of Temporal Po legions. 343 difpenfed to us by our gracious heavenly Fa- SE R M. ther, to force more, to Tome fewer, which XII. aufwer the end of our prefent enjoyment ; `'`^'" but they have a farther view ; they confli- tute our Bate of probation, and give fcope for the exercife of every good principle and difpofition in us ; and if we walk as chil- dren of the light, in fo ufing them, we gra- dually increafe in virtue, and at laft grow up to a meetnefs for partaking of the inheritance of the faints in light. But if, on the contrary, we are unjuft to our great mailer, and to ourfelves, that is, to our higheft interefl, in the little, which is now committed to us, we thereby for- feit the greateft good we are capable of, and deprive ourfelves of the true riches: If in the f;rft trial which God taketh of us, as moral agents during our immature (late, our Rate of childhood, I mean by that the whole of our being in this world, we do not a t a pro- per part, but are given up to indolence and (loth, and to a prodigal wafte of our talents, confuming them upon our lulls, the confequences of this folly and wickednefs, will naturally, and by the juft judgment of God, cleave to us in every Rage of our exiflence; of which there is a familiar initance every day before us in thofe unhappy perlons who having from Z q, early
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