in this national church inftances of this fort lefs frequently occur, or are fuffered to pafs with impunity, than in any other. Although, in fome few cafes, the guilty may poffibly efcape deserved cenfure, it is no more than what must fometimes happen in judicatories made up of fallible men. At the fame time, there is certainly nothing which more deferves the ftricteft attention, than to preferve the reputation of our church for purity of manners; a reputation which we ftill poffefs, and, I hope, will maintain to latest ages. Some other churches may boast of their riches and power, and thereby acquire an exterior pomp and luftre; but we must ftand or fall, in the eftimation of mankind, by the purity of our faith and morals, and an unremitting diligence in the duties of our facred office.

But is merely abftaining from groffer vices and offences all that our public character requires, or the world expects from us? Surely not. An exalted piety, and exemplary virtue, are not only highly ornamental, but abfolutely neceffary, to add dignity to our character, and efficacy to our religious inftructions. Such a general temper and deportment will be always looked for from us, as becomes thofe who have a high ftandard of moral excellence continually before their eyes. Every man of common difcernment, can easily distinguish the peculiar spirit of public profeffions, and those who are poffeff

ed

ed of it in an eminent degree. Attention to this is neceffary in every profeffion, not only to the reputation of men, but to their fuccefs in profecuting the end they have in view. And be affured of it, my brethren, the world is at no lofs to judge, and with precifion too, when we deviate from the fpirit and rules of our facred office. Allow me to say, that whatever favours of levity and folly fhould be carefully avoided, if we would act up to the dignity of our character, and be of real fervice to mankind; as it always betrays want of judgement and prudence, and must thereby diminish the influence of our inftructions, in proportion as it finks us in the esteem of the public.

To conclude: Let us endeavour to revive a fpirit of true piety and religion in ourfelves; and who knows how far and wide its falutary influence may extend? Let us carefully fupprefs a fpirit of faction and party, fo destructive of our mutual union; and amidst unavoidable differences of opinion, about queftions refpecting public order, let us ftill prethe unity of the fpirit in the bond of "peace." We are like "a city fet on a hill, "that cannot be hid." Our virtues and vices, and even our defects and infirmities, are more vifible and striking than those of other men. Let therefore our general temper and deportment favour of true piety, as becomes thofe who are addicted to the contemplation

ferve

of spiritual and divine objects, and alienated from the vanities, as well as the corruptions, of the world. "Bleffed is that wife and faith"ful fervant, whofe Lord, when he cometh, "fhall find fo doing."

SER

SERMON

XIV.

The Peace of the Grave.

By JOHN MACKENZIE, V. D. M.

JOB, iii. 17. 18. 19.

There the wicked ceafe from troubling; and there the weary be at reft.

There the prifoners reft together, they hear not the voice of the oppressor.

The fmall and great are there, and the fervant is free from his mafter.

W

HENEVER we are seriously difpofed to turn our thoughts upon death, no view of that awful fubject is more apt to ftrike us, than the complete equality which it introduces among the different ranks and conditions of human life; at the fame time, no* view of it is more affecting, nor is there any fource from which we may derive more important confequences. The rivers and ftreamswhich run along the furface of this globe are all equal in their original, whether we confi-der them in themselves, or in the commons caufes from which they all arife. Some puny fount, or contiguous mountain, taught them at first to flow; but, in their courfes along: the

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the earth, they foon become diftinguifhed, and by a thoufand accidents. Some, fcarce issued from their parent urns, are fwelled with fnows, and augmented by the continual acceffion of numerous ftreams; till, at laft, affembled from all quarters into mighty bodies, they roll over the world with fuperior majefty. Others, unaided by thefe accidental caufes, admit but fmall increafe, and run along in the fame humble channel. This diftinction, however, is not of long duration : they are all to meet finally in one place. After having run their appointed courfes, and difplayed, for fome little time, their different forces, they fall all into the fea, their common receptacle. Here their waters are blended, their courfes loft, and even their names unknown. Thus, as they were equal in their original, they are again equal in their end. This is a juft refemblance of human life. Men, as they stand in nature, are equal: they are equal, when they firft iffue into life, in every material circumftance; but, as they proceed, this equality is gradually diminished; it is at laft feemingly altogether destroyed, and becomes to common eyes invifible. Some, in the courfe of their progrefs, are augmented with riches, with birth, with honours, titles, and fame; others are endowed with none of all thefe acquifitions, but continue in their firft humble obfcurity. Some, again, are hap. py, are fortunate, live in the midst of ease, of health, of mirth, and jovial pleasures;

others