that he "was not as other men are, un'juft, extortioners, and adulterers."

MAY we always remember, that, next to the love of GOD, in the grand divifion of a chriftian's duty, is the love of MAN. May this love be "fhed abroad in our "hearts," and fhine with distinguished luftre on every occafion, where our neighbour's peace and happiness, both here and hereafter, may be concerned. May it be further adorned with the meekness and gentleness, the truth and fincerity of the gofpel; and though every exertion of our benevolence, may fail of reforming the vices of fome, and be infufficient to remove the afflictions of others; yet ftill "let us "be patient in the continuance of well"doing," cheared with the comfortable hope, that God will reward our “ labor of love," and the delightful fatisfaction, that while we have endeavoured to promote the falvation of OTHERS, we have, by the most effectual means, fecured our own.

66

SER

SERMON III.

ON DEVOTION.

JOHN iv. 24.

God is a fpirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth.

RE

ELIGION, before the chriftian æra, though always confidered as neceffary to the welfare and existence of fociety, as well as to the happiness of individuals, was cultivated with much diligence, indeed, but with little fuccefs. Whatever improvement the human mind made on other subjects that came under its investigation and enquiry; though poetry

poetry was brought to a degree of pers fection which it has never fince paffed, almoft three thoufand years ago, and the hiftorian wrote with every grace of language, fixed the standard of elegance, and the laws of compofition, when ancient Greece was in her glory; though the architect, the ftatuary and painter alfo of those times are still unrivalled in their respective arts; yet certain it is, that religion remained for many ages in a state of barbarism and abfurdity (if we except one peculiar people) among all the known nations of the earth.

THE BEING of a God, indeed, was foon discovered, and univerfally believed. The ftupendous works of the creation, added to the consciousness of self-existence, were alone fufficient to produce this belief in any rational creature, and difcover, at the fame time, Two of the great Creator's distinguishing attributes. However imperfectly he might at first have been conceived, it required little exertion of the mind, even in the infancy of reafon, to afcribe to the caufe

and of POWER.

Caufe of fo much beauty, grandeur and perfection, an infinite degree of WISDOM Yet it would have been of little confequence for man to be assured of the existence, omniscience, and omniprefence of his Maker, if he had not been taught also, that he was to be accountable to him for his actions. The knowledge of this relation between the creature and the Creator, whether originally derived from divine revelation, the principles of reason, or intuitive perception, hath existed, we find, at all times and in all places, and is the very foundation of religion.

BUT much more was wanting to teach men how to " worship the Almighty Fa"ther in spirit and in truth." The comprehenfive plan of divine providence was but little understood; the fixed and immutable laws which preferve the beauty and order of nature, were not diftinguished from thofe contingencies which must neceffarily arife in this mixed state of things, chiefly from the free agency of VOL. I. E

man,

man, his paffions, his infirmities, and different pursuits. Nor were thofe caufes fufficiently confidered which make it evident, that this world is only a state of difcipline, a fcene of trial preparatory either to our exaltation to happiness, or degradation to mifery, according as we have improved, or abufed, the talent entrufted to our care.

HENCE originated the moft unworthy notions of the Divine Nature. Every trifling calamity, and every inftance of good fortune, was afcribed to the immediate agency, or partial interference of the Deity; and facrifices were offered, or folemnities performed accordingly. Almoft every weakness that debases human nature was attributed to Him whofe perfections are infinite, and who is the fountain of all wisdom and goodness. Senfible of his omnipotence, men made their court to the great King of Kings, as they would to earthly princes, and attempted to bribe his favor, by fuch facrifices and oblations

as