Imatges de pàgina
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SERMON I.

HAGGAI i. 5.

Now therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts, consider

your ways.

THE faculty of reviewing our past lives and the present state of our hearts, in order to approve what is right, or condemn what is wrong in either, carries with it an evident obligation upon all men, to exercise it constantly and uprightly. It is a principle, that implies in its very nature an authority over the whole of our conduct: and we every one feel ourselves most intimately bound to obey its dictates. Even when we doubt in particular how we are to act, we must know in general, that we are to act as truth and conscience direct. And not to examine, what they direct, or whether we are following it, is transgressing the first fundamental law of moral agents. So that indeed God our Maker saith to each of us continually, by the inward voice of our own breasts, Consider your ways. A precept universally acknowledged, and highly honoured even by heathens: but peculiarly enforced on Christians, as it is not only often and solemnly enjoined in Scripture, but, to secure all possible regard to it, self-examination is incorporated into the most sacred rite of our holy religion (participation of the blessed sacrament), as its vast importance well deserved.

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For in the midst of so many passions and appe as compose our frame; so many disorders in we are born with; so many more, as we have added; such powerful temptations, as surrou on every side; we cannot hope, that the caref attention to ourselves will keep us entirely free faults: but without such care, we shall fall into more and worse; we shall go much greater le in them; we shall continue the wrong condu have once begun, blind to its guilt and peril, or quit one error to adopt another; till we fix our down in a confirmed state of sin and misery. little neglect of culture, a soil, so fruitful of ill v will soon be covered with them: besides, that th inclinations of the best minds, if left to thems will run wild and degenerate. And proportiona persons are more exempted from the free admo of others, the more certainly and dangerously must err, unless preserved by a most vigorous their own self-reflections.

A duty, thus plain and thus necessary, Go doubtless expect us to perform very faithfully. what the Almighty commands, we shall alway it our interest to do, never to omit. When w acted amiss indeed, we must feel pain in think it. But it is pain in order to a cure, which and ease will follow: whereas the cowardice searching our wounds will inevitably make ther In some of the most trifling affairs of life, we think it strangely absurd not to observe, w were doing. But how vastly more is it so, management of the whole of life; on which ou piness or misery depends, in time and to etern

We cannot bear perhaps to be so serious. we refuse it, sooner or later we shall assure

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driven to it. And never have there been in the world poor creatures so dreadfully serious, as they, who have resolved to be always gay and thoughtless. Terrors of mind, pains of body, perplexity of affairs, have come to be their hourly companions; till very often life itself hath grown insupportable to them; and they have desperately broken out of it, and even that in vain. Here or hereafter every one must think will we then do it, while it may avail us; or when it can only aggravate our sufferings? Besides, persons of the greatest levity are serious in some points: as earnest, as they are capable of being, about matters that very little deserve it: and why not about the one thing needful?

But possibly we are not convinced that our behaviour is of such infinite and eternal importance. However, at least it is of importance to examine, whether it be or not. That inquiry can do us no harm and it may do us good beyond conception.

But perhaps we have inquired, and think there is reason to doubt of what we are commonly taught concerning these matters. But when did we begin to think so? Was it before we had grossly sinned; or however, were pretty much resolved to sin, and wanted to be made easy in it? Or was it not in consequence of imagining, that an infidel way of thinking would give us a distinguished and fashionable air? If so, what chance was there, that our inquiry should be a fair one? It is not picking up from others, or inventing ourselves, a few jests and cavils, or even real objections against religion, that entitles us to say we have examined it: but an impartial thorough search into every thing, within our reach, favourable to it, as well as contrary. What authors then have we read, with what men of learning and

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