those lusts, which he ought to subdue both in himself and others, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, will make himself an example of the believers, in word, (or speech,) in conversation, (in his actions and behaviour,) in charity, in (fervency of) spirit, (or, in newness of spirit, in opposition to the oldness of the letters,) in faith, in purity. He will equally dislike the two extremes of a vain prodigality and a sordid avarice; and endeavour to make that decent appearance in life which may reasonably be expected from him, as being neither above his rank, nor below it. It is an idle thing to affect to rival our superiors in figure and expense; it is absurd, when we are complaining of the luxuries of the age, to give them the credit of our own practice; and it is sinful in us to be immersed in the pleasures or pursuits of the world, who are to exhort others to renounce and despise it. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him ".

If once we can mortify this love of the world, we shall be both better qualified and more disposed to discharge another important branch of our duty; and that is, to "maintain and set forwards quiet

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ness, peace, and love among all Christian people, "and especially among them that are or shall be "committed to our charge." Covetousness, which is idolatry, is, like that too, the root of all evil. For they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition Y.

r I John ii. 16. u 1 John ii. 15.

s Rom. vii. 6.

x Col. iii. 5.

t 1 Tim. iv. 12.

y 1 Tim. vi. 9.

And from whence come wars and fightings among you? From whence proceed most of the contentions and animosities that trouble human life? Come they not hence, even of your lusts, that war in your members? It is this desire to have what they cannot obtain with innocence and honour, that puts men upon raising themselves in the world by unworthy practices. And as faction may happen to be more subservient to this purpose, than setting forwards quietness, peace, and love, we may sometimes see men, upon certain public political occasions, throwing all these considerations behind them; and raising among them that are committed to their charge such a spirit of resentment and opposition against themselves, as will obstruct the good influence of all their future ministrations. With whatever colours such instances of conduct may be disguised, it will be impossible for such a politician to persuade his people, but that he had something much nearer his heart than either their salvation or his own. I would not by this be understood to say, that a clergyman is under bondage in such cases; and obliged to please those who have no right to be pleased, at the expense of his own judgment and conscience. But there is a manner of doing the thing, on which the offensiveness of it depends; and if he be more busy and turbulent than he needs; if he endeavour to carry on his schemes by any violent and oppressive methods; however he may serve some private ends, he will certainly make himself the aversion of one party, and, it may be, the scorn of both.

The only effectual security against all miscar

riages of this kind is, a reasonable degree of disinterestedness; or, if we can compass it, a truly Christian temper, which will enable us to overcome the world. Too close an attachment to secular and selfish interests, besides that it is enmity with God, and looks ill in itself, will lay us open to temptations, and is likely to betray us into numerous instances of wrong conduct; which, when the principle they proceed from is discovered, will meet with no excuse. Whereas the faults of a worthy mind will generally meet with fair allowances; and a person, who knows the true value of things, and appears in the main to act agreeably thereto, will be regarded and esteemed as an amiable and good character, though not perfect. However, let us not trust too much, and too long, to the good nature of the world. As dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour a ̧ It is our duty, and it will add greatly to our credit, to leave our faults, as far as we can, behind us, and to go on unto perfection; so that as to ourselves, we may stand in less need of that candour which we are willing to exercise towards others. But let us be careful, not merely to change one vice or imperfection for another, and call and think that improvement or reformation. Let us remember the philosopher's advice; "to guard in our youth against "lust, in manhood against faction, and against co" vetousness in old age." The pursuits of this world surely deserve not our whole attention; and though he, that would recommend a total disregard and neglect of them, could hardly expect to be treated

a Eccles. x. I.

with real gravity, yet let me be allowed, in conclusion, to remind you, that about how many things soever we may be busied, still there is one thing infinitely most needful, to endeavour to save ourselves and them that hear us.

SERMON XVII.

ROMANS V. 7.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. THAT God should send his Son into the world to die for its offences, would have been an act of great goodness, and an argument of his great love of mankind, though they had been in the best moral condition and circumstances, that, since the fall, their case would admit of. If they had all been sincere penitents, and supplicants at the throne of grace, all seeking after God, and suing for his pardon, ardently desiring, and humbly praying for reconciliation; even in this posture of prayer and penitence, it would have been a wonderful instance of love and condescension in God, to send his dearly beloved Son to suffer death for their redemption, and to be the propitiation for their sins. But this was in no degree the general state and temper of mankind. They were totally estranged from God, and enemies to him by their wicked works: they were dead in trespasses and sins :-had so entirely revolted from God, and were in effect become such subjects to the Devild, that though he was a liar from the beginning, it is hard to say whether he lied or not,

a 1 John ii. 2.

d

1 John v. 19. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness, or, is subject to the wicked one, mentioned in the verse before.

SEX

C