3?#^^^ ■«k. ^^ m*i. m!^^ LIBKAIIY piiixcETuy. y. J. No. (Jase, Division . . ; /^- -- - ^^•'^-(^ Section...;.: V. No: Book, X — N» , .....:::..:.. ^ ,- Sea V. 3 / >t SERMONS ON PRACTICAL SUBJECTS, BY 'THE LATE W. ENFIELD, LL.D. PREPARED FOR THE PRESS BY HIMSELF. To which are prefixed MEMOIRS OF THE AUTHOR, By J. AIKIN, M.D. IN THREE VOLUMES. SECOND EDITION. VOL. III. LONDON: Fr'mted bj T. Benjlty, Belt Court, FleeUjlreet, FOR J. JOHNSONp IN ST. PAUl's CHUKCH-YABD. J 799. CONTENTS. Chri{l*s Converfatloii with a rich young Man. MAtTi xix. 22. tVhen the young man heard that fay ingy he went away forrowful, for he had great pojefions - - - p. I The Poor WIdow*s Mite. Mark xii. 43, 44. Ferily I fay unto you, that this poor wi- dow hath cafi more in than all they which have caft into the treafury: for all they did cafi in of their abundance^ but Jhe of her want did cafi 171 all that fhe had, even all her living - 24 Vol, IIL a The 1^' CONTENTS. The Folly of ra(h Confidence. Matt. xiv. 28. Peter anfwered h'lm^ and faid^ hord^ if it be thou^ bid me come to thee on the wa- ter - ... p. 47 The Characters of the Hypocrite and the Penitent compared. Matt. xxi. 28 — 31. What think ye ? A certain man had two Jons : and he came to the firjl^ and f aid ^ Son, go work to-day in my vineyard: he anjzvered, and J aid, I will not ; but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the fecond, and /aid like- wife', and he anfwered, and faidy I go. Sir, and went not. Which of thefe two did the will of his father ? T^ hey fay unto him, 'the fir ft » - - 68 Chrift*s Converfation with the Woman of Samaria. John :v. 10. fefus anfwered, andfaid unto her. If thou kneweft CONTENTS. t knewejl the gift of God, and who It is that faith to thee. Give me to drink, thou wouldef have afked of him, and he would have given thee living water - - - - P» 9^ The Folly of rejecting Inflruclloii. Matt. vHi. 34. j^ndwhen they f aw him, they bef ought him to depart out of their coajls - 112 The Criminality of uncharitable Judg- ment in imputing good Actions to bad Motives. Matt. xli. 24. But when the Pharifees heard it, they f aid. This man doth not caft out devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils 134. The Parable of the unjuft Steward. Luke xvi. 8. The children of this world are ^ in their ge- neration^ Vl CONTENTS. tier at ion, lujfer than the children of light - - - p. 156 The Parable of the ten Talents. Matt, xxv. 29. tJnto every one that haih,Jhall be given, and he Jhall have abundance : but from him that hath not Jhall be taken away even that which he hath - 1 70 Chrifl's Treatment of the Woman taken in Adultery. John viii. 10, 11. Jefusfaid unto her, Wom^an, where are thofe thine accufers f hath no man condemned thee f She /aid. No man. Lord: and Jefus /aid unto her. Neither do I con^ demn thee ; go, and Jin no more 202 On the Perpetuity of the Chriftian Church. Matt. xvi. 18. Upon this rock 1 vuill build my church, and • the CONTENTS. 3f« the gates ofhelljhall not prevail agalnji it - - • p. 223 The befl Chriftians unprofitable Servants. Luke xvii. 10. So likewife ye^ when ye Jh ail have done all thofe things which are commanded you, fay. We are unprofitable fervants ; we have done that which was our duty to do . - - 246 The Wifdom of forefeeing and providing asainft Difficulties and Dan2;ers. Luke xiv. 28. Which of you, intendifig to build a tower, fitteth not down firfi, and counteth the coft, whether he have fufficient to finifh it l» - - - 270 Mutual Condefcenfion recommended by the Example of Chriil. John xiii. 13 — 16. Te call me Mafter and Lord, and ye fay Vol. III. b welU viii CONTENTS. well, for fo I am: If I then your Lord and Mqfter have wajhed your feet, ye ought alfo to wajh one another'* s feet \ for I have given you an example, that ye (houlddo as I have done to you ^.292 The Folly of ambitious Defires. Matt. xx. 22, Te know not what ye afk - - 3^3 Chrift's laft Converfation with his Apof- tles before his Crucifixion. John xiv.i — 3. luSt not your heart be troubled ; ye believe In God, believe alfo in me : in my Fa- thers houfe are many manfions ; if it were not fo, I would have told you* I go to prepare a place for you : ana if ■ I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to my~ felf, that where I am, there ye may be alfo - - - 3SS 4 Chrift's CONTENTS. IX Chrift's laft Difcourfe to his Dlfciples. John xv. i, 2. / am the true vine, and my Father is the hujbandman : every branch in me that heareth not fruit he taketh away ; and every branch that beareth fruit he purg- eth^ that it may bring forth more fruit P-358 Chrift's laft Difcourfe to his Apoftles. John xvi. 7. // is expedient for you that I go away : for if I go not away the Comforter will not come to you ; but f I depart I will fend him to you - - - ogj The Inftitutioii of the Lord's Supper, Luke xxii. 19. T^his do in reinemhrance of me - 405 The X CONTENTS. The general Conclufions from the Gofpel Hiflory concerning Chrift. Matt. xxii. 42. What think ye ofChrift f - p. 4"- 7 SERMONS, SERMONS, &c. Chrift's Converfation with a rich young Man. Matthew xix. 22. PF/)en the young man heard that faying^ he went away forrowfuly for he had great e ions. In young perfons a defire of knowledge is always a pron:iifing difpofition. Even when this defire is dire^Sled towards ob- jedls of abftrad fcience, or of ordinary utility, it indicates an a6live niind, and a propenfity towards improvement, from which pleafingexpcdlations may be drawn. Vol. III. B But 2 Chrljfs Converfation with But when young people difcover an earn- eft defire to be informed and inflrufled in thofe points in which their happinefs is immediately concerned, and efpecially when the object of their folicitude is the knowledge of their duty, and the attain- ment of thofe moral qualities which are necelTary to prepare them for happinefs in a future flate, their eharader becomes peculiarly amiable. Such a difpofition, at the fame time that it (liews a found un- derfianding, and a thoughtful turn of mind, is a fure token of a good heart. It is to a youth of this charadler that the text refers- — a youth fo well difpofed, and endued with fuch engaging qualities, that he won the affedion of our Saviour himfelf. " Jefus beholding him, loved him." If we proceed to examine more particularly into the grounds of an efleem which was fo highly honourable to this young man, though we fliall meet with fome things in his condu(5l to be regretted, we fliall fuid, as wc might, indeed, be- forehand a rich young Man. ^ forehand be afTured, that he wa?, on the whole, worthy of the kind regard which Jefus fhevved him. The young man, as appears from the circumflances of the narrative^ was a Jew of confiderable property, and of no mean rank. All the hiftorians agree that he had large poffeflions ; and St. Luke calls him a ruler. Notwithftanding his youth, his confequence and merit had placed him in fome honourable ftation of civil ma- giftracy. But neither the importunity of youthful paffions, nor the fiiares of wealth, nor the avocations of his office, could divert his attention from the firft great concern of every rational being, the providing for his welfare through the whole courfe of his exiftence. Though not a difciple of Chrift, and though a profeflbr of a religion, the fan£lions of which were chiefly of a temporal nature, he had believed — doubtlefs upon thofe ob- vious principles which appear to have produced this belief in all ages and coun- B 2 tries 4 • Chnji'^s Converfation with tries — that the prefent life was not to be the whole period of his exiftence, but that he was to expe6l another, and an eternal life beyond the grave. Whilfl: a numerous body of his countrynien, the entire fe£l of the Sadducees, in the pride of human wifdom, rejeded this comfort- able dodrine, he was happy in the belief and expedation of a future ftate. And it appeared to his fedate and thoughtful mind an object of fuch unfpeakable mo- ment to provide for his well-being in that flaie, that he was earneftly defirous of receiving all pofiible information upon this important fubje£l. Having probably long heard of the fame of Jefus, he concluded, from the wonderful things which were related concerning him, and from the wifdom and authority with which he every where taught the doctrines and precepts of religion, that he muft be fome eminent prophet, who was capable of giv- ing him that inftrudion which appeared to him above all others moll interefting. He a rich young Man, 5 Pie therefore gladly feized the opportu- nity, which the prefent vifit of Jefus to his neighbourhood afforded him, of coii- fulting fo able a teacher on this fubjedl. Accofting him in the moil refpedful manner, as he was paffing by, he requeu- ed to be informed what were the necef^ fary qualifications for future happinefs. «' Coniing in hafte to Jefus he kneeled at his feet, and faid. Good mailer, what good things fliall I do that I may have eter- nal life ?" Before we proceed to take notice of our Saviour's reply, allow me, for a moment, to fix your attention upon this firil: inci- dent of the narrative, and to call upon you feriouily to recoiled your own in- tereft in the inquiry. If any regard h^ due to that divine monitor within the human breaft which warns you — which has warned mankind in all ages, to ex- ped: a future ilate of retribution, in which vice will be puniihed, and virtue reward- ed ; if any regard be due to a meiTage B J frorr^ 6 Chriffs Converfatton with from heaven, delivered by a man whofe divine miffion is attefted by a cloud of faithful witneffes; you muft coniider yourfelves, not as m.ere children of the earth, who, after amufuig or haraffing yourfelves for a few years in this lublu- nary fcene, muft fuik into forget fulnefs, and be as though you had never been ; but as deftined by an Almighty Creator forfomeotherllateof exiftence, in which, if the fault be not your own, you may live and be happy, not for the fhort fpace of threefcore years and ten, but through a never ending fucceflion of ages : you muft look upon the prefent life as only the firft ftage of an immortal exigence. How much foever, then, you may be dif- pofed, in the hours of diffipation and folly, to treat hfe as a jell, and to baniOi the idea of an hereafter as a troublefome in- truder, with which, for the prefent at leaft, you have no concern ; in the mo- ments of more fedate reflection you muft be convinced that it is prudent—that i^ a rich young Man. 7 its wife — that it Is abfolutely neceflary, to inquire what courfe of life you mufl: fol- low, in order, fiace it is appointed to all men once to die, and after that the judg- ment, that ye may die with a well- founded hope of being happy after death : you muft feel the importance of the in- quiry, " What good thing fliall I do that I may'inherit eternal lifer" To anfwer this interefting inquiry was one important part of the commiffion which the Saviour of the world was ap- pointed to execute. What was faid of the apoftles is more eminently true of their mailer : *' Thefe men are fervants of the rnoft high God, who do (hew unto us the way of falvation." it was there- fore to be expected that to this young ruler's queftion, evidently dictated by the moft becoming folicitude on a point of infinite moment, Jefus wQuld give an ex- plicit and fatisfadlory anfwer. Accord- ingly, without making ufe of thofe indi- retft methods by which he often wifely B 4 dcfea|:e(J 8 Chrlffs Converfation with defeated the deGgns of thofe who propof- ed to hitn enfnaring queftions ; and with- out caUIng in the aid of that allegorical lancruage with which he fometimes chofe to clothe his naeaninsf even in his ad- drefles to his difciples, Jefus plainly in- flructed him by what means he might qualify himfelf for future happinefs. But before he replied to the young man's inquiry, our Saviour thought it ne- ceflary to corre£l an impropriety in his falutation. This amiable youth, whofe rank and education had, doubtlefs, in- flruded him to attend to the cuflomary forms of politenefsj and whofe reverence of the character of Chrift made him de- firous of accofting him on the prefent oc- cafion with the utmoft refpedl, had in- troduced himfelf with more than ufual ceremony to this inflruflor, from whom he expeded fo important a favour as that of valuable information on a doubtful point ; and had given him the appellation of Good Mafler. Perhaps Jefus had ob- ferved a rich young Man. 9 ferved among the higher clafTes of the Jews a propenfity to accoft each other with flattering titles, which he thought inconfiftent with fincerity, and chofe in this manner to intimate his diiapproba- tion of fuch practices : or, perhaps, the corredion was not fo much a rebuke of the young man, as a natural expreffion of that modeft and humble temper fo con- fpicuous in our Saviour's character, which would not permit him to receive as a mark of diftindion a title, to which, in the commop acceptation of the term, he had an unqueftionable right. However this was, Jefus, in fadt, declined the ap- pellation good, as in the ilrideft and high- eft fenfe belonging only to that great Be- ing who is the firft fountain of all good' nefs, and the flrft author of all happinefs. " Why calleft thou me good? none is good but one, that is God." A declara- tion in which it may defer ve particular remark, that our Saviour exprefsly dif- ^claims the attribute of underived and im- mutable lo Chriji^s Converfatlon with mutable goodncfs, as inherent in God ^lone, and hereby clearly fhews, that he himfelf had no idea of claiming that equa- lity or unity with God which many of his followers have, contrary to the firfl principle of true religion, afcribed to him. But let us proceed to the principal part of our Saviour's reply to the young in- quirer. His folution of the queftion, " What fhall I do that I may have eter- nal life?" is exprefled in thefe plain and fimple terms, " If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.'* The reply needs no comment. Every one who reads it, with a bare knowledge of the meaning of the words, provided his ideas on this fubjecl have not been confufed by fyftematic fubtleties, will immediately conclude that, in the judgment of our Sa- viour, the only qualification necelTary to entitle a man to eternal life, is obedience to the will of God, or the obfervance of thpfe eternal laws of righteoufnefs which are a rich young Man, m are written upon the heart of man by the hand of his Maker. Bv the lidit of rea- fon all men fee the propriety and neceffity of obferving the rules of fo'briety and pru- dence in the regulation of themfelves, and of jufticeand humanity in their treatment of each other. By the principle of con- fcience every man feels the authority of thefe rules, as immutable laws of his be- ing, eftablifhed by the great author of nature, and is fenfible that in violating this law, he offends his Maker, and ex- pofes himfelf to punifhment. Even they who do not enjoy the benefit of any written law, are by the moral principles of their nature a law to themfelves ; (o that there is no human being, who pof- feffes the common gift of reafon, to whom it may net be truly faid, *' He hath (hew- ed thee, O man, what is good.'* Tliis univerfal law, whether read in the book of nature, in the mofaic inflitutions, or in the precepts of the gofpel, is at all times immutably the fame ; and he who obeys 1 2 Chrift's Converfat'wn with obeys it, keeps the commandments of God. Obedience to this law is our in- difpenlable duty, and the appointed con- dition upon which alone we can obtain the favour of our Maker, and become en- titled to eternal life, becaufe without this obedience, that is, without the pra^lice of virtue, it is in the nature of things im- poffible that we fhould be happy ; and no other condition than this is prefcribed, becaufe the good Father of all will not impofe unneceffary burdens upon his crea- tures. In every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteoufnefs, is ac- cepted of him. What then can be more aflonifhino- than that almoft the whole chriflian world, whilfl they have profeiTed to ac- knowledge no other mafter than Chrift, fhould have prefunied, in defiance of his exprefs and repeated declaration, to pre- fcribe terms of falvation which he never prefcribed, and which can ferve no other purpofe than to divert men's attention frorr^ a rich young Man, 13 from their firft and mofh important duties, and either foothe them with falfe hopes, whilfl they continue in their vices, or alarm them with unneceffary apprehen- fions, whilft they honeftly endeavour to do that which is right and good ? Surely to an inteUigent inquirer, who is inchned to follow the plain didates of unfophif- ticated' reafon and common fenfe, and to underftand the words of Chrifl in their obvious meaning, it muft appear exceed- ingly ftrange to find that, in order to ob- tain eternal life, befides keeping the com- mands of God, it is in one church re- quired that men (hould acknowledge ano- ther infallible head, either in an individual, or a coUedled body, and implicitly believe whatever it teaches, and religioufly prac- tife whatever it enjoins ; and that in others, which have appealed from the au- thority of popes and councils to that of Chrift, the belief of certain creeds, the obfervance of certain rites, a myftical re- liance upon the merits of Chrifl, a pe- culiar 14 Chrijl*s Converfation with culiar kind of fervour or tendcrnefs in de«=* votioii, or an internal experience of fuper- natural impreffions, Hiould be declared qualifications abfolutely neceflary to fal- vation ; nay, that thefe fupernumerarj conditions are confidered as far fuperior, in dignity and value, to the practice of the fimple and humble duties of morality. To thofe who may be inclined to juf- tify any of thefe unwarranted appendages to the terms of falvation, by pleading that they are included in the phrafe, keeping the commands of God, the converfation before us affords a complete reply. As if on purpofe to guard the chriftian world againll: the ingenious fophiftry by which the meaning of the plaineft words has been confounded, our Saviour goes on to inform the young ruler that by keep* ing the commands of God he meant the pradice of the moral duties, of juflice, humanity, gratitude, charity, and the like. The young man, being a Jew, upon hearing the phrafe, the command- ments a rich young Man, 15 ments of God, naturally turned his thoughts to the mofaic codcy and afked which of its numerous precepts it was in- difpenfably necelTary to obferve in order to obtain everlafting life. In reply, Jefus directs the young man's attention wholly tothofe moral laws which, independently of the authority of Mofes, are of immu- table and eternal obligation, " He faith unto him, Which ? Jefus faid. Thou fhalt do no murder, thou fhalt not com- mit adultery, thou (lialt not fteal, thou flialt not bear falfe witnefs, honour thy father and thy mother ; and thou (halt love thy neighbour as thyfelf." This is not, indeed, a complete enumeration of the commands of God, but is a fpecimen fufficiently large and particular, were it duly confidered, to prevent all mifappre- henfion of our Saviour's meaning ; efpe- cially if this pafTage be compared with his account of the different characters upon which the different fentences of approba- tion and of condemnation will be pro- nounced 8 l6 ChrtJTs Convsrfatlon ivith nounced in the day of final judgment* We need not, then, hefitate to admit it as a point clearly decided by the authority of Chrirt: himfelf, that the only neceffary qualification for future happlnefs is a good life. He that doth righteoufnefs, as the apoftle John, who was well ac- quainted with his mafter's dodtrine and fpirit, hath faid, is righteous. It was, doubtlefs, a great fatisfa6liori to the young ruler, as it muft be to every thoughtful and well difpofed mind, to be able, upon comparing the general tenor of his condu6l with the rule given him by our Saviour, to declare, that from his childhood to the prefent hour he had faithfully obeyed the will of God. The young man faith unto him, " All thefe have I kept from my youth up.'* Defir^ ous, however, of going on to perfedion, and, as appears from the fequel, of be- coming the difciple of a mafler who was fo able toinftrudhim in the things which belonged to his eternal peace, he faid to Jefus, a rich young Man, ly Jefus, What lack I yet? Jefus, highly pleafed with the difpofitions and charader of this young man, wifhed to enlift him among his followers ; but, knowing that his wealth would occafion him innumer- able temptations and difficulties in the capacity of a chriftian teacher ; probably, too, defirous of trying the ftrength of his virtue, he called upon him, if he was ambitious to advance beyond the necef- fary foundations of a virtuous chara<5ler to the fummit of perfection, to diftribute his pofleffions among the poor, and be- come one of his followers. *' Jefus faith unto him, if thou wilt be perfect, do this one thing : go thy way, fell what thou hafl-, and give to the poor, and thou flialt have treafure in heaven, and come and follow me." Well difpofed as this young man ap- pears to have been, his zeal and fortitude were not fufficiently flrong to enable him to make a facrifice of his fortune, and to refign every worldly expedation, in or- VoL. III. C der 1 8 ChrijTs Converfatjon with dcr to qualify himfelf to become a teacher of chriftiaiiity. He rcfpedled the cha- racter of Chrift ; he approved of his doc- trine ; upon eafier terms he would gladly have entered himfelf in the train of his followers ; nay, he exceedingly regretted that it was not poffible, in the prefent ftate of things, to become a preacher of the ^ofpel, and at the fame time retain his wealth : bnt, after all, he could not per- fuade himfelf to comply with the injunc- tion. " When the young man heard that faying, he went away forrowful, for he had great poffeffions." There is no reafon to apprehend, as many writers have done, that this ruler, though poffefled of fome pleafing quali- ties, was not a good man ; or to lament over him, as a hopeful youth falling (hort of heaven. He himfelf affures our Savi- our, not with the arrogant air of oftenta- tion, but with the modeft confidence of confcious innocence, that he had complied with the condition af eternal life which Chrift a rich young Man» 19 Chrift had laid down. " All thefe have I kept from my youth up.'* Jefus was fo far from calHng in queftion the truth of the account he had given of himfelf, that he was highly pleafed with the proofs which his whole behaviour, on this occa- lion, afforded, of an ingenuous temper and a good heart. Jefus beholding him, lov- ed him, which he furely would not have done had he not been a good man. When he calls upon the youth to part with his pofTeffions, he does not fay, If thou wilt enter into life, but if thou wilt hQ perfcSi, fell that thou haft, and thou fhalt be repaid in heaven. And after- wards, when he warns his difciples from this incident, of the enfnaring nature of wealth, he fpeaks of it as an obftacle in the way of men's becoming his difciples, which is, in the language of the New Teftament, entering into the kingdom of heaven, or being faved. But, though this young man may rea- fonably, as well as charitably, be ranked C 2 amons: 20 Chrifi'^s Converjatlon with among thofe good men, whether chrlf- tians, Jews, or heathens, who, having kept the commandments of God, are en- titled, through the favour of God, to the hope of eternal life :— it is to be regretted that his virtue was ftill defe6live ; that the love of riches had ftill fuch a hold upon his mind, as to prevent him from taking his ftation among thofe worthies who forfook all and followed Chrift, and hereby attaining the ftature of a perfe^b man in Chrift Jefus. The refleclion which our Saviour makes upon this inci- dent, *' How hardly fhall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God? It is eafier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God," though it primarily refers to the peculiar difficul- ties attending the profeffion of chrill:ianity at its firft eftablifhment, merits the feri- ous attention of the rich in all ages, and ill every flate of the chriftian church. At the Hrfl: eftablifliment of chriftia- nity. a rich young Man. 21 nity, indeed, when it was to be propagat- ed through diftant countries, with the cer- tain proipe6l of violent oppofition, and fevere perfecutions, the rich would have peculiar facrifices to make, and be expof- ed to peculiar hardfhips, in beconaing fol- lowers of Chrifl ; fo that fcarcely any thing could be imagined more difficult, or more to require the immediate aflift- aace and fupport of that Divine Power, to which all things are pofiible, than for a rich man to relinquifh all his worldly interefts and profpefts, in order to under- take the profefHon and propagation of the chriftian faith. But there is no fituatioii in which the love of riches is not a dan- gerous fnare. In how many inftances is it daily i^Qv^^ that the defireof wealth en- tices men into ads of fraud, extortion, and inhumanity, wholly inconfiftent with a virtuous charader; and that the poiTef- iion of it feduces them into criminal in^ dulgencies, deftrudive of their own hap-.- pinefs and that of others ? And wher^ C J richer 22 ChriJTs Converfation with riches do not lead men into fuch viola- tions of the commands of God, .as to de- prive them of all reafonable hope of ever- lafting life, how frequently are they the means of diverting their attention from the higher purfuits of a rational and im- mortal being ; of alienating their hearts from thofe objects which are entitled to their befl affections ; and of retarding their progrefs towards chriftian perfec- tion. Inftead of excelling, as they whom Providence hath blefled with abundance ought unqueftionably to do, in pious gra- titude towards the giver of all good, and in adlive beneficence towards their fel- low-creatures ; how often do men, as they increafe in riches, become more un^- mindful of their almighty benefador, more confined and felfifh in their difpo- {itions, and more difinclined to make any exertions, or run any hazards, for the be- nefit of the public, or in fupport of the caufe of virtue and religion ? From thele fads, it is but too evident, that there is in a rich young Man, 23 in riches a fafcinating power, againfl which every one, who is expofed to its influence, ought to be upon his guard ; and that it at all times much concerns thofe who are bleft with wealth, to take heed leil: they forget the Lord, and to bear in mind the apoftolic wariiing. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be' not high minded, nor truft in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to diftribute, willing to communicate ; laying up in ftore for themfelves a good foundation againft the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. C4 The ( H ) The poor Widow's Mite. Mark xii. 43, 44. Verily I fay unto you^ that this poor wi^ dow hath caji more in than all they which have cafl into the treafury: for all they did caJi in of their abundance^ but Jhe of her want did cqft in all that Jhe had, even all her living. The firft end of public in(lru6lion, doubtlefs, is, to recommend and enforce the pradice of virtue. If it be one branch of a preacher's office to eftablifh the truth, and to explain the theory of religion, it is becaufe juft conceptions and foHd princples are the beft founda- tion ^he poor Widow's Mite. 25 tioii of right condu6l. If it be neceflary that he fometimes flep afide into the thorny paths of controverfy, in order to overturn ancient prejudices, or to refute lUw errors, it is only becaufe error and prejudice, at the fame time that they blind the underftanding, tend to corrupt the heart, and to miflead men in the con- du6l of life. Whatever occafional ex- curfions he may find it expedient to make into the regions of fpeculation, the preacher who, in the true fpirit of chrif- tian charit}^, " feeks the profit of many that may be faved,'* will dwell in the fruitful field of pradical religion and morality as his proper home, and will " affirm conftantly, that they who have believed in God ought to maintain good works." In this particular, as in all others, the chriftian preacher finds his beft model in that great teacher of righteoufnefs, his mafter Jefus Chrifl:. No one who is eonverfant with the New Teflament can doubt, 26 ^ he poor Widow' i Mite* doubt, that the general ftralii of his dif- courfes, parables, and converfations, is moral and pradical, and that the lead- ing defign of his miniftry was, " to blefs mankind by turning them from their iniquities.'* His meat was to do the will of him that fent him, and to finifh his work, by warning his difciples, and the multitude, againft the prevalent vices of the age ; and by inculcating the fmcere and fteady pradice of every virtue. And whenever the ignorance and mifappre- henlion of his followers, or the artifice and malice of his enemies, obliged him to interrupt, for a while, the great bufi- iiefs of his miniftry, in order to correal pernicious miftakes, or refute injurious cavils, he ftill kept his main obje£l in full view, and, as foon as the irkfome talk of difputation was over, feized the firft oc- cafion of returning to his delightful em- ployment of moral inftru6tion. When, in the midft of the ufeful dif- courfes which Jefus, during his laft refi- dence ne poor Widow's Mite. 27 dence in Jerufalem, was delivering to the multitude in the temple, he was accoft- ed by a body of Pharifees and Sadducees, who came thither, probably under the (anflion of the national council, by aitful queftions to draw from him, if poffible, fome ground of accufation, it became neceflary, for his own fecurity, and for the credit of his caufe, that his ordinary labours fhould fufFer a fhort interruption. But having, in his replies to thefe cavil- lers, given fuch proofs of fuperior wif- dom as aftoniflied and filenced them, he immediately refumed his addrefs to the people, and repeated his earneft exhorta- tions to them, to refrain from the vices of thofe who profefled to be their guides in religion. " All therefore, whatfoever they bid you obferve, that obferve and do ; but do not ye after their works, for they fay and do not." After this monitory difcourfe was finilhed, as Jefus, upon leaving the tem- ple, was fitting in the outer court, op- 7 pofite 28 Hhe poor Widow's Mite, pofite to that part of the building which was called the treafury, where ftood the cheft, into which the voluntary contri- butions of the people, for pious and cha- ritable ufes, were put, he obferved the people cafting in their gifts, and remark- ed that feveral rich perfons made large offerings. Among the reft he faw a poor widow cafting into the cheft two pieces of money of the fmalleft value. This incident Jefus, who was always watch- ful for every occafion of teaching his dif- ciples a leflbn of morality, immediately perceived to be too inftruclive to be pafTed by: he therefore called upon fuch of them as ftood near, to attend to the fin- gular merit of this poor woman ; and ob- ferved to them, that {he had done a greater a6t of piety and charity than any of thofe rich men who had made much larger of- ferings ; for, while they had given only a fmall portion of their wealth, (he, in the midft of her poverty, had made an offering of the whole of that little flock which ne poor Widow's Mite, 29 which (lie had provided for her fubfift- ence. *' And Jefus fat down over againft the treafury, and beheld how the people caft money into the treafury, and many rich perfons caft in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and flie threw in two mites, which make a far- thing ; and he called his difciples to him, and faid, In truth I fay to you, that this poor widow has caft in more than all they who have thrown into the treafury; for all thefe did caft in of their abund- ance, but (he, of her penury, did caft in all that fhe had, even all her fubfift- ence.** The example of our Saviour, in pay- ing fo much attention to the merit of a poor widow, and beftowing upon her fo large a portion of deferved praife, ftiould teach us not to overlook real worth even in the loweft condition. Amidft the crowd of candidates for ap- plaufe, who, probably with that oftenta- tious difplay of piety and charity which was ^O The poor iVidow' s Mitt, was at this time fo common among the Jews, were publicly prefenting their gifts after the daily fervice of the temple was ended, there was one poor woman, who made an offering, in itfelf fcarcely wor- thy of acceptance, or even of notice : (he threw in two mites, which make a far- thing. She had not the vanity to think that fo mean a gift, from fo obfcure a hand, would attract any degree of atten- tion: but generofity, and a fenfe of duty, prompted her to prefent her Httle mite to Heaven ; fmall as it was, (he trufted that as it was all (he had, it would not be rejeded j and if Heaven accepted the tribute, though overlooked, or only be- held with proud difdain by thofe who were cafling their gold and filver into the treafury, fhe was contented and thankful. It was impoffible that fuch unoflentatious goodnefs, and humble pietj^, (hould pafs unnoticed by that benevolent Saviour who was, on all occafions, the patron of modeft virtue, and the friend of the poor. Jefus The poor Widow's Mite. ^ I Jefus beheld this poor widow with com- placency; and in holding up her merit as an example to his difciples, laid the foun- dation of a monument to her memory, more honourable and durable than was ever ere6led in brafs or marble, to perpetuate the names of faints or heroes. Let this inftance of condefcenfion put to ihame that pride of wealth which fo of- ten inclines men who have, alas ! few perfonal pretenfions to fuperiority, to turn away with fupercilious negletl — perhaps to trample under foot, with in- folent difdain, that unafpiring merit which bloflbms and dies in the vale of obfcurity. It is to be lamented, as one among the many evils arifing from the unlimited value which is put upon wealth, that, whilft homage, almoft idolatrous, is paid to the merit, real or imaginary, of the rich and great, the poor man's wifdom, and even his virtues, are de- fpifed. The difcouragement of virtuous exertions among the inferior clafles of mankind. ^t Tihe poor Widonsfs Mite, mankind, which arifes from this kind: of partiality, is much greater than is conn- monly imagined ; for it is only a few fu- perior minds, who are capable of con- temning *' the proud man's contumely,*' and purfuing a fteady courfe of unobferv- cd or defpifed virtue, with no other con- folation than the confcioufnefs of good defert, and the aflurance that, though forgotten or flighted by men, his witnefs is in heaven, and his reward with that gracious Being, who " regardeth not the rich more than the poor." But the principal leiTon of inftrudion which the incident before us fuggefts is, that the merit of a benefaction is not to be determined merely by its value, but by the condition, and the intention of the donor. This poor widow, thougli the fum (lie caft into the receptacle of public charity was only two mites, made a more meritorious offering than any of thofe rich men who had prefent- cd the largeft contributions. Not that we ^ he poor Wido^vs Mite, 33 we are to fuppofe all the opulent contri- butors influenced merely by motives of oftentation, the greater part of them we conceive, (as perhaps commonly happens in thefe cafes j to have been governed, in different degrees, both by the felfilh principle of vanity, and by the more dif- interefted and exalted principles of hu- manity and piety. But the probability of being prompted to this offering by a pure {q\\{q of duty was, perhaps, in favour of this obfcure widow, who could not hope, in the midfl: of {o many rich of- ferings from people in higher ftations, to attra(£l: notice by her humble gift; and who can fcarcely be imagined to have found fufficient inducement to make an offering of all her prefent fubfiftence, ex- cept in the pleafure of gratifying her be- nevolent and pious feelings, and in the hope that her offering Vv^ould be accept- able to God. At leaft, it may be clearly inferred from the circumftances of the ftory, that this widow, whofe donation Vol. III. D fo 34 ^^^ poor Widow's Mite, fo far exceeded, in comparative value, the fplendid gifts of her richer neigh- bours, was inferior to none of them in charity and piety. The liberality of thofe who gave only an inconfiderable portion of a large ftore, from which they might fpare much without fuffering ma- terial inconvenience, was not to be brought into competition with that of the poor woman who parted with all her little flock of money, and trufted to the good providence of God, and her own induHry, to fupply the wants of the mor- row. This excellent woman, though in condition a poor widow, was pofTeffed of the ineftimable treafure of a generous mind, and was, at leaft, equally with the wealthieft of her countrymen, '' rich in good works." How delightful the encouragement which this incident affords to thofe whofe rank and fituation in life may feem leaf): favourable to ads of charity, to be liberal according to their ability. Ex- 4 cepting The poor Widow's Mite. '^o^ ceptlng thofe whom {icknefs, the infiriiii- ties of age, or the unavoidable want of employment, has placed in a ftate of tem- porary or permanent dependence upon private or pubUc charity, it'N perfons are in fuch a flate of abfolute penury as not to be able fometimes to fpare a fmall mite from the produce of their induftry for thepurpofes of charity. Where this is not done, even by thofe who occupy the inferior ranks of life, it is commonly more owing to a want of inclination than ability. Even thefe ranks are not with- out their fuperfluities and luxuries, which, without any diminution of real happinefs, might be occafionally abridged for the fake of furnifhing the means of doing good* I muft add, too, that the lower, as well as the higher orders of fociety, have their expenjive vices, for which the bed atonement they can pofTibly make is to facrifice them upon the altar of hu- manity. It may feem unreafonable to expcifl that thofe who depend upon their D 2 daily ^6 The poor JViJow^s Mite* ' daily induftry for their fubfiflence, {hould labour beyond what is abfolutely necef- fary for their own fupport, in order to enable themfelves to afford occafional re- lief to others. And yet I cannot doubt that thofe who poflefs any portion of the generous fpirit of the />oc»r widow, would find tbemfelves an:iply repaid for any ex- traordinary fatigue they might undergo^ in providing a fmall fund, from which they might occalionally aflifl a relation in trouble, a neighbour or friend in afflic- tion, or a fellow-creature in want. Such laudable exertions, for the benefit of others^ even among thofe who are not blefTed with affluence, are beyond all queftion required by that law of love which teaches us to be ready to every good woi*k. It was the advice of St.. Paul to his brethren at Corinth, to pre- pare themfelves for the charitable con- tributions which were to be raifed among them, by making it a pra£lice, on the firil day of the week, to lay by in ftore 7 ^^ The povr Widow's Mite, 37 as God has profpered him : an excellent rule, which refolutely followed by thofe whofe chief dependence is upon their la* hour, would be attended with innumer- able advantages ; among which, it would not be one of the lead: conliderable, that it would enable them to enjoy the divine pleafure of beneficence. It is in the true fpirit of chriflianity that the fame apoflle recommends induftry to his Ephefian brethren, as the means of in- creafing their ability of doing good. He exhorts them to labour, working with their hands the thing which is good, that they may have to give to him that needeth. Thofe whofe fphere of ufefulnefs, through the narrownefs of their circum- ftances, is very fmall, are fometimes apt to complain that their condition in life deprives them of many gratifications which are enjoyed by the rich, and par- ticularly that they are denied the divine luxury of doing good. And it muft be D 3 owned 38 ^ he poor IVidow's Mite, o^vned to be one of the principal advan- tages attending wealth, that it furnifhes a benevolent man with many opportu- nities of ferving mankind which none but the affluent can enjoy. But it ought to filence every murmur arifing from this inequality in the condition of men, that whatever other enviable diftindions the lich poflefs, they do not enjoy the ex-^ clufive privilege of doing good. The poor man enjoys as much fatisfadion in contributing his mite towards the relief of mifery, and has as good reafon to af- fure himfelf that it is acceptable to God, as he whofe wealth enables him to offer a talent. He has many ways of render^ Ins: kindnefs and fervice to thofe about him belides affording them pecuniary af-r fiftance; and in thefe refpeds his low flation, and his habits of labour, may often give him an advantage over the rich. In fuch cafes he may fay, " Silver and gold have I none, but fuch as I have give 1 unto thee:" and of whatever kind be The poor Widovj's Mite, 39 be the ofFering that is prefented from a good heart, we are alTured by our bleff- cd Saviour that it will not be rejeded. *' Whofoever (hall give to drink unto one of thefe little ones a cup of cold wa- ter only in the name of a difciple, verily I fay unto you he (hall in no wife lofe his reward." Nayi even in thofe cafes in which po- verty wholly excludes a capacity of adual fervice ; in which, for want of the in- ilruments of beneficence, the benevolent heart is compelled to content itfelf with beftowing upon the objects of its fympa- thy the barren tribute of kind wifhes alone, there is a fecret fatisfadtion at- tending the confcioufnefs of generous and compadionate feelings,^ which abundantly compenfates the pain which they occa- iion. And it cannot be doubted, that the great Father of mercies, to whom the inmoft recedes of the heart are open, obferves with approbation every fecret emotion of pity, though never expreiTed D 4 in 40 ' 7'/^^ poor Widow* s Mite, in adions, or even in words. The tear of compafilon is a precious offering, which from the man who has nothing elfe to give, will not be rejeded. Where no kind offices can be performed, even *' the defire of a man, in the judgment both of God and all good men, is his kindnefs*." " Where there is a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not." Whilfl the incident before us affords encouragement to the poor to be charita- ble and kind according to their ability, it warns the rich that they do not too haflily prefume that, with refpedt to a(5ts of charity, they difcharge their whole duty. It is probable that the rich men, who caft much into the treafury, were very well fatisfied with what they had done, and would have difdained the thought of having their valuable offerings * Prov. xix. 2% of ne poor Widow's Mite, 4 1 of gold and filver brought into compari- fon with the poor widow's two mites. Yet it was the opinion of a judge, the wi-fdom and equity of whofe decifions cannot be queftioned, that '^ this poor widow caft more in than all they who had caft into the treafury." With refped to the intrinfic value of the i)fterings, or their utility for the purpofes of the pub- lic treafury, they would bear no com- parifon ; but with refpedt to the moral merit of the offerers, the balance turned on that fide which probably the parties themfelves, either through pride on the one fide, or humility on the other, little expe6led. As far as the public is inte- refted in charitable contributions, they are doubtlefs to be eftimated by the ef- fect which they will produce ; that is, by the ordinary meafure of pecuniary va- lue. But if they are to be confidered in a moral light, as affeding the charaders of the perfons by whom they are be- iflowed, they muft be meafured by a very different 42 ne poor Widow's Mite, different ftaiidard. He who is defirous of determining fairly what degree of moral worth his charitable adlions poffefs, muft firft inquire diligently into the motives and principles from which they are per- formed. Before he pronounces himfelf in a moral fenfe a charitable man, and affures himfelf that his offerings are of that kind with which God will be well pleafed, he muft be fully fatisfied that he gives alms, not folely or principally to obtain admiration and applaufe among men, but from a fincere defire to alleviate the miferies, and promote the happinefs, of his brethren, and from a pious regard to the authority of God. His next in- quiry muft be, whether his liberality is, all circumftances coniidered, as extenftve as can reafonably be expelled. It cannot be the duty of the rich to give all that they have to the poor, for this would be overturnino; and invertino; the order of hu- man affairs, without any imaginable ad- vantage. It appears to be abfolutely necef- fary. l!'he poor Widow* s Mite. 43 fary, in order to produce the greateft fum of focial happinefs, that there ihould be different ranks in fociety. Every man, in the flation which he occupies, has certain claims for himfelf, and certain debts of juftice and propriety to the com- munity to which he belongs, which, in ordinary cafes, precede the demands of charity. But in attending to the former a good man will not overlook the latter. When every reafonable provifion is made for perfonal enjoyment, domeftic com- fort, and public appearance, a fyrplus will remain which ought to beconfecrat- ed to piety and humanity. The parti- cular extent of this fund muft, of necef- iity, be fixed by every individual for him- felf. But let no one, who is pofTefTed of property, and is in a lituation which en- ables him to enjoy the conveniences and luxuries of life, think himfelf, on the plea of the uncertainty of trade, an increafing family, or the like, at liberty to decline, or poflpone, the defign of fetting apart fome 44 ^'Z'^ poor Widow's Mite. fome fixed portion of his annual income for charitable ufes. If the pooreft man, not dependent upon charity, is bound to make occafional offerings to humanity, it may furely be conhdered as an indifpenfable duty of perfons in every rank of life fu- perior to that which depends for fubfifl- ence upon manual labour, to make fome regular provifion for the exercife of libe- rality. No reafonable objedion again ft fuch a meafure can arife from the national eftablifhment for the fupport of the poor ; for the fums which are raifed by means of poor laws ought to be confidered in no other light than as a debt paid by the higher ranks of fociety to the loweft, in compenfation for the unequal (hare which the former poiTefs of the common gifts of nature. Every individual who has not, by mifcondud, forfeited his life or liberty to public juftice, has a natural right to fubfiftence, and I will add, com- fort able fubfifience, of which no civil in- ftitutions can deprive him. Leaving all le2;al The poor Widow's Mttc. 45 legal payments for the maintenance of the poor out of the prefent queftion, as belonging rather to the head of public juftice than perfonal charity, let thofe who are in any degree bleffed with afflu- ence, confider themfelves as bound by the laws of benevolence and piety to make a religious appropriation of fome ftated portion of their wealth to the god- like defign of doing good. And in mak- ing this important appointment, let them be careful to pay, at leail:, an equal re- gard to the warm fuggeftions of gene- rofity, as to the cool dictates of pru- dence. In proportion as they are raifed by divine Providence above their bre- thren let them enlarge their conceptions, and expand their benevolence, that their hearts may be open to every call of hu- manity and utility, and that they may, on all occafions, be ready to diftribute, willing to communicate, never forgetting that from him to whom much is given much will be required; and that a talent from 46 T'he poor Widozv's Mite. ' from a rich man was a lefs offering thafi two mites from a poor widow. To conclude, if thou haft abundance, give alms accordingly; and if thou haft but a little, be not afraid to give accord- ing to that little ; for alms is a good gift unto all that give it, in the fight of the Moft High. Bountifulnefs is a moft fruitful garden, and mercifulnefs endureth for ever. The ( 47 ) The Folly of rafli Confidence. Matthew xiv, 28. Peter anfwered htm^ and fatdy Lord, if it be thou, bid me come to thee on the wa* ter. The real caft of a man's temper Is, perhaps, befl: difcovered by cafual and un- expected occurrences. For the ordinary courfe of incidents which, without any uncommon (hare of fagacity, may be forefeen, men are ufually careful to pre- pare themfelves; putting a ftudied re- flraint upon their feelings, and cautioufly regulating their behaviour, wherever they apprehend themfelves in danger of making any difcovery to their difadvan- 48 ne Foliy ofrajh Confidence* tage. But in the unguarded moment of furprife, when their prudence, or their virtue, is aflaulted in the moft vuhierable part, the vices or infirmities of their na- ture appear without difguife. A more perfea infight into a charader may be obtained from a fingle adion, or word, thus prompted by the immediate occa- fion, without art or concealment, than from a longcourfe of life which has been induftrioufly accommodated to pre-efta- bliihed rules. The apoftle Peter, in the incident re- ferred to in the text, made a fudden and undefigned difcovery of his natural pro- penfity to rafh confidence in himfelf, and herein furnifhed an example of human infirmity, which it may be inftruaive and ufeful to contemplate, in connexion with the extraordinary event which occa- fioned it. We are informed in St. John's gofpel, that the miracle of feeding five thoufand perfons from five loaves and two fifhes had ne Folly of rajh Confidence, 49 had convinced the multitude that Jefus was indeed the Meffiah, and that, in con- fequence of the idea at that time enter- tained concerning the nature of his king- dom, they began to enter into meafures for proclaiming his title to the kingdom of Ifrael, and fixing him on the throne of David his father. Nothino; could be more foreign to the real nature of our Saviour's office, or more contrary to his incHnations, than fuch a defign. His kingdom was not of this world, and he was too intent upon executing his fpi- ritual commiffion, to be capable of hften- ing to any propofal for eftablirtiing him- felf as an earthly prince. " When Je- fus therefore perceived that the people were ready to come and feize him by force, to make him king," he determin- ed immediately to withdraw from them. Accordingly, having conftrained his apof- tles and other difciples, who were pro- bably rather difpofed to favour the defign of the populace, to go back in the (hip Vol, III. E which 5© 'the Folly of rajh Confidence. which had brought them over the lake, to the coafl: which lay oppoftte to Beth- faida*, and having difmiffed the multi- tude, he retired for the purpofe of devo- tion into a folitary place among the hills, which lay not far from the fhore. *' When he had fent them away, he went up into a mountain privately to pray." It happened during the paflage that the veffel was driven by contrary winds out of the intended diredlion, fo that when they had rowed for feveral hours, they were only about five and twenty, or thirty furlongs, from the (hore, on which Jefus ftill remained. Jefus, obferving their fituation, by the aid of that divine power which accompanied him, in the fourth watch of the night (or about three in the morning) came towards the veffel, walking on the fea, and feemed as if he would have paffed by them. * Markvi. 45 and 53. Among ^he Folly ofrajh Confidence. 5 1 Among the Egyptians, who were accuf- tonaed to exprefs their conceptions by- hieroglyphics, or fymbollcal reprefenta- tions, the idea of mpoffibiHty was exprefl- ed by feet walking upon water. An ac- tion of this kind, which any one would immediately pronounce impracticable to a human being* would doubtlefs greatly furprifethe already terrified and diftreffed paflengers. Their fears, ftrengthened by fuperftition, immediately fuggefted to them the idea, that the appearance was a ghoft or phantom. " When the difr- ples faw him walking on the fea, they were troubled, faying. It is a fpirit, and they cried out for fear." Immedi- ately, however, Jefus relieved their ter- ror, by fpeaking to them, and faying, *' Take courage; it is I; be not afraid.'* It was at this inflant that Peter exhibit- ed a flriking example of prefumption. Whilft the reft of the difciples were full of filent joy and wonder, at the unexpect- ed appearance, and aftonilLing fituation, E 2 of 52 The "Folly ofraflj Confidence, of their mafter, this forward apoftle cried out, " Mafter, if it be indeed thou, bid me come unto thee on the water." Je- fus, in order to afford himbn opportunity of exercifing his faith, and at the fame time to convince him of his rafhnefs, faid to him. Come. Upon this, '' Peter de- fcended from the (hip, and walked on the water towards Jefus :" but when he per- ceived the wind boifierous, he was ter- rified ; his faith and courage failed him, and beginning to fink, he cried out, '* Mafi:er, fave me." Immediately Je- fus put forth his hand, and caught him, and faid to him, " O thou of little faith, wherefore didft thou doubt ?" Then they went together into the vefifel, where they were received with great joy. Upon this the ftorm ceafed, and the vefllel was without delay conveyed to the coaft of Gennefaret, near Capernaum, where Je- fus continued his benevolent miracles. Whilfl: we admire the majefty and the condefcenfion which our Saviour difplayed The Folly of rajh Confidence, ^7^ dlfplayed through this whole tranfadion, we cannot but obferve, in the conduft of Peter, a ftriking proof of the folly of cafting ourfelves in the way of unnecef- fary dangers, through a daring confidence in our own flrength. We are taught by this incident, that to feek for hazardous' enterprizes, without juft occafion, is not faith, but prefumption, and more difco- vers an impetuous temper, than a pru- dent and fteady refolution. They who are content to confine themfelves within the limits which Providence has aflWned o them, will be in a condition of much greater comfort and hfety than they who venture unnecelTarily into fcenes of trial and difficulty. In the tempeftuous fea of human life we may find Sufficient ex- ercife for our conftancy without courting danger; and if we fteadily^ perfevere in the talk of duty, we may aflure our- felves that we fhall enjoy the prote6lion of the great Lord of nature during our E 3 P^flTage, 54 ^^^ Folly of rajh Confidence, pafTage, and that we (hail at length arrive at the haven of everlafting reft. Examples of prefumptuous confidence fimilar to that of Peter in the text, in the prefent ftate of the world, can feldom occur. To attempt to walk upon the fea, or to throw one's felf from a preci- pice, without making ufe of fome natu-=- ral means of prefervation, would now be univerfally deemed rather a proof, of in-^ fanity than of courage. The regular modes both of public and perfonal defence which are at prefent eftabliflied, leave few opportunities for thofe adventures in which valour is difplay&d by the vo- luntary defiance of danger. But the fame temper which led Peter to requeft his mafter's permifTion to come to him upon the water, flill appears in various forms of rafhnefs and prefumption, and flill continues to produce mortification and difgrace. We have fometimes feen men, through a pre- I'he Folly of rajh Confidence. SS a prefumptuous confidence in their own abilities, engaging in employments, or affuming offices, to which they are wholly unequal. The unavoidable con- fequence has been, that, after Ibme un- fuccefsful efforts, they have been oblig- ed to abandon an undertaking from which they had promifed themfelves credit and advantage, and have purchafed a fmall portion of felf-knowledge at the price of much difappointment and vexation. Such foolifli and fruitlefs attempts as thefe can only proceed from ignorance and vanity. They may, therefore, ealily be prevented by diligent and impartial felf- examina- tion, and by an attentive obfervation of the caufes of failure, or of fuccefs, in fimilar fituations. It is chiefly with refpedt to moral con- duct that men are in danger of fufferins; by rafh confidence and prefumption. In the unfufpicious period of youth, before men are taught circumfpedion by expe- rience, nothing is more common than to E 4 pre fume 56 ne Folly of rajh Confidence, prefume upon the ftrength of their refo- lution, and to expofe their innocence to the fevereft trials, without any apprehen- fion of danger. The good principles which have been from infancy impreffed upon their minds by precept and exam- ple, and the habits of regularity and fo-? briety which many years of fteady difci- pline have confirmed, they regard as ar- . mour of defence, fufficient to repel the moft powerful aflaults of temptation. Hence they venture, without apprehen- fion, into fcenes the mod hazardous to their virtue, and form connexions with perfons of licentious principles, and pro- fligate chara<3:ers, in full confidence of enjoying the pleafure or benefit of their fociety, without fuffering the fmalleft injury from the infedion of their exam- ple. As well might they expe(5t to vifit with fecurity the abodes of peftilential difeafe, or to take fire into their bofom and remain unhurt. If, indeed, the truth and importance of religious ^he Folly of rajh Confidence, 57 religious principles were, in all fituations, equally prefent to the naind ; if there were no danger, in any circumftances, of forgetting that we are under the autho- rity, and adually in the prefence, of that Great Being who will not fufFer the wicked to go unpunifhed, or lofing fight of the folemn account which every maa mufl hereafter render of himfelf unto God ; It naight then be of little confe- quence what fcenes we frequent, or what examples are exhibited before us, for we fhould be able, without helitation, to re- ject every inticement to criminal indulg- ence, by faying, " How can I do this great wickednefs, and fin againft God?" But the more perfe6lly we are acquainted with ourfelves, and the longer we con- verfe with the world, the more fhali we be convinced that man is a weak, varia- ble, and paflive being, perpetually under the controul of external circumftances, and liable to be driven about by every {wreath of temptation. Thofe truths which, in 58 The Folly ofrajh Confidence. ill the moments of retirement and ferious recolle£lion, appear imqueftionably cer- tain, and infinitely important, amidft the tumult of paflion are overlooked, or, for a feafon,* vanifli before the fafcinatiilg charm of profane ridicule. That chara^^- ter which our deliberate judgment pro- nounces moft refpedable and meritorious, held np before the imagination by the artful hand of ridicule, in a point of view in which its features are diftorted, no longer attracts our admiration, and per- haps excites a momentary feeling of con- tempt. Thofe a£lions which the wifdom of our preceptors and friends hath always taught us to regard with averfion and abhorrence, in the hour of diffipation and folly affume a lefs formidable, perhaps a pleafmg afped ; we fee them committed by others without difgufl: — we begin to apprehend that the feverity of wifdom has exaggerated the deformity of vice— we fuffer ourfelves to be impofed upon by her deceitful blandifhments, and at laft ne Folly of rajh Confdence, 59 laft fall into the fnare which (he has laid for our dcllrudion. It may, perhaps, ferve to put thofe upon their guard who are mofl in danger of led action, the young and unexpe- rienced, if we enumerate diftindly the principal circumftances which render it hazardous to place ourfelves in the way of temptation. Thefe are the ftrength of natural appetites and paffions ; the pow- erful influence of example; and the fear of iiu'iularity. In reprefenting to you the hazards to which your virtue is expofed from the natural appetites and paffions, I would by no means be underftood to inculcate thofe rigid ieffons of abftinence which would render, human life a ftate of perpetual hoftility againft nature. Every fenfe with which our wife and benevolent Creator hath endued us, was doubtlefs intended by him as a fource of enjoy- rnent. But lince univerfal experience has provedj that infelicities of various kinds necefTarily 6o The Folly ofrajh Confidence, neceflarily arife from irregularity, and that Pleafure then only deferves the name when fhe fubmits to be dire£led by Rea- fon, fnice examples are continually oc- curring of the deftruclive efFeds of intem- perance and licentioufnefs, with refped to health, fortune, reputation, and peace of mind ; it muft be acknowledged to be of infinite importance to be fecured againfl the influence of irregular paffions, and un- lawful defires. And how fhall this fecu- rity be obtained but by cautioufly avoid- ing every inticement to criminal indulg- ence ? Whilft the mind poffeffes the full command of itfelf, in the tranquil region of wifdom, it is eafy to refift the firft af- faults of temptation, becaufe it is eafy to call in the aid of religious principle, and virtuous refolution : but when the ftorm is once raifed, it becomes exceedingly difficult to receive the pure rays of truth through the increafing mift of paffion, Amidft the turbulence of appetite, it is, fcarcely to be expeded that the " flill fmall ^he Folly of rajh Confidence. 6i fmall voice" of reafoii will be heard. The only certain way, then, to preferve your innocence, is to be continually upon your guard againfl the firft approach of temptation. Another circumftance which ought to prevent your expoling your innocence to unneceflary hazards, is the influence of example. So natural, fo powerful, is the principle of imitation in the human mind, that it requires great circumfpec- tion, as well as refolution, not to *' fol- low a multitude to do evil." Whatever may be your determination before you mix with bad company, whatever degree of confidence you may have in your felf- command, if you once fuffer yourfelf to become an aflbciate with men of corrupt principles, and licentious manners, I fhall tremble for the confequence ; for it would be giving too much credit to your own report concerning yourfelf to believe that you are able to attach yourfelf to the perfons of bad men, without becoming a partaker 6l The Folly ofrajh Confidence, partaker of their fins. When you hav^ incorporated yourfelf into their fociety, vice will afTume a new forn:i, and will call in to her aid new auxiliaries, of which you are now little aware. Not merely inclination and appetite, but friendfliip, cheerful good-humour, generofity, and honoitr, will each provide a fnare for your ruin. Finding the vices of your compa- nions blended with many amiable accom- plifhments, you will be in great danger of fufferins: an afFe£lion for the former to fleal into your hearts^ under the difguife of refpe6l for the latter. You will not eafily perfuade yourfelf that there can be any thing greatly criminal in fo amiable a character, and you will foon be willing to hazard the credit, or inconvenience, which may attend a participation of his follies, for the fake of (haring his merits, and enjoying his friendfhip. With fuch companions mirth and gaiety will almoft inevitably be the prelude to guilt. Inno- cence is never in greater danger thah when ^he "Polly of rajh Confidence, 6 j when it affociates itfelf with libertinifm at the board of feftivity. *' The boiui* daries between harmlefs gaiety and cri- minal excefs are fo faintly marked, that it will be no wonder if, at a feafon when you are more agreeably employed than in taking heed to your ways, you fhould pafs over from the one to the other be- fore you are aware.'* In fuch connexions you will be in danger of being feduced into vicious praand, and come again to him. H 4 The I04 Chriffs Converfat'wn with The woman faid, *' Sir, I have no huf- band." Jefus anfwered, " In faying you have no hufband you have fpoken true, for you have had five hufbands: but be with whom you now Uve is not your hufband." The woman, aftoniOicd at thus being circumftantially informed of what con- cerned herfelf by a Jew and a ftranger, was immediately convinced that he muft be endued with extraordinary powers from heaven, and faid, " Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet." And, whether it was that (he was defirous of evading any farther difcourfe on a topic which touched her confcience, or that (he was fincerely defirous of information upon the great queftion in difpute between the Samaritans and the Jews, llie intimated a wi(h that he would teach her the truth concerning the place in which the pub- lic facrifices and national worfliip ought to be performed. ''Our fathers worfliip on tbi3 mountain, and ye fay that in Je- rufaleni I the Woman of Samaria. 105 rufalem is the place where men ought to worfliip." The occafion of the building of the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim has been already explained. This temple had, before the time of this converfation, been deftroyed by the Romans, but the Samaritans had doubtlefs rebuilt it, as - they ftill continued to perform their pub- lic offices of religion there. The Sama- ritans, who received only the five books of Mofes, deduced their authority for fix- ing the national temple upon this moun- tain from the example of the patriarchs Abraham and Jacob, who had ereded al- tars upon it. The Jews, relying upon the authority of the later hiftory of their nation, had maintained that Jerufalem was the proper feat of the public na- tional worfhip. Our blefled Saviour brought this dif- pute to a brief and decifive iflue by de- claring, in the name and under the au- thority of God, that ail diftinclions re- fpedling io6 Chnji's Converfation zvith fpe6liiig the place and other incidental circumftances of public worfhip, were now to be abolifhed, and that the time was come in which men were to learn that fincerity is the only thing necelTary to render religious worfhip acceptable to God. " Jelus faith unto her. Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye fhall neither on this mountain, nor yet at Jerufalem, worfhip the Father : ye wor- fhip what ye know not ; we know what we worfhip, for falvation is of the Jews : but the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worfliippers fliall worfliip the Father in fpirit and in truth, for the Fa- ther fedceth fuch to worfnip him. God is a fpirit, and they that worfhip him muft worfliip him in fpirit and in truth." Our Saviour's meaning, in this mofl: interefting declaration of his dodrine con- cerning the nature and obligations of re- ligious worfliip, is too clearly expreffed to be eafily mifunderflood : it is plainly 7 this : the IVoman of' Samaria. 107 this: Concerning your nation it is in- deed true, that, although you are now free from idolatry, you have not fuch juft conceptions of God and his worfhip as the Jews, to whom God hath fent his pro- phets, and amongft whom the Meffiah is to appear. But, notwithftanding that you Samaritans have been miftaken in this matter, the miftake is no longer of con- fequence : for the {t,-^{o\\ is arrived in which is to be introduced a dilpenfation of religion, fo pure and fpiritual, that there (hall no longer be any ground for the preference of one place to another in the worfhip of God. The time is come in which religious wordiip is to be pre- fented without the external fym.bols of facrifices and ceremonies ; in which God will require nothing more from men than that they worfliip him with fincere devotion. The homage of the mind is that which was always mod acceptable to God, and which alone he now expeds and deniands. This is the kind of wor- fhip jo8 Chrift^s Converfaiion with {hip which is moft fuitable to his na- ture; for he is himfelf a fpiritual being, pofTefled of all the properties and powers of the mod perfect mind, and therefore cannot be plealed with any external ex- preffions of devotion which are not ac- companied with the genuine fentiments of piety. Such were the pure and fublime ideas of religion which our Lord communi- cated to the Samaritan woman, and not to her alone, but to his difciples in all fucceedinsf acres. One of the moft im^- portant ends of his million was to fettle religion upon the eternal foundation of truth and reafon. He found it every where loaded with ornaments, debafed by fuperftition, and corrupted by hypo- crify. His firft object, therefore, was to feparate the pure gold from all the bafe mixtures with which it had been alloyed, and to reftore it to the world in its native purity. He taught mankind that the ac- ceptablenefs of religious worfhip depends -upon no external circumflances what- ever. the Woman of Samaria, 109 ever, but entirely upon the habit and temper of mind with which it is prefenr- ed. According to his dodrine religious worrtiip can receive no additional value from the magnificence, or the fuppofed fan6lity, of the temple in which it is of- fered. The iincerity of the vvorfliipper, which has no neceflary dependence upon -the incidental circuniftances of time, place, or poflure, is the quality which alone can obtain the favour of that Great Being, who dwelleth not in temples made with hands. Whofoever prefents to his Maker the offering of an honell heart, a pious mind, and a good life, pays him a more acceptable tribute than if he brought before him all the fowls of heaven, or ilaughtered at his altar the cattle upon a thoufand hills. It is infinitely to be regretted that this divine dodrine has been fo little regarded o by chriftians in the feveral ages of the church. Had they fully conceived the idea, and truly imbibed the fpirit of their Mafter no Chriff s Cowoerfation with Mafter on this head, all contefts about places, ceremonies, and forms of religion, would have been buried in the ruins of the Jewifh, Samaritan, and heathen temples. Thefe circumfliances would have been confidered as of no confcquence farther than they might be found to con- tribute to the decency and regularity of public worfhip, and would, conlequently, have remained in the lame (late of free- dom in which our ci"u-i(lian directory has left them. All men would either have united in one general fimple form of pub- lic worfhip, expreffive of the univerfal principles and fentiments of religion, af- ter the model of that excellent prayer which our Lord has left us; or, at leaft, would have agreed in making ufe of different methods of devotion, with the iame fpirit of piety and charity, making it in this affair the Jirfl object of their attention, and the only object of their zeii, to pay lincere homage to the one eternal mind. Warned the Woman of Samaria. \ \ i Warned by the examples of folly and incoiififtency which the hiftory of the chriftian church affords us, let us return to the fimple doctrine of our divine Maf- ter, and leaving it to others to difputc concerning the forms of reli'j;ion, make it our chief concern to preferve the rea- lity, by performing all our devotions with .iixed attention, with genuine fentiments of piety, and with fincere intentions to obey the God whom we worfliip; for God is a fpirit, and they that worfhip him muft wor(hip him in fpirit and in truth. The 112 The Folly of rejefting Inftruftion- Matt. vlii. 34. And when they f aw him, they bejought him to depart out of their coafis. It has been an opinion, ably, and I think I may add, fatisfadorily, maintained by feveral learned and ingenious writers, that the perfons fo frequently fpoken of in the gofpels as pofleffed with devils, were, in reality, lunatics or madmen ; and that our Saviour, in treating their difeafes as the efFe£l of the immediate agency of evil fpirits, conformed to the common notions and cuftomary language of 'the Folly ofrejeBlng , ^c, i r 3 of the Jews on a point concerning which it did not lie within the limits of his com- miflion to corredl their judgment. Without entering at prefent into the detail of argument by which this opinion is fupported, I iliall take it for granted that the perfons on whom the miraculous cure related in the context was performed, were labouring under the dif- eafe which we call madnefs ; and, on this fuppofition, I fhall endeavour to ex- plain the narration. Soon after Jefus and his difciples had pafled -over the lake of Tiberias, and were arrived in the country of Gadara, he was met by two demoniacs, who were polTefTed with fuch frantic madnefs that they wandered naked in the fields and among the tombs, and were a terror to the neighbourhood, and whofe dif- order gave them fo much preternatural ftrength that even chains were not fuffi- cient to bind them. " There met him two demoniacs coming from among the Vol, III. I tombs, 1 14 T^he Folly of rejeHlng tombs, exceedingly fierce, fo that no oner could pafs along that way, and no man could bind them, no not with chains, neither could any man tame them ; and they were always,, night and day, in the mountains, and among the tombs, cry- ing, and cutting themfelves with ftones/* As it was a current opinion among thejews that madnefs was owing to pof- feffion with an evil fpirit, the madmen themfelves, who were once in their fenfes, muft, of courfe, have had the fame no- tion. Thefe madmen, as is not uncom- mon, knew themfelves to be {q^ and therefore thought themfelves to be pof- feffed, and fpoke in that charafler*.. Converfmg as madmen often do, rea- fonably, but upon a falfe notion, one of them, in the character of the fuppofed demons who poflelTed them, faid to Je- fus, who had commanded the unclean fpirits to come out of them (that is, the * Prieftley in loc. difeafe Injlrudlion^ 1 1 ^ difeafe of madnefs to leave them), *' What haft //6(5«. to do with us, (fo the original fhoiild be rendered) Jefus, thou foa of God ? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? And Jefus afked him, faying, what is thy name ? and he faid. Legion, becaufe many demons were entered into him.'* And the demons (that is, the madmen fpeaking in their . character) befought him that they might go into a herd of fwine, about two thou- fand in number, that was feeding at a diftance from them, near the fhore. The difeafe which pofiefled the demoniacs was, by our Saviour's power, tranf- ferred from them to the fwine, who, immediately becoming mad, ran headlong down a precipice into the lake, and were drowned. ** And Jefus faid unto the demons, Go: and when they were come out, they went into the herd of fwine, and behold the whole herd ran violently down a fteep place into the fea, and pe- riflicd in the v\ aters." Mark adds that one I 2 of 1 1 6 The Folly of rejeBing of the recovered demoniacs intreated per- miffion to accompany Jefus, but that Je- fus fufFered him not, but ordered him to go home to his friends, and tell them what sreat thin2;s the Lord had done for him, and had compaffion on him, which he did accordingly. This miracle, which has been made the fubje6l of much unneceffary ridicule, though very different from the general character of our Saviour's miracles, which, except in this and one other inftance, were all of the benevolent kind, never- thelefs admits of an eafy vindication. The lofs of the herd of fvvine might have been intended (as feveral judicious critics fup- pofc) for a punifhment of the owners, who had been induced by avarice to vio- late the Jevvifh ceremonial law refpe£l- ins thefe animals ; or (which I think more probable) the whole tranfadlion might be defigned, after the manner of the ancient Jewilh prophets, as an em- blematical reprefentation of the danger of InJtruSiion, 117 of refufing and difobeying a meflenger from heaven ; inftruding the inhabitants of Gadara that, if through the prevalence of any criminal paffion they rejeded the do6lrine which he came to deliver, they would fubjecfl themfelves to deftrudion as certain and terrible as that which had now befallen the herd of fwine. . There is the more reafon to apprehend that Jefus had already difcovered in this people a difpofition unfavourable to the progrefs of his dodtrine, and feen occa- {lon for treating them with unufual fe- verity, as. we find that the miracle which he wrought had no other efFe(£t upon them than to terrify and offend them. " When the keepers of the herd went into the city, and told what had happen- ed, the people came out, and feeing the man out of whom the demons were de- parted, fitting at the feet of Jefus, cloth- ed and in his right mind, they were afraid." *' Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round I 3 about 1 18 l^he Folly ofrejeif'mg about befought him to depart out of their coafts." Whether the difinclination to any farther acquaintance with Jefus, which thefe people exprefled, was owing to a criminal averfion to his doclrine, or whether it was merely the efFciSt of a fu- perftitious apprehenfion of fome dreadful punifliment which this holy prophet might infli6t upon them, the fa£t of their " befeeching him to depart out of their coafts" affords an example of a kind of folly againft which, as it is not un- common among mankind, it mav be of ufe to you to be cautioned. There are two cafes efpecially in which men are very much inclined to acfl like thefe Gadarenes : the firll: is, when any one attempts to corredl their errors and enlighten their underjlandings ; the fecond is, when any one undertakes to reprove their vices and reform their manners. Examples of the former cafe we fre- quently meet with in the hiftory of the world. It was a difinclination to profit by hiftru&ion. 119 by inftrudion which prevented the inha- bitants of Gahlee and Judea from giving a welcome reception to the meffenger of heavenly wifdom. It was the fame fpi- rit which, in a more remote period, ob- ftruded the progrefs of truth among the Greeks, when fome of their wife men attempted to teach them the limple truths of religion, undifguifed by fable, and unencumbered by fuperftition. And, in modern times, the fame caufe has ope- rated from the becrinnins: of the reforma- o o tion from popery to the prefent day, to difcourage every attempt which men of enlarged views and liberal principles have made to enlighten the world. The fame weaknefs and bigotry which banifhed our Saviour from Gadara, and afterwards condemned him to crucifixion at Jerufa- lem, mingled the cup of poifon for So- crates at Athens, forged the chains for Paul at Cefarea, and kindled the flames for Cranmer in Britain. And, although the continual increafe of general know- I 4 ledge 120 T^'he Folly of reje5img ledge during the laft and the piefent cen- tory has encouraged free inquiry in re- ligion, and has produced an almofl uni- verfal conviction of the abfurdity of per- fecution, there is ftill io much of the old leaven of bigotry remaining, that multi- tudes are difpofed to look upon the cha- racter of a reformer with contempt or averfion, and would rejoice if fome ex- pedient could be found to check the fpi- rit of innovation. If you look back through the ecclefiaftical hiftory of this country fince the reformation, you will find that there has always been a dlfpo- fition prevaiUns: amono; the vulo-ar, as well as amons; their rulers, to oppofe the propagators of new opinions, as corrupt- ers of the purity of the chriftian faith, and difturbers of the peace of the church. As foon as protectant churches were formed, they, incondftently enough, en- deavoured to obdrudl the exercife of that freedom of fpeculatioii among themfelves which had led them to feparate from the church Injirudlion. 121 church of Rome, by fixing a ftandard for the public beUef in certain creeds and articles of faith ! The different feds of proteftant9, as each happened to prevail, difcovered an intolerant fpirit towards the reft, and endeavoured to fence the cnclofure of the true church againft the encroachments of herefy,if not with tem- - poral feverities, at leaft with fpiritual cen- fures. If any individual, wifer or bolder than his brethren, ventured out of the beaten track of opinions, and efpecially if his arguments engaged any degree of public attention, and gained him any confiderable number of followers, he was fure to bring upon himfelf a heavy load of obloquy. When,, for example, the general cafh of opinions, both among the epifcopalians and nonconformifts, was calviniftical, the man who boldly en- tered his proteft againft the do6lrines of abfolute election and reprobation, and maintained the freedom of the human will, and the unlimited extent of divine niercy 122 7he Folfy of reje^ing mercy in the redemption of the world, was deemed a heretic of the firft order, and the names of Armininian and Baxte- rian became equal terms of reproach. Afterwards, when the claims of eccle- fiaftical dominion ran high, the man who endeavoured to overturn thefe claims by fhowing that all attempts to prefcribe to the judgments, and didtate to the con- fciences of men, in matters of religion, are inconfiftent with the nature of the kingdom of Chrifi, which is not of this world, raifed a general cry againft him, and brought upon himfelf the cenfure of the ruling powers. About the fame period, one of the moft illuftrious ornaments of the church gave no fmall offence by pro- pofing an account of the do(arine of the Trinity, which he judged more confid- ent with fcripture and reafon than that which was commonly received ; whilfl feveral eminent men among the diflent- ers, adopting the fame opinion concern- ing the perfon of Chrift, as^ a being infe- rior Inflru^ion* 123 rior to, and dependent upon, the Eternal Father, fell under fevere cenfure both fronri their brethren and the general body to which they belonged. Other diftin- guiflied friends to free inquiry have (ince appeared, who have brought upon them- felves no fmall {hare of odium from the bigotted advocates for myftery, and of cenfure from the cautious and timid fol- lowers of truth, by boldly advancing whatever appeared to them to be a juil: explanation of the do£lrine of fcripture, without inquiring how far fuch explana- tions might fuit the complexion of the times, or agree with the preconceptions of others. Such men as thefe have always been looked upon by multitudes as troublefome innovators. Perhaps the general voice, at the feveral periods in which they flou- rifhed, would have be^n, if not for iilenc- ingand perfecuting them, at lead for per- fuading them to hold their peace, or quiet- ly to withdraw, as the Gadarenes be- fought 124 ^he Tolly of rejeEitng fought our Saviour to depart out of their coafts. And yet to thefe men the church has been indebted for fome of the moft judicious and able apologies for the chriftian faith, and form many valuable il- luflrations of tha holy fcriptures. Many of the tenets which thefe men advanced, notwithftanding the ala^m and offence which they at firfl occafioned, having lince undergone a difpaflionate review, are now commonly received as agreeable to divine revelation. And, which is per- haps ftill more important, the general confequence of their free inquiries and communications has been, to diffeminate a fpirit of liberality among people of all clafles ; fo that men can now profecute their refearches with lefs reftraint, and report the refult with lefs hazard than formerly. Thefe happy effeds of fuch undifguifed attempts to propagate religi- ous truth, have been experienced, allow me to fay it, in this place : they have been experienced in many chriftian focie- ties Injlru^wn, 125 ties of various denominations; they have been experienced by the public at large, in the general prevalence of a difpofition to inquire freely after truth, and to exer- cife candour towards thofe who differ from us in opinion. There cannot, then, be any neceffity, except it be fuch a neceffity as arifes from lucrative conliderations, to wifli for the fuppreffion of any exertions for the pur- pofe of informing and enlightening the world. There is no reafon to apprehend that mankind will, upon the whole, be fufferersby the difcovery of truth. Know- ledge, merely abfirad and fpeculative, can do no harm: knowledge, which admits of a pradical application, mufl be ufeful. Experience proves this to be the cafe in all other fciences ; why (hould it not be true in religion ? On this important fubje£l, then, be always ready to gather up infl:ru(Stion and information from every quarter. Inftead of ftarting back with affright from all who advance opi- nions 126 ne iFolly of reje^ing nions different from thofe which you have already embraced, liften to their reafon- ings with attention ; give them a candid and impartial examination, and allow them all the weight they ought to have in determining your judgment. Inflead of regarding the man who undertakes to corre(3: your opinions in the light of an adverfary, confider him as your friend, at leafl: in intention, and rather invite his fociety, than, like the Gadarenes, befeech him to depart from you. Be affured that, unlefs the fault be your own, no incon- venience can arife from the intercourfco If the opinions he advances be without foundation, the detection of their weak- nefs and fallacy will only ferve to con- firm you in the truth. If they be well fupported, they ought, at all events, to be adopted. If, after all the informa- tion you can obtain upon the fubjed, it appears to be involved in uncertainty, you will remain in fufpenfe, and vi'ait for new light, and in the mean time you will 7 learn InjlruBlon* 12*] learn a pra6llcal leflbn of moderation. On every fuppolition it is wifer and fafer, more worthy of a man, and more becom- ing a chriftian, to " hear and underjland^'' than, either through bigotry, timidity, or indifference, to *' refufe injlruSiion?'* But it is time that I proceed to apply the example in the text to thofe who re- jed: the counfels and admonitions of fuch as would reprove their vices and reform their manners. To the man who is not difpofed to re- formation a faithful reprover commonly appears in the light of a troublefome in- truder. As the GadareneSy perhaps through an apprehenfion of being too ftritlly called to account for their crimes, '* befought Jefus to depart out of their coafts;" fo every one, who is devoted to his vices, will make ufe of every expedi- ent to difmifs the faithful monitor, who would convince him of his folly, and warn him of his danger. Whether that monitor be fome kind friend, afFedionate parent. 1 25 The Toii^ of rejecting parent, or religious iiiil:ru(5lor, or whe- ther it be the principle of confcience, implanted in the bread of every man as his conftant advifer and guide, he will fay to him as Felix faid to Paul, *' Go thy way for this time, when I have a more convenient feafon I will fend for thee." Whilfl: we are under the power of vicious habits and paffions, we view the objciSts of our criminal attachment through a falfe medium, and regard the enjoyment they afford us in the light of a precious treafure, of which no man, who was not very much our enemy, would attempt to deprive us. We put ourfelves upon our defence againft the man who would perfuade us to part with our vices, as we would againft a robber. Hence it is, that, when any one, though from the pureft motive of kindnefs, ^ whifpers in our ear a word of caution, or drops but the mofl: diftant hint of ad- monition, we inftantly place ourfelves upon our guard ; fearch every where for fome Injiru^i'ion. 129 fome apology to our own hearts in ex- cufe for the fault which occalions the re- proof; or, if we cannot fucceed in this, find out fomething in the circumftances, the motive, or the temper, of our re- prover, which may ferve to juftify us in not hearkening to his rebuke ; or laftly, when there is no other way of efcaping, we devife fome means of difmiffine a gueft whofe impertinent intrufion we can- not fupport. With refpe6l to public ad- monitions from religious inftrudlors, bad men commonly adopt an ea(ier method of proceeding. Inftead of '< befeeching the preacher to depart from them^'' they take care to keep themfelves at a fufficient diftance from him^ if not by entirely ab- fenting themfelves from church, how- ever, by " giving no heed to the words which are fpoken," by taking no pains to apply the general truths which are de- livered to themfelves. Allow me ferioufly to remonftrate with thofe who are capable of thus Vol. III. K wretchedly 130 ne Folly of rejecltng wretchedly trifling with their own wel- fare. Is it pofTible, let me alk you, to render your character lefs criminal, or your fituation lefs hazardous, by flop- ping your ears againft the voice of re- proof? If the vices you pradife are, in their nature, ruinous to your health, your fortune, your reputation ; if they are necefTarily defl:ru6:ive of the purity of your hearts, or the integrity of your chara6lers, or inconfiftent with the ex- ercife of benevolence and piety, affedions without which it is impoffible you fhould be happy ; if they are violations of the laws of your Maker, which muft inevi- tably expofe you to his difpleafure ; will the wickednefs and infamy you are bringing upon yourfelves in this life, or the condemnation you are haftening in the life to come, be the lefs feverely felt when they fhall arrive, becaufe you take pains to keep them out 'of light at prefent ? Are you not convinced that the only pof- fible way to efcape the evils which r • threaten In/Iru&ion, 131 threaten you, is to abandon your vicious courfes ? In what light, then, can you confider the remonflrances of your re- provers but as ads of the pureft: friend- ihip, didated by the truefl: wifdotn ? Or vi'hat can you think of your own con- duft in refufing to hearken to their ad- monitions, but that you are chargeable with the madnefs of one who, being warned of a dreadful precipice before him, fhuts his eyes, and runs headlong to de- flrudion ? If you perfiil: in your perverfe reje6lion of wholefome advice till it is too late to profit by it ; till confirmed habits of vice have rendered your recovery inn- pradlicable ; till the decree of heaven has irrevocably fixed your doom ; nothing will remain for you but to exclaim, in the bitternefs of remorfe, " How have I hat- ed inftrudion, and my heart defpifed re- proof? I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ears to them that inftruded me ! He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, ihall K 2 fuddenlv J 32 The Folfy of reJB^iing fuddenly be deflroyed, and that without remedy." To-day, therefore, while it is called to- day, harden not your hearts ; whilft you are yet capable of other feehngs than thofe of wretchednefs and defpair, lay open your bofomp to every impreflion of duty and intereft ; let refped: and affec- tion for the friends who fo generally in- tereft themfelves in your welfare ; let the dread of fuftering all the miferies natu- rally attendant upon vice, and all the pu- nifhments which the righteous Judge of the world will hereafter inflict upon the wicked; let gratitude to your merciful Father in heaven, who after all your per- verfe difobedience ftill waits to be graci- ous; and finally, let a generous ambi- tion to reftore your rational nature to its original dignity, and to rife to the ho- nours and felicities of children of God, and heirs of immortality, induce you, without delay, to hear and obey the voice of wifdom. Renouncing for ever the InflruBion, 123 the fociety of thofe fools who defpife inftruclion, apply your ears and your heart to the words of knowledge. ** Hear inftruclion, and be wife, and refufe it K 3 The ( '3+ ) The Criminality of uncharitable Judgment in imputing good Aftions to bad Motives. 1 Matt. xil. 24. But when the Fharifees heard it, they /aid, This man doth not cajl out devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils, *' If the light that is in thee," faith our Saviour, '^ be darknefs, how great is that darknefs !" Never was this ob- fervation more fully exemplified than iii the fa£t to which the text refers. Jefus had given an illuflrious difplay of the di- vine power with which he was endued, by healing a blind and dumb demoniac. The unprejudiced multitude, who were fpec- tators ne Criminality of imputing^ ^c. 135 tators of the miracle, were filled with aftonifhment, and acknowledged him to be the Meffiah. But the Pharifees who accompanied him, blinded by jealoufy, envy, and other malignant paffions, could fee nothing admirable, nothing di- vine, in what had happened. Rather than admit the fad which muft have led them to acknowledge his divine autho- rity, they framed a fuppofition as abfurd as it was impious, imputing the cure which he had performed to the interpo- fition of an evil fpirit. " All the peo- ple were amazed, and faid. Is not this the fon of David? But the Pharifees, when they heard this exclamation, faid, This maii doth not caft out demons but by Beelzebub, a ruler of the demons.'* Jefus, who was no Granger to the ma- lignant fpirit which dictated this fpite- ful iniinuation, turned his attention to thefe cavillers, and, without dire£lly ac- knowledging, or denying, the truth of the common opinion concerning demons, K 4 reafoned 136 T^he Crmlnality of imputing reafonbd with them upon their own prin- ciples. He firfl pleads the abfurdity of fuppof- ing that Satan would employ his own power againft himfelf, by lending his aid in fupport of a doctrine which was di- rectly defigned to overthrow his kingdom of idolatry and vice. " Jefus, knowing their thoughts, faid unto them, Any kingdom divided againft itfelf will be brought to defolation ; and no city, or houfe, divided againft itfelf, can be efta- bliftied. And if Satan caft out Satan, he IS divided againft himfelf: how then ftiall his kingdom be eftabliftied ?" Still proceeding to argue with them on the fuppofed truth of their opinions, and allowing it poffible that fome of their fed: might caft out demons, he urges the un- reafonablenefs of imputing their exor- cifms to a divine energy, and at the fame time afcribing /6/> operations, which were of the fame kind, to the agency of an evil demon. *' If I caft out demons by Beelzebub, good Adiions io bad Motives, 137 Beelzebub, by whom do your fons cafi: them out ? therefore they (hall be your judges : but if I caft out demons by the Spirit of God, then is the kingdom of God come unto you." Still further to expofe the inconfiftency of the fuppolition, that the prince of the powers of darknefs would affifl him in cafting out demons, he compares Satan to a man whofe houfe is attacked by robbers, and remarks that nothing but fuperior force could ever bring a man in this iituation to fubmit to the will of his invaders. He then leaves them to infer the abfurdity ©f imagining that Satan, if he were able to withftand his power, would quietly endure the afTaults which he was making upon his dominion, and the ftill greater abfurdity of fuppofing that he would lend affiftance to his avow- ed enemy. " How can any one enter the houfe of a ftrong man, and plunder his goods, unlefs he firft bind the flrong man ? then he may plunder his houfe.'* 4 Jefus 138 72v Criminaliiy of re put mg Jefus adds, " He that is not with mc is againft me, and he that gathereth not with me fcattereth abroad :" that is, *' He that is not my friend, in this cafe, is mine enemy. Since, therefore, the kingdom of Satan, and the ends of his government, are directly oppofite to mine, it is impoffible that he fhould be inchned to affifl: me ; he muft rather be difpofed to exert all his power againft me." Having, in this manner, refuted the unjuft and malicious infinuation of the Pharlfees, our Saviour proceeds to de- nounce a general fentence of condemna- tion refpeding the crime of which they had been guilty. *' Therefore I fay unto you, All manner of fin and blafphemy may be forgiven unto men ; but the blaf- phemy againft the Holy Spirit fhall not be forgiven unto men. And whofoever fpeaketh a word againft the fon of man it may be forgiven him, but whofoever fpeaketh againft the Holy Spirit, it fhall not good ABlo?is to bad Motives. 139 not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in the age to come." The offence of which the Pharifees had been guilty was of the moil: heinous nature. Th'ey had difcovered great in- con fiflency and partiality in rejecting that teftimony of divine authority in the cafe of Jefus, which they admitted in that of Mofes. And it appears from the whole courfe of their bthaviour towards Jefus, that this partial and unfair judgment was di'flated by the moft malignant paf- fions. The refentment which they had long cherilhed againil him, on account of his increafing popularity, was now fettled into bitter rancour. They deter- mined, at all events, to perfift in their oppoiition to his do(5lrine, and if poffible to bring him under the fentence of one of the laws of Mofes, which required * that thofe who pradifed magical incantations, and held corrcfpondence with evil fpirits, * Exod. xxii. 18. fliould 140 T^he Criminality of reputing ihould be put to death. They therefore imploufly charged him with having an intercourfe with fome leader of evil fpi- rits in thofe miracles which could only be performed by the aid of the Spirit and power of God. Such perverfenefs and malice implied the higheft degree of de- pravity, and therefore juftly expofed them to condemnation. " All manner of fin and blafphemy," fays our Saviour, " fhall be forgiven" — that is, all fins which come under the 2;eneral notion of evil fpeaking — for that is the meaning of the term blafphemy — fuch as (lander, and reviling among men, and even re- proach and infult offered to the Son of God, may admit of repentance and ob- tain forgivenefs : but the crime of revilino: God himfelf, by afcribing thofe opera- tions which are the effe6l of his imme- diate agency to the interpofition of an evil fpirit, muH: proceed from a mind {o utterly depraved and incapable of repent- ance, as to leave no probability that it will good Anions to bad Motives, 141 will ever obtain forgivenefs. This expla- nation of the difficult pafTage under our confideration, which refts the unpardon- able nature of the offence upon the in- vincible obftinacy and irrecoverable de- pravity of the offender, makes it per- fectly confiftent with the general dodrine of fcripture concerning the unlimited cle- mency and mercy of God, and very well agrees with the tenor and fpirit of our Saviour's addrefs to the Pharifees. Or perhaps, after all, our Saviour may here only adopt a ufual mode of fpeech in the Hebrew language, by which one thing is afferted and another denied, merely to denote comparifon ; and then the mean- ing will be, as feveral commentators have explained the paflTage, that the crime of reviling the power of God, as the Pha- rifees had done, is beyond every other kind of blafphemy, heinous, and unpar- donable. But, whatever interpretation be put upon thefe words of our Saviour, they can 142 The Criminality of reputing can afford no ground for any one to alarm himfelf with an apprehe-iifion that he has finned beyond the poflibility of forgivenefs ; becaufe whenever there is an inclination^ towards repentance, the flate of mind is the reverfe of that obdu- racy which chiefly aggravated the guilt, and the doom, of the Pharifees. The narrative we have been confider- ing fhould, however, be a ferious w^arn- ing to us, my brethren, not to indulge, in the flighteft degree, that uncharitable fpirit which, in thefe men, arofe to fo fhocking a pitch of malignity, and par- ticularly to refrain from all uncandid and cenforious infinuations, tending to de- preciate another's merit, and injure his reputation. The progrefs of cenforioufnefs, which "we have had occafion to remark in the behaviour of the Pharifees to our Savi« our, is a very natural, and a very com- mon one. As they firft endeavoured to fix upon Jefus a charge of impiety on account good Acl'ions to bad Motives, 143 account of an innocent, and even a me- ritorious aftion, accufing him of a breach of the fabbath becaufe he exercifed his healing power on that day, and after- wards prefumed to afcribe his benevo- lent miracles to the inftigation and affift- ance of an evil fpirit : fo we frequently hear the uncharitable and cenforious firft mifreprefenting the aSiions of others, and induftrioufly labouring to difcover fome circumftance of criminality where the candid and liberal would find much to admire and applaud ; and then proceed- ing in cafes where the adion itfelf does not admit of cenfure, to call in quedioa the motive from which it proceeded, im- puting it to the influence of fome un- v/orthy principle, or fome depraved in- clination. ^ Of this latter kind of (lander we can- not look around us in the world without meeting with frequent examples. If any one diftinguilh himfeif by the regularity with which he performs reli- 144 ^^^ Crimmality of mputhig gious duties ; if, in an age in which pri- vate a6ls of devotion are commonly neg- ledted, and it is almoft become unfalhion- able to be conftantly leen at church, any one is obferved to be exadl in his attend- ance upon public worship ; If his beha- viour, during the feafons of devotion, be fuch as to indicate an uncommon decree of attention and ferioufnefs, and efpecially if it be known that he keeps up the forms of rehgion in his family, or that he ibmetimes retires from the world for me- ditation and prayer; there are not a ^q\n^ who, being themfelves wholly Grangers to piety, will endeavour to account for fo fingular an appearance of religion, by fuppofing that it is the efFe angers. 279 felves no fmall fliare of credit from the execution. Repeated difappointmentsand mortifications by degrees convince them that they are unequal to the talk they have undertaken, and they are obliged, at laft, to leave the work unaccomplifhed ; a monument of folly which invites every pafTenger to fay in derifion, " This man began to build, and was not able to finidi." To this kind of raflinefs young perfons, through their natural impetuofity of tem- per, and their want of experience, are more efpecially liable. It is one of the kindeft offices of friendfhip in fuch cafes to fupply the place of experience by fea- lonabie hints of caution and advice. An excellent example of this kind of friend- fhip is preferved in the account which Xenophon gives of the life and adions of Socrates. Obferving a very young man taking upon him to give his opinion in thofe public aflemblies of the people which were frequent in Athens, and im- T 4 patient 28o I'he IVifdom of providing agalnji patient to be intruded in a certain poil: with the management of pubHc affairs, Socrates, after his ufual manner, engaged him in a converfation, in which he very fuccefsfully taught him a leflbn of felf- knowledge. After winning his favour- able attention by allowing, that to lerve his country in the diredion of her public affairs was a laudable objedl of ambition, he alked him in what manner he propof- ed to execute the office for which he was folicitous to become a candidate; what plans he had laid for enriching the ftate, for defending it againft its foreign ene- mies, and for the adminiftration of juftice ; what was the prtfent ftate of the public revenue^ and military force; by what means he propofed to increafe the one, and ftrengthen the other; — and the like. To tbefe inquiries the young man had nothing to reply but that he had not fuf- ficiently coiifidered thefe matters, and muft get fuither information. Having thus made the forward youth heartily afliamed Difficulties and Dangers. 2S i afliamed of his ignorance and prefump- tion, he took his leave of him with this caution ; *' If vou wi(h hereafter to efcape difo-race, never prefume to fpeak upon a fubjedjor to undertake a bufinefs, which you do not underftand." How much dif- credit to individuals, how much difap- pointment to the public, would be pre- vented by a due attention to this maxim of prudence ! Another important concern to which the rule of counting the cofl: may be ap- plied, is the choice of a profeflion or oc- cupation for life. This is an affair which certainly requires the utmoft caution and deliberation. In making this choice much attention ought to be paid to a young man's genius and cad of mind; for, un- lefs there be a fuitablenefs between thefe and the employment to which he is def-< tined, it muft be expeded that he will be all his days beating againft the dream, with little profped of fatisfadion to him- felf, 282 '^he Wifdom of providing againjl felf, or benefit to the public. This choice, it is true, is a matter of too much diffi- culty, as well as importance, to be en- tirely left to the difcretion of young per- fons at the early period when it is com- monly neceflary to make it. But the pa- rents, or friends, upon whom the deter- mination chiefly falls, ought to be care- ful that they be not more influenced in their choice by intereft, partiality, or fa- mily pride, than by a regard to the abi- lities, qualifications, and difpofitions of the young perfon whofe defignation is iu queftion. The dodrine of counting the coft is alfo applicable to numberlefs cafes in which men are tempted to trefpafs the limits of prudent economy in order to gratify fome favourite inclination. Whatever direc- tion this folly may happen to take, whe- ther it employs itfelf in providing coftly ornaments, in raifing and adorning mag- nificent flrudures, in coUeding objeds of curiofity, Difficulties and Dangers, 283 curiofity, in procuring admired produc- tions in the fine arts, or in furnifliing a fplendid and luxurious table ; if the paf- (ion be not refolutely retrained by difcre- tion, it will bring with it a train of ex- pences which will render it exceedingly burdenfome, if not entirely ruinous, to its owner. That which was at firft intend- ed to be nothinor more than an elc2;ant amufement, or a fafliionable indulgence, becomes at length a moft ferious occupa- tion, and interferes with the moft impor- tant concerns and duties of life. In this manner a tafte or fancy, in itfelf inno- cent, often leads thofe who fufFer it to become predominant, from one extrava- gance to another, and, in the iflue, in- volves them in inextricable difficulties. And even where no fuch particular paf- fion feizes the mind, the general ambi- tion of being diftlnguifhed and admired frequently leads men into an oftentatious difplay of wealth in their whole manner of living, to which their jefources are unequal ; 284 T^he Wifdom of providing againjt unequal ; till, at laft, for want of hav- ing prudently counted the cofl, they have the mortification to become objedls of pity to their friends, and of ridicule to the world ; and are obliged to adopt the la- mentation of Solomon, on grounds which Solomen never experienced, "I looked on all the labour which my hands had wrought, and behold all was vanity and vexation of fpirit." But, that we may bring the prudential maxim fuggefted in the text nearer to the occafion upon which our Saviour intro- duced it, I proceed to obferve, that m the important concern of profeffing the chrif- -tian religion it is neceflary to make ufe of the precaution of preparing ourfelves, by forethought and deliberation, for the dif- ficulties and dangers Vv^hich attend it. Although we live at a period, and in a country, which leaves us expofed to it^ of the hazards which threatened the firfl chriftians; although we have the fanc- tion of the civil authority to countenance our Difficulties and Dangers . 285 our public avowal of the chrlftian faith, and an effedual fecurity in the liberal fpi- rit of the times againft perfecution for re- ligious opinions or practices ; difficulties, neverthelefs, of another kind, attend the fincere profeffion of chriftianity, which require the exertion of no fmall fliare of refolution, of which, therefore, you ought to be well apprized when you take upon you the chriftian name. There are certain principles of aclion effential to the chriftian charad;er, and therefore common to the true difciples of Chrift in every age. Thefe are, rever- ence for the authority of Almighty God, and a regard to a future flate of rewards and puniOiments. It was under the in- fluence of thefe principles that the early chriftians maintained their fidelity to their mafter, in defiance of all the terrors of perfecution. And wherever thefe princi- ples are firmly eftablifhed in the mind ; that is, in other words, wherever the chriflian religion is fincerely embraced, they 2 86 ^he Wifdojn of providing aga'mji they will, in every fituation, operate with equal efficacy, in producing fleadfaft obe- dience to the laws of Chriil-. The firfl: concern of every real chriftian is, to pleafe God, and obtain everlafting life : for he is well perfuaded, that without his Maker's favour it is impoflible he (hould be happy, and that eternal felicity in a future life is an objed of infinitely greater value than all the pleafures, riches, or honours, of this world. In order to obtain the great end for which he lives, he fincerely re- folves to comply with the condition on which alone his religion teaches him to hope for it, a fteady and perfevering obe- dience to the laws of Chrifl:. Such being the principles, views, and purpofes, which are eflbntial to the chrif- tian character, it is manifeft that no maa can be a true chriftian who will fuffer himfelf to be deterred from performing his duty by any apprehenfion of prefent inconvenience, or be enticed to part with his innocence and integrity by any allure- 7 meats Difficulties and Dangers. 287 ments which the world can offer. If it was neceflary, in the ages of perfecution, to " refifl unto blood, ftriving againft fin," rather than make fhipwreck of faith and a good confcience, it is equally ne- ceflary, in periods the moft favourable to the profeffion of chriftianity, ftill to ftrive againft fin, by refolutely withftanding every temptation which would feduce us from the path of chriftian obedience. Let ihofe, then, who take upon them the profeffion of the chriftian faith, and efpecially young perfons, whom it much concerns to fettle their plan of life with all poffible circumfpedlion, confider well the conditions upon which alone they can become chriftians. Many feem to imagine, that for this purpofe nothing further is neceflary than to be baptized in the name of Chrift, to rank themfelves with fome public body of profeffing chriftians, and to attend upon the ordinances of chrif- tianity. But confult the original records of the chriftian law, and you will find that 288 T^he Wifdom of providing againjl that you cannot be chriftlans without a flri(5t and conftant attention to your moral con(iu6V ; without abandoning your vices of every kind, and leading a fober, righte- ous, and godly life. If you would be chriftians for any higher purpofe than merely for the fake of being called fuch, in a country where it is ftill fome difcre- dit to be without the pale of the chriftian church; if you would enjoy the benefit of chriftian principles, and the confolation of chriftian hopes at prefent, and entitle yourfelves to the rewards provided for the difciples of Chriil hereafter, you mufl: re- folutely fliun the contagion of bad exam- ple. In the midft of the greatell; dege- neracy of manners you muft keep your- felves unfpotted from the world. Even at a time when the virtues of fobriety, chaftity, and moderation, are treated with ridicule, you mud; be fober, chafte, and temperate, in all things. In a (late of fo- ciety which places in your way innumer- able allurements to licentious pleafure, yoii Difficult tes and Dangers, 289 you mufl: preferve your innocence uncon- taminated. While thoufands around you are pufliing forwards to wealth and dif- tindlion, without flopping to afk them- felves whether the expedients they make ufe of to accomplifh their purpofes be con- fiftent with honour, integrity, and hu- manity, you muft be contented with fuch a competency as you can acquire without offering violence to confcience ; and, if your are fo fituated that it is only in your power to obtain riches by fraudulent or oppreflive means, you mull: be content to be poor. At a time when the facred ob- ligations of religion are by many defpif- ed, and by more forgotten, and when its public offices are neglected by many of thofe who lead the manners of the ase, you murt not be aftiamed of your religi- ous principles and profeffion, or forfake the affembling of yourfelves together for religious worfhip. In tine, even in a " crooked and perverfe," and irreligious and licentious generation, you muft fhine Vol. III. U ' as 290 T^he Wifdom ofpreviding againjl as lights in the world. On thefe condi- tions alone will you be entitled to rank among the true difciples of Chrift on earth, or qualified for an adnmiflion into his everlafting kingdom. Before you folemnly profefs yourfelves chriftians look, then, into the fecret re- celTes of your heart, to examine whether you are poffefled of a fufRcient fliare of refolution and fortitude to perform the la- bours, and to make the facrifices, which chriftianity requires. Dihgently *' count the coft," left haply, after having named the name of Chrift, ye bring upon your- felves that forer puniftiment of which he (hall be thought worthy who hath for- faken the holy commandment delivered to him. In making this important deter- mination be it, however, carefully re- membered, that if from any apprehenfion of prefent danger, or from any hope of prefent advantage, you refufe to enrol yourfelves among the followers of Chrift, you hereby relinquifti alt claim to the 6 glorious Difficulties and Dattgers, 291 glorious and everlafting felicity promifed in the gofpel, and mull: expe£l that in the great day, when you will be called to ap- pear before the judgment-feat of Chrift, he will fay to you, " I know you not ; depart from me, ye workers of iniquity." U 2 Mutual ( 292 ) Mutual Condefcenfion recom- mended by the Example of Ghrift. John xiii. 13 — 16. 2^e call me Mqfter and Lord, and ye fay well, for fo I am: If I then your Lord and Mafier have wafhed your feet, ye ought alfo to ivajh one another'* s feet \ for I have given you an example, that ye fhoulddo as I have done to you. There is fcarcely any incident in the whole courfe of the gofpel hiftory in which our benevolent Saviour appears in a more amiable light than that to which I he text refers. In order to be fully fen- fiblc Mutual Condefcenfion, &c. ic)^ fible of the merit of his conduct, and the propriety and excellence of his doctrine, upon this occafion, we muft advert to the particulars of the narrative. It was a rehgious cuftom annong the Jews, on the Ji/tb day of the week, in which the great feftival of the paflbver, in commemoration of the deliverance of their anceftors out of Egypt, was celebrat- ed, to eat, with great folemnity, the paf- chal fupper ; in which, after feveral pre- liminary ceremonies, the members of each family, in their refpedive houfes, partook of a lamb, according to the pre- cept of Mofes. The fupper began with a benedidion pronounced by the mafter of the family over a cup of wine, which was afterwards tafted by the guefls. The mailer having then wafhed his hands, the company eat of bread which had not been leavened, and bitter herbs : upon which it was cuftomary for one of the younger branches of the family to a(k the rea- fon of this ceremony. This introduced U 3 what 294 Mutual Condefcen/ton recommended what was called \\i^ Jhewing forth ^ or de" claration^ when the mafter, in reply to the inquiry, "What mean ye by this fer- vice ?" faid, (Ex. xii. 26.) " It is the fa- crifice of the Lord's pafibver, who pafTed over the houfes of the children of Ifrael in Egypt, when he fmote the Egyptians, and delivered our houfes." After a fecond wafhing the pafchal lamb was eaten ; and the whole ceremony was concluded with a hymn of praife. The day for celebrating this pafchal fupper being arrived, Jefus, who appears to have been now with hisdifciples in his ufual retreat on the mount of Olives, de- termined to perform this ceremony with them at Jerufalem, the fcene of his ap- proaching fufFerings. Two of his difci- ples, to whom he communicated his in- tention, and whom he requeued to make the necefTary preparations, went, accord- ing to his inflrudions, into the city to the houfe which he pointed out to them, and there prepared the paiTover. *' And on the •' ' ' firfl- by the Example ofChrjJl, 295 liril: day of unleavened bread, when the paflbver was to be killed, Jefus fent Pe- ter and John, faying. Go and prepare us the paflbver, that we may eat: and they faid unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare it ? And he faid unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, a man will meet you, carrying a pitcher of water: follow him into the houfe where he enters, and fay to the mafter of the family. The teacher faith to thee, Where is the gueft chamber, where I may eat the paflbver with my difciples ? and he will (hew you a large upper room furniftied, there make ready. And the two difciples went, and found as he had faid to them: and they prepared the pafl^- over." During the interval between our Sa- viour's infl:rudions and the pafchal fupper, or perhaps as foon as they were aflfembled for this celebration, the apoftles, who had not yet fuflSciently fpiritualized their ideas concerning the nature of their mafler's U 4 kingdom. 296 Mutual Condefcenjion recommended kingdom, renewed their old conteft con- cerning power and precedency. Jefus, as he had often before had occafion to do, rebuked their vanity and weaknefs, and exhorted them, after his example, to con- defcend to each other with all humiUty, charity, and meeknefs. Inftead of afpir- ing after thofe diftin*5lions, and that do- minion, which fo commonly excited am- bition among the great, he taught them to direct their emulation into the chan- nel of benevolence, and feek their higheft praife from mutual condefcenfion and kindnefs. And to encourage them to the practice of the difficult lefibns of felf-de- nial and humility, he direded their views to the honours and rewards of the future life, affuring them that the confequence of a firm and unihaken attachment to him, through all the fcenes of trial wliich awaited him, vv^ould be a participation of the dignities of his future kingdom. *'And there was alfo a ftrife among them who of them (liould be accounted the greatefl. iy the 'Example of Chriji. 297 greateft. And he faid to them. The kings of the Gentiles exercife dominion over them ; and they that exercife autho- rity upon them have the title of benefac- tors: but ye (hall not be fo; but he who is eldeft among you let him be as the youngeft, and he who prefides as he who ferves. For which is greater, he that fitteth at table, or he that ferves ? Is not he that fitteth at table ? but I am among: o you as one that ferves." It was probably in confequence of this contention, and for the immediate pur- pofe of checking the proud and ambiti- ous fpirit which it difcovered, that Jefus performed the exprefiive adion which followed. Before the immediate celebration of the pafibver by taking of the pafchal lamb, when Jefus was fitting at the table with his apoftles, knowing that the time of his departure was approaching, and continu- ing to the lafl period of his life to love his felea 298 Mutual Condefcenjion recommended fele£l difciples and friends 5 to exprefs in the flrongeft and kindell: manner his un- alterable afFeclion for them, he determin- ed, before they eat the paflbver, to per- form for his difciples the humble office, common in the Eaft, and ufually difcharg- ed by fervants, of vvafhing their feet. *' Now before the feafi: of the palTover," faith the apoftle John, '* as Jefus knew that his hour was come, when he (hould depart from this world to the Father, bavins: loved his own that were in the world, he loved them to the end ; and the ti77ie of /upper being come^ (fo the words (hould be rendered, and not /upper being ended) the devil having now put it into the heart of Judas Ifcariot, Simon's fon, to betray him, Jefus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God, rofe from the table, laid afide his upper garments, and took a towel and girded himfelf: then pouring water into a vefTel, by the Example ofChriJi, 299 a veflel, he began to wafh the feet of his difciples, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded.'* Can a more illuftrious example of con- ^efcenfioii be conceived than that which is prefented before us in this fcene ? The (great) Saviour of the world, confcious of his fuperiorJty to the ignorant and preju- diced, though (except in one inftance) honefl: and faithful men, who had attach- ed themfelves to his intereft, acquainted with the full extent of the important of- fice which, under the authority of God, he was called to execute, (and no Granger to the exalted ftation he v/as afterwards to occupy, as head over all things to his church) neverthelefs affumes the hum- ble charadter of a fervant, and performs, to thofe who looked up to him as their mafter and guide, the menial office of wafhing their feet. To a fpedlator deeply ienfible of the dignity of his charader, and at the fame time not fully apprized of his intention in theaClion, it muH: have appeared 300 Mutual Condefcenfton recommended appeared a degree of humiliation in which it would fcarcely become his difciples to acquiefce. In this light the tranfadlon appeared to Peter, who, as ufual, with more zeal than judgment, when Jefus came to him, thought his mafter degrad- ed by the fervile office he had undertaken, and exprefTed no fmall degree of reluc- tance in fubmitting to receive from one whom he To highly revered fuch an hu- miliating tefliniony ofaffedion. " Then Cometh he to Simon Peter : and Peter faith unto him, Lord, doft thou wafii my feet?" And when Jefus affured him, that thousrh he did not then underftand the meaning of the a6lion, it fhould imme- diately be explained to him; he flill per- fifted in his refpedlful but injudicious re- fufal, " Jefus anfwered, and faid to him. What I am doing thou doft not now underftand, but wilt underftand after- wards. Peter faith unto him, Thou (halt never wafh my feet." Jefus then af- fured him, that unlefs he fubmitted to be waftied by the Example of Chrifi. 301 wa(hed by him, he could not be his dif- ciple; meaning, doubtlefs, in his ufual allufive manner, that without that purity of mind which is naturally reprefentcd by wafhing the body with water, he could not be worthy of the relation in which he flood to him. " Jefus anfwered him. If I wa(h thee not, thou haft no part in me." Violent fpirits, upon a change of opinion, commonly fly from one extreme to another. Peter had too much afFedion for his mafter, and zeal for his caufe, to endure the moft diftant apprehenfion of being feparated from him, or of being de- ficient in his expreffions of attachment to him. Underftanding the words of Chrift literally, he exclaimed, ** Lord, not my feet only, but alfo my hand and my head.'* But Jefus, who well knew hovT, on every occafion, to temper and reftrain the un- neceflary ardour of this zealous apoftle, affured him that if the feet were wafhed it would be fufficient : '' He that is \^ afhed needcth only to walh his it^iy and is 302 Mutual CondefcenJtoH recommended is entirely clean.*' He adds, hinting at the difhonefly and treachery of Judas, in terms which plainly prove that he is here fpeaking of moral impurity, " And ye are clean, but not all ; for," adds the hif- torian, " he knew who would betray him;" therefore, faid he, *' Ye are not all clean." When Jefus had thus waftied his apof- tles feet, and had put on his garment, and was fet down again, he faid to his difci- ples, " Know ye not what I have been doing to you ? Ye call me teacher and mafter; and ye fay well, for fo I am. If I then, your mafter and teacher, have waftied your feet, ye alfo ought to wafll one another's feet ; for I have herein given you an example, that ye ihould do as I have done to you. In truth, I fay to you, The fervant is not greater than his mafler, nor the meireno:er greater than he who fent him : if ye know thefe thingSj you are happy if you do them.'* Is as if Jefus had faid, the leffon which I have taught by the Example ofChr'iJi, 303 ' taught you by the adlion of wa(hingyour feet is fufficiently plain. You acknow* ledge me as your inftrudor and leader, and herein you do well, for I am \\\ reality appointed by God to guide you in the path to everlafling life. If, then, you fee me, who am inverted with authority from heaven, notwithftanding my exalted cha- ra6ler and ftation, condefcend to perform the humblefl offices to you my difciples, how much more ought ye, if ye be fin- cere in your attachment to me, with all humility and cheerfulnefs to perform of- fices of condefcenfion and kindnefs one towards another ? What I have now been ^oing has been for the purpofe of fetting you an example of humility and conde- fcenfion, that ye may, on all occafions, be ready to perform fimilar offices to each other, and, infi:ead of contending for fupe- riority, may only ftrive who fhall mofl readily ferve, and moft condefcendingly oblige his brother. You who profefs to be my difciples, and the mefifengers of my do6lrine, 304 Mutual Condefcenjion recommended dp£lrine, cannot think it beneath you to exercife that humility towards each other which I have, in this inftance, as well as many others, exer^ifed towards you. If, then, ye are fufficiently inftruded in your duty on this head, happy will ye be if ye ad accordingly. It was furely impoffible that thofe who were wirneiTes of this interefting and in- flrudive tranfa6tion fhould not have pro- fited by it. The remembrance of it would, doubtlefs, remnin upon the minds of the apoirles long after the death of their mafter, and fuggeft to them many ufeful leiTons of mutual forbearance and condefcenfion in the difcharge of their duty as teachers of religion, and guides of the church. Their fubfequent hiftory plainly (hews that their mafter's precepts and examples were not loft upon them: happy would it have been for the world had they been, in this refped, more clofely copied by their fuccefibrs I The chriftian church would not then have been, "by the Example qfChrift, 305 been, as it has for a long feries of ages re- mained, a field of contention for power ; ehriftian teachers, even then, inftead of exercifing fpirtual tyranny over the un- derftandings and confciences of men, have become eminent examples of humility and moderation, candour and charity* But let us not imagine that the do6lrine taught by our Saviour in the expreffive zGi of wafhing his difciples* feet, was in- tended to be confined to the apofties, or to the teachers of religion in fucceeding ages. The duty of mutual condsfcefifion is founded in the nature and condition of man, and is of great importance to the happinefs of individuals and of fociety. It is a virtue made up o^ humility and benevo- knee: t\xt former inclining us not to make any unreafonable claims of attention and refpeiSt from others; the latter not to think it beneath us to perform any office ef civility or kindnefs in our power. It conlifts in a readinefs to give way to the jufl pretenfions of others, without being Vol.. IIL X too 3o6 Mutual Condefcenfion recommended too tenacious of our own. It requires us to fupprefs our petulant claims of fupe- riority, to decline all frivolous contefls for power or precedence; to moderate our demands of pre-eminence and priority; and, in a word, to be inclined to pleafe others rather than ourfelves, in honour preferring one another. The exercife of this condefcending and yielding temper is ftrenuoufly oppofed by a paffion which too often gains the pre- dominancy in the heart of man, that pride and haughtinefs which can fcarcely en- dure an equal, much lefs yield due refpe^t to a fuperior, or condefcend to an inferior. The only efFe£lual corre6live of this fpi- rit is philanthropy ; that principle which difpofeth us to confult the happinefs and conciliate the good will and afFe£lion of mankind. This benevolent difpolition it is the mutual intereft o^ all men to cherifh and exercife. For benevolence, at the fame time that it prompts a man to recede from his own pretenfions, takes the moft likely 4 iy "the 'Ei