bleffing of God. They fee the rich man poffeffing advantages, which they want-furnished with comforts, which they cannot procure-and enjoying pleasures, which they cannot reach: while they find themselves not only without these comforts, and pleasures; but engaged in labour; and often with difficulty obliged to earn their bread.

From obferving this great difference between themselves, and others; and confidering things only as they appear outwardly; they are apt to think the bleffings of this world produce the greatest happiness, which their Creator can bestow.

Now it would be no difficult matter to fhew, that all conditions of life, as far as the happiness of this world is concerned, are on an equal footing. If thofe in lower ftations have not fo many pleasures; they have, at least, fewer diftreffes. Riches produce innumerable cares, and anxieties, with which those in low stations are unacquainted. They are unacquainted also with a variety of mortifications, which attend vanity, pride, and the indulgence of fuch defires, as are found, more or lefs, in the higher ftations of life. They have often better health, and better spirits, than those, whose wealth enables them to indulge in the gratifications of life. They can alfo more easily put

their children out in the world. If they procure them habits of induftry, they provide for

them.

In all ftations of life, high, and low, men may make themselves miferable by their follies, impru dencies, and wickednefs. But in all stations they may also make themselves, as happy as the things of this world can make them, by their prudence, industry, and religious contentment.

Upon the whole therefore it would be no difficult point to fhew, that happiness and mifery, as far as this world is concerned, are equally divided among all stations of life: and that we ourselves, not the station, makes the difference.-This however is not the point I want to fhew at present. The point I want to fhew at prefent, is, what the text sets before you, that the bleffings of this world, neither among people of high, nor of low condition, are the greatest of God's bleffings: but that however unequally God may dispose the good things of this world, his greatest bleffings are allotted equally to all: and that these are the bleffings, which most especially call upon us to praise the Lord for his goodness; and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men.

VOL. II.

R

Now

Now the greatest of God's bleffings, and which he diftributes equally to all mankind, are those certainly, which relate to a future ftate; in which God makes no diftinction between man and man. No one is fo low, as not to be equally confidered by his maker no one fo high, as to be confidered more than the loweft. What we have therefore to

imprefs upon our minds, is, that these greatest of God's bleffings are infinitely fuperior to any happinefs of this world.

one;

Now, in order to confider this matter in a convincing light, we have only to confider it in a true if we could be perfuaded to do it. Should we be asked seriously, whether our fouls, or our bodies, were of more confequence? However negligent we are of our fouls, when the question is thus put home, we should not hesitate for an answer. As much therefore as our fouls are fuperior to our bodies, fo much of course are the things, which relate to them, fuperior to thofe, which relate only to our bodies. The bleffing of our redemption from fin through the merits of Christ-the bleffing of our being affifted by God's holy fpirit in our endeavours after a good life-the bleffing of our being made heirs of everlasting happiness in a world

to

1

to come, we must allow, are bleffings of more moment, than the richest poffeffions of this world.

The real fact is, we are created, through the mercy of God, wholly, and folely to enjoy the bleffings of everlasting life. This life, in God Almighty's plan, whatever it may be in ours, is confidered as nothing in the light of happiness, and mifery. It is lefs than a drop of water in the ocean. Here we are placed for a fhort time, to prepare ourselves for future happiness. The bleffings and miseries of this life, are the appointed means of our preparation. Riches tempt us to indulge ourselves, and to forget God; and poverty to murmur at him, and be discontented; and we ought all to endeavour to pass religiously through those means of trial, whatever they are, which God hath appointed.-But if we do not confider these things as trials-if we foolishly fet our hearts on the good things of this world; or as foolishly grieve when we want them; we confider them falfly; and we ourselves, by our folly, give them an importance, which naturally belongs not to them.

Let me explain this to you by an eafy cafe. A child is heir, we fuppofe, to a large fortune: but till he come of age, he must pass through such

an education, as will fit him for the proper enjoyment of it. During this time you fee how generally thoughtless he is of all his better interefts.

-How carelessly does he fpend his time?— It is force only that can bring him to fuch things, as tend to his improvement. You fee he fets a much greater value on the little amufements of his childhood, than on all his future high expectations. Nay fuch is his folly, that he would at any time, give up all his future hopes, to avoid fome flight inconvenience, which attends his present station; or to obtain fome trifling fatisfaction, in itself of no value. But what fays the ferious bye-stander to all this? He knows the value of things: and fees how wantonly the little prodigal would barter an eftate for a plaything.

Such children are we. For the toys, and trifles of life we give up all our future hopes. Tho' we are heirs of everlasting happiness; and placed by God Almighty in such a state, that it is our own fault if we do not fecure it: yet what children are we in preferring our playthings to our inheritance -the vanities of life, to all our heavenly expectations?

Wicked and profligate men, it is true, trouble not their heads with thefe things. But I am not

now