and the favorite practice of different churches. Now as all these wandered long in darkness, be-. cause they would not use the true light, it should afford a leffon to us to purfue better wifdom, and, following the Pfalmift's counfel, let us exercife ourselves in reading and meditating on God's law day and night, for his word is a lamp to our feet, and a light to our paths. It is that which giveth underftanding to the fimple, and ignorant, and its counfel is eternal life. By this study of the Holy Scripture we fhall find out Chrift, and in Chrift we find out God; for he is the exprefs image of the Father in goodness, and truth. And as he declares himself, that he who bath feen him, bath Jeez the Father, for the Father and be are one, (John xiv. 9). fo, as one of the ancient Fathers (St. Jerome) afferts, not to know the fcriptures is to be ignorant of Christ, for in them is he preached unto us. It is therefore indifputable, that in the midst of the light of worldly wifdom, and philofophy, we may yet fit in darkness and the fhadow of death; for fo we really are whilft ignorant of Chrift; and unlefs we employ the gifts of reafon and knowledge in that study, which will beft premote God's glory and our own falvation. For as Chrift is the wifdom of God, in whom it pleased the Father that all fulness fhould dwell, and to whom all who are united by faith and love have built their hope on that fure foundation, whereby they will be able to comprehend with all faints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of God which paffeth all other knowledge; fo this is the true and only wisdom which beft deferves the chriftian's study. This is that wifdom which St. Paul fo earnestly entreats of God to bestow upon his Ephefians (iii. 16), That he would grant them according to the riches of his glory, to be ftrengthened with might by his fpirit in the inner man. Clearly, therefore, this is the wifdom which alone proceeds from the power and affiftance

affiftance of the Holy Ghoft; which was the laft particular propofed for your inftruction in the third divifion of this difcourfe, and which having been. very fully proved by a variety of arguments, and teftimonies, deduced from holy writ, we cannot conclude the fubject better, than by hearty prayer to God, that we may have grace to fee the vast importance of thefe truths, and continually to fupplicate his goodness, to blefs us with the light of his Holy Spirit, by whofe divine influence only, we fhall ever be able to ferve him truly here, or to prepare ourselves for admittance into his heavenly kingdom hereafter. That we may therefore daily improve in all the graces of the fpirit, to the bettering our lives, and converfation, and fitting us for the awful change awaiting us, God of his infinite mercy grant, through the merits of Jefus Chrift, our bleffed Advocate and Redeemer. Amen.

DIS.

DISCOURSE XXI.!

An Homily on the State of Matrimony.

HEBREWS XIII. 4.

Marriage is bonourable in all, and the bed undefiled.

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S many engage in wedlock without that vious confideration which the ferious nature of the ordinance requires, it may afford profitable inftruction, occafionally, to reflect upon the end of that holy eftate, and the benefits it is calculated to procure to mankind. The origin of matrimony, and the causes why it was ordained, are clearly delivered to us in the holy fcriptures. It was inftituted by God himself, out of his great wifdom and goodness, in order that his creatures, man and woman, fhould live together in an undefiled manner, in the mutual enjoyment of perfect and lafting friendship; to keep up the race of mankind, and to reftrain the defires of the flesh within the bounds of a lawful and decent liberty. Thus this excellent inftitution is calculated to keep the confcience pure on both fides, by preventing the inclination of the animal nature to defeat their honest

honest purpose, and to fupprefs the many evils of a vicious conduct in both fexes, by this jawful connection, fo folemnly fanctioned in this holy ceremony. Thus far, as in every other cafe, has God's goodnefs provided for the comfort, and innocency, of his creatures; and if their unbridled lufts break through his laws, it must be attributed to a depraved nature, that is unwilling to be reformed. And all who are guilty of violating the ordinance appointed for their safety, muft abide by the account that will be registered against them for fo doing. Whoredom, and all uncleanness, are ftrictly forbidden in God's word. In compaffion to the infirmity of a degenerated nature, a remedy is here provided, and as the most grievous confequences attend the commiffion of fuch fins, and the most dreadful punishments have been inflicted for them in all ages, it argues an increase of guilt and perverfe rebellion, to defpife or violate fo gracious a provifion against impurity.

Again, another most valuable end of this holy inftitution is the enlargement and profperity of the church and kingdom of God, not only in the bleffing that is promifed upon every honeft union of the fexes, by the gift of children, but that hereby, a probable opportunity is fecured, for bringing them up in the knowledge of God's word, by which means the interefts of true religion is greatly forwarded in the regular fucceffion from one to another, and a greater certainty attained, of many being prepared for a bleffed eternity. For it is natural to fuppofe, that where any doubt is entertained as to the true relation of the offspring (which must be the confequence of all promifcuous inter course) the innocent children are expofed to the moft cruel fate; indifference and neglect too often take place in thefe cafes, and they are left without due care and provifion. This indeed, is one of the moft ferious circumftances that attends unlawful connections

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connections of every defcription. From finful contempt of God's holy ordinance of pure wedlock, a man may happen to brand his own offspring with perpetual difgrace, and the deprivation of all the common rights of the community; and not only fo, but on the other hand, he may also fubject himself to provide for one that does not really belong to him; and thus confufion, mifery, and curfes, are entailed upon mankind, for encouraging fuch lafcivious courfes as are hateful in the fight of heaven. Now as matrimony is appointed to prevent these evils, and many others, I hall forbear to name; as it helps the cause of virtue and religion, and promotes the bleffing of the Almighty upon fociety, all who have the grace and wifdom to enter into this ftate, fhould be moft grateful to God, that they are so far under the influence of his good Spirit, as to fhun the example of thofe vicious people, whofe ungoverned lufts contribute to fpread poverty and mifery wherever they go; whereas, all that are modest and virtuous of both fexes, continue to walk in the fear of God, to do good in their generation, within the bounds of the lawful commandment, and equally abhor all impure connections, as the certain method of incurring God's displeasure, and effecting their own ruin, both here and hereafter. For when men and women, in a fingle ftate, are fo far without the fear of God before their eyes, as to yield to the temptation of the evil fpirit, in gratifying their finful appetites, while the wicked example of the world affords fo many inftances of abominable tranfgreffion against purity of manners; it must be admitted as a particular gift of God, to avoid fuch hateful practices. Wherefore all who have escaped the corruption that is in the world through luft, must give the praife, where only it is due, to God's grace and help, who hath thus preferved them blameless; and too humble and thankful it is impoffible for them VOL. II.

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