bondman, and every freeman, fhall hide themfelves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains; and fay to the rocks and mountains, Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that fitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to ftand?

Let them confider this, all that are rich and

They cannot bribe
No power can pre-

great; who are fo apt to forget God, and a future judgment. Riches profit not in the day of wrath. God, as they do men. vail against the almighty. Proud and fwelling titles are mere empty bubbles, which burst and vanifh into nothing in the next world. Men they are, and they muft die like men, and fhall be judged like men, and have much more reafon to think of

1

judgment than other men have, for they have a greater account to give, and are in more danger of giving a very bad account, if they do not frequently and ferioufly think of judgment.

What a mighty truft, and a mighty temptation, are riches, and honour, and power! How much good, and how much hurt,

may fuch men do in the world! And what a formidable thing is it, to give an account of all the good, that we might and ought to have done, and have not; and of all the evil we have done, by the abufe of thofe bleffings of heaven, which we were intrufted with to do good.

Honour and power always carry fome great duties with them; they are not merely intended to fet fome men above others, and to command outward reverence; but they are for the good order and government of the world, to fupprefs and punish wickednefs, and to protect and encourage innocence and virtue. Such men are like the great luminaries of heaven, to direct and cherish the world with their light and influence.

The like may be faid of riches; which is but a fewardship, and we must give an account of it.

Unto whom much is given, of them fhall much be required. Our account increases, as our riches, and honour, and power does. For the more opportunities we have of doing good, the more is expected from us. And the more we have experienced the Cc 4 divine

divine bounty and goodness, the greater returns we owe of duty and gratitude. And therefore rich, and great, and powerful men, have more reafon to think of judgment, than other men, because they have a greater account to give; and nothing but the frequent and serious thoughts of judgment, will enable them to make a good account.

I PROCEED now to the other fort of perfons I mentioned; namely, those who are poor and calamitous. These also are very apt to forget a future judgment, or think themselves unconcerned in it. They are too little, they think, for judgment; as the others were too great. What should God judge them for, whom he has intrusted with little or nothing; who can spare no time to worship God, for all the time they have is little enough to get bread in; who cannot be blamed (they think), if when they can get a little drink, they drink away forrow, and forget their wants and miferies for fome few moments; or if they pilfer and steal or lye to get bread, neceffity has no law, and makes fuch actions innocent,

(they

(they hope) in them, as are great crimes in other men.

By fuch kind of excuses as these, poor men excufe away all concernment about religion; religion is above them; rich and happy people may be at leifure for it, but they have enough to do to live. And thus it is proportionably in less degrees of poverty. Every condition of life which may be called poor, is apt to tempt men to be careless of religion, and unmindful of a future judg

ment.

Now what is to be faid to these men? Shall we prove that poor men shall be judged as well as rich? It would be impertinent even to attempt it. For if all mankind are to be judged, the poor must be judged too, if they be men.

Are not poor men able to give an account of their actions, and why then should they not be called to an account for them? Are they not reasonable creatures, and able to understand, and give a reafon for what they do? And why then should not God afk a reafon of them? If they have nothing to give an account of, no account shall be demanded; but if they have, why fhould

they

they not give an account of what they have, be it more or lefs? Poor men fhall give no account of riches, because they have them not; but this does not hinder, but that they may give an account of their poverty, and of thofe graces which become a poor and low fortune.

They fhall not be examined about their charity, when they had nothing to give; but they may for their thankfulness to God, and to their benefactors. They fhall not be examined, how they ufed their riches, which they had not; but they may be, how they bore their poverty; whether external poverty has taught them true poverty of fpirit, humility, modefty, patience in want and fufferings, contentment with a little, fubmiffion to the will of God, and a chearful dependence on providence for their daily bread; whether they have conftantly prayed to God for the fupply of their wants, as well as implored the help and affiftance of the rich Thefe are duties and virtues, which poverty teaches, and which poor. men ought to exercife, and therefore which God may challenge from them, and judge

them for.