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that we are equally to blame if we do not know, and if we do not adhere to it. There is no excufe for ignorance in religious matters, where it is wilful, much less can there be any for prefumptuous wickedness against knowledge. To difguife, fupprefs, or betray the facred deposit of our belief, whether by word or deed, through fear or love of the world, is to do defpight to the Spirit of Grace, and to render ourselves obnoxious to the greater condemnation. "Better were it not to have known the way of righteousness, than after we have known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto us."

The conclufion then is, that we buy the truth at any rate; that we grudge no application, no felf-denial, to adorn and improve the reasoning faculty, with good discipline, useful learning, and true

religion.

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religion. For, as the light of the body is the eye, fo is truth the "candle of the Lord" in the foul of man. The former we have in common with irrational animals; and by it are enabled to pursue the neceffary occupations of a life fubject to the fenfes. But by virtue of the inward lamp well prepared and trimmed, our views are extended beyond the confines of matter; we come to the knowledge of ourselves by it's reflected influence; look into the world of spirits; fee the Almighty present in every place; difcern his will, and therein our happiness.

Let me only remind those, who, by the grace of God, and their own honest enquiries, have once happily arrived to the truth as it is in Chrift; that they give all diligence to make it the standard of their belief, and the guide of their actions. Neither fuffering any

vain conceit to cloud the understanding, nor any base affection to deprave the

will. For," if the light that is in us "if be darkness, how great is that darkness!" If we follow not the dictates of Reafon, rectified and enlightened by divine Revelation; what is to be expected but ignorance and delufion, the necessary forerunners of fin and forrow?

SERMON

SERMON XXIII.

PSALM Xix. 12.

Who can understand his Errors? Cleanfe Thou me from fecret Faults!

THERE is fcarce any subject of rational enquiry, which the generality of men are less inclined to investigate, or in the investigating of which they are more liable to mistake, than the true ftate of their own moral character. A conscious affurance of being free from flagrant and prefumptuous wickedness, is apt to lead them into a dangerous fecurity, and to cause them to think more

highly of themselves than they ought to think; nay perhaps fometimes, like the infolent Pharifee, even to thank God in their hearts that they are not as other men are. In the mean while they reft themselves fatisfied with their present spiritual attainments; without any the leaft endeavours toward furthering and improving their fouls in grace and virtue. The wrong bias of their affections, the frowardness of their tempers, their numberlefs deviations from the rules of prudence and the laws of charity, together with the manifold imperfections of their best services, are, in fuch a fituation of mind, little regarded, much less corrected. Whereas the main business of this probationary life is both to watch the inward man, and alfo to pay a due and conftant refpect to every circumftance of outward deportment; left an habitual inattention to smaller defects deprave the manners and spoil the Chrif

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