In the PARISH CHURCH of ST MARY WOOL NOTH,
LOMBARD-STREET.

BY JOHN NEWTON, RECTOR.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

Ah!

TER.

Tantamne rem, tam negligenter, agere!

Oh, that they were wife, that they understood this!
DEUT. XXXII. 29.

LONDON:

Printed for J. JOHNSON, St Paul's Church-Yard,

1798.

For the love of Chrift conftraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead. And that he died for all, that they which live, foould not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rofe again.

TO THE

PARISHIONERS

OF

ST MARY WOOLNOTH,

AND

ST MARY WOOLCHURCH HAW,

LONDON;

THESE SERMONS

ON THE

MESSIAH,

1

ARE AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED BY THE

AUTHOR:

TO REMAIN, AS A TESTIMONY

OF HIS RESPECT FOR THEIR PERSONS,

AND HIS SOLICITUDE FOR THEIR WELFARE,

WHEN HIS PRESENT RELATION TO THEM,

AS THEIR MINISTER,

SHALL BE DISSOLVED.

PREFAC E.

TH HE following Sermons, as to the fubftance, (for most of them are confiderably abridged), were preached to a public and numerous affembly. And therefore an accurate and logical difcuffion of the feveral fubjects was not aimed at. They are rather popular difcourfes, in which the Author, though he wish. ed not to treat the politer part of his auditory with difrefpect, thought it likewife his duty, so to adapt his manner to the occafion, as to be intelligible to perfons of weak capacities, and in the lower ranks of life. He conceives himself to be a debtor to every class of his hearers, and that he ought to endeavour to pleafe all men, with a view to their edification; but, farther than this, not to be greatly affected, either by their approbation or by their cenfure.

Many of the fubjects are fo nearly coincident, that repetitions could not be always avoided, without the appearance of affectation. Befides, as it may be expected, that in a large congregation there are always fome perfons prefent for the first time; with respect to thefe, an obfervation may be new, though, perhaps, the more stated hearers may recollect its having been mentioned before. For a fimilar reafon, fuch repetitions are not improper in print. Many perfons read part of a book, who may not have opportunity or in. clination to read the whole. Should any one, by opening thefe Sermons at a venture, meet with a passage which, by a divine blessing, may either awaken a care

a 4

less,