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Sermon I.

THE IMPORTANCE OF RELIGION.

PROVERBS iv. 7.

WISDOM IS THE PRINCIPAL THING
THEREFORE, GET WISDOM.

THE knowledge and practice of religion is, of all concerns, the most interefting to mankind. Whether we confult our honour, our peace of mind, our usefulness, or our future well-being, we cannot make a wiser choice, than that recommended by Solomon; nor can we follow a better rule, than that which he has prefcribed. The remark of the Roman orator refpecting friendship will justly apply to practical religion. "You afk for riches, that you may enjoy them; for power, that you may be followed; for preferment, that you may be refpected; for pleasures, that you

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may be gratified; for health, that you may be free from pain, and have the full vigour of body. But religion comprehends many confiderations. Go where you will, it is prefent. No place can fhut it out. It is never unfeasonable, never intruding. It gives fplendour to profperity, and is a cordial under adverfity."

But I need not repair to the heathent fchools for words to defcribe, or figures to embellish, the subject of religion. The words of the royal moralift will be fufficient for this purpose. "Hear, ye children, the inftruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forfake ye not my law. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not, neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forfake her not, and the fhall preserve thee; love her, and the fhall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing therefore, get wifdom: and, with all thy getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and fhe fhall promote thee: the shall bring thee to honour, when thou doft embrace her. She fhall give to thine head an ornament of grace; and a crown of glory fhall fhe deliver to thee." A more lovely portrait of religion never was drawn; nor were ever its advantages

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Better difplayed, than in this elegant de fcription.

The words, to which I have invited your attention, may be confidered as a leffon to the young. The manner in which they are introduced, leads me to suppose that Solomon had a particular reference to them. But whether this be, or be not the fact, there can be no impropriety in fuch a difcuffion of the subject as fhall be moft beneficial to them, who are juft entering life, and have their character to form. I am a debtor both to the aged and the young, to the high and low, the rich and poor, the learned and the fimple; to those who rejoice, and to those, who mourn. To perfons of all defcriptions I would with to accommodate my public labours. But if the young are more frequently addreffed than others, the infinite importance of early religion must be my apology. I can easily conceive that they, who begin well, may, as they grow in years, grow in favour both with God and man. But when the greater part of a long life has been confumed in floth, or fpent in folly and wickedness, there is little profpect of a reformation. The young mind may be compared to that "earth, which drinketh in the rain, that cometh

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oft upon it; and bringing forth herbs meet for them, by whom it is dreffed, receiveth bleffing from God." But the mind of those, who have been long accuftomed to do evil, may be likened to that ingrateful foil," which bearing thorns and briars, is rejected, and is nigh unto curfing." If this reprefentation be juft, they, who have grown old in vice, have reafon to tremble. And the young can not be too frequently urged to "make hafte, and delay not to keep the divine commandments."

In the text, a very important truth is advanced, and a plain inference is drawn from it. The truth is, that wisdom is the principal thing. And the inference, that we ought to get wisdom. To illuftrate this remark, and juftify this conclufion, fhall be my business in the following difcourfe.

I. First-We learn from the text, that "wifdom is the principal thing." By wif dom we are unqueftionably to understand religion. In this fenfe the word is generally used in the book of proverbs. In other parts of the facred volume, it fometimes conveys a different idea. There are places, in which it ftands for that particular kind of prudence or difcretion, which enables men to see what is fit to be done, according

according to the circumftances of time; place, perfons, manners, and end of doing. Quickness of invention, and dexterity in executing, are alfo ideas affixed to this word. Sometimes, the term, wisdom, intends human craft, cunning, or ftratagem. At other times it is employed to exprefs learning in general, or experience. the paffage before us, it muft intend the knowledge and practice of religion. And, it is evidently the defign of the wife man, to represent an acquaintance with religion, and a life conformable to it, as the moft important of all human concerns.

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The leaft attention to the fubject will convince us of the truth and propriety of this remark. In every point of view, "religion must be the principal thing." As a purfuit, as an ornament, as a fource of happiness, as a rational entertainment, as a chief, and everlasting good, it must precede all other objects and interefts. To mankind nothing, in the whole compafs of nature, can be of equal moment. To adopt the language of the wife preach"the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of filver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things thou B 2canft

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