more of what they hope or wish, than of what they are able to do. Neceffity ferves as an excufe for their failing to their own minds, and thus they are gradually brought into a breach of fincerity, and proceed from lower to higher degrees of falfehood. Little arts of evasion are firft made ufe of, and doubtful practices are entered upon. One fin seems neceffary to ftrengthen or conceal another, till at last the groffeft fraud, and sometimes perjury itself, clofes the unhappy fcene. I have read an excellent observation, that there is hardly fuch a thing as a single fin; they are always to be found in clusters. I am fure, this holds in a particular manner as to fins of injuftice. They are so interwoven and connected together, that you cannot receive any one without being obliged to admit the reft. This is one great branch`of the deceitfulness of fin in general; with a view to which the apostle says, But exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day, left any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of fin.

3. I only mention one other reafon of poverty being a temptation to fraud, viz. that in time it deftroys the sense of fhame. I am not ignorant, that a sense of shame, which is nothing else but a fear of the cenfure of others, neither is, nor ought to be the main principle of a good man's actions. But as there is no other principle at all in many, fo it is a good affiftant and corroborative, when justly directed but now, through the corrupt maxims of the world, poverty is fo much the object of contempt, and those who are in this ftate, meet every day with so many marks of neglect from all, that before their condition is known, they will do almost any thing to conceal it, and after it is known, they become in time so destitute of fhame, that they are under no further restraint.

:

From this particular branch of the fubject, let me put you in mind,

1. What reason many have to be thankful to the God of life, who hath given them their daily provifion, if not in all abundance of immenfe riches, yet in fulness and fufficiency. An humble, thankful difpofition is not only your duty, in return for the Divine bounty, but is itself the richest and sweetest ingredient in all temporal mercies. It is that, indeed, which makes them mercies. Envious perfons do not tafte what they have, their evil eye being fixed on what they cannot obtain. Things in this respect are just what they seem to be. Our comforts are as we are enabled to relish them. The fame poffeffions which are despised by the impatient or ambitious, are a treasure and abundance to the humble and grateful.

2. If poverty is a temptation, it ought to be an argument to all to avoid it, or feek deliverance from it by lawful means. Apply yourselves with steadiness and perseverance to the duties of your calling, that you may provide things honeft in the fight of all men. It is a duty of the land, and of the Gospel; and it hath this promife in general annexed to it, that the band of the diligent maketh rich. Read, I beseech you, that vaft treasure of useful instruction, the book of Proverbs, where you will meet with many excellent counfels and wife obfervations upon this fubject. Of these I shall mention at present but two pasfages, felected both for the foundness of the instruction, and the beauty of the illuftration. Go to the ant, thou fuggard, confider her ways and be wife; which having no guide, overfeer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the fummer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou fleep, O fluggard? When wilt thou arife out of thy Aleep? So fball thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. And again: I went by the field of the flothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of underflanding; and lo it was all grown over with thorns,

and

and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the flone-wall

thereof was broken down.

3. Are any of you poor and reduced in your circumftances, fet a double watch upon your conduct, and earneftly pray that God may preserve you from fraud and difingenuity of every kind. Rather fuffer yourfelves to be ftripped of every thing, and apply to the charity of others, which is not finful, and ought not to be shameful, than take any dishonest methods of bettering your state. O melancholy thought, that many, when they become desperate in their circumstances, become also desperate in their courses, and drown the reflection of their confciences in flothfulness and fenfuality! Sincerity, integrity, patience and fobriety in a ruined fortune, are doubly eminent, at least, whatever they may be in the fight of the world, they are honourable and precious in the fight of God, and of all good men.

Before concluding, fuffer me to make one or two reflections on the subject in general; the feveral parts of which I have now explained. And,

1. On what hath been faid on this fubject, I would graft this important leffon, that you should not only study to preferve yourselves from fin, but from all fuch circumftances of temptation as are dangerous to human conftancy. This was the very ground of the prayer of the Prophet in my text, and is the fubftance of the reafons he affigns for his request. We are taught the fame thing in the ftrongeft manner, by the feveral inftances of human frailty, and the folly of prefumptuous confidence, recorded in Scripture. Now all these things happened unto them for enfamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore, let him that thinketh be ftandeth take beed left be fall. We are also taught the fame thing by him who knew

what

what was, in man, as he has given us directions in the form of prayer which he taught his difciples to fay, Lord, lead us not into temptation.

Are you really unwilling to do evil, you will be concerned to keep yourselves out of the way of every folicitation to it. This is conftantly the effect of a judicious and folid piety, and those who act otherwife fhew, that they either have no real goodness, or that they are very weak Chriftians, and little acquainted either with themfelves, or this prefent evil world.

2. You may learn how neceffary it is, that you should look for the Divine afliftance and direction, to avoid the temptation of every state of life. We are truly of ourfelves unequal to the trials with which we are surrounded. Not that there is any thing unjust or oppreffive in the measures of Providence; but because it seems good to our Maker to oblige us to a conftant dependence upon himself and his promised help. But God is faithful, who will not fuffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

The leaft temptation may prove too hard for us, if we neglect to apply for fupreme aid; but in Divine strength, we may bid defiance to the most formidable oppofition. This temper is well exemplified and defcribed by the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians. And be faid unto me, My grace is fufficient for thee, for my ftrength is made perfect in weakness. Moft gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Chrift may ret upon me. Therefore, I take pleafure in infirmities, in reproaches, in neceffities, in perfecution, in diftresses for Chrift's fake; for when I am weak then am I ftrong.

3. From what hath been faid, you may see what an infeparable connection there is between true religion, and

your

another.

your employments and state in this prefent world. They have a mutual, ftrong, and conftant influence upon one It is a fatal, though a common error, to sepa rate them; entirely to confine religion to the times and places of immediate worship, and fuppofe that it hath nothing to do with the maxims of trade and commerce, or other worldly callings. On the contrary, your impreffions of things fpiritual and eternal, will direct and regulate your views as to the prefent life; and your success or misfortunes in worldly schemes will have a certain and vifible effect upon your Chriftian conversation, and the ftate of your fouls. Therefore, let them never be feparated in your own views, and let them ftill be kept in their proper order and fubordination. Though the light and trivial use, not only of the name of God, but of fcripture-language, is both finful and dangerous; and though a forward oftentatious piety may fometimes look suspi cious, yet it were to be wished we had more of a grave and habitual acknowledgment of God in all our ways. This was the language of the Patriarchs of old. In one of the former difcourfes upon this fubject, I took notice of Jacob's prayer, when he fet out for Padan-arám. See after the increase of his family, how he expreffes himself in answer to his brother Ifaac. And be lift up his eyes and saw the women and children, and said, who are those with thee? And be faid, the children which God bath graciously given thy fervant. See also the Apoftolical direction for the manner of projecting our future purposes. Go to now, ye that say to-day, or to-morrow, we will go into fuch a city, and continue there a year, and buy and fell, and get gain.

4. In the last place, let me befeech, in the tendereft manner, every one of you, rich and poor, to remember an approaching eternity. It will not be long till the honour

able