for their confidence, and then strengthen themselves in their wickednefs.

Far be it from us however to imagine that temperance and humility, faith and piety, are incompatible with the most opulent circumftances. This were to charge God foolishly, and to calumniate his favours. Happy for the world! happy for themselves! there are who are no lefs rich in good works, than they are in large poffeffions. And yet fo many and notorious have been the contrary examples in every age, that no prudent perfon, who confiders well the general tendency of immenfe wealth to corrupt the principles and vitiate the morals of men; how much vanity and licentiousness, infidelity and irreligion, are apparently derived from that very fource, would make fo hazardous a station the object of his prayer; wherein the mightiest fall, and the best with difficulty ftand. How

much

much more commendable this petition, "Give me not Riches ?" in a fenfe conformable to that model of our Bleffed Saviour, "Lead us not into temptation."

2. Proceed we to enquire into the fpiritual dangers ever attending the contrary extreme of Poverty.-A right notion of which may ferve to encourage men not only to pray, but to watch and guard against it. For though the lowest degree of penury may be fometimes owing to the appointment of Him who fent us into the world; yet is it too often the confequence of idlenefs, prodigality and vice. And God in this latter fenfe may be properly enough faid to give it, fince in the ordinary courfe of caufes and effects it is the prefent punishment which he inflicts upon human folly.

Now the miferies of this forlorn ftate are not only great in themfelves, but commonly

commonly greater in their immoral issues. And these are what the text leads me to reflect on-" Give me not Poverty, left being poor I steal, and take the Name of my God in vain."

One would incline to hope that the troubles and fufferings of the indigent and neceffitous during this tranfient life, should excite them to make fome happier provifion for themselves in a future and better world; where to the godly and virtuous of every condition there will be no more want, and no more forrow. Nor is it to be doubted that this is the pious care and confolation of many amongst them. And God, who knows the violence of the temptations they have to encounter, will reward them accordingly. But who does not fee and lament, that the generality of these are no less wicked in their deportment, than they are wretched in their fortunes? and therefore in the

broad

broad way to be wretched too for ever. The unwearied Adverfary of Mankind, ever ready to take advantage of our weakeft fide, prompts the poor to steal. Instead of humility and patience, and working with their hands what is useful to fociety; the only certain means of ingratiating themselves with the rich, and procuring a maintenance suitable to their station; what additional mifery do they for the most part carve out for themfelves and others, by a factious difcontent, by debauchery and profaneness, by theft and malice? And furely nothing more need be added to vindicate the wisdom of this prayer, "Give me not Poverty !" and to induce every person to join in it; not barely from a motive of worldly convenience, which the most profligate will do, and in which there can be no merit; but from a just sense of those fpiritual dangers to which it is fubject, and a confcientious

confcientious regard to the welfare of his foul.

From the representation hitherto made of the highest and lowest conditions of life, and of the temptations peculiar to each, will appear under the remaining head of this difcourfe, the reasonable preference of that Mediocrity of Fortune, well expreffed by "Food convenient for us ;" and which falls to the lot of far the greater part of Mankind.

II. That a competent fubfiftence, or decent fufficiency in a moderate station, is preferable to poverty, is a propofition which needs no proof. The only queftion is, why fuch a fituation is more to be desired than great riches? which are evidently incircled with fo many advantages, that a defire of them feems altogether natural to beings conftituted as

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