tention, or be choaked by Cares and Pleasures, or blasted by the Breath of Scoffers: but impress them on your Souls immediately and frequently, form Refolutions corresponding to them, and confirm these by reading good Books, by the Converfation and Countenance of good Perfons, by Attendance on God's public Ordinances; but especially by fervent private Prayer, fuited to your spiritual Condition. With this, out of Weakness you will be made ftrong and without this, the feemingly firmeft human Purposes, think as highly of them as you will, can never be effectual. For God refifteth the proud, but giveth Grace to the humblea.

• Heb. xi. 34.

:

a Jam. iv. 6. 1 Pet. v. 5.

1

SER

SERMON

VIII.

COL. iii. 1, 2.

If ye then be rifen with Chrift, feek thofe Things which are above, where Chrift fitteth on the right Hand of God.

Set your Affection on Things above, not on Things on the Earth.

T

HIS Day we are met to celebrate the yearly Memorial of our bleffed Lord's rifing from the Dead. Now the genuine Method of paying Honour to every Article of our Creed is allowing it the proper Influence on our Hearts and Lives. Chrift's Refurrection is vain with Respect to us, unless we be raised by it to the Faith of a better World; and the firmeft Faith of that is vain alfo, unless it excite us to love and feek the Things which are above. This Paffage of St. Paul therefore is justly made one principal Part of our Eafter Day's Service: and the Degree of our practical Regard to it will be the true Measure of our

Improve

Improvement by the Discipline of the paft Seaton, and of God's Acceptance of our Celebration of the prefent. That each of these then may be fuch, as we are concerned beyond Expreffion that it should, I fhall lay before you the chief Motives to a due Regulation of our Defires and Behaviour, in Relation to earthly and heavenly Objects, which Motives arife from confidering ourselves,

I. As rational Beings:

II. As Believers in God:

III. As Difciples of Chrift; on which last Point I fhall enlarge the most, as it deferves.

I. Let us confider ourselves merely as rational Beings, who are to live for a While on Earth; and fuppofe, that we had no farther Profpect. Then indeed we could not fet our Affections on Things above: but still we might fet them a great deal too much on Things below. For, if our Attachments to worldly Objects be strong, we fhall frequently, either purfue what is hurtful, or be miferable that we dare not purfue it, or enraged at being croffed in our Defigns, or dejected on finding fmall Happiness in our Attainments: which indeed are incapable of yielding much. The Delights of Senfe are deftructive, when indulged to Excefs:

cefs and low and inconfiderable, when conducted with Moderation. Wealth and Power and Rank are acquired with much Difficulty, attended with much Anxiety, and foon become familiar and tastelefs. Fondness for gay Amufements rather makes Men uneafy when they are without them, than gives any mighty Pleafure in the Midst of them: and, unless they manage with uncommon Prudence, wastes their Fortunes, wears out their Spirits, hurts their Characters, exposes them to Contempt. Indeed we cannot help on Reflexion contemning ourfelves, for setting our Hearts on any of these Gratifications, to the Neglect of Matters vifibly worthier. But if we follow them to the Lofs of our Innocence, which generally happens when we follow them earnestly, then we have Cause to hate ourselves too, for tranfgreffing the Dictates of that inward Principle, which we feel ought to rule us, and which rewards us, when obeyed, with that pleafing Confcioufnefs of having acted well, which is the trueft Satisfaction we can tafte, though all were to end at Death. But even from this Enjoyment, without the Aid of Religion, we can promise ourselves but little. Our Failures and Imperfections in Virtue must be daily mortified: our rightest and kindeft Behaviour