SERMON VII. 125 PROVERBS XVIII. 14 The fpirit of a man will sustain his infirmity: but a wounded spirit who can bear? W VII. HEN the great Father and Cre- SER M. ator of all things did from his almighty wisdom determine, and from his unspeakable goodness condefcend, to call us into being, to raise us from annihilation to light and life, he was gracioufly pleased to form us even in his own divine fimilitude, and to make us after his own image. To man, therefore, he imparted a rational and immortal foul, capable of happiness and improvement in this world, and ambitious of eternal joy SERM. and perfection in the next: he VII. gave him a foul, to prefide over the weak frame of his Body, to fubdue his lufts and affections, to arm him against the changes and chances of human life, to sustain his infirmities, to fupport him under all his trials and afflictions, to turn him afide from the paths of vice and folly, and lead him into the road of virtue. To keep in order therefore this chief spring which actuates the whole machine, is our great and most important bufinefs; for if this be once difturbed or impaired, the fubordinate wheels must of course be interrupted in their motion. Whilst the mind preferves her power, her dignity and authority, we are fure of health and fafety; the kingdom cannot be totally fubverted, whilft the fovereign maintains her power; it may indeed be weakened by the attacks of vice, difturbed by the rebellion of the paffions, fhaken or difordered VII. ordered by fickness or misfortune; but SERM. whilst the ruler is herself unhurt, she may in time restore order, and re-establish peace and tranquility in her dominion; but if once he becomes herfelf weak and impotent, if the fuffers herself to be caft down, degraded and dethroned, the ftate indeed is then in very imminent danger, and will scarce exhibit any but a fcene of anarchy and confufion. The Spirit of a man, fays Solomon, will fustain kis infirmities; but a wounded fpirit who can bear? Man, we know, is born unto forrow, even as the sparks fly upwards; an heavy yoke is laid upon the fons of Adam, from him that fitteth upon a throne of glory, to him that is humbled in earth and afhes. The bread of calamity must be eaten, and the bitter cup of affliction must be tafted by all. Sickness, misfor tune, SERM. tune, loffes, disappointments, tempta VII. tions; these are wounds which pierce every spirit, these are the fiery trials which we must pass through, which we muft fuftain, if ever we hope for glory or reward: these are the touchstones of our faith and virtue, and these as we fubdue, or are fubdued by, as we fink . Certain it under, or rise superior to them, must de- ture * VII. ture mifery; the diseases of the one may SERM. receive comfort from the hand of art, but those of the other are often beyond the power of human medicine to remove. Many indeed and great are the misfortunes and forrows which difquiet the mind, and wound the fpirit of poor, mortal, dependent beings. When, after a long series of affluence and profperity, poverty cometh like an armed man, and feizeth upon it; when comparison embittereth, and reflection heightens the calamity, then all our strength and all our resolutions are neceffary to stem the When the body is weakened torrent. and emaciated by pain and fickness; when all the remedies which are adminiftred are vain and ufelefs; when the eye can no longer be delighted with any object, nor the ear pleafed with any found, then must the spirit of man exert all its powers to sustain its infirmities. Amongst VOL. I. K |