motive. And this is one of the most peculiar characteristics of the commandments of God.

N. B. A sermon of this kind, enforcing the morality of the Gospel beyond the morality of natural reason, when carried even to its highest extent, might be useful in some congregations.

XX.

Exod. xxiii. 2,

Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.

WHEN we view man in a pleasing light, we consider him as formed for society, from which he draws his greatest comforts; mutually giving and receiving benefits.

But we may consider man in a very different light. Moses, from whom we have the lesson of the text, knew enough of the Israelites, to think a precept of this kind highly necessary. Their great propensity in following a multitude to do evil, appeared on various occasions. The affair of the golden calf― of Corah and his company, and many other rebellious incidents in their history, show how inclined they were to run into mischievous associations.

The rule before us, however, has a deeper foundation than the history of Moses. founded in human nature.

It is Man, in his worst

light, may be considered as a gregarious animal, naturally running in herds. And as he is also (naturally too, we believe,) a noxious animallike wolves, and other noxious animals, he is most mischievous in a herd. The danger of his getting into mischief, by following a multitude, arises from these considerations :

First, a multitude have no principle of action. They are led by strong prejudices and passions, but without reason or judgment, which are always lost in a crowd.

Secondly, as a multitude have no principle of action in themselves, they are disposed to follow an artful leader into mischief of any kind.

For, thirdly, it must be remembered, that these artful leaders have always some private end of their own, which is commonly very different from the general interest of the multitude.

Fourthly, all sense of shame is lost in a multitude. It can fasten on nó single person. So that even well-disposed people, thus dispersing their guilt among others, never own it themselves,

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selves, though, in fact, the guilt is not dispersed, but multiplied.

Fifthly, there is no knowing what lengths a multitude may go. As reason and judgment are given up, men may be led, in the madness of party, to do things which, in a temperate hour, might have shocked the worst of them. Lastly, it should be considered, that, although it may be easy to avoid a multitude, yet when a man has once joined it, he cannot easily escape. He forms connections with his party; and if he leave it, he is thought a renegade by one party, and is always suspected by the other.

These remarks chiefly respect riotous and lawless assemblies; but, in a degree, they affect all associations of men that are not warranted by some useful end. A sermon on this subject might be preached at the time of an election.

XXI.

1 John, iii. 9.

Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin: he cannot sin; because he is born of God.

SOME well-meaning people have conceived from this text, and others of a similar cast, that the elect of God, as they are called, may arrive at a sinless state of perfection. The more enlightened of these sectaries, to whom this opinion is ascribed, hold it probably in some qualified sense; though in its most unqualified sense, it is often held, and preached by some enthusiastic people.

*

*The following fact was related to me by a person of great truth. A sectary of this description had put an end to his own life. When some of his neighbours were lamenting his case to his brother, and particularly the unhappy circumstance of his going out of the world with such a crime on his head, "It is of no consequence," said the other," he was sealed."