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
32 SERMONS.exa£^ing too much, they gain nothing at all ; nay,they drive men into hypocrify or fccpticifm. Thereis, perhaps, no religious fociety where the do£trineeftablifhed islefs fincerely believed, than in that veryfociety which impofeth ^n abfolute neceflity of receiveing implicitly, and believing blindly, whatfoever ithath affumed the authority to declare found and orthodox.A thinking perfon can never refign his underftandingfo entirely as to allow himfelf to be guidedlike a beaft, wherefoever thofe in authority fhallpleafe to lead him. Rulers may by commands dire£l:our external actions •, but they play the fool, the bigot,the tyrant, when they command us to believe.If a few hundreds of ftudious perfons were poflefTedof a precife famenefs of belief in every point of doctrine,this would be a wonderful thing indeed ; if itdid exift, it would be in the judgment of a fuperiorBeing, a greater miracle than ever was exhibited.Confult the hillory of the Chrlftian Church, the hiftoryof Popilh countries, and you will find that therigorous impofing and exa£ling a ftric^ famenefs ofbelief hath commonly produced fcepticifm, infidelity,loatliing at religion, and fometimes, I fear, atheifmitfelf. In this refpedl:, therefore, very confiderablelatitude hath been allowed in well regulated focieties,Jewifh and Chriflian : but perhaps we of this reformedChurch differ lefs in our manner of thinking thanin our turn of exprefilon ;or, if fome do really differ,the difference is overlooked, and paffeth for nothing,whilft they keep up a manly familiarity and friendlyacquaintance. Did it ever happen, that a man wasone with whom hefevere againil the heterodoxy ofkept up a good underftanding ? Was it ever known,that a friend was extremely difguftcd with theprinciplesof his friend, whilft the friendfiiip lafted ? Themisfortune is, we firft fufpe£l: a man^s principles, andthen we avoid him ; we avoid him ft ill, and the fufpiciongrows , we pore upon, and it fticks faft with
SERMONS. 23Had men of feemingly different opinions alwaysUS.met and explained themfelves, their differences^ at leaflin material points, would very often have appeared tobe much about words, and many idle wranglings anddifputes which have made fo much noife in the world,and fwelled the heavy volumes of ancient and moderntimes, would, to the unfpeakable advantage and honourof Chriflianity, never have been heard of.To " fpeak often one to another" doth alfo procuremutual peace, as it removes fecret grudges, and thefufpicions we are apt to entertain about the moral chara6lerof one another.A man's fmcerity, or the purityof his morals, are often fufpe£led when there islittle or no ground for any fuch fufpicion ; we havebeen misinformed, and have taken up an ill report a-gainft him •, our not having acquaintance with him isthe caufe why we think ill of him ; when we cometo know a little above the fprings of his a£lions, andthe tenour of his conduft, we often difcover our miftake,and begin to think better of him. We are fearedat a man's fuppofed temper and vices ; we converfewith him, and our fear abates.Oftentim.es thevices and defeats which thofe we are ftrangers to arecharged with, are like thofe objecSls which appear deformedand terrible at a dillance, but, when we haveapproached them, their deformity and terriblenefs difappear.How common a thing is it to entertain abad opinion of men, which, upon a little acquaintance,we fee was groundlefs ! This happens everyday, and it fliould make us cautious and How to thinkill of any perfon with whom we are but little acquainted; and if we have ill thoughts of him, weihould try if they may not be removed, by ftriking upan acquaintance, and converfmg with him. I proceed,4th, Another great advantage which the fearers ofI God derive from conference, is, growth and improve-:ment in the fpiritual life. To this end it muft indeed!bc wifely conducted :The words we hear in conyer*
- 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 and 12: SERMONS. 3even many of the people w
- Page 13 and 14: .ous temper and the ferlous appeara
- 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 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
- Page 63 and 64: SfUMONS.pTofperous, and, to a confi
- Page 65 and 66: SERMONS.to have her to wife. Old Ha
- Page 67 and 68: SERMONS,fied with difpbcing him, th
- Page 69 and 70: SERMONS. 61uudd the houfe of the Lo
- Page 71 and 72: SERMONS.rhis, I think, implies, tha
- Page 73 and 74: aw, unfkilful, unpraclifed in ftate
- Page 75 and 76: SERMONS, 67aiifwer would have been
- Page 77 and 78: SERMONS. 69was received and heard,
- Page 79 and 80: SERMONS. 7£for, when a mob Is once
- Page 81 and 82: SERMONS. 75•tubes who had not joi
- Page 83 and 84: SE'RMONSr. 75Benjamin. The king, it
- Page 85 and 86: SERMONS.have I alio left you in thS
- Page 87 and 88: SERMONS. 79from Relioboani :" Thy f
- Page 89 and 90: SERMONSceed from nothing but vile a
32 SERMONS.exa£^ing too much, <strong>the</strong>y gain nothing at all ; nay,<strong>the</strong>y drive men into hypocrify or fccpticifm. <strong>The</strong>reis, perhaps, no religious fociety where <strong>the</strong> do£trineeftablifhed islefs fincerely believed, than in that veryfociety which imp<strong>of</strong>eth ^n abfolute neceflity <strong>of</strong> receiveing implicitly, and believing blindly, whatfoever ithath affumed <strong>the</strong> authority to declare found and orthodox.A thinking perfon <strong>ca</strong>n never refign his underftandingfo entirely as to allow himfelf to be guidedlike a beaft, wherefoever th<strong>of</strong>e in authority fhallpleafe to lead him. Rulers may by commands dire£l:our external actions •, but <strong>the</strong>y play <strong>the</strong> fool, <strong>the</strong> bigot,<strong>the</strong> tyrant, when <strong>the</strong>y command us to believe.If a few hundreds <strong>of</strong> ftudious perfons were p<strong>of</strong>lefTed<strong>of</strong> a precife famenefs <strong>of</strong> belief in every point <strong>of</strong> doctrine,this would be a wonderful thing indeed ; if itdid exift, it would be in <strong>the</strong> judgment <strong>of</strong> a fuperiorBeing, a greater miracle than ever was exhibited.Confult <strong>the</strong> hillory <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Chrlftian Church, <strong>the</strong> hiftory<strong>of</strong> Popilh countries, and you will find that <strong>the</strong>rigorous imp<strong>of</strong>ing and exa£ling a ftric^ famenefs <strong>of</strong>belief hath commonly produced fcepticifm, infidelity,loatliing at religion, and fometimes, I fear, a<strong>the</strong>ifmitfelf. In this refpedl:, <strong>the</strong>refore, very confiderablelatitude hath been allowed in well regu<strong>late</strong>d focieties,Jewifh and Chriflian : but perhaps we <strong>of</strong> this reformedChurch differ lefs in our manner <strong>of</strong> thinking thanin our turn <strong>of</strong> exprefilon ;or, if fome do really differ,<strong>the</strong> difference is overlooked, and paffeth for nothing,whilft <strong>the</strong>y keep up a manly familiarity and friendlyacquaintance. Did it ever happen, that a man wasone with whom hefevere againil <strong>the</strong> heterodoxy <strong>of</strong>kept up a good underftanding ? Was it ever known,that a friend was extremely difguftcd with <strong>the</strong>principles<strong>of</strong> his friend, whilft <strong>the</strong> friendfiiip lafted ? <strong>The</strong>misfortune is, we firft fufpe£l: a man^s principles, and<strong>the</strong>n we avoid him ; we avoid him ft ill, and <strong>the</strong> fufpiciongrows , we pore upon, and it fticks faft with
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