IV.

SERM. prefents, and the authority which it claims; whoever is thus affected, will neither be an infidel, nor an indifferent Chriftian. The greater part of the infidelity that prevails in the world, originates in low conceptions of morality, joined to ignorance, or mifconception of the Chriftian scheme; and the fame causes, as I have already observed, produce indifference among profeffed believers.

But, while the Son of God denounces the awful threatening against those of this character, accompanied by the earnest admonition juft now confidered; yet, with all the tendernefs of a parent toward a beloved, though undutiful child, he immediately proclaims, that even this severity is the effect of a fervent defire of his amendment, and recovery from the lethargy of fin. To this he warmly exhorts him, and waits, as it were, with anxiety, to obferve the influence of his reproofs, watching the earliest dawnings of conviction, knocking at the door, eagerly expecting admittance, and ready to embrace, with pardoning love

and

and returning favour, the difciple who o- SERM. pens to him his re-animated heart.

As

many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Bebold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man bear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will fup with him, and be with me*. Though extreme indifference be almost an incurable malady, its beginnings may easily be stopped by proper medicines; and, as almost all of us labour under fome degree of this 'diftemper, our Saviour's kind affurance fhould encourage us to make the neceffary application, as his denunciation fhould alarm us for its continuance and progrefs.

But, if we have any strong feeling of the power of religion, we fhall alfo exert our endeavours to animate our fellow Chriftians with a pure and enlightened zeal for the gofpel. It is, at prefent, very peculiarly circumftanced. Numbers of its profeffors are lukewarm. On the one hand, it is affailed by infidelity, armed, not merely with fophiftry and cavil, as before, but with the material weapons of perfecution, wherever

I 2

* Rev. iii. 20.

IV.

SERM. power has been obtained by its abettors.
IV. On the other hand, the gospel is perverted

by falfe and fanatical zeal, which fruftrates
its influence, and expofes it to contempt.
Something more than placid profeffion, than
listless obfervance, than inactive conviction,
is neceffary, in these times, to fave religion
When the waves are
from general ruin.
lashing the fides of the veffel; when the
lightning is playing on its mafts and yards;
when it is driven by all the fury of the tem-
peft; fhall the commander neither make any
exertions himself, nor rouse his crew to ac-
tivity and perseverance? Shall he take a
pipe, and play fome pleafing tune, to still
the raging elements? When the enemy is
in battle-array, fhall the general order his
foldiers to reft on their arms, or to exhibit
all the pomp of military parade, and hope
the admiring foe will quietly retire? As
little fhall the faithful disciple, and less still
the appointed minister of Christ, be fatisfied
with a languid discharge of duty, or even
with fuch exertions as would fuffice in the
flourishing days of religion! They must
watch;

IV.

watch; stand fast in the faith; quit them- SERM. selves like men; be strong *. While they exercise toleration, gentleness, and charity, they must never abandon one fingle article of the faith once delivered to the saints †, or loosen the duties and obligations of the gofpel. Never must they accommodate religion to worldly policy or interest, but firmly maintain its infinite fuperiority. Religion is, without doubt, the grand fupport of civil fociety and of good government. But, this support she cannot afford, unless her purity be unstained, and her divine energy exerted. Whenever politics receive her aid, not in the form with which God hath invested her, but in that disguise in which she has been dreffed by the craft or ignorance of men, she communicates to the cause which the fupports the degradation she has first undergone. Every scheme for the welfare of fociety, which has not, for its bafis, the grand principles of Christian morality, combined with the benignant spirit and ennobling prospects of the gospel, will be nugatory, contracted, and ineffectual. When

I 3

1

+ Jude 3.

IV.

SERM. When I confider all that ancient or modern moralifts and politicians have written on the improvement of man, in his individual capacity, or in his domestic and civil condition, I must be permitted to say, that, compared with the Chriftian scheme, viewed in all its comprehenfion, it is utterly defective and infignificant.

This seems to be strongly confirmed by an attentive survey of the events of the prefent time, Wherever irreligion has carried her triumphant banners, her fuccefs has been chiefly owing to want of principle among those with whom the had to contend, A crooked and perverfe, or pufillanimous policy has too much guided the rulers of nations. Defolation and mifery, in their moft horrid forms, have attended the steps of impiety, and proclaimed her dominion. In the midst of her victories, her votaries have experienced still greater evils than they inflicted on the conquered, and, while they triumphed, were, themselves, degraded to the most abject degree. It muft, therefore, occur to every reflecting mind, that those