might reasonably expect, that he would not have declared himself a Pharifee, and the fon of a Pharifee, without mentioning that they were mistaken in supposing a separate spirit.

The promise likewife of our Saviour to the penitent thief strongly argues the existence of the foul separate from the body. To-day, fays he, shalt thou be with me in Paradife. (Luke xxiii. 43.) This must in our apprehenfion mean some positive state of blifs; though it may well confift with the full reward of his faith being completed at the general refurrection. To this may be added the difficulty, under which St. Paul declared that he laboured, when he defired to depart, and to be with Chrift, as better for himself; though to abide in the flesh was more needful for his converts. (Phil. i. 23, 24.) If his foul was to reft inactive in the grave, or his power of thinking to be fufpended, he might have enjoyed the fame reward equally foon, though his life had been prolonged; and we have his own teftimony, (Rom. v. 3. 2 Cor. xii. 15.) that he fainted not at tribulation, nor

declined

declined any hardship for the good of the church. Whilst these texts remain, the fcriptures cannot be appealed to, as giving no countenance to the doctrine of a spiritual fubftance united to a material body; fince they plainly inform us, that the fame man, who was formed of the duft of the ground, was also created in the image of God.

Since then the Church of England acknowledges the fcriptures, rationally interpreted, as the fole rule of her faith, and profeffes to have reformed herself from the errors of the church of Rome by the tenor and authority of the word of God; let us bring all doctrines to this facred teft; and let us neither be charmed with the antiquity of an opinion, if unsupported by the scriptures, nor dazzled with its novelty, if destitute of that foundation. But duly fenfible of the weakness of our natural faculties, the obscurity and mysteriousness of the objects of our faith, and the many errors, to which we are liable from our prejudices and paffions, let us not be wife in our own conceits, nor lean

too

too much to our own understanding; let us not aim to discover or judge the mysteries of God by the rules of philofophy; and above all let us regulate our hearts and purify our difpofitions. If we thus apply ourselves to the ftudy of religion, we may reasonably hope for a bleffing upon our endeavours, and an increase of true wifdom; and may in some measure say with holy David, when compared with thofe, who are careless, or trust too much to their own abilities, I have more understanding than my teachers: for thy teftimonies are my study. I am wifer` than the aged: because I keep thy commandments. (Pl. cxix. 99, 100.)

THE NECESSITY OF OBEDIENCE.

JOHN xiii. 17.

If ye know these things, happy are ye, if ye

do them.

HESE words were fpoken by our

TH

Saviour to his disciples after he had fet them an eminent leffon of humility, and exhorted them to follow his example; and they may be equally applied to all his precepts. He came down from heaven to reinstate us in the way of falvation. He procured our pardon upon repentance, inftructed us in our duty, and obtained for us the affiftance of the holy Spirit. But ftill he requires our own concurrence, and that our faith and knowledge be perfected by obedi

ence.

ence. I fhall therefore in my following difcourfe,

Firft, fhew what effect the profeffion of christianity ought to have upon our difpofitions.

Secondly, what kind of actions neceffarily proceed from a true faith. And,

Thirdly, what care we ought to take to regulate our words.

First, I am to fhew, what effect the feffion of christianity ought to have difpofitions.

pro

upon our

As the Gospel discovers the attributes of God in the clearest manner, which we can at prefent comprehend; the duties arifing from our relation to him are equally evident. Reverence naturally arifes in our minds upon the confideration of our almighty Creator. And even the wicked have no method of fetting themselves free from the awe of the