There is, however, one point which I see reason to mention more particularly: I mean the Spirit or Temper of Christianity. This, I fear, has sometimes not been sufficiently attended to, by even those, who have shown great zeal for its doctrines. We should attend, not only to what Christ and his Apostles spoke and did, but also to the spirit and temper in which they spoke and acted. We should mark how they conducted themselves, not only towards their friends, but towards their most violent enemies. With what patience and forbearance, with what sobriety and charity, did they recommend their faith! 'Ye are witnesses,' says one, ' and God also, how holily, and justly, and unblameably we behaved ourselves' 1 Thes. ii. 10. Therefore, whether as Masters or Servants, as Husbands or Wives, as Parents or Children, be careful not to fall into so gross a mistake as to think it sufficient if you merely learn and maintain the Doctrines of the Gospel: but see also that you study and imbibe its Spirit; and that ye so set it forth in your tempers, dealings, and conversations, at home and abroad, that, with welldoing, ye may put to silence the foolishness of wicked men: 1 Pet. ii. 15.

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Besides which, by being thus not only almost but altogether Christians, you will prevail and prosper in several other important respects.

1. You will glorify GOD: you will shame his adversaries you will prove the truth of his word; and be his witnesses, that He still, by his Spirit, dwelleth with men on the earth.

2. You will edify your NEIGHBOUR, by showing him what Christianity is, and what it does for men. You will show what it is to be a real branch in the True Vine; and thereby every sincere inquirer after

truth will be convinced of the reality and excellence of your religion, and be induced to seek after it.

3. You will hereby best assist your MINISTERS in their labours. What they declare and describe, you will prove and exemplify: so that we shall be able to say of you, as the Apostle did of the Corinthians, 'Ye are our Epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men :' 2 Cor. iii. 2.

4. You will be YOURSELVES 'blessed in the' deed.

I mean to return to you as soon as the precarious state of my health permits; and then shall hope for an opportunity of discoursing on these things more largely. In the mean time, you shall have my earnest prayers for your daily advancement in true religion; and I request yours for me, as the best return which you can make or I can receive.

Beloved, let us fear nothing in a right cause. Only, to use the Apostle's words, 'let your conversation,' or general conduct among men, 'be as it becometh the gospel of Christ; that, whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and in nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God: Phil. i. 27, 28.

With respect to my Parishioners in general, I desire here to express my grateful acknowledgments of the numerous civilities which I have upon all occasions received from them: especially for their remarkable attention to the discourses delivered by me to them from the pulpit.

I have reason, however, to lament, that there are some in my parish, who lately appear not only to have

received no benefit from my ministry, but who are even offended at it. That vital and practical Christianity, like its Author, should often prove an offence, was foretold by its Author repeatedly, and that in the clearest terms. He bids every Christian, and especially every Minister, weigh the consequences of becoming his Disciple. Which of you,' says he, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first and counteth the cost?" Luke xiv. 28. And who, let me ask, was ever exempted from this cost, that was a real builder? Not the Prophets; nor the Apostles; nor Christ himself; nor any real Minister of Christ, that ever I heard or read of. This arises from the very nature of things; for, (to change the metaphor) till man has some sense of his disease, he will, like a sick man, who fancies himself well, oppose the kindest friend, who offers him a sovereign remedy.-Having therefore counted the cost, and knowing the natural indisposition of man to the remedy of God; I hope we shall neither be surprised nor discouraged, in meeting those consequences, which, as Ministers of Christ, we are forewarned by him to expect.

As one, however, that watches for your souls, and must give an account of his Ministry, I earnestly entreat you to consider what an awful thing it is to 'walk in the counsel of the ungodly,' to 'stand in the way of sinners,' and to 'sit in the seat of the scornful.' But if, whilst the whole counsel of God is declared, you should be found so lost both to your duty and your interest, as to continue to reject or neglect it, this, by God's help, shall not prevent my continuing to seek your good, in the use of the only means that can promote it. It shall not provoke me to 'return evil for evil,' and 'railing for railing, but contrarywise blessing: 1 Pet. iii. 9. It shall not prevent my hoping for the recovery of a bit

ter opposer; having formerly been myself more bitter than he. It shall not prevent my endeavouring to affect him by invitations and persuasives. I will call upon my heart to wait, and hope, and pray, for his return to God. I will watch for the first appearances of it. I will omit no means to cherish it when it appears: nor dare 1 omit, if such a one still persists in his opposition, to declare to him fully and plainly the dreadful and inevitable consequences thereof.

Men and brethren, think seriously on these things'things that belong to your peace'-and THAT 'before they are hidden from vour eyes.' I shall soon cease to speak to you of them, and you to hear: but both of us assuredly must give an account of them to God. That we may be so prepared to meet Him, that 'he that soweth and they that reap may then rejoice together,' is the sincere and fervent prayer of

Your affectionate Minister,

RICHARD CECIL.

A WORD ON THE PEACE,

WITH

A HINT FOR A LASTING ONE;

IN A LETTER TO G. S., ESQ. OF B

Second Thoughts are best.

Oct. 15th, 1801.

DEAR SIR,

I RECEIVED your letter, desiring a few thoughts on the Peace, which you wish to disperse in your populous neighbourhood. Though I can say nothing as a politican, yet, rather than disoblige you by saying nothing at all, I will tell you what occurred on my first receiving the welcome news.

You know I am an invalid, and growing into years; and, as age and sickness naturally seek quiet, I retire during the summer months to a small village in Surrey, which lies some miles from the high road. Here, indeed, I obtain a relief which the town does not afford: but one inconvenience attends our situation-we have no means of knowing what is going on in the busy world, except the tidings which a gentleman from the city brings, who visits his family here once a week; and also what we learn from our weekly paper.

Now, our friend, whose return on the Saturday we eagerly watch, came down, and astonished us with the unexpected news of PEACE! A knot of neighbours was soon assembled to hear the account: but, though