out to man; in the courfe of which all the different bufinefs of life prefents itfelf regularly to him on every fide. God and man, time and eternity, poffefs their proper ftations, arife in fucceffion to his view, and attract his care. Whereas he who runs on in a diforderly course, speedily involves himself in a labyrinth, where he is furrounded with intricacy and darkness. The crooked paths into which he ftrikes, turn him afide from the proper line of human purfuit; hide from his fight the objects which he ought chiefly to regard, and bring others under his view, which ferve no purpose but to diftract and mislead him.

Next, by attending to order, you avoid idlenefs, that most fruitful source of crimes and evils. Acting upon a plan, meeting every thing in its own place, you conftantly find innocent and ufeful employment for time. You are never at a lofs how to difpofe of your hours, or to fill up life agreeably. In the courfe of human action, there are two extremes equally dangerous to virtue, the multiplicity of affairs, and the

total

SERM. total want of them. The man of order,

I.

ftands in the middle between these two extremes, and fuffers from neither. He is occupied, but not oppreffed. Whereas the diforderly, overloading one part of time, and leaving another vacant, are at one period overwhelmed with business, and at another, either idle through want of employment, or indolent through perplexity. Thofe feasons of indolence and idlenefs, which recur fo often in their life, are their moft dangerous moments. The mind, unhappy in its fituation, and clinging to every object which can occupy or amuse it, is then apteft to throw itself into the arms of every vice and every folly.

Farther, by the preservation of order, you check inconftancy and levity. Fickle by nature is the human heart. It is fond of change; and perpetually tends to start afide from the ftraight line of conduct. Hence arifes the propriety of bringing ourfelves under fubjection to method and rule; which, though at first it may prove conftraining, yet by degrees and from the experience

1

perience of its happy effects, becomes natural and agreeable. It rectifies those irregularities of temper and manners to which we give the name of caprice; and which are diftinguishing characteristics of a diforderly mind. It is the parent of fteadiness of conduct. It forms confiftency of character. It is the ground of all the confidence we repofe in one another. For, the disorderly we know not where to find. In him only can we place any truft who is uniform and regular; who lives by principle, not by humour; who acts upon a plan, and not by defultory motions.

The advantages of order hitherto mentioned belong to rectitude of conduct. Confider also how important it is to your felf-enjoyment and felicity. Order is the fource of peace; and peace is the highest of all temporal bleffings. Order is indeed the only region in which tranquillity dwells. The very mention of confufion imports disturbance and vexation. Is it poffible for that man to be happy who cannot look into the fate of his affairs, or the tenor of

SERM.

I.

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SERM. his conduct, without difcerning all to be embroiled; who is either in the midft of remorfe for what he has neglected to do, or in the midft of hurry to overtake what he finds, too late, was neceffary to have been done? Such as live according to order may be compared to the celeftial bodies which move in regular courfes, and by flated laws; whofe influence is beneficent; whofe operations are quiet and tranquil. The diforderly refemble thofe tumultuous elements on earth, which by fudden and violent irruptions, difturb the course of nature. By mifmanagement of affairs, by excess in expense, by irregularity in the indulgence of company and amufement, they are perpetually creating moleftation both to themselves and others. They depart from their road to feek pleasure; and instead of it they every where raise up forrows. Being always found out of their proper place, they of course interfere and jar with others. The disorders which they raise never fail to fpread beyond their own line, and to involve many in confusion

and

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and diftrefs; whence they neceffarily be- SERM come the authors of tumult and contention, of difcord and enmity. Whereas order is the foundation of union. It allows every man to carry on his own affairs. without difturbing his neighbour. It is the golden chain which holds together the focieties of men in friendship and peace.

In fine, the man of order is connected with all the higher powers and principles in the univerfe. He is the follower of God. He walks with him, and acts upon his plan. His character is formed on the fpirit which religion breathes. For religion in general, and the religion of Christ in particular, may be called the great difcipline of order. To walk finfully, and to walk diforderly, are fynonomous terms in Scripture. From fuch as walk diforderly, we are commanded, in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, to withdraw ourselves *. The kingdom of Satan is the reign of diforder and darkness. To reftore order among

2 Theff. iii. 6..

the