IX.

SERM. Father and mother, wife and children, "brethren and fifters, yea and his own "life alfo." cv (10 This, in the cafe of temptation to idolatry, was exprefly provided against by a divine declaration; and it may by parity of reafon be applied to other cafes. Deut. xiii. 6, 8. "If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy fon, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own foul, entice thee fecretly, faying, det us go, and ferve other Gods Thou shalt "not confent unto him, nor bearken unto "bim." Befides this, there are other temptations which derive their force from the fame root, the love of our intimate friends; and are only defeated by the fame principle, a fuperior affection to Chrift. There is nothing more common in the world, than for mens families to be fnares to them: While to make a large, or (as they pretend) a competent provifion for them, they violate their confciences, and fin against God, either by direct injustice, or, at least, by fuch immoderate follicitude, and inceffant toil, as is inconfiftent with piety, leaving no room for the exercises of it; or by fuch narrowness, and witholding more than is meet, as is directly contrary

-contrary to charity. But, let us remember, SERM. that this is to render ourselves unworthy of IX. Christ, by loving fons or daughters, or other worldly interefts more than him.

Befides, diftreffes befalling our friends, their deaths and misfortunes, which, confidering the viciffitude of human affairs, are always to be expected, and they are to fome minds, at least, among the most fenfibly affecting trials in life; these are to be fupported on the fame principle. An inconfolable grief for them can never confist with a tranfcendent love to God, and our Saviour. For fo long as the fupreme object of affection remains unalterable, there is always a fufficient fund of confolation against all inferior loffes.

Thus you fee of what general use to all the purposes of a religious and happy life, this condition of discipleship, or of chriftianity would be, which our Saviour here requires. It would eftablish us in our christian profeffion; it would produce univerfal obedience to his laws, and make our works perfect before God: It would be a defence against all forts of temptation, and minister comfort under the most grievous diftreffes in life. When we fail in

any of

thefe

SERM.thefe articles, it is to be charged to the ac

IX. count of a defect here, to the want, or

weakness of our love to Christ.

t

The conclufion, then, is, that we should endeavour always to have this principle ftrengthened in us, as the root, from which every religious virtue muft grow up to its full maturity. I do not mean by this, a mere zeal of affection, and vehement emotion of mind without understanding; but a rational and deliberate esteem, founded on a clear apprehenfion of infinitely amiable moral excellency, and calmly directing to every good work, according to that admirable defcription the apostle gives in the 1ft chapter of the epistle to the Philippians from the 9th verfe, "that your love may abound yet more " and more in knowledge and in all judgment: "That ye may approve things that are ex-.. "cellent, that ye may be fincere, and without offence till the day of Chrift. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jefus Chrift unto the glory and praife of God." In order to this, nothing can be fo effectual (indeed without it nothing can be effectual) as a serious attention to the motives of love. What else can excite a rational affection? If we compare all the objects

jects that follicit our defires, every enjoy-SERM. ment in life, with the amiable glories of the IX. divine nature, and the excellent and right things of religious wifdom, they will be found lighter than vanity, unworthy of our choice. And for raifing this esteem, and inflaming your grateful and pious affections to God, you have a great advantage by the gofpel miniftrations, which represent to you fo clearly the glory of God in Christ, and the greatness of his love manifested in our redemption. Meditate on this, that your hearts may be warmed with fervent love to him, who so tenderly loved you; and that the love of Christ may constrain you, thus judging, *"that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they who live, fhould not henceforth "live unto themselves, but unto him, which "died for them, and rofe again."

SERMON X.

Of the proper Improvement of
Occafions of Sorrow.

SERM.

X.

Ecclefiafties, vii. 2, 3, 4.

it to his heart.

It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feafting, for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the fadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The beart of the wife is in the house of mourn ing, but the heart of fools is in the house. of mirth.

T

HE main fubject of this book is the vanity of all things under the fun. Though the frame of this world is very good, and fo the wife creator pronounced it when it came out of his forming hand, that is, it was fashioned exactly according to his own model for the intended purpofes;