III. I proceed now, in the last place, to make fomne practical improvement of what hath been faid. And as, upon this interefling fubject, it is neceffary that I fhould fpeak with all ferioufnefs and fidelity, as well as at fome length, fo I moft earneftly befeech you, as you regard your prefent peace, your comfort in the hour of death, and the everlafting happinefs of your fouls, to hear it with attention and application.

I. I mult take the opportunity to reprove the fin and fhew the danger of those who are wedded to the world. I would willingly interrupt that comfort, and break that peace, which will end in perdition. For this purpose, and in order to make the reproof more diftinct and effectual, I fhall direct it feparately to the three following charac

ters.

(1) To thofe whofe love of the world is fo great, that they fcruple not to use, occasionally at leaft, if not habitu ally, finful means of getting or keeping poffeffion of it. This indeed opens to us a very extenfive field: it leads us to confider all the particular fins which an inordinate love of the world may produce, or increase. It is melancholy, my brethren, to think what contention and variance, nay what hatred and violence, even amongst the nearest relations, the division of worldly property occafions. What envy and grudging, what flander and evil-speaking, between perfon and perfon, between family and family! And even in the ordinary way of traffick, what art and diffimulation, what falfehood and equivocation, are to be found between man and man! But what I have chiefly in view is, to fpeak a few words to thofe who, in order to promote their worldly ends, have been guilty of direct difhonefty, and known injuftice. How many are there whofe confciences, if they would be faithful, must tell them, that they are now in poffeffion of the fruits of unlawful gain! Oh! the blindness of thofe deluded unhappy fouls! if an inordinate love of the world, however honeftly acquired, is not only finful, but deftructive of your eternal intereft; what fhall become of those who have trod den under foot the laws both of God and man, in order to obtain it? If an exceffive love of the moft lawful enjoy

ments, father and mother, wife and children, is inconfiftent with falvation; what muft become of thofe who have loved and followed the gain of unrighteoufnefs? what must become of thofe who, to clothe their backs, or feed their bellies, or gratify their pride, have not fcrupled to be guilty of breach of truft, or breach of promise, of open oppreffion, or fecret fraud? If every poor worldling must stand trembling upon the brink of eternity, when he fees all his painted fhadows ready to fink into everlafting darkness; what horror muft feize upon the dying finner, who is juft about to furrender all his dear poffeffions to another, while his confcience is loaded with the guilt of fraud or perjury? and this he cannot leave behind him. Oh! my dear brethren, tremble at the thoughts of dishonest gain; loathe it; return it; fhake your hands clear of it. It will im bitter your enjoyments: it will be a moth in your fubftance, a fire in your confciences on earth, and a hell to your fouls after the earth itself, and all that is therein, is; burnt up.

(2) I would addrefs this reproof to those who are appȧrently more decent and regular, whom a fenfe of honor, or a defire of approbation of their fellow-creatures, preferves from groffer crimes, or whom perhaps natural confcience perfuades to take up the outward and ordinary part of religion as a form. Many fuch perfons are wedded to the world. Their thoughts are there, their delights are there, their hopes and expectations are only there. Bear with me, my brethren, in preffing this a little; and do. not turn away, and refufe the charge. Worldlinefs is the reigning fin, and will be the eternal ruin of many perfons of better rank, to whofe converfation, a more liberal way of thinking, and a fenfe of decency, may give even an amiable appearance. I would befeech the attention of fuch perfons to what fhall now be faid; not from any difrefpect to their ftate and fituation in civil life, God knoweth! but from fidelity to their fouls. Confider, I pray you, the extreme danger of worldlinefs of mind. It is itself a great and aggravated fin, and is the parent of many others. It is a fin, where it hath dominion, inconfiftent with falvation. Hear the words of the Lord.

Jefus: "He that loveth father or mother, son or daugh

ter, more than me, is not worthy of me." There are fome forts of finners on whom you would look with con. tempt or abhorrence; but you may poffibly deceive your. felves. The ftrict and regular, but covetous Pharifees, little thought that the publicans and finners were nearer the kingdom of heaven than themfelves. I do not fay thisto extenuate fin of any kind, but to guard you against the power "of delufion and felf-deceit. I know that none but the Searcher of hearts can make a certain judgment of the degree of depravity in different characters; and therefore I do not fo much urge the comparifon for your condemnation, as caution you againft relying upon it for your juftification. The unalterable rule, taken both from the law and the gospel, is this: Which of the two has the fupreme commanding intereft in you affections, God or the world? As an eminent author expreffes it, He is the moft wicked man that hath in his heart the ftrongeft interest that is oppofite to God; and all that is not fubordinate to him is oppofite to him: I fay again, the greater creture-intereft, the more finful the state. Though you be neither thieves, nor extortioners, nor adulterers, your fin may be as deep rooted, and the interest of the world as predominant, or more fo, in you, than in fome of them. Alas! Sirs, the abstaining from fome of these fins, and living like civil and orderly perfons, though it is fo far commendable, is not enough. If the world be 'not crucified to you, and you to it, fuch abftinence will but hide your fin and mifery, and hinder your fhame and repentance, but not prevent your eternal damnation. Your lands and your houfes, and hopeful pofterity, and other provifion you have made for the flefh, may have more of your hearts, than the world hath of the heart of "a poor wretch who never had fo much to idolize.' Upon the whole, my brethren, let me only put you in mind, > this exhortation is not lefs neceffary to you than the like cautions were to the hearers of Chrift in the days of his flesh, whom he warns against the dangers of an affluent ftate: Luke viii. 14. "And that which fell among thorns,

are they, which when they have heard, go forth, and

"are choked with cares, and riches, and pleafures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection." Matt. xix. 23, 24. Then faid Jefus unto his difciples, Verily I fay unto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the king"dom of heaven. And again I fay unto you, It is easier "for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for "a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." It ought to give you great confolation, that he adds, v. 26. “With "men this is impoffible, but with God all things are pof"fible."

(3) I would addrefs this exhortation to the children of God, in whom I know the world is crucified upon the whole; yet, alas! it ftill retains fuch a degree of interest as is provoking to God, offenfive to others, and hurtful to their own peace. In what glafs can you fee more clearly the weakne's of faith, and every other gracious difpofition, than in their little influence in reftraining the motions of carnal affection? Had the great objects of faith and hope that place in our hearts, and that entire dominion in our affections, which they ought to have; would there be fo much conformity to worldly maxims and prac tices, as is daily to be feen? would there be fo much emulation in all the outward expreflions of pride and gaiety, in drefs, furniture, and equipage? would there be fo mach defire of the increase of wealth and greatnefs? would there be fo much envy of those who are fuccefsful, and go beyond us? Shall I tell you how a Chriftian fhould look upon thofe who profper remarkably in their worldly af fairs? If they are truly pious, he fhould rejoice with them; for here is fo much wealth and influence put into fuch hands as will employ them in doing good. On the other hand, if they are wicked, he fhould fincerely pity them, as immerfed in the most dangerous temptations. If we were thoroughly dead to the world, and the world to us, would the lofs of wealth or reputation wound us fo deeply as they generally do? would the malice or flanders of others make fo fenfible an impreffion? It fhould be pitied, as it is their fin; but it may eafily be despised, as it is our danger. Try this by the condition and conduct of the oppofite character. A wicked man is dead to Ged

and spiritual things. What then, does he value the lofs of any thing of that nature? Tell him, that he hath loft fuch or fuch an opportunity of communion with God, in his worship in public, or in family; that he hath loft an opportunity of excellent inftruction, in a fermon or dif courfe; with what manifeft contempt will he receive the information, and fmile at your weakness and credulity in fhewing any attachment to fuch things! Were we crucified to the world as we ought, would there be fo much impatience under the hand of God in poverty, fickness, the lofs of relations, or calamities of any kind? The lopping off a limb or member that is dead, gives little or no uneafinefs: it is the life that remains which occafions the pain of feparation. If the world fat loose upon us, its removal would fcarcely be felt; but we muft needs fuffer at the very heart when any thing is withdrawn that hath its hold there. Let me therefore befeech you, in this, to confefs your fin, to be humbled for it, and to pray, that you may be daily more and more delivered from it.

2. I fhall improve this fubject for pointing out the use of affliction, and the ground of your confolation under it. This world at beft is but a scene of forrow; and we then reap most comfort from it when we are fenfible that it is fo. The very purpose of affliction is, to fhew us the vanity and uncertainty of all created comforts, and deliver us from an exceffive attachment to them. It is much more difficult to crucify a fmiling than a frowning world, It is not eafy to hate it in its lovelieft form, or, if I may ufe fuch an expreffion, to fpeak harfhly to it when it iş fpeaking kindly to us? But in the time of affliction, when we are obliged to confefs its variety, is it not reasonable to expect, that our affection for it it will be abated? I have faid, that this feems the natural effect of fuffering; because it is the leffon evidently carried in it. And accordingly the prophet Isaiah fays, chap. xxvi. 9. "For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world "will learn righteoufnefs." I am fenfible, however, that the reception which affliction meets with, and the effects which it produces, are very different in different persons. It makes the worldly man curse his idol in the rage of de

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