very fame action may be done with a good intention, or a bad intention-it may be done to serve some selfish purpose; or it may be done to ferve a poor neighbour, which God confiders as if done to himself. But unless our attention be good, we have seen the action alone can never be pleafing to God. It is what, according to fome false ideas of religion, is called the work done the form or ceremony ftands for the duty. The prayer is enough, though the heart is unconcerned. The alms-deed is fufficient, whatever the motive is. And thus, it is to be feared, we dignify many actions with the name of good, when perhaps not the leaft good belongs to them.

When, therefore, you do any action which you wish to be a religious one, confider on what motive you do it. Your heart will tell you its value. As you bring gold to the touchstone, bring the action to the heart. If you are there affured you do it with a good intention; that is, without any defign of ferving yourself, or gaining praise, but merely to please God, or affift your neighbour, you may hope it will be pleafing to God. But ftill you must not prefume upon it, and fuppofe you derive any merit from doing it. That will again fpoil all,

Befides, the heart is very de

ceitful;

ceitful; and you may easily deceive yourself. A bad motive, without care in examining it, may eafily pass for a good one. I have known many unthrifty people spend much of their money in trifles; and when they have been checked, would answer, they did it to encourage trade and induftry. Is that your real motive, my friend? If not, do not add hypocrify to folly.

Let it then always be our care to ask ourselves what is our intention in every action which we mean to be religious. For what purpose do I go to church? Is it really out of confcience to pay my devotion to God? For what purpose do I go to the facrament? Is it really to remember the death of my bleffed Saviour, and to make refolutions against fin? With what view do I give alms to a poor neighbour? Is it really to relieve him, without any other intention but that of pleafing God? In this way let us call ourselves to account, endeavouring always to please God by the fecret motive, rather than man by the outward action. I will not fay, that a perfon need think his actions disagreeable to God, if he have not the religious motive continually in his mind. When the benevolent, and religious habit is formed, the action follows of courfe; and, if we are fure we have

0 4

have no interested motive in view, it may be enough.

Having thus feen what gave value to the widow's mite-and how we ought to apply her cafe to ourfelves, I fhall draw the whole to a conclufion, by obferving, how very comfortable a doctrine this portion of fcripture holds out to people in low condition. We see they have it just as much in their power to render an acceptable service to God, as thofe in the richest circumftances. If God Almighty accepted the fervices of those only, who had much to give, the cafe of the poor would be hard. But he hath enabled the poor, you fee, to give a value even to a mite. And in another place, the fame doctrine is inculcated, where we are told, even a cup of cold water given in the name of a difciple, fhall have its reward the motive, not the value of the gift, is confidered.

Who would not endeavour then to please his gracious Mafter, when he can do it at fo eafy a price? When he has it in his power to give a value to a mere trifle. You fow your corn for increase, and are rejoiced if you have a good harvest. But what abundant increase may your good actions produce?

produce? A mite, properly fown, may increase ten However low our circumstances

thousand fold.

are, we may make them, if we please, as acceptable to God as any circumstances in which we could have been placed. The ftory of Dives and Lazarus will illuftrate all I have faid. Lazarus who had nothing, but a good difpofition, was received into Abraham's bofom; while Dives, who poffeffed every thing, but that, was condemned to a place of

torment.

God grant us all grace thus to lay up our treafure in heaven, and by making every action of our lives, as far as we can, agreeable to him, may we finally obtain the bleffed reward of those, who do God's will, through Jesus Christ our Lord!

SERMON IX.

MATT. V. 4.

BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT, FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

THE kingdom of heaven is here promised, you find, to poorness of spirit.

In the following difcourfe Ifhall, firft, endeavour to explain to you in what this holy temper confifts -I fhall fecondly, fhew you, that it is both a reafonable, and a Chriftian temperand, thirdly, I shall point out the happiness of those who have attained it.

With regard to the meaning of the expreffion, poorness of fpirit, (which may be better translated humility of Spirit*,) it hath but an ill name in the

* See Parkhurft's Lexicon on the word Twxos.

world.