by thofe who wifh to be the true benefactors of their fellow creatures but this will moft cer- tainly be often forgotten, unlefs we have for others that feeling, which places ourfelves exaclly in their fituation. When once this becomes the habit of the mind, fo as for it to be done involuntarily, as occafions arife, every feeling of others will have its due consideration ; every perfon will have his due mare of attention j every aftion in which others can be interefted, will be performed, in fuch a manner, as will exprefs the bene- volence of the mind, in the moft conciliating way which circumftances permit. F4 IT ( 7* ) IT is a precept of the chriftian religion, not only to be pitiful but alfo courteous. The world may teach the mode, the fpirit muft be learnt from the Gofpel of Chrift. Every true chriftian poffeffes that temper, which is the ground work of the charater of the true gentleman. Obferve him then in all the various fituations of human life, heartily wifhing, carefully planning, and fmcerely endeavouring to promote the good of man- kind in every refpeft, with uniform at- tention and kindnefs, proportioned to the various claims of kindred friendship, ac- quaintance, neighbourhood, and country loving and being beloved. THERE are, thank God, fome to be found, who make it their bufmefs to " go about doing good," and who have frequently the fuperior merit of continuing to do fo, amidft the ungrateful fneers of men, too felfiih and narrow minded, to form a notion of their views, ( 73 ) views. Nor in order to difcover them, need we confine our fearch to perfons of fuperior affluence or ftation. Thefe indeed have moil power of benefiting their fellow- creatures 5 and every beneficent aSion which they perform, every common civility and attention which they beftovv, come re- commended by fiich advantageous circum- ftances, that it is wonderful to fee fo many of them regardlefs of the comfort and fatis- faclion of others, as we do. And when they exprefs, as they ought, by condefcen- fion and kindnefs, a chriftian regard for thofe beneath them, attending to their com- plaints, relieving their wants, and foftening their afflictions, it recalls to our view, by a (hiking refemblance, Job's employment of his profperity, " the bleffing of him that was ready to perifh came upon me, and I made the widow's heart to fing for joy ; I put on righteoufnefs and it cloathed me, ray judgement was a robe and a diadem." ( 74 ) Bex in every flation, in the pooreft, and the meaneft, will real charity exhibit its influence, in all the little offices of neigh- bourhood and domeftic intercourfe, and even in the manner in which men follow the humbleft ways of earning their daily bread. In mort, as the whole buiinefs of life takes a new character without the par- ticulars of it being changed, by its being devoted to the fervice of God; fo every action of focial intercourfe, altho' it con- tinues the fame in outward appearance to the eyes of worldly men, afiumes from this principle, the dignity of chriftian charity. And whoever would truly enjoy the prefent world, may draw from hence fuch fublime fatisfalion, that all the common gratifi- cations from which mankind in general ex- pe<t their happinefs, when compared with it, fink into nothing. Let us then con- tinually cultivate this blefled difpofition, the feeds of which are planted in every ones heart, ( 75 ) heart, by checking what is unfavourable to i-ts growth, and cherifhing whatever may encourage it. Let us moderate our efti- mation of this world, in which alone there can arife that feeming oppofitionof interefts, which is fo unfriendly to charity, by con- fidering the little value in reality of thofe things, on account of which, we give up the delightful fenfations of univerfal love, and condemn ourfelves to the internal mifery which is always occafioned by va- riance, enmity, and difcordj and by fre- quently extending our views to that better ftate, in which univerfal love will conflitutc no fmall lhare of our enjoyment LET us not in imagination, much lefs in converfation, indulge ourfelves in the plea- fure which our pride is too apt to receive, from dwelling upon the mifconduct or im- perfe&ions of mankind, either towards our- felves or others, but on the contrary, ac- cuftom cuftom ourfelves to obferve the pleafing features of their characters. One man will travel through a country, and return with deformities, only impreffed upon his mind, whilil another will have found fomewhat to pleafe him in the wildeft and rougheft fccnes of nature. THVS alfo may every character be con- iidered in different points of view, which will have very effential effects on our dif- pofition towards it. And when we ex- perience feelings of an unamiable tendency, let us compel ourfelves to act contrary to the fuggeftions of the moment, the doing of which, if carried into an habit, will un- queftionably influence the ftate of our hearts. Above all, with our conftant and ardent prayers for this particular grace, " the very bond of peace and of all virtue," let us heartily pray, and earneftly endeavor to obtain that fupreme principle of conduct and ( 77 ). flf and difpofition- of foul, moft perfeCtive of our nature, the reverential love of God, as po- iTeiTed of all perfection and the fource of all good, which has a direct tendency to refine, expand, and exalt our affections towards each other ; contemplating his goodnefs as difplayed in the common gift of the Sme nature, the common prefervation of life, by the fame fatherly eare, the common en- joyment of it by an union in the various gradations of fociety, and efpecially in the redemption of the whole human race from one common mifery, and the communi- cation to all of the fame glorious hopes; thus making us fellow members one with another, of that myftical body, of which Chrift is the head. And if after all we mould at any time feel ourfelves but in- clined to aCt contrary to the dictates of Benevolence, let us recolleCt the temper and the precepts of our bleffed Lord. On the altar of divine love which he has raifed, let let us lay our quarrels and animofities, our pride, our petty felf interefts, and hardnefs of heart and there will afcend from it the f\veet Savoyr of univerfal Charity. SERMON ( 79 ) SERMON IV. ST. MATTHEW, Ch. xvi. V. 18. " UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MT CHURCH, AND THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT." JL HESE words of our blefled Lord, to which our attention is directed by the Gofpel of this day, could only proceed from a confcioufnefs of his having come from God to eftablifli a religion in the world. o ON any other fuppofition, they indicate fuch abfurd vanity and enthufiafm, as is hardly imputable to any man of ordinary underftanding, and utterly inconfiftent with that ( So ) that fobriety and refer ve by which the con- duit of our Saviour on the moft trying oc- cafions was uniformly diftinguimed. When Socrates was condemned at Athens, he reafonably .concluded, from the hiftory of his own country, as well as from the natural tendency of innocence and truth to prevail over malice and falfehood, that pofterity would do juitice to his metit : but that his notions of moral and religious truth would be embraced, and taught in his name under every change of human affairs, was too arrogant an expectation to enter into his mind; and yet, were we to confider the Grecian fage, and the founder of the chrif- tian religion, as vefled only with human authority; we might perhaps, on a com- parifon of the nature of their doctrines, and of the circumftances peculiar to each^ of them, be juflified in faying, that fuch a declaration from the mouth of Socrates, would not have appeared fo extraordinary, as ( 8i ) as the words of the text, from the mouth of our Lord. BUT our Lord knew that he came forth from God, and had power and authority to eftablifli dominion, and glory, and a king- dom, that all people, nations, and lan- guages mould ferve him j that his dominion mould be an everlafting dominion, which fhould not pafs away, and his kingdom, that which mould not be deftroyed. That the gates of hell have not prevailed againft the religion of Chrift, is a fa&; that great obftacles have been oppofed to it's progrefs, is a facl alfo j that they were fuch as mud have prevailed in the courfe of caufes and effects, had it not been protected and con- dueled by a power all wife and almighty, has been often and fairly proved. IN what way this almighty power was ex- erted after the days of the apoftles, and how G long I 82 ) long it fliewed itfelf in an extraordinary *nanner, has been the fubjeft of much dif- pute ; but, as has been obferved, whether we extend its duration to a longer, or limit it to a fhorter period, nay, were we not to avail ourfelves at all of the evidence from miracles, commonly fo called, the exiflence and progrefs of chriltianity, notwithftanding every impediment, is in itfelf a miracle ; and affords a proof of its divine origin, to which, from it's nature, the procefs of time muft give continually additional force. IF, moreover, thofe very events which were in their obvious tendency moft un- propitious to it, have yet been the means, and, humanly fpeaking, the neceflary means of bringing it to the ftate in which it now exifls, the proof of it's divine origin, from the fuccefs with which it was propogated, will be inexpreffibly ftrengthened ; for it belongs to God alone, to bring good out of evil, evil, and through a feries of ages, to execute ' the gracious purpofes of his providence* by the operation of caufes apparently the moft adverfe to them. This laft point, is intended to be illuftrated by an enumeration of fome of the chief difficulties, which our religion encountered in it's infant ftate, and continued to encounter till the commence- ment of the reformation, and by endeavour- ing to point out the good effects with which they have been attended. WITHIN a fhort time after our Saviour's afcenfion, the animofity of the Jews againft his Difciples, occafioned the violent death of the firft martyr, Saint Stephen; and raged fo vehemently againft the church which was at Jerufalem, that all, except the Apoftles, were fcattered abroad throughout the re- gions of Judea and Samaria. No event could prornife to be more fatal to the infant church than the early difperfion of its mem- G 2 bers, ( 84 ) bers, before they could have been well in- ftrufted in the principles of their religion. Yet to us, to whom the view of God in permitting this difperfion has been ex- plained by it's actual confequences, it ap- pears to have contributed greatly to the enlargement of the church, perhaps to have been eflential to it's prefervation. Had the difciples been allowed to continue unmo- lefted at Jerufalem, the chief priefts, at fome moment favorable to their purpofe, might have enflamed the paflions and pre- judices of the multitude, and, by inftigating them to the deftru&ion of the Apoftles, have at once annihilated the chriftian name : for though they had been obliged, becaufe of the people, to releafe Saint Peter and Saint John without punifliment, yet the popular opinion might turn againft the Apoftles, as it had done in the cafe of their divine mafter: but when, in confequence of this difperfion on Saint Stephen's death, thofe thofe who were fcattefed abroad went every where preaching the word, and the people with one accord gave heed to them ; fuch an attempt, however compleatly exe- cuted, would no longer appear likely to effeft their obje&, ignorant as they were of the particular ends which the Apoftles were deftined to ferve : and this may poflibly account in fome meafure, for the Apoftles continuing fo long in fafety in that very- city to which Saul was commiflioned to bring thofe bound, whom he fhould find profeffing the fame faith at Damafcus. THE reluctance which the Jews in general (hewed to embrace chriftianity, was, in a very ftriking inftance, eventually favorable to it's eftablifliment. If that people had re- ceived the gofpel readily, and their rulers had fupported it, the preachers of it would have immediately proceeded to propogate it in other parts of the Roman empire; G 3 this, ( 86 ) this, accompanied by fuch a change in Judea, would have foon alarmed the fuf- picious jealoufy of the government; the rifmg fet would have appeared fo formi- dable, that meafures would have been early taken for it's utter extirpation; efpecially as the indignation with which the Jews fubmitted to the yoke impofed on them, and the erroneous notions they entertained refpe&ing the Mefliah, were not unknown to their conquerors. But by the oppofition which the Gofpel met with among the Jews, to whom it was to be firft preached, the Apoftles were detained in Judea and the neighbouring countries 5 their proceed- ings were litle obferved, and lefs regarded by the Roman government, as no alteration appeared in the conduct of the ruling powers at Jerufalem : and their followers, being confidered only as a fet of the Jews, were tolerated till they had diffufed their do&rines into almoft every province of the empire, ( 8? ) empire. At length the attention of the em* perors was roufed, and the moft malicious infinuations were employed to exafperate them againft the followers of Chrift, on one hand by the Jews, who faw the eftimation in which the ceremonial law had been held daily declining; and, on the other, by the heathen priefts, who in the prevalence of the new religion, beheld the fubverfion of their own. During above two centuries and a half, the chriftians enjoyed no affu- ranee of eafe or fafety, and frequently en- dured the moft dreadful fufferings of every fort: contempt, reproach, torments, and death, every where awaited the profeffion of the Gofpel, learning and fophiilry were exerted againft it. SUCH, indeed, is the nature of the human mind, that oppofition, .and even perfecution, confirm it in the principles which it has em- braced. And, as they never fail to intereft G 4 others ( 83 ) others in the fate of fufferers, who give fuch proof of their fincerity, they fometimes, imperceptibly, create a prejudice in favor of the principles themfelves, which can render men fuperior to what is fo repugnant to human nature ; accordingly it has been found, both in religious and civil conten- tions, that many fefts and parties have ftourifhed under perfecution, and when un- noticed and neglefted, have drooped and died away. We may therefore admit, that a certain degree of oppofition was favorable to the caufe of chriftianity at its firft pro- mulgation; but it is contrary to common fenfe to fuppofe, that perfecution carried to fuch extremities, and continued through fuch a length of time, had a natural ten- dency to make men embrace it; nay, we may reafonably conclude, that fame induce- ment, beyond the ordinary operation of the motives propofed in the gofpel, was necef- fary to counteract fuch difadyantages, and to, prevail prevail on perfons ot all defcriptions to em- brace and adhere to it, as we know they did. But grievous as fuch feverities were to thofe on whom they were inflifted, and inimical, while they lafted, to the progrefs of chriftianity, they were the means of furnifhing to pofterity the flrongeft proof of the truth of that religion they were intended to reprefs: for they occafioned the molt rigorous inquiry into the evidence of it, both by thefe who embraced, and by thofe who oppofed it, and at a time when any fraud or defet in that evidence could have been eafily deteted. As no fraud or defeat was difcovered, (for thofe who rejeted the religion, admitted the fats on which the belief of it was founded, but perverfely at- tributed them to the mod improbable cau- fes) the fupport which is thus afforded to the hiftory of the new teftament is fo con- fiderable, that the greateft enemies of our faith have fmce, as well as then, been forced to ( 90 ) to have recourfe to other modes of attack, inftead of attempting directly to difprove the hiftory; which done, the whole fyftem falls in pieces at once, which not done, all other objections can be of little avail. WHILE therefore, as partakers of the fame human nature, we fympathife in the fuffering of the primitive martyrs, reafon tells us, that God, who in his appointed time, will recompence thofe fufferings an hundred fold, permitted his church to be thus affailed by ftorms, to demonftrate at once to it's friends and enemies, the depth and folidity of it's foundations. Men took counfel together againft the Lord, and againft his anointed, but he that dwelleth in heaven laughed them to fcorn, and had them in derifion. ANOTHER advantage that refulted to the chriftian caufe from having been fo long oppofed, ( 91 ) oppofed, was, that no pretence could be alledged, with the fmalleft probability, of its having been introduced to ferve any worldly purpofe; and alfo, that it was preferved by this means, from being cor- rupted in its infant ftate, by political or philofophical maxims. The different fchemes of Pagan theology, were all intro- duced and fupported by lawgivers and kings, and calculated to infpire a more awful fenfe of their authority. Even the Jewifh religion, as it was to be confined to one people, and to fubfift no longer than their ftate continued, was eftablifhed by fan&ions of government, though of an ex- traordinary kind: but the religion of Chrift, defigned to be coeval with the world, and to be preached throughout every region of it, had no fupport from human power, left it mould appear to be in any degree depen- dent on that power, or to have been more particularly ( 92 ) particularly adapted to one fort of govern- ment than to another. HAD the Roman emperor and fenate at once become converts to chriftianity, and taken it under their prote&ion, the inter- polition of God would have been lefs con- fpicuous; and we, who even now, in ex- prefs contradiction to the whole tenor of hiilory, have heard fo often that our religion is only an inftrument of ftate, mould never have been able to filence objelions of this fort, and mould indeed ourfelves have wan- ted that irrefragable evidence to the con- trary which we now poffefs. At leaft, we mould not have had fo convincing a proof of the fmcerity of the firft preachers of the gofpel, and of their having heen actuated by no motives of intereft or ambition. Nay, had the perfecution foon fubfided, fince intereft or ambition will fometimes lead men to encounter geat difficulties, where they ( 93 ) they have a profpeft of furviving them, this might have been faid of the Apoftles and other preachers of chriftianity. But it is to be remembered, that though they were fully allured of the final eftablifhment of chriftianity, fmce their Lord had foretold it, they were precluded by the fame pre- dictions from any hope of feeing it take place. Saint Peter for above thirty years, conftantly a&ed under the expectation of a violent death, and knew the particular kind of death which he was to fuffer. THERE is alfo great reafon to think, that the confequences which actually enfued on the converfion of Conftantine and of the philofophers, might have been equally oc- cafioned, and with more fatal effel, had chriftianity obtained the protection of the great and learned at a much earlier period. Had not the church been rendered cautious by oppofition and controverfy, and obliged to ( 94 ) to repel the cavils of its adverfanes, by ftating its genuine doctrines with clearnefs and precifion, the maxims and cuftoms of the world, and the inventions of fcience, falfely fb called, might infenlibly haveNbeen fo incorporated with the chriiiian fyftem, that it would foon have become almoft im- poiTible to reduce it to its original purity. Indeed it is difficult to fay what alterations or interpolations might not have taken place in the facred writings, to anfwer the ends of ambitious and defigmng men, or to fan&ify the conceits of vifionary philofophers, had the fcriptures at once been given into their hands, and been diftributed through their means. Nay, had the Roman govern- ment only not oppofed the progrefs of the Gofpel, fuch an interchange of rites and tenets might have taken place in the courfe of an unreferved and amicable intercourfe between Chriilians "and Pagans, as would have caufed them to appear but like differ- ent ( 95 ) cnt fels of the fame religion. Whereas how, the kingdom of Chrift, unaided by human learning during more than one cen- tury, unprotected by human power during almoft three, and yet continually extending its dominion, ftands eminently diftinguiftied from the kingdoms of this world ; and the fcriptures were preferred unadulterated in this ftate of feparation, till they were fo widely difperfed that any attempt to falfify them muft have been immediately dif- covered, and thus we have the teftimony of fats, that our faith ftandeth not in the power of man, but of God. BUT farther; befides thefe external dan- gers to which chriftianity was expofed on its firft promulgation, there was another, arifing from within, which threatened to be no lefs fatal to it. Many of the firft con- verts, both Jews and Gentiles, though con- vinced by the fupernatural evidence which accompanied ( 96 ) accompanied the Gofpel, of its divine origin, retained prejudices fo inveterate, that they endeavoured to interpret its doc- trines in confiftency with thefe, inftead of making it their ftandard for correcting them. Nor is this matter of furprife; for in the reception of revelation, men are left to the ufe of their natural powers, which are exerted as on other occafions ; not urged by an irrefiftible, or, if it may be fo called, a mechanical force. But, under the providence of God, even error becomes fubfervient to the inveftigation and eftablifh- ment of truth : for had no fuch falfe notions prevailed, or had they not manifefted theni- felves till after the days of the Apoftles, the epiftles of the new teftament would natu- rally have contained only direft inftru6tions, and we mould have miffed the advantage of fo exaft a fpecification, not only of what the truth is, but of what it is not : an ad- vantage of great importance, as might eafily be . ( 97 ) be made appear fiom what relates to the opinions of the Judaifmg Chriftians in Saint Paul's epiftles. In addition to the paffages of a controversial nature which are to be found in the facred writings themfelves, we have many works compofed by the mod refpeftable members of the primitive church, to which the fame erroneous opinions gave occafion ; and though thefe may in foine inftances have been received with too implicit deference, they yet cbn- flitute a very ufeful comment on the fcrip- tures, and, at the reformation in particular, were of great fervice in fettling the form and principles of our national church. AT length, in the beginning of the fourth century, chriftianity obtained the protection of the fovereign power, and pafTed at once from the mod diftrefled fituation, as to out- ward circumftances, into a (late of fecurity, opulence, and honour. This profperous H condition, ( 98 ) condition, except during the ffiort reign of one emperor, it enjoyed without inter- ruption; and we cannot help remarking, though it is not ftriftly within the limits of the fubjeft, the fulnefs of time when this happy change took place. For not long^ after, the northern nations made a for- midable irruption into the empire, and within two centuries deftroyed, throughout countries of immenfe extent, almoft every monument of ingenuity and learning. Had chriftianity not enjoyed, previous to this unexampled revolution, fome interval of profperity, it could not have been fufficient- ly eftablilhed to furvive fo mighty a (hock : it did more ; it fubdued the favage con- querors who menaced it with extirpation ; it was tranfmitted by them to pofterityj disfigured indeed by fuperftition and cor- ruption, yet with its records fo intire as to afford the means of retrieving its purity in more enlightened times; and we fee it at this ( 99 ) this day fufficiently flourishing, not only in the old world, but in the new, tojuflify the moft implicit confidence in God's promife, that it {hall finally overfpread the whole face of the earth. MAY not this dreadful revolution alfo, which defolated Europe, and involved it for ages in the darkeft ignorance, be num- bered among thofe feemingly difaftrous events, which under the controul of pro- vidence, have ultimately proved beneficial to our holy religion. Sudden tranfitions from diftrefs to profperity are feldom born by individuals or focieties with due moder- ation. The church, after having fuftained perfecution with fuch unfhaken conftancy, was unhappily feduced by ambitious views, and the fimplicity of the fcriptures was dif- figured by the fubtileties of a vain philofo- phy. The innovations of every kind which found admiffion in the courfe of the fifth H 2 century ( ido ) century were fo numerous, they were in- terwoven with fo much art, and maintained with fo much ingenuity, that, had the ftate of things which gave rife to them continued the fame, it would foon have become a difficult matter to difcover, and a hopelefs attempt to reform them. But the almoft total annihilation of learning, occafioned by the ravages of the Goths arid Vandals, though for a time it aggravated the evil, conduced, indireftly at leaft, to the cure of it. It favored no doubt the fuccefs of Mahomet, and of the papal ufurpations; but the fuperftitions on which thefe were founded, were fabricated by perfons who prefumed fo far on the blindnefs of their contemporaries, that the firft dawn of re- turning knowledge detected the impofture; fufpicion being once awakened, the whole fyftem of religious faith underwent an ac- curate inveftigation, in the courfe of which the errors of the preceding period, lefs grofs, grofs, but not lefs pernicious, were dif- covered and expofed. IT is curious to obferve, that as ignorance gave rife to fuperftition, and fuperftition to the moft defpotic power that was ever ex- ercifed over the minds of men, fo the exer- tion of tha.t power, in an inftance-, which perhaps of all others is, the moA ftrik,mg proof of its prepq$ckrant' influence, tended eventually to the. revival of learning, arjtd by confcquence to its own fubverfion. Nothing lefs than the afcendancy which the popes poffefled could have Simulated tQ thofc rafh and fanatical expeditions, in which an o.bjeft of no importance to the real interefts of chriftianity, was purfued by means the moft inconfiftent with its princi- ples : they opened however a communi- cation with Conftantinople, where philofo- phy and learning of every kind had. found an afylum. H THE ( 102 > THE fortunes of that celebrated city, confidered with reference to the fame fub- jet, are equally fmgular. The removal of the feat of empire thither, to which its ag- grandifement was owing, was a rneafure fo contrary to found policy, that we may perhaps be juftified in attributing it to the influence of an over-ruling caufe. Without fuch a provifion, the light of learning would have been extinguifhed; it would have be- come extremely difficult, perhaps im- poffible ever to retrieve the hiftory of early times, and that unbroken feries of evidence which has convinced the ableft and moil fcrupulous inquirers of the truth of our religion, and which its adverfaries will never be able to overthrow. Conftantinople, having ferved this great purpofe, feems to have fulfilled its deftiny; it became in its turn the prey of a fierce and barbarous people ; but it is remarkable that its down- fall co/npleted what its prefervation had begun ; begun j the affrighted inhabitants fought refuge among nations confcious of the im- provement they had already derived from a tranlient intercourfe with them ; they carried thither the precious treafures of antient learning; they were cheriihed as they de- ferved ; under their culture the human mind once more began to expand ; the fer- vice of God gradually became a reafonable fervice, it was difcovered that the caufe of truth could not be promoted by fraud, however pioufly intended, and that reve- lation, to be refpe&ed, needed only to be thoroughly underftood. THE conclufiou from thefe obfervations is obvious. That if fo many apparently adverfe events have been attended with beneficial confequences to the chriftian religion, we may humbly truft that other adverfe circumftances, which at prefent fubfifl, (the long and extenfive prevalence H 4 of ( 104 I of mahometanifm, the remains of papal fuperftitions, and the malignant fpirit of fcepticifm) will finally appear to have had a fimilar tendency. Hitherto experience has fearfully and wonderfully confirmed our Lord's promife in the text: His fpirit and his power ftill watch over and protecl his church; and in due feafon will bring it to that ftate of glorious perfection of which the prophetic writings give affu- rance. When all the kingdoms of this world fhall be the kingdoms of our God, and of his Chrift; when all the people fhall be righteous, and know the Lord from the greateft to the leaft. SERMON SERMON V. ST. MATTHEW, Ch. xxii. V. 37. "r I'kq off irr/ " THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND." the chriftian religion was beftowed upon us by the Author of our nature, all its difcoveries and motives of acHon are adapted to that nature to the whole of its constitution. That we may be influenced through the regard which we naturally bear to ourfelves, our fears are alarmed by 'the denunciations of endlefs mifery roue hopes are raifed and animated by the prof- peel: and aflurance of an happy and glorious immortality. immortality. And fo long as we adhere to our duty, from the confiderations which our hopes and fears fuggeft, we comply with the purpofe of providence in implan- ting thefe paffions in us, and guarding his laws by their influence. But that obe- dience, which proceeds from fear alone, will ever be paid with reluctance ; that which flows from hope alone, will be rendered as eafy and fparing, as mall appear confiftent with the attainment of its object. And accordingly that entire refignation of our- felres to the divine will, which is evidently required by the Goipel, will be very im- perfectly fecured by the threatenings and the promifes which religion announces to us. Even perfons of more improved tem- pers, without the influence of fome higher principle, will be too apt to recede from the trials of duty, when it calls them to the facrifice of prefent wifhes and gratifica- tions. But to him 3 who loves the matter, no no fervice appears grievous: every com- mand is obeyed readily, heartily, cheer- fully. And the love of God, as he is revealed to us in the Gofpel of Chrift, is that great, univerfal, and perfect principle, which unites in itfelf the noblefl affeclions in the human breaft, which heightens and gives effeft to every other motive of duty, and has the moil powerful influence in the regulation of the heart, from which our conduct flows. It is principally and emin- ently love, which muft produce and fupport a conftant and uniform compliance with the commands of the Gofpel, and make that compliance appear to be our prefent intereft and our happinefs. I WILL endeavour therefore to ftate to you the nature of the love of God, by mowing upon what it is founded, and to point out its obvious effects. ONE ONE fafe rule we may have, if we pleafe, to guide us in this and in all other matters relating to the concerns of man with God; and happy would it have been for religion, If that direction had been duly attended to I mean common fenfe. And this obfer- vation is equally applicable to thofe perfons. who have deformed the duty we are con- fidering, by extravagant and enthufiaftic raptures, totally unfuitable to the natures God and Man ; and to thofe who deny to the Author of all perfection, and the fource of all good, any affection of the human foul warmer than bare reverence and ad- miration. Love is the fame affection ip kind, whether it have Man or God for its. object ; only, when directed to God, re- ' fined and exalted in proportion to the fpirituality of his nature, and tempered with that fuperior awe, with which crea- tWes, and efpecially fmful creatures, muft ever contemplate perfect holinefs and in- finite ( I0 9 finite power. It is always founded upon an opinion of excellence in the object of it: and when raifed to its higheft degree, this opinion of excellence is joined to a fenfe of kindnefs towards ourfelves. Imagine your- felves well allured, that in a far diftant country there lives a perfon endowed with every perfeftion of human nature, and em- ploying every bleffing of human life to the belt and nobleft purposes. Superior to his fellow creatures both in the natural and acquired graces of mind and body, exalted in rank, abounding in wealth, never indul- ging himfelf in any thing wrong, and con- ftantly employed in doing what is right, fober, pious, humble, meek, gentle, bene- volent, beneficent. Could you forbear loving filch a perfon, tho' the effect of his virtues neither did, nor ever could reach you? Would you not think of him with pleafure ? Would you not defire to be like him? Could you avoid wifhing for an op- portunity ( "0 ) portunity of fhewing fuch a perfon fom-e mark of your regard ? and if you had an opportunity, would you not endeavour to do what you know would give him fatis- faclion ? Imagine now this fame excellent perfon to be mod intirrately connected with you, to be your protestor, your father, your friend, ever confulting your welfare and happinefs, and continually conferring upon you important favors ; by means of which you found yourfelves pafTmg on thro' life, not only in the midlt of prefent comforts and delights, but with the hopes and profpecl of their being perpetually increafed ; what feelings would then arife in your minds towards him ? Would you not really and heartily love fuch a perfon ? In the former cafe, upon the fuppofition of your having no intercourfe or connection with him, you would love him on account of his excellence In the latter cafe, fen- fible of his kindnefs to you, you would love ( III ) love him, both on account of his excellence, and on account of the benefits you received. You have been before me I doubt not, in applying what has been faid of a human character to God, who is perfeftion itfelf, and the fource of all good, from whofe mercy and bounty you are continually re- ceiving more than either you can deferve or you can defire. At leaft if you will do this, you will at once not only fee the nature of the true love of God, but find irrefiilible inducements fuggefted to you, to love your heavenly Father with all your hearts, with all your minds, and with all your fouls. OF the perfections of God, either natural or moral, we can form no conception, but by colleling whatever is great, powerful, wife, beautiful, good amongft men, and adding to it all pofiible extent, and leaving out all poflible defet. It is an objeft too vaft for the comprehenfion of the human underftanding underfi anding -too far elevated above the unc'erflandings of Angels. But it is an ob- ject as real as any object which falls ever fo much within the comprehenfion of our minds, as the perfections of that human character of which we have taken a furvey. Nay, wiJiout the real exiftence of fuch incomprehenfible perfection as we afcribe to God, nothing great, powerful, wife, beautiful, or good, could have exifted at all. But tho' we know not how, by fearching to find out the perfections of the Almighty, yet of the effects of thofe per- fections w 7 e are able, if we w r ill confider at all, to form fome notion ;'N indeed not a fufficient notion; for the love of God paffeth knowledge, and we can never be..duly fenfible of his mercy to his unworthy creatures. \ J# \ ,iirvf .& u ;>? iaifab* FROM nothing hath he called us into being and made us w r hat we are j given us the ( "3 ) fhe various faculties and powers both of mind and body, with which we are fur- niflied, capable of being employed to many excellent and valuable purpofes; placed us in a world abounding with obje&s fitted to afford us enjoyment and delight, with none but what may in one way or other con- tribute to our real welfare ; made even our greateft evils fubfervient in the end to our greatefl happinefs ; his eye is perpetually watching over us, and his hand ftretched out in our protection, notwithftanding our ungrateful neglect and forgetfulnefs of our benefactor ; and notwithftanding our repeated provocations, he is ever pouring out his favours and benefits upon us. FROM what are called the natural bleffings of God, let us turn our thoughts to the wonders of his grace: confider what it really is to have all our fins and defecls forgiven 3 to have a clear and authoritative I declaration ( H4 ) declaration of our duty; to be affured of having all our concerns under the care and dire&ion of iufinite wifdom, goodnefs, and power ; to receive continual fuggeftions and affiftance from the Holy Spirit ; and to know that our mortal bodies fhall be raifed from the grave, glorious and immor- tal, that we may have our perfect con- fummation and blifs both in body and foul in God's eternal and everlafting glory. To complete all, let us look unto Jefus the author of our faith ; view there perfe&ions in human nature, and kindnefs towards us, in every thing he fpake, did, or fuffered. And now I truft that nothing further is re- quifite to illuftrate the nature of the love of God, and to mew that that affeftion is founded on a perfuafion of his perfections and of his goodnefs to us. And as to its being the prevailing fentiment of our minds, it neceflarily follows from the fuperior ex- cellence of the object to all others - 3 and the the fuperior degree of favor which we have experienced, and which we are allowed ftill to hope for, from IT is the Want or deficiency of faith and attention, which makes the love of God appear fo difficult to be apprehended by the generality of mankind. From a real faith and due attention to the perfetions and goodnefs of God, that hearty and fu- preme regard to him, which is called the love of God, follows in like manner, as love for what appears to us excellence in any human objeft, from an intimate ac- quaintance with that objeft, and experience of its kindnefs towards us. I PROCEED now to ftate to you the effects of this principle. AND firft He who pofleffes it, will have great fatisfaclion and delight from thinking I a that ( "6 ) that there is fuch a being, the author and fupporter of his exiftence, who governs the univerfe, and is ever moft intimately pre- fent with him. The confideration of God's continual infpeftion is to moft perfons the fource of melancholy dread and no won- der j for almighty power and infinite wif- dom, undirected by goodnefs and kindnefs to us in particular, is an object which it is impoflible to contemplate without the fee- lings of awe and depreffion ; and fuch is the light in which God appears to thofe whofe hearts have not experienced this principle. But what high and refined fatis- faftion does he feel who can lay open his every defign and thought to perfect good- nefs, and fovereign wifdom, and power, and rejoice that there is a being of fuch perfections to take notice of them. SECONDLY From fuch conceptions o. God, follows a willingnefs to obey him in every every thing, and a thankful fatisfaction in every difpenfation of his providence. We fliall not find any reluctance in. complying with the divine will ; thinking every ex- emption from duty juft fo much gained to our happinefs. Our obedience will be ready and chearful, not extorted by the mere force of authority grievous to our nature ; our whole hearts will be in the fervice which we render to our beloved matter and kind father; as foon as we know his will, we mall hailen to comply with it, from feelings of efteem and grati- tude; affuring ourfelves that every reftraint is from fomewhat which would upon the whole be hurtful to us, and every injunction neceffary in fome way to complete our final happinefs; nor will the difpenfations of providence wear their ufual appearance to our minds : for coniidering every dif- appointment and affliction as coming from him, of whofe perfections and of whofe I 3 goodnefs ( "8 ) goodncfs towards us we have fo deep a fenfe, we fliall receive it as necefTary cor- retion, and as wholefome medicine, to cure the diforders of our fouls ; and thro' the whole courfe of the changes and chances of this mortal life, we (hall be fully allured that we are proceeding on, juft in that line of exiftence, and with that degree of en- joyment, which will in the end advance the great good of the whole frame of creation, and our own perfonal happinefs in par- ticular. Thus we (hall feel the reafonable- nefs of thofe paffages in holy fcripture,. which exhort us to rejoice in tribulation, and to be thankful for every thing, good or bad : for the time paft, we lhall be glad that we have fuffered, and for the time to come, we mall choofe to fuffer what may yet be neceffary to promote the improve- ment of our moral nature, and confequently muft recommend us to him whom we love, and wifli moil to pleafe. THIRDLY THIRDLY Another confequence of this " principle is, a conftant endeavor to pro- mote the glory of our maker. I doubt not but many perfons hear with furprize fuch declarations of holy fcripture, as whether ye eat or drink or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God /. e. order your whole conversation of every kind with a view to God and the promoting ojf his glory among men : but with thofe who love God, this injunction raifes no furprize; they unavoi- dably pay him fuch attention. It is the natural property of love when it prevails in the mind, to have continual regard to its object ; every thing which concerns that object is of confequence. We imperceptibly form our minds, and regulate our conduct with an eye to what will appear pleafing or difpleafing in his fight ; and it affords an high fatisfaction, to confider what we do as contributing to his advancement or pleafure. Love produces fimilar effects when applied 14 to ( 120 ) to God : thofe who love him undertake and carry on their feveral worldly callings as his work, not with eye fervice as men pleafers, but in finglenefs of heart fearing God. They enjoy what comforts and fatis- faftions they have as his gift, and are per- petually confidering what effeft their whole condu6l and appearance has in promoting or hindering the progrefs of true religion and goodnefs in the world. They are very careful not to do any thing even in their moil unguarded hours, or to fay any thing in their freeft converfation which can have a bad tendency ; they confcientibufly ab- ftain from all appearance of evil. Where- ever fituation or connexion can give weight to their influence, they exert it heartily in favor of religion ; they are anxious to have their children and families in particular taught the true principles of our holy faith, and to prevail on them to follow thofe principles in their temper and conduct : they ( 121 ) . they let their light fo (Line before men, that they may fee their good works and glorify their father which is heaven. And they reap the higheft pleafure from any gratifi- cations or accomplifhments which they may poffefs in a fuperior degree to the reft of mankind, if by their means they can render true chrillian goodnefs more pleating and attra&ive in the eyes of the world. Atten- tion to all this, would be an hard and irk- fome tafk, and have the appearance of unnatural conftraint, without fuch a prin- ciple as the love of God operating in the heart ; and accordingly it appears to the worldly minded no better than the effects of enthufiafm, and is accounted to afford nothing but melancholy fear ; but it natu- rally follows from this divine affeftion. It is the fure effel of the coolcft reafon em- ployed upon confidering the whole of things in their largeft extent, and it affords a pleafure to the mind which no words can exprefs. For ( 122 ) For even the moft common and moft labo- rious employment becomes under its in- fluence the fource of fatisfa&ion j it is in truth the grand fecret which removes the infipidity fo generally attendant upon all human pofieilions, and conlequently the true way to the real enjoyment of the prefent world. ANOTHER effect of the true love of God deferving particular notice is the fincere love of our fellow creatures. Independent of the tendency we have to imitate what we love, and confequently to follow the univerfal benevolence of our heavenly fa- ther, the contemplation of the divine per- fections raifes the mind above all the narrow views of felf love, which counteract our natural feelings towards our fellow crea- tures, and opens it to the perception of every thing excellent in the whole compafs of nature : and the fenfe of the kindnefs of our our heaevnly father towards us, fpreads a peculiar tendernefs over the heart ; fa that there is an habitual propenfity to love whatever is amiable of any fort in our fellow creatures, and, where we cannot love, to pity-; hence we unavoidably become in- tereftcd in every thing which concerns the welfare, the enjoyment, or the comfort of others : we weep with thofe that weep, and rejoice with thofe that do rejoice. And what will be the effects of fuch a temper of mind in all the nearer relations of life or in the common intercourfe of the world, I need not mention: in every thing impor- tant or trifling, the behaviour will bear the unaffected marks of fincere good will. LASTLY The fure effect of fuch a prin- ciple thus operating upon our minds and influencing our conduct, will be a pro- greflive improvement in the habits of real goodnefs, and a conftant regard to another world world in which our love will be perfected, and confequently perfect our enjoyment. The more we love God, the more we mail defire and endeavour to be like him, and the more we iludy to be like him, the more will our affeclions be fixed upon that flate where we ill all fee him as he is ; and from feeing him as he is, the more we fliall love him, and. the more we do this, the happier we fhall be. Who can form the mofl dif- tant notion of that exultation of heart which will arife from the real view to which we (hall be admitted of perfect ex- cellence, and our feeling, pail all doubt, that this perfeft excellence will be the fburce to us of unalloyed happinefs for ever and ever ! AND now how blefled muft be the con- dition of that man, who finds himfelf going on from one degree of ftrength to another, animated with increaring earneftnefs to ap- pear ( 1*5 ) pear in the beauty of holinefs before God in the heavenly Jerufalem; confidering this world and the next, only as different parts of the fame plan and conftitution of things. Here he is travelling, there he will be at home, like a traveller, enjoying chearfuliy all the real fatisfations he meets with on the road, and following the neceffary bu- finefs of it with alacrity, having however his eye fixed on the end of his journey, fo as not to be prevented from arriving at his home norfmpeded in his progrefs. Surely it is not poffible to form in our minds a character more exalted and full of dignity than this? any lefs troubled and difcom- pofed by adverfe accidents and difappoint- ments ? or any which enjoys the moft com- mon gratifications of human nature with greater relifh, or has a more exquifite fenfe of the more refined? Such a character ought every chriftian to be ; fuch a charac- ter, as you have feen, the chriftian love of God ( 126 ) God will produce. Do any of you con- fider this chriftian love of God as unattain- able ? It is only becaufe you have not fincerely and earneftly endeavoured to at- tain it. If you would accuftom yourfelves to think upon God as what he is, and truly endeavour to qualify yoarfelves for thinking of him with pleafure, to lore him would follow of ceurfe. It is not a new fentiment to which your hearts are ftrangers : you are acquainted with both the affection and the objet of it. The love of goodnefs is natural to the hunym foul, and, however overpowered by the corruption of our na- ture, experienced in fome degree by every one. IT is only necefTary therefore to abflracl the mind a little from the influence of ex- ternal objects, and to encourage our higher and more refined fenfibilities ; it is only to raife in our hearts the fame affections, which which we frequently experience to be raifed in them by the amiable qualities and the kindnefs of our fellow creatures, by the contemplation of perfection itfelf, of ab- folute goodnefs. SUFFER no day to pafs over your heads without recollecting the wifdom, power, and goodnefs of your heavenly father; \vithout recollecting that this being of perfeR wifdom, power, and goodnefs, not only fees you, but is ever mod intimately prefent with you, fo that in him you literally live, move, and have your being ; without recollecting what you have received from him both by nature and by grace, the bleffings and mercies you now experience, and thofe you hope for from him hereafter. Sincerely endeavor to correct whatever is amifs in your lives or difpofitions, and uni- formly to do what appears to be your dutyj imprint the fenfe you have of thefe things on ( 128 ) on your minds, confirm your refolutions and animate your endeavours ; by habitual and earneft private prayer, by the attentive reading of God's holy word, (applying what you read to yourfelves) and by devout attendance upon the public offices of the church, and (with the affiftance of the di- vine grace which you thys will certainly received you will find the ufe of thefe means producing in your hearts continually a grea- ter and a greater degree of the love of God. SERMON SERMON VII fig PSALM, ciii. V. 2. "PRAISE THE LORD! o MY SOUL, AND JL HERE is no quality in the human charater, which we more efteem than gratitude j nor do we confine ourfelves to efteem only, but are ftrongly difpofed to fhew, towards thofe in whom we find it, all poflible attention and kindnefs : on the contrary, ingratitude raifes general ab- horrence, and effectually prevents any frefh marks of our favor, K IF ( '30 ) IF this be the cafe in the little concerns which pafs between man and man : if the fmall degree of goodnefs which we poflfefs, leads us to be thus pleafed with a grateful mind, and to feel fuch abhorrence of the contrary, how do the great and number- lefs bleffings which the Almighty has be- ftowed upon us call for our thankfulnefs and praife. And how difpleafing in the fight of infinite goodnefs muft that heart be, which is infenfible to them : and yet thofe bleffings which are conftantly and regularly enjoyed, are too apt to lofe their influence on our gratitude, from the very circumftances which ought to heighten their value, their frequency, and familiarity. There are, indeed, men to be found of the moft amiable difpofitions towards their fellow creatures, who would fhudder at the thought of neg- le&ing an earthly benefaftor ; who yet al- together forget without any fenfe of fhame or notion of guilt, the great fountain of all our our happinefs, upon whofe mercy and good- nefs all that we have or hope for depends. AND the beft of us would do well to afk our hearts frequently, whether we uniform- ly retain fuch a fenfe of God's goodnefs to us as as we ought ? Religion is too often confidered in a forbidding point of view, as filling the heart with melancholy fuggeftions and defponding terrors ; but this is men's own fault, becaufe they will view it on the dark fide ; let them accuftom them- felves to behold it in its bright and genuine afpel; let them exercife their minds in contemplating the goodnefs of the Lord j let them cultivate in their breafls the feel- ings of love and gratitude for the bleffings they experience, and then, to cherifh a fenfe of his fatherly love, to utter forth his praifes with joyful tongues from the fulnefs of their hearts, to regard him in all they do, will be confidered not merely as their duty, but Kz as as the privilege of their nature, their honor, their happinefs Praife the Lord! O my foul, and forget not all his benefits. THE benefits conferred by God on man, to which I will endeavor to direl your at- tention at prefent, are thofe which are mentioned in our daily fervice, under the heads of our creation, our prefervation, and all the bleffings of this life. Were it in my power to give you the moft imperfeft notion of the ftrulure of the human body, of the minute exactnefs with which the almoft innumerable parts of it, and all of them anfwering fome ufeful purpofe, are adjufted, and the manner in which their different operations are carried on for the ends of exiftence and enjoyment : no heart can be fo infenfible, as not to be ftruck with admiration and love at the wonderful marks of wifdom and goodnefs difplayed in our formation. FROM ( '33 ) FROM the body, let us turn our thoughts to the fuperior part of our nature, the foul : confider the various powers of the under- ftanding, affeHons, and will, and, what refults from them, that diftinguifhing moral fenfe with which we are endowed; raifing our nature to fuch a degree of excellence as places us in the fcale of exiftence but a little lower than the Angels, and renders us capable of the fublimeft fatisfa&ions. The power of fearching out and difcerning right from wrong, truth from falfehood, of directing our affe&ions and purfuits to worthy and appropriate objefts, and of re- ceiving delight from felf approbation, was intended to be the diftinguifliing privilege of man. And tho' unhappily, through the tranfgreffion of our firft parents, and much more through our own neglecl and mif- management, our understandings are in a great degree darkened and impofed on, our affe&ions difordered and mifplaced on im- proper objefts, our wills averfe from what K 3 is ( '34 ) is good, and prone to what is evil, and the natural fenfe of right and wrong becomes weak and confufed ; yet, ftill the principles of true wil'dom, of delight in goodnefs and excellence, of virtuous purfuits, of felf en- joyment, are, by the mercy of God, pre- ferved, and lay the foundation of our re- covery from this difordered ftate, thro' the gracious provifions of the Gofpel of Chrift. By thefe powers of the foul, we enjoy all the fatisfaftions of thought and reflection ; by thefe, a thoufand means of increafing the enjoyments of life are found out and ufe- fully applied ; by thefe, we reap all the pleafures of love, friendfhip, and focial in- tercourfe; and by thefe, we are made fen- fible of the exiftence and perfections of our great and glorious Creator, and are enabled to offer up to him that adoration and praife which chiefly diftinguifhes us from the reft of the creation : and further, our fouls are not fubjeft to decay or diflblution, but when ( '35 ) when our bodies are mouldering in the duft, they will ftill retain their^ being and their powers; they are immortal, and nothing can fliorten or deftroy their exiftence, but that almighty Being who firft created them, and who, as he is unchangeable, the fame yefterday to day and for ever, we may be fure will not. CAN we now confider what we are, with what wonderful contrivance our bodies are formed, and what noble faculties our fouls poflefs, and not have the deepeft fenfe of the goodnefs of that great and gracious Being, from whom we derived our exif- tence ? Can our fouls forbear praifmg him for the benefit of our creation ? But our prefervation no lefs calte for our thank- fulnefs and praife. WHEN the various parts of the human frame are confidered, and the number of K 4 thofe ( '36 ) thofe delicate fibres, which are neceflary to the prefervation of life, and yet are capable of being difordered by the flighteft accident, we fland amazed at the, continuance of our being, and fenfible how unable we are of ourfelves to fecure them from injury, and even to guard againft the external annoy- ances to which we are expofed; we are led to acknowledge with the utmoft lowlinefs, that it is through the Lord that we have been holden up ever fmce we were born, and that he only can make us dwell in fafety. And this is the cafe not merely with refpel to our bodies, but the health and peace of our fouls alfo depend upon the fupport of God's providence. If we have ever feen the moft melancholy fpe&acle which human eyes can behold one of our fellow creatures deprived of the due ufe of his reafon, we mail not need any arguments to convince us how ineftimable a blefling it is to poflefs a found mind, altho, like the blefling ( 137 ) bleffing of bodily health, it be but little confidered by the generality of mankind. The fame In proportion is true of all the other faculties of our fouls ; on God's fup- port they all depend : were that withdrawn for a moment, confufion would enfue. But our gracious Father's goodnefs fhews itfelf alfo in the manner in \vhich our being is continued to us. THIS globe upon which we are placed, is furnifhed not only with things necefTary for our fupport, but with numberlefs com- forts and delights ; indeed there is fcarce an objeft which ferves barely for ufe, and has not in fome degree the power of affor- ding us pleafure : we feldom confider, per- haps, how much the goodnefs of God Is manifeft in the pleafure which attends our taking in our daily food ; In the prevalence of agreeable fmells over thofe which are difagreeable ; of harmonious and fweet founds founds above thofe which offend the ear; in furfaces which are pleafing to the touch ; and in the effects of light and colour on the fight. We can eafily imagine how all the purpofes neceflary to our exiftence might have been attained, without thofe agreeable fenfations which are annexed to them, and muft therefore allow thofe pleafing cir- cumflances to be an additional proof of the goodnefs of God. Our daily food might have equally fupported us, tho' it had the fame effeft upon our palate as the moft naufeous medicine ; our fmell might have ferved to affift us in difcovering the qualities of things, tho' we had never been gratified with the fcent of the rofe ; the neceflary purpofes of hearing had been anfwered, tho' every tone of the human voice, every found uttered by bird or beaft or occafioned by inanimate things, had been harm and grating; our feeling might have contributed to fecure us from injury, and affifted us to form ( '39 ) form juft notions of the fize and fhape of things, tho' the touch of the fofteft down had been like that of the rougheft ftone; and our eyes might have given us every requifite benefit of fight, tho' we had never viewed the glory of the fun, the majeftic grandeur of the heavens, the varied verdure of the landfcape, or the ftupendous expanfe of the ocean ; in fhort every neceflary pur- pofe of the produ&ions of nature might have been effected for our exiftence without thofe various fources of delight with which they are accompanied. IF from the natural productions of God's providence for our being and welfare, we afcend to the confideration of focial inter- courfe ; of the afliftances and pleafures which we receive from the various arrange- ments of regular government and civil fub- ordination ; how the combined powers of mind and body, of intellect and ftrength are are duly exerted in the promotion of general fecurity, order, and happinefs ; how our affe&ions are foftened and improved ; how every faculty of the human foul is drawn forth and exercifed on its fuitable objeft : the hidden properties of the animal, vege- table, and natural world, fearched out and applied to the ufes to which they are adap- ted; how we reap from them by far the greateft part of the refined delights which fpring from the feveral connexions of life, of marriage, kindred, friendfhip, and ac- quaintance j unlefs with fome of modern times, we find the origin of all thefe blef- fings in an imaginary agreement of favages, we ihall flill further adore the goodnefs of our Creator, who not only formed man for fociety, but aclually, if at leaft we may believe his holy word, placed him in a ftate of civil fubordination; what a happy creature even in the prefent world might man be, if he knew and conlidered the bleffings ( 14* ) bleflings be has received ! But too often, from equal infatuation and ingratitude, does he look only on the unpleafmg part of his condition ; he abufes the advantages he can- not but fee, and even turns them to his hurt; the various powers of a fuperior nature he employs in counteracting that order which his maker has eftablimed, and of confequence, in producing to himfelf in the end unhappinefs ; all the natural de- lights with which this world is furnifhed he feizes on, in fuch a difproportionate man- ner, as to deftroy even the power of en- joyment ; the purpofes of civil life he perverts under the inftigations of unruly paflions, to cruelty, bloodmed, and con- fufion ; and were he left to himfelf, (did not our heavenly Father ftill interfere to guide and controul him, as far as is confident with due freedom of will,) how foon would this world, which was intended for his rational enjoyment and comfort, become a fcene fcene of continued mifery: what compleats therefore the goodnefs of God in the prefer- vation to us of our being is, his dire&ing us by his fatherly hand, in our progrefs thro' life, in which he has placed us, and in our enjoyment of the bleffings he has beftowed. IT is indeed beyond the reach of our capacity to difcover how this is continually done: yet our reafon and the exprefs decla- rations of fcripture lead us to a firm belief of God's overuling providence, and to an entire refignation of ourfelves and all our concerns, whilft we humbly endeavour to do for ourfelves what we can, to his infinite wifdom, power, and goodnefs; aflured that he will give us fuch a degree of enjoyment as (hall be moft conducive to our lading happinefs and what more can we defire ? It is true, in the various fucceflion of events, he often fends, even to thofe who trud in him, difappointments and fufferings, but always ( 143 ) always with a merciful defign; to puniili in order to amend us and others, to perfeft in us what will produce greater happinefs ; to draw our eyes towards that blefled place where his fatherly kindnefs will mine with its brighteft luftre, not clouded by thofe ats of feverity which are needful in this our ftate of education. But amidft all thefe, what numberlefs comforts do we poffefs beyond our higheft deferts: fome perfons indeed are more liberally furnifhed with the favours of providence than others ; un- doubtedly for the wifeft and bed reafons, known only to him who is equally the father of all men, and who has a right to do what he pleafes with his own. But all of us, if we would attentively and impar- tially look back upon the events of our paft lives, might fee and feel how gracious the Lord hath been unto us. LET ( 144 ) LET us take a view of our real conditions, laying afide pride and all undue pretenfions, and we fhall foon become fenfible, not only how little reafon we have upon the whole to complain, but how great reafon we have to be thankful. The mercy of God is over all his works, and, except to the incorrigible offender, in every event which befalls us; but were it in no event but one, which comes not within the fubje6t of this dif- courfe, but which gives in fa6r, by the cheering hope it affords, true value to all the reft : were the riches of God's mercy experienced folely in fending his only be- gotten and eternal fon to die for us, the juft for the unjuft ; this alone might well fwallow up every other confideration ; and amidft all the anxieties, difappointments, and fufFerings of this fhort tranfitory life, fill our hearts with joyful hope of that glory which mail be revealed, and with thankful gratitude for our deliverance from that ( Hi ) that mifery which has no end and no inter- miffion: but God's goodnefs is unbounded, and this ftupendous inftance fo far from exhaufting it, is an earneft to us of every other : He that fpared not his own fon, but gave him up for us all; how mail he not with him alfo freely give us all things ? LET us look at ourfelves, then within and without; and whilft our minds are ftruck with the wonderful wifdom and con- trivance fo confpicuous in the formation and conftitution both of our bodies and our fouls, let not the goodnefs of our Maker which is equally confpicuous pafs unregarded ; whilft we contemplate this fair temple in which he has appointed us to dwell, and our hearts fwell within us on beholding the fky, air, earth, and heaven, let the fulnefs of them burft forth in the warmeft acclamations of praife to the gracious Lord of all : when we view L the ( 146 ) the delightful productions of man's fkill and labor, or feel within us ftill more refined and animating emotions, the conjugal, the parental, the filial, the friendly, the focial, the humane; let us recollecl what we owe to the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who has eftablifhed the beautiftil order of civil fubordination, under which alone they can be duly enjoyed, and appointed our lot under a conftitution of government in Church and State, and in a period of fociety the moft favorable to every virtuous enjoy- ment of our nature, and the higheft per- feftion of the human character. AND in the more retired paths of private life, if any of us mould be difpofed to fix his thoughts folely on what is lefs pleafing in his condition; let him turn to the op- pofite and more fatisfying view; confider the many comforts which attend almoft every fhuation, and make the belt ufe of them ( 147 ) them, by enjoying them as his Maker in- tended. He will then foon be fenfible of the divine goodnefs in what cannot but be grievous to human nature, and upon the whole, with fuch views, reap more real fatisfa&ion in the midft of affliction, than an irreligious man, whofe views extend not beyond what ftrikes his fenfes, ever en- joyed in the height of profperity. ABOVE all things, let us constantly pray to God through the interceffion of our Re- deemer, that to the bleffings which be is continually pouring out upon us, he will be pleafed to annex, what crowns and per- fects all his gifts to man in this world a grateful heart " to tafte thofe gifts with joy." SERMON SERMON VII. PSALM, ciii. V. 2. FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS. LHE creation and prefervation of the world, with all the comforts and con- veniencies of life, are benefits which it might well be fuppofed men could not be in any danger of forgetting; but experience teaches us that the cafe is very far other- wife: and God our creator and preferver, and who giveth us all things richly to en- joy, is too often not in all our thoughts, whilft ( '49 ) whilft we feel and perhaps acknowledge the mod grateful fenfe of the inferior bene- fits which we have received from our fellow creatures. To recall our attention to thofe fubjecls is therefore neceflary, and has been at- tempted in a preceding difcourfe. But the bleflings of creation and prefervation, great as they are, only lead to the confideration of another flill more important to us miserable finners. FOR how much better would it have been for us never to have exifted, than to have received this blefling only to render ourfelves the objects of God's difpleafure; how much better, were it poflible, to lofe our exiftence, than to live on here for a fliort time in a ftate of folicitude and anxiety, and then leave all we hold dear, to become partakers of that juft condemnation L 3 which which we have deferred: fo much is the fclefling of our redemption of more impor- tance to us than our creation or our pre- fervation. j^ THE relations in which God {lands to us of creator and preferver, lay us under the obligation of conforming ourfelves to -his will: if we have done and continue to do this, we have nothing to fear, but may ajjure ourfelves, that infinite juftice will never fuffer our being to be worfe to us than not being, and may hope that infinite goodnefs will preferve to us (if not increafe) the bleffings we enjoy; in this cafe we have no further to look, and a Redeemer is upon this fuppofition altogether unneceffary ; but are we thus innocent thus perfett? Far be from us the arrogant imagination; we know, we feel that we have been and are finners, in thought, word, and deed : we have, in the expreffive words of our Liturgy, erred erred and ftrayed from God's ways like loft fheep ; we have followed too much the de- vices and deiires of our own hearts; we have offended againft his holy laws; we have left undone thofe things which we ought to have done, and we have done thofe things which we ought not to have done, and there is no health in us. FROM God's juftice therefore, we have nothing to expeft but punifhment; from his goodnefs, the firft thing we have to hope for, \sforgivenefs. But how know we that it is confident with his juftice, fo to exert his goodnefs as to grant us this forgivenefs ? Let not the pride of human reafon haftily anfwer this queflion, without having duly confidered what the purpofes of univerfal government over rational creatures may re- quire. In human governments we find that the welfare of fociety cannot be maintained without the punifhment of offenders 3 how L 4 know know we that the fame is not the cafe in God's kingdom? and then what muft be- come of us r Undoubtedly to a fmeere penitent, reafon and nature dictate hope of God's mercy; but hope mixed with fear, if matters be thoroughly confidered; be- caufe reafon cannot find a fure foundation on which to build that hope ; and if matters be not thoroughly confidered, the forebodings of conference will at times alarm the bread with anxious doubts ; for ceafing to do evil does not undo the evil that has been done, any more than ceafing to contract new debts difcharges the old: but the advocates for the fufficiency of human reafon, without the affiftance of Revelation, muft be re- minded, that even the confcioufnefs of guilt, (after the heart has been hardened through the deceitfulnefs of fin) which pro- duces true contrition, and leadeth to real and fincere repentance, is looked -for in vain in untaught and unaffifted nature; and ( 153 ) and if this could be there found, it cannot be found accompanied by thorough and per- feft amendment of heart and life ; for it is not thus found in us who are bleffed with fuperior information, and are trained up to an higher fenfe of duty ; our hearts condemn us of falling conftantly mort of the glory of God; and God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things. How then can man be juftified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? Behold even to the moon and it Jhineth not ; the ftars are not pure in his fight ; how much lefs man that is a worm, and the fon of man that is a worm ! To whom then can we look for comfort, and upon what can we ground our hope of mercy: bleffed be God! there is one to whom we may look in this diftrefs of na- ture; to him who hath pronounced with authority Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, ( 154 ) people, fpeak ye comfortably to Jerufalem, and cry unto her that her warfare is ac- compliflied, that her iniquity is pardoned: blefled be God for the light which hath fhined upon the people which walked in darknefs and the (hadow of death. We can now ground our hope of pardon upon the fureft foundation ; upon him who fpeaketh in righteoufnefs and is mighty to fave. Chrift hath redeemed us from the curfe of the law, being made a curfe for US; for God was in Chrift, reconciling the world unto himfelf, and made peace through the blood of his crofs. Who then fhall lay any thing to the charge of God's cleft? It is God that juftineth, who is he that condemneth? It is Chrift that died, yea. rather that is rifen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who alfo maketh interceffion for us. Let then the proud difputer of this world truft if he will to the faint glimmering of natural reafon; we will will be more humble, we know ourfelves, and glory in the crofs of Chrift. ONLY let us walk worthy of the vo- cation with which we are called, and re- ceive not the grace of God in vain ; for better had it been for us not to have known the way of righteoufnefs, than after we have known it to turn, through wilfulnefs or negligence, from the holy commandment delivered unto us. That grace of God .which thus bringeth falvation, requires from us as a qualification for receiving its final effefts, fincere endeavors to attain uni- verfal holinefs in heart and life, without which no one can fee the Lord. And the way to attain this, viz. by denying ungodli- nefs and worldly lufts, and living foberlv, righteoufly, and godly in the prefent world, is fo clearly pointed out, fo recommended by example, and fo enforced by the molt awful fanftions, that men muft wilfully fhut ( '56 ) {hut their eyes and harden their hearts if they do not fee and be converted. And that no encouragement may be wanting, it is the great and diftinguifhing excellence of the chriftian religion, that it not only gives us the aflurance of pardon for our pail fins, but promifes every requifite affif- tance to our fincere endeavors for the time to come. This doftrine of holy fcripture hath not been by fome of late years valued as it ought to be, from the miftakes refpec- ting it, into which fome ill informed tho' well meaning perfons have fallen, thinking to exalt the glory of the Redeemer by dif- paraging the original work of his hand. For in holy fcripture, the creation of man at firft, is as expreffly afcribed to the eter- nal Son of God, as our redemption; and perhaps the circumftance of its being fo familiar to our minds, prevents its affecting us in the way it otherwife would. But let not the too high fenfe of the efficacy of divine ( '57 ) divine grace, which other perfons may 'have entertained, lead us to undervalue its neceffity and importance. FOR what are we with all the information we have received refpeting our condition and God's purpofes of mercy, if left to ourfelves. If God by his holy fpirit did not ftill work in us both to will and to do, confidently indeed with the free agency of creatures in* a ftate of moral probation and difcipline. But let us imagine to ourfelves, that with a due confcioufnefs of our own weaknefs and infufficiency, with frequent experience of the deceitful nature of fin and the power of temptation, and with a perfuafion of the abfolute neceffity of obe- dience to the commands and conformity to the example of our Lord and Saviour, as propofed to us in the Gofpel, that we were this day informed for the firft time, upon the indifputable authority of eternal truth, f 1*8 ) truth, that we fliould become the temple of Almighty God, that he would come and make his abode with us, and that by his gracious prefence and influence he would enlighten our understandings, corre6t and fanctify our wills, and guard,, direct, and exalt our hearts and affections; with what holy confolation, with what awful grati- tude would our hearts be rilled! Let not then our fenfe of God's goodnefs be leffened by our more intimate knowledge of its AND whilft we carefully avoid the errors of enthufiafm, let us not fall into the delu- fions of pride, nor forget in whom flandeth our help; whilft we make the attainment of true and fubftantial godlinefs, in the moft exteniive fenfe of the word, the firft object of our endeavors, as it is the only foun- dation of real happinefs in this life as well as in the world to come, exerting all the powers powers of our nature in the purfuit of it; ' let us rely for the fuccefs of our exertions (and experience will foon teach us that we cannot -find any other dependance) upon the encouraging promifes which are made us in the gofpel of Chrift, of grace to help in time of need. Not that with our beft en- deavors we may hope to be rendered per- fet in goodnefs, notwithstanding our daily progrefs in it ; for abfolute perfection is not the lot of man on earth, or angels in heaven; his very angels he chargeth with folly; and we are told that even a juft man falleth feven times a day. In the midft therefore of our exultation we have caufe for humility, and after all to confefs, that not by works of righteoufnefs which we in any way have done doth he fave us, but through his free mercy in Chrift Jefus. And this duly confidered (and whether it be confidered as it ought let us alk our hearts ferioufly) muft raife our gratitude ( 160 ) gratitude to the higheft degree; for tlie due confederation of it leads on our thoughts to another particular comprehended in our redemption ; our having been 'begotten again thro' God's abundant mercy, unto a lively hope, to an inheritance incorrup- tible and undefiled that fadeth not away, referved in heaven for us. IT is appointed unto all men once to die ; now fetting entirely afide the thoughts of what may happen to us after death, the very idea of quitting the prefent life is grievous to human nature. To think that the time will foon come when we mail have no more a portion in any thing that is done under the fun; when the fun indeed will rife but not to mine on us; when the ufual bufmefs of the world will be carried on, but with as little regard to us as if we had never been; when the generality of our ac- quaintance will have intjrely forgotten- us ; and ( 161 ) and thofe whom we now moft love, and who perhaps moft love us, will feldom think of us, or if they do, with almoft per- fe6t indifference; when all that pleafes the eye, charms the ear, and delights the heart, will be withdrawn, and thefe our bodies which we have fo dearly loved and fo .carefully fupported, will be laid in the cold and dark grave, there to become a mafs of corruption, from which even our acquaintance and friends would turn afide with averfion the food of worms. Alas ! who can think of thefe things without melancholy dread? Who does not need fome affurances of comfort to fupport his foul under thefe fears of nature ? But to imagine further that our very exiftence will ceafe, and our fouls too die with our bodies, carries with it fuch horror as no one could long endure. ^P- * g* * ; + M ( 162 ) GOD therefore has fo formed our nature, that tho' we cannot but fear death, we cannot at the fame time but hope to live after death, and our reafon is capable of furnifhing fome arguments to encourage this hope of nature; but ftill, fear will at times prevail in moft men, and innumerable difficulties occur to ftagger at leaft if not to filence our reafon. The wifeft and beft of the heathen world are evident inftances of this perplexity ; at one time they appear convinced, at another full of doubt; at one time fupported by proofs, at another em- barrafled by objetions; one part of man at leaft, they faw, perimed : how neceflary this part might be to the enjoyment, if not the exiftence of the other, who could pre- fume to determine ? Befides, tho' they might be convinced of living again after their departure out of this world, yet what is that world into which they were t to go ? * * 9 % ** ~*^t- jML, Is it a ftate of more happinefs or more milery ( 1 63 ) mifery than this ? Is it to Jaft longer or fhorter than this ? Is it to be the final de- termination of our exiftence, or are we ftill to go on thro' fucceffive flates? Thefe are queftions which reafon afks in vain: thefe are apprehenfions which nature fetgge/ts, but reafon cannot difpel. SOME of thefe apprehenfions of nature we all feel; if we do not feel the reft, we owe this blefling to our early acquaintance with what he hath taught us, who hath brought life and immortality to perfect light thro' the gofpel; and if we would find a cure for the apprehenfions we do feel, we have only to acquaint ourfelves thoroughly with him and be at peace : he will tell us that the bufmefs of this world is only preparatory to more glorious em- ployments hereafter ; that its pleafures are not to be compared with thofe' which eye hath not feen nor ear heard ; that we are M a feparated ( 1 64 ) feparated from our friends only to meet them again, more amiable and more en- dearing j that then all our former love will be renewed, heightened, refined, and per- fe&ed ; that thefe very bodies which we lay down in the grave mall be reftored to us again, exalted and glorious ; and, what pafles all expreffion and thought, that we mall be transformed to a ftate of perfect happinefs, no longer fubjeft to diminution, nor to interruption from time or change. BUT to whom are we indebted for thefe invaluable bleffings? Innocent creatures can claim nothing from God but that their being mail be as good to them as not being, that they mail enjoy as much good as evil: meritorious creatures, were it poffible that any creatures could merit from God, can claim nothing further than that their re- ward mall be proportioned to their merit j but that unprofitable fallen and guilty crea^ tures tures fhould have any reward, is an aft of pure bounty; and that they mould have fuch a reward as eternal and perfet happi- nefs, is an at of bounty great beyond all conception. Well therefore is eternal life called in holy fcripture the gift of God. Our wages* what we have deferved, is death; but having peace with God thro* our Lord Jefus Chrift, and having accefs by faith into this grace wherein we ftand, we rejoice in hope* of the glory of God. ALL this hath Chrift procured for us$ all this is he ready to give us in return for a Ihort imperfect obedience peace, light, ftrength, and eternal blifs. And in order to accomplifti this wonderful difpenfation of love, our ever gracious Redeemer, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, yet took upon him the form of a fervant, and fub- mitted to the loweft offices of human M 3 nature -, ( 166 ) nature; nay he defcended flill lower, even to die an ignominious and painful death upon the crofs, becoming himfelf a curfe to redeem us from the curfe of the law, the juft for the unjuft. What a condefcen- tion is this? and how far beyond the power of words to defcribe ? Scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradven- ture for a good man fome would even dare to die; but God commendeth his love to us, in that whilft we were yet finners, Chrift died for us. The eternal Son of God became man, that he might tafte death for all men, and raife them from the depths of mifery and defpair, to the heighth of blifs and heaven. With what grateful joy then ought we to receive thefe gracious proofs of God's goodnefs and mercy, and how earneft mould we be to mow forth our grati- tude by every aft of praife and thankful obedience? IF we drew our being, and derive every thing around us from his all creating hand: if that being be fupported and every com- fort and neceflary of life be fupplied by his fatherly providence; is it poffible that we can live in neglet of him, and what is worfe, that we can live in wilful difobe- dience to his commands : but if we can forget that power and goodnefs which created and preferves us, furely we cannot forget that mercy which hath redeemed us ; miferable fmners, confcious of guilt and fearing punifhment, cannot forget that love which offers them pardon. Ignorant creatures, confcious of their blindnefs, and walking in darknefs, cannot forget that light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world: frail creatures, confcious of weaknefs, and fearing the dangers which furround them, cannot forget that inter- ceflion which procures them flrength : un- profitable and perifhing creatures, confcious M4 of ( 168 ) of their defeats, and fearing death, cannot forget thofe merits which have gained them eternal Jife. Thus might we fairly reafon, did not fad experience prove the contrary : did we not fee men who cannot only forget God, but ufe that Being which he hath given them to counteraft his gracious de- figns ; who can abufe every blefling his providence affords, and who can even tread under foot the Son of God; count the blood of that covenant, wherewith he was fan6tified, an unholy thing ; and do def- pite unto the fpirit of grace: but God forbid that this mould be true of any of us<! May God give us fuch a fenfe of all his mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we may mew forth his praife, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourfelves to his fervice, and by walking before him in holinefs and righteoufnefs all the days of our life, thro* Jefus Chrift our Lord. SERMON ( 1*9 ) SERMON VIII, HEB. Ch. xiii. F. 7. <{ WHOSE FAITH FOLLOW." JL HE faith which the Hebrews were re- quired to follow was the faith of the firil preachers and profeflbrs of chriftianity. And if it. was incumbent upon them to follow this faith, it is incumbent alfo upon us; for the fame reafons neceflarily apply to both. But neither did the Apoftle re* quire from his converts a blind acquief* cence in the religion he taught, nor do the prefent preachers of chriftianity feek to bq " Lords over your faith." It is our practice, as as it was his, fairly to propofe to our hearers the grounds of our religion, addreffing our- felves to their underftandings, and requi- ring them to judge for themfelves of the reafonablenefs and obligation of what we advance. I WILL endeavor therefore at prefent to ilate to you, as briefly and plainly as I can, the obligation and the reafonablenefs of our believing and praftifmg the chriftian religion, ON furveying ourfelves and the world in which we are placed, we difcover every where evident marks of the higheft wifdom, power, and goodnefs. If we inquire how and whence we and the things about us came to be, and trace back to its fource this wonderful order and regularity, we are led by the moil eafy and obvious fteps to the acknowledgement of a fupreme Being, the the iirft great caufe of all things, who gave exiftence to us and the whole creation. And as this Being muft neceiTarily be en- dued with all perfection, he cannot be re- gardlefs of his own productions, fince this would argue variablenefs of will, or want of power, both which are inconfiftent with the very notion of perfection. From the relation which we bear to him as his crea- tures, as objeCts of his conftant care and infpeCHon, and experiencing continual in- ftances of his favour and goodnefs, we furely feel ourfelves obliged to aCl con- formably to his will, in what way foever it may have been declared to us. What his will is, our reafon in fome refpeCls informs us, by clear deductions from his nature and attributes. As he is our Creator and Lord, it plainly becomes us to reverence arid adore him : as he has been and is kind and good to us, and has given us affeCtions towards our fellow creatures, the inference is ob- vious, VioUs, that we fliould exercife thofe aflfec- tions and be kind and good to others. And fince he is a Being of purity and holinefs, and hath endued us with powers capable of refembling him, and formed us for higher enjoyments than any which this world af- fords, it mult furely be our duty as well as happinefs to keep the inferior part of our nature in due fubordination to the fuperior, and to ftrive to imitate him as much as poffible in all fpiritual improvements. IF moreover thefe things are thus rea- fonable and proper, we cannot but infer that the obfervance of them is required of us ; and if we do not obferve them, that fome time or other, an infinitely holy and juft Being will punifh us for our neglect^ as indeed our confciences, which confirm thefe deductions of our reafon, will, if con- fulted, and frequently, whether confulted or not, abundantly teftify: on the other hand. ( '73 ) hand, if there be a God who thus delights ' in piety and goodnefs, we mufl conclude that there will be feme future ftate in which they will receive more evident marks of his approbation and favor, than thofe which attend them in this life. So far our reafon might go on clear and obvious grounds, and fuch are the difcoveries which it might fatisfaftiorily make, in addition to the com clufions, deducible from the more abftrufe and refined fpeculations on the nature and fpirituality of God and of the human foul, on the abftracl: difference of good and evil, and the natural fitnefs and beauty of the one, and unfitnefs and deformity of the other. But flill we mould be left in the dark with refpecl to many particulars, and in doubt, at the beft, about many more, which renders us fenfible of our {landing in need of fame fuperior information, Ac* cordingly we are taught to believe that there hath been an exprefs revelation of the will 1 ( 174 ) of our Creator ; by which all the be- fore mentioned truths are fully confirmed, and in many refpe6ts enlarged; many diffi- culties attending them are accounted for and removed; we are made acquainted with various important articles in which our happinefs is deeply concerned, which we could not know before ; and we find the belief of what it teaches and the practice of what it commands enforced, amidft other inferior motives, by no lefs than the promife of eternal happinefs and the threatening- of eternal mifery. What pretends to fo high a charafter as the revealed will of the Al- mighty, and claims attention upon fuch in- terefting motives, cannot be left unnoticed, without wilful difprefpeft to him and dif- regard of our real good ; for this would be prefuming either that he is not able to give us any inftruiions, tho' we are able to inftruft one another, or that we have no need of any : the latter favours of arrogance and f^Pl' r and felf-fufficiency, mconfiftent with our condition; and the former is denying to God all intercourfe with his creatures, and impioufly prescribing bounds to his infinite wifdom and power. And not to examine that upon which our happinefs both here and hereafter is affirmed to be, and at leaft it is poffible that it may be, dependent, Is furely the greateft infatuation. As this revelation profefles to addrefs It- felf to the underftandings as well as the hearts of men, accordingly the proofs on which its claims are founded are adapted to reafonable creatures, capable of thinking- and afting for themfelves. They are not abfolute demonftrations, for this would have left no power of diflent; and confe- quently an aflent could not be, what from the nature of man it was neceflary that it fliouldbe, an aft of virtue: neither do they when humbly and fairly confidered fall far fhort ( 176 ) fliort of demonftration: indeed when collect fed and confidered together, they afford fuch evidence as no unprejudiced mind can with- ftand, and fully as much as the nature of the thing can admit. THE moil particular and feemingly con- tradictory prophecies, literally fulfilled in one perfon feveral hundred years after they Were written, and many of them constantly interpreted of the Meffiah, by that very people who rejected his authority and their own interpretations, when he came and fulfilled them: the moll aftoniming miracles confefled by his very enemies to exceed all human power: the fpotlefs life and peculiar character of their author; a character above all former comprehenfion of men, and con- fequently incapable of being feigned, and directly contrary to what the known preju- dices either of Jews or Gentiles would have led them te feign, had they attempted it: the ( '77 ) the barbarous treatment, and the painful and ignominious death which he voluntarily underwent to bear witnefs to the truth and " fincerity of his pretentious: his refurreftion from the grave, evidenced by an intercourfe of forty days with his difciples, and his ap- pearance to no lefs than five hundred per- fons at one time, and his vifible and glorious afcenfion into heaven : his apoftles' integrity and extraordinary firmnefs : the power con- fered upon them by him of knowing the thoughts of mens' hearts, of foretelling fu* ture events, of fpeaking languages which they had never learnt, and of working the greateft miracles: the teftimony given by their deaths, and by thofe of an amazing number of converts of both fexes and every condition, to the truth of their own and of their mailer's doftrine : the purity, holinefs, and excellence of that doftrine, above the moft applauded fyftems of the moft learned philofophers, fo well adapted to the con- N dition. dition and circumftances of man, exalting- his nature, and conducting him to happinefs both in this world and the next: and laftly, befides the extraordinary fate of its chief op- pofers the Jews, and their uncommon dif- perfion and (ingular difcrimination among all the nations of the earth for more than one thoufand feven hundred years; the propaga- tion of this religion in almoft every country, tho' in direct contradiction to the moft favo- rite opinions and practices of mankind; and tho' preached at firft by a few perfons poor and illiterate, and chofen from the loweft occupations, and ftrenuoufly oppofed by all the power, wealth and learning of the world. ALL thefe things fairly confidered, and they are within the comprehenfion of the moft uncultivated minds, cannot fail of producing the fulleft conviftion : for the objections which from time to time have been ma.de to the nature or circumftances of ( J79 ) of the evidence are fuch, as, if admitted, would involve all our knowledge in doubt, and render the world one continued fcene of confuiion : thofe which have been made either to the whole difpenfation or to fome of its parts, are fuch as were to be expected, from the nature of man and the fubjeft of the difpenfation; man being a free agent and capable of error, and the gofpel trea- ting of the nature of God and of his univer- fal fcheme of providence. Bcfides this, the pride and vanity of mens' minds, and the corruption of their hearts continually prompt them to tranfgrefs fuch pure and holy laws, and render them unwilling to confefs their ignorance and guilt. THAT fuch things would happen, the all wife author of the chriftian religion forefaw, and very precifely foretold in feveral parts of the new teftament : their happening therefore in conformity with his predictions, N 2, muft muft be confidered as a confirmation of his authority: but admitting the force of all this, and fuppofing thefe things to be true, how and on what evidence, it may be afked, fhall we be convinced that they are fo? Some of them are eftablilhed fa&s open and apparent to every eye : and our belief of the others we may fairly reft on the au- thority of the holy fcriptures, which the following, amidft other arguments, fix on the moft folid grounds of credibility. IF the holy fcriptures were written at the time and by the perfons they are afTerted to have been, as the writers had the fulled opportunity of knowing the reality of the facls which they record, and thofe of the new teftament efpecially were under no imaginable temptation to publifh them, nay had every inducement to conceal them, if they had not thought them true; we cannot confidently with our manner of ac- ting ting in all other ferious concerns avoid ac- quiefcing in their tcftimony. And that they were fo written, is evinced by our enemies the Jews, who maintain the authority of one part of them, which is alfo confirmed by, and ftrengthens the credibility of the other. They are indeed fupported by all the evidence that can eftablifh the credit of any writings, and abundantly more than any other, which are univerfally received, and whofe authenticity has never been queftioned. They were no fooner written, than copies of them were taken and dif- perfed throughout the feveral churches, and they were quoted and appealed to in the various controverfies which arofe in the early times of chriftianity both with friends and foes. It may be obferved alfo, that not a few of the fafts which they contain are fupported by the concurrent teftimony of heathen authors. And if any of them had been falfe, there were not wanting enemies, N 3 who who eafily could, and with tranfport would have detected and expofed their falfehood, and at once have precluded the facred re- cords from that glorious triumph, which they afterwards obtained, from the num- berlefs perfons of all ages and countries, who, with an unexampled conftancy, bore atteftation to the truth and value of them ,with their lives. In fhort, fo ftrong and fecure is the evidence, on which the au^ thority of the holy fcriptures is founded, that amidft the daring attacks with which the chriftian religion hath been affaulted in every form which malice and ingenuity could fuggeft, few have been the attempts made to overthrow that evidence, though the fuccefs of fuch an effort mull have en- fured the fall of the whole fyftem, and without which all other attacks could make but little impreffion. THE ( '83 )' THE bible being thus firmly eftablifhed as the revelation of God, it follows that it is incumbent upon all, without exception, to whom it is made known, firft, to examine with care, and then to believe with reve- rence, and to practife with fincerity what- ever it requires. Limited as our faculties are, we cannot wonder that in a revelation given by infinite wifdom there mould be fome things which exceed our reafon, which, however, lince they do not, when rightly confidered, contradift it, we are bound upon fuch a teftimony to receive as impli- citly, and believe as firmly, as we do thofe truths which our reafon is competent to underftand. AND fince the Almighty created us at firft, and fupports us continually, and thus has an abfolute right to our obedience, he might with perfect juftice have prefcribed to us any commands within our power to N 4 perform perform, And we could not have reafon. to complain of any want of goodnefs, what- ever had been the conditions of obtaining his favor, fince he has propofed to us no lefs a recompence than eternal happinefs, and promifed us fuch affiftance as will en- able us to attain it. Infinite wifdom and goodnefs certainly would not have eftab- limed the chriftian difpenfation, if it had not been proper and neceffary for mankind. But fmce God has thought fit to eftablim it, he undoubtedly requires our compliance with it; and according to his conftant de- nunciations, will refent and punifh, as a moft affronting indignity, our neglect of it. ABSOLUTE univerfal obedience to God in all refpecls, /. e. a total furrender to our Creator of our underftandings, our hearts, and our lives, is what both fcripture and reafon dictate doclrines the moft uncon- nected with the prefent ftate of things, and apparently apparently of little importance, if delivered ' on his authority, ought ever to command our refpeft, and may have confequences at- tending them, of which we are not aware. And we know not what we do, when we prefume to rejeft any thing which he hath taught, or difregard any thing which he hath commanded: only this we know, that in both inftances, he that wilfully infringes a part of the law, is confidered as a tranfgrefTor of the whole; and forfeits his title to all the benefits of the chriftian dif- penfation. But are no allowances to be made for human frailty and the practice of the world : and muft we entirely refign all power of judging for ourfelves ? FOR frailty, moft undoubtedly, much allowance will be made, otherwife what will become of the beft of men? But not for wilful tranfgreflion perfifted in without penitence and amendment: nor indeed have i fc ( 186 ) we any reafon to expect allowance for fuch frailties as we do not fincerely endeavor to overcome whenever we are fenfible of them. For it is our duty and our happinefs, to make the improvement of our nature in all its parts, the leading object of our lives. All fins which we repent of and forfake, and all failings, which as far as we know them, we pray againft and faithfully ftrive to fubdue, the gofpel affaires us, that for the merits of Chrifts death, God will not remember to our condemnation: but if the wilful obftinate perfevering offender, /'. e. the rejecter of his Maker's defign to render him happy, could finally efcape ; what dif- honour would this reflect on the juftice and fovereignty of God. Happy would it be for thofe perfons, who feek to obtain the rewards of duty, in other ways than thofe which he has pointed out; if they would confider this, and conform with reverence to the declarations of him, who is truth itfelf, itfelf, and in whofe purpofes there is no variablenefs, nor fhadow of turning ! WHERE the pra&ice of the world does not interfere with God's commands, it is the part -of a truly wife and good man to pay it due attention ; but where it does, there can be no doubt whether we ought to obey God or man: and holy fcripture ftrongly cautions us againft following a multitude to do evil. Unneceflary fingu- larity is no part of a chriftian's chara&er; nay, he makes it a point of duty, to con- form to other men as far as he innocently and fafely can, that he may, with a better grace, and confequently with greater in- fluence of example, differ where he finds it neceffary. As to the liberty of judging for ourfelves, that is by no means defigned to be taken away or even reftrained by the gofpel, ex- cept tpt in cafes of which we are not compe- tent to judge ; nay, we are required to ex- ercife our judgements and to prove all things; only we are to lake all circum- ftances into confideration, with a fair in- tention of holding faft that which fhall ap- pear to be good. But further it will be Urged by fome, and it will be thought by many, that fuch circumfpe&ion and care as all this requires, would take up a large ihare of their time, would lay them under confiderable reftraints, and interfere with the eflabliihed courfe of the bufinefs and amufements of life. The proper anfwer for a minifter of Chrift to make to thefe obje&ions is, to afk are thefe things re- quired by God or not? Search the fcrip- tures and fee: if they be, are you willing to efcape eternal mifery and obtain eternal happinefs upon the terms which infinite wiftlom and goodnefs hath thought fit to propofe? What can be more unreafonable or or inconfiftcnt, than for men to take fo much thought and pains, to encounter fo many and grievous difcomforts, to fubjeft their darling inclinations to the fevered re~ ftraints, forego all amufement, and neglect their moft prefling concerns, as we fre- quently fee they do, in order to obtain fome favorite objeft, which (rate the things of this world at the highelt,) muft necef- farily be given up in a few years, perhaps to-morrow, or in guarding againft the tran- fitory evils of this life ; and yet to grudge the fmall portion of time and pains whiqh is neceflary to deliver us from eternal fuffer- ing, and fecure to us that perfet happinefs which is to laft for ever? NOT that in reality we take from our en- gagements here, what we lay out in the purchafe of eternal happinefs hereafter. This world and the next are parts of the fame conftitution of things, and that temper and conduct which qualify .us for heaven, beft promote our true interefts on earthy that reverential, yet chearful reliance upon the wifdom, goodnefs, and power of the Father of the univerfe, that unbounded be- nevolence and unwearied beneficence, that purity of foul, and that enjoyment of in- tellectual pleafure, which fprings from ex- alted affections and an enlarged view of things; as they prevent a thoufand fources of mifery, fo do they alfo conftitute in them- felves the moft delightful of human fatis- faclions, they expand the heart and give an inexpreffible relifh to every inferior grati- fication. BUT it was never intended that men mould retain their corrupt inclinations, and encourage thofe views of happinefs, whe- v ther founded in pleafure or advancement, on which worldly men at, whilft they en- deavor to conform outwardly to the com- mands mands of the gofpel, acting under continual reftraint, and fuffering perpetual difappoint- ment: but that they fhould correct their evil propenfities by judicious felf-govern- ment, and embrace thofe views of happi- nefs, which the word of God propofes, in conformity with the real condition of things, and the whole conftitution of human na- ture ; thus actually believing and even feel- ing that their intereft and their happinefs are to be found in thofe paths alone to which their duty leads ; and that the Creator knows, and has ordered what is mojlfor the good of his creatures. TRUTH has nothing to fear from the fe- vereft inveftigation i and therefore the ad- vocates for the gofpel do not even wiih to conceal that there may be fome feeming exceptions to this comfortable reprefen- tation of the effe6ts of chriftianity: not to dwell on the cafe of the firft profeffors of it, who who were called to extraordinary trials, but who had alfo, let it be remembered, ex- traordinary comforts and fupport: in the prefent times men may fuffer fome incon-> veniencies of different forts from their ftrift adherence to the ftraight path of duty and uniform profeffion of chriftian principles; for inftance, the lofs of fome methods of advancing themfelves in the world, which perfons lefs confcientious embrace, and alfo in an irreligious age they may bear the fcorn and perhaps the ridicule of thofe who fee not, or will not profefs that they fee, the grounds upon which they have formed their fcheme of condu6t: as to the former of thefe inftances, let men only wait and obferve the ufual refult of fuch practices, (I mean) with refpeft to real enjoyment, which, and not merely what may be accounted the means of it, a wife man makes his objeft of purfuit: and as to the latter inftance, time will foon do juilice to the chara&er of an uniform ( 193 ) "uniform chriftian, provided it be not dif- torted or rendered abfurd by enthufiafm or fuperftition, and thofe very perfons, whofe depraved habits will not permit them to imitate him, will at leaft efteem and rever- ence, and fometimes even applaud him: and the regard of good men, and the un- alloyed approbation of his own confcience, and the confidence of his matter's favor, will more than make him amends for en- during, if that mould be his lot, the fcorn of the foolifh and the profligate : but fur- ther exceptions to the eafe, the comforts, and the happinefs, which are alledged to flow from chriftian principles, and thofe of greater weight, may be thought to arife from the difficulties which many perfons have to Itruggle with in bringing their temper and difpofition to evangelical habits of duty ; and from the great depreffions of fpirits, which fome, even good men, fre- quently experience, from a fenfe of their O failings failings and infirmities, with the difficulties of obedience, contrail the feelings and cir- cumftances which attend disobedience. AND are there no difficulties which fpring from vicious indulgencies. Can we conceive any thing more grievous and affli&ing than the torment of inordinate paffions, the ftrength and violence of which is continually increafing, whilft the powers of gratification are continually lefTening? The unpleafantnefs of reftraint, decreafes with every aft of felf-denial ; the defire of forbidden gratification, increafes with every aft of indulgence. If vicicus and worldly men have not the labor of reftraining their appetites and inclinations, they muft be fubjeft to the moft wretched of all tyranny, that which fprings from indulging them. As to perfons of the other defcription, they have abundant reafon for felf-fatisfaftion and comfort , but fome of thofe infirmities, to to which human nature is ever liable, in this tfate of imperfection, prevent their en- joyment of them. The dejection and me- lancholy, which we fometimes meet with in good perfons, arife in a great meafure from fome bodily diforder, which is to be removed only by proper medical applica- tions ; and it would difcover itfelf in fome other way, if religion, with which it hath no real connexion, did not exift in the world. They may alfo in fome meafure be occafioned by miftaken and contracted no- tions of the nature of religion, by viewing her under the gloomy and diftorted afpeft of terror and vengeance, inftead of con- templating her in her bright and genuine features of mercy and kindnefs. But this forms no juft exception againft the benign and animating fpirit of true religion: it only proves, that the greateft of all blef- fings, that heaven ever beftowed on man as well as thofe which are inferior, is liable 02 to ( 196 ) to miftake and abufe in the hands of fuch imperfect creatures. And this alfo is an iniirmity like the others that have been mentioned, capable of being correfted, or at leaft capable of being prevented by proper difcipline and more enlarged in- formation. But let the fenfualift and the worldling recolleft, that if the gloom which is fometimes fpread over the minds of the beft of men, mould continue unbroken by any gleam of comfort to the lateft evening of their lives, and their fun mould even fet in clouds, quickly (hall they behold it ri- fing again in the morn of eternal life, to mine with unfpotted and undiminiihing fplendour. SUCH then are the foundations of that faith which we are required to follow: fuch the obligation and inducements to follow it. It is not a cunningly devifed fable which we are required to follow, but a religion fupported fupported by fats, teftified unto us by thofe who were eye witnefles of the majefty of our Lord Jefus Chrift. It is not a religion full of melancholy and unneceflary felf- denial and abftraction from the world ; but it is the fource of comfort and delight, fe- curing to us the beft enjoyment of the na- ture which God has given us, and conduc- ting us with fafety through the dangers of life. It is only offered to our choice, not forced upon us, becaufe we are free agents and muft be in fome meafure the framers of our own happinefs : but we muft re- member, that, if it be true, to reject or difregard it, through pride, through in- dolence, through obftinacy, through falfe ihame, through a love of finful indulgence and attachment to the world, is, death-, to embrace and hold it faft, life eternal. O 3 SERMON SERMON IX. Afts, Ch. i. P. 21, 22. " WHEREFORE, OF THESE MEN, WHICH HAVE ACCOMPANIED WITH US ALL THE TIME THAT THE LORD JESUS WENT IN AND OUT AMONGST US, BEGINNING FROM THE BAPTISM OF JOHN, UNTO THAT SAME DAY WHEN HE WAS TAKEN UP FROM US, MUST ONE BE ORDAINED TO BE A WITNESS, WITH US, OF HIS RESURRECTION." AF Chriit be not rifen, (fays St. Paul in that beautiful and pathetic exhortation, towards the clofe of his firft epiftle to the Corinthians,) then is our preaching vain, and your faith is alfo vain. On the truth of this fa6l the importance of every other recorded recorded in the gofpels, and even the efc- iftence of the chriftian religion muft de- pend. It will therefore be no unfuitable employment of our thoughts, on a day fet apart by the church to commemorate a perfon, who was eleted into the number of the Apoftles, expreffly becaufe he was an unimpeachable witnefs of this great event, to confider thofe evidences which render it, at this remote period, to the moft fcrupulous inquirers, an objeft of rational belief. THAT the fcriptures of the new tefta- ment were written by the perfons whofe names they bear; that thefe perfons lived in Judea, and at the time when the events which make the fubjeft of their feveral hif- tories took place, that they all of them were the Difciples and conftant companions of Chrift during his miniftry upon earth, or derived their information immediately from O 4 thofe ( 200 ) thofe who were fo; that their accounts were publilhed on the fpot, in the rnidft of adverfaries, who had all the authority of the ftate on their fide, who were inftigated by political jealoufies and by religious zeal, and even pledged by the atrocioufnefs of the crime they had committed to difprove them, if it were poffible: thefe are fads, concerning which it will be fufficient to obferve, that the external evidence in fup- port of them is fuch, that, if it can be overthrown, the foundation upon which the belief of every diftant tranfa&ion refts will be overthrown at the fame time , be- fides that the fcriptures afford a much ftronger internal proof of their own au- thenticity than any other antient writings can boait. THAT Chrift really died upon the crofs is a faft which has never been difputed, and which indeed could never have been aflerted, ( 201 ) aflerted, if it had not been true. The "Evangelifts affirm that many perfons faw him, converfed with him, and felt him after he was rifen from the dead. In this, as in other inftances, that which the Apoftles had heard, that which they had feen with their eyes, which they had looked on, and which their hands had handled of the word of life, they declared unto the world in their writings and dif- courfes. It has been remarked, that in the different gofpels there is fome diverfity in the circumftances with which the refur- reftion of our Lord is faid to have been accompanied ; but it has alfo been repeat^ edly and fatisfactorily fliewn, that in this diverfity there is no inconfiftence ; and that it is no greater than may always be expec- ted in relations of the fame event, written, without any preconcerted plan, by diffe- rent perfons, at different intervals of time, ( 202 ) and addreffed to readers of different de- fcriptions. To recite the inftances of Chrift's ap- pearance after his refurretion which are recorded in fcripture is unnecefTary, be- caufe they are fo generally known: to en- ter into a detail of the methods by which judicious critics have reconciled the feem- ing variations in the accounts of it would lead us too far from the principal objecl of our confideration. AfTuming then, on the credit of what has been faid, that the Apoftles and firft Chriftians were the au- thors of the books contained in the new teftament, and that there is no inconfiften* cy in them; but without infifting on their authority as infpired writings ; we can have but two reafons againft admitting the teiti- mony they contain: either that the Ivan- gelifts were themfelves deceived, or that they intended to deceive others 3 that they were were not competent, or not faithful wit- neffes of the faft. For, as to thofe who deny to God the power of railing a dead perfon to life, while yet they allow that he created man in the beginning, or who deny that he created man at all, they are not concerned in this argument ; they have much to unlearn before they can be ad- mitted to the examination of it. FIRST then, it muft be remembered, that it is affirmed, not that our Lord ap- peared once, or at a particular hour of the night, or to any one perfon, or always to the fame perfons; but that he appeared frequently, during forty days together, at different hours, in the day as well as in the night, to feveral perfons, and to differ- ent perfons at different times. However, we may imagine, that one or two of the followers of Chrift, deeply affe&ed by the circumftances of his death, mufing on the probable probable import of fome of his exprefiion^ and affilled in their enthufiafm by concomi- tant circumftances of folitude, filcnce, and obfcurity, might, immediately after his cru- cifixion, have fuffered themfelves to be de- luded by the vifions of their fancy; it can never be ferioufly afferted that fo great a number of them as faw him on the third day after his death mould all be impofed on; it is abfolutely impoffible that they Ihould continue to be fo, with all the means of examination which were afforded them during fo long a period. It is related that they faw him eat, that they touched his hands and his feet, that he converfed with them on various fubjecls, expounding the fcriptures to them, and giving them direc- tions for their conduft. Could they be miftaken in all this? If they could, this world affords nothing for belief to reft on. NOR NOR muft it be forgotten, that the minds of the difciples were in a ftate by no means fit to contribute to fuch an illufion; they had always been flow of apprehenfion and belief, and had now given up all the hopes they had fondly conceived from mifmter- preted predictions, and from the fuper- natural powers they had feen difplayed by their Lord. We thought, faid two of them, it had been he who fliould have reftored the kingdom to Ifrael. But, with his life ended every expectation of temporal grandeur, the only expectation they appear to have for- med previous to his refurreclion, or perhaps to his afcenfion. In this difpofition they were more likely to err on the fide of caution than of credulity: we find accor- dingly, that the two difciples who have been mentioned, though they had heard the teftimony of the women, who affirmed that they had feen a vifion of angels, which laid that Jefus was alive 5 though feveral of their ( 206 ; their own company had been eye witneffes that the circumftances of the fepulchre cor- refponded with this report ; though in con- firmation of it, the prophecies relating to the Meffiah, from Mofes downwards, had been explained to them, in a manner which they felt to be fomething extraordinary, while their hearts burned within them; yet do not appear to have been convinced till their eyes were opened, and he became known to them in the breaking of bread. The minds of the apoftles themfelves were m the fame ftate ; the words of the women appeared to them as idle tales ; they doubted and wondered, till their aflent was extorted by the fulleft and moft irrefragable proofs, infomuch that Jefus upbraided them with their unbelief, and the hardnefs of their hearts. As little can it be fuppofed that they were miftaken refpecling the fupernatural powers ( io 7 J powers with which they affirm that they were inverted in confequence of their Lord's refurreftion and afcenfion. A number of men, who, on a variety of trying occafions, maintained fo calm and prudent a conduct ns the apoftles did ; who taught a do&rine fo reafonable, fo free from every tinfcture of enthufiafm ; could never have believed that they wrought miracles of the moft un- queftionable kind, and converfed in lan- guages they had never learned, while in reality they pofleffed no fuch powers. There is therefore no pretence for faying that the writers of the new teftament were deceived themfelves; if their narrations are untrue, it was their intention to deceive others. Now, in the firft place, fuppofing that our Saviour was holden under the power of death, as other men are, it was very unlikely that his followers mould make any ( 208 ) any attempt towards fupporting his credit. Convinced, as they mult have been, that he was an impoftor, in his pretences to the office of the Memah, they were more likely to be indignant at the deception he had put on them, and at the difappoint- ment of their hopes, than to engage in any new undertaking to carry on a defign which had received fo lignal and difgrace- ful a check : or if, fuppreffing thefe feel- ings, they ated on a mere calculation of intereft, what was the intereft they pur- fued, what their probability of fuccefs ; did they propofe to themfelves honor, or power, or wealth? Thefe, as has been obferved, were among the inducements which attached them to their mafter du- ring his life. Then they were elated with the expectation of litting on his right hand and on his left in the temporal kingdom to which their eyes were directed ; but now the cafe was altered. Suppofing Chrift dead ( 209 ) dead to rife no more, all hope of this kind muit die within them; and that all hope did die appears plainly from their conduct. Nay, when during our Lord's continuance on earth after his refurrelion, it feemed, fo deeply rooted was it in their hearts, to revive for a time, at his afceniion it was jpnally annihilated, or rather the nature of it was changed from carnal to fpiritual, from temporal to eternal; and we hear no more of a kingdom of this world to be re- ftored to Ifrael. BESIDES, the Apoftles' tempers and no- tions were plainly not of that kind which could lead them into a hope of obtaining heaven by what, if it was an impofture, was an impofture of the moft impious kind. But, admitting that their former ambitious views had ftill fuch an afcendency in their minds as to fuperfede every other confider- ation, could they be fo infatuated as to P imagine ( 210 ) imagine that it was by an adherence to the caufe of their crucified matter that fuch views could ever be accomplimed? Riches, reputation, and power, were engaged on the oppofite fide, while the only profpet prefented to the followers of Jefus, and which was too foon realifed, was poverty, affliction, ftripes, imprifonment, and death. If their mafter had fallen a facrifice to the envy and malice of his own nation, and the fufpicious jealoufy of the Romans, was it probable that a perfecution, in which bigotry and policy were united, would ftop at him ? If fuch things had been done in the green tree, what was to be expected in the dry? Or fuppofe that they could, at firft, have encouraged fo chimerical a notion, as that, with every circumftance, humanly fpeaking, againft them, they might ftill be fuccefsful; how could they perfe- vere in it after they had begun to expe- rience its fallacioufnefs} after fome of them had ( 211 ) had been imprifoned and beaten, and one of their number, Saint Stephen, had been put to death before their eyes? Saint Paul, at lead, could not be under the influence of any preconceived opinions. LONG after the difciples had ceafed to hope that the rewards to be beftowed on them by their mailer were of a temporal kind, he was ftill immerfed in the ftudy, and diftinguimed among the moft zealous adherents, of the ceremonial law: he even thought it a crime to continue an inactive fpe&ator of the progrefs of doctrines, which tended to fubvert the religion of his country, and, in the fpirit of a Pharifee, armed him- felf with the civil power, for the purpofe of extirpating them. Yet this man, ardent indeed in his temper, but untinttured with fanaticifm; and, as both his writings and his conduft teftify, fedate and fober in his judgement; was induced to feparate him- P 2 felf ( 212 ) felf from the party to which he had always been attached by principle, affection, and intereft, to renounce a religion which he knew to have been divinely eftablimed, and had been ufed to confider as of eter- nal obligation; to glory in the crofs of Chrift, and to count all that he had forfeit- ed as drofs, compared with that crown of glory to be received by the faithful at the refurreftion of the dead. No lefs a caufe than that affigned in fcripture, can be con- ceived to have produced fuch a change; but if that caufe be admitted, it is in itfelf decifive of the fubjet we are confidering, LET it however be fuppofed, (for this is a cafe in which the moft extravagant fup- pofitions have been made,) that the apoftles had fome unknown inexplicable motive for wifhing to deceive their contemporaries and pofterity. Was there the leaft proba- bility of fuccefs to encourage them to make the the attempt? Or if enthufiafm rendered them blind to every obftacle, their blind- hefs might have proved fatal to themfelves, but would it have effefted their purpofe? While the corpfe of their mailer remained in the pofleflion of the adverfe party, all pretences of a refurre&ion might be in- ilantly confuted by the mere production of it. It was abfolutely necefTary that they mould get it into their hands, and within the time which, as was well known to the priefts and Pharifees, he had prefixed for his rifing again. But the fepulcre was fea- Jed, and watched by a guard whom it was not eafy to overpower by force ; befides that force, could it have prevailed, would have defeated its own end, and whofe vigilance it was impoffible to elude. The idle tale of the body having been ftolen, while, a number of foldiers, trained in the Roman difcipline, were all afleep, was calculated only for the vulgar, and is the ftrongeft P 3 confirmation ( "4 ) confirmation of the fact it was intended to difcredit. EVEN if we go one ftep farther, and ad- mit, not only that fuch an attempt was made without any reafonable inducement, but that it fucceeded by fome unaccoun- table means; ftill a material difficulty re- mains. Perfons who invent or abet a falfe- hood for fordid ends, recant with as little fcruple when called on by intereft to do fo. We know with what avidity fuch a re- cantation woii/d have been received, how liberally it would have been rewarded, how induftrioufly it would have been propagated by the rulers of the Jewifli nation: yet, after twenty years had elapfed, a period more than fufficient to extinguifh every hope of temporal advantages, though of five hundred brethren, who had feen our Saviour at once after his refurretlion, the greater part was ftill alive , not one, in fo great great a number was found to faulter in his teftimony, and many of them, after perfe- vering in it calmly through life, amidft every difcouragement and affliction, fealed it at laft in their blood. WHY it pleafed our blefled Lord to mew himfelf to thefe chofen witnefles, and not to all the people, it would be of no confe- quence to the validity of their teftimony whether we could difcover or not. Con- vincing reafons have, however, been af- figned by able and difpaflionate inquirers; for, I had almoft faid, the neceffity of fuch a fele&ion. THE fal of Chrift's refurreftion is fo in- timately conne6ted with every other fal and do6trine contained in the new tefta- ment, that it's truth, once eftablifhed, im- plies the truth of the reft. They are, how- ever, capable of an independent proof, and P 4 from ( 216 ) from arguments exactly fimilar to thofe which have been adduced. In their re- i ports of their mailer's miracles and dif- ' courfes, the apoftles had no inducement to deceive others, they could not be deceived themfelves. IT is not poffible to fee, without equal furprife and concern, perfons profeffing to be employed in the fearch of truth, and yet from prejudice, or the affetation of fingularity, refifting fuch accumulated evi- dence, and reje&ing a religion which alone affords a foundation of reafonable hope, con- fiftent principles, and uniform conduct. SERMON SERMON X. DEUTERONOMY, Ch. xxix. V. 29. "THE SECRET THINGS BELONG UNTO THE LORD OUR GOD J BUT THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE REVEALED BELONG UNTO US AND OUR CHILDREN FOR EVER, THAT WE MAY DO ALL THE WORDS OF THIS LAW." T JL HE more attention we pay to the con- du6t of mankind, the more we mail be convinced of the truth of an old obfer- vation; that nothing is a greater proof of found judgement than the avoiding all ex- tremes; and yet, few are to be found who fteadily maintain that middle courfe which leads to the attainment of happinefs, and to ( "8 ) to the degree of perfe&ion in virtue, and fcience, of which human nature is capable. Inftances are perpetually forcing themfelves on our notice in the ordinary tranfations of life; and, if we direct our view to (what may be confidered as a fuperior depart- ment) the conduct of the understanding, by men who profefs to exercife thought and reflection ; we fhall fee abilities, that might have been fuccefsfully employed in the fearch of truth, prevented and rendered ufelefs by prefumption, fcepticifm, or re- finement. MANY there are fo confident of their abilities, as to perfuade themfelves that they are capable of penetrating the inmoft receffes of nature, and the moft myfterious difpenfations of providence. Accordingly, whatever they cannot comprehend is pro- nounced to have no exiftence; whatever they fuppofe they have difcovered, how- ever ( 2I 9 ) ever fiibtle and abftrufe, however contra- diftory to the general fenfe of mankind, is affirmed with the moft dogmatical aflu- rance. On the other hand, there are per- fons, who, becaufe forre things are infcru- table, and many things admit only a partial inveftigation, confider the purfuit of truth as the purfuit of a chimasra, and give them- felves up to univerfal fcepticifm, or fmk into intelle6tual indolence. Antient phi- lofophy furnifhes examples of both thefe dangerous extremes ; and would that modern philofophy, would that modern theology did not ! The words of the text contain a coneife dire&ion by which they may both be avoided. They fuggeft that there are fome things which concern God only, and which man will in vain attempt to difcover ; but that others, in which alfo God is concerned, it is not only allowable, but abfolutely incumbent on man to invefti- gate, fince the performance of the duty he owes ( 226 ) to his creator will depend, in no final! degree, on his forming juft conceptions of the ill; A CONSIDERATION of thefe tWO pfopo- fitions, will comprehend the cafe of natural, as well as of revealed religion. Firft, the fecret things belong unto the Lord our God, p WHEN, after having made provifion for the abfolute neceflaries of life, the active mind of man began to find leifure for re- flection ; no fpeculation would appear fo in- terefting and important, as an inquiry into his own origin, into the purpofe and ten- dency of his prefent ftate of exiftence* Reafon, in this, as in other fubjecls, pro- ceeding from what is obvious and fenfible, to what is remote and abftrufe, would gradually afcend from the vifible things of this world to the invifible things of him who made them ; and having collected, with a certain ( "I ) certain degree of evidence and precifion, the being and attributes of God, would in= fer from them his moral government, ancj the probability of future retribution. THE wifeft of the antient philofophers, without any biafs from prejudice on his mind; (for he knew not that any authentic revelation exifted, or had ever been promir fed to mankind) confidered it however as no improbable- event, that conclufions, fo formed, might in due time be confirmed or corrected by immediate communications from heaven ; that others might be fugged ted, which, though perhaps difcoverable by reafon in the procefs of inquiry, had not been aftually difcovered ; and farther, that certain peculiarities of the divine nature might alfo be imparted, together with du- ties and confequences refulting from them, which, not being deducible from any fafts or principles previoufly known, would reft folely ( 222 ) folely on the authority by which they were revealed. THOSE who rejeft revelation on the ground of its being fuperfluoiis, do not, it is prefumed, rate the powers of the human underftanding fo highly, as to imagine that no limits are affigned to its progrefs: every hour's experience too fenfibly confutes any fuch pretenfion. The fubjects with which men are continually converfant, and which they have means of fubmitting to the moft rigorous examination, are yet but fuper- ficially known. There is fomething that fo completely baffles all refearches, purfued beyond a certain point, as even to preclude conjecture. And mall that intellect, which forms only confufed ideas of its own func- tions, and of the material frame to which it is united, be thought capable of compre- hending the univerfal fyftem, and of fathom- ing the purpofes of omnipotence? But, if the the affertion means only that whatever is necefTary to be known may be difcovered without fupernatural affiftance, and that confequently no fuch affiftance has been given; this implies that there are alfo fe- cret things belonging to God, with which it is not neceffary that man, in his prefent ftate at leaft, mould be acquainted. ON the other hand, to admit that a reve- lation has been given, is tacitly to acknow- ledge the natural infufficiency of the human faculties ; all unneceflary interpofitions be- ing fo contrary to the evident plan of the divine adminiftration, that the objeftion of thofe w r ho deny the authenticity of fcripture on this ground can only be fet afide, by mewing that the aflertion on which it is founded is untrue. BUT the admonition of the text, it may be faid, addrefled to a people who lived confefledly confeffedly under a law of types and figures, and beheld, as through a glafs, darkly ; is not applicable to chriflians, who fee thofe things which many prophets and righteous men defired to fee, and faw them not ; whom the day fpring from on high hath vifited, and on whom the fun of righteouf- nefs is rifen. The queftion therefore with believers is, whether that fuller communi- cation of divine truth, which has been vouchfafed to mankind in the new tefta- ment, enables them to inveftigate it in all its circumftances, and to its utmoft extent. THE analogy discoverable between the fyftem of nature, and that of revealed re- ligion, has been alleged as a Itrong pre- fumption that they are derived from the fame author. Of the various inftances into which this analogy branches, the cafe under confideration is one. That multiplicity of ingenious inventions, by which fociety in its its prefent improved Hate is furnilhed, not only with the neceflaries, but with the con- veniencies and elegancies of life, info ample a manner, that imagination can fcarce de- vife a farther refinement on them, teftifies how gracioufly man's faculties are adapted to explore the properties of matter, fo far as a knowledge of them can contribute to his ufe or enjoyment. The impenetrable ob- fcurity, in which others of its qualities are enveloped, mews that no indulgence was intended to what, within his prefent fphere of a<5tion, is probably a vain curiofity, A SIMILAR procedure of providence is obfervable in our fpiritual concerns. This life is a ftate of moral probation, and the proper bufmefs of mankind, during their continuance in it, is to acquire fuch ideas of their relation to God and to each other, and to form fuch habits of ation, corref- pondent to thefe relations, as may qualify Q them ( 226 ; them hereafter for employments of a more exalted kind, and of more extenfive utility. In the profecution of thefe fubje&s, they have been affifted, from time to time, by communications from above, fuited to the exigencies of the feveral periods at which they took place. (Why thefe communi- cations were gradual, why they were not more explicit, makes no part of the prefent difcuffion; though, coniiftently W 7 ith that caution and refpel which mould accom- pany all attempts to explain the divine ceconomy, a rational account of it might be given.) Finally, the Meffiah, in whom all the counfels of God were compleat, appear- ed in the world, and having promulgated a religion, which in due time was to over- fpread the earth, bequeathed to mankind the everlafting Gofpel, the ultimate decla- ration of the will and gracious purpofes of his Father. THIS THIS Gofpel is ftyled, by thofe who tranfmitted it to pofterity, a marvelous light, fo radient that thofe who walk in it are denominated children of light and of the day. And well do thofe writings de- ferve the name, which teach authoritatively what is. that true, and acceptable, and per- fect will of God, comprifed in a fyftem of morality founded on the pureft principles> and of religious worfhip, fit for fpiritual beings to pay, and for the Father of fpirits to receive : which afford fuch views of the nature and providence of God, as conduce effentially to the promotion of virtue and happinefsj the great and infeparable pur- pofes of our being : which, while they con- firm the dedu6tions of reafon concerning the exiftence and attributes of the Deity, footh the mind with difplays of his benignity and condefcenfion to the infirmities of his creatures, beyond what they could have prefumed to hope, or were able to conceive. Q 2 WITHOUT ( 228 ) WITHOUT the aid of revelation it never could have been known that the appropriate office of a being, partaking of the divine nature, is to fanttify the hearts, and con- firm the wavering refolutions of thofe who pioufly and humbly implore his facred in- fluence. That the Son of God, tha bright- nefs of his Father's glory, by whom alfo he made the world, fliould fo fympathife with the fallen Hate of mankind, as to diveft him- felf of that glory, to become the voluntary inftrument of his Father's mercy, the me- diator of a new and better covenant; nay, that he mould account the benefits which accrue to man -from this unexampled felf abafement, a recompense for the hardmips, and contumely to which his life was ex- pofed, and for the painful and ignominious death by which it was terminated. No difpenfation could fo ftrikingly have exemplified the price of virtue in the fight of of Goti, as his fending his only Son into the world to enforce it both by precept and ex- ample. Nothing could have afforded fuch fupport and encouragement, under every difficulty and calamity to which we may be expofed by an adherence to it, as this il- luftrious inftance, that aftate even of fevere and long continued fuffering, is compatible with the moil perfett love and higheft ap- probation of our Governor and Judge. Nothing could more effe&ually vindicate the myfterious fchemes of his providence to men and angels, than the ultimate triumph of opprefled virtue over fuccefsful malice; the exaltation of Chrift to be a Prince and Saviour, while his enemies were humbled in the duft. THUS, in the fcience of religion, as well as in that of nature, all that it imports man to know, has been conveyed to him in the way beft adapted to improve his underftan- Q 3 din S> ding, and to touch his heart. But, when he would purfue this fubje6t through all its extent and all its detail, when he en- gages in abftrufe fpeculations, too well known from the eager difputes and un- chriftian animofities, they have excited, to. need being enumerated here, all is obfcurity and error. Scripture affords no light, and in no inftance has it been treated with more irreverance, or received greater injury, than in prefumptuous applications of it to fub- jefts which it never was intended to explain. Senfes and faculties effentially different from thofe which divine wifdom has beftowed on man, as beft fuited to the place he at pre- fent occupies in the fcale of creation, may be neceffary to the comprehenfion of thofe fubje&s refpe&ing which he bewilders him- felf in vain. A wider field of fpeculation might have detached him too much from thofe practical duties in which fo great a part of his trial coniifts. It is not improbable that that the hiftory of the firft pair was in part intended for a warning to their pofterity, to Hop with reverence at the bounds which are prefcribed to human knowledge. Few in depth of thought and refearch have ex- celled the great epic poet of this nation, nor was he unconfcious of the powers he pofieffed; yet, as is well known, the pur- fuit of what he calls vain wifdom and falfe philofophy, is among the inllances he has chofen to exemplify the perverfe difpofitjons of the fallen angels. MEN who had fabricated an impofture for interested purpofes, would have had re- courfe to artifices of conciliation, to com- penfate the deficiency of truth 3 and availed themfelves of the curiofity fo prevalent among Jews and Heathens, by profeflmg to gratify it with authentic communications from heaven. The obje& of Chrift and the Apoftles, was not to pleafe the world, Q 4 but but to do the will of him who fent them ; they preached the dotrines that were to make men wife unto falvation, and would have held it profane to endeavour to pro- cure them a reception by any other means than their proper evidence. As the filence of revelation, on points refpefting which no information can be de- rived from any other fource, is a proof that they were not intended to be known by man, and ought to reprefs premature cu- riofity: fo, on the other hand, the very ex- iftence of a revelation, duly authenticated, impofes on thofe to whom it is addreffed* the drifted obligation to acquaint them- felves, according to the meafure of their talents and opportunities, with whatever it contains. AUTHORS who profefs to develope the fe- cret fprings of human policy, and to point out Out the origin and tendency of tranfaftions, which, to an ordinary eye, appear for- tuitous and unconnected, are read with avidity, and ftudied with the clofeft atten- tion. Analogies are carefully drawn be- tween the a6r.ua! ftate of things, and that which is defcribed, and lefifons of enter- prife or caution are derived from them; fometimes with the more felfifh view of perfonal aggrandifement; fometimes with the nobler one of converting them to the benefit of mankind. But where is the fci- ence, where the objeft of purfuit, that gives {uch fcope both to the powers of the un- derftanding, and the beft emotions of the heart, as a minute and unprejudiced in- veftigation of the hiftory of God's dealings with man; from the offence of the firft Adam, in whom we all die, to the advent and miniftry of the fecond, in whom we all are made alive. THE THE folemnity and awful circumftances, by which this difpenfation has been dif- tinguifhed through the feveral ftages of its progrefs, are calculated to awaken the moft infenfible, and to fix the attention of the maft unthinking. Experience has fliewn > and we have already had occafion to ob- jerve, that the human faculties, however limited in certain refpecls, are adequate to all the concerns of the prefent life ; they are in themfelves the fource of intellectual pleafure, an enjoyment of a ftill higher kind; they penetrate the abyfs of fpace, and reduce to order and fyftem objects of which the remotenefs feems to mock in- quiry, and the vaitnefs to furpafs a finite comprehenfion. To the direction of thefe faculties man- kind are left in the mod difficult, and in, what appear to them, the moft important an-d interefting conjectures. Empires rife and fall, revolutions take place which convulfe the world, virtue is opprefled, and vice triumphant: (till, all appears to proceed according to an eftablifhed order of caufes and effecb; no voice is heard from heaven; whatever fhare an overruling power may have in producing or controuling fuch events, its influence is fo filent and indireft, as (even when they come to be difpaffionate- ly ftudied in the page of hiflory, and with a more extended view of their connexions and confequences,) to afford rather matter of conjelure than of certainty. FROM this plan, fo generally, and, as even our imperfeft apprehenfion can dif- cover, fo wifely adhered to, we find but one deviation, though the records we pof- fefs are almoft coeval with the exiftence of our race. For, the prophecies, the calling of Abraham, the miraculous communica- tions and deliverances vouchfafed to the Patriarchs f 236 ) Patriarchs and their defcendants, the fm- gular polity of the Jews, all were prepara- tory and fubordinate to that myftery into which even the angelic hoft were defirous to look ; that fecond creation, more glorious than the firft, when the morning ftars fang together, and the fons of God fhouted for joy. Well indeed did the divine purpofe, in fending the Median upon earth, corref- pond to thofe awful difplays of fupernatural power by which it was prefigured and ac- companied. It was not to adjuft the petty interefts of individuals or ftates, it com- prifed not one fleeting generation of men; but, having been decreed in the counfels of God before the foundation of the world, it reached from the beginning to the con- fummation of all things j conferring on myriads, to whom it never was promul- gated, a ftate of blifs, fuch as eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered in- to to the heart of man to conceive -, incorrup- tible, eternal in the heavens. BUT however benevolent the original purpofe of God in the formation of man, however his fpirit has fince continued to ftrive with the perverfity of his creatures, it appears from the whole tenor of fcripture, that a certain degree of co-operation on their part is indifpenfible to the attainment of the happinefs that awaits them; nay, that happinefs in a rational being implies, and is infeparable from, the practice and confcioufnefs of virtue. The idea of God's benevolence is not more confirmed by the ineftimable benefit of redemption, than the neceffity of doing all the words of his law js enforced by the mode m which it was conferred. Inftead of pronouncing an un- conditional pardon, which perhaps would have been inconfiftent with his attributes, he fent Chrift upon earth to be at once a preacher preacher and example of moral and re- ligious duties. The conduct of the Son of God was invariably regulated by thofe prin- ciples which reafon and confcience dictate to mankind, and this ftrict conformity to them was fo far from being derrogatory from the dignity of his nature, that it is affigned as the caufe of his exaltation above all principalities and powers, and of his in- veftiture with a kingdom which mall have no end, the fceptre of which is emphatically called a fceptre of rightcoufnefs. It is ef- fential that the character of the fubjecls of this kingdom fhould refemble that of their Sovereign : to form fuch a character is a work of care and time. Fitnefs for the comparatively trifling employments of our prefent ftate implies a previous courfe of inftru&ion, continual application, and much practice: and as the feafons of childhood and youth are feafons of preparation for the duties of maturer age, fo the whole of this this mortal life is a feafon in which pies and habits are to be acquired that may qualify us for the life to come. IN the acquisition of the principles there is no difficulty, or danger of being mifled. They are contained in books written by perfons divinely commiffioned to impart them, and imparted with fuch plainnefs and fimplicity, that the commoneft under- (landing is competent to difcern the great truths neceflary to falvation. By frequent meditation on thefe facred truths, man be- comes impreffed with fentiments of love and reverence for the author of all that is good ; his views are gradually enlarged, an'd he learns, not, as fome vainly affecl, to undervalue the employments and blef- fings of this tranfitory flate, but to appre- ciate them by the relation they bear to that to which he afpires. In proportion as the mind is fo conftituted, the creature ap- proximateSj ( 240 ) proximates, vaft as the interval muft always be, to a refemblance of him who made him. What is finful, by degrees ceafes to be a temptation, and becomes an objeft of abhorrence: what is juft and holy is no longer a tafk, but the attracting power to which his heart feems initin&ively to turn. There is no unreafonablenefs in fuppoling that admiffion to a more intimate acquain- tance with the perfe&ions of God, and ap- pointments to offices of more important truft, may conftitute, to a fpirit fo prepared and trained, that ineffable bleflednefs re~ ferved for thofe who have been faithful in the things committed to them here below. But what remains for thofe whofe faculties have been immerfed in floth, or brutalized by fenfual pleafures? What, at beft, but the unfatisfied cravings of degenerate ap- petites, fince they have rendered then> felves incapable of tailing any happinefs that that is fit for a >ure and holy being to beftow. \ ifoirlw ,/!>od IT is hot meant to be affirmed that the whole of what is revealed, though it is revealed for our edification, and belongs to us and to our children, is therefore open to the apprehenfion of every man who may fearch the fcriptures with a ferious p'ur- pofe, arid with his beft attention. Perfons whofe underftandings, naturally ftrong, have been improved by culture, and who have leifure for contemplation, will dif- cover, both directly and by inference, what efcapes an ordinary reader; but, if they have been actuated in their refeafches by a motive worthy of the fubjecl, they will confide? the diffufion of thefe difcbveries as the beft acknowledgement they can make, in their humble fphere, to the Father of lights, from whom all knowledge is de- rived, and who difpenfes his gifts unequally, R in in order to give fcope to the exercife of benevolence among the members of that body, which is fitly joined and compared by that which every joint fupplieth, and of which the head is Chrift. An intimate knowledge of hiftory, of the language and opinions, the cuftoms and manners of an- tiquity, efpecially of the countries which were the fcenes of the principal events re- corded in holy writ, joined to an acquain- tance with thofe improvements in fcience which God has afforded to thefe later ages, enables men to avail themfelves more and more of that light which fhined fo long in darknefs, while the darknefs comprehended it not; and caufes the fcorn with which feeming inconfiftences have been treated by a fuperficial petulant feel, in modern times mif-named philofophers, to recoil on themfelves. r rrti-ti i#rfi! THE THE rule, laid .down in the- former part of the text, is not infringed by the mod ac- curate inveftigation of fcripture, nor by fair dedutions from what it really contains, . but by unauthorifed theories, which minif- J ter queftions, rather than godly edifying; and confident conclufions refpefting the ways of providence, the refult of crude conceptions, and fliort fighted views. Thofe who are defirous to know all the words of the law, in order to do them, proceed ftcp-'b-y. ftep, and with reverential caution: it cannot indeed be denied, that perfons whofe lives and principles, in the main, w r ere truly pious, have fometimes over- itepped the boundary prefcribed to them, and in this inftance betrayed an over ween- ing opinion of themfelves, and a fon chiefs for admiration; faults far removed from the genuine fpirit of chriftianity. Let us not, however, be ieduced by what is laudable in their eondufr, into a participation of R 2 their ( 244 ) their error; but above ail, let us beware of the example of thofe who offend in both points ; who are fo engroffed by unprofitable fpeculations as to difregard the fubftance of religion, and incur at once the blame of prefumption and negleft. SERMON SERMON XL* HAGGAI, Ch. i. V. 5. WAYS." HEN one perfon defires another only to confider what is mod for his real good, and whether he be purfuing it or not, he would be fure, we may prefume, of ob- taining his requeft. WHEN- the Almighty, the Creator and Governor of the Univerfe, who gave man- kind their exiftence, and fupports it by his continual favour, condefcends to addrefs R 3 himfelf * Preached in Lent 1794.. himfelf to them in fimilar language, it muft be the height of obftinacy and perverfnefs to neglect it; and that it may not be ne- glected, the church has taken care to have it particularly offered to our attention, by appointing a feafon for felf-recollection. ON confidering the nature of man, it is apparent, not only that it is compofed of two parts, the one external, which we per- ceive with our fenfes, and the other inter- nal, which we difcover only by reflection ; but that this internal part is likewife made up of various particulars, poffeffmg different degrees of importance, all of which are united together and form a. whole, fome being evidently in fubordination to others. The real happinefs therefore of fuch a be- ing, mull arife from keeping each part in due order, that the general conftitution of his inward frame may not be injured: he muft afford to each particular only fuch in- dulgence dulgence as its rank demands, and fuch as is confiftent with allowing proper regard to every other: he muft gratify his appetite and his paflions in fuch manner and de- gree, as net to debafe his affections in dif- regard of his reafon and his confcience. But a very little acquaintance with human nature, too plainly convinces us that this harmony which fhould arife from the due regulation of the various parts of our inter- nal frame, is in all perfons confiderably dif- turbed, and in the generality of mankind to fuch a degree, that inftead of afting with an eye to every part of their nature, and principally to the fuperior part, they fol- low thoughtleflly the impulfe of the loweft, as circumftances accidently determine: FROM hence fprings continual difquiet, fimilar to that which is experienced in any civil government when due order and fub- ordination are deltroyed, aud the inferior R 4 members members of fociety ufurp the place of the higheft. And befides this internal difguft which fprings naturally from the deftruclion of order in our minds, there is a fource of uneafinefs upon the whole {till more dif- treffing which arrives from a fenfe of guilt, and which muft by fome means or other be allayed, or our happinefs is utterly de- ftroyed. Every one that reflects upon his nature and his condition, and confiders them (what they really are) as the appoint- ments of a fuperior power, muft know that he is refponfible to that power for not having acted according to that nature, and the motives which he may by any means have received of his maker's will ; nay, whether he reflects or not, of this truth, the fuperior part of his frame, his confcience, will at times render him fufficiently fenfible. WHEN from the nature of man we turn to the contemplation of his external con- ., ., dition, dition in the prefent world, the firft thing likely to ftrike us, is the mixture of good and evil in the various fituations of human life: that as there is no ftate of fuffering (fuch is the goodnefs of ourheavenl) Father) which excludes every fource of fatisfaction, fo there is no ftate of enjoyment unattended by fome difagreeable circumftances. In the early morning of life when all things appear gay and captivating to our imaginations, drefled in the charms of novelty, we are apt to entertain more flattering notions ; and if our domeftic lituation be upon the whole comfortable, as we feel not, from the merciful provifions of providence for the tender years of childhood, the inconve- niences of our iituation, or at lead thofe only which are fhort lived, we are led to think that human life may be rendered one continued courfe of enjoyment; but this delation gradually retires as we proceed, vanishing altogether, long before our fun has attained its meridian height: and, as extremes ever beget one another, this un- reafonable expetation of enjoyment too often ends in exceffive fears of the evils of life, and inattention to its real good. ANOTHER thing, which no great ex- perience of human affairs is fufficient to teach a refle&ing perfon, is the natural un- fa tisfatorinefs of every earthly enjoyment. Things appear to our minds extremely de~ firable and capable of affording the higheft degree of continued happinefs, which are found after a while to lofe in poffeffion all power of delighting, and to be unable to exclude from our lives infipidity and dif- gufL Of this all perfons are feniible as far as their experience has hitherto extended; but moft perfons, looking for the caufe of it not where it really exifts, in the general nature of fublunary obje&s, but fuppofing it to be in the particular nature of the ah- jccts which have engaged their attention with frefh hopes, divert their purfuit to other objefts, which are fure to produce frefh difappointment, till at length they too often grow difcontented with the world, and repine at the wife and gracious difpen- fations of providence, and drag out the re- mainder of their days in peevifli diflatis- faHon with themfelves, and every thing around them. A THIRD circumftance in our prefent condition, will unavoidably llrike us whe- ther we confider it or not. The moft ex- tended age of man, taken in one point of view, is but a leflbn of the fhortnefs of hu- man life, and almoft every day affords fome inftance of its uncertainty. This point re- quires no enlargement; the bare mention of it brings a cloud over the bnghteft face., and the thoughts of it, which will ibmetimes occur, can arreft for a time the moft eager pursuit purfult of bufmefs, of ambition, or of pies- fure. All flefh is as grafs, and all the glory of man as the flower of grafs ; the grafs withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. Now, for a being pofiefied of fuch a na- ture, and placed in fuch circumftanees, what is the proper fcheme of life, in order to fecure his greateft good ? Certainly one, (if it can be found) which will reftore to their proper order all the parts ot his inward frame, and quiet the fears and apprehen- fions of guilt ; thus procuring peace and fercnity of mind : one which will enable him to take as much of the good things of human life, with as little of the evil as is poilible: one which will teach him how to prolong the power of receiving fatisfaction from the pleafures of it: and laftly, one which will enable him to look with ftead- faft hope beyond the boundaries of the pre- fent fent contracted ftate of exigence, and to be cafy in his mind notwithftanding the un- certainty of it. AND is there not fuch a fcheme of life to be found? Do we not indeed already pof- fefs it in that which is pointed out to us by the chriftian religion? Is it not the pro- feffed aim of the chriftian religion to remedy the evils which fpring from the diforder of our internal frame, and by reducing each part to its due ftate, to r-eftore the original harmony of our minds? Does it not en- deavour to reftrain our appetites within the bounds proper to the inferior part of our nature, to moderate our paffions, to refine and exalt our affections, to enlarge our conceptions, and correct our judgment, to quicken our fenfe of right and wrong by precept, by example, by difcoveries, by extraordinary afllftance? The fears and ap- prehenfions of guilt ought to vanilh at once from from every afflicted breaft on hearing the aflurances contained in the gofpel, of the willingnefs of our heavenly Father to re- ceive all fuch as turn unto him with hearty repentance and true faith in his Son Jefus Chrift. Come unto me, faid the Redeemer of the world, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refrefli you. So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, to the end that all who be- Jieve in him fliould not perifh but have x eternal life. He was fent to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to- the captives, and recovering of fight to the blind, to fet at liberty them which are bruifed, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Acquaint yourfelves then with the merciful Jefus and be at peace. Though your fins be red as fcarlet, they mall be made white as mow \ and though they be as purple, they mall be made white as wool. WITH WITH refpeft to the mixture of good and evil in the prefent world: evils, which come not unexpe&ed, lofe much of their power, for they bring not with them the bitternefs of difappointment. Now, in what light is the prefent ftate of our exiftence reprefented in the gofpel of Chrift ? Is this world any where reprefented as a (late of perfect eafe, and undifturbed enjoyment? Is it not reprefented juft as we find it, and fuch as we might expet to find a ftate of probationary education, which is to intro- duce us to a ftate of reft and perfeft happi- nefs ? ;orft MB. ol ibefb B Jfiilv* iobi IF then we will enter upon the world as chriftian faith will lead us, we (hall enter upon it with the knowledge of its nature, which is ufually derived from experience, accompanied by the advantage of not ha- ving our minds deprefled, and our relifh of enjoyment blunted by unhappy difappoint- ment ment of too fanguine expectations : and \vc (hall alfo learn how to make the leaft of the evil and the moft of the good. Chrifti- anity prevents by the caution which it gives, many particular evils which fvveil the gene- ral load of calamity, and it a images th anguifli of fuch as are unavoidable, nay, almoft alters their nature. Recollect how large a portion of human calamity arifes from ah ungoverned imagination, and vain fears and anxieties about future events ; how much of it fprings from vicious indul- gences, and wrong or hard hearted con- duct of one fort or another : and then con- lider what a check to all thefe evils is pro- vided by the chrifdan religion? For one part, in that juft, fober, enlarged view of things, fuggefted by contemplating the (Economy of the gofpel difpenfation, and by a thorough belief that all events are un- der the direction of infinite wifdom, good- nefs, and power, For the other part, in the the prevalence of temperance, chaftity, meeknefs, humility, forbearance, benevo- lence, beneficence, courtefies ? And how different do the unavoidable evils of human life appear, how is their fmart lefTened, nay, nearly deftroyed, when the defign of provi- dence in fending them, and their ufes to which they ferve are taken into confider- ation; when by means of chriftian faith and chriftian hope it becomes the habitual frame of our minds to receive affliction and difappointment, as wholefome medicines to cure the diforders of our fouls, and to pro- mote our great and final good ! DID chriftianity no more than provide fuch a check and remedy for the evils of life, it would do a great deal by this very cir- cumftance towards increafing the good: for how open is the mind left by thefe means to every real pleafure which occurs j inftead of being by wrong views (hut againft the S admiffion admiffion of it ; inftead of being, by ^x- ccffive indulgences and unfocial conduct, "difqualified from enjoying it? But chrifti- anity does more than this : it gives a higher reliih to every bleffing common to mankind in general, with the addition of peculiar fatisfa&ions of its own. Your own expe rience I truft hath taught you far better than any defcription, how much all the comforts and enjoyments of life are in- creafed, by confidering them as tokens of your maker's love, and earnefts to you of ftill greater bounty j as well as what unal- loyed pleafures fpring, from purity of heart, from univerfal charity, from heavenly con- templation, and a well regulated devotion ; and above all, from that peace of mind, beyond the power of words to exprefs, which refults from a clear fenfe of the favor of our heavenly Father thro' the merits of our bleffcd Redeemer. IF ( 259 ) IF it be the nature of all human fatis- fa&ions to pall upon enjoyment, it arifes from want of fufficient power in objefts which terminate in ourfelves, and the boun- daries of the prefent world, to fill all the capacities of an immortal foul, defigned by its very nature for a nobler ftate of exif- flence: but the chriftian religion by con- nefting every thing which happens to us in the prefent life with a future, and form- ing us to the habit of extending our views in the ufe of the things of it, beyond our- felves to the glory of God, fupplies this natural deficiency, and offers to our minds an object which can never fail. He who has brought himfelf to look up to his .heavenly Father, in every event of his life, with filial love and gratitude, and to con- lider whatever befalls him, as a part of a gracious plan of probationary education, calling upon him for fuitable exertions, \vill be in little danger of enduring the S 2 miferies ( 260 ) miferies of mental languor or faftidious dif- appointment. THE only perfons expofed to fuch evils, are they who forget that the pleafures of the prefent life are fent to foften the calami- ties of human nature, and the fatigues ne- ceflarily attendant upon active purfuits ; to fmooth our journey through the rugged paths of this world; who look upon enjoy- ment as the fole end of their being, and confequently, whenever they find it, give fhemfelves up to it without rcftraint. The chriftian, by not expe&ing too much fatis- faclion from worldly things, efcapes the pain of difappointment : by not making the attainment of fuch fatisfadtions the chief object of his purfuit, but dividing his at- tention between thefe and nobler objects, he prevents the infipidity of languor. LASTLY, ( 26l ) LASTLY, tho' the fhortnefs and uncer- tainty of this life cannot but be an awful confideration to the mind of man, yet the hopes fuggefted by chriftian faith deprives it of all its terrors. For death is a very dif- ferent object, to him who looks forward to thofe things which eye hath not feen nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, from what it commonly appears to the unhallowed view of worldly men : it is a fleep from which he will awake to the glorious dawn of eternal life : it is the end and confummation of all his labour, and will conduct him to the abodes of peace and never fading joy. This world while it lafts is his prefent portion, and therefore, like a wife man, he makes the moll of the fatisfations it affords; but he considers it only as a (mail earneft of a nobler inheritance which will never decay. And whilft he, whofe thoughts have been confined to the objects of this pafling fcene, S 3 trembles ( 262 ) trembles at the approach of the great con- queror of human nature; the chriftian can behold him without difmay, and addrefs him in the infpired language of the records of his faith, O death where is thy fling 1 O grave where is thy victory! He knows that he muft die, and (without affecting to be above the common apprehenfions of his nature,) he exults at the approach of death, from a perfuafion that it will be to him a paffage to a joyful refurreclion, and a glo- rious immortality. The time and manner of his death, as all his other concerns, he humbly fubmits to the difpofal of his gra- cious Father. Who would not wifh to be in fuch a ftate ? Who would not wifh to be a chriftian indeed ? IF fuch be the real ftate of human nature, and fuch the condition of human life ; if fuch a remedy for the diforders of human nature and the evils of human life,, be pro- vided vided in the religion of Jefus Chrift - 3 does not a queftion forcibly recur upon our minds, whether we be tiling this remedy as we ought ? The general effects of chrif- tianity in foftening men's minds, and en- larging their views ever fmce its firft pro- mulgation, cannot be denied; but fully to anfwcr the ends prapofed by it, a thorough and hearty, and fteady profeflion of it, is. abfolutely neceflary. THE times in which we live, and the aw- ful difpenfations of providence now carrying on in the world, give peculiar force to the injun&ion in my text, and in a very affec- ting manner call us to ferioufnefs and con- fideration. Amidft many valuable cautions, of political prudence, which the dreadful events that have lately taken place in a neighbouring nation, mud inculcate on the prefent and all future generations of man- kind j. one inftruction of much higher im- S 4 portance portance it is earneftly to be hoped they will not fail moft ftrongly to imprefs on their minds ; and that is, that the boafted attainments of philofophy and extended knowledge, joined with the higheft refine- ment of manners, when not direfted by religious principle, leads to greater debafe- ment of the human character, than a ftate of ignorance and barbarifm : and that when the revelation of Chrift has been received amongft any people, and at length rejected as falfe, every principle of natural religion will be rooted up with it. The people of this country have too much grace, as well as too much good fenfe, to be in danger of wilfully denying the Lord that bought them: but it behoves us all to confider, very ferioufly, what is the real ftate of re- ligion amongft us, I mean, of religion as it is efteemed by God, who knoweth the fe- crets of our hearts whether if it be not rejected, it be regarded as it ought; in fuch fuch a manner as to afford hopes of the continuance of the favor of providence to- wards this nation, which we have fo (ignally (above all the nations upon earth) expe- rienced through a long period of time. AT leaft, each member of the Church of England, is particularly called upon at this feafon to confider well the way in which he is proceeding through life ; confideration can do no harm judge for yourfelves: in- quire carefully where your true happinefs lies, and having difcovered it, examine whether you are indeed in the way that leads to it. Look within yourfelves, and confider your nature and what it requires ; look without you, and confider the world and how it paffes on : then look into the gofpel of Jefus Chrift, and confider what it promifes, and how exaclly fuited it is to your nature and your condition. Do not view the chriftian religion with an eye of fuf- picion, ( 266 } pic-ion, as if it was an enemy to pleafure: it debars not men from any real permanent iatisfactton ; it would only teach them to draw their pleafures from fountains which will Btever fail, and which will never fend forth bitter waters; pleafures adapted ta the whole of their nature, and to its various parts in juB fubordination : by means of which, they may have the greatcft poffible enjoyment, attended with the feweft evils in the prefent life ; and in the next, from the perfection oi. their nature, and the merits of their Redeemer^ uamixed,. eternal, io* cr.eafmg txlife. ( 26; ) SERMON XII. EPHESIANS, Ch. iv* K, 14, *' THAT HENCEFORTH, WE BE NO CHILDREN, TOSSED TO AND FRO, ANI CARRIED ABOUT WITH EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE." T' HE prefent world, being defigned for a ftate of probation, is fo conftituted as to furnifh a continual fucceffion of events, -adapted to exercife the affe&ions, and to give fcope to the powers of the underftan- ding. In the conduft and regulation of this important faculty, (the molt excellent of God's gifts to man, the tenure by which he holds his fovereignty over the reft of the creation, creation, and by which he is rendered capa- ble of virtue, and of the rewards annexed to it,) no inconfiderable part of his trial confift$: to fearch patiently for truth, to weigh the pretenfions of difcordant opinions, and to determine with impartiality as the fcale preponderates, is the duty of every one in proportion to his capacity and op- portunities of knowledge : but thefe are fo different in diffeient perfons, and even in the fame perfon at different periods, that it would betray a very fuperficial acquaintance with human nature to afTert, either that all men muft fee things in exactly the fame light, and draw the fame conclufions from them, or that any individual will always neceffarily remain in his prefent fentiments. It isfufficient that in every given conjuncture, he does what conscience dictates, after a fair and full confideration of the cafe, de- termmhig this only, with refpecl: to futu- rity; that, with God's help, he will then alfo alfo decide and at as fhall appear to be juft and right. That peremptory tone, in which fo many profefs to have made up their minds on the moft complex and difficult fubje&s, proceeds from a mixture of pride and in- dolence: pride difdains inftruclion, and re- volts from the notion of being kept in the trammels of perpetual childhood ; while in- dolence would fain confider its talk as done, and fhrinks from the fatigue of new re- fearches, and repeated examination : yet, in proportion as men form a jufter eftimate of their condition here, they will feel them- felves more reconciled to the humiliation of perfcvering labour, and pregreffive know- ledge. THERE is no affinity between that In- genuous diffidence which keeps the mind always open to convilion, and the waver- ing ftate of irrefolution which it^ was the Apoftie's intention to condemn. Sincere and and fober Inquirers after truth are aware that they are liable to be biafled by the fuggeftions of intereft and prejudice, or to be milled by fophiflry and falfe reprefenta- tions; that their views of things are neither clear nor extenfive ; that many circumftan- ces, effential to a right judgement, may, for the prefent at leaft, lie beyond their fphere of obfervation, or be overlooked, though they lie within it. If the fubject of their inquiry acfmits of demonftration, they are careful to acquaint themfelves with the whole of the proof; for even demonftrable truths, may be fo plaufibly controverted, as to perplex and ftagger thofe who have merely taken them on truil. If it is only capable of probable evidence, (a diftin&ion referable to the fallibility of the human un- derftanding, and not to the nature of truth ; which, under whatever denomination, is in itfelf alike abfolute and one;) probability implies, Tn the very notion of it, that there are arc pTefumptions on the oppofite fide. They advance therefore with cautious Heps ; and If, notwuthflanding their care, their judge- ment is unfortunately mifled, no falfe fbame induces diem to perfevere; for next to avoiding erfror, their objeft is to difcovef and <:orret it : yet they, do not rcfign -opi- nions adopted after mature refle&ion, and on the fulleft information they were able to obtain, without a fcrupulous examination of what is alleged againft them, sand of what is propofed to be fubftituted in thek plae. On the other hand, the turn of mind that caufes men to be feduced by -every fpe- cious argument, caufes them to be equally fiartled by every fpccious obje6lion. OPINIONS haftily and confidently taken up, and for a time maintained with tlae greateft pofitivenefs, are often in the end relinquifhed with as little reafon as they were embraced. Xhofe which fuccee<1 to them are again difplaced by others ; till the mind becomes irritable, from finding no- thing but confufion, \vhere it had hoped that it refted in certainty ; and inftead of imputing its difappointment to the real caufe, fondly concludes, that what it has failed itfelf to difcover, either has no exif- tence, or is unattainable by human fagacity. Then enfues a torpidity eventually fatal to its powers, which, as is well known, are ftrengthened and improved by a proper ex- ertion of them, but impaired by inaction, and corrupted by abufe, till the ability of forming juft determinations is entirely loft: nor is fuch a Hate of mind lefs deftru6tive, in its confequences, of the beft emotions of the heart, than it is of the powers of the underftanding. Men come by degrees to think it of little importance whether their notions are right or wrong, and give up indolently whatever the petulance of bold objeclors may prompt them to require. In- ftead ftead of thinking it their duty to contend for the faith which was ohce delivered to the faints, they begin to doubt whether any faith was ever fo delivered, or, at leaft, think it fo uncertain what that faith" was, that they fee its moft eflential doftrines at- tacked and treated with fcorn, without un- eafinefs, INSTABILITY of principle, of whatever kind, is followed by a correfpondent in- ftability of conduft; men may aft right by chance from the impulfe of the moment, or the remains of a difpofition intended by nature to be good, but, when fituations occur to put them to the teft, it will ap- pear that, without a juft eftimate of the condition of human life, and a well founded conviction of its great and ultimate purpofe, the performance either of focial or religious duties is very precarious. Is this, as in other inftances, nothing is more conducive to a right frame of mind than an awful fenfe of God's conftant pre- fence and infpection. A notion true in it- felf, when rightly underftood, and fairly interpreted, (that men are not refponfible for their fpeculative opinions, nor for the fluctuations to which they are fubject from time to time, becaufe opinions depend on evidence, in the reception of which the mind is neceflarily paffive,) ferves often, by the mifapplication of it, to lull the con- fcience in a falfe fecurity. In that day when the fecrets of all hearts (hall be open, and every evafion and fubterfuge unavail- ing, it may, alas! be no justification of a mifpent life to allege, however truly fo, at fuch and fuch a period I acted, for fo I be- lieved. Practice and belief reciprocally in- fluence each other; and as erroneous belief has often a tendency to produce immoral conduct, fo it often originates in it, and is therefore therefore reprehenfible in itfelf. In no inftance do men betray greater weaknefs than in accommodating their faith to their habits and propenfities. Is it foothing to believe that remiffion of fins, and even in- dulgencies for the commiffion of them, may- be obtained from men divinely authorifed to difpenfe them; that fome perfons, re- probated from their birth, are children of perdition, while others are fanftified by an over-ruling grace, and predefined to ever- lafling happinefs ; that certain outward afts of mortification, that enthufiaftic fervors, or unintelligible pretenfions to an extatic love of their Redeemer, will be accepted as equivalent to a life of piety and virtue? The moft frivolous argument, the firft de- tached paflage that can be interpreted in conformity with the favorite tenet, is con- fidered as conclufive evidence. Should change of circumftances at any time render fome other creed more convenient, little in- T 2 genuity ( 276 ) genuity will be neceffary to detect the er- rors of their prefent perfuafion, or to find reafons, at leaft equally cogent with thofe on which it was founded, in fupport of the new one. And as fuch repeated changes of fyftem imply a confeffion of the futility of all but the laft, it is not probable that this when affailed in its turn, whether by argu- ment or by the pafiions, will be more per- tinacioufly maintained; efpecially if it be confidered that, as by difcarding each par- ticular fet of doctrines fome one fcruple has been quieted; fo by difcarding them all, the very ground of fcruples will be re- moved ; and, in fact, no tranfition is eafier than, from having fucceflively be- lieved every thing, to believing nothing. NOR are indolence and indifference lefs adverfe than vice to fettled and confiftent plans of thinking or acting. When opinions are acquiefced in, not from a conviction of their their truth, but to fave the trouble of ex- amination, they will be as readily refigned to fave the trouble of defending them 5 in- deed from incapacity to defend them, fup- pofmg them to be accidentally right. To an indolent mind any fyftem or any objection will appear plaufible for the moment; but which of them, or whether any of them, is fupported by the degree of evidence which, conilitutes proof or probability, it neither knows, nor has ever even confidered in what that degree of evidence confifts. SUCH is the imperfe&ion of the human underftanding, fo unaccountable at times are its mifconceptions, arifing either from peculiar habits of thinking, or from fome- thing which we cannot explain in its ori- ginal conftitution, fo ftrong are the biafles which it is liable to receive in early life from examples and education, that errors arifing from thefe caufes are fure to fad the T 3 molt moft equitable, the moft indulgent allow- ances from him who knoweth whereof we are made. But the obligations of virtue, the importance of right notions concerning God and their owp relation to him, and confequently the obligation men are under to avail themfelves of every means of infor- mation on thefe fubjets which he may vpuchfafe to afford to them, are among the firft principles of natural religion. All are apprized of them, it depends on themfelves to a6t fuifably to them, and would they but bear in mind that they are even now, though lefs fenfibly, yet not lefs actually in his prefence, than they fliall be when trjey are called on tq render account of the talents committed to them; that he now fees,, as he mail then enquire, whether they feek the truth with their whole heart, and carefully abftain from all known fin, which i the fureft obftacje to perceiving it, they will tjien undoubtedly difcover in all points points eflential to falvation, and hold faft without wavering, that true, and perfect, and acceptable will of God. IT may not, however, be fuperfluous to add, that, in the profecution of every fub- jet which requires ferious inveftigation, it is important to pofTefs juft ideas of the powers and deficiencies of human reafon. Man comprehends no part of nature tho- roughly, and in all its details. Of the principle of cohefion in folid fubftances, or of life in organized bodies ; of the attracting force that pervades the planetary fyftemj of the fympathetic union betwen the ma- terial and immaterial parts of his own con- ftitution, he has not any, not even the obfcureft notion. Yet, that fuch principles exift is attefted by their effects beyond the poffibility of contradiction. And not only is their exiftence ascertained, but the laws by which they act have been affigned on T 4 fuch ( 280 ) jfuch juft grounds of probability, that no- thing lefs than the production of facls manifeftly inconfiftent with them, or the failure of confequences that muft have re- fulted from them, had they been true, can be allowed to fet them afide. Here the wifeft philofophers have flopped, or, if in any inftance they have been tempted fur- ther, have propofed their fentiments with the diffidence that becomes conje&ure. But when, palling thefe limits, man would penetrate the inmoft receffes of nature, and explain, not only the atual connexion of caufes and effects, but the mode in which her myfterious operations are conducted, the means of conviction fail him; he mult addrefs his theories to the imagination, not to the underftanding ; it is well if he can render them intelligible: fooner or later the perplexity and difficulties that attend them will be pointed out by fome in- genious rival, who has., perhaps, new ones fUll ( 281 ) ftill more exceptionable to propofe. By fuch unfuccefsful attempts the credit of what is fufficiently proved is weakened in the minds of thefe, and they are always the greater number, who do not carefully diflinguifli the limit at which evidence ceafes, and conjecture begins. * 1 "il^ " ff I* /f '^' \ """k ^n frit'n? THE fame general principles are appli- cable to the conduft of philofophical and of religious inquiries : the contents of the book of revelation are intelligible in the fame degree with thofe of the book of na- ture: in many points indeed the contents of both are the fame; fuch parts of the fyftem of the divine (Economy, as were colle&ed by the fages of antiquity from obfervation and reflection, are confirmed as far as they extend by the teftimony of fcripture : there are other points which we know from that teftimony alone; that the love of Chriir, confpiring with the love of God { 282 ) God towards mankind, procured the par- don of fins, (a difpenfation in which the wifdom of the means is as confpicuous as the benevolence of the end, fmce no other can be conceived fo conducive to the pro- motion of virtue:) that as man is redeemed by the Son of God, he is fanclified by the Spirit of God, if he avails himfelf of the means prefcribed for obtaining that holy influence. It is not neceffary, however, to enumerate the doctrines of this clafs ; they will readily occur to perfons at all conver- fant in the facred writings, and it is to fuch perfons only that the prefent argument can be addreffed; but it may be obferved of them in general, that the authenticity of the volume in which they are delivered is fupported by the iirongeft teftimony, and by teftimony of that kind of which reafon is competent to judge; that they appear, 4. onfidered with refpeclt to their final caufes, leplete with wifdom, and worthy of their author; author; that there is nothing in them con- tradi&ory to the cleared notions men have of phyfical or of moral poflibility, nor in- confiftent with any other part of the plan of providence. On the contrary, the more accurately things are examined in this view, the more harmonious and beautiful does the fyftem appear; but when the precife nature of the union between the divine perfons concerned in our redemption, or the pre- cife mode and degree in which the graces of the holy fpirit are communicated (and many inftances of the fame kind may be felecled among the doftrines of natural, as well as of revealed religion ;) is purfued through the labyrinth of metaphyfical fub- tlety, doubts arife, and cavils are objected; to which the true anfwer is, that other faculties than thofe which we poflefs at pre- fent are neceflary to difcover, and probably to conceive, an adequate folution of them. But the pride of human fagacity prompts men ( 284 ) men to devife one, which being found in- fufficient, recourfe is had to another and another: what is thus inferted with felf- complacency, is propagated with zeal ; and hence have arifen no inconsiderable number of the herefies and fets which have dif- graced chriftianiry from the days of the Apoftles to the prefent time. The fame overweening opinion of their own difcern- ment leads men ultimately to difcard as falfe, what is partially obfcure j while yet they allow, with refpeft to the infinity of fpace and duration, that it is as impoffible to diveft the mind of the idea, as it is to> comprehend or explain it. THAT the love of truth mould fometimes he facrificed to the love of eafe, or the judgement be warped by vicious propen- fities, is rather matter of concern than of furprife, fince the ftrength of thefe pro- penfities is evinced by daily experience: but but it is wonderful that, in purfuits with . which the moft important interefts are con- neted, reafon fhould frequently be mifled by the mere illufions of vanity. There are, however, perfons who value theinfelves on a certain refinement and fubtlety of genius, who affe6t in every fubjeft of their inquiry to difcover what paffes unnoticed and un- fufpeted by men of grofler apprehenfions; or to find occafion of doubt and perplexity where a plain underftanding finds none. The great eflential principles of religion, as might be expected in a fyfiem defigned to condul all mankind to falvation, are fo revealed as not to be eafily mifunderftoc J : but the perfons in queftion would think it a difparagement to their fagacity, were they to fee any thing in the fame light in which it appears to others. Allegorical, figurative, myftical interpretations are de- vifed; and, groundlefs as they are, they are fure to attraft admirers and followers; for ( 286 ) for there is a vanity fo humble as to give itfelf credit for adopting thofe Singularities which it has not ingenuity to invent. IT was far from the intention of the Apoftle, it is far from the intention of this difcourfe, to difcourage the detection of real errors, or to diffuade men from re- nouncing them. But for the light diffufed by the revival of learning, and the fpirit of the firft reformers, men would have remained under the delufions of Romifh fuperftition, and the bondage of Papal tyranny ; and, though Chriftianity was freed at that period from the grofler corruptions with which ignorance and ambition had contributed to debafe it, it is readily acknowledged that there ftill may be paflages of fcripture which are mifapprehended, and that the beft re- ligious eftablifliments partake of that in> perfeclion to- which every thing human is liable. To r-e-lify fuch rnifapprehenfions is the the nobleft office of criticifm ; to fupply de- fe&s, and to remedy abufes in fuch eftab- lifhments is admirable, if what is propofed to be gained on one hand is not balanced, perhaps exceeded, by fome difadvantage pn the other. But when (as perfons of a mifanthropic turn conceive that they ought to fufpecl: every man of being an enemy, whom they do not know to be a friend) cer- tain philofophers lay down for a maxim that each individual mould confider every perfuafion as falfe till the truth of it has been proved to his particular conviction, and re- jet every fyftem as erroneous till he has feen its excellence demonstrated, the maxim is either infidious, or formed without fuf- cient attention to the a&ual circumftances of a great majority of mankind. Every prejudice, it is faid, is an impediment in the fearch of truth : as an abftraft principle this is readily admitted; mall parents there- fore fcruple to interpofe authority to check the ( 288 ) the wayward paffions of their children, and leave their minds in a ftate of neutrality between vice and virtue, till their faculties can difcover, or at lead can thoroughly comprehend, what it is that conftitutes the efTential difference between right and wrong? A fimilar queflion may be aikcd refpe&ing religious notions. If while men's tempers and occupations continue fuch as they are, we fuppofe that the generality, left to themfelves, would attain a belief of the exiftence, attributes, and moral govern- ment of God ; we fuppofe at leaft as much as would be likely to happen. Is it then defirable that they mould confider reve- lation as a fable till -they have opportunity to difcufs it in detail ; or that they mould truft for the evidence of its origin, and the interpretation of the obfcurer parts of it, to perfons whofe integrity they have no reafon to fufpecl, and who are qualified by abilities and learning to give them information ? IN IN a nation of philofophers it might be matter of indifference whether, previously to the confideration of a fyftem, they h'ad believed it to be true or falfe : but it is not fo with the bulk of mankind. Let an unin- formed perfon fuppofe the chriftian faith, or the external modification of it, profefled by the fociety to which he belongs, to be indefenfible, and he will foon find, or be furnifhed with, plaufible objections to it. In proportion as a fubjet is extenfive and important, it is affailable by ridicule and fophiftry, or by arguments which, though of no real moment, yet, being directed againft that degree of ignorance which is infeparable from a finite underftanding, can- not be fo fatisfaclorily anfwered as to pre- clude the poflibility of farther cavil. Be- lides, a partial anfwer, however decifive of any fingle point, would be deemed in- fufficient by one who diibelieved the whole. To be convinced, he muft proceed regularly U through tl)fough the whole body of proof by which the fyftem is fupported; but to do this, and to appreciate its validity, is probably a tafk beyond his inclination, or his powers. THOSE, on the contrary, (it is ftill the fame clafs of people that is intended) who refolve to continue in the things that they have learned and been aflured of, till they fee reafon to think they have been deceived, are not therefore to be accounted flaves of prejudice. They will, indeed, feek for fo- Jutions of difficulties that are propofed to them ; they will apply to perfons more en- lightened than themfelves, and be fhewn, perhaps, that objections which ftartled them were merely fpecious, or that by a change, which might extricate them from one diffi- culty, they would be involved in many: yet, where both parties are heard, truth will ultimately prevail ; and, let the conteft be conducted in the faireft manner, it is no inconfiderable inconfiderable advantage on the fide of the affailant, that he choofes his point of attack. THIS concurrence with received opinions, till fufficient caufe appears to diflent from them, is recommended with no interefted views, but from a facred love of truth, and as a principle, which, previoufly to any ex- periment, and on a mere confideration of the conftitution of the human mind, feems likelieft to produce full and impartial dif- cuffion. Scenes, which for fome years paft have filled Europe with horror, atteft but too well the tendency of a contrary proce- dure. Politicians, who would fain perfuade you that their diftinftive characleriftic is benevolence, endeavoured to imprefs the people with a notion, which in fubftance, if not in words, was this ; whatever is, is wrong ; they forefaw, but w r ere not de- terred by, the atrocities that followed. They did not forefee that the public mind, fet fet afloat, would reft in nothing; and that the fabricks they had reared would fo Aid- denly follow that which they had deftroyed. They have, however, afforded a leflbn to thofe, who, being fmcere believers, are at the fame time enthufiaftical in making pro- felytes to their particular fet ; that while they explode and vilify, in the mafs, the particular notions which men of other per- fuafions have been accuftomed to cherifli, they make them liable to be tofled to and fro with every wind of do&rine, and to terminate in abfolute infidelity. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is. 1)1." E on ihgfest date stamped below. . *." MMhMi *Jc3W 41584 - e 1 $ % O ^- i fy K 3