joined to bodies here in this world, and as they then behaved themselves well or ill, were put into well or ill tempered, perfect or defective bodies, according to their former deservings: and afterwards, upon the death of those first bodies, shifted to a better or a worse, and so on, as they themselves improved in goodness, or degenerated from it. And consequently they looked upon a deformed, imperfect body, as an argument of the sinfulness and degeneracy of the soul that was in it; and we find the Pharisees afterwards reproaching this poor man, as if he was altogether born in his sins, and his bodily blindness shewed the darkness and ignorance and vileness of his mind. And therefore it was, that the disciples' curiosity put them upon asking their Master, whether it was the wickedness of the man's own soul that occasioned his uncomfortable want of sight from his very birth; or whether it was brought upon him by any sin of his parents, whom they believed God sometimes punished for some particular and extraordinary wickednesses, by laying bodily distempers upon their offspring; and which distempers too might in a great measure be caused in a natural way, by the parents' sins.

To this question our Lord answers without saying any thing for or against the opinions upon which it was built, (by which we may suppose there is no great harm in them, how little soever there may be of truth,) Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, that is, so as to bring this heavy misfortune upon him, but that the works of God might be manifested in him: as if he had said, "God was pleased "it should be so, that I might have an opportunity "of shewing the divine power he hath communi

"cated to me, in order to my convincing the world "that he hath sent me to be the Christ and Sa"viour of mankind."

Now from this answer we may observe, that even uncommon calamities are not always sent as judgments; but God may have other great and gracious ends to serve by them. And therefore it becomes us to be very cautious what conclusions we make of any man's being more than ordinary wicked because more than ordinary unhappy, lest we rashly and uncharitably pass sentence upon those that do not deserve it, and perhaps may be much better than ourselves.

For though God sometimes takes vengeance upon notorious and irreclaimable sinners in so remarkable a manner, that men cannot but acknowledge it to be his doing; and his merciful design in it is, that others may see, and fear, and do no more presumptuously; yet we must first be well assured of such their wickedness, before we pronounce the calamities they lie under to be judgments.

It is a very false way of reasoning to argue from the greatness of men's troubles to the proportionable greatness of their sins, as being directly contrary to the holy scriptures, which tell us, that whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourgeth every son whom he receives, and that many are the troubles of the righteous, and the like, and also to the usual method of Providence in his disposals here below.

For this life is to be considered as a state of probation or trial, in order to another; and therefore when God, who best knows what are the properest methods to fit and prepare us for that happiness n Deut. xvii. 13.

which he designs for us hereafter, finds it needful, as our circumstances are at present, to exercise the passive virtues of patience and submission and selfdenial, and which cannot be done but by affliction; those afflictions are as widely different from judgments, as love is from hatred, mercy from vengeance, happiness from destruction, and the rod of an affectionate and tender parent from the sword of an unrelenting executioner.

Besides, God often designs the troubles of good men for the benefit of others as well as of themselves; that great examples may be given to the world of the noblest fortitude and courage, the most undaunted bravery and unshaken constancy in a righteous cause, to the immortal honour of that most excellent religion which can infuse such true greatness of spirit into the professors of it: and consequently, such troubles as these are so far from judgments, that they are rather the occasion of the most glorious and most useful triumphs.

Further yet, God may lay many and great misfortunes, as we call them, upon good men, to demonstrate to the world his sovereign power over all things in the unexpected and surprising removal of them; and thereby at once manifest his own glory, improve and reward his servants' virtue, and encourage all men to persevere in their integrity and patience, and assured reliance upon his overruling Providence, even in the blackest state of things; who can, whenever he pleaseth, bring light out of darkness, and make the most dismal, melancholy circumstances, clear up unaccountably into the greatest happiness and prosperity.

Of this, Job was a very memorable instance,

whose calamities were so great, and came so thick upon him, that his unworthy friends censured him most severely, as one of the worst of men; they plainly told him it was God's just judgment upon him, who would never afflict any man as he afflicted him °, unless he extremely deserved it. And yet, in the conclusion, God himself gave testimony to his servant Job that he was righteous, and sharply rebuked those that had passed such hard and unjust censures upon him, and commanded them to entreat him to offer sacrifice and prayers for them, for him will I accept; and then doubled upon him all his former wealth and greatness, and made him happier than ever. Job, chapter the last.

Thus, we see, God hath various ends in laying troubles upon particular persons, which are of a nature vastly different from judgments; so that we should be very cautious, as I said, how we call any misfortunes by that name, which happen to our neighbours, and it may be continue long upon them too, since nothing but very great and apparent wickedness will give just ground to pronounce any particular man's affliction to be a judgment sent him of God in anger.

But as for the calamities of a nation, the case is otherwise; and a people that are overwhelmed with misery may and ought to conclude, that they are likewise heavy laden with iniquity. For this world is the place of reward and punishment for states and kingdoms; and though we cannot say every prosperous nation is righteous, yet we may safely say that every unhappy nation is wicked: and we may say too, and it shall surely come to pass, that every • Job iv. 7, &c. xxii. 5.

wicked nation shall in time be miserable, and every righteous nation soon become glorious and happy, and continue to be so, as long as it is righteous P.

Wherefore, instead of making too nice inquiries into the causes of other men's misfortunes, and passing rash and uncharitable censures upon them when groaning under any great and uncommon affliction; let us employ ourselves in a diligent search into the iniquity of our own hearts, and an impartial trial of our own ways and doings: that so, by a timely discovery and amendment of what God hates, we may prevent the falling of his just vengeance upon ourselves; and the troubles which at any time he shall exercise us with may be an expression, not of his fierce anger, but his fatherly affection, that the wondrous works of his mercy may be manifested in us.

And so shall we contribute to the welfare of the public too: and would every one by sincere repentance endeavour to avert God's judgments from himself, it would be a great step towards the removal of those which we may justly fear do still hang over the nation. For though we have already drunk deep of the cup of God's fury, yet being still as daringly wicked, if not much more so than ever, we must expect at length to suck out the very dregs of it, unless both a particular and national repentance happily prevent it.

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And never was there greater reason than now to pray with all possible earnestness, in the words of our excellent Litany, "Remember not, Lord, our iniquities, nor the iniquities of our forefathers, "neither take thou vengeance of our sins; spare "us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast P Esai. i. per tot. Jer. xviii. 7-10.