popish impositions and prieftcraft, what might not thofe poor mifguided creatures give, for the happiness which we know not how to value,-of being born in a country where a church is established by our laws, and encouraged by our princes; which not only allows the free study of the Scriptures, but even exhorts and invites us to it; a church that is a ftranger to the tricks and artifice of having the Bible in an unknown tongue, to give the greater latitude to the defigns of the clergy, in impofing their own trumpery, and foisting in whatever may beft ferve to aggrandize themselves, or enflave the wretches committed to their truft.-In fhort, our religion was not given us to raise our imaginations with ornaments of words, or strokes of eloquence; but to purify our hearts, and lead us into the paths of righteoufnefs. However, not to defend ourselves,-when the attack is principally levelled at this point,-might give occafion to our adverfaries to triumph, and charge us either with negligence or inability. It is well known how willing

SERMON

XLIII.

PSALM XCV. 6, 7.

O come let us worship and fall down before him :— for he is the Lord our GoD.

I

N this pfalm we find holy David taken up with the pious contemplation of GOD's infinite power, majefty, and greatnefs-he confiders him as the fovereign Lord of the whole earth, the maker and fupporter of all things ;that by him the heavens were created, and all the hoft of them; that the earth was wifely fashioned by his hands;-he had founded it upon the feas, and eftablished it upon the floods-that we likewife, the people of his pafture, were raised up by the fame creating hand, from nothing, to the dignity of rational creatures, made, with refpect to our reafon and understanding, after his own moft perfect image.

the enemies of our religion are to feek occafions against us;-how ready to magnify every mote in our eyes to the bigness of a beam;-how eager, upon the leaft default, to infult and cry out, -There, there! fo would we have it: -not, perhaps, that we are fo much the fubject of malice and averfion, but that the licentious age feems bent upon bringing christianity into difcredit at any rate; and, rather than mifs the aim, would ftrike through the fides of those that are fent to teach it.-Thank God, the truth of our holy religion is eftablished with fuch ftrong evidence, that it refts upon a foundation never to be overthrown, either by the open affaults or cunning devices of wicked and defigning men. The part we have to act is to be fteady, fober, and vigilant; to be ready to every good work; to reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all longfuffering; to give occafion of offence to no man; that, with well-doing, we may put to filence the ignorance of foolish men.

I fhall close all with that excellent collect of our church :

Bleffed Lord, who has caufed all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, -grant that we may in fuchwife hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digeft them, that, by patience and comfort of thy holy word, we may embrace, and ever hold faft, the bleffed hope of everlasting life, which thou haft given us in thy Son, our Saviour, Jefus Chrift.

Now to God the Father, &c.