not, the laying up fomething for pofterity is a provifion fit to be made (and if it be in our power to accomplish it) a duty too. If it be objected, that this is ftill laying up. I answer, that our Saviour fpeaks only against laying up riches or treafures, viz. more than the condition and degree God has placed us in requires: But what is really neceffary to the Support of that condition, does not fall under that prohibition; fo that this may be laboured for, and laid up, without fcruple, a due proportion of it being difpofed in charity. Nor do I deny, that where the providence of God does extraordinarily bless a moderate induftry, or pours in a great acceffion of wealth without our feeking, we may innocently leave this to our children (provided still that our charities encrease together with our abilities) and by this, they may honestly be raised to a ftation higher than that to which they were born; but this is not properly OUR laying up, and therefore does not fall within a prohibition, which only concerns our worldlymindednefs and love of riches.

LET us now confider the other cafe mentioned under this head, the laying up by way of referve against the poffibilities of future want. And here also I deny not, that a prudent provifion for the future, as well as prefent fupply of our felves in things that are necessary to life, or the comforts, of it, is lawful. So Solomon advifes, * Go to the ant, thou fluggard, confider her ways, and be wife: which provideth her meat in the fummer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. But then we are to do it without any uneafy follicitude, without trufting in riches, or diftrufting the divine providence; with a freedom in ufing at prefent what we poffefs, fo far as is neceffary and fuitable to our condition; and with a liberal diftribution to the poor, that we defraud not

* Prov. vi. 6, 8.

them

them of what God has laid up for them in our hands. But here perhaps it may be enquired, whether all laying up for the future be not a diftruft of the providence of God? I anfwer, No: because his promifes, as they are declared to us in his holy word, are the rule and measure of our truft. Now God has no where promised to fuftain, and provide for those that undo themselves by floth or thoughtleffnefs, or extravagance; and therefore to depend upon him in fuch a way, is prefumption, instead of truft in God. And on the contrary, to provide for our future living, by the measures of reasonable frugality, and common prudence, and with a ferene' and eafy mind, is fo far from a diftruft of God's Providence, that it is really trufting in him in the way that he requires; that is, in the moderate use of means, and not in dependance upon unpromised miracles. 'Tis unhappy, that we know not how to keep out of extremes, that we know not how to be frugal without being penurious, nor careful without anxiety, nor easy without being careless, nor liberal without extravagance; and yet these are diftinctions that must be practically made, or elfe we confound the differences of vice and virtue, fin and duty. And thus I have endeavoured largely to explain, what our Saviour means here by laying up treasures upon earth, and to diftinguish as juftly as I could, in what particulars and degrees the finfulness of it does confift. I have been the larger upon it, because this prohibition feems generally to be misunderstood, or not confidered in practice, even by those who are esteemed very good men, who (as if there was no fuch precept in the chriftian religion) take it for granted, that they may procure as much of the treasures of this world, as honeftly they can, and do accordingly lay up in ftore for themselves and their pofterity, and com mend those who do the fame, under the character

of

of notable and thrifty; who join house to houfe, and lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth. But fuch as are really good men, and defire to govern their confciences, and their practice by the direction of God's word, will, I hope, be convinced by what has been faid, that this precept lays a restraint upon men's overvaluing, defire, purfuit of, and laying up

of riches.

I proceed now,

1

SECONDLY, To fhew what is meant by laying up treasure in heaven, which is the pofitive part of the precept in this paragraph of our Saviour's fermon. The meaning thereof in general is, that we should make it our chief endeavour to fecure to our.felves an intereft in the love of God, and the inheritance of a bleffed eternity; and fo it is in truth, an exhortation to all and every duty, that lies in a Chriftian's way to heaven, but it seems more especially to include, and to be understood of these three.

(1.) FAITH, or a firm belief of the infinite (tho' as yet invifible) glories referved in heaven, for those who love and obey God. And this is both the duty, and the comfort of a Chriftian; 'tis this important fecret that bears up his fpirits, carries him through all the ftorms of life, with a ferene and chearful temper. He is troubled on every fide, yet not diftreffed he is perplexed, but not in defpair. Loffes and misfortunes follow one upon the neck of another; poverty preffes hard upon him; disappointments blaft and baffle him; contempt is daily treading on his heels; infults and injuries meeting him at every corner; long ficknefs confumes his body, or fharp and violent pains torment it; flanders and malice wound his reputation, and a great variety of evils exercise his patience. What is it therefore that fupports him under all these trials,

Z

but

but the hopes that heaven will make amends at last: *For this caufe, fays St. Paul, we faint not, but tho' our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are feen, but at the things which are not feen; for the things which are feen are temporal, but the things which are not feen are eternal. I need not prove fuch a faith to be our duty, the Apostle having declared in a few words, that whosoever cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently feek him. And that this duty is included in this precept, of laying up treasures in heaven, is plain by vifible connection. I proceed therefore to the fecond duty implied in it.

(2.) HEAVENLY mindedness; or a fovereign and prevailing esteem of spiritual things, the bleffedness of heaven, and the religion that prepares us for it, above all worldly business or enjoyments whatsoever. Under this head we fuppofe the Chriftian in a smooth and profperous ftate; the riches of the world, and perhaps the honour of it too; the refpect and friendship of all about him; the innocent pleafures and comforts of this life; and, in a word, the bounty of an indulgent providence, attending and bleffing him on every fide. And he that in these circumstances can keep his eye fixed upon a better world to come; that purfues the intereft of his foul, with a more deep and real concern than any fecular intereft; that does in choice and affection seriously prefer the delight of glorified spirits (praifing and adoring God to all eternity) before the most agreeable of the earthly pleafures and diverfions, that offer themselves to his enjoyment

*

2 Cor. iv. 16, 17, 18,

† Heb. xi. 6.

here,

here, and does accordingly entertain himself with a truer relish in the contemplation of those bleffed hopes, in practifing to improve himself in a devout and holy love of God, and tuning his heart beforehand to celeftial praifes, and exercifing himself to godliness in the feveral duties of religion, than in either the grandeur or the wealth of this world, or in any thing else that pleases or imploys him in it, he that does thus, may properly be faid to lay up treafures in heaven, for his heart is there already; and in fo doing performs the duty enjoyn'd here by our Saviour, which St. Paul has well explained to this purpose, in his Epistle to the Coloffians, * Set your affections on things above, and not on things on the earth.

(3.) THE third and laft duty which I fhall infift on, as particularly included in that of laying up treasures in heaven, is charity to the poor. The covetous worldling thinks himself very wife in faving all that he can fcrape together, in putting it out to ufe, or hoarding it up in bags, or purchafing eftates with it, and thinks all is thrown away that is given to relieve the want of the poor, to feed the hungry, to cloath the naked, or release the prisoner. But time perhaps will fhew, at least eternity will, that this is a very great miftake, and that he who is at the most expence in charity, lays up the largest and the most lafting treasure. That very money which he seems to fcatter about with fuch a carelefs hand, is really put out at the highest interest, and upon the best fecurity; For he that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he bath given will be pay him again. God is pleafed to stand answerable for what is fo difpofed of, and tho' we can merit nothing from him by our charity, or any other good action (because we are