SERMON IV. On the DUTIES belonging to MIDDLE I CORINTHIANS, xiii. II. When I became a man, I put away IV. To every thing, fays the wife man, there SER M. is a feafon; and a time to every purpose under heaven *. As there are duties which belong to particular fituations of fortune, fo there are duties alfo which refult from particular periods of human life. In every period of it, indeed, that comprehensive rule takes place, FearGod, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man †. Piety to God, and charity to men, * Ecclef. iii. I. + Ecclef. xii. 13. are SERM. are incumbent upon perfons of every age, as IV. foon as they can think and act. Yet these virtues, in different ftages of life, affume different forms; and when they appear in that form which is moft fuited to our age, they appear with peculiar gracefulness; they give propriety to conduct, and add dignity to character. In former difcourfes I have treated of the virtues which adorn youth, and of the duties which specially belong to old age*. The circle of thofe 'duties which refpect middle age is indeed much larger. As that is the busy period in the life of man, it includes in effect the whole compass of religion, and therefore cannot have its peculiar character fo definitely marked and afcertained. At the fame time, during those years wherein one is fenfible that he has advanced beyond the confines of youth, but has not yet paffed into the region of old age, there are feveral things which reflection on that portion of human life fuggefts, or at least ought to fuggeft, to the mind. Inconfi derate muft he be, who, in his gradual See vpl. i. Sermons 11 and 12. progrefs IV. progrefs throughout middle age, paufes not, S ERM. at times, to think how far he is now receeding from youth; how near he draws to the borders of declining age; what part it is now incumbent on him to act; what duties both God and the world have a title to expect from him. To these I am at present to call your attention; as what materially concern the greatest part of thofe who are now my hearers. I. I BEGIN with obferving, that the first duty of those who are become men is, as the text expreffes it, to put away childish things. The feason of youthful levities, follies, and paffions, is now over. These have had their reign; a reign perhaps too long; and to which a termination is certainly proper at laft. Much indulgence is due to youth. Many things admit of excufe then, which afterwards become unpardonable. Some things may even be graceful in youth, which, if not criminal, are at least ridiculous, in perfons of maturer years. It is a great trial of wisdom, to make our retreat from youth with propriety; to affume the character of man SERM. hood, without expofing ourselves to re IV. proach, by an unfeasonable remainder of juvenility on the one hand, or by precife and difgufting formality on the other. Nature has placed certain boundaries, by which the difcriminates the pleasures, actions, and employments, that are fuited to the different ftages of human life. It becomes us neither to overleap those boundaries by a tranfition too hafty and violent; nor to hover too long on one fide of the limit, when nature calls us to pass over to the other. There are particularly two things in which middle age fhould preferve its diftinction and feparation from youth; these are levities of behaviour, and intemperate indulgence of pleasure. The gay fpirits of the young often prompt an inconfiderate degree of levity, fometimes amufing, fometimes offenfive; but for which, though betraying them occafionally into ferious dan'gers, their want of experience may plead excufe. A more compofed and manly behaviour is expected in riper years. The affectation of youthful vanities degrades the dignity of manhood; even renders its manners IV. manners lefs agreeable; and by awkward SERM. attempts to please, produces contempt. Cheerfulness is becoming in every age. But the proper cheerfulness of a man is as different from the levity of the boy, as the flight of the eagle is from the fluttering of a sparrow in the air. As all unfeasonable returns to the levity of youth ought to be laid aside,—an admonition which equally belongs to both the fexes,-ftill more are we to guard against those intemperate indulgences of pleasure, to which the young are unhappily prone. From these we cannot too foon retreat. They open the path to ruin, in every period of our days. As long, however, as "these exceffes are confined to the first stage of life, hope is left, that when this fever of the spirits shall abate, sobriety may gain the afcendant, and wifer counfels have power to influence conduct. But after the feafon of youth is past, if its intemperate fpirit remain; if, instead of listening to the calls of honour, and bending attention to the cares and the business of men, the fame course of idleness and fenfuality continue to be purfued, the cafe becomes VOL. III. F more |