and thus would both pray and watch unto prayer, and that too with all perseverance. Speech is not always faulty in the same manner. Some are not swearers who are liars: some are not backbiters who are swearers : some are impure in their discourse, who are not malicious: and many are hasty, and careless, and inconsiderate, who mean no deliberate harm: some are betrayed by the warmth of their tempers,—some by their vanity some are led by one sin into another, and speak falsely as the readiest method of concealment. Now, if every one at night would question himself concerning his sayings in the day, he might not only confess and ask pardon for a thousand sins of the tongue, which are now never confessed; he would learn likewise how he fell into those sins, and consequently how to avoid running into temptation again; he would pray for the special assistance he wants in a special manner, and asking, he should surely have, till divine grace had taught and enabled him to keep the door of his lips completely. And I beseech you, brethren, do not think that I would lay upon your shoulders any grievous burden, when I call you to such continual circumspection. I rather show you the way to break every grievous yoke, and to cast your burden upon the Lord. Stand upright you cannot, much less advance in the christian life, if ye do VOL. III. G G not watch and pray in this manner: but " they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.' you. 3. Finally, give earnest heed to the doctrine of my text which has been unfolded to "Bind it about your neck; write it upon the table of your hearts." Consider how great things are at stake, what madness it must be to trifle with that which draws after it everlasting consequences, and to take no note yourselves of what God is continually marking down against you; and then you will think no measure of caution or carefulness too much, nor incessant prayer superfluous. For who may imagine the dismay and anguish of those at last, who are sinning with a high hand now,-profaning God's holy name, bearing false witness against their neighbours; cruelly, disdainfully, and despitefully speaking against the righteous, and disturbing the peace of all men! and, who, on the contrary, may imagine the happiness and the triumph, at last, of the Lord's own people, in the day when that scripture shall be fulfilled: “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name; and they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in * Isa. xl. 31. that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. * Malachi iv. 16-18. 452 SERMON XXI. THE DOCTRINE OF HOLY SCRIPTURE RESPECTING THE RICH AND POOR, AND THEIR DUTIES TO GOD, AND TO ONE ANOTHER. [Preached for the Salop Infirmary.] PROVERBS Xxii. 2. "The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all.” Of the various distinctions which subsist in human society, that disparity of conditions which arises from the unequal distribution of wealth, is wont to be most thought of and observed. We all mind "earthly things" too much; and in proportion as we do so, the temporal consequences of this disparity are, of course, more felt, till they come at length to be looked upon as vastly more important than they really are. And then, much that is evil is sure to follow. One class are tempted to repine at the orderings of God's providence; another to forget their obligations to the Giver, in their idolatrous admiration of his gifts. And society is a grievous sufferer. The rich and poor meet together in jealousy, and not in love; the poor regarding the rich with envy, and the rich looking upon the poor with contempt: and sometimes advantage is taken by ungodly and ill-designing persons to aggravate the discontent, and widen the breach, and thereby to produce "confusion and every evil work." These things, however, would not be so, if all would search the Scriptures, and yield themselves to the light thence to be obtained. For so they would learn that "God is no respecter of persons," but good and kind to all; and that whatever differences there may be at present in favour of some beyond the rest, God has ordained them most mercifully and most wisely, to no man's real detriment; but in order to the general good, and to the bringing of many sons to higher degrees both of holiness and happiness, in that everlasting kingdom to which he calls high and low alike in Jesus Christ. This is implied in the text which is to be the subject of my discourse. Solomon admits that inequality which has been spoken of, and intimates that it must continue. But for the solution of all difficulties respecting it, he thinks it |