fatisfied, if we have them not. What Sa lomon hath faid of Wealth, he found to be equally true of every Thing else beneath the Sun. God giveth to a Man, that is good in bis Sight, Wisdom, and Knowledge, and Joy: but to the Sinner he giveth Travel, to gather and beap up. This alfo is Vanity, and Vexation of Spirit". bay Contentment therefore being the Gift of God, we fhould earnestly pray to Him for it. And in order to become fit Objects of his Favour, we fhould frequently and thankfully recollect the many undeferved Comforts of our Condition, that we may bear the Afflictions of it more patiently; reafoning with Job, Shall we receive Good at the Hand of God, and shall we not receive Evil? Nor should we fail to join with our Meditations on his paft and prefent Mercies, the firm Affurance, which both his Attri butes and his Promifes furnish, that the fame loving Kindness shall follow us all the Days of our Life; and be exerted, though fometimes for our Correction or Trial, yet always for our Benefit; and fo as to make * Pfalm xxiii, 6. Our

Eccl. ii. 26.

i Job ii, 10.

our Lot fupportable in every Variety of outward Circumftances. Let your Converfation therefore be without Covetousness; ~ and be content with fuch Things as ye have: for He bath faid, I will never leave thee, nor forfake thee. Another very important Confideration, and neceffary to be often brought to Mind, is, that the Seafon both of enjoying the Advantages, and bearing the Inconveniences, of Life is fhort: but the Reward of enjoying and bearing each, as we ought, is eternal and inconceivably great.

1

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Together with thefe Reflections, let us exercise a steady Care to check every faulty Inclination in its earlieft Rife. For it is chiefly indulging them at firft, that makes them fo hard to conquer afterwards. And yet we fhall always find the bad Confequences of yielding to outweigh vaftly the Trouble of refifting: and that to bring our Defires, when they are the ftrongest, down to our Condition, is a much eafier Work, than to raise our Condition up to our Defires, which will only grow the more ungovernable, the more they are pampered.

! Heb. xiii. 5.

Further:

Further: whatever Share we poffels of wordly Plenty, let us beftow it on ourfelves with decent Moderation, and impart of it to others with prudent Liberality: for thus knowing how to abound, we shall know the better how to fuffer Need ", if Providence calls us to it. And lastly, instead of fetting our Affections on any Things on Earth", which would be a fatal Neglect of the great End, that we are made for, let us exalt our Views to that bleffed Place, where Godliness with Contentment will be unfpeakable Gain: and they who have reftrained the inferior Principles of their Nature by the Rules of Religion, fhall have the highest Faculties of their Souls abundantly satisfied with the Fatness of God's House, and be made to drink of the River of bis Pleafures P.

Thus then you fee both the Meaning, and the Importance, of this laft Commandment: which is indeed the Guard and Security of all the preceding ones. For our Actions will never be right habitually,

m Phil. iv. 12. Pfalm xxxvi. 8.

n Col. iii. 2.

о

• 1 Tim. vi. 6.

till our Defires are fo. Or if they could; our Maker demands the whole Man, as he furely. well may: nor, till that is devoted to Him, are we meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light.

And now, both the first and the fecond Table of the Ten Commandments having been explained to you, it only remains, that we beg of God fufficient grace' to keep them; earnestly entreating him in the Words of his Church: Lord, bave Mercy upon us, and write all these thy Laws in our Hearts, we beseech thee.