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whether the worship that one renders to God, be acceptable or odious to him; whether the fatigues and sufferings that are endured for religion, be punishments of ones folly, or preparations for the reward of virtue.

But if this state of mind be violent, it is difficult to free ones self from it. There are but two sorts of men, who are free from the disquietudes of this state: they who live without reflection, and they who have seriously studied religion; they are the only people who are free from doubts.

We see almost an innumerable variety of sects, which are diametrically opposite to one another. How can we flatter ourselves that we belong to the right community, unless we have profoundly applied ourselves to distinguish truth from falshood?

We hear the partisans of these different religions anathematize and condemn one another. How is it, that we are not afraid of their denunciations of wrath?

We cannot doubt that, among them who embrace systems opposite to ours, there is a great number who have more knowledge, more erudition, more genius, more penetration, than we. How is it that we do not fear, that these adversaries, who have had better opportunities of knowing the truth than we, actually do know it better; and that they have employed more time to study it, and have made a greater progress in it?

We acknowledge, that there are in the religion we profess, difficulties which we are not able to solve, bottomless depths, mysteries, which are not only above our reason; but which seem opposite to it. How is it, that we are not stumbled at these difficulties? How is it, that we have no doubt of the truth of a religion, which is, in part, concealed under impenetrable veils?

We are obliged to own, that prejudices of birth and education, are usually very influential over our minds. Moreover, we ought to remember, that nothing was so carefully inculcated on our infant minds as the articles of our faith. How can we demonstrate that these articles belong to the class of demonstrative truths, and not to that of the prejudices of education?

We know, by sad experience, that we have often admitted erroneous propositions for incontestible principles; and that when we have thought ourselves in possession of demonstration, we have found ourselves hardly in possession of probability. How is it, that we do not distrust the judg

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ments of minds so subject to illusion, and which have been so often deceived?

From these different reflections ariseth a mixture of light and darkness, a contrast of certainty and doubt, infidelity and faith, scepticism and assurance, which makes one of the most dreadful states in which an intelligent soul can be. If men are not a constant prey to the gloomy thoughts that accompany this state, it is because sensual objects fill the whole capacity of their souls: but there are certain moments of reflection and self-examination, in which reason will adopt these distressing thoughts, and oblige us to suffer all their exquisite pain.

A man who is arrived at the knowledge of the truth, a man who hath made all the sacrifices necessary to arrive at it, is superior to these doubts: not only because truth hath certain characters which distinguish it from falshood, certain rays of light which strike the eye, and which it is impossible to mistake; but also because it is not possible that God should leave those men in capital errors, whom he hath enabled to make such grand sacrifices to truth. If he do not discover to them at first all that may seem fundamental in religion, he will communicate to them all that is fundamental in effect. He will bear with thein, if they embrace some circumstantial errors, into which they fall only through a frailty inseparable from human nature.

4. Finally, consider the value of truth in regard to the calm which it produceth on a death-bed. Truth will render you intrepid at the sight of death. Cato of Utica, it is said, resolved to die, and not being able to survive the liberty of Rome, and the glory of Pompey, desired, above all things, to convince himself of the truth of a future state. Although he had meditated on this important subject throughout the whole course of his life, yet he thought it was necessary to re-examine it at the approach of death. For this purpose he withdrew from society, he sought a solitary retreat, he read Plato's book on the immortality of the soul, studied the proofs with attention, and convinced of this grand truth, in tranquillity he died. Methinks I hear him answering, persuaded of his immortality, all the reasonings that urge him to continue in life. If Cato had obtained only uncertain conjectures on the immortality of the soul, he would have died with regret; if Cato had known no other world, he would have discovered his weakness in quitting this. But Plato gave Cato satisfaction. Cato was persuaded of another life. The

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sword with which he destroyed his natural life, could not touch his immortal soul. The soul of Cato saw another Rome, another republic, in which tyranny should be no more on the throne, in which Pompey would be defeated, and Cæsar would triumph no more*.

How pleasing is the sight of a heathen, persuading himself of the immortality of the soul by the bare light of reason! And how painful is the remembrance of his staining his reflections with suicide! But I find in the firmness which resulted from his meditations, a motive to obey the precept of the wise man in the text. While the soul floats in uncertainty, while it hovers between light and darkness, persuasion and doubt; while it hath only presumptions and probabilities in favour of religion; it will find it impossible to view death without terror: but an enlightened, established christian finds in his religion a sure refuge against all his fears.

If a pagan Cato defied death, what cannot a christian Cato do? If a disciple of Plato could pierce through the clouds, which hid futurity from him, what cannot a disciple of Jesus Christ do? If a few proofs, the dictates of unassisted reason, calmed the agitations of Cato, what cannot all the luminous proofs, all the glorious demonstrations do, which ascertain the evidence of another life? God grant we may know the truth by our own experiences! be honour and glory for ever.

Amen.

*Plutarch M. Cato Min.

To him

SERMON

SERMON II.

THE ENEMIES AND THE ARMS OF

CHRISTIANITY.

Preached on Easter-Day.

EPH. vi. 11, 12, 13.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.

I'

T is a very remarkable circumstance of the life of Jesus Christ, my brethren, that, while he was performing the most public act of his devotedness to the will of God, and while God was giving the most glorious proofs of his approbation of him, Satan attacked him with his most violent assaults. Jesus Christ, having spent thirty years in meditation and retirement, preparatory to the important ministry, for which he came into the world, had just entered on the functions of it. He had consecrated himself to God by baptism; the holy Spirit had descended on him in a visible form; a heavenly voice had proclaimed in the air, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, Matt. iii. 17. and he was going to meditate forty days and nights on the engagements, on which he had entered, and which he intended to fulfil. These circumstances, so proper in all appearance, to prevent the approach of Satan, are precisely VOL. II. F

those,

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