gefts. And if it fhall please God to afford us the affiftance of his Spirit, I am perfuaded that several remarks will occur to us in the course of this inquiry, which may be "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, " for correction, and for inftruction in righ"teoufnefs."-Let us then attend,

First, To the form of expreffion which the Apostle condemns. "Go to now, ye "that fay, to-day or to-morrow we will go "into fuch a city, and continue there a year, and buy and fell, and get gain."

In general, we may obferve, that this language relates altogether to a worldly project. The principal object is gain: "not "the true riches;" or "that good part" which fhall never be taken from those who choose it; but the gain of this world, the gain which is acquired by buying and felling. They fay nothing of the measure of gain that would fatisfy them, and nothing of the ufe to which they meant to apply their wealth. For any thing that their expreffions imply, their defires might be without bounds, and their fole aim might be

to

to

heap up filver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets;" or, in the language of Ifaiah, "to join houfe to house, "and field to field, till they were placed salone in the midft of the earth."

If this remark is juft, we have already difcovered one capital error in the expreffions before us.-To feek gain by honeft industry, either. for the fupply of our own wants, or to enable us to relieve the neceffities of others, is not only lawful but honourable: But to feek wealth for its own fake, and merely for the fordid pleasure of poffeffing it, betrays a mean and selfish spirit, unworthy of a man, and much more unworthy of a Christian.

-Suppofing this then to be the end in view, there can be no doubt that it is in a high degree culpable. But as the Apostle is filent on this head, we fhall admit, that the perfons who hold the language before us, might intend to make a proper use of their riches, and proceed to examine the means by which they propofe to obtain them. 66 To-day," fay they, or to-morrrow, we "will go into fuch a city."-Thefe words

may

may pass in common converfation; but when we seriously weigh the import of them, as at prefent we are called to do, we shall find that they are chargeable both with folly and prefumption.

The great Lord of all has no part in this scheme. These little arrogant words, we WILL, thrust him out at once, and occupy his place. And for what do the perfons here described undertake? They undertake without hefitation, to infure their lives against death, their bodies against fickness, and their effects against every casualty or hazard. They speak of the morrow, as if they had the abfolute property of it. They promise themselves, that to-morrow they shall not only be alive, but in health, to fet out on their journey; that they fhall meet with no cross accidents by the way; that the goods which they carry along with them, fhall be protected against thieves and robbers; and that in due time they shall arrive at the city where their plan of business is to be carried into execution. But what follows is ftill more extravagant. They promife upon life for a "We will continue there a year: full year; L

VOL. III.

and

and not upon life only, but on health of body, and foundness of mind, during all that time. No allowance is made for change of climate, or the fatigues of bufinefs they are always to be in a condition to by and fell, and to manage their affairs with activity and prudence. Nay, more, they affure themselves of fuccefs. "We "will buy and fell, and get gain." They undertake, not for themselves alone, but for all whom they fhall employ, or with whom they shall have commerce-that they fhall have diligent and faithful fervants; that they fhall have large profits from those to whom they fell, and cheap bargains from those of whom they buy. In a word, they 1peak as if every thing relating to themselves and others, were fo dependent on their will, that they might command the events which they desired, and dispose of all things according to their own pleasure.

Well might the Apostle give this the name of boasting, as he doth at the 16th verfe of this chapter; and had it suited the gravity of an infpired writer, he might have examined the different parts of the

fcheme,

fcheme, computed the risks which were plainly against them in every step, and thus turned the whole defign into matter of contempt and ridicule. But instead of this, he arrests them at their very first outset. You talk of "going to fuch a city, of continuing "there a year, of buying, of felling, and getting gain:"" whereas ye know not "what shall be on the morrow."

The

prefent moment is all that ye can call your own. This night your fouls may be required of you: to-day you are; but to-morrow ye may be numbered with those who have been. He would not trifle with miserable men, who might die whilft he was speaking to them. He therefore feizeth one important truth, the force of which could not be denied, and inftantly placeth it full in their view. "What is your life?" faith he; "it is even a vapour." At prefent it appears; but while I yet speak to you, it may vanish away. Ceafe then, vain boasters, to talk of a year hence, until ye can say something with certainty of the fucceeding day. Thus the vifionary Babel falls to the ground. This plain propofition,

L 2

"Life

❝is