fomething more ftill: your life itself is in his hand. Though outward things were ever fo fta. ble in themselves, they are altogether precarious as to us. We know not what a day or a night may bring forth, or at what time our fouls fhall be required at our hands. This furely ought, and if it be seriously attended to certainly will weaken our attachment to the things of a prefent world; according to the inference drawn from it by the apostle Paul, 1 Cor. vii. 29. 30. 31. "But this I say, brethren, the time is short. "It remaineth, that both they that have wives, "be as though they had none; and they that "weep, as though they wept not; and they that "rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and "they that buy, as though they poffeffed not; " and they that ufe this world, as not abufing it: "for the fashion of this world paffeth away."

(3) Confider that there is really much more real fatisfaction to be found in a crucified than in an idolized world. This to many will appear a contradiction; but it is a great and certain truth. It is impoffible for any person to pass ever so lit. tle the limits of duty in the use of the creatures, but it is to his own prejudice. This I do not mean only of its after confequences, but even in point of prefent comfort. There is a more genuine sweetness in those things that are used with moderation and felf-denial, as the gofpel requires, than in any finful gratification. But if this holds even with regard to the fimple enjoyment, it holds much more strongly when we confider the benefit of a fanctified world. He

that,

that, from a humble fenfe of the divine mercies, can rife to a grateful acknowledgement of the giver of all good; he who is thereby infpired with a holy zeal to ferve him in his generation, and values no temporal bleffing, but fo far as it may be useful in promoting the glory of God, and the good of others, has a delight from them, infinitely fuperior to what arifes from the licence of criminal indulgence. He enjoys his mercies without fting, he poffeffes them without the fear of lofing them; nay, he can even rejoice in the furrender itself, as a part of the will of God. Is this fabulous, my brethren, or extravagant? I hope not. I believe and truft it is matter of real experience to the children of God. Did the Pfalmift David fay, it was good for him that he was afflicted? did the apoftles of Chrift take joyfully the spoiling of their goods? did they rejoice that they were counted worthy to suffer fhame for his name? I hope that many others will rejoice, that they have been enabled to use their fubftance in feeding the hungry and clo. thing the naked, and other ufeful purposes. I am perfuaded, that a pious and liberal mind tastes a more exquifite delight in relieving a poor fa mily, than in the most costly and sumptuous en tertainment; and that he who values his repu tation only for his usefulness, will give thanks to God for the esteem in which he may be held; and when reproached for doing his duty, will have a pleasure in submitting to it without com. plaint, greater than the proud and selfish can

poffibly

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poffibly receive from the daily incenfe of flattery and praife.

4. In the last place, As this fubject has the most intimate connection with the power of religion, I fhall conclude with offering to ferious perfons a few particular directions for their dai ly practice. (1) Remember that your great care ought to be the one thing needful. Salvation is your great work, heaven is your home, the world is but your paffage to it. If you can keep this conftantly upon your minds, you will imme. diately perceive the danger of the world, as a temptation to fin. You will not be able to forget, because you will daily feel, what influence it hath in helping or hindering you in your journey heavenward. A traveller who hath his thoughts ftill fixed on the place of his deftina. tion, and is anxious to get forward, will fenfibly feel every incumbrance from the weather, or the way, by which his progrefs is retarded. It is by mifrepresentation that the world leads us aftray; true and just apprehensions of our own ftate, would keep our affections in their just meafure with regard to it.

(2) Be particularly upon your guard against the unfanctified ufe of lawful comforts. A perfon who hath any principle of confcience, would be filled with horror at the thoughts of grofs fin, such as uncleanness, injustice, or fenfuality; yet fuch may be in great danger of placing their affections upon the world, and refting on it as their portion. Their houfes and lands, their children, their name and reputation, VOL. I.

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may incroach upon them, and ufurp dominion in their hearts. Be careful, therefore, habitually to improve thefe to the glory of God; learn to give him thanks for them, as the bleffings of his providence, and to ferve him by them, as they are talents or Opportunities of usefulness, for which you must render an account in the day of judgement.

(3) Be attentive to the course of providence, and improve the characters and conduct of o• thers to your own profit. If you fee one man grow proud and felf-fufficient as he grows rich, if you fee him forgetful of God while he continues in profperity, tyrannical to others because they are in his power, then fear left you alfo be tempted. If you fee wealth fuddenly poured in upon any perfons make them anxious, quarrelfome, and impatient, then moderate your de fires of profperity, and " be content with fuch "things as you have." It is very common to enumerate and cenfure the faults of others, that we may nourish our own pride by the comparifon; but it is infinitely more beneficial, to im. prove the weakness of others for our own humiliation. What is the ordinary ftyle in converfation? Were I fuch a perfon, had I his eftate and poffeffions, I fhould not grudge to be more liberal to the poor; I would do something for the public; I would do every thing for my friends. Truly you do not know what you would do. Were you raised to the fame fituation, perhaps you would be ten times more proud and covetous than the man you blame. And as you

would

would obferve the fins of others, fo obferve the ways of God towards them. If an oppreffor is at laft overtaken in his wickedness, if he is held as a wild bull in a net, and, instead of humility, it produceth nothing but the rage of impatience and defpair; adore the righteous judgement of God, and be fenfible that neither mercies nor trials will change the heart, unless they are accompanied with the power of divine grace. If it pleaseth God to bring down any from riches to poverty, or from honour to difgrace, remember that he vifits his people in mercy for their correction, and his enemies in vengeance for their punishment; fo that, whether you are the one or the other, you have no charter of fecurity from the fame calamities.

(4) Think much of mortality, and the innumerable fufferings which are every where to be feen among our fellow-creatures. The wife man tells us, Ecclef. vii. 2. 3. "It is better to go to "the house of mourning, than to go to the house "of feafting: for that is the end of all men, and "the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is "better than laughter: for by the sadness of the "countenance the heart is made better." There are fome who, from mere tenderness of heart, and a strong attachment to fenfual delight, are not able to look upon fcenes of misery and di ftrefs. They fly from them, therefore, and deceive themselves into a dream of fecurity by intoxicating pleasures. But, my brethren, it is infinitely better to fortify yourselves against the fear of death, by faith in him who is the refurrection

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