Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

the yearly collection at St. Paul's: which indeed are noble charities; but they are partial, and do not extend to the whole. A man muft have made but very little obfervation in the world, who has not seen several clergymens families, who have been genteelly educated, in the highest distreffes : but of this no more at present, as I intend, if this meets with your approbation, to enforce the neceffity of it by fome hiftories drawn from real life.

I would have none employ'd in collecting the money to be raised but either clergymen or their fons; and to prevent expence, it may be paid twice a year at the vifitations; and for the first two or three years nothing should be paid to any one, in order to raise a good fund at first.

We may obferve how the men of trade unite themselves into focieties, and contribute a certain fum weekly or monthly to make up a purfe for the benefit of the whole. When any man is fick, he is allow'd so much per week out of this fund till he can perform his bufinefs; and if any man die, his widow receives fome handsome present from the common ftock to comfort her for her lofs. Thefe are things done by the lowest rank of mechanicks; and furely men of liberal education must have more extenfive benevolence and rofity than the illiterate.

gene

Perhaps the zeal I fhew for the profecution of this defign may make you fufpect that I am interested in it; but I affure you that I am no clergyman myself, nor have any relation to or connection with the clergy, except that friendship, esteem, and regard, which their function claims from all mankind.

I take the liberty to give you these hints which you may improve as you pleafe and fhall conclude with a faying of a very ingenious man, who ended a publick declamation with thefe words, Si quid recte dixi, hoc eft quod volui; fi non, hoc eft quod potui.

ΦΙΛΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΣ.

On the HUMILIATION and SUFFERINGS of our BLESSED SAVIOUR.

Atque haud fcio, an pietate adverfus Deos fublatâ, fides etiam, &focietas humani generis, & una excellentiffima virtus, justitia tollatur.

[ocr errors]

CICERO de Naturâ Deorum. Lib. 1.

N this polite and learned age, if an author appear in

thing new, or adorn with a rich flowery diction what the world has been already favoured with. For my part, I have not the vanity to think, that either of these rare and excellent talents falls to my fhare: notwithstanding I perfuade myfelf, my appearing in publick is juftifiable.

There is a fet of men who are too polite either to hear or read fermons, or any other discourses of the like nature. It is for them this effay is defigned; into whofe hands probably this will fall, and who will be induced to read it, either through curiofity, or for the fake of turning it into ridicule. But here I would forewarn them, that as I do not court fame by my writings, fo I am quite regardless of their scorn. I write neither to improve the learned, nor entertain the curious. And therefore I ftudy neither fublimity of sentiment, nor elegancy of language; but to speak truth in plain and proper words, is the height of my ambition. Nor fhall I gain my ends, if I am univerfally pronounced an ingenious man. No: I have different, and, as I perfuade myself, nobler ends in view: viz. to work a reformation of manners, to quicken a fenfe of religion, and to raife in mens minds juft notions of true and folid happiness. If I can but caufe one generous thought to fpring up, one pious refolution to be established, one virtuous action to be formed, I fhall think myself more amply rewarded for my pains, than if I were loaded with universal acclamations of praise.

1

The

THE fubject I fhall chufe for my present confideration, Thall be that of our LORD's humiliation and fufferings; as well for its natural fitness and tendency to raise pious thoughts in every generous breast, as for its suitableness and propriety to the feafon of the year. And here I am fenfible, that I immediately expofe myself to the fcorn and ridicule of the freethinker. The cross of CHRIST is to him foolifhnefs. His pride is too haughty, his notions are too fublime, to submit to a despised and crucify'd Saviour. But to an honeft, unprejudiced, and humble mind, He is the power of God, and the wisdom of God. How muft his contemplative foul be loft in the abyss of wonder as well as forrow, when, with a fteady faith, he beholds the pungent agonies of his blessed, redeemer? No less a person than the eternal fon of God, did infinite wisdom think fufficient to execute the important work of man's redemption: He, who with unbounded fway commands cherubin and feraphin, angels and arch-angels; before whom thousands of heavenly beings ftand, and ten thousand times ten thousand minifter unto him: who, by his almighty power, could in a moment's time, call millions of creatures out of a state of non-existence into being, in order to execute his uncontroulable commands. With what a mixture of love and astonishment, of forrow and gratitude, reverence and praife, muft he behold this fovereign Lord of univerfal nature led as a lamb to the flaughter, and as a fheep before his fhearers is dumb, fo He opened not his mouth?

But let us turn our thoughts a little from the fhocking catastrophe, and take a view of our ever adorable Saviour in the firft fcene of his human exiftence. At his very first appearance in the world, we find his humiliation commences. Instead of a splendid palace, He is born in a ftable, and the lord of glory is laid in a manger. His whole life was one continu'd fcene of affliction. During his younger years, He earned his bread by the fweat of his brow; and when He entered upon his publick character, and began the momentous S

work

work for which He came into the world, He was defpifed by his friends and relations, who envied his fuperiour wisdom. He taught the will of God in a plain, eafy, and familiar way; and enforced his doctrine by the nobleft motives. The world might have been fenfibly convinced, that all the powers of the universe were at his nod. He, thro' his unbounded goodness, vouchfafed a miracle to feed thousands in the wilderness; and, by his almighty fiat, called the dead to life. The blind faw his fight-reftoring hand, the deaf heard his healing words, the dumb proclaimed his amazing power, and the very devils declared his divinity. And though He thus went about doing good, he received in return perpetual infults and affronts. At laft one of his own disciples betrays him, and all the reft forfake him.

Oh! the bitter agonies of his foul! what heart can conceive, or pen fufficiently exprefs them? Oh! how is He defpifed and rejected of men; a man of forrows and acquainted with grief! The unmerciful Jews drag him away to the Roman governour, before whom the King of Kings is arraigned as a rebel. He is fcourged, condemned, spit upon, crowned with thorns, and mocked. At length the Original of all things is crucified between two thieves. His tender hands and feet are torn with nails, and his precious fide is pierced with the fpear. But now the dreadful fcene approaches, the moment is come, when the prince of life muft depart this world. Mark! He bows, He fighs, He dies! Good God! what shocking convulfions follow this horrid deed! The mountains tremble, the earth opens, the temple is torn afunder, the rocks are rent, the dead arife! all nature is in confufion! the fun, the fountain of light, draws a veil over his face; fympathizing as it were with the Lord of nature, who was now gone down to the dark regions of the grave! But why was it ordained in the eternal decrees of heaven, that the only begotten fhould thus defcend from the bofom of his father, and undergo fuch ex

quifite

quifite tortures? Prefumptuous man! would'st thou unfold the unfearchable book of fate? Know this, and let this knowledge content thee; that it was to fatisfy an offended God for thy fin, and to purchase for thee, by his fufferings, everlasting manfions of blifs.

Can the generous heart reflect on these things, and not be filled with an overflowing of forrow? Can the man, whose breast glows with the least spark of gratitude, indulge these meditations, and not proftrate himself, with the deepest hu-~ miliation of foul, before the throne of grace, and fuppliantly implore the divine mercy for his many and great fins; in every one of which he has been instrumental in acting over again this horrid tragedy, and in crucifying the son of God afresh? and must they not work in him at the fame time a firm and unshaken refolution of living righteously, soberly, and godly for the future? How fhould these contemplations inspire us with love and obedience towards God, charity towards our neighbours, and benevolence towards all mankind? What an immenfe debt of love and adoration do we owe to the meek and lowly Jefus for his exemplary life and cruel death? In the one He has given us the noblest pattern of all that is good, lovely and virtuous; and in the other an evident demonftration of God's irreconcileable hatred against fin. Man, vile worm! when he fell, a remedy was immediately found out for the disease: but the fallen angels, an order of creatures much more exalted in the fcale of beings, are configned to endless perdition, No one, who is not entirely lost to every generous fentiment of humanity, can reflect on these things, and not cry out with the Pfalmift, I will magnify thee, O God, my King; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Every day will give thanks unto thee, and praise thy name for ever and ever..

Good-Friday, 1750.

I.

The

« AnteriorContinuar »