: serve the balance of the mind in all the unequal pressures of human life; and who, prepared for each variety of circumstances in which he can be placed, is authorized to say, "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound; every where, and in all things, I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Such is the Christian-or must I say, such he ought to be! This exercise brings him before us in the possession of PROSPERITY. I need not detain you in specifying the ingredients of this envied state.-It must include health. This is the salt that seasons, and the honey that sweetens every temporal comfort. Yet how little of it do some enjoy. How affecting is the complaint they are constrained to utter-I am made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed unto me: when I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone; I am full of tossings to and fro, until the dawning of the day."-"He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain, so that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat." While others scarcely know from their own feelings what disease, or indisposition, or infirmity, means. What are -It must take in agreeable relations. the caresses of the world, if a man be chilled with neglect or repulsed with frowns at home? What are the productions of the field and the garden, if, as the Prophet says, thorns are in our tabernacle?" "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith." What a difference is there, between a "brawling woman in a wide house," and "a wife that is as a loving hind and a pleasant roe!" Job, looking back to the days of his prosperity, says, "when my children were about me." They were united and affectionate and dutiful. What must be the wretchedness of a parent whose offspring are the reverse of all this!-Friendship must not be absent. Who can dispense with this balm of life? Who does not feel his need of another's bosom, if not of another's hand? What is general and indiscriminate society! I must have one whose sympathies lead him to rejoice when I rejoice, and to weep when I weep: or my grief is too heavy for me to bear; or my pleasure loses half its relish. "Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart; so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.”— Who can be so low and groveling as to have no regard for the opinion and approbation of his fellowcreatures? "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches; and loving favour rather than silver and gold." "The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart and a good report maketh the bones fat." -But the use of the term more directly reminds us of the fruit of our wishes, and the success of our endeavours, in our calling or profession; and the securing and commanding a degree of wealth above competency. For "money is a defence," and screens us from the evils of dependence and embarrassment. "Money answereth all things:" it procures a thousand advantages; and affords not only the necessaries, but the conveniences, and indulgences, and embellishments of life. Now the portion only of a very few favoured individuals includes all these ingredients; but the greater the confluence of them in number and degree, the better we consider the cup of prosperity replenished. But can such a cup be seen in the hand of a Christian? Why not? In general, indeed, the language of the Scripture befriends the needy and distressed; and what generous mind does not rejoice in this aspect of benevolent preference? Who does not read with pleasure," I will leave in the midst of thee a poor and an afflicted people, and they shall trust in the Lord their God." "The poor have the Gospel preached unto them." "God hath chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him." But this is not true of them, universally and exclusively. We are told that not many of the higher ranks in life are called but the very assertion implies that there are some. Our Saviour said to his followers, "If any man will be my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily." "In the world ye shall have tribulation." Yet he also said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." The Apostle who taught, that "through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom," made no scruple to say, "Godliness has the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come." Peter, also, who charged Christians not to think it strange cerning the fiery trial as if some strange thing had happened unto them," confidently asserts, "He that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no 66 con guile: let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?" And religion, by its natural influence as well as by the blessing of an overruling Providence, tends in various ways to advance the temporal welfare of men. We have not time to exemplify these remarks, but we mention them the more readily, because some Pietists seem to look upon all the distinctions and endowments of life, as nearly sealing their owners unto the day of perdition; and to conclude that their good things here are only pledges of their evil ones hereafter. It is true, this was the result, in the case of the rich man in the parable. But it was not so same story-yet with Abraham, mentioned in the Abraham had been very wealthy. We allow that there is enough to alarm the prosperous; but they have no ground for despair. The proprietors of no condition here, are under any sentence of reprobation. They that have riches shall hardly enter into the kingdom of God; but with God all things are possible. There is a way to heaven from all the diversities of human life; and there is a passage from the mansion as well as from the cottage, though it is more narrow and perplexing and difficult. In a word: a Christian is never to be known by his condition; but he must be always known in it; for he belongs to a "peculiar people zealous of good works." In confirmation of which, let us proceed to hear what God the Lord has to say concerning us in the estate we are now surveying-I spake unto thee in thy prosperity-He is always alive to our welfare, and of this he never leaves himself without witness: and if ever we err in conduct, or fail in character, it is owing to our disbelief of his word, or inattention to it. For the Scripture is not only able to make us wise unto salvation; but "is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." Now in your prosperity he requires of you three things: I. That you should be AWARE OF ITS PERILS. III. That you should IMPROVE ITS ADVANTAGES. O let Him not complain-But thou saidst, I will not hear. I. You are required to be AWARE OF THE PERILS OF PROSPERITY. Here it must be acknowledged we are furnished with a very mortifying view of human nature. The produce of creation, and the bounties of Providence are good in themselves; and they are the gifts of God; and they ought to induce us to love and serve the Giver. And they would have this effect, were we not in a state of moral perversion and depravity. The goodness of God leadeth to repentance-this is the design of it; this is the tendency of it. But what is the effect? Answer this, ye who suppose that man is so innocent, so amiable, so dignified a crea |