ranks, and try if you can difcover one who will tell you that he has no complaint or uneafiness whatever, before you allow yourfelf to repine at your present situation. Do you presume to indulge difcontent, merely because you are included in the common lot; because you are not exempted from bearing your share of the common burden? What is human life to all, but a mixture of fome scattered joys and pleafures, with various cares and troubles. You have, perhaps, fet your heart on fome one thing, which, if you could attain it, you infift, would put an end to all your complaints, and give you full contentment -Vain man! will no experience teach you wifdom? Have not you had the fame opinion before this, of fome other object of your defire; and did you not find that you was deceived in the enjoyment? Will you not then at last be perfuaded that all which cometh, like all that is paft, is vanity? Vanity, believe it, is the indelible character imprinted on all human things. As far as happiness is to be found on earth, you must look for it, not in the world or the things of the world, but within yourselves, in SER M. VII. SER M. your temper, and your heart. VII. Let the world change into one form or another as it will, it will be a vain world to the end; and you, to the end, will be discontented. It cannot give you what you feek. The fea faith, it is not in me; and the earth faith, it is not in me. Silver and gold are to no purpofe weighed for the price of it. The decree of the Almighty hath paft, and cannot be reverfed, that man fhould find his true contentment, under every condition, only in a good confcience and a well regulated mind, in a holy life, and the hope of Heaven. You call yourself a chriftian. Does not that name import that confider yourself as a pilgrim and a paffenger on earth; related in your expectations and hopes to a better world? Are you not afhamed to betray, by your difcontent, a fpirit fo inconfiftent with fuch hopes and expectations, and at the time when you profess to be looking towards the end of your journey, to fhow fo much uneafinefs about all the little circumftances of accommodation by the way ?Live by faith, my brethren, and you will live above this world and its difcouragements. Dwell with God, and you 159 VII. with things divine and immortal, and you SERM. fhall dwell with true wisdom. You will find nothing fo great in worldly events, as either to elate or deject you. Resting upon a principle fuperiour to the world, you will poffefs your spirits in peace, and will learn that great leffon of heavenly philosophy, in whatever hate you are, therewith to be content. SERMON VIII. On drawing near to God. [Preached at the celebration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.] VIII. PSALM lxxiii. 28. It is good for me to draw near to God. SERM. IN this pfalm the pious author describes himself as fuffering a great conflict within his mind. His obfervation of the course of Providence, did not present to him such an order of things as was to have been expected from the juftice and goodness of Heaven. The wicked appeared flourishing and triumphant, while the worthy were deftitute and oppreffed; and much disorder and darkness seemed to prevail in the course of human affairs. Hence his mind fluctuated for for a while amidst doubts and fears. His SERM. truft in the divine adminiftration was even M VIII. |