Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

cludes all these ideas. One example shall suffice. My steps had well nigh slipped, Psal. lxxiii. 2. that is to say, I was very near taking a false step: and what was this step? It was judging that the wicked were happier in the practice of licentiousness, than the righteous in obeying the laws of truth and virtue. Solomon in the words of my text, particularly intends to regulate our actions; and in order to this he intends to regulate the principles of our minds, and the affections of our hearts. Ponder the path of thy feet, and all thy ways SHALL BE established, for so I render the words. Examine your steps deliberately before you take them, and you will take only wise steps: if you would judge rightly of objects, avoid hasty judging before you fix your affection on an object, examine whether it be worthy of your esteem, and then you will love nothing but what is lovely. By thus following the ideas of the wise man we will assort our reflections with the actions of your lives, and they will regard also, sometimes, the emotions of your hearts, and the operations of your minds.

[ocr errors]

We must beg leave to add a third elucidation. The maxim in the text is not always practicable. I mean, there are some doctrines, and some cases of conscience, which we cannot fully examine without coming to a conclusion that the arguments for, and the arguments against them are of equal weight, and consequently, that we must conclude without a conclusion; weigh the one against the other, and the balance will incline neither way.

This difficulty, however, solves itself; for, after I have weighed, with all the exactness of which I am capable, two opposite propositions, and can find no reasons sufficient to determine my judg ment, the part I ought to take is not to determine at all. Are you prejudiced in favor of an opinion,

[ocr errors]

so ill suited to the limits, which it hath pleased God to set to our knowledge, that it is dangerous or criminal to suspend our judgments? Are your consciences so weak and scrupulous as to hesitate in some cases to say, I do not know, I have not determined that question? Poor men, do you know yourselves so little? Poor christians, will you always form such false ideas of your legislator? And do you not know that none but such as live perpetually disputing in the schools make it a law to answer every thing? Do you not know that one principal cause of that fury, which erected scaffolds, and lighted fires in a church, that ought to breathe nothing but peace and love, was a rash decision of some questions, which it was impossible for sensible men to determine? Are you not aware that one of the most odious ideas, that can be formed of God, one the least compatible with the eminence of his perfections, is, that God requireth of us. knowledge beyond the faculties he hath given us? I declare, I cannot help blushing for christians, and especially for christians cultivated as you are, when I perceive it needful to repeat this principle, and even to use precaution, and to weigh the terms in which we propose it, lest we should offend them. To what then are we reduced, Great God, if we have the least reason to suspect that thou wilt require an account, not only of the talents, which it hath pleased thee to commit to us, but even of others which thou hast not committed to us? To what am I reduced, if, having only received of thee, my Creator, an human intelligence, thou wilt require of me angelical attainments? Whither am I driven, if, having received a body capable of moving only through a certain space in a given time, thou, Lord, requires me to move with the velocity of ærial bodies? At

this rate, when thou in the last great day shalt judge the world in righteousness, thou, Judge of the whole earth! wilt condemn me for not preaching thy gospel in Persia the same day, and the same hour, in which I was preaching it in this assembly? Far from us be such detestable opinions! Let us adhere to the sentiments of St. Paul, God shall judge the Gentile according to what he hath committed to the Gentile; the Jew according to what he hath committed to the Jew; the Christian according to what he hath committed to the Christian. Thus Jesus Christ, unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more, Luke xii. 48. Thus again Jesus Christ teacheth us, that God will require an account of five talents of him to whom he gave five talents, of two talents of him to whom he gave two, and of one only of him to whom he gave but one. What did our Redeemer mean, when he put into the mouth of the wicked servant this abominable pretext for neglecting to improve his Lord's talent? Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, or, as it may be better translated, a barbarous man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed. I return to my subject. When we have examined two contradictory doctrines, and can obtain no reasons sufficient to determine our judgment, our proper part is to suspend our judgment of the subject, and not to determine it at all.

It will be said, that, if this be possible in regard to speculative points, it is not applicable to matters of practice. Why not? Such cases of conscience as are the most embarrassing are precisely those, which ought to give us the least trouble. This pro

[blocks in formation]

nativity would perish, and that the remnants of the reformation would be entirely extirpated. Diligently to preserve even remnants of the reformation, and seeds of truth, is certainly an action good in itself: but is this the motive, which animates you, when you resist all our exhortations? Is it not love of the present world? Is it not the same motive that animated Demas? Is it not because you have neither courage enough to sacrifice for Jesus Christ what he requires, nor zeal enough to profess your religion at the expence of your fortunes and dignities? Thus again they who are immersed in worldly care, tell us, that were they to think much about dying, society could not subsist, arts would languish, sciences decay, and so on. I affirm, society would be incomparably more flourishing, were each member of it to think continually of death. In such a case each would consult his own ability, before he determined what employment he would follow, and then we should see none elected to public offices, except such as were capable of discharging them; we should see the gospel preached only by such as have abilities for preaching: we should see armies commanded only by men of experience, and who possessed that superiority of genius, which is necessary to command them. Then the magistrate, having always death and judgment before his eyes, would think only of the public good. Then the judge, having his eye fixed only on the judge of all mankind, would regard the sacred trust committed to him, and would not consider his rank only as an opportunity of making his family, accumulating riches, and behaving with arrogance. Then the pastor, all taken up with the duties of that important ministry, which God hath committed to him, would exercise it only to comfort the afflicted, to visit the sick, to repress

vice, to advance the kingdom of that Jesus, whose minister he hath the honor to be, and not officially to intrude into families to direct them, to tyrannize over consciences, to make a parade of gifts, and to keep alive a spirit of party.

- But, not to carry these reflections any further, you say, society could not subsist, sciences would languish, and arts decay, if men thought much about dying. Very well. I agree. But I ask, is this the motive which animates you, when you turn away your eyes from this object? Is it fear lest the arts should decay, sciences languish, society disperse? Is it this fear which keeps you from thinking of death? Is it not rather because an idea of this king of terrors disconcerts the whole system of your conscience stupified by a long habit of sin because it urges you to restore that accursed acquisition, which is the fund that supports your pageantry and pride: because it requires you to renounce that criminal intrigue, which makes the conversation of all companies, and gives just of fence to all good men ?

My brethren, would you always take right steps? Never take one without first examining the motive, which engages you to take it. Let the glory of God be the great end of all our actions: whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, let us do all to the glory of God, 1 Cor. x. 31. A motive so noble and so worthy of that holy calling, with which God hath honored us, will sanctify all our steps, will give worth to our virtues, and will raise those into virtuous actions, which seem to have the least connection with virtue. A bustling trade, a sprightly conversation, a well matched union, a sober recreation, a domestic amusement, all become virtues in a man animated with the glory of God: on the contrary, virtue itself, the most ardent zeal

« PreviousContinue »