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

MAY we always remember, that, next to the love of God, in the grand divifion of a christian's duty, is the love of MAN. May this love be "shed abroad in our " hearts," and shine with diftinguished lustre 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 insufficient to remove the afflictions of others; yet still " let us " be patient in the continuance of well

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doing," cheared with the comfortable hope, that God will reward our “labor of

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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.

SER

SERMON III.

ON DEVOTION.

JOHN iv. 24.

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

ELIGION, before the chriftian

R æra, though always confidered as

necessary to the welfare and existence of society, as well as to the happiness of individuals, was cultivated with much diligence, indeed, but with little success. 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, almost three thousand years ago, and the historian 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 statuary and painter also 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 universally believed. The stupendous works of the creation, added to the confciousness of felf-existence, were alone fufficient to produce this belief in any rational creature, and difcover, at the fame time, Two of the great Creator's diftinguishing attributes. However imperfectly he might at first have been conceived, it required little exertion of the mind, even in the infancy of reason, to ascribe to the caufe

Cause of so much beauty, grandeur and perfection, an infinite degree of WISDOM and of POWER. Yet it would have been

of little consequence for man to be affured 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.

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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 preserve the beauty and order of nature, were not diftinguished from those contingencies which muft neceffarily arise in this mixed state of things, chiefly from the free agency of VOL. I.

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man,

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

Every

HENCE originated the most unworthy notions of the Divine Nature. trifling calamity, and every instance of good fortune, was ascribed 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 whose 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

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