Serro. XLVII. and the Seafon for doing it. 3 27 ever happy or miferable, according as he ofth and demeans himfelf in this World. So that the Work which every one of us hath to do in this World, is to pre- pare and fit our felves for that Eternal Duration which remains for us after Death. For the Life which we live now in this World is a Time of Exercife, a thort State of Probation and Tryal, in order to a durable and endlefs State, inwhich we {hall be immutably fixt in another World. This World, into whichwe are now fent for a little while, is as it were God's School, in which Immortal Spi- rits, "cloathed with Fleth, are trained and bred up for Eternity; and therefore the belt, the only fure way to behappy for ever, is, fo to improve the fhort and uncertain time of this Life, that wemay approve our felves to God in 'this World, and enjoy him in the next or (as St. Paul expreffeth it) that havingourfruit unto Holinefi, our end maybe everlafting Life. And this Work confifts in thefe three Things. I. In the Care ofour own Salvation. II. In doing what we can, to promote the Salvation ofothers. III. And in order to both thefe, in the careful Improvement and good Hus- bandry of our Time. I. In the Care ofour own Salvation. And this confifts in two Things. I. In the Worthip. of Almighty God. 2. In the careful and confcientious Pra&ice and Obedience ofhis Holy Laws. I. The Care of our own Salvation confifts in the pious and devout Worfhip of Almighty God; that we honour him, and pay him that Homage and'Refpe&, which is due from Creatures to him that made them, and is the great Sovereign and Judge of the World, that we have an inward Reverence and Efteemofhim, and that we exprefs this by all folemn external acknowledgments of him; as by praying to him for the Supply of our Wants ; by praifing him for all the Blef- Pings and Benefits which we have received at his Hands ; and that we fet apart confiant and folemn times for the Perormance of thefe Duties ; and then when we are employed in them, we be ferions, and hearty, and attentive to what we are about, and perform every part of Divine Worfhip with thofe Circumftances of Reverence and Refpe&, which may teftify our awful Senfe of the Divine Ma- jefty; and our inward and profound Veneration of him, with whom we have to do. And this is that which is dire&ly and properly Religion. 2. This Care of our own Salvation, does confit likewife in the confcientious and confiant Obedience and Pra&ice of all God's Holy Laws, in the Conformi- ty ofour Lives and A&ions to the Laws which he hath given us, whether they be natural, or written upon our. Hearts, or made known to us by the Revelation ofhis Word that we govern our Paflìons by Keafon, and moderate our [elves in the ufe of fenfual Delights, fo as not to tranfgrefs the Rules of Temperance and Cha{lity ; that we demean our [elves towards others, and converfe with them with Juftice and Fidelity, with Kindnefs and Charity. Thefe are the Sumof the Divine Laws, and the Heads of our Duty towards our felves and others; all which are more powerfullyenforced upon us by the Revelation of the Gofpel, and the plain Promifes and Threatnings of it ; the Faith of Chrift beingthe moli firmand effe&ual Principle both of Piety towards God, and of Univerfal Obedience to all his particular Commands. And this is the great Work which God hath fent us to do in the World. So the Wife Man fums up our Duty, Ecclef. 12,. 13. Fear God, and keep his com- mandníents ; for this is the whole Duty of Man. The Fear and Reverence of the Divine Majefty is the great Foundation and Principle of Religion ; but Obedi- ence to God's Laws is the Life and Pra&ice of it. God does not exiled that we {hould fpend the greateft part of our Time in the immediate Ads of Religi- on, and in the folemnDutiesof his Worfhip and Service ;but only that we fhould allot a fitting Portionof our Time to thefe, according to Circumftances of our Condition in this World, and the Example of Holy and GoodMen that are in the like Circumftances with our felves. For fuch is theGoodnefs ofGod, that he does not only allowus to provide for the Necefjties and Conveniencies of this Life but
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