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of God, and his righteousness, all those things (that are really necessary) shall be added unto us. * But we are no where told, that if we seek first the things of this world, the kingdom of God, and all its immortal glories, shall be thrown into our hands, without any efforts on our part to obtain them. Eternal life, and endless felicity, are not things of such very small consequence, as to be given us gratuitously over and above what we can acquire in this world, by bestowing our whole attention upon it.

Let it be remembered, too, when we are comparing this life and the next, that in pursuit of our present interests, be our industry ever so great, we may chance to fail of success. The most indefatigable worldling that ever lived, may, after all his drudgery, be disappointed of his aim; may, by a thousand accidents not in his power to foresee, or prevent, be deprived of the fruits of his labours, or rendered incapable of enjoying them. And when he has lost this world, he has lost every thing. He has no share or inherit

*Matt. vi. 33.

ance in the next. He has taken no pains concerning it, and can therefore expect nothing from it. He can draw from it no support or consolation under the loss he has sustained. Whereas the truly devout and religious man has no reason to be in any pain about his temporal affairs. If they succeed, it is very well; it is so much clear gains he has only given them a second place in his thoughts; he has lost nothing for the sake of them; his condition, in this life, is so much the better; his prospects hereafter not at all the worse. If his views here are frustrated, he has something to comfort him; he has secured a happiness in reversion, which cannot be taken away from him; he is not afraid of any evil tidings, for his heart standeth fast and believeth in the Lord. Nay, even supposing the very worst that can happen; supposing he should, by his attention to religion, be reduced to the most deplorable condition that can befal mortality, so as that the body should perish, whilst he is consulting the health of his soul; the only consequence of this last and most grievous calamity would be, to put him in

immediate possession of that treasure, which he had been so industriously laying up in in heaven. But if the man of business, on the contrary, whilst he is heaping together the good things of this world, should receive his final summons to another, it then behoves him to consider not only "whose "those things shall be which he has pro"vided," but what the lot of his soul shall be for which nothing is provided. It is a serious, it is an alarming consideration, to be summoned unexpectedly to answer for his conduct, withont having once examined it; to enter upon a state of eternity, without the least preparation made for it. Yet such is but too often the case of that infatuated man, who (as it is expressed in the parable) layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God; who, in the foolish security of his heart, says to his soul," Soul "thou hast much goods laid up for many 66 years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry." But in the But in the very midst of this his senseless confidence, and visionary plans of future happiness, he is snatched away with that deserved and dreadful taunt, (the pre

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lude only of something still more dreadful,) "thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee."*

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If, then, either our temporal or spiritual interests must be entirely neglected for the sake of advancing the other, there can be no doubt which ought to give place. But the truth is, they are both perfectly consistent, and may, with the utmost ease, be carried on very amicably together. The Scripture no where forbids us to make a comfortable provision for ourselves, our families, and our friends: on the contrary, it enjoins it. What it condemns, is only such an intemperate pursuit of worldly things, as is destructive of all Religion, and not such a prudent and moderate regard to them as the calls of nature, of justice, and of humanity, demand. These calls must be properly attended to, these duties must be fulfilled, to render us capable of any others; and all the Gospel requires is, that they should be made subservient to our everlasting happiness.

It is true, that some men must necessarily,

from their indigence in private, or their elevation in public life, be more involved in cares than the rest of the world. But still we may, in the busiest scenes, find certain breaks and intervals, or if we do not find, we ought to make them, which eagerly seized, and properly applied, will, through the merits of our Redeemer, make our final calling and election sure.

Some of the most essential duties of Religion consume no time at all. To keep ourselves unspotted from the world, to abstain from intemperance and sensuality, from falsehood and detraction, to do no injury to our neighbour, to suppress all anger, malice, and revenge, does not, in any degree, interfere with our usual occupations. We may do a kind action just as easily and expeditiously as we can do a cruel one; nay, generally, with infinitely less pain and trouble to ourselves; and, by a charitable donation judiciously bestowed, we may make a fellowcreature happy in an instant, without the least interruption to business. By selecting the best and worthiest men for the management of our concerns, we may give counte

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