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availed himself of that opportunity to make a public avowal, in the most solemn language and manner, of his own sincere, deliberate and entire conviction of the truth of Christianity.

Without a moment's hesitation the Jury found the Defendant guilty; and thus was a stop effectually put to the sale of a publication, which concentrated in itself more impiety, and was calculated to inflict a deeper wound on religion, than any that had ever appeared in this or any other country.

In the Charge addressed to his Clergy in 1794, which I have already noticed, it has been seen how strongly he pressed upon them the necessity of greater zeal and activity in their sacred calling. But he never imposed a burthen upon others, of which he was not always disposed and anxious

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anxious to take a full share himself; and of this he gave a memorable proof, by undertaking to prepare and deliver in St. James's church, on the Fridays during Lent, a course of Lectures on the Gospel of St. Matthew. The reasons which determined him thus to exert himself out of the ordinary course of his professional duty, at a time of life too then far advanced, and amidst all the other employments of a most laborious diocese, he has himself stated in his Preface to the Lectures; and they are such as could not fail to make a deep impression on a mind like his. The gloomy aspect of the times; the alarming and perilous situation of this country; the astonishing success, which every where attended its enemies abroad; the indefatigable industry of other enemies, still more formidable, at home, in diffusing disloyalty and infidelity

infidelity and wickedness amongst the lower orders of the people; the unabated dissipation of the upper ranks; their extreme prodigality, luxury and voluptuousness; the marked indifference, which was every day more visible in their conduct, to all moral and religious obligations; a train of circumstances such as these called loudly, he thought, on the serious and reflecting part of the community, to make some vigorous struggle, and to stand boldly forward in the maintenance of good order and of public morals. He felt too, that these were exertions in a peculiar manner incumbent on the clergy, and that not only on the parochial minister, but on those, in a still higher degree, who filled the more exalted stations in the church, and to whom therefore attached a weightier

responsibility.

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Influenced

Influenced by these reasons, he resolved on discharging his share at least of such a solemn and imperious duty. He considered that "it would be no unbecoming conclusion of his life, if the labours of his declining years should. tend in any respect to render the Holy Scriptures more clear and intelligible, more useful and delightful; if they should confirm the faith, reform the manners, console and revive the hearts, of those who heard him; and vindicate the honour of our Divine Master from those gross indignities and insults which had been so indecently thrown on Him, and his religion." In addition to these leading objects, he was at the same time not without the hope that "it might be the means of drawing," as he well observes, "a little more attention to that holy, but too much neglected season,

which our Church has very wisely set apart for the purpose of retirement and recollection, and of giving some little pause and respite to the ceaseless occupations and amusements of a busy and a thoughtless world." With these views he commenced his Lectures on the 23d of February 1798, and never surely was any undertaking more successfully pursued, or more evidently favoured by the divine blessing. The eagerness to attend them was beyond all example. The church, long before the service begun, was crowded to excess; and the congregations consisted not only of the higher orders, or of persons attached exclusively to the Church of England, but of people in every rank and station of life, and almost of every possible religious persuasion. There seemed, in short, to be but one motive, one principle in all-an

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