tion, over-topping you with titles, eclipfing you with fplendor? Do you not now fee the propriety of the account given of the carriage of the apoftles, when the world and they were at variance, Acts v. 41. "And they de"parted from the presence of the council, rejoicing that "they were counted worthy to fuffer fhame for his name." Whether do you now envy the conqueror or the sufferer, the prince or the martyr? Where ever there is a real Chriftian raised to opulence by the will of God, or furrounded with enfigns of dignity and honor, will not this confideration fill him with deep humility and felf-denial, and a holy jealoufy, left he should abuse his influence, or mifapply his talents? The higheft honor of real ability is ufefulness, the brightest ornament of worldly greatness is felf-abasement. All this fhews, in the clearest manner, how the cross of Chrift crucifies the world, by reversing every worldly maxim, and giving a new turn to the principles of honor and of fhame. This leads me to observe,

4. In the last place, That the cross of Chrift crucifies the world, by putting a quite different object of defire and affection in its room. Our limited powers can attend but to few things at once; and therefore, when any one acquires an interest in our affections, it must comparatively weaken or deftroy the intereft of others, especially those of an oppofite or independent kind. Make a new bed to a river, and turn its ftream in that direction, and it will immediately dry up its former channel. Now, the cross of Christ presents to us an object of infinite importance, peace and reconciliation with God here, and everlasting happiness in his prefence hereafter. Can any worldly object be laid in the balance with these? What esteem or attention can it merit in comparison with these?

Whether we confider the end or the means of falvation, the cross of Chrift tends to fupplant the world, by improving our views of and increafing our affection to both. It fhews the infinite importance of eternity and its confequences and what more proper to deliver us from an undue attachment to the things of time? Eternity, by its greatnefs, makes time itself to fhrink into a point, and annihilates all those little temporary diftinctions on which

worldly affection entirely depends. What doth it fignify to him that views eternity aright, whether he be for a few years in health or ficknefs, riches or poverty, on a throne or in a cottage? How immenfe, according to human measure, appears the difference between the poffeffions of fome perfons in the world and others! But of all the generations before us, who have now fallen afleep, how equal is the condition in this refpect! The monarch and the flave, when laid in the duft, fill nearly the fame space. If we confider the means of religion, the cross of Chrift applied by a convinced finner, opens to him fuch a profpect of the infinite unmerited love of God, and of this aftonishing expreffion of it, the death of his Son, as at once captivates the heart, and, if I may speak fo, occupies fo much room there, as leaves but little for any other ob ject. How foon did it open the heart of the publican Zaccheus, and expel the spirit of covetousness and extortion! Luke xix. 8. "And Zaccheus ftood, and faid unto the "Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the

poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by "falfe accufation, I restore him fourfold." In how strong a manner does the apostle Paul exprefs his comparative esteem of the cross of Chrift! Phil. iii. 7, 8. "But what "things were gain to me, those I counted lofs for Chrift. "Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the "excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus my Lord: " for whom I have fuffered the lofs of all things, and do "count them but dung that I may win Chrift." This is the very fame difpofition with that which he expresses in the text; and it differs no otherwife from that of every Christian, than that it is probable he had a particular view to his calling as a minifter and an apoftle. Captivated with a fenfe of his Redeemer's love, filled with a view of the glory of his crofs, and devoted to his fervice in the miniftry of the gospel, he renounces all worldly prospects, and fets at defiance every thing that might diftract his at"God forbid that I fhould tention, or divide his care: glory, fave in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom "the world is crucified to me, and I unto the world."

III. I proceed now, in the last place, to make fome practical improvement of what hath been faid. And as, upon this interesting subject, it is neceflary that I fhould fpeak with all seriousness and fidelity, as well as at fome length, fo I moft earnestly befeech you, as you regard your prefent peace, your comfort in the hour of death, and the everlasting happiness of your fouls, to hear it with attention and application.

1. I must take the opportunity to reprove the fin, and fhew the danger of those who are wedded to the world. I would willingly interrupt that comfort, and break that peace, which will end in perdition. For this purpose, and in order to make the reproof more diftinct and effectual, I fhall direct it separately to the three following cha

racters.

(1) To those whofe love of the world is fo great, that they fcruple not to ufe, occafionally at least, if not habitually, finful means of getting or keeping poffeffion of it. This indeed opens to us a very extenfive field: it leads us to confider all the particular fins which an inordinate love of the world may produce, or increase. It is melancholy, my brethren, to think what contention and variance, nay what hatred and violence, even amongst the nearest relations, the divifion of worldly property occafions. What envy and grudging, what flander and evil-fpeaking, between perfon and perfon, between family and family! And even in the ordinary way of traffick, what art and diffimulation, what falfehood and equivocation, are to be found between man and man! But what I have chiefly in view is, to speak a few words to thofe who, in order to promote their worldly ends, have been guilty of direct dishonesty, and known injustice. How many are there whofe confciences, if they would be faithful, must tell them, that they are now in poffeffion of the fruits of unlawful gain! Oh! the blindness of those deluded unhappy fouls! if an inordinate love of the world, however honeftly acquired, is not only finful, but deftractive of your eternal intereft; what fhall become of those who have trodden under foot the laws both of God and man, in order to obtain it? If an exceffive love of the moft lawful

enjoyments, father and mother, wife and children, is in confiftent with falvation; what muft become of those who have loved and followed the gain of unrighteoufnefs? what muft become of thofe who, to clothe their backs or feed their bellies, or gratify their pride, have not fcrupled to be guilty of breach of truft, or breach of promife, of open oppreffion, or fecret fraud? If every poor worldling must ftand trembling upon the brink of eternity, when he fees all his painted fhadows ready to fink into everlasting darknefs; what horror must seize upon the dying finner, who is just about to furrender all his dear poffeffions to another, while his confcience is loaded with the guilt of fraud or perjury and this he cannot leave behind him. Oh! my dear brethren, tremble at the thoughts of difhoneft gain; loathe it ; return it; fhake your hands clear of it. It will imbitter your enjoyments: it will be a moth in your fubftance, a fire in your confciences on earth, and a hell to your fouls after the earth itself, and all that is therein, is burnt up.

(2) I would addrefs this reproof to those who are apparently more decent and regular; whom a fenfe of honor, or a defire of approbation of their fellow-creatures, preferves from groffer crimes, or whom perhaps natural confcience perfuades to take up the outward and ordinary part of religion as a form. Many fuch perfons are wedded to the world. Their thoughts are there, their, delights are there, their hopes and expectations are only there. Bear with me, my brethren, in prefling this a little; and do not turn away, and refufe the charge. Worldliness is the reigning fin, and will be the eternal ruin of many perfons of better rank, to whofe conversation, a more liberal way of thinking, and a sense of decency, may give even an amiable appearance. I would befeech the attention of fuch perfons to what fhall now be faid; not from any disrespect to their ftate and fituation in civil life, God knoweth! but from fidelity to their fouls. Confider, I pray you, the extreme danger of worldlinefs of mind. It is itself a great and aggravated fin, and is the parent of many others. It is a fin, where it hath dominion, inconfiftent with falvation. Here the words of the Lord Jefus :

"He that loveth father or mother, fon or daughter, more "than me, is not worthy of me." There are some forts of finners on whom you would look with contempt or abhorrence; but you may poffibly deceive yourfelves. The ftrict and regular, but covetous Pharifees, little thought that the publicans and finners were nearer the kingdom of heaven than themselves. I do not fay this to extenuate fin of any kind, but to guard you against the power of delufion and felf-deceit. I know that none but the Searcher of hearts can make a certain judgment of the degree of depravity in different characters; and therefore I do not fo much urge the comparison for your condemnation, as caution you against relying upon it for your juftification. The unalterable rule, taken both from the law and the gospel, is this: Which of the two has the fupreme commanding intereft in your affections, God or the world? As an eminent author expreffes it,' He is the moft wick'ed man that hath in his heart the strongest interest that ' is oppofite to God; and all that is not fubordinate to him 'is oppofite to him: I fay again, the greater creature-intereft, the more finful the state. Though you be neither 'thieves, nor extortioners, nor adulterers, your fin may <be as deep rooted, and the intereft of the world as predominant, or more fo, in you, than in fome of them. Alas! Sirs, the abftaining from fome of these fins, and living like civil and orderly perfons, though it is fo far commendable, is not enough. If the world be not crucified to you, and you to it, fuch abftinence will but hide your fin and mifery, and hinder your fhame and repentance, 'but not prevent your eternal damnation. Your lands and your houses, and hopeful posterity, and other provi. fion you have made for the flefh, may have more of your hearts, than the world hath of the heart of a poor wretch who never had fo much to idolize. Upon the whole, my brethren, let me only put you in mind, this exhorta. tion is not lefs necessary to you than the like cautions were to the hearers of Chrift in the days of his flefh, whom he warns against the dangers of an affluent ftate: Luke viii. 14. "And that which fell among thorns, are they, which when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with