Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

It is a fafe general rule for those who would SER M. maintain their integrity, to be always jea- XI. lous over themselves with a godly jealoufy, always watchful against the beginnings of declenfions from the paths of virtue and from a good temper of mind, left their hearts be hardened through the deceitfulness of fin, which is an evil men do not fall into fuddenly, but by leisurely and, for the most part, unobserved degrees; but there is no cafe at all in which this rule is more needful, and ought to be more carefully attended to, than that which we are now confidering. For covetoufnefs putteth on fuch plausible appearances of innocence, nay, and of virtue, and supporteth itself with fuch fpecious pretences, as, if it were poffible, to deceive the elect, the most fincere and heavenly minded chriftians. If indeed, we only represent this fin to our own minds in its moft odious forms, if we only figure to ourselves the character of an abandoned mifer, who continually drudgeth in quest of riches, which he is inceffantly heaping up, without ever enjoying; he holdeth them fast against the loudest calls of humanity and compaffion, and by faving expences to increase his wealth, liveth in a most fordid and indecent manner, this appeareth exVOL. IV. Y tremely

SERM. tremely contemptible, and we are ready to XI. blefs ourselves as having more large and ge

1

nerous hearts, and to imagine, it is impoffible

we fhould ever be in fuch a wretched ftate of mind, faying in our hearts as Hazael faid to the prophet when he foretold his future cruelties, are we dogs that we should be guilty of fuch vile and defpicable things. But take heed, and beware of covetoufnefs; though fuch heights may be at prefent your averfion and appear abominable, you may be guilty of that fin in lower degrees; which, if indulged, may infenfibly lead you on to greater exceffes, and the greatest security against them will be, to check the inordinate affection, in whatever inftances it difcovereth it felf.

To have our minds fortified against this moft enfnaring evil, nothing is more neceffary than to trip it of the difguifes it weareth, which is pretty difficult to do; for here the bounds of virtue and vice are fo near that the tranfition is eafy from one to the other, and their colours have fuch a refemblance that it requires great attention not to mistake them. Honeft induftry for the comfortable support of ourselves and our families is our duty; an exceffive labour for wealth with anxiety, which doth not allow room for better affections to exert themfelves, nor leifure for the much

more

more important business of religion, is a fin; SERM, fober frugality in regulating the expences of XI. living, and avoiding a needlefs profufion and fuperfluity, is a virtue; ftingy parfimony witholding more than is meet, more than prudence requireth or a discreet liberality inclineth to, this is a vice; to feek riches, or more than what neceffity requireth, for the purposes of charity; to work diligently with ones hands, or in any way of an honest calling, that he may have fomewhat to fpare to them who need, is highly commendable; to be very intent on getting gain, without an habitual prevailing intention to make fuch use of it as religion directeth, and without a fuperior regard to charity and virtue, is inconsistent with true piety and that love of God in which the effence of it confifteth.

To be effectually preferved from covetoufnefs, let us remember that other vices are to be avoided, and all the deeds of the body mortified together. Pride and luxury, under the fpecious names of decency and generofity, make very expenfive demands, and to answer them, great wealth must be heaped up; fo that through the influence of other corrupt affections the heart becomes really covetous, at the fame time imagining it felf to be quite otherwise. Again, to cure this unhappy dif

[blocks in formation]

SERM. temper of mind or prevent it, let us endeavour XI. to strengthen in our felves by a careful attention to the juft motives of it, a fincere and

1

pious confidence in God. This is what our Saviour recommendeth in his fermon on the mount, as the best preservative from the fervice of Mammon, utterly incompatable with the service of God, and from exceffive thoughtfulness for the morrow, against which he warneth his difciples, that is, a tormenting folicitude for the conveniences and enjoyments of life, and for avoiding the troubles of it. Our heavenly Father knoweth what we need, and his goodness always inclineth him to give his creatures that which is convenient for them; it will not suffer his pious children and faithful fervants, to want any thing which is neceffary to their true happiness. We may be affured our care for the things of the world and abudance of poffeffions in it, is to an extreme, and not without covetoufnefs, when it is attended with perturbation; for God would have us, trufting in him, and principally folicitous about a treasure in heaven, to poffefs our minds in an eafy contentedness, and even indifference to circumftances of our outward condition in life; feek firft the kingdom of God and his righteoufnefs, and then all things shall be added to you.

SER

SERMON XII.

The proper IMPROVEMENT of
Temporal Poffeffions.

LUKE XVI. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. And the Lord commended the unjust steward because he had done wifely; for the children of this world are in their generation wifer than the children of light. And, I fay unto you, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting babitations. He that is faithful in that which is leaft, is faithful also in much; and he that is unjuft in the least, is unjust also in much. If, therefore, you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who shall give you that which is your own?

T'

HESE verfes contain a very apt fimi- SERM. litude which our Saviour ufeth to XII. teach his followers the neceffity of improving riches, and by parity of reafon, other

¥ 3

gifts

« AnteriorContinuar »