ted to the church of Rome, and differed from him, yet gives him the most excellent character, and fays, "That he not only instructed "the people in their duty, but also gave them an example of a good life, and fervent charity, which charmed the very Heathens, "and brought them over to the faith. Of"wald himself became his interpreter, as Ai"dan was not well acquainted with the Eng"lifh language." After the Romifh miffionaries had in vain attempted the converfion of the Heathens, he, by conftant and diligent preaching of the word of God, accompanied with devotion and primitive fimplicity, brought over great multitudes to the Chriftian faith. After him Finan, and many others from the fame island, went into England, and with great zeal taught and prepagated religion from the prophetic and apoftolic writings *.

No people have a greater veneration for their ancestors than thofe of the Highlands of Scotland; let them look back to the early ages, and they will find a purer religion than that of the church of Rome established among them. The church of Rome was not their mother-church, and they do not by embracing the Reformed religion apoftatize from it, but return to primitive Christianity. As the wife measures the government have pur

Vide Bedæ hift. lib. 3. p. 118. 119 120. ed. Smith; Ranulphi Higdeni Polychronicon, p. 207. 231. inter fcriptores 15. vol. 1. Gale; Warner's ecclefiaftical history of England, vol. 1. book 2. p. 72. 73. 74. and 78.

fued

fued with refpect to the Highlands, have tended to civilize thofe parts of the country, fo it may well be afferted, that our charityschools have promoted the fame good end.

Our gracious Sovereign hath, with an unexampled magnanimity, trusted many of them with arms who had risen in rebellion against him; and they have been faithful to the truft he fo nobly repofed in them: they have in a very remarkable manner distinguished themfelves in America; and, where-ever they were employed, their gallant actions and intrepid bravery will fhine in the hiftory of the last glorious campaign: they are become terrible to our enemies, who have felt, and who will always fear, the courage of so hardy a people; and may we not hope, that they who have fometimes disturbed the peace of the country, fhall henceforth augment its ftrength, and prove its zealous defenders? And fhall we not, even from gratitude for the eminent fervices they have done, be animated with a noble zeal to inftruct the children, relations, and friends, of those who bravely fought, and died, in the fervice of their king and country; and of thofe who, crowned with victory, are ready to perform, if called upon, as great exploits In Athens, the children of those who were flain fighting for their country, were edu. cated at the public charge, till they came to maturity, and then clad in complete armour, walked in proceffion before the people, and one of the heralds, or public minifters, pro

claimed,

claimed, "These are young men, whom the commonwealth have educated, and are now "difmiffed with honour, to imitate the vir 66 tue and valour of their fathers *." We fee not thofe poor children who are the objects of our charity, walk in proceffion before us, nor line the paffages as we go out of church, imploring our pity and compaffion; but I hope you, and all true Britons, will feel for them: let us not confine our alms to this day's collection, but carry home with us, and preferve in our minds, impreffions of tender compaffion for thefe poor children, who, if they are not trained up to religion. and induftry, are in danger of being abandoned to idleness and vice. Let us exert ourselves in preventing or refcuing them from falling a. prey to an idolatrous church, who never ceafe to do all they can, to infpire thofe to whom they have accefs with enmity to our holy religion, and with difaffection to our happy government. This is no temporary charity, that relieves for a little, and is confined to a few; it extends not only to thofe children themselves, but to all thofe to whom they may be useful, by their labour, their learning, or their example, or perhaps in a course of time by their riches, by which they may become capable of giving fhade, fhelter, and fruit, to many others in the like circumftances; nay, even to the children of fome

• Efchines in Crefiphontem, p. 92. ed. Oxon. 1695. `

of

1

of their charitable benefactors. But if they cannot recompense you, you shall be recompenfed at the refurrection of the juft, and you fhall be bleffed *. And whilst we are inftruments of faving fouls, and rearing up loyal fubjects to our king, we are deriving a bleffing upon ourselves, our families, and posterity. The conquefts that have been lately made in America, by the bleffing of God, and the conduct and courage of his Majesty's forces, have opened a way for spreading the gofpel into the remoteft parts of the world, and we hope for the accomplishment of those ample prophecies in fcripture, concerning the amazing fuccefs of it, particularly in the prophecies of Ifaiah, where the church is reprefented as furprifed at the vaft increafe of her children, and saying, "Who hath begotten

me these? Who hath brought up these? "Where had they been?" The anfwer is, "Behold, I will lift up my hand to the Gen"tiles, and fet up my ftandard to the people; " and they fhall bring thy fons in their arms, " and thy daughters fhall be carried on their "fhoulders; and kings fhall be thy nurfing"fathers, and their queens fhall be thy nurfing-mothers t."

Luke xiv. 14.

† If. xlix. 21. 22. 23.

I

SER.

313

SERMON VIII.

The Folly, Infamy, and Mifery of UNLAWFUL PLEASURE.

By JAMES FORDYCE, D. D.

Preached before the General Affembly of the Church of Scotland, May 29. 1760.

PROV. vii. 6. 7.

I looked, and beheld among the fimple ones, I difcerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding.

HAV

AVING formed a variety of refolutions with regard to the fubject on which I fhould addrefs you, my honoured hearers, on this occafion; having found myself diffatisfied with them all, for one reafon or another; and having felt a growing apprehenfion, that the very great respect to which this audience is intitled, would not leave me fuf. ficient recollection and prefence of mind to explain myfelf in fo eafy, free, and natural a manner, upon a particular argument that ftruck me; I at length determined, contrary to my first intention, to read to you a difcourfe, which, I am afraid, may appear lefs proper, but which, I am perfuaded, cannot be deemed improper in an age of domineering VOL. I. D d pleasure,