drink of the only fountain of pure and living water. And you will confess that all your former boasted wisdom was but foolishness; and that now at length you have found the well-spring of true wisdom-the wisdom which leadeth to salvation.

Lastly, you who truly fear the Lord, you who know the delight of communing with God, and searching his holy word, persevere I pray you in your grateful task; and remember, that all true knowledge is eminently practical; that the holy Scriptures "were written that ye might believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and believing might have life 1;" and bear in mind also the words of our Saviour himself " If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them "."

1

66

1 John xx. 31.

2 John xiii. 17.

SERMON VIII.

ON CREDULITY.

The 66

PREFACE.

THIS Sermon was written and preached in 1831. The author, though carried away by the popular enthusiasm, and himself an advocate for reform in Parliament, yet heard with grief and indignation the calumnies which were promulgated, especially against the Bishops. Black List," to which allusion is made in the sermon, appeared to him to be an instance of cold-blooded malignity in those who spread it, and sottish ignorance in those who believed it, altogether unparalleled in this country, and amongst the most fearful signs of the times. With this impression he deemed

it an occasion which demanded that Christian Ministers should raise their voice and endeavour to kindle the Spirit of charity amongst their flocks. God grant that a similar occasion may not again arise!

PROVERBS xiv. 15.

"The simple believeth every word, but the prudent man looketh well to his going."

EXCESSIVE credulity (that is to say, the habit of believing without reason or enquiry, whatever is reported) has been justly regarded as a certain sign of a mean and weak understanding; whereas the contrary habit, the habit namely, of enquiring diligently into truth, of rejecting that which rests on insufficient testimony, of retaining and acting upon that which, on due investigation, appears just and true, is an equally acknowledged proof of an open and manly disposition. It will be said, perhaps, by some, that credulity is an involuntary error-that when any matter is placed before the understanding,

we cannot help believing or disbelieving it, according to the impression which it makes; but this excuse is fallacious. "A right judgment in all things," rests very much on ourselves: it depends on the just disposition of our hearts, and the proper regulation of our passions. If we indulge in unchristian anger or hatred against any person or set of persons, our minds are open to the belief of any ill-natured or scandalous report concerning them; while on the contrary we are little disposed to believe what is said in their favour; and so, credulity becomes a moral offence, for which we shall be responsible before God; and against which, therefore, it becomes the duty of a Christian Minister earnestly to warn his flock.

I have been led into these remarks, from observing with grief and astonishment the excessive, - the unaccountable, readiness with which persons are inclined to give credit to reports the most unfounded, and stories the most exaggerated, which ever were submitted to man's credulity. I have myself seen statements

distributed, and, as I understand, currently believed, which positively and actually have not in them one single line of truth. If this credulity sprang from mere ignorance, it would be unfortunate, and much to be deplored, on account of the handle which it affords to wicked and designing men. But if, as it is to be feared, it arises from a moral obliquity of vision, from a temper of mind predisposed by passion to erroneous judgment, then religion steps in, and it is requisite that the mind itself should be strengthened and amended by Christian advice and admonition, in order that it may be enabled to exercise its functions with more advantage.

It is my intention therefore to offer you a few considerations on two points: first, I would speak of the temper of mind required to enable us to form a sound and unbiassed judgment; and secondly, I would lay before you a few tests of probability, a few circumstances by which truth and falsehood may be discriminated. The first thing necessary to guard us