heavy, idle, and stupid, if he takes too much. As to the bodily distempers, that are occasioned by excess, there is no end of them. How often do the limbs of men become useless, which were given that they might use them in their necessary occupations? Gluttony breeds apoplexy; drunkenness sometimes ends in a dropsy, or a fever, or even in fury and madness. By seeking too much enjoyment, we have no enjoyment at all. Ungovernable appetite leads to ungovernable passions to a clouded understanding; to a miserable life; and often to a speedy death. When we use that gift of God to destroy us, which was intended to preserve us, then we are fools indeed.

Consider next what is the use of our clothing? It was intended, as its name signifies, in the first language of mankind, to cover shame. Another use of it, especially in such a climate as ours, is to protect us from the coldness of the air, and the roughness of the weather. It serves likewise as a mark, to distinguish the différent orders, and degrees, amongst mankind. But soon enter vanity and fashion, and turn it all into absurdity. Fashion is so variable, that the study of it absolutely fills up the lives of some people; and helps to swallow up the fortunes of others. New fashions are continually arising; some of which are foolish and monstrous, and make the wearers ridiculous; others are so unnatural and inconvenient, that they make them uneasy: yet they must all be followed. To this foolish servitude, the world has given its sanction; and it is submitted to. So much thought is taken for the body, what it shall put on, that if we were to read the history of some people's lives we should hear of nothing but of what they put on, and what they put off. The mind is little thought of: the putting off the old man, and the put

9

ting on of the new man, are subjects little studied, and little understood; though upon this alone depends our admission into the presence of God, and the fashion in which we must appear to all eternity.

We have another matter to consider, which would require many words, if it were properly treated, and according to its importance: I mean, that society which God hath ordained of man and woman, for their mutual help and comfort in life. If this be according to the laws of God, it leads to happiness: if according to the laws of sin, it leads to misery and death. The estate of matrimony is wise, and holy, and honourable; and if it proves to be, what God designed it always should be, it is the most happy in the world. It was the state of man, in the time of his innocency; and even now innocency is gone, it is a relief under all the cares of life: poverty and labour are more tolerable: sickness is less afflicting; disappointments are diminished, and blessings are increased. All this is, or may be, true: and the profane jests of the libertine signify nothing. We argue with God on our side, and are in no fear of being mistaken. It is certain, that from a common relation to a family of children, a friendship arises out of matrimony, such as the world can never produce, from any other relation in life and, as friendship is one of the first of blessings, so far as paradise can be recovered by us, in this state of mortality, it must be found here, or nowhere.

But, who can describe the miseries which arise from all abuses of the relation between the sexes? True and lawful society renders life innocent and happy: false society never fails to end in wretchedness, and corruption of every kind. For the man, if a libertine, has no real friend; such as he ought to have: he can

never expect to find it in any partner of his iniquity. The woman has no protector, on whom she can depend; but is left to scorn, to beggary, to infamy, and wretchedness. How much there is of this wretchedness in the world, they only can tell, who are acquainted with the crooked paths of life; of which, honest men know but little. However, a great deal of it must be known to all mankind. In every place we need not go far for some shameful and wretched examples of vice and ruin: out of which, the hand of God may be able to save; but the hand of man cannot; because it is not in man's power to change a lost character. How can I say more in few words on the subject than this? that as matrimony is the institution of God, for man's good (perhaps for the salvation of his soul), so whoredom is the institution of the devil; for man's destruction in this world, and perhaps for his damnation in the next. How careful then ought we to be, to do all we can, by vigilance, by example, by discipline and correction, to save from ruin those who are going headlong to perdition; blinded by their passions, and corrupted by the licentiousness of the times, or the bad examples of the place wherein they live. They see not the gulph of misery into which they are hastening they lose themselves; they lose the world; and they lose (which is the greatest of all calamities) the grace of God, and his favour; which is worse than the loss of life: and all this, by not following the commandment of God for the right use of the world. They that follow other commandments of their own lusts, may seem to be easy and happy under them, for a time; but that is no more than a bait; which the devil offers, when he means to have a lost soul in return.

As the states of men, so all their faculties, have their use and their abuse. How excellent is the use

of speech, when applied to the instruction, admonition, or consolation of others! It is to the mind, what light, and medicine, and food, are to the body: it can enlighten the ignorant; feed the hungry; heal the sick. In these cases, the speech of a man is like the voice of an angel from heaven. But, how shamefully is it misapplied; for corrupting the manners; for railing, for cursing, for blaspheming, and setting the world on fire. What should the idle, the ignorant, or the vicious man speak, when he has nothing good to speak upon? Lo, his talk degenerates into empty jesting, to provoke laughter; and to make those merry, whom he is not able to make wise. Though, in such a case, it be the speech of a man; it is but little better than the noise of a beast. When a beast uttereth its voice, the subject is that only, which it knoweth naturally: and the subjects, on which the natural man speaketh, are nearly the same: and then his speech is but little better than a brutish noise: sometimes it is worse; for beasts can neither curse man, nor blaspheme their Maker.

Music, nearly allied to speech, is another faculty which man hath and how noble is it, when it celebrates the praise and glory of God, or recommends lessons of wisdom to man; which was the use of it, in very antient times. It calms the passions; inspires devotion; and raises the mind above itself; as if it were carried upon wings of air toward the heaven above. It has therefore always been used in religious worship, by Christians, Jews, and Heathens. But how little and low is it, when applied in a light, insipid form, to enervate the mind: or in songs of drunkards and debauchees, to inspire corruption of manners: to weaken the reason, and inflame the passions!

I might go on to shew the like as to many other particulars; but we have seen enough to convince us. Let us now ask; who gave us all things; but God? for which his name is ever to be praised: and he that gave them, has taught the use of them. When we follow his rules, we are like to do well, and are never disappointed: the world is then to us, what it might be to all: for godliness hath the promise of this life, and of that which is to come: it is not more surely the way to glory above, than to peace and comfort below. Who is it that leads us into the abuse of all things, but the devil; whose pride and malice have no delight, but in spoiling, perverting, and defacing, the works and the gifts of God? If man observes the laws of God, they give to him, and to the world, an alliance with heaven but the laws of the devil infuse the poison of hell into all the comforts upon earth; and create torments in the present time, which are preparatory to those of eternity.

If I were to meet with two men, one of whom uses the world, while the other abuses it; and both these characters were complete in their kind; I would shew them to you: but if we cannot find them, let us form them. Before they are known, we may affirm of them in general, that the one is a wise man, and the other a fool. The wise follows the order which God hath appointed in the use of his time: he works with the light, he rests with the darkness; his time is therefore of its natural value; and the regularity of it gives a habit of activity and chearfulness to his mind. His wealth, when it has supplied his own wants, supplies the wants of others; and brings down, upon his head, the bleffings of the widow and the fatherless. He clothes not himself for vanity and shew, but for decency and convenience: he can there