they were, the very proverb, of Job's comforters-fays enough.

It is an inftance which gives one great concern for human nature, "That a man, who always wept for him who was in trouble;

who never faw any perish for want of cloathing: -who never fuffered the ftranger to lodge in the Street, but opened his door to the traveller; that a man of fo good a character,- -" that he never caufed the eyes of the widow to fail,—or had eaten his morfel by himself alone, and the fatherless had not eaten thereof; that fuch a man, the moment he fell into poverty, should have occafion to cry out for quarter,-Have mercy upon me, O my friends! for the hand of God has touched me. manity (one would think) would melt the hardeft heart and charm the fierceft fpirit; bind up the most violent hand, and still the most abufive tongue-but the experiment failed in a stronger inftance of him, whofe meat and drink it was to do us good; and in pursuit of which, whofe whole life was a continued fcene of kindness and of infults, for which we must go back to

Gentleness and hu

the fame explanation with which we fet out,and that is, the fcandal of poverty.

"This fellow we know not whence he is". was the popular cry of one part; and with those who seemed to know better, the quere, did not leffen the difgrace: --Is not this the carpenter, the fon of Mary?of Mary! - great GOD of Ifrael! What!--of the meanest of thy people! (for he had not regarded the low eftate of his hand-maiden)-and of the poorest too! (for she had not a lamb to offer, but was purified as Mofes directed in fuch a case, by the oblation of a turtle dove.)

That the SAVIOUR of their nation, could be poor, and not have where to lay his head, --was a crime never to be forgiven; and though the purity of his doctrine, and the works which he had done in its fupport, were ftronger arguments on its fide, than his humiJiation could be against it, yet the offence still remained; they looked for the redemption of Ifrael; but they would have it only in thofe dreams of power which filled their imagination.-

Ye who weigh the worth of all things only

in the gold-fmith's balance!—was this religion for you-a religion whofe appearance was not great and fplendid, but looked thin and meagre, and whofe principles and promises shewed more like the curfes of the law, than its bleffings:for they called for fufferings and promised little but perfecutions.

In truth it is not eafy for tribulation or distress, for nakedness or famine, to make many converts out of pride; or reconcile a worldly heart to the fcorn and reproaches, which were fure to be the portion of every one who believed a myftery fo difcredited by the world, and fo unpalatable to all its paffions and pleasures. But to bring this fermon to its proper conclufion.

If Aftrea or Juftice never finally took her leave of the world, till the day that poverty first became ridiculous, it is matter of confolation, that the GOD of Juftice is ever over us; -that whatever outrages the lowness of our condition may be exposed to, from a mean and undifcerning world,—that we walk in the prefence of the greatest and moft generous of Beings, who is infinitely removed from cruelty

and straitness of mind, and all thofe little and illiberal paffions, with which we hourly infult each other.

The worst part of mankind are not always to be conquered--but if they are-e--it is by the imitation of thefe qualities which must do it:it is true- -as I have fhewn-they may fail; but ftill all is not loft, for if we conquer not the world,—in the very attempts to do it, we shall at least conquer ourselves, and lay the foundation of our peace (where it ought to be) within our own hearts.