gives the wisdom of this world its utmost due, when he says, The children of this world are wiser for their generation; for this is the very best that can be faid of it, it seldom looks so far, and holds out so long. Many men have survived their own pro jects, and have lived to see the folly and ill fate of their covetous and ambitious designs. So the Prophet tells us, Jer. xvii. 11. As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.

This is wifdom, to regard our main interest; but if we be wrong in our end, (as all worldly men are) the fafter and farther we go, the more fatal is our error and mistake. The children of this world are out in their end, and mistaken in the main ; they are wife for this world, which is inconfiderable to eternity; wife for a little while, and fools for ever.

2dly, From what hath been faid, we may infer, that if we lose our fouls, and come short of eternal happiness, it is through our own fault and gross neglect; for we fee that men are wife enough for this world; and the same prudence, and care and diligence applied to the concernments of our fouls, would infallibly make us happy. Nay, our Saviour here in the text tells us, that usually less wisdom and industry than the men of this world use about the things of this world, is exercised by the children of light, who yet at last, through the mercy of God, do attain eternal life.

So that it is very plain, that if men would but take that care for their immortal fouls, which they generally do for their frail and dying bodies, and be as heartily concerned for the unseen world, and for eternity, as they are for things visible and temporal, they would with much more certainty gain heaven, than any man can obtain worldly riches and honours. And can we in confcience defire more than to be happy for ever, upon as easy and upon more certain terms than any man can be rich or great in this world? For we may miss of these things after all our travel and pains about them; or if we get them, them, we may lose them again: But if we seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; if we be fincerely good, we are fure to have the reward of it, even that eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, hath promised; if we lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, they will be safe and secure there, where no moth can corrupt, nor thieves break through and fteal.

If we would seriously think of the other world, and were thoroughly poffeft with a firm belief of the eternity of that happiness or mifery, which remains for men after this life, we should pray to God, and hear his word, and perform all the duties of religion with the same care and concernment, with the same fervour and intention of mind, as men profecute their worldly business. Were we fully perfuaded of the unfeen glories and torments of the other world, we should be much more affected with them, than with all the temptations and terrors of sense; because in reason they are much more confiderable. The difgrace of the pillory will fright men from perjury; and will not everlasting shame and confufion? The fear of death will deter many men from robbing and ftealing, who would perhaps venture upon these crimes, if there were no danger in them; and will not the horrors of the second death, of the worm that dies not, and the fire that is not quenched, have as great an awe and influence upon us? If they have not, it is a sign that we do not equally believe the danger of human laws, and the damnation of hell.

Surely men have not the same belief of heaven, and affection for it, that they have for this world. If they had, their care and diligence about these things would be more equal. For we are not so weak as we make ourselves: we are not yet so degenerate, but if we would set ourselves seriously to it, and earnestly beg the affittance of God's grace, we might come to know our duty, and our wills might be engaged to follow the directions of our understandings, and our affections to obey the command of our wills, and our actions to follow the impulse of

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our affections. Much of this is naturally in our power; and what is wanting, the grace of God is ready to fupply. We can go to the church, and we can hear the word of God, and we can confider what we hear; we can pray to God, and say, we believe, Lord help our unbelief, and enable us to do what thou requirest of us; and we can forbear a great many fins which we rashly and wilfully run into: A great present danger will fright us from fin, a terrible storm will drive us to our devotion, and teach us to pray; a sharp fit of the gout will take a man off from drinking; the eye of a matter or magiftrate will restrain men from many things, which they fay they cannot forbear. So that we do but counterfeit, and make ourselves more cripples than we are, that we may be pitied: for if fear will restrain us, it is a sign that we can forbear; if the rod of affliction will fetch it out of us, and make us do that which at other times we say we are unable to do; this is a demonstration that it is in us, and that the thing is in our power.

It is true, we can do nothing that is good without the assistance of God's grace; but that assistance, which we may have for the asking, is in effect in our own power. So that if the matter were searched to the bottom, it is not want of power that hinders us from doing our duty, but sloth and negligence; for God hath given us exceeding great and precious promises, whereby we may be made partakers of a divine nature; and by virtue whereof, if we be not wanting to ourselves, we may cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and perfect holiness in the fear of God.

3dly, and lastly, What a shame and reproach is this to the children of light! Our Saviour speaks this by way of upbraiding, as we may judge by the terms of comparifon which he useth, that the children of this world should be wiser than the children of light, that is, than wisdom's own children; and that they "should be wiser in their generation, that is, for the concernments of a short and inconfiderable time, than the others are for all eternity.

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How should it make our blood to rise in our faces and fill us with confufion, that the men of this world should be more prudent and skilful in the contrivance and management of their little affairs; more resolute and vigorous in the profecution of them, than we are about the everlasting concernments of our fouls! That a worldly church should use wifer and more effectual means to promote and uphold ignorance, and error, and superstition, than we do to build up the true church of Chrift in knowledge, and faith and charity! That the men of the world should toil and take more pains for the deceitful riches, than we do for the true; and be contented to hazard more for a corruptible crown, than we for an incorruptible! That they should love pleasure more than we do God, and mind their bodies and temporal estates more than we do our fouls and our eternal happiness!

Do but observe the men of the world, what a pace they go, what large and nimble steps they take in the pursuit of earthly things; they do not seek riches as if they fought them not, and love the world as if they loved it not; and enjoy the present delights of this world, as if they possessed them not; though the fashion of this world paffeth away: but we seek heaven as if we fought it not, and love God, as if we loved him not, and mind eternity and the world to come, as if we minded them not; and yet the fashion of that world doth not pass away. But to all this it may be faid, you have already told us, that the children of this world have so many advantages above the children of light, that it is no wonder if they excel and outstrip them: And it is very true, that in many respects they have the advantage of them. But if the children of light would look about them, and take all things into confideration, they might fee something very confiderable to balance the advantages on the other side. It is true, the things of this world are present and sensible; but so long as we have fufficient assurance of the reality of a future state, and of the rewards and punishments of it, the greatness and eternity of these is fuch

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such an amazing confideration, that no distance can render them inconfiderable to a prudent and thinking man. And though the men of the world have an entire principle which is not divided between God and the world; whereas in good men there is a great conflict of contrary principles, the flesh and spirit: yet this disadvantage is likewise balanced by that powerful assistance of God's grace, which is promised to all good men, who heartily beg it of him, and are fincerely refolved to make use of it. And, lastly, though the men of the world have many ways to compass their ends, yet the children of light have one great and infallible one. All the means which the men of the world use to accomplish their designs, may fail and miscarry; for the race is not to the Swift, nor the battle to the: strong; nor yet bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favour to men of skill; but time and chance happen to all: but he that sincerely serves God, and useth the means for the attaining of everlasting falvation, is sure to attain it; if we seek the righteousness of God as we ought, we shall certainly be admitted into his kingdom. And this surely is an unspeakable advantage, which the children of light have above the chidren of this world, that if we faithfully use the means, we cannot fail of the end; if we have our fruit unto holiness, our end shall be everlasting life; which God of his infinite goodness grant to us all, for his mercies fake.