III. crowns all other good difpofitions, and SERM. comprehends the general effect which they ought to produce on the heart. SUCH, on the whole, is the temper, or habitual frame of mind, in a good man: Devout towards God; towards men, peaceable, candid, affectionate and humane; within himself, humble, contented and cheerful. To the establishment of this happy temper all the directions which I before fuggefted for the due regulation of the thoughts, and for the government of the paffions, naturally conduce; in this they ought to iffue; and when this temper is thoroughly formed within us, then may the heart be esteemed to have been kept with all diligence. That we may be thus enabled to keep it, for the fake both of present enjoyment and of preparation for greater happiness, let us earneftly pray to Heaven. A greater bleffing we cannot implore of the Almighty, than that he who made the human heart, and who knows its frail SERM. ties, would affift us to fubject it to that III. discipline which religion requires, which reafon approves, but which his grace alone can enable us to maintain. SERMON IV. On the UNCHANGEABLENESS of the JAMES i. 17. Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. IV. THE divine nature, in fome views, SERM. attracts our love; in others, commands our reverence; in all, is entitled to the highest attention from the human mind. We never elevate our thoughts, in a proper manner, towards the Supreme Being, without returning to our own fphere with fentiments more improved; and if, at any time, his greatness oppreffes our thoughts, IV. SERM. his moral perfections always afford us relief. His almighty power, his infinite wifdom and fupreme goodness, are founds familiar to our ears. In his immutability we are lefs accuftomed to confider him; and yet it is this perfection which, perhaps, more than any other diftinguishes the divine nature from the human; gives complete energy to all its other attributes, and entitles it to the highest adoration. For, hence are derived the regular order of nature and the ftedfaftness of the universe. Hence flows the unchanging tenor of thofe laws which, from age to age, regulate the conduct of mankind. Hence the uniformity of that Government, and the certainty of those promises, which are the ground of our trust and fecurity. Goodnefs could produce no more than feeble and wavering hopes, and power would command very imperfect reverence, if we were left to fufpect that the plans which goodness had framed might alter, or that the power of carrying them into execution might decrease. The contemplation of God, there fore, fore, as unchangeable in his nature and in all his perfections, muft undoubtedly be fruitful both of inftruction and of confolation to man. I fhall, first, endeavour to iHuftrate in fome degree the nature of the divine immutability; and then make application of it to our own conduct. EVERY good and every perfect gift cometh down from the Father of Lights. The title which in the text is given to the Deity,carries an elegant allufion to the Sun, the fource of light, the most universal benefactor of nature, the moft regular and conftant of all the great bodies with which we are acquainted in the universe. Yet even with the Sun there are certain degrees of variableness. He apparently rifes and fets; he seems to approach nearer to us in fummer, and to retire farther off in winter; his influence is varied by the seasons, and his luftre is affected by the clouds. Whereas with him who is the Father of Lights, of whofe everlasting brightness the glory of the Sun is but a faint image, there SER M. IV. |