of action and enjoyment greatly enlarged, SERM. though ftill far short of the excellence which XV. might be attained by the due ufe of our higheft capacities. Now, how many are there of mankind who form their fchemes for life, and take the measures of their conduct, by no higher principle? Solomon is an eminent example, who giveth this account of him felf in the days of his vanity, Ecclef. ii. from the 4th verfe, I made me great works, I builded boufes, I planted vineyards, I made gardens and orchards, and planted trees in them of all kinds of fruits. I made pools of water to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees. I got me fervants and maidens, and had fervants born in my houfe; also I had great poffeffions of great and small cattle. I ga thered me alfo filver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces : I got me men fingers and women fingers, and the delights of the fons of men, as mufical infruments of all forts. How many would think themselves happy, and their enjoyments of life complete, in fuch a fituation? But that wise king, reflecting maturely upon it, pronounces all to be vanity and vexation of fpirit; furely we may fay, that being wholly confined to the prefent state, and abstract

SERM. abstracting from all regard to religion, and XV. all prospects in another world, it is walking not by faith, .but by fight.

One

3dly, Befides the defires originally planted in our nature, which have been already mentioned, to objects introduced by the external or internal fenfes, and which are a very powerful principle of operation in our minds; befides thefe, I fay, there are fecondary inclinations to thofe things, which are confidered as the means of obtaining the gratification of our primary defires; and the converfation or courfe of deliberate action, which is formed or directed by them, is also comprehended in walking by fight. who hath lived any time in the world must have obferved, that riches and power are ordinarily neceffary to acquire and secure the poffeffion of worldly enjoyments; therefore proportionably to the degree in which those enjoyments are valued, and the earnestness with which they are pursued, the means of them are alfo fought after. Every one must be fenfible with what eagerness men labour for riches and power, and how great a fhare the acquifition of them hath in the bufinefs of life; it is for this they rife early

and

and fit up late, and eat the bread of forrows; SER M. for this they submit to inceffant toil, and, XV. generally speaking, the more fuccefsful they are, ftill they become the more folicitous, and the more diligent. And it is as plain that these lufts ruling in the human mind corrupt it, and directing the general tenor of a man's life they form a character contrary to what St. Paul, in the text, claimeth for himself and his fellow difciples of Chrift, rejoicing in it, and to what he elsewhere calleth a conversation in heaven. The tendency and the effect of them rifeth no higher than this prefent world, and they terminate not in the rational and virtuous, but in the merely animal life; as the apostle John in other words explaineth the fame doctrine, the luft of the eyes, and the pride of life, that is, the prevailing defire of wealth, and of power, and honour, is the love of the world, inconfiftent with the love of the father, or pure and fincere religion. Not but wealth and power may be improved to the purposes of piety and virtue, and for that end, may be lawfully, if they be moderately, defired and pursued; indeed it is from this capacity that they derive their best appearance, and the chief pretence by which the profecution of them is juftified to the mind

SERM. mind itself. But when religion is made little XV. more than a pretence, and the heart is confcious to itself that the other ufes of worldly emoluments are principal in its view, and the ruling motives to its defigns, and its diligence are taken from them, fuch a walk may be justly said, to be by fight, and not by faith; and this is the true character of all our defigns and endeavours, whether for ourselves or others, which ultimately terminate in the present state.

I come now, in the second place, to confider the directly oppofite principle, that is, faith, which giveth a quite different turn to the temper and converfation of men, and which the apostle reprefenteth as the animating and governing principle of his own life, and the lives of all fincere christians; we walk by faith, not by fight. No one that readeth the New Teftament can be ignorant of its laying great stress on believing as abfolutely neceffary to our acceptance with God, and as the great principle of religion. Chriftianity itself, or the gospel fcheme, as in oppofition to the law of Mofes, is called faith, by the obedience of which men are justified; plainly intimating, that not the performance of external rites and

cere

ceremonies will recommend them to the fa- SER M. vour of God, but an affectionate perfuafion XV. concerning the fundamental doctrines after godliness, producing fuitable difpofitions of mind, and a suitable practice. But it is not merely to the truth contained in the christian revelation, or the light in which it fetteth. religious doctrines, that these great effects are attributed: Abraham was juftified by faith, as well as we are; he believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness; he had a deep affecting impreffion of the being, the perfection, the providence and the promises of almighty God; and he walked before him, making his faith perfect by good works. And, in general, the apoftle teacheth us, Heb. xi. that without faith it is impoffible to pleafe God; for he that cometh to God, or would enter into a religious courfe of life, must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of all them who diligently feek him; which are doctrines not peculiar to chriftianity, but the effential principles of natural religion. For understanding this the better, let it be obferved,

First, That nothing can be more abfurd than opposing faith to reafon; as if it were a blind credulity or an affent to propofitions as true, without confidering or inquiring VOL. III.

Cc

into