SERMON I.

An Inquiry after Happiness.

MATT. VI. 21.

For where your treasure is there will your

Page 1.

heart be alfo.

Tranquillity in life is not to be maintained without pru-
dence; nor without the perfuafion of the being and provi
dence of GOD; nor without religion. Rational happiness is
not found in riches, honour, pleafure, or in contemplation.
It is only to be found in confcioufnefs; yet not complete
without the hope of immortality.

It is written: I will deftroy the wisdom of the

wife, and will bring to nothing the under-

Standing of the prudent.

27

Rational fyftematical religion is incompetent to the pur-

pofes of the inquiry. Philofophy or rational fyitems being

abftruse and speculative, and alfo uncertain and various. Pru-

dence is the only rational religion, truly fo called. This is

competent as fuch, in itself, to a moral agent. But man is a

tranfgreffor; and this religion is not adapted to fuch a cha-

racter,

SERMON III.

The Gospel.

MATT. XI. 28.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy

laden, and I will give you reft.

53

The gofpel is an act of grace; and the religion of finners.
The chriftian religion was not delivered in a system: it does
not add to the law of reafon; nor fuperfede the rational law.
Yet it is not justly defined, as the restoration of natural reli-
gion. The argument of its internal evidence is limited in its
application.Chrift
Chrift is the author of new methods of fanc.

tification.

SERMON IV.

Repentance.

LUKE XIV. 24.

Whofoever be be of you that forfaketh not all

that he bath, he cannot be my difciple. 79

Repentance is requifite to the perception of chriftian truth:

for the ftate of mind of the natural man is fuch as bars it

against the reception of truth.-The duty of repentance is

not abfolute. The mortification of evil propenfity implies,

not a feparation from all falfe notion; but denial of conceit:

and this, not in one aft; but habitual. What is faid of fen-

fual prejudice is alfo to be applied to intellectual conceit:

and, in like manner, to the conceit of moral excellence.

Reformation is effected gradually.

SER-

SERMON V.

Faith.

GAL. II. 20.

The life I now live in the flesh I live by the

faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and

gave himself for me.

105

Faith is a duty peculiar to revelation: but moral qualities

are rendered doubtful by the words that exprefs them. What

was Abraham's faith? What Jacob's. What the confeffion

required by Chrift? Faith lies in affent, but is not bounded

therein affent is the faith of the convert; but the faith of

the chriftian is conformity. The virtue has been variously

defined. It is a moral virtue: a reasonable service, and also

inclufive of all chriftian virtue.

-

SERMON VI.

Profeffional Faith.

2 PET. III. 18.

Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our

Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift.

131

Faith is fpeculative and profeffional. Affent is the first act

of fuch faith. The gofpel was delivered in parables. - All

faith originates in repentance. There are degrees of profef-

fional faith. Knowledge is neceffary. Chriftian knowledge

has for its objects: the neceffary articles of confeffion, and a

clear conception of the precepts. - Difficulties arife in the

purfuit; because allegories are difficult to explain and apply;

many difcourfes of our Lord were defignedly obfcure; fome

doctrines

doctrines were adapted to apoftolic times. Difficulties arife
allo from the language of the facred writers, and from the
nature of prophecy. But the greatest obstruction to chriftian
knowledge arifeth from foolish and unlearned questions. Ju-
dicious knowledge is not found, but with modefty; especially
in the prefent ftate of confeffion.

Be

SERMON VII..

Practical Faith.

JAMES I. 22.

j'e doers of the word, and not hearers only,

deceiving your own felves.

161

Faith is a practical virtue, properly fo called. The afcetic's
life was injudicious. Chriftian morality is not to be learned
from fyftems: it is laid down in the precepts of fobriety,
righteoufnefs and godlinefs. These virtues are allied and in-
feparable.

Whofoever beareth thefe Sayings of mine and

doeth them, I will liken him to a wife man

that built his houfe upon a rock.

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185

Profeffional and practical faith are not judicioufly fepara-
ted.
The chriftian's qualifications are truly excellent.
The state of men taken into the church in primitive and mo-
dern times is different: this calls for a different mode of in-
ftitution. The chriftian's privileges are free inquiry, wisdom,
prudence, fettled judgment, peace. -

SERMON I.

MATT. VI. 21.

For where your Treafure is, there will your Heart be alfo.

T

HE happiness and tranquillity of human life, depend fo manifeftly upon the prudent conduct of it; that however the ancient philofophers might differ, in forming the principle on which it should be conducted, none of them ever maintained that it was fafer or more judicious to turn their backs on all principle, and act at random. Even Epicurus has been flandered, wherever it has been faid of him, that he denied the obligations to moral virtue. For if he boafted that he had broken the fetters of fuperftition and taken away the fear of GOD, when he reprefented the fupreme Being as too happy to concern himself with what is paffing here ;