answered; "The Lord is able to give thee

"much more than this."

SERMON X.

On Christian Bounty.

Page 151

DEUT. XV. II. Thou shalt open thine hand

wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy

! needy.

171

SERMON XI.

On Discontent.

MATTH. XX. 15. Is it not lawful for me to

do what I will with mine own?

SERMON XII.

On Worldly Anxiety.

195

PHILIP. iv. 6, 7. Be careful for nothing:

but in every thing, by prayer and supplication

with thanksgiving, let your requests be made

known unto God. And the peace of God,

which passeth all understanding, shall keep

your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,

SERMON XIII.

215

On Christian Obedience to Civil Rulers.

MATTH. Xxii. 21. Then saith He unto them

Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which

;

SERMON XV.

Christian Patriotism illustrated by the

Character of Nehemiah.

NEHEM. V. 15.

But so did not I, because of

the fear of God.

281

SERMON XVI.

On quiet Diligence in our proper Concerns.

I THESS. iv. II. Study to be quiet, and to do

your own business.

SERMON XVII.

On Partiality.

305

ACTS, vi. 1. And in those days when the

number of the disciples was multiplied, there

arose a murmuring of the Grecians against

the Hebrews, because their widows were

neglected in the daily ministration.

325

SERMON XVIII.

ACTS, vi. 1.

On Suspicion.

And in those days, when the

number of the disciples was multiplied, there

arose a murmuring of the Grecians against

the Hebrews, because their widows were

neglected in the daily ministration.

SERMON XIX.

Page 346

On doing Evil to produce Good.

ROMANS, iii. 8. Some affirm that we say,

"Let us do evil that good may come :" whose

damnation is just.

366

SERMO N. XX.

On the Superiority of Moral Conduct

required in Christians.

MATTH. V. 47. What do ye more than

others?

387

SER-

SERMON I.

Our LORD JESUS CHRIST the FOUNDATION of MORALITY.

I COR. iii. II.

Other Foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

WE are accustomed to hear Morality

mentioned as a subject distinct from Religion. This separation in common language is not surprising; as we daily see many actions, literally consistent with moral precepts, performed from motives, in which religion has no part. The habit, however, of regarding morality as disjoined from religion is not only erroneous, but highly pernicious. Religion, constituting the sum of human duty, consists of two branches, piety and morality. Piety comprises the dispositions and actions of which God is the immediate object; morality,

B

morality, those of which other beings are immediately the objects. Thus adoration is an act of piety: compassion to a man or to a brute and self-government, are acts of morality.

As there are various dispositions which may be exercised either towards God or towards man; there are proceedings which at one time are to be ranked under piety, at another under morality. Thus love to God is an act of piety; love to men for his sake, of morality.

Sometimes a moral duty, the breach of which involves peculiar guilt, popularly takes the appellation of piety. Thus love to parents has been denominated filial piety. But the nature of an action is not altered by an accidental change of term.

In every respect, and from first to last, our Lord Jesus Christ is the corner-stone of our salvation. From him arises the beginning of religion, repentance. Him bath God exalted to be a prince and a Saviour to give repentance (a), no less than forgiveness of sins. From him proceeds faith: he is the author and finisher of it (b). From him is derived our reconciliation with God: Through him we have access to the Father. (b) Heb. xii. 2.

(a) Acts, v. 31.