290 Attending public Infiru5Çlïo; S E R M. fervice of God's being infipid and burthen. XI. fome to us, and of our being indifferent "--"Y"--/ and fpiritlefs in it, againft which we fhould guard with the utmoft care, and always en- deavour with alacrity and vigor to ufe the means of our religious inflru&ion and im- provement. Let us, my brethren, very ferioufly confi- fider this important declaration in the text, that they are bleffed who hear wifdom, watching at her gates, and the polls of her doors. If wifdom be in itfelf an excellent attainment, the very perfection and integri- ty of the human nature, if its ways be pleafantnefs and peace, and will entitle us to a great future reward, then certainly we Mould feek it with the greateft earneftnefs, cry after it, as Solomon fpeaketh, and ufe diligently all proper means for attaining it. As they are bleffed who hear, on the contrary, they make themfelves unhappy who defpife inftrution ; as it is faid at ver, 36. of this chapter, in the name of wifdom, He that /inneth againfl me, wrongeth his own foul ; all they that hate me, love death ; and yet more fully, in the firft chapter of this book from the 24th verfe, the miferable effefts of fuch defpite to wifdom are laid before us, becaufe I have called and ye re- futed,
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