203 use our best endeavours to attain to such perfection as we may in both respects. Or, however we may be found wanting in point of wisdom or capacity, (which is no crime to fail in,) let us labour to be as exact as possible in point of sincerity, which is more in our own power. In order thereunto, give me leave, by way of application of what hath been said,

III.

To subjoin a few plain and brief directions, for our improvement in so admirable a quality.

1. Let no one ever persuade you, that the practice of guile and circumvention is any argument of superior parts or understanding. It is the easiest thing in the world to be deceitful and disingenuous. Children are capable of it soon after they can speak; and they will daily improve in it by mere instinct of nature, if not seasonably restrained by wholesome discipline or wise instruction. Persons of very low capacities are often capable of a great deal of low cunning, when they are scarce found capable of any thing besides. And though sometimes men of very bright parts may be observed (under strong attachments to this world) to take into the ways of guile; yet it must be owned to be a great disparagement to their parts that they do so and had they sense or consideration sufficient to look forwards to the end of things, and to lay all circumstances together well and wisely, they would abhor that very guile, which now perhaps they are proud of. Honesty and wisdom are but words of the same import in holy Scripture, and mean the same thing; because, in reality, there is no true wisdom but in true integrity.

2. Let no one ever be offended or chagrined, if he should any time observe, that some particular persons thrive and prosper by fraud, guile, or treachery. Such instances are rare in comparison, as I before hinted: and for one that grows considerable in such a way, hundreds perhaps fail and sink in their circumstances by these very means. Besides, what enjoyment have those few thriving deceivers in their ill-gotten advantages? Little, very probably, or

none. But suppose the very best we can imagine in their favour; yet Scripture more than once assures us, that in the last issue, even the "prosperity of fools destroys "them." Were they to gain the whole world by unrighteous practices, it would profit them nothing; since, in the last result, they are certain to lose their own souls, and to perish utterly.

3. Let not the sense of any perplexing straits or difficulties ever move you to go out of the plain road of duty, for the sake of any present relief. Those are temptations which Satan throws in our way, and by which he leads the unthinking into the crooked paths of guile and dishonesty. Perhaps, by some convenient use of fraud, some seasonable treachery, a man may rid himself at once of some pressing difficulties: but then, let it be considered on the other hand, that this is only serving a present exigency, to lay in for future troubles and future repentance; and is losing more in the general, than can be gained in the particular instance. Let a man be content, in such cases, to venture no farther for the extricating himself out of difficulties, than he honestly and justly may; leaving the rest to God, who often relieves good men in the greatest extremities, and works their deliverance in marvellous ways, such as they could neither foresee nor so much as imagine.

4thly and lastly, If any inviting opportunities should offer (as sometimes happens) that by once or twice straining a point, and breaking through the unerring rules of Christian sincerity, you might make some very considerable advantage, to set you, as it were, up in the world ever after; reject the alluring bait at once, with the utmost horror and disdain. Consider, not so much what may flatter your present desires in point of interest or worldly honour, as what is strictly just, honest, and fair, and will bring you solid and lasting felicity. Consider not consequences in a secular account, when strict duty is concerned, Leave the issue of all in God's hands; only, do you what is right, and what it becomes you to do. To take into any

indirect, unjustifiable courses, is to throw yourself at once out of God's favour and protection, and is renouncing all reasonable claim to his blessings here or hereafter. Remember the pious and prudent resolution of holy Job: "Till I die," says he, "I will not remove my integrity "from me.-My heart shall not reproach me so long as I "live." This noble resolution he held to, as his sheetanchor, to his dying day in this was he happy even amidst his troubles, (much more when they were over;) and by adhering to this principle he is now a blessed saint above; as well as our Nathanael, of whom our blessed Lord hath given such an excellent character.

Learn we from such admirable examples to be true and faithful in all that we say and in all that we do; deceiving no man, beguiling no man to his detriment; punctual to our word and promise, much more to our oaths; firm and constant to our just engagements; honest and impartial in all our dealings; every way behaving, as becometh men professing godliness, "Israelites indeed, in whom is no "guile."

Job xxvii. 5, 6.

SERMON XVI.

The Joy in Heaven over one repenting Sinner, more than over ninety and nine just Men, explained.

LUKE XV. 7.

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

THESE words of our blessed Lord are introduced with a noted parable of the lost sheep: a parable recorded in the eighteenth chapter of St. Matthew, as delivered by our Lord upon a special occasion; but recorded by St. Luke as again delivered, and reinforced by our Lord, upon an occasion more general, as shall be shown presently.

The parable is to this effect. A person is supposed to have had an hundred sheep of his own, and all of them safe, except one, which had happened to wander from the flock, lost for the time. The owner, in this case, being much concerned for the loss of a single sheep, goes immediately in quest of it, leaving the ninety-nine for a while to themselves, till he finds the sheep that went astray, to bring to them. Having found it, he returns with joy; yea, he rejoices more over that sheep, in that particular case, than he does over the ninety and nine which went not astray. 66 He "cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neigh"bours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have

"found my sheep which was losta." Our blessed Lord, having thus opened the parable, proceeds next to apply it, in this grave and weighty moral: "I say unto you, that "likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that re"penteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, "which need no repentance."

To enforce this doctrine, he adds two parables more, containing the same thought, in the main, or illustrating the same thing, and serving the same purpose. One is, of a woman having ten pieces of silver, but losing one of them for a time, and seeking diligently till she finds it: upon her so finding it, she rejoices over that piece which she had lost, more than over the nine other pieces which she had constantly enjoyed.

The third parable is of a father recovering his prodigal, his lost son, who had long gone from him, and was, in a manner, lost and undone. The good man, in this case, is more sensibly affected at the recovery of that lost son, and makes greater rejoicings for it, than he had ever done for his other son, who had never offended in like kind, nor ever gone from him.

These three parables are all drawn from nature, and are founded in self-evident facts: but the justness of the application of them to the case mentioned in the text may not perhaps be obvious at first hearing, but may want some explication. I shall therefore endeavour so to explain the particulars, as to render both the design and the use of our Lord's doctrine, in this instance, clear and perspicuous to an attentive hearer.

I.

The design of all is to be learned chiefly from the occasion given for those three parables.

The first occasion given for the first of the three appears in St. Matthew, chapter the eighteenth. Our Lord, perceiving that there was too much of selfishness, or narrowness of spirit, in his own disciples, while every one was

a Luke xv. 6.