our esteem; and that a wife provifion for another more important state of being, to which we gave perhaps little attention, was infinitely confequential to us.

Be religion then our chief object; eternity our first and great concern: let temporal cares be only of inferior confideration: let our affection to the world be fubordinate to the love of GOD: let his favour be the ultimate aim and end of all our pursuits: and let a principle of obedience to him give laws to our whole conduct and behaviour.—So we may hope, that his hand will mercifully guide and conduct us through the prefent fhort, illufive, fcene of fleeting images of pleafure, to the great and lasting realities of a future and more perfect state; where we fhall poffefs the largest measure of felicity that our improved capacities can admit, and fhall dwell amidst fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore.

SER

SERMON XI.

Marks of being fincerely RELIGIOUS.

JOSHUA Xxiv. 14.

Fear the Lord, and ferve him in fincerity and in truth.

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INCERITY is the difpofition of foul which alone can recommend us to GOD, and incline him to look with an eye of mercy upon the errors and frailties of our conduct. For though God does not demand perfection from imperfect creatures; though he expects neither infallibility in our moral determinations, nor impeccability in our conduct; yet he requires the faithful fervices of a heart confcious only of holy refolutions and pure

intentions: he commands us to ferve him in fincerity and in truth.

As this difpofition, therefore, is effential to our well-being; as without it the certain confequence will be, an exclufion from the divine favour, and from the hopes of future felicity; I fhall in this difcourfe obferve, by what marks or tests we discover whether we are poffeffed of a fincere piety; that we may enjoy its confolations if we have it, or endeavour to acquire it if we have it not.

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I. If we would know whether we ferve GOD in fincerity, let us look with an attentive eye into our hearts, in order to trace the true fprings and principles of our actions. If, upon fuch inspection, we find that our conduct is founded upon fentiments of duty; that the virtues which appear in us are not appearances only, but proceed from the heart; from a regard to the authority of our Maker; from a grateful fense of his goodness and of our obligations; from a reverential fear of incurring his displeasure; from a delight and

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complacency in virtue, or from the hopes of obtaining those eternal rewards which are promised to it; if we act from a fincere defign of advancing the honour of GOD, or the welfare of our neighbour; of cultivating harmony and peace, aiding the cause of piety and virtue, or contributing in fome fhape to the public happiness; -then we may judge our piety to be fincere, because our conduct is founded on religious confiderations, fuch as GOD himfelf has offered and prescribed to our obedience.

But, on the other hand, we must not think that we" ferve GOD in fincerity and truth," when any worldly confiderations whatever are at the bottom of our pretended piety; when our religion is oftentatious; when, by the fhew of justice and uprightness, we mean only to lead the world into an opinion of our integrity; when we are charitable and humane, in order to acquire the reputation of that character; when we clothe ourselves with humility, from the pride of appearing humble;

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humble; when we practise liberality, munificence, or other popular virtues, merely to favour the fuccefs of fome worldly project; or when we attend the public fervice of GOD, to comply with fashion, or to avoid reproach. In all fuch cafes, let our actions be apparently ever fo religious; yet, as they proceed not from a right principle, they are only the fhadows. or appearances of religion without its reality, the form of godliness without its power.

In a moral estimate, every action must be placed to the account of that principle from which it is derived. Interested motives and worldly views reduce and fink the worth of the best actions; and, on the other hand, a right intention gives a value to the meaneft, and turns every thing we do into virtue. A cup of cold water, administered by a charitable hand, is, in the eye of Heaven, far more eftimable, than the much richer offerings of those who give that they may be seen of men. These are offered to men, and will be rewarded