1 Are honesty and fair-dealing prefcribed to us in our intercourfe with others? A thousand petty frauds, and modes of deceit, peculiar to every profeffion, place our virtue in a conftant fcene of trial. Are we ordered to be temperate in the use of the good things of this world? A variety of delicacies, if we abound, are continually affailing us; and in all circumstances we find pleasures and gratifications of different kinds to feduce us. Humility is among the greatest of chriftian virtues. But amidst the variety of competitions, with which the world abounds, it is a difficult matter to guard against pride, and felf-confequence. These imperious inmates are continually pointing out fituations, to which we have as good a right to aspire, as they who poffefs them. The forgiveness of injuries is a doctrine, which the gospel strongly enjoins. But malice and revenge are sweet gratifications, and powerful incentives. In many cafes, reason, and religion engage a man to risk his life. But the fear of death is continually oppofing his generous purposes. Thus Thus every virtue, and virtuous action, finds fome correfpondent temptation to bring it to proof; from which we draw, I think, an irrefragable argument that this world was intended for a ftate of trial. When we fee the teeth of two correfpondent shells clafping together, and fitted with exact relation to each other, we cannot but conclude, they were originally formed with a view to this union. FROM the confideration of a state of trial, two or three obvious truths arise. In the first place, it feems a proof beyond atheistical cavil, of the providence of God. If the adaptation of one thing to another in mere matter, be thought the work of defign-here we see the same adaptation in a still higher scale, in the ordering of the moral world. Secondly, a state of trial proves strongly the existence of a future ftate. A trial, in its very nature, indicates fome connected caufe, for which that trial was made: and as our trial lafts through this world, it feems to point at another. Thirdly, it proves, among a variety of other proofs, the truth of religion. A state of trial is exactly that state of moral difcipline, which is held out in the gospel; and in this correfpondence, they corroborate each other. There is every appearance of their being parts of one united plan. And as we have proved a state of 'trial to be derived from God, fo is its counterpart, the gospel. XIV. That which is highly esteemed amongst men, is abomination in the fight of God.-Luke, xvi. 15. Look into any part of life, and you will find this truth afcertained. We are continually doing things, which are highly esteemed among men, but abominable in the fight of God. Maxims in trade and business, are directed chiefly to the accumulation of wealth. Amufements are carried far beyond the idea of relaxation, and end in diffipation and riot. Even the pursuits of fcience are often carried too far-and end in what the fcriptures call worldly wisdom-often in infidelity.—Now all these things, and various other things, which may be claffed with them, are highly esteemed among men, though they are abomination in the fight of God. The great conclufion therefore is, that the opinion, and judgment of the world should never be made the criterion of our actions. We have a true criterion given us in the scriptures, and there we fhould feek it. ́XV. God is able to make all grace abound towards you; that ye always, having all-fufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.2 Cor. ix. 8. THE HE word grace has here a worldly, rather than a spiritual sense. The apostle is difpofing his converts to a charitable contribution; and the doctrine of the text seems to be, that God will recompenfe the charitable man with worldly bleffings; and in reward of his charities will not fuffer the barrel of meal to waste, nor the crufe of oil to fail. But now for what end was this doctrine thrown out? Not furely as a motive to charity: for when a man is charitable on this motive, he turns his charity into avarice, The doctrine of the text therefore feems to be held out only as an encouragement to those pious, good people, who are fometimes checked in their charitable defigns, by fearing left they fhould exceed their circumstances, and bring |