with a religious circumfpection; wherein he will certainly find occafions enough for the exercise of his wifdom, and but too many trials of his innocence, it can neither be improper, nor without it's ufe to confider the words as an admonition to Chriftians in general. And in this view I fhall endeavour, Firft, to ftate the nature of that innocent Wifdom here enjoined in order to recommend and enforce, Secondly, the culture of fo valuable an endowment; - - premifing only, that the terms of fimilitude made ufe of in the text, wife as Serpents," harmless as Doves," are plainly proverbial expreffions, meant to denote each of those qualities in the highest degree; and were upon that account joined together by our heavenly Instruc-. tor, to teach us in a familiar way of speaking, that we cannot be too wary in our conduct, provided innocence be a guard upon our wifdom; nor too harmless

VOL. II.

E

harmless therein, whilft difcretion adds a grace to our innocence.

1. Now, to be harmless in our lives and converfations, which lies at the foundation of all virtue, and fhould therefore be the principal care of every Christian, is (as St. Paul speaks) to keep always a confcience void of offence towards God and towards Men. There is a certain line of duty, eafily enough discovered by an honeft mind, that limits our conduct in the feveral relations we ftand in to our God, our Selves, and our Neighbour. And this it concerns us to have always in view; and, as far as in us lies, to make it the constant rule of our religious, our moral, and civil deportment.

If we rob God of his honour, either by neglecting to pay Him that reasonable fervice He requires at our hands,

the

the facrifice of prayer, praife, and thankf giving; or by blafpheming his Holy Name, Word and Providence; or if we give his glory to another, by fetting up the idols of our own corrupt affections in his ftead: In any of these and the like cafes we act offenfively against his divine Majefty; who, though infinitely above receiving any real detriment from our proceedings, yet looks upon profaneness as an an affront to his nature, which is Holinefs itself, and will accordingly refent it. Again,

It is required of us that we be harmlefs toward our own Selves: Which though it may feem an unneceffary injunction, because no man ever hated, but on the contrary every one loveth and cherisheth himself; yet is it undeniably certain that every inftance of fin, with whatever pleafures or advantages it may be attended, is an actual violation

of a man's best and truest interest; as it enfeebles the foul, fets it at enmity with God, in whom alone it can be happy, and renders it obnoxious to everlasting punishment. Neither are his outward circumftances lefs injured through the malignity of vice; which never fails to im pair the health, ruin the fortune, and fink the reputation of him who commits it.

But the direction to live harmless, according to the common acceptation of the word, principally relates to our be haviour in a focial capacity; and imports that we give no offence to our Neighbour in any respect; that we injure him not in his perfon, his profeffions, or his credit. A peaceful and inoffenfive carriage is no fmall part of true Religion; which cannot fubfift where envying and ftrife is; becaufe "there" (as St. John fpeaks) "is confufion, and every evil work." Well then might the Saviour

Saviour of the World charge his Apostles, those meffengers of peace, to conduct themselves without offence in that public and important office to which He had ordained them: And well does it become all, who profefs themselves Difciples of the fame Lord, to be harmless in all their actions, to hurt no one by word or deed, thereby approving themfelves the Sons of God without rebuke. And thus much for this dovelike innocence prescribed in the text.

Which, if duly obferved, will help us the better to understand that other branch of the admonition, " Be ye wife as Serpents;" fince they are both very reconcileable, and must be practiced in conjunction. Nay, either virtue may be truly faid to be indebted to the other for it's very being; because it is not poffible for a man to be innocent without fome degree of wifdom, or to be really

E 3