THE PUBLIC THANKSGIVING, BY SAMUEL PEARCE, M. A. TOT LIBER TOTIES MALIS, BUCHANAN. BIRMINGHAM, Printed by James Belcher. Sold by the Bookfellers in Birmingham; and by BUTTON, 994€ 260(2) A SERMON. LUKE XVII. 15, 16. AND ONE OF THEM, WHEN HE SAW THAT HE WAS HEALED, TURNED BACK, AND WITH A LOUD VOICE GLORIFIED GOD, AND FELL DOWN AT HIS FEET GIVING HIM THANKS; AND HE WAS A SAMARITAN, SOME parts of human conduct are fo trifling and unworthy, that the ferious mind feels a mixture of pity and contempt when they come beneath its notice: other parts are fo bafe and detestable, that they furnish matter for the deepest lamentation and regret: whilft others are fo juft, fo beneficial, or fo amiable, that it is impoffible to contemplate them without pleafing admiration. Such are the effufions of a grateful heart-a heart fuitably affected with the kindness it has received from another, and expreffing, to the utmost reach of language and conduct, its sense of obligation to its benefactor. The Bible abounds with fine and striking fpecimens of this lovely temper; and few are more interefting than that prefented to us by our text. We read, v. 12. that "As he (Jesus) entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off." You may recollect, that the Jewish law prohibited leprous perfons from abiding in cities or towns*; fo that they were obliged to retire to the villages, or lefs populous parts of the country; and being fhut out from other fociety, they formed little parties of their own, and paffed their time together. It seems one of these was a Samaritan, between whose countrymen and the Jews there were no dealings ordinarily; but their common affliction had, in this instance, suspended the effect of party animofity. Not prefuming to come near, left they should spread the infection, they stood afar off, and, v. 13, They lift up their voices and said, Jefus, mafter, have mercy on us.” It is probable that they had heard of bis fame "who went about doing good, healing all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease among the people," and were therefore encouraged to make application to him for perfonal relief: and furely they could not have applied to one whofe power, or whofe kindness, would better justify a hope of fuccefs, as the iffue proves; for v. 14, " He (without keeping them in fufpenfe) faid, "Go, fhew yourselves to the Priefts." This injunction contained a pretty ftrong intimation that he would * Lev. xiii. 46. work |