"of worms." But, besides this danger of great worldly advantages, they must, also, make those who have them, far more responsible to GOD, than those will be, who have them not. JESUS CHRIST himself has told us, that, from them "to whom much "has been given, much will be required." This is very just and reasonable; because, as the good things of this life certainly afford their possessors many means of en. joyment which the poor have not; so it seems but right, that there should be some disadvantages connected with them, which may render their possession less desirable than it would be, if it were without those disadvantages. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus sets this matter in a very clear and forcible light. We there find a man, who had been blessed with all the advantages which this life can afford; and another, who had been appointed to a lot of the lowest poverty here below. A short time, however, passed away; they both die; and we soon again find the rich and the needy man, but in very different circumstances to what they were before death,→ the one is in hell, and the other in Abraham's bosom; and this reason is given to Dives for the opposite situations in which they now were placed. "Son, remember, that

"thou in thy life time receivedst thy good "things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; "but now he is comforted, and thou art "tormented." Dives was tormented, not merely because he had been rich, but because, when he came to give an account to GOD, it was found that he had misapplied his riches; because he had received much, and much was required of him, which he could not produce; because his talent had been large, and great interest was expected from it, which he could not return to the master who had entrusted him with it. On the other hand, Lazarus was comforted, not merely because he had been poor, but because he had been resigned and contented in his low estate; because he had kept himself from those vices which poverty exposes a man to; and which made Agur, in his prayer to GOD, say, "Give me neither 66 poverty nor riches, but feed me with food "convenient for me: lest I be full, and deny "thee; and say, who is the LORD? or lest "I be poor, and steal; and take the name "of my GOD in vain." To Lazarus had been committed only a small talent; he was therefore accountable to GOD only for a small return. All he could do to glorify GOD, and benefit man, was confined to the humble virtues of piety, honesty, industry,

sobriety, and contentment. For these he was able to render in a good account to GOD and was therefore rewarded by that impartial Master, who looks with an equal eye of mercy and justice on the rich and the poor, the great and the small.

Another reason for contentment in the lower classes is, their freedom from those cares, which large possessions always carry with them. Solomon, who knew pretty

well what the real value of riches was, does not speak of them in terms of approbation; but regards them as producing more evil than comfort to those who have them. He tells us, that they "profit not in the day of "wrath;" that they "make to themselves

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wings, and fly away;" and that "the eye" of him who has them," is not satisfied with "them" to which St. Paul aids, that they lead men "into many foolish and hurtful

lusts, which drown them in destruction "and perdition." But, in addition to all this it might be said, that they are also accompanied with much anxiety and solicitude. There is much fear of losing them, either by accident, imposition, or violence. There is much care about laying them out to the best advantage; and by contriving how they may produce the greatest profit. There is much. "taking thought of the morrow," that it may

add something to the hoard of to-day: and, even if a rich man be free from all these present cares about his possessions, yet he is exposed to a future one, from which he cannot rid himself, unless his mind be well disciplined in religion; and his chief affections through life have been fixed on "the "things above." I mean, the care and regret which he will feel, when he comes to die, from the thought that he must leave all he had gotten together behind him; and . that not one tittle of his pomp, not one acre of his estate, not one guinea out of his hoard, will follow him into the chambers of death, whither he is going. That he must lie down in the grave, like the meanest of the people, and that all his possessions must go to another.

A third cause why the poor and labouring classes should cultivate contentment in their heart, is, that their situation in life supplies a constant employment both to their bodies and minds. On this point a very sensible writer thus expresses himself." A husband

man, a manufacturer, a tradesman, or a "servant, never goes to bed at night, with"out having his business to rise up to in "the morning. Now, people of this description would fully understand the

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* Paley.

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"value of this advantage, did they know, "that the want of it produces one of the greatest plagues of the human soul; a plague by which the rich are exceedingly oppressed. Indeed, it is to get rid of this plague; that is to say, to have something to "do; that they are driven upon those strange "ways of passing their time, in which we "sometimes see them engaged. A poor "man's condition, on the other hand, sup"plies him with that which no man can do "without, and with which a rich man can "hardly supply himself,-regular occupation, "business to look forward to, something to "be done for every day, some employment "for every morning.' His work may be hard; but the severest labour is well repaid, if it prevent him from feeling that irksomeness of mind which is the consequence of having nothing to do. His gains may be small; but their value is rendered unspeakably great, because they are accompanied by the thought of their being the earnings of his own honest industry. His fare may be coarse; but it is sweetened by the relish which toil will always communicate to the most homely diet. His sleep may be short; but it will be of that refreshing sort, which is the consequence of constant occupation through the day; of a