For we know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heav- THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. And he spake this parable unto certain, which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. Two men went up to the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself; God I thank thee, that I am not as other men are; extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in a week; I give tythes of all that I possess. And the publican; standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather 274 286 THE DANGER of offendinG CHRIST'S LITTLE ONES. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my father which is in 304 316 PREFACE. THE author of the following discourses has, nearly three years since, retired from his public labours, on account of the infirmities of age, and more especially of the failure of his sight. He had no intention of appearing again before the public; but the urgent solicitations of some of his friends, and a suggestion from several of his brethren in the ministry, that another volume of sermons might be useful, have induced him to give his consent to the present publication. In making the selection, the great imperfection of his sight has obliged him to be less particular than he could have wished; though the volume is principally composed of sermons which he had revised toward the close of his ministry. He is sensible that he is just upon the confines of another world; and if these discourses, or any which he has formerly published, may be the means of protracting his usefulness, in any degree, beyond his life, his highest wishes concerning them will be answered. West Springfield, Dec. 6, 1820. JOSEPH LATHROP ADVERTISEMENT. IT It may not be improper to observe, that when the contract was made for the copy-right of the following sermons, in October last, the Reverend Author indulged little hope that he should live to witness their publication-The foregoing preface was, however, written and the manuscripts prepared for the press, when the godly man ceased from the earth. The existence of a memoir of his life, written by himself, being made known, the publication of the sermons was delayed with a view to the addition of this interesting biography. THE PUBLISHERS. Springfield, August 20, 1821. |