through a false medium. Have patience SERMON for a little, and the illusion will vanish; the atmosphere will clear up around you, and objects return to be viewed in their native colours and just dimensions.

In the fourth place, oppose early the beginnings of passion. Avoid particularly all such objects as are apt to excite passions which you know to predominate within you. As soon as you find the tempest rising, have recourse to every proper method,, either of allaying its violence, or of escaping to a calmer shore. Hasten to call up emotions of an opposite nature. Study to conquer one passion, by means of some other which is of less dangerous tendency. Never account any thing small or trivial which is în hazard of introducing disorder into your heart. Never make light of any desire which you feel gaining such progress as to threaten entire dominion.. Plandishing it will appear at the first. As a gentle and innocent emotion, it may steal into the heart; but as it advances, it is likely to pierce you through with many sorrows. What you indulged as a favourite amusement, will

shortly

SERMON shortly become a serious business; and in

III.

the end may prove the burden of your life. Most of our passions flatter us in their rise. But, their beginnings are treacherous; their growth is imperceptible; and the evils which they carry in their train lie concealed, until their dominion is established. What Solomon says of one of them, holds true of them all, that their beginning is as when one letteth out water *. It issues from a small chink, which once might have been easily stopped; but, being neglected, it is soon widened by the stream; till the bank is at last totally thrown down, and the flood is at liberty to deluge the whole plain.

In the fifth place, the excess of every passion will be moderated by frequent meditation on the vanity of the world, the short continuance of life, the approach of death, judgment, and eternity. The imaginary degree of importance which the neglect of such meditation suffers us to bestow on temporal things, is one great cause of our vehemence in desire, and our eagerness. in pursuit. We attach ourselves to the ob

*Prov. xvii. 14.

jects

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jects around us, as if we could enjoy them SERMON for ever. Higher and more enlarged prospects of the destination of man, would naturally cool his misplaced ardour. For what can appear so considerable in human affairs, as to discompose or agitate the mind of him to whose view eternity lies open, and all the greatness of the universe of God? How contemptible will seem to him this hurry of spirits, this turmoil of passion, about things which are so soon to end ?— Where are they who once disturbed the world with the violence of their contests, and filled it with the renown of their exploits? What now remains of their designs and enterprises, of their passions and pursuits, of their triumphs and their glory? The flood of time has passed over them, and swept them away, as if they had never been. The fashion of the world changes continually around us. We succeed one another in the human course, like troops of pilgrims on their journey. Absurdly we spend our time in contending about the trifles of a day, while we ought to be preparing for a higher existence. Eternity is just at hand to close this introductory scene.

It

SERMON It is fast rolling towards us, like the tide

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of a vast ocean, ready to swallow up all human concerns, and to leave no trace behind it, except the consequences of our good or bad deeds, which shall last for ever.Let such reflections allay the heat of passion. Let them reduce all human things to their proper standard. From frivolous pursuits let them recall our attention to objects of real importance; to the proper business of man ; to the improvement of our nature, the discharge of our duty, the rational and religious conduct of human life.

In the last place, to our own endeavours for regulating our passions, let us join earnest prayer to God. Here, if any-where, divine assistance is requisite. For such is the present blindness and imperfection of human nature, that even to discover all the disorders of our heart, is become difficult; much more, to rectify them, is beyond our power. To that superior aid, then, which is promised to the pious and upright, let us look up with humble minds; beseeching the Father of mercies, that while we study to act our own part with resolution and

vigilance,

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vigilance, he would forgive our returning SERMON weakness; would strengthen our constancy in resisting the assaults of passion; and enable us by his grace so to govern our minds, that without considerable interruptions we may proceed in a course of piety and virtue.

Ir now remains to treat of the government of temper, as included in the keeping of the heart. Passions are quick and strong emotions, which by degrees subside. Temper is the disposition which remains after these emotions are past, and which forms the habitual propensity of the soul. The passions are like the stream when it is swoln by the torrent, and ruffled by the winds. The temper resembles it when running within its bed, with its natural velocity and force. The influence of temper is more silent and imperceptible than that of passion. It operates with less violence; but as its operation is constant, it produces effects no less considerable. It is evident, therefore, that it highly deserves to be considered in a religious view.

VoL. II.

F

Many,