disposition of things, for their common good. Here, then, is a real standing relation between the rich and the poor. And the former must take care to perform the duties belonging to their part of it; for these chiefly the present occasion leads me to speak to, from regard to Him who placed them in that relation to the poor, from whence those duties arise, and who "is the Maker of them all."
What these duties are, will easily be seen, and the obligations to them strongly enforced, by a little further reflection upon both these ranks, and the natural situation which they are in with respect to each other.
The lower rank of mankind go on for the most part, in some track of living, into which they got by direction of example; and to this their understanding and discourse, as well as labour, are greatly confined. Their opinions of persons and things they take upon trust: their behaviour has very little in it original, or of home growth; very little which may not be traced up to the influence of others, and less which is not capable of being changed by such influence. Then, as God has made plentiful provision for all his creatures, the wants of all, even of the poorest, might be supplied, so far as it is fit they should, by a proper distribution of it. This being the condition of the lower part of mankind, consider now what influence, as well as power, their superiors must, from the nature of the case, have over them. For they can instil instruction, and recommend it in a peculiar manner by their example, and enforce it still further with favour and encouragement of various kinds. And experience shows, that they do direct and change the course of the world as they please. Not only the civil welfare, but the morals and religion of their fellow-creatures, greatly depend upon them; much more indeed than they would if the common people were not wanting to their duty. All this is evidently true of superiors in general—superiors in riches, authority, and understanding, taken together. And need I say how much of this whole
