ments of a number of people assembled with a purpose of being joyous; and what none would do alone, is not scrupled perhaps, where the impropriety (which, by the way, deserves often a severer name) is divided among a multitude. In fcenes like these, the clerical habit is a blot: the clerical character, a greater. There is nothing in uniformity with them. I would not be thought harsh: I would not be thought uncomplying. The world, I know, is often shocked at hearing the precepts of the gospel opposed, in all their plainness, to the elegant fashions, which it adopts: and we are sometimes almost afraid, in our popular discourses, of opening gospeltruths so fully as we might; lest by faying more than the times will bear, we should injure a cause, which we wish to advance. Our blessed Lord himself was often obliged to speak in parables. But let the world, if it please, be the deaf adder, which stoppeth its ears, there need be no apology surely for recommending gospeltruths in the plainest manner to the ministers of the gospel.

But the clerical character may be a check upon improprieties,

I should

I should fear, not much. "As we have the example however of our blessed Lord, who kept company with publicans and finners, with a view to reform them; nothing farther can be faid, if this be the real motive: though to me it appears rifking more, than the probability of advantage will infure.

After all, my brethren, it may be an easy matter, in an age of licence, to fatisfy ourselves -if we make the comparison only with others : but I hope this is a kind of fatisfaction, and a kind of comparison, in which none of us would willingly acquiefce. We talk of sectaries, and novel teachers; and cry, the people have itching ears. Would to God, no blame in this matter may rest upon ourselves! To speak with truth and candour, there does not feem, in general, to be so much fimplicity, and propriety of manners amongst us, as there appears to be amongst several of our difssenting brethren.

But propriety of manners is the diffenter's chief fupport. It is his worldly engine: and therefore his motives may be as worldly as ours. They may, or may not, for any thing we know? We have nothing to do with any motives but our own, It concerns us more to

confider, confider, whether certain truths lie not nearer home? Whether the established churchman declines the beat of the day, because his wages are double? Whether he spend his superfluity on the vanities, of life, because those wages are abundant? or, whether his manners are more lax, because those wages are more certain? The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are fer, was a complaint of great authority in early days-things are not mended, I should fuppofe, now. It is inconceivable how wrong the fpiritual affairs of a parish get in a little time. Habits of vice, and inattention to every thing ferious, make a quick progress. A few careless paftors, fucceeding each other, leave a parish in a state of heathenism; and it must be a work of time, and labour of length of time, of accumulated labour, to recover it from its fupineness. A generation may be loft; and no hope left but in a rifing one-whereas, if the care of one minister succeeded to that of another, each uniting fimplicity of doctrine with fimplicity of manners, in a few years a great change might be wrought,

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Thus, my brethren, I have given you my thoughts on a fubject not very recondite indeed;

deed; but very interesting. It is a serious business-a business too, in which we have all voluntarily engaged. We have all put our hands to the plough-and we know the consequence of looking back. Let us then cheerfully proceed; evermore uniting our prayers with our endeavours, that God would, of his infinite mercy, grant, we may both by our PREACHING, and LIVING, SET FORTH his holy word, and SHEW "it accordingly.

THEN WAS JESUS LED UP OF THE SPIRIT INTO - THE WILDERNESS, TO BE TEMPTED OF THE DEVIL.

THE account we have of this transaction hath been thought by many an allegory, or facred fable: though I see not for what reafon. It is introduced as a plain fact in a plain history, without any intimation that it is otherwise. It is connected also, as a real fact, with many parts of this history *. It carries the connection still farther; and very naturally unites the Old Testament with the New. The former shews us, how the devil foiled the first Adam-the latter, how