his outward Man perish, yet his inward Man is renewed Day by Day"; when his Flesh and his Heart faileth, he triumphs in the Declaration, that God is the Strength of his Heart, and his Portion for ever". There may poffibly have been much wanting hitherto of the Efteem and Honour, with which his boary Head was intitled to be crowned; but now, having fought the good Fight and finished his Course, henceforth there is affuredly laid up for him a Crown of Righteoufnefs, which the Lord the righteous Judge fhall give him at that Day'.

n 2 Cor. iv. 16. ■ Pf. Ixxiii. 26.

2 Tim. iv.

7,8.

SERMON VII.

I TIM. vi. 17, 18.

Charge them that are rich in this World, thatthey be not high-minded, nor truft in uncertain Riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all Things to enjoy: that they do good, that they be rich in good Works, ready to diftribute, willing to communicate.

VERY Condition of Life hath its pe

EV

culiar Dangers to be avoided, and Duties to be done, but none hath Dangers more threatening, or Duties more important, than that of the Rich and Great: whofe Situation, notwithstanding, is feldom confidered by those who are in it, as having any Thing to be feared; and is generally imagined by others, to comprehend almost every Thing, that is to be wished. Now the Miftakes even of the lower Part of the World concerning this Matter are attended with fome exceeding bad Con

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Confequences; difpofing them very unreasonably to envy their Superiors, and be uneafy at their own Lot. But the Miftakes of the Rich and Great themfelves concerning the Advantages and Obligations of their Station, produce the most fatal Effects that can be, on themselves and all around them. And it greatly adds to the Unhappiness of their Cafe, that whilst they have many Things to divert their Attention from what is right, and prompt them to what is wrong; to make the gratifying of their bad Inclinations eafy; and fupport them in the World, let them act as they will; they have commonly scarce any one to remind them, if they act amifs. Intimations of Misbehaviour, however prudently given, are to most Persons difagreeable: but to Perfons of Rank they appear disrespectful too. And fuch of them as will bear to be told of their managing their Healths or their Fortunes ill, fhew a great Reluctance to let their Conduct, in Point of Religion or Morals, be touched with any Serioufnefs. So that, juft where they need Admonition moft, they have the least given them. It is but few, that can with Propriety ufe Freedom enough with them, to do any Good: for, to flight and

diftant

distant Hints they think no ferious Regard is due. And amongst those that can, there are fewer yet that will undertake an Office, in which they have little Prospect either of Succefs or Thanks. Indeed the Generality of those that come about them, in all Likelihood, mean nothing but their own Interest, or their own Amusement: and thefe, they may be fure, will take care never to offend them by giving them good Advice: but there is much Cause to fufpect, what the Great, notwithstanding, feldom do fufpect, that they will often court them by giving them bad: or, if they do not directly perfuade them into Sin, (which might fometimes be too grofs Behaviour) will however more covertly dispose them to it; encourage and countenance them in it; either to bring about fome particular End, which they have to ferve by it, or with a general View of making themselves agreeable.

To be thus environed with Temptations, and probably fenfible of none of them, is a most pitiable Condition. And yet the Rich and Great, when they are led wrong, do not so deserve Compaffion, as not to deferve much Blame too. For as there are some Things to excuse their Faults, there are many that aggra

vate them. Their Education, fo coftly and laboured in several Respects, must have been conducted with the abfurdeft Negligence in the most material; if it hath not given them a much fuperior Knowledge of their Duty, to that which common Perfons can ufually acquire. Their Difengagement afterwards from Cares, that others are swallowed up in, affords them peculiar Leifure for Thought and Recollection; and the vast and evident Importance of their whole Behaviour, on fuch a Multitude of Accounts, one should think could not fail of engaging their Attention to every Step they take. So that if they have fewer occafional Admonitions given them; it might be hoped they would have lefs Need of them: for their very Situation admonishes them constantly, that they are raised by Providence above others, in order to be Authors and Examples of Good, not Evil, to their Fellowcreatures. This is directly their Business and Truft it is the noblest and happiest that can be. The Labours of it are softened by many honourable and pleafing Distinctions, which God hath bestowed on them; for which he will justly expect they shall make him a Return: if it be fuch as it ought, they will be eminent for ever in the next World, as well

as