XII. SERM. Here, tents only are pitched; tabernacles erected for the fojourners of a day. But in the region of eternity, all is great, ftable, and unchanging. There, the mansions of the just are prepared: there, the city which bath foundations is built; there is established, the kingdom which cannot be moved. Here every thing is in ftir and fluctuation; because here good men continue not, but pass onward in the course of being. There, all is ferene, steady, and orderly; because there remaineth the final rest of the people of God. Here, all is corrupted by our folly and guilt; and of course must be tranfient and vain. But there, purchased by the death, and fecured by the refurrection, of the Son of God, is an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away. There reigns that tranquillity which is never troubled. There fhines that fun which never fets. flows that river of pleasures, which is always unruffled and pure. Looking forward to thofe divine habitations, the changes of the prefent world difappear to the eye of faith; and a good man becomes afhamed of fuffering himself to be dejected by what is fo foon to pass away. There SUCH XII. SUCH are the objects you ought to op- SERM. pofe to the tranfient fashion of the world; Virtue, and God, and Heaven. Fixing your regard on thefe, you will have no reafon to complain of the lot of man, or the world's mutability.The defign of the preceding reprefentation which I gave of the world, was not to indulge vain declamation ; to raise fruitless melancholy; or to throw an unneceffary cloud over human life: But to fhew the moderation requifite in our attachment to the world; and at the fame time, to point out the higher objects both of attention and confolation which religion affords.Paffing and changeable as all human things are, among them, however, we must at prefent act our part; to them we must return from religious meditation. They are not below the regard of any Chriftian; for they form the fcene which Providence has appointed at present for his activity, and his duty. Trials and dangers they may often present to him; but amidst thefe he will fafely hold his course, if, when engaged in worldly affairs, he keep in view thefe divine objects which I have been setting before him. Let him ever retain connexion R 4 nexion with Virtue, and God, and Heaven. By them let his conduct be regulated, and his conftancy fupported. So fhall he ufe this world without abusing it. He shall neither droop under its misfortunes, nor be vainly elated by its advantages; but through all its changes fhall carry an equal and fteady mind; and in the end fhall receive the accomplishment of the promise of fcripture, that though the world paffeth away, and the luft thereof, he that doeth the will of God shall abide for ever *. * 1 John, ii. 17. TRA moved. Xill. RANQUILLITY of mind, or, in the SERM. words of the text, a mind not moved or difquieted by the accidents of life, is undoubtedly one of the greatest bleffings that we can poffefs on earth. It is heré mentioned as the reward of the man, whose character had been described in this pfalm, as leading a virtuous life, and discharging his duty towards God and his neighbour. It is indeed the ultimate aim, to which the wishes of the wife and reflecting have ever been directed, XIII. SERM. directed, that with a mind undifturbed by anxieties, cares, and fears, they might pafs their days in a pleafing ferenity. They justly concluded that, by enjoying themselves in peace, they would enjoy, to the greatest advantage, all the comforts of life that came within their reach. This happy tranquillity, the multitude conceive to be most readily attainable, by means of wealth, or, at least, of an easy fortune, which they imagine would fet them above all the ordinary difturbances. of life. That it has fome effect for this purpofe cannot be denied. Poverty and ftraitened circumftances are often inconfiftent with tranquillity. To be deftitute of those conveniencies that fuit our rank in the world; to be burdened with anxiety about making provifion for every day which paffes over our head; instead of bringing comfort to a family who look up to us for aid, to behold ourselves furrounded with their wants and complaints, are circumftances which cannot fail to give much uneafinefs to every feeling mind. To take meafures, therefore, for attaining a competent fortune, by laudable means, is |