earth: he gives fertility to the barren foil: he looks among the beafts of the foreft, and felects fome for his food, and others for his convenience: he confults use and beauty, in raifing his habitation; and adorns the face of nature by his improvements. Thus far however man, with all his accomplishments, is only fitted for this world; and if he have no higher aims, is ftill only a fuperior brute. But he has a foul within him, actuated by nobler principles, which fpurns all earthly things, and rises to a heavenly life. It is this holy fire, which David, in words like thefe, wishes to kindle. *Thy hands have made, and fashioned me. But "the goodly frame is ftill imperfect. It wants its 86 great animating principle! O compleat thy Give me understanding, that I may "work. "learn thy commandments." Thus then, God hath furnished man with the means of qualifying himself for future happiness. But if he confider the bounty of God as the means only of prefent enjoyment, he not only lofes, in a great degree, the happiness he aims at; but he has a penalty to pay hereafter for not accepting the favors of God in the order, and manner, in which God graciously offers them. He LXVIII. He that taketh not his crofs, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.-Matthew x. 38. E VERY chriftian hath his cross to take upfomething to bear for the fake of his religion; and as a test of his fincerity. The early chriftian had a very severe trial. He had the vengeance of a perfecuting world to endure-torments and death in every shape of cruelty. The chriftian of these ages has generally a different crofs to take up. He is under little apprehenfion of torments, and death: but he has the fashions-the cuftoms-the prejudices-the fneers -the infidelity-and wicked example of a loose world to contend with. To the early chriftian the great inftruction therefore was, Be not afraid of their terrors. The chriftian of thefe days is informed, that he who is afhamed of Chrift, and his words, in this adulterous and finful generation, of him fhall the fon of man man be ashamed, when he cometh with all his holy angels. Experience hath fhewn, which had the harder fervice. The christian of old times took up his crofs, and bore it with fortitude after his master, under all the terrors of perfecution. The modern christian shrinks from the world-is afraid even of appearing with his cross-and too often accomodates the doctrines of it to the fashion of the times. We LXIX. We have corrupted no man; we have defrauded no man. -2 Cor. vii. 2. A MAN's whole duty cannot be comprized in negatives. Yet these in the text are very comprehenfive; as they oppofe, in a manner, every violation of principle and property. I have corrupted no man. Nothing ever efcaped me, that could throw any difrefpect on religion. No licentious jeft on fcripture was ever heard from me. Every man, no doubt has his peculiar opinions; but I never published mine, when a full ftream of authority, learning, or piety ran against me. I would not risk the danger of leading others into error, or at least of their carrying my opinions farther than I intended.-I have been equally careful with regard to moral duties; and have always been fearful of faying any thing, which might weaken their ties upon mankind. As a man may corrupt others ftill more by his exam 1 ple, ple, than by his converfation, I have been very guarded on this head alfo. I have endeavoured, that no man fhall urge me as an example for the tranfgreffion of any moral duty. He, whofe confcience can fuggeft a language of this kind, may humbly fay with the apoftle, I have corrupted no man. The apostle adds, neither have I defrauded any man.-Here is offered a large field of enquiry. The groffnefs of downright theft is held in horror by every mind, that poffeffes the least degree of liberality. But yet many of thefe liberal minds liberal in other refpects may not be in the leaft fhocked with little tricks and deceits, under various forms. Numerous are the arts, which wander from ftrict honefty. Wherever the interefts of men interfere, they are found. The buyer, the feller, the debtor, the creditor have each their little arts of taking advantage. The dealings of mankind are fo various-cafes are fo intricate-felfdelusion so cafuiftical-and precept fo unequal to oppose so complex a fyftem of fallacy, that happy is he, who can fay from his heart, I have defrauded no man. Father |