Christians, though with the loss of the whole world : methinks it might be some matter of consideration to turn the course of our desires a right way, to take off our affections from the things of this world, and set them on things above. But then, if we furthermore consider it, a life of virtue and piety is not only no hindrance, but serves to further and promote our temporal concerns; and, as it is the most conducive to our happiness in the next life, so it is the readiest thing in the world to advance our interests in the present. And this, sure, will be a likely argument to prevail with worldly-minded men; and certainly it is so; for it not only reconciles and recommends us to God's favour, but to man's also. And we may likewise observe, that, let a man be never so wicked himself, yet he shall sooner choose to deal with, and rely on, one, who has but the reputation of being good and honest, than those he knows are as bad as himself. If these things be so, (as undoubtedly they are,) then who can be so void of understanding, who can be so regardless of his present and future welfare, as not to make religion his chief concern, and endeavour, by the holiness of his life, to entitle himself to the protection and guard of David's Almighty Shepherd? But it may be objected, that David himself confesseth that he was 'poor and needy;" and St. Paul, that he was "in nakedness, cold, and fasting;" how then can the godly be said to want nothing, when such eminent saints as these were, seem to complain of their necessitous conditions? But David himself has fully answered this; for, says he, "I have been young, and now am old, yet saw I never the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread." Consider likewise, the fulness and abundance of God's children is not as it appeareth to the eyes of the world; but if we look upon the contentedness of their minds, the peace and joy of their hearts, the quiet and tranquillity they enjoy in their own breasts, we shall find them, as St. Paul speaks, "as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." And though David complains that he was poor and needy, yet herein he expresseth satisfaction,-— "The Lord careth for me. There is a two-fold want, either of the desires, or of one's necessities; both these wants God has promised his children shall not suffer, though the latter be more emphatically signified. And far better it is to have only what is necessary, than to abound for man is of such a nature and frame as not to be well able to bear either of the extremes, plenty or poverty; but the first is most liable to seduce him, as offering him more and stronger temptations, if we may believe daily experience. It was plenty made Israel forget their God; "Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation '.' On good grounds therefore does wise Agur pray, "Give me not riches; lest I be full and deny thee, and say, who is the Lord? nor poverty; lest I steal, and take 1 Deut. xxxii. 15. the name of my God in vain; but feed me with food convenient for me 1." God does not therefore always give abundance to his children, lest it should draw their hearts from him; but though he increases not their store, he will diminish and lessen their desires; and experience proves it to us much safer for the soul, that the body should be in want, than should abound. It was the husks, and the want of bread, that brought back the prodigal to his father's house and though God may perhaps for a while seem regardless of his children, yet then is his secret providence watching for their good; and he will "never leave them nor forsake them," but "give his angels charge over them," lest at any time they be surprised by any temptation to forget God, who has so fearfully made them, and so wonderfully preserved them. But some may yet object, and say: If God would give me riches and wealth, I might then promote his glory by succouring and relieving the needy, and those that have no helper. But "shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Does not the potter, of the same clay, make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour 2?" And shall not God do what he will with his own? Can man pretend to know what is better for himself than his Creator does? No, surely; he that made us, best knoweth what is convenient for us: for if worldly advantages would have profited us, we had certainly had them; and therefore if they are denied us, we ought to reflect, 2 Prov. xxx. 8, 9. Rom. ix. 20, 21. that it is God, who foresaw that riches would have proved our destruction, that denies them: and to him, "the Author and Finisher of our faith," after all, must we look up, as on whom alone depends our being, and our well-being, both here and hereafter. I shall now only make this inference from what has been said; that is, if "God be our Shepherd, and therefore we shall not want," this ought to teach us to moderate our desires of things below, and to trust him in the wise disposal of this world. And as our affections should not be immoderate, so neither ought our actions; but both squared and made comformable to the law he has appointed for them nothing should tempt us to take unlawful courses, when we know we have an Almighty Shepherd watching over us. I have made use only of such arguments to persuade to a faithful dependence upon God, as tend to the advancement of our temporal interests; since none, I imagine, are more likely to prevail upon degenerate mankind for if the sense of their duty, their temporal and eternal welfare, and the terrors of the Lord, will not persuade, what abideth for such men, but a fearful expectation of divine vengeance? From which, good Lord, deliver us all, for the sake of thy blessed Son Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom, with thee, O Father, and thy Holy Spirit, be ascribed all honour and praise, from henceforth and for ever! Amen. : SERMON I. AT ST. MARTIN'S-IN-THE-FIELDS. MATTHEW iii. 9. Think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our Father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. THE text is part of St. John Baptist's sermon, preaching repentance to the people of the Jews; a nation proud and haughty, that boasted mightily of their descent from the great patriarch Abraham; looking upon themselves as the elect children of God, because they were the natural sons of the father of the faithful. But to correct the reprobate pride of these men, St. John bids all to repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; and after a severe reprimand for living otherwise than became the true sons of Abraham, he, in my text, shows them the wrong conclusion they made, and the vanity of their arguments: "Think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our Father, for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." It was indeed a privilege, an honour, to be born of the seed of Abraham; our Saviour himself is called |