SERM. XI.--The Affection of Moral Esteem to- the Enmity of the human Heart against God. 206 185 “Having slain the enmity thereby."-Ephes. “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that ü. 16. will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house SERM. XV.-The Evils of false Security. 211 of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the “They have healed also the hurt of the daugh- when there is no peace.”-Jer. vi. 14. SERM. XII. - The Emptiness of Natural Virtue. 192 SERM. XVI.-- The Union of Truth and Mercy in “But I know you, that ye have not the love of the Gospel. God in you." John v. 42. “Mercy and truth are met together; righteous- SERM. XIII.- The natural Enmity of the Mind ness and peace have kissed each other."-Psalm "The carnal mind is enmity against God.”— SERM. XVII.— The purifying Influence of the SERM. XIV.–The Power of the Gospel to dissolve “Sanctified by faith."-Acts xxvi. 18. DISCOURSE I.-On the mercantile Virtues which may exist without the Influence of Christianity. 229 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things re just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever praise, think on these things.”—Phil. iv. 8. Disc. II. - The Influence of Christianity in aiding and augmenting the mercantile Virtues. 235 “For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men."- Rom. xiv. 18. Disc. III.-The Power of Selfishness in promot- ing the Honesties of mercantile Intercourse. 241 "And if you do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same."-Luke vi. 33. 249 least, is unjust also in much."-Luke xvi. 10. 257 them; for this is the law and the prophets." - Disc. VI.-On the Dissipation of large Cities. 264 “Let no man deceive you with vain words; the children of disobedience."--Eph. upon the lower Orders of Society. “ Then said he unto the disciples, It is impos- sible but that offences will come: but woe unto him through whom they come! It were better neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones."- Luke xvii. 1, 2. Disc. VIII.—On the Love of Money. "If I have made gold my hope, or have said SERMONS PREACHED IN ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, GLASGOW. SERMON I.— The Constancy of God in His Works SERM. V.-The transitory Nature of visible an Argument for the Faithfulness of God in His Things. 371 “The things that are seen are temporal.”—2 "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in hea. Cor. iv. 18. ven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations : SERM. VI.-On the Universality of spiritual Blind- thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. ness. They continue this day according to thy ordi- “Stay yourselves, and wonder , cry ye out, and nances : for all are thy servants." --Psalm cxix. cry: they are drunken, but not with winc; they stagger, but not with strong drink. For the Lord Serm. II.—The expulsive Power of a new Affec. hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep 381 sleep, and hath closed your eyes; the prophets “Love not the world, neither the things that and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. And are in the world. If any man love the world, the vision of all is become unto you as the words the love of the Father is not in him."-1 John of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray SERM. III.—The sure Warrant of a Believer's thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed. And the book is delivered to him that is not “For if, when we were enemies, we were re- learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he conciled to God by the death of his Son; much saith, I am not learned."--Isaiah xxix. 9_12. more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his SERM. VII.-On the new Heavens and the new Earth. 411 Serm. IV.-The Restlessness of human Ambi- “ Nevertheless we, according to his promise tion. 395 look for new heavens and a new earth wherein “How say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to dwellcth righteousness."-2 Peur iii. 13. your mountain ?-0 that I had the wings of a SERM. VIII - The Nature of the Kingdom of dove, that I may fly away, and be at rest."- God. 417 Psalm xi. 1. and Iv. 6. " For the kingdom of God is not in word, but forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven “But before faith came, we were kept under Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this xii. 31, 32. 429 SERM. XIII.-On the Advantages of Christian “ Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish King, who will no more be admo- “And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: SERM. XIV.-On the Duty and the Means of ship, ye cannot be saved."--Acts xxvii. 22, 31. ture.” – Mark xvi. 15. 460 OCCASIONAL SERMONS, &c. A SERMON before the Society for Relief of the de- SERMON.-A Sermon delivered on the Day of the 286 Funeral of the Princess Charlotte of Wales. 339 ness.”—Isaiah xxvi. 9. “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, plied to the Case of Religious Differences. 350 thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam to the inhabitants of the Parish of Kilmany. 304 thine eye; and behold a beam is in thine own 320 out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see 331 A SERMON on Cruelty to Animals. 361 ADVERTISEMENT. The contents of the first part of this volume form the substance of the article CHRISTIANITY, in the EDINBURGH ENCYCLOPÆDIA. Its appearance is due to the liberality of the Proprietors of that Work-Dor did the Author conceive the purpose of presenting it to the world in another shape, till he was permitted and advised by them to republish it in a separate form. It is chiefly confined to the exposition of the historical argument for the truth of Christianity; and the aim of the Author is fulfilled if he has succeeded in proving the external testimony to be so sufficient, as to leave Infidelity without excuse, even though the remaining important branches of the Christian defence had been less strong and satisfactory than they are. “ The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. “And if I had not done the works among them which none other man did, they had not had sin." The Author is far from asserting the study of the historical evidence to be the only channel to a faith in the truth of Christianity. How could he, in the face of the obvious fact, that there are thousands and thousands of Christians, who bear the most undeniable marks of the truth having come home to their understanding "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power?” They have an evidence within themselves, which the world knoweth not, even the promised manifestations of the Saviour. This evidence is a "sign to them that believe;" but the Bible speaks also of a "sign to them which believe not;" and should it be effectual in reclaiming any of these from their infidelity, a mighty object is gained by the exhibition of it. Should it not be effectual, it will be to them" savour of death unto death ;' and this is one of the very effects ascribed to the proclamation of Christian truth in the first ages. If, even in the face of that kind of evidence, which they have a relish and respect for, they still hold out against the reception of the Gospel, this must aggravate the weight of the threatening which lies upon them; "How shall they escape, if they neglect so great a salvation ?" It will be a great satisfaction to the writer of the following pages, if any shall rise from the perusal of them with a stronger determination than before to take his Christianity exclusively from his Bible. It is not enough to entitle a man to the name of a Christian, that he professes to believe the Bible to be a genuine communication from God. To be the disciple of any book, he must do something more than satisfy himself that its contents are true he must read the book-he must obtain a knowledge of the contents. And how many are there in the world, who do not call the truth of the Bible message in question, while they suffer it to lie beside them unopened, unread, and unattended to ! 7 a 1 |