I. Wisdom, in the first place, felects fuch objects of pursuit as fhe difcerns a fatisfactory profpect of attaining.

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Has religion this characteristic of wisdom ? Compare under this point of view the objects which infpire the exertions of the irreligious man with those which the true Christian proposes to himself. Be it lence, or power, or reputation, or any other worldly poffeffion or enjoyment, after which you labour; labour; how how great is the uncertainty whether you shall fucceed! fhall fucceed! When at the close of the long-protracted chafe you hang in triumphant expectation over your prize; how frequently does it elude your grasp! What language is more common in the mouths of men bufied in fuch pursuits than that of disappointment? How often do you hear them complaining that they have failed in their defigns! How often, when they keep filence, do their looks bespeak a complaining heart! How many men, eager to heap up wealth, have found themselves, after years of toil, scarcely richer than when they fet out in life! Their lands have proved unproductive; or their crops have been blighted; or they have been ruined by bad debts; or their veffels have been fhipwrecked; or their customers have been

drawn away by rivals; or friends on whofe recommendation and affistance they de→ pended, have deceived them. How many, in the higher ranks of society, feverish with unceafing thirst for pre-eminence, have continually been excluded and depressed by more fortunate competitors! How often is the man who pants for reputation stunned with cenfure and contempt, when he fancies himself secure of fame! Look to any other earthly purfuit; and you behold the fame croffes, the fame uncertainty. You are taught by a crowd of examples how. frequently the race is not to the swift; nor the battle to the ftrong; nor the prize of ability to the skilful; nor the reward of industry to the perfevering. But is the man who yields his heart to religion thus expofed to disappointment? Does he labour and persevere in the path which he has chofen, and fail of his recompense? His recompenfe is fure. The children of this world may fucceed in their purfuits. The religious man muft fucceed in his. The favour of his heavenly Father, the atonement of his Redeemer, the fanctification of the Holy Ghoft the Comforter, are secured to him by the unchangeable promise of God. Omnipotence is pledged to up

hold

hold him; infinite wisdom to guide him; eternal love to blefs him. His inheritance is beyond the reach of accident and viciffitude. When Christ, who is his life, fhall appear; then shall he also appear with Christ in glory.

II. Wisdom fets its affections upon thofe things which are in their own nature the moft excellent.

Has religion this mark of wisdom? Let it for the present be supposed that both the advantages which are enfured to the fervants of God, and those which the world holds out to its followers, are valuable. Which of the two are in their own nature the more desirable? Let it be affumed, that you have the power of attaining riches and honours, and fenfual pleasures, to the largest extent of your wishes. Are these attainments, or religion, best entitled by inherent excellence to the poffeffion of your heart? God has formed you with a reasonable soul. Is it wife to prefer to the holy exercise of your understanding thofe indulgences and employments, which terminate in the body? God has created you capable of loving and obeying him. Is it wife to prefer your own inclinations, or the examples of others,

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to his favour, to his fervice?

You cannot

You cannot

The friendship of

love two opposite masters. ferve God and mammon. the world is enmity with God. Whofoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God (a). To devote your heart to God and alfo to the world is impoffible. Which Master is the more worthy? Which service is the more honourable? They that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh: they that are after the Spirit mind the things of the Spirit. The works of the flesh are manifeft: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lafcivioufnefs, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, ftrife, feditions, berefies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, rewellings, malice, blafphemy, filthy communication (b). Is it needful to lengthen the catalogue? The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, long-fuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, righteousness, truth, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind. Whatfoever things are true, whatfoever things are honeft, whatsoever things are juft, whatfoever things are pure, whatfoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; Religion bids you think on

(a) Luke, xvi. 13. James, iv, 4. Gal. v. 19-21. Col. ii. 8. 12

(b) Rom. viii. 5.

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thefe things (c). Is not this to approve things which are excellent (d)? Is not this to manifest wisdom?

III. Wisdom chooses for its portion those acquifitions, which in the poffeffion are accompanied with the higheft delight. Some times it is under the neceffity of making a choice between objects which afford delight at present, and those which promise delight at a future time. Under thefe circumstances, if the diftant good be far fuperior to that which is at hand; wifdom contentedly refigns her prospects of the benefit which is near for the fake of the greater benefit which is remote. But if any method fhould be discoverable, by which both the present and the future advantage may be fecured; wisdom displays her difcernment by adopting that line of conduct.

How then ftands the cafe with respect to religion? Confider the point first with regard to present fatisfaction. Does the religious man, or the wicked man, receive truer enjoyment from the common bleffings of this world? The religious man affirms that he himself receives the truer enjoyment

(6) Gal. v. 22, 23. Eph. v. 9. Col. iii. 12. Philipp. iv. 8. (d) Philipp.i.10.

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