XII. middle ranks of life, who form the great SERM. body of fociety, have little or no concern in it. But this is entirely a mistake. Splendid fortune, and high birth or rank, afford, beyond doubt, the strongest and most frequent temptations to the loofe indulgence of every enjoyment. But throughout all ranks the danger extends of being misled by pleasure in fome of its forms. In this country, where wealth and abundance are fo much diffufed over all ftations; where it is well known that the inferiour orders of men are perpetually preffing upon those who are above them, and following them in their manners, a life of diffipation is perhaps not less frequent among the middle than among the higher claffes of fociety. The modes of amufement may not be fo refined. The entertainments and pleasures may be of a groffer kind. But in many an inferiour circle, there prevails as much love of pomp and fhow, as much proportional extravagance in expence, as much rivalry in the competition of paffions and pleasures, as in the most fashionable and courtly affemblies. Sober reflections are as much laid afide; the gratification of vanity, and SERM. and the indulgence of pleasure, are pur XII. fued with equal eagerness.Let us therefore, my brethren, in whatever rank of life we are placed, proceed upon this as our great principle, that to ferve God, to attend to the serious cares of life, and to difcharge faithfully the duties of our ftation, ought to be the firft concern of every man who wishes to be wife and happy; that amusement and pleasure are to be confidered as the relaxation, not the business, of life; and that if from those fentiments we depart, and give ourselves up to pleasure as our only object, even in laughter the heart shall be forrowful, and the end of our mirth shall be heaviness. SERMON XIII. On the Confcience void of Offence. ACTS, xxiv. 16. Herein do I exercife myself, to have always a confcience void of offence toward God and toward men. XIII. THESE HESE words were fpoken by the SERM. Apostle Paul, in the courfe of that manly and spirited defence which he made for himself, when accufed of fedition and impiety before Felix, the Roman Governour. He vindicates himself from the charges brought against him; but boldly avows his principles, conceals no part he had acted, gives up no doctrine he had taught, and, with the firm confcioufnefs of innocence, appeals to his enemies them SERM. felves for the unblemished integrity of his life and character. XIII. To maintain always a confcience void of offence toward God and toward men, is a degree of virtue, to which, in its full extent, none can lay claim. For who is there among the fons of men that can pretend, on every occafion, throughout his whole life, to have preferved a faultlefs conduct? How few days, indeed, go over our heads wherein fomething does not pafs, in which our behaviour has not been altogether correct, or free from every offence? In the prefent imbecility and fallen ftate of human nature, he is the worthieft person who is guilty of the feweft offences towards God or towards man. But though the character referred to in the text be not attainable by us in a complete degree, it is the character to which we mnft all ftudy to approach; to come as near to it as the weakness of our nature admits; fo that neither in piety towards God, nor in focial duties towards men, we may be found remarkably deficient. You will obferve, that this great Apoftle does not boaft of having fully attained to a confcience void of every offence. XIII. offence. His words are, that herein he SERM. exercifed himself; that is, this was his object and his ftudy, to this he formed and trained himself, to have always a confcience void of offence towards God and men.--Alfuredly, there is nothing in human life more amiable and refpectable than fuch a character. Wherever it appears, it commands univerfal reverence in every station, whether high or low. It is indeed what all men would wish to gain; at least, they wish that others fhould believe them to poffefs it. Even the most corrupted look to it, from afar, with a figh; and however obliged to condemn themselves for having fallen fhort of it, cannot help esteeming and refpecting others who are dignified by the attainment of it.--Let us then confider, firft, what is implied in exercising or forming ourselves to maintain the conscience void of offence; and next, what the effects will be of having, in fome degree, attained it. I. IN exercising ourfelves for this purpose, our first care must be to have our confcience well informed, or properly inftructed, as to what |