SERM.

III.

Upon the whole; If the tender Compaffion of God to Us be any thing more than Sound; if We be fenfible what We are Ourselves, and what our Neighbours are to Us; if We have any Regard to that great common Mafter whom we all ferve; if we ever think of that great Tribunal at which We must all appear: Let Us be induced by all thefe, to caft out of our Thoughts, and Words, all that Cenfure and Judging of Others, which will only help to condemn Ourfelves: and let Us cultivate in our Breasts that happy and god-like Temper of Forbearance and Candour, which will contribute fo much to our inward Peace now, and to our final Forgiveness, and Happiness, hereafter.

Of

Of the true Ufe of this World.

SERMON IV.

Preached before the KING, Febr. 21, 1724-5.

I CORINTHIANS vii. 31.
And They that use this World, as not abufing it:
For the Fashion of this World passeth away.

A

FTER St. Paul had, in the former Part of this Chapter, given the Corinthians fuch prudential Rules, relating to their Behaviour in the World, as the Circumftances of Chriftians at that Time required, He comes to fum up what He chiefly intended by all that He had been saying. This He doth in the 29th, 30th, and 314 Verfes. Verse 29. But this I fay, Brethren, the Time is short. It remaineth that both they that have Wives, be as though they had none : So our Tranflation expreffeth it. But it seems more agreeable to the Original, to connect the Parts of that Sentence, after this Manner. But, Brethren,

SERM.

IV.

IV.

SER M. this is what I am saying, and inculcating upon you, (because, as to what remaineth, the Time, or Opportunity, that will be afforded Us in this World, is very fhort) This is, I fay, what I am preffing upon you, that they that have Wives: They that have Families to concern themselves for, fhould thus far be as though they had none, that They fhould not fuffer themselves to be overwhelmed with worldly Cares, fo as to forget the State they are in, as They are Chriftians: Ver. 30. that They that weep, or are under any Affliction, fhould be as tho they wept not; fhould behave themselves under it, as Perfons who in a fhort Time fhall be releafed from it: that They that rejoice, fhould be as tho they rejoiced not; They that enjoy the most profperous Condition of Life, should behave themselves with Moderation, as Perfons under a Sense of the Shortness of that Time which I am fpeaking of: and They that buy, fhould be as tho' They poffeffed not; fhould behave themselves only as Tenants for a very fhort Space, not as lafting Poffeffors of what They purchase.

At the 31 Verfe, He fums up, in a very. comprehenfive Expreffion, the Whole of what He means to prefs upon Chriftians at that Time, with regard to all the Goods of this World: viz. that all who use this World, fhould

IV.

behave themselves, as not abufing it; either, s ER M. as not using it with too great an Intenseness of Affection towards it; or, much more, as not ufing it, or any Portion of it, in any Manner, or for any Purpose, contrary to the Original Defign of the Creator of all Things. Then the Apostle adds this Reason for what He faith, for the Fashion, or Figure, of this World paffeth away: That is, either the World itself; or the prefent State and Condition of Things in the World. This is all, according to the Apostle, to pass away; or to be fo entirely altered, as that the fame Things, and Circumstances of Things, can have no Place after that Altera

tion.

、

In this Passage, indeed, the Apofile may be supposed to have had a principal View to that Scene of Perfecutions which was then coming upon true Chriftians; and which fhould alter, to them, the State of the World entirely and likewise, to that total Diffolution of the present Fabrick and Face of Things, which in those first Days was certainly understood, and often spoken of, as a Matter juft then coming, and very near at hand.

But, without any critical Examination of the precife Meaning of the Words, as They ftand in this particular Place: and confidering them in that more general Senfe which the F 2

firft

SE R M. first Sound of them may be supposed to raise IV. in Us, as allowing an Use of the World, lawful and neceffary; as condemning the Abuse of it; and as urging a Reafon against abusing it, from the uncertain Condition of this World; it will be proper for Us to confider,

I. What is meant by the World; and what is comprehended under this Word.

II. When it is that We use it, as it is our Praise and Duty to do. And,

III. What it is to abuse it. And then to make a fhort Reflexion upon the Argument here made use of, by the Apofile. And all, with Reference to Ourselves, and the State of the World at present.

I. The first thing is to confider what is meant by the World; and hended under this Word. évident that by the World,

what is compreAnd here it is most

we are to undercontains in it;

stand, whatever this World
whatever it can boaft of as on any Account
defirable; and particularly, whatever there is
in it, that Men are seen to think it most worth
their while to purfue after, and to obtain. All
this may be reduced to these three, Riches,
Honour, and Pleasure; the three great Masters
of the Affections, and Actions, of Those who
think most of this World.

I

*

Riches