SERM. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that V. I am pure from the blood of all men; for I have not fhunned to deliver unto you all the counfel of God. Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overfeers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchafed with his own blood. For I know, that after my departing, fhall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Alfo of your own felves fhall men arife, fpeaking perverfe things, to draw away difciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that for the space of three years, Iceafed not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and give you an inhe ritance among them, which are fanctified. I have coveted no man's filver, or gold; or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have miniftered to my neceffities, and to them, that were with me. I have fbewed you all things, bow that fo labouring you ought to fupport the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jefus, how he said, it is more bleffed to give than to receive.

SER

SERMON

VI.

The character and life of the Apoftle

Paul.

ACTS XX. 24.

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, fo that I might finish my courfe with joy, and the miniftry, which I have received of the Lord Jefus, to testify the gofpel of the grace of God.

I

T hath been obferved, in the laft dif- SERM. course, that if the religion, which

the Apostle Paul taught, and with the utmoft diligence propagated in the world, was without any foundation in truth; either he perfectly knew this, and fo acted

VI.

SERM. the part of an impoftor; or, by the mere VI. force of enthusiasm, he was perfuaded of

the truth of it himself, but without any found reason. In one or other of these fuppofitions, such as deny the truth and divine authority of the Christian religion must rest. I have already endeavoured to fhew, that the apostle could not be an impoftor; let us now inquire, whether from mere enthusiasm a tolerable account can be given of the part, which he acted.

That men have imagined divine impulfes and inspirations without any reality, and that they have fuffered great agitation and transport, which was all the work of their own over-heated fancy, is not to be denied. I fhall not go about to affign the caufes, or recount the many wonderful appearances, or the various kinds and degrees of this; which would lead me to the confideration of many things, difficult to be accounted for, and to a tedious difquifition, not at all neceffary to the purpofe of the prefent argument. It is enough to obferve, in general, that fo far as enthusiasm prevaileth, understanding and found judgment are laid afide. Men lose the calm and undisturbed use of their own powers;

and

VI.

and are carried on by a heated imagination, SERM. which is quite beyond the controul of reafon; and it is known, that, in many inftances, this hath arisen to a perfect phrenzy.

But certainly there is a great difference between this disorder of the mind, and thofe affections of it, which are naturally excited by a just discernment of the objects presented to it. What appeareth to us great and beautiful, if the mind is in a natural ftate, we cannot but admire and love; and our admiration and love must be in proportion to the degree of greatness, excellency, and beauty, difcerned in the object. Now, any natural emotions, which are caused by fuch admiration, and the ardors of fuch love are fo far from rifing upon the ruins of good understanding and judgment, that they really arise from them; and it fheweth want of difcernment and taste, not to be affected. To apply this to the affairs of religion; as the Supreme Being is an object great beyond all comprehenfion, and poffeffed of all poffible perfection, especially of thofe moral perfections, which render him infinitely amiable; fo it is the law of our nature, e 3 that

SERM. that we should love him with our whole VI. hearts: and furely juft conceptions of God,

.

in a proper ftate of the mind, cannot but be attended with the highest admiration and love; which is not at all inconfiftent with the cleareft and freeft ufe of our rational powers, but indeed refulteth from it; and doth not hurt, but greatly ftrengthen the mind. If there are what we may call raptures in the love of God, they do not deftroy or interrupt the ferenity of the foul, but establish it rather, and raise it into a temper, which the most cool reflecting thoughts approve, and which yieldeth a pure and folid joy. And while the expreffions of divine goodness, especially as it appeareth in the gospel of our Saviour, and a sense of his love, who, in pursuance of the counfels of the Father, came into the world, and fuffered, and died for us, beget in the heart the utmost gratitude and an ardent zeal in the cause of Christianity; or, in the language of the apoftle, if there be constraints in the love of Chrift, certainly this is no more, than what is natural and juft; and what the coolest and most difpaffionate believer would account rational, as well as dutiful, to encourage. And, therefore,