SERMON VII.

OF AN INOFFENSIVE LIFE.

ISAIAH I. 16, 17.
-Cease to do evil, learn to do well-

THE 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 fame terms *: and many express, or imply, the fame doctrine; putting repentance before faith and obedience †. Even heathen authors, in very diftant ages and countries, have given the like direction 1. And indeed every one must own the justness of it: but still very few appear to perceive or attend sufficiently to its importance : which, therefore, I shall endeavour to shew you,

I. More briefly, in respect of our conduct in general:
II. More at large, in respect of our behaviour to each other.
I. In refpect of our conduct in general.

It is plainly the natural and rational method to begin with removing what elfe will obstruct our progress, and to make unity within our own breafis our earnest care. He who hath only confistent pursuits may follow them with a prospect of fuccess: 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 prevail in their turns. Things, indeed, that do but accidentally give some 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 opposite, that their interests 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 irresolution 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 pleasing 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, soon appears. The foil, corrupt nature, is by far the most inclined to weeds: they sprout up without number, and choke the good feed. Perhaps but one or two forts of wickedness were intended to be indulged: but these have unforefeen connections with others, and those with more. Or, had they none, when men have once yielded to do but a fingle thing amiss, they have no firm ground to stand upon in refusing to do, a fecond, and a third: fo gradually they lose their strength, God withdraws his help, and they fall from bad to worse. Often this ends in their present worldly ruin. But if they escape it, nay, if they escape growing continually more wicked, still they are incapable of that delightful confciousness which arifes from uniform integrity of heart; they can have no true peace, while vices are struggling in their breasts with one another, as well as with virtue; they condemn, they lament themselves; they make earneft resolutions to reform in this and that point; but making none to reform in all, they relapse, 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 amongst which one of the most prevalent is, the notion of compenfating by good deeds for evil. But how can our best actions possibly make amends for our fins, when they are only our duty *, though we had never finned? Or if any one doth bring himself to believe this; in proportion as he becomes more easy, he will become more profligate. He will think himself at liberty to commit any crime he pleases, 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 these 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 esteem themselves not only fafe, but highly in the divine favour, let them disobey in ever so many: perhaps it dazzles and blinds them so, that they scarcely perceive their own failures in any, or scarcely imagine them worth regarding. Nay, sometimes acts of mere superstition 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 most meritorious one. But will God accept even a real part of what we owe him, when paid with defign to cheat him of the rest? His nature, his word, plainly tell us the contrary. He is holy, and requires universal holiness. He hath warned us, that no man can serve two masters * : and that whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of allt. Such therefore only as are careful to do every thing which they ought, and are sensible, that when they have done all, they are unprofitable fervants I, intitled to acceptance only for the fake of a gracious Redeemer's merits, have cause to hope well. Others build on the fand, but they on a rock §. Their superstructure will stand firm against ftorms, and may be safely raised to the greatest heights. God will pardon their infirmities, and affift their endeavours: they will of course be making a continual progress, and for every step of it will receive a proportionable reward, probably here, certainly hereafter. In short, let men devise 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 last.

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

1

Matth. vi. 24.
Matth. vii. 24,27.

† James ii. ro.

+ Luke xvii. 10.

Pfal. xxxvii. 38.

by what precedes and follows, the prophet seems to have intended it peculiarly as a direction for our focial conduct: where, indeed, we shall find it peculiarly neceffary, when we confider, II. The importance of behaving inoffensively to each other. It is a remarkable thing in the constitution of this world, that we have much more power of producing misery in it than happiness. Every one, down to the most infignificant, is capable of giving uneasiness and disquiet, nay, grievous pain and affliction to others, and often to great numbers, without the leaft difficulty; while even those of fuperior abilities in every way, can hardly discover the means, unless it be within a very narrow compass now and then, of doing any great good, or communicating any confiderable pleasure. Befides, the effects of kindnesses 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 heedlessness is certainly not so criminal, as if it were purposely contrived: but may be almost, if not quite, as feverely felt notwithstanding or though it were but flightly, why should we be so inadvertent, as unneceffarily to cause 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 passage through it comfortable? The little we enjoy of good, is, with reason, very precious to us and we have a right to expect, that others should take the trouble of fome moderate caution, not to trample upon and destroy it. Human happiness is a tender plant, which every rude breath is sufficient to blast: and all have fo quick a sense, and most men so warm a resentment of any thing done, though innocently, against their interefts or inclinations, that they ought by no means to be indifferent about those of any one elfe. Yet how often are not only fmaller inconveniences, but heavy fufferings, brought, from very trifling or very bad motives, on such as did not deserve them? Some, under colour of the tenderest affection, feduce inconfiderate creatures, who, but for them, would never have thought of doing amiss, into guilt and wretchedness, 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 scorn, or disquieting with vexation, just whomsoever their fancy points out to them: often the very persons whom they ought to respect the most. And the authors of all these distresses can raise themselves di version even from reflecting upon them afterwards; and, by doing mischief with so 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 some occafions they are not fuch: it may be, they have not, on any, deliberately purposed to be fuch. But still the fruits of indulging either fenfual defires, or even vanity and idle gaity, without regard to consequences, may be as bitter as those of the keenest malice. Nay, indeed the difguised smiling 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 venture 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 poort, take advantage of the neceffity or ignorance of those with whom they are concerned; exact, without regard to equity, whatever they can legally demand; and imagine it very easy to procure a difpensation for all this, if they need any. Some have attempted it by voluntary mortifications and abstinence. But the fast which God bath 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 bearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination §. Some by liberalities to pious or charitable uses: but God himself hath told us: I the Lord love judgement, I hate robbery for burntoffering. He expects restitution to the injured, not bounty to other purposes, instead of it much less indifcreet generofities to the undeserving, or expensive acts of vanity and voluptuousness, under pretence of encouraging trade and labour; which many feem to think an abundant counterbalance to ever

fo

Prov. iii. 27.
$ Prov. xxviii. 8,

† Ifa. iii. 15.

† Ifa. Iviit. 6.

Ifa. Ixi. 8.