GENERAL MISTAKES.

ROMANS xii. 2.

Be not conformed to this world. OF all the difcourfes delivered in this pulpit, thofe, which deferve the greatest deference, and ufually obtain the least, are fuch as treat of general mistakes. What fubjects require greater deference? Our defign in treating of them is to diffipate thofe illufions, with which the whole world is familiar, which are authorized by the multitude, and which, like epidemical diseases, inflicted fometimes by providence on public bodies, involve the ftate, the church, and individuals. Yet, are any difcourfes lefs refpected than such as thefe To attack general mistakes, is, to excite the difpleasure of all who favor them, to disgust a whole auditory, and to acquire the most odious of all titles, I mean that of pub lic cenfor. A preacher is then obliged to choose, either never to attack fuch mistakes as the multitude think fit to authorize, or to renounce the advantages, which he may promife himself, if he adapt his fubjects to the tafte of his auditors, and touch their diforders only fo far as to accom. modate their crimes to their conftiences.

Let us not hesitate what part to take. St. Paul determines us by his example. Ham going to-day, in imitation of this apoftle, to guard you against the rocks, where the many are fhipwrecked,

He exhorts us, in the words of the text, not to take the world for a model; the world, that is, the crowd, the multitude, fociety at large.. But what fociety hath he in view? Is it that of ancient Rome, which he defcribes as extreme

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ly depraved in the beginning of this epiftle?: Does he fay nothing of our world, our cities and provinces ? We are going to examine this, and I fear I fhall be able to prove to you, that our multitude is a dangerous guide to fhew us the way to heaven; and, to confine ourselves to a few articles, I fhall prove that they are bad guides to direct us, firft, in regard to faith; fecondly, in regard to the worship which God requires of us; thirdly, in regard to morality; and laftly, in regard to the hour of death. In thefe four views I fhall enforce the words of my text, Be not conformed to this world. This is the whole plan of this difcourfe...

I. The multitude is a bad guide to direct our faith. We will not introduce here the famous. controverfy on this question, whether a great number form a prefumption in favor of any religion, or whether univerfality be a certain evidence of the true chriftian church? How often has this question been debated and determined !: How often have we proved against one community, which displays the number of its profeffors with fo much parade, that, if the pretence were well founded, it would operate in favor of paganifm, for pagans were always more numerous than chriftians! How often have we told them, that in divers periods of the ancient church, idolatry and idolaters have been enthroned in both the kingdoms of Judah and Ifrael ! How often have we alledged, that in the time of Jefus Chrift, the church was defcribed as a little flock, Luke xii. 32. that heathens and Jews were all in league against chriftianity at firft, and that the gofpel had only a small number of difciples! How often have we retorted, that for whole centuries, there was no trace, no fhadow, of the opinions of modern Rome! But we will not ap ply ourselves to this controverfy-to-day, by fixing your attention on the fophifms of foreigners, Y. 2. perhaps

perhaps we might divert your eyes from your own; by fhewing you our triumphs over the vain attacks made on us by the enemies of the reformation, perhaps we might turn away your attention from other more dangerous wounds, which the reformed themselves aim at the heart of religion. When I fay the multitude is a bad guide in matters of faith, I mean, that the man-. ner, in which most men adhere to truth, is not by principles, which ought to attach them to it, but by a fpirit of negligence and prejudice..

It is no fmall work to examine the truth, when we arrive at an age capable of difcuffion. The fundamental points of religion, I grant, lie in the fcriptures clear and perfpicuous, and with. in the comprehenfion of all who chufe to attend to them but when we pass from infancy to manhood, and arrive at an age in which reafon feems mature, we find ourfelves covered with a veil, which either hides objects from us, or dif figures them. The public difcourfes we have heard in favor of the feet, in which we were educated, the inveterate hatred we have for all others, who hold principles oppofite to ours, the frightful portraits that are drawn before our eyes, of the perils we must encounter, if we de part from the way we have been brought up in, the impreffions made upon us by the examples and decifions of our parents, and matters, and teachers, the bad taste of those, who had the care of our education, and who prevented our acquire ing that most noble difpofition, without which it is impoffible ever to be a true philofopher, or a real chriftian, I mean, that of fufpending our judgment on fubjects not fufficiently proved : from all this arife clouds, that render the truth inacceffible, and which the world cannot diffipate. We do not fay, that natural talents or fupernat ural affiftance are wanting; we are fully con, vinced that God will never give up to final error,

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any man who does all in his power to understand the truth. But the world are incapable of this work. Why? Because all the world, except a few, hate labor and meditation in regard to the fubjects, which refpect another life because all the world would choofe rather to attach them felves to what regards their temporal interefts, than to the great interest of eternal happinefs : because all the world like better to fuppofe the principles imbibed in their childhood true, than to impofe on themfelves the task of weighing them anew in the balance of a found and fevere reafon becaufe all the world have an invinci ble averfion to fuppofe, that when they are ar rived at manhood, they have almost loft their time in fome refpects, and that when they leave fchool they begin to be capable of inftruction.

If the nature of the thing cannot convince you, that the multitude continue through negligence in the profeflion of that religion, in which they were born, experience may here fupply the place of reafoning. There is an infinite variety of geniufes among mankind. Propofe to an af fembly a question, that no fyftem hath yet decid ed, and you will find, as it is ufually faid, as many opinions as heads.

It is certain, if mankind were attached to a religion only because they had ftudied it, we fhould find a great number of people forfake that, in which they had been brought up, for it is impoffible, that a whole fociety fhould unite in one point of error, or rather, it is clear to a demonftration, that as truth hath certain characters fuperior to falfehood, the temples of idols would be inftantly deferted, erroneous fects would be Loon abandoned, the religion of Jefus Chrift, the only one worthy of being embraced, the only one that deferves difciples, would be the only one embraced, and would alone be received by all fincere difciples of truth.

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Do not think, my brethren, that this reflection concerning that fpirit of negligence, which retains moft men in a profeffion of their own re'ligion, regards only fuch communions as lay down. their own infallibility for a fundamental article of faith, and which prefcribe ignorance and blind fubmiffion as a firft principle to their partizans, for it is but too easy to prove, that the fame fpirit of negligence reigns in all communities. Hence it comes to pafs, that in general fo few christians can render a reafon for their faith. Hence it is that people are ufually better furnished with argoments to oppofe fuch focieties as furround them, than with thofe, which eftablifh the fundamental truths of chriftianity. If then you follow the direction of the multitude in the study of religion, you will be conducted by a fpirit of negligence, prejudice will be held for proof, edu'cation for argument, and the decifions of your parents and teachers for infallible oracles of truth.

II. The multitude is a bad guide in regard to that worship, which God requireth of us, they defile it with a fpirit of fuperftition. Superfti•tion is a difpofition of mind, that inclines us to regulate all parts of divine worship, not by just notions of the Supreme Being, nor by his rela. tions to us, nor by what he has condefcended to reveal, but by our own fancies. A fuperftitious man entertains fantaftical ideas of God, and renders to him capricious worship; he not unfrequently takes himself for a model of God; he thinks, that what most resembles himself, howev. er mean and contemptible, approaches nearest to perfection. We affirm, this difpofition is almoft univerfal..

44 It would be needlefs to prove this to you, my brethren, in regard to erroneous communities. Were fuperftition banished from the world, we fhould not fee men, who are made in the image

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