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PROVERBS Xix. 27.

Ceafe, my Son, to hear the Inftruction that causeth to err from the Words of Knowledge.

T

CHAT by the Words of Knowledge in the Text we are to understand the Principles and Dictates of Virtue and Religion, is fo well known to all who are in the least acquainted with the Language of Scripture, efpecially of the Book of Pfalms, the Proverbs, and other Writings of the like Kind, that there is no need to infift upon the Proof of it. This being admitted, the Wife Man's Advice in the Text amounts to this; That we fhould be careful to guard against the Arts and Infinuations of fuch as fet up for Teachers of Infidelity and

Irreligion.
VOL. III.

B

Thefe

Thefe Teachers are not here confidered under the Character of vicious and profligate Men, given up to the Exceffes of Lewdness, or to be distinguished by any Marks of defperate or notorious Wickedness: They are spoken of only as Inftructors, as Disputers, and as Reasoners against the Words of Knowledge. Such the Wife King forewarns us of, advising us to keep at a Distance from Danger, and to stop our Ears against their pernicious Enchantments. He had often before fpoken of the Danger of affociating with wicked Men, who fleep not, except they do Mifchief; who eat the Bread of Wickedness, and drink the Wine of Violence: But here he points out to us another Sort; Men who have arrived to a Pitch of being gravely and seriously irreligious; who spend their coolest Hours and their calmeft Thoughts in the Service of Infidelity, and are maliciously diligent to pervert Men from the Acknowledgment of the Truth, and by the very Arms of Heaven, Reason and Understanding, to enlarge the Bounds of the Kingdom of Darkness.

There are two Things, which, in fpeaking to this Subject, I would beg leave to recommend to your ferious Confideration :

2

First,

First, The feveral Temptations which Men lie under to liften to fuch Inftructors as the Text refers to.

Secondly, The great Danger there is in liftening to them.

It is one Step towards Security to see the Dangers we are expofed to: For, when we know the weak Places, which are least able to fupport themselves against the Enemy's Strength, we shall double our Diligence to guard against any Surprize from thofe Parts. It will be of great Service to us therefore to know the Weakneffes of our own Minds, to understand the Prejudices and Paffions which confpire together to deliver us up as a Prey to those who lie in wait for our Ruin. This, if any thing, will enable us to rescue ourfelves, by arming us with Resolution to withstand the Temptations which we are acquainted with beforehand. Infidelity has no Rewards or Punishments to beftow: It affords at best but a very hopeless and comfortless Profpect: Which would make a confidering Man wonder whence the Temptations to it should arife, and what should give that Keenness which appears the Paffion with which fome Men maintain and propagate it. Wicked and profligate

B 2

in

Men

Men indeed are under fome Temptation from Self-Intereft to wish well to the Cause of Infidelity, in oppofition to both Natural and Revealed Religion; because it fets them free from the Fears of Futurity, and delivers them from the many uneafy Thoughts that attend them in all their vicious Pleasures and Enjoyments. To live at once under the Dominion of our Paffions and the Rebuke of our Minds, to be perpetually doing what we are perpetually condemning, is of all others the most wretched Condition: And it is no wonder that any Man fhould strive to be delivered from it, or that thofe, who refolve to enjoy the Pleasure of Sin here, fhould wish to be delivered from the Fear of Punishment hereafter. This then is a very great Temptation to Men to hope that all their Fears are falfe and ill-grounded; and that Religion, from whence they flow, is nothing but the Cunning of wise Men, and the Simplicity of weak ones. Since therefore the Fears and Apprehenfions of Guilt are fuch ftrong Motives to Infidelity, the Innocence of the Heart is abfolutely neceffary to preserve the Freedom of the Mind: Which, if duly weighed, is a good Reason why a Man, as long as he finds

himself

himself swayed by Appetite and the Pleasures of Vice, fhould fufpect his own Judgment in a Matter where his Reason is so absolutely chained down by Paffion and Interest, and difabled from exerting itself to do its proper Work and Office.

Confider too; In the most unhappy Circumstances of Sin and Guilt, Religion opens to us a much fafer and more certain Retreat, than Infidelity can poffibly afford, and will more effectually extinguish the Fears and Torments we labour under, and reftore the long-forgotten Peace and Tranquillity of the Mind: For, after all the Pains we can take with ourselves to close up our Minds, and to fhut out the Belief of a fuperior overruling Power, and of a future State of Rewards and Punishments, we cannot be fecure of enjoying long even the Comfort we propose to ourselves from it in this Life. We may not always have Strength enough to fubdue natural Senfe and Reason. fudden Shock, either in our Health or in our Fortune, will difperfe our animal Spirits, and all the gay Imaginations which attend them, and give us up once again to the cruel Torments of cool Thought and Reflection. Then will our Fears rally their Forces, and B 3

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