by the genuine principles of it, these are blessings inexpressibly great.

You are not exhorted to begin a new course of life, and retain your old inclinations; making yourselves uneasy, without making yourselves better: but to acquire such sentiments, that you may delight in all you do. The vigorous exercise of good sense will contribute not a little to this desirable end; for, indeed the ways of the world are often flat contradictions to it. But the fundamental rule is, learn a just value for the cross of Christ, for the pity he hath shewn, the pardon he hath purchased, the felicity he hath provided for you; and you will soon come to love the restraints and observances which he hath appointed, to look with indifference, or sometimes with disgust and abhorrence, on what you have hitherto admired, and find the degree of your satisfactions unspeakably increased, by changing the nature of them from trifling, disgraceful and noxious, to rational, noble and beneficent. Still difficulties there will be, and to some persons peculiar ones, in breaking settled habits, and dissolving the ties by which you have been long held. But God will give you both courage and prudence, to make it easier than you think. Though you will do what is right with steadiness, yet you will do it without ostentation, and with chearful good-humour: speak mildly of others, and keep on as good terms with all men as you safely can. But, if you are too solicitous to please them, you will gradually slide back, and forget, as thousands have done to their eternal ruin, your former convictions. Therefore, whenever you feel any, suffer them not to die away through inattention, or be choaked by cares and pleasures, or blasted by the breath of scoffers: but impress them

on your souls immediately and frequently, form resolutions corresponding to them, and confirm these by reading good books, by the conversation and countenance of good persons, by attendance on God's public ordinances; but especially by fervent private prayer, suited to your spiritual condition. With this, out of weakness you will be made strong*: and without this, the seemingly firmest human purposes, think as highly of them as you will, can never be effectual. For God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble†.

Heb. xi. 34.

+ Jam. iv. 6.

1 Pet. v. 5.

SERMON XX.

COL. III. 1, 2.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

THIS day we are met to celebrate the yearly memorial of our blessed Lord's rising from the dead. Now the genuine method of paying honour to every article of our Creed is allowing it the proper influence on our hearts and lives. Christ's resurrection is vain with respect to us, unless we be raised by it to the faith of a better world; and the firmest faith of that is vain also, unless it excites us to love and seek the things which are above. This passage of St. Paul therefore is justly made one principal part of our Easter Day's service: and the degree of our practical regard to it will be the true measure of our improvement by the discipline of the past season, and of God's acceptance of our celebration of the present. That each of these then may be such, as we are concerned beyond expression that it should, I shall lay before you the chief motives to a due regulation of our desires and behaviour, in relation to earthly and heavenly objects, which motives arise from considering ourselves,

I. As rational beings:

II. As believers in God:

III. As disciples of Christ: on which last point I shall enlarge the most, as it deserves.

I. Let us consider ourselves merely as rational beings, who are to live for a while on earth; and suppose that we had no farther prospect. Then indeed we could not set our affections on things above: but still we might set them a great deal too much on things below. For, if our attachments to worldly objects be strong, we shall frequently, either pursue what is hurtful, or be miserable that we dare not pursue it, or enraged at being crossed in our designs, or dejected on finding small happiness in our attainments: which indeed are incapable of yielding much. The delights of sense are destructive, when indulged to excess: and low and inconsiderable, when conducted with moderation. Wealth and power and rank are acquired with much difficulty, attended with much anxiety, and soon become familiar and tasteless. Fondness for gay amusements rather makes men uneasy when they are without them, than gives any mighty pleasure in the midst of them: and, unless they manage with uncommon prudence, wastes their fortunes, wears out their spirits, hurts their characters, exposes them to contempt. Indeed we cannot help on reflection contemning ourselves, for setting our hearts on any of these gratifications, to the neglect of matters visibly worthier. But if we follow them to the loss of our innocence, which generally happens when we follow them earnestly, then we have cause to hate ourselves too, for transgressing the dictates of that inward principle which we feel ought to rule us, and which rewards us when obeyed, with that pleasing consciousness of having acted well, which is the truest satisfaction we can taste, though all were to end at death. But even from this enjoyt

ment, without the aid of religion, we can promise ourselves but little. Our failures and imperfections in virtue must be daily mortified: our rightest and kindest behaviour will often have ill returns made to it: they whom we love with the most deserved affection, may be miserable, or may be snatched from us: and if not, we must very soon leave them, and whatever we value. In such circumstances, disengagement is evidently the only way of securing any comfort. It will indeed, at the same time render our condition flat and insipid: but we can aim at nothing better from the things of this world, without meeting with something worse: and if we are not contented with such a state, (as in truth how can we?) our sole remedy is to look beyond it: and consider ourselves,

II. Not merely as happening to be inhabitants of the dust of earth for a few years, we know not how or why, but as created by the power and placed under the authority and protection, of a perfectly wise, and holy, and good Being, who hath made us capable of knowing and honouring, and therefore doubtless originally of imitating and obeying, him. On this farther view of things it will plainly appear, that the principle of conscience, which otherwise might often serve only to perplex and disquiet men, is the law of God written in their souls; and therefore that yielding to it will always end well: generally in this world, but certainly in another; for which human nature was evidently framed. Here then the distinction between things above and things on earth begins to open, the connection of virtue with happiness becomes manifest; and excites us to despise the poor short-lived advantages that little minds are fond of ; to esteem and practise what is right, be it ever so