SER M. the various Exercise of infinite Wisdom. XI. The Servant who gained four Talents by the improvement of two, it was just that he fhould be rewarded with four Cities; and that the reward of ten Cities fhould be allotted to him, who by a right use of five Talents had improved them to Ten. But why originally the one fhould be intrufted with five Talents, and the other but with two; of this there needs and can no other account be given, but this; Is it not lawful for God, to do what he pleases with his own? and Shall the thing formed fay unto him that formed it, why haft thou made me thus? Hath not the Potter power over the clay, of the fame lump to make one Veffel to Honour and another to Difkonour? Not, one perfon unconditionately to final Happiness, and another to Mifery; But (as the fame Apoftle expreffly explains himfelf: 2 Tim. ii. 20;) In a great house there are not only veffels of Gold, and of Silver, but also of Wood and of Earth; and fome to honour, and fome to diskonour. That is Hath not the Mafter a Right, to employ his Servants in what feveral Stations he pleases, more or less honourable;

pro

provided, in his final diftribution, he deals S ER M. equitably with each of them, in their fe- XI. veral and refpective degrees? As the Glory of the natural World confifts in that beautiful Variety of things, whereof the Whole is compofed: So in the Moral World, God has made rational Creatures of various Capacities, and placed them in different Stations: And it imports not to each one's final State, what his present Station is, but how well he behaves himfelf in That Station. The Scripture, as well as the Reafon of the Thing itself, frequently refers us to this Sovereign Power of God, in accounting for the unequal diftribution of both temporal and fpiritual Advantages. He plucketh down one, and fetteth up another; He maketh poor, and maketh rich; he bringeth low, and lifteth up: He caufeth one Nation or Perfon to be rich and powerful, and another to be poor and weak. He reveals himself to one People in one manner, and to another in a different manner; and in all this, there is neither Reward nor Punishment, but the various exercife of his Wifdom and Power over his Creatures, with

out

SER M. out wrong or injury to any of them. He XI. chose the Nation of the Jews to be his peculiar People, to reveal his Law to them in a particular manner, and to make them the Standard of true Religion to the World; He did not deal fo with any other nation, neither had the Heathen knowledge of his Laws. And this St Paul afcribes to the abfolute Will and Pleasure of God, who may difpofe of his unconditionate Favours in what manner and proportion he thinks fit: Rom. ix. 10, 11; When Rebeckah had conceived by one, even by our Father Ifaac; the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil; that the purpose of God according to election might fland, not of works, but of him that calleth; it was faid unto her, The elder fall ferve the younger; As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Efau have I hated. Which Text, has therefore only seemed difficult, because men have not usually attended what that purpofe of God according to Election was, which the Apoftle There declares fhould ftand? For, was it a Purpofe of electing one to eternal Happiness, and the other to eternal Mifery? No; but

of

of caufing the elder to ferve the younger. The Words themfelves are exprefs: That the purpose of God, faith he, according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. God might appoint whom he pleased, to be the Father of the more powerful Nation, the progenitor of his peculiar people; and yet there was plainly no unrighteousness with God; no wrong or injury done to him, upon whom that Favour was not conferred, which could of right be claimed by Neither. To apply this, or any other Texts of like importance, to mens final and eternal estate of Rewards and Punishments in another World; is indeed charging God wrongfully, and putting the greatest abuse that can be upon Holy Scripture, wherein God fo conftantly declares that he is no ReSpecter of Perfons, and that every man fhall be judged finally according to his works. But which fhall be bere fuperior, and which shall serve; who fhall in this Senje be hated, and who be loved; (all which is comparative only, and not abfolute; and in which there is nothing of Reward or Punishment, but merely a variety of distrie VOL. VI. bution

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SERM.

XI.

SER M.bution of undeferved Favours ;) in this, XI. God has an abfolute Right of acting by

his Sovereign Power and Supreme Autho-. rity, and of doing what he pleafes with his own. And fince every thing that we All enjoy, proceeds wholly from God's free goodness and bounty; no man, whether he has received lefs or more, many advantages or fewer, has any juft reason of complaint, any ground to fay unto his Maker, Why hast thou made me thus? This is the account St Paul gives, of God's firft calling the people of the Jews; and the fame he gives, of his afterwards rejecting them again, and taking in the Gentiles. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compaffion on whom I will have compaffion: That is, God only, and not fhort-fighted Man, is the proper Judge, upon whom, upon what Perfons or Nations, 'tis fitteft and wifeft for him to bestow his Favours. Hath not. the Potter power over the clay, of the fame lump to make one veffel unto honour and another unto difhonour? What, if God, willing to show his Wrath, and to make bis Power known, endured with much long

Suffering