SERM.ercifed, not arbitrarily, but according to the VIII. most perfect equity; and rewards and punish

ments are diftributed in exact proportion to the measure of moral good or evil, in the dif pofitions and actions of every particular moral agent.

There is however fome part of the Divine administration, which in another sense, with respect to us, may be called arbitrary; that is, we cannot pretend to find out the reasons of it, but ought to reft fatisfied in the fovereign freedom of his will. What I mean is, that tho' God always preferves inviolable the rights which he has given to his creatures, and acts towards all of them according to the exacteft measures of wisdom, equity and goodness, not one of them ever has reason to complain of being treated with an undue severity; yet, as it pleases him to manifeft his power, his manifold wisdom and goodness, in the variety of his works, it is not to be expected that we fhould comprehend the particular grounds of this variety, or understand the reasons why he makes a diftinction among his creatures: this only we are fure of, that he never injures any of them, nay, that he deals bountifully with all, which are the proper objects of goodness. The Potter's power over the clay, is a fimilitude which the prophet Jeremy uses; and af

ter

ter him the apostle Paul, to reprefent the do-SE RM. minion of God over the creatures, and partiVIII. cularly men. As the Potter intending veffels for various ufes, out of the fame mafs arbitrarily chooses materials for the coarfer, and the finer fort, diftinguishing them by his workmanship according to the different purposes they are designed for; so the forming hand of God has made a difference among his creatures, as it pleafed him; out of the fame matter, originally alike capable of all forms, he has made bodies terreftrial and celeftial, with all their different glories, the fhining constellations in the heavens, beautiful flowers, and clods of earth. In like manner there is an apparent diversity in the condition of intelligent beings, towards whom the Divine moral perfections are exercised. They are of fuperior and inferior orders, fome indued with higher, fome with lower powers; for which diftinction, fo far as it relates to individuals, and that they are appointed each to their particular rank, no reafon is to be given but that it so pleased the fovereign Lord of all. But he is just and good to every fpecies, and every individual of them; none has cause of complaint, but ought to acknowledge the bounty of the Creator, whofe condition of being is better than Non-existence. Particu

SERM.larly among mankind, the wisdom of ProviVIII. dence has seen fit to appoint a great difference

in many refpects. Their outward eftates, the

conftitution of their bodies, the natural endowments of their minds, the opportunities for improving them, and their advantages for attaining to the knowledge of religion,—all these are very unequal; fome are rich, some poor; fome weak, others ftrong; fome are favoured with excellent means of education and inftruction, whilft others are bred up in ignorance. And especially the privileges of God's peculiar people, first appropriated to the Jews, and afterwards enlarg'd to the Chriftian nations, which the Scripture highly celebrates, as they are indeed very great, (for God has favoured his people with an express revelation, he bath fhewed them his word, his ftatutes and his judgments, while he has not dealt fo with other nations *;) thefe privileges, I fay, are only to be attributed to the distinguishing favour of God. It was not for any merit in the Jews above all others, that God chofe them to be a peculiar people unto himself; and the nations in which the light of Chriflianity has fhined, were perhaps funk as deep in ignorance, fuperftition and vice, as any other in the world.

Pfal. cxlvii. 19, 20.

But

But tho' in this branch of his adminiftra- SER M.

may

tion God be said to act arbitrarily, giving VIII. no account of his matters, and it is neceffary that it should be fo, for the order of the world and the great ends of his providence; yet he never acts against the rules of equity and goodness towards any of his creatures. There's none of mankind left without manifeftations of his mercy, and the diftinction he makes by difpenfing his fuperadded gifts feverally as he will, is not the measure of his final diftribution as judge of the world. If he bestows his favours freely on fome, he does not thereby injure others, as our Saviour teaches us in his parable*, applying this moft reasonable defence of the Divine government to the cafe of the Jews, who are reprefented as murmuring, because the Gentiles, called late to the fervice of God, were advanced to the fame privileges with them. The answer is, to which there can be no colourable pretence of an exception, Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? And in the parable, Mat. xxv. God is reprefented as acting with fovereign freedom, in committing his goods to the care of his fervants; to one be delivers five talents, to another two, and to another one, according to his own will, or according to the judgment which his perfect wisdom

* Matt. xx.

SERM. Wisdom makes of their several abilities. This VIII. unequal distribution makes indeed a difference

in their capacity of fervice, and lays a foundation for different degrees of happiness, which may be supposed in every state and every period of our existence, confiftently with the righteousness and the goodness of God's moral government; but it is not the measure by which recompences are awarded, for in the sequel of the parable, we find they are given according to the improvements feverally made by the fervants. God will render to every man impartially according to his own works, and the degrees of his diligence and fidelity in using the talents he was entrusted with; not according to the talents given him, or the abilities and opportunities he enjoy'd, for these were properly the goods of another.

I shall conclude with this one reflection on what has been last infifted on, that it gives us a juft idea of the Divine government over the moral world, fhewing in what sense it is arbitrary, and in what fense it is not: From both which useful inftruction arifes; and indeed there is nothing comprehended in the supreme power and dominion of Almighty God, of greater importance, and more directly applicable to ourselves. On the one hand, fince it has pleased the great Ruler of the

world,