SER M. good men, may

be recompenfed with perVI. fect happiness, glory, and honour for

ever. And if this fhould be the event, as it certainly will, then the juftice of God will be glorified, and the course of his providence in this world abundantly juftified. And the whole affemblage of rational beings may then fay, Just and true are thy ways, thou King of faints.

But it may in the next place be objected, that befides this inequality with regard to the virtuous and the vicious, there is likewife a great inequality of the divine difpenfations, in placing men before there can be any trial of them, in fuch fituations as have great influence upon their moral conduct. Men are brought into the world in various circumstances; fome in poverty, and others in affluence; fome with weak and unhappy, and others with healthy and vigorous constitutions and habits of body; fome with weak minds, and others with acute and ftrong reafoning powers; and withal, fome are born of good and virtuous parents, and have the happiness of a good education, while others, come of those who are wretched and vicious. Now in all this, the Juftice of God may be

VI.

eafily vindicated, by our confidering his SER M rightful power over us as our Creator. He may make his creatures in what manner he pleases, and communicate to them different degrees of ability. He may give to fome of them greater faculties, and place them in more advantageous circumstances, without any injuftice to others; and to use the words of our Saviour, Matt. xx. 15. he may do what he will with his own. It seems rather to be reasonable, that he fhould diverfify the effects of his power, wisdom, and goodnefs, in placing men in different orders, and in a variety of fituations. But though he may thus communicate opportunities to them, in infinitely various degrees, to compleat the beauty and harmony of the moral system, he certainly intended fomething of happiness for all his rational creatures, just as we fee infinite variety and different degrees of perfection in the material world. He has made all of them in fuch manner, that if they will exert their powers, there is a probability of their being in fome degree happy. And therefore, though God has made a great inequality in the condition and circumstances of men, he acts with perfect

Justice

SER M. Juftice towards them, in giving them, VI. for wife reafons unknown to us, their different degrees of happiness.

In the last place, it may be more par ticularly objected, that there is a great inequality in the fpiritual advantages which men have, and which concern their eternal falvation. Thus in the prefent ftate of the world, we fee that a great part of it lies in ignorance and idolatry, while other parts have the clear and happy light of the gofpel. And in former ages, the ancient Jews had the peculiar advantages of a revelation, while the far greatest part of mankind in the heathen nations, was involved in barbarity and darkness. And here the Justice of God may alfo be vindicated, by our fuppofing that he has given to all men fufficient reasonable powers, by which they may discover his being and attributes, and their duty to him, with the probability of a life to come. And if they fo far improve their minds, and endeavour to find out the will of God, as their circumstances will allow, there is no doubt but they will enjoy a propor¬ tionable degree of happiness. So that though God has not given them all the

VI.

advantages that are neceffary to their SER M. perfection, he has yet given them reason enough to endeavour after improvement, and for their ufe of that, they will be justly accountable. Since therefore, fome means are given to all, the Juftice of God is fufficiently vindicated, though all have not the fuperior light of revelation. For he may make his rational creatures, in what manner he pleases, instances of happiness here, and glory hereafter.

From the whole, we may draw the following practical inferences. In the

1. Place then, the Juftice of God is a glorious pattern for us to imitate. If God, the fupreme and omnipotent being, is just in all his dealings with his creatures, and treats them according to their different circumftances, making all reafonable allowances for them; this ought to teach us in our low fituation to be just to our fellow-creatures, to regard their reasonable claims upon us, and not to use our little power, in an arbitrary and tyrannical manner over them. It ought to excite us to act with truth and honesty, not to injure the happiness of any, and to abstain from all little arts of fraud and

violence.

VI.

SER M. violence. It ought to fhew us, that injuftice and oppreffion, are abfurd and unreasonable, and contrary to the benevolent and happy constitution of things established by our righteous Creator. If we thus follow the divine pattern of righteousness, we shall, in fome degree, in our low capacity, be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. And how amiable must be the character of that person who endeavours to follow the eternal rules of Justice and truth, by which the great Sovereign of the universe himself is ever determined in all his operations.

2. The Justice of God is a fure ground of comfort to good men. God is not unrighteous, to use the words of the apostle, that he bould forget their works and labour, that proceedeth of love. He cannot but make a diftinction between them and the vicious; for he must confider them as objects justly worthy of his favour and protection; and to neglect them would be to deny himself, and to disregard the difference between good and evil: therefore, fuch men may rely upon the Justice of God, that, whatever be the prefent appearance of things; whatever troubles

and