VIII.

SERMON Let us draw near through that great Mediator, by whose merits and intercession alone our services find acceptance at the Divine throne. No man cometh unto the Father but through him; and none who cometh unto God by him, will be cast out.

SERMON IX.

On WISDOM in RELIGIOUS CONDUCT.

PSALM, ci. 2.

I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way.

IX.

WIS ISDOM, says Solomon, excelleth folly, as SERMON far as light excelleth darkness*. In our present state, there is no situation in which we can, consistently with safety to ourselves, act thoughtlessly and at random. In whatever enterprise we engage, consideration and prudent thought are requisite to bring it to a good issue. On every occasion, there is a right and a wrong in conduct; there is one line of action which is likely to terminate according as we wish; and another, which, for certain, will land us in disappointment, If, in the ordinary transactions of life, we * Eccles. ii. 13. N 3

cannot

IX.

SERMON cannot prosper without a due exercise of wisdom and prudence, a higher degree of it is certainly necessary in those momentous parts of conduct which regard our everlasting welfare.

It is indeed confessed, that in religious conduct, the fundamental and most important article is sincerity of heart, and goodness of intention. At the same time, let the intentions be ever so pure and sincere, they will be in hazard of falling into some wrong direction, unless they be properly guided by wisdom. Too many instances have appeared, of persons who, setting out in life with fair and virtuous purposes, have been so far bewildered by mistaken forms of goodness, as to be betrayed, first into errours, and then into vices and crimes. In order to act our parts with propriety and steadiness, there must be a due proportion of light in the understanding, as well as of warmth and goodness in the heart. The Psalmist was sensible of this, when he declares in the Text, his resolution, of not only walking in a perfect, or upright, way, but of behaving himself wisely in that perfect way. Of the wisdom or prudence which

I shall

IX.

is necessary to guide and support virtue, I SERMON purpose to treat in this Discourse. adventure, with great plainness and simplicity of language, to propose some practical rules and directions for that purpose; which may be of service to persons, who, with good dispositions and intentions, are beginning the career of life; and which may, perhaps, deserve attention from persons in every period of age. —I begin by observing,

I. THAT it is most necessary to lay down principles on which we are to form our general conduct. If we set out without principles of any kind, there can be no regular plan of life, nor any firmness in conduct. No person can know where they are to find us; nor on what behaviour of ours they are to depend. If the principles which we pitch upon for determining our course, be of a variable nature; such, for instance, as popular opinion, reputation, or worldly interest; as these are often shifting and changing, they can impart no steadiness or consistency to conduct. Other principles there are, which some affect to adopt, founded on a sense of honour, on

SERMON the beauty and excellency of virtue, and` IX. the dignity of human nature. But, however fair these may be in appearance, they will be found ineffectual in many trying situations; unable to repress the violence of contending passions, or to support the heart under many discouragements and sorrows.

The only sure principles we can lay down for regulating our conduct, must be founded on the Christian religion, taken in its whole compass; not confined to the exercises of devotion, nor to the mere morality of social behaviour; but extending to the whole direction of our conduct towards God and towards man. The foundation is to be laid in faith in Christ as the Saviour of the world, through whose merits only we can look for final acceptance with God. We must evince the sincerity of our faith by good works; that is, by a faithful discharge of all the duties incumbent upon us in our several stations of life: continually looking up to Divine grace for assistance in the part assigned us to act; and trusting to that recompence of our present labours, which is promised to the virtuous in a future and better world,

-Sup