greater alacrity in the way of God's commandments.

The character of the perfons to whom this exhortation is addreffed, doth likewise serve to limit the extent of the duty. It is not every fort of care that we are invited or permitted to caft upon God, but only the care of those things which the Christian dare avow in the prefence of his Father, and humbly ask of him by prayer and fupplication. We read, Matth. xviii. at the beginning, that the difciples of our Lord came to him in a body, inquiring which of them fhould be "greatest in the kingdom of "heaven." This was a vain felf-interested anxiety, to which our Lord gave a fharp and fudden check, by telling them in plain terms, that till they should lay aside that ambitious care, they were not fit to poffefs the lowest place in his kingdom. "He

"called a little child unto him, and fet "him in the midst of them, and faid, "Verily, I fay unto you, that except ye be "converted, and become as little children,

ye fhall not enter into the kingdom of· "heaven.". We have an account of ano

ther

ther very careful man, Luke xii. 16,—20, where his picture is drawn with inimitable ftrength. He is reprefented in a mufing posture, thinking within himself, and faying, "What fhall I do?" The question betrays the greatest uneafinefs and perplexity. A poor ftarving beggar, who had not a morfel of bread, nor knew where to find it, could have faid nothing more expreffive of distrust and anxiety. And what do you really think ailed this man? Did he want bread? Quite the contrary; he had got too much: his barns were not large enough to contain the product of his ground: “ Į "have no room," faid he, "where to be"flow my fruits." And it was this that made him cry out, "What fhall I do?" If you defire any further information con cerning him, you will find it at verfe 20, "But God faid unto him, Thou fool, this "night thy foul fhall be required of thee;

then whofe fhall thofe things be which "thou haft provided?" It would appear, that his fituation with refpect to an heir was fimilar to what Solomon defcribes, Ecclef. iv. 8. "There is one alone, and "there

"there is not a fecond; yea, he hath nei"ther child nor brother: yet there is no "end of all his labour," &c. But whatever became of his fruits, we know that his folly proved a lafting eftate, for it continues to be the inheritance of many at this day. I believe there are numbers among ourselves, whofe minds are continually on the rack, so that they cannot fleep, with laying schemes about the mereft trifles in the world. In this age of gaiety and frivolous oftentation, I make no doubt, that the fuperfluities of drefs, furniture, equipage, and the like, employ the thoughts of the rich (or of people of fashion, whether they be rich or not) as anxiously, as the clothing that is neceffary to cover their nakedness employs the thoughts of the poor and destitute. It is the care of fome to overtop their neighbours it is the care of others to over-reach at gaming; and indeed the mind of á gamester must be in perpetual fufpenfe and agitation. Surely I need not tell you, that it would be impious to caft fuch cares upon God. We are not at liberty to choose ap random whatsoever is agreeable to fancy or appetite;

appetite; and, when our paffions are inflamed, and our hearts overcharged with difquieting cares, attempt to roll these over upon God. We must first examine the object of our defire, whether it be good in itself, and fit for us; whether it be consistent with and fubfervient to our fpiritual intereft: and if, upon inquiry, it shall appear that these qualifications are wanting, we must neither caft the care of it upon God, nor keep it to ourselves, but throw it away altogether; praying, that our folly may be forgiven, our diseased affections healed, and led forth to other objects more worthy of our purfuit. This being laid down, then, as a fundamental principle, that the object of our defire must be lawful and good, the practice of the duty which my text recommends, may be confidered as including the following particulars.

f, A ftedfaft perfuafion, that all events are ordered and directed by God; that we and all our interefts are continually in his hand; and that nothing can befall us without his appointment or permiffion. This was the foundation of David's confidence, when

he

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he faid, "Into thine hands I commit my "fpirit: Thou haft redeemed me, O Lord "God of truth.-I have heard the flander "of many; fear was on every fide; while "they took counfel together against me, "they devised to take away my life. But "I trusted in thee, O Lord: I faid, Thou "art my God, my times are in thy hand." Herein lies the difference betwixt the judgement of fanctified believers and that of worldly men: The laft, confining their views to the objects of fenfe, place their whole dependence upon weak and mu table creatures like themselves. They court the fmiles, and tremble at the frowns, of those who are raifed a little above them; and have no higher aim, than to recommend themselves to the favour and protection of fuch perfons as are most likely to gratify their ambition or covetousness: Whereas the believer, knowing that God is fupreme, and that the highest creatures are. only instruments which he employs at his pleasure, keeps his eye continually fixed upon him, and hath no other concern than to be found walking in those ways which he hath