action; but must take care that every action be founded on a proper motive. It is the motive alone that makes an action acceptable to God. The hypocrite " may faft twice in the week, and give alms of all that he poffefses:" nay, he may faft the whole week, if he be able, and give all he has in alms; but if his fasts and his alms are intended as matter of oftentation only, neither the one, nor the other, is that true fervice which God requires. God requires the heart: he requires that an earnest defire of acting agreeably to his will, should be the general spring of our actions; and this will give even an indifferent action a value in his fight.

As we are injoined to serve God truly, so are we injoined to serve him "all the days of our life." As far as human frailties will permit, we should perfevere in a conftant tenor of obedience. That lax behaviour, which instead of making a steady progrefs, is continually relapsing into former errors, and running the same round of finning and repenting, is rather the life of an irresolute finner, than of a pious chriftian. Human errors, and frailties, we know, God will not treat with too fevere an eye; but he who, in the general tenor of his life, does not keep advancing towards christian perfection; but fuffers himself, at intervals, entirely to lose fight of his calling, cannot be really ferious in his profeffion: he is at a great distance from ferv. ing God truly all the days of his life; and has no fcriptural ground to hope much from the mercy of God.

That man, whether placed in high estate, or low, has reached the fummit of human happiness, who is truly ferious in the fervice of his great Master. The things of this world may engage, but cannot engross, his attention; its forrows and its joys may affect, but cannot disconcert him. No man, he knows, can faithfully serve two mailers. He hath hired himself to onethat great Master, whose commands he reveres, whose favour he seeks, whose difpleafure alone is the real object of his fears; and whose rewards alone are the real objects of his hope. Every thing else is trivial in his fight. The world may footh; or it may threaten him: he perseveres fteadily in the service of his God; and in that perfeverance feels his happiness every day the more established. Gilpin.

§ 162. Duties owing to particular persons -duty of children to parents-respect and obedience in what the former confifts-in what the latter-fuccouring a parentbrotherly affection-obedience to lawfounded on the advantages of fociety.

From the two grand principles of "loving our neighbour as ourselves; and of doing to others, as we would have them do to us," which regulate our focial intercourse in general, we proceed to those more confined duties, which arise from particular relations, connections, and stations in life.

Among these, we are first taught, as indeed the order of nature directs, to confider the great duty of children to parents.

The two points to be infisted on, are respect and obedience. Both these should naturally spring from love; to which parents have the highest claim. And indeed parents, in general, behave to their children, in a manner both to deserve and to obtain their love.

But if the kindness of the parent be not such as to work upon the affections of the child, yet ftill the parent has a title to respect and obedience, on the principle of duty; a principle, which the voice of nature dictates; which reason inculcates; which human laws, and human customs, all join to inforce; and which the word of God strictly commands.

The child will shew respect to his parent, by treating him, at all times, with deference. He will confult his parent's inclination, and shew a readiness, in a thousand nameless trifles, to conform himself to it. He will never peevishly contradict his parent; and when he offers a contrary opinion, he will offer it modeftly. Respect will teach him also, not only to put the best colouring upon the infirmities of his parent; but even if those infirmities be great, it will foften and screen them, as much as poffible, from the public eye.

Obedience goes a step further, and supposes a positive command. In things unlawful indeed, the parental authority can not bind: but this is a case that rarely happens. The great danger is on the other side, that children, through obsti nacy or fullenness, should refuse their parents' lawful commands; to the obfervance of all which, however inconvenient to them selves, they are tied by various motives; and above all, by the command of God, who in his facred denunciations againft fin, ranks ranks disobedience to parents among the worst *.

They are farther bound, not only to obey the commands of their parents; but to obey them chearfully. He does but half his duty, who does it not from his heart.

There remains still a third part of filial duty, which peculiarly belongs to children, when grown up. This the catechism calls fuccouring or administering to the necessities of the parent; either in the way of managing his affairs, when he is less able to manage them himself; or in supplying his wants, should he need assistance in that way. And this the child should do, on the united principles of love, duty, and gratitude. The hypocritical Jew would fome. times evade this duty, by dedicating to facred uses what should have been expended in assisting his parent. Our Saviour sharply rebukes this perversion of duty; and gives him to understand, that no pretence of serving God can cover the neglect of afsisting a parent. And if no pretence of serving God can do it, surely every other pretence must still be more unnatural.

Under this head also we may confider that attention, and love, which are due to other relations, especially that mutual affection which should fubfift between bro

man.

thers. The name of brother expresses the highest degree of tenderness; and is ge nerally used in scripture, as a term of peculiar endearment, to call men to the practice of focial virtue. It reminds them of every kindness, which man can shew to If then we ought to treat all mankind with the affection of brothers, in what light must they appear, who being really such, are ever at variance with each other; continually doing spiteful actions, and shewing, upon every occafion, not only a want of brotherly kindness, but even of common regard?

The next part of our duty is " to honour and obey the king, and all that are put in authority under him."

By the "king, and all that are put in authority under him," is meant the various parts of the government we live under, of which the king is the head: and the meaning of the precept is, that we ought to live in dutiful fubmission to legal authority.

Government and society are united. We cannot have one without the other; and we submit to the inconveniences, for the fake of the advantages.

The end of fociety is mutual safety and convenience. Without it, even safety could in no degree be obtained: the good would become a prey to the bad; nay, the very human species to the beasts of the field.

Still less could we obtain the conveni. ences of life; which cannot be had without the labour of many. If every man depended upon himself for what he enjoyed, how destitute would be the situation of human affairs!

But even safety and convenience are not the only fruits of society. Man, living merely by himself, would be an ignorant unpolished savage. It is the intercourse of fociety which cultivates the human mind. One man's knowledge and experience is built upon another's; and so the great edifice of science and polished life is reared.

To enjoy these advantages, therefore, men joined in society; and hence it became necessary, that government should be established. Magistrates were created; laws made; taxes fubmitted to; and every one, instead of righting himself (except in mere self-defence) is injoined to appeal to the laws he lives under, as the best security of his life and property.

Gilpin.

§ 163. Duty to our teachers and instructors -arising from the great importance of knowledge and religion and the great neceffity of gaining habits of attention, and of virtue, in our youth-analogy of youth and manhood to this world and the

next.

We are next injoined " to submit ourselves to all our governors, teachers, fpiritual paftors, and masters." Here another species of government is pointed out. The laws of society are meant to govern our riper years: the instructions of our teachers, spiritual pastors, and masters, are meant to guide our youth.

By our "teachers, spiritual paftors, and masters," are meant all those who have the care of our education, and of our inftruction in religion; whom we are to obey, and listen to, with humility and attention, as the means of our advancement in knowledge and religion. The instructions we receive from them are unquestionably fubject to our own judgment in future life; for by his own judgment every man must stand or fall. But, during our youth, it is highly proper for us to pay a dutiful fubmiffion to their instructions, as we cannot yet be supposed to have formed any judgment of our own. At that early age it should be our endeavour to acquire knowledge, and afterwards unprejudiced to form our opi

nions.

The duty which young people owe to their inftructors, cannot be shewn better, than in the effect which the instructions they receive have upon them. They would do well, therefore, to confider the advantages of an early attention to these two things, both of great importance, knowledge and religion.

The great use of knowledge in all its various branches (to which the learned languages are generally confidered as an introduction) is to free the mind from the prejudices of ignorance; and to give it jatter, and more enlarged conceptions, than are the mere growth of rude nature, By reading, you add the experience of others to your own. It is the improvement of the mind chiefly, that makes the difference between man and man; and gives one man a real superiority over

another.

Besides, the mind must be employed. The lower orders of men have their atten. tion much ingrossed by those employments, in which the neceffities of life engage them: and it is happy that they have. Labour stands in the room of education; and fills up those vacancies of mind, which, in a ftate of idleness, would be ingrofied by vice. And if they, who have more leifure, do not substitute something in the room of this, their minds also will become the prey of vice; and the more fo, as they have the means to indulge it more in their power. A vacant mind is exactly that houfe mentioned in the gospel, which the devil found empty. In he entered; and taking with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, they took poffeffion. It is an undoubted truth, that one vice indulged, introduces others; and that each fucceeding vice becomes more depraved If then the mind must be employed, what can fill up its vacuities more rationally than the acquifition of knowledge? Let us therefore thank God for the opportunities he hath afforded us; and not turn into a curse those means of leisure, which might become so great a blessing.

But however necessary to us knowledge may be, religion, we know, is infinitely more fo. The one adorns a man, and gives him, it is true, fuperiority, and rank

in life: but the other is absolutely essential to his happiness.

In the midst of youth, health, and abundance, the world is apt to appear a very gay and pleasing scene; it engages our defires; and in a degree fatisfies them also. But it is wisdom to confider, that a time will come, when youth, health, and fortune, will all fail us; and if disappointment and vexation do not four our tafte for pleasure, at least fickness and infirmities will destroy it. In these gloomy seafons, and above all, at the approach of death, what will become of us without religion? When this world fails, where shall we fly, if we expect no refuge in another? Without holy hope in God, and refignation to his will, and trust in him for deliverance, what is there that can fecure us against the evils of life?

The great utility therefore of knowledge and religion being thus apparent, it is highly incumbent upon us to pay a studious attention to them in our youth. If we do not, it is more than probable that we shall never do it that we shall grow old in ignorance, by neglecting the one; and old in vice by neglecting the other.

For improvement in knowledge, youth is certainly the fittest season. The mind is then ready to receive any impreffion. It is free from all that care and attention which, in riper age, the affairs of life bring with them. The memory too is then stronger and better able to acquire the rudiments of knowledge; and as the mind is then void of ideas, it is more suited to those parts of learning which are converfant in words. Besides, there is sometimes in youth a modesty and ductility, which in advanced years, if those years especially have been left a prey to ignorance, become felf-fufficiency and prejudice; and these effectually bar up all the inlets to knowledge. But, above all, unless habits of attention and application are early gained, we shall scarce acquire them afterwards. The inconfiderate youth feldom reflects upon this; nor knows his loss, till he knows also that it cannot be re

trieved.

now and then, draw the well-principled youth afide; yet his principles being continually at war with his practice, there is hope, that in the end the better part may overcome the worse, and bring on a refor mation. Whereas he, who has fuffered habits of vice to get poffeffion of his youth, has little chance of being brought back to a sense of religion. In a common course of things it can rarely happen. Some calamity must rouse him. He must be awakened by a storm, or fleep for ever.How much better is it then to make that easy to us, which we know is best! And to form those habits now, which hereafter we shall wish we had formed!

There are, who would restrain youth from imbibing any religious principles, till they can judge for themselves; lest they should imbibe prejudice for truth. But why should not the fame caution be used in science also; and the minds of youth left void of all impressions? The experiment, I fear, in both cafes would be dangerous. If the mind were left uncultivated during so long a period, though nothing else should find entrance, vice certainly would: and it would make the larger shoots, as the scil would be vacant. A boy had better receive knowledge and religion mixed with error, than none at all. For when the mind is fet a thinking, it may deposit its prejudices by degrees, and get right at last: but in a flate of ftagnation it will infallibly become foul.

To conclude, our youth bears the fame proportion to our more advanced life, as this world does to the next. In this 'life we must form and cultivate those habits of virtue, which must qualify us for a better ftate. If we neglect them here, and contract habits of an oppofite kind, instead of gaining that exalted state, which is promifed to our improvement, we shall of course fink into that state, which is adapted to the habits we have formed.

Exactly thus is youth introductory to manhood: to which it is, properly speaking, a state of preparation. During this season we must qualify ourselves for the parts we are to act hereafter. In manhood we bear the fruit, which has in youth been planted. If we have fauntered away our youth, we must expect to be ignorant men. If indolence and inattention have taken an early poffeffion of us, they will probably increase as we advance in life; and make us a burden to ourselves, and useless to fociety. If again, we fuffer ourselves to be

misled by vicious inclinations, they will daily get new ftrength, and end in diffolute lives. But if we cultivate our minds in our youth, attain habits of attention and industry, of virtue and fobriety, we shall find ourselves well prepared to act our future parts in life; and what above all things ought to be our care, by gaining this command over ourselves, we shall be more able, as we get forward in the world, to refift every new temptation, as it arifes. Gilpin.

§164. Behaviour to Superiors.

We are next injoined " to order ourselves lowly and reverently to all our betters."

By our betters are meant they who are in a fuperior ftation of life to our own; and by "ordering ourselves lowly and reverently towards them," is meant paying them that respect which is due to their station.

The word betters' indeed includes two kinds of perfons, to whom our respect is due-those who have a natural claim to it; and those who have an acquired one; that is, a claim arising from some particular fituation in life.

Among the first, are all our fuperior relations; not only parents, but all other relations, who are in a line above us. All these have a natural claim to our refpect. - There is a respect alfo due from youth to age; which is always becoming, and tends to keep youth within the bounds of modefty.

To others, respect is due from those particular flations which arise from fociety and government. Fear God, fays the text; and it adds, " honour the king."

It is due alfo from many other fituations in life. Employments, honours, and even wealth, will exact it; and all may justly exact it, in a proper degree.

But it may here perhaps be enquired, why God should permit this latter diftinc. tion among men? That fome should have more authority than others, we can eafily fee, is absolutely necessary in government; but among men, who are all born equal, why should the goods of life be diftributed in fo unequal a proportion?

To this inquiry, it may be answered, that, in the first place, we fee nothing in this, but what is common in all the works of God. A gradation is every where obfervable. Beauty, strength, swiftness, and other qualities, are varied through the creation in numberless degrees. In the fame manner likewife are varied the gifts of fortune, as they are called. Why therefore should one man's being richer than another furprize us more than his being stronger than another, or more prudent?

Though we can but very inadequately trace the wifdom of God in his works, yet very wife reasons appear for this variety in the gifts of fortune. It seems neceffary both in a civil, and in a moral light.

In a civil light, it is the necessary accompaniment of various employments; on which depend all the advantages of fociety. Like the ftones of a regular building, some muft range higher, and fome lower; fome must support, and others be supported; some will form the strength of the building, and others its ornament; but all unite in producing one regular and proportioned whole. If then different employments are necessary, of course different degrees of wealth, honour, and conseqrence, muft follow; a variety of diftinctions and obligations; in short, different ranks, and a fubordination, must take place.

Again, in a moral light, the difproportion of wealth, and other worldly adjuncts, gives a range to the more extensive exercise of virtue. Some virtues could but faintly exift upon the plan of an equality. If fome did not abound, there were little room for temperance: if fome did not fuffer need, there were as little for patience. Other virtues again could hardly exist at all. Who could practise generofity, where there was no object of it? Who humility, where all ambitious defires were excluded?

Since then Providence, in scattering these various gifts, proposes ultimately the good of man, it is our duty to acquiefce in this order, and " to behave ourselves lowly reverently" (not with fervility, but with a decent refpect) " to all our fuperi

and

ors."

Before I conclude this subject, it may be proper to observe, in vindication of the ways of Providence, that we are not to suppose happiness and misery necessarily connected with riches and poverty. Each condition hath its particular sources both of pleasure and pain, unknown to the other. Those in elevated stations have a thousand hatent pangs, of which their inferiors have no idea; while their inferiors again

have as many pleasures, which the others cannot taste. I speak only of fuch modes of happiness or misery as arife immediately from different stations. Of misery, indeed, from a variety of other causes, all men of every station are equal heirs; either when God lays his hand upon us in fickness, or misfortune; or when, by our own follies and vices, we become the ministers of our own distress.

Who then would build his happiness upon an elevated station? Or who would envy the poffefsion of such happiness in another? We know not with what various distresses that station, which is the object of our envy, may be attended.-Befides, as we are accountable for all we poffefs, it may be happy for us that we possess so little. The means of happiness, as far as station can procure them, are commonly in our own power, if we are not wanting to ourselves.

Let each of us then do his duty in that station which Providence has assigned him; ever remembering, that the next world will foon destroy all earthly distinctions.One distinction only will remain among the fons of men at that time-the distinction between good and bad; and this distinction it is worth all our pains and all our ambition to acquire. Gilpin.

§ 165. Against wronging our neighbour by injurious words.

We are next inftructed "to hurt nobody by word or deed to be true and just in all our dealings-to bear no malice nor hatred in our hearts to keep our hands from picking and stealing-our tongues from evil speaking, lying, and flandering."

"

Q2

"

to bear no malice nor

And,