beft; the Ambitious Man's Heart runs upon his Honours; the Voluptuous Man's upon his Pleafures; the Mifer's upon his Bags; the Scholar's upon his Notions; and fo every Man's to his particular Inclination. And what a Man amaffes a great deal of, and hoards it up not with a Defign to part with it, but to have his Satisfaction in the fecret Contemplation of it, that infallibly draws his Heart and Thoughts after it. It is therefore a much more dangerous thing than we are aware of, to hoard up Treasures in this World; for could that be done without the Mind's being carried after it, without its being disturbed with Cares and Fears, and anxious Thoughts and Concerns, without putting that Hope and Truft in it, all which follow the chief Bent and Inclination of the Heart, then indeed it might be a much more innocent Thing to lay up Treasures upon Earth; but when the Doing of this is fo apt to draw the Heart after it, there's the Danger that these our earthly Treasures will draw away our Heart from God.

(2.) Efpecially when we confider what Influence the Heart has on the whole Man, to govern all his Thoughts, Words and Actions. By the Heart we mean that main Propenfion and Inclination which, like the main Spring in aWatch or Clock, governs all the leffer Movements and sets them a going. As this main Spring of the Heart goes, the Man thinks, contrives, fpeaks and acts. This is like the determining what Port we will fail to, which has the chief Confideration in shaping the whole Course.

(3.) From whence the Conclufion follows very naturally, that the laying up our Treasure on Earth makes us worldly, and forgetful of Heaven;

and

and that on the contrary the laying up of our Treasure in Heaven makes us of an heavenly Temper, and is the main Engine to reform the whole Heart and Life. The Purport of all this is, that the more we lay in for this World, the more our Hearts and Thoughts will be carried after it, and the more worldly and covetous fhall we prove, and confequently the more fhall we endanger our Souls; and the more good we do with an Eye to Heaven, the more heavenly minded fhall we prove, and the more directly fhall we fteer our Course to Heaven.

Thus now I have explained the feveral Notions of the Text. The Duty which our Saviour here urges is of the greatest Importance of any I know in Chriftian Morals: For upon it depends the whole fhaping of our Chriftian Courfe. The main Question which is to be firft refolved is, what Port we are bound for? For if we are bound for Heaven, and intend to make the beit of our Way thither, we must have a special Care that the World deceive us not with its falfe Allurements. If you alledge the Difficulty of obferving juft Bounds between God and the World, I fhall only put you in Mind of these two Things. First, that at the laft Occafion I circumfcribed your Duty in this Matter with a great many particular Rules, which it would be too tedious now to repeat. Secondly, that the frequent Confideration of your main End and Defign will fo regulate all your other Movements, that ye cannot eafily mifs of the Mark, For if ye are bound for Heaven, ye will, fo to speak, remit Effects thither as faft as ye can; ye will fo difpofe of all your Concerns here, as they may turn to the beft Account in the future

your

State.

State. And though ye know not the precife Quantity fit to be bestowed into the heavenly Treature, this very Aim will teach you not to be niggardly that Way, fince of all our Eftate it is that which will turn to the best Account. There are many other Duties, which God has not thought fit precisely to determine, but only to direct by general Rules; as in Eating, Drinking, Apparel, Furniture and the like, he has contented himself to give us general Rules of Temperance, Sobriety, Humility and Fugality; and to forbid Gluttony, Drunkennets, Vanity, and Prodigality, all which we can comply with, tho' it is not determined just how much we fhall eat, and drink, and wear. So in the Matter of Good Works, the more we fow, the more we shall reap; the more we put into the Bank of Heaven, the more we shall take out with. multiplied Intereft. This is by much the secureft Part of our Eftate or Treasure, not fubject to divers Accidents, as our worldly Eftates are, but as the Apoftle calls it, a good Foundation against the Time

to come.

I fhall conclude after I have acquainted you, that it is not only Charities or Alms-deeds, which go into the heavenly Treafure, but the Acts and Habits of all other Chriftian Virtues whatfoever. Our Works of Faith, and Patience, and Peaceablenefs Our Improvements of the feveral Talents God has entrusted us with. There is nothing we do with an Eye to his Service, that shall be paft by or forgotten by him; nay, the very Will and Defire to do Good, where we want the Ability, fhall be put to our Account: So that we have all

the

the Encouragements in the World to be good, and to do Good.

Now God of his infinite Mercy give us all Grace to be fruitful in every good Work, to his Glory and our own eternal Happiness, through the Mediation of Jefus Chrift.

To whom, &c.

SERM

SERMON XXI.

MATT. VI. 22.

The Light of the Body is the Eye; if therefore thine Eye be fingle, thy whole Body Shall be full of Light.

Ver. 23. But if thine Eye be evil, thy whole Body Shall be full of Darkness. If therefore the Light that is in thee be Darkness, how great is that Darkness?

TH

The Third Sermon on this Text.

HESE Words, if I apprehend them right, are a further Continuation and Improvement of that Argument against Covetoufnefs, which our Saviour made use of in the Words immediately preceding; which were thefe, For where your Treafure is, there will your Heart be allo. He comes now to fhew the Danger of a worldly Heart and Mind; for illuftrating of which he borrows a Similitude from the Eye of the Body, which he calls the Light of the Body, directing it in all its Steps and Actions. Now, fays he, if the Eye be fingle, that is, pure from all noxious Humours, which obftruct the Sight of it, then the whole Body shall be full of Light; that