SERMON I.

Inquiry after Happiness.

PSALM IV. 6.

There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? -Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

TH

HE great purfuit of man is after happiness it is the firft and strongeft defire of his nature;-in every stage of his life, he searches for it as for hid treafure;-courts it under a thousand different fhapes,-and though perpetually disappointed,-ftill perfifts-runs after and enquires for it afresh-asks every passenger who comes in his way, Who will fhew him any good?-who will affift him in the attainment of it, or direct him to the difcovery of this great end of all his wifhes?

He is told by one to fearch for it among the more gay and youthful pleafures of life, in fcenes of mirth and

fprightlinefs where happiness ever prefides, and is ever to be known by the joy and laughter which he will fee at once painted in her looks.

A fecond, with a graver afpect, points out to the coftly dwellings which pride and extravagance have erected:-tells the enquirer that the object he is in fearch of inhabits there;-that happiness lives only in company with the great, in the midst of much pomp and outward ftate. That he will easily find her out by the coat of many colours fhe has on, and the great luxury and expence of equipage and furniture with which the always fits furrounded.

The mifer bleffes God!-wonders how any one would mislead, and wilfully put him upon fo wrong a fcent-convinces him that happiness and extravagance never inhabited under the fame roof; that if he would not be disappointed in his fearch, he must look into the plain and thrifty dwelling of the prudent man, who knows and underftands the worth of money, and caus

tiously lays it up against an evil hour: that it is not the prostitution of wealth upon the paffions, or the parting with it at all, that conftitute's happiness-but that it is the keeping it together, and the Having ahd holding it fast to him and his heirs for ever, which are the chief attributes that form this great idol of human worship, to which fo much incenfe is offered up every day.

er;

The epicure, though he eafily rectifies fo grofs a mistake, yet at the fame time he plunges him, if possible, into a greatfor hearing the object of his pursuit to be happiness, and knowing of no other happiness than what is feated immedi ately in his fenfes-he fends the enquirer there;-tells him 'tis in vain to search elsewhere for it, than where nature herfelf has placed it-in the indulgence and gratification of the appetites, which are given us for that end: and in a word -if he will not take his opinion in the matter he may truft the word of a much wiser man, who has affured usthat there is nothing better in this world,

than that a man fhould eat and drink and rejoice in his works, and make his foul enjoy good in his labour-for that is his portion.

To refcue him from this brutal experiment-ambition takes him by the hand and carries him into the world,fhews him all the kingdoms of the earth and the glory of them,-points out the many ways of advancing his fortune and raifing himself to honour,-lays before his eyes all the charms and bewitching temptations of power, and asks if there ean be any happiness in this world like that of being careffed, courted, flattered, and followed?

To close all, the philofopher meets him bustling in the full career of this purfuit-ftops him-tells him, if he is in fearch of happiness, he is far gone out of his way.

That this deity has long been banished from noise and tumults, where there was no rest found for her, and was filed into folitude far from all commerce of the world; and in a word, if he would find

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