1 adversary to oppose it, it were surro ed on every hand with acclamation praise, is there no ground to dread it might be corrupted by vanity, or sink into indolence? This dangerous must therefore be interrupted. The v must be troubled, lest they should nate and putrify. When you wicked men multiplying in number, increasing in power, imagine not that vidence particularly favours them. they are suffered for a time to pr that they may fulfil the high d of Heaven. They are employed a struments in the hand of God for t provement of his servants. They a rods with which he chastens the vi in order to rouse them from a dan slumber; to form them for the d adversity, and to teach them how to honourably. with the Good in Society. IV. 67 In the next place, the mixture of the SERMON bad among the good serves not only to give exercise to the passive graces, but also to improve the active powers and virtues of man. It enures the righteous to vigilance and exertion. It obliges them to stand forth, and act their part with firmness and constancy in evil times. It gives occasion for their virtues to shine with conspicuous lustre; and makes them appear as the lights of the world amidst surrounding darkness. Were it not for the dangers that arise from abounding iniquity, there would be no opportunity for courage to act, for wisdom to admonish, for caution to watch, nor for faith to exert itself in overcoming the world. It is that mixture of dispositions which now takes place, that renders the theatre on which we act so busy and stirring, and so much fitted for giving employment to every part of man's intelligent and moral nature. It affords a complete field for the genuine display of characters; and gives every man the opportunity to come forth and show what he is. Were the tenour of human conduct altogether regular and uniform, F 2 innoce and ΙΟΥ the enjoy perfect and faultless society. As natural world, he is not made fo petual spring and cloudless skies, the wintry storm must be called to his abilities for procuring shelter a fence; so in the moral world, the mixture of bad men renders many ertion necessary, which in a more state of the world would find no but which in the present state of proper and useful. The existence in the world assuredly testifies our corruption; and, according to the of its prevalence, is always, more the source of misery. It is a S proof of the fall and degeneracy But as long as that fallen state co the wisdom of Providence eminer pears in making the errours and fra the wicked subservient to the i with the Good in Society. IV. 69 ment of the just. Tares are for that reason SERMON suffered at present to grow up among the wheat. THESE observations on the wisdom of Providence in this dispensation will be farther illustrated by considering the useful instructions which we receive, or which at least every wise man may receive, from the follies and vices of those among whom we are obliged to live. First, They furnish instruction concerning the snares and dangers against which we ought to be most on our guard. They put it thereby in our power to profit by the errours and misconduct of others. By observing from what small beginnings the greatest crimes have arisen; observing how bad company has seduced this man from his original principles and habits; how a careless indulgence of pleasure has blinded and intoxicated that man; how the neglect of divine institutions has, in another, gradually paved the way for open profligacy; much salutary instruction is conveyed to the virtuous. Tracing the dangerous and slippery paths by which grace and assistance of Heaven. Al Next, THESE examples of bad while they admonish the virtuous dangers against which they are to are farther profitable by the views they exhibit of the evil and the mity of sin. Its odious nature nev |