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SERMON VII.

1 TIM. iv. 17, 18.

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy: that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate. EVERY condition of life hath its peculiar dangers to be avoided, and duties to be done, but none hath dangers more threatening, or duties more important than that of the rich and great: whose situation, notwithstanding, is seldom considered by those who are in it, as having any thing to be feared; and is generally imagined by others, to comprehend almost every thing that is to be wished. Now the mistakes even of the lower part of the world concerning this matter are attended with some exceeding bad consequences; disposing them very unreasonably to envy their superiors, and be uneasy at their own lot. But the mistakes of the rich and great themselves concerning the advantages and obligations of their station, produce the most fatal effects that can be, on themselves and all around them. And it greatly adds to the unhappiness of their case, that whilst they have many things to divert their attention from what is right, and prompt them to what is wrong; to make the gratifying of their bad inclinations easy; and support them in the world, let them act as they will;

they have commonly scarce any one to remind them if they act amiss. Intimations of misbehaviour, however prudently given, are to most persons disagreeable; but to persons of rank they appear disrespectful too. And such of them as will bear to be told of their managing their healths or their fortunes ill, shew a great reluctance to let their conduct, in point of religion or morals, be touched with any seriousness. So that, just where they need admonition most, they have the least given them. It is but few that can, with propriety, use freedom enough with them to do any good for, to slight and distant hints they think no serious regard is due. And amongst those that can, there are fewer yet that will undertake an office, in which they have little prospect either of success or thanks. Indeed the generality of those that come about them, in all likelihood, mean nothing but their own interest, or their own amusement: and these, they may be sure, will take care never to offend them by giving them good advice: but there is much cause to suspect, what the great, notwithstanding, seldom do suspect, that they will often court them by giving them bad: or, if they do not directly persuade them into sin, (which might sometimes be too gross behaviour) will however more covertly dispose them to it; encourage and countenance them in it; either to bring about some particular end, which they have to serve by it, or with a general view of making themselves agreeable.

To be thus environed with temptations, and probably sensible of none of them, is a most pitiable condition. And yet the rich and great, when they are led wrong, do not so deserve compassion, as not to deserve much blame too. For as there are some things to excuse their faults, there are many that

aggravate them. Their education, so costly and laboured in several respects, must have been conducted with the absurdest negligence in the most material; if it hath not given them a much superior knowledge of their duty, to that which common persons can usually acquire. Their disengagement afterwards from cares, that others are swallowed up in, affords them peculiar leisure for thought and recollection: and the vast and evident importance of their whole behaviour, on such a multitude of accounts, one should think could not fail of engaging their attention to every step they take. So that if they have fewer occasional admonitions given them; it might be hoped they would have less need of them: for their very situation admonishes them constantly, that they are raised by Providence above others, in order to be authors and examples of good, not evil, to their fellow-creatures. This is directly their business and trust it is the noblest and happiest that can be. The labours of it are softened by many honourable and pleasing distinctions, which God hath bestowed on them; for which he will justly expect they shall make him a return: if it be such as it ought, they will be eminent for ever in the next world, as well as for a few days in this: and how can persons be excusable, that are uninfluenced by such considerations? It is very true, our Saviour doth express in very strong terms, the difficulty of a rich man's entering into the kingdom of heaven. But he means, of such a one's professing himself a subject of Christ: which required uncommon resolution at that time, when all worldly advantages were to be given up, and the bitterest persecutions undergone for the sake of the Gospel. Yet even then no man was excused, either from embracing or practising Christianity: much

less now. And if at all times the great have temptations beyond others, they have also reasons beyond others for struggling with them, and will be rewarded beyond others for overcoming them. Therefore St. Paul in the text gives them no dispensations, but only provides for them stronger warnings; and instead of authorizing the ministers of God's word to wink at their faults, requires that they admonish them with singular earnestness to perform their duties; the only prerogative in relation to this matter that can be allowed them. But as in general the least offensive, and therefore most efficacious way of admonishing, is by public instruction, we usually confine ourselves to that; and the upper part of mankind ought to attend upon it more constantly, and hearken to it more seriously, in proportion as they are less likely to be told their faults and their dangers, in private, to good purpose: and should suffer the word of exhortation to be given with greater plainness and freedom to them all in common, the greater objections there are against taking any considerable liberties with each of them singly.

And as those of middle rank may yet, when compared with their inferiors, be considered as highly exalted, and do accordingly consider themselves as such all degrees above the lowest, are concerned to observe the Apostle's charge: and the very lowest will find their own failures, and their own obligations intermixed of course, with what will be said about those of their betters.

Now the peculiar dangers of the rich and great (for though the Apostle names only the former, the connection is so close that he may well be understood to mean both) arises either from the eminence of

Heb. xiii. 22.

their station, or the abundance of their wealth and therefore the text points a caution against each, But I shall be able at present to treat only of the first: which is, that they be not high-minded.

Every superiority, of every sort, which men only imagine themselves possessed of, is too liable both to be over-rated and improperly used. But superior fortune and condition are advantages so visible to all eyes, create such dependencies, and give such influence; that it is no wonder, if they tempt to uncommon haughtiness. Even such as rise to them by accident, are so eager to have all the world acknowledge them to be what they are just become, that they often quite forget what they were a while before. Such as acquire them by their own application and abilities, hardly ever fail to think very highly of themselves on that account. And they who are born to them, usually set out from the first with despising those beneath them: as indeed to be descended from ancestors of note; to bear a name which others have been accustomed to respect; to enjoy perhaps hereditary honours, and on every oecasion to be addressed in other language than is used to the vulgar sort of men; these things are enough to overset the minds of the weak and they have some degree of wrong effect upon most; more, perhaps, than they themselves are sensible of.

Now undoubtedly distinguished rank is entitled to distinguished regard: and the good order of society very much depends on keeping up that regard: and therefore the great should in a proper manner be much more careful to keep it up, than many of them

are.

For indeed their condescensions and familiarities, are often with such very wrong persons, and in such very wrong ways, that preserving an over

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