be forgiven us, if we are truly forry for them, and earnestly apply to God's mercy through Chrift for pardon, and carefully watch against the return of them. But when men first allow themselves to fin, then ftand on their own defence; and particularly, if they plead ignorance or doubtfulness of what they have fuch abundant means of knowing and being fure of: they must not hope, that this conduct, if they perfevere in it, can efcape final condemnation.

It ought however to be acknowledged after all, that many have comparatively but low abilities, and fmall opportunities for knowledge: and that to fome, whofe understandings are not weak, but perverfely turned, greater opportunities are of fmall ufe; for what enlightens others, only dazzles them. And accordingly our Saviour moft equitably confiders thefe difadvantages; and acquaints us, ten verfes before the text, that the fervant, which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, fhall be beaten with many fripes: but be that knew not, and did commit things worthy of Stripes, fhall be beaten with few ftripes. But these words, though full of terror to the great, the learned and the wife, if they neglect their duty; by no means carry in them that encouragement to the poor, the illiterate and flow of apprehenfion, which poffibly they may feem to do. For they chiefly relate, not to fuch times as ours; but that in which they were fpoken: when the Jews had great light, and therefore great guilt if they finned; but the Gentiles were, and had been long, in profound darkness: the time of which ignorance God is reprefented, as in comparison winking at; but now, in the gofpel age, he commands, under feverer penalties, all men every where to repent; because he hath given them a clearer knowledge of his pleafure, and a fuller affurance of his judging the world in righteoufnefst. And yet it must be observed, our Saviour did not apprehend any one to have been fo ignorant, even then, of his mafter's will, as to escape being punished for tranfgrefling it; but declares, that he who knew the leaft of it; he who, compared with others, knew it not ; knew enough however to deferve being beaten with ftripes; though fewer, than they fhould undergo, who, with ftronger conviction and diftincter perceptions of their duty, were equally tranfgreffors of it. And how fevere even the mildeft punishments

punishments of a wicked life may be, God forbid we should any of us try. For whoever fins wilfully in hopes of fuffering but little hereafter; for that very reafon will be made to fuffer a great deal.

The conclufion of the whole matter is, that we have reafon all to apply to ourselves the prophet's words: He hath fhewn thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord thy God requireth of thee. And though it ftill be true, that fome ages of the world have been dark, and others blinded with falfe lights; that fome men naturally fee little, and others are ftrangely given to fee wrong: yet, in general, the duties of life are level to the capacities of all men: and especially among christians, but above all, christians fo peculiarly bleffed with the means of inftruction, as we of this nation are, no one can poffibly, without either deliberate obftinacy, or intolerable negligence, continue unacquainted with what he is bound to do: 0 or the recompence he is to expect, if he do it not. For this is the condemnation; that light is come into the world, and men have loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evilt.

Micah vi 8.

† John iii. 19.

SER

SERMON

XLVII.

THE FOLLY AND MISERY OF SENSUAL INDULGENCES.

2 TIM. iii. 4.

-Lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God.

THE wife and gracious ruler of the world hath created us

:

to obey him, and from that obedience to receive our proper fhare of happiness. He hath adapted a variety of fatisfactions to the various parts of our frame and taught us by nature, but more diftinctly by his word, the due fubordinations of each; and the circumftances, in which we may or may not lawfully partake of them. Some of these are capable of being exactly specified and in fuch we cannot trangrefs, without either acknowledging our guilt, or daring to deny the authority of the law. Many take the humbler method of the two; and yet grow little, if at all, better: many the bolder, and grow continually worfe. Both are frequently admonished, and may be left at prefent to their own reflections. But other cafes admit only a general and lefs accurate defcription; which leaves room for thofe, who defire it, to go very improper lengths, and fill imagine they are within bounds. Thus, in cating and drinking; to ufe the good creatures of God with delight is certainly allowable: and therefore too many fet their minds to a ftrange degree on the practice and the study of this meaneft of gratifications; and think they may load and inflame themfelves without fcruple, provided they stop but at all short of shocking intemperance. Thus again what we commonly call amufements are in their nature innocent. God hath formed us for pleafing intercoufe, and put mirth in our hearts with intent that we fhould exert it. The fprightly dif pofition of youth calls for gladfome activity: the fatigues of

bufinefs,

business, the infirmities of old age, the wearifomness of ill health and low fpirits, often require the beft relief, that chearfulness can minifter. And not to allow that our Maker confiders whereof we are made, would be giving an idea of religion both unamiable and falfe. But then, just how far each of us may lawfully carry our indulgence, cannot be minutely pointed out. Aud therefore, instead of being contented to speak and think mildly of others, which would be a right use of this uncertainty; we are apt to be negligent of restraining ourfelves; which is a very wrong one. For there are numberlefs things, in which limits cannot be fixed precifely, and yet confiderable exceffes are destructive. Now in all these, our ignorance ought to teach us a reafonable, though not fcrupulous, caution: but especially in matters of gay entertainment; because the present age hath confeffedly a peculiar turn that way. Whether the preceding ones had not other faults as bad is out of the question: our concern is to watch against our own: for which purpose the text affords us a most equitable and comprehenfive and trying direction; that we are not to love pleafures more than God: meaning, than our duty to him. For, this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. Now he hath enjoined us very important duties: of improving ourselves in every thing worthy, and being serviceable to our fellow-creatures. What influence then upon these will our amusements, as we conduct them, have?

The more fteadily we apply, without impairing our healths or faculties by it, to affairs of real ufe, the properer part we act in life. Do then indeed our ferious cccupations wear us down fo, that we need all the time, which we take, to recruit ourfelves? Or do we only, when we are tired of one trifle, run to another? Is it matter of humiliation to us, that we are obliged to spend fo much of every day infignificantly or do we take a pride in fpending it thus; lead as many into the fame way as we can, and throw contempt on those, whom we cannot? Have we impartially examined, what obligations, public and private, are incumbent on us: whether we are cheifly attentive to thefe, omitting none; or to what other things, and what the benefit of them is: whether it be any other, than keeping ourfelves in humour, like froward children? We should do well to ftate the difpofal of our time: first fet VOL. II. down,

* Pf. ciil 14.

G

↑ John v. 3,

down, how much we employ in each of our concerns of moment; then how much goes in diverfions of one kind or another, in preparing for them, in refreshment after them, in needlefs company at home and abroad; and, if the difproportion be great, think beforehand, how wretched a void and blank, at beft, our lives will appear at the clofe of them to have been, fhould the remainder of them be wasted in the fame manner.

We all wish to be diftinguished to our honour. But in whofe eyes will fuch perfons, or a nation compofed of fuch, be honoured? and for what qualifications? Knowledge and prudence require induftry and experience to attain them; worth and probity require thoughtful felf-infpection. And one doth not fee, how they, who claim only outfide pre-eminences, can poffibly esteem one another; or why they should wish to herd fo much together, unless to take comfort in their mutual want of merit. At least vain opinion will never convert shew into fubitance. We muft furely know, that we are capable of more valuable accomplishments, and of delighting in them. Probably our education hath furnished us with fome experience of improving our understandings and our tempers. Have we no room left then for farther improvements? Or have we loft the relish of them? And for what better have we exchanged it? Or how unhappily foever we were bred, as indeed too many young people are extremely pitiable for having been taught the least of what was moft worth learning; yet we must be fenfible, there are thofe, who poffefs more folid endowments. Are they then of no value in life, or have they not in all ages been allowed to be of the higheft? Why therefore should not we strive to refemble them, and take a little leifure to think, how we may live to more purpofe? It may be, we do not defire leisure to think. It is unentertaining: it is painful. But what a figure do we make to others and ourfelves, if we cannot bear our own company, but muft fly to any thing, rather than fail to get rid of it? Thought can be painful only because we are acting amifs: and then thinking fo as to amend, is the only remedy; and no cafe is too far gone for it. Perhaps we are unable to carry on folitary meditation to any good effect. But we can have recourse to the affiftance of proper books. Idle reading indeed 'completes the deftruction of the time, that idle converfation fpares us. But judicious writings on the subject of conduct, religious, moral,

and