See how our judgments and inclinations alter in process of time! I once thought I should make less use of the Spectators than you; but now I believe the reverse of this is true, for we read one or more of those elegant and instructive papers every morning at breakfast: they are served up with our tea, according to their original design. We reckon our repast imperfect without a little of Mr Addison's or Mr Steele's company. I wish Miss Becky Kan increase of happiness in the change of her state; marriage should augment our joys, and diminish our sorrows. My humble service attends Mrs K.

Mr C's family, and Mr V. My love to my brother, and to yourself, concludes all at present to be communicated by, dear sister, your affectionate brother.

LETTER XVII.

Bath, August 27. 1743. REVEREND SIR,-SUNDAY last I happened not to be at the Abbey-church in the afternoon. But conversing with a gentleman who was one of your auditors, I desired to have a summary account of your sermon. And truly he gave me such an account as both astonished and grieved me. You dignified worldly prosperity at so extraordinary a rate, and almost canonized the prosperous man. On the other hand, you vilified the glorious Jesus in so scandalous a manner, and set the incarnate Godhead to one of the most ignoble and abominable offices. This made me encourage my friend to draw his pen, and send you a word of admonition. And when he declined the task, I could not forbear undertaking it myself. For it would be unkind to you, sir, to perceive you under such grievous mistakes, and not to warn you of the error of your ways. Nor would it be less unfaithful to your Master, and my Master, to be informed of such preaching, and suffer it to pass current without any animadversion.

VOL. V.

If I misrepresent you in any particular, I am ready to retract. And if I have truth on my side, and you, reverend sir, have spoken unworthy of your sacred office, have dishonoured the divine Redeemer, and perverted his everlasting gospel, I trust you will also be so ingenuous as to condemn that offensive sermon to the flames, and such doctrines to silence and darkness. For I assure you, it is from no illnatured spirit of criticism, no moroseness of temper, or fondness for contradiction, but from a sincere concern for the interests of true religion, and the honours of our common Lord, that I take leave to suggest the following hints.

I think you first exhorted people to rejoice, when their circumstances were affluent, and their worldly affairs prosperous; you enforced this palatable advice by the precepts of Scripture; and, lest it should not be received with a proper welcome, you further urged it upon your hearers by the example of our blessed Saviour. In opposition to this strain of teaching, permit me to observe,

1. That worldly prosperity is no sufficient cause for a Christian to rejoice.

2. That it is often one of the sorest evils that can befall a person.

3. To sketch out the true nature of scriptural prosperity; or discover what is that solid ground for rejoicing, which the oracles of God recommend.

1. Worldly prosperity is no sufficient cause for rejoicing, because worldly things are empty and unsatisfactory. That which is lighter than vanity itself, cannot possibly give substantial joy. If we build for contentment on sublunary things, we rear our edifice upon the sinking sand. You can no more bring satisfaction out of any thing created, than you can carve an image out of the rising smoke, or fill your belly with the east wind. Those that rejoice only (and you, dear sir, assigned no other cause for rejoicing), because they have abundance of earthly things richly to enjoy, are like some bewildered and benighted

traveller, pierced with cold, dripping with wet, that leaps for joy because he finds a glow-worm under the hedge. Alas! this is nowise able to direct his wandering feet, to light him through the dismal gloom, or to warm his benumbed limbs; no more than it is able to supply the place of the sun, and dart its faint glimmer through the universe. The pleasures which a superior fortune furnish out, O how soon do they become stale, and pall upon the appetite! How easily may a thousand accidents snatch them from our embrace, or dash them to pieces in our arms! How certainly must we forsake them in a very little time; and when we have taken a few more pleasant morsels, a few delicious draughts, eat and drink again no more for ever! And what a wretched disproportionate delight is this for an immortal mind, that is to survive the dissolution of the globe; that is to live unnumbered ages, when all that our eyes have seen is passed away and gone?

Again; Worldly prosperity is no sufficient cause for rejoicing, because a person may possess this, and have neither faith nor grace. There is no manner of connexion between faith and wealth. The poor frequently receive the gospel, while numbers of the rich reject their own happiness. And without faith it is impossible to please God; it is unreasonable and unwarrantable to rejoice. The believer, indeed, has a permission, has a privilege, yea, has a patent for rejoicing. The Christian has all joy and peace in believing. All: you see here is a monopoly; faith has engrossed this precious commodity. None is to be procured but from her. And as for grace, talents of gold may be in the coffers, and not one grain of grace in the heart. Those that call whole lordships their own, cannot, perhaps, say that they have received the Holy Ghost. And while they are destitute of this divine principle, I can call them nothing but wretches. You may add illustrious, right honourable, and worshipful, if you please; but still they are miserable wretches, unless Christ, the hope of glory, be formed

in their souls. The Holy Ghost, you know, sir, is called the Comforter, because it is his amiable office to administer consolation to his people. He giveth joy, and who can make sadness? But, alas! if he withdraw his benign influences, who or what can create satisfaction? Silver shoes may as well charm away the racking pains of a goutified foot, or golden dust quench the thirst of a parched throat, as any worldly abundance, as all worldly plenty, beget real joy, without the communications of the comforting Spirit. You forget, sir, the prayers which you daily offer up in the congregation. In them you acknowledge that the world cannot give peace; and if not peace, surely not joy; if not the fruit, surely not the blossom. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. And all are wicked who are void of faith, and unrenewed by grace. All run counter to the divine declaration, who bid such persons rejoice, though they should have every kind of prosperity that a carnal heart can wish.

Once more; Worldly prosperity is no sufficient cause for rejoicing, because a man may possess this, and be a child of wrath notwithstanding. Providence often scatters temporary things among the tents of his enemies. They have children at their desire, and leave the rest of their substance for their babes. These are husks which the swine are permitted to eat. God's dearest servants, those who are heirs of glory, are frequently seen to be without any share of them, while the most abandoned sinners have them to the full. Lazarus has not a house to lay his head in, while the voluptuary dwells in apartments ceiled with cedar, and painted with vermilion. Lazarus has not enough to purchase one morsel of meat, must be beholden to charity for the least crumb of provision; while his hard-hearted neighbour drinks wine in bowls, and eats the choicest of the flock; is clothed in purple and fine linen, and fareth sumptuously every day. Who then can rationally rejoice in that which is no pledge of the divine acceptance, which carries

with it no proof of our reconciliation to that eternal Majesty, whose smile is inconceivable bliss, whose frown is insupportable woe? A wealthy and successful person, if he be considerate as well as fortunate, must go home from such a sermon, arguing in this manner: "The preacher solicits me to rejoice in my worldly goods; but how can I find complacency in such perishing possessions, when, perhaps, I may be an outcast from heaven, and have no place in that kingdom which endureth for ever? how can I take pleasure in those dainties which replenish my table, when perhaps the heavy wrath of God may fall upon me, while the meat is yet in my mouth? This sumptuous furniture, this glittering equipage, these delicious treats, how can I take real satisfaction in them, when, for ought I know, a hand-writing upon the wall may be denouncing my doom? If God would lift up the light of his countenance upon me; if I was sweetly ascertained of his good-will, then I could rejoice unfeignedly. But as for these large revenues, and tides of success, that are so much extolled by the preacher, they may prove like the rich pastures that fatten the ox for the knife."

Will you have patience with me, sir, if I proceed to prove,

2. That worldly prosperity is so far from being an adequate cause for our rejoicing, that it is frequently one of the sorest and most mischievous evils? This, I am sure, was the opinion of Archbishop Usher. That most renowned and excellent prelate, in his younger days, had a continued series of prosperity; health impaired by no attacks of sickness, credit sullied by no breath of scandal, and success interrupted by no disappointment or disastrous turn. And what emotion did this occasion in that devout and judicious person's mind? Did his heart dance within him for joy? did he bless himself on this behalf? No; but he was under sad apprehensions, lest God had forsaken him, and given him over to a reprobate course. He feared, that his heavenly