very political use of this facred inftitution, if it had no other, were fufficient to inforce a general obfervance of it on all, who have a love for public order. But the great fhould confider farther, that if they have no need of instruction -their inferiors at leaft have; who are always ready, on this, and every occafion, to fhew their betters, how much they approve, and value the bad examples they fet them.

Let things, however, be wrong in what degree they will let the great and little world unite in treating the fimplicity that is in Christ with that contempt they please, it is ftill our part to do our best to preserve it; and to keep the remains of religion, as far as we can, and as long as we can, fubfifting amongst us. Though the whole head is fick, and the heart faint, and the phyfician's best skill can only palliate; it is always fomething to go so far. Though our influence cannot preserve the whole, yet ftill it may preserve a part. Though we may have no effect on the general bulk of mankind; yet there may be many an individual, whofe honeft heart we may retain in the fimplicity of the gospel.

We are not legiflators, my brethen doubt whether things would go better

and I if we

were.

were.

The only means which we have to employ in this matter, lie in two easy words, our doctrine, and our manners; in both of which it fhould be our utmost endeavour to attain, as far as we can, and to impress upon others, the fimplicity, that is in Chrift. The former, we must endeavour to preserve from the corruptions of worldly wisdom; the latter from the corruptions of worldly fashions.

To explain the word of God, is certainly the most arduous bufinefs in which the reason of man can engage. Every explanation of the facred text is, in fact, putting our own fenfe upon the words of fcripture: and when we confider the very fupine ignorance of the generality of the common people, who take their ideas of religion from what we tell them; it is certainly a very awful thought, and fhould make us endeavour to keep us clofe as poffible to the fimplicity, that is in Chrift.

It is in vain to attempt this without a thorough acquaintance with fcripture; which will always suggest such paffages to the memory, as, on a comparison with the fubject we are upon, may direct us to the true scriptural sense.

VOL. IV.

The

The lawyer is obliged to ftudy with attention a number of books, and to examine a variety of parallel cafes, before he can be qualified to act in his profeffion. The phyfician is under the fame neceffity. And it is a mortifying confideration, that because the common people are obliged to take our prescriptions, just as we please to prescribe, we fhould for that reafon prescribe carelefly; and without fufficiently confulting that book, from which alone we can procure the true ingredients.

Some think the fimplicity, that is in Chrift, confifts in clothing their fentiments always in fcripture phrafe. I fee no more reafon for this, than for going about, as the apostles did, in fandals, with a fcrip, and a ftaff. Modes of fpeech are just as much the fashion of times, and countries, as modes of drefs; and need be as little obferved. The fcriptural mode of fpeech is highly figurative - very different from any mode now in ufe; and requires tranflation, as much as the original Greek. It is the feriptural idea, not the fcriptural mode of expreffion, for which we contend: and this may be loft in many ways. It may be narrowed to fpeak the

opinions

opinions of a sector, it may be widened to fpeak the opinions of the world or, it may be loft in morals; when inftead of preaching plainly, and fimply on gospel subjects, and gospel motives, our discourses, with fcriptural mottoes affixed, are short immethodical effays, in which the be ginning can hardly be distinguished from the end nor indeed what is aimed at, till the book is closed, just as the audience may suppose the fubject will open.

There is another thing alfo, which often occa fions our erring from the fimplicity, which is in Chrift. As the gospel is a covenant between God and man, it touches, of course, on fuch things, as relate to both. As far as it relates to God, it is, no doubt, a deep, mysterious fubject; but as far as it relates to man, nothing can be more fimple, and eafy. Hence it is, that our religion, without any contradiction of terms, (peace be to all fceptical cavils!) is fometimes called the mystery of godliness; and sometimes the fimplicity of the gospel. It is the mystery of godli nefs, as it relates to God's part in this gracious plan; and the fimplicity, of the gospel, as it relates To the want of fufficient attention to this eafy diftinction perhaps arife not only many

to us.

1.

of the disputes, and mifconceptions, and infufions of worldly wifdom, which have fo often difgraced the gospel: but also much of that ftrange, unaccountable confufion of ideas, that perplexes, and confounds the understanding of the lower people. If the loft condition of man -his restoration, and redemption by Christthe neceffity of a holy life through faith-the tendency of the gospel to make him happy both here, and hereafter and other plain points, had generally been the subjects of popular discourses, we should not have had now that grofs igno rance in matters of religion, and that variety of strange notions, and prejudices to combat, which we find amongst the common people, on all religious fubjects; but efpecially on the facrament of the Lord's fupper. As nothing is more difficult than to eradicate old prejudices; nothing would have been more eafy than to have prevented their getting ground at first. The plain truths of the gofpel might have descended just as easily as misconception and error have done fince.

It fhould be our care then to accommodate our doctrine, as much as we can, to the fimpli city, that is in Chrift-not to dwell upon its myfterious

II