for the further investigation and dissemination of truth, in a liberal, enlightened and philosophic ageall these may be perverted and abused! Even with the broad day-light of the Gospel shining round us, and while that church* which was once the great bar to Christian Reformation, is now giving most comfortable and edifying proofs of a contrary temper, and of an enlarged and tolerating spirit (except so far, alas! as she yet finds it convenient to accommodate Religion to worldly purposes)-I say, even amidst this abundance of Light and Liberty, this general reforming spirit, occasion hath been taken to reform too much; to fill the world, as of old, with disputes and distinctions totally unessential to Christianity, and destructive of its true spirit, when set in opposition to the weightier matters of the law-vital piety and true evangelical obedience.

The Reverend Mr. (now Dr.) Charles Henry Wharton of Maryland, formerly chaplain to the Roman Catholic Society in the city of Worcester, in England, has the following truly candid and liberal remark, in a most excellent stating of the motives which induced him to relinquish their communion, and become a member of our Protestant Episcopal Church.

"From my own observation, says he, I am happy to assure them, that the "Roman Church in this, as well as in many other particulars, is daily under"going a silent reformation. The dark monsters of Persecution and Bi"gotry are retreating gradually before the light of genuine Religion and "Philosophy. Mankind begin to blush that near fifteen centuries have "been necessary to convince them, that Humanity and Toleration are es"sential branches of the Religion of Jesus!"

Some parts of this Sermon, as it was first preached and printed in Maryland, are omitted here, so far as they were intended to explain the second part of the Text, and related to the difficulties which the preachers of the Gospel would have to contend with in all ages, against those who "would not endure sound doctrine." They were in substance transferred to Bishop Clagget's Consecration Sermon, in order that they might be of use more generally, viz. to our churches throughout all the United States, as well as to the state in which it was originally preached..

Thus, too many seem to run a constant round from Error to Truth, and from Truth to Error back again

"As if Religion were intended

"For nothing else-but to be mended ;*

there being scarce a folly of all the ancient Corruptions of Christianity, which might not be shown to be now acting over again, by some novel sect or another of the present day!

But thus to seek our Religion in things without us, is to seek the living among the dead. The Gospel of Christ teaches far different things. It teaches us to look for God and Religion within us; that we are to be renovated and strengthened by the intellectual touches of His divine Spirit upon our Spirits--that we are to" taste and see that He is good,"--see with our eyes, hear with our ears, and handle with our hands, the Word of Life. And the marks of this gracious State, this experimental Knowledge and vital Religion, will be manifested, not in loud and lofty pretensions to superior Knowledge and Sanctity; but by the calm fruits of Love and good Works-in mildness, serenity, and resignation of the whole soul to God.

But too many, letting go their hold of the form of sound words, and substituting, or mistaking, mere mechanical motions--the fervours of heated imagination-for the true and active signs of Grace, those living impulses of God on the soul, are often carried into the wildest extravagances. Fetching the marks

Butler's Hudibras.

of their religion from the notions of visionary or mystical men, instead of looking for them in the life. and Gospel of Christ, they set their passions to work, and at length persuade or terrify themselves into all those experiences and feelings, which pass, in their Creed, as the evidences of Salvation.

Buoyed up by such strong delusions, they think they have built their mansions among the Stars, "have ascended above the Moon, and left the Sun, "under their feet;" while they are still but like their Kindred Meteors which, having scarce mounted to the middle regions, are precipitated downwards again by their own gross and earthly particles! A devotion, worked up by fervour, whatever proceeds from the mere force of animal spirits, is of the Earth, earthy; in no manner like to that true Spirit of Regeneration which is of the Lord from Heaven, and begets the divine life in the souls of men. This true celestial warmth will never be extinguished, being of an immortal nature; and when once vitally seated in the heart, it does not work by fits and starts, but expands itself more and more, regulating, purifying and exalting the whole inward man!

Although it is of great importance, that we adhere to the Form of sound Words, as our Text directs us; yet we must not halt at Forms, or fundamental Principles and Doctrines; but we must strive, with all our might and zeal, through the Grace given us, "to go on to Perfection." Our Faith must not be a mere empty assent to the Truth, but the Holding the Truth in Love. It is Love that shews our Faith to

be genuiue. By this it must work, and by this only can God be well pleased. For Love flowing from Faith, is the Hand-writing of God on the heart. Whatever proceeds from it will bear his Image and Superscription. He will know it as his own, and openly acknowledge it as such, before Men and Angels, at the last day.

This Fruit of Love is what St. Paul every where holds up for the trial of our Faith and Spirits-" The "Fruits of the Spirit are Love, Joy, Peace, Long

Suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Meekness, Tem66 perance, and the like." All other marks of the Soundness of our Faith, except these Gospel-marks, namely, the Fruits of the Spirit, are only a dangerous ministration of fuel for inflammable tempers, or of despair to those of a contrary frame.

Why need I spend more of your time in applying the doctrine of my Text to the present occasion of our meeting?-an occasion (I will only add) on which if you could be indulged to hear the voice of an Apostle or Angel from God, he would preach to you Love and Unity.

Consider that you are members of a Church, which is acknowledged by all the Christian World to teach the doctrine of the Gospel, and to hold fast the Form of sound Words, the Faith once delivered to the Saints-a Church which has given to the world a long and illustrious list of eminent Divines, pious Preachers, and even glorious Confessors and Martyrs for the Truth, as it is in Jesus.

But in this country at present, such is her state that she calls for the pious assistance and united sup

port of all her true Sons, and of the friends of Christianity in general. Besides a famine of the preached word, her sound Doctrines are deserted by many, who" turn away their ears from the Truth," as taught by her, and heap to themselves Teachers as described in the Text. But let us leave all such to God and their own consciences-If they have but weighed matters seriously, and have not suffered themselves to be imposed upon by cunningly devised fables-they have a right to follow St. Paul's advice, and to be persuaded in their own Mind. If the Kingdom of Jesus be promoted, by whatsoever means and instruments, let us with the same Apostle have joy therein. Some, says he, preach Christ even of envy and strife, supposing to add afflictions to my bondsNotwithstanding this, every way, whether in pretence or truth, Christ is preached; and therein do I rejoice, yea and will rejoice-As to those who profess not to oppose our Church, but to be Fellow-workers with us in the same great cause, nay to go beyond us in all godly zeal and holiness--let us be roused by their example, and pray them God speed. A time will come when whatever is intemperate and new-fangled in Religion will be done away, or lost and swallowed up in Christian Charity; and those who have been tossed upon the ocean of Doubt and Uncertainty, will again seek for Rest and Comfort in the bosom of the true Church of Christ.

It is not from such that our Church receives her chief wounds.. It is from the Lukewarmness and growing Indifference of her own professed memhers--who are supplied with the Word and Doc