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through the whole year, as believe that S E R M. human affairs are to continue, for to day and to-morrow, for this year and the next, proceeding in the fame tenor.To render this reflection ftill more ferious, think, I pray you, on what small and inconfiderable causes those changes depend, which affect the fortunes of men, throughout their whole lives. How foon is evil done! There needs no great bustle or ftir, no long preparation of events, to overturn what seems most secure, and to blaft what appears most flourishing. A gale of wind rises on the ocean; and the veffel which carried our friends, or our fortunes, is overwhelmed in the deep. A fpark of a candle falls by night in some neglected corner; and the whole fubftance of families is confumed in flames before the morning. A cafual blow, or a fudden fall, deranges fome of our internal parts; and the reft of life is distress and mifery. It is awful to think, at the mercy of how many seeming contingencies we perpetually

SER M. perpetually lie, for what we call hap+ XVIII. piness in this world.

In the midft, however, of all thefe apparent contingencies, plans and defigns for the future are every day formed; pursuits are undertaken; and life proceeds in its ufual train. Fit and proper it is, that life fhould thus proceed. For the uncertainty of to-morrow was never defigned by Providence, to deter us from acting or planning to day; but only to admonifh us, that we ought to plan, and to act, foberly and wifely. What that wife and fober conduct is which becomes us, what the rules and precautions are, which, in fuch a state as ours, refpect futurity, I now proceed to fhew. They may be comprehended in the following directions. Boaft not thyfelf of to-morrow; Defpair not of tomorrow; Delay not till to-morrow what is proper to be done to-day; Prepare thyfelf for whatever to-morrow may bring forth; Build thy hopes of happiness on fomething more folid and lasting than what

what either to-day or to-morrow will S ERM. produce.

I. In the words of the text, Boaft not thyfelf of to-morrow; that is, never prefume arrogantly on futurity; in the most fair and promifing state of fortune, beware of pride and vanity; beware of refting wholly upon yourselves, and forgetting Him who directs the changes of this mutable ftate, If there be any virtues, which the uncertain condition of the world inculcate on man, they are affuredly, moderation and humility. Man was, for this end, placed in a world, where he knows fo little of what is before him, that he might be impreffed with a sense of his dependence on the Ruler of the world; that he might feel the importance of acquiring favour and protection from Heaven, by a life of piety and virtue; and that, not knowing how foon his own condition may be the fame with that of the most wretched, he might be prompted to act towards all his brethren the humane and friendly

VOL. IV.

Bb

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SER M. friendly part.-The favours which Providence beftows upon him at prefent, he ought to receive with thankfulnefs, and may enjoy with chearfulness. Though commanded not to boast himSelf of to-morrow, the meaning of the precept is not, that he must be fad to day. Rejoice he may in the day of profperity: but certainly, Rejoice with trembling, is the infcription that should be written on all human pleasures.

As for them who, intoxicated with thofe pleasures, become giddy and infolent; who flattered by the illufions of profperity, make light of every ferious admonition which the changes of the world give them, what can I fay too ftrong to alarm them of their danger? -They have faid to themselves, My mountain ftands ftrong, and shall never be moved. To-morrow shall be as this day, and more abundantly. I fhall never fee adverfity.-Rafh and wretched men! are you fenfible how impious fuch words are? To the world, perhaps you dare not utter them; but they speak the fecret language of your heart. Know,

you

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you are ufurping upon Providence ; SER M. you are setting Heaven at defiance; you are not only preparing fharper ftings for yourselves, when the changes of life fhall come, but you are accelerating those changes; you are faft bringing ruin upon your own heads.

For

God will not fuffer pride in man; and the experience of all ages hath shown, how careful he is to check it. In a thousand memorable inftances, the course of his government has been vifibly pointed against it. He fheweth Strength with his arm, and fcattereth the proud in the imaginations of their hearts. The day of the Lord is upon every one that is proud and lifted up; to humble the lofty looks of man, and to ftain the pride of all glory*. Some of the minifters of divine pleasure are commiffioned to go forth; and to humble without delay, the boasters of to-morrow.

II. As

Bb 2

Luke i. 15.

Ifaiah ii. II.

xxiii. 9..