to address you in the other: and that, particularly at this moment, your confpicuous ftation among the defenders of all that is valuable or facred to mankind, adds a new and powerful motive. Whatever interpretation may now be put upon it, I am fure that for my eftimation with posterity I am confulting wifely, when I endeavour to be known as one of those who moft fincerely honour Mr. PITT.

DISCOURSE I.

ON THE MEANS OF REVIVING THE TRUE SPIRIT OF PIETY.

ROMANG XIV. 19.

Let us [therefore] follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

HE defign of the chriftian law is to

TH

exalt the nature of man, and make him fit for the fociety and fellowship of higher beings. Hence is it that, in every aspect, the contemplation of a Christian, such as he ought to be, presents us with a nobler view of human nature than we can attain by any other means. Societies of men confidered without reference to any religion, merely as they exift in this world, and as having in it the beginning and the end of their being, what are they but affemblages of animals? wonderful indeed in their faculties and proB

perties

perties above all others of that numerous clafs; but fill, united with them in death, and confounded with them in the subsequent diffolution of their organs: of no higher origin, nor higher end.-Such are men, according to those who reject religion, and disclaim the doctrine of a future life. Obferve their purfuits, and you will find them confonant to this account; terminating in objects of no great value or duration, yet fought with an ardour wholly difproportioned to their worth: and though the eagernefs of men for these their fhort-lived fatisfactions would be in fome degree palliated by the fuppofition that they had nothing further to expect (which is indeed the common plea and argument of irreligious fenfualifts,) yet nothing can excufe the felfifn and malicious manner in which they are and ever will be ftruggled for, by those who have no higher notions. We may indeed expect on grounds of reafon, that beings who have hope in this world only, and forefight to affure them of their fhort continuance here, will be contentious for the pleafures which this world affords, as for their all; yet, expecting this, we cannot but regard the creatures which we find thus fituated as

wicked and pernicious animals, whose chief propensities incline them to injure and fupplant each other.

Very different is the profpect that prefents itself in the contemplation of real Chriftians. We fee there, indeed, creatures of much infirmity, liable to fall into errors, and even into guilt, but at the fame time connected with a better order of things, and tending towards it; occupied of courfe, in fome degree, with the business and the pleasures of this present world, but confidering both as subordinate and greatly inferior to the concerns of a future life, which is to be of infinitely greater duration; and, for the fake of that life, attentive rather to the duties of the present, than to any other of its demands. Not contentious about worldly honours, pleasures, or advantages, because intent on higher objects; yet not neglectful of them in proportion to their proper eftimation; and fincerely and humbly thankful for them when beftowed by providence: above all things, friendly to each other, knowing not only that the principal object of their defire is attainable by all, but that it may be better and more effectually Lought

B 2

fought by their confpiring efforts, than by the feparate attempts of any.

To these peculiar virtues of christian societies the apostle intended to direct his converts, when he exhorted them in the words which I have taken as a text, "To follow "after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith they might edify one another."

By the things which make for peace, St. Paul meant more especially, (as the preceding verfes fully fhow,) fuch actions as evince a mutual toleration of infirmities, and a quiet profeffion of their private fentiments, without molefting or offending others; even giving way in matters of indifference, or of small importance, rather than the spirit of contention or diffent fhould rife among them.

The other part of the exhortation, "to "follow after those things by which we may

edify one another," does not lie within fo fmall a compafs; fince the acts are wholly innumerable by which Chriftians may edify each other, and mutually promote their hopes of heavenly bleffings. Every thing that belongs to inftruction, admonition, reproof, and good example, falls under this class; and all

of