like a vitiated ftomach, is apt to corrupt all it receives; but wifdom and virtue give a juft relish of God's gifts, and season every enjoyment. When it was offered to king Solomon's choice what bleffing he would receive; we find him rejecting all outward goods, and pitching on wifdom: a plain indication that he was no ftranger to the gift before he asked it. For indeed a wise and understanding heart comprehends almost every thing. It directs a man to all that is truly good, and qualifies him to enjoy it to the best advantage. Without this, the moft profperous condition is uncomfortable; and with it, even adverfity tolerable. The wife man equally understands how to bear a low ftation, or become a high one; knows how to want, and how to abound; and whatever ftate he is in, to promote God's glory, and his own true good.

direct us in

Let us therefore labour for wisdom, which will guide our feet in every path of life; which will fupport and all states, and every fituation. And fince, whenever we obtain it, it must come from above, let us, in imitation of the royal pattern beforementioned, afk it of God; who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth

not:

not: humbly befeeching him, that amidst his manifold gifts he will not leave us deftitute of his grace, to use them alway to his honour and glory, through Jefus Chrift our Lord.

SER

SERMON VI.

Reason and Religion.

Ift Epift. CORINTH. XIVth Chap. Part of the 20th Verse.

A

But in understanding be men.

BSTRACTING from the particular occafion of these words, they set before us a general precept of great use and importance for the conduct and regulation of our religious concerns. They might indeed be extended to all others; but fince the apoftolic epiftles were written entirely with a view to thefe, and our province reaches no further, I fhall reftrain the confideration of my text to the doctrines and duties of religion. We find in the gospel particular notice taken of young children, whose innocence and fimplicity recommended them to

the peculiar regard of our Lord himself; infomuch that he took them up in his arms and bleffed them; propofing their difpofition, their freedom from guile, fraud, and hypocrify, to all his difciples; and exprefsly affirming, that whoever should not receive the kingdom of heaven as a little child, he should not enter therein. Which declaration may either be understood of his kingdom of grace, or his kingdom of glory. Conformable hereto we find the apostle's doctrine in the words immediately preceding my text, in malice be ye children: that is, inoffenfive and harmless as children. But then, to prevent misconftruction and mifconception, he premises, Brethren be not children in understanding; fubjoining in the words of my text, but in underStanding be men. A plain proof that the apostle confidered the religion of Christ as a reafonable fervice; whatever rules it laid down, and whatever obedience it required. For otherwife a manly understanding would turn to no account, and the cultivation of its powers be quite useless in men's religious concerns. Though our Saviour always enjoined docility and modefty, probity and candour; yet rational difciples never were, never could be unacceptable to him on the contrary, he required them to judge for them

felves,