not with the malice of Julian, who plundered Christians that they might pursue their road to heaven with fewer incumbrances, yet certainly with too great an attention to worldly interest, and too little attention to the honour of God, the success of his gospel, and the just rights of his church; which depended upon God before it depended upon men; and cannot be rendered independent of him by all the power and policy of the world.

It is a farther misfortune upon the families of clergymen, that the profits of their office do not bear a proportion like those of other men to the labours of it. The physician who visits more patients raises a fortune sooner than he who visits fewer: the pleader at the bar who does most business comes soonest to wealth and honour. This is not the case with the pleader in the pulpit: his attention to the welfare of men's souls adds nothing to the established profits of his ministry: and in many large and populous parishes, where the minister has most duty, there is nothing but a residuary vicarial revenue to support it; and that perhaps to be collected by small sums, with trouble and uncertainty: so that the advantage is least where the labour is greatest. And after the discouragements of his life, the clergyman at his death leaves no such profession as can be carried on by a surviving widow for the maintenance of the family; who are left in poverty, with a quick and afflicting sense of their misfortunes, from the advantage (or rather disadvantage) of superior sentiments and a refined education.

All these considerations recommend to your encouragement the charity* of this day; which, we trust, hath the

To give this charity a better effect, it was found expedient, that a particular attention should be had to the education of the poor orphans of clergymen, till they are of age to be placed out in the world. A charitable society was accordingly formed for this good purpose in the year 1749, the Constitutions of which (being annually printed and distributed) do so fully explain the design, and prove the advantages, of this New Charity, that I must beg leave to recommend the little pamphlet which contains them to the consideration of those who are charitably disposed; under a persuasion, that this state of the case will speak for itself, and induce them to encourage so excellent an institution.

good wishes, and will continue to receive the assistance of those who are here present.

But since no human institution can prosper without the Divine blessing; we who are of the clergy must secure that blessing, and engage the protection of heaven, by approving ourselves as faithful ministers of Jesus Christ; that through our labours, our families and posterity may have a claim of relationship and dependence on the Divine Providence to the end of the world.

My station in the church gives me no right to use a style of authority; and if it did, I hope I should be tender in my reflections, through a consciousness of my own defects. But I must mention one great danger to which even serious men are now exposed in the discharge of their ministry. It arises from the scandal which has been brought upon our religion by hypocrisy in some, and enthusiasm in others. This makes us shy of appearing active in our duty, through a childish fear, lest they who never will do right should think we are doing wrong. The people who call themselves the world can forgive a man any thing sooner than the appearance of much religion: and in an age when counterfeits are abroad, they censure with a show of prudence and authority: their opinion becomes popular; and falsehood, when popular, never fails to domineer; it produces insolence on one side, and servility on the other. In every community, the vicious and the indolent will, if they can, make themselves a rule to all the rest; no coin must be current without their image and superscription. The man who gives praise to that truth or that virtue which reflects dishonour upon himself, must be blessed with a degree of liberality rarely to be met with. Sobriety must therefore never expect the good word of drunkenness; profligacy will always contemn prudence; profaneness will mock at piety; and they who have much religion must now meet the danger of being cast out as counterfeits by those who have little. If they are in the

church, and shew any extraordinary attention to the work of the ministry, they will incur the suspicion of being under some mistake: some root of error will be supposed to animate them; as if false doctrine alone could inspire a zeal for the glory of God. But has the plan of redemption no value; has the goodness of God no influence; has the eloquence of Revelation no power, but with indiscreet minds and disordered imaginations? Heaven forbid that we should harbour so injurious a sentiment, which reflects dishonour upon God and man! If hypocritical sanctity in some, and enthusiastic doctrine in others, have brought Christian zeal into disrepute, this will indeed be a snare to those who lay too great a stress upon the approbation of the world. But we may steer through all these difficulties, by attending to the example of the church here, and committing ourselves to the judgment of God hereafter. Thus we shall be secured from the wildness of imagination, and from that dishonourable fear, which would hinder us from being of any use as soldiers of Jesus Christ.

Every clergyman has his way marked out for him in the Articles and Homilies of the CHURCH OF ENGLAND; a church which has hitherto been a faithful witness to all necessary truth; grounding her belief on the Scripture and the practice of the purest ages. Her sober doctrines will secure us from the flights of fancy, and the vanity of innovation. Thus, however active and busy, we shall still be true and orderly sons of the church; and if we do not give satisfaction under that character, no blame will lie upon our consciences; let those look to it who do not accept of us.

To secure ourselves against the prevailing influence of fashion, so formidable to the children of this world, we must consider ourselves as stewards of God, to whom alone we shall be accountable at last. If he shall approve of us, it will not be worth our while to inquire who hath condemned us. The breath of censure, and the blast of fame,

are temporary and transient: the distinctions which now make so much noise, the parties which disturb the world, and divide the hearts of men, shall soon be at an end. Infidelity and indevotion shall meet the infamy they deserve, and truth shall once more be held in honour. Which God of his infinite mercy grant in his good time, for the merits of Jesus Christ; to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, three persons and one eternal God, be ascribed, as is ever due, all honour, glory, praise, might, majesty and dominion, both now and for evermore. Amen.

SERMON VII.

AND WHEN HE HAD SPENT ALL, HE BEGAN TO
BE IN WANT.-Luke xv. 14.

TH

HE words describe the miserable situation of a young man, who might have lived in his father's house, where there was plenty of all things for those who were wise enough to enjoy it.

But the love of liberty, and novelty, arose in the mind of this unfortunate youth. A restless curiosity was in his temper, and pleasure was his object: not the pleasure of the wise, but of the foolish; not that which God allows for our comfort, but that which the tempter throws in our way to ruin us. So he left his father's house, and went afar off, to be his own master, and take his pleasure, where no authority would reprove him, no counsel direct him, but that of himself and his wicked companions.

For awhile, he went on as he pleased: but at length, the evil consequences which he had kept out of his mind, fell upon his affairs: "he had spent all," and "began to be in want." He, who is without prudence, will, by degrees, be without money: and he, who hath spent all, must suffer

many inconveniences; of which this is one; that having learned no useful employment, he will be driven to miserable and base expedients to keep himself from starving: as this poor young man, in his distress, submitted to be sent into the field to feed swine, without being allowed the liberty of partaking with them.

The parable supposes this poor sinner to have recovered his senses, and to have returned: but, alas! how many are there, who go off and never return! whose ruined affairs can never be repaired! who have no father to receive and restore them; but are left to do as they can, and be lost in the misery they have brought upon themselves.

I mean to use this example of the Gospel, for the purpose of warning my hearers, especially some of the younger part of them, of the causes and miseries of extravagance, and of recommending the wisdom and virtue of economy, as absolutely necessary to make them happy.

When you inquire into the sources of extravagance, you may imagine that extravagance is owing to an extravagant temper. But extravagance is not the cause of itself: a man will no more throw away his fortune, than he will throw away his victuals, till some infirmity or folly has got possession of his mind. Every act, good or bad, is the result of some counsel, either from a man's judgment, or his imagination, leading his judgment astray. If his idea of things is false or partial, his actions will accord with it: unaccountable, perhaps, to reason and wisdom, but suitable to his conceptions. Allow a madman his principles, and then you will no longer wonder at his actions. Thus it is in the case of an extravagant person. He has conceived a false idea of things, and persuaded himself, either that we are sent into the world for nothing but to seize the present moment, and take our pleasure, or that his actions will not be attended with such consequences as other men's are; or that consequences, which are distant, are not to be weighed against gratification which is present. Extra