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SER M. and followed, let us eat and drink, for to XII morrow we die. But though this may be applied to fome profeffed believers, whose practical governing principles are really atheiftical whatever their profeffions and speculations be; it is impoffible and a contradiction that such sentiments fhould habitually rule in the minds of truly pious and virtuous men they are as much convinced of the contrary as they can be of any truth; they do not join with the many who fay, who will shew unto us any good, uncertain wherein true good confifteth, and inceffantly pursuing it, with earnest unfatisfied defire, through all the variety of business and enjoyments in this life, but they agree with the Pfalmift in his choice and fervent prayer, that God would lift on bim the light of his countenance, perfuaded that the divine favour is a folid foundation of inward joy, that it giveth true fatisfaction and contentment, and putteth gladness into the heart more than the increase of corn and wine, the greatest abundance of all temporal enjoyments. But though this is a principle in which all religious perfons, the children of light, are agreed, indeed effential to all religion, for this is the faith without which a man cannot receive any thing from God, as St. James teacheth us, and without which he is

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double minded and unftable in all his ways: SERM. Yet is it very proper that we should revolve XII. it often in our thoughts, and take pains to inculcate it on our minds; for no principle will, especially this will not operate, unless it be carefully attended to, feeing we have always fuggeftions from our fenfes which have a tendency contrary to it. Let us, therefore, often meditate on the neceffary difference between good and evil, the dignity and excellence of the former and the turpitude of the latter, which muft appear to our minds as often as we attend to it deliberately; on the moral government of the fupreme being over all rational creatures and moral agents, from which we cannot but infer that it shall be well with the righteous and ill with the wicked; and let us frequently confider the express declarations of the holy scripture, relating to the different parts of our own conftitution and their interefts, to the present and future state. Our bleffed Saviour putteth these plain questions, strongly infinuating how much it concerneth us to provide for our fouls preferably to our bodies, what shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lofe his own foul? And what shall a man give in exchange for his foul? The apostle teacheth us, that the pleasures of fin are but

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SER M. for a feafon, and they end in extreme misery, XII. that the rewards of true piety are exceeding

great and everlasting, that the light afflictions which are but for a moment work for good men an exceeding great and eternal weight of glory. By a ferious and affectionate meditation on thefe, and fuch like doctrines, which are most affuredly believed among christians, and which are the fundamentals of chriftianity, we should be able to fee the important difference between the falfe and true riches, that the former are upon a comparison indeed the least, and the other much.

We may farther obferve upon this head, that God hath wifely ordered the circumftances of this life in fubordination to another. The enjoyments of our prefent ftate are the means of trying our vertue, and the occafions of exercising it, that fo by a due improvement of them to that purpose, we may be prepared for the perfection of virtue, and compleat happiness hereafter.

The powers of the human foul, the better part of our conftitution, are naturally capable of improvement, and we cannot fet limits to that measure of improvement which they may attain; but this we know, that the mind is making continual progrefs in its moral condition good or bad, that is, it is either

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growing better or worse, and confequently SER M advancing in happiness or finking deeper into XII. mifery. And this is fuitable to our present ftate, confidered as probationary, which being a defign'd preparation for a future fixed and permanent condition of more perfect good or evil, both moral and natural, should have in it the means of both; that is, we should have the opportunity of making proficiency in knowledge, and of increafing in rectitude and integrity, which is the highest perfection and enjoyment of our minds; and there must be temptations to evil. But, now, so it is wifely ordered that both these are contained in the interefts and affairs of the animal life, fo that while we are employed about these lower things, which perish in the ufing, and are confined to the prefent life, and eternally separated from us by death; we are at the fame time, and by the very fame actions, fitting ourselves for our future ftate. In the world, as the apostle John teacheth, are the lufts of the flesh, and the lufts of the eye, and the pride of life, that is, the objects by which we are tempted to fenfuality, covetousness, and pride; but the very fame objects by different exercises and difpofitions of mind, may be, and are the occafions and inftruments of virtue,

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SERM. virtue, and thereby, when we fail, they shall XII. receive us into everlasting habitations.

This might be illuftrated in a variety of particular inftances, indeed, in the whole compafs of our worldly affairs, which according as they are conducted, either minifter to virtue or vice. By the various uncertain events of life, as fome are tempted to different distracting paffions, to eager anxious defire, to fear and forrow, fo there is to better difpofed minds, an opportunity of growing in felf-dominion, in an equal and uniform. temper, and a more earneft prevalent defire of true goodness, which is immutable in all external changes; in afflictions there is a trial and an increase of patience, which is of fo much moment, as to be reprefented in fcripture as the height of religious perfection; for as the apostle James teacheth, chap. i. 3, 4. the trial of faith, by what he calleth temptations, that is, troubles, worketh patience, and if patience hath its perfect work, then are ye perfect and intire, wanting nothing. And, particularly to the purpofe of the text, things which are in their nature good, tending immediately to the fatisfaction and conveniency of life, are to be confidered as talents committed to our truft; and as they are principally intended by the donor, not fo much for felfifh enjoyment as

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