All your mercies, then, are in the hand of God, who can give or withhold, continue or withdraw them at his pleafure. But there is fomething more ftill: your life itself is in his hand. Though outward things were ever so stable 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 feriously attended to, certainly will weaken our attachment to the things of a present world; according to the inference drawn from it by the apostle Paul, 1 Cor. vii. 29, 30, 31. "But this, I fay, "brethren, the time is fhort. 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 "use 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 perfon to pass ever fo little the limits of duty in the ufe 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 fweetness in those things that are used with moderation and felf-denial, as the gospel requires, than in any finful gratification. But if this holds even with regard to the simple enjoyment, it holds much more ftrongly when we confider the benefit of a fanctified world. He that, from a humble sense of the divine mercies, can rife to a grateful acknowledgment 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 fling, he poffeffes them without the fear of lofing them; nay, he can even rejoice in the furrender it

felf, as a part of the will of God. Is this fabulous, my brethren, or extravagant? I hope not. I believe and trust 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 fpoiling of their goods? did they rejoice that they were counted worthy to fuffer 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 clothing the naked, and other useful purposes. I am perfuaded, that a pious and liberal mind tastes a more exquisite delight in relieving a poor family, than in the moft coftly and fumptuous entertainment; and that he who values his reputation 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 fubmitting to it without complaint, greater than the proud and selfish can poffibly receive from the daily incenfe of flattery and praise.

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 daily 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 immediately 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 deftination, 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 mifreprefentation that the world leads us aftray; true and juft apprehenfions of our own ftate, would keep our affections in their juft measure with regard to it.

(2) Be particularly upon your guard againft the unfanctified ufe of lawful comforts. A perfon who hath any

principle of confcience, would be filled with horror at the thoughts of gross sin, such as uncleanness, injuftice, or fenfuality; yet fuch may be in great danger of pla cing their affections upon the world, and resting on it as their portion. Their houses and lands, their children, their name and reputation, may incroach upon them, and ufurp dominion in their hearts. Be careful, therefore, habitually to improve these 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 opportu nities of usefulness, for which you must render an account in the day of judgment.

(3) Be attentive to the courfe of Providence, and improve the characters and conduct of others 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, quarreliome, and impatient, then moderate your defires of profperity, and "be content with "fuch things as you have." It is very common to enu. merate and cenfure the faults of others, that we may nourish our own pride by the comparison; but it is infinitely more beneficial, to improve the weakness of others for our own humiliation. What is the ordinary ftyle in conversation? Were I such a person, had I his estate and poffeffions, I fhould not grudge to be more liberal to the poor; I would do fomething 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 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 despair; adore the righteous judgment 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 honor 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 fadnefs of the countenance "the heart is made better." There are some who, from mere tenderness of heart, and a strong attachment to fenfual delight, are not able to look upon scenes of mifery and diftrefs. They fly from them, therefore, and deceive themselves into a dream of fecurity by intoxicating pleafures. But, my brethren, it is infinitely better to fortify yourselves against the fear of death, by faith in him who is the refurrection and the life; and then the frequent observation of others in affliction, will have the nobleft and most falutary influence in mortifying worldly affections. You may also fometimes fee the triumph of faith in the joyful departure of believers, which is one of the most edifying and comfortable fights that any Christian can behold.

(5) In the laft place, I would recall to your minds, and earnestly recommend to your meditation, what made a principal branch of the doctrinal part of this fubject, “the "cross of Chrift." By this the believer will indeed crucify the world. Reafon and experience may wound the world, fo to speak; but the crofs of Chrift pierces it to the heart. Shall we murmur at the crofs, when our Redeemer bore it? Are not the thoughts of what he fuffered, and what we deferved, fufficient to eradicate from our minds every the leaft inclination to what is provoking to him? Are not the thoughts of what he purchased, fufficient to deftroy in our hearts the leaft difpofition to place our happiness here? The thoughts of the crofs of Chrift

are strengthening as well as inftructive. We are drawn as it were by the power of fympathy, emboldened by his example, and animated by his conqueft. Is not the Christian, when he is in full contemplation of this great object, faying, 'O moft merciful Saviour, fhall I any 'more idolize that world which crucified thee? fhall I be afraid of their fcorn who infulted thee? fhall I refuse any 'part of his will, who, by the crofs, has glorified thee?"

Let us conclude by attempting to fay, in faith, what God grant every one of us may be able to fay in the awful hour of the laft conflict: "O death, where is thy fting! "O grave, where is thy victory! The fting of death is “fin, and the strength of fin is the law; but thanks be to "God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jefus "Chrift."