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SERM. fevere diftrefs? Yet, amidst them all, we behold him patiently enduring the contradiction of finners; to their rudeness oppofing a mild and unruffled, though firm, fpirit, and, in the cause of mankind, generously bearing with every indignity. Well might he fay, Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in beart*. Having fuch a high example before our eyes, let us be afhamed of thofe fallies of impatience which we fo often fuffer to break forth, in the midft of profperity. By a more manly tranquillity and felf-command, let us discover to the world, that, as men, and as Chriftians, we have learned in patience to poffefs our fouls.

Matth. xi. 29.

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THE HE prefent ftate of man is neither SER M. ร doomed to conftant mifery, nor defigned for complete happiness. It is, in general, a mixed ftate of comfort and forrow, of prosperity and adverfity; neither brightened by uninterrupted fun-fhine, nor overcast with perpetual shade; but fubject to alternate fucceffions of the one, and the other. While fuch a state forbids despair, it alfo checks prefumption. It is equally adverse to despondency of mind, and to high elevation of spirits. The temper which beft fuits, is expreffed in the text by moе

VOL. III.

deration;

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SERM. deration; which, as the habitual tenor of the foul, the apoftle exhorts us to discover in our whole conduct; let it be known unto all men. This virtue confifts in the equal balance of the foul. It imports fuch proper government of our paffions and pleafures as fhall prevent us from running into extremes of any kind; and fhall produce a calm and temperate frame of mind. It chiefly respects our conduct in that state which comes under the defcription of ease, or profperity. Patience, of which I treated in the preceding difcourfe, directs the proper regulation of the mind, under the difagreeable incidents of life. Moderation determines the bounds within which it hould remain, when circumftances are agreeable or promifing. What I now purpofe is, to point out fome of the chief inftances in which Moderation ought to take place, and to fhew the importance of preferving it.

The

I. MODERATION in our wishes. active mind of man feldom or never refts fatisfied with its prefent condition, how profperous foever. Originally formed for

a wider

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a wider range of objects, for a higher fphere SER M. of enjoyments, it finds itself, in every fituation of fortune, ftraightened and confined. Senfible of deficiency in its state, it is ever fending forth the fand defire, the aspiring wish, after fomething beyond what is enjoyed at prefent. Hence, that restleffnefs which prevails fo generally among mankind. Hence, that disgust of pleasures: which they have tried; that paffion for novelty; that ambition of rifing to fome. degree of eminence or felicity, of which they have formed to themselves an indiftinct idea. All which may be confidered as indications of a certain native, original greatness in the human foul, fwelling beyond the limits of its prefent condition, and pointing at the higher objects for which it was made. Happy, if these latent semains of our primitive ftate ferved to direct our wishes towards their proper deftination, and to lead us into the path of true blifs!

But in this dark and bewildered ftate, the aspiring tendency of our nature unfor tunately takes an oppofite direction, and feeds a very misplaced ambition. The flattering

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SERM. flattering appearances which here present themselves to fenfe; the diftinctions which fortune confers; the advantages and pleafures which we imagine the world to be capable of bestowing, fill up the ultimate with of moft men. These are the objects which engross their folitary mufings, and ftimulate their active labours; which warm the breast of the young, animate the industry of the middle-aged, and often keep alive the paffions of the old, until the very clofe of life. Affuredly, there is nothing unlawful in our wifhing to be freed from whatever is disagreeable, and to obtain a fuller enjoyment of the comforts of life. But when these wishes are not tempered by. reason, they are in danger of precipitating us into much extravagance and folly. Defires and wishes are the firft fprings of action. When they become exorbitant, the whole character is likely to be tainted. If we fuffer our fancy to create to itfelf worlds of ideal happinefs; if we feed our imagination with plans of opulence and splendour far beyond our rank; if we fix to our wishes certain ftages of high advancement, or certain degrees of uncommon reputation

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