THE ISAIAH i. 16, 17. -Ceafe to do evil, learn to do well HE order in which these words are placed, was evidently defigned to teach us, that the foundation of acting right is avoiding every thing wrong. Several other parts of feripture lay down the fame rule in almost the same terms *: and many exprefs, or imply, the fame doctrine; putting repentance before faith and obedience t. Even heathen authors, in very diftant ages and countries, have given the like direction 1. And indeed every one must own the juftness of it: but ftill very few appear to perceive or attend fufficiently to its importance: which, therefore, I fhall endeavour to fhew you, I. More briefly, in respect of our conduct in general : It is plainly the natural and rational method to begin with removing what elfe will obftru&t our progress, and to make unity within our own breafis cur earnest care. He who hath only confiftent purfuits may follow them with a profpect of fuccefs but a mind, divided and distracted between contrary principles of action, can hope for nothing, but to be drawn backward and forward by them continually, as they chance to prevail * Pfal. xxxiv. 14. xxxvii. 27. Amos v. 15. Rom. xii. 9. 1 Pet. iii. II. Matth. xxi. 32. Mark i. 15. Acs xx. 21. Tit. ii. 12, 13. Sa Η Θεραπεύει και πολίζει [ἡ παιδεια] τη καθαρτική δυναμε· ειθ' όταν καθαρθώσιν, Bras avlus Houya aços ras apilas, x. 1. λ. Ceb. Tab. p. 35. Ed. Salm. pientia prima eft ftultitia caruiffe. Hor. Epift. i. 1. Τις αρχόμενος από μοχθηρότερας αγώδης επι καλλίονα μεταβαιναν χρη πρωτον εξέμειν τον της κακοτ ζωίας του, και τότε τοις της ευζωίας αγαθοις τρέφεθαι. Ἡ γαρ προυπάρχεσα μοχθηρία τα προσιούλα χρησα διαφθείρω ώσε ἡ ταξίς απάλει της ευαγωγές καταν dox. Simpl. in Epict. c. 6. prevail in their turns. Things, indeed, that do but accidentally give fome little hindrance to each other now and then, may be profecuted together, and the due preference, when they interfere, be adjusted well enough. But fin and duty are fo effentially oppofite, that their interefts can never be reconciled. They flow from different motives, proceed by different means, aim at different ends, and thwart one another perpetually. And it is to men's overlooking this obvious truth, that the mifcar riage of their good intentions, the irrefolution of their lives, the incoherence of their characters, in a great measure, owes its rife. Every one of us knows, in the main, what he ought to do: every one feels an approbation of it; and fo far, at least, a disposition to it. But then he feels alfo difpofitions quite adverse and though he fees them to be unwarrantable, yet it is painful to root them out, and not pleafing even to take notice of them. So, to avoid trouble, both forts are allowed to grow up together as they can; and, which will thrive fafter, foon appears. The foil, corrupt nature, is by far the moft inclined to weeds: they sprout up without number, and choke the good feed. Perhaps but one or two forts of wickednefs were intended to be indulged: but thefe have unforeseen connections with others, and thofe with more. Or, had they none, when men have once yielded to do but a fingle thing amifs, they have no firm ground to ftand upon in refufing to do, a fecond, and a third fo gradually they lofe their ftrength, God withdraws his help, and they fall from bad to worse. Often this ends in their prefent worldly ruin. But if they efcape it, nay, if they escape growing continually more wicked, ftill they are incapable of that delightful confcioufzefs which arifes from uniform integrity of heart; they can have no true peace, while vices are struggling in their breafts with one another, as well as with virtue; they condemn, they lament themfelves; they make carneft refolutions to reform in this and that point; but making none to reform in all, they relapfe, and go on as they did before. Many of them try hard, and no wonder, to get opinions that will quiet them in their practices: amongt which one of the most prevalent is, the notion of compenfating by good deeds for evil. But how can our best actions poffibly make amends for our fins, when they are only our duty, though we had never finned? Or if any one doth bring hinfelf to be Luke xvii. 10, lieve lieve this; in proportion as he becomes more eafy, he will become more profligate. He will think himself at liberty to commit any crime he pleafes, provided he doth but intend to give God fuch or fuch fatisfaction for it, which, perhaps, he will afterwards forget, or invent fome pretence to omit. But if he doth not; as they that run thefe lengths quickly come to value their good deeds at as high, and their ill at as low a rate as they have a mind; they commonly reckon a very little of the former equivalent to a great deal of the latter. And if they are but noted for any fingle instance of obedience, it gives them vanity enough to cfteem themfelves not only fafe, but highly in the divine favour, let them difobey in ever fo many perhaps it dazzles and blinds them fo, that they fcarcely perceive their own failures in any, or fcarcely imagine them worth regarding. Nay, fometimes acts of mere fuperftition and folly, indeed of wickedness too, under a thin disguise of religion, have been all the atonement offered to heaven for an ill-fpent life, and have been deemed a moft meritorious one. But will God accept even a real part of what we owe him, when paid with defign to cheat him of the reft? His nature, his word, plainly tell us the contrary. He is holy, and requires univerfal holinefs. He hath warned us, that no man can ferve two mafters and that whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. Such therefore only as are careful to do every thing which they ought, and are fenfible, that when they have done all, they are unprofitable fervants ‡, intitled to acceptance only for the fake of a gracious Redeemer's merits, have caufe to hope well. Others build on the fand, but they on a rock §. Their fuperftructure will stand firm against ftorms, and may be fafely raised to the greatest heights. God will pardon their infirmities, and aflift their endeavours: they will of courfe be making a continual progrefs, and for every step of it will receive a proportionable reward, probably here, certainly hereafter. In fhort, let men devife what methods they will, there is but one effectual: keep innocency, and take heed unto the thing that is right: for that shall bring a man peace at the laft T. * : But though avoiding to do evil through the whole of our conduct is requifite, if ever we would do well: yet in the text,, by Matth. vi. 24. † James ii. 1o. Luke xvii. 10. $ Matth. vii. 24,--27. Pfal. xxxvii. 38. by what precedes and follows, the prophet feems to have intended it peculiarly as a direction for our focial conduct: where, indeed, we fhall find it peculiarly neceffary, when we confider, II. The importance of behaving inoffenfively to each other. It is a remarkable thing in the conftitution of this world, that we have much more power of producing mifery in it than happinefs. Every one, down to the most infignificant, is capable of giving uneafinefs and difquiet, nay, grievous pain and affliction to others, and often to great numbers, without the leaft difficulty; while even thofe of fuperior abilities in every way, can hardly discover the means, unless it be within a very narrow compafs now and then, of doing any great good, or communicating any confiderable pleasure. Befides, the effects of kindneffes may always be intirely loft: but those of injuries too frequently can never be remedied. And therefore we ought to watch over ourselves with perpetual care, examine the tendency of all our words and actions, and, not contented with meaning no harm, be folicitous to do none. The harm that we do through heedleffaefs is certainly not fo criminal, as if it were purposely contrived: but may be almoft, if not quite, as feverely felt notwithstanding: or though it were but flightly, why should we be fo inadvertent, as unneceffarily to caufe but an hour's, nay, a moment's vexation or grief to one of our brethren; or deprive him of the smallest of those innocent gratifications, that help to alleviate the forrows of life, and make the paffage through it comfortable? The little we enjoy of good, is, with reafon, very precious to us and we have a right to expect, that others fhould take the trouble of some moderate caution, not to trample upon and deftroy it. Human happiness is a tender plant, which every rude breath is fufficient to blast : and all have fo quick a fenfe, and most men fo warm a resentment of any thing done, though innocently, against their interefts or inclinations, that they ought by no means to be indifferent about thofe of any one elfe. Yet how often are not only fmaller inconveniences, but heavy fufferings, brought, from very trifling or very bad motives, on fuch as did not deferve them? Some, under colour of the tendereft affection, feduce inconfiderate creatures, who, but for them, would never have thought of doing amifs, into guilt and wretchednefs, merely to gratify a brutal appetite, or gain empty applause from fellowlibertines. Others attempt their acquaintance, by fallacious VOL. I. arguments K : arguments and bad examples, to imprudence, extravagance, intemperance, impiety. A third fort entertain themselves, and their ill-chofen friends, by expofing to fcorn, or difquieting with vexation, just whomsoever their fancy points out to them: often the very perfons whom they ought to refpect the most. And the authors of all these diftreffes can raise themselves di verfion even from reflecting upon them afterwards; and, by doing mifchief with fo much good-humour, appear in the eyes of the world, and in their own, to be very far from ill-natured. And, it may be, on fome occafions they are not fuch: it may be, they have not, on any, deliberately purposed to be such. But ftill the fruits of indulging either fenfual defires, or even vanity and idle gaity, without regard to confequences, may be as bitter as those of the keenest malice. Nay, indeed the difguifed fmiling enemy is the more dangerous, as he is unfufpected; and the more wicked, as he is unprovocked. But men of more stayed and thoughtful characters venturë also too commonly on dreadful ill-treatment of others, and yet make a shift to think well of themselves: not only withhold good from him to whom it is due, when it is in the power of their hand to do it *, but prey upon their neighbours by oppreffion and fraud, grind the face of the poor †, take advantage of the neceffity or ignorance of thofe with whom they are concerned; exact, without regard to equity, whatever they can legally demand; and imagine it very easy to procure a dispenfation for all this, if they need any. Some have attempted it by voluntary mortifications and abftinence. But the faft which God hath chofen, is to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and let the oppreffed go free ‡. Some by acts of devotion: but he that turneth his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer fall be abomination §. Some by li beralities to pious or charitable ufes but God himself hath told us: I the Lord love judgement, I hate robbery for burntoffering. He expects reftitution to the injured, not bounty to other purposes, inftead of it: much lefs indifcreet generofities to the undeferving, or expenfive acts of vanity and voluptuoufnefs, under pretence of encouraging trade and labour; which many feem to think an abundant counterbalance to ever fo Prov. iii. 27. + Ifa. iii. 15. Ifa. lviii. 6. Ifa. Ixi. 8. |