DISC. endeavours? Is not the hufbandman, when

I.

he has reaped one harvest, to fow his feed for another? Moft undoubtedly he is. The Scriptures fuppofe all men to have some occupation, and to be labouring in it, that the state of the world may be upholden. They tell us, in the Old Testament, that "the hand of the diligent maketh rich;" and in the New, that "if any man will not 66 work, neither should he eat." In the former, man is fent to learh wisdom of " the "ant, which provideth her meat in the "fummer, and gathereth her food in the

harvest," with a view to the approaching winter; in the latter we read, that the

parents should lay up for the children." In a word, no one thing is more feverely condemned and expofed, than the folly of the fluggard, who has the prefumption to tempt God, by imagining, that all the bleffings of heaven will defcend on the head of idleness, and that meat will drop into his mouth, if he does but condescend to open it. to be reconciled?

How are these very

different directions

The

I.

The truth is, that the Greek word, here Disc. rendered take no thought, fignifies properly, be not anxious, folicitous, miferable, about to morrow; literally and strictly, be not of a doubtful, divided mind. For all care fup- ́ poses a person to be wavering, drawn hither and thither by different motives, first one way and then another, not knowing how to fix and determine; fince, when this is once firmly and finally done, the trouble ceases, and the man is at eafe. Before that, the mind is distracted, that is, drawn diverse ways at the fame time, like the body of a criminal, in fome countries, torn in pieces. by horfes pulling in oppofition to each other. They who have felt the torment of fuch a ftate of mind know what I mean, and what is fo beautifully expreffed by the original word in this place of Scripture, which thus kindly commands us not to make ourselves wretched by anxious carings and apprehenfions about the future; but, in all cafes of difficulty, to perform diligently that part which appears wifeft and beft for us to perform; then to refign the matter into the hands

B 2

DISC. hands of God; quietly and patiently waitI. ing the event, before it comes, and humbly acquiefcing in it, when it does come. In short, so to use our endeavours, as if they were to effect every thing; fo to trust in God, as if they were to effect nothing.

But let us not be too hafty in blaming our-worthy tranflators. They could not have been ignorant, any more than we are, that it was impoffible for Chrift to give fuch a precept as at first fight this appears now to be. But they wrote above 150 years ago; and there is good reafon for fuppofing, that the expreffion to take thought, did at that time generally denote the very thing, which, as has been fhewn you, the Greek word most certainly means, viz. to take anxious thought, or to be anxiously careful, to be uneasy.

In this fenfe, which is the only true sense, "take no thought for the morrow," is excellent advice; and advice which is much needed. All things are full of labour. Walk

Walk the streets of a large city, or travel Disc.

the roads that lead to foon be convinced of it.

one, and you will
But the continual

hurry and bustle, the inceffant rolling and agitation without us, are nothing, if compared to those within us. Whatever appearances men may put on, or however they may affect to disguise the matter, the world of minds is a very uneasy and restless world; and could it be fully and fairly disclosed to view, we should behold it, like another ocean, in some parts all storm and tempest; in others, ever ebbing and flowing; in no part, perfectly at reft. He who once, by the word of his power, calmed the winds, and laid the waves, when all was uproar and confufion among them, has spoken peace likewife to this troubled fea, in the discourse of which my text is the conclufion. Let us go over it together, and weigh well the reafons given by our Saviour, why man should cease to be anxious, and permit God to govern, in his own way, the world which he himself has made.

As anxiety proceeds from a divided state

1.

DISC. of mind, our Lord first speaks to that point,

I.

and ftrikes at the root of the disorder. "No "man can ferve two masters."-The commands which they lay upon him will often be contrary to each other. Both cannot be obeyed; and while the man hesitates which to obey, fometimes inclining to one, fometimes to the other, he muft needs be unhappy. Would you then enjoy peace and quietness within? Serve one mafter, and let that master be God. Do your duty, and trust him for the event. The wife fon of Sirach is very bold upon this fubject, and appeals to univerfal experience: "Look at the generations of

old, and fee; did ever any truft in the

Lord, and was confounded?" But why then are so many confounded? Because fo few, fo very few do really truft in God, when the hour of trial comes. They have recourfe to the enemy for expedients; they follow the directions and maxims of the world; they fell themfelves to another mafter, and provoke God to forfake them. The reproof of the prophet Elijah comes home to us all, and admits of no reply—

Why