dence and self-considerations, without any love of purity. A Christian must resolutely shun all incitements to unchaste desires; imitating the example of Job, who would not so much as suffer his eyes to fix on any object that might prove a snare. Our Lord confirms the wisdom, and enjoins the necessity of this vigilance, by branding, as the adultery of the heart, the looking upon a woman to lust after her. The temper of our heart stamps our character. No one, therefore, is chaste, who cherishes unclean thoughts, or can suffer a wanton idea to rest upon his mind, or a sound exciting it to play on his ear; for a renewed mind, endued with filial fear of God, and knowledge of sin, has at least as much delicacy respecting what is base and filthy, as fine breeding inspires respecting polite behaviour. A gentleman is not only free from the coarse manners of a clown, but from every thing approaching to such rudeness; and a true Christian, fired with love to God, and ambition to walk worthy of his kingdom and glory, will cultivate purity of heart with all care, and avoid, as infectious, every person, jest, or object, savouring of lasciviousness.

Here then a noble province opens for Christian self-denial! Here the spiritual welfare of the whole church of Christ, in condemning and opposing every fashionable way intended by the world to gratify lewd desires, is most conspicuous. Of this kind, are wanton glances of the eye, that index to what passes within; the melody of amorous songs, that double entendre, mixed dancings, love novels, and above all stage plays. For in this amusement, which (in defiance of common sense and experience, no less than our Christian faith) the world will maintain is innocent; in this amusement, whatever can corrupt the mind is set off to greatest advantage. Every lewd allusion receives strong emphasis from

the actor's air and voice, whilst the greater part of the audience express aloud the filthy joy it gives them. And if a piece untainted with an obscene tincture should gain admittance on the stage, the house must still have their prurient humour gratified in the epilogue or farce, by innuendos, that our chief pleasure consists in what we know naturally with the brute beasts*.

To live in this world, in direct opposition to its favourite taste, and preserve chastity of mind, is a noble self-denial faith in Christ effects, and an indispensable duty in all his disciples.

Some may condemn this censure of the school of virtue, which the stage is often (one would think ironically) called, as harsh and malignant; yet it is supported by some of the world's great and favourite writers. Archbishop Tillotson was never thought rigorous or enthusiastic. Let those who plead for this fashionable amusement hear what he has published on the sub. ject, and blush and repent, or avow their infidelity.

"As the stage now is, plays are intolerable, and not fit to be permitted in any civilized, much less a Christian nation. They do most notoriously minister both to infidelity and vice. By their profaneness, they are apt to instil bad principles, and by their lewdness to dispose to lewd and dissolute practice; therefore, I do not see how any person pretending to sobriety and virtue, and especially to the pure and holy religion of our blessed Saviour, can, without great guilt, and open contradiction to his holy profession, be present at such lewd and immodest plays, much less frequent them, as too many do, who would yet take it very ill to be shut out of the communion of Christians, as they certainly would have been in the first ages of Christianity."

Sermon on the Evil of corrupt Communication.

SUNDAY XLII.

CHAP. XLII.

On Self-denial respecting the Love of Money.

CORRUPT self must be denied in its propensity to covetousness, which is in us all since we are all naturally desirous of wealth, and place much confidence in it. Commerce and custom perpetually cherish this evil desire, and the world sees nothing wrong in being intent to gain as much as is possible with a fair character. By this means, what at first setting out in a trade or profession was no more than an innocent desire of providing honestly for ourselves or family, soon degenerates into inordinate affection, and a very wicked passion.

The propensity, therefore, to love money, a Christian must resist in its first motions, because opposite to the temper of mind which is to govern him, and a contradiction to his situation, who is a stranger on earth, standing in expectation of an immediate separation from all things visible. But this propensity to love money, unless denied, will soon benumb all feeling of futurity, and suffer you to think of nothing intensely or with delight, but wealth and its advantages, utterly excluding all just ideas of religion, which inspire love of God and man, and give victory over worldly lust.

Besides, the gospel is intended to establish all who receive it in full resignation to the will of God, every where, and in all things, instructing us both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. But a covetous spirit can conform to the will of God, only so long as his providence

smiles; in adversity it must fret and murmur. The gospel teaches us to have our whole confidence and delight in God, as our chief happiness; but love of money soon brings a man to conclude gold is the God whose presence is the richest blessing, and want of it the heaviest curse. The gospel is given on purpose to raise our desires with increasing fervour towards God, to fix our affections with immoveable steadfastness on things above, and to engage us in the constant pursuit of them with an ardour in some degree suited to their worth. The love of money is incompatible with love to God, or any other idea of happiness in being with him, than as a refuge from punishment when death comes, and our idol fails.

To mention only one instance more of the contradiction the love of money bears to the state of a Christian; it hardens the heart against the poor and needy. Through fear of lessening, or desire of increasing our treasure, it will shut up our bowels of compassion, till we leave our own flesh to struggle with sickness or want, and to die unassisted by us, though it be in the power of our hands to relieve them. Directly opposite to this selfishness is the disposition of a christian. He is liberal and generous, remembering with joy it is the will of God that those who are rich should be bounteous, and those who have little should gladly give of that little, that there may be no want amongst his creatures. these several views, the contrariety which the love of money bears to the temper of a Christian, respecting God or man, is glaring; and the duty therefore of self-denial, in subduing every propensity to it, indisputable.

In

To enforce the practice of this self-denial, it is necessary to explain the nature of that covetousness so much condemned in God's word. It is not of the

scandalous kind; it may rule the heart of a man esteemed very excellent in the world. The covetous, whom the Lord abhors, Psalm x, are the very persons of whom the wicked speak well. But no one speaks well of those whose love of money makes them fraudulent or miserably penurious. The same idea of covetousness is given us by our Lord and Judge, in that solemn caution, Take heed, and beware of covetousness; which evidently, in this case, can mean no more than a persuasion, that the comfort of life consists in possessing abundance, and for that reason desiring to be rich. This was the cov etousness our Lord condemned. To give greater weight to his caution, he represents the love of mo ney working in the heart, by an instance which pas. ses every day before our eyes. A man grows rich, not through extortion or fraud, but industry and skill is his trade; he is delighted with his success, and prospect of being master of an independent fortune in a few years: meanwhile, he is determined to be frugal, till he leaves business, fully to enjoy the sweets of ease and affluence. Luke xii. 19.

What is there, it may be said, to blame in this man's conduct or sentiments? Are they not general, and applauded in every station? Yet our Lord sets this very man before our eyes, as an instance of one engrossed by covetous desires; this man he represents as summoned to appear a crimnal at the bar of his despised Maker. Lo, this is the man whom our Lord exposes as a miserable wretch in the midst of all his golden hopes, warning us against the detestable folly of loving money. "So [such a fool and such a sinner as this] is he that layeth up treasure for himself, [every worldly-minded man, who seeks wealth as the foundation of comfort], and is not rich towards God in faith, hope, and love."