every one about him to do their duty, of which he himself first set them the example; and, provided they did so with any tolerable care, they were secure of his favour. Of slight faults he took no notice; of great ones he would express his sense at the time strongly; but never suffered them to dwell or rankle on his mind, or operate to the future prejudice of those whose general conduct was right. To his relations he was continually doing the best-natured, the handsomest, the most generous things; assisting them in difficulties, comforting them in affliction, promoting their interests, and improving their circumstances reasonably, not aggrandizing or enriching them invidiously.

The unaltered kindness he shewed to the two ladies that lived with him from the time of his marriage to that of his death, that is, for upwards of two-andforty years, was a remarkable instance of steady friendship; and shewed that his soul was no less formed for that rare union of virtuous minds, than for every other generous affection. The younger of those two ladies, Mrs. Catherine Talbot, (who, to the finest imagination and the most elegant accomplishments of her sex added the gentlest manners, and a disposition thoroughly benevolent and devout,) did not long survive the Archbishop. She died on the 9th of January, 1770, in the 49th year of her age.

Thus much it has been judged requisite to lay before the world in relation to Archbishop Secker; not with any view of exalting his character higher than it deserves, which is quite needless; but of making its real value more generally known, and of rescuing it from the misrepresentations of a few misinformed or malevolent men. To some, no doubt, the portrait here drawn of him will appear a very flattering one;

but it will be much easier to call than to prove it' such. Nothing has been advanced but what is founded on the most authentic evidence, nor has any circumstance been designedly strained beyond the truth. And if his Grace did really live and act in such a manner that the most faithful delineation of his conduct must necessarily have the air of a panegyric, the fault is not in the copy, but in the original.

After this plain representation of facts therefore, it cannot be thought necessary to enter here into a particular examination of the various falshoods which his Grace's enemies have so industriously circulated, in order to fix, if possible, some stain upon his reputation. It would be very unreasonable to expect that he of all others, so high in rank and so active in the discharge of his duty, should, amidst the present rage of defamation, escape without his full share of censure; and it would be very weak to apprehend the least ill consequences from it. There is so little doubt from what quarter those invectives come, and to what causes they are owing, that they do not appear to have made the slightest impression on any unprejudiced mind, and, for want of ground to support them, are sinking hourly into oblivion. If a life spent like Archbishop Secker's, and a spirit such as breathes through every page of his writings, are not a sufficient confutation of all such idle calumnies, it is in vain to think that any thing else can be so. All that his friends have to do, is to wait a little while with patience and temper. Time never fails to do ample justice to such characters as his; which, if left to themselves, will always rise by their own force above the utmost efforts made to depress them, and acquire fresh lustre every day in the eyes of all considerate and dispassionate men.

SERMON I.

1 THESS. V. 21, 22.

Prove all things: hold fast that which is good: abstain from all appearance of evil.

By the extensive word, all, the Apostle in this place evidently means no more, than all things which may be right or wrong in point of conscience. And by proving them he means, not that we should try them both by experience, which would be an absurd and pernicious direction: but that we should examine them by our faculty of judgment, which is a wise and useful exhortation. Accordingly Christianity recommends itself to us at first sight by this peculiar presumption of its being the true religion, that it makes application to men as reasonable creatures, and claims our assent on account of the proofs, which it offers. By these alone it prevailed originally: on these it still relies; and requires faith for the principle of our obedience, only because it produces evidence for the ground of our faith. Now such an institution surely is intitled to receive the fair treatment which it gives, when it asks of mankind no more than this; that they should first consider well the several obligations they are under; then adhere to whatever they find to be enjoined them, and lastly, avoid whatever they conceive to be forbidden: which momentous duties I shall endeavour to explain and enforce in three discourses on the text,

That Beings, capable of thought, are obliged to think, is very obvious: that they should think with greatest care on subjects of the greatest importance, is equally so and the question, what obligations we are under, is plainly of the utmost importance. For our behaviour, and consequently our happiness, depends on the determination of it. Therefore we are just as much bound to conduct our understandings well, as our tempers or outward actions. And the opportunities given us of shewing, either diligence in procuring information, and fairness in judging upon it, or the contrary, are trials, which God hath appointed, of every one's moral character; and perhaps the chief trials, which some have to go through. Every instance, greater or less, of willfully disregarding truth, instead of seeking and embracing it, argues a proportionable depravity of heart; whether the dislike be manifested in a studious opposition to it, or an indolent scorn of it.

There are some who openly profess an utter contempt of all inquiry; despise such as are solicitous either about belief or practice, and even affect a thoughtlessness, which they find to be grown fashionable. Now really, if this be an accomplishment, it is one, that whoever will may easily be master of. But surely men ought to think seriously once for all, before they resolve for the rest of their days to think no more. There are strong appearances, that many things of great consequence are incumbent on us. No one can be sure, that these appearances are fallacious, till he hath examined into them. Many, who have, are fully persuaded of their truth. And if there be such things in the world as folly and guilt, it can never be either wise or innocent to disdain giving ourselves any trouble about the matter, and

take it absolutely for granted, that we may live as we will: a decision of such a nature, that were it made on seemingly ever so good grounds, it would be very fit to review them well from time to time, for fear of a mistake that must be fatal.

And if a general neglect of considering our conduct be criminal, a neglect of considering any part of it must, in its degree, be criminal also. Many have weighed carefully, and observe conscientiously, some duties of life; but will not reflect a moment, whether it be allowable for them to behave, in other points, as they do. And yet, if any moral obligation deserves regard, every such obligation deserves it equally. And when the question comes to be, what is indeed such, and what not, impartial reason, well directed, must be judge; not inclination or fancy: for if these can make things lawful, nothing will be unlawful. And therefore, instead of ever following such guides implicitly, we should always have the greater suspicion that we are going wrong, the more vehemently they press us to go forward.

Some again have searched, and obtained satisfaction, they say, concerning every article of Morals; but will not concern themselves about Religion. Yet surely the inquiry, whether there be a wise and just ruler of this universe or not; and if there be, what homage he expects from us; and what we have to hope or fear from him, according as we pay it, or refuse it; is as material a one, as ever was made. And on what pretence any one can doubt whether it be worth making, and reverently too, it is impossible to say.

Another sort declare, that they have a settled conviction of natural religion, (would God they would ask