I take up a poem, or a history, the subject of which I clearly comprehend, a difficulty there becomes an objection. But you reply, that as the fcriptures are given for a directory, they should therefore be plain in every part. Why fo?It is true, that, as far as the fcriptures are a directory, they fhould be plain.And fo they are. But there are many things in the fcriptures, which are not meant as directions -where doctrines are hinted at, and were never intended to be explained; nor indeed could be: doctrines in which you have no concern. These are difficulties, no doubt; but to make them objections, would be absurd. We reason thus in common life. In God's moral government of the world, what is meant as our directory, is plain and eafy; but many things in it are mysterious, abftrufe, and above our comprehenfion. But, though these things are difficulties, we have the fenfe not to make them objections. How ridiculous would that man ap pear, who fhould object to his victuals, becaufe he was unacquainted with the nature of vegetation, or of animal growth! Let Let us then take care, that we may not be among those unlearned, and unstable people, who wreft difficulties, as they do alfo the other fcriptures, to their own deftruction. EE 2 ས་ XXXII. Follow not a multitude to do evil.- SOME animals are of a folitary nature-mufing -penfive-united only with their mates. Others are gregarious; and their only joy is to live in fociety. Of this latter kind is man. He is naturally inclined to affociate with his fellows. He is placed in a state of trial; and a state of trial cannot exift without fociety. Here and there, for the fake of fome convenience, or on fome religious motive, he builds his habitation apart from the haunts of others. In general, however, men herd together in towns and villages. Now man being naturally a wicked animal, (if the fcripture be acquainted with his nature,) these focieties are greatly inclined to mifchief and diforder. As in jails, the wickedness of one infects another; and the wife legiflator wishes to keep each convict apart in a different cell-so, in the extended scale of life, cities may be confidered as large places places of confinement, where the wicked have a general rendezvous. Here vice increases by contagion: which might have been checked by confining each perfon to his feparate cell. The ftate however of human affairs will not admit of separate cells. For the purposes of civil fociety, these hordes are neceffary. They are neceffary in bringing to perfection the arts of life-the civilization of manners-and the progrefs of learning. We may add also, that a long catalogue of virtues are cultivated in fociety; which could not be cultivated in a fequestered life. So that although the human fpecies might be kept more innocent by being kept apart, they would become more favage, and in many respects lefs virtuous.We must take the world therefore as it is, with all its good, and all its bad qualities; and make the best of it. We fhall find much to admire, and more to avoid. danger arifes chiefly from its amusements-its free opinions and its vicious example. Our N. B. All these heads might be confidered more at large, in a sermon. EE3 XXXIII. Neither is God in all his thoughts.-Pfalm, x. 4, THIS feems to be spoken of the fame fool, who, as David tells us in another place, faid in his heart, there is no God. He was not fuch a fool, as to declare it abroad; but he was fool enough to fay it in his heart-that is, to perfuade himself to believe, what his bad life, no doubt, made him wifh. I fhall not here attempt to reason a point with a person of his difpofition. I only mean to borrow the subject of a discourse from that part of his character which is held out in the text, Neither is God in all his thoughts. THE duty of prayer, I think, may be divided into three kinds.The firft is public worship -a fpecies of homage, which the serious part of all mankind-heathen, jews, and christians, |