DISCOURSE IV.

I KINGS XVIII. 21.

AND ELIJAH CAME UNTO ALL THE PEOPLE, AND SAID, HOW LONG HALT YE BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS? IF THE LORD BE GOD, FOLLOW HIM; BUT IF BAAL, THEN FOLLOW HIM.

THESE words of the prophet were addreffed to his countrymen, the jews, to shew them the extreme folly of halting between two opinions in religious matters, and mixing the worship of idols with the worship of God. Religion implies an intire devotion of the affections to fome being, whom we suppose both able and willing to help us in our diftrefs. He must, therefore, be all-powerful, all-knowing, and allgood. If not all-powerful, fome other being might prevent his good intentions: if not all-knowing, he might overlook or forget

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forget our wants: and if not all-good, he might not be inclined to relieve them. Reason, therefore, tells us, and tells us in language which can neither be overlooked nor mistaken, that the object of divine worship is one, independent, perfect being the only wife and true God." But, fo it is, that the cafe hath evermore happened otherwife with those nations, however knowing in other refpects, who have received no divine revelation. The learned Egyptian, the polite Athenian, the eloquent Roman, the ingenious Chinese, were equally subject to this astonishing weakness with the blunt unlettered Theban, and the barbarous inhabitants of South America and the Cape. But what is more extraordinary, the jews themfelves," to whom were committed the oracles of God" were ftrongly inclined to this unreasonable worship. And this marks its original: the vices they had in common with the gentiles made them forget that "God, who is a spirit," and run with eagerness to those impure rites with which the gentiles celebrated their idolatry. It is

certain

certain that the people of Ifrael were remarkably idolatrous, when the prophet addreffed them in the words of the text: and furely no words could be better adapted to the occafion. 'Tis as if he had faid to the affembled people; "Ye know that it is impoffible to follow two contrary principles with equal zeal and fincerity; to worship those idols whofe religious rites lead directly to impurity, and that God, who is a spirit, and who will be

worshipped in spirit and in truth." "Chufe ye this day, therefore, whom ye will ferve:" halt no longer between two opinions.” I

⚫ am commiffioned by the eternal God to give you fufficient evidence of his power: worship then either "the God of Ifrael," or the gods of the nations whom you have chofen." For the Lord your God is a jealous God:" he will not divide his empire ⚫ with another: he will not bear a rival in affections: you must either be wholly your *his, or forfake all intereft in him."

Such was the addrefs of the venerable prophet to his misguided countrymen. Permit me to apply it to my own. We are

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not indeed, bleffed be God! in fuch a famentable estate as thefe Ifraelites, either as

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to ignorance or immorality: but we are certainly very bad as to the latter; and, as to matters of opinion, there must be something very wrong to produce, or even not to check fuch a fenfual course of life, as the nerality of chriftians are engaged in. Yet the new Testament was, I apprehend, never better understood, than at this time that it is so very ill practifed. How, you will fay, can this happen? can a man know what is good, and chufe what is ill? or, at leaft, if paffion fhould fometimes overcome his reafon, can he perfift in a course. of wrong action for any confiderable time, perhaps to the end of his life? The truth of the matter seems to be this; though, by the diffufion of learning, and the extinction of vulgar fuperftitions, the human mind is relieved from the burthens under which it formerly staggered, and is even ftrengthened, fo as to know and understand the terms upon which it shall be accepted, yet, we are not fincere and unmixed in our chriftian profeffion; we halt between two opinions."

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The education and manners of the world are now fo exceedingly corrupt, and we are fo early impreffed with the importance of pleasure, (for that is the name given to a certain round of diffipation,) and the necesfity of gain to support thofe pleasures, that the minds of our young people are either intirely engaged with one of these things, or regularly divided between them. Hence it must happen, that the affections are prejudiced at a very early age, and being ftrengthened by habit, our reafon is intoxicated; and often awakens not from its delirium, till it is roused by fome fevere affliction, or alarming ficknefs. For, barely to acknowledge a truth, has little or no effect upon our conduct, unless we feel that we are interested in it; then our affections take the matter in hand, and will not let us alone till they have made us act according to that conviction. If I was informed, though upon the best authority, that the king had made a confiderable grant to a man I never heard of before, I should have no other ideas about