thefe in the outward Condition, Figure, and Ornaments of Life, is neceffary to keep the feveral Orders in a mutual Dependance on each other; to give the Superiors that Authority, and incline the Inferiors to that Submiffion their feveral Pofts require. Hence therefore it must follow, that thofe Degrees of Fortune which give Fulness and Affluence to one Station, may be Want and Penury in another; bear no Proportion to the Demands attending it, and disable the Man placed in it, from difcharging the Duties it requires from him. And confequently, this Wish of Agur cannot be understood to propose one certain Size and Measure of Fortune, as the proper Standard of all Men's Defires, but in a Senfe accommodated to the various Ranks, Conditions, and Characters of Men; and as advising each to request of God fuch a Measure of temporal Supplies, as may answer the proper Ends and Exigencies of his Station. That he may neither be diftreffed with the Want of such Things, as are fit and neceffary to one in his Pofition of Life; nor, on the other Hand, be loaded with fuch an Abundance, as far exceeds the Demands mands of it. The former State is to him real Poverty, attended with all the Inconveniencies, and expofed to the Temptations of Want; the latter a real Burden ; like Saul's Armour to David, to one of greater Stature it might perhaps be of excellent Service, but to him 'tis not only without Use or Defence, but a heavy Incumbrance, rendering him lefs active and ferviceable in his Poft, and lefs fecure in his Perfon than he would be without it. In this relative Sense then I understand the Poverty and Riches, which the wife Writer here prays to be removed from him. THERE is indeed fuch a State as abfolute Poverty, when a Man is deftitute, not only of the Conveniencies, but even of the fimple Neceffaries of Life; is disabled from acquiring them by any Service or Labour, and depends entirely on the Compaffion of others for his Support. But when I affign relative Poverty as the proper Subject of this negative Wish, I cannot be underftood to exclude this abfolute Poverty: For he who petitions God to preserve him from the Want of thofe things, Things, which are convenient to his Station, more eminently deprecates thefe Extremities. And therefore to reftrain the Petition to this abfolute Poverty, is without Reason, and muft very much contract the Example it propofes to us: For few will under this Suppofition think themselves concerned to offer it, neither can fuch a Reftraint confift with the Scope and Coherence of the Text. For if the Poverty here meant be abfolute Poverty, then the oppofite Branch (Riches) must be absolute too. Now I think it is fcarce poffible to form an Idea of abfolute Riches, because we can hardly conceive any Degree of Riches, but what might be agreeable to fome Station of Life or other. If therefore the one be relative to the Stations of Men, the other muft be fo too: And to this Sense the positive Part of the Wish determines us. Feed me with Food convenient for me, i. e. with fuch (both for Plenty and Choice) as is fuitable to the Number of our Dependants, and the Station of Life we are appointed to fill: Not merely what is in the ftricteft Senfe neceffary to fubfift Life, or answer the De mands mands of Nature; but fuch a Portion as may become the Rank and Character we fustain; support us comfortably in our Station, and enable us to maintain fuch Works of Beneficence as that requires from us. All this is implied in the proper Notion of Convenience. And though it is our Duty to fubmit with Patience and Content to more scanty Allotments, yet unless we exclude temporal Bleffings from being the Subject of human Petitions, thus much we may reasonably and lawfully afk of God. THIS Petition has indeed been fometimes explained in another View, which I before hinted, viz. as requesting a Middle Station of Life, within Reach of thofe Conveniencies which the lower Orders of Mankind muft neceffarily want, and yet without Embarraffment of Greatness. But though this is probably a Situation of the greatest Ease and Tranquility of any in human Life, yet this is by no means fit to be the Subject of all Mens Petitions to God: Because, as I obferved, Society cannot fubfift without a Diversity of Stations and Offices; and if God fhould grant every every one this Requeft of a middle Station, he would defeat the very Scheme of Happiness they propofed in it; and they would find themselves diftreffed in the Want of thofe Services, which can only be fupplied by a Variety of Orders, both above and below the Condition they defired. To accommodate this Requeft therefore to general Ufe and Imitation, it is requifite to understand it in the Sense I have affigned: Not as directing Mens Wishes to any one fixed Point, or determinate Standard of Fortune, but to a Measure fitted and adjusted to the Condition of each. The Medium intended is not an abfolute, but a refpective Medium: The Proportion recommended to all is the fame; but the Things to be defired in this Proportion, will both in Kind and Measure, acvary cording to Mens different Stations, and even to the different Periods and Incidents of Life. In this View the Request is fuited to all Characters, Orders, and Diftinctions of Men, from the highest to the loweft, and is a proper Comment on that comprehenfive Petition enjoined us in our |