defiance every thing that might diftract his attention, or divide his care: "God forbid that I "should glory fave in the cross of our Lord Je"fus Chrift; by whom the world is crucified to 66 me, and I unto the world."

III. I proceed now, in the last place, to make fome practical improvement of what hath been faid. And as, upon this interesting subject, it is necessary that I should speak with all ferioufnefs and fidelity, as well as at some length, fo I must earnestly befeech you, as you regard your prefent peace, your comfort in the hour of death, and the everlafting happiness of your fouls, to hear it with attention and application.

1. I must take the opportunity to reprove the fin, and shew the danger of those who are wed. ded 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 ef fectual, I fhall direct it separately to the three following characters.

(1) To those whofe love of the world is fo great, that they fcruple not to ufe, occafionally at least, if not habitually, finful means of get.. ting 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

the division of worldly property occafions. What envy and grudging, what flander and evil-fpeaking, between person and perfon, between family and family! And even in the ordinary way of traf fick, what art and diffimulation, what falsehood and equivocation, are to be found between man and man! But what I have chiefly in view is, to speak a few words to thofe who, in order to promote their worldly ends, have been guilty of direct dishonesty, 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 those deluded unhappy fouls! if an inordinate love of the world, however honeftly acquired, is not only finful, but deftructive of your eternal intereft; what shall become of those who have trodden under foot the laws both of God and man, in order to obtain it? If an exceffive love of the moft lawful enjoyments, father and mother, wife and children, is inconfiftent with falvation; what must become of those who have loved and followed the gain of unrighteousness? what must become of those who, to clothe their backs, or feed their bellies, or gratify their pride, have not scrupled to be guilty of breach of trust, or breach of promise, of open oppreffion, or fecret fraud? If every poor worldling muft ftand trembling upon the brink of eternity, when he sees all his painted fhadows ready to fink into everlasting darkness ; what horror must feize upon the dying finner,

;

who

who is just 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 difhoneft gain; loathe it; return it; fhake your hands clear of it. It will imbitter 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 apparently more decent and regular, whom a fense of honour, or a defire of the 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 persons 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. Worldliness 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 disrespect to their ftate and fituation in civil life, God knoweth! but from fidelity to their fouls. Confider, I pray you, the extreme dan

ger

ger of worldliness 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, "fon or daughter, more than me, is not worthy "of me." There are fome forts of finners on whom you would look with contempt or abhor. rence; but you may poffibly deceive yourselves. 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 say this to 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 judgement of the degree of depravity in different characters; and therefore I do not fo much urge the comparison for your condemnation, as caution you against relying upon it for your juftification. The unalterable rule, taken both from the law and the gofpel, is this: Which of the two has the fupreme commanding intereft in your affections, God or the world? As an eminent author expreffes it, He is the most wicked man • that hath in his heart the strongest interest that 'is oppofite to God; and all that is not fubor.

dinate to him is oppofite to him: I fay again, the greater creature-intereft, the more finful the ftate. Though you be neither thieves, nor extortioners, nor adulterers, your fin may be as deep rooted, and the intereft of the world as predominant, or more fo, in you, than in some

• of

⚫ of them. Alas! Sirs, the abftaining from fome of thefe 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 houses, ⚫ and hopeful pofterity, and other provision you have made for the flesh, may have more of your hearts, than the world hath of the heart of a poor wretch who never had fo much to ido'lize.' 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 66 cares, and riches, and pleasures of this life, " and bring no fruit to perfection." Matth. xix. 23. 24. "Then faid Jefus unto his difciples, "Verily I fay unto you, that a rich man shall 66 hardly enter into the kingdom 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, y 26. "With men this is impof"fible, but with God all things are poffible."

(3) I would address this exhortation to the children of God, in whom I know the world is crucified