man who indulges anxiety greatly injure himself hy it ? Every day brings evils enough along with it : and every man shall find scope enough for the exercise of all his patience, without multiplying sources of discontent. What should we think of a man, who, being doomed every day to carry a burthen which he was but just able to support, should be con- stantly augmenting his labours by taking on him to-morrow's burthen, in addition to that which he was compelled to bear ? Yet such is the conduct of those who harbour anxious thoughts about the morrow. And what is a man profited by such folly ? What is the effect which he finds invariably produced upon him ? Were he to act more wisely, he might pass com- fortably through life; but by his own folly he is oppressed and overwhelmed, and his very existence is embittered to him, so that he is almost ready to " choose strangling rather than life." The manner in which our Lord argues this point, deserves to be attentively considered. We are ready to think in general that carefulness is a fruit and evidence of our wisdom; but he again and again appeals to our reason, to convince us of the folly of such a disposition ; and defies any human being to give him a satisfactory reason for indulging it. If therefore we will persist in indulging it, let us prepare an answer to that question of his in the text, " Why take ye thought for raiment ? "]
3. It is atheistical —
[" After all these things," says our Lord, " do the Gentiles seek." That the Gentiles should be making anxious inquiries about the things of this life, we do not wonder, because they know of no higher objects to be pursued, nor of any God who is able and willing to undertake for them. But does such conduct become us ? — us, who know that there is a God, and have been taught to call him by the endearing name of Father ? — us, who profess to regard this world but as a passage to a better, and to have our affections set entirely on things above? To what purpose have we been instructed in the knowledge of God, and in the great mystery of redeeming love ? To what purpose have the unsearchable riches of Christ been opened to us, and the ineffable glories of heaven revealed, if, after all, we are to live like Heathens ; careful about the body, as if we had no soul ; and depending on ourselves, as if there were no God? Venial as anxiety may appear, it proceeds from atheism in the heart; it overlooks God's providence; it usurps his power ; it places self upon his throne. If then we would not perish with the Heathen, or rather under a heavier condemnation than they, in proportion to the superior light we have abused, let us guard against this evil disposition, and look to God to supply all our wants according to his own sovereign