have contended, that its ecclefiaftical cenfures might be issued with a lefs timid, and lefs feeble voice; and that the interrogatories of its official enquiry, fhould not be repeated with mere formal and ineffectual injunction. Confiderations of expediency and season, and a regard to the prevailing temper of society, muft doubtlefs be allowed to operate: but it must not be forgotten, that the fear of prefent punishment, and the fhame of present difgrace, when difcreetly worked upon, may contribute to reformation of manners. Powers delegated in trust for the correction of prevailing immoralities, when exercised with confcientious and difpaffionate regard to the welfare of fociety, must be honourable; and cannot indeed be relinquifhed without a defertion of duty, which the extent of evil and the defpair of remedy will not justify. Thofe, however, who in lenient compliance with prevailing abuses, retreat from exertions of authority, which might be deemed invidious by perfons whom no moderation can reconcile to coercive restraints, in concerns of religious obligation, fhould at least, as knowing the terror of the Lord," with more anxious folicitude, perfuade men on thofe motives of eternal confideration, which they they are especially appointed to proclaim; they should exhort and convince gainfayers, not neglecting fuch rebuke, even sharp rebuke, as established character and afcendant influence may render impreffive, especially towards those" unruly and vain talkers and "deceivers," who fubvert established principles *; and not admitting to the communion, thofe, whofe notorious and open depravity is the cause of public scandal. Those alfo among the laity, who are loudeft to condemn every temporal fanction, defigned to reprefs the infolent, and to difcountenance the flagitious, should at least be ready to testify their reverence for that fpiritual authority, which our Lord unquestionably defigned for the permanent support and administration of his kingdom; should be careful, that they weaken not real claims, by complaints against fictitious pretensions; nor labour to invalidate the influence of a circumfcribed authority, by imputing to it the scandal of ancient exceffes †. Those who *Tit. ch. i. 9-13. + Few, it is hoped, will reason fo faft as Hume, who afferts fomewhat incautiously as a philofophical hiftorian, that "the cruelty and treachery, which attended the punishment of John Hufs and Jerome of Prague, prove the melancholy truth, that toleration is none of the virtues of priests, in any form of ecclefiaftical government," ch. xix. A. 1422. would would difparage the facred profeffion, must go back to former ages, for intolerance of zeal or extravagance of power; and the malevolent attempt, but betrays a prejudice, which will not difcriminate, and a defign, which aims at a darker purpose. In the perfon of his minifters, they impeach an authority derived from Chrift; difregarding the precepts of the Son, who " being made per"fect, became the author of eternal falvation "to all that obey him *.' * Heb. ch. iv. v. 9. SERMON SERMON V. MATT. xxviii. 20. Lo! I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. O the Disciples, whom he was about to leave, and to whom he had revealed the profpect of fufferings and of forrow, our Saviour judged it expedient also to disclose the gleams of confolation. With defign to foothe them, in their affliction, for the lofs which they were about to fuftain in his departure, he promised to fend to them" another Com"forter," who fhould abide with them for ever and in order to encourage them in the difficulties and perfecution which they were to endure in the publication of his faith, he furnished the affurance of a perma * John, ch, xiv. ver. 16, 17, 23. ch. zv. ver. 26. N nent |