worft fervitude; and that no

one SE RM.

X.

is free, but he who is virtuous and good.

It is neceffary to begin with removing false ideas of liberty,

and fhewing

in what it truly confifts. We are not
to imagine that to be free imports our
being fet loose from reftraint or rule of
kind. No man, in

every
any conditi-
on of life, is at liberty to act always as
he pleases, and to gratify every wish he
forms. The nature of the human state
neceffarily imposes on all men various
restraints. The laws of fociety allow
no one to indulge himself in pursuits or
pleasures that are injurious to his neigh-
bour. Even our own nature limits
our pleasures within certain bounds.
All our defires cannot be gratified toge-
ther. They frequently interfere, and re-
quire him who would indulge one fa-
yourite paffion, to deny himself in
another. Distinctions, therefore, must
be made, preferences be given, and
fome general regulation of conduct be
obferved by every one who confults his

Own

SER M. own welfare.

X.

If there be

If there be any regula

tion which enfures us of fafety and happiness, to be disengaged from the observance of that regulation is no article of liberty; at least of fuch liberty as a wife man would wifh to enjoy. It is in effect to be turned loofe to our own ruin. It is fuch liberty as a blind man enjoys, of wandering at random, and ftriking into every devious path, without a guide to direct his steps, and fave him from deftruction.

That unbounded licentioufness, there fore, which finners prefer to every regulation of conduct, is altogether different from true freedom. It is in moral behaviour the fame as anarchy is in a ftate, where law and order are extinct. Anarchy, furely, is no lefs incompatible with true liberty than abfolute defpotifm; and of the two it is hard to fay which is the leaft eligible, or the most miferable state. Liberty by no means fuppofes the abfence of all government. It only supposes that the government under which we are placed is wife; and that the reftraints to

4

X.

which we voluntarily fubmit ourselves SERM. have been contrived for the general interest.

To be free, therefore, imports, in general, our being placed in fuch circumftances, that within the bounds of juftice and good order, we can act according to our own deliberate choice, and take fuch meafures for our conduct. as we have reafon to believe are conducive, to our welfare; without being obftructed either by external force, or by violent internal impulfe. This is that happy and dignified ftate which every wife man earneffly wishes to enjoy. The advantages which refult from it are chiefly thefe three; freedom of choice; independence of mind; boldnefs and fecurity. In oppofition to thefe diftinguishing characters of liberty, I now proceed to fhew that, in the first place, vice deprives bad men of free choice in their actions; that, in the fecond place, it brings them under a flavish dependence on external circumstances; and that, in the third place, it reduces them to that abject, cowardly,

SERM. cowardly, and disquieted state which is X. effentially characteristic of bondage.

of

I. VICE is inconfiftent with liberty, as it deprives finners of the power free choice, by bringing them under the dominion of paffions and habits. Religion and virtue address themselves to reason. They call us to look round on every fide; to think well of the confequences of our actions; and, before we take any step of importance, to compare the good with the evil that may enfue from it. He therefore who follows their dictates, acts the part of a man who freely confults, and chuses, for his own intereft. But vice can make no pretenfions of this kind. It awaits not the teft of deliberate comparifon and choice; but overpowers us at once by fome ftriking impreffion of present advantage or enjoyment. It hurries us with the violence of paffion; captivates us by the allurements of pleafure; or dazzles us by the glare of riches. The finner yields to the impulse, merely because

because he cannot refift it.

Reafon re- SERM.

monftrates; confcience endeavours to check him; but all in vain. Having once allowed fome ftrong paffion to gain the afcendant, he has thrown himself into the middle of a torrent, against which he may fometimes faintly struggle, but the impetuofity of the stream bears him along. In this fituation he is so far from being free, that he is not mafter of himself. He does not go, but is driven; toffed, agitated, and impelled; paffive, like a fhip to the violence of the waves.

After paffion has for a while exercifed its tyrannical fway, its vehemence may by degrees fubfide. But when by long indulgence, it has established habits of gratification, the finner's bondage becomes then more confirmed, and more miferable. For during the heat of pursuit he is little capable of reflection. But, when his ardour is abated, and nevertheless, a vitious habit rooted, he has full leisure to perceive the heavy yoke he has brought upon himfelf. How many flaves do we fee in

the

X.