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X.

SERMON fairness and candour, the Spirit of God certainly dwells not; and that whatever appearances of religion the uncharitable man may assume, on him the Sovereign of the universe looks with no favour. Thou, who art a man full of frailties, who standest in need, not merely of impartiality in thy divine Judge, but of indulgence and mercy : Thou who implorest daily this mercy from Him, and prayest that He would remember thou art dust, and not be strict to mark iniquity against thee; darest thou, with those very prayers in thy mouth, proceed to judge. without candour of thy brethren, and upon the slightest grounds to reprobate and condemn them? O thou hypocrite! (for by what other name can we call thee?) vain are all thy pretensions to piety. Ineffectual is every plea which thou canst form for mercy from Heaven. The precedent which thou hast established against thyself is decisive. Thou hast dictated the sentence of thine own condemnation.

ON the whole, it clearly appears that no part of the government of temper deserves attention more, than to keep our minds pure

from

X.

from uncharitable prejudices, and open to SERMON candour and humanity in judging of others. The worst consequences, both to ourselves and to society, follow from the opposite spirit. Let us beware of encouraging a habit of suspicions, by forming too severe and harsh opinions concerning human nature in general. A great proportion of infirmity and corruption, doubtless, adheres to it; yet tempered also it is with various mixtures of virtue and good affection. Darkened as the Divine Image now is among mankind, it is not wholly effaced. Much piety and goodness may lie hidden in hearts that are unknown to us. Vice is glaring and loud. The crimes of the wicked make a noise in the world, and alarm society. True worth is retired and modest, and requires particular situations to bring it forth to public notice. The prophet Elijah, in a time of prevailing corruption, imagined that all true religion had forsaken the land. I, even I only, said he to the Lord, am left to serve thee. But the Almighty, who discerned what was concealed from his imperfect view, replied, ret have I left me seven thousand

men

SERMON men in Israel who have not bowed the knee to

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The aged, and the unfortunate, who have toiled through an unsuccessful life with long experience of the falsehood and fraud of evil men, are apt to be the most severe in the opinions which they entertain of others. For such, their circumstances may be al lowed to form some degree of apology. But if, in youth and prosperity, the same hard suspicious spirit prevail; if they who are beginning the career of life set out with all the scruples of distrust; if, before they have had reason to complain of the world, they betray the diffidence of a jealous, and the malignity of a censorious mind; sad is the presage which may thence be drawn of their future dishonour. From such, you have nothing to look for that shall be either en gaging in private life, or respectable in public character. To youth it particularly be→ longs to be generous in sentiment, candid in opinion, undesigning in behaviour, open to the most favourable construction of actions and conduct. Throughout all the

* 1 Kings, xix. 18.

stages

X

stages of life, candour is one of the most SERMON honourable distinctions of the human character; it is connected with magnanimity; it is justified by wisdom; it is suitable to the relation in which we stand to one another. But if reason and humanity be insufficient to restrain us from rash and uncharitable judgments, let that awful denunciation frequently resound in our ears, He shall have judgment without mercy who hath shewed no mercy.

SERMON
XI.

SERMON XI.

On the CHARACTER of JOSEPH

GENESIS, xlv. 5. 8.

Now therefore be not grieved nor angry with

yourselves that

ye

sold me hither; for God did send me before you to preserve life.

So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God.

IN

this generous manner, Joseph frames an apology for the unnatural behaviour of his brethren. He extenuates the atrocity of their crime, by representing the happy effects which it had produced. He looks beyond all second causes; and recognizes, in the wonderful events of his life, the hand of the Almighty. —— No human character exhibited in the records of Scripture, is more remarkable and instructive than that of this

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