demn them, call to mind three instances: villainous Sodom produced a Lot; Sardis had a few who had escaped general pollution; and from Nazareth emanated Heaven's brightest gift to man!

With respect to religious prejudices, the same remarks will hold good; these generally show themselves towards characters, sentiments, books, and churches.

With regard to character; such a man is decent in the performance of external duties; he attends with a great degree of regularity on the services of the sanctuary, his family is well conducted, he is just in his dealings, and inoffensive in his deportment; but we suspect his motives; we think he rests too much in the means without looking sufficiently to the great first cause; we consider his virtues to be of a doubtful nature, and we suffer the force of prejudice to obscure their bright

ness.

Again, with respect to opinions or sentiments; if they happen to differ essentially from those in which we have been educated; but which, perhaps, we have little studied, we are too apt immediately to pronounce them erroneous, and we shun such persons as dangerous companions; whereas, we should ever bring opinions to the test of argument, and defend our sentiments with temper and moderation; this

would be the surest way of proving their excellence. As to books, I believe that prejudice prevails to a greater degree in this respect, than in any other instance. I doubt whether there are many Socinians who would do honour to the writings of Calvin, or many Calvinists who would render justice to those of Socinus. The general sentiments a man holds, stamp a certain character on all his publications, and few persons have the candour or the modesty to read them free from prejudice. And, how are christian churches marked by this principle? St. Paul felt and expressed a just indignation, when his converts fell into this error; one saying, "I am of Paul;" another, "I am of Apollos;" a third, "I am of Cephas," thus dividing the christian world, and subdividing these again into smaller compartments, whereas, we have but "One Lord, one faith, one baptism," and every trifling distinction should be lost in the christian name; that name first given to the disciples at Antioch. Would to God that had been the only name ever known among the followers of Jesus!

II. I am to show the impropriety and ill effects of such a disposition.

From consulting the best concordance I know, I find, (and confess myself surprised

at the discovery,) that the word prejudice does not once occur in the Bible. In one instance, and only one; it is inserted in the margin, and our translators have gone strangely out of their way to avoid it in the text. See 1 Timothy v. 21.

The impropriety of such a disposition is too visible to need much illustration. It leads us to view persons and things in a false light, and to put wrong constructions on actions, which, viewed with greater candour, would wear a very different aspect. Lord Chesterfield, in his Letters to his Son, has this remark;

Man, viewed in different positions, may be compared to silks viewed in opposite lights, the colours of which assume a different appearance." Its impropriety is further evident, as it obstructs the exercise of reason, that noble prerogative of man, that which exalts his nature above the brutes which perish, and distinguishes him above all other creatures, as the favourite of Heaven. Instinct decides in a moment; but it is the boasted superiority of reason to weigh and to consider. It is delightful to see the power of instinct, showing in a moment the natural and impulsive feelings of the human heart. Let an accident happen in the street, we instantly fly to the relief of the sufferer, and give him every possible assistance ;-this is the effect of instinct.

But shall we continue our relief to that distressed object? Shall we afford him a stated allowance? Here reason must be called forth, consideration must be exercised, upon what he wants, and what we can spare; how far he may be deserving of our bounty, and what other cases there are still more pitiable; without such an investigation, our charity degenerates into ostentation, and loses the very essence and spirit of christian benevolence.

Again; as to its effects; it has a most unhappy tendency upon our own characters; upon society in general; and upon religious communities in particular. Its influence upon our own characters is grievous; it narrows our affections, which ought to expand with the delightful glow of christian charity; it warps our judgments, which should be open and unbiassed; and it teaches us to try every thing by our own standard, instead of placing before us the grand, unshaken, and harmonious standard of reason and scripture.

Again; opinion often affords a false criterion of conduct. A man's creed may be excellent, while his conduct is marked with error; his sentiments may be good, while his life is the very reverse. I firmly believe, there are very few Antinomians in practice,

though their creed may favour such sentiments. Many profess to rest little confidence in works, who nevertheless live a life of scrupulous exactness and purity; they will perhaps declare themselves strongly in favour of the doctrine of the elect only being saved, but they will traverse mountains, and encounter difficulties and hardships without number, to convert" a sinner from the error of his ways," and thus "save a soul from death." Judge not, therefore, by the faith or the opinions adopted; but look to the conduct; view the life, and then judge with fairness and with candour.

The ill effects of this principle, with regard to the spread of christianity, can scarcely be ascertained; I do think, that, Chubb and Morgan, Tindal and Bolingbroke, Voltaire and Rousseau, Hume and Paine, have never done so much real injury to our religion, by all their united efforts, as the effects of prejudice among ourselves. Oh, may the thought strike each of our minds, and suitably affect our hearts!

III. We are now to consider, thirdly, the best means for softening prejudice, and for removing it altogether.

The first I shall mention is necessary in every work of difficulty,-earnest prayer for