were able to guide and to guard himself through the World, and had not so much Need of the Care of God over him, as the Poor who enjoy nothing: Let him learn to know, that in Riches is no Security, and that he wants the Protection of Heaven as much as the poorest Wretch in the World, A rich Man, that has this Senfe as he ought to have, will in confequence have the other Virtues proper to his State: He will be gentle, affable, kind, and charitable; and his Spirit, in the Height of Fortune, will be adorned with the Meeknefs of the Gospel of Chrift. A Man of Sense need not go far to learn this Submiffion to God in the highest Fortune Our Saviour's Argument, that follows clofe after the Text, will teach him the Reasonableness of the Duty: The Life, fays he, is more than Meat, and the Body is more than Raiment. The utmost Riches can do, upon the largest Conceffions made to them, is to provide Food and Raiment, and fuch-like Neceffaries and Conveniencies of Life. Put the Cafe then, That, by being Master of a great Estate, you are Master of Food and Raiment, and can have them in what Quantity or Quality you please: What then? Have you lefs Reafon, upon this Account, to depend upon God, and to implore

his Aid? Confider a little: To what Purpose ferves Food? Is it not for the Support of Life? But can Food ward off Death? Are you, in all your Plenty of Provifions, one jot fecurer against Sickness, or any Accident that may rob you of your Life, than the poorest Man? Will not a Tile from an House kill a rich Man, as well as a Beggar? If this be the Cafe, is it not very abfurd to plume yourself, and to think of Security, because of your Plenty, when Life itself, which is more than Meat, is ftill exposed, and for which you can have no Security, but in the Goodness of God? You have many Changes of Raiment, and the Poor has only Rags. What then? Will the Gout or Stone or burning Fever pay fuch Refpect to fine Clothes, as not to approach them? Will Health always attend upon Gold Lace and Embroidery? If it will, you are right to multiply Garments: But if, after all your Care for Raiment, you must still depend upon God, as well as the Beggar, for Health and Strength of Body, how ridiculous is the Joy over many Changes of Garments! Is not the Body more than Raiment? Since then you must trust God for your Life and Strength, because they are Things which no Care of your own, no Degree of Wealth

can

can infure; had you not even as good trust him a little farther, and ease yourself of this unreasonable Care for the Things of Life? From these and the like Confiderations you may see, that Dependence upon God is as much the rich Man's Duty and Intereft, as it is the poor Man's; that to trust God, and to rely on his Goodness, is to be rich towards God, and is that Sort of Riches which will make us eafy and happy in this Life, and glorious and ever-blessed in that which is to come. By these Means we may still enjoy our Fortunes; and, as our Church has taught us to pray, "We may fo

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pass through Things temporal, that we "finally lose not the Things eternal."

DISCOURSE

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DISCOURSE XVI.

***

LUKE xxii. 61, 62.

And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter; and Peter remembered the Word of the Lord, bow be faid unto him, Before the Cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

T

HE Fall of St. Peter would be a very melancholy Inftance of human Infirmity, did it not likewife fet before us a fignal Exam

ple of the divine Mercy, and of the Power of Grace triumphing over the Weakness of Nature. St. Peter feems to have had the greateft Share of natural Courage and Refolution of any of the Disciples, and the fulleft Perfuafion of Faith. He it was who made the firft Confeffion, and faid, VOL. II. Thou

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