and loiter, till the fun goes down, and leaves us in the dark.

Laftly, if life be a journey, let us keep the great end of it continually in view. We are journeying to our great home---the eternal manfion of fpirits. What is there here to detain us from fuch an end? Our valuables are not about us: they are at home, at the end of our journey. Where our treasure then is, there let our hearts be alfo. It is for want of believing this great truth that we are mifled. If we in earnest believed, that heaven is the place, where our treasure is, we should in earneft endeavour to feek it there.Let us then ftrive to attain this bleffed end of all our la bours. It cannot be a flight poffeffion, which our gracious Redeemer hath purchafed for us with his blood. Let us change our truft in this world. therefore into faith in God through Christ. Let us be thofe firangers, and pilgrims upon earth, of whom the apoftle fpeaks, looking for a manfion prepared for us in the heavens---not like the unflable manfions of this world---but a city, which hath foundations, whofe builder, and founder is God.

SERMON IX.

GENESIS 45. xxiv.

SEE THAT YE FALL NOT OUT BY THE WAY.

IN my laft difcourfe I explained to you the very beautiful scripture-comparison of a journey; and fhewed you, in how many inftances, it bore a resemblance to our paffage through life. I fhall now fhew you, how we ought to behave to each other on this journey. See that ye fall not out by

the way.

These words were spoken by Jofeph to his brethren, after he had made himself known to them in Egypt. He had loaded them with kindnefs; had made each of them a prefent; and had fent them away to their father. At the fame time, confidering the bad difpofition of mankind in general; and

the

the bad difpofition which he knew by experience had formerly appeared in fome of them, he gave them a charge not to fall out by the way---but to travel peaceably like brethren; and make their journey as comfortable to each other, as they could.

I intend, in the following difcourfe, to give the good patriarch's caution a more extenfive sense; and to advise you to travel peaceably together through life; as he advised his brethren to travel peaceably together into Canaan.I fhall fhew you firft, what are the principal caufes of our falling out by the way; and fecondly, the reasons that should prevent it.

the

One of the principal caufes of our falling out by

way, is the little pains we take in governing our paffions, and tempers. As it hath pleafed God to make the fame difference in the difpofitions of men, as in their perfons, we must expect in our journey through life, to meet with as many that differ from us in our humours, as in our faces. All this we fhould confider as matter of courfe. We fhould be prepared for it; and in order to make our journey eafy, and pleafant, we fhould be forbearing, and moderate. To think we can pafs quietly through life without this condefcend

ing temper, would be as abfurd, as to fuppofe people could travel eafily through a frequented road, without mutually giving way. How trou

blesome would it be to travel in fuch a road, if we were continually juftling, and elbowing every one who travelled in a contrary direction? And yet how feldom are we difpofed, in our paffage through life to give way to others? We should often confider (what few of us do confider) that we have wrongneffes in our own difpofitions; and that if we are difpleafed with an oppofition to our humours, we ought to fhew a condefcenfion to the humours of others. The rich should particularly confider these things, whofe ill-difpofitions and petted tempers, are generally full fed with flattery and vanity. Among themselves indeed we commonly find a certain civility of manners, which is fomething like condefcenfion, and in the common occurrences of their journey through life, keeps all tolerably quiet. But tho they may travel decently with their equals, they often treat their inferiors with great contempt. On the other hand thofe in low ftations dare not fhew their illhumour to those above them; but often fhew it with violence enough among each other;-in their families at home efpecially. Follow them

there,

there, and you will often fee thofe, who have juft before been cringing to their fuperiors, tyrannizing in their own houfes with all the pride,

and infolence, and man can work up.

ill-temper, which the mind of Ill-ufage perhaps is added to ill-humour, and the cottage, inftead of being that peaceful habitation, in which poverty is changed into happiness, becomes the horrid dwelling of uproar, confusion, mifery, and diftrefs.---Whereas, if the rich would behave to the poor with at least that decency of manners, with which they behave among themselves---and if the poor would behave to each other, with that inclination to oblige, which they fhew to the rich---all would be well.

Now this condefcenfion to each others humours would not only make travelling the road of life pleasant, but religious. With great wisdom therefore the gofpel enjoins forbearance to each other, which not only produces good neighbourhood; but has certainly a tendency to improve our minds. He who never checks his ill-humours; but lets them take their free course, can have no idea of religious tranquility. Religious fentiments can never dwell in the mind of a man, who burfts into paffion on every flight contradiction---on any little family accident---or public measure,