Excerpt from Sermons on the Gospels for Every Sunday Throughout the Year, Vol. 1: With an Appropriate Sermon for the First and Last Sunday

They consist of an exposition of the Gospel for each Sunday throughout the year, followed by reflections obviously arising from it, and those too, in general, mainly confined to some one particular subject. They are addressed both to the understanding and the heart, with a view to the promotion'of warm and solid piety. Prefixed to them is an appropriate Sermon for the first Sunday of the Year, and a similar one for the last Sunday is subjoined at the close. The temper which pervades them will, he trusts, be found to be that of the Gospel, equally removed from the opposite extremes, of excessive severity on the one hand, and too indulgent laxity on the other and the style in which they are written has been accommodated, as much as possible, to the capa cities of general readers, without being offensive (if so the Author may be allowed to presume), to the more cultivated taste of those who have had the advantage of a superior education.

Although he has not omitted to expose, without palliation or disguise, the judgments of God, de nounced in the Sacred Oracles, against unrepent ing sinners, he has deemed it more consonant to the spirit of Christianity to dwell principally on such considerations as he conceived to be more congenial to the character of those who are deno minated in Holy Writ adopted children of God, and who, as such, are encouraged to look up to him with reverential, indeed, yet filial, affection, as to their Father who is in Heaven. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear, says St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans, but you ha've received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry Abba (rom. 0. VIII.

Whilst the Author fondly cherishes a persuasion (and he hopes, in so doing, he is not deceived), that the promotion of the Spiritual interests, as formerly, of his hearers, so now of his readers, is the main object to which his feeble endeavours have been directed, he is not ashamed to confess his weak ness, (if it be a weakness) in acknowledging the pleasure which he will unavoidably derive from the approbation of those whose good opinion he highly values; prepared, at the same time, in the event of failure in that respect, to submit with re signation, in the humble liope that even his unsuc cessful attempt will be graciously considered by that Omniscient and Merciful Being, who is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (heb. C. V. V. 12)

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.