SERM.

III.

The feparate Interefts of this World and the next reconciled.

SER

A

MON

On Co L. iii. 2.

Set your Affection on Things above, not on
Things on the Earth.

T

HE feparate Interefts of this World and the next, make Man a very fickle Being. As he is compounded of two different Principles, one of them devoted to the Concerns of this World, and the other looking forward to Eternity, it is no Wonder to fee him varying his Purposes, as this or that Principle has the Afcendant. There are fome indeed fo fteadily religious, and others fo profligate and abandoned, that they seem to have but one Principle to direct them. But the greatest Part of us are wavering and irrefolute; fometimes mifled by the Blandishments of Senfe, and at other times reclaim'd by Reason; fo that our Lives are chequer'd with Vice and Virtue, and divided between Sin and Repentance.

Now

III.

Now the Cause of this disorderly Variety in our SERM. Actions, is evidently the mifplacing of our Affections. If we would but fuffer them to be conducted by Reason, we should never feel fuch a Conflict within ourfelves from the Remonftrances of that bufy Monitor: We fhould be fecur'd from all Levity and Error, and confequently from all Sorrow and Difappointment: We should be taught not to look for fubftantial Happiness, where no fubftantial Happinefs can be found; or, in other Words, we should be taught, as we are taught in my Text, to set our Affection on Things above, not on Things upon the Earth.

Reason, I fay, could fhe fpeak for herself, would give us the very fame Advice with the Apostle. And 'tis pity therefore, that fuch excellent Advice should meet with such an ill Reception. But as the fenfual Man doth not well confider it, fo the fuperftitious doth not understand it. Neither of them obeys the Precept, as he ought: Tho' the former offends knowingly and wilfully, and the latter out of Ignorance and Miftake. One of them receives the Precept like a ftubborn Enemy, the other like a ceremonious Friend: And accordingly one treats it with Contempt and Averfion, the other with too much Refpect. To be plain; the fenfual Man refuses to comply with the Command, left it should rob him of his unlawful Pleasures: And the fuperftitious adheres fo ftrictly to the Letter of it, that he loses even thofe Pleasures which are lawful: Whereas were the Defign of the Apostle understood, the Libertine might have the trueft Satisfaction that this World affords, without deferting the Interefts of the next; and the Devotee might have all the spiritual Ecstasy he defires, without fequeftring himself from his Bufi

nefs

SERM. nefs or his Pleasures. In a word, the latter might III. be convinced, as great a Paradox as it feems, that

a Chriftian may in fome Senfe be a Man of Pleafure; and the former perfuaded of what is as great a Paradox to him, that there's no Man of Pleasure, like the Christian.

Now all this will most evidently appear, by confidering the three following Propofitions.

I. First, that whatever is meant by this Precept of the Apostle, or any other of the fame Nature in Holy Writ, it can never be understood to prohibit that Attention to the Concerns of this present World, which is neceffary to our Well-being in it.

Nor, Secondly, can it be fuppos'd to exclude us from the Enjoyment of those innocent Delights, which Nature has pour'd out about us.

But, Thirdly and Laftly, That, fo far as is confiftent with the neceffary Business and the innocent Delights of Life, it is no less our Intereft, than our ·Duty to set our Affections on things above.

Firft, I fay, that whatever is meant by this Precept of the Apostle, or any other of the fame Nature in Holy Writ, it can never be understood to prohibit that Attention to the Concerns of this prefent World, which is neceffary to our Well-being in it. To provide for our own Security, is indeed as much required of us as any other A&t of Duty. SelfPrefervation is a Moral Principle, and as fuch we are oblig'd to comply with it. Luxury and Intemperance, and all that Tribe of Vices, by which we are faid to fin against ourselves, are none of them any otherwife criminal, than as they offend against this inviolable Law. For the fame Reason all Neglects and Omiffions, by which we are wanting to

Our

III.

our own Security, are, in Proportion to their Im- SERM. portance, Sins. Befides this, there are many other Duties arifing from the several Relations we stand in, none of which can be practis'd, as they ought, without an Attention to the Bufinefs of the World. So that to abandon the Society of Mankind, and immure ourselves in Cells and Cloifters, as it is taught and practised in Popish Countries, under Pretence of fetting our Affections on Things above, is so far from being the Duty of a Chriftian, that, as long as the Health of our Bodies and the Strength of our Minds enable us to be useful in another Way, it is a downright Desertion of our Duty; a devout Lethargy, a fpiritual Repose, agreeable neither to Grace nor Nature. In our natural State we were form'd for Action, and Christianity has introduc'd no new Duty furely, inconfiftent with the Laws of Nature. We are told indeed, that if we seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness, every thing, we want befide, fhall be added unto us. But this Promise itself supposes we have no Hope of God's Succour and Protection, without the Concurrence of our own Endeavours. For why should we be commanded to feek the Kingdom of God first, and principally, if there were not fome other fecondary Purfuit? And what can that fecondary Purfuit be, but the Concerns of this prefent Life? Let our Conversation therefore be in Heaven, if you will; but let us not forget we are upon Earth. For if we do, we may be fure others will not. There will be always fome, who have the Wisdom of the Serpent, to take Advantage of our Holy Slothfulness, and while we think we are laying up for ourselves Treafures in Heaven, amafs to themselves the Riches of the Earth, which might VOL. I.

с

have

SERM. have been poffeft, and employed by us in the necefIII. fary Works of Christian Charity, for the Relief of our needy Brethren. In a word, while those who have another World at Heart, employ their whole Time and Thoughts in Raptures of Seraphick Love, the Wicked will lay Snares to entrap the Innocent, and the State of Religion, and of the World in general, will be the worfe for their particular Devo

tion.

I fay not this to check the Love of God, which can never be enough commended. But I fay it in Oppofition to thofe Zealots, who place Religion in retiring from the World, and defpifing all Perfons in it: Whereas a chearful and regular Obedience, in the more active Scenes of Life, is as much fuperior to this fullen Sanctity, as the Good of Mankind is a nobler View than one's own particular Intereft or Advantage. A generous and beneficent Spirit feeks Occafions of doing good to others; whereas in this reclufe and monaftick State, our Virtues are purely negative. "Tis the utmoft Perfection of this Order of Men, not willingly to do Mischief to any one.

But, Secondly, as this Precept of the Apostle is not meant to prohibit all Attention to the Business of the World, fe neither can it be supposed to exclude us from the Enjoyment of those innocent Delights, which Nature has pour'd out about us.

and

It cannot be denied, that at fome certain Seasons, to mortify our corrupt Affections, or to humble ourbe proper felves before an offended God, it may even neceffary to abstain from the Enjoyment of our lawful Pleasures. But it is a mean and unworthy Notion of the fupreme Being, to fuppofe he takes delight in Mifery. The contrary is not only dedu

cible