XI.

DISC. your feet in the way in which you go: let

faith be your invincible shield, and hope
your impenetrable helmet: and on the thigh
be girded the sword of the Spirit, bright and
Shining, and ready for use, and to be drawn,
at a moment's warning. Thus completely
armed from head to foot, always remem-
bering from whence come skill and strength
for the battle, fall upon your knees, as the
Apostle enjoins at the close of his exhorta-
tion; “pray with all supplication, and watch
“with all perseverance.” Then
may the Almighty go forth with

teaching your hands to war, and your fingers to fight, and at length giving you a complete and glorious victory over every enemy, through the Captain of our salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ,

go forth, and

AS

XII.

S the world was made by wisdom, it disc.

requires wisdom to understand the frame of it. The more a man increases in wisdom, the more he will understand it; and the more he understands, the more he will approve. The full perfection of a complex machine in all it's parts, with their respective bearings, and mutual dependencies on each other, is best comprehended by an artist. Superficial thinkers see little, and blame ; deep thinkers see much, and commend.

DISC.

XII.

In viewing the constitution of the moral system, there is scarcely a phænomenon that strikes so forcibly upon the mind, or occasions so much perplexity in it, as that of the inequality of mankind, or the state and condition of the poor. In the passage of Scripture which has been just read, we are invited, by the promise of a Blessing, to employ our thoughts on that subject: « Blessed is he that considereth the poor ;' that giveth himself thoroughly to study and understand their case, and why it is as it is; to see the reason of the thing, and his own duty resulting from it.

The inequality of mankind is a plain and undeniable matter of fact: nor does it happen occasionally, in this or that

in this or that country: it is universal and unavoidable, at least in the fituation of affairs which has taken place in the world, since the Fall. From that period, it ever has been so, it ever will be so, it ever must be so, till the time of the restitution of all things. What, then, will be the first con

fideration with a rich man, when he sees a disc. poor man? If he be endowed with a clear XII. head, and a good heart, will he not reason in some such manner as the following ?

wealth;

God has given the earth to the children of men, for the support of all. While I abound, why does this man want? Plainly, that we may bear one another's burthens ; that my abundance may supply his need, may alleviate his distress, may help to sustain the affliction under which he groans; that I may take off his load of woe, and he take off the superfluity of my that so the stream, now broken and turbid, may again find it's level, and flow tranquil. Otherwise, if he be suffered thus to carry, on his own shoulders, through life, the weight of all this accumulated misery, should he murmur and complain, would it not be with some colour of justice, and must not I in some measure be answerable for his so doing? We are formed, by the same artificer, of the fame materials; our trust is in the fame Saviour, and we must

R4

stand

pure and

XII.

Disc. stand before the same Judge: yet are there,

on my side, health, affluence, and joy; on his, fickness, indigence, and forrow: I have enough to supply every want that luxury itself can fancy; while he has not wherewithal to support his family, or to satisfy his own hunger. Surely, for this very end were riches bestowed upon me, and not without a design is this poor object thrown in my way, that I might use them aright, and justify the ways of Providence. The inequality of nature shall be rectified by religion. This man shall have as much as he needs, and I can enjoy no more. He shall not want, while I have to spare. God, who has given to man, delights that man should give; and he who gives moft, does most resemble his Maker.

Nor let the rich imagine, that what they thus give is thrown away, or given to those who can make no return : let them not grudge to bestow some part of their wealth on the poor — they bestow it on those, to whom, under God, they owe the