XIII. DISC. fcience, and cherish the first dawnings of divine grace in his heart; that fo the Sun of Righteousness, there arifing, may disperse every cloud, and caufe every fhadow to fly away; till having by flow and imperceptible degrees afcended the heights of the sky, he ftands fixed in his meridian, diffusing on all beneath him the perfect day. For however darkness may at prefent cover the tranfgreffor, and grofs darkness overwhelm his foul, as once it did the Gentile world, yet let him know, to his great and endless comfort, that, upon his fincere repentance, the Lord fhall arife likewife upon him, and his glory fhall be feen upon him. Let him only follow the example of the returning prodigal, and he fhall not fail of bis reward, even reconciliation, and peace, and love, and joy, and rejoicing, in the house of his heavenly Father. Laftly, let us of the nations, whom undeferved mercy has numbered amongst the children of God, let us beware that we copy not after the pattern of the Jew, or XIII. envy him the glory of his future conver- DISC. fion and restoration. Rather let us endeavour to the utmost to forward so happy an event. And fince of all human means, that of fhewing him the difpenfations of Jefus, whom his wicked hands crucified, in his own Scriptures of the Old Teftament, is the most likely to contribute towards the bleffed work, let this be an additional motive to us to ftudy day and night the true import of thofe lively oracles. But fince fuch a converfion as this must be most eminently the work of the Almighty, let not our most fervent prayers be ever wanting to him, that he would now at length look down from heaven upon his antient people; that he would take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of his word, and fo fetch them home to his flock, that they may be faved among the remnant of the true Ifraelites. May it be our happy lot, by our prayers and labours, to haften the coming of that glorious day (though our eyes may not behold it) when the elder brother fhall feel the juft DISC. juft reproof of his Father piercing his inXIII. most foul, and be prevailed upon to lay afide his pride, envy, and obftinacy; when the fulness of the Gentiles fhall meet with the converfion of the Jews, and the two brothers, reconciled to their Father, and to each other, by the blood of Jefus, fhall, with united hearts and voices, praise the Lord for his goodness, having each in his turn experienced, that his mercy endureth for ever. DISCOURSE XIV. KNOWLEGE AND CHARITY. I CORINTHIANS VIII. 1. Knowlege puffeth up, but Charity edifieth. N a place dedicated to the advancement DISC. of Science, and before an audience of XIV. perfons fet apart for that purpose, it might seem an undertaking no less improper than invidious, to point out it's ill effects, had not the great Doctor of the Gentiles authorized fuch a proceeding, and the prefent pious and judicious inftitution de a A Benefaction left by Mr. MASTERS, for two Sermons to be preached on certain texts by him selected, tending to inculcate the duty of Christian Humility, as opposed to the pride of science, and to point out the true nature and end of the minifterial office. manded XIV. DISC. manded it at our hands. No perfon ever entertained an higher idea of true wisdom than St. Paul, who has employed the most exalted strains of divine oratory, to set forth the excellency of knowlege and understanding. But yet the holy Apostle faw, that learning makes not the man of God perfect; that something may still be wanting in him, who is at the top of intellectual attainments; and that the complete scholar may fall short, at last, of the kingdom of heaven. He faw, that spiritual, like bodily wealth, unless used for the benefit of others, would prove no bleffing to it's owner, ferving only to haften his fall, and increase his condemnation. And therefore, that the wise man might not glory in his wisdom, but fink into himself by humility, as he rifes above others in understanding, remembering always the account he must make, proportionable to the talents delivered, the Apoftle determines, that not only human learning, but the knowlege of all prophecies and mysteries, that is, of all the difpenfations of God, and |