II. BUT if there be a degree of care which is not only innocent, but laudable; let us in the next place, for the fake of avoiding unneceffary fcruples, endeavour to discover that degree of worldly care, which is unlawful and inconfiftent with a chriftian temper. AND here indeed lies the great delufion! There are fo many falfe gloffes and artificial colourings, under which a worldly temper conceals itself, that it is difficult to settle the precise limits between a moderate and immoderate concern about the world. The exact knowledge of every man's cafe in this respect belongs to his own confcience, and that GOD, who is the fearcher of hearts. All, that the minifters of religion can do, is to propofe the discrimirating marks or fymptoms of the difeafe, and leave it to their hearers to make the proper application. These marks are three: when worldly things are fought by unlawful means, for un

lawful

lawful ends, or, though the means and ends are lawful, with an eagerness, anxiety and folicitude, inconfiftent with the higher concerns of man.

any

WHEN We use unlawful means, any unjust, fraudulent, or uncharitable means of aggrandizing our eftate, this is an inftance of a worldly fpirit, requiring little either to illuftrate or agOur life is not to be comgravate it. pounded for, at the expence of our integrity. No wants can juftify a crime. Leave it to Gop to remove your neceffities he will either remove them in his own good time, when the purposes of trial and visitation are completed; or he will abundantly reward your patient fuffering probity, in the proper feafon

of retribution.

THE question upon this head is short and plain: do you mean to refund those poffeffions which you get by unrighteous means, or do you not? If you intend

it; why. will

you

do, what you muft

wish at the expence of worlds to have undone again? for repentance means. fuch a real unfeigned abhorrence of fin. Why will you commit crimes, which it may be foon out of your power to repair? for offences of this fort foon multiply beyond the reach of recollection.you do not mean to make full and adequate fatisfaction to your injured brother, then your repentance, without which no finner can fee the Lord, is not truly complete; for to repent of fin is to restore all the fruits of it, and to repair all its mischievous confequences.

But if

OUR worldly cares are unlawful when we propose unlawful ends to ourselves in the prosecution of them. The proper use of wealth, next to making a decent provifion for the neceffities of ourselves and nearer dependents, is to do good: it is not to feed the infatiate eye of avarice, to fupport the parade and fplendor of worldly pride, or the riot and exceffes of brutal intemperance. It is

to

to do good; to distribute to the wants of our unhappier brethren, whose unfuccessful honefty at once recommends and entitles them to relief. As riches are not to be employed in the fervice of our lufts, fo are they not to be fought with a view to fuch a criminal fubferviency.

It is, without doubt the will of him, who placed us here, that there should be differences of ranks and conditions; for the world could not fubfift without fubordination. And accordingly we fee him often raise individuals by a bleffing upon their induftry, or an uncommon train of fortunate occurrences, in order to keep up the harmony of the constitution. But let us leave the preservation of things to his difpofal. Let us receive his gifts with gratitude, and employ them with benificence; and we fhall concur with the views of his Providence; we shall do the good he defigned us for, and fecure for ourselves

an

an admiffion, when this fugitive scene is over, into everlasting habitations. BUT when we are anxious, follicitous, and impatient in our pursuits, (the third symptom I mentioned of a worldly temper,) this is a plain intimation of an immoderate attachment of the heart to prefent interests. When this is the cafe, the thoughts of life will interfere with the concerns of futurity, they will encroach upon the offices of religion, and indifpose the mind for those warmer emotions in our intercourse with God, in which the life and fpirit of devotion confifts. Befides, the tranfition from eager defire to undue methods is to be apprehended in fuch a state of mind. They that WILL be rich (fays St. Paul) they that are anxiously and eagerly intent upon this as a main purpose of life, fall into temptation and a fnare. i. Tim. vi. 9. It is a dangerous temper, which every wife man will rather cautiously avoid, than indulge: it is too natural, GOD

U

+ solicitous