Advice addressed to the Young Clergy of the Di. ocess of Carlisle, in a Sermon, Preached at a general Ordination, holten at Rose Castle, on Sunday, July 19, 1781. . . . . . . 283 A Distinction of Orders in the Church defended upor: Principles of public Utility, in a Sermon, preached in the Castle Chapel, Dublin, at the Consecration of John Law, D.D. Lord Bishop Caution recommended in the Use and Applica- tion of Scriptural Language.--A Sermon preached July 17,1777, in the Cathedral Church Advice addressed to the Young Clergy of the Di. ocess of Carlisle, in a Sermon, Preached at a general Ordination, holden at Rose Castle, on A Distinction of Orders in the Church defended upou. Principles of public Utility, in a Sermon, preached in the Castle-Chapel, Dublin, at the Consecration of John Law, D. Ó. Lord Bishop of Clonfert and Kilmacduagh, September 21, The Use and Propriety of local and occasional preaching.-A Charge, delivered to the Cler- SERMON V. ted, in a Sermon, preached before the Univer SERMON VI. SENIOUSSESS IN RELIGION A MOST INDISPENSA BLE DISPOSITION 1 Pet. iv.7. request derly life, so far as others are able to observe, is 3 by dint of habit; but without seriousness there can be no religious principle at the bottom, no One might have expected that events so awful SERIOUSNESS IN BELIGION A MOST INDISPENSA BLE DISPOSITION. Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 1 Pet. iv. 7. THE first requisite in religion is seriousness. No impression can be made without it. An orderly life, so far as others are able to observe, is now and then produced by prudential motives or by dint of habit ; but without seriousness there can be no religious principle at the bottom, no course of conduct flowing from religious motives; in a word, there can be no religion. This cannot exist without seriousness upon the subiect. Per. haps a teacher of religion has more difficulty in producing seriousness amongst his hearers, than in any other part of his office. Until he succeed in this, he loses his labour: and when once, from any cause whatever, a spirit of levity has taken hold of a mind, it is next to impossible to plant serious considerations in that mind. It is seldom to be done, except by some great shock or alarm, sufficient to make a radical change in the disposition; and which is God's own way of bringing about the business. One might have expected that events so awful and tremendous, as death and judgment; that a question so deeply interesting, as whether we shall go to heaven or to hell, could in no possible case and in no constitution of mind whatever, fail of exciting the most serious apprehension and concern. But this is not so.-In a thoughtless, a careless, sensual world, many are always found, who can resist, and who do resist, the force and importance of all these reflections; that is to say, they suffer nothing of the kind to enter into the thoughts. There are gravemen and wom even middle aged persons, who have B they who will also in a state in not to be des with respect 2 SERIOUSNESS IN RELIGION seriously about religion an hour, nor a quarter of an hour, in the whole course of their lives. This great object of human solicitude affects not them in any manner whatever. It cannot be without its use to inquire into the cause of a levity of temper, which so effectually obstructs the admission of every religious influ. ence, and which I should almost call unnatural. 1st. Now there is a numerous class of mankind, who are wrought upon by nothing but what applies immediately to their senses; by what they see or by what they feel; by pleasures or pains, or by the near prospect of pleasures and pains which they actually experience or actually obe serve. But it is the characteristic of religion to hold out to our consideration inquiries which we do not perceive at the time. That is its very of fice and province. Therefore if men will restrict and confine all their regards and all their cares to things which they perceive with their outward şenses; if they will yield up their understanding to their senses both in what these senses are fitted to apprehend, and in what they are not fitted 10 apprehend, it is utterly impossible for religion to settle in their hearts, or for them to entertain any serious concern about the matter. But surely this conduct is completely irrational, and can lead to nothing but ruin. It proceeds upon the sap. position, that there is nothing above us, about us, or future, by which we can be affected, but the things which we see with our eyes or feel by our touch. All which is untrue." The invisible things of God from the creation of the world arc clearly seen, being understood by the things that are seen ; even his eternal power and Godhead;" which means, that the order, contrivance and de. sign, displayed in the creation, prove with certain. ty that there is more in nature than what we really see ; and that amongst the invisible things of the universe there is a Being, the author and origin of all this contrivance and design, and, by con. sequence, a being of stupendous power, and wis MOST INDISPENSABLE 3 also in a state to which the faculties of muan qrught with respect to religion remain a child all his life. A child naturally has no concern but about the things which directly meet its senses; and the person we describe is in the same condition, Again. There is a race of giddy thoughtless Present pleasure is everything with them. |