EPHES. V. 15, 16.

See then that ye walk circumfpectly, not as fools, but as wife, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

HERE are bleffings known, efteemed, admired,

THER

and used by all, and in the ufe of which every perfon finds pleasure and profit, to the ufe of which therefore none need excitation or encouragement, and yet which require a certain recommendation if we would perceive their entire value, ufe them in the best manner, and obtain as much pleasure and profit from them as they are calculated to afford. Of this kind, undoubtedly, is focial life. Who does not know and feel that man is formed for intercourfe with his brethren, for communicating to them of what he is and has, for the exchange of his thoughts and fentiments with theirs? Who has not tafted the pleasures and joys of focial life, and been charmed with the fweets of them? Who does not prefer it to abfolute and conftant folitude? Who then does not find in himself sufficient impulfe to the use and enjoyment of it? How feldom is it neceffary, comparatively fpeaking, to caution our acquaintance against too ftrong a propensity to retirement, or to exhort them to go into company, in

the

the ordinary sense of the word! How much more eafily, and how much more frequently, upon the whole, do we not run into the extreme on this fide than on the other!

and procures us all Whether we prize blind impulfe, not

But whether this fociability is that it might be and procure? and affect it, not merely from merely to fly from ourselves, not merely for following the prevailing fashion, but on plain and acknow、 ledged principles? Whether we understand and feel what it is that gives it its really great value? And whether it is of that value to us, or affords us all thofe fatisfactions and advantages, which we may feek in it and expect from it? These are matters whereon, notwithstanding the univerfally strong propenfity to focial life, perhaps but few people ever reflect, and in regard to which probably but few are able to give themselves a fatisfactory account. Man is a focial being, fince he naturally poffeffes difpofitions and capacities for fociety, and finds pleasure in it; fince he hears fociability praised, and readily complies with the fashion that is most prevalent at certain times and among particular people. But, whether he be focial in the best and most honourable manner to the wife and virtuous man, to the chriftian, and reap from his fociable turn the greatest utility poffible, the most harmless and most noble pleafures, about this he too feldom concerns himself and hence it is that this very inftinct is fo often a burthen, even to its admirers and encomiafts, and fo feldom

f;

1

feldom comes up to their expectations. My defign at prefent is to give you a few directions in reflecting on fociablenefs, towards a founder judgment and a better use of it. Accordingly, we will investigate together the value of focial life.

For more accurately ascertaining it, we fhall have two queftions to anfwer. The firft is: How muft focial life be managed in order to render it of a certain value? The other: What gives it this value, or, wherein confifts the value of it?

These investigations will teach us how we are to walk circumspectly, according to the apoftolical exhortation in our text, and not to behave as fools in regard of focial life, but as wife, adapting ourselves to times or circumstances, and making the 'best use of both.

Sociablenefs, my pious hearers, is always better than unsociableness; a defective use of this natural impulfe, or this propenfity founded in education and improved by intercourse, is better than the total difufe of it. But all fociableness is not rational and christian, every kind of focial life is not of great value. Neither all fociableness nor every kind of focial life is able to procure us lafting advantage and real pleasure. Principally, by the absence and avoidance of feveral defects and imperfections; principally by the prefence and the united activity of feveral good properties and virtues, does focial life become and afford what it may and ought; by this means does it principally acquire that value which renders it worthy of our high esteem and participa

tion. And what are then the good properties, the virtues, we are to bring with us into social life, and exert therein; what the faults we have to avoid, if we would have it of great value to us?

Honefty and opennefs of heart is the first good property, the first virtue we must introduce with us and exercife in focial life; to be deftitute of all reftraint and all circumfpection, is, on the other hand, the first fault we must avoid, and therewith the groffnefs which is its infeparable attendant. To be fociable implies to communicate to one another our thoughts, our fentiments, to compare together our opinions and views, to barter them against each other, and to rectify and improve them by each other. Would you reap this benefit from it, my pious hearers? Then muft truth be in your discourses, in your geftures, in your looks, in the tone of your voice, and in your whole attitude and behaviour; then must you actually think and feel what you pretend to think and to feel, be that in reality for which you are defirous to be taken. Then muft you therefore not lock up your thoughts within your own breasts, and not reject every reflection and sentiment, every opinion which is not yet marked with the ftamp of the mode, or the prevailing fashion of the day, and is not thoroughly and univerfally current; then must you not feduloufly ftrive to conceal yourself from others; not torment yourself with a scrupulofity that kills all the vivacity and sprightliness of converfation, at every word you

utter,

utter, every sentiment that arises in your bofom,

every feature of your face, every gefture of your body, as if you were afraid of betraying the true ftate of your mind; then must you neither regard focial life as an intercourfe of impoftures, nor use it as a school of diffimulation. This would not be a fair, honourable and obliging commutation of what we are and have, but an artful, and fraudulent intercourse, impofing upon others what we are not and do not poffefs, and yet would appear to be and to have. By this means focial life would be turned into a low farce; and what value could it then be of to thinking and fenfible men?

Beware, however, of imagining that honesty and openness of heart is incompatible with circumfpection and prudence. Though you communicate freely and honestly with others, you have no need on that account to repofe a blind confidence in all you meet; to disclose to every one the inmost thoughts and sentiments of your heart. Though you do not difsemble, do not give yourself out for better than you are, you are not therefore unneceffarily to reveal all your infirmities and failings. Though you fay to others nothing but what you think and feel, you need not therefore directly tell every one whatever you think and whatever you feel. Though you fhun the anxiety of exceffive fcrupulofity about whatever you speak and do, you need not therefore fpeak and act without prudence and circumfpection.

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