barden not your hearts*. To-morrow may be quite toò late; and at best every delay will make felf-inspection more painful, and our condition more hopeless. But how carefully foever we may have fearched into our breafts already, fresh occafions for it will be daily rifing, and unless the repetition of it be frequent, we shall perform it ineffectually, and very foon leave it off entirely. The present season, indeed, is a yearly memorial of recollection and seriousness. But as the mere outward fhew of it is of no value; fo the more real goodness of a few weeks, if it end with them, is of very little. Our bufinefs, therefore, is, fo to examine ourfelves now, as to live more Christianly ever after. And whence can we better begin, than from what we owe to Him, that made us?

Do we then often think of him, and constantly reverence him, as the wife and good, the just and powerful, ruler of the world? Do we praife him for his mercies, pray for his pardon, protection and grace, not only now and then in public. form, but daily in private, with a deep and awful fenfe of what we say before him? Or can we, perhaps, fome of us remember when we prayed in fecret and in earnest laft! If not, why this neglect of the author of all we enjoy, the' difpofer of all we hope for! Can we think it meannefs to honour him, even with the loweft fubmiffion? Do we think it meannefs in our inferiors to pay due refpect to us? If not, why in us to pay all refpect to God? Will we then at least do it for the future? Refolving otherwife deliberately, comes very little fhort of renouncing and defying him; and dare we then go thus far? What would it deferve were we to treat an earthly fuperior fo? What doth it deferve, if we treat the Lord and King of all fo?

But, befides worship, we owe him further, Faith in what he teaches, Obedience to what he commands. Have we then inquired with humility of heart, what doctrines he hath propofed to our belief, what laws he hath prescribed to our conduct, by reason or revelation? Or do we fet up our own fancy and caprice for abfolute judges of his declarations and appointments; indolently and fecurely determining, that this

article of faith, or rule of life, be its evidence what it will, cannot come from him; and another, though it doth, ought, however, to give way to our private intereft, ease or humour Could fuch treatment of human laws be borne? And will the Almighty and All-wife bear it? Be not deceived ; God is not mocked.

But, how fully foever we own the authority of religion, do we practise it? What is our great aim and endeavour here? Is it to fecure a happy immortality? Or to grafp as many, as we can, of the fplendid bubbles of this momentary fcene? To get a little more power, or wealth, or rank, and then, with unabated thirst, a little more ftill, even to the very night that our fouls fhall be required of us? Whom do we think happy? The virtuous, the humble, the good? Or the artful, the profperous, the great? What do we rejoice in, or grieve at? Is it our proficiency or failure, in love and duty to God, in reasonablenefs of heart, uprightness of behaviour, difengagement from this trifling world? Are these the things we are concerned about? Or a very different sort of advantages and pre-eminences, belonging to the present state of things entirely, and many of them quite contemptible, even were no other to follow? When our duty and our interest thwart each other, how do we act? Honeftly and cheerfully give up the latter? Or frame poor excuses for preferring it, or unfair contrivances for reconciling it to the former ? These are questions of the last importance. For if the love of the world be our reigning paffion, the love of the Father is not in us*. Which do we choofe then, earth or heaven? Let us not cheat ourfelves, but fpcak it out to our own hearts.

Or, however free in this refpect, do we live to no other paffion, equally unworthy? Is not our principal view to be admired for fome accomplishment, or applauded for fome ability, of very little merit? And are we not led both into follies and fins, to obtain and increase a falfe kind of efteem from others, that will only tempt us to forget ourselves? Do we attentively distinguish, what is truly of value, and to what degree? In how many things of confequence we are de

ficient

1 John ii, 15.

ficient, in how few we excel? And who bath made us to differ from the very meaneft of our fellow-creatures? Are we willing, if need require, to be flighted and despised, hated and reproached, for the fake of acting as we ought? Or do we love the praise of men †, and seek not the honour that com#tb from God only ‡?

But, fuppofing we are clear both of worldliness and vanity, Atill what can we anfwer with respect to pleasure? Do we indulge note that is condemned by impartial reason; or, what we are fure is impartial, the word of God? Every forbidden way of gratifying fenfual defires, vifibly produces many and dreadful mischiefs and crimes. Excefs and intemperance ruin the healths, the understandings, the usefulness, the fortunes, the families of men. Breach of chastity produces all the fame evils, and extends them further; brings innocent persons into guilt and dishonour, under treacherous pretences of esteem and love; involves their innocent friends in diftrefs and fhame along with them, and occafions innumerable evils, private and public. But particularly, breach of the marriage-vow dif folves the very bonds of human fociety. For if faith and truth, folemnly given, oblige not, oblige not both fexes, in this cafe, why do they in any other? Are we then innocent in these refpects; or have we repented; or do we despise the threatening, that they, who do fuch things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God § ?

And, in regard to other indulgences, have we acted as becomes rational natures, defigned to prepare ourselves, by the difcipline of this life, for spiritual happiness in a better? Do we guard with care against finking into delicacy and indolence, against being diffipated amidst a hurry of gaieties, or loft in polité an.ufements and elegant trifles; or are we lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God? What proportion of our income do we fpend in deeds of piety, charity, and proper beneficence? What proportion of our time in the religious and moral improvement of our hearts, and the real duties of our refpective ftations? All the wealth we have, and every hour we live, we muft account for. Can we do it with joy? Can

P 2

• 1 Cor. iv. 7.

5 Gal. v. 21.

+ John xii. 43.

John v. 44

2 Tim. iii. 4.

Can we fay we have been hitherto working, while it was day, the works of him that fent us? If not, will we now reflect how faft the night approaches?

Another very material head of examination is that of our refentments. Do we bear ill-will to no one, for excelling or coming too near us in rank, in power, in favour, in fortune, in qualifications of body or mind? Are we offended at no one, for doing what he justly might, perhaps what he ought; or, at least, apprehended himself bound to? Have we inquired, with diligence and candour, into the truth and motives of the fact we are displeased with, and in effect heard both fides? Do we make all fit allowances for the merit, for the repentance of the offending party, for human infirmity in general? Do we never punish but when it is plainly needful; and never then, but by lawful means, and in a proper degree; never accufe but when we have evident reafon; and always confine ourselves, in doing it, to the words of truth and soberness†? We have been guilty ourselves of many and great faults, both against God and man; do we forgive, as we hope to be forgiven?

A further inquiry yet muft be (an extremely comprehenfive and interesting one), what is the tendency of our common difcourfe and converfation? Is it favourable to religion, to probity, to decency, to good will among men, or the contrary? Doth it exprefs diflike of wickednefs and folly, though countenanced by fashion; or excufe, if not approbation, of whatever chances to be in vogue? Doth it fhew, that in our eyes a vile perfon is contemned, but we honour them that fear the Lord? Or do we love to palliate the fins of the former, and aggravate the failures of the latter? Have we indeed ever thought of rules on this fubject? Or faid, Our lips are our own, Who is Lord over us §? Yet licentious talk, of every kind, doth unfpeakable mischief. We all complain of it when we fuffer by it. And when other perfons, when society, when the honour of God, when piety and virtue fuffer by it, there is evidently the fame, there is often far greater guilt in it. And, fince our hearts are as much concerned in what we fay as what we do, the declaration is perfectly rea

fonable:

• John ix. 4. † Acts xxvi. 25.

Pf. xv. 4. $ Pf. xii. 4.

fonable: By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Which then shall we be?

But our behaviour must be regulated, not only towards our fellow-creatures in general, but with a closer view to the more particular relations of life. If married perfons, are we faithful, affectionate, confiderate, mild, prudent? If children, do we make thankful returns for the care and tenderness of our parents; obey them dutifully; and pay them all that honour which we shall certainly expect hereafter to be paid us? If parents, do we preserve towards our children a proper temperature of authority and condefcenfion, and watch over and provide for those to whom we have given being, so as may best secure their true happiness, and our own comfort in them, now and at the great day? If heads of families, have we due regard to the present and eternal good of those whom we take under our roof, remembering that we also have a mafter in heaven? If fervants, do we behave with fingleness of heart, fhewing all fidelity, as unto the Lord, and not to men? As fubjects, do we exprefs, in word and deed, the reverence and the gratitude we owe to those whom Providence hath put in authority over us? Whether our condition be private or public, do we act in it unbiaffed, to the utmost of our knowledge, by interest, prejudice, and partial affection? If employed in affairs, are we vigilant and upright, and studious, in all things, of the general good, as men fearing God, and bating covetousness? If advanced to stations of eminence and power, do we countenance religion, virtue, merit, and difcourage the worthlefs and profligate? Or only wonder the world is fo bad, when we have contributed to make it fo? or conclude it can never be good, when indeed we have tried no means to reform it?

Further, in this fituation, are we careful what fort of example we fet others to copy after; and fufficiently apprehenfive (for we can hardly be too much), that not only our fins, but our imprudences, actions that are imprudent only as they endanger others, may produce an incredible deal of evil in thofe around us and beneath us; whereas God expects all perfons to be his minifters for good, in proportion to the abi lities and opportunities with which he hath entrusted them.

Matth. xii. 37.

+ Exod. xviii. 21.

Nor