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SER M. good understanding, want of knowledge and instruction, want of many opportunities and means of improvement which others enjoy. None of all which, are any just ground of complaint against God, or any reason why we fhould not with all fatisfaction acquiefce in his divine good pleasure; fince all these things are only different diftributions of fuch free gifts, as he, not being obliged to bestow on any man, may therefore without controverfy divide to every man in what measure and proportion he himself thinks fit: Only This we may depend upon, that in fuch measure only will he exact our duty, as he enables us to perform it; and that to whom little is given, of him shall not be much required: And This brings all the feeming inequalities in the World, to a real equality at laft; fo that he which gathers much, has nothing over; and he that gathers little, has no lack. And we may justly apply to God's general dealings with all Mankind, the exclamation St Paul uses upon occasion of his wonderful particular difpenfations to the people of the Jews and Gentiles; O the depth of the riches

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riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge S & R M. of God; How unfearchable are his judgments, and his ways paft finding out! In all circumftances of Life therefore, we are not to be uneafy that God has made us inferior to others; or that he has fet before us, greater hardships and difficulties to go through; or that he has given us lefs abilities, and fewer opportunities than others: But we are to apply ourfelves wholly, (with all acquiefcence and refignation,) to the proper duties of that ftation, or of thofe circumftances, wherein God has been pleased to place us. Poverty is not an Argument, to envy the Rich; but a strong Obligation to study the duties of Humility, Contentment and Refignation. Ignorance and want of capacity, meannefs of Parts and want of Instruction, is not a reafon to murmur that God has not entrusted us with more talents; but an admonition to take care that we make a right improvement of those few that are given us. Weakness of Body, is not a juft occafion repine against God, for not giving us the Strength and Health wherewith he has bleffed fome others; but a con

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SER M.a continual Argument to us, to exercife XI. and improve fuch Virtues as are more peculiar to the Mind. The confideration of the Uncertainty and Shortness of Life itfelf, ought not to make us fpend our Time in fruitless complaints of the Vanity and Meannefs of our State; but to caufe us perpetually to confider, that it is not of fo great importance how long we live, as how well: For (as it is excellently expreffed in the Book of Wisdom,) bonourable age is not that which flandeth in length of time, nor that is measured by numbers of years; but Wifdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unfpotted Life is old age.

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Secondly, IT is to be confidered, that a great part of the troubles of Life, and the Afflictions we are apt to complain of, are not the immediate and original‹ appointment of God at all; but the mere natural Effects and confequences, of our own Sins. "Tis true, it is indeed the wife conftitution of Providence, which thus ordered and difpofed the nature of things at firft, that moft Sins fhould even in the natural confequences of things, be fome

time or other attended with their proper SER M. Punishment. But I confider it not Now XI. m in That refpect, as being, upon the whole, the wife Appointment of God, to convince us of the Folly of Sin, and to lead us to Repentance; but as being in particular, in the prefent ftate and order of things, the mere natural Effect and Confequence of our own foolish and finful choice. Which confideration alone, ought to make us acquiefce with all Humility and Patience, under that Burden which not God but our own hands have laid upon us: For, why should a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his Sins? Why fhould he murmur against God, when he eateth but the Fruit of his own Ways, and is filled only with the natural confequences of his own devices? The Foolifness of Man (as Solomon excellently expreffes it, Prov. xix. 3;) perverteth his own way, and then his heart fretteth against the Lord. Very unreasonably and unjustly. For, if Poverty be the Effect of extravagance and profufeness, and a man's fubftance be confumed by riotous living: If Pain and Diseases of Body, be the Effect of Debauchery

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SER M. Debauchery and intemperate Courses; and the Comforts of Age, be prevented by the Follies of Youth: If Anxiety and continual Vexation of Mind, be the Vanity of Covetousness; and the fore travel, of him that has neither Child nor Brother ; of whom the Scripture fays, that there is no End of all his labour, neither is his Eye Satisfied with riches; neither faith be, For whom do I labour, and bereave my Soul of good; Thefe troubles, are fuch as neither come forth of the duft, neither do they Spring out of the ground, neither can they be complained of as proceeding from the hand of God; but they are only the natural Effects of mens own Follies, and the fulfilling the Prophecies fo often repeated in Scripture, that they who plow wickednefs, fhall reap iniquity; (Hof. x. 13;) and they who fow iniquity, fhall reap vanity, (Prov. xxii. 8;) And yet, even These alfo, the Afflictions which are the confequences of our own Folly, may by a wife improvement, by bearing them as becomes us, and by exercifing ourselves to Wisdom under them; even Thefe alfo, may become the matter of an excellent Virtue, and