when all earthly comforts vanish from: their fight, and no prospect is left of better days in this world, the glorious hope of immortality will fuftain their fainting fpirits, and almost take from them the sense of prefent evils. Thus fupported, how should they droop? thus encouraged, how fhould they be dif mayed? God is their friend and patroneternal happiness is in their view-and how should they defpond? It is this confideration, and this alone, which can reconcile us to thofe striking inequalities among mankind, with refpect to worldly advantages, which have at all times been the occafion of much doubt and repining. These inequalities, indeed, are of lefs weight in the fcale of real happiness than might at first appear: for certain it is, that the true enjoyment of life is by no means in proportion to the rank and wealth of individuals; and it is in every one's power, by a right conduct, to avoid many of the evils which caufe much much of the unhappiness of this world. Farther, fuch is the kind influence of habit, that many hardships ceafe to give us pain when we are accustomed to them. Still, however, extreme indigence and bodily pain muft ever be fevere evils; and prefent wretchedness muft, from these causes, be the portion of numbers in the lower claffes of mankind. But if their miferable condition give them a fingle advantage over the profperous in the purfuit of everlasting felicity, the account is more than balanced; for what are the vain pomps and flattering pleafures of this tranfitory ftage of our existence, compared with those endless joys which eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, and which it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive? Only regard man as a being deftined for immortality, and worldly pains and pleasures, profperity, and adverfity, fink into nothing, and become as the dream of yesterday. That we may may all learn rightly to estimate the comparative worth of things temporal and things eternal, may God of his great mercy grant! Amen! Univerfal Univerfal Obedience neceffary to Salvation. JAMES ii. 10. Whofoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. IT was one of the doctrines of the ancient Stoics, that all vices are equal in criminality, and confequently are equally deferving of punishment. There is a degree of refinement and feverity in this notion which very well fuited the character of the sect to which it belonged. But one does not expect to find any fuch rigorous doctrine in the fimple and mild inftitution inftitution of chriftianity; and yet, at first view, the maxim of the text may feem to imply, if not the precise notion of the Stoics, fomething nearly resem bling it, and at least equally harsh and severe. For what, it may be said, can be more unreasonable than that the man who tranfgreffes in one particular should be confidered and treated as if he were guilty in all others? Or how can it be fuppofed, confiftently with our fundamental notions of the moral perfections and government of God, that he will punish the man who offends in one point only as if he offended in all? The paffage, it must be acknowledged, has its difficulties; and, in order to affix to it a meaning confiftent with the first principles of religion, and with the general tenor of the New Teftament, it must be understood with fome qualification. But, then, let it be remembered, that this is a liberty which must neceffarily be allowed, with refpect to many general maxims |