VI. he who finds himself placed in a private si- SERM. tuation should endeavour to exchange it for one which is more public; by no means! it is only meant that whatever a man's rank and station in life may be, he ought not to desert the duties of it; nor think to atone by piety towards his Creator, for the neglect of doing all possible good to his fellow creatures. i To keep ourselves unspotted from sin, is one motive of retiring from society, but it has not in general been found that the experiment has succeeded. We may quit the business of the world, ourselves of its vices; without divesting the exercises of piety cannot fill up our whole time, and the dangers of idleness are great! From some temptatoins to sin perhaps solitude may exempt us, but at the same time it excludes us from many encouragements to virtue if we escape the contagion of bad, we SERM. we miss likewise the influence of good ex Besides, one who fancies himself out of the reach of danger, as the retired man is apt to do, gives himself up to security; and too frequently loses his integrity, from being unapprehensive of an attack; while the vigilance of him who lives surrounded by temptation, is quickened by a sense of his peril; he sees the enemy always at hand, and therefore is always prepared to withstand him. Upon the whole then I conclude, that worldly employment and true religion may easily subsist together, and not only so, but that a life of activity and business is more favourable to virtue, and perhaps less liable to vice, than a life of solitude and seclusion. We must however take care that worldly hopes and fears do not gain the ascendancy in our minds; we may pursue with diligence, and enjoy with moderation, the happinness which this world can VI. can bestow, where it does not interfere with SERM. our spiritual concerns; but where it does, it must, without a moment's hesitation give place. Earthly occupations may engage, but they must not engross, our thoughts; they may have a share in our hearts, but let us not forget that our well-being through eternity demands that it should be a subordinate share only. There are likewise times when temporary retirement from the world will be extremely salutary, that we may review our past lives, and form resolutions for our future conduct; and the present approaching season of the sufferings and death of our blessed Saviour, which Christians of all ages seem to have dedicated to such purposes, appears to be peculiarly proper; but as much may be said on this subject, I shall reserve it for a future discourse. SERMON SERMON VII. ON THE NECESSITY OF TEMPORARY RETIRE- PREACHED IN LENT. PSALM iv. 4. Commune with your own heart, and in your chamber, and be still. In a late discourse I endeavoured to shew SERM. IN the falsity and hurtful tendency of the notion, that religion and worldly business could not subsist together. I described to you the pernicious effects which this notion had on those who gave credit to it; that it had driven some to give themselves up en VII. |