soft and tender are thy notes, and ill accord they with so loud an instrument.

Thus something jars, and will for ever jar in these cases.

Imposture is all dissonance, let what master soever of it undertake the part: let him harmonise and modulate it as he may, one tone will contradict another; and whilst we have ears to hear, we shall distinguish it; 'tis truth only which is consistent, and ever in harmony with itself: it sits upon our lips, like the natural notes of some melodies, ready to drop out, whether we will or no ;-it racks no invention to let ourselves alone, and needs fear no critic, to have the same excellency in the heart, which appears in the action.

SERMON XVII.

INHUMANITY.

THERE is a secret shame which attends every act of inhumanity, not to be conquered in the hardest

natures.

Many a man will do a cruel act, who at the same time will blush to look you in the face, and is forced to turn aside before he can have a heart to execute his purpose.

Inconsistent creature that a man is! who, at that instant that he does what is wrong, is not able to withhold his testimony to what is good and praiseworthy.

SERMON III.

INJURY.

An injury unanswered, in course grows weary of itself, and dies away in a voluntary remorse.

In bad dispositions, capable of no restraint but fear-it has a different effect-the silent digestion of one wrong provokes a second.

SERMON XIV.

INSENSIBILITY.

IT is the fate of mankind, too often, to seem insensible of what they may enjoy at the easiest rate.

SERMON XLII.

INSOLENCE.

THE insolence of base minds in success is boundless; and would scarce admit of a comparison, did not they sometimes furnish us with one, in the degrees of their objection when evil returns upon them the same poor heart which excites ungenerous tempers to triumph over a fallen adversary, in some instances seems to exalt them above the point of courage, sinks them in others even below cowardice. Not unlike some little particles of matter struck off from the surface of the dirt by sunshine-dance and sport there whilst it lastsbut the moment 'tis withdrawn-they fall downfor dust they are-and unto dust they will return—

whilst firmer and larger bodies preserve the stations which nature has assigned them, subjected to laws which no changes of weather can alter.

SERMON XXI.

JUDGMENT OF THE WORLD.

To judge justly of the world, we must stand at a due distance from it;—which. will discover to us the vanity of its riches and honours, in such true dimensions, as will engage us to behave ourselves towards them with moderation.-This is all that is wanting to make us wise and good!—that we may be left to the full influence of religion ;-to which Christianity so far conduces, that it is the greatest blessing, the peculiar advantage we enjoy under its institution, that it affords us not only the most excellent precepts of this kind, but it also shows us those precepts confirmed by the most excellent examples.-A heathen philosopher may talk very elegantly about despising the world, and like Seneca may prescribe very ingenious rules to teach us an art he never exercised himself:-for all the while he was writing in praise of poverty, he was enjoying a great estate, and endeavouring to make it greater, but if ever we hope to reduce those rules to practice, it must be by the help of religion.

SERMON XXXVI,

JUSTICE.

EVERY obstruction of the course of justice, is a door opened to betray society, and bereave us of those blessings which it has in view. To stand up for the privilege of such places, is to invite men to sin with a bribe of impunity.-It is a strange way of doing honour to GoD, to screen actions which are a disgrace to humanity.

SERMON XXXV.

JUSTICE AND HONESTY.

JUSTICE and honesty contribute very much towards all the faculties of the mind: I mean, that it clears up the understanding from that mist, which dark and crooked designs are apt to raise in it,—and that it keeps up a regularity in the affections, by suffering no lusts, or by-ends, to disorder them.That it likewise preserves the mind from all damps of grief and melancholy, which are the sure consequences of unjust actions; and that by such an improvemement of the faculties, it makes a man so much the abler to discern, and so much the more cheerful, active, and diligent to mind his business— Light is sown for the righteous, says the prophet, and gladness for the upright in heart.

Secondly, let it be observed,-that in the continuance and course of a virtuous man's affairs, there is little probability of his falling into considerable disappointments or calamities; not only because

guarded by the providence of God, but that honesty is in its own nature the freest from danger.

First, because such a one lays no projects, which it is the interest of the other to blast, and therefore needs no indirect methods or deceitful practices to secure his interest by undermining others.-The paths of virtue are plain and straight, so that the blind, persons of the meanest capacity, shall not err.-Dishonesty requires skill to conduct it, and as great art to conceal-what 'tis every one's interest to detest. And I think I need not remind you how oft it happens in attempts of this kind-where worldly men, in haste to be rich, have overrun the only means to it,-and for want of laying their contrivances with proper cunning, or managing them with proper secresy and advantage, have lost for ever, what they might have certainly secured with honesty and plain-dealing. The general causes of the disappointments in their business, or of the unhappiness in their lives, lying but too manifestly in their own disorderly passions, which, by attempting to carry them a shorter way to riches and honour, disappoint them of both for ever, and make plain, their ruin is from themselves; and that they eat the fruits which their own hands have watered and ripened.

SERMON XXVIII.

THE MERCIFUL MAN.

Look into the world—how often do you behold a sordid wretch,- -whose strait heart is open to no man's affliction, taking shelter behind an appearance of piety, and putting on the garb of religion,