may suppose to have been a wicked man in many respects; but the sin laid particularly to his charge, was his spending all he had upon himself; and suffering his poor brother to lie at his gate, hungry, and full of sores. Most of you,

in some shape, can assist a poor neighbour. The willing mind, where it really lodges, will always do what it can. You have heard of the value, which, on a certain occasion, was put on two mites, which make only a farthing.

On the other hand, though you are all, thank God! above the station of the poor person represented in the parable, who lay at the rich man's gate; yet few of you are so much above it, as not to feel some of the inconveniences of a low station. Never-never-let the inconveniences you feel, if they were even greater than they are, mislead you. When you see others in a higher station than yours; and abounding in things which you want, never envy them." Or when your wants are not supplied, as you could wish; do not grudge, and murmur at Providence. Above all things never be tempted by dishonesty, or wickedness of any kind, to make your situation better than it is. But be content with what God Almighty gives you; and through industry and frugality, which are the two great virtues

virtues under God, you have to trust to, let your own little do.

-And if distresses fall to your share-if it please God to lay his hand. upon you in some sore affliction, be resigned, and gentle, trusting in God's providence to relieve you, in his own good time, by means, which he knows best how to administer. By thus acting, you turn poverty into religion. You become those poor, to whom the Almighty has promised his favour. You gain that blessed temper, which St. Paul expressively calls the patient waiting for Christ. None of you can have more worldly distresses, than that holy apostle had. Yet all of you may have the means to bear them, which he had faith and trust in God, and Christ; and humble hope in his mercies. It is a wretched thing, when a poor man makes himself first unhappy here; and then, by his wickedness, makes himself miserable hereafter: but if, by behaving religiously in his station, he gains a happy immortality; he will bless that poverty, which was the means of his happiness.

LET me then intreat you to believe, that neither riches, nor poverty, are matters of such mighty consequence, as you are apt to imagine. It is the great business of the world indeed to ac

quire the one, and to avoid the other; and by having your ears and eyes continually filled with the splendor of wealth, you are apt to be misled.But if we weigh things in the only true balance, the scale of religion, what is the value of the greatest worldly possessions?-Possessions we should not call them: their transitory nature destroys their value. Do you now regret the loss of such little pastimes of your youth, as formerly gave you high delight? You think not of them. They are past, and totally forgotten. Just such are the pleasures of your riper years. They fly off; and others succeed, equally fugitive. Nothing is stable, but the joys of religion.

Of what value then, we ask again, are the greatest worldly possessions? What matters it, if we think justly, how our poor bodies are treated ?—whether they fare hardly, or sumptuously every day? whether they are clothed in purple, and fine linen; or in coarse apparel ?whether they are carried to their graves in pomp, or in obscurity? These are matters about which the world makes a mighty stir: but it is the part of the ministers of the gospel, to recall your thoughts frequently from these things-to remind you, that in a few years all will be forgotten, like the days of your childhood. A

different scene of things will soon take placethe great day of accounts approaches, when an inquiry will be made-not, who was rich, and who was poor-these are the inquiries of this world-but, what account the rich man can give of his wealth? whether he made mammon his friend; or left him to be his accuser? Again, whether the poor man behaved properly in his station?-whether he was contented with his humble lot; and resigned to God in all his distresses or whether he endeavoured to relieve his wants by any dishonest means? -These, my brethren, are the inquiries, that will be made at that great day.-God grant we may all be enabled through Jesus Christ to answer these questions as we ought; and that whether we are rich, or whether we are poor; whether we have had ten talents intrusted to us, or only one; we may each employ his trust in such a way, as to make things temporal lead to things eternal; and may all be received, after this world is over, with happy Lazarus, into Abraham's bosom.

SERMON

SERMON XXV.

PHILIPPIANS, iv. 7.

THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING, SHALL KEEP YOUR HEARTS, AND MINDS, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

THE Apostle to the Philippians, having given

his converts some excellent instructions, concludes his advice with this blessing; which is so expressive of every religious sentiment, that it hath generally been used in the church as the last benediction.

As you have perhaps oftener heard this blessing pronounced, than thoroughly considered it, I propose, in the following discourse, to explain