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SERM, fhalt neglect to exert thyself in performing the part affigned thee.

HAVING now shown the importance of exercifing government over the heart, I proceed to confider more particularly in what that government confifts, as it respects the thoughts, the paffions, and the temper.

I begin with the thoughts, which are the prime movers of the whole human conduct, All that makes a figure on the great theatre of the world, the employments of the bufy, the enterprizes of the ambitious, and the exploits of the warlike, the virtues which form the happiness, and the crimes which occafion the mifery of mankind, originate in that filent and fecret recefs of thought which is hidden from every human eye. The fecrecy and filence which reign there, favour the prejudice entertained by too many, that thought is exempted from all controul. Paffions, they perhaps admit, require government and restraint, because they are violent emotions, and disturb fo

cięty.

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ciety. But with their thoughts, they plead, SERM. no one is concerned. By thefe, as long as they remain in their bofom, no offence can be given, and no injury committed. To enjoy unreftrained the full range of imagination, appears to them the native right and privilege of man.

Had they to do with none but their fellow-creatures, such reasoning might be fpecious. But they ought to remember, that, in the fight of the Supreme Being, thoughts bear the character of good or evil, as much as actions; and that they are, in efpecial manner, the subjects of divine jurifdiction, because they are cognizable at no other tribunal. The moral regulation of our thoughts, is the particular test of our reverence for God. If we reftrain our paffions from breaking forth into open diforders, while we abandon our imagination in fecret to corruption, we show that virtue refts with us upon regard to men; and that however we may act a part in public with propriety, there is before our eyes no fear of that God who fearcheth the

SERM. heart, and requireth truth in the inward

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parts.

But, even abftracting from this awful confideration, the government of our thoughts must appear to be of high confequence, from their direct influence on conduct. It is plain, that thought gives the firft impulse to every principle of action. Actions are, in truth, no other than thoughts ripened into confiftency and substance. So certain is this, that to judge with precision of the character of any man, and to foretell with confidence what part he will act, no more were requifite, than to be rendered capable of viewing the current of thought which paffes moft frequently within him. Though by fuch a method we have no accefs to judge of one another, yet thus it is always in our power to judge of ourselves. Each of us, by impartially fcrutinizing his indulged and favourite thoughts, may difcover the whole fecret of his real character. This confideration alone is fufficient to fhow, of what importance the government of thought is to the keeping of the heart.

BUT,

As

BUT, fuppofing us convinced of its importance, a question may arife, How far it is within our power, and in what degree thoughts are fubject to the command of the will? It is plain that they are not always the offspring of choice. Often they are inevitably impreffed upon the mind by furrounding objects. Often they start up, as of themselves, without any principle of introduction which we are able to trace. the wind bloweth where it lifteth, and thou canft not tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth, equally rapid in its tranfitions, and infcrutable in its progrefs, is the course of thought. Moving along a train of connections which are too delicate for our observation, it defeats all endeavours either to explore or to ftop its path. Hence vain and fantastic imaginations fometimes break in upon the most fettled attention, and difturb even the devout exercises of pious minds. Inftances of this fort must be placed to the account of human frailty. They are misfortunes to be deplored, rather than crimes to be condemned; and our gracious

Creator

SERM.

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SERM. Creator, who knows our frame, and remem

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bers we are duft, will not be fevere in marking every fuch error and wandering of the mind. But, after these allowances are made, ftill there remains much scope for the proper government of thought; and a multitude of cafes occur, in which we are no less accountable for what we think, than for what we do.

Next,

As, firft, when the introduction of any train of thought depends upon ourselves, and is our voluntary act; by turning our attention towards fuch objects, awakening fuch paffions, or engaging in fuch employments, as we know must give a peculiar determination to our thoughts. when thoughts, by whatever accident they may have been originally fuggested, are indulged with deliberation and complacency. Though the mind has been paffive in their reception, and, therefore, free from blame; yet, if it be active in their continuance, the guilt becomes its own. They may have intruded at firft, like unbidden guests; but if, when entered, they are made welcome,