may furnish a tranfient pleasure, but what will bring us peace at the laft, and fit us for better fociety, than any which can be found on earth, that of angels, and of just men made perfect in heaven.

The reverence we owe to God fhould render us more folicitous to please him than men, however exalted, however able to advance us to honour and profit; for, let us feriously reflect, how little will avail the favour of the world, and the greatest potentates in it, against the displeasure of the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, the Most High God.

SERMON

XIII.

On the DUTY of preventing EVIL, by actual Coercion, as well as by Advice and Remonftrance.

I SAM. XXV. 32, 33.

And David faid to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Ifrael, who fent thee this day

to meet me.

And bleffed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, who haft kept me this day from coming to fhed blood, and from avenging myself with my own band.

THE

HE text exhibits a remarkable inftance of human folly, and the happiness of reftraining it. David had rafhly engaged in a vindictive enterprise, which could not but redound to his difgrace, and involve him in guilt. He intended to avenge himself with his own hand, where there had been but a flight provocation; and to fhed innocent blood, in a most unjust and dishoU 2 nourable

nourable cause.

But Abigail met him as he was on his journey, and, by a seasonable remonftrance, deterred him from the execution of his fanguinary purpose. On her reprefentation, he fees his intention in its true light, and abhors it. Exulting in the conqueft over himself, he breaks out in the words of the text, which I have here selected for your present consideration.

I mean to take occasion from these words, to lay before you the wisdom and the kindnefs of preventing mischief, either by good advice, or by more effectual precautions.

Nothing is more common than to hear parents deploring the profligacy of their children, when arrived at the manly age. The pleasure which their little ones afforded them, is then converted into anguish. Their own offspring is become a fcourge to them. They with, when perhaps it is too late, that they had exercifed that wholefome difcipline over them, which prudence directs and experience fully juftifies.

The parent advises his fon to purfue a wifer conduct, and laments his degeneracy; but the advice is too late. The tafte of the young man is vitiated, his heart is corrupted, his habits are confirmed. Ruin and difgrace in

volve both the parent and offspring in mifery, which timely care might easily have prevented.

There are many cafes worse than mere ignorance, and want of accomplishments or qualifications, which careless parents will have cause to deplore. The boy no fooner arrives at the years which should be years of discretion, than he fhews the difpofitions of a prodigal fon. The parent is surprised, and ready to blame every thing and every perfon but himself, often the fole cause of the evil which he laments. He allowed his fon, when a child, every licentious indulgence, and encouraged all his capricious wants. Unaccustomed to reftraint, the young man cannot bear it with patience. He eagerly obeys the impulfe of his paffions and appetites. They grow more unruly by indulgence. The confequences are, indeed, fevere punishments. The youth fuffers much more than he ever enjoyed. Happy, if at laft he grows wife by dear-bought experience! How much less trouble would have been felt, lefs expence and lefs infamy incurred, if proper care had been taken, in early youth, to prevent, in the very bud, the growth of a vicious principle.

Health, peace, innocence, reputation, and fortune, might have been preserved uninjured

by timely care, though they can feldom be recovered when once they are lost.

If these things were duly confidered, none furely would be disposed to controvert the neceffity of early inftruction in piety and virtue, as well as in the polite accomplishments and the pursuits of fcience and elegant letters. The greater part of mankind are happily perfuaded of this neceffity; but yet there are fone among the frivolous and pleasurable, who seem to pay little attention to it, and even to argue against all ftrictness and regularity of difcipline. They ufually fuffer feverely in confequence of their mistake, and are frequently found, in the advanced periods of life, to acknowledge it with shame and forrow.

For the actual prevention of young perfons from folly and ruinous expence and diffipation, let no one perfuade himself that precept and admonition will be sufficient. They will indeed effect much; but, I think, it will be neceffary to add to them, fome real reftraints, by the exercise of perfonal authority. Parents are too timid in the exertion of that power with which nature and reason have invefted them, for the laudable purpose of preserving their inexperienced offspring from

those