self the true Disciple of that Mafter, who went SER M. before Him, in Both.

But to make Retirement, an Art, or a Burthen; to build Houfes of Entertainment to entice Men into it; to frame arbitrary Rules of Severity for it; to guard it with rigid Vows, too probably, drawing bitter Repentance and Sorrow, after them; and to clothe it with fuch Appearances of Something extraordinary, and above the common pitch of Devotion, as may enfnare unguarded and unexperienced Minds into what may prove the great Unhappiness of their whole Lives: Nay, to court it merely on our own Account, in order to lead an idle and useless Life; or to be at Leifure, perhaps, not for the Study of God's Will, as delivered to Us by himself, but only for the Improvement of our own peculiar Whimfies: This is, undoubtedly, unworthy of the Grand Defign of the Chriftian Religion; and was not only never commanded, but never intimated, by the first Preacher of it, and his immediate Succeffors, as far as we have any Knowledge of them.

That this is not copied after the Life of our bleffed Saviour, All will allow, who read the Hiftory of it; and find Him daily and hourly, converfing with All that came in his Way, in the Streets and Houses

U 2

XIV.

SERM. Houses of Jerufalem, and the neighbouring XIV. Towns. Nor can it be called the Life of

John the Baptift; or the leaft Imitation of it because it is moft evident that He retired, not to please his own Phanfy; but to anfwer the End of his Office; and dwelt in the Defert, not in order to avoid the World entirely, but to entice and invite All within his Reach to hear his Doctrine of Repentance, and of the Kingdom of God, then at hand. And, as far as We know the Nature of this Kingdom, or Gospel, of Chrift, We may retire, as much as That requires of us, in the Midft of the moft populous City; and without throwing off the leaft Part of our neceffary Business, or innocent Converfation: Nay, I may fay, We may do this much more agreeably to the Nature and End of that Gospel, than if we were shut up, within Walls, from the Sight of Men, and employed our whole Time, in performing, by Night and by Day, the most regular Round of Offices, under the fpecious Title of Devotion.

In a word, the Way of Life, with regard to human Society, in this World, recommend, ed to Us by our Mafter, is the Life of fuch Beneficence, as fuppofes Us converfing, and acting a Part, in the Society around Us; and this cannot be, a Reclufe Life of Inaction, but implies in it the very contrary. This is that Behaviour

Behaviour and Conduct of ourselves in the SERM. Social World, according to the feveral Stati- XIV. ons affigned Us in it, which the Precepts of our charitable Religion declare to be our Duty. This is what the Example of our great Mafter directs Us to: And, this will be our Reward and our Crown to all Eternity. If we can perfect Ourselves in this; We may fecurely leave to Others the Happiness, and the Glory, of any useless and idle Retirement, which They may please to mifcall by the Name of Religion; but which has not the leaft Tincture of the Religion of Chrift: And may well content ourfelves with following, as near as we can, the Footsteps and Rules of our common Master, rather than the filly and fruitless Inventions of. Thofe, who, under the Cover of his facred Name, have almoft extinguished the Knowledge of the main End of his appearing amongst Men. And this Regard to our Lord himself, above All other Directors, I hope, We shall all resolve to fhew, in the whole Conduct of our Lives here below.

The EXTREMES of RICHES and

POVERTY.

SERMON XV.

PROVERBS Xxx. 8, 9.

Give me neither Poverty, nor Riches; feed me with Food convenient for me. Left I be full, and deny Thee, and fay, Who is the Lord? Or, left I be poor and steal, and take the Name of my GOD in vain.

I

Shall not enter into any Enquiry concernings E R M.

the Perfon to whom the Words in this Chap- xv.

Iter are afcribed. The only Queftion of Importance is, whether this be not a Wish, or Prayer, worthy of a wife and confidering Man; founded upon Reason, and a careful Obfervation of the Inconveniences, and Conveniences, attending the feveral States of Life in this World. If it can be proved to be a reasonable, and well-grounded Prayer; we ought all to join in it, whoever were the firft Author of it. And, on the