SERMON XX.

On the Foresight and Security of the practical
Christian.

MATTHEW vii. 24, 25, 26, 27.-Whosoever heareth these
sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a
wise man, which built his house upon a rock; and the
rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was
founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these
sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto
a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand; and
the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds
blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great
was the fall of it

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THE

HE author of the following discourses does not profess to offer a complete Paraphrase of our Sa viour's Sermon on the Mount. Some passages he has touched but slightly, and others not at all. The object which he had in view, was to illustrate such of its principles only, as seemed best adapted to expose those errors of opinion and of conduct, which are most prevalent in the present day. How far he has succeeded in his attempt his readers will judge. He has not the vanity to suppose that the number will be great, either of those who will censure, or of those who will applaud. The volume which is now presented to the Public will most probably never be known beyond the narrow circle of private friendship and local attachment. But, if it meet with the same kind reception there which his former volume has experienced, he will have no reason to complain. Above all, if it be accompanied by the Divine blessing, and made the instrument of good to the weakest and humblest member of the mystical body of Christ, he will consider his labours to have been amply rewarded, and will gratefully acknowledge that he has not lived in vain.

Grayingham Rectory,
September 13th, 1820.

SERMON I.

First Beatitude.

5TH CHAP. OF ST. MATTHEW, 3D. VERSE.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for their's is the kingdom of heaven."

WITH these touching words our Saviour

opens his sermon on the mount, in which he unfolds and illustrates the spirit of the Christian character, and the nature of, Christian conduct, so as to condemn the generality of religious professors, as well as the avowedly careless and unbelieving. It requires but little insight into the delusions of the human heart, but little observation of the conduct of those among whom we live, but little examination of the principles by which we ourselves are actuated, to discover that the code of morals, by which we regulate our conduct, is, in many instances, diametrically opposite

VOL. II.

B

opposite to that of the Gospel. Our virtues are the virtues of Pagans; founded on selfrespect, decorum, pride; not on obedience to the laws of God, not on grateful love towards Jesus Christ, not on an humble dependence upon the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit. Can we wonder then that our efforts are unblessed, that we are suffered to continue in error, that the mortifying truths of the Gospel are hidden from our eyes, that the cross of Christ is foolishness to us, and his self-denying precepts neglected as inapplicable and absurd? Can we wonder that we live under the law of fashion, custom, interest; in short, under the law of the particular society to which we belong; and neglect that, which should chiefly bind us, as Christians; the law of God? We cannot too exclusively attend to the precepts of Jesus Christ: we cannot view with too watchful a jealousy any sanctions that do not flow from him. Before the perverted reasonings of the heart which is untouched by true religion, not only every principle of faith disappears, but every exer

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