SERMON VIII.

Of INABILITY to do GooD arifing from VICIOUS HABITS.

SERM.

VIII.

JEREMIAH xiii. 23.

Can the Ethiopian change his fkin, or the leopard his fpots? then may ye alfo do good that are accustomed to do evil.

A

Ş nothing is more neceffary to a rational conduct, and to our pursuing the proper ends of life, as becometh intelligent creatures, than to enquire into the various capacities and fprings of action, which are in our nature, how far the exercise of them dependeth upon our own power, and choice, and how it ought to be directed; so the nature, the force, the forming, and regulating of habits, have an important part in this inquiry, because it is certain habits have a very great share in governing our practice.

By a habit, I mean a difpofition to act after a particular manner with eafe, dexterity, and pleasure, acquired by frequently repeat

ing the fame action. We can none of us be SER M. fo much ftrangers to ourselves and to man- VIII. kind, as not to know the truth of the fact which hath been afferted concerning habits; we find them in our felves, and we plainly difcern them in others; we know that men once difinclined to a particular kind of action, and who performed it very awkwardly, if they attempted it at all, have afterwards, by cuftom, attained to a facility in it, and a fondness for it. And we know that a defire to fome things is formed and raised to great vehemence by habit, as well as that ability and skill is acquired in exercises either of the body or mind. Scarcely is their any of our powers, or inftincts, which is not capable of improvement in this way: the eye by a proper, customary, but at the fame time voluntary direction to its object, becometh more skilful in its difcernment, and thereby bringeth various entertainment to the mind: the ear, by an habitual attention, learneth more accurately to perceive the diftinction and harmony of founds; the taste becometh more delicate and refined; the understanding groweth up to maturity and strength, with pleasure in the exercise of it, by a diligent and well conducted application; the lower affections become immoderate by indulgence;

I

SERM. indulgence; paffions grow furious; and on VIII. the other hand, the best affections also are ftrengthened by ufe. Befides all this, in many cafes, habits are not only to be confidered as acceffaries, confirming, and encreafing the tendencies of nature, they are often the fole principles of action; that which men had no natural determination to, but were perfectly indifferent about, by cuftom becometh pleafant, nay, they are vehemently inclined to it. If we confider the conftitution and state of man in this world, we fhall be convinced that this appearance is very fuitable to the ends of it, and therefore wifely ordered by defigning providence. We are born in a very weak imperfect condition, with a remote capacity of acting the part which is appointed for us, but we grow up to an immediate fitnefs for it by degrees, our directing and active powers, advance gradually to their maturity. On the part of our bountiful and wife creatör, we are furnished with every thing which is needful and convenient for our ftate of existence; we have the neceffary fenfes, inftincts, understanding, and affections, and providence supplieth us with the proper objects of all these powers, and the proper materials for improving them. Now, what could be more fuitable than that fuch crea

3

tures

tures fhould arrive to the perfect ufe of their SER M. faculties by the exercise of them, and that the VIII. ends and enjoyment of life fhould fo far depend upon themselves, that they should finish their own qualifications for their voluntary works, and, by practice, that manner of acting become pleasant to them which they chufe. A great deal of our knowledge of the world which may be useful to our felves proceedeth from obfervation and experience; and that knowledge directeth the business of life in a much larger extent than the original instincts of nature could do of themselves, and without fuch affistance. It is their observing the convenience to themselves, which arifeth from them, that putteth men upon learning arts and fciences, and it is an advantage, that useful labour by habit is made pleasant and easy. But the more extensive the influence of habits is, the more do they require our attention, the rather because the very being of them, and their ftrength and influence depend upon our felves. For our original defires we are not accountable, they are not wholly fubject to our own choice; but the propenfities contracted by our own voluntary acts are directly imputed to us, whether they be good or bad. As habits, or rather a capacity of them, and mans being VOL. IV. fubject

P

SERM. fubject to them, properly belongeth to the VIII. human conftitution, and is worthy of the

wifdom, and goodness of its author; fo, like other things in our imperfect and mutable ftate, it is capable of being abused to evil : our greatest perfection of virtue confifteth in good habits, and is attained by conftant practice, and the greatest wickedness men fall into, is by accuftoming themselves to do evil. It is this latter my text leadeth me to confi-der, and the prophet reprefenteth it in fo ftrong terms, as if vicious habits rendered men wholly impotent to good, as uncapable of it, as a creature is of changing its very nature. Can the Ethiopian change his fkin, or the leopard his fpot? I will in this dif course,

First, Confider and endeavour to explain
the nature of evil habits, particularly
the tendency of them, to render men
indifpofed to moral goodness.
Secondly, Will fhew you in what fenfe the
doctrine of the text is to be understood,
or that difability to do good, which is
contracted by being accuftomed to do
evil.

Thirdly, direct you to the proper applica

tion of it.