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we indulge a hope of setting these truths in fo clear a light, as may be of service to that part of our auditors at least, who have little time for reading, and very few other opportunities of being inftructed in the doctrines of their most holy religion, than fuch as are afforded them by a regular attendance on public worship. It is, therefore, a duty highly incumbent on us to fow fuch feed, as we fhall judge most conducive to forward the work of falvation; and it is both your duty and your interest to attend constantly and diligently to these things, upon which your future welfare fo very much depends. Surely no one, who firmly believes that he shall live either in the most exalted pleasures, or in the most exquifite torments forever and ever,-will stand in need of being entreated to lend the closest attention.

Now may it please the divine Majesty to give a bleffing to these our labours, that they my build up those in their most holy faith, who already believe; confirm and establish those who are wavering, and confute those, who obftinately oppofe his facred doctrine!— This is the fatisfaction we propofe; this the end of our ambition and to confess freely, I feel myself animated by the glorious profpect before me. For "they that be wife fhall fhine as the "brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righte"oufness, as the stars for ever and ever."

Let us join then in prayer together; and fay with our holy Church, "Bleffed Lord! who has caused all holy fcriptures to be "written for our learning; grant that we may in such wise hear "them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digeft them, that by pa"tience and comfort of thy holy word, we may embrace, and ever "hold fast the bleffed hope of everlasting life, which thou haft given us in our Saviour Jefus Chrift. Amen."

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SERMON

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY.

ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.

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SERMON II.

That there is a Supreme Being.

ROMANS I. 20.

THE INVISIBLE THINGS OF HIM FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD ARE CLEARLY SEEN, BEING UNDERSTOOD BY THE THINGS THAT ARE MADE, EVEN HIS ETERNAL POWER AND GODHEAD.

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ONCERNING the Being of an omnipotent, intelligent, FIRST CAUSE, neceffarily exifting from all eternity, barely to open our eyes is belief, to think is conviction, to deliberate is demonftration, and knowledge infallible.-Hence it is, that a cool, difinterested, fpeculative Atheist is, perhaps, one of the rareft, and most fingular characters, that human reafon, expofed to an almost. infinite variety of abuse, ever exhibited.-Indeed, when the head condescends to afk. counfel of the heart, and reafon is led captive by paffion, and enflaved by prejudice;-that in this state of perverfion, man is capable of believing, or difbelieving any thing, or every thing, is an humiliating truth, which experience muft confirm to us in numberless inftances.

It was objected to the founder of the Epicurean philofophy, who pretended to hold the existence of a Supreme Being and yet difbe'lieved his government of the world, that what he in words admitted, he in fact-denied. For if the Deity be fo absorbed in the contemplation

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