fering the happiness of his life to be thus disturbed by fuch a trifling incident, as the want of a bow from Mordecai the Jew. But yet the case is not fo uncommon as to furprise us. There is fomething in human nature that teacheth us all to believe, we are of more confequence than we really are. Hence arise a number of those little quarrels and difgufts, and offence taken at trifles, which we often see among people even in the lowest stations. Few of us have that modeft opinion of ourselves which we ought to have. There is nothing indeed so trifling, my good neighbours, which pride cannot turn into as ridiculous an offence, as the want of a bow from Mordecai the Jew.

Now poorness of fpirit which is recommended in the text, is the proper cure of all these evils. It renders us mild and gentle, and humble and contented. It is the very garb of a Chriftian-that wedding-garment, which every one of us must put on who attends his Lord.

Let us then close with the text-clofe with it in the fulness of our hearts-Blessed are the poor in fpirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven --It

is theirs in every fenfe of the words. Theirs is peace and quietnefs on earth theirs is that holy difpofition, which is the foundation of every Christian virtue theirs is all the happiness of this world and all thofe joys which are pro

mised in the next.

SERMON X.

MATT. V. 13.

YE ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH.

W

HAT our Saviour means by falt, is very

plain. As falt is a prefervative against corruption, whatever corrects the wickednefs of the world, may be called the falt of the earth.-This is eafy; but there is rather a difficulty in afcertaining to whom the expreffion is applied. Some think Jesus spoke only to his immediate disciples; and in them, to the minifters of the Gofpel. Others fuppofe, he addressed Christians in general. As all Chriftians, I conceive, may be of ufe to each other in correcting their several faults, I shall take the words in their more enlarged sense: and dividing mankind into higher and lower ranks, I fhall first fhew you how the former; and, fecondly,

how the latter are capable of being the falt of the

earth.

We confider first the higher ranks. If any of thefe are fuch unthinking and ungrateful people, as to fuppofe God hath placed them in a higher ftation merely on their own account- or given them a right to spend on themfelves alone what they enjoy, we argue no longer with them. They must fettle all these accounts with God at the last great day. But if they have fuch humility and gratitude to their Almighty Benefactor, as to believe their fuperior stations are given them merely to be of use to others, we can then speak to them with confidence.

We are not however now inquiring fo much into their general difpofition to do good, as into the peculiar capacity, which their ftation gives them, of correcting the morals of thofe under their influence. This they may effect in three principal ways by encouraging religion- by reproving wickednefs and by fetting a good example.

When the man of wealth and power fees an orderly religious family in his neighbourhood, he takes it in a particular manner under his patronage. He does good offices, as he fees opportunity, fometimes to one part of the family, and fome

times to another; and though he does not confine his good offices to fuch people, yet he encourages religion by fhewing his neighbours that he always makes a diftinction, in his favours, between good and bad.

Again, in reproving wickedness, his discountenance alone will go a great way. He can oblige, and difoblige fo many, that numbers look up to him, and are afraid of offending him. It is a melancholy reflection, (but a true one,) that man is often more respected than God. Of this, however, the rich man endeavours to avail himself, by discountenancing wickednefs.-Among fuch people asare more nearly connected with him, his reproof has ftill more the force of authority. "If you do not "leave off swearing, or drinking, you and I must "part," is a reproof, it is to be feared, that will have a better effect than a text of Scripture.

But the rich man's example qualifies him still more than any thing else, for being the falt of the earth. An orderly family, in a great house, tends much to diffuse a sense of order around the neighbourhood. When the heads of a parish make a practice of going to church, forinstance, the lower people commonly lay afide many excufes, which might otherwise be made for neglecting the fabbath.