Falfe gofpels were not obtruded on the world. till the genuine fcriptures were every where difperfed; and as they were publicly read in the daily worship of the Chriftians, no change could be made but what must have been immediately difcovered. Some philofophers, from the schools of the latter Platonifts in Egypt, when they embraced Christianity, introduced endless allegories; and, in imitation of those who forged writings in the names of Hermes, Zoroafter, and Pythagoras, began to allow themselves in what was called pious frauds, that they might give authority to their own conceits, or thereby invite philofophers to join them. But the primitive Christians were plain men, who made it matter of confcience to tranfmit the pure truths of the gofpel, without any vicious mixture whatfoever, and in a language that was eafily understood by all. Many various readings no doubt there are, which were occafioned by the numerous tranfcripts that were taken by Chriftians of what was the rule of their faith and practice: none of these various readings, however, affect any one doctrine or duty of Chriftianity; but all the copics ferve to confirm the authenticity of the fcriptures. Let us not then be moved from the hope of the gofpel, but hold fast the profeffion of our faith without wavering—for he is faithful that hath promifed. And let us confider one another to provoke unto love and good works. The Gospel preached to the Poor. ALEXANDER WEBSTER, D. D. EDINBURGH. HEARKEN men, brethren, and fathers, to what the Lord our God requires, that all of us may seek the good and peace of Jerufalem with the greatest fincerity and ardour, especially with refpect to its religious interefts. For this purpose it is highly neceffary that we should acquaint ourselves with our Bibles, which contain fuch exalted fentiments of the most generous difinterested goodness; which not only recommend the warmest zeal for the temporal and eternal interefts of men, by the moft amiable precepts and animating examples; but clearly point out how every one in particular may act his part in promoting the general happiness and felicity. But while we esteem every truth precious, let us fee to it that our zeal be according to knowledge, proportioned to the value and importance of things; and conducted with that wisdom and prudence, that meekness and condefcenfion, which fo well become the minifters of the gospel of peace, and the followers of the Lamb, who are taught that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. And as it is felf-evident that the true intereft and real honour of a Chriftian church can only be promoted by a steady regard to the laws and inftitutions of Chrift, the alone King and head of it, we would do well to take care that the doctrines for which we contend, be the faith which was once delivered to the faints, and not the doctrines and commandments of men, left when we would appear for God, we be found to fight against him, and overthrow that very church which we mean to establish. Now unto this Almighty, all-fufficient God, who hath been our dwelling place in all generations, a wall of fire round about us, and the glory in the midst of us-unto him be glory in the church by Chrift Jefus throughout all ages, world with out end. Amen. Sermon preached before the General WILLIAM LEECHMAN, D. D. PRINCIPAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW. NE great advantage arifing from a mild and ON moderate conduct is, that it places us in the moft favourable fituation for rectifying the miftakes and errors of those who have unhappily fallen into them. As long as we discover a real tendernefs for their interefts and characters, we may justly hope they will hearken to our reafons, and lay open their minds to conviction. But fo foon as we betray anger and bitterness, or use them harshly, we thereby prevent all the effect of the strongest arguments. When we fee, for inftance, youth, through a fondness for novelty, and the rafhnefs to which that feafon of life is liable, hurried away to espouse new opinions with great vehemence, and throw off eftablished doctrines, before they have time to confider and understand them ; if we then difcover paffion and refentment, we can never hope to have any power over their minds. But if we fhew them, by the whole courfe of our behaviour, that we retain a fincere good will to them, and a hearty concern for their interefts; we may then, perhaps, prevail upon them to listen to our reafonings, and to fufpend their forming any fixed judgment about the matter, until cooler thought, and more thorough examination, make them fitter judges of things. The experience of mankind juftifies this obfervation: a man of wifdom and moderation fometimes convinces and reclaims thofe who have been mifled, but the wrath of man never works the righteousness of God; nor can he ever hope to fucceed in his designs, who acts counter to the meek and humble spirit of our bleffed Saviour. This deferves the confideration of all friends to truth and virtue, and especially of those who are any way concerned in the education of the rifing generation. In order to preserve a proper modefty as to our notions and fentiments about things of doubtful difputation, and the circumstantials of religion, and to abate that pofitiveness in our own way, which is so opposite to real humility, and which leads us to complain of the pride of other men's understandings, when there is no other reafon for the charge, than that they cannot adopt our notions and phrafes. Let us ferioufly afk ourselves the following questions: Can I pretend to a clearer understanding, to a more diligent and impartial enquiry into revelation, or to greater degrees of divine illumination, than all others who differ in opinion from me? What grounds have I to imagine that I am in the full poffeffion of all divine truths? Do I not acknowledge that I may err? What fecurity then have I, that I do not actually err in fome inftances, amidst the multitude of opinions which I hold? May I not be in a mistake, nay, in many mistakes, though I am not confcious of the particular inftances? Is there not ground to expect that the admiffion into the regions of perfect light will prove not only an enlargement, but a correction of former views, to men of the wisest, best, and faireft minds?—Such questions, feriously put, and urged upon our own confciences in filence and retirement, and under the awful impreffion of the prefence of the great -Searcher of hearts, would naturally check that prefumptuous confidence that our own particular views are certainly right, which is fo common in the world, and fo frequently accompanied with that wrath of man which never works the righteoufnefs of God. Such ferious foliloquies would lead us to fufpect that we are departing from the meek |