SERMON V.

MICAH vi. 8.

HE HATH SHEWED THEE, O MAN, WHAT IS GOOD; AND WHAT DOTH THE LORD REQUIRE OF THEE, BUT TO DO JUSTLY, AND TO LOVE MERCY, AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH THY GOD?

WE have fhewn in the preceding Lecture,

that the Schism, of which the Authors of this new Sect were guilty, was the immediate confequence of their Enthusiasm. It now remains for us to point out the cause in which that Enthusiasm originated. And as it has been establisheda, that Pride, and Vanity, and Ambition, are the principal, if not the fole caufes of Enthufiaftic delufion in general, we may expect to find that these paffions produced that particular inftance of it, which is the immediate fubject of our confideration. We could willingly confent indeed to pafs

a See page 42. et feq.

S 3

over

over this point in filence. And, as it is our fole object to establish, that no enthufiaftic belief in particular communications can ever justify a feparation from an Apoftolically conftituted Church, perhaps it might be thought fufficient to have proved the reality of the Enthusiasm, without adverting to the principle from which it may be supposed to have proceeded.

But were we to omit this part of our enquiry, it is more than probable that we should fail of attaining the very end for which, principally, it was instituted. When we under

took to fhew the evils which unavoidably refult from Religious Enthusiasm, we did it in order to prove the abfolute neceffity of repreffing every emotion of fpiritual pride and ambition; those being the paffions in which that delusion originates. The motive however which led us thus to make pride and vanity, and ambition particularly, the objects of animadverfion, was this; that many people, who would think it finful to yield to their suggestions in worldly concerns, feem not to be so much upon their guard as they ought to be, against their influence in such pursuits as are connected with religion. And yet we may fairly question, whether there be any virtue, the exercise of which is more pofitively enjoined us in Scripture, on all occa

fions,

sions, than that of humility. Nor is it there fpoken of merely as a quality which gives a grace to the performance of other duties; it is rather described to be an effential mean, by which we may attain to a knowledge of our duties, and persevere in the practice of them. Thus the inspired Writer of the text declares, that if it be the immediate object of Revelation to fhew us what is good, it is equally its object to tell us, that this good confifts not only in loving mercy, and in doing justice, but alfo in walking humbly with our God. It cannot therefore be recalled to our minds too frequently, that the breach of this latter, no less than of the former duties, is both injurious to the profpects of the Chriftian's hope, and detrimental to the purity of the Christian's faith. A reference to the hiftory of paft events will fufficiently establish the truth of this pofition.

Had it not been for spiritual pride, which has fo often made men with to be thought Some great one; and for fpiritual ambition, which has led them to aim at governing the confciences of numerous followers, the greater part of those Sects, which in past ages have rent the suffering Church, would have never exifted b. Perhaps too we may add, in refer

b The accounts that have been left us of the feveral Sects

ence to thofe Sectaries, whofe delufive pretenfions we have examined, that, had they not fuffered themselves to have been influenced by these paffions, they never would have difturbed the peace of our Communion.

Should this be proved to have been the cafe, probably it will be allowed, that no inftance of enthufiaftic delufion could have afforded a more striking example of its deftructive power than the present. Had the perfons in question been men of extreme ignorance; had their lives been vicious, and their

which from time to time have arifen in the Church, are fuch as do not suffer us to doubt as to the principles in which they originated. The power which their feparate Authors obtained; the praises which they courted, and the adulation which they received; clearly prove that pride and ambition must have been the leading motives of their conduct. In fact, it is manifeft that the Apoftles themselves regarded those pasfions to be the caufes of Schifm. For when St. Paul reproved the Corinthians, the language he employed, fhews that he confidered the love of power and diftinction to have been the real motives which actuated the Leaders of those Sects which then disturbed the Church. See 1 Cor. iii. 3, 4, 5. and compare with ch. iv. 6. See alfo Grotius in loc. who fays, "Nominibus quidem (Pauli et Apollo) utebantur; fed prin

cipes fectarum fub hoc prætextu fuo honori et commodis ve"lificabantur." It is in reference to these paffions, that the words of St. Paul, Are ye not carnal, must be understood. Thus Theophyla : Νυν δε λοιπον προς τες αρχομενες αποδύεται, και φησιν, ότι εικοτως ύμας σαρκικές ονομαζω, ὅπε γε εν ύμιν ζήλος, και ερις, και διχοτασιαι-Πανταχε δε τον ζηλον τη ερίδι συναπλει. Παλης γαρ ὁ ζήλος της εριδος αύτη δε τας διχοστασίας γεννα. Opera, vol. ii. p. 136.

abilities

abilities contemptible, then the argument to be drawn from the irregularity of their conduct could not have had much weight. But when it is feen that a piety, an ability, and a zeal, which might have adorned the Church of Chrift, were diverted from their proper course, to support the cause of Schifm, and to palliate the extravagancies of Enthusiasm; and when it may be fhewn, that principles fo unbecoming as fpiritual pride and ambition were the probable caufes which occafioned fo fatal a perverfion, the minds of the young cannot but be forcibly impreffed with the neceffity of preferving that lowlinefs of heart, which has uniformly been the characteristic of the truly religious man.

The object then of this prefent Lecture will be, to ascertain whether pride, and vanity, and ambition, were not, perhaps the fole, certainly the principal, caufes which produced the enthufiaftic delufion of the Authors of this new Communion.

It will be proper however to observe, that, before we enter on any enquiry, we should previously ascertain in our minds what evidence the point under confideration requires, and of what it is capable. In all fuch cases as admit of strict demonstration, any proof short of that may be rejected as infufficient.

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