tion and blasphemy of asking God to undervalue his own gifts, and to work miracles for those who are infenfible of his benefits; of afking omnipotence to permit you to indulge yourselves in indolence and fecurity; of asking the God of righteousness to hear and reward the difobedient who will not, at his command, do whatever their hands find to do: who faith, "Watch ye, ftand fast in the

faith, quit ye like men and be strong." Invafion has been threatened. Invasion is threatened. Invafion has been attempted. Who can fay where an enraged and difappointed enemy may make the next attempt?

AFTER faying fo much, in this discourse, for foothing your minds, think not that I am about to diftrefs and alarm you. To know your real fiutation is neceffary for manly exertion. Danger roufes to manly exertion. A manly spirit is known in the hour of danger, and fecures and enjoys the bleffings of peace.

It is with much fatisfaction I have perceived that, a fpirit has gone forth, of loyalty, of patriotism and exertion through this country. It is with peculiar pleasure I add, that

it early and eminently appeared among ourfelves. If fome of our countrymen are faint hearted, when they hear of infurrections and invasions, there are others, there are among ourselves, who are willing to preserve entire our invaluably precious Constitution, in Church and State, at every hazard; and to frustrate every attempt of our enemy against us, whose visits and fraternizations have been fo ruinous to all who have invited them, and upon whom they have been forced. Though I am myself of the number, may not I aver, that Volunteers, in fuch circumftances as ours, deferve well of their country? Under the aufpices of a family long endeared to us, and to their country, and to the Church of Scotland, we have cheerfully affociated together. Our places in fociety retained and fecured, we have, a goodly number here prefent, fhewn a willingness to do valiantly, for our King and country, our church, our homes, our wives and families, and all that is dear to us, as men and Chriftians.

'Tis not for me to fay any thing on the fubject of our offer being accepted or refufed

fufed. The consciousness of having made this patriotic offer, in the circumftances of the nation, as we understand them, will prove a fource of lafting fatisfaction to us, and which can never be taken from us. Should this offer be accepted, and should our services be called for, let me befeech you, my brethren in arms, to continue to merit the favourable opinion enterained of you, by a converfation becoming the Gospel: by fobriety by good order: by the patience and fortitude, and courage, effential to good foldiers; and by carefully fhunning the vices of a military life.

THIS fhort occafional addrefs, you will not confider as a departure from the fubject of this difcourfe, the reftraining trouble when there are wars and rumours of wars. In the spirit of the text, and defirous of promoting tranquillity in this time of danger and alarm, I hope I am justified in saying that, if every district in Britain of the fame extent, fhall fhew equal fpirit, with the bleffing of GOD, and according to the ordinary course of providence, Great Britain would prove almost invulnerable by any foe.

SERMON

SERMON VIII.

THE PERFECTION AND FELICITY OF THE
HEAVENLY STATE.

[Preached before the University of St. Andrews, Nov. 10. 1799.)

1 COR. xiii. 11.

When I was a child, I fpake as a child, I underfood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man I put away childish things.

THE writings of the Apostle Paul, and his difcourfes, as preferved in the Acts of the Apostles, are diftinguished by a boldnefs of tranfition, and frequency and force of metaphor, comparison and allufion. By his peculiarities of style, we form a juft opinion of an author and an orator. A man of a lively imagination and of warmth of heart, employs forcible expreffion and glowing lane guage, when he feels strongly, and urges upon thofe he addreffes, what he knows is true, is excellent, is effential to their happiness.

THE words now read are an example of Rr

the

the peculiarly striking and happy manner of the apoftle, in, at once, propofing and illuftrating his fubject: Chriftian charity, its excellence, its exercifes, its effects, its duration, is his interefting and delightful theme: of this genuine love of GoD and man, he declares and illuftrates the perfection and felicity, in these words :-

"WHEN I Was a child, I spake as a child, "I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man I put away childish things."

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THE apoftle's train of thought, fo briefly and forcibly expreffed in this manner, I apprehend is this: In recommending and celebrating charity, I lead your thoughts to a ftate of future perfection and felicity: the blessed inhabitants of heaven, the uniting in whose exercises and joys we are now preparing, are fuperior to us, in our highest attainments, while we are in this world, as mature age is to childhood. A man in full possesfion of his faculties, of vigour of body, and ftrength of mind, in his exercises, habits and enjoyments, differs greatly from a child;

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