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our age, for any fancy that our talent may be more effectively employed on a wider sphere, we should be satisfied to be the mere idols of an hour, the mere favourites of a Sabbath assembly, to the neglect of the less exciting but not less important duties of the Parish Pastor. Whatever be the hindrances, either from the extent of our cures, or the altered state of society, let the outline of those homely yet heavenly employments, so admirably sketched by several of the early writers of our Church, be constantly in our view; and be it our endeavour to fill it up to the utmost of our power, and to extend the influence of our office, to the remotest corner of the most extensive and uninviting district. Let each in his appointed bounds do all that personal and pastoral intercourse, under the direction of christian judgement and christian affection can suggest, to bring home the wanderers from the fold, as well as to tend the flock. Let any elevation which may have been afforded us in civil society, as ministers of an Established Church, be occupied only as an eminence from which all ranks may be more favourably addressed by the motives and arguments of the gospel. And as to our intercourse with our most bitter opponents-much more therefore with each other let there be no rivalry, no rash censures; no alienation of heart where we may not agree in judgement, no disposition to stand apart where we might and ought to act in concert, no encouragement to our people by word or deed of ours, to say-"I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas," forgetting that they are all "of Christ.” In short, let us act as members of one body of which He is the Head, of one great society in which the welfare of all is the object. And let our unity, our energy, our steadfastness, our disinterestedness, under the guidance of Him who is the God of order, bear evident wi ness to all men, that, not for our own sakes, not for the sake of any earthly distinctions or advantages, but for our Country's sake, that it may prosper ;-for our brethren and companions' sakes, that they may be saved;-yea, for the sake of the house of the Lord our God, that it may be built up and enlarged with "living stones";-we say of the Church as Nationally Established, "Peace be within its walls and prosperity within its palaces,"-we pray for its security and increase, we seek to do it good.

WOOD, PRINTER, MARKET-PLACE, BLACKBURN,

THE DUTY OF SUPPORTING THE WEAK:

2

SERMON,

PREACHED AT ST. GEORGE'S CHAPEL, BRIGHTON,

DECEMBER XX, MDCCCXXXV,

IN AID OF THE

SUSSEX COUNTY HOSPITAL.

BY THE REV.

JAMES S. M. ANDERSON, M.A.

CHAPLAIN IN ORDINARY TO THE QUEEN,

PERPETUAL CURATE OF ST. GEORGE'S CHAPEL, BRIGHTON, AND CHAPLAIN TO
THE SUSSEX COUNTY HOSPITAL.

PUBLISHED BY REQUEST OF THE COMMITTEE.

THE PROFITS OF THE SALE OF THIS SERMON WILL BE GIVEN TO THE

INSTITUTION FOR WHICH IT WAS PREACHED.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON,

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD,

AND WATERLOO PLACE, PALL MALL.

1836.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][graphic]

TO

THE EARL OF EGREMONT,

PRESIDENT OF THE SUSSEX COUNTY HOSPITAL,

THIS EFFORT TO PROMOTE

THE INTERESTS OF AN INSTITUTION

OF WHICH HE WAS THE FOUNDER,

AND WHICH FROM HIS MUNIFICENT SUPPORT

HAS DERIVED SO LARGE A SHARE OF

ITS MEANS OF USEFULNESS,

IS DEDICATED

WITH FEELINGS OF UNFEIGNED RESPECT,

BY HIS MOST OBEDIENT AND HUMBLE SERVANT,

THE AUTHOR.

A 2

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