he suffered the most lingering and ignominious death.—God of his infinite mercy grant, that by imitating his humility, we may be made partakers of his merits! To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed, as is most due, all honour, adoration, and praise, now and ever! Amen.
SERMON VII.
"Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the
old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find
rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein."
Jer. vi. 16.
That almost every age, from the beginning of the world, has been eminently marked out, and distinguished from the rest, by some peculiar character, by particular modes of thinking, or methods of acting, then almost universally prevalent, is evident from the histories of all nations. At one time the whole world has bowed, without repining, to despotick power, and absolute dominion; at another, not only the licentious and oppressive tyranny of governours has been restrained, but just and lawful authority trampled upon, and insulted; at one time, all regard for private interest has been absorbed and lost, in the concern for the welfare of the publick, to which virtue itself has been made a sacrifice; at another, every heart has been engrossed by low views, and every sentiment of the mind has been contracted into the narrow compass of self-love. Thus have vice and virtue, wisdom and folly, or, perhaps, only different follies and opposite vices, alternately prevailed: thus have mankind rushed from one errour to another, and suffered equally by both extremes.
These changes of conduct or opinion may be considered as the revolutions of human nature, often necessary, but always dangerous. Necessary, when some favourite vice
