gold, silver, precious stones, shall be tried, as well as ta of other ministers, who shall have built on the foundation wood and stubble.

But the chief reason for our rejecting the comment of the church of Rome is the nature of the doctrine itself, in proof of which they bring the text. A heterodox doctrine, which enervates the great sacrifice, that Jesus Christ offered on the cross for the sins of mankind; a doctrine directly opposite to a great number of passages of scripture, which tell us that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, that he that believeth is passed from death unto life, that when the righteous dieth, he is taken from the evil to come, and shall enter into peace, Rom. viii. 1. John v. 24. and Isa. lvii. 1, 2. A doctrine founded on a thousand visions and fabulous tales, more fit for times of pagan darkness than days of evangelical light; a sordid doctrine that evidently owes its being to that base interest, which it nourishes with profusion, luxury, and extravagance; a barbarous doctrine, which produces in a dying man a dreadful expectation of passing from the agonies of dying to whole ages of greater agony in flames of fire.

IV. Let us now proceed to examine with what eye we ought to consider the three sorts of preachers, of which the apostle speaks, and so apply the subject to practice. The first are such as lay under another foundation beside that which is laid. The second are those, who build on the foundation, laid by the master builder, wood, hay, and stubble. The third are such as build on the same foundation gold, silver, and precious stones.

Thanks be to God we have no other concern with the first of these articles except that, which compassion obliges us to take for the wickedness of such teachers, and the blindness of their hearers!

What a strange condition is that of a man, who employs his study, his reading, his meditation, his labours, his public and private discourses to subvert the foundations of that edifice, which Jesus Christ came to erect among mankind, and which he hath cemented with his blood! What a doctrine is that of a man, who presumes to call himself a guide of conscience, a pastor of a flock, an interpreter of scripture, and who gives only false directions, who poisons the souls committed to his care, and darkens and tortures the word of God! Jesus Christ, to confound the glosses of the

false

false teachers of his time, said, ye have heard, that it was said by them of old time so and so: but I say unto you otherwise. The teachers, of whom I speak, use another language, and they say, you have heard, that it was said by Jesus Christ, so and so: but I say to you otherwise. You have heard, that it was said by Jesus Christ, search the scriptures: but I say to you, that the scriptures are dangerous, and that only one order of men ought to see them. You have heard, that it hath been said in the inspired writings, prove all things: but I say unto you, it is not for you to examine, but to submit. You have heard that it hath been said by Jesus Christ, that the rulers over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, but it shall not be so among you. But I say unto you, that the pontiff hath a right to domineer not only over the Gentiles, but even over those who rule them. You have heard, that it hath been, said blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, that the soul of Lazarus was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: but I, I say unto you, that the dead pass from the miseries of this life only into incomparably greater miseries in the flames of purgatory.

If this disposition be deplorable considered in itself, it becomes much more so by attending to the motives that produce it. Sometimes it is ignorance, which makes people sincerely crawl in the thickest darkness amidst the finest opportunities of obtaining light. Sometimes it is obstinacy, which impels people to maintain, for ever to maintain, what they have once affirmed. Sometimes it is pride, that will not acknowledge a mistake. Sometimes it is interest, which fixes them in a communion, that opens a path to riches and grandeurs, benefices and mitres, an archiepiscopal throne and a triple crown. Always, it is negligence of the great salvation, which deserves all our pains, vigilance the most exact, and sacrifices the most difficult.

Let us

My brethren, let us acknowledge the favour conferred on us by providence in delivering us from these errors. bless the happy days of the reformation, in which our societies were built on the foundation, laid by Jesus Christ and his apostles. Let us never dishonour it by an irregular life. Let us never regret the sacrifices we have made to it. Let us be always ready to make more. We have already, many of us, given up our establishments, our fortunes and our country; let us give up our passions, and if it be requisite our lives. Let us endeavour to perpetuate and extend it, let us defend it

by

by our prayers, as well as by our labour and vigilance. Let us pray to God for this poor people, from whose eyes a fatal bandage hides the light of truth. Let us pray for such of our brethren as know it, but have not courage to profess it. Let us pray for those poor children, who seem as if they inust receive it with their first nourishment, because their parents know it: but who do not yet know it, and who perhaps, alas! will never know it. If our incessant prayers for them continue to be rejected; if our future efforts to move in their favour the compassion of a merciful God be without success, as our former efforts have been; if our future tears, like our former sorrows be in vain, yet we will exclaim, O Lord, how long! O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night, give thyself no rest, let not the apple of thine eye cease! Oye, that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth, Rev. vi. 10. Lament. ii, 18. and Isą, Ivii. 6, 7.

It is not the limit prescribed to this sermon, that forbids my detailing the two remaining articles: but a reason of another kind. I fear, should I characterize the two kinds of doctrines, which are both built on the foundation, but which however are not of equal value, I myself should lay another foundation. The religion of Jesus Christ is founded on love. Jesus Christ is love. The virtue, which he most of all recommended to his disciples, is love.

I appeal here to those, who have some idea of remnants of divisions yet amongst us. How can I, without rekindling a fire hid under embers, and which we have done all in our power entirely to extinguish, shew the vanity of different classes of divers doctrines of wood, hay, and stubble?

In a first class it would be necessary to expose a ministry spent in questions of mere curiosity, and to contrast it with that which is employed only to give that clear knowledge, and full demonstration of the great truths of religion, of which they are capable.

In a second class, it would be necessary to contrast discourses of simple speculation tending only to exercise the mind with such practical discourses, as tend to sanctify the heart, regulate the life, to render the child obedient to his parent, and the parent kind and equitable to his child, the subject submissive to the laws of his rulers, and the ruler

attentive

ättentive to the happiness of the subjects, the rich charitable, and the poor humble and patient.

In a third class, I should be obliged to consider some productions of disordered minds, fancies attributed to the Spirit of God, charging religion with the tinsel of the marvellous, more proper to divert children than to satisfy inquisitive minds, and to contrast these with the productions of men, who never set a step without the light of the gospel in their hands, and infallible truth for their guide.

In a fourth class, we ought to contrast those miserable sophisms, which pretend to support truth with the arms of error, and include without scruple whatever favours, and whatever seems to favour the cause to be maintained, with clear ideas, close reasonings and natural conclusions, such as a preacher brings, who knows how to weigh in a just balance truth and falsehood, probability and proof, conjecture and demonstration.

In a fifth class, I should have to lay open the superficial ideas, sometimes low and vulgar, of a man without either elevation or penetration, and to contrast them with the discourses of such happy geniuses as soar up to God, even to the inaccessible God."

All these dissimilitudes it would be my duty to shew: but I will not proceed, and I make a sacrifice to charity of all the details, which the subject would bear. I will not even describe the miseries, which are denounced against such as build hay and stubble on the foundation of the gospel, nor the unhappiness of those, who shall be found at last to have preferred such doctrines before the gold, silver, and precious stones, of which the apostle speaks. Let them weigh this expression of the holy man, he shall be saved, yet so, as by fire. Let the first think of the account they must give of their ministry, and the second of the use they have made of their time, and of their superstitious docility.

I would rather offer you objects more attracting, and urge motives more tender. We told you at the beginning of this discourse that your duties, christian people, have a close connection with ours, and we may add, our destination is closely connected with yours.

What will be the destiny of such as shall have built on the foundations of christianity gold, silver, and precious stones ? What will be the destiny of those, who shall have exercised such a ministry? What will be the destiny of such as have incorporated themselves with it? Ah! my brethren, I place

my happiness and glory in not being able fully to answer this question. I congratulate myself for not being able to find images lively enough to represent the pomp, with which I hope, my most beloved auditors, you will one day be adorned. Yet I love to contemplate that great day, in which the work of faithful ministers, and faithful christians. will be made manifest by fire. I love to fill my mind with the day, in which God will come to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe, 2 Thess. i. 10: when he shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people, Psal. 1. 4. saying, Gather my saints together unto me, those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice, ver. 5. I love to satiate my soul with ideas of the redeemed of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation in company with ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands of angels, Rev. v. 9. 11. At the head of this august body I see three chiefs.

The first is Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, Heb. xii. 2. I see this divine leader presenting himself before his father with his wounds, his cross and his blood, and saying, Father, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was, John xvii. 4, 5. Having glorified the head, glorify the members, save my people. Then will the eternal Father crown such just and holy petitions with success. Then will be accomplished in regard to Jesus Christ this magnificent promise, Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost part of the earth for thy possession, Psal. ii. 8. Such as oppose thine empire govern with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel: but enter thou into thy kingdom with thy subjects, thy saints, thy well-beloved, and share with them thy glorious inheritance.

The second leaders are prophets, evangelists, and apostles, appearing before God with the conquests they made, the nations they converted, the persecutions they endured for the love of God and his gospel. Then will the promises made to these holy men be accomplished, they that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. When the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shail sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, Dan. xii. 4. Matt. xix. 28.

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