given, when all these opportunities, and all these means of God's grace shall be over, and we shall be called on to give an account of our use, or abuse of them.

HAVING thus, my brethren, fhewn you, that we should all confider ourselves as ftewards to our heavenly master for every thing we enjoyand that we should all act faithfully in our feveral trusts, as we must give an account of our Stewardships, I fhall conclude with preffing upon you the neceffity of reducing these truths to practice; which I cannot do better, than in our bleffed Saviour's own words. Who then is that faithful and wife fteward, whom his Lord fhall make ruler over his household. Blessed is that fervant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, fhall find fo doing. But if he fhall fay in his heart, my Lord delayeth his coming, and fhall begin to eat, and drink, and be drunken, the Lord of that fervant will come in a day, when he looketh not for him, and at an hour, when he is not aware, and will cut him afunder, and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. There shall be

wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

SERMON XII.

I TIMOTHY, iv. 8.

GODLINESS IS PROFITABLE UNTO ALL THINGS, HAVING THE PROMISE OF THE LIFE THAT NOW IS, AND OF THAT WHICH IS TO COME.

THOUGH godlinefs depends chiefly on the promife of the life, that is to come; yet as we are told it hath the promise also of the life, that now is, it seems right for the ministers of the gospel to explain this, and every advantage that attends it. Indeed it is, in fact, strengthening the force of religion, to give it the promife of the life, that now is; for as there must be a uniformity in all God's works, it is a strong prefumption, that if a religious conduct tends to make us happy here, it

will tend ftill more to make us happy hereafter.

In confidering this fubject, I fhall fhew you first, that religion tends more than wickedness to procure us the enjoyments of life-fecondly, that it gives us a better relish for them-thirdly, that it is a greater fecurity against misfortunes : and lastly, that when we do fall into misfortunes, it is our beft fupport under them.

In the first place, religion tends more than vice to procure us the enjoyments of life.-But here I would not be understood to mean that a religious life has a greater tendency than a wicked one, to procure us fudden, or exorbitant wealth. By acts of oppreffion, or fraud, a man may create a fortune at once; as a thief may fuddenly enrich himself by breaking open a houfe. But he, who is inclined to enrich himfelf by rapine and robbery, will never listen to any discourse of this kind. He is beyond the pale of inftruction. When I fpeak therefore of the worldly advantages of religion, I confine them merely to thofe who are content to go on innocently in the common course of business, in which certainly a virtuous conduct has a greater tendency to fuccefs than a vicious one.

And first prudence, which we furely efteem a virtue, is most effential in conducting our affairs. This is fo certain, that wherever you fee an imprudent man, there alfo you see a man in difficulties. The wicked man fometimes acts

prudently, and fo far he acts properly: but when he acts in character, his measures are concerted by art and cunning. These serve but a prefent occafion: prudence is ever of use.

Then again industry, temperance, and fruga lity, which are all virtues, have the same good tendency. Did any of you ever fee an idle, drunken, extravagant fellow profper in his business, or live comfortably? I believe not. His bufinefs fails-or his friends forfake him-or his quarrelfome temper leads him into mifchief-o% fomething happens, which he might have avoided, if he had been quiet, sober, and industrious.

Honesty too has the fame good tendency. The knave must pretend to be honest, or he can never fucceed. If he be supposed to be a knave, nobody will truft him. And it will be a very diffi cult matter for him to manage fo, as not to be - found out. There is the fame difference between a really honeft man, and a disguised knave, as between a piece of fair gold coin, and a gilt counterfeit. The honeft Guinea fhews its face any

where.

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where. Weigh it: it does not want a grain. Bring it to the touchstone: it ftands the proof. Carry it to market: every body likes to deal with it. But it is not fo with the counterfeit. Bring it to the fcale or the touchstone: it is difcovered at once. And if it fhould escape fo nice an enquiry, yet in its common intercourse of business, the gilding wears off in fpots-the base metal here and there appears-and in the end, it will not pafs for a farthing.-Look therefore into your own hearts, and take care that no dishonesty may appear in them—that the gilding may not begin to wear off in spots. We are generally the last people ourselves to know we are fufpected. If the knave should hear all the fecret whispers of his neighbours against him, he would perhaps wonder how they came to know his heart fo well.

Another thing, which contributes to make the religious man more fuccefsful in bufinefs, is the affiftance of others. His goodness naturally procures it. The more friends a man has, the fairer is his chance for fuccefs. In whatever way of life he is engaged, fo many difficulties arise, (especially in the early part of life, before he is eftablished in the world) that without the friendly affiftance of others, he could not proceed with