our minds alfo. Whatever is more than neceffary to convince, can only dazzle and con. found us.

Scarce any thing, it must be acknowledged, could better fatisfy the defire of prying into futurity, fo natural to mankind, than what the rich man fo eagerly requested: the return of a friend from darknefs and the grave to light and life, muft doubtlefs have amazed and afto nifhed, but it does not from thence follow that it would have convinced the unbelievers.

Men

The church of Rome, which hath always been ready to take advantages of the errors and follies of mankind to promote its own ends, hath not failed to lay hold of this natural curiofity, this love of the marvellous and astonishing, fo conftantly found in human nature. were continually foliciting them for miracles, and they are therefore continually forging them for the multitude; and, as if the real wonders which our Saviour wrought were not fufficient, have continued a chain of fictitious ones from thofe times even to this day.

But again: Is it not the utmost arrogance in man to call in queftion the conduct of God? Are we to direct the great Governor of the univerfe, or to guide the hand of the Almighty? What right have we to expect that the rules which he hath established fhall be changed for our pleasure, and the great fixed laws of nature reverfed for the fervice or for the amufe. ment of a worthlefs individual? We may reft affured, that if we have no regard to the works

of

of God, God hath a reverence and veneration for his own, and will not disturb or confound them. If the Almighty were to perform miracles as often as men wifhed, and perhaps expect them of him, he would have no other employment: and indeed, if fuch a favour were granted to one, all might have an equal right to expect it. If God had permitted Lazarus to appear to the rich man's brethren, their children, and their childrens children, might with equal eagernefs have folicited for, and with an equal degree of confidence required it of him. There are fharp and power. ful medicines, which, when first administered, act very strongly on the conftitution, but if frequently repeated, lofe all their efficacy. And fo it is with what works upon the mind: those strange and extraordinary proofs, thofe miracles which might perhaps in fome measure convince the judgment, or enlighten the understanding, would, in a very little time, be of no more service than the common operations of nature.

Briefly then to apply this parable to ourfelves, and conclude: The Jews were a people whom no king could govern, no God could please, no miracles convert. And the cafe is the fame with our modern Infidels who reject Christianity: they have all that reasonable men can require their understanding must be convinced of the truth of Chriftianity, but the paffions refufe their affent, and will not let them embrace it.

They fay with the rich man, fend us one from the other world, to teftify unto us, and we will believe. But had not the Jews Mofes and the prophets? and have not these men the Gofpel of Chrift? have they not already witneffes to confront, facts to convince, and miracles to confute them?

Were meffengers therefore to be fent from the grave, they would not believe them. Like thofe Jews who had no joy in the coming of Chrift, though the news of his birth was brought by angels, yet were the tidings unwelcome to them. Thus the enemies of our holy religion would be ftill calling for new proofs; they would afk of God how he made the world, and how he preferves it; they would defire him to explain to them the myfiery of their creation, and of their redemption; all thofe divine truths, which God hath reserved to himself, and which are therefore inexplicable by human wifdom, and unattainable by mortal reafon.

Shall man then, who was but of yesterday, reprove the Ancient of days? Shall he who fees but in part, find fault with all, or dare to correct that wisdom by which he was made? A day will come, we know, when all will be explained; there is nothing fecret which shall not be revealed, neither hid which fhall not be known. To that day, then, let us defer all our doubts and uncertainties. Let us not dare to fufpect the goodnefs, or arraign the juftice of God, but fubmit to his decrees, ftudy his holy Scriptures, and believe them; perform, in

fhort,

fhort, our one easy task, to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.

In the mean time we may reft affured, that if our hearts are ftill obdurate, and turned against God; if neither his judgments have awakened, nor his mercies melted us to repentance; if we still doubt, and still deny; if we are not, in short, already convinced and already perfuaded, neither fhould we be convinced or perfuaded though one rofe from the dead.

ON THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON.

SERMON

LUKE XV. 18, 19.

XX.

I will arife and go to my father, and fay unto him, Father, I have finned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son.

WHEN our bleffed Saviour condescended,

in an eafy and familiar manner, to inftruct his followers, the better to infinuate his divine precepts into the minds of those to whom pofitive injunctions might seem harsh and difagreeable, he frequently cloathed them in the becoming garb of fable or allegory; deceiving them, as it were, into virtue, and at the fame time commanding their attention by novelty

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and

and grace. His beautiful parables are all adapted to the capacities of thofe to whom they were delivered; though plain, yet elegant, and though fimple, yet fublime; fuch, in fhort, as the most ignorant muf have understood, and the most learned could not but admire; not fpun out by tedious and unneceffary digreffions, or obfcured by phrases remote and unintelligible; not calculated merely to amufe and entertain, but defigned to better and improve the mind, to convey instruction, and inculcate the most important tenets of his divine inftitution. And amongst these, there is not perhaps one abounding with more beautiful imagery, conveying moré useful leffons, nor more clearly, or more pathetically expreffed, than that which is now before us.

The Pharifees, whom our Saviour fo often rebukes for their pride and hypocrify, were extremely furprifed, and no lefs diffatisfied alfo, to fee one who affumed the title of a Law-giver, condefcend to affociate and converse with men of the lowest rank in life; and what to them appeared ftill more extraordinary, men of bad character and reputation also: and they murmured, faying, This man receiveth finners, and eateth with them.

Our Saviour, therefore, takes this occafion of vindicating his conduct, and explaining to them the nature and end of his divine miffion, which they were, or pretended to be ftrangers to: they feemed to imagine (like the church of Rome, which to this day treads in their fteps) that they were the favourites, the elect

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