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rich, and to maintain their families in such figure and finery, as a christian life has no occasion for. Take away this temper, and then people of all trades will find themselves at leisure to live every day like Christians, to be careful of every duty of the Gospel, to live in a visible course of religion, and be every day strict observers both of private and public prayer.

Now the only way to do this, is for people to consider their trade, as something, they are obliged to devote to the glory of God; something, they are to do in such manner, that they may make it a duty to him. Nothing can be right in business, that is not under these rules. The apostle commands servants, to be obedient to their masters in singleness of heurt, as unto Christ. Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will doing service, as unto the Lord, and not unto men.

This passage sufficiently shows that all Christians are to live wholly unto God in every condition; doing the work of their common calling in such manner, and for such ends, as to make it a part of their devotion or service to God. For certainly, if poor slaves are not to comply with their business, as men-pleasers; if they are to look wholly unto God in all their actions, and serve in singleness of heart, as unto the Lord; surely men of other conditions must be as much obliged to go through their business with the same singleness of heart; not as pleasing the vanity of their own minds; not as gratifying their own selfish, worldly passions; but as servants of God in all, they have to do. For surely no one will say that a slave is to devote his life to God, and make the will of God the sole rule and end of his service; but that a tradesman need not act with the same spirit of devotion. For this is as absurd, as to make it necessary for one man to be more just or faithful, than another.

It is therefore absolutely certain, that no Christian is to enter any farther into business; nor for any other ends, than such, as he can in singleness of heart offer unto God, as a reasonable service. For the Son of God has redeemed us for this only end, that we should by a life

of reason and piety live to the glory of God; this is the only rule and measure for every order and state of life. Without this rule, the most lawful employment becomes a sinful state of life.

Take away this from the life of a clergyman; and his holy profession serves only to expose him to a greater damnation. Take away this from tradesmen ; and shops are but so many houses of filthy lucre.-Take away this from gentlemen; and the course of their life becomes a course of sensuality, pride, and wantonness. Take away this rule from our tables; and all falls into gluttony and drunkenness. Take away this measure from our dress and habits; and all is turned into such paint, and glitter, as are a real shame to the wearer. Take away this from the use of our fortunes; and you will find people sparing in nothing, but charity. Take away this from our diversions; and you will find no sports too silly, nor any entertainments too vain and corrupt, to be the pleasure of Christians.

If, therefore, we desire to live unto God, it is necessary to bring our whole life under this law, to make his glory the sole rule and measure of our acting in every employment of life. For there is no other true devotion, but this of living devoted to God in the common business of our lives.

So that men must not content themselves with the lawfulness of their employments; but must consider, whether they use them, as they are to use every thing, as strangers and pilgrims, that are baptized into the resurrection of Jesus Christ; that are to follow him in a wise and heavenly course of life, in the mortification of all worldly desires, and in purifying and preparing their souls for the enjoyment of God.

For to be vain, or proud, or covetous, or ambitious in the commcn course of our business, is as contrary to the temper of Christianity, as cheating and dishonesty.

If a glutton were to say in excuse of his gluttony, that he only eats such things, as it is lawful to eat; he would make as good an excuse for himself, as the greedy, covetous, ambitious tradesman, that should say, he only deals

in lawful business. For, as a Christian is not only required to be honest, but to be of a christian spirit, and make his life an exercise of humility, repentance, and heavenly affection; so all tempers, that are contrary to these, are as contrary to Christianity, as cheating is contrary to honesty.

So that the matter plainly comes to this; all irregular tempers in trade and business are like irregular tempers in eating and drinking.

Proud views and vain desires in our worldly employments, are as truly vices, as hypocrisy in prayer, or vanity in alms. No reason can be given, why vanity in our alms should make us odious to God, but what will prove any other kind of pride equally odious. He, that labors in a calling, that he may make a figure in the world, and draw the eyes of people upon the splendor of his condition, is as far from the humility of a Christian, as he, that gives alms, that he may be seen of men. For the reason, why pride, and vanity in our prayers and alms render them an unacceptable service to God, is not, because there is any thing particular in prayers and alms, that cannot allow of pride; but because pride is in no respect made for man; it destroys the piety of our prayers and alms, because it destroys the piety of every thing, that it touches; and renders every action incapable of being offered to God.

So that, if we could so divide ourselves, as to be humble in some respects, and proud in others; such humility would be of no service to us; because God requires us as truly to be humble in all our actions, as to be honest in all our actions.

As a man is not honest, because he is not to many people, or upon several occasions; but because honesty is the measure of all his dealings with every body; so the case is the same in humility, it must be the ruling habit of our minds, and extend itself to all our actions, before it can be imputed to us.

We indeed sometimes talk, as if a man might be humble in some things and proud in others; humble in his dress, but proud of his learning. But, though this may

pass in common discourse, where few things are said according to strict truth; it cannot be allowed, when we examine into the nature of our actions.

It is very possible for a man, that lives by cheating, to be very punctual in paying for what he buys; but every one is assured, that he does not do so out of any principle of true honesty.

In like manner it is very possible for a man, that is proud of his estate, ambitious in his views, or vain of his learning, to disregard his dress and person, in such a manner, as a truly humble man would do; but to suppose that he does so out of a true principle of religious humility is as absurd, as to suppose that a cheat pays for what he buys, out of a principle of religious honesty.

As, therefore, all kinds of dishonesty destroy our pretence to an honest principle of mind; so all kinds of pride destroy our pretence to an humble spirit.

No one wonders, that those prayers and alms, which proceed from ostentation are odious to God; but yet it is as easy to show that pride is as pardonable there, as any where else.

If we could suppose that God rejects pride in our prayers and alms, but bears with it in our dress, our persons, or estates; it would be the same thing, as to suppose that God condemns falsehood in some actions, but allows it in others. For pride in one thing differs from pride in another thing, as the robbing of one man differs from the robbing of another.

If ostentation is so odious, that it destroys the worth of the most reasonable actions; surely it must be equally odious in those actions, which are founded in the weakness and infirmity of our nature. As thus, alms are commanded by God, as excellent in themselves, as true instances of a divine temper, but clothes are only allowed to cover our shame; surely therefore it must at least be as odious a degree of pride, to be vain in our clothes, as to be vain in our alms.

Again, we are commanded to pray without ceasing, as a mean of rendering our souls more exalted and divine, but we are forbidden to lay up treasures upon earth;

and can we think that it is not as bad to be vain of those treasures, which we are forbidden to lay up, as to be vain of those prayers, which we are commanded to make? Women are required to have their heads covered, and to adorn themselves with shamefacedness; if, therefore, they are vain in those things, which are expressly forbidden; if they patch and paint that part, which can only be adorned by shamefacedness; surely they have as much to repent of for such a pride, as they have, whose pride is the motive to their prayers and charity. This must be granted, unless it is more pardonable, to glory in our shame, than in our virtue.

All these instances are only to show us the necessity of such a uniform piety, as extends itself to all the actions of life.

That we must eat and drink, and dress and discourse, according to the sobriety of the Christian spirit; engage in no employments, but such, as we can truly devote to God; nor pursue them any farther, than conduces to the

reasonable ends of a devout life.

That we must be honest, not only on particular occasions, and in such instances, as are applauded in the world; but from such a living principle of justice, as makes us love integrity in all instances, follow it through all dangers, and against all opposition; knowing that, the more we pay for truth, the better is our bargain, and that then our integrity becomes a pearl, when we have parted with all to keep it.

That we must be humble, not only in such instances, as are expected in the world; but in such a humility of spirit, as renders us meek and lowly in the whole course of our lives; as shows itself in our dress, persons, conversation, enjoyment of the world, tranquillity of mind, patience under injuries, submission to superiors, and condescension to those below us, and in all the outward actions of our lives.

That we must devote, not only times and places to prayer; but be everywhere in the spirit of devotion, with hearts always set toward heaven; looking up to God in all our actions, and doing every thing, as his ser

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