circumftances, fet a double watch upon your con. duct, and earnestly pray that God may preserve you from fraud and difingenuity of every kind. Rather fuffer yourselves to be ftripped of every thing, and apply to the charity of others, which is not finful, and ought not to be shameful, than take any difhoneft methods of bettering your ftate. O melancholy thought, that many when they become defperate in their circumftances, become alfo defperate in their courses, and drown the reflection of their confciences in flothfulness and fenfuality? Sincerity, integrity, patience and fobriety in a ruined fortune, are doubly eminent, at least, whatever they may be in the fight of the world, they are honourable and precious in the fight of God, and of all good men.

Before concluding, fuffer me to make one or two reflections on the fubject in general; the feveral parts of which I have now explained. And,

1. On what hath been faid on this fubject, I would graft this important leffon, that you fhould not only study to preferve yourselves from fin, but from all fuch circumftances of temptation as are dangerous to human conftancy. This was the very ground of the prayer of the Prophet

in

my text, and is the fubftance of the reafons he affigns for his request. We are taught the fame thing in the ftrongeft manner, by the feveral inftances of human frailty, and the folly of prefumptuous confidence, recorded in Scrip

ture.

ture.

Now all these things happened unto them for enfamples, and they are written, for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the 'world are come. Wherefore, let him that thinketh he, ftandeth take heed left he fall.' We are alfo taught the fame thing by him who knew what was in man, as he has given us directions in the form of prayer which he taught his difciples to fay, Lord, lead us not into • temptation.'

Are you really unwilling to do evil, you will be concerned to keep yourselves out of the way of every folicitation to it. This is constantly the effect of a judicious and folid piety, and thofe who act otherwise fhew, that they either have no real goodness, or that they are very weak Christians, and little acquainted either with themselves, or this prefent evil world.

2. You may learn how neceffary it is, that you fhould look for the Divine affiftance and direction, to avoid the temptation of every state of life. We are truly of ourselves unequal to the trials with which we are furrounded. Not that there is any thing unjust or oppreffive in the measures of Providence; but becaufe it feems good to our Maker to oblige us to a conftant dependence upon himself and his promised help. But God is faithful, who will not fuffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation alfo make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.'

ན་

K

The

The leaft temptation may prove too hard for us, if we neglect to apply for fupreme aid; but in divine ftrength, we may bid defiance to the moft formidable oppofition. This temper is well exemplified and described by the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians. And he faid unto me, my grace is fufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that • the power of Chrift may reft upon me.

There

fore, I take pleafure in infirmities, in reproaches, in neceffities, in perfecution, in diftreffes for 'Chrift's fake; for when I am weak then am I firong.'

.

3. From what hath been faid, you may fee what an infeparable connection there is between true religion, and your employments and state in this prefent world. They have a mutual, ftrong. and conftant influence upon one another. It is a fatal, though a common error, to separate them; entirely to confine religion to the times and places of immediate worship, and suppose that it hath nothing to do with the maxims of trade and commerce, or other worldly callings. On the contrary, your impreffions of things spiritual and eternal, will direct and regulate your views as to the prefent life; and your fuccefs or misfortunes in worldly schemes will have a certain and visible effect upon your Chriftian converfation, and the ftate of your fouls. Therefore, let them never be feparated in your own views, and let them ftill

be.

be kept in their proper order and fubordination. Though the light and trivial use, not only of the name of God, but of fcripture-language, is both finful and dangerous; and though a forward oftentatious piety may fometimes look fufpicious, yet it were to be wifhed we had more of a grave and habitual acknowledgement of God in all our ways. This was the language of the Patriarchs of old. In one of the former difcourfes upon this fubject, I took notice of Jacob's prayer, when he fet out for Padan-aram. See after the increase of his family, how he expreffes himfelf in anfwer to his brother Ifaac. And he lift 6 up his eyes and faw the women and children, and faid, who are those with thee? And he faid, the children which God hath graciously given " thy fervant.' See alfo the Apoftolical direction for the manner of projecting our future pur *pofes. 'Go to now, ye that fay to-day, or tomorrow, we will go into fuch a city, and continue there a year, and buy and fell, and get 'gain.'

4. In the last place, let me befeech, in the tendereft manner, every one of you, rich and poor, to remember an approaching eternity. It will not be long till the honourable and despised, the wealthy and the needy, the master and the servant, fhall lie down in the duft. Lay hold of that covenant of peace, which is ordered in all things and fure. Hear a great and constant truth What is a man profited, though he should gain

the whole world and lofe his own foul, or what fhall a man give in exchange for his foul? How many a Lazarus is now in Abraham's bofom; and how many a rich man, that once lived delicately on earth, is at this moment tormented in hell-fire! The Gofpel of peace is now preached in your ears. Believe in the name of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and ye fhall be faved. I cannot promife that you fhall be rich, but al things neceffary are affured to you by the divine promife; food and raiment, fupport under trials, ftrength for duty, and in the world to come, everlasting reft.

SERMON