SERMON II. THE ADVANTAGES OF AN UPRIGHT LIFE. PSALM i. 1-5. Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor ftood in the way of finners, and hath not fat in the feat of the Scornful: But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law will be exer cife himself day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the water-fide, that will bring forth his fruit in due feafon. His leaf also shall not wither; and look, whatsoever he doeth it shall profper. As for the ungodly, it is not fo with them ; but they are like the chaff, which the wind Scattereth away from the face of the earth. T HE many fine allusions to rural life, in various parts of the holy scripture, do, very beautifully, pourtray the innocency and and fimplicity of manners in the early ages of the world. In those happy ages, which, although figuratively, were, deservedly, called the golden, because free from that corroding care which, in these iron times, defaces our essential happiness; sweet liberty, with her attendant virtues, justice, mercy, and truth, was delighted with the view of her happy and contented votaries; she saw the mighty men of the earth employed in the labours of the field, and she distinguished even kings among the shepherds. great and good men wisely preferred tranquil and reasonable pleasures, before the voluptuous excesses of a too civilized world; they lived long, and they flourished long; and therefore the Pfalmist doth, most aptly, compare the good man to a tree planted by the water-fide, which daily addeth strength to strength, until it arrive at the perfection of its nature. These "He bringeth forth his fruit in due season." At a proper time, the good man's integrity shall be productive of inestimable good to himself and to all around him; and although perhaps it be late, yet it shall be abundant, and it shall endure for ever. "His leaf also shall not wither." His goodness shall draw down from heaven showers of blessings upon his children; they shall not wither, although they be for a time even overwhelmed, by the gloomy blights from a malevolent world; they shall not wither, but they shall be refreshed and preserved by an invisible, by an almighty power, who "sheweth his mercy unto generations of thousands of them that love him, and keep his commandments." How apt, also, to this argument is the 20th verse of the xxxviith Pfalm, wherein the prophet says, “I have been young and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his feed begging their bread." How exalted, how large is the idea that a good man's " leaf shall not wither!" how deep must it sink into the mind of every tender parent! To do good to our tender shoots, to our dear little children, is the delightful exercise of that natural affection implanted in the human foul, which we do all feel, and which we must all acknowledge to be the essence of humanity. What more powerful motive to a good life can be offered, than the divine afssurance that, by a just performance of our duty, we shall thereby thereby secure and perpetuate the welfare of our pofterity. "Whatsoever the good man doeth it shall profper." His virtuous conduct shall be amply rewarded, either in this life or in that which is to come. Whether or not this world smile or frown upon him, he shall, unquestionably, realize to himself the greateft of all comforts, a mind at ease, and, in itself, happy. He may not indeed, nay, he cannot be, entirely, exempt from human calamity; for we are all "born to trouble as the sparks fly upwards;" but he shall, nevertheless, be exquifitely sensible of the cherishing and protecting care of God, who will, in his good time, turn all his forrows into joy. On the contrary, wicked men are not susceptible of this heavenly comfort; they "seek reft but find none," for " they are as the chaff which the wind scattereth away from the face of the earth. The many atrocious acts of their fordid and selfish souls, whether by oppreffion, by fraud, by the ruin of the innocent, by seduction, by rapine, by extortion, shall, at last, draw down upon them the dreadful vengeance of the Lord; Lord; which, like a mighty whirlwind, shall come forth in fury, and shall fuddenly consume them. And although some few of them be permitted to live and to grow old in shamelessness and in crimes, yet then shall their life become a fore burden, and the approaches of death most horrible! On the bed of death their alarmed confciences shall throw up the mire and dirt of their finful lives; then shall they wish the mountains to fall on them, and the hills to cover them from the dire vengeance that hovers over them. Whereas the man of integrity, besides finding abundant cause for peace and fatisfaction in this life, confiders death only as a passport into a better state; and he, therefore, views its advances without alarm or fear. A truly good man hath discovered the secret of being really happy; for in whatever state he be, he is therewith content; his example is a shining light to the rest of mankind; and therefore it will not be improper, in this discourse, to recommend it, 1st, By a fuller description. 2dly, By shewing the excellency of such a character; and, 3dly, How much it deferves to be imitated, to be admired, and to be respected by us. ift |