diffatisfaction and confufion must be unavoidable.

It is impoffible for any man, however wicked, wholly to diveft himself of the apprehenfions of futurity-Thefe will attack him at certain times, unhinge his refolutions, and deftroy his confidenceNay, though he holds himself the avowed enemy of superstition, he will often be more fuperftitious than thofe whose faith is the fubject of his ridicule-he will often be haunted with groundlefs fears, and become the flave of childish timidity.

This is agreeable to the character that is given of him in another part of the book of Proverbs, viz. that he fleeth when no one purfues; which has the fame fenfe as the expreffion in the text, they Stumble at they know not what.

Such and fo different are the characters and conditions of the wicked and the righteous. The life of the one, directed by the divine wisdom and goodness, is ferene and chearful, and comfortable as the light: That of the other, guided by no principle of reason, no laws of that Being who gave it, is gloomy, and perplexing, and uncomfortable as darkness.

The righteous fupported by faith and hope, finds his happiness increase with his piety, and fees the journey of life grow brighter, and more inviting towards its end: While the wicked, deftitute of every hope that might reconcile him to futurity, wanders miferably forward in darkness and uncertainty; perplexed both with fears that are, and with apprehenfions that are not vain.

Behold

Behold here, my friends, two different lots! Chufe which fhall be your own. Halt not between two opinions. If the Lord be God, worship him; but if Baal, then worship him. If the ways of wickednefs delight you, remember they lead

through darkness to death-If the path of the just be your choice, enter into it, and may God profper you on your way.

[56]

SERMON IV.

The different Conditions of the Wicked and the Righte

ous confidered in feveral Views.

PSALM CXviii. 15.

The Voice of Joy and Health is in the Dwelling of the Righteous.

WERE the principles of religion

recommended to us only by the

influence they must have on the happinefs of human life, no wife man would haftily defpife them.

For,

For, if human laws have their foundation, their security in thofe principles 5 if the order and the harmony of fociety. are preserved by them; if they enforce the virtues of temperance and good will, and produce both health of body and peace of mind-fuch effects are furely most interesting.

But, in the first place, we should make it our enquiry, whether religion is really capable of producing fuch effects, or whether she does not owe all her amiable attributes to the partial praises of her own profeffors.

This enquiry we shall be able to profecute most effectually by comparing the oppofite characters of the wicked and the righteous, by confidering the lives of those who make religion their guide,

and