paffion is lefs himself, if he do not wholly lose himself.

Thirdly, I observe, that the poor man who is commended, he is distinguished by his name: but for the rich man who is disparaged, there is no name for him. From whence I obferve, that prudence and caution are to be used, where men reprove and difparage: reprove with concealment forbear names and perfons; convince by reason and argument. Lazarus who is commended is named: but for the rich man who is disparaged, there is no name for him.

Again, we are to understand, that it is neither a virtue to be poor, nor a fin to be rich. The explication must be, that thou did'ft ufe thy good things for pride and voluptuoufnefs &c; and this is the condemnation of the rich man; not fimply that he was rich, but that he used his riches for pride and luxury; and not for inftruments of vir

tue.

Likewife Lazarus evil things. That is, those evil things in the courfe of this life, did attain the peaceable fruits of righteousness and virtue, a submiffion to God, and self-surrender.

It is a mistake to think that poverty is a state of perfection, or any ways meritorious, for we are neither recommended, nor disparaged to God, by either; and both states have their temptations; the rich, to infolency; and the poor to bafeness. If the poor man be furly, he gains no advantage by his poverty; and if the rich man be haughty, he had better have been without his riches. The rich man was not disadvantaged because he had his good

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things in this life, but because he did not well use them and the poor man was not rewarded for his poverty, but because it was fubjoined with fubmiffion to God's providence.

But these things I only hint by the by. In the words you have these three things reprefented.

ift. In this life, under the managery of ordinary providence, the worst men may abound with the good things of this world, when better men are straitned, and want even the necessary conveniencies of life.

2ly. If we would take a right eftimate of man, we must not only confider him in respect of the prefent ftate, but alfo of the future.

3ly. The state of man in the world to come holds a proportion with fomething of him here: the tem-: per of his mind, the frame of his fpirit, the courfe of his actions.

Ift. In this life, under the managery of ordinary providence, the worst men may abound with the good things of this life, and better men are fometimes fhortned, and want even the neceffary conveniencies of life. Of this I fhall speak but a word, because it is a matter of easy observation. This David, Job, and Jeremiah stumbled at. The pfalmift tells us, Pfal. xvii. 14. That there are men that have their portion in this life; and that good men are oftentimes in want and neceffity, while these are in plenty themselves, and leave their fubftance to their children. So Pfal. Ixxiii. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the profperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death, but VOL. I, their

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their fir ength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compaffeth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. Their eyes ftand out with fatnefs. They have more than heart could wish. The like you have, Jer. xii. 1. Righteous art thou, O Lord when I plead with thee; yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments; wherefore doth the way of the wicked profper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

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This is the fhort account that I would give of this matter that the adminiftration of the things of this life, doth not at all belong to the kingdom of Christ; but they come from another hand. To make a man to be a rightful owner, he must prove his title, either from defcent, from fome that were before him; or by a fair and lawful acquifition, by his good employment and improvement of his ftock and talent in some honest way, and that he hath not got his wealth by violence, fraud, or cofenage: for this is a maxim with us (and they are difturbers of the world that go upon any other ground) that right property and title are founded in nature, not in grace. God gave the world and the things thereof unto the fons of men. If I would prove this to be mine, I muft prove my title, not by miracle; but as the law and usage of the country where I dwell do ftate and determine therefore I will fay no more in this particular.

2ly. This particular is of great importance: If we will take a right eftimate of man, we must confider him alfo in refpect of another ftate; for lefs

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f him is here, and more in another world. That which is most a man's own, may be least in worldly appearance. And

3ly. The state of men in the world to come, holds a proportion to mens spirits and temper, to the tenour of their lives and actions. And this is clear from the text, fon, remember, thou in thy life-time receivedft thy good things, and Lazarus, evil things; wherefore he his comforted, and thou art tormented.

Not that we are to suppose that it is either a virtue, to be poor; or a fin, to be rich: therefore we must supply these words from the context, and take the sense of them to be this: fon, thou in thy lifetime, had'ft thy good things; and did'st use them to luxury, excess, and riot, pride, haughtiness, and fcornfulness; and did'ft not use them, as inftruments to virtue, and arguments to thankfulness : whereas a man should honour God with his fubftance, and the rich in this world fhould be rich in good works; and not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God. The want hereof was condemnation of the rich man, not that he was rich, but that he did ufe his wealth to pride and luxury; not as inftruments of virtue, and arguments to gratitude.

So on the other fide: thou in thy life-time receivedft thy good things, and Lazarus evil things; therefore he is comforted. Not that he was therefore comforted, because he was poor in this world, and did receive evil things here; but because those evil things he received in the course of his life, did attain the peaceable fruits of righteousness, as the apoftle fpeaks,

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fpeaks, Heb. xii. 11. They put him upon the exer cife of thofe virtues that his condition required; that is, fubmiffion to God, and felf-furrender, and acquiefcence in the difpenfation of providence. For that is a fancy which the papists go upon, that the ftate of regular obedience, and fingle life, and poverty, are virtues in themselves, and meritorious, and a ftate of perfection. For we are neither recommended to God by means of our worldly eftate, nor further from his acceptance, meerly for our worldly poffeffions and riches. Both ftates, either of wealth or poverty have their difficulties; and we are concerned to know what temptations we are exposed unto by either of them. If the rich be tempted to pride, and infolence; the poor may be tempted to baseness, and discontent. And if this be his cafe, he will receive no advantage by his poverty and if the rich man become through his riches, haughty, proud, and infolent, he had better have been without them. You must therefore take the

explication from the context. The rich man was not difadvantaged, because he had the good things of this life; nor the poor man recompenced, meerly for his poverty; but because it was accompanied with humility, fubmiffion, and contentation in the divine providence.

Thefe two latter points being of great concernment, I shall speak diftinctly to them.

I. That if we would take a right eftimate of man, we must confider him, in respect to a double state, here, and hereafter.