class of those mental wanderings, which are frequently obferved to take place, when the flesh and the heart begin to fail.

In fuch times, therefore, it concerns the real friends of the gospel to convince their brethren, that the religion they profefs, is the fource of calm compofure; the parent

of

every fober joy; that it containeth fanctions, naturally productive of a virtuous, uniform, confiftent character, and fitted to restore to its proper dignity, the mind of

man.

He then is religion's truest friend, who adorns his profeffion by works of piety and virtue; he beft will vindicate it from the afperfions of its foes. "You traduce," he will fay," by words, the character and pretenfions of Jefus : I refute you by my works. You urge, perhaps, that my understanding is only nominally convinced by his doctrine: but the conftant tenor of my conduct shall prove to you, that I have no temptation to fuch deceit for every unworthy affection of my heart is fubdued to the perfuafion of its truth. You suppose, that, in the time of danger, fuperftitious horrors fhall invade

me;

me; but I will shew you, that my mind is compofed and tranquil, fubmiffive in all things to the will of heaven, and in the hour of death, with holy hope, confiding in its God."*

*[This fermon concluded, originally, with a very close and animated application to the cafe of the clergy; but as the author afterwards inferted this conclufion, verbatim, in No. 13, of "Every man his own priest," it was thought unneceffary to annex it here.-See vol. iii. p. 233.1

IV.

I SAM. XV. 22.

AND SAMUEL SAID, HATH THE LORD AS GREAT DELIGHT IN BURNT-OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES, AS IN OBEYING THE VOICE OF THE LORD? BEHOLD! TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE; AND TO HEARKEN, THAN THE FAT OF RAMS.",

THE weakness of mankind, in every age and country, hath induced them to hope, that the performance of the external rites of religion will atone for their failure in the fubftantial deeds of virtue: and, it is to be feared, that even the ministers of religion, have too frequently countenanced this delufion; until, at length, they have confirmed an error, which the folly of the fuperftitious multitude, hath always rendered them too willing to embrace. We find, however, from the portion of fcripture juft recited, that Samuel, though himself a priest, was too zealous for the real honour of his maker, to facrifice the interefts of true religion to any outward

F 3

outward form, although that form was inftituted by God himself; nor, led by fervile flattery, or flavish fear, could he be prevailed upon to diffemble his indignation, on account of the violated laws of God, although the daring offender was a king.

The fame fatal error, into which Saul appears to have fallen, prevails still amongst the profeffors of a religion, more pure and fimple than that under which he lived: an error the lefs pardonable, as chriflianity exprefsly prescribes to us a worship of our maker, in holiness and truth. The gospel contains a religion which encourages the sacrifice of the affections, the tender of a heart deeply imbued with a fense of manly piety and virtue; the nobleft and the most acceptable facrifice which a creature can offer, the most honourable which the creator can receive.

Let us look round upon the face of nature; let us behold the wonderful fabric of the universe, the numerous ranks and orders of living creatures which inhabit it, and learn from thence, that the God of nature delighteth in works of mercy, in labours of love. Man, formed in his image

and