XV. SERM. trefs, by realising to our fouls the belief of an immortal state, in which all the virtuous and worthy shall be reunited in the prefence of their common Lord? THUS I have fet before you many confiderations, arising from the facrament of our Lord's fupper, which render it a proper preparation, not only for a good life, but for a comfortable and happy death. The great improvement to be made of the fubject is, to bring to the altar of God fuch difpofitions of heart, as may give us ground to hope for this bleffed effect. Let us approach to the facrament with the fame feriousness of frame, as if it were the laft time we were ever to partake of it; as if we were now making provifion for a journey to the land whence none return; as if we were never to drink, in this manner, of the fruit of the vine, until that day when we drink it, with those whom we have loved, in our Father's kingdom.--God only knows to whom this may be truly fpoken! God knows who, of this affembly, fhall never XV. have opportunity to approach again to the SER M. facred table, and to meet with their brethren, on fuch an occafion, in the courts of the Lord's houfe!-Whatever our doom is to be, whether we are appointed for life or for death, fuch is the frame of mind which now beft becomes, and will most improve us, in partaking of the holy facra ment. LET me caution you, before I conclude, against judging of the propriety of your disposition in this folemn act of worship, folely by the warmth of your affections, and the fervour of your devotion. This state of heart, how defirable foever it may be, cannot be at all times poffeffed. It depends, in fome measure, on natural fenfibility. All are not equally endowed with warm and tender feelings. Even they who are fufceptible of the highest degrees of pious and virtuous fenfibility, cannot, on every occafion, command that happy temperature of mind. We are not, therefore, to judge unfavourably of ourselves, if this be not al ways SER M. ways the privilege of our devotions. It is XV. chiefly a fedate and compofed frame of spirit, that we must study to cultivate; arifing from grave and fober thoughts; from ferious and penitent recollection of past errors; from good purposes for the future; and from a deep fenfe of the approaching events of death and immortality. Penetrated with fuch difpofitions, you have ground to come to the altar of God with humble trust and joy; under the belief, that you are approaching, through the great. Redeemer, to that merciful Creator, to whom in the high and holy place of eternity, the devout aspirations of his fervants on earth, are ever acceptable and pleasing. SER. SERMON XVI. On the USE and ABUSE of the WORLD, I CORINTHIANS, vii. 31. -They that use this world, as not abufing it.— T XVI. HE world is always reprefented in SER M. a Chriftian. It fets before him a variety of XVI. SER M. portance, as in the world we must live ; and according as we use or abuse it, it will prove either our friend, or our greatest foe. ་་ It is natural to begin with obferving, that the Christian is here supposed to use the world; by which we must certainly understand the Apoftle to mean, maintaining intercourfe and connection with the world living in it, as one of the members of human fociety; affuming that rank which belongs to his ftation. No one can be faid to use the world who lives not thus. Hence it follows, that fequeftration from the world is no part of Chriftian duty; and it ap pears ftrange, that even among those who approve not of monaftick confinement, seclufion from the pleasures of fociety fhould have been fometimes confidered, as belonging to the character of a religious man. They have been fuppofed to be the best fervants of God, who, confecrating their time to the exercifes of devotion, mingle least in the ordinary commerce of the world; and especially who abftain most rigidly |