|times, when the rage of controversy, pre- 
vailed among Christians, zeal for doctrinal 
\0ints diverted attention from the admirable 
morality of the gospel ;_ so, the logical war- 
fare with sceptics tended to superinduce a 
cold, speculative, phlegmatic habit, which 
excluded, or at least impaired, that justly 
| pr portioned zeal for religion which ought 
always to animate its professors. 
“By these remarks I mean no reflexion 
oi those able defenders of Christianity, whose 
\irresistible arguments have triumphantly re- 
lied the attacks of deists, and to whom the 
Puitistian church owes indelible obligations. 
But, to every human work some imperfec- 
tion unavoidably adheres, and Tam convin- 
ced that the cause just now stated, has, in 
some degree, contributed to produce that 
listless profession of religion so prevalent 
im the present times. While the under- 
‘standing was occupied in defending its truth, 
the heart was perhaps less affected by its 
intrinsic excellence and beauty.” 
| 
” What Dr. Brown observes of pride is 
not more eloquent than true : 
«¢ Pride commences with our life, grows 
| with our growth, and spreads through all our 
conversation and conduct. She accompanies 
| us through every stage, condition, and cir- 
} cumstance of our terrestrial course. She in- 
| termingles with almost every action we 
perform, and every pursuit in which we en- 
a. She attends us to the grave, in all the 
“pomp, solemnity, and expence of funeral. 
She engraves her ostentatious inscriptions 
yn the stone that covers the mouldering 
Tod , and, when that body is incorporate 
with its original dust, and these words of va- 
nily are no longer legible, she attempts, by 
escuicheons and pedigrees, and genealogical 
Jegends, to perpetuate the name which wis- 
‘had, perhaps, consigned to oblivion. 
This is, more or less, the foible, this the de- 
formity, this the deep-rooted vice of all man- 
kind. Pride appears in the cottage, as well 
sin the palace. She sits on the workman’s 
a as well as on the monarch’s thronc. 
| 
s marching at the head of avictorious army. 
One great cause of wrath, aid contention, 
ud rancour among men, is, whose pride 
has a right to indulgence; who is entitled 
‘that pre-eminence, of which both par- 
are, perhaps, equally unworthy ; and 
no is authorised to vindicate that supe- 
ority at which all aspire, but which the 
erality refuse to every one, 
ad y 
BROWN’S SERMONS. 
he struts driving a flock cf sheep, as well 
but them- 
157 
With the following pathetic passages, 
we wiil, reluctantly, conclude our selec- 
tions. It occurs in the last discourse. 
** Ye, who enjoy every convenience and 
comfort of life! to whom, when you are 
laid on a bed of sickness, every soothing aid, 
every help of medicine, every relief that 
money or tenderness can supply, are pro- 
vided; reflect how you endured the pains 
and languors of disease, though mitigated 
and softened by all that human art or kind- 
ness could devise! Did you happen to be 
removed from your abode, when some se- 
vere and dangerous malady assailed you, how 
were you overwhelmed by the absence of do- 
mestic eharity and convenience? But, the 
peor man has no home for sickness ! Health 
13 Necessary to procure him ordinary com- 
fort, is necessary to provide him and his fa- 
mily with the means of daily subsistence.— 
Laid on the bed of languishing, perhaps on 
the bed of death, he Bebolds his wie and 
children, disconsolate around him. They 
can present to him none of the cordials and 
supports of sickness; for his interrupted 
Jabour deprives them of the staff of life. His 
distress and theirs are unknown to the ear of 
opulence. The rich, or those who em loy 
him, recognise him only by the price of has 
labour. When fixed to a sick-bed, which 
serves rather to augment, than to alleviate 
his malady, he ceases to attend his work, he 
ceases also to be present to their minds, 
Another comes, occupies his place, receives 
_the wages he used to earn,—and the sick 
man is forgotten! Disease continues to prey 
upon his frame, till he expires! He is con- 
signed to the grave of difficult purchase, and 
to oblivion, or is remembered only by the 
beggary of his family, often accounted impor- 
tunate and troublesome !” 
Before we close our account of this 
valuable. volume, we must notice the 
inaccurate use of the particle that, for 
since, or seeing that, or because. This 
question,” observes Dr. Brown, “ is the 
more necessary, that, from mistaken no- 
tions with regard to the subject of it, 
have proceeded, &c.” p. 26. “A similar 
passage is to be met with, p. 266.— 
‘These are indeed only minute blemishes, 
but they are such as all who read these 
discourses, with the same pleasure that 
they have afforded to us, will wish ta 
have removed. 
