bly, and honestly asking of their Creator the means of doing well, are heard favourably, granted abundantly, and remembered eternally. I have thus, to the best of my abilities, and from the humble hope of doing good, in this, and the preceding discourse, past through the subject of temptation, and I conclude, by reminding you of what that season is, in which I have brought this subject before you; a season, in which the anniversary of our Saviour's death is now nigh at hand; the death of him who lived for our instruction, and happiness, who expired for our salvation, and who bequeathed to us, at his death, a gospel, which has diffused more gentleness, more goodness, more real happiness among mankind, than the united wisdom of the wisest sages could ever conceive before him; in addition, therefore, to all other motives for resisting temptation, we have this, not to render vain that death, and that crucifixion; and after the greatest of all beings has done so much for us, not to cast away his mercy, and frustrate his divine goodness, by ceasing diligently to labour for our own salvation. SERMON III. ACTS XXVII. VERSE XXII. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer, for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you. *I CONSIDER myself as fortunate, that it has fallen to my lot to recommend, from the pulpit, the establishment of an humane society in this neighbourhood, for the preservation of life; because, as I am sure, from the benefits it will confer, that it must be long remembered, and zealously supported, I cannot but be pleased to connect myself, however humbly, and distantly, with that * This Sermon was preached at Watford, to recommend the institution of an Humane Society, rendered expedient by some very dreadful accidents which had recently occurred there. |