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But, as no man knows the heart of another fo well as he knows his own, in which he cannot but be acquainted with many things amifs, humility will naturally incline him to suppose the hearts of others are better than his own, and of course to esteem his neighbour better than himself.The apostle's injunction therefore is given, we fee, to people nearly of the fame condition, and chiefly indeed respects the heart.

It may however, in part, have a reference to actions. An action, evidently vicious, is out of the question; but as all actions take their colour from the motives which produce them, no man can judge truly of the motives of others. Of course he can know as little of their actions. But as he knows his own motives, it is humble in him to think better of the actions of others, which are not palpably wrong, than of his own.

XXIII.

MATT. xxiii. 23.

THESE OUGHT YE TO HAVE DONE, AND NOT

TO LEAVE THE OTHER UNDONE.

Ο

UR Saviour applies these words to the

Scribes and Pharifees, who neglected the precepts of religion through an attachment to its ceremonies. But the rebuke is equally appli cable to all who neglect matters of confequence for the fake of trifles. In the following difcourfe, therefore, I shall not apply it in a religious sense, but merely as relating to the two points of employment and amusement.

Every man has, or ought to have, fome employment in life; and if he be born exempt from the neceffity of it, ftill he ought, in fome shape,

to

to find it for himself-that is, he should fill up, in fome useful manner, his station in society, and not be what the very heathen thought an abominable character a mere confumer of the fruits of the earth. This employment, whatever it is, should be confidered among the things that ought to be done.

But befides the employment, moft people have alfo their amusement, which may be reckoned among the things which need not be left undone, on a fuppofition it is innocent, and not carried to excefs. It has been obferved, that however busy our lives may be, we always find fome time for a favourite amufement. But the mischief is, the amusement often ufurps the upper hand. Thus, a clergyman may be fond of mufic or painting. Both are liberal and innocent amufements, and may be properly indulged. But he ought always to have in his mind the useful caution of the text. His parochial duties are the things that ought to be done, though he need not leave the other undone. The employment is the object, the amusement the relaxation: but in proportion as the amufement gains too much ground, the employment is neglected. Even science is only an amusement, when it stands in competi

tion with the grand duties of the clerical profeffion.

In looking into the world, however, we fometimes find, that, contrary to the general bent of mankind, the employment ftifles the amusement. One of the strongest antidotes against this general love of amufement, is a paffion equally disreputable, and that is, the love of gain. If we examine the generality of employments, we fhall find those are the most steadily pursued, and receive the fewest avocations from amusement, in which the emolument depends moft on our industry, and the exertion of our abilities. The profeffion of phyfic furnishes a strong inftance -the law furnishes a ftronger -and trade the ftrongeft. While the clergyman the foldier and beyond both, the country gentleman, whofe incomes depend lefs on personal industry, give more into amusement.—It is a piteous view of mankind, no doubt, that one bad propensity should be corrected by another. But the more we look among men, the more - truth we shall find in the Gospel account of the natural pravity of human nature: while one half of the world is immersed in its bufinefs; and the other half misled by its pleasures; the moderate in both can hardly find room between.

In the mean time, if we confider things in their true light, we fhall fee the goodness of God in ordaining business and amusement to relieve each other. Bufinefs of every kind, but especially where gain is concerned, has a tendency to contract the mind, and draw it to one point. Amusement again, on the other hand, has a tendency to relax the mind; or, in other words, to diffipate it. But when they are properly mixed, the bad tendency of each is corrected. A little amusement refreshes the mind intent on business, and loofens the prejudices it contracts from being converfant only with one object; while a proper employment ftrengthens the mind, and relieves it from that languor which attends constant diffipation.

N. B. This might be wrought into a good cle. rical fermon, with the addition of a little more

Scriptural fanction; and might be preached at a vifitation.

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