one place, (1 Cor. xv. 9.) "that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace (or favour) of God, I am what I am.” Every thing, brethren, is favour to all of us; every useful gift and talent, every moral and spiritual advantage, wholly undeserved on our part, Some may recollect in their own history similar deliverances with those of the apostle, from inveterate bad habits and a ruinous career of vice, though not wrought out for them in so miraculous a way. Others may look back and see themselves led, as it were, from the first to what is good, by the same unseen hand, in a gentler way, by the happy bias given them in their earliest youth, by the companions among whom they have been thrown, by the holy lessons they have learned, not only from the sacred writings, but from the written treasures of wisdom, of ancient or modern time. For all these things are from God, and of his appointment. Be it our endeavour, as it is our proper business and province as the rational creatures of God, to turn to the same good end, and make the the same use of these ordinary providential calls, from the love of worldly things, from evil passions and vicious pursuits to holiness and goodness, as Paul did of his supernatural call; that we may be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord. To God be glory and thanks in all things, and for ever! PRAYER. O God, blessed for ever! who art the impartial lover of all thy creatures; whilst in thy sovereign wisdom thou bestowest various and unequal talents and capacities upon them, and leadest them by different roads to thyself at the last ; Inspire us with that love to others, and most earnest endeavour to serve them, which becometh our relation to thee our common parent, and to each other; and which may lead us to seek their true happiness by all the means that thou puttest in our power. And as all true religion and virtue, which can recommend us to thee our God, hath its source and and spring in the heart within, which is known to thy all-seeing eye alone; and we experience that we can serve and worship thee only with our free consent, and according to the dictates of our own minds, and not by compulşion from others, and according to their ways and methods: Make us tender of injuring the minds of others, and always ready and inclined to leave to them that liberty which we claim, and which is necessary for ourselves to render our worship an acceptable service unto thee; that we may never be the means of drawing any to forfeit their integrity, and give up what appears to them to be thy truth, through the influence of worldly terrors or advantages; for which we shall surely be accountable before thy righteous tribunal. And, under a sense of our own frailty and liableness to error, keep us from passing rash censures on the final state of others, that we may not invade thy prerogative, O thou supreme judge of all! who alone knowest the heart of man, and remembering that we also are to be judged by thee. We thank thee, O heavenly Father, for these opportunities of learning thy will from thy holy holy word, and how we may best perfect ourselves before thee in all holiness and goodness. Enable us so to improve these and all other means of virtue afforded us, that we may in time, and by continual advances, become meet for the glorious future inheritance prepared by thee from the beginning for thy faithful servants, and which thou hast revealed to us by Christ our Lord! Now unto thee, O Father, &c. February 11, 1787. SERMON |