American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-05-19
WORLDLY ANXIETY.

Our Lord closes his nes esting and divine dis.
curse on the subject OF worldly anxiety, with an
argument drawn from the evident absurty OF an.
ucipatiDg sorrow and rendering ourselves unhappy
beforehand -" Take therefore no thought for the
morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the
things Of itself: sufficient for the day is the evil
thereof" Matt. vi. "a That is be not anaious
soticitous miserable about Tomorrow literally and
strictly, be not of doubtful, divided mind For
all care supposes person to be wavering, drawn
hither and thither by different motives first one
way and then another; not knowing how to fix and
determine. They who have felt the torment OF
such state Of mind, know the meaning of what is
beautifully expressed by the original word in this
place oil Scripture, which thus kindly commands us
not to make ourselves wretched By anxious appre
henson about the future. In this ever memorable
precept, Christ consuts our natural quiet no less
than our spiritual welfare. The chief sources OF
uneasiness are, vexaon at what is past, forebo
dings of what is to come !; whereas what is past
ough; to give no disquiet, except that of repen
lance Tor our faults; and what is to come ought
much less to affect u.s. because, with regard to us
and our concerns, it is not, and perhaps never will
be The present is what we are apt to neglect
That, well employed, will render the remembrance
of the past useful and the prospect OF the future
comfortable. The promise of worldly necessaries
and comforts, is made ON the condition Of seeking
FIRST the kingdom Of God, and his righteousness
Let him, who thinks he has not his share OF good
things in this life retire into his closet for half
hour, and ask himself few questions; az" Have
ever really and in earnest sought the kingdom Of
God and his righteousness Do so much as know
what they are ? Or have I taken any pains to in
quire If / have inquired and understood their ma
ture do not rather seek after any thing than after
them Is not either business, or pleasure, or even
idlencss ITSELF that most irksome and tormenting of
states preferred before themp Do give one hour
out Of the four and twenty, to the contemplation Of
them? Does Christ rule in my heart by faith; and
do my appetitcs and passions move in obedience to
that heavenly principle Are those tempers alive
and reigning in me, which Christ has pronounced
blsssed?" The answers returned by conscience to
such questions as these, would perhaps show the
best man living. that il he have not all he wants,
there is no Just for complaint. There is an
other consideration which may completely settle our
minds on the subject OF the distresses to which the
righteous sometimes subject in this present life
A good man may be rendered much better by trials
aud Affections. But thisis large subject on which
mean not to enter. I would close with remark.
ing that cheerful attention TO the duties OF the day,
is like the when il descended fresh and CRATE
iul from above. Anxiety about the events OF to-
morrow resembles the mamma when, dsirusifnlly
laid up contrary to the Divine command, it bred
worms and purified. Give US then blessed Lord,
our daiiy bread and let not be corrupted by dis
con,en,ed and unthsnkful imaginaons. Only ena
bic US to trust 10 thee and then We shaI nc,er be
confounded.