A Difcourfe delivered at Stockport, the 20th of the Eleventh Month, 1768.

THE oblation of thanksgiving, which the holy apoftle offered unto the God of all grace, is at all

times acceptable; arifing from the fame fenfibility, "Thanks be to God for his unfpeakable gift :" It arofe from one not a whit behind the chiefest of the apostles, whofe acquired parts were remarkably great, and who was justly eminent for his religious experience: yet in the contemplation of the height and depth, the length and breadth of the love of God in Jefus Chrift our Lord, and the manifeftation of divine kindness, he found expreffions infufficient; and, in short, faid more than language could exprefs, in terming it—an unSpeakable gift.

I would endeavour to lead our minds to a proper contemplation upon this unfpeakable gift, and earnestly with we may be fo wife as to enter into it with that reverential attention, which becometh worthy receivers of a multitude of unmerited mercies.

The holy fcriptures of the New Teftament (which. are preserved through mercy) give us a large and particular account of the incarnation, life, fufferings, death, and afcenfion of the holy Jefus; and it were much to be wifhed there was a more general attention amongst the profeffors of the name of Chrift, to

ponder his adorable acts, endeavouring to accompany him in reverent recollection of the various steps he took whilst in the body, prepared for him as it might. lay a well-grounded hope (if we accompanied him with care) to be found coheirs with him in the celeftial regions, in his glorified state, hereafter.

I account the holy fcriptures an excellent treasure, and I wish the rifing generation, were concerned to know the fcriptures from their youth, which, through faith in the great and glorious object they propose, are able to make us wife unto falvation: but notwith

ftanding the glorious and excellent account of the holy Jefus, with regard to his being incarnate, converfing among men, and the delivery of many excellent precepts, the holy apoftle mentions the fum and fubftance of the Chriftian religion as an unfpeakable. gift, which there was no language fufficiently able to define and fet forth. I have thought, notwithstanding this, it is an intelligible, though an unfpeakable gift; intelligible to the meaneft capacity; for the reft of the faints is the provifion of God, for the various ranks of mankind, high and low, rich and poor : he is the God and Father of us all, who is over all, through all, and in all and the religion of the holy Jefus is not defigned to be placed beyond the reach of vulgar capacities; its glorious nature is not dependant on the skill of human literature to unfold; it is eafy and intelligible to the mind willing to learn it, and it lies open to the fincere and upright heart, who confiders it not as a scene of abftrufe difficulties, and my

fterious matters, but as intended to regulate the affections, to rectify our natures, to guide us in wisdom, and cause us to inherit glory.

Some people think themselves too high for religion; these are mistaken, for it adds dignity to the greatest ftate, and, in it is real nobility. I have fometimes feared fome people think themselves too low for religion, as if it was the proper business of the rich, who had leisure and opportunity; and that the poor and laborious, the exercised and diftreffed part of the family, were beneath religion. They are both mistaken; for the God and Father of all, with an equal eye, beholds his family, who by faith and patience are feeking to pafs their time here in conformity to his will: that when immortality shall be swallowed up of immortality, they may join the family on high.

I confefs, in this point of view, I look upon the workmanship of God, and have no more doubt of a part in the family of the Moft High, whilft converfant in the viciffitudes of an earthly pilgrimage, than when this tranfient habitation of clay fhall resolve to its original matter, and the eyes that fee me now fhall fee me no more: we are entering upon eternity and an indiffoluble connexion with ever and ever. In this life God has diverfified our ranks in unerring wisdom, for the great purpose of his will; there is nothing low, in the eye of the Univerfal Parent, but vice, irreligion, a forgetfulness of God and ourselves, and alienation to his nature; this, throughout all ranks, is eternally and

unalterably inconfiftent with acceptance in the fight of God; he has adapted instruction to every state and condition, in unerring wifdom. It behoves all, carefully and diligently, to feek a right improvement of this unfpeakable gift, to see that it be not bestowed in vain.

We are not at all ashamed or afraid of advocating the cause of fimple christianity, under the ancient definition or description of it, given by the holy Jefus, as "the leaven which the woman took and hid in three measures of meal." Not afhamed to define religion as defigned to reform the heart, to make men pure and acceptable in the fight of God, not wearied in our endeavours to impress on the minds of men, the abfolute neceffity of this unfpeakable gift in themfelves, as religion flows from this gift; a gift adapted to every understanding and every state, and which the fame apostle, writing to his fons, after the common faith, further illuftrates in a manner worthy of all our attention; and which, if regarded, would put an end to the controverfies amongft Chriftians; "he gave himself for us that he might redeem us, from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works."

I own I look upon this to be the great defign of this unfpeakable gift, and a compendious account of the religion of Chrift; "the grace of God that brings falvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, we fhould live

foberly, righteously, and godly, looking for the bleffed hope and glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jefus Chrift, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works." I can hardly think that any are fo hardy as to affert there is either falfhood or inconfiftency in this apoftolic definition of the great defign of the religion of Christ, however their lives may contradict their profeffion, and give the lie to their own affent to the truths of religion. Scarce any can arrive to that degree of obduracy of mind, as to deny this to be the glorious intention of the religion of Chrift: here is the unfpeakable gift," he gave himself for us ;" he laid aside his glory, he came in the form of a servant, in a state of humiliation and poverty; was introduced into the world in a stable, laid in a manger, was (and not upon his own account) "a man of forrow and acquainted with grief;" the whole series of his life was a continued act of illuftrious virtue, inftructive and exemplary, to fhew us the dignity of the religion he came to establish, and to impress the minds of mankind, that they should walk as he walked. After having accomplished a pilgrimage of thirty-three years, he gave himself for us on Calvary's Mount, " the just for the unjuft, that he might bring us to God"-" He trod the wine-prefs alone, and of the people there was none with him." He that had legions of angels at command, bore the contradiction of finners; and that facred countenance impreft with divine glory, was spit upon, he was crowned with thorns, and treated as the