THE NATURAL EQUALITY OF MANKIND. 585

all of ye, my pious hearers, of whatever stahatever class, respect one another, respect

the name that he bears, not the rank in

's, not the wealth that he poffeffes, hat he wears, no, reverence his ature. Honour intelligence and herefoever ye find them, and hatever garb, under whatTo conclude, with

ty is far greater, than is commonly ima-
THE NATURAL EQUALITY OF MANKIND. 583
es of mankind, and that in this refpe& alfʊ

true state of the cafe, my pious
tly think and act confiftently

d experience then your nd lowly among the

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'ng yourselves in adoraeator and father, in 'eur and your nulndence on him, icing in your endering yourselves it by mutual affection

friends, the oftener we me

ur univerfal father in heaven, on rection and providential care for us all; perfectly we regard our prefent life as

at it really is, and the oftener we carry our thoughts into the future world: the more fhall we learn to confider and love one another as members of one family, as brothers and fifters of one lineage ; the more agreeable and pleafant fhall we render to one another our fhort fojourn on earth, the more fure and rapid will be our approaches towards the prize of perfection to which we are called.

protection; never purchase their favour by base fawning and flattery; be never the blind worshippers and implicit copiers of their opinions, their principles, their praises or their cenfures. Ye would degrade yourselves by fuch a conduct, renounce your natural equality with them, and render yourselves unworthy of the rank you occupy among the creatures of God.

And ye, who are rich and great and mighty, be not proud of your distinctions. They have more show than reality. They are not effential to you. Ye will not and cannot retain them in perpetuity. Perhaps

ye may lose them even prior to your decease. Into the grave you certainly cannot take them along with you; but fhame and remorfe and reproach will follow you thither, will purfue you even in eternity,

if

ye have abused them to the purposes of pride and vanity, if ye have employed them to the detriment and injury of your brethren, Learn at least to dif tinguish the substantial from the adventitious, the everlasting from that which is but of momentary duration. Learn to value yourselves fimply as men and not as rich, as great, as privileged perfons, no, fimply as men. Learn to distinguish yourself from the outward objects that furround you, and yet form no part of yourself, and to feek your worth, your perfection, your happiness not without, but within you. Strive after those distinctions of mind and heart, which ye may for ever retain, which will exhilarate you in eternity.

And

And all of ye, my pious hearers, of whatever sta'tion, of whatever class, refpect one another, respect the man, not the name that he bears, not the rank in which he stands, not the wealth that he poffeffes, not the cloaths that he wears, no, reverence his rational, immortal nature. Honour intelligence and wisdom and virtue, wherefoever ye find them, and in whatever form, in whatever garb, under whatever names they may appear. To conclude, with one confent, unite in proftrating yourselves in adoration before your common creator and father, in humbly acknowledging his grandeur and your nullity, his fupremacy and your dependence on him, in thanking him for his benefits, rejoicing in your future high destination and thus rendering yourselves progreffively more meet for it by mutual affection and support. Yes, my friends, the oftener we meditate on God, our univerfal father in heaven, on his parental affection and providential care for us all; the more perfectly we regard our prefent life as what it really is, and the oftener we carry our thoughts into the future world: the more fhall we learn to confider and love one another as members of one family, as brothers and fifters of one lineage; the more agreeable and pleafant fhall we render to one another our fhort fojourn on earth, the more fure and rapid will be our approaches towards the prize of perfection to which we are called.

CHAP. XXXI.

The Diversity of Station and outward Profperity among Mankind.

GOD, creator and ruler of the world, all that

we know of thy works is replete with beauty and magnificence, all bears witness to the infinite wisdom and benignity of its author, all is regulated on the plan of confummate order and confiftency, and adapted to promote the noblest purpofes. The greatest diverfity and the completest harmony reign throughout the whole of thy immense domain, and loudly proclaim thy infinite majesty. Perfection and happiness are the ultimate end of thy administration, and thou art gradually bringing every creature, from the animated particle of duft to the most exalted spirit, ever nearer to that grand object. To us men thou haft alfo affigned that station on the scale of being, which is best suited to our nature, and on which we may, by following thy gracious and holy will, render ourselves fit for a fuperior station. Thou haft diftributed talents and

endow

endowments among us in various measures, and haft thus connected us together as the members of one body, that we might, continually exercise ourselves in all the focial virtues. Thou haft placed us in a state of mutual dependence, that we might have more opportunities and motives, to become as wife and as good as it is poffible for us here to be. Lord, we revere thy ordinances with humility and gratitude. We are afhamed of all the difcontented and peevish thoughts, that have ever defiled our fouls. Heartily would we fubmit to be guided and governed by thee, who alone art wife and fupremely kind. Withdraw not thy light and thy favour from Let us always keep in view the important ends we are here on earth defigned to reach, and grant that we may with all poffible fidelity and fortitude continually labour at the more complete attainment of them. Blefs in this view the meditations on which we are about to enter, and hearken to our prayer, for the fake of thy fon, our mediator and redeemer, in whose name we thus farther invoke thee: Our father, &c.

us.

PROV. xxii. 2.

The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all.

IT is no honour either to the understanding or the heart of man, that the teacher of religion is fo frequently under the neceflity of juftifying the me

thods