70 AN HUMBLE ATTEMPT, &o. if heshould pronounce in his wrathas he did against a degenerate people by the prophet Hosea, chap. iv. 17. Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone ? let him run on in the course of his ini- quity, till he has made himself ripe for utter destruction. There is no painful stroke of providencebut carries with it an awaken- ing voice : and if we have been often smitten with the rod, we have received so many fresh warnings from heaven ; what are become of all these warnings ? Are they lost, forgotten and cast behindour. back ? Havewe endured so many things in vain, if it be indeed in vain ? Gal. iii. 4. SECT. VII.-Of the Special Obligations to Piety which lie upon some Persons of all Parties above Others. Having finished the general head of advantages whichsome Christians of all parties enjoy above others, I proceed in the next place to consider what spezial- obligations lie on some christians beyond others to practise religion toward God, and goodness toward men, and to enquire whether such persons as lie under these obligations have made answerable improvements : I. You who enjoy easy and comfortable circumstances in the world, who are blest with riches, or have at least a very happy sufficiency to answer all the cravings of nature without the ever- lasting and anxious cares of what shall I eat, or what shall I drink, and wherewith shall I be cloathed ? What haveyou done for God more than others ? I will not, I dare not say, that the great things of this world are a certain advantage to piety, for riches are sometime; keptfor the owners to their hurt ; they fre-, quently become temptations to pride and vanity of mind, to the mirthful extravagances and follies of life, and lead away the soul too often to forget God ; yet this I may venture to say, that the comfortable circumstances of this life are not in their own nature snares to the soul, but they are always an obligation which God lays upon his creatures to raise a revenue of glory for him, and in a wayof gratitude to, do more for his name in the world than others. the Lord with thy substance,, and with thefirst fruits o all thine increase ; Prov. iii. 9. Though riches may become a snare if they are unblest, yet they also may beimprov- ed to blessed purposes in religion, and enable us to do much for God. Are you among the number of those who are rich in this world, and are you also rich in good works, which is the charge of St. Paul to the christians of his day who enjoyed a larger share of the blessings of this life ? 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18. Do the lips, and the hearts, and the bowels of the poor bless your name, aid give thanks to God on your behalf ? Do the churches of Christ, acknowledge your bounty for the support of the common interest of Christ and his gospel ? Does your liberality and be- nevolence in all proper instances or piety and charity bear a pro-
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