264 RUIN AND ancovrav, &e. fromwhom we expected nothing but benevolence and love, to- gether with the everlasting disquietudes that are rising in some families hourly from little crossing occurrences of life. Can this be a state of happiness where we meet with perpetual contra- diction to our opinions and to our wills, which awaken the soul too often into rage and impatience, and ruffle the spirits of most men? Add to all this the inward anguishthat springs from all our own uneasy and unruly passions of every "kind: And where is the breast that has not some of these uneasy passions born with it, and reigning in it, or at least frequently making their assaults upon our peace ? Bring in here all the wrath and resentment kindled in the hearts of men, all the envy and malice that burns within it, all the imaginary fears and the real terrors of future distress coming upon us, all the rage and despair of lost bless- ings thatwere put within our hopes, and all the vicious and un- governable ferments of animal nature, which torment the spirit all theday, and forbid' our nightly repose. ''Would these things ever have happened if man had continued in favour with his Maker, and had not been almost abandoned to his own folly,and in a great measure given up to misery ? ' Suppose it should be objected here against all this reason- ing, in some such manner as this : It is granted that men may make sorrows for themselves, and may bepunished by their fol- lies, if they chuse to create their own miseries :° But let us com- pare together all the real necessary sorrows which any man suffers, and the comforts which he enjoys, and when we have put them into the balance, let us remember, that so far as these comforts reach, they will answer for an equal share of sorrows and calamities, and absolve the justice of Godfrom treatinghis innocent creatures amiss. Then all the over-balancing sorrows may be esteemed but necessary even for an innocent race of be- ings to sustain, in a state of trial, in order to future rewards or punishments : And the great God well knows how to reward all that ever-balance of sufferings : hereafter, which every man sus,' tains here beyond the proportion of his comforts. In answer to this, I would survey the sinful and wretched inhabitants of this world round the globe, and then 'humbly enquire; doth one quarter of mankindbehave so well in this world in their state of trial, as to give any observing person reason to expects that they shall ever partake of rewards hereafter ì Is there found among mankind such a dutiful and obedient conduct towards God, or such a life of strict virtue and goodness towards their neighbour; as to entitleone fourth part of men to the rewards of futurity, , and consequently to any equal recompence hereafter, for the for mer over-balance of their sorrows here ? And if not, how then ?hall this same over-balance of calamities and miseries beac-
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