THEY SERMON I. PRO V. ix. 10. The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wif dom: and the Knowledge of the Holy is Understanding. WR E all naturally defire Happiness : we all know, that obtaining it greatly depends on a wife Choice of our Conduct in Life: and yet very few examine, with any Care, what Conduct is likelieft to procure us the Felicity that we feek. The livelier Part of the World, hurried along by a giddy Tumult of Paffions and Fancies, venture, with a moft intrepid Gaiety of Heart, on whatever looks pleafing to them and are in much too great Hafte for present Gratification, ever to ftay and once think what may be the Confequences, either to others, or even to themselves. The good-natured and flexible are easily drawn to follow the VOL. III. A more more active and enterprifing of their Acquaintance; and the Thoughtless and Indolent find it unspeakably the least Trouble to let themselves be born along by the Tide of Custom and Fashion, just as it flows and ebbs by Turns. Yet furely Reason doth not make Part of our Nature for no Purpose; nor Experience discover any Thing more plainly, than the numberless Miseries that proceed from going on thus at all Adventures. Thofe, therefore, who are a little more confiderate, take a different Courfe: yet often scarce a better, and fometimes a worse. They despise the Weakness of being caught with every Bait of present Pleasure, or abandoning their Lives to the Direction of mere Chance; and follow, with great Attention, Art and Industry, what the World calls their Intereft. But this being their only View, the difappointed are totally miferable: and, more or lefs, all are difappointed; the far greatest Part, very grievoufly. And the fmall Remainder, who seem to attain their Wishes, betray, under the fairest Shew of outward Profperity, evident Tokens, that they have very little inward Enjoyment to compenfate for the many and long Anxieties that usually precede. Few |