the sage's meditation in his dim study, than to win that gaze of the multitude. I tell you that I had rather gain the friendship and love of one pure and lofty mind, than to gain that empty applause of a court or a kingdom. What then must it be to gain the approval, the friendship, the love of that ONE, infinitely great-infinitely dear to the whole pure and happy creation?

Before these awful and sublime realities of truth and sanctity, sink! all worldly distinction, and worldly imaginations! Discouragement and despondency!--for a creature to whom God hath offered the loftiest opportunity and hope in the universe? A humble, depressed, unfortunate lot!—for him, before whom are spread the boundless regions of truth, and wisdom, and joy? A poor

chance !—for him who may gain heaven? Ah! sir, thy poverty, thy misfortune, is all in thyself. In the realm of God's beneficence, is an infinite fulness, and it all may be yours. Even to the despised and persecuted Christians of old the Apostle said this; and it is still, and forever true, to all who can receive it. "Therefore," says he, in his lofty reasoning, "let no man glory in men; for all things are yours; whether the world, or life, or death, or things present or things to come; all are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's!"

DISCOURSE V.

ON INEQUALITY IN THE LOT OF LIFE.

PS. CXLV. 9. THE LORD IS GOOD TO ALL, AND HIS TENDER

MERCIES ARE OVER ALL HIS WORKS.

WHAT I wish to suggest for your consideration from these words, is not the goodness of God only, but his goodness to all. I wish in other words, to examine the prevailing opinion that there is a great inequality in the distribution of the blessings of life. In opposition to this opinion I take up the words of the text.

The Lord is good to all. It is not said merely that his tender mercies are over his works, but that they are over all his works. His providence is not only kind, but its kindness extends to every human being.

There is no general view of life perhaps, with which the minds of men are more strongly impressed, than with the apparent inequalities of the human lot. It is proba bly the most prolific source of all secret repining and open complaint. Affliction of a severe kind, comes but seldom; but this inequality in the state of life is permaIt is perfectly obvious too. Every one can see

nent.

the difference between his situation in life, his dwelling, his equipage, and the observance which is paid to him— and those which belong to his more prosperous, wealthy, or honored neighbor. The distinctions of life indeed, chiefly consist in the glare of outward things, and therefore more powerfully impress the senses.

Now if it can be made to appear that there is in fact, considerable deception in these estimates; that things are far more impartially balanced in the system of providence at large, than is commonly imagined; that inequality is not the rule of its operations, but only the exception to the rule; it would serve the important purpose of making us more contented with our lot; more happy in the opportunities and means of happiness that are given. to us all; and more submissive and grateful, I would hope, to that Being who has so equally and so bountifully distributed them.

To this subject then, let me direct your thoughts this morning.

I. And in the first place you see, at once, an instance and an illustration of this impartiality of Divine Providence, in the inequalities caused by nature; in the allotments of climate, temperature, soil and scenery.

There is no one of us perhaps, whose thoughts have not sometimes wandered to fairer climes than our own, to lands of richer productions and more luxuriant beauty, to those isles and shores of the classic East, where all the glory of man has faded indeed-where all the monuments of his power and art have fallen to decay-but where nature lives forever, and forever spreads its unfading charm; to the verdant and sunny vales of the South--regions of eternal Spring-where the circling seasons as

they pass, let fall no chill nor blight upon the fresh and fragrant bosom of the earth. But is there no counterpart to this scene? Where does the volcano lift up its subterraneous thunders, and pour forth its flaming deluge? It is in these very regions of eternal Spring. It is on the green and flowery mount, on the vine-clad hillsfast by the quiet fold of the shepherd, and amidst the rejoicings of the vintage. Whence comes the fearful rumor of the earthquake, that has whelmed a city in ruins? It comes from the land of the diamond and the cane; from the hills of Ophir; from groves of the palm and the olive ; from vallies loaded with fruits, and fanned with aromatic gales-where if nature is more energetic to produce, she is also more energetic to destroy. Where does the dire pestilence walk in darkness, and the fell destruction waste at noon-day? Amidst groves of spices, and beneath bowers of luxuriance; and the beam that lights its vic. tims to their tomb, is the brightest beam of heaven, and the scenes of which they take their last hasty leave, are the fairest that nature displays-as if life and death were intended to be set in the most visible and vivid contrast. And where, but there also, is that worse than plague, and pestilence, and earthquake-that degradation of the mind-that wide spreading pestilence of the soul--that listless indolence, which only arouses to deeds of passion! Let the millions of Southern Asia tell. Let Turkey, so often drenched with blood, answer. Let the wandering Arab, let the stupid Hottentot, let the slothful and sensual inhabitants of the fair isles of the Pacific teach us. Who would not rather struggle with fiercer elements, than to sink an ignoble prey to the soft languors of pleasures and the besotting indulgences of passion? Who would

not far prefer our wintry storm, and "the hoarse sighings of the East wind," as it sweeps around us, if they will brace the mind to nobler attainments, and the heart to better duties?

There is one class of virtues that is fostered by the rigors of our climate, which deserves to be particularly noticed. I mean the domestic virtues. We are compelled by the inclemency of our seasons, not only to have some permanent place of abode, but to resort to it. In milder regions, men live abroad-they are scarcely obliged to have any domicil. We are compelled to live at home, and we attach a meaning to the term, and we hallow it with feelings that were unknown to the polished Greek and the voluptuous Asiatic. It is the angry and lowering sky of winter, that lights up the cheerful fire in our dwellings, and draws around the friendly circle. It is the cheerlessness of every thing abroad, that leads us to find or make pleasures within; to resort to books and the interchange of thought; to multiply the sources of knowledge and strengthen the ties of affection. It is the frowning face of nature, like the dark cloud of adversity, that lends attraction to all the sympathies and joys of home.

II. But I come now in the second place to consider the impartiality of Divine Providence, in the condition of human life. Life-to borrow a comparison from the science of political economy-life, like nature, is a system of checks and balances. Every power of conferring happiness, is limited or else counteracted, by some other power either of good or evil. There is no blessing or benefit, but it has some drawback upon it; and there is no inconvenience nor calamity, but it