From the period of the first restoration of facred wifdom, its laws have been maintained. by the fucceffors of thefe diftinguished men with fimilar and unrelaxing fpirit; and every change in the progreffive work of Reformation has been defigned but to advance the principles, and promote the influence of religion. By the members of an enlightened Miniftry have the infpired oracles of the faith been anxiously studied and patiently explained; by their researches have the scattered documents of revelation been fought out and compared; by their industry likewife have the precepts of truth been circulated, and the elements of inftruction diffused through every rank, till timid and erroneous policy would restrain the liberal exertion. By them has the cause of Christianity been established on a bafis from which it cannot be removed, while that word which paffeth not away fhall continue to be published with every teftimony of external evidence, and every illustration of human learning. The labours which have difclofed the accomplishment of prophecy, which have vindicated the truth of miracles, and brought for ward ward the beauty and confiftency of revealed doctrines, have inscribed their deductions on monuments that can fall but with the decay of science, and be buried only in the general ruins of literature and knowledge. SERMON SERMON III. JOHN Xviii. 36. Jefus answered, My kingdom is not of this THE world. HE promises held out by Christ to his Disciples, were not, thofe of temporal profperity. The fervants who were to attest their zeal in the caufe of a Master that had been wounded in the flesh, were to "arm "themselves with the fame mind" to "take up "the cross," and to fhew the firmness and fidelity of their attachment in trials and fufferings. Unwilling to stir up paffions ever ready to kindle, and desirous rather of animating his followers, even to a determined and estimated difregard of life, and its dearest interests, our Redeemer predicted to them only fuch bleffings as through perfecution were to be obtained. With denunciations of peril, and vour. rejection and hatred from men, were conveyed no intermingled encouragements from the profpect of the conciliation of earthly faThe Apostles and their early converts neither expected nor experienced the smiles of that friendship which was "at enmity "with God." Taking the prophets who had spoken in the name of the Lord, “ for an example of fuffering affliction, and of pati"ence," and "counting them happy which endured," confidering themselves as it were appointed to death *," they put on "the "whole armour of God, having their loins 66 girt about with truth, and having on the "breaft-plate of righteousness, that they might be able to withstand in the evil day t." 166 ἐσ 66 The virtues by which they were to illuftrate the tendency of their religion, different as they were from the vain-glorious qualities which the Heathen world had been accuftomed to admire, were to exhibit their higheft excellency amidft fcenes of forrow and distress; and the integrity of the Chriftian faith was difplayed with peculiar luftre amidft the mockeries and perfecution which it fuftained. * James, ch. v. ver. 10, 11. 1 Cor. ch. iv. ver. 9. In |