THE

WORKS

OF

HUGH BLAIR, D.D. F. R.S. ED.

ONE OF

THE MINISTERS OF THE HIGH CHURCH,

AND

PROFESSOR OF RHETORIC AND BELLES LETTRES IN THE
UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH.

TO WHICH IS PREFIXED,

A SHORT ACCOUNT

OF

THE LIFE AND CHARACTER

OF

THE AUTHOR.

BY JAMES FINLAYSON, D. D.

IN FIVE VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

SERMONS.

London:

PRINTED FOR T. CADELL AND W. DAVIES; F. C. AND J. RIVINGTON;
LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN; SCATCHERD AND LETTER-
MAN; J. CLARKE AND CO.; J. AND A. ARCH; R. SCHOLEY; BALDWIN,
CRADOCK, AND JOY; J. ASPERNE; T. HAMILTON; R. SAUNDERS ;
LLOYD AND SON; AND G. AND W. B. WHITTAKER; A. CONSTABLE AND
Co.; MANNERS AND MILLER; AND FAIRBAIRN AND ANDERSON, EDIN-
BURGH; AND G. CLARK, ABERDEEN.

1820.

V. 2

CONTENTS

OF

THE SECOND VOLUME.

SERMON XXV.

On Candour.

1 CORINTH. Xiii. 5. Charity—thinketh no evil.

SERMON XXVI.

On the Character of Joseph.

Page 1

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.

sent me hither but God.

So now it was not you that

21

SERMON XXVII.

On the Character of Hazael.

2 KINGS, viii. 12, 13. And Hazael said, Why weepeth my

Lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou

wilt do unto the children of Israel. Their strong holds wilt

thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the

sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women

with child. And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a

dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha an-

swered, The Lord hath showed me that thou shalt be king over

Syria.

37

SERMON XXVIII.

On the Benefits to be derived from the House of Mourning.

ECCLESIASTES, vii. 2, 3, 4. It is better to go to the house of

mourning, than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the

end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow

is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance

the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the

house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of

mirth.

Page 56

SERMON XXIX.

On the Divine Government of the Passions of Men.

PSALM lxxvi. 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee;

the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

SERMON XXX.

75

On the Importance of Religious Knowledge to Mankind.

[Preached before the Society in Scotland for propagating Christian

Knowledge.]

ISAIAH, xi. 9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy

mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the

Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

SERMON XXXI. *

On the true Honour of Man.

94

PROVERBS, iv. 8. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee; she

shall bring thee to honour.

114

SERMON XXXII.

On Sensibility.

ROMANS, xii. 15. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep

with them that weep.

127

*

Originally the first Sermon of the Third Volume.

SERMON XXXIII.

On the Improvement of Time.

GENESIS, xlvii. 8. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art

thou?

Page 140

SERMON XXXIV.

On the Duties belonging to Middle Age.

When I became a man, I put

1 CORINTH. xiii. 11.

1 CORINTH. xv. 33. Be not deceived; Evil communications

corrupt good manners.

179

SERMON XXXVII.

On Fortitude.

PSALM Xxvii. 3. Though an host should encamp against me,

my heart shall not fear.

SERMON XXXVIII.

192

On Envy.

1 CORINTH. xiii. 4. Charity envieth not.

MATTHEW, Xx. 6.

SERMON XXXIX.

205

On Idleness.

Why stand ye here all the day