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ungrateful enough to Providence, to attribute to their own merit and conduct the profperity they enjoy; fo in the time of adverfity they confider not, neither regard their fufferings as the chaftening of the Almighty. Both certain indications of an ungenerous and unprincipled mind: For who that has any just sense of the divine majefty, and of his own unworthiness, would rob fo munificent a Benefactor of the tribute of praise due to his goodness? And every true Disciple of Chrift will under the fevereft calamity commit his caufe to God, "who maketh fore and bindeth up, who woundeth and his hands make whole."

Eliphaz wifely obferves, that man is born to trouble as the fparks fly upwards But it is the fame wife man's obfervation, that affliction cometh not forth of the duft, and that trouble doth

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not spring out of the ground. Various are the ends, weighty the reafons, for which the Moft High permits us to fuffer. And the fufferings of good men, as well as of the wicked, will appear upon due enquiry to be directed by the fame unerring hand.

As to the present sufferings of wicked men, they are so far adjusted, that penal evil is a general confequence of moral. Thus, all kinds of debaucheries neceffarily terminate in pain and sickness; not barely fhortening man's days, but rendering those few they leave him wearifome and wretched.-Indigence and diftrefs are the ordinary portion of the prodigal and licentious-fhame and captivity of the fraudulent and unjust— and the numerous executions of daring malefactors give undeniable testimony to this fad truth. Not to omit thofe fecret

ill-difpofitions, malice, revenge, envy, and the like, which never fail to excruciate the guilty mind. Wherefore then doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his fins? And though the more fubtle methods of iniquity and fraud do fometimes not only escape unpunished, but are, feemingly rewarded; yet have we no reafon to be offended at it, nor to be envious against the evil. doers, who are verily perfuaded there is a God that judgeth the earth.

Again-Neither are the fufferings even of good men any impeachment of the wisdom, the juftice, or goodness of God; whose ways are never the less equal, though our thoughts may be unequal. The best are not without their failings, errors and infirmities: And to be chaftised for them by the Father of Mercies is, to as many as are religiously disposed,

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the fureft token of his providential care and affection.

Perhaps too we know by experience, may at least by obfervation, the danger of uninterrupted profperity; how unapt we are to think seriously when we live pleasantly: And how on the other hand pain and misfortunes become the food of religious contemplation. Kind therefore is that Providence which permits us fometimes to fmart; loving is that correction which at any time brings us to a fenfe of our duty.

Moreover, the evils of life are no doubt frequently fent to the upright by way of trial. The Devil had his commiffion from the Almighty to tempt Job: But as it happened in his cafe, so will it in the cafe of all good perfons; the Holy Spirit will be ever ready to

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lend his gracious fuccours, that they shall not be tempted above that they are able. And virtue of every fort is refined and rectified by the furnace of affliction. Hence are we taught to know ourselves, our own frail and dependant nature; and in confequence of that, to have a compaffionate feeling for the misfortunes of others; to advise the weak, inform the ignorant, and comfort the diftreffed. Hence too, in this school of virtuous difcipline, are we best trained to a religious contentment with our lot, in whatever ground it may chance to fall; together with an humble fubmiffion of ourselves and our concerns to the fupreme difpofer of all events, who both knoweth our neceffities and careth for us. Hence, finally are we instructed -under every difpenfation of Providence to have always present to our minds that unchangeable

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