nies of truth; but the habits of indolence, and the diffipation of thoughtless vacuity, are calculated only to enfeeble and to debase the mind. The fphere of enquiry is extended, and the collections of general industry compared, as intercourfe between different countries is enlarged; but the prosperity of states has too often proved ruinous to the integrity of their character; and the deductions of learning and fober enquiry are not feldom overlooked by the careless infenfibility of the general ranks, or the confident vanity of those who deem themselves enlightened by the diffufion of a fuperficial knowledge. The existing state of life and manners prefents abundant illustration of the truth of these remarks. At no period, fince the right of an uncontrolled freedom of judgment has been afferted, have fuch bold and extravagant opinions been propagated to perplex mankind; or the general claffes of fociety been more misled by men, whofe vivacity of genius and powers of intellect are employed only on those loose principles and inaccurate notions, which circulate in popular difcuffion. The reputation for talents, where no folid information exifts, is often fupported but by confident D confident affertion and fanciful argument. Hence it fo frequently happens, that men, who have prosecuted none of those studies which are neceffary to develope, even the fcheme of the external evidence of Chriftianity, prefume, with defultory remark and prefumptuous decifion, to determine on its proofs. They bring forward perhaps fome folitary particular of fceptical invention, or fome trivial circumftance of fubordinate concern, to invalidate the connected and confiftent teftimonies of hiftory. They produce fome precarious conclufion from philofophical statements, haftily framed and partially confidered, to impeach the fidelity of records, which thofe of the most enlarged minds, who have reafoned from comprehenfive research, and from fuch stores of acquired knowledge, as amidst the habits of modern life are rarely, if ever, attained, have attefted with fulleft conviction; fuch having learnt by profound enquiry and fedate reflection to think diffidently of their own wifdom, and to restrict their reafon to objects within the scope of its faculties and the limits of its attainments. By thefe means, is the authority of religion invalidated on those who are unaccustomed to contemplate the concentered rays of evidence before 35 which the objections that occupy the uninstructed mind fade and difappear; and hence is the faith which has no folid reliance furrendered to vague declamation; or diftracted with doubts which it cannot difperfe, and difficulties which it cannot folve. The influence of such ascendency is often likewife employed to "lead captive" its hearers, by confounding the abuses of religion with its genuine inftruction; fubverting the faith of thofe who have not learnt to difcriminate between the fincerity of the revealed doctrines, and the perverted teaching of falfe profeffors; and who forfaking religion because errors have been countenanced by its pretended fanction, but plunge into the unfa thomable depths of human folly." The characters of fuperftition and of religion are fufficiently diftinct, and may easily be understood by those who do not wish to blend their description. Their opposite effects may be fully illuftrated from a comparative view of countries illumined by the reformed faith, and thofe ftill overfhadowed by the clouds of error. In the former, religion may be neglected; but it misleads not in its establifhed decrees, to any practice offenfive to God, or injurious to man. In the latter, unprejudiced D 2 judiced obfervation must admit, that the public faith is the polluted fource and fountain of fpeculative and practical evil. Those who would promote the influence of religion, must commend and invigorate the great principles established at the Reformation. Even these principles, it is true, realize not the theoretic perfection of religion, because they contend with the malignity of human corruption. The difpenfations of the natural world, which at no time have left God "without a witness," produced but indirect teftimonies of reverence, and erroneous expreffion of worship; and when we lament the want of apparent effects from Revelation, be it remembered, that "this is "the condemnation, that light is come into "the world, and men loved darkness rather " than light, because their deeds were evil.” SERMON SERMON II. JOHN xvii. 36. Jefus anfwered, My kingdom is not of this THE world. HE rejection of earthly power, in the establishment of Christianity, was an eminent and characteristic proof of the Divine origin of that religion. Its great teacher, pleading an heavenly commiffion, required not the affiftance of the human arm. He withdrew from the election of popular favour*, and held back the fword drawn by the zeal of his Disciple †. He profeffed to lay the foundations only of a fpiritual kingdom, aiming at no dominion over the temporal poffeffions of men ; and * John, ch. vi. ver. 15. D 3 + Matt. ch. xxvi. ver. 52. declaring, |