Monthly Repositing THE TRIUMPH OF INNOCENCE: DELIVERED AT THE DISSENTING CHAPEL, NANTWICH; ON Sunday Evening, SEPTEMBER 2d. 1821, BY THE REV. F. KNOWLES. He that justifieth the wicked, and he that All these things spake Jesus unto the mul- PRINTED BY E. CARVEN, NANTWICH; And Booksellers in General. 1483, d. 20 EXODUS, XX. 7. HEBREWS, XIII. 4. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. It is not my intention, my christian friends, to give any illustration of these words in a regular discourse. I adopt them merely as mottos. Nor is it my intention, to address to you a sermon. What I shall offer on the present occasion, will be in the form of a vision, supposed to be presented to the mind. As I would not be misunderstood, allow me to repeat it. What I shall address to you, on the présent occasion, will be a Fiction; in the form of a vision, supposed to be presented to the mind. I shall have nothing to do with either real characters, or real scenes. Those that I shall present before you, will be fictitious; such as the créative power of fancy may call into birth. B I am aware, that this is a material deviation from the usual mode of preaching: but does it not, at the same time, bear a very near resemblance to that adopted by our Saviour; and adopted by him almost invariably? viz. the parabolic. The parables which he delivered, were fictions; founded probably, in some respects, on facts; but still, in themselves, they were fictions. And as he is our pattern, may we not imitate him? And being a perfect pattern, can we imitate him, and do wrong? I proceed, therefore, without further preface, to the object before me; only entreating your serious and candid attention, to what may at present be delivered. Philander was a man of noble and dignified sentiments. He had read much, but he had reflected more. He was a Christian in truth, and in deed; not from education, or from fashion; but from inquiry, and conviction. He had examined the evidence for the Christian Faith; and his own was founded upon a rock. Neither was he a Christian in speculation, but in practice. Truly might it be said of him, that"The Kingdom of God was within him." His spirit was modelled by that of his Master's; fervently pious towards God, his heavenly Father; ardently benevolent towards mankind, his brethren, It was his wish, it was his daily prayer, that the world might be good and happy; all A |