III.

SERM. cit us. Against them let us employ all our Skill, that they may not fo command and engross our Thoughts, as to make us negligent of the one thing needful. With this Caution the Interefts of both Worlds may be united: We may fet our Affections on another, without lofing the Conveniences of this, and we may live with Chearfulness and Pleasure here, without forfeiting our Inheritance hereafter.

Now to God, &c.

The

The Neceffity of well Husbanding our Time.

A

SERMON

Preached before the HousHOLD.

PSALM XC. 12.

So teach us to number our Days, that we may apply our Hearts unto Wisdom.

T

HE Ufe that I would make of thefe SERM.

Words at prefent, is, to introduce a
Subject which may be profitably con-
sidered, viz. The well husbanding and
improving of our Time.

The Shortnefs and Uncertainty of human Life is a thing, that has been much complained of: And therefore there is no need to go about to prove it, fince we all own and lament the Truth of it. To perfuade Men to make a proper Use of this Knowledge, is indeed a much harder Talk: And for this Cause it was that the Holy Pfalmift, confcious of our Weaknefs

C 5

IV.

SERM. Weakness in this Respect, thought fit to apply to IV. Heaven for the Cure of it, praying to God, that he

in

would teach us fo to number our Days, i. e. fo to confider and lay to Heart how fhort our Time is, that we may apply our Hearts to the truefst Wisdom, by preparing for a better State. The way to do this (if we defign to do it, and if we do not, we are certainly a very dangerous Condition) is, to fit down and feriously confider with ourselves, in what Manner we have spent our Time, what Profit we have gained, what Loffes we have fuffered; what Improvements we have made in Virtue, and what Progrefs in Vice, and in what Respects we are better or worfe Chri ftians, than we were when our Lives began. It is not very easy to point out the Particulars, of which this Enquiry fhould confift; these being as various and different from each other, as the Circumftances and Conditions of Men. One Man has met with Croffes and Disappointments, another with Profperity and Succefs: One has been afflicted with Pain and Sicknefs, another has enjoy'd Health and Strength: One has been pining under Want and Poverty, another has been filled with Plenty: One has had many Opportunities to do good, another has had few or none: and in Proportion to the Difference of Mens Circumstances in these Respects, the Articles of their However, Enquiry will be somewhat different too.

that we may not enter upon this neceffary Work without fome Kind of Method to direct us, I fhall take upon me to lay down a few General Rules for our Conduct in this Refpect, after having premised, that in all Enquiries of this Nature we muft take with us these following Cautions.

IV.

I. That that is really no Profit or Advantage, which SER M. fets us forward in the Affairs of this World, and at the fame time fets us backward in the Accounts we are to make at the Judgement-Seat of Chrift.

II. That that is really no Lofs, which is so only with respect to this World, provided it helps us forward in those Articles of Enquiry, which shall be made at the Great Day of Judgment.

III. That therefore in all our Bufinefs and Employments, in all our Dealings and Tranfactions with each other, we ought to have an Eye to that final Hearing, which will make us happy or miserable for ever. And therefore

IV. That to abound with this World's Good, and at the fame Time to be poor in Grace, is in Truth the worst Husbandry in the World, fince all that exceeds our own neceffary Occafions, was given us for the fake of others, to enable us, by providing for the Relief of their Wants, to lay up for ourselves a Reverfion of Happiness, which this World cannot give.

This being premised, I proceed to lay before you a few general Directions, by which we may be enabled fo to balance our Accounts, as to improve the Time to come to our spiritual Advantage, by looking back on what has happened in the past. The First is,

It

I. To compare the good Offices we have done, with the Opportunities we have had to do them. is not the Good that is done by Us, compared with what is done by others, but compared with the Power and Ability we have to do it, that will juftify us in the Sight of God. This we are taught by the Parable of the Widow, whofe Mite we are told was as well accepted, as the rich Offerings of her wealthy

SERM. Neighbours. And indeed it would be no equitable IV. or fair Proceeding to expect the fame Improvement from him, who has but few, as from him, who has many Talents. This would be utterly inconfiftent with that Maxim of common Justice, which is urged by our bleffed Lord himself: That to whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required; and to whom Men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

But though all Men are not blessed with the same Means and Opportunities, yet moft Men have fome Power to do Good. And the lefs Power we have, the more careful fhould we be not to lofe any Occafion of exerting it. For in Proportion to our Power; be it more or less, we shall be expected to account for the Use of it. Accordingly it was fome of the last Advice of a wife and good Father to his Son: Be merciful after thy Power. If thou haft much, give plenteously; if thou haft little, do thy Diligence gladly to give of that little; for fo gathereft thou thyself a good Reward in the Day of Neceffity.

It happens indeed to be the Cafe of fome, (would to God it were lefs common than it is!) to be fo humbled and afflicted in their outward Circumstances, that they can only be the Objects of that Charity and Compaffion, which, if it had pleased God to bless them with the good Things of this Life, they would gladly have reached out to others. To thefe it may be offered as juft Matter of Confolation, that by their indigent Condition they are exempted from the Neceffity of accounting for the Ufe of Riches. But withal they must remember that there are many Inftances of Duty, wherein the pooreft Man alive may fupply the Neceffities, and adminifter to the Wants of others. To feed the Hungry and to clothe the Naked;

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