The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca
The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca
^hink itfubjciH:,SERMONS.becomes us to inquire more minutely into theand to ^flign, if poflible, fomc more particularand determinate caufes of the evil complained of.Every alteration in the moral world is procjuced bythe agency of God. By his powerful working, menimprove in virtue and religion, and by his adorablepermifiion, they become vicious and profane. But,as I take it, every general change of this fort is broughtabout by the means, or with the concomitancy, of fecondor external caufes. Religion gets footing in acountry, when outward circumltances are favourableto its reception j when thefe outward circumftancesare unfavourable, it declines and lofes ground.The outward ftate of things in this kingdom, at prefent,bears no friendly afpecl to religion: and hence, itis apprehended, the growth of profanenefs may, at leaftin a great meafure, be accounted for. The particularsI am going to mention will be too evident fymptomsof man's corruption, and his being fwayed by the fame,motive that Demas was—love to a prefent world.I ft, A long national peace and profperity have contributedto our throwing religion afide. It may bethought that fuch bleillngs fliould excite thankfulnefs,and keep religion alive. But thankfulnefs for thegreatell good is but of little force in religion, in comxparifonof the feeling or fear of great evil.This maybe underftoocl, by obferving the oppolite efFe£ls whichprofperity and adverfity, peace and dillurbance, haveupon particular perfons. When is it that an individualhas moil religion and moil the appearance of it ?is it not when he is in outward diftrefs, or when fomedreaded calamity hangs ever his head ? When is itthat he is moft cool and carclcfs about God ? is it notwhen he is in a ilate of affluence and eafe ? When hewas affli(tled, or when he was terrified at the profpe^lof worldly trouble, he was ferious, and appeared to befo ; wlicn the cloud blows over without doing himharm, he lurns back to the worlds and lofes the feri-
.ous temper and the ferlous appearance. Apply thisto a whole nation that has long enjoyed profperity andpeace, and itwill be evident, how that which affec^:ian individual operates widely, extends its influence,and becomes almoft univerfal. Befides, when therehas been for a long time peace and quiet about religionitfelf, men grow remifs about the profelTion of it.If a convuifion has been raifed in a country, if a peoplehave been threatened with having their religionchanged, or violently torn from them, if a tolerationof it has been refuted, or, if fome difputes that areuniverfally interefling have been raifed ?.n(k agitatedabout it, men will likely, for a long time, be tenaciousof their religion, and zealous in profeffing it. Butwe have not, for many years, been much in dangerof a change of our religion ; no force has been ufedagainft it, nor have the people interefted. themfeiveadeeply in any controverly about it,either agrnnfl theadverfaries of revelation from without, or againll any^particular tenets or opinions, among themfeives. Ifuppofe that wdiat is here faid may be lupportcd bymatter of fa(Sl,the world fuiceand verified by lurveying the flate orthe. commencement of ChrifllanityA time of peace was ever a time of indolenceabout:religion. "When it was not tolerated, or y/heii me-iwere in danger of lofing it, they grew the fonder of it,V/hen warm contefts were maintained by Chrifiiansthemfeives about it, however thefe might imbittertheir fpivits, and weaken the power of religion upontheir hearts, yet they (luck the fafler to ili^ outwardprofelTion of it. Not that what is fuggefled by aneminent French writer is juit or true, namely, thatreligion is fo thin a thing, " that it had vaniflied andmelted through our fingers, had it not more upKeiditfelf amongft us, as an inltrument of difpute and fiction,than by itfelf." Real religion is not a iiimfyvbut a firm and folid thing, and every pious man findsit to be h, Thoughtlefs people have not this reality^
- Page 2 and 3: ^\6c.s ^1019
- Page 5 and 6: iiKWORKSOF THLRev. WILLIAM- Th|mLJT
- Page 7 and 8: •2.0^.-e O N T E N T S.PART LSERM
- Page 9 and 10: PART I.SERMONS.SERMON I.AN INQUIRY
- Page 11: SERMONS. 3even many of the people w
- Page 15 and 16: SERMONS*7lent, he lofes the fenfe,
- Page 17 and 18: SERXIONS;Still lefs am I urging tha
- Page 19 and 20: ;!SlSRMONS. 11feme of the ancient f
- Page 21 and 22: SERMONS.f3Its religious buildings.
- Page 23 and 24: SERM0N5; 15nrorant j how can it, th
- Page 25 and 26: .SERMONS.'17^jvlio were almofl esca
- Page 27 and 28: SERMONS. 19an avidity of riches app
- Page 29 and 30: SERMONS. 21rlty of the diities the
- Page 31 and 32: SERMON 11.SOBER AND RELIGIOUS CONFE
- Page 33 and 34: SERMONS, 2)deeper engaged in die lo
- Page 36 and 37: 28 SERMONS.ence, which, if we have
- Page 38 and 39: 30 SERMONS.fpe£^ive bufinefs.Shall
- Page 40 and 41: 32 SERMONS.exa£^ing too much, they
- Page 42 and 43: 34 SERMONS.fatlon, have a furprifin
- Page 44 and 45: 36 SERMONS.be ftrengthened, our lov
- Page 46 and 47: 38 SERMONS.the folcinn le£lure or
- Page 48 and 49: 40 SERMO>iS.prove the mliiJ, enlarg
- Page 50 and 51: 42 SERMONS^.before had been torn fr
- Page 52 and 53: 44 SERMON'S.Oils llock, fhculd conf
- Page 54 and 55: 4^- SERMONS.If you lay before your
- Page 56 and 57: 4BSERMONS.regarded : but when any o
- Page 58 and 59: S E R i>I O K 5,And vou "v'ili be g
- Page 61 and 62: of the Gofpel."SERMONS..S"^Thus uni
^hink itfubjciH:,SERMONS.becomes us to inquire more minutely into <strong>the</strong>and to ^flign, if p<strong>of</strong>lible, fomc more particularand determinate <strong>ca</strong>ufes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> evil complained <strong>of</strong>.Every alteration in <strong>the</strong> moral world is procjuced by<strong>the</strong> agency <strong>of</strong> God. By his powerful working, menimprove in virtue and religion, and by his adorablepermifiion, <strong>the</strong>y become vicious and pr<strong>of</strong>ane. But,as I take it, every general change <strong>of</strong> this fort is broughtabout by <strong>the</strong> means, or with <strong>the</strong> concomitancy, <strong>of</strong> fecondor external <strong>ca</strong>ufes. Religion gets footing in acountry, when outward circumltances are favourableto its reception j when <strong>the</strong>fe outward circumftancesare unfavourable, it declines and l<strong>of</strong>es ground.<strong>The</strong> outward ftate <strong>of</strong> things in this kingdom, at prefent,bears no friendly afpecl to religion: and hence, itis apprehended, <strong>the</strong> growth <strong>of</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>anenefs may, at leaftin a great meafure, be accounted for. <strong>The</strong> particularsI am going to mention will be too evident fymptoms<strong>of</strong> man's corruption, and his being fwayed by <strong>the</strong> fame,motive that Demas was—love to a prefent world.I ft, A long national peace and pr<strong>of</strong>perity have contributedto our throwing religion afide. It may bethought that fuch bleillngs fliould excite thankfulnefs,and keep religion alive. But thankfulnefs for <strong>the</strong>greatell good is but <strong>of</strong> little force in religion, in comxparifon<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> feeling or fear <strong>of</strong> great evil.This maybe underftoocl, by obferving <strong>the</strong> oppolite efFe£ls whichpr<strong>of</strong>perity and adverfity, peace and dillurbance, haveupon particular perfons. When is it that an individualhas moil religion and moil <strong>the</strong> appearance <strong>of</strong> it ?is it not when he is in outward diftrefs, or when fomedreaded <strong>ca</strong>lamity hangs ever his head ? When is itthat he is m<strong>of</strong>t cool and <strong>ca</strong>rclcfs about God ? is it notwhen he is in a i<strong>late</strong> <strong>of</strong> affluence and eafe ? When hewas affli(tled, or when he was terrified at <strong>the</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>pe^l<strong>of</strong> worldly trouble, he was ferious, and appeared to befo ; wlicn <strong>the</strong> cloud blows over without doing himharm, he lurns back to <strong>the</strong> worlds and l<strong>of</strong>es <strong>the</strong> feri-
Change language