TO DR. W--B-T-N, B B -P OF G R. IT would be an unpardonable neglect, in paying proper respect to Doctors in Divinity, to pass over such a person as your Lordship, without shewing due regard to your merit. No person whatsoever has shewed greater respect to the dignity of Doctors in Divinity than yourself. The merit of The Divine Legation of Moses, in proving that the ancient Hebrews knew nothing of a future state of rewards and punishments, certainly entitles you to a dedication of a book, which is professedly written for the édification of those of your order; and your alliance between Church and State will cause you to be held in everlasting remembrance by all good Doctors and true Churchmen. In the first you have bestridden the narrow world of literature, like a Colossus, and left nothing for future geniuses to investigate; in the latter, you have laid the foundation of clerical honour. Without your supposed alliance, all the other glories of a church of this world are like the morning cloud and the early dew, which soon vanish away. This alliance is the parent of church dignity, and the grand source of preferment; without it no man would think it worth his while to be preferred, and a Doctor's degree would be but a lean dry honour without it. From this grand alliance proceeds the ointment which anoints the crowns of Bishops, and bedews the heads of Deans and Doctors. To you, Reverend Sir, every Doctor and Clergyman in the church are highly obliged for your pious and profitable labours. Voltaire says, you are an infidel; but all who know you believe you are a true churchman. I could say much by way of panegyric upon your merit; but I am afraid of offending your modesty by publishing your virtues. I shall conclude by observing, that I have mude honourable mention of you in these Sermons, and meant it for your edification. [T will perhaps be thought too assuming to attempt to edify Doctors in Divinity, whose office and profession it is to edify the world, who are established by government to instruct the nation, and to inculcate the principles of the Christian religion on the minds of his Majesty's subjects. But it is certainly reasonable, that these good men should, on some occasions, suffer a word of exhortation. There are few people so very good but they may be better; and as sermons are intended for edification, why should learned men be denied the privilege of hearing a sermon. But a second volume of Sermons to Asses may be accounted improper when directed to Doctors in Divinity. Not altogether improper when the matter is truly considered; for unless the Doctors be regenerated, the address is very proper. Job tells us, that man is born like a wild ass's colt; and unless their Reverences are changed from what they were when they were born, they are still like wild asses. Ephraim is compared to a wild ass, Hosea, viii. 9; and why may not Doctors allow the comparison? Perhaps the title should be Sermons to Wild Asses; but I have kept by the general term. The Hebrew word , which is rendered ass, signifies primarily to disturb, or to raise a tumult, and may well be applied to Doctors of Divinity; for there have been few disturbances in the church or the world of which they have not either been the parents or nurses. In this respect Doctors and Asses are synonimous terms. If the Doctors shall find fault with some particular passages in these Sermons on account of their being too plain, the author must inform them, that he loves plainness, and meant that they should understand him. The writer will very probably hear from the friends of the Rabbis the old style, a fellow of an ill heart;-but he can assure these gentlemen, however bad his heart may be, (and few people have occasion to boast in this particular,) he wishes them all well, and would not desire that any of them should die without sincere repentance for their sins, and a true view of the vanities of this world. The Rabbis could not well expect to escape without observation, seeing they have of late years prostituted the honours of universities, by bestowing them upon improper objects. And severe as some may think several strictures in these Sermons, yet it will be found, upon inquiry, that they are just. But I shall take my leave of the Doctors and my reader, and say, Amen. SERMONS ΤΟ DOCTORS IN DIVINITY. SERMON I. MATTHEW, Xxiii. 7. And love to be called of men Rabbi. IT Tis hard to say, what will be the use of degrees from universities at the day of judgment. It is pity if they are not for some service in the next life, that they should be so much in fashion in the present world. The minds of men are very capricious with regard to the objects of their pleasure. Mankind are like children,want to have every hobby-horse that is in fashion. If once they take a fancy for a thing, no matter what it be, they are uneasy till they obtain it. But who would think that reasonable creatures would be so fond of empty titles which can do no good? To be called Rabbi of men, is but an airy entertainment, A few common people might be excused for having foolish desires; but for learned men to be so weak, is not so easily accounted for. It is very likely human nature does not grow morally better by improvement in literature; for, unless vanity be one of the virtues, we will not find morality much improved by university education, There is not a more childish desire among the vulgar than this which prevails among the learned to be called of men Rabbi. The world have always had some hobby-horse which they have been fond of: but to desire praise of men is an old foible. This passion has been stronger some times than others; but it is alway a sign of the decline of virtue and religion, when men are fond of empty titles. Ambition for supremacy and prerogative got some way or other into heaven among the angels, and produced a most terrible catastrophe. Satan was the first we read of who affected to be Rabbi, and rebelled against heaven because he could not obtain such a diploma as he wanted. It was not long till he seduced our first parents into the same rebellion, for the same reason; and promised that they should be "as gods, knowing good and evil," if they would eat of the "tree of knowledge.' Arrogant as it was in the devil, and our first parents, to affect such such high titles, yet they took a better method to obtain preferment than many who have been influenced by the same spirit and temper of mind since their time. Satan directed our first parents to taste first of the "tree of knowledge," before they could obtain the title of Rabbi. He did not choose to prostitute degrees by conferring them on asses, like some modern universities. He wanted that candidates should have knowledge to enable them to exhibit and defend their thesis before they were admitted to their degree. Though Satan has one of the worst moral characters, yet there is no reason to accuse him of ignorance; nor does he choose, if he can help it, to confer his honours upon any but persons of abilities. It is contrary to his scheme of policy to dub the ignorant with degrees of honour. Hypocrites are his favourites; and the chief degrees in his kingdom are conferred on them. And it looks something like the temper and spirit of his kingdom, when men are ambitious of vain titles. In our Saviour's time the humour for degrees in colleges prevailed much; and the reason was, there were many hypocrites. When men's principles and conduct cannot abide scrutiny, they are obliged to cover their ill designs with splendid characters and dignified names. This might be tolerable in one who had a manuscript history to dispose of to the booksellers: such an one may, with a tolerable grace, set two big letters to the end of his name; but for professed pious and orthodox brethren to have the mark of the beast, is not so eligible. I cannot well say, whether, in one sense, it is any crime for preachers of the gospel to assume titles, and affect dignity: there seems to be some reason for this practice; for unless a man be very rich, or have something gaudy to recommend him, nothing that he can say will receive approbation in the present times. Truth, unadorned with the trapping of wealth or foppery, cannot now be admitted into the good graces of pious believers. Godliness, at present, must either walk in silver slippers, and come in the attire of the whorish woman, or be excluded the company of persons of reputation. There are but few that will give her a night's lodging when she comes naked, and asks admittance for her own sake and that of her Master. Some well-meaning men, when they found that their doctrine could not be received till once it was known how great they were, found themselves obliged to assume titles, to procure admittance for what they said to people of condition. For a Doctor in Divinity will be listened to with attention, and his doctrine accounted the very essence of truth, and the marrow of the gospel; when the words of one in the character of a minister of the gospel will only pass for illiterate jargon, and himself be esteemed a man of no learning or education. This may perhaps be some apology for good well-meaning men seeking to be called of men Rabbi, because they can do but |