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arifes a prefumption that it is connected SERM. also with spiritual improvement. When you behold a man's affairs, through negligence and mifconduct, involved in diforder, you naturally conclude that his ruin approaches. You may at the fame time justly fupect, that the causes which affect his temporal welfare, operate alfo to the prejudice of his moral interefts. The apoftle teaches us in this chapter, that God is not the author of confufion.* He is a lover of order; and all his works are full of order. But where confufion is, there is, its close attendant, every evil work. In the fequel of this discourse I shall point out fome of thofe parts of conduct wherein it is most material to virtue that order take place; and then shall conclude with fhewing the high advantages which attend it. Allow me to recommend to you, order in the conduct of your affairs; order in the diftribution of your time; order in the management of your fortune; order in the re

* Ver. 33:

B 2

† James iii. 16.

gulation

SERM. gulation of your amusements; order in

I.

the

arrangement of your fociety. Thus

let all things be done in order.

1. MAINTAIN order in the conduct of your worldly affairs. Every man, in every station of life, has fome concerns, private, domeftic, or public, which requires fucceffive attention; he is placed in fome sphere of active duty. Let the employments which belong to that sphere be fo arranged, that each may keep its place, without juftling another; and that what regards the world may not interfere with what is due to God. In proportion to the multiplicity of affairs, the obfervance of order becomes more indifpenfable. But scarcely is there any train of life so fimple and uniform but what will fuffer through the neglect of it. I speak not now of suffering in point of worldly interest. 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 Chriftians.

Many,

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Many, indeed, can hardly be perfuaded SERM. of this truth. A ftrong propenfity has, in every age, appeared among men to fequeftrate religion from the commerce of the world. Seasons of retreat and devotion they are willing to appropriate to God. But the world they confider as their own province. They carry on a fort of separate intereft there. Nay, by the respect which, on particular occafions, they pay to religion, they too often imagine that they have acquired the liberty of acting in worldly matters according to what plan they chufe. How entirely do fuch perfons mistake the design of Chriftianity!-In this world you were placed by Providence as on a great field of trial. By the neceffities of your nature you are called forth to different employments. By many ties you are connected with human fociety. From fuperiors and inferiors, from neighbours and equals, from friends and enemies, demands arife, and obligations circulate. through all the ranks of life. This active scene was contrived by the wifdom of hea

SERM. ven, on purpose that it might bring into I. exercise all the virtues of the chriftian cha

racter; your justice, candour and veracity

in dealing with one another; your fidelity
to every truft, and your confcientious dif
charge of
every office, which is committed
to you; your affection for your friends;
your forgiveness of enemies; your charity
to the diftreffed; your attention to the in-
terefts of your family. It is by fulfilling all
thefe obligations, in proper fucceffion, that
you show your converfation to be fuch as be-
cometh the gospel of Chrift. It is thus you
make your light fo to shine before men, that
they may fee your good works, and glorify your
Father which is in heaven. It is thus you
are rendered meet for the inheritance of the
faints in light. But how can those various
duties be discharged by perfons who are
ever in that hurry and perplexity which
diforder creates? You wifh, perhaps, to
perform what your character and station
require. But from the confufion in which
you have allowed yourselves to be involved,
you find it to have become impoffible.

What

pro- SERM.

What was neglected to be done in its
per place, thrufts itself forward at an in-
convenient feafon. A multitude of affairs
crowd upon you together. Different obli-
gations distract you; and this distraction
is fometimes the cause, sometimes the pre-
tence, of equally neglecting them all, or,
at leaft, of facrificing the greater to the
leffer.

Hence arife fo many inconfiftent characters, and fuch frequent inftances of partial and divided goodness, as we find in the world; appearances of generofity without juftice, honour without truth, probity to men without reverence to God. He who conducts his affairs with method and regularity, meets every duty in its proper place, and affigns it its due rank. But where there is no order in conduct, there can be no uniformity in character. The natural connexion and arrangement of duties is loft. If virtue appear at all, it will be only in fits and starts. The authority of conscience may occafionally operate, when our fituation affords it room for exertion. But in

other

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