SERMON LII. CHRISTIAN CASUISTRY. PROVERBS iv. 26. Ponder the path of thy feet, and all thy ways shall be established. THE sentence which we have now read, in- | arises concerning the subject, to which it is cludes a subject of immense magnitude, more proper to fill a volume, than to be comprised in a single sermon; however, we propose to express the subject of it in this one discourse. When we shall have explained the subject, we will put it to proof; I mean, we will apply it to some religious articles, leaving to your piety the care of applying it to a great number, and of deriving from the general application this consequence, if we ponder the paths of our feet, all our ways will be established." I suppose, first, you affix just ideas to this metaphorical expression, "ponder the path of thy feet." It is one of those singular figures of speech, which agrees better with the genius of the sacred language than with that of ours. Remark this once for all. There is one among many objections made by the enemies of religion, which excels in its kind; I mean to say, it deserves to stand first in a list of the most extravagant sophisms: this is, that there is no reason for making a difference between the genius of the Hebrew language and the idiom of other languages. It would seem, by this objection, that a book not originally written in the idiom of the language of scepticism can not be divinely inspired. On this absurd principle, the Scripture could not be written in any language; for if a Greek had a right to object against inspiration on this account, an Arabian, and a Persian, and all other people have the same. Who does not perceive at once, that the inspired writers, delivering their messages at first to the Jews, "to whom were committed the oracles of God," Rom. iii. 2, spoke properly according to the idiom of their language? They ran no risk of being misunderstood by other nations, whom a desire of being saved should incline to study the language for the sake of the wisdom taught in it. applied, and this requires a second elucidation. The term step is usually restrained in our language to actions of life, and never signifies a mode of thinking; but the Hebrew language gives this term a wider extent, and it includes all these ideas. One example shall suffice. "My steps had well nigh slipped," Ps. lxxiii. 2, that is to say, I was very near taking a false step; and what was this step? It was judging that the wicked were happier in the practice of licentiousness, than the righteous in obeying the laws of truth and virtue. Solomon, in the words of my text, particularly intends to regulate our actions; and in order to this he intends to regulate the principles of our minds, and the affections of our hearts. "Ponder the path of thy feet, and all thy ways shall be established," for so I render the words. Examine your steps deliberately before you take them, and you will take only wise steps; if you would judge rightly of objects, avoid hasty judging; before you fix your affection on an object, examine whether it be worthy of your esteem, and then you will love nothing but what is lovely. By thus following the ideas of the Wise Man, we will assort our reflections with the actions of your lives, and they will regard also, sometimes the emotions of your hearts, and the operations of your minds. We must beg leave to add a third elucidation. The maxim in the text is not always practicable. I mean, there are some doctrines, and some cases of conscience, which we cannot fully examine without coming to a conclusion, that the arguments for, and the arguments against them, are of equal weight, and consequently, that we must conclude without a conclusion; weigh the one against the other, and the balance will incline neither way. This difficulty, however, solves itself; for, How extravagant soever this objection is, after I have weighed, with all the exactness of 30 extravagant that no infidel will openly avow which I am capable, two opposite propositions, it, yet it is adopted, and applied in a thousand and can find no reasons suflicient to determine instances. The book of Canticles is full of my judgment, the part I ought to take is not figures opposite to the genius of our western to determine at all. Are you prejudiced in languages; it is therefore no part of the sacred favour of an opinion, so ill suited to the limits canon. It would be easy to produce other which it has pleased God to set to our knowexamples. Let a modern purist, who affects ledge, that it is dangerous or criminal to susneatness and accuracy of style, and gives lec- pend our judgments! Are your consciences so tures on punctuation, condemn this manner of weak and scrupulous as to hesitate in some speaking, "ponder the path of thy feet;" with cases to say, I do not know, I have not deterall my heart. The inspired authors had no mined that question? Poor men! do you know less reason to make use of it, nor interpreters to yourselves so little? Poor Christians! will you affirm, that it is an eastern expression, which always form such false ideas of your legislator? signifies to take no step without first delibe- And do you not know that none but such as rately examining it. The metaphor of the live perpetually disputing in the schools make text being thus reduced to truth, another doubt it a law to answer every thing? Do you not know, that one principal cause of that fury, which erected scaffolds, and lighted fires in the church, that ought to breathe nothing but peace and love, was a rash decision, of some questions which it was impossible for sensible men to determine? Are you not aware that one of the most odious ideas that can be formed of God, one the least compatible with the eminence of his perfections, is, that God requires of us knowledge beyond the faculties he has given us? I declare I cannot help blushing for Christians, and especially for Christians cultivated as you are, when I perceive it needful to repeat this principle, and even to use precaution, and to weigh the terms in which we propose it, lest we should offend them. To what then are we reduced, Great God, if we have the least reason to suspect that thou wilt require an account, not only of the talents which it has pleased thee to commit to us? To what am I reduced, if, having only received of thee, my Creator, a human intelligence, thou wilt require of me angelical attainments Whither am I driven, if, having received a body capable of moving only through a certain space in a given time, thou Lord, requirest me to move with the velocity of aerial bodies? At this rate, when thou in the last great day shalt judge the world in righteousness, thou, Judge of the whole earth, wilt condemn me for not preaching the gospel in Persia, the same day and the same hour in which I was preaching it in this assembly! Far from us be such detestable opinions! Let us adhere to the sentiments of St. Paul, God shall judge the Gentile according to what he has committed to the Gentile, the Jew according to what he has committed to the Jew; the Christian according to what he has committed to the Christian. Thus Jesus Christ, "Unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more," Luke xii. 48. Thus again Jesus Christ teaches us, that God will require an account of five talents of him to whom he gave five talents, of two talents of him to whom he gave two, and of one only of him to whom he gave but one. What did our Redeemer mean when he put into the mouth of the wicked servant this abominable pretext for neglecting to improve his Lord's talent? "Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man," or, as it may be better translated, a barbarous man, "reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed." I return to my subject. When we have examined two contradictory doctrines, and can obtain no reasons sufficient to determine our judgment, our proper part is, to suspend our judgment of the subject, and not to determine it at all. It will be said, that, if this be possible in regard to speculative points; it is not applicable to matters of practice. Why not? Such cases of conscience as are the most embarrassing are precisely those which ought to give us the least trouble. This proposition may appear a paradox, but I think I can explain and prove it. I compare cases of conscience with points of speculation; difficult cases of conscience with such speculative points as we just now mentioned. The most difficult points of speculation ought to give us the least concern; I mean, we ought to be persuaded that ignorance on these subjects cannot be dangerous. The reason is plain: if God intended we should see these truths in their full depth and clearness, he would not have involved them in so much obscurity, or he would have given us greater abilities, and greater assistances, to enable us to form adequate and perfect ideas of them. In like manner, in regard to cases of conscience, attended with insurmountable difficulties, if our salvation depended on the side we take in regard to them, God would have revealed more clearly what side we ought to take. In such cases as these, intention supplies the place of knowledge, and probability that of demonstration. So much for clearing the meaning of the Wise Man; now let us put his doctrine to proof. "Ponder the path of thy feet, and all thy ways shall be established." Wouldst thou take only sure steps, at least as sure as is possible in a world where "in many things we offend all," weigh all the actions you intend to perform first with the principle from which they proceed; then with the circumstances in which you are at the time; next with the manner in which you perform them; again with the bounds which restrain them; afterward with those degrees of virtue and knowledge at which you are arrived; and lastly, with the different judgments which you yourself form concerning them. I. An action good in itself may become criminal, if it proceed from a bad principle. II. An action good in itself may become criminal, if it be performed in certain circumstances. III. An action good in itself may become criminal by the manner in which it is performed. IV. An action good in itself may become criminal by being extended beyond its just limits. V. An action good in itself, when performed by a man of a certain degree of knowledge and virtue, may become criminal, if it be performed by a man of inferior knowledge and virtue. VI. In fine, an action good in itself now, may become criminal at another time. These maxims ought to be explained and enforced; and here we are going, as I said at first, to apply the doctrine of the Wise Man to a few subjects, leaving to your piety the care of applying them to a great number, which will necessarily occur in the course of your lives. I. We ought to ponder our steps in regard to the principle from which they proceed. An action good in itself may become criminal, if it proceed from a bad principle. The little attention we pay to this maxim is one principal cause of the false judgments we make of ourselves. Thus many, who allow themselves very expensive luxuries, say, they contribute to the increase of trade. To increase trade, and to employ artists, considered in themselves, are good works I grant; but is it a desire of doing these good works that animates you? Is it not your vanity? Is it not your luxury? Is it not your desire of sparkling and shining in the world? Thus our brethren, who resist all the exhortations that have been addressed to them for many years, to engage them to follow Jesus Christ "without the camp," reply, that were they to obey these exhortations, all the seeds of truth now remaining in the land of their nativity would perish, and that the remnants of the reformation would be entirely extirpated. Diligently to preserve even remnants of the reformation, and seeds of truth, is certainly an action good in itself; but is this the motive which animates you when you resist all our exhortations? Is it not love of the present world? Is it not the same motive that animated Demas? Is it not because you have neither courage enough to sacrifice for Jesus Christ what he requires, nor zeal enough to profess your religion at the expense of your fortunes and dignities? Thus again they who are immersed in worldly care tell us, that were they to think much about dying, society could not subsist, arts would languish, sciences decay, and so on. I deny this principle. I affirm, society would be incomparably more flourishing were each member of it to think continually of death. In such a case each would consult his own ability, before he determined what employment he would follow, and then we should see none elected to public offices except such as were capable of discharging them; we should see the gospel preached only by such as have abilities for preaching; we should see armies commanded only by men of experience, and who possessed that superiority of genius which is necessary to command them. Then the magistrate, having always death and judgment before his eyes, would think only of the public good. Then the judge, having his eye fixed only on the Judge of all mankind, would regard the sacred trust committed to him, and would not consider his rank only as an opportunity of making his family, accumulating riches, and behaving with arrogance. Then the pastor, all taken up with the duties of that important ministry which God has committed to him, would exercise it only to comfort the afflicted, to visit the sick, to repress vice, to advance the kingdom of that Jesus whose minister he has the honour to be, and not officiously to intrude into families to direct them, to tyrannize over consciences, to make a parade of gifts, and to keep alive a spirit of party. ing the motive which engages you to take it. Let the glory of God be the great end of all our actions; "whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, let us do all to the glory of God," 1 Cor. x. 31. A motive so noble and so worthy of that holy calling with which God has honoured us, will sanctify all our steps, will give worth to our virtues, and will raise those into virtuous actions, which seem to have the least connexion with virtue. A bustling trade, a sprightly conversation, a wellmatched union, a sober recreation, a domestic amusement, all become virtues in a man animated with the glory of God; on the contrary, virtue itself, the most ardent zeal for truth, the most generous charities, the most fervent prayers, knowledge the most profound, and sacrifices the least suspicious, become vices in a man not animated with this motive. II. Let us ponder our steps in regard to the circumstances which accompany them. An action, good or innocent in itself, may become criminal in certain circumstances. This maxim is a clue to many cases of conscience, in which we choose to blind ourselves. We obstinately consider our actions in a certain abstracted light, never realized, and we do not attend to circumstances which change the nature of the action. We think we strike a casuist dumb, when we ask him, what is there criminal in the action you reprove? Hear the morality of the inspired writers. It is allowable to attach ourselves to a pious prince, and to push for port. Yet when Barzillai had arrived at a certain age, he thought it his duty to flee from court, and to quit his prince, and he said to David, who invited him to court, "I am this day fourscore years old, and can I discern between good and evil? Can thy servant taste what I eat, or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men, and singing women? Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother,” 2 Sam. xix. 35. 37. It is allowable to erect houses proportional to our fortunes and rank. Yet the buildings of the Israelites drew upon them the most mortifying censures, and the most rigourous chastisements, after their return from captivity. This was, because, while their minds were all employed about their own edifices, they took no thought about rebuilding the temple. "Is it time for you," said the prophet Haggai, “Is it time for you, Oye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?" chap. i. 4. But, not to carry these reflections any further, you say, society could not subsist, sciences would languish, and arts decay, if men thought much about dying. Very well. I agree. But I ask, is this the motive which animates you It is allowable, sometimes, to join in good when you turn away your eyes from this company, and to taste the pleasures of the object? Is it fear lest the arts should decay, table and society; yet Isaiah reproached the science languish, society disperse? Is it this Jews of his time in the most cutting manner, fear which keeps you from thinking of death? for giving themselves up to these pleasures, at Is it not rather because an idea of this "king a time when recent crimes, and approaching of terrors" disconcerts the whole system of calamities should have engaged them to acts your conscience, stupified by a long habit of of repentance. "In that day did the Lord sin; because it urges you to restore that ac- God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourncursed acquisition, which is the fund that sup-ing, and to baldness, and to girding with sackports your pageantry and pride; because it requires you to renounce that criminal intrigue which makes the conversation of all companies, and gives just offence to all good men? My brethren, would you always take right steps? Never take one without first examin cloth; and behold, joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine. And it was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of hosts; surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord God of hosts," Isa. xxii. 12, &c. It is allowable to eat any thing, without re- | gard to the Levitical law. Yet St. Paul declares, "If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth," 1 Cor. viii. 13. How many circumstances of this kind might I add? Let us retain what we have heard, and let us make these the basis of a few maxims. in those of his children, and all in a million of their brethren. Age, again, is another circumstance converting an innocent to a criminal action. This I conclude from the example of Barzillai. Let a young man, just entering into trade, be all attention and diligence to make his fortune; he should be so: but that an old man, that a The case of scandal is a circumstance which man on the brink of the grave, and who has makes a lawful action criminal. I infer this already attained the age which God has markfrom the example of St. Paul just now men-ed for the life of man, that such a man should tioned. What is scandal? Of many definitions I confine myself to one. A scandalous or offensive action is that which must naturally make a spectator of it commit a fault. By this touchstone examine some actions, which you think allowable, because you consider them in themselves, and you will soon perceive that you ought to abstain from them. By this rule, it is not a question only, when it is agitated as a case of conscience, Is gaming criminal or innocent? The question is not only, what gaming is to you, who can afford to play without injuring your family or fortune; the question is, whether you ought to engage another to play with you, who will ruin his. When a case of conscience is made of this question-Can I, without wounding my innocence, allow myself certain freedoms in conversation? The question is not only whether you can permit yourself to do so without defiling your innocence, but whether you can do so without wounding the innocence of your neighbour, who will infer from the liberties you take, that you have no regard to modesty, and who perhaps may avail himself of the license you give him. be all fire and flame for the success of his trade, just as he was the first day he entered on it; that he should, so to speak, direct his last sigh towards money and the increase of his trade, is the shame of human nature; it is a mark of reprobation, which ought to alarm all that bear it. Let a young man in the heat of his blood, a youth yet a novice in the world, and who may promise himself, with some appearance of truth, to live a few years in the world, sometimes lay aside that gravity, which, however, so well becomes men whose eyes are fixed on the great objects of religion; let him, I say, I forgive him; but that an old man, whom long experience should have rendered wise, that he should be fond of pleasure, that he should make a serious affair of distinguishing himself by the elegance of his table, that he should go every day to carry his skeleton, wan and tottering, into company employed in the amusements of youth; this is the shame of human nature, this is a mark of reprobation, which ought to terrify all that bear it. III. Would we have all our ways established? Let us examine the manners that accompany them. An action good in itself, yea, Another circumstance, which makes a law-more, the most essential duties of religion beful action criminal, is taken from the passage of Isaiah just now mentioned. I fear suppress ing a sense of present sins and of approaching calamities. I wish, when we have had the weakness to commit such sins as suspend the communion of a soul with its God, I wish we had the wisdom to lay aside for some time, not only criminal, but even lawful pleasures. I wish, instead of going into company, even the most regular, we had the wisdom to retire. wish, instead of relishing then the most lawful recreations, we had the wisdom to mourn for our offending a God whose law ought to be extremely respected by us. To take the opposite course then, to allow one's self pleasure, innocent indeed in happier times, is to discover very little sense of that God whose commands we have just now violated; it is to discover that we have very little regard for our salvation, at a time when we have so many just causes of doubting whether our hope to be saved be well-grounded. I come criminal, when they are not performed with proper dispositions. One of the most essential duties of religion is to assist the poor; yet this duty will become a crime, if it be performed with haughtiness, hardness, and constraint. It is not enough to assist the poor; the duty must be done with such circumspection, humanity, and joy, as the apostle speaks of, | when he says, "God loveth a cheerful giver," 2 Cor. ix. 7. Another most essential duty of religion is to interest one's self in the happiness of our neighbour; and if he turn aside from the path of salvation, to bring him back again. "Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him:" thus God spoke by his servant Moses, Lev. xix. 17. "Exhort one another daily:" this is a precept of St. Paul, Heb. iii. 13. To this may be added the declaration of St. James: "If any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save The afflicted state of the church is another a soul from death, and hide a multitude of circumstance, which may make an innocent sins," chap. v. 19, 20. But this duty would action criminal: So I conclude, from the pas- become a crime, were we to rebuke a neighsage just now quoted from Haggai. Dissipa- bour with bitterness, were the reproof more tions, amusements, festivals, ill become men, satire than exhortation, were we to assume airs who ought to be "grieved for the afflictions of haughtiness and discover that we intended of Joseph;" or, to speak more clearly, less still less to censure the vices of others, than to disbecome miserable people whom the wrath of play our own imaginary excellencies. It is God pursues, and who, being themselves "as not enough to rebuke a neighbour; it must be firebrands" hardly "plucked out of the burn-done with all those charitable concomitants, ing," are yet exposed to the flames of tribula- which are so proper to make the most bitter tion, one in the person of his father, another censures palatable; it must be done with that |