extorted from us; we are required to examine its evidences, and to receive it upon conviction; it is offered to us therefore, as beings responsible for our opinions and our actions; and it leaves us, as it found us, free agents: we may therefore mistake or misinterpret its doctrines, from ignorance or from prejudice, or, from the ungoverned impetuofity of paffion, we may tranfgrefs its plainest commands.

If then the efficacy of Chriftianity has been partial, let the fault reft with man, and not with God; and let us not dare impiously to arraign the juftice or the mercy of the Creator, because his creatures have not profited, as they ought, by the falutary leffons, which he has given them: at the fame time, it cannot be denied, but that the real and pofitive efficacy of Chriftianity has been very confiderable. If we look to the earliest period of its promulgation, the morals of the earliest converts, the unexampled purity of their lives, and the steady fortitude, with which they fubmitted to perfecution, to tortures, and to death, while they evince the fincerity of R 3 their

their belief, at the fame time, are a decifive proof of the ftrong influence of their religion upon their minds.

If we trace the course of civilization, we fhall find, that the progress of Christianity has ever been accompanied by progreffive reformation, and improvement in the laws, the literature, and the manners of mankind. It was the mild and peaceable spirit. of the Gospel, that stopped the fanguinary fports, which, with all their boasted refinement, the nations of antiquity delighted to behold: it was the same spirit, that checked the wanton barbarity, with which the master was authorised to tyrannize over his flave: it is the same spirit, that has mitigated the grievoufness of war, and taught contending nations, that a ftate of warfare need not impede the exercise of the duties of common humanity; that the extension of science, and the courtesy of individuals to each other, might still be maintained.

To the morality of the Gofpel private life is indebted for all its comforts, and all its regulated enjoyments; and the forrows,

which he cannot avoid, are comparatively light to a Chriftian, because he has the bleffed hope of futurity before him; and under the unequal difpenfations of this life, he anticipates the time, when the Father of mankind will fummon all his creatures to judgment.

If then Christianity has already done fo much, it may fairly be prefumed, that it will do more; that its influence bears a proportion to its progrefs; and that, when its glorious light is diffufed impartially over the whole world, its efficacy will become complete. Then we may expect, that the ftormy paffions, which at present agitate and convulfe the moral world, will be hushed into repose, and the whole race of man will be knit together in the bonds of Christian charity, and universal love. Then all the imagery of the Prophets, and all their beautiful descriptions, will be realized: "the wolf fhall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard fhall lie down with the kid; and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together, and a little child fhall lead them f.' "The wilderness and the fo

"

litary place fhall be glad; and the defert fhall rejoice, and bloffom as the rose.” "For judgment fhall dwell in the wildernefs, and rightcoufnefs remain in the fruitful field; and the work of righteoufnefs fhall be peace; and the effect of righteoufnefs, quiet and affurance for ever ".

Ꮒ 2

Ifai. xxxv. 1.

h Ifai. xxxii. 16.

SER

SERMON IX.

MATTHEW xxviii. 19. .

GO YE THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL

NATIONS.

SUCH

UCH was the parting command, which the Son of God gave to thofe righteous perfons, who had been the companions of his ministry, and to whofe guardianship he had committed his infant Church. " Go,' faid he, "to every creature, without any distinction or partiality, and preach to all the doctrines of repentance, and remiffion of fins:" and, that they might not be difcouraged by the difficulty of the tafk, he cheered them with the confolatory promife

of