PART tr. SERMON VIII. . 117 those victories ye have already obtained, that I would fain have youpress onward through the field of battle, fulfil the warfare, and receive the crown. The ministers of the gospel lookupon you with concern and pity : We love you because youhave proceeded thus far inreli- gion ; but ye shall not be the beloved of God, if ye stop here, or go back again to sin and folly. We had a hopeful prospect of you once, and said toour Lord in proyer, " Surely these shall be one day the inhabitants, and the supports of thinehouse; theseyoung plantsshall oneday befruitful trees in thy vineyard; they shall be pillars in thy holy temple." But alas ! there is a death upon our hopes, there is a darkness and a lethargy upon your souls We lookUpon you in all these your endowments, we mournover you with compassion, and with zeal we express our grief and our love: " Awake, ye young sinners, who havedeserved our love; awake, that ye sleep not to everlasting death." 5. To those that are rich in this world, and are furnished . with the former good qualities too. I am well assured, while I address myself to this assembly, I speak to many persons of this character*. Ye are wealthy and condescending, like the young man in my text : ye are often uncovered, and ye pay reverence to the ministers of the gospel, as he did ; ye give us honours and civilities beyond our merit or wish ; ye come and ask of us the same question, " What shall we do to inherit eternal life?" And we tell you from the wordof God, " Love not the world, nor the " things of the world ; for where the love of the world is, the " love of theFather is not. If richesincrease, set not your heart " upon them. Mortify your affections that are upon the earth, " and deny yourselves, take up your cross, and followChrist :" Become his disciples, without reserve, in faith, and love, and universal holiness. While we propose thsse paths to eternal hap- piness, shall it besaid concerning you, they went away sorrowful, having great possessions ? Your condescending and affable deportment, looks brighter by all the rich lustre of your habits ; and the bigger your circum- stances are, the more lovely is your humble attention to the ministers of Christ, and your readiness to hear our words is the more commendable : But will yebe hearersonly,andnever prac- tice ? The time is coming, and the hour makes haste upon you, when ye shall stand upon the borders of the grave, and look into that world of spirits, where all the honours and distinctionsofthis world are known no more. Ye shall be stripped of those vanities which ye loved above God and heaven. 'Think how mean and * Thisdiscourse was delivered at Tuubridgewells. i3
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