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Amidst the great Numbers of Perfons who P-79are grown rich by unlawful Methods, we "have never yet feen any who in the laft Period of his Life, has fent for his Children, and "told them in that critical Moment,

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"Dear Children, I have given you offence whilst I lived, I will now at my death edify you; and in thefe, laft Moments of my Life, "give glory to God, and acknowledge my paft Faults. The greatest part of my Wealth was acquired by criminal Methods, Thefe glittering and magnificent Apartments you "fee, are the Fruits of Perjury. These ftrongbuilt and ftately Houfes have been rear'd up by the many Lyes I have spoken. My frequent Extortions have kept up thofe Equipages fo fumptuous and fo glaring. But this day I repent of my Crimes, and reftore to the State, "to the Church, to private Perfons, to the Publick, what I have robbed them of; and I choose "to leave you deftitute, rather than to tranfmit you an accurfed Patrimony; the Example of my Repentance, rather than the Fruits of my Injustice.

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SERMON III. (Of CHRIST's Paffion, from John xviii. 3-11.) The best Comment upon these Words, fays Mr. Saurin, are those of St. Paul, When I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor. xii. 10. He obferves it, The Miracles p.87. wrought by Chrift at Gethsemane. 2dly, The tender Concern Chrift fhewed for his Difciples. 3dly, The Directions he gave them. 4thly and laftly, His Submiffion to his Father's Will. 1. Chrift's Miracles, at that juncture, fhew that he might have deliver'd himself from his Enemies, if it had been his Will. Under the second Head,

P 94. Head, he contends for Predeftination; and that Christ's Concern for his Difciples confifted first, in preferving them from falling; Secondly, in referving them for the many great things they did, and for Examples to us. Under the third Head, our Author declares himself, and pleads for the paffive Obedience of Subjects to the Will of an oppreffive Sovereign, &c. And fourthly, he explains the Meaning of the Word Cup, and fhews the Bitterness and Difficulty of the Task God had referved for Chrift, and the Greatness of our Lord's Submiffion.

p. 109.

p. 123.

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SERMON IV. (OfSt. Peter's Denial,from Matth. xxvi. 69-75.) After a few Reflections on St. Peter's Rafhnefs, he confiders his Text under these three Heads. I. The Cowardice of an Apostle, who, for fome Moments, yields to the Efforts of the Tempter. II. Chrift making head against the Enemy of our Salvation; and, with a bare Look, fnatching from him his Conqueft. III, and laftly, The Penitent Apostle, who with bitter Tears recovers from his Fall on Christ's looking upon him.

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All these are treated on with the Author's ufual Eloquence.

SERMON V. Preach'd on the third Sunday in Lent (from Matth. xxvi. 59-68.) After a fhort Preface on the Magnanimity and Heroifm Chrift expreffed under his Sufferings, p. 165. Mr. Saurin, in this Difcourfe, examines three things. 1. The falfe Witneffes who deposed against Christ. 2. The Judges who condemn him. 3. Fefus Chrift, who defpifes the Evidence of the firft, and calmly hears Sentence paffed upon him by the latter. As to the firft he proves,

that

that not only the Depofitions of the Witneffes p. 167. were not uniform, but that they were even contradictory, and tended rather to prove Chrifl's Innocency; and that the laft Witneffes, upon whofe Depofition he was condemned, accufed him with having faid that be was able to destroy the Temple of God, intimating that he was a prophane and feditious Man. 2. Chrift defpifing p. 175. this laft Charge, and anfwering in the affirmative to the peremptory Queftion of the HighPrieft, whether he were the Meffias, is by him immediately accufed of Blasphemy. Our Author p. 180. thereupon inquires into the Nature of Blasphemy, which, according to him, is twofold. ft, 'Tis Blafphemy to deny God his abfolute Eternity, his Omnipotence, and the rest of his Attributes. 2dly, 'Tis Blafphemy to afcribe to one's felf thefe incommunicable Properties of the fupreme Being. And of this laft kind was Chrift accufed. Then inquiring into the Character of the Judges, he finds they were the great Council of the Jewish Nation, with the High-Priest at their Heads and confifting of the Jewish Clergy. Upon which p. 184. he proves, 1ft, There ought not, nor cannot be any fuch thing as implicit Faith; and fhews the dreadful Confequences of this Tenet, with refpect to this Tribunal's proceedings against Chrift. 2dly, That thefe wicked Judges were of the Clergy. These were the Men, who, at that time, p. 186. made fuch an Outcry that the Church was in danger, if he was fuffered to live, &c. If, fays p. 187. our Author, if I were to advise a young Clergy"man how he fhould make Friends and get Preferment Flatter, would I fay, applaud, at least never wound to the Heart; defcend not into particulars, and never make fuch Defcriptions as your Hearers may think them

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p. 189.

P. 201.

"felves hinted at: but, ABOVE ALL, never find "fault with the Clergy, and never tell them, "Wo unto you Pharifees, &c."

Mr. S. makes a hideous Picture of the Clergy, in general, which, we hope, is very different from what ours is; tho' fome affirm that,

Priests of all Religion are the fame.

SERMON VI. Preached on the fourth Sunday. in Lent (Of Christ's Confeffion before Pilate, from John xviii. 33-38.) After a short Preface on the common Objection made against the Goodness of God, who fuffers his best Servants. to be exposed to the greatest Hardships in this World, Chrift rewarding them in his Kingdom, which is not of this World; our Author divides his Difcourfe into three Parts. In the

First he shews the Juftnefs of the Idea Chrift gives of his Kingdom, which is not of this World...

Under this Head he confiders, I. The End this King had in view. It was not to wallow in Luxury, as Sardanapalus; nor to make a fhew of Pomp and Vain-glory, as Sennacherib; nor was his Defign that of fubjecting the whole World, by Strength of Arms, as Alexander. It was to difpel Darkness, and to appeafe God's Anger, &c. II. His Maxims, Juftice and Equity; to render unto Cæfar the things which are Cæfar's, and unto God, the things that are God's: to do as we would be done by, &c. III. His Exploits. The ac complishing of the Ends he had propofed. IV. The Arms made use of by him. His Crofs, his Word, his Example, and his Spirit. V. His Favourites. Those who do the Will of his Father. VI. His Rewards. The Peace of Mind; the Crown of Martyrdom; the Heavenly Mansions;

the

the Company of Angels; and the Heavenly Ferufalem.

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II. That as this Kingdom is not of this World, P.213. it must be a Kingdom of Truth. Upon which our Author asks what is Truth? With respect to the Jews, the Answer is, That Christ was the true Meas. With regard to the Gentiles, that notwithstanding fome have afferted, as Socrates, that Truth was abfolutely uncomeatable, yet there are Truths of indifputable evidence, (fuch as those taught by Christ.)

III. Whether there are among us many who P.227. are of the Truth, and bear bis Voice, and whether he has many Subjects.

The Jews have intirely rejected him, and entailed a Curse upon themselves, and their Pofterity. Among the Chriftians, it is plain, that the Man who, at Rome, calls himself his Vicegerent here on Earth, by the Pomp and Vanities of this World he is incircled with, fhews he does not follow the example of Him whofe Succeffor he pretends to be, and whofe Kingdom is not of this World. Among the Reformed, how few are there! Mr. Saurin concludes, by fhewing, in a pathetic manner, what we are to be, in order to obtain a Place in that Kingdom.

SERMON VII. (from Luke xxiii. 5-12.) P. 236. The chief Design of this Difcourfe is to answer the Objection ufually made against the Chriftian Religion, viz. that it ftirreth up the People. After a few curfory Reflections on the Words that follow; our Author, Firft, Inquires wherein this p. 248. Charge may be true, and wherein it is falfe. Secondly, From the very nature of the Troubles ftirred up by Chrift, and his Minifters, he apologizes for the Gofpel,and its Minifters. Thirdly,

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