less upon external circumstances than on the internal comfort, content, and satisfaction of the mind? May I not appeal to every one here present, whether some of the acutest sufferings, and the most exquisite joys he has experienced, are not those which are confined to his own breast, which he enjoys in secrecy and in silence, in his retired and private moments, unobserved by the world, and independent on all exterior show?" The heart only (says the wise man most truly) knoweth its own bitterness, and a stranger doth not intermeddle with its joy*." This then is the stand ́ard by which you must measure human happiness. You must not too hastily conclude that prosperity is felicity. In order to know whether these men are truly what they seem to be, you must follow them into their retirements, into their closets, and to their couches; and

if

1

you could then see the interior of their hearts, you would probably find them objects rather of pity than of envy. Whatever they may pretend, or whatever air of cheerfulness they may assume, it is utterly impossible that they, whose sole object is to gratify their passions without the least regard to the feelings of *Prov. xiv. 10,

others;

others; who are corrupting all around them by their conversation and their example, or spreading ruin, misery, and desolation over the world by their inordinate ambition; who not only live in a constant violation of the commands of their Maker, but perhaps even deny his existence, renounce his authority, and treat every thing serious and religious with derision and contempt: it is, I say, utterly impossible that these men, whatever external magnificence or gaiety may surround them, can enjoy that peace and comfort and content of mind which alone constitutes real and substantial happiness, and without which every thing else is insipid and unsatisfactory. A secret consciousness that they are acting wrong, that they are degrading and debasing their nature, and wasting their time in mean, unworthy, and mischievous pursuits; frequent pangs of remorse for the irreparable injuries they have done to those whom they have betrayed or oppressed, and whose peace and comfort they have for ever destroyed ; a dread of that Almighty Being whom they have resisted and insulted; a fear of death, and an apprehension of that punishment hereafter, which,

24

which, though they affect to disbelieve and despise, they cannot help knowing to be pos sible, and feeling that they deserve; all these reflections, which, in spite of their utmost efforts to stifle them, will very often force themselves upon their minds, are sufficient to counteract every other advantage they possess, and to embitter every enjoyment of their lives. All shall look outwardly gay and happy, and all within shall be joyless and gloomy. They shall seem to have every thing they wish, and, in fact, have nothing that affords them any genuine satisfaction, or preserves them from the internal wretchedness that perpetually haunts them. "God (as the Psalmist expresses it) gives them their hearts desire, and sends leanness withal into their souls *: that is, a total incapacity of deriving any true comfort from the blessings they possess.

I am not here drawing imaginary pictures of misery, or describing situations which have never existed; I could refer you to well-known examples which could amply confirm the truth of my assertions, and would clearly show that the prosperity of the wicked is no proof * Psalm cvi. 15.

of

of their happiness; that external calamities and corporeal pains, acute sufferings, disease, or death, are not the only instrument of vengeance which the Almighty has in his hand for the correction of sinners; but that he has other engines of punishment far more terrible than these; that he can plant daggers in the breast of the most triumphant libertine; and that even when their worldly blessings are exalted, his secret dart can pierce their souls, and wring them with tortures sharper than a two-edged sword, yet invisible to every mortal eye*,

It appears, therefore, that sinners are in fact much oftener and much more severely punished than we are aware; that God is even now exercising a moral government over the world; that he is filling them with the fruits of their own devices, and chastening them in a variety of ways, not always discernible by us; admonishing some by gentle corrections. to sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto them; but crushing some by severer strokes,

*"As malefactors, when they go to punishment, carry their own cross; so wickedness generally carries its own torment along with it, and is a most skilful artificer of its own misery, filling the mind with terror, remorse, and the most agonizing reflection." Plut. Ed. Xyland. v. 2. p. 554. A.

"that

"that others may hear and fear, and do no such wickedness*."

66 more any

Still however it must be owned, that punishment does not always overtake the offender either speedily or immediately; and therefore I proceed to show, that when this is the case, there are sufficient reasons for the delay.

It is obvious that every scheme which comprehends a great variety of intentions and views, cannot permit all of them to be accomplished at once, but some things, by no means to be omitted entirely, must however be postponed. Now such a complicated system is that of the government of the world, in which God may have many designs altogether unknown to us; and of those which we know best, we are far from being judges which it is right for him to prefer, whenever they hap pen to interfere. Offenders, whom we are impatient to see punished as they deserve, he

* Deut. xiii. 11.

"It is as absurd for us to blame the gods for not punishing the wicked at the time and in the manner which we think the fittest, as it would be for an ignorant clown to censure a physician for not administering the most efficacious medicines to his patient at those times which he, the said clown, judges to be the most proper." Plut. v. 2. p. 549. F.

may