worldly mindedness the everlasting ruin of those who are entirely under its dominion, but even good men are liable to many temptations from the fame quarter. They may hurt their own peace, give offence to others, or leffen their usefulness by a finful excess in their attachment to the world, or by a criminal negligence in not giving a prudent and proper attention to it. Be not furprised that I have mentioned the laft of these as well as the firft, for the Prophet prays for deliverance from the temptation arifing from both extremes. Idleness and floth are as contrary to true religion, as either avarice or ambition; and the habit, when once taken, is perhaps more difficult

to remove.

In order to treat this subject with the greater distinctnefs, I fhall, firft, fhew you what we may learn in general from this prayer, fecondly, explain the particular object of the Prophet's defire; and, in the last place, make applications of what may be faid, by recommending it to your choice.

I. In the first place, then, we may learn in general from this request, that it is lawful to pray for temporal bleffings. It is not unworthy of a Christian, whose converfation is in heaven, to ask of God what is neceffary to his support and preservation in the prefent life. If I were to mention all the examples of this in fcripture, I should transcribe a great part of the Bible. Though inferior in their nature and value to spiritual bleffings, they are neceffary in their place; and it is upon this footing they are exprefsly put by our Saviour. Your beavenly Father knoweth that ye bave need of these things. They are needful to the prolonging of our natural life till we finish our work, and are fitted for our reward. Therefore, though miracles are a kind of fufpenfion of the laws of nature,

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and the ordinary courfe of providence; yet we find God fometimes working a miracle to fupply the wants of his fervants. It had been no more difficult for God to have kept Elijah from hungering, than to have made the eagles fetch him provifion; or to have made, as in another cafe, a barrel of meal, or a cruise of oil, the lafting and fufficient support of a whole family. But he chooses rather to fupply the wants of his people, than cause them to cease, that he may keep their dependence conftantly in their view, and that a sense of their neceffities may oblige them to have continual recourse to him for relief.

Again, we may here learn, that God is the real and proper giver of every temporal, as well as of every spiritual bleffing. A fentiment this, of the utmost confequence, to be engraven upon the heart. We have here an instance out of many, in which truths known and confeffed by all, have notwithstanding little hold upon the mind. How few are truly fenfible of their continual obligations to the God of life? Confider, I beseech you, that whatever you poffefs of any kind, it is the gift of God. He holdeth your foul in life, and guards you by his Providence in your going out and in your coming in. He covereth your table and filleth your cup. Have you riches? It is by the bleffing of the God of heaven.— The blefing of the Lord, faith the Pfalmift, it maketh rich. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is be that giveth thee power to get wealth. Have you credit and reputation? It is God that hideth you from the ftripes of tongues. Thou shalt be bid from the fcourge of the tongue, neither shall thou be afraid of deftruction when it cometh. Have you friends? It is he that giveth you favour in their fight. Have you talents and parts? It is

the

the infpiration of the Almighty that giveth thee understanding.

II. Let us now explain the particular tenor of this petition, and point out the object of the Prophet's defire : Give me neither poverty nor riches. It is plain we are not to suppose the Prophet, in any degree, refufing fubmiffion to the will of God, by his thus making choice of a particular ftate of life.-Doubtless he refolved to be at God's difpofal, and believed that he was able to fanctify to him a ftate of the highest profperity, or of the deepest adverfity. It was no diftrutt on God, but felf-denial and diffidence of his own ftrength that fuggefted this prayer. Therefore, in adjusting his defires and expectations, he pitches upon that ftate that appeared to him liable to the feweft fnares. Thus our bleffed Saviour, though it is his will that we should fear no enemy when going out in Divine ftrength, yet teaches us to pray, Lead us not into temptation.

Poverty and riches are here mentioned as the two extremes; in neither of which we should wish to be placed, but in a fafer middle between the two, fo as, if it please God, we may neither be urged by preffing neceflity, nor overloaded with fuch abundance, as we may be in danger of abufing.

But perhaps fome will fay, Where is the middle? How fhall we be able to determine what we ought to defire, fince there is fo immense a distance, and so many intermediate degrees, between the extremity of want and the countless treasures of the wealthy?

But, my brethren, if we do not hearken to the illufive calls of ambition, avarice and luft, it is by no means difficult to apprehend the meaning of the Prophet, and ap

ply it to perfons of every rank. Regard, no doubt, is to be had to the various stations in which God hath thought fit to place us. This difference of station requires fupplies of the conveniencies of life, fuited to the part we are bound to act. That manner of life which would be decent and liberal in one station, would be reckoned mean and fordid in another. Therefore what would be plenty and fulness to perfons in inferior stations, would be extreme poverty to perfons placed and called to act in higher and more exalted fpheres. But after we have taken in the confideration of every difference that may happen on this fcore, there is fomething in the prayer that belongs in common to perfons of all ftations, namely, that we should be modeft in our defires after temporal good things, and take care not to afk only to gratify a fenfual inclination, but for what is really neceffary or use. ful to us. The last is reasonable and allowable, the other is unreasonable, and justly condemned by the Apostle James. Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amifs, that ye may confume it upon your lufts.

But the first part of this request is explained by the laft, contained in the words, feed me with food convenient for me. That we may be able to enter into the true spirit of this petition, I fhall just compare it with fome other fcriptural forms of prayer on the same subject, and then endeavour to point out what I take to be the chief instruction intended to be conveyed to us by it.

As to the scripture forms of prayer for temporal provifion, the precedence is undoubtedly due to that excellent form left us by our Saviour, in which we find this petition, Give us this day our daily bread. You may next attend to the prayer put up by Jacob in ancient times: And Jacob vowed a vow, faying, If God will be with me,

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and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's boufe in peace, then fhall the Lord be my God. It is more than probable, that the Apostle Paul alludes to Jacob's expreffion, in his excellent advice to all Chriftians. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out; and having food and raiment, let us be therewith contents. But they that will be rich, fall into temptation and a fnare, and into many foolish and hurtful lufts, which drown men in destruction and perdition ;— for the love of money is the root of all evil, which, while fome coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many forrows.

It is obvious to remark, that all thefe prayers and this apoftolic counsel run in the same ftrain. They all begin and are founded upon a regard to God, and a mind rightly difpofed towards him: If the Lord, says Jacob, will be with me.-Remove, fays Agur in my text, far from me vanity and lies. Our Saviour begins his prayer with petitions for the glory of God, with which the happiness of our fouls is infeparably connected; and the Apostle maintains godliness as the great fource of contentment with our portion in this life.

We may further obferve, that there is the fame method obferved in all these prayers. The expreffions vary a little, but the request is the fame. Jacob wishes for the divine protection, with food to eat, and raiment to put on, Agur for food convenient for him; and in the Lord's prayer, we ask for our daily bread. There is no fpecifying of any particulars,-no mention made of this or the other quantity of provifion. Their defires are fummed up in this general request, and the quantity and quality wholly

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