an afflicted state, excepting one that hath this appearance, viz. Cicero, the Roman orator. His conduct in profperity was full of dignity, and feemed wholly directed to the public good; whereas in adverfity, it was to the laft degree mean and abject. But probably the reason of this was, that pride, or rather vanity, was his ruling paffion, and the great motive to his illuftrious actions; and when he fell into adversity, this difpofition had no fcope for its exercise.

Chriftians, the Lord knoweth our frame, and is well acquainted with what we are able to bear, and confequently what state of life will be upon the whole moft convenient for us. It is, therefore, our intereft, as well as duty, to refer ourfelves entirely to him, and leave him to chufe for us. This is not only the doctrine of Scripture, but fo agreable to reason and good fenfe, that it has been acknowledged by feveral of the Heathen philofophers, who have expreffed themselves in terms perfectly fimilar to those of the inspired writings. The prayer which Socrates taught his pupil Alcibiades, is very remarkable; that he fhould befeech the Supreme God to give him what was good for him, though he should not afk it, and to withhold from him whatever would be hurtful, though he fhould be fo foolifh as to pray for it.

2. As God is certainly the best judge of what is good for us, fo refignation to him is a moft acceptable expreffion, both of our worship and o

bedience.

bedience. Single duties are particular acts; refignation is the very habit of obedience. The wisdom and goodness of God are acknowledged in the most authentic manner, when his holy and fovereign Providence is humbly fubmitted to, and cordially approved. Every impatient complaint is an impeachment of Providence; every irregular defire is an act of rebellion against God. Therefore a fubmiffive temper must be highly pleafing to God, and is the way to glorify him in the most unexceptionable manner. The rather indeed, as it is impoffible to attain this temper, but by fincerely laying hold of the covenant of peace, which is ordered in all things and fure. This teaches us the grounds of fubmiffion. This procures for us the grace of fubmiflion. This ftains the pride of all human glory. This changes the nature of our poffeffions to us, and us to them. This fpiritualizes a worldly mind, and makes us know, in our own experience, that all the paths of the Lord to his own people are mercy and

peace.

3. Such a temper of mind will greatly contribute to our own inward peace. It will be an effectual prefervative from all unrighteous courfes and unlawful or even dishonourable means of increafing our worldly fubftance, and confequently fave us from the troubles or dangers to which men expofe themfelves by fuch practices. It will preferve us from perplexing anxiety, and many uneafy fears for futurity. It will bring us the near

and

and fure, way to the greatest of all earthly bleffings, a contented mind."

Such will be the fweet and delightful effects of depending upon God, and leaving it to him to furnish our fuplies as he fees moft convenient for us. Whoever can pray with the Prophet, Give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with 'food convenient for me, may be fully affured that his defire shall be gratified, as it is perfectly agreeable to the will of God.

I conclude with reading to exhortation on this fubject. ⚫ unto you, take no thought

you our Saviour's

Therefore, I fay for your life, what

ye shall eat, or what ye fhall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye fhall put on. Is not 'the life more than meat, and the body than rai

ment? Behold the fowls of the air; for they 'fow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye much better than they? But seek ( ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteous nefs, and all these things fhall be added unto you.

・

SERMON VI.

The Danger of Profperity.

PROV. XXX. 9.

Left I be full and deny thee, and fay, who is the Lord? Or, left I be po:r and fleal, and take the name of my God in vain.

I

PROCEED now to confider the arguments by

which the Prophet enforces his wife and well-conceived prayer. Thefe, in connection with the two branches of the prayer, ftand thus: 'Give me not riches, left I be full and deny ✦ thee, and say, who is the Lord? And give me < not poverty, left I be poor, and steal, and take 'the name of my God in vain.' If Agur's prayer is conceived in the most modeft and humble terms, the reafons with which he fupports it are every way becoming a truly wife and good man. You fee in them a prevailing con-cern for the honour and glory of God, and his

own

own prefervation in the paths of piety and virtue. You fee in them a humble fenfe of his own weaknefs, and the danger of temptation; he, therefore, defires to be placed in fuch a state of life as will expofe him to the fewest trials. An excellent difpofition this, and highly worthy of our imitation. How happy would it be for us all, if a defire to please God and preferve our integrity, lay always nearest our hearts, and had a conftant and commanding influence on every ftep we took in our journey through life!

Neither riches nor poverty are bad in themfelves. Neither of them is any recommendation or hindrance to the favour of God, who is no respecter of perfons. There are good and bad in all ranks. Men may be rich, and yet pious; or poor, yet strictly just and honeft. It is, I confefs, often done, yet it is highly criminal to look upon all that are rich in this world as profane; and it would be equally fo to look upon all that are poor as destitute of integrity. Yet it is undeniable, that, from the corruption of the human heart, these two extremes do often become ftrong temptations to the particular fins mentioned in the text; which we shall now confider separately, in the order in which they lie in the paffage before us.

Give me not riches, left I be full and deny thee, and fay, who is the Lord?'

As to the fact, that riches do often lead to profanity and contempt of God, experience, and