ther vanity. Man walketh in a vain fhew, and difquieteth himfelf in vain; be heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who fall gather them*. Reafonable induftry, to procure what is requifite for us in our ftation, and for those with whom we are entrusted, far from being blameable, is a duty. But when they, who have no families, are as earneft in hoarding, if they had ever fo large ones, only to difpofe of their wealth, they hardly know or care to whom, and fometimes have not the heart to difpofe of it at all: or when they, who have families, make it their bufinefs to fcrape together for them what will probably do them no real fervice, but only be a temptation and a fnare to them; when they grudge to relieve the neceffitous and miferable, can think of nothing with pleasure, but accumulating ftill more, and are unable to fay themselves how much they would have: fuch a temper and behaviour is utterly unfit for fo fhort-lived and frail a being as man. Having therefore food and raiment, that is, a competent provifion of neceffaries for ourselves and ours, let us be therewith content: for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out ‡. 5. A fifth ufe of numbering our days is, to check and compofe all ftrong emotions of mind about worldly concerns; for in fo tranfitory a ftate there can be nothing to deferve them. Why should we be elated with hope of future good, when both our own lives, and thofe on whom our expectations may depend, are fubject to fuch innumerable chances; and the higher we raife ourfelves in imagination, the more afflicting will be our fall? Put not your trust, faith the Pfalmift, in the fon of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, be returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perifh §. Ceafe ye from man, faith the prophet, whofe breath is in his noftrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of? Why again fhould we be dejected with fear of future evils, when a thoufand accidents, which none of us can guefs at beforehand, may prevent their coming; or, if they do come, our head may be laid low enough before that time, and tar enough out of the way of feeling them; or, even if they fhould light up on Pí. xxxix. 5, 6. I † 1 Tim. vi. 9. If. ii. 22. 1 Tim. vi. 7, 8. on us, a fhort life hath no room in it for long fufferings? If we are vifited with tormenting or wearifome diseases, the harder they prefs us, the more fpeedily, for the most part, they will work our deliverance, and bring us to that place, where there fhall be no forrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain. If we lofe our best friends, it was at most but a very few years that we could have enjoyed them. If we fuffer vexations from our enemies, crofles in our affairs, all will foon be over, and we shall be fecurely fituated, where the wicked fhall ceafe from troubling, and where the weary fball be at reft. If others obtain the honours, the profits, the gratifications, we wished for, there is little cause to envy them fo perishable a diftinction. If we obtain them ourselves, there is as little caufe for exultation or pride while we have them, or indignation or furprife, when he, who gave for a time, takes away, or permits any one elfe to take away, what death is hourly haftening towards us to carry off irrecovera bly. The various paffions belonging to our nature were interwoven in it, to fet us on purfuing good and avoiding evil, where it would prove to any purpofe; for which end a moderate exercife of them ferves beft; and the fpirit of contented refignation (of which there is plainly a principle in man, if he would but ufe it), was appointed for our relief, and a great one we fhould find it, where we can relieve ourselves no other way. In fo uncertain a ftate, vehemence of temper is fure mifery, and in patience alone can we poffefs our fouls‡. A quiet and meek fubmiffion therefore to whatever may happen, without indulging hope or fear, joy or forrow, anger or diffatisfaction, is evidently the frame of mind which our mortality requires. Or to exprefs it in the words of St. Paul: This I fay, brethren, the time is fhort. It remaineth that they that weep be 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 use this world, as though they ufed it not; for the fashion of this world paffeth away §. It is true, calming our agitations by the prospect of death, may be thought by fome to be curing a less evil by introducing a greater, which is left without cure. But indeed, view ing Rev. xxi. 4. † job iii. 17. Luke xxi. 19. SI Cor. vii. 29, 30, 31. ing it often and steadily will diminish its terrors (which, unlefs we look beyond it, are chiefly imaginary), as it doth thofe of every thing else in the world. Viewing it as the will of God, will oblige us in duty to fubmit to it contentedly, remembering them that have been before us, and that come after; for this is the fentence of the Lord upon all flesh; and why are we against the pleasure of the Moft High? Then viewing it also as a relief, though not of the most desirable kind, must contribute to reconcile many to it fomething farther, and on the whole pretty well. For though bitter is the remembrance of death to a man that liveth at reft, and bath profperity in all things, yet juftly acceptable is it to the needy, and to him whofe ftrength faileth, and that is vexed with all things. Yet ftill, it must be owned, this confolation is but a melancholy one. And therefore, God be thanked, though numbers of pious men, in ancient days, had probably no very clear knowledge of any other, yet he hath enabled us, chiefly indeed by revelation, yet partly by reafon itfelf, to fee diftinctly what they did not. And accordingly I must add, Sixthly, and lastly, That the most important leffon, taught us by the shortnefs and uncertainty of our present life, confidered in itself, is, that we may reasonably expect, and should therefore continually look forward to another. The longeft term at which we can arrive here, and the utmost use we can make of it, is so very a trifle and nothing, compared with the capacity for improvement, both intellectual and moral, which we experience ourselves to have, that, according to the most probable judgment we are capable of forming, there must be fomewhat farther, and unfpeakably better, defigned and referved for us by our wife and bountiful Creator; fome other fcene of existence opened, when this is clofed, in which we fhall grow up to our maturity; and manifeft and rejoice in thofe perfections of our nature, which are hid and buried at prefent, in all to a great degree, in fome almost entirely. That a being, qualified for fo much, should have space allow ed it for fo little, would appear an evident impropriety and difproportion; which cannot be justly charged upon any part of the works of God. And the more we confider what num bers bers are cut off prematurely in their tender youth, or just when their faculties are beginning to ripen; but especially, with what ftrange inequality, and unfuitablenefs to the behaviour of men, both prosperity and adverfity are diftributed amongst them by the confeffedly unerring hand of Providence, the ftronger the argument grows that this cannot be all; that the view of life, which we have been taking hitherto, is a poor and narrow one indeed; that another of infinitely greater moment is to follow it, in which every thing wanting here shall be supplied, and every thing wrong fet right. But convincing and interesting as these deductions of reafon are, nothing is able to bring life and immortality into full light, much less to affure impenitent finners of everlasting punishment, and penitent believers of eternal rewards, but the gospel of Jefus Chrift. This therefore must be always the principal object of our attention: and this, through God's grace, to be obtained by its means, will teach us, what else we cannot learn effectually and practically, to think of this our mortal state, as a fhort and precious opportunity given us to prepare for another and an endless one; the happiness or mifery of which is to depend on the affections cultivated, and the deeds done by us, while in the body. Were the life which we now live imagined to be the whole, multitudes would argue, plaufibly though unjustly, that it could be no great matter how they spent it; whether they acted virtuoufly or viciously, difcreetly or indifcreetly, fince one event happeneth to all, and the wife man dietb as the foolt. But our fhare in the recompences of that which is to come, cannot poffibly be regarded as a flight thing. If then we are to be bleffed or wretched for ever, according as we behave well or ill in the mean while, this makes our conduct a serious point beyond expreffion; and draws most affecting confequences after it; fuch as the weakest perfon muft fee, and the most artful can raise no objection against : that the pleasures and profits of fin are never to allure us, nor the difficulties and afflictions of virtue to deter us in the leaft, but both in comparison to be looked on as if they were not that the enjoyments of the present state are to be used with cautious moderation, and the burdens of it to be borne with 2 with cheerful hope in fhort, that we are to walk by faith, not by fight*; applying indeed to worldly bufinefs, as far as our ftations require; and partaking of worldly comforts, as far as will excite our thankfulness to God for them, and anfwer the purposes intenued by them; yet till fetting our affections principally, not on the attainment of tranfitory accommodations or amufements, during our journey, but on fecuring, by a diligent performance of the work for which we were fent upon it, a joyful entrance into our continuing city; which God of his infinite mercy grant us, through, &c. 2 Cor. v. 7. + Heb. xiii. 14, SER. |