SERMON X. On the Obligation and Reasonableness of Preached in the College Chapel, October 14, 1770. HEB. X. 24, 25. And let us confider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works: not forfaking the affembling of ourselves together, as the manner of fome is; but exhorting one another. A MONG the circumftances which diftinguish one age from another, none are more striking than the particular vices and follies which are predominant, or the particular virtues and laudable practices which are unfafhionable in it.-That an unhappy indifference to religion, or at least to SERM. X. X. SERM. to the public offices of it, marks the character of the prefent age, will bear no denial. It is not however meant to brand the prefent generation as more degenerate in all refpects than their forefathers. On the contrary, it may be deemed a peculiar bleffing, to live in an age fo much enlightened as the prefent with every kind of knowledge. Never, perhaps, fince the Apostles days were religious principles better understood. And, bleffed be God, that narrownefs of mind, thofe four difpofitions, that bitter fpirit of perfecution and deadly hatred on account of mere difference of fentiments in religious difputes, which have been the difgrace and plague of former ages, are now greatly abated, and, in fome measure, put out of countenance. Those gloomy notions of religion too, which threw a dark veil over its natural beauty, or made it a series of forrow, are now exchanged for more juft and more comfortable profpects. This much, and more may in truth be faid in favour of the prefent age. But is there not reafon to fear, as it too frequently happens, that we have run from one ex treme into another? In the room of the bi gotry and gloom of our ancestors, we have funk into a fhameful indifference to divine things. They laid perhaps too much stress on the external offices of religion. We feem inclined to look upon them with difregard, if not with contempt. But furely we ought to confider, that, if the means of religion are neglected, religion itself must languish and where religion is gone, virtue wants its nobleft and beft fupport, and must ficken and die. It is evidently the intention of the facred writer, in the words I have read, to recommend to all Chriftians a regular and habitual attendance upon their religious affemblies, for the purposes of public worship and inftruction. He plainly blames thofe who deferted the Chriftian affemblies, as was the manner of fome even in his days. In our days, the number of fuch is greatly encreased. It is hoped, therefore, it may not be improper or unreafonable, at our firft facred affembly after the vacation, to enforce this apoftolical exhortation by attempting, SER M. X. SERM. I. To fhew the reasonablenefs and advantages of regular attendance on Public Worship and instruction in our weekly Chriftian affemblies. And II. To make fome application of what may be faid to ourselves, as an audience chiefly compofed of Masters and Scholars. I. In order to be convinced that the worshipping of God, in a public and focial manner, is a reasonable practice, let us first confider, That mankind appear evidently to be intended for paying homage to their Creator. We not only claim to be diftinguished from the brute creation, but we boast that we are a more dignified rank of creatures. Now, one principal part of this elevation, of this fuperior dignity, confifts in our capacity of knowing, praising, and obeying the great Creator of all things, and in rejoicing that we are under his allperfect government. It is certainly a momentous and interesting confideration, that, of all the inhabitants of this lower world, man is the only creature who can contemplate the grandeur, the beauty, the order and harmony of the universe: he alone can trace out the perfections of the great X. great God in his works: he alone is en- SERM. dowed with faculties which qualify him to raife his thoughts above visible things, to adore the invifible Creator of all things, and rejoice in the perfuafion of his boundlefs power, wisdom, and goodness. Without man, all these aftonishing scenes which we behold around us, would have been displayed in vain, as to any inhabitant of this earth. Man, therefore, as he only is capable of being, feems intended to be the high-prieft of nature, and is placed in this magnificent temple of God, that he may offer up the incenfe of thanks and praise for himself, and for the brute, and infenfible part of the Creation. Thefe, and many other reflections, which might have been added, make it evident that man is capable of devotion, and defigned for the acts and exercifes of it. All those perfons, therefore, who neglect and contemn religion, contemn what is the chief glory of human nature. For man's capacity to know and rejoice in God is the nobleft diftinction and perfection of his nature, and was never intended to lie ufelefs or unemployed. And thofe philofoVOL. I. phers E e |