I.

SERMON domestic, or public, which require successive attention; he is placed in some sphere of active duty. Let the employments which belong to that sphere be so arranged, that each may keep its place without justling another; and that which regards the world may not interfere with what is due to God. In proportion to the multiplicity of affairs, the observance of order becomes more indispensable. But scarcely is there any train of life so simple and uniform, but what will suffer through the neglect of it. I speak not now of suffering in point of worldly interests. I call upon you to attend to higher interests; to remember that the orderly conduct of your temporal affairs, forms a great part of your duty as Christians.

Many, indeed, can hardly be persuaded of this truth. A strong propensity has, in every age, appeared among men, to sequestrate religion from the commerce of the world. Seasons of retreat and devotion they are willing to appropriate to God. But the world they consider as their own province. They carry on a sort of separate interest there. Nay, by the respect

1.

which, on particular occasions, they pay to SERMON religion, they too often imagine that they have acquired the liberty of acting in worldly matters, according to what plan they choose. How entirely do such persons mistake the design of Christianity! In this world you are placed by Providence as on a great field of trial. By the necessities of your nature, you are called forth to different employments. By many ties you are connected with human society. From superiours and inferiours, from neighbours and equals, from friends and enemies, demands arise, and obligations circulate through all the ranks of life. This active scene was contrived by the wisdom of Heaven, on purpose that it might bring into exercise all the virtues of the Christian character; your justice, candour, and veracity,in dealing with one another; your fidelity to every trust, and your conscientious discharge of every office which is committed to you; your affection for your friends; your forgiveness of enemies; your charity to the distressed; your attention to the interests of your family. It is by fulfilling all these obligations, in proper succession, B 3 that

I.

SERMON that you shew your conversation to be such as becometh the gospel of Christ. It is thus you make your light to shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. It is thus you are rendered meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. But how can those various duties be discharged by persons who are ever in that hurry and perplexity which disorder creates ? You wish, perhaps, to perform what your character and station require. But from the confusion in which you have allowed yourselves to be involved, you find it to have become impossible. What was neglected to be done in its proper place, thrusts itself forward at an inconvenient season. A multitude of affairs crowd upon you together. Different obligations distract you; and this distraction is sometimes the cause, sometimes the pretence, of equally neglecting them all, or, at least, of sacrificing the greater to the lesser.

Hence arise so many inconsistent characters, and such frequent instances of partial and divided goodness, as we find in the world; appearances of generosity without

justice,

justice, honour without truth,

probity to SERMON

He who
He who

men without reverence of God.
conducts his affairs with method and regu-
larity, meets every duty in its proper place,
and assigns it its due rank. But where there
is no order in conduct, there can be no
uniformity in character. The natural con-
nection and arrangement of duties are lost.
If virtue appear at all, it will only be in fits
and starts.
The authority of conscience
may occasionally operate, when our situa-
tion affords it room for exertion. But in
other circumstances of equal importance,
every moral sentiment will be overpowered
by the tumultuous bustle of worldly affairs.
Fretfulness of temper, too, will generally
characterise those who are negligent of
order. The hurry in which they live, and
the embarrassments with which they are
surrounded, keep their spirits in perpetual
ferment. Conflicting with difficulties which
they are unable to overcome, conscious of
their own misconduct, but ashamed to con-
fess it, they are engaged in many a secret
struggle; and the uneasiness which they
suffer within, recoils in bad humour on all
who are around them. Hence the wretched

"

I.

In

SERMON resources to which, at last, they are obliged to fly, in order to quiet their cares. despair of being able to unravel what they have suffered to become so perplexed, they sometimes sink into supine indolence, sometimes throw themselves into the arms of intemperance and loose pleasure; by either of which they aggravate their guilt, and accelerate their ruin. To the end that order may be maintained in your affairs, it is necessary,

II. THAT you attend to order in the distribution of your time. Time you ought to consider as a sacred trust committed to you by God, of which you are now the depositaries, and are to render account at the last. That portion of it which he has allotted you, is intended partly for the concerns of this world, partly for those of the next. Let each of these occupy, in the distribution of your time, that space which properly belongs to it. Let not the hours of hospitality and pleasure interfere with the discharge of your necessary affairs; and let not what you call necessary affairs; encroach upon the time which is due to devotion. To every thing there is a season, and a time

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