it in the other world? Will not every wise man, that knows he is shortly to be removed into another country, be careful to transport all that he can, that he may enjoy it at his coming? Beloved, if you believe indeed, that you must be for ever in another world, will it not be your best course to be doing that, the fruit whereof your shall enjoy for ever? Were not be a mad man, that having but a very short term upon a living, should yet go to building and planting there, when he had land of inheritance to build upon? Infinite is the mischief that comes of self-seeking and self-pleasing

You are eternal losers by it: God will say, You have your reward, Matt. vi. 5. Something you may have in hand, but the eternal reward is lost. Brethren, I am ambitious for you, that what you do, you should do for ever, that all should meet you in the other world, and that there you should reap the everlasting fruit of what you are doing now. A wise builder will build for ever, and not only that which will last for a day, or for a year. O that you would be wise builders! Do all for God, and you shall have eternal advantage. Learn but this lesson, to set yourselves in all things to please God, and ye will be promoting and advancing yourselves in all that ever you do. Always lay up a treasure in heaven, still adding to the heap. And O what riches will you come to, when, by every day, and every hour, and every action, you are gainers? For God will not let the least thing that is done for him, not a cup of cold

and caught nothing. May not this be the sad complaint of many a man? I have been toiling all my life, and yet I have done nothing, because what I did was not done unto the Lord. How would you take it of your servants, if, coming home in the evening, you should find every one of them minding their own business and pleasure, and your work left undone? Is it not sad, sirs, that so many hours and days should pass over us, and we no nearer our end than ever we were before? Your Little children are busy from morning to night, and yet all the while have been doing nothing and so are you when you are but seeking your carnal selves, and not serving and pleasing God in what you undertake.

- Prin. III. That the favor of all the world can nothing stead you, if God be not pleased with, and by you. If there were any that could save you from his wrath, you need not be so solicitous to please him; but if he be not pleased, we are all undone. Thou, even thou art to be feared, and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? Psal. Ixxvi. 7, Isa. xliii. 13. When men have slight thoughts of God's anger, and the fear and dread of him is not upon their hearts, no won der if they be not careful to please him you must be convinced, that the displeasure of God is the most formidable thing in the world, or else you will never learn this great lesson! Beloved, if you should please men, and all the world should be on your side, what would this avail, while God is your enemy? men should bless you, and speak well of you

If all

what would this profit, when God shall rise up in judgment against you, and condemn you? It is not at man's bar, but God's that you must stand: It is not at men's votes that you must be cast or quitted. It will not go by most voices, but God himself is the judge, Psal. lxxv. in, his breast it is, whether you shall live or die. If a man were upon a trial for his life, what would it avail him that all his fellow prisoners, and the whole croud about him, were for him, when the whole bench and jury were against him? If your lives and estates were in question, to whom would you go to make your friend? the judge or the people? Sirs, be convinced, that if God be against you, 'tis as bad as if God and all the world were against you, for all signifies nothing without him. Oh, whatever you do, study to get in, and keep in with him. I tell you, the time is coming when the breath of man will signify nothing; when their commendation will do you no good. O man! though all the world should give thee their hands, and subscribe thy certificate, it should signify nothing in God's account, or his court. Many build their hopes for heaven upon the good opinion that others have of them. But I tell thee, man, though thou couldst carry letters of commendation with thee when thou diest, and all the ministers of the gospel should give thee their bene decessit, all would be no more than a blank paper, and he would not save thee a jot the sooner, if he should find thee to have been

but a secret hypoerite, a rotten hearted pro fessor all the while.

Prin. IV. That God would not be pleased with you in any thing, except you make it your care to please him well in every thing. You will be one day ashamed, except your have respect to all God's commandments, Psal. cxix. 6. You have not a good conscience, except it be your care in all things to live honestly, Heb. xiii. 18. If Naaman must be excused in one thing to bow in the house of Rimmon, that he might not displease his master, this is enough to spoil every thing, 2 Kings v. 18. Some will needs keep God's good-will and the world's too, and so will give both their turns; they will serve God at home, and conform to the world abroad; and it shall be a great thing indeed that they will not swallow, rather than lose the good-will of men, especially great men. These men have two faces, and two tongues; the one for the good, and the other for the bad company that they come into. Some held two first prineiples, the one the common fountain of all good, (which is God) and the other the cause of all evil; and they worshipped both, the good principle for love, and the evil for fear. Just such a religion are many among us now of. But let them know, whoever they are, that while they grasp all, they lose all: for God will never own time-servers, nor menpleasers, for the servants of Christ, Eph. vi. 6. Gal. i. 10.

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3dly. With reference to your practices. And here, as ever you desire to come to this

blessed life of doing always those things that please God, you must carefully follow these six rules.

Rule 1. Look round about you to the whole latitude and compass of your duty. Great is the latitude of Christianity. The commandment is exceeding broad. Psal. cxix. 96. And many professors do scarce look more than one way; but while they intensely mind one thing, they neglect another. It may be, while they are taken up with the care of religious duties, they forget relative duties, or they are careful of personal duties, but very remiss in the duties that they owe to the souls of their families; or they complain and mourn over their own sins, but lay not to heart others' sins: it may be they are more punctual in their more immediate duties towards God, but are very negligent in their duties towards men ; or they will spend much time for their souls, but do little lay to heart the case of the church, and the misery of perishing souls that are round about them : possibly they keep the sabbath strictly, and pray and hear, and fear an oath; but in the mean time, make little conscience of breaking their promises, passing hasty and uncharitable censures, spending time vainly, being unprofitable in their discourse, close handed to godly uses; suffering sin to go unreproved; letting out their passion at every petty cross. Many will mind their duty to them that are within, and, in the mean time, are very short in their duties to them that are without. This is too common a case,