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of that innocent fagacity prescribed in the text, may we endeavour to have our fouls poffeffed of it! learning (as the Apostle directs)" to be ever wife unto that which is good, and fimple concerning evil." The whole of Morality and Religion is eminently comprized in Holy Writ, under the title of Wisdom; and all manner of wickednefs is no lefs emphatically termed Folly: And certain it is, how much foever an iniquitous person may pretend to wifdom, yet, because he is wife only to do evil, but to do good hath no knowledge, (as the Prophet complained of Judah) therefore his claim is ill-grounded, his conceit irrational. But where innocence and difcretion meet together, there true wisdom is, a light to our paths, and a bleffing to our endeavours.

SERMON

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SERMON XIX.

PROVERBS, XXx. 8, 9.

Give me neither Poverty, nor Riches; feed me with Food convenient for me: Left I be full, and deny Thee, and fay, Who is the Lord? or left I be poor, and fieal, and take the Name of my God in vain.

T is evidently of divine appointment,

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seeing the prefent conftitution of things renders it neceffary, that there fhould be a mixture of rich and poor perfons in this world. "The Rich and the Poor (faith Solomon) meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all." And

VOL. II.

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He who made all, we may rest affured, notwithstanding these civil diftinctions, which exalt fome and depress others, careth for all alike. A confideration of great ufe toward an habitual contentment in the feveral ftations, which a wife and good Providence hath thought proper to affign us.

But though refignation to the Will of Heaven be confeffedly our duty in every ftate; yet is it by no means inconsistent with this virtuous principle, to beseech Almighty God, who knoweth whereof we are made, that He would be gracioufly pleafed fo to difpofe and modify our respective circumftances, as may best conduce to our perfonal happiness here and hereafter. For it is very obvious, that there are many and great temptations peculiarly incident to certain fituations in life, which a good man would not willingly be expofed to. Neither

hath

hath any thing in general a more pernicious tendency to corrupt the morals of mankind, than the exceffive affluence, or pinching indigence of their outward condition. Wherein is feen the piety and wisdom of Agur's prayer to God in my text," Give me neither Poverty, nor Riches.".

It will, I am aware, be no easy task to convince men of the equal propriety of this petition in both inftances. All readily enough concur in deprecating the mischiefs of fordid Poverty; but who can find in their hearts to offer up a folemn prayer against beloved Riches? The case is, we are apt to take our estimate of things from the prejudices of fenfe only. Hence our averfion to a mean and abject fortune, merely on account of the inconveniences and troubles, the diftreffes and miferies, which unavoidably attend it. Hence too an insatiable luft

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luft after wealth and abundance; as being the pleafing source of every worldly gratification; the groundwork of power, the support of vain-glory, and the food of luxury. Whereas this pious fupplicant confidered either circumstance, as all fhould do, in quite a different light; not as fimply evil in themselves, but as inducements to the commiffion of evil. He dreaded both alike in a religious view, confcious of the perils to which they are equally liable; and therefore prayed against both: That he might not be tempted, through any incidental quality of his ftation, to displease his Maker, and hazard the interefts of his foul.

Thus much is plain from the nature and causes of his fears, affigned and fpecified in the prayer itself. The best and moft general use I can make of which, is to fet before you the reasonableness of it by enquiring,

First,

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