II. SER M. part attended with miferable infirmities; so that if we have no hopes of fome better being beyond the grave, our whole state here is of fo little confequence, that perhaps, it had been as well for us to have had no being at all. Since therefore, there is a life to come after this fhort and imperfect state, as reason and religion affure us, it must be of the utmost importance to fecure our happiness there; for that is all the comfortable view we can have; and unless we can extend our thoughts to it, there can be no fatisfaction to the foul. This ought to be the great business of this tranfitory life, for it is as our Saviour juftly expreffes it, the one thing needful, Here we ought to use our diligence and industry, that whatever be our lot in mortality, whether profperous or adverse, we may not fail of being happy in eternity. And for this we are to run all hazard, whenever there can be any competition between the things in this world, and the hopes of glory and happiness in another. We are to imitate the merchant in the parable, whom our Saviour represented as felling all that he had to purchase the pearl of great price, because by that he had the probability of II. making his whole fortune at once, and SER M. being enriched for ever. We ought to follow the example of thofe worthies St. Paul recounts in his epiftle to the Hebrews, who difregarding the pleasures of fin, that are but for a feason, and confeffing that they were ftrangers and pilgrims in the earth, fought after a better country, that is an heavenly. For as as we have nothing here to fix upon, nothing that will continue with us, it behoves us to endeavour to fecure to ourfelves fomething that may remain with us beyond all our prefent acquifitions. The things of this world we are, indeed, so far to regard, as our natural neceffities oblige us; but we are not to spend the whole of our time and care upon them. It is only the happiness of our fouls in the invifible world, upon which we ought to exert the strength and vigour of our thoughts. Let us therefore, look toward that in the first place; and then as to other things, whether we fucceed in them or not, it will make but little difference in the end. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteoufnefs, fays our Saviour, and all these things fhall be added unto you. D 4 SERM. 41 SERMON III. The Eternity of Gop. PSAL. XC. 2. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world; even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God. T III. HE Eternity of God is one of SERM, those adorable attributes, which justly fill us with awful fentiments of his existence and perfection. It is one of those truths, that are not easily comprehenfible to our imagination, but of which we are fo demonftrably certain, that the evidence of it cannot be refifted. And it has always been affented to by all, who have acknowledged his being, as evident from the nature of his existence. In the holy fcriptures, which always confirm, and illuftrate our rational fentiments of him, it is very often expreffed in the most sublime and affecting man ner, SER M. ner, in order to give us fuitable notions III. of his excellent and tranfcendent nature. Thus in the text, it is afferted very plainly, that he exifted from everlafting, before all material productions whatsoever. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world; even from everlafting to everlasting thou art God. In confideration of which divine perfection, we have in this pfalm fome reflections on the brevity and fluctuating state of human life; and, indeed, the whole of it seems to be a meditation on our minute and tranfitory condition in this world, when compared to the Eternity of God; after which, the good Pfalmift makes fome pious prayers for his pity and compaffion to our frailties. In the following discourse, I fhall en deavour I. To reprefent to you, that this attri- II. To make fome obfervations, that In the laft place, I fhall make a few practical reflections. I. Then |