knowledge both human and divine; and whose souls panted for more extensive acquirements, and more enlarged views in regard to the wonderful scenes of creation, providence, and redemption.

And if ministers of the gospel in the present age, have not a good foundation laid for mental and theological improvement, and if they be not men of study, their people must be fed with old provision; nor will they be refreshed by him with running and living streams: but they must hunger and thirst for the rich dainties of the gospel through his deficiency and negligence. How lamentable for a gospel

minister to trust to his former attainments as an inexhaustible fund, from which to derive constant supplies. Instead of giving himself wholly to his work, he may be said not to give himself to it at all. His illustrations will be general and vague; and the people of his charge, for new things must hear a continued repetition of old; and instead of experiencing the varied blessings of an interesting variety of publick discourses, and a corresponding style, they will participate the contrary effects, the judgements of a barren and unfaithful minister. Although the ways and means of improvement are manifold and the objects unbounded, still with assiduity must a man improve them, in order to replenish his own mind and to be capable of instructing others. If the education, the reading, and the contemplations of a divine be superficial, his instructions will be but chaff instead of wheat. What man upon earth does it become to be diligent in his vocation more than a minister of the gospel? Who sustains a station more elevated than he? or has a more important trust committed to his charge? How important for him, then, profound erudition and close application to study.

4th. This subject should be improved by Christians and by all men, as an excitement to a spirit of liberality, of candour, and of accuracy, in the judge

ing of the opinions and actions of men, and of the divine procedure and operations. And that they may derive much light to see how important it is to be thus influenced, permit me to close this discourse with remarks on the subject from the Christian Philosopher. Who is the most candid and liberal Béing in the universe? God. And why is God to be considered as the most liberal intelligence, that exists? Because he embraces a minute, a full and comprehensive view of all the circumstances, connexions, relations, habits, motives, temptations, modes of thinking, educational biases, physical affections, and other causes that may influence the sentiments or the conduct of any of his creatures.

Who among created intelligences may be viewed as endued with these qualities in the next degree? The loftiest seraph that God has created, who has winged his way to numerous worlds, and taken the most extensive survey of the dispensations of the Almighty, and of his creatures and events.

Who among the sons of men, is the most illiberal and inaccurate in the judgeing of opinions, of persons, and of things? The man who has lived all his days, within the confines of his native village; who has never looked beyond the range of his own religious party; whose thoughts have always run in one narrow track; whose reading has been confined to two or three volumes; who cares for nothing either in the heavens or the earth, but in so far as it ministers to his convenience, his avarice, or his sensual enjoyment; who will admit no sentiment to be true, but what he may have heard from his own parson; and whose conversation seldom rises beyond the slanderous remarks which are circulated among his neighbours. Persons of such a character are entirely unqualified for forming a correct judgement, either of the sentiments and actions of men, or of the works and the ways of God; for they are devoid of that information and those principles, which are requisite to form

a rational decision in relation to either of these sub

jects. It may be admitted as a kind of axiom in our estimate of human character, that in proportion to the ignorance and narrow range of view which characterize any individual, in a similar proportion will be his want of candour, and his unfitness for passing a sound judgement on any subject that is laid before him. Moreover, the man who has taken excursions through the widest range of thought, accompanied with a corresponding improvement of his moral powers, will be the most liberal and candid in his decisions on the moral and intellectual qualities of others. To these maxims, few exceptions will generally be found. In forming an enlightened judgement in regard to any action or object, it is essentially requisite that we contemplate it in all its different features and aspects, and in all its minute circumstances, bearings, and relations. On the same principle, it must be admitted that he who has viewed religion in all its aspects and bearings, who has taken the most extensive survey of the manifestations of God and of the habits and relations of men, is the best qualified to pronounce a candid and accurate decision on all the intellectual and moral cases that may come before him. And if the spirit of these sentiments be founded on fact, it will follow that the more we resemble God in the amplitude of our intellectual views and benevolent affections, the more candid, and liberal, and accurate will our judgements be in reference to all the actions, objects, and relations we contemplate.

On the other hand, the man who is confined to a narrow range of thought and prospect, is continually erring in the estimates he forms, both in respect to physical facts, to general principles, and to moral actions. He forms a premature and uncharitable opinion on every slander and report against his neighbour. He condemns without hesitation, and

throws an unmerited odium on whole bodies of men, because a few of their number may have displayed weakness or folly. He hates and despises men and their opinions, because they belong not to his political or religious party. He pronounces his decisions on the motives of men with as much confidence as if he had surveyed their hearts with the eye of omniscience. He cannot hear an objection against his favourite opinions with patience, nor an apology for any set of principles but his own. He is arrogant and dogmatical in his assertions, and will make no concessions to the superiour wisdom of others. He sets himself with violence against every proposal for reformation in the church, because his forefathers never thought of it; and because such innovations do not suit his humour and pre-conceived opinions. He decides in the most confident tone, on what God can and cannot do, as if he had taken · the most perfect survey of infinite perfection; and he frets at the divine dispensations when they do not exactly correspond with his own humour and selfish views. Moreover, he vainly imagines that he is better qualified to pronounce a decision on the varied topicks of divinity, than all the philosophers and divines, and all the brightest geniuses who have ever appeared in the world, though he cannot but confess that he never gave himself the trouble to examine into such matters. His views of the providential dispensations of God, are equally partial and distorted. If disease, or poverty, or misfortune, happen to his neighbour, especially if he had withdrawn from the religious party to which he belongs, it is considered as a penal judgement for errour and apostacy. If prosperous circumstances attend his family or religious party, it is viewed as a sign of divine approbation. He seldom views the hand of God except in uncommon occurrences; and then he imagines that a miracle is performed, and that the wheels of nature are stopped in order to accomplish the event.

He seldom looks beyond the precincts of his own church or nation, to observe the movements of the divine footsteps toward other tribes of his fallen race. He overlooks the traces of divine operation, which are every moment to be seen above and around him; and yet, in the midst of all such partial and contracted views, he will sometimes decide on the wisdom and rectitude of the ways of God with as much confidence as if he had entered into the secret councils of the Eternal, and surveyed the whole plan of his procedure. Such are a few prominent outlines of the character of thousands whose names are enrolled as members of the visible church, and whose illiberality and self-confidence are owing to the contracted notions they have formed of God and of religion And surely it must appear desirable to every enlightened Christian that every proper means should be used to prevent rational, immortal beings from the remaining enchained in such mental thraldom.

On the other hand, the man who takes an enlightened view of all the works and dispensations of God, and of all the circumstances and relations of subordinate beings, readily acquires a nobleness and liberality of mind, and an accuracy in the judgeing of things human and divine, which no other person can possess. He does not hastily take up an evil report against his neighbour; for he considers how unfounded such reports often are, and how much they may be owing to the insinuations of envy or malice. And when he can no longer doubt of an evil action being substantiated against any one, he does not triumph over him in the language of execration, for he considers all the circumstances, relations, feelings, and temptations with which he may have been surrounded; and he considers that he himself is a frail, sinful creature, and might possibly have fallen in a similar way had he been placed in the same situation. He does not trumpet forth the praises of a man who has performed one brilliant benevolent