words or actions, but wrong tempers also. If I judge a man to be better than he really is, in consequence, I really love him more than he deserves. If I judge another to be worse than he really is, I shall, in consequence, love him less than he deserves. Now, both these are wrong tempers. Yet possibly it may not be in my power to avoid either the one or the other.

2. Such are the unavoidable consequences of having these "treasures in earthen vessels !" Not only death, and its forerunners, sickness, weakness, and pain, and a thousand infirmities, but likewise error, in ten thousand shapes, will be always ready to attack us. Such is the present condition of humanity! Such is the state of the wisest men! Lord, "what is man, that thou art still mindful of him; or the son of man, that thou regardest him."

3. Something of this great truth-that the "corrup-tible body presses down the soul"-is strongly expressed in those celebrated lines of the ancient poet: speaking of the souls of men, he says,

Igneus est ollis vigor, et cœlestis origo

Seminibus; quantum non noxia corpora tardant,
Terrenique hebetant artus, moribundaque membra.
"These seeds of heavenly fire,

With strength innate, would to their source aspire,
But that their earthly limbs obstruct their flight,
And check their soaring to the plains of light."

4. "But suppose it pleased the All-wise Creator, for the sin of man, to suffer the souls of men in general to be weighed down in this miserable manner by their corruptible body; why does he permit the excellent treasure which he has intrusted to his own children, to be still lodged in these poor earthen vessels?" Would not this question naturally occur to any reflecting mind? Perhaps it would; and therefore the apostle immediately furnishes us with a full answer: God has done this, that "the excellency of the power might be of God, and not of us;" that it might be undeniably plain, to whom that excellent power belonged; that no flesh might

glory in his sight; but that all who have received this

treasure might continually cry, "Not unto us, but unto thee, O Lord, be the praise, for thy name and for thy truth's sake."

5. Undoubtedly this was the main design of God in this wonderful dispensation; to humble man, to make and keep him little, and poor, and base, and vile, in his own eyes. And whatever we suffer hereby, we are well repaid, if it be a means of "hiding pride from man;" of laying us low in the dust; even then, when we are most in danger of being lifted up by the excellent gifts of God!

6. Nay, if we suffer hereby, from the mean habitation of the immortal spirit; if pain, sickness, and numberless other afflictions beside, to which we should not otherwise have been liable, assault us on every side, and at length bear us down into the dust of death; what are we losers by this? Losers! No: "in all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him that loved us." Come on, then, disease, weakness, pain,-afflictions, in the language of men. Shall we not be infinite gainers by them? Gainers for ever and ever! seeing these light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory!"

7. And are we not, by the consciousness of our present weakness, effectually taught wherein our strength lies? How loud does it proclaim, "Trust in the Lord Jehovah; for in him is everlasting strength!" Trust in Him who suffered a thousand times more than ever you can suffer! Hath he not all power in heaven and in earth? Then, what though

"The heavenly treasure now we have

In a vile house of clay!

Yet He shall to the utmost save,

And keep it to that day."

Porto, June 17, 1790.

8

356

SERMON CXXII.

ON LIVING WITHOUT GOD..

"Without God in the world."-EPHES. ii. 12.

1. PERHAPS these words might be more properly translated, Atheists in the world. This seems to be a little stronger expression than, "without God in the world," which sounds nearly negative, and does not necessarily imply any more than the having no fellowship or intercourse with God. On the contrary the word atheist is commonly understood to mean something positive, the not only disclaiming any intercourse with him, but denying his very being.

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2. The case of these unhappy men may be much illustrated by a late incident; the truth of which cannot reasonably be doubted, there having been so large number of eye-witnesses. An ancient oak being cut down, and split through the midst, out of the very heart of the tree crept a large toad, and walked away with all the speed he could. Now, how long may we probably imagine had this creature continued there? It is not unlikely it might have remained in its nest above a hundred years. It is not improbable, it was nearly, if not altogether, coeval with the oak; having been some way or other inclosed therein at the time that it was planted. It is not, therefore, unreasonable to suppose, that it had lived that strange kind of life at least a century. We say, it had lived; but what manner of life? How desirable! How enviable! As Cowley says,

"O life, most precious and most dear!

O life, that epicures would long to share!"

Let us spend a few thoughts upon so uncommon a case, and make some improvement of it.

3. This poor animal had organs of sense; yet it had

not any sensation. It had eyes; yet no ray of light ever entered its black abode. From the very first instant of its existence there, it was shut up in impenetrable darkness. It was shut up from the sun, moon, and stars, and from the beautiful face of nature; indeed, from the whole visible world, as much as if it had no being.

4. As no air could penetrate its sable recess, it, consequently, could have no hearing. Whatever organs it was provided with, they could be of no use; seeing no undulating air could find a way through the walls that surrounded it. And there is no reason to believe that it had any sense analogous to those either of smelling or tasting. In a creature which did not need any food, the second would have been of no possible use. Neither was there any way whereby the objects of smell or taste could make their approach to it. It must be very little, if at all, that it could be acquainted even with the general sense, that of feeling: as it always continued in one unvaried posture amid the parts that surrounded it, all of these, being immovably fixed, could make no new impression upon it; so that it had only one feeling from hour to hour and from day to day, during its whole duration.

5. And as this poor animal was destitute of sensation, it must have equally been destitute of reflection. Its head, (of whatever sort it was,) having no materials to work upon, no ideas of sensation of any kind, could not produce any degree of reflection. It scarce, therefore, could have any memory, or any imagination. Nor could it have any locative power, while it was so closely bound in on every side. If it had in itself some springs of motion; yet it was impossible that power should be exerted, because the narrowness of its cavern could not allow of any change of place.

6. How exact a parallel may be drawn between this creature, (hardly to be called an animal,) and a man that is without God in the world!" Such as are a vast majority of even those that are called "Christians." I do not mean that they are atheists, in the common sense of the word. I do not believe that these are so numerous

as many have imagined. Making all the inquiry and observation I could, for upwards of fifty years, I could not find twenty who seriously disbelieved the being of a God; nay, I have found only two of these (to the best. of my judgment) in the British Islands: both of these then lived in London, and had been of this persuasion many years. But several years before they were called to appear before God, both John S- and John Bwere fully convinced that there is a God; and, who more remarkable, they were first convinced that he is a terrible, and then that he is a merciful, God. I mention these two accounts to show, not only that there are real literal atheists in the world; but also, that even then, if they will condescend to ask it, they may find " help in time of need."

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grace to

7. But I do not mean such as these, when I speak of. those who are atheists, or "without God in the world;" but of such as are only practical atheists; as have not God in their thoughts; such as have not acquainted themselves with him, neither have any fellowship with him; such as have no more intercourse with God, or the invisible world, than this animal had with the visible. I will endeavour to draw the parallel between these. And may God apply it to their hearts!

8. Every one of these is in exactly such a situation with regard to the invisible, as the toad was in respect to the visible, world. That creature had, undoubtedly, a sort of life, such as it was. It certainly had all the internal and external parts that are essential to animal life; and, without question, it had suitable juices, which kept up a kind of circulation. This was a life indeed; and exactly such a life is that of the atheist, the man "without God in the world." What a thick veil is between him and the invisible world! which, with regard to him, is as though it had no being. He has not the least perception of it, not the most distant idea. He has not the least sight of God, the intellectual Sun, nor any the least attraction toward him, or desire to have any knowledge of his ways. Although His light be gone forth into all