arguments of its most inveterate enemies; and especially that obedience to the divine commands is required from us, not only as a private duty, but also as a public example, which may both put to silence the ignorance of foolish men,' and afford to artless and inexperienced minds the benefits of imitation, unmixed with its usual and great disadvantages. For,

III. The vices of believers not only furnish a pretence to the infidelity of some and the irreligion of others, but spread also a very dangerous snare in the plainer paths of moral virtue.

The force of example on the minds and manners of mankind is universally seen and acknowleged. Interest, inclination, and duty, the laws of man, the laws of nature, and the laws of God, are in vain united to resist its progress: every principle of action is perverted at the caprice of custom, and every power of exertion is enfeebled and subdued by the magic influence of prevailing fashion. Happy would it be for the world, if the voice of the charmer, which so few can refuse to hear, were heard to pour its enchanting strains in the defence of virtue: and as it is no inconsiderable encouragement to goodness, that every instance of right behavior has a tendency to produce this desirable event; so is it an aggravation of every crime, that it contributes to enlarge the dominion of sin, and to perpetuate the miseries of man.

It is certainly useful to consider the consequences of vice in every light that may at all deter us from the commission of it. Now, as an example, it is attended with peculiar circumstances, to which an ingenuous mind can hardly be insensible. The future punishments of vice may be averted by the use of those means which religion has graciously supplied; its temporal inconveniences to ourselves may be lessened by prudence, or borne with resignation: so far the evil is of our own creation, and the remedy in our own power. Its temporal consequences also to others, as an injury, may be prevented by attention, or relieved by liberality; but its effects, as an example, are equally fatal and unavoidable; they yield to no precautions, and admit of no reparation. No satisfaction can be made for the loss of innocence: no human art can heal the wounded spirit, or restore its purity to the polluted mind. Penitence, indeed,

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would at least alleviate the crimes which it bewailed; but penitence is not readily excited: it is much more easy to allure than to deter, to seduce than to reform. Many, too, who have suffered by our vices, may be no longer in a situation to receive improvement from our virtues; and the evils inflicted on one man cannot be in any degree compensated, nor perhaps equalled, by the benefits we may occasion to others. Diseases are more active than remedies; and the contagion of one vicious example may soon produce effects, which the united influence of many characters of distinguished excellence will neither balance nor repair.

As therefore the consequences of our conduct on the belief and manners of those around us are thus important in themselves; as they cannot be prevented by any prudence, nor averted by the sincerest repentance; they surely form a motive to goodness, which no thinking man can overlook, and no generous man will disregard. It is a motive, of which every one, who is not insensible to the dearest interests of human society, must see the reality, and feel the force; and if even he would consider the wonderful variety of inducements, by which the divine goodness allures men to virtue and happiness, how inflexibly perverse must be that heart, which is unaffected by

them all!

A life of virtue is represented, as the conduct prescribed by our reason, as becoming the dignity of our nature, and exalting it into some resemblance with the divine perfections: it is commanded by our Creator as the great test of our obedience; it is required by our Redeemer as the best token of our gratitude; it is recommended from its effects on our own lives, on our prosperity and comfort here, and on our everlasting happiness hereafter; it is recommended from its effects on the lives of other men, on their conduct and enjoyments; and, lastly, it is recommended from its effects on the Supreme Being himself, who deigns to represent his own happiness as increased by our obedience, and his unapproachable glory as receiving additional lustre from the brightness of human virtues.

SUMMARY OF DISCOURSE X.

1 THESSALONIANS, CHAP. V.-VERSE 22.

THE advice in the text may be thought unnecessary by some, and oppressive by others. If we obey the injunctions of the gospel, say they, and duly discharge our moral and religious duties, what need is there of farther care? Appearances cannot change the nature of our actions, nor deceive the unerring judgment of him, who has pronounced those acts of goodness to be most pleasing, which are most carefully concealed. Others perhaps think it a cruel aggravation of a burden, which was before heavier than they were well able to bear. If we obey God, and satisfy our own consciences, why must we be judged of man's judgment? this topic enlarged on.

These objections however will disappear, if we duly consider the true nature and end of the duty recommended to our observance, which requires us not to contradict our own conscience in compliance with the sentiments of others. Virtue is too sacred an obligation to be sacrificed to appearances; nor will the guilt of the smallest vice be atoned for by any advantages which it may have been really designed to produce. Those actions, which evidently partake of the nature of virtue or vice, cannot be at all affected by the command of the text: but there are actions of a more questionable shape, which some men esteem perfectly indifferent, whilst others, more serious or timid, carefully separate them, exalting these into the rank of duties, and sinking those into the catalogue of sins. To such the apostle directs our attention, charging us to reverence the

scruples of stricter Christians, and to respect even the fanciful distinctions of our weaker brethren. These indeed were the immediate objects of the apostle's concern; as they were more likely to be shocked by a departure from received principles, or misled by the example of an admired character. Hence it is, that those, who are not subject to such nice fears and scruples, are admonished to bear with the infirmities of welldisposed Christians, and not to unsettle their belief, &c. Far from pursuing the dictates of vain-glory, or boasting of our freedom from superstitious restraints, we should be careful to follow those things, wherewith one may edify another,' in matters of indifference condescending to feebler minds, &c.: St. Paul's example in his case proposed for imitation: our Saviour's precepts concerning it also enumerated: extensive nature of Christian charity enlarged on, which requires us not only to do and speak no evil, but to think none; which should render our mutual intercourse not only harmless, but beneficial; and our example not only innocent, but instructive. As we are commanded to exhibit an example to others for their sakes rather than for our own, in adjusting the limits of our duty in this respect, we must regard, not so much the intrinsic value of the action itself, as the effect it is likely to produce: the most innocent liberties, if they encourage others in irregularities, should be studiously avoided. To these rules of practice may be added some cautions in our social intercourse.

Thus much at least all men have a right to expect from us, that we conduct ourselves towards them without acrimony or contempt; if we wish to convince them of their errors, that we do it with calmness; if to remove their scruples and weakthat we reason with them seriously and soberly. The gospel disdains both the heat of zeal and the petulance of wit, as better calculated to inflame than to convince, to wound than to reform..

nesses,

The duty on which we are treating may also be recommended

from its influence on our own conduct. As an occasional abstinence even from lawful enjoyments is a necessary guard and security to virtue; so the abstaining from all appearance of evil' may be requisite to prevent the commission of it: this topic enlarged on. Farther, this virtuous deference to the scruples of well-disposed men is not only suggested by the fear of danger, but encouraged also by the hope of improvement: this also enlarged on. Beneficial effects of the apostle's command farther considered, in the exhibition of our obedience, our steadfast principles of virtue and zeal in its cause, our self-government and moral prudence.

The same spirit of forbearance and charity pervades every precept of religion, and is equally recommended to all ranks and distinctions of men. 'As those who are strong ought thus to bear the infirmities of the weak;' so weak and timid tempers, who see difficult'es in the easiest observances, and duties in the most indifferent performances, are in their turn forbidden to condemn those who are less delicately scrupulous: this enlarged on fretful censures to be avoided.

And as you must be cautious in judging of other men's conduct, so must you be careful in directing your own: no man's example should in any case be blindly and implicitly followed: you are to be judged, not by another man's conscience, but by your own. Conscience is an unpliant principle, and a conduct which it condemns cannot be sanctioned for you by any authority this topic enlarged on. Let us then carefully avoid both extremes let us not, from a weak imitation of a respected character, involve ourselves in guilt; nor, from a weaker attachment to trivial gratifications, destroy those for whom Christ died.'

But if the purity of the Christian character cannot be reconciled with these lighter offences, how must it be sullied and defiled by the pollution of grosser vices! Exhortations on this point. Concluding observations on the advantages of external decorum, as a useful ally of virtue.