SERM. courfing of. How it comes to pass I know

I.

not; but fo it is, that we are most of us in
fected with a Notion, that this Season not only
excufes, but even juftifies, our allowing our
felves in fuch Irregularities and Extravagancies
of Life, as we ourselves should be afhamed of
at any other time.
But certainly if we con-
fider of it, this is the most improper Seafon,
if there can be any one more fo than another,
for Senfuality and Intemperance. The My-
ftery we now commemorate is the Birth of
the Son of GOD, who was made manifeft for
this purpose, that He might deftroy the Works
of the Devil. Can any thing then be more
abfurd, than that we fhould waste the time
of this Holy Seafon in the practice of those
wicked Works which he came to destroy?
That we should fo far forget, or fo little con-
fider the Design of his Coming, as to live and
act in direct Oppofition to it?

But it may be, you will think this Advice comes a little too late; and that it is very improper to caution People against abusing a Festival after the time is expired. In answer to which it may be faid, that this Advice need not, unless we will make it fo, be without its ufe now. For if we were fo prone to exceed the Bounds of Temperance and So

briety at the time it felf, it will follow, from SER M. thence, as has been fhewed under the

Third Head, That we ought to make the ftrictest Enquiry and Examination whether we have not done fo, now the time is over. We fee that the Days of his Sons Feaftings were no fooner over, but Job rofe up early in the Morning and fent and fanctified them. He loft no time, not fo much as deferred a Day, If therefore we have followed the Example of his Sons in one refpect, we ought to copy after their good Father in the other: If we have Feafted in our Houses, every one our Day, and sent and called for our Neighbours to eat and to drink with us; We ought, now the Days of our Feafting are gone about, to rise up early in the Morning, and to offer Burnt Offer ings according to the Number of us all: i. e. we should every one of us examine into our past Behaviour, and endeavour to atone for whatever may have been rafhly committed, or have inconfiderately flipped from us, fince it may be, notwithstanding all our Caution, that we have finned and curfed GOD in our Hearts. This will certainly have that good Effect upon us, as to make us more watchful over our felves for the Future, and not fo apt to give the Reins to our unreafonable Inclinations.

2

I.

tions. Befides which, we have this further Advantage from an early Examination, that our Slips and Errors will not fo foon have escaped us, but that, by a little Reflection, we may foon call them to mind: Whereas when we go on for any confiderable time unexamined, one Sin may drive out another, and fo a great many Sins go unrepented of: Our Memory, for the generality, being very frail where it is irksome to us to have it otherwise.

I fhall only add one thing more, and that is, that a bare Sufpicion that we have finned and offended GOD, during this Seafon, is ground enough to feek Reconcilement with Him. Job only faid, It may be that my Sons have finned, but yet That he thought a fufficient Reason why he should send and fanctify them. And I fear there are very few of us, but of whom it may be faid without Offence, It may be that we have finned: And therefore, though we may not accuse our felves in our present Thoughts of any Offence; yet the bare Poffibility of having offended fhould be fufficient to prompt us to the Examination I have been discourfing of: That fo whatever we may have been guilty of, in commemorating the First Coming of our Lord in Humility, may be forgiven us upon our Repen

Repentance, and all of us be admitted to meet Him at His Second Coming in Glory, with Joy and Gladness.

Which God of his Infinite Mercy grant for

the fake of the fame, his moft dearly be loved Son Jefus Christ our Lord, to whom with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be afcribed, as is most due, all Honour and Glory Might, Majefty and Dominion, now and for ever. Amen.

SERM.

I.

VOL. I. D SERMON

SERM.

II.

SERMON II.

The Schools of the PROPHETS.

AMOS vii. 14, 15. .

Then answered Amos, and faid to Amaziah, I was no Prophet, neither was I a Prophet's Son; but I was an Herdman, and a Gatherer of Sycomore Fruit.

And the LORD took me, as I followed the Flock, and the LORD faid unto me, Go, prophesy unto my People Ifrael.

T

O come at the full Senfe and Meaning of thefe Words, we have no Occafion to look any further backward than to the tenth Verfe. We may there read that this Amaziah, to whom the Prophet here fpeaks, was the idolatrous Priest of Bethel, which was one of the High-Places where Jeroboam, the Son of Nebat, had erected a Calf for the Ten Tribes to worship, to prevent their returning to their Allegiance to the