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Oppofition to the gofpel, however, has not ceased: It has only affumed a different form, the more dangerous, perhaps, that it is disguised. Even among its profeffed advocates and defenders, there are not wanting fome most unfriendly to those fublime and important truths, by which, as a system of religion, it is peculiarly diftinguished.

These men, affuming it as a principle, that human reafon is the fole judge of all objects of faith, make it their endeavour to bend Christianity into a compliance with the dictates of their own understanding. They fix the limits even of a divine revelation, and whatever exceeds the boundaries which they have marked out, they fcruple not to reject as incredible, and impoffible to have come from God.

Much learning and excellent criticism have been employed in defence of the ancient and generally received fyftem of evangelical truth, and to prove that it is

no lefs really than apparently contained in the word of God.

But, independent of the plain and direct teftimony of fcripture and just reafoning founded upon it, there is a teft, by which doctrines claiming to be evangeliçal, may, and ought to be tried,—a criterion to which the advocates for human reafon ought not to object, because at leaft to a certain extent, it accords with their own plan, and that is the standard of human nature; not, indeed, as it is exhibited in the fancied portraits of poets and philofophers, but as it is feen and felt in obfervation and experience.

Is the gospel, in the full extent and connexion of its doctrines, adapted to the state and circumstances of man? Is it fitted, with exquifite fkill, to afford a fupply to his wants, and a remedy to his intellectual diforders? Is its native tendency to elevate our fpecies to a rank in the scale of moral excellence, far beyond what any

other fyftem ever propofed or attempted? Then, from its own nature arifes an argument for its Divine Original, amounting almost to demonftration; and every ferious candid enquirer will acknowledge with the apostle, in the words of my text, that " Chrift is the wisdom of God," or, in other words, that thefe doctrines, and that fyftem which have Christ for their author and object, by their ftructure and tendency afford evidence of wisdom more than human, and could have proceeded only from God.

This is the fubject to which I wish to direct the attention of my much refpected hearers, upon the prefent occafion. It is evidently an important theme. It places the fcheme of the gofpel, not perhaps in a new, yet certainly in a most interesting point of light, and seems well adapted tọ the intention of our prefent affembly.

And if, upon a fair and candid examination, it fhall appcar, that the gospel is

admirably adapted to the ftate and cir cumstances of man, to remove his diforders, to fupply his defects, and to carry him forward to the highest improvement of which his faculties render him fufceptible; then it follows, that, to convey the knowledge of that fyftem to thofe of our fellow creatures, who either enjoy it not at all, or but in a very imperfect degree, is an undertaking benevolent and laudable; and that a fociety which have this for their object, are entitled to the approbation and countenance of their fellow citizens.

IN the profecution of this fubject, I wifh not to attempt a laboured argument addreffed to the mere intellect: my appeal is to feeling and experience, as well as to reason. I wish my hearers to retire into their own bofoms, to attend to what paffes there, and there to fuffer a plea

in behalf of "Chrift, as the wisdom of God," to reach them.

Upon an attentive furvey of the natural ftate and circumftances of man, the following propofitions, it is imagined, will be found undeniably true.

First, THAT man, altho' indued with the capacity of receiving information, yet, by his own unaffifted efforts, is totally unable to acquire the knowledge of those truths, with which it chiefly imports him to be acquainted.

Secondly, That, upon his being enlightened with the true knowledge of God, and of his duty, he muft neceffarily be impressed with a deep fense of his own depravity and guilt.

Thirdly, That he has a consciousness of moral obligation, and ideas of moral excellence, which from experience he finds he never can by his own efforts fulfil and attain.

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