SERM.
XVI.

Let not those who are in wealthy and flourishing circumftances, complain of the reftraints which religious doctrine attempts to impofe on their enjoyments. For, to what do these restraints amount? To no more than this, that, by their pleafures, they would neither injure themselves, nor injure others. We call not on the young, to relinquith their gaiety; nor on the rich to forego their opulence; nor on the great, to lay afide their ftate. We only call on them, not to convert gaiety into licentioufnefs; nor to employ opulence in mere extravagance; nor to abuse greatness for the oppreffion of their inferiors: While they enjoy the world, not to forget that they are the fubjects of God, and are foon to pafs into another state. Let the motive by which the Apoftle enforces the exhortation in the text, prefent itself to their thought; Ufe this world as not abufing it; for the fafhion of the world paffeth away. Its pomp and its pleasures, its riches, magnificence, and glory, are no more than a tranfient fhow. Every thing that we here enjoy, changes, decays, and comes to an end. All floats on the furface of a river, which, with

fwift current, is running towards a boundlefs ocean. Beyond this present scene of things, above thofe fublunary regions, we are to look for what is permanent and ftable. The world paffes away; but God, and heaven, and virtue, continue unchangeably the fame. We are foon to enter into eternal habitations; and into these, our works fhall follow us. The confequences fhall for ever remain of the part which we have acted as good or bad men; as faithful fubjects of God, or as fervants of a vain

world.

SER M.

XVI.

SERMON XVII.

On EXTREMES in RELIGIOUS and MORAL
CONDUCT.

SERM.
XVII.

PROVERBS, iv. 27.

Turn not to the right hand, nor to the left.—

I

Will behave myself wifely, faid the Pfalmist David, in a perfect way*. Wifdom is no less neceffary in religious, and moral, than in civil conduct. Unless there be a proper degree of light in the understanding, it will not be enough that there are good difpofitions in the heart. Without regular guidance, they will often err from the right scope. They will be always wavering and unfteady; nay, on some occafions, they may betray us into evil.

This

• Pfalm ci. 2.

is

XVII.

is too much verified by that propenfity to SERM. run into extremes, which fo often appears in the behaviour of men. How many have originally fet out with good principles and intentions, who, through want of difcretion in the application of their principles, have in the end injured themselves, and brought difcredit on religion? There is a certain temperate mean, in the obfervance of which piety and virtue confist. On each fide there lies a dangerous extreme. Bewildering paths open; by deviating into which, men are apt to forfeit all the praise of their good intentions; and to finish with reproach, what they had begun with honour. This is the ground of the wife man's exhortation in the text. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eye-lids look Straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand, nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil. In difcourfing from these words, I purpose to point out fome of the extremes into which men are to apt to run in religion and morals; and to suggest directions for guarding against them.

SERM.
XVII.

WITH regard to religious principle in general, it may perhaps be expected, that I should warn you of the danger of being, on one hand too rigid in adhering to it, and on the other hand, too eafy in relaxing it. But the distinction between thefe fuppofed extremes, I conceive to have no foundation. No man can be too ftrict, in his adherence to a principle of duty. Here, there is no extreme. All relaxation of principle is criminal. What confcience dictates is to be ever obeyed. Its commands are univerfally facred. Even though it should be misled, yet as long as we conceive it to utter the voice of God, in difobeying it we fin. The error, therefore, to be here avoided, is not too fcrupulous or tender regard to conscience, but too little care to have conscience properly enlightened, with refpect to what is matter of duty and of fin.Receive not without examination, whatever human tradition has confecrated as facred. Recur, on every occasion, to thofe great fountains of light and knowledge, which are opened to you in the pure word of God. Diftinguish, with care, between the fuperftitious fancies of men, and the everlasting com

mandments