persuadest me to be a Christian," with that precatory wish, not more remarkable for its piety and Christian charity, than for its seemliness and dignity of manner, "I would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these bonds1." Of liberality in its latter sense we have an example in the contemptuous self-sufficiency of those philosophers of Athens, who "mocked" at the Apostle" when he preached of the resurrection of the dead2," and of those Greeks, to whom "Christ crucified was foolishness" or in the wilful insensibility of the Roman governour of Judea, when terrified as he was by the Apostle's

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reasoning of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come," he dismissed the preacher "till a more convenient season," and made no other use of his opportunities of spiritual instruction and improvement than by endeavouring to render them subservient to his projects of worldly gain. In this sense of the term liberality, as denoting indifference to the essential distinction between right and wrong, truth and falsehood, the first preachers of Christianity were indeed the most illiberal of men: and those, who follow most strictly in the footsteps of such their predecessors, must be contented to share in their discredit.

1 Acts xxvi. 28, 29.

2 Acts xvii. 32.

3

1 Cor. i. 23.

4 Acts xxiv. 25.

But the liberality of our day perhaps shews itself less by indifference to religion in general, than by indifference to particular modes of religion: a sort of latitudinarian, vague, and indefinite belief, which professes to acknowledge the truth of Christianity in general, but is indifferent to the particular doctrines and duties, by which, in the judgment of the well-informed Christian, Christianity is distinguished.

This species of liberality, however, is in fact no less spurious than the former, and "falsely so called." So far indeed from being an exemption from irrational prepossessions, it is rather, I apprehend, the result of inveterate and fondly cherished prejudices, which indispose the mind for an impartial investigation, and an ingenuous acknowledgment of the truth. And it were, I am persuaded, no difficult task to shew, that indifference to the peculiar tenets of Christianity in those, "who profess and call themselves Christians," instead of being the mark of a truly liberal, enlarged, and generous spirit, is on the contrary at variance with the intellectual as well as the moral graces, which are the most becoming ornament of the human mind in our present condition; and is not more consistent with the true wisdom of a rational creature, than with the humility, the charity, and the piety of a disciple of Christ.

But indeed it may be questioned, whether in

difference to the distinguishing tenets of Christianity be intrinsically better than indifference to Christianity altogether. The true subject of the kingdom of Christ submits himself in all things to the declared will of his heavenly Master. And as that man would be a mere nominal loyalist, who, whilst he professed allegiance to his sovereign, should withhold from him the various services, which that general duty comprehends; so is he to be accounted a mere nominal Christian, who with a general profession of belief in Christ refuses to combine an acknowledgment of the several particulars, which Christ revealed, as objects of a Christian's faith.

In order, however, that we may have a more clear perception of our subject, I shall beg you to consider the character, under which Christianity, as a system of religious belief, is set forth by our blessed Lord and his Apostles; the manner in which they inforce a belief and profession of it; and the consequences which they ascribe to a contrary conduct.

I. Now the character, under which Christianity is set forth to us in holy Scripture, is that of a revelation from God to man, precise and determinate: not an arbitrary collection of independent propositions, any of which may be accepted or rejected without injury to the others; but an har

monious system of instruction, the articles of which are linked together by a natural connexion, and mutually related to each other. It is true indeed that the Scriptures do not present us with one brief and compendious summary of Christianity, like those creeds or bodies of belief, in which its principal articles were concentrated, probably at a very early period of the Christian era: but it is nevertheless true, that the terms, by which in Scripture it is described, are such as to bespeak its definitiveness and unity. Thus it is denominated "the gospel'," "the word "," "the truth 3," "the doctrine," "the faith 5:" by these terms, absolutely or by the same or kindred terms, with illustrative additions, "the gospel of God"," "the gospel of the Son of God"," "the gospel of Christ," "the gospel of the kingdom """ the word of God 10," "the word of dom","

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truth "," "the word of truth and gospel of our salvation 12" "the faithful word 13," "the words of

1 Mark xvi. 15. Col. i. 23.

1 Thess. ii. 4.

2 Gal. vi. 6.

Eph. v. 26. 2 Tim. iv. 2. 1 Pet. ii. 2.

10 1 Cor. xiv. 36. 2 Cor. iv. 2. 1 Thess. ii. 13. Acts xix. 20.

11 James i. 18.

12 Eph. i. 13.

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faith and of good doctrine," "the form of sound words 2," "wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the doctrine which is according to godliness3;" "the truth of the gospel," "the truth as it is in Jesus 5," "the truth which is after godliness;" "the doctrine of God"," "the doctrine of God our Saviour &," "the doctrine of Christ "," "the Apostles' doctrine 10," "sound doctrine "1" "one faith 12," 11.99 "the common faith 13," "the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God 14," "the faith of God's elect "," the "like precious faith 16" with that of the Apostles, "the faith which was once delivered unto the saints 17 " Such are the terms, by which our blessed Lord and his Apostles have designated the Christian religion: terms, varying from each other as to the particular phrase, but all of them under that variety of phrase conveying the same ideas of precision and limitation, of union and integrity; and representing Christianity as a definite and harmonious code of religious instruction, composed indeed of several members, but com

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