us; we may learn the Wisdom and Reasonableness of fo loving the one as not to forfake or disobey the other; and we may convince ourfelves of the Folly of a contrary Practice, by applying to ourselves the excellent Advice of the Text, Take therefore no Thought for the Morrow; for the Morrow fhall take Thought for the Things of itself: Sufficient unto the Day is the Evil thereof.

In which Words it is obvious to obferve these three diftinct Particulars:

I. A Command given, or Duty enjoined, by our bleffed Saviour, which is to take no Thought for the Morrow.

II. A Reafon given, and Encouragement propofed, for following that Duty, for the Morrow fhall take Thought for the Things of itfelf. And

III. The Folly of acting contrary to it, which is implied in thefe Words; Sufficient unto the Day is the Evil thereof.

I. In the first Place, here is a Duty enjoined by our bleffed Saviour, which is expreffed by taking no Thought for the Morrow.

For the better understanding of which it is proper to obferve, that the Word, which we render by taking Thought, does strictly and properly fignify, the being over anxious, or over careful, about any Thing; the being so intent and folicitous about it, as to fill

and

and disturb the Mind with continual Perplexity and Anxiety, concerning the Success of it. For this Interpretation plainly fhews the Senfe in which this Precept may very reasonably be understood. Not as the English Expreffion feems to warrant, that we are to have no Thought at all about our future Welfare in this Life; or, that we are at Liberty profufely to fquander away a Provision fufficient for many Years in a few Hours or Days; or that we are flothfully to indulge in Laziness, and idly and ftupidly forego all Opportunities of Advantage that offer themfelves to us: But that we ought not to be over-careful, and over-zealous about these Things; are not to be fo intent on getting a Support for the future as to think every Thing lawful which may contribute to it; are not to be so very careful about providing for ourselves, as to diftruft the Providence of God, or doubt God his providing for us; but are to fubmit all our Cares to his Directions, to be fatisfied and contented with the Portions he allots us, and to be ever mindful of his Providence, and dependent upon it. Christianity has nothing fo extravagant in it, as to fuppofe that the Wants of the Man can be loft in the Duties of the Chriftian, or to forbid a due Concern for the Supply of them.

But it teaches us how to form a right Judgment of thofe Wants; it directs us not foolishly to enlarge their Number without

Cause;

Caufe; and it commands us not to be fo terrified with the Apprehenfions of any future Evils as to lofe Sight both of God and our Duty, in endeavouring to avoid them. In short, what I apprehend we may learn from this Command of our Lord, if we apply it to ourselves, is this, that we fhould not fix our Affections wholly on the Things of this World; that we should not measure our Wants by our unreasonable Defires, but reduce our Defires to the Standard of our real Wants; and that we should be ever mindful of God's over-ruling Care, and ever dependent upon, and fubmiffive to it.

not at all.

That we should not fix our Affections wholly on the Things of this World, we may conclude to be one Part of our Lord's Precept. Because they who do so are so far from having no Thought of the Morrow, that they think of nothing else. Inftead of feeking the Kingdom of God first, they seek it The Kingdom they defire is of this World, which they pursue with fo blind and unthinking a Zeal, that they forfeit another. - To Morrow is with these Men fo much the Bufinefs of to Day, that to Day is loft in the Purfuit; and though their Views, like enchanted Castles, ftill fly from them, and as one Day approaches, ftill extend to another, yet the Charm continues powerful and effectual, and the Methods they take to promote their Enjoyments disappoint them. This, however ridiculous and ab

furd in Theory, is one of thofe Follies which Men often act over with great Gravity in Life; and is indeed a very natural Effect of Men's placing their Affections ftrongly on. human Glories, or being inordinately in love with Money. For the Mind not being to be fatisfied with these Enjoyments, what is wanting in Reality is endeavoured to be made up in Expectation; and the Man thus affected, finding by an Infpection into his own Breaft, that he is to Day diffatisfied, both pleases and cheats himself with believing, that to Morrow will produce fomething that will content him. And thus is he led on from Day to Day, in continual Pursuit of what continually flies farther, till at length Age or Distemper takes hold of him, and puts an End to Life and Expectation together. And what is still more melancholy is, that all this While, and by this Means, the neceffary Duties of his Station are neglected, and his God is forfaken. —— Gratitude and Thankfulness to him is little thought on; the ambitious and covetous Man facrifices to himself, and contends, that it is his own Industry which has gotten him this Wealth and when the Poor and the Afflicted feek for Relief from him, he either knows not but he may want himself, or elfe has fome Purchafe or Design to carry on, and therefore defires, with the Guefts in the Parable, that he may be excused. And how then can they be

be faid not to be over careful for Futurity, who dare not truft themselves in the Hand of God? How can they be judged to have no Thought for the Morrow, who starve themfelves and their Brethren, in Order to provide for it?

Again; another Particular, which may be understood to be fignified by taking no Thought for the Morrow, is, that we should not meafure our Wants by our infatiable Defires, but reduce those Defires to our real Wants.

Whoever looks impartially into the real Ufefulness of Things, and the real Neceffities of Mankind, will foon find, that neither is the Provifion which our gracious God has made for us fo fcanty, nor our Wants fo numerous and great, as we are often apt to imagine.

Our natural Wants and Neceffities are very few, and foon fatisfied; our bleffed Saviour confines them in this Chapter, to what we eat, and what we drink, and what we put on; the plain Confequence of which is, that having Food and Raiment we should be therewith content: That we should judge of our Wants by our Nature, and not by the Superfluities of other Men; fhould proportion our Efteem of Things, not to their outward Appearance but to their real Ufe; and fhould thankfully and chearfully reap the Comforts of what we have, and not torment ourselves about what we have not. Whereas, I fear, we do not fo much confider what we our

I

felves